PROSPECTIVE Bryant High School • 801 N Reynolds Rd. Bryant, Ark. 72022 • Vol. 25, Issue 1 • Sept. 23, 2016
IN A SPLIT SECOND Students describe their experiences with police in a discussion about police brutality in an article by Cole Campbell. pp. 2
GIVING BACK Students coach kids on and off the field. Alyssa Jones writes about how the coaches and students have been affected. pp. 8
ACCEPTING
THE HIVE DOCTOR Senior Marcus Mellor has 20,000 bees in his backyard. Read about how and why in Abby Hagner’s story. pp. 3
C H A NGE pp. 4-5
New principal, new rules, new uniforms, new teachers. This is a year of change. But what about you? How are you different from the past few years?
What’s the Buzz? @ us next time
Mina Akhnoukh | 11 @mackhnoukh
Brayan Flores | 11 @whosbrayan
Erin James | 10 @theoldrazzledaz
“Season 2 of stranger things has been confirmed and I’m crying tears of joy :,)”
“I want to be the picture they use on those ads that say, “Dermatologists HATE her!” I think that would accurately portray my life’s success.”
Shaelyn Smith | 12 @shaelynsmith
Madi Draper | 10 @madi_draper
“That moment when you see everyone getting accepted into colleges and you haven’t even started your application”
want to be featured?
Tag @ProspectiveAR in your top tweets for a chance to end up in the next paper.
OBITUARIES of dying trends
sophomore Xitlaly Albarran| photo Jae Kubena
Jared James | 12 @jjames154
“soooooo guys can wear holy jeans but girls can’t??? k”
“You mean to me just as much as the headphone jack means to Apple”
“i think my wifi goes out more than i do”
Trends pop up faster than Twitter notifications. Some of them leave an imprint on the generation, while others can gladly be forgotten. EDITH GARCIA | STAFF WRITER
THE WHIP
KYLIE LIP CHALLENGE
POKÉMON GO
Once a trending dance move, now a forgotten and overused element to break up just about any dance party. “I hit the hardest whip of 2016 not that long ago,” sophomore Xitlaly Albarran said. “But what I will say is that all these girls need to quit twerking before they break their backs.”
When the KardashianJenner claimed to have “natural” larger-thannormal lips by using lip plumping tricks, the internet went crazy and decided to give the “plump up” look a try. What internet geniuses did not realize was that the “lip enhancing tricks” caused overwhelmingly bad bruises.
When the childhood favorite returned as an on-the-go game, the world went crazy. Pikachu, Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur and their peers were all a hit from the game’s release, with over 75+ million downloads. But, just like any other trend, the game began to become less and less relevant.
junior Allison Buford | photo Allison Buford
freshman Robert Farley | photo Jae Kubena
PARTY IN THE USA What students have to say about their political activity on campus NATALIE BURGESS | STAFF WRITER
“
I knew a couple people that had been part of [Young Democrats] last year, and several people that are in it this year. I came because they said you do not have to be a Democrat to be in Young Dems. I am definitely not a Democrat, but I am also not a Republican, as my beliefs fall in the categories of both Republicans and Democrats. I guess it just seemed like a good opportunity to connect with young people with similar beliefs as mine, and to volunteer for good causes. KARA MAURER | 12 INDEPENDENT
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I decided to join Young Democrats this year. Recently I’ve settled and found that the party that I belong to is the Democratic Party. I am an open-minded person who supports LGBT+ rights, I consider myself a devoted feminist, I am Latina, so I have a strong opinion on immigration laws, and overall, am open to try new things. I really believe that students need to be involved in politics in [high school] to begin getting insight on what each party believes, what goes along with politics and how to make decisions based on the political party that someone belongs to. MONICA MARTINEZ | 11 DEMOCRAT
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I joined the club because I am really into politics and have been for a very long time. I think others should be more involved in politics so that they can understand how our government works and who would be best to run today’s society. CHASE DAILY | 10 REPUBLICAN
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For photos of Young Democrats, Young Republicans and other clubs Bryant has to offer, visit prospectiveonline.com and look for the Club Fair photo story.
2 | NEWS | PROSPECTIVE
IN A SPLIT SECOND
STUDENTS DESCRIBE ENCOUNTERS WITH POLICE COLE CAMPBELL | STAFF WRITER
Recent deaths of unarmed citizens at the hands of police officers, nearly 1,000 in the year 2015, have generated an uproar of protests and attention via social media. This has led many to question if officers are doing their jobs or abusing their power. At 13-years-old, senior Ja’Lin West and two of his friends were people killed by police this year accused by a Pine Bluff police officer of trying to break into a house. West’s grandmother officers wearing a body camera owned the house, and the boys were there to visit her. The officer refused to believe their story, and eventually called for backup. of those were unarmed civilians “I was scared,” West said. “Anything could [have] happened at that point.” were armed with a toy weapon The officers started to raise their voices at the boys, and according to West, one of the officers said, “You all look like victims under the age of 18 a bunch of hoodlums.” At that Source: The Washington Post, point, West’s grandmother came as of Sept. 19 outside to settle everything down. Instead of “getting aggressive,” West said that if he were in the officer’s position, he would have asked more questions and handled the situation “more professionally.”
