Warrior Beat November 2014

Building on Tradition:

OG opens new field house

TAKE YOUR TOUR > PG 3

thewarriorbeat

Vol. 53, Issue 3 November 21, 2014 Oak Grove High School www.thewarriorbeat.com

SMITH

INSIDE

elected LCSD Superintendent By: Abby Nguyen Staff Reporter

@2busybeingabby

OPINION

Where have all the kids’ cartoons gone? > PG 7

SUBMITTED PHOTO

HOW DO YOU SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE MARIA?

The Warrior marching band performs their “Santa Maria” show at the Pine Belt Invitational marching competition held at OGHS.

Marching to success By: Casey Ford Staff Reporter

@caseym_ford

WARRIORS ADVANCE

OG set for second round of football playoffs > PG 5

The All-Superior Oak Grove Marching Band has enjoyed yet another successful marching season. The group spent two weeks of band camp and the majority of the semester preparing their show, “Santa Maria,” and perfecting their skills for competition. Senior drum major Yulianna Jimenez was a fan of the show and the group’s efforts this year. “Our show included ‘Maria’ from West Side Story and ‘Ave Maria,’ which was amazing. I really enjoyed listening, conducting, and playing all the music,” Jimenez said. While they finished their season on a high note, the band certainly had its share of diffi-

OG DRAMA

Zhengtu reveal is huge success > PG 10

MARCHING TO MARIA

ABBY ANDERSON PHOTO

Xavier Walker, 11, performs before at half-time before the home crowd at Warrior stadium.

Students spark interest in politics

Selfies take confidence too far? > PG 9

Shonda Rhimes creates TV for everyone > PG 6

See BAND on PG2

See BAND, PG2

The Great Debate

LET ME TAKE A SELFIE PIONEER IN TV

culties throughout the semester. This year’s freshman class is particularly large, so assimilating new marchers into the rest of the group and getting them to understand their roles in the band was difficult, according to Jimenez. “We definitely lacked energy during the middle of the season, which took some time to fix,” Jimenez said. She also added that due to construction, the band had to adjust to practicing at the track and remembering to carry all their supplies over in one trip. “That got to be a pain after a while because I forgot yard lines markers many times. Also, we started to have a major issue with yellow jackets stinging everyone on the

By: Taylor Parsons Editor

@parTAY 97

The liberals and conservatives of the Young Democrats and Young Republicans clubs gathered in the library before school on November 13 to debate the hot topic of welfare. The clubs chose debaters to represent their opinions.

The democrats chose Jermaine Van Buren, KJ Eaton, and club president Abby Nguyen.

The republicans chose Duncan Thomas, Kyle Moss, Elizabeth Magee, and club president Wendy Osborne. “The debate was not to declare a winner, but to inform students,” Nguy-

en said. The library was full of students ready to educate and be educated.

The clubs have known the topic of the debate since September. Both clubs researched and debated their topic among themselves. “As prepared as three weeks worth of insanity and insomnia will get you about sums up our degree of preparation,” Eaton said. He and his fellow young democrats had a group chat to discuss their opinions on welfare.

“The Young Democrats came in much more prepared and organized than we were,” Thomas said. “But we still got our ideas out there, as intimidating as it

was for them to be so ready.”

Despite different levels of readiness, both clubs clearly expressed their opinions.

The Young Democrats focused on the definition of welfare itself. They argued that providing adequate and accessible welfare for its citizens is a duty of the federal government. Eaton quoted Cornell’s definition of welfare. “Our case was about welfare being beneficial for a capitalistic economist economy because it serves as a financial safety net,” Nguyen said. “It reduces the risk that people who are trying to learn unconventional skills have to See DEBATE on PG2

The superintendent election of 2014 saw two noteworthy candidates running for the highest educational position in the county, Superintendent of Education.

After working together for 23 Tess Smith years, Tess Smith and Wayne Folkes ran against each other for the coveted title of Superintendent of Education over Lamar County School District. Because both Smith and Folkes come from strong educational backgrounds, both agreed they would be more than prepared to take over Dr. Ben Burnett’s former role.

And while both have extensive experience in educational management, on November 4, Smith was revealed to be the winner of the superintendent election with 8,542 votes, approximately 3,000 votes more than her opposition. Wayne Folkes, Director of Student Services raked in a sum total of 5,102 votes across the county.

Many political candidates run slur campaigns, and local elections are no exception to that maxim; however, all throughout this campaigning process, both Smith and Folkes stated that the race was actually a very friendly one. “I can’t thank him enough,” Smith said. “It’s been a clean and positive campaign, and we’ll continue to work together for the good of the district.”

Folkes shared similar sentiments by saying, “I can’t say anything negative about the campaign,” he said. “We both worked very hard and we gave it all we had, and the voters made their choice.” Folkes revealed that while he was a bit sad about the election results, he also said, “I have nothing but great respect for her in what she has accomplished as a teacher, counselor, and administrator throughout her years.”

Regardless of the election results, both Smith and Folkes will continue to work together to better Lamar County’s educational future.

2 news

November 21, 2014

Band

coming

UP

Speech & Debate Glenbrooks Invitational JV/V Girls Soccer @ Long Beach NOVEMBER 21 Varsity girls & boys basketball Lamar County Tournament @ Lumberton NOVEMBER 22 JV boys, V girls, V boys basketball @ McComb NOVEMBER 24 Thanksgiving NOVEMBER 27 9th girls & boys basketball @ Wayne County DECEMBER 1 Varsity boys soccer @ Laurel DECEMBER 2 JV boys & girls, V boys & girls basketball vs.

Harrison Central V boys soccer tournament @ Gulfport JV girls soccer @ Brandon DECEMBER 5 9th grade boys basketball @ FCAHS JV boys, V boys, V girls basketball vs. Dexter V boys soccer @ Brandon Cheer regional competition DECEMBER 6 9th grade boys and girls basketball vs.

Hattiesburg DECEMBER 8 JV boys and girls, V boys and girls basketball @ Hattiesburg V girls and boys soccer @ Meridian DECEMBER 9 9th grade girls and boys basketball vs. Petal DECEMBER 11 Speech & Debate Isidore Newman Tournament Wind Ensemble Performance in Natchez JV boys, varsity girls & boys basketball vs.

Tylertown V boys & girls soccer vs.

Brandon Dance MHSAA State Competition DECEMBER 12 Speech & Debate Isidore Newman Tournament Varsity girls basketball @ Pearl Varsity boys basketball @ Moss Point JV girls soccer vs. OLA Cheer MHSAA State Competition DECEMBER 13

Continued from BAND, PG1

ARIEL COBBERT PHOTO

ANNA KATE KARSTENS PHOTO

MARY MORGAN GRATWICK PHOTO

ed to play at Georgia through email correspondence with the @samantha_papp coaching staff. “I can’t wait to Each year, verbally commit- play volleyball at such a high ted athletes anticipate signing level,” Karstens said. “I love their National Letters of Intent, big schools, and the campus [at which officially binds an athlete Georgia] is beautiful.” A middle to a certain school of his or her blocker for Oak Grove’s team, choice. Some athletes partake Karstens thinks she will move to in what is known as “early sign- a right side hitting position next ing period,” a week in Novem- year at Georgia.

Baseball player Matthew ber during which future NCAA Guidry signed with the Univerathletes are permitted to sign sity of Southern Mississippi on their NationFriday, Novemal Letters ber 14.

“I love I am looking forward of Intent. everything about This year, to meeting new USM,” Guidry three Oak Grove people and having said. “I am lookstudent-athletes fun playing the sport I ing forward to signed their Let- love.” meeting new ters during the - MATTHEW GUIDRY, 12 people and havearly signing ing fun playing period. Anna Kate Karstens, the sport I love.”

Matthew Guidry, and SamanGuidry met the USM coach tha Papp each signed to pursue his sophomore year and verbally their prospective sports at Divi- committed to USM in July of sion I levels.

2014. He plays shortstop for Anna Kate Karstens, a vol- Oak Grove and hopes to conleyball player, signed with the tinue playing this position next University of Georgia on Fri- year. day, November 14. Karstens Samantha Papp signed to verbally committed to the Uni- play softball at the Univerversity of Georgia in April of sity of Southern Mississippi her junior year and was recruit- on Wednesday, November 12.

“I am so grateful for be continuing my athletic and academic career at USM,” Papp said.

“USM truly offers so many opportunities, and I’m confident that I will really enjoy my career there.” Papp was recruited to play softball at USM via softball tournaments and multiple softball camps at USM, and she verbally committed to USM her sophomore year. Papp plays both catcher and third base and expects to continue her career as a catcher next year.

Three OGHS student-athletes sign with Division-I schools By: Samantha Papp Staff Reporter

Debate

Continued from DEBATE, PG1

take.” Both sides agreed on the importance of welfare and its rehabilitative abilities. To the democrats, the federal government did not have a legal obligation to provide welfare, but they did have a moral one.

The Young Republicans emphasized the importance of a welfare system based on the Tenth Amendment. Ratified in 1791 and the final part of the Bill of Rights, the Tenth Amendment makes explicit the

beat’s bits

idea that the power of the federal government is limited to the powers mentioned in the Constitution. The republicans argued that welfare must be a state right to provide or deny because the federal government is so large already. The club’s sponsor, Diane Hardin, said, “We want welfare. Our intent is to come up with solutions to have it successfully,” to wrap up the debate before dismissing the whole crowd.

