March 2013

Inside this Issue • Budgeting Finances • Sustaining Physiques • Combating Violence • Pursuing Love

MARCH 2013 VOL. XXII ISSUE IV

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Pirates' Hookok

SEE PAGE 17

SEE PAGE 12

SEE PAGE 7

Pirate Treasure

SEE PAGE 21

The editorials, unless signed, are the consensus opinion of the editorial staff and do not necessarily reflect the views of the adviser or the school administration. The newspaper welcomes letters to the editor. The newspaper reserves the right to edit letters for space and clarity.

All letters must be signed, however, the newspaper will withhold names upon request with good reason. Advertisements in the newspaper are paid.advertisements and are not the opinion of, or the endorsement of, the newspaper or school administration.

•Head Editors: Ben Harrison, Chris Rice, Jonathan Titus •Editors: Cameron McNeill, Casey Speer, Christina Vurnakes •Staff: Ebony Anderson, Luke Berndt, Jason Bunch, C.J. Carpentar,, Kima Clifton, Timothy Duke, Emily Eubanks, Parker Harris, Davis Heric, Ben Huffman, Deirdre Logan, Jasmine Lyon, David McSwain, Marie Muir, Brice Norton, Chris Perez, Benjamin Peters, Joanna Rivas, Avery Roberts, Scottie Smith, James Vample

www.riverside.dpsnc.net

Durham, NC 22712

3218 Rose of Sharon Road

OPINION

Editorial

Security

• GRAPHIC BY KAYLA MITCHELL

Athletic Health

Love

Staying Safe and Sane The security precautions taken by Riverside’s School Resource Officers and deputies have been overwhelmingly positive, in general.

The officers and our administration keep the school safe and secure, and The Pirates’ Hook commends them for that.

However, we believe the school over-reacted to rumors in late December, causing students to miss classes without any real reason.

By patrolling the hallways, the officers and school administrators provide a sense of security in the halls and limit the amount of violence that can be committed. Disciplinary measures taken by the administrative staff typically enhance the learning atmosphere.

Overall, they make our school what it should be: a safe learning environment. But in the days before Friday, Dec. 21 the administration and security force pushed too strongly.

After the school shooting in Newtown, CT and publicity over the so-called “Mayan Apocalypse,” students began rumors of a shooting that was to take place on the Friday before winter break. Discussion of threats heard throughout the halls and social media only heightened the

issue, even though plenty of students knew the rumors were a big joke.

Riverside felt the need to respond to the baseless rumors, but we believe the school took it a step too far.

The administration called student’s families to alert them of the so called “situation,” when in reality there was not a situation at all.

The phone messages encouraged students to skip school and gave parents the necessary reasoning to allow them to do so. The school even allowed students not to be counted as absent on that day.

The non-absent policy looked as if the school gave up. It was a last-ditch effort to illustrate the safety of the school, yet it was not well executed.

It was awesome to miss the last day before winter break, but the threat provided an unnecessary precedent that encouraged future spreading of rumors at Riverside.

Although so much of the work of administrators and officers helps keep us safe, for which we applaud them, sometimes the best reaction is no reaction at all.

March 2013

Face-off

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Relationship Status: It's Complicated Single and ready All you need is love to mingle

By Joanna Rivas

Let’s face it, no one truly wants to be a crazy cat lady. Since when did a high school relationship mean marriage and kids anyway?

Having a significant other in high school opens the door to undiscovered emotions, life fulfilling experiences, and memories to hold onto and share for the rest of your life.

High school relationships are amazing.

With every year that passes, I dread the approach of Valentines Day for my single friends, otherwise known as: “Being Single Sucks Day.” For those out there who are single, I think you can relate. This is the one day that the world cherishes love and the idea that two people can set aside differences and find happiness in each other.

That said, this is also the day that miserable single girls sit on the sofa crying their eyes out as they watch The Notebook, and dejected guys curl up into the fetal position and cry, only accepting comfort in their mothers’ arms.

To my opponent, a relationship means holding hands in the hallway, lovey-dovey goodbye kisses, and streams of never ending “No you hang up first!”. However, I also find that high school relationships mean something entirely different.

Successful relationships require trust, support, and devotion.

When these three aspects of love are applied, you are not only in a relationship, but also in an amazing friendship unlike any other.

Some may argue that they would

much rather be “single and ready to mingle” than tied down. I believe that is one of the biggest and commonly spoken lines out there.

In the end all the Single Ladies ever wanted was a sweet guy to come along and say “If I was your boyfriend, I’d never let you go.” There is a reason why there are more movies and songs about being in love with someone, rather than about being alone.

After a while the stress of confusing flirting and the aftermath of anonymous hookups begin to take a serious toll on a persons feelings.

I cannot k e e p count t h e number of times my single friends have come to me complaining about the daily life of not being in a relationship, and wishing they had someone special.

I think everyone is secretly jealous of that “perfect couple”.

Yes, you know the one I am talking about.

Do you ever find yourself asking the question: What is it that those two have that I cannot? All the single people out there can have exactly what that couple has!

It just takes a pinch of confidence, and the nerve to actually do something about the situation, instead of moping around all day • GRAPHICS BY KAYLA MITCHELL

Getting an education, planning a future career, and going to parties are much better than being sad, crying, and making bad decisions.

High schoolers should focus on getting an education instead of wasting their time thinking about their relationships.

What is the point of crying and suffering when you have a whole life ahead of you? 99.9% of the time whenever you date in high school,the relationship fades away the second you graduate.

When young students think of love, they don’t think of the future.

The breakups, the backstabbing, and the hardships that may come with a relationship aren’t even a thought.

Plain and simple being single is the best option.

You can chill with friends and you don’t have to worry about all the stress of pleasing your partner.

You don’t have to check up on

your boyfriend/girlfriend all the time! You can enjoy freedoms like going to parties and talking to as many people as you want.

If you think walking down the halls, kissing, and laughing with your significant other is cute, you’re wrong.

Get a room because no one wants to see that.

Don’t think just because you feel like you are grown up means that you are ready for a relationship.

Take the time to focus on what you want to do.

Focusing on your future and getting an education is more important than trying to get into a relationship.

Being single is way better than being tied down.

Life is more enjoyable when you are totally free and can do whatever you want.

Don’t think that you need to date someone to make you happy.

You have your family, friends, and plenty of other things you can do without having a boyfriend/girlfriend in your life.

Being single is the best option, the purpose of life is to be happy and relationships are the biggest threat to happiness.

By Marie Muir

listening to how unfair life is on your newly purchased Taylor Swift CD. Maybe the only thing that is holding single folks back is the fear of heartbreak. What is heartbreak? The Merriam-Webster definition of heartbreak simply states: crushing grief, anguish, or distress. Sure, that all sounds terrible, but I see no mention of it being never ending.

As I sit and listen to my parents and their friends laugh over past high school relationships gone awry, and watch them reminisce over nail-biting first dates, I can’t help but think that having a boyfriend or girlfriend in these four years of self-discovery can be that terrible.

Every time my closest friends go through relationships, I have been a first hand witness to the way that their lucky someone occupies their mind and sets their empty souls on fire.

I know for a fact that in the future I will not tell my kids about that time I got rejected by my crush over email, rather I will be reminiscing on the first time a guy other than my father told me I was beautiful.

In high school, focus on being true to yourself and I promise someone will show up who sees exactly how incredible you are.

Whether it happens when you are sixteen or fifty years old, it will be the highlight of your life.

Trust me, your prince or princess is on this planet, and if you find yourself doubting try to remember the expression almost everyone has heard at least once in their lives: There are plenty of fish in the sea!

In a school with over 1,800 students, I truly believe there is someone for everyone.

4 Peg-Leg

These stories are as real as Mr. Keene's dance moves

Pirates' Hookok

Widespread PPED use concerns administrators

By Jonathan Titus Sophomore Robert Watkins was arrested Thurs., March 7 on 98 counts of possession and distribution of drugs to minors.

Evading administrators, Watkins roamed the hallways running an underground drug ring during lockouts.

Watkins distributed Miluvcyn, a Prom Performance Enhancing Drug used by males during the traditional April mating season.

“We found 65 pills of Miluvcyn in Watkins’ locker, hidden underneath a weave that was reported stolen from a 9th grader last month,” SRO Officer Stevens said.

The small hexagonal pill provides males with many prom performance enhancements when it comes to attracting females.

“I felt a huge burst of confidence within the first 30 minutes of taking the pill,” sophomore Stan Lynch said.

tory photo session so that they can hold a girl’s hand without fear.

After seven days, improved dancing skills develop because the pill is enhanced with .12 oz of Chris Brown’s blood.

“I’ve used this for three years now.

Every year I’ve been to prom with the most popular girl in school,” senior Thomas Hanson said.

“I’ve found my chances with women have increased substantially due to this pill.

Admistrator Paul Keene dances on top of a lunch table during C lunch.

This year I plan to date Riverisde has cracked down on performance enhancment drugs during • PHOTO COURTESY OF MTV the Prom Queen.” prom.

Senior James Campbell claims curiosity,” Campbell said.

Some doctors, includhis bodily scent grew much more “Lauren said ‘yes’ before I even ing Duke Vice President of Drug romantic before asking sophomore asked her to go to prom with me.” Research, Robert Silt, are worried Lauren Sanders to last year’s prom.

