The Hoof Print: Spring 2024 | Issue 2

Hoof Print

Leadership Team

Peyton Miller

Editor-in-Chief

Peyton Miller is a senior at Middle Creek and plays soccer for the school She was born in Phoenix, Arizona Outside of school, Peyton enjoys hanging out with her family and friends After school, she plans on continuing her education at Syracuse University and hopes to study journalism

Eve DaSilva is a junior at Middle Creek High School She was born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina She enjoys playing lacrosse and spending time with friends and family

Eve DaSilva Lead Designer

Leadership Team

Sophie Laine School News Editor

Sophie Laine is a 16-year-old junior at Middle Creek High School. She has two younger siblings and two cats. She enjoys hanging out with friends and working out and throws for the MCHS track team. After high school, she plans to attend college for Organizational Psychology and find a career in Human Resources.

Hadley Donnell Sports Editor

Hadley Donnell is a junior at Middle Creek High School. She was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. Hadley has one older brother. She enjoys playing tennis and she has been a member of the Middle Creek tennis team for two years. She also loves hanging out with her friends in her free time!

Noah Banta

Music & Entertainment Editor

Noah Banta is a junior at Middle Creek High School. He was born in Buffalo, New York but moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, when he was very young. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies, listening to music, reading, and writing about himself in the third person for the school newspaper.

Kiley Carr Spotlights Editor

Kiley Carr is a junior at Middle Creek High School. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and has two siblings. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends and dancing.

Paige Herschman National & Global News Editor

Paige Herschman is a junior at Middle Creek High School. She plays soccer, which helps her when she has to work in teams with her peers. Paige is interested in seeing what is happening around the world and what her classmates, teachers, and many other people are interested in.

Aiden Mobley Opinion Editor

Aiden Mobley is a senior at Middle Creek. He was born and raised in North Carolina and enjoys playing and watching sports, reading, and writing. He will attend college for environmental science and communication.

Szaffi Hock De Leon Assistant Designer

Szaffi Hock De Leon is currently a 17-year-old junior at Middle Creek High School. She was born in North Carolina. She loves to snowboard, read, write, and sleep. She is currently a varsity swimmer and a lacrosse player at Middle Creek High School. After high school, she plans to attend college at NYU or NC State.

Gabriel Auger Staff Writer

Gabriel Auger is a senior at Middle Creek High School. He was born in Manchester, New Hampshire, and moved to North Carolina when he was 11. His favorite sports team is the Boston Bruins, and he likes snowboarding, which he started when he was five years old.

Liam Debrauwer Staff Writer

Liam Debrauwer is a 17-year-old junior at Middle Creek High School. He was born in Cary, North Carolina. He loves to play hockey and video games and watch Carolina Hurricanes and Carolina Panthers games. After high school, he plans to attend a four-year university to pursue a medical career.

Jalexi Huckeba Staff Writer

Jalexi Huckeba is a junior here at Middle Creek High School. She was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she currently resides. Jalexi’s family is part islander, the island being Guam, where her grandparents were born. She especially enjoys quality time with her family and friends. She is also very passionate about dance and plans on pursuing a career as a professional dancer and teacher.

Staff

Dylan Axman Staff Writer

Dylan Axman is a senior at Middle Creek High School and has been part of the men’s varsity lacrosse team for the past four years. After high school Dylan is going to attend Queens University of Charlotte to play Division 1 lacrosse.

Fabian Garcia Staff Writer

Fabian Garcia is 17 and a junior here at Middle Creek High School. He is a born and raised North Carolinian. He enjoys media-related things, whether it's music, movies, or video games in general.

Ashton Jackovich Staff Writer

Ashton Jackovich is a student at Middle Creek High School who is 18 years old. He has lived in Apex, North Carolina, his entire life. He enjoys watching the Denver Broncos and going to Carolina Hurricanes games.

Sebastian Candioti Staff Writer

Sebastian Candioti is a junior at Middle Creek High School. He was born in Ojai, California, in 2007, then in 2016 moved to North Carolina. He enjoys swimming and soccer, as well as playing the piano. In his free time, he loves to watch movies, play video games, read, and write. After graduation, he plans to attend film school and work in the movie industry.

Maddie Herndon Staff Writer

Maddie Herndon is a junior at Middle Creek High School. She was born in Atlanta, Georgia. She is on the cheerleading and softball teams. She loves hanging out with her family and friends and spending time at the lake and beach.

Casey Jacob Staff Writer

Casey Jacob is a senior at Middle Creek High School. He was born and raised in North Carolina. He enjoys going to the beach, watching sports, and betting on 12-leg parlays that never hit. He will be attending college for psychology in hopes of becoming a therapist.

Jayce Konowitz Staff Writer

Jayce Konowitz is a junior at Middle Creek. He plays on the varsity lacrosse team and has been a part of the team for three years now. When he is not on the lacrosse field he likes to spend time with friends and family, as well as workout.

Mary Lohmeyer is a junior at Middle Creek High School. As a player on the women's lacrosse team, she has a passion for sports along with hiking and reading. When she graduates, she wants to go to college to study wildlife management.

Mayra Rossel is a sophomore at Middle Creek High School. She was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. She was a part of the school's soccer team her freshman year and in her free time, she enjoys hanging out with friends and family.

Staff

Maddie Lehmkuhl Staff Writer

Maddie Lehmkuhl is a senior at Middle Creek High School. She loves to hang out with friends and family, work out, and go to the beach! She plans to attend East Carolina University and study exercise science and physiology.

Samuel Moser is a 17-yearold writer who was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is a junior and attends Middle Creek High School. He is a fan of the Ravens and the Hornets. In the upcoming future, he is planning on learning how to finance and invest his money.

Zak Ossi is a senior at Middle Creek High School who has played on the Middle Creek Men's Soccer team for four years. He plans on attending a four-year university and after college wants to pursue a career in business management.

Carmen Shird is a senior at Middle Creek High School. She was born and raised in North Carolina. She plays varsity basketball. She loves to spend time with her friends during her free time and loves to cook, watch movies, and listen to music.

Jacob Lewis

Jacob Lewis is an 18-year-old student who attends Middle Creek High School. He was born and raised in Apex, North Carolina. He loves watching Ohio State football, Bengals football, and the Carolina Hurricanes. He also enjoys playing video games and hanging out with his friends. After high school, he plans to attend a four-year university as an undecided major.

Finn Rissanen is an 18-yearold senior at Middle Creek High School. He was born in Cary, North Carolina, and has lived here his whole life. Finn has a passion for aviation, cars, and graphic design, and in his free time he textures 3D models for games as freelance work.

