The Renaissance Fall 2015

The Renaissance

The student newsmagazine of Dutch Fork High School 1400 Old Tamah Road/ Irmo, SC Volume 24 Issue 1/ Fall 2015

INSIDE: THE THOUSAND YEAR FLOOD

From the Editors

The Renaissance Co-Editors-in-Chief Maddie Mason Abby Beauregard Section Editors News Abby Beauregard Opinion Maddie Mason Life Raleigh Norris Sports Trey Martin Web Robert Sawyer

To say these past few weeks have been chaotic would not be an understatement.

Between the thousand-year flood (see pg 4 for more details), football season and college applications, it’s seems like there’s always something going on.

Throughout our past four years, though, there’s always been one constant: this school.

It’s been there for us through the good and the bad. Frankly, we didn’t realize how nice that was until we walked in our first day of senior year.

While the monotony of the day in/day out used to seem tedious, lately it’s something we’ve all been relying on.

Whether your house was damaged or you were just bored stiff during the week we missed because of the flood, coming back to school was a coming home. After the crazy ride it’s been, it’s nice to have a stable home away from home.

The way the community has rallied and helped out those afflicted has been incredible to see, and we hope it’s something that will continue to happen. Dutch Fork isn’t just a school or a community: it’s a family (weird cousins and long lost relatives included).

While we largely faired well, we’re not oblivious to the suffering of others. With-

On the cover: The thousand-year flood devastated South Carolina. This flood caused the state to go into a state of emergency and caused many damages. Photo by Sam Aaron

in the district and other parts of the state, there’s still so much that needs to be done.

It’s our responsibility as members of this family (and as human beings in general) to do as much as we can during this difficult time.

Helping members of this family in their time of need isn’t an option, it’s a given.

We can’t move on and begin the process of returning to normalcy until our neighbors have begun that process as well. And cleaning up is just the start.

After cleanup will come uncertainty and then rebuilding. Somewhere in the process, the community will begin to heal. It won’t be an easy process but it’s something we’ll do together.

That’s what families do: they help each other in their time of need.

Considering the efforts of the past few weeks and the ones sure to come, we can’t think of a family of which we’d be prouder to be a part.

Abby and Maddie

Abby Beauregard and Maddie Mason

Co-Editors-in-Chief

Staff Sam Aaron Zakiya Austin Malik Brazile Haley Dixon Josh German Lydia Kicklighter Lindsay Long Trey Rice Sarah Emily Rish Chyna Wallace Adviser Amy Medlock-Greene Principal Dr. Gregory Owings The Renaissance is an open forum for student expression at Dutch Fork High School.

The purpose of The Renaissance is to inform the student body about events affecting them, to influence its readers through responsible editorials, to entertain through feature content, to reflect the overall personality of the school and to bring buyer and seller together. These goals will be achieved through fair, accurate and responsible reporting.

Unbylined editorials reflect the views of the majority of The Renaissance staff, but not necessarily the view of the school board, the administratiors, the faculty, the adviser, the entire staff, or student body.

All bylined editorials and cartoons reflect the opinion of the writer or artist. Advertisements do not reflect the opinion of The Renaissance or its adviser.

The Renaissance encourages letters to the editors as they constitute a constructive avenue for opinion. All letters must be signed by the writer to be considered for publication. The staff reserves the right to edit letters for poor taste, libel, grammar and space.

The Renaissance is published four times a year by students in the journalism classes. The online edition, updated regularly, is available at www.foxfusion.org.

Contents News

05 08

Flood aftermath

New middle school opens for business

Mark your Calendar Thanksgiving break will be Nov. 25-27.

Monday, Nov. 28 will be a B day.

Opinion

10 14

The importance of volunteering The season of giving

Yearbooks are on sale now; order yours at jostensyearbooks.com.

Books are $80 and should be ordered by Dec. 15

Student life

18 20

Our changing world

Clubs help flood victims

Auditions for The Crucible: Dec. 7-8 3:45-5 p.m.

(Prepare a one-minute monologue to audition.)

Sports

26 28

Senior TJ Shook commits to USC

Teams unite to help community

Midterm exam schedule: Dec. 14- 5B & 7B exams Dec. 15- 1A & 3A exams Dec. 16- holiday program Dec. 17- 2A & 4A Dec. 18- 6B & 8B

Columbia recovers from historic flood

Story by Abby Beauregard, Maddie Mason and Trey Rice • Photos by Sam Aaron

Clockwise from left: A car fallen through a bridge on Lost Creek Road. Photo by Kelly Payne. A road sign blocking off Old Tamah Road.

Photo by Maddie Mason. The overflowing banks of the Broad River.

Photo by Kelly Payne.

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hen historic flooding hit the state of South Carolina, students and faculty were forced to stay off the roads and out of school.

“I lost power in my house for a day, and part of the street that I live on flooded, but we were fortunate to not have any serious problems,” senior Jesse Tompkins said.

When the flooding began, many homes lost power and water. The loss of clean water was not an issue many had experienced or given much consideration to before it became a problem. It affected not only homes but also many high schools and college campuses.

“The flood affected me because I was on campus at The University of South Carolina. For about two days, there was no running water across campus. What was running was barely water. A lot of places were closed in terms of food as well. With no running water no one could shower, wash their hands or flush a toilet. This was probably the biggest effect from the flood because a campus without flushing toilets was a disaster,” Dutch Fork alumni

and University of South Carolina freshman Michaela Baker said.

The decision to cancel or delay school is never one made lightly, especially when dealing with weather events.

“There are a number of things that come into play but we partner with local agencies, the weather service, and also Lexington County emergency management to stay apprised of weather conditions. When we see that a weather event may be occurring we consult with them, conference call and others in our area to determine a number of factors,” Public Information officer Katrina Goggins said. “One, roads have to be safe for students to get to and from school. Two, facilities have to be safe for students to have instruction. Three, and this was particularly a factor in this last weather situation, we have to ensure we that we have potable water, that means drinkable water.”

However, the majority of Dutch Fork students were not heavily impacted and have focused their efforts on helping those in the greater community.

This aid to the community has helped people who have lost their

06 | www.foxfusion.org | NEWS

homes and possessions to cope with the aftermath of the flood.

Every step that is taken is one more step towards the recovery of South Carolina.

“Most of these people have lost everything, and anything we can do to aid goes a long way in helping them start the long trek back to normality. I was helping a woman at Willow Creek who had literally moved in last Friday before the rains started and by Sunday she lost the entire bottom floor of her home. It’s so tragic and heartbreaking to see what’s happened to her and so many others, and while I’m very thankful my family was unaffected, I’m also very aware of the fact that not everyone was as lucky as I was, and I want to do everything I can to ease their suffering,” senior Sean Riehm said.

This disaster has affected everyone in some way and there are still people out there who need help. If students are unable to give time to the cause, there are many organizations that are hosting food drives or taking donations to give to those in need.

It is appreciated if students help to support the effort in any way they can.

“Students can easily give lightly used clothes and blankets to local shelters or volunteer to help cleanup in the community.

Student council is planning to do a service project to help meet the needs of the community, so students could also donate money,” Jesse said.

With the help of its citizens, South Carolina can recover from this disaster. Whether it’s donating money and clothes, volunteering for cleanup or raising money through fundraisers, every contribution to the relief effort helps toward the ultimate goal.

