Volume 8 issue 3

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Vol. 8 Issue 3

THE CHRONICLE

Mill Creek

Chronicle November / December

Varsity

Basketball

Interviews with...

Miles Riley Alex Bolling

Holiday Recipes Hawk with a Story

Gino Vizzi Christmas Movies Through the Looking glass

Sports Highlights

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Masthead Editorial Staff Ashley Baptiste Alyssa Casole

Cover Photo: Amari Bachan Cover Design: Kaitlyn Neher and Ashley Baptiste

Marisa Hernandez Kaitlyn Neher

Online Editor Gavin Childers

Staff Writers Julie Akin Kelsey Bruce Faith Montgomery Madeleine Moody Eric O’Hara Michelle Ortiz Olivia Parks Amauri Richardson Collins Sainovich Megan Smith Camron Williams

Photographer Kyle Lowe

How to Get in Touch: Email: MCHSChronicle@gmail.com Phone: 678-714-5899 Website: www.mchschronicle.com Address: 4400 Braselton Hwy 124,

Hoschton, GA 30548

The Chronicle is a student publication of Mill Creek High School. It is distributed to students, faculty, staff, and the Mill Creek community. The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of individual writers and do not necessairly reflect those of the entire Chronicle staff or Mill Creek High School, its students, faculty, staff or administration.Content is edited by student editors.

Teacher discount: Get 15% off your purchase of $39.99 or higher!

Mall of Georgia 3333 Buford Drive Buford, GA 30519

(678)-541-6440 Host a private shoe party, have fun with friends while you shop for shoes. Fill out the online shoe party form at aerosoles.com Photo Credits: Top, Middle, Bottom Right: Kyle Lowe Bottom: Emily Gubitoso

TABLE OF

Contents @millcreekchronicle

4 Christmas Movies 5 Holiday Recipes 6 DIY Gift Ideas 8 Winter Break Activities 9 A Mixture of Cultures Scan to visit our website!

10 Volunteer Opportunities 12 Through the Looking Glass (Dance Show) 14 Hawk With A Story: Gino Vizzi 16 Varsity Basketball Preview 18 Varsity Basketball Player Profiles 22 Winter Sports Preview 24 Taking Center Stage (Winter Arts Preview) www.MCHSChronicle.com 26 Heating up the Fall 28 Final Exams and Study Skills 30 Academic Decathalon and Science Olympiad

Lady Hawks SOAR! 3

Christmas Movies By: Megan Smith

PHOTO: Creative Commons

Elf

26% PHOTOS: Megan Smith

35%

Student Favorites

other 6% National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

11%

How the Home Alone 8% Grinch Stole Series Christmas

14% Polar

Express

PHOTO: Creative Commons

’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.’” The tradition of Christmas stories started back in 1898, and has since then spread to every region of the globe. Now there are hundreds of Christmas movies, ranging from the hysterical modern movie Elf to the touching, classic movie Miracle on 34th Street. Religious and nonreligious people of all sorts speak about watching and enjoying Christmas movies; in fact, 95% of the Mill Creek students who took the survey that the Mill Creek Chronicle put out stated that they watch Christmas movies despite their religion.

There are some Mill Creek students who begin watching Christmas movies early in the year. Ben Spellman, 10, said, “I watch Christmas movies year round. I love to watch them because of the joy that they bring me. But I really start watching them almost weekly after Thanksgiving.” Students say they begin to watch Christmas movies to put themselves in the holiday spirit. Kenzie O’Brien, 10, said, “I start watching the first day of December. Right when ABC Family starts 25 days of Christmas, I start sitting down with my family whenever a good movie comes on and watch it. Christmas movies make me excited for the holiday season.”

Christmas movies are a big part of family and tradition within it. Tanner Franzoni, 10, said, “Every year me and my family sit down and watch all of the Santa Claus movies.

I couldn’t imagine Christmas without it.” The data collected from the survey showed that most Mill Creek students watch the same movies each year, rarely picking up a new movie.

Reagan Smith, 10, said, “As I grow up the Christmas movies I watched when I was five-years-old will continue to be the Christmas movies I watch when I am twenty-years-old and even the same movies I watch with my own kids. I have watched A Christmas Story every year since I was young.”

