HICKORY GROVE CHRISTIAN
STUDENT MEDIA Projecting the voice of the student body through 21st century Christian journalism in order to inform and serve the HGC community.
OUR STAFF 2018-2019 Brandy Caton Adviser
Leighann Vinesett
Exodus, Editor-In-Chief The Pride, Editor-In-Chief
Lauren Morissette
On The Prowl, Editor-In-Chief
Hailey Everage Senior Photo Editor
Zaria Ziglar Photo Editor
Lucy Jennings Managing Editor
Bailey Baucom Journalist
INSIDE THE PRIDE 4 6 8
Married With Children Husband and wife teacher teams reminisce about how their love stories started.
Crazy In Love
After building a strong friendship, a student couple finds love.
Love is a Verb
Examine how worldly “love” stacks up to the real thing: God’s love.
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he Pride Newsmagazine hopes to publish four issues this year through the Student Media class at Hickory Grove Christian School. The publication is distributed free of charge to the approximately 700 HGCS student body grades TK-12 in addition to faculty and staff. Approximately 100 copies will be distributed to Hickory Grove Baptist Church and to the HG community. The student body is encouraged to use the opinion pages as a forum between the editorial board and the HGC community. Views expressed do not
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It Ends With Us
Human trafficking seminar sheds light onto modern slavery.
Hard Truth, Ridiculous Grace
Showing love to friends, enemies, and frenemies can be challenging.
Love for the Game, Passion to Create Athletes and artists discuss their passions.
represent the opinions of the faculty or administration. Editorials represent the views of the editorial board and staff while bylined columns are the opinion of the authors. Readers are encouraged to email signed letters to the editor in response to the topics covered in each issue and with matters of concern to hgcpride@ hgchristian.org. The Pride Newsmagazine is a member of the North Carolina Scholastic Media Association and the National Scholastic Press Association. Mullen Publications, Inc. prints our publication.
MAKING THIS ISSUE Brandy Caton Adviser
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or the theme of the next issue, the editorial board and I thought it would be exciting to explore the truth behind the question of “What is love?” during February, the love month. We broke down the adjectives of love given to us in
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1 Corinthians 13. We brainstormed all of the different types of love and their meanings. We completed Bible studies centered around love in the Bible app on our phones. We posted our findings around the room to refer to all month. Our pursuit for the true meaning of love while also organizing candy grams
about us
for the entire school on Valentine’s Day as a fundraiser certainly tested our ability to follow the “love is patient” definition, but we also enjoyed being able to coincide all of our focus on love with this special day for everyone. As always, to our student body and community, we hope you enjoy this issue of The Pride.
the pride winter 2019
WHAT IS LOVE?
The Greek language provides insight to the different Leighann Vinesett types of love humans experience. Editor-in-Chief AGAPE PRAGMA Agape love is the most radical, selfless type of love. This type of love is extended to all people, regardless of if they were family, friends, or strangers. Agape love is also known as “charity” due to its association with selflessness. C.S. Lewis referred to it as “gift love,” the highest form of Christian love.
PHILIA Philia is the type of love shared between friends. The Greeks valued philia far more than eros love. Philia love was “concerned with the friendship that developed between brothers in arms who had fought side by side on the battlefield.” Philia is about showing your loyalty to your friends: that through thick and thin you would be there for them, and even sacrifice for them. Philia love is also the love shared between a parent and a child, this form has also been called storge love.
PHILAUTIA Philautia is self-love. There are two types of philautia love: unhealthy narcissism and a healthy confidence. The first variety involves selfobsession and an egotistical desire for fame and fortune. This is what we often see on social media sites such as Instagram and Snapchat. The healthier version of philautia involves building confidence so that you can reflect love into society: the idea that if you love yourself, you can then love someone else.
Pragma love is mature, long lasting love. Pragma is the deep understanding that develops between couples who have been together for many years. Pragma love is about compromising so that the relationship can work over time. This type of love is founded upon showing patience and tolerance. According to psychoanalyst Erich Fromm, this is not “falling in love” but “standing in love.” Pragma is about making an effort to give love rather than just receive it.
LUDUS Ludus is the Greek’s idea of a playful, silly love, such as that seen between children. This “puppy love” is often seen in actions such as flirting between young couples. But ludus is not solely romantic. It is also seen when having conversation with a group of friends, or doing something silly such as dancing.
EROS Eros is named after the Greek god of fertility. It represents the idea of passion and desire. The Greeks viewed eros as a dangerous type of love: it was regarded as fiery and irrational. Eros love could “take hold of you and possess you.” Eros involves a loss of control which frightened the Greeks. Today, some actually want this type of love. You’ve heard of falling “madly” in love. This is eros love.
Information adapted from “How Should We Live? Great Ideas from the Past for Everyday Life” by Roman Krznaric.
