The Hilight: Valentine Edition 2022 by Jennifer Calahan

The Valentine’s Edition

The Hilight

THE NEWSPAPER OF CULLMAN HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS: ONLY 68 DAYS TIL GRADUATION

Volume LXXXVII Issue 4 Februrary 11, 2022 510 13th St. Cullman, AL 35055

The History of Valentine’s Day Love is in the air

Samantha Johnson, Staff Writer As Valentine's Day approaches, it is important to brush up on the history of the international holiday. There are a few significant historical events that led to the holiday that everyone knows. The first major event is the Pagan festival of Lupercalia. This was a festival for fertility. Many animals were slaughtered and then women were taken in the streets and slapped with the bloody hides as a fertility blessing. Later the women would add their names to an urn to be drawn out and paired with a man for the year. Many people believe Valentine’s Day originates from this; however, the festival was on the fifteenth of February, not the fourteenth. So how did Valentine’s Day end up on the fourteenth? This brings us to our second major event. The Catholic church named February fourteenth St. Valentine's Day, as a way to override and do away with Lupercalia. Although there is some confusion over which Valentine they are naming the holiday after, because there were three saints named Valentine. The first legend of Saint Valentine states that he was a priest who was beheaded for helping christians escape from jail. He was beheaded by Claudius II. The second legend states that Valentine was a priest in Africa that was martyred with his companions and Queen Emma added his head to the New Minster abbey in Winchester, England in 1041. This is all that is known about this Valentine. The third story is the one most people believe. It has a few more details. In the third legend, Claudius II outlawed marriage among young men to make them better soldiers. Saint Valentine kept marrying young lovers in secret. When Claudius II found out about this, he

threw Valentine in prison. While in prison he got to know his jailer and the jailer’s blind daughter. Over the course of his time in jail he fell in love with the jailer's daughter, and used his faith to heal her eyes, so she could see. Right before he was sent to be beheaded by Claudius II he sent a note to the daughter, and signed it “From your Valentine”. And so the first Valentine was sent! There is another story about the first known valentine, though. This one has proof of truth, though. This valentine was also sent from a jail, but not by a saint. This one was sent by Charles, Duke of Orleans (Not to be confused with New Orleans in Louisiana). Charles sent a poem to his second wife on Valentine’s Day after he was captured during the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. He was imprisoned for over 20 years and never got to see his wife's reaction to the poem he sent her. The poem, on the original card, is preserved in the British Library in London. One last Valentine's tradition to leave you with is the Letters to Juliet. Since the 1930s people from all around the world have been writing letters to Juliet, the fictional figure from the famous Shakespearean play Romeo and Juliet. They send these letters to Verona, Italy, the scene of the play. These letters are then answered by the “Juliet Club,” a group of writers who volunteer to answer the letters to Juliet. At the end of the season of love, the most romantic letter sent to Juliet wins the “Cara Giulietta Prize” or the Dear Juliet Prize. So maybe one year you can send a letter to Juliet, and who knows, maybe you're romantic enough to win. (NOT PICTURED BELOW: SAMANTHA JOHNSON, VIRTUAL MEMBER OF HILIGHT)

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

LOVE, THE HILIGHT

CAMPUS NEWS

Table of Contents:

Mental health of CHS

Fine arts/ Rise in Covid & Flu

Overview of Devin Wymann

Betty White overview

The love doctors

2021 Review

Valentine’s Questions

Prom & Custodian Letters

Is Valentines overrated

Rush Culture/Coke VS Pop

A little bit of everything

Death of a Lover

Playlist/ V-day outfits

ACT/ Color & Emotions

CHS Ships & Date ideas

Cheesy dates/ Calling anyone

Rom-Coms

Cute Character Couples

Celebrity Couples

ADS

Relationship/ Kimye

NFTS

Valentine’s gifts

Basketball/ Softball

Soccer/Archery/Track

Sports Injuries

School Calendar: FCCLA Culinary Competition February 16 President’s Day February 21 All-State Choir March 4 End of 3rd Nine Weeks March 11 Prom March 12 Time Springs Forward March 13 St. Patrick’s Day March 17 NHS Induction March 20 AP Lit Paradise Lost Trials March 23 Cheer Tryouts March 25 Spring Break March 28-April 1

Staff List:

Editor in Chief: Christen Sorrow Advertising Editor: Areli Leon Staff Writers: Abbie Allison Emily Gable Angelina Hughes Jordan Nash Samantha Johnson Carson Kalloff Olivia Britton Anna Beth Mauldin Alecia Scott Drew Williamson Elley Atchison Advisor: Jennifer Calahan Contact Phone: 256-734-2923 Address: 510 13th Street NE Cullman, AL 35055 Member of Alabama Scholastic Press Association

Editors Note:

As Valentine’s Day approaches, we as a staff wanted to bring some love to the students of Cullman High. Even if you don’t have a Valentine this year, it’s ok because we have some fun articels for you to read while you’re at home alone and watching romantic movies. So grab your chocolates & roses and start reading.

Newspaper printed by Alabama Web Press

CAMPUS NEWS Mental Health Around Valentines Day

KB’s Valentine’s Day advice Olivia Britton, Staff Writer

Many people may get down on Valentine’s Day because they do not have a boyfriend or girlfriend. This sometimes causes insecurities to rise up and allow self-doubt to flourish. So I sat down with KB, the CMS & CHS Mental Health Specialist, to talk about how students can avoid having these negative feelings. What would you tell someone who is sad because they’re single? It is so easy, especially with social media constantly reminding us of what others have, to compare ourselves and our status to others. My best advice is to try to speak positivity and satisfaction into your life. If we constantly focus on what we don’t have, we miss out on all that we do have. I have recently started a gratitude journal. At the end of each day, I write down five to ten things I am grateful for from that day. I try to make it a point to not put the same things in each day. Yes, I am thankful for my family and friends, but I try to be specific. I may say, “today I am thankful for friends who understand how truly weird I am,” instead of saying, “I am thankful for friends.” It helps me to maintain a more positive attitude. I also try to figure out what consistently causes a change in my mood. An example of this would be me noticing that I became more unsettled or anxious when I would get on Facebook and see news articles or posts, because they were always so negative. I did not delete facebook, but I did unfollow all news sources, and I noticed that it helped reduce my anxiety. If you find yourself feeling self-doubt or insecurity about your relationship status, try to identify when you become more aware of this (maybe it’s when you’re scrolling Instagram), and simply hide posts from those individuals. People always say, “young love never lasts.” While that statement may be true, what advice do you have about people who may overthink dating in high school? I have three things here, so forgive me if I over explain… I have five life-long best friends, one older sister, and I have had a lot of close friends from high school and college. That being said, I have walked the break-up journey with a lot of people, boys and girls. Breakups are miserable for all involved. Most people start dating someone, and become somewhat obsessed

with one another and you want to spend all of your time with that one person. If and when you break-up, you are almost stuck in misery because you have “lost” the one person you talk to about everything. There are also those who feel like their friends may be mad at them because they “dropped them” for a boy or girl, so you feel very alone. Most break-ups, no matter the age, are rough, but it is just the risk we take when we open ourselves up to dating, and that’s okay. To those who have or may experience a break-up, you will get through it. Your life is not over. You will get your appetite back and you do have other people you can talk to. You had a life before this person was in it, and although you may feel like your life will never be as good as it had been with that person, I assure you it will be even better! One of these best friends married her high school sweetheart. They began dating their junior year of high school, she stayed home and attended community college, and he went off to a four-year university. The two lived long-distance for six years while he earned two undergraduate degrees, and they had one small “break” that lasted about two weeks. When they are asked about how they made it work they always say they had to be secure in themselves as individuals and in each other, and they had to choose every day to love each other and stay faithful to each other. Communication and trust were probably the biggest parts. I have one best friend who was a year older than her high school boyfriend. Listening to the unsolicited advice of their family and friends, they broke up because they were told that long distance was too hard and not realistic. She was afraid she would miss out on college experiences because she would want to see him every weekend, and he was convinced he would miss out on a fun senior year because he would miss her so much. They broke up and really did not talk to each other for a while because they still wanted to be together, so it was just easier to avoid one another. They ended up attending two different universities, both in the Nashville area. Her senior year of college (his junior year), they ran into each other and started talking again. They got married two years later. So here I will quote our friends, Bebe Rexha and Flordia Georgia Line, and say, “ if

it’s meant to be, it’ll be.” Couples may hold themselves to a standard on Valentine’s Day. What words of wisdom do you have for people stressed over the situation? / Do you think there is a certain stigma around Valentine’s Day? If so, what is the stigma? I consider myself an empathetic, sympathetic, and compassionate person. However, I do not love Valentine’s Day. I am not bitter about the day itself, I have just never understood it. As you get older, there is also an assumption that you don’t deserve to “celebrate the day” if you’re single. So my words of wisdom to someone who was stressed would either be, “Valentine’s Day is not even real, it’s just a commercial holiday to get us to buy things,” or “Just use the day as an excuse to treat yourself!” There’s a big movement of Galentine’s day, where girlfriends get together on Valentine’s Day and do something fun like going out to eat or just hanging out together. I have also seen a Maletine’s… which I will say does not sound as good as Galentine’s, but it’s ok. In the first edition of this year’s Highlight, KB spoke about her goals for CHS and the student’s Mental Health. I asked her how this has been going and what improvements she has made since August. In the first article I did with Alecia, I spoke about wanting to end the stigma associated with Mental Health. I do feel that slowly but surely, that stigma, or at least most student’s initial instinct to avoid eye contact with me due to fear they will be labeled as “being crazy,” is fading. I have said it before, and I will say it until I no longer feel that it is necessary, mental health does not mean you’re crazy, you need to be diagnosed, or you need medicine. Mental health simply means an individual’s emotional well-being. We all feel emotions, and sometimes we feel out of control of those emotions. I am here to help those who would like to learn how to have more control over their emotions. I am also here to talk to individuals who may have a diagnosis, and they’re trying to better understand what it means. Other parts of my job include working with students who may be in crisis, leading small groups, assisting students who would like to participate in indi-

vidual counseling, parent support, staff support, and more. I am very involved in Upstanding for Unity, and my current passion is doing as much as I can to help promote kindness and verbal communication at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. I want students to realize that everyone has a story and a reason for why they are the way they are. If we will take time to get to know one another, we will learn so much. Lastly, I aim to do all that I can to help students to feel safe and supported at school. This is because during much of my childhood, school was the most consistent and safe environment for me. One thing that is different than I anticipated is how students can “access” me. I try to be around campus and I try to attend extracurricular activities as a means to help students learn to trust me and see me as a person, not just the “mental health lady.” However, there is only one of me, so Mrs. Hall, Mrs. Tuggle, the guidance counselors, and I met in September or October and established that students will be encouraged to meet with their guidance counselor first, and if it’s determined that they need to meet with me, the guidance counselor will refer them. I have been concerned that students may feel that I am “blowing them off,” and I just want to assure you that that is not the case. If you or someone you know wants to meet with KB, she can be reached at kbowling@cullmancats. net or the Instagram account @ bearcatmentalityCCS.

4 CAMPUS

NEWS

Fine Arts Overview

What’s happening in the Fine Arts Department this semester Jordan Nash, Staff Writer While many people may be under the impression that the spring semester is not as busy as the fall semester, the reality is, the spring semester is just as busy as the fall semester, if not busier. There are a lot of events to keep up with, and with all the commotion, the Fine Arts side of things may get overlooked. For that reason, here is a quick overview of many of the Fine Arts events happening in the Spring Semester.

At this point in the year, you’ve probably heard mention of the theater department and all the amazing shows they put together. Just

recently, in conjunction with the community theater, the department showed Frozen Jr. The next big production for the theater department is The Addams Family, which will be shown in April. The choir, the art department, and of course the theater department, will all contribute to this show. It is sure to be a hit, so make sure you don’t miss it.

