THE
TILGHMAN
PADUCAH TILGHMAN HIGH SCHOOL
2400 WASHINGTON STREET
PADUCAH, KENTUCKY
BELL
THURS. APRIL 28, 2016
VOL. 92 NO. 9
Former PT stand out named Head Coach by Charli Doss Tilghman hires former NFL player, Kurt Barber, as the new football head coach. In a press conference on Tuesday, Barber stated, “It’s always been my dream to come back and coach at Paducah Tilghman, but in my vision it was going to happen at age 60-65. I felt like there were a lot of things that I personally wanted to accomplish, like just getting around the country and learning new knowledge and bring that back to Paducah, but we all know we have our timing and God has His timing.” Barber said once he heard the vision of Mr. Shively and Mr. Davis of where they wanted the program to go, he was sold and the timing was right. Barber is an alumni of Tilghman and was a highlight performer on McRight Field during his high school football career. During his senior season, he was named Kentucky’s Mr. Football in 1987 and led Tilghman to an undefeated season before falling in the State Championship game. He continued playing football at the University of Southern California before being selected as the 42nd pick of the 1992 NFL Draft. At USC, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and earned a Masters degree in Special Education at Campbellsville. While playing in the NFL for six years, he was a part of the New York Jets, Denver Broncos, and Chicago Bears. After his playing days were over, he has stayed actively involved in the game. Barber’s past coaching jobs have been at Tennessee Martin, Kent State, Utah, UNLV, Kentucky State, Western Kentucky University, and Campbellsville. Barber hopes to see fans in the stands this fall cheering on the players because “We are going to put together an exciting brand of football, while most importantly we are going to help these kids be good citizens, while also doing well in the classroom and on the Photo provided by Wayne Walden field.”
GSP selections made
by Will Denton
by Claire Kelly Six students from Tilghman were accepted into the 2016 Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program (GSP). John Holtgrewe, Claire Kelly, Caroline Meiners, Landon Rutherford, Michael Ellen Walden, and Maddie Ybarzabal were named 2016 Kentucky Governor’s Scholars. Out of over 2,000 apPhoto provided by Wayne Walden plicants state-wide, approximately 1,000 students were chosen for the 2016 program. Scholars were chosen based on their academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, and overall character. The Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program is a five-week academic experience for rising seniors in the state of Kentucky. Accepted students will be assigned to one of three sessions taking place this summer at Morehead State University, Murray State University, or Northern Kentucky University. Students will have a college-like experience at GSP through living, dining, and learning on a college campus. To be accepted into the program, students had to be nominated by their school district and then complete an extensive application process. The application included summaries of academic achievement, extracurricular activities, service, and awards, along with an essay, teacher recommendation, and community member recommendation. Students chosen will also be eligible for special scholarships at any public college in the state of Kentucky. When asked about her acceptance, 2016 Governor’s Scholar Maddie Ybarzabal said, “I am so honored to be chosen as a Governor’s Scholar and I’m anxiously waiting to see what this summer brings. I am so excited for this amazing enrichment opportunity.”
Youth Lead graduates
by J. Roberto dos Remedios On April 14, Paducah’s Youth L.E.A.D. class of 2015 graduated at the Paducah Chamber Breakfast. The program consisted of junior students from PTHS, MCHS, St. Mary’s, and home school. The eight Tilghman students accepted to the program were John Holtgrewe, Maddie Ybarzabal, Claire Kelly, Hunter Grubbs, Will Denton, Jose Roberto dos Remedios, and Bryson Wells. Students first applied in October and subsequently took field trips to learn about community projects and institutions. One Wednesday each month, the students visited various medical, business, law, and service institutions to learn more about the Paducah community. To graduate, studentsmust participate in all activities and not have more than one absence. There is also a community service requirement. All Tilghman students graduated at the Breakfast at the end of the program. Each year there is a Youth L.E.A.D. outstanding student award given to one participant. John Holtgrewe recieved the award at the end of the ceremony and recieved a 500 dollar check. He comments, “The program was fun and I learned a lot about the city. I can use this to enhance my leadership abilities and opportunities to help in this community.”
GSA participants chosen Paducah Tilghman High School students Trevor Williams (11), Jose Roberto dos Remedios (11), Tyran Fitzgerald (11), and Emma Johnson (10) were accepted into the Governor’s School for the Arts class of 2016 summer proPhoto by Claire Kelly gram. Trevor Williams will be attending for Dance, Tyran Fitzgerald for Musical Theatre, Emma Johnson for Vocal Music, and Jose Roberto dos Remedios for Instrumental Music - Piano. Students Anna Grace McGee (10), Christopher Chumbler (11), Reagan Davidson (11), Zane Birdsong (11), Alec Wadley (10), and William Denton (11) were placed on the program’s alternate list. The auditions for the program were held through March in various locations. To audition for the program, the students had to prepare a piece, or pieces, that showcased their art form. In the case of musical auditions, they were also taken through several exercises to accurately judge their abilities. All of the auditions concluded with an interview with the judges. Jose Roberto dos Remedios commented, “After the audition I didn’t feel very confident, but after I found out I made it, I was genuinely happy. I’m very excited to attend the program this summer, and I’m looking forward to it.” Those students that were accepted will be attending one of the state colleges for three weeks this summer while studying their art form with various college professors. Trevor Williams commented, “I’m excited to be a part of GSA 2016 and having the opportunity to get to work with the talented staff this summer. I’ve heard good things from past participants! I’m very much looking forward to this summer and the knowledge I’ll get out of attending.” At the end of the program the students hold a showcase to finish out the camp. In addition to being able to attend, all students who are accepted are offered a scholarship to any in state schools in the state of Kentucky.
PT takes on Math Field Day by Claire Kelly
On Tuesday, March 29, twenty-four Tilghman students attended the 2016 Southern Illinois University Math Field Day. This was the first time in three years that a team from Tilghman had competed at this event. The Tilghman students took an individual comprehensive math exam along with almost 1200 other students from 41 schools. The top 3 students from each grade were recognized for their scores, and the top 20 students from each grade received an Honorable Mention. Senior Reese Butler took 2nd place in the overall senior category and 1st place in the AA senior division. The Tilghman Senior Team, comprised of Reese Butler, Grant Hutcheson, Teri Doss, Ivan Chwalik, Parker Belt, Meg Hancock, and Jack Daniels, took 2nd place in the AA Senior Teams category. Freshman Lance Butler took 6th place in the overall freshman category, receiving an Honorable Mention Award, and 1st place in the AA freshman division. The Tilghman Freshman Team, comprised of Lance Butler, Emilee Jones, Austin Griffith, Kate Rogers, Grace Raber, Austin Yarborough, and Noah Hollar, took 1st place in the AA Freshman Teams category. The Sophomore Team that competed included Matthew Jones, Ricardo Dos Remedios, Marco Garcia, James Luke McGee, and Connor Trimble. The Junior Team included Vanessa Davis, Nina Brown, Robert Harper, Travis Myers, Landon Rutherford, and Nick Beeney.
2016-2017 Cheer team announced by Maddie Chambers Cheerleading try out clinics were on April 18th, 19th, and the 21st. The senior cheerleaders helped by learning a UCA cheer and dance to teach to the girls trying out. Try outs were held on Aril 22nd. Each girl was scored individually on her cheer, dance, jump, and tumbling by unbiased judges. The Paducah Tilghman 2016-2017 Varsity Cheerleaders are Cakki Holm (8), Katie Peck (8), Ajaiya Andreson (8), Anivia Foster (8), Allee Rudolph (8), Nautica Beasley (9), Chesleigh Pugh (9), Hannah Waller (9), Grace Denton (9), Dasia Spann (9), Deja Littleton (9), Camaryn Pea (9), Sarah Hobbs (9), Mary-Kate Via (9), Tamaya Tharp (10), Adriana Clark (10), Elycia Staples (11), Jocelyn Spadafino (11), and Taliyah Hamilton (11). Coach David Wade said, “Try outs went extremely well this year, we had a lot of girls come out and I was able to get a great group of new and talented girls along with some of our returning members. A special thanks to my departing seniors who were a big help in making the try out process successful by teaching the material and mentoring the girls. I am looking forward to this upcoming year as we prepare to support our teams, school, and community!”