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Junior Carson Simmons had a more positive run-in with an officer. In middle school, he often ventured the half-mile walk from his house to his friend Tyler’s house. One day, Simmons was carrying his BB gun with him, and he was stopped by a police officer. The officer stepped out of his car and asked Simmons if the gun was real, and Simmons replied, “No, sir, it’s only a BB gun.” He told Simmons to lay the gun down on the ground, and Simmons did as he was told, making sure he didn’t point the gun toward the officer. “I did everything he told me to do, and he turned out to be a really nice guy,” Simmons said. “He even gave me a ride to my friend’s house.” Simmons feels that if more suspects and police officers handled their situations like he and the officer that stopped him did, then there would not be an issue of police brutality today. “I feel like a lot of African Americans feel like it’s their obligation to walk around with a chip on their shoulder, even if it doesn’t affect them as much as they think it does,” Simmons said. Captain Kevin Russell, a 17-year-veteran of the Benton Police Department, uses a monthly strategy that emphasizes the importance of building positive relationships between community members and police officers. “We have monthly initiatives where we have
THROUGH HELL & HIGH WATER FLOODING AFFECTS THOUSANDS JAKE ROEDEL | STAFF WRITER
Beginning on August 11 in the southern portion of Louisiana, rain fell rapidly in unprecedented amounts. Just a few days later, flooding was at an estimated two feet in some areas around Baton Rouge and Lafayette. In other areas, the water stood at 31 inches. Nobody foresaw the damage that would occur with the flood, so little was done in preparation. Over the span of just a few days, rain drenched areas surrounding Baton Rouge, leaving more than 146,000 homes and thousands of businesses damaged, as well as 13 people dead because of the catastrophic nature of the flooding. The flood has been characterized by the American Red Cross as the worst US natural disaster since Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The flooding stranded tens of thousands of people in their homes and cars. 30,000 people were rescued, thanks to local law enforcement, firefighters, the Coast Guard, as well as fellow residents. Boat-owning residents of Louisiana and Mississippi formed an informal rescue service known as the “Cajun Navy”, answering rescue calls via social media. They rescued as many as a thousand people and pets, and also distributed much needed supplies to the victims of the flood. The Cajun Navy is just one example of local residents providing aid. Many people have come together to help out people in need of repair for their homes. “People can help by sending water, food, and groups to help tear out walls, insulation, and to take out furniture, then help rebuild,” Sandy Stockwell, a grandmother that resides in Baton Rouge said. People anywhere can also help fund relief by donating to the American Red Cross. Because the area affected by the flooding was not an official flood zone, many people had no flood insurance to cover the cost of the damage.
“[People] weren’t prepared financially for the impact of the devastation,” Brent Barker, resident of Zachary, La. said. Barker has been active in helping his community come back from the disastrous events. “I’ve personally been spending all of my free time assisting families with ripping out sheetrock and floors in an effort to allow their homes to dry before mold sets in,” Barker said. “Pretty nasty work.” A majority of the damage done to the homes is from the growth of mold. Mold growth is an issue in the affected areas because of the massive amount of water that entered homes. Mold can destroy an entire home if left unchecked, so residents must work quickly to dry out their homes to avoid as much damage as possible. Though the flooding occurred in a bordering state, it still affected people in Arkansas. AP Lang teacher Tara Seale’s son, 2015 graduate Jimbo Seale, attends Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, La. Ruston was not in the flood zone, so Jimbo was not in any danger. Tara Seale’s brother, who lives outside of New Orleans, was affected by the flooding. “The place where he lives was high enough, but he was surrounded by water,” Tara Seale said. “He couldn’t leave his city. He was stranded.” Though the flooding has brought the affected communities together in many ways, the impact of the flooding affected and will continue to affect the flooded areas economically, socially and politically. Some people have abandoned their homes and what is left of their belongings, deciding that the best thing to do for their family is to move away from the damage. The people who have decided to stay, however, will have to work hard to rebuild their homes and communities. “Rebuilding will take years, and even decades,” Barker said.
couldn't “Heleave his
city. He was stranded.
officers get out of the car, and they interact with the members of the community,” Russell said. “Once you start putting names with faces in the community and people learn who the officers are that patrol their areas, it takes a lot of tension away because they start to develop a good trust between each other.” Part of training to be a police officer requires the ability to make split second decisions. “You have to be able to articulate and determine very quickly whether something is a true danger to yourself or someone else, and [whether] to act or not act upon it,” Russell said. “Sometimes this stuff happens within the matter of a second or two. You really have to be able to fall back on your training and experience to make those quick judgment calls, and you always pray daily [that] you make the right decision.”
Pros and Cons of Three Lunches DAHLIA BRAY | STAFF WRITER
Hayden Knowles, 12, first lunch Pros: “There’s a lot of people at lunch that I don’t know, so it’s pretty hard, but I learned to make new friends. It’s a lot less crowded with this three lunch system.” Cons: ”I would change second lunch to where it doesn’t split. It’s just harder to learn that way.” Old system vs. new system: “I like the old lunches better. I had more of my old friends, and we didn’t have to split up classes.”
