February 2013

Diamonds in the rough

Examining the legacy an award-winning softball team leaves on Sparkman and the surrounding community.

Read More on pg 9

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Sparkman High School | 2616 Jeff Road | Harvest, Ala. 35749 | Phone: (256)837-0331 | Fax: (256)837-7673 | www.crimsoncriernews.com |

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Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014 Issue V

with great power...

With Student aligns with crime-fighting team to protect city Beryl Kessio Opinion Editor

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tay alert, Senators, for we are in the presence of a superhero.

Junior Nick Benson, aka “Jet Black,” is a selfdescribed superhero, and crime fighting fills his mind.

Benson founded the Rocket City Crime Fighters (RCCF), a group formed six years ago in an effort to combat crime in the areas surrounding Huntsville.

Starting as a group of three, the group now boasts over 70 diverse members and has even attracted the attention of local news channel WAAY 31.

“Our job is to keep citizens from harm’s way and report crime anonymously to the local police. We don’t arrest criminals, but we make sure they get arrested.

[The RCCF] fight crime in order to help the police, not replace them. We have faith in our law-enforcement and wish to give a helping hand in helping stop crime throughout the city,” Benson said.

The RCCF’s headquarters, a local library, serves as a base for the team to research strategies for crime prevention and intervention.

Being a member of the RCCF requires agility. The Boy Scouts motto “always be prepared” could not be truer for the group. That means being prepared to face anything, including criminals.

“Each member gets their own team role and code-name used to identify them. Most members who patrol the city are trained in some form of athletics like acrobatics or martial arts,” Benson said. “Our members have access to gear, gadgets and suits provided by our vendors. They also have

access to our driver, crimemap information provided by our oracles and medical advice from medics.”

Benson himself is responsible for patrolling Northwest Huntsville. He finds himself busy, working to thwart a small, offshoot group whose allegiance lies deep within the national crime-syndicate.

“I am investigating Sureños 13 activity. The Sureños 13, also known as MS-13, are the Mexican mafia and are a militant gang. However this branch is extremely small and made up of young members: they are highly unpredictable,” Benson said.

Another real life superhero Jeff Gillespie* has been a part of the RCCF since its inception.

Influenced by X-Men and Deadpool comics, Gillespie was enticed by what he saw on those pages. Being trained in martial arts, he is partial to thinking of himself as a ninja, exhibiting the stealth and cunning of a wild beast.

“Most people say I’m like a tiger trying to catch its prey,” Gillespie said.

Gillespie has even ventured into the unknown, infiltrating local gangs to

justice is served: he reports gang activity to the RCCF and the police.

The road to securing a peaceful community has not been entirely smooth. Both Gillespie and Benson have been on the receiving end of threats from the Sureños and other gangs as a result of their efforts.

“I have been [issued] threats by individuals that if I reported them, they would get revenge. But so far no one who has threatened me with violence in retaliation to my crime-fighting has acted on these threats,” Benson said.

Gillespie has not been as lucky.

“Recently, [Gillespie] got into a knife fight and messed up his face,” Benson said.

Benson does employ some of the archetypal superhero devices. He dons various get-ups when patrolling, ranging from western wear to urban attire. He even has a theme song: “For Cynthia”

by Gianni Fallabrino. Despite doing all these things, he is the first to admit that he is no Superman. Benson does, however, strive for an ideal, keenly pursuing a world of do-gooders. He does this all

“...in comic books the hero always wins, but we all know too well that the real world doesn’t work that way.”

-Nick Benson gain intel on their activities.

Gillespie suffered to gain entrance into the exclusive groups. He recalls letting himself get beaten up to be admitted. It is all worth it to him, though, as vigilante

while hoping to make a little dent in the lives of others, yet still keeping his feet on the ground.

“The biggest difference between real life and comic books is the fact that in

CLIMBING THE WALLS. Junior Nick Benson demonstrates his crime-fighting agility by the football field. This ability helps him to evade pursuers and stealthily observe his targets. Photo by Claire Yates.

comic books the hero always wins, but we all know too well that the real world doesn’t work that way. We as citizens must lean away from apathy and take the initiative to do what is right and help our fellow comrades to make a bright and sunny tomorrow,” Benson said.

According to the Bureau of Justice, nearly 67 percent of 7,818 businesses have detected at least one cybercrime. Electric Snow*, a techie in the group, wants that number to shrink. He monitors network activities to make sure Valley businesses are not taken advantage of.

“What that job entails, is we counter hack certain criminal black hat groups or we look up into on them to find out what they are doing,” Snow said.

In his quest for peace,

Benson actively searches for recruits and willingly explains the motives of the RCCF to any interested party.

He runs into problems sometimes, as new recruits’ preconceived ideas about what a crimefighting organization should be — some think a cheesy Western — occlude the reality of it.

“The point of the group is to prevent crime. The main concern is getting civilians out of the way, not to go in guns blazing, fighting. A lot of new recruits assume this when they hear we fight crime. Anyone who is capable and willing to fulfill the team role they are applying for [can join]. If they are unable due to lack of training or experience we have access to trainers for new recruits,” Benson said.

Benson and Gillespie both see a bright future for the RCCF. Benson even

hopes to introduce a crimeprevention club at school so more people can join the network of real life superheroes.

Benson’s aspiration to become a police officer also motivates him to serve the city, even before he earns a badge. It is a priority that the RCCF involve themselves in the community as much as possible with volunteer projects and fundraisers. In the meantime, he says that he will continue to lead the Rocket City Crime-Fighters in their crusade to protect the city.

“I decided to become a crime-fighter at a young age because of my desire to help others . Crime-fighting helps me feel better about the city knowing that there are others out there helping make it a better place by helping others,” Benson said. *names changed to protest identities

‘Wizard of Oz’ performances made possible by technical help Brittany Robertson Reporter

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he February performances of “Wizard of Oz” are fast approaching, and there is just as much work going on behind the scenes as on stage.

The drama department is putting on the “Wizard of Oz” and, with most of the film showing magic, colorful scenes and flying monkeys, some special technical effects are needed. Senior Kirkland Jones is one of the technical helpers in the production working as a spot lighter.

“We are going to be building the props and making the set, there are going to be different slides since there will be a lot of moving around and such. There will be people in the back helping the actors set up things on stage,” Jones said.

The crew will be using basic equipment such as

a sound board and spotlights with colored filters.

A magician will teach the cast a few magic tricks, including the witch’s appearing and disappearing.

“The difference between this year and last year’s production is that the costumes and sets are more elaborate and we are borrowing pieces from Huntsville High since they did this play as well. Also because it is expensive, the monkeys will not be flying but be on roller blades. We have not been able to come up with a way to show the hot air balloon but we will keep trying,” drama teacher Sherry Ryan said.

Compared with last year’s production of “Grease,” the task of learning magic and spot lighting actors seems easier for the technical crew. Senior Kerri Harris has been a member of the tech crew since her sophomore year; she gets the same enjoyment of working as tech from each production.

“I was prop mistress last year. This is my favorite thing to do because I get to work with the cast and the director and I get to work with everyone else and they help me find what I need and I help them make sure the production goes smoothly,” Harris said.

Ryan has arranged for the cast and crew to meet up at the Premiere on Memorial Parkway a week before opening night and rehearse the play to make sure everyone has everything they need and that the timing is spot on. There will be eight shows at the Von Braun Center Playhouse; Feb. 27, 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., Feb. 28, 9 a.m., noon, and 5 p.m. and March 1, 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

“We have a tech week, we are at the Von Braun Center and everyone is there. We actually run the show from start to finish and it’s lights, sounds, props and everything has to be in its place at specific times. That’s what we work on the very last week right before the store,” Harris said.

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News pg. 2-3 Opinion pg. 4-5 Sports pg. 6-7 Features pg. 8-9 Entertainment pg. 12 Spread pg. 10-11

2 News

The Crimson Crier

Feb. 13, 2014

Photo illustration by Kasey Stender

Library out of date, needs aesthetic improvements Savannah Bullard Reporter

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ost research papers that are written in high school require multiple sources; the allotted in-class work time can be spent in the library. However, the library is becoming less of a viable resource center as the technologically advanced generation becomes more innovative. From dusty, beat up encyclopedias to a nearly absent fiction section, the library is attracting fewer people each year.

English teacher Renee Quaife has admitted to decreasing her class time spent in the library. Spending an hour taking turns battling ancient computer software and searching for a 2012 poet in the 16th century book section has been deemed worthless.

“Taking my classes to the library for research has become very, very difficult because the material they need is either not available or out of date, in terms of books. I have had much better luck taking students to the computer lab to use the Internet for web searches as well as the Alabama Virtual Library,” Quaife said.

Quaife mentions her wishes to provide her students with the best materials to succeed with their work. A general issue lies with the library lacking updated material, so the students struggle when searching for all the substantial information needed.

Principal Mike Campbell explains how getting funding for the library is exceedingly difficult, considering the unavailable funds provided by the state leaves the school with very little room to work.

“There are no finances or budgets that are for the library. If [Lynn Presley] has a request for material, she can submit it to us and I do the best I can to provide it for her,” Campbell said.

Campbell also wants to start trying out more technically diverse ways of using the material that is already provided here. He is currently making plans to try and “do it yourself” the materials the school already has in inventory and use those to the highest potential.

“We are planning to experiment with WiFi access opportunities to try and make the school more technologically advanced,” Campbell said.

The needs of the library are somewhat alleviated with the $300 received per year as a “fee replacement” incentive. This is the only money the state provides to

assist teachers across Alabama. Teachers use this money to purchase materials that the teachers personally need for their classrooms. The library gets these funds as well.

Presley explains what she uses the money for and how it is not enough for her visions of the library to be fulfilled.

“The $300 I get each year normally goes towards book tape to repair the library books and textbooks. I also use the money to buy paper clips, staples, copy paper, Kleenex and other materials of that sort. I think it will take as much as $75,000 to update the library in full,” Presley said.

Junior Slade Hogan offers his opinions on what the $300 funds may, and should, be used for.

“Copies and toner is the primary need in the library.

The $300 should go towards printer and copier supplies because they are used daily by students who need research help. Maybe if there was a bigger budget available then the price for each piece of paper will go down,” Hogan said.

Presley has tried multiple times to offer fundraising ideas to the Madison County Board of Education. These ideas, however, have all been turned down. The student/ faculty basketball game is currently the only fundraiser that will take the proceeds and give them to the library.

“The money I get to have from the basketball game will probably go to updating the fiction section. I plan to email the teachers for their opinions on what to buy and then take suggestions from students. A community-wide project that focuses on updating the library does sound appealing to me and I would like to act upon that if possible,” Presley said.

Even though the state of Alabama cut the funds for libraries, as a 7A school the library can make countless improvements to give it a facelift, all for little to no money. Such an example is the library at the freshman school across the street.

