the
i ldcat W Volume 50, Issue 3 • J anuary 2014 • “Illumi nati ng Youth Si nce 1951” • Lexi ngt on Hi gh School • 2463 A ugusta Hi ghway • Lexi ngt on, SC 29072 • 803.821. 3400
the
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ADVISER Ms. Tressie Hays
i ldcat
PRINCIPAL Ms. Melissa Rawl
MEMBER S.C. Scholastic Press Assoc.
Check Out
The Staff Jennifer Rogers Catherine Kirkland Camden Windham Hunter Harley Lauren Matthews
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..............................Letter from the Editor
Page 04
.............................................Cafeteria Changes
Page 05
....................................................Unknown Teams
Erik Martin
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.........................................................Gauging 101
Courtney Geiger
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.........................................Opposing Viewpoints
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.........................................Opposing Viewpoints
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...........................................................Project Unify
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....................................................................Columns
Madison Shealy Shelby Sulikowski
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......................................................................Columns
Leah Kincaid
Page 12
.........................................................2013 Recap
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.........................................................2014 Trends
Miles Joyner
Jane Guerra
Maggie Halloran
(Cover Photo) Students stay active at Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center at USC as the midlands faces cold weather. Photo by Shannon Rogers
Publication Policy The Wildcat is published eight times per year for the students of Lexington High School. Student editors shall be responsible for assigning and editing the news, editorial, and feature content of their publication subject to the limitations of responsible journalism. Views expressed in bylined articles and columns are the opinions of the writers. Views expressed in the staff editorials represent the position of the majority of the newspaper staff. Prohibited is expression which is vulgar, obscene, or libelous. Also prohibited is the material which so incites students as to create a clear and present danger to, or the substantial disruption of, the orderly operation of the school. Student views expressed in newspaper do not necessarily reflect those of the faculty, administration or the school board. All trademark and other proprietary information should be taken as read and respected. Some material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/ MCTCampus High School Newspaper Service. Lexington County School District One does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or age in admission to, access to, treatment in or employment in its programs and activities. The following people have been designated to handle inquiries or complaints. The Chief Human Resources Officer handles inquiries/complaints regarding Title IX. The Director of Middle Schools handles inquiries/complaints regarding Section 504. The Mathematics Coordinator handles inquiries/complaints regarding Title II. Contact these people if you have questions regarding these issues at 100 Tarrar Springs Road, Lexington, SC 29072 and telephone number (803) 821-1000.
Staff
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January 2014
Letter
from the
Editor
One of my pet peeves is when people are unwilling to try new things. We are constantly encountering new opportunities, and I find that many people are unwilling to take advantage of these opportunities. I am always reminded of this when peers offer an easy excuse for not joining a club or attending an event. I am gradually coming to terms with why this bothers me. I look at my own life and see how much I’ve gained by simply just taking a chance and putting myself out there. If people would take advantage of these strategies, their lives would benefit just as mine has. I completely understand having a fear for trying out something unknown, I’ve experienced it myself, but it isn’t an adequate excuse for limiting yourself. Growing up, I was horribly shy so I admit during these years I would shy away from venturing out of my comfort zone. For many years when presented an opportunity, I often made an easy excuse as well. Now, I could kick myself for all of the opportunities I missed out on. The reality is that many opportunities are one time offers. Sure, maybe you will be lucky and encounter a second chance. However, when you do finally take that chance, you often realize how much you missed out by not doing it the first time. Trying out something new can enrich your life, change how you think, or even change your life’s direction. You can easily discover unknown talents, skills, and passions by simply trying something knew and adopting a “why not” attitude. When I finally came to this realization, the “why not” attitude quickly has became my philosophy. I am very grateful for it because I have discovered so much about myself by implementing this. So next time a friend asks you to join a club, go on a trip, attend an event, or do anything outside of your comfort zone, think twice before you say no! Enjoy the issue! Jennifer Rogers Editor-in-Chief
Check out WildcatsToday.net for more up-to-date information! Staff