Megan Reece, 11, second lunch Pros: “Second lunch is a good way to take a break from your classes if you have it.” Cons: ”It’s kinda hard to get back [to work] after lunch, because teachers aren’t prepared for the break.” Old system vs. new system: ”It’s kinda hard to get back [to work] after lunch, because teachers aren’t prepared for the break.”
Tristen Johnson, 10, third lunch Pros: “I like how they split it up. There’s not a lot of drama. It’s laid back and chill.” Cons: “I would like to go somewhere else to eat without security telling me and my friends to get back to our designated area. I want to feel more trusted as a high schooler.” Old system vs. new system: “I definitely like the split; it’s easier for everyone that way. There’s more room; everyone fits.”
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9.23.16 | FEATURE | 3
Principal Dr. Todd Edwards lays awake at night thinking about a student population that is larger than most small towns in Arkansas. The ninth through 12th grade enrollment weighs in at nearly 2900, dwarfing Bauxite’s miniscule population of 500. Edwards, starting his 21st year as an administrator, transferred from Conway Junior High to take over after former principal Dr. Jay Pickering’s departure for the Little Rock School District. “I think we are fortunate to have found someone of his experience, integrity, and leadership skills to lead the best high school in Arkansas,” superintendent Tom Kimbrell said. With Pickering leaving halfway through 2016 school year, the surprise move challenged the school board to find a qualified replacement. “Obviously, Dr. Pickering was a very good principal, and I’ve got some very big shoes to fill,” Edwards said. “The only thing that I can do is to say to give me time. Give me some time to do the job and I think you’ll realize that I am here for the students.” The formal transition began early this year before students were informed by introducing Edwards to
Todd Talks
A look at new Principal Dr. Todd Edwards LAUREN WILSON | STAFF WRITER
the administrators. “He is very easy to correspond with and to talk to,” vice-principal Eric Andrews said. “He was open to everyone’s ideas, so it’s been a very smooth transition.” As principal of Conway Junior High, Edwards was aware of the good programs at Bryant, but was still surprised. “From AP scores to basketball, from band to Engineering and yearbook to the dance team, it is amazing,” Edwards said. “I knew this was a good school, but I didn’t realize the breadth of the areas in which we succeed.” Edwards believes communication is a huge hurdle for any new administrator. “If you see me in the hallway, you can come up and talk to me like you know me,” Edwards said. “I promise you that I want to create that culture. I may not remember your name, but I promise you I want to talk to you.” Kimbrell looked for someone with experience and a unique approach to leadership to become the principal. “What sold me on his leading Bryant High School was what teachers, parents and students said about him,” Kimbrell said. “They talked about his personal approach to being a principal. He is very easy to get to know and get along with, but at the same time he has high expectations of accountability for everyone.”
The Hive Doctor
there are kinds you apply in the hive, or on the ground,” Mellor said. “It depends on what kinds of pests you have. A Varroa mite carries diseases just like a tick and can cause visible effects to the bees.” This is Mellor’s second year owning bees. Mellor received his bees and bought his equipment from Bemis Honey Bee Farm in Little Rock. Marcus’ father Matt Mellor was a principal at Daisy Bates Elementary, which first received the bees. “The Bemis Honey Farm donated a hive to our school, but we found out there was a law that it couldn’t be on school property, ABBY HAGNER | STAFF WRITER so we brought them here,” Matt Mellor said. During winter, all the bees climb into cells In senior Marcus Mellor’s spacious called honeycombs and form a ball shape in backyard, there is a trampoline, a fire pit and the hive, with the queen in the center. Their a grove of pine trees. There are also 20,000 primary goal is the keep the queen alive and bees in blue, pink and yellow hive boxes, warm. Mellor’s hive was not doing well last buzzing about and making honey. year, so he left the honey in the hives for the The population of honeybees around the bees for winter. world has decreased sixty percent over the “The way they survive the winter is they last eight years because of pesticides and keep the hive almost at human temperature industrial agriculture. While Mellor keeps [by forming a winter cluster],” Mellor said. 20,000 in his backyard, a hive at its peak has Mellor learned about beekeeping through 60,000-70,000 bees. books and the Internet. “Farms spray all these chemicals,” Mellor “One piece of advice I’d give to [new said. “That’s what is killing off most of beekeepers] is work with someone who the population [in] the beehives. I hope by knows what they are doing,” Mellor keeping my bees away from all of that, I am said. “There is an organization called the helping grow the population.” Arkansas Beekeepers Association, and if Varroa mites and small hive beetles are you work with them, they can hook you up pests that sometimes infest Mellor’s hive. with a beekeeper who has been doing it Whenever a bee egg is first laid, the mites for 10 years or more [to give you insight on will climb into the cell and the nurse bees beekeeping].” will cover it with beeswax. These mites will Despite being busy with band, Marcus still stay inside the egg and eat the larvae and the puts in time checking in on the bees once a food the nurses put in the egg. Mellor uses a week or every two weeks. watering can and ant killer around his hives to “Keeping bees wasn’t my idea at all, but try to stop these pests. it turns out to be a lot of fun, and I really “There are several types of medications-enjoy it,” he said.
Senior Marcus Mellor cares for 20,000 bees
Senior Marcus Mellor holds up a smoker next to his bee hives. “The trick is you need to get a flame inside the smoker, and to get the fire started you use the fanning tool to get a smoldering flame so that it can last a long time,” Mellor said. The smoke creates an opportunity for Mellor to check on the bees while the hives defense is interrupted.
