AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
West Columbia, SC
February 19, 2016
Coming Home Pep Rally: Senior athletes of winter sports celebrate bittersweet final season By Nicholas McGee McGee419@lex2.org On Friday, February 5th, 2016, all senior athletes playing a winter sport at Airport were honored at the annual Coming-Home Pep Rally. Pep rallies have always been a fun atmosphere because the entire student body cheers and has a great time. One special part of the pep-rally last week was the Coming Home court. Senior athletes were accompanied by their escorts, and each pair walked through the JROTC Color Guard, and had
SOURCE: www.ncaa.org The info graphic above represents how many senior football players make it to college and professional level teams. Out of the many senior athletes, few make it to college or professional leagues.
their photos taken. As a senior wrestler myself, I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the pep rally celebration. Among the seniors recognized were Chris Noel, Billy Powell, Chris Netherton, Quinton Earp, Alphonso Tucker, Tyshawn Thomas, Jalon Conley, Dante Singleton, Daniel Gillins, Devin Dennis, Joshua Williamson, Jennifer Ellison and myself, each from either the Basketball or Wrestling teams. Each athlete chose someone to Escort them. My escort was Rosita Chavero, also a senior. This pep rally was an amazing accomplishment for all senior athletes, but it was also very bittersweet. This celebration helped senior athletes realize that it was their last year playing high school sports; it was our last season playing the sports we love. I believe that student athletes should be honored, not only for athletic success, but academic victories as well. Any high school athlete knows that good grades come before playing sports, so most athletes focus more on academics than the average student. In my opinion, the public education system and administrators
PHOTO: C. Rasmussen Administrators and freshman students look on as senior athletes are recognized.
statewide should try to get every student active in athletics in some capacity while in high school. By doing so, it would help to promote our athletic abilities and, most importantly, greatly increase our learning morale. Lastly, I am very thankful to attend a school that encourages not only the importance of academic success, but also athletic success. I believe our athletics make the entire school look better as a whole and provide our student body with options to improve themselves on and off the field of play. Ultimately, the Coming-Home pep rally embodies Airport High School’s nature of promoting athletics, but at the same time emphasizing a priority on academic success.
2 AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
NEWS West Columbia, SC
February 19, 2016
Coming Home festivities feature dress-up days and hall decorations with Hunger Games theme By Eric Hall Hall830@lex2.org The week of February 1 was Coming Home, the basketball version of Home Coming, wherein AHS students get to show lots of school spirit. School spirit is defined as the support from students, parents, staff, teachers and often people in a community to show support to often team and or activity related groups. Many schools host a spirit week in the days leading up to the big sport events like: homecoming football or basketball game. There are many spirit week ideas for high school students to show their school pride throughout the year. The main theme of the spirit week at Air-
PHOTO: Eric Hall Shown above are the posters advertising the various dress-up days for the Coming Home spirit week.
port High School was Hunger Games. Coming Home spirit week for Airport High School is to support the Winter - Spring sports that occur during the second half of the school year. Some of these sports are basketball, soccer, track, rugby and tennis. However, Coming Home is mostly for basketball. Monday kicked off the week with Futuristic Day, where people wore their high tech equipments and valuables, to dress as they were from the future. Students were encouraged to model their attire off of what District 3 wore in the Hunger Games books/ movies. Tuesday was the next day, which had a lumberjack theme, PHOTO: Eric Hall Seen here are two hall decorations, one from the sophomore class and one from the freshman class. As shown, the freshman were given the lumberjack theme and the sophomores had a technology theme. While these posters look bland, the 500 hall was actually quite decked out by the various grade levels, give or take a few tape issues.
where kids dressed as a lumberjack or something related to the subject. This correlated with District 7 from the Hunger Games series. Wednesday, the third day of coming home, turned out to be Luxury Day. People wore their best as in they were trying to impress someone. Thursday, the 4th day, got a little interesting with the idea for students and staff to “blackout,” which means to wear mostly black to school. This was modeled after the coalminers of District 12 in the Hunger Games series. Finally the last day of coming home was Blue Out, which is Airport’s main color. The main spirit day of the week and also usually there's a Pep rally at the end of the day. Overall, while not as popular as Homecoming in the fall, Coming Home made for a fun week.
NEWS AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
West Columbia, SC
3 February 19, 2016
What’s black, white, and read all over? AHS students & teacher resurrect long lost Eyrie By Allie Hall Hall720@lex2.org This semester, Mrs. Rasmussen has initiated the creation of a Journalism class for 12th grade students to earn a fourth-year English credit (while also working on the school newspaper, The Eyrie, which has not seen publication in almost a decade. The first issue of The Eyrie was produced in 1962 under the advisement of Mrs. JoAnn Brooks. Unlike today, the newspaper staff was chosen based on grades, involvement in school, and their English background. During the first years of production, The Eyrie staff used Macintosh computers, pens, papers, and the resources they had around them to create a newspaper worthy of the student’s time. Mrs. Klein, veteran English teacher, also sponsored the paper. She said she was assigned it when she first came to work at the school because the perPHOTO: C. Rasmussen Seniors Colby S pires (front) and Nick McGee (rear) are seen working on the first new issue since 2008. As you can see, the technology used to compile the paper as significantly changed since the 1990s.
