the hilight. vol. LXXXVIII T H E B A C K T O S C H O O L E D I T I O N issue 01 510 13th Cullman,St.AL35055 The Newspaper of Cullman High School September 9, 2022
This past year has provided me with so many blessings and surprises, one of them being given the opportunity to serve as this years school newspaper Editor in Chief. I am beyond proud of the hard work put in by the new staff writers, and I cannot wait until this paper is in everyone’s hands. I hope you all love it as much as I do. I want to thank Elley & Ms. Calahan for always being there for me and their endless support and selflessness. I couldn’t do this without you both! editor’s note September 9 Football Senior Night September 19 Homecoming Week Begins September 23 Homecoming Football Game September 26 Volleyball Senior Night October 10 Columbus Day - No School October 22 ACT school calender staff listcontents
Table of Contents Welcome Back Seniors! 3 Tailgate Food Recipes 4 Learning Losses 5 Changes Around Campus 6 A Day in the Life of the Skinner Twins on Gameday 7 Do’s & Don’ts of High School 8 The Death ReadingRecreationalof 9 Movies CameShouldn’tProbablyThatHaveOut 10 Newks ReviewFood 11 ADs 12-15 Hilight Kiss Marry Kill 16 Editor in Chief Anna Beth Mauldin Junior Editor Elley Atchison Staff Writers Olivia Britton Anna Beth Burleson Kaleigh Green Juan Fuentes Ruby JohnJonahHudsonJarettMarkJohnsonReillyJohnsonMimiLunsfordMackRudderAleciaScottDestinyWhiteDrewWilliamson Advisor Jennifer Calahan Contact 256-734-2923Phone Address 510 13th Street NE Cullman, AL 35055 Member of Alabama Scholastic Press NewspaperAssociationprintedbyAlabamaWebPress
Anna Beth Mauldin, Senior Editor
Welcome Back Seniors!
How the class of 2023 made it to senior year when the world seemed to be against them
Olivia Britton, Staff Writer
3FEATURES
Needless to say, the class of 2023 has had to fight to make it to senior year. Between cyberbullying, a world pandemic, virtual school, and cell phone bans, the road to senior year was anything but easy. Going into freshman year, the class of ‘23 was on its toes. After spending all summer watching TikTok’s that made fun of us for absolutely everything we did-- the way we dressed, acted, and just the simple fact that we were fresh men. Videos about our class went viral on different platforms all summer, with some of the most popular reaching 200 million views. The memes slowly faded as school started back and everyone seemed to realize that we were all in the same boat. Football games and pep rallies every Friday became a habit and something we never knew we were taking for granted. There was nothing like walking into Oliver Woodward with your friends and going to sit at the top of the student section. Nothing like dressing up for the themes so you could take cute pictures. Nothing like messing up the cheers and Brennen yelling at you “WE ONLY SAY IT THREE TIMES.” After football there was basketball, where we got to do it all again. Finally, everything was calm around school, and we knew where all our classes were. Some had finished their first high school sports season and others were about to start. We celebrated, as we always had, on Christmas and New Years. Little did anyone know that this new year, 2020, had a much bigger agenda than anyone could have imagined. After the holidays, we came back to school and were informed of a new virus that was spreading all throughout China because a man ate a bat… Well that’s what we thought, at least. However, no one really thought twice about it. The virus began to spread to other countries, and then it entered the US. Schools started closing their doors and began virtual learning. For a while, it felt as though we were the only school not closed because of the Coronavirus outbreak. However, on March 27th, 2020, the Cullman City School Board made the announcement that all city schools would be closed the week fol lowing spring break. March 30th, 2020 was the last day of in-person school that year. Teachers started Google Meets and essentially gave the work they needed to finish the school year and meet the course standard. Grad uates of 2020 were limited to having a maximum of 6 guests each, and the ceremony was hosted on the CHS football field for the first time in twenty years.Then Sophomore Year. No one knew what to expect. Everyone had been stuck in their house for the past 5 months and now we were expected to go back to school. Our school district allowed the families to decide whether or not their child was to go to school virtually or traditionally. We started back school on August 19, 2020, and it was anything but traditional. Stu dents went to school based on a newly developed “Hybrid Schedule.” When following this schedule, all students with a last name that started with an A-K came to school on Monday and Tuesday while students with a last name starting with L-Z learned virtually off campus. On Thursday and Friday the students switched, and all A-K students learned virtually off campus. On Wednesdays, all students were virtual. When on campus, all stu dents were required to properly wear a mask and sit six feet away from other students at all times. It was also highly encouraged that all parents check their child’s temperature before they leave home. If exposed to COVID-19 the CDC guidelines required the entire family to quarantine for 10 days. If you got the virus your entire family, as well as those who sat by you in class, had to quarantine for 14 days. This school year was confusing because of many state mandates being made regarding COVID-19. It wasn’t until April 12, 2021 that students had the option of coming on campus three days a week to learn in-person. In the second semes ter, all virtual students were encour aged to come back to in person classes. Masks became optional as long as you stayed six feet apart from everyone. Graduation guests weren’t limited and the ceremony was held back in the coliseum at Wallace State. Unfortu nately though, everything that made high school so great was gone. No more pep rallies, no more homecoming events, no more football games without a mask. Everything was gone before we had even grown to appreciate it. Junior year life became the new normal, because the old normal was no longer achievable. The hybrid schedule was no longer an option for students; but virtual school was. Traditional school was highly encouraged. Unlike the 2020-2021 school year, all available teacher units were used to support traditional face-to-face classroom instruction. A fully (100% virtual) online curriculum was only available for students in grades 6-12 who met the specific prerequisite requirements. Students who chose this option needed to be able to work independently with limited support from certified teachers. COVID-19 related absences (quar antine/ exposure) were to be excused with proper documentation and student assignments were available