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JV Volleyball team ends season undefeated in tournament play, wins county championship

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Thursday Oct. 24, 2013 Issue II

Do you know someone who smokes...

Redefining

smoke break

E-Cigarettes

No 24%

Yes 76%

25 students polled

Yes 100% Traditional Cigarettes

Daniel Judge

Business Manager

H

igh School is a place where trends seem to shine the strongest, with each week shining lights on things that seem odd to the outside world. The latest fad is a craze over owning an electronic cigarette.

Electronic cigarettes have been around since the 1960s but really did not explode on the scene until the 21st century. As of now there are over 250 companies who manufacture their own unique e-cigarette, each one claiming something different.

The main use for them was to present a healthier alternative to smoking the traditional cigarette and in time help the user kick the habit. In the past year, the helpful aid has invaded the hallways of local high schools. With that, the question has been raised whether the e-cigarette is serving as an aid in quitting, or a step up the ladder pertaining to other, more dangerous products, legal or illegal. The way the electronic cigarette, or Hookah, works is simple. It has liquid in it, some models containing nicotine and some only carrying flavored liquid; when inhaling, the liquid is burned and produces the “smoke,” which is actually vapor.

Smoking for fun

is not how I want to be perceived. They would not believe me if I told them that it definitely is not going to lead to anything else,” Reed said.

Smoking to quit Then there is the other side of the spectrum, using one for the reason behind it, to kick the bad habit of smoking tobacco laden products. Senior Will Skinner* had heard about how successful they were and decided it was time for him to stop smoking and put his life back on track to greatness. Now that he has quit, he believes the electronic cigarette was the main reason that it was successful.

“An electronic cigarette was the best method for me to quit because I still felt like I was smoking, I saw all the smoke which triggered my brain into thinking it was a real cigarette. I feel like patches, and Nicorette gum would have taken longer for me to quit,” Skinner said.

Even though he used the e cigarette, quitting still was not an easy task. Hard work and determination aided in completely ridding himself of the habit.

“At first, I would smoke both electronic and regular cigarettes, as time went on I started to cut back on smoking the regular ones. When I was really stressed, I would think about going back to cigarettes, but I knew that I had to stop so I willed on and now I feel great,” Skinner said.

A recurring theme with young adults and anything related to smoking is that they do not want to share any of the details with their loved ones. The same theme applies to Skinner, pointing to the disappointment that they would feel about him as the number one reason to keep it a secret.

“No one knows besides a few close friends, if anyone else knew all they would do is be disappointed and judge me. It is just better that not many people know,” Skinner said.

Senior Megan Reed* first started smoking an electronic cigarette when a friend showed her one. Never having smoked anything before, she decided to buy one. She preaches that she only uses the electronic cigarette for the purpose of having fun or passing time, not as a preface to other things.

“I guess it is fun because of all the cool tricks I can do with it and while I am using it, I feel like I am doing something I should not be even though I fully believe it is doing nothing bad to me, after all, it is just flavored water,” Reed said.

Smoking the e-cigarette is not something that she wants to divulge to the world yet, citing the image that comes with anything smoking as one she does not want on herself. Only her friends know that she uses one.

“I would rather not tell anyone, especially my parents, they would probably be Discipline disappointed and think it leads to other drugs and the image that goes with smoking The trend has gotten so popular that local smoke shops around the county have had to make big increases to their shipment order of the Hookahs, citing them as

E-cigarettes CONT. pg. 09

*Names changed to protect identities

How to save a life: program offers help to students in need Victoria Lewis Reporter

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new suicide prevention program called Lifelines teaches students about the warning signs of suicide.

Lifelines took place in Charlie Gover’s tenth grade health class on Monday Oct. 6 and Tuesday Oct. 7.

Lifelines instructor Jessica Kalathas also visited the faculty meeting on Oct. 1 to discuss the program and teach the faculty the warning signs of suicide, and review the school’s policy when dealing with students that may be dealing with troubling thoughts.

Kalathas hopes that the program will open doors

for students to have a mature conversation about suicide.

“If people learn what warning signs to look for in their peers and they have a trusted adult they can go to for help, suicide is very preventable. Sometimes people just feel so isolated and lonely when they are thinking about suicide, and letting those people know that it’s okay to talk about it is also something that I hope will come about from this program,” Kalathas said.

Lifelines started because of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act. Sen. Gordon and his wife Sharon Smith lost their son in 2003 to suicide.

They wanted there to be funding for programs to do prevention work in schools and communities so that people may be spared the loss that they have felt.

Lifelines uses different styles of teaching like videos, role-play and quizzes to present the course-related issues.

“I think that using these different delivery systems helps students really hold on to the knowledge. I also think that just removing the stigma surrounding suicide and allowing students a safe and comfortable time to really explore their own feelings about suicide is incredibly helpful,” Kalathas said.

Lifelines is designed to

teach young people what warning signs to look for in their friends or loved ones.

Students are then taught what steps to take to keep their friend or loved one as safe as possible until they can get the help they need.

“The goal is to have a lasting impact on the student lives, so they can take this knowledge into the community and the world,” junior counselor Dedra Muhammad said.

Lifelines is evidence based, meaning students are given a quiz before the program was taught and a quiz at the end, and the majority of the students who participated did better on the quiz at

the end than the one at the beginning because of Lifelines’s useful suicide educating techniques.

Lifelines is meant to have a lasting impact on the students. Kalathas says the program expanded her knowledge of the warning signs of suicide.

“I often find myself focusing on all of the other people who may be suffering and knowing that by doing my job I may be able to educate that one person that might be able to save one or two or ten lives. That has definitely impacted me, and I hope to continue doing the job until everyone is educated about suicide,” Kalathas said.

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Talk It Out: crisis hotlines for those contemplating self harm

(800) 273-TALK HELPline, a 24hour crisis line

2-1-1

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2 News

The Crimson Crier

Oct. 24, 2013

Construction academy assists with school-improvement projects Students help build scarecrows for Botanical Garden, install lockers in locker room Sarah Jarnagin Photo Editor

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ne of the school’s lesser-known academies is working hard to ply their trade and improve the school one project at a time.

Steven Lanford’s construction academy classes have been going above and beyond expectations with their projects. The construction academy is comprised of three classes: finishing, framing and architecture and construction.

The students spend time in the classroom’s workshop and lately have been spending even more time outside of the classroom, helping teachers and faculty with various projects.

Recent projects that the construction students have taken on include painting and installing new wooden lockers and helping business essential teacher Bev Massa build scarecrows for the Huntsville Botanical Gardens’ Scarecrow Trail.

Over the course of two and a half weeks, all three of Lanford’s first semester construction classes participated in installing new, nicer lockers in the varsity girls’ basketball locker room. Each student performed unique tasks for the project.

“For the locker rooms [project], I measured parts

Senator Nation runs to support research Erin Rountree News Editor

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ctober: the month of ribbons.

Red ribbons fill school hallways in support of a drug-free lifestyle and pink ribbons don the clothing of those in support of breast cancer awareness.

The school will join forces with Sparkman 9 in the fight against breast cancer. The annual Liz Hurley Ribbon Run to raise money to support breast cancer research will gain a new team this year— the Senator Nation team.

“Creating the Senator Nation team and encouraging students, parents, faculty, staff and even alumni to join us is just a way for us to be a presence in and support our community. Sparkman is full of generous and giving people and we are hopeful that word will spread and more people will want to join us in supporting this cause which is very dear to many of the Sparkman family,” PTO President Aleta Stender said.

This is not the first time the race has had a taste of Senator spirit. However, this will be the first time a unified team from both schools has participated, thanks to the efforts of S9 PE coach Stacy Junjulas and high school journalism teacher Erin Coggins.

“Four years ago, I started a team with just the Sparkman Nine family.

It was a great opportunity to see fellow teachers and students outside the classroom and to model to our students about getting active and involved in the community,” Junjulas said.

According to Stender, various school organizations have been involved with the race in the past. The softball team ran to support people close to their team who were battling the disease, and that inspired Stender to involve the entire school.

“Many people at Sparkman, including

Sparkman PTO, are working diligently to build up our Senator Nation and create a sense of school and community spirit,” Stender said. “All of us have gotten so much positive feedback about the efforts at building school and community unity and we know that working together to help and support others is one of the very best ways to accomplish this.”

As with any other type of awareness-raising event, the Liz Hurley race has a different meaning for everyone who chooses to run. History teacher Jamie Coggins chooses to run in memory of his mother, Suzy Coggins, who passed away due to breast cancer 10 years ago.

“I like to participate in things that are issues in society, to try to give money to help, in hope that there could be a cure one day and even things with technology, make things better for people that get cancer and diseases today so that their life could be better,” Coggins said.

To raise awareness and support, Coggins frequently participates in various breast cancer walks such as the FBLAsponsored event held at the school and donates money to the Clearview Cancer Society. Although his connection to the cause is extremely personal, Coggins also enjoys the races for the challenges they present.

“I like to compete. I’m not going to run just to run, I like to finish well.

I know I’m not going to win the race, but I want to finish as high as I can in my age group and compete against everybody that’s running.

I don’t do things just to do things, I do things to compete,” Jamie said.

As of Oct. 14, the Senator Nation team raised $550 of their $1,000 goal and has 19 members.

and painted. I helped install the lockers and get everything situated and worked out,” senior Zach Partlow said.

Varsity girls’ basketball coach Patrick Delay enlisted the help of the construction academy. He and the team have been thrilled with the results.

“Anytime we have a project of this magnitude, I always ask the shop teacher if their classes would like to help. They did a fantastic job,” Delay said.

At the beginning of the school year, Massa and a group of teachers decided to enter a scarecrow into the Huntsville Botanical Garden’s Scarecrow Trail.

They collaborated with the finishing class to build a structurally sound scarecrow and accompanying signs.

“The theme was TV and we did “Schoolhouse Rock”.

We did Senator Bill, which we thought was perfect with the theme and the fact that we’re the Sparkman Senators.

We needed a free-standing sign and they built the supports for those. They were very sturdy,” Massa said.

The construction academy is not just for those who want to go into the construction field, however.

Lanford aims to give his students a basic understanding of different construction trades for domestic purposes.

“At one point, everyone is either going to own or rent a house and something is going to go wrong. The class gives them a general knowledge to fix things themselves instead of paying others to do it,” Lanford said.

Lanford’s students agree that the construction classes will give them knowledge that will become useful later in life.

“I hope to get out of Lanford’s class [with] the respect and knowledge of the industry. After college, I hope to get an NCCER card and get a construction job on the side of whatever else I’m doing,” Partlow said.

The class is currently painting the downstairs teachers’ lounge and helping to decorate the walls.

PIN IT UP. Students in the Construction Academy hang a bulletin board in the hallway for FBLA announcements. Academy members also built scarecrows and revamped the girls’ basketball locker room.

The class provides students with the opportunity to get hands-on experience in construction through a variety of school-based projects.

Photo by Bev Massa.

er nd u en . ldr cted i h c e y 13 . is aff r e v .S in e the U e On 8 in 1

Rese arc 15 mi hers esti m lli have on Americ ate food a allerg ns ies.

Roughly two American children in every classroom have food allergies.

Photo illustration by Noah Lombard.

Statistics from foodallergy.org/facts-and-stats

Food allergies prove common threat in schools Carla Mack Reporter

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acramento, Calif.

— 13-year-old Natalie Giorgi dies in her father’s arms after taking a bite of a Rice Krispies Treat frosted with peanut butter and chocolate.

Giorgi suffered from a serious allergy to peanuts, causing her airways to become swollen and preventing her from breathing. Giorgi fell into anaphylactic shock and, even after being administered an EpiPen—or epinephrine auotoinjector—shot three times,shecouldnotbesaved.

Sophomore Jordan Burwell is allergic to all

type of nuts and once suffered from anaphylactic shock when residue came in mere contact with his skin.

“I was seven years old and one night my mom came in from work, where she had eaten some almonds. She kissed me on my forehead and I immediately broke out.

My throat became swollen and my eyes got puffy. I got an EpiPen shot in my thigh.

It really hurt, but I’m glad I got it, otherwise I’d probably be dead,” Burwell said.

About 15 million Americans suffer from food allergies— which are categorized into eight common types: eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, shellfish and fish. Cartain minerals within the food are typically the

components which cause a reaction. With each allergen there are different symptoms a person might show: they could have digestive problems such as cramping, diarrhea or vomiting; the airway, mouth and eyes can become swollen; the skin can break out in hives or welts. A more detrimental reaction such as anaphylactic shock may also occur.

If a student goes into shock at school, nurse Laura Strong would administer the EpiPen shot. But, in the event that she has been given no medication, doctor’s orders or an emergency plan, she has limited options to help.

“If a student has a known allergy and has not provided me with these things the only

thing that can be done is to call the parent and/or 911, depending on the severity,” Strong said.

If a person has a known food allergy or intolerance or a suspicion that he or she might, it is best to simply avoid any contact with the allergens to avoid future problems.

“It scares me to have so many food allergies with nuts, eggs, etc. everywhere... so I urge all students to please stop and think before eating!

If you know you have a food allergy... please see me so you have can have the emergency medications here at school,” Strong said.

Public speaking class cut, impacts students’ communication skills “What really hurt us a necessity in the working is the state required the world—a skill practiced every Lifestyles Editor new College Preparedness day. But before the 2013beet red face, 2014 school year, the course, course this year, and they shaking voice and previously taught by Coach didn’t fund it, so we had clammy hands, rattling William Thomas, was cut to find [funding for] this the white pages they hold, announce the signs of a struggling speaker. Most of us have felt this way at one point in our lives, with the faces of the crowd -senior Heather Webster staring us down, waiting Campbell said. for something spectacular from curriculum to transfer class,” Assistant principal Wes to spill from our lips. But funds into the college the reality is, for most of readiness course required Black explained that there us who struggle, we simply of incoming students. is simply not enough money have not been educated on Principal Michael Campbell to keep certain electives the art of public speaking. regretfully understands the with the way school funding As many adults can decision to eliminate this is directed. He refused to agree, public speaking is class as an elective available take away funding from for current senators. our school’s academies, Heather Webster

A

“The reality is, for most of us who struggle, we simply have not been educated on the art of public speaking.”

as they have been an obvious success, allowing students to follow a train of classes in a specific area of elective study that leads into future careers in engineering, medical science, journalism and the military.