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January 2014
fo r new USDA standards are affecting schools across country
S
Jennifer Rogers Editor-in-Chief
chool cafeterias across the nation have been redefining school meals to conform to new USDA regulations. The regulations so far have significantly affected the meals school cafeterias are allowed to produce. The Healthy, Hungry Free Kids Act supported by Michelle Obama was passed into law at the end of 2010. It gives the USDA the authority to set nutritional standards for all food regularly sold during the school day. By establishing these regulations, Congress hopes these changes will address the rapidly growing obesity seen in children. They believe that by starting to make changes in the schools, they can begin to resolve this problem. The USDA has slowly been passing regulations that affects almost all aspects of school food from beverages to vending machines to breakfast. The USDA has been working to encourage healthier eating by cutting back on sodium, sugar, saturated fats, and trans fat, while adding more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. They also are targeting portion size and caffeine
News
content. They are aware of the effort required by the schools to make all of these modification, therefore, they allow a transition period. The standards do not go into effect until after public opinion is considered and at least a full school year passes. Lexington District One has been affected by the new regulations. In the current school year, the district has been making numerous changes to adapt to the new standards. The district is using RBHS’s cafeteria to try out new recipes with the help of their new chef. They have also held Student Nutritional Forums giving the students the opportunity to sample food and share their opinions. The district has already brought in new dishes, beverages, and snacks into other schools as well. LHS has seen major changes to the cafeteria meals this year. Many traditional options that do not fit the new standard are no longer offered and are instead replaced by healthier options. “I like that there is more of a variety. Especially, since now, they offer great vegetarian options!” senior Isha Shah said. Not just the food has been changing, but also the layout of
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the cafeteria lines. These changes have made many students confused and disgruntled. “They had good intentions, but the layout doesn’t work. It’s a misconceived design and made it waiting in lines worse,” junior Jensen Taylor said. The student body can expect to see further transitions as more USDA regulations come into effect. Students can help the district to make improvement to school meals by participating in the Student Nutrition Forums!
Poll on Cafeteria Changes overall experience
new beverages options
new food options
changes to lines
January 2014
The Unknown Teams many people only focus on varsity sports
F re s h t i pp m a n A s in g t h le y h Sophomore Rhett Bane finishes his pitch at the top vol l e J yb a l e b a l l a t a cob Er i k l a of the fifth innin g, hopin g for a strike. Photo by g JV am a Si n eath e. Photo Sam Morris by
Leah Kincaid Guest Writer
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exington High School offers a total of 14 sports compiled of more than 30 teams. Although JV and B-teams account for the majority of the players, when most people think of the Lexington sports teams, the varsity teams are the first and sometimes only ones that come to mind. When attending a varsity game, most of the seats are packed with the “Cat Crazies,” painted blue and gold for spirit. There are also cheering students, loads of parents and adoring fans who come out to see a thrilling game while at JV and B-team games usually one sees only patches of parents across the stands. Additionally, most of the funds, new equipment and popularity go to the varsity teams over the JV and B-teams on any given day.
Sports
Maggie Halloran Guest Writer This fact only serves to heighten the feelings of inferiority held by so many non-varsity players. “Most people think that JV players never amount to much because there is no trophy at the end of the season like with varsity. We get the old uniforms that varsity has already used, attend less games and do not get quality time to start off the year. Even though we practice just as hard, we come out empty-handed,” freshman Callaway Grady said. These teams are known as “building blocks” for the future sports programs for the high school. Beginning with B-team, one can slowly move up as their high school career progresses. “The junior varsity and B-teams are the future of our program and they are the future varsity teams,” Athletic Director Josh
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Stepp said. “Everyone has to start somewhere and build their way up. The upperclassmen have already paid their dues so they have a right to get more perks than the lowerclassmen. It’s a process everyone goes through. Waiting makes being on varsity well-deserved and worthwhile.” Despite the odds, many of the JV and B-teams are able to have successful seasons, earning achievements such as undefeated seasons and/or improving to prepare for the years ahead. “It’s worth the wait to be on varsity. While on JV and B-team, your goal is to be on varsity. The varsity players are our role models and they help us strive to be the best that we can be for the future of the varsity program,” sophomore Will Alewine said. “Varsity is the goal everyone strives for.”
