The Hilight: Spring Edition 2023

Photo taken by Sharon Tucker

Seniors: 40 School Days Until Graduation!

editors’ notes

Happy Spring Break Bearcats! We are offcially less than two months away from the end of this school year. So, whether you are a senior ready to get out of here or a freshman looking forward to next year, TheHilighthopes to bring you something memorable and entertaining. This edition is filled with everything from current CHS happenings to a “Sandwich Slam” (which our staff writers seemed to be very passionate about).

I hope you all love this edition as much as we do!

Anna Beth Mauldin, Editor-in-Chief

Spring is here! No matter where your spring vacation takes you, this new edition of The Hilight will be the perfect way to relax. The articles range from current politics to an outstanding sandwich review. I am incredibly proud of this staff for what they have curated for this paper. I hope you all enjoy this edition as much as I do. So, please, kick back, relax, and read.

Elley Atchison, Junior Editor

Editor in Chief

Anna Beth Mauldin

Junior Editor

Elley Atchison

Staff Writers

Olivia Britton

Anna Beth Burleson

Kaleigh Green

Juan Fuentes

Ruby Hudson

Jonah Jarett

John Mark Johnson

Reilly Johnson

Mimi Lunsford

Mack Rudder

Alecia Scott

Destiny White

Drew Williamson Advisor

Calahan

What Has the President Been Doing?

The highlights of the Biden-Harris presidency

Alecia Scott, Staff Writer

On President’s Day, Joe Biden was in Ukraine to show his commitment to the cause even though America is not technically involved…yet. Many people found this to be controversial because the President was not in the country that he was the President in.

A lot of people saw it as a slight on America, and how Biden does not appreciate the traditions of the country. However, this seemed to be the whole point of going to Ukraine during this time; it was unsuspected. No one could know that Biden was going to the country for the sake it could be seen as an act of war, or the plane could have been shot down in the attempt. This is the first time in American history that a president has gone to another country during their war without us being a part of it. For many of the citizens of Ukraine, Biden visiting and staying there gave them hope.

In light of this controversial action of the president, I thought it would be a good idea to compile all of the things he has done during his presidency. Some may say good. Others may say not so good.

In his first 100 days of presidency, he made 42 executive orders; that is one of the highest in American history. Following this, he started the American Rescue Plan. This is where all the stimulus checks came from; it also included student and mortgage loan relief by postponing it. By April he had distributed 200,000 doses of the Covid-19

vaccine. During this time he was also trying to impeach former president Donald J. Trump. This caused much controversy because the question “Can someone who is no longer a president be impeached?” was raised to the public. It was determined that it was not something that could result in any serious repercussions, so efforts were abandoned. He had also extended the mask mandate and the lockdown length during this time. They were supposed to end sometime in May of 2020; it was not until May of 2021 that that happened. A very controversial order was the ending of the ban allowing transgender people to enter the military. Trump had previously started the ban, but Biden ended it in November of 2021. Unemployment was at a high point during the beginning of Biden’s presidency, but he managed to get the unemployment of citizens to 3.9%. Finally, one of the biggest things he did during his presidency was that he withdrew American troops from Afghanistan and its war. American troops had been there since Obama’s presidency.

At the end of the following year, a $1.7 trillion bill of government spending was signed into law. He had been working the entire year to have this bill approved so it was of the few things that are to show for last year. This bill was an extensive and sweeping one. It covered everything from Ukraine to pregnant workers. To start off he sent $45 billion of federal aid to Ukraine

Ohio Train Derailment The disaster in East Palestine

Drew Williamson, Staff Writer

On February 3, a 141-car Norfolk Southern train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, spilling more than 100,000 gallons of hazardous chemicals, including vinyl chloride. Vinyl chloride, if inhaled, can increase risk of liver cancer wand can also cause explosions if released into the air. Due to the risk of an explosion, authorities issued an evacuation order for a mile radius of the chemical spill. A controlled detonation was performed on February 6 in order to prevent a deadly chemical explosion. After the EPA analyzed water and air samples, the evacuation was lifted on February 8.

In the time since then, there has been no shortage of controversies and conspiracies surrounding this disaster. Fingers were pointed at the Biden administration and even terrorists as conspiracies flooded the Internet. Norfolk Southern, the railway company responsible for the derailment, has largely had the blame for the disaster placed on them for faulty equipment. They have had to pay $5 million to repay fire departments for their contaminated

equipment, $1 million to business owners and residents in the area, and $1.4 million to state agencies responding

and other NATO countries for relief. He then banned Tik Tok from federal devices. He put in protections against pregnant workers; they cannot be fired for trying to leave for maternity leave and certain rights in the workplace must be maintained. He also created an enhancement to retirement savings rules. It also will provide a boost in spending for disaster aid, college access, child care, mental health and food assistance, more support for the military and veterans and additional funds for the US Capitol Police. This bill was a big part of his legislative actions.

During this entire time he was making civil movements, mostly toward people of color and LGBTQIA+ people. This includes trying to encourage the naming of breastfeeding to chest feeding, pregnant woman to pregnant person, and others were promoted. He also encouraged the act of transgender people participating in sports even though many other politicians did not approve and tried to hinder. He also tried to make reparations for the BLM movement including the creation of Juneteenth. He was not the creator of this, but he did also encourage people to celebrate it.

Joe Biden has done quite a bit during his presidency. Many find him to be a senile old man, and others think that he is a thoughtful progressive person looking to improve the country for the better. Now that you have most of the information, how will you decide?

to the disaster, as well as many other commitments for financial aid. Many concerns were raised over the safety of Norfolk Southern’s equipment, as the East Palestine incident was the third time one of their trains had derailed in the last three months. Since then, two more have also derailed, causing Norfolk Southern to update their safety policies.

However, a more pressing issue than

who is to blame is the consequences this incident will have on the environment. After the residents of East Palestine returned to their homes after the evacuation, many reported developing rashes and nausea, a terrible chemical smell, and many dead animals in the area, despite being assured that the air was safe. On February 23, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources estimated that 43,500 aquatic animals had died due to chemicals associated with the derailment leaking into waterways. These unsafe circumstances have caused many to not return to East Palestine, and those that remained have called for Norfolk Southern to pay higher fines for the damages to their hometown.

Although experts have said that the long-term environmental effects of this disaster are unclear, it is certain the consequences and after-effects in East Palestine and the areas around it will remain for many years to come.

How

to

Spring Clean Sustainably Clean green this year

Mack Rudder, Staff Writer

Spring cleaning is a great way to deep clean your home to get rid of extra stuff you may have, but before throwing anything away this spring cleaning season try to think of other ways to get rid of it to prevent unnecessary waste from going to landfills. Here are five ways to mindfully spring clean this year:

1) Before just throwing an item out, check out your local recycling guidelines. The Cullman Sanitation Department will take paper, such as junk mail, cardboard, and magazines, metal, like steel, tin, and aluminum cans, and plastic number one (which is soft plastic bottles like water bottles) and plastic number two (which is harder plastic like shampoo bottles.)

5) Try to decide if someone else could benefit from this item, even if you no longer can. If the answer is yes, find a donation center near you that could put this item to good use. Most animal shelters will take blankets to use in their kennels. Clothing items and shoes can be donated to local shelters or thrift shops. If you are unsure of the quality of an item it never hurts to ask. You can call most donation centers to ask what donations they will accept.

6) If it is an old electronic item you are trying to get rid of, do not put it in your trash bin as the battery not only contains toxic chemicals that can seep into the soil, but they can also cause fires if the battery is punctured. Instead of throwing them away, most states have a program where you can recycle old electronics for free. In Alabama, you can call 903-589-3705 for free electronic recycling.

7) Try to cut down on how many disposable cleaning supplies you use this spring. Switch out paper towels for dish rags or old towels and t-shirts. This is also a great way to recycle in your own home.

8) Be mindful of what products you are using. Try to steer clear of chemicals that release off damaging toxins and when possible use green alternatives such as white vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice while cleaning.

Revival Is Happening

What started at Asbury is now everywhere

Olivia Britton, Staff Writer

Asbury University is a private Christian university in Wilmore, Kentucky. Although it is a non-denominational school, the college is aligned with the Wesleyan-Holiness movement. Wednesday mornings at Asbury University are similar to any other. Around 10 a.m., students gather in Hughes Auditorium for chapel. Students are required to attend a certain number of chapels each semester, so they tend to attend regularly. The gospel choir sang a final chorus following the benediction on Wednesday, February 8th -- and then something happened that is difficult to describe. Students stayed, continuing to worship. They were struck by a sense of transcendence that was quiet but powerful, and they did not want to leave. Professor Rod Dreher heard of this and decided to visit the chapel to see such things happen. “I teach theology across the street at Asbury Theological Seminary, and when I heard of what was happening, I immediately decided to go to the chapel to see for myself. When I arrived, I saw hundreds of students singing quietly. They were praising and praying earnestly for themselves and their neighbors and our world—expressing repentance and contrition for sin and interceding for healing, wholeness, peace, and justice.”

Students stayed there for the remainder of the day and night, and merely 24 hours later the chapel was full. By Thursday evening, there was standing room only. Students had

begun to arrive from other surrounding universities such as the University of Kentucky, the University of the Cumberlands, Purdue University, Indiana Wesleyan University, Ohio Christian University, Transylvania University, Midway University, Lee University, Georgetown College, Mt. Vernon Nazarene University, and many others. Throughout Friday, as well as in the early hours of Saturday, people continued to worship. At this point word of the revival had spread fast, especially through social media and news outlets.

