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Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016

Volume 27

Boys, girls teams prepare for season’s start in November

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pg 8 Loving Myself Sophomore faces trials, tribulations attached to anorexia, overcomes

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Issue II

pg 9

Transforming an

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

It Starts Somewhere 50 percent of seniors have abused a drug of some kind 58 percent of sophomores have abused alcohol Teens that start drinking at age 15 are 5 times more likely to become addicted Photos courtesy of Madison Harding & Emily Baucum Stats from TeenDrugRehab.com

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Peer pressure of “social norm” escalates to life threatening habits Kaylyn Jones Reporter

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ifting a bottle to her lips with a handful of pills, alumni Kerri Kibler, did not have a care in the world. She had her fix and that is all that seemed to matter at the time. Little did Kibler know, her life would spiral out of control when she realized substances became her ruler.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported alcoholism defeats 88,000 of its victims every year.

Opioid and heroin deaths combined trail behind with a 14 percent increase in cause of death as of 2014.

“I had my first drink around seventh grade and was a big social drinker. Once I got into high school, my party life kicked off,” Kibler said. “I was introduced to drugs my freshman year and became a daily user by sophomore year of high school.”

When Kibler entered high school, she started

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off w i t h oxycodone prescription pills and the occasional Xanax which progressed to her becoming an intravenous heroin and cocaine user.

“I thought it was normal, I thought this is what you’re supposed to do when you’re young. I really thought I was invincible,” Kibler said. “When I imagined an alcoholic or a drug addict, my first thought was, ‘I’m not one of those people, and I could never be,’ because of the stigma and stereotype formed around it.”

Drinking and using drugs seemed to be the societal norm for teenagers, especially those entering high school.

High school was known as a place where drugs were tossed around and teenagers ran wild, believing that nothing could bring them down.

Addiction traps a person in a nutshell and holds them captive. The effects of the substances blind the user from seeing reality and continues to pull its victim along in a fantasy world until it has complete control. “‘Those people have no morals, values or aspirations in life.” I was very wrong for thinking that, and now being more educated on addiction I know very well I am an addict through and through,” Kibler said. “And like every misunderstood addict, I have morals, values and huge ambitions for my

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life.

But alcohol and drugs clouded that, and before I knew it, the substances started to control my life.”

Kibler is not alone in having began her descent into alcohol and drugs in high school. According to a 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 8.7 million Americans between ages 12-20 report current alcohol consumption. This represents nearly 23 percent of this age group for whom alcohol consumption is illegal.

“If a teenager is caught drinking, they are arrested and then it’s up to what the juvenile detention center decides on whether they send it to court or they put them on probation with just the d-home [detention center] and not send it to court,” Deputy Ryan Koch said.

“The real truth behind it is the juvenile court system isn’t going to do anything. If a teenager was to bring it on school campus, there’s more things we can get into to make the grip tighter.”

A major problem involving the d-home is the refusal to accept an intoxicated adolescent, no matter if the person is influenced under drugs or alcohol. If one is arrested at that point in time, the officer is required to sit with the teenager until they are sober enough to be carried to the d-home.

A range of consequences awaits consisting of a call to parents, a creation of a case and a petition or complaint [equals a warrant for an adult]. A letter to the parents with a court date to face the charges are sent whether or not the teenager is going to

News pgs. 2-3 Opinion pgs. 4-5 Sports pgs. 6-8 Lifestyles pgs. 9-11 A&E pgs. 12-13,16 In-Depth pgs. 14-15

o n l y talk to a probation officer to handle the situation outside of court or to be tried in court.

“You can absolutely receive a DUI [driving under the influence] at any age. The last I heard the going rate for a DUI attorney to even start is about $10,000.

Not to mention the loss of your license and the fees to get it back, you have to pay court costs along with traffic citations that are put into effect, so by the time it’s all added up, you’re looking at a minimum of $20,000 just to get started,” Koch said.

Now knowing the substances were changing how she perceived and interpreted things, Kibler realized she had a problem when she began to do things completely out of character to continue supporting her habit. Kibler learned that addiction is a growing disease, but said she “did not know how to ask for help or if there was even help” for the dilemma she found herself in.

“For a while, I had some sense of control, but before I knew it, I was mentally and physically dependent,” Kibler said. “There was a person in my life at the time that asked me a question that really resonated with me. ‘What are you waiting on to stop?’ I thought long and hard about the answer, and it would have ultimately been prison

Addict

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The Crimson Crier Oct. 27, 2016

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New software created to detect plagiarism in student work

Jacob Whitlock Reporter

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his year, a new software called Turnitin.com is being implemented across Madison County Schools. It is a program designed to detect plagiarism in a student’s writing and people around the school have high hopes for its arrival.

“Turnitin.com is a computer system where teachers can scan papers into a database and it can pick up if you are not citing sources correctly or if you plagiarize,” principal Chris Shaw said. “It is something that not only high schools use, but colleges across the country use as well.”

The proposition drew overwhelming support from teachers and administrators, hoping to make their job easier, more efficient and thorough.

Fifteen thousand schools across the world already use Turnitin.com and it has one of the largest collections of professional essays on the Internet.

“From all accounts it should be fabulous,” English teacher Paula Munts said. “We won’t have to

search for what’s plagiarized because it will tell us instantly.”

As of late September, only a few teachers have been officially trained on how to use the program.

In addition, teachers have not been able to use it yet because the schedule has prevented them from assigning any major papers.

“Because we’re teaching A/B days, we have not written enough to have students turn anything in,” Munts said.

“But I intend to use it.”

The main reason for the inclusion of Turnitin. com was to address the growing concern of students abusing the internet and its capabilities.

With a nearly endless array of easily-accessed resources at one’s fingertips, it can be hard to resist the urge to copy and paste, especially if one is pressed for time.

“I don’t think it’s a big problem, but in today’s age with computers and technology like Google, students unfortunately make poor choices,” Shaw said. “The temptation is to plagiarize from time to time.”

Another important point school officials want to stress are the implications of plagiarism in college. While in high school, one may only receive a zero and a call home if caught plagiarizing, but in college the consequences are much more severe.

“In college they have what is called academic integrity policies. If you get caught plagiarizing, not only will you get a zero, they’ll drop you from the course or put you on probation,” Shaw said.

A few students have expressed doubts about the website’s rigid grading system. Teachers have assured, however, that they are still in control of minor discrepancies and final judgements regarding discipline.

“We can make decisions after we see what the computer says and we can decide whether it’s allowable or how to redirect kids to make it right.” Munts said.

The school will not change dramatically when Turnitin.com is up and running, but it will certainly put a bigger em-

phasis on original work “It will be interesting something like this. I’m and inform the student to see how it turns out,” tickled. I can’t wait to use body on the dangers of Munts said. “We’ve al- it.” plagiarism. ways wished we had

Ania Stover News Editor

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BEAT OF THE DRUMS. The drumline warms up before the Bob Jones football game. The band has won superior ratings for their beloved halftime show which leaves the crowd on their fee. Photo by Madison Harding

Work goes into band’s beloved halftime show Reporter

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hile many people attend friday night football games for the thrill and potential win of the beloved players, others attend to listen to an amazing performance, loved by all, during halftime.

The show this year is “A Little Robot Party Never Hurt Nobody”, it does not have a specific storyline to follow. It is basically a “iRobot 2.0” which was a past competition show the band had a few years ago.

“It is like reliving the past for Sparkman band.

Bringing things back that we once did for people who were in the band.

It is joyful nostalgia for the parents and the people who had a part in the show,” sophomore captain of colorguard Alana

Boyd said.

There are several components that go into a marching show and countless different people who contribute. Every one of the 283 band members and numerous volunteers put their blood, sweat and tears into this masterpiece so that they can please their audience.

“There is a whole lot that goes into [a marching show],” band director David Raney said. “We hire a person to write the drill and we start in the summertime before school starts. We also hire instructors to come in and teach individual sections.”

As a first year drum major, sophomore Josiah Drake is excited and enthusiastic about learning the ropes of the band.

He has been successful in leading the band and loves what he does.

“Being able to talk with every band student and get to know them on a personal level is my favorite part,” Drake said.

The color guard spins flags, tosses rifles, dances and brings life to the show. They add to the effect with their silks and movement. There are more components to color guard than just spinning flags and rifles; they also have to be in step with the band, keep time and much more.

“It takes a lot of determination because the band directors ask a lot of us and if we’re not focused on what we’re doing, then we can’t put our heart into [the performance] and make it what it’s supposed to be,” Boyd said.

The brass is the biggest section in the band and has a tremendous sound.

They bring the “excite-

Aliyah Thompson

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COPYCAT. Turnitin will soon stop student plagiarism. Photo illustration by Ariel Thomas

ment and loudness” to the show according to senior Zach Eads. They are the soul of the show and have the grandest effect.

Last but not least, is the beloved percussion.

They are the beat and the tempo of the band.

From the bass drums and snares to the quads and cymbals, they are the most fun to dance along with. They are a focused and determined group of individuals who practice even more than the band as a whole and the results of the immense dedication from all of them is near perfection.

“We bring mostly the tempo to the band and keep it through the show along with the drum majors; they also add a nice beat to what the winds play,” senior section leader Landon Jones said.

he Madison County Board of Education has created a partnership with Lockheed Martin to provide laptops, printer/copiers and docking stations to Madison County Schools for use across the district.

Superintendent Matt Massey looks at the partnership as an opportunity to quickly address school needs. This will allow schools to gain tools for technology from one of the leading tech companies in Madison County.

"It's kind of going to be a year-by-year thing.

When we have needs, we're going to go to them," Massey said.

The partnership with Lockheed Martin will benefit the students and workers of both communities. By giving students technology from one of the leading tech centers in the county, it will introduce them to the workforce and a variety of STEM-related jobs.

"The students will benefit because it will bring more technology into the schools," Director of Development and Communications John Southerland said.

"Whether it means additional laptops that can be used for research in the libraries or helping provide laptops to the new Madison County Virtual School on-site learning

center, this technology will benefit students and teachers alike in our district."

This is one of several partnerships that Madison County Schools has taken part in. Another community partnership with Adtran, one of the world’s leading providers of networking and communications equipment, has saved the system nearly $1 million by helping to boost its wireless network to support more devices and data.

"Across our community we have companies that are creating industry-leading technology and the more we can partner with organizations like that, the more opportunities we can provide for our students," Southerland said.

There will be two to three phases of this partnership. With the partnership’s continuation, the board would like it to meet real needs of the students. This project is said to be long-lasting and a great opportunity for the county. This partnership is also a chance for some of the county's own students to play a role in the success of Lockheed Martin throughout the next generation.

"They want us to be successful and we can help supply their workforce, so it's a good program to have," Massey said.

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New club endeavors to teach leadership Copy Editor

Madison County partners with Lockeed Martin for technology

Danni Jo Grider

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ot long after the school year was in full swing, a new club called the Presidents’ Club commenced. Having created the same kind of club at his previous schools, Principal Chris Shaw decided to start one at Sparkman. This club is unlike any other, as it gathers all of the club presidents and team captains in one place to brainstorm, plan and then carry out a project.

“What makes a good school a great school is student leadership. I firmly believe that student leadership needs to be cultivated. It needs to be developed because I think we have a lot of great leaders,” Shaw said. “It’s [the Presidents’ Club] for all [the] leaders inside the school [to] come together and work as one for a project that benefits the community.”

The first meeting was held on Monday, Sept.

19 during which lunch was served and Madison County Schools Superintendent Matt Massey was

the guest speaker. After the club members were divided into groups, Massey gave a motivational speech on school leadership by students and then everyone began to come up with ideas for a community service project. Aside from the initial meeting, the club will meet one or two more times during the second semester of the school year before they delve into their project.

“Some of the ideas they came up with is [to] help [with] the special needs prom, volunteer at House of the Harvest, collect water for Flint, Michigan, [etc.,]” Shaw said. “We plan on meeting again in early January when we come back from the holidays.”

According to Shaw, the school year is ultimately determined by the students who attend it — student leaders in particular. This influence also extends into what impact Sparkman students as a whole have on their community.

“I think that the high school’s a great training ground to provide leadership [and] motivate your

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Trunk or Treat & Movie on the Lawn Saturday, October 29 5pm-9pm

LEARNING TO BE LEADERS. Seniors Emily Bacucum and Caitlyn Traynon talk about leading their various clubs at the first President’s Club meeting. Photo by Ariel Thomas

peers to do good things for the school and in the community,” Shaw said.

