GROWL The Growl
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THE
September 2012
A Student Publication of Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy
Playing at the Beach
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Opinions
THE
GROWL Volume 10
Issue 1
Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy 5625 Holy Trinity Drive Melbourne, FL 32940 (321) 723-8323 news@htes.org Ally Neutze Editor-in-Chief Megan McCreery Feature Editor Patrick Black Opinion Editor Bobby Forman Web Editor Catie Sergis Sports Editor Staff Reporters Andrea Bomalaski Suzannah Boyle Paige Golson Alyssa Nelson Jenny Ryan Sam Woods
Adviser Jim Hale Headmaster Catherine A. Ford Printing Indian River Press
The Growl
Complaining without Communication is
Just Whining By Patrick Black Walking through the halls or sitting in a classroom, it is hard not to hear students complaining about a variety of different issues. “School is too long.” “Why do we have to tuck in our shirts?” “The hallways are way too small.” “Lunch is too short.” “Why is everything beige?” After a while these complaints tend to just sound more like whining than anything else. While student complaints typically are pretty minor, there are plenty of legitimate issues that students bring up. But that begs the question, why isn’t anything done about it? The answer is quite simple -- the administration often
doesn’t know about these issues. Because students do not bring up these issues outside of lunchroom conversation, the administration is not made aware of these concerns. Students, if you believe that something should be changed tell someone in the administration, such as Mr. Mancini or Mrs. Ford. Both are willing to help students, but they cannot if they do not hear from you. Better yet, you can actually call on student government to be your advocate. Talk to the president or the other officers. They are students just like you, and it is their job to address the problems of the students. But, once again, they have to know about the problems.
There is also another outlet for you to address any problems you have with the school. Our school newspaper, The Growl, does accept letters to the editor. If there is something that you would like to know about the school or you want to get your opinion out there, you can email your letter to news@htes. org, or drop it off in Mr. Hale’s room, 203. The staff is more than willing to investigate and address any concerns that you have. Fellow students, the time for sitting around complaining is over. If you want something changed, voice your opinion. Nothing will happen if you don’t speak up.
Cover Photo Beach volleyball players Chelsea Pruitt, Megan Moisand, Kiara Barrett, Jenifer Hicks, Lindsay Vaught, and Lizzy Hicks
The Growl is published monthly during the school year by students of Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy. The publication is a public forum, with its student editorial board making all decisions concerning its contents. Unsigned editorials express the view of the majority of the editorial board. Letters to the editor are welcomed and will be published as space allows. Letters must be signed and will be verified. The paper reserves the right to edit letters for grammar and clarity, and all letters are subject to laws governing obscenity, libel, privacy and disruption of the school process, as are all contents of the paper. Op i n i o n s i n l e t t e r s ar e not necessarily those of the staff, nor should any opinion expressed in a public forum be construed as the opinion or policy of the administration, unless so attributed.
Senior Corey Smith talks with Mr. Mancini, Dean of Student Life. Mr. Mancini is always willing to hear students’ issues.
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Letter from the Editor It seems like only a few days ago that I was sitting in Mr. Hale’s Intro to Journalism class on the first day of school. Surrounded by a group of aspiring student journalists, I learned the basics of being a good reporter and the qualities of a good story. I never once imagined that four years later I would have the privilege of writing this letter and leading this staff. It is honestly a dream come true. As editor-in-chief, I am extremely excited about all this year has to offer. We have an amazing staff and as The Growl celebrates its 10th anniversary, I cannot think of a more enthusiastic and well-equipped bunch. Megan McCreery, Patrick Black, Bobby Forman, and Catie Sergis are all returning
staff members who have earned editors’ positions. Megan will be feature editor, Patrick opinion editor, Bobby web editor, and Catie sports editor. I am sure that each of them will do a fantastic job. Another thing that I am very excited to share with you is that The Growl is in the process of creating a website. Bobby has been working very hard and we hope to have it up-and-running in the next few weeks. In the meantime, you can visit The Growl’s Facebook page for information. I am confident that our staff and resources, such as the new website, will help us to provide you, our readers, with an informative and entertaining paper.