Despite differing opinions, both sides agreed that the debate was a success. “We were all able to express why we be-

Matthew Guidry

> University of Southern Mississippi > Baseball

Anna Kate Karstens

> University of Georgia > Volleyball

Samantha Papp

> University of Southern Mississippi > Softball

lieve what we believe rather than harp on why the opposing party is wrong,” Eaton said.

Though the debate may have gotten heated at times as opposite passions came head-tohead, members of both parties knew that no point made was a personal attack, just an expression of personal opinion. “We all have friendships aside from political beliefs. We were all friends before the debate and certainly after,” Eaton said. The debate was an opportunity for students to unashamedly share their beliefs and be challenged by fellow students.

NEWS

football field. That was not fun,” Jimenez recalled. At the Pine Belt Invitational, Oak Grove won several awards, including first place in band, first place in percussion, and overall Grand Champions. At the State Championship competition, the band made it to the second round of competition and went on to take fourth place, beating Petal, an added bonus. “This was really a breath of fresh air for us.

We had not been able to reach grand champion status at any other competition this season, and last year we didn’t even make it to finals at the championship. So we were very nervous this time; our goal was simply to make finals.

The moment they called Oak Grove, Paxton (fellow drum major) and I started crying. I just could not believe what a difference we had made in less than two years, and how much we had grown as a group in a few short months. I am so pleased with how much we improved throughout the season, especially considering how much we had to overcome in such a short time. We did better than we ever had before, and I couldn’t be happier,” Jimenez said. Jimenez and her fellow senior band members look forward to watching the Oak Grove band’s success in the years to come.

The clubs are still deciding about the possibility of future debates. “I know that if we have another one, I’ll come more prepared next time,” Thomas said. He and his fellow club members were proud of the points they shared, as were the democrats. Both clubs are passionate about their political beliefs and were excited to share them with their classmates. The debate was a huge success, providing students with insight into both political stances.

By: Olivia Diaz | Staff Reporter

FREEDOM TOWER OPENS

REPUBLICANS TAKE CONTROL OF SENTATE WILLIAM AND KATE TAKE NYC

On November 3, office workers stepped into the One World Trade Center, also known as Freedom Tower. Eventually, the building will house about 3,400 employees. The skyscraper is 104 stories and stands 1,776 feet high. This structure is the tallest in United States. The WTC has a view of the September 11 Memorial and Museum and now serves as more than a place to work. It’s a symbol. It serves as a reminder that the U.S. must never forget what happened thirteen years ago ,and U.S. citizens must preserve hope and strength for the future and whatever the future holds.

The Republican party officially gained control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate for the first time since 2006. Republicans successfully gained control of the Senate after flipping seven seats. The GOP considers this a great feat because they are now able to limit the President’s and democrats’ control on Capitol Hill.

On the Mississippi side, 77 year-old Republican Senator Thad Cochran was elected to his sixth term in the United States Senate, and Congressman Steven Palazzo was also re-elected. Both Mississippians look forward to another productive term in office.

Prince William and Duchess Kate will visit New York City in December. This will be the couple’s first trip to the Big Apple and their second trip to the United States. Their first trip included three days in southern California. While in New York, the Prince and Princess will attend a Brooklyn Nets basketball game and will visit the 9/11 Memorial at Freedom Tower. This will be Kate’s first trip since announcing her second pregnancy.

sports 3

November 21, 2014

Field House of Dreams New facility opens to Oak Grove athletes A team as talented as ours deserves a field house like this.”

- NEVIL BARR Head Football Coach MARY MORGAN GRATWICK PHOTO

By: Drew Herring Staff Reporter

@drew_herring2

O

n February 10, 2013, along with large portions of Hattiesburg, Petal, and the Pine Belt area, Oak Grove High School was affected greatly by an EF4 tornado. This was one of eight tornadoes in southern Mississippi and southwestern Alabama on that dark Sunday afternoon. The tornado destroyed many buildings and houses, and Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant declared a state of emergency.

The tornado also destroyed the Warrior baseball field, damaged parts of the school gym, and completely demolished the football field house. The baseball field and the gym were repaired fairly quickly, but the repairing of the field house was quite different. The structure was just recently finished and was well worth the wait.

The new field house is full of many brilliant features, such

as new workout equipment in a weight room much larger than the original, new treatment tables, a large equipment room, and technology to speed up recovery for injured athletes.

The field house also contains updated offices for the coaches and trainers.

With so many new features, the field house has something for everybody. Junior Alex Ward is one of the quarterbacks on the football team and sees many benefits in the new facility. “I think the new field house is absolutely awesome. I have a few favorite things about it. I really like the treatment tables and the overall size of it. It’s crazy nice,” Ward said. Hughston Sanders, also a junior, is a wide receiver and is enjoying the new, larger field house. “I love the new locker room. I remember thinking about how small the other locker room was, and we don’t have that problem anymore,” Sanders said.

The football team is not the only athletic team using the

facility. The OGHS baseball team is also taking advantage of the new building. “The new field house helps so much more than just the football team at Oak Grove. It gives us as other athletes access to one of the premier workout and training rooms in the state, if not the country,” senior first baseman Jonathan Brent said.

Thanks to Super Bowl champion, three-time NFL MVP, and former OG Offensive Coordinator, Brett Favre, who raised money to help with reconstruction, the field house also has a new hydrotherapy system that uses hot and cold tubs to help heal injuries. Although many NFL and college teams have hydrotherapy systems, Oak Grove is just the second high school in the United States to have the whirlpool-like system behind a high school in Texas.

Oak Grove football Head Coach since 2001, Nevil Barr said that he definitely thinks that the new and improved field house affects his team. “A

team as talented as ours deserves a field house like this.

The new field house gives them confidence. It’s the same effect as dressing up for church or any other special event. When you dress nicely, you feel good about yourself. When the team looks at that field house, they get a burst of confidence,” Barr said. The field house has given the team something in which to take pride, and it goes nicely with their state championship rings.

This is a great example of how good things can come from a situation that seems bad at the time. No one expected to see a two-story, highly-updated structure, one of the nicest field houses for a high school in the nation, end up being the result of a tragedy such as a tornado that caused so much destruction. Such a nice field house is a great fit for the school with, what some would say, one of the best athletic programs in the state.

on the field “It gives the football team a home.”

J.C. Keys, 12

“It shows us what we have worked so hard for and motivates us to keep going.”

Kobe Peyton, 11

“It gives us better opportunities to improve ourselves.”

Drew Burnham, 12

“It’s much more convenient than going back and forth like we had to do with the temporary field house.”

Zakydrick Pittman, 11

WEIGHT ROOM

One of the main features of the new field house is its state-of-the-art weight room, which includes 18 lifting stations. The weight room also has a view overlooking the campus of Oak Grove High School.

DOC’S ROOM

Perhaps one of the most needed rooms in the field house is the training room, where Kevin ‘Doc’ Mauldin treats injured athletes. With a perfect view overlooking Warrior Stadium, the room includes ten treatment tables, rehabilitation stations, and a television.

LOCKER ROOM

The biggest room in the newly constructed field house is the varsity locker room. Located closest to the football field, the locker room includes over 100 lockers to hold the defending state champion football team’s gear.

HOT TUBS

Oak Grove High School is home to one of only two hydrotherapy systems for high schools in the country. The Grimm CRYOTherm hydrotherapy system is two whirlpool like tubs, one hot and one cold, and is used for rehabilitation and recovery for injured athletes.

Photos by Mary Morgan Gratwick Captions by Jonathan Brent

4

sports

Bleacher Report

By: Jonathan Brent | SPORTS EDITOR

This year’s college football season thus far can be summed up in one word: unpredictable. After the state of Mississippi stealing the spotlight for the first 10 weeks of the season, the state of Alabama decided to begin to steal the spotlight. After losing to LSU, Ole Miss had as devastating a loss as I have ever seen to Auburn on November 1.

Auburn then went on to lose to a now 4-loss Texas A&M team (a game which I saw in person) and most recently a 34-7 thrashing by the Georgia Bulldogs this past Saturday.

Mississippi State saw their perfect season come to an end to the Alabama Crimson Tide this weekend at BryantDenny Stadium in yet another Mississippi-team-featured College Gameday game.

However, State’s one loss and even Ole Miss’s two losses don’t automatically mean there’s no hope for them to make the playoffs, due to the insanity of this season. The power SEC West schools as well as other oneloss power five conference schools like Oregon, TCU, Baylor, and Ohio State are all very much alive. Then there’s Florida State, somehow the only undefeated team left in the country whom everyone seems to hate. This is exactly what I hoped would happen the first year of the College Football Playoff. Mayhem like this I hope will give the NCAA no choice but to expand the playoff to 8 or even 16 teams in the future, which would be nothing but more entertainment for the fans. This would also give a chance for there to be a Cinderella in college football for once like we always see in basketball, which just started by the way. Hallelujah.

One would think that the NFL would have much less confusion and much more order and predictability than the NCAA. That would be incorrect. Nobody wants to run away with the title as the best team in the league. The 4-6 St. Louis Rams have already beaten the Seahawks, 49ers, and the Broncos, three of the four best teams from last season. That’s not even the most surprising 4-6 team in the league either. The hometown favorite New Orleans Saints are also off to a dismal 4-6 start this year, most recently losing to the Bengals at home in the Superdome. Even crazier than that, the Saints are still tied for the division lead in the NFC South, a normally dominant division. The Cardinals still boast the best record in the league at 9-1, but they still have to play San Francisco, Kansas City, and Seattle twice.

Eh, I guess I have to talk about the NBA now that its season tipped off. An early surprise ten games into the year are the 9-1 Toronto Raptors who are leading the Eastern Conference. Lebron is back home in Cleveland and is leading the league in scoring at the moment, no big surprise there. Kobe’s injury prone Lakers are 1-8 with the worst record in the league.

