63rd Year--Vol. 4
Northeast Mississippi Community College--Booneville, Miss.
May 1, 2012
Dental Hygiene offers teeth cleaning Staff photo by Kayla Carpenter
Open Wide
Freshmen dental hygiene students (from left) Erin Parrish of Corinth and Seirra Denmark of Southaven are just two students working on their dental hygienist degrees at Northeast. Northeast’s dental hygiene program offers free teeth cleaning services to students, faculty and staff in exchange for students gaining experience in the field. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call the dental hygiene office at 662-720-7208.
Free service helps cut down on dental cost By Kayla Carpenter Editor Northeast’s Dental Hygiene students understand the importance of getting one’s teeth cleaned and the financial toll it can take on someone. In order to help with this need and receive training during the process they offer a free teeth cleaning service to students, faculty, and staff. During a teeth cleaning procedure, which can last from three to four hours, the patient obtains all the same treatments and preventative treatments as they would at any dentist office. The dental hygiene students, along with the help of their professors, provide teeth cleaning, x-rays and cancer screenings. “We have a lot of students from around this area as well as out of state who take advantage of this free teeth cleaning,” said Dr. Nick Alexander who is the dental hygiene program director. “However, our students would like to see more students get involved,”
Students are not the only ones who profit from this free service, Northeast staff and faculty also make appointments and utilize this assistance. “We are glad to have the support of our staff as well as our administrators,” said Dr. Alexander. The clinic is open during the fall semester on Tuesdays and Thursdays. However during the spring semester they are opened Monday thru Thursday. The appointed time slots for a teeth cleaning is from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Or 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. “If someone has a class and has to leave in the middle of an appointment we can work with them so they can come back after class and finish,” said Dr. Alexander. While the teeth cleaning is only free for students, faculty, and staff they do offer it to outsiders for a charge of only $15. “We stay booked up, so we encourage everyone to go ahead and call as soon as possible,” Alexander said. “They can even go ahead and make an appointment for next fall.”
Top 5 Tips for dental care
1. Brush at least twice a day 2. Use fluoride toothpaste and rinse 3. Floss once a day 4. Come for six month checkups 5. Avoid sweets as much as one can
Women take aim with firearm safety By Brandy Webb, Staff Writer
Staff photo by Brandy Webb
Business Technology Instructor Pam Needham practices shooting a target while attending the firearm safety class that was offered by the Northeast Office of Continuing Education in late January.
“Stop or my mom will shoot...” Northeast’s Office of Continuing Education held a pair of gun safety courses for females during the 2012 spring semester. Northeast’s gun safety course was designed to help women become more knowledgeable, skilled and have the right attitude to handle a firearm safely. The first session started on January 23 in Holiday Hall on the Northeast Booneville campus and proceeded to meet for a second time on campus before heading to the Booneville Police Department gun range for hands-on training. Cost for the three-day course was $75. Women who participated in the course were asked to bring the handgun to the range that they would be using for protection. Most of the women’s gun of choice was the .38 revolver. Prentiss County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Derrick Hester served as instructor for the course. Hester is a certified T.C.T.I semi-automatic firearms instructor, a state of Mississippi certified instructor, and currently a training officer for the Prentiss County Sheriff’s office. “My father didn’t hide guns from me,” said Hester. “He brought me up to respect guns and what they can do.” Hester’s goal of teaching firearms safety was for women to feel comfortable in introducing a gun into their home and to
“My father didn’t hide guns from me. He brought me up to respect guns and what they can do.” Derrick Hester
Prentiss County Sheriff Investigator Gun Course Instructor
teach gun safety to their family. During the class women learned things ranging from the four cardinal rules of gun safety and the mental states in a stressful situation, to the basics of the laws surrounding carrying and using a firearm. Northeast instructor Pamela Needham was one of the women who took the class. “The instructor was very patient and very thorough in explaining the gun laws and giving safe instructions in the handling and use of our firearms,” said Needham.“It gave me much more self-confidence when handling my firearm.”
Opinion
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The Beacon
Tigers’ Roar Question: What is your biggest phobia (fear)?
Wade Simmons Freshman New Albany
Ebony Hill Sophomore Columbus
Rebecca Ward Freshman Burnsville
Jo’el Birdsong Bookstore Worker New Albany
Devin Jackson Freshman Corinth
Amber Brown Freshman Columbus
“Snakes”
“Fear itself”
“Being buried alive”
“Something happening to my children”
“Spiders”
“Not being successful”
It’s not goodbye, It’s I’ll see you later By Kayla Carpenter Editor Henry David Thoreau once said, “I have learned this at least by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dream, and endeavors to live the life which he had imagines, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” This quote truly defines my journey throughout my year at Northeast. Growing up, I always knew that I was going to be a famous softball player one day. I practiced for hours a day and strived to be the best I could be. I had the opportunity to start as varsity pitcher for my high school softball team when I was only in seventh grade and I continued to start until I graduated. Throughout my softball experience I learned two things. One of them was that through hard work and determination you can accomplish anything. The second thing I learned was that I needed to find a new dream. Pending high school graduation, I knew that I had to find my new dream and find it fast. So after looking at all my options I chose pre-dentistry. However, that major did not last long after looking at all the science classes and years of schooling required. I finally figured out what I truly wanted to do right before orientation and that was journalism. During my sophomore year in college I received the honor of becoming editor of our school newspaper at Northeast, The Beacon. At first I was thrilled to begin learning new things such as layout design and I was
excited to explore all the types of stories at Northeast that were just waiting to be written. What I was not anticipating was the lasting friendships I have made will all of my fellow staff members. Not only did I admire each and every one of their unique talents they contributed to our paper, but they also taught me new aspects on journalism I never knew. Not only were my fellow staff members aspiring, I also had great mentors as my teachers. They have preserved in me very useful knowledge about how to run a newspaper. Mr. Tony always had something encouraging to say and pushed us to pursue our dreams even if they did not include a future in journalism. To this day I am still in awe of Michael H. Miller’s never ending wisdom of every subject imaginable. Also, these two men never failed to help us with any article we had trouble with. As my year of being editor of The Beacon comes to a close I am reminded of how much I have truly learned about not only newspapers, but life as well. I feel that my choice to come to this college and pursue a degree in journalism was the right one and has landed me on the right path to my dream. I am forever grateful that I was able to serve as editor of such an amazing newspaper and I have felt that it has made a significant impact on my life and career in journalism. Next year I will be attending the University of Mississippi’s Meek School of Journalism where I hope that I can carry on the legacy that The Beacon and Northeast has instilled in me.