son who has previously sponsored it had left, and no one else in the department at that time wanted it. The original mission of The Eyrie was to find a way for the student body to learn more about the school and the community through the efforts of a group of hard working students. To accomplish this, the staff worked hand in hand with The Aquila staff, the original name of the yearbook. The newspaper created a way for students of all kinds to express the way they felt about issues in the school and around the area. By working together with the yearbook, Eyrie staff members brought the school the best issues possible with every deadline that was set. Some of the spotlight articles of The Eyrie in the past were the covering of the Mr. Eagle Contest and the Miss Aquila pageant, monthly sports highlights, the back page activities and the ever-so-loved Senior Wills, a feature wherein 12th grade students would “will” wisdom, advice, and occasional objects to lower classmen. According to information found in the yearbook archives in the school library, The Eyrie was last published in 2008. It was discontinued at that time to make room for broadcast journalism and the
PHOTO: Allie Hall A shot of a spread about the newspaper staff from and 1990s edition of The Aquila.
student news program. Like previous years, The Eyrie staff is looking to hold true to the original missions of the school newspaper by bringing the students of AHS the news they want to hear. Whatever it may be, our staff is working diligently to get the news to you; so let us know what YOU want to read. Send any comments or suggestions to us at Hall720@lex2.org. Oh, and you may be wondering: “What in the world is an eyrie?” Believe it or not, it’s actually the name for an eagle’s nest. Who knew? If you or your relatives know more about The Eyrie, please contact the staff.
4 AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENT LIFE West Columbia, SC
February 19, 2016
Welding offers highpaying job future; college not required By Austin Phelps Phelps621@lex2.org Most people think of welding as a difficult and dangerous thing to do. There is a lot of electricity and very high temperatures dealing with welding. This is why there isn't a significant amount of welders to work. But what people don't know is that welding is a fantastic career, and worth the risks that come with it. Welding is a career choice that does not require a college degree. People who pursue a welding career can get a certificate in as little as nine months and then start earning a good living right away. According to data from forbes.com, at this point, most of the welders that are employed are arriving at retirement. This means that around this time is a perfect time for people to start entering the welding business, because welders are needed in almost every industry. Did you know that a highly skilled welder can earn the salary of a doctor or a lawyer? Welding is one of the very few skills that can earn you a very good income without a college degree. Highly skilled welders that are willing to travel and/or work in dangerous conditions can earn over $100,000 a year! 11th grader Heenan Harrison said, “Welding can turn into a great career that pays a lot, so it's worth it in the end. It also takes someone with a lot of patience,
and can make a great future for someone who is in need of a job.” 12th grader Brandon Smalls says, “I think it's a great class to be in, and very fun too.” Students at Airport can participate in welding by signing up for the class through Guidance. The benefits of taking these courses include getting your completers for welding, thus making it easier to get a good welding job. If you are interested in pursuing welding certification through the school district, contact Mr. Thompson at BC High School.
PHOTO: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welding
PHOTO: https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Shielded_metal_arc_welding
PHOTO: http://topwelders.com/welding-tips/
STUDENT LIFE AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
West Columbia, SC
5 February 19, 2016
Senior side-hustles have mixed reviews By Tatiyanna Minor Minor@lex2.org Many students in high school around their 10th grade year take on a job. Some get a job to have extra money some take on the job to help families. What are these jobs? How much do teenagers make? What’s the best and worst part about having a job? I set out to find the answer to these and other questions. Last week I went around the school asking seniors who work their points of view of having a job while still being and school. I got many different answers and also a lot of crazy customers stories. Senior Elecktra Barnes, age seventeen, works at Wendy's. She said she recently just started two weeks ago. Her starting pay is minimum wage. She works front counter and drive through. During interviewing, Elecktra was asked if she liked her job and what does she like and dislike about it and if she had any bad experience with customers. "I like my job when I first started it was fun I got to meet a lot of new people and the customers was nice," said Elecktra. "After working at my job for a week I started to get very rude people who had a attitude if you forgot their straw," Elecktra said. "Working at Wendy's I love that I get to get a good discount for my food, [but] I don't like that I have be nice to people that are rude to me for no reason" I also asked Elecktra would she suggests to other people to get a job I high school, and f so what grade and why? Elecktra said she would suggest getting a job in 12th grade, because she thinks if you get a job earlier than that then working late hours could wear you out and drain you from you school work and take your focus. "If you wait till your a senior normally your senior year you have less classes and it's suppose to be chilled so instead of going home and doing nothing till graduation
you can get a side hustle and have your own money." After Elecktra, I then interviewed senior Kevin Dennis. He is seventeen and works at a restaurant on USC campus. e started at 8.50 a hour. His position is a waiter he has been working there for four months. I asked Kevin all the same questions and got different answers. He said he does like his job sometimes. He likes that it's really food and not fast-food. He does not like how busy it is when they have games. A bad experience he had with working was he worked a seven hour shift straight without a break. Kevin suggests that students in high school not get a job if you are playing sport because it "takes away from you teen life cause all you will do is work, practice, and sleep, and repeat."