“When I began working for Sparkman Nine I was basically given a blank canvas to work with. I got to build the library from the ground up, making it inviting while also focusing on curriculum,” Ninth Grade School librarian Alison Madison said.

Madison was able to have a significant role in designing the library, such as what furniture to purchase or what book series to invest in next. She has even accepted donations from teachers and her own collection of young adult fiction.

Her visions have helped to create a fun and interesting library at the freshmen school. Madison made sure that the library she is in charge of will be helpful while also enjoyable.

“The books you feature and services you provide are two factors in having a fun and resourceful library. The

Faculty vs. Senior Game - March 4 All donations will benefit library 21st century is broadening the technology spectrum, and both tech devices and handheld books are both important for this day in age,” Madison said.

A school-wide survey showed that 80 percent of students do not even voluntarily use the SHS library at all, due to its dreary grey paint and old, dusty shelves. The survey also showed that 70 percent of students do not like the library, but would use it more if it looked more decorated and inviting. One big Pinterest hunt could turn the library around and make it more appealing—at the very least, approachable.

Presley has made been working over the last three years to create a more personable atmosphere in her library. She is working with what she has, and Hogan comments that she “has a lot on her plate.”

“The state of Alabama does not fund libraries anymore. We do have a fiction section and our library is primarily research based. Since I have no state money to purchase new material I take money or books as donations,” Presley said.

Even though it is deemed improbable for the state to give higher funding, there are countless ideas that can be put into action that will make the library a happier and warmer place. There are more resources that can be applied at almost no cost. Investing in a weekend to bring out new, happier looking paint would make the library look brighter. Hosting a book donation can help make the fiction section better. Even putting up decorations or book posters can make the library look more pleasing. These ideas cost little money and are not hard to do, as long as people are willing to help. More money is not the only answer in enhancing the library.

“Reading is a beautiful thing. Nothing beats a good book that speaks to your soul and makes you strive to be better all with just black ink on a white page. I would love for our students to have that love. It all starts with finding that right book or that right series or that right author,” Quaife said. “As the library currently operates, and has operated for the nine years I’ve been here, that goal does not seem to be a part of the library’s purpose.

None of what we would like to see is unattainable.”

Behind the scenes: counseling department dissected Savannah Bullard Reporter

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hen crisis strikes the hallways, the counseling department is there to comfort the grieving and encourage those who need it.

February is National Guidance Counselor Month, a time for high school students and their parents to understand the role of guidance counselors in their school.

Because of the size of the school, students are not given exclusive opportunities to be on a personal level with their assigned counselor. Visiting the counselor’s office is normally reserved for getting out of that seemingly satanic AP Calculus class or coming to vent about a student’s less than ideal home life . However, these women have lives out from behind the desk. Each does hold a special place in her heart for the students.

With counseling being a trying job sometimes, these staff members show how much they truly love all of us.

Lorri Haynes Lorri Haynes is the guidance counselor for the sophomore class.

She helps students with schedule changes, but the highlight of her job is working with students who need emotional support.

Haynes graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science in secondary education and comprehensive social science.

She completed her education with a Master’s degree in school counseling from the University of North Alabama.

Having come from a struggling family, Haynes explains that her motivation to be a counselor started at home.

“My family did not have much money and we had a few relatives with special needs. I think that gave me a soft spot for underprivileged people who need help,” Haynes said.

Haynes describes her role at school as being an “advocate,” and she believes that to do the job right, there must be a willingness present in order to do anything to help.

“The generation I work with has many kids who are just on their own. I want to be that one positive

adult who is willing to accept those kids. I want to help them be able to stand up on their own,” Haynes said.

Haynes also explains that when a student leaves her office, the atmosphere that remains gives her a zeal that inspires her to come back to work the next day.

“There is nothing better than leaving work knowing I helped someone. It makes me feel so good to help with a schedule change or even just to talk.

I want them to know they matter,” Haynes said.

Julie Hoover For 15 years, junior class guidance counselor Julie Hoover worked in the special education department.

While assisting children who had disabilities, she got to experience a sense of inclusion with kids who were not developmentally delayed in social and emotional areas. Working with those students heightened Hoover’s wish to not only help special needs children, but all children in general.

“I always wanted to broaden my spectrum after working with the special needs students. With such a massive school I work in, there is a much more diverse population to work with,” Hoover said.

After graduating from the University of Alabama with a school counseling degree, Hoover explored various teaching jobs before realizing that her soft heart belonged to helping all children. With over 600 teenagers in her charge, Hoover works with a diverse group of people across the school and county. This helps her to always be notified of those little “red flags” that are easy to miss when sitting in an office all day.

“I work closely with virtually everyone. I work with the school nurse, teachers, SRO officers, the Department of Human Resources, lawyers, administrators and others. I can’t see every student in the classroom, so I rely heavily on everyone to tell me if there is something I need to work with a student about,” Hoover said.

According to Hoover, one of the best qualities to have in her job field is being able to enjoy each day, even though no two days as a counselor are alike. There may be obstacles to overcome, but Hoover says that the occasional stressful days do not make her regret anything.

“The students always know whether or not you care. I want them to make sure they know I care. I am constantly

learning new cultures and things that make me better at my job each day. It is always so rewarding to see a young adult smile after I help them,” Hoover said.

Dedra Muhammad “I’m an academic school guidance counselor. I help to guide the process of students as they matriculate through our system on academic, social and emotional levels.” These words come from Dedra Muhammad, the senior class guidance counselor.

Muhammad graduated from Indiana University and the University of Michigan with Master’s degrees of Science in School Counseling.

While in the midst of her frantic search for her nitch in high school, Muhammad got her inspiration from a source close to home.

“My father asked me to serve children as a career. He told me I had a gift called love, and that I was required to share that love to help children, especially those who are suffering. It is true that my greatest passion is to be an advocate for the youth,” Muhammad said.

Muhammad has always loved to reach out and help the student body’s seniors. And when a student gets the assistance they need, Muhammad feels that the happiness inside never gets old.

“I am always happy to be able to offer encouragement and tell students how special they are. Whenever I can put a smile on the face of a teenager or any child, it brings me the greatest pleasure imaginable,” Muhammad said.

Dr. Sharon Clanton Sharon Clanton attended the University of Alabama, majoring in Business Management and Marketing, afterward receiving her PhD in Organizational Psychology. The duo college experiences led her to become the college and career advisor

Counseling CONT. pg. 03

The Crimson Crier

Feb. 13, 2014

News 3

Winter guard receives first male members Sarah Jarnagin Photo Editor

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ost people believe that winter guard membership is reserved for females.

But winter guard members thwarted that belief in November when the winter guard head captain and cocaptains announced on social media that they were searching for two guys to join their team.

The two who answered the call were sophomores Logan Whitten and Chris Patrick. Whitten and Patrick met with winter guard instructor Stan Gillispie a week after they saw the social

media announcements to join the team. “[One of the cocaptains] put on Facebook that guys were needed and I thought nobody else would step up and I wanted to try something different, have a new experience.

Logan and I were thinking about it and I was like, ‘Let’s do it’,” Patrick said.

The two started off practicing with Gillispie and then began practicing with the winter guard teams.

Whitten was placed on the varsity team and Patrick was placed on junior varsity. The varsity team will compete in seven competitions, while the junior varsity team will compete in six.

The option for guys to be on the winter and color guard teams is available throughout the year.

Whitten and Patrick would both consider remaining on the team the entire year, but also have their concerns with it because they are both band members.

“If I was asked, I would consider it. At the time, I wouldn’t join [for good] on my own,” Whitten said.

At the winter guard competion on Saturday, Jan. 25, the junior varsity and varsity teams competed against 10 groups from the southeast region. The JV team placed second and the varsity team scored higher than the University of Alabama’s winter guard.

Junior varsity placed second of 10 groups in the southeast region.

Practice makes perfect Sophomore Chris Patrick practices the winter guard routine with junior Shannon Lane. The varsity team recently scored higher than the University of Alabama’s winter guard at competition. Photo by Julie Jones.

Teacher implements new student recognition system in classroom, sees improvements Students encouraged, recognized for classroom improvement the best at literature but he got me through it passing with flying colors,” sophomore Ryan Pardue said.

The purpose of the recognition is to instill selfhere are students who go unrecognized confidence and trust so that students can become for going above and beyond in school, better people from it or work harder in the classroom. overshadowed by those who perhaps take more “I’m more of a student who likes to write and advanced classes or participate in more extracurricular activities. English teacher William Thomas is “He gave me more tapping into this abundant potential by awarding than one chance when I students who would not otherwise be recognized. messed up, unlike most “Most of the kids that are recognized teachers.” are the ones that are traditionally popular or they’re traditionally associated with the - sophomore Ryan Pardue elite groups in the school,” Thomas said.

Regardless of a student’s behavior, Thomas recognizes them on a daily basis for improvement listen to people so that’s more where his class helped and hard work in and outside of the classroom. me because I don’t like talking a lot and his class “He gave me more than one chance when I really fit me well,” sophomore Hayleigh Pitts said. messed up, unlike most teachers. He helped me This may be the first year Thomas is recognizing get my organization together throughout the students in this manner, but when he first began teaching period of time I was in literature. I’m usually not he had a board called “League of Champions.” Every Katlin Gillespie Reporter

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other week, if a student did something exceptional, he would write his or her name on the board.

“I got away from it but I think I’m going to look towards reestablishing that. Going forward I think I am going to try to do more daily recognition and I wanna try to implement that in my emails to parents and to the school. I think it’s something that is needed amongst the faculty and staff as well just an overall positive outlook in knowing that people can trust in you,” Thomas said.

At the end of each semester Thomas puts forth the most effort for student recognition. He recognizes the most improved student, the most helpful student, the best class citizen, the student athlete and the hard workers.

The students receive a certificate of award, a thank you card and a gift card from the business of his or her choice.

“I want to recreate that fun feeling of school. When kids think about school these days they’re dreading it. I’m not saying recognizing a student is going to fix that, but I think that if more students knew the confidence levels that teachers, principals, parents and people in the community had then that would increase the morale,” Thomas said.

Facilities maintenance proves complicated endeavor Logan Grant Reporter

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n a facility as large as Sparkman High School’s campus, a large amount of maintenance is required to keep everything running smoothly.

The school and all of its outdoor facilities sit on 49 acres of land. As a public school, the Alabama state government gives the school a budget for all of the upkeep required. Most of the 49 acres is the outdoor facilities such as the football field. In Principal Mike Campbell’s opinion, outdoor maintenance is the number one priority when thinking about renovations and other projects. The Tennessee Valley Authority allocates funds for these projects.

“TVA gives the school $44,000 a year for work on the school grounds, but this can only be used for outdoor projects. We have taken out a $250,000 loan to renovate different facilities and we pay the loan off with this $44,000 a year,” Campbell said.

