PROSPECTIVE Bryant High School
801 N Reynolds Rd. Bryant, Ark. 72022
Vol. 25, Issue 1
Sept. 22, 2017
WRAPPED up inHISTORY 150 years have passed since the Civil War, yet the outcome continues to haunts the South. page 3
What’s the
buzz?
A view of students’ lives in 140 characters or less
Jessica James
@jessicamajmes
Leighton Crawley
12
@leighton_ann
Me: how would you like your eggs? Customer: crispy
Katherine Chambless
@_katheriaynee_
A best friend will judge you for 2 seconds and then join you so you can be stupid together
11
@lib_maj
Is it wrong to listen to Christmas music in August?
@kaitlyn_savage
Kaitlyn Savage
10
Libby Majors
10
Lol at how most life lessons came from JB songs
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Sydney Calvert
@
sydneycalvert
#juniorsshouldvewon
12
I will not rest until Hairspray is appreciated for the musical genius and cultural icon that it is
DAHLIA BRAY | ONLINE EDITOR
KEEPING RETRO RELEVANT Old clothes find new life
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he slightly-worn wedding dress or the tarnished bowling shoes lying along the aisles of the local Goodwill are not often considered objects of desire. However, to a growing group of people, these vintage items are staples in their wardrobe. Sophomore Libby Majors is a proud supporter of dressing vintage. “I really like little nooks or hole-in-thewall styled stores,” Majors said. “I get a lot of inspiration from Vogue and American Apparel, and I love how the 80s is making a comeback. It’s the definition of vintage.” Though it does not seem like that long
ago, 90s styles are back and better than ever, because of celebrities like Rihanna and students like junior Keyaira Riggins. “I like my shirts to have a statement,” Riggins said. “Rihanna is very 90s with her boots and jeans, and that’s my favorite thing she’s worn. That era in fashion was chill, and it’s what I relate most to through my clothing. I like things simple with an edge.” When getting a perfect retro look is a struggle, some students like freshman McKenna Robertson create their own retro-inspired outfits. “I don’t prefer modern shops, because everyone has that,” Robertson said. “I honestly shop at Walmart and buy plain
t-shirts to cut and sew onto. The 70s experienced a lot of progression and the style is so unique, so it’s where most of my inspiration comes from.” According to Balenciaga Style, fashion is cyclical, and old trends that once were will more often than not reappear later on. “Vintage clothing is sought after because it has a history to it that makes it unique,” Balenciaga said. “Vintage clothing brings many memories and moments to mind, and as fashion continues to be reinvented, it will always be in style.”
JOSLYN GRAVES | ARTIST
INSIDE
News Special Coverage Arts & Entertainment Feature Opinion Photo Essay Sports
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CONTROVERSY OVER CHARLOTTESVILLE CONFEDERATE STATUES
FIRST MALE SOPHOMORE DRUM MAJOR
TEACHER RETIRES AFTER 41 YEARS
TEACHERS REVEAL THEIR PAST AS ATHLETES
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page 5
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PROSPECTIVE News Sept. 22, 2017
2 ALEXIS BURCH | ONLINE EDITOR
PRESERVING THE PAST
Groups clash over removal of Confederate monuments
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hey marched with Tiki Torches. They raised their right arms at an angle, straightening their hands so they would face down. In the midst of heightened political tensions in the U.S., a new problem emerged from the woodwork: White Supremacists, neo-Nazis and KKK members marching for the preservation of what some consider hate and others consider history. A new argument over a century-old war: whether or not Confederate monuments should remain in public spaces. The “Unite the Right” rally started in response to the Charlottesville, North Carolina City Council voting to remove two Confederate statues in the city: one of General Robert E. Lee in the city’s park and another nearby of General Stonewall Jackson. Monuments have now been removed in 23 cities across the U.S. Senior Decatur Austin does not support the removal of the statues because he believes in preserving history. “We’re trying to put racism on objects,” Austin
said. “Racism [is] abstract. We can’t take away and ignore parts of history just because we consider it racist. I strongly believe in American history, and you can’t just take away American history because people don’t agree with it.” The Democratic Party of Arkansas is calling for the removal of Confederate symbols and asks that they be taken off of public land and instead placed in museums. If any of the statues are to be moved to a private location, Austin would “rather it be there than not be there at all.” Though he feels strongly about the statues and symbols remaining, he does not agree with the Charlottesville marches and the neo-Nazis’, KKK members’ or White Supremacists’ ideologies. “I think those groups are feeling attacked [because] minority groups are marching, and minorities are in office and they’re having more power,” Austin said. “It’s a different world we live in today, and those people are radicals and uneducated and they don’t understand that the world is changing, so because of that, they choose to fight back in inappropriate ways.” Conversation can spread awareness, and senior Julia Kovarovic, who believes the statues are a part of history and should therefore remain, would rather talk than join protests or counter-protests. “I think being educated is enough,” Kovarovic said. “[By] knowing [current events], and using your voice, you can change one person’s mind, and then it just follows from there.” As president of the Young Republicans club, she hopes to get together with the Young Democrats club and work on projects to break down the barrier she believes has been built from years of rising political tensions. “Everybody goes to the extreme when they think of the other side, [and] I don’t think that’s right,” Kovarovic said. “In reality, we all really have the same problems, it’s just how we go about them. The list of problems we’re trying to fix is the same, so why would you judge someone? It goes too far.” Austin believes students in his age group hold more liberal and “left-winged” beliefs than past generations. A study by Pew Research concluded that 17 percent of millennials identify as conservative, which is less than the 21 percent that consider themselves liberal. The last of the millennial generation was born in 1998, meaning that “Generation Z,” which is close in age, starts with the senior class. Though the four-percent difference between those who identify as conservative versus liberal seems small, Austin feels that his words have been spinned because
