The Hilight: Back to School Edition 2019

CHS Timeline Pg. 2

Band Birthday Pg. 8

Phone Addiction Pg. 12

The Back to School Edition

Volume LXXXIII September 11, 2019 Issue 1 510 13th St. Cullman, AL 35055

156 School Days Until Graduation!

Calender

Phone Evolution

Football:

How much phones have changed over the years

September 9: Varsity football vs.

Decatur at 7:00 pm September 20: Varsity vs Albertville

at 7:00 pm September 23: JV Football at Albert

ville at 6:30 pm

Start of Homecoming September 27: Varsity football vs

Hueytown at 7 pm (Home

coming) September 30: JV Footbal vs Jasper

at 6:30 pm

Bella Cottingham, Staff Writer

Ever since the first cell phone appeared in April 1973 to now, cell phones have evolved rapidly in our society. The appearance, popularity, function, and even just the general idea around the cell phone has changed tremendously over the past 47 years.

Starting off with popularity, phones have gone from being expensive items that only a few people had the luxury of owning to being almost everywhere in our society today. In 1984, the worldwide sales of cell phones were approximately 7,000 phones; in 2018 about 1.56 billion cell phones were sold around the world. Phones started out in the late 1970s only being used September 11: Patriot Dayat large companies and businesses.

September 11 Memorial Then, in the 1980s, it was common for

(Flags Half Staff) families to have a wall phone in their

Key Club Meeting (Tillman homes. Now, even if you cannot afford a phone, there is a possibility that you

Hall 5:15-6:00 pm) October 7: Columbus Day Holiday/ can get one for free. In the state of Illinois, if someone is receiving benefits

Fair Day from government programs such as October 8: Parent/Teacher Confer- Food Stamps or SNAP, SSI, or their

ence Day total household income is at or under October 30: Early Dismissal for 135% of the Federal Poverty Guide Students 11:30 am lines, they are eligible to receive a free government Lifeline Assistance cell phone. Cell phones are practically seen

Holidays/No School:

School Events:

September 12 : Class Meetings (Ten

tative- Bearcat Enrichment)

Varsity Football at Colum

bia 7:00 pm (Milton Frank

Stadium) September 17: School Board Meet

ing Central Office 5:00 pm September 16 : JV Football at

Vestavia 5 pm September 20: CCSF Luncheon

11am-2pm (Tillman Hall) September 21: CCSF Luncheon

11am-2pm (Tillman Hall) September 30: Pre-ACT All Grade

10 (ALSDF Required Test ing)

Features: 1-3

as almost a necessity in today’s society. According to USA Today, 89% of teenagers have a cell phone, compared to 2012 when only 41% did. In almost 7 years, the amount of teens having cell phones has increased almost 50%.

Most of our parents had access to only one phone in their childhood: a chunky wall phone in their house.There was no taking it past a few feet and definitely not to school. Today, as we can all see, many schools are having to almost ban cell phones on campus for reasons such as cyber bullying and distractions in the classroom.

Appearance is probably one of the biggest changes among cell phones.

In 1980 most phones (excluding wall phones) were large and bulky and often referred to as “car phones” weighing a whopping 70-80 pounds. Today phones are getting lighter and lighter with the newest iPhone XR weighing only 6.84 ounces. Phones came from being huge machines that stayed in a car for communication to a small device with endless features you can slip in your pocket and take anywhere.

The first phones were used strictly for verbal communication, today’s phones are used for so much more. At

first, phones didn’t even have cameras, and when they were introduced on phones the quality was extremely low.

Today, phones are somewhat replacing cameras and video cameras. Unless you are a photographer you don’t necessarily need a digital camera to capture everyday moments, for most phones today have amazing camera quality. The evolution of the cell phone has definitely made our lives easier.

If we want to know something, all we have to do is get our phone out and google it; we don’t have to go to the local library and flip through a dictionary or encyclopedia. We can know anything in a matter of seconds. We are informed of events happening across the world in less than an hour and can communicate with people from all over the world.

How Social Media has Changed Our Mindset A look into the cyberbullying crisis Emily Widner, Co-Editor

It is said that social media has induced the most depressed generation in over 50 years due to its steady increase in cyber bully victims and peer pressure.

According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, cyberbullying is defined as “when someone repeatedly and intentionally harasses, mistreats, or makes fun of another person online or while using cell phones or other electronic devices.” The cyberbullying research center created a graph out of the data collected from research in 2007 through 2019, the results showed that 2019 is the highest rate of cyber bullying yet.

Online bullying is the perfect way for strident people to show their “faceless evil.”

Studies by the Pediatric Academic Societies show that the number in teen suicides and suicidal thoughts increased by 50% from 2008 and 2015. General bullying has been a problem for years, but what makes cyberbullying so different is how it is approached. Teens are far more likely to post a mean comment on someone’s page rather than walk up to that person and say it to their face.

Cyberbullying often has sort of a domino effect; once one nasty comment is

Sports: 4-6

added on a personal social media account, more of these types of comments tend to come along with it, thus the cycle begins.

The Annual Bullying Survey of 2017 surveyed youths of various ages and concluded that more youth experienced cyber bullying on Instagram than any other platform by 42%. In second place was Facebook at 37% and in third place was Snapchat at 31%. Almost every participant of the survey says that social media platforms do not do enough to prevent or stop cyber bullying .

Instagram is one of the first social media platforms to make changes to their company specifically targeted to prevent cyberbullying. Instagram is currently using sophisticated reporting tools to target foul play. In the future, the company plans to use artificial intelligence to route out disrespectful behavior, insults, and shaming.

Instagram plans to remove the amount of public likes from the main feed, permalink pages and profiles.

The social media platform has performed test runs of this new feature in a few countries such as Australia, Canada, Brazil, Ireland, Italy, Japan, and New Zealand. While a user is able to see their

Campus News: 7-10

Opinion: 11-12

number of likes per post, this information will be kept private and unavailable for followers. The social media platform says they “ want your followers to focus on what you share, not how many likes your post gets.”

Personally, I believe this new Instagram feature is going to be genuinely beneficial to those who feel pressure to achieve a set number of likes when they post on Instagram. Cyberbullying is a huge problem and most likely will be for a long time, but I am appreciative that Instagram is making steps to minimize and move past the cyberbullying crisis.

Photo Credits: The Reflective Educator

Entertainment: 13-16

2

F e a t u r e s

The Hilight

A Look Into The Past

A timeline of Cullman High School Olivia Wood, Advertisement Editor 1909

Co-Editors: Michelle Herrera Emily Widner Jessica Thiot Advertising Editor: Olivia Wood Staff Writers: Tessa Adkins Isabella Cottingham Katelin Ferrell Bailey Gray Maggie Lungsford Sheldon Marti Taleah Sadler Baylee Vest Katie White Mariah Wilhite Desiree Young Staff Sponsor: Ms. Calahan Opinions expressed in The Hilight do not necessarily reflect the views of the faculty, staff, or administration of Cullman High School of Cullman City Schools.

The Hilight Cullman High School 510 Street NE Cullman, AL 35055 256-734-3923 Ext. 2045 Printing made possible by Alabama Web Press 1793 Eva Road Cullman, AL 35055 256-734-5104

Cullman High School Foundation

1913

Basketball team was formed

1917

1929 Band was formed

1912 Baseball team was formed

1915 Football team was formed

1931 FCCLA (“Royal Order of Homemakers”) was formed 1954 Marching Band was formed

Softball team was formed 1922

1985

Choir (Began as glee {boys}/lyric {girls} club)

1924 First “Orchestra”

Tennis team was formed 1937 First School Newspaper

1961 Current Location of the School was built

Jazz Band was formed

1923 French club was formed Club

1930

2013 1924

2015

First “Dramatic”Club

Renovations Completed

Incidents on Smith Lake

Fishing Team was formed

2018 First E-Sports Team

Summer 2019 and its many incidents Mariah Wilhite, Staff Writer Smith Lake, Alabama, a place many know to fish, swim, and ride their boats. It is a more than 21,000 acre lake so many enjoy with its beautiful scenery, nice parks around it and so many lake homes. Although it can be a serene place, lately, too many have found it to be a place of great tragedy.