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MARRIED WITH CHILDREN Husband and wife teacher teams reminisce about how their love stories started. Lauren Morissette Editor
Kendall and Gillian Huneycutt
Q: How long have you been married? A: We have been married for six and a half years. Q: When did you meet your spouse? A: We met at Appalachian State in 2011! Q: Did you have a spark of knowing your partner was “the one”? A: No! Mr. Huneycutt had an awful beard. We became instant friends though because we both love sports. Q: What is your favorite thing about your spouse?
A: He makes me laugh daily! Q: How has your marriage grown and what do you credit this growth to? A: God has blessed us tremendously in our marriage! Because Christ is at the center of our marriage, we know it can never fail. Q: What are your common interests or favorite things to do with each other? A: Sports, snowboarding, hanging out with our boys! Q: How did you know you wanted to start a family with your spouse? A: He has a really cool last name!! Just kidding. He loves the Lord. Even being away from home, he was in church every Sunday! I knew right away his faith was important to him. He has this genuine way about him, and I knew without a doubt that I could trust him. Q: How does loving God help you love your spouse and family? A: Marriage is a true testament to God’s grace! Knowing the grace I’m given on a daily basis helps me love my husband more each day. Q: What was a hardship that you overcame as a couple? A: After we had been married for a few months, I realized living with someone else is hard. Boys are kind of messy. We learned to communicate with each other, and try our best to respect each other’s requests.
Andrew and Sheila Stover
Q: How long have you been married? A: We have been married for 13 years. Q: When did you meet your spouse? A: We met at Appalachian State on a retreat. Q: Did you have a spark of knowing your partner was “the one”? A: Not immediately, but after spending a lot of time together, we realized we were meant to be. Q: What is your favorite thing about your spouse? A: Her love for God and others. Q: How has your marriage grown and what do you credit this growth to? A: We have definitely grown closer over the years. Going through hard things together has made us depend on God and be there for each other. Q: What are your common interests or favorite things to do with each other? A: We both love to read and spend time with our kids. Q: How did you know you wanted to start a family with your spouse? A: When I realized she was my best friend I knew I wanted to marry her. Q: How does loving God help you love your spouse and family? A: I can’t truly love my wife and kids well without loving God first. My family is sinful; we need to show each other the love that we have been shown in Christ. Q: What was a hardship that you overcame as a couple? A: Adjusting to life overseas was challenging at times but having each other and believing friends to be an encouragement helped tremendously.
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Todd and Kim Staples
Q: How long have you been married? A: We have been married for 27 years. Q: When did you meet your spouse? A: We met when Kim asked me to go to a dance with her. Q: Did you have a spark of knowing your partner was “the one”? A: Not initially but we did hit it off once we spoke and then we dated. Q: What is your favorite thing about your spouse? A: I love seeing her joy in everything Q: How has your marriage grown and what do you credit this growth to? A: We re-dedicated our lives to Christ after marriage and it has been an amazing ride of 25 or so years that has taken us places and done things we could have never dreamed of. So keeping Christ at the center is the key. Q: What are your common interests or favorite things to do with each other? A: Go to the movies/dinner or watch our favorite shows and movies at home. We also love vacation time and attending or serving our church. Q: How did you know you wanted to start a family with your spouse? A: We dated several years so marriage was just the next step in our relationship. Q: How does loving God help you love your spouse and family? A: Loving God places Him at the center of my life so my focus is no longer on me, therefore I can love/serve my wife as God intended. Q: What was a hardship that you overcame as a couple? A: As a couple you overcome by keeping your faith in God intact and looking for the ways that God wants you to grow from your ordeal.
Jim and Crystal Rhodes
Q: How long have you been married? A: We have been married for 15 years. Q: When did you meet your spouse? A: We met through Athletes in Action Basketball in Ohio the summer of 2000. Q: Did you have a spark of knowing your partner was “the one”? A: I think we both knew we had met our future spouse that week. Q: What is your favorite thing about your spouse? A: He is disciplined and super cute. Q: How has your marriage grown and what do you credit this growth to? A: Having Christ at the center of our marriage allows us to grow together. Q: What are your common interests or favorite things to do with each other? A: We like to hang with our family and play games with our kids. Q: How did you know you wanted to start a family with your spouse? A: Because he was good at basketball. Just kidding, sort of... Q: What was a hardship that you overcame as a couple? A: We dated for three years long distance before we got married. Those days were long.