he is in the minority. “I don’t feel like I’ve been attacked, but I do feel like things I’ve said have been taken the wrong way,” Austin said. “Even when we did the mock election for Obama and Romney [in elementary school], if you [voted] Romney, then you were called a racist.” Sophomore Chapman Redam, a member of the Young Democrats club, also wants the Confederate statues to remain. Still, he wants the country to agree on one solution. “We should all be together or we should all be against it,” Redam said. “There shouldn’t be ‘southern pride’ or ‘northern pride,’ there should only be one pride, and that’s American pride.” Some Americans, like those who marched in Charlottesville, will proudly claim to be White Supremacists and members of the KKK, which is devastating for senior Jalen Sparks to hear. “This is not a culture, this is hatred,” Sparks said. “When we say black lives matter, we don’t say that to take away from [white people]. But [they] literally took away from us. For a long time.” Though she knows removing the Confederate statues and symbols will not change everyone’s beliefs, she wants them removed for what she considers a step toward unity. “You’re advocating for hatred and supremacy [if you want the statues to remain],” Sparks said. “It should just be unity, equality and peace. That’s all we’re asking for.” As an African-American student in a predominantly white city, Sparks feels the effects of racism every day. “I’ve been called the n-word,” Sparks said. “I’ve been followed. I’ve been stalked by police for no reason.” After leaving a friend’s party, neighborhood police followed Sparks until she arrived home 10 minutes later to check her license. “It takes away my humanity, but I don’t let it defeat me,” Sparks said. “You have to learn to live.” Sparks joined Student Senate to be a role model for other minority students and encourages them to speak out against every form of racism. “I’m a representative of [minorities] overcoming obstacles and defeating adversity,” Sparks said. “It’s not hard to do, but a lot of people don’t try because of the hatred. We have to get involved. We have to participate in order to make a difference.”
Crouching in Lee Cemetery, senior Julia Kovarovic reads tombstones of Confederate soldiers. She believes that statues of Confederate figures should remain because people should respect what happened in the past. “[The Civil War] is a part of our history,” Kovarovic said. “History happened. You can’t condemn someone for doing what they’ve already done.” Photo | Abby Herrmann
ABBY HAGNER | COLUMN EDITOR
FOOD BANK NEEDS DONATIONS Arkansas number two in nation for food insecurity
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ccording to a recent study by the U.S Department Of Agriculture, Arkansas is ranked number two in the nation for facing food insecurity. A study by the National Foundation to End Senior Hunger ranked Arkansas the worst state for senior hunger. School board member Rhonda Sanders has been the CEO of the Arkansas Food Bank for four years and advocates for food security in Arkansas. “Food insecurity is so high in Arkansas due to a family’s lack of economic self-sufficiency,” Sanders said. “Families in Arkansas have very low median incomes, which means they lack the resources to ensure an adequate diet and to take care of their basic needs. The causes for low incomes include low educational attainment, health crisis and lack of jobs paying a living wage.” Students can help address food insecurity by organizing fundraisers and helping agencies such as the Arkansas Food Bank acquire food. “Volunteer at the Arkansas Food Bank to help us sort and pack food to go to the local agencies,”
Sanders said. “It takes time and effort to cultivate a heart for giving to others. Starting to give your time and resources early will prepare you for life of giving to others and reaping the rewards of seeing the results of those efforts.” Teachers Trish Humphry and Kay Fletcher run the high school food bank, and it is open for any student in need. “Mrs. Fletcher’s classes and mine keep [the food bank] organized, and when teachers or counselors contact us with a student in need, we bag up food,” Humphry said. “We prefer if the student comes and chooses what they want, because we don’t want food wasted. We’re always looking for students in need [of] food.” If a student knows someone in need, they can come to Humphry’s classroom and get help for that student. “Everybody falls into two categories: someone who can help and someone who needs help,” Humphry said. “Seek help if you need food at home. If you’re hungry, you can’t learn.”
Parent Center social worker Lisa McNeely also gives out gift cards and food baskets to students through donations. “We give out food cards [such as] a $10 card [to] McDonalds or Chick-Fil-A, and we give them to students at the high school or to families who might be in need,” McNeely said. “We couldn’t do what we do without the donations from the community.” Brooke Davis, coordinator at the Parent Center, contributes to ensuring that students have access to supplies they may need, such as food or hygiene products. “Don’t be scared [to talk to someone], because there is no need to be hungry,” Davis said. “Here at the Parent Center, we have clothes, shoes and self-care items. No one should go to school uncomfortable, without a backpack or without food. Our district works really hard to make sure people have what they need. We want people to feel welcome. There is no judgment.”
NEW YEAR NEW RULES Students shall not use ear buds or headphones while loading or unloading the school bus.
Hats, caps, and hoods may not be worn inside the building.
Principal Dr. Todd Edwards
Junior Matt Terry
Senior Carlee Hutchins
Principal Dr. Todd Edwards
“The new earbuds rule is purely a safety issue. Bus drivers have complained about students not hearing directions from them and putting their lives [in] danger.”
“I’m not a huge fan of the rule, but I understand safety comes first.”
“I’ve been in class before when a teacher made a student go to the office for a hat, and it wasted a lot of class time, so I see why they put that rule in place.”
“We had a lot of issues with hats last year, whether they were coming up missing or kids were wearing them in the classrooms. It caused a lot of minor discipline issues which were taking up a lot of the assistant principals’ time. If it’s 25 degrees outside, and you have a toboggan to cover your ears, you can wear it. We will let common sense prevail when it comes to cold weather.”
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To some Americans, the Confederacy represents regional heritage; to others, it signifies a time of slavery and oppression of African Americans. What do you think?