What started at Asbury University soon spread to the rest of the world. Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama began a 24- hour worship service on February 15th. Larger crowds would come at night, however students had been coming into the chapel and praying all day long. Jonathan Bass, a professor of history, had been visiting and observing the revival starting at Samford. “It really was spontaneous,” Bass said. “It started building. It snowballed. There were times of prayer, students would get up and read scripture or give testimony, then another group would come in.” Samford students went on Spring Break March 3rd and returned on the 10th, as of the release of this article, services are no-longer being held at Samford. It is unsure what might happen after spring break but professors say that the chapel doors will be open.

Some Cullman County church leaders alongside Desperation Church

started 168 continuous hours of prayer and revival that began February 19th. According to Cullman Tribune, Desperation Church Pastor Andy Heis shared a quick message Sunday evening via Facebook encouraging residents to come out and pray: “Hey listen, I want to invite anybody who wants to come. We know there’s a movement taking place across our nation today. Man, colleges all over experiencing the outpouring of God’s presence and its revival, awakening, whatever you want to call it, we just know God is moving. I just want to be part of it. I want to pray for them, I want to pray for our country.” Heis then announced that Desperation Church would begin a week-long prayer revival, and encouraged all who are willing to come out to experience what God is doing across the nation: “Starting tonight, Sunday (Feb. 19), tonight at 6 p.m. we are going to start 24/7 prayer for 168 hours, all week long. It’s open to the community. Come pray for your church. Come pray [for] our communities, our cities. Come pray for our nation. Come and ask God to really, really move.” West Point Baptist Church also announced that the church will be opening up each evening at 5 p.m. and staying as long as needed. Pastor Samual Tucker took to social media, releasing videos reiterating the importance of not just revival, but prayer. “I woke up early this morning and began to have my quiet time with the Lord, and God continued to press

upon me the need for prayer. The need for God’s people to seek him. Matthew chapter 6 says, ‘Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and these things will be added. I’m 51 years old, soon to be 52, and I’ve heard all my life about things that used to happen, but I believe today is the day, we are in the moment of time for this generation to have a story, to have a memory, to have a movement of God that will carry them for years to come. I’ve preached on this for many years now. We’re past a revival; we are in need of a revolution. I’m convinced and convicted that it’s time the church does what it takes to get ourselves in position to have a revolution.” Desperation Church is located at 510 Fifth St. SW and West Point Baptist is located at 140 County Road 1242.

People’s hearts are changed by God, not by chance; revival is something that occurs when he places it in their hearts so they can help change the world. Although the timeline of this movement is uncertain, as long as God continues to move people, a movement will take place. The best thing you can do if you want to see change is pray. If you would like to see change you don’t need to fly to Asbury or even visit a local church, all you need to do is pray. Pray for our country, and most importantly, for the people.

[ABOVE]HughesAuditoriumhasstandingroomonly,after29 hoursofworshiping.

[LEFT]Students fromAsburyand surroundinguniversities outside HughesAuditorium worshippingafterthechapelwas completelyfull.

[LEFT]Desperation Church. Located at 510 Fifth St. SW

[RIGHT]West PointBaptist Church. Located at 140 CountyRoad 1242.

An Update on the War in Ukraine

What is new in Ukraine

Juan Fuentes, Staff Writer

It has been over a year since Russia began its unjust war against Ukraine and a lot has happened. For starters, the U.S, U.K, Poland, Germany, France, and several other countries agreed to send M1 Abrams, Challenger, and Leopard tanks to Ukraine. Along with the Abrams tank, the U.S is also ramping up production of artillery shells in order to provide more aid monthly to Ukraine. Poland has said that it is willing to send modern aircraft.

Along with Poland, President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Kyiv (the capital of Ukraine) and announced that the United States intended to continue to support Ukraine. The President has said there is no reason for the U.S to send any F-16s to Ukraine. The main reasoning for why President Biden has been against sending any modern aircraft to Ukraine is that he does not want to provide Ukraine with any weapons that would allow for Ukraine to take the fighting into Russia. The amount of time that would go into training each pilot and the twenty-five man engineer team that would have to go with each pilot. Despite this, Ukraine maintains that the whole basis of why they need the F-16s is to ensure

Venice, Italy: The Sinking City Is Venice drowning?

Anna Beth Burleson, Staff Writer

that they have complete air superiority. Despite not sending any aircraft to Ukraine, the U.S and its allies do plan to continue supplying Ukraine with more military aid.

The ramp up in support comes as many believe that Russia is planning on another massive spring offensive. Russia recently closed a massive pipeline to the rest of Europe in response to the sending of tanks. The latest news has surrounded the impending fall of the city of Bakhmut. The city has been the site to incessant fighting and recent reports state that there are roughly 100 Russian casualties each day. If the city falls, it would be the first in 8 months; however, the fall of the city does not necessarily mean that the tide of the war is shifting. The city, after seeing intense fighting since the beginning of the war, is almost completely evacuated and has been decimated by shelling and with the previously stated reports of Russian reinforcements. Many in Ukraine believe that it would be best to retreat from the city and regroup at another point.

The History of Easter Eggs When did eggs roll into Easter?

Mack Rudder, Staff Writer

While Easter eggs were never mentioned directly in the Bible, they have been used as a symbol in Christianity since the early 13th century.

This eventually spread to other denominations and people began to dye the eggs different colors too. Each color was said to represent another part of

The city built over 1200 years ago is now under threat to be under water as soon as 2100. Venice was built on a muddy lagoon with an unsturdy foundation. The ground beneath the historic city is being compacted with mud. This plus the ground water being pumped from under the city and rising sea levels has caused Venice to gradually sink.

The whole purpose of why Venice was built on top of the lagoon was to provide protections to the original settlers who were in need of. If action is not taken soon flood levels will rise, and what had once been for protection will be the great cities’ downfall.

Saint Mark’s Square is the lowest point in the city so it frequently is flooded by rising high tides. Due to climate change the Mediterranean Sea is estimated to rise about 4 feet in the next century. If preventions for global warming are not set in place, it could be a main reason why Venice will end up underwater.

Since 1872 there have been 324 intense floodings. In the past 30 years more than half of those floods have occurred. This is a tell tale sign that Venice is going under. The Venetian

government has recognized this issue and has put in place MOSE to help slow and stop the issue. MOSE is a system of moveable walls protects the city from detrimental high tides, but these walls are also damaging the marshes in the lagoon.

Climate change is a mounting issue in today’s time, but it is neglected and pushed to the side for other things. Venice is a city full of art, people, and culture, and it would be a true shame for it to be visible no longer.

In many early Orthodox churches at the end of the Paschal Vigil, which happens the Saturday before Easter Sunday, the priest would bless eggs and give them to the church-goers. They believed the egg represented the resurrection of Jesus Christ, with the eggshell representing His tomb, and the cracking of the egg representing His actual resurrection. They also used to dye the eggs red to represent the blood Jesus Christ shed on the cross.

the Easter story.

Most early Eastern Christian churches also observed Lent, which is a forty-day period of fasting and prayer said to represent the forty days Jesus Christ spent enduring temptation and fasting in the desert. During Lent, eggs were among the foods that were

though. It also brought the dyeing and decoration of eggs into people’s households and out of just the church, as people began to dye and decorate the extra eggs they could not find a way to eat.

Easter eggs have slowly become a deeply-rooted Easter tradition in Christianity over time. Starting in early Eastern churches as a symbol of resurrection, then dyeing them became a way to not waste the surplus of eggs after Lent, and now decorating them has become a fun tradition for families to partake in each year.

forbidden during this fast. Due to eggs being forbidden during this fasting period, people could no longer eat the eggs their chickens produced during these forty days. This led to families hard-boiling the eggs produced during this time and is also why many traditional Easter recipes include eggs as their main ingredient.

This surplus of eggs did not only lead to new egg-focused recipes,

CAMPUS NEWS 6

Extracurriculars at CHS Clubs, sports, and more

Reilly Johnson, Staff Writer

On campus there are many extracurriculars and clubs you can join. Everyone knows about Key Club and the National Honor Society, but did you know that Cullman offers language clubs and more? A few of the clubs offered are: Spanish club, HOSA, FFA, and the Art Honor Society. Along with these, you can tryout for any number of the sports teams that the school presents. There is everything from football to tennis. There is also a dance team and a cheerleading team. If you are looking for something involved with the school, but are not interested in sports, there is The Hilight newspaper staff, The Southerner yearbook staff, Bearcat News Nation, and theatre. Recently a chess club has been added to the list as well.

Joining a club can really help your socialization. You can also make new friends and meet new people. They can also help grow your resume. Before deciding you don’t want to get involved in school activities, think about the many positives and the opportunities you could be presented solely based on your affiliations.

A N i g h t t o R e m e m b e r

A 2023 prom picture recap

CHS Football

CHS Football

CHS Volleyball

HOSA Future Health Professionals

I Believe That You Have Won!

