December 2016 Stinger by The Stinger

TINGE R S THE

Irmo High School 6671 St. Andrews Rd. Columbia, SC 29212

volume 51, issue 2

the student voice of Irmo High School

December 16, 2016

THE

STINGER STAFF

editor-in-chiefs Lanece Davidson Mariah Kennedy business manager Ashanti Bookman lifestyle editor Josalyn Helrigel features editor Alexis Rollerson opinions editor Jessica McCrae news editor Mariah Kennedy Lanece Davidson sports editor Alexis Rollerson circulation manager Ashanti Bookman photography editor Jessica McCrae staff cordinator Josalyn Helrigel adviser Brennan Davis The goals of The office (room 107) or eStinger are to inform the mailed to abbiehutch@ Irmo High School com- gmail.com or adviser@ munity about issues of ihsstinger.com. Letters interest through fair and may be edited for offenaccurate reporting, re- siveness, libel, grammar, sponsible editorials and space or style. Requests enlightening features for anonymity may be and to provide an ad- considered in cases of vertising medium in the sensitive subjects. Irmo community. For advertising inforThe Stinger is pub- mation or to request a lished six times a year subscription, please call (including a spring prom (803) 476-3071. supplement and a yearSchool District 5 of end senior class supple- Lexington and Richland ment) by Journalism II- Counties does not disIV newspaper students criminate on the basis at Irmo High School. of race, color, national Staff editorials reflect origin, creed, religion, the views of a majority of sex, age, disability or The Stinger senior edito- handicap in admission rial board. Bylined edi- to, or access to, or treattorials, cartoons and per- ment or employment in sonal columns reflect the its programs or activiopinions of individual ties. Inquires should be writers or artists. directed to the Chief Letters to the editor: Officer of Human ReThe Stinger welcomes source Services (Title letters to the editor from IX Coordinator) and readers. Letters must be the Director of Special signed by their authors Services (504/ ADAand include contact in- Coordinator) at P.O. formation; the authen- Box 938, Ballentine, SC ticity of the writer will 29002, (803) 476-8110, be verified before pub- www.lex5.k12.sc.us. lication. Letters may be delivered to The Stinger

2 INDEX

IN THIS ISSUE Hello Irmo High and welcome to The Stinger holiday issue! You’ll find stories on the most trending holiday gifts of 2016, how the new varsity basketball team is perparing for their new new season, and the holiday festivities in Columbia. Happy reading! -Mariah & Lanece

lifestyle Technology: Changing the workforce and classroom-3/4

features

Black Friday boosts sales - 5/6 Holiday lights brighten Columbia-7/8 Holiday do’s & don’ts - 9

Sports

Irmo basketball bounces back- 10

Opinions R.I.P school spirit- 13 Know yourself- 14 Can I just graduate- 15

THE STINGER

lifestyle

Technology: Changing the

Technology has become so much more advanced and innovative with every year. Communication, daily activities, banking, health maintenance, and other things have become easier because of technology and apps. These days, there is an app for everything from cooking to banking to how many steps you take a day. We see every day how technology impacts our personal lives and daily tasks, but we don’t necessarily see how it’s impacting technology and the future workforce. As the world moves into a technological age, the education system and work force is doing so too. File cabinets in doctor’s offices have been replaced with computers to store the data. Many schools across the globe have given their students iPad minis, Chromebooks, and mini laptops. Having these forms of technology have made the possibilities for education more plentiful. Karen Haynes, a kindergarten teacher at Seven Oaks Elementary School who has been

teaching for 35 years, is very impressed with technology’s abilities.“We used chalkboards when I first started teaching and it’s amazing what the SmartBoard can do. We can pull up so many lessons. [We can] use the lessons like a chalkboard,” Haynes said. Back then if you were a student and you wanted information on a subject, you would have to go on a scavenger hunt in a textbook or walk to the library and find an encyclopedia to find information. Teachers would have to do the same thing to make lessons for their students. These days students and teachers have the Internet to research anything and find results in a matter of seconds. Teachers have websites to help them create lessons and Smartboards to display lessons for their classes. Print textbooks in schools are now rarely used; they are beginning to become obsolete. Most teachers allow their students to access online versions or they print out the pages for the students. The Internet allows us to access any worksheet, test, or lesson Lanece Davidson on any subject with the click of a button. You can just type in the subject and there are thousands of links that appear right before your eyes. According to Purdue University,”The Internet is a vast electronic library of information, and both research and instruction can be achieved through the click of a mouse.” Technology has become something that many people have become familiar with, especially the younger generation. Because of technology being in high demand, students are venturing away from the typical paper and pencil. Students become more engaged and interested in their lessons when instructors find new and creative KAREN HAYNES: The kindergarten teacher loves how ways to display and teach them using technology. According to technology has changed her classroom. Pearson.com, “Technology as a tool helps teachers create and present content and instruc-