Editorial Cartoon by Myron Johnson Art Major, Memphis, TN
College Publication Staff
Staff passes along insight Staff Editorial
To Freshman from Sophomore By Heather Smith I have been at Northeast for two years and I have some words of advice. First off, as a commuter leave the house in enough time to get a decent parking spot and not be late for class. Also, Dodge’s coffee is your new best friend. Students are only allowed to park in the white spaces and do not back into the space, parking tickets can get expensive. It would be wise to memorize all the identification numbers and sign-in numbers. You will need a flash drive, and backing up your work never hurts. Take care of your financial aid business early. Find out if you need a foreign language and how many semesters of this course you need. Study for each class every night; teachers love pop quizzes. Night classes are a great way to fit in electives. Also, carry a jacket to classes that are normally chilly. When making a schedule plug in a blank spot for a lunch/study break. Advising Day is very important and it would be best to sign up for an early appointment with your advisor. Last but not least, choose electives carefully. Make sure that electives chosen will count for your major and that you can handle the class. Just because it is an elective does not mean that it is easy. These simple guidelines can be put to good use and I am glad to share my hard-earned knowledge with the freshman. To Freshman from Transfer Student By Kayla Carpenter College is a great experience and also a learning experience. Through my two years of community college, I have learned a lot. In order to help incoming freshman or transfer students I listed below a few helpful tips. My first tip would be to choose the college that is best for your needs. I attended Itawamba Community College my freshman year. However, my sophomore year I transferred to Northeast. I knew Northeast was the right step towards a great future. My second tip would be to get involved in school activities and different clubs. Northeast offers an array of things for students get involved in such as SGA or Tiger Ambassador. We also have a school newspaper in which students can earn a one hour credit. The BSU and Wesley House are two great places to meet new people and participate in activities. Also, Northeast has a variety of clubs such as the
Art club and the Philosophy club. Northeast does its part by making these activities available, but it is up to you to participate and make your college experience the best. Another tip I would like to suggest is make sure all your college classes and credit are transferable. If you are planning on attending a university after Northeast it is very important that all your classes will transfer to that school. Do not let your time at Northeast be a waste, instead let it better enhance your future and prepare you for your next step Finally, my last tip is to have fun! College provides some of the best years of your life. Take this opportunity to meet new people, experience new things, and get a great education. From a freshman to a freshman By Caleb Haney First, I would like to say congratulations on getting into Northeast, you have made a great decision in coming here. Now as a student that has gone through two semesters here I have a few words of advice for you. Firstly, do not procrastinate. Yes, I know you’ve been told that before, but seriously don’t do it. Procrastinating in high school will get you staying up at three in the morning trying to write a paper or study for a test. Procrastinating in college will get you writing 10 papers in the last week, AND studying for all of your exams. Trust me that is not fun. Second, memorize all of your passwords, and user names. Also remember how to get on blackboard, Tigerline, and student e-mail from anywhere. I made the mistake of forgetting how to get on my student e-mail and ended up missing assignments because of it. I also ended up coming to class only to find out that the instructor had sent everyone an e-mail that class was canceled. Another thing, get to know your roommate a bit before you move in. Otherwise you might wind up a Christian rooming with an atheist and it can get awkward. On the other hand you might end up with a party animal that won’t let you sleep or study. And there are other things too but the point is, you are going to be living with this person for about five months, you want to know who that person is. One last thing, if your instructor posts all of the notes on blackboard so you don’t have to write the notes down, write the notes down. It could be the difference between passing and failing; and if you have a scholarship it could be the difference between having a few thousand dollars and being flat broke.
First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Northeast Mississippi Community College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; Telephone number 404-679-4501) to award the Associate in Arts degree, the Associate in Applied Science degree and certificates. In compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title IX, Educational Amendments of 1972 of the Higher Education Act; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the Board of Trustees of Northeast Mississippi Community College hereby adopts a policy assuring that no one shall, on the grounds of race, sex, color, age, creed or national origin be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination in any program or activity of the college. Northeast Mississippi Community College adheres to the principle of equal educational and employment opportunity without regard to race, sex, color, age, creed, or national origin. This policy includes the qualified disabled and extends to all programs and activities supported by the college.
Left to Right: (back row) Brandy Webb, Stephanie Luna, Caleb Haney, Mary Norris, Heather Smith (front row) Brittni Cox, Kayla Carpenter, Jessie Perriman, Debbie Luster Advisors: (not pictured) Tony Finch and Michael H. Miller.
News
The Beacon
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Election process encourages turnout By Caleb Haney Staff Writer
The presidential election is fast approaching, and for most students at Northeast this will be their first opportunity to influence the presidency. Contrary to recent misconceptions about how the electoral college system works our votes really do decide the outcome. One needs to clear the air and take a look at how the election process really works. Before the candidates can even think about leading the country they have to be
nominated at the nominating convention, which usually convenes about three months before the election. At the convention delegates from every state will come to decide who will be running for office, what the party platform will be, and the issues that the presidential candidate will represent. After the nominating convention, the candidate will spend a few months gladhanding and getting to know the American people. The candidates will also let the voter’s know their views on the current issues and try convince as many people as possible that they are better than the other guy.
Then on the first Tuesday of November the voting starts. This is where the infamous electoral system gets involved. It is a common misconception that the peoples vote just gives a suggestion to the Electoral College who make the vote that counts. But really the peoples vote decides who in the Electoral College gets to vote. If the people say they want candidate A then the electoral voter who is on candidate A’s side will get to vote. If the people say they want candidate B then the electoral voter who is on candidate B’s side will get to vote. So the citizens vote does indeed decide on the country’s ruler. There are a few exceptions, four in the
history of America to be precise -- most notably the 2000 Presidential election where Al Gore won the popular vote by winning the states with the greatest populations but George W. Bush won the Presidency by winning the states that carried the most number of electoral college votes. Other incidents include John Quincy Adams versus Andrew Jackson in 1824; Rutherford B. Hayes versus Samuel Tilden in 1876 and Benjamin Harrison versus Grover Cleveland in 1888. However, with the electoral voter going with the state’s vote the students of Northeast really can decide the president in November.
Tupelo provides an array of attractions for students By Mary Norris Staff Writer Every Northeast student wonders what there is to do while attending NEMCC. Not every student is from around these parts and does not know what all northeast Mississippi has to offer. Most dorm residents just stay in Booneville every weekend because of the lack of knowledge of the various activities to do only thirty minutes away in Tupelo. Tupelo is blooming with many different adventures ranging from outdoors to museums. One thing unique about Tupelo is that it is the birthplace of the Rock and Roll King Elvis Presley. Presley’s Birthplace and Museum is a great way to cure that Elvis fever. This historic site is visited by over 50,000 people every year. Also, one can see the variety of places Presley spent his childhood, then go on the guided driving tour that shows various places of Presley’s youth like his elementary school, Johnnie’s Drive-In, Shakerag, Tupelo Fairgrounds, Tupelo Hardware, Lee County Courthouse, Mayhorn’s Grocery Store, Lee County Library, and Milam Junior High. The Elvis Museum is a must see rather an Elvis fan or not. It is full of history and fun that will be remembered for a life time. It is located on 306 Elvis Presley Drive and is opened 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and from 1-5 p.m. on Sundays. Another attraction that Tupelo has is the Tupelo Buffalo Park.
