December issue 2015 by Melanie Huynh-Duc

Northwest Guilford High • Greensboro, NC

Volume 52 • Issue 2 • December 2015

Cheater. Is cheating an act being committed more frequently by today's generation?

Sarah Boggins co-editor-in-chief

he pattern of an average school day has been instilled into Northwest students, and with it comes daily tests of their academic knowledge. From homework assignments to exams, students are quizzed on the curriculum of their classes. The grades they receive, however, may be influenced by the act of cheating. “I don’t think it’s fair when students get good grades [when they have cheated] because they didn’t work to get that grade,” freshman Savannah Ranson said. According to a poll taken of 30 Northwest students, three claimed to have never cheated. Of those who did cheat, 100 percent cheated on homework, 74 percent cheated on quizzes, 41 percent cheated on tests and four percent cheated on exams. “Imagine you spend countless hours preparing yourself for a test, but in the end someone who cheated received a much better grade,” senior Alexandra Kondrasov said. “Of course it is unfair. Cheating is never the right thing to do, no matter what situation you face.” Latin teacher Christina Murphy took time at the start of this school year to remind her students of the consequences they will face concerning cheating. “At the beginning of the year in the syllabus, the punishments for cheating are included,” Murphy said. “I’m consistent in my grading policies, and any time there’s any kind of cheating, students know they will receive a zero.” Although Northwest requires specific punishments to be enforced if a student cheats, teachers are able to further their non-tolerance for cheating if they feel it is necessary. “Some teachers are firm about giving zeros,” Principal Ralph Kitley said. “Some teachers let students do it again, and cap it off at a 50 or 60. Some departments have their own way of dealing with it.” If Murphy finds that a student has cheated on homework, the student will receive no credit for it. Furthermore, on more substantial grades like quizzes and tests, the student will receive a zero and will not be able to make it up. In addition, the student will be written up so that it can be logged in the school system. When students were asked whether they had witnessed a student cheating, nine out of 10 said yes. Kondrasov recalls a similar experience in the past. “I have caught a few classmates cheating before, and the teachers never noticed,” Kondrasov said. “In fact, I can distinctly remember

a time when someone received a very good grade on a test and was even praised by the teacher, but that person [had] cheated.” Kitley believes that the ability to cheat has been facilitated by the advancements in today’s technology. “When I was in school, if you were going to take a picture, you would have to pull out a camera,” Kitley said. “Nowadays, you can take a picture with your phone. It’s just easier.” Kitley, along with Northwest’s faculty, pay close attention to cheating within the school. “We talk about it, and it’s an ongoing conversation,” Kitley said. Yet another factor that may increase the number of students who choose to cheat is large class sizes. “The larger the class, the harder it is for the teacher to pay attention to all students, thus making it fairly easy for students to cheat,” Kondrasov said. “If the class was relatively small, any cheating would be much more noticeable.” When considering what punishments should be enforced for cheating, the idea behind the act is discussed. “You want students to be held accountable for cheating, but is cheating a behavior?” Kitley said. “A lot of times, you do not want to grade a behavior.” Ranson believes that the consequences for cheating are strict. However, she expresses that she becomes upset when cheating goes unnoticed by teachers. “I do ﬁnd it frustrating [when teachers do not notice cheating] because the rest of the students aren’t getting an advantage to score high because they chose to do the right thing,” Ranson said. Behind it all, the question remains, why do students cheat? “I think students cheat for multiple reasons, whether it be stress, anger or simply not studying,” Ranson said. “Either way, I think cheating is totally wrong since the rest of the students earned their grades, but the cheater did not.” Perhaps an increase in academic competition among students has caused the issue of cheating. “Sometimes it’s because they are worried about not making a good enough grade,” Murphy said. “I’ve deﬁnitely known a lot of very intelligent students who cheat because they are worried about their GPA.” As technology continues to advance and more adjustments are made within school systems, cheating may still be a problem in the near future. “I think that cheating will continue for quite a while,” Kondrasov said. “Academics are becoming more and more competitive, and colleges continue to expect more from high school students. So, this pressure to do really well in school just keeps building up.”

Photo by Sarah Boggins

3 News

Nor thwest’s history from 1960s to today

6 Op/Ed

Should Christ be taken out of Christmas?

15 Features

School counselor stars on a TLC reality TV show

Page 2

December 2015

Are you ADDICTED to your cellphone?

Alexis Marvin & Alexis Rutledge spread editor & staff writer alking down the hall, it is easy to spot hundreds of students on their phones, constantly using them to update social media, play games or keep in touch with family. For many, this causes a question to arise: how should cell phones be handled in school? To answer this question, the sociology class did a survey to compare student and teacher opinions about cell phone use in school. “[The sociology students] created a survey that is going to ask the students and faculty different probing questions about the legitimacy of taking away cell phones in the classroom and putting them in a cell phone bag in the front of a class versus the argument that the students should have cell phones in class, the pros and the cons,” sociology teacher Jim Thompson said. There are many reasons why teachers and students would have different opinions about this subject, one of which is their age difference. “Teachers are from a different generation than [students] are and they didn’t grow up with smart phones,” Thompson said. The generation gap between students and teachers causes much of the disparity in their opinions. Teens in general have come to think of smart phones as a necessity, because they have become a huge part of their daily routine. “The cell phone to the teen is an extension of their consciousness: a living tool for

communication and organization,” senior Holden Ruch said. Because cell phones are such a large part of students’ lives, it is often hard to get them to focus on other tasks at hand. “It’s distracting. Many teachers feel that students are thinking about, looking at and concentrating more on the cell phones, [rather than] the lesson,” Thompson said. “I know I wouldn’t be able to focus [in class while using my phone], but I don’t know if it’s the same for students.” Some students agree that cell phones can be distracting in class; however, they think they shouldn’t be punished for other students being irresponsible. “The reason [students] should have [their phones] is because it’s their personal property,” junior Luke Beshears said. “I agree that if students use their phone in class, it should be taken away, but if you don’t use it in class, then you shouldn’t have to put it in a sweaty shoe caddie.” Another side to the argument is that it is more distracting for the students if their phones are taken away. “To remove the cell phone from the student is likely to result in stress, perhaps even causing greater degrees of distraction than allowing cell phone use,” Ruch said. The way that teachers handle phone use varies from teacher to teacher, and class to class. Many younger teachers who have had smart phones for a longer portion of their lives try to incorporate them more into their lessons. Other teachers base cell phone policies on the grade level of the students they are

teaching. “My stance changes between classes. My European history class can have their cell phones out on their desk because I try to make it as much like a college class as possible,” Thompson said. “You’re responsible for your own learning in college and how much you study, and no one is going to tell you to put your cell phone away. However, I don’t feel the same way about my civics kids because I think freshmen aren’t ready for that.” Each year, there tends to be students who abuse the right to keep their phones in class, which causes them to have lower grades. There is also a significant portion of the student body that is capable of policing themselves, multitasking and being responsible with their cell phone usage. The sociology poll was created to help get teachers and students to think about their own opinion of cell phones and to consider the other side of the argument. “The goal of the poll is to get kids to self-reflect on if cell phones are distracting them in class,” Thompson said.

This graphic does not include all questions and statistics, but it represents the population of students at Northwest. To view the rest of the survey results, visit www. northwesthorizons.com

Survey Results: 1. What is the most significant harm to making students put their phones away in storage? a. Students are distracted by not having their phones (50%) b. It is a violation of rights (20%) c. There is no harm (30%)

2. What do you find yourself doing on your phone during class? a. Social media (13%) b. Texting (26%) c. Games (2%) d. Internet as a learning tool (34%) e. Music (25%)

3. What are the benefits of not having your phone during class? a. More focused (31%) b. Face-to-face peer interaction (15%) c. Valuing the teacher (10%) d. Increased class participation (11%) e. There is no benefit (32%)

Graphic by Shalini Sharma

Colleges creeping on your social media

Photo by Catherine Gray

Junior Kayla McDougle looks at the different types of social media in front of her. Recently, colleges have started checking applicants’ social media accounts to get a grasp of students’ characters.

Sarah Boggins co-editor-in-chief

t’s that time of the year again– Northwest seniors are beginning to apply for scholarships and colleges. Our society is living in a technological age, and because of this, the majority of students at Northwest have social media accounts. “Social media is another facet of a student’s life,” guidance counselor Stacy Garner said. “In this day and age, any person who decides to showcase part of their life on social media needs to be ready for the consequences of what they post.” A poll taken of Northwest students concluded that nine out of 10 have some form of social media. Seven out of 10 of them, however, said they had not thought about colleges inspecting their accounts. “You can have a really good everything

else, but as soon as they look at your social media, they can toss you aside,” freshman Ariana Love said. A study done by The New York Times concluded that of 403 undergraduate admissions officers, 35 percent visited the applicant’s social media. Of these officers, 16 percent stated that it hurt the applicant’s application. “That’s kind of messed up,” freshman Clarissa Godwin said. “When you’re a kid, you do stupid stuff, so they look at that to see if you should go to [the college].” Junior Kristina Clifton agrees that colleges should not have the right to examine a student’s social media. “Some people’s social media isn’t reflective of them,” Clifton said. “What we do and post is our business, and we shouldn’t have to censor [it].” While some believe that it is unfair for

colleges to review their social media, others think that what is posted online is fair game for admissions officers. “I think it’s fair that colleges can look at your social media because it’s something you put out in the open for people to see,” senior Mackenzie Fain said. Senior Jessica Meadath believes that reviewing a student’s social media gives admissions officers a unique view of the student applying. “I think that it’s fairly reasonable that they look at your social media because it gives an almost direct insight into who you really are as a person,” Meadath said. Regardless of access, many Northwest students do not believe their application will be harmed by their social media activity. “I don’t post anything that’s inappropriate,” Love said. Furthermore, on social media sites, there

are ways to prevent colleges from seeing your profile. “You always have the option to make your accounts private so that colleges can’t see them,” Fain said. In light of this new form of criteria for acceptance into college, some students have also chosen to go back and review what they have posted. “Since I have Twitter on public, I’ve really been thinking twice about what I put out there,” Meadath said. “I even admit to deleting some things that don’t display how a college would want a prospective student to appear.” Garner continues to advise students to be more aware of the information they make public on social media accounts. “I would always encourage students to think a potential college or employer before they post,” Garner said.

