January 2019

PERSON OF THE YEAR

In this issue:

Riverside's janitorial team tolerates job changes, weather, dirty bathrooms and more to keep school operating. p. 6

• What's so 'lit' about juuling? p. 3 • Leaving home to stay alive p. 8 • Gun violence, political activism, and bad weather dominate 2018 p. 12

2

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.

www.riverside.dpsnc.net

Durham, NC 22712

•Head E ditors: Joe La i rd, Ma i r Fa met •St a ff: A lex is Del Casti l lo, A r iel Fabito, Just yn Ra mseu r, Si mone Brooks, El ija h K i ng, Br isa Rabada n, La nce Ga rd, Jacob Breuer, Ka itlyn Busch, Ben Pat ton, Jeymy R ivas, Kat her i ne Apa r icio, Estefa ny Fuentez- Guiter rez, St acy Col i nd res, A l la n L eon •Photo E ditor: Javier Mora les, Fabia n Her na ndez

3218 Rose of Sharon Rd.

OPINION

Editorials Juul is the new cigarette

The once ironic saying “Do you even vape bro?” has become a common question to ask between teens. Whether it be hitting a vape pen, Juul, or Suorin, blowing fat clouds has become a norm around the school.

When The Pirates’ Hook interviewed students about vaping for a news story (page 3), students had a lot to say. Sources said that, in the moments of vaping, it feels euphoric. The feeling of being buzzed is almost like feeling high. For those who don’t understand the feeling, it’s a rush of sudden adrenaline and your joyful thoughts are amplified.

Though people partake in the activity of vaping, it doesn’t mean its effects last. It’s a temporary fix for the stress that teens endure on a day-to-day basis.

Vaping among underaged teens has become a serious problem; according to the BBC the amount of teen vapers has doubled within the past year. Vaping at an early age gets teens addicted to nicotine, and the addiction characteristic can carry over into other substances.

Blowing clouds and doing vape tricks is impressive and all, but constantly performing these actions can

have negative consequences. For a while, people become reliant on vaping to get them through the day, and when an individual admits to themselves that they have a problem, withdrawals begin.

Parents aren’t aware of the dangers that come out of vaping. It’s easy for students to conceal their devices because of how small they are. One juul pod contains the same amount of nicotine as one pack of cigarettes and teens themselves aren’t aware of that.

Perhaps most importantly, adults don’t know what vaping is, not to mention how to deal with it.

Riverside can begin educating the students about the harmful consequences that can happen when the addiction starts. When people are face to face with the consequences of their actions, they’re more likely to correct them.

Teens can get sucked into the world of the Vape Nation, but if not handled correctly it can cause addiction problems. It’s best that the flavored pod ban is place because it cuts down on the the amount of teen vapers. Unfortunately, it’s hard to say that the amount of teen vapers will decrease because once addicted, it’s hard to escape it.

Pirates' Hookok Meme Review

By Alexis Del Castillo

First up: they did surgery on a grape.

"They" is a fully automated surgery robot.

What is this meme all about, you know? What is the deeper meaning behind it? To me it represents equality in our nation, healthcare for everybody.

Nevertheless, the “they did surgery on a grape meme” is bad. Why? Because it’s dumb. Also, it was made ten years ago. Three out of ten stars.

Juuling es el nuevo cigarro

Sería irónico que diga “Alguna vez a usado un vape?” Se ha vuelto una pregunta muy común entre los adolescentes. Ya sea usando un Vape pen, Juul o Suorin, soplar nubes grandes de humo se ha vuelto muy normal en la escuela. Sería hipócrita si digo que nunca e usado un Vape, Sería varias veces que lo e usado.

Cuando The Pirates Hook entrevistó a los estudiantes de usar el vape , los adolescentes tienen mucho que decir .En momentos de Vaping, se siente eufórico, Es una solución temporaria para que uno no sienta estrés (Asumo) adolescentes soportan cada día. El sentimiento de sentirse “Buzzed” es casi como sentirse “High” para los que no entienden el sentimiento es de adrenalina repentina y tus sentimientos de alegría se amplifican. Aunque la gente participa en la actividad de vaping, no significa que sus efectos duran.

Vaping se a echo un problema entre los adolescentes menores de edad; en un año se a duplicado desde el año pasado. Cuando un adolescente empieza a usar un vape se están haciendo adictos a nicotina, la adicción característica puede continuar con el uso de otras sustancias. Soplando nubes y haciendo trucos con el vape es impresionante y todo, pero constantemente realizar estas acciones puede tener consecuencias negativas. Por un momento, la gente

se vuelve confiada en vaping para hacerlos pasar el dia, y cuando un individuo admite a sí mismo que tienen un problema, los retiros comienzan.

Los padres no son conscientes de los peligros que se derivan de vapear. Es fácil para los estudiantes ocultar sus dispositivos debido a lo pequeños que son. un juul pod contiene la misma cantidad de nicotina que un paquete de cigarrillos y los adolescentes mismos no saben.

Quizás lo más importante es que los adultos no saben qué es vapear, por no mencionar cómo lidiar con eso. [Proponer lo que debería hacer Riverside sobre este problema] Riverside puede comenzar a educar a los estudiantes sobre las consecuencias perjudiciales que pueden ocurrir cuando comienza la adicción. Cuando las personas están cara a cara con las consecuencias de sus acciones, es más probable que las corrijan.

Los adolescentes pueden ser absorbidos por el mundo de la nación vape, pero si no se maneja correctamente puede causar problemas de addiction.

Lo mejor es que la prohibición de las vainas con sabor esté en su lugar porque reduce la cantidad de vapers adolescentes. Desafortunadamente, es difícil decir que la cantidad de vapers adolescentes disminuirá porque, una vez que son adictos, es difícil escapar.

Next, Fortnite dances.

Alright, so these fornite dances have been in the meme culture spotlight for the better part of 2018.

Since its inception in 2017, it’s been going crazy.

The fact that it’s like that is crazy, too.

You wanna know why? I’ll tell you why. You have these dances that are copied from very popular videos right? Then you take a whole group, a whole butt-load of nine year olds. They start doing the Take the L and Best Mates dances and you got yourself a hit for whenever.

Why do I love this meme so much? It’s easy: it’s so overused. It’s everywhere you look Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, Youtube, etc.. The fact that it’s so overused makes it so beautiful (it’s so overused that when you’re sick and tired of it more keep coming in and it makes you laugh about how it never stops).

It’s almost like there’s an untapped source of meme material just waiting underground, and you just have to reach for it. You have to want the meme. I love it and give it perfect five out of seven stars.

Amazon: Good or Bad?

Amazon started out as a small book shipping company in Jeff Bezos’s apartment. Within five years, it had shipped over 20 million books worldwide.

After another 5 years, it had its own cloud computing service. Then a movie and TV show studio and streaming service. Amazon is poised to take over the world. Now, the corporation is on track to surpass even Apple, the largest publicly listed company in the world.

The company’s phenomenal rise illustrates America’s demand for convenience. It also speaks to the growth of the Triangle, placing in the top-20 potential locations on the eastern seaboard, according to Amazon executives. One group claimed that hosting Amazon’s HQ would bring 17 billion dollars in development to the surrounding area. Others claim

that the already traffic ridden of the Triangle need no more of it.

Efficiency is the name of the game, where anything in the world can be in hand within two days. Before Amazon, consumers actually had to go physically shop for things and take what they could get. Now it sells over 3 billion products worldwide. Bezos has created a company that changes the way our society works. What would our world look like without Amazon? Would in-store shopping still be the biggest thing out there? Maybe Northgate and other shopping malls would still be booming with business.

What if Amazon had come to the Triangle? Would other companies start flooding in? We’ll never know.

So the Grinch meme, it’s a cult classic. Who hasn’t seen it?

Me. I haven’t. The Grinch is… dumb. I didn’t have the best… childhood...

Anyways! The Grinch, why is it so funny? It’s fresh it’s out of the oven, you people haven’t seen this meme before. 7/10 stars Editor's note: Be sure to check out the online version of Baby Sneakers and Ur Mom Productions’ Meme Review at thepirateshook.com.

