2 | THE ROYAL NEWS | THURSDAY 10.10.13
op/ed
First World Problems: iPhone Edition
the RoyalNews
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ur mission as the school newspaper for Prince George High School is to provide a form of media that represents all aspects of student life. The goal is to present factual accounts of newsworthy events in a timely manner. Our publication will be informative, entertaining and reflective of the student body’s opinions. It is the desire of the staff to reach every student and tell as many of their stories as possible. We invite your commentary: The Royal News Opinion page is a forum for public discussion and shall be open to all students. The Royal News will print as many letters as space will allow. The Royal News reserves the right not to print a letter. The Royal News publishes a wide variety of opinions. Send letters to: Letters to the Editor, The Royal News, PGHS, 7801 Laurel Spring Road, Prince George, Virginia 23875, or bring them to room A4, or e-mail them to trnwired@ gmail.com We reserve the right to edit for clarity, brevity, accuracy, legality, spelling and grammar. Please include your name, address and phone number. Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication. 500 word maximum. Thank you for the support this year. Please continue to communicate on trnwired.org.
Illustration by Anthony Sudol.
After-Dark Game Raises Questions of Student Entertainment Out of School
Section Editors Front page: Danielle Marshall-Op/Ed: Carolina Bae-News: Christina Buckles-Features: Mallory Cox-Doubletruck: Sarah Daniel-A&E : Debra ThomasSports: Devan Fishburne-Photo Editor/Distribution and Events: Tiana Kelly-Business & Ad Editor: Deborah Gardner -Online Editor-in-Chief: Lindsay Pugh
Editor-in-Chief Courtney Taylor
Business Manager Deborah Gardner
Managing Editor Danielle Marshall
Adviser
Chris Waugaman
Professional affiliations & awards Columbia Scholastic Press Associations Gold Medalist 2008-2012 Columbia Scholastic Press Associations Gold Crown Winner 2012 Virginia High School Association Trophy Class 2006-2012 Col. Charles Savedge Award for Sustained Excellence 2010 SIPA All Southern 2008-2012
The Royal News, PGHS trnwired.org & trnsports.org
7801 Laurel Spring Road Prince George, Virginia 23875 804-733-2720 The Royal News is printed at The Progress-Index in Petersburg, Virginia
Editorial
Writers Hannah Zuloaga-April Buckles-Daniel PuryearAustin Britt-Alexis Stewart-Ryan Albright-Travis Temple-Kadera Brown-Qadirah MonroeSamantha Daniel-Ronald Dayvault-Abigail Faircloth-Nathan Williams-Madison Strang-Hydeia Nutt-Reeve Ashcraft-Ebony Gilchrist-Ian Kelty
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s the sun sets, it appears as if Prince George shuts down. There just are not many options for students to spend their time at night- especially when most businesses are closing around nine PM. This was never more evident than on July 8th. According to the ProgressIndex, on July 8, over 150 students from across the Tri-Cities joined together at Temple Park to play a game of manhunt, a game similar to hide-and-seek. This game had become a Monday night tradition for the summer to provide students with a fun activity that all of their fiends could participate in. On this particular night though, several students were given tickets for trespassing and others faced legal ramifications later. As a result their Monday night tradition ended.
The problem that caused this news-breaking event is the fact that there just isn’t anything more entertaining to do. Some community members think it is better that the police stopped them before anything happened. The one solution that could meet both sides’ need is more activities for students. For example, the park and recreational centers could host events or social gatherings at night instead of making those areas off limits at night when teenagers like to go out. The county could also build places such as a movie theater or mall- a place bored kids could go to without getting in trouble Although adding these things could take away the demographics that makes our county what it is, there has to be someway to provide entertainment past nine o’clockotherwise, students will invent their own form of entertainment.
pple has done it again. Not only one, but two iPhones are new to the smartphone market. That means it is time to fork over a chunk of money for an upgrade that is so much more innovative than past iPhones. Right? The new iPhone 5C and iPhone 5s were released on Sept. 20th, retailed at $100 and $200, respectively, with Carolina Bae contracts to service providers. The biggest change is the new operating system, iOS 7. The new features like the iTunes radio and designs like the lock screen are taking “team iPhone” by storm. However, what is so tempting about the new iPhones when the main difference is only the presence of iOS 7 which is free and available for iPhones 4, 4s, and 5? Sure, the iPhone 5s has the ‘revolutionary’ fingerprint scanner, but Apple is not the first company to come out with a phone with such a feature. The Motorolla ATRIX beat Apple to it. Yes, the diagnosis is grim. The world has a name brand disease. Yes, I have also fallen to this first world problem. Unfortunately it is because people are given the power to judge people on the basis of whether or not a communications device has an apple with a bite taken out of it on the back. Thanks given to human nature and competitiveness. It is inevitable that people will continue to buy Apple, or any other famous company, just because it is an Apple product. So why not take the pocket friendly route? The iPhone 4 is just ninety-nine cents and the free iOS 7 is available for it. It is the name brand disease again with a symptom of letting money be the indicator of how impressive one is to those around him/her. The solution is balance. Maybe people can learn to take a slice of humble pie and have the products they want with a sense of practicality. After all, the iPhone 6 is projected to come out in 2014, and do we really want the cycle to repeat again?