Aside from being a good way to sharpen and gain new leadership skills, the Presidents’ Club will increase teamwork among student leaders while also serving as a more direct sounding board for both student leaders and the student body as a whole.

“It encourages them to work together,” Assistant Principal Jonathon Barron said. “It will be in sync with what the students need or want. It will create a better overall climate.”

Ultimately, the Presi-

dents’ Club will provide student leaders with skills and experience that they can take with them into college and their future careers. The club could also have a positive and lasting effect on the community.

“I think it [the club] keeps that momentum going in the positive direction. People remember things when people go beyond themselves to do good for other people,” Shaw said. “I [also] think it creates a warm and welcoming environment and allows not only the high school to thrive, but all the feeder schools to thrive [as well].”

ACT Test Registration Deadline Friday, November 4

Veteran’s Day Program Tuesday, November 8

New campus program will help students address mental issues Makayla Tomaino Reporter

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he school has added a school-based therapist program. The program’s main focus is to help students and their families overcome mental health issues and make them feel safe.

School-based therapist, Kristen Strickland, who works at the NOVA Center, is extending her services to in-school sessions for grades 9-12. It will allow students to leave class for a therapy session. “[The students will] feel safe to talk about their problems. After their session they go right back to class, rather than having to worry about going to the doctor’s office and finding transportation to get there.

They can go straight to the session in school,” Strickland said.

Strickland says in-school sessions save time and energy for the students and their parents. She believes it is a wise option to make. Especially if those students are going through a difficult time in their life right now.

“The benefits of this program are the same as you would receive at a regular doctor’s office, such as privacy amongst the patients and I help people cope with their issues. These benefits help students to feel safe, and say what they feel and they do not have to worry about getting in trouble for saying how they feel,” Strickland said.

The students will have the opportunity to go to a safe place to go to where they can talk about their feelings. The sessions offered are one-on-one.

“I think from what I am told, that there is definitely a need for a school-based therapist. I think the program has big potential to grow into something supportive for those who need it,” Strickland said.

Principal Chris Shaw, along with Strickland, is optimistic and supportive about the future outcomes of this program.

“I think this program is great for the students that have a need to talk to someone, and there are so many issues that lead to mental illness. I also think that students and families will feel safe here at school and they will be more comfortable to talk to the therapist about their issues and hopefully find a resolution for them so that they can be successful students,” Shaw said.

GETTING STARTED. Freshman and founder Devan Kniess posts up flyer for new rock and roll club. Photo by Ariel Thomas

Club will celebrate classic rock and roll Danielle Cardo Reporter

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ne of the new additions to

Sparkman Nine’s clubs and organizations is the new Rock and Roll Club.

Originally, this club was created to give lovers of this music and all types of music a chance to get together to teach each other new songs, cords on the guitar and have open ended discussions on music.

“I just had a student approach me saying he was interested in having a rock and roll club because he liked the music,” English teacher Beth Knight said. “[He] wanted an opportunity to meet some people interested in rock and roll music, and he was hopeful that the people [who] played an instrument would want to have an opportunity to join together and learn new songs.”

Devan Kniess is the

founder of the Rock and Roll Club. He believes that it will soon develop into a club as recognized as any one of Sparkman’s organizations.

“I feel like rock and roll is becoming more popular nowadays than it used to be,” Kniess said.

“So, I am trying to bring it [this club] all together.”

Anyone who plays an instrument can join, whether it is the wellloved guitar or the serene violin. Many band students who enjoy this type of song music would be given a great opportunity to play their favorite rock and roll songs, practicing their skills through songs they can connect to on a personal level.

“I am hoping that everyone will become regulars and show up because I do not want members,” Kniess said. “I want people to come when they can.”

At the time of their first meeting, Knight’s

student teacher McCall was present to assist the new members of the club.

He tuned the guitars of students that participated and played a few songs with them.

“I remember when I was in high school, I pretty much was only able to play [the guitar] at home,” McCall said. “I wished I had a club [so] I could have gotten to share what they [the Rock and Roll Club] are doing with each other.”

The club meets Every Wednesday after school in Knight’s room until 4:15 p.m. Kniess has high aspirations for the Rock and Roll Club to play together like a band.

“I like that a lot of people actually think it’s a great idea,” Kniess said.

“It’s growing pretty fast.”

During their first meeting, it is true that only three members arrived to participate in the club. However, this was only their first meeting,

and those who had never heard of the club were intrigued to hear the call for members of this unheard of club during the after school announcements.

“At the first metting, we played our instruments, talked and had some laughs,” Kniess said. “[This club operates} by bringing all the people who play or just like the music in general together, talking and [working together in] creating their own things.”

Kniess also is being supported by teachers and staff members from Sparkman Nine to make the club well recognized.

Teachers are also allowed to participate in the Rock and Roll Club to play their instruments along with the students or simply come to join in the fun. “[I want people to understand that] rock and roll really is a great song music,“ Kniess said. “It brings people together.”

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{opinion} Add one to the large basket of deplorables 4

The Crimson Crier Oct. 27, 2016

Zane White

it can be. We also do not want to put our women in harm's way.” Apparently, Conway believes that a woman could not perform her duty to her country as well as any individual from the opposite gender considering, according to Conway, that allowing women to fight would damage the military’s efficiency. This is completely ridiculous by all standards. If someone wants to serve their country with their life then by all means, they have every right to do so, regardless of sex. These words came not from a man, but from someone who should be able to see the discrimination that still plagues us in this day and age. Sadly, it does not stop there.

Later in the discussion Conway makes a statement that is as shocking as it is ignorant. As expressed earlier, she has already practically declared that women are inferior in their physical capability to serve their country in war, but Conway does

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s if there was not enough problems with the campaign for Republican nominee Donald Trump, older comments from campaign manager Kellyanne Conway have been circling the interwebs for her extremely sexist views on major problems plaguing our country. It seems as if the constant stream of downright insulting views of those close to Trump never seem to stop.

During a 2013 roundtable hosted by PBS, Conway made several comments that seem to all to well reflect the general outlook of the core of Trump supporters. When the Pentagon had lifted the ban on women being allowed to fight on the front lines for their country, shortly following this Conway disagreed with their decision stating, “the military's first and primary mission is to win wars and to be completely as capable and as efficient and as uber ready as

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not stop there. Still on the topic of the differences in the physiques of the genders, Conway states that “If women were physiologically as strong as men, rape would not exist. You would be able to defend yourself and fight him off.” Not only does this perpetuate the victim-blaming state of mind so many people have, it is completely inaccurate.

Rape happens among numerous people of varying genders, physiques and marital statuses. Rape

happens to females by females, to males by females and to males by males. Rape happens. But according to Conway, if everyone were physically equal, then rape would be nonexistent. One would think that after statements like these someone would not get very far in a political career. However, this woman is now the campaign manager for the candidate being backed by the “party of family values.”

It does not stop with

these people. Those closest to Trump — the ones supporting his campaign — are the same exact ones making these horrid statements. Eric Trump said that his sister was too strong and powerful to be raped. Trump’s lawyer said a husband “cannot rape” their spouse in response to Ivana Trump’s rape allegations. Blaming difficult questions on a lady’s cycle, telling another that it must be a beautiful sight to see her on her knees and straight

up calling various women “dogs” and “pigs” is all in a day's work of this party’s campaign.

There has only been one genuinely positive statement from Trump’s campaign and it came from Donald himself, “I do not think I am going to lose, but if I do, I do not think you are ever going to see me again, folks.” Although Trump losing will not solve this persistent problem in our country, it will be a start.

Natalie’s Nonsense

ecently the Madison County Board of Education informed all faculty members that they would be providing school-based therapy through the Nova Center, a child and adolescent extension of Wellstone Behavioral Health.

On Wednesdays, a therapist will be on campus during the school to offer these services. The National Center of Children in Poverty reports that 20 percent of adolescents have some type

In Favor 8-0 of diagnosable mental health disorder and suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescents. Clearly, this is an issue that needs to be addressed and we are happy that the MCBOE is committed to making strides in this area.

The great thing about this therapy program is students do not have to miss school to receive therapy. This helps with attendance issues as well

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as solves the problem when a student does not have proper transportation to get back and forth from their home to a therapy location. It is a genius idea, really, to allow students to receive therapy sessions during the school day. Perhaps, this will prompt more students to seek the help they need.

The school-based therapy program addresses issues like grief and loss, lack of interest and motivation, divorce and other family issues, anger management and dealing with traumatic experiences. These are all life’s problems that adolescents deal with on a day-to-day schedule. By addressing these issues in a comfortable and familiar atmosphere, the MCOE is showing its’ students that they care about their well-being.

Many adolescents lack the needed social skills to thrive in a large high setting such as ours. The school-based counseling program provides help for those students. Students who suffer from a lack of social skills find

Jasmine Turner Reporter

Natalie Craney Opinion Editor

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dding a new furry family member is always exciting. I have found myself in the position now. For the longest time, I have been trying to convince my family that I need my own dog to love and care for. We finally hit a breakthrough. They realized that dogs are a great way to build humility and responsibility. From there, the ball was rolling.

It is definitely not easy convincing parents that you need a dog. It takes time, persistence and possible bribery.

I work hard for what I want and have always have so this was no different as I saw the question arise. When I posed the question of a new dog, I made sure it was clear I only wanted another doodle in the house. For the past few weeks, I have shown I am responsible with my time management — showing them I am willing to put the effort in.

One of their biggest concerns is that I would

not be home enough to take care of a dog. They are right, I am always on the go but it does not mean the puppy cannot come with me.

I explained that I have always wanted one of those dogs you see with no leash just sitting right next to their owner. The only way to develop that close bond is to spend every second together.

The puppy I am getting is a beautiful Goldendoodle, She is 12 weeks old and is a light apricot color. We first fell in love with these dogs when my sister got one about two years ago. This is a rather regular designer breed now because of their lovable spirit and fluffy coat.

They are the sweetest dog breed I have ever met. They get along with anything and everything.

Therefore making them perfect for our family.

I am looking forward to spending the rest of my highschool and college career with my best friend by my side. Dogs make life worth living.

Policy

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

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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.

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Get in the game. Some homecoming activities were canceled due to lack of student participation. SGA and other groups have encouraged students to take more pride in getting involved in school activities. Photo Illustration by Ariel Thomas

Students need to learn you get what you put in Aliyah Thompson Copy Editor

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or most, high school is what one makes it. Of course, not every day is going to be full of sunshine and daffodils, but for some, there will be at least a few singular moments that stand out in their memory.

High school is a period of nearly-constant change, whether that change is in personal style, interests, or friends. Throughout those four years are a myriad of opportunities to be involved in multiple different clubs, school activities and extracurriculars. Unfortunately, some students choose not to take advantage of such opportunities during their high school years.

This lack of participation among students is not a new issue. While there are those who are as involved as they can be, there are also those who opt to stay on the outside 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.

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rather than trying to jump in and make their mark or have their say. What I think some students may not realize is how much their unwillingness to participate affects everyone else around them.

When they decide not to at least attempt to participate, it causes other people to have less motivation to participate themselves. It brings up the question, “If they are not going to try to participate, then why should I?” And if enough students act in this way,teachers will be less willing to be sponsors for clubs and push for activities that students might enjoy.

This kind of mindset can easily trickle into the minds of other students and cause them to act in the same way. Of course, this does not affect everyone, but it does affect more than one person.

If there are enough people deciding to not participate as much as they

could be, it can reduce teachers’ as well as administration’s motivation to organize fun activities for the grade and maybe even the school as a whole. As a result, the school year would be not as fun and memorable as it could be.

If possible, students should at least try to be involved in some kind of club or extracurricular. It does not hurt to try out a club by going to at least one or two meetings and if one does not like it, then they can move on. By and large, there are more pros to joining a club or extracurricular than cons. It provides an opportunity to try something different, make new friends and maybe even discover a new talent or skill. In addition to that, it looks good on a résumé when applying for college or a job.

However, an understandable reason to not join in clubs and extra-

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Opinion Editor.....................Natalie Craney

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curriculars is if one has a job, a heavy classload, or both. If one does not have the time, then one simply does not have the time.

Otherwise, there is not much other reason to not be involved. Being a part of clubs and extracurriculars should be seen as a highlight of high school, rather than a bore or waste of time.

If a person is shy and a bit intimidated by the thought of trying something different and meeting new people, I understand because I have been the same way for most of my life. But do not let that keep one from going to the club meeting that piqued one’s interest. If it sounds fun or interesting, go for it. Or if there does not seem to be any fun clubs or extracurriculars, start one’s own club or extracurricular. One never knows, it just might change one’s life.