Choir is another part of the Fine Arts department that will have plenty to do this semester. In addition to their contribution to The Addams Family, they will also be going to state competition and on a trip to Orlando. On May 5, they will

Covid Update

What you need to know Angelina Hughes, Staff Writer

With every disease comes variants and such is the case with Covid-19 creating a variant known as Omicron. This milder and less severe form of Covid infected over 23,337 and caused 325 deaths in Cullman County alone. It can be most likely speculated that these cases are Omicron but with Covid tests, it is sometimes hard to identify it as the new variant. Patients diagnosed with Omicron are shown to have fewer severe symptoms, making the contagain more tolerable to youth and young adults,which is why quarantine has been reduced to 5 days. However, many people in the state of Alabama are currently being hospitalized for Covid. There was a spike in cases during the winter months but now cases and positivity rates in Alabama seem to be finally declining. The Omicron wave managed to surpass the infection rate in any point of the pandemic pre-omicron but, the statewide rate has fallen nearly 9% with the exception of a few clustered hotspots among a couple of Alabama counties.

Alabama had been averaging at about 8,700 new cases per day, which is the lowest rate since Jan 6. There was a spike on Jan 22, with more than 13,400 cases making it an all time high. Overall though the cases and hospitalizations have decreased in Alabama by more than 5%.To best prevent exposure to Covid and its variants, consider wearing a mask, social distancing, taking vaccines, and keeping good hygiene.

have a spring concert where you can see their amazing talent.

With football season over, many people may be falsely under the impression that there isn’t much left for the band, but that is simply not true. The band program has moved to concert season and split into two different bands, the concert band and the symphonic band. For the first half of the spring semester, the bands will be preparing for MPA, which will take place in March. In the second half of the spring semester, the bands will be getting ready for their spring concert in May.

Another part of the band program is the Jazz Band. One of the biggest events for the Jazz Band is the Big Band Dance that took place the first weekend in February. This is not the only thing the jazz band has lined up for this semester though. In April, the jazz band will be traveling to Atlanta to perform, and in May, they will be performing with the symphonic and concert bands at their spring concert. Oftentimes the Fine Arts department may be overlooked in the busyness of the spring semester, but the talent of the students in these programs should not be ignored. There are many opportunities to see all these amazing groups perform, so make sure you don’t miss them.

Features

Right Voices, Right Choices

An overview of Devin Wyman and his visit to CHS Emily Gable, Staff Writer

An anonymous student here at CHS submitted this story to the Hilight staff: “Everyone has a story. Everyone faces hardship, and if you don’t think you have yet, then you will. These hardships sculpt you. They define your character and your personality. They make you you. Everyone faces different hardships in their lives, from a loss of a family member or friend, to moving to a new town. I want to tell you my story, not to seek pity, but in hopes that my words can change how people look at each other. You cannot make a change unless you try. Look around you right now. Look at all the strangers around you. How much do you think you really know about them? You may look at them and think, “Yeah, they seem nice, at least from the times I’ve talked to them.” But what do you know about them? Like those that live around you, I live around you as well. I am just another face in the crowd to you. I go about smiling, I make jokes, and I do schoolwork and get lectured next to you. But none of you know my story. In October of 2019, my best friend drowned in the river. My last words to him were, “Alright man, see you later.” Then 2 hours later, I got a call to report to the school because there was an accident. I sat there in a classroom crying for 5 hours straight, clutching his backpack. I put together a schoolwide candlelight vigil in his honor. Then the next week, I went back to school. I put on my mask of smiles and jokes. I continued on, even though the tragedy was eating me from the inside. I never let it slip. A year later, I moved to a new town. Cullman, Alabama. I walk among you, living in a perfect world, keeping my problems to myself. And I’m not the only one. Look at the people around you again. Who knows what they have been through? You only see what they let you see. There is one point I’m trying to make by submitting this to the Hilight staff. Treat others with kindness. Treat them nicely because you don’t know what they’ve been through. You don’t know what hardships they have in their life. Talk to them too. Just telling someone hello can make their day. A simple wave in the hallway can improve someone’s mood. That’s all it takes to make a difference. Thank you.” When school started back in January, there was a lot of talk about a new visitor named Mr. Devin Wyman. The 6’8”, 350-pound former NFL player amazed students with the ability to pick up two teenagers and spin them on a steel pole, bend steel with his teeth, and change the shape of a perfectly normal frying pan. He then told students a little about himself in assemblies, during class periods, and even privately. Everywhere he went you heard his motivational rhymes and quotes such as “If I’m tryin’ I’m flyin’, but if I don’t I won’t.” He encouraged students to begin to get a vision for their lives. In an interview with Mr. Wyman, he gave me a summary of his story.

He always explains his story like the game of football: there’s a first half and a second half. This is his first half: He was born in the #1 murder capital with his mom who was raising 4 boys by herself. The first time he saw his dad, he was burying him. Throughout this, though, he had a big dream to go to the NFL. When he was ready to go to college, a press conference with several news sources took place in his home because many division 1 schools were recruiting him for both basketball and football. As he’s about to announce what college he selected, right behind the newscasters were the police. On national television, the police came in and took him to jail, because he “made one wrong choice listening to a wrong voice. I kept hanging out with the wrong crowd. As long as you keep hanging out with them, you eventually start doing what they do...A $20 piece of drugs cost me a quarter of a milliondollar scholarship.” Mr. Wyman says there are two types of friends: dream-makers and dream-breakers. Parents and teachers usually encourage us, but sometimes our friends have different life situations. Mr. Wyman’s friends gave up and started doing drugs. He got caught in that crowd and started doing what they did. He says he can’t blame them because he made the choice to do that, and the choice he made cost him. When he was arrested, Devin’s so-called “friends” laughed at him. He said the reason he’s here today is that he was given a second chance. A second half. Mr. Wyman only had to serve 4 of the 6 months he was sentenced. He says that the judge was also a dream maker because he told Devin that he believed in him. The judge gave him a way to keep from having a felony on his record. He said that his first time getting in trouble was his last time. Devin Wyman found himself in junior college. He started getting to class on time because in his darkest time, alone in a jail cell with no visitors, he wrote this quote: “If I’m tryin’ I’ll be flyin’, but I was sitting there stuck for trying to get a buck…illegally.” He began participating in class and receiving a great education. People around him asked him why he was going to college, for they claimed his career was over. He went from junior college to the College of San Mateo and then transferred to Kentucky State University. Within a year, he was on to the NFL draft. He says his story can be tied together with this: “It’s not how you start, but it’s how you finish. Your ending is always better than your beginning.” He really wanted to empower our students here because to him, we all have the first half. He thinks the key part we miss about sports is half time because in our own lives we get to a point where there is a half time. We may not look at it that way, but at halftime, you can have coaches who can tell you either bad things or they can encourage you. He uses an example of a game he played where his team came

out 31-6, the crowd booing them off to halftime. The coach didn’t care about the scoreboard or what the people said, but that he believed in every person on the team. His coach said they had to be willing to change everything. In the NFL, players get an extremely thick playbook for one game. Losing that playbook would cost you $7,000. So, it was very important to players to keep that book safe. However, the coach was about to change everything, much to the surprise of the entire locker room. When it came the second half, they went as hard as they could using the new plays. With three seconds left, their team was winning 38-31. He tells people that they didn’t win the game in the first half, but they won it in the second half. They didn’t win it with the old game plan but rather they won it with their new game plan. He says, “Change is not change until it’s changed. If I don’t change, nothing changes. I can cry about it, I can pray about it, I can talk about it, but if I’m mad about it, what difference does it make. Even as a man of God, I can take the word of God, I can hear it but am I a doer?” “My mission of being here is the fact of… you have an architect that built this building. And I say this humbly, but I’ve been given a gift of being an architect of building people.” What does that look like? He loves to speak life into people and encourage them. That’s who he is. He wanted to build up every person in the school, not just children but the staff and whoever he’s been assigned to. He’s on a mission. “This is an intercity mission to see Cullman prosper. I want to see the city of Cullman thrive, with diversity. I want to see Cullman thrive as a whole, I want to see Cullman thrive with all the gifts and talents and abilities that it possesses, up here on this beautiful hill, right off of Interstate 65 between Huntsville and Birmingham. It has… It’s just right in the middle of the highway where it can impact so many people and so many young people like yourself that can come out of this community and thrive, and make this a place where people will want to come.” He says this comes from the foundation they stood on which is kindness. Mr. Wyman tries to create a dialogue with students by asking zero trick questions and letting every answer be the right answer. He wants to create communication because “Communication rules the nation.” He believes people of all ages don’t communicate anymore. How many times have we walked past someone we don’t know in the hallway snd never spoke to them? What would you do if you knew that they didn’t have a good Christmas? Mr. Wyman says we’ll never know someone until we go out of our way to talk to them. That’s kindness. Being willing to talk to people. He says even though society is changing and people are crazy, people have always been crazy and we need to be watchful to what we’re speaking into existence. No matter what title we hold

ourselves to, communication is imperative. “Wear whatever title we want to wear, but do I communicate, do I talk to people, and do I lift them up?” He says we can either tear people down or build them up. He chooses to build people. He says his group’s thing is to build people on kindness. “Kindness equals love. How can you fail with that?” We all have hurt and pian because none of us can avoid that but it’s how we surround ourself with the right people and be willing to ask for help that matters. At 48, he still asks for help. He thinks that we become “too cool for school” by 4th or 5th grade when we’re more aware of our surroundings, our comparison to others, and overall peer pressure. He begins to close with the fact that he’s grateful for his mother. He says when you’re a kid you don’t realize all the things your mom does. She said his mother would always ask them how their day was. When his mom went home to be with the Lord in 2016, he started to think about all the things that had impacted his life. He says he always tells kids to never let a day go by without telling their mom and dad (or for parents, their kids) that they love them. He thinks Covid has really sharpened the view that life can go in a snap. He really hopes that the surrounding counties to Cullman don’t feel out of the loop because he believes that the love goes out. Cullman just happened to be the mission right now. His vision was to be here and love on people. Outside of what he did here at Cullman, he wears many different hats. His position title is Strategic Operation Coordinator, but he helps out with high schools at home, with football, walking the halls, and speaking. He speaks at schools, preschools, and workplaces alike. He gets the opportunity to be a referee at some games. There are no boundaries with what he does. Most of all, he’s a father and a proud grandfather. He sees himself as a father to many, even outside of his household. At this point in the interview, Mr. Wyman got emotional as he told me about his children. He said it’s not easy. He says he’s thankful for Mrs. Hall, being the mother to all of us kids during the day. He was always outside of the house and missed his kids growing up, but there has been forgiveness and reconciliation. “When you get reconciliation, you get restoration, and when you get restoration you get redemption. But we have to be willing to repent, and when we can sincerely repent, there’s a reset button that happens.” As Mr. Wyman left our school, he spoke to each class to remind them of what he had been speaking about and to encourage them. It’s not hard to see the heart he has for every person he encounters. Maybe his visit meant nothing to some, but to others, it could change the whole climate of our lives and our school.

6F E A T U R E S Super Stars Leave Recent celebrity news Angelina Hughes, Staff Writer America’s Sweetheart, Betty White, has left an ageless legacy and will remain a national treasure in American history being that her Emmys stand as testimony to her life-long dedication towards having a profound career and being our “Golden Girl.” Throughout the decades, Betty White made some memorable moments in her acting career including, “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “I Love Lucy,” “Life with Elizabeth,” and her debut in a SuperBowl Snickers commercial. Betty White was weeks away from her milestone 100th birthday, January 17th, and had plans to premiere a documentary film, ““Betty White: 100 years young - A Birthday Celebration” in theatres. Unfortunately, she suffered a stroke six days prior to New Years, and on New Year’s Eve, Betty White passed away at her home in Brentwood. Following her death, the documentary film’s name was shortened to “Betty White: A Celebration.” Many of Betty White’s friends gave tribute to her through their social media. George Takei, best known for his role in Star Trek, tweeted how Betty White has “-joined the heavens to delight the stars with her inimitable style, humor, and charm. A great loss to us all. We shall miss her dearly.”