THURSDAY 10.10.13 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 3
op/ED
Do Populated Classes Help or Hurt Students? Students are faced with more students in classrooms than previous years. Some say it hinders learning, while others say it can be beneficial to students in the long run.
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o multiple students, large classes may seem like a huge headache filled with tons of voices and too much body heat. However, have you figured out how much populated classes can help you more than hurt you? By having more students in class, we as students and people are able to grow not only as teenagers but adults as well. Full classes give us the unique opportunity to work and see other walks of life other than our own. It lets students learn from other students and see what studying and learning habits work best for them. The habit of communicating better with teachers can also improve. Even though most of our teachers offer time after school to talk to them, rarely do we take advantage of it. Since the opportunity to talk one-on-one with the teachers is gone with their attention spread thin, setting up appointments with teachers is a vital objective to help keep your grades up. Not only does talking with teachers keep that honor roll in sight, but also large classes often push students to stand out from the crowd. Getting put in a populated class gives the student the opportunity to work hard and do their absolute best. Being pushed to work harder should seem as more of a positive than negative. “Most” of us after high school hope to attend college, and in college, large classes, especially freshmen year, are the norm. According to admissions.yale.edu/teaching-and-advising, 40 of their classes offered enroll more than 100 students. This makes a class with 25+ students seem like a cakewalk. To the majority of the student population now, large classes may seem like a hindrance, but the skills and teacher communication techniques that are learned this year will prove priceless later in life and in college. Independence is a lesson better learned earlier than later.
PRO CON Danielle MarsHall
Tiana Kelly
“...Full classes give us the unique opportunity to work and see other walks of life other than our own...”
“...Many think that having large classes help prepare students for college but in reality it could be setting them up too soon...”
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ith students in transition from junior high and new students coming from across the nation because of Fort Lee, there has been an overcrowding in not only classes, but lunches as well. The National Education Association (NEA) says that 15 students in a class is a perfect teacher to student ratio. A 29 to 1 student to teacher ratio is not good. It does not give much opportunity for the students to talk individually to the teacher. Less attention is on one student because the teacher has 28 other students to tend to. It can be difficult for a student who needs help but is scared to ask for help or questions in front their fellow peers. For many student in large classes, the only time to receive help is after school, when they have extra activities. With a lot of students some questions can’t be answered. The teacher may try their best to give the class their full attention and sometimes the only time they can help them is during extra time extra help or after school. Teachers may have a difficult time interacting with students or trying to know what each student is thinking. There can also be many distractions with overpopulated classes. Sure there can be distractions in any class, but with more students it is harder to pin point the distractions or minimize them. Many think that having large classes help prepare students for college but in reality it could be setting them up too soon. The attention span is shorter when there are more students in a class. Less students pay attention. Thirty-one students in a high school class is different when there are 60 students in a college class because there is more room and it is not as crowded.
Making the Grade Making the Grade is the staff’s report card for student interest topics.
A+
Spirit Week and the preparation leading up to it excites students for Homecoming.
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No school for students on Columbus Day, Oct 14th.
B
PSAT available for sophomores and juniors on Oct. 19th, giving many ideas about actual SAT scores.
D
Extreme temperatures within the building make students and teachers frustrated and freezing.
4 | THE ROYAL NEWS |THURSDAY 10.10.13
THURSDAY 10.10.13 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 5
NEWS BRIEFS
Students Participate in Spirit Week Spirit Week is Oct. 21-25 and students can participate in this by dressing as the theme of each day and helping decorate their class wall. Each wall will have their own decade. Footage of Spirit Week will be on trnwired.org. DECA Holds Kickball Tournament There will be a kickball tournament sponsored by FBLA and DECA on Oct. 30 at 3:00 PM in the gym. Eight to ten people can be on a team and it’s two dollars per person. Players can wear costumes.
Briefly Halloween Originating from the Celtic culture, Halloween is celebrated now simply for a good time and trick-or-treating. The Celtics had bonfires and costumes to keep ghosts away. Later in the 700’s, Pope Gregory III hailed Nov. 1 as a day to give respect to martyrs and saints. The night before Nov. 1 was called All Hallow’s Eve, which is now known as Halloween.
Homecoming Dance Nears The Homecoming Dance will be held on Oct. 26 in the commons. The dance will be from 8:00-11:00 PM. Tickets are being sold in the commons during lunch blocks. Columbus Day Allows Day Off On Oct. 14, students have this Monday off from school. Teachers and staff are required to report to school and work on this day.
10 Historic Events in October 1. Ford Model T manufactured Oct. 2, 1908 2. Berlin Wall went down Oct. 3, 1990 3. First woman walked on the moon Oct. 11, 1984 4. President Roosevelt was shot Oct. 14, 1912 5. “I Love Lucy” premiered Oct. 15, 1951 6. Anesthesia was introduced Oct. 16, 1847 7. Louisiana Purchase ratified Oct. 20, 1803 8. Harvard was founded Oct. 28, 1636 9. Stock Market crashed Oct. 29, 1929 10. Gandhi was assassinated Oct. 31, 1984 Source: aboutfamouspeople.com
United Nations Day This day on Oct. 24 symbolizes the formation of the UN Charter that was established in 1945. It’s been celebrated since 1948, but it was made an official holiday in 1971. The UN consists of the Big Five, which are the US, Russia, the UK, China, and France, as well as other countries around the globe. United Nations deals with world-wide affairs and works to solve problems that surface around the world.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month This month is set aside to raise awareness of breast cancer and provide information about it. National Breast Cancer Awareness Month has been creating awareness for over twentyfive years, striving to have women take charge of their breast health.