Tupelo’s Buffalo Park may seem at first as if it is just a small zoo, but this park has a lot to offer. In addition to its namesake buffalo, the park has a variety of exotic animals including hedgehogs, kangaroos, wallabies, capuchins, African lions, a black bear, a cougar, giraffes, a Bengal tiger, a camel, zebras, deer, pythons, emus, yaks, turtles, and of course water buffalo. Tupelo’s Buffalo Park also offers unique ways to see a few of the creatures. The Bison Bus is a monstrous bus that takes sightseers into the middle of the seven-feet tall water buffalo. People are able to get out and feed the buffalo as well as feed zebras, giraffes, and camels all while learning the history of the Buffalo. The park also offers pony rides and a petting zoo for those who want to embrace their inner kid. Pony rides are given to children 60 pounds and under. If weight is a problem the Tupelo Buffalo Park also offers horse trail rides that are available for just about any size or figure. Entry into the park is only $10 and the buffalo park is open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday-Saturday and from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Sundays.
One more unique museum to Tupelo is the Tupelo Automobile Museum. This collection is not only one of the largest privately owned collections in the United States, but it is also worth over 6 million dollars. “Visitors are amazed at the variety, first of all,” said curator Allen McDaniel. “They see cars here that they never knew even existed.” Some of the names of the cars include Jackrabbit, Porcupine, and Knight. This 120,000 foot collection was all made possible by one man, Frank Spain. His collection features an 1886 Benz, a never-driven 1994 Dodge Viper, a Lincoln previously owned by Elvis Presley, and many other fascinating automobiles. Tupelo’s automobile museum is located across from the BancorpSouth Center and is open Monday thru Saturday from 9 a.m. till 4:30 p.m. and on Sundays from 12 p.m. till 4:30 p.m. Admission is $10. There are many other attractions in Tupelo whether it be history or buffalo, Tupelo offers a variety activities sure to fit any interest. However, disappointment is one thing visitors will not find in the journey to Tupelo.
Phobias can affect anyone at anytime By Heather Smith Staff Writer Fear is an issue in almost everyone’s life. Personal fears can range from something that simply makes one nervous, to something that makes one so uncomfortable that they have panic attacks or even worse. These extreme fears are called phobias, and are something that should not be taken lightly. Anyone is at risk for developing a phobia. However studies show that women are more likely to have a phobia than anyone else. Experts believe that women are more susceptible to phobias due to the fact that women connect more deeply to their traumatic past experiences. Phobias come in all shapes and sizes. These fears can be placed into five distinct categories. Environmental phobias include fear of thunderstorms, lightning, or tornados. Animal phobias include fear of spiders, snakes, dogs, or bats. One of the most common phobias is the blood-injury-injection phobia. This phobia is the fear of blood or getting a shot and can appear in anyone but mostly effects anyone who has had major medical procedures, frequent visits to the emergency room, and children who experienced long traumatic stays in the hospital at a young age.
Some of the most life altering phobias are situational phobias. These could be fear of elevators, flying, or fear of drowning. Children are most likely to be in this last category which includes fear of clowns and loud noises. Just like natural disasters, phobias can strike someone at any point in life. Most phobias are recognized when someone is a young child or a teenager. However, a situational phobia can occur during all stages of life since they are triggered by certain events. Even though phobias can occur in all parts of the world, some places are more effected than others. It has been proven by scientific studies that the United States has the highest amount of people suffering from phobias in the world. More than six million people in America today are living with a phobia of some kind. A phobia can strike anywhere and college students are not immune. One of the most common phobia problems among college students is claustrophobia. Large classes, old elevators and packed hallways would make gaining a higher level of education nearly impossible for someone with this anxiety disorder. Phobias are something that so many people must live with every day. Phobias make life difficult and sometimes unbearable and it takes a strong person to overcome a phobia and live a normal life. Although some phobias are dangerous most of them are mild and not life-threatening.
Tiger Stripes Crossword Across 2. Mascot
6. Northeast Country Cover Band 9. Sodexo Cafeteria location 11. Northeast President 15. Honors Society 16. Best Chicken in Booneville 17. College Abbreviation 18. Teacher Who Should Run For President (Faculty Association President) 19. Student News Podcast 22. Cajun Football Coach
Down
1. Methodist Organization 3. Second Year Student 4. Science/Math Building 5. Third Year Student
7. Philosophical Marathon Running professor 8. Color of Off-Limit Parking for students 10. First Year Student 12. Former Baseball Player/English Teacher 13. Spanish Teacher 14. Student Newspaper 20. Northeast’s Biggest Rival 21. Financial Aid/Coaches’ Offices locations
Campus
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The Beacon
Sealant Day aids second graders By Kayla Carpenter Editor
Northeast’s Dental Hygiene Program recently held it’s fourth annual sealant day. Sealant Day, which is co-sponsored by the Northeast Mississippi Community College Dental Hygiene Technology faculty and students, is designed to promote good dental health habits in children. This day is made available to second grade students who would not likely receive the benefit from the services otherwise. To determine what children qualify for sealants, both students and faculty scanned second grade students in area schools. If the child is in need to have a sealant placed they can attend sealant day by getting a permission slip signed by their parents. Northeast’s second year hygiene students placed sealants on approximately 100 second grade students from Prentiss County, including Booneville and Baldwyn. “We chose to offer this day to second graders because that is the age when they are getting their sixth year molars” said Dr. Nick Alexander who is the director of the Dental Hygiene department. “It is very important to get sealants placed on the teeth just as they come in because it prevents decay,” Sealant Day was a collaborative effort. Students and faculty from Northeast’s Associate Degree Nursing program, were on hand to also perform selected routine health screenings. Northeast Mississippi Chapter of the Mississippi Oral Health Community Alliance also helped with the event. It is a non-profit organization designed to help people in need. They target children who do not have the opportunity to get work done on their teeth. Also, Baptist Memorial Hospital in Booneville sponsored and funded the event. Camille Shoffner, who is a dental hygiene instructor at Northeast and who was in
“Our ultimate goal would have a day per county, essentially the five counties in the Northeast district.” Camille Shoffner
Dental Hygiene Instructor charge of sealant day, stated, “This is an excellent community service project for our county. The whole point of participation is so that students can understand how a community works from beginning to ending as well as understand the importance of using profession within the community, we hope they will carry this on.” In order to complete training, second year dental hygiene must complete the requirement of placing at least ten sealants on at least two different patients. They also get the benefit of working on young children. First year students are available to assist during the process. “All local dentist were very receptive in program, they were very excited about it and donated time, equipment, and personnel. Also, we could not have completed Sealant day without Baptist Memorial Hospital in Booneville” said Shoffner. Both Alexander and Shoffner hope to continue on with this day and possibly expand it in the future. “Our ultimate goal would have a day per county, essentially the five counties in the Northeast district,” said Shoffner.
