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TM
Feature
16 EZ Ways To Redo U Blast from the Past
Pic-A-Flic In Your Car
Runway
It’s all about the shoes
The Big I’s DeVonte Holloman
october-november | 2007
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TM
06
October 2007
editor’s note
don’t read this
it’s all about the shoes
34
10
runway
your questions, our answers
headcase
14 36 Matt Brown & Christine 18 the Persinski 42 plunge
16 EZ ways to redo u
light stuff
this&that
pic-a-flic in your car
profles
short story
20 46
hot ways, good plays
pix
dangerous love
comix
the bolt
22 48
hard core
packin’ it
beef up your bag
the big I’s DeVonte an Hollothm e coach,
the player, the PROGRAM p4 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
26
Real Real humans. humans. Real Real science. science. Really Really amazing! amazing!
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from kp OK, so the deal is, I know you’re not reading this. I know it.
The way I know this is, I was once a teen-ager. To be exact, I was a teen-ager 17 years ago. I’m sure it seems like this vast space separates you from me, an enormous void that could never be filled. You think I could never understand what you’re going through, or that I’m some kind of internal spy your parents have unleashed on you. Not true.
managing editor karsen price
At Harding High School in the late ‘80s, I was a cross between a jock and a geek. I was cool enough to know the cool kids in school but not cool enough to be one of them. And although a lot has happened since then, I honestly still feel 17 years old some days. These days, in addition to my adult responsibilities, I’m working on my tan and rehabbing from knee surgery and sick of watching my softball team play from the sidelines – just like I did my sophomore year of high school. I like Lucky jeans and Stila lipstick and boots with mini-skirts, and I play three sports year-round and hit Starbucks twice a day. I even send text messages. Most of all, I remember what it’s like to consider adults the enemy.
“How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you were?”
– Satchel Paige, baseball legend
Of course, there were exceptions. The shortstop for my church softball team, Joan Hoover, was in her 40s, and cool, and good. My grandmother was a funny old chick who used mild four-letter words around me when no one else was within earshot. My favorite teacher, Jon Strong, was my buddy who forgave me for being late more than 20 times in one semester. My coaches were always allowed into the circle. I even hung out with my parents once in a while. Still, this is a new magazine – a new magazine created just for you and people your age – and I’m an adult. You’re skeptical. I get it. But get this: I need you to make me the exception. I need you to pick up the magazine and flip through it and then get online and tell me what you like and don’t like. I need you to tell me about you … what you like and dislike, what music you listen to, where you get your favorite lattes. How are you going to change the world? I need to know where you plan to go to college and what you want to be when you grow up (I want to be a novelist). I need you to tell me what you’ve done, and more importantly, what you plan to do. Because without you, this magazine is not worth the paper it’s printed on. So this is my official call. Don’t let the fact that I’m an “adult” stand in your way. I need your letters. I need your emails. I’m looking for students all over Charlotte to become members of STATIC’s advisory board. Are you a gifted artist? Take a photo and send it to me. Write a mean short story? Send it my way. I just might make you famous. STATIC magazine is for you, about you. Make the most of it!
karsen price, managing editor p6 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
fin an cia l
:: k rice creative directo r en p : : jay ars o
writer :: trac ting ym u ib
c
uto
er :: ro
contrib
n desha ies
is inn
h rap g o t
mont grie r :: la istant :: tiffa
ny b o
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culture, and highlight excellence in the Charlotte community and
ass tion
that is unique to young adults. We hope to entertain this counter
du c pro
o ph
w e
STATIC wants to embody the fragmented and combustible energy
n
m
ag i
r ito ed
publisher :: m i ke p hilli ps
ma n
cg
tr on
our mission beyond.
erg
rs
e
editor :: resa go ldb
ng
ag an
r ::
ari sh
ki lews o b so
wanted
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Freelance writers wanted for STATIC magazine. Must have
wanted
experience writing for newspapers or magazines. Clips required. For more information, call : (704) 401-5268
Sales Representatives needed for STATIC. Send resume to
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submissions
STATIC magazine – We are all about you!
But don’t just FEEL the noise. Make your own noise, and become part of the STATIC team. Know someone who should be in the magazine? Got a pressing question and want an answer? Or are you talented in writing and visual arts? If so, what are you waiting for? We want to hear from you. NOW. There are several ways you can contribute to STATIC: Cover story Know someone who should be on STATIC’s cover? Send us the dirt and let us decide.
else is saying. Be an underground reporter for STATIC, and if your idea makes the mag, we’ll list you as a contributor.
Behind the scenes We want the inside story, not just what everyone
Headcase Got a problem? We have solutions. Send us your
question, along with your name and age (we’ll list you anonymously if you ask) and look for an answer in an upcoming issue. Write stuff We’re always on the
lookout for outstanding fiction and poetry. Short stories need to be 2,000 words or less. Don’t send anything that has been previously published in print or online, and do include name and address on all submissions. Rights
revert back to the author after publication. Budding Picassos Show us your art and we might showcase it in Scatter. High-resolution shots are best. If you send originals, we can’t promise
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How To Reach Us Send submissions to ATTN: Managing Editor, STATIC Magazine, P.O. Box 78734, Charlotte, NC 28271-7040. You can also fax us at (704) 973-7863, or email kprice@static-magazine.com. Logistics All content may be edited for clarity and length. Copyright 2007 by Kidz Biz Magazine, LLC. Printed in USA. STATIC is published by Kidz Biz Magazine, LLC. Submissions are welcome, but the editor assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited material and may use them at his/her discretion. We do not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Articles do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publishers. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any way without written permission from the publisher.
p8 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
runway
it’s all about the shoes They say to truly know a person, first you must walk a mile in their shoes. All we know is, you’ll look good walking a mile in these shoes. Fun, flirty and fresh for fall, they’re all affordably priced and ready to hit the halls or malls.
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.” – Dr. Seuss
p10 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
Converse is back – with a
This pair of Xappeal is
Sketchers has reinvented
Pink is the new blue
The plaid print of these
Vanns – they’re not just
vengeance. This ripped-
classically frayed, and as
the whole bowling-shoe,
– or at least that’s what
pink, blue and yellow slip-
for boarders anymore.
tuff pair comes complete
easy to slip on as a pair
knockoff thing with
the guys are telling
ons resemble the Madras
That’s because they’re
with funky patches in
of flip-flops. The ties are
these buttery-soft brown
themselves this year.
shirts of yesteryear.
as stylish as they are
traditional canvas and
elasticized, meaning you
sneaks. In multi-shades
The blue-grey of these
Perfect for the still-hot
comfortable. Dark-brown
rubber. Brown with multi-
don’t have to lift a finger
of chocolate, these shoes
Converse slip-ons offers
days of Indian summer,
suede with striking white
color details and white
to slide them on. Fun, fall
are as yummy as they are
a quiet base for the
and light enough to fool
details and the logo in
accents. Our sources
plaid in light-brown, green
versatile. $54.99.
bright pink stripe that
your feet into thinking
crimson. $49.99.
deign this pair the shoe of
and white. $29.99.
crosshatches these
you’re on summer break.
loafers. $39.99.
$39.99.
the season. $49.99.
static-magazine.com | oct-nov 2007 :: p11
The only thing better
New Balance does pale
Puma mixes this season’s
Rocket Dog takes the
Converse knows a thing
Volcom takes loafers and
than checkerboard flair is
blue plaid with the best
top color-combo of
skull-and-crossbones
about shoes – as well
adds a touch of artistic
checkerboard flair in pink.
of ‘em. Lightweight and
pink and brown in its
look and roughs it up just
they should; they’ve been
flair with the V1 Slip-on.
Vann’s Kalei style mixes
light-hearted, this lace-up
Repli Cat – a low profile
right. Elastic tabs make it
around since 1923. This
A cross between graffiti
smooth black suede with
sneaker is both versatile
sneak that’s perfect for
easy to be lazy. $39.99.
little job might be boring
and inky art, with a quote
exactly that. $49.99.
and comfy. $49.99
fall. Smooth, sleek and
if not for that funky pink-
thrown in along the
complete with pouncing
and-green double tongue.
edging for good measure,
pink puma. $64.99.