I want you to know that The Growl does accept letters to the editor. If you have a question or opinion about something we wrote, or an opinion about something in general, let us know. Letters can be dropped off in Mr. Hale’s room, 203 or submitted to news@htes.org. This is a student newspaper, and our job is to be your voice. We are so excited about this year and hope that you will enjoy each Growl that is produced. Happy Reading! Ally Neutze Editor-in-Chief
The Growl staff: (first row) Suzzannah Boyle, Jenny Ryan, Ally Neutze, Alyssa Nelson, and Megan McCreery. (second row) Catie Sergis, Paige Golson, Patrick Black, Andrea Bomalaski, Bobby Forman, and Sam Woods.
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Dissecting a Teacher’s Busy Life By Megan McCreery Like many of her Holy Trinity students, science teacher Mrs. Stephanie Hendren lives a jam-packed life. After she graduated from MCC in
2002, Mrs. Hendren attended Georgetown University where she majored in Health Science, and graduated in 2006. Her first teaching job was at Viera High School,
where in her first year she taught Biology, Chemistry, and Integrated Science. In years following, she also taught Physical Science and Forensic Science. Since she hadn’t received a degree in education yet, she worked for three years to receive a professional certification through the Brevard County school system. “I wanted smaller classes since I’m used to the private school setting from my own high school experience, so that’s why I wanted to come to Holy Trinity,” said Mrs. Hendren. Currently, she is professionally certified to teach biology, chemistry, and math for grades 6-12. She is hoping that she will be able to reach out and help students learn more about the sciences. “Anatomy here is like biology back in Chile. It’s much more specific here, and it is very helpful since I want to go to med school,” said senior Sophie Rousseau. “I think she is a really good teacher, and her fun spirit motivates you to come to class. Anatomy should be hard, but she makes it more fun and easier to study for,” she said. With this year’s success thus far, it is likely that the class will become permanent. “I would hope that Anatomy is going to return every year, as well as Forensics. That’s my favorite,” said Mrs. Hendren. “We do really hands-on dissection labs, and hope to get body exhibits in the future, including access to a virtual cadaver autopsy,” she said. Many students are happy about what this class will bring. “Last year at Satellite High School, I took Anatomy for a semester. However, this class is a lot more involved and fun,” said senior Johnny Gomez. “I’m very excited to be a part of this class at Holy Trinity,” he said. The current Anatomy class will be dissecting a cat, a sheep brain, and a cow eye.
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Junior Taylor Wilson says it is refreshing to have a teacher that’s as young and connected with technology as the students are. “I’m really excited about all of the dissections we will be doing this year,” she said. Besides an interesting array of educational interests, Mrs. Hendren also leads an active lifestyle with her husband of two years, Christopher. Mr. Hendren attended the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he was a Geography major and graduated in 2005. He also spent time in college studying abroad all over the world. “Also, technically, we both went to the University of Pittsburgh at one point. He did a semester at sea through Pitt, and I took Organic Chemistry there one summer, as well,” said Mrs. Hendren. His semester at sea through the University of Pittsburgh took him all over the globe.
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“He circumnavigated the world, spent time hitchhiking in South Africa to one of the world’s tallest bungee jump sites, partied with Fidel Castro at his house in Cuba, and rode on the back of a local’s motorcycle in Vietnam,” said Mrs. Hendren. The way they met is one we only hear about in television advertisements. “His online name was ‘adventuresmiles’ on Match.com, and I was the first person he contacted. On our first date, he was wearing Banana Republic clothes. Banana and White House Black Market are my favorite stores,” said Mrs. Hendren. Off to a good start, their first date was at Islands Fish Grill in Indialantic. “It was pretty much love at first sight,” said Mrs. Hendren. “After dating for a little less than a year, he proposed on Valentine’s Day while we were vacationing at Stowe Resort in Vermont.”
Mr. and Mrs. Hendren lead very active lives and have met many famous people and groups, including, Gavin Degraw, Michael Buble, Needtobreathe, Sara Bareilles, and N’Sync. Besides attending many different concerts, Mr. and Mrs. Hendren have participated in a lot of fun activities, including a music cruise to Mexico, skydiving, and multiple half-marathons. Mrs. Hendren plans to travel to Ireland this Thanksgiving, and Berlin next year for her first full marathon. Left: Mrs. Hendren and husband, Christopher spend time at Stowe Resort in Vermont. Going snowboarding is one of the fun, activities the couple enjoys together often. Above: Mrs. Hendren teaches her Anatomy and Physiology class about the skeletal system.