Students find a new way to “hang out” By Mary Norris Staff Writer When a nice, warm day comes along and outside is the place to be a hammock is a must. Many students at Northeast are now frolicking in hammocks outside the Baptist Student Union (BSU). The days are getting nicer and the trees are contributing to a new sensation that many Northeast students are getting into. “Hammocking” as it is called, is very easy to do and gives a little spice to friends that are just hanging around doing nothing. Hammocks can be hung on a variety of different objects like cars, house poles, two tall objects, and mainly trees. This idea was everything but new. The hammock dates back over 1,000 years ago. It was said that it was started straight below in Central America by the Mayan Indians. Mayans not only produced the most accurate calendar, built beautiful pyramid, created their own writing system, and were astronomers and math expertise, but designed the web-like hammock that is still being used today. The hammock was first made from the bark of the Hamack Tree, hence the name similarities. The sisal plant was then discovered and replaced the bark because it was easier to find and its fibers were softened when rubbed against the thighs. The sisal plant was a lot like an Aloe Vera plant. The hammock was extended into millions of native’s homes between central and South America due to all the trade routes. Columbus did not just find spices and gems when landing in the “New World,” but caught many natives of the Bahamas lounging in hammocks and took a few back with him to Europe. Britain took the idea and introduced it to the Navy and prisons there. The concept exploded and it was introduced in North America in the late 1880’s. Hammocks did not become big
Recently, Northeast students have been seen hanging around campus. A new trend called “Hammocking” has captured the interest of several students on campus. “Hammocking date back over 100 years ago where it was started by the Mayan Indians in Central America. in North America until reconstruction. hammocks are sold worldwide just to people who use them Hammocks here were larger and did not require as as a bed. much balance as the original ones. Students have transformed the trees outside the BSU Now, approximately 500,000-2,000,000 hammocks are into the perfect spot for over 10 hammocks that contain sold yearly in North America alone and over 100 million one to two people each.
Geocaching puts twist on traditional scavenger hunting By Mary Norris Staff Writer Many students always wonder what there is to do around the Northeast campus. The outdoors is not for everyone, but one certain activity has redefined the term of an outdoors adventure. Geocaching is a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game which combines technology with adventure. People hide small containers with something in it and a sheet of paper. One can take the item and replace it with another trinket and then sign your name to the list of people to show how many people have found that item. On May 3, 2000, GPS enthusiast, Dave Ulmer, wanted to test the accuracy of the GPS by hiding a navigational target in the woods. His idea was for the “finder” to locate the container in the woods, take it, then leave something in return. Ulmer placed a black bucket in the woods near Beavercreek, Oregon along with a logbook, pencil, and various other items. Ulmer then shared his “stash” online at sci.geo. satellite-nav by releasing his coordinates. In three days two different readers read about his stash and found the container with their GPS, then shared their experience online. This concept spread quickly and within the first month Mike Teague, the first person to find Ulmer’s stash began the “GPS Stash Hunt.” Eventually this hunt became known as ‘geocaching.” There are many different geocaches around. All you
have to do is get on the app and find them. It is a fun activity that provides exercise along with technology. Once started, one may get addicted, but that is the art of it. Geocaching was first created when GPS was found out. GPS enthusiasts created geocaching as a fun way to work with GPS. Whether its warm or cold, geocaches could be anywhere. They could be in building or outside under trees. The possibilities are endless. According to geocaching.com these are the eight easy steps to begin the hunt at the simplest level. 1. Register for a free Basic Membership. 2. Visit the “Hide & Seek a Cache” page. 3. Enter your postal code and click “search.” 4. Choose any geocache from the list and click on its name. 5. Enter the coordinates of the geocache into your GPS Device. 6. Use your GPS device to assist you in finding the hidden geocache. 7. Sign the logbook and return the geocache to its original location. 8. Share your geocaching stories and photos online. Also, geocaching only has three simple rules. First, if you take something from the “cache”, leave something of equal or greater value. Second, write about your find in the cache logbook. Lastly, log one’s experience at www.geocaching.com.
Technologically-savvy geocachers will use an app like the one shown above.
Campus
The Beacon
5
Students showcase their writing talents By Caleb Haney Staff Writer
Northeast recently hosted its annual writing competition in which the Northeast students entered their best works in the following categories; poetry, dramatic writing, literary essay, non-fiction, and short fiction. In poetry, Erin Steel received first place for her poem “Young Love.” Second place was awarded to “Squirrels,” written by Ed Lucas. Also, Thomas Cooper collected third for his poem, “To Love the Sky.” Honorable mentions included “Long Distance Call” by Kassie Johnson, “Blues Man” written by Jacob
Hunkapiller,“Magic of Mississippi,” by Elizabeth West and “Fall’s Wonder” by Jeremy Samples. In the Dramatic writing category Justin Holley was awarded first place for his work, Amid-Morning’s Tea. Second place was given to Lab Partners by Correl Hoyle. Also, Bourbon for the Payne, written by Tyson Prentiss, was chosen for third place. Honorable mentions included Not This Again by Kassie Johnson and A Touch of War by Ed Lucas. The first place winner in the Literary Essay category goes to Elizabeth West for “A Response to ‘Gilgamesh.’” Winners in the non-fiction category include Ed Lucas, who received first place for “ The Street Often Taken.” “I Am Not The Same” by Amanda Griffus obtained second
place and “These Things Happen in Threes” by Ed Lucas was chosen for third place. “There and Back Again” by Mercedes Gwyn received an honorable mention. In the short fiction category first place went to “ He’ll Love Me Again Tomorrow” by Kassie Johnson. Also, “The Runaway” by Lauren Hinton earned second place along with “Carpet Stain,” whose author was Thomas Cooper, receiving third place. Honorable mentions included “Good Listeners” by Ed Lucas, “The Man Upstairs” by Lauren Hinton and “Harvey and Sku-Ball” also by Ed Lucas. “I would like to give a special thanks to all the participants who gave of their time for the art of writing,” said Amanda Garvin, sponsor of Tyger Symmetry.
