December 2015 by crimsoncrier

Ball is Life

the

Alumnus shares story of endurance, determination

Crimson

Crier

Thursday, Dec.10, 2015

Volume XXVI

Read more on

Issue IV

pgs 10-11

Becoming

How ‘bout them

apples

Kaylyn Jones Reporter

People tend to let labels define who they are, but senior Carrie Gore is a completely different story.

second mother. “Miss Amy is a good person. I love to be by her side at all times [and] I like to help her. She is a wonderful teacher,” Carrie said. On the r o a d

Born with a hole in her heart, doctors advised her parents to “take her home and love her,” and that is exactly what they did. With this common application in Down syndrome babies surgery is usually required, but Carrie fought back and, a year later, her heart was healed. “God took away our doubts and replaced them with joy,” mother Kathy Gore said. “We trusted God and believed whatever he gave us was a gift. Carrie to becoming the girl she is just loves life and each day today, Carrie has also been she gets to do the things she influenced by her two sisters, loves.” Katy and Claire. Kathy says Those things include they did not treat Carrie jogging, coloring, Auburn any differently from her two football, watching her older sisters and they all favorite television show, Full encouraged her and cheered House, and, of course, her her on. beloved Sparkman High “I love my sisters. One School. Carrie has attended lives in Destin and the the school for six years and will graduate this May. “I have good friends here and good teachers. I have a lot of fun. It’s the only thing that I truly love and Senior Carrie Gore I’m going to miss it when I graduate,” Alsup have done activities other one in Mobile. Katy Carrie said. over the summer and during is married. Before she got other breaks. Alsup has married, we would spend taken Carrie to work with Christmas Eve nights Present According to Kathy, her at Free2Teach, which together in our parents’ bed. We are very close,” Carrie Carrie would not be the Carrie enjoyed immensely. “Since I met Carrie six said. girl she is today if she had With her “social not received such a solid years ago, she is much more education. When Carrie responsible and more of a butterfly” personality, Carrie was six-weeks-old, early take-charge type of person. may be the most popular intervention began. She went She has improved social girl at school. She says the through years of speech and skills and is almost ready for best memory she has of occupational therapy to learn the workforce,” Alsup said. Sparkman is the day she met her best friend, Conner. basic skills such as eating, “I just love her.” Carrie sees Alsup as a And her list of friends does getting dressed, writing and

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not end there. “The kids at Sparkman are a special group that I am grateful for. They were kind to her and accepted her for who she is,” Kathy said.” She has a few that have graduated that will still text her and come see her and take her to lunch when they are home. For her, it’s the best thing ever. Once you are Carrie’s f r i e n d you will experience what real love and friendship is.”

Future Carrie hopes to continue her time at Sparkman, but this time as an employee. She wants to return next year to help Alsup in the Sparkman Learning Community wing. “Yes, she wants to return to help me. And so far the idea has not had any resistance,” Alsup said. Looking at the world through Carrie’s eyes is a beautiful, funny place. Learning how to truly embrace Down syndrome has become a big part of her life. Her emotions are raw and shine through the surface. She does not worry about popularity statuses or what the latest gossip is; instead she aspires to touch the lives of the people around her, including her school family. “She is a success story because we know her life is filled with joy and love and happiness, and whatever God has planned, we will embrace,” Kathy said. “We have always called Carrie our angel. She is our gift from God.”

[Sparkman] is the only thing that I truly love and I’m going to miss it when I graduate.

@TheCrimsonCrier The Crimson Crier

crimsoncriernews.com

“

Past

using a computer. It took Carrie longer to do just about everything, but she eventually did everything she wanted to do. At exactly two years old, Carrie began walking. With low muscle tone, it was more difficult for her to take those first steps. When it was time for Carrie to enter high school, an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) helped her parents plan her classes for the year and ensured that she got the help she needed. “It was important that Carrie got the help she needed, such as speech therapists [and] aides to help her during transition times for classes so she could learn as much as she could and so she was safe and happy and felt accomplishment in her own way.,” Kathy said. “At Sparkman High especially, she felt like just another teenager.” This is where Carrie met special education teacher Amy Alsup. The two quickly became the perfect match. Over the years, Carrie and

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Photo by Madison Harding

Student shares love of school, looks to future

Massey shares deal that provides fresh fruit alternative in schools Camille Herren Reporter

ecently, superintendent Matt Massey informed all employees of the Madison County School district that in August 2012, a partnership between local farms and the school system began. The Farm Food Collaborative brings fresh fruits to county schools rather than having fruits shipped across the country. This movement has given Madison County students locally grown fruits through Will Scott of Scott’s Orchard. “Madison County Schools is partnering with the Food Bank of North Alabama. We are working on a project called a local food hub. The point of it is to connect local farmers with schools, cafeterias and grocery stores so that we can create greater healthier food access in North Alabama,” Executive Director of the Food Bank of North Alabama Kathryn Stricklin said.“Typically, a local farmer can provide fresh food as opposed to fruits traveling across the country or even across borders on ships or trucks before it arrives on your kitchen table.” Stricklin says this partnership gives students good nutrition and promotes a healthy diet. She believes that it is good for people to ask questions about where their food is actually coming from. “The aim is to promote healthy food choices and support members of our own community who work as farmers. North Alabama has lost over 2,000 farms, so the main aim of the project is to help local farmers and create bright futures for young farmers in Alabama,” Stricklin said. Cafeteria manager Tammy Hudson says that this project gives back to the community and it is a beneficial relationship. The students get fresh, nutritious fruit and jobs in the agricultural industry rise due to the increased demand for locally grown fruits. “They’re not only giving to the community but they’re also producing employment. They participate in the Lots of Love program for children, which donates food to underprivileged children who don’t have the things we have to eat. We use Scott’s Orchard and our sweet potatoes come from Cullman. We get these foods at a cheaper price, it’s fresh and it hasn’t been with a lot of pesticides,” Hudson said. According to Hudson, foods in grocery stores have chemicals to preserve them and hold their color. These fruits and other kinds of foods are boxed and given straight to the school instead of having chemicals put into them. “This project puts money into the local community and it’s also better for our allergies because pesticides puts allergens in our body,” sophomore Natalie Craney said. Hudson notes that even though there is fresh fruit put into the school, students still don’t always eat right. She thinks that they need to make healthy choices and habits in their life.

Photos courtesy of the Gore family

Found Inside

Fruit cont. on pg 3

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News pgs. 2-3 Opinion pgs. 4-5 Sports pg. 6 Lifestyles pgs. 7-8 In-Depth pgs. 10-11 A&E pgs. 9,12

The Crimson Crier

2 Dec. 10, 2015

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Local organization changes the lives of the homeless Sidney Al-Dijaili Reporter

W W

hile some spend their Saturdays tailgating and cheering on their favorite college football team, Theresa Wilson and her ever-growing group of volunteers with Team Hope project are out in rain, freezing temperatures and scorching heat, using their time to help the homeless. Caravanning in their vehicles, Team Hope travels from camp to camp throughout Huntsville delivering clothes, hot meals, supplies and biblical words of encouragement. “I serve the food out of the back of my vehicle and usually serve about 100 homeless people every week,” Wilson said. Where Team Hope ministers and volunteers, the conditions in which the homeless live can only be described as brutal. Food is scarce, violence and death are prevalent. The things that we often take for granted such as running water, electricity and a bed are nonexistent. The cold, damp overpasses in

which they spend their lives are infested with rodents. The tents and cardboard boxes some homeless live in are no match for Mother Nature’s forces when the weather becomes turbulent. “I have been brought to my knees at the sight of how my homeless friends live on a daily basis,” Wilson said. Though the conditions in which the homeless live are horrendous, Wilson and her fellow volunteers show love and compassion as they hand out hot food that varies from biscuits and gravy to lasagna. They also share words of wisdom and encouragement from the Bible. The hot food that Team Hope provides fills the bellies of many of the homeless, but the words of the scripture warms their hearts. Many take advantage of transportation BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE Theresa Wilson and Chuck Payne pose for a provided by Team Hope picture out in the cold. Photo courtesy of Theresa Wilson and begin attending church and lunches at Wilson’s Team Hope’s tireless work share the hope of Jesus with home. in volunteering with the the hurt, lost, lonely and “We sit at the dining homeless, they have shown forgotten.’ room table and we talk, that not only is their mission “Many of our homeless laugh and minister to one to help give the homeless friends, who were never another,” Wilson said. warm meals and essential interested in anything Through her and supplies, but they strive to “Godly” now come up to

us and ask for prayer and to go to church. It is truly amazing,” Wilson said. By doing this, Wilson and the Team Hope volunteers have brought food and scripture to over 200 people. Of those 200 people is Chuck Payne. Before Team Hope, Payne was living in miserable conditions. Instead of having a warm bed to sleep in, Payne, like many homeless, lived under a bridge, in conditions no living thing should have to suffer through. Because of problems he had with alcohol, Payne was going downhill, hard and fast. “Without Team Hope, I would be dead,” Payne said, “They brought me back to reality and brought me back on my feet.” Because of Team Hope, Payne rededicated his life to Christ. Today, Payne is clean and sober. Through his willpower and the help of Wilson and Team Hope, Payne is thriving. With a job as a security guard and his own apartment, Payne is thriving.