This year has been a deadly year on the lake. Many have lost loved ones due to accidents on the lake. This past summer, 12-year-old Christian Hart, of Vinemont, died due to a boating accident. During the July 4th holiday, another fatal boating accident occurred, in which a 12-year-old girl died and a 14-year-old boy was injured. That same weekend, Kelsey Starling, a Birmingham City Schools teacher, died in a boating accident. Her body still has not been recovered. This happened after the fireworks show that many people show up for every year. Another incident was when a 7-year-old boy jumped off a cliff and fell on a ledge. He was air lifted to Children’s hospital. Some situations are not preventable others however, can be.

Certain safety measures can be done to prevent accidents. Wearing a life jacket, stay out of restricted areas, and not going out when storming can greatly increase safety.

Alabama lakes have seen 25 boating deaths just this year alone. It has been the deadliest year since 1998. In a recent al.com article, Capt. Gary Buchanan, commander of the ALabama Law En-

forcement Marine Patrol, said, “In my 24 years of doing this, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

In 1999, a law was implemented that greatly reduced the number of accidents and death. Under that law, you may not operate a vessel under any circumstances under the age of 12. If you are 12 or 13, you may obtain your Alabama boater safety certification and operate a vessel legally only if supervised on board by a person who is at least 21 years of age, carries a valid proof of his or her Alabama boater safety certification and is in a position to take immediate physical control of the vessel.

If you are 14 years or older, you may operate a motorized vessel legally on Alabama waters for up to 45 days per calendar year without an operator’s license. After 45 days, you must have a valid proof of boater certification which includes a written or oral safety exam.

Since the law went into effect in 1999, there has been a decrease in boating fatalities.

Boater registrations have also increased over the years, added to more safety concerns with more people being in the water.

Marine Patrols have also had a decrease in workers which in turn is not good for the safety of those on the water. There are roughly 45 Marine Patrol current officers throughout Alabama. There are 21 vacancies.

In Memory of Rosalio Ramirez A loving student, brother and friend

Where Did You Go This Summer?

F e a t u r e s

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Places across the world students went to this summer Mariah Wilhite, Staff Writer

Students across the school go to many different places during the summer. It is also the number one thing on a student’s mind when the near end of the year approaches. After school is over all students will think about is Netflix, beach, and relaxation.Summertime is one of the most exciting times all year round because days are longer and sunnier. The beach is a common place for summer vacationing for most families and students.

Many of the most travelled beaches are in Florida or in our home state Alabama. According to WPTV, it is estimated that 111.8 million domestic tourists visit the Floridian beaches(like the famous Panama City Beach) only during the summer. Florida has many beautiful places like Miami and Orlando where tourists can expierence different cultures, food, and music for a lower cost. In addition, the top three most visited beaches in Alabama are Orange Beach, Gulf Shores and West Beach. These beaches are very popular during summer and spring break because of the constant warm weather and dry climate. Although the beach is fun, relaxing and super popular some lucky Cullman High School students got the opportunity to go to other exotic and beautiful places as well.

Abbie Allison went to Atlantis in the Bahamas with her family. Atlantis has so much to do with scuba diving, swimming with dolphins, casinos, and more. Abbie and her family got the oppurtinity to swim with sharks and eat at a great variety of places that offered a taste into the atlantis culture.

people’s bucket list and an amazing accomplishment. Kate Davis’s favorite state is California because, “you can be at a national park like Yosemite then drive an hour and be in Disneyland, or in a big city like Los Angeles, or go to a zoo in San Diego. All packed into one state!”

Jayden Sullins went to Maryland for a navy visit. He also got to go to Washington D.C.

Mary Lunsford went to St. Louis, Missouri for a soccer tournament.

“We got to see The Arch, visited a museum, saw a giant playground, and a hockey stadium”. She also had the opportunity to go to Baton Rouge for regionals.

Isabella Allred toured Europe with the Wallace State Singers.

Presley Lafon went to Hawaii this summer. Hawaii is known for it’s beautiful waters, jungle ziplines, and volcanoes.

Presley stated, “We spent four days exploring the island of Oahu, then took a small plane to Maui where we spent the rest of our time. Oahu was more crowded and modern, while Maui was pretty much a bunch of locals. The people are so beautiful and kind, it was an amazing experience I will never forget”.

Kate Davis and Tyler Heatherly went to some state capitols this past summer, in fact they have been to all 50 states throughout their lifetime. This is definitely on some

4

S P O R T S

Football Players’ Outlook on This Season Bella Cottingham, Staff Writer

Football season is here and students are once again enjoying the pep rallies, football games, and preparing for homecoming.

Although, the season is a little different this year as CHS welcomes a new head coach, Oscar Glasscock.

Coach Glasscock graduated from Cullman High School in 1985 and played many positions including line backer, tight end, guard and defensive end. He has had 17 years of experience as a high school defensive coordinator at several schools such as Florence, Hartselle, and Mountain Brook. Before CHS, he was a head coach at Arab High School last season.

I interviewed a few players about their outlook on this season.

Freshman: Patton Ellick 1.I have played football since I was five years old, and I took a break in sixth grade.

2. I play inside linebacker and tight end.

3. I’m mostly looking forward to homecoming and Friday nights 4. I expect our team to do really well because of our team effort and overall toughness.

5. My personal goal is to become more than a leader on the team, but a mentor and a representative of Cullman High School 6. I like Coach Glasscock because of his ability to motivate the team and teach people to do the right thing, but especially take care of people’s bodies.

7. My favorite part is making friendships that will go on until senior year.

8. I usually eat a good breakfast to get the day started right, then pack 4 waters for school because I always drink a ton of water before a game. I put on my jersey and listen to some type of motivational speech, and right before the game I’ll get pumped up with some type of music.

9. My football role model would be left tackle Alejandro Villanueva, who was the only Steelers player to go out of the tunnel and stand for the National Anthem.

10. My #1 fan would most likely be my mom or my dad, because their always taking me to practices and games and supporting me whenever I need it.

Sophomore: Mason Richards 1. I’ve played football for 8 years 2. Defensive end 3. Beating Hartselle 4. I think we will do pretty good 5. To recover from injuries and get over 5 tackles every game 6. He changed a lot of the defensive plays and different workouts. His values are also different from the last coach.

7. The comradery and knowing I belong there, and winning of course.

8. A lot of water, a lot of sleep, and a lot of mental prep.

9. JJ Watt 10. Me

Junior: Parker Hyatt 1. 5 years 2. Right tackle 3. Homecoming 4. I think we can be a top GA team 5. I look to become more agile

6. He has centered the program around leadership 7. The sense of unity 8. We walk through our plays and prepare for what the other team is doing 9. Dabo Swinney 10. My brother

Junior: Jaylen Hughey 1. 10 years 2. Fullback/linebacker 3. I am looking forward to winning football games 4. I expect to give every team we play a run for their money and be the first Bearcat team to win a 6A playoff game 5. Be a leader and do my job 6. Personally Coach Glasscock has taught me to be a better guy off the football field and he does a great job of holding me accountable to that.

7. My favorite part of being on the CHS football team is the tradition and standards that we are held to.

8. I like to listen to music, it helps me stay focused 9. Ray Lewis, he was a relentless player 10. My mother

Senior: Jayden Sullins 1. 12 years 2. Running back 3. Working together as a team to get better every week and perform well 4. Having good team chemistry and having a good season 5. Being a better team leader and build character for myself 6. He’s very smart and a great leader. He has us going into the season

prepared with a great game plan.

7. It’s a grind every day as you are held accountable for your actions and that will better you as a player and as a person.

8. Listen to music and try to focus on the game and block out distractions 9. Not really, I like to watch Bo Jackson and Saquon Barkley 10. My mother Questions: 1. How long have you played football?

2. What position do you play?

3. What are you looking forward to MOST this year?

4. What are your expectations for the season?

5. What is a personal goal for the season?

6. What changes or impact has Coach Glasscock made?

7. What is your favorite part about being on the CHS football team?

8. Describe your “game day” preparation.

9. Do you have a football role model?

10. Who is your #1 fan?

Pictures on page 6

S p o r t s

Cross Country

5

Running to a new season Michelle Herrera, Co-Editor

Another year has passed and a new one has begun. Cross Country is once again going to start off fall sports to a good start. This summer, the cross country team has been training and exercising to better their performance this season.