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Guys waiting for new action on TV It’s almost the time of year when all the major networks start rolling out their new dramas comedies and begin new episodes of favorite shows. Here are a few shows for the guys at Holy Trinity to look out for.
ABC Last Resort A nuclear sub receives orders to fire nuclear weapons at Pakistan through a secondary channel, and the sub crew questions the order to fire. Before long the U.S. fires upon the sub. Fugitives of the U.S, they set up camp at a NATO Outpost and declare themselves the smallest nuclear armed country in the world. The pilot episode has earned critical acclaim. --Thursdays at 8:00 p.m.
666 Park Avenue Many residents of a luxiourous apartment building have unknowingly sold their souls to the devil. Things go bump in the middle of the night and people disappear. Every resident’s wish is fulfilled but the price is greater than they could imagine. -- Sundays at 10:00 p.m.
CBS Vegas A ‘60s rodeo cowboy turned sheriff in Las Vegas brings a unique brand of law and order to an up-and-coming gambling and entertainment mecca. -- Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m.
the world be like without power? People must learn to answer this question in this series where the power outage seems to be on purpose. -- Mondays at 10:00 p.m.
NCIS The 10th season of NCIS promises to be a thriller. Fans have been flocking to NCIS the past few seasons earning over 20 million viewers a night. This makes it one of the most popular dramas on TV today. -- Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m.
Hawaii Five-O This classic remake of a show returns for its third season this fall. Viewers were left with a lot of questions they expect to be answered in the season premiere. -- Mondays at 10:00 p.m.
NBC Revolution Award winning director J.J. Abrams brings this new drama to NBC. What would
Top: Last Resort premieres Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. on ABC. Below: Revolution is on Mondays at 10:00 p.m. on NBC.
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Girls want to renew TV relationships It’s not just fall fasions that Holy Trinity girls are anticipating. Here are some of the shows on our “must see” list:
ABC Modern Family
New Girl New Girl is a sitcom about a girl named Jess who moves in with three guys after catching her boyfriend cheating. -- Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m.
The X Factor is a reality show where contestants sing with the hopes of being the next big thing. -- Wednesdays & Thursdays at 8:00 p.m.
Fox
NBC
Glee
Vampire Diaries Two vampire brothers who are new in town battle for a girl’s soul. -- Thursdays at 8:00 p.m.
The X Factor
The lives of todays’ families can be very entertaining. Modern Familiy follows the lives of three parts of one family who live very different lives. -- Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m.
Glee club has never been this good. Will Schuester leads a group of talented, yet unfocused high school students to win the biggest competition, Nationals. -- Thursdays at 9:00 p.m.
The CW
Gossip Girl A drama about the lives of upper class prep school teens whose secrets are being followed and recorded by the all knowing Gossip Girl. This will be the last season of the show, so it will most definitely be filled with lots of intense, thrilling episodes. -- Mondays at 9:00 p.m.
The Office This mockumentary about the modern workplace enters its final season. The show takes place in Scranton, PA at a paper supply company. -- Thursdays at 9:00 p.m.
MTV Jersey Shore Also in its final season, Jersey Shore is a high drama show about young people living in New Jersey -- Thursdays at 10:00 p.m.
