November 2021

Tech support should be a fulltime job Page 3

SRO's Admin create new traffic patterns Page 4

Bilingual students help classmates navigate language barriers Page 6-7

Cross Country makes states Page 11

Gloria WoodsWeeks toma el timon

La directora más nueva de Riverside se compromete a aumentar el rendimiento de los estudiantes, crear una comunidad acogedora, y enforzar la seguridad.

Por Eden Richman

• PHOTO BY ISAAC JANIAK STEIN

Principal Gloria Woods-Weeks greets students in the morning. Woods-Weeks brings 27 years of experience in education to Riverside.

Gloria Woods-Weeks takes the helm

Riverside’s newest principal vows to increase student achievement, create a welcoming community, and enforce safety.

By Eden Richman

Each morning, Dr. Gloria Woods-Weeks cheerily greets students as they march into the building with waves and elbow bumps.

This is part of Riverside’s newest principal’s plan to create a welcoming environment in the wake of former principal Leslie Kinard’s resignation eight weeks into the school year.

She was appointed principal by DPS superintendent Pascal Mubenga on October 28. She moves to Riverside from J.D. Clement Early College High School, where she served as principal for ten years. Under her leadership, Early College earned a National Blue Ribbon Award for academic excellence by the US Department of Education.

“Riverside High School has been through a period of leadership transition, and it is time for stability,” said Mubenga in an announcement sent out to DPS families on October 22. “[Dr. Woods-Weeks] is an experienced principal who understands Durham, a strong community builder and communicator, and an advocate for equity.”

Woods-Weeks believes the first step in build-

ing a great school is creating a culture that is inviting and fosters a sense of belonging.

“I want to ensure a welcoming, safe school environment,” she said.

Above all else, student achievement is her primary concern.

“Every decision I make is what is in the best interest of students,” she said. “I want all students to reach their full potential.”

Woods-Weeks has served in education for 27 years as both a teacher and an administrator. She’s worked in small schools, traditional schools, charter schools, and career and technology schools.

“I’m a public servant, and I can’t imagine doing anything as rewarding as what I do now,” she said. “I love the work that I do. Why? Because I truly believe that every student can succeed at the highest level. I want to be the person that makes a difference in your lives. I am a first generation college completer, and I can remember all of my teachers from kindergarten to twelfth grade.”

ADurham native, she graduated from Northern High School.

“High school is a phase of life we all go through, and it is my duty to help the kids in the

Founded in 1991

same community that I grew up in,” she said.

“This is my home town, so I don’t live too far away, and the commute won’t be an issue.”

Woods-Weeks said that she is committed to Riverside long-term, and she will break the cycle of frequent principal turnover.

“I do not intend to go anywhere until I decide I want to retire,” she said. “When I heard about the instability at Riverside, my heart just went out. No one deserves that kind of instability. All students deserve great faculty. I want to make a difference.”

Woods-Weeks is determined to keep communication lines open with students and faculty.

“I believe in visibility,” she explained. “My first week [Nov. 1-5] felt like a marathon. I like to be a presence on campus, so I’ve been in class with students, and meeting individually with as many people as possible.”

After things settle down, Woods-Weeks hopes that students and faculty alike will feel comfortable approaching her with their concerns.

“My door is open to suggestions,” she said.

“As I always say, ‘an unvoiced concern is an unheard concern.’ We are a family, and families resolve issues together.”

Vol. XXXI Issue I

November 2021

Cada mañana, la Dr. Gloria Woods-Weeks saluda alegremente a los estudiantes mientras marchan hacia el edificio.

Esto es parte del plan de la directora más nueva de Riverside en crear un ambiente acogedor después de la renuncia de la ex directora Leslie Kinard ocho semanas después del inicio del año escolar. Fue nombrada directora por el superintendente de DPS, Pascal Mubenga, el 28 de octubre. Ella se muda a Riverside desde la escuela secundaria J.D. Clement Early College, donde estuvo como directora por diez años. Bajo su liderazgo, Early College obtuvo un Premio Nacional de Cinta Azul por excelencia académica de parte del Departamento de Educación de EE.UU. “La escuela secundaria Riverside ha pasado por un periodo de transición de liderazgo y es hora de estabilidad,” dijo el superintendente Pascal Mubenga en un anuncio enviado a las familias de DPS el veintidós de octubre. “[La Dra. Woods-Weeks] es una directora con experiencia que comprende a Durham, una fuerte constructora de comunidades y comunicadora, y defensora de la equidad.”

Woods-Weeks cree que el primer paso para construir una gran escuela es crear una cultura que sea acogedora y fomente un sentido de pertenencia.

“Quiero asegurar un ambiente escolar acogedor y seguro,” dijo ella.

Por encima de todo, el rendimiento de los estudiantes es su principal preocupación.

“Cada decisión que tomo es lo que es mejor para los estudiantes”, dijo. "Quiero que todos los estudiantes alcancen su máximo potencial".

Woods-Weeks se ha desempeñado en educación durante 27 años como maestra

Cont. en p. 4 thepirateshook.com

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www.riverside.dpsnc.net THEPIRATESHOOK.com @THEPIRATESHOOK

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.

OPINION

Editorial

Victor ia A lci ndor, Sadie A l len, Roselyn A lva rez-Ped ra za, Jaden Butler, Don na Dia z, Em i ly Dia z Reyes, Ja k yies Eva ns, Georgia Fishback, Dulce F lores, Et ha n Ha i ne, Jacob H i ndma n, P r i ncess Jackson, Jack ie La r ios-Dom i ng uez, Abby Ma r ti nez, Tyler McL ea n, Benja m i n Megl i n, Elena Paces-Wi les, Ja nel Per r y, M ija len Poole, Aver y P r i nce, E den R ich ma n, Gissel le R ivera Roma n, Wi l l ia m Rod r ig uez Aya la, T homas Roma no, Genesis Sm it h-L opez, Isa ac Stei n, Giova n n i Va rela-Ben itez, Cr istela Va rgas-Delgado, El izabet h Wi l l ia ms, P iper Wi nton

3218 Rose of Sharon Rd. Durham, NC 22712

Pirates' Hookok

An open letter to our new principal Dear Principal Woods-Weeks,

Welcome to Riverside High School. Riverside is a great place, and we’re excited for you to lead our school. The shift from online instruction back to in-person learning has been difficult for students and staff. From the extremely long car lines in the mornings and afternoons, to the chaotic schedule changes that took place earlier this year, students and staff have worked hard to find a way to make it work and look forward to you applying your expertise to what’s already in place. As you learn about your new community, here is what we - The Pirates’ Hook staff - think students need.

Commitment You are Riverside’s sixth principal in fourteen years, and the third in the past two. Leslie Kinard’s resignation left students and staff feeling abandoned. The school’s leadership has felt dysfunctional, and it’s made students and teachers’ jobs harder.

Since the pandemic, many people who worked in the front office left. Rules have changed, and students can no longer interact with office staff like some are used to. We don't have the sense of camaraderie that many say they felt before the pandemic.

We need you to make an effort to get to know the students and staff of Riverside. Even if you simply continue to greet students when they arrive at school every morning, or attend club events outside of school, both students and staff need to know who our principal is.

Having someone who is kind and welcoming will only help students to succeed. If kids see that their new principal is committed to students and staff, it will help maintain a positive attitude throughout the school year.

• PHOTO BY JANEL PERRY Media coordinator Jenna Wine responds to emails. Wine is Riverside's tech champion and spends more time supporting technology than she does managing the media center.

“Tech Champion” is a full-time job. DPS should make it one.

By Jacob Hindman

It’s halfway through second period on September 30. Eleven students walked into, and then out of the library. Two of these students came to the library Trust Former principal Tonya Williams stuck with students through looking for a book. The other nine all had issues with their Chromebooks.

Some were easy fixes like handing out the right kind of charger for the adverse times. In 2019, a child pornography investigation took place at Riverside High after sexually explicit content was posted on different Chromebooks, some had bigger issues that left other students waiting. social media. Instead of allowing the weight of this situation drive As Jenna Wine helped the students, she also got a call from a teacher who her away from Riverside, Willaims supported students and staff. had issues with a laptop in their classroom. Chances are if you have an issue She also supported The Pirates’ Hook staff’s decision to publish an article refuting some of the claims in local media’s coverage in a with your Chromebook you’re getting sent to the Library.