Other effects of the PPED about side effects.

“My pores just started to excrete include lower sweat count in the “Miluvcyn has the ability to Polo Black cologne and I looked palm. Many boys take the pill give the user a severe risk of heart around to see girls’ noses rising in before the Duke Gardens manda- ache,” Silt said.

Following last year’s prom, senior Taylor Hanson took two weeks to recover.

“I began to feel woozy,” Hanson said. “The doctors diagnosed me with love sickness,” Hanson said.

A Pirates’ Hook investigation has linked the promotion of PPEDs to desperate teenage girls.

Persuading boys to take the drug, girls hope that males will become confident enough to actually ask the girl to prom.

“It’s two months away and I don’t have a date,” junior Sarah Cole said.

“I don’t see the problem. Prom is a do or die situation.”

An accidental consumption of the drug by Assistant Principal Paul Keene led to numerous random outbreaks of dancing during lunch duty, in which he would “break it down” and “twerk” on the cafeteria tables.

“Love is the most dangerous drug of all,” Keene said.

over $61,000, one can see why he might be worried.

“I’ve always wanted to study business at Sarah Lawrence,” Vonuvicci said.

To make the tuition money he needs, Vonuvicci started an

morning.”

In less than a few months, Vonuvicci had over 200 regular customers including both teachers and students.

“I won $150 with my bet on how many times the Riverside server would crash this week,” engineering teacher Tim Velegol said. “It was pretty easy because I used a sinusoidal function to crash the server 27 times.”

As with any casino, many customers have lost a lot of their money and are feeling the effects.

“I had to sell the school store to Mr. Norman so I could pay off my gambling debt,” Marketing teacher John Swanson said. “I’ve been running a hot-dog stand over by the tennis courts after school to make up for some of my lost income.”

Student starts underground gambling ring

By Benjamin Harrison Senior Jayson Vonuvicci did not receive single Pirate Pride card last semester and as a result, his parents announced in January that they will not pay for any part of his college.

Vonuvicci has found himself in a whole, searching for a way to make thousands of dollars before his freshman year in college.

“When my parents told me they wouldn’t pay for any college expenses, I was pretty worried,” Vonuvicci said. “When I sat down and brainstormed some ways to raise my own college fund, I really only had one option.”

Because Vonuvicci will be attending Sarah Lawrence College, where student’s yearly expenses top the US leaderboards at just

underground gambling ring here at Riverside.

“I had the idea after I made 20 bucks from winning my March Madness bracket challenge last year,” Vonuvicci said. “Our main games are poker, betting on basketball games, and playing pool.”

But Vonuvicci’s bets aren’t limited to traditional gambling. He said recently he has begun more schoolbased betting.

• PHOTO COURTESY OF HGTV Lock-out "The Pirate's Den" was sold due to gambling debt. The times, length of the morning student gambling ring is widely sucessful.

announcements, and the amount of time Mr. Swanson actually spends in his classroom are a few of the more lucrative in-school bets.

“My favorite thing to bet on is how many kids Mr. Lang fails for fun,” sophomore Jenna Tallin said. “All you have to do is figure out how many kids he teaches.”

Because he doesn’t have a flashy over-sized building sitting around to use as a casino, Vonuvicci had to improvise. He has done his own renovation of a utility shed in his backyard.

“Originally, I was using the RHS greenhouse as a casino,” Vonuvicci said. “That is, until Ms. Refvem flooded it so the swim team didn’t have to drive to Edison Johnson to practice every

March 2013

Man’s best friend til’ the end

By Jonathan Titus The garage door rumbled our house as my dad pumped his plain New Balances against the parking brake. Carefully retrieving a small cardboard box out of the cracker crumb covered front seat of the “Titus Van,” my mother saw my chubby face and my brother’s skinny face at the door awaiting the big surprise.

Michael and I were debating what was in the box. I guessed Michael’s favorite strawberry cake as his birthday was only a month away, and he guessed a new Power Rangers light up sword.

My mother lowered the box beneath our tiny, dripping noses.

We peeked in.

Scrunched in fetal position with barely enough strength to open her

eyes was our new golden retriever puppy, Elly.

From that day on, nothing in our house was safe. Not the cables to our TV, not the screen from the back porch, not my green Buzz Lightyear underwear. Elly would soon eat them all and regurgitate them onto the carpet.

“Mo puppy, mo problems,” my dad said.

As I was growing, Elly was

she took off, I realized my hand was wrapped tightly in the leash.

I became a human bobsled as my body skidded across the concrete behind her, leaving a blood trail like a wounded deer.

Elly’s first public appearance was during first grade show and tell. Everyone huddled in the reading circle around the slobbery puppy as the smirk on my face read “yeah, you love her.”

As I had hoped, I suddenly had more girlfriends than I could count, though I could only count to six anyway.

Fastforward.

Elly now struggles to get up the stairs.

She has one less toe on her back right paw due to the removal of a tumor. She can’t run as fast as she used to. She sleeps more than the usual hibernating bear.

But she can still be rambunctious, like when she smells food or gets the chance to abuse pillows or Chris Rice.

The smallest sounds resembling thunder sends Elly running, leaving whimpers in every room as she searches for my stomach where she places her face.

Next year, as I lay in my dorm

Columns

5

room staring at the ceiling during a thunderstorm, I’ll be waiting for a slobbery dog to hobble through my door.

As Elly’s journey comes to an end, so does my childhood. Whenever I come home from college, I hope to see a bright, smelly face waiting for me.

I love you, Elly.

• PHOTO COURTESY OF JONATHAN TITUS

“As Elly’s journey comes to an end, so does my childhood.”

Jonathan Titus, senior growing even faster. On her first birthday, I took her for a crisp February afternoon walk. Elly, spotting the fluffy tail of a squirrel skirt across the sidewalk, took off hoping to bring back a trophy. As

The garage door rumbled our house as my Dad pumped his plain New Balances against the parking brake. Carefully retrieving a small cardboard box out of the cracker crumb covered

Jonathan and Elly

Cathi Turner, associate 2818 Prospect Parkway Durham, NC 27703

919-698-8789 cell 919-598-4068 fax cathi_turner@us.aflac.com

6

Pirates' Hookok

Columns

Don’t judge the tune

By Chris Rice I was on the bus ride to my soccer game jamming out to J Cole.

I was enjoying myself until one of my teammates asked me what I was listening to.

“You Got It,” I said.

“J Cole sucks. Wiz Khalifa is way better,” he replied.

I was crushed until I thought “Really? Wiz Khalifa? That guy sucks.” And so that’s what I told him.

I think everyone has expressed their distaste for certain types of music at one point or another.

People are entitled to their own opinions.

It’s when people begin to criticize others for their taste in music that I get annoyed. Usually they say something rude first, and then it becomes too late to apologize.

Don’t get me wrong - I have done it too. If anybody says that they like Future, I immediately discount their taste in music and pretty much everything else.

I mean, the rappers that I listen to spit better lyrics and their songs actually have meaning, right?

Because their taste in music is different, I don’t r-e-s-p-e-c-t it.

I’m not All by Myself though, I think everyone has been a culprit to my same crime.

Music is something that almost everyone can appreciate. Because music speaks to everyone in different ways, everyone’s taste in music ends up being unique.

When I am bumping music in the car with someone and I what type of mu- Senior Chris Rice is deep in thought as he listens sic they listen to, to J. Cole. Rice tries to block out the "haters" of I think they are his music.

Changing the Game when they answer “I don’t putting a taboo on all the others.

I used to hate Mac Miller (yeah, know, I listen to everybody.”

I’m different) because I heard Keeping an open mind like that “Senior Skip Day.” I thought it allows us to appreciate all kinds of was shallow with mediocre lyrics. music. It is still okay to listen to But then I heard “Smoke Signals” mostly rap, just throw some classic and decided to give him a chance. rock in with it. Dubstep concerts Even though I’m still not throware awesome too. ing thumbs up signs everywhere, It seems like we all should explore different areas of music I am able to appreciate him as a instead of listening to one and musical artist now.

This doesn’t just apply to music, however. I keep an open mind towards different sports, different people, and even different religions now. It isn’t about one part, but about how all the parts contribute to the whole. All the parts of life need to be appreciated, not looked down upon.So next time you are on a bus to a soccer game and you see someone jamming out with their headphones in, ask them if you can share an earbud.

Who Knows?, you might even discover a new favorite musician.

Cole World.

Books vs. Technology

There was one question about the location of the fire pit on Huck “Make sure you’ve read for your and Jim’s raft. test tomorrow.” Although you hear How could I possibly know this 25 times every day before an that from reading a book? I took a English test, what if you could not second, pictured the raft from the read and still know most of the movie, and circled the answer that important content on the test? Guess said “in the middle.” what, you can.

Similar to my English expe Nearly every book a student rience, rather than reading my will read for a high school English biology textbook freshman year, I class has been made into a movie. just watched The Miracle of Life at While movies often stretch details the beginning of the semester and and mold stories to add visual passed with flying colors. appeal that books can’t, the big Books were a main source of events and characters are always entertainment in early America? there.