"Working at Wendy's, I love that I get to get a good discount for my food, [but] I don't like that I have be nice to people that are rude to me for no reason." ~Elecktra Barnes, 12th grade Overall, I interviewed many people and got a variety of outlooks on having a job in high school; pretty much everyone said the exact same things. Now for my opinion. My outlook of a job in his school is I think it's a great idea to get a Job your freshmen year simply because your freshmen year most people are not playing any sports. They don’t get deep into sports usually until their 10th grade year so you have a lot of free time. If you start your freshman year, as long as you are age-
PHOTO: Tatiyanna Minor Posing for a selfie in her uniform while at work at Sonic.
appropriate, then you can save up to your senior year. Going into your senior year there are going to be many opportunities that you may want to take like prom, homecoming, pageants, trips, games, and of course senior fees. Your senior year it's going to seem like everything costs a lot of money so why not start saving now? I work at Sonic. I started at minimum wage and now get nine dollars per hour. I am what my job call a wizard, which means I can work any part of the store. I hav e w or k e d t h eir f or 3 years. When I first started I loved my job now I get tired of it sometimes. I like that I get 50% discount but I don't like that they always try to call me in on my days off. A bad experience I had with working was a customer threw their drink in my face out of anger with their food being messed up. Working in fast food their is nothing you can expect when working you have to expect the unexpected. Having a side hustles is great. You get to have your own money and not ask your parents. Having a side hustle has its ups and downs, though, so you have to be ready and ask yourself if the job is going to interfere with your education. Ultimately. after everyone, they all said don't like a side hustle interfere with your school work or you will make it no farther than fast food for a job career.
6
STUDENT LIFE
AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
West Columbia, SC
February 19, 2016
By Allie Hall Hall720@lex2.org Making the transition into college as a high school senior is a mix of emotions for multiple reasons. You finally feel independent and free from your “parents reign,” yet nervous to start the next phase of your life. For many high school seniors, they are moving away to start a life on their own with no familiar faces, where others are staying local or even staying at home. Whatever the case may be, each senior in high school needs guidance when transitioning into college. Here are a few tips to help you on your way to a fun filled, successful first year at college. 1. Move on from High School You may have been the star football player or the Homecoming queen, but no one in college cares about that. College is a time to create a new you and to find who you really are. The things you did in high school doesn’t define that. Although it’s okay to continue friendships from high school, know that the people you meet during the next four years will be the people who are with you for the rest of your life. 2. Save Money Prior to College/ Get a Job The summer before college should be the best summer of your high school career. However, don’t let all the fun distract you from responsibilities. If you have a job prior to starting college, take the time to save your money for the following school year. Saving money allows you to be less stressed, especially when your schooling is expensive. If you
don’t already have a job, try to find one in or around your campus. Many campuses have parttime jobs available for students. This builds responsibility and helps with everyday expenses. Plus, your parents won’t have to send you money every week making you feel independent. 3. Create a Routine Even though you may hate waking up early, sometimes it’s good to do so. Creating a firm routine can help you get work done more precisely and can allow you time to go out with friends. Routines not only get your life in order, but seem to get everything else together too. By making a routine, you may notice your living space to be a lot cleaner, your eating habits to be healthier, and your grades to be higher all from following a few simple steps each day. 4. Take Advantage of Study Groups/ Office Hours While in college, there are opportunities for you to talk to your professors and get help during things called office hours. Each professor has their own set of office hours where they are open to answer any questions you have or to help you with whatever you are having problems on. At many colleges there are open sessions for specific topics for students to come in and get help with studying and or on the topics that are troubling them. Take advantage of these even if you are good at studying, Sometimes the students running the sessions have already taken the class you’re in and can help you more than studying can!
PHOTO: N. Simmons http://theodysseyonline.com/illinois/10thoughts-college-students-haveStudents walking to and from class on campus..
5. Your Roommates Aren’t Always Your Best Friends If we were all lucky enough, we would have the greatest roommates to spend our years with while in college. However, that’s not always the case. Sometimes you are paired with people that you don’t necessarily like or want to spend time with, and that’s okay. Living together doesn’t ensure that you are going to be life long friends but you should try to get along with each other. Remember, every year you can choose new roommates, so make friends whenever you can. 6. Take Advantage of Student Discounts Going into college many of us don’t have the extra money to spend at our leisure. As a way to help students out, a lot of colleges offer discounts to places on and around campus through your student card. Not only do the discounts help your wallet out, but using your student card can also help you get points towards sporting events at some universities. 7. Get Involved Even though high school activities may not have been your forte, try to get involved somehow in college. Unlike high school, there are a lot of different clubs available for academics, culture, religion and lifestyle. From the Eno club to Quidditch, there’s a place for everyone to feel comfortable! Along with clubs, there are chances to join sororities and fraternities which offer a wide range of oppor-
STUDENT LIFE
February 19, 2016
AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL tunities for students to further their interests in certain areas. However, while it is good to get involved on campus, don’t over do it. Leave time for yourself to be a student and to have free time!
7
school. By making time for your friends, you will build relationships and have a chance to relieve the stress of school, and let loose.
has learned a lot from her friends who helped her transition the most. “Being far away from home (New Jersey), was hard at first, but I definitely am glad I got away 10. Call Home/Visit from home and I’m glad I have Sure, the next two to four years contact with my family- my supare a time for you to get away and port system- while I’m away,” become the person you want to stated Fay. be. Be that as it may, you wouldn’t have gotten where you are to“My brother has day without your parents, guardireally helped me out ans and friends back at home. It when it comes to is important to call and visit home preparing for cola good bit even if you five fifteen lege. I’ve learned a minutes away. Surprising your lot of things from his parents one weekend would make experience.” ~Brent Adams, them happy, just as well as them surprising you with a present or 12th grade money to help you along your way “Here at school, my while at school. If visiting isn’t guidance counselor possible at the time, use technolhas given me tips ogy to your advantage. FaceTime, Skype, and simple phone calls can and helpful hints help your friends and family cope when it comes to apwith you being gone and can help plying for college and you transition into college life as the upcoming deadlines for well. universities.” ~Hunter La-
8. Experience at Least One Party Although you may not be the party type, college is a time to try new things! With that being said, going to a party doesn’t mean you have to do what everyone else is doing. “Just going for the experience is okay and perfectly normal,” said Dominique Fay, a sophomore at USC. So how do you go without feeling awkward? “A lot of people use to make their own drinks and carry around the same cup all night,” says Fay, “which made it easy for them to feel involved but not having to do something they don’t feel comfortable doing at the same time!” Sometimes going outside of your comfort zone opens you up to many things you didn’t know about, so take a chance and try the party scene at least once. When speaking to Fay, current sophomore at the University of 9. Make Time to Go Out with South Carolina, she gave many Friends tips for incoming freshmen at any College is a very busy time, any- college or university. She says one can tell you that. From class, focusing on time management is to work, to extracurriculars you key to finding a happy medium have very few bits of time to your- freshmen year. Dominique reiterself. However, make sure to put ates this by saying she “wished away time to spend with your she spent more time studying and roommates and y o u focusing on class” rather than gofriends. Whenever you’re going ing out all the time. From her through something, your friends freshmen year, Dominique Fay are there. Like you, they will need you whenever they are going through similar obstacles while at
SOURCE: http://blogem.ruffalonl.com/tag/student-retention-strategies/ Retention data show problems keeping kids in college.
