CH TEENS Vol.1, Issue 1

CH

TEENS Vol. 1 Issue 1 Spring ‘17

NORTHARK NORTHARK

Presented by Cox Communications & the Harrison Convention & Visitors Bureau Presented by Cox Communications & the Harrison Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Northark Summer Movie Series is a FREE monthly screening of the latest and greatest theatrical release family movies. Free popcorn is also provided courtesy of our fine sponsors.

The Northark Summer Series is for a FREE screening of the and Come early and enjoyMovie fun activities kids monthly of all ages!

Movies willlatest begin at greatest sunset. theatrical release movies.

Free popcorn is also provided courtesy of our fine sponsors.

Updates andfamily more info available at www.northark.edu/summermovies!

Come early and enjoy fun activities for kids of all ages! Movies will begin at sunset.

2017 MOVIE SCHEDULE

Updates and more info available at www.northark.edu/summermovies!

(All movies are subject to change) 2017 MOVIE Aug. SCHEDULE May 13 - The LEGO Batman Movie 5 - Pirates of the Caribbean: (All movies are subject to change)

May - The LEGO Batman Movie Aug. 5 - Pirates the Tell Caribbean: June 3 -13 Beauty and The Beast Dead of Men No Tales - Beauty andIsland The Beast Dead Men Tell NoMe Tales JulyJune 8 - 3Kong: Skull Sept. 16 - Despicable 3 July 8 - Kong: Skull Island Sept. 16 - Despicable Me 3 www.northark.edu/summermovies

www.northark.edu/summermovies

North Arkansas Arkansas College North College www.northark.edu/summermovies www.northark.edu/summermovies

Check our Facebook Check our Facebook for more information!

for more information!

Northark Northark Tech Camps Tech Camps2017 2017

Northark Northark Northark Tech Camps 2017 Tech Camps 2017 Tech Camps 2017

CAMPER’S

CAMPER’S NAME ___

ADDRESS _

ADDRESS _________

(PLEASE PRINT) (PLEASE PRINT) PARENT’S N (PLEASE PRINT) PARENT’S NAME ____ CAMPER’S NAME ___________________________________________ CAMPER’S NAME _____________________________________________ CAMPER’S NAME __________________________________________________ PARENT’S PARENT’S DAYTIME D P ADDRESS _________________________________________________ ADDRESS ___________________________________________________ ADDRESS _________________________________________________________ EMAIL ADDRESS ____ PARENT’S NAME ___________________________________________ PARENT’S NAME _____________________________________________ EMAIL ADDR PARENT’S NAME ___________________________________________________ PARENT’S DAYTIME PHONE NUMBER _________________________ PARENT’S DAYTIME PHONE NUMBER ___________________________ GRADE IN SCHOOL PARENT’S PHONE NUMBER _________________________________ GRADE IN (F S DESIGN & DAYTIME CONSTRUCT CAMPCAMP DESIGN & CONSTRUCT EMAIL ADDRESS ___________________________________________ EMAIL ADDRESS _____________________________________________ __Robotics Camp $125 EMAIL ADDRESS ___________________________________________________ July 10-14, 1:00PM-5:00PM __Robotics C July 10-14, 1:00PM-5:00PM GRADE SCHOOL (FALL 2017) _______________________________ GRADE IN IN SCHOOL (FALL 2017) _________________________________ • Entering GRADE INgrades SCHOOL6-9 (FALL 2017) ______________________________________ __Both Camps $240 *If • Entering grades 6-9 __Both Cam Camp $125 __Design & Construct Camp $125 __Robotics Camp $125 & Construct $125 • Intro to__Robotics safety hand tools__Design __Robotics Camp& $125 __Design & Construct Camp Camp $125

ROBOTICSCAMP CAMP ROBOTICS July 10-14, 8:00AM-Noon July 10-14, 8:00AM-Noon • Entering grades 6-9 ROBOTICS CAMP ROBOTICS CAMP DESIGN & CONSTRUCT CAMP DESIGN & CONSTRUCT CAMP OBOTICS CAMP DESIGN & 6-9 CONSTRUCT CAMP • Entering grades July 10-14, 8:00AM-Noon • Intro to computer programming July 10-14, 8:00AM-Noon July 10-14, 1:00PM-5:00PM July 10-14, 1:00PM-5:00PM y 10-14, 8:00AM-Noon July 10-14, 1:00PM-5:00PM MAIL TO: Northark Community Ed • Intro to computer programming • Intro toand safety &$240 hand tools • Entering grades • Entering grades • Entering • Entering grades 6-96-9robots • Create &grades guided *Ifis3D camper is attending both camps, please bring a sack lu __Both Camps • Designing printing *Ifin camper is attending both camps, please bring a sack lunch __Both Camps $240 ntering grades 6-9 6-96-9 • autonomous Entering grades 6-9 TO: *If camper attending both camps, please bring aMAIL sack lunch __Both Camps $240 I promise to conform to theNorthark regulatio • to Intro computer programming • Intro to to computer programming •to safety &tools hand • Intro to to safety & hand tools • Create autonomous guided robots • Designing and printing in1515 3D ntro computer programming • Robots play aIntro game &hand perform atools task ments. certify that my child is North medi • Intro safety && • Design & a take home project checks payable to No MAIL TO: Northark Community Education, Pioneer Dr, Harrison 72601 • Make checks payable to MAIL TO:build Northark Community Education, 1515 Pioneer Dr,for Harrison AR AR 72601 • IMake I promise conform to NorthtoArkansas C MAIL TO: Northark Community Education, 1515 Pioneer Dr, Harrison AR 72601 • Make checks payable • Create autonomous & guided robotsplay • Create autonomous & guided named camper, I assume the risk of Designing printing 3D • Designing and printing 3D reate autonomous & guided • Designing andlast printing inwith 3Dinain •robots Robots a• on game &and perform task I promise to conform to regulations thearegulations ofhome the North Arkansas College Camp.

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I understand thements. general information and a •robots Competition the day • Design & build take project for each student I promise to conform to the regulations of the North Arkansas College Camp. I understand theofficers, general information and employee tuition requ their agents, and • Robots play a game & perform a task •obots Robots play a game & perform a task ments.

I certify that my child is medically and physcially fit and competent to attend and participate in Tech Camp.

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As pa • Design & build a take home project for • Design & build a take home project named camper, as play a game & perform a task that my child is medically and physcially fit and competent to attend and participate in Tech Camp.

As parent orIfoot gua • Design &the build a take home project for forments. I certify use publish photos or video parents in attendance (11AM-1PM) named camper, I assume the risk of accident or injuries whatever cause inand connection therewith and release N named camper, Ithe assume the risk of accident or injuries fromfrom whatever cause in connection therewith and release North •day Competition oneach last day with each student named camper, I assume risk of accident or injuries from whatever cause in connection therewith andtheir release North Arkansas • Competition the last with officers, agents • Competition onon the last day with student each student Signed _____________________ officers, agents, employees any all liability for any accidentliability. or liability.