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Copy Editor...........................Aliyah Thompson

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Tran, Matthew Walker, Hailey Watts, Zane White, Jacob Whitlock, Bradley Wright Artists...................Al Jackson Adviser.........................Erin Coggins, MJE

Oct. 27, 2016

unted, murdered and brought extremely close to near extinction, some animals have suffered countless acts of violence in their natural habitats, leading these species to live their life held in captivity.

These animal species are taken to wildlife reserves to be sheltered from dangers such as pollution and poaching that lead to their endangerment. These animals are bred and their young is then raised domestically and forced to live in cages and small enclosures that have little to no space for them to roam freely as they would in the wild.

When the animal's population reaches a high enough level, they can then be released. However, the issue with this is the danger of the animal's inability to survive on its own because of its developed dependency on humans for all of life's necessities.

Failure to adapt to their natural habitat can be something that would further dwindle the population and disrupt the efforts as well as progress that had been

Illustrated by Al Jackson

themselves having difficulty making friends which can sometimes lead to depression or even suicide. To know that they do not have to venture outside of the school to get the help they need may lead to a quicker recovery and solution.

Perhaps out of fear or feeling that someone will see them attend a session, not every student who needs help will seek out this new program. We ask that the school and the faculty do their best to inform students of this new program and refer those

made in order to replenish the population.

Keeping animals in zoos has become a rising debate in society due to the sheer fact that animals were not born to live their lives in cages. They were not meant to see the world behind bars or live inside of a fake habitat where they do not have the freedom to hunt or roam around.

Holding endangered animals in captivity in order to expand the population is extremely important, but after they are able to survive on their own without their mother, they should be released into their natural habitat. They need to adapt to their surroundings as soon as they can in order to be a fully replenished population.

Under the assumption that endangered animals will be released into their natural habitat after the population is replenished and healthily growing, countless zoo visitors stand in awe of these amazing creatures. Some say that these animals will never be set free and will always remain behind bars while we use them for our amazement.

Animals are not entertainment. Every beautiful creature on this planet — especially the ones that are diminishing — is meant to be treasured. Holding these animals in captivity in order to make a profit or increase one’s amount of popularity is not taking the lives of these animals into account, but merely taking them and using them to our own advantage.

they feel may benefit to help students feel more comfortable in seeking out help through this program. It’s not always easy asking for help.

Mental health issues have plagued this country for years. It is discussed after every mass

shooting. We are fortunate to have a school system that understands the need for providing a convenient and financially affordable school-based therapy program and like the progressive way the board is thinking on this issue.

Your View HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY? “It is important to do research and protect certain species. I believe it is our job as humans to take care of the planet we live on. We cannot continue to see more and more species go extinct.”-- senior Hailey Conquest “They should not be held in captivity because they could be killed like Harambe, they should be able to fight for their freedom in the wild.”-sophomore Luke Tralongo

“Jesus did not put animals on this earth to be locked in a cage all their life.”-junior Rebekah Heifner

Photos by Alex Myers

Sexism screams loud, clear from the Halloween costume aisles Andrea Graves Reporter

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School-based therapy shows MCBOE is progressive

Animals in captivity deserve to be set free

New puppy teaches responsibility

The Crimson Crier

alloween is a good time to get creative with one’s look or do a group costume with friends. Everyone looks forward to that night where they can have fun with friends and have a movie marathon or maybe attend a friend’s Halloween party.

However, there is a limit to what costumes are appropriate. Some costumes out there can be harmful. They can perpetuate racist or sexist stereotypes, or oversexualize young girls. They can also promote sacrilegious jokes and tend to be offensive.

Some of the most harmful are sexist and racist costumes. These costumes can normalize sexism and racism by making it a joke. Examples of costumes like this is a “Native American princess” or “thug” costumes that encourage cultural appropriation or blackface. This, in turn, can hurt society as a whole by showing certain races in a negative or stereotypical light, as well as the ability of the populace to empathize with minorities and see them as people.

The oversexualization of young girls is also a huge problem. These inappropriate costumes are so widespread that it can be hard for a preteen to find a costume in which they feel comfortable. A good portion of them show way too much skin and are not even practical to wear in late fall. If a young girl wants to

stay warm, she would have to cover up part of her costume to achieve it. It is often a balancing act: risk getting sick over a too-small costume, or cover up but ruin the look? Numerous young girls do not even feel personally okay wearing these types of costumes. Instead, some choose to make their own because they would not feel comfortable wearing what is provided in stores.

Sexism in general is rampant in the costume industry. A vast majority of male costumes are textbook. A male doctor costume looks as if he could walk straight into a hospital and nobody would look twice, while a female doctor costume gathers the wrong type of attention because of the oversexualization of females in the industry. There are rarely any other options in stores, so that is what they are forced to wear.

It is understandable how some people can think of it as just a humorous joke; that they are perfectly harmless and do not mean it in a serious way. Perhaps, it is all in good fun and they do not mean any offense.

Ultimately, offensive costumes do harm society and alter the populace’s views. Some people are forced to sit back and watch their culture, gender, religion or race — or all of the above — be mocked and stereotyped. For the good of society, the costume industry needs to make some big changes.

Photo Illustration byAriel Thomas

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{ } Student’s uncle proves dreams can come true 6

The Crimson Crier

Sports

Oct. 27, 2016

sports

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The Crimson Crier Oct. 27, 2016

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Madison Harding Photo Editor

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It’s about the rings. Principal Chris Shaw shows off his 1983 and 1985 Gulf South Conference Championship rings who earned at UNA. Photo Illustration by Mady Harding

Principal Shaw shares experience as college ball player Christian White Web Editor

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Former player helps mentor today’s stars. Coach Ferschweiler practices with team on the ice with no pads defending Pavel Datsyuk. Photo by Ian Keel

said.

Ferschweiler could not put down the hockey stick after graduating college. He went on to play in the East Coast Hockey League (1993-1995), International Hockey League (1994-2000) and the British Ice Hockey Superleague (2000-2001).

“It’s a great job; getting to play a game and getting payed for it, is a great life. But it is also extremely hard work. Your body becomes your job so eating right, making sure you are rested and making sure you’re ready for the demands of the next day are all things you have to attend to. There is no one there making you do it. You have to prepare yourself and you have to make sure you are ready.

It [playing professionally] taught me a lot of self discipline; that is for sure. When I went overseas, due to my career, to England, that was more about life experiences and I knew I would not be able to do it later in my life. To be able to see different cultures, countries, languages and the things that are unique to each country, was a great life experience. It also made me appreciate what we have right here in the United States,” Ferschweiler said.

Playing the game for almost 24 years, he certainly fell in love with hockey. What does one do after their playing career dwindles down? For Ferschweiler, he knew what he had to do to stay in the game. He became a coach.

“My love for the game and the desire to stay

involved in the game, pushed me forward that way. Each coach I had along the way certainly deserves some credit in contributing to my love for hockey and the teammates I have had along the way. All those little pieces helped me stay in love with the game,” Ferschweiler said.

Today Ferschweiler is the assistant coach for the Detroit Red Wings. But he did not get there by chance. He had to climb the athletic latter again.

But instead of a remarkable athlete, this time he is on his way to becoming a phenomenal coach.

He coached four seasons at the very same college that put him on the map, Western Michigan University. In that time he more than doubled the total wins from the Broncos’ previous seasons and helped the Broncos’ achieve their first CCHA championship since 1996.

“I have had a unique hockey background coaching wise, because I started in youth levels and I taught all the way up. I think starting at the lower levels and learning to teach how everything works, and to really focus on the fundamentals.

And then advance forward into more, at this level, more of a cheap content, allowed me to successfully improve the individual players and be knowable of key concepts and systems. The combination of those two has made me a better coach for sure,” Ferschweiler said.

Being a player of the game unquestionably teaches a person key

knowledge about how they can teach the game to others. Ferschweiler tries to incorporate some of the things he has learned as a player into his coaching techniques.

“I try to translate [what I wanted to hear when I was a player] into my coaching and always communicate crisp and clearly with the players and let them know I truly care about their success.

I am there to make them better and be successful together with them,” Ferschweiler said.

Coaching an NHL team can be a stressful job. But the coaches have to remember that the players look up to them and thrive on the advice the coaches have to say.

Despite the scheduling and all the paperwork, Ferschweiler makes an effort everyday to build a stronger bond with his players.

“It is fun to coach anyone at the absolute height of their profession [or] at the height of their career. These guys are so good and they play the game with such passion and speed. It is fun it see everyday and it is fun to be around, Ferschweiler said.

Being an assistant coach for the Red Wings was a telescopic cloud nine. Never in a million years that did Ferschweiler imagine he would be just that. He followed his heart from the beginning and found his true passion was playing hockey.

He could not put it down.

“Chase your passions in life. That was a lesson I learned from my mother and father. To truly

be happy, do what you love for a living and I have been able to achieve that,” Ferschweiler said.

Playing a sport for half a lifetime and coaching it the other half can teach a person a lot about the person they want to be.

Hockey, like any other sport, has taught Ferschweiler the essence of working hard to achieve ones highest goal in life.

“It [hockey] has taught me tons of life lessons on how to be successful. You have to be a great teammate and communicator to be part of a group.

All these things translate from hockey into the business world. All sports replicate business.

You have to be a great communicator and teammate just as you are in the business world,” Ferschweiler said.

For eight months out of the year Ferschweiler’s team is his family.

A job like his demands nothing less than full commitment. But for 12 months out of the year, Ferschweiler has a family of his own: a wife and two daughters. Both can be challenging to juggle, if one is new to it, but he is not.

“I am lucky. I am blessed with a great wife. I am gone a lot, but it is the way it has always been. I do get a lot of time off in the summer, so we have to take advantage of the summer time and make do in the winter. It is hard being gone as much as I am, but we have adapted as a family and made the best of it,” Ferschweiler said.

The sport of hockey was derived from many

different places, the closes thing we find is a game called “shinney” or “shinty.” It is a Canadian word for a form of street or ice hockey. One could say the game of hockey came from Canada. Today it is not just a Canadian game; it is a game played all around the world, even in the Olympic games since 1920. The game has even made its way into Huntsville. The Huntsville Havoc represent the city in the Southern Professional Hockey League.

“I think it is great that hockey has expanded its footprint. Where it used to be a Canadian and northern United States sport, now it is truly all through the United States. The southern hockey market is growing which is great for the sport that I love,” Ferschweiler said.

Many thoughts run through Ferschweiler’s head everyday as an assistant coach, but only one still reminds him of how he achieved his success and why he loves his job.

“Follow your passion, decide what you love and do not let anyone tell you ‘you can’t.’ Chase it as hard as you can even to the point of failure. Pursue your passion even if it does not work out for you. You will always regret the lack of effort you put into it, so pursue it, Ferschweiler said.” “Pursue what you love, put everything into it and do not regret if it does not work out. Move on to the next thing and pursue that.”

or the 2016 football season, principal Chris Shaw made cosmetic additions to the football stadium with intent to make it more visually attractive. After his past as a college football player was revealed, one can understand the “method to his madness.”

Shaw attended the University of North Alabama from 1982-1987.

While pursuing a double-major in history and physical education with a minor in business, he played on their division II football team as a linebacker.

“I was one of the guys who worked their way up. I was redshirted my freshman and sophomore years. During my soph-

omore year, I worked up to second string,” Shaw said. “Finally my junior and senior years, I got the opportunity to start.”

Shaw believed UNA was the perfect place for him to play because of the playing time and personal coaching attention he received. Looking back, If he had played for Alabama or Auburn, he does not believe it would have been the best fit.

“Playing football was beneficial to me in other ways besides staying in shape. It taught me to manage my time by having to balance football and school.

Football became my job in a sense,” Shaw said.

For Shaw, it was essential that he learned to manage his time wisely,

Bradley Wright Reporter

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espite his young age, sophomore Charles Lewis makes a difference in track; not only regionally but nationally.

One of the most memorable moments of Lewis’ career was being invited to the 2016 Junior Olympics in Houston, Texas.

Not only was it an honor just to be invited, but Lewis competed very well overall.

“I felt humbled to be around some of the fastest track runners on the high school level,” Lewis said.

“I came in third place in the 200 meter and fourth

in the 400. I hate losing; that’s what motivates me to get better.”

Lewis began running track at the early age of eight. Like many other wonderful athletes, Lewis’ mother supports him the most.

“I joined track mainly to stay out of trouble,” Lewis said. “I just needed something to do.”

With great talent comes great responsibility, but contrary to popular belief, Lewis handles it extremely well. He refuses to allow the pressure to change the sport he loves into something stressful.