Lifestyle

tion that is interesting and relevant to students. When learning is relevant to students, then they become engaged, active learners.” There are now professions in schools that help teachers and students learn to use technology better and more efficiently. Heather Boudreaux, a digital integration specialist at Irmo High School helps staff and students daily.“I’m the contact person for getting devices to students. So when students need an iPad, I’m the person that they contact for that. If there’s anything regarding using technology in the classroom, students or teachers, I’m the person that can help them best figure out how to solve the problem or integrate the technology or figure out how to make something work in the best way in the classroom for instruction,” Boudreaux said. Technology hasn’t just made displaying and researching lessons easier for teachers, it’s made things like grading less strenuous. “When I was [teaching}] first grade, I would stay up at night grading papers and looking at everything and now you can just put it in the computer and it does everything itself and our report cards are like that too,” Haynes said. Websites like Edmodo and Google Classroom have become main platforms that teachers can use to post assignments for their students. “A lot teachers have found that it makes the work flow between students and teachers a lot easier because it’s one central place that they can post assignments and then students can turn in the assignments, and the students that are absent still have that one place to go to find what they’ve missed. So it just kind of simplifies where things are located and that’s just one example of how I think technology can be used to help in the classroom”, Boudreaux said. Along with education, professions are starting to become more technology based. The information that our doctors have for us is not on paper in clipboards anymore, it’s on tablets and computers. This shows us that technology is chang [TECH.CONT. ON P.4] THE STINGER

workforce and classroom

ing the workforce as well. Introducing students to more platforms of technology is preparing them for a future digital workforce. NMS.org or the ‘National Math and Science Initiative’ says: “By learning to use technology in the classroom, both teachers and students will learn the critical thinking and workplace skills they will need to be successful in their futures. Education is no longer just about learning and memorizing facts and figures; it’s about collaborating with others, solving complex problems, developing different forms of communication and leadership skills and improving motivation and productivity.” Along with many other things, technology is changing the way professionals stay organized and communicate. File cabinets in doctor’s offices have been replaced with computers to store information for patients. Business offices now use email to send memos and things such as Facetime and Skype to communicate with colleagues in different places. According to Forbes.com, “Collaboration

used to happen in board rooms with whiteboards and bagels. Today, it’s on documents being edited by multiple people all over the world at the same time. It’s sharing screen data and chatting over video.” As we can see every day, technology grows with us. According to Novadesk. com, “As you can see, the classroom has come a long way since the start of public education. Classrooms have physically changed to suit the needs of the current generation.” Having technology hasn’t just changed our education; it has changed our jobs and how we do them. Having a basic knowing of technology can ensure a better understanding of our professions and future ones to come. No matter what profession that you have, some kind of technology will be a part of it.“Just for example I know of a family member who works in sanitation and you wouldn’t think that working in sanitation you would need technology skills, but I remember him having to learn how to do email because that’s how his com-

pany was communicating with it. So no matter which field or which area you’re [going to] go to, you need at least a basic knowledge of technology skills to be able to be successful, “ Boudreaux said. We see different types of phones, TVs, tablets, and many others as the years go by. Technology isn’t something that just helps us communicate or listen to music and other media anymore; it helps us to access so much more. It has become a part of our daily lives and a part of our educational and work processes. No matter which field or which area you’re [going to] go to, you need at least a basic knowledge of technology skills to be able to be successful. So I think that it’s an important part of the school’s job to help students see that technology is more than just playing games and social media, that it’s something that we need to use in our everyday lives for our lives,”Boudreaux said. We will see in the future how having access to technology will impact future classrooms and workforces to come.