I grant North Arkansa ompetition on the last day with theirtheir officers, agents, and and employees fromfrom and and all for accident any suchsuch I grant North Arkansas student *Robots will not each be taken home their officers, agents, and employees from any and allany liability forliability any such oraccident liability. Iorgrant North Arkansas College theCr use and publish pho use and publish photos or video footage taken of the camper. use and publish photos or video footage taken of the camper. parent or guardian si parents in attendance (11AM-1PM) parents attendance (11AM-1PM) parents in in attendance (11AM-1PM) use and publish photos or video footage taken of the camper. arents in attendance (11AM-1PM) Signed ___________________________________________________

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If a DISASTER strikes your community, will YOU be part of the solution?

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Basic Training for Teens

includes emergency preparedness and disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations. High school students receive the CERT training including classroom instruction, hands-on activities and exercises to learn new life skills, serve their school and community, and experience the value of teamwork.

Northark Community Education

Open to 9th - 12th Grade High School students North Arkansas College South Campus Room M164/M169 July 19 - 21 2017 • Wednesday -Friday 8AM - 5PM Cost $80 • Limited number of half-price scholarships available

Enroll Today! www.northark.edu/ce • 870-391-3100 Northark is open and inclusive of everyone.

To view the Northark Non-Discrimination Policy please visit http://bit.ly/2oMV82i.”

CH TEENS

Lauren Malte

Vol. 1, Issue 1 Spring 2017

Wlecome to Come Home Teens! Black Bear Publishing is proud to present our first ever magazine created entiely by teens from our area. We have 11 students from 5 school districts represented. It is our goal to publish two issues a year to create scholarships for young adults interested in creative writing, photography, graphic design, and marketing.

If you are an Arkansas student in grades 7-12 and would like to be on our CH Teens staff please contact us through email at BlackBearPublising@gmail.com

Spencer Hinrichs William Spencer Hinrichs is a Senior at Harrison High school, and will be attending the University of Central Arkansas after graduation. Spencer has worked on several issues of Come Home magazine as a photographer and a writer. He enjoys watching movies and tv shows with friends and family.

At school Spencer has been apart of the Harrison High School EAST Program for his entire school career. He is also co-captain of the Quiz Bowl team, and a member of the yearbook team.

Lauren Malte was born and raised in Manila, Philippines. She moved to the United States when she was eleven years old, first residing in Chicago, IL, then in St. Louis, MO. She currently resides in Mountain Home, AR. Each experience from each place was memorable, but it was Chicago that captured her heart. She enjoys watching Blackhawks hockey and experiencing the culture of Chicago. She also shares a passion for writing, psychology, and science.

Her distinctive nature desires the liberal arts and the medical sciences. She writes for her school newspaper and enjoys volunteering for her local community.

Michael Schraeder My name is Michael Schraeder, and I live in Mountain Home, Arkansas. I’m currently a junior at Mountain Home High School.

My parents and I moved to the Ozarks six years ago from an area in Texas known as the “Hill Country”. For as long as I can remember, I have been involved in some aspect of the outdoors -- from hunting and fishing to volunteering with a number of wildlife conservation groups (like Ducks Unlimited and Trout Unlimited). Spending time on the water or in the woods has alAlexis Yearwood, currently a ways been my passion but helpMountain Home High School stuing others to know and enjoy dent, can be found most days with those same opportunities is very her nose stuck in a book, singing important to me as well. I hope her head off at the top of her lungs this article inspires readers to get until her mom yells at her to shove out and enjoy some of the many a sock in it, painting until her new bomber is smeared with paint, act- awesome outdoor opportunities ing in various plays, or writing until that are all around us here in the Ozarks. she can’t even tell her character’s

Alexis Yearwood

name apart from her own.

As the Co-Editor for The Bomber Bulletin and a big sister to three brothers, she spends a lot of time yelling at people who get off task at school, then repeating the process when she gets home. She can be found living in her own head far too many times. She won first place in an essay contest for NASCO in fifth grade and has since boasted it like she won the Grammy award for best actress. She is currently writing several young adult fiction books, early drafts availble online.

Angelina Hudson Greetings Earthlings, Angelina Hudson here! I am a 17 year old Junior at Green Forest High. My favorite things to do include reading, writing, laughing with friends, and fangirling over anime. In fact, I love writing so much that I aspire to become a published author and create books for millions of people who respect and adore the written word as much as I do.

Even though I’ve been dabbling in writing for a while now, I still have a lot to learn and will continue my education after high school in order to make my dreams a reality.

Katie Curtis

Destiny Greenhaw Hello, my name is Destiny Greenhaw. I am a sophomore at Lead Hill Schools.

I am 16 years old and I have one younger brother.

I have two dogs that I love very much. I am a member of Rapid Response, Yearbook, FBLA, in the Light House Youth Group, and I play basketball for the Lady Tigers. I do enjoy editing but when I get older, I want to be a Pediatric Physician Assistant.

Hi, my name is Katie Curtis.

I am a sophomore at Lead Hill High School. I have two younger brothers. I am a cheerleader and involved in my school yearbook. I am in my second year of photography and loving it. My favorite hobbies are reading and taking pictures. I take pictures or anything and everything. I want to go to college to be an English teacher. I also want to do something that involves photography. I am very excited to be working on Come Home Kids. It’s a new and exciting experience I’m looking forward to.

Emma Howie Emma Howie is a 14-yearold freshman at Valley Springs High School. She has a variety of hobbies including Tennis, Softball, Mock Trial, Key Club, Archery, and Rapid Response.

She lives in Harrison with her parents and exchange student. Outside of school and related activities, she enjoys reading - particularly science fiction and romance - and enjoys all types of writing. She is ambitious, always up for a challenge, and enjoys learning new things.

She tries to keep an optimistic view on challenges and her mantra is, “I never lose.

I either win or learn.”

(Nelson Mandela)

Kinder Hinrichs Hello, my name is Kinder Hinrichs, I am a student at the Harrison Junior High School. I am in choir, EAST and Student Council. I am on the senior high Quiz Bowl team. I find enjoyment in movies and books, video games, music, plays and being funny. I spend my free time enjoying my family by reading a book and ignoring them. I have a strange sense of humor and quick wit. Follow me on Instagram comma_d_2001

Addie Jones

Mainnie Wilson Hello, my name is Mainnie Aine Wilson. I am 13 years old, in the 8th grade, and I go to Harrison Junior High School. For some of y’all who don’t know me, I am the daughter of Monique Wilson and Phil Wilson, the sister to Baker and Gibson Wilson, and the granddaughter to Linda and Alf Hudspeth. My hobbies include the fine arts such as reading, writing, drawing, acting, and choir. My interests include playing with my dogs-Max and Little, getting on social media, and hanging out with friends. I am excited to write in this magazine!