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A Tip of the Hat... by Matthew VanHoose and Lucie Tyrrell
“How was your Spring Break?” by Parker Belt and Samuel Tyrrell
“I went to Memphis and toured the MLK Jr. museum.” -Dasia Spann (9)
“Went camping at Land Between the Lakes with my family, but it was pretty cold.” -Anna Henderson (10)
A tip of the hat goes to Kris Jenkins of Villanova, for hitting the buzzer beater that won the Wildcats the National Championship. After a neck-and-neck game with North Carolina, the big man for Nova Kris Jenkins sunk a miracle shot that will go down in history as one of the greatest shots of all time. Jenkins’s stone-cold stature after he nailed the dagger in addition to the uproar from his teammates and fans will only add to the lore of this shot. After the game Kris immediately embraced the person that taught him to shoot -- his mother. This was the first time the National Championship game ended on a buzzer beater since 1983, when NC State defeated Houston to claim the title. A tip of the hat goes to us, Matthew Jameson VanHoose and Lucille Aubrecht Tyrrell. We have managed to keep you peasants entertained for the entire year, writing this column come rain, snow, sleet, or shine. Do you have any idea how hard it is to make these up every month? The pressure keeps us up at night, sweating over who or what to tip and wag. Sometimes our comedic genius may be lost on you all, but that’s okay, because we QUIT. Goodbye Bell, hello New York Times.
...A Wag of the Finger
A wag of the finger goes to Paducah, for finally making it onto primetime television for all the wrong reasons. A recent episode of NBC’s Dateline told the story of Julie Griffith, a Paducah woman who was killed by an early morning house fire, and the subsequent trial of her husband Keith Griffith. Keith pleaded guilty after the original trial and has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. Paducah has now been placed under the national spotlight as a place to have your house set ablaze while you’re asleep in your bed. Paducah already gets a bad rep from all these “quilters,” and this Dateline special will just make us look more backwards. A wag of the finger goes to the greatest evil known to the residents of Paducah: Quilt Week traffic. After the dogwoods have bloomed and spring has sprung, something catastrophic occurs in our humble little town. The streets are flooded; people are sobbing into their quilts as they call their loved ones to see if they are okay. Everything left in the wake of this disaster is a disheveled mess of fabric and sewing machines. With the migration of the world’s quilters comes the horrendous traffic we’ve all come to dread. Maybe they’re quilting while driving; maybe they’re just old. We may never know, but what we do know is that if you decide to courageously venture out onto the roads, you’re going to need a full survival kit and food rations for several days and, of course, a quilt. “Wag of the Finger” and “Tip of the Hat” are trademarks of Stephen Colbert and his TV show, The Colbert Report. Neither Paducah Tilghman nor The Bell Staff claim any ownership of these trademarks.
Summer camp benefits by Maddie Ybarzabal “Went to Panama City Beach and to a Warriors vs. Grizzlies game. It was sick.” -Landan Ross (11)
“Lived life to the fullest with a hint of practice.” -Epion Lee-McCampbell (12)
Photos by Samuel Tyrrell
The Tilghman Bell THE TILGHMAN BELL, A PRODUCT OF THE JOURNALISM CLASS, IS AN OPEN FORUM FOR STUDENT EXPRESSION AND IS DISTRIBUTED MONTHLY TO THE STUDENTS OF PADUCAH TILGHMAN HIGH SCHOOL FREE OF CHARGE. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: ABIGAIL HAWKINS COMMENTARY EDITORS: PALMER STROUP, ANNA CHAMBERS FEATURE EDITORS: MATTHEW VANHOOSE, ABBY SPICER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS: HANNAH HUNT, DALY SPICER SPORTS EDITORS: MATTHEW VANHOOSE, JACK BOYD, SAMUEL TYRRELL, LUCIE TYRELL, PARKER BELT BUSINESS MANAGER: MADELYN CHAMBERS STAFF WRITERS: PARKER BELT, JACK BOYD, ANNA CHAMBERS, MADELYN CHAMBERS, WILLIAM DENTON, J. ROBERTO DOS REMEDIOS, CHARLI DOSS, TERI DOSS, HUNTER GRUBBS, ALAYSIA HAMILTON, ABIGAIL HAWKINS, TALIA HOUSMAN, HANNAH HUNT, CLAIRE KELLY. CAROLINE MEINERS, DARBY MOFFAT, KAKI SHADOAN, ABBY SPICER, DALY SPICER, PALMER STROUP, LUCIE TYRRELL, SAMUEL TYRRELL, MATTHEW VANHOOSE, MADDIE YBARZABAL PHOTOGRAPHERS: CLAIRE KELLY, SAMUEL TYRRELL CARTOONISTS: MADDIE YBARZABAL ADVISOR: SUSAN HANCOCK
As the dreadful school year dwindles to a close, it’s hard not to find yourself day-dreaming about sunny summer days. It’s typical for us as teenagers to imagine an elaborate summer break filled with adventure. But, in reality, your summer won’t live up to these wild expectations. By the time the next school year comes around and your classmates ask what you did all summer, you’ll look back and realize you spent every waking hour on the couch, binge-watching Netflix. But there’s a better way to take advantage of the ten warm weeks you get out of school. One way to do this is to go to summer camp. Don’t roll your eyes and scoff, “that’s so lame.” It isn’t. In fact, summer camp is the complete opposite of lame. When you hear the words “summer camp,” you probably think of The Parent Trap. This picture of a traditional summer camp you’ve just got in your mind is definitely accurate--there are many summer camps all across the country that offer kids the opportunity to sit around a campfire, wake up to a bugle call, live in cabins, and sleep in bunk beds. But that’s not all these camps have to offer. Summer camps give kids the opportunity to explore nature and step outside their comfort zones. During the school year, it can be difficult to branch out from the same group of people you see every single day. Spending 24/7 with the same people can be…well…exhausting. But going to a summer camp allows kids to meet fresh, new people. When you live in a cabin for a week, there are some inevitable bonding experiences. Not only do these people become your roommates, but also your closest companions. As cheesy and cliché as it sounds, camp friendships really do last a lifetime. Camp can become your home-away-from home, your safe haven, your refuge. All of these problems seem to just fade away at camp. When you’re surrounded by happy, smiling, cheering people, it’s hard not to be happy, smiling, and cheery. Being away from home for a few days can easily take your mind off problems at home, and camp can be a really positive place to spend some time away from reality. Summer camps fill up quickly, especially this time of year. In order to assure yourself a spot at camp, it’s important to sign up early. There’s nothing worse than getting your hopes up and finding out you can’t actually go. Even if you aren’t interested in being a camper, there are employment opportunities in summer camps as well. You can apply to be a camp counselor and get a pretty similar experience. Being a counselor allows you to be role models for campers and get paid!