New to the Nest New teachers answer questions NATHAN BUSH | STAFF WRITER
Q: If you couldn’t be a teacher, what would you do? Jonathon Rasburry-Math: “I’d probably search out different radioactive animals in hopes that one could give me a super power. Either that, or be a chef.”
Q: What is the greatest challenge of being a teacher?
Jonathon Rasburry-Math: “I think the biggest challenge is convincing students that you really will use Algebra in the real world someday.”
Math teacher Jonathon Rasburry uses his smart board to teach his students.
Q: What was the main reason you became a teacher?
Mallory Allison-Science: “I’ve always loved working with kids, so why not teach? It’s a lot of work, more than I realized, but it is the most rewarding job I’ve ever had.”
Q: What is your favorite thing about BHS?
Mallory Allison-Science: “My favorite thing about Bryant is that I graduated from here. It’s awesome to be able to continue my love for the Hornets, now as a teacher. I love working with some of my old teachers, and I still have a lot of memorabilia from when I was in high school.”
Mallory Allison, science teacher, utilizes her mini dry erase board to show her students the solution to the assignment.
4 | CENTERSPREAD | PROSPECTIVE
ACCEPTING
“[I hav Wild W the firs usually but espe The Big is my fa menu] burger w p
CH UHM AAN SNGE ARE
JAKE FO
CONSTANTLY SHIFTING, GROWING, CHANGING; nothing surrounding us is
BUFFALO
truly constant. The Earth itself
hurtles through space and around the
Sun at approximately 67,000 miles per hour, meaning that in the past five seconds, Earth has
travelled a little over 5,583 miles. Plants are growing and dying
and replacing themselves. Water is cycling through the atmosphere. And there is you.
As you turn the pages of this newspaper, you will shed dead skin cells, microscopic bits of your body that will soon be replaced. Blood is flowing out of your heart at a rate of three feet per second. But it’s more than the biology. Think about the person you were four years ago. The clothes you wore, the music you liked, the way you did your hair. Odds are, you’ve changed. And that is just in four years. That is the amount of time it takes to graduate high school on a normal schedule. What does that mean for Bryant? The Prospective investigated some different ways that people change.
PERSO
I made a new frien “kinda turned into the
group of people, you everybody, and I have
I’ve matured a lot s “middle school, we wo
CLOTHING
“
In 7th grade, I moved here from Sheridan. Everyone there was southern. Cowboys, cowgirls, bull rides and all that stuff. But whenever I moved here, nobody was really like that. I used to wear a bunch of t-shirts and bootcut jeans and cowgirl boots, but not anymore. Here, I wear mostly sport clothes or skinny jeans. Since it’s a bigger school, it’s kind of a more higher education sort of thing, so you have to be presentable to everyone, including your friends.
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HANNAH FORT | 11
ATTITUDE
I used to feel really sad all the time in middle school. [Losing weight] might have changed me as a person, because “I feel more confident and I speak my mind a bit more. Actually, it might of made my expressions more exaggerated. I
FRIEN
hanging o “allI thestarted wrong things.
started to realize tha Over the past summ ‘Okay, I’ll go, it will b But during camp, I up all of the other stu each other. I got bap
“
think I’m just a more positive person. If other people see that, then that is how their perception of me has changed. PARKER ROARK | 10
“
a late d say I’m sort of I guess you coul a really bad haircut in got bloomer. I just e, and I got braces the ad gr h 7t e th about glasses. d ha I . ar ye e sam
“
“
“
2014
2016
My h got co air grew o my lif ntacts and ut, my brac e that. escalated I learned h es came off It’s th . e one I ‘hit that ow to use in 9th gra m g d time f ollow low up’ if y akeup. An e, I d all ing th ou’d l e crow ik d did e to say me w ell. A
BBIE
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lot. I had a fun of me a roblem e ad m s d n My frie a weight p change. lem, it was health prob le school. I needed to nths. I o d through mid Atkins diet for seven m s. d e n u I went on th 60 pounds to 140 po 2 m o [went] fr
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“
2012
I came [to h “butBefore I have met new p
| 12
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“
I’ve changed my entire outlook on life and how to treat people. I’m not saying I didn’t disrespect people before, but I respect them more now. I feel respect is earned more than it is given. KIAN NELSON | 10
9.23.16 | CENTERSPREAD | 5
ve worked at Buffalo Wings since] Aug. 15, st day of school. It’s busy the whole shift, pecialy on game days. g Jack Daddy Burger avorite [thing on the u] because it is a big with barbecue pulled pork on top.”
WHAT HAPPENS in 4 YEARS?
“I love Dave & Buster’s. This isn’t the biggest Dave & Buster’s I’ve seen, but there is a decent amount of games and the food is pretty good. It was a little pricey, but worth it.”
2012 Dec. 10 Then-freshman Texas A&M quarterback
JOHNNY MANZIEL wins
HEISMAN AWARD.
2013 March 19
POPE FRANCIS
is inaugurated as the
266TH
pope.
ORST | 11
April 15 The
BOSTON MARATHON
Emily Cox| 10 June 15
is bombed.