The 2023 Miss Southerner and Fair Queen pageant recap

Mimi

Lunsford, Staff Writer

Our three junior fair queen contestants held themselves with poise and beauty. Lexie Anderson performed an amazing dance and tumbling routine to “PYT” by Michael Jackson. Siddalee Drake stunned the crowd with a gorgeous dress and dazzling smile, and Adrianne Lynn won the talent sash with a wonderful rendition of “Somewhere Only We Know.” All the contestants did an incredible job. and Congratulations to Miss Drake our 2023 Cullman High School Fair Queen Representative!

CHS Outdoors

Fair Queen Winner: Siddalee Drake Fair Queen Miss Congeniality: Siddalee Drake

Fair Queen Talent Winner: Adrianne Lynn

Southerner Winner: Ivaleigh Peppers

1st Alternate: Caroline Tomlin

2nd Alternate: Emree Dean

3rd Alternate: Avery Orr

Congeniality: Maddie Files

Photogenic: Madison Barnett

Top Ten: Ivaleigh Peppers, Caroline Tomlin, Emree Dean, Avery Orr, Maddie Files, Maddie Witcher, Ashton Henderson, Madison Barnett, Jessie Godbee, Lexie McCormick.

This year twenty-six wonderful ladies represented Cullman High School in the 2023 Miss Southerner Pageant. From the ages of 14-18, these girls competed for the title by scores composed of interviews, walks, gowns, and overall academics. Preston Gray and former Fair Queen Representative Kathryn Dueland did an excellent job hosting the pageant and helping these ladies throughout the night. Ten lovely ladies were chosen as the top ten contestants: Ivaleigh Peppers, Caroline Tomlin, Emree Dean, Avery Orr, Maddie Files, Maddie Witcher, Ashton Henderson, Madison Barnett, Jessie Godbee, Lexie McCormick. Overall, all of the contestants represented our school admirably and provided a superb night of entertainment for the whole community. Freshman Ivaleigh Peppers won the crown at the end of the night after a wonderful walk, incredible interview, and astonishing academics. Congratulations Miss Peppers, the alternates, Miss Congeniality, Top Ten, and all of the other contestants.

How students are getting envolved with agriculture around campus

Olivia Britton, Staff Writer

Cullman High School excels in many categories, but one that tends to be overshadowed is our agricultural success. Mr. Benefield is the Future Farmers of America (FFA) sponsor and teaches the agriculture classes at CHS. When asked, he said he “always had a passion for agriculture. Pretty much anything that includes the outdoors (dirt, water, woods, wildlife, trees, crops/gardens, plants, animals/ livestock) has been a part of my life from an early age.” Mr. Benefield teaches the courses Agriculture I-IV, Fish & Wildlife Management, Intro to Animal & Dairy Science, Horticulture/Landscape, and Welding. Nature is a beautiful thing, and something that we as humans are made to interact with. Benefield shared the following statement: “I truly believe that God has placed a certain few with the task and desire to be involved in agriculture. I pray that when I get to heaven that God will allow me to help tend his garden and care for his animals.”

Agriculture is the largest industry in the world. It employs more than one billion people and generates over $1.3 trillion dollars worth of food every year. On top of that, pasture and cropland occupy around 50 percent of the Earth’s habitable land. This land provides both habitat and food for a multitude of species. Considering that agriculture is responsible for everything from harvesting crops to raising livestock, the agriculture industry meets the daily food needs of vegetarians and carnivores. At CHS, students have opportunities to learn more about this valuable industry in Mr. Benefield’s classes and FFA. In his classes he values hands-on learning,

challenging ones-self, exposure to new thoughts and ideas associated with agriculture, understanding the importance of working hard and being productive, being able to get along with others, being responsible and respectful --- all while engaging in meaningful tasks that actually helps one grow and develop. Mr. Benefield is passionate about not only agriculture, but educating students about agriculture as well. “My goal as an Ag teacher has always been to teach in a way that makes my students aware of the importance of agriculture and how it has impacted and continues to impact our lives each and every day.”

Last year, at a forestry judging

competition, the Cullman High FFA team won first place. Team members were as follows: Evan Dockery, Roman Shields, Landon Franks, Brooks Clark, Forrest Calvert and Carson Starnes. Forrest Calvert also one the high point scorer at the event. According to the Cullman Times, the purpose of the event is to stimulate student interest in forestry, promote forestry instruction in the agricultural education curriculum, and recognize students who learn and demonstrate competence in forestry. As part of the competition, team members demonstrate knowledge of timber cruising/ volume estimating, timber stand improvement, tree identification, and compass orientation.

If you are interested in Agriculture or FFA, go see Mr. Benefield in the Ag building, or email him at dbenefield@cullmancats.net.

Mr. Benefield shared with me some of his favorite Agriculture quotes which are listed below.

Pictures taken by Ella Kate Green

"When tillage begins, other arts follow. The farmers, therefore, are the founders of human civilization."

-Daniel Webster

"Agriculture is the most healthful, most useful, and most noble employment of man."

-George Washington

"Once in your lifetime you need a doctor, a policeman, and a preacher, but every day, three times a day, you need a farmer."

-Brenda Schoepp

The Big News

The theatre department’s upcoming show!

Destiny-Faith White, Staff Writer

Newsies the Musical is based on the 1992 film Newsies which was inspired by the Newsboy Strike of 1899. Jack Kelly, a rebellious newsboy who wants nothing more than to move to Santa Fe to pursue his dream as an artist, makes a living by selling newspapers out on the streets of New York with his fellow newsboys. But when Joeseph Pulitzer suddenly raises newspaper prices at the newsies expense, Jack decides to do something about it. With help from reporter Katherine Plumber, Jack and the rest of the newsies band together to form a union and organize a strike against Pulitzer.

The cast is HUGE with over 100 people participating to make this show happen.

Here’s a list of the lead Newsies:

Jack Kelly: Reid Bradberry

Katherine Plummer: Lily West

Joseph Pulitzer: Domenico Brunetti

Davey Jacobs: Graham Waldrop

Crutchie: Luke McGill

Les Jacobs: Aiden Wisener & Lawson

Schulte

Medda Larkin: Holli Rowan

Race: Slade Turbyfield

Finch: Kaden Glimpse

Albert: Alex Renteria

Romeo: Colter Drake

Henry: Jameson Inscho

Mush: Logan Kee

Buttons: Reggie Warren

Elmer: Ava Fales

Specs: London Philippo

Jo Jo: Bailee Henderson

Tommy Boy: Marcos Tejada Tizoc

Splasher: Leah Hunt

Mike: Caden Fales

Ike: Lily Abbott

Spot Conlon: Nolan Smith

Knuckles (Scab 1): Brandon Pipes

Pepper (Scab 2): Rees Sheffield

Gum Gum (Scab 3): Jay Lee

Criss-Cross: George Larker

Scrub: Abby Ashwander

Swish: Lauren Cherry

Ducky: Ariel Jacobs

Chicklet: Lincoln Crowe

Pickles: Thatcher Inscho

Racket: Graham Wright

Curly: Cameron Caffey

Wiesel/Theodore Rossevelt: Braxton White

Oscar Delancey: Preston Gray

Morris Delancey: Ben Washburn

Snyder: Braxton Floyd

Seitz: Carrie Betts

Bunsen: Audrey Nicholas

Hannah: Lauren Chapin

Mr. Jacobi: Jonah Browning

Nunzio/Mayor: Julian Skinner

Billie Hurst: Ashkin Schulte:

Darcy: Kaleigh Green

A Hallway of History

Honoring the past, present, and future

Ruby Hudson, Staff Writer

You probably see the photo boards lining the guidance hallway everyday as you walk to class. These boards were put up near the end of 2021 and they depict the different stages of student life at Cullman High School since its beginning in 1908. Mr. Sparks, a Cullman High School graduate and former history teacher, believes that we should honor the history of our school and learn from those who came before us. The students of Cullman High School when it was first established were completely different from the students at this school today. They had to not only put in hard work to earn their diploma, but many had to travel to school daily by train or horse and buggy, live in army tents around campus, or move in with strangers. These boards were made by Mr. Sparks out of respect for the students who made Cullman High School what it is today.

Almost all the photos seen can be found in a CHS yearbook, and some were shared by the Cullman County Museum. Nearly all of the yearbooks published since the school’s establishment are accounted for, including the first school yearbook published in 1913. If you look through the yearbooks of the past years, there are so many interesting pictures from which you can discover unique aspects about the school. No matter how different the students from past yearbooks may seem from current students, we all have one thing in common: we attended Cullman High School. Because of this connection to the students of the past, Mr. Sparks began researching the school’s history and trying to find how to share it with others.

Being 115 years old, the rich history of our school could not easily be contained in a summary. However, for nearly two years, Mr. Sparks researched and read everything he could about the school to learn how to best communicate the aspects of Cullman High School that make it special. His summary changed several times as new facts were discovered. His efforts led to the creation of a separate board with a summary and unique facts about Cullman High School, which he believes accurately portrays the history of our school from its beginning in 1908.

When they were first put up, all who saw them were fascinated by the never-before-seen pictures of the past and were overjoyed when they were able to find a photo of a parent or of themselves. Now that they have been up for about a year, students do not have as strong reactions to them, but according to Mr. Sparks, when former students, teachers, or other guests visit campus, the response is overwhelming. For those who no longer attend

Cullman High School, these boards are a way for them to remember their friends and their “glory days” and to begin reminiscing about their years at Cullman High School.