on Schoology. Overall, life was good. School was the most normal it had ever been and we were finally upperclass men. Then Will Fowler passed away. A Bearcat that no one will ever be able to replace. The band, especially, was grieving, and we as a school were hurt. Still, we had to persevere. We tried to have pep rallies, but COVID only allowed us to have two, and they were all boring because they were in the football stadium. Homecoming was normal, and exciting. Basketball was everything! State Champions for the first time in 100 years. Cullman High made history. Hundreds of students traveled to the BJCC in Birmingham to watch. The student section was named best in the state, and best in the entire south. CHOAS overtook Cull man, even when people tried to kill it… literally. The moment we seemed to be on top, the world quickly knocked us down. During the press conference after the championship game, there was an alleged shooting at the BJCC. Most students who attended the game that day scattered, while others hid. Teachers and administrators were try ing to find students and reassure their safety while trying to also take care of themselves and their own families. While we tried to not let this fuel the fire that was our high school experi ence, students were struggling. Some students did not want to go in public, much less to school. On top of that, the infamous app YikYak was begin ning to resurface. This app brought a new vicious type of cyberbullying that allowed users to post anonymously and completely unfiltered. Due to the fact that people were posting on YikYak during school hours, administration banned phones from being on campus. In case that doesn’t seem like the end of the world, we also found out that our principal was retiring. We couldn’t seem to escape change. Now we are here. Somehow, we made it to senior year. The year has just begun though, so I won’t jinx it. We are all starting to experience our “last firsts” and will soon start to experience our “lasts.” Who knows what senior year has in store for us. If it’s anything like our years prior, then we should be able to handle it.. There comes a day when a person realizes that the world will always be against them. For the class of 2023, it became obvious throughout our high school experience. No, we will never get any of it back. No, we didn’t want to experience high school this way. No, we can’t change it. This was our high school experience; this shaped us into the people we are today, and the peo ple we will grow up to be. Three years of what seemed to be endless losses, yet we persevered. And we intend to win. Congratulations class of 2023. We made it to senior year- even when the world seemed to be against us.
Ruby Hudson, Staff Writer
zesty Italian dressing
Peanutrack.Butter Blossom Cookies -about 10 jalapenos, sliced in half and seeds removed -1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese -8 oz. cream cheese package room --6temperatureslicesbaconoptionaltoppings (chives, cheese, crushed chips, cilantro)
This school year’s dress code has been a heavy topic. So that brings the question, “What can I wear that is in dress code, but still be trendy and fashionable?” Believe it or not, you can still dress cute! Just not as cute as we all did during the summer. Here are some commonly worn items that are NOT in dress code:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until everything is well incorporated. Refrigerate for about two hours to let the flavors combine, or enjoy immediately. Serve with corn or tortilla chips and enjoy!
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cook the bacon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Chop the bacon into small pieces when cooled. Combine the cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and chopped bacon in a bowl. Stuff the jala peno halves with the mixture and bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese melts and the top turns golden brown. Garnish with optional toppings and
4 FEATURES
Five delicious recipes to try out for your next tailgate party
Short shorts Crop tops Short skirts Tube tops Tank Top Leggings with a shirt that doesn’t cover your private areas Metal spikes and chains
Sweetserving.andSavory Chex Mix
How to Dress at CHS
Poppers
Jalapenoenjoy!
- ½ c. granulated sugar -½ c. brown sugar -½ c. peanut butter -½ c. butter -1 egg -1 ½ c. all purpose flour -¾ t. baking soda -½ t. baking powder -additional granulated sugar -about 36 Hershey’s Kisses Preheat the oven to 375°F. Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, butter, and egg until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda, and baking powder until the dough forms. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll in the additional sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. When gold en brown, press 1 Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each cookie and place on a cooling
How to follow the new dress code regulations
Olivia Britton, Staff Writer
Tailgating Recipes
tomatoes diced -1 large red onion diced -1 green bell pepper diced -2 large jalapenos diced and seeds -1removed¼cups
-15 oz. can of black eyed peas drained and rinsed -15 oz. can of black beans drained and -15rinsedoz. can of corn kernels drained and -rinsed3roma
Texas Caviar Dip - ½ c. melted butter -1 packet ranch dressing powder -1 T. sugar -1 T. Worcestershire sauce -1 T. corn syrup -4 cups corn Chex Cix -3 cups each of mini pretzels, oyster crackers, and Cheez-it crackers -1 cup dry roasted unsalted peanuts Preheat the oven to 250°F. Melt the butter in a glass measuring cup. Stir in the dressing packet, Worcestershire, corn syrup, and sugar. In a very large bowl, add the cereal, pretzels, and crackers, and pour the dressing over the top and mix well to cover every thing. Spread evenly onto a pan or two with parchment paper and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely before
Rating: “A very nice place to have lunch. While the restaurant was clean, the service friendly and the food very good this is not a quick place to eat. Ev erything is made to order and that takes time. This is a good thing. The unfortunate thing is they just don’t have enough counter help. The poor guy at the counter was doing dou ble duty. Taking orders and delivering food to customers. This made the wait time in the ordering line very long. Once we got our food it was very good. The people were super nice and everyone enjoyed their meal.”
Alecia Scott, Staff Writer
Rating: “I went there this morning before work and it was a great experience. granted i went though the drive through but the little girl was so helpful and helped me block the sun from the card reader so i could see. the smoothie is amazing along with the food i got. so glad that this is in cullman now.”
5FEATURES
New
Rating“Very good chicken. Service was slow but the food was worth the wait.”