“We want to try to keep our innovations to remain cutting edge on everything we’re doing. Last year, public speaking was just one of the courses, along with some others, that had to be cut because the lack of

Speaking CONT. pg. 09

News 3 The Crimson Crier Lack of service sends bad signal for advances in technology Oct. 24, 2013

Students question lack of accessible Wi-Fi, unequal cell phone Katlin Gillespie Reporter

AT&T 25 students 1- 40% 2- 12% 3- 16% 4- 28% 5- 4%

T-Mobile 16 students 1- 56.25% 2- 25% 3- 12.5% 4- 6.25% 5- 0%

Verizon 35 students

We asked students to rate their cell service while at school from one to five, with one being terrible and five being great.

1- 2.9% 2- 5.7% 3- 14.3% 4- 37.1% 5- 40%

Over 150 students were polled and the best coverage provider was unanimous.

Other 5 students 1- 80% 2- 0% 3- 0% 4- 0% 5- 20%

Graphic from wikipedia.org/wiki/iphone5

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tudents have the privilege to use cellular devices this year, but with that privilege problems arise for a few.

The signal at school is unequal for everyone.

“As a T-maybe user, service at school depends on how early I get to class. If I get there first and get a window seat, everything’s fine, if not I’m out of luck,” senior Shaye Mcclellam said.

Verizon and AT&T users are generally able to get a signal, while Sprint and T-Mobile users are not.

“I have Verizon and I normally get service on the history and math halls, but not on the science hall or lunch room,” junior Hanna Telgenhof said.

Students who have class on the inside classrooms do not receive a signal.

Therefore students who have a smart phone cannot access Internet at all, and same goes for the students who have an iPod. Because of the signal, students are questioning why Wi-Fi cannot be obtained.

According to Media/Technology

Specialist Pamela Hooten, the bandwidth available is small and was recently increased because teachers are using iPads, Nooks, and Kindles which cuts down on the bandwidth left to share.

“Teachers will not be able to do what they need to do if the students are all on it. Once we get some more bandwidth, sure why not,” Hooten said.

English teacher Monica Davis tries her best to use technology as much as possible in the classroom, but technology does not always cooperate with her. Davis believes that students should have access to the Wi-Fi because it is an amazing tool that helps to build an argument, or improve a person’s point by searching and finding the evidence.

“I think if we want to teach our kids to be well rounded people, more informed citizens, we have to give them an opportunity to get the information. Technology is that one thing that keeps education fresh. If we don’t invest in it, we’re doing a disservice to the people who are going out into the electronic age,” Davis said.

Teacher uses past tragedy to reform community during Red Ribbon Week Nick Arnold Reporter

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ed Ribbon Week is a time for teachers and peers to influence the community to be drugfree. One history teacher, Lisa Ivey, is doing her best to make her idea of a drug-free community become a reality.

Her idea of a drugfree community is influenced by the tragic loss of her son, James Ivey. James died after taking Xanax and falling asleep, only to choke on his own regurgitation.

That tragic event sparked a passion in her that could only be satisfied by becoming a speaker to change the community for the better.

Ivey also joined the Partnership for a DrugFree Community to help the community become a safer place for living.

“I have a story to tell that I think all the kids need to hear. I am part of a new group of the Partnership

for the Drug-Free Community called Today’s Youth and Tomorrow’s Leaders (TYTL). I go to the board meeting and I am helping sponsor it and promote it within the county,” Ivey said.

The TYTL is helping Ivey with the task of making the school more knowledgeable in how to stay drugfree in an effort to change the community for the better.

“If we b e t t e r educate or students and then they go out tell their peers and their parents that, maybe they will be able to make a difference in the areas that it needs to be made,” Ivey said.

Ivey spoke at the Red Ribbon Week assembly where she delivered her message, the message she is hoping will change

the lives of the students in the school, to the student body.

This assembly will be attended by the whole student body both days of the assembly.

“Lisa [Ivey] came to me to be the featured speaker at the assembly. She said she may get emotional, but she thinks it is important for our students—the students

lives of the people who hear it. Ivey uses relatable stories to reach out and effectively communicate with her audience.

“Not all stories are bad, I always say the Ugly Duckling story, how it turns out the be this beautiful and great, wonderful life, and that’s not the case that people had these great

lifestyles. She has already begun the process of getting all paperwork finished and is asking to get student volunteers.

According to Ivey, if she just changes one person’s life, she will be happy.

“It is teaching students to live a life for their age group without any alcohol, drugs or anything like that.

It’s not ok to just not drive or be out there but to choose a lifestyle without t h o s e factors in it. A partnership has agreed to sponsor us and get it strong and vibrant in the community. They have volunteered to bring some things to the table and help me out,” Ivey said.

Ivey wants to have the effort of all the people in the community to makes SADD’s plans come true. Ivey hopes

“We are focusing so much on educating the students that we’re not taking into the factor of educating the parents and the parents need to be educated into what is going on and what things are happening. They kind of close their eyes to it.”

-History teacher Lisa Ivey

she cares about—hear about the tragic, senseless loss of her son,” Red Ribbon Week coordinator Erin Coggins said.

Ivey feels that if enough people work hard enough they will be able to make a difference in this community and hopes her message will be able to change the

and wonderful lives and they’ve taken a turn and put some things out there that makes it hard for all people to live,” Ivey said.

Ivey is starting a chapter of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) within the school. She hopes that SADD will change students’

that SADD will be able to take part in community activities to get their across to the community.

“You can choose a lifestyle of doing the right thing and still have a good life. I am bringing in some other at risk teachers and an administrator, Mrs. Davis, who is the new assistant principal. She is big in it and really wants to push for it,” Ivey said.

Ivey thinks this is the time to address drugs not only in the school, but in the community as well. If she informs the parents on what is going on, maybe the will be able to change their kids.

“We are focusing so much on educating the students that we’re not taking into the factor of educating the parents and the parents need to be educated into what is going on and what things are happening.

They kind of close their eyes to it,” Ivey said.

Number of diabetics in school, country increases Taylor Holder Reporter

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aking control of your life at a young age is not always a choice. Some students are diagnosed at an early age with a disease they would have to live with for the rest of their life; diabetes.

“I have had diabetes since I was nine, so for six years. It has turned my life upside down. Everything I do, everywhere I go is usually dictated by what my blood sugars are or what kind of food I’m going to be eating. Everything has to do with diabetes,” sophomore Abigail McAlister said.

Senior Ben Fowler must overcome his diabetes to follow his passion for soccer.

“I have to check my blood sugar before and after the game. I have to monitor it through out the game, and I have to make sure it doesn’t drop low or anything that could affect my health or the health of anybody else around me,” Fowler said.

Fowler has had diabetes since the sixth grade, which requires him to alter his schedule at times.

“I’d have to say the hardest part was just watching what I ate. Because at the time I’d eat basically anything and now I actually have to make sure and count all the

carbs that I eat and watch and pay attention to what I eat,” Fowler said.

Sometimes a diabetic has to randomly see the school nurse, take a trip to the restroom more than other students or find a way to get their blood sugars back to normal.

“Sometimes I have to eat or drink in class, which is every kids dream, but it’s really not that awesome. You pop open the tab of coke and everyone stares and you’re just like ‘hey’, you know,” senior Ashley Haynes said.

School nurse Laura Strong said the number of diabetics in the school has doubled since last year, from six to 12.

This difference makes it busier for Strong throughout the school day and even after the school day.

“Diabetics are required to come see the nurse at lunch time, anytime they leave the campus, and anytime they are symptomatic. So I have a lot of diabetics coming to see me throughout the day. It’s also different at the high school because our students are so involved in clubs and sports. Our kids don’t go home when the bell rings so that also alters things ,” Strong said.

According to the American Diabetes Association, the number of diabetics is going up nationally as well.

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4 Opinion

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The Crimson Crier

Oct. 24, 2013

TAFF EDITORIAL

Students lose connection with absence of wifi, service

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hen we received word that Principal Mike Campbell was going to allow cell phone usage in class, the hallways and the lunchroom, it was a time of both expressive celebration and the deepest frustration on behalf of students.

The first thing we considered was this modern era, this major step.

Teachers are exceedingly more open to allowing us to access our calendars, our calculators, our cameras.

More and more classes are involving online, clicker and phone work.

It is an appreciated step towards merging teenage culture with a sometimes monotonous school year.

The sad truth that accompanied this,

however, is that a cell phone, such a viable part of our society and the way we socialize with one another, is useless without access to the outside world: cell service or wifi, two things that a good chunk of the student body do not have. In order to conserve data and the money involved—our parents or our own—we are forced to choose between airplane mode and the off switch, rendering our devices nearly useless.

Surely it is logical to keep a glut of high schoolers from free internet access for eight of 24 hours a day. Perhaps there would be a little criminal activity; maybe there would be a few people who would watch six reruns of Breaking Bad instead of listening to the kid across the class read out

answers to worksheets.

Understandably, the school does not want to be involved in —or even aware of—such unscrupulous and indolent activities.

But, at the same time, the benefits outweigh the cost, after examination, for getting a student wifi network to amend the wrong that our cell phone companies often neglect.

Nearby schools make good use of access to technology, allowing their students to prepare more for college by taking notes on laptops and phones.

Being able to use the Internet to fill in gaps in our lessons would alleviate teacher stress, as well as permit students to extend their education on topics of their choice. And, when push comes to shove, student media thrives with a constant flow of news

and photography among students and faculty, making news a more open resource.

We live in a constantly moving world, a world in which information is instantaneous, free and shared. The lessons it takes two weeks to teach can be searched with a

swipe of a finger. And we, as a school, should embrace that technology and that which makes it useful, looking forward to a future in which learning is an independent venture, beyond a teacher and a classroom, into the real world.

Editorial staff approved this editorial unanimously

Teen slang is annoyance, degrades English Noah Lombard Reporter

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s a nation, we are slowly losing our ability to communicate.

The barrier between old and new thickens as teens pick up a new language. It has words, but no meaning. You will not find a Rosetta Stone book on it. It has actually been around for decades, but has been rewritten with each generation.

Slang, of course, is the topic at hand. And despite the best efforts of English teachers and knights of grammar, they cannot compete. Fighting slang is like wrestling water. It cannot be done. It is here, and it seems invincible.

Well gosh golly, is that not just swell?

I am sure each batch of slang has had its own skeptics, but I do not think the terms have ever been this irritating.

Words such as “swag,” “yolo” and “turn up” are now a common part of several teen vocabularies throughout the US. You may think “Who cares? Let kids be kids,” but these new words are proving to be a real abomination. They would be perfectly acceptable, were they not so corrupted by youthful stupidity.

YOLO for instance, stands for You Only Live Once (a great philosophy, given its true intent.) It

means that you only have one life to live, so go out and do just that. You cannot let fear rule your life; you have to take risks.

However, instead of being used as a modern “carpe diem,” it seems to be an excuse for ignorance. If you see a tweet containing “#YOLO,” you most likely will not see that person becoming the CEO of any prestigious companies.

Swag itself is also harmless, as it is but an acronym for “Stuff We All Get.” It was used to single out free items at events such as tradeshows.

There is something in those last three letters though. Without the “g-er” in swagger, all you are

In Kessio Missed It...

left with is a mop top in a toboggan with pants to his knees. I almost believe that swag is just another word for “my mother let me dress myself today.”

It really is embarrassing.

Say you become famous sometime in the future.

Despite the best efforts of you and your publicist, your age will get out to the public. When that happens, the math experts of the group will be able to trace you back to the year 2013, and say “Oh. He’s one of them...”

I do not want to be remembered as the “Beats ™ Generation”.

When imitating the 70s, people will say “radical!” or “far out, man!” They dress

up in multicolored garb, wear colored spectacles and don long, shaggy wigs.

Imagine what it will be like in the year 2080.

I can see it now.

Halloween-themed stores are finally relevant. Mothers are stocking up on candy.

Children frantically running about are desperate to find the perfect costume, when lo and behold...they find it.

There, on the back shelf of the store is a pack labeled “Swag Boy-” complete with the snapback and the jeans which are three sizes too big.

Our slang is just as bad as profanity. It is used as a generic way of expressing one’s self instead of utilizing true emotions. Ecstatic

Make Your Voice

that your parents got you a new car? Why actually say that, when instead you can just say “TURN UP!” It may be easier, but it is also much more ignorant. All you are doing is using the same words over and over.

You speak of individuality, yet your dialect is pure conformity. If everyone were to speak in such a way, the English language would be rendered virtually useless.

Dignity seems to be irrelevant between the ages of 12 and 20. It is incredible how quickly people will accept something as universal, as long as it sets them apart from other age groups.

Purrhaps animals offer life lessons Beryl Kessio Opinion Editor

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aybe I’m barking up the wrong tree, but our fourlegged friends can teach us valuable lessons about being a better human being. I would feline if I said otherwise.

Animals are without pretense. They do not seek to impress anyone.

Do they care if you got accepted to an Ivy League school, wrote a bestselling novel or can speak five languages?

No. All they want is affection, food and shelter. It is easy to get caught up in achieving your own goals, trying to impress others. Selfimportance and pride become an issue. Letting go of our attachment to being perceived a certain way frees us to align ourselves with what we value most.

It takes little to make

an animal happy. Some people cannot live without their iPhones, whereas animals take pleasure in the simple things: walks, cardboard boxes, a nap in the corner of a couch, a scratch behind the ears.

Maybe they have the right idea. In an age that affords us endless hours of entertainment and constant stimulation from a tap on a screen, humans should take the time to enjoy the simpler things in life.

Have you ever left a dog alone, even for a minute, only to return to a furiously wagging tail, a happy face, barking and enthusiastic kisses? Pets’ unfailing offers of affection show us that no matter the magnitude of an event, there is always something to be cheerful about, to celebrate about life. There is a depth of devotion,

an overwhelming earnestness in their love.

Being nonverbal does not hinder an animal’s capacity to listen. As humans, we tend to use our mouths more than our ears, inhibiting what we can learn from the world.