In 2011, Joe Gatto got together with his friends James Murray, Brian Quinn, and Sal Vulcano to found a tv hit series called “Impractical Jokers,” where they played pranks on each other and everyday people. Murray’s roommate,Bessy, appeared in a few episodes and in 2013, Joe gave her a ring to seal the deal. During their relationship, Bessy gave birth to their daughter Milana in 2015 and their son Remington in 2017. On New Year’s Eve, Joe Gatto announced his departure from the upcoming season 10 of “Impractical Joker,” and also announced his divorce in an Instagram post, ending their eight year marriage. Both Bessie and Joe are going to continue raising their children. Although Joe is leaving the show, his comedy career is continuing as he goes solo. Bessy will continue her mission to promote adopting dogs.

As a wholesome actor, comedian, and television host, Bob Saget gave viewers a fun feel good vibe as he genuinely transcended the screens and bonded viewers through memorable emotional moments and loads of laughter. His iconic role as Danny Tanner on “Full House” resonated with American and Immigrant families alike as the sitcom exposed that not all families are traditional and a widowed father raising his daughters with his best friend and brother in law’s help is displayed as a family. Furthermore, Bob Saget provided generations with further entertainment as the original host of “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” Through these shows, he provided the foundation for American and Immigrant families to grasp the values of American culture and understand English while also teaching generations of viewers to be sincere, joyful, and to go with the flow, enjoying each moment as it passes.

As of late, Bob Saget had kicked off his nationwide tour of “I Don’t Do Negative” back in September and was scheduled to run through June of 2022. Saturday night of January 8, Bob Saget took the stage one last time in Jacksonville, Florida at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall. “I loved tonight’s show,” he tweeted shortly after midnight, thrilled with his work. Orlando County Sheriff stated that Bob Saget was found deceased, lying face up on his bed at the Ritz Carlton hotel that Sunday. No signs of foul play or drug use was found while investigating the cause of his death. Passing away at age 65, many families grieve the loss of this truly talented comedian, actor, and television host as he leaves behind his wife, Kelly Rizzo, and his three daughters, Aubrey, Laura, and Jennifer.

FEATURES

The Love Doctors Misdiagnose: A Satire

Relationship advice from Anna Beth and Elley Elley Atchison and Anna Beth Mauldin, Staff Writers This is a satire and not meant to be taken seriously.

How do you know if he’s Mr. Right? You know he’s Mr. Right if he gets really upset at you for talking to any person of the opposite sex. This simply means he cares about you. You’re not allowed to talk to other boys; you’re his property now. You’ll also know he’s the one if he goes out of his way to tell you he’s never found a girl funny before. These are both wonderful signs of a long-lasting relationship. How do you juggle school and relationships? You don’t. Your boyfriend/girlfriend takes priority over anything else you have going on. Want to hang out with your friends? Well, that’s too bad. Homework? No. It does not exist when your boyfriend/girlfriend wants to do something with you. This should answer any questions you may have regarding your time. How do you get boys to like you? Need help immediately. Act like you don’t know things when you actually do know them. Also, giggle a lot when you are pretending to be stupid. This is very attractive. NEVER FART! No bodily functions around boys or you’ll scare them away! Make sure you’re dressing flirtatious; however, not to the point where you are seen as over the top. You must find the perfect medium, and if you don’t, then you will always be worthless. Hope this helps! How do you get his/her parents to like you? All you have to do is make a political comment about how much you love the Republican party, and that you’re thrilled a woman did not win the election in 2016. This will win over his/her father instantly. To win over the mother… Well, that is actually not important; the father is the only person that matters, for he is head of the household. How do you know when the relationship isn’t working anymore? The relationship is most likely not working anymore when he starts cheating on you; however, be sure to always take him back! Especially if he makes a passive aggressive comment saying, “I’m sorry I’m such a bad boyfriend, but you need to understand that people aren’t perfect.” As long as they want to stay in the relationship, you must, too. He has to be in complete and total control. What do I do if he doesn’t respond to my texts and calls? First, you call him about 20-40 more times. If he’s still not responding after that, then show up to his house in the middle of the night. Peer through his window and make another call, so you can be sure he is receiving the calls in the first place. If he ignores your phone call, then slam on his window and start sobbing. This will surely make him have a conversation with you. Maybe about your mental health and not your relationship, but a conversation all the same.

8FEATURES 2021 in Retrospect A look back on the past year Drew Williamson, Staff Writer 2021 was definitely a wild ride with lots of ups and downs. I would compare it to a rollercoaster, but that analogy is significantly overused. We’ve got lots of events to cover, so let’s just get right into it. January was a packed first month of the year, with the most important event of the month being Biden’s inauguration as the 46th president. Although the inauguration was important, the protests that preceded it are worth talking about as well. On January 6, a group of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building because of election results. This was the first time in America’s history that there was not a peaceful transi-

February was a much quieter month compared to what we’ve just talked about, but there’s a few things worth talking about. The Buccaneers won the 55th Super Bowl for the second time in their career. The biggest news story of the month was definitely Trump’s impeachment trial following the Capitol riots, which also makes Trump the first U.S president to get impeached twice, and within a year. He was ultimately acquitted in the Senate trial. The COVID-19 death toll hit 500,000 deaths in America, and vaccines for people older than 18 began to be authorized. The final slap in the face from the month was Daft

price increase for gas, especially in the east coast. Now, this would have been fine if people hadn’t panicked and bought significantly more gas than they needed because they thought there would be a shortage. Ironically, the shortage would not have been bad at all if people hadn’t been so paranoid. In the beginning of June, many businesses began to reopen as it seemed that COVID-19 was finally going away and almost 50% of the American population had been vaccinated. Because the Delta variant was estimated to be up to 50% more contagious than the normal strain, it began to surge in the U.S. By the

ban on abortion once a heartbeat is detected and a bill that prevents 24-hour and drive-thru voting. Booster shots for the COVID-19 vaccine started to roll out, and cases were beginning to surge as the new school year started. In the beginning of November, Travis Scott held the Astroworld festival, which led to 10 people dying. These deaths occurred from overcrowding and not enough space. The event was a tragedy that could have easily been prevented. On November 8, the U.S finally reopened their borders to foreign travelers. In December, we saw the rise of the Omicron variant, especially after

tion of power, and was a tragedy that killed at least 4 people. The other event in January that was much less serious was the Gamestop stock incident. In April 2020, Gamestop stock was valued at a historic low of $2.57, and stayed around that price for most of the year. So, you can imagine everyone’s surprise when their stock jumped from $18.30 to $483 in less than 3 weeks. Robinhood, a popular investment app designed to make investing accessible for people outside of Wall Street, restricted purchasing GameStop stock at the peak of its elevation. This decision sparked lots of backlash, with people arguing that the upper class didn’t want the normal people to profit from the incident. I can’t explain the story in full detail here because of space, but it’s worth checking out on your own.

Punk breaking up after 28 years. There was really only one big thing that happened in March, and I’m sure most of us remember it. On March 23, the 1300 ft long Ever Given got wedged in between the Suez Canal. The Suez Canal is one of the world’s most important trading routes, so it’s easy to see how this was a problem. By March 28, there were 369 ships waiting for the ship to get freed so they could pass through. While it was disastrous for the economy, you have to admit it was kind of funny. The Delta variant of COVID-19 was also first identified in America. On April 9, Prince Phillip was announced dead at the age of 99, just two months before his 100th birthday. On May 12, the Colonial Pipeline was hacked and had to shut down its network. This led to a

end of June, it was estimated to account for almost 10% of all cases. The 32nd Summer Olympics were held in Tokyo in July, since they had to be postponed a year because of COVID-19. No spectators were allowed, but there were still over 90 cases linked to the event. On August 15, the Taliban captured Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. They took their first provincial capitol, Zaranj, on August 6 and swept through the rest of the nation. This happened after the U.S and other foreign nations had withdrawn their forces from the nation over the summer after twenty years of conflict. With the Taliban in control of the government, the future for the country is unclear. Throughout the month of September, Texas passed several controversial laws, including a complete

Christmas. A new daily record for COVID cases in the USA hit right at the end of the month. On December 31, right as we thought the year was over, Betty White passed away. She was a beloved actress and comedian. 2021 was definitely an eventful year, although not nearly as bad as 2020 (thankfully). Although there were lots of unfortunate events, there were some silver linings. Overall, I would give this year a solid 4/10. Here’s to a better 2022!

FEATURES

A day full of Love

Asking students Valentine’s questions Christen Sorrow, Editor in Chief With Valentine’s Day approaching, we decided to test the knowledge of this day to some students of CHS.We asked two students from each grade, here are their responses.

Questions:

1. If you could take one celebrity on a date who would it be? 2. What do the X’S & O’S stand for in “XOXOXO”? 3. How many U.S. states have a city named Valentine? Is it 3, 4, 5, or 7? 4. Who created the first Valentine’s Day box? Is it Russell Stover, Louis IV, Richard Cadbury, or Milton Hershey? 5. Would you rather receive or give roses or chocolates? 6. What is your favorite romcom? 7. Do you think valentine’s day is overrated? 8. How many flowers are sold every valentines day? 9. Do you have a valentine this year? 10. What Valentine’s Day candy was first created on equipment made for cough drop?

SENIORS:

JUNIORS:

SOPHOMORE:

AVERY JOHNSON: 1. Matthew Mcaughnahey 2. hugs and kisses 3. “Four. Valentine, Arizona; Valentine, Nebraska; Valentine, Texas; Valentine, Virginia.” Which one will you visit first?: 4. Cadbury chocolates in the world’s first heart shaped box for Valentine's Day.” 5. Roses 6. How to lose a guy in 10 days 7. Yes and No 8. 1.3 Million 9. Yeah I do, “would you like to tell us who your valentine is?” Tucker Apel 10. Heart shaped candies

GARRETT HALL: 1. Selena Gomez 2. Kisses and hugs 3. 3 4. Milton Hershey 5. Receive both 6. I don’t have one 7. No, i love valentines day 8. A lot 9. yes, “would you like to elaborate?” It's your mother 10. chocolate

ELLIE MAULDIN: 1. Riley Green 2. hugs and kisses 3. 5 4. Louis 4th 5. receive 6. the notebook 7. ”no, i think it’s cute” 8. about 1 million 9. yes i do “who is it?” lou ayers 10. the heart shaped candy

TUCKER APEL: 1. I would probably take jennifer Anniston 2. kisses hughes, kisses hugs 3. pretty sure it’s 4 4. russell stover 5. probably give them both 6. Hes all that with Addison Rae 7. Not at all 8. yeah I do, The homecoming queen avery johnson 9. 1 million 10.tootsie pops

HARPER LAFON: 1. Harry Styles 2. hugs and kisses 3. 7 4. Milton Hershey 5. receive 6. The Notebook, wait is that a rom com 7. no 8. million and 1 9. no 10. hershey kiss

ANSWERS: 1. Any answer 2.“X=kisses, O=hugs” 3.“Four. Valentine, Arizona; Valentine, Nebraska; Valentine, Texas; Valentine, Virginia.” Which one will you visit first?: 4.Cadbury chocolates in the world’s first heart shaped box for Valentine’s Day.” 5.any answer 6.any answer 7.any answer 8.250 million 9.any answer 10.Sweethearts

TYLER TANKERSLEY: 1. Can she be older? Jennifer Anniston 2. hugs and kisses 3. 5 4. Russell stover 5. give them 6. the notebook 7. no 8. over 1 million 9. I do Not 10. chocolate

FRESHMEN: SOPHIA FLANIGAN: 1. Patrick dempsey 2. hugs and kisses 3. 3 4. Milton hershey 5. receive roses 6. to all the boys i’ve loved before 7. yes 8. 1 million 9. no i don’t 10. i don’t know CHASE DUNKIN: 1. Emma Watson 2. hugs and kisses 3. 4 4. Cadbury 5. definitely receive roses 6. I don’t really watch those 7. yes 8. 16 million 9. no 10. liquorish

FEATURES

To Do or Not To Do

Your guide to securing a prom date

Emily Gable and Drew Wiliamson, Staff Writers To Do:

Buy them Chick-Fil-A and say “will you be my *chick* at prom? A simple sign that says PROM? (Or get friends to hold signs for you) “Will you be my sunshine at prom?” (Bring them sunflowers or pretty yellow flowers) Use an inside joke or common interest to make a good play on words (examples: Star Wars: You’re the Obi Wan I want to go with; Baseball: I’m stepping up to the plate to ask you to prom)

A staged example of what to do!