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Senioritis steals souls Dear underclassmen by Anna Chambers Every year, there is an inevitable downfall of an entire population. High school seniors everywhere suffer from the gradual decline of their grades, livelihood, and emotional stability. Senioritis: it begins upon our return after Christmas break and never, ever leaves us. The symptoms have a way of creeping into you without your knowledge, you can’t do anything once the process has begun. It starts with just a few tardies here and there, maybe a missing assignment; then the next thing you know, you’re lying face down on the library floor, referring to your teachers by their first name, and using your fingers and toes to count down the days to Graduation. I think it truly begins when you hear, “Guys, we have a lot more to cover this semester.” Your heart rate slows, and you’re given a moment of peace when you realize those words don’t mean the same thing they used to. They don’t make you shudder with fear, they don’t make you violently whip out the sticky-notes and colored pens in an attempt to write down everything you could possibly need to know in purple glitter ink. Now, those words just make you sigh, sigh the loudest sigh your frail, weak bodies could produce. Those words make you lie in bed at night, thinking of all you should be doing, but can’t physically make yourself do. Those words mean nothing to you. It continues to escalate, and you begin to realize that you haven’t thought about your homework for weeks. You can’t do your work in class because the school wifi includes Netflix, and you can’t do your work at home because your home wifi includes Netflix, (by the way, Mulan 2 was just added). Homework isn’t even in the back of your mind, it’s in the back of the back of your mind. Infinite Campus sends you continual missing assignment notifications, but you wouldn’t know because you deleted the app and never looked back. Your math worksheets have tears, dog slobber, and cheeto dust all over them but no answers. Just when you think you can’t get worse, Mrs. Stieg announces the date of Graduation, Senior Breakfast, and talk of Senior Skip Day arrises. Every ounce of motivation leaves your body. Any hint of “I can do this” is gone. Every single fiber of your being is focused on wearing that weird hat with a dangly thing and a bright blue frock, on graduating, on being a true adult with no rules and no bad lunches! You begin to wonder if the office would really notice if you left school to go nap in your car, or if your teacher would really mind if you just drew exotic animals on your test instead of answers. You’re physically sitting in a desk, but mentally, you are gone; there is no brain activity, except for a small moment of “I could go for some chicken nuggets” here and there. You have checked out; the semester isn’t done, but you are. Senioritis is real, and it is terrifying and inescapable. I applaud students who can get through their senior year without experiencing this syndrome. I even had a hard time finding the motivation to type this article, let alone actually write it. It took me three weeks. Seniors have it worse than freshman; we are barely hanging on, barely clinging to our sanity. If you know of any students with this condition, please let them know that you are there for them and that you support them, and know that this will pass in time, (May 28th).
Have no regrets by Abigail Hawkins At the beginning of senior year, my father told me to have no regrets. He informed me that it was important to make the most of every situation each day— to finish every season within this year in a strong and satisfying way. After graduation, I want to confidently say that I gave my best efforts to invest in and uplift those around me. Seniors, our time here at Tilghman is coming to a close. We have less than a month before we become alumni. How will you spend these last days? Will you go through the motions, separating yourself from moments in which you will later wish you had taken part? Or will you take the initiative and focus on this specific atmosphere and group of people that you will never experience again? My intentions are not to frighten but to motivate you to exhaust all efforts. Pour yourself into time with your classmates while you still have the chance. Each day is filled with words, attitudes, and choices. Words have weight, attitudes are contagious, and choices determine actions. All of these factors have the potential to create joy in the mundane and fun amidst the chaos. Those words of encouragement you’ve been contemplating saying? Speak. The broken ties you need to mend? Act quickly. Let nothing stand in the way of having peace of mind. Thoughts of summer, college, and the future are pulling our attention every which way. Even though there is nothing wrong with being excited about these things, I challenge you to stay put for a moment longer. Enjoy yourself. Choose to live in the present. Have no regrets.
by Abby Spicer and Lucie Tyrrell Dear underclassmen, We know how you are probably feeling about your high school career by now: exhausted, unmotivated, and most likely ready to move away. And while these feelings are understandable (we’ve all been there), believe us when we say you do not want to wish away these four years at Paducah Tilghman High School. Everyone has heard the saying “the best is yet to come.” And while this is true, there is no reason that you should spend your whole life looking towards the future and not living in the present. High school is a time to grow, get involved, become prepared for college and, most importantly, have fun. So, take advantage of Friday night football games, pep rallies, Mayfield week, dances, and any chance you get to hang out with your friends. You make your high school experience what you want it to be. Your grades, your choices, and your involvement are all up to you. You can complain all you want about how “everything is terrible,” but let’s be honest, it isn’t. You are involved in a community that is willing to go to great lengths to help you succeed academically and socially, so you should take advantage of it! Challenge yourself with higher level courses, join clubs you might be interested in, and don’t be afraid to branch out and talk to people you normally wouldn’t. High school is a time to prepare yourself for the rest of your life. You make mistakes, but you learn from them. Despite what you may think, life goes on, even after you make a 57 on your math test. The most important thing to remember is that you won’t get these days back, so don’t sweat the small stuff, and make the most of your high school career. Sincerely, Class of 2016
“Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Teri Doss As the famous musician Bob Marley would say, “Don’t worry, be happy.” Seems simple enough, but why, as humans, do we find this so hard to do? Why can we not just appreciate life as it happens? We may never know the answer to these questions; however, I can tell you that worrying is not going to increase the quality of your life in any way. According to the dictionary, worry is “the state of anxiety and uncertainty over actual or potential problems.” I think it’s safe to say that all of us have felt this unease at some point in our lives, or if you’re like me, you tend to feel it more often that not. Quite frankly, there’s nothing wrong with a little bit of worry. It shows that you have the capacity to care about things going on in this world. However, doing too much worrying can create a great deal of unnecessary problems. Do you ever find yourself wondering what purpose worrying serves? Well, honestly if you want to create unneeded stress, feel anxious and live in a state of never being sure of your actions or what you feel, then you have found your purpose for worrying. It’s okay to be concerned about your grades; it’s okay to be concerned about college, athletics, or your other activities, but it is utterly useless to live in a constant state of worry over anything really. The thing about worrying is that it doesn’t change anything. I’m aware that it’s not always easy to understand this when you’re actually in the process of worrying; however, when you take a moment to reflect on some of your worrisome situations, you will notice that your worry essentially did nothing for you. For example, once you take a test, there’s no need to stress yourself out and worry until you know what you made on the test. The test is over and done with, and no amount of worry is going to make your grade any different. We live in a world where a majority of us are so caught up in worrying about the future or dwelling on the past that we forget to enjoy the present. Worrying takes away from life’s daily blessings and adventures. So, relax, take a deep breath, put a smile on your face, and enjoy the happy things in life. Be confident in yourself and know that you can handle whatever life throws at you. Nobody ever promised that life would be easy, but it is a little bit more enjoyable when you don’t worry about every little thing that happens.
Spring is ruined by J. Roberto dos Remedios Springtime is a time for happiness, serenity, flowers, warmth, and perfection. Well, it would be perfect if it weren’t for the deathly allergies that come with it. Allergies disrupt all of the beauty and splendor that Spring has and replaces it with irritation and suffering. Allergies in the spring don’t affect everyone the same way. Some people require severe medical attention, while others can shrug off the symptoms fairly easily. Arguably, the people who have it the worst are those in the middle-too severe to dismiss, and too weak to have medication. It’s not unbearable or unnoticeable, it’s just in that sweet spot known as horribly mild inconvenience. The sniffles and the constant state of I-am-about-to-sneeze-but-I-just-can’t can devastate a person. It’s never really as taxing on your body as it is on your mind. Just imagine having seventy-plus years of annual suffering. That’s just like extremely prolonged Chinese water torture, except without water or the Orient, and instead pollen and nature. Besides the pain of being someone with seasonal allergies of any degree, dealing with those people can sometimes be just as insufferable. Oh, were you trying to say something? Sniffle, sniffle. Are you trying to concentrate on a big test? ACHOO! It’s just so hard to pretend like someone isn’t sniffling for his/her life every three seconds. Trying to talk to someone with really irritated eyes can also be quite strange. Are they intoxicated or suffering from those devilish allergies? Who knows? Springtime is the best season of the year. And maybe there wouldn’t be any argument or competition if only allergies didn’t exist. With all the sniffles, sneezing, and red eyes, it really takes away from the Springtime. If they didn’t exist, the world would be a much better place.