6 | THE ROYAL NEWS | THURSDAY 10.10.13
Prince George Fire & EMS Proudly supports the Royals and wish you a great year! Help us celebrate Fire Prevention Month by honoring our firefighters for their dedication and professionalism in providing excellent services to our citizens. (804) 722-8614
THURSDAY 10.10.13 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 7
FEATURES
Internet Changes Affect Students Restrictions on Internet Access on School Computers Block File Sharing Sites
NUMBERS
95
Ninety five percent of students surveyed use Google as a resource for school.
Devan Fishburne sports editor
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chool has been back in session for only a few weeks now, but the 20132014 school year has already brought some big technological changes to the schools. Students are not able to access any site used for file sharing, such as Google Drive and Gmail, due to the county’s firewall system. A system like this is implemented to prevent anything obscene from being viewed on any school computer. “We are required by federal law to have an internet content filter,” Director of Prince George County Public Schools’ technology department, John Brockwell, said. “CIPA, which is the Child Internet Protection Act, says that we have to filter any pornographic or adult related images, stories, or webpages of any type. That’s why we’re forced to have [the firewall] by law.” Although the firewall helps keep school computers safe, some students are frustrated by the restrictions that have been put in place. Junior Hannah Collins is one of these students. The firewall affects her researching for a project in her Independent Study class. “I have this class every other day where I have to do research and most of the best websites for information were blocked,” Collins said. Other students have also been affected by most Google affiliations being blocked. Of 100 history students surveyed, 95 say they use Google as a research resource for school. Twenty two of those 100 say they use Google Drive in school, and 44 say that Google Drive being blocked in schools is a problem. So one would ask, if a percentage of students rely on these websites that are now blocked, why block them? “What we filter is determined by school policy that we set up, the federal government says there are things we have to filter,” Brockwell said. “We choose to filter other things based on what is good for the school system. We’ve had to filter something because, even though it doesn’t seem like adult content, some students find a way to pull adult content out.“
BY THE
22
Twenty two percent have used Google Drive in school prior to the installation of the new firewall.
68
Another reason the filter is in place is to save bandwidth. “We found that by blocking Google images we save a lot of bandwidth,” Brockwell said. “Bandwidth is very important to the school system.” Bandwidth is taken up when certain websites, like those that provide e-mail, are used. “We [also] found that with mail issues, we had a couple of cases where students were bullying and threatening the students sitting right next to them,” Brockwell said. The firewall system is currently being implemented along with a new parent portal, Tyler SIS. The Tyler SIS software may be an updated version of Portal, but the two technology systems resemble each other greatly. “The main thing is, it’s a truly web based system which makes it easier to use, you can access it whenever you have Internet connection, and parent portal has a lot more information,” Brockwell said. “[Tyler SIS] still tracks students information so the basic purpose has not changed.” The introduction of a new parent portal was greeted with mixed reviews from the students and their parents. Brockwell believes the system will be beneficial to the county. “It allows the parents a broader insight into the student’s information,” Brockwell said. Each piece of Prince George’s new technology layout is in place to provide for a safe learning environment. The newest piece of technology that
Sixty eight percent of students surveyed use Google ‘s search engine for research. Junior Hannah Collins tries to access a creative writing blog to use as research for her Independent Study class. Photo by Mallory Cox. will potentially be added would be the use of WIFI in the schools. Students would be able to use their phones to take notes, record lectures, and even do research all at the click of a button. This plan is being tested at South Elementary, which this year became the first school in the county to go wireless. Allowing students to use their resources would broaden the way we think about learning, but these advancements are also met with some challenges that prevent the plan from being enacted in all schools yet. “If we have WIFI hot spots like Starbucks and McDonalds or any other places like that, all night we would have people parked in the parking lot surfing the web,” Brockwell said. “As we pull in the wireless, and that’s going to become more and more prevalent in the school district, the filter will allow us to put policies in place that decide what the wireless devices that we don’t recognize can access.” As the years go by, the technologies students have access to are widely expanding. Each day brings a new advancement, so much that by 3013 who knows where we will be.
78 Seventy eight percent have not used Google Drive before in school.
44
Forty four percent of students surveyed think that Google Drive being blocked in school is a problem.
56 Fifty six percent think that Google Drive being blocked is not a problem and should continue.
100 students were surveyed by The Royal News in their history classes.
THURSDAY 10.10.13 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 8
Features
Ghost Tours Highlight Paranormal History Tours Of Richmond Scare With Spooky Stories, Local Legends
TOP TEN Ghosts
50 history students were asked by The Royal News about their favorite ghosts, from ancient legends to TV shows of today.