Church presents singing Christmas tree event Parker Boothe

What’s Happening at

SHS

Reporter

he Living Christmas Tree is a choral presentation presented by The Living Christmas Tree Choir & Orchestra. The choral works are different each year and consist of many different varieties of church Christmas music. Seniors Britney McEwen and Hayley Jarnagin, as well as choir teacher, David Giambrone are taking part and singing in the tree. “The LCT is a presentation by our music department at [First Baptist] church and it’s part orchestra concert, part choir concert, part solo concert for Mr. Medema and part church service. It’s just everything thrown together,” Giambrone said. “It’s kind of like a stew. You have a little bit of this, a little bit of this and all these things could stand on their own, but when you put them all together, it’s something special.” Jarnagin and her father are singing in the Tree. While her father has been singing in the Tree for years, this will be Jarnagin’s first time. “I chose to sing because I’ve never done it before and it’s my senior year and I wanted to be in it with my dad before I went to college,” Jarnagin said. The students are singing a variety of music from classics to more modern pieces. The Children’s Tree has kid-friendly Christmas songs for kids while the regular performance has music about the birth of Jesus Christ. The Tree has a guest singer come and perform some songs with the tree. “Classical, pop, jazz, traditional carols, brand new music, gospel...you name it, we are likely to have used it over the years I have led it. A big hit last year was our church’s big band,” Orton said. “This year we have a guest artist, Ken Medema, who is arguably the most creative person I have ever met. He is blind. He is a great pianist and singer and especially talented at improvising new songs on the spot. He will demonstrate that gift at each presentation.” Camerata Sparkman, one of Sparkman’s choirs, will sing Friday night in the lobby at 7 p.m. while welcoming people in. They will sing for a few minutes before the actual presentation as well. Giambrone said that is was nice of Orton to let the group be able to sing in it. Orton has exclaimed how he likes it when students sing in the Tree. “I just got an email from one of our student singers who said that the experience this year of learning the Tree music has been the richest artistic experience of her entire life. I love it,” Orton said. “The students add not only talent but energy and enthusiasm to it. Plus, for many of the students who do it for the first time, they add that genuine sense of wonder.” Practice for the Tree started on the first Wednesday of September. By starting in September, retreats and practicing everyday adds up to be roughly 40-50 hours of rehearsal. “It was my senior year and I wanted to do it. I think it’s just a good way to spread the Christmas cheer,” McEwen said. Orton has been conducting the Tree since 1998. As long as he has been doing it, he has never thought about how he could help himself, but how the event would help those who attend. “I never really think about what I get out of it. Instead, I am thinking of what we desire that the thousands of attendees get out of it...and that answer is that they experience the hope, peace, joy and love of the Christmas message found in Jesus Christ,” Orton said. “I hope the over 200 musicians involved (choir and orchestra) receive great fulfillment and a sense of achievement for what they painstakingly learn and then jubilantly present. I also hope that they improve their

He is also a blessing to Team Hope and their ministry. Payne now is Team Hope’s Field Coordinator and gives his own time feeding the homeless, as well as preach the word of God. “I can relate to those people out there, and I want to do for them what Team Hope did for me,” Payne said. Team Hope’s work with the homeless has changed countless lives such as Payne’s, but there are still those who are in need. “I have come to realize that I am not here on Earth to live selfishly for myself,” Wilson said, “ I am created to help others in need and share my talents, food, friendship and whatever else I may have to help others. You can also make a difference.” Sparkman students can assist in helping this worthy cause by donating items such as blankets, t-shirts, toiletries, canned goods, working boots and jeans to Team Hope to help them reach even more homeless throughout the Huntsville community.

Christmas Break Dec. 21-Jan 5

CHRITSMAS TIME IS HERE. The Living Christmas Tree comes to life at the downtown First Baptist Church in Huntsville Photo courtesy of First Baptist Church

God-given talents through investing them in the challenges of LCT music making.” Giambone likes to sing in the tree and has been doing so since 2006, with few exceptions. He enjoys it the most because “It’s inspiring music, by inspiring composers, and it will be sung in an inspiring fashion that will inspire people.” “The Living Christmas Tree, to me, is part outreach, part tradition and part release. The release is that this is the one time I don’t have to be in charge. It’s the one time I can sing; it’s the one time I can relax and be apart of something instead of being in charge of it,” Giambrone said. “For the most part, it’s a chance to share with others the gospel of Jesus Christ in a way that doesn’t necessarily intrude on anything and presents it through glorification of his son’s birth. And that’s what the most important thing is that it’s a ministry that welcomes all kinds of people. Some don’t even know why they come, but they’re changed when they leave. That’s what we aspire to do and that’s what I aspire to do.” The Living Christmas Tree is going to be performed Dec. 17-20. It is located at First Baptist Church, 600 Governors Drive. Tickets will be free of charge. “[The LCT is] a ministry of FBC. The church’s gift to the community. It is also a spectacle of sound and sight that seeks to share the message of Christ’s Birth through inspired music and beautiful visual images,” Orton said. For those unable to attend, the performance will be broadcasted on WHNT-2 Dec. 19. It will be live streamed online at the church website (www.fbchsv.org/lct) on Friday and Saturday. A recorded playback will be also played on Christmas day. It is said that last year, the event touched over 12,000 people, not including those who watched on television. “It is a gift. To us. From us. It represents a highlight of our church’s ministry and therefore means I need to give it my best. It represents an incredible opportunity for my ministry to touch the lives of persons all across North Alabama and even beyond,” Billy Orton said, the Minister of Music and Worship for First Baptist Church who is leading the tree. “Our video productions of it now means that people can view it online from across the nation and world. We are aware of folks who streamed it from other continents.”

Half-Day Dec. 17 Dismiss at 11:30 after finals

Half-Day Dec. 18 Dismiss at 11:30 after finals

Basketball vs. Buckhorn (H) Monday, Dec. 14, 6 p.m.

Basketball vs. Bob Jones (H) Friday Dec. 18, 6 p.m.

{news}

The Crimson Crier Dec. 10, 2015

Students create new sports club Cameron Harbin Reporter

SAY CHEESE . After watching the annual kindergarten program, the administration poses for a Christmas card photo. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Askew

Principals open up about past experiences, what makes them “human” too Erikka Samuel Reporter

he Administration seem like they are an army of mean superiors, although actually they are a pretty funny normal group of people. We took a different strategy to find out more about the principals know their more personal side so that we could get at least a good laugh or two. Getting to Know your principals

Principal Chris Shaw

CC: What was the funniest thing you did in high school? Shaw: My buddies and I decide to go on a camping trip. We had no tent, firewood or food, but we still had a great time. CC: Who is your favorite superhero and why? Shaw: Most definitely Captain America. He has by far the coolest uniform. CC: Were you ever sent to the principal’s office in school? Shaw: No, because my father was in the military and that wouldn’t have been a good thing to do. CC: What is your favorite Disney movie? Shaw: Pirates of the Caribbean, because of Jack Sparrow.

Assistant Principal Jonathan Barron (Curriculum Administrator)

CC: What was your favorite childhood movie? Barron: Robin Hood, because of the music. CC: Were you ever sent to the principal’s office in school? Barron: Yes, my band teacher turned me in for a pager. CC: Who was your favorite fish from Finding Nemo? Barron: Dory obviously, because she was the absolute funniest. CC: If you could be any fictional character what would you be and why? Barron: I would be Flash because Sheldon from Big Bang Theory wears the T-shirt.

Assistant Principal Maurice Jones (Head of Transportation)

CC: If you could be any cartoon character who would you be and why? Jones: Popeye, because he is a protector and he has a silly side. CC: What brings out the inner kid in you? Jones: Being around kids all day makes me reminisce of when I was a kid. CC: Were you ever sent to the principal’s office? Jones: No, I knew better.

Assistant Principal Jason Watts (Athletic Director)

CC: What is your favorite Disney movie? Watts: Monsters Inc. because of all the little monsters that are supposed to be scary. CC: If your were stuck in an elevator for the rest of your life and you could only have one other thing in the elevator with you, what would you want? Watts: I’m going to be honest and not say family. I would want cheeseburgers. CC: If you could be any fictional character who would you be? Watts: Superman, because he’s just awesome and he can fly. CC: Were you ever sent to the principal’s office? Watts: No I was not. In the first grade I had my teacher told us after recess to come in a sit down and put our head on the desk. A number of kids did not have their heads down, and she made us all stand up and we got hit by the paddle and that was the end of getting in trouble for me.

Gray: Bugs Bunny because he is extremely funny . CC: What is something that brings the inner kid out in you? Gray: Football, because I had four brothers so, of course, I had to be a fan. CC: What is your favorite childhood memory? Gray: Every year before we have thanksgiving dinner, we have a family football game.