My name is Addie Jones and I’m a 7th grader at Harrison Junior High School. I participate in FCCLA and EAST, and have won the Boone County Spelling Bee 4 times in a row. At the Lyric Theatre, I have acted in several plays such as Oliver and Sound of Music.

I’ve always loved to read, so I started a program called Bright BeginningsToday a Reader * Tomorrow a Leader with the goal to hand out as many books as possible to children. Check it out on Facebook and Instagram!

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CH TEENS To Adve rtise contact H eather 870-688 -6561

Contributors Haley Hipp North Arkansas College Intern Graphic Design Ashton Keeton Cover and Staff Photos

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Therapy nsas l a ic s y h a Jones P k of North Ark l Ban a n io t a l Clinic a t n e D First N d Hubbar raphics dontics HD G o h t r O strock e W f o llege m Dr. Tatu h Arkansas Co Nort innings g e B t h Brig

M ig ie Ha re r e l a V eymo g S n i b Ro terlin s a E y Nanc Rogers Toni

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KORI’S CREATIONS BAKING HER WAY TO THE TOP Written by Addie Jones Photography by Katie Curtis

At first glance, becoming a baker seems like a dream come true. After all, you’re surrounded by delicious, appetizing sweets all day.

Astounding local 13 year old baker, Kori Parker, has that dream to someday own her own baking business. Even though she is a busy girl in 7th grade, she is already baking for her family and friends. She says she loves her favorite hobby of baking, but admits it is a lot of work to prepare those treats. Although it can be hard for her to make time to bake, she says it is always worth it in the end.

Kori has always loved to be in the kitchen. She took interest in baking at an early age because of her creative personality and the desire to create. Kori excels at making a variety of desserts. The first thing Kori remembers making all on her own was “Minion� cupcakes when she was in 4th grade. At first Kori took delight in baking just for the fun of it, but soon people recognized her talent and now ask her to bake for them. The first time someone asked Kori to bake for them was when she started making dog biscuits. Her mom posted a picture of them on Facebook, and people started asking her how much they cost.

asked to make was an Abraham Lincoln hat for her sister Kenzie’s school project.

The part Kori most enjoys about being a baker is looking at the finished product after a long night of baking. The most challenging is making time for it.

Between track, volleyball, school, and her sisters’ activities, she has a tight schedule. Kori says she thinks the most valuable skill a baker must have is patience.

She says baking takes time, and without patience you might mess up because you did something at the wrong time. Baking

Kori’s favorite thing to make is sug- has to be precise. ar cookies. Unlike cupcakes, there are Kori has big plans for the future. In so many options for the shape and style a few years, she wants to work for The of the cookies, and an infinite amount Cake Shop, and once she’s finished with of ways to decorate them. They’re her most popular item, and she got the recipe high school, go to culinary school. She has already decided that when she grows from her mother’s friend. According to Kori, the most unusual thing she has been up, she is going to move to Florida and

Kori says her mother is the person who inspires her the most. Every time Kori has to bake late into the night, her mom stays up with her and asks her if she needs anything. All of Kori’s creations are very unique, and she comes up with the ideas for them by taking the customer’s requests and then brainstorming ideas. She also uses Pinterest, which is a main source for her ideas, and watches cooking videos on YouTube. Kori watches several cooking shows, but her favorite is the Kids Bake-Off on Food Network.

open her own baking shop on Cocoa Beach. Kori will name it Triple C (Cookies, Cupcakes, and Cakes), and came up with the name after watching the shows Triple D and Triple G.

After admiring several of Kori’s desserts (and tasting some of them), I can see why she was voted “Most Creative” in the 7th Grade.

Kori continues to perfect her cookies and cupcakes by trying out new recipes at home.

I know someday she will have a successful baking business, whether it’s right here in Harrison or on the beach in Florida. Either way, I’ll be sure to visit!

Ever heard of a cool rider? Well, I did not until I talked to this cool rider.

Let me tell you, he is not an ordinary rider. It all started before he was even born. His dad got in a bad motorcycle wreck on the highway. That is when his mom and dad decided to race motorcycles on a racetrack instead.

He began riding when he was 4 years old. But, his mom said he was making motorcycle noises before he could talk. He started riding because his parents both rode and it looked super fun.

Plus, he would get to ride really fast. His little brother, Josiah, also

followed in his parents’ footsteps and rides motorcycles. In his lifetime, he has had 7 different types of bikes. But, he only rides 3 right now. He has around 10 sponsors

that help him get his bike fixed up.

They help with suspension, brakes, tires, and other racing necessities.

Typically there is one race weekend per month with the Central Motorcycle Racing Association (CMRA). The closest track to him is in Oklahoma so they cannot go often and it makes practicing difficult. That is why he practices on a dirt bike or on his bicycle most of the time.

He rides his bikes at dirt bike tracks and around the farm to stay prepared for the next race. He starts his racing weekend on Friday, that is his practice day. On Saturday, he races with his team, Moto Bros Racing. It is a 4 to 8 hour endurance race.

They change drivers every

hour and refuel the gas tank. He said, “Racing for an hour straight could get difficult and it would be easy to get distracted. So focus is the key to staying in the lead.

Sometimes, I think I could crash, so I tend to slow down some. But, I learn quickly and can maneuver better on the next lap.” He rides his 2016 Yamaha 300 in the endurance race. This race is not like a NASCAR track. It has all kinds of turns and twists. It is called a Road Course. On Sunday, it is a different kind of race. It is a sprint race that is 8 laps long. He rides his 2014 Honda Grom. They do not switch drivers on this. He races all ages and genders. But, he likes racing the adults best because of their reaction when they see a 7th grade boy pass them. He has won over 75% of the races that he has competed in. When asked he said, “My favorite race was at Nola, LA. I was only 4 seconds behind my dad’s pace. My goal is to finally beat my dad in a race. I know that is a tough goal because he has won over 20 championships.” He has raced in Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida.

No one really knows he is the racer because he lives on a farm in South Lead Hill, Arkansas. And if you know the roads around there, they are mostly dirt and gravel. After he outgrew his little 50cc bike when he was 7, then his mom and dad bought him a KTM race bike. Both of his parents instructed and warned him about the power difference with the upgrade. He did exactly what he usually did with his other bikes

and gassed it. I’m sure you can guess what happened — he did a wheelie and almost went into a fence.

Grass and rocks went everywhere. He said, “That goes down as a lesson learned.”

