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Trojan Trumpet A long way from home
Northwestern junior, Isabella Riordan, poses for a picture. She is a foreign student from Denmark and this year she is experiencing life in an American high school.
R o c k H i l l,
SC —R H 3
Volume 2. Issue 2
by: M. Obando & C. Gray
Thousands of high school students from many countries choose to study abroad in the United States and some of them end up in our own school, Northwestern High School, home of the Trojans. Isabella Riordan, a foreign student from Denmark, is attending Northwestern just for this year and is currently in the 11th grade. When questioned about the differences between here and Denmark, Riordan noted that the school system there is entirely different from the one here. She explained that in her country, most people choose to continue their education after completing school (up through the 9th grade) and go on to the Danish Gymnasium, an upper secondary education where students can study for three years to prepare for their career. She also pointed out that Northwestern is bigger than her old school, which only had about 600 students all together from ten grades (K-9th). When asked about what she thought of Northwestern based on her experiences so far, Riordan replied, “I like it! It has a good athletic program and the academics are good too.” Riordan is already getting the hang of high school life here in America. She has participated in Cross Country and has made many new friends, this is sure to be an experience that she will remember forever.
Increasing your waistline for a good cause by: L. Payne & M. Vittatoe On Tuesday and Thursdays during lunch, Mrs. Southern’s class sells the delicious “Special Cookies.” Over 600 of these cookies are sold to the students each week. The teachers and students prepare chocolate chip, carnival, and sugar Otis SpunkMeyer cookies. The money made from selling them is used for weekly Walmart trips. During the trips some of the students and teachers from the class purchase supplies for the classroom. The class is also able to do fun outings with the money. For example, sometimes they all go out to eat at Golden Corral. Another thing this money contributes to is a class trip to the mall where the students each get to purchase something. Selling the cookies is way for the students to learn things they would otherwise not be able to learn. “ It teaches them money skills and independent living skills,” said special needs assistant teachers, Mrs.Beckan and Mrs. Kostarelos. Students are able to learn about counting money, budgeting, money management and baking. Selling these cookies is a fun and creative way to contribute to the class in more ways than you can imagine.
Be sure to purchase cookies on Tuesdays and Thursdays to help support Northwestern’s awesome Special needs class!
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TROJAN TRUMPET VOLUM E 2. ISSUE 2
TROJAN NEWS
Spread love, not germs
by: K. Meeks
COUGH! COUGH! Cold and Flu season has arrived and Northwestern’s students should take on the responsibility of keeping up with their health by doing their best to stay germ free. At the start of every flu season, some might find themselves wondering about the following questions: What should I do if I catch (or already have) the cold or the flu? Should I go see a doctor? For those who does not know and think about those particular questions, our school’s nurse, Mrs. VanGelder (or Nurse “V”), has the answers to help our students stay healthy this season. You will know if you have are coming down with the flu if you are experiencing a really high fever, feeling hot or have the chills (not everyone has a fever when you have the flu), muscle aches/body aches, coughing and/or having sore throat. Nurse V suggests that if you are experiencing any of these symptoms that you should STAY HOME, get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids, take over the counter cold medication, and if you are still not finding relief from your symptoms you should go see a doctor. About five percent of the students are out of school every year due to a bad cold or the flu. According to Nurse V, students that want to stay far away from a cold/ flu should do the following: 1. Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer (GermX w/o the fragrance) after using the restrooms, touching door knobs, or any other hand held object 2. Get a flu shot 3. Do NOT share food or beverages 4. Keep your hands off of your face Being sick with a cold or the flu is not fun at all, especially when it means that you are missing out on important educational activities. All of Northwestern’s students should take this advice and share it with a friend or someone you love, because it is important that we all do our part to keep our community germ free!
Out on The Move
In the above picture, students celebrate their accomplishment by tossing their graduation caps in the air. If a student decides to graduate early, it is important that they pass all of their classes and Ms. Elmore (guidance counselor) suggests that they should make sure they have something productive to do.
