Click, like, and follow OG’s internet superstars P. 8
A LOOK INSIDE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS PP. 6-7
Archery brings home second state title P. 3
sensations
thewarriorbeat
Vol. 52, Issue 6 April 25, 2014 Oak Grove High School www.thewarriorbeat.com
R E T N E CS T A G E
LEGISLATURE VOTES DOWN START OF SCHOOL PROPOSAL
LA TIVT HEE
By: Alyssa Bass Staff Reporter
D N A R G
E L O OPRY COURTESY PHOTO
DYNAMIC DUO
Junior Centerstage members Austin Querns and Karlyn Purvis make eye contact during a memorable performance for Show Choir Nationals held on the Grand Ole Opry stage in Nashville, TN, on April 3-5.
OG show choir performs on legendary Opry stage
T
By: Taylor Parsons Features / Opinion Editor
o conclude the show choir’s most successful season to date, the performers attended Show Choir Nationals in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 3,4, and 5 and swept up third place. “We hardly expected to make finals by getting in sixth place. We never would’ve guessed to be in third,” junior Karlyn Purvis said. Centerstage was the only southern group to make the top six. Other southern schools that competed include Madison Central, South Jones,
and Briarwood. After Friday’s as Centerstage. “We were just preliminary competition con- so sure it couldn’t be us after cluded, the announcer called that. We thought the judges the finalists’ group names in or- must’ve liked their ending der from sixth to first. In sixth more,” sophomore Elise Mcwas Cedar Rapids Washing- Murry said. But finally, the anton. In fifth was nouncer called Cedar Rapids We hardly expected the third place Kennedy. “Affinalists, Oak to make finals by ter they called Grove Centergetting in sixth fifth, we were all stage. place. We never pretty sure that we The perdidn’t make finals. would’ve guessed formers shot No chance that we to be in third.” up from their had just beaten - Karlyn Purvis, 11 seats, sure that groups that good,” the announcer freshman Hadley Fortenberry had misspoken, but after dissaid. In fourth was Eisenhower cussing the results with fellow Elite Energy, the group that performers and director Darren performed the same final song Dale, the results were varified.
Centerstage had taken the third place spot in nationals, meaning they would perform again the following morning at 10:30 a.m. Members of Centerstage had one common goal: to hold onto that third place with all of their strength and give the best performance of their lives. Saturday morning, the group met for a 7 a.m. rehearsal to warm up. They listened to the judges’ comments about what they should or should not change for their next performance. As they listened to choreographer Stephen Todd’s comments, he gave constructive criticism. See Centerstage PG.2
The proposed but later denied new schedule for the 2014-2015 school year may have been the cruelest April Fool’s joke of all time for students and teachers in the Lamar County School District. With the new schedule proposed in the Mississippi Legislature, students would have started school on the third week of August and ended school in June. When the announcement was made that Lamar County would be reverting back to the normal schedule, many students and teachers complained. While many didn’t make any plans besides sleeping, some did have an idea about what they would’ve done with their extra time off this summer. “My family would have rented a condo and gone to Panama City. I wish the schedule would have gotten approved because the weather would have been perfect summer weather by the time we got out of school,” sophomore Taylor Baker said. However, Shane Cole, the coach of the Warrior Speech and Debate Team, couldn’t help to be anything but irritated when he heard the dreadful news. “The season was definitely going to transition because we were going to only have two weeks until competing in our first competition. We were going to have to change the way we did things in the beginning of the year, which was maybe going to make things a little more stressful but was going to make the end of the year so much better; we weren’t going to have conflicts with graduation or AP tests to go to competitions. It would have worked out so much better for us to have the new schedule, but now we’re just going to do it the way we always do it.”
Seven seniors named National Merit Finalists By: Abby Nguyen Staff Reporter
NATIONAL MERIT FINALISTS
ARIEL COBBERT PHOTO
Pictured left to right: (bottom row) Alison McLendon, Brittany Johns, Sydney Green; (back row) Jacob Martin, Taylor Vannatta, Hunter Carter, Xianglong Ni
A year and half after receiving the PSAT score that placed them in the top 3 percent of American test takers, an essay, a resume, and countless hours taking practice test after practice test, Hunter Carter, Sydney Green, Brittany Johns, Jacob Martin, Allison McClendon, John Ni, and Taylor Vannatta opened the letters that confirmed their places in the pool of students competing for certain prestigious scholarships all over the nation. “Take a seat where you won’t be distracted.” “Focus on the math section!” “There’s this SAT app…” “I got this math book from Ms. Clark and…” “Beef jerky, have beef jerky in the morning!” Obviously, advice and tips regarding how
to do well on the PSAT are going to differ depending on who’s giving it, but AP Language and Humanities teacher Andrea Clark breaks down the PSAT quite simply when she said, “Test taking is like anything else: you have got to keep working at it”. After various interviews with finalists, the commonality between their methods has indeed been their consistency and hard work. Of course, the work involved must directly be proportional to the potential rewards of becoming a member of this program. The National Merit Scholar Corporation’s mission statement is to give students “beyond academic excellence” recognition and reward, and this year, Oak Grove High School has the privilege of welcoming seven warriors to the long list of OGHS National Merit Scholars.
2 news
NEWSBRIEFS By: Olivia Diaz | Staff Reporter NEWSPAPER, YEARBOOK STAFFS WIN AT MSPA
On Thursday, April 3, Oak Grove High school’s newspaper and yearbook staffs won fifty-four Mississippi Scholastic Press Association (MSPA) awards. Among these awards were the 2013 “Best Yearbook” award (2nd place), the Newspaper “Best in Show” award (3rd place), and the Newspaper “Carry-In Best in Show” award (3rd place). Also, individual staff members won their own awards and received rightful recognition, such as seniors Bailey McCain and Aubrey Sanders, who won the 2014 award, “Yearbook Editors of the Year,” and junior Elizabeth Lawhead, who won 1st place in Photography’s “News Photo” category.
April 25, 2014
Centerstage Continued from PG2
During their ballad “Ready to Fly,” Todd exclaimed, “Darren Dale, you’ve done it again. This is the second time you’ve had me crying on the judge’s panel.” Obviously, they did not make many changes to the ballad. After their final performance, the Centerstage performers were incredibly proud of the show they had given. “We did all that we could have possibly done and practiced as hard as we possible could,” senior Brandon Vineyard said. Centerstage held on to their third place spot in finals with a unanimous judge’s votes for third place. What a way to end such an award winning season.
The OGHS Centerstage show choir placed third at the National Show Choir Competition held in Nashville, TN.
Warrior Forensics heads to State Championships By: Chelsy Haynes Staff Reporter
Speech and debate. To anyone else these two words bring up thoughts of arguing and politics, but to the members of the Oak Grove Speech and Debate team these words mean so much more. Yes, there is arguing and politics involved in debate, but there is also interpretation and speech, which involve a lot of acting. This weekend, April 25-26, the Oak Grove Speech and Debate team will travel to Ridgeland, Mississippi, to show off their debating and acting skills at the MSHAA State Championships. Congress state championships and Interpretation state championships were split. On the 19 and 20 of April, the debaters competing in Congress left for Congress state championships. Four Oak Grove MARY MORGAN GRATWICK PHOTOS
TOP: OGHS Yearbook Staff; BOTTOM: Warrior Beat Newspaper Staff
UNDERWATER ROBOTICS PREPS FOR NATIONAL COMPETITION
After winning 2nd place overall in the regional competition in Biloxi on March 8, Underwater Robotics or SeaPerch members are preparing for their national competition at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Payne Center scheduled for May 17. Although the club has faced a few obstacles, they also won 2nd place in poster presentation and 3rd in obstacle course. “Our new goals are to place at Nationals and have fun and enjoy the experience,” Shelly Songy, SeaPearch sponsor, said. In order to practice for the next competition, SeaPerch meets after school in Songy’s room (D-119) or at the Institute for Wellness & Sports Medicine. Aside from their future plan for Nationals, SeaPerch may submerge in a YMCA trip.