History of the Blackboard

Ancient Origin

“Students in ancient Babylonia and Sumeria inscribed their lessons on clay tablets with a stylus in coneiform writing

A Modern Revolution

“At the end of the 18th century, students in Europe and America were still using individual slates made of actual slate or pieces of wood coated with paint and grit and framed with wood” “Teachers had no way to present a lesson or a problem to the class as a whole. They had to present to the kids individually” -James Pillans, headmaster and geography teacher in Edinburgh, Scotland is credited with inventing the first modern blackboard. He hung a large piece of slate on the classroom wall. (1801). -America’s railroad system assured that by the middle of the 19th century, nearly every classroom and America would have a black board. The slate used was mostly shipped from quarries in Vermont, Maine, Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, and Virginia.

20th Century Changes “Greenboard” introduced a steel plate coated with a porcelain based enamel “Chalk powder didn’t show well when erased, green was considered to be more pleasing and easier on the eyes than black. It was more durable than fragile slate, making it more economical and easier to ship”. -Dry erase board was introduced in 1980s. By mid-1990s, 21% of American classrooms were using them. -SMART introduced first board in 1991

Sources: education.cu-portland.edu & Techwalla.com

4 LIFESTYLE

LANECE DAVIDSON, co-editor-in-chief lanecedavidson@gmail.com THE STINGER

Black Friday boosts sales

This Christmas season, there are all kinds of gifts that people will give their friends and family. On Black Friday, people bought shoes, clothes, jewelry, electronics, etc. When you turn on the TV this time of year, you will see stores advertising their Black Friday sales that will excite and delight all of the good

boys and girls (and even adults). There are all kinds of places that parents go to buy their children their Christmas items, but Wal-Mart, Toys-R-Us, and Target are some of the popular places that parents like to shop whether they are getting toys or a new iPad. According to Walmart.com, their best sellers are Little Live Pets (the puppy kind) for $49.88 and Hatchimals. Joshua Collins, manager of the toy section of Wal-Mart, says that he has worked there for two and a half years. This was the second Black Friday that he has worked at Wal-Mart. “I worked on Black Friday last year and this year and they were pretty chaotic. People were running every which way, [trying to] get the best deals. It was really crazy. To be honest I was kind of afraid. You watch these videos on the Internet with people fighting over the last item of something and I hoped and prayed that kind of thing would not happen. Luckily it didn’t happen this year and it didn’t happen last year. I’m hoping it doesn’t happen any other year after that,” Collins said. Wal-Mart has sold an average of 1.3 million dolls (Walmart.com). Collins has seen many of those toys being bought by enthusiastic parents, but the number one item

that he saw the most was the Hatchimals (varying in types). “I think the most popular toy item that I saw being bought is the Hatchimals. One woman had her little girl with her and the girl literally begged her mother for it. As a matter of fact it was the Draggle one,” Collins said. According to Target.com, one of their most popular toys is the FurReal Friends Torch, My Blazin’ Dragon. This toy goes for the price of $79.99. This was the first item on their “Best Seller” list. Taylor Smith is the manager of the toy section of Target. This is her first year at Target and her first Black Friday. “For my first Black Friday, what can I say? I was scared. I went Black Friday shopping a few years back it and it was pretty nuts. [Laughs] I almost got trampled trying to get a toaster oven. When I came into work, all of my coworkers were pumped and ready to go. Me, I was scared out of my mind. I was really surprised when we opened and people were not rowdy and trampling each other. Don’t get me wrong; I had to calm down a couple of shoppers who were arguing over a video game. Other than that little disagreement, my first Black Friday went really well,” Smith said. Target, along with Wal-Mart and ToysR-Us, has many popular toys that grab kids’ and parents’ attention. [GIFTS CONT. P. 6]

ON THE EASEL

with Karen Armstrong

What type of art do you do?

I make artworks based around emotion- from things like common feelings like love and joy to the more darker emotions as fear, anger, even depression.

What made you start drawing?

When I was younger, my grandfather was a large influence on my artwork. Growing up, he would teach me how to use different types of artwork like paintings, [and] different types of paint .

Do you see yourself doing this in the future?