As it is, it’s as cute as a
this shoe screams
kitten. $44.99.
personality. $39.99.
p12 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
new u
16 EZ ways to redo your image OK, so it’s not exactly January, and besides, resolutions are passé. But consider this: It’s never to late to be somebody different. Everybody hated you last year? Find a new crowd. Nearly flunk out in the spring? Bring home a book once in a while. Always late? Set the alarm thirty minutes earlier. And if you’re already as wonderful as you ever wanted to be, then pat yourself on the back and go sit in the corner. Because you’re the only one. The rest of us need some work and we aren’t afraid to admit it. p14 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
DO SOMETHING YOU’VE NEVER DONE BEFORE
READ A BOOK
Start small. If you frown, try smiling once in awhile. If you
A good one to try: The Catcher in the Rye,
never wear lipstick, buy one (neutral colors are in; try
by J.D. Salinger. Written in 1951, it’s still
Neutrogena’s Moisture Shine Soothing Lip Sheers in Pink
getting censored for profanity and a
Splash, or Lancôme’s Juicy Tubes in Raspberry Ice). If you
frank look at sexuality. The thing is, the
cower in the halls, stand tall. If you black your eyes with
main character, Holden Caulfield, is one
eyeliner, lighten up. If you make fun of people,
of the most likable and innocent-hearted
shut up.
protagonists out there, and his firstperson teen-age angst is remarkably fresh, even today. Want something from NOT THE
this decade? I hear Scott Westerfeld’s sci-
FASTEST ON THE TEAM? Run intervals. It’s the single
fi Uglies trilogy is unique, easy-to-read, and also full of teen-aged angst. Got too much homework? Read a short story instead. Try Kurt Vonnegut’s “Harrison Berganon” (see this&that).
best way to improve both your endurance and speed, and easy to
REALLY BAD AT SOMETHING, SUCH AS MATH?
do. Short intervals – less
Hire a tutor. Really good at something, such as math?
than one-minute bursts
Become a tutor. Extra cash is always nice...
of all-out speed – don’t build up excess lactic acid in your body, are easy to recover from, and improve your
STOP DRINKING SODA,
Anaerobic Threshold (the place where you are giving your
AND GRAB WATER INSTEAD
hardest effort). How to do it: After a five-minute warm-up, run
You’ll lose five pounds before you know it, and
at 90 percent of your fastest speed for 30 seconds to one
your teeth will love you for it. Can’t stand the
minute, then drop to a slower pace (or even a walk) for two
taste of plain water? Try Glaceau’s enhanced
to four minutes. Repeat four to eight times, and add into your
Vitaminwaters, which contain added vitamins,
workout once or a twice a week, being careful to always take
minerals and flavorings. Two flavors to try are the
the next day off. After two weeks, up your reps and/or the time that you are pushing it. You’ll notice a difference, and so
fruity “XXX” (triple-antioxidants) or the grapeflavored “formula 50.”
will your coach. SHOW UP FOR GET A NEW “DO”
PRACTICE EARLY – AND
Or if your hair is short,
STAY LATE
make a commitment to
The rest of the world
grow it out three inches.
might not care, but most coaches notice things like
Try putting in a few –
determination and hard work.
just a few – highlighted streaks (try Herbal
WRITE DOWN YOUR BIGGEST DREAM ON A PIECE OF PAPER
Essences HighLights, which works for all hair colors). Don’t get stuck in a rut.
whether it’s making the volleyball team, having a date come prom or getting into the college of your dreams. Accept the dream. Then fold the note up, and put it out of your mind. According to New York Times bestselling author Melody Beattie, acknowledging what you want is the first step toward
RECORD YOURSELF TALKING ON THE PHONE,
claiming it!
THEN DO A PLAYBACK ALONE Like what you hear? Didn’t think so. Pick out a few words to add into your spiel, and slash a whole lot of other ones. Try to avoid the “ums” and the “likes.” A good rule of thumb: Think before you speak.
static-magazine.com | oct-nov 2007 :: p15
use MySpace to spy on you and your friends. If you must have one, play it safe. Don’t give out personal information such
BE NICE TO
as your address and phone number (definitely don’t
THAT KID IN
list your social-security number on there), and
SCHOOL
don’t post any risqué photos. Have fun,
THAT
but be smart.
EVERYONE IGNORES Trust us: The world
MAKE A COMMITMENT NOT
won’t end. You never
TO GET A TATTOO
know, they might
Face it, they’re as common
become the next Bill
as earrings these days.
Gates or American Idol
The overall idea was to be
finalist. (Stranger things have happened.) Plus, it’s good karma. Ever heard the old saying, what goes around comes around? You never know when that friendship might come in handy.
different, not a copycat, right? Everybody’s got one these days (or five). How unique is that? Think about it. When you’re 60 years old (trust us, it’ll happen) are you really going to want that tat of Master Shake on your bicep?
WHEN YOUR PARENTS ASK HOW YOUR DAY WAS (AND YOU KNOW THEY WILL), TRY SAYING: “Terrible, and I need some time before I can be nice to anybody.” It’s better than that silent treatment you’ve been giving Mom, and who knows, it might encourage her to do something nice for you!
WASH YOUR CAR OK, so not everybody can have the coolest possible car. But then again, not everyone is lucky enough to have a car, period. So if you have something old, ugly and cantankerous, and you don’t have the money to make it fabulous, how about at least washing it once a week? Sure, it won’t look
STOP CARING SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT
enormously
OTHER PEOPLE THINK
better
and set out to please yourself (as
– let’s
long as it’s healthy, that is). If you
face it;
adore that hat, if those shoes
an old,
make you feel like a rock star, if
ugly car is
you run faster in white cleats but
an old, ugly car.
everyone else wears black – go
But at least it won’t be an
for it. When you feel good about
old, ugly, dirty car. And maybe if you take
you, the world can’t help but notice.
care of it your parents will notice, and help you
Self-confidence is super attractive.
upgrade come graduation. You can only hope, right?
STOP SMOKING It causes the skin around your lips to pucker like an old prune, slows you down on the field, and makes you smell like an ashtray. In general, smoking sends one of two messages about you: You’re either trying (too hard) to BE CAREFUL WITH THAT MYSPACE ACCOUNT Sure, it is to this generation what lava lamps were to hippies and big hair was to Eighties divas. But did you see that some 29,000 sexual predators have been caught lurking on what you thought was your space? Besides, rumor has it parents
p16 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
be cool, or you’re a troubled kid. Oh yeah, and it kills you. Choose life – and fresh breath!
see this?
sports | tech | art | music | fashion
be seen. advertise in STATIC. STATIC wants to embody the fragmented and combustible energy that is unique to young adults. We hope to entertain this counter culture, and highlight excellence in the Charlotte community and beyond. and we can do it with your help.
advertise with us 704-401-5268 go here :: static-magazine.com
Tel: 704-622-9944 • www.SilverFoxLimos.com Email us at: silverfoxlimos@carolina.rr.com
Birthdays • Anniversary • Concerts Prom • Day Trips
Check out our website to see pictures of our Newest 26 passenger Hummer Super Stretch, Town Cars, SUV’s and Limousines static-magazine.com | oct-nov 2007 :: p17
p18 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
Getting Beastly
Myers Park’s Christine Persinski Adds Pain – and Gain – to Volleyball Team
the blond-haired, blue-eyed
was also a standout soccer
“When he first got here, he
of strengths. One strength is
leader of Beastie’s Boyz. “We
goalkeeper, but she knew
was very successful in the
his ability to be able to read
noticed they were winning
the demands of the school’s
club soccer ranks,” Coach
the defense he’s up against,
everything, and there was
International Baccalaureate
Matt Merrill says. “He wasn’t
and to know how to play off
nobody in the gym watching
program and therefore
used to losing.”
of the defender … whether
them play. We decided ‘The
decided to concentrate on
Beast’ needed her own
one sport – volleyball. The
Merrill notes that the first few
to play off his teammates and
cheering section. So we
senior signed this summer
years of Brown’s career at
open up with a run. It’s one
named ourselves ‘Beastie’s
with Davidson College.
Olympic were lean years for
of his strongest abilities. He’s
the soccer program.
got a great shot, and great
Boyz,’ made our shirts, and here we are.”
to try and go for it himself, or
Coach Elizabeth Berry deems
passing ability. His touch is
Persinski the best volleyball
“It’s been a long road,” says
phenomenal. I think when you
player in the area.
Merrill. “Matt’s first couple
combine all of those things
of years here at Olympic,
together you wind up with a
“I have worked with Christine
we weren’t having the most
fantastic athlete. He’s definitely
They call Christine Persinski
for four seasons,” Berry says.
successful teams, but we
a pleasure to watch play.”
“The Beast,” and when
“She is an excellent all-around
were having fun and winning
she storms the net, striking
player and a quiet leader.”
more games than we were in
Brown has 44 goals and 10
the previous years. We were
assists as of mid-October.
They haven’t missed a game since.
the volleyball with uncanny precision, you understand
In addition to school ball,
showing progress. Now, we’re
why.
Persinski plays for the Carolina
ranked ninth in the state of
Merrill notes that another
Juniors Volleyball Rage, a club
North Carolina. He’s been
player – midfielder Wylie Rea,
Persinski spikes the ball, and
volleyball team which travels
through the hard times, and
who committed to Winthrop
opponents’ heads roll. She
around the country. She
now he’s here for the good
University and was the first all-
strikes, and the ball careens
accredits the traveling team
times.”
state athlete Olympic has ever
off outstretched arms and
with improving her game.
had in soccer – is also a huge
ricochets into the stands.
asset to the team.
She hits, and the ball burns
And the rallying cries of her
past defenders, zeroing in
Persinski is 6 feet tall, lithe,
personal cheering squad don’t
“Rea is the type of athlete who
on corner spots with the
and, unlike her cheering
hurt, either.
is very unselfish,” Merrill says.
accuracy of a heat-seeking
squad, quiet. With her long blonde hair knotted at the
massive.
base of her neck, she roams
Lean to Mean
“He actually looks for the pass
missile. The blast is just that
the court like a tiger ready “Beast, Beast!” chant the
to spring into action at a
school’s self-titled “Beastie’s
second’s notice, her arms low,
Boyz” – an enthusiastic and
her face impassive. Persinski
mismatched squad of male
had 272 kills last year, when
cheerleaders who show up
the team went 18-3, and as
at every varsity volleyball
of mid-October, she currently
game and cheer the team on.
has 237 kills and 28 blocks.