Another time when he got a new bike, he wanted to test drive it and try it out on the gravel even though it had street tires on it (those don’t handle well off pavement). He began to drive it and did not make it 0.25 miles. He wrecked, breaking almost the whole bike. It had dents, scratches, and broken lights, all before they officially bought the bike. On one of his bikes, he has a sticker with his favorite Bible verse, Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

This is how he stays motivated.

He may only be a 5 foot, 100 pound, 14 year old farm boy from South Lead Hill. But, he’s Isaiah Burleson and we hope to see him on ESPN some day soon.

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Creative Writing:

And How You Like It More Than You Think

written by Emma Howie Creative Writing often brings to mind the countless hours poured into writing assignments for class - writing that held no interestf for you in the first place. Sound familiar? The truth is creative writing has

many branches, and almost everyone likes one kind or another.

Flash Fiction

Flash fiction is a story often containing less than 300 words, and some are even as short as six words. Also called micro-fiction, this branch of creative writing is gaining popularity quickly and there are many competitions emerging for flash fiction. Brilliant Flash Fiction Writing Contests at https://brilliantflashfictionmag.wordpress.com/ writing-contests/ is a good place to start for writers new to this

genre. The contests are fun and free!

Writing Contests

BRILLIANT flash fiction brilliantflashfictionmag.wordpress.com Prompt: the dubash No Entry Fee Word limit: 500 words, excluding title Deadline: JUNE 15, 2017 Submissions: email to brilliantflashfiction@ gmail.com Prizes: 50 euro ...

Novel Writing

Novel writing seems like an impossible, insurmountable, scary task. In reality, it’s not.

Writing is like running. The more you write, the better and faster you get, and the longer you can write without getting tired. Writing a novel is about 90% dedication, 5% coffee, and 5% an interesting idea.

One crazy (but awesome) competition for novel writers new and old is NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).

Participants attempt to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. This competition takes place in November.

Screenwriting

Who hasn’t thought about making a movie out of that ridiculously good book?

Screenwriting introduces us, as creative writers, to film.

Screenwriting is a complex art, but is a lot of fun to learn. The thing that makes screenwriting

so incredibly difficult is that you have to at least 200 pages to a maximum of 160 pages. This is because movies typically last around 1.5-2 hours, and 1 page of typed script is around 1 minute of movie time. The Vpype Hollywood Pitch Contest is a great competition for screenwriters to take advantage of.

Poetry

Poetry is a fun, goofy way to have fun, or a somber, emotional way to cope. Either way, poetry is a great option for many who like words.

And, for those of you who like music, songs are poetry with music, so there is definitely a place for you too! Poetry is one of the most broad, unrestricted areas of creative writing. For lyricists and songwriters We Are Listening is a great competition to get involved in.

Comics

Comic Book fans, we haven’t forgotten you!

Comics are a fun and easy, sometimes quite humorous, and artistic field of creative writing.

Comics are a relatively forgotten part of the creative writing community. Many think that comics is its own group, but it’s still a major part of creative writing.

Fanfiction

Have you ever read a book and didn’t like the way it ended, so you re-wrote it? Or maybe you didn’t think it could be finished, so you finished the novel for the author. Whatever the case, you are a part of the creative writing community and you didn’t even know it. You write something called fanfiction, a branch that is rapidly gaining popularity.

You can submit your work in a competition for inkett.com.

Fishing the Ozarks Then and Now

Written by Michael Schraeder Photography Submitted by Eric Frahm and Ely Johnson

The outdoors has captivated me since I was very young, especially fishing. However, while living in the Hill Country of Texas, I received my first fly rod. And so, for the past 10 years, fly fishing has been my main focal point.

In 2011, my family and I moved to Mountain Home. Shortly after moving here, I began to realize the exceptional outdoor opportunities the area had to offer.

The Ozarks provide an unbelievable variety of fish and fishing opportunities. Everything from large reservoirs filled with several species of bass, sunfish, and catfish, to coldwater rivers teeming with four different species of trout, to clear Ozark streams that contain vibrantly colored long-eared sunfish and smallmouth bass.

Fishing and fishing-related businesses such as Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World and boat manufacturers such as Ranger, Bass Cat, and Shawnee, have, for many years, played a vital role in the Ozark’s economy. It’s also your local businesses such as fly shops, bait & tackle shops, resorts, and local fishing guides, that contribute to the enjoyment of the many resources we have here.

Guides like Elmo Hurst and Jim Owen, who started guide business on the White River in the early 1930’s, were both instrumental in introducing thousands of fishermen to “Ozark Float Trips” from Branson to Cotter. They did so in long, narrow, wooden boats, referred to as Ozark John-Boats. These trips were around 150 miles long, and would typically take 8 days. These float trips were done prior to the construction of Bull Shoals Dam in 1951. The construction of this dam dramatically changed the river from a free-flowing smallmouth river, to a 70,000 acre surface area reservoir and a coldwater/ tailwater trout fishery.

A tailwater is the water located directly below a hydroelectric dam. While the surface temperature on the lake may be warm, the water near the bottom of the lake, which is pulled through the generators, is cold. It is this colder water that is ideally suited for trout.

Shortly after the completion of Bull Shoals Dam, and 11 years after the completion of Norfork Dam, the Norfork National Fish Hatchery was built. This hatchery is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. This hatchery is responsible for raising three kinds of trout: rainbow, brown, and cutthroat. The

hatchery raises and releases more than 1.5 million trout annually, most of which are stocked in our local Ozark rivers.

The White and Norfork rivers have become popular destinations for fishermen using both fly and conventional gear, looking to catch not only numbers of fish, but also for the opportunity to catch some of the trophy brown trout that these rivers have become so famous for.

Undoubtedly, there were many people that were unhappy with the changes that occurred when the dams were built on many of our Ozark rivers. However, I think many people would argue they couldn’t imagine our fishing opportunities being any better then, than they are now. With summer right around the corner, this would be a great time to get out and enjoy our Ozark lakes, rivers, and streams. As the late Jim Owen (aka “King of the Ozarks Float Trip”) would say, “If you’re too busy to fish, you’re too busy.”