“My suite mate and I were sitting at lunch on Tuesday and we were just saying that we wanted to help. We didn’t know how but we knew we wanted to. We then came up with the idea to make t-shirts in memory of the flood.

So, we did! So far we have sold over 170 t-shirts and raised over $600. We will be donating that to the United Way Flood Relief of South Carolina. It’s been really great to see people buy shirts and have more money to help those in need,” Michaela said. “It just goes to show that anyone can help. It doesn’t take much... You just have to do it!”

District helps with healing process

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Story by Abby Beauregard

ith so many deserving causes throughout Lexington and Richland Counties, it’s difficult for District Five to receive all the money it needs solely through District funding.

That’s where the District Five Foundation comes in.

“The District Five Foundation is a non-profit organization that supports education initiatives in school District Five and other initiatives as well,” District Five Foundation President Paula Hite said.

In the past four years, the foundation has spent $200,000 on teacher grants, student research and the snack pack program. In light of recent tragic events, they’ve decided to turn their focus on helping victims of the flooding.

“We have started a flood victims fund to take donations in terms of checks and money to help with District Five families who have been affected by the storm,” Hite said.

Immediately following the disaster, school officials realized there would need to be a way to identify families in need of assistance.

“We have done a number of things [to identify those in need],” school social worker Carolyn Corley-Ashford said. “One of the first things we did was to coordinate with guidance counselors, nurses and other persons in the District who would be sort of like our first responders in these situations, and we came up with a document for the families who have been affected by the flood.”

To make sure the needs of families are addressed thoroughly, school social workers and guidance counselors had to devise a plan.

“We have an intake form that we go out and meet with each family personally and do an assessment for each family individually. Our job is to coordinate the needs with the resources,” Family Literacy, Parenting and Social Work Services Coordinator Jennifer Felkel said.

All of the money put into the fund will go to those identified by the school.

“100 percent of those funds are going to District Five families that have been affected,” Hite said.

Felkel sees the money raised by the fund as a way to fill in gaps left by government organizations and insurance coverage.

“We’re figuring out where the holes are with the resources we’ve got and if a family needs an immediate need we’re tapping into the District Five Foundation,” Felkel said. “But the District Five Foundation will probably use more in the long term as the community resources pull out.”

For those looking to give, the Foundation accepts donations online or mailed to their office.

“I think at this point [we need] monetary [donations].

There have been a lot of donations in terms of household items, food items, clothes,” Hite said.

Coordinators at both the school and the Foundation simply don’t know how long the rebuilding and healing process will take, but say they’re in it for the long haul.

“There is no timeline. We started the day the flood happened,” Felkel said. “We had staff in the shelters assessing families that Tuesday and we will be there until there’s no more need.”

To donate to the District Five Foundation, please visit www.district5foundation.org/give.

NEWS | www.foxfusion.org | 07

New middle school open for business Story by Abby Beauregard, Sam Aaron and Trey Rice • Photos by Sam Aaron

W

ith population growth in the town and surrounding area of Chapin, Lexington Richland School District Five has built a new middle school for seventh and eighth graders. Fifth and sixth graders shall remain at the old middle school building, now called Chapin Intermediate School.

“Last year we were sixth, seventh and eighth grade and we had 1185 students and 10 portables,” Chapin Middle School principal Anna Miller said. “So we needed more space.”

With overcrowding in both Chapin Middle and Elementary schools, the District decided to build a newer, larger middle school. The old middle school however, would not be left to waste.

“We needed another school to help with the growth, but we had overcrowding at the elementary schools and middle schools and we could only build one school,” Miller said.

“By making Chapin Intermediate [house] fifth and sixth and Chapin middle seventh

08 | www.foxfusion.org | NEWS

and eighth, it helped with the overcrowding of the elementary and middle schools by building one school.”

With the building of an entirely new school, there is also the requirement of funding for such a project. The District’s bond referendum, approved by voters in 2008, funded the project.

“This is the final project in the bond referendum,” Miller explained. “Several years ago we had a District bond referendum. A lot of projects were involved in that and the building of Chapin Middle School was the final project.”

Construction of the new middle school began in May 2014. While it was nearly completed by the start of the school year, a few finishing touches were still needed. Despite these final steps, the school gained conditional occupancy from the construction company, so the school year would not be delayed.

“We were able to get conditional occupancy which means that the school made certain

agreements with the construction company so that we could occupy the building,” Miller said. “We’re finalizing some landscaping, fencing is going up, [and there will be] some painting along our carline area to try and keep the traffic off of Broad River Road.”

Still, despite its unfinished status, the reaction to the new building has largely been positive.

“We have so many more windows and it’s open,” eighth grade math teacher David Fisher said. “We have common areas where students can relax a little when they’re not sitting in class all the time, a recess area instead of a parking lot, outside courtyards [and] a designated car line that really works; it does what it’s supposed to do. For me it’s just so much more open and bright and I don’t even have to turn on the lights in the classroom.”

In addition to the new building, Chapin Middle School also started a new program called Fun Academies. This program allows

students to sign up for classes based on students’ interests.

“One of the things that we do that I think is pretty neat is that we have what we call fun academies,” Miller said. “Those are four sessions per semester for 30 minutes each. Our students sign up by interests so it can be anything from ideology to zumba to photography to knitting, crocheting and cross-stitching, cake decorating, law enforcement, veterinary science and things of that nature,” Miller said.

With a new neighborhood sprouting up in Chapin, the school is expecting an increase in its student population in the coming years.

Eventually the school may have to finalize plans to add a third wing to the building.

“The school is wonderful. The only thing they need is more space already,” PTO President and parent Vera Timmons said. “They’re trying to address some of those issues with new neighborhoods being built in the area, across the street for instance. They’re going

to have to increase capacity for the school.”

Since Chapin Middle only accepts students from those zoned to attend it, there should be less trouble with overcrowding than there has been in the past.

Miller said the students are happy, though, and she remains enthusiastic about the future of the school.

“Our teachers, our support staff, everybody here has been so wonderful about it. It’s a great feeling: our kids are happier, we have a lot of windows and state-of-the-art space,” Miller said. “Our students have really enjoyed a lot of that, with smiles on their faces all the time.”

Chapin Middle School contains an ergonomic design with breathtaking facilities. The school uses natural lighting to balance the bold, modern architectural elements.

Facilities include a gym and cafeteria as well as labs and naturally-lit classrooms.

NEWS | www.foxfusion.org | 09

Staff Editorial Volunteering is important, essential in community

A

s hurricane Joaquin tore through the Atlantic Ocean, the storm’s repercussions were felt throughout South Carolina.

Many South Carolinians, including a significant number in the Midlands, were displaced and left with nothing to call their own except for the clothes on their backs.

They needed anything and everything to survive, so residents of the state stepped up to help in any way possible.

Shelters were created all over the Dutch Fork, Irmo and Chapin areas to help District Five students and families try to get back on their feet, and unaffected residents stepped up to volunteer and do anything they could to help.

One might wonder why people give up their free time staying in their warm, dry homes to go out and do everything from sorting supplies at a local shelter, to going into flood-damaged homes to rip out moldy drywall.

Whatever their motivation for helping, the help was a necessary part of recovery.