Nurse V gives students a demonstration on how to properly check your temperature. A high temperature can be a warning sign of the flu.
by: M. Hagins & A. Yeager Typically, high school for most students lasts for four years. However, some students who are eager to enter the real world have taken it upon themselves to graduate in less than that. According to Ms. Howell, guidance counselor at NHS, most students graduate early because they are behind a year and have caught up or because they are ready to move on and start their lives. Three seniors at Northwestern High School have managed to earn their 24 credits before their fellow classmates and have decided to graduate from high school early. Starting in January, Zack Clinton, Aiciah Chisholm and Joey Erschen will depart from NHS and take on the real world. Each student had their own reasons for wanting to graduate early. Clinton and Erschen wanted to graduate early because they earned all of their credits sooner than expected. However, Chisholm is leaving for more personal reasons. She stated that she is ready to move on from high school because she is eager to get an understanding of the work field she is interested in. Chisholm plans on enlisting in the Army where she plans to utilize the Army’s money in order to gain a college education. While all of these students agree that they will be back for their graduation in June, one thing is clear that they are eager to leave the halls of NHS and begin their life’s journey. These northwestern graduates are ready for the world and everything that is in store for them.
TROJAN NEWS
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Trojan SPOTLIGHT
TROJAN TRUMPET VOLUM E 2. ISSUE 2
by: S. Whiting & K. Mitchell
Brogan Gaskill is a junior at Northwestern High School and has managed to maintain grades that place him in the top five percent of his class. Outside of academics, Brogan has several different hobbies and interests. Brogan sat down with our staff to provide some advice on how to balance school and extracurricular activities. Q. What activities do you enjoy outside of studying? A. I enjoy playing the piano and soccer. Last year I played soccer for NHS. Q. How do you manage to maintain your high grades while participating in other school activities? A. I try to manage my time well and decide what is the most important. Q. Do you have a specific study method? A. I find repetition the most effective for me. I will create notecards and read over them several times. Q. Do you have a hobby that you enjoy the most? A. Playing the piano is my favorite activity. Q. What advice can you give to kids looking to improve their GPA’s? A. Just put a lot of time behind your goals and stay dedicated throughout the school year.
Brogan Gaskill enjoys writing music and sings as well.
Club Spotlight by: N. Hansen
Ms. Chavis and Ms. Snyder are always looking for willing participants to join their club; if you are interested JOIN TODAY!
While it is wonderful to have so many clubs in the school, for some of the newer students it can be scary trying to figure out which club would be the best fit for them. It is important to join an organization in high school because it looks good on college applications. That being said, you want to make sure that you join a club in which you would be eager to be an active member. Whatever your interests are, there is a club for you. This month, our staff has decided to feature the environmental club. This club is sponsored by Ms. Chavis and Ms. Snyder, two of NHS’s biology teachers. Members of the club volunteer to help at many different events that focus on helping the environment. They also host fundraisers in order to raise money for charitable organizations that help the environment. Francisco Linares (9) has been a member of this club since the beginning of the school year. He joined this club because he was interested in helping the environment. He enjoys helping to inform people about how they can do their part to help improve our environment. Those who are interested in joining this club’s efforts to save our Earth can ask Ms. Snyder in room E 212 for information on meeting times and any upcoming events.
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SPORTS
TROJAN TRUMPET VOLUM E 2. ISSUE 2
NHS share their favorite holiday meals By: M. Littleton
Students were polled in order to find out what their favorite Thanksgiving food was this year. Here are the results of our survey.