Page 3

December 2015

Paying its own way:

How Northwest’s cafeteria supports itself financially Faith Rickerts entertainment editor

ourth period bell rings. There’s a calm shuffle to exit the classroom with lunchboxes in hand and money tucked safely away in wallets and pockets. Once outside of the crowded classroom, though, the mad dash begins. No one wants to be last in line at the cafeteria, because the seat that you usually sit in might already be taken by that one friendof-an-acquaintance who decided to sit at your table—again. Or, when you finally sit down, the bell signaling the end of the lunch period might ring, and you’re left staring at a tray full of food you just paid for. What many students don’t realize is that those long lines are what keeps the cafeteria running. “We pay our own way,” cafeteria manager Pamela Goad said. “If we didn’t have kids eating, we wouldn’t have a staff.” The cafeteria uses the money it makes from selling lunches to pay for the equipment, the food and even the cafeteria workers’ salaries. “[We do get] some [funds], but everything we get comes from what we take in,” Goad said. The cafeteria receives no funding from the state level. The United States Department of Agriculture provides some funding for the program, but for the most part, whatever amount the cafeteria takes in is what keeps the business going. Although Goad fully supports the administration and its decisions, some students disagree with where—or where not— the school has decided to put their money. “If the school system has to employ regulations for what can be [cooked], then I think they should give a little bit of money [to the cafeteria] for them to be able to do that, and meet those standards,” junior Abby Fleck said. Due to the Healthy, Hunger-free Kids Act of 2010, a stricter standard of nutrition was implemented, and caused some changes in school menus. For nutritional qualification purposes, some meals had to be removed. The workers in the cafeteria put numerous hours into preparing and serving food for the students of Northwest. A majority of students support the cafeteria by buying a lunch. “[I buy a lunch] probably two or three times a week,” Fleck said. “It just depends on what [the meal] is.” When feeding a majority of Northwest’s students, most of the meals have to be made by hand. “Most of the home-cooked meals we make by scratch.” Goad said. “When we serve spaghetti, stuffed shells, chicken Alfredo, we’re cooking all that.” Home-cooked meals require a lot of time, money and ingredients that the cafeteria may not have, and therefore have to purchase. “I think everyone would prefer to get more funding,” Goad said. “but this is just the way it is, and we have to provide our own way.”

From the ‘60s to today: How Northwest has grown and changed in 50 years

school district, became part of Northwest, the change was met with opposition from Western, as students and parents did not want to be part of a rural high school. “That’s what [it] was: Western was city folks, Northwest was hillbillies,” Parrish said. Today, families see the SAT scores and graduation rate of Northwest when moving to the area and they choose the school district to n 1962, Northwest Guilford Senior High School opened its reap the rewards thereof. Northwest has the second highest gradudoors to 620 students with less than 20 percent of their par- ation rate in the state of North Carolina. ents with high school diplomas. At the time, the school em- “They think it’s the place to be now,” Principal Ralph Kitley said. ployed only 31 staff members and served grades 10 through 12. Northwest, though it sits in Greensboro, is nestled between A school that was built to hold 750 students from a rural com- Summerfield and Oak Ridge – then more rural areas. munity is now a second home to about 2,050 students from the “Now it’s just the suburbs of Greensboro,” Shears said. suburbs of Greensboro. Parrish graduated from Northwest in 1983. Originally, the school was built to consolidate Stokesdale, Sum- “When I went here, Northwest was people who grew tobacco,” merfield and Colfax high schools following the Soviet launch of Parrish said. “They lived here their whole life.” Sputnik. At this time, the Lyndon B. Johnson Administration Kitley and Parrish agree that technology has shaped changes sought to improve American education, so larger schools were fain Northwest the most in the last two decades. Up until the midvored over smaller, more rural schools. 1980s, there was a smoking area for students. The district Social studlines stretched ies teacher and from Colfax to Northwest graduChurch Street ate Kate Connor until Northern recognizes the Guilford High biggest change as School opened being diversity. in 2008. “We’re still Class of not super diverse, 2012 gradubut we’re more ate and former diverse than we student body were,” Connor president Matt said. Shears recalled A number how his grandof international father was a students and stumember of the dents who have first graduatlived out of state ing class of the attend Northschool. west, so though “When my the ethnicity is grandpa went 86 percent white, to Northwest, it there is a diversity was an all-white in cultural backschool,” Shears ground. said. Another large When Lynchange has been don B. Johnson the decline in launched the school dance atElementary and tendance. Secondary Edu“Students now cation Act in have so many 1965, 11 years Photo taken from 1965 yearbook activities to conafter Brown v. Seniors from the graduating class of 1965 sit in a classroom and learn. Northwest opened its doors sume their time, Board of Edu- in 1962, and each year, it continues to change. they just aren’t cation (1954), he as connected granted money for technology in exchange for integration. In 1966, to school,” Kitley said. Laughlin, then an African-American school, was integrated with At maximum enrollment, just before Northern opened, there Northwest. were 2,400 students. While there were likely to have been other forms of discrimina“It was crowded to the point you couldn’t walk down the hallways tion, it was most prevalent in athletics. The first African-American before Northern,” Shears said. athletes faced racist referees and players from other schools. The enrollment numbers continue to increase each year, as num “The ‘60s hadn’t hit the South yet,” social studies teacher Ray bers slowly climb back toward 2,400. Parrish said. “The ‘60s were the ‘70s here.” “It’s interesting because it has grown, but they just keep adding The ramifications of this were felt both in the lack of Civil trailers,” Shears said. Rights Movement change --at least in terms of sports--and the lack Northwest, Northeast, Southeast and Ragsdale are the only of drug issues in the school. schools in Guilford County still using non-renovated, original The school originally hosted programs such as auto body, ma- buildings. All four campuses have had some additions. sonry and junior ROTC, all of which moved to a downtown office Prior to the new building, which opened in 2002, there were 44 or were discontinued altogether by 2005. mobile units in use. “There are more AP classes and specialized technical classes,” “There were more trailers than rooms [in the old building],” ParShears said, “those definitely weren’t around when my grandpa rish said. went to Northwest.” As a result of the same change in socioeconomic status that afWhen the school opened, the most popular clubs were Future fects Northwest students, Oak Ridge has been voted the 10th snobFarmers of America (FFA) and Future Homemakers of America. biest town in the state as a result of the wealth concentrated in the “The biggest change is socioeconomic,” Shears said. “It was very area. rural with lots of blue collar workers when my grandpa was there. “The neighborhoods used to be fields,” Parrish said. When the Cardinal neighborhood became part of Northwest, there Every year, Northwest continues to change. were more wealthy students.” “I really appreciate Northwest because there’s a history there,” When the area surrounding the Cardinal, then part of Western Shears said. Miranda Cecil staff writer

Page 4

December 2015

Videogames: The changing medium Bassam Bikdash science & technology editor

ueling rage and wonder since the 1980s, videogames have made amazing strides in performance and influence on the lives of children and adults throughout the world. A videogame is a mode of entertainment where humans interact with a user interface to create a change on a TV screen or computer monitor. “I feel that videogames have become more action oriented over the years and for the most part the graphics have gotten better,” freshman Dylan Whitehead said. Throughout the past 30 years, videogames have changed enormously in terms of graphics, story and overall player connectedness to the game. They have also played an increasing role in our society. According to a recent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) report, almost 67 percent of households in the US play some form of videogames. There is also evidence to suggest that games in moderation improve problem solving and logic, exemplified by the Portal games which task the player with solving puzzles by using a device that can create portals in space. Starting with arcade games like “PacMan,” “Street Fighter II” and “Tekken,” videogames have migrated from restaurants to homes, with console games of amazing movie-like visual effects like “Grand Theft

Graphic by Nikole Nguyen

Videogames have become a prominent mode of entertainment, especially with the release of eighth-generation consoles, such as the PlayStation 4, xBox One, and Wii U. Some of the best well-known videogame characters have made a resurgence as developers make modern remakes of the videogame classics, such as “Tomb Raider” and “Metal Gear Solid.”

Auto V,” “The Last of Us” and “Final Fantasy XV.” “It’s a way for game developers to convey their ideas about different topics and express themselves through what they create,” senior Cody DelFava said. Developers also now integrate player choice as a core mechanic for their games. Instead of linear scripted events, the player can choose how to act throughout the game and as a result, can alter how the game ends,

such as in the “Fallout” series. This flexibility gives users even more freedom and personal connection to the characters within games. The release of the eighth-generation consoles (consoles released after 2012), the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One and various PC devices, has allowed more player socialization with greater emphasis on the ability to share your gaming experiences with friends online. “I feel like [videogames] give a community to kids who may not have one,” junior

Max Shannon said. “It allows them to communicate and socialize over large distances.” Now, videogames provide more of a social experience with multi-player play over the internet. For example, the first-person shooter game, “Destiny,” is renowned for its three-player-team challenges that users play together over the internet. With even more avenues for videogames to entice players, there is cause for concern on about whether there will be more cases of videogame addiction or in some cases loss of touch with reality. Several studies have shown that there is a correlation between videogame violence and increased aggression in children. In many games, users are rewarded for violent behavior. This active participation of repetition and reward are effective tools for learning behavior in desensitizing users to violent behavior. An unfortunate result of the hyper-realistic graphics of games is that users may begin to confuse reality with fantasy. This is a major cause of videogame addiction. Games like “Journey” and “Abzu” are becoming increasingly popular. There is no mission or central objective; the player simply wanders around the game world interacting with characters and admiring the beautiful environment the developers have created. Its main focus is exploration. “I think this is the last console generation,” Whitehead said. “I imagine that virtual reality will become a real thing and that it will be the end of disc-based games.”