“It’s not overwhelming to be this successful

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sports can better prepare you for the challenges of school by teaching valuable life skills that can go far beyond the field.

Sparkman choir teacher David Giambrone, who played college football at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, agrees with the point.

“It made me more focused that year because I had to keep my grades up to play sports and stay involved in my fraternity and keep my scholarship,” Giambrone said. “I think any experience that you take a chance on outside of your normal realm is good for you because it

It’s one of those things where you have your ups and downs and you have to be an advocate for yourself Principal Chris Shaw

ternoons. On weekends, he would get on a bus and drive upwards of 11 hours for his games and perform the same routine on the way back leaving little to no time for school. Despite the stress and time crunches, he pulled through to prove a successful student ath-

your ups and downs and you have to be an advocate for yourself,” Shaw said. “You have to work to make things go your way, especially in college and playing sports or doing extracurricular activities help teach that skill of advocating.”

Shaw believes playing

broadens your world, lets other people know who you are and can teach you more about yourself.”

Through their experiences of college sports, both Shaw and Giambrone gained skills that helped them get to where they are at this point in their lives. Shaw strongly supports student participation in sports and extracurricular activities, believing that it opens new doors and shines light on new horizons.

“I think sports teaches people, especially young people how to work together as a team and put their skills to good use.

Its that drive people have to accomplish something and when you have everyone with that drive working together pulling for the same goal, amazing things can happen,” Shaw said.

in track,” Lewis said.

“I don’t dwell on it too much. It’s just something that I love to do.”

Athletes all around the world have one thing in common: hard work.

Lewis is no stranger to this characteristic that inspires many.

“Charles is definitely a gifted athlete. He’s blessed with a lot of God-given ability, but he also applies hard work each and everyday at practice,” Coach Cedric Austin said. “He’s always finding news ways to get faster and stronger as an athlete. One of the special things about him is he’s all about his team and is

always trying to succeed.

It’s something I definitely appreciate as a coach.”

Unlike many other teenage athletes, Lewis’ teammates are more than happy for him. With Lewis being a well known name in track, they do not allow jealousy to deter them from having pride towards his success.

“It’s helpful and encouraging to have Charles on my team,” teammate Chandler Robinson said. “If I had to describe Charles, I’d say he’s very hard working.”

To the finish line. Competing in the Bob Jones invitational, sophomore Charles Lewis rushes to the finish line. The varsity boys finished second in their division that day. Photo by Mady Harding

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lete. He believes this experience helped him put major priorities before all else.

“Its one of those things where you have

Sophomore makes impact on team, quickly becoming star

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by maintaining the mandatory average to stay on the team. During college, his schedule consisted of classes in the mornings and practice in the af-

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hen a person see a professional athlete or even a legendary coach on TV, they cannot help but think about how many thousands of dollars they earn, just for one game.

The press exploits their riches anytime they can.

Win or lose, they still make money just for being on TV. But are professional sports really all about the money, or the fame?

When ones falls in love with a sport as much as Pat Ferschweiler did, it is all about the passion behind the hockey mask.

When the skates hit the ice for the first time, it clicked.

Ferschweiler started — what he did not know at the time — his career at a young age.

“My mom and dad got me into hockey. My father’s love for the game rubbed off on me. I was lucky enough to grow up with a great group of teammates. I played with the same group of kids from the time I was eight, until I graduated high school,” Ferschweiler said. “We were a driven group and I think having great teammates and great parents surrounding us helped feed my love for the game.”

The game did not stop there, after graduating high school, Ferschweiler planned to pursue a financial degree, but his heart told him he needed to be on the ice.

“My backup plan was to be a financial advisor, but then I realized that was not what I really loved. I loved hockey.

So I had to make hockey work in Kansas City — a non hockey market. So it is really, do what you love, rather than just pick a job,” Ferschweiler said.

He listened to what his heart had to say. He attended Western Michigan University and played three seasons as a right wing, racking up 95 points out of 116 collegiate games. In his senior year, he was awarded the Rob Hodge Most Valuable player.

“There was never one motivator. It was all the great coaches and my mom and dad’s support along the way, but mainly the inner drive from myself. I do not think you can do this, or anything honestly at a super high level unless you want it yourself. You cannot be pushed by anyone harder [than yourself] to truly succeed. You have to want to do it yourself.

My inner drive is what allowed me to be successful in hockey,” Ferschweiler

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{Sports}

The Crimson Crier

Oct. 27, 2016

{Lifestyles}

The Crimson Crier Oct. 27, 2016

Senior’s participation in Miracle League leads to love of baseball

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After battling a disability his entire life, Mitchell Jenkins finds his normal

Throughout the game the score board remains 0-0, symbolizing the importance of baseball for the Reporter players. With no competitive rules, all members on a team hit the ball and run the bases while teamenior Mitchell Jenkins’ first found his love for mates, volunteers, family and friends yell their baseball in the backyard of his house playing names and clap at their success. catch with his younger brother. But it wasn’t until Although they know the game is just for fun, he stepped foot on the Miracle League field that he Mitchell’s team has done exceptionally well this seafound the real purpose of the sport. son. The team has hit the ball all over the field and Since he was 5-years-old, Jenkins has played for even hit a couple over the fence. Mitchell is currentthe St. Louis Cardinals, through the non-profit orga- ly striving to hit a homerun in the upcoming games. nization, Miracle League. The life changing organiza“When I see the ball I just think I need to hit tion has given Mitchell confidence by knowing that it across the field so it can go as far as possible,” he is able to play a sport with others who understand Mitchell said. what it is like to cope with a disability.

It’s not surprising that Mitchell wants to hit the “His first year, when he was able to hit the ball ball as far as possible, he is a self-proclaimed sports on his own, he realized he wanted to play as long as nut. He loves the Auburn Tigers, the Cubs and his he could,” Joanna said. “These kids just want to be Sparkman Senators basketball team. As a tenured accepted and this is a way for them to basketball manager, Jenfeel that.” kins will move to being Mitchell was diagnosed at birth the head manager for the with Noonan’s syndrome, congenital varsity team this year. As hydrocephalus and Chiari malformaI like being able to play a manager he helps the tion. The build-up of cerebral fluid boys in the weight room baseball like everyone else. along with the symptoms of Noonan’s and makes sure they stay have prevented Jenkins from a normal hydrated during games. development. A VP shunt is in place It makes me feel like I can do “I like being around to help take the fluid off of his brain anything. helping,” Mitchell said. and he has a feeding tube to keep him “The boys treat me like nourished. one of them, I like being “The feeding tube is in place there and they like havsenior Mitchell Jenkins because he doesn’t eat enough by ing me.” mouth,” Jenkins’ mom, Joanna said.

The team showed “These supplements help nourish him their support by surwhen he can’t do it himself.” prising Jenkins at one of his recent Miracle League Mitchell, short in stature due to Noonan’s, un- games. The team stood on the field as Jenkins went derstands baseball is more than just a competitive to work at bat and were there to slap hands as he sport. He has adapted to his conditions and realized rounded the bases. all the great things baseball has to offer.

“I got to show Mitchell the same support he gives “ I like being able to play baseball like everyone to our team,” junior Amarius Beasley said. “I made else,” Jenkins’ said. “ It makes me feel like I can do sure I cheered as hard as I could because I know anything.” his cheering makes me play better and I wanted my The Jenkins family is thankful for the organi- encouraging words to uplift him.” zation that gives Mitchell and others like him the Mitchell has had more than his fair share of opportunity to play baseball and have a good time surgeries and struggles. Despite his setbacks he still without the fear of making a mistake. Miracle League gets up every morning with a smile on his face and has connected Mitchell with friends that have com- perseveres. Mitchell once told his mother, “Mom, mon disabilities and helped them realize they can do why should I be embarrassed to be myself? God normal things. To the families of the league, it is place made me this way and he loves me so that’s all I where their children feel safe to be themselves and a need.” place where lifelong memories are made.

It’s Mitchell’s attitude that fuels his desire to “They are able to interact with other kids and play baseball, manage a basketball team and just adults in a safe and loving environment. “Seeing overcome the obstacles his disabilities hand him. them play baseball is wonderful and a miracle,” Jo“As his parents we were told when he was an anna said. “They are being able to do something oth- infant that we should not expect anything, because erwise not possible. The amount of love and compas- there was so much to be unknown,” Joanna said. sion shared toward each player is amazing.”

“He amazes me everyday of my life.”

Saylor Cuzzort

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Prepared for Battle. Left to Right: Junior Kaliq Green, Senior Jayla Walker, Senior JP Fletcher pose behind the old Sparkman Senators logo in the gymnasium. Photo illustration by: Mady Harding

Girls ready to bounce back, win area again Shelby Lopez Reporter

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hile most teenagers slept in until noon, traveled around the country or ate junk food until their stomachs hurt, dozens of teenage girls met at the school gym to stay in shape for the sport they love. Making sure these activities were done correctly, strengthening and conditioning coach Jon Turnbough supervised and generated these difficult workouts and pushed the girls to their full potential. “ I don’t really think I can describe the difficulty level of my workouts. Really, that’s up to the players. I can tell you that we work and as long as you have drive and work ethic, you’ll make it,” Turnbough said.

Just like any sport, injury is a major risk while playing basketball. Fast movements, aggressive defense and excessive direction changes create a accident-prone environment and take a toll on the human body. Despite the multiple injuries that occurred during the off season, coach Patrick Delay is more than ready to take on this season confidently and willingly.

“We haven’t had a full healthy team since last season. It seems like every week or two we have an injury or someone has surgery,” Delay said.

“Hopefully, by the time October 17 (first official practice) rolls around,

we’ll be ready to go. We won’t be held back for any reason.”

As expected, Delay has high hopes that his five seniors will carry the team like seniors in the past. Despite the recent surgery of senior Jayla Walker, the team has high hopes and believes that they can overcome the temporary loss of their starting guard.

“We can’t go any further down then we did last season, being put out in the first round. There’s only one way we can go and that’s up. We have every intention of doing so,” Delay said.

Walker refuses to let this obstacle get her down and has every intention of cheering her teammates on throughout this season. The team has had to make many adjustments throughout the summer due to injury and is more than comfortable and prepared to make them again.

“I won’t be out for too long, and I think they’ll do okay. We are the only team with all returners so our team chemistry should give us an advantage,” Walker said.

Being a coach for 16 years, Delay has realized many things through his career. The most important of them all is a common, popular belief of coaches all around the world and in every single sport.

“You can find an excuse or you can find a way to get it done. You can’t do both,” Delay said.

Boys look to veterans Last Seasons Averages for successful season

JP Fletcher

Jada Dutchess Reporter

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10.5 PPG 1.0 APG 1.5 RBG

Jayla Walker

10.2 PPG 5.3 APG 1.3 RBG

Kaliq Green

5.1 PPG 1.3 APG 4.7 RBG

Opening Month Schedule @ C o l u m b i a N o v. 8 v s Hu n t s v i l l e N o v. 1 5 @ H a z e l G r e e n N o v. 1 7 v s J e m i s o n N o v. 1 8 @ S p a i n P a r k N o v. 2 8 v s F l o r e n c e N o v. 2 9

he boys varsity basketball team hopes for a bounce back state championship winning season, after a disappointing loss in last year’s post season tournament against Oak Mountain.

Having such a young team last season, means multiple players will be returning. Head coach Jamie Coggins is excited about the prospects of having a dominant year.

“The guys have been working hard since the summertime. We have a lot of guys back this year.

I’m really excited about this upcoming season” Coggins said.

Even though the team has an overflow of juniors, and three seniors, the team does not lack the responsibility of team leadership. They are showing the leadership needed to win big both on the practice court and in the lockeroom.

“It’s really not a big deal we’re all still a family and we’re still brothers, we all get along just fine but I definitely have to be a leader because sometimes the team can get a little out of hand.,”senior Maurice Anderson said.

“We just have to have each others’ back. I most definitely have to keep a cool head and try my best to be the best leader I can be for my team.”

The team knows that it takes hard work and dedication to win their goal of a state championship.

They have been in the

weight room during the offseason getting stronger. Junior Reed Zitting is on board and ready to accomplish the team’s goal.

“We have to play as a team and play for each other throughout the season. We can’t be selfish, we have to play for one another and share the ball,” Zitting said.

Coggins does not guarantee starting positions just because a player was on the team last year.

This is why he instills in the team that they have to give 110 percent to earn a starting position and to keep it.

“I love to see guys really go for a position,” Coggins said. “It prepares us for the tough competition ahead.”