Sneak Freaks
By: K. Trull & C. Barongan
“Sneaker Heads” are all over NHS campus this year. They can be seen wearing Nikes to Jordans to Adidas, KDs, Kobes, Lebrons and so on. Many students pay or trade shoes to get the latest in shoe fashion. Some NHS students who identify with the shoe culture were asked to shed light on this new trend. Khali Clegg (10) was asked if he considered himself a “sneakerhead” and he answered, “Yes, because I buy shoes not just because they’re new (popular) and I know a lot about shoes. Jontavius Rinehart (10) is another student who enjoys buying and selling shoes. When asked if he was a “sneakerhead” he answered ,“ I don’t really consider myself as a sneaker head, more of I like to buy shoes and dress well because I feel like that’s the first thing girls look at.” There are many ways you can sell and buy shoes. People are able to buy and sell them over the internet or face to face; there are also shoe meets. Clegg and Rinehart often use online sites like Ebay and FlightClub. They also meet with sneakerheads virtually on Facebook fan pages like Carolina Sneakerhead Society (or CSS). Clegg said that the most he’s ever paid for a shoe was $326 dollars. For Rinehart, the most he has ever paid for a pair of shoes is $240 dollars. Prices on big name brand shoes have shot through the roof because they are increasing in popularity and businesses are trying to capitalize on the growing market. Sneakerheads are willing to go the extra mile in order to get the newest release of shoes. To a sneakerhead, shoes are everything. It is important to have the latest and greatest, but it is also important to have shoes that are hard to find. As shoes grow in popularity, there will always be bragging rights to those who are able to score the latest “kicks.”
Rinehart shows off his latest pair of Nike’s Roshe Runs. He enjoys collecting sneakers and adding new/different shoes to his collection.
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TROJAN TRUMPET
ENTERTAINMENT
Behind the scenes: NHS Basketball Preview
During tryouts, athletes had to participate in several drills.
by: H. Coe & T. Douglas
Basketball season is HERE! Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of basketball tryouts? Tryouts were held on the 8th and 9th of November for the Northwestern 2013-2014 Boys Basketball team. There were 88 boys who tried out for the three teams. However, jerseys are limited, so not all boys could have a spot on the team. The boys who tried out had to bring their “A game.” Khali Clegg (10) tried out for the Junior Varsity team. The position he plays is point guard. Clegg started playing basketball when he was 7 years old. He has played on his middle school teams and last year on the 9 th grade boys’ team. When asked if he was nervous about the tryouts he said, “Nah, cause I think it’s too easy. Not cocky but confident.” The transition from middle school to high school ball can be very difficult for some. The level of play gets more competitive and there are more boys that come out for the team. When asked if he noticed any difference between the high school and middle school tryouts his response was, “Yeah, high school was much easier because I’ve gotten better.” Gianni Cabrera Gonzales also tried out for the Junior Varsity team. He plays point guard and shooting guard. Gonzales has been playing basketball since he was in the 7th grade. He started playing basketball because he wanted to try a different sport. Gonzales has also had to adjust how he approaches tryouts since coming from middle school to high school. He said “In high school tryouts they see what you’re good at and what you’re weak at. And middle school was like if you’re better than someone you made the team if you had skills.” Gonzales said that while he was nervous when he first got to the tryouts, he felt more comfortable as they started because he knew he would do what had to be done in order to make the team. After tryouts, both of these students learned that they made the boys JV team. As basketball season starts to get in full swing, we encourage all of you to go to the games to support our Trojans. Northwestern is a strong athletic school and you will enjoy watching our basketball players.
The Boston Red Sox: worst to first Entering the 2012 season, the Boston Red Sox had a brand new manager, two new superstar players, and high hopes for winning the American League East. Unfortunately, they finished with a low win count of 69 and had 93 losses. The season ended with them trading their multi-million dollar contract signed players Adrian Gonzalez (1st Baseman) and Carl Crawford (Left Fielder) to the Los Angeles Dodgers. But for the Red Sox faithful, the worst was yet to come. On and off again drama between one of Boston’s most beloved athletes David Ortiz and manager Bobby Valentine erupted and Valentine was fired. With all these issues surfacing, the 2013 expectations for Boston were low. This season they promoted pitching coach John Farrell to manager. Johnny Gomes, Mike Napoli, and Shane Victorino were offseason additions that paid off extremely well for the Red Sox. At the All-Star break, Boston was roasting everybody and anybody who wanted a piece of them. With eighty-one games down in the season, sixty of them were wins. They had won 75% games with three starters being new to the team. Boston ended up with 96 wins and clinched the division title. They eventually ended up beating the St. Louis Cardinals four games to two in the World Series. Everyone in Boston celebrated this historic moment! The Boston Red Sox not only won the division title, but they had also won the World Series! When interviewed about which of these changes led to this turnaround, Big Papi (aka David Ortiz) replied, “John Farrell. With all the drama our previous manager caused, John picked us up and really motivated us when we really needed it.” David Ortiz would eventually bat for .711 and hit eleven homeruns in the World Series. He also won the World Series MVP award. Dustin Pedrioa (2nd Baseman) was asked at the Boston celebration parade what the expectations were for them coming in this year. Dustin said, “You know, everybody counted us out. We felt that from the very first day of Spring Training... Now look at us.”