Fighting for the right to own slaves wasn’t a heritage. The Confederacy was created from deeply rooted racism, and the Confederate flag represents those who thought slaves were currency. They saw money and economy as more important than human’s freedom. Stratton Stillwell | 12
There are people who dislike the flag and people that like the flag. Some people think it represents one thing, other people think it represents another. I believe that they should just put that behind them and be able to represent the flag as the south fighting against the north. Austin Gaskill | 10
People need to know about everything that has happened [in the Civil War.] The monuments [are] history, they don’t need to be torn down. Cameron Price | 12
I think that the controversy [surrounding the Confederacy] is hurting our country because we are never going to find something everyone is content with. Peace will only ever be achieved if we all look inside ourselves and realize that we are the same. I don’t think this could ever happen on a large scale, but it is always something to strive for. Jewell Regan | 10
PROSPECTIVE Special Coverage Sept. 22, 2017
HERITAGE or HATE?
PROSPECTIVE A&E Sept. 22, 2017
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TOP 10
COLE CAMPBELL | STAFF WRITER
“MOTHER!” OF ALL MOVIES
The highest grossing Horror movies of all time, according to Forbes.
1 Jaws ($260 million) 1975 2 I Am Legend ($256 million) 2007 3 War of the Worlds ($235 million) 2005 4 The Exorcist ($232.9 million) 1973 5 Signs ($227 million) 2002 6 World War Z ($202 million) 2013 7 Hannibal ($165 million) 2001 8 What Lies Beneath ($155.4 million) 2000 9 The Mummy ($155.3 million) 1999 10 The Sixth Sense ($293.5 million) 1999
Awaited Aronofsky thriller should
not be watched alone
PHOTO | ALINA PERET
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hen I’m at the movies, I tend to judge the quality of the movie I’m seeing by how much popcorn I eat. If the movie is good, and I’m interested, I can’t help but stuff my face. As the credits for Mother! rolled around, I noticed that my bowl of popcorn was filled to the brim. I had hardly touched it. I was too busy staring at the screen with my mouth open, wondering if any of what I was seeing was even legal. Written and directed by Darren Aronofsky, Mother! tells the story of a quaint couple who becomes bombarded with intruders who test their patience and sanity. Jennifer Lawrence plays Mother, the timid and frail housewife who tediously works to fix
her husband’s Victorian home that burned in a fire years before. Javier Bardem plays Him, the husband, a celebrated poet who lost his desire to write. The introduction of a mysterious man (Ed Harris) who claims he thought the home was a bed and breakfast suggests a typical horror tale, but that is not the case. Harris is soon joined by his wife (Michelle Pfeiffer), their two feuding sons, and even some extended family and friends who all begin to wreak havoc in the house. Mother’s precious house is soon filled with mysterious strangers who not only refuse to listen to her when she pleads for them not to break anything, but also treat her like an unwanted guest. Amidst Mother’s paranoia, Bar-
dem’s character is invigorated. He instantly becomes inspired by his guests and gains the energy to impregnate Mother and create his most beautiful poem to date. The last half of the film is filled with unimaginable horror. War, human trafficking, cults and death plague the home. The finale explains little, but leaves the viewer relieved that the film is over. The metaphor present is a heavy one, though hard to decipher. It seems as if Lawrence’s character, Mother, is a symbol for Mother Earth. Her house is her paradise, her home, and the guests who enter stop at nothing to destroy it. Bardem is God, narcissistic and proud. He is the creator of a beautiful poem and seeks adoration for it. While repulsive, Mother!, like all great art, provoked an intense emotional response in me. I felt uneasy through the entire film and squirmed at the way Mother’s guests treated her. This feeling is just what Aronofsky was trying to provoke. Just as Mother’s guests destroyed her home, we destroy the earth, which we are only guests on, by burning fossil fuels and conducting endless wars. The film is packed with allegories and metaphors that one can only understand by watching it, which they should. However, I will never watch the film again.
MONICA MARTINEZ | COLUMNIST
LET’S GET Technical
Students share their opinions on the upcoming iPhone 8 DESIGN | TONY YERENA SARAH GRAHAM | PRINT EDITOR
TOURING THE RHYTHM NATION
Janet Jackson owns the stage with political lyrics
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renched in sequins and poise, multi-platinum artist Janet Jackson hit the spotlight to perform steamy R&B melodies at Verizon Arena in Little Rock Sept. 16. Though her tour was intended to take place in 2015, Jackson announced her pregnancy four months after publicizing her tour, deciding to reschedule the dates and enjoy the life of motherhood. Once baby Eissa Al Mana turned 8-months-old, Jackson returned to the stage Sept. 9 to perform her latest album “Unbreakable” for her “State of the World” tour. The North American tour is coming to 56 cities, hitting all four corners of the U.S. “Unbreakable” features 17 nostalgic R&B tunes that take listeners on a journey back to Jackson’s flawed childhood. The album begins with the song “Unbreakable:” the title of the first song on Michael Jackson’s last album before he died in 2009. The way Janet Jackson chokes and twists notes is similar to Michael Jackson’s music style; the blend of lyrics and music
technique incorporate Janet Jackson’s late brother’s spirit into her music. In her song “Broken Hearts Heal,” Janet Jackson honors Michael Jackson by expressing the bitter memories of their abusive father, her first time singing about abuse in 18 years. Senior Hannah Bradshaw often reminisces about who she believes is the “King of Music,” especially when she hears her favorite song. “When I hear ‘Remember the Time,’ I think back to when I would be sitting in front of my TV, my palms literally on the [screen], watching that video, and everything seemed okay,” Bradshaw said. “It takes me back to when I didn’t know about war, I didn’t know about any of the bad stuff in the world.” Not only does Janet Jackson serenade her
audience with sentimental lyrics as a tribute to her brother, but she also brings political issues on stage. Senior Jessica James “agrees with everything [Janet] has to say” regarding white su- premacy and fascism. “I went back and listened to a few of [Janet Jackson’s] songs while following along with the lyrics, and I better understood the message she was trying to convey,” James said. “Janet made a video referencing some black citizens who were killed by police officers, and it was a real eye opener. It reveals reasons [why] white supremacy is a major issue.” Sophomore Presley Standridge believes Janet Jackson’s tour is a major milestone for her
career. By presenting North America with powerful messages told through delicate vibrato and R&B melodies, Janet Jackson no longer rests in her brother’s shadow and has created an entirely new personal image. A child of the 80s, AP Language teacher Tim Sisk grew up listening to Janet Jackson’s motown melodies. Sisk attended the concert and felt as if Janet Jackson was “taking him through the decades” with her old hits. Although Sisk enjoys Janet Jackson’s tunes, he feels she is underappreciated. “Janet Jackson gets forgotten about,” Sisk said. “She is the No. 2 top-selling female artist of all time--she’s like right behind Madonna. I hope that a new generation of students and people give her a try.”
