The Eyrie - March 18, 2016

AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL

West Columbia, SC

March 18, 2016

Camp KEMO gives cancer patients, families week to remember; proceeds from AHS Charity Drive go to camp

By Allie Hall Hall720@lex2.org For the past several years at Airport, we have raised over $50,000 each year during the springtime Charity Drive, all of which gets donated in support of Camp KEMO, but what exactly is Camp KEMO? Camp KEMO is a week long summer camp for children ages 518 with cancer and their siblings. First held in 1980, Camp KEMO was an overnight experience only involving 45 participants; however, the turnout was so great that the organization decided to change to a week long camp in 1981. The overall mission of the camp is to strengthen the international community of camps for children with cancer and their families through networking, advocacy, education and other resources.

The camp is staffed by physicians, nurses, and volunteers who give up their week to spend with these wonderful kids and make their time incredible.

During the week kids have the opportunity to swim, hike and be carefree children. Not only do the campers get to participate in activities on camp grounds, but they also get to take field trips to local places in Columbia. In the past, field trips have been to the Chil-

dren’s Museum and to Saluda Shoals Park.

Because of it’s remarkable work, Camp KEMO has been awarded the Gold Ribbon Camp designation.

The Gold Ribbon Camp award is given to camps that demonstrate high levels of commitment to serving children with cancer and their families. Camp KEMO is one of the thirty programs that have been awarded.

Not only does Student Government work tirelessly during Charity Drive to make sure the yearly monetary goal is met, they also get to spend a day with the children the school helps send to camp. Last year, senior Brooke LaFrage attended Camp KEMO and got to experience what these kids get to enjoy every year. “Those of us that got to attend Camp KEMO went for a day. We were given a tour of the camp and help set up for dinner,”

said LaFrage. “The camp is everything you imagine it to be. There’s a big lake, playground and pool. They also had a huge waterslide that the Student Government kids got to go try out as well as the campers! Everything is very wheelchair accessible and there are endless opportunities for the kids to have fun.”

Airport’s annual Charity Drive raises money for kids to attend camp. The more money raised, the more children can attend this week long adventure at Camp KEMO. To send a child to camp, it is roughly one hundred dollars; in the past Airport has raised over $50,000 each week, which in turn can send fifty kids to camp! Because of Airport’s Charity Drive and other countless organizations around Columbia, kids who are stricken with cancer get to have a worry free week full of fun!

This year, activities that occurred during Charity Drive included student favorites such as the car show and Food Fest as well as newer additions like glowin-the-dark dodgeball and a Nerf gun war.

The total monetary amount raised this year is still being tallied.

More information about some of these events can be found inside this issue.

2

NEWS West Columbia, SC

AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL

March 18, 2016

Annual Charity Drive car show as popular as ever; many students pay to participate & spectate

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By Eric Hall & Austin Phelps Hall830@lex2.org, Phelps621@lex2.org The Charity Drive Car Show was held during lunch on Tuesday, March 1.

Students could pay a small fee to view the action live outside, or else they had to peak through the windows of the cafeteria and settle for what little they could see.

Every year during Charity Drive, Airport High School holds a car show for entertainment and to raise money for the Camp KEMO charity.

A car show is a public exhibi-

tion of current automobile models, debuts, concept cars, or outof-production classics.

This year’s categories were Best of Show, Muddiest, Best Paint, Best Interior, Loudest exhaust, Best Sound System, Best Engine Bay, Most likely a Teacher Car, Best Classic, Tallest Truck, Best Under Construction, Best Grocery Getter, and Most Likely to Break. As you can see, a car doesn’t have to cost a lot to be a winner; even a jalopy could win!

The biggest winners in the

competition included Hannah Crumpton, who had two entries, a gigantic red Ford truck and a tricked-out Mustang; both were newer models.

For a more substantial list of contestents, see the next page.

SNAPS OF CONTESTANTS’ CARS:

PHOTOS: Austin Phelps

NEWS AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL

West Columbia, SC

3 March 18, 2016

Best of Show:  Brandon Rucker  Tanner Williams  Hannah Crumpton  Morgan Oliver

Muddiest:  Brandon Rucker

Best Paint:  Tanner Williams

Best Interior:  Tanner Williams  Hannah Crumpton

Loudest Exhaust:  David Cook  Christopher T. Brown

Best Sound System:  Tanner Williams  Tanner Crawford  David Cook  Alec Spooner

Best Engine:  Tanner Williams  Tanner Crawford  David Cook  Alec Spooner

Best Engine Bay:  Tanner Williams

Best Classic:  David Cook

Tallest Truck:  Hannah Crumpton

Best Under Construction:  Tanner Crawford

Most likely to Break:  Tanner Crawford

4 AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL

NEWS West Columbia, SC

March 18, 2016

By Gabriel Hoover & Nick McGee Hoover188@lex2.org, McGee419@lex2.org Several students and teachers participated in this year’s Jail Lock up event for Charity Drive.

Jail lockup is a daily Charity Drive event, rather than an isolated event as many others are.

Anyone can “lock up” teachers students or faculty and staff in a makeshift trailer jail.

To lock someone up cost $10, and the same to get them out.

Jail lockup is usually one of the biggest events because everyone loves to lock up friends and teachers. This is where Mr. Rooker, AHS band teacher comes into play.

Mr. Rooker has sent his entire band class to jail for three years in a row now.

Most of the people thrown in jail are actual “delinquents” that have committed heinous crimes worthy of the unwanted attention.

The teachers that locked

up students this year were a part of Airport High School’s “scared straight” program.

Among the list of crimes this year have been robbery, incomplete homework, and last but not least sleeping in class.

Lela Tucker locked up for the heinous crime of burning rhythm books in band class and says she wishes she would have done one thing different. Lela wishes she could go back and erase the fin-

gerprints off of one rhythm book left in the band room. Mr. Rooker locked up her and the entire band for her solo crime.