Lol. Don’t worry NBA, you’ll get your time as soon as football is over, at least until baseball begins again.

That’s all, folks.

November 21, 2014

OGHS swimmers break records By: Christian Rapetti Staff Reporter @c_rapetti

This year, the Oak Grove swim team made history with the boys placing second overall and the girls placing sixth overall with only seven girls on the team in the State Championship. According to Nick Sciortino, senior, the outcome of the meet was not a surprise. “We knew going in that we had a strong team and that it would be a good season. As far as reaching our goal goes, I think we did very well. We really wanted to

RECORDS BROKEN, TROPHY AS A TOKEN

beat Tupelo, so coming in second was a bit of a disappointment. Overall, though, I feel good about how we did. It was the best season we’ve had in a while, and everyone did the best they could. That’s really all we could ask for,” Sciortino said.

Though they did not win first place, there were many standouts on both the girl’s and the boy’s team. On the girl’s team, the real standouts were freshman Caroline Pack and eighth grader Kailey Skinner. Neither Pack nor Skinner placed first, but being two of the youngest swimmers at the meet, they re-

SUBMITTED PHOTO

The Warrior Swim Team stands proudly after placing second at the State Championship.

ally had a great performances.

When it comes to young swimmers attracting attention, eighth grader Alex Miller stole the show by placing first in the 100yard fly event.

“Alex Miller is a friend and teammate of mine that I’ve known SUBMITTED PHOTO for a while now CAPTAIN SISSON SWIMS TO VICTORY Cole Sisson swims at the State Championship held in Cleveland, and it was great Senior MS. Sisson placed second in the 500-yard Freestyle. getting to watch on getting stronger individuhim win first at State, being only in eighth ally and collectively. “I would grade,” Skinner said. Both Cole like to come home with the Sisson, senior, and Elliot Watt, South State championship sophomore, had great perfor- for both boys and girls next mances at the meet by placing year. I would also like to see second in separate events. As both teams in the top three at a team, most members believed State next year. I have high they met their goals. “I was very expectations for my team and proud of the entire team, girls I am happy to say that they and boys,” Coach Nora Rapetti surpassed those expectations,” said. Though this was a tremen- Coach Rapetti said. It has dous season for the Warrior been a fantastic year for the swim team, there is still room Oak Grove swim team and for improvement. “Some of my even though they didn’t fingoals for next year are to always ish as number one, they are be there for my team, stand on still happy with the success the podium at State, and to be that they achieved. Next year’s the person that everyone looks young team will have a lot to up to,” Skinner said. In the live up to following this year’s off season, the team will work record breaking season.

New sports clubs form at OG

All about that bass and treble hook By: Drew Herring Staff Reporter

@drew_herring2

This year, Oak Grove High School is starting its very own B.A.S.S. Nation Club, making OG the school the only one in the state of Mississippi with a fishing club. Sophomore Blake Broom started this club after he and his cousin went fishing over the summer. His cousin was planning on starting the club at his own school for his senior project, but because the senior projects were changed this year, he did not get to fol-

low through with his plans. “After I found out that my cousin couldn’t do it at his school, I decided to start my own club at Oak Grove. I did some research and spoke to a man named Jay Lander from the Pro Bass team in Mississippi. Jay helped me start the club by coming to speak with 10th grade principal Jimmy Gardner about how the club would work,” Broome said.

After discussing the club with Gardner, all that was missing was a teacher who could sponsor the club. Broome said that Randy Germany was definitely

the man for the job.

Broome described the purpose of the club as a way to help the future of the sport, one school at a time. “The club will enjoy competition, education, and conservation programs.

Our club will host guest speakers, safety programs, projects, and fundraising events. The members of the club will have the choice of fishing for fun or competing in tournaments,” Broome said. There are many positive opportunities coming from joining the club, like meeting new people, making

memories, and obtainting scholarships. Germany is very supportive of the club and sees it as a great opportunity for students. “If you are planning on going bass fishing anyway, you might as well get paid for it. If I could get paid for eating cheeseburgers, I would take that opportunity,” Germany said.

The fishing season starts in January 2015 and runs the entire year. The club is still allowing new members. All those interested in fishing are encouraged to join the club.

Ultimately just having fun By: Drew Herring Staff Reporter

@drew_herring2

Along with the addition of the bass fishing club to Oak Grove, an ultimate frisbee club has also recently been approved by the admininstration. The club will meet a few times a month throughout the year to play ultimate frisbee; the members will get together and divide into teams to play.

Junior Clinton Wheeler founded the club and said that he started the club to get people together to play a sport that they love. “I think it’s a great opportunity to get to know people you don’t usually hang out with and to have a lot of fun,” Wheeler said. “Just like any club, its purpose is to get people together and make them feel like they are part of some-

thing.” For the students who are looking for a way to get involved in their school, the ultimate frisbee club is perfect.

The sponsoring teacher for the club is Stephanie Floyd. Floyd had one condition that had to be met before she would agree to be the sponsor of the club: she had to be able to come watch everyone play.

The club held an interest meeting on November 18 in Floyd’s room. There is a small fee needed to join the club. The starting fee will help pay for frisbees, jerseys, and anything else the club may need. Any student with an interest in frisbee is encouraged to come to the meeting and join the club.

LET’S CATCH UP

MYCAH KENNEDY PHOTO

Ultimate frisbee club creator and president Clinton Wheeler, 11, practices with club treasurer Drew Herring, 11.

November 21, 2014

sports 5

Warriors one win away from South State

By: Christian Rapetti, Drew Herring Staff Reporters

@c_rapetti | @drew_herring2

In their first playoff game of the year on Friday, the Oak Grove football team took on Hancock. Hancock put up a bigger fight than expected, coming back from a 28-7 score, but in the end, it was the superior Warrior football team that came out victorious with a 42-28 win. A fast start helped the Warriors survive the big mid-game rally by the Hawks. Seniors Cam Myers and JC Keys alternated as the quarterback for the Warriors, and both of them had an exceptional game. Keys com-

pleted 10 out of 16 passes for 91 yards and two touchdowns, while Myers completed 9 out of 13 passes for 118 yards with one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown. Myers rushed for 134 yards on 18 carries, and he also threw one interception.

Coach Nevil Barr said after the game he plans on using the quarterback dynamic duo of Keys and Myers as the team advances in the playoffs. “We will incorporate this a lot more and continue to use them both in different packages. Since it’s the playoffs, we are trying to switch things up a bit,” Barr said.

Sophomore Charles Hartfield

RUSHING AHEAD

MARY MORGAN GRATWICK PHOTO

Senior Cameron Myers rushes for a touchdown in the Warriors’ 42-28 victory over Hancock. Myers had 134 yards rushing to go along with 118 yards passing and two total touchdowns.

had a breakout game on last Friday against Hancock. Hartfield had 6 catches for 73 yards and a touchdown, making him one of the many weapons utilized by Myers and Keys in the victory. Oak Grove had a lot of success on the offensive side of the ball, and the defensive side was no different. Hancock’s quarterback Chase Fagan was shut down by the Warriors. Fagan rushed for -17 yards in the second half, with just 7 yards rushing in the entire game. He completed 9 passes out of 21 attempts for 304 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception that night. Dwayne Lee, sophomore, had the interception, picking Fagan off in the end zone. Oak Grove’s Deonte Haynes recovered Hancock’s fumble in Warrior territory.

In the first half, Oak Grove had 19 first downs, compared to Hancock’s 4. The Warriors were truly running on all cylinders, leading 35-14 at halftime. Not only were the Warriors mixing up their offensive style and strategy, the defense created turnovers and stopped Hancock.

Coming off of this emphatic victory, the Warriors will face a very talented Ocean Springs team tonight. Ocean Springs defeated Petal by a score of

Warrior soccer teams start off seasons on high notes By: Jonathan Brent Staff Reporter

@jonathanlebrent

The Oak Grove girls and boys soccer teams kicked off their seasons this past weekend in victorious fashion, winning all five games played in Long Beach and Laurel.

The girls team is the more experienced of the two, returning 9 of 11 starters from last year, including the entire defensive unit. “One difference compared to last year is that this year we have more experience as well as a more creative offensive attack that’s quicker around the net,” junior forward Taylor Brabston said.

After a strong preseason, the girls kicked off the regular season last Friday night with a win over Long Beach 2 to 1. Goal scorers in the game were Brabston and fellow junior forward LT Massey. The girls concluded the weekend with two more wins on Saturday over Northeast Jones (1-0) and Warren Central (3-1), improving their record to 3-0.

YOUNG WARRIOR TALENT

While the girls team is very experienced, this may be considered more of a rebuilding year for the boys team.The boys team lost 7 of 11 starters from last year’s team who made an appearance in the south state championship. “We have a bunch of new faces stepping into new roles this year, but I feel like in time this team can do some big things,” senior defender Cameron Barnhill said.

The guys didn’t let the inexperience affect them this past weekend, winning 4-1 against South Jones and 2-1 against Richland, with two goals scored each by Junior Marin and David Vanatta. Cameron Irvine and Timmur Ponder each netted one goal as well for the black and gold.

“This weekend was our first chance to get some new guys some experience in real games, and I feel like they played really well,” senior goalkeeper Allec Willis said. Willis has been the team’s starting goalie since his sophomore year.

Both teams continue their seasons this week with games against George County.

MYCAH KENNEDY PHOTO

Eighth grader and varsity starter Maggie Starns looks to dribble past defenders in an exhibition game again Resurrection. The Warriors went on to win 5-0.