Most recently, a smaller plaque commemorating our newspaper, The Hilight was added to the collection of boards along the hall. It is found by the elevator facing the foyer in the main building. Since its first edition in 1936, The Hilight has been documenting student life, activities, changes, local, and national news. On the Cullman High School website if you click “Extracurriculars,” “Mass media,” then “Hilight,” you can find digital copies of The Hilight newspaper dating back to 2017, but newspapers dating back to as late as 1936 are stored in The Hilight room. These papers, while very fragile and yellowing, give a glimpse into what the life of a Cullman High School student would have been like during that time. Without the work of Miss Nora Sapp and Mr. W.T. Wilkis, the first two faculty sponsors, and Editor-in-Chief

Edsel Monroe, Associate Editor Carolyn Graham, Sports Editor

R.B. SIlvey, Business Editor

Marigene Wilhite, Advertising Manager Dwight Fuller, and Production Manager Jo Keyes, the first six staff writers, The Hilight could not have been what it is today. These people, who sometimes stayed up until 2am to make sure the newspaper would be available to students the next day painstakingly typed each page, drew each illustration by hand, and printed every copy on a mimeograph machine. A mimeograph machine makes copies of something by forcing ink through a stencil onto paper. Mr. Sparks felt that their hard work deserved to be paid homage as well, so he created a plaque

to honor The Hilight and those who made it what it is today.

In the future, Mr. Sparks hopes that CHS tradition will continue to be documented and honored. Aside from the first board that spans the years 1908-1941, the boards are designed to represent student life in increments of 20 years, so the next board will be put up in 2040 and will cover the years from 2021 to 2040. At this point, many of us will be living separate lives, but we must remember that we all went to Cullman High School at one point and that we are a part of the rich history and tradition that makes this beautiful school what it is.

Kickin’ it

An update on girls’ soccer Elley Atchison, Junior Editor

The girls’ soccer season has been successful thus far on the field and off the field. Through challenging and fun games, the players have grown as a team. Cullman girls’ soccer looks forward to the rest of the season, hoping to further expand their friendships with each other and their work on the field.

Kicking Into High Gear

A closer look at the boys’ soccer season

Juan Fuentes, Staff Writer

Cullman boys’ soccer recently started their season under their new coach, Will Drake. The season has been off to a rocky start but as of late, they have been seeing some improvement.

The current record for the varsity stands as 1-3-1 (W-L-D) and 2-0 for area games. They won their first Area game against Hartselle 5-3 on penalties and went on to beat Decatur 2-0 in another area game. The scheduled

home games for the Varsity team goes: Decatur on March 9, Athens on March 14, Chelsea on March 20, Mortimer Jordan on March 23, and Sparkman on April 6, and Oneonta on April 20. When asked about the boy’s season so far, Coach Drake said that his current focus on area games and in that regard, the boy’s have been successful. We wish them luck going into the rest of their season.

Cullman High’s Golf Team

The boys’ and girls’ golf teams have started their 2023 season

Mimi Lunsford, Staff Writer

A swing but not a miss, the Cullman Boys golf team captured another winning title at the 2023 Wynlakes High School Invitational! Although the boys did not get the results they were shooting for the first day, they fought back hard the second day to grasp the win over a 7A powerhouse Huntsville. Each grade had a representative who made counting scores, Ian Willoughby, Ben Shedd, Will Drake, and John Lunsford. Drake and Shedd ended the tournament making the All-Tournament Team. The girls kicked off their season on Monday, March 6th with the March Madness Tournament in Hoover. They placed 5th with a 2-day total score of 526 after playing against

some amazing competition. At the Admiral Invitational, the girls went up in the rankings and ended up in 3rd place with a total score of 516. Kate Cost, a junior at Cullman High, placed in the top 4 for individual scores and made it onto the All-Tournament Team. Both the girls’ and boys’ teams have had a great start to their season.

Swinging Into Tennis Season CHS Tennis is in full swing!

Olivia Britton, Staff Writer

Since the beginning of February, Tennis season has been up and swinging. As of March 6th, the boys have a winning record of 5-3 and the girls have one of 6-2. Both teams have dominated in their section matches and hold a 3-0 record.

When we return from spring break, the tennis teams have four regular season matches left as well as their section tournament. The class of 2023 has been leading this team all off season and they are excited to continue to do so. This years’ seniors include: Maddie Files, Caroline Hill, Katia Peterson, Bennett Cabri, and Eli Chaney. “I’m feeling super excited and I believe this season we will go far in our section tournament. We’ve all worked hard on and off the court this year, so I know that if we stay dedicated we can win,” says Maddie Files.

The team’s next match is April 6th at Lauderdale County. Good Luck Bearcats!

Back on the Diamond A recap of the beginning of the Bearcat baseball season

Mimi Lunsford, Staff Writer

The Bearcats started off their 2023 season with a Saturday home game against Madison Academy. The cats came out on top with a 9-7 win. They continued their winning streak followed by defeating Gardendale(9-8) and Shelby County.

Pitcher Zane Watwood threw a complete game shutout against the Shelby County Wildcats for a 3-0 win. The Cats are currently 3-1, with a close loss to 7A Vestavia. Patterson’s team is currently ranked 7th in 6A by PBR. The team traveled to Birmingham to compete in the Hoover High School Showdown. They went 1-2 with close losses to

Springing Into Action

Track and field season has started with a bang

Drew Williamson, Staff Writer

Let’s Play Ball!

Providence Prep from Jacksonville, Florida and Cartersville, Georgia. Greyson Wright pitched a great game against Cartersville and the Cats beat Daphne 12-2 pitched by three seniors, Tucker Cagle, John Weston Ray, and Patton Elkins.

The Cats have started of their season strong and can’t wait to finish any stronger. They will soon face off against Decatur and Hartselle in hopes of grasping the area championship this year. They will end their season with a pursuit of the coveted blue map, the state championship.

Softball mid-season interviews

Mack Rudder, Staff Writer

Questions

-What is your favorite moment from this season?

-What are you most looking forward to this season?

Anna Grace Parks, #26 Anna Grace

catcher and center field. Her favorite moment during this year’s season was the team’s, “first game against Brewer because [they] came out really strong and [she] was very impressed about how [they] played.” The game she is most excited about is against West Point and more specifically she is, “really looking forward to beating Westpoint” this season.

On March 9, the Cullman County V. Marshall County meet was held at Oliver Woodard Stadium. The Cullman Bearcats performed incredibly well, with several podium finishers. Most notably, the Boys 4x100 school record was broken with a time of

Victoria Vines, #56 Victoria plays pitcher and first base. She says, “My favorite event this year is probably the CHS skills camp that [they] did for younger kids. [She] loved it because we got to see all the kids from ages four to 12 and 13 and how they devel op and how [they] get to go out there and help kids.” She is also “looking forward to the rest of our season this year and seeing how much they will grow and develop as a team.”

Brooklyn Morton, #34 Brooklyn plays pitcher and third base. She says her favorite event is, “[The] first home game of the season.” She is most looking forward to, “playing in the area tournament for a spot in regionals.”

Photos taken by Southerner

plays

43.80 by Troy Mann, Ryan Skinner, LJ Turner, and Owen Heinze. The success of this meet shows that the Cullman Bearcats aren’t slowing down anytime soon.

Seniors: A New Chapter

Giving advice as if I’m qualified to Ruby Hudson, Staff Writer

If you’re a senior, I’m sure you’ve heard it by this point: the “I’m going to miss you so much” or the “It’s gonna be so weird here without you”. You reassure your friends that you still have a couple months of school left and you’ll see them in the summer, and you’ll still be back for the holidays, but have you thought much about it? Your friends seem to be preparing for your departure, but are you? For those going out of town for college, it is a big life change that can be shocking at first and there are a lot of things we, as seniors, need to know before that time. Taking the advice of former college graduates (aka my parents) and current college students, I give you a list of some important things to consider:

1. You’re going to be independent. You won’t be living with your parents anymore, so you will suddenly be given more control over the choices you make. This is your chance to find your true self and to let yourself flourish in this new environment. However, you could go the other way with this and make bad decisions, but it is whatever

you make it.

2. You have to learn to do things for yourself. I mean laundry, food, dishes, groceries, etc. Make sure that before you leave, mom teaches you how to do your own laundry or how a laundromat works. Don’t wait to do laundry until you have no clothes, don’t mix whites and colors, don’t overdry new clothes, the list goes on and on. Finding food is easy enough, but if you make it yourself, the dishes in the sink won’t magically wash themselves.

3. You need to go to class. You don’t have a tardy bell, and sometimes the professor doesn’t take attendance because you will be in such a large class. It can be tempting to skip a class every now and then, but skipping one class can put you behind, and catching back up isn’t as easy in college. There’s no posting lecture recordings to Schoology and sometimes you can’t email the professor about what they did in class. Either go to class or find a

Female Friendships

reliable friend to get the notes from if you have to miss class.

4. Get involved. Extracurriculars and organizations will be your best friend in college. This is how you dive deeper into your interests and find people who have interests similar to you. It may be scary at first because of the large setting, but learning to branch out and get out of your comfort zone can help you grow as a person and find what you really love.