Sophia Sica is a junior at Middle Creek High School. She was born in Long Island, New York, and moved to North Carolina at the age of three. She loves to spend time with family and friends, go to the gym, and pet sit. She is also involved in Middle Creek Key Club and SGA.

Staff Writer

Mary Lohmeyer Staff Writer

Zak Ossi Staff Writer

Finn Rissanen Staff Writer

Mayra Rossel Staff Writer

Carmen Shird Staff Writer

Sophia Sica Staff Writer

Sam Moser Staff Writer

Another great week at the Creek!

We have lots of interesting articles for you all to read We are looking at recent movies that have been released, sports news, and a special student spotlight with our President Lucas!

Spring sports have kicked off recently and have been very successful. I can't wait to see the progress of these student-athletes as the season continues.

Our writers have worked hard this week to get this issue out to you We hope you enjoy it, and stay tuned for our next issue

SPOTLIGHTS

SHINING A LIGHT

ON THE BEST OF MIDDLE CREEK

Lucas Downen is a senior here at Middle Creek. He holds leadership positions in various programs and clubs. Some include the President of Special Events for the SGA, the Vice President of NHS, Principal Student Advisory Committee, the Chick-fil-a Leadership Academy, and the Apex Mayor’s Internship Program

Staff here at Middle Creek only have good things to say about Lucas Mr Prelaske, one of the SGA advisors, says, “The world is run by the people that show up Lucas shows up It is his superpower He will be there, he will be happy to help, and he will try to make a positive contribution. If everyone was like that, the world would be a better place.”

Coach Wray, our former Athletic Director, says, “In the history of MCHS, Lucas Downen is probably one of the most school-spirited students EVER! If every student had HALF of Lucas' passion and love for MC, it would be the best school in the world. Lucas has never met a stranger, and even if he did, he would do anything to make their day better. He has certainly impacted many folks during his time at MC and will continue to do that for years to come. ” When asked what stands out about Lucas as a student, Coach Wray says, “Lucas brought 100 percent EFFORT to everything he did in my class - while some of the tasks were certainly different than what most classes offer, Lucas attacked each task and project with great attitude and effort The approach and positive attitude Lucas brought every day was infectious and always made me smile!”

Lucas recently was awarded the Spotlight on Students, an award for outstanding achievement. This award was presented to him by the Wake County Public Schools Board of Education. Lucas was nominated by Mrs. Peckham, Ms. Megronigle, and Mrs. Gillespie. Lucas says, “I was very humbled to receive this big accomplishment.”

When asked what Lucas means to Middle Creek, our principal, Mrs. Peckham says, “I have always seen Lucas as one of the biggest cheerleaders and promoters of Middle Creek HS. He genuinely cares about all of the students and staff that are a part of our school, and he truly enjoys attending each and every event and celebrating all of our successes. ” Mrs. Peckham also mentioned, “One endearing, and honestly commendable, unique thing about Lucas is that every time I have had to hire a new administrator, coach, or even many of our new teachers over the past four years, Lucas will be the first student to introduce himself to them and welcome them to our school. He is willing to chip in and do hard work or step into a leadership role to get things done, and he is one of the most social students I know ”

Lucas says his plans after graduation are to attend Wake Tech Community College and major in business management and hospitality He plans to use the degree to work at a hotel, working at the front desk and office

According to Lucas, Middle Creek is like home Lucas is an incredible student and Middle Creek is so lucky to have him We wish the best of luck to Lucas and his bright future ahead!

SEIZING THE DAY WITH LATIN CLUB

“Carpe Diem,” was a phrase written by the Roman poet, Horace, in his Odes from 23 BCE, when trying to express the theme of living every day to its fullest. This saying was especially used in the 1989 movie Dead Poets Society, as the characters begin to live each of their days to the fullest, using Horace’s saying as their theme. Similarly, Latin Club members live each club meeting to the fullest, playing games, hanging out, and participating in friendly competitions in a Roman environment.

Once a month, the Latin Club has a new activity that makes each meeting interesting. Brinn Flohr, a Latin Club officer, explains that each meeting is set up with a lesson before they do an activity. These lessons talk about an aspect of Roman life, mythology, or history. After the short lesson, the club participates in activities based on the lesson Brinn’s favorite meeting, which is upcoming, is Cereal Day, where she explains, “This is a Latin class/club tradition where everyone brings in a different box of cereal, and we all celebrate the goddess Cerce while trying different cereals ”

Similarly, Jae Woods, another Latin Club officer, also expressed her love for Cereal Day, but also added, “I like to play Trigon. It is really fun. It’s a Roman game that we play.”

Lots of activities in the club are Latin craft-based, competitive games, word search competitions, Latin Olympics, historical Latin sports, and much more. The club itself is open to anyone in the school, not just Latin students, and according to Brinn, is “such a tightly knit club that everyone who comes to the club either finds people they already know or easily makes new friends.”

Whether you ’ re a Latin student, have an interest in Ancient Rome, or simply want a fun, lowmaintenance club to join, the Latin club might be for you

To learn more information, go to the club’s Instagram: @mchs latin club, and remember the saying “Carpe Diem” the next time you enter the Latin classroom.

BY MARY LOHMEYER

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: CARTER JACOBS

BY: ZAK OSSI

Carter Jacobs has been seen as one of the top prospects in the east and that Middle Creek High School has seen this decade. Carter has verbally committed to play Division I football at The Citadel. Carter is an absolute unit down in the trenches and the lead tackle on every run play in Middle Creek football’s playbook.

NCHSAA selected Carter to play in the East vs West all-star games. Carter is the first Middle Creek football player ever to have been selected to play in this game. “I feel very honored, and I feel that it was a very well-earned achievement” Carter explained how much the coaching staff at Middle Creek High School influenced him and helped him become the man he is today “Coach Jacobs and Coach Willix, I had the most one-on-one time with them Coach Willix put me in the weight room, and Jacobs put the word out for us and let colleges know about our undiscovered talents. They both had the most impact on my high school career, and both pushed me to be the player I am today.”

Coach Jacobs has been Middle Creek High School’s football coach for three years and has had a significant impact on the football program at Middle Creek.

Coach Jacobs gives his take on what comes to mind when he hears the name Carter Jacobs: “Mental Toughness, internal drive, competitiveness, leadership.” When that smoke gets lit, and “We Ready” begins to play, “Carter is a strong kid that doesn’t play for fun he’s; all about business ” Carter led the Mustangs to six wins and five losses and plans to bring the same intensity to every practice and every game at The Citadel

STAFF SPOTLIGHT:

MR. PETTY

BY: DAVIS MURR

Wesley Petty is a Video Production and Digital Media teacher at Middle Creek. He began working at Middle Creek High School in the 2004-2005 school year and has since become a beloved and integral member of the Middle Creek family.

