December
Talon
the
Etowah High School
Student does not give up hope by MORGAN HINCHEY chief photographer
Woodstock, Georgia 30189
County faces relocation of graduation ceremonies The Cherokee County School District is put into a precarious situation involving a 2011 graduation location by LAILA GOHARIOON co-assistant editor
Thursday, Oct. 28 was the day when, sophomore, Taylor Flanagan’s life changed forever. She was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, AML, a form of blood cancer that begins in the bone marrow, which is the soft tissue inside of bones that is responsible for the formation of blood cells. It is common among adult males, making Flanagan’s case a rare form of childhood cancer. Dealing with a cancer diagnosis can be extremely difficult, but Flanagan is fortunate enough to have a loving support group. “This first month has been rough,” Flanagan said. “I didn’t really understand why this was happening, but my family and friends have really helped me a lot.” Cancer treatment for leukemia is intense and lengthy. Flanagan must undergo chemotherapy treatments for six to nine months, and will consequently be out of school for the remainder of the school year. “My family and friends do everything they can to keep me happy and smiling during hospital visits and treatments. It’s not hard to get depressed while sitting in a hospital room all day, every day,” Flanagan said. No one can really understand what Flanagan is going through, except other cancer survivors. Realizing this, Flanagan decided how she wants to spend the rest of her life. “In the future, I plan on beating cancer and becoming a cancer nurse for young children,” Flanagan said. “It would be nice to help out other kids that are going through the same thing that I am.” Flanagan’s aspirations for the future are inspiring, but she still has fear about the present. Cancer can be extremely terrifying for both those diagnosed and their family members. “There’s nothing I can do to change my situation, so I just have to stick it out and pray for the best,” Flanagan said. But the Flanagans are not alone in dealing with this news. Etowah High School’s PTSA is hosting an event, called “Casual for a Cause” during the week of finals, Dec. 13 – Dec. 17, to benefit Flanagan and her family, as well as Dylan Kent, freshman, as they embark on a journey to beat cancer. Read more about this event on page 1 and 4. “Taylor has inspired me in ways I didn’t know were possible. I have learned that she is the strongest person I know, and we can get through anything,” Miranda Rhode, freshman, said. To learn more about Flanagan’s upto-date condition or to donate money to her family, visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/taylorflanagan.
IN THIS ISSUE
6565 Putnam Ford Road
2010
Cherokee County School District is in a major dispute with Americans United for Separation of Church and State, on the issue of where CCSD high school graduations will take place this year. In October, CCSD received a letter from the Washington –based Americans United stating that the county was violating the separation of church and state by having high school graduation ceremonies at First Baptist Church Woodstock. Americans United demanded the county stop holding graduation ceremonies at the church. Americans United found out that the ceremonies for Sequoyah High School were being held at First Baptist in 2009. In the letter it called having the ceremonies at FBCW unconstitutional. Quote from CCSD lawyer Americans United feels that if the issue is not handled and the ceremony is not changed to a new location there could be the possibility of a lawsuit. The organization feels having the ceremony where it is now, at First Baptist, violates the religious rights of students who are not Christian.
Graduation continued on page 4
photo by Ally Hellenga The First Baptist Church of Woodstock is in question for the location of the 2011 and future graduations.
Students dress “Casual for a Cause” by KALEIGH COOPER staff reporter Humans are all prone to sickness. Teenagers and adults have the strongest immune systems of the population, but cancer is a sickness that does not discriminate. Taylor Flanagan, sophomore, and Dylan Kent, freshman, are teens who are fighting the battle. Flanagan was diagnosed with leukemia, a type of cancer in the blood, and Kent was
diagnosed with lymphoma, cancer of the lymphatic system, which fights infections. Friends and family of Kent and Flanagan have been very supportive throughout their struggles with the early stages of cancer, diagnosis and treatment. As the expenses and medical bills piled up, a family friend of Flanagan’s mother contacted Etowah PTSA president, Beth Choppa to ask for help. Choppa decided to take action, since the families reached out to her and asked for
photo by Morgan Hinchey The PTSA put on a fundraiser “Casual for a Cause” to benift two Etowah students, Taylor Flanagan, sophomore, and Dylan Kent, freshman, who are battling cancer.
pg. 5 Excessive PDA
pg. 8-10 Holidays
her help. Choppa met with to Keith Ball, principal, and Pat Denney, assistant principal, about the students, their fight, and their financial troubles. The school decided to help. The money that was raised will be divided between Flanagan and Kent’s families to help with the expenses of the insurance for their parents for missing work, the gas for getting to and from the hospital, the parking fee required when visiting the hospital and any other of their expenses. On Dec. 9, PTSA set up a table in the lunchroom and donation packets in the teacher lounges to collect donations. Students and teachers alike could purchase an armband for $5 which allowed them to dress casually for the following week of exams. Students could also make donations without having to participate in the casual dressing event. Dec. 13-17, Etowah students were able to wear their pajamas or a hat to school. The announcement of the event was spread by word of mouth, the E-Letter, fliers around school, morning announcements and on Facebook. Choppa hopes to raise $2000 or more for the students. The two families will split the proceeds. The PTSA will not be receiving funds from the event and the group donated the 2,000 paper wristbands they ordered.
Casual continued on page 4
pg. 15 Nerf wars
2 / December 2010
NEWS
the Talon
Towne Lake businesses come and go by HANNAH HANSBERRY staff reporter
Towne Lake Parkway is a hub for speedy dining and trendy boutiques, which are all conveniently placed within a two mile radius of each other. When the clock strikes 2:30 p.m., these restaurants are flooded with growing teenagers starving for an after school snack. Finding the perfect balance for success is hard to achieve in the restaurant world.
Companies are going under, moving locations and are improving left and right. The businesses that are going under get replaced with new refreshing hot spots in which to chow down. Hardee’s is known for immense, greasy burgers and fluffy, buttery, chicken biscuits for breakfast. They have recently made an addition to their location on Towne Lake Parkway adjacent to McDonald’s. They have added a co-brand called the Red Burrito. It is a taco shop with a menu consist-
ing of different types of tacos; soft, hard, chicken or beef. This addition opened in late summer and is rapidly growing. The Butcher’s Block has moved from across Etowah to the new location next to El Ranchero on Rose Creek Drive. The location is much larger and leaves more room for products. “The new location is much bigger and came with style,” employee Michael O’Shields, senior, said. Quizno’s currently reopened at its’ old location across from Etowah in the Eagle
Drive shopping center. For a long time it was closed down, but now it has reopened to the public for business. Restaurants are not the only businesses coming and going, many boutiques and consignment shops have opened around town. La Chic boutique opened across the street from Etowah in the Eagle Point shopping center. They specialize in prom and homecoming attire, tuxedo rentals, accessories, and much more.
photos by Morgan Hinchey & Heather Perona
FBLA store is “transforming tomorrow” by NICOLE HANSLER and CARLEIGH WISNER news editor and staff reporter Etowah students will not have to go to Walmart or Target for school supplies any longer. The Etowah Future Business Leaders of America is coming together with CTI, a career technical instruction class hosted by Robyn Mattson, to start a school store for the Etowah population. The school store will be located in the concession stand space between the cafeteria and the old gym. “The purpose of the school store is strictly for demand. Kids need school supplies and might not have the opportunity after school, so we are making it more convenient,” Carroll said. All of the money earned goes to FBLA and CTI competitions as well as to buying more supplies to keep service for the students. “All of the competitions we participate in have to do with business, usually mak-
ing business plans, writing speeches, etc.,” Sam Kluger, senior and FBLA president, said. As well as the school store to kick off the second semester and New Year, the FBLA’s region competition will be held Jan. 27, and the state competition will be March 18. “We will have all sorts of stuff, ranging from mechanical to maybe even silly bands. Spirit wear will also be sold,” Carroll said. The school store will be open during all lunches and study halls. “We might try to run it before and after school as well,” Bryson Higgins, sophomore and FBLA member, said. Any student who is interested in volunteering is welcome to, but community service hours are not earned. There will be some training provided before the school store opens. The March of Dimes is another fundraiser FBLA participates in. “The school store will be opening after break; hopefully the week we get back in January,” Carroll said.
photo by Carleigh Wisner The old basketball concession stand will soon be transformed into the EHS school store.
the Talon
News Briefs Testing
Dec. 14-Dec. 17: Midterms Dec. 14 through Dec. 17 midterms will take place in all classes beginning Tues. afternoon in sixth period. Following midterms students are allowed early release if the proper forms were completed and returned. Midterms mark the end of the first semester.
