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Piper tackles produce “I think he’s doing an excellent job,� McDonnell said. “He does his work Dealing with students is here well, and has a second one thing. But customers? job too. So I think that’s reThat’s something Dr. Craig ally good.� Piper is currently the only Piper knows all too well. Piper teaches U.S. Gov- faculty member working at ernment and Economics at Kroger, but several SHS Starkville High School, and students have part-time has been a teacher there for jobs there, including Bradley Calhoun, a senior who three years. Piper recently acquired a works as a bagger and also second job at Kroger as a took Piper’s economics class during the fall. produce stocker. “It’s a little bit weird “I needed to make extra money to pay off debts,� working with a teacher,� Piper said. “I also want to Calhoun said. “There is start saving up for retire- that question of ‘Can he still tell me what to do?’ It ment.� Piper has a doctorate de- can be kind of awkward.� Piper, on the other hand, gree in history from Mississippi State University. doesn’t feel any awkwardFew teachers with doctor- ness towards the students ate degrees ever have to he works with. “It’s not bad because they deal with cranky customers after leaving college, but don’t work in my department,� Piper said. “I’m Piper does anyway. “They can be difficult at not their boss there, but times, but you have to be at school I am. It may be patient and realize it’s your weird for them, but I don’t job and you just have to boss them around or anything.� deal with it,� Piper said. Putting out produce may Piper has been an employee at Kroger for six sound boring, but accordmonths and works approx- ing to Piper, it’s actually imately 16 hours per week. not that bad. “The people are nice Being a teacher, it can be hard to balance out a and it doesn’t require too much thinking,� Piper said. schedule. The administration at “It’s also a getaway from SHS has been very sup- school.� Piper hasn’t heard any portive and, according to assistant principal Sean negative comments from McDonnell, Piper’s doing teachers about working at Kroger. really well. By Ty Ringo Contributing Writer
Hollow wins at regionals, state By Ruth Brown Staff Writer
Economics teacher Craig Piper works part�time at Kroger. Other teachers even have seven nights a week.� Working at Kroger, Piper second jobs themselves. McDonnell runs several has had many interesting community pools, journal- experiences, most of them ism sponsor R.J. Morgan positive. Even though Piper enjoys works as a sports reporter on the weekends, and Ja- his job being a teacher at son Young, a social studies SHS, he plans to continue teacher, works part-time as working at Kroger for a a manager at Old Navy, just long time. “I plan to work at Kroger to name a few. “The extra income helps until I retire from workout a lot,� Morgan said. ing period,� Piper said. “I “It basically allows me to might even keep it after I have a savings account and retire. I think over a ten pay off my student loans year period, I may make without having to eat Spam $50,000. So it’s worth it.�
The cast and crew of Sleepy Hollow have finally wrapped up their production after months of hard work and many awards. At regional festival, Sleepy Hollow won Best Technical Team and one of five “Distinguished Play� awards, which earned the play a spot at the state festival in Natchez. Abbie Cathcart and George Bennett both won All-Star honors. At state festival, Sleepy Hollow won Best Costume, and Best Adaptation from an Original Source. George Bennett was named to the All-Star Cast and received the Most Promising Young Artist award. Maureen Hughes and Kienan Grice won Best Actress and Actor in a Drama for the 10-minute Play Festival. Maureen Hughes was offered a $500 scholarship, as was Cooper Kennard. Mandy Kinney was very satisfied with the results. “The students went beyond my expectations,� Kinney said. “I don’t see how we can move on to something much bigger or better than this.�
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SHS Jacket Buzz
The Starkville High custodial sta is constantlyâ€ŠďŹ ghting graďŹƒti, both positive and negative in nature, on the walls of bathrooms schoolwide. 