Assistant Principal Cheryl Askew (Head of Discipline)

CC:If you could be anyone, who would you be? Askew: A minion from Despicable Me because they are cute and funny. CC: What is your guilty pleasure? Askew: Sitting on the couch in pajamas eating potato chips. CC: What is your favorite childhood memory? Askew: When I was seven, we took a trip to the Gulf of Mexico and I learned to swim there. Assistant Principal CC: Were you ever sent Jennifer Gray to the principal’s office? (12th Grade Askew: Yes, but not because I was in trouble, but Administrator Liaison) because I swallowed a button CC: What is your guilty off my school uniform trying pleasure? to hold it in my mouth until Gray: Chocolate, I got home. because I am allergic to it and sometimes I just eat it anyway knowing I’m going to get really sick. CC: Who is your favorite Looney Tunes character?

here are a lot of sports that do not get their fair share of attention, but does anybody know that we have an Ultimate Frisbee club? Ultimate has been growing in popularity over the past few years and some students believed it was time to bring a club to our school. Juniors Harrison Miller, Ben Speed and Kyle Rusak have had a love for frisbee from a young age and finally decided to speak with the administration about how they could make a club happen. “We have been interested in creating a club for years so we went to Mrs. Askew, told her our idea, asked if we could use the practice field and she gave us the go ahead,” Miller said. Miller needed a way to communicate to everybody that wanted to be a part of the team, so he created a GroupMe. This is how he lets everybody know when and where to meet. It started with a mere 20 players but has now grown to over 40 participants. The club has now met and played several times against each other. “It’s really fun to see the frisbee flying towards you and then to be able to jump up and snag the frisbee right over somebody,” Rusak said. Ultimate is played very similarly to soccer and football but has slight differences that make it unique to anybody willing to participate. “It is kind of like a mix between soccer and football but then you have a frisbee. You have two teams and you basically just try to get in the endzone by throwing and catching the frisbee, but you can not run when you have the frisbee so you have to throw it to the next person. The game is always moving and always active,” Rusak said. The members encourage everybody to come out and give Ultimate a chance. If you are interested in playing you can speak to any member of the team to be added to the GroupMe. “Everybody should come play because ultimate frisbee is an insanely fun sport and is very physically exerting. It is easy to start playing but, like any other sport, it is hard to get very good at. Once you make a few good catches and beat other teams you really start to enjoy it,” Speed said.

DEFYING GRAVITY. New sports team member Jake Russell flies for the catch on the field. Photo taken by Madison Harding

Generous Kiwanis donation allows school to establish first Key Club Jasmine Turner Reporter

or the first time, the school has been rewarded with a community oriented club, sponsored by Kiwanis International. Known as Key Club, this international studentled organization offers countless opportunities to build character and develop leadership while transforming societies worldwide. Key Club was made possible by a donation given by Kiwanis Club sponsors, Brian Bennett and Mike Roddy. If it was not for the check presented to Key Club sponsor, Jessica Graves, then the school would not be able to benefit from the service opportunities the club has to offer. “Our Kiwanis Club here in Huntsville [has] made our Key Club possible,” Graves said. “They donated

six-hundred dollars to cover the charter cost to join the international club.” Key Club is a part of part of the Kiwanis family. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers who are devoted to changing the world one step at a time by spreading kindness and hospitality to everyone around them. Kiwanis is made up of multiple leadership programs that provide service opportunities to adults, young people and individuals with disabilities around the world. “There are different names [for the international organizations] at different levels, for example, at the middle school level they are called Big Builders, high school is Key Club, college is called Circle K and above college level is Kiwanis Club,” Graves said. Key Club has made an immeasurable impact on our community by helping the children at our local schools. While Alabama has become

involved with common core, parents face difficulty helping their children with homework. It is challenging to assist their kids because schooling has become more advanced over the years, according to Graves. “Madison Cross Roads had a parent night, which was a huge success, and the parents brought their kids and we did all kinds of activities with them so the parents could learn problems to help their children with their homework,” Graves said. Unlike other clubs, Key Club is completely student based. The club is made up of students who are willing to change their community for the better. Not only do members gain positive experience, but they learn how to develop initiative on the problems of society. “I do not [help others] for my own personal gain. I [help] for the gain of others,” Key Club treasurer Tori Phillips said.

Fruit

cont. from pg 1

PUMP IT UP. Kiwanis members Brian Bennett and Miek Roddy present Key club sponsor Jessica Graves with a check to start the official organization. Photo courtesy Jessica Graves

Besides working with Madison Cross Roads and Monrovia Church of Christ, the club will volunteer at Santa’s Village. The club strives to help as many lives they can and to just give back to the community. “It’s never about us,” Graves said. “We are constantly searching for things to volunteer for.” Unfortunately anyone interested in joining Key Club cannot officially join this year, but juniors or

sophomores will be able to do so next year. “The kind of people we need in Key Club are those who generally like helping other people and feel good in helping others,” Graves said. “It is all about giving up yourself to help someone else, and not wanting anything in return. If they give you a thank you, awesome, [but] a simple thanks is more than enough.”

“I see a lot of apples that are thrown away. There are a lot of people who don’t have anything to eat and there may be somebody who would love to get an apple. People need to make healthy eating habits,” Hudson said. Stricklin believes that this project continues to make a difference for the community. Now, locally grown fruits have been served in since the start of this fall and continue until December. “The exciting thing is that students could choose to have an apple locally grown that was picked just days before and when they bite into it they know it will be fresh and crisp at its peak of flavor,” Stricklin said.

{opinion}

The Crimson Crier Dec. 10, 2015

Our Our View :

O O

ver the past few years, politicians and First Lady Michelle Obama have made dramatic changes to America’s school lunches. The key argument in this debate is that school lunches have been unhealthy and has lead to an obesity problem in America’s children. Our cafeteria has felt these regulations and students have noticed that French fries are baked instead of fried and not even one ounce of ketchup can be found. In the midst of the school lunch transformation, Madison County School Superintendent Matt Massey has put his spin on the new

Fresh fruit

Staff encourages students to appreciate good deed

idea of fresh and healthy. Massey recently highlighted a partnership between local farms and our school system that allows for fresh, locally-grown fruit to be delivered to our cafeteria. With this move, Massey has proved that he truly cares for us and where what we eat comes from as well. The new partnership will allow students to have better health choices at school that will decrease their chances of health problems and diseases, such as Diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Now, the problem is us. A simple walk through the cafeteria after third period lunch shows that students do not appreciate the fresh

fruit Massey so caringly secured. Uneaten apples are thrown on top of the mounds of cafeteria trash, waiting, just waiting to be carried to the garbage heap. If our superintendent cared enough about our well-being to secure fresh food for us, should we so carelessly throw it away? The answer is no. Let’s show Mr. Massey that we too care about healthy options and appreciate his willingness to secure fresh food for us. If we don’t want to eat it, let’s simply leave it at the lunch line.

Graphic by Hannah Cox and McKenzie Ashmore

Humanity not lost cause In the wake of violence, student feels there is still good in the world Courtney Stewart Reporter

“H

umanity should be our race, love should be our religion.” Now there is a quote to spend a moment or two thinking about. After searching through endless thoughts and opinions about terror attacks, the crashing of planes and even relocating refugees, I found this quote in the midst of Twitter’s endless scroll. To the very first word in the quote, humanity, it is a word we use often, even when we do not understand the meaning. If you looked it up it would be stated as “the quality or condition of being human.” But what exactly

does “being human” really mean? As a kid, I was taught respect: to be kind and say “yes ma’am, yes sir” and “please and thank you.” But then again as a kid, I did not know about the world. I thought everyone was kind, I thought everyone carried a heart as big as the moon. I thought everyone was the same. Do not get me wrong, there are people who share my mentality, but there are others. Who seek to hurt other beings, who manipulate and who destroy. But for what reason? I find that one only hurts others for one of two reasons: privilege of power or lack of self-confidence. The ones with power take advantage and use it against the people below them to make them

Kenzie’s Corner Corner McKenzie Ashmore Opinion Editor

Sacrifice.

Who knew a simple word could describe our veterans. From the first step they took in their uniforms, to the last day they served. Soldiers gave up their lives and continue to give up their lives so we can have ours. There is one question still standing: after all their sacrifice, are we truly helping them? In a national poll of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans by The Washington Post and Kaiser Family Foundation, of the 2.6 million veterans that served in Iraq and Afghanistan, half are suffering from physical and mental health problems

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Photo by Madison Harding

get so caught up in ourselves that we judge others before we even think about the help they may need. We discriminate, we put out negativity and we forget

to advertise love and peace. Instead of these actions, we should challenge ourselves. Go out of your comfort zone and let your mind travel to new perspectives. Be open-

minded and set back and watch the true bliss it will bring to one person and possibly others. Then we will truly understand the meaning of being human.

Veterans need the public to remember sacrifice, help them in troubled times

caused by their service. In an interview with CNN, Senator John Walsh from Montana, who attended the United States Army War College, said we leave our veterans to fight their toughest battles alone when they come back from service. Everyday a soldier loses their life in the fight for our country — whether it be in the sands of Afghanistan or on the streets of our nation — yet we are not capable of providing them with the true help they need. According to endhomelessness.org, in January of 2014, 49,933 homeless individuals were identified as being our nation’s veterans. They make up 8.6 percent of the total homeless population. The Military Times released that prior to 2014, 5,000 homeless veterans were pulled from the streets. However, from 2014 to Policy

feel just how as they may be. The ones who lack selfconfidence set out to find it through picking and bashing others about what makes them different. The one thing everyone fails to see is that this is a daily routine for our world. And if you cannot see it in the people around you, watch the news, read blogs or check outside of your social media bubble. After spending countless hours on reading articles on the recent Paris attacks, I thought about how harrowing it is that it took a wake up call so destructive to see how much we need each other. And there is everything else that is happening in the world. Terrible things are happening all around us. Our problem is that we tend to

The Crimson Crier is an open forum for free expression by the Sparkman High School Community. The Crimson Crier is a student-run publication produced in the state of Alabama. All final design, reporting and content decisions are the responsibility of the student journalists of Sparkman High School under the guidance of their adviser. The views articulated in The Crimson Crier do not necessarily represent the views of the entire staff, Sparkman High School or the Madison County school district. Copies are distributed to the faculty, staff and student body free of charge. The Madison County Record prints 2,000 copies, eight times yearly.