The effects of virtual school on students today Anna Beth Mauldin, Editor-in-Chief Technology is all around us, whether it’s in our classrooms or lives at home, but when does it push its limits? The dramatic pandemic-driven shift from face-to-face learning to remote has taken a toll on students from an edu cational perspective, but many other impacts have taken place. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused abrupt and profound changes to the ways students continue to learn today, creating the worst shock to education systems in de cades. It set back great progress made on global development, particularly those focused on education. Disrup tions to education systems over the past few years have already driven substan tial losses and inequality in learning. All efforts to provide and make remote learning as easy and accessible as possible are worthy of praise, but it was a very poor substitute in comparison to in-personPre-pandemic,learning.the necessity of show ing up at a particular time and doing one’s work on your own was crucial in tailoring an environment conducive to learning. This shaped our days at school and the way we learned, narrow ing our focus to the work put in front of us and assignments to be completed at home. A report by Horace Mann found that nearly all educators (97%) reported seeing some learning loss in their students over the past years when compared with children in previous years, and a majority (57%) estimated their students were behind by more than three months in their social-emo tional progress. Once switching to remote learning, the internet was con stantly at our fingertips, itching to be used with each task. It can be a mine field of distractions: the biggest source of shopping, gaming, and socializing was a distraction that tended to never exist in school learning environments. Although this may not have been the case for some students, most built a foundation on finding information from sources other than their own knowl edge.Cheating has always existed, but this made it easier in some ways. Technol ogy supports mass communication. It gives students access to vast libraries of information and knowledge. It con nects them to a wider world, which ex pands their horizon. As with any tool, how you use it matters. The key point that gets reiterated in every discussion is this: students missed face-to-face learning and the benefits it brought along with it. Social engagement was a crucial aspect of learning and growing as students, especially for those of a younger age. There is a certain type of closeness between a teacher and their students not found through a computer screen. Being in school is about making human connections, whether it is between friends or teachers. This faceto-face learning provides students with enormous room for growth and culti vation. The presence of a teacher is just different-and it involves the mental and emotional aspects of students. Students can gain more from a group of people learningSchoolstogether.holdavital position all around the world in providing the delivery of health services, meals, protection, and psycho-social support. The school closures jeopardized some students’ overall well-being and de velopment, not just learning. Karen Dineen Wagner, MD, Ph.D. discussed findings from numerous studies look ing at the well-being of youth and their parents as a result of virtual instruc tion at the 2021 Annual Psychiatric TimesTM World CME Conference. 24.9% of students attending virtual school reported worsened depression and anxiety compared with 24.7% of those in combined schooling and 15.9% of those attending in-person. Ultimately, virtual school had many negative effects that still impact the way students learn today. Online learning is not the future compared to the benefits of in-school learning. It is not what students want and need.
Rating: “I was visiting the area briefly and was taken here for lunch. The staff was friendly and tentative. I inquired about creating something not on the menu and they happily obliged: Salmon Gyro. It was FAN TASTIC! They should add this to the menu!”
Rating: “The food was tasty southern cuisine. The decor is rustic with a very roomy barbecue place feel. I loved my chicken and col lard greens and husband loved his salmon and mashed sweet potatoes. Service by Drew was excellent. Liked the country bluegrass music. Servings were large and prices very reason able.”
City of Cullman, What’s New? busineses coming to Cullman
Learning Losses
The dress code has some more lenient changes and some more harsh ones. The old dress code prevented students from wearing shorts and skirts that were 6 inches above the knee but now the inseam on shorts only has to be 6 inches and skirts only have to go to the mid-thigh. Students who wear tight pants, like leggings, must also wear a shirt to cover their private areas. In the previous school year, this rule was more lenient. If you do not comply with the dress code you will be sent to the office until you change into a school-appropri ate outfit. When in the office, you will incur unexcused absences for the time it takes to change your clothes. As for the phone regulations, stu dents are not allowed to be on any electronics except for their school-is sued Chromebook throughout the entirety of the learning day. Unless you are given permission from a teacher, you cannot be on your phone nor can you use headphones. The first time a student is caught with an electronic, they will be warned, their device will be taken, and their guardians will be informed. After the first offense, the stu dent will be assigned days of In-School Suspension (ISS) increasing by two after the second offense. To prevent this, turn all devices off and keep them in your bag somewhere where you will not be tempted to use them, “Out of sight, out of mind.” Some changes on campus to pay at tention to are the Freshmen and other new students. They are usually hard to miss, but be aware that they will make mistakes and need help just like the rest of us.There are also new electronic door locks on all of the doors entering the buildings. You will see them around the science building, the cafeteria, etc. As long as you get to class on time, you shouldn’t get locked out. If you need to go to a separate building, you will need to ask your teacher for a pass to be able to open the doors. Without a pass, you won’t be able to get in anywhere except for the front office doors. The way this year will go is up to the student body, so be a part of the good and participate in extracurricular ac tivities like sports and/or clubs, branch out, and support the Bearcats at school events! Look at this year’s changes positively and be happy that CHS is a growing community filled with kids and adults alike. Most importantly, have fun this year!
How CHS students rate their assigned summer reading book
Photo Cred to J Trevor Bennett
New Teachers On Campus Juan Fuentes, Staff Writer
New principal, new rules, new campus
The chart above represents the average ratings of all the summer reading books in 9th-12th grade. Through this rating, we can see that overall most of the students did not enjoy reading their assigned books. The lowest rated books were The Ad venture of Huckleberry Finn and How to Read Literature Like a Professor. The highest-rated book And Then There Were None is the 9th-grade summer reading novel. Maybe this book really is the favorite read by the student body, or maybe it’s the highest rated because the freshman only had one book to read and it was their second, and for some first, year of summer reading. Who really knows?