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HERE COMES TRIBBLE Sophomore drum major leads the Legacy
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to step up to the plate and that really shows in A crowd of 32,128 people observed as how hard he works.” sophomore Matthew Tribble, the firstBeing a part of the band was always a major ever sophomore drum major for the Legacy, led the band during half-time of the first part of Tribble’s life, but conducting has just recently become a passion for Tribble. He Saturday Salt Bowl at War Memorial Sept. 2. hopes to continue learning and pursuing music It was Tribble’s first time conducting the band in the future. Tribble was the drum major for during the half-time performance. “Leading in a setting so large is really [different the freshman band, but conducting for the Legacy is a bigger task that represents the from] our normal football games, but just entire school. making sure you remain focused during each “To [become] a great drum major, you have song and making sure you have fun is the main to [first] be great at [playing your instrument],” goal of the night,” Tribble said. Tribble was the only oboe player until this year, Tribble said. Tribble was at first worried about creating which made him work harder and helped him a relationship with the other drum majors learn how to deal with pressure. because of the age difference, but now he feels “[Being the only oboe player] was a lot like he fits in well with of getting over selfI have grown such a close them. confidence issues, because that was something I bond with them and the band. “I have grown such a close bond with them struggled with in middle They have become some of theand the band, they have school and I still kind become some of the closest of struggle with now,” closest friends [I have] friends [I have] ever had,” Tribble said. ever had. Tribble said. Tribble’s self-confidence The Legacy members have come issues enhanced his strong sense of selftogether and been supportive of Tribble in motivation. accepting him as one of the drum majors, “It was just a lot of perfectionism in myself to including the older members. make sure that I got through it,” Tribble said. “Getting a band together takes work from Over the past few months, Tribble has been the beginning, and [it is] great to have the working especially hard to improve himself. Tribble is constantly asking if there is something amazing staff, drum majors, section leaders, and members we have,” junior Legacy member he can do to help his bandmates, according to Madison Betz said. co-drum major senior Hollan Pfautz. What started off as a simple interest for music “[One thing he has improved on] is being a team player,” Pfautz said. “He was already really class in elementary school has grown into a strong passion for being a drum major for the good as soon as we first started, but obviously Legacy. [he has] grown since the first day.” “[We are] all working towards the same goal According to Pfautz and other senior drum major Sydney Calvert, Tribble adapted well and to make sure that our band is the greatest that [it] can be,” Tribble said. “A good 25 percent took up responsibility when provided with a of being a good drum major [is] conducting leadership opportunity. and the other 75 percent [is] about how “He’s very focused and resilient,” Calvert said. Because he is a sophomore, he knows that he has you represent the band program and your leadership skills.”
Sept. 22, 2017 Feature PROSPECTIVE
ROSEMARY GREGG|STAFF WRITER
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At the Everett pep rally Aug. 29, sophomore drum major Matthew Tribble conducts the band in the song “Sailing.” “[Conducting] was a lot of self-driven determination,” Tribble said. “There’s people in the band that I trust so deeply, and I’ve never met so many people that [share] the same passion.” Photo | Jaden Purifoy
MADISON GREEN|STAFF WRITER
HISTORY HERO
Teacher will say goodbye after 41 years
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After 41 years of teaching in the history department, Lynn Cole has decided to retire. Cole said he will miss the students and fellow teachers the most, but he is ready to relax. “I may do some church work, traveling, fishing and reading,” Cole said. “I’m looking forward to new things.” After winning the American History Award in high school, Cole knew he wanted a career in history. Cole received his Bachelor’s degree in history at University of Central Arkansas and finished his studies at University of Arkansas in 1975. “I decided I loved working with young people, and I loved history,” Cole said. “I merged the two together into a teaching career.” 2017 graduate Sarah Brady, now a freshman at Hendrix, finds it hard to imagine the school without him. “He’s done so much for Bryant High School,
[such as] being involved with senior week, sponsoring the clubs, helping organize voter registration and working closely with those rallying for the millage,” Brady said. “I just know the community as a whole will miss him.” Senior Cloe Humphry signed up for western civilization knowing Cole’s reputation. “Last year was supposed to be his [final] year,
Next to his favorite map, history teacher Lynn Cole writes on his whiteboard in his second period world history class. Cole was teaching about the atomic fission bomb and the hydrogen fusion bomb. Photo | Madison Young
so I was really afraid that I wasn’t going to have him [this year].” According to 2016 graduate Peyton Robertson, now a sophomore at University of Arkansas, Cole made sure his students followed the news and were up-to-date on what was going on around them. “His classwork never seemed like busywork,” Robertson said. “It felt purposeful and relevant, but still useful to study for tests and quizzes.” Current events are a large part of Cole’s curriculum because he knows they are important to the lives of students. “I think young Americans should know what’s going on around them, because it affects them and makes them better citizens,” Cole said. One of the things Cole will remember most about his career is helping out students who need it. Like most teachers, Cole wrote a letter of recommendation for a student applying for a scholarship. After receiving the scholarship, the student returned to thank Cole. “[Helping someone] is one of the better experiences teachers have,” Cole said. History teacher Will Heatherly has been working with Cole for six years and will miss working with his friend. “Mr. Cole is an institution at Bryant High School,” Heatherly said. “He is a legend. He is irreplaceable, [and] this place will never be the same.”