COURTESY PHOTO
SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED
debaters made the final round. They were Kenneth Eaton, Josh McCoy, Abby Nguyen, and Lucy Pruitt. Lucy placed 6th earning the team 2 sweeps points towards the team state title. Josh placed 3rd and was elected presiding officer earning 3 for each for a total of 6 sweeps points. This weekend, the interpretation, or acting, team members will head to Ridgeland for their chance at first place. After months of hard work, juniors Jillian Walters and Evan Woods were recently named the National Runners-Up in Duo Interpretation in the3PSpeech. com Online National Tournament. Oak Grove has won the state title in debate seven times and has high hopes for bringing home yet another trophy to keep. “When the students are not at practice at school, they are at home prepping for tournaments,” Speech and De-
bate coach Mr. Shane Cole writing and performing,” jusaid. “When second semester nior Kristina O’Donnell said. comes and they are not in my “It also brought me to know class anymore, I only get to see so many new people and exthem at practice on Mondays perience life through a new and Thursdays, perspective.” but they alDebate has been a great Kristina and ways seem to many other way for me to break surprise me when we out of my shy shell and debaters bring home the first express myself through recommend place trophies.” writing and performing.” speech and The Oak Grove debate to Speech and Debate - Kristina O’Donnell, 11 anyone who team has been to 14 is ready to see tournaments this year, hosting his or her true potential and two of them. “Hosting tourna- shine. Tryouts for the team will ments is never a big deal for us. be May 1 after school in Mr. The kids get to see their com- Cole’s room G116. petition and get a feel for them “Forensicators” who were without having to compete,” on the team in years past reCole said. “And it’s also a lot of member going to state and fun.” claiming everything, and this Debate is also a great way to year will be no different. The meet new people and experience 2013-2014 Speech and Dethe world in a different light. bate team is preparing to take “Debate has been a great way sweeps for everything and carry for me to break out of my shy on the tradition. shell and express myself through
MSO club triumphs at regionals By: Lucy Pruitt Entertainment Editor
For the first year that Oak Grove has offered a competitive science team in the Mississippi Science Olympiad, this group of student scientists has had a considerably successful season. MSO is a program where students compete in all categories of science such as biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering. The statewide activity, dedicated to better developing the quality of scientific education in schools, increases student interest in science and provides recognition for notable achievements in science by Mississippi students and teachers through academic competition. Coached by Oak Grove science teachers Mark Holcomb and Kylee Dueitt, the team’s recent
success started at the North Regional Mississippi Science Olympiad, held at Mississippi State University on February 22, 2014. The Warrior MSO team brought home five third place medals won by Khalia Groves and Braxton Eubanks in the categories of Disease Detectives and Rocks-and-Minerals; Allen Huang and Mason Starns in Circuit Lab; Brittany Johns, Xianglong Ni, and Hunter Carter in Experimental Design; and Ronni Chadwell and Chrissy Guidry in Write It/Do It. The North Regional MSO competition wins qualified the Oak Grove team to compete in State Competition held at the University of Southern Mississippi in March. With more practice and preparation after school on Mondays and Wednesdays, the team eventually became even
CAPTION HEADLINE
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Freshmen Sumar Buti and Ashlee Johnson show off their new hardware after placing in the Mississippi Science Olympiad held at Mississippi State University on February 22.
better equipped for competition and won five first place trophies, one second place medal, and five third place medals. In Oak Grove’s
ABUNDANT ACHIEVEMENTS Upperclassman: 1st place Circuit Lab - Xianglong Ni & Kyle Moss 1st place Material Science - Harrison Livingston & Paul Lee 1st place Mission Possible - Brittany Johns & Nick Sciortino 2nd place Experimental Design - Brittany Johns, Nick Sciortino & Xianglong Ni 3rd place Fermi Questions - Nick Sciortino & David Chapman 3rd place MagLev - David Chapman & Xianglong Ni
plethora of activities, our new MSO team has definitely earned its spot on the list of Warrior successes.
Lowerclassman: 1st place Fermi questions - Dalton Fox & Allen Huang 1st place Picture This - Dalton Fox, Jason Guo, & Allen Huang 3rd place Forensics - Sumar Buti & Ashlee Johnson 3rd place Geologic Mapping - Clara Ellis & Ashlee Johnson 3rd place Write It/Do It - Clara Ellis & Emilee Hoang
April 25, 2014
sports 3
Kirk’s Sports
Warrior golfers set to
Konnection By: Kirk McCarty | Sports Editor
is only getting better. The Mississippi State University golf commit has won eight out of ten tournaments that have been played and has shot 13 under par in his past five matches. Motter’s best score this year was during a tournament at the Hattiesburg Country Club, where he scored 67 points on a 72 par. The team won second place overall in this tournament. “Grant has had an outstanding year. His scoring average is under par. He will have a great opportunity to win an individual state title” said Coach Drew Causey. Junior Jake Roberts has also had an impressive year, winning first place at the Dixie Country Club tournament. Only one tournament remains for the Warriors, and a huge one it will be. The lady Warriors will make a trip to Vicksburg to compete for a state title on April 28-29. The guys’ team will travel to Madison and play the state championship tournament on April 30May 1 at Lake Caroline Golf Club.
By: Luke Smith Staff Reporter
As this year’s golf season is coming to a close, the Warriors are headed to the finish line with clubs swinging. Finishing first as a team in two matches, second in seven matches, and third in one match, Coach Drew Causey and the Warrior golfers look forward to continuing their success. The team consists of eleven boys and three girls, but only five members compete at a time in a tournament. In each tournament, the team members are scored individually and collectively, resulting in an individual winner and an overall team winner. Overall winners are selected by adding the top four out of five scores from each team and comparing them. On April 16, the golf team won second place at the regional tournament held at Canebrake Golf Course with a total team score of 345, earning an automatic bid to the state championship tournament. Senior Grant Motter finished first as an individual in this tournament with a solid 69 points, which was two under par. Motter has been a standout among his teammates for most of his high school career, and
Tennis drops to Jim Hill, season comes to end By: Chelsy Haynes, Staff Reporter Katie Williams, Copy Editor
SHE’S AN ACE
MARY MORGAN GRATWICK PHOTO
Senior Isabel Sendra works to perfect her service game in preparation for tennis playoffs. Unfortunately, the team came up short in a loss against Jim Hill and their season ended.