by: N. Alger
Did you know?... Prior to their 2004 World Series victory, the Boston Red Sox hadn’t won a World Series since Babe Ruth played (1918).
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TROJAN TRUMPET VOLUM E 2. ISSUE 2
HOLIDAY SPECIAL
Is Santa real or nah?! By: J Summers, D. Ewing, & A. Cook Do you still believe in Santa? Most kids stop believing in him at a young age (at least before getting to high school). Kids find out the truth about the fairytale either through older siblings, friends, or through their parents (who for one reason or another finally sit down and tell them the truth). Here are a couple of stories that Northwestern students have shared about their experiences with Santa and finding out the ugly truth. Sophomore Ja'nyra Jones was ten years old when she found out Santa wasn't real. She woke up and she saw her brother and his friend wrapping presents. Ja'nyra's reaction to finding out that Santa wasn't real was filled with surprise, confusion, and disappointment. However, despite this letdown, Ja'nyra's view on Christmas hasn't changed. She now understands that Christmas is not about Santa or presents. Now that she is older, she believes that celebrating God and spending time with friends and family is what’s most important about this holiday. Yari Wright, sophomore at Northwestern, was seven when he found out that Santa wasn't real. Yari said that his older brother told him Santa wasn't real. His initial reaction to finding out was very nonchalant as he realized that there was nothing that he could do. He said that he wasn't too upset. Yari's view on Christmas didn't change either. He was just happy he knew who gave him his presents and that his parents don't have to hide that secret from him anymore. These two students had very different experiences to finding out that Santa wasn’t real. For some, Santa may still exist for others he does not. What is your story?
Fun in the sun...oops snow As temperatures dive below freezing for the winter and the long nights take hold, it's important to focus on some of the positive things that winter weather can bring us to enjoy. Without cold weather there would be no snow, no ice, no backyard skating rinks, no sledding, no snow arches to build, and certainly no kite ice butt boarding! (If you didn’t understand the concept of “kite ice butt skating”, it is when you sit on a kite and slide down an icy or snowy hill.) As long as it's winter time, put on an extra layer of clothes, and head outside for some winter time fun. From cozy crafts and coloring pages to comforting recipes, find everything necessary to enjoy a cold winter day. Many people find winter the season where having fun is just impossible. Well others have a different opinion on that. Northwestern High School teacher Ms. Jordan stated that she enjoys winter because she likes to go skiing with her family, building fires, and reading books. Students here had different activities such as, staying inside where it’s warm, participating in extracurricular activities like winter guard, and sitting by the fireplace. Both staff and students said that they loved having snowball fights with their friends, missing school when it snows, and ice skating. Whatever you enjoy doing during winter make sure that you dress warm, enjoy your winter holiday, and spend plenty of time with your family and friends making memorable winter memories!
Spoiler Alert: Don’t read this if you still are unsure about the existence of Santa!!!
By: A. Frederick & H. Houck
What is your favorite winter activity? Respond to our poll on www.thetrojantrumpet.weebly.com!
HOLIDAY SPECIAL CONT/ENTERTAINMENT
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DIY: Are you ready for the holidays?