NORTH WEST is born in
LOS ANGELES, CA
2014 Jan. 1 Colorado becomes first state to
LEGALIZE
WILD WINGS
Benton
DAVE & BUSTER’S
recreational
Little Rock
Feb. 10
AROUND TOWN
FLAPPY BIRD is removed from the
APP STORE.
MARIJUANA. Aug. 11 Actor and comedian
ROBIN WILLIAMS dies.
2015
ONALITY
April 24
nd group [when I moved to Bryant], and they’re a lot different than [my friends] in East End, so I em. I’ve adopted their personalities. That’s how everybody is. Whenever you’re introduced to a new u have to adapt to them or you won’t really fit in. I care about fitting in enough to where I know ve friends in everybody’s groups. It’s helpful.
CAITLYN JENNER
“
HANNAH FORT | 11
officially comes out as
TRANSGENDER on 20/20.
“
since middle school; I don’t play as much. I still play, but not little kid stuff like smackin’ people. In would have a game, right? People would go around and smack people. I don’t do that anymore.
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
DAYLON LAND | 9
out with the wrong people at the beginning of high school. We made all the wrong decisions and did . We lied to our parents and weren’t where we were supposed to be at times. Over the years, I just at [it] wasn’t the crowd I should be with, but I never took the action to change myself. mer, my friends really wanted me to go to church camp with them. Before the camp I was just like, be fine and then it will be over with.’ I realized that I want to be positive, I want to do the right things, I want to be morally right and give uff. So I made new friends. They’ve been a positive influence on me and we are accountable for ptized a few weeks ago.
April 23
BEYONCE releases
June 23
“
ike, veloped e sick. I b grade I de [In] 10th food. It’d make m at helped me st th so I quit fa and dive now, and ke, seventy li n t, u s r , lo e im I’v sw of weight. lose a lot ce ninth grade. in pounds s
“
“
PARKER ROARK | 10
Aug. 13
MICHAEL PHELPS
finishes career with 23rd Olympic
GOLD MEDAL
201a0stomach issue,
“
album and film.
votes to leave the
“
“
“LEMONADE”
GREAT BRITAIN
KYRIE CALDWELL | 9
2016
nationally.
2016
high school], I was pretty excited, but I was nervous. I still hang out with [middle school friends], people that are similar, so we had two groups join together.
Almost anyone can lose weight metabolism, but it’s not as big . People like to bring up as everyone says it is. You should never try to bully som eone that is trying to make a change, but if you have a frie nd you should tell them. [It] cou [with] a weight problem, ld kill with the changes I’ve made. I’m them. I’m really happy glad that I did it.
legalizes
GAY MARRIAGE
is released.
EUROPEAN UNION
EMMA KINDER | 11
SUPREME COURT
“
2016
I’m more co mfortable ar pulled back with life bec ound people. Some peo ple get ause of their lose it and th wei ey doing the sa ’re like, ‘life’s so great.’ ght, then they me thing, yo But you’re st u’r ill you’re going to set a [weigh e just more comfortable . If goal, but mak t] goal for yo e it realistic. urself, reach that
“
NDS
Dec. 18
June 26
PARIS WOR KS | 12
6 | OP-ED | PROSPECTIVE
A Time of Change
PROSPECTIVE Bryant High School
801 N. Reynolds Rd Bryant, AR 72022
It is not how it used to be. Crayons are now cigarettes. Play dates are real dates. Childish dreams of becoming knights and princesses are ideas of what college to attend and which career to pursue. High school is four years of constant nagging from our parents. They hound us to raise our grades and get accepted into a decent college. Test scores and homework become more significant once we enter high school; we are now expected to succeed and never allowed to let our futures slip our minds. We spend four years fighting to discover what we want to do with our lives while struggling to dodge inevitable pressure from our peers. We begin to care what other people think about us. Our reputations become important and our self-confidence plummets. The mix-matched clothes and ungroomed hair from middle school are no longer acceptable. We feel as though we must meet society’s standards. We cannot stomach glares in the hallway. We cannot bear whispers and chuckles, for we fear they are about us. Though the burden of impressing others holds us down, we place stress upon ourselves as well. School is no longer an endless game of tag, but a competition. Whether it is academics, sports or popularity, we crave triumph. We all want to be the best; the thought of failure is unacceptable. We cannot let ourselves down now. We spend 13 years of our lives cramming information into our brains and studying for tests that may someday have no relevance to us. We are finally learning who we want to be, but adults never seem to understand our hardships. We can begin to smell the sweet aroma of adulthood, yet we are forced to be in class Monday through Friday, many of us slouching in our seats and wearing fake smiles when the bell rings. We are told to act more mature, but are still treated like we are children. We are searching for colleges and planning our futures, yet many of us cannot buy a ticket to see an R-rated movie. We are too old to live in our Barbie dreamhouse, but too young to live in a house of our own. Despite feeling as though we will never grow up, high school helps shape us into the adults we will someday become. With every book we read and math problem we solve, we learn our strengths and weaknesses. With every insult, we become stronger. With every new idea and perspective we are exposed to, we inch closer to finding what we believe and begin to create opinions of our own. High school is four years of sweaty palms, exhausted brains, racing hearts and unforgettable experiences that help us finally discover the person we are becoming.