MARY MORGAN GRATWICK PHOTO

TEAMWORK BRINGS VICTORY

Jordan Duncan (2) and Charles Hartfield (28) celebrate after scoring a touchdown against Hancock in the first round of the playoffs.

34-17 last week. Quarterback Drew Windham threw 10-15 for 147 yards and one touchdown. The real star of the game was running back Andrew Warren who had 26 carries and ran for 161 yards averaging 6 yards a carry and even having one 50-yard rush. Their defense, which held Petal to 17 points is also going to be a big problem.

The Warriors will have their work cut out for them.

Being the reigning state champions, confidence is sky high for the Warriors. They have been plowing through the competition, and last week was just a small reminder of what they can do. Oak Grove started fast, weathered the storm and

made the necessary adjustments to get past Hancock before the Hawks caused any real damage.

Whoever goes on to win the Oak Grove vs. Ocean Springs game will have to go on to play the winner of Brandon vs. D’Iberville. On the other side of the bracket, Starkville will play Southaven, and Clinton will face South Panola. Though there are two rounds left in the MHSAA playoffs, Oak Grove is a force to be reckoned with.

Kickoff is set for tonight at 7:00 p.m. in Ocean Springs with a trip to the South State Championship on the line.

OGXC competes at State

Boys place 4th, girls place 6th By: Grace Mozingo Staff Reporter

Every sports team dreams of state recognition, with the whole season dedicated to having not only the players achieve this esteem, but the team as a whole. After a long semester of practices that become steadily more and more difficult, the cross country team rallied together for the most important race of the year. On Saturday, November 8, the top seven runners on the OGHS cross country team ventured to Choctaw Trails in Clinton. There they competed against hundreds of other runners from various schools across the state on a 5k, 3.1 mile, course. Both the boys and girls moved up two spots in rankings from last year with the girls placing sixth and the boys fourth. As a team, they feel like this accomplishment has met their goals for the season and has given them a great start next year. The improvement came as no shock with young upcoming runners like eighth grader Tate Ryder who brought strong competition to the event.

Coach Robert Burgess did not rely only on Ryder though, as other runners came in strong with impressive times. “I want to help every one of my runners to improve. I have had runners who started the summer program not being able to complete a one mile run,” he said. “But by the end of the season they qualified for regionals.” The impressive feat comes after a season of intense practices and constant training.

A typical week will include a combination of long runs of five to six miles, speed workouts which could consist of

TREADING ON

ALY ABEL PHOTO

Timmur Ponder, junior, eyes the finish line at the MHSAA Cross Country State Championship November 8 held at Choctaw Trails in Clinton. The boys’ team placed 4th overall.

three to four miles or six 800-yard repeats, and bleachers or hill repeats for strength for running.

Some runners like Aubrie Ware take extra time on their own to better themselves. “On a regular basis, I try working out in the morning before school to get a short run in plus the 4th block Cross Country class,” Ware said. And Ware is not the only runner to take time out for extra practice, with other standout teammates like freshman Zachary Fielder and sophomore Sinclaire Green who keep running as a part of their daily routine. With determination like this, it’s easy to see how runners never have an off-season.

6 opinion

The Dashboard

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hannah lee: @hannahblanklee

November 21, 2014

THANKSGIVING:

Revolving around thanks or greed?

By: Alyssa Bass

Ebola: Funny or die?

Staff Reporter

The other day, a girl ran up to me, sneezed, and yelled, “Ebola!” and three thoughts ran through my mind: a) she might actually have Ebola (highly unlikely but still a possibility), b) she was just joking, and c) oh my stars, I now have someone’s spit all over my face. It occurred to me that Thought B was probably more correct than Thought A (but at the time, Thought C dominated my mind), and that she probably got a good laugh out of it. But is a deadly disease like Ebola something to be joked about? Ebola has similar symptoms to the flu but is well known for unexplained hemorrhage (bruising and bleeding from eyes, mouth, ears, etc.). More than 70 percent of victims who had Ebola ended up dying, and yet, we make light of this disease like it is a “your mom” joke. If we’re going to laugh about Ebola, why not laugh about cancer? Because your best friend, your grandmother, or your brother has died from it, right? Many argue that more people have died from the flu than from Ebola, that the risk of getting Ebola is low enough not to worry about, and though this may be true, what is worrying is that we find it is offensive to laugh about cancer, but it is okay, even funny, to make jokes about a painful disease that more than “just a couple of people” have died from. Some say that jests like these are good, or healthy even, because they are coping mechanisms and help to set aside any panic that could rise in a situation like this. However, is it healthy for our ethics and our moral values? Classic Ebola jokes (to the tune of the Riiiiicola commercial) fill up the hallways and classrooms with grins as if Ebola is comedy gold and even a couple of teachers have been caught chuckling here and there, but what does this kind of sick humor say about us?

We have always laughed about things that scare us, never thinking about the possibility of offending another, yet when the moment arises that someone laughs at us about something that is personal, we find ourselves indignant. Do we really need to portray ourselves as callous and selfish people?

ovember: a month of fall, sweaters, boots, Pumpkin Spice Lattes and most importantly, Thanksgiving. But is Thanksgiving really as important as it used to be? In 1621, English colonists and the Native American tribe Wampanoag created the first Thanksgiving to celebrate the colony’s first successful harvest. The pilgrims were actually thankful for the food they were eating.

Let’s be honest. When I overhear students saying in the halls that they’re looking forward to Thanksgiving, I know that they mean they’re looking forward to the week-long break that comes along with Thanksgiving. Also, many of us only look forward to Thanksgiving because it’s an excuse for us to express our gluttony without being judged for one single day out of the year.

This leads me to believe that we don’t really like celebrating the true meaning of Thanksgiving as much as we say. Now of course there are a lot of other things people look forward to on Thanksgiving like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade that airs early in the morning and spending time with your family and other sappy things like

@alyssatrechelle

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that, but as soon as Thanksgiving is over, no one seems to be thankful for the things they currently have. Once it’s midnight, people are ready to give than to receive- or maybe more vice versa- for Christmas. The day after Thanksgiving is Black Friday. According to Urban Dictionary, the definition of Black Friday is: “A day that should be renamed “Black Eye Friday” due to the fact that thousands of Americans forget the spirit of the holiday season by trampling people and giving black eyes while buying stupid gifts that you didn’t even mean to buy from stores that purposely hold sales on the same day as all other stores, yet another example of how greedy Americans are.” The Urban Dictionary user certainly isn’t wrong. Though I have never been Black Friday shopping, I’ve heard crazy stories about it and do not think I would want to participate. I’d rather not be shot, dragged, pepper sprayed, or stabbed over a material item.

I think I’ll stick to online shopping, which is more exciting anyway as it is a gift from myself to myself minus all the strife Black Friday causes. While it is easier to focus on yourself on holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, we have to keep in mind that there are people less fortunate than us who can’t af-

ford fancy Thanksgiving turkeys and plasma screen TVs on Black Friday. Restore some people’s faith in humanity this Thanksgiving break and be good to somebody. This Thanksgiving Break I, along with the Ivy Pearls of Hattiesburg, will be serving the community by doing a series of Thanksgiving related community service projects that include packing food boxes and handing them out to people around the Hattiesburg area. I figured that since I won’t be doing anything other than sleeping,watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade, and stuffing my face with delicious Thanksgiving food, that I would spend my break being productive and kind to others. I must admit that I’m not one who en-

joys getting out of my comfort zone and talking to strangers, but doing community service projects has helped me branch out. Giving to other people is so rewarding, especially during a holiday like Thanksgiving.

On Thanksgiving, you are supposed to show your appreciation for all of your many blessings, but it’s so easy for us to just make Thanksgiving about food. Yes, in 1621 the pilgrims were thankful for their food, but in modern times we have so much more to be thankful for like our expensive clothes, phones, computers, and many other material things. This Thanksgiving, don’t be greedy, and be more giving.

Diversity on all platforms:

Television finally reaches equilibrium By: Katie Williams Editor

@katiewilliams97

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hink about it. Until the recent decade, TV shows with casts comprised only of white people dominated television: Friends, Seinfield, and Full House. Not anymore.

Writer and executive producer Shonda Rhimes is changing the face of television. With the creation of Grey’s Anatomy, the television transformation began with four people of different ethnicities: Sandra Oh as Cristina Yang, Sara Ramirez as Callie Torres, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, and James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber.

This was 2005. 2012 came along with Scandal, featuring Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope, its lead, and finally, How to Get Away with Murder, headlining Viola Davis as Annalise Keating. ABC gave Shonda Rhimes its entire Thursday night line-up: Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder.

ABC’s move is unprecedented. No executive producer has ever had an entire line-up devoted specifically to his or her shows. What’s even more: Shonda Rhimes is a black woman. This only credits her more. I hate to break it to white entertainment chauvinists, but there

is a place for women and people of color on television.

I consider Shonda Rhimes a television genius. I was way too excited when ABC announced “TGIT,” featuring all of the ShondaLand shows. One of my favorite things about Shonda Rhimes’s storylines is that she makes sure to make all of them relevant to what is happening in the news. This is monumental, and it also made me wonder when society reached a point so that the different ethnicities of people in leading roles on television is now so prevalent.

Television is perhaps the last medium in the arts realm to evolve. People of color have succeeded in cinema and on stage.

Just look at Broadway star Audra McDonald and her six Tony awards. Television has finally reached equilibrium, and it’s definitely time.