Let’s just be happy we’re not in Last year, in AP English III, early America! And if you think I nearly aced our test on Huckle- you’d like early America, just berry Finn. The fact that I actually watch Roots. read that book is beside the point.

Practices change with time, and Almost all the scenes I remem- its time we moved past books bebered weren’t scenes I pieced ing a great way to learn. YouTube together from the book, but stuff today is like Shakespeare, Einstein, I remembered watching play out and Isaac Newton combined. And in the movie.

I can promise you that with the 120,000,000 (and counting) YouTube videos, you can learn more in a week than anyone could in a lifetime before TVs and computers.

Many seniors, as they prepare for college, worry about having the right books to study and read. I just worry about how to pay for an 80” TV and where it will fit in my dorm room.

Because I can guarantee that I’ll learn more in a 30 minute episode of “How It’s Made” •PHOTOS BY BEN HARRISON than a reader would Senior Ben Harrison makes the choice between in a 300 page book a book and a movie. Harrison has always on production of beleived the movie verison of a book is better. plastic utensils.

By Ben Harrison

March 2013

Pirates' Treasure

PIRATES'

7

TREASURE

A student can see teacher Bethany Phillis with the glasses provided to him/her from "Visual Eyes." There are a variety of programs that provide students in poverty with the tools they need to succeed at school.

• PHOTO BY CHRIS PEREZ

students in poverty overcome obstacles with help

By Cameron McNeill

One out of the four students sitting at a cafeteria table are likely to be poor, according to End Poverty Durham, yet few students realize that homelessness and poverty are virtually everywhere.

Poverty has widespread effects that those who are not poor may not be able to comprehend. From affording glasses to making it to the next meal, poverty brings many daily struggles.

Fortunately, there are many teachers and organizations in both Riverside and Durham that combat poverty.

Assistant Principal Gary

Ackley sees homelessness as an obstacle that many students unnecessarily face.

“Take for example the calculator you use in math class. They may not have one at home,” Ackley said. “They may not have the opportunity to go to camps that help you academically and athletically.”

Ackley finds that students who combat poverty may have to put in more effort to overcome depleted financial resources.

“They may have to work a little harder academically to have a firm foundation in math - it may take them longer,” Ackley said. “ You may have to teach them what they would have learned at a camp.”

Guidance counselor Jennifer Nauss counsels many homeless students who face burdens that more privileged students may not face.

“A lot of them have to work to support their families. They’re tired and they don’t have time to do homework,” Nauss said. “It’s tough.”

Nauss identified 25 students who are considered “homeless” at Riverside, but they chose not to be interviewed for this story.

Among those who try to help poverty-stricken students are librarian Margaret Harrison and international relations teacher Kathie Davidson who lead “Visual Eyes,”

a program that provides eyeglasses to students who cannot afford them.

Students who have vision issues may not be able to see a classroom whiteboard. Sometimes they may not even realize that they have eye problems.

“The doctor who was giving the exam was stunned by how bad the student’s vision was,” Harrison said. “The change is unbelievable.”

Davidson sees the change for the students right away.

“The reward comes when you get a student a pair of glasses and you’re giving them a ride home and their comment is ‘Oh my God, I can see the leaves on the trees’,” Davidson said.

A student who declined to give his name said the program changed his life.

“Everything became more clear, and it seemed like a whole new point of view of my life,” the student said.

“Visual Eyes” raises money through donations from the community and school faculty.

The organization also receives discounts from Upchurch Optical on glasses and eye exams. Overall, the program has provided glasses to 18 Riverside students.

Mel Williams fights home-

Continued on pg. 8

8 Pirates' Treasure

Continued from page 7

lessness and poverty through the organization End Poverty Durham, a program created in 2004 to aid and assist Durhamites who find themselves in a financial hole. Williams employs a variety of tactics

to reach a poverty-free Durham, namely, a system called a “Circle of Support.”

“They assign a family to a circle of support,” Williams said.

“We meet with them on a regular basis to help set goals.”

Pirates' Hookok The circle of support provides people in poverty with what they need most, a support system.

“There are 5 criterion to complete the system: increased income, increased assets, decreased reliance on public assistance, decreased

debt, and four or five people that they can count on,” Williams said.

No matter where a homeless student may find shelter, DPS provides transportation to the student’s original school. This was put into place because of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act. The act implements a variety of programs that assist homeless students.

Homeless students fight to rise out of poverty and with the help of the school system and community programs, they are on the right

track.

Homeless liaison for Durham Public Schools (DPS), Jacqueline Love thinks that DPS does all that it can to provide support to homeless families and students.

“We make sure to know if they need assistance,” Love said. “We put them into a place to make them successful academically.”

Homeless students will continue to face obstacles, but, with the support of schools and the community, the challenges may be much easier to overcome.

Several students make the walk into the caferteria for lunch. It may be surprising that one in four kids are homeless or in poverty.

• PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HELM

teachers, students fight debt

By Parker Harris

For most, credit scores go amiss in college, where credit card companies practically force cards into eager student’s wallets. One bad purchase or one missed payment can be the thing holding someone back from buying important necessities like a house or car in the future.

A 2006 poll revealed that one in ten teens, or 10.3 percent, owns a credit card. While Master Cards and the likes offer an efficient way to spend money, there are less risky alternatives to credit cards.

“The alternatives to credit cards are debit cards and paying cash,” Social Studies teacher Pat Roeber said. “Instead of worrying

about your credit score when you get out of school, establish a good payment plan so that your record for paying responsibly is good.”

Other people have different strategies when it comes to avoiding debt.

“I didn’t do credit cards in college. I didn’t buy stuff,” History teacher Drew Markham said. “I worked over the summer busing tables. I don’t have a credit card now, either, because it’s too easy to buy things you can’t afford.”

The growing student debt is alarming: two-thirds of the national college class of 2011 finished school with loan debt, and those who borrowed paraded off the graduation stage owing an average of $26,600, which is up about 5

percent from the previous year’s’ graduating class. T h e a v e r a g e debt per borrower rose by about 30 percent from 2007.

“Compound interest is a snowball that either hurts you or helps you.” Economics teacher David Norman said. “Avoid debt when possible. Pay it off.”

Yearbook and English teacher Mira Rahili has collected an average amount of debt. While not necessarily bad, this is because she took out a handful of loans, and it isn’t an easy load to bear.

With credit card interest up to a whopping 15.13 percent, paying it off will take a couple of years.

“My parents couldn’t afford to pay for my school.” Rahili said.

“My debt will be paid off in 2028.”

Please Recycle This Paper

March 2013

Bills that kill

Pirates' Treasure

Bills that kill, too

By Davis Heric Student loans are an excellent solution when paying for college.

That is, of course, if there is a guaranteed job awaiting the student upon graduation.

The job market has been very bleak for half a decade and many students are in over their head in debt.

They are left with nothing to do but to move back with their parents.

If students are not able to pay back their debt, the debt gets put on their parents’ shoulders.

Another grim reality about student loan debt is that declaring bankruptcy gives you no protection from student loans.

They are like tattoos that you wish you could remove, but can’t.

Many economists and others involved in finance, such as Standard & Poors, have warned that student loans may be the next major asset bubble the U.S. faces.

The last one was the housing crisis which ultimately caused the economic meltdown in 2008.

Many of the same politicians who fought for more relaxed mortgage requirements have made it easier to get federal student loans, which sounds like it is making it easier for everyone to attend college.

It is doing the very opposite.

It sounds fantastic at first.

Unfortunately, basic economics tells us that if the demand for something goes up the price must go up as well.

Since it is easier to get student loans, more and more people want to, and can, attend college.

Because of this, tuition prices are rising dramatically and will continue to do so.

According to the American Student Association, the majority of citizens who currently have student loan debt are between ages 30-39.

Out of the $900 billion student loan debt currently held by citizens, 167,000 people owe more than $200,000. That is just to fund a college education.

• GRAPHIC BY AVERY ROBERTS

By Davis Heric As second semester is nearing its end, a fourth of all high school students are preparing to move on.

Some will head straight to work, some will take time off before deciding where to go next, but many are planning on beginning the next step in their education: college.

Just 30 years ago, the majority of parents did not see college planning as important.

For many, it wasn’t a matter of making poor financial decisions, it just wasn’t necessary.

According to the National Center of Education Statistics, the average annual cost to attend a four-year institution for the 1980-81 school year was $3,499. It goes without saying that times have changed. When children are born today, parents immediately begin planning their finances to accommodate for their children’s education.

Full of endless testing and piles of paperwork, the college application process is frustrating for both parents and children.

Once a child is finally admitted to a school, there is an uphill climb financially for most families.

Over three decades, the average annual cost to attend a four-year institution has increased from $3,499 to $22,092.

Many Americans are finding new ways to help lead their children get the best possible education and save money. “I’m looking at going into the Air Force”, senior Jake Miles said, “It would be way cheaper than going to a four-year school.”

Joining the military, taking a gap year, and even attending a 2-year or community college are all newly implemented strategies to save money and pursue a great education.

Community college can reduce the cost of attending a public institution by one half, and many are 1/10 of the cost of attending a private institution.

Some may even pick up helpful skills and knowledge that they wouldn’t have gotten at

9

a four-year school, which otherwise would have robbed them of their hard earned money and made them in-debt-ured servants.