Coach Trent Dean had this to say about summer and annual training, “The end of next week will conclude our 14 week “Summer Training” phase where we strive to establish the type of aerobic foundation we need as a team to be able to progress through the season and have enough guys and girls peaking and running fast enough to create championship opportunities in November. For the guys that have been in the program for at least one full year our goal is 750 miles and for the girls it is 500 miles during that time. We have certain train-

ing sessions that are a staple of our summer training phase that help us build tremendous endurance, strength and aerobic speed. We also have supplemental work that we do consistently to meet other needs.

All in all, it is a very thorough process that we strive to work each day and do so at an extraordinary level.

It demands a remarkable amount of self-discipline.”

In addition, Coach Dean has new aspirations for this year by stating, “We are process-oriented so we will focus on executing the actual training each day at the level it needs to be accomplished along with fostering a selfless team culture through our program’s core values and athletic character.” Although Coach Dean has hopes for this season, he did comment, “We don’t worry ourselves with outcomes. In order

Jennifer Aviles

Questions: 1. How long have you been in cross country?

2. Why did you join the cross country team?

3. What is your best time overall?

4. How do you prepare for competition?

5. What are you hoping for this season?

1. I have been running cross country for 5 years. I first started off running in 7th grade but I only did track that year and then did both cross country and track the rest of the years.

2. The reason I joined it was because Mrs. Dean told me I should try it my 7th grade year so I gave it a try and I liked it a lot.

3. My best time so far for my 5k is 20:33 4. For a race we prepare by warming up doing a couple of miles and hydrating, stretching, and most importantly being mentally ready!

5. This season we are hoping for a good overall team average and getting our times down and we are shooting for the map this year (state map) we have

been working hard and the girls are ready for our first race next week!

to have the opportunity to reach our potential, our focus has to be on the daily process and if we do that right each day then we will be able to create the opportunities we want to obtain the accomplishments we want. Our boys have been the 6A State Runner-Up the past three years, so naturally they would like to be champions. The girls have also been improving each season and last year finished 6A #6. Their focused on what they need to do each day to have the opportunity to improve that outcome. The boys and girls have invested a lot into each other this off-season and the training. They are excited to get the season started next week at home.”

Hopefully the cross country team will succeed in their new season and bring home victories.

Will Thompson

1. I have been doing cross country since 7th grade so I guess that makes it 6 years by now 2. I have always had a passion for running but the people on the team make it so much more worthwhile 3. My best time currently for the 5k was a 16:03.

4. I stay hydrated, carbo load two nights before followed by an easier run the next day which I incorporate with a stretching routine and a couple of short sprints as well. Then I take an ice bath, go to bed early and wake up to shower and pray. Then I eat my usual food which is oatmeal and scrambled eggs 3 hours before and then I am ready to go.

5. My hope for this season is to help our team achieve what we all know we are capable of --and that’s being a state champion.

Just Keep Swimming!

A look into the 2019 swim season Jessica Thiot, Co-Editor

The Cullman High School swim team is preparing for another successful year. The team’s first meet is on September 5th at the Cullman Wellness and Aquatic Center with two other meets following on September 12th and September 26th.

This year, there are three senior girls on the swim team: Alyssa Barbee, Sarah Johnson, and Kelly Warren. Warren has been swimming for 11 years and loves swimming the 100 IM and her goal this season is to make it to state. Barbee has been swimming for three years and enjoys swimming the 50 breaststroke.

She wants to qualify for state this year. Johnson has been swimming for 6 years and enjoys swimming

the 50 backstroke and wants to cut time in her personal records. Warren states that her favorite memory during the CHS swim season is when she got Shelly, a prize that the best swim gets at swim practice. Barbee’s favorite memory was when she swam faster than her friends at practice. Johnson’s favorite memory was at the 2016 NCA swim meet with her friends.

Coach Goble states that he is excited about how the new upcoming swimmers do this season. His overall goal is to try to get the guy’s relay to state and fifty percent of the girls on the team to state. The most difficult obstacle this year is rebuilding the girl’s team, but feels confident in the season overall.

6Sports Volleyball

Team captain and head coach interview Taleah Sadler, Staff Writer

Questions:

1. What are you looking forward to the most this year?

2. What do you think the biggest mental challenge the team will face this year?

3. LG: What is your favorite memory of Cullman Volleyball thus far?

Cagle: What changes have you made to the team’s routine in order to better prepare them for the games to come?

4. Who do you think your strongest opponent will be?

5. What team are you most excited to play? Why?

1. “I am looking forward to all of the volleycat traditions. Since it’s my senior year I get to host the sleepovers and lead practices.”

2. “To finish a game. Typically we are ahead but the last 2-3 points are a struggle for us to achieve mentally.”

3. “My favorite memory thus far would be running in a field while it’s raining after losing a tournament. The whole team bonded while dying because running in a wet field after playing 6 games is the best thing…”

4. “I think our strongest opponent will be Hazel Green.”

5. “Hartselle because a lot of people watch those games and the rivalry is always intense and fun.”

1. “The level of competition we will be playing. The schedule is pretty tough and it will be a good chance to see how we match up again top ranked teams.”

2. “I think the biggest mental challenge will be finishing strong in any game we play and minimizing unforced errors.”

3. “We have been doing a lot more mentally tough drills that puts us in pressure situation and the girls have to stay focused to get through the drills.”

4. “Hazel Green” 5. “Hazel Green, they put us out of the regional tournament last year so we are out for some revenge.”

All-Star Soccer

Bearcats competing for state.

Bailey Gray, Staff Writer

Hannah Bircheat and Greyson Gerding both earned a spot to represent the North at the Alabama All-Star Sports Week soccer doubleheader, which took place on July 17th. The games took place at the Emory Folmar Soccer Complex in Montgomery where the North girls lost 3-1 and the North boys won 3-0. Bircheat played outside back despite her usual position as center back; she was able to adjust and was overall happy with how she played. She was grateful to walk away from this experience meeting new friends and profound athletes.

Gerding was honored to be apart of such a good team but gave all the glory to God for his success. Gerding is hoping to use his experience at the All-Star Sports Week to build up the young soccer team this 2020 season at CHS.

“Even though it didn’t turn out how I had hoped, I still had the best time becoming friends with the girls and making many memories during the time I was there.” - Hannah Bircheat Source: The Cullman Times

Hannah Bircheat playing for the North girls.

Greyson Gerding playing for the North boys.

Football Pictures

c a m p u s

Who’s New?

n e w s

Introducing the new staff at CHS.

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Bailey Gray, Staff Writer

Meagan Cagle 1. Math and Head Volleyball Coach 2. Athens State University 3. My mom 4. The fact that my day is never boring 5. A wolf 6. Being a mom to three awesome little boys

Peyton Little 1. Instructional Assistant 2. Auburn University with a degree in History and minor in Political Science.

3. President John F. Kennedy because he lead our country bravely through a terribly dark and turbulent time.

4. Meeting new students and hopefully being a positive influence in their lives.

5. Definitely a tiger 6. So far, it has been finishing my senior thesis.

Jason Johnsey 1. 10th grade US History 2. Auburn & West Alabama 3. Dave Grohl 4. Interaction with the kids 5. Honey badger 6. Graduating from graduate school at 38 years old.

Oscar Glasscock 1. Head Football Coach Questions: 2. Cullman High 1. What is your job at CHS? School in 1985 2. Where did you graduate?

3. Stone Cold 3. Who is your hero?

Steve Austin 4. What is your favorite thing about 4. Impacting being a teacher/coach? young people in a 5. What is your spirit animal? positive way 6. What is your proudest 5. Of course, it’s a accomplishment?

Bearcat!

6. Being named Head Coach at my alma mater, Cullman High

Heath Saint 1. Strength and Conditioning Training 2. Falkville in 1997 3. Henry David Thoreau 4. Helping young men become men 5. A short-nosed bear 6. My two sons, Atticus and Abraham

Katie Jackson 1. Being the control center.

2. Cullman High School 3. Officer Anderson and Officer Pruitt 4. Getting to see all the kids, including my own.

5. No idea.

6. My two children.

Nina Mills 1. Resource Teacher 2. Martin Methodist College and University of West Alabama.

3. My mom, sisters, other family members, many of my previous teachers, coaches, and any person that has overcome obstacles.