Managing IT and the library is a daily challenge for Riverside’s media story of our own, which was later reposted by state media outlets.

Simply put, she did not let this incident define students of Riverside. coordinators.

Williams also trusted students and staff to implement SMART This extra work stems from a state-wide shortage of IT personnel. A measly Lunch, an hour-long lunch break that lets students move freely 17 technicians for 54 schools means our media coordinators have to pick up around campus.

It’s unique to Riverside. No other school in the district does this. the slack. Wine is one of our media coordinators, and she has inherited the Students and staff spent a long time developing this model and title ‘Tech Champion’from Alyssa Putt, whose last day was September 24. Ms. knowing this system. Students have plenty of time to attend club Putt left Riverside for a better position at the State Library of North Carolina. meetings, complete homework, and spend time with friends. Data “My heart will always be in schools, but it came to a point where I had collected in 2019, a few months after it was implemented, suggests to leave for my own mental and physical health,” Putt said. it may also improve student discipline.

Tara Gold started working at Riverside as a learning coach at the beginning We ask you to be patient with this model, even if you are not accustomed to it. Students and teachers love it, and we trust the of this school year but transitioned to media coordinator on October 11, two teachers who have been working at Riverside for a while to keep weeks after Putt left Riverside. it running well.

Effectively, a Tech Champion is the school’s IT resource that connects the district to the school. Being a Tech Champion comes with a $120 stipend every Open Communication Riverside is a huge community. The building accommodates month. That’s less than $1/hour for tasks that take up nearly all of their time.

“Over 90 percent of my time is [spent on] technology,” Putt said. nearly 2000 students and staff. We need a principal who will keep Everyday Wine is pulled in multiple directions. Kids walking in with laptop communication lines open with students, parents and staff. We would love for you to speak to us first before making decisions issues, teachers need tech support inside their classrooms. The calls for help that directly affect the students and staff. arrive in emails, phone calls, and in-person.

For example, a former principal removed the traditional music The Librarians have no time during the day to fulfill the duties of their that was played in the morning for students in JROTC to salute to.

This principal did not speak with students about it, which made original job. Wine is incapable of doing book talks because she’s so backed many JROTC students frustrated. They would have appreciated it up with technical issues. A book talk is a session in the library where Ms. if this principal communicated with them first, instead of removing Wine would take some of her current favorite books, then explain what the one of their traditions abruptly. book is about and compare them to give recommendations.

You have already shown Riverside parents, students, and staff “Doing a book talk means less time spent on IT,” Wine said. you are capable of communicating effectively. In a recent message The roots of this issue are new. At the start of the 2020 school year, sent to all Riverside Parents, you explained how carpool should work. Your instructions were clear and concise and so far this sys- Durham Public Schools (DPS) launched the 1:1 initiative. The goal was for tem has been successful. This is a great example of what students each student to receive a digital learning device between 2020 and 2021. want you to keep up.

This combined with DPS not hiring any IT positions leads to problems. The While expectations may be high, students and staff at Riverside are thrilled to welcome you into our community. We have heard district and the schools are overworked because they’re understaffed with wonderful things about your work at other DPS schools and couldn't too much technology to deal with.

The title ‘Tech Champion’ is more than just a title and a stipend. A Tech be more appreciative that you chose Riverside.

Champion is a whole other job that requires its own position. And if the Sincerely, district had better anticipated what coming back to school would look like our librarians could be librarians again.

The Pirates' Hook

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Editorials

Una carta para nuestro nuevo director

Querido director Woods-Weeks,

Bienvenidos a Riverside High School. Riverside es un gran lugar y estamos emocionados de ser líderes de nuestra escuela. El cambio de la instrucción en línea al aprendizaje en persona ha sido difícil para los estudiantes y el personal. Desde las extremadamente largas filas de automóviles por las mañanas y las tardes, hasta los caóticos cambios de horario que tuvieron lugar a principios de este año, los estudiantes y el personal han trabajado arduamente para encontrar una manera de hacerlo funcionar y esperan que aplique su experiencia a lo que ya está disponible. lugar. A medida que aprende sobre su nueva comunidad, esto es lo que nosotros, el personal de The Pirates ’Hook, creemos que los estudiantes necesitan.

Compromiso Eres el sexto director de Riverside en catorce años y el tercero en los últimos dos. La renuncia de Leslie Kinard dejó a los estudiantes y al personal sintiéndose abandonados. El liderazgo de la escuela se ha sentido disfuncional y ha dificultado el trabajo de estudiantes y maestros.

Desde la pandemia, muchas personas que trabajaban en la oficina principal se fueron.

Las reglas han cambiado y los estudiantes ya no pueden interactuar con el personal de la oficina como lo hacen algunos. No tenemos el sentido de camaradería que muchos dicen haber sentido antes de la pandemia.

Necesitamos que se esfuerce por conocer a los estudiantes y al personal de Riverside.

Incluso si simplemente continúa saludando a los estudiantes cuando llegan a la escuela todas las mañanas, o si asiste a los eventos del club fuera de la escuela, tanto los estudiantes como el personal deben saber quién es nuestro director.

Tener a alguien que sea amable y acogedor solo ayudará a los estudiantes a tener éxito.

Si los niños ven que su nuevo director está comprometido con los estudiantes y el personal, ayudará a mantener una actitud positiva durante el año escolar.

Confianza La ex directora Tonya Williams se mantuvo con los estudiantes en tiempos adversos. En 2019, se llevó a cabo una investigación de pornografía infantil en Riverside High después de que se publicara contenido sexualmente explícito en las redes sociales. En lugar de permitir que el peso de esta situación la alejara de Riverside, Willaims apoyó a los estudiantes y al personal. También apoyó la decisión del personal de The Pirates ’Hook de publicar un artículo que refuta algunas de las afirmaciones en la cobertura de los medios locales en una historia propia, que luego fue publicada nuevamente por los medios de comunicación estatales. En pocas palabras, no dejó que este incidente definiera a los estudiantes de Riverside.

Williams también confió en los estudiantes y el personal para implementar SMART Lunch, una pausa para el almuerzo de una hora que permite a los estudiantes moverse libremente por el campus.

Es exclusivo de Riverside. Ninguna otra escuela del distrito hace esto. Los estudiantes y el personal pasaron mucho tiempo desarrollando este modelo y conociendo este sistema.

Los estudiantes tienen mucho tiempo para asistir a las reuniones del club, completar la tarea y pasar tiempo con amigos. Los datos recopilados en 2019, unos meses después de su implementación, sugieren que también puede mejorar la disciplina de los estudiantes.

Te pedimos que tengas paciencia con este modelo, aunque no estés acostumbrado a él. A los estudiantes y maestros les encanta, y confiamos en los maestros que han estado trabajando en Riverside durante un tiempo para que siga funcionando bien.

Comunicación abierta Riverside es una comunidad enorme. El edificio tiene capacidad para casi 2000 estudiantes y personal. Necesitamos un director que mantenga abiertas las líneas de comunicación con los estudiantes, los padres y el personal. Nos encantaría que hablara con nosotros antes de tomar decisiones que afecten directamente a los estudiantes y al personal.

Por ejemplo, un ex director eliminó la música tradicional que se tocaba por la mañana para que los estudiantes de JROTC saludaran. Este director no habló con los estudiantes al respecto, lo que hizo que muchos estudiantes del JROTC se sintieran frustrados. Habrían apreciado que este director se comunicara con ellos primero, en lugar de eliminar una de sus tradiciones abruptamente.

Ya les ha demostrado a los padres, estudiantes y personal de Riverside que es capaz de comunicarse de manera efectiva. En un mensaje reciente enviado a todos los padres de Riverside, usted explicó cómo debería funcionar el viaje compartido. Sus instrucciones fueron claras y concisas y hasta ahora este sistema ha tenido éxito. Este es un gran ejemplo de lo que los estudiantes quieren que mantengas al día.

Si bien las expectativas pueden ser altas, los estudiantes y el personal de Riverside están encantados de darle la bienvenida a nuestra comunidad. Hemos escuchado cosas maravillosas sobre su trabajo en otras escuelas de DPS y no podríamos estar más agradecidos de que eligiera Riverside.