This tough competition comes with playing in North Alabama’s 7A division.

“We try not to look at the end results we take it day by day. We work to get better every single day. Our focus is to come into the gym and working hard, and try to be the best team we can be and improve our skills every day,” Coggins said.

The team will face the usual tough competition in the area, including Johnson, James Clemens and Lee. They have also added Spain Park to the schedule.

“We don’t like a cupcake schedule. We want to play the best so we can get better ourselves,” Coggins said.

Capitol Chaos to debut against Jemison The basketball coaches have renamed the student section, “Capitol Hill Chaos” in hopes to unify the students and encourage them to bring it every night.

The student section t-shirts will be sold in November in time for the first home game against Jemison.

Playing his favorite sport. Senior Mitchell Jenkins found his way to compete with the Miracle League organization. He has played with the organization since he was 5-years-old. Photos by Saylor Cuzzort

Student researches about politics, prepares for upcoming election Sidney Al-Dijaili Lifestyles Editor

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s the next presidential election quickly approaches, Americans, including sophomore Heather Day, attempt to prepare by watching debates and immersing themselves in knowledge about each candidate.

Though she is not of voting age, Day never misses a beat, constantly researching and learning as much about politics as she possibly can. Her love for it started at a young age, and has grown over time.

“I have always tried to understand other people’s point of view. Even if they believed something completely different from me, I always have wanted to understand. This got me into the idea of equal opportunity and how to make an impact,” Day said. “I began watching political speeches and debates and forming strong opinions in the sixth grade. I wanted to find a “perfect” candidate, but later realized how impossible that was.”

This election solidifies the idea that no candidate can be completely perfect. Though she may not have aligned perfectly with all of his ideas, Day supported Bernie Sanders throughout his time in the presidential race. Some of his ideals, such as his opinions on minimum wage jobs fell into place with Day and her viewpoints.

“I supported Bernie Sanders for the majority of the presidential race. Although he is a democratic (I emphasize democratic) socialist, and I do not agree with all of his ideas, he was the candidate for the majority of the people. I believe people didn’t vote for him because of that scary word ‘socialist’,” Day said. “ Sanders believed in universal healthcare, tuition free college, higher minimum wage, and to get rid of tax loopholes in big corporations like Wall Street.

Addict

cont. from pg. 1 I lived in a sober house for seven months so I could transition into the real world and learn how to truly live, not just go through the motions like I had been for so long.”

Kibler described her rehab experience as “the absolute decision” of her life. Attending Alcoholics Anonymous and narcotics anonymous, Kibler is working her way through the 12 steps referring to them as “not a quick fix” but an “ongoing format for a new way of life.” Kibler participated in individual therapies and group therapies where she was educated through “what the disease of addiction is and all

This is speaking directly to middle class citizens and the majority of Americans. It’s absolutely ridiculous that people are working 40-60 hour job weeks and still need help putting food in their tables. As a human being, putting politics aside, this is wrong.”

As it is known, Sanders is no longer a viable candidate to become president and though Day feels Sanders would of made the biggest impact on Ameri-

deleting her emails will haunt her forever, but unlike Trump, she recognizes her mistakes and apologizes.”

To be able to have strong evidence to support her different viewpoints, Day spends much of her time researching about the candidates and different issues that have have been brought to the table during debates. Day always makes sure she keeps up to date with the most pressing issues the United States faces and forms her opinions off of her research.

“I absolutely love researching and watching debates and interviews. Because neither of my parents are interested in the slightest of polThe majority of what I do is to itics, all of my research is my own. I read the Washington Post and the New York Times, but inform people. A lot of what you I also follow NowThis, all the candidates on sohear about politics in high school cial media, I YouTube past debates, speeches, and interviews, and also keep up with other is only half the story. politicians and what they have to say about the candidacy,” Day said. sophomore Heather Day Day feels that students all around the country should have a mindset of keeping up to date with the political issues that Americans can society, she now Clinton will prevail over Trump face today. She believes that students should learn to become the next president. After analyzing the as much as they possibly can, and to have their own faults and the positive characteristics of both candi- opinions, instead of basing theirs off of their parents dates through her research, Day decided to root for or the thoughts of those around them. Though they Clinton mostly for equality reasons, but she falls in may not be of voting age, students can indeed have line with Clinton’s ideals on issues such as gun con- an impact. trol, foreign policy and taxes.

“The majority of what I like to do is inform peo“Trump is not a politician, and while some think ple. High schoolers don’t normally think politics are this is a positive characteristic of him, I don’t think important, but it’s their civic duty to vote once they it is. Trump’s inappropriate comments and prejudice become eighteen. A lot of what you hear about polactions should most definitely be looked down on, itics in high school is only half the story. Students especially someone who is trying to run for our coun- quote their parents instead of forming their own try,” Day said. “I am in no way saying Clinton is per- opinions,” Day said. fect. Clinton’s mistakes like supporting the war and

“

its components.”

“Rehab is not a cure. It is the start of the road to your life in recovery and giving you the skills and tools to do so,” Kibler said. “So, live the life you can be proud of so you can look back with a light heart and have no regrets.”

She now describes her once addiction as “a blessing in disguise” that has allowed her to work on herself and become the best person she can be.

“It’s not the ideal way, and I pray that others don’t have to go down the same route. For me, this is who I am and I am able to spread a message of hope because I have been down that dark, hopeless road,” Kibler said. “Today, my life is absolutely beautiful and full of light.”

Most teenagers in the area begin drinking or experimenting with drugs because it is viewed as an escape from a problem they feel they are facing. Koch says this creates a continuous cycle and when the teenager is officially living on their own without money from their parents, theft and robbery could come into play to support addiction. A life spent in and out of jail can now be a reality.

“I have definitely seen an increase this year in teenage drinking than years passed. At 16, you go to the d-home. At 18, you go to the ‘big-boy-jail’ and people don’t understand that difference. There is no phone call to your parents when you’re arrested.

Stray from teenage drinking. It’s your choice. Either jail or a body bag,” Koch said.

The Crimson Crier

10 Oct. 27, 2016

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Student begins campaign to boost girls’ self confidence Alex Myers Reporter

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girl looks in the mirror and sees herself looking right back at her. But how does she see her reflection? Choosing to build oneself up or tear oneself down is a subconscious decision all girls make when looking in the mirror. Girls will choose to recognize the positive and the beautiful, or they will choose to point out and expose their flaws.

Sophomore Amy McAllister works to encourage girls to acknowledge the good in themselves rather than see the negative. She has started a movement that is taking place in the girls’ bathroom. She does this through an unlikely method — Post-it notes.

The overwhelming drop of self esteem in young teenagers, especially girls is on the rise. Some teenage girls have become concerned about physical flaws in their body image. Heart of Leadership statistics report that “92 percent of [teenage girls] would like to change something about the way they look, with body weight ranking the highest.” They are constantly forcing themselves to focus on what is on the outside and not what lies within. Influenced from current popular culture or other students, girls picture the “perfect girl” and are unhappy until that image is achieved.

“There are so many things that make girls feel bad about themselves,” senior, Whitney Tate said.

“Too many girls feel [that] they are too skinny, too heavy, or feel like they have to make themselves look pretty by wearing makeup.”

The lack of confidence in young girls is exactly what pushed McAllister to spread the love. Motivated by a recent church conference she attended, she decided she wanted to do something similar at school. This is where the Post-it notes come into focus. Using these and the heavy traffic of the girls’ restroom, McAllister is able to reach each girl at Sparkman, which is just what she wants to do.

“At the church conference they talked about your worth and I noticed how some girls don’t know their worth, especially in Christ,” McAllister said. “On the last day, my pastor handed us sunflower seeds and told us, ‘It’s time for you to sell your seeds.’ I knew I had to do something at school.”

McAllister feels that it is important to help make girls confident and believes that each person, flaws and all, was made that way intentionally. She sees the purpose in the creation of someone through the eyes of Christ. Expressing her love for Christ in many of her notes, McAllister hopes to allow girls to see life from the same perspective as her.

“God created me the way I am for a reason so I know that all the imperfections and all the flaws are

on purpose and that He loves it so I should love it,” McAllister said. “That’s how I see it and I just feel like it’s really important for girls, especially at our age, to know their value and their worth and know they’re beautiful.”

This world today has created a depiction of what a girl should be and it tends to make girls forget to be themselves and see their perfection for as it is. Although the act of a note may seem too small to have an effect, a single phrase can alter someone’s day.

“I really liked seeing them. They made me feel better,” Tate said. “If I was having a bad day, it would make it better when I Making a difference. Sophomore Amy McAllister places Post-it notes on the mirrors of difsaw the notes because ferent girls’ restrooms with messages like “you are valued.” She has used hundreds of Post-It it reminded me to be notes, bought with her own funds, to continue this project. Photo by Madison Harding happy with who I am.”

While it may seem random and sporadic, like ‘Oh, Amy did that.’ I want girls to just see it and there is a method to this madness. Narrowing down know that someone cares about them and make them on the girls restroom allows McAllister to reach her feel good about themselves,” McAllister said. “A couaudience more directly. McAllister places a note in ple [of] girls walked in when I was putting one of the each bathroom beside a mirror. Using the mirror as a notes up so they knew about it, but I told them not to platform of attraction to her notes, the notes get read tell anyone because I wanted it to stay a secret. Then by hundreds of eyes everyday.

I saw it on a girl’s Snapchat story and I got so excited “I want them to see the note, look in the mirror that people were actually seeing them.” and be like, ‘Okay, God created me this way and I The idea does not stop there either. While McAlshould love it,’” McAllister said. “I feel like they see lister’s ultimate goal in this was to show girls their it and look in the mirror and they’re more confident worth and value, she also encourages girls to do the in themselves.” same for others. Students have seen what one girl can Being only a sophomore and a new addition to do, but what about all of the girls? With a school as the high school, little did anyone expect the culprit big as Sparkman, the possibilities are endless. Though of these notes to be her. However being anonymous, Post-it notes are McAllister’s strategy this can be done was a choice for McAllister. She wanted her notes to a variety of ways. be subjective and not be read as if they were written “I would feel accomplished if girls started doing by someone, but as just words. She saw this as an op- this with me. I feel like that’s kind of the idea that I portunity to conceal her identity, allowing the mes- wanted to put out,” McAllister said. “I want people to sage to be clearer and not be fogged over by do that and I want girls to encourage each other. That “I didn’t want people seeing them and being would be awesome.”

Students find ways to overcome issues associated with dyslexia Camille Herren Managing Editor

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eading, an essential ability students are taught at a young age, has always come with difficulty for sophomore John-David Ray. Frustration and stress overwhelmed his family as they discovered ways for him to cope with his newfound disorder.

He has dyslexia. Though it is common and treatable, it takes time and effort for a dyslexic student to learn how to read. John-David struggles with focus, skipping lines and rereading.

“I was in first grade. I was held back by my parents when they figured it out. I started reading and my parents noticed I had some problems. I took a test for it and we figured out I was [dyslexic],” John-David said.

For treatment he went to a reading specialist.

John-David also went to a tutor for about four days a week for four or five years. It was effective and improved his reading.

“He had trouble with sight words so [the specialist] did a lot of hands-on activities to help him.

She used things like flashcards with words and pictures on it that would help him visualize the word,” John-David’s mother Kathryn Ray said.

Some of his teachers did not recognize his disability and became frustrated when working with him.

Others had a passion for it. When John-David was in sixth grade, his teacher Dr. Stephanie Ledbetter took

the time to assist him with his dyslexia.

“She would take extra steps. She would do things like put his work on a yellow sheet of paper because it was easier for him to see. She would draw lines between different sections on worksheets and it would help him break it down. She did what she knew would work and was effective,” Kathryn said.

Tutoring sessions led John-David to befriend other people with dyslexia like junior Jonathan Frady.

Jonathan learned he had dyslexia when he was in the second grade.

“My parents figured something was wrong because my reading was not right. I had trouble with different words so my parents had me tested. That’s when we found out I had dyslexia,” Jonathan said.

Jonathan’s mother, Sherrie Frady, first noticed him struggling with spelling and learning how to read when he was in first grade. Even as a toddler, she says he would not show interest in being read to.

“He was never interested in reading a lot as a small child but I thought it was nothing. We noticed when they Dibbled in school, he would not benchmark. We thought he would catch on but when he got to second grade, there was concern,” Sherrie said. “I really did not believe his teacher when she thought he was dyslexic. It came [as] more of a shock. She wanted us to look into it and [start] doing specific dyslexic interventions with him. She encouraged us to get him tested and his results were mildly dyslexic. His teacher recommended that we get a tutor and we started

Dyslexia Facts • 75 percent of children with dyslexia who are not diagnosed by 2nd grade remain so into adulthood.