Changes Around CHS
Ms. Barbara Hendrix is a resource teacher and you can find Mrs. Hendrix in room 302 of the Math building. Ending this introduction of the new staff members, we have Mrs. Donna Brunetti. Mrs. Brunetti teaches chem istry and is located in room 507 of the science building.
In addition to Mr. Drake, Ms. Molly Gambrill also joins the English De partment. She’s located in the Student Center in room 206 in the English hallway.Moving down to the history hall, we have Mr. Jason Johnsey. He teaches history and is the basketball and soft ball assistant coach. Moving over to the math building, we have Mrs. Emilee Alexander. She teaches AP Calculus and Algebra with Finance. She’s located in room 309 of the math building.
Mimi Lunsford, Staff Writer
CAMPUS NEWS6
Welcome back everyone to a new year at Cullman High School! There have been many changes made for the 2022-2023 school year. We have a new principal, Mrs. Tuggle, as well as a new assistant principal, Mrs. Bates. Admin has introduced new rules around the school and in the handbook. We have some new rules and regulations to fol low along with additions to the campus to get used to. Here is a more in-depth look and explanation to all of these changes, expected and unexpected. Our new principal, Mrs. Tuggle, can be seen around the school in the hallways, the lunchroom, and some times she will visit classrooms. She has worked hard to make this school year a good one. She has stepped into her new role proficiently and smoothly so that the transition would be easier on us. This strong leadership should motivate us to work harder as we represent our school in academics and other activ ities. We should also welcome in our new assistant principal, Mrs. Bates. If your last name starts with A-F, she is your admin member. Mrs. Tuggle and the school board have implemented some new rules into the student handbook as well as modifying some old rules. Among other things, the dress code has changed and phone rules are more strict.
Mr. Will Drake joins the CHS English Department and is the new Varsity and JV Boy’s Soccer coach. He teaches 11th and 12th grade English. His classroom is located in the Student Center at the end of the foreign lan guage hall in room 212.
Rating Summer Reading
Reilly Johnson, Staff Writer
6:30 am Wake up, Shower, Get ready, eat breakfast 7:00 am Leave for School 7:30 am Get to the locker room, do team walkthrough, and film during the first pe 8:40riod am - 3:10 pm Go to classes 3:15 pm Go down to locker 3:30roompm - 3:50 pm Team meal, 3:50devotionalpm-5 pm Relax, listen to 5musicpmBegin getting ready, get ting dressed for the game 5:20 pm Go in the weight room and listen to music 5:40 pm Pray 5:45 pm Go out for warmups with the QBs, centers, and special teams
LJ Turner, Number 34, Slot/Receiv er/Running Back LJ Turner described his pre-game rituals as a junior as, “What I usual ly do pre-game is I’ll listen to some music then I’ll take a nap. After I wake up I read my devotional and do like a minute meditation breath ing thing and then I get dressed.”
Gameday Prep Mack Rudder, Staff Writer
The Skinner twins are large and in charge this year at CHS. The dou has gained the titles of QB 1 and Cheer Captain. Needless to say, both of them constantly stay busy during football season. To the right and left are their schedules on a Friday night. Ryan and Linsey Skinner
Tiger Flanigan de scribed his pre-game rituals as, “Our day starts with early morn ing walk-throughs and a little bit of film. Throughout the day I’m thinking about doing my job. After school, we have a team meal and then we have time to ourselves where I usually listen to music and have a talk with God. Then we go out to pregame warmups.”
think about leaving nothing left when I leave. I try to see every starter on defense before to see how we’re feeling and making sure we know our jobs.”
Most students change and grow from freshman to senior year. How much difference does this growth makes in how student-athletes prepare for their sport? To answer this we asked a freshman and senior from the cheer team and a freshman and senior from the volleyball team to compare theirJaceypreparations.Mickleisa senior on the CHS cheer team and when asked how she prepares for her games she replied, “Preparing for games has looked a little different over the past four years. However, since becoming a varsity cheerleader the routine is around the same. Before every game, my entire grade of cheerleaders spends the night together and then eats breakfast before school on game days. We also all wear the same shirts for every game day and get ready together and doing our little traditions is how we prepare for each game.”Also from the cheer team is fresh man Sloan Nobinger, and she says she prepares for games like this, “Before games the team meets in the aux gym and we practice cheers. The moms al ternate bringing us food and drinks, so we sit in the locker room to eat while hanging out and listening to music. Then to get ready for the game, we get dressed out and try to enjoy some time before the game!” Payton Smith, a senior on the volley ball team, said she prepares for games by, “Starting off, I usually watch film on our opponent to get a good idea of who we’re playing against. on game days before games I usually listen to music and go get a drink from 31 and usually spend time with my friends.” Versus freshman, Jerriesue Godbee from the volleyball team who says, “I usually like to go to sleep earlier than usual the night before a game day and eat the appropriate foods. Before games, I like to talk to my team about what we can do to contribute. Uplift ing music also helps me a lot to get in the right mindset for games.”