Students, teachers affected by rise Interesting in prescription drug prices Science Facts

process into the biological and chemical properties of the compound to determine its reaction; they test it on animal and plant cells to examine its safety. ophomore Nathan Royal has Type II Diabetes and there“Stage 2 is going to be sort of a field trial, where they try it on fore has to pay for life-long medical treatment. mice, they’ll try it on primates or if it’s agricultural or chemical, “I was diagnosed at the end of fifth grade, and it kind they’ll test it out in a small plot field,” Wells said. of came as a shock because it was [during] a regular, old doctor’s Lastly, the medicine must be tested on humans, typically via a check-up,” Royal said. “I was diagnosed with high blood sugar of clinical trial. If the medicine garners positive results, pharmaceu462, which is very abnormal, and tical companies get FDA apthe thing about diabetes is you proval prior to distributing the have to buy a lot of stuff.” product. For Royal to treat his diabetes, “A full process for develophe says his family pays for an Oming a new drug can take 10-15 nipod Insulin Management sysyears from the idea to actually tem, which costs approximately working it through all the pro$500 every three days. Then, it’s cesses…certain government an additional $50 per canister of regulations have to be satisfied insulin and another $50 for a conbefore you can try it or experitainer of strips to test his blood ment with it this way or that sugar. way,” Wells said. English teacher Melanie When drug companies sell Huynh-Duc is in a similar situatheir product, they take into tion. She has had to pay $900 (so consideration how much it has far) in prescription medication to cost to create the drug and how maintain her pregnancy. much patients and their insurers “I have been diagnosed with are willing to pay. The price is a blood-clotting disorder, so I further determined by supplyam on a daily injectable bloodPhoto by Catherine Gray and-demand and must ensure a thinner,” Huynh-Duc said. “The In recent years, certain medicines developed by private compa- profit. sticker-cost is $100 a month, even nies have seen unprecedented markups in price. Although some According to MedicineNet. price increases are caused by shortages, others are the result of com, sometimes companies with insurance.” a new business strategy to buy up old medicines and sell them as For a teacher on a budget, this high-priced “speciality drugs.” raise the prices of their medisticker price can be prohibitive. cine to manipulate people into However, anyone with a chronic illness often faces expensive pre- thinking it is the better medicine. scription drugs. For example, Glaxo Smith Kline produced Zantac in 1983, So, why are drugs so expensive? which was similar to SmithKline’s Tagamet. Although these mediPharmaceutical companies go through a process when creating cines were similar, the creators of Zantac raised the price 56 permedicines, each step of which is time-consuming and expensive. cent higher than Tagamet, putting Tagamet out of business. In reThe first step in the medicine-making progress is to discover a lation to that, according to MIT studies, companies lose about $26 new compound that affects a medical condition. This step requires million each year from cost of development, so without a profit research and funding on the front-end of production, which could margin following production, it is easy to go out of business. add to the cost of the medication when it’s complete. “Well, I think there should be some benefit for those who are “Stage one is generally lab development,” chemistry teacher Ja- not able to work due to a disorder,” sophomore Daniel Laws said. net Wells said. “Chemists and biochemists in the laboratory mixing “But as far as prices go, I feel it’s necessary to have profit as an things to see what might work and might not.” incentive for pharmaceutical companies to find cures and make Next, pharmaceutical companies go through a development medicine.” Zoe Stuckey staff writer

• Astronomers recently discovered a rogue planet (a planet that does not orbit a star) about 75 light years away from Earth where it rains molten iron. • Investigations by officials suggest that the Nov. 13 Paris attack, which resulted in more than 120 people killed, may have been organized using a Playstation 4 and applications that encrypt text messages. • Daraprim, an anti-parasitic medication, went from $13.50 to $750 per pill almost overnight, bringing annual cost of treatment for some consumers to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

December 2015

Page 5

Northwest lunch times constrict students Faith Rickerts entertainment editor

n average school day is about seven hours long. For most students, those seven hours are jam-packed with school work, make-up work and homework hastily done before the next period. After school, there are sports to be played, club meetings to attend and mountains of work to be completed. With all of this squeezed into a mere 24 hours, how does one find the time to eat? This dilemma becomes more apparent when the school day is condensed even more so during halfdays. Lunch times at Northwest are around 25 minutes each. During halfdays, lunch is cut completely out of the schedule. To provide for the students who use the free or reduced lunch option, bagged lunches are offered in the cafeteria upon dismissal. “I feel like they should let us out earlier than the bell is now, just so we have time to get a lunch,” junior Ragad Alsaid said. “I usually don’t get a lunch on early release because I don’t want to miss the bus.”

Photo by Faith Rickerts

Northwest students converse around the cafeteria at lunch. Given only 25 minutes, many students struggle to ﬁnd the time to eat.

Even with the bell ringing five minutes earlier than when school is actually let out, this is usually not enough time for many students to grab a lunch. Timing is everything in the life of a high schooler. It can be difficult to learn how to juggle the stress school brings with every other time-sensitive situation. “I need more time to do my

homework,” junior Drew Royster said. “So I try to be efficient during lunch [and finish it,] because I have yearbook [for fourth period]. But not everyone has the entirety of fourth period to eat whatever they want.” While many students take advantage of the 25 minutes given to them during lunch to complete homework,

there are still students who stay up until the early hours of the morning to finish it, giving them to time to rest during lunch. This time being taken away from students during half days can often bring unwanted stress with it. “Students would work better with a lunch period [during early release],” freshman Alex Henderson said. “If they don’t have any food, they could fall asleep.” Studies show that teenagers who have a healthy, balanced diet in turn have a better sleep schedule and have a better chance to earn good grades. “I think [early release days] should have [a lunch period],” freshman Danny Smith said. “It could fit in fourth period.” Even if lunch doesn’t fit into fourth period during early release days, the 25 minutes during regular days could be extended if there were three lunch periods instead of four. More time to eat a healthy lunch trumps what might be a crowded cafeteria. If 34 students can fit into a mobile, a few more students can fit into the cafeteria. “I don’t mind keeping the bagged lunches,” Alsaid said, “so long as we get time to go and get them.”

staff editorial

Chaos calls for good journalism now more than ever

n the wake of international tragedies and domestic protests, life seems to be increasingly tumultuous and uncertain. From Missouri to Paris, the recent upheaval of discontent and danger has permeated through the end of 2015. Everyone seems to have an opinion about it. Did you change your Facebook profile to a filter of the French flag in November? If so, you weren’t acknowledging the thousands of other lives lost to terrorism in non-Western countries. Did you support the #ConcernedStudent1950 movement? If not, you’re probably a racist. Of course, this is being facetious, but it seems that in these trying times, Americans are anything but unified. We are only becoming further divided. From a journalistic perspective, however, these are exciting times. Some might call this era “history-in-the-making.” What’s printed in today’s news will become the prose of tomorrow’s history books (or digital e-books, since Northwest hasn’t had new books since George W. Bush was president). There’s an urgent sense of responsibility to “get it right,” and with social media infiltrating every facet of every event, it’s hard to filter fact

from ﬁction-- or objectivity from subjectivity. With the #Mizzou coverage, it seems mobmentality got in the way of responsible journalism. University of Missouri student journalist Tim Tai approached the protestors on campus and was asked several times to leave. “No media,” he was told, even though it was a public space. What Tai knew was that he had a right to be there, as much as anyone else. The freedom of speech is protected in the First Amendment, right alongside the freedom of the press. However, Dr. Melissa Click, a Communications professor at the University of Missouri with an appointment within the Missouri School of Journalism, was among the protestors who were determined to get Tai and other representatives of the media out of the way. “I need some muscle over here,” Click said on a video that went viral during the altercation from Nov. 9. “You need to get out.” Tai was pushed away. Click was later chastised for her behavior, and she resigned from her journalism position; however, she is still a professor within the Communications department. During times when emotions are running high—when people are passionately protesting for civil rights, or when cities are in up-

heaval due to terrorism—we must remain as level-headed and as objective as possible. It’s easy to be swept up in the fervor of passion and emotion, but facts are facts. Did ISIS cause the terrorism in Paris? Yes. Are all Muslims terrorists? Absolutely not. No Muslim should have to apologize for the behavior of a few extremists, just as white people are not obligated to apologize for their ancestry of slavery. Is racism actually a problem at Missouri University? If you examine just the facts, then yes. In February 2010, two white students were arrested for littering when they sprinkled the grounds with cotton balls in front of the Black Culture Center on campus to evoke an image of slavery. In 2011, a racial slur was spray-painted on a statue outside of a dormitory. Meanwhile, an African-American professor who has worked at the University for 18 years says she’s been called racial slurs “too many times to count,” and the African-American student body president has also been victim of racial slurs as he walks through campus. Does this happen to white students on a consistent basis? Do white students and

NORTHWEST Adviser Melanie Huynh-Duc Principal Ralph Kitley Editor(s) in Chief Sarah Boggins Noah McCormick News Editor Shalini Sharma Op/Ed Editor William Royal Spread Editor Alexis Marvin Broadcast Forest Chilton William Hanna Matthew Floyd

Arts & Culture Editor Harley Nefe Science & Technology Editor Bassam Bikdash Entertainment Editor Faith Rickerts Managing Editor Clare Kilmartin Staff Photographer Catherine Gray Sports Editor Katie Lee Parrish Features Editor Clare Kilmartin

professors feel this oppressed and threatened on a regular basis on their college campuses? Probably not. Does this mean student journalists (or any journalists, for that matter) should be denied their first amendment rights? Definitely not. The tensions go beyond just Missouri and Paris, of course. Racial tensions have been insurgent in the United States in recent years, from Trayvon Martin in 2012 to Charleston, SC in June. The threat of ISIS emerging as a terrorist group is undeniably real, with a Russian airplane shot down and other places beyond Paris, such as Beirut and the Sinai peninsula, being attacked. Throughout these pervasive events, both domestic and abroad, American public opinion becomes divided. But it is up to journalists to put the puzzle pieces together in order for everyone to get a thorough understanding of what’s going on-- sans bias, sans emotion, sans sensationalism. In order to do so, we applaud journalists like Tai to know and stand up for the right to write. We applaud those journalists who are “in the line of fire,” both figuratively and literally, fighting every day to get to the truth.

HORIZONS Staff Writers Tai Van Dyke Alex Cake Haleigh Cadd Lindsey Nelson Zoe Stuckey Miranda Cecil Maddie Lawson Stephanie Mayer Montana Murphy Aidan Bennett Jenny Blackburn Alexis Rutledge Graphics Contributor Nikole Nguyen Contributing Writer Anna Yang

Policies and Intent

Serving as the primary printed and online forum for student opinion, Northwest Horizons publishes five issues each year by the staff at Northwest Guilford High School. The paper is supported through community advertisers. Staff Editorials are unsigned. The stance of each editorial is voted upon in staff meetings, but it requires the approval of the majority of the editorial board. All members of the school community are encouraged to use Northwest Horizons to express their views. Letters must be signed when submitted.