Jan. 22, 2011: SAT testing Beginning at 7:30 a.m. SAT testing will be held in the Administration Building.
NEWS
December 2010 / 3
Student wins Cherokee Bank video contest
by BRANDON SANFORD staff reporter Sam Robinson, sophomore, was awarded first place in the Cherokee Bank video contest for his video about saving money effectively and helping the planet. His video won him a $100 gift card to Best Buy. Hearing about the video contest through the video club, Robinson decided to participate. Using a Sony Handycam, he took about a week to create his video. The video is a stop motion video using coins. Robinson’s voice is heard talking about why saving money is important and
the difference it can make. While Robinson is talking, a series of pictures shows the coins forming a question mark. The coins then move around revealing an iPod and forming the globe with the U.S. covering the surface. After which they create a smiling face as the video ends. Robinson made the video with the help of his friends Sawyer Knadler, sophomore, and Danny Bene, sophomore. The video was made using Robinson’s own equipment and was made entirely outside of school. “I think he did an amazing job!” Linda Yunker, the Video Broadcast teacher, said.
He made the video to give kids a reason to save money and become more aware about saving the planet. He also plans to participate in a similar contest in the future. To Robinson, creating videos is more than just a hobby. While he would not describe it as a passion, his interest in making videos has persisted with him for the past five years. He enjoys making videos for his band and gets his inspiration from seeing movies that other people have created. “Plan it out and just go with it, try not to over think it and just do what feels right. inson said.
Sport-related Events Jan. 15, 2011: 5K Race From 6 a.m. until 10 a.m., Etowah is hosting a soccer 5K race in the stadium. For more information see John Murnan.
Blood Drive Jan. 28, 2011- Red Cross Blood Drive Beginning at 6:30 a.m. in the Old Gym, The Red Cross Blood Drive will be held.
Yard Sale Jan. 29, 2011- Lacrosse Yard Sale Beginning at 7 a.m. the Lacrosse Yard Sale will be held in the Old Gym. You can contact Michael Tuley for more information.
Social Studies Fair Feb. 12, 2011- GCSS Regional Social Studies Fair
Erin Goodreau, freshman, won first place in the category of anthropology; freshmen Izabella Fornuto, Sydney DiMilia and Ashley Schieffelbein won first place in the category of political science; and Ahila Manivannan, sophomore, won first place in the category of history. All of these students qualified for the GCSS Regional Social Studies Fair at Kennesaw State University.
Governor’s Honor Program, GHP, County Finalist
Forrest Burks, Katherine Nelson, Katherine Newman, Clara Romero, Ahila Manivannan, Torie Winkler, Erin McCarthy, Catherine Micali, Dryn DuBois, James Workman, Mark Armstrong and Nicholas Rule are headed to state.
photo submitted Sam Robinson, sophomore, received $100 gift card to Best Buy for his stop-motion film about saving money and saving the planet.
New club encourages inner “fashionistas” by KATY SISSINE staff reporter With the popularity of television shows like “Project Runway” and “What Not to Wear,” it is no surprise that some Etowah students are launching their own fashionrelated organization. The Fashion Club, created by Marilyn Miranda, junior, first met on Dec. 2. Miranda began developing the club in October and her vision is now a reality. Tabatha Box, math teacher, sponsors the club which meets in the new gym. “I was surprised that Etowah didn’t already have a fashion club,” Miranda said The purpose of the club is to discuss advances in the fashion world and to share opinions of trends and innovations of new clothing, jewelry and make-up ideas. Not only is the fashion club an outlet to voice fashion opinions, it is also a place to create new fashions independently. The club plans to have specific activities where members can create various fashions. “Studying, creating and wearing,” is the club’s purpose. Because fashion is always changing, the Fashion Club has something interesting and new to discuss each week. Club members can also share their own design sketches during meetings and bring in fabric to create items. While the club currently consists of all female members, Co-ed membership is encouraged by club members. Many famous designs on the runway today are created
by men like Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren and Marc Jacobs. Membership in the fashion club does not require knowledge of fashion, but it does require an appreciation as well as an interest to learn about it and willingness to contribute opinions and ideas. “This club is drama-free,” as was stated in the Fashion Club’s introduction slideshow at their first meeting.
The Fashion Club hopes to participate in charitable school events by selling clothes, jewelry and other creations. The club also hopes to hold a fashion show by next year to raise money for the cause of their choice. They hope to be sponsored by local retailers and malls. “To inspire teens by fashion is one of the main goals of our club,” club member Gia Cruz , junior, said.
photo by Laila Goharioon Fashion club discusses the new trends of jewelry, clothing and makeup that has hit the runway.
4 / December 2010
NEWS
the Talon
Here come Etowah’s finest by MELANIE MURRAY staff reporter
cording to Morgan Morris, some superlatives categories did not make the final cut including Every year, the senior class votes for the Most Likely to Take Home to Mom and Most Likely to be on a students they Reality TV Show. feel deserve a After the categoSenior Superries were selectlative distinced, ballots were tion. These passed out for the students are seniors to nomiaward titles nate their peers such as Most for each position Athletic and listed. Best Dressed. Ballots were Also, there counted by underare the covclassman on staff. eted Mr. and Until winners are Ms. EHS announced durtitles. The ing the pep rally, yearbook no one but Cindy staff spends Baxter, yearbook a great deal teacher, knows the time colwinners. lecting and Morgan Morris counting said the format votes for this for this year’s sucontest. perlative page will Seniors look very familiar Morgan Morto students, since ris and Rachel Morris photo by Hannah Hansberry it will be similar to last year’s layout. are in charge Jordy Roberts and Kelly Neary were voted Mr. and Miss Kelly Neary, who of the senior EHS for the 2010-2011 school year. won Ms. EHS, said section in the yearbook and they research old yearbooks being friendly and sincere can help one to win to find the best superlative categories. Ac- a superlative title.
Casual continued from page 1
“We did a similar fundraiser in 2007 at Chapman for Sydney Stewart, freshman, who had a brain tumor. It was very successful, rais-
photo by Morgan Hinchey Students pay a dollar a day to help out their fellow classmates and their fight against cancer.
photo by Morgan Hinchey Students are allowed to wear pajamas every day for one week if they pay $5.
ing over $12,000, which is why the PTSA and I have decided to do something similar with these two students here,” Choppa said. Choppa hopes that the parents will see a donation jar for Flanagan and Kent when they check out their students in the front office and donate some money as a result. There will also be a donation jar in the counseling office for the students, if they would like to donate. Also, Choppa and the other PTSA members decided to discuss another activity that could help out with the families if there was a need in the spring. “This is a good way for the students to show how much they care. It is the simple fact of giving and not expecting anything in return that I hope the students gain,” Choppa said. There was an outstanding outcome of this fundraiser, as Beta Club got involved with it as well. Students were very supportive about helping out Flanagan and Kent. With the money raised, the families will be able to relieve some of the stress of the financial aspects of childhood cancer.
Most attractive: Christian Harris & Emily Peecher Most athletic: Nick Merino & Stephanie Huffman Most artistic: Chris McCarthy & Caitlyn Lemoine Best Dressed: Gavin Sinclair & Jacqui Horn Biggest flirt: Jason Holdway & Katy Sissine Best smile: Geoffery Peplau & Hannah Hansberry Inseparables: Brandon Schultze & Jordy Roberts; Ally Potter & Jenna Kirkpatrick Most spirited: Jackson Walsh & Amber Steele Class Clown: Brandon Schultze & Beth Glickman Best personality: Andrew Orr & Erica Spang Most contagious laugh: Vincent DeLise & Meghan Beattie Most likely to succeed: Dan McNeill & Sydney Perlotto Most talkative: Anthony Cali & Kaitlin DiCarlo Mr. & Miss. EHS: Jordy Roberts & Kelly Neary
“I’m friends with lots of different kinds of people and they know the kind of person I am,” Neary said. “Having your peers choose you for something like that is a real compliment.” Brandon Schultze and Jordy Roberts won the male Inseparables award. Schultze said he and Roberts decided they wanted to win this award in late August and started campaigning.