For animals, being present is enough. After I learned about the death of a friend, I was stricken with grief. My cat snuggled against me while I cried. No sound, just a furry embrace, a show of empathy.

We might expect the best relationships to be between fellow humans, but some of the most inspiring relationships occur across the spectrum of animal species. Pets transcend communicative barriers to demonstrate a worthy example of how to live life for those who walk upright.

by writing a letter to the editor The Crimson Crier The Crimson Crier

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..................Heather Webster Sports Editor........................Will Bartel Entertainment Editor............April Oberman Spread Editor........................Kasey Stender Copy Editor...........................Steven Byrd Photo Editor..........................Sarah Jarnagan Ad Editor...............................Daniel Judge Reporters..........................McKenzie Ashmore, Katlin Gillespie, Taylor Holder, Zach LeQuieu, Shelby Balentine, Caroline Barlow, Laurel Rogers, Lauren Noble, Lucas Ward, Logan Grant, Brittany Robertson, Savannah Bullard, Carla Mack, Dakota Shamblin, Tanner Burns, Nick Arnold, Erin Stender, Victoria Lewis, Noah Lombard Adviser.........................Erin Coggins, MJE

The Crimson Crier

Oct. 24, 2013

Opinion

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The Great Debate: violent video games’ correlation to violence Games not good for violent actions Do violent video games contribute to violent behavior?

Victoria Lewis Reporter

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hat do Sandy Hook Elementary School shooter Adam Lanza, Norwegian mass shooter Anders Breivik and Auburn University lacrosse player Zachary Burgess, who went on a “Grand Theft Auto” inspired crime spree, all have in common? A love for video games.

While playing a first person shooter computer or video game, the player tries to eliminate the largest number of targets at one time. Lanza believed Sandy Hook Elementary School was the “easiest target” with the “largest cluster of people.” Lanza’s urge for slaughter jumped from his TV screen to real life, and he is just the latest to make that jump. Law enforcement found loads of violent video games in Breivik’s basement where he spent hours upon hours playing these games.

As for Burgess, he is the latest to try turning the virtual world into reality by stealing a truck and kidnapping a woman, like the crimes “Grand Theft Auto” simulates in the game.

No, not every child that plays violent video games will become a felon or one of the FBI’s most wanted, but these games do have an impact on kids with unstable homes and/or a mental disease. Thirteen percent of school-aged kids experience some form of rejection by their peers. When kids are not receiving love from a parent or the companionship of a friend, they may try to find that love or companionship somewhere else. Video games give people that escape from reality.

It is easy to see violent behavior coming out of a child or teen who plays violent games. The phrase “monkey see, monkey do” applies. The kids see that the character suffers no consequences for the actions they take. These kids grow into adults and the wrong set of behavior that is in their minds as children can turn into something dangerous for themselves and others as adults.

When people translate violence from the screen and into real life it can sadly mean game over for many people.

Games do not inspire violence Dakota Shamblin Reporter

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junior Andy Palerno

“It’s the parents who buy the video games... not because video games are violent.”

junior Mary Noe

“Yes, because I have four siblings and they play video games and they hit each other after playing.”

soph. Jensen Keller

“Yes. They put bad images in your head and it just sticks inside the person’s head who is playing the game.”

junior Katie Bismack

“If you’re going to get violent it’s a personal thing. I don’t think it’s something video games can lead up to.”

senior Asa Ifill

“No. I just think it’s the people who have the violence in their lives.”

senior Megan Tooley

“No. Just because video games have violence does not mean it translates to players.”

ince the creation of fighting games, shooters and “beat-em-ups,” people have tried to link video games to violence.

Video games are a growing form of media, especially among young people. Similar to books and movies, they tell stories or teach lessons. Video games add interactivity to the experiences that movies give. This helps connect the player, both mentally and physically, to the game.

The video game industry as a whole cannot be blamed for any violence, as there are precautions set to ensure that it does not happen. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) sets ratings for games before they are released. Developers send a DVD summarizing the game’s content, which is how the game is rated. After a game is released, a group of three people at ESRB play a game to ensure that their rating is correct. All people hired to rate games have experience with children in some way.

As ratings are not based on violence levels, but on overall content, a game could have graphic imagery but be low on violent gameplay. One example would be “Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors” which is textheavy and has puzzle-based gameplay but grotesque imagery at points in the game. The combination of text and images appeals to the senses of people who become immersed in books.

People may find violent video games as an outlet for anger rather than an inspiration for violence. The feelings they would express towards living people are instead being expressed towards virtual people. If used effectively, it could be a form of therapy.

As time goes on, video games will likely become less stigmatized and more accepted.

Student editor values her journalism journey in Washington, DC Riley Wallace Editor-in-Chief

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e arrived in paradise on the eve of the perfect storm: the night of the Trayvon Martin verdict, a climax of the Reid-McConnell shenanigans and humidity like we imagined D.C. had seen before. It was the middle of July, my first time travelling completely alone, a huge step towards adulthood that I was not, at the time, aware would have such an impact on my life that I would want to build a future upon it.

But rewind for a minute.

I applied in January for the Al Neuharth Free Spirit Conference, vaguely

unsure, thinking I had little hope of being chosen. It was an award that not only set apart 51 student journalists—one from every state and the nation’s capital—from their peers, but offered them an allexpenses-paid week in Washington, D.C.—an award worth thousands of dollars—for a two-essay, three-article packet. When I was selected in May, then, it came as an honored shock, and rightly so.

It was a week of paradise for a menagerie of creative minds- all of us writers, broadcasters, designers and leaders with a passion for our craft.

We were ushered from

LIVING THE DREAM. Senior Riley Wallace, with fellow Free Spirits tours the USA Today headquarters in D.C. Photo by: Robert-Cole Evans

Band students deserve respect Savannah Bullard Reporter

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and geeks are lame.”

“I would never be attracted to anyone in the band.”

“Why would you join band? You guys look dumb in your uniforms.”

Okay, ouch.

It seems like the marching band catches large amounts of discrimination from the musically disinclined. But

do the students who do not carry a bass drum three times a day really know how tough and respected the band actually is?

Being the girlfriend of a year-round band member, I get much closer to the musicians than the average football fan, and the “hobby for the losers” is more than just a halftime show. Band takes talent and skill, and the prestigious competitions are no easy task.

A member of the band undergoes daily practices during school as well as after-school rehearsals four days a week. With football games every Friday night and national competitions all year, it gets increasingly

one awarding-winning journalist to the next bigshot editor, given a tour of the USAToday office, allowed to sit in on a taping of Meet the Press.

Technical journalist Val Hoeppner got us excited about expanding our papers into social media.

One of Nashville’s original Freedom Riders got us fired up about moving towards righting the wrongs of the world around us and pursuing stories at all cost.

We met Sara Ganim, who, as a college student, broke the Joe Paterno scandal at Penn State.

But what we learned went far beyond what was explicitly taught.

The storm into which we had flown—a veritable political and racial volcano in a city that was paid to pay attention to such things—brought us together more than it tore us apart. Discussion was open in a way that is not available or even possible in school, at home, at church, anywhere but in a group of people who were paying close attention to what you were saying without aiming to argue.

We gathered around the television the first night, all thoughts of curfew and games of charades discarded, silent, intently watching the trial verdict that unfolded before our eyes.

We learned cooperation and diversity, multiplied exponentially by passion, and we learned curiosity.

All of us from different backgrounds, all of us with our individual systems of beliefs, we learned to listen and value perspective. We broke down stereotypes or pushed through them, making friends across the country more easily than some of us could make them at home. We bounced ideas off of each other; inspiration was the person sitting next to you or the speaker at the front of the room. What we wanted to know, we asked: the normal 50 minutes for lecture and 10 for questions was completely inverted for the queues at the microphones.

We made connections.

And at the end of it all, on that final night that bled into a dark trip to the airport, we were

heartbroken to go. We said our goodbyes at midnight, in the hotel stairwell, afraid that the moment we stepped off the plane, the week of our lives would be gone and the friends with it. This, of course, was an empty fear, the result of too little sleep (16 out of 42 possible hours over five days) and too much caffeine (three cups of coffee a day for five days).

That was the week I consider my transition, the week that I began to consider myself capable, perhaps, of becoming an adult. College was, all of a

sudden feasible, real and not the insurmountable fall I imagined it to be.

Journalism was solidified in my mind as my passion, what I wanted to do, if I had to do anything. Contacts were made. Those people I was afraid of forgetting were just a phone call, a text, a Facebook message away, and some it was like we never left. And today, the memory finds me unafraid, ready, willing to reach into someday, reach towards what I love, reach towards the end of the sidewalk where beautiful opportunities abound.

difficult to live a life beyond the band room. A student looking in from the outside only sees the boring music pieces and gaudy instrument cases.

Band students are responsible for all pieces of their uniforms, and if an instrument is damaged they better find the money to fix it… now.

Band does not begin and end when school does.

A two week band camp in the blistering heat of the summer not only leaves performers tan in strange places, but also exhausted from a nine hour daily conditioning practice. I am not talking about air conditioning, either; band camp is hard labor.

The competition band has far more necessities to function during the school year. The marching and football seasons end at the same time, but competition band members do not stop working until June approaches in the following year. Travelling is an important part of being in competition band, so making any outside plans whatsoever is virtually impossible. This is the most frustrating part of being a band girlfriend due to the fact that not seeing my boyfriend outside of the school hallways is worse than waiting for Christmas to come.

Even though possessing multiple hobbies is

impractical as a band student, the hard work and dedication pays off. The high school competition band has successfully competed at regional and national levels, and the indoor drumline have been world champion finalists in the past two years.

Generally, band students are never bored and are constantly working on improving their talents. They work together as a team, bonding as a school rather than an individual grade.

Training for a greater goal is the primary motivation for high school band members, proving that third block on the practice

field is not just some class.

I cannot consider my love and admiration for the band as biased. The amount of effort it takes to accomplish such high goals takes character and diligence, and the band has more than enough personality to be successful in what they do. Being in the high school band— marching or competition— is a highly esteemed job to perform. The ability to execute a task with such aptitude every day gives me enough reason to have the upmost respect for my fellow classmates. I do not see band members as “just geeks;” these teenagers are artists—brilliant ones at that.

The Crimson Crier

Opinion 6

Oct. 24 2013

Preparing for 2016 Riley Wallace Editor-in-Chief

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i, my name is Riley Wallace, and—think me a masochist—I follow politics.

Hold down the screams, the boos, the inevitable cries of heresy that maybe I should be hunted down and burned at the stake for what is to follow. I mean no harm; I mean not to harangue, to harass or to otherwise hamper, but only to inform. But the fact of the matter is that we only have three years left.

2016 is imminent, rushing towards us. The rumors have begun, the ballot is writing itself out month by month. Clinton, Rubio and Paul are getting their starts. Give it a year and the campaigns will begin in full force: the endless commercials, the herds of signs in the neighbor’s yard, the ads in the newspaper, the shameless begging by people who have more money than most of us will ever see.

In three years, the classes of 2014, 2015 and roughly half of 2016 will be registered voters. In three years, millions of high school students will have the power to sway a vote whichever way we want. In three years, we will be responsible for it all.

But first, rewind for a moment and consider why.

Student protests of the Vietnam War led to the ratification of the 26th amendment in 1971. The draft age was 18; the voting age was 21. An important discrepancy? It was to students sent overseas, victims of a draft instituted by a government that they had no hand in deciding. From the beginning, American youths’ right to vote has been a protection for us and by us, in a government apparently set on “equality,” but willing to sacrifice our desires as futile whims.

Then, 40 years later, comes our betrayal, our apathy.

Nothing could make us care less.

We blanch at political commercials, and we put the signs in our friends’ yards as pranks. General disregard is prevalent. How many of us are aware of party boundaries, where they blur, where they stand? Better yet, how many of us can actually identify with a political philosophy, or even identify a party’s candidates? How many of us are willing to participate? How many of us are excited about simply getting involved?

We cannot claim, as previous eras could, that we are not educated. A basic education on the inner workings of the government is mandatory to graduate; if not, it would take five minutes to search it on Google. We cannot claim that we are too unaware. The majority of us carry CNN, Fox, MSNBC, USAToday, The New York Times and Huffington Post in our pockets. Are we too unaffected? Ha. Try mentioning tuition costs and see if every senior in the vicinity does not give you a dirty look.

We are affected and we are able.

Bombarded with media at all points, it is hard to imagine that all of us do not follow some aspect of our government or at least those politics beyond the mediadrunk circuses, primitive scandals and misinterpreted headlines with which news sites milk the consumer market. We are given the information just as our adult counterparts are. The difference is, we choose not do anything with it. We have time to process all the propaganda, just as everyone else does.

Knowledge is power, power is in numbers, and that is the basis of our political machine. We have control, but we are not willing to use it.

The time, whether we want to admit it or not, is upon us. By 2016, all that will be required of us on voting day is government-issued photo identification and a little bit of effort. But that begins now, today, with the first announcement of candidacy, with the first commercial, the first ad, the first yard sign.

But above all, it begins with us.

“Perfect family” ideal impossible without interaction McKenzie Ashmore

Reporter

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e feel as young adults that we truly know our parents, but do we really?

Students may argue that they do know their parents, but the second they are asked an in-depth question about their parents, they freeze up and do not know the answer.

The problem is this: families do not sit down together for dinner any more because of all the distractions (such as technology) in our lives. Our divorce rate has impacted our capabilities to truly connect with our parents.

Also, in the early years of our lives our parents were storytellers to us, but now those stories have faded away like dust in the wind.

Technology has become a large part of our civilization. Not only has it taken over our generation but has pushed the youth of our families into different rooms of the house. Therefore they do not know any detailed information about their parents’ lives.

For years our country has strived for greatness,

but if we as citizens do not even know the person by whom we were raised, then it would not be possible for us to achieve greatness.

It is not necessarily that we will become felons without our parents but more of the fact that our parents help to mold us as we grow. There are students that say having dinner as a family can raise performance at school.

The youth of our generation not knowing much about their parents is absolutely ridiculous. Every child should want to know details about their parents.

It is only reasonable that children at least attempt to make a relationship with their parents; after all parents make their children who they are today. When witnessing the families on old TV shows, we think “oh they are perfect” but in reality they do not exist.