Despite falling to Jim Hill in the first round of playoffs, the 22-member OGHS tennis team had a successful season. The team won three out of six districts matches and was second in its district. The female doubles team of Sarah Houtz and Isabel Sendra did not lose a regular season match. The team put in much preparation, practicing every day during fourth block or after school for most of the spring semester. “I think the greatest part about tennis that it really is a team sport,” junior Drew Burnham said. “Working together, keeping your head up, and having confidence are the keys to success in this sport.” Many do not think of tennis as a team sport, but there are doubles events, and teams are scored as a whole. Faith is a crucial part of playing doubles. Partners must trust each other. In a typical tennis match, there are seven individual games: two teams of boys’ doubles, two teams of girls’ doubles, mixed doubles, girls’ singles, and boys’ singles. To win the match, a school must win
four out of seven of these events. At a typical practice, players would start off with mini tennis, a warm-up technique that takes place from the service line, to work on their body positioning and their stance. After that, they would perform a regular warmup. Then they might have inner team competitions. They would also do drills to perfect their serves, volleys, ground strokes, and lobs. The players are still working out until the end of year and plan to attend several clinics over the summer. The team may potentially receive its own tennis court too. “Having our own court will definitely better our current program,” coach Randy Robinett said. Coaches Robinett and Samantha Padgett expect strong junior high program with this addition. Although the team did not make it to state, these athletes are hopeful for next season. OGHS tennis is slowly rebuilding the program after a year off “We have certainly turned the program around, and we should be improving in the next couple of years,” Burnham said. Through practice, determination and hard work, the team hopes to succeed.
This time of the year is the absolute worst in the sporting world. Playoffs or not, NBA basketball is a drag, and even the biggest baseball fans can’t watch baseball every night and stay entertained. But, aside from my distaste for the month of April, I’ll try and get all of you konnected. Albert Pujols, one of the best baseball players of our time, recently hit his 500th homerun to become the 26th player of all-time to join the exclusive club. Tom Sherrill, a native of California, was the lucky fan to catch the homerun ball. Surpringly, he gave the ball back to Pujols without asking for a single dime. It’s acts like these that are the only thing keeping America’s pastime pure. Sherrill could’ve recieved a large amount of money, say $3 million like the McGuire ball. Instead, he did the right thing and gave Pujols the ball that is rightfully his. The Boston Marathon was run for the first time since the bombing last year, and, for the first time since 1983, an American crossed the finish line first. Meb Keflezighi won with a time of 2:08:37. Over 36,000 ran in the race this year, and over 36,000 finished unharmed. On a much more disheartening note, the University of Southern Mississippi lost a great basketball coach Donnie Tyndall, after the Tenneesse Volunteers came calling this past week. Tydall was with the Eagles for the past two seasons and led the Eagles to as much success as they had seen in a long time at Reed Green Collesium. Tyndall boasted a record of 56-17 in his two years at the healm of Southern Miss, both seasons in which many believed Southern Miss should’ve been selected to play in the NCAA Tournament. Tyndall will be missed, and the next coach at USM will have some big shoes to fill. On a side note, I helped hatch a baby chicken this week. Now, you’re konnected.
aim, hit the target again Archery brings home School, Hattiesburg High second state title High School, etc. The Oak Grove ar-
By: Emily Burnett Staff Reporter
The Oak Grove archery team has won several meets and tournaments throughout this season. On April 16, the archery team traveled to Jackson, Mississippi to compete at the 2014 AIMS State Championship along with 60 high schools and eight 6A division schools, such as Petal High School, Tupelo
chery team defeated rival, Petal High School, by two points with a total of 3,145 points from the top twelve archers’ scores combined. Last year, the team was coached by former math teacher Shauna Hedgepeth, and this year the team was coached by Alana Donohue, Earth and Space science teacher. Although the team had to switch practice locations a couple of times this year, they always found a way back to the
targets to prepare for the next meet or tournament. Over four years, the archery team has grown to 32 members and has taken two 6A State Championship titles. At the state competition, Tori Morris, Dawson Lomax, and Matthew Rogers ranked top three shooters of the Oak Grove team with scores of 276, 273, and 271, respectively. “We always have come together as a family. Prior to every meet, the team prays together. Win or lose, we are a team and we encourage each other no matter the scores,” Destinee Arroyo, junior, said.
ARCHERS POSE
OG’s Archery Team claims another 6A State Championship. Shooters gather around their first place trophy.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
[
Should students forget the classics, and choose their own books?
A
A new assignment: Pick books you like
Stick to the classics
Emily Burnett Staff Reporter
lmost every student in high school knows what it is like to read books that we do not want to read at all. Let’s be honest: most of the books mandated by the curriculum are so outdated that many students end up watching the movie instead; however, watching the movie does not allow the student to learn the literary elements as effectively as reading the book does. Although most students may consider the classics boring, several teachers still push their students to read, possibly discouraging students from reading books. I believe that the best solution to this problem would be to create a reading list for students to choose from rather than forcing everyone to read the same book. Of course the books would have to be approved by the teacher and contain the same literary elements, but I believe that this would encourage students to grasp every aspect of the book that is essential to the proper learning that we students need. I do realize that reading the same book can offer certain advantages, such as less confusion and more demonstration for each aspect of literature; however, reading a book of the student’s choice will most definitely motivate each student to read more and actually con-
Christian Rapetti Staff Reporter
If your teacher came up to you and told you to start reading The Crucible, what would your first reaction be? It would probably be, like most other students including myself, to sit and complain for all of the weeks of antagonizing strain on your eyes trying to decipher some long lost enigmatic and cryptic Victorian language. These kind of books do have more benefits than you realize though, so that is why I prefer to be assigned books. One of the benefits are the allusions that tests like the ACT or your teacher makes. Whether it is in modern literature, history, or class in general, allusions are often made to works of classic literature. However, if you do not read these classic works of literature, then you are not going to understand the allusions. This lack of understanding might cause you to fall behind in the course work or too not fully understand what the test question is asking. These books can also build your vocabulary. Some of the pieces of
sider the content and plot of the book. Assigned books can be so boring to read, especially since some students have no desire to read the classics, and teachers do not always consider or know what interests students. Reading different books in an English classroom could perfect the learning environment. Being a junior in high school, I have often wondered, like many other students, why some books have been added to the curriculum. While I understand that some students prefer to read the same book, not all students read at the same level or can interpret certain stories the same way. Reading a book of the student’s preference will help the reader understand the book more. When we are forced to read something we do not want to read, it is not a rare occasion for us to pull up spark notes and ease our way out of reading. If teachers really want us to read, they should provide us with a diverse book list to choose from for our next literature test.
classic literature might introduce you to terms that were used in Old English. By reading these books, you will have a better understanding of these languages when they come up in your classes or on tests. Finally, being assigned books will make it easier to go over because instead of the teacher having to go one one every question with the class. If you are given a list of books to choose from, most of the students will probably not choose the same books, which makes it harder for the teacher to make sure you are understanding what you are doing. I know reading classic literature has never really been your idea of fun. However, I hope you have started to realize that doing so might have some serious advantages for you life. Instead of pushing the idea of assigned literature to the side, start to consider the benefits it can have for you.
thewarriorbeat
pgrade or dow grade? By: Taylor Parsons Features/ Opinon Editor
I love prom as much as the next girl, but finally, for the first time since November, prom is out of season. As we turn towards summer, we will have new topics to discuss. With summer jobs, vacations, and camps, surely there will be more to talk about than who is on what bus and whose date was the craziest. Finally, we will move on.
Prom discussions come to an end? upgrade
downgrade End of school apathy?