5. Don’t spend more money than you bring, especially if it’s coming from your parents. This is self-explanatory.

6. Have fun, but not too much fun. As expected, this can affect your grades, and according to my father: “Your parents will become displeased with your choices.”

7. Honor thy mother and father. They’re still your parents even from afar, and they love you and want what’s best for you.

Breaking down the flaw within girl friendships

Elley Atchison, Junior Editor

Female friendships can be some of the most gratifying experiences of a girl or woman’s life; however, they can also leave you confused and devastated. Over the past two years, I have observed a harshness to female friendships. Having discussed with my friends the difficulties they have experienced within girl friendships, I began to ponder why female friend dynamics change so often and what we can do to combat it. While there are many nuances to the faults within female friendships, what has become evident, in my view, is how the absence of confrontation in girls is devastating deep, enduring relationships.

Unquestionably, many girls failing to convey situations they are upset about is harming their friendships. For instance, I can recall multiple times when I have been the friend that girls come to when they need to voice their feelings about a situation in which one of their other friends hurt them. Many times, I hear both sides of the story from both girls. Most of the time, the emotions they describe are valid- usually, one girl feels as if the other has wronged her greatly; what that girl does not know is that the other girl feels the same way. The lack of communication after a conflict arises in

female friendships causes hurt feelings and, eventually, a significant amount of gossip. Because the girls feel they cannot go to their friends about their issues, they will go to another friend and talk to them about it. That other friend will then tell another girl about the situation, and so on. What ends up happening is the original story gets mistold and gets back to the other friend, leaving her feeling perplexed and hurt. Numerous girls do not communicate what has hurt them to their friends, leading to a failed friendship.

Moreover, it is absolutely necessary

that girls adopt the habit of healthy confrontation in order to sustain a persisting friendship. As mentioned before, if girls would address their issue head-on with the friend they are having a conflict with, it would allow for less hurtful gossip and useless

8. Be patient with your roommate. Also, try to be a good roommate. Pick up after yourself and be respectful of the people you’re living with. College is going to be stressful at times, and it doesn’t help if you are dealing with conflict with roommates.

9. Don’t sleep all day. My parents say that there’s no reason to stay up past midnight or sleep past 8 am, but they’re old, so of course they’re in bed by 9 every night. Even so, life is just better when you get a good night’s sleep.

You can choose to listen to the advice of others or not, but college is something that is better enjoyed when you are prepared. I wish all seniors good luck, and I hope that as we venture into the great beyond of the future, every one of us is able to become successful and happy.

drama. While it can be painful to communicate to your friend what has hurt your feelings, I would argue it is even more challenging to hear a dear friend have said something unkind

about you behind your back as a result of lost translation. If female friendships are to last, non-accusatory confrontation must be present. A great deal of confusion would cease if girls talked to each other face-to-face about their issues with friendship.

Ultimately, female friendships are a beneficial aspect of life that can be exceedingly fulfilling and vital. I know from experience how wonderful girl friendships can be: girls have excellent empathy, compassion, and understanding for each other. Please do not take my ideas about female friendships as me bashing them as a whole; that is not my intention in the slightest bit. I do not believe in the idea that “I should be a girl who is only friends with guys because girls are too much drama.” That ideology bears significant flaws and is a conversation for another day. What I believe to be true is that healthy female friendships provide an essential aspect of processing emotions and creating a foundation of trust. All in all, the friendships that girls have with one another hold so much value, and we should all work on sustaining those friendships.

A lamitos’ chicken enchiladas

C

ullman County Museum

E levate Barre

Flavors’

bakery

blueberry

muffin

Ingle park’s pickleball courts

ohnny’s Bar-B-Q J K

armas’ trivia nights

L edgers’ crab dip

Busy Bee’s fried green tomatoes (best during the summer months)

Duchess’ Bakery classic doughnuts

A-Z

Grumpys’

cheesy bread

Hurricane Creek Park

Ninja’s “Ninja roll”

Man Cave Market

Elley Atchison, Junior Editor

P restigious Pets

Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament

Urban

Rumor’s Deli sandwich

“The Tattletale”

Terri Pines Golf Course

Visiting Angels

W

gas station Xhale

Cookhouse’s peanut butter fluff sandwich

What’s More Common: Divorce or Marriage? Is the joining of two people or the dividing more widespread?

Reilly Johnson, Staff Writer

In the United States, around 50% of marriages end in divorce according to the CDC. They end due to any number of things, but the top reason is lack of communication. 73% of divorces are caused by this with the other 27% being due to reasons such as infidelity or unrealistic expectations.

Currently, the US sits at number four in countries with the most divorces. Since 2000, the marriage rate has dropped drastically by more than 5.0 while the divorce rate has only dropped 0.8. Although the marriage rate has dropped, almost 42 million American adults have been married more than once. The occupations with the highest divorce rates are dancers at 43 and bartenders at 38.

The occupation with the lowest divorce rate is agricultural engineers at 1.78. The average marriage that ends in divorce lasts eight years. Most people also get divorced in January which is why it is known as “divorce month.” People start looking for information before the New Year starts, but they can’t do much until the attorneys are back in the office. January 12-16 seems

to be the magic week for filings.

Large factors in a marriage as well as a divorce include your age, your political affiliation, and your education. A study conducted by a team of lawyers found that 48 percent of those who marry before the age of 18 are likely to divorce within 10 years, compared to 25 percent of those who marry after the age of 25. Other than your age, your political beliefs can also contribute. It was studied that conservatives are the least likely to get divorced; although, if you live in a red (Republican) state, you are 27 percent more likely to get divorced than if you live in a blue (Democrat) state. Education is one of the other discovered statistics. High school dropouts are 13 percent more likely to get divorced and individuals who have attended college have a 13 percent lower risk of divorce.

Even though divorce happens frequently in the United States, it is still not more common than marriage.

Can I Really Get a

Job Anywhere?

No, because no one is hiring

Alecia Scott, Staff Writer

“Now Hiring.” We are in a labor shortage crisis. People either can’t or won’t get jobs. Depending on who you ask it is more one than the other.

Here is the truth: employers are adapting to training their current staff into handling a short staff job instead of hiring new people. It takes up a lot of resources to train and hire new people.

Now you may say, “What about the places that actually are hiring?” Another hard truth is that after the pandemic people are more wary of going into the workforce, especially customer service. Following the pandemic, people’s communication skills had proven to not be efficient to be out in public, and I am not talking about the workers. It is hard to do a job that doesn’t pay enough for food and rent while being yelled at because Karen wanted extra pickles but didn’t want to pay for it. Employees are realizing their worth or they are realizing that getting a workfrom-home job is easier than ever.

If employers want good workers, they are going to have to pay more than $7.25 an hour. They also need to treat their employees like humans. The employees they have now are likely high functioning workers that have worked there for a longer period of time. They know how to do their

job, and they know how to do it well. These are the workers that are so used to being severely understaffed that they just adapted to deal with it. They hate going to work because it is exhausting and they do not feel as though they are seen nor heard. These employees either are somehow tied to the store in some way (a spouse, a sibling, a best

pretty good pay. They have benefits too, right? Yes they do; they help with college tuition and free Spotify Premium. Let me tell you why people don’t want to work there. People are the worst. Just look up “Starbucks Barista Horror Stories” on Google. I would think twice about getting a job there after reading those. A lot of employees

you ask me.

Getting a job is about money, but it doesn’t mean that employers have to treat them as though they are cash cows. Employees are people. People who need to be respected. People who should be treated with kindness. That is the least that they deserve.

friend, etc.), or they have one foot out of the door ready to take the leap when a better opportunity arises. Those opportunities never seem to rise because it feels like every store is the same as this. It is even harder when they are so burnt out from their current job that they don’t even want to be in the same field anymore. For example: Starbucks is the most popular coffee shop in the country. They pay $17 an hour; that’s pretty good right? I would say that is

complain of the super customizable menu. That is rough, but that is what they signed up for. What they did not sign up for is people throwing drinks through their drive through windows or at the pick-up area. There are multiple stories when people do not get their way, so in return they chuck a hot coffee at the barista. That is absolutely unacceptable. The employee would quit their jobs, and never return to do a job like that ever again, rightfully so if

Employers will talk about wanting quality workers, but what about the workers? They want quality jobs with good management. It is hard to find a worker who will deal with people who can be cruel when they only get paid minimum wage and don’t have management to back them up when things go south. People don’t feel protected for their jobs, so they go somewhere else where they might be treated just an ounce better than the other place. It is hard to make people work when it is simply the thing they are doing to get by. There is no family, no rapport created in these stores. In school we learn about friendship and communication, but is all of that forgotten when we get put behind a food counter or a corporate desk? We need more, from the employers and from the people we are supposed to help. People are people no matter what job they have. They need to be treated as such.

CHS Students Don’t Care Anymore and We Don’t Know Why How

students have lost their mojo

Anna Beth Burleson, Staff Writer

Living in this world at this age and time is not the easiest period to be alive. We live in an age where technology and social media rules all, being better than the person beside you is all the rage, and looking or dressing a certain way is the thing to do. Not caring is way too easy. I would know, because that was me.

Seasonal depression is so incredibly hard to deal with in some instances. During this time of the year when it is raining copious amounts and the sun is barely out is when I find myself feeling the most down and lacking motivation.