Mr Petty originally entered his working career in business and industry Along the way, he recognized the many people who had given him opportunities and helped him to reach his potential, and he felt that his calling was to help others realize their potential It was then he decided to become a teacher, primarily focusing on the digital media and production fields. Although most students in America aren’t exposed to those industries until later in life, he says that teaching them to younger students helps to instill “opportunities for creative freedom, artistic ability, and skill sets using digital software.”

Mr. Petty is heavily involved in the Adobe Digital Media Academy and SkillsUSA organization, which lets students hone their skills and collaborate with others in a professional setting. Mr. Petty is incredibly proud of the work he’s done with the Academy and SkillsUSA, and is immensely grateful for his team of fellow Digital Media teachers, which includes Mr. Maldonado, Mrs. Williams, Ms. Jones, Mr. Williams, and Ms. Dextre, who he says “work really well together to help mold the Academy into the best of the best.”

Mr. Petty cites some challenges with being a teacher, as helping to balance the motivation and levels of interest of a large group of students can be difficult. However, he builds unique connections with each of his students, challenging them in exciting ways and building their motivation and confidence. When asked what he thought was the most rewarding part of being a teacher at Middle Creek, Mr. Petty said, “The most rewarding part of being a teacher is seeing the lightbulb come on. Seeing the ideas come across that students come up with Seeing the things that they can physically create and realizing the belief they have in themselves from making that Seeing the self-confidence grow from each student every day and creating something that they didn’t think they could do and learning a new skill, and then having that skill be something they use for the rest of their life ”

For students aspiring to become teachers, Mr Petty said, “Be ready for the challenge It’s a lot of work at the beginning, but it’s the most rewarding job you will ever have ” For students aspiring to enter the Digital Media field, Mr. Petty said, “Stay on top of current changes. Technology is going to change every day. A lot of careers that people will go into for Digital Media have yet to be invented, so stay on top of technology and always be eager to learn.”

Thank you, Mr. Petty, for being a dedicated member of the Middle Creek family and showing kindness, compassion, and respect to our students and staff!

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: BUCKER SAMAMRA

BY: MADDIE LEHMKUHL

Bucker Samamra is a sophomore here at Middle Creek High School who is heavily involved in sports, clubs, and his academic success. He originally lived in Hickory, North Carolina, and then moved to Germany for three years. In the beginning of first grade, Bucker moved to Raleigh, North Carolina. His favorite subjects are Science and History, and this semester he is currently enrolled in AP Government and Politics. He has played junior varsity football for two years and hopes to play on varsity this upcoming 2024 season Bucker likes to hang out with friends, go to the gym, and relax in his free time He also is an active member of the HOSA club

Ms Stangl taught Bucker last semester in Honors Chemistry She says, “He would always have a smile on his face and eager to learn when in the classroom.”

Bucker is the type of student who is often quiet and comes off as shy, but he really is just observing and is a well rounded student. Ms. Stangl says that Bucker is “the kid who is always saying hi in the beginning of class, and bye at the end of class and portrays as a good student athlete role model.” Ms. Stangl said she loved teaching Bucker due to the fact that he is always willing to ask questions, offers ideas about concepts, and has always been respectful towards her and his classmates

Bucker is not sure where he wants to attend college, but hopes to attend a fouryear university for either football or academics He will be playing football the rest of high school and will continue to be involved in HOSA.

CONFLICT IN GAZA PERSISTS

By: Sophie Laine

As the conflict between Israel and Palestine continues, it is important to stay informed on what is going on But first, a little backstory:

The Israel-Palestine conflict is deeply rooted in historical, religious, and territorial disagreements As both communities and their religions claim Jerusalem as a holy city, they have been fighting over the territory for centuries After World War II, the United Nations partitioned the British Mandate of Palestine in 1947, which led to the creation of Israel This triggered a ton of conflict between Arabs and Israelis The 1967 Six-Day War resulted in Israel gaining control of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip The Gaza conflict, specifically, was due to an extremist group, Hamas, gaining control of Palestine in 2007. This led to blockades and multiple altercations with Israel.

This brings us to today, as the conflict between Palestine and Israel continues. When Hamas won the Palestinian election in 2006 and seized control of the Gaza Strip and West Bank, they became determined to defeat Israel.

Now, Palestinians, as well as many people around countries like the United Kingdom and the United States, are advocating for the restoration of peace and order in Palestine. 2021 was a turning point in the conflict as, according to World101.org, “Israel launched a counterterrorism operation in the West Bank in response to attacks by Palestinians against Jewish Israelis. The operation and resulting resurgence contribute to the deadliest year for both sides since 2005, an uptick in violence that only turned out to rise in 2023.” The conflict has persisted and has recently gained the international public’s attention when, in October 2023, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, resulting in an uprising of violence. Since then, the media has covered the entire conflict as it progresses and continues to shape history

For live, unbiased updates, you can visit sites like NPR, BBC, CBS, the Guardian, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and more

APPLE VISION PRO RESETS AR/VR MARKET

BY FABIAN GARCIA

Ever since the Apple Vision Pro was released, it has been becoming popular, with many people buying it and even using it in public. People are now using it more and more after its initial release because social media is affecting their market with popular trends. For example, people are using them while ordering in restaurants, and people are using them while driving, using the autopilot feature in their Teslas. Those buyers are the reason why more companies are trying to push out products such as the Vision Pro to see if they can get that same level of attention Apple is currently getting.

For example, according to Digital Trends, Samsung “just launched the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2, a new spatial computing processor that will power Samsung’s XR headset that will compete with Apple’s Vision Pro.” We will not only see companies like Samsung trying to push out products like these but also companies like Meta, who already have an AR/VR headset, the Meta Quest 3, which for now is Apple's main competitor But the Vision Pro isn't going to be the only one for long Apple has already affected the market with the Vision Pro, but according to Mark Gurman, “The Vision Pro could instead cannibalize the iPad It has the potential to provide a far better experience for the main jobs that Apple’s tablet was designed to handle ” With other smartphone companies following Apple by replacing tablets later on with VR options, more products like the Vision Pro will be released

This isn’t the first time Apple has done something like this, as they had done it previously to the iPod when it was still being sold. Apple decided to entirely discontinue the product because you could now do what the iPod could do, which was to play music and buy music, but now available on the iPhone through iTunes and other streaming services, entirely destroying the purpose of the product. This just shows how the Vision Pro will be the make or break for Apple. If it becomes successful and becomes more accessible, it could change the whole technology industry while making us one step closer to a possible dystopian future. A way Apple is trying to achieve this is similar to how Tesla is trying to make people transition to electric vehicles. Apple is trying to transition people to AR/VR by slowly doing so with its Vision Pro and other products down the line, making us one step closer to a more realistic dystopian future with AR/VR goggles.