Since 2000, tuition costs have blown past even the increasing cost of health care, and out of state students are being hit the hardest.

For example, if a North Carolina resident were to attend UNC Chapel Hill, the annual tuition would cost $7,694 and the total cost would be around $22,000 per year. If a student in South Carolina or Virginia were to attend, tuition would cost $28,446 and the total cost would be a whopping $44,000.

Very few Americans can just write a $44,000 check for four years without it impacting their daily lives.

Needless to say, those who have not planned how to meet these tuition costs will likely end up in serious debt. Many Americans have been wisely planning, and many high schoolers are being smart about saving their money.

Preparing for the cost of tuition is one thing, but parents do not live at college with their children and they will have to fund their own basic everyday needs.

“I am having to save up to pay tuition and all of the other costs that go along”, senior Sean Donahue said.

“I’ve been working at Jimmy’s and doing other various side jobs to save up”.

It is bad enough that student tuition is so high and can result in large sums of debt, but many college students rack up credit card debt and set themselves up for a financial nightmare. “Don’t blow your hard earned money on stuff like $200 headphones or shoes, it isn’t worth it because they aren’t even going to last long in the first place,” senior David Ross said.

Finding the discipline to save money should be a priority for everyone, but especially for students who plan to attend college.

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10 Pirates' Treasure

Pirates' Hookok

Cafeteria Reduces Stress on Wallet

By Luke Berndt

The lunch bell rings and students pile into the cafeteria, rushing to be first in line to get their food. Because those with empty pockets have trouble paying for lunch, the school system has a way to help them.

Free and reduced lunch is very helpful for the students at Riverside whose household income qualifies them for the program.

According to the Durham Public Schools website, students from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free lunch. Those whose incomes come between 130 and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals.

Eligible incomes vary depending on family size. For a family of four, incomes less than $29,965 are eligible for free lunch and incomes less than $42,643 are eligible for reduced lunch.

“All the student has to do is submit an application and within 10 days it is reviewed and it will be decided if you meet the qualifications for free or reduced lunch,” cafeteria worker Tewanna Roberts said.

According to cafeteria manager Patrick Kenion, the Child and Nutrition services review only a certain number of applications for free and reduced lunch. They choose applications at random to do background checks and make sure all of the information on them is correct. After the application is reviewed, it is decided if the student will receive free lunch, pay 40 cents for reduced lunch, or pay the full $2.50 every day.

“There are not a lot of background checks done,” guidance counselor Jennifer Nauss said.

“It is based a lot on the honor system and people being truthful when filling out the application.”

As a result of the casual review process,

there are worries about how truthful applicants really are.

“Many students are helped by the system but I feel like a lot of parents falsify the information on the form to get their child on free or reduced lunch,” Kenion said.

Another concern with the subsidized lunch system is the maximum income to receive reduced lunch is so high above the poverty line.

“Some people can definitely afford to pay the full price but they are still on free or reduced lunch,” sophomore Greg Adams said.

While some students may look like they can afford to pay the full price for their lunch, no one can really tell their family’s fiscal struggles based on appearance.

“While 185 percent of the poverty level may seem like a fortune to high school students, in reality it is challenging to meet the needs of a family of four including housing, utilities, food, clothing, health care, insur-

ance, transportation (etc.) at this income level,” DPS board of education member Natalie Beyer said.

Out of the 1,832 students at Riverside who receive lunch through the National School Lunch Program, 834 get free lunch and 89 get reduced lunch.

“As with many other federal programs, eligibility for the school lunch program varies depending on income, with the level of assistance declining as income rises,” U.S. Congressman David Price said.

“While local school districts are given some latitude in implementing the program, the goal is to provide assistance appropriate to the level of need.”

Even with the flaws in the system, free and reduced lunch is great for the many students who do not have $2.50 for lunch everyday.

“I think the system of free and reduced lunch is a good thing for people who can’t afford to pay,” junior Zariya Thomas said.

By The Numbers 1832 834 89 Cafeteria worker Tewanna Roberts rings up students who are receiving their lunch. Out of all of the students that receive lunch • PHOTO BY CHRIS PEREZ through the system, more than 50 percent of them are helped by receiving free or reduced lunch.

eat lunch at Riverside

receive free lunch

receive reduced lunch

Courtesy of DPS Operational Services, Child Nutrition Services. As of Oct. 31, 2012.

March 2013

By Marie Muir

Pirates' Treasure

Forget about the price Tag

Jessie J always said “it’s not about the money, money, money,” but students preparing for college strongly disagree.

Seniors attempt to lessen the cost of college by earning financial scholarships through nomination, writing multiple essays, and volunteering at every possible chance they get.

One thing all students applying for scholarships have in common is that they have an inner drive to work hard and get rewards.

“I have been offered an academic scholarship of $1000 a year to attend UNC Greensboro, one of my top school choices,” senior Iyana Faison said.

“I would not call the application process easy because it involves hours of confusing paperwork and answering repetitive prompts.”

Some prompts, however, can be unique and a little strange.

“One of the UNC Chapel Hill prompts asked me to describe in detail what my favorite comfort food

is and why,” senior Caralyn Evans said.

Silly prompts are only a fraction of the scholarship application process. Face it, without grants many students would not be able to go to college, thus limiting their future.

“Our mission is to ensure that qualified students have the opportunity to study at the university regardless of their ability to pay the full costs of attendance,” the UNC Office of Scholarships and Student Aid said.

Fortunately, there are thousands of scholarship that anyone can receive, just by being themselves. Scholarships are available to kids who are short, tall, and even those who can replicate a duck call.

“Kids do not realize how much money is available for education in the form of scholarships,” English teacher Matt Smith said. “My advice is to apply to as many scholarships as possible, because you never know unless you try.”

Whether seniors find support at home or in the classroom, having someone that can serve as a mentor through the scholarship application process is helpful.

“I would not have finished

By the Numbers $3 billion In Scholarships Annually $32,617 Average Private Tuition $15,918 Average Public Tuition

11

my scholarship applications on time if Darcy Turner, my counselor, had not been there to guide me,” senior Justin Baker said.

“Having a good relationship with my counselor encouraged me to stay organized and on task my senior year.”

For Riverside’s scholarship coordinator, Darcy Turner, assisting seniors throughout the application process is simply a part of her job.

“I think the amount of scholarship money received from individual colleges will have a big impact on the school that student decides to attend,” counsler Jennifer Schira said.

“Often students will go to second or third choices because it is cheaper.”

Scholarships impact students in that they offer a chance to pursue future careers and giving their families an opportunity to save money.

“Receiving scholarship money has allowed me to do what I love, and it has rewarded me for all of the hard work I have put in these past 4 years,” senior Jake Kusz said.

Kusz will be playing baseball for UNC-Greensboro next year.

Some students may say “it ain’t about the cha-ching cha-ching,” but in reality for those planning to on attending college, it is.

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The Pirates' Hook March 2013

12

Security questions raised in classroom

By Ben Huffman and Emily Eubanks A chemistry teacher stops in the middle of his lecture on hydrogen bonds when he feels something poking him in the side. With a grunt, he removes a pistol from his pocket and places it on his desk.

As a nation, the talk of arming teachers has become the center of attention.

Several states are becoming more focused on gun laws and whether or not teachers should be armed, while many states have already begun to change their laws regarding gun control.

At Riverside, administrators and school resource officers have been paying greater attention to security issues.

The Connecticut Education Association polled 43,000 teachers, finding that 85 percent oppose arming teachers, and 88 percent support banning the sale of high capacity magazine clips. Only 22 percent of the people polled by the National Education Association favor arming school employees.

“I’d be afraid to have one,” EC Teacher Pat Nalley said.

Nalley believes that teachers don’t need to be armed and wouldn’t feel comfortable having a gun in his possession.

“We’re not trained,” Nalley said.

“You really become another cop.”

Assistant Principal Gary Ackley agrees with Nalley as he has seen everything from stolen guns at school, to students using a weapon for defense.

In some cases, students

would go for the officers’ guns.

Raleigh’s News and Observer reported gun law advocates are pushing the agenda to the legislature. A Second Amendment Rally held in Raleigh in early February housed over 300 attendees to protest the prohibition of firearms on state property.

Many Riverside employees feel that arming teachers is not the answer.

English Teacher Matt Smith expressed his feelings about guns through his blog.

“I think this is an exceptionally bad idea. I don’t see how a gun fits into anything I’m trying to do or be as an English teacher,” Smith said.

SRO officers have been working extra hard lately to make sure all faculty and students are safe.

“Ever since the shooting that happened at Sandy Hook we have beefed up security here at Riverside. We have extra officers on duty, and monitor everyone who enters and leaves the building,” SRO officer Jobe said.

Even students have noticed the change in the discipline policy.

“Ever since all of the school shootings that have happened recently across the country I’ve noticed the administrators and teachers are cracking down harder on students roaming the hallways. Where before some of my teachers would let me walk in the hallway without a pass now they send me back to get one before letting me walk around the school.” junior Leah Brewer said.

On Friday, December 21, security was tighter than average due to threats of a school

shooting.

“On the Friday when Riverside had the shooting threat we brought in extra officers, we had dogs, and there was only one entrance into the building,” principal Jackie Tobias said.