Find us online: @NWHorizons Visit our website: www.northwesthorizons.com

Page 6

December 2015

Head-2-Head

Let’s take Christ out of Christmas Shalini Sharma news editor

rowing up in the United States as an Indian and a Hindu, one of the ways my family and I have adapted is by following certain aspects of American culture. Ever since I can remember, year after year, we continue to celebrate one aspect in particular: Christmas. Many people think that only Christians should celebrate it, as they have in the past. But, slowly, it is beginning to become more of a cultural holiday than a religious one. However, this change allows people of all backgrounds to participate, even if they do not necessarily agree with Christian beliefs. “I don’t view Christmas as a celebration that is solely meant for Christians to celebrate,” senior Maleeha Hassan said. “Christmas, to me, is a time of festivities, closeness among friends and loved ones…and the culture associated with it.” In fact, the holiday was originally a pagan Roman winter solstice festival, later adopted by Christians as a day to worship Christ. If Christians were able to take the holiday out of context, it is only fair that other faiths be able to do the same. “I feel like many religions today take Christmas and celebrate it without adding in Christian aspects, while still applying their own [cultural] beliefs,” junior Meet Patel said. Schools and workplaces indirectly cause other religions to join in on Christmas traditions by giving everyone a break. Some people feel more inclined to participate after noticing how much importance is given to

this one day. “I know that we have things at Northwest like tacky Christmas sweater Fridays,” Latin teacher Christina Murphy said. “But since not everyone celebrates Christmas, I think they could feel excluded. We live in a very religious community, and to avoid being ostracized for not being a part of that community, people may join in whether they are religious or not.” In addition, those that tell nonChristians they cannot celebrate Christmas are infringing on their natural rights as citizens. “Very often, the people of this country that beat their chest and say, ‘‘Merica’ and ‘freedom,’ are the ones who deny other people their freedom,” science teacher Steven Rusillo said. “Real Americans are all about the freedom of speech and expression [to practice any holidays]. America is a country based on the “separation of church and state.” However, Christmas essentially goes against this principle. “Our founding fathers were right to make the difference between church and state so that we could avoid conﬂicts,” Spanish teacher Thomas Soth said. “But some people might say that we do have a statesupported religion because of state-supported holidays [like Christmas]. If Americans are able to take things from other cultures—for example, pizza and henna tattoos—other cultures should be able to adopt things from them as well.

Christmas is for Christians

Lindsey Nelson staff writer

hroughout the years, Christmas has become more materialistic and less about the religious background of the holiday. Christmas is a holiday that is celebrated by the majority of the population, even by people who do not practice Christianity. “[It started out as] the birth of Christ. It’s morphed into this holiday,” freshman Brandon Miller said. “It should focus more on Christ. Back to the roots.” The concept of Christmas was originally focused on the birth of Jesus, the son of Mary and Joseph and the human ﬁgure of God. Over the years, the holiday has become more materialistic because of the gift-giving process of the holiday. One materialistic element is the concept of Santa Claus. “There is no historical support for Santa,” sophomore Eve Golecruz said. Some believe that Santa takes away from the celebration of Jesus’s birth. The main purpose behind Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus. When people think of Santa, they think of the toys he will bring to the children. The concept of Christmas shouldn’t be focused on the amount of gifts you receive, but rather the celebrating of the birth of Jesus. Even though it has become more socially acceptable to celebrate Christmas secularly, some argue that it can be offensive to Chris-

Race for the White House:

William Royal & Aidan Bennett op/ed editor & staff writer

DEMOCRATS

he 2016 election is approaching fast, bringing new changes to the political tide in the U.S. When it comes, a new face will be elected to take over the Oval Ofﬁce. This new face might be another Democrat. In the Triad, and at Northwest, the tide seems to shift decidedly to the political right but there are quite a few who cast their votes in favor of the liberals. The main Democratic frontrunners, as of December 2015, are Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. Bernie Sanders Sanders is a Vermont senator who, since May 2015, has had his name in the ring for the presidency. An economic liberal, Sanders’ biggest issue is the concept of income and wealth inequality. To him, this means that it is wrong for the top 10 percent of the American populace to own as much as the bottom 90 percent own. “I like the way Bernie Sanders appeals to me in the sense that he’s a very real person,” junior Nathan Adams said. “He doesn’t accept money from super PACs, [so] he’s more relatable compared to the other candidates who are wealthy.” Free college is another hot-button issue for Sanders, tying back into the economic liberalism that he brings to the table. Under a President Sanders, all public universities would be completely free. Student loan interest rates would be reduced, and the reﬁnancing options associated with such loans would also have lowered interest rates, making college more affordable to the poor. Sanders also supports women’s rights and the gay community. If elected president, Sanders states he would sign into

law legislation that prohibits homosexuals from being targeted and legislation that will help the gay community get proper healthcare. He also states he will prohibit them from being denied loans and mortgages. A $15 minimum wage is another issue that Sanders vows 2020, raising it from its current $7.25. This shows how Sanders is running an intrinsically socialist platform. Hillary Clinton Clinton’s political aura seems to revolve around her constant involvement in politics. From the 1980s onward, Clinton has stayed in the public eye thanks to her husband Bill. “I am a big supporter of [Hillary Clinton],” junior Lilac-Rain Thompson said. “I was a supporter of hers in 2008, and quite frankly, I think that her policies and her platform are just better.” Clinton also supports a similar platform to Sanders- a higher minimum wage, more affordable college and more equal rights for certain minority groups. She supports campaign reﬁnance, but she has millions of dollars coming in from super PACs. Clinton has also been involved in a scandal involving the Benghazi raid. On Sept. 11, 2012, four Americans were killed at the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. A U.S. ambassador, a member of the security team, and two CIA contractors were killed by radical Islamic terrorists after they attacked the building with weapons. Many have placed Clinton under heat about her lack of attention and care regarding the matter. Clinton may have actually known about the attack ahead of time, but she did not prevent or help manage an attack on the consulate. Two Congressional hearings, one in 2013 and one in 2015, have shed more light on the situation, but Clinton remains vehemently defensive of her involvement with the ordeal. Clinton is a strong candidate for the Democratic primary. For liberals, many

tians. “If it is not from your religion, it’s kind of weird [to celebrate Christmas],” freshman Andre Dacosta said. By people of other religions celebrating Christmas, it takes away from the background of the holiday and allows it to become more materialistic. It can be argued that Christmas should be treated like holidays of other religions, like Kwanzaa or Hanukkah. Kwanzaa and Hanukkah aren’t as publicized as Christmas in society Therefore, holidays should called by their religious term in public without offense. On school calendars, the break that students receive is referred to as “Holiday Break,” instead of “Christmas Break.” “Personally, I think everyone thinks of the holiday break as Christmas break, and teachers call it that,” junior Shelby Sweeney said. Changing the name doesn’t change the perceptions of how the students and teachers view breaks or classroom themed-parties. Most of the population still calls it Christmas break and the “holiday parties” are Christmas-themed. The school even has Tacky Christmas Sweater day and allows students to wear Santa hats or Santa-themed costumes during the hours of school. In conclusion, taking away the original name of a holiday doesn’t alter the original meaning and taking away the original name could help contribute to why society views Christmas as a secular holiday. If society keeps allowing the holiday to lose its original meaning, eventually the meaning will fade forever and prevent the traditions to be passed on the future generations. Photo by Shalini Sharma

A closer look at the candidates

of her policies would be appealing. However, due to all of the scandalous behavior that she has been involved in, from the email server to Benghazi, many Americans might not want to trust Clinton.

REPUBLICANS

he 2016 Republican presidential candidates have been the subject of much conversation and criticism over the past few months. Donald Trump remains in the lead, but former doctor Ben Carson seems to be closing the gap in the field of Republicans. Donald Trump Trump has been especially big in the news. His idealistic promises and lighthearted quips have brought him to the front, but many strongly disagree with his policies. “Trump is not fit to be a leader. I don’t think he’s a unifying leader, he’ll divide the country more,” sophomore Josh Tilyard said. Trump’s claims are constantly being updated via his Twitter feed. Sometimes his statements are contradictory; sometimes they are made inaccessible by campaign staff. For example, a 2012 Tweet by Trump affirming that climate change is a hoax created by the Chinese government has since been removed. Arguably one of the most talked about of Trump’s policies is his plan for immigration. Talks of removing any sort of path to citizenship for illegal immigrants and comments about the construction of a wall along the United States Border have many people worried. Discussing Trump’s policies is difficult because he consistently avoids putting forth clear views. He’ll mention something in a debate, change his mind on Twitter, then come back later in an interview with a brand new outlook. Trump advocates a fairly progressive

tax plan, with a one-percent tax for low wage earners and a 15 percent tax on the wealthy. Trump also plans to eliminate corporate taxes and vows to close tax loopholes. Trump is often regarded as an avid businessman, and some believe that his entrepreneurial skills will transfer well to the political world. However, if he cannot grasp this shift to politics, his ineptitude could spell disaster for the country. Ben Carson Carson, a neurosurgeon, has taken a strong conservative stance similar to Trump’s. Carson advocates for a ﬂat tax, a repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and restrictions on gun access for criminals and those who are mentally ill. Carson appeals to Trump fans because he expresses similar views. His traditional ideals have helped him garner the support of many in the Republican party, and sometimes even those outside of it. “Personally, I can vote next year, and I’m going to vote for Ben Carson,” junior Sydney Kugel-Humphrey said. “If you look at his views, he’s big on religion, but he doesn’t force it on people. I like that, because that’s what I believe in.” However, Carson has caught criticism lately with a comment about Islam. On the NBC Meet the Press broadcast, Carson was prompted with a question about religion in the United States. “I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation, I absolutely would not agree with that,” Carson said. All of the Republican candidates have similar beliefs on gay marriage and abortion; no abortion after 20 weeks, and a personal disapproval of gay marriage but an acceptance of the law. Bernie Sanders hosted a rally in Greensboro Sept. 13, attended by an estimated 9,000 people. Sanders is the only candidate thus far to visit the Triad. Photo by Noah McCormick

Page 7

December 2015

Teacher pay does not reﬂect level of expertise Alexis Marvin spread editor

eachers. They educate us, motivate us, praise us, and even stress us out. They are with us for half of our lives. They meet many people and are perhaps touched by them all. Teachers voluntarily deal with screaming kids, moody teenagers, and lazy adults every single day. In the end, they might deserve all the money in the world. However, what they receive is simply not enough. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average pay for teachers is $56,383 per year. That may seem like a a lot, but when considering the cost of living for one person, two people and families of three or more, it isn’t sustainable. North Carolina is well below the national average for teacher salaries. New teachers are paid even less. The starting salary for a beginning teacher in North Carolina is $33,000. A study by WalletHub showed that North Carolina was ranked the second lowest-paying state for teachers in America. “It’s not that good a salary,” said junior Emily Mothershead. “They teach the next generation, and deserve to have a better wage.” It’s true. While teachers are paid some of the lowest wages in the world, they are teaching groups of students destined to make more than them. That just doesn’t seem morally correct. “They deserve to be paid more, they teach us,” Mothershead said. Other countries have much better education systems, where teachers are more valued and respected and are able to therefore help push along their students and establish better learning methods. For example, in Finland, the school system is 100 percent state-funded. All teachers must have a master’s degree, are selected from the top 10 percent of graduates, and

Photo by Alexis Marvin

English teacher Lora Medley struggles with the economic repercussions of being an educator. Like many teachers in North Carolina, she makes below the national average in salary.

are given the same status as doctors and lawyers. “Teachers deserve to be paid a salary that reﬂects their level of expertise,” math teacher Rhonda Hudson said. “We as teachers, have the most important job in the world but are not compensated for it respectfully.” Many students think that, regardless of whether they like their teachers or not, they ought to be paid more, considering all they do for us. “Teacher pay should be higher, since they struggle through teaching with what little the government provides us for our budget, yet they still excel in doing so,” junior Bailey Davidson said. An important aspect of being a teacher is what comes along with it. How a teacher is treated may affect them in some ways. “Teachers need to feel valued and respected,” Hudson said. “We are overworked

and underpaid. There is no other profession that impacts children more yet pays so little.” Not only do teachers teach subjects like math, science, history, and English, they teach what to expect in the real world. “I believe [teachers] should be paid more for the impact they leave on children,” Davidson said. “Whether it’s a good or a bad impression, they leave us with many lessons to apply later in life.” Even teachers will agree that their salary is hard to live off of in some cases. “I deﬁnitely don’t think teachers are paid enough. Perhaps at one point it was enough but once they stopped giving us a regular pay increase, it became not enough, especially when everything else is increasing,” English teacher Andrea Julian said. Having a family is especially difﬁcult when one is only given enough to just get by on.