“We stepped up our togetherness and tried to make our presence known on Eagle Mountain, if you will,” Schultze said. Nick Merino, winner of Most Athletic, believes everyone should participate in voting at school, whether it is voting for superlatives or class president. “It is always good to voice your opinion,”
Graduation continued from page 1
graduation is first class for its students. “The Class of 2011 deserves the best and if the ceremony is held at Etowah we will start a new tradition that the community can be proud of. The focus will remain on the students and celebrating their achievements,” Ball said. On Dec. 2 a school board meeting was
he said.
“We don't think you can trade away any student's constitutional rights just to get a cheaper or bigger space, and they simply must find a secular alternative," Barry Lynn, the executive director of Americans United, said during a recent interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, said. Cherokee County has been holding graduations at the mega church for several years for the sole purpose of space. graphic by Alexis Cape FBCW holds up When 65 seniors were randomly questioned in C lunch, from all backgrounds to 5,000 people and religions, 64 were in favor of keeping graduation at First Baptist. therefore allowing seniors to invite family and community members held to discuss the situation involving to participate in the graduation ceremo- Americans United. The school board’s nies. response to the situation will be delayed Now with Americans United threaten- until the New Year so the thoughts of the ing to sue if there is no change location, three new members can be included. Cherokee County may have to resort to “We’ve never had an issue with this lothe Cobb Energy Center which holds the cation up until this point. This will be an same amount as FBCW. The only differ- expensive thing if we have to move graduence in the two venues is the cost. FBCW ation,” Debi Radcliff, School Board Chaircosts $14,000 total for all of the high man, said in a recent interview. schools in Cherokee, but Cobb Energy According to a Dec. 3 Atlanta JournalCenter costs around $40,000 to hold the Constitution article by Christopher Quinn, ceremonies. Americans United plans to send letters to There has also been talk of each school other Atlanta metro schools as well. Acholding graduation in their own gyms or cording to the article, both DeKalb and stadiums. Keith Ball, Etowah principal, Cobb counties have scheduled their 2011 said that regardless of where graduation graduations in a church facility. is held, Etowah will work to make sure
the Talon
December 2010 / 5
6565 Putnam Ford Road Woodstock, Ga 30189 jennifer.jackson@cherokee.k12.ga.us
OPINIONS
Alexis Cape and Nickie Robinson - Chief Editors Emily Snook - Opinions Editor
Kept at an arm’s legth apart Everyday guidelines for the average PDA perpetrator by EMILY SNOOK opinions editor After an agonizing 50 minute class period, the dismissal bell finally rings. You race to the same place on campus just like every other day. You arrive and anxiously wait for your other half. You see them approaching. They come closer, and you embrace them. With this embrace, you enter your own private world. Unfortunately for the rest of us, your little world is not so private. There is a line between what is and is not acceptable for displays of affection in public. PDA, public display of affection, can be found on the Etowah campus and on the Facebook pages of students. This line between appropriate and inappropriate PDA cannot seem to be determined by photo by Cathy Micali some students, therefore creThere is a line between what is and what is not acceptable when it ating the need for guidelines comes to PDA on school property. to be established.
There are multiple offenses of inappropriate PDA. These offenses include extremely long hugs, steamy make-out sessions, strange nuzzling, stroking and petting, baby talk, using pet names and feeding one another. A hug is a way to welcome someone in a warm and friendly way. Hugs exchanged between couples on the Etowah campus are not your average hugs. Stroking and nuzzling while giving a hug is not acceptable PDA. Your significant other is not an animal, therefore petting them like one is inappropriate. A kiss is defined as the act of joining the lips to show love or affection. A kiss is not the act of trying to swallow your partner’s face. If you must indulge, do so in private. A baby sits in a highchair and excitedly waits for its mother to make choo-choo sounds signaling another bite of food is on its way. Many people view this occurrence as cute. When an adolescent sits at a school lunch table and their boyfriend or girlfriend feeds them, it is nothing more than infantile. If one is old enough to at-
tend school, one is also old enough to feed themselves. One never knows what is going to appear on their live status feed on Facebook. Statuses range from what someone is currently doing and song lyrics to random deep thoughts. The most annoying posts are the ones dripping in sickly sweet words for the apparent love of the poster’s life. Using pet names excessively is ridiculous. Your love was given a name for a reason; call them by it. With over 2,000 students at Etowah, it becomes tough to police students on PDA. PDA can be discouraged, but until its participants gain some modesty or respect for other students, it will continue to be present. School policies on what is and is not acceptable PDA varies. According to the CCSD handbook, PDA is not encouraged. Punishment includes counseling, notification of parents, suspension from school or even expulsion. As for the severity of the punishment, it is to be judged by an administrator and dealt with as he or she sees fit.
“Your significant other is not an animal, therefore petting them like one is inappropriate.”
Harry Potter sweeps the nation by DERRICK PHELPS staff reporter “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I,” the long awaited conclusion to the Harry Potter saga has finally hit theaters. Or at least the beginning has. The film begins with the various characters meeting Harry in his empty house as they plan to smuggle him to a safer location. Meanwhile, Voldemort and his Death Eaters plan to ambush them the second they leave Privet Drive. Needless to say, it gets bloody. Harry and the gang manage to get to the Weasley house. While there, they attend the wedding of one of the Weasley brothers (not sure which one). It is then revealed that Death Eaters have taken over the Ministry of Magic and are also coming to crash the wedding. Harry, Hermoine and
Ron manage to escape and start their journey to find and destroy all of Voldemort’s extra lives, or horcruxes. Their first stop? The Ministry of Magic. The actors themselves do a fine job, delivering both laughs and drama with acceptable professionalism. The film itself is a fun ride through the magical world of Harry Potter, but comes off as rather dark. This is to be expected concerning the nature of the film, but be warned, it seems as though half the cast does not make it through to the end. Another problem is the pacing. It seems as though the film peaks about an hour and a half in and then proceeds to meander about. It is not as though nothing is happening, but the film slows down significantly and never truly picks back up again. The ending is also something of a problem. Many films that split themselves into two try to end the first part with a dazzling finish
“A fun ride through the magical world of Harry Potter”
with some plot resolution and a little sequel bait for the next part. This film does not try to do that. Rather, it just sort of stops. It is not a bad ending, but it feels like there is no plot resolution whatsoever and is nearly excruciating knowing that
we will have to wait another seven months to see the next part. All in all, great stuff, but it would probably be a better film to watch on DVD. That way, after you have finished part one, you can immediately start part two.
the Talon Staff Co-editors in chief Alexis Cape Nickie Robinson Co-assistant editors Laila Goharioon Ally Hellenga Chief Photographer Morgan Hinchey
News Editor Nicole Hansler Features Editor Zoe Anderson Opinions Editor Emily Snook Sports Editor Heather Perona Business Manager Amelia Burleson
Staff Writers Victoria Davis Cathy Micali Megan Vande Corput Ryan Adkins Derrick Phelps Will Alexander Hannah Hansberry
Carleen Striss Kimi Norton Amanda Sanchez Carleigh Wisner Melanie Murray Melissa Gifford Kelsey SaegerBarnes Justin Brown
Adviser: Mrs. Jennifer Jackson Publisher: Judd Publishing, Macon, Georgia
The Talon is published eight times a year by students of Etowah High School in Woodstock, Georgia. Etowah High School and its administration is not responsible for the accuracy of opinions or claims appearing in The Talon. Opinions expressed do not neccessarily represent the views of the staff or its publisher. The appearance of any advertisement does not constitute endorsement of any product in The Talon. Anyone interested in placing an advertisement in The Talon may contact Jennifer Jackson @ jennifer.jackson@cherokee. k12.ga.us. We reserve the right to refuse advertisements we deem inappropriate to an educational institution. The Talon welcomes letters to the editor. Letters can be put in Mrs. Jennifer Jackson’s mailbox or sent to: Etowah High School, Attn: Newspaper Staff, 6565 Putnam Ford Road, Woodstock, GA 30189.
illustration by Kimi Norton Harry and Hagrid make a speedy escape to the Weasley household.
the Talon
OPINIONS
6 / December 2010
Goodbye attendance incentive fairytale Bonus points for showing up will no longer be offered to students by AMANDA SANCHEZ staff reporter Long ago there was a time when students got an extra 10 percent added onto their finals for having good attendance during the semester. This newly “improved” school year has banished that fairytale we all used to live in where we counted on those extra points to boost that one final grade from an 89 to a 90 and sometimes even a 69 to a 70. The extra points were the small, yet were found to be the most important thing that made all the difference in our grade. But with every banished fairytale, a new fairytale, hopefully a better one swoops in to take its place. This new fairytale, you may ask, is really very simple. No more extra points on finals. Some believe coming to school everyday should not give you an academic advantage on tests that weigh so heavily on your grade. Instead, they believe that the attendance incentive is not fair to those who have a weak immune system and get sick a lot throughout the year. One point for swine flu and mono; no points for ill students. Now the real question to this new fairytale is how in anyone’s right mind is this considered
a fairytale and not a nightmare? Yes, at first this is a nightmare until you take the time to think about it. If you are sitting in your desk right now, not doing anything and it being this close to finals you could simply spend this time studying and preparing for what is coming in the next few days.