CONFLICT AMONGST SILENCE

BY JAYCE KONOWITZ

In February 2023, Russia decided to invade Ukraine. Initially, it was all over the news, and you must have lived under a rock if you hadn’t heard about it It’s been two years since the invasion began Has the war in Gaza driven the attention away from the war in Ukraine? Is the war in Ukraine starting to slow down?

The answer to the first question is yes: the war in Gaza has drawn the attention of the public away from Ukraine. People don’t talk or see nearly as much about Ukraine anymore.

To answer the second question: No, the war is not slowing down. In fact, the war still has some twists and turns. According to the daily report by the military, Russia has recruited as many as 15,000 Nepalis to fight in Ukraine. Most people wouldn’t know about this because the war in Gaza has received much more national and global media attention.

The U.S. has played a role in the war in Ukraine. The U S , since the beginning, has given weapons to Ukraine This includes Howitzers, Stinger antiaircraft, and more However, in some parts of the front, Russian forces have seemed to have built a 30kilometer-long barrier for protection against any possible Ukraine attacks

In addition to building a barrier, Russia has launched it’s new Zircon hypersonic missile that is almost impossible to shoot down. According to CNN, “The alliance says its speed has been put at Mach 8, or almost 9,900 kilometers per hour (6,138 mph). Hypersonic is defined as any speed above Mach 5 (3,836 mph).” If that speed is accurate, the hypersonic missile will be the fastest in the world. This makes it nearly impossible to defend.

While attention has been drawn away from Ukraine, they stay in the conflict. Will Ukraine push Russia away, or will Russia continue to slowly advance west? As the war rolls on, the casualties will continue.

Every man should periodically be compelled to listen to opinions which are infuriating to him. To hear nothing but what is pleasing to one is to make a pillow of the mind.

-St. John Ervine

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS GREAT AS LONG AS IT’S NOT AWFUL

BY AIDEN MOBLEY

I asked ChatGPT, “What is a dog?” “A loyal pet mammal,” it responded Reasonable enough, I think it’s safe to say ChatGPT knows what a dog is

Wrong. ChatGPT has no clue what a dog is, and it’s certainly incapable of conceptualizing what it thinks one might be - because it doesn’t think. ChatGPT, like other forms of generative AI, uses algorithmic models such as natural language processing (broader processing and analytical tasks) and large language models (specific, creative, and personalized tasks), among other things over my head, to generate a human-like response to the words “What,” “is,” “ a, ” and “dog” used consecutively.

According to Rayid Ghani, a professor of machine learning at Carnegie Mellon, “The model is just predicting the next word I don't understand ” So, artificial intelligence does not have human intelligence; it’s just a bunch of math that pretends like it does Even the viral robot ‘Sophia,’ developed by Hanson Robotics, which said it wanted to destroy humans, had no semblance of human consciousness Sentient AI with emotions and the ability to subjectively perceive, interpret, and formulate opinions about its surroundings does not exist… yet. It may never exist, or it may come a year from now.

Currently employed AI, however, such as ChatGPT, self-driving cars, autocorrect, personalized shopping recommendations, and the overzealous Spotify DJ, are entrenched in our daily lives. There’s no going back, so get used to it.

And, maybe, get excited about it AI increases productivity, improves healthcare and access to education, and eliminates menial tasks, saving time and money If you ’ re worried about AI taking your job? Don’t be. AI has the potential to not only create more jobs than it replaces but also to create better jobs for humans. AI may replace the repetitive, manufacturing, Fordist jobs, but it will create higher-income, post-Fordist jobs and improve the quality of life for humans.

Or, maybe, don’t get excited about it. The technological, social, and legal infrastructure of our society is far behind the support needed for what AI may provide in the near future. Worried about data privacy and biases? Me too. Artificial intelligence legislation has only been enacted in 18 states, including North Carolina, but it is not close to what is necessary to appropriately and safely govern it and prevent data leaks, discrimination, and disinformation, among other catastrophic possibilities As artificial intelligence, one of the fastest growing industries in the world, continues to occupy more and more of the limelight, there will inevitably be more safety and privacy guidelines put in place, but the hands-off approach we have right now is a good cause for alarm.

If AI is only getting more efficient and more secure, then the future is bright. The AI we use every day is entertaining and filled to the brim with unrealized capabilities, but without policy and regulation, it can be dangerous. It’s just as dangerous as conscious AI, even. Self-aware AI presents a host of complex problems that we as a society presently cannot handle without chaotic dysfunction, the likes of which are hard to even predict. But sentient AI isn’t real, so I suggest you don’t worry about it for now.

SCHOOL NEWS

GRAYSON NYE: THREE-TIME STATE CHAMPION

BY: MADDIE HERNDON

Middle Creek Swim Team Captain Grayson Nye has recently won the state championship again! He is a senior this year and has been on the swim team for all four years that he has been at Middle Creek He has not only won the state championship this year, but he has the past two years as well

Competing in the state championship event, Grayson had a fantastic race. In addition to Grayson winning the state championship, he beat two of his school records: the 200 IM and 100-meter breaststroke. These were records that he had made previously and then beat them again.

Grayson was thrilled with the outcome. “I beat my school records, and I got the 4A state record.” Grayson said, “I felt like my hard work had paid off when I got this award.” He has been very dedicated all season to receive this accomplishment and be where he is now. Grayson loves swimming and being on the Middle Creek team. He says, “I love that it is an individual sport and you control your own times, but it's also a team sport because a lot of people are going for the same kind of goal but each in their individual way ”

Grayson was asked how swimming has benefited him, and he answered, “Swimming has taught me dedication and how to work hard ” He is very committed and dedicated to swimming Looking ahead, Grayson will be continuing his swimming career at the University of Tennessee. He says, “My future goals are to swim in college and see where that takes me. ” He hopes to continue his growth and successes in college and see where it will take him from there.

Congratulations to Grayson Nye on this truly remarkable achievement, and we wish him the very best as he moves forward to his college journey at the University of Tennessee, where he will continue his swimming career.

EPISODE 2 SEASON 2 click

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LOVE IS IN THE AIR: CANDY GRAMS AT THE CREEK

BY HADLEY DONNELL

Candy grams at the Creek are very popular on Valentine’s Day! Key Club sells them a week before Valentine's day during A and B lunches. Each candy gram comes with a handwritten personalized note and candy bar! The candy grams get passed out during second period on Valentine’s Day

Key Club is a great club to be a part of at Middle Creek Autumn Parish is the president of the Key Club She informed us that “ over 200 candy grams were sold!” Even though a good amount of people in each grade bought candy grams, she mentioned, “Mostly underclassmen bought candy grams this year ” Autumn said, “It was super fun to host it this year! And we were able to get a lot of volunteers to help us out!”