“If I didn’t have kids (I have two) I could probably maintain a comfortable lifestyle based on what I’m receiving monthly,” Julian said. “Once you have a family and once you buy a house and you have all of those other items combined, it becomes too hard.” Single parents are able to more easily afford their lifestyle, but with a family, things are more difﬁcult. “Luckily it’s just me and my husband,” Medley said. “I don’t know what I’d do if we had children.” With a working spouse, teachers are able to provide for their families, but often times cannot grant them all of the extra luxuries that people with a larger income are able to for theirs. “We can’t perhaps enroll our kids in all the camps that other parents can or provide them with outside opportunities,” Julian said. One of the major issues with teachers and their salary, in addition to it being far too low to be sustainable, is that because they make so little, they are seen as having one of the less-respected jobs. “We often associate prestige and profession and respect with pay, and I don’t know if this is the case overall, but I think sometimes because of the amount that we are paid we aren’t looked at as prestigious,” Julian said. “I think teaching gives us value, though, and it makes us feel worthwhile.” In better news, in an interview with ABC 11, state representative Tom Murray said that in the state legislature, congressmen were attempting to do something about it. “We’re working hard on teacher pay,” Murray said. “[We’re] making sure that we’re not just talking about teacher compensation but also student performance.” Teaching may not pay the most, but for many teachers, it is very rewarding. That is why they do it. Not because of how much they’ll make, but because they want to reap the beneﬁts of teaching a great group of people. “Teachers are motivated by something else, rather than the pay,” Julian said.

Service learning: Why it’s worth the hassle Haleigh Cadd staff writer

“I

t is a kingly act to assist the fallen,” Mother Teresa once said. Moreover, it is a Vikingly act to assist those who need it. At least, that is what Northwest faculty and staff have pushed upon students. Multiple clubs at Northwest offer chances to receive service learning hours. This past summer, curriculum facilitator Susan Orr and a handful of upperclassmen led discussions to the rising freshmen about how and why they should participate in service learning. The Leadership class, taught by Paul Egleston, contributes at least 10 hours of service learning per quarter. The term has been heard, the posters have been seen and the announcements have been spewing it. So, why the hassle? For junior Madison Cox, her ‘hassling’ has purely stemmed from empathy. Cox has done service learning over the years through the MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association) and through a mission’s trip to an orphanage in Georgia this past summer. According to Cox, the purpose of the MDA organization is to aid families who have a loved one with the disease. “My dad had ALS, so I have a heart to help families, because any family who has gone through what I have gone through...they always need someone to lean on,” Cox said. Egleston, as well, has looked through the eyes of those in need. As a young adult, he was required by a college course to visit a homeless shelter over a period of time. As a result, Egleston seems to be able to possess the knowledge necessary to encourage students

Photo provided by Madison Cox

Junior Madison Cox volunteers her time at an orphanage in Georgia. Active in many projects serving others, her generous actions stem from empathy.

to do service learning. “It broadens your horizons, it opens your eyes to things that you wouldn’t normally be exposed to,” Egleston said, “Once you get to do service learning, you understand how to pay it forward.” Besides the humbling aspect of service learning, Orr and Counselor Stacy Garner both comment on the academic advantages that service learning offers

students. “[When placing service learning on college applications] it shows a separate set of attributes,” Garner said. “They are already seeing the amount of academic rigor and they are already seeing the effort that Northwest students put into their academics...[In this way] service learning is showing them different characteristics [of the student].” Also when asked how service learn-

ing helps students get into colleges, Orr responded with a similar answer to Garner-- which is that it sets students a part from others. “Guilford County is very unique in that we are a National District of Character,” Orr said. “This endorsement sets us apart from other places that don’t have this level of recognition at the national level. The same analogy can be made for students applying for admissions into colleges or universities. When you do something that sets you apart from others, it gives you a leg up on your competitor.” Once understanding whether or not service learning is important, the next step is to start getting involved in service learning. Creating a NobleHour.com account is said to be the best way to start. Through this website, most students can track their hours. Another way to begin would be to locate where the reflection forms are, which are outside of Orr’s office downstairs in the in the New Building. The following step will act as the catalyst for a student’s service learning journey--which is discovering what they are passionate about. “When a student identifies what they’re passionate about, there is then something, somewhere for them to get involved. It’s up to the student to seek out those opportunities,” said Orr. Additionally to NobleHour.com, another seemingly helpful website would be www.volunteergso.com, where students can find opportunities that provide them with outlets for Service Learning. The main idea is this: while service learning was implemented as a process only five years ago, the idea of aiding others is an ageless idea that provides anyone the chance to connect with others who need help.

Anna 10th Grade

“I knew I wanted to be a radiologist last year when I was 15.”

Page 8

2.94% of students want to be teachers when they are older.

By the num Students pl futures at yo Haleigh Cadd, Miranda Cecil & Clare Kilmartin staff writers & features & managing editor

54.4% of students want to be doctors when they are older.

11.8 % of students want to be actresses or models when they are older.

hen we were little, we all dreamed of our future jobs. Our parents always encouraged us to be something extravagant, yet deep inside we knew what we yearned to pursue. From a teacher to a ﬁreﬁghter to a professional athlete, we couldn’t wait for the moment we could dive in to be like the role models to whom we always looked up to. Now in high school, we are faced with the task of acting on those dreams we had for the future. “When I was little I wanted to do many things, including being a vet or doctor,” senior Savannah McCormick said. “These were my two choices because I loved animals and it seemed like a fun job.” Juniors Ivy Dang and Ruthie Richardson have also jumped forward into this process with their interests serving as their guide. Richardson is aspiring to become a psychiatrist due to her keen

interest in psychology, which began in her sophomore year of high school. “I’m really interested in how the brain works and why people act the way they do,” Richardson said. While Richardson prefers to study the human brain, Dang would rather argue with a human brain. She is interested in studying law after high school. “The reason I want to be a lawyer is because I like to debate,” Dang said. “[In eighth grade] we had a debate, and it was a bunch of us together and we were doing a trial. That’s when I decided that I wanted to be a lawyer.” While some students are still deciding on their future careers and aspirations, McCormick is set and conﬁdent in her decision. “I decided on being a physician assistant after considering all the differences between a doctor and a physician assistant,” McCormick said. “I have always enjoyed being

around children I might be intere While it is im what you want also knows that terests and ﬁeld “I have just s the surgical par while I was vis a medical prog said. “During t to see several liv to be a Physician atrics or surgery McCormick self for the futu and attending p further her know “I will grad as a certiﬁed and pharmacy Cormick said. “ get the clinical h considered to school. Also it tient care skills w rience.” Although lo

17.6% of students want to be professional athletes when they are older.

14.7% of students want to have an unspecified profession when they are older.

Sophomore Maddie Lawson poses next to a series of numbers. When students are young, they all have idea and evolve as students age and develop different interests, but they will always remember what they wanted

mbers:

8 9 15 4 Page 9

lan their oung ages

n, so I decided that ested in pediatrics.” mportant knowing to be, McCormick exploring other inds is important. started considering t this past summer siting Carolina for gram,” McCormick the program, I got ve surgeries. I want n Assistant in pediy.” is preparing herure by taking classes programs that will wledge in the ﬁeld. duate high school nursing assistant technician,” Mc“This will help me hours I need to be physician assistant will teach me pawhile getting expe-

ooking beyond the

current trend of pre-planning adulthood, U.S. history and civics and economics teacher Robert Ayres discovered that he wanted to be a history teacher around age 25. “I did not initially intend to become a teacher,” Ayres said. “Many of my college friends either went into the medical or business field. I remember working at an accounting firm hunkered down in a cubicle. After about 15 minutes, I knew that was not for me.” When choosing a career, one question which teenagers or adults may ask themselves is, “Why?” After all, author and leadership expert Simon Sinek states in his TED Talk “How Great Leaders Inspire Action,” that “people don’t buy what you do, but why you do it.” Thus, it could be a powerful influence on their career decisions if teenagers think of why they would go into a certain profession. “I have enjoyed being a teacher and mpacting lives,” Ayres said.

“I probably knew I wanted to do game design since i got my first Xbox at about eight years old.” -junior connor contursi

“I figured out I wanted to be an anesthesiologist at about nine years old.” -freshman haley hill

“I knew I wanted to be a radiologist last year when I was 15.” -Sophomore Annna Sizemore

Photo by Catherine Gray

as of what they want to be when they grow older. These ideas change d to be years ago.

I discovered what I wanted to be at about four because I like drawing rollercoasters. -junior luke johnson

December 2015

Page 10

Volleyball competes in state championship, wins second place

Alexis Rutledge staff writer

he girls’ Varsity volleyball team made school history this year winning second place in the state championships. During the playoffs, the team played six rounds of games competing against different schools, winning all except the final game against Cardinal Gibbons High School. In the three rounds of the final championship game the scores were 17-25, 16-25 and 17-25. “We were all really excited because it was the first time we ever made it that far,” Varsity volleyball player and 11th grader Kaitlyn Grube said. “There was no need for us to feel bad about losing [the final game] because we worked so hard, got so far and made school history. We accomplished so much.” Many staff members and students came to support the volleyball team at the final game and were impressed by how well the team played.