Yes. I actually plan on going to school to become a graphic designer and I’ve also had dreams of becoming a tattoo artist. December 16, 2016

Features

[GIFTS FROM P.5] According to Smith, the most popular toy item they sold was Pokémon Sun for Nintendo 3DS. This item costs $39.99. “The item that I saw being rushed out here is the Pokémon game. I personally wanted to get one for my son, but by the time everything calmed down, they were all gone. I just said ‘Oh well. Better luck next year,’” Smith said. Toys-R-Us is a place that little boys and girls go to fulfill their toy dreams. According to toysrus.com, their number one item is the PJ Masks Headquarters Play Set. This item costs $79.99. This is the number one item on the 2016 Hot Toy List. Robert Fields is the manager of Toys-R-Us. He has been there for 5 years, so he is pretty much a Black Friday professional. “This will actually be my 10th Black Friday I have worked. I worked at Best Buy for about seven years before I came here. I missed two of them, one here and one at Best Buy, because I went out of town to be with my family, but the ones that I did work, I had a lot of fun. I remember my first Black Friday. I wasn’t scared at all. I was actually more excited than anyone. When we first opened our doors to the public, people came running every which way. It was a real thrill to see them run around searching for that one item in the store. One person fell and got ran over. Now that was a scary sight, but he was

Features

ok. [Laughs] One person that accidentally stepped on him bought him a camera as an apology. It wasn’t much, but it’s the thought that counts,” Fields said. Fields also very first black friday as a shopper. “I’ve been [Black Friday] shopping with my mom when I was young and it was pretty awesome, but I’ve never seen so many people in one place at once other than school. When the doors opened, my mom grabbed my hand and she ran as fast as she could. I think I was five or six years old at that time, so as you can imagine, my legs were not very long. I couldn’t keep up, so she just picked me up and kept going. Black Friday is one of my favorite things about this time of year,” Fields said. Since this is Field’s 4th Black Friday at Toys-R-Us, he has seen all kinds of toys go through the door. The number one toy item that Fields has seen is the Hatchimals, the same as Collins at Wal-Mart. Unlike WalMart where the Hatchimals are all different prices depending on which one is bought, Toys-R-Us has all of them for the low price of $69.99. “The Hatchimals were really popular. The shelves that they were sitting on were pretty much empty. Over and over again, I saw a parent with that in their hands. I really didn’t pay attention to what kind was being bought, but I know it was a Hatchimals,” Fields said. Black Friday’s origins are not very clear.

There are about three to four different stories surrounding where this occasion came from. According to History. com, the origin of Black Friday was not a very happy one no matter how someone told it. One story talks about two men by the name of Jay Gould and Jim Fisk who bought as much gold as they could so they could try to make a high profit off of others. Because of this stunt, the stock market went into a free-fall and a lot of people went into bankruptcy. Another story is that Southern plantation owners sold their slaves for a low, “discount” price the day after Thanksgiving. These stories are not confirmed by any sources or hard facts, so it’s not easy to distinguish what is fact and what is fiction. According to History.com, the real story occurred in Philadelphia. Tourists and shoppers crowded the city in time for the Army-Navy football game on the coming Saturday. It got the name “Black Friday” because of all the chaos going on in the city. The police were forced to work double shifts and were not able to take the day off. Shoplifters took advantage of the chaos which gave the police much more of a hassle. Later on, store owners tried to change the name to “Big Friday” to get rid of the negative connotation of the event. In the 1980s, retailers found a way to change the name back to Black Friday and add a positive connotation to it. Ever since then, Black Friday has been celebrated throughout the US despite the negative history behind it. This Black Friday, parents went out of their way to buy their children something special for Christmas. For low prices, they were able to complete holiday shopping in just one day. This event comes every year, so if someone missed out on a Black Friday deal this year, they have another opportunity next year and the year after that.

ASHANTI BOOKMAN,circulation manager ashanti@ihsstinger.com

THE STINGER

Holiday lights brighten Columbia

Every year, families around the Midlands gather their loved ones to find different holiday activities to enjoy with one another, events such as bonfires, ice skating, Christmas caroling and more. Christmas lights are a big attrac-

tion during the holiday season. Riverbanks Zoo and Saluda Shoals Park hold Christmas lights annually for the community to enjoy. Public Relations manager Susan O’Cain for Riverbanks Zoo and Lori Shaffer, Marketing Director at Saluda Shoals Park, are both in charge of the Christmas lights that take place annually. For some people, Christmas gath-

erings with friends and family are a big deal and finding group activities for everyone to enjoy can also be a challenge at times. “We started this event because we wanted a special event at Saluda Shoals Park that was good for families for the holiday season.” Shaffer said. Saluda Shoals Park and Riverbanks Zoo, benefit year round from the profits that they make due to their holiday festivities. “It also plays a big part in the revenues that help support this park,” Shaffer explained. The preparations for holiday lights usually begin months in advance. Saluda Shoals and Riverbanks Zoo have to hire an entire staff to help plan and coordinate each event. “We do have some dedicated staff that spends a lot of time planning different light displays refurbishing them throughout the course of the year,” Shaffer said.