Especially for seniors, the time of “I don’t care; I’ll just take a zero” is upon us. Fourth nine weeks always goes to show that caring does indeed have an expiration date. Though we don’t know of a cure for this apathy, all the advice I have is to finish strong.
The Bachelorette is always my favorite summer tv show. I am completely aware that the program is the epitome of trash television, but hey, nothing is stopping me. As Andi Dorfman dates 25 guys in hopes of finding the guy for her, teenage girls all over the nation will root for their favorites as they inhale health threatening amounts of ice cream and complain about their lack of love interests.
The Bachelorette comes back? upgrade
downgrade Or nah?
April 25, 2014
OPINION
[
opinion
4
As original and charming as we high schoolers believe the “or nah?” catchphrase may be, it’s just not. No one can simply ask a question any more. “Would you like fries with that...or nah?” The history of annoyingly overused phrases is only repeating itself. Dare we reminisce on the horrors of daily hearing who is “too turnt”? The weekly usage of “hump day!”? Don’t fall into the seemingly cool trap of overused catchphrases...or nah?
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 Staff Morgan Guess, Editor In Chief Katie Williams, Copy Editor Taylor Parsons, Features/Opinion Editor Samantha Papp, News Editor Lucy Pruitt, Entertainment Editor Kirk McCarty, Sports Editor Jordan Farrar, Graphic Designer Ariel Cobbert, Photographer Mary Morgan Gratwick, Photographer Olivia Diaz, Staff Reporter Luke Smith, Staff Reporter Christian Rapetti, Staff Reporter Abbigale Nguyen, Staff Reporter Alyssa Bass, Staff Reporter Chelsy Haynes, Staff Reporter Emily Burnett, Staff Reporter Casey Ford, Staff Reporter Adviser Joy Davis
April 25, 2014
opinion 5
SHOE PSYCHOLOGY What do your shoes say about YOU? BY: MORGAN GUESS, EDITOR
I
was thumbing through one of those girly teen magazines that include tips on flirting when I came across an article about shoes that caught my true interest. I am not a shoe person, but the content drew from a social study between the shoes a person wears and how the accessory portrays significant character. Before continuing, I reflected on the shoes I sport on an everyday basis. If others based character off the shoes I wear, they might consider me bipolar. Not because of the crazy pumps and studded boots I have on the floor of my closet. On the contrary, most of my shoe wardrobe is solely centered around comfort over style, no pun intended. True, I have acquired a few heels. Literally, a few. Most of the time I wear flip flops, Chacos, Converse, and flats. What really do shoes say about a person? I began noticing shoes much more and became surprised with my own little study. With the halls packed full of students in
similar uniform outfits, there’s not much personality walking around. Then, I realized looking down, each and every person sported a different brand or maybe the same brand but a totally different color. They say the eyes are the window to a person’s soul, but the shoes truly reveal the quirks a person may otherwise subdue with clothing. Depending on what shoes a person donned, I began creating “shoe stereotypes.” When I see someone walking around with rainbow Chacos, I detect a casual, yet adventurous person who is anticipating a hike or who just wants a mad tan line. When I see someone wearing hightop Chuck Taylor’s, I see a casual, 80’s flashback, adorned with a bold opinion. When I see a pair of sparkly flats, I sense exuberant personality and productivity, but also a put together person. Tennis shoes? Now, when I see those tennis shoes, I’m not sure if one is really athletic or just looking for the comfort and the popular Nike
swoosh on the side. Keds and Vans similarly radiate a hipster look, while simultaneously giving comfort to the heel. A shoe can change a whole outfit from casual to dressy, changing the entire tone and the way others perceive a person’s stability and attitude. For example (a very stark example), on the red carpet for movie premieres, Kristen Stewart would wear a stunning dress, then threw the entire formal wear out the window by wearing Converse. The attitude audiences received: she would rather be in jeans, a t-shirt, and anything but conformity. It’s a statement. Whether or not everyone’s is as shocking, they all send the same messages. More thorough research has gone as far as to adequately determine a person’s political views just by looking at the person’s shoe. Footwear has brought life to uniforms throughout school, and the different styles shine light on the array of personalities that fill OG hallways.
1 2 R E FOREV ach?
e r p y e h t t a h w e Do they practic
F
BY: Emily Burnett, Staff Reporter
aithful customers all over the nation have noticed that one of the most famous scriptures from the Bible, “John 3:16,” is located at the bottom of shopping bags of the well-known shopping franchise Forever 21. The inscription of the biblical scripture at the bottom of each bag may surprise or delight some people; however, others also believe that Forever 21 is a hypocritical franchise rather than a refreshing and inspiring one. Some believe that the Forever 21 chains are controlled by unethical and non-Christian val-
National Motor Credit
ues and that the cutting of hours and benefits of the employees is a result of pure greed. In fact, Forever 21, along with several other stores who produce clothing, have their apparel made for free or little pay, practically considered slavery. “ We have proof that the goods going to Forever 21 from certain garment contractor shops are being sewn by people who are not being paid properly,” said Priscilla Garcia, the director of the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division in California. “Sales associates at Forever 21 stores are often still in high school and under the age of 18 when they begin their
employment,” explained Geoffrey Norton, the attorney for one of the retail workers’ cases, regarding how vulnerable high school workers are to their rights. Child and forced labor, both prevalent issues in the Forever 21 stores and many other clothing supply chains, turn heads and push customers away from the business. Many customers are simply outraged that Forever 21 continues using immoral business practices by paying workers less in order to make a larger profit, yet still demanding the employees to work an excessive amount of hours. If Forever 21 really wanted to display Bible verses and Christian values, then it would
SHOE STEREOTYPES
HIPSTER
usually an introvert with an individual sense of style
JOCK
outgoing, active individual
TRENDSETTER
stylish and always ready for horseback riding
not make sense to continue using forced labor and child labor. Being immoral with the way business is being handled is not an effective way to bring in new people. Using unethical business techniques to make more money only turn people away rather than delivering the intended message to those who might need an ounce of encouragement to brighten their day. Seeing how greedy one can be could possibly turn customers who were once faithful to the
ADVENTUROUS
easy to put on, always ready for any outdoors activity
store into non-supporters of the popular franchise they once loved, and could turn them away from any kind of message the store was originally trying to convey. Perhaps using a scripture at the bottom of the Forever 21 shopping bag is only a propaganda technique used to bring in new customers so that they will buy more clothing, rather than a truthful reflection of the store founder’s Christian beliefs.
FOREVER FAITHFUL
The most well-known Bible verse, John 3:16, can be found at the bottom of each Forever 21 shopping bag.
DAVID DEARMAN
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6 features
April 25, 2014 7
BY: Morgan Guess, Editor
school of
HARD KNOCKS HEAD INJURIES IN FOOTBALL
SECOND-IMPACT SYNDROME
While football players sustain many injuries, none may be so controversial as concussions which may contribute to long-term brain damage. Football is second to cycling in emergency room-treated head injuries. Here’s a look at the number of head injuries treated in hospitall emergency rooms in 2009. Cycling 85.4%
After a concussion, energy-starved cells are not able to perform at their peak, and are vulnerable to further damage or death. If another concussion occurs before the athlete has recovered from the first, the consequences can be catastrophic. Second-Impact Syndrome (SIS) is fatal in up to half of the individuals who suffer it, and can cause major long-term brain damage and disability in the rest. Of all SIS victims
Football 46.9% Baseball 38.4%
95% are under the age of 18 47% reported at least one concussion during the season
Basketball 34.7%
High school football players
EFFECTS
?