Photo cotributed by Annette Ayres

Coach Joyner hands out second place medals to the girls’ Varsity volleyball team at state championship. The final scores were 17-25, 16-25 and 17-25, in Cardinal Gibbons High School’s favor.

“I was sad they lost because skill wise it seemed about even,” sophomore Kyndal Korkie said. “They just couldn’t knock the points like

the other team.” There was much excitement as the crowd watched the intense, competitive game. “[The most exciting part was

knowing that no other Northwest volleyball team had made it that far before,” junior Kimberly Hamdan said. “[I also loved] seeing my best friend

Kaitlyn kill it out there!” Throughout the season, the volleyball team had faced many adversaries, but practicing daily for two hours helped prepare the team for the season and end with a record of 27 wins to four losses. “Practices really helped everyone improve because we were all really focused,” Grube said. “We worked really hard, and our coach [Darlene Joyner] pushed us to get better, so we did.” The chemistry among the players this season was another contributor to the team’s successes. “[My favorite part of being on the team this season] was the people that I played with,” Grube said. “I liked everyone, and we all had a lot of fun.” Despite the loss, Northwest supporters enjoyed the experience. “I enjoyed watching the girls compete at such a high level,” senior administrator Ashley Young said. “Going to the state championship game was such an honor for the girls and the school.”

Varsity girls’ basketball team aims for run at Final Four Maddie Lawson staff writer

ith football season over, the student body turns its focus to basketball season. The Northwest Varsity girls’ basketball team, who won the Piedmont-Triad Conference and advanced to the Final Four in the State playoffs last year, have made use of their off-season by having workout sessions since early fall. “Pre-season conditioning is always something we focus on at the beginning of a new season as things start to fall into place for us as a team,” girls’ basketball coach Darlene Joyner said. Tryouts were Nov. 2-4. During workouts, the girls work on skills like shooting in the gym before school and conditioning on the

“

track in the afternoons. “We usually practice two hours a day and on most Saturdays,” Joyner said. “We practice every day except Sunday when we are playing [during the season].” With most teams at Northwest only practicing on weekdays,

As last year’s team had many juniors, many players are returning this year. The team plans to work hard to keep their skills well rounded, both defensively and offensively, to make it another successful year. “I think we are going to be better than last year,” senior Hayley Barber said. Some of the players have also already verbally committed to colleges, including Barber to Campbell, senior Morgan Pointer to Gardner Webb and senior Toni Tucker to Catawba. “We have a solid team with strong guards and post players that make our team really balanced,” Joyner said.

I think we are going to be better than last year. senior Hayley Barber Joyner says the basketball team will go above and beyond in order to get in as much practice as possible. “We have a tough schedule that will challenge us and make us stronger in the end,” Joyner said. “Being in the Final Four last year was further than any other girls team in the history of the school.”

December schedule for Varsity girls’ basketball Dec. 3: at Page Dec. 5: at Hickory Ridge Dec. 9: at Northwest Guilford Dec. 10: at Northwest Guilford Dec. 12: at Hoggard Dec. 15: at North Surry Dec. 17: at Northwest Guilford Dec. 18: at Northwest Guilford Dec. 26: at Greensboro Coliseum Dec. 28: at Greensboro Coliseum Dec. 29: at Greensboro Coliseum

”

Photo by Catherine Gray

Information by MaxPreps

Junior Sandra Wommack dribbles a basketball at tryouts. The next girls’ Varsity basketball game will be Dec. 5.

December 2015

Page 11

Rare eye disorder temporarily Weekend sidelines quarterback football Jenny Blackburn staff writer

arsity quarterback junior Jake Smith was betrayed by his own eye. Smith, the starter of seven games for Northwest, was benched for four weeks by a rare nerve disorder behind his eye called Superior Oblique Myokyia. Smith loves football and being part of a team where he can hang out with the guys, but being quarterback has its ups and downs. “Before the game, you’re really excited and pumped up,” Smith said. “During the game, you’re trying to do whatever it takes to win; and after depends on how you feel like you played and the outcome of the game.” After the Reidsville game Oct. 2, Smith started to notice something was wrong. His girlfriend, junior Alyssa Dumont, also noticed something was different. “When I was with him, something was off, and that triggered some instinct in me,” Dumont said. “I could tell it was hard for him to concentrate which he didn’t want to admit, but he went to the doctor the week after that.” Superior Oblique Myokyia is a very rare nerve disease that has been linked to MS (Multiple Sclerosis). “[My doctor] didn’t really know what to do since it is a really rare disorder,” Smith said. “She had to Google what other people had done while we were in the doctor’s office because she had no clue. She had studied it during college but had never seen an actual case because it’s such a rare thing. The doctor did an MRI, which came up clean, which made her positive it was a nerve dis-

order only.” Oct. 6, Smith had to take a break from coming to school full time. “I came back every once in a while when I felt good in the morning, but I couldn’t make it much past first period,” Smith said. He was out of school for two weeks, and taking three AP classes added to his load of make-up work. “My teachers were lenient and understanding because they realized that I wasn’t making anything up,” Smith said. “My mom helped me get all the work done since I couldn’t really read and just started writing again, so all I could really do was verbal stuff, which was difficult.” Dumont stood by his sidethroughout his healing process after the period of his diagnosis. “It was tough to see him struggling, but I’m glad I could be there for him and help as much as I could with classes, but physically I couldn’t help his eye,” Dumont said. “I looked up the disorder and went to Mrs. Davis, my health science teacher, to see if she had heard of it and could give me any more information. She didn’t know much about it either being that the disorder is so rare.” Smith wasn’t able to play for two weeks, but he was able to practice starting Oct. 19. He was cleared to play again Oct. 27. Being treated with eye drops to relax the nerves behind his eye has helped treat the headaches and nausea, so Smith rejoined the football huddle Nov. 7 in the game against East Forsyth. “In the beginning, I felt out of it and frustrated; I wasn’t really myself,” Smith said. “Now I’m excited to be back and ready to play with the team.”

brings family traditions Alex Cake staff writer

Photo by Catherine Gray

Quarterback and Northwest junior Jake Smith was recently unable to play on the Varsity football team due to an eye disorder. He was cleared to rejoin the team for the game against East Forsyth Nov. 7.

Through the mountains: Northwest junior exhibits passion for backpacking

much stuff.” Due to the duration of the trip and the lack of room in the backpacks, food must i k i n g be delivered in increthrough ments. mountains “Every week someand rivers, sleeping in body would come by the open air and having in a truck and be like, your food distributed ‘Here’s some food, rato you weekly. This is tion it amongst yourthe life of a backpackselves,’” Vazquez said. er. This is the life of Vazquez’s favorNorthwest junior Soite trail to backpack phie Vazquez. through is the AppaFor the past two lachian Trail. She has years, Vazquez has parhiked on this trail twice. ticipated in backpacking “I like it because excursions. These are it’s so different. No trips in which you pack matter where you go, supplies into a backthere’s always somepack and travel by hikthing interesting,” said ing through mountainVazquez. “It’s not just ous trails. in the mountains, it’s in “I’ve always been the lake. One time we a super weird, nature, kayaked to this island.” hippy freak,” Vazquez When on the trails, said. backpackers are left to In the summer of be alone. 2015, Vazquez went on “We don’t have a hiking trip with Doe Photo contributed by Sophie Vazquez phones or technology River George, an orga- Junior Sophie Vazquez shows off her materials to go on a trip. Vazquez has partaken in backpacking for more or anything like that,” nization that offers a than two years. said Vazquez. “You backpacking program. don’t need that. We The trip consisted of make our own music. I think it’s beauFor a month I had a pair of sleeping need to be easily accessed. 12 people with Vazquez being the pants, a pair of hiking pants, a pair of “We slept in enos every night with tiful.” youngest at 15 years old. Campers become isolated from shorts, a shirt and a bunch of head three people,” Vazquez said. “It’s realIn order to prepare for a month- wraps.” ly hard working that dynamic because the outer realm and get the opportulong trip, Vazquez spent over a week Everything must be tightly packed the further you are from ground, the nity to experience nature in an entirely gathering materials. to fit into the backpack and put into colder you’re going to be. You’re close new light. “You’re given this big backpack dry bags to keep objects from get- to bugs and it’s dangerous because “I’ve never felt more connected and it’s empty,” Vazquez said. “You ting wet when passing through rivers you’re high up. It’s a struggle. You to earth and myself,” Vazquez said. “I get it and clean it and it’s disgusting. and creeks. There’s a compartment in have a mat that you lay inside your don’t know, I feel like that’s how huYou have to lay out all of your stuff. the backpack that can hold items that eno and a sleeping bag. There’s just so mans are supposed to live.”

Montana Murphy staff writer

hen the bell rings at 3:50 p.m. on Fridays, for some people it means football. Football is played on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and on these different days, people eat and have different traditions. It starts off with high school football on Friday. The games normally begin at 7:30 p.m., so people have time to eat before the game. Others choose to eat at the concession stand for dinner. “My friends usually just meet at my house and we all get ready together,” junior Emma Charles said. “We all get dressed up for themes and eat out somewhere, and once we’re ready, we just leave for the game.” Other students don’t make formal meal plans prior to the game, but they are still happy to show up and support the team. “I don’t really eat anything big before going to a game,” freshman Alex Cullinan said. “Usually I will just eat a snack before going to the game or I buy one during the game.” Saturday is the day for college football across the nation. Lots of people try to head out to support their local team. “Whenever I get the chance to go to one, I will go,” Charles said. “But if I can’t, I will eat snacks and won’t leave my TV.” Marketing teacher Brenda Cullinan, mother to Alex, has traditions that her family does before watching their favorite team, Florida State. “We get up and we make some food usually, and then we sit down and watch the game together,” Cullinan said. “Then we usually make more snacks around halftime.” On Sunday, the National Football League is broadcasted all over the nation. Most people usually make a large buffet of food for everyone to enjoy on game day. “The whole family wakes up and we all go down to the kitchen and we make appetizers to watch the pre- game shows on Fox ESPN or CBS,” Brenda said.“We always put on our New England Patriots apparel and we watch the whole game.” “When we sit down on the couch to enjoy the food, everyone sits in a specific spot on the couch,” Alex said. “If someone thinks about sitting in my seat, they’d better think again.”