2015 the number of veterans taken off the streets dropped to 2,000. If we are truly helping veterans as we say we are, then why is the number of veterans on the streets still as high as it is? Recently, I participated in the Wounded Warriors project. We were able to engage and interview a variety of veterans. In this experience, the truth came out. These men and women are heroes. They have given where others never will and they have lost where others will never lose. For the freedom we have, they gave a sacrifice. They may have chosen to die for us, but why can we not chose to live for them? From simply participating in an event of appreciation and donating to their cause, we can accomplish giving them what they cannot give themselves. According to RAND, at The Crimson Crier is a member of Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association, Alabama Scholastic Press Association and Southeastern Interscholastic Press Association, and Quill and Scroll. The CC is a 2011 Silver Crown winner. Letters to the Editor The Crimson Crier will print all letters to the editor as long as space will allow, and may edit letters for grammatical mistakes. All letters to the editor must be signed and include contact information of the writer. Letters can be dropped off at the Sparkman High School newsroom (127) one week after publication.

least 20 percent of veterans suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and 19 percent can suffer traumatic brain injuries. Both of these diagnosis can be overwhelming for the individual and the individual’s family. Treatment can be considerably overpriced, the annual cost in 2008 was between $1,160 and $4,724 per person. According to The Washington Times, the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission released a report calling for the decrease of the traditional military payment by 20 percent. Factoring in the veterans with extreme injuries that are not able to work, one fact becomes clear, how will they pay for this? If we truly care about our veterans, then we should be dishing out money as communities towards their livelihood. By dishing

Photo courtesy of Hayleigh Pitts

out money, I mean we should donate to the cause. The money should not be taxed, but instead a choice for the people. And if one begins to ask “Why we are giving our money to them,” then remember that without these people, we would not be where we are today. They have fought long and hard for our freedom. They have given up time

Editor-in-Chief......................Erin Stender

with their families. They have sacrificed so much. Why can we not sacrifice just a small amount of money every month or two months for them? It is time that we step into their shoes, instead of them protecting us and freeing us for nothing in return. It is our turn to take on this new battle that veterans find themselves caught in for survival.

Social Media Editor..........................Emily Baucum

News Editor.........................Aiesha Desarme Opinion Editor.....................McKenzie Ashmore

Reporters..........................................Sidney Al-Dijaili, Parker Boothe, Griffin Gonterman, Jacob Gray, Cameron Harbin, Mya Harrell, Tessa Jackson,

Lifestyles Editor..................Victoria Lewis

Jaida Johnson, Kaylyn Jones, Hayleigh Pitts,

Sports Editor........................Aliyah Thompson

Erikka Samuel, Charlotte Stanley, Courtney

A&E Editor.................................Libby Reid

Stewart, Ania Stover, Makayla Tomaino, Jasmine Turner, Hailey Watts, Christian White, Zane White

In-Depth Editor........................Savannah Bullard

and Jake Wilson

Copy Editor...........................Jonathan Hatchett

Freelance Artists........... Dwaist Hughes, Noah

Website Editors....Hannah Cox and Patrick Rickles Photo Editor..........................Madison Harding Managing Editor.........................Nick Arnold Business Editor......................Camille Herren

Lombard Adviser.........................Erin Coggins, MJE

{opinion}

The Crimson Crier Dec. 10, 2015

Finals can be easy with these simple tips F

ranklin D. Roosevelt once said “You have nothing to fear but fear itself.” Well, Franklin, you obviously never had to take a final. It is every high school student’s worst nightmare. The dread is thick in the air. Panic clings to every sophomore, junior and senior alike. The smell of coffee slithers through the hallways. Hair sticks out in all directions. Luckily, finals do not need to be the end. Here are some tips to make it out alive.

Get some sleep. If you are getting less than six hours of sleep, you are doing it wrong. How are you supposed to take your final if you are sleeping in class? Grab your favorite teddy bear and hit the sheets.

Study. Unless you have an eidetic — or photographic — memory, it is nearly impossible to recall what you had for lunch three days ago, let alone what you learned in class three months ago. Collect your notes, grab some snacks and study. Bonus: grab a study buddy and have them quiz you. Bonus number two: Get a Quizlet account. It will create practice tests based on the material you input.

Z Z Z Z

Eat some breakfast. Have you not heard? Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. According to “Italian Journal of Pediatrics,” a healthy breakfast boosts cognitive function and performance. You cannot say no to Italians. Delizioso.

Review your notes right before the test. Look over those two terms that you kept getting confused about. Read them out loud or have another member of your class quiz you. Do not forget to stay calm. No one is a good test taker when they are panicking.

Tall glass of milk

Hearty bowl of cereal

Take it one subject at a time. Study for algebra first, pause, eat a snack (or two) and look over your English notes. Eat another snack. You can never have too many snacks. Study an hour a day for a week before finals. Read over your notes and use that highlighter that you were so excited about buying at the beginning of the school year.

Illustrations by Hayleigh Pitts

If after all your preparation you still bomb your final, just remember: McDonald’s is hiring.

Student contemplates actions taken with ISIS Erin Stender Editor-in-Chief

n Nov. 12, the streets of Paris filled with blood as both French citizens and visitors from various countries, including the U.S., were slaughtered by extremist members of The Islamic State. In a statement on social media, ISIS claimed the attacks as “the first of the storm.” As the deadliest act on French soil since the Second World War, the attack left Europe — along with the rest of the world — in a state of shock. Terror attacks left at least 129 people dead, including a massacre at a concert hall, where at least 80 people were killed. As the shock faded, media outlets and public figures were forced to admit what most wish to ignore:

nowhere is safe. To understand ISIS, and how the United States is involved with it, one must recall Syria in 2011, when peaceful protests for government reform were transformed into a violent civil war. A war that has now killed more than 200,000 people and created a refugee crisis throughout the entirety of the European continent. In the turmoil of conflict, ISIS formed with a goal to create an Islamic State across areas of Iraq and Syria. Since 2011, terrorist attacks in Europe have been on a steady rise. So what does this mean for America? It means war. For those who still cling to the idea that we can avoid this war, one only needs to take a step back to realize we are already in it. In 2011, at the peak conflict in Syria, President

Barack Obama noted that his “red line” that would warrant action would be when “we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized.” It was only matter of time. On Sept. 10, 2013, Obama made a statement, determining “that it is in the national security interests of the United States to respond to the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons through a targeted military strike.” However, after acknowledging this problem, Obama goes on to discuss the since debated “no boots on the ground” statement: “I will not put American boots on the ground in Syria. I will not pursue an openended action like Iraq or Afghanistan.” Following a Russianbrokered United Nations deal in 2013, Syria was said to be rid of all chemical

weapons, but the lack of U.S. reaction left many Americans wondering where the true “red line” requiring American involvement would be drawn. Even as there are not “troops on the ground” in Syria, that does not mean the area is American troop free. While the line for all out war has not been drawn in the sand, the U.S. has been inching around the conflict, hoping to claim uninvolvement. However, claiming uninvolvement would be comical this point. Since September this year, American drones have been involved in this conflict. The CIA and U.S. Special Operations forces have been involved in a campaign to hunt terrorism suspects in Syria. In a Washington Post story, journalist Greg Miller writes that “the CIA and the Joint Special Operations

Command (JSOC) are flying drones over Syria in a collaboration responsible for several recent strikes against senior Islamic State operative.” We tried to stay away from a world conflict once before, but ignoring World War II resulted in the

Photo by Hayleigh Pitts attacks on Pearl Harbor. Are we willing to wait for that? When it comes down to it, the United States is going to end up invested in this war. Whether that be now, in a proactive way, or after the next 9/11, a choice has to be made. Only time will tell which it will be.

Starbucks gets roasted over red cup fiasco Jaida Johnson Reporter

his month’s Starbucks red cup controversy should go down in history as a case study on how business can get into the consumer’s subconscious. Without spending a dime on advertising, or even lifting a cup, Starbucks got its brand into the conversation of nearly every American. Facebook, Twitter, presidential candidates, celebrities, artists, even the passive couch potatoes all seemed to have an opinion — good or bad — on why

Starbucks was or was not the Grinch who stole Christmas. There are now 9.2 million news stories on the “Starbucks red cup controversy.” That is a lot of free publicity. There is an outdated cliché that all publicity is good publicity, but what about when customers threaten to boycott your product? Is it still good publicity? All publicity is not always good publicity but in this case — even with these threatened boycotts — it is lightning in a bottle. The Starbucks team might be in a huddle trying

to manage “the story” and their finance team might be assessing how this will impact quarterly earnings, but as Demi Lovato so eloquently Tweeted, “why do we care this much about a cup....??” How has the change of a cup affected our lives to this extent? This Starbucks red cup controversy is not about Christmas or publicity. It is about tapping into a memory that we all yearn for. Regardless of whether you are Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or agnostic, we all live for memories. It is why we document our children’s

lives and write stories. We want to remember what we had yesterday. It is at the root of a successful brand connection. So what should Starbucks do now that the world is on fire over a red cup? Absolutely nothing. Just sit back and watch the rest of America debate and converse on why we love or hate this new red cup. And just when the debate is about over, which will be next week, I would bet Starbucks management will be smart enough to introduce a new holiday-themed cup. And not because Starbucks wants

to appease anyone who believes in Christ. They will introduce a new holiday coffee cup because the people running Starbucks are smart. They know the importance of staying relevant and getting into the conversation. But unfortunately for Starbucks, lightning rarely strikes twice in the same place.