SHS deals with graffiti epidemic By Heather Stevens and Lammi Micha Assistant Editor and Staff Writer If people followed through with half the things advertised on the bathroom walls, Starkville High School would have been blown up, burned down, and overrun by gangs long ago. The walls of many of the bathrooms at SHS have recently become covered with all types of writings. The bathrooms on the main hall upstairs have been particularly obscene. “We normally don’t allow it to hang around,� principal Kathi Wilson said. “It sends a message completely contrary to the message we want to send.� On Wednesday, January 21, the bathrooms on the main hall upstairs were repainted
to remove all the graffiti. By midday Thursday, gang signs and obscenities had already been rewritten. “The restrooms upstairs on the main hall were painted over last year, and once again this year,� janitor Robert Glen said. “It usually takes three to four hours of hard work to clean and paint.� For decency’s sake, the vast majority of graffiti cannot be printed. In the girls’ restrooms, the walls are covered with personal attacks, often directed at other girls. Insults range from criticizing someone’s physical appearance or sexual orientation to personal threats or vulgar solicitations. The viciousness displayed in the female bathrooms is on a person-to-person level, but graffiti in the boys’ re-
stroom is more violent and intolerant of certain groups, like minorities, homosexuals, immigrants, or members of rival gangs. Because SHS students see these threats every day, most learn to ignore them and walk right past. If they actually stopped and contemplated the intolerance, hate, and violence displayed in such a public setting, perhaps they would be a bit shocked. “It definitely takes a negative tone,� senior Kelly Truax said. “You just go home and you’ve still got all these potentially hurtful things on your brain, so you end up thinking about it for hours.� Junior Meekayll Boyd says most of the writings aren’t serious. “People just think the things they write on those walls, but don’t take any ac-
tion on their feelings,� Boyd said. “People claim to be in gangs, but I doubt as many are in gangs as who say there are. They just need to feel like part of a group.� Even though this might just seem like harmless jesting, outsiders might not see it the same way. Student intern Andrew Chastain wasn’t shocked by what he read, but more by the amount of graffiti. Chastain also noticed that, just like in the bathroom, insults are hurled elsewhere around the school. “I have noticed that normal interaction between students, especially those on friendly terms, involves a good deal of put-downs and insults,� Chastain said. Truax agrees. “‘Hoe’ and ‘skank’ are just ways to say hello to each other,� she said.
According to assistant principal Sean McDonnall, the bathrooms have been had to be repaired “too many times.� “It’s not only the defacing, but the vandalizing that gets expensive, like tearing up stalls and toilets and urinals and windows,� McDonnall said. It isn’t clear just why so many people are compelled to be hateful and destructive, but the administration sees no end in sight for this sort of behavior. “If students don’t take pride in this school, then this kind of problem will just continue,� McDonnall said. “Students have to be proud of their school before they will want to take care of it.� So until the student body truly believes that it’s a great day to be a Yellow Jacket, the graffiti will likely persist.
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Valentine’s Day Shout Outs! To: Jing Liao From: Legend I like you a lot but I’d rather not say who I am.
To: Cora Owen From: Johnny Depp You are too young. It will never work out.
To: Caitlin Maddox From: Collin Whitten Happy Valentine’s Day, Caitlin! :) To: Ms. Wilson From: Ben Watson To my FAVORITE adminstrator: I’d just like to say, I would go to your office any day.
To: Kourtney Bell From: Trenell Scales Just wishing you a happy Valenitne’s Day. Hope this makes you smile. I love you!!
To: Ms. Kinney, Ms. Dauzat, Ms. Taylor From: Ms. Cappleman I love you girls. Let’s stay tight like spandex.
To: LaTonya Lark From: “Big Brother� You’re too freaking fickle. You should just love me. Happy Valenine’s Day!
To: Ruth Brown From: Not Telling You rock!
To: Jimmy Sherrod From: Secret Admirer I hope you’re reading this. I see you around school all the time and notice how good you look everyday. Happy Valentine’s Day!