Some Christmas movies are

based around the well-known Santa Claus and others are about a specific family or child. But in the end all Christmas movies bring in a story or moral that hits home with most people and brings a smile or a sense of gratefulness to its viewers. Spellman, 10, said, “Christmas movies make me think about sitting down with my family when it’s cold and snowy outside, just feeling the fire place while watching movies.”

Holiday movies are usually extremely sweet and cliché while also

delivering the deeper meaning to what Christmas is. Bran Phillips, 10, said, “Christmas movies just make me feel happy on the inside and they are what get me in the Christmas spirit.”

These films have existed in American culture for a long time. The holidays are a time to take a break from the usually hectic life and many people use this time to chill by watching these classic holiday movies. One of the most popular holiday movies voted on by Mill Creek students,

Holiday Recipes Eggnog

By: Julie Akin

4 egg yolks 1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon 1 pint whole milk 1 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 4 egg whites Beat the egg yolks with a mixer until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk, cream, and nutmeg and stir it to combine. Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Whisk the egg whites into the yolk mixture. Chill and serve. Cooked eggnog: Beat the egg yolks with a mixer until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, over high heat, combine the milk, heavy cream and nutmeg and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and gradually temper the hot mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Then return everything to the pot and cook until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the heat, then pour into a medium mixing bowl, and set in the refrigerator to chill. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks.

With the mixer running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk the egg whites into the chilled mixture.

The Grinch, allows the viewers to realize what the true meaning of Christmas is and demonstrates the affect Christmas movies can really have. “Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!”

A recipe is a set of instructions for preparing a particular dish, including a list of the ingredients. Recipes are often handed around from person to person, whether it’s from grandma, a friend, or the internet. During the holidays is when the most food is made whether it’s for Christmas, Hanukah, or New Year’s.

While the average number of calories consumed per person on anaverage day is usually between 2,000 and 2,500, one Christmas meal can weigh in at up to 3,000 calories all by itself, (not including other foods eaten that day. ) The holiday season is approaching which means there are plenty of holiday recipes to share.

Snickerdoodle Cookies 1 cup butter 1 1⁄2 cups sugar 2 large eggs 2 3⁄4 cups flour 2 teaspoons cream of tartar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1⁄4 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons sugar 3 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F. First mix the butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar and the eggs thoroughly in a large bowl. Then, combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. After, blend the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Chill dough, and chill an ungreased cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes in the fridge.

Meanwhile, mix 3 tablespoons sugar, and 3 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl. Then, scoop 1 inch globs of dough into the sugar and cinnamon mixture.

Next, cover the dough in the mixture by rolling the balls of dough over the mixture. Lastly, Place on chilled ungreased cookie sheet, and bake 10 minutes.

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DIY By: Madeleine Moody

Gifts

Goodie Cups

Do It Yourself creative, festive, and low-cost gifts for everyone

This is an easy and great gift to throw together for your friends or even teacher this Christmas.

To make this gift you just have to buy the cup of your choice, coffee mug, water bottle, cup with straw, whatever you chose. Buy the candy or whatever the person that’s receiving it desires and fill the cup up. put a bow or tag with a sweet note on the outside and there’s your next present.

Add a customized note for a unique gift

Puppy Chow Ingredients:

9 cups of Chex cereal (of your choosing) 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips ½ cup peanut butter

¼ cup of butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar steps: 1.

Put it in a jar or container and add ribbons or a bow to make it special!

put cereal in bowl; set aside

2. Microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter, butter in a bowl uncovered for 1 minute on high; stir. Microwave for about 30 more seconds if needed and stir until smooth.

3. Pour mixture over cereal and stir until completely covered. Pour into 2-gallon reusable food-storage plastic bag 4. Add powdered sugar; seal bag and shake until well coated; spread on wax paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerater

During the holidays finding inexpensive gifts to give your friends can be difficult. Some people would rather have a sentimental gift like a picture collage like sophomore, Taylor Halberg, who says “I like when my friends give me sentimental gifts like a picture collage because it’s really sweet. “Here are some DIY (do it yourself) gift ideas to give your family and friends this Christmas.