The most surprising part of the jail lock up this year was the students that escaped. Although there were three prison guards at the time, five students escaped and broke out of the metal latch that kept the paddy wagon locked.

Each student that escaped got a discipline note, so breaking out is not recommended.

And so another year has gone by of jail lockup and each student involved is now back to the straight a students we usually find roaming the halls at Airport High School.

PHOTOS: Mrs. Rasmussen Left. What jail looks like from the inside.

Center. Close-up of the infamous twig lock; students successfully escaped earlier, and so this makeshift lock had to be created. Right. Nevermind being locked up in jail, Mrs. Bailey still required her students to participated in that day’s science experiment.

STUDENT LIFE AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL

West Columbia, SC

5 March 18, 2016

Seniors starting to get stoked for annual First Week

By Tatiyanna Minor Minor@lex2.org Senior week is right round the corner as senior get ready to hit the road to start their adult life.

Many people don't know what first week is. What do you do at first week or where is first week?

First week is the best week of your senior life. In your last week of school, of course you're going to be a little emotional, but first week will totally get you out of your feeling about being out of high school.

First week is held the first week of June after most schools in South Carolina graduate. After everyone graduates, of course everyone wants to have a graduation party to celebrate, but let's be serious. On the day of graduation you know how many parties are going on? From my personal experience, at least 60% of everyone in your class is throwing a grad party the day of graduation or the day after, but no one is really going to be there other than your family. Then you're really sad because you feel like all your friends are fake and like nobody showed up at your party, but really everyone is having their own parties on the same day! That's when first week comes in with the clutch!

First week is held primarily in the Myrtle Beach area, when seniors from all over come to have some of the most fun of their lives and to kick of the summer before they have to work or get ready for college.

Every year, Myrtle Beach holds many fun activities for ages 17 and up. So, if you're not at least 17 by the first week of June then you're going to have a pretty boring first week as a senior.

If you plan on going to senior

week the best time to plan is now!

Don't wait last minute. How do you plan? You pick a group of friends that you hang out with the most and you either look for a condo or a hotel and book it for that week or whatever day you will be at the beach. If you wait until last minute, everyone will have already booked every room or condo on the strip and you will have to either not go or find a room where you have to walk or drive long distances to get to the strip.

First week is the most fun on south side. North side of myrtle beach is also fun but everyone always on south side because literally at night all you will see is everyone walking the strip with music up loud and having basically a huge block party but instead of the party being on one block it's like a continuous party on multiple blocks. If you want to go to the beach for relaxing then south side of the first week of June is not the best place for you to be because that's the “turn up side,” as Elecktra Barnes put it.

There are a few things you should know when trying to survive first week. When going to senior week be smart when packing especially with food and drinks.

Always pack more food then you will really need because that way if someone of your group of friends forgot you will have extra to share.

Second, expect your parents to nag you; don’t fear it. “Parents nag because they worry, but if you keep them informed of where you are, when you get back, your parents won’t worry as much, and they’ll ask fewer questions,” Daniel Gillians said.

Next, don't post everything in social media! I repeat: If you wouldn't post it for your grand-

PHOTO: Tim Hallmond Posing for a selfie at 2015 First Week.

mother to see don't post it because if grandma wouldn’t approve, neither will your employer. Believe it or not, even if your settings are private, there’s always a chance that you inappropriate photos could be leaked and put you at risk of losing your job. People don't have to know about what fun your having.

Next, get enough sleep. It doesn’t matter if you don't go to sleep until 5am, but still make sure your get at least 8 hours of sleep. If you don't, then by the 2nd day you will be fatigued.

You and your friends should come up with a support system.

Never go off by yourself. Always have someone with you.

Of course, stay hydrated. The sun will beat you up so make sure you drink a lot of water.

Lastly, be mindful of tattoos and piercings. If you are going to get them, choose places easy to cover. If your job or career won’t approve, don't be that person that get one right by their eye or forehead cause most likely your career will be sleeping in bed.

With all that being said, when the caps have been thrown, the yearbooks have been signed, and the parents have been convinced, seniors get yourself ready for senior week to have a good time.

6 AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL

EDITORIALS West Columbia, SC

March 18, 2016

Seniors should have privileges for lunch off campus

By Bryan Estrada Estrada636@lex2.org Many high schools have started selling fast food on campus or letting students go off campus to get food, leaving smaller high schools behind to deal with students’ behavior after not eating at all or from getting into fights and other tomfoolery on campus during their free time. Most students pay for school food, so why not let them be satisfied with the food they pay for? Shouldn’t every school be able to allow their seniors to go off campus or have food to sell at lunch?

Also, most students already go off campus to get food because they’re disgusted by school food, so why not let them eat something that appeals to them? Since most fights happen at school during lunch, wouldn’t this violence decrease if students were allowed to leave campus? These rhetorical questions point to my clear opinion: High school students, or at least seniors who can drive, should be allowed to leave campus for lunch.

First of all, forcing students to eat pre-paid school lunch many times ends up being a waste of money. Parents and students usually pay for food, which most students don’t eat for certain reasons.

Not allowing them to pick what they want to use their money on would fall under waste of money, which most students and parents work hard for. Letting them go off campus allows for more food options which helps with them not waiting until after school to eat what they want and to not waste money.

For most people who don’t drive, it would also be a good exercise to the place and back to school. Given the known obesity epidemic in this country, any opportunity for kids to do something active should be encouraged. According to statistics from the CDC website, obesity rates have doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past thirty years. As of 2012, 21% of teenagers were obese. These startling statistics not only point to the need for potential dietary changes to school lunches, they also provide an opportunity for schools to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem, and one solution might be to let kids walk around more during lunch, including walking to wherever they want to eat lunch.

Hunger can usually affect your grades and how well you perform in something. Most students deal with this everyday at school after

not being able to get the food they want in the lunch line. The most distracting thing you will experience during class is an empty stomach because all you can think of is after school or dinner. All this could be avoided with applying the off campus lunch like most schools already are doing around the country.