Why are they so plain?

{ sports }

The Crimson Crier Dec. 10, 2015

Alumnus talks advantages of being on track, experience on Auburn basketball team Griffin Gonterman Reporter

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school year was when things really started to change.” Running collegiate track prepared Walker for his place on the hardwood. It will serve as an extra perk against his competitors. “It gave me an athletic advantage over my teammates in a sense that I have more stamina than nearly all of them,” Walker said. “I also run the length of the floor better and more efficiently due to the fact that I don’t waste as much energy with how I run.” Walker expressed that second year head coach Bruce Pearl has made notes to create a better environment for each player and to help them reach their full potential. Walker feels that most coaches do not get around to doing this. “He’s always telling me to stay ready in the event that something happens and he’s forced to reach deeper into the bench,” Walker said. “I also know [that] opportunities are never far away when it comes to basketball, so I have to be prepared for whatever might happen,

ising to the top is not always easy, but hard work and perseverance is how former Senator, Jonathan Walker, made the roster for the Auburn basketball team as a senior walk-on this year. As a senior at Sparkman, Walker averaged 50.0 percent shooting from beyond the three-point line, which led the team during the 2011-2012 season. Before making the basketball team Walker ran track for Auburn. “I actually came as a normal student,” Walker said. “I didn’t really have any serious plans to play any sports, but somehow track just kind of fell into my lap and I’d never ran track before college.” Walker tried out several times before his senior year. Everything that he worked for up to tryouts this year paid off as he will be suiting up for the team this season. “In my freshman year, I made a last-minute decision to try out without any preparation. I wasn’t in shape and I wasn’t mature enough mentally, so I didn’t make it,” Walker said. “The next time I was going to try out, I was on the track team. I was then told that I couldn’t even try out because I was already on the track team. The last time I tried out was fall of last year when [they] had a new coach. My grades were not ideal at the time so they whenever told me to finish out the year it happens.” with track. But the end of the Striving

for

opportunities and a promising future is also something Walker feels is of great significance. To him, focusing on school is a priority. “I’m majoring in economics with a business minor and I plan to get a master’s in adult education,” Walker said. He also has some words of wisdom for high school athletes not just in Alabama, but across the country. “I would tell them all to first set a long term goal for themselves. Then I would tell them to set their standards high and work on consistently meeting those standards to help them form good habits,”

The Draft

Walker said. “They have to be realistic [in] where they stand, how close or far they are from that goal and who’s the best at their school, area or on a national scale. Lastly, I would tell them to never settle, because there’s always someone out there who is better than them.”

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Walker

great

Girls’ basketball team enters season confidently after loss of teammate Mya Harrell Reporter

WREAK HAVOC Junior Richard Alexander poses for a picture with the Havoc Hockey team and staff. He is featured in a new video story for World of Work for his role with the team. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Askew

Junior takes position as Havoc Hockey equipment manager Christian White Reporter

hen the Huntsville Havoc sought an intern, they found the perfect fit in junior Richard Alexander. Alexander is making history in being the first high school student to be a manager in the Southern Professional Hockey League’s existence. For Alexander’s electric personality and enjoyment of the spotlight, it is truly the perfect fit. “Richard is a natural conversationalist. His curiosity, knowledge of facts and joy of people make him an excellent candidate. He engages everyone in questions and has a love for people and electronics,” special education teacher Cindy Stanley said. “He does not shy away from the spotlight and embraces every new adventure that comes his way.” Stanley and Alexander met the Vice President of Hawk Enterprises, James Trent, by chance at Ryan’s, the restaurant. Trent was captivated by his personality and therefore pursued a world of work program for a partnership. They were introduced to Clay Coleman, the Havoc’s Vice President, in hopes that they too would become partners with Alexander. “The Havoc wanted a student for an intern position and Richard was the natural choice,” Stanley said. Stanley and Coleman thought that Alexander would be great at his new position. He has embraced this opportunity wholeheartedly and is having a great time with it. “Richard is awesome,” Coleman said. “He has added to our team a lot. He and the players have bonded and his personality keeps the Havoc players on their toes. All you have to do is spend a first few moments with Richard and you like him instantly.”

So far, everyone loves Alexander and he loves working for the Havoc. The players, coaches and staff have all embraced and accepted him as part of the family. They even gave him his own Havoc nickname, “small-fry.” “We have had a great start on and off the ice, and Richard has been a big part of that,” Coleman said. As the Havoc continues on the right track, it seems that everyone is settling in and things are going well. Alexander is having the time of his life with it. He took something that happened purely by chance and turned it into a great opportunity and has proved himself. “My job is great. I love getting to hang out with the players and being at the practices and games,” Alexander said. “I get them what they need to be ready for their games and I get to be on the bench by the ice with them during the games. I think it’s great, it’s exciting and I get paid.” As Alexander is settling in with his new job, he is grateful for all the people who helped him gain this opportunity that he is having so much fun doing. He wants to thank Keith Jefferies, the owner of the Havoc, Coleman, the Vice President of the Havoc, William Tripp, the owner of Hawk Enterprises and Trent, the Vice President of Hawk Enterprises. Alexander looks forward to continuing his job with the Havoc, as do all the people around him who have had a positive influence on him. “He is a great kid. The Havoc and Sparkman High School are blessed to have him around. I encourage all Sparkman students to come to a Havoc game and give support to Richard and the team,” Coleman said.

wo weeks before the season, the girls basketball team suffered the devastating loss of their teammate and starter, junior Ariyanna Benjamin. The outlook for the season was bleak. The girls have worked hard to remain undefeated and despite the opposition, they have come together as a family. “We have always been pretty close, but now I think we’ve formed an unbreakable bond. We have a genuine sisterly love for each other and we always will. They aren’t just my teammates or friends — they are my family and I’d do anything for them,” sophomore Derienne Black said. The team won the first two games of the season . Practices and games can be rough without Benjamin but they play through her. The girls realized that they needed to embrace their emotions and not hold them in. Through all the hardships that they have faced, they still know that God has got them. “Every win, every practice, every tear and sweat is all for her. We’ve got her now. I live through Ari and I know she’s watching over me. She’s here with us everyday, ” senior Alexis Blue said. Currently the girls stand at 6-1. They defeated Huntsville, Columbia, Gadsden City, Johnson, Arab and Spain Park. They lost to Madison Academy by 1 point in the Thanksgiving Tournament. They have held themselves together and worked hard to get every possible win. They are a small team now, losing senior Karimah Brown to an ACL tear. Returning players, Davia Leak, Jayla Walker, Terri Smith and Brown can help the younger girls as they progress through the season. “I believe everyone has to step up this year. As long as each person performs their role on the team, we should be fine,” senior Karimah Brown said.

GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME The varsity girls basketball team do drills during practice as they look to the coach for further direction. Photo by Madison Harding

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lifestyles

The Crimson Crier

Not-so-secret Santa:

Dec. 10, 2015

Alumnus gives glimpse into what it means to be Christmas icon Aliyah Thompson Sports Editor

or most children around the world, Santa Claus is one of the best parts of Christmas. There is nothing better than staying up on Christmas Eve with the hopes of catching a glimpse of Santa and his reindeer, hard at work to deliver presents to children everywhere. But in the U.S., seeing Santa is simple. One just goes to the mall and gets a picture taken with the jolly, rosy-cheeked man in the red suit as a keepsake. One of numerous mall Santas that are instantly recognized by children across the nation happens to be Gary Knight, who is a native to the Huntsville area and is also a Sparkman alumnus. He graduated in the class of 1970, his high school years being some of the most historically significant and those years being a part of the Civil Rights Movement while his high school was simultaneously making history through the beginning of its peaceful integration in 1964. “We had no troubles. We were all basically fascinated with each other’s lives and what each other did. We learned from each other and it was really a non-event,” Knight said. “That’s what I wish would happen in the world. [I wish that] people [will realize] that everybody — everybody — is just a person. There are good people, there are bad people. It doesn’t make any difference about the color of your skin. If you’re good, you’re good. If you’re bad, you’re bad. And let’s not quibble over that. Let’s get beyond that. What I learned from Sparkman is that, ‘These people are just like me.’ I had a great time when I was at Sparkman. I had the best time there.” Most mall Santas can be recognized by their trademark curly white wigs, but for Knight, that was never necessary. Thanks to the family genes, he was more than equipped to become a mall Santa later on down the road. “My mom started turning gray when she was a young girl. She started turning when she was 18 [and] by the time she was 25 [to] 28 years old, she was pretty much [white-headed],” Knight said. “I was blessed to have her white hair. I started turning when I was about 18 … I continued to gray until [around] the time [that] I was 30, I was whiteheaded.” Because of his naturally white hair, Knight’s first opportunity to take on the persona of Santa arose while he was in the Air Force and was dressed up as Santa Claus. The second opportunity occurred when he auditioned for and got the part of Kris Kringle for the play, “Miracle on Thirty-Fourth Street.” Not long after the play stopped showing, someone suggested that he could