10 9 8 7 6 5
Stay Puft Marshmallow Man (Ghostbusters)
Mandarin (Iron Man)
Christina Buckles news editor
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ar ghosts, haunted houses, and abandoned buildings are all part of the Ghost Tours in Richmond. On weekends, teachers Marcia Edmundson and Elizabeth Houlihan give walking tours around the Poe Museum in Richmond. These guides aren’t meant to simply inform, but to scare. In Richmond, there are many peculiar and creepy stories to be told around this time of year. “We have a few historic neighborhoods,” Edmundson said. “We take folks around and tell them some of the history of things that happened in some of the buildings, and also some of the creepier aspects of what people have experienced.” This company, Haunts of Richmond, is connected to the Poe Museum and also conducts haunted houses as well as these walking tours. The walking tours started nine years ago after the haunted houses were established in October 2004. The company Edmundson works for runs a seasonal haunted house. “They used to run it year round in Shockoe Bottom and people would come by and say ‘The haunted house is great but what about the walking tour?’” Edmundson said. Since people really wanted ghost tours, the company worked to create some. Edmundson and Houlihan both strive to make the tours as interesting and as spooky as possible through Richmond’s history. “I’ve also helped research and develop a new tour called the Pub Crawl and I will occasionally
The Headless Horseman (Legend of Sleepy Hollow)
Moaning Myrtle (Harry Potter) The “Tomb of the Richmond Vampire.” Haunts of Richmond stops here to tell the story of the vampire. Photo by Marcia Edmundson. help with the haunted house side of the business with buildings,” Houlihan said. Each tour focuses on one certain part of Richmond’s spooky history. These tours include Shadows of Shockoe, Church Hill Chillers, and Phantoms of Franklin. Houlihan shares an insight into what a tour is like, being a tour guide herself. “We start at the Poe Museum and talk about three or four of the different buildings on location there,” Houlihan said. “From there we will go out to what is now known as Remnant, which used to be Laser Quest, and it was Florida’s hospital during the civil war.” From there, guides take people to the Churchill train tunnel where there was a collapse many years ago. They continue to the Cold Harbor building to share more stories and history. There is a ‘Richmond Vampire’ in the city as well that’s connected to the Hollywood Cemetery. Houlihan tells of how the Richmond Vampire story can be found on Google, which makes it even more legitimate. “We go down to the Seventeenth Street Mar-
ket to the original YMCA in town which now is the home of Rosie Connolly’s Irish pub and city bar and shop house,” Houlihan said. “We have a website where people can buy their tickets online at www.hauntsofrichmond. com and we always recommend that folks get their tickets ahead of time because getting into this time of year tours will sell out,” Edmundson said. People can also buy tickets at the door before the walking tours start that evening. The tours are done despite the weather conditions. Walking through the tour is one thing, but Houlihan declares it’s a blast to actually be the guide. “It’s great being able to meet different people from all over the country and being able to share the history of the city and to just tell the spooky things that have happened to myself and other people in the buildings,” Houlihan said.
Danny Phantom (Danny Phantom)
Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come (A Christmas Carol)
4 3 2 1
Blinky (Pac-Man)
Boo (Super Mario)
The Flying Dutchman (Spongebob Squarepants)
Casper (Casper the Friendly Ghost)
10 | THE ROYAL NEWS | THURSDAY 10.10.13
Robert Major Wilkinson, Jr. President
Office: 434.246.2666 Fax: 434.246.2103 Cell: 804.720.0225 20250 South crater Road P.O. Box 31 Carson, Virginia 23830
THURSDAY 10.10.13 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 11
Features
Student Employees Visit Children’s Ward Photos by.
Workers at Food Lion Travel to Hospital to See How Donations Affect Patients Deborah Gardner ads editor
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any people become satisfied with making a donation at places that offer the option to give money to any organization being benefited. A local Food Lion has teamed up with The Children’s Hospital at the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in order to get a deeper understanding for how far a single dollar could go. One of the managers at Food Lion thought it would be a more humbling experience if the people who wanted to, visited the children’s ward at the Medical Center.
The Food Lion participants have been carpooling to the Medical Center as of Sept. 19. The manager of the Food Lion Heather Scott has set up with Rachel Bruni, a Children’s Miracle Network representative, tour dates that Food Lion workers will be going to volunteer in helping the children. “I started this because everyone had a lack of enthusiasm and it was a little disheartening to see that,” Scott said. “And also, to raise more money for the children.” Scott felt that it was important for her associates to realize the money they were raising was more than just a donation. “We also wanted to see where our money went to and to see how much of an impact we had on the children around us,” Scott said. In addition to seeing the children at the ward, they also toured the hospital and were the first group to tour the trauma center that the money raised had provided. “It was cool seeing the rooftop garden on the top of the building because it gave the kids somewhere to go besides their rooms,” worker Helonia Gowins said. These experiences give people inspiration and hope for other things. “It inspired me to be more persistent in
asking for donations because we got to see where the money went to,” worker Kristi Barnhill said. One of the workers in particular felt a personal connection after the first day of visiting the hospital. “The sentimental connection that I had with the trip was just being there because when my little brother was six, he was treated in the same spot (VCU Medical Center),” Gowins said. She also recalled another moment she had after her arrival. “The most heartbreaking moment was seeing a little girl with a ventilator in her chest,” Gowins said. One of the workers, Brianna McKay, has been working at Food Lion for a year and two months. “I used to not ask people to donate but now I take the initiative to ask people because now I know for a fact it is saving people’s lives,” McKay said. It is important for something that would have a lasting impact on more than just one group of people to continue in the future. “This is our first year, but as long as I am in this position, I plan on doing this yearly,” Scott said.