Disney offers unique Indoor Winter Guard learning experience takes home state title By Brittni Cox Staff Writer
By Mary Norris Staff Writer For students who are interested in earning their degree in a more unique way, Disney offers the “Disney College Program.” The “Disney College Program” is a six to eight month program that gives students the opportunity to work at Disney World or Disney Land and learn and experience new things. This program is only available for students enrolled in college as a part time or full time student and they must be 18 years old. The program allows students to gain six to nine college credits in certain fields, depending on the college he or she is attending. Unlike some programs, this is a paid internship. While completing the program, students will get paid weekly. Also, the housing rent is taken out of
student’s salary. Disney offers one to four bedroom apartments with two to three people in each bedroom. Each apartment is fully furnished. This program allows students to obtain skills that could not be gained elsewhere. Designed to help further the education of college students, this program allows students to earn money and have a once in a life-time experience. Students will be assigned a job that is close to their major and interest. Jobs are assigned based on knowledge, experience, and eagerness of the job. This is way more than just a chance to work at Disney World or Disney Land,instead it is a program that offers a variety of opportunities that would help advance a student in his or her career choice.
With their performance at the Mississippi Indoor Association State Championships held at Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson on Saturday, March 31, Northeast’s Independent Winter Guard was able to secure the state championship title. With a score of 79.40, Northeast also recorded the highest score in any Independent a squads at any of the eight Mississippi Indoor Association’s during the winter season. Northeast captured top honors with its 79.40 and beat out Impact of Itawamba Community College. Mississippi State University’s Statement was fourth at 74.9 while Soar Independent was fifth at 74.2 and the University of Mississippi’s Rebelution finished the competition in sixth with a score of 73.10. In the General Effects 1 category, Northeast was the only squad to
break the 16-point mark with a 16.1 while Merge was second with a 15.7. In its five events this year, Northeast has captured a trio of first place finishes and two third place markers. In addition to its Mississippi Indoor Association state championship, Northeast also took first place at the Southern Motion Winter Guard Competition held at South Pontotoc High School and at the Artistry in Motion Winter Guard Competition held at Tupelo High School. Members of the Northeast Independent Winter Guard include Nikia Bailey of Tupelo, Kassie Boggs of Selmer, Tenn., Brittany Brackeen of Booneville, Kelsey Brown of Ripley, Alanna Burns of Iuka, Morgan Clark of Iuka, Austin Graham of Tupelo, Bethany Grant of Ripley, Kayla Jackson of Ripley, Lizzy Long of Iuka, Callie McGrew of Booneville, Carlie McGrew of Booneville, Caitelan Shelton of Ripley, Rob Silvers of Fulton and Morgan Wright of Iuka
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Sports
The Beacon
Catfish Cummings
Northeast pitcher has a “curveball” of a hobby By Jessie Perriman Staff Writer
Most athletes have a method of stress relief before ball games or other outdoor hobbies along with their sport, but one Northeast baseball player’s method is a little unusual. Beau Cummings, or as most call him “Catfish”, is a sophomore pitcher for the Northeast baseball team, and his way of getting away and relaxing is… grabbling. Those who are not familiar with this term may know it better as catfishing, graveling, hogging, dogging, gurgling, tickling, stumping, or as the new hit television show calls it, hillbilly hand fishing. This process is an interesting technique of fishing. It requires the fisherman to reach into a catfish’s home and wait for it to latch onto his hand as a defense mechanism. Depending on the catfish’s size, they can sometimes swallow one’s entire arm. Once the catfish is latched on, the fisherman then pulls the fish up out of the water, and voila… the catfish has been grabbled. Cummings tied his love and fascination of this intriguing hobby back to his childhood fishing trips with his father, Larry Roberts, in New Albany. “I started when I was six or seven and my dad has done it since he was a little boy so he started taking me along,” said Cummings. He went on to describe it with a simple statement, “I just fell in love with it.” When Cummings does go “grabbling”, he just goes where the fish are. “Sometimes we go to Sardis or down in the Delta… just pretty much anywhere we can find them,” Cummings said. As for where to grabble, he fishes under hollow trees and in boxes that he has sunk down in the water. When compared to the show ‘Hillbilly Hand Fishing’, he says that it is has its similarities but is ultimately different than how the show perceives it. “We don’t just walk around like they do. We have certain spots that we mark and we fish there.” Cummings grew up and graduated from Myrtle High School where his mother, Bettie Roberts, taught classes. This is where he got his famous nickname, “Catfish”. “I got the nickname from my high school baseball coach because I was always fishing.” Cummings completely embraces this accurate nickname and said that not only do his friends call him Catfish, but his family does as well. When he does go grabbling, he brings people with him. “Most of my friends just come along,” said Cummings. “We go every summer and just every chance we get.” When it comes to pitching and baseball in general, players usually try to keep their hands and arms in good condition, so most would view grabbling as a dangerous hobby for an athlete; Cummings disagrees. “It’s not really that dangerous,” he said reassuringly. “I usually wear gloves just in case but we’ve never really had a problem with getting hurt or catching something other
Northeast sophomore pitcher Beau Cummings has found a ‘curveball’ of a hobby for relieving stress. The Myrtle native goes ‘grabbling’ in hopes of catching a big mudcat. According to Cummings, the time in the water gives him a chance to get away from the house and get out in the open air before heading to the mound to pitch.
than a catfish.” Although getting surprise catches is not really a problem for Cummings, that does not necessarily mean he has not had a few interesting experiences. “I’ve caught a couple of snakes before.” He has also suffered from a couple of snake bites. If anyone could master this technique without worrying, “Catfish” Cummings is the one. “It’s just a second nature to me,” said the pitcher. “I’ve been doing it for so long so I’m not scared of getting hurt or anything.” His expert advice to anyone who would like to ‘test the waters’ with this hobby is “Just try not to get your arm broken and be careful.” As for tricks, Cummings says that it just comes with practice. Cummings just enjoys this time to clear his mind.
“Most of the time I just do it for fun to get away from the house or get out in the air,”said Cummings. He also utilizes this vice for ball game preparation and getting a fresh mind to focus on his pitching. “Sometimes it really helps, but then other times when you go out there and hook a big one then lose it, it can really make you mad,”he said. When he does not feel like wrestling with a catfish, he frequently enjoys just wetting a line. “I go real-fishing a lot more than I go grabbling,” said Cummings. “I’ve been fishing since I was little bitty. It’s something I do when I don’t have anything else to do.” Cummings has not let his fascinating hobby interfere with his action on the mound. He will finish out his second and final season here at Northeast pitching heat and catching fish.