TROJAN TRUMPET VOLUM E
by: A. Deese & A. Hulme
Are you looking for something fun to do for the holidays? Do you need more Christmas tree ornaments? We have some fun for you! Have you ever heard of CD ornaments? Here’s how to do it! Step 1: Materials. For this, you will need 1 old CD, 1 clear round ornament, 1 hot glue gun, 1 pair of scissors, 1 clear cup, and some colorful ribbon. Step 2: Cut Cut the CD into a whole bunch of little shapes. Make sure to cut the CD until it can’t be cut anymore. Step 3: Glue Put the clear ornament so it sits on top. This is for better access around the ornament. Glue all the little shapes of CD onto the ornaThis is a person who has made the CD ment. ornament. This is how the ornament should look when finished! Step 4: Add ribbon Take whatever color ribbon you please, and stuff the ribbon into the ornament. Step 5: Enjoy! Enjoy the gorgeous ornament you’ve made and decorate your tree. Happy holidays!
“Talking Trash”: NHS artist profile
by: NHS staff
Recently, NHS art students put their artwork on display in a show entitled, “Talking Trash.” This art show featured objects that were created using recyclable material. Overall, we enjoyed the show and were amazed at the talent that was on display. After viewing the artwork, our staff voted on the our favorite pieces. All artwork that was selected was created by junior Sarah Taylor.
“715 Sylvia”
“Sylvia”
“My Hero”
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EDITORIAL
TROJAN TRUMPET VOLUM E 2. ISSUE 2
Young love By: B.Floyd & L. Mcmanus Relationships in high school can be hard to maintain but some students at Northwestern High School have put in the effort to have successful ones. Sometimes in high school it is easy to get discouraged with the dating scene. However, a few of NHS’s notable couples have managed to show that high school love is possible. These students show that a couple can balance their relationships with their academics and athletics. They are still able to sustain healthy relationships, good grades, and play sports at the same time. One of the couples that were interviewed for this article is Tori Manning, varsity cheerleader, and Austin Kayne, varsity football player. Austin and Tori have been dating for one year and one month. When interviewing Austin, he stated "Maintaining our relationship is both easy and hard. It's easy because we don't let anyone come between us." When they hang out, they like to go fishing, out to eat, and to the movies. Both of their parents approve of their relationship, which makes dating each other a lot easier. Another very successful couple at this school is Tyvon Dixson and Tacorianna Baker. They have been dating since December 15, 2012. They love wearing matching clothes while spending time together. Tacorianna stated "Our relationship is easy because we don't let others intrude." Gossip can be a big problem in high school, but it is always important to keep negativity out of your relationship. Madison McCoy, varsity cheerleader, and Alan Jackson have been dating for 7 months. While hanging out they like to go hunting and to the movies. Madison stated that her relationship is easy. As shown by these students, relationships in high school can work! Drama and fights are inevitable in any friendship or relationship at this age, but if two people genuinely care about each other they can make it work. Finding common ground or having similar interests can really help when developing an initial connection with your significant other. While sometimes it is hard to maintain a long term relationship in high school, nothing is impossible.
In order to have a successful relationship, it is important that you and your boyfriend/girlfriend build trust, always have communication, and are always honest with your parents and each other.
F 2013 Journalism 1 students pose for a class picture in front of our informational bulletin board. Are you interested in journalism? See your guidance counselor or Mrs. Brown in A 217 TODAY! F 2013 Trojan Trumpet Staff The Trojan Trumpet: Code of Ethics At all times The Trojan Trumpet staff will remain: Impartial: Our stories will always remain unbiased. Honest: Our stories will always be truthful. Considerate: Our stories will never attempt to cause harm. Authentic: Our stories will always be the original work of our staff members. School Appropriate : Our stories will always refrain from containing inappropriate material. Responsible: Our stories will always be reflect ethical journalism practices.
Nolan Alger Christopher Barongan Hailey Coe Amber Cook Alexis Deese Tamonte Douglas Dacota Ewing BreAnna Floyd Antavion Frederick Cheyenne Gray Malika Hagins Nolan Hansen Haley Houck
Arin Hulme Marley Littleton LaDerrick McManus Kaliyah Meeks Kima Mitchell Mariana Obando Lexie Payne Jack Summers Kirrisa Trull Morgan Vittatoe Sara Whiting Alecz Yeager