Volunteering unites the community, and having a community builds relationships. Those relationships create a stronger bond throughout towns and cities that holds its residents together beyond the window of a natural disaster.

The act of volunteering is something that is almost second nature to some: when a disaster happens, they want to be in the

forefront of the action helping out in any way they can.

This attitude was prevalent during the floods, especially in the Midlands.

Some shelters (like the Seven Oaks one) had to start turning volunteers away because there were enough people serving already.

Volunteering is important because it helps out the community in a way nothing else can.

Volunteers do not get anything for themselves when they volunteer; it’s all for the benefit of those they’re helping.

And that is the driving force behind volunteering: helping when no one else is, and when there’s nothing to derive from it besides the joy helping others.

The story: Volunteering is very helpful when a disaster occurs.

Our view: It is important to volunteer when the community is in need.

Negative housekeeping rating leads to new rules Column by Lydia Kicklighter and Maddie Mason When the new year began, the District issued ratings for each school that reflected the school in either a positive or negative light.

This year, Dutch Fork’s rating for cleanliness was not as high as the administration hoped it would be. As a result, new rules were put in place so a low rating would not occur again.

Messy bathrooms, congested hallways and tape residue on walls are just some of the issues administration is working to fix.

Despite the goodwill of administration, some of these changes will step on some students’ and faculty member’s toes. They will hinder clubs’ and organizations' ability to spread the word about upcoming events including football games, spirit weeks and club meetings.

Tape residue left on the walls is one of the current concerns. Although many school organizations need to put posters up to ad-

10 | www.foxfusion.org | OPINION

vertise their events, the administration says masking tape will leave sticky tape residue on the walls.

There haven’t been any issues about tape residue in the past, so why now?

What has caused administration to think that the masking tape used by many students, for the sole purpose to come off cleanly, is leaving a residue?

Is there any way around this problem?

The administration’s solution is to have posters only hung on cork strips.

This means no tape may be used to hang up any posters throughout the entire school.

Despite the fact that there are only four cork strips in the commons, and organizations including Student Council, Pep Club, and countless others need to have their posters up, administration will not let up, causing frustration from students and teachers alike.

There is, however, one obvious solution to

the poster debacle: getting more cork strips or bulletin boards to hang around the school.

The only issue, though, is that these cost money, which would need to be worked into the budget.

Club advisors are vying for these extra cork strips and bulletin boards to be added to the budget, so their students will be able to hang as many posters as necessary. These will provide easy access for students to hang posters and inform the student body of important upcoming events.

Posters are also one of the most important ways students can get information that they need. Limiting posters to only be hung up on cork strips then limits how much information students at easy access.

It is important for students to have access to this information because this allows more students to be active in the events happening and will allow for more student participation.

Kids In The Hall

What did you do to volunteer during the flood week?

Josh Coleman

freshman

“I volunteered at the Seven Oaks Park shelter and helped load water into cars.”

TechTip Recap #1

Stay up to date on A and B day schedule, major Dutch Fork events, club meetings, advisory days, and special events.

#2 Stephen Wise

sophomore

“I volunteered in my neighborhood helping people clear out their floors to prepare for cleaning.”

Sarah Smith

junior

“ I volunteered with my youth group and we helped clean out a church member’s house that was completely flooded.”

Chris Boykin

senior

“I volunteered at Willow Creek helping residents move stuff out of their homes and into moving trucks.”

Subscribe to DFHS calendars

QR codes

Learn how to read and utilize QR codes. All student should have QR code reader apps on their iPads.

#3

Updates and review

#4

New google slides templates

Before you update your iPad, make sure all work is backed up. Check for storage space (1.3 GB needed). Update off campus.

Make your google presentation look better by using the new templates that Google has recently created for Google slides

OPINION | www.foxfusion.org | 11

BOOK

MOVIE

vs

Our rating: (3 out of 5 stars)*

Our rating: (4.5 out of 5 stars)*



 

Everything is uglier up close

Movie adaptation falls flat

If your gorgeous, long lost best friend came to you in the middle of the night promising an adventure you’d never forget, and all you had to do provide transportation, would you agree?

This is what Quentin Jacobsen, an awkward, introverted, high school senior woke up to one night. Margo Roth Spiegelman is Quentin’s neighbor and childhood best friend who hasn’t talked to him since they were kids.

Released Oct.16, 2008 as number 5 on the New York Times bestsellers list, Paper Towns is a young adult novel by John Green. It begins with the “night of fun” Margo asks “Q” to have with her. Their adventure involves felonies, revenge plots and a mysterious trip to SeaWorld.

The next day, though, Margo is nowhere to be seen. But no one is worried because Margo is practically famous for going places without telling anyone, and leaving small clues for people to come find her.

Margo does this for Quentin, and he makes it his mission to be the person to find Margo. His goal is to profess his love to her, along with his best friends Ben Starling, Radar (Marcus) and Margo’s best friend Lacey Pemberton.

All of the main characters are anything but cookie-cutter, run-of-themill characters. They each have very distinct personalities, and all “find themselves” while going on this journey with Quentin in his search for Margo.

John Green said he and his brother, Hank, discovered a paper town on a road trip. He was in South Dakota, and was trying to find a town he saw on the map, Holen. The only problem was, though, that it doesn’t exist; it is a paper town. This sparked his interest in them, and eventually lead to his writing Paper Towns.

Paper Towns is a well-written, entertaining novel about finding yourself and how to fit into this crazy world.

21 hours. Five friends. One minivan. Countless memories to last a lifetime.

With Nat Wolff as Quentin Jacobsen and Cara Delevingne as Margo Roth Spiegelman, Paper Towns is a movie about adventure, friendship and how to find yourself. Adapted from John Green’s novel (with a running time of 113 minutes and released July 24), Paper Towns is a mediocre adaptation at best.

Quentin wakes up in the middle of the night to Margo (his childhood best friend) climbing into his bedroom window. This starts the “night of adventure” Margo promises Quentin he will never forget.

Together, they participate in felonies, use a getaway car, but most importantly, exact revenge.

Suddenly, though, Margo is gone.

But even Margo’s parents aren’t worried about her because she does this all the time, and she always leaves clues (usually for her little sister). This time, though, the clues are for Quentin, and the clock is ticking. Will he find her in time? Or will it be too late?

The movie shows the novel’s major events sufficiently, but there are still some important things that happen in the book that are disregarded in the movie. The movie starts out the same, and continues for a while at that pace, but there are seemingly insignificant differences that start to pop up. And these eventually become large differences that change the mood of the production completely.

With a $12,650,140 opening weekend gross, Paper Towns came in as initially came in at number six.

But The Fault in Our Stars (Green’s last book-to-movie adaptation) had a $48,002,523 opening weekend gross, and was number one when it opened in June 2014.

Overall, Paper Towns was not an awful production, but did suffer when compared to the book that preceded it.

12 | www.foxfusion.org | OPINION

Margo and Quentin go to SeaWorld on their adventure the night before she leaves They leave right after graduation

Angela does not go on the road trip

The ‘gang’ needs to get to Agloe, NY before Margo leaves

Radar works for Omnictionary

*

Margo and Quentin do not go to SeaWorld

*

They leave right after prom

*

Angela goes on the road trip

*

*

The ‘gang’ needs to get to Agloe, NY quickly so they can get back for prom Omnictionary is nonexistent

Our Choice:

BOOK Reviews by Lydia Kicklighter

That’s Genius Cool app anotates lyrics Review by Malik Brazile

G

enius, formerly known as Rap Genius, is an app and a website that deciphers the meaning behind song lyrics.