January 2014
Oppos i n g Vi e wpoi n ts Clemson University vs
Jennifer Rogers Editor-in-Chief
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he constant feud between Clemson University and University of South Carolina is always overwhelmed with football talk. The focus is rarely drawn towards academics, although both universities offer a wide range of academic advantages. The competing universities offer high ranked honors colleges, rigorous degree programs, a variety of extracurriculars, and other unique features. However, they both shine in different areas and cater to different desires of students. Clemson shines through with their great college town atmosphere and promise of unique majors. “Clemson has a flat out amazing campus and I love the family atmosphere!” Clemson sophomore Hunter Fields said. Clemson is well known for their great architecture and agriculture program. These programs are
Erik Martin Columnist designed with the students in mind. The architecture program focuses on teaching students critical thinking, research, and analysis skills. This helps the students to develop the skills needed to create innovative designs. The agriculture program covers a broad range of curriculum from agriculture sciences to communication and human resources skills. “I wanted to major in Agriculture and Clemson offers a great program, while USC does not even have an Agriculture major,” Hunter said. They offer specialized and unique degree programs for packaging science, veterinarian sciences, graphic communications, and agriculture mechanization and business. “Packing science is a different type of major. It’s very handson which is great because we
get good experience. However, the program is very competitive and difficult. Although it’s a lot of work, it’s worth it,” sophomore Paul Dunnavant said. USC stands out with their variety of majors and bustling city atmosphere. “Columbia has so many places to offer college students from shopping and dining to art galleries and museums. Students are able to experience so much more without having to really leave campus!” USC junior Mollie Harbour said. USC offers nationally recognized degree programs. International business, exercise science, social studies, and chemistry are all well known for their excellent programs. “For Exercise Science, USC offers one-on-one time to work with clients for our junior and senior years, and also, top notch, internationally recognized professors to teach the core classes of exercise science,” USC junior Shannon Reagan said. The international business degree program was rated number
“Clemson is not just where you go to school; it’s your home. Death Valley is my backyard!” Paul said. Opinion
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January 2014
University of South Carolina one in the nation in 2012. “I really loved the business school and knew that if I was going to be serious about business I needed to go here,” USC junior Jordan Marturano said. USC also offers several uncommon degree programs. Women and gender studies and library science are two that stand out. Women and gender studies covers a broad range of information all focused around females. The courses available range from women’s health, to literature, to
globalization. Library science prepares students to be professional librarians, educators and other information professionals. The program also teaches students the practical leadership skills needed to manage libraries. Even though the schools can appear vastly different in their specializations, they do share many similarities. Both universities offer competitive nursing programs. It is easier to get into the USC program than Clemson because
they accept more students at the beginning. “USC accepts more people into its nursing program. It is still a very competitive program, but I did not need a 4.0 out of high school to be given a chance,” Mollie said. USC and Clemson offer great engineering programs. However, they excel in different types of engineering. Anyone interested in specific engineering, it will take a little bit of research to see which university has the better program for the specific type.
“I love that USC is integrated into the city but also its own unique facility!” Shannon said.