Valentine Cards for Custodians

Homemade, with love and appreciation

Christen Sorrow, Editor in Chief Valentine’s Day is a day of showing love. According to britannica.com it’s “a holiday when lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts. It is also called St. Valentine's Day. The holiday has expanded to express affection between relatives and friends.” This year for valentines day we wanted to show love and appreciation to our custodians who do so much for us and our school. We wanted to show them some love by making Valentines day cards for them. Here’s a little look into what we wrote for them. Thank you to our custodians.

Not to Do:

“You butter go to prom with me!” written on the wrapper of a stick of butter. Put a note on their locker that says “Orange you willing to be my prom date?”, when they open the locker hundreds of oranges spill out of it. Remove their tires and leave a note saying “I’m JACKED to go to prom with you!” Take them to the scene of a murder and say “I’m dying to go to prom with you!”

A staged example of what not to do!

EDITORIALS Why Valentine’s Day is Overrated How the holiday has become over commercialized Olivia Britton, Staff Writer

To some, Valentine’s day is special. It’s an important holiday where you wake up and immediately feel the “love in the air.” Then your significant other has flowers and chocolates in hand as they wait for you at a fancy restaurant. Maybe the reservation has been made for months, maybe it was scheduled last minute, either way you cannot wait to sit down and eat a four-course candlelit meal with the one you love. As perfect as that image is in our heads, not everyone gets that experience and some of us never will. Some of us will continue to wake up on valentines day, roll our eyes, and walk downstairs to a $5 box of Walmart chocolates from our parents. Now I get that I may be a little biased considering I’ll be spending V Day alone this year but hear me out: why? Why is Valentine’s day so special? We have just designated one day out of the year to love one another a little extra? No thanks. Legitimately we can go to dinner and buy each other chocolates any day out of the year, so why wait until the 14th of February to do so? I’m not anti-love, I just think that a pointless holiday has been taken over by the everevolving, mutating, vicious creature we know as commercialization. Gifts like flowers, chocolates, and 6 foot tall teddy bears were once sentimental but now seem cheap and obligatory. The problem isn’t that we choose to give gifts on valentines day, the problem is that we expect to get them. A holiday that was once truly about love and celebrating St. Valentine has now turned into an overrated day of the year where people hold their loved ones accountable for gifts. I’ll be honest, as guilty as I have just made myself feel, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t expect gifts on Valentine’s day. Every year I get a box of chocolates, so every year I expect a box of chocolates. It’s not that hard to see how this quickly became a problem in the stuck up high standard society we live in. While my opinion might seem old- fashioned to some let me say this. Nowadays Love is not defined by dinner dates, flowers, or that front porch kiss at the end of the night. Love is based on how high they are on your Snapchat best friends list, how fast they choose to respond to you, and which side of their face they choose to send to you. It’s crazy when said out

loud but it’s true. Relationships at our age are so quickly dissected by some of the dumbest and most meaningless things. “They sent a picture of their feet?” “They posted on their story 5 minutes ago but I’ve been left on delivered for 2 hours!” These things happen every day of the year yet on Valentine’s Day we expect the person to act as though they have never loved anyone else. Like it or not, this is our reality. We rely on petty things to describe our relationships and our lives. So, is Valentine’s Day overrated? Maybe, maybe not. Either way the public perception of Valentine’s Day has definitely strayed from love. The holiday has been commercialized to a point that caused unrealistic expectations for couples.

Valentine’s Day Is NOT Overrated

The beautiful tradition of the holiday

Alecia Scott, Staff Writer

Valentine’s Day is a sensitive subject for many people. I know the relationship junk everywhere is a lot for some people to deal with. I am not a particular fan of Valentine’s Day. I know it is very commercialized, but the overall meaning of Valentine’s Day is beautiful. Many people think Valentine’s Day originated in Italy or France because they are considered countries of love, but in reality Valentine’s Day is much older than that. It is almost 500 years old. It is thought to have originated in Rome. The story is a mixture of two historical events. The first starts with the execution of two saints, both named Valentine; they both advocated love and peace, and they especially loved the festival of love and fertility, Lupercalia. This made the festival of Lupercalia be renamed to Valentine’s Day. Love and fertility is the “meaning” of Valentine’s Day. During this time, chocolate was a delicacy only for special occasions, and the color red was used to represent the martyrdom of the two Valentines. Tradition is the basis of

this holiday. It is apparent that, unlike other holidays, the traditions haven’t kept up with the times. Chocolate is cheap and flowers are seen as tacky. Red is now associated with lust and not love. This, however, doesn’t make the holiday overrated. The holiday is a showing of love and appreciation. That doesn’t mean you need a spouse, it just means you need someone you love, and an ability to show appreciation. I may be biased because I do have a spouse, but even if I didn’t I would still show my appreciation for my family and friends. Valentine’s Day is about love. It isn’t about the fancy stuff. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to get flowers, and go out to eat with my boyfriend. However, I do not think it is necessary. I also don’t think love has changed. I think technology has made us get to a point where love has been taken advantage of. People have gotten to the point where instant gratification has led to love being seriously taken advantage of. I hope people learn to love correctly and understand that Valentine’s Day is not as overrated as they think.

12 E D I T O R I A L S Coke vs. Pop Northern accents compared to southern accents Alecia Scott, Staff Writer

I am not from Cullman, I am not even from Alabama. I am from Indiana. It amazes me how different the dialect is. I have narrowed down my top six favorite words from both the north and south.

#6 is Oil. If I ever said oil here, people would get very confused. In the North “oil” is pronounced “oyle.” The “y” is emphasized significantly. In the South, as you know, it is pronounced “ole.” It disregards the “i” in the word entirely. When I first moved here, I had a very hard time understanding what people meant when they said “Can you give me that ole right there?” I find it funny that a three letter word could be said in two completely different ways.

#5 is Route. “Route” in the North is pronounced as if it rhymes with “grout.” Many here say it as “root.” I have had people argue with me over it being “Root 66” or “Rout 66.” This one is very annoying because, even though we are both technically right, people will argue it until the end of times.

#4 is Bag. Many here pronounce it as it is spelt; I know some don’t even call it a “bag”, they call it a “poke.” In the North, however, it is pronounced as “beyg.” It is very nasally, and personally, I find it to sound snobby and rude. #3 is Syrup. In the north it is pronounced “sear-up.” In the South, it

is pronounced “ser-up.” This word doesn’t get lost in translation like others do. It still calls for a giggle when two people mock each other for something they both think is wrong. #2 is the most popular, but not my favorite; that is “y’all.” Everyone knows the word, but people in the North don’t use it. We use the phrase “you guys.” When I first started my job, I always said “You guys have a good night.” My manager would laugh at me because he “never heard a bunch of old folk ‘you guys.” Soon I realized that my accents better change fast, or tips are going to go straight out the window.

#1 is Soda. In the North, specifically where I am from, it is called “pop.” This confuses many people, and it has even almost gotten me in trouble because a teacher thought I was speaking of a vape brand, when I was speaking of the carbonated beverage. I will not allow Alabama to change the way I pronounce this word. I will not succumb to the pressure of calling it “Coke.” Not every carbonated drink is “Coke.” I say it to annoy and confuse people. I think it is hilarious. I do not think any of these words are wrong, except “Coke.” It is crazy how a few hundred miles can so drastically change the dialect of the people that reside in it. It is also mind-boggling how fast someone’s accent can change by the people around them. But hey, if you go to Indiana or some other Northern state, you can use this as a translation book.

dents of all ages. Kindergarten students have homework. Middle schoolers take quizzes to see what career their personality and skillsets fit. How are middle schoolers even ready for that? And all students, no matter what age, are pressured to get ahead. There are so many advanced classes, which are great for advanced students, but it puts pressure on students on which advanced classes to take or why they aren’t good enough to take them. Once I asked a teacher what AP classes I should sign up for. I was in 10th grade, and she asked me what my college major was. I was taken aback because I had only a slight idea of what I wanted to do with my life, and what my career idea was didn’t need a degree. I just wanted to push myself with advanced classes. Everything in our life is rushed. We’re rushed to grow up. We’re pressured to make career decisions before we even think about our first job. We are

looked down upon for not being advanced enough or not getting things done fast enough. At every age, these pressures come, and we wonder why stress and anxiety are such on the rise. So what can we do to fix this? There are so many things to get done and we can’t just ignore them. Take a second to think about your response when someone asks you to take on more responsibility. Do you really have time for that? If you do, great! If you don’t, do you think that maybe you could let something go to do that thing instead? Make sure to block out time to rest. Rest is stressed in several religions, especially Christianity. Don’t you think they’re on to something? Block out time for mental health and for friends and family. We’ll suffocate without human interaction. Take some time to journal and read a physical book. Just take a breath and don’t rush.

Rush Culture How American society is hurrying us to death Emily Gable, Staff Writer All around us, people everywhere are always doing something. They’re always rushing around, trying to get an endless amount of tasks completed. There’s never a time when the people of America are not in a rush. This rush culture is affecting more than we think. First, the rush culture has people in a hurry. We’ve lost time for each other. Communication has become so fast and easy that we’ve given up personal interactions. The fast advancement of technology is only hurting this more and more. We’ve forgotten how to talk to people. And our “microwave culture” is so used to getting things when we want, we’ve become impatient and whiny about it. Not only has it affected communication, human interaction, and our patience, but rush culture has begun to quickly leak into our education system. The constant use of technology, the endless amounts of work, and the pressure to get as far ahead

as you can before you graduate are just a few ways that rush culture is ruining our education. How, you might ask? The constant use of technology has caused us to be completely dependent on technology. The use of paper is becoming scarce by the minute. Writing typically helps with memory and comprehension but we’ve got technology for that now. If an internet outage occurs, there is no way to do anything. All schoolwork is assigned on Schoology. Don’t know an answer to a question? Google it. It takes less time to complete assignments. Thus, teachers continue assigning more assignments, causing us to have less free time. Many high school students have jobs and some of them value time with their friends and family that is taken away from them by the endless work. It’s not the teacher’s fault, but they too are affected by rush culture. Also, the constant rush has turned up the pressure on stu-

EDITORIALS Reflecting On Friendships

Scooter’s Review

Anna Beth Mauldin, Staff Writer

Drew Williamson, Staff Writer

Growing and maturing We change friends more often than we think, and it has been proven that as we get older, the number of friends we surround ourselves with drastically decreases. Growing up, I was completely oblivious to the fact that my friends would change frequently throughout my lifetime. I truly thought the friends I had in Preschool, Elementary school, and Middle School would always be my best friends. I know you know what I’m talking about. If not, check old yearbooks with little notes and signatures from individuals who you probably hardly even speak to anymore. With this said, what makes a true friend and what causes friends to grow apart? Friendships are meant to evolve over time, so if you have noticed your circle of friends has shrunken as you’ve grown- don’t worry, it’s completely normal. Maybe they moved away, maybe they stabbed you in the back, maybe there was an argument, or maybe you both grew apart. For me, growing apart from some of my past friends is one of the harsh realities I have had to face when transitioning from one phase of my life into the next. Change can be unnerving, but it’s inevitable, especially as you watch the friends that called your closest grow closer to other people. No one is to blame, as growing and maturing is a part of every person’s life. As shy as I am, the world miraculously brought me some of the best friends I could have asked for throughout my 17 years. As I’ve watched them grow, I have admired their strength,

beauty, kindness, and the love they shared for me. There are tons of various types of friendships, and it’s special when someone truly knows you. Because of them, I know true friendships exist. I also know that friendship is not about logging in a certain amount of years, it’s about giving them space to grow into themselves. Connect with people in the moment, and cherish the people that really listen and understand you. You have to be there for a person, hear them and listen to them, and hopefully have that favor returned to you. A piece of advice I have is to follow your path. I think a lot of people are set on pleasing others instead of discovering a way for themselves. If you are not helping yourself, you are not helping others. As we age, we maintain friendships with the individuals that truly understand and support us. These connections are rare, and we place more importance on them as we grow. You may find that creating a solid foundation includes a couple close friends, but beyond that you know you don’t need much more to be happy and satisfied with yout life. Maintaining a few cherished people in your life that would do anything for you is enough. Holding on to friendships that nourish you while also building new friendships is important. Losing and gaining friends is a normal part of life, so reach out and be with those who make you happy and hold on to the healthy bonds you create.