I think it has to do with America’s progressing immensely since not only its beginnings, but also in the last 40 years. We live in an era with the first black president and Hispanic senators and Supreme Court Justices, where same-sex marriage and marijuana use is legal in some states. For the first time ever, women outnumber men in the pursuit of postsecondary education; many nations around the world can’t say the same. These same progressions are what have

lead to the evolution of television, an arts platform that was comprised of whites for the longest time.

For me, it is truly refreshing to see these evolutions. I live in an era where blended families are acceptable, which is a huge social victory because I have a bi-racial adopted sister. Sure, I still get looks when I say Carlie is my sister, but for the most part, people are overwhelmingly supportive. I live in an era when it is acceptable to address social issues on entertainment platforms. I live in an era where I can publish an editorial about these topics. People. Don’t tell me that isn’t amazing because it is. I honestly could not imagine experiencing life without the overwhelmingly positive effects that acceptance of diversity has brought us.

Society is constantly evolving. I think this evolution is due to the fact that people are constantly introducing new ideas and new products. I find it amazing that people have opened their minds to these new concepts. It has taken entirely too long for this to happen, and television is finally showcasing this evolution. This all encompassing society is just starting, and I cannot wait to see what the next 50 years bring.

#TGIT

opinion 7

November 21, 2014

Children’s cartoons take a back seat

By: Emily Burnett Staff Reporter

@emily_a_burnett

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ack in the day, movies and television shows taught lessons of good morals, good character, and good habits. Shows like Full House, my personal favorite, appealed to teens while showing kids how to solve problems in healthy ways. Unlike in the “good ‘ole days,” today, TV has lost its originality and has strayed from the important values that parents want to teach their children. These days, many parents wonder which shows are appropriate for their children to watch.

Even cartoons have shifted from being intended for children to being intended for older generations. Adult Swim’s South Park, Family Guy, and American Dad all prove that not every cartoon is considered a kid’s show. There should be a better television show selection for children to watch since more shows intended for adults and teeangers are continually being created.

Although I am a die-hard Disney fan, I can understand why some believe that it corrupts children. Though most see Disney films to be clean and inspirational, others see historical inaccuracies and too-good-to-be-true endings ruining the plot. Small children are influenced greatly by TV. Some pediatricians believe that children younger than two

should not watch any TV, though small kids watch on average two hours of television daily. When children are too young to be in school, they look to other sources of knowledge without even realizing it. Movies and television shows are the easiest sources to look to for young children, but maybe not the most accurate. For example, Pocahontas, a film that was intended for historical significance, is completely inaccurate. In real life, Pocahontas is a ten-year-old Native American girl who befriends a European man named John Smith. She is not a fully matured woman who falls in love with Smith like the film depicts. Even the ending of the movie is completely false. In the final scenes of the film, the natives and the Europeans are all best friends and live happily ever after like in a fairytale. Wrong. In reality, half the people died of diseases or murder, so maybe Pocahontas wasn’t the right story to be made into a movie. If children base their knowledge off of these films, they will grow up knowing false information. These films do not prepare children for school or the real world.

A common trend in Disney films is for love to be the answer to everything, for all “ugly” people to be evil, and for only skinny people in the world to be beautiful. In the real world, no girl can just find a man, marry him, and expect to be happy for the rest of her life. Although I believe that true love can

OPINION

Tooned Out

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be real, not even I believe that falling in love with someone is going to bring about eternal happiness and be the answer to life’s problems. Life is hard, and that is what these films are not teaching children. Based on Disney films, the only solution to a problem is true love, marriage, or beauty. These shows illustrate that only women who have impossibly small waist lines are beautiful, and that all other women are not. Since it is impossible to be as skinny as these Disney princesses, females may feel that, judging by these characters, they will never be pretty enough.

Maybe the film industry is one of the leading reasons why insecurity in young girls, teens, and even adults is so prevalent. Even the

men in these movies are expected to be handsome prince charmings who sweep women off their feet.

Perhaps this is why some women have such high expectations for men.

Besides immorality, subliminal messages have often been placed into children’s movies and shows.

However, these messages are not always easy to perceive. Images not appropriate for children have been hidden in movies and are placed into children’s subconscious. Although younger children do not always realize what they are watching, this corruption is still installed into their minds and carries on later into their teenage years and adulthood.

pgrade or dow grade?

By: Olivia Diaz, Staff Reporter | Taylor Parsons, Editor

It’s undoubtedly the most wonderful time of the year. Christmas music any time besides the Christmas season is just a tease that leaves us wishing it were the time of holly and mistletoe. Finally, that time is here. Radio stations are blaring “Rocking around the Christmas Tree” and “Last Christmas.” No, November is not “a bit early for Christmas music.” That music is glorious, and we should enjoy it in anticipation of the happiest time of year.

Christmas music is on upgrade

downgrade Kim Kardashian is worth more than most of our houses A recent Forbes report found Kim Kardashian’s net worth to be roughly $65 million. That stings a little bit. She doesn’t even do anything but look mildly fabulous. Her rapper husband, Kanye West, has an estimated net worth of $30 million.

This is our society. Let that one sink in. North West’s net worth has yet to be estimated.

thewarriorbeat The views and opinions expressed on this page are of an editorial nature and do not necessarily represent the views of The Warrior Beat staff, advisers, school faculty, or administrators of Oak Grove High School or the Lamar County School District.

Oak Grove High School 5198 Old Highway 11 Hattiesburg, MS 39402 601.264.7232 www.oakgrovehighschool.org

The woman, actress, filmmaker, humanitarian, and former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie could also be a politician in the near future. As a humanitarian, Jolie has been always been concerned with politics, but she is not completely into the idea of being a politician just yet. Currently, she is just acting and directing, but Jolie is considering adding the title “politician” to her resume.

Actress Angelina Jolie is open to running for a political office

upgrade

downgrade The “Starter Pack” Twitter is flooding with the “starter pack” sensation. People are tweeting generally four pictures and referring to them as the starter park for being someone. The first few of these tweets were a little bit funny. The next couple may have deserved a little smirk. The next 2 billion were just running the poor joke into the ground. The joke can only handle so many unoriginal variations before it is old and annoying.

EDITORS Taylor Parsons, Katie Williams STAFF REPORTERS Samantha Papp Casey Ford Christian Rapetti Lucy Pruitt Abby Nguyen Alyssa Bass Mary Morgan Gratwick Olivia Diaz Emily Burnett Hannah Lee Grace Wilkes Mozingo Jonathan Brent Jenna Clair Lee Drew Herring DESIGNERS Tia Bullock Andrew Rigel PHOTOGRAPHERS Mary Morgan Gratwick Mycah Kennedy ADVISER Joy Davis

November 21, 2014

8 features

Irlen’s Syn drome By: Emily Burnett Staff Reporter

@emily_a_burnett

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eading and writing is an essential part of life. People read phones, letters, newspapers, social networks, research papers, important documents, headlines, everything. People with Irlen Syndrome perceive readings and writings differently.

Irlen Syndrome is a syndrome that affects the brain’s perception of visual information. Most people mistake Irlen Syndrome as an optical illusion; however, this disorder is simply a perceptual dyslexia, in which the nervous system decodes and encodes visual images and information. Some patients with this syndrome view printed pages in a different way without realizing it. Tatum Nace, a junior at Oak Grove High School, was diag-

nosed with Irlen Syndrome at 16.

Whenever she reads, she saw “rivers,” which is a reading distortion in which spaces join into rivers of white. Therefore, the syndrome affects her ability to read efficiently. This scenario is common among many Irlen Syndrome patients. To reduce reading and learning difficulties, patients wear spectral filters, which are worn as glasses, and contact lenses. When patients with Irlen Syndrome read, they may lose their place or experience sleepiness. These patients may also experience other symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, depth perception, and light sensitivity. The words they read can sometimes shift, blur, or become excessively bright. Nace experiences these symptoms and more. The words she reads appear to move and have a halo effect around them. Her eyes tend to strain when reading, causing

The science of color transforms students’ lives headaches. She also skips a few “I was tested by Mr. McNelis for lines or words when she reads, Irlen Syndrome. He asked me which is a common symptom. questions, and I answered yes to Another symptom of Irlen Syn- 9/13 of them, which indicated drome, altered depth perception, that I should be further tested causes Nace to have increased for the syndrome. I was tested for difficulty with parking. Depth overlays first. There are only ten perception is the visual ability to overlays to be tested with, and the perceive the world in three di- one that helped me the most was mensions. Depth perception re- a blue color. I used the overlay at fers to the distance that one per- school, which helped me tremenceives to be between two objects. dously with my reading. My next Not only does Irlen Syndrome step was to get glasses. The proaffect a patient’s reading abilities, cess took about two hours to find but it also affects their learning what filter I needed. I ended up abilities. Concentration, energy, with three colors mixed together and motivation are essential fac- to make a dark green color. The tors to the learning process. Be- colored glasses changed the way I cause Irlen Syndrome affects Eng- read to myself aloud completely.

I didn’t get headaches, the words lish, writing, stayed still, and I math, and The colored glasses read much faster,” many other changed the way Nace said. Nace important also explained that classes, learning I read completely. I her hardest class can be very diffi- didn’t get headaches, prior to treatment cult for students. the words stayed still, While students and I read much faster .” was English because the majority of the without the syn- TATUM NACE, 11 class includes readdrome can write ing comprehension, which can be straight down the lines of a sheet increasingly difficult with Irlen of paper, students with the synSyndrome.

English is typically the drome tend to write up and down the lines. Their writing may be hardest class for Irlen Syndrome inconsistent through incorrect patients.