Clemson
Categori es
USC
Gender Distributions
54% Male/46% Female
46% Male/54% Female
Number of Majors
79 Majors
75 Majors
Restaurants on Campus
25 Restaurants
24 Restaurants
Number of Sororities
18 Sororities
18 Sororities
Number of Fraternities
25 Fraternities
21 Fraternities
Opinion
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January 2014
Step by Step Gaugi ng sizing up simply and safely
Miles Joyner Columnist
O
ver the years, trends have confused those that watched them change. Spiked hair, crazy tattoos, hair colors, and piercings all have had their time in the limelight of the nation’s youth. While some people try to understand, others just wait for the fad to go away. One of the trends that has a small following are gauges, the process of stretching your ear lobe out past traditional piercing size. The process of gauging is long and if done improperly can damage your ear. But before anyone should start gauging their ear, they need to understand how to do so safely. The first thing to do when gauging is simple, just pierce the ear. The safest way to go about that is to find a professional or go to Claire’s®. When going to a professional, always check to make sure they have gotten good reviews and that the business is hygienic. Once the ear has been pierced, gather the needed supplies to gauge. Buy tapers and plugs of the same size and material. For
Commentary
the most hygienic stretch, use stainless steel. When buying plugs you should avoid flares until your ear has healed. Flares are hard to get in and if your ear is not properly healed, they can cause damage that may not be reversible. While buying tapers and plugs, stock up on “o-rings” which are little rubber bands that help hold tapers and plugs in place. “O-rings” help make sure that the stretch is a smooth process by not allowing the taper to slide through your ear due to weight. Neosporin can help prevent infection and JoJoBa oil can be used to keep your ear lobe healthy. One of the most important things to remember about gauging your ears is patience. Sizing up too fast or skipping sizes can often result in irreversible damage to your ear causing you to require surgery. In order to get your ear ready for gauging, it is important to either massage your ear lobe or take a warm shower. This helps relax the ear lobe and make stretching easier. If your ear is ready and you have gathered and sanitized your supplies, you can begin the stretching process. Take the taper
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Junior Ranen Murphy shows off his silver tunnel. Photo by Miles Joyner
and insert it, smallest end first, into the preexisting hole. Leave a few centimeters hanging out of the front of your ear and secure with two “o-rings”. In order to allow the gauge to properly heal, you must leave the taper in for up to 2 weeks or until the taper moves freely inside of your ear. When the ear has healed, simply switch out the taper for a non-flared plug and secure. Wait at least a month to size up again. Keep in mind, gauging is a trend that could go away any day. Taking care of your ear and preventing damage will make it easier for those who decide they have grown out of gauges. Be safe with your size-ups and always be prepared to size down.
January 2014
Project Unify interview with Brie Metropol on PE 2
What do the students get out of PE 2?
Shaily Shah Reporter
I’ve loved the experience, meeting these kids, and learning how great they are. After a while, you forget they have special needs!
What exactly is PE 2? It’s a class that we do to help prepare the special needs kids for the Special Olympics!
What do you get out of it? I love seeing the enjoyment from these kids when we play games!
What do you all do in PE 2?
How lon g can you be in the class for?
We warm up and then do a different activity with the kids every day. Sometimes, if a Special Olympic event is coming up, we work more on that sport. Right now we’re working on basketball!
It’s a semester class, but you can take it as many times as you want! So I signed up to be in it all year.
PE 2 students enjoy spendin g time together! Photos provided by Brie Metropol
Student Life
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January 2014
Hear from t he Sta ff new chance to redefine yourself Miles Joyner Columnist
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t the beginning of every year, 40 percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions. From weight loss to being a better person, it is all about changing with the times, “a new year, a new you.” Yet rarely do we stick with our goals for the year. In fact, some do not make it through the month before frustration and boredom take over. A few years ago, I became determined to do better in my math classes: a promise made every year that I had math. For the first tests I did fine. A “B” was better than a “C” so I was happy. However, after a few weeks, I lost momentum and gave up. That is the case for 25 percent1 of those that make resolutions. According to Statisticsbrain. com, only 75 percent keep their resolutions till the end of the first week and only 65 percent last till the end of the month.