Tennis serves up challenge for opponents By Jessie Perriman Staff Writer Northeast Tennis team finished with a sweet victory at home on April 2 for the second sweep over East Central this season. Preston Wade led the way for the Tigers tennis team while Monica Pruitt came out on top for the Lady Tigers under the direction of head coach Lynn Smither. Smither’s squads came away victorious 8-1 against East Central Community College in front of the home crowd to move to 3-7 overall this season. “We played great out on the court and our guys and girls deserved the win,” Smither said. “They have been working so hard and it paid off with this win here in our last home match.” Wade won the top men’s single match 6-2, 6-3 against Levi French, while Taylor Dees took the number two singles 6-4, 4-6, (10-4), followed by Ben Nhek 6-3, 6-0, Brandon Gardner 6-4, 6-4, Andrew Ferrell 6-1, 6-0, and lastly Drew Gann, who fell just short in the number six singles match 6-2, 2-6, (5-10). Doubles were forfeited by the Warriors which gave the Tigers the sweep by default. On the women’s side, Pruitt defeated Cassie Munn 4-6, 6-4, (10-5) in the top seed while Emily Burke won the two seed 6-3, 6-2. Amanda Rorie fell in the third seed to the Lady Warriors Kelsey Tadlock 2-6, 4-6. The fourth, fifth and sixth seeds were won by default by Northeast. In the top doubles match, Pruitt and Marcey Sykes defeated Munn and Lauren Lurk 8-1. The Tigers and Lady Tigers also plundered the Warriors early in the season on March 5 in Decatur with a nice 6-3 victory. In the women’s number one singles match, Cassie Munn of East Central defeated Monica Pruitt 6-3, 6-1.
Monica Pruitt
Brandon Gardner
Northeast’s Emily Burke dropped Laruen Lurk in the number two singles match 6-4, 6-1 while Kelsey Tadlock for the Lady Warriors pushed her way past Lady Tigers Amanda Rorie 7-5, 6-3 in singles. The only doubles match pitted Lurk and Cassie Munn against Pruitt and Marcey Sykes. Munn and Pruitt prevailed to give East Central the 8-3 victory. “East Central only had three girls to play,” explained first year head coach Lynn Smither. “Therefore we were able to pick up the win due to forfeit...but Burke won her match outright and we were proud of all of our players.” On the men’s side, Northeast won hands down with Preston Wade leading the way in number one singles
defeating Levi French 6-3, 6-0. The Warriors took the number two singles match with Taylor Dees falling to Blake Cochran after the tie breaker 5-10. Ben Nhek captured the number three singles point, winning 6-1, 6-3 over Chris Mays. East Central’s Andrew Hanna defeated Brandon Gardner in number four singles and Andrew Farrell topped the Warriors’ Josh Peoples in the number five match, while Lucas Calvert wrapped up the singles matches getting the best of the Tigers’ Drew Gann. Northeast men got the sweep in doubles going 8-3 in number one through three.
Sports
The Beacon
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Softball pushes into the playoffs By Jessie Perriman Staff Writer Perfection is almost impossible to achieve, but Jaisa Fox challenged the “almost” part of that statement. Fox pitched a perfect game for Northeast to grab a 9-0 victory over Mississippi Delta on Thursday, April 19. Fox sent 15 batters straight back to their visiting dugout. She struck out 12 batters while tallying her tremendous feat. Fox’s final target was Mississippi Delta’s Kaylee Childs who struck out to end the game. During the 2011-12 season, Fox has also been a dual threat for the Lady Tiger softball team. After her perfect game, Fox was 12-8 while appearing in 23 games for Northeast. Fox had pitched 116 innings while limiting the opposition to 84 hits and 41 runs – 32 of which were earned. Fox’s most telling statistic is her strikeout-to-walk ratio where the Northeast freshman has allowed just 24 walks all year (just over one a game) and struck out 128 batters for an average of 5.3 strikeouts per walk. At the plate, Fox’s hitting .352 with 32 hits in 91 at bats with 10 doubles, 20 RBI and has scored 16 runs. In her 109 plate appearances on the year, Fox has only struck out twice while drawing 15 walks and has an on-base percentage of .443 and a slugging percentage of .462. The highlight inning for Northeast was the fourth. Mississippi Delta had no answer as Northeast scored five big runs. It was a good day at the plate for Northeast’s Haley Knepp. Knepp went 2-3, drove in one and scored two runs. She singled in the first and third innings. The Lady Tigers cranked up the lead
by scoring two runs in the second inning thanks to two doubles followed by two more runs in the third. As if a perfect game wasn’t enough, New York native, Erin Dixson got her part by pitching a spectacular no-hitter to shutout the Trojan 21-0 in the second game. Trojan bats were swinging at wind as each of Dixson’s pitches hit catcher Andrea Cutts’ mitt. Dixson struck out a total of eight batters and walked two for the game. Twelve runs in the opening three innings allowed Northeast to easily put away Mississippi Delta. An RBI double by Kelsie Follin, an error, a passed ball, a hit by pitch, a fielder’s choice, and a three-run double by Fox in the second inning helped Northeast put some runs on the board early. Northeast built upon its lead with four runs in the third. A bases loaded walk scored Jazmin Smith to start the scoring in the inning, followed up by a steal of home by Raleigh Downs that scored Downs. Northeast increased its lead with nine runs in the fourth. A scored Follin for the inning’s first run. That was followed up by a walk by Andrea Cutts that scored Madeline Hickman. With the incredible feat of a perfect game in the first game and a no-hitter in the second contest, the day became history in Northeast softball history and part of the softball team’s attempt to raise money and awareness for cancer. Northeast’s StrikeOut Cancer doubleheader fund-raiser is part of the softball program’s attempt to leave a positive impact on the community. “Our goal is to generate community awareness, support for our program, educate our players, continue our mission of community involvement and to use our platform to raise money to be used locally to be used in the fight against cancer,” Long said. In addition to the StrikeOut Cancer
Northeast freshman pitcher Erin Dixson (left) and red-shirt freshman pitcher Jaisa Fox (right) put the word ‘strikeout’ in the Lady Tigers third-annual StrikeOut Cancer Day against Mississippi Delta Community College. Fox tossed a perfect game fanning 12 while Dixson fanned eight in a no-hitter against the Lady Trojans. Fox was named the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Division II Pitcher of the Week for her performance. fund-raiser, the softball program has also Along with good karma, the Lady scheduled its eighth annual Make-A-Wish Tigers have also brought home some recent Foundation softball tournament for the wins over tough division teams. last weekend in May and is scheduled to Northeast grabbed an 8-3 victory over continue its tradition of honoring former East Mississippi Community College and Northeast head coach David Carnell with gave one up 2-4. a tournament in June. Northeast’s next victim was Northwest. Prior to the season, Northeast’s softball The Lady Tigers prevailed with a sweep team was active in the community during 2-1 and 9-7. the off-season cooking for over 500 people Although they lost a pair to Itawamba at the annual Christmas pancake breakfast, adopting a family at Christmas so that the Community College, they reclaimed their family’s children may share in the joyous momentum in the next match-up against holiday and traveling to the local nursing Holmes Community College. The Lady homes to sing Christmas carols to the Tigers were victorious with a 6-2 win and elderly. a 3-0 victory.