Interviewing three players on their pre-game rituals
SPORTS 7 Day in the Life of the Skinner Twins: Gameday Edition How the quaterback and cheer captain prepare for Friday night Olivia Britton & Mimi Lunsford, Staff Writers
Tiger Flanigan, Number 26, Cor Sophomore,nerback
Ryan’s schedule continued 6:30 pm Go back in the weight room, talk to teammates and coaches before going out for the game, say team prayer 6:50 pm Walk down to the field with the team 6:55 pm Pray, run out of the tunnel with the team 7:00 pm Game starts 9:00 pm Game ends, go hang out or eat with friends
Mack Rudder, Staff Writer Patton Elkins, Number 3, Linebacker
How seniors prepare for games versus freshman Fallin’ For Football
When asked senior Patton Elkins about his pre-game rituals he respond ed, “My pre-game rituals start with morning breakfast. I always get the exact same order from Jack’s before school. I usually bring liquid iv or Pedialyte to school to stay hydrated throughout the day. Before games, I listen to rock or rap and try to think about my job. I get my wrists wrapped and about an hour before the game I just think about being fast and aggres sive with every action on the field and
6:20 am Wake Up 7:20 am Leave my house 7:35 am Get to school 7:40 am Walk to 1st Period 7:50 am -2:18 pm School 2:18 pm Get ready for pep ral 2:30-3:11ly pm Pep rally 3:15 pm Head home 4:00-5:30 pm Get ready for the 5:30gamepm Eat 5:45 pm Leave my house 6:00 pm Get to the stadium 6:15 pm Warm Up and take pic 6:45turespm Call outs and spirit 7:00line pm 11:4510-11:307:00-9:30Kickoff!!pmCheer!pmGoeatsomewherepmGethomeandsleep
2. Don’t stay in your same friend clique, branch out. You never know your best friend could be in a different friend group than you so it’s always good to meet new people.
4. Don’t turn in your assignments late. You don’t want to get in trouble with your teacher or get a bad grade on an assignment just because you didn’t do it on time.
Don’ts: 1. Don’t walk slow. This is really frustrating considering the new pass system to get in and out of the building, locks the doors when you’re late. So always try to walk with a purpose.
1.Do’s:Be kind to everyone! You never know what someone is going through so it is always good to be kind. Remember, if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all.
byViennaBillyJoel byYouWhenWereYoungTheKillers
3. Don’t stand in the middle of the hall to talk to people. This is also super an noying because people have to navigate around you.
5. Don’t walk through both doors when entering a building. It’s super import ant to be aware of your surroundings. This is mind look around you and see which door people are going in and out of, then follow the flow of traffic.
Movies Of The Summer
2. Do your work when you’re told to for the first time. Teachers love it when you are on task when they give direc tions. It also helps you get ahead and stay that way.
The absolute must watch movies of the summer Juan Fuentes, Staff Writer
Back to School Tunes
4. Find good friends that make good decisions; if a person you are hanging out with is doing something that you don’t agree with, don’t be friends with them! Sometimes you can be guilty by 5.association.Participate in clubs/extracurricular activities! You never know the friends you could make and the connections you could form.
Destiny-Faith White, Staff Writer
Thor: Love and Thunder
The Thor franchise has received mixed reviews over the years with Thor: The Dark World being the most heavily criticized film of the series. In this film we see Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey to find himself and finally get some peace. Thor’s vacation/retirement is cut short with the arrival of Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) who seeks the extinction of all the gods. To tackle this challenge, Thor enlists the help of Korg (Taika Waititi), King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), and his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman). This movie isn’t a serious movie and is filled with silly fun. Does that mean that you won’t have fun? No. This film is enjoyable depending on what you value, a coherent plot or the goofiness and comedy of the movie. 3 highlighters out of 5. Minions: The Rise of Gru The highly anticipated fifth install ment of the Despicable Me franchise, Minions: The Rise of Gru was one of the movies of the summer. In this film we see a young Gru (Steve Carell) attempting to join a villain organization named the Vicious 6 after the group re move their leader Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin). After a series of unfortunate events, Gru and his minions end up on the run being hunted by the Vicious 6. The movie was fun to watch and while it is targeted for younger audiences, this film is still an enjoyable 88 minute journey that both parents and children can leave entertained. 4.5 highlighters out OverElvis5.the span of 20 years, rock ‘n’ roll legend Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) maintains a difficult partnership with his elusive manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). From his ascent to fame to his unequaled superstar dom, Presley’s path and happiness are centered on Priscilla, one of the most important figures in his life. This movie has been regarded by many as the high light of the summer and rightfully so. With amazing performances by Austin Butler and his co-stars, this film gives a new perspective to the life of Elvis Pres ley. With no complaints and coupled with great acting, this film receives 5 highlighters out of 5.
Topgun: Maverick In the long awaited sequel, we see a Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) who seems to have finally found his place in the world. After getting called back to train a young, elite group of graduates for a nearly impossible mis sion, Maverick must face both his fears and his past to tackle this assignment. The long-anticipated, belated sequel to Top Gun delivers impeccably. With audiences and critics agreeing that the sequel is on the same level, if not better than the original, this movie competes with Elvis for the title of movie of the summer. 5 highlighters out of 5.
august by Taylor Swift Island in the Sun by Weezer Best OrangebyFriendRexCounty
Melodies to remedy your school time blues
Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift bySupercutLorde bySanteriaSublime
(Taylor’sFifteenVersion)byTaylorSwift
I’ll Call You Mine by girl in red Holy (Taylor’sGroundVersion)byTaylorSwift Kiss Her You Fool by Kids That Fly
8 ENTERTAINMENT
Do’s and Don’ts of High School
A beginners guide to high school
3. Go to school events! It’s always fun to hangout with your friends and also show school spirit.
Anna Beth Burleson, Staff Writer High school is hard enough as is here are a few things to do and not to do to help your high school expe rience go a little smoother.