Frage, 12th grade
“My friends have really helped me get ready to transition to college. Without them I would be so lost about what to do and when to do it.” ~Russell Pauly, 12th grade
8 AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENT LIFE West Columbia, SC
February 19, 2016
Airport TSA hoping for 2nd consecutive state win By Gabriel Hoover Hoover188@lex2.org
The Technology Student Association (TSA) is an internationally recognized and privately funded STEM based program, where students compete in a multitude of events on the state and then national level. Each chapter is divided by their school; home schooled students are also welcome to join a chapter, but not create a chapter. The Airport High School chapter is operated by Mrs. Terri Southern, Ms. Tammy Campbell and Ms. Janet Goins. Airport placed first place overall at the 2015 SC state TSA conference. They will be competing again this March 19th in Myrtle Beach. There are many competitions in which to compete, from developing technologies for the handicapped to fashion design all the way down to racing self made dragsters. Dragsters is one of the most popular events amongst the group. The AHS chapter has several nationally ranked competitors in the event, setting themselves as one of the most outstanding chapters in the nation. Students who are members of TSA recommend the club to others. One such student is sophomore Governor’s School hopeful
Cameron Walker, who had this to say: “ TSA is a great place to make friends and have fun while developing skills that one could utilize in the future, whether in a STEMrelated field or any other. We develop our social, research, and team skills in an environment where people can goof off and enjoy themselves, but ultimately cre-
ate something that they can be proud of and compete with other minds.� In order to fund the group along with their registration and travel expenses, TSA hosts dinners and other fundraising events. Their most popular among local businesses and teachers within the school is their spaghetti dinner, made possible through generous donations of ingredients. Anyone is welcome to join so long as they are willing to complete projects by their due dates and volunteer at fundraisers to support the group.
PHOTO: Janet Goins Shown above is the airport high school 2015 chapter after taking first place at their state conference.
STUDENT LIFE AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
West Columbia, SC
9 February 19, 2016
A guide to choosing the right college for you By Colby Spires Spires821@lex2.org
ness degree at Clemson. There are other keys such as this that i'll refer to as college univ er sals. These universals are elements of college that you will find at all universities in America. Another example of this is students. Every college will have a diverse pool of students from all walks of life. Now for the college decision making process. My advice to you is when deciding that you will be going to college, choose about 5 colleges that you think you will be interested in. You really don't have to do any research at this point yet. Just find colleges that
In today's society, a college degree has become as important (or some could say more important) than a high school diploma. However you see it, if you plan on going to college, you are going to need some help. I wasn't able to do it by myself. I had many people help me make the decision on what college to go to. I received advice from all different kinds of people around me such as teachers, parents, and friends. But in the end it was my decision to make. That's why I'm here to help you. To give you a guide to lead you to the college of your dreams. Before we get into choosing a college itself, I should tell you about some steps you can take in high school that will make your SOURCE: bigfuture.collegeboard.org decision much easier. A major This site is extremely helpful in searching for colleges key to your higher education is that meet criteria important to you. Using filters such what you are going to study. My as location, size, gender ratio, SAT admission rerecommendation is choose one of quirements, and so forth, you can get an excellent sense of what is needed for acceptance into your the four major subjects (English, school of choice. Math, Science, Social Studies) and figure out which one of these you enjoy the most and a subject you think you would like to go to. that you are good at. Then base Then do some research to find your classes in high school out your top 3. Some things around that subject. For me you should research are; FACTORS TO CONSIDER it was Social Studies, so i what majors do they offer, took classes based around how much does tuition cost, Location: Big city, Small Campus Town, this subject. Classes such how's the campus, what is Mountain Town as Psychology, Sociology, available to do outside the Government and Economclassroom, and what is the ics. area outside the campus like. Comfort Level: How comfortable are you As a student looking for Now that you have narrowed with living here for the next four years? a college there are some it down to your top 3, follow things you need to underthis chart to help you find Accessibility: Can you Walk, Take a Bus, stand about all colleges. If that perfect college. The colDrive, Ride a Bike? you go to a college for a lege five is a chart I came up certain major and graduate with to help me with my final Campus Facilities: How are the Dining with a degree in that madecision. In order of imporFacilities, the Dorms, the Classrooms, Rejor, it doesn't matter where tance, here is the college five. you went to school, all colligious Buildings leges give a degree that carries the same weight. A Student Life: What opportunities do you business degree at USC is have outside the classroom? no different than a busi-
SPORTS
10
West Columbia, SC
AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
February 19, 2016
Eagles’ soccer tryouts go smoothly By Bryan Estrada Estrada636@lex2.org Airport soccer tryouts were intense and challenging. Tryouts have become harder every year
not because of what they do but the people trying out having been playing soccer since little. Every year more and more skilled people try out. This year twenty eight went to varsity try outs, and most played soccer for airport before and club. Coach Masone observed every player closely for his varsity team. After two weeks of conditioning,
every player was ready for tryouts and brought one hundred percent effort to the field. For two days everyone battled for a place on varsity. Seniors already had a place on the roster, pushing the juniors and sophomores to do better. From experience, I know what Coach Masone expects from everyone. Masone tries to help people on the field by showing them what they can fix and how to do something the right way. I interviewed a junior year player, Justin Lewis, being his first year on varsity. “Tryouts were interesting because a bunch
of kids came out,” replied Justin when asked about tryouts. When asked about how Coach Masone handles the team, Justin replied, “Masone was very observant and has high expectations.” Also when asked how he prepares himself and how the team looks, Justin answered, “I [eat] a good breakfast and [have] a good sleep. I think we have a stacked team and will give every team a good challenge.” I also interviewed a returning varsity player, Erick Arellano, also a junior here at AHS. His response to tryouts was, “Tryouts were a little too easy for a returning varsity player.” When asked about Coach Masone, he replied, “Masone was expecting for his returning players be a hundred percent and help push others trying out.” Being injured last year we asked him how he prepared himself. “I had to get some touches on the ball and come to conditioning,” replied Erick. Good luck to all the new and returning players this season.
AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
SPORTS
11
West Columbia, SC
February 19, 2016
By Bryan Estrada Estrada636@lex2.org Airport played against Lexington in their first scrimmage of preseason. Eagles’ soccer team looked strong with only one major problem: having new goalies was a big issue since they had never played soccer before. Another problem was the cold weather; not only was it freezing, it was also snowing lightly. The game still went on, however, and it looked evenly matched on both sides for twenty minutes, even though AHS conceding two goals during this time. Defense returning players Brandon Pope and Sam Shannon held strong during the first half, blocking and keeping some shots away from goal. Airport fell down after two more goals are scored in the 30th and 35th minutes by Lexington, leaving us scoreless. Eventually the only alternative for the Eagles was switching their goalies to see if that could make a difference for them. The second half started with Lexington having more control of the ball and minutes later scoring a fifth goal. Both sides have some close shots on goal making the game a little exciting for AHS
fans. As the game came down to the last minutes, AHS saw no victory and let down their guards leaving Lexington to score two more goals. Airport seeking for a last minute goal start playing more offensively and they end up scoring. After the game we interviewed sophomore Kevin Faile varsity
goalie to check what went wrong. “ It was a little tough and got 4 goals scored on me,” stated Kevin, “and it was a learning experience.” Kevin also said “We scored one at the end of the game which was motivation for how good we could be.” Hopefully, the scrimmage is not indicative of our team’s success for the season.
12 AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
SPORTS West Columbia, SC
February 19, 2016
Sports Highlights with T.G. PHOTO: www.sportsonearth.com
By Tanner Glenn
Austin Rivers shows outrage due to ejection
Glenn453@lex2.org The Los Angeles Clippers announced Sunday that point guard Austin Rivers had indeed suffered a broken left hand in lost against the Minnesota Timberwolves 108102 Wednesday night. Clippers say that Rivers will be evaluated on Monday and should be able to return within four to six weeks. Rivers suffered the injury moments before he was ejected for arguing with officials. He missed Friday's victory in Orlando, and the MRI revealed the break. It's another blow and another broken hand for the Clippers. Forward Blake Griffin suffered a broken hand two weeks ago, after a fight with a team staff member. Griffin, who has needed two surgeries on his hand, he is expected to be out four to six weeks as well. Rivers has been having a good season for the Clippers and is averaging a career-high 8.1 points off the bench. Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch has told close friends and family that he plans to retire. Lynch’s teammates are trying to convince him not to leave and change his mind but his plan is to walk away from the game. He has shared this information with some in the Seahawks’ organization. Lynch, who turns 30 in April, was limited to just 111 carries and 417 yards in the regular season because of a hamstring injury earlier in the season and abdominal surgery in late November that sidelined him for the final seven regular-season games. He did not
play in the Seahawks' NFC wildcard win over the Vikings, and he rushed for just 20 yards on six carries in their divisional-round loss to the Panthers. Lynch is a five time Pro Bowler and it would cost the Seattle Seahawks $11.5 million if he decided to return for the 2016 season. That's the largest looming cap hit of any running back next season. In January, Seahawks general manager John Schneider revealed that Lynch was "leaning toward" retirement, and those feelings have only strengthened. Since his first full season in Seattle (2011), Lynch leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns (51) and is ranked in the top three in carries, rushing yards and rushing first downs. Lynch’s retirement isn’t set in stone but as of now it sounds like “Beast Mode” is in shutdown mode. Yasiel Puig is focused on leaving his mistakes in the past and performing as expected in 2016 for the Los Angeles Dodgers. A few pounds lighter, the Cuban outfielder said he is focused on playing all 162 games this regular season, unlike last season, when injuries limited him to just 79. "I am working to strengthen the legs and prevent injuries like last year and focused on continuing adjusting to my new life in the majors, to get along with my teammates and try to help the team," Puig said Friday in an interview with ESPN Deportes. Puig already has met new Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who
PHOTO: www.hypecrib.com Marshawn thinks about retiring.
replaced Don Mattingly this offseason. Puig joined the ESPN Deportes broadcast team Friday in the press box of Estadio Quisqueya. Like Cuban compatriots Aroldis Chapman and Adeiny Hechavarria did last year in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Puig came to support the team of Ciego de Avila, which is representing Cuba in the Caribbean Series. Puig even joked a little bit about the future in his conversation with broadcasters Enrique Rojas, Ozzie Guillen, Ernesto Jerez and Luis Alfredo Alvarez. "I'm practicing just in case I have to prepare to do something else besides play baseball," he said. "If the Dodgers release me, and nobody else give me a job, then maybe I'll apply for a job at ESPN."