January 2019

Juuling is ~lit~

Riverside High School has many Juulers. Why they do dat?

By Ariel Fabito Vaping is the so-called new alternative to smoking cigarettes. There are so many pros to vaping, like doing cool vape tricks, and the flavor, and doing cool vape tricks. However, aside from visual attributes that come along with the “vape nation,” it’s difficult to see what other benefits come along with vaping.

Vapes are electronic devices that is used to simulate smoking cigarettes.

The vape heats a liquid, which then forms it into aerosol that is inhaled. The famous e-cigarette company, Juul, is the most commonly used vape. Students find Juuling appealing because its pods come in various flavors, and the vape device itself is easy to conceal.

Juuls are the most recent device driving vape rates across the country. The BBC news reported that the amount of teen vapers has doubled within the past year.

Students are often found skipping class just to blow fat clouds. While roaming around Riverside, five individuals- all who refused to be named- were vaping on the stairwell outside of the A hallway. The students explained that vaping was fun and added that vaping/

juuling was an excuse to skip class.

“It’s a way to relieve myself from he’s ten months into it, he’s beginning The students on the stairwell loved the school stress,” one said when to lose interest in vaping as a whole. vaping because of the adrenaline and being pulled out of their third period. “I don’t enjoy it and get noth-

happiness it gave them.

When asked if they were addicted, all of them (in unison) responded, “Hell no.”

Though some students are proud of their vapes, others like to keep their usage under wraps. Two anonymous juniors said it provides them with a euphoric feeling.

The students on the stairwell and two anonymous juniors make it seem like everyone who vapes thoroughly enjoys it, but junior Llio Moyers has a different opinion. Moyers started vaping because he thought it was cool and his friends around him began doing it. At first he believed it was fun, but now that

Tragedy or Tradition?

By Stacy Collindres

ing out of it,” said Moyers. “It’s honestly just a waste of money.”

Whether a teenage vaper thoroughly enjoys vaping or not, purchasing pods for vapes will become more difficult in 2019. Juul, has announced a flavored pod ban, in July 2017, which prohibits flavors that attract minors from being

Elected officials convene to discuss school shootings

director of the Traumatology Institute and a professor of social work at Tulane Mass shootings occurred more often in University, “There are two primary methods 2018 than any other year in US history. of dealing with a traumatic event: to And no one seems to know how to slow respond or to put it out of your mind. them down.

That’s what’s happening now. We’re still There is not a set definition for the shocked, but we watch the term “mass shooting.” people in the communities "There are But after the Sandy Hook where this has happened, shooting, The Investigatwo primary and we see their shock, their tive Assistance for Viounpreparedness.” methods of lent Crimes Act of 2012, The media has slowly signed into law in January dealing with begun to filter out shootings 2013 by the US Congress, as more and more of them defined a mass shooting a truamatic occur.

Researchers from as an event killing at least event: to reRowan University found three people, excluding 72 percent of all mass the perpetrator. spond andor only public shootings in the U.S. As of November 8, the to put it out of during the 50-year period US had experienced over of 1966 and 2016 studied, 307 mass shootings. The your mind" were covered

by The Times, most recent shooting was a British newspaper.

Charles in Houston, Texas. One Deputy Steven Mills, an person died and 3 others Figley SRO at Riverside, believes were injured. Despite the social media plays a huge shooting occurring 4 days role in how people react to ago, many people were not aware. shootings.

This can be bad and good.

In recent years, mass shootings have It can make the public more aware of become so common that Americans shootings, he said, but can desensitize have become desensitized to shootings, specifically ones with a low death toll people if they appear on their timelines and ones that don’t affect individuals every day.

“It helps the world become aware personally. According to Charles Figley,

of events that no one who know about because there’s limited news reporters.”

Mills said.

The circumstances of a shooting also influence how much people pay attention to it. Senior Natasha Waters named the Synagogue shooting, which occurred in October, as the last mass shooting she was aware of.

“I’m Jewish and so is my friend so I remember discussing that one specifically,” said Waters.

Other shootings Riverside students remember most vividly were the Pulse Nightclub shooting and the Butler High School shooting. The pulse shooting occurred over two years ago in a gay nightclub. The shooting remains one of the deadliest in US history; at least 49 people were killed and more than 50 were injured. The Butler shooting occurred in November outside of Charlotte, NC, 153.1 mi miles from Durham. The most recent lesser known mass shooting in North Carolina occurred on November 12, 2018, in Dunn.

In response to the increase in shootings, schools are considering new ways to keep students safe. The House Select Committee on School Safety has announced plans to use 35 million dollars to better improve school safety. $10 million will be used for mental health

such as school counselors and nurses, $12 million for school resource officers, and $5 million for an anonymous tip line app for students. Three million dollars will be set aside for school safety equipment, another $3 million for training school-based mental health professionals, and $2 million for community partners to provide for students in crisis. However, while discussing the new grants to be put in place during a meeting on December 6, 2018, no one explicitly said that money was being used to prevent any mass shooting accident.

Alex Granados a legislative reporter for EducationNC writes, “The discussion was about how one kid with a gun shot another. And that gun ends up being the elephant in the room.”

Many schools have also begun teaching The Stop the Bleed program specifically in case of a mass shooting. Stop the Bleed, according to its website, is a national awareness campaign intended to encourage bystanders to become trained, equipped, and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives.

DPS has yet to adopt the plan. Principle Tonya William was not aware of the program prior to a Pirates’ Hook interview but thought it could be a good addition to health classes.

3 sold in tobacco and vape stores. The FDA and the Juul company have also raised the purchasing age of pods from 18 to 21.

Many thought teens would be upset about the ban, but however that isn’t the case. Everyone that was interviewed for this article agreed that the flavored pod ban was for the best. The ban was put into place to help cut down on underage vaping in the US. All the students who were interviewed were in agreement that the ban was necessary, but local retailers had different opinions.

Many Riverside students purchase their Juul pods and vape juice from IC Tobacco Shop on Roxboro Road.

While in IC Tobacco Shop, employee Moe, who refused to give his full name, said that the flavor ban was unfair. Moe was previously a smoker and said that he used to smoke a pack of cigs a day, but ever since vapes and juuls became more popular it helped him stop.

Out of all those who are interviewed, he’s the only one that disagreed with the flavored pod ban, in addition he also disagrees with the age up restriction.

“If you can go to the military at 18, then I think you should be able to smoke,” he said.

Tragedia o Tradicion?

oficiales elegidos discuten tiroteos en las escuelas

Por Stacy Colindres Los tiroteos masivos han ocurrido más frecuentemente en 2018 que en cualquier otro año en la historia de los Estados Unidos. Y nadie parece saber cómo pararlos.

No existe una definición para el término "disparo masivo". Pero después de que Sandy Hook ocurrió, la ley de asistencia investigativa para delitos violentos de 2012, firmado en ley en enero de 2013 por el Congreso de los Estados Unidos, definió un tiroteo masivo como un evento en el que murieron por lo menos tres personas, excluyendo el tirador. Otros criterios más amplios requieren que al menos cuatro víctimas resulten heridas Desde el 3 de enero, los Estados Unidos han pasado por más de 340 tiroteos. Los disparos más recientes fueron el primer día del año. El primero fue en Columbia, Carolina del Sur. Cinco personas resultaron heridas.

Cont. en p. 9

4

Pirates' Hookok

Trying to win an unfair game

Students take a deeper look at the ESL Access test all students who speak a language other than English in their home.

Whether the student is US-born or moved here a couple of days or weeks ago, if they speak any other language they are enrolled in the program.

“When [students] enroll in school regardless of when that is, any kid that checks off that they speak any second language at home they have to take a placement test,” said assistant principal Ashley Stephens. “if they don’t • PHOTO BY JAVIER MORALES pass that placement Freshman Edward Danforth takes the released version of test. Non-ESL students and teachers test they are put in the completed sample questions to gauge the difficulty of the test.

ESL program.”