again 17 What’s something people

Describe yourself at 17 in would be surprised to know three about you?words? Fun, crazy and outgoing. This is something interesting. What was your favorite thing to do after school? I would go to the cafe and What’s something people my friends. hang out with would beadvice surprised to know What will you tell about you? your then 17-year-old self? This is something interesting.fun, study hardKeep having er, and keep reading.

December 16 ,2016

[LIGHTS CONT. P. 8]

Marie- Claude Davis

Features

features Photo Credit- Mariah Kennedy

through December 23, Nightly Snowfall, The Jingle Bell Bonfire for making s’mores and the Music in Motion Lights Spectacular- a 20 ft. tall dazzling Christmas tree echoing popular holiday tunes. Also, new this year,

Lights Before Christmas ( Riverbanks Zoo) Dates November 19December 30 Admission $11 Adults $9 Children Ages 2-12 free Hours: 5-9 p.m.

Zoo lights: some of the lights seen at Riverbanks Zoo. LIGHTS FROM PG. 7. Riverbanks Zoo and Garden are the founders for The Lights before Christmas. “Lights before Christmas premiered in 1987 as a nightly showcase of holiday lights throughout the zoo,” O’Cain said . O’Cain also stated that the zoo always holds annual traditions. “Nightly visits with Santa each year

children will have an opportunity to write letters to Santa at Santa’s village,” O’Cain said. Riverbanks Zoo holiday event is mainly advertised through traditional media and social media. For more information about Holiday Lights on the River and Lights before Christmas visit their websites: riverbanks.org and icrc.net.

Lights on the River ( Saluda Shoals ) Dates November 23December 31 Hours: 6:0010:00p.m. Admission Car:$ 15 Vans:$15 Buses: $40 JESSICA MCCRAE opinions Editor, MARIAH KENNEDY, Co-editor- in-chief Jessica@ihsstinger Kennedymariah5@gmail.com

FEATUREs

THE STINGER

Holiday Do’s & Don’ts Do’s

“ Spend time with family. Try and stay fit.” - Asten Stewart

December 16, 2016

Don’ts

“ Don’t overeat.” -Asten Stewart

“ Smile.” - Katie Shealy

“ Make yourself a priority.” -Katie Shealy

“ Sleep.” - Lauryn Odom

“ Don’t drink and drive.” - Lauryn Odom

“ Be with family.” - Darrius Weathers

“ Be naughty.” - Darrius Weathers

“ Go see Santa.” - Eric Burkett

“ Be selfish.” - Eric Burkett

FEATURES

Irmo Basketball bounces back Photo Credit- Josalyn Helrigel

work and determination. Most of them practice outside of scheduled practices, and follow up with other workouts and healthy diets. With the help of great coaches and a strong drive from the players, this season might just be one we’ll never forget. Check out the calendar and come out to support Irmo basketball throughout the season!