Opponents to my argument might argue that discipline problems off-campus may occur and that the school would be responsible. Schools that don’t let seniors leave for lunch, however, are usually the ones with most students skipping. When schools don’t provide students with the food they want, most of them tend to skip without getting caught. By allowing them to go off campus you could check on who’s leaving to get food by scanning their Id. Usually when students are given a little freedom they tend to stop doing so many bad things. Every high school is made to prepare us for work in the real world or college, but they don’t let students make some basic decisions including on what they want to eat or spend their money on.

In conclusion, seniors leaving campus to get food is a step closer to them becoming responsible young adults.

Pro athletes need to stick to sports, not movies

By Tanner Glenn Glenn453@lex2.org In my opinion, I do not think athletes should star in movies while they are playing their professional sport. Some people say most definitely they should, and then others say no way. I personally do not think athletes should star in movies while they are still active and playing their professional sport. While there are many

pros and cons for athletes having roles in film, the negatives are more significant than the positives.

When professional athletes play a part in a movie I like it, but I know it's not the best choice from them. The pros for big time athletes are you get more famous, more people begin to like you, you get more money and you're basically a bigger icon, all of which can be quite tempting. However, acting in movies has even greater

potential to hurt the athlete, not physically per se but in other ways..

The cons, however, outweigh the pros by a longshot. Movies are going to take the athletes time away from training and without a doubt it will put more stress on the athlete not just physically but mentally as well. Also, they aren't as focused on their sport when they are staring in the movie.

Lastly, it takes time away from (Continued on page 7)

EDITORIALS AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL (Continued from page 6)

their family. I know that professional baseball players have spring training, which starts in February, and the regular season begins in April and finishes in October. That's nine months of hardcore baseball, and the other three months they are training to better themselves for the next season.

They don't have a lot of free time to spend with their family so every second counts. I've done some research on the different types of athletes and how often they train per day.

According to www.active.com, cyclists train up to 12 hours per day, so I doubt they have any time to star in a movie. Next, I researched NFL players. Studies reported on www.bleacherreport.com show that they train five to six hours per day, and so I wouldn't have a big as a problem with football

West Columbia, SC players starring in movies just because their season isn't as long as the other main sports and they make the least money as well.

Now the one that shocked me the most was baseball players. They train eight hours a day during the offseason for roughly three to four months and they train 2,000 hours per year including their offseason, in season and spring training. The point I’m trying to make here is that the hours needed to succeed at the professional level in basically every sport are colossal, and to take even a few weeks, days, or even hours away from one’s training regiment may have significant detriments when it comes to competition.

There have been many athletes that have starred in movies and been very successful. For example, Mike Tyson. He is arguably the best fighter in history. Tyson

7 March 18, 2016 is the youngest fighter to claim the heavyweight belt title at 20 years old four months and 22 days. He has played in The Hangover. Another legendary athlete that has made it to the big screens is Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was Mr. Universe and International Powerlifting Champion four times. He is most famous for the Terminator movies and saying “I'll be back.”

However, in these cases, the athletes are taking away from actors’ opportunities. Leave the acting to actors and the athletics to athletes.

Ultimately, I don't know think it is a very wise decision for athletes to star in movies because it takes time away from their training and family. Also, it puts more stress on the athlete and they aren't as focused as they should be.

ESOL courses benefit students and schools

By Allie Hall Hall720@lex2.org Noted psycholinguist Frank Smith once observed, “One language set you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.” In other words, being able to learn and understand two or more languages is important to an individual’s future and success in the world. If you are able to speak and comprehend other languages than your native language, you can open yourself to more opportunities through personal life and business.

In education, there are many students whose first language isn’t English. Many of the students in the state of South Carolina are of Hispanic descent and speak Spanish at home. To account for growing linguistic diversity and the need to teach non-English speakers the language of the land, in both South Carolina and the nation at large, ESOL was first used during 1839 when many states started to adopt bilingual language classes, according to

www.teachingasleadership.com.

Along with those who encourage it, there are many individuals and some educators that believe ESOL should not be offered in public school. However, ESOL classes should be offered in every school to give each student the same opportunities.

For starters, in South Carolina there is a high Hispanic population.

According to SCHCC.org, there are 232,000 Hispanics in South Carolina, which is 5% of our state’s population. Within the country, S.C. ranks among the highest for the Latino population.

After asking three of my classmates, all together they had a total of nine different Hispanics in three classes. This number speaks to an increase in minority students in the classroom. From 1970 to 2010, there has been an increase of 19 million Hispanics in the country; this is based on information from Pewreasearch.org. In upstate South Carolina, for instance, there are 39,198 Spanish speaking students in the areas of Greenville, Mauldin, and Easley.

In Columbia, there are

30,255 Spanish speakers and close by in Charlotte, 10% of the population speak Spanish as their at-home language, at least according to date from Wikipedia. With a large number of individuals speaking Spanish at home, there is a barrier in the classroom for students learning and understanding English. In 2012, nearly 39,000 students were English Language learners, says Eslteacheredu.org. Basically, this data testifies to the fact that there are large numbers of Hispanics, and presumably non-English speakers, alive and well in our public schools, and something needs to be done to help them. It’s not just one or two students who would benefit from ESOL classes; it’s hundreds of thousands if not millions.

Along with population, businesses have had an increase in the amount of Hispanic owners in the United States, possibly opening the door for more Spanish speakers. In 2010, Census.gov recorded 2.3 million Hispanicorigin entrepreneurs.

Carmen (Continued on page 8)

8 AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL (Continued from page 7)

Castillo, a Hispanic business owner from Fort Lauderdale, was named 2013’s Woman of the Year

by HispanicBusiness.com. Carmen, a Spanish-speaking individual, grew her company to 1.3 billion in 2013. Because of the increase in Hispanic-run businesses, there is a higher need for individuals with Spanish and English backgrounds. As a way to increase this number, ESOL classes teach students a language other than their first language to help benefit them in the future for potential business. Had Carmen Castillo not been bilingual, she likely would have had much less success in the business world. Carmen’s success in the business world is likely due to her having learned English rather than limiting herself to Spanish. It goes both ways, by the way; just like Carmen likely benefited from ESOL classes to learn English, so could native English speakers benefit from taking their Spanish classes seriously.