Taylor Herschman is a freshman here at Middle Creek. She received a candy gram from one of her best friends this Valentine’s day. She said, “I loved getting the candy gram, it was nice to receive it in class!” Taylor also got one of her friends a candy gram! She mentioned how she liked getting to show an act of kindness towards her friend.

Candy grams are a great way to spread joy and happiness around Middle Creek. Next year you should consider getting one for someone special!

VARSITY CHEER MUSTANGS

BRING THEIR ALL AT NATIONALS

BY KILEY CARR

The 2024 Cheerleading Nationals Competition was held from Friday (2/9) to Sunday (2/11) in Orlando, Florida. The Middle Creek High School Varsity Cheer Team started learning parts of their routine the second week of August and continued to build on them each week until the competition Although the Mustangs didn’t win, it was unanimous from everyone interviewed that they all had a great time!

Jodi Kandl is the Varsity Cheer Coach at Middle Creek, and when asked what her favorite memory from the trip was, she responded, "Watching them all take the High School Nationals stage, a first for all 19 cheerleaders. Many have competed for allstar cheerleading, but this is a different environment.”

The cheerleaders made 17th place and to make it to the second day, they had to make the top ten. Despite this, Coach Kandl exclaimed how she was very proud of the team’s performance and that they performed many aspects of their routine well. She stated “They hit their elite stunt. This is the hardest stunting element of the routine. We had seven freshmen taking the floor and all were excited about their skills. The team was able to learn what they could improve on for next year. They had time to bond and spend time together outside of practice.”

When asked what she will miss the most with the season coming to an end, Kandl explained that she will miss seeing the girls improve each practice and the comradery with the current seniors, but she’s also excited to see the team gain skills over the next six months before tryouts in August

Junior Annabelle Troast has been cheering at Middle Creek for two years and is one of the captains on the team Some other schools that Annabelle said were their main competition included Oak Ridge, Apex, and Cardinal Gibbons. When asked about the competition, she explained that even though they didn’t win, they got to go to Disney instead, so it was “still a good experience overall.” Annabelle also explained that the team had a great season and focused on moving forward and coming back stronger next year.

Sophomore Clare Hibberd is another cheerleader who went to nationals with the team. Clare has been on the team for two years, and her favorite memory from the competition is “the excitement from my group in the middle of the routine when our first stunt hit.”

Clare thinks the team worked together to make it as far as they did by holding each other accountable for their skills while also cheering for each other through practices and competitions

The team did a great job at nationals, and they’re optimistic about their chances for next year and excited to start their new season!

HELPING OTHERS THROUGH THE RED CROSS CLUB

BY SOPHIE LAINE

The Red Cross Club at Middle Creek High School hosted a donation drive to obtain a variety of self-care products for US veterans. The club met on February 12th after school to sort through the donations received from students and teachers. Some of the items donated were hairbrushes, toothbrushes and toothpaste, deodorant, soap, shaving cream, and razors

Club leader Sophia Shaw said, “In a couple of weeks, the club members will distribute the self-care packages to the veterans ”

The American Red Cross makes a big difference in the lives of others It is a non-profit humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States, primarily through the work of volunteers. Red Cross Youth volunteers share their spirit of service through their schools and communities.

According to Middle Creek High School club information, there are over 30 active members in this club. Although the club doesn't do a large number of projects, they want to do a few big, meaningful ones.

One of them this year was the donation drive for self-care products. If you are interested in joining the club, don’t hesitate to reach out to Sophia Shaw!

WHAT CHILDHOOD MEMORIES HAVE SHAPED YOU INTO THE PERSON YOU ARE TODAY?

BY SOPHIA SICA

As we are all growing up, looking back on your childhood and the memories you experienced can make a significant impact on the person you are today. Our early experiences in life shape our beliefs about ourselves, the people around us, and the world. I decided to take the time to interview a couple of students and teachers to ask them what childhood memory shaped them the most into the person they are today.

Mr. Logelin is a history teacher and SGA advisor who has taught here at Middle Creek for 12 years. A certain childhood memory that stood out to him most was in high school in California when he had these two teachers in particular who guided him through those four years. One of the teachers was Jack Brown, his woodshop teacher, and Jack Danielson, his PE teacher and football, basketball, and baseball coach. Mr. Logelin always had a passion for playing sports during and after high school, so he thought teaching and coaching would be the right path. He states, “My teachers made me realize I can have an impact on students the way my teachers had an impact on me, not just academically but also as a mentor.”

I took the time to interview volleyball state champion Natalie Spence about her childhood and what memory stood out to her the most that shaped her into the person she is today Natalie said, “The childhood memory that shaped me the most would be going to my grandma's house in Pennsylvania every Christmas because we’d see all of our extended family, and it made me realize how much family means to me Me and my cousin would bake cookies and watch the movie Elf ” She also said she misses this tradition, and it has really made an impact on her life because now that she is growing up Her life has changed since then, and she feels in some of the past years, the excitement for Christmas did not feel the same as when she was just a little kid Thinking about this memory, Natalie feels bittersweet She felt good thinking back on spending time with her loved ones, but she knew she couldn’t relive those memories and get them back.

In many various ways, our memories help develop who we are. Joyful memories are essential to our mental health, and they reinforce our sense of identity and bond of our relationships. This allows us to connect our past experiences with our present selves today and how we see the world around us.

Though we grow up, childhood memories continue to influence us into adulthood.

MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT

This world is but a canvas to our imagination.

-Henry David Thoreau

SUN, SURFING, AND SKIMBOARDING THIS SPRING BREAK

BY JALEXI HUCKEBA

Spring break is well known for its festivities, such as celebrating Easter, vacation traditions, or even quality time spent with family and friends. It is a time everyone looks forward to! Spring break, for many, is just the break they need to relax and reset. In a Morning Consult Pro article that analyzes statistics on spring break, they found that “30% of U.S adults have travel plans during the spring break period.” Furthermore, there are people who like to stay local in addition to those who love to travel!

One of our very own Mustangs at Middle Creek High School, Michael Beatty, is excited to say that he likes to adventure and travel during spring break. Michael states, “I’m going to Costa Rica with three of my friends. We’re going to try to learn to surf, skimboard, and maybe get some jet skis.” Michael’s spring break consists of staying productive and having fun outside with his friends. His definition of skimboarding, to those who may not know, is “Almost like surfing but on the sand.” For people who need ideas, he recommends you “get active and go to the beach.”