Atentamente, El Gancho de los Piratas

Our teachers deserve a shout-out

Entering the 2021 school year after learning virtually has brought some unique challenges for many students. Chromebooks on their last leg, adjusting to classrooms during a pandemic, major staff turnover- even the principal left before Christmas.

A lot has happened this year but it hasn’t all been negative. Some staff members made this switch back to in-person a lot easier for students.

Media center coordinators Tara Gold and Jenna Wine. Not only do Dr. Gold and Ms. Wine have complete control over the media center but they also fulfill the role of ‘tech support’ which involves solving technical issues with the school’s laptops.

Social Studies teacher Anna Allman. Ms. Allman’s enthusiasm in the classroom leaves students striving to come back and learn more every day. She makes sure every student is comfortable in the classroom and always reassures students of their progress. Her energy engages students and her teaching style brings the 18th century into the 21st.

Spanish teacher Elizabeth Wagner. Ms. Wagner and her welcoming vibe always finds a way to help students out. Always open to talking with students about anything, like problems, life, etc. While carrying the wants of what’s best for her students as the days go by. Her service dog, CLAUDE, adds to this atmosphere by encouraging and redirecting students. Students are eager to continue spending time with the two of them during lunch.

These are only a few of the many teachers who make life at Riverside better. School’s been chaotic, but students have now adjusted to learning in-person and are staying motivated with the help of the school’s faculty. The Pirates’ Hook appreciates all of the staff members working hard for students.

Nuestros maestros merecen un a reconocimiento

Entrar en el año escolar 2021 después de aprender virtualmente ha traído algunos desafíos únicos para muchos estudiantes. Chromebooks en su último tramo, adaptándose a las aulas durante una pandemia, gran rotación de personal, incluso el director se fue antes de Navidad.

Han pasado muchas cosas este año, pero no todo ha sido negativo. Algunos miembros del personal hicieron que este cambio a la experiencia en persona fuera mucho más fácil para los estudiantes.

Las coordinadoras del centro de medios Tara Gold y Jenna Wine. El Dr. Gold y la Sra. Wine no solo tienen control total sobre el centro de medios, sino que también cumplen la función de "soporte técnico", que implica resolver problemas técnicos con las computadoras portátiles de la escuela.

Maestra de Estudios Sociales Anna Allman. El entusiasmo de la Sra. Allman en el aula hace que los estudiantes se esfuercen por regresar y aprender más cada día. Ella se asegura de que todos los estudiantes se sientan cómodos en el aula y siempre les asegura su progreso. Su energía atrae a los estudiantes y su estilo de enseñanza lleva el siglo XVIII al XXI. La profesora de español Elizabeth Wagner. La Sra. Wagner y su ambiente acogedor siempre encuentran una manera de ayudar a los estudiantes. Siempre está abierta a hablar con los estudiantes sobre cualquier tema, como problemas, la vida, etc. Mientras lleva las necesidades de lo que es mejor para sus estudiantes a medida que pasan los días. Su perro de servicio, CLAUDE, se suma a esta atmósfera animando y reorientando a los estudiantes. Los estudiantes están ansiosos por seguir pasando tiempo con ellos dos durante el almuerzo.

Estos son solo algunos de los muchos maestros que mejoran la vida en Riverside. La escuela ha sido un caos, pero los estudiantes ahora se han adaptado al aprendizaje en persona y se mantienen motivados con la ayuda de los profesores de la escuela. The Pirates ’Hook agradece a todos los miembros del personal que trabajan duro para los estudiantes.

• PHOTO BY ISAAC JANIAK STEIN

Dr. Gloria Woods-Weeks elbow-bumping students. Wooods-Weeks has an open-door policy, and is eager to hear suggestions from students and staff

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Woods-Weeks toma el timon Cont. de p. 1

y administradora. Ha trabajado en escuelas pequeñas, escuelas tradicionales, escuelas autónomas y escuelas profesionales y tecnológicas.

"Soy una funcionaria pública y no puedo imaginarme haciendo algo tan gratificante como lo que hago ahora", dijo. “Amo el trabajo que hago. ¿Por qué?

Porque realmente creo que todos los estudiantes pueden tener éxito al más alto nivel. Quiero ser la persona que marque la diferencia en sus vidas. Soy un estudiante universitario de primera generación y puedo recordar a todos mis maestros desde la primaria hasta la secundaria.

Originaria de Durham, se graduó de Northern High School.

“La escuela secundaria es una etapa de la vida por la que todos pasamos, y es mi deber ayudar a los niños de la misma comunidad en la que crecí”, dijo. "Esta es mi ciudad natal, así que no vivo demasiado lejos y el viaje diario no será un problema".

La señora Woods-Weeks dijo que ella está dispuesta a quedarse como directora en Riverside por largo plazo y que va terminar el ciclo de cambio de directoras.

“Yo no tengo la intención de irme hasta que me retire,” ella dijo. “Cuando descubrí la inestabilidad del personal en Riverside, mi corazón se ablandó. Nadie merece esa inestabilidad. Todos los estudiantes merecen tener un excelente personal, yo solo quiero hacer una diferencia.”

Woods-Weeks está dispuesta a tener líneas de comunicación abiertas con estudiantes y facultad.

“Yo creo en la visibilidad,” ella explicó. “Mi primera semana [Nov 1-5] se sintió como un maratón. A mi me gusta estar presente en la escuela, entonces me he dedicado a estar en clases con estudiantes y tener visitas con ellos lo mas que puedo.

Después que todo se establezca, Woods-Week espera que la facultad, personal, y estudiantes puedan confiar en ella con sus preocupaciones.

“Mi puerta está abierta a sugerencias,” ella explica. “Como siempre digo, una preocupación no expresada es una preocupación no escuchada. Somos una familia, y una familia resuelve problemas juntos.

Pirates' Hookok

Administrators, SROs Create New Route to Fix Traffic

By Elizabeth Williams

Senior Jazmin Montiel was shocked to see the traffic jam outside of Riverside on the first day of school.

“I waited for so long, like fifteen minutes just to get in,” she said.

Montiel wasn’t the only one late to first period. It’s taking much longer for Riverside’s car riders to get dropped off and picked up this year.

There is a huge increase in car riders this year because of the pandemic.

As a result, it took students much longer to get dropped off and picked up from school.

15.5 percent of the 206 students who took a recent Pirates’ Hook survey reported arriving between 9:009:10, and 16.8 percent were waiting approximately 20-30 minutes to arrive during the first week of school.

Exiting the school at the end of the day was even worse. The first day of school traffic was routed just like previous school years, with students entering and exiting from the school’s

• PHOTO BY CAMRYN ATKINSON •PHOTO BY ISAAC JANIAK STEIN

Assistant Principal Will Okun walks to check on the traffic before school. Okun has been responsible for directing traffic for much of the beginning of the school year.

decided it wasn’t going to work.

The second and third day of the first week was different.

Parents parked their cars in the junior parking lot. Parents who arrived later were to go through the regular roundabout section located in the front of the school and exit passing the football field and the bus lot. Students had to walk around the sidewalk instead of through the walkway to get to their car.

Traffic directors and Riverside administrators decided that this wasn’t working, either, and that it was taking even longer than the first day. Nearly •COURTESY OF STEPHEN MILLS 20 percent of survey respondents reported a diagram of new traffic route drawn by SROs leaving between 4:30-4:40, main entrance (Rose of Sharon Road and another 15 percent said they left in front of the practice field). But after later than 4:40. the first day, principal Leslie Kinard Assistant principal Will Okun di-

rects traffic at the Riverside’s main entrance and exiting via Luther Road entrance. He wasn’t expecting it to and turning right onto Rose of Sharon. be such a major role.

Drivers looking to turn left on Rose “With this job of Sharon are you kind of never encouraged to really know what take Hillandale to expect,” Okun Road instead. said. “You know as When entering each year there are campus, drivdifferent needs. So ers are only different needs cause allowed to go different priorities. two ways: into Part of the nature of the junior parkthe job is just seeing ing lot to park, Riverside SRO what needs to be or through the addressed and just roundabout.

Stephen Mills trying to address it.”