This rowdy crew of volleyball
The team is enjoying an 18-1
devotees comes decked
record so far, with their only
out in homemade green
loss coming at the hands
shirts graffitied with the title
of Providence late in the
“Beastie’s Boyz.” Each “boy”
season. It’s the team’s goal to
is assigned to support one of
challenge Providence for the
the team’s seven key players,
Southwestern 4A conference
and their shirts sport the
title.
names and numbers of the
Soccer Star Matt Brown Leads Olympic Through Hard Times and Into Success Losing is good for you. That’s the lesson Matt Brown’s
and the assist first, and he opens up opportunities for his teammates, which is great.” Although Rea has just six goals to his credit so far, Merrill notes that he could The “good times” includes a
easily have more. Instead,
14-4 record, and a guaranteed
Rea focuses on setting up his
berth in the playoffs. Brown
teammates, and likewise has
is also enjoying personal
a phenomenal 20 assists to
success: He recently
his credit.
committed to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington,
Together, Brown and Rea are
which is home to an excellent
quite a team. It helps that the
soccer program. Both player
two seniors have played on
and coach are excited about
the same club soccer team
Brown’s future with the
for eight years now, which
university’s soccer team.
adds to Olympic’s strength
girls who rotate in and out of
Persinski, who doesn’t mind
first few seasons at Olympic
the six starting spots.
being called “The Beast,”
High taught him, a lesson that
Merrill can’t say enough good
as an up-and-coming soccer
made the school’s varsity
over the last four years has
things about his star forward.
“It all started about eight
team as a freshman. Before
matured him into one of the
games into the season,” says
coming to Myers Park, she
top soccer players in the city.
dynamo. “They complement each other
Merrill says, “He’s got a lot
very well,” Merrill says.
static-magazine.com | oct-nov 2007 :: p19
pix
p20 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
Left page, counterclockwise from top: Quarterback Anthony Carruthers (3) makes a pass in a scrimmage earlier this season; the sophomore is helping lead the Independence Patriots to a winning season as of early October.
Teens flock to the streets in late summer for the Matthews Alive! Festival.
Players for the Queen City Lacrosse League run with the ball; lacrosse is the fastest growing sport at the high-school and NCAA level.
Carolina fans hit Bank of America Stadium for a pre-season Panthers party.
Charlotte Catholic cheerleaders get into character and “go pirate” for a Friday night football game.
This page: It’s game on at the Charlotte Checkers Street Fest in downtown Charlotte.
The King of Karate struts his stuff at the Matthews Alive! festival in late August.
Is this a mosh pit or a football game? You decide.
Vance and Butler cheerleaders throw rivalry to the wind and say cheese.
Butler Bulldogs quarterback Jacob Charest (7) – one of the top quarterbacks in the city – runs the ball in a game against Vance in September; Butler won 47 to 0.
static-magazine.com | oct-nov 2007 :: p21
Dangerous Love
in your life? by Tracy McGinnis
R
Rachel has never been the type of girl to ditch her friends when she starts dating a guy,
and that’s precisely why her best friend Ashlee was
doesn’t know what to do. If she confronts her BFF,
where you’ll go online to get more information if you
surprised to see an IM from Rachel blowing off girls’
she risks coming off as jealous, and possibly pushing
or someone you know is in trouble.
night out – again.
Rachel farther away, and closer to her abuser. But
Truth is, Ashlee noticed a change in Rachel when she
if she doesn’t say something, things could get a lot
The statistics can be scary, but they are for real. If you
worse for her best bud fast.
surf the www.loveisnotabuse.org site, you’ll find that
ago. It wasn’t just missing out on girls’ night that had
Bottom line, Ashlee doesn’t have a clue how to help
abused by their partner, and 80 percent of teens think
Ashlee worried. Rachel had been slacking on school
Rachel. In the end, she decides that she’s simply
“verbal abuse” is a serious problem.
projects, asking Ashlee to cover for her when she
being paranoid. I mean, teen-agers don’t suffer from
called in sick to work, and avoiding her family like the
relationship abuse, right?
“Teens aren’t as likely to come out and say they’re in
What Is Relationship Abuse?
parents and others to think they can handle things on
“Love is Not Abuse.” That’s what the fashionable
worker with the Charlotte Women’s Commission, a
started dating her long-time crush, Mark, six months
plague.
It’s clear: Something’s going on between Rachel and Mark, and no doubt it isn’t healthy. But Ashlee
p22 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
people at Liz Claiborne hope you’ll remember, and
one in three teen-agers know a friend who has been
a dating relationship that is violent because they want their own,” explains Dwálla Dickerson, a senior social
local organization that helps women deal with abuse. “Dating is a new experience for teens,” she says, “and they don’t always know what the expectations are.” You might think you need to see bumps and bruises in order to know that someone is being abused, but that’s not necessarily so. Although physical attacks can be a very real and dangerous part of relationship abuse, there are many ways people can be mistreated by so-called “loved ones.” I’m Not Being Abused ... Or Am I? There are many different types of abuse, and each situation looks different from the outside. Emotional Abuse. People who play mind games, and get off on spreading rumors and criticizing others are emotional abusers. This attack on a person’s self-esteem is a real form of abuse that often gets hidden and overlooked. “Denying and minimizing the abuse, and acting like it’s not that serious are common ways people who are being abused respond,” Dickerson says. “And abusers are quick to blame the other person.” Power and Control. Abusers like to intimidate and threaten other people. If someone you know is being isolated from friends and family, or if you notice a person is in a relationship with someone who is jealous and controlling, it may be a warning sign that an abusive situation is brewing. Economic Abuse. Control is key. Abusive partners attempt to control things like money, and so keeping their significant other from having a job is a
key way they can wield power. In addition to using someone else’s money, the abusers may expect sexual favors in exchange for spending money on their partner. These types of abusers may try to keep their victims from
you. If you don’t want to do it in person, write a letter or talk over the phone. “Have a ‘safety plan’ in place,” Dickerson suggests. “Have it written out, and include what you’re going to do, and prepare how you’re going to do it. Figure out where you’ll do it, and who will be there with you.” Dickerson also adds that it’s important to think about how the abuser is going to react. “Avoid being around him or her after you break up,” Dickerson says. “Change lockers if you need to, and break up your routine so you’re not doing what that person is used to.” My Friend’s In Trouble – How Can I Help? First of all, be supportive. Says things like, “I’ve noticed how he treats you,” or “I hope you’re OK – I’m here to talk to you when you’re ready.” This is not a time to be judgmental. Let your friend know that you are there to listen to him or her. At all costs, refrain from belittling the person who is stuck in this kind of situation. “Your friend may not be ready to tell you everything, but still, show him or her support,” Dickerson says. “If it’s physical, encourage them to get help.” Try to get your friend to confide in someone like a counselor or support group, and whatever you do, don’t take matters into your own hands. You need to stay safe as well.
going to their jobs, or they might repeatedly make them late to work or
On the other hand, if you know someone who is
harass them while they are at work.
doing the abusing, try to show him or her what a
Warnings Signs It may be hard to know if someone is in trouble. That’s when keeping in touch, whether it’s going out for a movie or staying in to talk, can make the difference between your friend trusting you and opening up, or turning away and drawing closer to his or her abuser. There are obvious physical signs to look for – from scratches to bruises to mood swings. But other changes, like a drop in grades or a complete overhaul in someone’s overall routine, can also be warning signs. “You should be concerned if someone is extremely jealous and has a controlling behavior, if he or she constantly criticizes and throws insults around, and has unpredictable mood swings,” Dickerson says. Other warning signs include abusing alcohol or drugs, or exhibiting cruelty to animals and children – all of which should be taken seriously. I’m In ... How Do I Get Out? If you’re being abused, it’s helpful to know that, first of all, you are not alone. Second of all, it’s not your fault. Find someone you can trust such as your parents or a counselor; the more people you involve, the more support you will get. And if you are ready to break things off, don’t breakup in an isolated place, and don’t do it alone where the abuser can corner
good relationship looks like, and then encourage that person to get help. “There’s a façade that everyone is strong and tough, but everyone is acting under peer pressure,” Dickerson says. Oftentimes, teens don’t want to talk to parents because they are afraid they’ll be judgmental. “Teens may be scared to tell their parents because then they’ll be forced to break up,” Dickerson says. “Parents need to help empower their kids and help them make decisions, as well as keep the lines of communication open by listening and sharing their own experiences.” Resources That Can Help • The National Teen Dating Abuse Hotline offers a webbased chat manned by teens. Call 1-866-331-9474, or check online at www.loveisrespect.org. • Liz Claiborne, www.loveisnotabuse.com, offers information for teens and parents. • Ask about getting the teen-dating violence program offered by the Charlotte Women’s Commission implemented at your school. Contact the Women’s Commission at (704) 336-3210.