Places to go for spring break could be adventures in Florida, snowboarding, or even the beach. These recommendations could be entertaining but costly. If you ’ re on a budget this spring, you could instead go hang out with your friends locally or even try out a new restaurant! Great Wolf Lodge could be an exciting excursion in North Carolina to do this spring break if you ’ re in the mood for water parks and fun On their website, GWL includes package deals to make fun affordable

I have personally been to Miami, Florida, for spring break annually and can say there is SO much to do For example, you can go to the beach, eat a variety of foods, ride the strip, go shopping, and much more

Spring is a fun-filled period full of life, nature, and harmony. Nature is in bloom, meaning it is the perfect time to step outside and get some fresh air. There are so many places to go and enjoy. Where will YOU go this spring break?

USHER PERFORMS AT HALFTIME SHOW

BY DYLAN AXMAN

The 2024 Super Bowl Halftime show occurred at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The halftime show performer this year was Usher. Usher was just the 8th African American performer for the Super Bowl halftime show This was one of the better halftime shows in recent history

124 3 million people ended up watching the Super Bowl Halftime show According to Jagran Josh, Super Bowl 57 was the most-viewed halftime show in the past 10 years. This had to do with the stacked performance of Usher and Alicia Keys.

Usher’s songs that he ended up performing were “Caught Up,” “U Don’t Have To Call,” “Superstar,” “Love in This Club,” “Ain’t Got You” with Alicia Keys, as well as “My Boo” with Alicia Keys, and “Nice and Slow.” These are some of Usher’s top songs since becoming a pop star. This was one of the better halftime shows in the past few years. With the Super Bowl spending about a million dollars per minute to produce the halftime show, it was definitely worth every penny.

After wrapping up the halftime show, Usher had a small 1,000-person concert at a little venue in Vegas and ended up selling it out with people waiting in lines that went around the streets of Vegas

According to a post by Front Office Sports, "Usher's Super Bowl LVIII halftime performance was the most-watched ever averaging 129.3 million viewers." Having Alicia Keys and Ludacris at the halftime show definitely helped the viewing of the halftime show.

Overall, this was one of the better halftime shows, and I hope that next year ’ s halftime show lives up to the hype.

DEADPOOL 3 IS ON THE WAY

BY CASEY JACOB

The long-awaited Deadpool 3 was announced in September of 2022, and everyone was buzzing about it. After the initial announcement in 2022 through 2023, the media was pretty quiet about the movie, and not much news was unfolding from it

2024, on the other hand, is a different story With the release of the first trailer, the movie has sparked back up in the minds of Marvel fans Speculations have surfaced about how Deadpool and Wolverine meet, and it has to do with the series Loki on Disney+. If you watched that series, you’ll know the main antagonists will meet on different timelines, but which timeline in the multiverse will it be?

From the shadow at the end of the trailer, it appears to be the outline of the original costume in Wolverine. The Wolverine star Hugh Jackman will return even though he died in the 2017 movie Logan. That means the timeline is pre-2017 in the Marvel Universe, the same universe in which the movie Avengers: Endgame occurred.

This opens a whole new realm of possibilities with what characters could be in this movie and with previous actors who may have also passed in the MC universe This is Iron Man, who died, and Captain America, who didn’t die but became old

With endless possibilities on the horizon combined with the funny writer and director Shawn Levy and actor Ryan Reynolds, the Marvel community will have high expectations and hopes for this film.

MARC JACOBS SPRING 2024 EVENT AMAZES

BY NOAH BANTA

Celebrating 40 years of his generationdefining brand, Marc Jacobs new ready-to-wear show for the spring 2024 season entitled “Welcome To The DollHouse” is an homage to the paper dolls that have been used as toys and models for generations of fashion designers.

I talked to fashion fanatic and President of The Arts Honor Society, Salem Andrus, for her thoughts on the show.

Q: “What are your thoughts on the new Marc Jacobs runway show?”

A: “It was really cool, I think he accomplished what he was going for with the paper doll type look Some model was in a quote-on-quote bathing suit, but it looked to be made out of paper, and I thought that was the sickest thing ever. He also did it with the set, which had the huge table and chairs which the models walked around. He even directed the models to walk around like stiff paper dolls on purpose. ”

The show boasted an all-star cast along the runway, with Marc Jacobs regulars Sofia Coppola, Chloe Sevigny, and Debbie Harry. The aforementioned large-scale table and chair is an art piece by Robert Therrien, loaned from the Buffalo AKG Art Museum Marc Jacobs continues to celebrate his legacy with a new campaign starring FKA Twigs and Lila Moss, all shot by famed and controversial photographer Jurergen Teller

BIG BUSINESS’ SUPER MARKETING FOR SUPER BOWL LVIII

BY FINN RISSANEN

Super Bowl LVIII brought some big viewership for the NFL, as well as giving fans one heck of a game, but in between the mighty clash between the 49ers and the Chiefs, there were the ads In the Super Bowl, ads are much more significant as companies pay more to stream them Thus, a common practice for companies is to create the most cunning, most interesting ad for the Super Bowl as they are already paying so much money (about 7 million dollars per 30-second feature!) to get their ads streaming for the Super Bowl. This is why many Super Bowl ads are remembered, and this year ’ s Super Bowl was no different.

Overall, the ads focused on ethos marketing, featuring popular figures like Ice Spice, Messi, and more! BMW even had Christopher Walken in for an ad focused solely on people trying to do Christopher Walken’s impersonations.

Combine the fact that companies are already paying so much to be featured on the ad screens, as well as getting these celebrities on the big screen, and you are in for some very interesting ads

The most frequent ad was Temu, the shopping service that provides cheap goods sourced mainly from China This ad was featured a total of six times Some quick calculations and one can infer Temu spent around 42 million dollars on Super Bowl marketing alone It was also funny watching my friends despair after the 49ers’ field goal got blocked and the Temu ad started playing.

Personally, my favorite ad was the Michelob Ultra ad. I thought it was very clever, and it was cool seeing Messi play soccer on the beach. He apparently made 14 million dollars off of just one minute on screen.

RESTORING A FORGOTTEN MASTERPIECE: NAPOLEON

BY SEBASTIAN CANDIOTI

Following its release on November 22, 2023, Ridley Scott’s film Napoleon has received mixed reviews from both audiences and critics. The film has been criticized for its historical inaccuracy, messy pacing, and insufferable portrayal of Napoleon himself while being praised for its technical mastery and bombastic, complex battle sequences However, there is another film, largely forgotten in mainstream discourse, which has gained a small increase in notoriety after the release of Ridley Scott’s blockbuster, a silent epic from 1927 directed by Abel Gance of the same title, Napoleon

Abel Gance’s Napoleon is a film with a messy, complex history In the decades following its release, much of the original reels of film that made up the movie were lost or displaced, hindering restoration efforts and leading to a convoluted chain of different versions and reconstructions of the original piece. These restorations have varying lengths, ranging from three to nine hours long. Despite the major differences between these versions, they all reveal glimpses of what may arguably be the most innovative, influential, and groundbreaking film ever made.