All roads are Riverside SRO Steone-way exphen Mills also manages and directs cept inside the junior parking lot. traffic on campus. After experiencing Exiting traffic is one way unless you the first week of school, Mills also are leaving out of the junior parking believed something needed to change. lot. Students report much shorter wait “I left an hour later, and I had to do times now. Nearly 8 percent of survey something about it,” he said. Mills responders said they are getting into sat down with Okun and Kinard and school on time now. Another 8 percent drew a new traffic map. They brought said they’re arriving between 9:00the new plan into play on the first 9:10. 13.5 percent are now leaving no day of the second week of school. later than between 4:30-4:40. “It has Parents are now entering the school calmed down,” Jazmin said. at the end of the day through the main

“I left an hour later, and I had to do something about it.”

SOURCE:THE PIRATES' HOOK

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November

The End of America's Longest War

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Refugees from Afghanistan to Arrive in Durham

By Isaac Janiak Stein By the end of August, the final American soldiers had evacuated from Afghanistan marking the end of the longest war in U.S. history.

The fulfillment of President Biden’s promise to have all U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by August 31 has ended the American presence in the country after 20 years. Biden’s August 31 deadline created a short timeline for evacuation of all Americans in the country and their Afghan allies.

As evacuations began, the Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist political and military group inAfghanistan, mobilized.

The Taliban gained control of land quicker than any top military expert or strategist predicted. Critics of Biden called the evacuation rushed and frantic, and argued that it left the government of Afghanistan defenseless.

In an August 18 interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, President Biden adamantly defended his decision to evacuate despite the Taliban’s surprisingly rapid military response.

“There is no good time to leaveAfghanistan,” said Biden, “15 years ago would have been a problem, [and] 15 years from now. The basic choice is: am I going to send your sons and your daughters to war in Afghanistan?”

Days after the last U.S. soldier left Afghanistan, the Taliban took over Kabul, the capital city, and solidified its largest control of land since the war began in 2001.

“The idea that somehow there’s a

way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing,” said Biden in his interview with Stephanopoulos, “I don’t know how that happens.”

The evacuation had significant implications for the thousands of Afghans who were evacuated with the Americans.

These evacuees turn to cities across the US, like Durham, which have decided to accept them into their communities where these Afghans will start their new lives.

While the U.S. managed to evacuate over 120,000 Afghans through the Kabul airport, their departure from the country at the end of August left behind many of their Afghan allies who were promised passage out of the country.

Most Afghan citizens that aided the U.S. military effort served as translators and interpreters for the military, but others worked with news outlets, or with American Non-Governmental Organizations.

They are all now eligible for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV). Other evacuees who don’t qualify for this federal program

• GRAPHIC BY SYDNEY BROWN

face a much more volatile legal status.

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) around 55,000 evacuees have been relocated to the United States since August. Nearly all are currently spread across eight domestic military bases, where they are undergoing rigorous security screenings and medical procedures such as vaccinations for polio, chickenpox, and COVID-19. DHS reports that at least 40 percent of the Afghan evacuees will be eligible for an SIV. Most have already completed the necessary health and security requirements and are expected to be released to their designated communities across the U.S. in the coming weeks.

North Carolina is one of 46 states receiving Afghan evacuees. According to the White House, NC will receive just under 1200 refugees, and some will begin their new lives in Durham.

Mayor Steve Schewel has overseen the resettlement of many refugees into the Durham community during his five

years as mayor.

“We have more than 2,000 refugees that are currently living in Durham,” said Schewell, whose second and final term ends in December. “They are refugees from all over the world,” said Schewel, “Many of them, the great majority of them, are very successful here in our city. They work in our businesses, they pay taxes, their kids go to our schools.”

Schewel emphasized the success that refugees have found in Durham despite challenges like poverty and language barriers.

“We are a community that has been very welcoming of refugees, and really we know how to support them, even though they often come with lots of trauma in their lives,” he said. “Many of them are mostly impoverished because they had to leave everything behind when they came to this country, so they are starting from scratch.

But we have had many people, we have thousands of people, who have come to Durham as refugees, and are living here now and succeeding.”

Durham’s ability to accept theseAfghan evacuees lies with two refugee resettlement agencies: Church World Services (CWS) and World Relief Durham. Both are national organizations with prominent offices in Durham that help provide food, clothing, housing options, and other essential services. They also provide a variety of classes and trainings including cultural orientation, civic engagement, and financial literacy, as well as assistance with enrollment in public education.

Kokou Nayo is a Community Organizer for Church World Services in Durham.

5 Key Turning Points in the 20-Year War

•GRAPHIC BY ISAAC JANIAK STEIN

Originally from the West African country of Togo, Nayo has been working with CWS since 2014 to build bridges between the Durham community and its refugee population.

“As an immigrant, I do understand how important it is to call a new place home,” Nayo said. “It’s not just anyone just out of the street that gets on the plane to come here,” Nayo continued. He clarified the fact that the SIV visa is not just given to people because “they [U.S.] want to get them out of there as quickly as possible,” but because the evacuees have been working with the U.S. for a certain amount of time. He noted that “that process takes years for some people, takes more than a decade for some as well.

Nayo also said that community involvement in the resettlement process is vital, especially when refugees come from war-torn countries. He spoke strongly about the importance of helping the refugees smoothly transition into life in America and in Durham.

“We have a lot of support pouring from the community… we cannot do this without [their] support” Nayo emphasized how much those refugees can add to triangle communities, and how valuable their perspectives are.

“Refugees bring a lot to their communities and have a first hand story of what Syria looks like, or what Democratic Republic of the Congo looks like, or what Iraq looks like,” he said. “But here in Durham, for instance, we have many people who can bring that to you at school and also to the community. ” Nayo also acknowledged the possibility that evacuees from Afghanistan could face racism or backlash from the Durham community: “My fear is not people doing some harm to the refugee to come,” he said.

“My fear is for people not to engage with the population that is coming. We know that people fear what they don’t know, and that is where I would like people to be open-minded, engage refugees, and there are many ways to do that. ” Volunteering with CWS is one way to support resettlement, Nayo said. Durham residents can help set up apartments, or donate toys to incoming families. He also encourages local businesses to consider hiring refugees.

“We know that anyone in our community will do anything to protect their families,” he said, “So [will] a refugee.

For instance, they will decide to leave the place where they were born in order to save their kids. And once we start having these conversations in our community then we will see that there is a lot more that we have in common than we think we do.” Find the full story and other news on Afghanistan at thepirateshook.com.

6 Pirates' Hookok

7

Compeneros bilniguales ayudan a los recien legados

Bilingual classmates help newcomers learn

Por Dulce Flores, Jackie Larios Dominguez and Donna Diaz En el primer día de clases , Jayro Armas Núñez de 16 años estaba muy ansiosa. Todos en su clases de orquesta estaban hablando en inglés menos él. El no pudo entender nada.

En el otro lado de la escuela , Carlos Serrano es un estudiante de primer año de secundaria.

Carlos estaba acostumbrándose a sus clases de inglés. Carlos estaba traduciendo todo lo que dijo un maestro para un compañero sentado cerca a él.

Jayro y Carlos son dos de los muchos estudiantes que navegan por las barreras de idioma en la secundaria de riverside .Este problema no es nuevo, pero ni la secundaria de riverside ni la escuelas públicas del condado de durham han resuelto aún el problema.

Jayro nació en la ciudad de durham carolina del norte pero , se mudo a el país de sus padres , que era méxico a una temprana edad.jayro vivió en méxico hasta que el tuvo 15 años. Luego se mudo de regreso a los Estados Unidos , lo que significa que básicamente ha hablado espinal toda su vida. ”A mi familia le ha costado mucho aprender inglés “dice Jayro. “Siempre que salimos a las tiendas o vamos a comer en restaurantes es duro comunicarnos con los trabajadores” dice Jayro.

Cuando escucho a todos en su clases en su clases en el primer dia de clases le preocupaba sentirse excluido. Pero los compañeros de clase se apresuraron a ayudar.

“Mis amigos me ayudan mucho con el inglés”dice jayro Hay miembros que lo apoyan ,armas núñez es uno de los 368 estudiantes de riverside que son nuevos a los Estados Unidos este año. El programa ESL, también conocido como inglés como segundo idioma . Es un programa donde los estudiantes van a mejorar el inglés.

Farkas es una de los 6 maestros de ESL de Riverside. Su departamento apoya a los estudiantes como jayro con apoyo con el idioma e información escolar.

