The Crest - Vol.2 Iss.4

Volume 2 Issue 4

February 1, 2024

THE CREST

Hilton Head Christian Academy's Monthly Publication

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s ’ a c h h

FEBUARY 1 2024

VOL. 2

THE CREST

The latest news and updates about HHCA, reported by its students

Lower school students excited for superhero day!

Photo Credit: Cheryl Norton ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

BASKETBALL COFFEE BAR SENIOR ASSASSIN

Spirit Week

By Emily Phillips In honor of another successful HHCA Spirit Week, here's a recap of the best part of the year! With the start of Spirit Week on Tuesday, grades jumped right into it to practice for the dance competition. This year, sophomores took first place, seniors followed in second place, and juniors

SENIOR RECOGNITION

and freshmen landed in third and fourth place, respectively. A highlight, and a favorite of the sophomore dance, would be Moses, played expertly

WINTER RECITAL

by Finn June, parting the Red Sea on the dance floor. The seniors took a different approach, as they used snippets of “throwbacks” to previous dances they performed throughout the years. The middle school also did

JEN CONFERENCE

very well on their dances, with 8th grade coming in first place. (story continues on next page)

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FEBUARY 1 2024

VOL. 2

In addition to this, both basketball and powderpuff

games

were

the

students’

favorites. The seniors took first place in the basketball games, whereas the juniors won powderpuff. With intense rivalries between the grades, it was for sure a competition to see who could be best dressed. The themes this year allowed for students to be creative, and this resulted in some pretty devoted and hilarious costumes. This year, from blow-up suits to fun props and matching costumes, students went out to show spirit!

Additionally, this year's videos, which each grade had made, were a huge hit.

For middle school, students loved 7th grade’s video, and they finished in first place! For high school, the Juniors took first place this time with their music

Junior girls powderpuff victory Photo Credit: Jordan Ingolia

video, which incorporated an original song written by Junior, Peyton Dobbs.

After all of that fun, Spirit Week 2024

Spirit Week Basketball

came to an end with another victory for

by Emily Phillips

the seniors, keeping their now 4-year streak! Congratulations to all the grades, as every single one showed HHCA spirit!

We're looking forward to next year's Spirit Week!

The Spirit Week basketball games are a student-favorite tradition, both loved and looked forward to during HHCA’s Spirit Week. This year, many packed into the gym to watch which grade would win it all. There were three games, with the first two deciding who would continue to play in the final game. The first game, Freshman vs. Seniors, was a brutal matchup, as the seniors defeated them with ease. The highlight of this game would be Connor White showing off his skills and securing a win against the freshman class. Jack Ussery also did very well, banking a three-point shot to start the game.

Whether it's in the pool or on the court, Jack says, “My favorite part was stomping the freshman." The second game, the Sophomores vs. Juniors, was much closer. They were neckto-neck, but ultimately, the juniors took the lead, winning by a few points. The final game, Juniors vs. Seniors, was a funfilled match. The seniors started strong and kept their lead for the entirety of the game. Students encouraged players to shoot crazy shots, such as long threes and half-court shots. A notable mention would be Evan Elliot, a crowd-pleaser who attempted multiple of these shots. In the end, the seniors were victorious, earning their grade points for spirit week.

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Jack Ussery shooting Photo Credit: Laurie White

FEBUARY 1 2024

VOL. 2

HHCA’s New Coffee Bar

By Claire Robbins and Emily Phillips Rise and shine; it’s coffee time! The coffee bar is

Students aren't the only ones who can enjoy the

here at HHCA and is ready for students to come

coffee bar; many HHCA faculty members visit it

and enjoy! With many options on the menu, it won’t

too! Mrs. Hilton said, "I am glad to hear that The

be hard to find a drink that you’ll like! Students

Coffee Bar has returned to HHCA! The coffee bar

seem to favor it so far, as we interviewed a handful

provides

of people about their thoughts and opinions about

conversation and building relationships, which is so

the coffee bar. Junior, Caroline Thomas, says, "I

important for everyone." Mrs. Robinson stated,

think it's super cool and a great idea!" Addi

“Well, aren’t we lucky to have our own coffee bar

Rodgers, a freshman, says, "I think it is a very fun

right here on campus instead of having to drive to

and nice way for our school to make money!" Some

Starbucks or Dunkin'?! It’s a little pricey for me,

suggestions have been voiced to us, such as senior

but I’ll splurge on a latte every now and then,

Millie Gilbreath, who said, "I wish they took cash

especially since the proceeds support our seniors’

because I don't have Venmo, but I have heard it is

Dominican trip—and that’s a great cause!"

good!". Some other students shared that they would

Overall, everyone is delighted to see that the coffee

like to see more options being offered, such as

bar

additional milk choices, specifically oat and almond

differences between the old and new coffee bars, a

milk. Another student said, “Earning coupons for

notable example is that the old one was exclusive to

the coffee bar might be a good idea... It would

seniors only. This time, however, it is open to all

possibly give students an incentive to work hard

students, so everyone can come and drink coffee.

and earn them.”.