Before the making of the film, Abel Gance intended to create a series of six films covering the entire life of Napoleon, from his birth to his exile in St. Helena. However, as a result of production troubles, Gance realized that the time and cost would make the full series of films impossible. Thus, he decided to make only one film covering the early life of Napoleon and his rise to power. Over the course of several years, through Gance’s sheer will and the hard work of the cast and crew, the film was completed. The movie is comprised of four acts, which cover several stages of Napoleon’s life. Throughout these four acts, Gance exhibits a mastery of framing, pacing, editing, and timing, which give the film a sense of rhythm and flow unparalleled by other pictures of the time He makes use of techniques such as fast cuts, closeups, and extensive handheld camera shots, which would not become widely used in the film industry for decades Within the monumental runtime of the film, Gance experiments with a wide variety of innovative ideas which give the film a sense of unbridled creativity The camera is attached to seemingly everything the crew could get their hands on, from swings and chandeliers, horses and carriages, to even the bow of a ship sailing through the ocean Point-ofview shots are used, multiple exposures are set up to layer different images, shots are superimposed on each other, the camera is placed underwater, kaleidoscopic sequences are utilized to psychedelic effect, and sections of the film are tinted with different colors to represent the phases of Napoleon’s life. In the film’s bombastic grand finale, three cameras are used to capture three angles, which are simultaneously displayed by multiple projectors to create one of the first wide-screen displays in the history of cinema. In its entirety, Abel Gance’s Napoleon is probably the single most innovative film ever made.

However, in the years after its creation, this monumental piece of cinematic history went mostly unnoticed by mainstream cinematic discussion. The film faced a troubled release after it was finished, with most theaters unwilling or incapable of showing the movie with its full runtime or its ending triptych sequence As a result, Gance was forced to edit many versions in order to accommodate the needs of different theaters, ultimately causing many sections of the original cut of the film to become lost Additionally, the film’s release coincided with the advent of sound in movies, leading to a rapid loss of interest in silent films, which further pushed Napoleon out of the public eye. There have been many efforts over the years to restore the original film, most notably including the four-hour long 1981 restoration by Kevin Brownlow featuring an original score by Carmine Coppola, as well as the 2016 BFI DVD release of the 2000 restoration, which expanded Brownlow’s version to a length of fiveand-a-half-hours.

But despite the success of these reconstructions, none have yet adapted Gance’s definitive Apollo or “La Grande” version, which ran at around seven-anda-half hours long. However, this is set to change as a new restoration, which has been in the works for 16 years, is soon to be released Headed by Georges Mourier and Laure Marchaut, a small team began in 2008 with the goal of simply tidying up Gance’s film archives But upon the discovery of new pieces of footage that had been mixed up during the original premieres, they began the monumental process of restoring over 100 kilometers of film In an interview with the Global Times, Mourier calls it “An act of madness.” The team has had to search for pieces of film scattered around the globe, often going shot by shot, slowly reconstructing the original sequences. Modern digital technology has been utilized to scan sections of film, often flammable and on the verge of disintegrating, and enhance the detail and clarity of the footage. Mourier dreams of showing the film in a courtyard near Napoleon’s tomb in Paris, showcasing Abel Gance’s original vision, complete with the full splendor of the three-projector ending sequence. According to the Golden Globes, the project is slated to release in 2024, showing in cinemas and releasing on DVD. With this new restoration, Gance’s legendary cinematic achievement may finally be shown in its full definitive glory and be preserved for many years to come

ANYONE BUT YOU: A ROMCOM DELIGHT

BY PAIGE HERSCHMAN

Anyone But You is a popular romantic comedy that came out on December 22, 2023, and has already generated almost 200 million dollars at the box office. This trending movie was directed by Will Gluck and stars Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell. The two popular actors are known as Ben and Bea in the movie.

They meet in a coffee shop in Boston, where Ben buys Bea tea, and they spend the rest of the lovely day together. Shortly after, they lose touch, only to reconvene through friends and siblings later in the movie, where their relationship encounters many twists and turns. All of the actors in the movie are very talented, and their skills are successfully displayed throughout the movie.

For the most part, the movie was filmed in Australia with sunny skies in a tropical region, and this allowed for high-quality cinematography. Some of the most memorable scenes in the movie were very well written, to the point where they were perfectly heartfelt, with a touch of comedy at the best moments. A multitude of hit songs are included in the soundtrack, songs such as “The Spins” by Mac Miller, “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield, and “Bad Idea Right” by Olivia Rodrigo, amongst many other great songs

Variety is a popular entertainment news source, and their take on the theme of Anyone But You is that it’s your typical romantic comedy movie, with a commonly occurring theme of, “You probably have to love someone a lot to hate them this much ”

Students all around Middle Creek High School have been watching Anyone But You Ashley Hathaway is one of those students, and she said she enjoyed the movie because it was very funny and lighthearted. Furthermore, she enjoyed the soundtrack because it made her excited for summer, and overall, Hathaway's favorite part of the movie was when they included the movie's iconic song in the end credits. Another student who watched Anyone But You is Brady Proctor, and he called the movie a “fun watch” while acknowledging that his favorite part was the soundtrack.

Finally, my opinion is that Anyone But You was the perfect lighthearted movie that I could watch over and over again. I recommend this movie to anyone who loves cheesy rom-coms with happy endings!

PATRICK MAHOMES RISES IN GOAT CONVERSATION

BY LIAM DEBRAUWER

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs shocked the sports world by beating the San Francisco 49ers in overtime en route to the team's fourth Super Bowl win and the third of Mahomes’ career. After the game was over, some people were discussing the possibility of Mahomes being considered the GOAT (Greatest of all time) over retired quarterback Tom Brady. But before we can jump to conclusions, let's look at what pace Mahomes is on compared to the pace Brady was on at the same time in his career.

Patrick Mahomes is 28 years old and just finished his 6th full season in the NFL. He has won three Super Bowls and was named the MVP in each of those games. He has also won two MVPs and two Offensive Player of the Year awards. He has thrown for 28,424 yards with 219 touchdowns and 63 interceptions in the regular season with a mind-blowing record of 89-25. In the postseason he has thrown for 5,135 yards, 41 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions while having a postseason record of 15 wins and 3 losses.