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The Growl celebrates 10 years
Past editors reflect on Some were cheerleaders, softball players, and cross country state champions. Others were math nerds, drama geeks, and amazing artists. But one thing that ties them all together is the time and dedication each of them invested as editors-in-chief of The Growl. Beginning in 2003, Robbie Krieger led the first Growl staff and paved the way for Holy Trinity’s first student newspaper. “The first year, everyone had ideas for stories because no one had ever written them before since there was never a student newspaper,” said Sarah Maxwell who was layout editor in 2003, and went on to become editor-in-chief in 2004. “Mr. Hale helped out a lot the first year. He didn’t do it for us, but he helped to make sure we were being clear and following all of the rules. The second year, it was much more in the hands of the students.” That second year, Maxwell was editorin-chief, and although she was involved in many other activities, such as cheerleading and the dance team, Newspaper may have proven to be her greatest challenge. She was faced with many obstacles, beginning with the first issue. “There was a hurricane, we were out of school for a week, and the first issue almost didn’t get out. But I stayed late and made it happen because I wanted it so badly,” said Maxwell. After the first issue came out, Maxwell had successfully dodged a bullet and set her staff on the right track. However, within the newspaper staff, a new staff was forming -- a staff that would come to be known as Channel 77 News or the broadcast group. “At times it was hard because I wanted the attention on the newspaper, but at the same time it was cool to see students interested in and doing something that was so creative and new,” said Maxwell. “It was nice to see them working and being so ambitious trying to produce something great for the school. It’s good when you can go into a classroom and see students involved
and doing something they love -- not just going through the motions.” Maxwell’s enthusiasm and passion for journalism continued after she graduated from Holy Trinity in 2005. “When I left Holy Trinity after having been in charge of the newspaper, it gave me the ambition that I needed in college. It gave me something to look forward to, and it gave way to the idea that I wanted to write in college. It played a big role in my decision making process,” said Maxwell.
“There was a hurricane, we were out of school for a week, and the first issue almost didn’t get out. But I stayed late and made it happen because I wanted it so badly.” -- Sarah Maxwell Growl editor-in-chief ’04-’05 She began attending Auburn University in the fall of 2005 and graduated with a degree in English in 2008. During her second semester, Maxwell began writing for The Plainsman, Auburn’s student newspaper. “I enjoyed it, and it was large-scale coming from a small school,” said Maxwell. After graduating from Auburn, Maxwell went on to attend and graduate from Stetson School of Law in St. Petersburg. She took the bar exam at the end of July, but won’t know her results until mid-late September. “Once I know how that goes, I’ll be able to move forward with my career,” Maxwell said.
Even though Maxwell changed her major from Journalism to English, and is hoping to be a lawyer, she does not regret all of the time that she spent on journalism in high school and college. “For people who are interested in writing for the newspaper or interested in writing -- go for it. You might find out that talking to people is what you like, writing is what you like, or pictures are your thing. I think it’s a really good thing to help to figure out who you are at that point in your life. It’s a good memory as well. My mom has all my stuff in a book that I wrote and I look back and laugh at some and smile at others,” said Maxwell. Danielle Slomins, who was editor-inchief during the 2007-08 school year, agrees with Maxwell. “It is so important to have strong writing skills and I’d encourage anyone, no matter what interests you have, to take journalism. And even if journalism isn’t something you want to do for a living, you’ll be happy you took it later on,” said Danielle. Danielle will be the first to tell anyone that she wasn’t always interested in journalism. “In seventh grade, I was a cheerleader, which is hilarious because anyone that knows me knows that I am not the cheerleader type. I wanted to quit the first day, but I stuck it out for the whole basketball season,” said Danielle. In eighth grade, she ditched the pompoms, took up cross country, and continued with that until she graduated. In tenth grade, she took her first journalism class. “I took Intro to Journalism in tenth grade, I was on the newspaper staff in eleventh grade, and I was the editor-in-chief my
Sisters Dana Slomins, ‘12, left, and Danielle Slomins, ‘08, each served as editor-in-chief of The Growl. Both are now in school at Florida State University.