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Butler, Tyrrell named Rotary Scholars of the month by Teri Doss The Tilghman Bell would like to congratulate the Rotary Scholars for the month of April, seniors Reese Butler and Lucie Tyrrell. Each Wednesday of the month, the two will attend the Rotary Club meetings at the Carson Center. At each meeting the scholars have the opportunity to eat lunch with members of the community and listen to a different guest speaker every Wednesday of the month. Mr. Butler is the son of Danny and Lori Butler. He is a member of the varsity football, soccer, and baseball teams and is a member of the Academic Team. Butler is also treasurer of the student council, and a member of the National Honor Society, FBLA, Beta Club, and Spanish Club. Butler plans to attend the University of Alabama to pursue a major in Engineering.
Photo provided by Wayne Walden
Miss Tyrrell is the daughter of Michele and Dana Tyrrell. She is a member of the National Honor Society, FBLA, Beta Club, Interact Club, and Pep Club. Tyrrell also volunteers as a mentor to students at Paducah Middle. She plans to attend the University of Louisville and is undecided on a major. When asked about their Rotary experience, Tyrrell commented “It’s a wonderful experience to be surrounded by so many people who want to work together to better the community. I’m honored to have been chosen to be a part of it.” Butler also agreed that it has been a great experience and that “being selected as a Rotary scholar has been beneficial to me as it has allowed me to connect to this benevolent organization while still in high school.”
FBLA competes in State Competition by Lucie Tyrrell On Monday, April 18, 11 Tilghman students traveled with Mrs. Saladino and Mrs. Balkey to Louisville to compete in the FBLA State competition. The competition was held in the Gault House Hotel. A total of 13 PTHS students participated in the competition, some competing in Lousiville and some taking their tests at Tilghman before traveling to the competition. FBLA State is a total of 3 days, so the students had lots of free time in which they had a multitude of activities to choose from. They could attend meetings, breakout sessions, participate in group activities, and meet students from across the state who are also very active in FBLA. Some PTHS students were even voting delegates and participated in electing current FBLA members for state offices for the 2016-2017 school year. Paducah Tilghman was represented very well by the FBLA students. Reese Butler recieved first place in Accounting II, Hunter Golightly, Wesley Blondell, and Carter Noneman placed fourth overall in Public Service Announcement, and Will Myre placed fourth in Networking Concepts. These 5 students have qualified for nationals and will be attending the competition from June 29-July 2 in Atlanta, Georgia this summer.
Browning joins UKATS in DC by Daly Spicer Tilghman senior Shelby Browning joined her UKATS (University of Kentucky College of Engineering Appropriate Technology and Sustainability) research team in Washington D.C. to attend the National Science and Engineering Festival April 16th-17th. They competed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s P3 (People, Prosperity, and the Planet) Program and ended up leaving with the AIChE YCOSST Award. Over the past three years, Browning has been spending her Friday afternoons volunteering at the UK College of Engineering Paducah Campus to help with UKATS’ award winning project. Their invention went through many phases, but their final product was a processor that was able to easily turn waste, such as plastic, into commodities like pesticides and fertilizers in underdeveloped agricultural regions. It was proven to be successful after being tested in Cameroon, India, and Uganda. The AIChE YCOSST Award was presented by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Youth Council on Sustainable Science and Technology. In order to win first place, UKATS had to make their processor economical and ecofriendly by reducing the loss of national resources. With this award, the research team went home with $1,000 and the opportunity to present at the 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers meeting.
Photo provided by Mrs. Saladino
PT sweeps NHD Competition by J. Roberto dos Remedios On April 1, six Tilghman students particupated in th annual regional National History Day competition. Meg Hancock (12), Will Denton (11), Jose Roberto dos Remedios (11), Talia Housman (11), Vanessa Davis (11), and Skylar Bundy (11) all won first place in their respective category. This was a first time experience for all junior students. Davis says, “I’m not really used to competing, but I enjoyed it. I’m glad that we won first place.” The NHD competition has five categories: paper, exhibit, documentary, website, and performance. Each entry in a category can either be done as an individual or a group, except for paper. Each project also revolves around an annual theme; this year’s theme is “Exploration, Encounter, and Exchange.” Hancock entered with The Carnegie Libraries The Architecture of American Literacy in individual documentary, Denton with Inhospitable Exploration: Ernest Shackleton’s Expedition into Antarctica in individual website, dos Remedios and Housman with Ferdinand Magellan: An Unexpected Journey in group documentary, and Davis and Bundy with The Empire’s Carol in Group Performance. Each entry won first place and are eligible for state competition in Lexington on April 30. Denton comments, “I’m excited to be able to compete at the state level, and I hope we all do well. Everyone has put a lot of effort into their projects.”
NJROTC News
Choir competes successfully by Hunter Grubbs The Paducah Tilghman Choir has been performing non-stop this month. The Choir’s director is Matthew Hinz, who has pushed his choir to perfection. The first trip the choir took was to the District 1 Choir Festival, which was held at Marshall County High School. The choir performed three pieces and was also judged for sight reading. The difficulty level of the choir’s sight reading piece is determined by the difficulty of the other pieces sung during judging. Tilghman’s sight reading piece was the most difficult piece given out that day. The choir received a Distinguished for its performance and sight reading. The Choralaires scored a Distinguished overall. The next trip was to Austin Peay in Clarksville, TN. Paducah Tilghman’s Choir was the only high school invited. The choir sang for ten hours and had an excellent performance. When asked about the trip, Caroline Meiners replied, “Singing for that long was exhausting, but it really helped me grow as a singer to practice and perform with such talented college students.”
Photo provided by Commander Taylor
Members of the Paducah Tilghman High School Navy Junior ROTC unit recently participated in a community service event for the Hugs Project of Western Kentucky. The Hugs Project collects and ships items for gift boxes to U.S. service members stationed overseas. PTHS NJROTC cadets participating in the event are (left to right) Megan Summers, Derrick Hobbs, Amiya Jones, Travis Myers, Kevin Hobbs, Jovan Lopez, and Noah Hollar.
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A Day in the Life of Matt Hinz
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by Anna Chambers and Hannah Hunt Matt Hinz begins every day by waking up with an enemy sympathizer, his wife, McCracken math teacher. With a sigh, he reminds himself he must love the mother of his kids and quickly turns off his alarm. While waiting for his coffee (with two sugars and one cream) to cool, Matt dreams of the peppermints that he will later consume throughout the day. Before slithering out the door, he has to decide which pair of printed socks to slip on. From argyle to polka dot, choosing from the forty six pairs is not the simplest of tasks. Socks are not a game to this man. After his feet embellishments are completed, Matthew and his two sons, Landon and Weston, hop into his 2012 black Pathfinder and jet off to Concord Elementary. Once they're dropped off, he turns on his hardcore rap and bumps to Tilghman. As he enters the doors, he pops what will be the first of the 6 peppermints that he eats everyday. He smiles as he feels the cool mint hit the back of his throat, preparing his vocal chords for the hours to come. Throughout the day he teaches Piano, AP Music Theory, and Choir. Between classes he solves crimes on Criminal Case and guesses that tune on SongPop. The man has no time to spare, so for lunch he munches on a few more mints. The school day is not complete until he has engulfed his entire Mr. Pibb, it used to be Mello Yello but he had to switch due to an acid intolerance. Once he's picked up the boys, he zooms to baseball practice, assumes the position of A1-Baseball Dad, and throws on the Oakley's. After watching his offspring represent the family name, they all go home and settle down with a good Fall Out Boy CD. Before turning in for the night, Landon puts the family to sleep with the sweet hum of beatboxing that his father taught him. Immediately after taking off his school-socks, he slips on his nighty-night-socks and lets the night take him. Goodnight, Hinz.