Cuando la gente piensa en los estudiantes del programa ESL lo primero que piensan son en las personas que hablan en español. Muchos de los estudiantes del programa ESL son de diferentes países y hablan diferentes idiomas.

“Nadie aquí habla en su lenguaje nativo, entonces ellos no entienden lo que está pasando.” dijo Farkas. “Muchos de los estudiantes aquí son de otros países, ellos jamás han atendido una escuela como esta. Ellos no entienden el sentido de los timbres, como funcionan las clases. Hay tantos estudiantes y maestros.”

En adición a la tarea, los estudiantes tienen que aprender cómo opera todo la escuela. Los maestros de ESL ayudan con todo a las escuelas a encontrar sus clases académicas. Lo más importante es ayudarlos graduarse de la secundaria. ¨Me esfuerzo mucho al principio para asegurarse de que todos los estudiantes del el programa ESL recién llegados tengan apoyo¨dijo Farkas. idealmente desde el primer dia de clases estarán en clases con alguien como yo para traducir, para enseñarles algunas palabras en inglés para que sepan como llegar al baño. Les explicamos su horarios y también explicamos cosas básicas para que se sientan listos y no perdidos ni agobiados .

Pero con tantos estudiantes y tan pocos maestros, termina brindando apoyo informal.

“Algunas veces siento que me tengo que esforzar para ellos porque si yo no lo hago, ¿quién lo va hacer?” dijo Farkas.

Tres semanas dentro del segundo trimestre de la secundaria, Amas Nunez todavía atiende la clase de orquesta.

“Yo estoy comprendiendo el inglés mejor ahora gracias a todos mis amigos,” el dijo. “Todavía me cuesta hablar el inglés pero yo sé que lo voy a mejorar poquito a poquito.”

El campanero serrano-coria estaba interpretando para un compañero de clases que cambió su horario a el programa de ESL.̈ están recibiendo más ayuda que antes ̈ él dijo. Podrían unirse para aprender más cosas como el inglés.

By Dulce Flores, Jackie Larios Dominguez and Donna Diaz

GRAPIC BY: TATIANA ROBINSON

"I am understanding English much better now thanks to all my friends. It's still hard to talk the language but I know I'll get there little by little."

"Estoy entendiendo el ingles mejor ahora gracias a todo mis amigos. todavia es un poco duro hablar el ingles pero se que llegare poco a poco."

Jayro Armas Nunez, junior

On the first day of school, 16-year-old Jayro Armas Nunez was anxious.

Everyone in his orchestra class was speaking English, and he couldn’t understand anything.

On the other side of the school, freshman Carlos Serrano-Coria was busy getting used to his English I class while also translating everything the teacher said to Spanish for a classmate sitting next to him.

Armas Nunez and Serrano-Coria are two of many students navigating language barriers at Riverside. This challenge isn’t new, but neither Riverside nor Durham Public Schools have not yet solved this problem.

Armas Nunez was born in North Carolina but moved back to his parents' country, which is Mexico, at a young age. Nunez lived in Mexico until he was 15, then he moved back to the USA. He has basically spoken Spanish his whole life.

“It has cost my family a lot to learn to speak English,” Armas Nunez said. “Whenever we go to stores or go buy food outside it’s hard for us to communicate.”

When he heard everyone around him speaking English on the first day of school he worried he get left out. But classmates were quick to help.

“My friends help me out a lot with English,” he said.

There are faculty members supporting him, too. Armas Nunez is one of 362 Riverside students who are new to the US. The school’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program helps students who are learning English get through the school year.

“It is extremely important at the beginning of the school year to help the students who are just coming in,” said ESL department chair Julie Farkas.

Farkas is one of six Riverside ESL teachers. Her department supports students like Armas Nunez by providing language support as well as school information.

When people think about ESL students, the first thing that they think is Spanish speaking individuals but that's not the only case, many ESL students are from many other different countries and speak different languages. Often a misconception about ESL students that they all speak Spanish.

“No one speaks their language. They don't understand what is going on, Farkas said. “A lot of the students who come here from other countries, they've never seen a school that's like this one. They don't understand how the bells work, how the classes work...it's just so many students and so many teachers.

In addition to classwork, students also need to learn how the school operates. ESL teachers help with everything from school work to finding where their classes are and, most importantly, getting them to graduate high school.

“I try very hard in the very beginning of the school year to make sure that all of the newcomer ESL students have ESL support as soon as possible,” Farkas said. “Ideally, from day one, they'll be in a class with someone like me to translate, to say ‘Hello,’ teach them some English words so that they know how to go to the bathroom. We explain their schedule to them...basic things so that they get started and they're not as frightened or overwhelmed.”

But with so many students and so few teachers, kids like Serrano-Coria end up providing informal support.

“Sometimes I feel like I need to do it for them because I don’t, who’s actually going to help them?” he said.

Three weeks into the second quarter, Armas Nunez is still in orchestra class. ´I am understanding English much better now thanks to all my friends,” he said. “It's still hard to talk the language but I know I´ll get there little by little.”

The classmate Serrano-Coria was interpreting for moved from his English I to a sheltered ESL class a few weeks into the school year. “I think they are getting more help now than they were before,” he said.

“They can join into learning more things…[including] English”.

8

Help Wanted

Pirates' Hookok

Teacher shortage worsened by pandemic creates crisis at Riverside

By Eden Mae Richman

The North Carolina statewide teacher shortage has reached a breaking point. COVID-19 has exacerbated current problems, making large class sizes unsafe, and causing teaching to become an increasingly unattractive profession.

Unfilled teaching positions have the potential to increase class sizes for veteran teachers.

“My class sizes are exceptionally large. Honors classes are usually large, but this year standard and inclusion classes are large in unprecedented numbers,” said Victoria Watson, a Riverside Honors English II teacher. “These classes are not safe. I’m a parent and I don’t want to send any kid home sick if I can help it.”

For the first week of school, there were 40 students in Watson’s third period class, and 38 in her third period.

“I just didn’t feel it was safe or feasible to fit that many students in my classroom,” said Watson. Watson decided to instead teach her class in the cafeteria, to ensure proper observance of social distancing and safety guidelines.

“In the cafeteria students felt dejected,” Watson said. “It felt like they were saying ‘does anyone care about us?’”

The next class Watson decided to teach in two separate classrooms, to ensure safety guidelines were in place, and students felt valued.

“I was teaching in one classroom, and in the other room students were taking independent notes,” Watson said. “That setup was too difficult for me because I had to work both rooms. It was so exhausting.”

The third day Watson held class in the media center. “It felt like a very large seminar,” she said.

Despite this, the logistical challenges of safely teaching such a large class was not the most difficult part for Watson. “The hardest part was teaching kids I knew wouldn’t get to stay in the class,” she explained. “I didn’t want them to feel unwanted, and it was really hard to say they gotta go.”

There are also academic and GPA repercussions of students being rescheduled.

“Maybe these students won’t get honors. They’re directed to virtual school for honors classes, so they'll get what they need but not necessarily what they want,” said Watson.

That week Watson contacted administration, citing the unsustain-

• PHOTO BY EDEN MAE RICHMAN A sign encourages applicants to apply for positions wihtin Durham Public Schools. Signs like these are placed all over Riverside High.

ability of teaching that many students amidst the global pandemic, and Principal Leslie Kinard personally rearranged the students’ schedules to mitigate the issue. “The numbers are currently at 34 students in third period, and 33 students in fourth period,” said Watson.

“Forty students in one class is unprecedented, whether it’s a pandemic or not, but 30 is not safe either,” she said.

Watson’s large classes can be attributed to the vacant Introduction to English teaching position. This has created a chain reaction in the English department. Students are currently not scheduled to take that course, and are instead placed in standard courses. If that position was staffed, then it would lessen the number of students in the standard course, and create space for another honors course. Then every student that wanted to would be able to take an honors English class in person.

Watson’s classroom isn’t the only one affected by this crisis. “When there are vacant staffing positions there is a trickle down effect,” explains Watson. “All my students have to transfer into other teachers’ classes, so filling this English position would help other departments too.”

“No one is interested in the intro position, and the school doesn’t want a substitute teacher,” Watson said.

At DPS, the only requirements for being a substitute teacher is being older than 18, having at least 48-college semester hours, and passing a background check. Non-licensed substitute teachers receive $112.50 a day, whereas licensed substitute teachers merely receive $12.50 more per day.