EDITORIALS West Columbia, SC As well as being beneficial to student’s futures, ESOL classes help school achievements, as indicated on their annually released school report cards, as a whole. At Airport High School, during the 2014-2015 school year, almost half of the Limited English Proficient students failed the English 1 EOC because of the barriers between their language and English, and this lowered the school’s report card for English because of the complications ESOL students have. In other words, it might look to outsiders like AHS students’ scores are inadequate in reading and writing, when the reality is that non-English speakers being forced to take the test too artificially deflates the overall school average. All the more need for better ESOL courses, if you ask me.

However, although ESOL is important to student’s futures, there are some that believe there shouldn’t be government funding for bilingual classes. Those that oppose the spending are usually

March 18, 2016 those who oppose immigration of all kinds. Most government grants given to states have specific guidelines to what the money is spent on. Therefore, it the government has money set aside for ESOL, then the money must be spent for that purpose and the money cannot be used for other things. The biggest argument against ESOL is that it is the parent’s responsibility to get their children proficient in English, not the school’s.

ESOL is important and should be offered to those students who don’t speak English at home. To conclude, consider this vignette: A child in Lexington District 2 is on the track to fail the 8th grade not because he is unintelligent but because of the lack of ESOL guidance and opportunities at his school preventing him from learning the language of the tests. In order to fix situations like this one, we need to devote more money to ESOL and more energy and interest to the issue of non native English speaking citizens.

Let’s Play viewers subject to unnecessary criticism; kindness should be norm in forum commentary

By Hannah Hallman Hallman653@lex2.org A constant conflict on YouTube has been whether or not Let's Players are really worth our brain cells. For those who don’t know, the concept of Let’s Play refers to videos or series of screenshots documenting the playing of a video game along with commentary from the gamer. So many people have it in their minds that it's a waste of time and really for no reason, or at least not a good one. In times like these where the Internet is everything and so many people are connected through it, we really shouldn't have the right to criticize somebody else for what they do; however, it's going to happen anyway. So it's really not surprising

when people start to nag those who watch Let's Players about either playing the game themselves rather than watching somebody or listening to some YouTube or go on and on with mindless drivel.

But in reality it's still entertainment and that's what it is meant to be. I've seen many comments on videos saying the same things, “ it's not worth your time,”; “ wow this guy's a moron,”; and even, “ people who watch lets players are stupid.” If you don't like something you don't have to be a part of it so there's no reason to criticize somebody on a harmless activity.

It's sad that people are so rude, about it but honestly I can kind of see what they mean- or at least what they are trying to mean.

In nicer words what they're basi-

cally trying to say is, “Why would you want to watch somebody else play game you can play it yourself and experience it in full,” and “the let's player who is commentating isn't that interesting and I don't understand why people enjoy their videos.” And my response to this as well we can always buy all the games that we want; I'm a lower middle class person and having extra money around really doesn't come often. So being able to enjoy these games without having to sacrifice so much money really is just beneficial to me why would I waste my money on a game I might not like when I could've spent the money on something more important? And not only do I get to experience this game I get to experience it with somebody. Sure (Continued on page 9)

EDITORIALS West Columbia, SC

AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL (Continued from page 8)

they might not actually know me or be able to respond to me, but they can respond to the game at the same time I'm responding to it so it's kind of like watching it with a friend and you feel a lot less alone you can experience emotions and really kind a feel for the game without having to go through it alone. And even for the people who would rather go through it alone I can bet that almost any game that you want to see has some video that is a no-commentary version of the full game.

So then, really, what's the point of being so hurt about what somebody else does? And it's not like I'm trying to say that a person can't be not into something, because we all have our likes and dislikes; but there are some people who are willing to go out of their way to go onto these YouTuber’s channels and to say nasty things to the YouTube or to other commenters. And at that point it's really just kind a messed up. that's bullying people online, for liking something that isn't harmful to anybody, and what is that even for? In the end it's just cyberbullying. I’d also like to make the com-

Pete Rose

parison of videogame commenters to sports event commenters. If you're willing to tell somebody you should play the game yourself and what they're doing is wrong then why aren’t you out there you playing your sports ball games you're watching it on TV with people commenting about it talking over explain what happening? Being hypocritical gives you absolutely no merit to tell anybody else what to do on that subject.

I took a pole and the results are kind of surprising to me. I only got a couple dislikes and few more likes, on how people felt about Let’s Play videos, than that but surprisingly most of the results came back that these people just hadn't heard of YouTube gaming which is kind of strange because it's just everywhere now, really, not only that but people hadn't heard of PewDiePie, which if you don’t know, is a mega famous YouTube channel and as much as I want to say you should check him out be warned that his content is kind of mature- mostly in the way of language. I remember a time when he first started to become really popular and a lot of people didn't like him and I guess

9 March 18, 2016 that thought just kind of carried on with me over the years because when I started that survey I expected even people who didn't watch YouTube gamers to know PewDiePie and to dislike him. At the same time I'm kind of glad that they don't; everybody grows and changes.

In the end, I think YouTube gaming is one of the best things that is happened with YouTube.

Now receiving more support and a lot of happy fun times with people we could never dream to meet in person it's such a strong connection and I really believe that it's the absolute best and I'm so happy that humanity was able to progress so far that now I'm able to be inspired by somebody across the entire world. If people could learn to be kinder, then I believe that the world of gaming would be so much more of a health environment for everyone involved.

There’s no point in yelling about something you don’t like if, 1. You aren’t forced to participate, and 2.

The content isn’t harming other people. If you are rude to others for no good reason, you are the only one with a problem.

has right to Hall of Fame induction

By EJ Hiers Hiers788@lex2.org The greatest accomplishment for any professional athlete is to make it into the hall of fame for his sport. Pete Rose, veteran baseballer, has all the accomplishments, records, and years put in on his road to the hall of fame; the only roadblock is his character.