If a new school is built in the area, funds will be stretched thinner between them. It is debatable whether the new school should be built or if the money should go to maintaining the schools already in existence. Whether or not a new school will be built within the next few years determines the practicality of renovations at existing schools as well.

Counseling CONT. pg. 02

for

all sophomores, juniors and seniors.

“The paradigm of college exploration is much larger than students realize. I used the skills I learned in college to show the kids how to use skills, knowledge and experience to find their path to success,” Clanton said.

Clanton is an internationally certified career

“I would love for Sparkman to have a larger cafeteria to better serve all of our students, but we cannot spend money to expand a crowded school when a new school would fix the crowding. We could only use the new cafeteria for about two years,” Campbell said.

Plant Manager Bob Gottman and Terry Scruggins are responsible for the behind the scenes work that is needed to keep the building in good enough condition to support an approximately 1,800-member student body.

“Elements and age are what wears on a building, and Sparkman has both,” Gottman said.

Gottman and other workers have many responsibilities.

They are the reason classes’ air gets fixed, projectors in the rooms are wired and the plumbing works properly.

“Heating and cooling is a continuous job.

We also fix teachers’ projectors and repair the bleachers when they break from being used like an accordion. We have a lot of students who drive, and sometimes they have issues with their car. We are there to help with those things,” Gottman said Gottman and other maintenance employees use the Trane Tracer ES, a diagnostic computer program, to find problems in the school. This gives them the ability to estimate where the source of a problem may be without time-consuming exploratory work.

“We can look at the temperature of every room in the school from the computer. Also, a lot of students don’t know that we have a boiler room here at the school. We can

see it on here and if temperatures are rising in one section, we know which direction to go to look for the problem. It isn’t always exact, but it gives us an idea,” Gottman said.

Maintaining a large school takes work, and work takes money. The Madison County Board of Education decides the budget for upkeep to the schools. However, it is a concern whether or not the budget is sufficient for the maintenance needed.

Sparkman High School is classified as a 6A school and the third largest school in the state of Alabama.

Unfortunately for the school, it is located in Madison County where schools are given funding evenly between the schools. The surrounding schools are not close to the size of Sparkman. Madison County High is classified as a 4A school and New Hope High is classified as a 3A. Madison County Board of Education distributes these funds based on the number of schools rather than the number of students attending the school.

development specialist. With such a title, Clanton never fails to show how the passion she has for her job motivates her to help every last student succeed in having a future when they leave high school.

“It gives me great joy to see in the eyes of a Senator that they have the power to impact their future. It truly elates me to be embraced after a student who thought they were hopeless walks across the stage with a diploma and an actual future,” Clanton said.

Clanton has boosted school-wide statistics since

arriving, increasing the amount of teenagers who want to go to college by 22 percent and increasing the variety of scholarships received by 35 percent.

“I have amplified the amount of scholarships Senators have received by 50 percent in two years. The past statistics cannot compare. We’re talking about lives here, and every experience helps to improve those lives,” Clanton said.

So take some time this February to thank a counselor for all they do.

49 acres to maintain $44,000 for outdoor projects $250,000 loan to renovate facilities

4 Opinion

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The Crimson Crier

Feb. 13, 2014

TAFF EDITORIAL School library remains forgotten

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ome of us go our whole high school careers without ever stepping into the library.

To some, that may seem sacrilegious, but the reality is, the age of going to the library to check out books has eclipsed us.

New technology – Google and e-readers – has made libraries almost obsolete.

Therefore we run to the library for fiction, solely.

But even then our library seems to fall short.

The school’s library seems like a hasty addition, a mere requisite for the school.

In order for the school library to attract visitors, a major rehabilitation of the facility should be completed. This could

be an aesthetic change; a paint job or even an addition of furniture would make a difference.

This could be a renovation of content, moving past books that have not been sold in stores since the end of World War II. But then there is the problem of money. With overall school funding choked to an excruciating drip of funds, the probability of the library being improved are slim to none. The delegation of funds is messy, but beyond our control. After all, the school is surviving on adopted textbooks and 1,500 copies per teacher per semester. So can the library become a priority if there is no interest?

There are surely costeffective ways to receive donations and spawn (much needed) attention.

Book drives and fairs, grants and increased community involvement should be on the agenda.

Whose responsibility is it to do these things? Are we as students supposed to take upon us the burden of saving the library? Does the burden lie with the alumni? Parents?

Is it the responsibility of the school, whose hands are tied in securing funds?

We cannot assign blame to any one party; the written word simply falls short of the importance that new technology seems to demand nowadays.

It just might be a lost cause.

Editorial staff approved this editorial unanimously

Racist accusations against Disney’s “Frozen” are unwarranted Kasey Stender Spread Editor

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he new animated Disney hit film “Frozen” has been in the middle of the swirl of racism controversy that has angered quite a few people.

Now this is not anything new to a Disney film. Every new release there are always these people who feel entitled, discriminated and disrespected at the lack of people of color in Disney films. I totally forgot how white Mulan is or Tiana or Lilo and Nani.

They are clearly Caucasian.

No varying types of race to see there at all.

While a majority of the princesses have been Caucasian since the beginning of the Disney era, their race coincides with the area and time period

in which the film is taking place. Cinderella, a French fairytale, is, obviously, in France. People from France are mostly white. Rapunzel is a German tale. German people are generally white.

The thing with “Frozen” is that it is placed around the Nordic region, loosely around Norway. It draws its culture from the Sami people who live in these snowy, northern regions.

There are multiple pictures and different types of documentation that shows that supports the character designs from “Frozen”.

As most uneducated citizens of the world tend to do, they cry out about discrimination and racism, as they assume people who live in snow must look like Eskimos. Wrong. The Sami people are white and tend to have fair hair. Kristoff, a

character from “Frozen”, actually represents their appearance rather accurately. Why would Disney make a movie based in a certain geological area with characters that are clearly from another? That just does not make sense at all.

Elsa, another main character from “Frozen” is only princess and possibly the only children’s character to openly show depression. Other movies mask it with symbolism and metaphors but “Frozen” addresses in straight on. It becomes a main component in the plot line, the character development and the whole theme of the movie which is, to the bare bones, live for you, be you and do not let others mold your life into something that is not what you want.

Others complain about the lack of accents in the movie, claiming it furthers the racism. I would love to spend 102 minutes trying to decipher what the heck is being said and sung. That would not give me a headache and lessen the experience one bit.

People have forgotten what really matters in the grand scheme of things.

Character content. Little boys and girls do not care if their favorite character is white, black, Arabian or a merperson. They only care about their qualities of their characters. Google pictures of children dressed up as their favorite Disney character and you will see that race is not an issue.

But has this not always been the goal? Did Martin

Luther King Jr. not say he had dream for people to “not be judged by the color of their skin, but the content of their character?”

At the core of all things, the truth is, it is just a movie; a concoction to bring joy to people. It is not meant to change the world, to discriminate against a group of people, to be disrespectful. So, pardon the musical pun, let it go or live crappily ever after.

FROZEN FACTS • “Frozen” is based on “The Snow Queen” by Danish fairy tale author Hans Christian Andersen • “Frozen” smashed the box office with earnings totaling $347.82 million and rising

Rodman, Kim Jong-un friendship distasteful Steven Byrd Copy Editor

T

a nation where delusion is reality...

Few North Koreans know anything about world events apart from how they are described by North Korean propaganda.

As many as 40% of prisoners die malnutrition while manual labor in condition.

camp from doing harsh

Nearly all property belongs to the state.

Between 150,000 and 200,000 North Koreans live in prison camps.

Kim Jong Il, son of the country’s founder, has been said by state media to have managed amazing feats: He scored a perfect 300 the first time he went bowling and sank 11 holes-in-one the first time he played golf.

A modern independent judicial system does not North Koreans must abide exist. by one of 28 approved haircuts.

Schoolchildren provide their own desks and chairs, Religious freedom does and money to pay for not exist. heat.

Courtesy of USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/04/13/north-koreafactoids/2078831/

he crushing blows land heavy on the flimsy door, it is 2 a.m. and they are back once again; the police must make sure that the government provided portraits are properly displayed. As you struggle to get out of bed and reach the door, in they come, flashlights blinding and shouts deafening. You know the beatings will ensue for failing to open the door, but there is nothing you can do. North Korea is the only functioning country in the world, you have been told; the rest of the planet is in total anarchy. Life inside the “Hermit Kingdom” is the best way of life.

In a country where a majority of the population lives in poverty—those who earn a wage get an average of $2000 a year—and running water in the supreme dictator Kim Jong-un’s palace in Pyongyang is a sign that he is a descendant of their god, the man they worship, Kim Il-sung, basketball means absolutely nothing. Dennis Rodman is off his rocker if he believes that smoking with Kim Jong-un and drunken outbursts against wrongly detained American citizens are in any way beneficial to the North Korean people. Rodman believes North Korea is “not that bad,” and claims never to have seen any impoverished or starving people. However, Rodman has never been outside of the government approved “tourist areas,” the places where they hire actors to pretend to be happy, well-adjusted citizens.

North Koreans live in constant fear of government spies. In a move taken directly from the Gestapo’s playbook, anyone and everyone could be a spy, reporting back to the government. Any infraction from watching an unapproved movie—all North Koreans can watch is the state-run news channel, if they even have a television—to a woman riding a bicycle is punishable by 15 years in a hard labor camp. “The bird listens during

the day, and the mouse does at night” is a famous North Korean proverb. Kim Jong-un has proven to be the cruelest dictator North Korea has seen to date, often forcing his citizens into further poverty and hunger to undertake massive government building projects, designed to make North Korea appear “normal” to the outside world, including a newly-opened water park and an entire “ghost city,” an uninhabited, shell of a city built for the sole purpose of showing up a smaller city in South Korea that is visible from the border.

Kim Jong-un has received widespread criticism for his inhumane treatment of both his ordinary citizens and military officials, including his own uncle and lifelong mentor Jang Song Thaek, who he had purged from the state and executed for allegedly attempting to overthrow the extreme ruler; an unsubstantiated claim to be sure. Rodman has been on more than just alcohol if he believes that playing basketball is the way to get through to the sadistic ruler of North Korea; humoring Kim Jong-un—which Rodman is certainly doing, a team of NBA stars does not lose to a consistently mediocre North Korean basketball team on accident—is only going to further inflate his ego and affirm his belief that he can do no wrong, that anything he does is a shining example of perfect leadership. Despite Rodman’s best efforts, which are admittedly unimpressive and irrational, the only way to get through to North Korea is not even up to anyone in the United States. Before North Korea can be turned around, before the people can be liberated, China must crack down on the inhumane practices in the isolated country and finally cease the never-ending supply of money and business they shuttle into the country. Until that happens, Dennis Rodman will (probably) continue to be the only American any North Koreans ever see—a poor example, no doubt—and North Koreans will still be married in front of one of the country’s 34,000 statues of the late Kim Il-sung.