Upcoming Varsity Basketball Games Dec. 16 vs. Lexington High While it was fun cheering on athletes at planning goes into practice. We don’t just go Irmo football games on warm Friday nights, out there, roll the ball out, and play. I have it’s basketball’s time to shine! The Irmo boys almost a lesson plan for it. It’s my classroom,” varsity basketball team has already begun said Coach Whipple. Tim Whipple is the head Irmo boys vartheir season with 6 games. So far they hold sity basketball coach. Now on his 36th year a record of 5-1. Junior,Winston Hill is in his second year in coaching, Whipple has high hopes for playing varsity basketball, and he plans to his team, as always. He doesn’t believe that continue the sport in college. Like many oth- they’re strengths and weaknesses can be fully identified yet, due to the delay er Irmo of the season, as well as previa t h l e t e s ,Photo Credit- Josalyn Helrigel ous injuries of athletes. While Hill behe does plan to discover things lieves his that his team needs to work on team is later on in the season, he has not just a standards for what an individuteam, but al player needs to display in the practically beginning. a family. “What I look for is individ“ M y uals that are certainly talented t e a m basketball players and have m a t e s skills, but are willing to use are my those skills within the framebrothers, work of what we try to do. and coach That’s what I feel like you have W hipp l e to do to be successful,” Whipple is like a said. dad to Junior Raekwon Heath is me,” Hill also in his second year playing said. Irmo varsity basketball. He The b o y s WINSTON HILL: This is Hill’s second year on believes he provides his team with leadership and enthusispent the varsity basketball team. asm. Like the others, Heath has a lot faith in his team going to the of time state championship. t o “This time, we’re going to win,” Heath gether conditioning in order to prepare them for the year to come. Practices involve many said. The Irmo varsity basketball team has an different drills and workouts that benefit their intriguing school year ahead of them. They’ve personal strength and endurance. “What people don’t realize is that a lot of already begun the season with loads of hard

FEATURES

@7:30 Dec. 20 vs. White Knoll @7:30 Dec. 22 vs. Ridge View@7:30 Jan. 4 vs. Ridge View@7:30 Jan. 6 vs. Spring Valley@7:30 Jan. 13 vs. River Bluff @7:30 Jan. 17 vs. DFHS @ 7:30 Jan. 20 vs. Blythewood@7:30 Jan. 24 vs. Lexington@7:30

JOSALYN HELRIGEL, staff coordinator and lifestyle editor JosalynHelrigel@ihsstinger.com THE STINGER

Z B BUZZ Z U B

THE

“ Oh my Jerky”

The Beef Jerky Outlet

The Beef Jerky Outlet is a neatly organized meatshop in Columbia, SC. This is a great place to try new adventurous items and the only downside are the prices. The outlet is sort of on the expensive side depending on the products being purchased. The Beef Jerky Outlet sells everything from jerky to insect candy. The employees are very kind and they don’t mind helping customers out and showing them around the store. The outlet offers samples of various beef jerkies and they taste delicious. They’re freshly stored in different containers throughout the store. The store has a western theme

and is very clean and spacious for all the contents throughout the room. Besides beef jerky, the outlet offers sodas in glass bottles, different types of cheese, candy, edible insects such as cheddar bacon crickets and ant lollipops. This is a great place to try different items. The Beef Jerky Outlet is located on 1260 Bower Parkway, Unit A5 Columbia South Carolina 29212. They’re open MondaySaturday 10 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. To get in contact with The Beef Jerky Outlet, you can call (803)661-9015. - Jessica

Food

“The “Empire” of T.V. “

December 16, 2016

“Peculiar is the new cool”

“Miss Peregine’s Home for Peculiar Children” “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” is the latest movie from creative director Tim Burton. Based on the best selling novel by Ransom Riggs, the movie is packed full of very creative characters, none like in any other movies and that’s very refreshing. The story follows young, lonely teen Jake who goes back in time to the WWII era and meets the peculiar children at a Welsh Orphanage. The most interesting part about this movie is that it’s completely unique in all elements of sound, picture, and quality and not like any other movie. The way Burton portrayed the characters and made them

really come alive is the best quality of the film. If you find yourself bored and have nothing to do, go to see this movie. It will keep you fully entertained and wanting more.

-Mariah

Movie

“ Victoria Secret back and better”

“ Empire”

Everyone should know about the top rated show in 2016:”Empire.” This show is drama-filled, entertaining, and the most interesting show to hit screens in the past several years. The show stars Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard. It’s such a coincidence how their movie “Hustle & Flow” relates to this show trying to make a way for their family coming from the streets, broken relationships that need to be fixed, heartbreak, etc. Cookie, played by Taraji P. Henson, is one of those hardcore types of girls. She’s not afraid to speak her mind and she is the head queen of fashion. Even though she’s kind of stuck in time

The Stinger reviews the latest books, movies, television shows and CDs for you!

“ Victoria Secret “

she can still pull it off. The character Jamal, played by Jussie Smollett, is an amazing singer/songwriter who struggles with his sexuality. Even though some people bring him down about being gay, he just focuses on his music and his family. This is the best show yet in 2016 because of its great characters, great director, awesome ratings, and good storyline.