Adopted by 37 states and conducted The Access Test is By: Elijah King every February, WIDA ESL Access test meant for ESL students in kindergarten Every February, English as a Second was once a good opportunity to test out through twelfth grade that are identified Language (ESL) students take a test of the ESL program, but now it’s viewed as English Language Learners (ELL’s) that they know, however hard they as a critical problem in schools. and is administered annually to monitor The ESL program provides En- English proficiency and potentially help try, they may not be able to score high glish-language support in schools for them exit the program. enough to pass.

“Exiting the program could possibly When the sample test was given to a demonstrate that they are bilingual,” group of 4 teachers from all different said Alaina Burr, former Riverside ESL subjects, the group expressed a need for program chair. “On top of their first lan- change in the format of the test because guage, it shows they it was very difficult "It makes you feel for even natural born can handle another language, which dumb becuase I've English speakers. makes them stronger “Even as an adult for jobs and college known english for most I am confused,” said acceptance.” of my life. Why are English teacher VicThe Access Test Watson. “I don’t [they] testing me on it?"toria consists of four difsee much difference ferent components; between the [sample] reading, writing, test for grades 9-12 and Yullissa listening and speakgrades 2-3.” ing. There are three Some students agree Victorio, junior different versions of that the test is too the test: Tier A, for students new o the difficult and doesn’t do a good job program, Tier B, and Tier C, for more gauging English language proficiency, proficient students. but students are split on it.

“It’s hard to compare the level of “I’ve been in the ESL program since difficulty,” said ESL teacher Elizabeth like second grade,” said junior Yulissa Moreno, “but just to give you a bit of Victorio. “I got out of it in sixth grade, insight the writing portion they have then back in in freshman year. It makes one hour to write 3 complete essays. you feel dumb because I’ve known Some kids just never exit because they English for most of my life. Why are never score high enough to be deemed [they] testing me on it?” proficient.”

But other students feel like the test Riverside students have been taking was fairly easy, but understand what the test since 2008, yet many teachers conflicts might be involved. still know little to nothing about it.

Amazon chooses DC, NYC over Triangle By: Ben Patton Every year, 5 billion packages are shipped worldwide by Amazon, and that number is growing rapidly.

Few companies compete with Amazon when it comes to shipping speed, price, and magnitude of selection. This has allowed the company to grow at an exponential rate.

“I think it’s all about convenience and [everyone is] always looking for ways to do things more efficiently,” said Shaun Thompson, an environmental science teacher at Riverside.

“They’re growing so much because they’re not paying their workers enough,” sophomore Chloe Monson said.

Raleigh, NC was a major prospect for Amazon’s new 'HQ2'. The second headquarters for the internet giant would act as a hub for software creation, logistics, and administration. To get on this prestigious selection list, cities had to meet certain requirements. It must be a metropolitan area with over one million people. It has to generally be close to everything: an airport, main highways, and about 8 million square feet in space to expand in the future.

This would match or even surpass the size of the company's first HQ in Seattle.

After months of competition, Raliegh loses the bid for 'HQ2'

“I would say that [Amazon] is not an integral part of society, but it is an integral part of the economy,” sophomore Eli Edds said.

Amazon’s goal was to create 50,000 new tech-based jobs at this new headquarters. The company thought splitting its second headquarters into two locations would solve some of

the anticipated housing and traffic problems that their hiring spree might create. In the span of two months, 238 cities were selected as candidates for the HQ2. When the top 20 finalists came out, Raleigh was on the list.

Some Amazon executives stressed that the Raleigh location would end up spanning the entire Triangle.

"It will span all over the triangle" one exec. said.

In the end, Amazon executives chose to split the HQ between Arlington, Virginia, near Washington DC, and Queens, New York.

Both locations will see drastic changes over the next few years. This begs the question, is it good or bad to host Amazon’s second headquarters?

On one hand, it could bring phenomenal growth to the area, 25,000 jobs, DC NYC improvement to infrastructure. One group even claims it could be worth $17 billion worth of growth in the surrounding area.

“Amazon’s HQ2 is the greatest economic development opportunity in a generation,” Maryland governor, Larry Hogan said Raleigh in a statement to the press.

On the other hand, it could cause a significant increase in gentrification, traffic, and housing prices.

In Seattle, where Ama• GRAPHIC BY JAVIER MORALES zon’s first headquarters is From top left, New York City, Washigton DC, and Raliegh, NC. Both Raliegh and Charlotte located, housing prices went were finalists for Amazon's HQ2. up nearly 17 percent in ten

years, three times the inflation rate of what the rest of the country was experiencing according to Zillow.

Gentrification is also a big problem.

According to the city of Seattle, in just seven years, 167,000 additional beds were needed to support the thousands of tech-based jobs in Seattle, pushing out some of the lower-income families in the area, something that is already beginning to happen in Durham and throughout the Triangle. “[I think] it would have further helped the rejuvenation of Raleigh, but I also think it could have caused a greater divide between those not in the middle class,” Thompson said.

The Triangle’s infrastructure is already struggling with population growth and emigration, according to TRIP, a national transportation resource group. Despite this, North Carolina was prepared to allot two and a quarter billion dollars in incentives for the internet giant. Bringing 25,000 more jobs to the already crowded streets of Raleigh and Durham.

“If Amazon were to settle here, public transport in the area would have to improve,” Thompson said.

January 2019

5

k

The best of both worlds

EC Teacher Teresa Howell splits her time as a teacher and best-selling author.

By Estefany Fuentes Teresa Howell is an EC teacher who loves education and helping students. But aside from her job here as an educator she also has a second life as an author.

At the age of 19, Howell was told by her teacher she should be a writer.

“No, I’m supposed to be a singer. - she told her.

"I’m supposed to be Janet Jackson’s background singer. I’m not supposed to be writing books.”

The real reason why Howell begin writing was when her grandmother, whom she was really close to, had passed away. Her mother-in-law told her writing would be therapeutic.

It took her one year to write her first novel, That Church Life. It’s a story about a girl (Missy) who becomes a minister because it gets passed down through the generations of her family.

Throughout the book, she struggles to navigate the duties she has to do for her family and also an abusive relationship with the church’s musician.

Once the book was published, her life changed fast.

“Within two months my novel became an Amazon bestseller,” she said. “It was in Barnes and Noble stores. I was on television. I traveled to more than 50 cities, [appeared on] 55 radio stations and broadcasts.”

That Church Life was named a top 50 book

series of 2017 by Conversation Magazine. it!’ I’m like ‘do we know each other?’”

Howell also received awards from Achi MagaHowell tries to keep her writing and teacher zine and local newspapers. lifes separate.

Her favorite publicity was “I don’t rean article The Huffington ally talk about Post published about her it at school book because it’s such a and I don’t widely-read publication. really let anyThat Church Life has body know,” given Howell a surreal and she said. I just unexpected life experience. come to school "When you’re young you and be a normal really don’t know what you person. It’s not want to do,” Howell said. “I a big deal to would advise people to exme like it is to plore and enjoy everything others.” and then figure out what’s “I hid all best for you. Because for • PHOTO COURTESY OF THERESA HOWELL these things me, I would’ve just stopped at singing and because you don’t want people to think because playing piano or dancing or all the things that I you’re doing all these things you’re not gonna do was doing. I probably would’ve missed out on your job,” she said. “I still want to work. I have my gift because I didn’t know I had that gift. I an option not to work but I still want to be busy.” thought singing was.”

That Church Life is part one of a trilogy. All She still doesn’t know how to handle the fame three stories will connect and every chapter has outside of school. a cliffhanger with suspense. The books are based “People outside of Riverside they act like on Christian fiction with a hint of mystery and I’m this big celebrity in the book world. But I suspense. don’t see what they see,” she said. “When I go ‘I like the thriller and suspense because growto places and someone stops me and they’re like ing up I was a big Nancy Drew fan,” Howell ‘OMG, I wish I had your book so you could sign said.“I always like to have a twist in the story.”

Most recently, she created a play based on a book. It was produced on-stage November 10, at the Hayti Heritage Center. And was attended by over 400 people.

"Because I had a fan base, [readers] wanted to see That Church Life characters come to life,” she said, “so it wasn’t easy to produce the play.”

The play allowed some of Riverside’s staff to learn about Howell’s writing career. Theater tech teacher William Holley created the set for the play. Theater teacher Monique Taylor painted it. Assistant principal Chaundra Clay’s church bought the book. And principal Tonya Williams only knew because of the Achi award Howell won popped up on her Twitter account “She didn’t know anything about who she had hired,” Howell jokes.