The Crimson Crier

Feb. 13, 2014

News Editor

I

t all started in kindergarten.

Children walked into classrooms toting handdecorated shoeboxes to contain the paper representations of classroom friendships.

Classmates roamed the room, dropping candy and generic cards into boxes in the hopes their own boxes would not be empty upon return. This competition for the best candy and most unique cards has instilled into people the idea that the true meaning behind Valentine’s Day can be found on the clearance aisle on Feb. 15.

With the stereotypical gifts, including heartshaped diamond jewelry, dozens of red roses, chocolates galore and pricey dinner reservations, countless poor souls are often left footing a Valentine’s Day bill soaring upwards of $200 in the hopes that they will not be banished to the couch in the name of a woman’s scorn.

Those not in a relationship are reminded throughout the day of their singleness as the scent of chemicallyenhanced flowers hangs in the air and it seems everyone but them has a secret admirer’s poetry to swoon over. Hoping to spend the night drowning his or her sorrows in Ben and Jerry’s and late night sitcoms proves impossible, as media impresses upon the viewer that one is not truly happy and cannot feel appreciated without receiving roses or an overpriced Hallmark card that will be spreading the same “special message” to thousands of others.

Before you call me a cold-hearted cynic, let me say this—the problem is not spending boo coos

of money on a significant other, or even showering him or her with gifts. The problem is cramming thoughtless, spur-of-themoment cliché gifts into one day and expecting the pampering to be a CYA for the other 364 days of the year. Sure, that special someone wants to be made to feel extra loved on Valentine’s Day, but the times when thoughtfulness is most appreciated is not the day when everybody and their brother is getting candy hearts and pop-up cards.

The surprise flowers sent to her house or a night out on the town on any other ordinary day will mean so much more than the creepy, overstuffed teddy bear you felt obligated to give on Feb. 14.

In case you are still skeptical of this idea, in a report of 2012 Valentine’s Day spending, Time Business reported that the same bunch of red roses one normally pays $60 for will go for a painful $80 during the price-inflating corporate holiday that is V-Day. Numbers do not lie—it really is cheaper to show your affections on any other day of the year.

The marketing world has turned Valentine’s Day into a money-making scheme that distorts the views of what a give-and-take relationship looks like, reinforcing the idea that material items compensate for faults and take the place of verbal articulations.

This year for Valentine’s Day, consider the meaning behind your planned gifts and activities. Is it done out of a feeling of necessity and over-compensating, or is it simply another way to show that special someone how much they mean to you on that day as well as every other?

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Dear Ms.Wallace,

M

y name is Mitchell Keys. I am currently 16 years old, and am a junior at Sparkman High School.

I am also a member of the Boy Scouts of America and I am currently working to earn my communications merit badge. One of the requirements for this badge is to write a letter to the editor of my local newspaper, expressing my opinion or sharing information on any subject I choose. Since I know you personally, I decided to take advantage of that fact by writing to the editor of the Crimson Crier, i.e. you.

There have been rumors that, at some time in the next few years, The Madison County Board of Education will build a new high school. With the severe overcrowding at Sparkman, this seems to be a good thing.

However, a bit of online research reveals that there is more to the story.

On the state-wide news website, www.al.com, an article about possible locations for the new school says this about plans for the ninth grade school. “The new school would allow Sparkman ninth grade students move to Sparkman High; the ninth grade school will be converted into [a middle] school.”

There are a few things that I can see wrong with it.

One, the High-School building should not be simply a ninth-grade school building. While it is too small for the current student body, it would be too big for only ninth graders. Two, I do not think the Madison County schools need another Middle School.

I believe that the student body deserves more information, especially the answers to the questions in this letter.

Best Wishes Mitchell Keys

5

Valentine’s day offers change to commemorate affection

Commercialism ruins supposed “romantic” holiday Erin Rountree

Opinion

Students Debate:

Does Valentine’s Day light your fire?

VS

Artwork by Noah Lombard

Students Weigh In Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?

NO

YES

9 11 Do you love the holiday?

8 NO

YES

12

Victoria Lewis Reporter

T

he main idea of Valentine’s Day is to share love with the people we are close to and about spending time with the ones we love; in fact, 62 percent of individuals in the United States said they celebrate the holiday.

Sadly, as a community we have lost sight of our amazing holiday for love; we watch romantic gushy movies, eat chocolate until we have stomach aches and we have the chance to discover who the hopeless romantics are. As teenagers, we embrace the excitement of getting gifts from people we are close to, because we have the opportunity to show them we care about them as well, through the gifts and assortments or the general idea of love.

The gushy, heart-felt movies are made for us to get a feel of what relationships are like or so we can cry with our friends over the sadness or happiness transpiring in the movie. Although, romantic movies, such as “The Notebook”, almost always follow the same story line—the heroic man, the beautiful girl, the malfunction in their relationship, the love they share at the end of the movie and most of the time their happy ending— the movies still get the attention of individuals young and old.

Others may think giving someone chocolate is a cliché, but individuals all across the United States spend excessive amounts of money on chocolate. In just the United States, 448 million dollars are spent throughout the week of

Valentine’s Day on candy; that’s 58 million pounds of chocolate throughout one week. Along with the candy sold throughout the week of the holiday, couples also choose to buy chocolate heart-shaped boxes; over 36 million are sold on Valentine’s Day. As a result of the loving holiday, over 8 million cards and gifts are sent annually.

Hopeless romantics believe in a true love and an eternal marriage to the same person until death. The sacredness of relationships and marriage is important on Valentine’s Day because a couple can celebrate their love any day, but the fact that every year there is a day to show their love makes it easier to know they will always have one day for them to spend together.

The problem is that we have lost the desire for love and do not share our love like we use to.

Even with this loving holiday, it is still hard to communicate faceto-face as we did in the past. As society expands with more and more complicated technology, we lose the skills of communicating we need to show this love.

The hatred of Valentine’s Day could be changed through just buying a gift for another person to change their outlook on what the holiday means. The holiday does not have to be a day where all the annoying cute couples rub it in everyone else’s face that they are together, but that someone thought enough of a person to give them chocolates, a gift, a card or even an ‘I love you.’

In Kessio Missed It...

Proselytization in classrooms must cease now Beryl Kessio Opinion Editor

I

n the world we live in, we are constantly bombarded with opinions, judgments.

News media skews headlines to fit an agenda; advertisements tell us what creams to buy. All these are inescapable propagations.

But within school buildings everywhere, a more inescapable, dangerous and direct variety of propaganda is being spoken.

We have all had a teacher who imposed their opinions on their students, belittling those who disagreed with them. You are probably thinking of that teacher right now. In an appalling disservice to the student, these teachers’ actions fail not only the educational system, but more importantly, the young minds they influence.

Teachers who disclose their political affiliations do not

enhance the educational process. No. The current educational process, though imperfect, ideally seeks to encourage the exploration of new ideas, and makes students critically examine the ideals they hold.

Teachers should act as objective communicators, presenting many sides of an issue and leaving the investigation up to the The Crimson Crier The Crimson Crier

student.

Teachers who share their political affiliations allow the possibility of indoctrination, the shaming of conflicting ideas and an environment in which one does not feel comfortable sharing their opinion. From hopeful rulings for students’ rights to free expression such as Tinker v. Des Moines, to the bleaker

Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier that limits students’ First Amendment rights, the fight for students’ rights is an ongoing, uphill battle for the full privileges granted in the First Amendment.

Educators who limit students’ speech by pushing their own agendas are taking a step in the wrong direction.

2616 Jeff Road Harvest, AL 35749 256-837-0331 www.crimsoncriernews.com

@TheCrimsonCrier

Policy 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.

Editor-in-Chief......................Riley Wallace

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.

Website Editor.......................Bria Calhoun

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.

News Editor.........................Erin Rountree Opinion Editor.....................Beryl Kessio Lifestyles Editor..................Savannah Bullard Sports Editor........................Will Bartel Entertainment Editor............April Oberman Spread Editor........................Kasey Stender Copy Editor...........................Steven Byrd Photo Editor..........................Sarah Jarnagin Ad Editor...............................Katlin Gillespie Reporters..........................McKenzie Ashmore, Katlin Gillespie, Caroline Barlow, Lucas Ward, Logan Grant, Brittany Robertson, Carla Mack, Nick Arnold, Erin Stender, Victoria Lewis, Noah Lombard, Ian Keel, Heather Webster Adviser.........................Erin Coggins, MJE

6 Lifestyles

Feb. 13, 2014

The Crimson Crier

Student takes hobby beyond the realm

Sarah Jarnagin Photo Editor

W

ith such a diverse student body, countless hobbies, talents and abilities run rampant through the school’s halls, not all of them common.

Junior Jacob Groves possesses a unique interest in paranormal investigation.

When he was five, Groves had an experience that he could not explain, sparking an interest in paranormal activity that lasts to this day.

“I was walking in a wooded area with my dad and we came to a bridge we had to cross to get back to where the car was.

I remember standing, looking over the edge and I remember myself falling and I thought I was gonna die. When I opened my eyes, I was sitting on the edge of the bridge again. It was something that I can’t explain. It sounds like it never happened, but it’s true, it happened. It was pretty mind-blowing to me. I didn’t know what it was that saved me or helped me but I wanted to find out what it was and that’s kind of how I got started,” Groves said.

Groves was fascinated by all things paranormal from a young age, but actually started pursuing investigation when he was eight. At the start, he used a standard MP3 player to record sounds and other things he experienced. Now, Groves owns much more sophisticated equipment. He mainly uses three things; a K2 meter, an Ovilus and a standard night vision camera.

“It’s said that if a spirit or a ghost or something is around, [it’s] possible to pick it up by measuring the electromagnetic field [with the K2 meter].

[The] Ovilus…takes that same energy and it has a word bank

inside of it [and] it converts those different energies into words that ghosts can actually manipulate and talk to me with.

The [night vision camera] has a really good microphone on it and it’s some kind of Panasonic camcorder…I’ve gotten some pretty interesting things on it.

I got most of my equipment off of eBay. It’s widely available if you know where to look for it,” Groves said.

Groves uses this equipment on his investigations for spirits and ghosts. When he goes investigating, Groves has a process through which he works.

First, he aims to understand what it is that he’s looking for.

He then takes note of the conditions, such as weather and temperature, and looks for stray energy to avoid confusion with anything real that he might pick up on.

“I pretty much just begin, after I’ve taken note of the important things, and at that point, I’ll just go around, sometimes I’ll go to different areas depending upon which seem more energetic.

Once I find something, I pretty much stay there until I get the information that I came to get.

[I use] a combination of the K2 and the Ovilus. The Ovilus generally is quiet unless it picks up something,” Groves said.