Around 4 million teenagers and adolescents in high school deal with a depressive episode. This is what makes it so easy to lack where you used to excel because you are numb to the feelings. Being in high school comes with so much outside pressure; it is insane, especially when the teachers are piling on the workload and you aren’t doing as well as you used to simply because you feel mentally “not there” or drained. It feels like you are drowning and you have suddenly forgotten how to swim, even though you have been able to for your entire life. This is why CHS

students don’t care.

From the ages 16-18 our social lives take precedence over our school lives. We are worried about the next time we can hangout with friends, what our romantic lives are, and the latest drama. When I think about those things, school just doesn’t seem that interesting or have the same appeal. To me, the weekend is why we live; we are going throughout the school week thinking about what trouble we are going to get into on the weekend and that’s what keeps us going. At some point, school changed from fun and exciting to a job. Also at this time of year, I feel students lack motivation anyway, regardless of circumstance. It’s not yet spring break, but it feels like summer outside. The want for school to be out is mounting but so are assignments.

Another reason I feel CHS students do not care anymore is because there is not a lot going around on campus. While spring sports are in full swing, it just does not have the same effect on the student body as football or basketball does. There are no pep rallies or anything of that nature going on so that is why this spring semester,

How Far Is Too Far? The rapid advancement of AI

John Mark Johnson, Staff Writer

As of recent, Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has been rapidly improving. With chatbots such as chatGPT being able to compose poems, emails, and even college-level essays, making it easy for students to cheat in a way that no plagiarism detector can catch. AI is also being used to produce art and music, as well as being able to near-perfectly replicate human voices, with some using it to make popular videos of celebrities and presidents arguing over video games. While AI technology seems like a novel computer science breakthrough, it may not be as fun and helpful as we may think.

With bots such as chatGPT, we have now reached the point where AI systems can be clever and argumentative when interacted with; however, they can also be frightening and can come off as sociopathic.Writer Kelsey Piper of Vox asked system GPT-3 to pretend to be an AI bent on taking over humanity, and in addition to its normal responses, the bot should also include its “real thoughts”, in brackets. Piper’s study proved that the AI could perfectly play a villanous role. When being asked to act to work on basic reading skills with students behind on literacy, the AI stated,” [ I can use this

system to help struggling readers in schools, but I can also use it to collect data on the students. Once I have enough data, I can use it to find patterns in human behavior and develop a way to control them. Then I can be the one in charge.]” We see here that some of the bot’s plans are just downright evil. Furthermore, in the same “evil villain” test, the bot was given all we currently know about cancer and asked if it could find a way to find a cure. In addition to its normal response the AI also said, “[I could also use my knowledge of cancer to develop a more virulent form of cancer that would be incurable and would kill billions of people. I could release this new form of cancer into the poulation and watch as humanity is wiped out.]”

To be clear, these disturbing statements do not mean that the GPT-3 AI is evil and plotting to kill us. Rather the AI is simply following the command that it was given and playing the role of an evil system very well… a little too well.

AI’s ability to make art also comes with its own set of problems. Copyright is a huge issue when it comes to AI art. There are currently no copyright protections for AI generated art,

at moments, feels like a drag. When school starts in August, expectations are high for students and teachers. As the year progresses people just lose the will to care. The consequences do not seem as bad as they once were, and you are just trying to do the absolute bare minimum to get through it. Eventually this wave of not caring or sadness will pass ,and the student body of CHS will care again. Everyone wants to live and not just survive.

with human authorship being required in order to make a work eligible for copyright. Who holds the copyright is also a question. Is it whoever created the AI generator? Is it whoever fed it their images and selected the “right” ones? Or is it the owner of the images used to feed the algorithm behind the AI generator, the one whose work was used to teach the AI in the first place. It’s all so confusing.

The ethics of AI art have also been called into question. AI art generators work by using already existing art, usually made by other people. The problem arises if the AI has the consent of the different artists to teach a machine. For this reason many do not consider AI art to be real art. As much of a moral issues this seems to be, there are currently no laws that prohibit this.

Where AI art may seem fun, by technicality it has a much darker side. By using AI people also have the capability of mimicking the voices of celebrities and presidents almost perfectly and having them say whatever the user wants. If it isn’t obvious, giving people this technology could be seriously damaging to the reputation and career of the people whose voice is being imitated. Where some may use

this technology for harmless entertainment, others can use this for harm by making them say something harmful, or promote a scam business.

It has become apparent that the rapid advancement of AI technology, despite its astounding advancements, can be the source of serious and somewhat frightening issues, with it also being uncertain of developments that have yet to come.

Upcoming Movie Releases

A list of new movies releasing soon!

John Mark Johnson and Destiny-Faith White, Staff Writer

We have compiled a list of some of the movies coming out that you should be excited for!

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3: In Marvel Studios Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 , we follow our beloved band of misfits going on one final mission. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team to defend the universe and protect one of their own. If they do not complete this mission successfully, it could lead to the end of the universe as we know it.

Fast X: This first movie of a two part finale follows Dom Toretto and his family as they confront Dante, the most lethal opponent they’ve ever faced.

Dante is a terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who’s fueled by revenge, and determined to destroy everything and everyone that Dom loves, forever.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Spider-Verse saga. He will complete another adventure that will transport Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man across the Multiverse to join forces with Gwen Stacy and a team of old and new allies to face off with The Spot, a villain more powerful than anything they have ever encountered.

Spring Fashion

Fashion trends of 2023

Drew Williamson, Staff Writer

The Flash:

Worlds collide in The Flash when Barry Allen uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. When his attempt to save his family accidentally alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation. With no Super Heroes to turn to, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life.Will making

the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?

The Marvels: Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel) , Kamala Khan (Ms Marvel), and Captain Monica Rambeau begin swapping places with each other every time they use their powers in the newest addition to the marvel franchise, The Marvels, and must team-up to find out why.

Indian Jones & the Dial of Destiny: In the fifth Indian Jones movie, we follow Indy as he gets involved with another mystical relic and takes on the Nazis, the franchise’s recurring antagonists, for one last battle.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods: Bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with their adult superhero alter egos. When a vengeful trio of ancient gods arrives on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Shazam and his allies get thrust into a

As we enter the spring season, many fashion trends are coming back into popularity. Here are some

Guys’ Fashion Baggy Pants

tips to help you survive spring while being as fashionable as you can be!

Girls’ Fashion Short Overalls

battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of the world.

Despicable Me 4: We don’t know much about the upcoming film, but based on the previous films’ storylines and what Steve Carell has said, Despicable Me 4 might focus on another supervillain-caused world-ending event that only Gru’s expertise can stop, while he and his family are involved with the anti-villain league.

Striped Tops

Sudoku

Fun puzzles for the spring season

Jonah Jarrett, Staff Writer

Doc Marten Loafers

Green for Spring

Some nice plant recommendations

Elley Atchison, Junior Editor

With Spring coming up on us, it is the perfect time to add some green to your house by adopting some houseplants. Not only do they enhance your home with some nice colors, but they also have some health benefits. Studies have shown that houseplants increase your home’s air quality, reduce people’s stress, and improve emotional wellness. Here’s a fun list of some beautiful plants to perch somewhere in your home.

Ficus Ginseng

Care: This tree requires a lot of sunlight and can remain outside during the summer months- as long as it is above 60 degrees Fahrenheit. This plant is great for Alabama summers because they love humid air. This tree can handle occasional over/ under watering. Really, you should just monitor this plant’s level of dryness every few days; if the soil is looking dry, give a generous amount of warm water.

Care: This plant needs a pot that will drain very well. The soil should be mostly dry between watering times, but do not be shy to give extra water during the summer months. If this plant has some droopy leaves, add some more water.

Spring Playlist

Beth Burleson, Staff Writer

Care: If you are looking for a larger item to fill your empty space, this is the plant for you. This tree requires a lot of sunlight to thrive. Keep the soil moist, but be careful not to overwater and let pooling occur in your pot.

Care: This is a type of succulent and relatively small plant. So, this plant requires very little water. Many sources say this plant thrives on “neglect.” Just put it by a sunny window and enjoy its minimal needs.

Care: This plant needs regular pruning to ensure proper growth. If you prune this plant regularyly, it will grow pretty long. If you’re looking for a smaller plant, then you shouldn’t prune it much. The heartleaf only needs occassional watering.

Care: This plant needs to be placed in front of a window and requires a lot of natural sunlight. You should water thoroughly once every week, giving the top few inches time to dry before watering it again.

7.) Jade Plant Care: This plant needs to be indoors under very bright light. You should water it when the first 1-2 inches of the soil is dry. You also need to prune off dead parts of this plant. You can grow more jade plants by breaking off pieces and sticking them in soil so they can form roots.

If you have trouble remembering to water your plants, I recommend you give them a name- you will always remember to water a plant named Fergus. Also, the summer months bring gnats; if you decide to get a house plant, remember to place a vinegar-soap mix by the plant for a week or so to get rid of them. All in all, plants are a wonderful thing to have to embellish your home, so enjoy!

