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IN THIS ISSUE...
www.cnmcountryside.com
Friday, March 27th, 2009 - VOLUME 30, Issue 5 www.cnmcountryside.com
Clearwater, FL 33761
Famous Author Cranks Countr yside paulineMURPHY
editor-in-chief
The author of five New York Times best-sellers, Ellen Hopkins, offered neophyte and devoted readers of her books a laconic look into her life March 18, in the Countryside gymnasium. Her shockingly flagrant fiction novels, Crank, Burned, Impulse, Glass and Identical, incorporate issues such as drug addiction, suicide, sexual abuse and prostitution. “[My] books do not have happy endings. I do not sugarcoat [because] I feel like I need to write honestly,” said Hopkins. She was born on March 26, 1955 in Long Beach, California, yet adopted and raised in Palm Springs, California by Albert Wagner and Valeria Wagner, who at the time were 72 and 42. Mrs. Wagner instilled her love of reading and writing in Hopkins at an early age. “I was reading chapter books before kindergarten and published my first poem at nine years old,” said Hopkins. The writer met her biological mother, Toni Chandler, in 2000 and discovered her writing ability was also in her genes. Chandler had been writing poetry throughout her life, along with scripts for Walt Disney. Journalism was Hopkins’ choice of study in college. Her first husband introduced her to drugs in college though. “I was a 70s rebel. I experimented a little bit, but I stopped when I left college and had children,” said Hopkins. Her ex-husband did not stop. He favored drugs over Hopkins and their three children, Jason, Cristal, and Kelly. In 1984 however, Hopkins remarried a man she now refers to as her “forever love”, John Hopkins. They moved to Tahoe where she rekindled her writing ability at a local newspaper. She then turned to food writing and free-
lance writing. “[At the time] I was also writing poems and short stories and sticking them in a drawer somewhere,” said Hopkins. A trip to an aviation exhibit in Washington, D.C. sparked her interest to become a children’s author. She has since published 20 nonfiction books for middle-aged kids. Unfortunately, life for Hopkins has its low notes. When
Within weeks, the book became a huge success. Those that followed have done the same. Glass is the only current sequel to Crank. The rest of Hopkins narratives cover other serious problems teens face. All of the books are written in poetic verse. The major plot points in each book really happened, but the characters have been slightly changed. Hopkins currently lives in Washoe Valley, Nevada with her husband John and Cristal’s 12 year old son, Orion, whom they adopted. She enjoys reading books by authors Stephen King and Ken Kesey and logs onto Myspace for atleast two hours everyday. Don’t express a love for Twilight - Ellen Hopkins books around her because she despises her middle child, Cristhem. tal, was fifteen years “I hate those old, she met her first books,” said Hopboyfriend. He opened kins. her eyes to crystal Cristal, Hopkins’ meth. A beautiful girl daughter, is currently with straight A’s and a 30 years old and has 150 IQ became a grayfour other children. haired addict in and Hopkins sees her out of prison. once or twice a year, “I wrote [Crank] mainly on holidays, for me…to understand if she’s not in prison why [Cristal] did what for drug abuse. she did.” Tricks, Hopkins’ Crank is written in next book about five llen Hopkins autographs books for Countryside students Cristal’s point of view teen prostitutes will March 18. photo credit Rachel Lubitz as the character Krisbe available on Autina. It is a similar plot to Cristal’s real life discussing how gust 25, 2009. Her third and final book about Cristal, Fallshe became tangled in a web of crystal meth dependence. out, will be published in 2010. Fans of Hopkins also have “I’ve never gotten over it,” said Hopkins. “Your life be- something to look forward to in the near future because longs to everybody in it that loves you [too]. Those kinds she has a contract for three more books after Fallout. of things stay with you and sometimes I think we need to write them out.”
“My books do not have happy endings. I do not sugarcoat [because] I feel like I need to write honestly.”
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OMG i crshd my car while txtn :( krystalCASEY
editor-in-chief
The signs are posted all around school, as well as in teacher’s classrooms. Teachers are constantly reminding students to keep their phones away, but that doesn’t stop them. Students often claim that, if caught with their cell phone, they are only checking the time. While that may be true, more often than not, the students are texting. Texting has become one of the major forms of communication and is the most widely used mobile data service. Studies show that text messaging has addictive tendencies. It was officially confirmed in 2004, as an addictive behavior by a study at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium. Since then, a study at the University of Queensland, Australia has found that text messaging has become the most addictive digital service on a mobile device or internet provider, and is equivalent in addictiveness to cigarette
smoking. In January, a California teen set a record high of 14,528 text messages in a one month period. “That’s too much,” said sophomore Jordan Webb. “I know I text a lot, but seriously 14,528, that girl knows how to text.” According to Assistant Principal Lewis Curtwright, an estimated fifteen referrals are given out everyday due to student cell phone use. That means about sixty referrals a month. “The use of cell phone defiance has caused the school to have a high suspension rate,” said Mr. Curtwright. Because texting has been shown to have addictive tendencies, many students find themselves texting while driving. A bill is in the works to ban the use of cellular devices while driving. Only two states so far have successfully banned texting while driving- Washington and New Jer-
sey. The safety council in a Harvard study said the use of cellular devices while driving has resulted in approximately six percent of all accidents across the country. This works out to about 636,000 crashes, 330,000 injuries, 12,000 serious injuries and 2,600 deaths each year. “I’ll admit it. I have texted while on the road, but I am cutting back, especially when I see other people texting while driving, and I see how unfocused they are,” said junior Nicole Covey. The new bill will be reviewed by the Florida legislation next month, and the use of a mobile device while driving could possibly be banned by the beginning of summer. Many students often use their phones during school and in their cars. It might be wise to look at how it affects themselves and others and make a concious effort not to wreck their lives.
New teachers hop on board the C-side train kaleyNEMETH
staff writer
As each school year comes to an end there will be some goodbyes to teachers but hellos to others. In the past school years, Countryside said their goodbyes to Mr. Gary Jones, Ms. Irene Bachman, Mr. Paul Carter, Mr. Jared Tenbrink and a few others. A new school year means new teachers. This year Countryside welcomed Mrs. Jennifer Gray, Mr. Christian Mills, Ms. Sarita Stevens, Mr. Scott Hernon, who took the place of Mr. Gary Jones in drivers education, and welcomed back Mr. Chip Spencer and Mrs. Debbie Wilson. One of the returning teachers, Mrs. Wilson, taught here about two and half years ago for two years. She works in the English department teaching every level of English,
and has taught debate and speech. She graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a business degree and the University of South Florida with a degree in Professional Technical Writing and English Education. “Teenagers and their craziness are my favorite part about teaching,” said Mrs. Wilson. A new teacher here is Mr. Hernon. He is the new driving insturctor. In the past Mr. Hernon taught college swimming in Ohio for a national university, after the Marine Core. He has never taught at Countryside before but heard many good things about it and wanted to give it a try. “The atmosphere, staff, and kids here are [great],” said Mr. Hernon.
There were other schools Mr. Hernon looked into: Mitchell High School in Pasco County as well as Sickles and Alonzo High School in Hillsborough County. He has been in drivers education teaching for a year, and has also taught physical education and team sports in Hillsborough County. He attended Fairmont State university receiving a degree in industrial arts and physical education. He also went to Ashland University in Ohio, and receiving a degree in sports science. Countryside has been through many changes this year. Mrs.Wilson and Mr.Hernon will now be able to share these changes as they continue teaching.