With the allegations that he bet on a baseball game, many say that he is unfit for the hall of fame, but other argue that character does not affect one’s ability to play the game. I believe that he deserves to

be entered into Cooperstown.

First of all, he was the best hitter to ever play the game. He recorded 4,256 hits over a 24 year career which is 2nd to none. He holds 4 major league records and 4 records in the national league that still stand today, most of which came from within a batter’s box. In addition to those records, when compared to Rod Carew, a hall famer also known for hitting, Pete Rose has 1200 more hits, 70 more home runs, and 300 more RBI’s. If Pete Rose clearly has the numbers to compete with an elite Hall of Famer, why should he be denied admittance into the HOF?

Secondly, an athlete’s actions off the field have never been proven to affect the way he plays the game, unless PED’s are involved. An athlete shouldn’t be banned from the sport he devoted his life to just for a few minor transgressions in his personal life, even betting on his own team to win. Rule 5 in the rules of eligibility to enter the hall of fame states, “Voting shall be based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played.” Although Rose violated a rule and (Continued on page 10)

10 AIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL (Continued from page 9)

showed unworthy character, he did this when he was not a player; he gambled when he was a manager after his playing days. Even so, character will not affect the records he set, the years he played, and it shouldn’t affect his eligibility to enter the HOF. Lastly, there have been people with much worse “character” and worse crimes committed who have entered the HOF. Ty Cobb, one of the best players to ever play the game was a very outspoken racist.

The team owner of player Grover Cleveland actually said that Cleveland pitched better drunk than sober. Tris Speaker, MLB player from the early 1900s, was well known to be a part of game-fixing in his era but has nonetheless been inducted into the HOF. Orlando Cepeda, a first baseman known mostly for his time on the Giants,had many drug charges during his career, mostly for marijuana, yet is still a Hall of Famer All of these players were still admitted into the HOF, but the hit

EDITORIALS West Columbia, SC king, Pete Rose, nicknamed Charlie Hustle for his relentless effort to win, the greatest hitter to ever live, is denied admittance for betting on his own team to win while he was its manager. He made mistakes but that shouldn’t take away from his playing ability, and he should be allowed entrance into Cooperstown.

Although Rose went against rules and did something that carries a harsh punishment, he never did it as a player, and he never bet for his team to lose. He made some mistakes, and for that he has been punished. But judge him for what he did as a player, not as a person. He isn’t the greatest man to ever play the game, but he is the greatest hitter to ever play the game. For example, if the best doctor in the world was known for cheating on his wife, would that affect the way he performed when examining somebody or would it affect whether you chose him or not? It’s the same with Pete Rose, his off-the-field performance didn’t affect how he played the game,

March 18, 2016 and it shouldn’t affect his eligibility for Cooperstown. Denying him entry into the HOF isn’t changing history, it’s diminishing it.

Those against Rose’s induction like to say letting him in might encourage other up-and-coming baseballers to gamble or promotes a negative image of baseballers as a whole, but these arguments are inferior to my arguments.

Ultimately, the decision to keep Pete Rose from HOF induction should be reconsidered.

Wanting to induct him should come from within one’s heart, to give him a second chance which is something that we all deserve. The hit king belongs in the HOF and he deserves his day of glory. He is a HOF player, not a HOF person. There will never be another play that devotes his life to baseball like Pete Rose. There will never be another player that plays completely out of love for the game. There will never be another Pete Rose. Let him in.

For the few who live celibacy until marriage, better relationships ensue

By Gabriel Hoover Hoover188@lex2.org Celibacy \’se-le-be-se\ N. abstention from sexual intercourse.

Abstention from sex until marriage is a view that even before the last decade was not commonly accepted. As far back as the 1950’s only 11% of U.S. citizens had abstained from sex until marriage, down to 3% as of 2014. In other words, abstaining from sex before marriage has never been the majority view. However, we as Americans have a false sense of just how big a problem premarital sex has been long before this point in

time.

Again, the majority of people are against celibacy even though high divorce statistics suggest something is wrong about the way people go about marriage, possibly related premarital sex. According to a 2013 poll conducted by Gallup.com under the name Values and Beliefs, 71% of Americans ages 18-24 support premarital sexual relationships, 63% ages 3554, and 56% ages 55+ and up.

Marriage and divorce statistics from McKinley Irvin Family/Law show while the average age of marriage for women is 27 and 29

for men, the average age of divorcees is 30, and most marriages that end in divorce last only 8 years. In short, the correlation between high divorce rates and high premarital sex rates suggest the two are somehow related.

Cultural acceptance of premarital sex is unhealthy and negatively influencing the values of marriage and that of America itself. Dean M. Busby, Ph.D., and director of Family life at Brigham Young University said, “There’s more to a relationship than sex but we find that those who waited (Continued on page 11)

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longer were happier with the sexual aspect of their relationship.”

Abstemious couples who waited until marriage to have sex report 22% overall stability in their marriage, 20% higher satisfaction, 15% better sexual quality, and 12% better communication between the two. Also, specific to religious couples who were celibate, have lower rates of divorce.

There are only three STD’s required to be reported for state data collection; gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis. Just these represent a massive amount of STD’s where there are hundreds more. The CDC estimates that as of 2014 there are 19 million new infections every year, costing the U.S. healthcare system 17 billion dollars annually and even more per individual throughout their life.

Gonorrhea and chlamydia result in the infertility of nearly 24,000 women every year, these diseases also put sufferers at an increased risk for HIV. While gonorrhea has seen a 16% decrease since 2000, chlamydia has increased 24% and syphilis 36%. Unsafe sexual encounters will see continued increases and risks for developing these diseases; soon enough there will be only a small percentage of the population free of such.