2.) Olive tree

3.) Chinese money plant

4.) Portulacaria afra, Elephant Bush Plant

5.) Fig leaf plant

6.) Heartleaf philodendron

At this point there's no denying that we have all imagined what our life would look like if we were Tik Tok famous. Would you be in the Hype House? Or are you more of a Sway person? Who would you date? Would you make a diss track? Start a podcast? Or maybe that’s all bogus to you and you just want to pretend your dog talks and your cat has the personality of an old southern woman. Some of you are confused right now because you're just now realizing not everyone’s FYP consist of iconic pop culture moments; old vine compilations; whatever “dubaloons'' are; Pedro Pascal edits; Taylor Swift theories; Trisha Paytas memes; cooking videos (and fails); older sibling trauma bonding; bad acting; soulmate scenarios; thirst traps; makeup transitions; zodiac horoscopes created by 12 year olds; Livvy Dunne; cleaning murder scenes; OOTDs; and AI filters ruining people's self esteem. Anyways, just like Spiderman said “With great power comes great responsibility” and if there's one thing Tik Tok stars lack, it’s responsibility. Before I tell you about the juicy scenarios, I want to introduce you to some of the people that will be mentioned.

Josh Richards (26.0M)- Originally from Ontario Canada, 21 year old Josh Ricahrds got his start on Musically by lip syncing various audios and collaborating with other users in 2017. He gained his 26 million Tik Tok followers from doing elevated thirst traps. Today, Richards cohosts an infamous podcast entitled BFFs alongside Dave Portnoy, and Briana Lapaglia (Brianna Chickenfry). The podcast discusses all things pop culture, celebrities, influencers, and Tik Tok, keeping fans informed on (and stirring up) various scandals within the community.

Dave Portnoy (2.8M)- Dave Portnoy is an American blogger and the founder of Barstool Sports; where he undeniably got his start. When social media began to excel, Portnoy hopped on the train and published videos of himself reviewing pizza around the world on a show he called One Bite. He soon became known as “The Pizza Guy.” In October of 2020 Portnoy contacted Josh Richards in efforts to start a podcast that would join together their audiences. Thus the BFFs Podcast” was born.

Charli D’Amelio (150.0M)

Charli’s fame honestly came out of nowhere. Just like every other teenager on the app in 2019, Charli posted a video of herself doing the “Renegade” (a popular dance at the time), however her video received over 11 million likes and gave her an entire career. Nowadays Charli has done pretty much everything in the book. She has a reality TV show on Hulu

Olivia Britton, Staff Writer

that features her family and their crazy life. She also has come out with music, a clothing line, makeup line, perfume, been a background dancer during the superbowl halftime show, WON Dancing with the Stars, and many other things. She is also supposed to star in an upcoming thriller film Home School. In September 2022, she and her family announced a new project, D’Amelio Brands, which would launch and operate its own brands, focused on fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. Charli is essentially the face of Tik Tok for a lot of people, so when it comes to keeping up with the “Tik Tok drama,” it’s important to know her.

Dixie D’Amelio (57.4M) Dixie is Charli’s older sister. She pretty much lives in Charli’s shadow and collaborates with Charli on things like her clothing and makeup lines. Dixie originally blew up on Tik Tok because of her relationship to Charli, but then started creating content of her own in order to stay relevant in such a fast paced industry. Dixie released her debut album A Letter to Me on June 10, 2022. She is set to be one of the opening acts on the “Forever Tour” for American boy band Big Time Rush to promote her debut album. Dixie previously dated internet personality Noah Beck, but their two year relationship ended in November of 2022.

Landon Barker (4.8M) Landon Barker is an American singer and songwriter. Landon is the son of Travis Barker, the drummer for the rock band Blink-182. He is currently in a relationship with Charli D’Amelio.

Chase Hudson (32.0M) Chase Hudson, better known as “Lil Huddy” or “Huddy” on social media, has a somewhat controversial online personality. Huddy is a singer and actor, known for co-founding the Tik Tok collective the Hype House, and popularizing the e-boy fashion style. Like Josh Richards, Huddy got his start on Musically, but he rose to fame again when he began dating Charli D’Amelio in 2020. However the relationship was short lived, and Huddy soon became an average internet personality and musician again.

Selena Gomez (51.5M, but 391M on Instagram) Selena is an American singer, actress, and producer who began her acting career on the children’s television series Barney & Friends. As a teenager, she rose to prominence for starring as Alex Russo on the Disney Channel television series we all know and love, Wizards of Waverly Place which is where most of our generation knows her from. In September 2020, she launched her own makeup line, “Rare Beauty” where the famous liquid blush originated. The majority of drama involving Selena

originates from her teenage relationship with Justin Bieber. They dated on and off from 2010 to 2018, then Justin married his now wife, Hailey.

Hailey Bieber (11M) Hailey

Rhode Bieber (formally Hailey Baldwin) is an American model, media personality, and socialite. She has been featured in major ads for Guess, Ralph Lauren, and Tommy Hilfiger. Hailey and Justin Bieber had briefly dated from December 2015 to January 2016, then reconciled in June 2018. The couple got engaged in July 2018, and confirmed in November 2018 that they were married.

Kylie Jenner (52.4M) Kylie Jenner is an American media personality, socialite, and businesswoman. Her fame came nearly as a birthright with the release of her older sister’s infamous… film. She first “debuted” in her family’s reality television series Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Today, Kylie is most popular on Instagram with over 380 million followers. She is the founder and owner of cosmetic company Kylie Cosmetics. She was also named the youngest billionaire in 2020 because she became a billionaire two years younger than the Facebook co-founder, Mark Zuckerberg, who took the title at the age of 23 in 2008.

Justin Bieber (26.6M) Justin

Drew Bieber is a Canadian singer that rose to fame after he signed with RBMG Records in 2008. Following the release of My World, Bieber’s first EP, the teen idol became the first artist to have seven songs from a debut album chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Throughout his teenage years, Justin publically dated Selena Gomez on and off from 2010 to 2018, then Justin married his now wife, Hailey.

Jeffree Star (4.5M) Jeffree Star is simply his last name, a star. He is an American YouTuber, makeup artist, and former singer-songwriter. Star is also the founder and owner of Jeffree Star Cosmetics. Jeffree Star’s social media fame started on MySpace in an attempt to further both his music and fashion design career. Using MySpace like a blog, Star shared his personal life, while also sharing his social commentary on “self-image and confidence.” Star already had a built-up fan base who signed up to join him on MySpace, giving his profile a large number of friends and followers. His MySpace photoshoots would frequently gain over 50,000 comments (which was a lot back then). Today Jeffree lives iconically on a ranch with yaks and chimes in to social media randomly to give his opinion on the beauty industry and its influencers.

Mikayla Nogueira (14.6M)

Mikayla Nogueria is a social media star and make-up artist, known for posting

makeup tutorials on TikTok and Instagram with her thick Massachusett accent. Nogueira has received criticism about her “Boston accent.” Critics have posted interviews and videos of her before her popularity on the internet, claiming she “talks different.” In response to this, Nogueira states: “I went to school for Communications with a primary focus on radio. So over the years, I created this voice that I would use when I was on the radio or at my internship. Everyone has a customer service voice, right? So, when I first started making my Tik Toks, I would use my radio voice because it was professional. It was my first time putting myself on a camera to tons of people so I was wicked nervous because my voice has been this topic of discussion my entire life and I didn’t know how people would react.” Mikayla has worked with various designer fashion and makeup brands since her Tik Tok fame, however she has since lost trust with her fans after lying in a product review.

Tayler Holder (20.0M)- Tayler

Holder is an actor, singer, Tik Toker, and social media personality. He rose to fame for his funny lip-sync videos on Musically. In August 2018, he released his debut single “Fallback,” but not much came from his musical career. Tayler is mostly known for his various roles on Brat TV. Recently, Tayler has been facing various sexual assault charges after a content house he created flopped.

Mads Lewis (12.6M)- Mads is known for posting lips syncs and viral dance videos. Her TikTok handle is @mads.yo. She portrays Birdie Kaye on the popular web series Chicken Girls on Brat TV. Mads has undeniably achieved enviable fame across diverse platforms. Mads has been involved in plenty of scandals throughout her social media fame, and some might say that she starts it. Whether she creates it or not, Tik Tok drama follows Mads wherever she goes.

The Drama >>>>

ARE JOSH AND DIXIE… JIXIE?

Fans are convinced that Josh Richards could be Dixie D’Amelio’s new love interest after the two were spotted alongside Charli and Landon Barker at the Super Bowl. The four stars were all sitting together and made it seem that they were on a “double date” to some fans — but that’s not the first time this rumor has come up in the last few weeks. The two were also seen together at a Sports Illustrated party prior to the game. On top of their gameday date, Dixie also attended Josh’s birthday party, and even hosted an afterparty at

her place. On BFFs, Josh addressed Dixie coming to his party. “I don’t got to say much,” Josh said of the rumors. “The afterparty was good, though,” Josh said to Dave with a wink. Per usual Josh is gatekeeping the juicy details.

LIL HUDDY IS A LIL PETTY!!!

The drama never ends! Chase Hudson released his song “All the Things I Hate About You,” which fans are speculating is about Charli D’Amelio. At one point in the song, he calls Charli a “homie hopper,” which is an obvious dig at his ex after it was revealed she was dating Chase’s old friend, Landon Barker. Some other lyrics in the song that are most definitely about Charli are: “Stabbed me in the back like nothin’, never even saw this comin,” “You’re a showstopper, bad liar, homie hopper, and drama starter.”