family love the pride winter 2019
Heath and Brittany Blackmon
Q: How long have you been married? A: We will have our 3 year anniversary in April so we’ve been married a little over 2.5 years. Q: When did you meet your spouse? A: We met in college through a campus ministry that we were both involved with at UNCC. Q: Did you have a spark of knowing your partner was “the one”? A: I knew very early into our relationship (like after 2 weeks) that Heath would be the person that I would marry. The Lord had been working very specifically in this area of my life before we met and I had prayed for my future husband so many times before I even knew him. God continued to give me a peace about our relationship and a confidence that this was his plan. Q: What is your favorite thing about your spouse? A: Definitely his love for the Lord. I can’t stress how important that is and how encouraging it is as his wife to see him living his life for the Lord. Q: How has your marriage grown and what do you credit this growth to? A: Our marriage has grown in so many ways but I think just learning to love each other well through difficulties is something that God has used to grow our marriage so much. Q: What are your common interests or favorite things to do with each other? A: We love to go to sporting events and games, especially in the spring and summer. Being outdoors, hiking, kayaking, and playing with our dog are some of our favorites too. Q: How did you know you wanted to start a family with your spouse? A: God gave me such a peace with our relationship that I knew Heath was going to be the man that I married. I could tell that he was going to be a great dad by how he lived and interacted with others. Now we’re almost parents and I can’t wait to see the blessing that that will be to us. Q: How does loving God help you love your spouse and family? A: Honestly, I would do a really terrible job loving Heath and our family if I didn’t love God. Seeing God’s love for us helps me to keep in perspective how I should love others. Not living for myself and my own desires but putting others before myself and making sacrifices for them like Christ made for us. Q: What was a hardship that you overcame as a couple? A: With every hardship we’ve faced it has taken a lot of prayer and trusting God. In those situations we’re usually hit with something unexpected whether it is a serious illness, death in the family, or just a really difficult season in life. You learn to be vulnerable and hold each other accountable in your walk with the Lord because in those times fully trusting in God can be something that’s really hard to do.
Adam and Elizabeth Hamilton Q: How long have you been married? A: We have been married for 11.5 years. Q: When did you meet your spouse? A: Adam and I met in 9th grade. Q: Did you have a spark of knowing your partner was “the one”? A: No, we did not have a spark. We were best friends through high school and began dating our junior year in college. We married after I graduated college in 2007. Q: What is your favorite thing about your spouse? A: I love that Adam values people and relationships in all areas of his life. He is also a very hard worker who strives for excellence in all that he does. He is an incredible father and I also love that he can make me laugh. Q: How has your marriage grown and what do you credit this growth to? A: Marriage is a beautiful gift and through God’s grace and mercy, our marriage is a continual growth process. As a Christian you are on a sanctification journey, growing in your faith. I feel like marriage is the same thing. #marriageissanctifying #motherhoodissanctifying Q: What are your common interests or favorite things to do with each other? A: We love to go to movies and workout. I also help Adam with his projects (building stuff). We like to stay at home and eat pizza/ice cream and binge watch shows or movies. Q: How did you know you wanted to start a family with your spouse? A: We both knew we wanted to start a family before we got married. We also knew we wanted to adopt eventually (which became a reality 8 years later). Q: How does loving God help you love your spouse and family? A: Loving God is the first, and foremost priority in our lives before we can love each other well. Loving God teaches us how to love each other. Knowing and loving God teaches us how to forgive, stay loyal, take care of, and encourage each other. If we don’t love God and continue to seek after Him and deepen our relationship with Him, our relationship with each other will remain stagnant, and ultimately fail. Q: What was a hardship that you overcame as a couple? A: In 2012, Adam and I suffered a miscarriage. We found out I was pregnant on Christmas day and I ended up losing the baby a couple of days later. It was an incredibly difficult time because neither of us had dealt with a loss like that before. Our faith and reliance on God definitely brought us through. We know that this was God’s plan because it was in January 2013 that our boys were taken into the state’s custody. Long story short, we wouldn’t have our boys if my pregnancy was carried full term. God is good in hardships and blessings!
Austin and Rebecca Turner
Q: How long have you been married? A: We have been married for 2 years and 8 months. Q: When did you meet your spouse? A: We met in the summer of 2014 on a mission trip in the Dominican Republic. Q: Did you have a spark of knowing your partner was “the one”? A: Within a week of knowing Austin, I had a feeling he was the man God had created for me. Q: What is your favorite thing about your spouse? A: I love Austin’s kind heart and how much he cares about me. Q: How has your marriage grown and what do you credit this growth to? A: We have become closer with each day being married to each other. I credit this to both of our walks with God improving with each day. Q: What are your common interests or favorite things to do with each other? A: We both enjoy playing sports. Q: How did you know you wanted to start a family with your spouse? A: Austin and I both felt we were ready to start a family and felt like God was leading us on that direction. We can’t wait for Jayce to make his arrival in April!
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Q: How does loving God help you love your spouse and family? A: Loving and growing in my relationship with God allows me to respect and love my husband more and more each day. Q: What was a hardship that you overcame as a couple? A: Austin has had several surgeries and illnesses since we met. We have tried to trust God through all of the tough times.