The story behind the frightening decline Drew Williamson, Staff Writer
It’s no secret that mass shootings in America are tearing us up as a country. They are a mounting problem that rises every year. My questions are: why do they happen, how do they happen, and why do they continue to happen. School shootings may not happen for one reason alone, but from a build up of many different factors. It is no secret that bullying has become a seri ous issue in schools during the last few decades. Increased bullying leads to lower self esteem, behavior problems, and impulsive behavior among the bullied. While most social media usage between high schoolers is innocent, sometimes the undertones are far more sinister. Social media can contribute to the low self esteem and the isolation of individuals who go on to commit a school shooting. Similarly, when a school or mass shooting occurs, the news outlets show extensive coverage of the perpetrator, victims, and the lo cation. This coverage could encourage struggling persons to emulate the act themselves. They see the attention the shooter receives and it gives them the affirmation and reassurance that they need to go carry out their own vendet ta. According to a study published in the Journal of Pediatric Healthcare, over 72% of school shooters report at least one adverse childhood experience. These experiences can include ne glect, suicide, substance abuse, mental health issues, family members in jail, or instability stemming from seperated parents. This high percentage shows that homelife has a significant impact on school shooters. These tragedies happen because of the rapid availability and easy access of these firearms. In the United States there are more guns than there are peo ple. There are an estimated 393.3 mil lion guns in the U.S. yet the population is around 329.5 million. In the state of Alabama, an 18 year old can buy an AR15 rifle, even though the federal law says you have to be 21 or over. Additionally, many homes contain guns owned by family members that the shooter would have easy access to as many people do not keep the firearms locked in safes.
One may think that schools are diffi cult to gain entry into, however, many schools have many different points of entry, making it difficult to keep each entrance secure at all times. According to EducationWeek, only 29% of schools in the United States have a full time police officer on campus. The remain ing 71% of schools are automatically less secure and more vulnerable to these violent attacks.
Are guns the problem or the people?
The final question is: Why do these tragic events continue to happen? Some possibilites are social media, bullying/cyberbullying, and the ease of buying a gun contribute to the num ber of school shooters. However, the shooter is not the only person at fault–politicians and our nation’s leaders contribute to the major uptick in school shooters in recent years. Gun control has become one of the most polarizing political issues of our time. The safety of children in schools should not be based on what political party you sup port, or are a part of. Politicians are not even the ones carrying a gun into the school, but it could be argued that they are one of the most guilty. The first major gun safety law in thirty years was just passed by congress in June. Unfor tunately, it took the Uvalde shooting for Congress to take action. Why not after Virginia Tech? Sandy Hook? Parkland? On a similar note, there is a lack of awareness of significant pre cursors to look for in school shooters. Strange behavior, inappropriate social media posts, and threatening remarks are not always flagged and brought to the attention of someone who could intervene and get that person the help they need. But, what is the help they need? Are our counselors, administra tors, and teachers trained on such top ics of mental health? Until major action is taken on a broad social scale, school shootings will continue to rise. Finally, the most essential piece: Prevention. How can we prevent such disasters? While we may not have a perfect list or perfect plan of action, the following suggestions may help prevent another school shooting. • Increase school funding for mental health and security • Help make students feel com fortable enough to tell you their problems • Encourage “If you see something, say something” mentality • Spread positivity and awareness • Stricter gun laws for minors • Pressure on the government to insist on a change Unfortunately, we may never be able to completely stop school shootings, but understanding how and why they happen is a good start to bringing social awareness and change.
9EDITORIALS
The Death of Recreational Reading
The other day, I was talking to some friends and the topic of reading came up. I was asked when was the last time I read a book that wasn’t for school. I’ve always thought of myself as a big reader, but when I actually considered the question, I realized it had been almost a year since I had started and finished a book on my own time. This phenomenon isn’t just occurring with me either. From 2003 to 2016, the aver age American’s daily reading went from 0.36 hours a day to 0.29, according to the Department of Labor’s American Time Use survey. There are several fac tors that might be causing this dropoff, which is what I want to examine in this article.The most popular theory about why reading time is going down is that daily reading time is being replaced with time watching TV and scrolling through social media. Like I said earlier, the average reading time per day for an American was 0.29 hours in 2016. Compare that with almost 80% of the population watching television for roughly 4 hours a day in that same year. It was also estimated that Americans spend 126 minutes per day on average scrolling through social media. Read ing has been proven by multiple studies to strengthen your memory, whereas social media and television have been proven to worsen it. If these trends continue, it can only mean bad news for our future Anothergenerations.problemishow reading can subconsciously become a chore. I know from personal experience that if you have to force yourself to read some thing you don’t want to, then there is a very little chance you are going to gain anything from reading that book. When I was in elementary school, I tried to impress other people by making myself read books way above my age range to seem smarter. This didn’t work out because I ended up understanding absolutely nothing, as well as the fact that no one really cared that much about what little 4th grade me was reading. If you see reading as nothing other than a mandatory task, you will inevitably read much less on your own time. Why should you read more often? Well, hundreds of studies have been done proving that reading can relieve stress, boost your brain and cognitive abilities, help you be more empathetic, improve your social skills, and many other benefits. There are millions of books out there, and I guarantee you there will be several that interest you. I hope that if you’ve stopped reading recently or you’ve never read that much outside of school, this article can con vince you to start reading again.
Mass Shootings
Anna Beth Burleson, Staff Writer
#4 Jaws The Revenge For this entry, I could have easily included any of the Jaws sequels, how ever Jaws The Revenge , the series’s fourth film, stands out in particular. The film was globally panned by critics and audiences alike with an average rating of 2.7/10 and is one of the only films to receive a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes. Many complain of its poorly aged special effects and boring family melodramatic plot, which is completely out of place in a franchise about a giant man-eating shark.
EDITORIALS Movies That Should Not Have Been Made
John Mark Johnson, Staff writer
The sins of cinema
Movies have been a staple in modern entertainment for decades, with many of which making a lasting impact on popular culture. Where many films and film franchises have gone on to become successful household names,there are also plenty of occasions when this does not work at all. That being said, here are five movies that probably should not have been made.