static-magazine.com | oct-nov 2007 :: p23
¨
OTE YES by Sheri Watson
FOR
BONDS
For Our Future Mecklenburg County Bonds 2007
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ enrollment has grown by more than 5,000 students in past years - enough for an entire school district in some cities. It is a tremendous challenge to • $516 million for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools build new schools while maintaining old ones, • $30 million for Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) many of which are 50-plus years old. Giving • $35.6 million for county land purchases every child a quality education depends on having well-built schools, enough classrooms, and updated facilities. The system has made great progress using past bonds monies and other methods to address its growth and renovation needs. But there is still a lot to do. To keep moving forward, our community must pass the school bonds. On Election Day this Nov. 6th, local citizens will vote on three bond referenda that are crucial to keeping Mecklenburg County a great place to live and work:
Similarly, CPCC is experiencing tremendous growth while straining with older buildings and outdated facilities. Enrollment grew by 4% last year, compared to a 1.2% growth rate at community colleges throughout the state. Most of the CPCC bond will go to replacing the 40-year-old Van Every Building on the main campus and to renovate the Citizen’s Center. The land bond allows the county to purchase land around Mountain Island Lake, which is essential to preserving and protecting water quality across the county. It will enable us to expand the very popular Little Sugar Creek and McAlpine Greenways and increase other parks and recreation offerings. There is also money for a new nature preserve and to buy property to locate a new library branch in the southern part of the county. On Election Day, do what you can to support the bonds for our schools, Central Piedmont Community College, and to protect our water and expand our greenways and library system. Sheri Watson is Campaign Coordinator for the Mecklenburg Bonds Campaign 2007. p24 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
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the big I’s DeVonte Holloman
the player, the coach, the program by karsen price
p26 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
static-magazine.com | oct-nov 2007 :: p27
H
He may be a star player in the biggest football empire this city has ever seen, but that does
not mean DeVonte Holloman has an attitude or
“superstar” and “hot dog” and less charitable names
The 3.5 grade-point scholar stands ramrod straight,
anything.
while Holloman tries to smile with a tape recorder
and when he speaks, Holloman picks his words with
shoved in his face and a wide-angle lens trained upon
the nuance of a person who’s been there, done that.
him.
The junior has offers from the University of Georgia,
Sixteen-year-old Holloman is Independence High’s leading defensive back and backup quarterback. He was named “All-Observer” as a sophomore last year.
“Do you want me to turn this off for a second?” I ask,
He’s only 16, but if you Google him, you’ll come up
pointing to my recorder. “Yes, ma’am,” he answers
with many websites bursting with information about
solemnly.
him, including clips of Holloman playing as both a
Clemson University, N.C. State and Marshall. However, Holloman remembers a time when he wasn’t that good at football, which he picked up at the ripe old age of 12.
quarterback and defensive back. He’s 6’3,” 205
“I used to be scared to play
lbs., rangy enough to run with the best of them,
football,” he admits. A smile
and physical enough to dominate at safety.
creeps over his face. “When I started off, I was a little
He’s also solid, one hundred percent Southern
big back then. I was short
gentleman. In fact, if I had a hundred dollars for
and fat. I played fullback.
every time he called me “ma’am,” I’d have a nice
Then they found out I could
chunk of change in my pocket.
throw the ball, so for a while I was a quarterback – a big
Coach Tom Knotts, who has led Harding, West
quarterback. I got taller, so now
Charlotte, and Independence High Schools to
the fat part’s gone.”
more than his fair share of State Championship games in his 27-year football career, refers to
A hard hit early in his football
Holloman as “big time,” and the former coach
career helped Holloman
of All-America quarterback Chris Leak ought to
overcome his earlier phobias. “I
know. Together, Holloman and Knotts hope to
liked getting hit,” he says. “My
lead the Patriots to their eighth-straight 4-AA State
dad said it made me tougher.”
Championship.
Back then, he played defensive
It’s a finely honed goal as of September 1st, when
end. “And I was pretty bad.”
the team’s much-publicized winning streak of 109 games came to a jarring end. Before the exhibition
Bad or not, Holloman kept at it,
game, Indy had two agendas: continue their
and in a few years, the kid who
winning streak, and get to the State Championship
was short and fat and bad at
game come December. But in a match game
football was long and lean and
against Cincinnati Elder High, Independence lost
a powerhouse to contend with.
41-34 in overtime in the Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs.
Playing basketball helped his
USA Challenge at Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium.
coordination, which improved
It was the team’s first loss since Sept. 1, 2000
his football performance. In
– which put them at the longest running winning
addition to football, Holloman
streak of any public school in the nation. Their
plays on the school’s basketball
109-straight wins falls second only to Concord,
team. However, he says,
Calif.-based prep school De La Salle High School,
“Football is No. 1.”
which chalked up 151 straight wins before losing in 2004.
Coach Knotts refers to
But at the moment, Holloman isn’t concerned
player.
about championships or streaks. Instead, he’s focused on the sight of his teammates filing past, decked out in green and gold, catcalling
p28 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
Holloman as his best all-around
DeVonte Holloman (taking a knee beside wide receiver Lawrence Martin) is already being
“DeVonte Holloman will be my
scouted by big-time universities such as the University of Georgia, N.C. State, and Clemson.
safety and he’ll do something
866-479-1480
It’s no secret that Knotts – like most determined, successful coaches – has a tendency to be hard on his players. Knotts himself admits that he gets a little hyper, and at times “talks ugly” to his players. Holloman is mature enough to take it in stride. “It’s just coaching,” he says. “You’ve got to be coachable, no matter what. I listen to what he says, not how he says it.” Streak or no streak, Independence is still a phenomenal team. One thing that makes them a powerhouse is their sheer strength in numbers. Knotts points out that on his offensive team alone he has eight guys competing for three playing spots. “Nobody else in the city can say that kind of thing,” he Coach Tom Knotts - known around the country for his eollege-level program and ability to motivate players - wears a shirt emblazoned with the No. 8 to encourage the Patriots to go for their eighth State Championship this season. The team is recovering from their first loss since 2000. Below, Holloman is the team’s starting safety but he also dabbles at quarterback from time to time. on offense,” Knotts says with that brass gong of a
Holloman may be disappointed that for the meantime
voice of his – a voice that rings out over the field and
he has to share the quarterback slot with another
snaps players into shape in seconds. “He’ll do some
player – a new player, and a sophomore at that – but if
quarterback, and he’ll do wide-out. He’ll get some
he is, he doesn’t show it. His soft brown eyes light up,
running-back plays. He’s just that kind of athlete.”
however, when he talks about playing quarterback.
In the junior’s first game this season against Olympic,
“I’m going to step in when I’m needed. We’ve
in which Indy won 36-0, Holloman started as safety,
got a good quarterback, but in case he goes
and then switched to quarterback – where he was
down or anything, I’m going to be ready.
three of five and had two touchdown passes. Later in
Safety ...” he pauses. “I love defense, but
the same half he returned punts, running seven times
quarterback is just a talent I can’t let go of.”
for a total of 93 yards. It’s that all-around quality – plus his good grades and overall nice-guy image – that
Holloman definitely has skills at quarterback.
makes him STATIC’s choice for first cover story.
In late September he stepped in for an
“He’s the one everyone talks about,” Knotts says.
which included zero turnovers and 474
“Everybody assumed he’d be our next quarterback.
yards. Knotts deemed the game the team’s
DeVonte’s problem is he’s not a great thrower. I enjoy
best of the year.
throwing the football.”
injured Carruthers and had a flawless game,
Football aside, Holloman is an all-around
Enter Anthony Carruthers, who started as Vance’s
family guy. He is proud of his 8-year-old
quarterback last season as a freshman and is one
sister and eager to please his two hard-
of a handful of additions to Independence’s roster in
working parents, whom he cites along with
2007. The 5’7’ sophomore is a phenomenal passer
Donovan McNabb as his role models. If he
and lightning-fast, two qualities that make him Knotts’
doesn’t go pro, Holloman wants to be an
style of quarterback. Early in the season, Knotts slated
engineer.
Carruthers as his starting quarterback.
p30 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
says. In addition to Holloman, outstanding Patriots who can help take the team to an eighth
N.C. title include offensive linemen Eric Thompson and Shannon Andrews, as well as defensive back Makiri Pugh. Several new players fill out the roster this season, including the aforementioned Carruthers and Rod Chisholm, a standout running back who transferred from West Charlotte. Chisholm has been
phenomenal at Indy this year. In a recent game
so much easier. He runs a college program, and so
TK: I do. I really do. The thing about it is, he’s only a
against South Meck, he ran for 276 yards and four
nothing’s going to change when I move on.”
sophomore, and already I treat him like a guy getting
touchdowns.
The outstanding junior believes that Independence’s
Indy’s outstanding roster aside, the basis of their
football program is tougher than anything else found
success rests on hard work, and an example of
in the city.
that is the team’s devotion to summer workouts. On any given day, Knotts will have 150 kids on campus working out. Nobody misses a session. It’s a level of excellence that started with Leak, who dominated at the University of Florida after graduating from
“It has to be,” Holloman says. “Knotts has been to different levels, and he’s seen what it takes to play at
According to Knotts, Leak has a presence on the field
One-On-One With Coach Tom Knotts
several seasons after he graduated.