Riverside's administrative team has been working to fill the vacancies for

months.Assistant Principal Jasmine McKoy said the state-wide shortage is making the hiring process especially difficult, but it is still critical that they fill open positions with the right people. “[The school is coping with the state-wide teacher shortage by] having open communication with our community and making sure we recruit teachers that are purposeful about their mission to ensure student academic success,” McKoy said.

Many students are facing the fallout of not enough teachers to teach the courses they want to take.

“When I first got my schedule it had Spanish 1, which I already took, and I also had orchestra and I've never played any instrument in my life,” said Junior Scarlett Guckian. “The only time Spanish 3 was available was first period, so I had to drop my anatomy class to take it.”

As a result, Guckian had to rearrange her entire schedule, leaving a gap for fourth period in both semester one and semester two. “The only classes I could take that period were either art or weight lifting and child development, and I am not an artist,” “I don’t feel so good about it,” Guckian said. “It’s kind of frustrating because I really wanted to take anatomy.”

Above all else, she was concerned about the permanent ramifications of taking these electives. “I feel like it's going to bring my GPA down,” she said. “And I got my schedule too late to do anything about it, like taking a Durham Tech class instead.”

Teacher shortages at Riverside High School are just one component of a pervasive statewide issue. According to WUNC there were 12,614 midsummer school openings prior to the 2021-2022 school year. In a typical year there’s only 7 to 8 thousand openings in North Carolina.

These shortages, coupled with COVID-19 exposures, even resulted in the one week shutdown and subsequent shift to virtual of two schools in rural Warren County.

Data from the Department of Education indicated that in the 2020-2021 school year there was a shortage of high school teachers in Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Special Education. This shortage has rolled over into this academic year with a scarcity of teachers across all grade levels in Math and Special Education.

“Right now in North Carolina, only 30 percent of students have a fully licensed math teacher,” said North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt in August at the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber

of Commerce’s Power Luncheon.

Truitt also said that 67 percent of incoming high school students are not performing on grade level in both reading and math, and rates are even lower for students of color.

These issues can be traced back to the Leandro Case in 1994, when students from school districts in Hoke, Halifax, Robeson, Vance, and Cumberland Counties sued the school board on the basis that they were denied their constitutional right to “a basic sound education.” The case went to trial in 1997, and in 2002 the court found that the students’ rights were violated.

A nonpartisan committee of education experts were hired to write the WestEd report on what North Carolina needed to do to get to the bare minimum requirements. One of these constitutional requirements is “a competent, certified, well-trained teacher who is teaching the standard course of study in every classroom,” a right currently being violated at Riverside and a multitude of other schools across the state.

Even before the pandemic hit, stress was listed as one of the number one causes for why public school teachers quit, according to a study conducted by RAND. A key finding stated that, “stress was the most common reason for leaving public school teaching early—almost twice as common as insufficient pay.”

The pandemic and subsequent shift to virtual school has only exacerbated this issue. Teachers have been forced to quickly adapt and learn new technology, without the support and training they require.

Educators, parents, and students alike wish that state leaders were doing more to alleviate the crisis.

“This is not the district and administration’s fault. They are going through hard things right now’” said Watson. “This is on the state legislature, we are not receiving enough funding.”

Is Pay a Factor?

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Editor's note: The full version of this story is available at thepirateshook.com

k

November

Two Paths, Same Destination

9

AP classes and Durham Tech provide options for students in search of early college credit opportunities

By Elena Paces-Wiles There is more than one way for Riverside students to get ahead in college even before graduating high school.

Many high schoolers know about Advanced Placement (AP) courses.

They’ve been around since the 1950s and were the only way for students to earn college credits. Riverside offers 20 different AP classes in a variety of fields, including arts and languages as well as the core four subjects.

But those aren’t the only early college opportunities. Durham Technical Community College’s dual enrollment program, Career and College Promise (CCP), offers multiple pathways to suit the needs of different students.

Out of the three CCP pathways, the College Transfer (CT) pathway is the program for high school students who plan on going to a four-year college.

Students who complete this pathway will receive an associate’s degree in addition to their high school diploma.

“I’m basically going to get two years of college over with for only like a couple • Photo by Elena Paces-Wiles hundred dollars,” said Riverside Senior Riverside Students complete a lab. Mika Twietmeyer teaches AP Biology during second period.

Ella Whithaus. She will earn an AssoAfter finishing the associate’s degree, said Aguilar-Orozco. ciate’s in Arts degree after finishing her lar-Orozco, who plans on pursuing a business degree. students can transfer to any college in Despite CCP’s growing popularity, courses next summer.

Tevin Jones is the University of North Carolina system.

Riverside’s AP classes are still the right One reason Whithaus Riverside’s Durham Some private and out of state institutions option for some students. These courses pursued Durham Tech’s Tech liaison.

He inalso accept the course credits students allow advanced high-schoolers to comCT pathway was the forms students about earn at Durham Tech, said Jones. plete college level work. They revolve scheduling flexibility Durham Tech opporCCP accepts any junior or senior who around critical thinking skills, writing and variety of courstunities both during has either a 2.8 unweighted GPA or restrategy, and a complex understanding es available. She was and after high school. quired state-approved assessment score. of the material, according to AP Latin interested in pursuing CCP students may SAT, PSAT, ACT, and Pre-ACT scores teacher, Melissa Lido. sociology but it wasn’t take courses in order are all accepted, as well as a few others. “[It offers students the opportunity to] offered through Rivto “get themselves If a student has neither a 2.8 unweighted ask questions and have discussions like erside. familiarized with GPA nor the required test score, they can you might not have in just a regular class Durham Tech courshow college works, take Durham Tech’s placement exam. or even in an honors class,” Lido said. es offer an opportunity how instructors can “I’m looking for anybody who’s Anyone who passes the AP exam, for high-schoolers to be, [and] how that motivated,” Jones said.

“Anybody who which are nationally standardized tests, explore career options, set up works,” Jones is willing to challenge themselves.

So has the option to earn credit and place according to Senior Brisaid.

All participants if that’s the students who are taking the out of required college classes.

Specific anna Aguilar-Orozco. can get exposure to more challenging courses, yeah, that requirements vary between colleges and “If you have this college professors can work.

But if it’s also the people who some prestigious colleges don’t accept opportunity to take and schedules, and maybe haven’t taken any honors courses, AP credits at all.

Durham Tech classes, those who opt to take or haven’t taken any of the AP courses “I like to think of it as, as close to a you should take advanclasses in person can they are still welcome to do it, too.” college course as you can get but still in tage of it as something • Photo by Elena Paces-Wiles Durham Tech Liaison, Tevin Jones. talks experience life on a “It’s not hard, as long as you actually a high school building,” said AP Biology that you want to do in to a student. They discuss poat high college campus. have the effort and will to keep going,” teacher Mika Twietmeyer. college,” said Agui- school opportunities .

Please

recycle this paper!

Unlike in Durham Tech’s CT pathway, students will not finish the course with a degree. This may be the right option for those who are unsure what they want to pursue after high school or if their desired college does not accept credits from Durham Tech.

AP classes are more challenging than the ones available through Durham Tech, according to Whithaus. But teachers are there to support students who are struggling with advanced classes.

“What I think an AP class can offer is a little bit more of that bridge,” Twietmeyer said. She explained that AP courses have more direct teacher involvement than the CCP program.

Aguilar-Orozco, who has also taken AP classes at Riverside, agrees. She said Durham Tech teachers don’t provide as much one-on-one support. “[Students] have to initiate things,” Aguilar-Orozco said. “No one’s gonna reach out to you.”

Riverside’s AP department is constantly trying to encourage all sorts of students to take advanced classes.

“I would recommend it to anybody that’s willing to try something new,” said Twietmeyer.

Lido would recommend AP courses for anyone who is self motivated, and willing to put in the work. “[They’re not for] somebody who just wants to do it because they get more weight on their GPA,” she said.

"[Durham Tech classes are] not hard as long as you actually have the effort and will to keep going."

Brianna Aguilar-Orozco, Senior

Dos Caminos, Mimso Destino Si usted quiere leer esta hisotria en español, visite Thepirateshook.com o use una camara en cualquier dispositivo electronico y ecanee

10

Viviendo el Sueño

Un tobillo torcido en primaria inspira a entrenador de atletismo de riverside ayudar a atletas regresar de lesiones.