With this addition, we are confident that the

has

an

opportunity

returned!

Though

for

there

intentional

are

a

few

students at HHCA will enjoy it!

Jayden Hedges (left), Mr. Suddeth (middle), Ali Hayes Butler (right) Photo Credit: Claire Robbins 3

FEBUARY 1 2024

VOL. 2

Senior Assassin

By Emily Phillips An exciting and fairly new tradition is currently taking

place

among

the

senior

class.

Senior

Assassin, a fun water gun game, started last week.

The rules are simple. If you choose to play, you are assigned a target through the app, and you have around one week to “eliminate them." To eliminate them, you must spray your target with a water gun and record proof to post to the app. For round one, immunity is granted to those who wear goggles or floaties. Purge day, which started at 8 a.m. on January 29, rendered all goggles and floaties

useless.

The

only

restrictions

on

eliminations occur on the HHCA campus, in church, or at their job. Our participating seniors are really into the game, and round two is currently in progress. This round, for immunity, goggles must be worn around the eyes only. As the pool gets slimmer and the stakes get higher, seniors must get crafty if they want to get their target. This

Emma Riley and Millie Gilbreath

game is a great way to bring the class together in a fun yet unique way, encouraging class bonding.

Senior Recognition

By Amy Schutz On Friday January 19th, an HHCA tradition, Senior Recognition took place. The boys’ was held at 8 am in the PAC, whereas the girls’ was after the boys’ basketball game that night. The girls were also announced during halftime of the boys’ game.

The tradition of Senior Recognition began over twenty years ago as a way of recognizing the senior class and giving the parents a chance to write their child a loving letter.

Usually, the boys are escorted by their mothers and the girls are escorted by their fathers. There were laughs and there were tears from both the audience members and those on stage. Students also chose two teachers to write and read letters, Coach Houpt who was chosen by the boys, and Ms. O'Connor who was chosen by the girls. Overall, Senior Recognition was a huge success, and it allowed classmates the opportunity to learn more 4

about their peers.

Senior Girls Recognition Photo Credit: Amber Phillips

FEBUARY 1 2024

VOL. 2

Onions. Donezos

By Luke Williams

Whether they’re being used for dyes, oils, seasoning, or more, the brownish white crop has helped to

To quote American actor Will Rogers, “An onion

shape the modern world. With its presence being

can make people cry but there's never been a

seen throughout history and up to the present, the

vegetable that can make people laugh.” Never has

onion is a staple of modern agriculture. About every

there been such a vegetable as unique as the onions.

home cooked meal in the modern day has some

Its

for

element of onion infused in it. Even restaurants love

shepherd's pie, yet also a great analogy for both

onions, according to GillsOnions.com, about 93% of

ogres and former empires alike.

American Dining establishments use the onion. With

The onion has withstood the tests of time, having

105 billion pounds consumed yearly, the onion has

been used as early as 5000 BC, with origins deep in

to be doing something right, so what’s the appeal?

central Asia. When BC changed over to AD, the

The onion contains many vitamins and minerals

Romans had found a different use for the vegetable,

that are good for you, it's high in vitamin B and

using them in ointments that they believed could

vitamin C. And most importantly, they’re delicious

cure

when

when used properly in culinary environments. The

to

versatility of an onion is one of its most unique

“America”, the onions were brought over, helping to

features, the onion can be boiled, grilled, roasted,

feed the new nation. According to individuals from

sautéed, fried, and much more. Not to mention there

the time, onions were one of the first cultivated

are countless different types of onions, the most

crops by the pilgrims.

popular of which being, red, white, and yellow. The

scaly

layers

visual

Christopher

act

issues.

as

A

Colombus

a

great

seasoning

millennia had

later

sailed

over

onion is here to stay, in a world so devoid of flavor

The Winter Recital

and spice, it's nice to have the onion as an amazing fallback no matter what.

By Eli Taylor and Luke Strebe Mark your calendars for HHCA’s annual Winter Recital!

The

recital

will

feature

a

vastly

entertaining roster of talented students. The Winter Recital is filled with amazing vocal and instrumental performances. Open to grades 6-12, the HHCA Fine Arts department students will perform in the PAC for a fun-filled opportunity to share their God given gifts. The concert will be held on February 10th at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $10. This recital has had a wonderful legacy as last year’s was a tremendous success. So many students were able to showcase their amazing performances and the audience really enjoyed getting to see them showcase their talents.