The film also was criticized for just be ing a cheap reboot and lacking humor.
A new upcoming influencer is An drew Tate. He is known for teaching men how to be Top Value Men. That is code for being misogynistic and manip ulative to women. But, hey, this is what they deserve for being manipulative first, right? If you think like this, you will never get a girlfriend, just saying.
• Women should be grateful to be on his show and told them to be quiet, even though he was the one who invited them to the show.
Fast FactSaid:Controversies
I am going to tell you how awful this man is, and in the end you can decide if he is teaching men valuable lessons or he is teaching men to never, ever get a girlfriend, or even worse, you may find that he belongs in prison.
#5 Ghostbusters (2016) Ghostbusters is a 2016 supernatural comedy directed by Paul Fieg and is a reboot of the 1984 classic of the same name. The film has been widely criti cized for its inclusion of an all female cast which some felt was a “gimmick.”
• Men should hit their women if they cheat or they are disobedient • Men can cheat, but women can’t • You’re a simp (try- hard) if you eat sushi (and you are a man)”
#3 Jack and Jill Jack and Jill is a 2011 comedy film that stars Adam Sandler in a double role, staring as both of the titular twins. Many critics regard this as one of the worst Sandler films with an average rating of 2.9/10. Common criticisms of the film are directed towards its crude humor, product placement, and point less celebrity cameos. The film won all 10 categories at the 32nd Golden Rasp berry awards including: Worst Picture, Worst Actor, and Worst Actress, both of which were for Sandler.
Is Andrew Tate Ruining Impressionable Young Men?
Alecia Scott, Staff Writer
#2 Toy Story 4 This may come as a surprise to some, but be honest… did we really need another Toy Story movie. Toy Story 3 gave us a perfect end to the franchise, with Woody and the other toys saying goodbye to Andy (spoilers). Toy Story 4 just felt unneeded. However, unlike previous entries, Toy Story 4 was a success becoming the eighth highest grossing film of 2019 and an average rating of 8.3/10 . #1CatsCatsis a 2019 film based on the mu sical of the same name. It is considered by many to be one of the worst films of all time, grossing a $75 +million with a budget of $80-100 million making it a box office bomb. The film was widely panned by critics with an average rating of 3.9/10 . The film’s main criticism is its grotesque design giving its characters a design that falls into the uncanny valley. the whole film was a total cat-astrophe.
People would boot the worst, or most annoying, contestants until there is only one housemate remaining. Andrew Tate was not kicked out of the house by the fellow contestants, but was kicked off by the producers. A video was sent to the producers of him beating a woman with a belt. Andrew states that it “was all a joke,” but the video depicts the woman crying tears, and she doesn’t seem to be laughing at all. After leaving the show, he tried to start another show called Daddy’s House. It was essentially a poor parody of Big Brother. He had gone silent until about 2019. He had started a business advice business,Hustler’s Uni versity, which was essentially a ponzi scheme. It “taught” other men to be top value men by learning from other “top value men.” He made millions of dollars off of insecure men. Once he achieved a following from that he had started his podcast and his Twitter. He soon started coming under fire for his misogynistic views. He was a Harvey Weinstein apologist, stating that victims should “take some responsibility” for what had happened to them. He also stated that depression was not a real illness. He had his Twit ter account banned three times. He no longer tries to use Twitter. Instead he uses his podcasts; he has many. His podcast is the center of all of his controversies. On one his podcast, he explains why he moved to Romania. It is quite simple; it is easier to get away withAtcrimes.thebeginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Tate had a casino in Roma nia. He explained that the government is very corrupt, and is easy to manip ulate to your advantage. He says that he paid bribes to keep the casino open even though covid was on the rise and places were being shut down. The bribes, however, had gotten too expen sive and the casino went bankrupt and closed. The government is very corrupt and women have fewer rights there than in America. It is very easy to get away with sexual assault, as well as pimping, in Roma nia. Andrew Tate prides himself on his very successful business of exploiting easily manipulated women. He had an online business where he sold exposing videos and pictures of his “workers.” Many of his “workers” started as his girlfriends, who he had convinced to move to Romania with him and to par take in his “business.” He was known for having his “workers” create sob sto ries to get more money for themselves even though around 70% went to Tate. He had also said in his podcast that if his girlfriend ever participated in these kinds of jobs by themselves, 70% of that profit would have to go to him because they are his “property.” In April, the Tate brother’s man sion was raided in suspicion of human trafficking. A Romanian woman and an American woman were found there. The American woman stated that she was there against her free will. Neither of the brothers were arrested. Andrew Tate and the brother had stated that she was there of her own free will, but she didn’t want her boyfriend to find out, so she lied. This woman was from America, and her passport was not found in the raid. She had no way home. It is hard to believe that a woman would voluntarily go to another country without a passport. I am not saying that Andrew Tate is guilty of these crimes; I am saying that he is not a good person, and he is not a good influencer. If you use his advice to get a girlfriend, you never will. He will teach you to be cold and manipu lative. Playing hard to get is cute, but completely ignoring someone is a way of showing disinterest; just keep that in mind.
The answer is YES
10
The film was a flop financially, grossing a total of $229.1 million worldwide.
Emory Andrew Tate III was born December 14, 1986 to a British father and an American mother. He grew up in Washington, DC, but was born in Chicago, Illinois. Before his fame, he was a professional kickboxer. He was nicknamed “King Cobra.”He won the International Sport Karate Association (ISKA), and he won 17 of his 19 fights . He later was put on Big Brother UK in 2016. Big Brother is a television show where strangers with widely differ ent personalities try to live in a house together while getting recorded 24/7.