use his Santa-like appearance and previous experiences as a way to make money. So he decided to give it a try and fell in love with it. The financial part is definitely nice, but for Knight, the cherry on top was the kids, because it is all about being able to sprinkle a dash of hope and Christmas spirit into their day. “I like the look in their eye when they’re 3-years-old and 4-years-old. They totally are immersed in the whole Christmas thing and they look you in the eye and totally believe in you,” Knight said. “It’s the opposite end of when I was a kid, because when I was a youngster I remember that magic, that excitement and thrill of waiting for Santa to come. So it’s kind of the reverse of that, getting to experience that as a child, through the eyes of a child, [then] as an adult.” Aside from his role as Santa in a play and in the Air Force around Christmastime, Knight had never been what one would call a “Mall Santa,” until he accepted a position as the Santa Claus for Bridge Street Town Centre. “I like it out here because it’s really different from [being] a [traditional] mall Santa. I’m called the ‘roving Santa,’” Knight said. “I start at the [Christmas] tree, work my way down the boulevard to the front and come back. Along the way, parents bring their babies, phones and cameras — it’s no charge — they take pictures and we have fun.” As a Santa, Knight works with other people’s children on a regular basis. But he also has had to clarify what his actual role is with his own grandchildren. “When [my 10-year-old grandson] went to the first grade, he told everyone [that] his papa was Santa. So he kind of got into a little trouble and we had to explain to him, as I did with all the others after that, that papa was one of Santa’s helpers,” Knight said. “We get around [it] that way and they understand that. So they still believe in Santa, but they know [that] I’ve got a direct line to the man.” Through his experiences at Sparkman as well as those as Santa, Knight has learned two important lessons. Those lessons being that even though someone may look or do something different from what one is used to, they are still people who may share commonalities that one might not have expected and that the spreading of the Christmas spirit is not confined to just one culture or religion. “I love people. I like to get their ideas about what it is that’s Christmas to them whether they’re Jewish, Christian, Muslim or Hindu,” Knight said. “[I’ve had] all religious factions come and sit with Santa Claus. They have their pictures made and they like it. It’s just something about the man in the red suit. I like the fact that Santa kind of brings all of it together. I know that Christmas is the celebration of Christ’s birth and I understand that. But I also understand that there are people who have other beliefs. And what I try to do is give a little magic to a little child so that they don’t have all of the stress, harshness and bad things that are out there [in] this world. For a moment you can take them out of that and bring them into a magical world. And they’re safe and they’re happy. And that’s why I do this.”

Meet Santa at Bridgetreet Town Centre visit http://www.bridgestreethuntsville.com/events for more details

Teacher travels the world, finds way to enrich students

Aiesha Desarme News Editor

tarting from scratch is a daunting step to take in life, but for people like Special-education teacher,SoYoung, it was a step worth taking. From a young start in life So-Young, a South Korean native, was immediately introduced to the fierce pool of competition in one of the monumental parts of her culture, education. Lee, at a young age, assimilated her knowledge in a system that did not encompass clubs, organizations or student associations. “Growing up, in South Korea, it was a priority to get higher exam scores to get accepted into better colleges,” SoYoung said. “I remember, when I was in my senior year of high school, everyone was staying after school, practicing packets or doing multiple choice practice tests. I went home at about ten at night; it was just normal for me and other students.” Although grateful, for the discipline and organization her native education system taught her, S-Young longed for a range of different things. “ I was thankful for things that I have learned from the Korean system, but the American system helps students raise questions,discuss, ask questions and argue. America is such a vocal society,” So-Young said. After graduating from college,she met and married her husband of twenty-two years, who serves for the army as a Colonel. From there So-Young and her husband moved from her homeland to pursue higher education at the University of Hawaii where. Moving from these places demanded changes from So-Young that caused her to learn life all over again. “I changed my culture. I changed my language,” SoYoung said. “ It was one of the most difficult periods of my

life, but it was a good transition for me and for my husband. It was a lot but I’m so glad I did it.” So Young took small steps that soon took her through the avenues of life and education she strived for.. Through this So-Young ended up moving to Virginia where the she had the privilege of teaching in one of the leading education districts in the U.S.- Fairfax County. “I had been hearing about Fairfax County since I was in South Korea” I was fortunate enough to work there because my husband’s work,” So-Young said. “I was working at a middle school that had about 77 different types of languages spoken at home. Being there made me realize that diversity does harm a school environment. It motivates students.” So-Young has taken lessons that she learned within the walls of her school and now seeks to instil them in her sons. David Lee has seen many changes within his mother and admires the way she motivates them to be open-minded. “She’s made a great impact on me with diversity. She always has more than one way to look at things.”David said. “She’s not just from here she knows what many people and places are like. So-Young does not only hope to bring recognition of diversity within her children, she also carries high hopes of incorporating it into the school. “I want Sparkman students to know how fortunate they are to have all the opportunities, like sports and clubs. Diversity brings a lot of positive things. That includes not only cultural ways, but differences that students with disabilities and the student body will be able to embrace more,” So-Young said. “When you are out in society it’s not you and only the same kind of people, they are all types of different people. You have to live together. In our lives, we have to learn. Our students have to learn to live together and tolerate differences.”

APPLE OF HER EYE. The Lee family visited New York and posed for a photo in the iconic Times Square. Photo courtesy of So-Young Lee

{lifestyles}

The Crimson Crier

Dec. 10, 2015

Teacher uses hands on approach Emily Baucum Social Media Editor

Crimson Crier: How did you learn language? Sally Dobbs: I worked at the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind 25 years ago as a secretary and they told me I needed to learn sign language for my job. Then I met my husband who is deaf, but talks also, and then he helped me with sign language. CC: Was sign language difficult to learn? S.D.: Yes. It comes very naturally for some people, but I felt like it took me probably three or four years to feel pretty comfortable with it. CC: How did you get the job as an interpreter at Sparkman? S.D.: I used to work in the lunchroom at Sparkman 9 and I went back to college to get certified to teach English, but after I graduated I did not find a job teaching English. One of the assistant principals at Sparkman 9 asked me if I was interested in becoming an interpreter at Sparkman High because they were in need of one. I told him I had never really thought about it, but I went ahead and applied, interviewed and got the job. I had not planned on being an interpreter. CC: How many students do you usually sign for? S.D.: This year it is just one student. Last year there were two students. In previous years there has been just one student. CC: Do you feel like you form a good relationship with your students throughout the year? S.D.: I feel like I do, and I also help other students so it’s been really interesting. CC: Do you have anything to say to students who want to learn sign language? S.D.: Try it. It can be a little overwhelming at first, but it’s something where if you work with deaf people you can improve easily. I always thought I had to know the sign for everything, but I finally realized I could just finger spell them. CC: What do you do when you do not know how to sign a word?: S.D.: I always thought I had to know the sign for everything, but I finally realized I could just finger spell them. Sometimes I will ask Adam what the sign is for a word and he won’t even know. So, I go home and ask my husband. Math is harder. I’m working on it as I go CC: How do you like Mrs.Dobbs signing to you? Junior Adam Pace: I like when Mrs. Sally signs to me because it’s extremely helpful. She makes it easier to understand and I can sign back to her. She gets me on track. We help each other sign correctly.

STEADY HANDS. Sally Dobbs signs to junior Adam Pace. Pace helps Dobbs learn new sign language. Photo by Madison Harding

GREASE LIGHTENING. Junior Kaitlyn Wood poses by a family friend’s classic car. Wood has helped worked on many cars jus like this one. Photo by Jake Wilson

Four wheels, one heart:

Student builds car, special bond Jake Wilson Reporter

hen it comes to projects, the first thing that comes to mind is a lengthy assignment given by a teacher that is usually not enjoyable. Junior Kaitlyn Wood decided to put a new meaning to the dreaded word. Over the past several years, with the help of her father, Wood has been building and refurbishing a 1967 Bel Air Impala. The classic car finished will not only hold an immense monetary value, but also sentimental value due to the history of the car. “We got the car from my grandfather. The car used to belong to a good family friend of ours, she owned it back in 1967 and drove it for a long time, she then got sick and couldn’t drive it anymore, so it just sat in her driveway and rotted away. Her son gave it to my grandfather. My grandfather got really excited about it but then my grandmother didn’t want it and told him to get rid of it, so then my dad took it. When I first saw the car, I fell in love with it,” Kaitlyn said. What was once a old rusted car in a driveway will soon be as if it was fresh off the lot in 1967. Wood’s father, Seth Wood, is owner of family business Lucky’s restoration where classic cars are refurbished. Kaitlyn has always watched closely as her father turned metal into a masterpiece, but has never gotten to call the finished product her own. “This car will be special to me because I have always wanted to work on a car that was mine with my dad because I’m so used to working on customers’ cars with my dad and they have no meaning to me,” Kaitlyn said. Upon receiving the car, several things need to be done to begin the restoration of the car. The process is basically

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taking the car apart and putting it back together with the restored parts. Kaitlyn and her father work diligently on their down time to make this happen. “So far, the main things I have done to the car was take it apart taking the interior out, taking out the motor, removing the front end, but my dad has started to remove the fenders and replace them along with the floor pans and trunk,” Kaitlyn said. When constructing a vehicle builders are able to pick out most every detail to their desire, such as color and type of interior. Kaitlyn has chosen her colors based off of her own unique preferences. “I plan on painting it a silver/grey with turquoise interior because I want to be different. The original color was a baby blue with black interior, and back in 1967 that was a very rare color on a Bel Air,” Kaitlyn said. Although they have a numbered amount of time to work on the car, when Kaitlyn and her father get the chance they do not waist time. It is a very complicated and complex process that takes a lot of patience, but they enjoy every bit of it. They plan to complete the car within the next year. “I hope to finish the car by my senior year but we can only work on our down time. My dad says that he wants to have the car painted by Christmas and if that’s the case then we should have it completely down by the end of summer,” Kaitlyn said. For the Wood family, cars are just a way of life. This car in particular will mean a lot to Wood and her father not because of the beauty or the value, but because of the memorable moments spent together creating it. “I love the fact that it’s all been done by my father and I. It will be a bond that no one else will have with me,” Kaitlyn said.