4. The relationships that are formed with my students and co-workers.

5. Probably like a mix between a honey badger and Taylor Swift.

6. As of right now, completing my masters.

8C a m p u s

n e w s

Ninety Years of Music

Cullman Band Celebrates 90th Anniversary Tessa Adkins, Staff Writer

Cullman City has one of the oldest music programs in Alabama, starting in 1929 with head director Mr. Pasquale F. Bria. Bria who was an Italian immigrant who came to the United States with the army as a band master, and started several music programs in Alabama. He founded the Cullman Band Program in 1929, where his group of around 50-60 students played indoors in a small ensemble. Bria’s time at Cullman lasted until 1951, when Mr. George Page took over until 1954. During Page’s time at Cullman, the Band began to perform at football halftime shows. After Page, Mr. Bonnie K. James took over as director and lead the band to success at many events, such as State Contest, and the grand opening of Wallace State Community College in 1967.

James’ Assistant Director, Mr. Richard Slayton, took over as director in 1977, and his wife, Carolyn Slayton was the band director at Cullman Middle School. Following Slayton was Garry Taylor, who took over in 1984. Taylor founded the Cullman Jazz Band and began the tradition of the Big Band Dance in the spring of 1997. Mr. Taylor directed the band until 2005, and a year before his retirement, Christopher Smith began his teaching at Cullman as Assistant Director.

Smith took over in 2005 as head director, and over the past 15 years has continued the tradition of excellence the Cullman Band is known for.

When being interviewed about the history of the band, Mr. Smith was asked to recall his favorite marching show the band has done under his direction. “It’s hard to pick a favorite,” Smith tells, “It’s not the shows that are important, but the kids who played them.” He eventually narrowed his choices down to his two favorites. They are, in no order, 2005’s ‘Strike Up the Band,’ and 2014’s ‘From the Earth to the Stars Above.’

‘Strike Up the Band’ was the first show completely written by Mr. Smith, so it has a large sentimental value to him. Not only this, but the band also had great success at the Hoover Marching Invitational with the show. When asked about ‘From the Earth to the Stars Above,’ Smith confesses “I was surprised on how it turned out.”

The space-themed show was very successful, not only at competition, but with every crowd the band played for. From the patriotic voice-overs to the stunning flags used, the show had an effect on

people; “I had people telling me they cried,” tells Smith. It is obvious to anyone who walks in the band room the success the band has had, as the room is surrounded by over 700 trophies and plaques, marking the band’s hard work and dedication.

Not only does 2019 mark 90 years of the Cullman High School Band, but also Linda Bean’s 30th year as a band director at Cullman Middle School. Mrs. Bean is a graduate of Fairview High School, as well as Wallace State, Montevallo, and UNA. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education and a Master of Music Education Degree.

Bean oversees the marching, concert, and jazz bands at the middle school, as well as the beginning band program, which gives 6th graders from East and West Elementary an opportunity to begin their music education early. The beginning band program is essential to the Cullman Band’s success, and all of the directors have cited it as the most important ensemble in the Cullman Band program.

preparing their fall show, ‘Fuego y Furia’ (Fire and Fury). It is a Latin show, featuring the songs ‘Escorpion’ by Jay Dawson, ‘Echano’ by Chuck Mangione, and ‘Malaguena’

by Ernesto Lecuona. The band will perform at all of the games, and will also travel to the Trussville Marching Invitational on October 5th, and the Hoover Invitational on October 19th. In addition to this, Cullman hosts the Cullman County Band Exhibition, which will be Saturday, September 28th at 6:00 pm. This event invites all the county bands, as well as the Middle School band, to perform their shows for each other.

The shirt design for the show, ‘Fuego y Furia’

Band Directors, (left-right) Mr. Teuscher and Mr. Smith

Doug Teuscher took over the role of Assistant Director of both the High School and Middle School bands in 2015. He assists in the leading of the CHS and CMS marching bands, the percussion ensemble, and all of the middle school ensembles. He is also the director of the Concert Band in the spring. Teuscher is an accomplished musician, as he made All-State in 2008 and 2009 on bass clarinet, as well as being a percussion major and an accomplished guitarist.

Since the beginning of summer, the band has been hard at work

In November, the Marching Band takes a trip to a big city or theme park. The band members sell Band Cards to raise money toward the cost of their own trip.

These cards have over 40 businesses on them with amazing deals at those places. This year, the band will travel to New York City. Usually, the band would march in a parade, like the ‘Magnificent Mile Lights Festival’ parade in Chicago.

This year, however, the band will perform on Veteran’s Day on Liberty Island in front of the Statue of Liberty. This trip will bring an end to the band’s marching season,and upon their return, concert season will begin.

The band not only has success on the marching field, but also in the late fall with the combined concert band, and in the spring with the separate concert and symphonic bands. In the Winter, all levels of Cullman Band students perform at the annual Christmas Concert. The night starts out with the Beginning Band, comprised of 6th graders from East and West Elementary, then the Advanced Band from the middle school plays. After that, the high school’s combined Concert Band plays, which is all of the students from both the Concert and Symphonic Bands. The night ends with the Jazz Band, who

also host the annual ‘Big Band’ Dance in the Spring. Also in the Spring, the musicians are split in to two ensembles, the Concert and Symphonic Bands. The symphonic band, which holds the top auditioning players, has a 26 year record of achieving all superior ratings (ones) at the ABA Alabama Music Performance Assessment.

The concert band also performs at this event, usually obtaining an overall 2. At this event, both groups preform challenging music that they spend months preparing, and sight reading, which is music the ensembles have never seen before, for a panel of judges.

In all, the Cullman Band Program has a rich history that is full of success and superiority. The program has churned out many accomplished musicians, including Kurt Heinecke, who composes music for the popular children’s show Veggie Tales, and Tyler Jones, whose music is performed by the Alabama Million Dollar Band. Jones is also the arranger of the popular stand tune played by the Cullman High School Band, “Requiem for a Dream.” The band program not only makes great musicians, but also instills a good work ethic in its students and shows the importance of the individual. There is a lot of responsibility placed in the hands of the student leadership team, which is made up of section leaders and officers that are voted for by students, or picked by Mr. Smith and Teuscher. The officers are: President-Tessa Adkins, VP-Olivia Wood, Secretary-Sara Reeves, Treasurer-Kirin Tisdale, Librarians- Alyssa Tandcredi and Clay Goble, Senior RepresentativeHeath Cordes, Junior Representative-Peyton Burgess, Sophomore Representative-Madison Smith, and Freshman Representative- Brie Miller. They help make sure everything runs smoothly, and represent the band. The next time you are at a football game and the band starts playing your favorite stand tune, think of what it would be like without them being there, and appreciate the history of one of the oldest band programs in Alabama.

LEGACY

c a m p u s

Summer Computer Science Program

n e w s

9

Taleah Sadler, Staff Writer

At the end of last school year, I was invited and accepted into a program called LEGACY, which required that I be an African-American females interested in computer science. LEGACY’s goal is to introduce African-American females to the AP CSP course hoping to increase our state’s AP scores.

During the summer, I‐along with 37 other girls‐met with several computer science professors who taught the course material we would learn throughout the year. People from all over the world Skyped us and we had a few guest speakers.

We also made an example Create and Explore, which are portions of the exam. Over the summer, I had homework, which was to create a web-app. For this program, I got to stay at the University of AlabamaTuscaloosa (5 days) and Tuskegee University (3 days).

By taking part in this program, I was offered a $2,000 stipend. This means that if I complete the specified requirements, I will eventually be given a total of $2,000. We were the first group to take part in this program, but, if successful, we will not be the last. I am so thankful to have been given the opportunity to take part in LEGACY because, not only did I gain useful information to be successful this year, I was given the chance to meet some amazing people from around the area whom I now have a very close bond with.

From Around the World Meet the New Foreign Faces Katelin Ferrell, Staff Writer

1. Where are you from?

2. How long have you been in the United States?

3. What is your favorite place to eat here?

4. What do you miss the most from home?

5. Why did you want to become a foreign exchange student?

-Ruben Wolff (10th & 15yrs) 1. Germany 2. Around a month 3. Chick-Fil-A 4. German bread 5. Because I like basketball, high school, and America

-Anastasia Reichart (10th & 15yrs) 1. Germany 2. Around one month 3. Burger King 4. Friends 5. Interesting to be apa

-Synee Aurora Oyan (12th & 17yrs) 1. Norway 2. Around a month 3. Chick-Fil-A 4. Friends 5. For the new experience

10 c

a m p u s

n e w s

Cullman High School Theatre Update

Information about the 2019-2020 CHS Theatre Department Olivia Wood, Advertisement Editor 1,082 miles - that’s how far members of the Cullman High School theatre department traveled to attend the week-long National Thespian Competition in Nebraska this year. National Thespian is a yearly competition held in different states around the country that draws students from high schools all over America. To compete in National Thespian, one must first score highly in the State Thespian competition held in February. This year, we had one student score highly enough to advance to the National Competition and that was Grant Holland.