Groves mostly investigates the paranormal happenings at his house or places he visits often, such as relatives’ and friends’ houses. But Groves has plans to explore other places, such as the popular

Dead Children’s Playground, in the near future. Even without visiting popular haunts, Groves has experienced first-hand numerous spirits, ghosts and even demons. The activity that he picks up on during his investigations can range anywhere from having chills or a feeling of being watched to being physically pushed, tripped or attacked. One experience that really stands out to Groves is the time he encountered a full body apparition that looked like his dad.

gone all day.’ And that’s when it dawned on me that I kinda think there was something else there… And it’s there’s stuff like this that happens all the time.”

“It can get very, very violent if [a paranormal investigator] is dealing with the wrong type of presence. I really look for the friendly ones [ghosts].

One reason why I do it is to pretty much communicate with them. I think it’s a fantastic, pretty interesting thing to be able to communicate with something that most people see as not there.

Sometimes it’s just idle chatter and it doesn’t make sense, but if I’ve really found something, then they will actually talk to me and they’ll respond to the questions I ask and they’ll ask me questions too,” Groves said.

Now, Groves does all of his paranormal investigating solo.

However, in the fourth grade, Groves and now-junior Jackson Albright shared their interest in the paranormal. Groves introduced Albright to the world of paranormal investigation through ghost hunting television shows, which enticed the pair to try doing what they saw on TV themselves.

“I guess I was interested in that kind of thing, because I thought I saw ghosts and stuff when I was a little kid and it scared me. So then I talked to Jacob… We were at his house one time and we had thermometers and stuff, you know, things people use to find ghosts and stuff. I think it just

WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Groves carries his ghost hunting equipment to school almost every day, just in case there is the need to prove a scary encounter. The cold stairwells are ideal places to host a mini ghost hunting session. Photo by Savannah Bullard.

“I walked in from school one day and I was getting a snack in the kitchen and I see my dad walk in, throw his computer bag down and just walk upstairs. And I was really concerned, I went to go find him, so I go over and I open the door and I notice the lights are off. And I think that’s really weird, so I turn the lights on, go up there, look around for him and call him. I couldn’t find him up there. I walk back downstairs and he’s sitting at the table doing paperwork. I’m like, ‘Well, what was wrong’ and he said, ‘What do you mean, what’s wrong’ and I said, ‘Well, you just walked in, you threw your stuff down and walked upstairs.’ He said, ‘No, I didn’t. I haven’t been

came as like a little fun idea or something. We tried stuff and we thought we got evidence…

For the next few years it just became a thing we’d do when I went to his house. We got more sophisticated with it. We bought a K2 meter and stuff.

It was more like a little hobby; we weren’t actually actively pursuing anything. As it went on, we thought we found more and more evidence of real stuff, so we got more serious,” Albright said.

While interested in paranormal investigation, Albright never did any investigations on his own, partly because he felt he did not know as much without Groves and because Groves kept all of the equipment they used. As their lives got busier, Groves and Albright stopped investigating together, and Albright stopped investigating completely. Groves still investigates, although completely independently and against his family’s beliefs.

“My family is actually totally against it. They are super, super religious. They really don’t like the idea of me doing it,” Groves said.

Despite a lack of support, Groves continues to investigate paranormal happenings and even hopes to teach others to do the same someday. He has hopes of introducing the world of paranormal investigation to the student body in the near future.

“I would love to [teach other people]. In fact, I’ve wanted to talk to someone at here at [the] school and see if we could start a paranormal class as an elective,” Groves said. “I don’t know what kind of curriculum would be involved in it; it’s sort of an idea.

Or maybe even [start] a club or something like that.”

Park knights turn off computers, take gaming outside April Oberman

Entertainment Editor

thy swords!”

“Draweth Beyond the field to the right shines polished, homemade

armor of the noble heroes. So sleek and modest, the army removes their weapons from the scabbards.

In the distance, foreigners assembled in an army dressed in similar attire approach the battle grounds.

“Charge!”

The noble army advances. With every step, the warriors come closer and closer to the attack. Finally the warriors must cross the… parking lot?

Junior Michael Morgan spends his Saturday afternoons battling knights and peasants in the front yard of The University Center on the campus of UAH. Live action role play, better known as LARP, can be played in different fantasy genres such as Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia. Instead of playing these video games on a console, members act out the movements in a real-time setting.

Morgan has been a member of the local LARPing club Amtgard since the ninth grade. He was introduced to LARPing through his friend’s brother-in-law who showed Morgan how fun battling medieval characters can be.

“I went to his birthday party and his brother-in-law brought his equipment and asked me to try it out. Previously, he had tried to get me to come. So, I got to try it and ever since then I’ve become pretty decent at it,” Morgan said.

In order to create the full LARPing effect, one must generate their own character along with the appropriate clothing and weaponry. Morgan enacts his character with special abilities while he LARPs. He highly encourages those interested to make their own character.

“My persona is Moriarty Dar-smasher who is in the Scandinavian military. My official title is Chancellor Moriarty Dar-smasher. I created my character’s name, Moriarty Dar-smasher, because I like the name Moriarty. Dar-smasher came from a sketch I drew one day in class. I drew this big hammer and thought that it had special abilities and can crash down doors. So Dar-smasher sounded like a pretty cool name,” Morgan said.

LARPers do not solely act out the scenes from movies. The members physically hit each other while in combat. The stereotypical fight scenes from Lord of the Rings may be what someone pictures when they think about LARPing, but there is more to LARPing than just beating up knights in shining armor.

“We usually play either battle games, which allow us to use our abilities, or quests, which is like a battle game but we have an objective that we are trying to complete. We usually fight monsters or something like that. Sometimes we just combat each other.

Normally when I fight, I use a round shield and a sword,” Morgan said.

Our school provides a meeting place for LARPers to gather and talk about their quests. English teacher Alison Ferguson holds these meetings in her classroom.

“The meetings take place Wednesday after school. The students

IN SHINING ARMOR. Morgan enjoys devoting his weekends to practicing his LARPing skills with fellow UAH friends. His backyard is one of the places that are good for practicing. Photo courtesy of Michael Morgan.

plan battles and build weapons and talk about how to build them,” Ferguson said.

LARPers are exposing themselves to possible injuries. Amtgard is a LARPing club that promotes safety, so certain safety rules have been implemented.

“The worst thing that has happened to me was getting hit in the crotch because some people aim low accidentally. I have gotten hit in the face before. In Amtgard, hitting the neck and above is not allowed and we will get onto you if you start hitting people there. This one time I got hit where my glasses are and it caused me to bleed,” Morgan said.

Amtgard has classes that determine where a player stands in concerns to his or her experience.

There are 12 or 14 different classes, Peasant being the lowest and Paladin or Anti- Paladin the highest.

“The Peasant class is for people who literally don’t have anything. You have to use a short sword.

They have no abilities. Paladins and Anti-Paladins are the same level because they can only be played

by Knights, and Knights are elected by the officials.

It is very hard to become a Knight. Usually I play in a Warrior class, which I am maxed level in, so I am in the Barbarian class now,” Morgan said.

Morgan was elected Chancellor by the members of Amtgard. Because there are few positions, being an elected official is an honor. Each position holds specific responsibilities.

“At the local level, we hold an election every six months for the spots of Regent, the person who makes weapons and crafts things, Monarch, the figurehead of the park, Champion, the best fighter of the park who checks weapons for safety, and Chancellor, which is who I am.

Chancellors keep records and keep in charge of the finances,” Morgan said.

Along with Amtgard’s safety rules, the LARPing club also holds high behavioral standards. The club must sustain their LARPing field on the UAH campus, so breaking rules can result in the member being banished.

“Hitting people in the head, hitting people too hard and trying to nail people every time, can cause you to be kicked out. All of the events in Amtgard are dry, so no alcohol. If you break state, federal or local laws, Amtgard does not want to be associated with you. We have put bans on a couple people in the park,” Morgan said.

Lately, Morgan has not been able to attend many events. As often as he can, he referees the quests and battles that go on in Amtgard.

Morgan’s friends and family believe LARPing is a cool activity to participate in. He receives positive feedback from them.

“My friends that don’t LARP don’t think I’m a nerd. They don’t reject me. My family thinks it’s pretty cool as well and support me with anything I decide to do,” Morgan said.

The Crimson Crier

Feb. 13, 2014

Education

Lifestyles 7

Worldwide

Riley Wallace Editor-in-Chief

E

very weekday morning, the bell rings like a rote symphony: another class, another rotation, another shuffling of feet. From A to F, the grades fall squarely into a chart-- the lifetime language of an education, the determiner of GPAs and futures. It may be just another day in the American education system, but the statistics-- every foot through the door, every grade in the books, every lesson on the board—rank the United States as a distinct player in the competitive game of international education.

Where test scores may not meet the highest expectations, however, the United States boasts a more colorful palate of student freedoms than many other countries: a unique array of course choices, a broad spectrum of institution types and variation in technological aides. Scholastic attitudes and atmospheres differ greatly from foreign counterparts, affecting pressures on students, standardized testing and weights of grades. And our diversity allows us to peek into the windows of schools seemingly worlds away, into the minds of teachers and students alike, to see those ways we are so fundamentally alike and so importantly different.

Kenya Freshman Matthew Ochieng attended a boarding school in Nairobi, Kenya until November 2013, at which time his family moved to the United States in order to give the family more opportunities for in both careers and education, specifically for Matthew’s older brother, a recently graduated senior seeking better options for college.

“College is much like here, there’s no big difference, except that in Kenya, colleges are not that preferred, because they have big influence on people.

Most people go to college and get into alcohol and that ‘good life.’ He wanted to have a better life. My mother was not that [well] off in Africa, so we had to come here to have a better life,” Ochieng said.

Ochieng says that he prefers the American education system for its focus on students as individuals and their personal choices, which he says is rarely considered in Kenya, a fact that can be restrictive to students

and their

and f y o u get 80, it’s pretty g o o d , ” Golovnykh said. i

aspirations.

Another key difference, he says, is in the teaching style and the attitude that teachers have towards their students when dealing with particularly hard material or with concepts they do not seem to understand.

“The teachers here are really cool, because they help you, they’re polite. In Africa... for example, when I came here, I was not used to the accent. I used to say “Pardon, pardon, pardon”, but then, in Africa, if you tell a teacher “Pardon, pardon, pardon”, they don’t like it. Here they just persevere. They understand,” Ochieng said.

A more personalized approach to education, however, makes the most emotional impact on Ocheing, however, pushing him toward success without placing as much stress on grades and more emphasis on making sure that he understands well enough to pursue a bright future.

“In the United States, they make you important. In Africa, you don’t really matter unless you find your own place. Here you have people who help you work hard, and they make you important, but in Africa, you have to work hard so they can recognize you,” Ocheing said.