“When I first saw the car, I fell in love with it,” -Junior Kaitlyn Wood

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{arts & entertainment }

Weekend road trip

Photo courtesy of Klay Muenstermann

The grass on the other side Libby Reid A&E Editor

here is nothing quite like the fascination of seeing someone in a place they love. How many places do you really know — not just places you pass through on occasion, but areas you could map out like the back of your hand? I found myself stumbling onto this question as I left Birmingham after a day-long adventure. In early November, I met James Clemens senior Brice Butler. Brice spent his sophomore and junior year of school attending Hoover High so he is familiar with the Birmingham area. I invited Brice and James Clemens senior Klay Muenstermann to join me on my Birmingham road trip over Thanksgiving break. The car ride on any road trip seems to be repetitive — good music, good friends and good laughs. Nothing is too special but everything is just right. It was around 11 a.m. when we arrived in Hoover and headed to one of Brice’s old frequented spots. He led the way as Klay and I followed behind. We had arrived at Moss Rock. It was a simple nature preserve with massive climbing rocks and a few small streams that flowed into waterfalls. We stayed about an hour admiring the scenery before heading back. Brice drove us around the city for the next few hours, taking us by landmarks from his time there. After taking us to most of the places he could think of, we went to Hoover High School. Our friend, Bob Jones junior Abby Bates, had a basketball tournament there and we decided to go support her as she played.

The Crimson Crier Dec. 10, 2015

Near halftime we left to see what else there was to do. We passed a small farmer’s market-like store called Andy’s and Brice immediately yelled out “That’s Nathan’s car!” A minute later, we were inside talking to Nathan and a couple of his coworkers. They told us about a new restaurant that had opened downtown called Glory Bound Gyro Company. Without hesitation, Nathan reached in his pocket and handed Brice a gift card to the restaurant. I sent a message to my friend, Homewood High senior Gabe Cooper, inviting him to join us. After eating, we started walking around the city looking for the tallest building we could find so that we could watch the sunset. We headed to the City Federal Building next. To access the elevator you needed a resident’s key so we realized City Federal would not be our way up. We ran out and went straight to the parking garage next door. Once again the elevator required a key, but there was one more option: the stairs. Time seemed to be in our favor as the four of us ran up the nine flights of stairs separating the ground from the view. We got to the rooftop of the parking garage right as the sun began to set. I climbed up and sat on the wall of the garage — just watching, just taking it all in. It is the moments like this that always stick out in our minds. They are full of spontaneity, adventure and wonder. It makes a perfect memory. Throughout the following hours we really got to know the city; the place has a personality of its own. Brice went on to tell us that when you live in a city like Birmingham, you get into the similar mindset of the people around you: they all had the mindset that Birmingham was “Boringham.” He added that sometimes it takes a degree of separation to truly appreciate something. It is good to get to know a city you have only ever passed through.

Do it Yourself X-mas: Creative ways to make the perfect Christmas gifts this year Hayleigh Pitts

Behind the scenes

Scream team prepares for new year

Reporter

ooking for gifts to give a family member or a friend but everything is just too expensive? Make it. More often than not, people appreciate the thought and time behind a handmade gift. Now comes the difficult part: choosing what to make. Here are some great ideas that your family and friends are sure to love.

wick to the bottom of the jar. Put the top of the wick in the Nick Arnold wick holder. Melt all the ingredients in a pot on low heat, Managing Editor stirring occasionally. Once all the flakes are melted, pour into the jar slowly. Let the candle cool.

Polka Dot Coffee Cup This is a lovely gift for the coffee drinkers in your life. For this gift, you will need a white or a colored coffee cup, paint, paint brushes or sponges and letter stickers. Place the Olaf Snow Globe With the love of Disney’s Frozen these days, how could stickers on the mug and paint what you desire. Before the you not have something that incorporates snowmen, snow paint dries, carefully remove the stickers. globes and Frozen. All you need is a mason jar, a small toy Olaf, a model tree, hot glue, a little water, some glitter and Decorated Oreos something to put Olaf and the tree on. Once you have all Make a beautiful pack of decorated Oreos for your friends your materials together, glue Olaf, the tree and the mound this holiday season. You will need a pack of Oreos, an of snow to the lid of the mason jar. Fill the jar about three assortment of sprinkles and a decorative package for the quarters of the way full and add a little glitter. Screw the top Oreos to sit in. Put the Oreo on the end of a chopstick and gently roll it around in the on and glue it shut. sprinkles. Homemade Fort Kit Cupcake in a Jar Who does not love forts? This fun and What better way to say Merry slightly more expensive gift will give the Christmas than a red velvet little ones or young at heart hours of cupcake with green icing and little imaginative fun. You will need a set of sprinkle ornaments? All this sweet sheet (new or used in a package), small gift needs is a box of cake mix, the suction cups, clothes line, one package of cake mix ingredients, cream cheese clothespins, flashlights and clamps. After icing, food coloring, pearl sprinkles gathering all the supplies, put them in a (or your preferred sprinkles) and cute little tote. a small mason jar. Follow the directions as listed on the cake Homemade Bubble Bath mix box. While the cupcakes Every mother’s life is full of ups and are baking, add the green food downs so give her something to pamper coloring to the cream cheese icing herself with. For this fun gift, you will Photo illustration by Zane White and mix it well. Once the cupcakes need four cups of water, four ounces of have been cooled and iced, place Castille soap, three ounces of glycerin or coconut oil, essential oils (such as lavender) and a decorative the cupcake on the lid and carefully screw the bottom on. container. After gathering the ingredients, mix the water with the Castille soap, glycerin and/or coconut oil. Then add Photo Strip Crayon Art four to five drops of the essential oils, mix then pour into For the creative and visual people, this is a fun Christmas gift project that will spread joy all around. Gather a pile of your decorative container. four-by-four photos, a box of crayons (the count is up to you), a hot glue gun, a hair dryer and a canvas. After your Mason Jar Candles These rustic style candles are sure to make Grandma smile. materials have been gathered, glue the photos in a strip For these, you will need a Mason jar, a bag of soy wax flakes, going vertically, horizontally or diagonally down the canvas wax colorant, a candle pouring pot, medium sized wicks and surround them with the crayons in any creative order and wick stickums, wick holder sticks, a wooden spoon and you want. Melt the crayons and your colorful and artsy materials to decorate. Take a wick stickum and attach the Christmas present is complete.

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Crimson Crier: “What sports do you guys support?”

Scream team sponsor Alison Ferguson: “I really try every year to get the scream team to support all sports and at least attend one event for everything. It is hard to get participation for all of the sports. I would say in the past, we’ve been linked most often to basketball. I guess it is still that way. Students feel like it is a basketball thing. I do try to support all of the athletics.”

CC: “How do things vary for each sport?”

AF: “They do not. We just get a shirt at the beginning of the year, and if we are going to go [to a game,] we wear our shirts. I usually have a meeting or I send out a reminder from Remind101 [that says] ‘hey don’t forget we’re going to go support, such and such at this date and this time. If you can go, go.’ It is not really different, it is the same for all of [the sports].” CC: “What are some of the things you do at the games?”

AF: “For the basketball games, we just had a meeting recently where they went over some chants and cheers. The president and vice president stood up and made sure everybody knew not to just [sit] in the stands during the game. Make sure that you’re up and doing the chants and the cheers or we are going kick you out of the stands. They seem to make sure to do what they are supposed to do. They are supposed to be there together. They are like the unofficial cheerleading squad. I have 36 members and they all have obligations.” CC: “What is the next game you guys are doing?” AF: “We are going to do every home game. We definitely want to support varsity girls and varsity boys. I made that clear that we are going to support the girls as much as we are going to support the boys. Sometimes, I think that they are overlooked. I’d love for them to go to the junior varsity games, too. It is hard get everybody to do that all the time.” CC: “Who can join and why do you suggest they join?”

Cost is $80

(256) 489-5242

930 Old Monrovia Road Near Madison Square Mall

Order in Room 127 or on the school website

AF: “Anyone can join. I suggest they join just because we are such a big school, and it does not seem like students support each other all the time. Even teachers do not support each other all the time. We talk about community a lot, and bringing the community closer as a school and as a student body. I want them to get involved, and I don’t always see that, from year to year it fluctuates and things change. I’d like for more students to be involved in supporting our athletes. If you are out doing something in a sport, you do better if you know there are those people out that are cheering for you and wanting you to do well.”

{ in-depth}

The Crimson Crier

10 D

ec.

10, 2015

Turn the music all the way up and change your mood with this

positivity

P L A Y L I S T:

Huntsville

Check out these prime places to find peace, all without leaving the city

Tessa Jackson Reporter

Land Trust of North Alabama: Three Caves

Tessa Jackson

Happy in

Reporter

“Send Me on My Way” -Rusted Root-

For those who love the wilderness, Alabama’s Three Caves offers relaxing trails of the outdoors and a variety of events that combine the love for music and mother nature’s creations.