According to Mr. Cook and Mrs. Skinner, he also got a superior at National Thespian, which is the highest honor you can receive.

The group of eight - which included Grant Holland, Sam Jones, Mary Claire Page, Olivia Noblett, Olivia’s Mom, Dawson Culver, Mr. Cook and Mrs. Skinner - saw five shows on the main stage while they were there. Those included Bright Star, Be More Chill, Shakespeare in Love, Bring It On,

and 26 Pebbles. One word that Mr. Cook and Mrs. Skinner mentioned that described nationals for them was “impressive.” They also mentioned that they believe that what they saw at Nationals was the epitome of high school theatre.

One of the impressive shows happened to be Bright Star, which is our spring selection this year; however, we have two other shows that will be on our stage first. One of those shows is The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the other is Elf the Musical. I know what you are thinking - The Hunchback of Notre Dame again? But not to worry, we will only be performing that at Trumbauer this year, which is yet another theatre competition.

In fact, we are hosting Trumbauer for District 3 at the high school this year! Mr. Cook happens to be the chair of the District this year; therefore, Trumbauer comes to Cullman High.

On November 2, schools in our district will send representatives and “one-act” plays to be judged and to potentially get the bid to move on in the competition and compete at State Trumbauer in December. This year, our show that we will be presenting for competition is, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The very same show that we did last Spring for the school and community. According to Mr. Cook and Mrs. Skinner, we chose that show because they loved it so much and they believed that the story would be well-received by the judges and the audience. They also knew we had a lot of it ready already, and

that it would be easier to polish it and have it ready for November 2nd than learning an entirely new show would be. They also knew that we already fully understand the show and how to convey the powerful message it entails to an audience.

The theatre department will also be preparing for the annual fall show, Elf the Musical, throughout the entire process of preparing for Trumbauer. Mr. Cook and Mrs. Skinner chose Elf the Musical for our fall selection because they believe it is “really cute” and a “crowd pleaser”. It also allows for the Theatre Department to put on shows for younger students because our spring show, Bright Star, is “not going to be that kind of show.” According to Mr. Cook and Mrs. Skinner, Bright Star is a blue-grass musical that takes place in the South and is based upon a true story. It is funny, yet gripping

and has very dramatic aspects to the plot.

According to Mr. Cook, “It is definitely not a kid’s musical, it’s got a more serious storyline. I just think people are going to love it!

The music is fabulous and if you listen to it one time, you just want to listen to it over and over again.

People do not need to be thrown by the fact that they might not like bluegrass, it’s just too good. Even if you’re not a bluegrass fan, you will love this music. The story is good too. Everything about it is really positive. The only thing that is negative about it is that people don’t know about it, they’ve never heard about it. That’s the only negative thing. They’re gonna love it!” According to Mrs. Skinner, “It’s funny, it’s moving, it’s got great dancing, and hopefully live instrumentation.” As a final question, I asked both Mr. Cook and Mrs. Skinner what they thought their favorite show was going to be this year, and they both confidently answered with Bright Star.

The Cullman Theatre Department has a packed season this year, and I encourage everyone to come out and enjoy the shows!

Grant Holland at Nationals.

Back To School Word Search Word Bank: CLASSROOM ENGLISH FOOTBALL HISTORY LUNCHROOM MATH OFFICE PAPER PRINCIPAL SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER

Y P V E I S M R V U U N F H P Z N R F C A C M M Y B O R S A I C O I T N D H R X O O K I P J L B H N M E O O T M S N L E Y A Z Z W C T I B O X K T G R G S P T Q S I A C D L T M N N V S Z A I G L P U S V P P E W M R B H G L Z F A D K R W W E P O Q I S L A P D L W C W C Y C O A H R E F L Y J A K I U J N M S K E I S N B K P X E N C B O Z I V J K O Y X L U G F C H V P X I P V T I B A R H H M C R E H C A E T B G Y A O F B L U N C H R O O M O F F I C E

o p i n i o n In Life and Death

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Jeffrey Epstein, the financier, the multimillionaire, the convicted sex offender.

Desiree Young, Staff Writer Jeffrey Edward Epstein has ‘unexpectedly’ passed away August 10th after having a life that included owning his own financing firm, J. Epstein & Co., and being in connection to multiple people in power including politicians and cultural elites. Although he has a multimillionaire status, surrounding Epstein is a multitude of conspiracies that revolve around his criminal record, how he became a multimillionaire, his death, and why he ran the trafficking ring.

The most questioning conspiracy around Epstein is his death.

Isn’t it just so interesting that once certain people were linked with Epstein in the sex trafficking ring that Epstein hung himself? It’s said that 2 days before he ‘hanged himself’ he signed a will, leaving $577 million in estates to his only heir, his brother. Many people believe that Bill Clinton is the one to blame for Epstein’s death. Even the president has been pointing his fingers at Clinton; but let’s be real, Trump would do anything to see Bill Clinton’s demise. Others also believe that Trump was somewhat red handed with Epstein’s death, tying into another conspiracy around how Epstein became wealthy in the first place. Since his death is so recent and the autopsy results have only raised more questions there’s not much more to add to this theory.

Another aspect of his life concocts a theory about how he evaded jail time with such serious allegations and convictions on his record. He has made many out-ofcourt settlements to many of his

accusers. The Jane Doe VS. Epstein case in 2008 was dismissed even as several victims came forward, then the case was brought back in 2014 when some of the victims were trying the United States for violating the Crime Victims’ Rights

against Epstein and Trump arose in 2016 but was dismissed due to “lack of valid claim under federal law.” The claim in question was that at 13 years old, this woman was sexually assaulted multiple times at a series of parties at Ep-

Act which states all the rights a victim of a crime holds, such as “The right to be informed in a timely manner of any plea bargain or deferred prosecution agreement.”

In Another case, Virginia Roberts Giuffre VS. Epstein in 2015, Epstein was accused of holding 17 year old Virginia as a sex slave from 1999 to 2002. During this time it is said that Epstein lent her out to many higher ups including Prince Andrew. Oh but that’s not it folks, another case

stein’s Manhattan residence along with now President Trump. Even with more allegations behind him he managed to remain out of jail, excluding the 13 months he did in county jail in 2007, just up until recently when he was arrested in 2019 on sex trafficking charges.

When he was detained in jail for 13 months it was due to signing a deal with Alexander Acosta, who is now Secretary of Labor under President Trump. A question that

everyone should be asking is, how does one man gain so many charges and still remain almost entirely free?

With time disturbing details from Epstein’s past rising out into the open a theory of why Epstein did what he did was laid out. It’s said that Epstein “hoped to seed the human race with his DNA by impregnating women at his vast New Mexico ranch” according to the New York Times. Firstly, he WHAT. Secondly, Epstein was known as a transhumanist. A transhumanist is someone who believes in transhumanism; the science of improving the human population through technologies like genetic engineering and artificial intelligence. Transhumanism seems like a cool thing to think about and to use to better ourselves, but apparently from what has been said that is not how Epstein thought of it. With his wealth he attracted many honorable names in the scientific community that range from Stephen Hawking to George M. Church.

The scientists claim in a New York Times article that his “prospect of financing blinded them to the seriousness of his sexual transgressions.”

It’s been a really interesting few weeks in the conspiracy theory community; from Epstein commiting ‘suicide’, to his mission in seeding the world to create tiny Epstein’s. In the end, the only ones who really know what happened between Epstein and his victims are the ones involved.

Raids on America Ice raids and their effect on America Desiree Young, Staff Writer American citizens and people everywhere are grieving the loss of loved ones due to the massive rise in ICE ( Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids across America.