It is my personal belief that the reason for so many people to be having sex outside of marriage is partly due to peer pressure and the lack of valuable information for youths. The way it is represented in media and pop culture

West Columbia, SC devalues the importance of remaining abstinent; men are expected to have multiple sexual partners throughout their life, music glorifies the act of being a dishonest cheater, the majority of advertising and entertainment use attractive, half naked people to stimulate sexual thoughts, and today’s women are pressured to dress in overexposing, degrading ways. With there being such an emphasis on conforming to the unhealthy sexual aspects of others the minds of our youth are being manipulated. And as long as the people raising their children in a world where they themselves probably are in agreement with the majority, this problem will only continue; these children are neglected and often uninformed of the dangers of sex and the positives of waiting until marriage.

Especially for those who claim to be Christian, the Biblical basis for celibacy is strong: “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins people commit are outside their bodies, but those who sin sexually sin against their own bodies. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” (TNIV, 1 Corinthians 6:1820). I understand that there are those who will read this scripture and it will be of no importance to them, but because of this I have made the decision to abstain from sex, and many others have likely

11 March 18, 2016 made this choice also.

There has not been a point where I regret my decision, for being abstemious is the best chance any one can have at being truly happy in their marriage; without unexpected incidents such as attempting to raise a child in a dysfunctional family or a sexually transmitted disease. Despite all of the temptation present in the world of today there are still many people willing to deny themselves this for an overall better marriage and life after. In regard to myself, for example;, the reason I choose to wait until my wedding night is for religious reasons and that I would much rather build a relationship through emotions and not sexual interest.

What I urge each reader to understand is that even if you have had sex before one can take a vow of celibacy at any point, if you wish to regain yourself worth or prepare yourself for stronger relationships in the future it is never too late. The more people who choose to save themselves for marriage will help to build a better and brighter future for their families and America. Whether you choose to stand by these similar beliefs each and every person should educate themselves about safe sex practices; contraceptives could save you and/or someone else troubles that may follow.

‘Under God’ in pledge causes yet another heated debate among the religious and nonreligious Americans; to end controversy, keep pledge as is

By Nicholas McGee McGee419@lex2.org Abraham Lincoln once wrote, “Sir , my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side.

For God is always right.” This famous president emphasizes the importance of being one nation under God. The real question is have we forgotten our religious roots? Have we drifted so far that God is no longer on our side?

In a growingly liberal society,

more and more people of different religious values other than Christianity, receive special treatment as an appeasement of the government. One example is in the pledge of allegiance. Surprisingly, according to pewforum.org, over one third of Americas population wants the phrase “under God” to be taken out of the pledge. Despite a rather sizable population in favor of its removal, I believe the phrase “one nation under God” should be kept in the pledge of allegiance.

Religious freedom has always

been one of the most important aspects of a country's legal boundaries. Along with freedom of speech and press, freedom of religion is in the first amendment to the constitution. The bill of rights and constitution are examples of democracy within our country. In general democratic nations have religious freedom which somewhat separates them from other monarch-styled governments. Democracy is a great thing and any country that is non-democratic will tell you how bad it is without

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it but has democracy become too free?

Our country was founded on the values of Christianity, and now people believe they can change our history because it is their “right”. Many people wanting the phrase “under God” to be taken out argue that it was added in 1954. This is true but it is irrelevant to arguments made today about changing the pledge.

Even if the phrase was added later, it was added to hearken back to our Christian forefathers.

A country's origin is not something you can change because you disagree with one particular policy. Every person that wants under God taken out of the pledge is saying that they want to change America's core fundamental values.

Another reason “under God”

EDITORIALS West Columbia, SC shouldn’t be taken out of the pledge is because of the moment of silence. The moment of silence is set up directly to appease religious variances. After the pledge of Allegiance is finished, it is directly followed by the moment of silence. This time is important because kids can choose what to do during the silence; whether that is a quick prayer or just a brief moment of solitude. I believe the moment of silence directly deals with any complaints of “under God” because it gives kids time to choose what they wish to do during it.

The last and final reason that “under God” should not be taken out of the pledge is because the entire pledge is optional. Any citizen that claims the pledge tries to force religion on them is obviously mistaken because regulations are put in place that protect first

March 18, 2016 amendment rights. If a person is uncomfortable they can excuse themselves.

There are many other reason why the phrase “under God” is constitutional. It is optional to participate in, includes silence dedicated to personal alone time, and it was set up by our Christian founders.

Naysayers like to argue that having “under God” in the pledge violates the Constitution, a document which requires “separation of church and state,” and so to mention God in the pledge would be a combining of religion and government. However, the religious founding of our nation precedes the Constitution.

All in all, the phrase “under God” should be kept in our great Pledge of Allegiance. This country was founded by Christians, and it should stay that way.

Apple prevents FBI privacy invasions; rightfully so

By Austin Phelps Phelps621@lex2.org Privacy: the state or condition of being free from being observed or disturbed by other people. People love their privacy because it is a precious thing that is mostly hard to come by nowadays. That’s why Apple should not give people's privacy on their phones away to the government. The government wants a backdoor tool to get to the information about a few a terrorists that use iPhones, which could prove to be very useful to save people’s lives, but millions of American citizens’ privacy should not be sacrificed to get that information. "His priority is to provide privacy to [Apple] customers," said Tim Bajarin, president of Creative Strategies, about the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook. Both sides have their reasons, but I am firmly against the government having a backdoor tool to get into any iPhone.

First of all, the laws that govern what the government can and cannot survey are foggy. In the

name of national security, the government has created a comprehensive, unchecked informationsharing network that lacks accountability. Law enforcement agencies can now monitor, collect, and share individual's’ phone calls, emails, and records without evidence of criminal activity. The right to privacy entails being free from unwarranted government intrusions into our personal affairs. It means that individuals, not the government, should determine how and when others get access to their personal information. This means that they are contradicting themselves with what they can do. So the government getting the backdoor tool to all iPhone information is is going against the privacy policy, but partly siding with the government surveillance policy. It turns out to be very confusing.