Golf cards highest finish of year at region event By Jessie Perriman Staff Writer A couple of Northeast golfers represented the Tigers well in their single round at the Mississippi Association of Community/Junior Colleges (MACJC) State golf championships at Riverbirch Golf Club in Amory on April 17. Freshman Jordan Wilson of Baldwyn and sophomore Easton Cartwright of Booneville swung a five-over 77 and a six-over 78 on the opening day at the state event to grab a spot in the Top 15. With the second day of the state championships canceled due to inclement weather in the northeast Mississippi area, Wilson and Cartwright’s finishes along with the approximately 50 other golfers were frozen after the first day of the event.
Wilson completed the round with a 77 which gave him a thirteenth place finish while close-behind Cartwright tied with four other golfers for fourteenth with a 78. Northeast clocked out with a lucky seventh place finish in the event just two strokes behind Jones County Junior College and just 12 strokes off of host Itawamba Community College. This golf season has yielded a lot of success for Tiger golfers. Freshman Ty Lindsey and sophomore Blake Conlee wrapped up their regular season tied for thirty-sixth in the state after each shot an 85 on the day. Thrasher’s Taylor Trimble finished the first day with a 91. With his 77 on the first day of the Mississippi Association of Community/Junior Colleges (MACJC) State Tournament, Wilson also finished in eighteenth overall in the state in scoring with a 79.70 average during his 10 rounds on the
season. Wilson made the most of the last three final rounds of the regular season as the Northeast freshman fired 7577-77 over the last three rounds to vault up in the state standings. Wilson’s 75 on the first day of the Northwest Invitational was his lowest recorded score of the season. Cartwright was twenty-sixth in the state with an 80.55 while Conlee was one behind his Tiger teammate in twenty-seventh place with an 82.64 average. Cartwright used back-to-back 77s at the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Invitational on March 5-6 while Conlee’s low around came on April 3 as the Northeast sophomore fired an even-par 72 on the second day of the Northwest Mississippi Community College Invitational. At the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XXIII Tournament, the Tigers carded their highest finish of the season with a fifth place showing.
Baseball moves toward postseason play By Jessie Perriman Staff Writer Northeast’s baseball team took a step closer in securing a spot in the Mississippi Association of Community/Junior Colleges (MACJC) State baseball postseason with a sweep of Holmes on Saturday, April 14. Northeast (15-23, 10-7 in North Division) took over second place in the North Division with the 8-4, 11-7 sweep. With the two wins, Northeast moved a half-game ahead of Northwest Mississippi. Taylor Bonifacio lead the way for the tigers on April 17. The Northeast sophomore racked up six hits on the day. Bonifacio did most of his damage in the second game of the doubleheader where the Tiger sophomore was just one single short of attaining the cycle walking away with his two doubles, a triple and a home run. In the nightcap, the Tigers racked up a season-high 19 hits against the Bulldogs and took a permanent lead in the fifth as Northeast added a run to break the 7-7 tie. The Tigers would tag on three runs over its final two at bats for the final score. During the 19-hit extravaganza, Chris Aichinger and Bonifacio both made contact for four hits each while sophomore Sawyer Wheatley finished with a trio of base hits. Justin Neal and Will Robertson both contributed with two hits. While Bonifacio was showing out at the plate, the Northeast sophomore was not alone as both Wheatley and Aichinger along with Bonifacio both went deep in the contest. In the opener, Northeast used a five-run sixth inning to come back from a 4-2 deficit in setting up the sweep. Daymon Eriksen improved to 5-1 on the year with Drew Cristo and Bonifacio leading the way at the plate for the Tigers by collecting four of Northeast’s seven hits in the contest. Prior to this clean-up was a high-scoring sweep over Coahoma at their place in Clarksdale on April 5. Eriksen moved to 4-1 on the mound after pitching two innings of shutout ball in game one against Coahoma leading Northeast to a 22-0 win in Clarksdale. Josh Drake, Tyler Basil, Tyler Nelson, and Eriksen combined to hold Coahoma to one hit in the first game as the Tigers scored 15 runs in the top of the second to seal the victory. Northeast’s Blake Littlejohn had two doubles in the game, both in the Tigers’ 15-run
Northeast sophomore Trae Allison (right) congratulates freshman Ethan Estes after the first of his three home runs by Estes against Coahoma Community College. second frame while the sophomore catcher tallied four RBI’s on the two hits. Northeast sent 20 batters to the plate during the marathon frame. Northeast was able to walk away with 15 hits and no errors while Coahoma only squeezed in one hit along with nine errors in game one. Multiple hitters for NEMCC included Justin Neal (3), Corey Smith, Josh Mills, Drew Cristo and Littlejohn. In game two, it was Eric Wilson’s (1-3) turn from the mound and Wilson took advantage of the opportunity by picking up his first win of the season giving up only one run along with two hits to Coahoma. The pitching crew for the Tigers held Coahoma to just five hits as Beau Cummings, Tyler Beaty, Kyle Robbins, and Wilson challenged Coahoma who managed to get just one run on five hits. Ethan Estes and Corey Smith put their bats to good use attaining multiple hits as Northeast walked away with an 11-1 victory in the nightcap. Along with these victories, the Tigers also grabbed half of the double-header with Northwest losing 4-0 but walking away with a 3-1 win earlier in the season.