Helonia Gowins, a Food Lion employee, passes off proof of donation to customer Shawn Fitzpatrick. Photo by Deborah Gardner. Scott has only gotten approval for her Food Lion workers to visit and volunteer for the Children’s Ward but whoever wants to make a contribution to the hospital is able to donate. “My favorite part of the trip was seeing the trauma center,” Heather Scott said. “My group was the only group that visited the center the Food Lion built with the donated money,” The visits overall not only bring a sense of relief and hope to the kids at the hospital, but also a better understanding to anyone donating of what a small donation can build up to. “Visiting the Emergency Room, which was designed specifically for the children to make them feel more at ease, was important because the hospital is not supposed to be a scary place,” Barnhill said. “It is a place for the children to get well.”
12 | THE ROYAL NEWS | THURSDAY 10.10.13
Spirit Week Survival Guide
I
Debra Thomas a&e editor
n Prince George, school spirit is popular among many of the students. It is clear at pep rallies and sporting events. However, one of the most spirited times is Homecoming’s Spirit Week. Spirit Week has been described as a time that brings the students together as a whole, and a time for students to show their royal pride. It gives them an opportunity to act goofy and have fun. “Spirit Week is fun because you take an average school week and transform it into a crazy and exciting time with costumes, competitions, and a pep rally,” SGA president Kenneth Kidd said. “It makes the clock tick a little faster.” As opposed to previous years, this year the student body was able to choose three of the five days (dress like your wall day and green and gold day were nonnegotiable). “We [SGA members] decided [on
Monday
this] basically because they [the students] get to pick what they want, and that is what student government is about,” Junior Class President Jessie Honaker said. Based on votes, the student body chose Duck Dynasty/Camo Day, Pink Out Day, and Twin Day. However, the SGA has elected to replace Pink Out Day with Old Person Day and assign Oct. 11 as Pink Out Day. SGA Vice President Cindy King said that a must do for spirit week is participation. It makes the students “more excited for the games and more fun.” Spirit Week is filled with many activities in which students can participate. Students play games during lunch blocks and have activities at the Homecoming game. “Seeing how the students always get involved” is something that Edmundson and many SGA members look forward to each year. Not only does participating in Spirit Week encourage SGA members, but it also motivates the football team as they prepare to battle their opponents. “It gets me motivated to play football be-
Tuesday
cause it shows that we are playing for a reason,” senior Isaiah Truell said. This year’s homecoming the Royals are playing against the Matoaca Warriors. “Having students participate is important because it helps bring the student body together and helps the football team know that they have a good student body supporting them,” senior senator Ashton Allin. The question remains: how does one survive Spirit Week? “One survives Spirit Week by participating as much as possible, keeping an open mind about the spirit days and other peoples’ methods of participating, having fun, and remembering that Spirit Week is to instill as much school spirit into the student body as possible,” SGA public relations officer Taylor Stevenson said. The popular opinion is to just participate in all things spirit and homecoming. “You have to participate in the [spirit] days and activities, because if you don’t you’re going to miss out on an experience,” junior Winn Watson said. Some students’ opinions on surviving
Wednesday
Thursday
Spirit Week are similar. In a survey conducted with 100 students the five most popular Spirit Week responses were: attending the pep rally, having green and gold attire, decorating the class walls purchasing a ticket to the homecoming game, and participating. “Spirited unification is what describes Spirit Week because it is really important to participate in all the high school activities that you can,” Stevenson said. “You only have three spirit weeks, and you do not want to look back and wish that you had participated in all of them.”
Visit trnwired.org for coverage of spirit week.
Friday
21 22 23 24 25 Old Person Twin Day Match Your Green and Duck Wall Day Gold Day Dynasty/ Day (Decades Themed) Camo Day
THURSDAY 10.10.13 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 13
What is Important?
91% of students believe the Pep Rally is one of the most vital parts of Spirit Week
s, s n s, g
82% of students believe that participation is
s o s e o d
Above: Juniors Winn Watson and Nick Tritschler are showing off their crazy style on Wacky Wednesday. Below: Senior Eric Watkins competes in a spirit week tricycle game. Left: Junior Ally Renn shows off her Wacky Tacky Day attire. Photos By: Genevieve Perez
one of the most vital parts of Spirit Week
81% of students believe having green and gold attire is one of the most vital parts of Spirit Week
51% of students believe decorating class walls is one of the most vital parts of Spirit Week
44%
of students believe that a ticket to the Homecoming game is one of the most vital parts of Spirit Week
100 students were asked for their top 5 choices out of 10.