In 2019 alone there have been approximately 1,867 arrests of immigrants since January 2nd when the first ICE raid of 2019 occured in New York. (https://www.aila.org/infonet/iceannouncements-of-enforcementactions ) ICE stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Founded by George W. Bush in 2003 with approximate-

ly 20,000 employees. If you visit Although that’s their mission statement, they are most known their website, www.ice.gov, under the ‘What We Do’ tab it states for detaining multiple their primary mission immigrants at a time, separating of “promoting homeland secufamilies, and wrongfully rity and pub“American lic safety detaining citizens and people everythrough the US Citiwhere are grieving the loss zens. criminal of loved ones due to the masand civil The enforcemost sive rise in ICE raids across ment of recent America.” federal laws ICE raid, as of Augoverning border control, gust 19th, customs, trade took place and immigration.” in Mississippi on

August 7th where approximately 680 individuals were detained at work throughout 6 cities, interrupting the first week of school. This particular raid involved at least 600 agents from ICE and took over a year to plan the raid on Koch Foods.

Despite Trump’s depiction back in 2016 of immigrants being “criminals, drug dealers, rapists, etc.” they make up a good portion of the backbone that is our agricultural and food processing systems.

See continued on page 12

12 o p i n i o n Phone Addiction

Pros and Cons of Phone Enslavement

Baylee Vest and Katelin Ferrell, Staff Writers

Phone Dependancy Pros: Many people might say that teenagers are addicted to their phones but I can assure you we are not! Just because we are looking at our phone when you happen to glance over doesn’t mean we spend every minute of our day with our faces shoved into the screens. Teenagers have many different reasons to be on their phones. What adults don’t realize is that we have a lot of our school stuff linked to our phones. I know that I personally have my school email linked to my phone.

Let’s be honest, none of us use our school provided computers for anything but to do classwork in the classrooms. The schools are always telling us that we need to check our school emails so we have it set in our phones so that we will see the emails. I know that they say statistics show more kids are on their phones at school that they are actually paying attention. School should be a place where students want to come to everyday to learn and engage with other students, but instead students are dreading coming to school because they have enforced so many rules that should have never been put into place in the first place.

Yes, I understand that there are some rules that need to be in place but others are there to make students feel miserable! When students are on there phones, they are more than likely socializing with other students. I mean isn’t that what schools want is for students to engage with other students? Well if so then why take away one main use of communica-

tion. Since this article is about phone addictions, I am going to branch out from students.

Let’s get on the topic of teachers and faculty. How many times do you see a teacher or administrator on their phones during the school day? A lot right? Well I feel like rules should be enforced across the board. If we have to have phone pockets to put our phones in then so should the teachers. Every rule should be fair across the whole campus. Most students are too afraid to step up and say something about the rules not being fair, but students should feel free to stand up and speak for what they feel is right. Now I have heard that it takes 30 days to form a habit and 90 days to break one. Now I don’t know if that is the correct statistics but it is close. When smartphones came out who were the first ones to get them? The answer is the adults right now. I have always heard the saying “monkey see.. Monkey do.”

The reason we are so called “addicted” is because we saw others using their phones all the time so now we use them.

Before they were using them to connect with others in a smarter way. That still stands true today. If you were to walk down the halls today and see a student on their phones, more than likely they are communicating with others. Now if we want to enforce rules then we have to enforce them the right way. To do that, the rules need to be enforced across the board. So in conclusion, teengaers are not addicted to phones, they just have their lives inside them. *insert mic drop here*

“The schools are always telling us that we need to check our school emails so we have it set in our phones so that we will see the emails.”

Phone Dependancy Cons: Phones are a technological device that has caused a school-wide epidemic due to the distractions that were created in class.

As a result, the administration has taken it upon themselves to secure students’ essential class time. I believe phones are detrimental to our health and education as we continue to have an obsessive attachment to this device.

According to Healthline, “Scientists at the University of Toledo think they have discovered how the blue light emitted from your phone can lead to macular degeneration meaning photoreceptor cell death in the retina.” Eye damage is something to take into consideration as I have personally experienced vision loss by staring at a screen for too long. To help with this, you can put a time limit on apps that restrict you from aimlessly looking at your phone.

Phones also have a feature where you can see how long you spend on your phone and targets time spent on apps. Both of these options are useful if you need help cutting back on screen time. Staring at a screen right before you plan to go to sleep is not the brightest idea because the blue light can also keep you awake. Teenagers need at least 8 hours or more of sleep to fully function on a day to day basis. This might not be a problem for everyone, however, to have maximum productivity to function at school, sleep is a number one priority.

I recommend trying not to look at your device thirty minutes before bed. Many people who I’ve asked suggest charging your phone in a separate room. If it’s a dilemma with constantly getting on the device, take initiative to plug it up in a different room. Sight and sleep are two important things not to take advantage of, so fall off the grid once in a while take in life around you.

Many of the older generations con-

tinuously blame technology for teenagers behavior, and while they’re not wrong, they aren’t right either. We have a choice of whether we let our phones consume our lives. My issue is how we use social media by hurting ourselves or others. At some point, I’m sure you have talked down to someone online, classifying it as ranting. I am guilty of this because nowadays most of our generation would rather talk about someone behind their back instead of experiencing confrontation. I understand bottling up your feelings is unhealthy, however you end up hurting someone else’s feelings when you post negatively about them. Our generation can change how each of us utilize technology. For example, choosing to follow people on platforms who are regularly pessimistic by bringing others down shouldn’t be encouraged. Behavior like this that is explicitly persistent doesn’t need to be viewed. If you don’t show feedback even if it’s simply liking the posts or following these cynical people it will stop. Surrounding yourself with negativity won’t benefit you mentally.

Social networking has increased anxiety, depression, and loneliness according to the Anxiety And Depression Association Of America (ADAA). Teens constantly feel pressured to have “x”amount of followers, likes, and views. It can also lead to new diagnosed mental disorders associated with having a social media addiction. Everyone needs to put down whatever device they own from time to time to experience life.

Living wasn’t intended to be done behind a screen, for there is beauty all around us. Life is too short to be on a device such as your phone. Go outside, converse with friends, write, and catch up on what’s going on in our world. “Don’t miss out on life just because you’re too busy scrolling through someone else’s” (Mel Robbins).

“Social networking has increased anxiety, depression, and loneliness-”

Teen Sleeping Patterns

Raids on America : Continued

Maggie Lunsford, Staff Writer

Desiree Young, Staff Writer

Why sleeping is so important

As summer comes to a close, students are still trying to get back into a normal school routine. One of the hardest changes is going to bed earlier at night and waking up earlier in the morning. Parents and other adults frequently remind us that is extremely important to get enough sleep while we are still young and growing. But why is sleep so crucial for teenagers?

The National Sleep Foundation refers to sleep as “food for the brain.” Teenagers in particular need more “food” than young children or adults because of constant changes in growth and physical activity.

It is best for teens to get between eight and ten hours of sleep each night. But as we get older our bodies have a natural tendency to make us feel tired earlier in the mornings and later in the evenings, making it harder for us to fall asleep and wake up early. It is also harder for us to sleep because of things like caffeine, television, and our cell phones.

For teenagers, lack of sleep can cause acne, unhealthy eating behaviors, weight gain, and drowsiness. Limited sleep can also weaken your immune system making you more prone to sickness. It can even become deadly if you fall asleep while driving. Falling asleep behind the wheel

causes 100,000 car crashes every year.

Insufficient amounts of sleep can also be detrimental to your mental health.

Without sleep, teens have limited concentration, a reduced ability to listen and learn, and lack of motivation. It can reduce performance rates in school, on tests, in physical activity, or in sports. Sleep deprivation also leads to moodiness and aggression, making it harder to get along with friends, family, and teachers.

Because sleep is so important to physical and mental health, it needs to be one of our main priorities. So go to bed on time!

Having a scheduled time to go to bed and wake up helps your body get into a routine that makes it easier to go to sleep at night and get up early. It is also a good idea to avoid caffeine, sugar, or any rigorous activities close to bedtime so that your body can stay calm, ready to fall asleep.

Avoiding screen time on your phone and on television before bed will also help your brain focus on falling asleep. All of these things can relax your body and your mind, helping you fall asleep quickly and wake up feeling refreshed and energized for the day ahead.

Ice raids and their effect on America Many farmers in California and the West are doubting and even taking back their support for Trump and ICE due to the increasing raids, leaving fields unable to be plowed and acres going barren. To those who exasperate about immigrants taking your jobs, this is your time to shine. Go get those manual labor jobs and pick avocados from sunrise to sundown.