Try a picture collage or a collection of magazine scraps, polaroids, and old movie tickets

Picture Collages

Picture collages are a great sentimental gift to give your friend or family this Christmas. All you need to do is find some type of picture frame and grab a bunch of pictures of you and that person together and glue or tape them onto a paper that fits into the frame you picked out. put the paper with you pictures in the frame and there you go, you have a picture collage for your friend or family.

Chocolate Christmas Pretzels Ingredients:

Pretzel Rods Dipping Chocolate Variety of sprinkles (if needed) Steps: 1. melt chocolate chips slowly in bowl in the microwave 2. pour chocolate in a bowl or cup 3. dip pretzels in the chocolate 4. place dipped pretzels on a pan covered with wax paper 5. sprinkle nuts or sprinkles if you desire; let harden

Substitute for white, milk or dark chocolate based on preference

6.Place in refrigerator to quicken the chocolate hardening, one completely hard you may store in a bag or container of your choice and add a tag or ribbon and now you have a yummy treat that your friend would love!

Add holiday sprinkles to be even more festive!

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Holiday Activities By: Camron Williams

The Night of Lights:

Lake Lanier has a splendid light display that takes place along the main streets of the park from November 16th to December 31st. Tickets for this event start at $17.00 but reach up to $28.00 on the peak days (December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18-27). Lake Lanier Islands is located at 7000 Lanier Islands Parkway Buford, GA 30518.

While winter break is often a great relief from the stress and required activities of school, many times students become bored with the absence of work that has an immediate deadline. Here are some fun things to try over the break.

wonderland from November 21st, 2015 to February 28th, 2016. During this time, you can tube and sled down the slopes of the lawn for an affordable price of around $40 depending on the date at (check for details at www. stonemountainpark.com.) All you need to bring to enjoy this experience is some warm clothing!

Ice Skating:

Snow Mountain:

If you’re in the mood for a snow-filled adventure, Stone Mountain (1000 Robert E Lee Blvd, Stone Mountain, GA 30083) will be transformed into an icy

PHOTO: Creative Commons

While in the festive mood, you can visit the Atlanta IceForum and iceskate with your friends and family for an affordable price. The skating rink is located at 2300 Satellite Blvd, Duluth, GA 30097, and it is open from 11:00am10:00pm Sunday through Thursday. Visit their website at iceforum.com for more information.

The Weeknd Concert:

On December 15th, Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, more popularly known as The Weeknd, will be performing in Phillips

Arena in downtown Atlanta.

The show will take place at 7:30pm and contains a number of his new and old hits. Go to www.ticketmaster. com for tickets. Pricing starts at $35.

Movies:

Although there are certainly going to be dozens of movie releases over the winter break, two of the editors’ choices are “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” which releases December 18th, and “Daddy’s Home” which releases on Christmas Day. “The Force Awakens” has endured a long production, and as Disney’s first movie with the “Star Wars” franchise, many fans across the globe are excited to see this sure-to-be hit.

Although “Daddy’s Home” is less well known at the moment, it brings back the epic Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell comedic duo which is sure to reduce an audience to uncontrollable giggles and chuckles. You can find tickets for both of these films at www.fandango. com. The theater at the Mall of Georgia and the Regal 14 (2160 Hamilton Mill Rd, Dacula, GA 30019) will play both of these movies.

A Mixture of Cultures W

By: Michelle Ortiz

ith the celebration of Christmas beginning as early as November, other winter holidays are sometimes go unacknowledged.

Below are three of the winter holidays observed in the Mill Creek community besides Christmas.

Jerusalem following the Jewish victory over the Syrian-Greeks in 165 B.C.E. Jewish troops were determined to purify the Temple by burning ritual oil in the Temple’s menorah for eight days. But to their dismay, they discovered that there was only one day’s worth of oil left in the Temple.

They lit the menorah anyway and to their surprise the small amount of

Starting November 11th, the Hindu people celebrate Diwali, Adri Rosario is putting carrots under her bed which means rows of for the Three Kings’s animals. light or lamps. Diwali is known as the festival Picture courtesy of the Rosario family. of lights because of the oil lamps and electric lights that people use to decorate homes, businesses and public spaces as a celebration of victory of good over evil and light over darkness. One MC junior celebrates this holiday annually with her family. She says, “We unfortunately don’t get to make this event as big as it is in India bringing friends and families together to celebrate.”