“We have cameras that surround the entire school and on December 21 we had cops watching the cameras at all times. The cafeteria doors and all outside entrances were monitored extra closely,” Tobias said.

Students who attended school on the day of the possible shooting felt safer because of all the added security.

“I came to school on December 21 when all the craziness was going on with the shooting threats. I noticed that there were a ton of police officers and dogs that day. All of the extra security at school made it where I didn’t have to worry and I felt extremely safe,” senior Brianna Berry said.

Although some students might find the new discipline policies too harsh, the administrators find them necessary to ensure the safety of students.

“A school can not run without feel-

ing secure. It’s one of my main goals and responsibilities to make sure that all of our faculty and students feel safe and that they can call Riverside their home,” Tobias said.

For teachers, however, security does not equate to using guns.

“If you can’t trust a teacher with a key to the building, how can you trust them with a gun?” drafting teacher Dave Rodgers said.

• GRAPHIC BY AVERY ROBERTS

13

Gun violence catalyzes debates Political parties discuss gun use, laws

By Timothy Duke Recent events in the Unites States, such as the tragic Sandy Hook shooting, have incited divisive debates regarding gun control, how it would affect gun violence in America, and how it would affect the rights given by the second amendment.

President Barack Obama has stated that he supports an assault weapons ban, stronger limits on gun magazines size, universal background checks and federal gun trafficking laws.

The stance Obama has taken of reducing gun control has been a controversial issue.

“Gun control has become an issue because of the Second Amendment guaranteeing the right to own and bear arms,” Civics and Economics teacher Rebecca Stone said.

The vagueness of the Second Amendment poses questions to what limitations should be made.

“It could be talking about militia as would make sense in the 1700s, or the amendment could be talking about normal citizens using firearms as a method of self defence,” Stone said.

Stone also said that the elementary

school shootings in Connecticut have renewed the debate.

Gun control is not a new issue.

Both the Democratic and Republican parties have positions in their national platforms.

“We recognize that individual’s right to bear arms is an important part of the American tradition, and we will preserve Americans’ Second Amendment right to own and use firearms,” the Democratic platform said.

The Democratic platform goes on to say that it will be focusing on effective enforcement of existing laws, such as strengthening background checks, and reinstating the assault weapons ban.

The Republican platform, however, is opposed to more gun laws.

“We acknowledge, support, and defend the law-abiding citizen’s God-given right of self-defense,” the Republican platform said.

They also said that they call for the protection of fundamental individual rights recognized in the Supreme Court’s decisions in District of Columbia v. Heller and McDonald v. Chicago.

“Affirming that right, and we recognize the individual responsibility to safely use and store firearms,” the Republican platform said.

“Which also includes the right to obtain and store ammunition without registration.”

“We support the fundamental right to self-defense whenever a law-abiding citizen has a legal right to be, and we support federal legislation that would expand the exercise of that right by allowing those with state-issued carry permits to carry firearms in any state that issues such

permits to its own residents,” the platform said. But the debate is not that linear.

“The gun debate is really a complex political debate,” Stone said.

“It really depends on your personal political view on the debate, to show how however this goes, affects you,” Stone said.

The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) has said that strengthening gun laws such as background checks will not help stop gun violence as criminals will not participate in them and the mentally ill will not participate.

Instead, they propose that we work on the “devastatingly broken mental health care system in our country.”

They have also said that felons who try to purchase firearms and are denied by the background check will not be stopped from purchasing the firearm.

“In 2010, out of 76,000 denied purchasers, only 44 were prosecuted nationwide for illegally attempting to purchase a gun,” the NRA said.

The NRA has also stated that the mentally ill will not be included in Sophomore Morgan Philpot aims her rifle. Many students at Riverside own guns, sparking a personal connection in the gun law debates.

•PHOTO COURTESY OF MACKENSIE GREEN the system.

“For the past 20 years, government cians each year. the government has the authority to restrict gun has failed to include records even for They also have members give do- laws,” Civics teacher Pat Roeber said. those who nations to Gun violence is also close to home. have been politicians “Last year in Durham 24 people were judged o f t h e i r killed and 21 of those victims died from bulmentally ill c h o i c e . let wounds,” main advocate for stopping gun by a court,” This gives violence in Durham, Marcia Owen said. the NRA them a The victims of gun violence in Durham said. s t r o n g names, ages, method death are all recorded T h e voice in on the events page of Marcia Owen’s website NRA puts gun laws www.nonviolentdurham.org, under Annual close to based de- Vigil. As a comparison to the deaths in Durthree milcision. ham, the death rate in the US (2010) was 10.2 lion dollars toward lobbying politi“The biggest issue is whether or not per 100,000.

“Last year, 21 victims died from bullet wounds in Durham.”

Marcia Owen

14 Security

Pirates' Hookok

Guns involved in student, teacher life

C U T A crowd gathers at a prayer vigil to commemorate the loss of a shooting victim in Durham. Many students have guns in their households.

• PHOTO COURTESY OF MARCIA OWEN

By Jasmine Lyon According to a Gallup poll, almost half of teenagers in the south have guns in their homes. Here at Riverside, the number is slightly higher: a Pirates’ Hook survey shows that 55 percent of students say that there is at least one gun available to them in their household.

Photography teacher Rita Rathbone has been exposed to guns all her life, Senior Jacob Robbins enjoys shooting practice with his family, and science teacher Carly Coughlin took up shooting after moving to North Carolina.

“Guns were always a part of me, It’s an important aspect of culture and apart of my everyday life. Guns were a tool of survival and were not seen to be used for violence,” Rathbone said. Rathbone’s father and grandfather were gunsmiths.

Similar to Rathbone, senior Jacob Robbins also has experience with guns.

Robbins can distinguish between what is an assault rifle and what is just a semi automatic gun. He also knows the dif-

ferent bullet sizes. Robbins described his knowledge about guns as general.

Along with his father and brother, Robbins goes to the shooting range and practices basic shooting, targeting, and skeet shooting.

“I find it very annoying how people can’t tell the difference between what is an assault rifle and what is not,” Robbins said. “Also, people make assault rifles to be deceptive and making them seem more dangerous than what they really are”.

Coughlin wasn’t interested in guns until she moved to North Carolina.

Coughlin’s first shooting experience came after college, when she shot a pump-action shotgun and a rifle.

Coughlin says she agrees with getting background checks on people to be able to have a gun but she disagrees with banning guns altogether.

“No matter what the law is or change they make, there will always be guns in the hands of criminals,” Coughlin said.

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March 2013

Security/News

Teachers of Year Matt Smith

Deputy Jobe looks out over the cafeteria. Officers do everything they can to keep the school safe.

• PHOTO BY EMILY EUBANKS

SROs create safe environment

By C.J. Carpenter

Like many school’s across the country, Riverside’s top priority is the safety of it’s students and provide the ultimate level of security for its students through SRO officers.

“They do a very fine job. They’re here to make sure school is safe and orderly and they stay focused on that,” Administrator Paul Keene said.

According to Deputy Fox, an officers’ job is to patrol the school and look out for suspicious behavior lurking in the hallways.

The officers strive to not let anything disturb the education of students and to show consequences as quickly as possible.

“The main thing is to stay visible throughout the building and have what we call ‘officer presence’,” Fox said. “We must stay proactive and not let anything slide. We also lock all the gates around school so there’s only one way in and one way out.”

Administrators rely on the officers being there for them when something goes awry.

Though most students feel safe in school, students still have ideas of ways school could be safer.

“I feel like the school would be able to put in metal detectors at the front entrance of school to cut down on weapons. I think some kids who bring their own weapons to

school would stop bringing them and stop being a threat on campus,” sophomore Ryan Woods said.

No matter how much criticism the police officers in general receive, they stay determined to keep the school as safe as possible."A lot of people think that cops are the bads guys in many situations,” Fox said. However, not everyone thinks the officers are here just to get students in trouble. Some students realize that the officers are here for their benefit.

“I feel the officers do a very, very good job,” sophomore Johnson Carbuccia said.

“I feel safer when they’re around me because they are authority figures. Their number one weapon is the law.”

Officers are also here to make impacts on students lives and the school environment.

“Today it matters a lot to me to be working at a school because we as officers can make huge impacts on the lives of kids who need the support,” Fox said.

If students are having problems at home, they can talk to the officers and let them know what’s going on and the officers are able to help.

“I think everyone needs to understand that the officers are always looking for something safer and something to improve on,” Keene said.

Teaching is a difficult profession, and teaching high schoolers can be even more difficult. Shaping the youth of America into the adults of America is no easy task.

While not every teacher succeeds 100 percent, Riverside recognizes the best of the best with their Teacher of the Year award.

This year’s recipient, English and Public Speech teacher Matt Smith, has humble feelings about his victory.

“I’ve been here a long time. Since 2003, actually,” Smith said. “I work well with lots of teachers. That’s probably why I won the award.”

Smith has amassed a legion of admirers, from students to staff, including Principal

15

Jacqueline Tobias.

“He is awesome, it is always a pleasure for me to visit his class,” Tobias said. “I always marvel at the great relationship he has with his students.

His students always seem involved in what he is doing, Matt Smith which is the sign of a great teacher.”

Students also speak highly of Smith.