Russia Junior Yana Golovnykh is a foreign exchange student from Siberia, where students begin classes at 8 a.m. sharp on every day but Sunday, and end between 11 and 1:30 p.m.

The more lax rules of American schools have been a stark contrast to the stricter, more formal attitude of Russian education, which places more emphasis on school as a privilege rather than an obligation.

“Teachers are stricter. You can’t talk in the class all day.

You even can’t drink water in class. We don’t have electives in Russia, so we just can’t

choose an elective. We don’t have as many sports. We’re supposed to pay for sports, and we have only swimming and basketball,” Golovnykh said. “And in Russia, we’re supposed to wear uniforms, except they’re not like uniforms. You’re supposed to dress up properly: black pants and a white shirt or something like that. We can’t just wear jeans and a t-shirt to school.

They’ll tell you to go home and change your clothes.”

The grading system in Russia differs as well; all aspects of schoolwork-- daily grades, homework grades and test grades are weighted the same in a student’s GPA-- and the system of marks deviates from the alphabetical grades that American schools assign.

“We have, as our system for grades, five grades: one, two, three, four and five. Five is the highest, and you get one, usually, if you don’t turn in your homework, and then, you can turn it in later, and you can get a four. So the worst grade is two, basically,” Golovnykh said.

Meanwhile, as in the United States, high-stakes testing for seniors can determine the amount of scholarship money received for college. The difference lies in the numbers, however: Russian scholarships are an all-or-nothing ordeal that can either guarantee a full-ride or nothing at all.

“At the end of senior year, we are supposed to take tests in Russian, math and two of our free choice. You don’t pay for it, and you can only take it again after a year. If you fail it, you will take it again in a year.

Your education depends on these tests. The highest is 100,

Mexico Spanish teacher Carla Terry spent much of her educational time in Mexico, where education differs in both structure and content from the United States. Grades range from 10 to 5 in place of the American A to F scale, corresponding to a student’s understanding of the material and application thereof, while in-class grades take a greater precedence over the standardized tests that American children go through.

“The U.S. emphasizes a lot on standardized testing to measure students’ comprehension of the courses. In Mexico you do not have a lot of standardized tests. You have to take final comprehensive exams for each course with a passing grade plus having a passing average to earn credit for the course,” Terry said.

While students spend the same six years in elementary school and three years in middle school, high school in Mexico lasts only three years, leading students into what Terry calls a “more rigorous” college experience in which good grades are harder to come by.

The most definitive difference, however, is in the students, and the attitude fostered toward learning as a means to a successful end: a stark contrast to students in a country where education is compulsory, something that is only routine.

“Students’ attitudes in America towards education have changed in the last 17 years that I have been teaching. I see more kids that believe that education is not practical and that they can succeed by being entrepreneurs rather than investing in a college education and believing in hard work. They see school as an obligation, not as a privilege,” Terry said.

Overseas America Meanwhile, 2013 Sparkman

alumna Yashira Rodriguez spent 3 years of her elementary education in a Department of Defense school in Japan, a country which guarantees in its 1947 constitution that “All people shall have the right to receive an equal education corresponding to their ability, as provided by law. Such compulsory education shall be free.”

“I went to a DoD school, so it was very similar to the educational system in the United States, but it was slightly faster paced. My educational experience was from the middle of 1st grade to the middle of 4th grade and they made it very simple for people coming from the United States to catch up with the education they teach there,” Rodriguez said.

Of all the differences between the school she attended in Japan and her American education, however, Rodriguez believes, is the method of learning employed, and the attitude with which students are encouraged.

She encourages teachers and students to work together to revolutionize the American education system, to focus more on the child as a unique student with a responsibility for their own scholastic success.

“The brain is a wonderful thing, and in the US most students tend to underestimate it or themselves. If they believed that they could succeed with a little hard work then they could succeed. I think that the focus should be that no child gets left behind, if they try. If you keep pushing out students who aren’t willing to do work, what kind of workforce will the US have in say 20 or 30 years? We need people who are willing to focus and believe that they can succeed without being given everything,” Rodriguez said.

With its flaws and strengths, its procedure and routine, the American education system is one of the most unique in the world, its students competing internationally across a variety of academic categories. Our attitudes towards education, our range of experiences and our diversity of student cultures allow us to push toward progress, toward improving ourselves and our standards as we take inspiration from those countries around us, a palate of scholastic color with which we fill millions of empty canvases in desks across the world.

TAYLOR WIDEMAN

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Sports 8

The Crimson Crier

Feb. 13, 2014

Girls’ basketball team dominant again in 6A classification, continues legacy in Delay’s second year Mckenzie Ashmore Reporter

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nother year.

Another number one state ranking. It is another typical year for the Lady Senators’ basketball team.

Along with the number one ranking, the girls’ varsity basketball team is also ranked 16th nationally and is expected once again to make a play at the 6A state championship.

Coach Patrick Delay, seniors Maiya Rumph, Toni Brewer, Alexis Jennings, Morgan Caselberry and the team have proven their worthiness of hosting the area tournament by beating the three area teams in regular season.

Their only two losses were to a nationally ranked Blackman High School from Tennessee.

“We have been blessed to have some really great players come through here,” Delay said. “A lot of schools and communities

would love to have the support and expectations that we have.”

Delay is in his second year as head coach, replacing legendary coach June Seals after her retirement in spring of 2013.

After her retirement, Delay still continues to work hard and do the small things in the expectations to win the 6A state championship.

“The thing I learned most from Coach Seals was the discipline it takes to maintain a winning culture.

If players aren’t doing what it takes in the classroom or in the hallways at school then they will not do what it takes on the court either,” Delay said.

Delay’s coaching philosophy is to do what has the most positive affect on the players and to make sure anyone who is involved with the program feels appreciated.

After the main priorities are taken care of he then focuses on defense, rebounding, turnovers and

encouragement.

“We try to play a good defense and our teammates always have something encouraging to say,” Brewer said.

The players focus more on winning the games as a team instead of worrying about who plays and scores the points. They also work well together as a team making it easier to coach and run plays.

“I think because we get along so well that we just click so that’s what makes us work so well,” Rumph said.

The team has become a part of not only the school but of the community.

The encouragement shared between players has changed the previous thoughts Delay had about elder players looking down upon young players.

“The freshmen team was playing Huntsville before our varsity game back in December. We come out of the locker room and the game is

MVP of the Month Senior Alexis Jennings reached a career milestone by reaching 2,100 point against the Hazel Green Trojans on Jan. 24. She was honored between the girls’ and boys’ game for her achievement.

Reporter

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Photo by Greg Machen

Will Bartel Sports Editor

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FRESH START. After leading the offense at Florence last season, newly hired head coach Bo Culver hopes to turn the football program around. Photo by Sarah Jarnagin

discouraged the student body, which often filled the appointed student section past maximum capacity during the season. Despite this slump, Culver is hopeful he can bring back confidence to a program that has been starved of success lately.

“This job has always had a ton of potential.

There is a great area here. I view this as an opportunity to put my stamp on this program as well as in the community,” Culver said.

Culver hopes to bring excitement back to the program as well. Culver was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Florence before he took his current position. This dynamic offense flourished under Culver, scoring 69

points in the game against the team he has now inherited. The quarterback that he coached in Florence has been given a football scholarship the University of Mississippi. He hopes he can repeat this success with the team next season.

“I want to bring excitement and passion to the team. I will begin this by showing them that I will work as hard as I expect them to work,” Culver said.

The student body is ready to see the program be turned around. Students are excited to see a change in the coaching staff.

“I think that the new coach has potential to do great things at this school, but only time will tell if he’s the right fit,” senior Tyler Hatchet said.

TAKING IT TO THE HOOP. Senior Toni Brewer attempts a shot against Buckhorn. The team captured the area by winning all six area games against Buckhorn, Hazel Green and Bob Jones. Photo by Greg Machen

weekend to decide who will play in the regional tournament at Wallace State.

“We are a very goal oriented team. Every game

we have certain goals that we want to achieve. It’s no different for the season,” Delay said. “Our season goal was to win the area championship.”

New 7A classification will make changes to playoffs Katlin Gillespie

Culver beats out opponents to be named football coach s a linebacker at Hatton High School, Bo Culver realized his love for football transcended a simple player’s uniform.

After high school, Culver saw he could continue being involved with football by being a coach.

He has had coaching positions ranging from offensive coordinator to head coach in high schools across Alabama. Hired on Jan. 16, Culver takes the place of Tim Gillespie, who resigned last semester, on the sidelines. Culver hopes to extend new rules to the team, such as no profanity among the players. He believes this will promote the players to be more disciplined on the field.

“We want to be men of integrity. We want to be very disciplined. We will win games by outworking our opponent and being more disciplined than they are,” Culver said.

In recent years, the football program has not exactly been associated with success with only three victories in as many seasons. This has not

tight. All of the varsity girls were cheering loud and hard for the freshmen girls. They won in double overtime and you would have thought our varsity girls had just won. They were going crazy. I’ve been a part of a few teams where the varsity team could care less about the freshmen girls. Almost as if they looked down upon them. But that isn’t the case with this group of kids. They all treat each other the same,” Delay said.

Seniors Jennings, Rumph and Brewer will join other alumna that has played on the college level. Jennings signed with the University of Kentucky and Rumph will take the court at the University of North Florida. There is even more collegian futures for the program with the junior varsity girls going undefeated this season.

The team will take on sub-region play this

he Alabama High School Athletic Association made the first change to classifications in 25 years when they created the 32-team 7A classification last month.

Sparkman is the third largest 7A school in the state with 1,756 students.

Hoover is the largest with just under 2,000 and the smallest is James Clemens with 1,008. The Senators will be in region four with other local schools including Bob Jones and Hazel Green.

The impact affects all sports; however basketball and football will undergo the most changes.

“We lost three region opponents; Florence, Austin and Decatur.

They were replaced by Gadsden City, Grissom and Huntsville. When you look at when it comes time to playoffs, who we have to compete for on the state

level, we would still have to play Hoover, Mt. Brook and Vestavia,” football coach Bo Culver said.

Scheduling will be somewhat different with the new classification.

Football teams have a 10-week schedule to set up games and still have the decision to host a jamboree a week prior to the season’s start.

“We’ll play a preseason game against Albertville, and then we’ll begin in week one. We’ll play a non region game against Scottsboro. In region play in week two we’ll play Gadsden City, and then we’ll progress in the same manner,” Culver said.

Basketball will remain in a three-area region.

The biggest change comes in the playoffs.

Not as many games will be played to win the state championship.

“It still will be the same in terms of competition and trying to get your guys ready to play and

preparing during the off season and during the season so I don’t think any of that will be changed,” basketball coach Jamie Coggins said.

Advantages and disadvantages come with the addition of the new classification and as the seasons progress next year, some of these advantages and disadvantages will be examined.

“We’re the third largest school in the state and I believe the reason that we’re doing this is because some schools feel like there’s an advantage because they have more students than other schools.” Coggins said.