• PHOTO BY VICTORIA ALCINDOR

Athletic trainer Erin Samuels tapes a Riverside student-athlete's ankle before practice. Samuels received treatment for an ankle injury in the Riverside training room when she was a student.

Living the dream

An ankle sprain in middle school inspired Riverside athletic trainer Erin Samuels to help other athletes return from injury

By Giselle Rivera Roman After 4 pm, when students get on buses and walk to their cars to go home, athletic trainer Erin Samuels’ day approaches its busiest time.

Samuels arrives at Riverside during lunch and teaches sports medicine 1 and 2 third and fourth period, but her main role is working with athletes.

“I am the medical support,” Samuels said. “I’m there for preventing injuries as well as taking care of injuries after they happen and rehabbing those injuries here at Riverside for all the athletes.”

This requires her to stay after school often to watch over and support “her athletes.”

However, she does play a role during school hours. She also helps any Riverside student who needs medical attention. “[School staff members] will call me if like a student is injured here,” she said. “I’ll evaluate them, make sure that there’s not a bigger emergency or something like that. I’ll be in charge of helping contact the parents, make sure the parents know that the student is okay or what’s going on. But my main concern is my athletes,” she says.

This is Samuels’ first year as a Riverside teacher and athletic trainer. She previously worked at Rogers Herr Middle School teaching Sports Medicine to seventh graders. In addition to that,

she taught freshmen and sophomores in the athletic training program during her senior year at Western Carolina University. She also worked with physicians at a surgical clinic. “[Working at the Surgical Clinic] was good,” she said. “It was different.

I definitely thought I would have more set hours than I do here, but I ended up working so many hours. But also being there with patients you don’t create the relationships that you do with your students. I feel like I’m really impacting people, not that I wasn’t impacting people at the clinic, but when you see someone for 5 to 10 minutes in a room every two to four weeks it’s not the same as seeing the same kids every day.”

However, it’s not her first time at Riverside. She was actually a student, and in the Riverside building is where her passion for sports medicine developed.

“I kind of knew this was a dream job, and if I came back here that’s where I would be teaching this course,” she said. “This is definitely somewhere that I wanted to be.”

In seventh grade, at Brogden Middle School, she sprained her ankle. During this time her brother was a Riverside student-athlete, so she was permitted to receive rehab here. Her experience working with Jess Brady, Riverside’s athletic trainer at the time, is the reason why she is back here now. Now she

wants to inspire others the same way Brady did for her.

“I enjoy sharing my passion and my love for it.” she said. “Hopefully, maybe, at the end of the year some of these kids will maybe change their mind, maybe they want to be athletic trainers now. Just seeing [students say] ‘hey, it’s not that bad.’ Some of them [have already said] ‘you actually kind of have a cool job.’ So, if I can just open some people’s eyes to see the different things that are out there, I think that is awesome.”

So far, Samuel’s year has started off busy.

“I’ve had three concussions with football already.” she says.“We’ve had a couple knee injuries that we’ve done some rehab with. [One athlete] had an ankle strain/sprain. So, we’ve been a little filled with injuries this season.”

Samuels explained that some of these incidents were predictable.

“You know, it’s just one of those things, especially with our team this year,” she said “We have a pretty young football team out there. And starting off the season with just varsity and no JV, some of those young kids are going against some pretty big guys out there.

“Injuries, unfortunately, are going to happen, but all I can do is make sure that the parents are informed and that I’m getting those kids back as quickly and as safely as possible,” she said.

Por Giselle Rivera Roman Viviendo el Sueño: un esguince de tobillo en la escuela secundaria inspiró a la entrenadora atlética de Riverside, Erin Samuels, a ayudar a otros atletas a recuperarse de una lesión Después de las cuatro de la tarde, cuando los estudiantes suben a los autobuses y caminan hacia sus autos para ir a casa, el día de la entrenadora atlética Erin Samuels se acerca a su tiempo más ocupado.

Samuels llega a Riverside durante el almuerzo y enseña medicina deportiva 1 y 2 en el tercer y cuarto periodo, pero su objetivo principal es trabajar con los atletas.

“Yo soy el apoyo médico,” dijo Samuels. "Estoy allí para prevenir lesiones, así como para cuidar de las lesiones después de que sucedan y rehabilitar esas lesiones aquí en Riverside para todos los atletas.”

Esto requiere que ella se quede después de la escuela frecuentemente para vigilar y apoyar a “sus atletas.”

Sin embargo, ella tambien desempeña un papel durante el horario escolar. Ella ayuda a cualquier estudiante de Riverside que necesite atención médica. “[Los miembros del personal de la escuela] me llamarán si un estudiante se lesiona aquí,” dijo. “Los evaluaré, me aseguraré de que no haya una emergencia mayor o algo así. Yo estaré a cargo de ayudar a contactar a los padres, asegurarme de que los padres sepan que el estudiante está bien o lo que está pasando. Pero mi principal preocupación son mis atletas,” dijo Samuel.

Este es el primer año de Samuels como maestra y entrenadora atlética de Riverside. Anteriormente trabajó en la escuela secundaria Rogers Herr enseñando medicina deportiva a estudiantes de séptimo grado. Además de eso, enseñó a estudiantes de primer y segundo año en el programa de entrenamiento atlético durante su último año en Western Carolina University.

También trabajó con médicos en una clínica quirúrgica.

“Fue bueno, [trabajar en la Clínica Quirúrgica] fue diferente. Definitivamente pensé que estaría en una clínica ”, dijo. “Tendría más horas fijas que las que tengo aquí, pero terminé trabajando muchas horas. Pero además, estar ahí con los pacientes uno no crea las relaciones que crea uno con sus estudiantes. Siento que realmente estoy impactando a las personas, no es que no estuviera impactando a las personas en la clínica, pero cuando ves a alguien durante 5 a 10 minutos

en una habitación cada dos o cuatro semanas no es lo mismo que ver a los mismos niños cada día."

Sin embargo, no es su primera vez en Riverside. Anteriormente ella fue una estudiantes, y en el edificio de Riverside es donde se desarrolló su pasión por la medicina deportiva.

“Yo más o menos supe que era un trabajo soñado, y si es que iba a regresar aquí, allí es donde estaría enseñando este curso,” dijo. “Este es definitivamente un lugar donde yo quería estar” En séptimo grado, en Brogden Middle School, ella se torció el tobillo.

Durante este tiempo, su hermano era un estudiante-atleta de Riverside, por lo que se le permitió recibir rehabilitación aquí. Su experiencia trabajando con Jess Brady, la entrenadora atlética de Riverside en ese entonces, es la razón por la que está de regreso aquí ahora.

Ahora quiere inspirar a los demás de la misma manera que Brady lo hizo por ella.

"Disfruto compartiendo mi pasión y mi amor por ella [mi carera]". ella dijo. “Con suerte, tal vez, al final del año algunos de estos niños tal vez cambien de opinión, tal vez hoy ya quieran ser entrenadores atléticos. Solo ver a [los estudiantes decir] 'oye, no es tan malo' ... Algunos de ellos [ya han dicho] 'en realidad tienes un trabajo genial. Entonces, si pudiera abrir los ojos de algunas personas para ver las diferentes cosas que están ahí afuera, creo que seria increíble. " Hasta ahora, el año de Samuels ha comenzado ajetreado.

"Ya he tenido tres conmociones cerebrales con el fútbol americano". dice. “Hemos tenido un par de lesiones en la rodilla con las que hemos hecho un poco de rehabilitación. [Un atleta] tuvo una distensión / esguince de tobillo. Entonces, hemos estado un poco llenos de lesiones esta temporada.”

Samuels explicó que algunos de estos incidentes eran predecibles.

“Sabes, es solo una de esas cosas, especialmente con nuestro equipo este año”, dijo. “Tenemos un equipo de fútbol americano bastante joven ahí fuera. Y comenzando la temporada solo con el equipo varsity y sin JV, algunos de esos niños pequeños se enfrentarán a algunos tipos bastante grandes.”

“Desafortunadamente, se van a producir lesiones, pero todo lo que puedo hacer es asegurarme de que los padres estén informados y de que estoy recuperando a esos niños lo más rápido y seguro posible,” dijo.