Even if you agree with the border camps and how ICE is handling the immigration issue no one can deny that they’re holding children in these camps illegally. More than 2000 children stay in these camps without their parents for days and even weeks. There’s a legality issue with that, children are supposed to be held no longer than 72 hours and then taken to the Department of Health and Human Services who from there finds their nearest relative in the US to house them for the time being. Children are being held in these overcrowded and insufficient facilities. In these camps there’s less food than people and the hygienic conditions are horrendous. One account of an incident occured when a reporter from the New Yorker visited a

camp in Texas. This particular event that was witnessed was a lice outbreak. Six children out of a cell that held 25 children had lice. ICE facilitators gave those with lice shampoo and the entire cell 2 combs to use throughout all 25 children. One of the combs was lost, and the Patrol Agents got angry with the children; so in return they took away the mats that some had to sleep on as well as blankets. That just increases the unhygienic conditions of the facilities.

Throughout all these events in the facilities and the raids in general, it’s becoming clear that there’s a lack of morality. Children are being put in cages.

People are dying. Children are being put on the stand when all they know how to say is “water” in their native tongue.

Over 2000 children that have been detained have been sent all over the nation to foster homes without their parents knowledge. We’re creating a generation that will remember what our government did to them. How we took their parents.

How we sent them to strangers who erased their heritage. No matter if you agree with me or not, I just have to ask; is this the history we want to create?

E n t e r t a i n m e n t

Live Action Disney Movies

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Can these recreate the magic?

Maggie Lunsford, Staff Writer

Over the past few years, the Disney franchise has released a wave of live-action movies attempting to refresh their classic cartoons.

Some of the most well known remakes include The Jungle Book, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. However, many critics have conflicting opinions on whether or not these movies captured the same magic that many of us expect from a Disney movie.

But based on the most consistent reviews and comments, here are the standings on which movie has done the best job bringing our fantasies to life.

Cinderella The newest Cinderella movie was one of the firsts in the live-action Disney series. When it hit theaters in February of 2015, audiences were pleasantly surprised to find that the movie kept its most iconic elements. It was also able to expand more on the backgrounds of Cinderella and her stepmother while also developing a deeper and more real connection between Cinderella and Prince Charming.

The Jungle Book The original 1967 The Jungle Book was based on Rudyard Kipling’s novel of the same name.

Both follow the story of Mowgli, a young boy who was raised by wolves in the jungle, as he prepares to face the vicious tiger, Sheere Khan, with the help of his friends Bagheera and Baloo. Its 2016 transformation brought to life Mowgli’s journey as he meets characters such as Akela the wolf, Kaa the snake, and King Louie the monkey. Audiences were still able to appreciate the original storyline with a refreshing look of the jungle and its animals.

Senior Year Nostalgia

Aladdin Aladdin follows a street rat named Aladdin who tricks Princess Jasmine into thinking that he too comes from royalty with the help of his friend the Genie. The newer version added new songs, new characters, and a new emphasis on the importance of the female role in society. However, most thought that the film was “too much fun” and the story was “not compelling enough.”

Although many people have mixed feelings for the live-action Disney movies, the overwhelming majority are thrilled to see their favorite fairy tales come to life. Disney is recreating old-time favorite movies and even though they aren’t exactly like the beloved movies from the past, they give a more modern twist for new fans to love and enjoy. These cartoon movies will always be nostalgic for older viewers, but the younger generations will better connect to the live action movies. Fans can also look forward to more upcoming releases including Mulan, Lady and the Tramp, and The Little Mermaid.

The Lion King We all know the story of Simba losing his father, running away, and finally coming back to Pride Rock to claim his place in the circle of life. The most recent live-action Lion King brought the same story

What is Your Future Job?

Nightmares

Senior year A time to see All the things You’ll soon leave

I had a dream so vivid and violent it took my breathe and swallowed it whole

From study nights To friday lights

I had a dream so real and riveting it shook my bones and swallowed my soul

Last call bearcats Put up a good fight

Beauty and the Beast Disney’s Beauty and the Beast develops the story of a selfish, cursed prince who has been turned into a beast. He is doomed to remain that way forever unless he can earn the love of another. His only hope could be Belle, a smart, brainy, and opinionated village girl who sneaks into his castle to find her father. The new movie has amazing visual effects and a starstudded cast. However, the movie added new songs and new scenes that critics said made the movie seem “overstuffed.”

Poetry

Taleah Sadler, Staff Writer

with new music and new voices.

But some viewers thought that the newer animals took away some of the human emotions found in the original.

I had a dream so finite and frightening it overtook my body and swallowed my control I had a dream.

That dream was you.

Based off of words that best describes you Jessica Thiot, Co-Editor

Pick a word that BEST describes you…

1. A. adventurous B. stubborn C. helper D. clean 2. B. independent D. leader A. story-teller C. supportive 3. D. competitive C. indecisive B. logical A. friendly 4. B. hard worker A. dependent D. impulsive C. multi-tasker 5. C. credible D. focused A. sympathetic B. thinker If you got mostly A’s, then you are a tour guide.

If you got mostly B’s, then you are a scientist.

If you got mostly C’s, then you are a nurse.

If you got mostly D’s, then you are an actor.

14 E n t e r t a i n m e n t Catwalking

How much do you really know?

Sheldon Marti, Staff Writer QUESTIONS: 1.) Which animal is known to kill more people than plane crashes ?

- donkeys 2.) how many eggs does a female mackeral lay at a time?

-500,000 3.) how many bones are in the human body?

-206 4.) what percent of water is in a watermelon?

-92% 5.) who is googles more than Jesus?

-Justin Bieber 6.) ailurophobe is the fear of what animal?

-cats 7.) what is the common name of an infant whale?

-calf 8.) who is buried in Grant’s tom?

-Grant 9.) which part of the body would a chiropodist treat?

- feet 10.) what is the tallest animal in the world?

-giraffe

Throwback Playlist

1. “Year 3000” - Jonas Brothers 2. “Boyfriend” - Justin Bieber 3. “Day n’ Nite” - Kid Cudi 4. “Pretty Young Thing” Micheal Jackson 5. “Hips Don’t Lie” - Shakira 6. “Supersonic” - J.J. Fad 7. “Say My Name” - Destiny’s Child 8. “Moves Like Jagger” Maroon 5 9. “No Air” - Jordin Spark & Chris Brown 10. “Party In the U.S.A.” Miley Cyrus 11. “A Thousand Miles”Vanessa Carlton 12. “Hey There Delilah” - Plain White T’s 13. “Drops of Jupiter” - Train 14. “I’m Yours” - Jason Mraz 15. “Umbrella” - Rihanna

Senior Lauren Skinner 1.horses 2. 200 3. 207 4. 89% 5. Hitler 6. Alligators 7. cubs 8. Grant Holland 9. back 10. Giraffes Senior Jayden Sullins 1. Humans 2. 500 3. 206 4. 80% 5. Buddha 6. Alligators 7. Sperm whales 8. Grant 9. elbow 10. Girraffe

Junior Coleman Callan 1. shark 2. “ A what” 3. 172 4. 75% 5. Me 6. dogs 7. a baby whale 8. Grant 9. a part of your body 10. giraffe

*Coleman Callan and Jayden Sullins are not pictured.

Freshamn Ashton Henderson 1. sharks 2. “like 8” 3. 127 4. 45% 5. Donald Trump 6. alligatiors 7. calf 8. “idk” 9. back 10. giraffe

Junior Presley Lafon 1. wolf 2. “what is that” 3. 276 4. 62% 5. Kim Kardashain 6. turtles 7. a puppy 8. King Tut 9. feet 10. giraffe

Sophomore Brie Allred 1. hippos 2. 800 3. 206 4. 25% 5. Beyonce 6. owls 7. calf 8.Grant 9. back 10. giraffe

Sophomore Logan Keller 1. elephant 2. 2 3. “Idk” 4. 50% 5. Kanye West 6. owls 7. calf 8. Grant 9. back 10. giraffe

App Trends

Newest apps that took the internet by storm Katie White, Staff Writer

More often times than not we are so caught up with the latest trends we all have to get the hot new trend. We have so many trends going through our social media that everyone seems to have an obsession with. The trend that everyone seems to love now is Tik Tok. Kids and even adults are dancing their way through social media.

Another huge trend is Instagram it is such a big part of our lives, we live by the examples of how we “think” we are supposed to look and dress. Instagram has a growing total of 500 million users, it is much more powerful as compares to Twitter and Facebook.

