FEATURES Playing music more than just a hobby
Carpenter playing harp with the school band at a concert.
Junior Emily Carpenter plans to pursue career as harpist SARAH TONEY > REPORTER
Generally when eight-yearolds are asked what they want for Christmas, the answers can range from a shiny new
Barbie Dream Hotel to a semiautomatic Nerf Gun. However, for Emily Carpenter, the answer was a harp. Although she didn’t actually receive the instrument until Christmas day, a year later, she knew from the second she plucked her first note she had found something that would change her life. “I don’t know what prompted me, they always had interested me. The first one I got was two feet tall, and I loved it,” said Carpenter. Carpenter immediately began to take lessons in order to learn all the sharps and flats the instrument possess. The harp is not like any other instrument by looks or sound produced. The instrument is composed of several strings running along an angle and is played by plucking the various strings. It has been said that the sound a harp produces creates a gentle, calming sound and can even be therapeutic to play or listen to. “I intend to make a career
out of it, and playing for people and seeing their smiles because of it is my absolute favorite thing to do. It makes me happy to have made them happy,” said Carpenter. The young harpist takes every opportunity to play for any audience willing to listen. Unfortunately her long time music teacher moved to Texas to attend college. Before her departure, Carpenter played in approximately three recitals per year along with the other students also taking lessons from her teacher. Carpenter also plays her harp in the school band on some occasions. In order to take her skills to the next level, Carpenter has considered going to The Juilliard School located in New York City. This particular school is world renowned for their musical program. “I’m considering it. I’ve heard both positive and negative things about their harp department, but it’s definitely
in consideration. It’s such a prestigious school and I’d be honored to attend.” Attending Juilliard can create career opportunities because of the level of prestige the school maintains. Like in most colleges, advisors at the school meet with students to access potential career paths. “They say to make sure your career is something you’ll enjoy, and I can’t see any reason why I’d ever stop enjoying it. Playing for different events such as weddings, parties, and church events are always new and exciting, so it’ll never get boring.”
the 18-24 year old division. to make it seem like big tobacco Most high school students businesses were playing a game don’t usually spend their time with the younger generation to trying to help end smoking get them to smoke, and it must through film, let alone help at have worked,” said Philpot. all. However, Philpot did not However, Philpot learned work on this project completely about the alone. unique project “I did t h r o u g h have group one of his members teachers, and who helped decided to me out by partake in the g e t t i n g opportunity. their family “ M r . members to Sherman, act in the the TV film and productions also they teacher, would tell -senior, Matthew Philpot brought it up me how they to our class felt about as an opportunity to do as a certain shots or during the project and so I participated,” editing process,” said Philpot. said Philpot. Seniors Nick Hancock and The nationally ranked Garrett Wiegel were both senior’s original idea for the film members of Philpots group, and was an inspiration to many. the three of them completed the “One of the topic ideas project in less than a month. was that kids are the tobacco They worked mostly during companies “pawns”. I took that school hours, and had to be to a literal meaning and decided totally completed with the
project by November 24th. “Chicago Stamp out Smoking’ was specifically a national competition with no regional or local levels beforehand since the competition was based in Chicago. “For this project I only filmed in Springdale and did not travel to Chicago. I have competed in other competitions in which I have traveled before,” said Philpot. Philpot’s plans for his future career are not in filmmaking, but instead the business or banking field. Despite the fact that filmmaking isn't in his career plan, as an experienced and award winning filmmaker, Philpot has some words of advice for aspiring filmmakers. “If I could say one thing, it would be to have fun with whatever you’re doing because you aren’t going to make a good film unless you're having fun and being creative,” said Philpot.
“It makes me
happy to have made them happy.” -junior, Emily Carpenter
Senior wins film competition supporting SOS campaign
Matthew Philpot’s video takes first in national contest GABRIELLA MAESTRI > NEWS
Each day in the United States, more than 3,200 people younger than 18 years of age smoke their first cigarette, and an estimated 2,100 youth and young adults who have been occasional smokers become daily cigarette smokers, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Also, according to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention, the current use of tobacco products for high schoolers was at an estimated 23.3%. SOS “Stamp Out Smoking” is a campaign that stands as an initiative to high school students to get involved in ending smoking for good. Senior Matt Philpot participated in making a film for SOS, and finished first in
Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, accounting for more than 480,000 deaths every year, or 1 of every 5 deaths Nearly 90% of current smokers first tried smoking at age 18
“Have fun with
whatever you’re doing because you aren’t going to make a good film unless you’re having fun.”