Football in families 10% watch football on Fridays 15% watch football on Saturdays 30% watch football on Sundays 20% watch football all weekend long 25% don’t watch football at all Poll taken of 20 randomly selected students Information compiled by Alex Cake

Page 12

December 2015

Merry Christmas! Wait, didn’t we already celebrate? Stephanie Mayer staff writer lthough Christmas is in only 22 days, retail stores have had their decorations and products in their consumers’ lines of sight for the past two months. They play jolly songs about Santa Claus and his reindeer while your eyes wander over the sea of red and green strewn about the store, even if Christmas is not anytime soon. Before Thanksgiving, or sometimes even Halloween, several big names in retail pull out their Christmas merchandise to lure in unsuspecting customers. However, this strategy’s effect often varies for different people. “If I see something I know someone would like, if I happen to come across it, I would [buy] it,” math teacher Michelle Halchin said. “But I don’t think about [shopping] actively.” Many, like Halchin, take a more passive approach towards the stores by not seeking out anything speciﬁc. “Am I thinking about what I’m going to get everybody for Christmas? I’m a bad procrastinator; no,” Halchin said. However, some families set dates at which they start their shopping and begin no sooner than that. “My family waits until after Thanksgiving to buy,” junior Will Higgins said. It’s the approach of many: get through other holidays ﬁrst. Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Halloween or any other celebration, many agree to the fact that they want to put their efforts toward

Graphics by Stephanie Mayer

Santa towers over a pumpkin, prepared to strike. Retail stores have had Christmas decorations in stock for the past two months.

one holiday at a time. “I’d like for Halloween to be over ﬁrst,” social studies teacher Elizabeth Russell said. “Christmas keeps backing up earlier and earlier.” Christmas continously creeps up on the public sooner each year. In the past, it looked like stores put their Christmas items out after

or around Thanksgiving. But now, Christmas has snuck all the way up to before Halloween, with this year’s appearance having come in early October. “I understand that stores want to get stuff out and have sales and so forth, but you would at least wait until Thanksgiving before all the Christmas stuff came out,”

Russell said. It seems that people feel that stores don’t allow them to focus on the holidays at hand. “I don’t like it. You just get inundated,” Halchin said. “You can’t think about one holiday and the other ones, like when Christmas stuff comes up before Thanksgiving.”

Some do not favor the enthusiasm of stores with their Christmas merchandise, and they have their reasons behind this dislike. However, one question remains: what is the harm in this untimely Christmas celebration? “If you see it all the time, you kind of start ignoring it,” Halchin said. “So I think it takes some of the meaning out of anything you see or some of the specialty of it.” Although there are still some people who don’t feel overwhelmed by the sight of these decorations. “I don’t think it’s ridiculous to have it selling,” Higgins said. Whether it’s understanding the need to advertise, or just liking the sight of the decorations, some people don’t mind all of the early Christmas items. There are some who retain the opinion that stores show a true concern about Christmas through their premature décor. Rather than as a disparaging and desensitizing practice, it’s seen as a way of spreading the Christmas spirit. “I think it’s early, but that they’re doing it shows that they care about Christmas,” sophomore Dallin Pool said. However, whether people like it or not, retail stores and their advertising are an unstoppable force that can sell whenever and whatever they please to a reasonable extent. They typically continue their crusades all the way up to Christmas and some time afterward. The inevitable truth is that each year, one will probably ﬁnd himself listening to “Jingle Bells” while holding a plastic spider or a large, uncooked turkey in his hands.

Page 13

December 2015

Musicians at Northwest prepare for winter concerts Aidan Bennett & Anna Yang staff writers

uring the holiday season, one thing many Northwest students are involved in are musical programs. This year’s holiday concerts provide students with an opportunity to show off their musical skills to their parents in a public venue. In previous years, the separate musical groups-- band, chorus and orchestra-- have had their own individual concerts. However, this year, the groups will be collaborating in their performances.

Orchestra

“We have three orchestras here, so each orchestra is going to play three pieces and then we’re going to do three combined pieces where all three orchestras perform together on stage,” orchestra director Rachel Watson said. This concert will be the ﬁrst concert of the year for all three orchestras. “We have a winter one, and then we’re going to have one at the end of February and one again in May,” Watson said. The concert will feature many well known pieces. “I like to do popular arrangements,” Watson said. “It gets the audience more excited and it sounds very good.” Furthermore, many additional instruments will be joining the orchestra, including electric guitar, electric bass and percussion. The orchestra students are also

excited for the upcoming concert. “Out of all the concerts we perform throughout the year, the winter concert is probably my favorite because [we] have some festive Christmas music tied in,” sophomore Mariusz DerezinskiChoo said. However, the students agree that the pieces they will be performing are difﬁcult. “The tempos and different rhythms are hard to master at times because of the variety of pieces,” junior Sierra Salem said. “Keeping in sync with everyone else in the orchestra takes a lot of concentration.” Despite the challenging repertoire, the orchestra members believe that the concert will be great. “We are practicing diligently to make sure we perfect the pieces,” Derezinski-Choo said. “I am not nervous at all. I am conﬁdent we will put on a great concert.” Watson also has faith that her students will be well prepared for the concert. “I’m a perfectionist,” Watson said. “I give them playing tests where they have to perform certain pieces in front of the class, and that shows me whether or not they’re prepared.”

Chorus

The chorus will be performing a total of about 20 pieces, a few more than the 17 pieces performed at last year’s winter concert. Recently at Northwest, an a cappella group has been created for interested chorus members,

which will also perform at the concert. A cappella is a musical style in which the singers perform without any accompaniment. “The new a cappella group will be performing for the ﬁrst time in front of an audience, as well. That will be cool to check out,” Jones said. Practice has been extensive for the chorus, and students have been reﬁning their skills every Wednesday since the beginning of this year. “We [have worked] as hard as we can,” chorus teacher Tres Ward said. “We have [had] a lot of repertoire to prepare and a lot of music to learn, but I have heard a lot of great things happening.” “Hallelujah Chorus” will be the piece that ends the chorus concert. The piece will be a combined effort of band, chorus and also alumni of the chorus.

Band

The band has also been working on their pieces. Each of the band groups has its own set of pieces to play, which amounts to a great deal of work. Jazz ensemble will be playing for the community during the month of December. The songs they play will also be performed at the concert. In a change to previous years’ concerts, Wind ensemble is working on three songs to play along with the chorus. This provides a challenge for students as they learn to work in conjunction with a separate group. Also, a new band

group has been introduced. “We have a new class this year: the percussion ensemble,” band director Brian McMath said. “They will perform one holiday piece by themselves, then join at various times the other three class bands for their holiday pieces.” Ward is looking forward to the joint concerts. “[It’s] a good experience for the students and for us as directors,” Ward said. “We thought it would be a good way to involve the community and see more support and participation at the concerts and to foster community among our programs between the band and chorus.” Audience members should expect a much louder concert. The combination of band and chorus will mean much more sound. “I think it will definitely be more voluminous, which will be an exciting thing, I think, for the audience,” Ward said. “[The students] are also very excited. None of [them] have ever performed with the band like we’re going to do this year.” While preparing this large array of songs may sound difficult, McMath says the students are up for the challenge and have taken any issues in stride. “Students that are in the performing arts are here because they want to be here,” McMath said. “The expectations are very high come concert time, and it can be a stressful evening, but these musicians work hard and usually do a very fine job at our concerts.”

Upcoming winter concerts • Chorus Concert (with the band): Monday, Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. • Orchestra Winter Concert: Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. • Band Concert (with the chorus): Thursday, December 17 at 7 p.m.

Tanglewood Park continues Festival of Lights Tai Van Dyke staff writer

rom late November to early January, Tanglewood Park in Forsyth County is transformed into a winter spectacular with the Festival of the Lights. Known for its extravagant Christmas light displays, the festival is ranked as a Top 20 Event in the Southeast. Along with the lights, carriage rides, hayrides and photos with Mr. and Mrs. Claus are offered. This year marks the festival’s 24th anniversary. For many students, the festival was once a popular destination that would be visited year after year. It seems as if some of the hype has died down. “[My family] used to [go], but as we got busier and we got older, we just kind of stopped,” junior Sydney Kugel-Humphrey said. “We try to find time to, but it doesn’t always happen.” For students like Kugel-Humphrey, schoolwork and extracurriculars are often first priority, making plans of going to the Festival more of an afterthought. “I usually went with a couple of my middle school friends, but I didn’t go last year because I didn’t have enough time,” sophomore Joe Duffy said. Meanwhile, others don’t feel the need to go after having already gone. “You only need to go once,” sophomore Sarah Cushman said. Despite high school students not going due to being unable to find time or to losing interest, the festival is still going strong. On av-

Graphic by Tai Van Dyke

From late November to early January, the Festival of Lights takes place in Tanglewood Park in Forsyth County. This year marks the festival’s 24th anniversary.

erage the festival sees 250,000 visitors each year, with 2014 yielding the highest attendance since 2001. Regardless of whether or not some can go, the festival remains respected and revered. “There’s a lot of hard work put into it. I can appreciate that,” Cushman said. Park employees begin working

as early as August to set up the large displays, with many of the displays creating holiday scenes, characters, and imagery. As of this year, the festival will contain over a million individual lights. “You can tell a lot of people put a lot of love into it,” Duffy said. For some who attend, Tanglewood Park’s scenic landscape en-

hances the effect that the lights have. “I like the lights on the water,” senior Ivy Rice said. “It’s [also] pretty when it snows.” Overall, the festival is an event recommended by many, especially as a means of getting together and having fun for the holidays. “I would say you should go,”

Kugel-Humphrey said. “You can have fun with your family or even your friends.” Duffy shares a similar amount of enthusiasm. “If I have time after marching band, I deﬁnitely plan on going,” Duffy said. “It’s a break from the routine that we all kind of entrap ourselves in.”