Listening to music is an everyday thing to most people nowadays, but most have never taken the time to see what some of the lyrics of their favorite songs really mean. Genius can help.

Genius is one of the first options of its kind for music.

While SparkNotes and Cliff’s Notes have been around for

print sources for years, Genius delivers a comparable concept for understanding music.

The app is quite simple, and there is no need for an account or monthly fee.

The design of the app is sleek, with a bright yellow themed interface that is attractive to the eye.

When the app is first opened, a list of songs “HOT ON GENIUS” will appear. This is a list of popular songs at the time.

That list is one of the most important features of the app be-

cause it is the main screen that appears on the app, where all basic information and functions are found. It has all genres of music to attract more people, from hip hop to screamo.

When Genius first came out, it was only for hip hop and R&B music. It was beneficial when more genres were added, and Genius is still reaping the benefits with its 1.7 million songs in multiple genres.

Genius also has forums that feature topics other than music such as sports, history, law and

tech. Frequent Genius users can visit these forums to voice their opinions and hold discussions on current issues within the topic.

Another Genius feature is the Text feature where users choose “Lit” (Literature), “Screen” (Film) or “Sports.” The Text feature gives users access to popular articles on current topics within that genre for users to read.

Genius is a really innovative and useful app to the many curious music lovers out there.

A whole new world Google Cardboard lets users experience the world with their phones Review by Malik Brazile

H

ave you ever wanted to see a particular place without actually being there? Well Google makes that possible with its latest invention: Google Cardboard.

Google Cardboard is a virtual reality headset much like the Oculus Rift and the Samsung Gear VR, except Google’s is made out of cardboard.

Seems sketchy right? Wrong.

The headset is made out of four simple items: cardboard, velcro strips, magnets and two plastic lenses.

The headset is paired with an app called Cardboard that actually gives you a virtual reality.

The actual cardboard is designed to hold a phone with the Cardboard app open so you can see whatever it is you want to see through your phone screen.

In the Cardboard app the screen is split for each of your eyes; it looks quite weird without the headset.

But once you pair your mobile device with the Cardboard, it’s very cool. Users can navigate the app with the plastic button on

the cardboard and by tilting their head to select different options.

Google Cardboard also comes with “experiences.” The first is a neat experience called “Street Vue.” Street Vue lets the user wander around in a virtual reality version of a street in a real city (such as Paris).

Another really cool feature that lets you zoom around a city via Google Earth is “Earth Flyover.” All you have to do is push the “button” on the side of the cardboard to start flying forward and push it again to stop.

“Tour Guide” is a feature that for now only has the option to explore the Palace of Versailles.

Hopefully in the future users will be able to explore more places.

Overall, Google cardboard is a very fun and cheap toy that allows you to see the world in a different way.

From here, it’s hard not to wonder where this new virtual reality is going. Who knows? Users might be able to watch movies and play their favorite phone games through Google Cardboard one day.

OPINION | www.foxfusion.org | 13

‘Tis the season of giving Column by Lydia Kicklighter and Robert Sawyer

I

t’s difficult, if not impossible, to be grateful all the time. Despite this, as Americans and South Carolinians, there is so much to be grateful for.

Living in a free country is sadly a right that some citizens of different countries don’t have.

Americans can practice whatever religion they please, petition the government, peaceably assemble together, and so much more.

Recently, it can be harder to be thankful because of the flooding because of all of the water that has ruined and sometimes taken lives. But that sadness can encourage thankfulness, too.

For those unaffected by the

flood, thankfulness almost comes naturally. Being untouched by a natural disaster and still having family to share the rest of the year with certainly leads to gratitude.

During this season, challenging ourselves and those around us is to be grateful is something that needs to happen. Challenging everyone to remember all of the blessings South Carolinians have, and how little we go without.

The holiday season is one of the times where those who go without most of the year (espewith regard to holiday presents) will now feel the effects even more if their family was affected by the flood. So remembering to

14 | www.foxfusion.org | OPINION

thank people and be grateful for what you do have is necessary.

There are opportunities to volunteer around the community, especially with the holidays coming up. Donating to food banks like Harvest Hope, participating in coat drives, or even helping with the angel tree popping up soon in the media center are all ways to show gratitude for what we have and help those who need it.

A generous spirit and attitude of thankfulness can change someone’s entire outlook for a day, week, month, or even a whole season. This is crucial because a positive attitude forces someone to focus on the good

things in their life.

A good attitude is characteristic of someone who is joyful and a pleasure to be around. That attitude can influence those around them, too.

While being thankful is not always the easiest outlook to have, it works wonders on the people around you. A simple smile or a wave can instantly change someone’s day to make it better.

There is no simple formula for being thankful, no trick or 10step process. It’s just constantly keeping a grateful attitude. The attitude of those unaffected by the flooding needs to be compasionate to those who were affected year-round.

FALL RECIPES

Here are some tasty treats to enjoy this holiday season

by Abby Beauregard, Lydia Kicklighter and Maddie Mason • Photos by Maddie Mason

Spinach Artichoke Dip What you’ll need:

• 2 cups parmesan cheese • 1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed • 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped • 2⁄3 cup sour cream •1 cup cream cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix together Parmesan cheese, spinach and artichoke hearts. Combine remaining ingredients and mix with spinach mixture. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Serve with crackers or toasted bread.

What you’ll need:

Caramel Apple Cider

Garnish • Additional whipping cream, whipper • Caramel topping • Ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. In 2-quart saucepan, stir together brown sugar and 1/3 cup whipping cream. Cook over medium heat two minutes, stirring constantly, until bubbly.

2. Stir in vanilla and apple cider. Cook 10 minutes, stirring often, until thoroughly heated.

3. Serve cider in mugs. Top with whipped cream, caramel topping and/or cinnamon.

What you’ll need:

• 24 fudge-bottomed cookies

• 24 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup

Miniatures, unwrapped

• 24 Reese’s Pieces Candies

• 2 4.25-ounce tubes of yellow deco-

rator’s icing

• Icing tube with decorator tips •Parchment paper (optional)

Directions:

1. Lay 24 fudge-bottomed cookies face-down on a sheet of parchment paper.

2. Place a dab of yellow royal icing onto the top of an unwrapped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Miniature, then attach it to the center of a cookie. Repeat until each cookie is topped with a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Miniature.

3. Press a Reese’s Pieces candy into the icing to create the buckle. Makes 24 cookies.

Pilgrim Hat Cookies

Cider • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar • 1/3 cup whipping cream • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 4 cups apple cider

OPINION | www.foxfusion.org | 15

Band studesnts listen to director Paul Clayton as he leads them through practice. Band members practice both duringand after school.

Musicians perform in, out of classroom Story by Zakiya Austin, Raleigh Norris and Lindsay Long • Photo by Raleigh Norris

T

hespians. Artists. Dancers. Musicians. High school are filled with different groups of people.

People don’t always realize, though, that “musicians” is a broad category divided among orchestra, band, chorus and even “garage band” performers.