Preparation is key. “We spend days cleaning and decorating our house for Diwali, and we especially cook a lot of food.”

The Jewish holiday, Hanukkah, then falls next in the calendar,(this year it will fall on December 6 to December 14) and is celebrated for eight days and nights. In Hebrew, the word “Hanukkah” means “dedication.” For Cierra Starusser and her family, the name reminds them that this holiday commemorates the re-dedication of the holy Temple in

and giving presents to one another, ” says Strausser.

On January 6, Adri Rosario and her family and along with many other Catholics will be celebrating the Feast of Epiphany -- which is variously known as Theophany, Three Kings Day and El Dia de los Tres Reyes. This is a Christian celebration of the revelation Cierra Strausser decorates for Hanuk- of the birth of Jesus kah with a pretty dreidel.A dreidel is to the wider world. like dice and is a game played during This is embodied most Hanukkah. Picture courtesy of Cierra in the story of three Strausser. wise men visiting a newborn Jesus with gifts, found in the Gospel of Matthew 2:1-12. “The way Three Kings Day is celebrated varies within different cultures. “ In Puerto Rico, it is a an even bigger deal than Christmas, but since we live in the states, were more laid back about it. We just put out food under our beds for the “camels” to eat, usually grass or carrots. Then in the morning we wake up with three presents near our bed each one from one of the kings..

They tend to be small cute things, like once I got a scarf, a beanie, and gloves.”

Of course these are not the only holidays celebrated over the winter break. Many A Hindu women light candles during Diwali members of our celebrations at a temple in Lahore, Pakistan. oil lasted the full Picture courtesy CNN. community will eight days. “When celebrate Christmas we light the menorah , we celebrate and New Year’s as well. The multitude this miracle. My family celebrates it by of holidays show how wide and various making lots of food with our relatives. the Mill Creek community can be.

I Love getting to spend time with them

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By: Kelsey Bruce

Volunteer Opportunities

Although presents and an excessive amount of food may seem like mainstream holiday traditions, some people in the society we live in are not so fortunate as to have these things as a part of their holiday. This exact reason is why many volunteer activities and charity organizations encourage youth within the community to help out around this time of year. Senior Morgan Crump volunteered this past July at Open Hand Atlanta, an organization working to deliver proper nutrition to those who can’t always afford it. After volunteering there with her family, Crump says, “It was a cool experience. I worked in the kitchen making meals to be shipped out and serving meals. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to help out.” There’s always opportunity for Mill Creek students to help out, so here are just a few local volunteer opportunities to fill your downtime this vacation: The Pantry is a local organization that provides food to needy families in our community. The donation center is located at Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church at t 1450 Pine Road, Dacula.

The donations that The Pantry is most in need of are: baby diapers, breakfast foods, peanut butter and jelly, pasta, rice, spaghetti sauce, canned fruit, syrup and canned meats. Along with these donations, volunteers are also needed because these items along with other food and hygiene items are distributed to any family or individual in need each Saturday from 9 am until noon. The Pantry does not discriminate against any race or religion and would be glad to have volunteers join them any Saturday. For more information on The Pantry or other giving opportunities that Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church offers, visit their website at hmumc.org/serve/donate.

The Georgia SPCA organization is a volunteer friendly animal shelter located at 1175 Hwy 23 (Buford Hwy) Suite 109 in Suwanee, Georgia 30024.

Georgia SPCA is a non-profit organization working to prevent the cruelty of animals. They Call to schedule volunteer activities at 678-765-2726 Monday through Friday from 11am - 7pm, Tuesday 2-7pm, and Saturday through Sunday, 11 am - 5 pm.

You can also visit their website at georgiaspca.org for more information regarding Georgia SPCA.