14 | THE ROYAL NEWS | THURSDAY 10.10.13
4550 Crossings Boulevard Prince George, VA 23875
(804) 458-5229
Contact Us:
THURSDAY 10.10.13 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 15
A&E
10 Minutes
PG Players Commence Competition Season 10
to PlaceS 10 things an actor should do 10 minutes before a performance
PG theatre troupe prepares for competition show
Remember your lines
Pre-show rituals
Sarah Daniel doubletruck editor
J
unior Matalin Collins is ready to step out on stage and perform. Multiple thoughts ricochet through her mind. Not only is remembering her lines and cues a priority, but the moments before going on stage are when tries to calm herself before going on stage. Collins acts like it’s just another rehearsal to reduce the nerves. After the performance she feels accomplished and excited. “It’s really not about if we won or not,” Collins said. “It’s mainly about feeling like we did well and [about] having fun.” The PG Players are entering the Virginia Theatre Association (VTA) competition, as they do annually. They will be performing “Thy Life’s a Miracle,” a compilation of works by William Shakespeare. The Players held auditions on Sept. 16, and are now preparing for their performance at the end of October. Daryl Phillips, the director and playwright, has been directing since his junior year of high school in 1974. He has been directing plays for the VTA competition for eight years. He wrote the play by taking pieces from Shakespeare’s works and creating a story out of it. Phillips takes a positive outlook on each play that he directs. “You never know what’s going to be the most difficult part,” Phillip said. “I never think about what might go wrong.” In order to audition, students were expected to be prepared to do an improvisation and have an eight to twelve line poem, of their choice, to read.
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Hair & make-up touch-ups
Junior Matalin Collins rehearses her lines for “Thy Life’s A Miracle”. Photo by Sarah Daniel Phillips describes the process of rehearsal as “organized failure,” where they try over and over again until they find something that works. This play tells the story of a group of actors from a Shakespeare theatre company. One of the actors has just passed away and his dying wish is for the other actors to perform scenes from Shakespeare in his honor. With a cast of only eight performers, auditions were very competitive and Phillips is confident about the group of students he chose. “I was a little nervous because there were a lot of people auditioning who were really good,” Collins said. “It’s a play about Shakespeare and I wasn’t sure if I could do Shakespeare yet.” This is Collins’ first year participating in a VTA competition. However, Collins participated in the Virginia High School League competition play “Ladies of the Tower” last year. For most of the PG Players, this will not be their first time competing, however, for senior Sarah Fitch this will be her first year participating in a VTA competition. “I do competition plays because the constructive criticism we receive is very helpful and allows [us] to become better performers,”
Check your costume(s)
Fitch said. Fitch, the same as Collins, pariticipated in last year’s VHSL competition. The Players have a great track record for these performances. In years past, the Players have either won or placed. They have also gotten special recognition from judges for elements that they liked about the performance. “We’re being critiqued by judges who have their own personal taste,” Phillip said. “The thing we can control is the quality of work we do” This competition is also an opportunity for seniors to get interest from schools for theatre. Three out of the four seniors from last year are going to schools that were interested in them during the VTA competition. “It really helps for their [college’s] arts programs to recognize you,” Fitch said. Forty-five schools and over 600 students enter this competition every year. Phillips describes it as a place where “like-minded people get together to celebrate theatre” and a place where the students are “totally immersed in theatre.” “I love acting for the thrill of being able to get out there and work hard but have fun at the same time,” Fitch said.
Mic & sound check
Set & check props
Remember choreography
Remember blocking
Remember your lines
Do not be nervous
16 | THE ROYAL NEWS | THURSDAY 10.10.13 Yess! Con. 4 U
d Owne y l i m Fa ! cades e d r fo
Grea Cont t BBQ! act J Nan eff at nysb bq2@ to ha g mail. ve N com your anny’s ca t next event er .
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THURSDAY 10.10.13 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 17
A&E
PG Playlist
Marching Royals Command Competition
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Lindsay Pugh online editor-in-chief
t’s a little after three in the afternoon, and the Marching Royals are running through their first number. “Come on, guys!” Michael Warnock, band sponsor, yells at his 55 Marching Royals. “Did you hear those tempo rips? Let’s do it again.” The entire band reverses back to their former positions at the start of the song and waits for drum major Ashley Bishop to signal for them to begin. Bishop has been taking band classes since middle school. “I joined without knowing what marching band is,” said Bishop who joined the Marching Royals in 2011 as a freshman. “I found out, and I love it. It’s a huge part of my life. I don’t know where I’d be without band.” Her responsibilities as drum major include not only having a thorough understanding of her own music and marching, but to keep the rest of the band on the right track as well. The Marching Royals began to prepare for their marching season in August. Band camp ran from Aug. 12 to Aug. 26. Initially, the band began at eight AM and practiced until four in the afternoon. In the last week, they were granted a slight reprieve from long practices and started at one in the afternoon. Once school began, the Royals began
A list of 10 songs that were voted on from the top 20 songs from the Billboard 100