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n journalism journey senior year. I also took Mr. Hale’s film class, which I have to say was one of the greatest classes I’ve ever taken. You’d be amazed how many people you can impress when you start throwing out facts about movies on the AFI Top 100 list,” said Danielle. Danielle was also part of the first group of journalism students that Mr. Hale took to Indiana University’s High School Journalism Institute (HSJI). “We went to Indiana University the summer before the 2007-08 school year and it was a lot of fun. I learned a lot about writing and being an editor at journalism camp,” Danielle said. After graduating from Holy Trinity
in 2008, Danielle went on to Florida State University where she graduated this past April with a bachelor’s degree in Communication Science and Disorders. “I am now working on a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at FSU. As part of my degree program, I see clients every week for speech therapy. This semester I am working with adults who have neurogenic disorders, and next semester I will be working with children. When I graduate, I plan to work in a medical setting with people who have suffered from strokes and traumatic brain injuries,” said Danielle. Danielle credits much of her college success and current success to her journalism
background. “Writing is a huge part of college no matter what you major in, so all of the skills I learned back in high school were very helpful to me. Although I did not major in journalism, I believe my journalism background helped me to not only succeed in college, but also to get into graduate school. Speech pathology actually requires a lot of writing because we are required to write tons of reports, and thankfully, I feel confident in my writing abilities,” said Danielle. Following Danielle in 2008 was Kristen Sibbitt. Before graduating from Holy Trinity (continued on next page)
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(continued from previous page) in 2009, Sibbitt was involved in softball, cheerleading, and student government in addition to the newspaper. “My junior year I was feature editor and then editor-in-chief my senior year. I learned a lot working on the newspaper and it’s definitely my proudest accomplishment of my high school years. It’s great working so hard on something you love and producing a great end product -- it’s really rewarding,” she said. Sibbitt also attended HSJI in 2007 with Danielle, and again in 2008. “It was a lot of fun. It opened me up to a whole new world of student journalism and what other students were writing about. It was really inspiring to be surrounded by a group of people who were so passionate
about journalism. It helped me take control of my writing and show me that everyone works and writes differently and that’s a great thing,” said Sibbitt who is now at FSU. “I am in my senior year at Florida State University, majoring in Marketing with a minor in Communications,” she said. “Having knowledge of the journalism world has helped me greatly when it comes to writing. In the job world, it’s provided me with writing experience and the experience to lead a group of people.” Sibbitt has taken her talents to the real world and is now an intern for Black Tie Digital Marketing in Viera. “My time on the newspaper staff has definitely helped me in this job. I blog for many clients and I always try to take the time to brainstorm different ideas and topics for
my blogs the way we did on staff,” she said. Sibbitt was not only influenced by her staff, but also by her advisor, Mr. Hale. “Listen to Mr. Hale! Honestly, not a lot of teachers and what they taught stuck with me, but Mr. Hale did. I use things I learned from him and his class every day of my life,” said Sibbitt. In 2011, Dana Slomins, Danielle’s younger sister, became editor-in-chief of The Growl. The two are the only siblings to have been editors-in-chief of The Growl. “I think she (Danielle) did have a role in influencing my journalism interest. I signed up for journalism because I was interested in it since she was the editor-in-chief when I was in eighth grade. The first year I was in journalism, however, I had no idea I would be editor-in-chief my senior year. I hadn’t really even thought that far. But I stuck with it and eventually became the editor-in-chief my senior year. Danielle and I both like a lot of the same things though. She also ran cross country, and now we’re both at the same college,” said Dana. Dana, who graduated from Holy Trinity this past May, began taking journalism courses her freshman year of high school. “I took Intro to Journalism in ninth grade. I started taking Newspaper my sophomore year and continued through senior year.” Dana was feature editor her junior year and attended HSJI the summer before her senior year. While at HSJI, Dana placed first in the feature writing contest, which was open to about 120 students. Dana is now a freshman at FSU where she runs womens cross country and is a part of the honors program. However, like Maxwell, Sibbitt, and Danielle, Dana agrees that although she is not entirely sure what she will be majoring in, her journalism experience will help her along the way. “I think writing for The Growl helped improve my writing, and leading the staff my senior year allowed me to learn how to work better with others and be a leader, which will definitely help me in college and in the job world,” said Dana. Past editor-in-chief Kristen Sibbitt and feature editor Maddie Menzel guided The Growl for the 2008-2009 school year. Both Sibbitt and Menzel attended HSJI in the summer of 2008 in order to help them prepare for their leadership roles.
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And the band played on By Sam Woods Students walking down Holy Trinity’s halls after school will be surprised to hear a new noise coming out of the band room, -- drum core practice. The band has a new teacher, Mr. Jim McCarl, and he’s inspiring the band to new heights. Hailing from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Mr. McCarl is leading the band in a whole new direction and pushing them harder than ever. One of the first changes is the band’s increased number of performences. “We’re playing at volleyball and basketball games this year, in addition to the football games,” said Mr. McCarl. Mr. McCarl is also adding a new concert in May that will be filled with hip, popular music that both young and old audience members will recognize.