A concussion occurs when the head is shaken violently. This causes the brain to flood with chemicals, which deadens certain receptors.
(9 times as many as reported by trainers)
CONFUSION
High school football players
(50 times as many as reported by trainers)
BLURRED VISION
Concussions have been brought to the forefront of injuries in the sports world
B
Y definition a concussion is a brain injury that upsets normal functioning of the brain. A concussion is most often caused by a direct blow to the head, which explains why a concussion is so often seen in football. Due to publicity of brain injuries in the NFL, high school athletics have recently taken a proactive and safe approach to dealing with possible concussions. When a high school athlete shows any signs or symptoms which indicate a possible concussion ,they are required to stop play immediatley. Most schools in Mississippi have a team doctor
BY: Kirk McCarty, SPORTS EDITOR
or physician or certified athletic trainer on the field for gameday. At Oak Grove, there are usually two ER doctors, a certified athletic trainer, Kevin Mauldin, and an orthopedic doctor at all home games. “If I suspect a possible concussion, I will begin with asking simple questions: Where are you? What did you eat for breakfast? We will then ask questions about nausia and headaches, and how they respond to these questions can usually tell us if they sustained a concussion or not,” athletic trainer Kevin Mauldin said. The next step after diagnosing a concussion is ruling out the player for the remain-
der of the game with treatment to follow. “I will give parents a head injury handout and athletes must see a physician. If the concussion symptoms are very bad, then we will send them to the ER for a CT scan to rule out a subdural hematoma, which is a slow bleeding on the brain. Any athlete who is diagnosed with a concussion is required to sit out a minumum of one week without any signs or symptoms,” Mauldin said. Mississippi has just recently passed a law requiring high school athletes to see a physician and be cleared to play before returning to competition. Sophomore quarterback Reed Simon
suffered a concussion in a JV game against Petal in the 2013 season. “It was the first play of the game, and I ran out of the pocket and hit the defender helmet to helmet.” said Simon. “I got up and thought I was fine, but then things started spinning. I got the play from the sideline and called the wrong play. After that I came out for the rest of the game. Simon was then screened by trainers and ruled out for the remainder of the game with a concussion. “I remember feeling very disoriented, but I don’t remember any of the details from that night.” Simon said. Concussion injuries, although hard to see
BY THE NUMBERS
MEMORY LOSS
THE INVISIBLE INJURY
to the human eye, are occuring much more often than they are diagnosed. Senior offensive lineman Luke Smith recalls a game in which he encountered a helmet to helmet hit, but he did not tell anyone so he could continue playing. “No one wants to show weakness in football, but looking back at the potential damage that I could have suffered, I would’ve said something. Concussion safety is more important than any game of football and the sports world is very close to realizing this fact. I would rather remember not playing than not remember playing at all,” Smith said.
35% reported multiple concussions during the season
Of the 1.4 million who sustain Traumatic Brain Injuries each year in the United States: 50,000 die; 235,000 are hospitalized; 1.1 million are treated and released from an emergency department.
NAUSEA
SCHUTT PRO DNA HELMET
HELMET STANDARDS Football helmets encounter dozens, if not hundreds, of impacts that can lead to concussion each year and are not frequently replaced. The Oak Grove High School football program makes it a priority to refurbish or replace helmets after every season.
IMPACT ABSORPTION AIR POCKETS
THERMOPLASTIC URETHANE CUSHIONING
Helmet manufacturers have made a conscious effort to design helmets with preventing concussion as their top priority. Schutt, a leading helmet manufacturer, has created their Pro DNA line which has various pads that have been proven to decrease impact upon collision. AIR CIRCULATION CHANNELS FOR HEAT RELEASE RESOURCES: Medicalbillingandcoding.org, Center for Disease Control, The Journal of Child Neurology 2001,
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April 25, 2014
8 opinion
OG students take center stage in
LES MISÉRABLES J
BY: LUCY PRUITT, ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
uggling school work and extracurricular activities is a challenge that every Oak Grove student can relate to, and Austin Querns; Jackson Bounds; Mary Margaret Hyer; and Lucy Pruitt can now add a monumental musical production to their list of timeconsuming activities. This group of Oak Grove students has taken on the challenge of being part of the Hattiesburg Civic Light Opera’s production of Victor Hugo’s classic Les Miserables. Under the guidance of long time director Rob Mulholland and music director Tammy Mansfield, the cast filled with theatre majors, professors, and talented volunteers aid in the creation of, in the words of Mulholland, “an absolutely unforgettable production.” The much anticipated
opening night for the production is set for May 8-11, 2014. Playing the lead role of Jean Valjean is Hattiesburg native and rising star, Miles Doleac. Costarring with Doleac are Gregory Wasco as Inspector Javert, Nikki Johnson as Fantine, Lauren Cate Leake as Cosette, Joseph VanZandt as Marius, Katie Hovan as Eponine, Mike Lopinto and Jennifer Hart as the Thenardiers, and Michael Morrison as Enjolras. In supporting roles of factory workers, beggars, prostitutes, wedding dancers, and students, the members of the cast from Oak Grove have worked diligently to keep up the pace of weekly rehearsals. From the moment of arrival, clear voices can be heard warming up in every corner of the old building, while costume directors and stage managers
fly around in a blur, setting out props, building sets, and assisting in any way possible. There is only one phrase that can stop everyone in their tracks and break through the chaos, “BREAK’S OVER.” At this notification the cast responds in unison with, “thank you; break’s over,” and pauses to listen for direction from Mulholland. Ensuing direction, places are taken and the worthwhile rehearsal begins. Every night the cast becomes part of Valjean’s life-altering adventure that all began because of one man’s act of kindness. A story such as this also finds its way into the hearts of the cast members as their lives have been impacted because of the effects of a London production of the very same musical. In February 1986, a young high school English and Theater teacher named
Rob Mulholland ventured into England and found himself an audience member to one of the most spectacular shows to ever grace Broadway. “After seeing Les Mis in London I decided that was what I wanted to do,” said Mulholland. “I saw it in February, and quit my job in March. I’ve always wanted to do this show, always. Which is probably why I’m so much tougher on this cast than I have been with any other group before. We have to get it right.” As the date for opening night grows closer and closer, the anticipation and excitement at rehearsal and around Hattiesburg grows stronger and stronger. “I think this is a production that will be memorable. If people don’t see it, they will hear other people talking about it for years to come,” Mulholland said.