“I was proud of her and I was excited,” Williams said. “I thought that it was cool that Ms.howell has a skill set that some of us don’t.

“I felt she might be able to help the theater program with plays, and not just the program itself but also regular students in the program as well,” Williams said.

Howell likes the balance in her life right now and plans to keep teaching and writing, but won’t rule out writing full-time someday.

"I can come here and be myself and then when I leave I can be a superstar. I’ll educate until Oprah finds me, once she finds me it’s a wrap.’

6

The Pirate's Hook Person of the Year:

Semifinalists: The Media

Riverside High School Janitorial Staff • PHOTO COURTESY OF BRIAN AIMERICH

Runner-Up: Robert Duncan Athletic Director Robert Duncan took our product a better product.” over the position in May 2018, and imme The accomplishments Duncan has had are diately began transforming the image of miniscule in comparison to his goals, though.

Riverside High School.

He is looking to create a hall of fame to ac Riverside’s campus feels like a different knowledge the accomplishments of previous place, with sponsorship signs everywhere, Riverside athletes, as well as creating an new mulch on every tree, and banners on Athletic Honor Society for student athletes. every flag pole in These goals will keep pushing sight. The athletic Riverside to the next level, and events have packed help grow our brand. stands every day, Staff all around the school and it is due to have noticed the changes and Duncan’s efforts work that Duncan has put in, as the new athletic especially the colleague he director. works closest with, athletic “I want to cretrainer Sarah Bell. ate a great expe “He is digging [the athletic rience for all peodepartment] out of a giant ple,” said Duncan. hole,” said Bell.

In terms of ath Along with athletics, Dunletics, Duncan wants to focus on upgrading can is interested in the overall well being of field and equipment the school. He says for all sports teams, that the look of the and this has already school is just as begun. The football important as athteam received new letics, and he wants uniforms this year, all students to feel the soccer team got proud about attendnew balls for pracing Riverside. tices and games, and

His addiR i v e r s i d e ’s b a s e tions to the school ball team received were immediatea $1,000 donation ly visible to stufrom Dick’s Sporting dents attending the Goods. This is all due school, and people to Duncan’s work to are proud to be grow our athletics Riverside students. program and school

“The bantogether. ners are reall nice “My goal is to and they bring m a k e R i v e r s i d e Duncan posts scores, news and events on Twitter school spirit to anthe best choice in @athleticsRHS_nc. He also partnered with Nike to other level," said Durham,” said Dun- get parking lot flags and contacts local businesses s e n i o r C l a r r i s a can. “I want to make about advertising on campus.

Woody.

The media has played a large role in the shift of politics and how things operate in a new paradigm. The public has reached a dilemma of whether to view the media as the “enemy of the people” or the “fourth branch of government.”

Even though the perception of the media has changed, its goal is still to report the news. Although the media is still delivering the same heavy news, bias has driven a wedge between the truth, what we’ve been exposed to before and rhetoric of modern times. “[It’s] kind of hard to listen to because you will always get a bias opinion even if you just want the facts,” junior Kiyo Takahashi said.

Some people think that the best news sources are national publications, such as the Washington Post, but others, like School Board member and advisor for the Pirate’s Hook for 24 years Steve Unruhe, think that local news is just

•PHOTO BY FABIAN HERNANDEZ

A student checks her phone. Students often rely on Twitter and Instagram for news.

as important.

“Both are important, it’s ironic because you have to work harder to get local news, where you are swimming in national news,” Unruhe said.

The media has affected everyone and has shaped public opinions on everything from politics to what clothes to wear.

Without the media, there would be no fact checking, no credibility, and information could be manipulated easily.

“People use any form of media to move others and sometimes in a way that is not ethical,” Unruhe said.

"You will always get a bias opinion even if you just want facts."

Junior Kiyo Takahashi

"My goal is to make Riverside the best school in Durham."

Athletic Director Robert Duncan

7

Immigrants • PHOTO BY EDWARD DANFORTH

• PHOTO BY JUSTIN RAMSEUR

Head custodian George (left, below), supervises all elements of the RHS janitorial duties. Thomas Turner (right), helps keep the inside of the building as well as surrounding campus clean.

Riverside employees recently became full-time DPS employees, but it was a more difficult shift than some expected.

Meet the Riverside janitorial team - 14 individuals that work 40 hours a week keeping our school clean. Riverside is home to over 1800 students, the second most populous high school in the district, meaning that a dedicated janitorial team is especially important in order to share the responsibilities for the school’s upkeep.

At the beginning of the year, Riverside partook in a Custodial Staff Appreciation Week, and for Thanksgiving, the janitors were gifted hams. Assistant principal Kara Robinson says the custodians still do not get the recognition they deserve.

“I’ve noticed how they interact with students,” Robinson said. “It could be a smile, a conversation.”

Robinson said she also appreciates that

when the head of the custodial staff, who goes stead of putting it somewhere else,” by “George,” is needed, he is always there and said sophomore Mariana Figueroa. never complaining.

“A lot of students here make a Janitor Monica Polanco says that she is lot of messes,” said Cameron Nash. mainly thanked by teachers “Without the janitors, the school and front office staff, rarely would just be a pig stye.” students. She shared that The staff recently underwent a students sometimes even take shift in employment, becoming advantage of the staff instead employees of Durham Public of cleaning up their own trash. Schools (DPS) instead of a third “The students, if they see us, party company. It was a challenging they throw away garbage on transition, but the staff made sure the floor and we have to be the Riverside stayed clean. ones picking it up,” she said.

Although the transition to beMany stuing employed dents, howevby DPS was er, recognize “supposed the hard work to be a posiof the custodial tive change” staff. according “[The janitors] make it so to janitor we have an organized enviT h o m a s ronment to learn in,” said Turner, the freshman Maddie Strobel. custodial “They brought my friend’s staff implies phone back to the office in- •PHOTO BY JUSTIN RAMSEUR that it has

"I've noticed how they interact with students. It could be a smile, a conversation."

Assistant principal Kara Robinson

been somewhat difficult.

Now, Turner is paid monthly instead of every two weeks, and he was switched from night to day shift. He says he now has more responsibilities.

“We’re doing the same thing, but it’s different,” he said.

Janitor Martha Gracia says that some people have gotten more work and others less. She says her supervisor, George, struggles to get work done that other members of the staff may have left unfinished.

Gracia is responsible for the junior and senior parking lots, both the girls’ and boys’ locker rooms, and must be present in the cafeteria during all three lunches. Turner says that once students leave school each day, his priority is to clean the floors.

"Without the janitors, the school would just be a pig stye."

Junior Cameron Nash

Riverside high school's immigrant students have affected the school community in a positive way in the year 2018.

Riverside’s Destino Success have been thriving in the community of Riverside despite the politics and the media in the society.

“This year Destino Success has done a variety of events we like to do things that help our community and show of their culture” said Ellen Holmes, Spanish teacher and Destino Success adviser.

Most recently, Destino held its annual coat drive to help provide warm winter wear for any student in need.

“That is open to all students,” said Holmes.

Destino Success also organizes an annual scholarship to seniors, five-on-five binomial soccer game and workshops to help students learn more about post-high school education.

This year, Destino raised money by cooking traditional hispanic foods such as tamales, tacos and more. and used the profits to to fund annual scholarship and help out members of Destino Success with financial need.

“A lot of the funds we use in Destino help members,” said Holmes. “For example one of our members’ water got cut off and it been off for a month, so we used the money to help them”, “Another one of our members’ mom was arrested for a misunderstanding and we were able to get her out on bail,” said Holmes.

• PHOTO COURTESY OF ELLEN HOLMES

Current and former RHS students attended a Define American conference at Duke. Riverside students comes from all over the world.

The Destino Success annual scholarship is available to two seniors who have active members in the program for four years.

The five on five tournament is an event that features soccer, food, music and games.

“The money from that as well goes into the scholarship,” said Holmes.