We’re hoping for another amazing year. Come and support your fellow Eagles!

Mallory Krimm performing at Winter Recital 2023

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FEBUARY 1 2024

VOL. 2

The Eggstremely Sad Truth

By Emily Phillips Studies and surveys found that eggs are a staple in

"Vegetarian-fed" labels are pretty straight-forward.

around 94% of people's diets. In fact, statistics show

It means the chicken is fed a vegetarian diet, mainly

that an average American eats around 279 eggs per

corn,

year. Furthermore, each year, over 4 billion cartons

uneducated shopper, this, on a label, looks healthy.

of eggs are purchased. That's over seventeen billion

Unfortunately, this is not the case. By nature,

dollars a year spent on just eggs. With these

chickens are omnivores. They eat plants, animals,

statistics in mind, the next time you're at the grocery

and insects—a balanced diet. When you take away a

store buying eggs, stop and check exactly what kind

main food source from a chicken, they often fall

of eggs you're buying. Does the package say "cage-

short of essential nutrients and vitamins. This causes

free chickens," “free roaming chickens," or "pasture-

the chickens to be unhealthy and have a low quality

raised"?

of life.

Perhaps

it

says

"vegetarian-fed"

or

barley,

wheat,

and

other

grains.

To

an

"organic." You might think that these words are just marketing gimmicks and don't mean anything. On a

Organic eggs are classified by the standard that the

certain level, it is marketing, but believe it or not,

chicken

all these labels mean completely different things.

genetically modified food, no addition of chemicals,

is

fed

only

organic

feed,

no

use

of

pesticides, or anything of the sort, and lives in a On an egg carton, "cage-free chickens” is phrased to sound nice, when in reality, it can be harmful to the chickens. True, the chickens aren't in cages, but in some harvesting places, there are so many of them packed in one room together that they would honestly end up getting more space in a cage.

Additionally, these facilities have no windows, which means

that

chickens

receive

artificial

light

as

opposed to natural light, which, mixed with crowded spaces, can potentially mess with their natural instincts. This quality of life is not ideal for a chicken, which hopefully causes you to stop and think about ethics next time you pick up a "cagefree" carton.

their access to fresh air and open land. These factors can help lead to healthier chickens. Many people swear that these eggs taste better due to the chickens being better taken care of and fed. Unfortunately, larger producers have been known to meet the bare in

order

to

call

themselves

a

free-

range/roam farm. This can mean only putting small windows in the space and giving the hen access to the outside to roam, but the access is nonetheless limited.

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only then will the farmer treat it with antibiotics.

(This is important because commercial non-organic chickens are given antibiotics routinely, even when they aren't sick.) Depending on the provider, organic eggs aren't a bad option when you are looking at healthy options.

Pasture-raised chickens are allowed to roam freely in pastures and graze on whatever natural food they find. This can include worms, insects, seeds, or any other food that has been spread for them. These chickens spend all of their time in the fresh air and sunlight, free to roam freely and happily on a pasture. Additionally, these chickens are given no

Free-roaming chickens are slightly better, regarding

minimum

cage-free environment. If the chicken becomes sick,

hormones,

drugs,

or

antibiotics.

Farmers

who

pasture raise their chickens emphasize that the chickens

live

as

naturally

as

possible.

Buying

pasture-raised chickens is a healthy and ethical alternative to other eggs. Though they can be pricey, I would say it's worth the extra money to ensure healthy eating and living habits in your home.

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

VOL: 2

JEN Conference: 2024

By Emma Taylor The HHCA Eagles Jazz Band had the amazing opportunity to go to the Jazz Education

Network

2024

jazz

music

conference. This invitational conference was held in the city of New Orleans, LA. The Eagles Jazz band got to experience New Orleans music and culture and see some of the best musicians in the US, and

even

world-renowned

musicians.

Despite this, they still enjoyed seeing musicians their age. The students got to perform in front of and receive a short lesson from professional musicians while they learned a lot about the music they were playing. The band was also able to go to an exhibit hall where they could try new instruments, and see what certain colleges had to offer!

The Eagles Jazz Band is standing in front of the steamboat at the Toulouse Wharf

This experience extended even beyond the conference hotel! The jazz band got to go on a street car ride through the city down to the Toulouse Wharf, and go on a steamboat ride where lunch was provided.

During this, the Eagles got a fun tour of the river on one of the most iconic forms of New Orleans transportation and also got

to

eat

some

incredible

food.