This new law that has spread over the kingdom of Etowah further prepares us for the future that lies ahead, if and only if, we take advantage of the new law. As some wise and noble teachers have said to us many times throughout the years, the more you look over information, the more
it becomes embedded into your brains to the point where you will never forget the information. Therefore, it leaves the door open for us to infer that if we begin to study for finals now, it will help us come time for the big test. There is nothing wrong with the fantasy of wanting to actually learn something in high school because it will guide us through the rest of our years. There is no point in dwelling on the fact that we no longer receive those points. We need to be more concerned about that extra hour we add to studying for each final to ensure that we retain all the information that we possibly can. Who knows? Maybe that extra hour is the thing that will push us over the borderline of failing or making an A. It is up to us, the students, the future leaders of this country, to decide whether or not to continue complaining about the old attendance policy. It is our job to earn the grade. Cheating your way through high school and counting on those extra bonus points is not going to get you very far in life. Take advantage of this new opportunity that has been bestowed. If we study sooner and longer, soon enough the old ways of bonus points will cease to exist in our memories because we will realize that it is a blessing in disguise and not a nightmare.
Senior wants family at graduation
Etowah may be forced to make alternate plans by HANNAH HANSBERRY staff reporter When I walk across the stage to finally have a diploma in my hand as a ticket to the next chapter in my life, I want my father, who lives over a thousand miles away, in attendance. I do not want to have to tell my grandparents that they will not be able to watch me finalize one of the most memorable, vital aspects in my life. These scenarios are very realistic with the possibility of not having this year’s graduation ceremony at First Baptist Church of Woodstock. The fact that Cherokee County schools are public and have graduation ceremonies in a church has really concerned some members of an activist group. This group has
stated that it is unconstitutional for a public school to hold their graduation in a church building. We are not holding any sort of mass or a religious ceremony during graduation; the church building is simply a venue large enough to hold the friends and family of the large graduating classes of Cherokee County’s high schools. If it truly offends anyone of the local educational community, then they should have the option to speak out; but instead, the County is getting pressure from an outside group that has no experience with the County’s budget or population.
If we had the ceremony anywhere else, it would not only disappoint many, it would cost the County significantly more than is budgeted. Cherokee County gives FBCW $14,000 each year for all schools within the district to hold their ceremony. School Board attorney, Tom Roach, said that it would cost the county almost $38,000 more dollars to host the ceremonies at any
Now it seems Cherokee is not the only area county being targeted. Both DeKalb and Cobb counties were served with letters from Americans United for the Separation of Church and State saying it was unconstitutional for them to have graduation in a church facility. Many students have already sent orders for graduation announcements and if the venue is changed, these students will have to go through the trouble and cost of changing the information and resending their invitations. Or, maybe they will not have to because no one will even be permitted to attend the actual ceremony due to lack of seating availability. I, personally, let my voice be heard and sent an email to Janet Read, Cherokee County Board of Education chairman. She emailed back immediately and at the debate she stuck up for the right to have the graduating class of 2011 graduate with the same privileges that every other previous class has had. My advice to students is to stop complaining in classrooms and amongst your friends. Instead, send a letter to your school board and other people who are in position to speak for the community, so they can advocate for you.
“If students are not able to do that this year, it will undoubtedly cause uproar.” other location large enough to house all the guests, like the Cobb Energy Center in the neighboring Cobb County. Until now, distance to a larger facility like the Cobb Energy Center has not been discussed, but for a student living in the north part of Cherokee County, it could take approximately one hour to get to an Atlanta venue for graduation. When I was an underclassman, I went to every Etowah graduation to see my friends that I shared so many unforgettable moments with get their diploma. I wanted to say goodbye to them and wish them good luck in their next years in college. If students are not able to do that this year, it will undoubtedly cause uproar.
“I, personally, let my voice be heard and sent an email to Janet Read,”
Photo by Ally Hellenga Etowah graduation may be moved from First Baptist Woodstock
December 2010 / 7
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FEATURES
Dare to be Different: Christopher McCarthy by ALLY HELLENGA co-assistant editor In the big picture, some people tend to follow the status quo and simply fade into the background. However, a few students have enough self-confidence to dare to be different. Christopher phe McCarthy, rthy senior, is n not one to be part p of the background. bac He is in charge of his cha own picture-literally. -lite “I have always enalw joyed joye drawing as long the subject as I can remember, regardless th matt tter. The Th actual t l artt off rendering d i or creating was a constant diversion for me,” McCarthy said. Art has always been a dominate part of McCarthy’s life and he shares his unique skills with others. “I remember when we were younger he would give me drawing lessons for five bucks an hour; it was just hours of watching him draw,” Matt McCarthy, Chris’s brother and freshman, said. McCarthy began his art career sketching using charcoal as his chief medium. In the past year, oil paints have replaced the charcoal. As well as oil paints, McCarthy creates works of art with conte, acrylics, spray paint, monotype printing and screen-printing. Robert Putnam, art teacher, explains that every once in a while a student comes into the art program with a remarkable gift. This gift soon manifests itself through the work the student produces. “Chris is one who seeks all knowledge and swims through life with his mouth wide open swallowing all that he sees, hears and touches,” Putnam said. Putnam has witnessed McCarthy’s talent first hand and seeing such talent allows both individuals to share their own artistic views. “Chris causes me, as his art teacher, to confront all of the higher levels of thoughts, theories, techniques and issues in the visual arts and even causes me to take a hard look at my own beliefs and truths about myself as an artist,” Putnam said.
McCarthy says many different vivid pictures come to mind to make up a single piece of art. Such factors include the beach in September, the first chapter of Ulysses, Picasso's Garçon à la Pipe and the album Embryonic by The Flaming Lips. This list of inspiration is constantly changing with each new painting on which Christopher McCarthy embarks on. “Those ingredients viewed outside of the work share some incomprehensible bond that makes sense to absolutely no one, me included. It comes down to however I happen to react to whatever I'm seeing, hearing, smelling or whatever else I feel,” McCarthy said. According to McCarthy, inspiration can be whatever one wants; it just depends on attraction toward different subjects and the attitude one takes from the experience. “I tend to think of inspiration more as tangible work than some flighty magical concept. It is all about the capacity to react to things clearly and directly,” McCarthy said. As an inspiring artist, he is still exploring various subjects to base works on such as allegorical and surrealistic paintings, beach scenery and portraiture. “Chris is young and still searching for his complete artistic voice, and yet his work already stands as a testament for all to see,” Putnam said. Nevertheless, McCarthy still would like to experiment with classical subject matter like mythology depictions, funerary portraits, still life and religious scenes. “Such classical templates have been established as equally viable vehicles of expression for their underlying themes,” McCarthy said. McCarthy shows his remarkable talent in the arts by constantly producing unique works of art which showcase his own artistic voice. “He is a very unique individual who holds immense potential for the future, and I am sure he will set standards of excellence in the arts for which his artistic peers will strive towards for many years to come,” Putnam said. McCarthy’s siblings are supportive of his art passions as well. “My brother is determined, passionate and talented. His work astounds me, and his drive is going to make him a very successful artist,” Erin McCarthy, junior, said. “He's really progressed in the past years and I know he'll go far with this; he's the
triple threat: an amazing painter, an awesome sketch artist and a great person,” Matt McCarthy said. McCarthy ended with the following thankful words: “Both art teachers at Etowah [Putnam
and Joshua Saye] have been of incredible importance to my learning and development since sophomore year when I took my first art class. I can’t see myself working on the same level today without them. I truly consider myself lucky,” McCarthy said.
photos by Ally Hellenga McCarthy spends his time painting up masterpieces which show who he is as an artist.