“Mr. Smith is the greatest teacher ever,” junior Stephanie Trefzger said of her former teacher.

“Thumbs up for Mr. Smith,” junior Rachel Utz said. “He gives us great things to read but they’re not too difficult.

By Parker Harris

Bethany Phillis teaches English to students. Phillis was given the ILT Teacher of the • PHOTO BY CHRIS PEREZ Year Award for the 2012-2013 school year.

Bethany Phillis

English teacher Bethany Phillis was given the Initially License Teacher (ILT) Teacher of the Year Award for the 20122013 school year.

The ILT Award is bestowed upon teachers in their first three years of teaching Principal Jackie Tobias commended Phillis on her early success as a teacher.

“She is creative and very committed to her students,” Tobias said. “She has a

very strong rapport with her students.”

Phillis’ students praised her on her teaching quality and her interaction with her students.

“She’s always able to work with you, especially if you’re ever having trouble”, sophomore Blake Trammel said.

Phillis attributes her early success to her ability to interact and form positive relationships with her colleagues.

By Davis Heric

16 News Briefs

Pirates' Hookok

• PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAH SOLIE

(Above) Senior Sarah Solie displays her photography which was successful at the Scholastic Art Award show. (Right) Senior Marqualess Goldston jumps to a state championship.

Garden Club Works With Class As each season approaches, the Intellectually Disabled Moderately (IDM) students look forward to building gingerbread houses and bird feeders, planting pansies, and even flying kites on the football field each year thanks to the women in the Croasdaile Garden Club.

The CGC consists of retired women all with the same goal: helping others and making the world a better place.

The CGC tradition of giving back at Riverside began five years ago with Linda Stewart.

Lindas’ son, Robert, was a student in the Occupational Course of Study (OCS) program for kids with intellectual disabilities, when Linda began organizing visits from the Croasdaile Garden Club.

Evidence of the CGC’s impact on the IDM students can be seen all over campus. “It is amazing how involved the Croasdaile Garden Club ladies are with our students,” IDM teacher Vanissa Conklins said.

By Marie Muir Spring Play: The Foreigner Rural Georgia is the setting

for the spring production of The Foreigner. Written by Larry Shue, the comedy is an amateur theatre classic.

“A dude takes a friend to a lodge in Georgia,” stage manager Lovely Xsauria-Williamson said. “The owner is really talkative, but his friend doesn’t like to talk. They lie and say he can’t speak English."

In doing so they learn a lot when the locals begin sharing deep secrets and hidden plans in front of him.

The play is being directed by theatre teacher Monique Taylor.

The production will run from March 21-23 at 7p.m. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults.

By Parker Harris

• PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFF SIDES

Sarah Solie and Lawson Osteen.

“I’m very excited,” Solie said.

“If I win, I’ll get to go to New York to compete in the national finals.”

Solie won two gold medals for her photos, Osteen won a gold and a silver in regionals.

“I want to be a professional photographer, but right now it’s more of a hobby,” Solie said.

By Benjamin Peters

Engineers Win APP Contest Please congratulate members of the team if you see them today.

They worked hard on this.

A team of engineering students won a state-wide contest sponsored

by Verizon.

"They designed an APP to educate the public, especially teenagers, on learning more about STEM," Engineering teacher Tim Velegol said.

Team members included, John Kish, Jackson Buck, Rania Hassan, Seth Close, Shawn Womble, Matthew Laird, Matthew Gibson, Harry Schrickx, Hannah Glisson, Wesley Meyers, Bailey Blankenship, Austin Spero

Photography Medals Two of Riverside’s photography students rocked the Scholastic Art Award show when they won several prestigious medals, and therefore qualified for the nationals in New York.

“The photography competition is the longest running, biggest, and most prestigious award show in the country,” photography teacher Rita Rathbone said. “Only ten percent The app can be viewed at http:// from each region gets to compete appchallenge.tsaweb.org/winners/ in the states final."

Two of those students are seniors index.html

Read longer versions of all these stories at www.riverside.dpsnc.net

Sophomore Aaron Daniels-Freeman fulfilled a lifelong dream Feb.7 when he won the state championship in diving. Seniors Thomas Gallagher and David Ross, juniors Harry Schrickx and Micah Goodwin qualified for the state tournament in the men’s relay and senior Carly Speight, juniors Natalie Liller and Katrina Huff, and sophomore Sophie McNeill, qualified to compete in the women’s • PHOTO COURTESY OF SU STONE relay.

Winter Athletes Take Home Awards

Senior Marqualess Goldston leapt a personal best of 23 feet 3 inches to win the state winter track gold medel in the long jump.

Goldston will move on to compete in the national meet in New York.

Two sophomore wrestlers earned all-conference honors: Abdurauf Muhammed and Gary Whitaker. Another sophomore, Jaquon Sowell, and juniors Nick Hurley and Christian McKinnnis made second team all-conference. The team dual meet record was 9-11.

Sophomores Yakima Clifton and Mone Jones made the all conference team in womens basketball. They finished the season with a 5-9 record in conference.

Seniors Michael Tillotson and Al Hughes made all conference for the men's basketball team. The Pirates finished the season with a 9-15 record.

March 2013

By Brice Norton

Athlete Health Creatine, a tough pill to swallow

High school athletes push themselves to be the best of the best. In desperation to get an edge on the competition some student athletes turn to performance enhancing drugs in order to compete at a higher level than their competition.

Creatine, one of these performance enhancing drugs, has become a widely used substance among athletes. Not only is it prevalent at the collegiate and professional levels, but it has become very common in high school. Many athletes think creatine supplements can replace natural ability, but there are also many critics.

Kennie Apilli, strength and speed coach at D1 Sports Training and Therapy, recommends athletes eat healthy to perform to their fullest ability.

“There is no manufactured supplement known to man nor will there ever be that can replace what we must do with proper nutrition from natural food,” Apilli said.

Many high chool athletes take advantage of the benefits creatine has to offer.

“I used creatine during the offseason. It really helped me get bigger

Athlete Health

and better faster than the competition,” an anonymous student said.

“The few risks were well worth the benefits I saw from using the supplement.”

Two of the major and most common side effects of using creatine are dehydration and kidney exhaustion.

“It doesn’t only help me workout longer and build muscle, but it makes me feel like I have more energy on the field,” another anonymous student said. ” I personally have never experienced any major side effects that put my health at risk.”

The effects, good or bad, of creatine are unique for each individual. Because very few studies are conducted on people younger than 18 years old, not much is known on the effects on younger users.

While some high school athletes use performance enhancing drugs, many others choose to work out naturally. Senior Bajon Aanite, who competes in track and field as well as soccer, is committed to being a vegan and staying drug free.

“From when I was young I’ve been healthy so its just not nat-

17

ural for me to use those kinds of size, strength, and speed,” Apilli my performance on the field,” senior supplements,” Aatnite said. “It’s said. lacrosse player Luke Beauchaine a lifestyle.”

The pressure to be the best said.

Apilli believes creatine sup- has become top priority. With “Creatine is something we produce plements are unnecessary for teammates and competition enough of naturally and can get from young athletes. He said that high getting ahead of the game by natural foods. It’s a supplement that school athletes don’t need creatine using supplements like creatine a lot of athletes try to turn to in lieu because teenage bodies produce or other PED’s, the pressure of proper nutrition for increases in enough creatine themselves. to use performance enhancing size and strength, which won’t give “I can say with absolute certainty drugs becomes more prevalent. them long term results,” Apilli said. that anyone younger than 18 atA healthy diet and progressive “Sometimes it’s a struggle tempting to train in a manner that because of the peer pressure to workout routine may take longer, improves their body’s ability to be use supplements, but I don’t think but guarantees lasting effects with bigger, stronger, and faster does not using supplements would affect no life-altering side effects. need extra supplementation from creatine because they are producing an adequate amount on their own and with proper nutrition, they will be very well equipped to have everything they need to en- A spilt bottle of creatine pills. High school athletes are trying to replace a healthy diet and • PHOTO BY CHRIS PEREZ hance their planned workout with creatine supplements.

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18 Athlete Health

Pirates' Hookok

Student athletes over-specialize Endless Repetition Can Lead to Serious Injury

By Yakima Clifton From blowing out a knee to over-using a shoulder, when constantly focusing on one sport, getting injured is nothing out of the norm for high school athletes.

In some cases, false information will cause athletes to think they’re okay and to continue playing, when in reality, it only worsens their injury.

“I remember how it hurt like it was yesterday,” junior Stephan Jacobs said. “It was in the middle of June. I was going up to catch a pass and I fell down on my wrist and it popped three times. I couldn’t move it after that because it stiffened up.

I was told it might have been a torn ligament so I kept playing for ten games, then I found out that I had a broken scaphoid bone.”

Some sports trainers, including Apex Athletic Performance and Rehabilitation, recommend that students play more than one sport due to possible injuries that result from using the same muscles in the same sport throughout the year.

Many athletes focusing on one sport year-round with hopes of

being “great,” when instead they would do better and be safer by playing one main sport with a few other sports in off-season to keep all their muscles strong throughout the year.

Still, athletes will get injured.

Months of valuable playing time and experience are wasted away with rehab and training.

“It’s all about strengthening exercises, band work stretching, ice and more stretching,” Sports Medicine teacher Kristen Wright said.