ART CLUB MURAL
Discussing the upcoming year in the Art Club, seniors Nicholas Herrington, Lara Kockaya and Ivy Xiao await the officer nomination speeches. Herrington was awarded the club presidency and Xiao the vice presidency. “I think [the Art Club has] so many opportunities this year, especially with the new mural,” Herrington said. Photo | Lauran Belk
RYAN MCKENZIE|STAFF WRITER The Art Club will create a mural at the Bryant Fire station. The idea began when principal Dr. Todd Edwards got in contact with Fire Chief J.P. Jordan. “Chief Jordan contacted me and asked if we had some art students that would be willing to paint a mural at the main fire station,” Edwards said. After that, Edwards asked Art Club sponsor Brianna Peterson about the mural, and now they are going to work together. ”[Chief Jordan wants] the Bryant Fire Department logo to be the main emphasis, but he gave us a lot of creative freedom to go in and add other ideas,” Peterson said. Senior Nicholas Herrington, long-time Art Club member, is one of many students who are getting the chance to spread their artistic vision through the mural. “I think it is going to be an exciting project, and I’m glad that Art Club is finally going to be helping out the community,” Herrington said.
PROSPECTIVE OP-ED Sept. 22, 2017
6 STAFF|EDITORIAL
rebel without a cause
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e see it on the news, carried by protesters also wielding tiki torches and raising Nazi salutes. We may even see the real thing on our way to school, flapping in the wind on a neighbor’s front porch or proudly displayed on cars or trucks. Whether you like it or not, the Confederate flag still hangs over us all, refusing to let us forget a war that tore the United States apart over 150 years ago. To completely understand the issue, you have to go back to the source. In 1860, just one month after the election of Abraham Lincoln, South Carolina issued a statement on their formal reasons for secession, the most prominent being the “increasing hostility on the part of nonslaveholding States to the Institution of Slavery.” The Confederacy then did not hide their desire to preserve slavery, just as we today should not ignore that fact. The assertion that the Confederate flag is “just a battle flag” is the same as saying the American flag is a battle flag. Taking this even further, no one would claim that the Nazi’s swastika held no meaning beyond its use as a battle flag. The “Stars and Stripes” is more than that. It represents all the values, laws and the way of life that makes
America. The same is true for “the stars and bars.” The rebel flag represented the faction that declared war on fellow citizens to protect the institution of slavery. While not every soldier who fought under the Confederacy believed in slavery, Lincoln refused to let the south secede because of the “self-evident” truth “that all men are created equal.” It is important to note that those words were written into our Declaration of Independence by a southern slave-owner, Thomas Jefferson, and signed in agreement by representatives from the southern states that existed at the time. The connotation of the Confederate flag has changed considerably from its conception. Southerners are infamous for waving the rebel flag. Many have grown up seeing it pinned in their grandparent’s house or waving in the wind from the back of a stranger’s truck. It is as much as a common sight as a political sign. While the design now lends itself to the larger concept of southern heritage, the original intent must not be forgotten in the passing of time. While for many, the Confederate flag is nothing more than an innocent brand signifying where southerners hail from, to others, it’s a reminder of the darkest days of our country, a time when people
PROSPECTIVE Bryant High School 801 N. Reynolds Rd Bryant, AR 72022 501.653.5328
were enslaved because of the color of their skin. And while the issue of slavery was solved due to the Adviser fall of the Confederate nation and the addition of the 13th amendment, discrimination still persists Lisa Stine primarily because the ideals that flag originally Print Editors represented still exist. The secession failed, at least when it came to Sarah Graham, Lauren Wilson the American map, but there remains a group of Online Editors people who cling tight to the barbaric message Dahlia Bray, Alexis Burch delivered by the failed attempt. However, the secession succeeded in dividing hearts about what Photo Editor it truly means to be American. The American flag Alina Peret lost its ability to fully unite us as a country, even after the legitimacy of the Confederate flag died in Page Designers the Civil War. We cannot escape the demons of our Dahlia Bray, Alexis Burch, Sarah past, as the tear between the north and the south Graham, Abby Hagner, Monica penetrated the hearts of all and gave secessionists a Martinez, Connor Matthews, Lauren flag to unite under, even 157 years later. Wilson, Tony Yerena It’s time for a change. There is no reason to live Videographers under the flag of a long-dead, traitorous nation in order to be proud of our southern heritage. It’s Lilly Roach, Jack Suarez time to once again unite under the flag originally Artist created for us to serve and represent. We are all Joslyn Graves Americans, and we need to stop acting like we are something else and solve our problems together as Column Editor Americans. The Confederacy is not our heritage. Abby Hagner
Columnists
Nathan Bush, Monica Martinez
a case against bielema NATHAN BUSH |COLUMNIST
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efore we condemn coach Bret Bielema for his average tenure at Arkansas over the past four years, we must remember what we once were. Six years ago, under former head coach Bobby Petrino, we finished number five in the nation. The future appeared bright. In just three years, Bobby Petrino turned the Razorbacks into a blooming powerhouse. Petrino led Arkansas to prestigious bowl games like the Sugar Bowl. He was turning three-star prospects into all-conference players and creating an impressive tradition of high-octane offenses. Then (without going into too much detail), Petrino was gone. The only person to replace him was special teams coach John L. Smith. Smith was the worst case scenario. He took a team ripe with talent and proved how much coaching mattered in college football. We plunged to a 4-8 record in the 2012 campaign, dismantling
everything Petrino built. Our standards were shattered by Smith, so when athletic director Jeff Long hired Bret Bielema, some would argue we had been saved. However, I disagree. If you look past Bielema’s charm and charisma and his start-slow, finish-strong records, you see how mediocre he really is. In the past four years, the Hogs have been to the Belk Bowl, the Liberty Bowl and the Texas Bowl. That’s nothing to brag about. The Hogs have consistently lost early season “cupcake” games. We’ve never beaten Alabama under Bielema. We haven’t even beaten Texas A&M with Bielema at the helm. So, it’s time to talk about a future without Bielema. It’s hard to let go of a guy like him. He is a great recruiter and has a defined system, but I fear that he lacks the one essential quality every great college football coach needs: the innate ability to win. Nick Saban has it, Urban Meyer
has it, even Les Miles has it. Petrino had it. Until the Razorbacks move on from Bielema and at least attempt to find a coach with that quality, Arkansas will deal with the same problems every year. My ideal replacement? Baylor’s former head man, Art Briles. Briles knows how to win and has a system perfect for the modern game. I want to bring back the offense that made Petrino so great. I want to be on the edge of my seat every time the quarterback calls for the ball in a shotgun set, just like I was with Petrino. We don’t have that with Bielema. And we never will.