The Hilight staff’s opinion on Scooter’s coffee Angelina The Crème Brûlée Blender is creamy, icy, and kind of caramel-y? I would say a 7/10. It’s alright. Carson I got the Desert Pear Redbull Infusion. It’s not bad. The drink is like you take a watered down drink from downtown nutrition and you add a little caffeine to it. I’d rate it a sensual 7/10. Anna Beth I give the Iced Caramelicious a 8/10. It was the perfect amount of sweetness and very creamy. If you love caramel coffee, I would recommend this drink, especially if you were in a rush. Abbie I give the Mango Smoothie a 7/10. The ice to thick smoothie ratio is immaculate, and it has a strong mango taste. Would’ve been a 8/10 with whipped cream added on top. Alecia I got the Iced Sea Salt Caramelicious. 6/10 Mediocre coffee. I could make it at home. It is good for on the go, but it wouldn’t be my pick of coffee if I had the choice. Overall it had good caramel flavor, but there was no taste of sea salt. Emily I give the Turtle Latte an 8/10. The latte was nice and hot when I got it, and it was a great blend of coffee flavor and sweetness. However, I’m not sure it had a super “Turtle” taste. Instead it tasted like a regular flavored latte. It was really, really good though. Jordan I give the Turtle Blender a 7/10. This was pretty good, but not my favorite “turtle” coffee I’ve had. However, it tasted pretty good. If I was in a rush

and needed something, I’d go again. Elley Iced Matcha latte with vanilla. Overall, I really enjoyed my drink. They didn’t mix the matcha at the bottom, but it was also the right amount of sweetness. I think the good cancels out the bad. I would recommend this drink. 7/10 Olivia The Sea Salt Caramel Blender is perfect for someone who enjoys frappuccinos. I thought the drink was very good, but probably wouldn’t be my first choice. I will say that in comparison to other frappes, this drink had more of a coffee-like flavor rather than just milk and caramel syrup. 7/10 Ms. Calahan I got the White Mocha .The temperature was good, although it wasn’t as sweet as I like my coffee, so I did add Truvia to it. I’ve been drinking it for 45 minutes now, and it’s still warm. 8/10 Ms. Jones The Cinnamon Roll was very good, I really enjoyed it. It had a nice sweet flavor, and the warm icing was the best part. 8/10 Drew The cool thing sbout the Candy Bar Latte is you can get any flavor of candy bar. I got the Milky Way flavor, which they call the Galaxy because of copyright reasons. It doesn’t really taste like a Milky Way, but it does taste good. I’m feeling a light to decent 6/10. Samantha The Peanut Butter Power with a shot of expresso is great for anyone who loves peanut butter and needs a little pick me up. This is a great frozen drink for peanut butter lovers. 9/10

Jeffery Epstein’s Death: A Suicide?

The conspiracy theory about Jeffery Epstein Elley Atchison, Staff Writer Jeffery Epstein was an American financier with money, famous friends, and thirty-six sexual assault allegations. In 2006, Epstein was arrested due to those allegations. The victims went through a lengthy trial, hoping for justice as the outcome, only to find Jeffery Epstein had “killed himself” in his prison cell. They never got the chance to hear Epstein speak at the trial. Some question, did Epstein really kill himself? Jeffery Epstein lived in Brooklyn, New York, and made many connections. Some being with Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump. Epstein was a very wealthy man and owned various properties. For example, he had an apartment in New York, a ranch in New Mexico, and a beach house in Florida. This beach house is significant

because it is the house where one of the first victims who came forward was assaulted. This girl did not have a sufficient amount of income. A friend told her she knew a man who needed a massage therapist and he paid well. She took the offer, went to Epstein’s house, and was sexually assaulted by him. It is unknown how many girls he sexually assaulted; however, the estimation is around 100 girls. Jeffery Epstein had an island called “pedophile island.” Here, he took young girls, offering them a “vacation.” Many victims and workers on the island have stated they saw numerous celebrities. Bill Clinton was one of these people. Think about this: how does it look for a former president of the United States to take part in a huge scandal like this? Not good. One must

believe something was done to conceal his part in the scandal. The security guards at Epstein’s cell were supposed to be monitoring him every 30 minutes. New evidence has come forward saying they were sleeping and “playing around” during that time. If the security guards were not keeping watch, doesn’t that mean someone could have smuggled themselves into Epstein’s cell? Maybe another security guard, even. Bill Clinton is supposedly worth eighty million dollars, giving him plenty of money to pay someone to complete a dangerous job. Jeffery Epstein was never held accountable for his actions; however, neither were other celebrities who took part in the scandal. Could it be possible that Epstein did not kill himself, and someone else

had something to do with it? It is a question that will never be truly answered, a question that could be dangerous to so many, and a question that could provide justice.

14 E N T E R T A I N M E N T Death of a Lover

Not all couples live happily ever after Areli Leon, Advertising Editor Valentine’s Day is a holiday that can hold different connotations. Some people become excited over celebrating their time with their significant others, while others deem it as annoying and unnecessary as it reminds them that they have no one to spend the day with. Meanwhile, this handful of people definitely wished that their Valentine’s Day was spent unaccompanied.

To begin, we have Minister Nathan Leuthold. On February 14, 2013, he gave Valentine’s cards to his children. Unfortunately, his

wife did not have the same luck. He had been having an affair and had previously searched for ways to murder someone, such as how much poison it would take to kill a human and how to quietly fire a handgun. That day, he waited for his wife to come home and shot her. He was found guilty and was sentenced to 80 years in jail.

In addition, a woman named Stacey Schoeck was also ready to let go of her partner. In 2010, Stacey decided she wanted her fifth husband dead. Unsure of how to go about this situation, she

decided to hire a hitman who called himself “Mr.Results” and paid him $10,000. She told her husband she wanted to exchange Valentine’s Day cards and gifts in a public park, which is where he was ultimately shot by Mr. Results. She went on to claim her husband’s $500,000 life insurance money. However, her plan had been conducted completely via phone calls, so the evidence was retrieved. This led to her and Mr. Results to be sentenced to life in prison.

Unlike the previous murders, this one did not consist of underlying relationship issues. On February 14, 1971, Jesse McBane and Patricia Mann went to a Valentine’s Day dance at a local hospital. That night, however, they did not return home. At first, the authorities disregarded the case because they believed that they had run away together. A few days later they decided to begin an investigation which did not lead them anywhere.

Entertainment Hilights

Valentine’s Tunes

Anna Beth Mauldin, Staff Writer

The staff’s favorite love songs

Songs to have on repeat this month Whether you’re celebrating an anniversary or lovestruck over a new crush, this is the perfect playlist for you “Let’s Stay Together” - Al Green “Corduroy Dreams” - Rex Orange County “Islands in the Stream” - Dolly Parton and Kenny Rodgers “Daylight” - Taylor Swift “Friday I’m In Love” - The Cure “Wasteland Baby!” - Hozier “More Than a Woman” - Bee Gees “Infrunami” - Steve Lacy “Fallingforyou” - The1975 “Loving You” - Elvis Presley “Home” - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros “All Your’n” - Tyler Childers “What a Feeling” - One Direction “My Kind of Woman” - Mac Demarco “Missing You” - Flatland Cavalry

Dress to Impress Valentine’s date outfits

Anna Beth Mauldin, Staff Writer Even if you aren’t the biggest fan of Valentine’s day, it’s still a fun excuse to go out and celebrate with your friends or significant other. Hopefully, this Valentine’s will feel different than normal compared to the past two years. Think dinner at a fancy restaurant, brunch, and group activities. It might even be a good idea to start making dinner reservations and start brainstorming the perfect outfit for your special night. Whether you’re wanting more of a casual date night look or an excuse to finally dress nice again, there is hopefully something ahead that fits your taste. -Feeling especially festive? Combine a vibrant pair of pants with a patterned or plain top. Complete the look with a pair of heels or any type of boot. -A classic patterned silk dress is the perfect go-to when you’re stuck on what to wear. Add a turtleneck

and statement jewelry to add to the look. -If you have something more casual planned for this Valentine’s, style a pair of jeans with a blouse. You don’t have to stick to pink and red for this ensemble. - A sequined or plain skirt is the perfect pair to a basic top and coat. You can dress this up or down with a pair of sneakers and boots or heels. -A pink or red coat adds the perfect pop of color. Keep leather jackets and wool coats in mind. -Another route to take is a maxi dress. Pair it with chic and dainty jewelry to create the perfect combination -This year, corset tops are the go-to for outfit combinations. Pair one with a mini skirt or bias cut skirt.

16 E n t e r t a i n m e n t Color Psychology

How do colors affect your emotions? Carson Kallhoff, Staff Writer Explain why your favorite color is your favorite color. Is it because it reminds you of something you find comfortable? Does it trigger a past memory? Is it just really purdy? Believe it or not, there is a reason you love your favorite color. Your favorite color makes you feel an emotion that is directly tailored to you. Warm colors such as red, orange, and yellow create a sense of happiness, excitement, love, anger, and passion. Cool colors such as green, blue, and purple incite feelings of calmness, sadness, intelligence, comfortability, and indifference. So one can ask, how do colors affect your emotions? This idea that colors affect your emotions is known as Color Psychology. In 1666, Sir Issac Newton discovered that when white light passes through a prism, the white light is separated into the main visible colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. It was later discovered that when different colors combine together, different colors are formed. For example, red light and yellow light combined create orange light. However, when some colors are mixed together, they end up cancelling each other out. For instance,

when magenta light and green light are combined, the resulting light is white. Using the combination of different colors, we are able to see over 1 million different colors. “So, how do colors affect my emotions?” you may be asking. Well I am glad you asked. Colors can affect a multitude of different reactions in the human brain. First, there is color based physical therapy. The color red stimulates the body into an increased circulation. The color blue is believed to soothe illnesses and treat pain. Now, I’m not saying if you rub blueberry jam on yourself, you will start to feel better. But, hospitals do primarily use the colors white, a color that gives off a sense of purity and safety, and light blue, a calming and

pain-reducing color, in a lot of their floors, walls, beds, and uniforms. An easy way to picture this phenomenon is through Pixar’s movie Inside Out. The five main characters all represent different emotions: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear. And the five characters are represented by their appropriate colors: yellow for joy, blue for sadness, red for anger, green for disgust, and purple for fear. One of the best uses of color in the modern day is for consumerism. Each color brings out a different reaction in people. White can induce a sense of feeling fresh and clean, and is often used to evoke a sense of youth and modernity. That is why white is commonly picked for buying wedding dresses. Black is somewhat

considered as a “powerful” color. People often describe the color as sexy, powerful, mysterious, and even ominous.This explains why black is a very common color for sports cars. Take a look at the food industry. The colors red, orange, and yellow can make you hungry. Think of all of the fast food restaurants that use these colors: McDonalds, Wendys, Subway, Red Robin, Pizza Hut, Milos, Chick-Fil-A, Little Caesars, Popeyes, Golden Corral, and KFC. As you can see, colors have a massive impact on the way you think and pursue life. They affect you in a multitude of ways and really change how you see what you see. Colors play a much bigger part in your life than you think. They influence your decisions and mood. The human eye can see over 1 million colors, making the limit of creativity seem endless. Color is amazing.

passage, but underline details you think are important. Also take notes on important details and phrases. Another good tip for this section is to read the introductions to the passages. This will tell you what the passage is about and may have key details about the author or intended audience that will help you understand the passage. The third big tip for this section is to, once again, pace yourself. There are 10 questions per passage and 4 passages, so you should spend about 8.5 minutes on each passage to finish this section in the allotted 35 minutes. The last tip for this section is to extrapolate. This means to draw conclusions based on the given information. This is pretty much the same thing as using context clues to draw conclusions. The last section you will test on is the science section. For this section you are given 35 minutes to finish 40 questions. There is an easy way to use your time efficiently, though. To make the best use of the time you are given, read the introductions and look at the graphs. Most of the time this will be enough information to answer the questions. Sometimes you will need to go back and skim the other information that is given. The second tip for this section is to think simply… Usually the questions are pretty straightforward, and do not require complex thinking. One last tip to leave you with is to, once again, extrapolate. Draw conclusions from the data you are given. Pull numbers from the charts and make inferences. Lasty, if you choose to take the writing portion of the ACT, there are a couple tips for this. First of all, while this may seem

like a stupid tip, make sure you read the directions and address what is being asked of you. It is easy to get off on a topic, start rambling, and never fully address the topic that you are supposed to be discussing. Next tip… the way the ACT essay is set up, you will be given a topic and then three perspectives to consider when writing an essay defending your position. The best way to do this is to address all three perspectives, and use them to provide evidence to support your position. Start with an introduction paragraph where you state your perspective on the given topic, then write one paragraph on each perspective using real world examples, then finally write a conclusion that sums up your essay while restating your perspective. As you write your essay, remember to use proper grammar and avoid contractions at all costs. A few tips to leave you with, are probably things you’ve heard a million times. Get a good night’s sleep the night before the test. Eat a good breakfast the morning of. Bring a snack for the break. Go to the restroom before the test and during the break. And lastly, relax! Everything will be okay. Just prepare, try your best, and do not stress. The more you work yourself up, the worse you will do on the test. With all this said, remember that not all these tips will work for everybody. Just try them out on a practice test and decide what works best for you. Go with what you are comfortable with and you will be way more successful. Finally, good luck! You will do great!