_ Alexis

T.V.

Being stuck in traffic on Harbison Boulevard has never been so worth it. For those who didn’t know, Victoria’s Secret, located in Columbiana Centre, was closed for a short period of time in order to make renovations. Even after struggling through months of not being able to buy my favorite body lotions and 7 for $27 panties, the upgrade was worth the wait. Now, Victoria’s Secret is back and more beautiful than ever! The old store had such a soft atmosphere. Most of the furniture and walls were pink with plenty of black and white accents to accompany them,

Store

appealing to girls rather than women. Along with many of the new adjustments that were made to the store, the color scheme is now inverted, still creating a feminine atmosphere yet more adult-like. Little things like lighting and wallpaper make the store so much more glamorous. The new design fits better for the type of merchandise the store sells. Pink and white polka dots don’t accentuate lingerie very well. Besides, who doesn’t love 7 for $27 panties and Amber Romance body lotion?

-Josalyn

OPINIONS

What’s #trending @ Irmo?

#CROCS “Whenever I wanna be comfortable, I just throw these on with a pair of leggings and a hoodie.” Shoba Swaminthan

#OMBRE “I like this look a lot.” Destinee Lewis

#FURRYVESTS “It’s very sophisticated and fashionable.” Asatta Smith

#ADIDASZXFLUX “They have so many different patterns.” Taiye Holmes

OPINIONS

THE STINGER

opinions

R.I.P. school spirit

I think we can all agree on the fact that high school is definitely not like we see in the movies, especially when it comes to school spirit. In the movies, the football players walk around in their jer-

seys and letterman jackets with a football in hand with their heads held high, and the cheerleaders walk around school in full uniform. This is real life and that stuff just doesn’t happen. I’ll give it to the football players for wearing their jerseys on game days, but that’s about the extent of their school spirit. Unlike in the movies, the entire student body is not going to show up for a school event, whether it’s a game, play, concert, etc. People just don’t care nowadays and as much as the school will try and promote it, students and most teachers still won’t come to support their school and peers.And spirit weeks? Soon they will be a thing of the past. I really do feel bad for student council because they try really hard to come up with fun and creative ideas for spirit, and very few students will participate in them because they would rather be doing something else. Maybe a handful of students will

participate but they’re usually on student council and it’s required for them to be there. I’m not saying school spirit is completely dead at Irmo, but it’s barely hanging on by a thread. I think there are a lot of fun and creative ways that student council, and the students at Irmo, can keep it alive. Maybe to get students and teachers more involved, we should have more pep rallies instead of one a year for football season. I mean, you know it’s bad when the principal has to bribe us with doughnuts just to wear our school colors. Dear students, to end our miniscule showcasing of school spirit we need to band together to show everyone that we have pride in our school, to show that we are Irmo strong!

MARIAH KENNEDY, Co- editor-in- chief, news editor kennedymariah5@gmail.com

KIDS HALL IN THE

What are your Holiday plans?

FRESHMAN SOPHOMORE

“ Go to union, spend time with family.” -Aaron Stewart

December 16, 2016

“ To go hit some gnarly waves.” -Isaac Kennedy

JUNIOR

“Honestly, try and enjoy time spent with my family.” -Corey Davis

SENIOR

“To see my grandparents as much as possible .” -Ethan Adams

OPINIONS

Know Yourself As people, we’re like trees. When we’re younger we start growing these little buds and over time they turn into branches with leaves. These new leaves are the new relationships we form with people outside of our family. As we meet these people, we slowly branch out from our families and start getting more connected with others, most of the time as dating partners. Sometimes in relationships, one person becomes completely codependent on the other. In relationships, you want that other person to make you happy; you want to be with them. You also want to make them happy. In this generation, especially with teenagers, relationships are intense and taken so seriously. A big mistake people make is letting that person determine their happiness, who they are, and more. In relationships, you invest so much of yourself into that one person and forget who you are independently. Once you’ve invested yourself so deeply, that person can start to control you and you’ll be blind to it. That person can subtly start to control how you dress, who you hang out with, and even where you