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Exemptions: Why just seniors? es in regular classes and an 87 average in advanced placement courses.� But why is the privilege Since freshman year, I have wondered why under- only granted to seniors? I discussed the puzzling classmen aren’t granted exemption from final exams. issue with several faculty I have seen countless members and administranumbers of sophomores tive officers. Their responses fell along and juniors tote unseemly amount of books to class- the same line: it’s a senior es each day, while many perk, as with senior priviseniors stroll through the lege. “They’ve paid their dues,� halls practically emptyguidance counselor Jennihanded. Studious underclassmen fer Kilpatrick said. Along with most every steadily burn the midnight oil each night to crank out underclassman, there are an “A,� while seniors can even some seniors who deem this class consciousskim by with a 91. I can’t help but think: ness unnecessary. “Anybody ought to be what’s up with that? The policy, as with all exempt as long as their others, was approved by grades are good to be exthe school board and states empt,� Sam Jordan said. I searched further for a that the only students exempt from final exams are legitimate reason why the seniors who have at least a exemption policy’s roots “91 average in regular class- have not been discovered, By Whitney Peterson Staff Writer
or why it hasn’t been challenged until now. I finally found my answer. .“If [one is] exempt for four years, [they have] no knowledge on how to take exams,� Susan Keith, an SHS counselor of eight years, said. “In college, you can’t get exempt.� In other words, exemption is merely an incentive for those who have plowed through thirteen excruciating years of learning and are worthy of commencement for their efforts. This makes much more sense than the time-honored thought of “Why not me?�
SHS Jacket Buzz
Political Cartoon By Sarah Morse
The Jacket Buzz Volume 16, Issue 2 This newspaper is produced by the Journalism Department at Starkville High School.
Zach Mitchell, Editor-in-Chief Heather Stevens, Assistant Editor Staff Writers Lammi Micha, Ruth Brown, Kienan Grice, Whitney Peterson
We are excited to be the photographers of your prom this year! SPECIAL PROM OFFER:
Contributing Writers Ty Ringo, Sarah Morse R.J. Morgan, Advisor Please email any comments, questions, or concerns to rjmorgan@starkville.k12.ms.us
Come and check out our huge selection and low prices! (662) 323-6966
If you rent your prom tux through The Tux Place (located inside Bill Davis Photography), we will GIVE you the small package of prom pictures FREE for every package you pay for! Just be present in your picture and present your reciept.
Opinion
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SHS insures constitutional rights By Heather Stevens Asst. Editor The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Little Red Riding Hood, and Tarzan. Great stories that little children have always loved, right? Wrong. These are just a few of the well-loved and longtreasured novels that are currently banned from millions of libraries across the nation. “There are no book titles that we specifically ban at Starkville High School,â€? librarian June Barnett said. Although the library refrains from purchasing works by risquĂŠ authors, it does not actively prohibit any books from being checked out or offered. “Censorship is something we just stay away from because it starts to interfere with constitutional rights, like free speech and free press,â€? Barnett said. Some high schools are not as lucky or “freeâ€? as SHS.
Books like Brave New World, The Giver, and Native Son are some of 2008’s most popularly-banned books that can be found in the SHS library. T h i s school has a great track record for suppor ting students’ rights as far as reading material, and shows the same support in regard to things written by the students themselves. Principal Kathi Wilson trusts the Jacket Buzz staff and believes that the staff is responsible and dependable when it comes to publishing potentially controversial material. “Responsible people act
ask myself if I really thought any kind of censorship is right. In my opinion, any sort of censorship in a public arena (with the exce ption of “Fire!� in a movie theater) violates writers’ and artists’ rights explicitly given by the responsibly,� said Wilson. “So far, our newspaper United States constitution. Although people should staff has yet to be anything be allowed to say largely but responsible.� Wilson also believes that whatever they please, one as long as the staff abstains person’s rights end where from hate speech and re- another’s begin to be viofrains from any “inflamma- lated. Say what you want, as long tory� messages, then our constitutional freedoms are as it doesn’t seriously endanger someone else. In most safe from violation. While doing research for instances, this situation is this article, I was forced to not the case, but Americans’
rights don’t provide for the violation of everyone else’s. My view is that people should be able to generally do and say and write what they please (providing that it does not inhibit someone’s right to do the same), and if you don’t like what they have to say, then don’t listen. Although I might not agree or condone lyrics that contain the command “beat that [girl] with a bat,� I will not deny Missy Elliot her right to rap them. It is the idea of tolerance and personal choice, as well as the protection of the individual voice that allows people to voice their opinions without fear of negative repercussions in society. It is important that we carry on this trend of speaking our minds and simultaneously respecting the speech of other minds in order to maintain the strong statutes of personal freedoms to which we are accustomed.