PHOTO: www.baseballessent ial.com Puig prepares to play full season
SPORTS AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL Bryce Harper is the reigning MVP and is only 23 years old. He was asked in an interview with 106.7 FM The Fan what his thoughts were about his next contract potentially being worth more than $400 million. Harper will earn $5 million this season and is eligible for arbitration after 2016. "Yeah, I mean, I don't really think about that stuff," Harper said Thursday. "I just try to play the years out and do everything I can to help my team win. But don't sell me short. That's what you're doing right now to me, so don't do that…” I'm looking forward to just playing the next couple years. And I think all that stuff will play out." After the 2018 season, Harper become eligible for free agency. In November Harper was named the youngest unanimous MVP in baseball history, garnering all 30 first-place votes in National League voting. He is only the seventh unanimous MVP in NL history. Harper led the majors in on-base percentage (.460), slugging (.649) and WAR (9.9) in 2015. He also tied for the NL lead in homers (42) and had the second-best batting average in the NL (.330). Denver Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib's bonus for a Super Bowl win won't be as big as his teammates' this time around. All of the Broncos players earned a $102,000 bonus as part of the 24 -10 victory over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50. Talib was fined $26,044 for his penalties throughout the game. He was later flagged for another personal foul with less than 12 minutes remaining in the second quarter when he grabbed the facemask of Panthers wide receiver Corey Brown and twisted Brown to the ground. After the game, Talib conceded he had held on to Brown's facemask intentionally, saying "one I just did on purpose, and I just had to show him.'' Several of Talib's teammates tried to
West Columbia, SC settle him down after the penalty. After the game Talib said: "It's probably going to be a fine, but hey, we're world champs.” Talib was also flagged a third time in the game, for defensive offside. Talib was suspended one game during the regular season for jabbing his fingers into Indianapolis Colts tight end Dwayne Allen's helmet, poking Allen in the eye. Including the three penalties in the Super Bowl, Talib was the Broncos' most-penalized player in the postseason with four flags. Indiana Pacers forward Paul George scored 41 points Sunday in the NBA All-Star Game, falling one point shy of tying Wilt Chamberlain's All-Star record. George could have broken Chamberlain's record, set in 1962, but he missed a 3-pointer with just under a minute remaining in the fourth quarter of the Western Conference's 196-173 victory. The 25-year-old George said he was "unaware" that he was one point short of the record, though he noted that Warriors forward Draymond Green defended him more tightly down the stretch. "They weren't trying to let me break that record," George said during a postgame interview with TNT. "I was unaware, though. I shot the 3 when I could have got a layup. If I had known that [I was close to the record], I would have dunked.” Green got right in George's face during the game's final minute, hounding him all over the court in the only possession of competitive, NBAlevel def e n s e played the entire game. "We don't
13 February 19, 2016
PHOTO: www.thenationalsarchive.com Harper doesn't want to get sold short, and he wont
want any records like that broken on us," Green said with a chuckle. "Just trying to contest t h e shot." George, w h o made his first AllStar appearance since he suffer ed a serious leg injury in August 2 0 1 4 , shot 16PHOTO: o f - 2 6 www.usatoday.com from the Talib is the most penalized player in the postseason. floor and m a d e nine 3-pointers, which tied Russell Westbrook for the secondhighest scoring in All-Star Game history.
PHOTO: www.lifenews.com George showed out in the ASG.
14 AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
SPORTS West Columbia, SC
February 19, 2016
Rugby: foreign sport, locals play By Eric Hall Hall830@lex2.org Several students in Lexington 2 participate in a sport you might not know about: rugby. Before getting into the specifics of who in our district plays this and where, perhaps some background details about the sport are most pertinent. Rugby football is a type of football developed at Rugby School in Rugby, Warwickshire, one of many versions of football played at English public schools in the 19th century. The two main types of rugby are “rugby league” and “rugby union”. Although these two forms share many elements, the two codes have gradually developed with distinct sets of rules. The Rugby World Cup, which
was first held in New Zealand and Australia in 1987, occurs every four years. It is an international tournament organized by World Rugby. The event is played in the union format and features the top 20 teams from around the world. The scoring system is in points that can be scored in several ways: a try, which is scored by grounding the ball in the ingoal area (between the goal line and the dead-ball line), is worth 5 points and a subsequent conversion kick scores 2 points; a successful penalty kick or a drop goal each score 3 points. A rugby ball, originally called a quanco, is a diamond shape ball used for easier passing. Some of the most important rules in Rugby are hat throwing the ball forward is not allowed so that players can gain ground only by running with the ball or by
kicking it. Players contest possession following the tackle; depending on the situation, either a ruck or a maul can occur. League players may not contest possession after making a tackle. In rugby league, if the team in possession fails to score before a set of six tackles, it surrenders possession. In rugby union there are no six-tackle rule; a team can keep the ball for an unlimited number of tackles before scoring as long as it maintains possession and does not commit an offence. Some set pieces of the union code include the "scrum", in which packs of opposing players push against each other for possession, and the "line-out", in which parallel lines of players from each team, arranged perpendicular to the touch-line, attempt to catch the ball thrown from touch. A rule has been added to line-outs which allows the jumper to be pulled down once a player's feet are on the ground. Now, back to how rugby connects to Lexington 2. Some of the people i play rugby with for The Columbia Rhino that go to airport are Seniors Montez Brooks Angel Gutierrez. Junior Heanen Harrison. Freshman Nolan ,Brison. We practice during the week after school at a field on CAve. In my personal opinion the whole sport in general is just great all around.
AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
By DeAundre Scott email@lex2.org On Friday, February 5, our Airport Eagles defeated Gilbert at home. Before the game we acknowledge our senior basketball players because this was are Coming Home game, which is like Homecoming but for basketball instead of football. The seniors players that were acknowledge included Shakori Jenning-Sheuler, Jennifer Ellison, Daniel Gillins, Alphonso Tucker, Tyshawn Tho-
SOURCE: GoFlashWin.com
SPORTS
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West Columbia, SC
February 19, 2016
mas, Josh Williamson, Jalon Cokley, Dante Singleton, and Kevin Dennis. Now back to the game. In the first quarter the Eagles came out a little slow and were down by several points. In the second, our Eagles picked up the pace and just took over the game. After the half in the third it was pretty much a blow out for the rest the game, with four of our Eagles scoring double digit points. Josh Williamson had 16 points, CJ Wright with 13, Kevin Dennis with 11, and Dayronn Tucker had 10 for the 79-48 Airport Win
On February 11, our Airport Eagles took on our rivals Brookland-Cayce at the Nest. Unlike usual, our Eagles came out fast and ready to go from the beginning of the first quarter. In the first we basically dominated Brookland-Cayce by shutting them out with a 10 point lead. In the second, they tried to come back but with the defense that our Eagles had held them out into the half. In the third quarter the game turned into a blow out with our Eagles keeping a 10 point lead into the fourth. In the fourth quarter our Eagles gained a 28 point lead versus BrooklandCayce with the final score being 85-57 for the Airport victory. Congratulations to the team for both of their wins.
SOURCE: GoFlashWin.com
16 AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
SPORTS West Columbia, SC
February 19, 2016
Broncos defeat Panthers in Super Bowl 50 By Josh Talton talton@lex2.org This year’s Super Bowl was played at Levi Stadium in San Fransisco, California on February 7th. It was played between the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers. The Broncos came out on top and defeated the Panthers 24-10. Denver’s defense just absolutely pummeled Carolina’s offensive line. Cam Newton was sacked 7 times and he fumbled twice. Von Miller is a defensive lineman and he himself had 4 sacks. He also won the Superbowl MVP. Peyton Manning will go down as the all-time greatest QB in NFL history. He has now won two Superbowls. He also is a 5time MVP, owns the record for most passing touchdowns, most yards, and the most wins of alltime. But, he may not retire quite yet but he most likely will. He says his retirement is up to his mother. He’s just worrying about relaxing and drinking a few beers to celebrate a great Superbowl victory over the Panthers. On the losing side, Cam Newton was very upset about the game and his own performance. He, along with the rest of the team, played terribly. Even though he was upset about the
game, he still payed his respects to Peyton Manning. But, he paid no respect towards the media as he walked off the stage during a press conference. Who could blame him? He just lost a Superbowl while being 17-1 and winning the M V P award. He deserved to win. He also deserved to be angry with the fact that they lost. The Denver Broncos finished the season being 15-4 while the Panthers finished at 17-2. The regular season record doesn’t matter in the end. It is all about who can come through in the clutch and handle the pressure that comes with playing in the most watched sporting event in the country. Denver’s defense handled the pressure and applied their own pressure on the Carolina offense. In the end, that is what gave the Broncos the victory.
I asked EJ HIers, “What did you do for the game?” he replied “My dad grilled out and we watched the game as a family.” STOCK PHOTO
He also enjoyed watching the game with his family especially since his team won. I then asked ,“What did you think of the game?” He said it was a good game and was exciting the whole time. STOCK PHOTO
ARTS & ENTERTAINTMENT AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
West Columbia, SC
By Lyric Harrison
February 19, 2016
PHOTO..Lyric Harrison Lining is finished
Harrison724@lex2.org First things first: if you are even considering getting a tattoo always ask yourself, “What am going to get and why?� I personally believe that you should give this time and consideration. think about what you want to get, is there a meaning behind it, or is it something you won't mind seeing for the rest of your life. You should also consider where you want it and how big you want the tattoo. ALWAYS think about where you are getting a first tattoo, what your pain tolerance is, and how badly will it hurt where you want it. I Personally recommend somewhere with more more meat on your bones--for example, thighs, outer arms. This makes the pain less than it would be if you got a tattoo on a boney place like a foot or a hip. Never feel bad for having to take a break. It will be painful, and if you're as crazy as me and get a big tattoo for your first, you will need a break. i personally am getting my tattoo in two different sessions. I got the outline and some shading done the first time and in 2 or 3 weeks when the tattoo is healed i will go back in to get the rest of it finished. it really depends on your pain tolerance. this is not for the weak. Also, if you're like me, you will want to know what they will be using. Well, all good quality shops will use completely sterile materials. tattoo ink, grips, and needles are all sterile and talking about
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the needles, the artist will use two machines. one is for shading and one is for lining. the lining machine is equipped with a needle with 5 to 7 different needle heads, the shading can be up to twice that many needles and its flatter. the lining machine is the loud one and the first one they will use. it gives a more concentrated and dark line, then comes the shading. the machine is quiet but hurts the most. you know silent but deadly. After he sets up the work place the artist will clean and sterilize your leg and then put a template of what you want where you want it. at this point look at it. again consider will you want that there for the rest of your life? after everything is ok the fun begins. DO NOT MOVE when you are getting your tattoo done. The slightest move could mess up the artist. it is hard not to move especially when it hurts but try your best not to. if it gets too bad it is good to ask for a break. when you are on a break stand up. stretch out because depending on the tattoo you will be sitting there a while. I will not lie to you. Again, this will hurt...A LOT, but after you get out of the chair and see a beautiful piece of art on your body it will be worth it. some even get addicted. it is definitely an interesting experience. oh and another tip bring a friend, and for the low pain tolerance people bring someone with strong hands so you can
PHOTO..Lyric Harrison Shading begins.