Destino also does a mentor-mentee program with former members of the club who are in college. The mentors send encouragement to current students to not give up.success Riverside also has immigrants from many different places like Rwanda, East Africa.

“I had to move because of the war, for peace.” senior Ruth Omukundwa says.

Freshman Manav Narendra is from India and he contributes to Riverside by being part of the chess club.

“At home I speak English and Malayalam.”

Narendra says.

8

Pirates‫دومع‬ ' H‫فيضلا‬ ookok

Guest Column

‫نم نيينميلا ىناع‬ ‫و يثوحلا ةلتاقم‬ ‫ةيبرعلا ةكلمملا‬ ‫ةيدوعسلا‬

Al Houthi and Saudi Arabia fight, the Yemeni suffer

By Anbarood Kaid When the war first started in Yemen I saw many horrible things happen.

People were getting killed. We feared leaving our house. We had no electricity for days. Kids were afraid to go to schools or to play soccer in streets.

I don't actually know who's behind Al-Houthi, those who join or what they want. I came to the US in 2011 then went back to Yemen in three years later, but things started to get worse and I returned to Durham for good in 2015.

Day by day Al-Houthi got bigger and stronger than the government and then everyone else. Al-Houthi managed to extend their control over everything in Yemen. I think they have social and political demands and ways to take over everything. They’re the reason why all of this is happening right now in Yemen.

They do everything they want and no one can stop them. They kidnapped kids who go to schools and take them to fight for them. Anybody they see out in streets anywhere, they take. They take people's houses, cars and money.

The people can't do anything about it because Al-Houthi will kill those who say no to them.

Schools are shut down. Most times it's not safe to go out. Sana’a and Taiz are the most destroyed cities in Yemen. The people who used to live there moved to Ibb, where I lived. These people had no houses, jobs or food. The only place they found safe in Ibb was public schools, since no goes to school, especially the public ones. Because there's a lot of them seeking refuge, many settled in the school bathrooms and in buildings that are not fully built.

People had no jobs and starved. Lots of people died. Saudi Arabia bombs and Al-Houthi bombed from the other side. They’re both fighting, but who’s actually getting hurt are the people.

“They're both fighting,but who's actually getting hurt are the people”

‫دياق دوربنع ةطساوب‬ ‫يثوحلا و ةيدوعسلا رجاشتت امثيح‬ ‫يناعي نم ينميلا بعشلا‬

Sophomore Nagham Nawaya pauses during an interview with The Pirates' Hook. Nawaya and her family moved to • PHOTO BY FABIAN HERNANDEZ Durham in 2016 to escape violence in Syria.

Leaving home to stay alive

After escaping war in Syria, Nagham Nawaya excels at RHS

By Mair Famet 15-year-old Nagham Nawaya grew up in Homs, Syria where she lived with her five siblings and has experienced more than the average Riverside student.

Conflict started to arise in Syria when citizens began to complain about unemployment, lack of political expression, and corruption under Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies. In March of 2011, political demonstrations in Daraa (169.6 miles from homs, Syria) took a turn for the worse when the government started to use deadly force against civilians.

The Syrian rebels took up arms of their own, and the fighting escalated quickly.

Soon the chaos attracted Islamic extremists, who also attacked Assad’s regime.

“I was only eight years old when the war started,” said Nawaya. She stopped attending school in the third grade when the facility became a shelter for families who were displaced by the war.

Before the war started, Homs was a non-violent city. “[It was] so beautiful,” said Nawaya.

She knew things had changed forever when a routine trip to a neighborhood market became life-threatening.Nawaya had left to get groceries for the day and when she walked out of the store, she saw guns pointed in her direction.

“I remember everything.” Said Nawaya. “It was just me and my little sister and I held her in my hands,” said Nawaya. “ My sister was laughing and I was crying.”

After that, she stayed at home when-

ever possible.

“I was scared all the time to go get food or water,” said Nawaya.

Months later, Nawaya experienced getting shot at by the Syrian rebels.

“I was sitting on the balcony and bullet almost hit my head,” she said.

The Syrian Government sent Nawaya and her family to the US to seek political Asylum in 2016. Her family first moved from Homs to Jordan another Arab nation, where she continued her education up until the seventh grade. Nawaya then came to the US. Her family spent a week in Miami, Florida, then permanently relocated to Durham.

Nawaya was then placed in the eighth grade at Brogden Middle school. She quickly assimilated into American culture, but the transition wasn’t easy.

“When I came here I didn’t speak English,” she said. “Students would bully me at Brogden because I was Muslim.”

But things got better when she came to Riverside.

“Nagham is very attentive, on time and passionate about her education,” said Brian Strickland, Nawaya’s World history teacher. “School is extremely

important to her.”

Strickland first learned about her journey in a writing assignment she completed in his world history class. ”She opened up pretty quickly about the things she has been through, and I asked her to write more” said Strickland.

“It’s hard to believe. You see it on the news and hear about it a lot. I think about everything she has been through but yet school is the number one thing in her life.”

History is Nawaya”s favorite subject. “[Strickland is] my favorite teacher” Said Nawaya. “I used to hate history in Syria and in Jordan. now I love it.”

Nawaya also discovered that she could sing and has joined Riversides’ chorus. ”I think she’s awesome,” said chorus teacher Jill Boliek. “She’s one of those students that makes me want to keep coming back every day.”

Although life in Syria during the war was very difficult, she’s thanks God that she’s here. ”Life is much better now,” said Nawaya. “I want people to know that If this didn’t happen I wouldn’t be where I am right now.”

“I was scared all the time.”

Nagham Nawaya, sophomore

‫ نميلا يف تنك برحلا تأدب امدنع‬، ‫تيأر‬ ‫ءايشألا نم ريثكلا‬ ‫ةعورملا‬. ‫دقل نولتقي اوناك سانلا‬ ‫انلزنم ةرداغم انيشخ‬. ‫ءابرهك انيدل نكي مل‬ ‫مايأ ةدعل‬. ‫ىلإ باهذلا نوشخي لافطألا ناك‬ ‫عراوشلا يف مدقلا ةرك بعل وأ سرادملا‬. ‫نكمت‬ ‫يثوحلا‬ ‫نم‬ ‫عيسوت‬ ‫نميلا يف ءيش لك ىلع هترطيس‬. ‫نييثوحلا مهءارو فقي نم عقاولا يف فرعأ ال‬ ‫نوديري ام وأ هيلإ نومضني نيذلاو‬. ‫ىلإ تئج‬ ‫ةدحتملا تايالولا‬. ‫يف ىلوألا ةرملا نكت مل‬ ‫تايالولا يف اهيف تشع يتلا ةدحتملا تايالولا‬ ‫تاونس ةدمل ةدحتملا‬. ‫ نميلا ىلإ تدع مث‬، ‫نكل‬ ‫مقافتت تأدب رومألا‬. ‫ىمست سانلا نم ةعومجم‬ ‫يثوحلا‬. ‫نيذلا نيرخآلا صاخشألا نم ديدعلا‬ ‫ مهيلإ اومضنا‬، ‫ موي دعب اًمويو‬، ‫هذه تحبصأ‬ ‫صخش يأ مث ةموكحلا نم ىوقأو ربكأ ةعومجملا‬ ‫رخآ‬. ‫ةيعامتجا بلاطم مهيدل نييثوحلا نأ دقتعأ‬ ‫نميلا يف ءيش لك ىلع ةرطيسلل ةدارإ ةيسايسو‬. ‫يف نآلا ثدحي اذه لك يف ببسلا مه‬ ‫نميلا‬. ‫دحأل نكمي الو نوديري ام لك نولعفي‬ ‫مهفقوي نأ‬. ‫ىلإ نوبهذي نيذلا لافطألا اوفطخ‬ ‫مهلجأ نم لاتقلل اهنوذخأيو سرادملا‬. ‫صخش يأ‬ ‫ ناكم يأ يف عراوشلا يف هنوري‬، ‫هنوذخأي‬. ‫نوذخأي‬ ‫لاملاو تارايسلاو سانلا لزانم‬. ‫عيطتسي ال‬ ‫اولعف اذإ مهنأل كلذ لايح ءيش يأ لعف سانلا‬ ‫مهل ال نولوقي نيذلا كئلوأ نولتقيس يثوحلا‬. ‫قلغت سرادملا‬. ‫نمآلا نم سيل نايحألا مظعم يف‬ ‫جورخلا‬. ‫يف ةرمدملا ندملا رثكأ يه زعت و ءاعنص‬ ‫نميلا‬. ‫شيعلا ىلع اوداتعا نيذلا سانلا لقتنا‬ ‫ بإ ىلإ كانه‬، ‫شيعأ تنك ثيح‬. ‫سيل سانلا ءالؤه‬ ‫ماعط وأ فئاظو وأ لزانم مهيدل‬. ‫ديحولا ناكملا‬ ‫ال ثيح ةماعلا سرادملا وه بإ يف اًنمآ هودجو يذلا‬ ‫ ةسردملا ىلإ بهذي‬، ‫ةماعلا سرادملا ةصاخو‬. ‫كانه نأل‬ ‫ مهنم ريثكلا‬، ‫تامامح يف مهنم ريثكلا رقتسا‬ ‫اهنم ءاهتنالا متي مل يتلا ينابملا يفو ةسردملا‬. ‫لمع صرف يأ سانلا دجي مل‬. ‫ريثكلا تام‬ ‫سانلا نم‬. ‫ةيحاوسلا ةيدوعسلا لبانق‬ ‫رخآلا بناجلا نم ةيثوحلا لبانقلاو‬. ‫امهالك‬ ‫ نالتاقي‬، ‫سانلا مه عقاولا يف ىذأتي نم نكل‬.