Obama’s first weeks in office are successful also passed. He even had the largest number of people come to his inauguration to show support since The first few weeks with a presi- President Linden B. Johnson. Putdent who isn’t a nimrod have been ting Obama in the office of Presigreat. By using his own intellect and dent is definitely what this country determination, the current president needs at this point in time. He is extremely hard working. For achieved his position instead of reexample, about a week after being lying on political debts and favors elected president, Obama wrote a to get him into the oval office. whole new stimulus package which President Barack Obama has accomplished many things up un- includes $800,000,000 to help this til his presidency. He took part in country get back on the economic many bills concerning healthcare, track out of debt and into prospergun control laws, civil rights, and ity. President Obama also designed a many more of which many have By Lammi Micha Staff Writer
healthcare plan that is affordable, accessible to all Americans, and builds on the current healthcare system so that it’s not so complicated to implement. I think that this will make life easier for every family. He has also demonstrated a concern for the correctional system in the United States. President Obama ordered the Guantanamo Bay prison to be shut down and all prisoners moved to maximum security prisons on his very first day in office. Obama is even putting in the long, stressful hours to blur party lines between Democrats and Re-
publicans, a separation I personally think should have never been there in the first place. I understand that he needs Republican support to pass the major stimulus package that he has been working on, but it would be better if Republicans and Democrats just came together as Americans to make things better as a whole. Overall, I think the first few weeks of the Obama Administration have been extremely effective in a positive way. We’ll seem if this trend continues, or if the long hours he is putting in go to waste.
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Sports
SHS Jacket Buzz
2009 Yellow Jacket Varsity Baseball Schedule
The SHS baseball team has practiced hard all week for this weekend’s SHS Classic.
Season starts for baseball Jackets ers, the coaches are hopeful that this season will go extremely well. In summer league play, Spring is in the air and the Starkville High School this year’s returning players baseball team is extremely finished 17-3. “We always hope we’ll win excited for a new season. The baseball team fin- the state championship, of course,� said Coach Carished 12-19 last season. They lost in the first lisle. “It just depends on round of the state playoffs how it goes.� Returning this season on to Olive Branch. The Yellow Jackets will offense are R.J. Johnson complete pre-season play and Daniel Forde, who this weekend with games combined for 45 runs batat home in the SHS Classic ted in during summer ball. “I believe we have a good and at Quitman. SHS’s first game will be chance of making it to the on February 17 at Acker- playoffs and then to state,� man, with a home opener outfielder Chuck Tillery scheduled on February 20 said. Tillery posted a .464 avagainst West Point. With six returning play- erage in 11 games last sumBy Ruth Brown Staff Writer
mer and finished with nine RBI. “He’s a complete player,� Carlisle said. “We expect big things from him.� Pitchers Zach Schurch and Colin Olsen, along with Forde, combined to go 12-1 over the summer and will anchor the Yellowjacket pitching staff. “The experience they gained last year should make them more effective this year,� pitching coach David Lane said. Key matchups include all division games, and matchups with Columbus on March 10 and 13, Tupelo on March 24 and 27, and South Panola on March 31 and April 3.
Date
Opponent
February 13 February 14 February 17 February 20 February 21 February 28 February 28 March 7 March 10 March 13 March 14-18 March 21 March 24 March 27 March 28 March 28 March 31 April 3 April 4 April 7 April 9 April 10 April 10 April 13 April 14 April 17
SHS Classic SHS Classic @ Ackerman West Point Louisville West Lowndes @ New Hope @ West Point Columbus @ Columbus @ Pensacola, FL Neshoba Central Tupelo @Tupelo Meridian @ New Hope @ South Panola South Panola Meridian/ West Point Columbus Tupelo @ Neshoba Central @ Lousiville West Lowndes @ South Panola @ Northwest Rankin
Join Today! See Coach Albritton  or Mrs. Tillery for  more information!