At 28 years old, Tom Brady had also won 3 Super Bowls in his short career of 6 completed seasons. Additionally, he had not won an MVP award in his career yet. He had been nominated for three Pro Bowls and had thrown for 18,035 yards, 123 touchdowns, and 66 interceptions While these stats are significantly less than Mahomes at this point in their careers, it is important to understand that Brady was substantially better in his later years with him winning 4 more Super Bowls, 3 MVPs, and winning 12 more Pro Bowls Additionally, he holds the record for most games won by a player (251), most division titles (19), career passing yards (89,214), most career touchdown passes (649), and most Pro Bowl selections (15)

Brady also has a number of playoff records This includes most playoff passing yards (13,400) and most playoff touchdown passes (88). He also was a significant member of the 2007 Patriots team, which is widely considered to be the best NFL team ever assembled. They were the second team to ever go undefeated in the regular season but lost in the Super Bowl to the New York Giants.

The next five or six years will be very important to Mahomes' career. If he can keep up the pace that Brady was on for his career, he will certainly be considered the GOAT by the time his career is over. He will need to win more Super Bowls than Brady, have more individual awards, and break multiple records previously set by Brady. Mahomes is more than capable of becoming the greatest of all time if he remains consistent throughout the rest of his long career in the NFL.

NAVIGATING THE NFL OFFSEASON: TEAMS STRATEGIZE FOR SUCCESS

BY ASHTON JACKOVICH

Since the NFL season is over, it's time to look at the top players that are coming out of college. The top two players in the draft right now are quarterback Caleb Williams from the University of Southern California and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr from Ohio State Caleb Williams was a Heisman winner for the 22-23 season and was projected to win again in the 23-24 season, while Marvin Harrison was close to winning one during the 23-24 season, finishing as a Heisman contender

A big thing that the whole NFL is waiting for is to find out where Russell Wilson will go. Sean Payton, who is the Broncos head coach, is not a fan of him. This became clear this week as the Broncos released Wilson and gave him permission to speak with other teams. Teams that need a quarterback are the Titans, Commanders, and the Seahawks.

I interviewed senior Nathan Huffman, asking him who he thinks will be the first five picks of the NFL draft. He said, “1. Marvin Harrison 2. Caleb Williams 3. Brock Bowers 4. Cardinals draft Drake Maye, will trade with the Falcons, and get Malik Nabers 5. Terrion Arnold.” I also asked him what moves the New York Giants would make, and he told me, “I think the Giants should draft an offensive lineman and keep Barkley, then bank on Daniel Jones getting healthy, and they should go to the Super Bowl.”

Another person I interviewed was Austin Topliss I asked him the same question about the top 5 picks, and he said, “1 Caleb Williams 2 Drake Maye 3 Michael Penix Jr 4 Marvin Harrison to the Cardinals The Cardinals will trade their pick from the Texans to the 49ers for Brandon Aiyuk, and the 49ers will draft Mallik Nabers ” I also asked what his favorite team was, and he said, “The Cardinals ” I then asked him how he thought their offseason would go. He said, “I hope they pick up free agents and trade Kyler [Murray] for a different quarterback.”

The upcoming college players are going to be good, so teams that need to make changes will need to do something before the draft comes up. The quarterback class is deep and talented, with Jayden Daniels, Caleb Williams, Bo Nix, and Michael Penix Jr. The receiver class is also good with Marvin Harrison, Ladd Mcconkey, and Brock Bowers. Currently, there have only been coaching changes, with the biggest being Jim Harbaugh. But soon, players will be on different teams, and trades will start happening.

LEGALIZE AND MOBILIZE: NC EMBRACES ONLINE BETTING WITH NEW LAWS

BY JACOB LEWIS

In the year 2024, the sports betting scene in North Carolina is going to experience a big change that is being initiated by three related factors: technology advancements, legislative reforms, and changing cultural attitudes. The scene of sports betting in North Carolina is not only an evolution but is going to make North Carolina unique because of the new opportunities and challenges that participants will have. This will forever change how fans now engage with sports and the team that they love.

According to Action Network, “Last year, North Carolina made a big step in the direction of sports betting regulations by the passage of Senate bill 688, legalizing online and retail sports betting in the state.” This law granted the Eastern band of Cherokee Indians, which is operating two casinos in North Carolina, to offer sports betting at the properties: Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee and Harrah's Cherokee Valley Rivers Casino & Hotel in Murphy This was a huge change in the gambling world, as it showed a way for both tribal and commercial businesses to take part in the sports betting market

However, one change that stands out in 2024 is that online sports betting sites are available for use by NC residents. Along with the legalization of online betting, many of the websites have created a mobile app, having the same ease of use as using their websites. According to Write-Ups, “Using DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook has become one of the favorite things of NC bettors, who can choose from plenty of betting opportunities and promotions.”

Additionally, the legalization of sports betting in NC has caused economic growth through revenue generation and job creation within the gaming world

The American Gaming Association claims that legal sports betting in NC has resulted in more tax revenues and economic growth, thus benefiting the local economy. It is important to also remember that there are possible risks of sports betting that may cause you to develop a gambling and addiction problem. If you become addicted, there is a group called the North Carolina Problem Gambling Program that will give you resources and help others who have this problem. This highlights the focus on responsible betting.

In conclusion, the sports betting world in North Carolina has undergone a massive shift in 2024. It was kicked off by legislative developments and technology advancements. With the variety of online sports betting options and the incorporation of online betting, NC residents now have many opportunities to participate in sports betting more than they have ever had before.

Bryce Young had a rough season with the Carolina Panthers to say the least He was always constantly getting hit and missing passes Because of the struggles this year, Bryce Young had very average rookie quarterback stats Bryce Young threw 11 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 2,877 yards, a pass completion rate of nearly 60% and a qb rating of 73 7

Bryce Young right now is a project and needs a better offense around him Bryce Young has shown glimpses of his talent during the loss to the Packers Young finished the game with 2 touchdowns and 312 yards The Panthers need better tools to surround Bryce Young before we can make any conclusions about him.

Bryce Young is not a bad quarterback at all, and this season should not define who he is as a player because of his circumstances. Many critics say the Panthers should have drafted CJ Stroud, but Stroud would have likely had as bad a season with the Panthers as Young had.

Despite the Panthers' struggles, Bryce Young remains confident in his ability and does not have a bad attitude. Young is constantly practicing to improve and should not be written off because the front office has not done a good job surrounding him with a competent O-line and offensive weapons.

In conclusion, Bryce Young had a horrible season with the Panthers, but it is not his fault. We expected the Panthers office to be competent, but they failed. With a new front office and coaching staff, let’s hope for Young’s sake that they are able to turn things around.