ACT Tips

How to reach your full potential on the ACT Samantha Johnson, Staff Writer

As we approach yet another test date for the ACT, everyone is looking for new ways to improve their score. I, Samantha Johnson, have previously taken an ACT prep class and am happy to share some tips. The ACT is divided into four sections: math, science, english, and reading. If you choose to take it, writing is a fifth section. There are some tips that are specific to the section, however there are some that are general tips. To begin, let’s talk about the general tips. First of all, there are always going to be questions you just don’t know the answer to. For those questions, there is a way to maximize your chances at getting them right. The best way to do this is pick two letters to be your guess letters. If you stick with these two letters for the whole test you are more likely to guess correctly on a higher percentage of questions, than if you choose a random letter each time. A second good tip for the whole test is watch the time and JUST KEEP MOVING! If you get stuck on a question, fill in your guess letter, circle it, and move on to the next question. This way you will answer more questions that you know before you run out of time. Lastly, fill in all the bubbles. It will benefit you more to have answered every question, even with your guess answer, than to leave questions blank. Now for the section specific questions. We’ll start with English, just like the ACT. For this section timing is very important. There are 15 questions per passage, and to stay on time you need to complete each passage in 9 minutes. The next tip is that 30% of your answers will be NO CHANGE,

so do not hesitate to choose that answer if you think it is correct. Lastly, when you edit, do so for clarity and correctness, meaning, choose an answer that is both correct based on standard English, and an answer that is clear, simple, and direct. Just because an answer seems fancy and long, does not mean it is correct, actually, it is usually incorrect. Next, the math section. The key word here is pace. Keep moving forward and pace yourself. There are 60 questions to be answered in 60 minutes. This seems impossible at first glance, but it really is not. Remember your guess letters, pace yourself, and keep moving forward. Some questions will take less than a minute to answer, some will take more, but it all evens out in the end. The second big tip for the math section is to divide your questions into three categories, NOW, NOT YET, and NEVER. First work on the NOW questions. These are easy questions that do not take long to answer. Then, as you go mark your NOT YET questions. These are questions that take a little more time and effort to answer. Come back to these questions after you have finished the NOW questions. Lastly there are the NEVER questions. These are questions that you will never be able to answer, at least not right here, now, and on this particular test day. Just fill in your guess letter and move on with these questions. Lastly, THINK, do not just number crunch. Some questions are easier than they appear. After a short break it will be time for the reading section. In this section, skim the passages deeply. Sounds weird, right? But, it works. To skim deeply, skim the

ENTERTAINMENT CHS Flings

(Possible) Love Birds of CHS The Hilight Staff, Staff Writers CHS, a place where we learn and live our teenage lives. Along with being a teenager comes relationships with most people in high school. Relationships in high school hardly last, but some do last. This year for the valentines paper we decided to come up with some interesting ideas, this one included. So we as a staff collectively decided to match some pairs together. Each grade has one ship and maybe they’ll become a real ship. So with that being said, Happy Valentine’s day to all the people mentioned below, and after this article you might just have a valentine for this year and the next after that. XOXO Hilight Staff <3

FRESHMAN:

SENIORS:

Max Gambrill & Regan Quattlebaum This couple was first introduced freshman year, but this year they’re making a comeback.

SOPHMORES:

Reid Bradberry & Reese Patterson. These two are hiliarious so it would be fitting for them to be together.

Mack Dumas & Ava Flores. We think this pair would be super cute together.

The Unexpected Love Meets Date ideas for Valentine’s day Abbie Allison, Staff Writer

The past couple of months have had many people on the edge of their seats on whether or not they would be able to celebrate Valentine's Day. With the month of February quickly approaching, many couples may be wondering where in this strange time to celebrate love. Some unique and unexpected date ideas couples may be interested in are as follows: Recreate your first date, a bonfire with marshmallows and chocolate, a paint and sip class, ice skating, getaway vacation date to either the mountains or your favorite spot, or a cute and fun special hunting/shooting date. Although many couples are interested in different ideas there is always something for everyone when it comes to Valentine's day. Whether that may be eating in your hometown or going out of town to a fancy

restaurant, opportunities are always open. Usually, couples tend to stay in and watch a movie or go to a fancy dinner because it is the easiest option but with the year 2022 being so unexpected, dates out of the ordinary are the encouragement for this year. A few Valentines dinner plans from restaurants in Cullman are as follows: The Browne Stone Centre at Stone Bridge Farms on Friday, February 11, 2022. Includes a lovely meal with plenty of desserts. Cost is $35/person and includes special entertainment. Reservations are required. Call us at 256-734-9765 to make your reservations today. Waffle House is taking reservations for the 2022 Valentines year at both locations. Drehers, 412 Public House, and All Steak typically offer reservations for a special dinner on Valentine’s night.

JUNIORS:

Tucker Cagle & Katia Petterson.

Let’s just say this pair has had some history this school year.

Entertainment

Cheesy Valentine’s Dates

Some ideas for you and your special someone Jordan Nash, Staff Writer Cheesy dates. Those you see overused in romance movies and made fun of by most people. Many see these dates as too corny to actually want to go on them, but there are some people (such as myself) who enjoy these dates and would love to go on one. However you feel, here are four cheesy date ideas that you can either avoid like the plague or enjoy with your special someone.

The first cheesy date for your consideration is stargazing. Imagine it, driving out to an open field, looking at the star-covered sky with your special someone. So, it’s pretty cheesy, but if you get over the corniness of it, it can actually be

a great way for you to get to know the person you are dating and connect with them better. You’ll be away from people and distractions, so you can focus your attention on the person you are with.

Going on a picnic is another very cheesy date, but even in all its cheesiness, it can be a very sweet date. If you pick the right picnic location and plan it out well, then you can have a successful event that will make your special someone swoon. Like the stargazing date, this one allows you to spend time with your person so that you can get to know and connect with each other better.

This one may not be as cheesy, but cooking together is another date idea that you might consider. This one has been used a lot in movies and tv shows, so some people may think it’s overrated, but this is one date that can be personalized and made perfect for you and your partner. You can try new things together, share some of your favorite recipes, and just have fun spending time with one another.

may seem outdated for some people, but the fact it has been around for so long just proves how great of a date idea it may really be. You get to spend quality time with your person and also watch a super cool movie. Sounds like fun to me. While these date ideas may be a little cheesy, they can also be a lot of fun. They may not be everyone’s style, but if you’re having trouble thinking of something to do, then you might give one of these ideas a try.

One final cheesy date idea is a drive-in movie date. This one has been around for a long time and

Phone Calls at CHS A student survey

Areli Leon, Advertising Editor We asked a student from each grade to answer a this question: “If you could call anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?” Here were their responses: Freshman- Tripp Rowan: “Ghost Busters, because they kill ghosts” Sophomore- Reagan Ogstad: “The Rock, cause he is my role model because he is really strong and good looking.” Junior- Hayden Wynn: “Jesus, because he’s Jesus.” Sarah Kate Dockery- “Adele, so that she could sing me a song and I could cry”

ENTERTAINMENT

Top 15 Rom-Coms to Watch for Valentine’s Day or Any Day Alecia Scott, Staff Writer

Then Things I hate About You (1999) 13 Going on 30 (2004)

50 First Dates (2004)

Another Cinderella Story (2008)

Cloud 9 (2014)

Enchanted (2007)

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)

Hitch (2005)

Just Go With It (2011) Warm Bodies (2013)

Sweet Home Alabama (2002)

Life As We Know It (2013)

Princess Diaries 2 (2004)

Legally Blonde 2 (2003)

Yours Mine & Ours (2005)

Entertainment

Cute Character Couples Iconic couple on film

Angelina Hughes, Staff Writer JJ and Kiara from Outer Banks These flirty friends may have a closer connection than besties. JJ and Kiara support each other and understand each other’s feelings through every endeavour. Going on solo missions together, it can be seen they both want to live life to the fullest and want to travel. They are both protective of their friends and of each other. The cool thing is that Kiara knows when something is wrong because she looks past his jokes and carefree cover, and JJ will sacrifice his own happiness to make sure Kiara is happy.

experiences made their relationship bloom into being more than friends. The meek sweet guy can sure hold his own by kicking demon butt and sweeping Nancy off her feet, proving to her that he can be more that just a good boyfriend. Talk about fighting for love, Jonathan’s a warrior! Carl and Ellie from Up

Jim and Pam from The Office

Nancy and Jonathan from Stranger Things Opposites attract with the highschool’s “pretty girl” and the “social outcast.” Having to band together to save their friends and family, their shared trauma and

Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen from Princess and the Frog

These two love birds in denial bonded over pranking Dwight but denied their feelings for each other until they found themselves missing each other in their other relationships. Eventually they confessed their love and dated in secret, eloped their stressful wedding, and had two children together.

Childhood sweethearts, Carl and Ellie have an unbroken bond that goes beyond death. Ellie always brightened Carl’s day with her imagination and adventurous spirit. Their favorite pastime was picnicking under their favorite tree. When Ellie passed, Carl’s happiness did too. However, his love for Ellie was so strong that he forged his path to Paradise Falls and brought his whole house with him.

From frogs to friends, Tiana and Naveen make the dream team. Naveen’s charismatic and carefree personality and Tiana’s ability to be resourceful and down to earth, blend together and make their relationship balanced.They worked through problems thick and thin, being able to become human again and start their own restaurant.