We try to become the perfect families perceived on television, but if we do not know the people we live with, we cannot be a perfect family. Even if you do know your family or parents, then you may not be able to become the “perfect family” but one who truly loves one

another.

It is understandable that certain teenagers may not be able to see their parents every day so they may not get the chance to learn about them like teenagers who see their parents constantly. In our society, approximately 40 to 50 percent of the marriages end in divorce.

Therefore, there are more teenagers who do not have the advantage to know both of their parents well.

As we grow in age we realize that the communication between our parents and ourselves is important to our future because they help us to become well rounded men and women. In our childhood, our parents were the ones who told us the amazing stories we grew to love and will probably be passed to the next generation. Our generation should create a stronger bond with our parents by getting to know them, so the next generation can have a piece of them.

For those of us who do not truly know our parents and just sit around waiting for them to tell us who they truthfully are, get up

and find out something you did not know about your parent. It could make a large difference in your relationship.

Why get to know your parents?

Benefit 1: Your parents will appreciate your interest.

Benefit 2: You’ll gain insight into your parents’ point of view.

Benefit 3: You may become more comfortable talking about your own life.

Benefit 4: You might learn something.

Info from Watchtower online library

NSA scandal prompts discussion of elusive balance between privacy, security Beryl Kessio Opinion Editor

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athtub falls and police officers kill more Americans than terrorism, yet we’ve been asked to sacrifice our most sacred rights for fear of falling victim to it.”

Edward Snowden spoke these words.

I am no conspiracy theorist.

I am no revolutionary. But I am concerned. You should be too.

After Sept. 11, 2001 the nation saw a policy push to eradicate terrorism.

With those measures, the Fourth Amendment has been breached.

When former NSA contractor Edward Snowden exposed the invasive methods used by the National Security Agency in order to counter terrorism, I was overcome with an uneasy feeling. If the NSA wants to get in your computer, you cannot stop them.

The NSA’s PRISM program accesses user data from Skype, Youtube, Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, PalTalk, AOL and Apple.

After Snowden’s

revelation, a governmental smear campaign soon began with politicians attempting to crush the view that Snowden was a patriot. Dick Cheney even called him a “traitor”— to which Snowden responded, “Being called a traitor by Dick Cheney is the highest honor you can give to an American.”

Touché, Mr. Snowden.

Touché.

With the emergence of advanced technology that allows the government to collect such vast quantities of data, an important discussion is prompted. It is imperative for citizens to understand the tradeoff between civil rights and their own security.

What is the NSA’s intention?

Despite intelligence officials vehemently defending the surveillance programs’ proper handling of information, their true intent we do not know.

Also unclear is the amount of taxpayer dollars being funneled into surveillance programs. What we do know is that the reach and scope of their powers have grown beyond their original purpose. In a recent

scandal, NSA employees were discovered to have intentionally misused their power to snoop on their loved ones.

Staying true to politics,

added, but the damage is already done.

After Pfc. Bradley Manning leaked classified information to WikiLeaks, the administration

AMENDMENT IV The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Obama’s rhetoric on this issue starkly contrasts his actions. The Sunlight Foundation noticed that Obama’s promise to protect whistleblowers disappeared from his website, Change.gov. The foundation claims the Obama administration revoked access to this promise on June 8, just two days after Snowden’s leak. It has since been re-

created a program to stifle whistleblowing, the Insider Threat Program. It encourages government workers to watch their fellows in case they suspect a threat. Contradictory to the administration’s prior stance on whistleblowers, the UN has formally accused the government of cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment towards Bradley Manning.

He was allegedly left in solitary confinement for almost a year.

“Often the best source of information about waste, fraud, and abuse in government is an existing government employee committed to public integrity and willing to speak out. Such acts of courage and patriotism, which can sometimes save lives and often save taxpayer dollars, should be encouraged rather than stifled. We need to empower federal employees as watchdogs of wrongdoing and partners in performance.

Barack Obama will strengthen whistleblower laws to protect federal workers who expose waste, fraud, and abuse of authority in government.

Obama will ensure that federal agencies expedite the process for reviewing whistleblower claims and whistleblowers have full access to courts and due process,” the site read.

The brazen hypocrisy of is shocking. Remember the endless warnings about Chinese and foreign firms acquiring telecommunications

infrastructure, supposedly over the possibility of Chinese government spying? How much of that was really about the possibility that the US’s ability to spy on innocent people would be hindered?

The freedom of thought and expression is something that I would not like to have compromised.

The main difference between democracy and totalitarianism is the right of the people to express themselves . The danger is of politicization of the classified information.

Our lives should not be bought and sold so some bureaucrat can get a paycheck for reviewing the lives of millions of Americans. In order to avoid abuse and misuse of information, what the government has to put in place is proper oversight with accountability.

G o v e r n m e n t transparency is the absolute key to the protection of privacy.

There might be a silver lining in this situation after all. Maybe carrier pigeons could make a comeback.

7 Entertainment

Oct. 24, 2013

The Crimson Crier

Secrets of Huntsville: interesting shops to visit Kasey Stender Spread Editor

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untsville is --well-- it is quite a diverse city. With Redstone Arsenal drawing people from all over the world, interesting things are bound to pop up.

Amidst all the cookie-cutter clothing stores, there are the occasional unique hidden shops the kinds of stores that you could buy things for a crazy movie set or get your fix for your fairy figurine addiction.

Hulk smash... away the stress The Dream Maker, located in Huntsville, is superb for those collecting or using rock and mineral specimens. The store features a large selection of minerals ranging from Quartz crystals to celestites clusters. Sounds like something from a “Legend of Zelda” game, does it not? It also offers a unique line of jewelry made with hand-selected gemstones. Also within the store is an Alternative Health Center where massage and many other types of therapies are offered. The Dream Maker is the perfect store to find handy and natural ways to relieve stress.

The Dream Maker: 4004 Triana Blvd. SW

Photo by: Kasey Stender

‘Here be comics’ Another such store is the comic book store The Deep. There will always be those around who love comic books, video games and the geek world that comes along with that, so this shop is a source of life for us. The Deep has a plethora of comics fitting all different types of genres from “X-Men” to “Yu-Gi-Oh!” The store puts on events from video gaming nights to weekly tournaments. It also features action figures and figurines for kids and collectors. Here, it is totally okay to dress up as Boba Fett or Laura Croft.

The Deep Comics: 2312 Memorial Pkwy. SW Photo by: Kasey Stender

Around the world in 80 steps One of these neat shops can be found in Parkway Place Mall. Import Treasures appeared one day and has been the kind of place you keep reminding yourself to visit until, weeks later, you finally do. As you first walk in, you are greeted by a multitude of pottery that looks to be straight out of ancient Rome or China. Among the shelves of elephant figurines and elaborate frames there is also an enchanting little section devoted to those who adore fairies. Miniatures, boxes and lamps adorned with these creatures are abundant. Past that is an area devoted to decorated skulls and other dark things. In fact, most of the things look like they would be right off a YA movie adaption set. Needless to say, this little treasure is worth a visit—if not to buy a neat trinket, then for the fond memories that will definitely be made there.

Photo by: Kasey Stender

Parkway Place Mall: 2801 Memorial Pkwy SW

Student abandons idea of fare scare Horror movies to sink your teeth into Tanner Burns I am afraid of anything I appeared out of thin air.

Reporter

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all is arguably the best time of the year, it is warm enough to wear T-shirts but also cool enough to make s’mores.

Halloween one of falls major attractions, is waited for by some and dreaded by others. Then there are those of us who love being festive but do not like the scary things that accompany the holiday.

For me carving pumpkins, cooking pumpkin seeds, watching football and being around family is the best thing about the fall. However, scary mazes, haunted houses and ghost walks do not tickle my fancy. These are things I just do not enjoy doing, it does not mean

just do not have fun doing said things. People assume that I am scared but that is not the case. Why pay for something that is not enjoyable? There is no reason to do something that is not fun.

My feelings on the issue stem largely from a time in June 2012, when a couple friends and I were looking for an adventure and came up with the idea to go to the Dead Children’s Playground in Huntsville.

Within the first 15 minutes, the swings were swaying back and fourth with no wind present. We began to hear voices from the distance, and the final straw with us was when we saw bushes moving and shaking and a figure

We booked it out of there and never have I returned to haunted or scary places.

Not enjoying these kinds of places during Halloween does not stop people from enjoying themselves; some things to do around Halloween include trick or treating, costume parties and even horror movies, strictly because they are fake. I will not do “scary” things that get done in the flesh; horror literally means a very strong feeling of fear.

You will not find me in anything haunted, or haunting. It was a struggle for me to go to the dead children’s playground.

Scary things just don’t interest me, it is simply not fun.

What is your favorite thing about fall?

Halloween: 29% Thanksgiving: 34% Football games: 22% Other: 15% 100 students polled

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones : Jan. 3 2014 Devil’s Due: January 17, 2014 I, Frankenstein: Jan. 24, 2014

MADISON COMMONS 1593 Hughes Road, Suite E Madison, AL 35758 256-335-2213 suellen1103@aol.com www.twiggiesboutique.com

The Crimson Crier

Oct. 24, 2013

Entertainment

8

Students reveal deep royal obsessions: from kings to rings Erin Stender Reporter

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e all know the story of the royals.

Prince meets commoner girl, they fall in love, get married and live happily ever after. But some people dig farther than that.

These people, known as ‘royal obsessors’ are in love with the idea of a perfect fairy tale.

Some ask why a high school student living a whole ocean away would care about the royal family, but senior Breana Pickett and sophomore Jensen Keller both say that their obsession is not any stranger than the interests of others.

“Everyone’s obsessed with something. It’s hard not to be obsessed with something. Everyone likes something so to each his own,” Pickett said.

Both girls had stories to share about where their love and adoration for the royal family originates.

Keller, with a crush on Prince William from a young age, smiles as she recalls what sparked her admiration.

“I first discovered the royals in elementary school when I read a book about Prince William and I was fascinated by that,” Keller said.

Pickett recalls learning about the royals when the news of an unusual engagement between a commoner and a royal broke international news.

“It really started right before Prince William and Kate got engaged. I really started noticing them and wanting them to get engaged, then they did and it just took off from there,” Pickett said.

Being infatuated with the monarchy ‘across the pond’ is actually a common thing with many Americans watching the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2010, in spite of severe power outages in the area.

“I was actually at my grandparents, and I couldn’t watch it on TV because I was away from the house, so I was on my phone watching every second of it,” Pickett said.

In recent years, young people have become fascinated by the royals,

Artwork by: Noah Lombard

particularly former commoner Katherine Duchess of Wales, who is influencing youth today and breaking the ‘rules’ of royalty by branching out to the modern world.

“Kate inspires people with her style and she pushes the limits a little bit

but is still very modest,” Pickett said. “She shows people that you can be very fashionable but still modest. And that’s what I really love.”

Both girls’ faces lit up as they discussed the royals.

They seemed excited and happy about the family’s recent addition, Prince

George Alexander Louis of Cambridge.

Keller particularly remembers Duchess Kate coming out of the hospital after giving birth to George.

“She was perfect after she came out of the hospital. I was like you just gave birth to a baby and you look like an angel.”

Keller said.

Both students think highly of the British royals and love the happiness and joy the royal family brings them.

“They seem like the perfect family. I know they’re not perfect, but they just come across as that,” Keller said.

Musician, mother take stage with new way to creatively bond Savannah Bullard Reporter

T

hey are all common stereotypes situated in the hierarchy of social school environment: marching band geeks, choir junkies, misunderstood dark poets. Music is a concrete aspect of high school teens, whether on

a playlist or in a third block binder. Music is important to any genre of interests, but sophomore Hudson Harris takes his passion for the art beyond the choir room.

Harris is privileged to hold the natural gift of voice. Singing has always been a love to him. Harris

has taken on a new level of shower-solos: making music for the public.

Partnering with his mother, the duo started a band together entitled “Just Gracey.”

Just Gracey has performed in venues in the South over the past three years. Last summer the

FOR THE LOVE OF THE SONG. Sophomore Hudson Harris and his mother perform at Bridge Street. They bonded together while they played a cover of a Mumford and Sons’ song. Photo by: Savannah Bullard

Review: the SnapChat app April Oberman

Entertainment Editor

Q

uick. Look both ways. Is anyone watching?

OK, the coast in clear, snap the picture. Now, pretend nothing happened. This is the same ritual most SnapChat users perform while snapping in public.

Whether sitting in history class, riding a bus or lying in bed, SnapChat prevails as an easier way to communicate. By simply snapping a picture, creating a time limit up to 10 seconds and choosing snap recipients, no effort is involved. Text messages cannot show much emotion, so downloading the SnapChat app will allow you to break out of your shell, but only for a maximum of 10 seconds.

Most users of SnapChat are offenders of one of the five SnapChat picture categories: the poser, the artist, the group SnapChatter, the accidental SnapChatter or the screenshotter.

Each category has its own species of images.

Posers, better known as ‘avid selfie takers,’ pose in each snap. Although most users take crazy self-portraits, there are a percentage of users who must be cute in each snap.

Posers sport makeup in all pictures and show their biggest smiles.

The artist utilizes the paint options on the app.

In almost every snap they send, animation is added.

Even though you must use your finger as the paintbrush, your fingertip can make anything that will fit your phone’s screen.

Another category is the group SnapChatter. After you have perfected your snap, you hit send and a screen pops up with a list of all SnapChat friends.

From here you may check any number of friends you want to receive your snap.

On occasions, a mass snap will be received, normally with a message that includes “Hey guys! What are you up to?” Users

receive several of these very snaps and it becomes unbearable. Next time you need a SnapChat friend, stick with one reliable SnapChatter.

If you slip your phone into your pocket unlocked, you are at risk of being an accidental SnapChatter.

This person is unaware of what and where the snap goes. Accidental SnapChatters can also send a regular snap to a friend, but putting a check by the wrong person’s name. This causes an awkward relationship with the person when you meet face-to-face.

SnapChat users who screenshot snaps are put onto a black list by friends. They are known as the screenshotter. If you are the victim of the screenshotter, rethink sending silly snaps of yourself.