For the bigger kids and adults, try these locations: White & Norfork Rivers Trout species include Brown, Rainbow, Brook, and Cutthroat

Bull Shoals and Norfork Lake

Fish species include Bass, Walleye, Panfish, Catfish, Gar, Carp, and Drum

Crooked Creek & Buffalo River

Fish species include Bass, Panfish, Carp, Catfish, and Gar

Perfect place for kids to fish Dry Run Creek

Trout species include: Brown, Rainbow, Brook, and Cutthroat This is a very special creek that lies adjacent to the Norfork National Fish Hatchery, near Norfork Dam. This creek is less than a mile long reserved for kids 15 and under and also for those with certain disabilities. Only artificial lures (not scented baits) and flies with a single, barbless hook are permitted, and all fish caught must be released immediately. The creek is fed by water leaving the hatchery (up to 32 million gallons per day). The creek is not directly stocked by the hatchery, but contain hundreds if not thousands of fish that have migrated their way up the creek from the Norfork River.

school librarians or the public library directors. So, all it takes to start one is a library, a few interested kids, and a hand-picked or designated adult or library

A new opportunity has emerged in libraries all worker who really gets along and listens to today’s across America for teenagers, known as the Teen teens. Please remember, that when you’re starting a Advisory Board (TAB) which is a group intended to TAB to get permission from the library first! The, you get more of today’s youth involved and interested in and your TAB should start your activities and focus the library. The program itself consists of a group of teenagers between the school grades of 6th and 12th, on how to make your library better for everyone who walks through the doors. and one or more adults who wish to actively contribute to their communities by working together to As simple as we make creating an Advisory make their public and school libraries healthy and safe environments for kids outside of their home lives. The Board sound, the task of joining an Advisory Board members do this by meeting regularly to discuss how may differentiate with each library which is something to make the library more accessible and welcoming to you shouldn’t stress out about. One library may simply require a small application that includes a “recomkids nowadays and following up on teen interests. mendation” from a school teacher or counselor just to make sure you’re keeping your grades up and you

Online you will find many TABs that have already been established in libraries near and far from are a responsible person. Then there are others that merely require members to own a library card for the you. However, some students that get interested are library that the TAB is connected to. Remember, don’t unable to join a group because the public and school libraries closest to them don’t have one yet. Notice the stress about it!

By Angelina Hudson

emphasis on YET! Starting a Teen Advisory Board for

When you join a TAB, you’ll find yourself a specific library isn’t just an option limited to librarwondering what type of events and meetings you’ll ians, in fact, many TABs were started by teens who be participating in. Now again, these groups can be introduced the idea of the Advisory Board to their different and what they do or don’t do all depends on

the members and the Board Advisor’s schedules and the level of activities they may take on. For instance, many TABs have been known to arrange fundraisers for their library, school, community, and many other causes they feel the need to support. While others take another approach and stay in the library to host activities for the teens like study groups or game nights, the primary thing to remember is that you shouldn’t join just because you hear it is fun, but because you truly want to dedicate your time and thinking to your TAB. (The fun is just a plus!)

If you’ve joined a Teen Advisory Board or plan on doing so and the group isn’t at all what you imagined it to be or it no longer interests you, you should talk to the rest of the Board and the adult advisors about this. A TAB that doesn’t listen to

teens isn’t a TAB at all!

The best part about Teen Advisory Board is it can only keep growing from here, so if you want to get more people interested in TAB, all you need to do is spread the word. Tell your friends, teachers, neighbors, and siblings and you’re sure to pique someone’s interest! There are so many ways to do this too. try presenting a slideshow or giving a rundown-summary of the club to your high school’s book club or share online to your adoring Twitter followers. The options are pretty much endless when you have today’s social media and wide-range sharing capabilities!

Book Club

The greatest part of going to school is being able to attend meetings for our book club, Fellowship of the Readers. Like all book clubs, we’ve read dozens of books together and discussed them at length- but due to us being granted the best librarian in the world, Mrs. Badovinac- we’ve gotten to do tons of fun activities this year alone. The mannequin challenge, live video chats with authors across the country, and our making coffee on Wednesdays for our “Starbooks” cafe in the library. I’ve had a great time this year and I know book club will definitely be one of my fondest memories of highschool.

My Brother –

My Hero

“Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.” – Babe Ruth This quote reminds me a lot of my hero and his philosophy in life. My hero is my oldest brother Baker Wilson and his personal philosophy is, “to achieve by doubt, because if someone doubts you then you have an incentive to prove them wrong”. Baker knew even as a little kid that he wanted to play baseball. He started playing when he was 4 and is still playing in college. People doubted that he would do it. He has just finished two years at North Arkansas College and will be continuing college and baseball at Central Baptist College this fall. He is a great student (3.95 GPA) and a great baseball player. By succeeding, he has accomplished the goals he set when he was just a little kid and that is excellent. Baker is my hero because he is inspirational, a great example, and trustworthy. I have a great big brother and I am so excited to share him with you.

My definition of being inspirational is guiding someone through their problems and helping them find a solution. This is exactly what Baker does for me through all my trials and tribulations of junior high school and its drama. During school and school drama you need someone to get right to the point and guide you. If you are talking to Baker about a situation he will get straight to the point and give you his opinion right away because that’s one of his best qualities. I have looked

to him many times for advice and I usually take it. Then, my situation turns out in the best way possible almost every time. Baker inspires and pushes me every day to do my best, be the best, and be the real me.

Some people say great examples are people who are perfect but I say nobody’s perfect. You can win all the awards and have all the cool gadgets, but is that what you really want? Sure Baker has many accomplishments and awards that he is proud of, but he isn’t perfect. He is an example! You don’t need all the bells and whistles to be a great example, you just need to learn by higher examples, to inspire others with your own work ethic and dedication. There have been many times where Baker has helped his fellow baseball teammates in baseball and school. That is a great example because they can take and learn from Baker and pass it on. I look up to him and follow by the example he sets. It is easier to follow someone who is imperfect than perfect because it is hard to find a perfect person.

Trust is something that is hard for almost everyone. Trust for me is someone you can count on to keep something personal or private. I trust Baker because you can tell him a personal thing and he will keep it safe. Finding someone to keep things private is hard for a teenage girl. Sometimes I trust him more than my classmates. I would rather

have him has a friend than a teenage girl because he goes with the flow and most girls go with something that will start drama. I trust him with my life because he is always there for me and I can count on him. I say this because he tells me all the time, “Mainnie, I don’t care if I am in Oklahoma or Florida. You call me and I will be there.” That is something I know I can always trust in and believe!

Your hero doesn’t have to be perfect or win every award, if your hero inspires you then that’s all that matters. I love my hero! He inspires me to be me, he sets great examples for me to follow, and I can count on him. I can’t wait to follow in my brother’s footsteps and one day become someone’s hero. I admire my hero because he is wonderful and I wouldn’t be who I am today without him! He is a true leader and I can’t wait to see what he is going to offer this world.

by Mainnie Wilson

1. During whose presidency did all the following occur: The Peoples Republic of China joined the UN, the minimum voting age was lowered to 18, Golda Meier became prime minister of Israel, and our nation was stunned by the biggest political scandal in history?

2. Identify this landlocked country which boarders Russia to the north and China to the south, and whose capital is Ulaanbaatar?

3. In what Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Donna Tartt is 13-year-old Theo Decker drawn into the underworld of art after surviving a museum accident that killed his mother?

4. Convert the hexadecimal number 3B to decimal notation?

Written by Spencer Hinrichs

5. In astronomy what name is given to the point when the moon or an artificial satellite is furthest away from the Earth?