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Imani Riddick-Cherry and PJ Holtzclaw know how to have fun together. After years together, their close relationship has only grown stronger, especially since they began worshipping together at Holtzclaw’s church. Photo By Zaria Ziglar
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romantic love
the pride
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CRAZY IN LOVE
After building a strong friendship, HG’s strongest student couple find love Lucy Jennings Editor
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mani Riddick-Cherry defines herself as controlling and outgoing, while PJ Holtzclaw thinks of himself as a free spirit and reserved. When it comes to relationships, Holtzclaw is more outwardly affectionate and emotional than Cherry. One might ask how these two seemingly opposing personalities came together to form the longest, and what some may call the strongest, student couple on campus. What many don’t know is that their relationship began on the playground in 5th grade, when Holtzclaw made a gesture to become friends with the “new girl.” They attended birthday parties together and had their own play dates, but gradually Holtzclaw started to develop deeper feelings toward Cherry. “I had feelings for [her], but [she] did not feel the same way,” Holtzclaw said. In 7th grade, Holtzclaw would walk Cherry to class, carry her books, and buy her small gifts, but she was not interested and pushed him away because she was cautious of losing her best friend. “I made him put his feelings on the back burner because I thought we were too young to date,” Cherry said. Holtzclaw’s patience was tested time after time, but he persisted. “Everyone always asked me why I stayed and kept pursuing her,” Holtzclaw said, “We [just] had something that I could
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not find with anyone else.” In 10th grade,Cherry realized that she had actually developed romantic feelings toward him and was ready to take the next step in their relationship. “He was my only friend for awhile and was always there for me and that made me view him in a different light,” Cherry said. When the two finally realized they had the same feelings for each other and started dating, they became thankful for the time they took to build their friendship first. While this period of friendship was frustrating for the pair, the reward of staying patient still benefits them today. “It may be cool to date as a freshman, but it takes time and patience to develop a strong relationship that will last beyond high school years. Our relationship isn’t perfect, but we are committed to each other,” Holtzclaw said. As the two continue to grow together, the most important part of their journey is defining love within their context. “An exciting part about life is learning what love means to me and revising that meaning as I experience life,” Cherry said. Holtzclaw and Cherry share a unique, patient, and honest love. This honesty is not only with each other but also with others about their relationship. Although their relationship has not always been picture perfect, they are able to open up about the hard times and admit where
they went wrong the first time around. “The first time we dated we were emotionally immature. (One of our biggest problems) was that we were not putting God in the middle of our relationship,” Holtzclaw said. Now, Cherry and Holtzclaw strive to make God a present factor in their relationship by emulating what His word says and modeling Godly relationships in their daily lives. “ Every night I pray for her and thank God for bringing her into my life and showing me that she is the right person for me,” Holtzclaw said. The two have also been attending church together with Holtzclaw’s family. His family is very involved and dedicated to their church community. “His parents are a great example of a relationship that consistently puts God first, and we want to model and be like them,” Cherry said. Holtzclaw and Cherry’s relationship is one that is not seen everyday in many high school couples. The pair has had ups and downs and has struggled defining who they were as a couple and what true romantic love looks like. But through at it all, they have withstood because they have learned what type of love that they have: one that is patient, rejoices with the truth, and endures all things. “Thinking back on how our love has progressed, I can truly say our love is unique,” Cherry said.
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01: While eating dinner at a pizza place in the Dominican Republic, Cherry and Holtzclaw sport fake Gucci and RayBan sunglasses that he bought for the two of them during their Senior mission trip. Holtzclaw also bought a pair for Cherry’s mom. 02: After taking several serious pictures, the two lovebirds decide to jazz up their junior year pre-prom photo shoot in Cherry’s neighborhood. 03: Cherry and Holtzclaw pose on her car one day after school at the beginning of their senior year. Holtzclaw walks Cherry to her car almost every day after school before heading back inside to go to work with the kids in the after school program.
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LOVE IS A VERB Examine how worldly “love” stacks up to the real thing: God’s love
Lauren Morissette Editor
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ow do you view love? Are your interpretations of love skewed by media and Hollywood? In today’s day in age, it is common to see love defined incorrectly. From movies and TV shows/commercials to novels and music, we see society’s view of love displayed. As we see in the media, art reflects life. This art we see echoed back is worldly love. The center of worldly love is always on the self and how the individual feels. The prime focus of any love relationship is set on how the other person makes the individual feel, not the other way around. This places pressure on the loved one to meet his or her needs, and when they are not met, he or she is left feeling disappointed and empty. According to Dr. Michael Youssef, Ph. D, senior pastor of the Church of the Apostles in Atlanta, GA, this is a selfish love. This is the exact opposite of godly love. Not only does God call us to love
others, but even more, He calls us to love others above ourselves. According to Romans 12:9-10, "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves."
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12:9-10 Godly love centers around giving and serving, not on receiving. This is a selfless love where others are the recipients in our care for them. The desire to love was given to us from God. As said in 1 John 4:19, "We love because He first loved us.”