“Each different instrument shows a different strength and different weakness that needs to be worked on by the musician,” sophomore guitarist Graeme Wolverton said.

Graeme, who has been playing the guitar since he was seven years old, said he understands that playing an instrument is difficult, but worth it.

“The most challenging part of being a guitar player is that there is always another technique or riff needing to be perfected,” Graeme said. “Developing your own sound is important when you’re trying to be an original artist.”

Some people start playing instruments because they want to, while others are pushed (often by their parents) to play instruments, and are glad that they finally did.

“I wasn’t going to start playing [the violin], but my mom inspired me to start playing because she thought I would be good at it,” freshman Heather Swenson said.

16 | www.foxfusion.org | LIFE

Favorite bands also affect students’ decision about which instrument they want to play and to continue improving once they’ve made that selection.

“My favorite band is Dream Theatre because they sound different and everyone in the band is an extremely good musician,” junior guitarist Connor Salley said. “They bring a lot to the table.”

To musicians, music is what makes their world go round, and what makes them get up in the morning.

“Music means everything to me,” senior Ashley Dye said. “Music is centered around my life.”

Ashley, who has played the cello since seventh grade, said she is proud to be in orchestra and feels lucky to be able to play an instrument she loves with people she loves.

“To me, being in orchestra means an opportunity to play with people who are around the same age and level as me,” Ashley said.

“It also means getting to work on a piece to perform for other people who appreciate music.”

When it comes to being a musician, trying your best and working hard every day to achieve your goals is essential.

“I like improving and becoming better,”

Heather said. “Improving helps me to feel better about myself and my playing.”

Musicians also enjoy improving to see how their family and friends react.

“My family inspires me to continue playing because they are all musically talented which motivates and pushes me to do better,” Graeme said.

Even though playing instruments is just a fun hobby to have in high school, it could also lead to a future career path.

“I would like to do something in the music industry,” Graeme said, “whether it be performing onstage or being behind the scenes.”

Dutch Fork High School has musical opportunities outside of classes, including Music Club (that meets Wednesdays after school).

“Music Club means a lot to me because I love the students who are involved and [don’t see it as] an extra chore to do,” Music Club sponsor Jaime Chason said. “It’s something I look forward to doing because it’s eclectic and I’m an eclectic lady.”

For people thinking about playing an instrument now or in the future, it may be wise to attempt playing the instrument for a little while before completely committing to it.

“Try it,” Connor said. “It’s gonna be hard, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll love it.”

1 2 3 10 4 5

You’ve worked at different schools in the District. What are some similarities between them?

As far as the schools themselves, the students are really similar. There a lot of smart and good kids in this District.

There are really good teachers in both places.

What are the differences?

Not being in the classroom or interacting with the students as a teacher has been a big change for me. I miss being in the classroom and having a connection with students.

What is your favorite part about your job?

I love the team I’m working with. The other administrators are great collaborators.

I have enjoyed helping the kids.

questions with administrative assistant principal

Brandon Doty

If you could have any other job, what would it be?

6 7 8 9 10

Who is your favorite singer?

Growing up it was Bon Jovi. I like all music now so I don’t really have a favorite.

Beach or mountains?

I would’ve said mountains because I grew up on the beach in South Florida, but now I would say beach.

What is your favorite childhood memory?

Disney World: the smell of Main Street when you walk through.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I never actually had an answer to that growing up. I went through various professional sports athletes, and then it was a doctor for a long time.

That stayed until college.

I’d be a chef. I’ve always wanted to go to culinary school.

What is your favorite thing about Dutch Fork High School?

If you were to have dinner with one person, who would it be? Why?

The community; there’s a sense of community here.

I like the fact that there’s a sincere focus on academics and instruction.

Current president of the United States because I would find it fascinating what their day is like. I’d like to just follow them for a day.

Interview by Lindsay Long • Photo by Chyna Wallace

LIFE | www.foxfusion.org | 17

Our Changing World

Foreign exchange students bring diversity Story by Zakiya Austin, Lindsay Long and Raleigh Norris • Photos by Raleigh Norris and Zakiya Austin

A

merica has been the land of opportunity for those looking to make a better life for themselves, or trying to find their place in this world. Such a unique blending of ethnicities, nationalities and cultures is why this country is known as the melting pot.

“I’ve daydreamed of coming to America,” Spanish exchange student junior Angela Garcia-Lopez said. “My parents have come here before so they knew what it was like.

My friends wanted me to take them with me.”

Students from all over the world are selected to experience different world customs and learn new things both academically and culturally.

This opportunity is not taken lightly by the selected students.

“I was really happy when I joined this program. My families were just very happy and really excited like me,” junior Vietnamese exchange student Tam Vo said. “The day before I left, they gave me some events and it was a little sad. Not much, but a little.”

Although many different cultures are represented in the United States and at Dutch Fork High School, the students who come from foreign countries find it to be very different than home.

“It’s 100 percent different. In my country, it’s not very comfortable and people live very fast; their lifestyle’s fast and they’re very traditional,” Tam said.

“We wear uniforms to school

“

and we have some rules. In school we have to study 13 subjects. That’s what’s the most different.”

These students also seem to agree upon the unique nature of our school system. Junior Matteo Nardininelli, an exchange student from Italy, even goes as far as to say he wouldn’t go back home if he could.

“I wouldn’t [go back] because the Italian study system is really hard,” Matteo said.

“And it’s a lot of fun here.”

Each student has a different reason for wanting to come to America and be a part of the learning environment at Dutch Fork. “[I hope to gain] a lot of new friends [and build] friendships and relationships with my host family,” Matteo said. “It’s very important and not everyone gets this opportunity.”

The United States is a very popular place for students from foreign countries to study, but it is not the only place that students would like the opportunity to travel to.

“I would go to the UK because they have great universities,” Angela said.

Matteo said he would go to Canada because it is a lot like the American school system.

What really makes students from foreign countries gravitate toward America is the acceptance of other cultures and the integration of these cultures into one big American culture.

“The culture, of course, that’s different,” Tam said. “The food, the lifestyle, is all different.”

I’ve daydreamed of coming to America.

“

-Spanish exchange student junior Angela Garcia Lopez

School abroad How is school in the States different from school in your home country?

“In Spain, we don’t eat lunch in the school; we go home to eat.”

-Angela Garcia-Lopez “[In Italy] we can’t drive until we are 18.”

-Matteo Nardinelli “[In Vietnam] we don’t move classes, we just stay in one class, and then the teacher will come to us.”

-Tam Vo

LIFE | www.foxfusion.org | 19

Teachers, students unite to help flood victims Story by Lindsay Long, Raleigh Norris and Zakiya Austin • Photo by Sam Aaron

W

ith the recent flood brought to South Carolina by Hurricane Joaquin, many students, teachers and residents of South Carolina have experienced lifethreatening situations, such as their houses being flooded above the first floor, or cars being swept away by the vicious amounts of water flowing through the state.

Since these traumatic experiences may have ruined school supplies in the home, teachers and staff members are trying their best to provide the necessities for students whose textbooks or iPads have been damaged.

Digital Integration Specialist Susan Aplin said if an iPad was ruined during the flood, the student’s iPad insurance will cover the cost.

“There are two forms that students can get at iCare,” Aplin said. “One of them is a statement of damages form [for] saying when, where, and how the damage happened.”