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The Prospective is a monthly publication produced, edited and maintained by Newspaper Journalism II, III, and IV students at Bryant High School. The Prospective is a member of the Arkansas Scholastic Press Association, Quill and Scroll, Columbia Scholastic Press Association and National Scholastic Press Association. Ad space may be purchased through the ad manager. The Prospective does not accept advertising that is illegal for minors. The editorial board accepts letters; however, letters must be addressed to student interests and may not violate the student publication policy. Letters can be submitted by delivery to 10-319.
keep the rain out SEBASTIAN DIAZ | COLUMNIST
**This article is not meant to be taken seriously. It is satire. Look it up. LIVINGSTON, LA- In light of the recent carnage brought on by the floods, real estate mogul/presidential hopeful/God’s second son Donald J. Trump held a press conference where he expressed his plans to build the “Trump Dome” around the state of Louisiana. “Enough is enough,” Trump said. “This is going to end, I promise you.” The Donald’s plan for the Trump Dome flooded the hearts of the people with hopeful prospects. Screams of “Yes, Trump!”, “My savior!” and the ever-persistent “This is Hillary’s fault!” rocked the walls of the water-damaged Katrina Auditorium. “The Trump Dome will be constructed with pure titanium, because seriously, this thing is going to be titanic,” Trump said. “It’s going to be big. It’s going to be huge. Now, I have many friends in the construction business, great friends let me tell you, and they love my vision. The Dome will be erected along the border of Louisiana. Now, only the best glass will be used as the ceiling, and you all know what that is. It’s Trump Glass. No longer will this state suffer from the troubles of the sky. Through my pure genius, the Trump Dome will have artificial weather. No longer will Louisiana suffer from water. No longer, my friends,” Trump said. For two hours, Mr. Trump preached to the audience. After the press conference, Livingston residents found a new hope and could not hold in their excitement. “I lost my faith a few years ago, but now I believe again!” confidently exclaimed
37-year-old Leeann Withers, mother of 5 with another on the way. “I can say with certainty that the Lord has sent his Son again to build the New Jerusalem here in good ole Louisiana.” A new hope and faith has led Withers to see correlations between the proposal of the Trump Dome and verses in Scripture. “Now, some outside folks might say that Mr. Trump’s plan is impossible, but you know the saying: With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible,” Withers added. “Am I right, or am I right?” Others rejoiced in the amount of support brought by Trump and his affiliates. Raymond Jones (known around town as Ray J) recalled the lack of aid from the days of Katrina and contrasted it to today’s announcement. “Me and my boys were in a hole back then,” Ray J said. “All we wanted was for someone to help us out. Peanut and Julius had to feed some mouths, take care of their girls, man,” Ray J said. “Me? I lost my granny to the storm. I was a wreck, yo! And now, these floods coming through and destroying our homes, bro. Enough is enough. I’m so glad there is still good in this world in the form of the great man that is Donald Trump,” Ray J said. When asked for any further words, Ray J’s face beamed with joy and delight. “Unlike George Bush, Donald Trump does care about black people,” Ray J added.
breaking free NATALIE BURGESS | COLUMNIST
Eighteen months ago I wrote “nights like tonight, I am successful. I am whole without anyone else’s help.” This was the first experience I had with euphoria. I was sitting on a swing in my backyard, Alt-J playing through iPhone speakers. I challenged myself to have more moments with this feeling: thinking to myself and writing my true feelings as they came to me. I wrote that I was scared of living my life from assignment to assignment, or task to task. I was alone, so I decided to stay detached from people in order to become more truthful with myself. Always afraid to overcomplicate relationships or scare someone off with my off-thewall ideas, I allowed myself to be content with allowing others to think they knew who I was. Not necessarily shy, but not letting too many people close either. This summer, I was passing through a lightning storm at 3 a.m., miles from home, everyone else in the car asleep except for me and the driver. It was so dark between the flashes of light, and I realized I was having one of those euphoric moments again. I became obsessed with travelling and never wanted to be home. Exploring Dallas, Texas
and Chicago, Ill. and Destin, Fla., I didn’t want to go home, because I didn’t want to lose opportunity to have that feeling again. A few weeks ago, legs dangling off orange cliffs in North Little Rock, alone again, I realized the feeling I had been chasing had nothing to do with the people I allowed to know me or not. It had everything to do with moments of honesty with myself. Freedom doesn’t come from isolation, nor from all inclusive friendship. From being alone or with others. From being away from home or in your childhood backyard. Freedom comes from introspection, from the desire to understand yourself and others. Freedom isn’t a gift; each person already has it. Freedom is about being forthright with yourself first and foremost. Freedom isn’t about how many of someone else’s rules you break. It is about breaking your own. I am no longer in fear of living a life without the same pure joy I felt a year and a half ago, because I haven’t stopped feeling it since I accepted myself. I truly feel complete, and this time the feeling is not fleeting.
from
YOUR PROSPECTIVE What was a fear that you had years ago that no longer bothers you?
Jordan Cook | 9
Kassidy Huey | 10
Jack Suarez | 11
“Meeting new people, meeting new friends. If you come to a new school, you got to learn. You got to make new friends. You can’t be afraid on the first day.”
“Opening up to people. It’s a lot easier nowadays to trust people. I know who’s real and who’s fake.”