As Sophomore basketball player Mone’ Jones was going up for a rebound against Green Hope when she pulled her hamstring.

“It was very painful in the beginning, but got better at the end,” Jones said. “It took me about three weeks to fully recover with the help of my physical therapist.”

Junior Natalie Liller is still in the midst of recovering from an injury she received three years ago.

Patrick Volk lines up, waiting for the snap, in a fall game. Volk has been injured in the past due to focusing • PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HELM “I dislocated my shoulder in mainly on football. pain daily,” Liller said.

“I noticed efit an athlete more than they hurt That type of mentality is what April of 2010, during my volleyball a change in my everyday life and them.

“Getting hurt helped me in a makes athletes strive to be the best. season, and I have weak joints.

I know what to limit myself from way that I was hungry to get back Not letting injuries stop them is They easily dislocate with any very doing due to my injury.” on the court, so I could do what I where an athlete’s path to greatness physical activities. I have not gotten Sometimes, sports injuries bengot to do,” Jones said. begins. surgery yet so there is still a ton of

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March 2013

Athlete Health

19

Sleep, eating healthy key to success

wheat toast. As the day continues on to lunch, ham, The first things that come to an whole wheat bread, swiss cheese, athlete’s mind before a big game and a glass of apple juice is a include tightening the laces of their good choice. For dinner, spaghetti, cleats and packing a gatorade into mushrooms, strawberries, French their bag. Not many athletes con- bread, and Parmesan cheese is the sider the factors that help mentally best way to finish the day.

A day full of high carbohydrate prepare them to perform at their fullest potential, such as sleeping meals will help athletes get through the game easily. Athletes on a high and eating healthy.

From getting a full eight hours of carbohydrate diet can exercise sleep to eating healthy meals, ath- longer than athletes that eat a low letes must consider these essentials. carbohydrate, high fat diet.

Water is a must to drink on a daily Healthy eating help make athletes’ bodies perform at their best basis. Water is a very important while supplying energy. It can also nutrient for athletes, hydrating and help prevent them from drowsiness. lowering body temperature.

According to the Livestrong “I eat healthy to have fuel for my campaign, vitamins are recwrestling ommended matche s , ” I eat healthy to have fuel for in addition to eating sophohealthy. Vimy wrestling matches. more Abwill dur-Rauf Abdur-Rauf Muhammed, tamins not make M u you faster hammed Sophomore or stronger, said. but a lack of Protein helps with muscle growth and vitamins will do the opposite. A repair and is a necessity for athletes. multivitamin is recommended to The average adult needs .8 grams fill the gaps that not eating a parper kilogram of body weight per ticular food group will create due day. Food that has high amounts to a lack of calories. Vitamin B, C, of protein include fish, chicken, and D are necessary for athletes as they convert food to energy, turkey, and beef.

Colorado State University Exten- and help blood carry oxygen to sion foods and nutrition specialist muscles. For vegetarians, a protein and professor recommends that supplement is a good idea to fulfill student athletes should start the day protein requirements.

A pregame meal should consist with a cup of apple juice and eat oatmeal, a banana, jelly, or whole of mostly carbohydrates, due to

By Christina Vurnakes

"

"

Sophomore Abdur-Rauf Muhammed competes in a wrestling match. Muhammed is one of many Riverside athletes who make a point of eating healthy in preparation for matches and games. the fact that carbohydrates are digested quickly and convert to energy. Athletes should eat three hours prior to the event.

Senior Micah Proctor makes sure that she eats healthy meals, not only on game days but also off days for softball. Proctor claims that when she eats greasy food she feels sluggish and doesn’t play as well in the game as she hoped.“If you eat junk food, it will slow you down,” Proctor said. “I’m not going to let eating unhealthy prevent me from helping my team win.”

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Freshman Kitch Cart believes a pregame nap is the best way to regain energy.

“I always have to sleep before my basketball games so I have energy to give my full potential,” Cart said.

Along with eating healthy, getting a good night of sleep is also something athletes must do to play their sport. Without sleep, reaction time is reduced, which junior cheerleader Brionna Johnson can relate to. Johnson has to perform in stunt groups, and a late reaction time could cause a tragic ending.

• PHOTO BY CHRIS PEREZ

A lack of attention also comes with a lack of sleep.

“Before cheer, I try to get a full night of sleep so I am full of excitement for games,” Johnson said.

“My job is to get the crowd into the game. If I don’t get enough sleep then I am exhausted and don’t get my job done.”

Eating healthy and sleeping well are priorities for athletes, acting as fuel to prepare them for the big game. In order to achieve success in athletics, one must master the art of healthy eating and sleeping.

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20 Athlete Health

Pirates' Hookok

Under radar drugs, a national issue

By David McSwain Since the start of his cycling career, Lance Armstrong has emerged as one of the world’s most publicized athletes, gaining fame from his illustrious cycling career.

He was a role model for all athletes until the recent discovery that he had been using performance enhancing drugs (PED) to help himself win.

Armstrong’s scandal was added to a long list of professional athletes who have been caught using PED. It has become a national issue in all levels of athletics.

While less publicized than Armstrong, other athletes have been using such drugs under the radar for decades, whether it be on the professional, college, or even high school level.

Drug testing has become a common thing at the college and professional level, but now a select number of high schools around the country test their athletes.

“I think that there needs to be testing at the high school, collegiate, and professional level,” football coach David Hackney said.

However, Athletic Director Margratha Chambers thinks high school testing is not likely in the near future.

“As far as the high school level, there has been some mention of testing athletes, but if we were ever going to do it, it would have to go through Durham Public Schools, and they haven’t told us to do it yet,” Chambers said.

“I don’t think there’s a big need for it, we haven’t heard of a lot of instances of people using performance enhancing drugs.”

The Pirates Hook surveyed 63 people, including non-athletes, and confirmed Chambers thoughts. Out of the 63, only seven have ever taken any kind of PED.

Lance Armstrong

• Photo Courtesy of Montigny Philippe/Abaca Press/MCT High cost of testing is also a reason most high schools do not perform drug tests.

Approximately $6 million was spent last year alone to pay for drug-education and drug testing at the collegiate level, according

to the NCAA. Even if they are not actually using PEDs, students are affected by what the drugs do to athletes reputations.

“Barry Bonds was easily one of my biggest role models until I learned that he had introduced steroids into his life.

It was a big disappointment to hear about him and Alex Rodriguez and some others baseball players who have done it,” junior Blake Morgan said.

While some athletes are willing to risk their reputation and respectability to gain an edge, others see the risks PED present.

“I think PEDs are just stupid because all they’re going to do is get you in trouble,” senior Lindsey Wiggins said.

“I would rather be good on my own then rely on drugs that can hurt me.”

March 2013

LOVE

21

Love, prom play with students' emotions

By Casey Speer You give them one last hug and tell yourself it’s not goodbye, when you both know the potential love of your life is walking away for the last time. For the next several months you pine over what could’ve been if he or she hadn’t have been “the one that got away.”

During a church retreat in New Orleans, junior Laniya James knew her relationship with a Puerto Rican boy would not last long. The two became very close, but understood that this would most likely be their last encounter.

“We talked a lot on vacation,” James said.

“But I knew I’d never see him again.”

James understood that the ocean which separated them would be too great to overcome, and that their newly found interests in each other would be left hanging with curiosity as to how it might’ve been.

“Maybe it could’ve blossomed into something great,” James said.

Many who experience this type of romance are also left wondering what it could have been.

Whether it be a long lost, forbidden, or an unfound love, anxiety and stress emerge as students begin to pursue romance. Although a fun and exciting experience, prom is increasing anxiety for students who are trying to find dates and make the night unforgettable.

Freshman Amber Parker is surrounded by couples.

“My cousin has been dating this guy for a long time, and it makes me feel lonely,”

Parker said. “I really want to find someone for myself.”

Because the pressure to date is so great, students sometimes feel the need to jump on the first one they find. However, Parker takes a more patient approach.

“I realized in high school I shouldn’t date for the fun of it. I should just wait for the right person,” Parker said.

The anxiety of finding someone only heightens during prom season. Senior Aliyah Mangum finds prom stressful because of the date-finding process.

“It’s tradition to go with a date,” Mangum s a i d . “ I t ’s definitely a nerve-wracking situation.”

Mangum believes that prom • GRAPHIC BY AVERY ROBERTS stresses girls out because for those who want to go with a date, they typically wait to be asked. However, girls are not alone in the desire to find a date for prom. Although it may not be to the same degree, boys face anxious situations during prom and dating in general, due to the risk Senior BriAnna Berry (middle) poses for a prom picture with her best friends. The anxiety of finding a date before prom is a great issue for some high school students. Some, of rejection.

“Guys face some stress to find a girl, however, choose to spend the magical night with their friends.

• PHOTO COURTESY OF BRIANNA BERRY but girls definitely have it harder,” senior Maleake Goldston said. “Guys don’t feel the need to have a girlfriend all the time, where To avoid the stress of prom, some choose There is pressure to date in high school. most of the girls I know do.” to go with their friends rather than even That’s an ever present fact. Whether students Goldston believes that along with feeling worrying about a date. Senior BriAnna decide to fight it or fold to it, it’s always there. more of a need to be in a relationship, girls Berry went to prom last year with several Some students, however, steer clear of also have the more stressful position during of her friends and enjoyed the experience. the pressure and decide to spend the night prom season.