“‫”اذه ببسب نوباصي نيذلا امئاد مه سانلا‬ “‫ربع تايالولا ىلإ نوتأي سانلا نم ريثكلا‬ ‫لالخ نم ةياغلل ةبعص تحبصأ اهنأل براوقلا‬ ‫”ةرئاطلا‬

“‫مهنإ‬ ‫ نولتاقي‬، ‫يذلا نم نكل‬ ‫مه العف باصي‬ ‫”سانلا‬

January 2019

k

Living to Tell the Story

By Amelia Anderson

9

Holocaust survivor believes her experiences matter now more than ever

When 89-year-old Irene Hasenberg entered The Washington Hebrew Congregation’s stage, her piercing blue eyes alone were enough to quiet down a room full of teenagers.

When Hasenberg was 13 years old, her family home was invaded by Nazis and taken to Camp Westerbork in The Netherlands- their first stop on their battle for freedom from the Holocaust.

Hasenberg described her childhood as idyllic. For the first six years of her life, her family of four shared a flat in Berlin, Germany with her grandparents.

“We celebrated Jewish holidays and our birthdays with relatives,” she said, “always gathering together around the dinner table to eat challah, sing our favorite Hebrew songs and drink more hot chocolate. ” Unfortunately, Hasenberg was forced to understand that everything good comes to an end a little too early.

In 1936 her father, John Hasenberg, moved their family to Amsterdam, in hopes of escaping the war. In her memoir, Shores Beyond Shores, she recounts the moment she found out she’d be separated from her grandparents."' We didn’t get the permits-the right paperswe need,'" they told her. "'We’ll stay here and watch after things. Until you can come home again.’”

Moving day would be the last time the Hasenbergs would ever see their beloved grandparents.

Being proactive, Irene’s parents reached out to a friend, hoping he’d be able to obtain Ecuadorian passports for them. They had heard prisoners with passports could be traded for German prisoners of war. The Hasenbergs still

Tiroteos en escuelas, cont. de p. 3 Desde el 3 de enero, los Estados Unidos han pasado por más de 340 tiroteos. Los disparos más recientes fueron el primer día del año. El primero fue en Columbia, Carolina del Sur. Cinco personas resultaron heridas. Ese mismo día otros cinco resultaron heridos en Tallahassee, Florida. A pesar de los disparos ocurridos hace 8 días, muchas personas no estaban conscientes.

En los últimos años, tiroteos se han vuelto tan comunes que los estadounidenses se han vuelto insensibles a los tiroteos, especialmente aquellos con un número bajo de víctimas y los que no afectan a las personas personalmente.

Según Charles Figley, director del Instituto de Traumatología y profesor

Then her mother, Mutti, didn’t have the fell very ill, and her father passports six came back from work years later, when more and more worn down Irene’s home was each day. invaded and they “They couldn’t take care were taken to of us anymore,” she said.

Camp Wester“My brother and I had to bork., a concentake care of them and that’s tration camp. one of the hardest things.

We s t e r b o r k We had to stay alive to keep was known as a them alive.” gateway camp of Taking care of her mothsorts. New priser became a full time job. oners went there On January 20, 1945, before moving to the Hasenbergs learned larger camps with they’d be freed and traded horrible reputafor German prisoners. The tions. only thing left was to go to That’s not to the doctor to be medically say the conditions cleared in order to leave. were accommoHer father, or "Pappi," dating. “There had recently endured a was never privabeating at work, so getcy,” she wrote. ting both him and Mutti “The worst were walking to see the doctor the head lice. I would be a challenge. At started itching this point, Hasenberg’s and scratching • PHOTO BY AMELIA ANDERSON own health problem was my head, even Irene Hasenberg speaks at the Washington Hebrew Congregation in one she had in common in my sleep. I November. Hasenberg is one of few living Holocaust survivors in the US. with every other prisoner: tried washing my day before her parents came home from severe malnourishment. Even Warner hair, but the cold water and lack of their labor jobs. She’d camp out in their had an infected foot, making it hard soap couldn’t get rid of them.” Within bunks waiting for them to return. for him to walk. weeks, everyone’s bodies were invested “Hunger sat beside me, whispering in She and her brother went together and with lice. my ear to eat it all,” she wrote. were both checked off. Later that night Months after their arrival at WesterEvery day, without fail, people died when Pappi got home, they couldn’t get bork the passports arrived. during Apell, or role call, when all the Mutti out of bed to go and she certainly But a year later a train arrived at prisoners lined up outside, regardless of couldn’t present herself as she was- the Camp Bergen-Belsen, a massive camp weather, sometimes for hours. People doctors could tell she was sick. Resolvthat would quickly become riddled who collapsed were beaten to death, she ing to check her out later, Irene escorted with sickness and death, sent to take said, when they didn’t have the strength Pappi, struggling to support his weight. them away.. to stand up. Even the sickest had to stand Then the miracle happened. The doctor Not yet old enough to work, Hasenin the sometimes freezing air. mistook Irene for her mother, Gertrude berg collected dinner from officers each

Hasenberg, and she got cleared as her mother. Suddenly the whole family was permitted to leave.

Sadly, Irene’s father passed away on the train to freedom. The remaining three family members endured the rest of the journey being separated so Mutti and her brother, Werner, could get medical care, Irene could stay at Camp Jeanne d’Arc in Algeria, for displaced persons.

She was able to contact her family via telegram, and learned that both Mutti and Werner were alive and in recovery.

A year and a half later, while sailing across the ocean on a cargo ship, Hasenberg was reunited with her family.

“I will never forget Werner’s hug,” she said.

Hasenberg attended high school in America and slowly learned English.

She went the Queens College, then to Duke University for graduate school and became the only female in her class to earn a PhD in economics.

Today, Irene travels the country giving lectures and inspiring young people. Her advice to today’s youth is to stay aware of the their community.

“Be brave, be strong and don’t forget to think about other people as well as your own,” she said.

She also believes that America is supposed to be about equality, liberty and freedom, but today’s politics are “violating laws and values of the country.”

“We need to turn around” she said.

“We need to realize that we are all the same.”

She wants people to join protests to “make our voices heard” and create a more equal America.

“Suffering makes you strong." she said. "Once you survive the Holocaust, you feel you can survive anything.”

de trabajo social en la Universidad de Tulane, “Hay dos métodos principales para lidiar con un evento traumático: responder o sacarlo de tu mente. Eso es lo que está pasando ahora. Todavía estamos sorprendidos, pero observamos a las personas en las comunidades donde esto ha sucedido, y vemos su conmoción, su falta de preparación".