Now would you believe me if I told you that students compete using these questions? Would you believe me if I told you kids answered these and much more difficult questions with ease? Well believe it and I have the video to prove it. The Arkansas Governor’s Quiz Bowl Association hosts tournaments where students from across the state of Arkansas compete for the chance to make it to the finals in their classification hosted and televised by AETN. Just like a sports championship this final round is considered the state tournament. On average, a team could play up to 35 games during regular season and then qualify for the championship. Schools are broken into classifications, just like the athletic teams, and then are put into regions.

In quiz bowl students answer questions on the topics of math, science, art, literature, history, and geography to earn points for their team. A game of quiz bowl is broken down into four rounds: toss-up, bonus, lightening, and toss-up again. In the toss up rounds, students are asked twenty questions.

They buzz in to answer and cannot confer when answering. The bonus round is similar, after getting a toss-up question correct, teams are asked a series of questions that they can confer on. Lightening rounds are a series of ten questions. The team with the lower score going into this round will get the first choice of the three categories. Then the game will close with the last 20 questions being a toss-up round. Each team is allowed to play five members at a time and has a coach that can call time outs and make substitutions. Each game lasts about an hour and has a moderator, a scorekeeper and two judges. Spectators are allowed but must remain silent. There is no cheering during a game like at other sports.

I have been a part of the Harrison High School quiz bowl team for two years and have been

We began focusing in on every question, as a team we knew each other’s strengths and began to work on a strategy to take us to the finals. Going into the final game at the state tournament in Maumelle we knew what to do but we got off to a rough start. We did not have any clear run away with the questions like we were used to. It was a tense game and we were neck in neck the entire match against Magnolia. It came down to the last question and with a ½ question lead (5 points) we were the winners and were headed back to AETN to be televised for the final championship match.

The day of state finals had arrived. Weeks of hard work and dedication had been put in leading up to this moment. I was nervous. We got up on stage and the game began. Somewhere in the second-round I forgot we were on TV and didn’t realize it again until the end of the game. That was the last game of quiz bowl I will ever play.

The last time I will play with my teammates. We had won.

Now every time I go into a bookstore I can’t help but go into the classic literature section and skim through all the familiar names: Faulkner, Dumas, Tolstoy, Cervantes, and think about how much fun it was to learn.

Did you get any right?

4. 59 3. The Gold Finch 2. Mongolia 1. Richard Nixon

My main category of study was arts which includes paintings, entertainment, musicals, plays and novels. Of these I specifically worked on literature. I would spend hours just learning the names of every novel, short story, poem, and work that I could. I know that sounds boring to most people, but I loved it. Just learning all about the authors and their lives was amazing. The extra hours I put in paid off. During a game at the regional tournament I completed a 10-question run about American authors and their works in 24 seconds. It was a rush – no less great than scoring a touchdown or hitting a home run. Even though our team knew what it felt like to make to the finals we seemed shaky at the start of the year. At the same regional tournament where I had the

run, each of my team members showed up and showed out. We just seemed to gel and whatever doubts we had about making it back to the AETN studio seemed to disappear.

5. Apogee

to the state finals twice. Our coach, Mr. King, tells us, “You are not playing the other team, you are playing the questions”. Even though the other school may be listed as our opponent, it is the questions that can make or break us. My first year we were not fortunate enough to beat the questions and we walked away in second place knowing we had a lot of work ahead of us if we planned to make it back to the AETN studio for the finals the next year. This year with six returning team mates and six new team members we began to create a strategy. We learned the categories that best suited our strengths and we began to study those so that we would be prepared for every question no matter the category.

Success. For many, this seems like a foreign concept. Many people

believe tin order to be successful, you have to be smart or rich, when in how smart or rich you are doesn’t even have to play a part in your fact success. Success is a matter of how you act, how much commitment you are willing to put into your life, and how much you are willing to reach for the seemingly impossible. Because really, impossible is only in the eye of the beholder. Here are 10 traits all successful teens have in common.

1. Determination: This one’s a no-brainer. Throughout life, people will face many hardships and difficulties, especially as teens and young adults where you are just establishing who and what you are, all while facing the harsh and sometimes grueling realities of peer pressure and an urge for rebellion. The ability to keep at it, to refuse to give up even when faced with these things is what truly separates the successful from those that accept normality. When you set a goal, imagine yourself doing it, and, most importantly, take action to succeed, determination has to follow your every step.

2. Dignity: A sign of emotional maturity that every successful person, teen or not, has to show is dignity. A sense of dignity and outward pride in appearance and character is often understated and thought of as vain, but dignity is an important ruling factor in one’s success. To be dignified in your actions and appearance is to appreciate yourself and the things you do. Keeping this positive outlook on oneself makes it that much easier to succeed.

3. Confidence: Ever heard of the saying, “Portraying confidence is confidence itself”? Well, it really is true, at least when it comes to success. Being confident, even if it is just in appearance and actions, makes you seem more mature and put together. Of course, it goes without explanation that an over appearance of confidence will make you seem vain and self absorbed. Finding the balance between vain confidence and confidence in yourself is the key to building success.

4. Tolerance: There are many people in this world, all of different ethnicity with different beliefs. Sometimes-in fact a lot of the time-you will meet with people who believe in different things than you, have a different background than you, and have different opinions than you do. The ability to accept them and even appreciate their opinions, beliefs, and different backgrounds is one of the most important factors for success in life.

10 Traits of

Successful Teens

written by

Al e xi s Yearwood

5. Kindness: This goes hand in hand with tolerance. Being tolerant to different opinions and beliefs is only half of the picture. The other half is being kind and appreciating the other person’s view, maybe even trying to see the world from their side of the spectrum, even if it clashes with your own view. This includes kindness to race, religion, and sexual orientation.

6. Self-Respect: It’s all right and dandy to portray confidence, but does that mean you actually feel confident in yourself? Having self-respect is one step closer to respecting the world and people around you.

7. Positivity: Keeping a positive outlook on the world is sometimes the only thing that will keep you going. Remaining positive even in the worst of situations helps you to remain focused and will help push you through the difficult times and on to brighter, sunnier futures. On the same scale is passion. You have to have passion for something in order to keep a positive attitude about it. If you find your passion, honestly, success will eventually follow. Even if you have to walk through a thick, dense, seemingly never ending forest to reach it.

8. Responsibility: Responsibility is a sign of maturity and will help you ultimately come to understand your commitment and determination. Being responsible and acting your age, or older, comes in handy when applying for jobs or colleges. Not only that, but having responsibility for your actions instead of blaming them on others will help us to live free of guilt.

9. Social skills: It’s very important to have developed social and communication skills in order to talk and portray your thoughts and ideas. They help to develop strong and lasting relationships with others, which will help in the long run.