FEATURES
8 / December 2010
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Bright lights light up the Towne: by RYAN ADKINS staff reporter
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he holiday season is finally here. It is a time for cold weather and frigid winds cured only by bundling up beside a warm cozy fire with a cup of hot chocolate. There is joy being spread and bright moods all around. Along with bright moods come millions of bright holiday lights. Each year people get into the holiday spirit by going all out with decorating their houses in colorful strings of lights. Some people set their lights to flicker and blink while others even set them to dance to music. These displays are strung all around the world but there are quite a few in Towne Lake.
ecca Hannigan, junior, and her family spent an entire week decorating their ith an uncountable amount of lights, many inflatable decorations and light-up deer all house in wreaths, bows, lights and strands of garland. lighting up in sync with music, Mike Torgersen and his wife, Cyndi, went all out this “We do Christmas. And we do it right,” Hannigan said. year. Mike goes out nightly to inflate the snowmen and house inflatables and turn on the music. A masterpiece such as this does not just happen overnight. Hannigan invited her It took the Torgersens three days to complete. friends to help, and they formed a chain of people from the attic to the front porch “I helped a little, but it was too cold outside for me,” Cyndi said. so as to get the decorations out. As her friends removed decorations, Hannigan’s The decorations are a tradition for them to put up every year after Thanksgiving, and they mother spent her time making bows and wreaths to hang on the outside of the house. add to them with every year. They take the decorations down right after New Years. After so much work Hannigan says she is very happy with how it all turned out.
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or the second year going, Mathew Robertson and his wife, Devynn, show their holiday spirit by stringing up 8600 lights around their house. “Last year I had fewer lights, but this year I am competing with my neighbor that has many blowup decorations,” Robertson said. It took Robertson a couple of afternoons and countless trips to Walmart, Home Depot and Lowes to complete his decorations. Being a middle school teacher, Robertson is nicknamed “Clark”by his students in reference to the Griswolds in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”. photos by Ryan Adkins
December 2010 / 9
FEATURES
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Residents show their holiday spirit For more holiday light shows check out these local events: Magical Nights of Lights at Lake Lanier Islands: Happening nightly from 5 p.m. - 10 p.m., through Dec. 30, including holidays. For more information visit www.lakelanierislands.com/ mnol.php. Lights Of Life 2010: Every night until Dec. 31, Life College will hold their Lights of Life. For more information on cost and times visit www.life.edu/lightsoflife. Stone Mountain Christmas: Stone avid Zack and his wife, Carole, spent nearly three weekends decorating their home with around 10,000 colorful lights. Mountain features a Christmas village They lit the entire display up at Thanksgiving. and other holiday activites. For more “I would say that our motivation is the kids,” Carole said. All the cutouts set up in front of the house are homemade by the family but are not all set up this year. The Zacks have been information visit http://festivals.stonedecorating for about 30 years and used to have 40,000 lights lighting their house in Illinois. photos by Ryan Adkins mountainpark.com/.
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Get creative this holiday by NICKIE ROBINSON co editor-in-chief With the economic recession now in full swing, affordable gifts this holiday season are going to be more than hard to find. Creating and designing gifts is a great alternative to spending a lot of money on things that can be made at home or bought for cheap. A memorable gift, such as a picture college, is a gift idea that is cute and affordable in bed. Hobby Lobby, Michael’s, Joann’s and Walmart are all stores that carry inexpensive picture frames that have many slots for photos. The majority of these stores have kiosks where one can print off photos to slide into the frame. If one wishes to get more creative with their gift, they can buy stickers and letters to put on the border of the frame. One can also cut the pictures with scissors that have different styled edges. Though males seem difficult to shop for, buying a holiday gift is not an impossible task. One gift that is simple and easy to make is a CD. Playlists can be made specifically for a friend based on their favorite songs or artist. Personalizing this gift can be done by decorating the CD case or including a small book with explanations of each song and how it represents the gifter and giftee’s relationship. Flashy headbands with feathers, beads and flowers are a must-have for teen girls this holiday season. These headbands also happen to be easy to make. Many websites such as Cutoutandkeep.com; feature how-tos on how to make many craft items, including headbands. YouTube also has many videos which show one exactly how to make the headbands and the materials needed to complete the craft. Another gift someone can make for males this season is a sports blanket. Many fabric stores, such as Joann’s or Michael’s, have NCAA or NFL fabric that is perfect for making a blanket for your bed. Once someone buys some of the fabric a fun thing to do to the blanket is to cut the sides into an even number of skinny strips. Tie the strips together into knots. The knots give the blanket a type of “game-day” look. With these cheap and simple gifts, the holiday season should not take a toll on the wallet.
1.
2. photo by Cathy MiCali This years tacky sweater day was a success with students dressing up to show their holiday spirit.
Holiday sweater explosion by CARLEEN STRISS staff reporter
3.
1. Headbands with buttons are easy to make and also make great gifts. 2. Make a gleeful playlist for that special someone. 3. Homemade t-shirts with fun designs are fun to give.
Grandma’s closet or local thrift stores are two hot spots for students on the hunt to find the most out-of-date sweater for Etowah’s annual Tacky Sweater Day which took place Dec.10. Students came festively dressed to school in the ugliest, least-fashionable holiday sweaters they could find. “It shows Christmas spirit, plus it’s a day to be silly with your clothes,” Zac Dehoff, senior, said. Ryan Riley, Etowah graduate, arranged Tacky Sweater Day in 2009. Continuing the tradition, Avery Thomas, junior, organized Tacky Sweater Day this year. “It’s fun walking through the halls and seeing different people wearing Christmas sweaters,” Thomas, junior, said. Tacky sweater day has become an increasingly popular holiday around the nation. Tacky Sweater day has acquired a few nicknames like Nasty Sweater Day or Ugly Sweater Day. “It’s great to see everyone participating, this year was cool because a bunch of other campuses joined in too,” Thomas, junior,
said. Whether its Christmas trees, snowflakes or reindeer, the design on the Christmas sweater is what sets it apart from everyone else’s. “Snowmen are a must have on my Christmas sweater,” Blake Myers, senior, said. The occasional decked out sweater is rare but attracts plenty of attention with lights, bells or other extravagant features. Finding the best deal at a thrift store or the perfect sweater in a closet is all part of Tacky Sweater Day. Park Ave. Thrift store is inexpensive and has a variety of tacky sweaters. Making a tacky sweater can be cheap or costly depending on one’s budget. It also lets one add their style and flair to the sweater. Some students also focus more on holidays they celebrate rather than just Christmas, like Hanukah and Kwanzaa. “I wouldn’t spend over ten dollars on a tacky sweater, I made my sweater this year with tons of glitter and snowflakes,” Ashley Jennetten, senior, said. Tacky sweater day is a fun way to show off student’s creative side, be silly with peers and show a little holiday spirit.
FEATURES
10 / December 2010
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Students celebrate the season by KASSI DOS SANTOS staff reporter Every December, students around the world prepare to celebrate the holiday in their own special way. Some look forward to snow, others to hot chocolate by the fireplace, and others to presents. At Etowah there are students with many different holiday traditions. Will Cohen, sophomore, counts down to the eight days of Hanukkah and enjoys receiving presents and celebrating with his family. “Every night we sit together and light the Menorah for that night and we give each other the gifts we bought. Sometimes we play dreidel but when we get tired of that we switch to Texas hold ‘em dreidel” Cohen said. Each day of Hanukkah, Cohen gets one present and said his favorite gifts were his Wii and iPod. According to History.com, Hanukkah is often called the Festival of Lights and is a time of lighting the menorah, games, foods and gifts. “During Hanukkah we are celebrating a
miracle. When the Maccabees needed to light the eternal flame but they only had enough oil for one night and miraculously the oil burned for eight days,” Cohen said. Danielle Von Mehren, sophomore, celebrates Christmas and also has many different family traditions. “On Christmas Eve we always watch a Christmas movie, read ‘Twas the Night before Christmas’ as a family, and we get to open one present,” she said. On Christmas morning she said her family goes downstairs from
youngest to oldest and her mom takes a picture. She said the family eats a nontraditional Christmas meal on Christmas Eve of swordfish and a Christmas night meal of lasagna. Von Mehren and her family put up Christmas decorations right after Thanksgiving, with colorful lights and a real Christmas tree. “My favorite part of Christmas is decorating my house, watching Christmas movies, and listening to Christmas music,” she said. Not all Etowah students started their holidays in America. Jessika Carmo, sophomore, had her
illustration by Melanie Murray Jewish families spend their days of Hanukkah by lighting candles.