ENTERTAINMENT Match the Celebrity Couples Draw a line to connect the couples! Olivia Britton, Staff Writer

ENTERTAINMENT Relationship Pressure

Do we put too much pressure on falling in love? Jordan Nash, Staff Writer

As Valentine’s Day approaches many people, including teens, are going to be preoccupied with thoughts of relationships and falling in love. Many people believe that they need to be with someone, and if they can’t find anybody to be with by a certain time or a certain age then there is something wrong with them. In high school, many teens feel peer pressure to find someone to be with; all their friends have someone they’re dating, so they think that they should have someone they’re dating too. All around us, there are things telling us we have to fall in love, which leads us to the question: do we put too much pressure on falling in love? One of the most common conversation topics that many hear around the school is about relationships. Many people consistently ask about who’s dating who. In my personal life, I see this not only

from other high schoolers but from my parents and grandparents who constantly ask if I’ve found someone to date yet. You would think with all this talk about dating and finding someone that relationships started in high school would last for many years, but the opposite is true. Around 2 percent of high school relationships last until marriage, and of those that do last until marriage, not many last for very long in marriage. Even though high school relationships don’t have a good chance of lasting, so many high schoolers put forth a lot of time and effort into finding someone to date. Why? Because that’s all many people are constantly asking about. If people are constantly talking about finding someone to date, then you are going to feel pressured to find someone. It’s like if your parents constantly mention that you should get a job; you are

probably in this situation going to feel pressured to find a job and pretty soon too. By so many people talking about relationships, we feel pressured to get into one, but even if we do get into a relationship, we’ve already seen that it probably won’t last. It doesn’t make sense to put so much pressure on something if it only has a 2 percent chance of succeeding. Pressure often leads to stress, and with how busy and stressful our lives already are, why should we add more pressure and stress to them. I’m not saying that high school relationships are bad; they can help you learn about yourself and the kind of person you want to be with. I am saying though that we do put too much pressure on finding someone. Our high school years are supposed to be fun, but we add stress to them because we think we need a relationship; however, high school relationships are not the

The Drama with Celebrity Relationships A deeper look at the Kim/Ye/Pete Davidson love triangle Abbie Allison, Staff Writer

In the past few months the world has been in awe at the situation withstanding Kim Kardashian and Kayne West. Ever since their breakup has gone extremely viral the world has been dying to know what went wrong. The unfortunate outlook, however, is no one truly will ever know. Recently, Kim has hit it off with a very well known comedian known as Pete Davidson. This friendship turned relationship has sparked much controversy as Kim and Kanye’s divorce has not been finalized. After Kim Kardashian guest hosted Saturday Night Live the romance between her and Pete started occurring. They kissed in a skit on live TV which then led millions of fans wondering if there was more to the story than they were aware of. Not long after the SNL skit they were seen at many outings together and going on trips. They later confirmed that they were an item, and ever since, fans have been wondering how Kayne is doing. Several fans have started taking sides and choosing who they want to support. More recently in the news, Kayne West changed his name to “Ye” and has made several public appearances, even with his new beau Julia Fox. Julia Fox is a world renowned model and actress who hit it off with West after many meetings

through friends. They have recently been on the Cover of Vogue together and have shown off each other’s wants for one another. Although both have seemed to move on, many fans believe Ye has not. The drama between the two families has been so publicized that it seems hard for them to have time to work things out together. Kim and Kanye’s daughter, Chicago, recently had a joint fourth birthday party with her cousin, Stormi, and Kayne was not invited. This sparked outrage as even though they are going through a public divorce it is still his daughter. Ye posted several videos to Twitter in order to involve his fans. Ye was still able to make it to the party as Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott informed him of the time and place it would be occurring. Although this issue was resolved the fact that Kim did not inform Kayne shows the tensions between the two even more. Around the same time, Ye released a new song where he disses Pete Davidson and threatens him. Pete Davidson has publicly said to have found it funny and joked around about it. Kim and Pete are currently on vacation together and the drama between the three celebrities is not set to decline any time soon.

most important thing in the world, and contrary to what many people seem to think, it’s not bad to not be in a relationship. There are all kinds of different pressures in our lives, and while we are in high school, we should not add the pressure of finding someone to be with. High school relationships don’t last most of the time, and they just add unnecessary stress to our already stressful lives. Students already have so many other things to worry about, so relationships should not be one of them. Through the constant talk of finding someone to date many times we put too much pressure on relationships.

24 E N T E R T A I N M E N T What Are NFT’s?

Explained by certified unprofessionals

Carson Kallhoff & Drew Williamson, Staff Writers Ah, yes. A Non-Fungible Token. A token that is non-fungible. Maybe you have been on social media lately, and you have seen the rise of NFTs. You think to yourself, “What the heck is a NFT?” Well Drew and I (Carson) got you. We know what NFTs are! After hours of research, we have gained insight on the NFT phenomenon and we have come straight to the Hilight newspaper to explain it to YOU. Yeah, you, mister/misses. Let’s dive into the wonderful world of NFTs. We have covered that NFT stands for Non-Fungible Token, but what does that mean exactly? Let’s start off simple. Most NFTs are digital files. It could be a photo, audio file, or even text. Fungible means “able to replace or be replaced by another identical item,” so basically a form of currency, like trading your red tomato for my red tomato. So a non-fungible token is a “token” that is the only one of its kind. That’s like you all have red tomatoes, but I have a thick, juicy blue tomato. Nobody else has this blue tomato, so naturally it is going to be worth way more than any of your sad, puny red tomatoes. Now let’s say Drew has this beautiful purple lemon, and boy howdy do I want that purple lemon. Drew and I trade, and now I have the lemon of my dreams. In my eyes, this purple lemon is way better than the blue tomato I just gave Drew, but in Drew’s eyes, the blue tomato is absolutely stunning compared to the purple lemon he once had. These two fruits are completely different fruits, but we traded them as if they were equals. The same concept is seen with NFTs. While these tokens may look like just a simple old computer file, someone can view it as way more than that. One could say that this picture of a monkey that I painted on my computer is worth a lot to me. Then, another person could come along and say that that picture of a monkey painted on my computer is worth $25 to them. Then I can sell that picture of a monkey for $25. In the buyer’s eyes, the monkey and $25 are worth the same price. The entire concept of NFTs is very confusing at first, but it progressively gets easier to grasp. There is a very common question that comes up when discussing NFTs: Why? Why would anybody want these useless computer files? There is one not-so-simple answer: collection. The same way that people have spent millions of dollars on different art pieces that are hundreds of years old, people have

started buying pixel art made by 28 year old Quincy on his Macbook Pro. Some people buy these NFT’s as a joke, but some people actually buy the art thinking that it will someday make them rich. These people were right. Everydays: The First 5000 Days is an NFT made by the digital artist Mike Winkelmann, more commonly known as Beeple. This piece was sold in February of 2021 for $69.3 million. Woah. It seems that if I ever want to get Gucci Ghost, I’m gonna have to rob a bank or-

consist of lots and lots of computer hardware that require inexpensive cooling and energy. Because of this, they are usually located in areas with cold climates or places with cheap fossil fuels, which create bad emissions. According to art advisor Sascha Gianella, the average NFT purchase has a carbon footprint that is equal to an EU resident’s electricity usage for a whole month. A popular argument that NFT supporters use is that the mines are still going to be used, regardless of if they purchase NFTs or not.

they are nowhere near as secure as they claim to be. Thank you, my good sir. Carson here, let’s finish things out. So you’ve probably formed your own opinions on NFTs now, so what do you think? “This is literally the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of, can I go home now?” or “Wowzer, I’m gonna start investing into these as soon as possible!” Then again, maybe you haven’t learned anything, and are just as confused as before, if not even more. Any way you look at it, one thing is clear. The future is coming, and it’s coming fast. Below is a collection of the current top 3 selling NFTs.

The Merge - Sold for $91.8M

Oh. I just saved it to my computer. What? I just saved Gucci Ghost, a NFT that is selling for over $16,000, to my computer. Well if I can do this, why the heck would I pay 16 grand? Simple: technically this picture isn’t mine. Sure I saved this image to my computer, but that doesn’t give me rights to use it. This picture doesn’t belong to me. If a police officer parks his car in my driveway, that doesn’t give me ownership of the car. I might have his car in my driveway, but it isn’t my car. If I want to own Gucci Ghost, I would have to buy it myself. Only then would it officially be mine. However, this concept completely contradicts itself, and Drew is going to explain why. Ok, let’s get this over with. I’m here to explain the numerous downsides of NFTs and why they just don’t really make sense. The first major problem is the way they affect the environment. NFTs are entirely built around cryptocurrency mining, which can cause massive amounts of carbon emissions. These emissions come from the massive crypto farms that Ethereum, the cryptocurrency used to purchase NFTs, is mined in. These farms

However, the more people that are interested in NFTs mean that there’s more interest in Ethereum, which means more crypto farms will be built, which ultimately means more carbon emissions. Stepping away from the environmental costs of NFTs, there’s many other reasons that the concept just does not make sense. I think the most important thing to grasp is that no system can ever really prove ownership of anything. That just isn’t possible. Like Carson explained earlier, the entire concept is that only one person can have ownership of an NFT. Blockchains, the software all NFTs rely on to be safe, aren’t any more secure than just a normal database. In fact, you could argue that it’s less secure than a normal database because of its lack of regulation. It’s incredibly easy for people to steal other artist’s work and publish it as an NFT, therefore taking all of the profit for themselves. If you want a much more detailed explanation, I would recommend medium.com’s article on the subject, as it explains it much more than I could. TL;DR, NFTs cause massive carbon emissions due to the crypto it relies on, and

Everydays: The First 5000 Days Sold for $69.3M

CryptoPunk #7523 - Sold for $11.75M

Entertainment

Don’t Let the Holiday Find You Empty Handed Last minute Valentine’s gifts Anna Beth Mauldin, Staff Writer Your valentine loves you for who you really are. But since you’re here reading this article, you are definitely the type with the right

For the boys:

intentions. We’ve all found ourselves at a crucial point scavenging for the perfect gift (most of the time last minute). Luckily, you’ve come

to the right place. I’ve rounded up a few last-minute Valentine’s gifts, sure to warm your true love’s heart.

Places to Shop for Prom First Avenue Bridals & Formals: (256)-739-6209

Tickets to a sporting event or concert are sure to never disappoint. If you aren’t sure about which event, gift them with a Ticketmaster gift card and let them choose the event.

You can never go wrong with a gift card so they can find exactly what they like at the stores they love. Some places to keep in mind are Dicks, Vans Sporting Goods, and Werner’s Trading Co.

A simple sweatshirt is sure to be a perfect last-minute gift. Brands to keep in mind are Nike, Under Armour, Patagonia, and Carhartt.

The Something Blue Shoppe/ Something Blue Too: (256)-773-4956 The Clothes Tree: (205)-822-1902 Bella’s Bridal and Formal Birmingham: (205)-403-7977

For the girls:

Simply Stunning Pageant, Prom and More: (205)-625-5058

Go beyond chocolates and create a photo book or picture frame with pictures of you and your Valentine. These can include special moments, funny moments, and more.

You can never go wrong with a delicate piece of jewelry. It doesn’t necessarily have to be diamonds (we’re not going to stop you, of course). But, a nice alternative to spending a fortune are brands like Kendra Scott, Skosh, and Cai which can be purchased at Monograms Plus.

When all else fails, flowers win. If you’re short on time, opt for a beautiful bouquet from Mary’s Flower Market, Fairview Florist, or Cullman Florist.

26 S P O R T S Basketball Wrap-up

An overview of CHS’s basketball program Areli Leon, Advertising Editor This year’s basketball season has been quite eventful, and we’ve decided to contact none other than the basketball program directors. I asked them to answer each of the following questions: 1. Which game were you the most concerned about? 2. Which game was your favorite? 3. What is something that the team had to work on? 4. What is your favorite aspect of this year’s team?

Coach Hembree 1. We are always looking forward to and preparing for our area games with Hartselle, Decatur, and Muscle Shoals. Most of our time and energy is spent making sure we know what they do and we can use our strengths to expose their weaknesses. 2. The Muscle Shoals game at Muscle Shoals was probably one of the biggest wins we’ve had in the last 6 years since I’ve been here. It is such a tough place to play, and they had already beat us on our home court 10 days earlier. The girls played with such toughness and grit, and I believe that game will go a long way in giving us the confidence to beat anyone on our schedule from here on out. 3. Although we have been a full-court pressing team, and we’re still capable of doing so, we had to get better in the half-court defensively. I credit Coach Hartline for being persistent in getting me to focus more on getting stops and rebounding in the half-court.

4. Probably the fact that we haven’t yet peaked. We still have much room for growth both defensively and offensively. These girls have bought into playing with toughness, and I think we still have a high ceiling for the rest of the year. Coach Stu We have had a great season thus far. Our team has really played hard and played together all season. I love the way they compete night in and night out. It is a special thing to watch them fly around and make plays all over the floor. If we continue to improve and play with tenacity and focus we have a shot at doing special things the rest of the season. 1. I am always most concerned about the next game. The next game is the next opportunity to get better, therefore, it is always at the forefront of my concerns. 2. I really enjoyed our Saint Paul’s game in the Consolation Finals of the Big Orange Classic. Saint Paul’s is one of the top teams in Louisiana, they have been to a final 4, and have 9 seniors on their team. It was a great test for us and a test that saw

us face real adversity. We were able to face that adversity and come away with a hard-fought victory. It was the type of win that really springboards your season. 3. Our team always plays hard, always shares the basketball, and always rebounds, and when a team is always willing to do that then you are going to not only be in every game but you are going to have a chance to win every game you play. With that being said I would like our team to continue doing that and then grow in the capacity of thinking the game mentally and having a better understanding of the flow and feel of the game. 4. My favorite aspect of this year’s team is our players. Their togetherness, positive attitudes, work ethic, and competitive spirit make it incredibly fun. Winning games is enjoyable, sure, but winning games is nothing compared to getting to spend time with the type of people we have within our program every day. They are all winners who pour love and support into one another. It is such a blessing to be able to work with them every day.