1. Radioactive Imagine Dragons
2. Holy Grail Jay Z ft. Justin Timberlake
3. We Can't Stop Miley Cyrus
4. Blurred Lines Ashley Bishop, Drum Major, conducts the Marching Royals at the half-time show , Sept. 13.
their new schedule of practices Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday afternoons from three to five. “It all boils down to practice,” Warnock said. “Every year our practice habits get better.” This year, the band’s set list is focused on The Beach Boys. They are performing the songs, “Fun, Fun, Fun”, “In My Room”, “Help Me, Rhonda”, and “I Get Around”. Senior Emily Elmore joined marching band her sophomore year. She became section leader of the winds last year, which she believes is her greatest accomplishment in band to date. Elmore switched to playing marimba this year. “It takes willpower, practice and the ability to be imperfect to be successful in band,” Elmore said. “You’ve got to realize you’ll make mistakes no matter what, and accept you won’t be perfect.” Because her instrument is so large and belongs to the band department, Elmore can only practice during her spare moments. “Before I perform at competition, I am part very nervous, part proud to make it this far, and anxious to see how it all turns out,” Elmore said. Elmore initially joined band because she felt it would be a fun and interesting activity. Her favorite parts of being in band are the football games and the close relation-
Photo by Debra Thomas
Robin Thicke ft. T.I. and Pharrell
5. Roar Katy Perry
ships of the band. “Everyone is accepted in band; we’re kind of like a big family,” Elmore said. “Band has had a very great impact on my life. I’ve made quite a few friends and improved my clarinet and marimba playing. Band teaches instruments and values for later in life.” Throughout the year, the Marching Royals participates in multiple marching and concert competitions, community events, football games, school events, and graduation and convocation, as well performing annual winter and spring concerts. The band has marched at Disney World and in New York City as well. “We’ve won a couple of shiny little trophies- more than a couple,” Warnock said. “We pretty much win awards whenever we go out [to compete].” In the bands last competition at Hermitage, the Marching Royals placed second over all. They also placed first in two categories. “Right before competition, I expect myself to feel nervous,” Bishop said. “But when I’m performing, I’m not at all. I’m having fun when I’m up there performing. ”
6. Applause Lady Gaga
7. Love Somebody Maroon 5
8. Hold On, We're Going Home Drake ft. Majid Jordan
9. Treasure Bruno Mars
10. Royals Lorde Song order was determined from a survey of 100 students and teachers
18 | THE ROYAL NEWS | THURSDAY 10.10.13
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20 | THE ROYAL NEWS | Thursday 10.10.13
Ph toGallery RIGHT: Freshman Kendall Eaton tries hard to keep the ball away from a Thomas Dale opponent. This is Eaton’s first year playing varsity.
BELOW: Senior Whitney Clements stands her ground while trying to get the ball up field. Clements gets the ball and moves forward in an attempt to score a goal.
Visit trnwired.org to see more photos.
ABOVE: Senior Caitlin O’Hare channels her opponent into senior defender Grace Burch in an effort to steal possession. LEFT: Junior Serena Triscari ventures out to over power her opponent to keep the ball from her own goal to attempt to get a break away and score a goal on Thurs.,Sept. 26. The Knights defeated the Royals 1-0. All photos by Devan Fishburne.
Field Hockey Battles the Knights
THURSDAY. 10.10.13 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 21
FAllsports
Butler Balances New Role Coach Butler Takes on New Position as Assistant Athletic Director Mallory Cox features editor
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hat jobs do you do for the school now? How long have you been doing each job?
This is my 8th year teaching history, World History II for the most part, I’ve been a football coach for eight years, and now this is my first year as assistant athletic director. What exactly does the job of being assistant athletic director involve? The biggest two responsibilities would be, for one, field management - the fieldhouse, the football field, etcetera - doing repairs and things like that. I’m working on completing a website for the athletic program and also social media, so one of the new responsibilities is advocating for our students and coaches. We have so many tremendous student athletes and coaches that deserve recognition for all the things they do. What is appealing to you about being assistant athletic director? One of the biggest things is the influence of not just me, but the whole athletic program. It goes beyond the classroom, it involves extracurricular things too. It’s exciting to me because sports, the classroom, the community, it’s all connected. Significant enthusiasm about our athletes and the things they do. I’ve supported student athletes for a few years now, with the football program, and I’d like to be able to take that support to the next level. The athletic programs teach skills that are used on and off the field. Any former student athlete - or current student athlete, for that matter - would tell you that the skills they gained from their experiences were useful in every part of their lives, not just sports.
Which job do you think is going to be the most time consuming? Right now, the most demanding job for me is being a dad. That’s really my main focus right now. I’ve got a four-monthold at home now, , and although my other responsibilities are important, the most important thing for me is to make sure I’m a good dad. Other than that, I’m expecting that being assistant athletic director is going to be the most time consuming, but it’s hard to say, because each [job] is connected. How are you going to make sure that the time you devote to each of your jobs is fairly balanced? One way is establishing clear, taskoriented goals. I have to be very detail oriented in accomplishing things. I have to be diligent in time management and utilizing the technology and resources I have. It really comes down to setting goals, making a plan, and not letting other things get in the way. An obstacle in doing that, though, is that things will come up that you don’t plan for, and the biggest challenge is accounting for those things. With the homecoming game and those events coming up, is the burden of your two other jobs bringing you any added stress as a coach? How do you plan on handling that? It’s not so much stress as a coach, more as a person, really. So much of homecoming is about more than just the athletes; it’s about the other people that make it special too. I try not to look at it as stress; I look at it more like excitement. I want the excitement of that night [of the homecoming game] to be there every Friday night. Are you at all concerned about juggling these responsibilities? Sure, I’m concerned. I have concern, but not fear that I won’t get the jobs done. I’ve been lucky enough to have certain people, like parents, teachers, coaches, all of those people, who helped prepare me for this opportunity by teaching me time management, planning, and selfdiscipline. I’m more excited than worried. Honestly, I think other people are more concerned for me than I am for my own self.