go, and because you want to please them so badly, you let them do it. You’ll start doing things that you’d never thought you’d do, and eventually you won’t even recognize yourself. If you’re in a relationship and all that that person tries to do is control you and change you, they don’t value you or your character. One strong piece of advice that I’d like to give to people who find themselves in this situation is to find who you are without another person. Find things outside of the relationship that make you happy. Once you do that, you won’t feel the need to invest in someone else, you will alreadyknow who you are without them. Don’t be the person who loses their identity because they’ve invested so much time in a relationship, and when it’s over, doesn’t know who they are without it. While you slowly navigate through life, you’re going to feel these intense emotions, no matter what kind of relationship it is, and that’s completely okay. It’s normal to let your guard down and feel for someone. Don’t deny these feelings or let someone tell you what to feel, but it’s important that whatever it

is that you’re feeling, you remember who you are and what your limits are. Don’t let the love you’ve developed for that person cloud your judgment or change your morals. Always stay true to yourself, and be proud of who you are.That special person will come one day, so stop spending so much time investing yourself and changing for anyone before that special person comes along. Besides, as I said before, we’re like trees. The leaf that you want so desperately to stay will most likely be the one that falls off. “The beginning of love is the will to let those we love be perfectly themselves, the resolution not to twist them to fit our own image. If in loving them we do not love what they are, but only their potential likeness to ourselves, then we do not love them: we only love the reflection of ourselves we find in them” . -Thomas Merton, No Man Is an Island LANECE DAVIDSON, co-editor-in-chief lanecedavidson@gmail.com THE STINGER

Can I just graduate? Tom Rinehart What encouraged you to coach wrestling? The experiences that I had when I was in high school and while I was in the Army. What’s one lesson you want your athletes to walk away with? Life isn’t fair and you got to keep working.

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The only thing on a student’s mind The harsh grading can also stress seniors their senior year is walking the stage at out because it can possibly mess with their graduation, receiving their diplomas, GPA. Counting a whole question wrong and making their parents and loved ones because the student forgot to put the unit proud. Senior year comes with a lot of beside the number or missing labels on stress for most upcoming graduates. As a graph is uncalled for. At least give the seniors we have to decide where we want students half the credit for a problem to attend college and our plans after unless it is completely wrong. Check to graduation. We have to take the SAT, fill make sure they know what they’re doing out FAFSA inforand not to see mation, and the list if they got the Senior year comes continues. Who answer wrong. with a lot of stress for wants any more Tough love is most upcoming gradstress coming their okay but don’t uates. way? make things - Jessica McCrae Somemore diffitimes teachers put cult than they off grading papers because they have should be. Look for effort and show other things outside of school to do or them their mistakes. they’ll do it on their own time. When Every parent deserves to see their taking tests, teachers sometimes just sit child walk the stage. Graduating high and watch the class until all the work is school is an opportunity that only comes completed. When a student turns in a around once in life. Celebrating the thirtest, I feel the teacher can grade the test teen years we’ve been in school should be while they’re waiting for the class to get one of the best memories in our life. finished so later on all they have to do is type the grades into the computer. Teachers also grade harshly because JESSICA MCCRAE, opinions editor, staff coordinathey want to prepare students for college. tor jess@ihsstinger.com

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December 16, 2016

COACH EDITION

Inside the Huddle

What made you intrested in coaching? I played basketball at USC and I always loved it. How many years have you been coaching? Yikes! This is my 16th year at Irmo, 3 years at Lancaster, 1 year at a private school so that’s 20 years.

Monica Williams 15

OPINIONS

December

sun

mon

Lights Before Main Street Christmas(Nov. Ice(Nov. 2619-Dec. 30) Jan. 18) 4

Winter Break

Winter Break/ Christmas

Holiday lights on the River(Nov. 25-Dec. 31) 6

Irmo Band Orchestra Concert @ Concert @ 7pm 7pm

The NutChoral Wincracker @ ter Concert 3pm Koger @ 7pm Center 18

wed

tues

Winter Break 26

Winter Break

thurs 1

Blood Drive @ 9am 8

IB Tours @ 8am

Irmo Advantage @ 4pm

Winter Winter Break Break Mariahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s BDAY!!!!!!!

Winter Break

sat

fri

Winter Break

SAT @ 7am

ACT @ 7am

Winter Break

Winter Break/ Christmas Eve Winter Break/New Years Eve

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