In addition to the Statement of Damages, there is one other form to complete.

“There is also a replacement iPad form that needs to have a parent’s signature as well as a student’s signature,” Aplin said. “[Students] can get those two forms at iCare and can return them to iCare before school, or during any lunch or academic enrichment. When they bring those two forms with the iPad, the iCare staff will trade the iPad out.” iPads are not the only school supply potentially ruined by the bad weather. Textbooks are also a big concern for teachers and students.

Bookroom attendant Jen Kessinger said the state will cover the cost of replacing textbooks, too.

“The state will waive those fees; we just have to have proof [that the books were damaged in the flood,” Kessinger said. “Whether that’s [from students] taking pictures [of the

“

damage], or if they have an insurance form that their parents have filled out, the state will absolutely not hold [students] under any [financial] obligation.”

Teachers and staff members aren’t the only ones trying to help affected students.

Student council, Teacher Cadets and band are contributing as well.

Student council seniors Evan Major and Matthew Heron are planning to have a carnival fundraiser to help families affected by the flood.

“We’re hoping to bring all the schools in District Five together to raise for the District Five Foundation, which will then redistribute money to families affected by the flood and charities that are in need,” Matthew said.

The main goal of this carnival is to help those in need and provide them with necessities that may have been lost or damaged during the flood.

“For the younger kids who were affected, it gives them an opportunity to have something to do, and open up some fun since they were affected so harshly,” Evan said. “It gives us a chance to bring the community together.”

One main concern Matthew has is how the carnival is going to operate.

“Like the Okra Strut, we would have that same kind of setup where clubs can come and set up and have projects and games and rides, whatever they want to do to support the festival,” Matthew said. “We were thinking besides rides we would invite food trucks, so really just like a fun weekend activity for families and anybody really in the area and students in the District to come do.”

Student council is also hoping to have more than rides and food trucks at the carnival.

“We were thinking about each sports team and each club in the school to be in charge of a different booth or event, and we were trying to get a rock climbing wall or bouncy house,” Evan said.

Besides providing carnivals and fun activities to raise money for flood victims, students also did community service for those affected by the flood.

Senior Teacher Cadet Prentiss Edmond said helping others can improve the wellbeing of both students and the community.

“It just shows our teacher heart and that

“We went to Murraywood and helped clean out houses and tore walls out of the house. [All] of their belongings that were ruined we had to shake them all out,” Prentiss said. “Pretty much we were just gutting the houses and then we talked to them and they were really sweet. One couple was like 82 years old and they were just so sweet and they were saying thank you over and over again.”

Along with Teacher Cadets, band is also helping the community.

“We are doing an event called Buckets of Love,” senior Cameron Schellpeper said. “We’ve been gathering cleaning supplies and giving them in these buckets to give to ArtSmart Academy, and they’re giving them out to people who need that stuff after the flood or if their house got damaged.”

Cameron said helping out victims of the flood made him feel unified with the community.

“I just feel like we are being more of a part of helping rather than just being our own thing,” Cameron said. “We feel more of a part of everybody.”

We’re hoping to bring all the schools in District Five together to raise money for the District Five Foundation.

20 | www.foxfusion.org | LIFE

“

-senior Matthew Heron we like to go out and help people; we really just enjoy helping our community. But it helps when you’re a Teacher Cadet because you just have a better appreciation of your community and what you’re doing to better yourself and others,” Prentiss said. “It really just helps you appreciate what you have and not take [anything] for granted.”

Although it may have been tough, Prentiss said she is sure that seeing the outcome and happiness of the victims after they finished was worth all of the hard work.

Leaders help shape Dutch Fork Story by Zakiya Austin, Lindsay Long and Raleigh Norris

Leadership is more than the act of leading a group of people or organization.

“Effective leadership to me would be providing the vision and motivation to a team so everyone can all work together towards a common goal,” senior Dazzlers captain Jordan Furtick said.

Whether the goal is to win a national championship or to make a difference within your community, the foundation for success is the same: strong leadership.

“A leader is willing to serve others and help in any way he or she can,” junior class president Lindsay Shealy said. “The difference between a boss and a leader is that a leader helps get the job done.”

Leaders can be very influential, and can create a change in the field or issue they work for.

In 1954, Raymond Cattell, a pioneer to modern research and testing in the field of interpersonal psychology, developed the Leadership Potential Equation,

used to determine the character traits of potentially effective leaders.

Among the many traits included were dominance, enthusiasm, emotional stability, empathy, charisma and social boldness.

“Leadership is making sure everyone’s all right,” freshman Anthony Spires said.

But there is nothing set in stone and no scientific approach to figuring out the secret to strong, effective leadership.

“Being a leader is about inspiring people and changing the environments of those who you are leading for the better,” sophomore class president Stephen Wise said.

Both Jordan and Lindsay said leading is not about the individual, but the collective interest of the group.

“I spoke to my fellow classmates about my goals for the upcoming year,” Lindsay said.

“I raised awareness as to what I could do to make the junior class better.”

Jordan and Linsday recognized the hard work and challenges that come with being a leader, but they also see the rewards that are included with the title.

“The toughest part about being a leader would be the thought of failing as a leader,” Lindsay said. “I just hate the thought of possibly letting down the people who count on me. Just believing in yourself can make leading so much easier.”

Jordan said leadership is born, not bred. You cannot manufacture it or destroy it: once you are one, you always will be a leader.

“Not everyone is capable of being a leader because not everyone is willing to step up and understand the talents and temperaments of their team or individuals around them,” Jordan said. “I think I was chosen for my leadership position because I’ve always been inclined to lead. I’ve always been a natural leader.”

LIFE | www.foxfusion.org | 21

Alex Chalgren:

politician in the making Story by Lindsay Long, Raleigh Norris and Zakiya Austin • Photo by Lindsay Long

F

or junior Alex Chalgren, leadership comes natrually.

Alex said one of his biggest acts of leadership has been standing up for what he believes in and starting CommUNITY Club: a club aimed towards students who share the same gender identity and sexual orientation obstacles.

Along with wanting to promote awareness for the LGBT community, Alex said he also hopes to pursue a career in politics.

“I don’t know why I’m into politics; it just seems like a part of me, ever since I was a little guy,” Alex said. “I remember in

“

my third grade class I wanted to be on the Supreme Court, and now I want to be President.”

Alex said he believes he has the personality to one day change the way our nation operates.

“I believe my ideas can create a sense of unity among people [who] may be divided, as well as get things done and achieve goals successfully,” Alex said.

Alex is not the only one who believes he is able to change our nation with his politcal interest. His mother, Janis Chalgren, agrees with him and supports his future plans.

“Alex has had a long-time interest in politics with a desire to make a difference in people’s

I remember in my third grade class I wanted to be on the Supreme Court, and now I want to be President.

“

-junior Alex Chalgren 22 | www.foxfusion.org | LIFE

lives,” Chalgren said. “He is formulating his views and developing his gifts. I hope Alex will be a leader with a servant’s heart.”

Alex, following his mother’s wish of his having a servant’s heart, said he always tries his best to please others.

In an effort to give back, Alex approached art teacher Jaime Chason to help him start CommUNITY Club.

Chason said Alex is extremely capable of providing a sturdy leadership in this club.