Irlen Syndrome affects one’s spelling of words and unequal reading, writing, and learning spaces between each word. In an abilities, which are all essential for Irlen Syndrome student’s math success in school and life; howproblems, it is typical for careless ever, with treatment options such errors and misaligned columns to as spectral filters like Nace uses, be present.

Nace explains the process in students can rise above this synwhich she became diagnosed drome and succeed. and treated for Irlen Syndrome,

www.irlen.com Learn the symptoms of Irlen Syndrome and take the self test to see if you may have this disease.

Symptoms of Irlen Syndrome include: §§ sensitivity to bright or fluorescent lighting and glare §§ slow or inefficient reading §§ poor reading comprehension §§ poor attention and concentration §§ eye strain §§ fatigue §§ headaches and migraines §§ poor depth perception If you display any of these symptoms, proceed to take the self tests on the Irlen Syndrome website: http://irlen.com/gettested/

OGHS hosts annual breakfast

CONNECTING GENERATIONS

MARY MORGAN GRATWICK PHOTO

Juniors Tate Phillips, Samantha Hawkins, and Chrisitan Quinn thank veterans for their years of service at the annual OGHS Veterans Breakfast held November 7 at Temple Baptist Church.

By: Jenna Clair Lee Staff Reporter @jenta12

On Friday November 7, Oak Grove High School hosted its 16th Annual Veterans Breakfast. The OGHS Student Council, Beta Club, Young Republicans, and the Lamar County Board of Supervisors held the event at Temple Baptist Church; it was a service honoring those who have fought and are still fighting for our freedom. Students from the clubs volunteered to serve at the breakfast. Taylor Jordan, a member of the Beta Club,

helped out this year for the first time. “I thought it would be a great opportunity to get involved in Beta Club and serve the veterans of the community,” Jordan said. Many veterans arrived early to mingle and share experiences over coffee with fellow servicemen and students.

Once the breakfast began and all the veterans were served and seated, students were able to join the veterans at their tables, talk with them, and thank them for their service.

The event commenced with a word of welcome from senior class president Katie Bostick and was followed by an emotional

Posting of The Flags by the VFW 3036 Honor Guard. This solemn moment was one in which each branch was honored as its flag was posted. The OGHS Choir shared a beautiful rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” and a lively “Military Medley” which again recognized the many different branches of the military: Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, Marines. Not only were the veterans honored for their service but also for their different accomplishments. Phillip Carlisle recognized those given the Purple Heart award, one of the most honorable awards given within the military. Keltoum Rowland recognized WWII Veterans, some of the oldest and most respected in the room.

Tom King, Transportation Commissioner, was the guest speaker of the event and tastefully expressed the thanks of society to these men and women who have fought for our freedom. As the event came to a close, the VFW 3036 Honor Guard performed the retrieving of the American Flag and Service Flags and the OGHS Choir sang “God Bless America.”

The breakfast was a genuine

expression of gratitude to the as the great food. “I just really many American soldiers who love to come here and see all have served. Oak Grove High the high school students and School senior class president listen to the music and see the Katie Bostick had a part in the program. Of course, the breakservice and the serving. “I was so fast is always phenomenal, and honored to be able to welcome it’s great to be appreciated,” the veterans and serve them. Mitchell said.

They’ve done so much to make The annual Veterans Breakour country a better place and fast is always a success and this they are all inspirations. It makes year was no exception. Over my morning to be able to make 50 students showed up to an impact and serve them how serve, mingle with, and thank they have served us,” Bostick the veterans of the commusaid. All of the nity. While the event is purely veterans in atdedicated I am so honored to tendance were to thanking greatly appreciative of be able to welcome and honorthe thanks shown to the veterans and serve ing the many them. Mr. Kendricks, them. They’ve done veterans in a veteran and regu- so much to make the commular substitute at Oak our country a better nity, the vetGrove High School, place, and they are all erans always was especially thank- inspirations.” return those ful for the students: - KATIE BOSTICK, 12 efforts with “I’m so grateful for Senior Class President their own the appreciation that gratitude for this breakfast shows us veter- being appreciated. This breakans. I also love seeing all of these fast has become a tradition for wonderful students serving their the Oak Grove community community,” Mr. Kendricks and it has grown into an event said. Another veteran, Chuck many people look forward to Mitchell, who works with the as theyhonor the many vetROTC program at USM, was erans that sacrificed so others thankful for the students as well may experience freedom.

November 21, 2014

features / opinion 9

Obsessed with your selfie?

By: Lucy Pruitt Staff Reporter

@LucyLu_too

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t all starts with a sprinkle of just the right lighting, then you add a flattering angle, a dash of duck lips, and finally frost on the most forgiving filter. All together, you have the ingredients for the perfect selfie. Much like instant ramen, this all happens in a matter of seconds, and then the picture is ready for Instagram.

The concept of the selfie has gone viral worldwide, spreading from celebrities to teenagers to all those in between. This part of modern culture, especially in the United States, makes it difficult for many to remember a time when duck lips and mirror pics weren’t plastered all over social media, but the selfie, of course, isn’t new. It has been around since the invention of photography. Many say the action of taking a selfie was

actually started when chemistturned-photographer Robert Cornelius captured one in 1839. The selfie itself, however, only recently became a societal phenomenon in the past two years. But what does this modern cultural sensation have to say about the society we live in today?

Photos have always been taken to document, share, and remember special or even just casual events in life. But in the

rawness of a selfie, the viewer can actually get a better feel of what’s going on. Some social psychologists have read serious meaning into the action of the selfie, deeming it as a positive tactic to form identity and an important way of presenting and reinforcing a personal image. Other researchers are more concerned with the selfie’s such prominent presence in society, reading the selfie as an extension of modern narcissism. Self-

www.bestcomputerscienceschools.net

ie subjects can feel as though they’re starring in their own reality shows. It may give them an inflated sense of self that allows them to believe their friends or followers are interested in seeing them lying in bed, lips pursed, in a real world headshot.

The decision to post a selfie shows obvious pleasure in your own looks, so we must ask: does the selfie constitute excess self esteem or just the right amount? Writing in Psychology Today, Cornell professor of psychology Peggy Drexler warns of real and serious implications saying, “The egomania promoted by the selfie can have adverse effects on family and workplace relationships and even elicit violent behavior.” And while I don’t believe that by posting a picture of yourself you deem as pretty will lead to hurting your family or coworkers, I can’t testify to the benefits of the selfie either.

So, whether it be because you’re having a good hair day, or you want to be one of the Kardashians, the selfie seems to have made a permanent place in our society and will continue to grace your news feed as long as Instagram continues to make new filters.

Pop culture invades college campuses: A crash course in college quirks

By: Abby Nguyen Staff Reporter

@2busybeingabby

Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics, Kant and Nietzsche, Thermodynamics, and Topics in Metaphysics and Epistemology are all college courses that often strike fear in the hearts of soon to be college students. However, little do most know, that some college courses can be quirkier and have stranger names than the hipster living down your dorm hallway. West Coast universities are some of the most sought after in the nation, and after looking at the course variation, it’s easy to understand why.

UCLA offers many classes that one may find... interesting, for lack of a better word. One class, for example, in which Southern California natives should have no problem excelling is the History of Electronic Dance Music.

This course encourages its students to attend a rave for their finals, wave glow sticks in the air, dance as sporadically as they can, and then write a paper discussing their experiences. It also offers a class titled Cosmo Says You’re Fat? I Ain’t Down With That that is devoted to teaching strictly freshmen students how to eat healthily and disprove the ‘Freshmen Fifteen.’ Santa Clara

University allows its students to enroll in a course charmingly and frankly titled Joy of Garbage, which allows students to follow the typical life cycle of trash and encourages development in sustainable solutions for waste disposal. Occidental College in Los Angeles, California offers a class titled, Cowboys, Samurai, and Manly Men. For ages, philosophers have asked the old question of, “Ninjas or Pirates?” and while not even the world’s most advanced minds can give a solid answer, this course will totally give you enough background to sound like a pro by mid-terms.

UC Berkeley’s course, Physics for Future Presidents, arms students to best fulfill the most coveted role in the land by teaching them about spy satellites, medical imaging, nuclear weapons and energy conservation. And if you aren’t going to apply to a West Coast school, worry not, colleges around the nation are finally getting up to speed on pop culture courses. Michigan State University currently allows student to enroll in the online course Surviving the Coming Zombie Apocalypse: Catastrophes and Human Behavior. The beginning of this course begins with an online simulation of a zombie attack and then teaches

students how to prepare accordingly for the day that a pandemic that turns victims into a zombie state begins to take over the world. The University of Washington ushered in a new course devoted to one of the most iconic men of the 20th century; yes, that is right, Tupac Shakur. The Textual Appeal of Tupac Shakur “explores the philosophical, historical and literary influences of the late rapper and activist, Tupac.” After all, you’re not famous until a classroom of almost adults is cramming for a test on you. South Carolina’s sociology professor fell so head over heels for Lady Gaga that after initially seeing her on the Tonight Show, Dr. Michael Deflem has since seen 38 of her shows around the world, collected more than 300 of her CD’s, and has created his own Gaga fansite. The next logical step in his admiration of

Mother Monster would of course be to start offering students entry to the course Lady Gaga and the Sociology of Fame.

Cornell University offers a college class that sounds related to Tupac and Gaga, titled “Gossip;” however, the course explanation warns students not to be fooled. The course is centered on the work of authors and theorists like Freud and Kierkegaard rather than People magazine and the daily opinion posts of Perez Hilton.