Photographers
Lauran Belk, Sydney Boswell, Clay Campbell, Abby Herrmann, Jaden Purifoy, Madison Young
Staff Writers
Catherine Anderson, Dahlia Bray, Alexis Burch, Nathan Bush, Cole Campbell, Sarah Graham, Madison Green, Rosemary Gregg, Abby Hagner, Monica Martinez, Ryan McKenzie, Max Preuninger, Madison Waltz, Lauren Wilson Prospective is a monthly publication produced, edited and maintained by Newspaper Journalism II, III and IV students at Bryant High School. Prospective is a member of the Arkansas Scholastic Press Association, Quill and Scroll, Columbia Scholastic Press Association and National Scholastic Press Association. Ad space may be purchased. Prospective does not accept advertising that is illegal for minors. The editorial board accepts letters; however, letters must be addressed to student interests and may not violate the student publication policy. Letters can be submitted by delivery to 10-319.
innocent misunderstandings
MONICA MARTINEZ | COLUMNIST
I
remember sitting at my assigned desk during social studies time in third grade and feeling so happy that I got to be alive in this century. We were learning about the civil rights movement. I sat perked up in my seat, listening intently to what Mrs. Wyeth said, while thinking that I was so lucky to live in a time when all my friends could learn together no matter what they looked like. For a while after that history lesson, I was convinced that we were all equal. We could all play together at recess, after all. I walked across the playground, looking at all the different types of friends I had, and I felt relieved that finally, after so many years of sadness and separation, we were all happily equal and we could love each other. I walked to the swings with a skip in my step because I was living in a world where hate no longer existed. We could all play together, study together, love together. Racism was gone and I
felt ecstatic. I had never questioned how safe I felt walking inside the grocery store or across campus. Third-grade me was not aware that the world is a bit more complicated than that. I was an idealist. today, years after that lesson, I think back on that moment and feel a heavy ache in my heart at how wrong I was. I know hate exists all around me. Today, I know there are people out there who make assumptions about where I come from and immediately hate me for it. This information flutters in the back of my head as I walk from the frozen foods section to the cash register or from second to third period. I walk past hundreds of people every day, and as I do, I wonder how many of them hate me for being Hispanic. I wonder how many of them wish I was not walking right there in the same store as them. I am a strong enough woman to keep my head high as I walk, though, making sure to smile at every stranger I lock eyes with, because I will not let the internalized hate get the best of me.
HUMANSBHS OF
DANA ELLIS
However, every once in a while, I catch myself being a little too cautious with how I act in a public place or how loud I laugh. I catch myself speaking purposefully in English just so the people around me know that I can. It is disappointing that this has become second nature to me. In the 21st century, I should not have to prove to myself or anyone else that I am worthy or “American enough.” I should not feel selfconscious in a room where I am the minority. I should not be seen as inferior because of who I am. The cultures I grew up in make me American. My skills and independence make me worthy. My manners make me civilized. No individual should feel isolated because of who they are or how they look. Even now, when our nation seems hopelessly divided, I have yet to lose hope. For every ten hateful people, there are 100 kind ones, and for every ten glares I receive, I smile at 100 strangers.
A closer look at Bryant’s hidden gems
“Before I worked in the food industry, my husband and I drove a semi [as a team] for Werner Enterprise. One night, we were driving through Wyoming at about 2:00 in the morning. [My husband] was asleep and I was driving. I thought I saw a semi [pulled over] with his hazard cones out and flashing lights on. You’re supposed to get in the left lane and go around, [so] I got over. When I got back over in the right lane and looked back, there was nobody behind me, it was pitch black. I was hallucinating [because] I was so tired. There was a rest area about two miles up, I pulled over and went to bed.”