HCLO presents
LES MISÉRABLES
MAY 6-8 11 7:30 pm
&
2:00 pm
Hattiesburg’s Historic Saenger Theatre Tickets on sale April 14 for Members and April 21 for General Public Tickets will be will be available at 601 583 5694 $25 Floor Row A-O / Balcony Row A & B $20 Floor Row P-X / Balcony Row C-D-E $15 Second Balcony
Social Media Sensations JOHN CAMERON HALL BY: CASEY FORD, STAFF REPORTER
It is not uncommon for teenagers to start working in high school. Many students want to earn some extra money by working a part-time job or babysitting in their spare time. However, to hear of someone so young making money through social media is rare. Junior John Cameron Hall does just that. “I get paid to tweet ads for an online ad company that I currently work for called ChaCha. I have the option of several thousand ad campaigns to choose from that I can post to my accounts at any time,” Hall said. He began the endeavor with one twitter account his freshman year as merely a joke, but it quickly gained popularity, which he used to his advantage. “After getting a few thousand followers, I used it to promote new accounts. Now I’m at the point where I can start a new account and gain 10,000 followers in a little over a month,” Hall said. As he reached anonymous celebrity, he realized he may need help running his new business. “I hired some people to run some sides of my twitter accounts for me while I finish out this semester, but when it’s just me in charge I spend probably 5-6 hours a day,” Hall said. And for those long hours he certainly makes a nice profit. Though Hall would not say what he makes annually, he did reveal how exactly he brings in such a salary. “I get paid per
click that I receive for the ad posted on my twitter accounts. Each ad campaign ranges from 1-3 cents per click. That doesn’t seem like much, but right now I have around 800,000 followers across my accounts (which increase daily) and with connections I’ve made with people and other twitter accounts, I potentially reach several million people each day. I’m comfortably independent financially for a high schooler,” Hall explained. Among these connections are some pretty well known tweeters and journalists. “I’ve had numerous famous people tweet at me or follow me but nobody like Beyoncé. I was interviewed by the Rolling Stone to contribute to one of the Senior Editor’s articles coming out soon though.” So it seems what began as a silly idea in the boredom of freshman year has become a fully functional business of sorts, with quite the payoff. Not bad for a junior in high school who likes to tweet.
ELYSE RIEDER
BY: KATIE WILLIAMS, COPY EDITOR
Elyse Rieder is a United States History teacher, an Oak Grove graduate, and now a YouTube sensation. About a month ago, Rieder made a rap about World War II to the Ke$ha song “Timber” in order to review her history classes for their World War II unit test, or that’s what she claimed. “Actually, I was thinking of a way to be funny on Monday, and it just happened,” Rieder said. For some of her students though, “funny” is an understatement. Five seconds into the video, her classes erupted with laughter. “I initially thought, ‘Wow, she went through all of this trouble to make an educational video for us,” junior Samer Buti said. “Then the video went on, and I got embarrassed for her.” Rieder doesn’t call herself a seasoned rapper. “There are times when I just couldn’t flow quite fast enough,” she said. Buti just doesn’t think she should rap. “What rap skills? Rapping just isn’t for her. I hope she doesn’t try it any time soon,” Buti said. A majority of students think the same thing: teaching is her forte. In her four years as a teacher at OGHS, she has proven herself. Rieder has been dubbed the “Shoemake of US History.” “Thanks to Miss Rieder, I was able to get Advanced on the state US History test,” former student Baylee Montague said. Rieder never
fails to keep students alert and paying attention. Most of her tactics even keep the history-haters enthused. “I like Miss Rieder’s class. From what I hear, she has a different teaching style, and it is always entertaining. It really works for me and helps me pay attention,” Buti said. Rieder is always looking for new ways to keep learning entertaining. “My favorite part about teaching is getting to do stuff like this video. I absolutely love getting to act like a big kid all day and attempting to make learning fun and meaningful for my students,” Rieder said. Her teaching style allows students to always remember the history class they took junior year of high school. “I truly think US History is super important, and I want my students to see that,” she said. OGHS students and faculty hope to see more on YouTube from Rieder. After all, new \ßYouTube sensations are created overnight, but Rieder’s raps are too good to be one hit wonders.
April 25, 2014
SHOEMAKE RETIRES Ding dong the witch is gone F
BY: CASEY FORD, STAFF REPORTER
or the last 22 years, Mrs. Ann Shoemake has graced the halls of Oak Grove High School, and sadly this year will be her last. Shoemake, who has taught World History, Accelerated English and most recently Humanities, will retire at the end of the 2013-2014 school year, with hopes to travel, spend more time with her granddaughter, and invest in hobbies like pottery and intensive Bible studies in the near future. She has thoroughly enjoyed her time teaching and looks forward to the new, exciting, yet bittersweet chapter that awaits. “For the past several years, without a doubt, the best part of my teaching experience has been my students. My students are just wonderful, bright lovely young people whom I love, and I have been blessed to be associated with them. They are truly the best part of my day. In addition, Oak Grove has a wonderful faculty with whom I have been honored to be associated. Not every school has a faculty composed of people one would enjoy as friends regardless of sharing a common
ARIEL COBBERT PHOTO
THE BROOM IS HANDED DOWN
Shoemake passes down her infamous witch’s broom to fellow English teacher Andrea Clark.
workplace. Third, our administration and staff are so very supportive and that single factor tremendously affects a teacher’s ability to be effective in the classroom,” Shoemake said. When asked about the downsides of teaching, Shoemake mentioned the long hours, never-ending workload, and unmatched pay, but also commented that she believed it was all worth it; teachers don’t be-
come teachers because it’s easy. There are a handful of current and former Oak Grove teachers who were also once students of Shoemake, including US History teacher Ms. Elyse Rieder. “I have known her since 2001! So 13 years. I really did enjoy her class. I remember learning a lot in her class about writing. I really enjoy writing and did all the way through college, which I attribute to her teaching. She
would critique in a way that made me feel good about the things I had done right and eager to fix my mistakes. I also really enjoyed seeing her teach my little brother because I could really tell she was influential to his learning as well,” Rieder said. “I will never forget a student of mine called me the Shoemake of US History when we were reviewing for our state test. I thought that was the greatest compliment! She’s just one of those teachers you know is going to push you farther than you thought you could go and truly one you never, ever forget,” Rieder added. Junior and former student of Shoemake Drew Burnham had plenty of praise for one of his favorite teachers. “She never fails to come up with the funniest come-backs. She kept me laughing all year long while I was in her class,” Burnham said. He was also complimentary of her class and its effect on his skills and test scores. “Mrs. Shoemake has helped me tremendously on the English section of the ACT and has overall improved my grammar and vocabulary. The definition of ‘edifice’ will be engraved in my brain until the
features 9
day I die. I’ll definitely miss her funny personality and the frightening laughs of the ‘souls’ of her former students echoing from her desk drawer. She’s a character, and Oak Grove is losing one of the best teachers to ever come through,” Burnham added. To many of her students and fellow teachers here at Oak Grove, Shoemake has developed quite a reputation. Sometimes called the Queen of English, she is known for her expertise in grammar and literature, and for preparing tenth grade students for the arduous State English II Test. Shoemake answered, saying she was very flattered by such a title, but insisted it was extremely overstated. To her students, Shoemake advised: “Attend class and study the packet! Listen to your teachers. You have a very knowledgeable, hard-working group of English teachers, so listen and learn.” To her fellow teachers: “Have as much fun as I did. You are such a great group, and I’ll miss you!” Mrs. Shoemake will surely be missed by many.