“It’s more fun to go with my friends,” with their closest friends.

“It’s harder for girls because it’s more Berry said. “By already knowing what I “You don’t need a date to go to prom,” stressful to not be asked than be rejected,” wanted to do there was no pressure. I had Berry said. “I wouldn’t have wanted to Goldston said. more fun with my friends anyways.” spend the night any other way.”

22 Love

Pirates' Hookok

Creating Prom

By Ebony Anderson

Students stretch prom dollars

By Joanna Rivas and Jason Bunch

Prom is exciting for most students.

However, the cost of prom is not. Prom is expensive, but can be affordable with strategy. Both girls and boys have to spend lots of money on prom.

Most teenagers don’t know how to save more and spend less. Both guys and girls prioritize their spendings and buy what they view as the “number one” purchase.

“I spend more money on my dress, because to me it’s the most important thing for prom,” senior Jasmine Mensa said.

Prom requires a budget, and whether it’s high or low, all students set one. For students attending prom, the average budget is $450 according to Perfect Proms.

To help make prom more affordable, some stores offer lower prices on items to attract students.

The Hillsborough Outlet, as well as Chique prom, and Genealogy Boutique are places that students can get great discounts and quality prom material.

Many guys are preparing to ask the girl of

their dreams to be their date for prom. Many think that this is the most difficult thing about prom, when the real struggle is paying for it.

To make the night special one can expect to spend a lot of money. Purchasing a tuxedo, buying tickets, buying a corsage, paying for dinner and getting pictures taken make up the costs of prom.

One strategy to save money would be to buy from stores that offer discounts and rent tuxedos instead of purchasing them.

“I view prom as a hassle because of all the money it takes to be a part of it,” an anonymous student said.

Some students involved in prom festivities feel that prom is a once, or maybe twice in a lifetime chance and will spend all the money necessary to make it the best night possible.

“Knowing that I will be responsible for paying for prom, I have been saving up for it,” senior Josh Jones said.

Students face high, sometimes unreasonable prices to make prom night special.

However, with the right strategies, students can make the night less stressful for themselves and less demanding on their wallets.

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Year after year, prom invites memories of flashing lights, music, awkward dancers, and a well decorated room. This atmosphere is created by the prom committee as they attempt to make the night memorable.

Planning and setting up prom requires an extensive amount of work but proves to be a beneficial experience. Senior Amanda Wilson, a past member, enjoyed her time spent as a prom committee.

“Being a part of prom committee was fun. It’s very diverse,” Wilson said. “It’s very stressful making it though.”

Though most students agree that being a part of prom committee is a great experience, they also admit to the large amount of stress that goes along with it. “Sometimes it would get so stressful because some students couldn’t make an agreement with the theme, decorations, etc.,” Wilson said.

Before prom, students in the committee help to choose a theme, raising money and finding a DJ. The committee looks at three separate aspects when planning: set-up, ticket sales, and clean-up.

“Cleaning duty isn’t that bad,” senior Nia Scott said.“All there is to cleaning up is taking down decorations and all the props we made, the hotel throws away all

the extra food and drink.”

Ticket sales account for the main portion of revenue for funding prom.

Every year the committee comes up with different fundraisers to help pay for prom.

This year, the committee is selling Krispy Kreme doughnuts along with hosting a teachers’ lunch.

The day before prom, members of the committee are joined by volunteers who begin to work on the decorations, lighting, food, and music. “While decorating for prom, we would turn on the music, get on the dance floor and start dancing and having a little fun,” Wilson said.

Tech Theatre students also help with many prom decorations. Last year, they helped elevate the “Hollywood” theme by making a directors’ board and movie cameras to cover the walls.

The committee aims for mostly juniors in order to keep prom a surprise for the seniors’ last year. They put all their efforts into brainstorming ideas and fundraising.

“We try to get only juniors into the prom committee but we accept some seniors too,” Multimedia Web Design teacher Crystal Smith said.

“I joined because to me, being able to see prom before it all happens is what really excited me,” senior Jennifer Martinez said.

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March 2013

Love

Online dating, risk grow simultaneously

By Benjamin Peters

Looking for love on the internet is becoming more and more common.

A teacher at Riverside found her husband in cyberspace. Teenagers all over America are looking for love through online dating.

In a time where a great portion of social life takes place online, it is natural for people to seek out love and friendships over the internet.

“When I was 13, a girl added me as her friend on Facebook. After talking for awhile we decided to meet,” an anonymous student said.

“We started dating immediately after.”

According to statisticbrain.com, there are about 20 million users on America’s most popular dating site, eHarmony.

Match.com comes in a close second with 15 million users. With the increase in users of online dating sites, the internet is quickly becoming the future of seeking love.

Since most dating sites require participants to be 18 years of age, they are not used by many teenagers. Some teachers, however, have found dates using the web.

“I think online dating is a good option for people who don’t have an easy time meeting new people,” an anonymous teacher said.

20 percent of all committed relationships, according to statistic brain, start on internet sites like Facebook, eHarmony or Match. com. “I met my husband through Match.com,” an anonymous teacher said. “We decided to meet over some coffee and we started dating

right after.”

Many dating websites are created specifically for teenagers. Besides Facebook, MyLoL.net is one of the most popular internet dating sites for people under 18 years of age.

According to the online dating review site, Social-Networking, MyLoL is “an active, friendly community” where a teen-ager can “make friends in minutes.”

The site has around 20,000 monthly users.

Other teen dating sites include TeenChat, TeenSpot, or FunDateCity.

Though meeting online may work for some, some television shows thrive on the not so lucky experiences.

The show “Catfish,” which first aired last November on MTV, has illuminated the darker sides of online dating. A "catfish" is a person who creates fake profiles online and pretends to be someone else by using false pictures and information. Since the show aired, many online daters have feared that their online crush might not be who they say they are.

“I’m a little scared it’ll be a catfish incident,” an anonymous student said. “It’s just the fear of not getting what you expect.”

Earlier this year, a hoax concerning Notre Dame football player Manti Te’o filled newsstands all over the country. Manti Te’o was scammed by a man named Ronaiah Tuiasosopo who took the identity of Lennay Kekua, Te’o’s girlfriend, whom he met on Match.com.

This type of situation causes

students to realize the downside of not actually meeting someone face to face.

“You have to be careful about who and where you meet,” an anonymous student said. “It needs to be treated with respect.”

Students considering joining the online dating community may want to be careful as they browse through the profiles of other loveseeking singles.

Other online daters might not be who they identify themselves as, possibly causing dangerous incidents.

According to ABC news, a woman sued Match.com after being sexually assaulted.

The perpetator had a history of sexual assault cases and the woman, officially known as Jane Doe, demanded that Match.com install a security system to protect users from similar incidents.

“When somebody uses their credit card to pay, they [would] basically run the card through a sexual offender database,” Jane Doe’s attorney Mark Webb said. “She had no reason to believe that he was a convicted sexual offender."

According to Statisticbrain.com, ten percent of convicted sex offenders use online dating to meet people.

Though online dating can be dangerous and should be handled with care, the internet has become a common place for finding relationships for many people. Every day, more people live their lives through cyberspace with the hopes of finding friendship or even true love.

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23

24

irates'' Hook ookok PPirates

Love Quiz TallDarkHandsome91

22, Durham, NC Interested In: Booty Body Type: Slender, 1/8 wood Height: Standing on Left leg- 6'2" Right leg- 6'0" For Fun: -Long hobbles on the poop deck -Stealing.......hearts -Karaoke Vacation: Sailing in the Caribbean

1. What is your idea of a

2. What kind of personality

perfect date? a. a quiet picnic in the park b. going to see a movie c. going on a mystery road trip d. going mudding

most appeals to you? a. sweet and complimentary b. calm and chill c. outgoing and spontaneous d. country What are you looking for? a. a lasting relationship b. a casual romance c. free-spirited date d. a deer

3. How would you describe 4. yourself?

a. loving and endearing b. laid back c. an “in the moment” person d. southern at heart Which color appeals most to you? a. red b. blue c. orange d. camo

5.

Mostly a’s....you’re a “ROMANTIC.”

You are a lover! You love love, and you’re looking for a relationship with someone who can appreciate it with you.

You want a lasting relationship, so find someone who’s ready to commit.

Mostly b’s....you’re a “HAPPY-GO-LUCKY.”

You are a laid back kind of person, and need a partner to match your style. You’d rather go with the flow on dates and keep your relationship casual.Try to find someone that needs occasional romance, but isn’t ready to be in a full on relationship.

Mostly c’s....you’re “IMPULSIVE.”

You’re spontaneous! You love being in the moment and you appreciate the little things in life. You’d rather pick a date last minute rather than going on a planned one. Try to find someone who enjoys running as wild as you do, even though you both might not want a relationship.

Mostly d’s....you’re probably parked in "REDNECK ROW."

Tied between two letters....you’re “MIXED.”

You are indecisive about a lot of things related to love. You might be unsure of what you like and what you don’t. Explore love! Try romance, or spontaneity or an easy-going date. Figure out what you like and run with it.