SHS Jacket Buzz
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Jackets hunt Tigers to extinction By Ty Ringo Contributing Writer The Noxubee Tigers would be the last opponent the Jackets would face at home this season. As the game progressed, the Jackets showed off for all to see. Edward Townsel scored 23 points to lead the Jackets to an 80-59 victory against the Noxubee Tigers at the Beehive Tuesday night. The Jackets, who went to 21-3 with the victory, burst out of the gates with an 8-0 run in the first two and a half minutes of the first quarter. The Tigers generated very little offense in the first 10 minutes of the first half, but their shots began to fall as the first half neared its end. The win gave the Jackets a season sweep over Noxubee County this season. The comfortable win Tuesday night was very impressive considering that SHS senior Eduardo Fumo goes up for a layup at a recent  starting forward and leading scorer Rashad Perkins Yellow Jacket home game.
did not play due to disciplinary suspension. The Tigers (10-10) were a little short-handed, as well, as starter Vincent Sanders didn’t play because of a foot injury. The Tigers had no answer for Townsel, who repeatedly got to the basket with ease.. “I don’t know how I got to the basket so well,� Townsel said. “It was just easy for me, I guess.� Tuesday night was Senior Night at the Beehive and the seniors did well. Eduardo Fumo scored 18 points, Bryce Brown scored 17 points, and Jeffrey Jarnagin had 11 points and 10 rebounds. Even though there were rough edges around the Jackets’ game, Coach Greg Carter thought his team did much better this time around. “I thought we guarded Smith a lot better,� Carter said. “In the first game we let him get free looks, and they depend heavily on his offense. Other guys don’t
do well unless he has a good game.� Shaunessy Smith led the Tigers with 29 points, but didn’t help his team’s outcome. “My shots weren’t enough tonight,� Smith said. “I think I played harder at home than I did here.� The good feelings from the Noxubee County win faded fast as the Jackets traveled to South Panola last Friday night to face another set of Tigers. This time, however, the outcome did not tilt in Starkville’s favor and the Jackets fell 45-40. Jernagin led Starkville with 16 points. Perkins added 8 points. Tuesday night, the Jackets went to Columbus and left with a 60-57 victory over the Falcons. Jernagin led the Jackets with 19 points and Eduardo Fumo scored 11 points. The Jackets’ next game will be Friday night against South Panola in Batesville for the district championship.
Arrows slaughter Jackets 0-7 in first round of playoffs Fumo scored twelve goals in seven games, and missed several other games because Six wins, seven losses, he also plays basketball. “Clinton was really two ties, and senior Dylan good,� Fumo said. “If we Voges-Thwing sidelined by had more experience and a torn ACL. That is how the Starkville bigger guys, we might not High School boy’s soccer have won, but at least put up a battle. I just wish I team ended their season. The Yellow Jackets lost to could have been at the othClinton High School 0-7 in er games so I could have the first round of the play- helped the team out.� Fumo is graduating this offs. Leading scorer Eduardo year and has options to go By Lammi Micha Staff Writer
to East Mississippi Community College for soccer or basketball, Itawamba Community College for soccer, or Mississippi State. Voges-Thwing tore his ACL while playing in the second game of the tournament on December 6th, 2008. He attempted to get back into the game later on, but got hurt again and had to be pulled out. An attempt was made
again for him to play later in the season, but, after realizing it hurt too much, he was benched for the rest of the season. “If we had all of our players the whole season, we would have been a lot better off,� Voges-Thwing said. “If we all practiced together, we would have been a better team, and we could have finished the season a little bit better.� SHS had several key vic-
tories during the regular season, including a 6-4 win against Columbus and a 6-2 win over New Hope. The Jackets didn’t fare as well against rival Tupelo, though, losing to the Golden Wave twice, once 4-1 and the second time 3-0. Voges-Thwing says that even with a lot of open positions available next year, there are enough good players coming back to keep the program successful.