Commentary
With all my New Year resolutions failing, I was wondering how I could join the eight percent 2 of people that kept their goal for the whole year. If you ask Forbes.com writer, Dan Diamond, you will get a list of four tips he uses to make it to the finish line. His tips were made to help a typical American adult. However, there is not a list on how high school students can stick to their resolutions regardless of school stress. So I made one of my own to help me manage my resolutions with the demands of high school. Keep It Simple Simplicity is key to finishing out a New Year goal. When you make an extravagant plan, the details weigh you down. Cut up your large goal into smaller ones that take a few months to complete. Hitting monthly finish lines will boost your self-esteem while helping you stay excited and determined to hit your goal. Setting too many goals or
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goals that are too large can bog you down and tire you out before the halfway mark. Make It Habit Even simple goals can be unreasonable. If you completely overhaul your diet or plan to save money for whatever reason (car, college, electronics), the constant energy and attention can wear you down. Creating a day-to-day plan that requires little change helps tie in your personal goals with your daily schedule. Taking 30 minutes of homework or recreational time to work out will not hurt your school schedule and can be easily done every day. Saving money by not purchasing that extra bag of crackers at school or going to Chick-Fil-A in the mornings can really add up. Small changes can piggyback your prexisting schedule and turn them into habits faster. Have Something Visible Immediate gratification is a big part of keeping your goals. Changes would be easier
January 2014
to make if weight fell off or money appeared out of thin air. Unfortunaly it is not like that. Making graphs or downloading apps that allow you to keep track of your numerical progress will make your weight loss or money
saving or whatever you are doing more worthwhile. Making progess visible keeps your willpower high and gives you the confidence to keep going. Having habit forming, simple goals makes all the difference in the long run. Even though
it’s not easy, it will be worth it once you celebrate reaching your goal. Now go save, exercise, and work hard to become a “new you!” 1 2
statistics brain.com forbes.com
top notch school with prideless student body
A
Hunter Harley Political Reporter
t Lexington High School, we pride ourselves on our excellent academics, championship athletes, and amazing musical performances. We out perform just about every other high school in S.C. With such an amazing resume, why does it feel like the majority of students hate attending LHS and have zero school pride? Normally, a high school similar to LHS’s size would have a student population that is noticeably active, spirited, and just generally happy. When you assess LHS, you will find low participation in school events, a low amount of students at sporting events, and a lack of participation in clubs.
Commentary
After attending LHS for the past four years, I have begun to realize why this is. Reasons for a lack of students involvement can be linked to a lack of effort by the administration and student government. It is common for schools to have multiple pep rallies, an exciting homecoming week, a homecoming dance, a Sadie Hawkins dance, a spring fling dance, and many other events or activities. However LHS does not have these and if we did, many students would choose not to participate. They would rather go to work or go home. If our administration made a bigger deal out of school events and the events were conducted at a higher standard, then student participation would increase. The low participation in clubs and student organizations can
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be linked to a common mind set and atmosphere. Many of the students at LHS see student groups as “not cool.” The perception of not being cool goes back to a lack of effort by not only the school administration, but also our community as a whole to encourage participation in groups other than sports teams. This perception can be changed with the administration and students working together. I hope that over the next few years, LHS develops into not only an outstanding school in the classroom, but outside of class at school sponsored events, clubs, and activties. Even with so many problems, LHS still has a bright future! LHS is still and will always be one of the top performing high schools in South Carolina.