Los medios de comunicación han comenzado filtrar los tiroteos a medida que ocurren más y más. Investigadores de la Universidad de Rowan encontraron que solo el 72 por ciento de todos los tiroteos masivos en Estados Unidos durante los 50 años de estudio de 1966 y 2016 fueron cubiertos por The Times, un periódico británico.

El diputado Steven Mills, un SRO en Riverside, cree que las redes sociales son muy importante en la forma en que las personas reaccionan a los tiroteos.

Esto puede ser malo y bueno. Puede hacer que el público sea más consciente

las nuevas subvenciones que se iban a poner en marcha, nunca se dijo explícitamente que se estaba utilizando el dinero para prevenir un tiroteo masivo.

Muchas escuelas han comenzado a enseñar el programa Stop the Bleed específicamente en caso de un tiroteo en masa. Stop the Bleed, de acuerdo con su sitio web, es una campaña hecha para concientización nacional destinada a alentar el público como ayudar en una emergencia de sangrado antes de que llegue la ayuda profesional.

DPS aún a adoptado el plan. La directora Tonya William no estaba al tanto del programa antes de una entrevista con el Pirates’ Hook, pero pensó que podría ser una buena adición a las clases de salud.

"Siempre que el programa proveerá a los estudiantes información completa sobre un tiroteo en masa y no simplemente se enseñe de forma aislada, beneficiará a todos los miembros de nuestra sociedad," dijo Williams.

de los tiroteos pero puede desensibilizar a las personas si aparecen en sus redes sociales todos los días.

"Ayuda al mundo a tomar conciencia de los eventos que nadie conoce porque hay limitados reporteros de noticias", dijo Mills.

Las circunstancias de un tiroteo también influyen la cantidad de atención reunida. Natasha Waters,un senior, nombró el tiroteo de la Sinagoga, que ocurrió en octubre, como el último tiroteo que ella recuerda .

"Soy judío y también es mi amiga, así que recuerdo haber hablado de eso específicamente", dijo Waters.

Otros tiroteos que los estudiantes de Riverside recordaron fueron el tiroteo en el club nocturno Pulse y el tiroteo en Butler High School. El disparo de Pulse ocurrió hace más de 2 años en un club nocturno homosexual. El tiroteo sigue siendo uno de los más mortíferos en la historia de los Estados Unidos, al menos 49 personas murieron y más

de 50 resultaron heridas. El tiroteo de Butler ocurrió en noviembre en las afueras de Charlotte, NC, a 153.1 millas de Durham.

En respuesta al aumento de tiroteos, las escuelas están considerando nuevas formas de mantener los estudiantes seguros. El Comité de Selección Escolar de Seguridad Escolar de la Cámara de Representantes ha anunciado planes para usar 35 millones de dólares para mejorar la seguridad escolar. Se utilizarán $ 10 millones para la salud mental, como consejeros escolares y enfermeras, $ 12 millones para oficiales de recursos escolares y $ 5 millones para una aplicación anónima para estudiantes. Se utilizarán tres millones de dólares para equipo de seguridad escolar, otros $ 3 millones para capacitar a profesionales de la salud mental basados ​​en la escuela y $ 2 millones para socios de la comunidad para ayudar a los estudiantes en crisis.

Sin embargo, mientras se discutían

10

From the WNBA to RHS

Pirates' Hookok

After playing at the highest level, Wendy Palmer fell in love with teaching

By Joe Laird

school, to playing at the University of Virginia, and eventually in the WNBA Wendy Palmer traveled around the for 11 years. She also led team USA in world playing professional basketball, scoring and coached for UNCG as the but she didn’t fulfill her childhood head coach from 2011 to 2016. dream until just last year.

This constant journey, however, After leaving coaching in 2016, Palmer was going through some old "It didn't seem papers from elementary school. As she rummaged through the pages, she rewarding anymore." found one about her dream at the time.

It was to become a teacher.

Wendy Palmer, “I think about the paper often because I am so blessed to be able to live out social studies teacher my dreams,” said Palmer. and women's Her life before that time was surrounded by basketball. She went basketball coach from being an All-American in high

became tiring for Palmer, and she hit a wall.

“I’ve dedicated my entire life to basketball,” said Palmer. “I was burnt out from constantly trying to pour into the sport that I love. It didn’t seem rewarding anymore.”

After taking a year off from all work, Palmer decided she wanted to pursue something new.

“I was studying to be a yoga instructor but realized I always wanted to be a teacher,” she said. “I decided I need to fulfill this dream.”

She said teaching has been an incredible experience, but it hasn’t come easy.

The journey began with many rejections, and her past didn’t help her case.

Eventually Palmer landed a job as a middle school teacher in Roxboro, NC, her hometown.

Ray Palmer wasn’t planning to continue coaching, but the boys basketball coach fell ill at the school and they needed someone to step in. Though at this point she had never coached boys basketball before, she was the obvious choice for the job. “As I

look back on it,

it revived my love

for the game,”

she said. “I love it

in a different way.”

This led Palmer to Riverside, where the women’s

coaching job opened up.

She received a call and knew she needed to take the position because high school is always where she wanted to be. “I have had an amazing life and I am grateful to now be able to pour in to the next generations of students and athletes,” Palmer said.

• PHOTO COURTESY OF THE UVA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

(left) Wendy Palmer dribbles up the court while playing in college at the University of Virginia. (Center) Palmer scores during her second WNBA season playing for the Utah Starz. (Right) Palmer coaches at UNC-Greensboro during the 2015 basketball season. Palmer spent 10 years playing professionally, and 9 years coaching women's basketball at the college level before joining RHS.

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January 2019

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Two wrestlers, one goal Seniors Jatavian Hart and Jalen Adams are planning to go back to states in 2019

By Brisa Rabadan One is enthusiastic, communicative and outgoing.

The other is a man of few words, calm and precise.

In many ways, seniors Jalen Adams and Jatavian Hart couldn’t be more different. But when they step on the wrestling mat, there’s only one thing on their mind: winning.

Riverside’s wrestling team has many wrestlers trying to achieve one common goal, yet they are all still different.

Both are trying to make it back to states this season. Last season they both qualified but things didn’t go so well.

“I think both were very happy to be there and very happy to make it,” said assistant wrestling coach Broc Dicker-

it isn't that hard.

“The diet isn’t as bad as people think,” said Hart. “Some people think that you just don't eat but that's not true. You just have to cut out all the bad things that you do eat.”

But for Adams, well it’s a different story.

“It's a lot of nothing, it's very hard to stay committed,” said Adams. “When I don't eat enough I get really tired and get mad easily. Personally, I don't like it.”

“You just have to tell yourself that you’re a sports engine and your body needs fuel and junk food isn't good fuel.

If you eat crap, you’re going to perform like crap” added Hart.

Both wrestlers have an intense workout routine. The whole wrestling team has practice after school every day for

“I feel like this season was a huge improvement from last season,” she said.

“We were able to improve our skills, so I feel like we were able to get our scores higher as a team. We just worked better this year.”

The team practices every Wednesday year-round from 5-8 p.m., at theAcrosport gymnastics facility on Rose of Sharon Road, less than one mile from Riverside.

Riverside had a team more than four years ago, but the program ended up leaving riverside when daughter of the former coach graduated, before it was re-established in 2018. Jackson is surprised so many people don’t know about

the team and doesn’t feel the gymnasts receive the same respect and recognition as other varsity sports.

“I kinda felt left out from the other sports,” said Jackson, “especially because we weren’t represented at the pep rally this year.”

Jackson hopes that the team can become a more consistent part of the school’s athletics. Anyone interested in learning more should contact head coach Cindy Cotten at Acro Sport Gymnastics.

“The gymnasts on team really want to (from left) Mackenzie Harris, Lana Bass, Chyanne Couturier compete in a fall be recognized as a competitive sport at meet. Varsity gymnastics returned to Riverside in 2017 Riverside just as basketball, football, and •PHOTO COURTESY OF ACRO SPORT GYMNASTICS soccer is recognized.

Riverside gymnastics returns for second-straight season

By Simone Brooks

Riverside’s gymnastics team was the best kept secret of 2018 This fall, five students - junior Virginia Brooks, sophomores Emily Jackson, Chyanne Couturier and MaryEmma Holloway, and freshman Evie Hallmets represented the Pirates in local and state competitions. The team competed this season against schools in the Triangle such as Northern, Panther Creek, Jordan and Green Hope.