• Dyslexia affects 20 percent of the U.S. population.

• Dyslexia is the most common learning disorder.

• 80 percent of people placed into special education for learning disabilities have dyslexia. tutoring the summer before he started third grade.”

Jonathan went to tutoring for once a week until after eighth grade. According to Sherrie, he would learn comprehension skills, phonemic awareness and the history of the language. Jonathan finds that dyslexia does not affect him as much now.

“The tutoring I went through was really helpful.

I still have a little trouble with reading but I have learned to overcome it and grow,” Jonathan said.

English teacher feels comfortable on stage, film Matthew Walker

Reporter

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here is a professional actress in the hallways — English teacher Jessica Britton. In the summer, when she is not teaching, Britton takes part in plays, movies and TV shows.

Her schedule gets pretty hectic when she is cast in roles. It takes her hours upon hours to get into her characters. To prepare for her roles, she first annotates the script and really finds the deepest meanings.

She also spends time watching people that are like her character in real life.

“I spend so much time with these characters that it is really easy to get lost in them if I do not remind myself of who I actually am,” Britton said.

Britton started acting in plays in the ninth grade, and fell in love with it. She continued acting on stage and landed prominent roles such as Amanda Wingfield in “The Glass Menagerie”, Dorine in “Tartuffe”, and Kate Keller in “The Miracle Worker”.

{ } 11 Student shares struggles with battling anorexia The Crimson Crier

Lifestyles

Lifestyles

Since becoming a mother Britton now focuses on film because it takes less time. Plays could be in the works for a couple months. Film has long days, but the overall time is shorter.

According to Britton, the film industry is blowing up in the South because it is cheaper, there is good talent and the landscapes are beautiful. However, pursuing a career in film is difficult and competitive.

In order to continue to get cast, she must stay dedicated and work hard.

“It takes a lot of training, a lot of networking, a lot of patience and a lot of disappointment. I have to have tough skin and be able to take criticism with an Doing what she loves. English teacher Jessica Britton loves teaching her open mind,” Britton said.

AP English students, but also loves the feel of a script in her hand. Photo Through her struggles and triumphs as an actress by Ariel Thomas she has been able to experience cool things. She has “I am mostly at home on the stage or on a set. The been a stand-in in a feature film, and an extra in multiple major movies. Britton even got to work with thrill is like nothing I can explain. When I go awhile one of her childhood idols, Danny Glover, of Lethal without work, or a script in my hand, I feel like I am missing a huge part of myself,” Britton said.

Weapon fame.

Oct. 27, 2016

Sydney Goggans A&E Ediitor

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Anorexia Facts 4 out of 10 people who suffer from anorexia never make a full recovery 24 Million people suffer from an eating disorder 10 percent of people who suffer from an eating disorder are males

Photo Illustration by Mady Harding

ramatic weight loss, weakness and a denial of hunger categorize into one thing — anorexia. The eating disorder that is life-threatening.

The eating disorder that makes people fear gaining a pound. The eating disorder that generates self-starvation.

Sophomore Jackie Damewood’s experience knows the disorder well.

Growing up, she did not feel comfortable in her own body and skin.

Damewood felt out of place with her friends and wanted to feel healthier.

“I’ve always felt bigger than my friends. I just wanted to lose weight and I went a little too far,” Damewood said.

From September 2014 to December 2014 — in just four months — Damewood lost more than 20 pounds. She went from 140 pounds to a mere 105 and it was a transformation that frightened her tremendously. Her anorexia not only had physical effects, but quickly became a mental battle.

“When I would look in the mirror, I saw myself losing weight, but I didn’t feel like it was where I wanted to be,” Damewood said.

“I wanted to feel pretty.”

Her struggle with anorexia started her eighth grade year. From September of that year until

April, torture bestowed itself on her, bringing with it numerous emotional nights.

“My hands, my feet — always cold … always. I got dizzy when I stood up and I was very thin. The hunger just went away,” Damewood said. “The dinner table was always a torture session because my parents and my sister just wanted me to get better and they say ‘Come on, just eat a little more’ and I just couldn’t.”

Fortunately, she never had to go to a hospital, but Damewood took trips to numerous doctors.

Two medical professionals from Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville helped with her eating disorder as well as a nutritionist and counselor from Huntsville. But Damewood’s biggest supporter and helper was her mom, who not only helped her through the disorder, but also through the depression, anxiety and emotional nights. “[My mom] really helped [me] through it; she was always there for me. She gave me encouraging words, but she also knew when to say, ‘Hey, please you need to eat more, you need to do this, you need to follow the meal plan,’” Damewood said.

Damewood’s mom declares every day to her that she is beautiful. Although her self-esteem is not in a high state, she works to build her confidence through her mother’s words.

“I need to learn how to tell myself [I’m beautiful] and to truly believe it,”

Damewood said. ” But I’m getting better with that because of my family, friends and mainly because of God.” To put her mind in a better place, in the past she would aim to tell herself that she needed to eat to become healthier and maintain her weight. She tries to eat a good amount and not only have a good relationship with food, but also with her body.

“Before it was just thinking that ‘You need this food. You need to eat this so you can become healthy again’ and I’m good on the intake much better now. [If the thoughts of anorexia] come back again, I think, ‘You don’t need to lose the amount you think you need to lose. You need this nutrition and your hunger is gonna fluctuate. You are going to be okay,’” Damewood said.

While going through this, there were times when she felt ashamed of the anorexia. Now, this has made her stronger as an individual.

“It haunts me a little, but mainly, I have learned from it. I am the person I am today because of my experiences. Sometimes it’s a question [of] are there any regrets in your life and if you could go back and erase them so that they would’ve never happened, would you ever do that? My first thought was ‘Yes, I would get rid of my anorexia.’ It definitely shaped me and made me who I am. It’s definitely positive now,” Damewood said.

Young lady shows breast cancer does not discriminate against age Jessica Turnage Reporter

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he diagnosis of cancer can take a huge toll on people, while it can also inspire others, often times. It can even bring a family closer together in the midst of the tragedy.

On Jan. 24, 2013, Sparkman alumna Bobbie Reed was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer at 23-years-old on. Despite having cancer, Reed is human and was completely overwhelmed with the news that she had breast cancer. When she thought about possibly losing this battle and that it could cost her life, she cried with the heart-striking news. She was in shock and knew nothing about it. So she started to study cancer — not just breast but all kinds. The color pink which she once hated, has now become one of her favorites. As the journey went on, she had to deal with changes with her body.

“They removed all the cancer out my body [and] that’s when I knew — it was a sense of relief, but I knew at that time God was in control,” Reed said.

Reed’s life was different emotionally, physically and financially. She had to deal with changes in her body that she has had to hold onto because it was a process.

“I didn’t understand why it had to be her, but on the other hand, I felt happy at the fact that they caught it and there were treatments that worked,” Taylor said.

Reed had a left side mastectomy in June, 2013. The mastectomy surgery was the most important aspect of her recovery, which resulted in her becoming cancer-free and still is three years later. Now she is on a new chapter in her life. Reed is in the process of writing a book. She was inspired to write a book to share a story about her struggles. October is deemed the month for breast cancer awareness, so in the future, Reed is going to be a true advocate for cancer

Madison County 310 Board 4940 Research Drive, Suite B Huntsville, AL 35805 (256) 837-5886 Fax: (256) 837-5886 Email: jopoates@mcmrb.net

survivors.

“I was so young, but my family had to come together as a unit and help one another. [They had to] be the support they are built to be while I went through this,” Reed said. “It brought us closer as a whole.”

The emotional effect impacted Reed and her family. Although she was placed in a horrible situation, that could bring sorrow and distraught feelings. A situation that could put her in a depressive state to the point where she could feel lost. Instead, Reed saw this as a gracious opportunity for her family to be a close support system when she needed it most.

“I was definitely scared for her but I knew that she was strong and could make it through. I knew that she had the support of family, friends and church to back her up in prayer,” her god-sister Chancey Taylor said.

Taylor was not the only family member at her side. Reed’s mother was her motivation and her rock through this hard time. She showed her that fear was not an option. Reed is grateful to her the most for her recovery.

“I feel that I was put into this situation to be a mentor and an advocate for breast cancer awareness because I knew by faith I would defeat this earthly disease. I was put here to be a voice for people who are fighting people, who have lost the battle and all the survivors,” Reed said.

As bad as the situation was, it was also a blessing in disguise. This diagnosis was not a burden on her because Reed knew by faith that she would defeat it.

Faith alone gave her the courage and willpower to not let this disease beat her.

“My faith in God [told me this] wasn’t how it was supposed to be, but that’s why I felt I was put in this situation to get closer to God,” Reed said. “My faith has grown much stronger. Just know God will put

Pushing through hard times. After her diagnosis of cancer, Bobbie Reed relied on her family and her faith in God to get through hard times.

Photo Courtesy of Bobbie Reed

you through something to show he is still there for you and will not forsake you.”

The cancer was a pathway to being in a stronger relationship with God. Going through the tough experience with the cancer causes, she did have some tribulations and fears.

“I’m a single mother of two so the thought that motherhood could have been taken from me and losing this battle [was scary]. [Also] being taken away from my family and just my life in general,” Reed said.

“I’m in the process of trying to write a book. Everyone wants to know about what went on in my life, so I’m here to share it,” Reed said.

Reed felt really self-conscious about herself with the loss of her left breast, but she now has a scar that tells a story. This road to recovery was tough and long, but it gave her life a new direction. Her struggles helped her grow into the woman she is today. “[Having cancer] gave me a positive aspect on life: live life like it’s no tomorrow, just enjoy,” Reed said.

Catch Up on News CrimsonCrierNews.com @TheCrimson Crier

{arts & entertainment }

The Crimson Crier Oct. 27, 2016

Tips for a successful channel

The Crimson Crier {arts & entertainment } 13 Goodbye Technology, Hello Mother Nature

12

Oct.27, 2016

Gadgets X Gizmos

Area offers plenty of hiking Emily Bacuum Editor in Chief

Illustration by Sydney Goggans

Apple’s new Airpods will be hit with all ages, look cool too Al Jackson Reporter

1. Have highquality camera and lighting

3.Construct a general plan of what you want to say

2. Create a good background and/or scenery

Local Youtubers set up own channel, develop skills needed for future career Cady Harbin Reporter

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tarting a YouTube channel may be a bit challenging, but for senior Richard Alexander it comes naturally to him.

“At first I was just making an email account through Google, then I realized I had a YouTube account.” Alexander said.

When he noticed he had an actual account himself, he accessed his first smart phone and began creating videos, from gaming to music and even sports.

"I used to just use [YouTube] to watch a bunch of different videos,” Alexander said.

“Then I started making videos and getting more subscribers.”

Alexander would love to keep YouTubing as he gets older as a side hobby. He has over 40 sub-

scribers and has a goal of over 90. He is encouraged to make more videos because it is an activity he enjoys and is amazed by how many people see his videos.

"They will usually hit the like button," Alexander said. "They will leave a comment and also sometimes they will subscribe."

Sophomore Dylan Brotherton’s channel took off when he started researching cameras and became intrigued. He saved up enough money and bought his first camera in the summer of 2015.

Even though the camera was not good quality, he worked with what he had and turned something bad into something good.

He then began to start his small channel.

"I know I'm not as big as the biggest, but I love what I do and I enjoy all

my fans and their comments," Brotherton said.

Brotherton has Tumblr style and describes his videos as unique. He does this by creating a range of videos from sit down talks to vlogs, fashion, style and DIY.. He has over 6,500 subscribers and is growing more and more popular with each upload.

"I know it sounds funny," Brotherton said "I'm not famous, but I love every one of [my fans] and they make me want to keep uploading videos."

His love for making videos led to his interest in photography. He always loved being in photos and videos as a kid. Now that he is older he has learned to leap to the next level by taking pictures himself and learn the different ways

of photography. Everyday he expands and enhances his limits to something bigger and better.

"Each one of [my videos/pictures] mean something to me," Brotherton said "[They show] how I am feeling that day, week or month."

Creating video content is definitely a hobby he would love to pursue in the future. It is just a matter of where it takes him. He will always have a backup plan if it does not work out : he hopes to be a videographer or photographer for something that is special to him and his interests.

"I love filming and editing videos," Brotherton said. "My dream is to move to Los Angeles to get more opportunities in my YouTube career."