first Christmas in Brazil. “In Brazil we celebrate Christmas in the summer so it’s a whole new scenery than it is here and we like to celebrate more of the birth of Jesus than Santa and presents, “Carmo said. Carmo said the family kept many of their Brazilian traditions when they came to America. Two weeks before Christmas, her church gathers to draw names from a bucket to play “Amigo Secreto” known as “Secret Santa” in English. “We have until Christmas Eve to buy our friend a gift and on Christmas Eve we all get together and everyone takes turns trying to describe their friend and we try to guess who it is,” Carmo said. Another cultural celebration occurring in December is Kwanza. Kwanza is an AfricanAmerican festival that begins on Dec. 26 and ends on Jan.1 and celebrates the seven principals, the Nguza Saba, of the AfricanAmerican culture. The pagan holiday Yule celebrates the winter solstice and begins around Dec. 21.
Christmas fancies have gotten fancier by AMELIA BURLESON and ZOE ANDERSON business manager and features editor Back in the day, Christmas gifts were less technological and more geared towards needs rather than wants. Forty years ago, kids were happy to get a baby doll or baseball bat, but times, they are a-changin’, to quote Bob Dylan. Now, the more things an object can do (like a phone that can act as a camera, computer, gaming console and video camera) the more students want it. “I got a Cape Canaveral missile set with rocket launchers. It had to be the coolest gift I ever got,” Robert Putnam, art teacher, said. As cool as a Cape Canaveral toy was for Putnam, no teen today, would put that on their list to Santa. Students these days are asking for electronics, electronics and more electronics. “I want an eight gigabyte iTouch for Christmas, with a pair of sick new ear buds,” Alyssa Wnukowski, sophomore, said. Laptops, iPods, iPads, smart phones, video
photo by Amelia Burleson Some students hope they will find keys to a new car or the latest Wii game under the tree this year.
Putnam received a Cape Canaveral missile set when he was younger.
game systems and cameras are what today’s student wants. Games for Wii, X-box and Playstation are also in demand. Some games include SingStar, Black Ops, JustDance and WiiFit. A safe bet for presents these days is anything having to do with technology. Flashback 40 years ago and the commonly wanted presents were clothes, stereos, records, sports related products, 8-track tapes, a personal TV and for those who lived in the South, a rifle and fishing gear. The two Christmas wish lists sound very different, but there is one thing kids ask for regardless of era - some hot new wheels, even better if those wheels come equipped with a GPS and rear video display. “Of course a big present would have been a car,” Wright Vermilya, math teacher, said So as the years pass by, and technology becomes more advanced, pretty soon for Christmas day we will all be Wii-caroling “Deck the halls with tech-no-logy.” The day teens start asking for a hover board is the day that technology officially takes over the holiday season.
source by: www.archive.liveauctioneers.com
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FEATURES
December 2010 / 11
Blogging, the new public diary by KIMI NORTON staff reporter In this day and age, it is particularly difficult to be bored on the computer. With websites for every topic imaginable, video games, and shopping sites, there is always something to do. One particular activity has become increasingly popular over the past few years: blogging. A blog is a website that is usually maintained by one person, although at times, there can be several people running it based on the blog’s size. There is no limit to what the blog’s primary focus may be. From unique food recipes, to movie reviews, to updates on the blogger’s life, anyone can build a blog about anything. There are plenty of hosts available for blogging. Blogger, WordPress, Weebly and Blogspot are just a few of the available options for creat-
ing a free blog. Each of these sites offers different customizable layouts and designs and a number of handy features for starting a blog. Tumblr is another very simple choice that has rapidly gained popularity. Boasting more than 10 million blogs created, it is catching up to internet giants such as Twitter or Facebook. It features easy options for posting text, images and videos or anything of the sort. Amber Steel, senior, owns a Tumblr on which she posts about her life and passes on advice or quotes she finds inspirational. “It’s kind of like a freedom,” Steele, said. “It’s like an outlet.” Sarah Beecham, junior, has a blog on Blogger.net called Rivers of Living Water. In the summer of 2012, Beecham plans to leave for India, where she will stay for a bit of time. Her blog is something similar of a diary for posting about the process leading up to such a major trip.
There are also sites that require payment, but they offer more features and are suited for persons who see blogging as more than just a hobby. Even though it is still new, it is possible to make a career out of blogging. A blogger can obtain income by selling advertisements or putting their own products up for sale on the site. Katie Nelson, junior, owns a site named Dyed4Honduras. She sells t-shirts she has dyed and designed, and the profit goes towards aiding missionaries in Honduras. Much like writing a novel, it requires a great deal of time, hard work and sometimes, just plain luck to become successful and maintain an income entirely off blogging. Whether it is for a source of entertainment or a source of income, blogging has become a regular on the internet. It is all a part of this generation which spends so much time on the computer.
infographic by Zoe Anderson
Christmas without a loved one by WILL ALEXANDER and REYNA RESENDIZ staff reporters Christmas is a time one generally spends with their family, but what happens when a close family member is deployed overseas? “It is sad, but over time you get used to it. My dad has been gone during the holidays for most of my life,” Andrea Wiggins, junior, said. Wiggins’ father is a Sergeant Major in the United States Marine Corps. He has been serving for 23 years and will again be gone this Christmas while he is deployed in Afghanistan. Her mother has also served four years in the United States Navy.
Some students at Etowah who have close family members in the military do not have to always be away from their family members during the holidays. Joey Marks’, freshman, father is a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army, and he had previously served in the navy. His father has just recently gotten out of Officer Candidate School and has to report to train-
ing in Oklahoma. Marks and his family will be traveling with his father to Oklahoma to spend Christmas with him there. Garret Jenkins, freshman, is new to the experience of not having a close family member home during Christmas due to being in the military. Although his dad has been serving for over 25 years and is a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army, this will be the
“My family and I feel that it will be a growing experience”
first Christmas that Jenkins and his family will spend with his father being away. “It will be a new experience for me, but my family and I feel that it will be a growing experience,” Jenkins said. This is his father’s first time being deployed and he will be gone for three months. “He plans to retire, but he feels that he wouldn’t be doing his part if he didn’t serve some time overseas,” Jenkins said. While some students at Etowah spend Christmas time with their families, other students do not have this option. Many students will ask for money or toys for their gifts, while others wish to spend time with their parents.
12 / December 2010
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December 2010 / 13
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SPORTS There is a new sheriff in Towne
Student fires precision air rifles in an extracurricular shooting club by KATELYN LEASE staff reporter In order to survive, humans have used shooting to get their meals and protect themselves. However, in the early 1800s, people began organizing shooting matches for personal enjoyment in which joym a variety of fireva arms arm were used. Today, shooting Toda competitions have grown, and one of Etowah’s own is a national rifle shooting champion. cham Rachael HodgRa es, junior, has what it takes to beat the best of the best in shooting competitions all h ll over the country. She has the accuracy and precision behind the bullet to hit the target almost every time. Starting when she was just 9, Hodges practiced with her team, Cherokee Youth Shooting Club, two days a week at the armory in Canton, Ga. In practice, they work on the natural point of aim, moving sights, targets and the follow through. The training begins in September and ends in July. Hodges attends 12 to 13 competitions a
year. “My favorite part of shooting is competing and meeting new people. I also like to see my progression through the year,” Hodges said. Hodges shoots precision air rifles at ten range targets at a 10 meter distance. “Sometimes, when I’m at a competition and there are people watching, it can be scary. Also you never know if college scouts are going to be there or well-known shooters, so you have to always be on top of your game.” Hodges said. She hopes to pursue shooting in college. For Hodges, practices occur at home too. “When I’m not working with my team at practices, I practice with my dad upstairs at home. He helps me out a lot and works one-on-one with me,” Hodges said. Olympic shooters, when they’re training, keep a journal to write down goals for practice, how practices went and what they need to improve. “I don’t write in my journal as much as I should, so I think that will be my New Year’s resolution, keep updating my journal.” Hodges said. Last year, Hodges had the opportunity to compete in the Junior Olympics in Colorado Springs. It was at the shooting range where the Olympic shooters train, and there was a lot of pressure to perform well. Hodges said her nerves got the better of her.
photo submitted Hodges, right, sets up her rifle while at practice. Hodges attends about 13 competitions a year. “I didn’t do so well, but my coaches knew that and they just wanted me to have the experience and have a good time. It was a great experience.” Hannah Rogers, sophomore, and Amanda Rogers, freshman, train with Hodges. They joke around and encourage each other in
competitions. Hodges is ranked 85th in the nationally. It is calculated by taking the average scoring of her scores at certain USA Shooting competitions. She has many accomplishments already and is determined to earn more.