According to Lisa Freeman, elementary music teacher, love is a positive action word; in other words, a verb. God showed us the true definition of love through the ultimate sacrifice - the cross. “God is love. Any description of love we may hope to obtain or give to another person has been perfectly shown through the life of Jesus Christ, ” Joshua Callaway, high school Bible teacher, said. God continues to show us the true definition of love through His endless mercy and compassion. “Christ has shown his sacrificial love for me on the cross. This penetrates through how I live my life and how I am to love others because [God] is a dependable rock and I can rely on him no matter what I go through, what is said to me, how I act, or anything. I know it is filtered through the love of Christ and therefore I am to love others,” senior Sarah Beverage said. Through these examples of Christ’s never-ending love and grace for us, we see the true definition of love and how we are to love others. When we get this Biblical love right, the rest will follow.
Student Voice: God’s Love Q: How do you know God loves you? How do you show God that you love Him? “I love God because He loves me. I show Him love by saying sorry when I do something wrong and praying.” -Elli Caton, 2nd “I know God loves me because the Bible tells me so. I praise the Lord even when times are hard and I let Him know He is glorious.” -Nolan Everage, 7th Q: How has God’s love been a rock or a solid foundation for you throughout your life? “Going through high school I've had a lot of difficulties sometimes with friends and drama, but I can always come back to God and know that He is there for me. I can always trust and depend on Him even though other people might not be there for me.” -Leah Guercio, 11th “God has given me hope and provided for my family when I thought we were stuck. God does things to take care of His children and I am glad He does.” -Dustin Green, 10th
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the best love the pride winter 2019
Art by Randie Smith at Domestic Randomness. http://domesticrandomness.blogspot.com/2017/03/free-adult-coloring-book-page-1-1.html
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IT ENDS WITH US Students attend human trafficking seminar, learn about modern day slavery Leighann VInesett Editor-in-Chief
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t starts small: someone follows you on social media that you don’t know. They comment on one of your pictures, or they start a conversation in your direct messages. Maybe they compliment your smile or your fashion sense, maybe they even tell you that they’d mistaken you for a model. You grow close, and at first it seems harmless. But then they express their desire to meet up with you one day. So you do. Then, when they ask you to do them a “simple” favor, you’ve got no option but to do it: to perform a sexual act which they will profit off of. By this point, they have photos of your face, they know where you go to school, and they know your little brother’s name. You seem to have no option but to do it. For many, this is how human trafficking begins. But the most shocking part isn’t that, according to Present Age Ministries, 30 million people worldwide are slaves to the human trafficking industry. The shocking part is that North Carolina ranks tenth in the nation for human trafficking, and within North Carolina, Charlotte is the number one city for human trafficking. This information, like all sin, should upset us. Hearing statistics that one in three teenage girls are at risk to be victims of human trafficking should upset us. Ephesians 6:12 tells us that it is natural for us to wrestle “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” But being upset at statistics we hear in the news or on the radio isn’t enough. Putting a red X on our hands and on our
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social media on February 7th, the national day of slavery, isn’t enough. So what do we, as a school and a student body, do? To start out, we listen to the statistics and the stories that bring bad tastes to our mouths and cause our stomachs to turn. We sit in seminars, such as those conducted by Present Age Ministries, and we pay attention. “The seminar(s) helped (students) understand human trafficking and the causes, effects, statistics, and everything else that goes with trafficking. I knew that
“If teenagers today focus their attention on the positive changes that they can make, we will not only begin to see less and less victims, but we will also begin to see less and less demand.” human trafficking was a thing because my parents have talked to me about it multiple times, (but) this seminar gave me a deeper understanding of human trafficking and how I can prevent it,” eighth grader Olivia Church said. According to Present Age Ministries Program Director Kayla Babson, these seminars are important not only because teenagers are the main target of traffickers, but because teenagers are also the generation that can put a stop to trafficking.
“If teenagers today focus their attention on the positive changes that they can make, we will not only begin to see less and less victims, but we will also begin to see less and less demand,” Babson said. But putting an end to human trafficking doesn’t happen overnight: putting the red End It Movement X on our social medias and our hands won’t do it either. Instead, we as a generation and as a student body must focus our attention not only on awareness, but also on prevention and outreach. “This seminar was valuable because it helped us to be aware of sex trafficking and how we can put an end to it. (Our takeaway is) that we are the people that need to put an end to human trafficking,” sophomore Christian Wilson said. Following the Present Age Ministries seminar, we can respond in many ways. We can spread awareness to our friends and family. We can raise our guard on social media. We can volunteer and donate to organizations such as Present Age that are committed to combating human trafficking in our community and our nation. We can pray for victims and those affected by human trafficking. We can participate in outreach events. We can be cautious on our social media accounts. We can stay rooted in the Word. We can avoid the fuel of human trafficking. We can refuse to watch pornography. We can be cautious of this fake, counterfeit, worldly “love.” But there is one thing we cannot do: we cannot ignore the problem. We cannot pretend we didn’t know. We cannot remain silent. We know, and now we must respond.