Behind the scenes of Prom by Maddie Chambers Every year, girls in long gowns and guys dressed in their best tuxes walk on a red carpet into the Carson Center, which is beautifully decorated with lights and a perfectly set up dance floor. It’s almost like magic, but, of course, we know the workers can’t just say “poof” and have it all magically appear. It is way past time that the “Prom Fairies” get the recognition that they deserve for making Prom possible. Although they do have the magic touch, they still have to put in hours of work to prepare for this big event. Every year a different department is in charge of helping with prom decorating and chaperoning. Nevertheless, Mr. Tucker, Mrs. Cox, and Ms. Braden willingly help with Prom year after year. Mrs. Cox is the mastermind behind the always creative themes, while Mr. Tucker and Ms. Braden are the creative minds who help make the theme come alive. Also, they get help from the yearbook class every year with tasks such as checking hundreds of lights to make sure every single one of them are in perfect condition to make the Carson Center Lobby shimmer, almost as if it were a ballroom. As a girl, the day of Prom is crazy with different appointments, leaving time for any outfit malfunction, and being sure you have time to take hundreds of pictures.
It may seem impossible, but the day is even busier for the teachers who volunteer to make Prom happen. They have the challenging job of transforming the Carson Center so that it seems as if a Prom fantasy. Sounds like a lot of work to do, right? What’s even more impressive is that they are unable to get into the building until 11:00 A.M. to begin spreading their pixie dust all over the room. Since this is an all day job, it is amazing our teachers have time to get themselves ready for the night! It’s a little hard to believe that they are able to do all of this without any magic… As you walk into Prom, take a moment to look around and realize what an amazing job our teachers do of creating a shining environment for Prom. I am sure that our teachers have a MUCH better way to spend their Saturday other than working all day and being with a lot of teenagers dancing all night, but they still do it. Ms. Braden told The Bell, “The reason we do this is because we want to do this for our students. We do this year after year because we love being able to do it for you all.” Prom is believed to be the most magical night of the year, so let’s keep the fairytale image alive and believe in the magic, while thanking the Prom fairies for all that they do.
Spring cleaning: time to get your life together by Maddie Ybarzabal and Darby Moffatt
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Is your hair messier than your room? Is your life messier than both? We get it… between extra-curriculars, cramming for exams, homework that was due a week ago, and constantly adding to your summer to-do list, you barely even have time to wash your hair. No wonder it’s so messy! Spring cleaning is here, and its time to tidy up every aspect of your life. Start with having an organized work area. Being clutter-free can help you think clearly and focus on the task in front of you. So, the task in front of you is overwhelming and unbearable and you’re doing everything possible to avoid starting it? Here’s what you should do: put the phone down, turn vibrate off, don’t look at it, don’t even think about it. Your Snapchat streak can wait (well, at least for 24 hours), but those finals won’t wait for anything. Now that the phone is put away, you can really get down to business. No, but, seriously, get down to business. Pace yourself, and take breaks every half hour or so. It’ll get done before you know it, and it’ll feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Oh, so you waited until the night before to start studying or doing your homework because every moment before that you convinced yourself that you just didn’t care? Now you hate yourself, but you still have to do the work...it happens to the best of us. Just push through and get it done. Your bad habit of procrastinating will come back to bite you in the butt in the next few weeks. I promise. Pretty soon, everything is going to come at you so fast that you’ll feel like you can barely keep your head above water. Before you dive head first into stress, take a deep breath. Wash your hair. Tidy up your room. At least start your homework. You’ll make it. The school year is almost over a.k.a. the constant stressing is almost over. Now thats’s motivation. Good luck with the rest of the school year!
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What will they?
LOOK-A-LIKES
Facebook creates new virtual reality camera by Hunter Grubbs
by Alaysia Hamilton
Nyla Blue (12)
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Nurse Blue
Since the representations and release of the Oculus Rift, people have been fascinated with the technology. The Oculus Rift is a virtual reality headset developed by Oculus VR. Facebook purchased Oculus in March 2014 for $2 billion. The Oculus Rift allows the person wearing the headset to enter a virtual reality. The virtual realities that were first released were basic, consisting of simple rollercoaster rides and hikes with dinosaurs. The Oculus Rift has a 110 degree field of view allowing the user to feel that he is deep into the world he has downloaded. The integrated headphones give off a 3D audio effect that adds to the “reality feel.” Many PC companies and also the Xbox One have made it possible to use the Oculus Rift for certain games. Microsoft recently announced that the Rift will be compatible with the Xbox One through Windows 10 and that every unit will come with an Xbox One controller. Users are now able to insert themselves into games by wearing the headset. Virtual reality in video games is not the only thing Facebook is working on. This April, Mark Zuckerberg has revealed the developing of the Surround 360. The Surround 360 is a camera that films 360 degrees of view. After processing the video through a system Facebook will release, each camera connected to the body will have its recordings stitched together. Once merged together the footage can then be used to make one’s own virtual realities that can be uploaded and sold online. The camera is supposed to be very simple to use, “You treat it like an ordinary camera. You plug it in. You hit record. You get a big data file out. And it somehow gets turned into a seamless video, just like you would with any video camera,” stated Facebook engineer Brian Cabral. Information provided by USA Today
AP testing tips Bradley Duncan (12)
Ashton Hurst (12)
Musician
Boss of Business
by Talia Housman AP classes can be stressful and just down right painful if you don’t keep up with your work. The worst is when the time comes for the big test and you realize you haven’t studied throughout the year. Here a few tips to help you out. Go see your teachers! They will most likely be more than happy to give you prep material or stay after school and help you and/or a group of your class mates study. Your teachers, believe it or not, actually want you to succeed. Take them up on offers to stay after school. Plans with friends and significant others are not as important as your school work, (Sorry, but it’s true). You need to study. Talk to people who have already taken the test you are about to take. They might have tips on how to handle yourself in the test room, such as wear a watch or practice writing under time constraints or make sure you eat well. They have already been through your struggle, and most of them are going to want to help you out. Take care of yourself. The night before is not the time to be reading this article. The night before should not be your main study time. Review the material that you purchased or got from your teacher for about an hour and then relax.. Take a nice bubble bath, read a book for fun or do something else that relaxes you. Be confident. You’ve got this; you have been in this class all year with very qualified teachers. They believe in you and you should, too. You are a smart cookie and can do well. Believe and study and you are half-way there.
Dear Abby,
Jordan Prather (12)
NFL Player Photos provided by yearbook and Claire Kelly
For the past three years, I have had the honor of sharing experiences and lessons I have been taught throughout high school with fellow Tilghman Bell readers. Since this is my last issue before graduating, I thought it was time to reveal who the “secret Abby” actually is. Surprise! Thank you for reading the words that are close to my heart, and I hope that they have had even the slightest impact on the students here at PT. From the kick off of the school year to a senior’s final moments, and everything in between, my hope is you have found answers to struggles you may be facing. Tune in next year for great advice from a new “Dear Abby” columnist! It’s been a pleasure. Sincerely,
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Puppets portray real life
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by Hannah Hunt I had high expectations and an existential amount of balled up excitement while walking into my first Charlie Kauffman film. I had heard of his reputation of being able formulate incredibly unique scripts from friends explaining the plot lines from his past films such as Being John Malcovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The fact that the film was shot in stop-motion heavily contributed to my "geeking out" before entering the doors of Maiden Alley Cinema. Subsequently to taking my seat, I was sucked into a hilarious yet harrowing film about a man by the name of Michael Stone who is sinking into a midlife crisis. This stop-motion, dark comedy blew my expectations out of the water, leaving me crying and hysterically laughing. Anomalisa is by far one of the most unique, painfully relatable, and hilarious films of 2015. The protagonist of Anomalisa, Michael Stone, is a well known author of motivational books about customer service. The film starts off with Michael journeying to Cincinnati to give a seminar over his most recent book. Michael comes off as a very enthusiastic guy, but as the story goes on, you are left with a clinically depressed and totally detached character. Everything seems boring in Michael's eyes. Everyone has the same sounding voice (literally). He seems unloved by his wife and child. There is no excitement in his life, until he enters the Cincinnati city limits. After a failed attempt at rekindling a past relationship, Michael's senses are shocked when he hears the most beautiful voice as he saunters down the hotel's hallway. This voice belongs to Lisa, an avid fan of Michael's work, who came to see him speak. The two fall for each other instantly, and hearing Lisa's voice is like a symphony to his ears. With this new found feeling of happiness that Lisa brings, Michael then continues to give her the nickname Anomalisa. After spending time with her, Michael soon starts to realize that he is still unhappy and the initial anomaly that Lisa had starts to fade. We are then left again with an emotionally unstable, yet humorous puppet. There was not a moment in this film when I wasn’t either grabbing my stomach from laughter or wiping tears away from my cheeks. My eyes were glued to the screen the whole time, and my heart was truly invested. Anomalisa is breath of fresh air with its sincere and empathetic story line executed perfectly by puppets. You will not be left with a happy ending, but with the harsh reality of life. Charlie Kauffman left me wanting more and thinking about others who feel the same way as Michael. If you are a fan of dark comedies and want step out of your comfort zone, then Anomalisa is a must see.