He is also balancing out the band by moving students around on various instruments. Sophmore Nicholas Belsten has been changed from the alto saxaphone, to the lower baritone saxaphone, and loves the change. “The bari saxaphone is great. It’s really fun to play,” he said. A new beginner band class is being added this year, and Mr. McCarl wants to urge students to come talk to him if they’re interested in joining the band next year. Seniors Taylor Crook and Krista Tillman, who have been band students since seventh grade, are both excited by the changes the band has undergone. “Although it’s a lot of work, I’m really looking forward to playing at more games and the new concert. Mr. McCarl has a great
positive energy and laid back attitude, but still encourages students to play their best,” said Crook. Sophmore Nate Hermen thinks the band will be a great addition to the games. “I like to support the band, they do alot of work, and its great to see them at games,” he said. The new band teacher is taking the band through new steps that we’re all excited about.
Mr. Jim McCarl helps Daniel Cronin with his cymbals during an after school drum core practice. Mr. McCarl has been working hard to bring experience to the band.
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The Grass is Always Greener By Catie Sergis
Recently, I teed it up with the Holy Trinity girls golf team. Not knowing the depth of the game, I went into Friday practice with a single-minded thought -- golf couldn’t possibly be that hard. (continued on next page) Tenth grader Adela Yang practices chipping before practice. This is Yang’s first year at Holy Trnity and on the golf team.
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(continued from previous page) After the first couple minutes of practice I soon realized much more goes into this sport than I expected. I did a round of “group playing” with some older girls on the team, and they were all very helpful with my inexperience to the sport. Junior Kendall Kara taught me some phrases while out on the course, such as par four meaning it should take four hits to get it in the hole, and one over is a bogey. This year’s team is a little more serious than last year. “This year there is more required practice, but a lot of the girls golf on their own, besides practice,” Coach Lisa Lewis said. “We practice on Tuesdays and Fridays from 3:30-5:30. Sunday practice is optional from 2:00-2:30,” junior Taylor Wilson said.
Practice this year has also become more structured. “We chip and putt for the first half hour, which Coach calls our vegetables. Then, we drive and play, which she calls our dessert,” junior Kendall Kara said. The team consists of many ages. Not only are the older girls bringing lots of talent to the team, the younger girls also have lots to offer. “It’s fun practicing with the older girls because they’ve been doing this longer, and I watch them for extra help,” said seventh grader Lilly Wall. Other girls on the team look to golf for a way of relaxation. “I think it’s fun to play with friends, and it’s relaxing to play after a tough day at school,” said eighth grader Jamie Perry.
Besides the returning golfers this year, the team has expanded to a new group of students. Foreign exchange students are bringing their knowledge to the team. “I golfed in China, and I really liked it. I want to improve my skills,” said sophomore Adela Yang. Senior Taylor Crook explained to me how the matches work. “The top six girls play in the matches, and to be eligible for districts you have to be in at least four matches. Before each match Coach goes over the rules of the game,” Crook said. Going to my first golf practice was a great experience. I learned a lot about the sport, and will definitely be out on the course again soon.
Senior’s Last Hoorah By Andrea Bomalaski Summer, for most students, is usually a time for vacation with the family, trips to the beach with friends, or even just relaxing at home. However, for some cross country members, summer is a time for training. Many students at Holy Trinity are aware of the great success that the cross country team has achieved, but what they aren’t aware of is the kind of work that goes behind this great success. Senior captain of the girl’s cross country team, Mackenzie Dummer, talked about her summer training. “I ran once or twice every day, it was more difficult this year because we added ten miles to my workouts,” Dummer said. Her workout was not limited to just running. “I also went to the gym multiple times a week this summer to work on my abs,” Dummer said. Dummer completed 600 miles this summer. Her cross country career has been going on for six years now, starting at the end of her sixth grade year. “When I was younger, like when I was in the seventh grade, I wanted to be on varsity
Senior cross country runner Mackenzie Dummer competes at the Wikham Park Jamboree. Dummer has been running since she was in the sixth grade.