counterfeit love
the pride winter 2019
WHAT IS THE #ENDITMOVEMENT? According to their website, the #ENDITMOVEMENT is “a coalition of the leading organizations in the world in the fight for freedom.” Made up of organizations such as Love146, The Salvation Army, World Relief, World Vision, and more, the End It Movement is dedicated to raising
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awareness about human trafficking, what they call the modern day slavery. The movement, which asks supporters to shine a light on slavery by drawing a red X on their hands, has gained national attention. Celebrities and activisits such as Ashton Kutcher, Senator Bob Corker, and the Auburn
University Football team have participated in the movement. To learn more or donate to the fight against slavery, you can visit the End It Movement’s website at https:// enditmovement.com/
01: A group of students put their hands together on Feburary 7th to show off the red X’s drawn on the back of their hands. The X’s are representative of national shine a light on slavery day. Photo By Brandy Caton
KNOW THE SIGNS It can be difficult to identify whether a person is being exploited. Here are 10 common warning signs for domestic trafficking: • Does not self-identify as a victim • Has multiple phones or electronic devices • Inappropriate use of social media platforms • Seen with another person who appears controlling • Apparent signs of abuse: physical & emotional • Appearance of being emotionally disconnected • Has someone do their speaking for them • Evidence of poor health and personal hygiene • Poor or non-existent record of school attendance • Numerous inconsistencies in story Information provided by Present Age Ministries, for more information visit their website at www.presentageministries.org/
THE FUEL OF THE SLAVE TRADE 1: Human trafficking is fueled by a high reward, low risk dynamic. It’s the second most profitable illegal industry— second only to the drug trade. While drugs are sold in one transaction, human beings can be sold over and over again. 2: Human trafficking is fueled by the economic principles of supply and demand. Human trafficking supply and demand are the same: human beings demanding the sale of people. Increased demand for commercial sex incentivizes strip clubs, pornography, and prostitution to recruit and exploit children. 3: Lastly, systemic inequalities and disparities make certain groups much more vulnerable to exploitation. Mass displacement, conflict, extreme poverty, lack of access to education and job opportunities, violence, and harmful social norms like child marriage are all factors that push individuals into situations of trafficking. To find out more visit: https://www.unicefusa.org/ stories/what-fuels-human-trafficking/31692
NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE:
1-888-373-7888
If you believe you have information about a potential trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center or text HELP to 233733 (BEFREE) or in a serious emergency call 911. All reports are confidential and you may remain anonymous. Interpreters are available.
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HARD TRUTH, RIDICULOUS GRACE
Love of friends, enemies, & frenemies can be difficult Bailey Baucom Journalist
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oving others as a Christian can be hard. God’s love is sacrificial, unconditional, and selfless. As Christians, we are called to love others the same way. Because humans are sinners the importance of knowing God and His word is the only way to make this possible. TO THE FRENEMIES: “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13
Recently a freshman, who we will call Miranda for anonymity, was dropped by a friend. “I was going through a tough time and my friend knew [it], but then she just cut me off,” she said. Surprisingly, Miranda prayed for this friend and believes her friend deserves forgiveness as long as she “changes her actions.” But that isn’t the case. As a Christian, she’s got it backward. Just as we don’t deserve the forgiveness of God yet it is still given out of his never-ending love for us; those who have wronged us also don’t deserve forgiveness. In addition, Miranda’s conditional terms for
1. Selectivity “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Proverbs 13:20
forgiveness don’t reflect the unconditional forgiveness we receive from Him. God calls us to all love our enemies, neighbors, friends, and families; we love because God first loved us. TO THE FRIENDS: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” Proverbs 17:17
Everyone has a best friend; sophomore Zaria Ziglar has had her best friend, sophomore Lindsay Burke, “since kindergarten.” Ziglar trusts her best friend “because she has never done anything to make me think otherwise” and tells her basically everything in her life. When asked what her bestie would do if all of their other friends turned against her when she didn’t really do anything wrong, Ziglar felt confident that “she would be on my side and stick up for me.” Having someone that is trustworthy enough to tell all your secrets to, lean on, and turn to in a time of need is important. These types of friendships are a gift from God to be a blessing during those times that others will let you down or leave you when life’s road gets bumpy. Sticking with a friend during hardships is the best way to reflect the unchanging, constant love
of God who will never leave your side no matter what you do. TO THE ENEMIES: “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” Luke 6:26
God says we are called to “do to others as you want others to do to you.” We aren’t here to hate. Loving an enemy is hard, mainly because they could have hurt you mentally or physically. Freshman Sierra Lowder has an enemy who “started talking about me behind my back to my other friends.” To forgive someone takes a lot of strength, time, and prayer. Lowder loves her enemy “because that is what I am told to do by God in his word. I have forgiven my enemy because I remembered that everyone deserves forgiveness and second chances.” Arguably, there is nothing harder than this type of love. But Christ has this love for us. Even when we were his enemy, he died for us. To receive that kind of love but then turn our back on an enemy without being willing to do the same is not an option. Despite being hard, a love for others that reflects the Triune God’s love for us is not impossible. It takes faith, a life lived seeking God’s face and serving Him, and a heart open to miracles.