The Gwinnett Children’s Shelter offers volunteer days mainly on the weekends and sometimes during the week at 3850 Tuggle Rd NE Buford, GA 30519. Whether providing lunch or dinner, offering administrative support, or volunteering for projects such as renovating or landscaping, there are many opportunities at this shelter. Their mission is to provide care and services to children who have experienced neglect, abuse, violence, or abandonment.

If interested in service, call (678) 546-8770 between the hours of 8:30 am and 5:30 pm on any day Monday through Friday. For more information visit their website, gwinettchildrensshelter.com.

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Photo by Katherine Torres

By: Olivia Park,

through the looking glass

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ovember 13th, 14th, and 15th Mill Creek Dance Department presented and showcased their talents in the art of dance through their show “Through the Looking Glass and Contemporary Works”. In the show, each dance class performed different dance pieces.

The first half of the show was based around the classic story of “Through the Looking Glass”, the sequel to “Alice in Wonderland”. Through the performances by the different class periods, the Dance Department told the story of Alice, the Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, and the other characters. This story begins with Alice, Madison Romeo, 12, Alice’s sister Margaret, Hannah Schmidt, 12, and her friend Carol, Karolane Bourguillon, 11, falling through a “looking glass” or mirror in their house.

After falling through this portal, the trio finds themselves in a magical land called “Wonderland”. Alice and her pals travel through a forest full of magical and strange birds and flowers before entering the Cheshire Cat’s Den where Alice meets The Cheshire Cat, Talaya Hickson, 12, along with all of her cat friends. After leaving the cats behind, the three girls stumbled upon a wild tea party being thrown by the Mad Hatter, Luke Badura, 9.

Once our main characters, Alice, Carol, and Margaret, leave the Mad Hatter’s tea party, they come upon the castles of the Red Queen, Stephanie Bellandi, 12, and the White Queen, Lindsey Wrolson, 12. Here, there is a giant battle between the Queens in which the White Queen wins, victorious over the Red Queen. After the battle, Alice and her friends travel back through the Mad Hatter’s tea party, the Cheshire Cat’s den, and the forest as if in a dream-like state until reaching back home safely.

In the second half of the show, the different dance classes performed contemporary pieces. These dances do not follow the story of “Through the Looking Glass” in order to showcase different talents and styles of dance. This portion of the show contained class pieces, audition pieces, and soloist pieces by dancers such as Jennifer Starkmann, 11, Megan Govedich, 11,

and Caytlin Tuchschmidt, 10. “I danced to a song called “These Roses”. The singer’s voice is so unique of the message of the song really hit home for me. As scary as it can be to perform on stage by myself, being able to share what I love to do with everyone in the audience is an amazing feeling,” says Tuchschmidt, 10.

This show was not just thrown together and put on stage; months of preparation went into making sure everything went smoothly. From the first week of school, Dance Department head and teacher of all the dance classes, Mrs. Muck, begins to choreograph dances and plan the show. Each class has between two or three pieces, most of which are choreographed by Muck.

From here, the dances are perfected, specifics are gone over, and they are run over and over again to guarantee perfection.

During show week, Muck and her dancers stay after school every day with rehearsals beginning at 2:20 and going until 6:00 or 7:00 pm. “We had to take a huge step in order to perform at the level Kross expected us, but I do think all of the time and energy we put in during rehearsals paid off in the end,” says Emma Doksansky, 12. Sometimes, Muck stays later after rehearsals and all the dancers are gone home, fixing the lighting and props. On Wednesday night, the day before the show, dancers are required to wear full stage makeup, all pieces of their costumes, assigned hair styles for each dance, and practice changing these costumes and hairstyles between pieces. This is a full dress rehearsal, required to make sure lighting is correct, dances are in order, dancers are able to change costumes in time, and that everything is moving smoothly without fail.

Members of the Mill Creek Dance Program along with their teacher, Mrs. Muck, put in months of preparation for the show “Through the Looking Glass and Contemporary Works”. “We begin working on our dances and perfecting our technique at the very beginning of the year, starting on the second or third day of school,” says Emily Matzick, 10. The dancers have put their all into this show once more.

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HAWK WITH A STORY...

By: Faith Montgomery

GINO VIZZI His story behind battling cancer, supporting others, and taking a journey to accomplish a dream

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Before meeting the Pope, Vizzi captures a moment with his Priest, Father Eric.