so bad. I finally got on for a couple races,” she said. Dummer was a varsity runner from her eighth grade year all the way up to her senior year. This is Dummer’s first year as a captain and has high hopes for the success of the season. “My goal for the team this year is for everyone to come together so we can be closer as a team so I can have an awesome senior year and they can have an awesome year,” Dummer said. She hopes the team has a great race at state this year and has even set personal goals for herself. “Individually, I want to get in the low 18s and run in college.” Dummer’s college plans include running at a division one school. She is looking into the University of Louisville and the University of South Carolina. Doug Butler is currently the coach for the Holy Trinity cross country team. He is glad Dummer is part of the team and has high expectations of her this season. “I expect Mackenzie to be in the top five or six at state. She has the potential to run under 18:30. I expect her to be a leader because she’s a senior and has been on the team for six years. I need her to be more vocal and motivate the rest of the team,” said Coach Butler
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Queens of the Beach By Jenny Ryan Most students view the beach as a place to relax and have a fun time. However, for some students the beach is a place to bring out their competitive edge. These are the beach volleyball players. This summer was filled with plenty of calm, sunny days. Those are the days I would head to the beach bringing a volleyball, and I would play from 8:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon, competing through the heat of the day. Diving through the baking sand and scrambling to the ball are things I enjoy doing most. However, I was not the only student from Holy Trinity who played over summer break. Beach volleyball is a growing trend, and students of all ages have caught on. Sophomores Jennifer and Lizzy Hicks have been playing together for four years now. Not only are they beach volleyball partners, but they are also twin sisters. “We first started playing because our older sister Savannah started playing and we figured it would be fun to try,” said Jennifer. “My uncle is also a beach volleyball coach and he played as a professional beach player for years, so he also got us interested in the sport,” she added. J e n n i f e r a n d L i z z y ’s g r e a t e s t accomplishment was qualifying for the beach volleyball Junior Olympics which took place in New Orleans in the summer of 2011. “Because we are sisters, we do not care about hurting each other’s feelings while we are on the court. We feel that we can
push ourselves more by yelling at each other for motivation and to have good communication,” said Jennifer. Junior Megan Moisand was partnered with sophomore Lindsay Vaught this summer. Throughout their practices together, they both could notice an improvement in their chemistry on the sand.
“My favorite part of the game is being able to touch the ball on every single play and being outside on the beach.” -- Lindsay Vaught Although this was their first season together as a team, Moisand has been playing for two years and Vaught has been playing for four. “My favorite part of the game is being able to touch the ball on every single play and being outside on the beach,” said Vaught. Because the game is played outside on the beach, there are many conditions that are extremely tough to play through. “The hot sun, wind, rain, and hot sand make it very tricky to play. It is also harder to jump in the sand, however the sand also
provides a nice cushion while diving,” said Moisand. “But even though the conditions are tough, it still makes for a nice day at the beach.” “Megan and I work very well together. I know her well and have played with her for indoor before, which allowed us to play very well together and have a lot of fun while doing it,” said Vaught. Junior Sydney Farrish also has a passion for beach volleyball. She has been playing for three years. She enjoys how there are only two people per team, and how it really allows you to connect with your partner and learn how to play together. “The hardest thing for me is moving in the sand and trying to change the ball handling with the weather,” said Farrish. McKenna Ville and Faith Valenti, sophomores, have been partners together for three years. Throughout those years, they have been able to strengthen their bond and have a lot of fun. “The best part about beach volleyball is that I can be having a good time playing and I can also be getting a tan at the same time,” said Valenti. Ville and Valenti practice during the summer for an hour and a half, two days a week. “Playing through the heat of the day, you need something to keep you going. For me, that is my partner McKenna. She always pushes me to be the best I can be,” said Valenti. Junior Taylor Wilson was a champion
The Growl
of an AAU Sand Crabs tournament in June this summer. “At first playing was all about the fun, but now I have started to get really competitive with it and I have really stepped it up,” said Wilson. Wilson practices at the Cocoa Beach Pier for at least two hours and sometimes three hours at a time. “I enjoy that I get to play on the beach with my friends, even if we do not play our best that day, we always have a great time just being together. We have some good laughs,” said Wilson. Kiara Barrett, sophomore, is no stranger to the game. She has been playing for four years and plans to make it a fifth. She first began because she wanted to continue her
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volleyball season through the summer. “I enjoy diving because you cannot get hurt while doing it. I love volleyball and have so much fun while playing. Without beach volleyball my summer would not be complete,” said Barrett. Sophomore Sara Ashley first joined in on the excitement two years ago. She practices in Cocoa Beach and has had the same teammate for both years. Sara believes communication is key. “The best way to prepare for matches is by talking as much as you can with your partner and doing drills in practice,” said Ashley. Junior Chelsea Pruitt looks forward to the offensive and defensive part of the game. “My two favorite parts are getting stuff
blocks and getting some nice kills. I also enjoy the excitement and motivation put into every point in every game,” said Pruitt.” I like to think of it as a game of tricks. You never know where the ball is exactly going to go and I find it exciting,” added Pruitt. Whether it be for fun, or for competition, beach volleyball is a great way to spend a nice afternoon. Anyone can do it. Beach volleyball is made for people of all ages and of all kinds.