Senior Eagle becomes a Yellow Jacket
Albertson signed to play golf at Georgia Institute of Technology by HEATHER PERONA sports editor A year ago, Anders Albertson, senior, had already begun making college plans. As a golfer, he knew that his plans would involve playing golf at a major university. His dreams came true on Dec. 9 when he signed a scholarship to play golf for Bruce Heppler, coach of the Georgia Institute of Technology golf team. His mother, Denita, father, Scott, and sisters, Ana, 12; Britta, 9; and Ingrid, 5; were in attendance to see him commit to the school. Since Albertson will be graduating from Etowah High School early, he will enroll at Georgia Tech for the second semester. His first day of college will be Jan. 10. “I am looking forward to living in the athletic dorm and going to the college’s football and basketball games,” he said of student life at Georgia Tech. In eighth grade, Albertson began preparing for his early graduation by taking ninth grade-level classes. This year, he took two literature classes, one with Tracye Bulger, and one online through Georgia Virtual School, in order to earn all of his required credits. While he says that he will not miss going to prom, Albertson mentioned that he would miss his friends on the golf team. “They are a good group of guys,” Albertson said. “They are fun to hang out with, and I will be sad to be leaving the team.” Even though he will be starting Georgia
photo submitted Anders Albertson will enroll at Georgia Tech in January and will play golf for the Yellow Jackets’ coach Bruce Heppler. Tech in January, he will not be able to compete with the college’s golf team until August. He will, however, be able to participate in the team’s practices and workouts in the spring semester. Some of the perks that come with play-
ing for the Georgia Tech golf team are that Albertson gets to play at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta and at the Golf Club of Georgia in Alpharetta. He also gets to practice with Professional Golf Association tour members Stewart Cink, Bryce Molder and
Roberto Castro, all former Georgia Tech golfers. While Albertson says that he does not have a favorite golfer, he does admire PGA tour greats Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Ben Hogan.
SPORTS
14 / December 2010
the Talon
Athletes steal a kiss from mono Students and athletes have trouble hiding from the “kissing disease” by HEATHER PERONA sports editor On Aug. 14 Andy Roddick, professional tennis player, received his highly anticipated blood test results. Earlier that day, he confessed to having relentless bodily aches and a severely swollen throat. Shortly after reviewing the results, it was confirmed that Roddick had been diagnosed with mono. Mononucleosis, which is more commonly known as mono or the “kissing disease”, commonly infects 50 out of 100,000 people each year. Unfortunately, students do not realize that they have been infected with the disease until it is much too late or until they have passed on the infection to another helpless victim. Many students are unaware of the causes of mono, which are basically actions between two or more people. If one was to be unaware of these seemingly riskfree causes, their susceptibility to the infection could be greatly affected. Mono is caused by the Epstein-Barr Virus, a member of the herpesvirus family that attacks the upper respiratory system. EBV can remain dormant in the blood cells of a body without harming its host for the human’s entire life. When it is ready to transfer its duplications, EBV reactivates itself in the host’s saliva, which is the root of transportation for the virus. According to WebMD, mono can be spread through direct contact of the saliva, such as through kissing. Other pathways for the spread of mono are sharing toothbrushes or using the same eating utensils
of an infected person. Once EBV is ingested, the infected person will experience a variety of general yet deadly symptoms. As the virus spreads through the body, the victim might notice that he or she has chills, insomnia, fatigue, muscle aches and may lack an appetite. Emma Swendson, senior, was diagnosed with mono twice, once in December 2004 and again in November 2009. “I remember that right after I got mono, I felt extremely tired all the time,” Swendson said. “I always felt lazy and sick, and my fevers kept me from going to dance practice.” A sore throat or tonsillitis may later develop, and white patches on the back of the throat and swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpit and groin may show. At this time the infected individual may also have a fever of 103° Fahrenheit or higher. Shannyn Palazzo, senior, was diagnosed with mono on Aug. 23 and said that she had many symptoms of strep throat, but the symptoms were much more dangerous than she had thought. “I noticed that I couldn’t keep up with softball at the beginning of the year,” Palazzo said. “I was so exhausted and I knew something wasn’t right. One morning, my throat closed shut, and it started to bleed, and my whole face and lymph nodes began to swell.” More serious symptoms, such as swelling of the eyes and spleen, liver tenderness and a bodily rash, may develop. If these symptoms appear, immediate medical attention is recommended so that the virus can be
“My throat closed shut, and it started to bleed...”
treated. Treatment for mono can range from natural home remedies to advanced medical healing. If the symptoms of mono are spotted relatively early, drinking cold drinks, eating frozen desserts,, gargling with salt water and sucking on throat lozenges are common ways to reduce t h e soren e s s of the throat. Tylenol and Advil can treat the muscle aches of mono, while plenty of rest can lessen the fatigue of the infected individual. For the more severe symptoms medical attention is necessary. When dealing with tonsillitis or if the person with mono has trouble breathing, a doctor must prescribe a five-day course of steroids in order to control the swelling of the throat and tonsils. “After my symptoms began to worsen, my parents took me to the hospital,” Palazzo said. “I spent 12 hours in a hospital bed, and I had multiple IVs and was given steroids to help with the symptoms. They managed dull sympto Th d to d ll the h pain,
but after I was excused to go home, I was quarantined to my room for days.” If one’s spleen had enlarged, which is often rare when dealing with mono, it is best to avoid lifting heavy objects because this could r u p ture the spleen. If the spleen bursts, t h e person must b e sent to an emergency room immediately so that a doctor can perform a splenectomy, a surgery in which they remove the spleen. Once the surgery has taken place, the patient must remain in the hospital for a week so that the doctor can monitor their condition. After one to two months, the virus should disappear completely or h a v e greatly weakened. To avoid catching the vir u s again, it is best to avoid sharing drinks or food with other people and to know that an innocent peck can turn into a painful infection in a matter of seconds.
Wrestlers start their season strong Captains lead their teammates through great matches this season by JUSTIN BROWN staff reporter Going into the holiday break, the Etowah wrestling team is 7-6, with their biggest triumph over Eastside High School in Covington, Ga. Eastside was the 4A state champion two years ago.
Many wrestlers have made a name for themselves including Jeremiah Lutz, junior and Walter Leyva, Cody Dellarosa and Matt Thomas, seniors. Coach Eric Burton said that he tries to have two senior captains and two junior captains so the juniors are “ready to fill the senior’s spot when they graduate.” Senior captains are Leyva, Dellarosa and
photo by Laila Goharioon Walter Leyva, senior, and Jeremiah Lutz, junior, face each other in a match during practice.