“

Afterwards, I felt pure; I felt like a new person.

Everything bad was washed out.

”

eptember 9th 2014, all across the world, people were excited for the Apple event which introduced the new iPhone 6, and surprised when Marin Cilic won the U.S. Open. However, here, in Hoschton, in the Mill Creek community, students and families were devastated, for on this day, then junior Gino Vizzi was diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, which is treatable but not curable. After diagnosed, he stayed in the hospital for two weeks before being released. Now, he takes a pill form of chemo every night to treat his cancer.

seeing people doing fundraisers for me, raising money for my family and me- that’s when it really hit me.”

After hearing about Vizzi’s diagnosis, family, friends, and neighbors all around Mill Creek were devastated for him. “I guess everybody, pretty much, was in shock. It was hard to believe; it felt so surreal,” Vizzi says about the diagnosis. To show their support, Twitter was buzzing with motivation, telling Vizzi that they were thinking of him and that he was in their prayers. “At first, I did not (expect that much support), and then once I started going on Twitter and seeing other people from my school tweeting me, saying praying for you,

“We (the foundation) will do anything. Basically, whatever a kid wants.” Vizzi went on to explain that the foundation’s most recent project is building a treehouse for John Daniels, a P4 kid. “The goal is really to get as big as we can get and raise as much money as we can as well as hopefully find a cure soon, but we just want to contribute as much money as we can to childhood cancer research.”

Seeing how much support the Mill Creek Community could pour out, Vizzi had the idea to start the P4 Foundation. “Even before I was diagnosed, I‘ve always had a need to help kids. I’ve always loved to help kids, and after I got diagnosed, I saw what these kids were going through. I feel like it was a calling from God because I have a cancer that I don’t lose my hair, I’m not in a wheelchair, and I can talk fine. I feel like I’m the voice for these kids, like the mentor for them.”

Through the foundation, Vizzi and the rest of the team, which includes both of his parents and his younger sister Julia, are able to reach out to local children who have been diagnosed with various forms of cancer.

So far, the P4 Foundation has partnered with Relay for Life in order to organize the Chili Cook Off

All photos courtesy of the Vizzi Family

here at Mill Creek , which also consisted of corn hole and kickball tournaments. Additionally, they held a home run derby which took place at the Gwinnett Braves Stadium, Coolray field, on July 27th and 28th.

However, the P4 Foundation is not the only foundation that has affected Vizzi’s life. In October the Make a Wish Foundation was able to grant Vizzi’s wish which would give him the opportunity to travel to the Vatican in order to meet Pope Francis. When Make a Wish Georgia first contacted Vizzi, they asked him to submit his top three wishes; “you rank them 1, 2, and 3, and, of course, meeting the Pope was number 1.”

Actually, Vizzi’s wish was not to simply meet the Pope: he hoped for the Pope to bless him and wanted him to pray for other childhood cancer patients as well as for a cure for cancer. In February, Make a Wish Georgia surprised Vizzi by coming to his house with him pizza and the plane tickets that would take

LEFT: Vizzi toured Saint Peter’s Basilica, the largest Basilica of Christianity while in Rome before meeting the Pope.

RIGHT: Pope Francis talking to Vizzi during the 20 seconds that he was able to share with the head of the Roman Catholic Church the Vizzi family, as well as their priest, to the Vatican to meet Pope Francis.

While in Rome, “We saw a bunch of churches, went to a lot of restaurants, and went inside Vatican City. We went to Florence as well,” Vizzi says, and on October 21, Vizzi’s wish came true. While attending the Papal Audience, “There was kind of like a special section in the front in front of the barricades and hundreds of thousands of people sat behind me,” says Vizzi. The Pope goes around the Audience and greets everyone, then returns back to the front in order to conduct the service, which includes “a reading or a prayer in about 17 different languages.”

Afterwards, Vizzi came face to face with the Pope. “He shook my hand and said, ‘pray for me,’ and I said, ‘of course I will.’ Then

I asked him to bless me and my sickness, as well as these other kids that I’m trying to help ,and to find a cure for cancer as well, and he did; he signed the cross on my forehead.”