As soon as an app comes out, it seems like everyone is rushing to get on board with the new trend. It seems like no one watches TV anymore; Netflix is taking over for the TV time.Instead of sitting down and watching a regular

show, we sit and watch hours of Netflix episodes, which doesn’t include commercial time, whatsoever, I might add. We have so many trends in today’s society that whatever seems to be popular, we try to hop on the bandwagon. From Tik Toks, to Netflix and Instagram you name it, we high school kids have probably hopped on the bandwagon at one time or another.

That’s not all though, there are many more trends that we are obsessed over. Snapchat being a big part of pretty much everyone’s life; being someone that loves her social media apps, I will spend at least a couple of hours on Snapchat a day. Everyone seems to go through the motions of using a majority of these apps daily. Social media has taken over today’s world. All anybody really knows is how to be on their phone all the time.

Shopping apps are big today, as well. One shopping app is Amazon, the app is fast and very convenient to use. Instead of having to go to the store to shop, you can just get what you want from the comfort of your home. Another app that influences many younger kids would have to be Youtube.

The influencers on Youtube talk about the latest gossip, trends, and what’s cool and what’s not. As soon as you open the app, the first thing you see is a new video that is trending right away.

All these apps have found a way to make sure that the users get hooked on what they are promoting. Most of these apps are used by millions of people daily.

App trends have become part of our everyday life. Will you sit back and follow the app trends?

Or will you start the trends?

SuMmEr FaShIoN

e n t e r t a i n m e n t

The do’s and don’ts of your fashion choices

15

Baylee Vest, Staff Writer

Over the summer break there has been many different fashion “statements”. Many students have taken it upon themselves to set the ground, per say, for teen fashion in Cullman, AL. All of us have to admit, we all downloaded TikTok as a joke. Well now we are all addicted.

Many students are forming the outfits from there. One new trend that has started is being a “VSCO girl”. If you have been living under a rock or just dont ever get out of the house let me explain what I am talking about. A VSCO girl is someone who wears oversized teeshirts, has 648463886 scrunchies, and wears Puka shell necklaces.

Now I understand that you might think that you should dress like a VSCO girl because that is what is “in” right now. Well NEWS FLASH sweetie, you look like a 4 year-old whose parents didn’t want to fight the fight to put you in some clothes that look decent. I mean come on, do we really want to make our

arms look like they did about 8 years ago when silly bands were huge and we had them lined up our arms? I think not! About these hydroflasks….. Yes they are cool and everything but they are way overrated!

Now for the guys. There really hasn’t been a blow up for guys fashion. Most guys have stuck to the same outfits everyday. They wear shorts shorter than my attention span and a name brand shirt of some sort. It seems like guys who wear shorts that are super short and name brand tops have gotten snobbier as the summer has gone by. It seems like there are wanting to be the stuff! Another guy trend that has grown over the summer is e-boys. These are guys that dress edgy and wear darker colored clothes. Now I know that you may think that black is the new color palette but I mean come on! This is not some kind of horror movie we are living in. I understand if that

is all you think that looks good on you but branch out a little. Step out of the emo stage we all went through in Middle school and wear some colors for a change. I promise, it is not going to kill you. I feel like everyone is following others who dress like this and are popular so they think that if they dress like that it will make them popular.

Well that is not the case because you just look tacky!

How You’re Killing the Planet & How to Stop Tips to help the environment Emily Widner, Co-Editor

Nobody wants to live in filth. We keep our homes neat and tidy because we find comfort in the idea of a clean slate. You wouldn’t live surrounded by trash, dead animals, or poisonous air, so why don’t you feel the same way about our tarnished and toxic planet?

Sure, you can pretend the Earth isn’t changing and that your lifestyle hardly contributes to the environmental downfall happening right now, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Everyone can put an effort into small day-to-day changes that can truly make a difference in the grand scheme of things.

Everything eventually comes to an end but if the majority of the human population make some subtle lifestyle changes, we can best try to preserve the planet for as long as possible. Here are some ways you can help improve the Earth’s health and well-being.

The average person produces 5.91 pounds of trash per day, over 2,000 pounds in one year; where does all that trash go? Most rubbish is sent to a burial landfill. Over 46% of the waste found inside landfills are considered recyclable, but they will never be recycled once they reach the fill. On average, Americans send $11 billion worth of recyclable materials to landfills. By placing your trash in the correctly organized bins, you can help decrease the amount of waste being added to landfills.

9% of that waste has been recycled. Using reusable cups, grocery bags, straws, water bottles, and biodegradable cutlery can help reduce the amount of baggage being sent to landfills. Food containers can also be reused for personal storage or to store leftovers.

3.) Compost

In the United States, we throw out over 40% of our food every year. There is enough food in landfills each year to feed nearly 1 billion hungry people.

Food waste sent to the landfill produces a destructive greenhouse gas called methane. By starting a composting pile, you are helping return nutrients to the soil and maintain excellent soil quality and fertility.

2.) Limit Automobile Use

1.) Sort Your Trash

Air pollution is one of the most prominent causes of environmental crisis.

The use of automobiles is the leading factor of air pollution. According to the United States EPA, if you can stay off the road just two days a week, you’ll reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 1,590 pounds per year.

4.) Use Reusable Products

Scientists say humans have produced 6,300 metric tons of trash since 1950, only

5.) Watch Your Water

According to the EPA, the average family can waste 180 gallons of water per week and 9,400 gallons of water annually from household leaks. There are many ways you can help conserve water. Some of the most popular and effective ways to save water are taking shorter showers, installing water saving shower heads or flow restrictors, turning the water off while brushing your teeth, and turning the water off while shaving.

Meet the Newspaper Staff

Fun information about the staff Jessica Thiot, Co-Editor Questions:

1. What is your zodiac sign?

2. What is your go-to TV Show?

3. How would you describe your style?

4. What is one thing you can’t live without?

6. What is your biggest pet peeve?

Desiree Young 1. Sagittarius 2. The Office 3. Comfortable 4. My dog 5. Hypocrites

Mariah Wilhite 1. Libra 2. Stranger Things 3. Sporty and chic 4. Chick-Fil-A 5. Rude people

Oliva Wood 1. Aquarius 2. Sherlock 3. I do what I want style 4. Water and sunscreen 5. Excuses

Emily Widner 1. Scorpio 2. American Horror Story 3. Comfortable edgy 4. My cat 5. When people smack their food

Baylee Vest 1. Aries 2. Grace and Frankie 3. Whatever is within reach 4. My phone 5. The way people digest their food

Tessa Adkins 1. Cancer 2. Gilmore Girls 3. Tie-dye 4. A hair tie 5. Loud eaters

Bailey Gray 1. Scorpio 2. Parks and Recreation 3. Khakis and Rip n’ Dip shirts 4. Sushi 5. Smacking gum

Michelle Herrera 1. Taurus 2. Say Yes to the Dress 3. Comfortable 4. My family 5. Rude people

Katelin Ferrell 1. Aquarius 2. Criminal Minds 3. Lazy 4. My dog, Macy 5. Lying

Bella Cottingham 1. Libra 2. Criminal Minds 3. Trendy casual 4. Music 5. Being rude for no reason

Katie White 1. Libra 2. Keeping Up with the Kardashians 3. Trendy 4. Chicken 5. Smacking

Jessica Thiot 1. Taurus 2. Parks and Recreation 3. Casual and comfy 4. Filtered water 5. Tapping pens rapidly

Sheldon Marti 1. Leo 2. The Carrie Diaries 3. Simplistic 4. My dogs 5. Rude people

Maggie Lunsford 1. Pisces 2. Grey’s Anatomy 3. Comfortable 4. Music 5. Smacking

Taleah Sadler 1. Scorpio 2. Friends 3. Varying 4. Friends and family 5. When people disrespect others’ opinions

Top 10 Most Watched Netflix Shows Bingeworthy? You decide.

Sheldon Marti, Staff Writer As summer comes to an end, you may statrt to recall the amount of time you spent lying on the couch binge watching seasons upon seasons of your favorite show. Don’t worry, if you think you’ve seen everything netflix has to offer, here’s the top 10 most watched netflix shows according to RadioTimes.com 1. Stranger Things

2. Jane the VIrgin 3. Derry Girls 4. Money Heist 5. Glee 6. Family Reunion 7. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air 8. Suits 9. Friends 10. The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants

Mrs. Calahan 1. Libra 2. Big Bang Theory 3. Glammy-casual 4. My family 5. Procrastination