“Alex [has] a very ‘social butterfly’ personality; I think it’s going to reach more than one type of person,” Chason said. “It will also give him confidence that he did something that’s lasting and meaningful to so many people, so I’m glad he came to me to sponsor it. I think it is going to be very beneficial.”

Alex, being cognizant of the fact that gay rights and gender dysphoria issues are typically taboo to talk about in society, said that promoting these issues will help students feel more comfortable around their peers.

“The goal or mission of this

club is to promote awareness and also to provide a safe environment for people who may be in a terrible situation because of their gender identity or sexual orientation, as well as promote a fun environment for straight people and people in the LGBT [community],” Alex said.

CommUNITY Club plans to get together outside of school to help others around them, too.

“We will be doing community service projects and things of the sort,” Alex said.

Overall, Alex said he is very excited about starting the club and sees the potential benefits it will bring to Dutch Fork and the student body.

“Prior to coming to Dutch Fork High School last year, I wanted to make a stand for who I am and I wanted to help others to do the same. I didn’t have any idea how a public high school would accept me as a random new person in the sophomore class,” Alex said. “I decided I was just going to come out with it and I’m going to make a stand. With Mrs. Chason’s help, [my idea] is now a club.”

Ali Myatich:

world traveler

Story by Raleigh Norris, Zakiya Austin and Lindsay Long • Photo by Sam Aaron

E

veryone loves summer: no school, spending time with friends, the summer nights and traveling.

This summer, senior Ali Myatich went to Italy for 13 days on a family vacation.

“I love traveling, especially internationally. It allows me to experience other cultures and meet lots of new people worldwide,” Ali said. “It’s also a phenomenal experience to see famous works of art such as Michelangelo’s David.”

Ali went to Italy with her mom and dad, and the trip allowed her to spend quality family time with her parents. She said the trip really brought them closer together.

“Since school was starting up in a month, we knew that Ali would be busy with her senior year at school and with her friends,” Ali’s mom Michelle Myatich said. “We wanted to have two weeks together with just us and some other relatives, where we could really spend time together. It was really nice having that family time.”

When it came to bonding,

it also really helped them become closer and spend time together because of their lack of cell service and WiFi. “We couldn’t use our phone service in Italy because it would’ve cost us more money,” Myatich said. “And not everywhere we went had WiFi. So we spent more time together talking and sightseeing rather than having our faces in our phones.”

Ali said she and her family did a lot of fun things during her trip, but one stood out more than the others.

“It was amazing to climb The Leaning Tower of Pisa,” Ali said, “especially since my grandfather was in the Navy and has a picture next to the tower. It meant a lot to me to be able to stand where he stood all those years ago.”

Other areas of Italy were not so special to Ali, especially the city of Siena.

“Siena was my least favorite place because we went on the day of the horse race they hold once a year called the Palio,” Ali

“

I love traveling, especially internationally. It allows me to experience other cultures and meet lots of new people

“

-senior Ali Myatich said. “It was amazing to see, but the whole town was completely overcrowded and hot. We had to push through crowds of people just to try to get a glance of the horse race.”

The summer heat led to one experience Ali said she wishes she could forget.

“One of the hotels we stayed at didn’t have air conditioning,” Ali said. “Summer nights with no air conditioning aren’t fun.

We barely got any sleep because we were too busy focusing on how sweaty we were.”

One of Ali’s suggestions for potential travelers is to have a plan of where to go and when to go there. Planning ahead will help ensure you’ll have plenty of

time to do all you want to do.

“Make sure you have an itinerary,” Ali said. “It is important to plan your visit wisely so you can visit lots of different places and maximize your experience.

Our itinerary kept us on track and we were able to see everything we wanted to.”

Ali said there are many places she suggests visiting, and Italy is at the top of that list; she says it’s one of the places everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime.

“Italy has been my favorite place so far,” Ali said. “I loved Rome and Florence, all the Italian food is delicious and there are so many fantastic works of art to see.”

LIFE | www.foxfusion.org | 23

Winter sports schedule: Varsity boys’ basketball: Nov. 11 5:30 p.m.

Cardinal Newman Scrimmage at Dutch Fork

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Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @Dffoxfusion 24 | www.foxfusion.org | SPORTS

Dec. 1 6 p.m. vs. White Knoll at Dutch Fork Dec 4 6 p.m. vs. Dorman at Dutch Fork Varsity girls’ basketball: Dec. 18 6 p.m. vs. Irmo at Irmo Jan. 8 6 p.m. vs. Blythewood (region game) at Dutch Fork Jan. 19 6 p.m. vs. Spring Valley at Dutch Fork Varsity Wrestling: Dec. 11-12 6 p.m. Friday/9 a.m. Saturday Silver Fox Invitational at Dutch Fork Jan. 25 6:30 p.m. vs. Summerville at Dutch Fork Feb. 3 5 p.m.

Individual Region Championship at Dutch Fork

Senior varsity receiver Alec DeBoer and his teammates volunteered in the community during the recent floods. Josh German and Trey Martin talked to him about his experience.

Q: Describe what you and your team did to help the community.

A: Some of the team went over to the Willow Creek apartment complex and just helped out with whatever we could. It was just a lot of moving people out of their houses and getting their furniture into U-hauls or trailers or storage facilities.

Volunteering with varsity receiver

Alec DeBoer

Interview by Josh German and Trey Martin • Photo by Chris Record

Q: What made you want to go out and help other people?

A: Hearing about all the devastation and knowing that people needed help really made me want to help out. Then being in it and seeing what really happened to everyone made me want to help even more.

Q: How did this help the team grow as teammates and as people in general?

A: [It] just showed everyone that you can’t take life for granted. Things can change in an instant without hesitation.

Q: How does this event show that life is greater than a sporting event?

A: It shows that sometimes when things like this happen we have to put everything down and serve others that were affected by devastation and need help.

Q: What events in your sport schedule were affected by this devestating event and how did you and your team overcome the challenge?

A: We missed basically a whole week of football practice so we [had] to just buckle down and start grinding it out again as a team.

SPORTS | www.foxfusion.org | 25

Senior pitcher TJ Shook swings the bat at the University of South Carolina’s baseball field. TJ said his dreams came true with his commitment to play baseball at USC. “Ever since I was a little kid I wanted to play for the Gamecocks and go to school there,” TJ said.

All K O O H S up Senior TJ Shook commits to University of South Carolina Story by Josh German • Photo used with permission of All-American Imaging

P

itching for a national powerhouse in baseball was always a dream for senior TJ Shook, but that dream became a reality this summer when the University of South Carolina offered the right-handed pitcher a scholarship.

“I chose the Gamecocks because I’ve always dreamed of playing for them,” TJ said. “Ever since I was a little kid I wanted to play for the Gamecocks and go to school there.”

TJ chose to close down his recruitment before the start of his senior year in order to be completely focused on school and the ultimate goal of the team.

“The number one goal is to become better and better each day, as a team and as a player,” TJ said. “But the overall goal for the season is obviously to win a state championship. That’s been the goal for every season.”

Head baseball coach Casey Waites said he believes things are finally starting to pay off for TJ. “He’s one of our hardest workers on the team,” Waites said. “He’s been working since the summer in the weight room and on the field, but he still has work to do.”