Photo by Abaigail Faircloth
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT Caitlin O’Hare Field Hockey
When did you start playing field hockey? “I started in the fifth grade for the Prince George rec team.” What position do you play? “I play center midfield.” What is your favorite game time memory? “Last season finishing the game against Hopewell and hearing the whistle knowing we were being advanced to regionals.” What are your personal goals for the season? “I plan to continue to be a role model to my team as a captain and also advance to conference play.” Who inspires you to play? “Morgan Parrish was the first one to come out and tell me to play.” What’s the best part of being field hockey? “Being able to hang out with the team.” Does playing on another schools field affect the way you play? “I get more excited to play at other schools. It’s more of a motivation to beat a team on their home field.” What are some improvements the team could make? “There is always room for skills to be polished. Overall I can’t be happier with my team.”
22 | THE ROYAL NEWS | THURSDAY 10.10.13
THURSDAY 10.10.13 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 23
FallSports Kitchen Brings New Plan For Program A player who plays back row exclusively and wears ently, coaches have different coaching styles. a different color jersey so Kitchen’s coaching style is influenced by his referees know that they can experience playing outdoor and club volleysubstitute at will. ball. Photo by Daniel Puryear “[My coaching style is] from a lot of experi-
Boys Varsity Volleyball Coach Overcomes First Year Challenges Carolina Bae opinions editor
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xcitement, sweat, and the echoes of the volleyball against players’ hands fill the gymnasium. Spectator’s eyes follow the ball closely, but the most anxious eyes are those of the coach, Lonnie Kitchen. This is Kitchen’s second year as part of the Prince George faculty. He teaches construction technology and production systems. However, this year is his first as the boys’ varsity volleyball coach. He was the assistant coach last year. “I run my company full time and I teach full time,” Kitchen said. When starting the season, Kitchen said the team had some work to do, but he is optimistic about how the season will turn out. “We have a lot of talent,” Kitchen said. “We can be very good. I just have to get the kids to buy in to my coaching style.” The turnout for tryouts had Kitchen at a disadvantage. Other high school sports such as football and basketball have very loyal followings by fans and players alike. “The biggest struggle we faced was not enough people tried out,” Kitchen said. “Volleyball is not a popular boy’s sport.” The team faced some hardships during the season as well. Kitchen has been working with the team to overcome these. “We haven’t been running the plays as well as we do in practice,” senior outside and middle hitter Bryant Marks said. Even with struggles, the team is improving. Marks explained that during a practice, Kitchen would stop the scrimmage and teach the players how to execute the moves properly. Just like how teachers each teach differ-
TOP 10 VOLLEYBALL TERMS TO KNOW 1. KILL 6. SETTER 2. BLOCK 7. SERVE 3. DIG 8. JOUST 4. ACE 9. HIT 5. LIBERO 10. TIPS A hit that scores a point while touching a maximum of one person. Putting one’s hands above the net in an attempt to stop the opposing team’s hit.
A successful pass off of a hit.
A serve that scores a point while touching a maximum of one person. A player who plays back row exclusively and wears a different color jersey so referees know that they can substitute at will.
A player whose purpose is to pass the ball to another player so that they can hit. When a player tosses the ball upwards, strikes it sending it to the other side. When two players from both teams, both playing front row, try to push an uncontrolled ball. A player receives a pass from the setter & strikes down at the ball from a point above the net. When a player approaches the net as if they are going to hit, but instead they push the ball just behind the opposing team’s blocker.
ence,” Kitchen said. “[I have] never had any professional training or anything.” Junior Christopher Riley Rakes noticed the difference in coaching styles and appreciates Kitchen’s approach to it. “He’s more lenient but holds us to a high standard, because he knows we can perform well,” Rakes said “He’s reasonable and understands us well.” Kitchen’s approach to coaching is also admired by Marks who is grateful for the way Kitchen will teach the team what is wrong and will help to fix those problems. “I like that he’s enthusiastic and knows what to do,” Marks said. “He has a game plan.” His change with the team was adding more movement. Kitchen runs plays with more footwork than previous years. “We’re much more fluid than last year,” Rakes said. Practices are from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM every weekday. They consist of drills and team scrimmages. One of the team’s advantages this season is that there are many players who have played together for several years in the past. Kitchen says he expects the same for next year. Kitchen also admires the team’s bonding, especially through their pre-game chant. They recite the Nebraska Cornhuskers’ football chant that is shouted line by line by one player and repeated by the rest of the team. The encouraging chant ends with the team saying that they will improve ‘day by day.’ “I think things are looking up for us,” Rakes said. Kitchen shares Rakes’s optimism for the season and has confidence in the team. “I think we’re going to impress some schools,” Kitchen said. “We’re definitely on the rise.”
Go to www.trnsports.org to see a girl’s volleyball photo gallery.
Upcoming
Events
Varsity Field Hockey travels to Thomas Dale at 4:00 . on Mon., Oct 14.
Varsity Girls Volleyball travels to Thomas Dale 7:15 p.m. on Tues.,Oct 15.
Varsity Cross Country competes against Hopewell at 4:30 p.m. on Wed., Oct 16.
Kitchen Brings New Coaching Style
Royals Football Depends On Strong Running Attack Senior running back Isiah Mason eludes a tackler from Petersburg on Friday, Sept. 27. The Royals fell to the Crimson Wave 20-28. Photo by Debra Thomas.
Go to www. trnsports.org to view the latest sports articles.