Traducido por Giselle Rivera Roman

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November

(Left) Winston Gasch, Bryan Hampson, and (Right) Elizabeth Healy at 4A Mideast Regional Race. 2021 is the first year that both the boys team and girls team reached the state championship, breaking many school records. Photos Courtesy of Gene Ackerman and Katherine Patillo.

Fall Sports Recap

Boys and Girls Cross Country Teams Both Reach State Championship for First Time in School

By Avery Prince

Football

The Pirates started their season with four straight losses, losing several close games. Riverside then beat the Granville Central Panthers 40-12, earning their first win of the season. Next was a game against Northern, where Riverside handily won 20-0 at the rival school’s homecoming.

After this, Riverside dropped back to back games, then dropped a heartbreaker to Chapel Hill, losing 31-30 in Chapel Hill. To end the season, Riverside lost an away game to Jordan, giving the Pirates a 2-8 overall record, with a 1-4 in conference record. They are 5th in the 4A East 30 Conference, in front of Northern and close behind Chapel Hill.

Cory Lea, Riverside football head coach, said “[The] season went by about how we thought it would go. We had a lot of guys, a lot of young guys, they were forced into playing. And they got better as the season went on. They did a really good job considering, you know, we had the second toughest schedule in our conference, and we also had the youngest team in our conference.”

The Pirates also had several stat leaders, with Xavier Mcqueen leading the conference in receiving yards, with 463 yards and an average of 30.9 yards per catch. Mcqueen’s 6 receiving touchdowns tie him for the conference lead in receiving touchdowns. Freshman Jamari Mcknight led the team in total tackles, with 77 over nine games, giving him the second most total tackles in the conference, and the most solo tackles with 28.

Riverside had a new QB this year, with Collin Hurdle coming from another school and starting his first year on varsity. Over five games, Hurdle had 805 yards, averaging 161 passing yards per game. Coach Lea had high praise for Hurdle, saying “Our quarterback Colin Hurdle, coming from another school and being able to establish relationships with his teammates in his first year varsity football. [Hurdle, Mcqueen, Mcknight, and Bonner] are going to be key for us next year and I really think that we have a good base to build off of.”

Field Hockey

The Lady Pirates started their season with a loss, but immediately followed it with a strong 4-0 win against Cape Fear Academy. After that win, the Lady Pirates went on a 12 game losing streak, but nearly upset Jordan, losing 1-0.

With 7 seniors graduating, the team will look very different next year. Senior Captain Ella Whithaus was happy with the season, saying “I think statistically we did better than any other year I've been here. We had a new coach. So I think a lot of that can be owed to her, because she was very experienced. I think we really improved as a team.”

Boy's Soccer

The Pirates finished their season with a 7-8-2 record overall. Their 4-6-2 conference record was good for fourth in the DAC-VII 4A conference.

Riverside won early games against DSAand Garner, then went 3-6 in their next nine games. A dramatic tie with Northern, then another against East Chapel Hill that went into double overtime set up a win over Southern Alamance to end the season.

Junior Reese Compton led the team in goals, finishing with 11 goals over 16 regular season matches.

Compton said “The team was a good, united group.

We could use some work on some of the tactics involving soccer, which were not always right, but the unity of the team was really good. There were some good players.”

To begin the playoffs, Riverside played an away game against #7 seed Pinecrest. The Pirates lost this game 1-4, with Reese Compton scoring the lone Riverside goal. This ends Riverside’s season, and with 13 seniors leaving the team, Compton will help lead the team with his experience. Compton said “It'll be hard with all of them leaving but from summer workouts I’ll try to help get people mentally disciplined, where they should be for the season”

Thank you Hook sponsors!

Cross Country

Volleyball

It was a banner year for Riverside’s runners. Riverside started their season 2-2, with wins Senior Henry Haase set a new school record for against Southern Durham and Vance County. the 5,000 meters of 15:55.16 minutes. Winston After this, Riverside went on a 4 game cold Gasch, Bryan Hampson and Flyn Meadows made streak, losing to the top teams in the conferschool history, too, setting the second, fourth and ence before knocking off J.F. Webb and Vance fifth-best times in Riverside history, respectively. County a second time. After the two wins, the At the DAC-VII Conference Meet, Riverside Lady Pirates then went on a cold streak, losing had a very strong team effort, as most members of nine games in a row, finishing with a 4-16 record the team logged their fastest times of their season overall, and 0-12 in conference. and set numerous personal records.

The team will lose three seniors, but junior The men’s team finished second in the confer- captain Rutendo Mukelabai will return. Looking ence. Henry Haase and Winston Gasch placed in forward to next season, Mukelabai said “Next the top five in the individual conference meet. year, I can take my leadership skills that I've The girls team finished third, and Elizabeth Healy learned this year and apply them and hopefully, finished in the top ten overall. it will create a better season” Mukelabai also Riverside followed this up with an incredible praised the team for their ability to work together, performance by the varsity teams at regionals, and said “Looking forward to next season, we with four boys finishing in the top 20, and two can take what we learned from this season, and girls in the top 20. This gave the boys varsity just try our hardest and put in our best effort.” team third in the region, and the girls team fourth Girl's Tennis in the region. This win sent the boys team to their second ever state meet, and the girls team to their Riverside finished with a 6-8 overall record, first ever state meet.

At the state championship in Kernersville, River- and 6-5 in conference. This put the Lady Pirates side finished well, with the boys team finishing 12th 4th in the conference, ahead of several rivals. and the girls team finishing 20th.The top runners Riverside started the season slowly, getting swept for Riverside were Henry Haase, who finished in its first three matches, but bounced back with 18th with a time of 16:07.07, and Elizabeth Healy a 6-3 win against Southern Alamance. After a who finished 37th with a time of 19:18.19. This loss to Orange, Riverside swept Northern 6-0 is a monumental accomplishment for Riverside, twice. About two weeks later, Riverside beat with this being the first time that the boys and girls Southern Alamance again, and Emma Wilcox teams both competed at the state championship. was named player of the match after her strong Shaun Thompson, coach of Riverside Cross win against Southern Alamance’s Faith Moore.

Country said “We had a very strong season, this is Riverside swept Hillside twice to end the the second time the boys team has made it to states, season. Freshman Calista Robinson won player and the first the girls have made it to states… I think of the match both times. She played at the top of we shocked a lot of people and proved that we are Riverside’s ladder all season, finished with a 7-7 record and won player of the match five times. up there with some of the top runners”

David Ascher Tolly Boatwright Susan Cohen Elinor Coates Jose Enamorado

Deirdre Gordon Richard & Scott Hill Robin Kirk Kim & Henry Krzwy Carolyn McAllaster

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Marie Muir Michael Reckhow Haldon J Sandick Steve Schewel Steve Unruhe In memory of Lenny May

Pirates' Hookok

Sophomore Xavier McQueen dunks the ball. The men's basketball team opens its season at home against New Hanover High School on Tuesday.

• PHOTO BY ETHAN HAINE

Winter Sports Take Off The Three Biggest Questions About The Upcoming Season

Will Ryan Weaver get more state championship rings?

As a Sophomore, Ryan Weaver won a state championship is the 50-yard freestyle, and finished second in the 100-yard backstroke. This year he is looking to win championships in both events, and help Riverside win the conference tournament. "I've been perfecting everything I need to do to win those events again," said Weaver. Weaver is going to NC state to swim in college, and his goal is to win a national championship there.

Will the basketball teams return to their winning ways?

Last year the men's basketball team went 5-8, but in 2019 the team had a solid 20-9 record. The team will compete this season in a new conference, but the team has a lot of returning players, who bring experience to the team. "We're playing for a state championship," said Head coach Brian Strickland.

The women's basketball team was 0-10, and the year before that they were 2-19, and they will be trying to return to their winning records in the years before, like their 18-9 record in 2017-18.

Will The Wrestling Team Get Back On the Podium?

•PHOTOS BY ETHAN HAINE

Riverside's wrestling team has always been successful, but it's been a while since they have had a standout season. Their first state championships came back to back in '94-'95, then had three-peat from '02-'04. This year they have a full roster with lots of potential, including junior standout Isaac Ramirez. Head coach Brandon Palmer (a former RHS state champion himself) hopes the team will make the playoffs this year.