Softball

The beginning of a great softball season Olivia Britton, Staff Writer

As their season approaches this spring, the softball team is looking forward to the 2022 season. Head coach Lawayne Morton said, “I am fired up and ready to get started! We have had a productive off season. Everyone has gotten faster and stronger through our speed program and weight lifting. I think

this year’s team is going to show out this season!” This year the softball team has the majority of their starting players returning as they had no seniors last year. This year, however, the Bearcats will lose four seniors at the end of their season, two of which have already decided to further

their softball career. The four seniors include: Carlie Burnham (RF), Savannah Davis (SB), Faith Guest (SS), and Dayln Phillips (C). Davis has been verbally committed to Trevecca Nazarene University since September of 2020 but officially signed on November 10, 2021. Carlie Burnham decided to further

her athletic and academic career at Bevill State Community College and signed on January 21, 2022. The Lady Bearcats will face West Point at home on 2/17 for their first official game of the season.

SPORTS Shot, Pass, and Goal

Straight Shooters

Abbie Allison, Staff Writer

Samantha Johnson, Staff Writer

An upcoming look at the CHS Soccer season

The 2022 Cullman High School soccer season is vastly approaching, this time with a completely different outlook. Under the coaching of Coach Harbin and Coach Hackbarth the teams are ready to shoot for revenge and make different moves that will put them on top. After a tough season last year, the boys and girls are ready to showcase their new and improved skills and kick off the year with an unforgettable win. The boys soccer team's first game is against Homewood on February 4th, 2022 and will be at home. Meanwhile, the first girls game will be against Buckhorn on February

3rd, 2022 and will also be a home game. Make sure to come out and support the CHS soccer teams and cheer them on in the student section this season. -Upcoming Games for Varsity Boys and Girls: Boys: 3/1 Randolph School 3/8 Muscle Shoals 3/17 Gadsden City Girls: 2/17 Austin 2/24 Vestavia Hills 3/4 Grissom 3/17 Gadsden City

Back On Track

The track season is just getting started Drew Williamson, Staff Writer It’s finally springtime, and that means the track season is officially underway. With over 160 athletes in total, it’s safe to say that this season is going to be a good one. When asked about how he feels about the upcoming meets, Coach Trent Dean says “We are excited about all the athletes that are out to the track and enthusiastic about learning, being good teammates, and working towards making 2022 a special Outdoor season. We definitely have the makings to do some special things this year, but ultimately we will reap what we sow. The work we are doing right now is some critical sowing. It’s important that we stay accountable and focused throughout the winter and build the necessary foundation for the success that we want to be possible come April and May.” There’s been one track meet this year, the Icebreaker Indoor Track & Field Meet on January 8th. This event was held at the Birmingham CrossPlex and had over 1,800 athletes participating from both Alabama and Mississippi. A majority of the athletes from Cullman that participated got new personal bests and placed very well overall. It was a great start, and it looks like this season will be a good one.

Schedule: 02/26 - James Clemens Early Bird Relay (JV/V) 03/01 - Fairview (JV/V) 03/01 - NOALA Jr. High Gold Circuit Arab 03/08 - NOALA Jr. High Gold Circuit Guntersville 03/10 - Morgan County Mob v Cullman 03/15 - NOALA Jr. High Gold Circuit Scottsboro 03/19 - 1A-7A Cullman Classic 03/22 - NOALA Jr. High Gold Circuit Cullman 03/25 - Arab Friday “Knight” Meet 04/09 - Scottsboro (Varsity, JV, and Junior High) 04/15-16 - Mountain Brook Invitational 04/22 - NOALA Jr. High Gold Circuit Championship (Huntsville) 04/23 - Big Cat Meet (Huntsville) 04/29-30 - 6A Section 5 (Fort Payne) 05/05-07 - AHSAA State Meet (Gulf Shores) 05/13 - CCS Elementary Track and Field Meet (Cullman) 05/16-17 - Decathlon / Heptathlon (Hoover)

The start to a great year for CHS Archers The archery team brought in the first tournament of the new year with a second place finish, leaving a lot of room for improvement. However some archers on the team did shoot well. Will Bolzle, for one, brought in the new season with a 291/300 placing him not only as the the number one high school male, but also as number one, for the tournament. Claude Thomas placed 8th out of all males at the tournament and Evan Dockery placed 13th. As for the girls, Samantha Johnson placed 8th out of overall girls and Brinley Hurt ranked number 11. The team is hopeful for a first place finish in their upcoming tournament at Cullman Basketball Complex on Saturday, February 12. Most of the archers will be shooting at ten AM. Shooting flights last an hour and admissions are usually 5 dollars. With all this said please plan to come out and support your fellow bearcats! After this tournament they

have a few more tournaments that are local… They are listed below. - 4th Eagle Eye at Vinemont High School. Archers shoot at 4:00 and 5:00 on 2/17/2022 - IBO Pre State at Vinemont High School. Archers shoot at 3:00 and 4:00 on 2/19/2022 - 7th Annual Pre-Regional at CHS. Archers Shoot at 3:30 and 4:30 on 2/26/2022 - IBO State Championship for North Alabama at Cullman Adult Activity Center. Archers Shoot at 12:00 and 1:00 on 3/5/2022 - Cullman County CHampionship at Fairview High School. Archers Shoot at 4:00 and 5:00 on 3/25/2022 - Pre State Warm Up at Cullman Basketball Complex. Archers shoot at 5:30 and 6:30 on 4/4/2022

SPORTS

Inconvenient Injuries

What’s it like when a Bearcat gets hurt? Emily Gable, Staff Writer

Not everyone here at Cullman High School enjoys sports, but for those who do, they give it their all. Our Bearcats are very committed to winning and performing well. But what happens when their all causes them to be injured? Playing sports can be a dangerous thing no matter what you do to avoid it. Several students here have dealt with sports injuries that have hindered their ability to participate in the sports they love. It particularly affects those in the upper classes because they have a limited time to get to play their sport. I communicated with 4 11th and 12th-grade students who told me about their experiences with having a sports injury. Disclaimer: some of these answers have been edited to fit the format of this article. Q: What sport do you play? Hayden Wynn (11th grade): Track and football last year, and I was also on the fishing team Aliya Timmons (11th grade): Cheer Mason Richards (12th grade): Football Mason Williams (12th grade): Football Q: What kind of injury did you suffer? Hayden: I tore my ACL, Meniscus, and I strained my MCL Aliya: ACL tear Mason R.: I tore my ACL and Meniscus Mason W.: A Grade 2 to 3 Ankle Sprain Q: How did it happen? Hayden: It was during the Jasper vs Cullman game. The 2nd official game of the season. It was a kickoff return and I was running full speed at this guy and he turned his back to me so I tried not to hit him by suddenly stopping before I got to him. It was a non-contact injury. I stopped because I did not want to get a penalty and hurt the team. Later I found out that if I would have hit him going full speed, that I would have “more than likely” not have torn my ACL, Meniscus, and strained my MCL. Aliya: It was apparently partially torn already (without me knowing) but it became completely torn by me twisting my knee when coming down from the air. I remember there being a loud popping noise and when I fell, it was almost like I was paralyzed in my leg- I couldn’t move it. Mason R.: During the game, I was playing nose guard. As a nose guard, my job is to stay in my

gap and not to get pushed out. As the offensive line started to run to the right, I had to stay with them to stay in my gap. I then saw the quarterback cut back to the left. I planted my right foot in the ground to redirect and at the same time, the offensive lineman hit me. The leg that I planted collapsed. Mason W.: One morning we had practice and everything was going as usual until we started going over the offensive script for our defense. I dont remember exactly what the play was, but it was a run to the left side of the line. My job was to block the defensive end out and work up to the linebacker. Once the ball was snapped I had started doing my job but we stood each other up and the linebacker was on his back pushing. From the film I watched, I saw that the defense broke through the left side of the line, forcing the running back to run toward my side (the right side) of the line. The running back made it to me, then got tackled into me from behind me, and then started the first impact to my ankle which caused my legs to fold underneath me. Then once I was on the ground I took another hit on my ankle which I believe was the hit that injured me. The defensive end I was blocking went around me. As soon as I started to fall, once he got around, he went and dove on the running back. His knee went into my ankle and pushed it completely flat on the ground. After that, his knee then turned my foot inward causing me to be out. Q: What has been the toughest part of having this injury? Hayden: One of the toughest things is being out and watching everyone else get better, having no limitations on what they can and can’t do, and you being injured and not able to do anything besides what the doctor says. Aliya: The toughest part of having this injury has been the restrictions that it’s placed on me. These restrictions vary from not being able to run/tumble to not being able to wear normal clothes because of my brace. Mason R.: The toughest part of the injury is definitely the mental aspect. Considering that football is the only thing that I have ever truly cared about, having my senior sea-

son taken from me on the second game was very hard. I had college coaches all over the southeast looking at me for recruitment and all of the opportunities that I could have had from my senior year were gone. Mason W.: The toughest part of this injury is that it still hurts to use it, whether I’m just walking and being active or going out casually for fun. Q: Did you have to wear a brace/ cast? How long did it take to recover? Hayden: Yes. My injury happened on 8/27/21 and I am still in the recovering process. The doctor says I should be back in May. Aliya: Yes. The recovery process is a year, but I’m a month and a half into recovery. Mason R.: I had to wear a full leg brace for a long time before and after my surgery. I was one of the quicker recoveries. It took about 4 months for me to be able to squat and sprint, but I still don’t have all the muscle back in my quad that I lost during surgery. Mason W.: I had to wear a boot for I think about 5 weeks, and then a brace for about 4 weeks. It took about 9 weeks to get to where I could walk without a brace supporting me; however, it still bothers me now Q: Did you go/Are you going to physical therapy? How was/is that? Hayden: I did go to physical therapy (Encore) and it helped me so much. I will say when I got on the bicycle on day 4 and I started slowly pedaling, I was about to start crying because of how painful it was. Aliya: Yes, I go to physical therapy twice a week. It definitely tests my strength and abilities; however, I think it’s more of a mental battle than a physical battle. Learning to trust your body again after it broke down on you is so difficult. Mason R.: I started going to physical therapy the day after my surgery. It sucked; probably some of the worst pain of my life during the first couple of weeks. But it got eas-

ier over time. I don’t go to therapy anymore Mason W.: I did go to therapy and it was great. The people helping me were great and supportive and helped out a lot. Q: What would you say to the student body about what it’s like to have a sports injury? Hayden: Take care of your body and give your body time to recover. I would also say that flexibility and stretching are great ways to be less likely to get injured. Aliya: I would say that it takes a toll on not only your physical health but your mental health too. It sounds so silly saying that your mental health was damaged because of an injury, but it truly makes you doubt your abilities. I used to have the mindset of “oh, this couldn’t possibly happen to me, because I’m invincible” but this injury definitely changed my mindset. Now I look at the danger of everything. For example, something as simple as walking upstairs intimidates me. However, long story short, the moral of the story is to never take your health for granted. Take care of yourself physically and mentally. Mason R.: First of all, I would tell them to take advantage of every moment doing what they love to do because it can be taken away from you very quickly. The physical pain is nothing compared to the mental aspect of being taken away from where you feel that you belong. Mason W.: I would tell them that it’s just a part of it, and don’t feel bad for us. We knew what we were getting into ever since we first started playing. There is always the risk of something happening but we take steps in trying to lower those chances and to be as safe as possible. As you can see, a sports injury is hard both mentally and physically, but our Bearcats are strong and endure anyways. Our condolences go out to those who have suffered and can’t play their favorite sport anymore or for a while. Go Bearcats!