“I used to be deathly afraid of rollercoasters. but now I’ll do most of them.”
Avery Lorio | 12 “That I wouldn’t fit in. I used to only care about pleasing other people and doing what everyone did, and now I’m good with who I am.”
9.23.16 | PHOTO ESSAY | 7
SMELLSSTUDENTS LIKE CELEBRATE SCHOOL SPIRIT FOOTBALL SEASON Juniors Drew Darbonne and Nathan Bush lead the student section in a roller coaster at the Salt Bowl pep rally Sept. 2. “We were just trying to think of what from Benton we could make fun of,” Darbonne said. Tehya Hinkson photo Senior Kendal Rogers embraces senior Juliet Ahsam immediately after senior Colin Welch’s game-saving tackle. “It was really good to see our boys and how they just came together and won,” Rogers said. “I love the fans, and the football spirit.” Alina Peret photo
The student section chants “I believe” as they throw water at the game against Fayetteville Sept. 9. They got the idea from the beach themed outfits for the night. “I love to go out and support our boys,” senior Amber McGee said. Chase Kincaid photo Cheerleaders sway to the Alma Mater at the Salt Bowl Sept. 2. It was senior Emma Chaloupka’s final Salt Bowl. “[It’s my senior year, so] I just took it all in and took it more seriously,” Chaloupka said. Clay Campbell photo Principal Dr. Todd Edwards leads the student section in the roller coaster at the Salt Bowl pep rally Sept. 2. It was Edwards’ first pep rally as principal. “I want to be a part of Bryant,” Edwards said. “One of the ways we really pull together as a school is athletics.” Ja’Lin West photo
As students stand on the sidelines at the Salt Bowl, senior Sarah Palmer celebrates the Hornets’ 10-7 victory over the Panthers. “I knew that if we got the stop that the trophy would be coming back home with us,” Palmer said. Clay Campbell photo
Senior Timmon King plays tenor Saxophone at the Everett pep rally Aug. 30th. “My favorite part of playing at pep rally’s is having fun and playing the music because, we don’t get to play those songs very often,” King said. Maya Jackson photo
Students cheer in the student section at War Memorial Stadium at the Salt Bowl on Sept. 2. “I was pumped to be in the student section, and just to have a ton of fun with my friends,” senior Sydney Bratton said. Hannah Martin photo
Seniors Garrett Cowart, Jeffery Hastings, Garrett Jarvis and Boston Heil cheer at the Salt Bowl pep rally Sept. 2. “I was pumped for the Salt Bowl, but I ended up not getting to go,” Hastings said. “Being a senior just made it that much more exciting.” Kara Maurer photo
FINSTA FRESH
JOSH SOUTH 11 “The things I put on Finsta are the things I don’t want on my real instagram. Some of the posts tend to be not Instagram appropriate. I talk crap about my friends and other people may think I’m being serious when I’m really not.”
ANNIE LAURIE YOUNG 12 “I think Finstas are stupid. The posts are things that no one really cares about, kind of like when someone is bad at tweeting. It’s an excuse for people to get caught doing stupid things.”
STUDENT OPINIONS ON THE NEW SOCIAL MEDIA TREND
KAYLEE RAWLS
MICHAEL FUHRMAN
12 “I have a Friendsta. It’s like a Finsta, but you share it with one other person. Me and Brianna Ware share it, and it’s mostly for cute pictures of us or things we find funny. We don’t take it too seriously.”
11 “I use my Finsta so I can express myself through social media. I am able to post what I want, but not have everyone that follows my normal account be bothered by it.”
CHECK IT OUT
A LOOK INTO PROSPECTIVEONLINE.COM
SPORTS PREVIEW
MORTAL COMBAT REVIEW
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MINUTE CORN OPINION
8 | SPORTS | PROSPECTIVE
NO SALT HERE
When maroon collides with blue
Giving Back
Students coach kids on and off the field
senior Sarah Brady teaches student cheerleaders|photo Jae Kubena
ALYSSA JONES | STAFF WRITER
ALEXIS BURCH | ONLINE EDITOR Boys and girls with blue face paint will tweet discreditable claims about a rival in the opposing student section. The Panther statue may have a few visitors bearing gifts from across the county. This is how students prepare for the most attended game of the high school football season: the Salt Bowl. But when we are face-to-face with students from the school we have been raised to hate, does anyone turn the social media posts into real words? I put this to the test by venturing to the Benton student section. To hear the result, visit prospectiveonline.com.