The Truth Behind Those Recruiting Rumors, and more
“Chris wouldn’t allow them to miss workouts or
STATIC: You’d had an influx of transfers this year,
get here, he’d be here when we left. Then he and his daddy would take some players to other places to workout. Everybody had to live up to Chris Leak’s standards.” Leak, who was picked up by the Chicago Bears for a few weeks this summer before getting cut, is the most successful player Knotts has coached to date. However, many of his players go on to play college ball. Knotts expects 20 to 30 percent of his players to get full-rides to big-league universities such as N.C. State and UGA, as well as smaller colleges such as Elizabeth City, Livingston, and North Carolina Central. If they go to the next level, Knotts feels he’s done his job. “They get a chance, so I feel good about it,” he says. “If they make the most of it, good. If they don’t, well, that’s their fault, because we’ve taught them how to play football. We’ve taught them how to behave, and they’ve had to follow rules and be disciplined. The rest is up to them.” Past players agree. Ed Lawing, who hails from Charlotte but is now a successful businessman in New York, quarterbacked for Knotts at Harding in 1988. That year, the team lost in the finals 40-21 to Garner.
him he doesn’t fall apart. He just listens and tries to correct them. I get a little excited sometimes, but he’s learned to let it go. Sometimes I’ll be ugly to him, and he handles it.
for those things. He does a good job – and it shows on Friday night when we’re beating teams 40 to zero.”
but he was always here. He was here before we’d
football. He makes some mistakes, but when I get on
those levels. He wants to prepare us and get us ready
Independence.
practice,” he says. “Now, he wasn’t a big vocal leader,
ready to go to college. He’s fun to be around. He loves
including Rod Chisholm and Anthony Carruthers. Likewise, people say you recruit players. TK: Listen, I couldn’t tell you where any middle schools are other than Northeast, and it’s right down the hill, and Spaugh, which you could practically throw a ball at and hit from Harding. I’m not from around here. I don’t know where these schools are. How am I going to contact these guys? STATIC: How did Carruthers come to play for Independence? TK: I knew about Carruthers because his daddy called me when he was in the eighth grade and said, “I’m thinking about bringing my son to you.” I asked some of the black men in the community that I know about Carruthers, and they said, “He’s a little Chris Leak.” His daddy said, “Come watch him at Memorial Stadium, he’s playing a championship game in the eighth grade.” I went on a Saturday night, I watched three plays, I told whoever was around me, “That kid is the real deal,” and I left. Well, the daddy heard what I said, and he called me and said, “Can you guarantee that he’ll be on varsity?” I said, “No, he can’t beat out McFadden (Knotts’ quarterback in ’06) right now. He’ll be JV, and still throw for 3,500 yards.” Well, the next thing I know he’s at Vance. After last
Tight end Mario Carter recuperates on the sidelines after dislocating his kneecap in a scrimmage against Charlotte Catholic in August.
season, his daddy comes over and says, “Who do
Lawing still values the lessons he gained from Knotts.
you have at quarterback? What are you going to do
“It has been almost 20 years since I played for Tom
quarterback. But I’ve never coached Anthony, and
Knotts,” Lawing says, “but I continue to practice many
he’s short, so I don’t know how to work it out. But
of the ideals he taught me in my everyday life. He not
from what I’ve seen, I think Anthony’s got a chance to
STATIC: I’ve heard you’re not as tough on players as
only teaches his players how to be better players, he
be a good quarterback.” So Anthony’s daddy moved
you used to be.
teaches them how to be better men.”
into their other house (in Independence’s district), and
with Holloman?” I said, “Holloman is not my style of
STATIC: And you need that. TK: And I need that. (Laughs.)
that’s how Anthony came here.
TK: That’s what they say, but I don’t know! I’m not sure
agrees. “It’s a challenge every day. He’s going to
STATIC: Do you think Carruthers is going to be another
Like, I’d head-butt them, you know, when they had
be tough on you, but at the same time he makes it
Leak?
their helmet on. I’d head-butt their helmet.
“It’s exciting to play for Coach Knotts,” Holloman
about that. I used to be more physical with the kids.
static-magazine.com | oct-nov 2007 :: p31
STATIC: With your plain head? TK: With my plain head. Then I’d just let the blood trickle down. That’d be intimidating. Somebody’d go, “Coach, you’re bleeding!” And I’d go, “I know it!” It’s such a macho thing. STATIC: How far do players come to work with you? TK: No. 34, Ty Biegerl, came from Canada. They say he came to work with me, but I don’t know. STATIC: How’s that feel? TK: Just another day. STATIC: What about Chisholm, who transferred from West Charlotte. How is that working out? TK: Right now Chisholm has proved he can do it. So I moved Taylor Caldwell to linebacker with the understanding that
Knotts started his coaching career at Harding High School in the early ‘80s, but became known as “The Coach to Beat” after dominating at West Charlotte in the 1990s. At Indy, the team’s recently ended streak of 109 wins brought the coach and the team national recognition. Bottom Left: Anthony Carruthers is a Vance transfer and the team’s starting quarterback, although the 5’7” player is only a sophomore.
he will be my running back next year. You kind of have to work deals like that with your own players. You’ve got to be a little bit of a human. STATIC: What’s up with all the transfers? TK: This is the first year we really have gotten transfers in from other Charlotte schools. People criticize us for that, but what people don’t know is … Butler’s running back,
Paul Marshall, I sent over there. He was playing behind Caldwell and Ty this year, and I love Paul Marshall. He was a great worker, he was a “yes-sir, no-sir” guy, and he did everything I wanted in the weight room. He has aspirations to go to college, and he wasn’t going to get a chance to play for me. So I told him, “Go. Go to Butler.” I’m for kids. That’s what people don’t realize. STATIC: Why’d you come back from Duke after just
STATIC: And people know you everywhere you go? TK: Yes, yes. Sometimes a little too much. Like Ms. Bartles, our past principal, would come to me on Monday morning and say, “Did you have a good time at Vinnie’s Saturday afternoon?” I’d say, “Ms. Bartles, were you there?” and she’d say, “I had some people call.” I’ve
one year?
got as many enemies as I do friends.
TK: I just didn’t like it. Ironically, the one thing I did
STATIC: Did you know you were going to be great when
not like about high school was being around the kids all the time. I got to where I grew weary of teachers saying, “Johnny didn’t do his homework, and Anthony was chewing gum, and so-and-so was talking to girls, and so-and-so curses” ... It was like I heard everything. It was too much. Well, in college, ironically it was too little! I started
you started coaching? TK: You know, I was so young. When I got my first head coaching job I was 26. I was so close in age to the kids, I wanted everybody to be my friend. STATIC: You?
to miss being around the kids. That was a big
TK: I did. I might’ve walked around school like a hard-ass
reason. I just wanted to come back and be
but I really wanted everybody to like me, and that’s why
around kids. Plus, I enjoy being my own boss. I
we were 3 and 7 our first two years. Then I drew the line
make the rules. I was the quarterbacks coach at
and I got rid of some sorry seniors. That year we started
Duke and I was low man on the totem pole. They
13 ninth graders or sophomores at Harding and we were
treated me like a high-school guy. They didn’t treat
11 and 1. The next year, that’s when I started saying,
me very well.
“We’re going to win championships here.” And the kids
STATIC: In Charlotte, you get special treatment, correct?
p32 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
TK: I get treated pretty well.
started believing in it. And we won.
static-magazine.com | oct-nov 2007 :: p33
what should i do?
M
My best friend has decided to shave her eyebrows off, and instead she draws on a
thin line with an eyebrow pencil. It doesn’t look good and I’ve noticed people making fun of her. I don’t want to hurt her feelings. Do I tell her before she becomes branded “freaky eyebrow girl” for life? – Tiffany, 15 While your intentions are good, it’s not your place to decide what does or doesn’t look good on your friend unless she asks you. Unsolicited advice and criticism is a form of rage. However, we all know what it’s like to be made fun of. As a friend, be prepared to offer your friend compassion if she comes to you admitting that people are making fun of her. If she asks what you think about her eyebrows – or overall appearance – then gently give her your opinion. If you offer your opinion unsolicited, you are making her situation about you, not her. I have a friend who I think is an alcoholic. He got drunk the other night and smashed out some car windows in the neighborhood. I want to beat some sense into him. What should I do? – Jerry, 18
you can do is not enable your friend by 1) drinking
For a cutter, experiencing physical pain temporarily
with him, or 2) making light of his antics. And
relieves their emotional pain. Most cutters inflict
don’t bash in his head! Instead, let him know you
pain on their arms or stomach. Your friend is
aren’t going to hang out with him when he drinks,
displaying clear symptoms of being a cutter.
and offer to go with him to talk to his parents or
Breaking up with a boyfriend can feel like the end
a school counselor. He probably won’t think this is a good idea, but remember, this is the guy who thinks smashing windows is a good idea! I can’t get my boyfriend to take the SAT. He hates tests. I want him to go to college with me. How can I make
abuse/dependency is a painful and confusing
support system, so it’s good that she has you to care about her. You aren’t responsible for her, but it’s OK to tell her you have noticed she hasn’t been doing well since the break-up. Let her know she
him take this test? It’s driving me crazy! – Mary, 16
matters to you and that she can call you before
My concern isn’t that your boyfriend doesn’t want
destruct. If her cutting continues, professional help
to go to college, but that you believe you can force him to do something that may not be in his life plan. It’s understandable that you want to be with him for your college years, but if that isn’t mutual, then you need to begin preparing yourself for the
she cuts to see if that will prevent her need to selfwould be the next step. I have a crush on my best friend’s boyfriend, but I love her too much to do anything about it. But last week, he put his hand on my back when she wasn’t looking.
next step of your life without him. College can be
Should I tell her? Should I go with it? – Keesha, 16
a wonderful time to focus on yourself. If it’s hard
This situation isn’t about whether or not you should
for you to let this time in your life be about you, I
Dealing with a friend or loved ones’ alcohol
of the world, especially if you don’t have a strong
suggest reading literature on codependency, which is when your emotions are dependent on someone
tell your friend. It’s about your own fear of intimacy. I’m curious why you’ve selected a boy who is unavailable and who also believes cheating is OK.
experience, and your anger is understandable.
else’s mood or their interaction with you.