Check Out Their Channels: A Richard Alexander Production and Dylan Brotherton

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about the features the consumer can do with the AirPods compared to other wireless headsets.

Now Siri can be used by simply double tapping on one of them The AirPods will recognize vocal vibrations so that talking to Siri and talking on the phone will be more convenient. Another new feature is that

long with the long awaited reveal of the iPhone 7, also came the truth about the rumor of the new iPhone not having a headphone jack. Most people in the crowd at the press conference were probably thinking that they should consider buying some new bluetooth headphones.

But as soon as • Better Sound Quality that thought came up, Ap• Talk, Walk More ple answered • More Stylish with the Apple AirPods.

• More Durable The new • Designed for the Ear AirPods are Apple’s way of saying, “We apologize to all of you that still have the old and outdat- the AirPods have sensors ed earpods that we gave in them which can sense you with your previous if they’re in your ears or and now useless iPhone not, so they know when models. We hope you can to play music or not. forgive us by giving us Admittedly, some more of your money for people had an issue with some new and improved the decision to remove earpods of ours.” the headphone jack beAll jokes aside, the fore the iPhone 7 was AirPods are actually an even officially revealed. ingenious idea. These The lightning-to-headwireless earpods are in- phone cord accessory tended to be used for does come packed with more than just music. the phone, but the AirDuring the event, Ap- Pods are a separate part ple’s Senior Vice Pres- of Apple’s new lineup. ident Phil Schiller, de- Wireless headphones are scribed features about pretty expensive. the AirPods.

Yes, Apple tries to “AirPods are simple reconcile by making a and magical to use, with lightning connector with no switches or buttons, a headphone jack, but and let you access Siri that’s uncomfortable and with just a double tap.” inconvenient. In other Schiller said. “Up until words, it’s impossible now, no one has taken to listen to music with the challenge of deliv- wired headphones and ering audio experience charge the iPhone at the wirelessly between mo- same time. bile device and headThe new Apple Airphones that takes advan- Pods will be sold at $159 tage of opportunities to a pair. Despite the pedo something new and culiarity of the features do something great, and of the AirPods, they are up until now no one has a new idea that seem to taken on the challenge have potential. of fixing the things that At the end of the day are difficult with those the iPhone 7’s lack of a wireless experiences that jack is a bold choice, but makes it easier to enjoy the Airpods are one of them.”

Apple’s most recent and Schiller continues most innovative ideas.

Illustration by Sydney Goggans in Canva

Benefits of Airpods

What the Techies are Saying: WIRED gives their approval of the new airbuds, saying “the Airbuds turn Siri into an omnipresent being.

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s summer is winding down and the temperature is slowly but surely dropping, we are finally delving into the fall season. Trees are crispening, and if you are a poor high school student with a car that does not have AC like me, you have actually begun to stand a chance against heat exhaustion. In the summer the battle was already lost before the driver’s side door was even opened.

These changes can obviously mean only one thing; it is time to pull those boots out from the back of your closet, invest in some comfy socks, a Camelbak and go hiking. But the problems arise after those steps have been completed. People do not really know where to start. They type hiking trails up on Google maps and route themselves to a two mile walk on Monte Sano Mountain. While this is not the worst route to go, there are much more enriching trails around the Tennessee Valley that locals can venture to.

An absolute must for the top of your list is the Keel Mountain Preserve. The Keel Mountain Preserve is located roughly 45 minutes away in Gurley, AL. It may sound like a drive but the end result is worth it. The hike is about a mile and a half uphill, ending at a waterfall. The only thing I recommend you to take note of before you go, is to go ahead and turn around once you get to the waterfall and walk

the same way you came. From personal experience, the markers for the other half of the trail fall off about half a mile after you reach the waterfall. You will find yourself forced to follow a huge ditch, with multiple drop offs higher than 6 feet that you will have to jump, all the way back to your starting point. That is not a walk in the park if you have started your hike shortly before sunset.

If your sights are set on a place to camp overnight, Walls of Jericho would be more your style. While Keel Mountain can be completed within a few short hours, Walls of Jericho is not the same. It is a fun three mile hike downhill, but uphill is not quite the same. Once you reach the bottom you will come across a short log bridge over a creek leading into the camp grounds.

After setting up camp, you can walk approximately a mile further and star gaze to the sound of the waterfall.

A local, more low-key overlook would be Blevins Gap. While Monte Sano can give you a breathtaking view of the mountains in Tennessee Valley, Blevins Gap is a two sided peak with both the view of South Huntsville and Hampton Cove. I would recommend starting around 11 am, bringing a hammock and picking up Chik-fil-A on your way to the top of Huntsville Mountain. Once you finish your 1.5 mile hike uphill, there is a perfect shady spot with plenty of trees to lounge around and eat lunch.

Sometimes a road trip is due in order to find that five star trail, and Stonedoor is roughly 73 miles of pure road trip bliss. Crank the music up and roll the windows down because the two hour drive is all back roads. Barely breaking a sweat, the Stonedoor trail is not that advanced. It is only a one mile hike to the overlooks. Depending on your amount of bravery, one could say there are well over 10 different overlooks, all with breathtaking views. Feed your adventurous, thrill-seeking soul and take a trip to Beersheba Springs, TN.

Want to Hike Blevins Gap? Sunday, Nov. 13 at 2 p.m.

Trail of Tears: Benge Detachment over Blevins Gap Moderate to Difficult Hike For More Info: www.landtrustnal.org Photo printed with permission from North Alabama Land Trust

Alumni get musical break, album available on iTunes Jake Wilson Editor In Chief

I

t is amazing what can come out of two friends sharing the same hobby and passion. Austin McBride and Josh Jacobs, Sparkman alumni, have put their talents together and just recently produced an album on itunes called Silk. Before they started to make music together, they played music together in a church band at Mount Zion Baptist Church.

“When I was in eighth grade, Josh and I met each other through Mount Zion Baptist Church playing in a worship band on Wednesday nights. Josh was a lot older than me, but we

took a liking to each other because of music and we both had similar music taste,” McBride said.

Before they started to make music together, they played music to-

gether in a church band at Mount Zion Baptist church. Their passion for music made for a great friendship. They began to “jam” as just hobby, an album on itunes was nothing more than a dream for both, but they soon realized that together they had a real talent.

“It all started one night when Austin and I were jamming out. We decided that maybe we could write a song and dreamed of maybe having an album one day.

Our friendship is definitely where it all started, and that friendship was fused with music,” Jacobs said.

What was once a dream, quickly turned into a reality as the two began the long process of producing music for the world to hear. The process was not at all easy nor did it happen overnight, they devoted their time into creating good music that could relate to the emotions of everyone.

“The process was long, thoughtful, experimental, tough and fun.

Everything from bouncing ideas off each other, writing melodies, banging out chords on the piano, late night jam ses-

sions, it all makes up the process. The most important thing is having a good product,” Jacobs said.

The entire process of making the album, Silk, took five years. Only the people with a true passion for music can have the patience to spend five years molding these songs together to create such an art. They spent many sleepless nights trying to turn real life experiences and feelings into song.

“The five years consisted of us writing music and writing lyrics and then deciding that music wasn't really good or those lyrics were awful, really just a lot of editing and trying to make all of our ideas come together as one. We might have started with one chord progression and come up with another one four years later and decide it goes well with the original one and that's how a song gets finished. It's really about not trying to rush anything,” McBride said.

There are many struggles and setbacks that come with making music. For the two, it came as separation.

About two years into their process Jacobs moved away to Mississippi, this became a big obstacle for them to overcome, but they were determined to

Driving on the road to fame. Austin McBride and Josh Jacobs pose for the camera to showcase their album newly released album, Silk. The two encourage students to download the music on i Tunes. Photo by Emily Woods

finish this album. They had to some adjustments to the change, but ultimately did not affect the quality of their music.

“Austin and I live in two different states.

I would say that was a struggle. When we were both in Huntsville, it was much easier to write and produce music more efficiently. However, we still have written some of our best music over the phone, emails and voice memo texts,” Jacobs said.

All their time and efforts were well paid off with the production of Silk. Silk is an album that encapsulates all the feel-

ings someone may have in a smooth melody. The album is a great portrait of life behind the producers as well.

“All the songs have their different meanings, some of the songs are about heartbreak and some of them are about rebellion, but the whole overarching theme of the album is that we as humans might face struggles and there is a way to triumph those struggles,with whoever or whatever you believe in, for us it’s Jesus Christ,” McBride said.

They collaborate on all of their work so on itunes

they have the joint name “Jacobs McBride”.These musicians have acquired a unique ability to express their feelings and beliefs in song and do it well. They plan to continue to write and produce more of this uplifting, relatable music in the years to come.

“The main reason we write music is to try to synthesize something larger than ourselves. It may be love, heartache, dreams, Jesus or heaven, but whatever it is we usually need music to describe it in our hearts,” Jacobs said.

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{ in-depth}

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The Crimson Crier

Oct. 27, 2016

The Race to the White House

Trump gives more insight to important issues Andrew Atchley Reporter

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hen it comes time to vote I hope that you’ll be supporting Donald Trump. A Hillary Clinton presidency would be disastrous for our country, and Trump has the right ideas to set our country back onto the path to greatness.

The Clintons set America on the path to economic decline back in the ‘90s by signing the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, with Mexico and Canada. Mexico has very weak labor laws, including a minimum wage of $4 an hour compared to our $7.25 an hour, so corporations would rather hire employees in Mexico than the United States. NAFTA led to well-paying American factory jobs, such as in the auto industry, leaving the U.S. to save labor costs in Mexico, and then have them send the finished product back to the U.S. Hillary created a similar trade deal with 12 other countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, TPP for short which will cost the United States another half-million jobs according to Tuft University. Out of the 5542 pages in the agreement, only a handful are open for the public to read. Hillary has received hundreds of millions of dollars over her political career from big business and is obligated to support trade deals designed to rig our economy in their favor.

Trump has no such obligations because except for small donations, he is mostly self-funding his campaign. Trump rejects NAFTA and the TPP and will stop both of them if elected. “The deal is insanity,” Trump told Breitbart News Network, “That deal should not be supported and it should not be allowed to happen.”

Trump’s immigration plan is fair and more importantly will benefit the U.S. He started his campaign by promising to “build a wall and make Mexico pay for it,” but it is not a new or extreme idea to build a border wall. In fact, Ronald Reagan’s immigration act included provisions for increased border security and Bill Clinton even supported building a border wall, but he never got it accomplished. It is also not an extreme idea to deport illegal immigrants.

Presidents Who Have Not Been Elected to Public Office Before Presidency: Taylor, Grant, Taft, Hoover, and Eisenhower

.

and Syria. The attempted overthrow of Egypt backfired as the Egyptian military set up a dictatorship that continues to this day. The bloodshed has not yet ended in Libya and Syria, where both countries have been fighting a civil war for five years. Our reward for these actions is $6 trillion of additional debt after interest is included, 36,000 military casualties, 1.7 million innocent Middle Eastern people killed, millions more driven from their homes and a much more dangerous world.

Hillary’s actions inadvertently created ISIS. By destabilizing countries and wreaking havoc on innocent people, ISIS now has fertile ground to expand on as well as more people who are potentially receptive to their message. Trump recognized this when he said on an interview with “60 Minutes,” “Hillary Clinton invented ISIS with her stupid policies.” Trump wants to let Russia handle the turmoil in Iraq and Syria allowing him to focus on rebuilding our own country instead.”We have spent $6 trillion trying to topple various people,” Trump told the Atlantic. “If we could have spent that $ 6 trillion in the United States t o f i x our

35% THIRD

bridges and all of the other problems - our airports and all of the other problems we have had - we would have been a lot better off. I can tell you that right now.”

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32%

If elected, Trump will be the first President to go straight from the business world to the Presidency.

By A l Jac e at s e gm m n 22 n na nni ly to u u J lin e R C ain K

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Fast Fact on Clinton: She is the first First Lady to win elected office.

t’s simple: Hillary Rodham Clinton should be president of the United States of America.

As a former secretary of state, U.S. senator, first lady, and a lifelong advocate for women and families, no one is more qualified to be president than Hillary. She has the qualifications. There is no college degree or career that can possibly prepare one for the responsibility of becoming the most powerful person in the world.

Hillary knows child care, equal pay, and paid leave are fundamental economic issues—not just “women’s issues.

Clinton, once again, has proven to be a formidable political fighter.

She does not give in easily and can punch back hard in adversity.