So, define what class you fall under. Have fun while using the SnapChat app, but abide by others feelings.

band opened for HogFest in Temple, OK, and since then has played monthly at Bridgestreet Town Centre, Emma’s Tea Room and at Blue Bird Café in Nashville, along with various open mic nights. Harris plays five instruments—guitar, ukulele, banjo, piano and Cajun.

“I have always loved music and performing. It’s more than an outlet; it is a way to express myself in a way that some people can’t. Making music isn’t something anyone just does; it’s very personal,” Harris said.

Harris is highly influenced by bands such as Mumford and Sons, The Beatles and Dillon Hodges.

However, Harris tries to keep one important aspect in mind: the reason music should be made in the first place.

“I make music because

I love it. My mom and I do what we do because we want to change the perspective of the typical musician. We don’t get drunk or high before a concert, we don’t perform for the money and we definitely don’t think of ourselves as stuck-up showbiz folks. We are respectable to our art and we are devoted to creating music for the people; not for ourselves,” Harris said.

Most songs written by modern artists are generally about themselves. Taylor Swift is known for her upbeat breakup songs. Jack White’s most recent album was made from his own experiences.

Subjective song writing may be popular, yet Harris always makes an effort to avoid individual inspiration.

“When I’m writing [a song], it isn’t always about me. Most of my songs are

sparked by something that happened around me, or it could be completely irrelevant to my life. Artists can argue that that isn’t real writing, but I definitely think it is. Some of my best songs come from unrelated issues,” Harris said.

Freshman vocal teacher Jennifer Graham believes learning music at a younger age is extremely beneficial to high school students.

Harris, who was taught by Graham last year, could be seen as a positive example of early-music education. “[Harris] was always eager in my class. He had great ideas to help enhance the songs we sang, such as adding instruments or changing harmonies. I never had to tell him what beat to play when we added percussion pieces to our concerts; he always knew what would be best,” Graham said.

Music creates oppor’tune’ity for student Logan Grant Reporter

S

enior Megan Robinson has been involved in music since she was 10 years old. In those seven years she has sharpened her musical talents to a fine point. If there is a lesson offered at Musicology, she has likely mastered it. She plays piano, guitar and ukulele along with singing.

Along with the benefit of the indescribable feeling of learning and playing music, Robinson has also formed friendships through her classes and events.

She feels that music has opened up doors for her that would have been shut and locked otherwise.

“I sang the National Anthem for a stadium of 4,000 people at the Huntsville Stars game a few years ago, and played different instruments for a few crowds that were a couple hundred people,” Robinson said.

Robinson periodically performs as a part of Musicology School of

Music’s concerts and recitals throughout the year. At events like these, she demonstrates her talents in front of a relatively small crowd.

With Robinson’s experience in music, she will only continue to soar.

Robinson has always taken

a humble approach to her terrific skill. Praise is valued, but Robinson does not feel entitled to it.

“I feel like I’m the only veteran around Musicology now. I’ve been there for so long all of the kids look up to me, but I’m not an idol,” Robinson said.

STRUM TO THE BEAT. Senior Megan Robinson enjoys spending time with her guitar. She plucked her acoustic Ibanez and played songs.

The Crimson Crier

Oct. 24 2013

Tanner Burns Reporter

Shelby Balentine Reporter

Students investigate fake I.D. plausibility

O

ne student asks another, “Can you use your fake ID to buy something for a party this weekend?” Before one answers they need to know the repercussions of pulling out that ID. In order to dispel how easy it is to use a fake ID, the Crimson Crier went around to local gas stations and businesses that sell liquor and tobacco to conduct some first-hand investigative reporting.

School resource officer Deputy Casey Thrower approved that a fake ID would be made strictly in order to get the full effect. The first stop on the investigation was Mapco on Highway 53.

Sally Rae Johnson talked about how she can tell fake IDs from a real one.

When asked what the process to tell what the difference is, she took a look at the card made for this investigation.

“First of all I would ask you to take it out of your wallet, second I would look for the watermark, expiration date and date of birth. In which case I can tell this one is fake because the watermark isn’t holographic,” Johnson said.

If this was not an approved investigation, she would have confiscated the card, and she could have called the police at her discretion.

“Once I got hired here at Mapco we had to go through a class to learn what to look for when carding anyone that looks under 30, usually people will look nervous while

News 9 using a fake ID which sometimes makes me more cautious,” Johnson said.

The Crimson Crier did not only stop at Mapco but also at Windmill Beverages on Highway 72. Shannon Rodgers, who has been working there for four years, had first-hand experience with fake IDs; she confiscated the fake and gave it to the owner.

“Teens are more interested in getting in to clubs with the fake than buying our alcohol.

Surprisingly we have only had two incidents with fake IDs in the past two years but since they are such a big deal we take it very seriously and are trained to spot the slightest informalities in identification,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers can only recall two accounts in the past two years where underage

teens have tried to use fake IDs at Windmill Beverages.

While this does not happen often at Windmill, it is more common at small gas stations.

“Technically, you are not supposed to come into our store if you are under the age of 21 so this may be why we don’t have that much of a problem,” Rodgers said.

Although Thrower says he is not aware of a fake ID problem in Madison County, students do indeed have them.

The issue may be that students are too afraid to use them.

“I’m too afraid to use a fake ID. The repercussions are too much,” junior Kenneth Embrey.

Worst case: Possession of a forged instrument in the third degree is a Class A misdemeanor and punishable by a fine of up to $6000 and a sentence of up to 12 months incarceration (limited to six months incarceration if the court having jurisdiction is a municipal court). If it is a fake driver’s license, they can hit you with another charge. The possession of alcohol is up to a $500 fine. Alabama Court Website

Attempting to use a fake I.D. can appear on a permanent criminal record.

Speaking

CONT. from pg. 02 lack of interest in it,” Black said.

Campbell hopes to reincorporate this course in the future, though with the funding issue, this aspiration is a dim light at the end of a long tunnel.

“We have a lot of

students who are really smart and are doing very, very well in the classes, but we don’t have that chance to really work on skills that are necessary in communication. I would love to see something along those lines, even with debate. There’s a lot of things we could do with a

public speaking class that I’d like to see brought back,” Campbell said.

Hopefully, the painful embarrassment of a shamefully transmitted speech will end with the incoming underclassmen of the future, when and if the course is brought back.

in school buildings, on school grounds, on school buses, or at any other school-sponsored function.

Students in violation of this policy will be subject to consequences under Classification of Violations and Consequences.”

Regarding the lack of ruling on e-cigarettes and hookahs, assistant principal Chris Sims believes concrete text on the subject should be added to prevent any loopholes.

“If it is not somewhere in the Code of Conduct, it is definitely something we need to address because anything that resembles tobacco should be against school policy,” Sims said.

The Federal Drug

Administration has not made any regulations concerning the products so anyone can buy them, which has raised some concern. The opposition argues that there is not anything harmful about the hookahs, due to the fact that it is only flavored water vapor.

“You know, it really should not be an issue, it is an indoor product, has no harmful effect on nature, and does not even contain nicotine or any other harmful substance. The only way it could be disciplined in school is that it could be a distraction, but other than that, I see no problem with it at all,” T said.

E-cigarettes CONT. pg. 01

a big source of income for the small shops. T, a worker at one of the local smoke shops that sell e-cigarettes, can attest to that.

“A lot of young adults buy them, some buy one, some buy three, I have had people come in here and buy five or six. I have had to put extra orders in to fulfill all the demand.

It is pretty crazy,” T said.

The question has been raised whether the use of the hookah is against school policy. Under tobacco, the Student Code of Conduct says that: “Students shall not bring, possess, use, or sell tobacco in any form

Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant (256) 851 - 3527 5850 Highway 53 Harvest, AL 35749 Located less than half a mile from school! eat@micasa.com facebook.com/micasarest53 www.micasa53.com

GROCERY PACKING Seniors Haley Miller and Rebecca McDaniel help a patron of STAR market with their groceries. Twice this school year, the Future Teachers members bagged groceries for tips at the Madison grocery store. Money will fund various projects to improve conditions for teachers. Photo by Renee Quaife.

Club allows students to experience, explore teach ing as a future career Erin Stender Reporter

T

he newly formed club, Future Teachers of Alabama (FTA), has been a help to students who are hoping to find their place in a teaching career. Renee Quaife, English teacher and FTA sponsor, has been eager to start the club after noticing a number of her students planning to become educators themselves.

“Over the years there have been several students who have shown an interest in a career in education, so I started thinking about having a club for these students. I wanted it to be a club that would allow them to see what it was like to be a teacher on the other side,” Quaife said.

Quaife sees her club as a way to enrich students and share her love of teaching with high school students.

Sophomore Victoria Lewis joined FTA to expand her knowledge on teaching as a career and possibly plan her future as an educator.

She wants to help kids learn the skills they will need to have a successful future.

“I’m interested in being an educator because I want to be able to help the next generation and have a hand in the future,” Lewis said.

The new club currently has 18 members, all female, who are interested in becoming the future teachers of Alabama.

Several of the students are merely contemplating becoming an educator and are using the club as a way to test the teaching waters.

Quaife understands that many of these students are just trying to figure out what they want to do before actually entering the real world. She knows that deciding which direction to go in can be a serious decision for students and that they need to look around before deciding on their future career.

“So many students go through high school not really knowing what they want to do next. By being involved in programs and clubs that are career-

oriented, I think students will be given an opportunity to experience some of what being a teacher is all about before they do their Student Teaching in college,” Quaife said.

Students in FTA are encouraged to share their reason for wanting to teach.

The club helps cultivate this dream and turn into a reality for the students.

“I want to help educate kids and touch their lives,” Lewis said.

Quaife is optimistic that her program will assist students who wish to become teachers.

She believes that it will help them learn the trials and tribulations of teaching and teach them to become better people and amazing teachers.

“Teaching isn’t just about standing in front of a room of students or lesson planning or grading.

Teaching is all of those things, plus it is helping others,” Quaife said.

“Teaching is more than just a job; it’s a way of life.”

10 In-depth

The Crimson Crier

Oct. 24, 2013

Just a Flesh wound

DEAREST PARENTS. Children suffer endlessly at the hands of “loved ones”. Photo illustration by Riley Wallace.

Lacking parents leave students with hurt hearts Savannah Bullard Reporter

L

ove is a strong word, and the love of a family is the strongest love first experienced. Mommies whisper “I love you” to their babies before bedtime, and fathers tell new adults “I love you” before leaving for first years at college. Parental love is the primary love generally experienced upon first creation, but two ordinary teens in this school have not been so lucky in receiving theirs.

Sophomore Drew Hawkins* is a middle child of three, living in an elegant house with two hard-working parents. Hawkins has never made a grade below a B, and he manages his band schedule and church schedule to fit with all his AP classes. He loves soccer and has a caring girlfriend and never misses a day of high school.

Hawkins can be seen as a typical, every day good kid. At first glance, he has a perfect life. Yet, he can’t remember the last time he heard his mother or father say “I love you”.

“It kind of started after third grade. I learned to speak and think for myself, but when I actually made my voice heard, my parents seemed to completely ignore me. I guess you could say that’s when it [the neglect] started,” Hawkins said.

Being openly emotional is one thing, but the line between strict parents and neglecting parents is dangerous when crossed. Hawkins’s parents keep a hard shell, and rarely show any kind of gratitude or pride towards their children.

“Strict parents communicate with their kids. They trust their kids. Strict parents can actually have a relationship with their kids, even if it’s a benign one.

My parents want nothing to do with me, unless it’s hard work or help with something my siblings are too “delicate” to do themselves. I don’t have a relationship with my parents. They don’t respect me, so it’s hard to respect them back. They have absolutely no willingness to understand me as a 21st century teenager, not a 20th century teen like they were, and when they punish me for the minor things I do, it’s a completely hyperbolic punishment. I do not get the respect as a human that I deserve. They treat me like dirt under their feet,” Hawkins said.

Hawkins does everything he can to make his parents proud, but the inability to reach their ever-increasing expectations is more than stressful for a reliable teenager such as him.

“Some days I wish I really were a ‘forgotten middle child’. It would make my life so much easier if I didn’t have to worry about my parents’ opinions all the time.

They do give my other siblings work around the house, but it’s nowhere near as hard as what I go through on a daily basis. I’m just the work horse to them,” Hawkins said.

Constantly overwhelmed with demanding, rock-solid parents is hard for Hawkins, but there’s one person he considers his escape from the constant struggles at home.

“The only one who makes me feel better about my home life is my girlfriend. She comforts me, and she lets me ramble on and on about how nobody loves me.

She lets me complain, and I can see that she really does

listen. When I’m done raging she puts me back in check and reminds me of the positive things in my life. She reminds me of her love for me, God’s love for me, and all the friends I have who truly do care for me. She always knows what to say, and she never fails to make me feel better,” Hawkins said.

A good shoulder to lean on can be a fair amount of help, but the love of a mother and father cannot be replaced so easily. Hawkins comes home every afternoon to not only a plethora of homework, but also a mountain of hard labor to stack on top.

“My dad always has work for me when I get home.

I do all the heavy lifting at home, whether it be trees to cut down or a chandelier to hang. He gives me tasks in which I am physically incapable to accomplish, and when I fail to complete those tasks, dad belittles me with words about my laziness, and that I will never succeed in life if I keep up my sub-par attitude. Dad never tells me ‘thank you’ for the things I do, and if I get hurt while doing a difficult chore…too bad,” Hawkins said.

Teenage boys generally don’t stress over having an emotional relationship with their parents, but to Hawkins, the love of his mother and father have become more than a wish. It has become a craving.

“I think my parents love me with the love all parents give. Some days I think they love me just because they are obligated to, just because I am their son. I can actually say I love my parents, even though I’m treated like a dog. No matter how many horrible days I endure, at the end of the day they are still my parents. I would not be as well off as I am without them. At least I have a house and meals every day. Some kids don’t even get that,” Hawkins said.

Being privileged with a nice house and expensive clothes isn’t everything to Hawkins; the hole in his heart that is supposed to belong to parental love hurts him worse than the constant hard work does.