at a glance
-Manager of the food workers at Bryant High School -Has worked for the Bryant School District for six years -Met her husband, Randy, in high school when she was 15 -Has been married for 22 years -Her husband's CB handle (trucker name) was Little Brother -Favorite place she’s been to while driving is Oregon or Washington state -Drove semis until she became pregnant with her first son
7
Hornets take home the win at War Memorial As the blue powder is passed around to seniors standing in the front row, seniors Helen Woodham and Emily Culbreath anticipate the start of the Salt Bowl Sept. 2. This was Culbreath’s first Salt Bowl, and she was let down when she did not get to throw the powder. However, that did not discourage the girls from having a good time. “I was so excited, and it was exactly what I hoped my senior Salt Bowl would be like,” Woodham said. Photo | Alina Peret Dressed in drag as “Gracie” and “Chloe,” senior Swarm officer Grayson Prince and senior Cole Campbell lead the senior class in the Salt Bowl pep rally skit Sept. 1. The seniors won the spirit stick with their parody of the Miss Universe Pageant in 2015. “When I was in 8th grade, I won the Mr. Bethel pageant, so the pep rally skit was a walk in the park,” Campbell said. Photo | Josie Pringle
With his trumpet held high, junior Isaac Silos dances along to a drumline cadence at the Big Red pep rally before school Sept. 1. Silos went to Waffle House with the trumpet section at 3 a.m. to prepare for the long day ahead. “Spending over 12 hours making memories with [the trumpets] was my favorite part,” Silos said. “[They] are the best section, so it is always fun with them.” Photo | Josie Pringle During the first kick off of the night, senior Logan Rich cheers on the Hornets at the Salt Bowl Sept. 2. The Hornets defeated the Panthers 49 to 42 in a close backand-forth game. “I love the Hornets,” Rich said. Photo | Clay Campbell As students cheer around him, junior Alex White falls to the ground in a boxing skit for the salt bowl pep rally. “It was a lot of fun being part of something [bigger than just me] it’s a little sad it’s my second to last year” White said. “I was on the football team last year, but it’s always more fun to hype up the team.” Photo | Gracie Kimbrell
Salt shaker tied around his waist, senior Vance Hill participates in a game at the Salt Bowl pep rally Sept 1. Hill was selected by the the Swarm officers to represent the senior class in the game. “I felt like I had to make the senior class proud,” Hill said. “Our class won, and that’s all that matters.” Photo |Josie Pringle During the close game between Hornets and Panthers, junior Latavion Scott runs toward the end zone. Every time he is on the field, Scott dreams of being a professional player. “Football is my life,” Scott said. “It’s what I grew up playing. It’s all I know.” Photo | Tehya Hinkson Dodging defenders, senior Luke Curtis runs down the field to score. This is his third year playing offensive tight end at the Salt Bowl. “I was running down the field and didn’t have anyone close to me, but when I caught [the ball] I bobbled it a little,” Curtis said. Photo | Alina Peret At the Salt Bowl pep rally, the Legacy trombones perform “Trombone Suicide.” Junior trombone player Ben Sellers has been practicing for the pep rallies since August. “My favorite part of the pep rally is when the cadence starts and everyone screams,” Sellers said. Photo | Alina Peret After the Salt Bowl Sept. 2, senior Jaclynn Greenwood hugs senior football player Cazzie Pringle. The Hornets beat the Benton Panthers 49-42. “It was really exciting to watch [Pringle] play in the biggest game of the season,” Greenwood said. Photo | Clay Campbell
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PROSPECTIVE Photo Essay Sept. 22, 2017
SALTY SATURDAY
PROSPECTIVE Sports Sept. 22, 2017
8 MAX PREUNINGER |STAFF WRITER
COURT TO CLASSROOM Teachers discuss their past as athletes
E
nglish teacher Shawn Regan, 18 at the time, was standing at first base at a University of Central Arkansas baseball practice in the fall of 1993 when one of the seniors showed up. He was 23-years-old, five inches taller and about 40 pounds heavier. “I remember [the senior] said to me, ‘If you ever think [you are] going to get a chance to step on this field, [you are] wrong,’” Regan said. “That was one of my last practices.” According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, an average of 480,000 out of eight million high school athletes compete in NCAA schools, and at least five of those 480,000 ended up as high school teachers. One of the five, special education teacher Bart Reynolds, played football as a defensive end at UCA. However, he did not go into the NFL and is now a special education teacher. “I always felt compelled to take care of special needs kids from an early age,” Reynolds said. “I just want
to give back and ensure [special needs students] have the same rights as other children at school.” Sometimes the intensity of college sports can cause athletes to quit. AP Language teacher Tara Seale played tennis at the University of West Florida, later transferring to Louisiana State University. She decided to finish her last two years of college without playing tennis because it consumed too much of her time. “I missed so many classes,” Seale said. “I had to come up with [intense] schedules to keep my grades up.” Freshman English teacher Melissa Anderson danced with Andrea’s Foundation for the Arts through college. Throughout her dancing career, she knew she wanted to find a career where she felt she was “doing something positive in the world.” “I really love to help kids find their confidence,” Anderson said. “Sometimes [that is] going to be in English class and other times [it is] not, but I like At tennis practice in college, Tara Seale swings the racket. She to help them find an area where they can feel played tennis thoughout high school and a little in college. completely comfortable.” “Never did I think I would be a teacher,” Seale said. For athletes who stay in sports for most of their college careers, coaches can be the main motivators. Coach Steve Oury, who ran track and cross-country under legendary coach John McDonnell, started college at the University of Arkansas as a business major, but quickly found it was not the path for him. Inspired by his coaches, Oury wanted to go into education and encourage other students to find their passion. “When I interviewed here around 15 years ago, I said this was my dream job, and I still think that,” Oury said. “I feel very fortunate that I’ve been able to work at this school.”