Page 14

December 2015

Something more:

Freshman shares unique story of moving past her difference

something I didn’t struggle to do,” Fasnacht said. “That always made me really upset because other people thought I was struggling so much that I couldn’t do ordinary things—that even picking up a chair was a huge hen someone says your feat.” While everyone has insecurities, name, what do they think? We all hope oth- Fasnacht’s insecurities root from her ers view us as nice, funny, athletic, difference. “Around school, I’m pretty much creative, smart, compassionate and important. For freshman Maddie known as ‘the girl with one arm,’ and Fasnacht, she hopes others will view that’s my biggest insecurity,” Fasnacht said. “It makes me wonder, does evher as normal. Fasnacht was born May 15, 2001 eryone else know me like that—is that all anyone ever thinks of me, that I’m to a loving just the perfamily; howson with one ever, she was arm?” born without Although the lower Fasnacht half of her struggles with right arm. how others “Growview her, it’s ing up with the manner one hand, is in which Fasnot as hard as nacht overyou think it those is,” Fasnacht freshman Maddie Fasnacht comes thoughts and said. “The her positive only difficulties I had were other people’s per- nature that inspires others. “She has influenced a lot of who ceptions of me.” While Fasnacht grew up, she al- I am,” freshman Emma Welsh said. ways had others point out her arm. “No matter what is happening, she al“I’ve known Maddie since early ways tries to put a humorous spin on elementary school, and one of the things, or find the bright side. She is first things I remember is that we one of the best people I know, and I were on the playground and two hope other people can see that as well boys came up and said that her arm [and], not just see ‘that girl.’” Despite the fact that Fasnacht is was weird and that it made her completely different,” freshman Ava Da- missing part of her arm, she is much vis said. “I told them to go away, ob- more than a physical difference. When viously, and I asked if she was okay others were asked what they thought and she was just like ‘yeah, it’s cool.’ about Fasnacht, only positive characShe never lets anything get to her, teristics were said. As Fasnacht has just embarked on and that’s what I love so much about her high school career, she hopes othher.” Not only does Fasnacht deal with ers will simply view her as normal. “The thing I want most in the constant attention, she also deals with others who see her as incapable world is to be treated the same,” Fasnacht said. “Just treat everyone how of doing normal activities. “I had adults and kids who you would treat yourself and don’t thought I needed extra praise for ignore people because of their differsomething that was ordinary—for ences.” Clare Kilmartin features & managing editor

“

Around school, I’m pretty much known as ‘the girl with one arm,’ and that’s my biggest insecurity.

”

Graphic by Clare Kilmartin

Page 15

December 2015

‘Fish’-ing around on reality TV:

Counselor stars in TLC’s “My Big Fat Fabulous Life” Harley Nefe arts & cultures editor ot many people can say they have met a celebrity before; fewer can claim to have been on national television. However, guidance counselor Tal Fish has done both as a recurring cast member on the TLC reality show, “My Big Fat Fabulous Life.” The show, which started airing in January 2015, was inspired by a YouTube video of Whitney Thore that went viral in February 2014. The video was entitled “Fat Girl Dancing,” and its popularity inspired Thore to promote a message of positive body image, which she calls “No ‘BS” (No Body Shame). Her life and journey with self-acceptance has become a Wednesday night TV show now in its second season. Thore grew up in Greensboro, graduating from Page High School and attending Appalachian State University for college. Fish has been friends with Thore since high school and has seen her transformation. “She’s an incredibly talented dancer,” Fish said. “She went through a dramatic weight gain when she was in college.” Thore was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome, which caused her to gain more than 200 pounds in one year. “After she gained all the weight, she quit dancing for a long time and became really depressed,” Fish said. “About a year or so ago, she decided to start dancing again and released a YouTube video that went viral and from that point there was some interest from TLC in developing a reality show about her life.” When TLC came to shoot a pitch for the network, Fish was involved. Close to a month or two later, they found out that the show had been picked up and Fish was asked to be involved. “I do have a background in performing, and it was definitely

So far, being able to travel to Los Angeles has been Fish’s favorite memory through it all. “We were riding around, filming on top of a double-decker bus, taking a tour of L.A,” Fish said. “We got to go to this amazing dance party and there were celebrities there.” Fish was able to meet Tatyana Ali from “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” in L.A. as she was apart of the dance free movement which sponsored the body positivity dance party. “She was amazing, and it was

really fun,” Fish said. “Apparently Zac Efron was at the party but we didn’t get to see him.” It is still unknown whether or not there will be a third season of “My Big Fat Fabulous Life.” The cast is awaiting TLC’s decision. “I hope it goes on for a long time,” Fish said. “I would love to continue to be a part of the show and Whitney’s story. It’s been received very well, and the shows been really successful as the message of the show is powerful and inspiring and uplifting.” Fish was able to bring Thore to Northwest in October to speak to the freshmen class during an assembly. She spoke of her no body shame campaign and her own personal experiences with body image issues. “She was really well received and everybody seemed to get a lot out of her talk,” Fish said. “I was really grateful that she took the time to come out to Northwest.” Similar to the way Thore was able to touch the students and faculty of Northwest with her message, the show also does the same for people from many different places in the world. “We hear from people all over the world all the time about how it’s helped them in their own journey, whether they are struggling with their weight or anything else difficult in their personal lives that they feel any kind of shame about,” Fish said. “Whitney’s big message is living your life with no shame and no excuses, regardless with whatever you feel like is holding you back.” Through everything with the show and with his friend Thore, Fish has been enjoying every moment of every opportunity that he has been given. “It has been absolutely amazing to be a part of something so special with some of my best friends and I love it,” Fish said. “I never expected it to happen but its been an amazing surprise. You never know what’s around the corner in life.”

9 moments when you know you’re too excited for the holidays

Photo contributed by Tal Fish

Counselor Tal Fish poses with friend and reality TV star, Whitney Thore. Thore gave a speech to Northwest students on bullying and the importance of postive body images in October. Fish stars on Whitney’s “My Big Fat Fabulous Life” on TLC.

something I dreamed about as a kid, but after college I decided I really didn’t want to pursue the performing arts field,” Fish said. “That’s when I got my masters in counseling [at Wake Forest]; this was not anything I ever expected to happen.” The show is primarily filmed in Greensboro. “It’s pretty cool because if you watch [the show], you can see really neat shots of different parts of Greensboro,” Fish said. “I have lived in Greensboro my whole life, so it’s really special to not only be

Montana Murphy staff writer

a part of the show but to be a part of something that’s based here.” Being a part of the cast, Fish has received a plethora of opportunities to travel and has gained numerous amounts of memorable experiences. “I have gotten to go to L.A. twice this year as a result of my involvement with the show,” Fish said. “We went in January to do press for season one at the television critics association conference and I got to go back in May to film an episode that will be airing as a part of Season Two.”

1. You have 30 different ugly

4. You’ve hung up lights…liter- 7. You’ve bought yourself presally everywhere.

ents in the name of the holidays.

2. Your heart swells at the idea

5. Your holiday playlist is on

8. You drink hot chocolate so

Christmas sweaters.

ith Thanksgiving in our rearview mirror and Christmas in our headlights, it’s no surprise that people are beginning to get into the holiday spirit. The holidays give you a break from school and allow you time to catch up with family and friends. The holidays give you that extra rest and relaxation. “I like having time off and a well-needed break from school,” freshman Ryan Stokley said. Along with well-needed social time, the holidays give you something to look forward to throughout the last few months of the year. “The joy of the holidays runs through my veins,” sophomore Kylie Young said. For all of you holiday-lovin’ Vikings, here are the top 9 moments when you know you’re too excited for the holidays. Graphics by Tai Van Dyke & Stephanie Mayer

of giving back.

repeat.

3. The idea of not having school 6. You’ve already started planis constantly running through your mind.

ning out what you’re going to build out of snow.

much, it basically constitutes its own food group.

9. You have the words to your favorite holiday movies memorized.

Page 16

December 2015

s i d l r o w he

Alexis Rutledge & William Royal staff writer & op/ed editor

Photo by Alexis Rutledge

Junior Drew Royster mocks an escape from an explosion, following an end-of-the-world prediction.

ince humans entered the global scene, one could argue that we have changed the world for the better by making technological innovations and attempting to explore all the galaxy has to offer. The earth is an entirely different place since humans have appeared, and many are quite pleased with what humans have accomplished. Sadly, people have also seemingly been plotting their own termination. “I know the world is going to end, and it’s probably because of us,” senior Melanie Morano said. “People say it will be soon, but who knows?” Re m e m b e r all the craziness about the world ending back in 2012? In the ninth century A.D., the Maya, a culture in Central America, drew up a calendar, mapping their future. The calendar ended on Dec. 21, 2012, also known as the winter solstice. Even though scientists from NASA took time to state that the rumors of the world ending were unfounded, people still kept up the madness for weeks. On the Frequently Asked Questions page of NASA’s website, a representative said, “Just as the

calendar you have on your kitchen wall does not cease to exist after Dec. 31, the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on Dec. 21, 2012. This date is the end of the Mayan long-count period but then - just as your calendar begins again on Jan. 1 - another long-count period begins for the Mayan calendar.” Each year, there is someone who says that the world will end. And, as expected each year, these rumors turn up false, because there is no actual proof that the world will end. If a crisis were to occur, credible scientists would know about it well before the actual danger. “I just think it’s awesome that I survived all of the predictions,” junior Allison Rountree said. What exactly does it mean for it to be the “end of the world”? That remains to be clearly defined, but most agree that it would mean the end of a significant portion of life on Earth. This could happen due to a nuclear catastrophe, a cosmic event or even a deadly pandemic. Some theories revolve around the outbreak of a zombie virus, which would infect the population and cause the reanimation of living tissue and the brain after death. Governments would fail to properly assess and manage the threat, leading to the majority of the world’s population left to fend off flesh-eating monsters. Those that are familiar with the TV show “The Walking Dead” might know this situation a little better. The Sumerians thought that a planet known as Nibiru or Planet X would collide with the Earth. This planet, after completing its 3,600-year rotation, as prophecy states, will hit the Earth and com-

! g n i d en ...again.

pletely demolish this planet. The Sumerians had not discovered what is now known as a telescope, so the prophecy that tells of this event is far from being scientifically based. Another doomsday theory is that of Y2K. In December 1999, the fear of the new millennium grew into panic. Many believed that, when the year 2000 arrived, the world’s nuclear weapons would launch and that computers would fail due to a millennium bug. An even more recent prediction was in 2011, when Harold Camping predicted the Judgment Day would take place Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. based on his calculations using the Bible. Many Christians didn’t even consider his predictions, while others quit their jobs and sold their homes to celebrate and prepare for his predicted Judgment Day. This process of foreboding self-destruction has been done throughout history and continues to happen today. Many people truly believe in these predictions and try to prepare accordingly because it relates to their faith, while others see the predictions as unreliable and ridiculous. “People will make up what they want to make up, and believe what they want to believe,” Rountree said.

Graphic by Tai Van Dyke

The end of the world at a glance:

A look back at a few of the times the world has ‘ended.’ 1284

Oct. 16, 1736

Pope Innocent III predicted that 666 years after the rise of Islam the world would end.

Whiston foretold that the world would be obliterated by a comet on this day.

April 5, 1534 The city of Münster would be spared when the apocalypse came that day according to Jan Matthys.

Oct. 30-Nov. 29, 2003

The Aum Shinrikyo, a Japanese cult, anticipated that the world would end due to a nuclear war between these months.

Graphic by Faith Rickerts