“It hurts so much to not have the love most kids take for granted. To feel that you’re an outcast, an accident, in your own family is one of the worst feelings to experience. It eats at your emotions; having no love from my own family is a parasite, and I can see that sometimes that bitterness comes out of me. I deserve to

““

I put my fee lings aside and stayed wit h him

be treated like one of my own family. So to get nothing even close to a speck of compassion from the two people who created me, well, it kills me,” Hawkins said.

For Amanda Baker*, having separated parents was always the norm. The home of her kind, sensitive father can be considered Baker’s haven. Her mother, on the other hand, fills Baker with a bitterness and hatred that surpasses old school bullies and comic book villains.

“I found a voice for myself some time in elementary school. When I learned to give my own opinion, she became vicious. People say I strongly resemble my dad, so when his personality mirrored mine, my mom couldn’t stand it,” Baker said.

Baker is in primary custody of her mother, getting the opportunity to see her dad every other weekend.

Her mother’s house is nothing but four walls and a roof; any sense of love was diminished after the acrimonious divorce of her parents.

“There is no love in this house. My mother genuinely hates me, and she isn’t afraid to tell me so. Mom is constantly judging me and criticizing me for things I haven’t done. She is convinced nothing is her fault, and it is her place to determine whether or not I am a good human being. According to her, I’m doomed for Hell the second I die. I am a constant target for accusation,” Baker said.

Up until high school, Baker was home schooled by her odious mother. The learning environment Baker describes was a prison. Being the center of her mother’s abusive attention was torture, and there was no sense of escape. Now a sophomore, Baker is continually threatened with being thrown back into home school a second time, and the thought is so dreaded it keeps her as obedient as possible.

“School is an escape, just like my dad’s house is.

My biggest support comes from my two best friends.

They give real advice instead of just saying ‘sorry’. They help me grow and I do actually get better through their advice. They make life bearable, and I just can’t leave school,” Baker said.

However, school is just a temporary sanctuary for Baker. When she gets home to her mother, Baker’s wounds reopen and patching them up is agonizing.

“Mom changes me with her awful ways. She makes me wonder if I make other people in my life as mad as I make her. I become sheltered, concave. I shut the world out because I’m so scared to try to let people in.

I come to school with my heart on my sleeve, and I am excessively emotional when it comes to my mom. I feel like a walking liability. To the public, she at least has to be a mother. But behind closed doors, she’s nothing like a momma,” Baker said.

Even though the hatred and loathing is an endless pain, Baker tries her best to wake up each morning with a warm heart.

“My main goal in life is to be happy,” Baker said. “I deserve happiness, at the very least. No matter what I do in life, I will never turn out to be like my mother. Just because she hates me doesn’t mean she has a hold on me. She wins some battles, but I will win this war.”

Oct. 24, 2013

The Crimson Crier

In-depth

11

Violence and aggression sours love April Oberman

Entertainment Editor

S

team rages through Thomas Montgomery’s* ears as he turns to his girlfriend, Laurie Wright*.

Wright stares at Montgomery with a tender smirk. While attempting to contain his emotion, Montgomery grabs the object nearest to him to relieve his anger, his own girlfriend’s neck.

Teen relationship abuse is not simply a scene in a movie. While Wright was in her 18 month relationship with Montgomery, she continuously dealt with illtreatment. Aggression was a feeling Wright did not expect to receive from Montgomery, it was a feeling she by no means wanted.

“I was really shocked. When I first met him, it never came across to me that he was the type of person to do those things. I did not really know how to react to it, so I put my feelings aside and stayed with him,” Wright said.

It all began about three months into the teen couple’s relationship.

“At first when we started dating, he kind of put up a front to me. He started progressively getting angry towards me. It soon got to the point when he actually did lay his hands on me,” Wright said.

Counselor Dedra Muhammad describes an abusive relationship like a roller coaster; all is well in the beginning as you climb to the top. You hit the climax and the ride goes downhill until you reach the second peak.

“The honeymoon period is when the mate is showered with affection and things are going well. Next there is an event. The event could be that the abused person did not call on time or maybe he/she went out with friends, something that enraged the perpetrator. So, the abuse takes place. They fight, it is heated between the couple and they may even break up. Then the cycle starts over and repeats itself,” Muhammad said.

As a child, Montgomery was punished very harshly and physically. Both parents were revealed as a major influence on Montgomery’s actions towards Wright.

“His dad never really knew how to talk to him. He was always so aggressive towards [him] and always showed a hostile attitude. He thought that solving problems

meant spanking him. That made him more aggressive.

To this day, his dad still throws him up against the wall.

His mom slaps him around too,” Wright said.

Not only was Montgomery an offender of abuse, he also neglected Wright in some instances. One particular time, Wright was in the hospital with spinal meningitis and Montgomery was unaware of his surroundings.

“He at the time knew that I was going to the hospital but he did not care. So later, he showed up at the hospital drunk and was trying to tell me that I needed to leave because there was nothing wrong with me,” Wright said.

The first action any person in a situation like this one would have is retaliation. For Wright, it was a one way street. The idea of hitting back came to Wright constantly, but her bond of love to Montgomery changed her mind. Also, Wright did not share her situation with others, forcing her to keep secrets from people she dearly loves.

“I always stayed very sheltered. I never went out and did anything and I did not really have any friends because I was scared they would figure out how he really was towards me and I did not want that. I did not want it to go any further than I wanted it too,” Wright said.

According to Wright, a majority of the causes of violence were from Montgomery’s friends. One of his friends caused the hostility towards Wright when Montgomery came close to choking her. She alluded that most fights started because of this.

Wright had always dreamed of marriage. If the abuse was not painted into the picture, Wright believes she could have spent her life with Montgomery.

“Of course [I saw myself marrying him]. I loved him more than anything. He was my first real relationship and also the longest relationship I have ever been in,” Wright said.

As of now, Wright has no contact with Montgomery.

She does wish that the issues could have been resolved.

But, in the scheme of things, she realized that neither she nor anyone else deserves to be abused. “[If I could change anything] it would be how aggressive he is, how hateful he was and how easy it was to put his hands on me. If I could have changed that, our relationship would have been great,” Wright said.

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS IN CRISIS CALL NOW: 1-800-799-7233 OR VISIT www.hotline.org

Relationship takes a dark turn Beryl Kessio Opinion Editor

T

he humid autumn air added a layer of sweat on her skin. A drop of perspiration glided down the nape of Lacey Carlton’s* neck as she timidly walked up to her waiting boyfriend, Brian Arnold*-. She could tell by the look in his eye that he was looking for a fight. It was not always like this. She caught herself remembering the beginning of their relationship—all the happy moments they had shared. Where had things gone wrong?

“Things started fine—it was the honeymoon phase.

We always wanted to do stuff together. We would talk all the time,” Carlton said.

Raised in an environment in which harsh words and violence were the answer to life’s problems, Carlton’s perception of human relationships was altered. When she ventured into her first relationship, she was cautiously optimistic. Arnold—at first—showered her with love. He slowly became more controlling, monitoring her daily activities. Reality came as a bitter pill for Carlton when Arnold took things to the next level.

“I had to tell him everything I was doing; I just thought that’s how relationships worked. I only really realized that it wasn’t supposed to be like that when he got mad at me when I forgot to tell him where I was going that night and he tried to hit me,” Carlton said.

She broke off the relationship, but not seen after she met someone else: Christopher Bradley*. They fell into the ebb and flow of young love. She was enveloped in love. At the thought of him, her pulse quickened, and his for her.

Alas, things took a darker path as her relationship with progressed.

“He started to become very possessive and controlling. He’d get mad if I decided to go to family gatherings or hand out with friends instead of being with him,” Carlton said.

She began to feel confined to his whims. She wanted out. But something stopped her.

“It was a cycle. We would fight; I’d say I was done.

Then he would give me lots of space and get really sweet all of a sudden. I felt trapped in the cycle. More often than not you’re trying to make [your partner]

happy rather than focusing on the relationship and both parts of it. A relationship takes two people to put forth effort for a relationship to work, not just one person giving and one taking,” Carlton said.

Upon reflection, Carlton examines what compelled her to remain with someone who used his emotions as a weapon, lashing her with words.

“It’s often addictive because since you’re always trying to make them happy and they suddenly change (be sweet), then you start to think, ‘Oh, they’re changing.

Things are gonna be different. It’s gonna get better.’ But that almost never happens,” Carlton said.

She managed to walk away from both relationships, though the wounds in her heart were slow to heal. She no longer tries to avoid her exes; she holds her head up high when they cross paths. She is not shackled to the memories of her abuse. Rather, the experiences have made her stronger. Her fighting spirit will be silenced no more, according to Carlton. She lends advice to others experiencing what she went through.

“If you notice it, get help. Getting out of it is not easy, but you have to. It will create memories you’ll regret and experiences you wish you hadn’t had,” Carlton said.

In a state-wide effort to combat domestic violence, the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ACADV) offers numerous sources for victims trapped in abusive relationships. The Coalition also addresses misconceptions about abusers and identifies red flags for people to identify domestic violence. “[Abusers] often appear charming and attentive to outsiders, and even to their partners, at first. Many perpetrators are very good at disguising their abusive behavior to appear socially acceptable. Once they develop a relationship with a partner however, they become more and more abusive,” ACADV said.

The most important message the Coalition wants to send to teens in abusive relationships is this: “Teens should believe they are valuable people who deserve to be treated with respect. Remember you cannot change your batterer, and in time the violence will get worse. You need to take care of yourself. Talk to a trusted adult or locate a shelter or agency serving victims of domestic abuse in your community. Together, you can talk about making a plan to end the relationship and remain safe.”

Do you know of anyone whose parents fight regularly?

YES

68

NO

47

Have you ever witnessed physical or verbal abuse or had it done to you?

YES

78

NO

37

Do you know anyone (now or in the past) that is/was in an abusive relationship?

YES

72

NO

43 115 students polled.

The Crimson Crier

12 Lifestyles

Oct. 24 2013

Teacher leads double life as martial arts instructor, credits teaching experience with current profession Steven Byrd Copy Editor

I

t was a typical day in Alabama when 16-year-old Steve Lanford decided he was going to do something new; he was going to take up taekwon-do. Never did he realize that this would turn into a lifelong passion that would afford him numerous opportunities that otherwise would never have been available, including landing a job as a teacher.

“I actually started when I was 16 but it went by the wayside when I went to Auburn. At 38 I got back into it and I just love it so much,” Lanford said.

Lanford now owns his own studio called Black Belk Tae-Kwon-Do on Jeff Road; an achievement that took no shortage of either time or effort to achieve.

“I have been teaching for 15 years. I taught under

a man named Kevin Giles at his school over in Harvest.

He wound up getting a job back in Knoxville where he was from and came to me and said ‘do you want the studio,’ so I said ‘of course I do,’” Lanford said.

Throughout his span as a tae-know-do instructor, Lanford has supplemented his passion with various other careers. Though he now serves as the construction teacher—a job that comes with its own challenges—he also owned a successful construction business for a number of years.

“I’ve had to work around a couple of things with my job here at school.

But generally speaking, I’ve been teaching so long that I don’t have many problems. Sometimes I’m out of town at competition though when the school needs me to work a game or something,” Lanford said.

With a school so large and a studio in the same city, Lanford’s two careers are bound to overlap, often causing shock or confusion on the part of the students.

“I thought that was really weird to see my taekwon-do instructor as a teacher. When we were at the ninth grade school they showed us a video of the construction academy and I was like ‘hey, I know that guy,” sophomore Adric Smith said.

Lanford is confident that his experience as a tae-kwon-do instructor allowed him to come on as the leader of the construction academy.

“One of the main reasons I got this job is, out of all the applicants, I had teaching experience,” Lanford said.

“Even though it was tae-kwondo, teaching is teaching and the principles are the same.”

THE CHOPPING BLOCK. Construction teacher Steve Lanford demonstrates skills from his second job to aid him in his classes. Leadership and strength are key elements of both, and the practice have helped keep him in top mental and administrational shape. Photo by: Steven Byrd.

Student teachers find perfect fit in the classroom Bria Calhoun Web Editor

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HANDING OUT Student teacher Brooke Johnson hands out paper for a Shakespeare assignment. Johnson was assigned to English teacher Sonya Nave to finish out her degree. Photo by Steven Byrd.

hen student teacher Brooke Johnson met fellow student teacher Jon McKinney, she knew they had more than a teaching connection.

Johnson, a former sports journalist, voted McKinney onto the Alabama All-Star baseball team when he was a player at Hackleburg High School.

“Wow, that’s very ironic that [Johnson] voted for me to be on the All- State Baseball team,” McKinney said.

McKinney might have been good at baseball, but he describes himself as

Student turns hobby into job opportunity Sophomore Tanner Huff recycles old cigar boxes, makes musical instruments Savannah Bullard Reporter

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ny music junkie can walk into Guitar Center and spot a Fender at first glance.

Most generic guitars are all similar in shape and form, perfectly easy to sort from afar. But one student takes his love for guitars outside the box by creating his own cigar box guitars.

Tanner Huff, a classic rock loving sophomore, started making his own guitar models as a simple hobby.

After gaining some insight from some of his peers, Huff landed a part-time job at Lowe Mill music store making homemade guitars out of old wood and cigar boxes. “It’s basically the same as a normal box guitar but the body is made out of a cigar box. It looks really cool when it’s done;

it doesn’t look like a regular guitar like the ones you see onstage,” Huff said.

Sophomore English teacher Renee Quaife noticed the instrument one day in her class. An intriguing conversation popped up regarding the gadget, thoroughly impressing her. “Tanner [Huff] is an extremely creative kid. He played ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ for us and told us where he worked. I was very fascinated with his talent for making these and his capability to play it,” Quaife said. Besides getting paid to work on his hobby, Huff enjoys the maturity of having a real job. The flexibility Lowe Mill provides works with his school life—Huff still gets to enjoy being a kid while he learns the responsibility

of adult life. “I love working at the studio. The people I work with are awesome, and they’re easy to talk to because we have the same personalities,” Huff said.

Upon beginning his journey through the Lowe Mill studio Huff discovers all the peculiar looking instruments the store holds. After purchasing his first guitar kit he speaks to the staff about his hobby.