Underrated artists Summer Salt
This Austin based trio can chill you out with just a strum of a guitar. Summer Salt's two album collection formulates the perfect summer time playlist with Matt's angelic vocals along side Eugene and Phil's lighthearted instrumentals. Listening to them will make you want to fall in love, go to the beach, or just take a big breath and chill out.
Madvillain
Lyricist MF Doom and DJ Madlib come together to create underground hip-hop Duo Madvillain. These two do not produce your everyday hip-hop aesthetic, yet provide a unique mix of samples and voice overs that help tell a captivating story. The pair supplies an unconventional sound that draws listeners in to pay attention to the story line at hand.
Car Seat Headrest
by Hannah Hunt
Lead Will Toledo creates meaningful yet catchy lyrics which help make Car Seat Headrest’s introspective indie pop sound so special. This four piece band has a range of sounds, seeking inspiration from artists such as R.E.M., Animal Collective, and Modest Mouse. Car Seat Headrest has the unique ability to produce a mixture of laid back and upbeat tracks. photos provided by Google Images
Jammy Jams disgraces pop music
by Will Denton
We all know the classic lullabies, “Itzy Bitzy Spider,” “Jesus Loves Me,” “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” all the things we listened to and sang as children. Then, as we grow up, we make the awkward journey to more streamlined music. Let’s face it, listening to “You are my Sunshine” at full blast on the highway just isn't appealing anymore. Now, thanks to Jammy Jams, children can now enjoy the same music we listen to… in lullaby form. Jammy Jams aims to make that awkward transition easier by letting children listen to the same music at a young age. No longer will they have to listen to those traditional lullabies that we grew up with and love so dearly. Their album, Greatest Naps Vol. 3, takes songs like “Take Me to Church,” “Shake it Off,” and “Stay With Me” and turns them into mellow melodies that will put your little sibling to sleep, all while slowly melting your mind. For anyone over the age of eight, however, Jammy Jams is a special kind of torture. It is absolutely amazing how one can take a great song like “Hello” and turn it into something so mind-numbing you’ll do anything to make it stop. Once you hear your favorite song played on a poorly synthesized electronic xylophone, you will never listen to it the same way again. So if you happen to find yourself with a screaming little insomniac, try Jammy Jams. You are sure to despise it, but it might just put that little bundle of joy to sleep while expanding his musical horizons.
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Artist Alley
Superhero film serves no justice by Palmer Stroup
by Daly Spicer Brooklyn, director John Crowley’s cinematic adaptation of Colm Toibin’s award winning novel, beautifully tells a young Irish girl’s story of leaving home to start a new life in opportunity filled America during the 1950s. What could have been an ordinary immigration anecdote was saved by an outstanding cast and crew that worked together to make a touching film about love, family, and belonging. Saoirse Ronan portrayed Eilis, the female protagonist who crosses the Atlantic in search of a better life. At first, all she finds is homesickness (after some inevitable seasickness), but her cure soon materializes in the form of a charming Italian plumber named Tony. With him, she starts to feel at home in Brooklyn. That is until she receives word that misfortune struck the mother and sister she left behind in Ireland. Upon her return to comfort her mother, Eilis becomes reacquainted with the small town and discovers that it might have more to offer than before. Caught between two jobs, countries, and men, Eilis must choose between her new and old life. Screenwriter Nick Horby did a remarkable job avoiding clichés and keeping the story and characters genuine while concurrently dodging dull moments. Not much focus was put on the prejudice Irish immigrants experienced in the fifties, which most moviegoers are likely familiar with. This could have added some interesting conflict, but has been done before and was probably best left to a minimum for the sake of avoiding redundancy. Instead, the majority of the movie’s confrontation stemmed from Eilis’s inner conflict. Saoirse Ronan did an eloquent and sincere job depicting her character’s struggle to discover where she really belongs. Viewers can’t help but root for her through the good and the bad. Though the characters and plot are quite ordinary, there is something engaging and charming about the simplicity of Brooklyn. Anyone fond of romantic movies or period dramas is sure to enjoy this film.
Spring into these Netflix Favorites by Alaysia Hamilton Documentary Now
Audiences charmed by Crowley film
Written by Fred Armisen, Bill Hader and Seth Meyers, this “mockumentary” series mocks the world’s best known documentaries. Before streaming on Netflix, Documunentaty Now was on IFC with Portlandia, another one of Armisen’s orignals. Everything is so laid back that you
can’t help but have Saturday Night Live flashbacks. The show features six different stories that showcase how everything is made into a documentary now. Each episode uses a different film style to fully capture the theme of the parody.
Flaked
Maxx in her spare time. Samantha started on her featured piece, “Circles,” with a contemplation of what she could do with different sizes of circles. She took a couple of different sizes and colors and arranged them in a pattern. She then proceeded to dip the circles in paint and create the unique work of art. Samantha loves abstract art and has always wanted to create a huge painting of canvas blocks in different colors. Samantha hopes to go to college when she finishes high school. She hasn’t decided where or what she would like to major in, quite yet. Tip for other Artists: Be yourself, your artwork doesn’t have to be like the Greats.
I was originally going to come up with a catchy cliché opening line for this article, something like “flying into a theater near you,” “kicking off a summer of superhero cinema,” or really anything quite trite because I really, really wanted to write a nice and positive review. I want to tell people to go see it; I want to tell people this is a good movie, but…it’s not. Oh, I haven’t said what movie I’m talking about yet? I apologize; this movie is called Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Sounds like an awesome movie, right? Because how can you possibly mess up a Batman fights Superman movie? Well, this movie is exactly how. Ok, first off, the obvious: the plot. There isn’t really much you need to have in a Batman versus Superman movie. You need some Superman; you need some Batman; you need some antagonism between the two that is resolved by some common differences that highlight a need for a little team-up in the third act. How can you mess that up? Well, you do that by adding layers of Dallas-esque “it was all a dream sequences,” jolly ranchers, and closed minded, stereotypical politicians from Kentucky. I’m not joking; all of those things play major parts in the movie. There are so many fake/dream scenes that past a certain point, you really can’t trust if what you are seeing is real at all. Oh, and how do we let the audience know that this guy is a bad guy? Let’s make him seem super quirky and chill but out of nowhere let’s make him take a jolly rancher and make him put it in someone’s mouth. Totally like Lex Luthor, right? I’m sure it’s just mere coincidence that all the people from Kentucky in this movie happen to live on pig farms and that this film just wanted to accurately portray our literally down-to-earth commonwealth. Do you live on a pig farm? Because the people who wrote this movie think you do (and also that people from the Middle East are terrorists and that Mexicans are still savages, but that’s beyond the point). “But wait, Palmer, there has to be something good with this movie. Please tell me there is.” Oh, desperate reader, there is. This movie is actually …beautiful. Every scene looks like it was from a comic book. It looks absolutely epic. Plus, Ben Affleck is unexpectedly awesome as Batman. His chin juts out angrily towards the sky, and he looks like he eats splinters for breakfast. He’s nothing like we’ve ever seen before, and it is so refreshing. When they actually do fight (it’s about an hour into the movie), it is so amazing. It’s incredible; it’s violent, it’s insane, it’s the absolute best Batman action that’s ever been seen. But then there’s the rest of the movie. Batman is the best part hands down, but there’s still a problem with how his character is handled. It’s a given that Batman doesn’t kill people, but in this movie he does. I mean just straight up kills people. There’s no real explanation for this change in his mantra but the film lets you know that one is there. It’s just dissatisfying. But there is one ultimate underlying problem in this movie and that’s Jesus, I mean Superman, I mean unnecessary Biblical allegory. “Hmmm, that’s a very hung-on the-cross pose you’re doing there Superman. I’m sure its nothing.” But it’s not nothing. Scattered throughout are tons of forced and absolutely contrived connections to the Bible and, more specifically, the story of Jesus Christ’s with Superman’s. Wait, look up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s an unnecessary, twisted, messianic figure in red and blue underwear! In all honestly, the whole thing felt like a very violent, ham fisted, Veggie Tales episode. However, from a non-critical point of view its actually pretty fun. It’s better to watch it not taking it seriously. I’ve seen it three times now, and each time it’s just a bit goofier. Don’t go in with the mentality thinking it’s the gritty, intelligent, political socio-religious piece of art it thinks it is.