Furthermore, the government already has too much control over the people of America, especially with technology. “Since no one but you can know what's best for you, government control can't make

your life better,” said Harry Browne. Today, most people in the United States carry a mobile phone that accompanies them wherever they go. We now know that the NSA and other government agencies are obtaining data related to Americans' communications and activities from wireless providers, and they're doing so legally under the Patriot and Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Acts.

Not only do intelligence agencies gather information via mobile companies, but there are reports that your phone can be hacked using spyware. Even if your phone is turned off, it can be remotely accessed to record conversations and take photographs, and the information is available to any government agency looking for information.

If the government can get Apple to give them a way to get into the information of all of their devices, then it is most likely for them to be able to get a way to get into the information of any other products from other companies.

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Apple is one of the most closed off companies in the world, mostly keeping to themselves and doing their own thing. If the government were able to get them to hand over a backdoor tool to get information from all their devices, it would definitely make them able to get the same from other companies, making even more people vulnerable to the government spying and taking information from their de-

West Columbia, SC vices. There would be positive outcomes from the government having backdoor tools to many different companies, like being able to stop more crime happening through devices and other products; but I don't think it would be worth giving up all of our privacy.

Again, both sides have their own reasons, but I am against the government having a backdoor tool to get into any iPhone. People’s privacy would be compro-

13 March 18, 2016 mised, the government will have even more control that they don’t need, and if they can get Apple to do what they want, they could get anyone to do what they want. This goes to show that people rely way too much on their phones for everything in their lives; and if that information in their phones gets out, their lives could be over.

College athletes don’t need to get paid salaries; scholarships provide enough

By DeAundre Scott Scott343@lex2.org Should college athletes get paid? Some agree; some disagree.

There are many reasons to agree on why college athletes should get paid but also reasons on why they shouldn't. My opinion is on the negative side agreeing that college athletes should not get paid. My main reason is that the purpose of college is to prepare athletes for the next level after college. If athletes already get a taste of the professional lifestyle in college, I don't think that would be good. Plus how would athletes get paid?

Would it be the same as in the pros? There's a lot that has to go into this topic.

First of all, if college athletes get paid in college what would be the point of going pro? If they are already have a steady income coming in they wouldn't strive to be great to become a professional athlete. That's one of the main reasons why most athletes go to college: to help them have a better chance of going pro. The two reasons why people want to go pro is to play the sport that they love and, hopefully, eventually to get paid for doing something they love. Honestly, paying college athletes wouldn't be the smartest thing to do; they are still college kids. Who knows where the money earned would go to!

The bottom line is that if college athletes were paid, there would be less incentive for them to work hard in college so that they are even better by the time they age into the pros. The athletes would not try that hard or in other words put enough effort into the game. The reason many people enjoy watching college sports more than professional is the effort that college athletes give to the game, because when athletes go pro they tend to not go as hard because they don't want to get hurt and lose money. As of now, college athletes understand that if they prove themselves on the field, court, and etc that they have a better chance of being chosen of going to the next level.

Students go to college for an education; college is education not a business, or at least it’s not supposed to be, which is why students shouldn't be concerned about getting paid to play. If you don't maintain a certain average in your classes, you can't play at all. Let's not forget the first part of student-athlete. Also, if student athletes get paid, shouldn't all students get paid? I'm sure a lot of athletes get free education because of their athletic abilities, and many average students have to pay for their education which cost thousands of dollars. To me, college athletes are already getting paid to play by getting a full-ride scholarship. It would be double-

pay to pay athletes on top of what they get in scholarship money.

Those who are in favor of paying college athletes bring up that paying the athletes would benefit them. When asked how paying them would benefit the athlete some say to feed and clothe themselves, which is crazy when the athletes are fed throughout week and are given lots of clothes. Advocates of paying college athletes might also say something like.

These athletes are sacrificing their bodies and physical health at a chance to play a game they love, which is understanding. Even though many college athletes get their tuitions paid for, they do not get extra money to live on, like to buy clothing, afford rent, and just live life, especially since so many come from impoverished families. According to findings published in a report by The National College Players Association, 86% of college athletes live in poverty. While something does need to be done to prevent college athletes on full-ride scholarships from living in poverty, paying them like pro athletes is not the answer.

Perhaps a living-wage stipend could be included in their scholarships.

So, back to my initial question: should college athletes get paid? In my opinion they shouldn't because, for one, college is for education one it's not a business.

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Second, if the athletes were to be paid, most of the athletes wouldn't give the same effort. Third, if these

EDITORIALS West Columbia, SC athletes get paid now what would be the point of going pro? While something does need to be done to combat the poverty rate amongst

March 18, 2016 full-ride scholarship athletes, paying them a salary is not the answer.

God exists; coexists with science, reason

By Josh Talton Talton@lex2.org Is God real? During anyone’s lifetime, that is the one question that everyone must answer. If God is real, why would he allow suffering and evil in the world? He is supposed to be a loving God. Why would a loving and merciful God send people to Hell? That does not sound like a very forgiving God. Based on some of these issues, naysayers like to argue: There is no scientific evidence for God. There is no way God is real. I am going to answer these questions and refute these statements proving to you that God is real and is ready for you to turn your life over to him and be a child of God. Even if there was a God, why would he allow pointless evil in the world? God is not comprehensible. Just because we can not see or understand the point in allowing an evil to occur does not mean God does not have a reason for it.

A good example of this is the story of Joseph in Genesis. Joseph was hated by his brothers. His brothers’ hearts were full of jealousy.

They imprisoned Joseph and sold him into slavery and a life of misery in Egypt. Joseph knew his God, and he knew his God had a greater plan. He prayed to God asking for him to help him escape.

But God did not send help, and Joseph spent years in bondage.

Eventually Joseph rose up and became the prime minister of Egypt and saved his nation and his family from starvation. God always has a greater plan and God says he will right all wrongs in the end. The fact that there is evil and suffering does not disprove God’s existence.

How can a good and loving God send people to Hell? The very

concept of Hell scares people.