Huff is offered a chance at working some hours to be trained and make his quirky instruments. Soon the guitars will be put on the shelves for customer enjoyment. “I think I’ll be filled with this ‘mission accomplished’ zeal,” Huff said. “I’m going to be really proud of myself when I see people buying something I created; like I’ve really got a talent for something.”

lackluster when it came to his high school academic career. That was until he was inspired by English teacher, Debra Hayes.

“She changed my world. She not only cared about me as a student but as a person,” McKinney said.

McKinney hopes to inspire his future students. Johnson feels the same way. With a father that is a teacher and coach, Johnson grew up experiencing stories about the classroom. She majored in journalism at David Lipscomb University and became a sports journalist, but was later

inspired to teach by her father, who has taught for over 30 years.

“I’ve had teachers show [me] confidence from a young age and that makes a big difference in how much you believe in yourself and what you do with your life,” Johnson said.

McKinney moved to the middle school to complete his internship.

He commented highly on the faculty, including mentor, history teacher Chris Telega.

“Members of the faculty have always been there for any questions I have and are there to encourage

me,” McKinney said.

Johnson can say the same thing. She admits that she heard mixed reviews on the school, some of it negative and some of it positive. She has discovered them false.

“Sparkman isn’t the school I thought it was.

I saw basketball teams that won and national Journalism awards, but outside of publicized accolades, I think Sparkman gets a bad rap. You have dedicated and capable teachers. The students I’ve been around have left me with nothing but positive things to say about this school,” Johnson said.

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Oct. 24 2013

The Crimson Crier

Lifestyles 13

Sudden

DEATH Family distraught over baby’s unexpected death

In midst of sleep, teacher’s granddaughter dies of Sudden Infant Death, parents and relatives left with grief and questions about baby’s death Williams said.

Grief and confusion took the family like a hurricane, Editor-in-Chief playing witness to a barrage of shocks and wonders for n a perfect world, she would have crossed the which the nurses could offer the mildest of comforts and stage in 2031, with a vivid smile and her brown one possible diagnosis: SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death eyes shining in the light of her graduation day and the Syndrome. brightness of the future that awaited her. The audience below would clap as she carefully crossed, as she picked Searching for the Cause out the familiar faces in it: her mother, father, older SIDS, defined by the sudden and unexplainable death brother, grandmother, each near to bursting with pride of an infant under a year old, affects about 2,100 babies at the beautiful young woman that she had become. a year according to the Centers for Disease Control and In a perfect world, nobody would have lost Melanee is normally caused by suffocation during sleep. It has Skye. long been one of the leading causes of infant death in the United States, a quick and silent death to meet Falling unsuspecting parents like Melanee Skye’s.

On Thursday Sept. 26, French teacher Ann Williams “It’s inconceivable to us that that could happen. awoke with that plan still intact, the dream of a bright Everybody keeps asking if she was sick. She wasn’t sick. future for her healthy, smiling 10-week-old granddaughter She hadn’t had a little sniffle. She was fine. My daughter Melanee Skye, a beautiful baby girl encompassed in was questioning everything she did those last 24 hours, love, in the boundlessness of family and routine. Before but there was nothing she could do. The first few days, the morning was out, however, the dream would turn to I think [my son-in-law] was in shock. They told him that a nightmare, the memory into a shot through the hearts she was probably long gone before he found her. So of Williams and her family. anything that he did wasn’t going to help,” Williams “On Sept. 26 around eight o’clock, my son-in-law said. went to check on the baby – to get her up to give her Parents are told to keep their babies on their backs a bath, and she was blue. He freaked out and started in cribs with firm mattresses and no blankets or stuffed trying to give her CPR,” Williams said. animals in an effort to protect their children from SIDS, With heavy hearts, the nurses at Huntsville Hospital precautions heeded carefully by Melanee Skye’s parents could only assure the family that the actions taken had on the day of her death. been the right ones, meager encouragement to the “They always tell you to lay infants on their backs anxious crowd that gathered for the infant and included when they’re sleeping; however, she was on her her 16-month-old brother. Despite proper procedure, back when she was sleeping. But the nurse said that despite the wills of nurses and relatives alike, despite sometimes even that in SIDS they go into such a deep everything, their pounding hearts would only be sleep that they stop breathing. Apparently younger broken. infants don’t have the same reflex to breathe that we “When I walked in the room and my daughter was have. Most adults, when you go into a sound sleep, your holding Skye, Skye was laying there and at first I thought lungs keep functioning as normal, but there’s something she was alive, because she was holding her in such a about infants in that if they go into a sound sleep, and way that I thought she was, and I was like, ‘Oh, they got it’s too sound, they stop breathing,” Williams said. to her…?’ and she was like, ‘No, mom, she’s not here All the same, Williams and family are casting their anymore.’ And I just burst into tears and I looked down eyes to the past, to that critical week, examining those and my little grandson had tears in his eyes and he kept last days that they had for any sign of what was to come. kissing her on the top of the head and he kept patting The possible link creates a distinctive unease echoed by my daughter because she was parents and professionals across Williams’s research.

“We are kind of suspicious of her vaccinations crying,” because we had her vaccinations at 2:30 on September 24, and she died at 8:00 on [September 26]. They seem to say that the US requires the most and the other countries that don’t have a lower SIDS rate. They still require the shots but not as many as the US does and they don’t know if that could be an issue area,” Williams said.

But all the same, she harbors reservations about placing the blame on something deemed so crucial to the well-being of American children, protecting them from diphtheria, tetanus, polio, influenza and rotavirus among o t h e r diseases which at various points in history Riley Wallace

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CHERISHED MEMORIES. French teacher Ann Williams smiles as she holds her granddaughter close. Little does she know that her beautiful life faces the final seconds of a ticking timer. Photo courtesy of Ann Williams.

claimed so many infant lives, deadly precursors to the family’s pain.

“There are some articles out there that say no way, there are some that say it’s just coincidence – a bad coincidence – that babies tend to die from SIDS between two and four months – that’s the little window – and that just happens to be when babies get shots,” Williams said. “And I’m not saying that I don’t believe that people should vaccinate because I do; I’m an advocate of vaccinations. All my kids were vaccinated on the exact time schedule the pediatrician gave us, and I never varied. But now I’m starting to wonder about two and four months vaccinations for some babies. I don’t think it’s every baby but for some babies, it may not be good.”

More frustrating for Williams, however, is the lack of information and research opportunities available for families affected by SIDS: science seems to abandon the experience which has caused so much heartbreak with so few clear reasons, a problem that can only be solved through expanded research and community interest.

“Nobody talks about it – it seems like no one is actively researching why it happens. People are just kind of like, well it happens. They say there are a few doctors behind the scenes who’re looking at brain activity, that these babies may have something in their brain that isn’t processing like it should. They still don’t know. I find it odd that we know so much about so many other things but we can’t figure out why babies keep dying of SIDS. You follow the precautions and your baby still passes away, and it makes you question everything because, ‘Well, I did everything right so, why was it my grandchild,’” Williams said.

Picking Up the Pieces Meanwhile, Williams’s family is working to piece together information and broken hearts, the remainders of a future than none of them expected, a future laced with the haunting uncertainty of grief and an everpresent anxiety for what may be around the corner.

“Grieving is a process and it doesn’t end any time soon, and it will go on for [my daughter and son-in-law] for the rest of their lives. My daughter is the strongest person I know. I’m like a nervous wreck about my kids and my grandson even moving. She’s able to pull herself together and let my grandson be a child and not freak out when he’s rolling around on something or – you know how little boys are – they throw everything, and are always running and jumping on the furniture. And she’s like, ‘Mom, it’s okay,’” Williams said.

Even the youngest among them, Williams’s grandson, became whiny and restless, typically signs of the grieving process in younger children and a sad truth to compound the loss.

“At the funeral, he would walk past her casket blowing kisses. She had a little lamb. And he got that out of her baby bed the other night and came into my daughter’s room and pointed at it and said, ‘Sissy.’ We realized then that he knows more than we think that he knows,” Williams said.

Williams asks that people keep the family in mind as they work to cope, keeping in mind that Melanee Skye is “in a better place,” and that those she left behind can move forward, little by little, toward a future which she will still have a hand in, despite her absence.

“I think it’s important for people to remember that the grieving process for [a mother] doesn’t ever end.

You can’t look at someone a year later and think that they should be over it. I’ll never be over it. Some older people have said to me, ‘Oh well, she’s young, she can have other kids.’ A kid doesn’t replace another kid. She has a son, and she loves him to death but he’s not her daughter. She may have another daughter in five years.

She won’t replace the baby that we all lost. It’s like we forever have a hole in our hearts that we can’t mend,” Williams said.

14 Sports

The Crimson Crier

Oct. 24, 2013

Hoop time gets coaches talking CC: Do you plan to keep the up-tempo game? Why? JC: The opponent will determine how we play. rimson Crier: After We will have a different an appearance in line-up from last year with the state championship new guys. However, we game last year, how do will not sacrifice our style you plan to hit the court of play. this year?

CC: What would you Coach Coggins like the student body to Jamie Coggins: The know about the upcoming guys are working really season? hard to get in shape and JC: I want the student they are working on their body to know that we need skills. their support and a better CC: Who will be your student section. We need top players? to cheer the team on.

CC: Is Eric Denari still going to be manager?

JC: I think he is glad to be manager.

We like him and he means a lot to our program.

CC: Who will be the biggest opponents?

JC: Hazel Green, Bob Jones and Buckhorn are all area COACHING UP. Head boys’ coach Jamie g a m e s .

Coggins instructs a player during the first We expect practice of the season. Practice started on Oct. 14. Photo by Mica Hunt these to be exciting games.

JC: Junior Sean berry will be our big man and Coach Delay he has developed well in CC: Who are your the off season. I expect top players? seniors Patrick Vaughn Patrick Delay: and Donovan Davis to Our five seniors, 10 bring senior leadership. Keisha Garrett, 22 CC: How was summer Morgan Caselberry, 24 training camp?

Maiya Rumph, 32 Alexis JC: It went really well. Jennings, 54 Toni Brewer We fought as a team. will be key to our success We improved as a team this year. from what we were at CC: After an appearance the beginning of the in the regional game last summer. year, how do you plan to Zachary Lequieu Reporter

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TAPING, WRAPPING. Taking water bottles to the team, junior Joe Mandeville fulfills one of his duties as a student trainer. Mandeville, along with five other students, work with athletic trainers and sports teams in a variety of hands-on tasks. Photo by Alicea Morris

Student trainers get real world training on the field, court Caroline Barlow Reporter

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hen a school has more than 500 students participating in athletics, multiple injuries throughout the year are bound to happen. Along with treating player’s injuries, the two certified trainers from Huntsville Hospitial, Joe Lemrery and Andy Withrow teach four students the basics of athletic training.

Student trainers play a significant role in the success of the athletic teams.

Senior Kyler Albright, senior Katherine Pabon, senior Damon Wheeler and junior Joseph Mandville have the privilege of working with the trainers directly every day. A day in the training room involves taping ankles and wrists, making ice bags, cleaning the room, doing therapy and rehabilitation, and studying anatomy books.

“We learn about procedures, medical terms and the anatomy of the body. As student trainers we are able to do things such as first aid and taping ankles and wrists,” Mandville said.

While learning inside the training room, the students also get to experience the job firsthand by being able to help on the sidelines at the games. During the fall all student trainers work all varsity sports, but during the spring the students have certain sports to which they are assigned. The trainers feel that all sports are equally important, therefore there are two students assigned to work JV games. During the games the student trainers provide assistance to the players and they occasionally experience a once in a lifetime injury.

“The worst injury I’ve dealt with was at the Cullman football game when we had a player rip open his knee. We had to then proceed and pick the astroturf beads out of the gash,” Albright said.

Although the training program requires one to be available for games and requires after-school work, the benefits that come from the program are worth it. Scholarships are often offered to the students who succeed in the program.

Albright has been offered a full ride to

Jacksonville State University and plans to major in athletic training.

He has worked with Lemrey and Withrow since sophomore year and feels the program has caused his skill level to excel.

“Kyler has been working with us since sophomore year and he is valued among us. He is an exceptional student who is looking to do this as a profession and we are trying to prepare him for his future,” Withrow said.

The two trainers enjoy teaching the students, and they are thankful for all the students who spend their time out of the day to help out. Their hope is that the program will expand in the years to come. With the three seniors leaving this year the trainers are especially looking for new students to join the program.

“If any student is interested in athletic training they should work with us. Also, they should take the opportunity to take the sciences offered here because what they learn in the class will help them with the skills they will learn from us,” Withrow said.

Students follow passion at rival school Nick Arnold Reporter

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rowing up in Maryland, junior Nick James developed a passion for a sport; the South is not so keen on playing—lacrosse.

“Lacrosse was very popular and a group of kids in my neighborhood was playing outside and I figured why not go outside and play with them,” James said.

The recreational playing led James to want to play on a team. However, public schools in Alabama do not have sanctioned lacrosse teams so James went searching for one.

He found one through the Huntsville Lacrosse Association. It was a great find for James, but it had a

downfall as well—the Bob Jones Patriots, Sparkman’s rival.

“Even though we wear blue and red, it is not really that big of a deal because it is not sanctioned. I don’t feel like am really betraying the school,” James said.

Junior Cameron Rawls plays with James on the Bob Jones team. Rawls fell in love with the sport eight years ago. He joined the Bob Jones team when he was ninth grade.

“I got into the sport through hockey. I played hockey since I was like four and the sports are kind of similar so I just got into lacrosse. In lacrosse you have be tough and fast to play, like in hockey,” Rawls said.

The players like the sport because of the

contact and the satisfaction of winning.

“The most fun thing about lacrosse is playing someone on your skill level. If you just play against an easy team then it is no fun because there is no challenged involved in winning. You get the most fun and adrenaline when you are trying to beat a challenging team,” James said.

Although these two play for a non-sanctioned team, they still keep score.

“You get motivated when the team is starting to lose because when you start losing it just goes downhill. When we get behind, I try to get our spirits back up and tell everyone that we can still win,” James said.

hit the court this year?

PD: We are coming back hungry. We are going to work hard and be better this year.

CC: Describe your gameplan this year.

PD: We will play fast and play physical, bond the ball better than the other team CC: What would you like the student body to know?

PD: We are going to make it a great entertainment this season so they should come and support.