2 0 1 4 SENIOR TRIP DESTINATIONS BY: CHELSY HAYNES, STAFF REPORTER
Madeline Albright once said, “We must be the authors of the history of our me.” This summer, some seniors plan to make that happen. Summer is a time for lounging by the pool, hanging out with friends, and best of all, senior trips. With graduation getting closer and closer, some seniors plan on using the sum-
mer to visit colleges, but others have something else in mind. From the West Coast to the East Coast and even waaaaay up North, these seniors are going just about everywhere. Senior Matthew Lowe plans on soaking up some sun in the Bahamas while seniors Brooke Norman and Aj Robinson plan on doing the same thing, but a little bit closer to home in Destin, Florida. Senior Keisherial
Thompson will give Chicago a visit so that she can get a feel for the school she might be attending in the fall. While everyone else is getting tan or surging some waves, senior Hannele Heusser will be wrapping herself up and visiting her hometown of Anchorage. Not everyone will be going out of town for summer, however. Some seniors plan on staying home and spending
time with family. Other “stayat-home” seniors will be working at their summer jobs trying to get money for college or just some “pocket change.” One “senior” that everyone knows as Mrs. Smart, the Marine Biology and Zoology teacher, will be retiring this year and moving to the Alabama coast. After taking a week off from school to help her brother move into his new house, Mrs. Smart
plans on making a new history and starting a new life in Alabama. The seniors are staking their claim. Whether it’s by moving to a big city or tackling their responsibilities at home, these seniors are starting a new chapter in their lives as adults. The summer will be a much needed break to seniors before they begin to navigate the “real world” and all its struggles in college.
OG students prepare for underwater adventures BY: KATIE WILLIAMS, COPY EDITOR
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The waters of Thailand. The coasts of Turks and Caicos. The Belizean Barrier Reef. Many of these places offer beautiful marine habitats that can only be explored with a SCUBA certification. Senior Anna Kathryn Colbert wants to explore these places and many more like them, which is why she decided to make the dive to earn her SCUBA certification. “I did a SNUBA dive in Grand Cayman last spring break and absolutely loved it, so I decided to get SCUBA certified so that I can dive on my own,” Colbert said. Before one can attain his or her license, he must go through extensive training. Before divers can even begin in-water training, they must complete bookwork and pass a written examination with a score of 75 or higher. Passing a written test ensures that potential divers are aware of the risks of the activity in which they are participating. After completing the written course
work, divers complete their initial training in a pool. They must be able to swim 500 yards continuously and without touching the bottom of the pool, and they must be able to tread water for approximately 10 minutes. Afterward, divers receive intense instruction on the proper use of SCUBA gear. Divers use buoyancy control vests, regulators, weights to control buoyancy, masks, fins, snorkels, and wet suits in cooler waters. Finally, divers perform their certification dives in open water. Many divers around the Mississippi area typically perform theirs off the oil rigs in the Gulf. Perhaps the most important tool that divers use is the dive table. Although these are now considered “old school,” they are still the most reliable way to determine time in the water, especially if a dive computer malfunctions. Divers use these to determine the maximum amount of time they have in the water in order to minimize their chance of them developing decompression sickness,
or “the Bends,” which are nitrogen bubbles in the blood stream and are potentially fatal. Another step that can be taken to prevent this is learning how to resurface properly. Resurfacing too quickly is the leading cause of decompression sickness. Despite the dangers of SCUBA, the underwater world is one of the earth’s best kept secrets. Several OGHS students have attained licenses or, like AK, are in the process of attaining one. These students are Alex Thomas, Matthew Lowe, Alyssa Maynard, Chance Farris, and Katie Williams. “There is not much to not look forward to with diving. I look forward to having a lifelong hobby and being able to explore various dive destinations around the world. There is so much more to see than what is on land,” Colbert said. If anyone is interested in learning more about the process or attaining their own certification, they should contact Sea Urchins dive shop near USM. Source: www.bksdesigns.blogspot.com
April 25, 2014
10 living
Entertain Me:
A B R I E F G L A N C E AT P O P C U LT U R E BY: ALYSSA BASS, STAFF REPORTER
Glee star breaks off engagement Naya Rivera, an actress on the hit TV show Glee, is reportedly no longer getting engaged to rapper, Big Sean. The celebrity couple had been engaged for six months before the split. While a representative for Big Sean claimed that “Sean wishes Naya nothing but the best,” a recent tweet from Rivera implies that the well wishes may not be reciprocal. “@bigsean stealing Rolexes from a lady’s house now. Maybe cuz I’m on Glee and making more money or something. #triflin.” Rivera quickly deleted the accusatory tweet. Representatives of Big Sean have no comment on the matter.
Katherine Heigl sues Duane Reade Former Grey’s Anatomy actress Katherine Heigl is suing Duane Reade drugstores for $6 million, a subsidiary of Walgreen’s, for tweeting a picture of her shopping at the drugstore without her consent. The lawsuit states, “Use of Plaintiffs image under these circumstances improperly exploited Plaintiffs name and likeness, as a celebrity. Such use was done knowingly and willfully, as evidenced by Defendant’s manipulation of and changes to the Duane Reade advertising messages in the captions.” Heigl plans on donating the proceeds to a charity she created in memory of her brother who died in a car crash.
Colbert to be new host of Late Show Following the announcement of David Letterman’s retirement, CBS announced that Stephen Colbert would be replacing Letterman as host of the Late Show in 2015. While watchers of the Late Show had a mixture of reactions to the news, comedian Conan O’Brien lauded CBS for the decision. “I think Stephen is great. I’m a huge fan of his as a comic and as a human being. I think it’s fantastic. I’m really glad that he got the job. I look forward to seeing his show,” O’Brien said. When commenting on his new job, Colbert jokingly said, “Those are some huge shoes to fill and some really big pants.”
Girl Meets World
Disney released the official trailer of Girl Meets World, the Disney Channel spin-off of the 90’s hit show Boy Meets World, earlier in April. While the preview is terse, fans were elated to see Danielle Fishel and Ben Savage (aka Topanga Lawrence and Cory Matthews) return to the small screen to play the parents of on-screen daughter, Riley Matthews. Also cast in the show are William Daniels as George Feeny, Rider Strong as Shawn Hunter, and Jackée Harris from Sister Sister as Estelle. The show will debut in the fall of 2014.
KINGS OF LEON: THE “FAMILY TREE” BACK TOGETHER By: Morgan Guess Editor
In an earlier review, I criticized Mechanical Bull, the sixth album in Kings of Leon’s career. On KOL’s previous tour for Come around Sundown, I experienced my first Kings of Leon concert and Band of Horses’ phenomenal opening with “The Funeral.” On April 11, I traveled to see the Mechanical Bull tour live in New Orleans. The indoor venue, Smoothie King Center, was ideal for the band’s rock ballads and definitely created a louder sound. This time around, the Local Natives replaced KOL’s regular opener, Gary Clark Jr. I would’ve paid to watch Local Natives alone. Echoing songs off their first album Gorilla Manor, the lead singer filled the entire arena. Local Natives are still somewhat undiscovered, however, their new song “Breakers” has hit XM’s altNation top 18. I was pleased at the balance between old and new, “Sun Hands” and “Wooly Mammoth” to name a few. The
L.A. natives impressed many with crystal clear, mellow vocals along with instrumental poise. However, nothing could prepare the crowd for the show KOL put on. Dramatic cannot begin to describe the striking stage act. Anticipation was killing everyone after another translucent white curtain was raised in front of the stage floor. This time, the band was obviously focused on creating the most entertaining show. Lights projected on the white screen as the band prepped. The chill show Local Natives put on did not resemble the headliner’s whatsoever. After being absent and leaving fans to marinate on Come around Sundown and its unorthodox tracks, KOL came back strong, rocking out on stage in a more formal attire and shaking the New Orleans area with the best of the old and new tracks. The act was clean and defined and in one word: rad. Although the looks and the stage were a bit theatrical compared to the last live show I saw, the sound was clear and raspy, just like the former rock and roll band I knew four
years ago. They opened with one of my least favorite songs off of the Because of the Times album, “Charmer,” and reeled the crowd with Caleb Followill’s blood curdling screeches, while flashing images of a girl’s haunting face simultaneously filled the screens behind the band. More like exorcism of Emily Rose and not too charming if you ask me. After being in shock for a few minutes, recovering from the unanticipated 3 minute episode of The Walking Dead, the white curtain dropped, revealing the band as they sang more soothing to “Rock City,” a newbie off the Mechanical Bull album. KOL performed for hours, spanning over 4 albums and covering all of the hits. Standouts from the show include my all-time favorite lyric, “Closer” as Jared Followill once again tuned with mouth on the bass, Jimi Hendrix style and “Cold Desert” brought a sway to the audience and flashlights filled the crowd like twinkling stars. After such a long hiatus, it all paid off. Those three years away from tours gave the band a chance
what’s APPening?