Thomas, while Lutz is the junior captain. Wrestling is more than a passion; it is an intense physical sport that requires immense stamina, skill and mental stability. “It’s not just physical but mental too,” Burton said. “I try to teach my wrestlers to stare down their opponent. They want to make the opponent not want photo by Laila Goharioon to fight them, and Walter Leyva, senior, is pinned down to the mat by Jeremiah Lutz, junior. that just breaks 2009/2010 ninth in state finish. them [opponent] down mentally.” This year, the team has four returning Burton also requires his students to keep state qualifiers and a national ranking for their grades on track. Lutz as 28 in the nation in the 130 pound “My wrestlers cannot just bring their weight class. grades up,” Burton said. “They have to conOn Dec. 17 and 18 the team will head to stantly be working on their school work.” the Santa Slam Tournament at South ForThis is something that can be difficult to syth High School and follow with the Dixie balance with practice, meets and social life. Nationals in Atlanta on Dec. 29. Also, the team would like to better their
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Sports briefs Wrestling Dec. 29 – Dixie National Jan. 5 – vs. Sequoyah, away from 6-9 p.m. Jan. 8 – Area Duals at Lassiter High School from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Jan. 12 – vs. River Ridge High School, away from 6-9 p.m. Jan. 14-15 – State Duals at Macon Coliseum Jan. 19 – vs. Cherokee and Centennial High School, home from 5-9 p.m. Jan. 21-22 – North Metro Duals at Brookwood High School from 4:30-9 p.m. and 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Varsity Basketball Dec. 27-29 –Girls team’s Holiday Classic in Pickens County Dec. 27-29 –Boys team’s Holiday Classic in Daytona Beach, Fla. Jan. 4 – Girls team vs. Marietta, away at 6 p.m. Jan. 4 – Boys team vs. Marietta, away at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 7 – Girls team vs. Woodstock, away at 6 p.m. Jan. 7 – Boys team vs. Woodstock, away at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 12 – Girls team vs. Wheeler, home at 6 p.m. Jan. 12 – Boys team vs. Wheeler, home at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 15 – Girls team vs. Roswell, home at 4 p.m. Jan. 15 – Boys team vs. Roswell, home at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 18 – Girls team vs. Walton, home at 6 p.m. Jan. 18 – Boys team vs. Walton, home at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 21 – Girls team vs. Cherokee, away at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 21 – Boys team vs. Cherokee, away at 8 p.m.
SPORTS
Just another excuse to be stalked by MEGAN VANDE CORPUT and CATHY MICALI staff reporters Most kids in big cities try to stay away from gangs, but when Nerf Wars starts up, gangs are highly encouraged. Nerf Wars is not a club associated with Etowah; in fact it is not even a club. It is a high-risk, highstress experience. Started last year by Michael Ehmann as part of his senior project, 15 teams made of five people each played against each other for five weeks. This year the season will begin in February and last for as many weeks as it takes until only one team is left standing. Teams have the freedom to have anyone on their team as long as they attend Etowah High School. A majority of the players last year were seniors and even though most of them graduated, a decent sized turnout is expected this year as well.
Soccer Jan. 15 – Etowah Soccer 5K fundraiser at the stadium from 6-10 a.m.
as well as certain isolated incidents in public places. Paranoia begins to set in soon after the season starts. For many people their entire life revolves around Nerf Wars. Trips alone into public become few and far between. Going anywhere at all, other than to attack another team, is rare. “It basically becomes professional stalking,” Miller said.
There are nine commissioners: James Workman, Peter Brandt, Dryn DuBois and Ben Miller, juniors; Hope Skalak, Melissa Lea, Jordy Roberts, Geoff Peplau and Will Pollard, seniors. The commissioners organize the teams into brackets, collect the forms and make sure people are playing by the rules. They are not there to settle disputes; teams should be able to do that on their own.
photo by Cathy Micali The Recon is a popular model for Nerf War participants. may not be changed, with a small team logo being the only exception. Nerf guns can be modified, but they have to remain singleshot, powered by air or a spring. Blow-dart guns made of PVC are allowed. A complete set of rules and more information can be found on the website www. ehsnerfwars.com. Last year the only trouble that arose was parents, siblings and significant others getting annoyed with the intensity of the game
Jan. 7 – Swim Meet at Cobb Aquatic Center from 5-9 p.m. Jan. 15 – Kennesaw Mountain Trials at Cobb Aquatic Center from 6:30-10 p.m. Jan. 22 – Swim Meet at Cobb Aquatic Center from 2:30-6:30 p.m.
Dec. 16 – meeting at 6:45 a.m. in the Old Gym Jan. 6 – meeting at 6:45 a.m. in the Old Gym Jan. 13 – meeting at 6:45 a.m. in the Old Gym Jan. 20 - meeting at 6:45 a.m. in the Old Gym
get in my way. It is like throwing the ring into Mount Doom after a treacherous journey across middle earth, “Workman said. Guns, even toy Nerf guns, are prohibited on school property in any way, shape or form. So far people have used their heads and not gotten in any trouble, but it is important to remember that guns are prohibited on school property. Darts and the appearance of the Nerf gun
“It basically becomes professional stalking.”
Swimming
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photo by Cathy Micali Having a plentiful supply of Nerf Darts is essential. Even with a surprising amount of rules and regulations, play is widespread. People go to extreme lengths to get to their opponents. Waking up at 5 a.m. in order to stake out an opponent’s home is a common occurrence, as is staking out someone’s bus stop or place of work. People have been bribed and double-crossed. Friends and siblings who are not playing get dragged in. Entire teams have even been destroyed before sunrise. “For some Nerf Wars is just something fun to do with your free time, but for others, like myself, it is rather intense. I see it as an actual war. If I don’t kill the other team they will kill me. Winning the tournament is the ultimate goal and nothing can
Some people are not as fond of Nerf Wars as others and will not be playing again. One such person is Mark Armstrong, junior. “Nerf Wars is for immature people with toy guns who want to use them,” Armstrong said. Like any war, there are winners and losers. The top four teams receive a share of half of the money collected at registration; the other half goes to a charity of the winning team’s choice.
Freestyle like a champ by MELISSA GIFFORD staff reporter The Etowah swim team is off to a great start this season with first place finishes for both boys and girls relays in their first few meets. So far, the boys’ team has won first in all of its relays. The girls have placed first in all relays except the Cobb Relay in which they placed second. Tracye Bulger, English teacher, and Virginia Richards, Chapman Intermediate teacher, coach the Etowah team, favored to win the Cherokee County meet according to the Cherokee Tribune. “The team’s overall goal for the year is to
take a fifth straight County Champion title and try to improve our finish at the state meet,” Bulger said. The senior captains this year are Alec Cohen, Emma Levido, Jordy Roberts and Sophie Smith. Cohen recently signed to swim the University of Georgia. The team goes to Adairsville on Dec. 9 and the Maddie Brown Invitational at the Emory Woodruff PE Center in Atlanta. Jan. 7, the Eagles will host a meet at the Cobb Aquatic Center. The team practices Monday to Friday at both the Eagle Watch pool and the Woodstock Aquatic Center.
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SPORTS
Varsity Eagles basketball jumps to a start by KELSEY SAEGER-BARNES staff reporter The boys varsity basketball team, lead by Coach Don Hurlburt, has plans to return to the state playoffs this year and possibly compete for the region championship. So far, the team is 2-2 with wins against River Ridge and Roswell high schools. The varsity Eagles face Lassiter at home on Dec. 10, followed by matches against Blessed Trinity, Sequoyah, Marist and Harrison leading up to the holiday break. The Harrison game will be played at the Cobb Civic
Center at 5 p.m. on Dec. 18. Dec. 27-29, the boys head to Daytona Beach, Fla. for the Holiday Classic. Hurlburt thinks this year’s team is fast, versatile, and prepared offensively. “One of the things we want to do this year is present an exciting team to represent Etowah,” Hurlburt said. Derrico Peck, junior, said the entire team must be dedicated. “As long as everyone stays committed to working hard and getting better then we will be successful,” Peck said. The team has many star athletes this season including Peck, a starter, and senior
Austin Miramonti. This is Miramonit’s third year on the varsity team. Etowah is currently third in region standings behind first place Walton and second place Cherokee. In the 2009 season, the varsity boys went to state playoffs and lost in overtime to Meadowcreek. They finished third in the region. Their final record was 16 wins and 13 losses. The varsity girl’s basketball team has had an impressive start to the season with five wins and one loss against Creekview. “Our main goal this season and every other season is to get to the state tourna-
ment,” Coach Bob Westbrook said. Westbrook says that their biggest competitors are Cherokee, Woodstock and Marietta High schools. During the holiday break, the girls will head to the Holiday Classic in Pickens County on Dec. 27-29. The team is lead by senior star athletes Kaycee Cash, Stephanie Huffman, McKeinsey Irvin, Lindsay Irvine and Christian Langston. Cash, Huffman and Irvine are also getting looked at for scholarships. In the 2009 season of 2009, the girls had a record of 23 wins and 7 losses. They made it all the way to the Sweet Sixteen.
photos by Morgan Hinchey Varsity Eagles are off to a good season that will sure to be full of many wins.