January 2014
ay [(Murr
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Best o f 2013
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recap of last year’s greatest pop culture moments
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performance at the VMAs. Courtney Geiger First she appeared on the Student-life Reporter
ost would agree that 2013 was a great year full of many memorable moments. From Miley Cyrus’ “twerking” on stage at the VMAs to the coronation of Pope Francis, 2013 was full of many controversial and remarkable moments. 2013 was a great year in entertainment. The second film of its novel-turned-film series, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, was an enourmous success at the box office. Chronicling the lives of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mallark in post-apocalyptic North America, the film garnered a huge fan following and grossed $414,069,798 to become the top movie in the U.S. for 2013. Close behind were the blockbuster films Iron Man 3, earning $409,013,994 in the U.S. alone and Despicable Me 2, earning $367,971,865 domestically according to boxofficemojo.com. Likely most memorable of last year’s events was Miley Cyrus’ public transformation from Disney star to what some would call a rather riske pop superstar. Miley made her first of many memorable public transformations with her
Entertainment
VMAs with dancing pink bears singing her summer hit “We Can’t Stop”. Later that same evening she shocked the world when she joined Robin Thicke on stage for his performance of “Blurred Lines” “twerking” and wearing nothing more that a nude-colored patent leather bikini. Along with Miley Cyrus’ topcharters “We Can’t Stop” and “Wrecking Ball”, New Zealand teen pop sensation Lorde made a huge leap into the music world with her international hit “Royals”. Joining her on the top of the Billboard charts were artists Daft Punk with “Get Lucky” and Kacey Musgraves with “Merry Go Round”. In television, Duck Dynasty, featuring the Robertson family, famous for creating the Duck Commander duck call, made history by becoming the most watched nonfiction cable show with 11.8 million views in 2013. Also garnering huge T.V. ratings last year was the PBS period piece Downton Abbey, ABC’s female-lead poltical drama Scandal, and AMC’s post-apopcalyptic zombie thriller The Walking Dead. Last year the world also welcomed a new pope to head
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Miley Cyrus attends the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards at The Barclay Center in New York City, NY, Sunday, August 25, 2013. ( Nancy Kaszerman/Zuma Press/MCT
the Catholic church. After Pope Benedict XVI resigned the papacy in Febuary of 2013, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergolio (76) of Buenos Aires, Argentina was elected to be the new pope. Coronated on March 13, 2013, Cardinal Jorge chose the papal name Francis. Pope Francis has also caused quite a bit of controvery, as he is the first Pope to not openly condem homosexuality. He has also refused to live in the lavish papal apartments in favor of a modest guesthouse. 2013 was a big year in pop culture. There were many firsts and events that are sure to live on in infamy. At the dawn of a new year, 2014 looks to be another great year in pop culture.
January 2014
? New Year comes new fads to follow Out with the old and in with the new. With each new year comes new colors, fashions, patterns, books, and movies that will become popular. Here is a little taste of what 2014 has in store.
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he upcoming fashion trends of 2014 include Hawaiian prints, bright colors, sports logos and crop tops. The short shorts trend is coming to an end. Another upcoming trend is clothes with Latin American influences, for example, flowers and fringe. Shirts with big words and big designs are also an upcoming trend.
r, a n d Co op e a t th e y e l d , B ra a ck s t a ge dam s b wa rd s A m y A L a w r e n ce l ob e A te l G r e n f i e Je n n Gold on Ho rl y n nu al y Hi lt e 7 1 s t A th e B e ve rl 014, i n B e v t 2 a , 2 w 1 sho Ja n . ./MCT n d a y, ence K r w a on Su L he Divergent book series Ca l i f. H i l l s,
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C
olor blocking is in this year. Reds, black and whites, and yellows are the colors to watch for this year. Orange is also a color that will been seen in the new year. Next time you’re out shopping for the latest trends make sure to keep these colors in mind. Na il p oli sh e sA Colors a re “B ll a re E ss ie. e rm u d a S h ort s” p u rple, “S h ort y Pa n ts” ye ll ow, a n d “M in i S h ort s” ora n g e. Mark Cornel lsion/ MCT
Entertainment
will hit the big screen in March and is sure to be a hit along with the three book series. New movies such as Vampire Academy, Maleficent, and The Legend of OZ will be big hits this year.
h e S co t t is h e lf in th s a e n li B o ok s k S h op in tow n . T he B o o ”, W ig ro om of ok Tow n o B “ s ’ d n S co tl a ard /MCT Kar i How
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January 2014