Eight principles of Biblical friendship:
2. Proximity
“Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend, and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away.” Proverbs 27:10
3. Boundaries “Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor’s house, lest he have his fill of you and hate you.” Proverbs 25:17
4. Mutuality
“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17
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5. Respect
“Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.” Proverbs 11:12
6. Candor
“Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.” Proverbs 27:5-6
relational love
7. Forgiveness
“Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends” Proverbs 17:9
8. Consistency “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Proverbs 17:17 “Greater love has no man than this that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
the pride winter 2019
THAT'S MY BEST FRIEND Lions spend time with their besties on campus.
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feature
01: Mrs. Massie and TK student Mary Paris share a precious moment as Mary thanks Massie for an amazing art class. One special thing Massie does for each of her students is stamp their hands on their way out of art class. Photo by Zaria Ziglar 02: Sixth grade best friends Josiah Cobb and Daniel Leonard pose back to back in the courtyard. “Josiah and I love superheroes and know so much about them that we have something to talk about every day,� Leonard said. Photo by Hailey Everage 03: Junior Amanda Wilder dances with first grade student Tamaryn Crimes during the homecoming pep rally. During the Homecoming pep rally, Wilder and Crimes performed during the annual lip sync battle with other students. Photo by Hailey Everage 04: Kindergarten students Trenton Evans and Ella Scarlett show love to each other while reading a story about sharks during free reading time. Photo by Zaria Ziglar 05: A group of high school mentors poses with their first grade meenties after a session of reading, math, and fellowship. The Elementary Mentoring program allows high school students the opportunity to mentor elementary age kids by meeting once every week to help with school work and build relationships. Photo by Lauren Morissette
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A PASSION TO CREATE, A LOVE FOR THE GAME Athletes and artists discuss their passions.
LucyJennings Editor
Lilly Schroeder Softball
Milla Syska Soccer Q: How/Why did you start playing the sport you love? A: I started playing because I was kind of born into it. All three of my older sisters played and my mom played, so it was expected for me too as well. Soccer is pretty much my life and I love playing it. Q: Who is your inspiration for your sport? A: My inspiration for the sport is honestly my sister Rea because she has such a love for the sport, a great attitude while playing, and is amazing. I also admire Tobin Heath, who is on the US Women’s National Team, because she has an amazing love for the game. Q: What is a defining moment in your sports career so far that displays your love for the game? A: Probably when I made a very high level club team, it made me feel like my hard work was paying off and meant to play this sport. Who or what keeps you motivated to push yourself? A: Probably just thinking that I know what my potential is and I know soccer has the opportunity to take me places. I can go very far with soccer and go to a D1 school and hopefully get a scholarship. Q: Where are you hoping your love for the game takes you? A: Maybe to play at D1 or D2 school and then play on the USA national team, or just play D1 or D2 soccer and then continue with life and just have a normal life.
Jordon Nelson Basketball Q: How/Why did you start playing the sport your love? A: My dad played basketball and he just kind of put the ball in my hands. For as long as I can remember I have always had a basketball in my hands. Q: Who is your inspiration for your sport? A: My inspiration is Stephen Curry because he has proved everyone wrong. He was never highly recruited and ended up at Davidson. Nobody thought he would stay in the NBA for a long time and now he is known as the greatest shooter of all time and one of the greatest players in the NBA. Q: Who or what keeps you motivated to push yourself? A: I just want to prove everyone who doubts me wrong. Q: Where are you hoping your love for the game takes you? A: My dream has always been to play professional basketball and I am going to keep chasing after it until I have obtained it.
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Q: How/Why did you start playing the sport you love? A: I started playing because I wanted to be like my parents who played softball and baseball. Q: Who is your inspiration for your sport? A: I don’t necessarily have a single inspiration, but many different coaches, trainers, and athletes have inspired a love for the game for me. Q: What is a defining moment in your sports career, so far, that displays your love for the game? A: This year I verbally committed to go to college and be an athlete at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Q: Who or what keeps you motivated to push yourself? A: No one can keep me more motivated than myself. If I compete with my best self I will be able to push myself to become the best version of me. Q: Where are you hoping your love for the game takes you? (future dreams/ aspirations) A: I hope that by going to UNCP I will be able to study in the field of science. I am not exactly sure what field yet, but I hope to explore more while at HG before I make my decision.