Riverside actually had a team last year, too, and Jackson is excited about the progress the girls have made since 2017.

• PHOTO BY FABIAN HERNANDEZ

son. “But quite honestly, and those guys will be the first to tell you, both guys were capable of being on the podium and placing last season.

“Jalen, he lost in the match to place 4-3 where he made some mistakes that are very atypical of him. Jatavian throughout the season beat several state placers and was well on his way to placing, but on the second day of the tournament, he didn’t make weight, which ended his tournament,” said Dickerson.

Even though these two have the same goal, they still have many differences as both wrestlers and students.

In order for wrestlers to have a steady weight, they must follow a diet. They must learn to portion their meals and even the liquids they consume. For some dieting is a dread, while to others

two hours and a half hours. Sometimes they also come before school and spend a couple of hours lifting.

“In wrestling, you gotta get those 8 days a week,” said Adams.”Working out every day for like three hours plus. It's a lot of mat time” said Adams.

“I try working out anytime that I can,” said Hart. “I had practice on Christmas, it was about 8 o’clock at night when I and my drill partner decided to go work out.”

They both make every practice and go to club practices outside of school several times a week, but Hart usually lifts in the mornings.

On the mat, Hart and Adams have different techniques.

“Jatavain is much more of a grinder,” said Dickerson. “ [He] grits his teeth, puts his head down and just gets the job

done by any means necessary. [Jatavian’s that] kind of person and wrestler, whereas Jalen is a lot more precise. Jalen typically wants a game plan, especially in tough matches and he responds very well and executes at a high level based on the game plan,” stated Dickerson.

Hart and Adams wrestle in different weight classes but still find ways to compete with one another.

“I think we are both pretty dedicated” Adams said.

“I’m a tad bit more dedicated than he is,” Hart joked.

Differences aside, Adams and Hart are dedicated, hard-working and want to help Riverside win and finish the season on the state champion podium - together.

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Pirates' Hookok The good, the bad, and the weather Gun violence, political activism and hurricanes dominate 2018

By Kaitlyn Busch 20 18: a year so long we had a Winter Olympics and everyone forgot about it.

We’ve laughed, cried, loved, lost, and left marks on history books. There have been glass ceilings broken, marches held, medals won, votes counted...and recounted. There have been families separated, allegations made, guns fired, and people killed. It has certainly been a year worth looking back on - so here are the headlines.

Tragedy

ABC News reported that there have been 346 mass shootings in the U.S. in 2018. Most recently, tragedy struck the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, the Tallahassee yoga studio, and the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California.

The February 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida had an impact that resonated across the country. On March 14, Riverside joined thousands of American schools by participating in a 17-minute walkout honoring the 17 victims in Parkland, calling for gun violence prevention. Marjory Stoneman Douglas and Columbine High School students were among the foremost participants. The nationwide walkout came after Parkland students and families traveled to Florida’s capitol demanding a raise to the minimum age to purchase a gun.

2018 also saw the deaths of several beloved celebrities. Rapper Jahseh Onfroy, known as XXXTentacion, was shot and killed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on June 18. Singer Aretha Franklin died of pancreatic cancer on Aug. 16. Rapper Mac Miller died of an overdose on Sept. 7 and Marvel Comics writer and co-founder Stan Lee died on Nov. 12.

days due to hurricane weather this year.

Hurricane Florence made landfall as a Category 1 storm near Wrightsville Beach on September 14 after peaking at Category 4 status on September 5.

It took more than 50 lives and caused $16 billion in damage, mostly in North and South Carolina. Less than a month later, Hurricane Michael made landfall on October 10 near Mexico Beach, Florida as a Category 4 storm. The storm caused most of its damage in Central America and the Florida panhandle, including 60 fatalities.

Wildfires have also been a major problem this year. The largest California wildfires on record were aided by the remnants of the worst drought in California’s history to make the 2018 season the most destructive ever. One of these fires, the Mendicino Complex Fire, has burned over 282,000 acres of land. 31,000 students in Butte County returned to school on December 3, some in makeshift buildings, for the first time in three weeks.

“On [Election Day], voters sent a clear message that they want their elected leaders to work together and Weather isn’t all that has canceled focus on the issues that matter to school in 2018. On May 16, teachers them,” a representative for Governor across the state participated in the Roy Cooper said in a statement. “No “March for Students, Rally for Re- group spoke louder over the last year spect.” than North Carolina’s educators.”

“Part of [the goal] was gaining repNorth Carolina voters elected enough resentation,” said Riverside science Democrats to keep Republicans from teacher Shaun Thompson, who parhaving the abilticipated in the • PHOTO BY BRYAN CHRISTOPHER ity to countermarch. “Part of act Democratic it was making Governor Cooa demonstration per ’s vetoes. that the teaching Historically, Recommunity is publicans have both tight-knit been unwilling and willing to to raise taxes in make a stand.” order to better 40 districts, fund public eduincluding DPS, cation, although canceled school March for Students and Rally for Respect the GOP has inand 2,000 people participants make their way through creased teacher Durham Public Schools (DPS) stu- participated at the Raleigh. Many Riverside teachers pay each of the dents have been out of school for four state capitol. attended. past five years.

Politically, 2018 was a year of division. On July 20, Donald Trump took to Twitter to criticize NFL players kneeling in protest of police brutality. He tweeted his plan to ban 108 women in Congress all transgender individuals from the 1 conference championship Riverside football team military on July 26, and on September 23, the administration sought 1.5 million total participants in the nationwide 2018 Women's March Supreme Court approval to fast332 US mass shootings track the legislation. Dr. Christine 56 major Trump administration departures Blasey Ford received death threats after accusing now-Supreme Court 12 school days cancelled because of weather Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual 1 school day that should have been cancelled because of weather, but wasn't assault. Migrants were tear-gassed while protesting at the border.

23 US medals won in PyeongChang Winter Olympics But Nike has made $6 billion

Political Activism

Weather

2018: by the numbers

since Colin Kaepernick became the star of their 30th-anniversary “Just Do It” campaign. Jared Polis, an openly gay candidate for governor, was elected in Colorado. Christine Hallquist, a transgender woman, won Democratic primaries in Vermont. Dr. Ford donated unused donations for her security to organizations that support trauma survivors. Democrats have control of the House of Representatives and are prepared to investigate the Trump administration’s potential federal misconduct.

Many Riverside students have strong opinions about 2018’s controversies.

“I don’t understand where Trump is coming from with the [transgender military ban],” said Fareeda Eraky. “We decided a long time ago that women could serve in the military. We decided that gender is not going to dictate how you serve in the military.” “[LGBT politicians] being elected is

• GRAPHIC BY NYA SUBERO

players shouldn’t kneel],” Mary Emma Holloway said. “It’s not okay when they talk about it and are vocal about not liking it.”

However, students who have strong opinions can still see the other side of these issues.

“I don’t think [football players] should kneel, but they should be able to,” said sophomore Brendan Rizzuto.

“Sexual assault is a really hard issue to pick sides on,” Eraky said.

“You could be labeling someone [as an assaulter who isn’t]; you could be not believing someone who actually got assaulted.”

“Some [division is necessary],” said Lucy Kraus. “If everyone had the same ideas, then there would be no need for elections. ”

Entertainment

Marvel Studios’ Black Panther, released February 16, was the best-selling movie of the year, earning • PHOTO BY BRYAN CHRISTOPHER over $1 billion in gross profits.

The movie’s opening weekend shattered Deadpool’s record by earning more than $235 million.

Its number-one ranking was followed by Avengers: Infinity War and Incredibles 2, respectively.

In February, the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games took place in South Students do the Black Panther Wakanda Korea. Norway led the pack salute. One hundred of Riverside students in medals with 39, followed saw the movie.

by Germany (31) and Canada progress,” said Sindy Moncada. “The (29). June brought the 2018 World Cup more representation LGBT people have in Moscow, Russia, where France took home the victory. is good.”

“It’s okay for people to think [football