“They want to make it an equal playing field and at the same time you’re going to have 7A schools that have 1,100 kids but still the top school in 7A will be right at 2,000 so its still really about the same like it was before.”

9 Sports

The Crimson Crier

Feb. 13, 2014

Palmer Era Dominance

Softball prepares to continue legacy Championship years

2009 2012

17

2013

2006

721

Total number Total of wins under homeruns scored Palmer

Seasons in which Dale Palmer has been head Number of players who have coach of the Percent of games softball team won since the signed softball

31

87

scholarships since 2006

61

2006 season

during the 2010 season, a national record at the time

36 Consecutive wins

115-15-1 Record during back to back championship seasons

during the 2012 season, a school record Photo by Haley Mefford

Practice heats up for winning team

TAKING HITS. Fielding a ball during fourth period practice, sophomore Jessica Moore prepares for the upcoming season. The softball team plans to defend the state championship title in class 6A. Both the varsity and junior varsity teams take the field on Feb. 21 at Hazel Green. Photo by Haley Mefford

Caroline Barlow Reporter

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his upcoming softball season is being awaited by all to see if the back to back reigning champions can successfully complete a hat trick and win their third consecutive 6A state title. This season is about getting better at everything they do and individually following through with their jobs on the team.

“As a team, we try to play as hard as we can play and do the best at everything we do. We have to maintain discipline while everyone does their job,” head coach Dale Palmer said.

As practice begins and the team to embark on their awaited road to state, Palmer is physically preparing the team for what is to come.

“Our preparation has

been the same every year; we try to get stronger, faster and quicker. We also try to gain endurance during the off season so we can hit harder, throw it harder and be able to withstand long tournaments where we play four or five games a day. Our goal is to try to out work everyone else,” Palmer said.

Not only are they physically preparing themselves, Palmer is also mentally preparing the team for the upcoming struggles they may face throughout the season.

Palmer’s goal is to make sure the team does not make mental errors or let opponents get in their heads.

“Since we have won state two years in a row our biggest opponent is ourselves. If we do not make mistakes and execute the things we try to do on a daily basis as precisely as we can then we will have

the opportunity to win,” Palmer said.

After having 5 seniors graduate, there is not only an opportunity for new leaders to rise, but also very talented players to replace those who left. Palmer is focusing on building this new team and he is waiting for new leaders to step up this season.

“We lost a great group of kids with a lot of leadership and talent, but how much they will be missed will depend on if the younger girls rise to the opportunity that they have before them. We have some very talented players, but they have yet to be proven. We know they can accomplish it but will they is the question,” Palmer said.

The players this season are striving to be an even closer team than before, and they are working on this by having team bonding activities and also

being more comfortable with one another. As the players grow closer, they believe that it will help them be more successful on the field.

“My favorite thing about being on the team is my teammates and my outstanding coach.

They are so encouraging in everything we do and whether we are working out or it is a game they always have your back. Also I love Coach Palmer because he’s just an outstanding coach who knows how to push us to succeed,” senior Ariel Smith said.

The new team hopes to follow in the alumni’s footstep by gaining their 6th 6A state title. The success of the previous team is highly motivational to the players.

“Our success last year motivates the team because we are a whole new team and we need to work harder to achieve that goal,” senior Bevia Robinson said.

There are always going to be those who are doubtful that the 2014 team can be victorious for the third year in a row, but the team is not letting that get in their heads, instead they have made it their goal to prove the disbelievers wrong.

“This year we are ready to prove to everyone that tells us we cannot win the state championship again wrong. We are going to take it game by game and focus on every opponent that we have and get better as the season goes on,” Smith said.

The Tweet Beat So, it’s softball time.

What are the girls’ thinking?

Congratulations to Bevia Robinson and Morgan Bailey who recently signed scholarships to play softball! @SparkmanPTO

Gotta love the game! @jordan_16

Our girls are #19 in the nation!!! #leggo #SENATORNATION @TheTrentMiller

Sparkman Softball has a new website so give it a look! @SparkmanPTO

Make yourself heard! Follow us on Twitter at @TheCrimsonCrier!

Gender stereotypes

10 In-depth

The Crimson Crier

Feb. 13, 2014

desolidifying Media mangles ideals expected of each gender in today’s society Erin Stender

. . . . . y l W l a c i p y t o e r Ste Reporter

In the 1 women 950s viewed awere housew s strictly ives. s 0 5 9 1 e h In t were be men cted to king expesole, wor the the ider for provily. fam Women believed are “weak” to be “incompand and not etent” busines the of todays women .

e o be r a n Me posed t sup gh” and not “tou ff” and mon “grunow-com the . Mom.” “Mr

omen go to get burgers in bikinis and men play certain designated manly sports. At least, that is how the media sees it. But if media reflects real life then why is there not an appropriately clothed woman in the drive through and a guy cheering on the sidelines instead of in the game? The truth is that modern mass media reflects their own set of stereotypical rules and standards. They obviously do not believe the actual feats and scenarios in their commercials shows, and movies are realistic, but it is the connotations of the media that cause objections among the people.

Since the creation of media, society has been assigning roles, qualities and ideals to the public. Maybe these ideals were originally reflections of the average individual’s life, but media and societies’ roles soon switched places and now mass media is a way for people to structure their lives and personalities.

Therefore they are often seen as part of the process of children being socialized into certain criteria and told who they must become.

In the modern age, mass media is everywhere, affecting young children and making girls believe that beauty will get them farther in life than brains and making guys think that in order to have friends or get dates, they cannot show emotions and must internalize their true feelings, putting up a front of indifference.

Over the years, all sorts of “tests” have been created to set benchmarks for dialogue and realism in cinema. The Bechdel Test, developed in 1985

by American cartoonist Alison Bechdel, was created in order to gauge female interaction in film.

To pass the test, a movie must contain a scene in which two or more named female characters have a legitimate conversation about anything at all besides a man. This is not to say that the Bechdel test is a fool-proof method to a good movie. Iconic movies such as “Lord of the

Rings,” “Star Wars” and “Pacific Rim” all fail this test. Many of the movies that fail actually star strong independent women who just happened to not have the time to take a coffee break and have a heart to heart with their gal pals.

Although modern ideals are allowing for more diverse characters in their productions, there is still the evident objectification of both males and, more specifically, females throughout mass media.

Sophomores Kailey Bodine and Hope McClain both share their opinions on the pressure media puts on girls in this day and age.

“It makes [girls] think that in order for them to be desirable they have to have big boobs or nice legs because that’s what they’re seeing in the media,” Bodine said. “Girls think they can’t be thought of as pretty or desirable if they’re dressed modestly.”

An example of stereotypes in well-known and current media is the characters in the popular comedy The Big Bang Theory.

The show features brainiac guys who care about nothing but video games, math, girls and comics and the dumb but pretty blonde girl next door. No, Penny is not an idiot, but the show does make the point that her beauty and flirty nature is more helpful then her smarts. The ideal behind this has become something that women cling to. Every day, more and more young women are beginning to believe that in order to succeed they must adhere to these rules of being ‘dumb and pretty’.

“Girls aren’t thinking they need to be dumb, but it’s not as important to be smart because Penny’s pretty and dumb and it must be okay because she’s pretty.” McClain said.

The media and its connotations have always been prevalent to young women as they try to figure out who they are. Fortunately, media no longer only personifies what women are expected to be as some movies, novels and TV shows are moving towards more three dimensional female characters that are not just pieces of meat.

Men in media are not left out of these generalizations.

Although more rare, men are still objectified and pushed into one category by media. Men are either video game obsessed and insanely intelligent or they casually lift cars and have a minimum of two ladies on each arm at all times. Mass media has used these stereotypes as a way to sell their product, appealing to men who feel that they do not meet the expectations set for them. Examples include the Dr. Pepper 10 commercials, the Okios commercials, and the Old Spice commercials, where it appears that just by using some deodorant, a man is made into the personality that is deemed “acceptable.”

“A man is not all buff and everything because his deodorant makes him stronger or something stupid like that.

Some guys are just down to earth,” Sophomore Jordan Winans said.

When it comes to men, it seems almost as if everyone in show biz has a check list of qualities their male characters can have. Other individuals are either ignored or overdone — When the gay guy is only gay and the hot girl is only hot. Why is it a crime to have characters with more than two character traits?

“They don’t give the other types of people a chance.

Each person is an individual in their own way. Media should portray each, not just setting the standards for one group of people,” Winans said.

Modern media has clearly affected how people think of themselves and changed the standards for both genders. In a world that revolves around media, it is inevitable that people will mimic what they see, read and hear. The problem with this is the fact that the things they see are changing their perception of what is acceptable for genders in the real world.

“The world is basically centered around media now.

People should not be relying on TV and social websites to create their lives for them,” Winans said.

The Crimson Crier

Feb. 13, 2014

In-depth 11

Gender should not be a restraint Erin Rountree News Editor

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hrough deep thought and meeting people with lifestyle choices that defy society’s definitions, junior Dakota Shamblin has developed a unique opinion on gender and its role in social situations.

“I am desensitized to gender. I have multiple transgender and transsexual friends... So through that, gender has been phased out of my mind, so I’m really confused whenever people assign genders to things and make gender roles such as only females wearing makeup and with guys only being masculine,” Shamblin said.

When questioned about social stigmas such as men wearing makeup, Shamblin responded by saying he sees no problem with the decision so long as it is made by the individual.

Coming into his individuality around the beginning of high school started Shamblin down the path to developing these ideals.

“I have [an online] friend who lives in Australia. They were born as a female but, yet, throughout their lives acted masculine and other people around them seemed to be very accepting of that. At first I

actually, multiple times, outright told me they were born female and at the time were female but they’re taking hormones to help masculinize their body. After I got closer to them and they told me more about their life I just got more

d e z i t i “I desens am ender.” to g a t o k a D r o n -junim i l b Sha was a bit confused about it because they acted masculine online— I assumed that they were male at first,” Shamblin said. “They

accustomed to it.”

Seeing the way his friend was treated in Australia led Shamblin to believe that gender roles are much more prevalent

and adhered to in America compared to other countries and cultures. “[For instance], in Japan they do separate genders but they don’t really have very many roles for genders. They do have the basic roles but they don’t have concrete roles as we do in America,” Shamblin said.

Shamblin does not foresee a time in the future in which people will be able to disassociate males with masculinity and females with femininity due to their biology, a factor which “just barely” affects his views on gender roles.

Besides traditional gender roles, Shamblin’s beliefs regarding gender also affect his view of traditional marriages and what constitutes such a unity. He would like to see a transition from prevalent public ceremonies to couples simply going somewhere such as a courthouse to receive a certificate uniting them in what Shamblin defines as “legal bondage.”