After the success of BoJack Horseman, Will Arnett teams up with Netflix once again for Flaked. This comedy, co-created by Will Arnett and Mark Chappell, follows Chip, a furniture maker who moves to Venice to make friends and finally get
his life back on track. But when he sees London, a waitress who works at his favorite restaurant, his life turns upside down… again. Another plus, his best friend is also in love with her. Too bad she’s there on her own mission.
The Ranch
Photo by Talia Housman
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by Talia Housman The featured artist for April is Samantha Freeman. She is a 17-yearold sophomore, who found her way into art when she came to Tilghman. She started the art program her freshman year and fell in love with all things art and has continued into her sophomore year. Samantha is active outside the art program as well. She is currently working at T.J.
T I L G H M A N
Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson from That ‘70s Show are reunited as siblings in The Ranch. After a brief career as a “not so pro” football player, Colt Bennett returns to Colorado to help his brother Jimmy and father run the family ranch. Created by Jim Patterson and
Don Reo, The Ranch is a family sitcom that makes you laugh. Even though the show should be on national television, this family sitcom does not disappoint when it comes to comedic relief. Photos provided by Google Images
Spring crossword extravaganza by Caroline Meiners and Will Denton
Across 5. RUN, COACH WYATT, RUN 6. Flower and character in Greek mythology that loved himself 8. What you put on bread + how birds get around 12. Female wear crafted from the hands of Helios himself 13. Falling molecules of hydrogen and oxygen bound together by covalent bonds 15. Symptoms may include laziness, superiority complex, severe depressive mood swings, hatred of standardized testing and the impending future. Underclassmen are subject to collateral damage. 16. Confused fabric tourists 17. Your parents force you to do this outside Down 1. Just kidding in the fourth month 2. An utter decimation of the sinuses 3. You calculate the lowest possible grade you can make on this to still get a decent grade in the class 4. Picking classes for next year 7. Involves ball and a stick with no net 9. Involves a net, stick with a net, and a green ball 10. Baby swimming birds 11. The main event on April 30th 14. Liberation from education in April 18. Follow the __________ Trail
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Donelson signs with John A. Logan
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by Charli Doss Senior Miriah Donelson will join John A. Logan’s women’s basketball program. Donelson has loved the game of basketball ever since she first picked up a ball as a child. She has played organized ball since the fourth grade. Donelson has been on the Tilghman Varsity Basketball Team and Track Team for four years. During her playing days at Tilghman, she was a part of three District Championships and a Regional Runner-Up team. Her biggest game achievement was scoring twenty-seven points against McClean County. She finished her four year playing career at Tilghman with over seven hundred points. Donelson received All-Tournament team honors during the District Tournament and has been named Athlete of the Week for multiple performances. She has also been involved in the Band of Blue for four years. With her hard work and dedication, Donelson is expected to make an impact at John A. Logan. Head coach Amanda Shelby stated, “Miriah has the ability to shoot the ball and drive to the rack. She’s going to be a very good player. We are losing
two sophomores from this year from a team that went 26-4. She’s going to fit right in and help us continue that success.” She plans to major in Computer Technology. Miriah Donelson stated, “I love the game too much to not pursue basketball at the next level.”
Photo provided by Wayne Walden
PT alumnus shines bright NBA playoffs kickoff by Parker Belt & Jack Boyd
by Matthew VanHoose
Josh Forrest is a name that will be forever remembered as a PT legend. He was one of the most well rounded student athletes to ever walk these halls. Forrest led teams to a Regional Basketball Championship and a State Football title his junior year. His talent was unmatched on the field and in the classroom. After a dominating high school career, it was time for Forrest to take his talent to the next level. College coaches soon recognized his incredible talent, and after multiple offers, he committed to playing football at the University of Kentucky. The transition was less than easy for Forrest. The combination of college level curriculum with college level athletics was a difficult aspect to adjust to. “After the first practice, I realized college ball was a whole other level. I went from being an all-star to a nobody.” To make things even more difficult, the coaching staff asked Josh to switch positions. He went from an offensive wide receiver to a defensive linebacker. “Switching positions was a challenge since I’ve never played linebacker before.” After redshirting his freshman season and then a second year seeing very few reps in practices and games, he began to look for a plan B. Forrest began to consider quitting and focusing on his degree, but after a long conversation with his former high school coach, Randy Wyatt, Forrest decided to persevere in his football career. He then had a breakout out season his junior year. He was one of the top tacklers in the South Eastern Conference. He racked up 64 solo tackles to place him as second best in the SEC. His success continued into his senior year, when he became one of the best linebackers in college football. After a successful college career, many NFL scouts took interest in Forrest to play professional football. He was invited to participate in the NFL Combine, where all the top collegiate athletes come to display their skills in hopes to persuade organizations to draft them. Forrest began preparing for the Combine in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by training with a few other NFL hopefuls at Traction Sports. There they worked to improve on their strength, speed, and agility to better prepare for professional ball. Forrest commented on the Combine saying, “It was a very nerve racking experience, but it was also great to learn from some of the best linebackers in the nation.” Forrest’s stats weren’t what were expected. He posted less than great numbers after coming down with an illness days before the Combine; however, he did improve his numbers on the University of Kentucky Pro Day. Despite this setback, Forrest is optimistic about his chances of making it to the NFL. Be on the look out for the draft on April 28th.