Finally, we got the Chicken Bacon Club with pimento bacon mac and cheese. The sandwich had a little too much ranch, but the bacon on it was very good. The mac and cheese was just ordinary mac and cheese with bacon on it and did not seem to have pimento in it. Overall, we give this meal a 6/10. In conclusion, we would recom mend Newk’s. The service is good, the food is good, the prices are rea sonable, and the portions are hearty. They did seem to go a little bit extra on the sauces they put on things, and the bread was a little bit bland. They also have free refills though so you can at the least wash the flood of ranch down with a soda. We are making our rank ing of Newk’s at an 8/10, and would definitely recommend that you take a visit next time you are in the mood for a sandwich.
A Jimmy John’s, Firehouse Subs, a Newk’s, and at least two Subways seem a bit excessive for Cullman. With all these options, it’s usually pretty hard to decide where you want to eat when you’re craving a sandwich. To help combat this issue, three members of the Hilight staff went to Newk’s to see if its sandwiches could stack up (pun intended) against its competitors. First, the service. The employees were fast, and although we came at a crowded time, the food was out to our table at a reasonable amount of time. I got the Italian sandwich, which has a very tangy and unique flavor due to the sauces on it. The sandwich was a little messy but I think it was worth getting some sauce on my hands. Overall, I enjoyed the sandwich, and would order it again, ranking this sandwich at an 8/10. Next is the Greek salad. I love Greek salad and knew that I had to try it. It was a more unique take on Greek salad, being more leafy than a typical Greek salad. It had vegetables in it and I did not know what they were. I was told that they might have been artichokes, but having never had an artichoke, I have no way of saying for sure. The salad seemed to have too much sauce on it, but I did not mind too much. Overall, the salad was pretty good, and I would rank it at around a 7/10.We also got the Club Sandwich with a mac and cheese. The sandwich is pretty standard and does not have anything too crazy on it. The sauces are good, and it is overall just a good basic sandwich, which we have ranked at an 8/10. The mac and cheese was good, but it was ultimately just standard mac and cheese. It would normally be at a 6/10, but it compliments the sandwich well and would probably be more like a 7.5/10 in the whole meal.
Sharing CHS’s Respect for Mark Britton dedicates Mark Britton Field Anna Beth Mauldin, Editor-in-Chief CHS and the community recently celebrated Coach Mark Britton as our stadium was officially named Mark Britton Field at Oliver Woodard Stadium.
Jonah Jarrett, Staff Writer Have you ever noticed the stun ning amount of sandwich places in Cullman, seemingly for no reason?
Newk’s Taste Test
CHS
How does this sandwich store stay afloat in a sea of competition?
11EDITORIALS
12 ADS SENIOR ADS DEADLINES Full Page $200 Half Page $125PRICING There is a helpline directly in the software for tech questions or if you need help creating the ad. You can also call 1-800-BALFOUR (800-2253687). #1 #2 HELP Go to the yearbook ordering spot and scroll down You will see ordering options, then create your own ad and submit! The deadline to purchase, create, and submit your senior ad is November 5. This is a hard deadline due to our publication due dates. ¼ page $75 ⅛ page $50 When designing your senior ad, be sure to include the senior's name on the page as you want it to appear in the yearbook. HELP 1 2 3 4 Search for CullmanSchoolHigh Go balfour.comto How to Order aHow to Order a CHS YearbookCHS Yearbook IF YOU ORDER BY SEPTEMBER 30TH, THE BOOK IS $70. AFTER THAT DATE, THE BOOK IS $80. Products"YearbookChooseandAds" Enter the student's name and grade *NOTE: YOU DO NOT NEED AN ORDER NUMBER
ADS 13 St. Andrews YOUTHChildren'sUMC&Dept. SUNDAYS WEDNESDAY 8:30 AM 6:00 pm 11:00 AM (256) 502-4041
14 ADS 418 1st Avenue SE Cullman, AL 35055 (256) www.jwilliamsoncpa.com734-7393 Investment Advisory Services provided through Wealth Management LLC, A Registered Investment Advisor
15ADS
16 Kiss:Trader Joe’s PB&J Snack Duos Marry: The Good place Kill: Cats the movie... and the musical. Kiss: Greek Salad Marry: The color Green Kill: Mosquitos Kiss: Old vinyls Marry: Iced vanilla chai with oat milk Kill: People smacking on their food Kiss: New Girl Marry: Sleeping under a tin roof at night while it is raining Killoutside:Matcha Kiss: Iced blonde vanilla latte from MarryStarbucks:TwilightKill:Dresscode Kiss: Peanut butter M&Ms Marry: The Walgreens on highway 31 Kill: Cars 2 Kiss: Photography Marry: Hanging out with your grand mother Kill: Dr. Dolittle Kiss: Rom coms Marry: Avocado toast Kill: Ladybugs Kiss: Teaching Marry: Chick-fil-A #1 combo with diet lemonade Kill: Waiting in waiting rooms Kiss: The Vampire Diaries Marry: Bacon turkey bravo sandwich with no tomatoes and extra sauce from Panera Bread Kill: Waking up early Kiss: Trader Joe’s milk chocolate Marry: Shoes Kill: People being negative and complaining all of the time Kiss: Pride and Prejudice Marry: Spotify Kill: Early Mornings Kiss: Sleeping Marry: Movies and films Kill: Gas station bathroomsKiss: Troy Marry: The Lion King Kill: The Lion King 1 1/2 Elley Atchison, Junior Editor Seniors: 163 school days til graduation! BACK TO SCHOOL Kiss: Micro fleece blankets Marry: Thursdays Kill: The phrase, “the customer is always right.”