Smoking Statistics Among high school If smoking persists at the students who report current rate among youth currently using tobacco, in this country, 5.6 million almost one-third of of today’s Americans females and one-half younger than 18 years of males report using of age are projected to more than one tobacco die prematurely from a product in the past 30 smoking-related illness. days. Information from Centers of Disease Control website
From 2011–2012, electronic cigarette use doubled among middle and high school students Each day in the United States, more than 3,200 people younger than 18 years of age smoke their first cigarette
Students deal with young children, ‘babysitter brain’ for a price Babysitters debate whether the money is worth the pain JORDAN SETSER > REPORTER
The noise was deafening, the smell was strong, and the questions ran out of mouths as fast as spooked bats fly out of caves. If you’re thinking that this is the sight of a fire or a school lunchroom, try again. This is simply looking through the eyes of almost every babysitter. Receiving $10-15 an hour, babysitters work at being a second mom for only a couple of hours. Feeding the children, putting them to bed, drying their tears, and changing diapers while mom is away is
what they are paid to do. While the babysitters might have to make up a few games, the kids are the ones who provide the real entertainment. Up until age 10, kids do things out of the ordinary. Even though they might be 10, some act older than they are. "Once this girl told me I wasn't old enough to have a boyfriend. I don't have one, but I mean, okay mom," said junior Gracie Boortz. On the other hand, most kids act a lot younger. Although most babysitters prefer to watch potty trained children, not all get the opportunity, like sophomore Kennadi Kissinger who babysits her little cousin, Landon. “I was supposed to give him a bath, so I put him in the tub and walked out for about three
minutes to get his P.J.s, a pullup, and a towel. When I came back there Landon said ‘Look I poopoo’, and I looked in the tub and it was floating in the water. Poop. I lost it. I even had to walk out of there to collect myself. Then I did what I had to do. I sent him to his room, and I had to you know, clean it out. I was totally underpaid for cleaning up someone’s crap,” said Kissinger. It seems that babysitters Sarah Taylor, Kennadi Kissinger, and Holland Primm struggle with putting their kids to bed as well. “It’s a constant fight. Bedtime stories never work,” Kissinger said. While this babysitter struggles with making the kids fall asleep, other babysitters deal with the odd actions and preferences from their children
they are in charge of. “I once had a kid tell me she normally sleeps in the dog bed. I called her mom to ask if it was okay and she said it’s normal...I don’t know,” said sophomore Holland Primm. Senior Sarah Taylor has watched children fond of dog items as well. "When the little girl I was babysitting was suppose to be asleep, I heard noises in another room so I went to check it out. She was in there on the floor of the laundry room in the dog food." Though it is common to assume that babysitters are always girls, there are few boy babysitters as well. "Well someone has to sit on babies," said Sophomore Jacob Velliquette. Zane King, another male
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Keeping up with Kerrigan
KERRIGAN READING > FEATURES
If you follow me on any social media outlet, you probably know how obsessed I am with my Golden Retriever Ahsoka. Actually, all of my pets are frequently featured on Twitter and Instagram, including my turtle and fish. Ahsoka even has her own Instagram, ahsokathedoggiepadawan. I love animals, and I especially love my animals. So you could imagine how upset I am about the pet policy at my future home in Fort Collins, CO at CSU. The only pet allowed is a fish in a small tank. My sister Madison knew how sad I was about not being able to take my dog or my turtle, Oliver to school with me, one small piece of home 14 hours away, so she bought me my fish for Christmas and I named him Ringo after the famed Beatle. Although I love Ringo, I would much rather have a dog to keep me company in a strange school filled with people I have never met before. A fish offers nowhere near the same companionship that a dog does. Schools across the country usually have the same pet policies, and are met with the same responses. College students love their pets, and should be able to take them with them to school, whether it's a snake, hamster, cat, or dog. What happens to these animals if they are not allowed to stay at the student's home with their parents? Will they be put out on the street? Given to younger neighbors who will not properly care for them? How are we to ensure that these pets that we grew up with and have formed lifelong bonds with won't have a breakdown when we leave? Ahsoka sleeps in my room every night, and when she rolls in the mud and I'm forced to leave her outside, she cries like a teenager that has just been brutally dumped for hours upon hours. How is she going to handle it when I move halfway across the country? How am I?
babysitter who looks after his younger sister, Lila Kate said, "Sometimes I have to make my sister food. Most the time I just tell her to be quiet. But I get paid $30 so why not.” After all this hard work, these children send the babysitters wanting their mothers as well. "They give me a headache. I'm exhausted and I start questioning having my own children," said Kissinger. "I'm tired, but I mean I got paid," said Holland Primm whose opinion of the pay outweighs all the bad. For those who do enjoy the young personalities, it is not much of a chore. "It’s not that bad. I feel like a little kid again," said junior, Gracie Boortz.