Afterwards, they got to do some shopping downtown and go to the famous Cafe Du Monde,

and

eat

some

delicious,

old-

fashioned beignets! The Eagles Jazz band would like to thank HHCA and all of the Boosters for making this super fun and enriching trip possible!

The Eagles Jazz Band is on stage with their two professional judges after the clinic

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FEBUARY 1 2024

s ’ a c Winter Writing h h

VOL. 2

Competition Submissions Vote on your favorite student entries bellow...

Locked

By Madison Moore

Captain Jack

By Anonymous

My heart is locked

Whish, splash, thud, whish, splash, thud.

With the key thrown far

Sailer sailing the seven seas. Looking for

It’s completely blocked off

Inqa treasure more than a mind can

With an iron bar

conceive. Many men have tried ,but all have failed. Until Captain Jack has set

The iron stays strong

his trail. Under a hidden ruin the treasure

And the bar won’t budge

lies waiting for Jack to arrive, his mind

My heart feels heavy

debating. Many men have tried ,but none

And slow as sludge

dug until Captain Jack arrived with a thud. As he dug he heard the voices clear

The iron holds fast

Jack had found the artifact of fear. In his

And it’s still sealed tight

glory he thought back to his past. The

My heart seems to stop

people he killed the families he had

And nothing feels right

trashed, but Jack can not look back no no he was holding what he thought he loved

Then someone calls out

most. Many men have loved ,but no not

And opens the vault

Jack, he spent his life searching for

Voices rise saying

something that can't love him back. Jack

“The world’s not your fault”

sits there in his hole reflecting back waiting for this inamite object to show where compassion lacks.

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FEBUARY 1 2024

VOL. 2

Desert

By Anonymous The worst place to die is the desert.

Everything looks the same You don’t know where you’re going You’re lost You’re hungry You’re thirsty Heat exposure makes you insane You die as a different person Heat melts your face, disfiguring your body Your corpse rots as the animals eat They eat like you’re their last meal

Mac-n-cheese

By Chloe Knight The time has come for all to gather round.

The table’s set, the worries put at bay.

Never guessed when they sat down what they found.

For this dish, surely everyone will stay.

The recipe passed down from age to age, This dish is as easy as one, two, three.

Truly could’ve been said on Shakespeare’s stage, When with this dish, no one compares to thee.

A classic course that everyone will love.

A dish that you will never have to fear.

The masterpiece that’s made from up above.

The melted cheese and pasta makes my year.

Don’t take it away from me please oh please.

Can’t wait to eat the glorious mac and cheese.

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FEBUARY 1 2024

A Trip to the ER

By Anonymous

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VOL. 2

FEBUARY 1 2024

VOL. 2

When Bluebirds Sing

By Anonymous

Fall breeze was everywhere in the forest, the trees swayed, the birds chirped and particularly today the wolves hunted fiercely. There were all types of wolves gray, white and black, they ran and roared with their thick fur and bellowing eyes all who were eager to get their first meal of the day. Not Blue, Blue liked to sit at the ridge and cook meals watching over the animals and trees spread throughout the forest.

He enjoyed the scent of eggs and peppers cooking nearby, while listening to the fashioned blue birds sing a song nearby. The other wolves laughed and pointed paws at this, thinking that he was less of a dog because he only ate what he cooked. He seemed to have worries every now and then that this might be true, Blue had never been hunting, nor had he fought to lead the pack. Blue had gotten bullied because of this many times by a wolf of the name of Briar, Briar always hunted and never listened to the birds sing joyfully, he pointed and howled about Blue's way of life.

One day Briar challenged Blue to a competition to see who could create the best legend. Briar made his that he was fighting 3 bears and conquered them all with a fearsome claw and powerful bite with wonderful glory. Blue made his story about a simple life of a cub that listened to the songs of birds for wisdom. The pride took great interest and wit towards Briars story and it is said that he won the competition. Four years later both wolves die and the other wolves hurt until one day the alpha heard a bird singing in the trees. The alpha told many great stories of wisdom and justice towards the pack so one day maybe they would understand the value of knowledge. Years later the pack walked again

VOTE HERE!

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Crossword

ACROSS 3. WHERE WAS SENIOR RECOGNITION HELD? 6. WHERE DID THE EAGLES JAZZ BAND TRAVEL TO? 7. BEST VEGETABLE, ACCORDING TO THE CREST?

DOWN 1. THE WINTER RECITAL WILL FEATURE INSTRUMENTAL AND _____ TALENTS. 2. WHAT'S THE ABBREVIATION FOR THE JAZZ CONFERENCE? 4. HOW MANY YEARS HAS HHCA HOSTED SENIOR RECOGNITION? 5. WHERE WILL THE WINTER RECITAL BE HELD?