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Entertainment
The Beacon
Hunger Games makes long-awaited debut By Stephanie Luna Staff Writer
After months of hype and suspense, The Hunger Games movie was officially released at midnight on March 23, screening at approximately 4,100 theaters and earning between $25-30 million. The first weekend totaled at about $155.2 million. It was ranked as the third best debut of all time and the best for any film opening outside of the summer season. The midnight festivities at the Corinth Malco were as exciting as any. Several Northeast students attended and dressed up as favorite characters for the occasion. “Jabberjays,” as the official fans are called, were pleased with the page-to-screen adaptation, while newcomers to the Hunger Games fad could easily follow the story. Writer and director Gary Ross, known for his previous films Seabiscuit, Pleasantville, and Big, worked in close association with author Suzanne Collins to effortlessly deliver an adaptation fans could be proud of. With skillful cinematography, clever locations and brilliant acting, The Hunger Games transports you to a realistic dystopian future of North America, known as Panem. Ruled by an oppressive Captiol, the Hunger Games serve the purpose of intimidating the 12 districts in the form of sacrificing children in the name of obligatory peace. In a Reaping, one boy and girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district are thrown into an unpredictable arena to fight to the death. Only one survives to gain honor and temporary resources for his or her district. When Primrose Everdeen is chosen as a tribute at the District 12 reaping, heroine Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers to fight in her sister’s place. Katniss is joined by Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). However, with guidance from District 12 mentor Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson) and escort Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks), Katniss and Peeta quickly discover that to survive the games they will need more than just brute strength and good aim. Following the traditions laid out by the Capitol, Katniss and Peeta go through the motions of any other tribute: they both meet their respective stylists, whose jobs are to help them “make an impression”; participate in the tribute parade, where they leave spectators in awe, and Katniss gains her title “The Girl on Fire”; endure three days of survival and combat training, after which they are scored on a scale of 1 to 12, Katniss receiving the highest score of 11; and finally, an interview with host Caesar Flickerman
Northeast students Stephanie Luna (second to left) portrays Effie and Lindsey Down (far right) portrays Katniss alongside high school students Walker Bobo (Haymitch) and Ben Strickland (Petta), at the Corinth Hunger Games midnight premiere. (Stanley Tucci) to make a final case for support and sponsors. It is at the interview that the plot takes an interesting turn. Peeta, in an effort to further support Katniss, claims to have a crush on his fellow tribute. Katniss and Peeta quickly become labeled “the star-crossed lovers from District 12.” Although Katniss is opposed to the strategy, she plays along, and the next day, they are prepared for the games. Katniss’s personal stylist, Cinna (Lenny Kravitz), plants a symbolic Mockingjay pin within the folds of her jacket just before she is sent up into the arena. As soon as the gong signals the beginning of the 74 Annual Hunger Games, Katniss grabs a backpack and takes to the woods, an environment she feels all too comfortable
in after her time poaching in the forest near District 12. Katniss faces various challenges in the game, ranging from deadly forest forests, lethal career tributes, and “mutations,” genetically altered animals created by the Capitol. The end is a riveting one. Katniss and Peeta are the last ones left standing, and in an effort to deprive the Capitol of a single victor, threaten to take their lives with poisonous berries. The lovers are stopped and both declared winners. While some may see this as a happy ending to a gruesome tale, it is in fact only the beginning. Two more books follow The Hunger Games, as will the movies. Catching Fire, the second installment in the Hunger Games trilogy, is set to release in theatres on November 22, 2013.
Musical duo follows ambition By Mary Norris Staff Writer
Northeast is thriving with young adults that are bursting with musical talent. There are many different local bands made up of students from Northeast. Mark Kennedy, a 21-year-old tool-and-die major, is the vocalist for the local band Tisk Tisk, a sceamo-rock band. Kennedy has been the singer for over a year now and loving it. Kennedy can play drums, guitar, bass, and keyboard. The first instrument Kennedy ever played was a drum set when he was only nine years old. Then Kennedy received a guitar at the age of 13 and fell in love. This aspiring musician gets his inspiration from many different types of bands. Some of these are Attack Attack!, Emure, Randy Rhodes, and Aaron Lewis. Kennedy admires Aaron and a local guy, Ryan, from the band On My Honor for their vocals. The 21-year-old listens and learns from these two vocalists and tries to improve his own singing. A dream of Mark’s has always and will always be to be a starving musician. “I want to tour the road and see people smile by my music,” Kennedy said. “I do not care about the money or fame, just about playing my music and pleasing people with it.” A major opportunity that knocked on the door of Tisk Tisk was to play at Rockapalooza in Jackson, Michigan this summer.
Kennedy loved music and wants that to be his life. Tool and Dye is a major for him to have to fall back on if music does not work. Brad Savage is another Northeast student that is in love with music. Savage is a sophomore from Walnut and his major varies between sound engineering recording and elmentary music education. His goal is to run live sound and recording for bands. Savage was in the band Emerie Skyy which was the name of his niece and he thought it would be perfect for the band. “My goal for music is to not [reek],” Savage said. “I want to write songs and do commercial music.” Music takes up a large amount of Savage’s time but the life of a musician is all about honing one’s craft. “I don’t have hobbies. I don’t do that,” Savage said. “I play guitar and am learning to play piano.” Savage is all wrapped up in music. His biggest goal Is to be like Dave Stovall -- also a Northeast alumni who is the lead singer of Wavorly. Savage had the opportunity to play a show with Stovall and has always looked up to him. Savage doesn’t want to be in a band where everyone just knows his songs. He wants people to really know his music and love him, not just heard him somewhere. “I’d rather be in a small band where a few people love my music, than in a big band where a lot of people know my music,” said Savage.
Perfect reveals student struggles By Heather Smith, Staff Writer Teenagers put enormous amounts of pressure on themselves and sometimes their families are just as bad. Ellen Hopkins demonstrates this in her novel Perfect. Hopkins’ newest novel is Perfect, a spin-off to her popular book Impulse and is a good companion to Impulse. Released in 2011, this book spans the life of four teen-age high school students as they struggle with the harsh truths about growing up under peer pressure and trying to meet the ‘perfect’ expectations set by either themselves or their family and friends. This is set in a high school kids world. They are trying to gain approval from their parents and their peers. I believe that she wrote the book to show how pressure to succeed can destroy a teenagers life. They are put under so much pressure that they break down and use dangerous alternatives in order to gain the approval of their parents. College students are under pressure to achieve their own goals and the people in the book are struggling with the same
Spring 2012 Exam Schedule
problem. These kids chose to use risky ways to make their way to the top and they all paid the price. Just like all of her books Ellen relates that no matter who you are, how young or how old you are, everyone goes through problems. Also, a lot of people go through the same problems and can relate to one another. In her book Hopkins exposes the “ugly truth” behind the want to be “perfect.”
Thursday, May 3 8-10 a.m. 3 MWF (10-10:50 a.m.)
Monday, May 7 8-10 a.m. 2 MWF (9-9:50 a.m.)
10:10 a.m.-12:10 p.m. 3 TTH (12:15-1:30 p.m.) 3/4 Tuesday Block (12:15-2:55 p.m.)
10:10 a.m.-12:10 p.m. 7 MWF (2-2:50 p.m.)
1-3 p.m. 5 MWF (12-12:50 p.m.)
1-3 p.m. 4 MWF (11-11:50 a.m.)
Friday, May 4 8-10 a.m. 1 TTH (8-9:15 a.m.) 1/2 Thursday Block (8-10:40 a.m.)
Tuesday, May 8 8-10 a.m. 1 MWF (8-8:50 a.m.)
10:10 a.m.-12:10 p.m. 4 TTH (1:40-2:55 p.m.) 3/4 Thursday Block (12:15-2:55 p.m.)
10:10 a.m.-12:10 p.m. Activity Period
1-3 p.m. 2 TTH (9:25-10:40 a.m.) 1-3 p.m. 6 MWF (1-1:50 p.m.) 1/2 Tuesday Block (8-10:40 a.m.) Evening College Exams will be given on the regularly scheduled meeting nights beginning Tuesday, May 1 until Monday, May 7