But while we are on the topic of the rich and famous, Honey Boo Boo may one day find herself excelling in Oberlin College’s How to Win a Beauty Pageant: Race Gender, Culture, and US National Identity. This course focuses on the history of pageants from the 1920’s to modern day beauty competitions, from butt glue to flippers. Speaking of flip-

ping, Alfred College’s course, Maple Syrup: The Real Thing, tracks the surprisingly complex history of one of the world’s most monumental inventions: maple syrup. This unique college course allows students to experimentally create their own syrups. Worried about lacking the appropriate requirements? The course description exclaims that “no prior experience is necessary” except of course, a love for pancakes.

College is definitely a main source of stress for high school students, and it should be, but university life isn’t all snooty professors and sleepless nights.

After all, college students around the country prove that if you are just lucky enough, you may find yourself settling down for a lecture from a fellow little monster that happens to have a doctorate in sociology.

November 21, 2014

10 entertainment

OG Drama presents another successful show By: Hannah Lee Staff Reporter

@hannahblanklee

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ne monk, three companions. One journey, a thousand lives at stake.

Zheng Tu is a colorful masterpiece blended perfectly with adventure, moral lessons, and a light, playful sense of humor.

The story focuses primarily on a man named Tripataka and his strange but good-natured friends, who must learn the meaning of humility and sacrifice. Each character was incredibly well-rounded and distinctly different, and there was a definite stark contrast between the antagonists and the protagonists. The make-up and costume design captured each character’s

ality

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striking personality in a way that it left an unforgettable imprint on the viewer’s mind and spirit.

Evan Woods, a senior, wrote the show and designed the set along with Oak Grove Drama Coach Suzanne Allmon and her husband. “We met over the summer, and she had a script that she had found. Neither of us really loved it, so we just thought, ‘This is a show that was written thousands of years ago; we’ll just take the original story and tweak it in the way that we want it to be.’” Woods says as he describes the origin of the piece. This is the first original production that Oak Grove High School’s drama department has ever produced.

This year, there was a new element incorporated into the

By: TAYLOR PARSONS, Editor

ARTWORK BY EVAN WOODS

show. Fight scenes were grace- self. Though the entertainment fully and precisely placed to por- aspect of a play and how the actray almost a dance of sorts, and tors execute the performance are the chemistry between all the crucial to its overall final stateactors was electric. What many ment, what people take from it often don’t realize is the unified and how it truly influences them effort needed to produce such a are critical for going above and vivid, powerful performance as beyond, for ensuring accolades Zheng Tu. The blocking was all for years and not just a couple of fluid, elegant movement, and it weeks. Zheng Tu did just that. was clear that both the director Woods said, “It’s about how peoand actors had worked hard to- ple can overcome obstacles with gether in order people that they wouldn’t expect to achieve the to get along There’s only two clean, natuwith, to accommistakes one can ral variation plish something of motion that was make on the road to that they’re all present throughout truth: not going all the looking forward the show, from be- way and not starting. to. It’s about ginning to end. And - Zheug Tu learning how to of course, it is im- Bynum Gustafuson accept people portant to remember as they are and the people behind the scenes, how to accomplish a goal in that who were able to create cos- way.” The underlying themes tumes and crowns that captured of selflessness, motivation, and the lighting, fabricating what ap- faith in the face of adversity were peared to be rich, heavenly mate- beautifully subtle yet exquisitely rial seemingly fit for royalty. The balanced so that even little chilset was aesthetically detailed, dren could catch important lesrealistic even, and the actors car- sons such as these. Zheng Tu left ried themselves so well amongst viewers of all ages breathless, the life-like scenery that one with smiles all around and lescould very clearly envision the sons learned in each and every landscape as if she was there her- mind.

MARY MORGAN GRATWICK PHOTO

EVERYBODY WAS KUNGFU FIGHTING

Top Left: Juniors Tony Reimonenq and Brianna Weiss faceoff in a battle of good vs. evil.

Bottom Left: Junior Jermaine Van Buren expressively convinces Tony Reimonenq to save the other characters who are in a tight squeeze.

Bottom Right: Junior Tony Reimonenq defeats his character’s enemy, senior Jillian Walters.

MARY MORGAN GRATWICK PHOTO

beat’s bits

MARY MORGAN GRATWICK PHOTO

ENTERTAINMENT

Ultraviolence

Eminem’s new freestyle music video “Shady Cxvpher” sparked more outrage than the usual Eminem freestyle music video because shockingly, the woman he wanted to hit this time happened to be famous.

He raps about punching West Coast crooner, Lana del Rey, in the face “like Ray Rice”. del Rey expressed her outrage on Twitter by tweeting, “But does Eminem know that I will personally punch him in his mouth?!” she wrote, before deleting the tweet. “Tell him to go back to his trailer park and eat his microwave Hotpocket dinner.”

As many of my friends prepare to sign for athletic scholarships with different colleges, I am left wondering why I did not receive said scholarships.

What kept me from fulfilling my athletic potential? Then, I remember that the two goals I ever scored in fourth grade soccer were for the other team; I never had any athletic potential. I should have realized that when I lost two of my molars playing tetherball.

My sister got all of the athleticism for our family. Plus, she can sing and dance and paint, but don’t worry about me, guys. I make killer grilled cheeses and have super psychic powers when it comes to predicting who will be kicked off of Dancing with the Stars.

Athleticism will only take you so far. These are real life skills, people.

The worst people to compare myself with are those who play multiple sports. Really? You guys kill me. “Not only can I kick a ball where I want it to go, but also, I can swing a bat and actually hit the ball!” Just go ahead and rub it in, dually talented athletes of the world. If you’re one of those athletes, just know that your success does have terminating effects on my self esteem. I just want to catch a pen when someone throws me one in class or really just avoid the pen smacking me in the face.

My different but important skills should grant me college scholarships just like volleyball aces or baseball home runs grant my friends. Okay, maybe not, but I just want to get a signing day for something.

I want to wear a pretty dress and sign a piece of paper that signifies that I am seriously awesome at something and colleges know it. I have other redeeming qualities like that grandparents think I am hilarious or that I can do winged eye liner after only two or three failed attempts. Someone pay me to go to college!

I’m running out of incredible skills to add to my resume, but the moral of the story is that college scholarships are far too specific. I just cannot handle sports, and I want college cash.

A Series of Unfortunate Events New Netflix Series With smash hits like Orange is the New Black and House of Cards, Netflix obviously knows what its audience is looking for. Teaming up with Paramount Television, Netflix has announced that it would be developing Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events into a television series. “The world of Lemony Snicket is unique, darkly funny, and relatable,” said Cindy Holland, VP of Original Content at Netflix. We can’t wait to bring it to life for Netflix members.”

By: Abby Nguyen | Staff Reporter | @2busybeingabby

Toy Story 4? More like Toy Story MORE Too much of a good thing is a bad thing, right? According to Pixar, however, sequels upon sequels is an indisputable good. The audiences of 2016 will get to see films such as Finding Dory and Toy Story 4. The fourth film of the wildly successful series, Toy Story will pick up immediately where the third movie left off, with our favorite troop of toys cozying up to Bonnie. The only thing the director and producers of the movie will say is that the fourth installment will be a love story of sorts, and that the movie has been two years in the making. Worried that Pixar will not be able to pull off a successful fourth movie? Director John Lasseter said, “We love these characters so much; they are like family to us. We don’t want to do anything with them unless it lives up to or surpasses what’s gone before.”

November 21, 2014

entertainment 11

Swiftly rising to the top

By: Luke Anderson Guest Reporter

@lukeaanderson_

With her fifth album under her belt, Taylor Swift has come a long way from the girl singing about the teardrops on her guitar. She announced prior to its release that her latest album, 1989, would be her first official pop album. In this album, she sheds her country roots and embraces pop, opening up the album with a synth-pop track about her new home. “Welcome to New York” is a typical pop song about being whoever you want to be, but what’s different is that this song sounds like it was taken right out of an 80’s Walkman, a retro theme

that is prevalent throughout the album.

One thing that Swift doesn’t stray from is her classic theme of boys and relationships. Out of the 13 songs on the album, 11 of them are about love, dating, breakups. Big surprise there.

However, this album is different in that Swift recognizes the media’s perception of her and addresses her presumed image in “Blank Space” and “I Know Places.” “Blank Space” portrays her as a crazy-psycho girlfriend, which Swift says is a metaphor for how people think of her.

This single is accompanied with a music video showcasing Swift’s terrible acting abilities as she prances around a Gatsby-style

mansion. Don’t get me wrong; the song is great and catchy, but Swift should stick to awkwardly dancing like she did in the “Shake it Off” music video.

It’s no secret that Swift writes her songs from personal experience and usually gets labeled as annoying and repetitive for doing so. When discussing her single “Out of the Woods,” she remarks, “No one says that about Ed Sheeran. No one says that about Bruno Mars. They’re all writing songs about their exes, their current girlfriend, their love life, and no one raises a red flag at them.” “Out of the Woods” is a song about a relationship that goes ‘round and ‘round until Swift is left wondering “Where are We Now?” This song is supposedly written about Harry Styles and even includes direct references to their relationship. She talks about his necklace that she wore and a snowmobile accident they had.

She even cites specific details about the accident like the lines, “Remember when you hit the brakes too soon / Twenty stitches in a hospital room.” These details are what make Swift’s songs so believable because her audience knows she is truly writing from the heart.

Most of the pop music on today’s top charts emulates hiphop music, not only in sound, but also in content. Swift steps away from this trend. There is no guest verse from Pitbull, no bass-

pumping beat drop. This is the beauty of having a role model singer-songwriter. Each song has a personal touch in it. I believe that is what makes this album so

unique. I love each and every song, and after near-continuous listening, they have yet to grow old. I give this album 6/5 stars.