Clinton has shown that she can articulate and defend a robust Democratic domestic agenda even though she is often criticized by progressives for being too much in the center. She has been willing and capable of adapting by becoming more vocal on issues like the national minimum wage and a stronger health care system. While she needs to do much more work to convince many Democrats that she won’t turn away from her promises, she has done well. Clinton has developed strong relations with Democratic elected officials and candidates whom she is helping in Senate and House races. This is an important asset.

Besides the facts, our democracy should work for everyone and not just the wealthy and well connected. She’ll fight to overturn Citizens United to curb the

PRO OR CON ABORTION? PRO

CON

46%

54%

PRO OR CON RACIAL PROFILING?

better expresses her ideas for America

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Hailey Watts

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DONALD TRUMP

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Fast Fact on trump: He attended military school at age 13.

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WHO HAS YOUR VOTE?

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Presidents Who Were Businessmen Before Being Elected to Office: Harding, Truman, Both Bushes

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Oct. 27, 2016

HILLARY CLINTON

M Tr ay G um 26 O p ,2 P N be 01 om co 6 in me ee s

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In fact, President Barack Obama has deported over 2.5 million of them. Illegal immigration hurt American workers and American taxpayers. Numerous corporations support illegal immigration simply because once they are here, the corporations are able to hire them and pay them next to nothing for a job that any American would have to be paid minimum wage for.

Trump’s proposed temporary travel ban on all Muslim countries received harsh backlash from the corporate media, but is it really unheard-of for the United States to ban a specific group of people from traveling or immigrating here temporarily? Former President Jimmy Carter issued a ban on all Iranian travel to the United States during the ‘70s after the country was destabilized by terrorists. The biggest difference is Trump’s proposed ban would cover a much larger area That is because ISIS has significant global influence and they recruit terrorists from across the Muslim world. It is nearly impossible to spot a terrorist with the vetting capabilities we currently have, so the only way to reduce the number of terrorist attacks we have in the future is to restrict immigration.

Arguably, the person most responsible for the rise of terrorism and instability in the Middle East is Hillary herself. As a senator, Hillary voted in favor of the w a r i n Iraq and Afghanistan. The war in Iraq destabilized the country, which was previously kept stable by Saddam Hussein. The war in Afghanistan is simply a conflict that we have not been able to win.

We still have troops occupying Afghanistan because if we were to leave, the country would collapse. Frankly, these were conflicts that could never reach a positive conclusion. She continued her disastrous foreign policy record as secretary of state where she continued to support the overthrow of the stable Middle Eastern governments of Libya, Egypt

The Crimson Crier

outsized influence of big money in politics. As first lady, she helped get health care coverage for 8 million American children. Our veterans should have access to timely and high quality health care. She was one of the first presidential candidates to talk openly about race and the issues regarding the Black Lives Matter movement after the church shootings in South Carolina and will continue to fight for the right thing to do. If Congress continues its refusal to act on comprehensive immigration reform, Hillary has a plan to act—and do everything possible under the law to protect families. We need a president who will fight to restore the protections of the Voting Rights Act after they were gutted by the Supreme Court. She’s not afraid to stand up to discriminatory attempts to roll back voting rights in places like Alabama Mr. Trump’s views matters of dangerous impulse and cynical pandering rather than thoughtful politics. He likes to add twist of fear-mongering about Mexican “rapists” flooding across the Southern border and he has attracted throngs of Americans love the bursts of false and outrageous allegations, personal insults, xenophobic nationalism, unapologetic sexism and positions that shift according to his audience and his whims. I’m a liberal-leaning moderate, and having a stable economy with a good long term outlook is my priority. Someone who comes in with “the government needs to be run like a business” attitude, and even worse, “business experience”, would make it a no brainer to vote for Hillary.

Her election is quite possibly literally earthshaking. It will rock not only the United States, but contribute to an immense sea change taking place around the world. It’s time to think about who we really want as a president. It starts here, it starts with us and it starts with Clinton.

PRO

CON

51%

49%

SHOULD WE BUILD A WALL? PRO

CON

70%

30%

SHOULD MORE GUN LAWS BE ENACTED ?

PRO

CON

16%

84%

IS OBAMA CARE BENEFITING AMERICA PRO

CON

6%

94%

200 people surveyed

{arts & entertainment }

The Crimson Crier Oct. 27, 2016

Intoducing the Ghost Whisperer

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Local historian pens ghost stories, leads tours

bama.

“I became interested in history when I was untsville has a 11-years-old. We were on rich and eccentric a family trip and stopped history, not seen through at the Shiloh Battlefield. I rose-colored glasses, a would rather have been view of our local past staked to an anthill and rooted in realistic and covered with honey. But down to earth events having seen where the spanning from war to battle took place, where slavery. Jacque Procter blood ran into the pond, Reeves understands these where the peach blosthings fully. She is a lo- soms fell onto the dead cal historian, author and soldiers, profoundly afpreservator of our local fected me. I later learned past, touring with ghost that I had ancestors in walks and possessing an that battle,” Reeves said. interesting view of the “I recently asked my twin South and Huntsville as brother if he had the same a whole. Having lived in feeling that day. Nope. other places and in big So, it was my a-ha mocities in the United States, ment.”

Her expressive writReeves believes Southern ing on local history and ghosts are different.

“My personal take is ghosts comes from an that those of us who live objective and prolific perin the South are more sonal belief in those stogrounded – we do not ries. The adamant drive see the world through to research and prove rose-colored glasses and what she learns, coupled we are more realistic with a noble goal of edabout life in general,” ucating and entertaining.

Reeves said. “Having She researches her stories by talking to mediums who don’t al• Wicked North Alabama ways know • Where Spirits Walk the history • Hidden History of behind the North Alabama people they communicate with. “ T h e most comsaid that, it doesn’t mean we don’t have as many mon comment we heard ghosts – we certainly do. from mediums was, “I Our own history though don’t know what this makes our stories under- means, but I’ll tell you standably different. We what I’m picking up.” Behave ghosts of slaves, cause I had done the reghosts of Civil War sol- search, I did understand dier’s, ghost of Indians. the context. If I didn’t, I These aren’t the stories went back and researched you would hear in Cali- until I could find it in our history,”, Reeves said. fornia.”

“More than one medium WHERE IT STARTED From a young age, has said, “the ghosts reReeves, like many others, spect you for telling their experienced an “A-ha!” story.”

Along with informamoment, the crowning moment that sparks a tion gleaned from medipassion and interest in ums who communicate something, but is not en- with ghosts, Reeves’ stotirely expected. The mo- ries consist of 85 percent ment came to produce a historical research and prolific author and a stu- some urban legend.

“To feel an emotional dious historian in both the macabre and physical connection to a ghost stohistories of northern Ala- ry, one must first know

Lucas Hicks Reporter

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Check Out Reeves’ Work

who and why someone from our past is haunting a location. That’s what I add to my stories,” Reeves said.

Reeves has developed a keen knowledge of what creates a lasting and inspirational picture, or what fades with time. The understanding comes from experience that delves into deep encounters and situations that have taught her what matters and what is fleeting.

“From working with a medium, I have learned that ghostly residue left behind is due to extreme emotion. For the most part, that emotion is sorrowful, ghastly, horrifying. It would make sense because those emotions are so powerful, but when it comes to taking a ghost walk, most people want to hear those stories, not the happy stuff.

I try to add those stories that are humorous and light-hearted, but those aren’t the stories that will be remembered tomorrow,” Reeves said.

HOW SHE DOES IT Reeves’s research and her scholarly understanding of the trade have brought lasting passion, success and audiences to view her work and tours that stand proudly of what has been accomplished in unearthing and showcasing the local natural and supernatural history. She and her colleagues took tours in other cities to find out what works and what does not.

“Some respond better to funny tour guides, and some too low and creepy, which is my personal style. Our history has to be correct, and we’ve been surprised to find many schools groups taking our tours because it is a fun way to learn local history. Learning doesn’t have to be painful,” Reeves said.

Their tours hold no false claims of a guaranteed ghost sighting. Her proof lies within the work and research laid out and

Talking with ghosts. Local historian and author, Jacque Proctor Reeves, loves to tell ghost stories that capture the spirits of North Alabama. She also leads Ghost tours that begin at Harrison Brothers Hardware in downtown Huntsville. Photo printed with permission by Jacque Proctor Reeves

the acclaim of the tours’ efforts. The objectivity is found outside of seeing, but within the work and search for knowledge.

“We walk to different places, hear about the history, then the haunted history, and on many occasions, people have gotten images in their pictures and ghost radars. Cell phones will stop at certain places, as the ghosts try to absorb energy, and then work again at another location,” Reeves said.

The tours have sometimes been invited into public buildings while taking tours, but that is not always an option.

Reeves said groups have gone into Helion Lodge #1, First Presbyterian Church, Hotel Russel Erskine and the Times Building, all of which have ghost stories.

“We know that you have set aside your time and your money to spend it with us, and we want you to feel it has been worth it. Proof is that we have so many people that come back time and again to take our tours,” Reeves said.

As a writer of true crime, history and of

course, ghost stories., Reeves works towards the goal of providing the truth of the scene and adhering to the exact atmosphere and elements within it so that a true understanding of an event is shown through her work.

“I want the reader to know how it smelled, what they would have heard, what colors they would have seen, how it felt, etc. In other words, to understand something, it must be experienced with all senses,” Reeves said. “If you are reading it, though, I have to make you feel it through my words. This concept of understanding an event was explained to me by a World War II Navajo Code Talker.”

HER ADVICE Her method of writing is swift and informative, piecing a scene together and bringing the most knowledge and pinpointing the specific information. She works towards a piece of work that needs little explaining and can be beholden and understood, allowing for objectivity and the audience to determine its own bias.

She offers advice to novice writers, particularly

advising them to filter until they focus on the most important.

“In today’s world, we bore easily, me included. Superfluous words, in conversation and in writing, drive me crazy.

Also, it is most important to have someone proofread your writing. Did they understand it the way you meant it? Write history without personal opinions,” Reeves said.

Overall, her work provides an appreciated account of Alabama’s ghost history, shining through, as she displays her knowledge. The potential for future work is bright, and Reeves’s success in the tours as a historian and writer is passionate and unending.

“I’ve got two, possibly three books that I may or may not get finished.

I finished three books in one year and I was mentally exhausted. There is an unsolved murder that I’ve been “watching” for the last couple of years for a resolution. I may write that one if it gets solved in my lifetime,” Reeves said.

North Alabama’s unexpected haunted spots offer real scare Alaura Gordon Reporter

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ou never know what places the undead claim for their own, and they certainly leave signs when they do.

You never know, after mysterious things happen, what makes these places become haunted. There are numerous unexpected locations in North Alabama that you would not expect to be haunted.

Founders Hall in Athens Legend has it, a female student was killed when she

was trying to go out after curfew. It also says the student was burned with the candle that's she was holding, that caught her hair caught on fire. Many people hear sounds of footsteps, lights that control themselves, cold spots and a phantom figure at a window. This phantom figure is there due to this student trying to sneak out Kent Robertson Park When you hear the word “park,” it is thought of as a place for kids to run around and play.

While running from slide to slide and

swing to swing there is a ghost that stays while you play. The word around is that the swings move and you hear many unusual sounds. Rumors claim that a boy died when he fell so hard that it killed him.

Athens Limestone County Courthouse This courthouse is not all that it is put out to be.

In the third floor of this historic courthouse sits a row of cells. These cells date back to the early 20th century. People say this floor is haunted because of an inmate. Rumor says he hung himself in one of the cells that still stands today.

Abbie's House

This house dates back to 1909 in which a woman named Abbie Smith lived in. The woman living in this house, founded the United Methodist church nearby. When she passed, the house still went up for sale. All of the owners that have lived in this house and still do to this day say they see lots of unusual paranormal activity. Some even claim to have seen Smith herself.

Main Street Strip This strip in Albertville, Alabama is known to be haunted by numerous ghosts. This is believed to be true by many people after the tornadoes hit. While walking down this street some say

you hear screaming and footsteps from innocent victims.

S o m e even think that the sounds are coming from victims the tornado hit.

Albertville Public Library A library is supposed to be a quiet place, but not here. This library always has visitors as people see it. An elevator runs by itself without anyone even touching it. Water faucets turn themselves on and off at erratic times. Both of the former owners of this library may still be

watching over it.

Woodland Hospital This hospital is now closed and operates a geriatric psych ward and there are still reports of ghosts. There are alarming stories that report walking into the bathroom and the toilets flushing by themselves.

While walking past if the machine is on or off, people have reported chills.

Both staff and patients have experienced these things.

Expect the unexpected. You never know what mysterious things you might run into at anytime.