Junior pitcher Jordan Beatson is confident that TJ’s work ethic makes him a leader on the team.

“He never has an off day, basically; he always is doing something not only to improve hitting or throwing, but his endurance, health, and strength,” Jordan said.

The coaching staff also said TJ has the ability to lead the team.

“He leads by example,” Waites said. “He’s not necessarily a ‘ra-ra’ guy, but he does what we ask him to do and everyone follows. We want him to be a leader on the mound and be one of the top hitters on the team with the guys we have coming back.”

Jordan and the rest of the team feed off the positive energy TJ brings to the diamond.

“TJ is someone who allows his ability to serve as something that can build motivation for the team,” Jordan said. “He is someone who

“

can build momentum up with a good play or a nice hit, or the way he reacts when things don’t go the way we want [and] can motivate us to stay up and continue playing the way we know how.”

The recruiting process is often difficult for young athletes, but TJ had some of the pressure lifted off his shoulders with the help of his coaches.

“They [the coaches] definitely helped. They were there for support and they could contact other schools if needed,” TJ said.

Coach Waites said he has high expectations for TJ and the baseball team this upcoming season.

“The overall goal for the team is to advance through the playoffs and go farther than we did last year,” Waites said. “We want to try and catch up to what the the football, girls’ basketball, and girls’ cross country teams did and win a state championship.”

The players have the same aspirations as the coaching staff for the the season.

“Our goals are even higher than last year,” Jordan said. “Not only do we want to win region again, but a state championship appearance seems possible with the team we have.” Jordan said.

“TJ can help by doing his part,” Jordan continued, “and being a leader throughout the season.”

TJ said he finds motivation from one of his biggest fans: his own mother, who has been one of his strongest supporters ever since he started playing baseball.

“I’m very happy for TJ,” Donna Shook said. “I’m excited that his dream came true. We’re all excited that we will be able to go to all the [USC] home games and see him play.”

Although committing to a collegiate program is a serious decision for high school athletes, TJ’s choosing the University of South Carolina (a mere 20 minutes away from home) was a simple choice.

“It [being so close to home] played a big part [in my decision],” TJ said. “I feel like I’m right at home.”

“

I feel like I’m right at home.

-senior TJ Shook

SPORTS | www.foxfusion.org | 27

Athletes unite to help Community Story by Trey Martin • Photos by Lyndsey Livingston and Kyle Kimrey

W

ith the historic flood hitting South Carolina, many things were thrown off course: school, work and even sports.

The flood’s effect on sporting events was felt all throughout the state, as practices were canceled and games postponed.

Despite the changes in schedules, many athletes looked at the bigger picture, pushing aside the games they had prepared for.

Members of the football, baseball, softball, lacrosse, cheerleading and cross country teams participated in community service to help those in need.

“At this point, it’s not all about football,” junior Shane Savage said. “It’s about helping people and your community.”

Athletes throughout Dutch Fork came together to participate in service projects that helped the community they know and love.

“We [the lacrosse team] did things like remove insulation underneath houses, clean out garages and homes, and just try to repair homes to a condition similar to what they were before the flooding,” junior Nathan Williams said.

The wrestling team also helped out, loading and unloading donations, and also moving packs of water bottles onto trucks. “[The wrestling team] did it to help the community out,” junior Jaxon Jones said.

“We were fortunate enough not to have to worry about the flooding, so we wanted to help those who did.”

Athletes throughout Dutch Fork had different reasons for helping out.

“On Wednesday we went to a neighborhood called Murraywood out near Irmo. I saw pictures [of the flood], and I had been in that neighborhood before, so I wanted to make it look the same way it did,” sophomore Ammar Dossaji said.

28 | www.foxfusion.org | SPORTS

Teams were able to put aside the distraction of their sporting schedules and unite to help those who need it.

“To me, [volunteering] just shows you the reality of a tragic event. We weren’t out trying to grow as a team, we were just helping those who need it,” head baseball coach Casey Waites said. “It was sad to see a family that had lost everything.”

Athletes around the school were eager for the opportunity to give back to their community.

“The [cross country] team works together to get stuff done at practice. Now we came together to get stuff done in the community,” Ammar said.

Overall, athletes said their service was not only beneficial to the community, but for strengthening the bond between them and their teammates as well.

“As people, helping others affected by the floods gave us a greater awareness for our community and taught us how our actions can positively impact those in need,” Nathan said. “As teammates, the experience brought us closer to each other and built a stronger camaraderie between us.”

Waites said he was pleased to see players extending a helping hand to their community.

“It shows maturity,” Waites said. “It shows that they actually care about their community over just wanting to be a member of a team.”

Athletes around the school spend a lot of time focusing on their sport, but many were ready to take a break from the field or court and help the community in a time of need.

“We know that the community comes first,” Jaxon said. “We know to help out other people, not be selfish, and put other people’s needs in front of our own.”

The wrestlers and lacrosse players came together as a team to help with flood efforts. The players had the chance to bond as a team and help others who were in need.

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Pep Club brings noise to Dutch Fork athletics Story by Trey Martin • Photo by Maddie Mason

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T

he cheers of Dutch Fork students are deafening every Friday night as the football team wins its way to victory.

This season, though, the Dutch Fork Pep Club looks to add a new element to sporting events.

“Having a strong student base that comes together for sporting events promotes a good social environment that surrounds games,” senior Mitchell Lambert said.

The Pep Club plans to be a supporting factor for all of Dutch Fork athletics this season. “[This year] we want to have a presence at more sports besides just football. We want to make sure we can contribute to all boys’ and girls’ sports,” English teacher and pep club sponsor Betsy Hirsch said.

Hirsch said it was an easy choice to be the sponsor for the Pep Club.

“I’ve always appreciated the school spirit that we have here,” Hirsch said. “I wanted to be here for the kids because they didn’t have a sponsor.”

Students look at Pep Club as an important

factor to school sporting events. “[The Pep Club] influences games by letting the players know that you are there to support them, and that makes them play better,” junior John David Hunter said.

Other students also said the club plays an essential role to the outcome of the sporting event.

“I think Pep Club helps our teams play better because they know the crowd is on their side and behind them,” junior Haley Chiles said.

Faculty said they have appreciation for the Pep Club and enjoy seeing the students participate.

“I think it’s great that they have such enthusiasm,” Hirsch said. “I know they are appreciated by the faculty and the coaches.

They’re a huge part of our student body.”

Not only does the Pep Club help the teams they cheer for, they also play a unique role in uniting the student body.

“My favorite part about Pep Club is the opportunities it brings. It brings you into the

core of the school,” freshman Briana Holleman said.

Students in the Pep Club celebrate a common interest by coming together and cheering on their team. “[My favorite part about games] is the energy because it’s a lot of people that show the same interests: they love Dutch Fork,” sophomore Stephen Wise said. “When you have a lot of people that love Dutch Fork it makes it really fun.”

With many sporting events coming up, students pitch their ideas for themes the Pep Club could have for the games, including nerd night and frat night. “[If I could have one theme] I’d have toga day, mainly because we’ve never been allowed to have it and we’ve seen other schools with it,” Haley said.

Overall, the Pep Club brings excitement to the student body.

“I like the energy that we bring to the sideline,” Stephen said. “It feels like we’re the twelfth man of Dutch Fork High School.”

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