squeeze their hand when it gets bad. it will help distract you. The last thing is to wait. I know it's hard but it will be worth it. wait until you are 18 and always go to a professional with a license where there will be sterile equipment. the risks of not going to a professional can be a bad tattoo or worse a bad infection. always be safe. do research and always go to
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
West Columbia, SC
February 19, 2016
Inspirational game for all By Hannah Hallman Hallman653@lex2.org This week we’ve got a game that’s taken many people by storm. Undertale is an indie RPG game, for PC and Mac, that was released on September 15th, 2015 by a man known as Toby Fox, known for his other work on the popular webcomic, Homestuck, as a music developer. Homestuck was predominantly created by Andrew Hussie, a friend of Fox’s, in whose basement Fox developed most of Undertale. For those not in-the-know, Wikipedia actually provides an excellent summation of the game: “In Undertale, players control a human child as they navigate the fictional Underground: a large, secluded region underneath the surface of the Earth. The inhabitants of the Underground are called "monsters", a diverse and intelligent group who have been banished from the surface following a war with humanity. The child interacts with many monsters on their quest to return to the surface, with the player making decisions on whether to kill or befriend them. These choices affect the outcome of the game to a large degree, with the dialogue and story outcome changing based on their decisions.” In Undertale the main attraction point is the ability to choose. The player can reach many different endings by their choice of
actions in game. One of the main selling points, of which Fox himself repeatedly states, is that the player can get through the whole game without killing anything. In fact, that’s what one is told they should do. Another thing the creator has mentioned is the importances of playing the game more than once. The player is highly suggested to go through the game First encounter with Flowey the Flower multiple times to get all the secrets and endings, but a to the game. wonderful thing about the game is I asked those who’ve heard of Unthe player doesn’t have to play it dertale and those who have played again. I’m not saying that's wonder- the game a series of questions for ful because the game is over, but I their own views of the game. First I am saying that the ending feels interviewed J.D. Martin, a 12th complete and satisfying enough to grader, who had only really heard of be a good ending. the game at the time. When asked One of the best things about Un- about the plot J.D. responded, dertale is it is one of the only games “[Undertale] is a game about a little that “remembers” everything you’ve girl, who is trapped underground, done in previous runs of the game, and now has to find a way out.” I c e r t a i n also asked him, based on his limited c h a r a c - knowledge of the game, which charters ref- acter is his favorite. J.D. then told e r e n c e me that his favorite character was w h o Sans the Skeleton, because he’s y o u ’ v e “the funniest character so far.” killed, if When asked to rate the game he you did- responded by saying, “ 4/6, It’s n’t kill unique and has a retro feel,” but s o m e - then admitted, “I haven’t gotten far b o d y enough for a full review.” who you killed in a past run, how The next person I interviewed was many times you’ve died, and your 12th grade student Lindsey Lollar, ability to save and reload save files. who has played the game and has The game is hyper-aware of every- extensive knowledge of the gamething the player does and makes play, plot, and overall feel of the them feel more and more connected game. When asked for the plot she
“It is a good game with a
good plot and a lot of options.” ~ J.D. Martin, 12th grade
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
West Columbia, SC
19 February 19, 2016
SCREENSHOT; Papyrus the Skeleton
playing there’s no way the player won't be able to find something they love. The music for this game is fantastic by itself too, and you can see that just by searching it up on youtube. Many let’s players have played the game in full, so even if you don’t have the money to buy the game I highly suggest watching a playthrough! I promise there is something to love for all viewers!
Remember
Sans the Skeleton making a pun after you exit the ruins
responded that you’re character is trying to escape the ruins, and then you either make all of the friends in the pacifist route or kill everything in the genocide route. Then, I asked her about her favorite character, “My Gameover screen favorite character is actually two in the game, Sans and Papyrus… are such good brothers and yet are polar opposites… No matter which route you take.” After all of that, I finally asked her what she’d rate the
game. “I give Undertale a 5/5” rep l i e d Lindsey, “it’s the type of game that you will never forget because it gives you so many feelings.” In conclusion, this game is an amazing one to experience and there won't be another one truly like it anytime soon, with the lore and theories and the wonderful community built on the love for this game no matter when you start
to email me with suggestions for the next review @ Hallman653@lex2. org! ( Or email hmh14@bellsouth.net with suggestions for articles! )
BACK PAGE AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL
West Columbia, SC
February 19, 2016
Crossword Puzzle: From “100 Words Every High School Student Should Know” By Lyric Harrison Harrison724@lex2.org