Daniel Similton Cross Country & Track Q: How/Why did you start playing the sport you love? A: Freshman year my weight lifting coach at Covenant Day, who also was the track coach, asked me to go out for the track team and I did. Q: Who is your inspiration for your sport? A: Nick Symmonds. Symmonds competed for a Division 3 school at the collegiate level and went on to win 6 United States 800m titles. His success shows me that I can succeed no matter the circumstances I may face. Q: What is a defining moment in your sports career, so far, that displays your love for the game? A: Going from finishing 72nd at the NCISAA 3A cross country championships as a sophomore, to finishing first as a senior. This progression showed me that hard work truly pays off. Q: Who or what keeps you motivated to push yourself? A: Wanting to be the best in the state, and wanting to be able to compete with the best in the nation. Q: Where are you hoping your love for the game takes you? A: One of my future goals is to qualify to run in the US Olympic trials in 2020 in the 3k steeplechase.
love for the game , passion to create
the pride
winter 2019
Logan Ottinger Music Q: What are passionate about? A: Playing instruments and producing my own music. Q: How did you become interested in this artistic area? A: I started playing instruments at age 5. My mom bought me a little piano and I started to make my own music and songs. With this piano, I was also introduced to the elementary school in the 6th grade band. I started off on the clarinet, and immediately fell in love with the idea of playing an instrument and mastering it. Q: Who is your inspiration for your art? A: I don’t have a major source of inspiration, but rather it’s just the new things and God that keeps me going. Q: What is a defining moment in your artistic career, so far, that displays your passion to create? A: People are always surprised when I tell them that I play eight instruments. With these eight instruments, I make my own music, but I mainly use piano, ukulele, and saxophone to make it. Q: What keeps you passionate about your art form? A: God has given me the ability to learn instruments quickly and to enjoy writing music. Every time I sit down to play the piano or play my saxophone, I always learn something new and find some way to challenge myself. Q: Where are you hoping your passion to create takes you? A: I’m hoping that my musical talents will take me as far as God wants me to go. I don’t have a definite plan for my future, but I pray that it will include music.
Taliyah Fox Visual Arts Q: How did you become interested and start participating in this artistic area? A: I have been drawing for as long as I can remember. I’m not exactly sure what made me enjoy drawing so much, but it may be the fact that my dad enjoyed drawing too. Q: Who is your inspiration for your art? A: Brendon Urie, the singer of the band Panic! At The Disco, is my biggest inspiration. The way that you can clearly see how much he loves what he does and how much he believes in himself is really inspiring. Q: What is a defining moment in your artistic career that displays your passion to create? A: In August of 2018, Panic! At The Disco posted a picture of me and my artwork at one of their concerts, and after that my art got a lot of attention. Q: What keeps you passionate about your art form? A: Once again, just the thought of my biggest inspiration having any of my artwork definitely inspires me even more to keep creating. Since I’ve been drawing for so long, art is basically a part of me and I don’t see how my life would ever be the same without it. Another thing that keeps me passionate is the feeling of improvement and thinking about how I can achieve better outcomes. Q: Where are you hoping your passion to create takes you? A: I’m hoping that I can do with my art is to do some sort of video game art. I really enjoy playing video games and looking at the detail and the art of it all. I would also love to design merchandise or album covers for music artists.
Haley Price
Ryan Barron
Dance
Drama
Q: How did you become interested in this artistic area? A: My mother dance for 13 years, which influenced me to dance. when I was 4 she signed me up for classes and I’ve loved it ever since. Q: Who is your inspiration for your art? A: Misty Copeland Q: What is a defining moment in your artistic career, so far, that displays your passion to create? A: About two years ago, I was 1 of 20 dancers from the east coast invited to compete a solo to win a national title. While I did not win the national title, I placed 5th overall and won most photogenic. This moment played a big role in my dance career. I got to meet new choreographers and take classes from them. This has also shown me the importance of striving for what you want and being the best you can be, even if you don’t get there the first time. Q: What keeps you passionate about your art form? A: Dance has always been a comforting outlet for me. Dance allows me to be as creative as I please and bring my visions to life. I love learning new skills and growing through my talents. Q: Where are you hoping your passion to create takes you? A: I would love to make a professional career out of dance. I do plan to dance in college, but I haven’t decide where I want to use my talents after this.
profile
Q: How did you become interested in this artistic area? A: The first time I auditioned for a play was in 6th grade, and I got one of the main roles. I stopped in 7th grade because I wanted to pursue sports. In high school, I went back to acting after Mrs. Robertson encouraged me to do theater and I’ve been invested in theater ever since. Q: Who is your inspiration for your art? A: Myself because it effects my happiness and satisfaction. Q: What is a defining moment in your artistic career, so far, that displays your passion to create? A: Christmas Chapel and all the work leading up to it was exhausting. There were some really tough rehearsals and I didn’t get much of a break since I was in every scene. Come show time, I was sick, tired, and honestly pretty worried about how I was going to perform. After the play I was so drained of energy, I think I slipped into a slight coma, but looking back, the play was a whole lot of fun and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Q: What keeps you passionate about your art form? A: I like doing it, acting is fun for me. I don’t get very nervous about public speaking and I like making people laugh so that makes acting very fun for me. Q: Where are you hoping your passion to create takes you? A: I want to act in college and am planning to double major with theatre. It would be awesome to find a career in acting but I don’t know how viable that is as a main source of income, so I’d be happy with just acting on the side.
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PURCHASE TICKETS AT HGCHRISTIAN.ORG OR AT THE DOOR
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the pride winter 2019