“Banana Pancakes”

-Jack Johnson-

Heidi Knight School of Dance People express happiness in many ways, one being physical activity. This dance studio offers a positive and supportive environment for all who share the love of dance. And for those who would prefer to just watch, annual showcases are held at the Von Braun Civic Center in June.

“Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” -The Beatles-

“Love Yourself”

-Cody Simpson-

Bridgestreet Town Centre

“Hold My Hand”

This outdoor mall provides all types of fashionable stores and shops with modern style. Along with shopping, there are numerous restaurants that offer appetizing upscale cuisine to satisfy any visit.

-Jess Glynne-

“The Night is Still Young”

-Nicki Minaj-

“Pursuit of Happiness”

With many events following the seasons, including the annual Galaxy of Lights and the Purdy Butterfly House, the combination of adventure and outdoors is a perfect place for positivity.

-Kid Cudi-

“Hollaback Girl”

Huntsville Botanical Gardens

-Gwen Stefani-

“Daughter”

-Sleeping at Last-

Big Spring Park Have a relaxing stroll through the park along with the joy of feeding ducks over a bright red bridge. Enjoy the chirps of the birds and the green grass around a gorgeous lake around which Huntsville was built. Graphics by Savannah Bullard

“Jackie and Wilson” -Hozier-

“Downtown”

-Macklemore and Ryan Lewis-

12 Netflix documentary transforms mind

“The World is Mine” -firekid-

Photo illustration by Savannah Bullard

Ania Stover

“High”

-Young Rising Suns-

Scan this QR Code to find these songs and more in a special positivity playlist on Spotify:

Reporter

he Netflix documentary “Happy” focuses on the hardships and great times of regular people. These people make it a point in their lives to decide to be happy, even on a bad day. A common mantra is to be happy, whatever it takes, instead of letting people nor things get in the way of how these people feel. They let their good days shadow through their bad days and find comfort and growth by choosing a positive route in life. The documentary took a hard look at the positive way of life and how to ultimately achieve it. What stood out to me was the message that there will always be things that try to get in the way of my happiness. There will always be people who try to ruin that for me. I learned to be who I want to be, and do what I want to do because in the end, it will just be me. I do not want to look back on moments that I could have taken to be happy, but remember that I decided to please someone else. I cannot please everyone, so I will make myself happy first. Yes, there will always be people with bigger problems

than I have, but my problem still matters. I can do something about it; I can take action against what is going wrong. I am in control of my own life. Even in the worse times there can still be something positive about the situation. In my life, there was a time when I lost everything. I fell into a deep depression and talked to no one. Soon enough, I realized that was not the way I wanted to live and I could change it. It would take time but, I had hope that I could be happy and I could live life the way I wanted to. There will always be bad days but there will also be good days to outweigh the bad. There are so many people who are not physically able to do the things that I can and I want to cherish every single day and every ability I have. Life does not last forever and, once a day is gone, that is it. I cannot get that day back. From watching this documentary, I learned to not spend time worrying about the next day and to find comfort in the fact that everything will fall into place. In the end everything works out. It might not work out the way I want it to, yet everything happens for a reason. Instead of spending time worrying, I could spend my time laughing. I have decided to be the best I can be and do the best I can for myself.

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The Crimson Crier

Students weigh in:

Senior Tanner Huff is rarely seen without his pride and joy, Maria the ukelele.

positive thinking makes life better

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Ph o t o by

Mad is

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annah Bull

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Sophomore Bella Rector is seen as a “constantly happy” person, who never stops smiling.

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ositive thinking is not accepted by everyone. Some consider it as nonsense and scoff at people who follow it, but there is a growing number of people who accept positive thinking as a fact, and believe in its effectiveness. In Matthew 24:12, Jesus said this: “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” The word “waxed” used in that scripture is significant. It goes back to the way candles are made. A wick is dipped into hot wax and then taken out and allowed to cool for a few seconds, leaving a thin layer of wax. The process is repeated hundreds of times until the wick is buried deep within the wax. The same is true with the heart: if we focus on the evil of our world and circumstances then, little by little, the layers of negativity harden around our hearts, and layers of positivity become buried and cold. Throughout Earth there is a lot of untold suffering, but there is untold happiness also. Belief is a powerful force and when combined with thoughts of a life worth living, all of the pieces for a worthwhile mentality are put into motion. Holding positive thoughts in our minds long enough until they become a belief is a way to overcome this negativity in the world. If we shift our attitudes and the world around, we will shift as well. “I think the more I live in this world, the darker it gets. But that is not going to stop me from being who I am, being happy,” sophomore Bella Rector said. Studies show that something as simple as seeing a friend smile can activate the muscles in the face to make that same expression,

without someone even being aware that they are doing it. This just goes to show that no one knows for certain how much impact they have on other people’s lives. We are here to make a choice; to either improve the world or worsen it. And whether or not that is a conscious decision, we will all accomplish one or the other. “There are days when negativity gets to me. You have to make the best with what you got,” senior Tanner Huff said. According to Huff, a motivation that gets him up in the morning is oftentimes just a simple smile. In life, it is far too common for people to believe deeply in the myth of “too late.” Here is the test to find out whether a mission on earth is finished: if we are alive, then we are not done. It is never too late. “Back when I was younger I used to be sad, and I realized it is so much better to just be happy,” junior Cameron DuVall said. From here to there we can change our perspective. DuVall’s advice to the people is “to always be optimistic through every event.” Optimism in life is believing in the best through the worst, helping the world know it is never “too late.” Finding a path to a positive mindset is a chance for everyone. We notice that the more compassionate talk we have with ourselves, the more grace we give ourselves for failing and trying again. Optimism multiplies the force of our efforts many times over. If we take the same action, but do it once in a mentality of optimism and once in a mindset of pessimism the outcomes will vary. It is all a matter of how we look at effects. Most people describe the thorn as being the hurtful part of the rose instead of how the beautiful rose smells of sweetness. It is much like life; which do we want to focus on?

Reporter

d in

Hailey Watts

Dec. 10, 2015

{

in-depth

Junior Cameron DuVall, who is an avid thespian, treats the world as his stage.

positivity The ultimate how-to guide for happiness

Graphic by Savannah Bullard

{arts & entertainment }

The Crimson Crier

12 Dec. 10, 2015

STar WArs Strikes Back

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Zane White

Video Editor

here are tons of o II om movie series out R r there but none has as TE art f P p A much anticipation as the a CH rs” Star Wars remakes. This a series has become known not W r at only as a tradition in America “S but also as one worldwide.There et s ta have been instances of dedicated fans h waiting over seven hours, outside no less, W to have a chance of getting tickets for older movies in this series. Maybe Star Wars is not that different from other movies, but the love for it is so much deeper. The last generation grew up on this epic saga and a introduced their kids to it as well. Even though there was a difference in generations, Star Wars was still loved. And that love is the sole reason why Star Wars continues to be shared and embraced by various people of different backgrounds and cultures. The key aspects of the plot can be related to by just about everyone in the world if not the entire galaxy. Star Wars exemplifies that we all have a destiny yet at the same time we have control over that destiny. What we do matters, our choices all have lifelong effects. What Star Wars proves, and why so many cling to the series is that we can all make it back if we have lost our way, and that is what we all hope for and, of course, to somehow get tickets for the showings on Dec. 18.

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y now, everyone in this galaxy and one far, far away know that Disney is revamping a phenomenon that many grew up on. Back in 2012, after buying LucasFilm for a little over 4 billion dollars, Disney announced the coming of three more episodes. On Dec. 18 we will get our first full taste of the new movies and see for ourselves if Disney will live up to the legacy that is Star Wars. “The Force Awakens” has the most hype out of any Star Wars episode ever, and rightfully so. Originally there were never going to be more movies but Disney did not want the world to be without what it needs. The generation before us grew up on Star Wars, and if your family is any bit like these addicts, then you did as well. After nearly 3 years of waiting, our patience will be rewarded. Even after all this waiting Disney decided to make us all yearn for the new movies sooner. They have deployed traditional marketing techniques to draw in their audience by showing us numerous snippets in the previews, but not enough to give away the plot. Disney has done well with other reboots and hopefully the trend will continue.

Top 10 Star Wars Moments 6 (A New Hope)

via Rolling Stone Magazine

episode IV

The Cantina

A New Hope

“I am your father”

(The Empire Strikes Back)

episode V

7(A New Hope)

The Deathstar Battle

Luke vs. Darth Vader

(Return of the Jedi)

May 25, 1977

May 21, 1980

The Empire Strikes Back episode VI

May 25, 1983

Return of the Jedi

The Battle of Hoth

(The Empire Strikes Back)

9(A New Hope)

May 19, 1999

The Phantom Menace episode II

The Never-ending Imperial Destroyer

(A New Hope)

episode I

May 16, 2002

Attack of the Clones

The Deathstar Battle

Han Shoots First

10 (A New Hope)

episode III

May 19, 2005

Revenge of the Sith

Jump to Hyperspace

5(The Empire Strikes Back)

episode VII

Dec. 18,2015

The Force Awakens

“He’s Alive and in Perfect Hibernation”

131 people polled - Graphics courtesy of freestarwarsprintables.com

Who is your favorite Star Wars Character?

8% 5% 18% 29% 20% 20% Luke

Leia

Yoda

R2D2

Chewie

Darth Vader