to create the best concert to date, with enhanced graphics, lyrics, and overall, a more put together performance. There was no disappointment and when the crowd cried for more, they brought oldies but goodies. Here’s the concert’s setlist including encore for any interested in following the tour: Charmer, Rock City, My Par-
ty, Temple, On Call, Family Tree, Closer, Ride the Wave, Back down South, Wait for me, Supersoaker, Milk, Pyro, Radioactive, 17, It don’t matter, Molly’s Chamber, Four Kick’s, Be Somebody, Notion, Use Somebody—Encore: Crawl, Black Thumbnail, and Sex on Fire.
BY: KATIE WILLIAMS, COPY EDITOR
Every few months, iTunes releases a new, stupidly addictive game. In the past year, these games have included Fun Run, QuizUp, and Candy Crush. All of these games do have one thing in common: they are mindless. This latest addicting game does involve the use of some sort of brain power, and it is my favorite kind of brain power: the kind that in-
volves math skills. This game is so addicting that I allowed myself to delete it, but my temptation got the best of me at the Mu Alpha Theta convention where the majority of attendees were playing this game. 2048 is the latest game craze. In this game, players match multiples of 2 and hope to reach the greatest tile available: the 2048 tile. This is the highest multiple available, and I still have not been able to get there.
Players play the game on 16-square board, and the game is over when the board fills up and there aren’t any more matches available. 2048 is pointless but fun. I personally appreciate how I don’t feel like I’m losing IQ points when I play the game. Download this app if you really enjoy losing sleep and wasting time (I think there really should be a disclaimer about this).
April 25, 2014
living 11
Cooking with Paprika BY: SAMANTHA PAPP, NEWS EDITOR
Find a hang out spot
Winter is on its way out the door, and spring is making its debut. With the abundance of warm weather, we don’t have to stay inside watching Netflix all day. There are tons of activities around the Hattiesburg area that are perfect spring activities. The sun has come out and the weather is lovely… why don’t you go outside?
An eno is a portable hammock that is made out of a breathable nylon material. When in its storage bag, an eno is approximately the size of a softball, yet it fans out enough to hold one or two people (depending on the type of eno). An eno is typically hung from two trees with heavy duty straps. Grab a book, your music, or your phone and go relax in an eno! (If you don’t have an eno, a hammock would work just as well.)
Run, walk, bike the Longleaf Trace
Put your hiking shoes on
BY: SAMANTHA PAPP, NEWS EDITOR
Enjoy the outdoors
The Longleaf Trace is a 41 mile, asphalt-paved trail that extends from the Hattiesburg area to Sumrall, Bassfield, Carson, and Prentiss. Runners, walkers, bikers, and equestrians all frequent the trail. The Trace is a wonderful, free activity that would be perfect for a morning walk or afternoon bike ride with friends and family.
Referred to as “Mississippi’s Little Grand Canyon,” Red Bluff is an eroded area of land in Morgantown, Mississippi where several colors of clay, such as red, yellow, and orange, blend together to create a picturesque sight. The Bluff is a three mile climb that reaches an elevation of 400 feet above sea level. Hikers frequent the steep, private trail that winds around the bluff and ends at a small creek and railroad. Take a trip to Marion County and climb the trail – at your own risk!
Spring is one of the busiest times of the year for families. Ball games, dance recitals, and homework keep families on the go from early mornings to late nights. Many families end up grabbing fast food on their late weeknights. For a quick meal that does not involve McDonalds, crescent pepperoni roll-ups are the perfect fit. These roll-ups are an easy, fast dinner that only require five ingredients and only take about 15 minutes to bake. Ingredients: 1 can refrigerated crescent rolls 40 slices pepperoni 4 pieces of mozzarella string cheese, cut in half garlic powder pizza sauce (optional) Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. Unroll crescent rolls and separate into 8 triangles. 3. Place 5 slices of pepperoni on each crescent roll. Top pepperoni with string cheese half and roll up. 4. Sprinkle crescent rolls with garlic powder. 5. Place rolls on baking sheet and bake for1215 minutes, or until golden brown. 6. Serve with a side of warm pizza sauce.
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Discover Carey: www.wmcarey.edu www.facebook.com/WmCareyU
April 25, 2014
12 living
we’d like to welcome the new
2014-2015 warrior beat staffers jonathan brent
Jonathan, an upcoming senior, will contribute to the paper in many ways, more so in the sports realm. On Wednesdays, Brent wears pink, and when kidnapped and trapped in a dark room, his first move towards freedom would be “turning on the lights.”
tia bullock
Tia Bullock, also an upcoming senior, plans to do it all. Future graphic designer, writer, and photographer, Bullock doesn’t wear pink on Wednesdays, but ops for friendship bracelets as submitted in her creative writing.
mycah kennedy
Upcoming junior Mycah Kennedy will be the Warrior Beat’s new go-to photographer. Kennedy’s hobbies include writing, music, drawing, and, of course, photography.
hannah lee
Upcoming junior Hannah Lee writes as a hobby, but she will soon put those talents to good use as reporter of the Warrior Beat Newspaper staff for the 2014-2015 school year. Already trusting in the current staff, Lee was willing to eat Oreos off the ground in front of them.
jenna clair lee
Jenna Clair Lee, upcoming senior and worker at Conni Cone’s, plans to report for the Warrior Beat Newspaper as staff writer. Famous throughout the upcoming senior class for her yodeling skills, Lee will offer the newspaper staff free lessons.
andrew rigel
Upcoming senior Andrew Rigel will take on the jobs of graphic designer, photographer, and writer. Often referred to by his last name, Rigel spends his spare time enoing and zoning out in Ms. Clark’s AP Language class.
grace wilkes mozingo
Grace, an upcoming sophomore, will be a great addition to the Warrior Beat Newspaper Staff in all aspects. In her free time, she works at the Optimist Park and performs in plays. Wilkes-Mozingo won’t eat cookies off of the floor and enjoys spending time with her “Kardashian-esque” family.
Solis Boutique
Designer Name-brand & Vintage Clothing
(new & pre-loved) Sumer Dresses, Shirts, Skirts & Shorts - $3.00 and up and designer jeans - $20.00 and up
clothing with a purpose! portion of proceeds to help fund various local ministries
Located in Oak Grove Antiques and More 5315 Old Hwy 11, MS 39402