They get offended and start getting defensive when someone brings up Hell and the fact they may end up there. Skeptics do not accept that a God of love can be a God of judgment. But, even the most loving people can sometimes be filled with anger because of the love they have for someone else. They are filled with anger because someone is wronging their loved one, even if the one hurting their loved one is him or herself. It is unreasonable to think that a loving God can not judge. It is because he is such a loving God that he has to judge to keep the unrighteous from entering the gates of heaven. That would be in itself unrighteous and would be unfair to those who follow his will. He would be unworthy of worship.

Perhaps the most frequent argument against God is the “Science disproves Christianity” claim. Intellectual atheists say that the Christian God cannot exist because miracles can not scientifically happen. There is a reason for everything, and if something happens in the world that is not part of nature, it must be fake, or so say the doubters. In Timothy Keller’s The Reason For God, he goes on to explain that this statement is an act of faith. The scientific method can not test for super natural causes, meaning what God does is beyond science. God spoke, and everything leapt into existence. If this is so, how can God not raise someone from the dead? Make a blind man see?

Make a deaf man hear? Francis Collins is a renowned research scientist and the head of the Human Genome Project. He published a book called The Language of God. He goes on to explain his conversion from atheism to Christianity on the basis “that the fine-

tuning, beauty, and order of nature nonetheless point to a divine Creator.” But Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion, explains that one can not be scientifically rational and religious.

Francis Collins seems to be extremely intelligent, but yet he believes in the Christian God. Miracles are, it is true, very difficult to believe in, but that’s the way they should be. If they were easy to believe in, then they wouldn’t be a miracle. In Matthew 28, we are told of Jesus’s resurrection and that his disciples went to the mountain in Galilee. Verse 17 says, “When they saw him, they wor shiped him; but some doubted.” Even the Lord’s own disciples doubted that he had really done the impossible and risen from the dead yet they were looking at him with their own eyes and touching him with their own hands. It is natural to have doubts about God, everyone does. But he is very much alive. He has made himself evident to everyone one, as it says in Romans 1:19, “because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.”

In short, science and faith are not mutually exclusive, and doubt is often a necessary step towards belief.

You do not love God, yet he deserves it. He loves you, yet you do not deserve it. God is a loving and merciful God. He has made himself evident to you but you suppress the truth in your unrighteousness. I am not saying I am better than you because I’m a Christian, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). I do not deserve his love anymore than you do. But he deserves yours and mine. I hope and pray that this (Continued on page 15)

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has opened your eyes to the truth, the way, and the light which is Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. He created the heavens and the earth, he created man, he died for us to live in a heavenly kingdom our human minds cannot comprehend. To give your life to Christ is not to give up your freedom, but to gain your freedom from sin and unrighteousness.

To conclude, there is a story of

West Columbia, SC a very attractive slave girl that was up for sale. These two men were bidding for her and whispering to each other what they were going to do to her. A third man, who heard these other two, said, “I bid twice as much as either of these two men.” He won the bidding war and went straight to buy the slave’s freedom. Not knowing what was going on and while speaking another language, the slave girl was kicking and screaming as he

15 March 18, 2016 took her away. When he bought her freedom, the man at the counter told the girl that this man had just bought her freedom. The girl wept. She wanted so dearly to repay him. She asked the man, “Can I be your slave?” This is how it is with Jesus. He has paid for our freedom with his blood and we need to serve him. To be a slave of God is not giving up your freedom, but to secure it.

Many things about life are dangerous; no need to live in fear, especially when it comes to sports like football

By Colby Spires Spires821@lex2.org In 2015 the NFL generated 13 billion dollars in revenue. 114.4 million people watched Super Bowl 50. Football is as popular as ever. With the rise of athletes that have huge social followings comes young athletes looking to one day become like their heroes. Those young athletes are starting to become bigger, faster, and stronger to keep up with the high demand for athletes to perform at a top level. With the increase in high intensity work, there is an increase in the risk of injuries. With injuries comes the risk of death.

That death is a concern for spectators, parents, and athletes themselves. Despite the dangers, football is no more or less dangerous than any number of other sports and should not be outlawed or modified due to its danger.

First of all, let's look at the bare bones of the issue. Is football too dangerous? Lets look at the sport of football. Basically, it’s athletes in peak physical condition, running, tackling, and trying to score the most points by any means necessary, within the confines of the rules of course. These athletes wear loads of top of the

line protection from helmets, pads across the whole body, braces, gloves and other personal equipment, all used to protect the athlete from major injury. So, yes, football is dangerous, but equipment exists to protect the players.

Secondly, not only is the equipment changing but the rules of the game are as well and in a way that makes the game safer.

Over the last ten years, rules have been constantly changing to help protect players from such things like targeting and helmet-tohelmet contact. Rules will continue to be revised and created not only for the safety of players but to protect the sport as a whole.

Lastly, athletes can be hurt in any sport at any time. Non-contact or full-contact, there is a risk of serious injury in all sports. A head to head hit in football is just as risky as someone slide tackling in soccer or a slam into the glass in hockey, falling off and getting run over by a horse in a race, landing on your neck in the high jump.

Death is all around us, since 1978, 37 people have died from vending machines. should we ban vending machines because they are too dangerous?

Despite having given several

reasons as to why football should not be gotten rid of just because it’s dangerous, others disagree. Those who want to see the sport outlawed or have the sport severely toned down say their reasons are because the sport is too barbaric. Some say that anyone who plays this sport is signing their life away. Those who are against football have most likely had a traumatic experience within the sport, directly or indirectly. All of these problems they raise , however, can be resolved.

Athletes across all ages want to be the best. With that determination and desire in mind, athletes are willing to put their bodies on the line. In talking to an Airport athlete with multiple concussions, the sum of which has put in sports career in jeopardy, he stated that after all he as been through he would still play the sport he loves. This is a small example of the desire that athletes have to perform at the top level.

Death is all around us. Let's not live in fear and play the games we love. With proper safety of course.