Taylor through the years Taylor Swift released her self-titled album, Taylor Swift, when she was only 16 years old. Now she is 25 years old and already releasing her fifth album. Swift sold 1.287 million copies of 1989 in her first week. She is the first artist to sell a million since she sold 1.208 million with her album Red. Previous to this, Speak Now sold 1.04 in its’ first week. Swift is the first ever artist to have three separate albums sell more than one million in the first week.

Swift’s break-out album Taylor Swift introduced her to the music world not only to the country music world as a singer/performer but also as a talented songwriter, featuring hit singles such as “Our Song” and “Tim McGraw.”

Swift’s first venture into pop music with her second album Fearless was a success with 11 weeks on the Billboard 200 and songs like “Love Story” selling over eight million copies world-wide.

Once again, Swift topped the Billboard 200 with Speak Now, her third album. The consistency of this album was very solid, because each of the 17 songs off of it was on the Billboard Top 100 singles.

Swift’s fourth album Red features Swift leaning more towards the pop genre. Songs like “I Knew You Were Trouble” even go as far as adding electronic beats to the track.

Falling in love with showchoir hearts of the entire audience.

After the first three group @alyssatrechelle numbers, there were two solos.

Before the show began, I have to admit that I didn’t parshow choir director Darren ticularly like the change of pace Dale said, “If you see some- of the concert of going from thing you like, make some fast and upbeat group numbers noise. It gets them going,” and to slow and emotional solos. it certainly did not take long Junior Claire Jennings began for the crowd to make their the first round of solos with likings known. In a show stop- her rendition of “Fix You” by ping opening group number, Coldplay on her guitar; I was the show choir reminded us to impressed when Jennings began “Dream Big,” as “Woo!”s and singing the second verse. In the applause came left and right second verse, Jennings was able from the crowd. Next was “I to showcase her vocals when Won’t Dance,” which actually she began singing in a much featured a lot of dancing con- higher vocal range while staying in pitch. Next was senior Katie trary to the misBostick singing “Stay,” and boy, leading title.

The third It made me stand up could I feel number was from my seat and start her emotion and sassiness “Happy Feet”- dancing and singing through every and no, it was not along.” note she belted; a reenactment of it was simply a dance number - ALYSSA BASS flawless. from the 2006 Staff Reporter The next three following acts movie. It featured just Centerstage! men, and it was one were by the Women’s Choir of my favorites. The chore- who sang more classic songs ography was simply amazing. like “America The Beautiful,” Three boys in particular stood “In Time of Silver Rain,” and out to the crowd: senior Juan “Didn’t My Lord Deliver DanHudson and junior Tony Re- iel” while being accompanied imonenq who flipped in the by Hannah Morris. The Wommiddle of a dance break and en’s Choir featured about 20 also sophomore Brady Brock girls who sounded way better who was thrown up in the air singing compared to me singing and caught by his peers at the individually.

After the Women’s Choir end of the song, winning the By: Alyssa Bass Staff Reporter

ABBY ANDERSON PHOTO

MY LUCKY STRIKE

Seniors Karlyn Purvis and Buck Rushing partner for their exhibition closer, Maroon 5’s “Lucky Strike.” This is their fourth and final show together.

came another pair of solos. As I looked at my program, I saw that sophomore Hadley Fortenberry would be singing the famously known song from the Titanic, “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion, and I was frankly nervous to watch her performance. How could one compare to the one and only Celine Dion? However, Fortenberry erased all of my preconceived doubt within the first 30 seconds of the song. She did a beautiful job and surprisingly could hold all of the notes. Following Fortenberry, was a duet

by Brittany Haynes and Tony Reimonenq who sang “If I Ain’t Got You” by R&B singer Alicia Keys. Haynes and Reimonenq had wonderful chemistry on stage and without a doubt had more applause than any other solo or group number.

After that emotional duet, the concert choir sung three songs including “Seal Lullaby,” “Bound for Jubilee,” and a “Tribute to the Armed Forces.”

The last of the three were among mine and the crowd’s favorites.

During the tribute, the show choir sang a medley of short anthems dedicated to each branch of armed forces, and each group would stand up and embrace applause and smiles from the crowd when they heard their tribute, making them feel like the stars of the show for just a few seconds.

In the last round of solos, Taylor Parsons and Cameron Cloud performed a heartwarming mashup of “Sweater Weather” and “Let Her Go,” and senior songwriter Jackson Bounds sang his original song “Broadway,” where he sings about a

Hattiesburg girl who longs to go leave a boy behind to go the city and become a performer.

After the show, his peer Brittany Haynes told him that he has to teach her how to write as well as he does, and I’m pretty sure most of the audience would like a songwriting lesson from Bounds as well.

The last three group performances were “Higher Love,” “Imagine,” and “Lucky Strike.” My personal favorite of the the three was “Lucky Strike;” it made me stand up from my seat and start dancing and singing along. It was a good song to end the show.

The show choir definitely hit a homerun in their fall concert, and I can’t wait to see more from them once competition season begins in January.

November 21, 2014

12 entertainment

SubUrban Dictionary

subURBAN dictionary

By: Lucy Pruitt | Staff Reporter | @LucyLu_too

1. What’s 9+10? a) 19 b) 69 c) 11 d) 21 2. Your eyebrows are on ______? a) your forehead b) fleek c) fire d) the internet 3. Bye _____

5. Who would it be socially acceptable to call

8. Aint nobody got time for?

BAE?

a) Homework

a) the youngest member of your household

b) a college degree

b) a newborn

c) that

c) your boo

d) a boyfriend

d) your favorite teacher 9. What does “No chill” mean?

6. What is the definition of “Ship”?

a) not necessary to refrigerate

a) to endorse a relationship

b) no air conditioning in the car

b) a large boat

c) no ice in my drink please

c) transportation of pirates

d) a lack of ability to be rational

d) going steady

a) Ashley

10. Fill in the blank:

b) Felicia c) baby

7. Where is Alex from?

d) Bye Bye

a) Target

4. Turn down ____? a) the air

b) Tumblr c) Walmart d) Pinterest

b) for what c) the volume

“#Thiscouldbeusbutyou______” a) are taken b) don’t know I exist c) playing d) are too busy for me Answers 1. D 2. B 3. B 4. B 5. C 6. A 7. A 8. C 9. D 10. C

Every year, hundreds of new words and phrases that come from internet slang are added to the dictionary.

Many can seem random, but they all somehow find their way into becoming some of the most relevant social and cultural expressions used for the year. The language used in certain time periods can define the generalizations made about that time period for generations to come. How well do you know this generation’s lingo?

On Fleek prepositional phrase: The state of being exceptionally great or near perfect.

“What’s 9+10 ?”/phrase/ : a line originating from a popular Vine. {www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzVXbeASRiQ} Bye Felicia /phrase/ : A line originating from the 90s movie, Friday.

Turn Down For What /phrase/ : A question often asked while getting pumped, in common terms, “why would we stop partying?” (Originating from the phrase ‘turn up,’ which means “let’s get excited.”)

Ship /verb/ : The act of supporting a potential relationship.

Alex From Target /noun/ : a Target employee made famous for his good looks by teenage girls on Twitter.

“Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That” /phrase/ : a comment made

by Sweet Brown during a news interview describing her distaste for a fire that affected her apartment complex.

No Chill /adj./ : a term describing the lack of ability to act in a rational manner. #ThisCouldBeUsButYouPlaying /phrase/ : A popular hashtag describing an unfaithful or shy love interest, and a person’s longing to be in a relationship with them (often a joke accompanied by a humorous meme).

d) the offer

How did your teachers score?

0-30 > Cowan 40 > Davis 50 > Fortenberry 60 > Cole 70 > Necessary 80 > Clark 90 > Bailey 100 > Dale, Hardin, Decker

Horror Movies: First time viewer vs. veteran viewer By: Katie Williams | Editor | @katiewilliams97

By: Grace Mozingo | Staff Reporter

No thrills, no chills

No point ‘Carrie-ing’

Some live for the thrills and chills of a good horror movie; some avoid horror movies like the plague. I fall into the latter category. I recently watched my first horror movie, Carrie.

I actually found it to be quite stupid. In the beginning, Carrie is being bullied, and she has a crazy mother, so I could not help but feel sorry for her. As the movie progressed, we learn that she has telekinesis. Woo. That just makes me think that Carrie is crazy. And guess what? She is. The only part that was remotely scary was the final scene at the prom when Carrie decides to inflict revenge upon all of her classmates using her telekinesis. This scene was only scary because of the blood, loud noise, and fire. Other than that, it was stupid.

I expected to want to pee my pants or to be on the edge of my seat, but I was wrong. Just give me sappy and happy endings.

Anyone who likes horror movies as much as I do understands what a let down it is when you realize that a hyped up film claiming to be “the scariest movie of the century” turns out to be nothing more than another low-budget waste of time. A genuinely scary movie can be broken down into three simple components: suspense, jump scares, and realism. Carrie sadly lacks all three. Within the first five minutes of the movie the whole plot becomes evident. A glance at the cover reveals a girl drenched in blood with crazy eyes. But don’t worry, she isn’t really insane. And as far as frightening, the biggest jump I got was when the microwave dinged letting me know my popcorn was ready. Finally, almost every horror film out there has some sort of supernatural evil, and most play it off fairly well, but the lackluster Carrie falls short. Telekinetic powers? Please. She looked like she had a bad brainfreeze. All in all, the scariest part of this “horror” movie was the hundred minutes of my life I will never get back.

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