SPORTS SCHEDULE HOME Sep. 29
Volleyball vs. Mount St. Mary’s
Oct. 4
Volleyball
vs. LR Central
Oct. 6
Volleyball
vs. Southside Oct. 7
Football Oct. 8
vs. LR Central
Cross Country @ Bishop Park
Oct. 13
Volleyball vs. N.L.R Oct. 21
Football vs. Cabot
AWAY Sept. 27 Tennis vs. Conway @ Rebsamen
Sept. 29
Volleyball Football vs. vs. Northside LR Catholic
@War Memorial
Oct. 4
Volleyball
vs. LR Central
Oct. 8
Cross Country
@ Bishop Park
Oct. 11
Volleyball vs. Cabot
Oct. 14
Football vs. Southside Oct. 18
Volleyball vs. Conway
Oct. 20
As a four-year-old boy, senior Timmon King once listened to the commands of his father on the soccer field. Now, he leads his younger brother’s team of nineyear-olds. “I started helping [my dad], then [he] had so much stuff going on with work that I took it over,” King said. King struggles when trying to get the children to focus, but he enjoys when they realize that what he is teaching them is useful. “It’s hard to get them all focused and engaged during practice, but it’s really cool to see how much fun they have during games when we actually get work done,” King said. Even through stressful moments, King is able to set his worries aside and get involved with the team. “You’ve got to stay positive and act like you’re having fun, even if you’re not,” King said. “I know I’ve had a bunch of AP homework, [but] I get out there. It’s nice to be able to go out with little kids and see how positive [they are] and how much fun they’re having.” King’s relationship with his brother Grayson has changed since he began coaching him. “[My brother and I] have gotten a lot
closer,” King said. “Nine years [apart in age] is kinda hard, especially since I’m a senior.” Coaching the team has affected King more than just on the soccer field. “It’s translated over to [me] being a section leader in band,” King said. “I know it’s a big age difference, but I can still remain positive and keep encouraging. It works with everybody.” Senior and Student Senate president Sarah Brady works at Empire Cheerleading, and coaching has also benefited her in leading school organizations. “[Coaching] makes me more understanding of people,” Brady said. “[In] Student Senate, I feel like I’m a leader, and this has taught me how to be more understanding as a leader.” The road to helping young children learn how to cheer has not always been easy for Brady. “We got the parachutes you played with in elementary school,” Brady said. “We’d do a thing where you lift it up, and then you sit on it and make a cloud or a tent. We’re all sitting under this tent of a parachute. I look over at the other coaches, and we just start bawling with all these two- year-olds. We’re just like,
‘I don’t know what to do, but I hate it, and I never want to do this again.’ Of course, we kept doing it, and we got better.” Brady tries to make an impact on the aspiring cheerleaders’ lives. “I like to think that me being there for them has affected them,” Brady said. “I can remember when I was taking classes as a little kid and looking up to the coaches and being like ‘Oh, I want to do that some day,’ so I hope I’m that for somebody.” When senior Phillip Isom-Green was younger, his older brother coached his football team. Now, Isom-Green coaches a team of 10-year-olds. “I remember how much he helped me on and off the field, and I wanted to be that to my group of kids,” Isom-Green said. Isom-Green takes certain measures to ensure he is a role model for them. “I have made sure I’ve been there for them and treat them more as my little brothers rather than my players,” Isom-Green said. Coaching has affected Isom-Green’s plans for the future. “It made me fall in love with football again,” Isom-Green said. “It has showed me that coaching is my calling after I hang up my cleats.”
RAY OF HOPE
Hayden Ray kicks for more than points BRAD BREWER | STAFF WRITER Every high school football player has a reason to put on the helmet and run on the field, but for senior Hayden Ray, the reason is not just to win or gain fame for his talent. Ray has partnered with the cancer research charity “Kick-It” to raise money for kids with cancer and spread awareness through his prowess as a kicker. “[Kick-It] teams up with high school and college teams, and you can pledge to donate a certain amount of money based on how many points are scored from field goals,” Ray said. “Or, you can just go ahead and donate.” A large surge of support has already made its way into Ray’s campaign. Almost $500 was donated before his first field goal was even made. The support has fueled Ray to keep moving on toward his goal of raising $4000. “Having this much support is definitely a confidence booster,” Ray said. “Whenever I get out there on the field, I just think to myself that I am doing this for something bigger. Hopefully, everything goes smoothly. I’m praying that it will. Having this much money already just shows how much more support [will come].” With his involvement in Kick-It, Ray feels more he has more responsibility to perform well, but the pressure does not faze him. “I’m definitely putting in more practice, mainly for the kids, but also because I want to be the best I can be for my team,” Ray said. “There’s not really any [added] pressure, to be honest. Being able to kick for kids who have cancer is motivation, because I know that it is going towards something.” Head Coach Buck James is excited about Ray’s involvement with Kick-It, believing it benefits the team as a whole and the entire community. “I think it’s a great deal to promote the
senior Hayden Ray practices kicking field goals| photo Chase Kincaid
awareness of cancer and the different things they promote in [Kick-It],” James said. “I think it allows Hayden to work at a higher level and it brings exposure to him and his future of wanting to be a college kicker. It’s a win-win situation for our program, the school district, our community and for Hayden himself.” James is open to the idea of becoming more involved with the community through other opportunities as well. “We stand for all the good things that mean something in our community,” James said. “We want to be a steward and represent our community in a positive way. Anything that comes our way that can help people or help be involved in our community, I’m all about it. I think that football teams reflect the community.” When asked why he decided to partner with Kick-It, Ray gave a simple answer. “I just really wanted to play for something more than my team, my friends, my family and myself,” Ray said. “I’m kicking for kids with cancer.”
GOAL: $4000 As of Sept. 23, Senior Hayden Ray has raised $756 out of his $4000 goal.
$3750 $3000 $2250 $1500 $750
Volleyball vs. Benton
Check out Julia Nall’s update on the volleyball team and more at prospectiveonline.com