10. Action: Successful people take action. They aren’t afraid to get out there and challenge the world’s beliefs, even if it gets them criticized by others. They don’t just believe something: they dream it, make it, and they achieve it.

Success comes in many colors, shapes, and forms. It takes a lot of time and commitment to become successful, but if you portray the traits listed above, success will surely follow. Find your passion, dream big dreams, set goals, understand your commitment, respect yourself and others, tolerant differences, and take action to follow your dreams.

It’s no harder than that.

Around the World in 180 School Days

Mountain Home and Valley Springs, Arkansas, has been home to foreign exchange students from Norway, Thailand, China, Brazil, Spain, Romania, and South Korea.Sigrid Erdal of Norway, Kankanit (Ping) Mahaphon of Thailand, Aoqing (Charlotte) Luo of China, Matheus dos Anjos of Brazil, Irati Saez de Egilaz

Kankanit (Ping) Mahaphon of Thailand and Xaco Garcia Baonza of Spain, and Teodora (Téa) Patru of Romania attend Mountain Home High School Career Academies (MHHS) for the 2016-2017 school year.

Gayoung Kim of South Korea attends Valley Springs High School (VSHS). Each of these students, having left their home countries, started their year in these American high schools with a handful of cultural surprises.

From the weather and food to educational and

by Lauren Malte

social atmospheres, these foreign exchange students had a lot to say about the odd things they encountered.

MHHS senior Ping Mahaphon faced an environment completely opposite to her hometown of Bangkok, Thailand. “It was always busy and crowded,” she said. “But when I came to Mountain Home, Arkansas, it’s completely different. It’s peaceful and natural. [Also], I had a wonderful time with the snow.” Ping arrived at Mountain Home in August 2016 through the International Culture Exchange Service (ICES).

VSHS freshman Gayoung Kim also noted big differences with the American environment.

She arrived in December 2016 through EF (Education First). By comparing Seoul to Arkansas, Arkansas seems to have a really small population compared to Seoul’s whopping 10 million. Gayoung

Aoqing (Charlotte) Luo of China noticed how here in Arkansas, houses are more common than apartments. “I really miss ele-

vators,” she stated. “I live in an apartment in Seoul, and I ride an elevator everyday!”

MHHS junior Charlotte Luo, who arrived in September 2016 through the same program as Ping, was also astonished by housing differences. “I like the building[s] here, especially the houses, [which are] different from

Irati Saez de Egilaz of Spain the apartments and dorms we usually live in China, and they are so pretty and cute,” she said. “Because of lots of reason[s] like geography, so many differences exist. Another big difference is school,” Charlotte continued. She went to a public boarding school in China, in which a typical school day is 14 hours long compared to America’s normal 7-hour day.

“The way the teachers teach are also different,” she added.

Irati Saez of Spain, a senior at MHHS, also encountered an educational system unlike the one she grew up in. She arrived in August 2016, through ICES. Irati stated that school in Spain is harder and much different compared to MHHS. Her school doesn’t offer

their students the freedom to choose their own classes. Instead, they are offered the choice of career focus, in which the classes are already set. “I like how there are so many classes that you can choose, because in Spain you can’t choose your classes. You choose which way you want to go, like science or human instincts and things like that,” Irati said. “I like that from here.” Even with sports, Irati enjoys the freedom of playing for the the MHHS girls’ soccer team. Back in her hometown of Lazkao in the Basque region of Spain, her high school doesn’t have sports teams. “If we want to do sports, it has to be outside from the school,” she said. “It’s not a school team.”

MHHS junior Téa Patru had the same educational setting as Irati’s back in her hometown of Slatina, Romania. In her high school, students are given the ability to choose their own “profile,” which is similar to a career elective in high school.

However, they can’t choose the classes they take through those

profiles, just as they have already been set. The classes are more difficult too, in which classes are more selftaught compared to the American way of teaching, where there is more communication and interaction from the teacher.

“Also, our classes are shorter,” Téa Matheus dos Anjos of Brazil said.

“In Romania, we have six classes per day, and every class is fifty minutes. It was really hard in the beginning to stay in a class for an hour and a half.” Téa arrived in August 2016 through the Rotary Exchange Program.

According to

Teodora (Téa) Patru of Romania`

Matheus dos Anjos, a senior at MHHS, classes are also shorter in Brazil. He comes from Taquari, Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil, and he also arrived in August 2016. “We go to school from 7:30 am to noon. So I have lunch at home,” he said. “We have five blocks, fifty minutes [each].” Based on the schedule of MHHS, in which students have lunch on campus, Matheus misses the idea of having lunch with his family at home. Another thing he also misses in Brazil is pizza. “It is very different,” he said.

“Pizza in Brazil is more homemade.” However, Matheus did find something that sparked his taste buds, and that was peanut butter. “Peanut butter!” he said. “I love peanut butter. It’s the best thing I have ever eaten here! We don’t have peanut butter in Brazil.”

Téa, on the other hand, made a discovery of her own as well. “My favorite thing is fudge,” she said. “Peanut butter chocolate fudge. Maybe we have it [in Romania], but I never tried it before.” Another thing she never experienced until she got to the United States was Thanksgiving, since it isn’t celebrated in Romania. The holidays they do have, however, are Easter and Christmas. “We eat a lot of lamb for Easter,” she said. “But personally, I don’t like lamb, so I eat turkey. And for Christmas, we eat a lot of pig. But I am not a big fan of pig either! So I eat turkey or something else, like beef. I like the Thanksgiving meal, and the turkey stuffing [especially].”

There are many things that these foreign exchange students enjoy here in the United States, a lot of which are cultural aspects they don’t find back in their home countries. Other than non-native foods, these students bask in the warmth of American people as they were first welcomed by their hosts. “I love how people are so nice to each other,” Irati said.

“I love how you can tell your friends that you are dating someone, because in Spain, that is not normal. You don’t even tell your friends if you’re dating someone. I just like the culture.”

Gayoung also recognized some surprises with the

Sigrid Erdal of Norway

social climate of an American high school. She informed that tattoos and piercings that aren’t on the ears are considered “weird” back in her home in Seoul. “In Korea, I would never have done that,” she stated. “But in America, I think it is okay. Most Koreans think that anyone who has tattoos to pierc-

Xaco Garcia Baonza of Spain

ings or [dye] their hair a weird color are troublemakers.”

Another major difference among American high schoolers and high schoolers from other countries that stuck out to these foreign exchange students was how much they worked.

“People here work a lot,” said Matheus. “High school students working during school -- that doesn’t happen in Brazil.”

The same goes for Romania, where it isn’t common for a high school student to be working while they are finishing high school. “It is really hard to get a job if you don’t have a degree,” said Téa. “A lot of people just want to go to college to have a better job.”