However, handling violence with violence is not the
My best friend’s been acting strange since her boyfriend
Why would you consider being in a situation where
broke up with her. She’s always wearing long sleeves,
you get the short end of the stick? I suggest you
even when it’s hot. The other day I saw her forearm, and
find a safe person with whom you can explore this
it was covered with scratches. Someone told me she
fear of intimacy. Otherwise, your current situation
sounds like a “cutter.” Can you explain what this is, and
will replay itself over and over – always ending with
how I should handle it? – Samantha, 17
you on the outside. And that’s no way to live!
professionals out there who could meet with your
Cutting is a protective defense mechanism that
Kim Honeycutt, MSW, LCSW, CCFC, LCAS
friend and assess what the next step should be.
many people (mostly females) use when their
Co-Founder, Peer In Restoration Center
However, none of that is up to you. The best thing
emotions feel bigger than their ability to handle life.
www.peerinrestoration.com
way to go. If your friend is being self-destructive – or destructive, period – then he is not OK. Happy people don’t hurt themselves or others. He needs and deserves professional help. Fortunately, there are many Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) meetings that are solely for young adults. There are also
If he’d cheat on your friend, he’d cheat on you.
Have a problem and want a solution? Send us your question, complete with your name, age, and high school you attend (we’ll list you anonymously if you request it) to kprice@static-magazine.com. We’ll forward it on to a licensed, trusted counselor. p34 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
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Call 1-800-USA-RAIL, or visit Amtrak.com.
Amtrak is a registered service mark of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation.
static-magazine.com | oct-nov 2007 :: p35
p36 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
Feeling Corny?
enough. Repetitions: Three sets of 10-12 reps
kernels of candy corn last year? Every year,
for preseason; four to five sets of four-to-six reps
Americans consume so much candy corn that if
during season (with heavier weight).
times. The company says 75 percent of all candy corn sales occur around Halloween. Go figure! Bootcamp Brian’s Move of the Month
Drive-In Movies are Cool ... and CHEAP Looking for something different to do this fall? Why not try a blast from the past and check out Bill’s Belmont Drive-In Theater one weekend? The theater, which has been open for more than 50 years, is only 15 minutes from downtown
are aware of within 50 miles of Charlotte. Here’s
Advanced: If you have access to a squat rack (most high-school weight rooms have one), then more power to you. Grab a buddy to spot you, and step in; the bar should rest comfortably on
The Squat
the muscles of your upper back – NOT ON YOUR
The Squat is one of the best exercises you can do.
VERTEBRAE! Again, feet should be slightly wider
It primarily targets the quadriceps (thighs), but also
than your shoulders. Squat down, keeping knees
works your hamstrings, your gluteus (butt), your
above ankles, until thighs are almost parallel to
lower legs, and your core. So no matter what sport
the floor, then push back up until legs have just a
you play, the squat should play a major role in your
slight bend in the knees. Watch those toes, keep
workouts – especially sports where you rely on a
your butt back and your head up. Repetitions:
strong base, such as football.
Three sets of 10-12 reps for preseason; four to five sets of four-to-six reps during season (with heavier
Charlotte, and offers first-run movies at the best price in town. It’s also the only drive-in theater we
your toes, you aren’t keeping your butt back far
Did you know that Brach’s sold nearly 9 billion
you laid it end-to-end, it would circle the Earth 4.25
Blast from the Past
way up! Watch those toes; if knees come over
weight). The Move
Breathing Rule of Thumb: EXHALE ON EXERTION. So, for the squat,
how it works: You drive your car to the theater
exhale when you push the weight up.
with your friends inside, and for $8 per car load you get to watch two Blockbuster movies for the
Brian Cox, Certified Personal Trainer and
price of one. (Occasionally, certain film companies insist they charge per person.) Current attractions include “The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising” and “Transformers,” but to find out what’s showing the week you are going, call (704) 825-6044. The four-acre theater can hold just under 300 cars and has a rockin’ snack bar; in addition to standard popcorn-and-drinks fare, they also offer hamburgers, nachos, chili-cheese fries, corn dogs, and an assortment of candy. No outside food is allowed; snack-bar sales are what keep this baby in business. So show up, buy a snack, and be prepared to get there early, or you won’t find a spot. The theater opens at 7 p.m. but they suggest getting there an hour early, especially in the spring and summertime. The movie starts at dusk. Have fun! To get there: Take I-85 South toward Gastonia; get off on exit number 26 (Mt. Holly/Belmont/Belmont Abbey College exit); turn right onto Belmont/Mt. Holly Road and go to first stoplight; turn right at the light onto McAdenville Rd/NC-7. The theater is approximately a quarter of a mile on the right. Fun Fact: Bill’s Drive-In was showcased in 2001 in a theatrical “trailer” (a movie-theater commercial) for CocaCola and NASCAR. Did you see it? The racecar drivers pull up at the drive-in, complete with their racecars, and park for a movie and a Coke.
Specialist in Sports Conditioning Beginner: Grab two dumbbells
www.huskyfitness.com Word of the Month
– five to 10
Technolust: The constant desire
pounds, max
to have the newest, flashiest,
– and a stability
fastest, shiniest gadget
ball. Wedge the ball
available, even if the one
between you and
you just bought is
the wall, slightly
only two months
higher than your
old and works
waist, and lean against it. Feet should be slightly
great.
wider than shoulder width and far enough from the wall so you are leaning against the ball at an angle. Let the dumbbells hang by your sides. Squat down, keeping knees right above ankles, until thighs are almost parallel to the floor. Push back up until your legs have a slight bend in the knees. Do not come all the way back up! Be careful when squatting that knees don’t go past your toes. If they do, move farther away from the wall. Keep your butt back, and your head up. Repetitions: Do two to three sets of 10. Intermediate: Grab two dumbbells – 10 to 20 pounds, depending on your comfort level – and raise them to shoulder height; feet should be
Example: “Just looking at those new iPhones gives me technolust.” Cool Classic Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron”
Kurt Vonnegut was one of the best American satire novelists. He was also a cool dude.
slightly wider than shoulders. Squat, keeping knees
Born Nov. 11, 1922, he died last April at the age
above ankles, until thighs are almost parallel to
of 84, after a fall that caused brain damage. His
the floor. Push back up until your legs only have
lined, craggy face and wild, wooly hair made him
a slight bend in your knees. Don’t come all the
look a lot like Mark Twain (you know, creator of
static-magazine.com | oct-nov 2007 :: p37
you 1. go here :: static-magazine.com 2. sign up to our newsletter for a chance to win an iPod nano
3. jam out to your tunes
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at the Haunted Plantation Fun for young and old... Come ride the Pony Express Pick out your pumpkin from our pumpkin patch
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Every Friday and Saturday Night in October starting Oct. 12th from 6:30pm - 11:00pm
Fun & Safe Trick Or Treating Cowboy Style! On Halloween Night!
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Carolina Raptor Center: “Hoot and Howl” October 27th from 11:00am – 5:00pm
Latta Plantation House: “Ghost Walk” October 26th and 27th from 7:00pm – 10:00pm
Latta Equestrian Center
704-992-1550 – 6201 Sample Rd. Huntersville p38 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
Huckleberry Finn), and ironically, Twain was one of his big influences. Vonnegut’s best-known novels are Slaughterhouse-Five, considered to be one of
the best 20th century American novels, and Cat’s Cradle.
3. Vonnegut was a graphic artist, and created an
according to TeensHealth truly do need things such
Sinker,” now in a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
as calories and protein “to support rapid growth
traveling exhibition.
and development.” Teen athletes can’t get the
4. Vonnegut reportedly smoked unfiltered Pall
You think you’ve got problems? Vonnegut’s mother
Mall cigarettes; he told The Guardian Observer
committed suicide on May 19, 1944, on Mother’s
in 2006 that smoking was a “classy
Day. He was a prisoner of war during World War II.
way to commit suicide.”
He adopted his sister’s three children after she died of cancer, and his only son had a major psychotic breakdown. In fact, insanity ran in Vonnegut’s family. He even attempted suicide himself in 1984. So you might say he knew a bit about pain. And still, he wrote. And wrote. And wrote. Later in life, he became a political activist, never missing the chance to tear down President George W. Bush’s administration. He was a genius at saying what he thought, when he thought it. He was also the consummate smart aleck. If you’re a voracious reader, we suggest tackling one of his two most-famous novels. But if you want just a taste of what Vonnegut was all about, try “Harrison Bergeron.” It’s a great futuristic short story about how the government tries to make everything equal in the year 2081. You probably even read it in the seventh grade, back before you could appreciate it. Excerpt: “That dance – it was nice,” said Hazel. “Yup,” said George. He tried to think a little about the ballerinas. They weren’t really very good – no better than anybody else would have been, anyway. They were burdened with sash weights and bags of birdshot, and their faces were masked, so that no one, seeing a free and graceful gesture or a pretty face, would feel like something the cat drug in. You can find the entire story online at
5. He has an
to Geraldo Rivera – the Geraldo Rivera. You know, the obnoxious former talkshow host who loves sensational news.