Tilghman tennis shows promise by Maddie Chambers
The NBA Playoffs are in full swing, and the 16 remaining teams have been battling it out for weeks already. In a year of teams coming out of the woodwork to make a run at the title, and traditional favorites leading the pack, this year's Playoffs will be one to remember. There are a few frontrunners, but only time will tell who will lift the Larry O'Brien trophy in June. In the Eastern Conference, the #1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers swept the Detroit Pistons 4-0 behind strong contributions from their big three of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love. The series was more competitive than the final record showed, with multiple games coming down to the wire, but Andre Drummond’s young squad wasn’t able to compete in the end with the star studded Cavs. The #4 seed Atlanta Hawks and the #5 seed Boston Celtics are currently tied 2-2, after multiple nail-biters and an overtime period in Game 4. The team chemistry oriented style of play from the Hawks managed to take care of games 1 and 2, but the in games 3 and 4, the Celtics were willed to victory by their star-Isaiah Thomas. The tiny point guard scorched the Hawks for 40 points in Game 3 and played a major part in the overtime win in Game 4. Across the country in on the West coast, the #1 seed Golden State Warriors are currently up 3-1 on the Houston Rockets. Despite team star and probable MVP Stephen Curry being injured for the majority of the series, the Warriors have had no trouble dispatching James Harden and the Rockets. Despite a Harden game-winner in Game 3, the overwhelming tide of the Warriors handily won Game 4. Steph Curry suffered a minor injury to his MCL in Game 4, and is to be reevaluated in two weeks, which will certainly shake up the second round of the Playoffs. The #2 seed San Antonio Spurs had no trouble taking down the Memphis Grizzlies in their series, sweeping the Griz 4-0. While the Grizzlies were unfortunate enough to sustain multiple injuries to key players, the main reason the Spurs won so convincingly was their dominant defense and team play. Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard dominated the series on both ends of the floor. The Spurs are most likely the only team with a chance to beat the Warriors in a series. The #3 seed Oklahoma City Thunder outclassed and outmatched the #6 seed Dallas Mavericks in their series, winning 4-1. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have been phenomenal as always, but key contributions from Enes Kanter have propelled them to victory against the Mavs. Poor performances from Durant and Westbrook lead to a loss in Game 2, preventing the sweep. The Los Angeles Clippers (#4 seed) and the Portland Trailblazers (#5 seed) have had a fiercely competitive series thus far. The series is currently tied 2-2, as the Clips dominated early but struggled immensely against the backcourt combination of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum during Games 3 and 4 in Portland. Blake Griffin has finally returned from his multitude of injuries but has looked ineffective against Portland thus far. This series is the only one that is competitive in the Western Conference and will determine who will play the Warriors in the Conference Semi-Finals.
Over Spring Break the boys and girls tennis teams traveled to Murfreesboro, TN for their first tennis tournament of the season. Every year this tournament is a chance for the teams to get experience and to improve their game. The high school teams that competed in the Oakland Invitational are Bearden, James Clemons, Dobyns-Bennett, Bob Jones, Tupelo, Middle Tennessee Christian, Soddy Daisy, Oakland, Siegel, McCracken County, and Paducah Tilghman High School. Our boys and girls teams were able to compete and put our school on the board. Although some of the girl’s team was unable to go to the tournament, the team stepped up to the challenge and were able to play competitively. Natalie Lansden (7) was awarded runner up in the #3 singles division. The boy’s team was also able to bring home some trophies. Davis Rowton (6) earned the runner up position in the #2 singles discision. Also, Parker Rowton (10) and Davis Rowton (6) finished runner up in the #1 doubles division. The tennis teams continued their regular season matches March 30th against Murray. Both teams added another win to their record with both teams winning 8-1. On April 22nd, the boy’s team traveled to Union City and came back with another win 7-2. Then, again on April 25th, both teams traveled to Mayfield, and the girls team won 9-0, while the boys team was unable to get the win.
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PT baseball continues to progress by Darby Moffatt The Tornado faced Lexington, Alabama in a double header on Monday night. In the first game the boys struggled to play defense and allowed several unearned runs. Also failing to produce at the plate, the boys fell 14-2. In the second game, the tornado cleaned up their defense, but they still couldn’t get their bats going. Unaggressive bats and defensive swings resulted in a 7-1 loss. The next night, the boys came out strong against Carlisle. They played solid defense and their bats became more alive since the Lexington, Alabama game. The boys got a little too comfortable in the last inning, giving the Comets hope, but the team pushed through to win 8-4. Colbe Crim started pitching on Thursday against Graves County. The boys started off a little sluggish, leaving multiple runners on base while the Eagles went up on the Tornado 1-0. In the 4th inning, with bases loaded, Crim hit a triple to clear the bases and take the lead. After this, the boys’ bats came alive and reliefs Reeves and Humphrey managed to keep the game under control. The boys defeated the Eagles 8-1. PT baseball traveled to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina over spring break to play five games. They had a rough first day, losing to Muhlenburg 5-2 and to Lawrence County 14-1. The next day, the boys came ready to play against Hazard County. Colbe Crim threw a shut-out, allowing a 3-0 win for PT. A day break and a 6-1 loss to Louisville Male got the boys going again, leading them to beat Bethlehem 12-8 in their 5th and final game. Overall, PT went 2-3 and senior Zach Crouch comments, “We played pretty solid all week long, and our team is looking good for the second half of the season.” In their second district game against McCracken, the boys were fired up and set on playing a competitive game. Crim started on the mound, weakening McCracken’s bats while our boys backed him up at the plate. It was back and forth for most of the game when they brought Butler into a 2-2 ballgame at the top of the 6th. The boys played tough, but couldn’t hold the Mustangs and fell 5-2 in the last inning. When asked how things were different compared to their last district game Crim stated, “Nothing was different this game. We started this game the same way we do every game with the mentality of every guy knowing his role and doing his job in order to be successful as a team. We played together as team tonight and that made all the difference.”
Softball has new outlook on season by Darby Moffatt The Lady Tornado faced St. Mary in their first district game of the season. Mallory Myers took the mound and allowed the defense to make the necessary plays in the first of the game. The girls quickly got up on the Vikings due to excessive walks and base hits leading to their 17-2 win over St. Mary. The softball team fought hard against Marshall County, but was overpowered. Marshal came out swinging and while our girls’ defense wasn’t bad they could not compete at the plate resulting in a 10-0 loss. Back from spring break, the girls faced Calloway County in an intense game. The game started a little slow, as both team’s bats didn’t pick up until the end of the game. Tilghman tied it up in the bottom of the 6th inning, making it 2-2. Both teams fought hard for 3 extra innings, trying to get the win. The effort from the girls was incredible, but the girls couldn’t pull out a victory, losing 4-2 in the 10th inning. In their 2nd district game of the year, PT softball defeated St. Mary 16-0 in a quick 3 innings. PT played Marshal County for the second time this season determined to give them a competitive game. As usual, they came out swinging, but our girls matched them, keeping the game close through the 4th inning. Our bats slowed down while theirs only continued to get bigger, overpowering our pitcher and defense. Our girls didn’t give up and had a little rally in the 5th but couldn’t do anything drastic giving the Lady Marshals the 14-4 win. Senior, Shaelyn Tyler comments, “We are a young team that lacks experience, but we are making up for it with hard work and a team first mentality. I’m proud of the progress that we’ve made as a team and know we can only keep improving.”
Track teams dominate competition by Sammy Tyrrell In preseason simulations, Tilghman’s boys track team was predicted to win state by a hefty margin. While that number has changed as the season’s progressed, Tilghman has remained a forerunner for the state title, a position that the team believes it can maintain. Paducah Tilghman track team competed at the Marshall County Invitational of the South, which featured 29 schools across six different states. The Tilghman boys won first overall with 104 points, beating out Daviess County by two and a half points. Tilghman girls finished second overall with a score of 90 points. Several individuals from Tilghman placed first overall in their categories: Valesha Watson (9) in the 100m dash and 200m dash, Thailandria Daniels (12) in discus, and Quenten Marshall (12) in the triple jump. Jaydon Freeman (8), Antonio Askew (10), Jhari Ellington (10), and Hunter Watkins (11) won the 4x200m relay. Tilghman continued its dominance at the Clash of the Classes in Bardstown. The boys took home the overall championship and the girls came in second place overall. Valesha Watson (9) won first place in the 100m dash, 200m dash, and 400m dash. The girls got first in both the 4x100m and 4x200m relay. The boys continued the first place dominance that the girls established. Jayden Freeman (8) got first in the 100m dash. The boys got first in the 4x100m and 4x200m relays. Sayveon McEwen (12) came in first in the long jump, and J’Hari Ellington (9) got first in the pole vault.
Hancock’s of Paducah Supports the Speech Team