The United States is indeed a country full of eye-openers to these foreign exchange students. Americans may not see their home as the most exotic place in the world, but it does own an eccentric culture influenced by the many other cultures that created this nation.

This country holds a piece of at least every other country in the world, and that makes the American culture unique and somewhat even odd.

“I like the diversity here. They have so many people from everywhere, and you just meet them and change information and things like that. It’s a very big culture,” said Téa. “In Europe, we don’t have so much diversity. Like, in Romania, most of the people are Romanians.

In France, most of the people are French.”

Despite enjoying the diversity that her home doesn’t have, Téa does keep note of how far America is from home, or in general, “everything. America, it is such a big country, but the bad part is you are so far away from Europe, and what happens there. So people here, don’t actually know what really happens in Europe, or what we think, or how we are, and things like that. Here, you are more safe,” she said. “America, I think, was made to be a free country.”

Gayoung Kim of South Korea

E-Sports, also known as electronic sports, are taking the country by storm. Now what do you see when you read or hear about video game sporting events? You might see a bunch of teenagers who sit in front of the TV all day living in a fantasy world unable to be social, or maybe a group of 20-somethings wasting their lives away sitting on a couch playing computer games not making any money wasting their lives. I see a multi-billion dollar industry that keeps getting bigger. E-sports may not be a recognized sport by the masses but as you are reading this article, we are in mid-season invitationals for 3 different tournaments around the world. I say “we” because I aspire to be at least half as good as some of the top competitors in the running for the top seat.

a time meaning leaving 2 subs for each team. A simple explanation of the game can be summed up to a basic capture-the-flag style play. If you watch ESPN you might have heard of a game that is very similar to the one I play, called Dota 2. While they are roughly the same to a viewer who has never seen or played either, they are very different in strategy and practice. Both Dota 2 and League of Legends are quickly gaining attention on a nationally televised level. In League of Legends the goal is to destroy your enemy’s base.

Before the match begins each player must choose a champion to fight for them during the battle. Each champion has different strengths and different styles to help you during the match.

Even though there are 100’s of champions to choose from, most players keep about 10 dif There are tons of games to choose from that all have competitions on a national and even ferent characters in their champion pool. This makes it easier to study those champions to learn world-wide level. The game I play and follow on the competitive level is called League of Legends, strategic battle combinations and tactile maneuvers to help you in future games. Choosing your which falls under the category of Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA). In a MOBA, teams champion because of their stats and not just consist of 7 players and 1 coach, only 5 play at because they look cool, can change the games

in dramatic ways, and create complex strategies that are changing constantly. You must pay careful attention to the champions your team mates choose to make sure that you are balanced and strong in every area of battle. Once the game begins, it truly is a team effort to win. You cannot really win the game by yourself. Most matches normally last between 20 and 45 minutes. Once you commit to the game you must make sure you have the time to complete the task. At the end of the match your team mates can rate you on three categories: friendliness, teamwork and helpfulness. So it is important to play hard to the end, be a good sport and support your team during the match. When I am not playing I enjoy watching professional level players compete.

Some of my favorite individual players to watch are “I WILL DOMINATE” and “DYRUS”. My favorite team is “Could 9”. These players and teams have national sponsorships and are con-

sidered professional athletes in the E-sport gaming world. These professional players can earn as much as $100,000 a month live-streaming their games for others to watch and learn from.

They also earn revenue from competing and product sponsorships just like professional football and baseball players. One player last season as an individual competing in 24 tournaments made $136,640. While this may not be the norm for every MOBA player, these are still attainable goals. Across the nation high schools are creating E-sports teams and competing just like baseball or quiz bowl. Many universities, including the University of Arkansas, have created teams as well and some even give scholarships for playing. Gamers, once considered lazy and anti-social, can be considered upstanding, hardworking, and academic members of society.

While I may never make a million dollars or maybe even a thousand dollars I will always enjoy playing E-sports and playing League.

Written by Kinder Hinrichs

White Belt to World Class From

Written and Photographed by Katie Curtis

Ever since I was little I have been around something to do with TaeKwonDo, it was just a normal part of my life. I was constantly in a TaeKwonDo school or at a tournament. Even to this day when I’m out with my parents I see people who recognize my dad and me. Now that I’ve gotten older I have spent less and less time around it. My uncle Troy Burleson still owns a school in Harrison. So when he told me that he had a couple students competing in the World Tournament, I immediately thought it would make a good story.

I interviewed two students who are currently competing at the World level and one who had already competed before. The two students who are currently competing are Joshua Rose, who is 15, and Nicholas Thiel, who is 12. They are both black belts, although at slightly different ranks.

Joshua is a 1st degree black belt and Nicholas is a 2nd degree black belt. The black belt is the highest color of belt you can receive although you can continue getting

higher degrees.

Joshua is homeschooled and has been in TaeKwonDo for 3 years. He first wanted to start TaeKwonDo when he heard a world champ speak about it. Even though he has been in TaeKwonDo for three years, this is his first year on the World Team. He has competed in lower levels of tournaments previously so he has a little competition experience. When asked to describe competing in one word he said, “Adrenaline”. He states he is always full of adrenaline when competing. He first realized that he wanted to compete as soon as he started TaeKwonDo. When I asked him how he prepared and how he trained for the tournament, he said he had to put in more hours than usual to prepare.

Nicholas goes to school at Harrison Junior High and has been in TaeKwonDo for almost 8 years. He first started TaeKwonDo when he was given a choice between it and hip hop classes. He says he thinks he made the right choice going with TaeKwonDo. This is

his 2nd year competing on the World Team. When he was asked to describe competing in one word he said, “Egotistical”. When competing, he feels confident and egotistical. He has competed in previous tournaments. He wanted to start competing when he realized he really enjoyed it and that he was pretty good and wanted to take it to the next level. When asked what he does to train for the tournament, he says he has to give it 110% while training to be ready.

While interviewing the two competitors I got to do a short interview with a person who

had previously competed on the same team. His name is John and he’s 20. I asked him what advice he would give people wanting to start training for the World Team. He said when training, conditioning is everything.

The tournaments are longer and you need to be in very good shape in order to compete.

Joshua and Nicholas have put in the time and the training to hopefully bring home the gold. Good Luck Boys!!

BrightBeginningsbooks@gmail.com Bright Beginnings was created by Addie Jones so that she could share her love of books and reading.

Through fundraisers and donations Bright Beginnings is able to hand out books for free to children at community events, newborn babies, schools, literacy nights and festivals.

Addie’s current project for Bright Beginnings is to give out books to children in all 50 states, Follow her progress on Facebook and Instagram.

If you are interested in donating to Bright Beginnings you can contact Addie through her email.

TRAIN today.

WIN

tomorrow.

jonespt.net