2. Rumor has it Vonnegut was good friends with Cheech Marin, of Cheech and Chong.
p40 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
So why do people detox at all?
of the matter is that’s exactly why our bodies
(Asteroid
come equipped with organs such as the liver
25399).
and kidneys. Our bodies naturally detox themselves through sweat, urine and feces.
Want more info? Try
Gross, maybe, but effective.
www.vonnegutweb. com and
Proponents of the detox diet claim
www.vonnegut.com.
otherwise. The idea is that these pesky toxins cause all kinds of problems, such
The Early Bird Gets the
as headaches, fatigue, infections,
iPhone
and even allergies. A detox diet
By now you’re probably all
encourages you to give up certain
aware of Apple’s impossibly
foods that are deemed “toxin-full.”
popular iPhone, which debuted
Most of these diets encourage
on June 29th. But did you know the first person in line to buy the phone at Southpark’s alwaysslammed Apple Store was a 14-year-old boy? According to the Associated Press, Mark Petrone showed up at 4:30 in the morning with a thousand dollars in his pocket, just enough cash to buy two iPhones – one to keep, and one to sell on eBay. Apparently, Petrone had him a serious case of technolust (see “Word of the Month”). Detox Diets – Good or Bad? It’s one of the latest fads – the detox diet. The idea is that you eat nothing at all – and drink
1. His daughter Edith was once married
be addictive.
the system once they enter our bodies. Truth
his honor
or in Vonnegut’s short-story collection
Kurt Vonnegut:
they are detoxing. Lastly, these kinds of diets can
in the air, our food, and our water, don’t leave
named in
a lot of natural foods – or
Top Five Things You Never Knew About
amount of fuel they need to perform at their best if
The idea is that certain toxins, or chemicals, found
asteroid
http://instruct.westvalley.edu/lafave/hb.html Welcome To The Monkey House.
importantly, they can be bad for teen-agers, who
album cover for Phish called “Hook, Line and
oceans of water, and it flushes out all the bad stuff in your body, plus helps you lose like, five pounds, fast. The stars do it all the time. So, shouldn’t you? The experts say no. In reality, detox diets aren’t: a) all that good for you and b) very effective at long-term weight loss. More
you to “fast,” that is, give up food for several days, and then gradually begin eating certain foods. These diets also encourage you to irrigate your colon, or in other words, give yourself an enema. (Yuck.) Sometimes herbal supplements are included, too. After a week or so of fasting and/or eating only certain foods, you gradually get to eat other things, but generally you’re encouraged to avoid red meat, wheat, sugar, etc. In other words, bye-bye McDonald’s and Doritos. Forever.
Bottom line, eating healthily will definitely help you feel and look better. But there is no scientific proof that detox diets clean out your body or make you a healthier person. If you really want to “detox,” you could skip all the theatrics, and simply focus on eating healthy foods such as fruit, vegetables, and lean meats, and drink lots of water. As always, if you have certain health risks such as diabetes, low blood sugar, thyroid problems or eating disorders, don’t go on any diet without the recommendation of a doctor. For more information, go to www.kidshealth.org/teen What Did You Do This Summer? Jacob Robinson Saved A Life
This summer, while
most of us were working on our tans (or working,
who was 2004’s NFC’s Offensive Player of the Year
period), North Meck Senior Jacob Robinson
before appearing on the cover of “Madden 2006.”
saved the life of a 7-year-old boy. That’s right.
In 2005, he missed seven regular-season games
Robinson was lifeguarding at the Hampton Ridge
and his touchdowns total for the season was cut
community pool in Huntersville on August 5th when
in half, plus he missed six more games the next
he noticed a small body on the bottom of the pool.
season. Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun
According to The Charlotte Observer, Robinson
Alexander appeared on the 2007 cover, and then
jumped in the pool’s 5-foot-deep water and pulled
promptly fractured his foot, missing six weeks.
Matthew Abernathy to the surface, where Robinson
And last but not least is bad boy Michael Vick, who
proceeded to give the boy CPR. The senior credits
was on the 2004 cover and then broke his foot in
training he received at the Lake Norman YMCA for
a preseason game. He only threw five touchdowns
helping him save the boy. Way to go, Jacob!
for the Atlanta Falcons that year. And we all know about his alleged dog-fighting problems this year – although that can be blamed more on bad choices than a video game! It may sound like hocus-pocus or superstitious nonsense, but regardless, The Madden Curse is a national obsession. Some players aren’t taking any chances. This year, San Diego Chargers superstar back LaDanian Tomlison turned down a
Sometimes, it feels like there’s no such thing as coincidence. Take the Madden Curse, for instance. Bad things seem to happen to those who appear on the cover of the popular football video game endorsed by well-known announcer John Madden and manufactured by Electronic Arts. If you’ve never heard of the curse, it goes
just don’t care. Or that’s what a 2005 study posted on the website “A Directory of Wonderful Things” (www.boingboing.net) suggests, anyway. More than one in three students said the First Amendment goes “too far” in the rights it offers U.S. citizens. According to the study, “Only half of the students said newspapers should be allowed to publish freely without government approval of stories. Three in four students said flag burning is illegal, and about half the students said the government
day of his fans. According to ABC’s David
But at least somebody out there gets it. Blogger
encourage Tomlison to skip the “honor.” The fan named the petition www.saveltfrommadden.com. This August, the 2008 version was released with Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young donning
Britta Gustafson (now a junior in college) wrote: “Students do have the right to free speech, protection from unreasonable search or seizure, and freedom of assembly. The rights are more restricted than those of adults, but we have them. The extent depends on your state and school
the cover. So far, so good for Young. However,
district.”
here’s guessing John Madden for one – who was
While a senior at what Gustafson deemed “a
known for being quite superstitious as coach for the Oakland Raiders back in his day – will be praying for Young to have an awesome season.
something like this: Ever since the year 2000,
high school in the horrible Los Angeles Unified School District,” she started an underground newspaper with friends because the principal at the time insisted on reviewing – i.e., censoring – the
when the game began featuring top players on its
magazine if they did it “officially.”
cover instead of Madden himself, the curse has
Gustafson wrote, “She can’t stop us from
been in existence. It all started with running back
publishing and distributing our paper as long as
Barry Sanders, who had a spectacular season in 1998. (Keep in mind that games, much like cars,
understand the meaning of free speech, or they
can restrict any indecent material on the Internet.”
an online petition begging supporters to
The Madden Curse – Is It For Real?
United States high-school students either don’t
chance to be on the cover, which made the Schoetz, one guy went so far as to create Jinx This
Hey, You – You Do Have Rights
it is not disruptive, libelous, or obscene. We can only be searched randomly or if there is reasonable
are pre-released the year before.) Sanders was on
Top iTunes of the Month
top of his game, then his image was plastered on
1. “Gimme More,” Britney Spears
the cover of the 2000 release of the game. Wham,
2. “Crank That,” Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em
campus as long as it is not disruptive.
Sanders retired out of nowhere before the 1999
3. “Stronger,” Kanye West
season started.
4. “Apologize,” Timbaland
“The problem is that students don’t have the
From there, other players have been affected by The Curse. Consider Daunte Culpepper, who was on the 2002 cover: In the 2001 season (when the game was on the shelves), he suffered a knee injury, threw 22 fewer touchdowns than the year before, and also had 13 interceptions. There’s Philadelphia Eagles Donovan McNabb,
5. “Bubbly,” Colbie Caillat 6. “1234,” Feist 7. “The Way I Am,” Ingrid Michaelson 8. “Rockstar,” Nickelback 9. “Ayo Technology,” 50 Cent 10. “How Far We’ve Come,” Matchbox Twenty
suspicion. We are free to assemble on and off
resources to protect their rights. We get suspended if we don’t wear the school uniform – even though mandatory uniforms are illegal – and we can’t do much about it. The District bureaucrats don’t care and legal action is out of reach for most of us. “But we write about it. High school journalism is still alive – and the best way for us to learn what our First Amendment rights really mean.”
static-magazine.com | oct-nov 2007 :: p41
by karsen price
p42 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
S
So there I was at the party, and Cameron Bright was there, and he was looking at me.
Me, Reagan Whiteside. I mean, he was only the
back to my place with Cameron and his friends,
midnight. If I knew anything, I knew my mom was
hottest senior, and I had only been in love with him,
wanna come?” you know what my answer was.
paranoid something bad was gonna happen to me,
oh, let’s see ... 1,116 school days and 10 hours – ever since we’d had gym together freshman year. He had the brightest blue eyes and black hair, and he played football. And I was in love with him.
There was only one problem. My mother. See, she was so freaky about things like parties and my staying out past midnight, that kind of stuff.
And he was looking at me.