“I don’t really like the term ‘marriage’ because it’s associated with Christianity, which is why it’s so difficult for people of the same gender to become married, or legally bonded,” Shamblin said.

Inequality incites anger and determination Noah Lombard Reporter

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will be honest. I am a guy.

I cannot really relate to how women feel in today’s world. I know that everything is supposed to be equal. We have laws to protect that, right?

Despite the best intentions of wishful thinking, men and women are NOT equal. Far from it, actually.

In 2007, it was reported that nationwide, women only made around 77 percent of what a man makes. We are all human beings. If you gave a man and a woman each the same set of instructions, the same tools and the same resources, chances are that you would not be able to tell the final products apart. What is the cause of this wage difference known as the “gender gap?” Of course, from man to woman there are some noticeable differences, but is there really anything so drastic that it results in a pay reduction for women? No, it does not matter. Each man and woman who has a job either has their own life to live or a family to support. Are we really

going to stand by as a country and let others choose who is to have a prosperous life? Women buy things. Men buy things.

In stores, there are set prices on items. Those who own the stores do not charge more for a man to purchase something, and then sell the same item to a woman for less. (At least, if they are ethical, they will not.) The money is not taken differently from one to the other; it should not be given out differently.

Unequal on the payroll, unequal on the scales of justice.

One of the most controversial cases a woman can argue in court is one of rape. It seems as they go in, they are fighting harder for a conviction than the defendant is fighting for innocence. It was reported that 6 percent of women who have been raped did not go to the police because they were afraid no one would believe them.

It sickens me to think that today we still seem to have a standard, almost unanimous opinion of women as sexual objects. Carl’s Jr. and GoDaddy are two companies that seem to rely on sexual appeals to draw in consumers. Do women really

walk down the street in almost no clothing eating a burger?

Of course not, but that does not matter. They replace logic with lust — and it works. It is advertisements like this that link women to sex. Unless you stay away from the TV altogether, it is hard to go a day without seeing a woman exploited in some way to promote a product. It is a daily reminder to maintain your desires of the flesh.

Concerning rape, women are put up with a disadvantage from the start. “Rape culture” is a term that was first birthed in the second wave feminist movement. It essentially refers to the mindset of society where rape is either not that big a deal, or is one sided. A common offense put against women who make claims of being raped is put up against their character. What was she wearing? How was she dancing? Alright, yes, as a guy I understand the argument, but that in no way excuses the behavior of violating someone in any way. If the generation of males now are actually unable to control themselves in the midst of a woman, then we as the human race are doing much

worse than ever before.

In Delhi, India two years ago, there was a popular case where a woman was raped by six men on a private bus. She was with a friend, but he was knocked out during the attack. After being brutally beaten and violated, she and her friend were thrown from the bus and left to die (which, coincidentally, she did later while receiving care at the hospital.) The men were taken to court. Amongst the six men was one juvenile. It was reported that he was one of the most violent in the group, yet he received only three years in rehabilitation. The five men were sentenced to hang.

One of the most outraging things about this case is the rapists’ lawyer who made the statement “Until today I have not seen a single incident or example of rape with a respected lady.” Is this to say that women are only raped if they are not respected? Of course he is just doing his job and trying to defend his clients, but that is a low statement.

He says that he has never seen a respectable woman raped before, which implies that the

fault lies on not the rapist’s end, but the victim.

How long will it take for women and men to actually be considered equal? Is it at all even possible? Instead of throwing the future generations under the bus, we need to work towards a shift in how women are seen today. They have the right to vote, the right to own property, the right to run for office, but what good is all of that if they remain oppressed in spirit? Even before the media was around, women were considered to be below men, and were treated as such. But we have made progress to the point of where they should be able to enjoy full equality, without small stipulations. The media holds a large portion of responsibility when it comes to sexism. Instead of using halfdressed women to make sales, they should find other ways to appeal to people. Find ways to move forward in advertising instead of keeping women in their “place.” Actual equality will not be achieved over night, but if we start today we can create the chance of a better future.

Students prevent stereotypes from defining them away from these stereotypes could be socially hazardous Reporter among your own gender. he American female Senior Ben Thomas joined stereotype is a beautiful, the cheerleading team at the classy, proper girl, not into end of his sophomore year. video games, dirt or sweat. Thomas played football but was The American male stereotype looking for something new to is a macho, car-fixing, football- do. Thomas says that he faced playing guy who is not into some teasing for being a male romance movies or shopping. cheerleader.

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teasing goes away,” Thomas said.

Thomas knows that it is easy to get upset over people teasing you for being a cheerleader because they think you are a homosexual, but the teasing does not bother him.

“The most obvious misconception about being a male cheerleader is being gay.

At football games when it’s time to shake hands with the other team the players of the opposing team do say things to you about being gay, but I don’t really care,” Thomas said.

Meanwhile, Freshmen Rebecca Robertson is more into playing football in the backyard then she is shopping. Robertson does not let people’s opinions affect the activities she does or the things she is into. Both Thomas and Robertson are doing what they want to and have not let others opinions’

change them.

“Sometimes there is pressure from other people wanting to be more girly, but I just try to be myself and do what I want to do. You should be yourself, and you shouldn’t be judge for not following those typical guy and girl roles,” Robertson said.

Senior Chris Naquin says that gender stereotypes no longer affected his life the moment that he realized that he is not going to let other people’s views dictate his life. Naquin believes that you should try to be yourself and not let a stereotype run your life.

When in an uncomfortable setting, it is human nature to conform to the accepted ideals and ways of the people around them. Many people, especially teenagers, cannot cope with being different or standing out, so it is naturally easier to just do what everyone else is doing.

“Any place with which

someone is unfamiliar they are more likely to try to fit gender stereotypes. When I first got to this school I was very timid, and I tried to fit in more. Once you realize that unfamiliar place is somewhere that you are comfortable, it becomes easy to be who you are,” Naquin said.

Naquin believes that, to a certain extent, gender stereotypes have a justified foundation, but it is okay to branch off of or stray away from those foundations any way you want. Naquin sympathizes with those who are persecuted for following their own path.

“I think people who don’t follow these stereotypes, guys or girls; they will be equally hated upon or judged. No matter what there will be gender stereotypes, and no matter what there will be pressure to follow them,” Naquin said.

The Crimson Crier

Best of

Feb. 13, 2014

2 013 Caroline Barlow Reporter

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new year brings new standards. In 20 years from now, our children in high school will listen to our high school stories with crazy looks on their faces. Fashion, food and media will be a totally new concept. But, for now, 2013 holds numerous memories of twerking, selfies and “vining.” Two hundred students were polled for their favorites.

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Chipotle

Tokyo

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Zaxby’s

Taco Bell

Rosie’s

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H&M

Target

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Forever 21

Shopping

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3

Grey’s Anatomy B r e a k i n g W a l k i n g Bad Dead

Chick-Fil-A

Fast Food

When tight budgets hold off plans, cheap dates are a solution

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Restaurant

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Entertainment 12

TV Show

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April Oberman

Entertainment Editor

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eing a teenager is tough. Not only must we spend five days a week at school, but also (most of us) are extremely low on money. Mom and Dad are tired of loaning us money. We all know we cannot pay them back. The only other option for cash is getting a job. Trying to balance a job and school on the same platter is not something any teenager would do voluntarily.

So, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I have picked apart Huntsville in search of three different dates that will not burn a hole in your pocket.

Lowe Mill, located at 2211 Seminole Drive, is an old textile mill that was converted into a studio for the arts. On the second and third floors there are live open studios where artists rent a studio and display artwork. There is also at theater at the end of the building where plays are put on to the public. Frequently, Lowe Mill has Swing Dances that only cost $5 per person including a brief lesson. Impress your significant other with your suave dance moves.

For the outdoorsy couples, take a trip to Monte Sano Mountain. Monte Sano is a bit far away, for it is located at the end of Interstate 65, but the trip is well worth it.

Pull out your hiking shoes and pack a picnic lunch for a beautiful hike. The hike is not too challenging so it can be enjoyed for all ages. The lookout point at Monte Sano is the perfect place to watch the sun set. And yes, you guessed it, this is all free of charge.

You are not a true money saver if you do not know about drive-in movies. The drive-in movie theater is located in Athens on South Jefferson St. Each ticket is only $6. Although they play one movie each night, the drive-in theater is definitely a date idea to try out. If you own a truck, you can bring blankets and pillows and watch the movie comfortably from the bed of your truck.

Student s h a r es t o p f i v e a p p s musicians s h o u l d t a p i n t o Ian Keel Reporter

1. MorphWiz: 6/5 stars

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his is the end all, be all instrument/synthesizer app. With Morphwiz, users can create music with any compatible device even if he/she has no knowledge of how to play an instrument. Synth expert Jordan Rudess (keyboardist for Dream Theater) designed this app with over 50 preset tones, effects and beats. Morphwiz offers an endless array of sound combinations. The layout of the interface is a lot different than the basic keyboard. Notes are arranged chromatically across the screen.

All the operator has to do is tap under the note to play it. I honestly wish I had enough room to explain how cool this instrument is. It does cost $9.99, but that is nothing compared to buying a $600 synthesizer that does the same thing.

2. Spotify: 4/5 stars As an avid fan of music, I personally have to be surrounded by an assortment of tunes. With Spotify, this goal is just a tap away. If a more specific selection is preferred, users can search from a massive archive of artists, albums, and even tracks. However, the one thing about the free version, searches can only be as narrow as albums. From there, the only way to play the album is shuffled, but compared to the monthly fee of $9.99, I am sure most of us would be willing to comply with this restriction.

3. Pandora: 4/5 stars There cannot have a music app review without Pandora. For anyone who lives under a rock, Pandora plays channels of similar music based on keywords of the user’s choice. It is a nice app to have if the listener enjoys a variety of music. The one downside is users are permitted only six skips per hour per channel. There is a free version, but sadly it is rampant with ads that have been known to kill a music vibe.

4. Capo: 4/5 stars Have you ever wanted to change the speed of your song or even the key? If you said no, we all know you are lying. Capo breaks all boundaries on how music can be listened to in a device’s library. Not only are users allowed to change the tempo and key, this app allows him/her to utilize the 10-band equalizer to isolate different instrument or vocal tracks. Loop points can be set throughout the song to play along with specific parts. This app is killer, and for only being $9.99, I highly recommend it for any musician.

5. Tune In Radio: 3.5/5 stars Radio is a convenient media that is almost everywhere, and now it can be on any compatible cell phone. Tune In Radio allows users to access at least 40,000 different radio stations around the nation. The coolest part about it is live radio can be rewound and played again. It is pretty cool to hear radio stations all around the nation for free.

Interested in Spring fashion?

Procrastinating to get a Valentine’s Day present?

Dawn Eckardt

Lynn Childers

6945 Hwy 72 Suite C Huntsville, Al 35806 (256) 722-3001

$10 off for first time guests

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