Holy Trinity students (left to right) Chelsea Pruitt, Lindsay Vaught, Kiara Barrett, Jennifer Hicks, Megan Moisand, and Lizzy Hicks hit up the Cocoa Beach Pier to play a game of volleyball.
The Growl
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If you’re lucky enough to be a ginger, you’re lucky enough
By Alyssa Nelson Ginger, carrot top, freckle face, and red -- all redheads hear them, but for most, these names have just become part of who they are. “I embrace having red hair even though I have been made fun of sometimes. Us gingers have got to stick together,” said senior Megan McCreery. Throughout the world redheads make up about four percent of the total population. In the United States though, natural redheads make up fewer than two percent of the population. Because of the rarity of this particular gene, redheads are singled out in both good and bad ways. Seventh grader Mary Rossi enjoys being a redhead, but specifically likes the nicknames she gets from other students and some of the teachers. “Most of the kids call me ginger, but it doesn’t bother me at all,” Rossi said. A 2007 article in National Geographic magazine stated that the redheaded gene is not likely to die out and therefore redheads have little chance of ever going extinct. The percentage of redheads will continue to decline because it is a recessive gene, but even if it skips a few generations in a certain family, it will come back in later generations. Such is the case in sophomore Meredith Haley’s family.
“My brother and I both got red hair, but nobody else in my family has red hair,” said Haley. Sophomore Billy Karika on the other hand, knows were his hair color came from. “My sister has red hair, and we got the red hair from my grandma on my mother’s side,” he said. All redheads agree on one thing, they would never dye their hair a different color. With over 30 percent of women dying their hair red now, it is the most popular color of hair dye in the United States. “Emma Stone inspired me to dye my hair red,” said junior Andrea Bomalaski. “I felt like I was edgier when I was a redhead, but I decided to dye it blonde again because it is my natural hair color.” Red hair is often linked to certain characteristics as well. In general, redheaded people are great public speakers, but they also are rumored to have fiery temperaments, be luckier, wilder, and more emotional. According to a ancient German myth, redheads were believed to be witches. Over 45,000 women were murdered in Germany for having abnormalities like freckles and red hair. In Greek mythology, it was said that redheads turned into vampires when they die. Even in ancient Rome, redheads were a
unique group, and slaves with red hair were sold at a higher price. From back then to now, red hair has gone from being considered abnormal to being considered a treasure and cherished all over the world. “I love having red hair because you always get noticed in a crowd, and people give you compliments all the time,” said sophomore Amy Jameson. Even though it is such a rarity, many well known people had red hair. The famous painter Vincent van Gogh, British politician Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth I, presidents Andrew Jackson and George Washington, author Mark Twain, actresses Judy Garland and Ginger Rogers, and Lucille Ball from I Love Lucy all were natural redheads. Gregarious, adventurous, smart, and loyal, redheads will always have something to be remembered for.
Above: Sophomore Billy Karika launches Above: himself into a mud hole. Redheads are known to be wild and adventurous.