It wasn’t like I’d been drinking or anything – I hated
At first, I thought I was dreaming. It’s not like I was
– but if I went to Jessica’s, I’d never get home by
super popular. My sister was the pretty one; I was the innocent, tomboy one – kind of Bambi meets Jo from “Little Women.” And so, initially, I assumed I was having a psychotic episode. But then I walked over to the Cheetos, and Cameron was looking at me. I crossed to the back of the room to talk to my buddy Hang Lee from calculus, and Cameron was looking at me. Everywhere I went, his eyes followed. So I did what any self-respecting, self-conscious girl would do. I went to the bathroom. Inside, I smoothed down my chin-length brown hair, and checked in the mirror to make sure I didn’t have anything hanging off my nose or wedged in my teeth. Then I walked back out to the pool table, grabbed a pool stick and chalked the end of it like my life depended on it. I glanced at Cameron, and that’s when it happened: We had a moment. Something big and beautiful and wide as the ocean passed between our eyes, something so huge that my brain was flooded by an image of me in my wedding dress. It wasn’t just a look; it was a declaration of love or a marriage proposal or something. I forgot to tell you. I’m the dreamer of my class, recently chosen “Most Likely to Write a Romance Novel” by the rest of my peers. Which I wasn’t sure
beer and that’s all they ever had at parties like that midnight, my curfew. Sure, I could’ve just blown it off, not shown up and gotten home whenever, but you don’t know my mother. Punishment was the least of my worries; it was the guilt trip that followed that I dreaded. She was phenomenally good at guilt. I mean, she could’ve gone in the World’s Greatest Record Book for “best guilt trip
and if I appealed to her paranoia, I might have a chance at pulling this off. I paused for a second. I hated lying. Not only was I terrible at it, it also made me feel squirmy inside. Bad. For a minute, the Wedding March stopped playing in my head. Was it worth it? Cameron Bright ... Cameron Bright ... Cameron Bright wants to hang out with me ... it danced through my head. Yes, it was worth it. Never mind that there might be certain, ahem, prices for me to pay for time alone with Cameron tonight. I’d heard the rumors, and there were too many of them not to be true. But it was my only chance.
ever.” I’d pay for weeks for one glorious night out.
How else would I show him how sweet and funny
I wanted a mother like Jessica Cadre’s. Her mother
unremarkable years in high school, four dateless,
wouldn’t even be at their apartment when we got
boring years, unless you counted those few months
there. She wasn’t a mother, she was more like a
hanging with Ron Patterson (which I didn’t), finally,
sister; they even shared clothes from time to time.
here was my chance to make the boy I loved love
Jessica’s mother never told her what to do or not
me back. I was too happy to be on the other end of
do, and if Jessica wanted to stay out all night, her
his blue-eyed stare to worry about details.
mother didn’t care. Yes, things could be a lot easier if I had a mother like that.
and different I was? Finally, after four totally
So I took Jessica’s phone and went into the bathroom, pulling the door nearly shut. I looked
But I didn’t. So I had a dilemma.
into the mirror over the sink, but I couldn’t lie with
“Let me use your phone,” I told Jessica.
edge of the cold tub, where I could watch the party
I was the worst liar in the world. My sister Jenn was phenomenal at it, but she hated me too much to teach me anything about getting away with stuff, and so I was the family scapegoat. I always got caught and Jenn always wound up looking like Ms. Perfect Daughter USA. But this time I had a plan. I would tell Mom my
my green eyes staring right back at me. I sat on the and plan my escape, simultaneously. “Hello,” Mom answered, her voice not popping up questioningly, like usual, but instead sinking down at the end, like an anchor was attached to it. I could tell she was thinking, What now. It wasn’t a good sign. My stomach flip-flopped and turned to water. For a
I should take as a compliment or an insult.
phone was dead – I didn’t have a car charger – and that I was too nervous to make the 30-minute
But then I looked through the crack of the door,
Anyway. When my newest best buddy (and high-
drive home without it, what with all the drunks and
and my eyes locked on Cameron Bright. He was
school party girl) Jessica Cadre said, “We’re going
rapists and thieves who come out at the stroke of
looking at me the way you might look at a lifeboat
minute I considered saying I was on my way home.
static-magazine.com | oct-nov 2007 :: p43
after swimming for two days straight. So I launched
Jessica was doing right in front of Cameron ... my
Jessica pressed into the bathroom suddenly. She
into my spiel, my voice strong, calm, nonchalant,
Cameron!
wiggled a question with her eyebrows. I waggled
even. At the end of it all I sat up straight, pleased with myself. I had pulled it off.
My mind was racing, but it seemed like my heart
“Oh, honey, you’ll be fine,” Mom said. “Come on
getting Jessica to talk to my mom in the fake
and drive home. We’ll go get you a car charger tomorrow.” What was this? Where was this sudden burst of optimism coming from? “But Mom,” I pleaded, “you don’t understand. I really, really don’t want to drive home now.” This was true. I turned back and peeked out the door. Cameron was still looking at me. “Just this once, can’t I stay out?” It was that last little beg that put me over the edge. I cared just a little too much – and my mother could tell. Now she was suspicious. It was like she could smell my sudden murky possibilities with a boy through the airwaves or something. “What are you up to?” she asked. “Reagan, now,
had stopped beating. For a second, I considered mother voice she used to get friends out of class, but then I thought better of it. Those women in the office might be gullible, but my mother wasn’t. “She’s already asleep,” I lied. “I don’t want to wake her up. She has to go to work at seven a.m.
Jessica tonight.” “Well, OK,” she said, suddenly caving. My breath caught in my chest. “Let me speak to her mother,”
sound of her pushing out of the pillows, then her feet on the hardwood floor. I had this flashback of me as a little kid, sleeping on the floor beside her side of the bed, back when I had nightmares about monsters and drowning and serial killers all the time. I could hear her pacing. She sighed. She sighed again.
you in 30 minutes speech. I was already mentally
When Mom spoke, her voice sounded like the voice
I sat in the bathroom, stunned, holding Jessica’s swirling on the wallpapered walls, the matching some cutesy linen store by someone else’s mother. I imagined this mother, shopping at five different stores, looking for the exact right shade of lilac for her daughter’s bathroom. I saw as from a great distance my mother holding up clothes for me – bathing suits and shorts and jeans that were the wrong color or style, saw me shaking her off, No way, Mom! I had won. Why did I feel so lost? I peeked out the door. Cameron’s eyes were on me, eyes that were just a little too eager, a little too insistent. I felt suddenly cast aside in a boat without an oar. My mother had given in, and freedom splashed and churned all around me. But instead
“Fine, Reagan,” she said. “I know what’s going
and not coming back up.
on here. But I give up. Stay out with Jessica. Go
of feeling victorious, I felt in danger of going down
ahead. Stay out with Jessica all night.”
“Come on, Reagan, it’s time to go!” Jessica yelled.
At first, the words didn’t register. It was like they
“I’m coming,” I called.
all piled up in the space between the phone and
GEEZ, LOUISE! Jessica’s mother was who knows
nearly hit the floor. My mother, capitulating? My
where she was – dancing cheek-to-cheek with
And she hung up.
of some tired, resigned stranger.
she added, “and you can stay.”
where right about now. Actually, I knew exactly
“Now I’m going to bed.”
purple rug under my feet, carefully matched in
the rustle of my mom’s bedspread. I heard the
finding my coat and keys.
and cleared my throat. “I just want to stay with
“I’ll talk to you in the morning,” my mother said.
Through Jessica’s impossibly small phone, I heard
I stood up, a silent scream buried in my throat.
“Nothing,” I said, a bit emphatically. I swallowed
tired.
phone in my hand. I looked at the purple rosebuds
Here it comes. The old, Get your butt in the car, see
always knew. How did she always know?
disappeared from the room. I suddenly felt really
tomorrow.”
you tell me. What is going on?”
That’s what drove me crazy about my mother: She
my thumb ambiguously, up-down-up, and Jessica
my ear. Then they hit my eardrum, and my mouth mother never capitulated. My mother was a rock.
I stood up and looked in the mirror. I stared at my face for a second, like I was trying to memorize who I was at this moment, right before it all dissolved. Then I pushed open the bathroom door
some old guy at the Howard Johnson, flipping her
I sat back on the edge of the tub, nearly falling over
and dove headfirst into the choppy waters of
long blonde hair every chance she got – just like
backward into it.
independence.
p44 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
Latta Plantation Nature Preserve Birthday Parties Guided Trail Rides Pony Rides
Equestrian Center 704-992-1550 6201 Sample Rd. Huntersville
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Good for you: You shape the future when you help a child learn and grow.
Reach Further.
To find out more information: www.cms.k12.nc.us or contact Sherri L. Moore; sherril.moore@cms.k12.nc.us; 980 343 6245. Global competitiveness star ts her e.
static-magazine.com | oct-nov 2007 :: p45
p46 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
Expires 1/31/08 STC
static-magazine.com | oct-nov 2007 :: p47
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p48 :: oct-nov 2007 | static-magazine.com
Matinee Magic Sponsored by The Dale F. Halton Foundation
3 Quality Family Events for 1 Low Price! Will YOU be here for the MAGIC? Belk Theater Beauty & The Beast • Sept. 22-23 Nutcracker • December 15-16 The Little Mermaid • May 17-18 Subscription Perks: • Free poster signed by the stars • A chance to meet your favorite characters • Complimentary snacks
Photos by Jeff Cravotta
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static-magazine.com | oct-nov 2007 :: p49
40 Days, 100 Events,
and a Tree with 50,000 lights!
Rewrite the rules. All the great ones do. The all-new 2008 Ford Super Duty is no exception. Re-engineered down to the very last bolt, Ford Super Duty performs like no other truck ever created with the strongest steel frame, a powerful 6.4L PowerStroke® Diesel with dual-stage turbochargers, and class-exclusive innovations that make it the world’s most capable pickup truck. This dedication to perfection is why Ford F-Series is America’s #1 truck and has been for 30 years straight. *Class is full-size pickups over 8,500 GVWR