Photo | Clay Campbell
MADISON WALTZ|STAFF WRITER
WILLING TO PLAY Community member starts rugby team B
arely missing a storm, 30 athletes took turns tackling each other on the muddy grass, throwing around a bright pink rugby ball and getting acquainted with the rules of a brand-new sport. The “Bryant Willing Rugby Club” ran through drills on passing and played seven-on-seven games underneath the cloudy sky. They learned strategic ways to dodge a tackle coming from the opposing side from their coach Andrew Roach, who has played rugby for over 25 years, and finished their practice with a group huddle chanting the team name. Among those immersed in the huddle was senior Sam Poe. “I really like the idea of a new team that’s coming together, the skills we get to learn, the fitness that [rugby is] focused on and the overall brotherhood of it all,” Poe said. Being part of a brotherhood is something that comes naturally from practicing together, and sophomore Jaylin Buckingham expects to gain a lot of knowledge from his fellow teammates. “Most people around this team play soccer or [wrestle], and I think it’s fun to work with people who play different sports, because they can teach me [new] things.” Buckingham said. Coming from the football team, Buckingham holds his team to a high standard and said he feels like the bad guy when he gets on to them like a football player would. Sophomore Gio Campos has the same mentality. “I get mad when people are slouching, [because] I have the football mentality to work hard and do better,” Campos said. When he signed up for the club, Campos thought playing rugby would be like football, but that quickly changed when he got into the game. “[Rugby is] nothing like football,” Campos said. “If people really want to get into it, [they should] play soccer first, then [they will] understand how rugby works.”
Many of the members have previously played football, including senior Zach Curry, who thinks rugby and football are “kind of the same concept.” “Football is honestly worse than rugby,” Curry said. “Rugby [has] strict rules. If you don’t have the ball in your hand, you can’t get hit. In football, you can get blindsided pretty [easily] and can get a lot more concussions.” Senior Neal Brenton is also coming to rugby with previous football experience and expects the high-contact to be about the same. Football allows players to use the helmet and pads as a weapon, but in rugby, there is use of technique and form tackle, Brenton said. “I’ve played football since seventh grade, so I’m not really worried about [the contact in rugby],” Brenton said. Senior Emily Culbreath is also less concerned about getting hurt and more focused on helping those who are. Since she is the only girl on the team, Culbreath is limited to only playing in official tournaments when a substitution is needed, so she will be training with the boys and helping hurt players on the sidelines until she gets called in. “It’s a safety measure,” Culbreath said. “If I don’t have the adequate muscle mass to go against the team against me, that means I’m going to get crushed like a grape.” Being on a team sport is something new for Culbreath, and her joining the team was a spur-of-the-moment decision. “I’ve never done team sports before because [of] anxiety,” Culbreath said. “It made me really nervous, and I was always insecure about my strength and my body, so I never did anything. As I’ve grown up, I do CrossFit, I workout [and]
I lift weights all the time, so I [thought], ‘Why not [play rugby]?’” Being part of the rugby club comes with a lot of responsibility and requires each player to uphold a reputation, a task Poe is up to. “[The coach] wants us to maintain an image that we are pure, we stay under control and we are men of responsibility and integrity,” Poe said. “I like the idea that, as a brotherhood, we stay together [and] keep that integrity [and] honor.” The team is eager to introduce rugby to Saline County. Culbreath said that rugby is a “cool team sport, and it’s something that not a lot of people know about.” “I really hope [the rugby club] brings awareness for other sports [besides] football,” Culbreath said. “People don’t realize how hard rugby is, the amount of work people do and how interesting of a sport it can be. I just really want Saline County to be more than a football county.”
The “Bryant Willing Rugby Club” huddles up, chanting their team name as they end their practice at Bishop Park. The club was created by Andrew Roach and is open to all high schoolers of Saline County. “I believe that everyone should join [the club] to get a new experience,” sophomore Gio Campos said. Photo | Sydney Boswell
CATHERINE ANDERSON|STAFF WRITER
ASaltSTEADY RIVALRY Bowl tradition going strong since 1974 I
t was the last quarter of the game. The crowd was silent, everyone leaning in to see the last seconds of the game. Sweat slid down faces and people tapped their feet in anticipation, their breathing getting heavier as the time on the clock fell slowly. Memories from the day before of voices shouting “I believe that we will win” rang from ear to ear. No one came to lose. But anything can happen. 42 years ago on Sept. 20, 1974, Bryant and Benton created a rivalry that has become an annual tradition and the biggest game of the year. Although in many ways the event was the same, the “Salt Bowl” was not even the name. The game did not get its name until 2000, and former student and Vice President of Relations at Arkansas State University Shane Broadway was there. “I was there the day of the press conference at Hornet Stadium when an armored car brought the Salt Bowl trophy out for the first time and it
was announced we were going to start calling the game the Salt Bowl, and have been involved with the game every year since,” Broadway said. Although it was 10 years before Bryant won a game, the student spirit was just as enthusiastic as it is today. Students went to great lengths to out-show the other school. For example, on Sept. 19, 1974, Bryant students painted the Benton Panthers wooden statue pink. As payback, Benton dropped pink marshmallows across the Hornet stadium from a crop dusting plane. Although the game is fierce, the cities of Bryant and Benton have a friendly rivalry. “It is a unique rivalry in that other than the one day a year of the Salt Bowl, we all have family and friends in both communities and for the most part get along after the game,” Broadway said. “There are Bryant graduates who work at Benton, or whose children attend Benton schools and vice-versa.”
Bryant and Benton are two quickly growing communities that passionately support their schools and communities. “In terms of great football rivalries, I think we have the most unique,” Broadway said. “To have something like the Salt Bowl become the [most] attended high school game in the state and possibly the nation, and at the same time find many ways to give back to charities and those in need in our communities is simply amazing.” As the tradition continues, a new generation of students enjoys the game. “I love half time,” sophomore Asia Betty said. “It is fun watching the cheerleaders and dancers do their routines.” The Salt Bowl is a huge part of the school’s culture, and it is important to the students. “The Salt Bowl makes both Benton and Bryant different from other schools,” sophomore Kumani Lawson said. “One day we are rivals and the next we are best friends.”