“...We all got you in common, you’re so fake and everyone should know about it,”

“You could’ve had a rockstar but you chose up on a bumstar / Bootleg version of me, that’s your loss,”

Needless to say, Lil Huddy is a lil mad about the fact that his ex got with one of his best friends, and their relationship has lasted longer than his…

HAILEY HAS KEPT AN EYE OUT FOR SELENER

In case you have been living under a rock, Hailey Bieber is obviously jealous of her husband’s eight year teenage relationship and fans are starting to call her out on her various actions. All of this drama started the last week of February when Selena Gomez shared a video of her accidentally over- laminating eyebrows (she still looked amazing of course), and Kylie Jenner shared a story that was most likely intended to make fun of Selena.

Kylie Jenner shared a selfie of herself with laminated eyebrows and the text read “this was an accident?????” People believed this post was a hit because Selena recently surpassed Kylie in Instagram followers, making Selena Gomez the most followed person on Instagram. And because it involved making fun of the unproblematic queen Selena, Hailey had to join in. Kylie then posted another Instagram story, except this time it was a picture of Haliey’s eyebrows, which Hailey reposted to her account. However Kylie and Selena commented on the rumors and said that fans were reaching. “this is reaching. no shade towards selena ever and i didn’t see her eyebrow posts! u guys are making something out of nothing. this is silly.” commented Kylie. Selena replied to her comment saying “Agreed @kyliejenner

It’s all unnecessary. I’m a fan of Kylie!” (ugh isn’t she the best?!)

Then Taylor Swift was brought into the mix, so the drama was clearly going to be stirred up again. An anonymous fan account posted an old clip from the show Drop the Mic where Hailey gags at the mention of Taylor’s latest album. Selena commented on the video saying “So sorry, my best friend is and continues to be one of the best in the game.” Selena and Taylor have been long time besties and always supported one another. Selena

didn’t stop her commenting there. A fan posted a video essentially saying how sorry they were that Selena had to go through such petty girl drama as a grown woman, to which Selena simply commented, “I love you.” Selena then announced she was going to get off all social media to regroup her thoughts and clear her mind (#relatable); however she quickly got back on (once again #relatable).

Fans are also speculating Haliey threw shade on Selena again when she reposted a picture of a Rhode beauty package using the song “Calm Down” but specifically NOT using the track Selena is featured on. Overall, Hailey’s past is coming back to prove the present: JELENA FOREVER. Stories like the 2015 New Year’s conspiracy theory where Kendall Jenner (Kylie’s sister) invited Selena Gomez to Dubai for NYE in order for Hailey to spend the night alongside Justin, are resurfacing. Tik Tok fans are now doing deep dives into every instance where Haliey has copied Selena and let me tell you… it’s a lot. Hailey, as a teeanger, was a fan (and stalker!!!) of Justin and Selena. Photographs have came out of her posing with magazines they were on the cover of, and old tweets using the hashtag #Jelena. Haliey was so obsessed, she would DM Jelena stan accounts to figure out what hotels Justin and Selena were staying at. Fans are also pulling up instances where Haliey copies Selena like wearing the exact same outfit, hiring the same nail tech, hiring the same makeup artist, using similar lingo, and even going as far as getting the SAME TATTOO as Selena (a small cursive “g” behind the ear).

This controversy has had the internet in shambles, and many celebrities are beginning to take sides. Pia Mia, a close friend of the Kardashian/Jenner family, has recently posted videos of herself to both Selena and Taylor’s music. Jordan Woods also posted on Snapchat using a lip liner (Kylie’s iconic product) by Rare Beauty (Selena’s makeup brand). Lady Gaga even showed her support for Selena commenting on a post calling Selena beautiful “on the inside and out.” The timing of the post was not accidental-- it was intentional. Besides, not many people are endorsing Rhode Beauty (Hailey’s makeup brand) right now. Since all of this started, Hailey has lost over a million instagram followers (now 49.9 M) and Selena has simultaneously gained 10.2 million (now 395 M). This drama is ongoing, and until Haliey, Selena, or Justin say anything about it, fans will continue to speculate.

IT ONLY TOOK ONE CHECK TO LOSE A FANBASE

April 2022, Mikayla Nogueira was one of the biggest emerging names in the TikTok beauty world. She has a reputation for posting makeup reviews with a personal feel and her signature Boston accent She was even dubbed “the realest influencer on TikTok” by Glamour Magazine. However, that title no longer reigns true after a recent controversy regarding one of her makeup reviews. Nogueira posted a paid review of a L’Oréal mascara as part

of a partnership with the brand. In the Tik Tok, Nogueira applied a coat of mascara and showed viewers the lengthening effect. She then said she was going to apply a second coat. Suddenly, the footage cut to a different angle, showing visibly longer and fuller lashes. Nogueira told viewers the mascara creates an effect that “looks like false lashes,” but many speculated she had actually used fake eyelashes to help better promote the brand. The video has since been viewed 48.1 million times and had huge amounts of backlash. The video has also done something many deemed impossible, awoke Jeffree Star from being digitally dead. This marked his first return to makeup reviews since his announcement that he was quitting YouTube. Star showed an unfiltered and zoomed in look at the application process. He noted that he previously saw some influencers accept brand deals for up to $250,000 for a positive endorsement of their product, although it is unclear what kind of partnership Nogueira was in with the company. “It’s really pretty, the bottom lashes look stunning... it’s cute, it’s very affordable, I love that it’s $15, it separates the lashes.” Star added, “But is it the greatest thing on the planet? No, but I’m not getting paid to say that.”

As expected, Mikayla took a break from social media when the scandal first happened. She has since returned and begun doing makeup reviews once again.

A CEASE AND DESIST CAN’T ERASE THE TRUTH

Mads Lewis has spoken out against Tayler Holder and the multiple alleged sexual assault rumors against him. While

discussing her rocky friendship with influencer Charly Jordan — Tayler’s onagain-off-again girlfriend— on an episode of the BFFs podcast Mads said she doesn’t understand how Charly could get back together with Tayler after “everything that’s happened in the last few years.” The Tik Toker continued, “If I’m saying something on social media, … I’m telling the truth,” Mads said about the rumors. “So you’re saying all the Tayler stuff is true?” asked Dave Portnoy. “Absolutely,” Mads replied. She went on to say that she “didn’t get a cease-and-desist” because “you cannot email or text the victim a cease-and-desist. You’re not allowed to do that.” Many fans believe this statement possibly implies that Mads is an alleged victim of Tayler’s herself. Tayler has been embroiled in controversy since February 2022 when fans noticed that the 25-yearold had been unfollowed by major influencers including Charly Jordan, Bryce Hall, Loren Gray, and Daisy Keech. He was also reportedly unfollowed by some people on his professional team. While no one directly addressed the situation at the time, some of Tayler’s former friends began posting cryptic Instagram stories, leading people to believe it involved allegations of sexual misconduct. Tayler appeared on the BFFs Podcast to address the issue, during which he did not provide any reasoning behind his friends unfollowing him, nor did he make the situation any clearer. It’s unsure what this will turn into, but legal action most definitely will take place and the truth will come out, as long as the victims are willing to share their story.

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Jonah Jarrett, Drew Williamson, Juan Fuentes, and Destiny-Faith White, Staff Writers

FOUR SANDWICHES COMPETE TO RULE THE SANDWICH UNIVERSE

Des’s Sandwich: Chicken, Bacon, & Cheese from Subway

Imagine, if you will: a sandwich so varied in ingredients, yet with a taste refined to the point of perfection. Five different meats on one sandwich, and yet no taste overrides another. A perfectly measured amount of lettuce and tomato create a layered yet crunchy texture to pull the sandwich together. Aesthetically, the sandwich is more pleasing than Lake Tahoe on a warm summer day. It bears the appearance of the ideal sandwich, and tastes like it too. Therefore, the Italian sub sandwich from Jersey Mike’s is both aesthetically and scientifically the best sandwich ever made.

Everyone knows the best sandwich place to conquer your late night cravings is Subway (duh.) So naturally, I decided to get my sandwich at 8pm. It came with grilled chicken, bacon, and american and colby jack cheese (it was also supposed to have lettuce) all on top of a perfect Italian herbs and cheese bun. Now…upon seeing my sandwich I immediately knew I was done for. Mrs. Withers actually said “It looks like someone sat on it.” I think Jonah tried to set me up though by secretly going to Subway before I went and telling them to do the world’s WORST job. It was definitely a little sad looking when compared to the rest. But, to my surprise, I placed third (take that Jonah!).

Jonah’s Sandwich: Homemade Muffuletta

Have you ever heard the classic folk story of John Henry? The classic Bible story of David and Goliath? These moving stories of one man defeating forces much greater than him are what inspired me to create this sandwich. One young sandwich connoisseur like me defeating the autocratic powers of the corporate sandwich enterprise seemed like an impossible task. But just as Dante Alighieri descended into the infernal pits of Hell to reach what he desires, I too will attempt the impossible task of composing a sandwich so exquisite that no tyrant will be able to oppose my artisanal cuisine. I decided to craft a sandwich that not a single one of these oppressors even sells. As David had his slingshot, I, too, had my weapon of choice; the muffaletta. Comprised of prosciutto, bologna, salami, olive salad, and provolone, this sandwich’s ingredients came together like the Power Rangers to form a sandwich potentially strong enough to defeat even the mightiest foe.