CC: How was summer play?

PD: They did quite well and we played really well in the competitions.

CC: Who will be the biggest opponents?

PD: Our area games against Hazel Green, Bob Jones, and Buckhorn will be the biggest games this season.

WHISTLE BLOWER. Girls’ coach Patrick Delay uses his whistle to signal the start of practice. The girls’ team hopes to make it to the state finals this season after falling short to state champions, Hoover High School at Wallace State.

Photo by Lauren Noble

Come Out Tonight to

Meet Your Senators Basketball Teams Gym 2 @ 5:30 p.m.

T-Shirts will be thrown to the crowd

MVP of the Month Anthony Parameswaran Cross Country Parameswaran has consistently placed in the Top 15 at meets this season and has set new PR, setting school records.

The Crimson Crier

Oct. 24, 2013

Sports

15

The Tweet Beat What has Lorenzo James meant to the team?

How good has Sparkman’s Lorenzo James been this season?

He has nearly 1,000 yards already, reports @danielboyette :

Let’s vote Sparkman’s Lorenzo James as Huntsville’s Player of the Week: Lorenzo ran for 241 yards

TAKING ONE IN. Senior Lorenzo James runs past a Huntsville defender to score a touchdown. James was chosen Al.com’s player of the week and was up for the award two times this season. James was injured in the game against Bob Jones on Oct. 11. Photo by Alicea Morris

Star player more than stats, taken out by sudden injury Will Bartel Sports Editor

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espite a season marred in mediocrity, the football team has found a few bright spots. One of these spots is senior running back Lorenzo James.

James has run straight through the competition and gained the title of leading rusher in the state of Alabama before he suffered a season-ending injury against Bob Jones.

Over the course of the season, James acquired 973 rushing yards through only six games. He also has seven touchdowns on the ground as well as two receiving touchdowns with an average of 9.3 yards per carry. Despite his massive success, James has pointed to the rest of the team as the reason for his superb season.

“I think my success this season has been because of the rest of the team. The offensive line does all the dirty work. None of this

would be possible without the team,” James said.

Improvements in the offensive line have been made obvious through the play of James. Despite the spotlight shining on other players, the offensive line is determined to keep up with the blistering start for the running game.

“We have had a lot of success in the offensive line this year, but having a running back like Lorenzo helps. He can cut back on blocks and relieve a little bit of the pressure on us.

We don’t really care about recognition. We just want to make Lorenzo the best he can possibly be,” junior offensive lineman Will Ikard said.

Despite the play of James and the offensive line, the team has struggled to a 1-5 start to the season.

Their only win came against Grissom, a team who is winless so far this season.

In the game against Grissom, James rushed for three touchdowns and

caught another. James seeks to help his team find a late surge this season.

“I try to keep everyone up, even when we aren’t winning. We have to keep pushing and get better,” James said.

James’s hard work has not gone unnoticed. He was voted al.com player of the week for his performance against Grissom. While these honors are new to James, they are not necessarily unexpected.

“Getting all these awards is new and kind of weird to me, but at the same time I kind of expected the recognition after all the hard work that the team and I have put in,” James said.

Along with becoming a staple of the football team’s offense, James also earned the praise of his coaches as well as college scouts. Before his injury, James talked to numerous college scouts for both division one and two colleges. The rave reviews

of James’s performances from his coaches can explain why colleges are interested in him.

“When you have a running back like Lorenzo in the offense, it makes things easier for the rest of the team. Play action passing becomes easier and other options open up as well.

When one of our players has great success like Lorenzo, it gives the rest of the team confidence, and everybody’s better with confidence,” Offensive Coordinator Steve Kerby said.

The team is now struggling to overcome the loss of James, who broke his ankle in the team’s Oct. 11 game against Bob Jones and will not return until January.

“I’m not sure how it’s affecting my teammates but it’s making me learn that I’m not Superman. It’s something I have to deal with and its a life lesson; it’s taught me a lot,” James said.

@AL6AFootball2 Sep RB Lorenzo James (Sparkman) - rushed for 220 yards on 15 carries & TD vs Huntsville.

@SparkmanPTO Wishing Sparkman Senior Lorenzo James a complete and speedy recovery. Thank you for your amazing efforts

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

Empty stands plague JV football games Students want to see a change in attendance

PARTING WATERS. Freshman Kayla Hammer takes to the water at Alabama A& M University. Hammer was one of the team members to defeat much larger teams in the meet. Photo by Beryl Kessio

Freshman swimmer talks about hitting the pool

McKenzie Ashmore Reporter

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mpty stands and little enthusiasm make it clear: few enjoy going to the junior varsity football games.

At the junior varsity football games it has been noticed that there is a small amount of people attending the event. The junior varsity athletes could be playing on the varsity team in the coming years.

The athletes may feel that once they start playing on varsity no one will come when they are moved up.

Sophomores Sara Dail and Katie Skelton have attended various junior varsity games and have observed the diminutive participation that contrast with the uproar of varsity games.

“We should get more involved in the game and pay more attention,” Dail said. “More people do not go to the games.”

Dail and Skelton feel that the message of the game is not fully getting out to the students about the junior varsity games.

Skelton mentioned how

Laurel Rogers Reporter

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EMPTY STANDS. The junior varsity team prepares to face the James Clemens offense at the October game.

There has been low turnout for all junior varsity sports. Coaches, players and students would like for this to change. Photo by Alicea Morris

they have Varsity posters all in the lunchroom but there are none to advertise the junior varsity game so students have no way of knowing when they play. They may make an announcement but the chances of students hearing them all the time are slim.

“All we hear about is, there’s a game on Friday, but you don’t hear about the JV games,” Skelton said.

Skelton feels that if the student body does not try to support the team then the team may have mutual feelings of if they want to win or not.

“I think the team would play harder if they had a support team, but if they don’t have that then they won’t care if they win,”

Skelton said.

Both Dail and Skelton feel a few things that would make students attend more of the junior varsity games are being able to walk around instead of just sitting in the bleachers, the plays being narrated so everyone can know what is transpiring in the game and more freedom for the student body.

To elaborate more on the rule about not walking around, it has caused a great deal of complaining from the student body.

The students want to be to mingle and walk around with their friends. Since this rule has been enforced it has pushed students away from going to the games.

Majority of the students do not go to watch the games.

Principal Mike

Campbell has similar views as the ones listed earlier.

Campbell also pointed out that many students go for the band, but the band only attends the varsity games and that most games are on weeknights.

“Games are mostly on Thursday’s when students may have to study for tests, this may be a reason why more students choose to go to varsity games instead, but I’d love to see students attend as many events as they can,” Campbell said.

The junior varsity football team got its’ first win of the season against Bob Jones on Oct. 14.

They celebrated to empty bleachers.

“I wish people could have seen it,” coach Ben Stevenson said.

ow did you get into swimming?

KH-I was on a summer swim team when I was eight.

CC: What made you try out for the school swim team?

KH-My friends Emily Weis and Emily Ward were on the swim team last year and told me about it.

CC:Why do you swim?

KH-I like to be in the water, always have.

CC: Where else do you swim and how does it compare to Sparkman?

KH-Huntsville Swim Association, their practices are longer, the team is bigger, and the pool is larger.

CC: How often are school practices and how do you balance time between school and club swimming?

KH-We swim Monday through Thursday from five to six at Alabama A&M’s pool. Some days I go to Sparkman, other days I go to Huntsville Swim Association.

CC: How does the school swim coach feel about you swimming for another team?

KH-Coach [Monica] Davis is okay with it as long as I make Sparkman practices.

CC: How do you feel you, as a freshman, compare to the seniors?

KH-Since I’ve been swimming since I was eight I feel like I have a little more knowledge, but I still have more to learn from the seniors.

CC: What is the highlight of the season so far?

KH-I swam in the 100 butterfly in our second meet and I dropped time on that, even though I didn’t win.

CC: What is your ultimate goal in swimming?

KH-I want to get a scholarship at Auburn because they have a really good swim team and I really like their pool –its huge, three pools in one.

CC: Do you have any role models?

KH-I look up to Missy Franklin since she’s only 17 and in high school.

5

The Crimson Crier

Sports 16

Oct. 24 2013

November arrives next week and so does the wrestling season. The first home match is Nov. 26 against Buckhorn, New Hope and Madison County. In the mean time, wrestlers are making the transition from football and preparing their bodies for toprated competition.

--Lauren Noble

WRESTLING

STORYLINES

“In season, we practice two or three hours, five days a week. There are wrestling tournaments every Saturday. It’s a six day a week deal during the season. We lift weights and practice three days a week all summer. We did a team camp. We practice a lot but it’s paying off. Last year six state qualifiers

3.

What is your favorite move?

“The Cow Catcher: You get them in a head lock

and fall to your shoulder.

You pretty much flip them over your shoulder and put them on their back.

Then it’s over. You can try to recover but it’s kind of hard,” -- junior Rodrick Woods

verses one when I started here. Finished fourteenth in the state overall and had three individual placers. I expect us to be better this year than last year,” -wrestling coach Zach Hightower.

“It takes mental and psychical endurance,” -sophomore Stone Clark

ch Zac h Coa Hi

does it take to 1. What be a wrestler?

w er o t gh

BUMP IT. Sophomore Jensen Keller goes up to block the ball against Austin High School. The junior varsity team defeated Austin 30-28 and 25-18. Photo by Greg Machen

2.

How do you make the transition from football to wrestling?

“I don’t balance football and wrestling because they fit in together. I don’t have to work out in the off season. The main difference is for football you go down the field for hard for 15 to 20 seconds and take a little break but for wrestling you go six

minutes completely all out so it’s more conditioning.

To prepare for wrestling season I’m lifting weights, getting bigger and stronger and going up in weight class. I go run a little bit to get my heart pumping,” -sophomore Richard Fowler

Are there any conflicts What with scheduling? would you like to see “Over the summer, I had things I had to do like work and other things. We had mandatory improved? practices three days a week during the day.

Some people couldn’t find rides but the coach would always get mad when people didn’t show up. I told him before the summer that I couldn’t go to many practices. He held that over me for a long time. One day while working out I had enough and I just left,” --junior Chase Ray.

“The Banana Split: You throw in a leg on top of their leg and you take their other leg with your hand and you pull them apart,” --sophomore Stone Clark.

Basketball cheerleaders take court with more girls, doubles last year’s numbers Brittany Robertson Reporter

B

asketball cheerleading coach Darleen Stanford went into last month’s tryouts hoping to have at least enough girls to make a squad. She left tryouts pleasantly surprised.

Thirty-eight girls tried out for the squad this year, more than double last year’s numbers. Judges kept 28 of the girls, giving Stanford her largest basketball cheer team in the school’s history.

“When I saw how many of them there were, something about them told me that they were special.

They all have the potential to have a great year and to rise to a new commitment level,” Stanford said.

The new cheerleaders range from the more experienced girls who have cheered for years to girls who have never cheered before, giving this group a variety of skill level, talent and age. Sophomores, juniors and seniors make up the squad.

Stanford was excited to share the news with the varsity basketball coaches who were also excited about the growth of the team.

“The team always needs people to cheer them on. I’m happy for Darleen for getting a large team together. This only makes Sparkman basketball that

Team captures Madison county championship Carla Mack Reporter

T

he old adage “practice makes perfect” is taken to another level with new junior varsity volleyball coach Bridget Reidy.

Ever since Reidy started coaching the junior varsity volleyball team this season, the girls’ have accumulated overall four tournament wins. The team finished up the season with the silver bracket at the Hoover High School junior varsity tournament and an overall record of 24 – 8.

The team credits the new found sense of technique, discipline and overall emphasis on teamwork to Reidy.

“I would like us to get a “Overall, I like the way new wrestling building. I she coaches. She’s really would like us practice in nice and is really big on our own room also so we practicing and making sure can lay out the mats and leave them out instead of we get everything done rolling them up. Just more right,” sophomore Jensen Keller said. space really.”

Reidy personally makes --junior Rodrick Woods. it a goal to practice with the girls, getting hands on to make sure they perform well, a technique the girls seem to really enjoy.

“The fact that she’s actually able to play with

5.

4.

Team makes history, goes undefeated in tournament play

much better,” boy’s head coach Jamie Coggins said.

To get the team more connected with each other, Stanford has planned bonding activities and she even created a new and exciting way to boost the girls’ spirit, confidence and give them encouragement with Sister Secret Admirer. Stanford will choose one of the girls from the team and she will give messages of encouragement until Christmas.

Senior Leandra Boyd has high hopes this year to have a fun experience and cooperate with her team to get the student section, parents and the basketball team hyped up and to show their school spirit.

“We have more cheer and more sprit this year, so it will be a lot of fun,” Boyd said.

Now in their fourth week of practice, the team has worked on the basic motions up and started some of the more advanced techniques. Sophomore Amber Moore described tryouts as fun and is looking forward to cheering this year. The team will also have new uniforms to go with the old ones from last year that the girls have to pay for themselves.

“I got goose bumps at the beginning, because I knew that we were onto something good and positive.

The keys things are their commitment level, their teamwork, and their focus,” Stanford said.

us and show us exactly what to do, instead of just telling us is so much more helpful,” sophomore Sara McGuigan said.

Freshmen members of the team are also being given credit for the new found success.

“Bonding with the freshmen and really coming together as a team has helped a lot,” Keller said.

The team feels positive about this season. Winning the Huntsville Invitational, the Austin High tournament and the Madison County Championship, where they were crowned Madison County Champions by defeating Madison County , 25-17 and 25-13 and Buckhorn, 25-23 and25-17.

“It feels great. We’re in a lot more tournaments, giving us just that many more opportunities to win,” Keller said.

With their season now over, Reidy has only positive words to say about her experience with the team.

“I love the girls. I love their character and the fact that they get along well. Their parents are also very helpful and involved.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoy being a part of this team,” Reidy said.

Fall Highlights What was your favorite moment of the season?

“Against Grissom at the last second click off the clock,” --coach Tim Gillespie

“Clearly the highlight is the first place team finish for the JV girls and varsity boys but you cannot overlook the individual performances that got us there.

“Our first meet when our girls beat Hazel Green and Lee, and boys beat Lee. They improved,” -coach Monica Davis