After meeting the Pope, Vizzi changed, he says, “I felt pure, I felt like a new person, everything bad was washed out.” However, the change was not one that lasted for only an instant, for Vizzi says, “Helping a kid brings that feeling back even more; it makes me feel really good about myself.”

Not only has Vizzi been changed by the experience of meeting Pope Francis, but he has also affected the lives of the members of the Mill Creek community. “I’ve impacted them (the P4 Kids) and their families as well. It’s not just these kids; just other people in general have opened their eyes to have faith and come closer to God as well as to do good for other people. So, it’s not as much just the kids, but everybody.”

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“I play for the name on the front of the jersey, not for the name on the back.� -Connor Alkire

Y T I S R L

L A V SKETBA A B

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VARSITY BASKETBALL

By: Amauri Richardson, Ashley Baptiste, and Kaitlyn Neher

Featuring Profiles:

Boys: Miles Riley, Charles Botchway Girls: Alex Bolling, Wynter Webb

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oming off a very long offseason, our Mill Creek Hawks basketball program is anxious to get back into action. The Mill Creek Chronicle news magazine got exclusive interviews, photo shoots, and inside information from some of the varsity boys and girls teams’ pivotal players.Our beloved Hawks basketball teams are ready to S.O.A.R. following our football teams amazing, undefeated regular season.

JUMPMAN JUMPMAN JUMPMAN

After losing some key seniors from last season, many of the juniors on the teams have much bigger roles this year. A new face to the varsity lineup, junior Tre Rice, told us what’s different about varsity,” Everyone’s better, it’s more intense and challenging, and the coaches expect so much more out of the varsity players,” said Rice.

Connor Alkire, Senior guard says,”everyone is filling their spots and roles to make the team better, I like the moves our coaching staff is making, and I feel like we’ll be a really tough team to beat. In the beginning we may have problems but by the end we’ll be a threat.”

Moving into the season, the

team is looking to defeat opponents who posed a big threat last year. Rice said, “Our biggest game last season, although they weren’t the best team we played, was Shiloh, who barely edged us out in the playoffs.” Teams like Shiloh, Collins Hill, and Norcross are always good competition, but our Hawks are working hard to triumph over all competitors.

Team morale seems to be at a high, Connor Alkire said, ” I feel like we’re improving as a team day by day, each practice we come together as a team, and I feel like we’ll have a great season and go deep in the playoffs and hopefully be state champs.”

Our Hawks continue to put their blood, sweat, and tears on the court and won’t stop until we see that Gold Trophy!

Some of the key players on our Lady Hawks team feel like they’ll be a problem for any competition. The Lady Hawks feel like their team chemistry will help improve their performance on the court. Kate Kostel, senior guard, believes that their team will be much stronger coming into the new season, saying, “We’re going to be pretty good, because we have good team chemistry

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PHOTOS: BOYS: Amari Bachan , GIRLS: Kyle Lowe

and we have all grown up together.” Kostel also told us that the team’s strong point is its defense, and that it is going to be “really strong” because they “worked over the offseason on conditioning.” She also stated that the team will be “strong in all aspects of the game,” which shows her great confidence.

Our Hawks basketball teams are getting polished and ready to enter this 2015-2016 season.

Of course, after our Hawks football team achieved their very first undefeated season, and our Hawks softball team won state, our basketball Hawks are prepared to follow suit and “Bring home the gold.” Players such as Connor Alkire, who over the course of the offseason worked very hard practicing including doing shots and conditioning, are ready to dominate, as well as, Kate Costel who worked focused on her handles and conditioning.

Looking to strike fear in the hearts of all opponents, Kate Kostel says,” We’re a team, We’re a threat, and We’re ready to win.”

From our boys Charles Botchway simply said, “We’re ready.” Our Hawks overall are eager and anxious for some on-court action, our boys Hawks’ are focused and driven, and our lady hawks are no less focused and driven than the guys are. We’ll play. We’ll fight.

We’ll S.O.A.R.!

MILES RILEY

CHARLES BOTCHWAY

Q: How do you feel about the upcoming season?

Q: What is one moment in basketball you will never forget?

A: “Even though we lost a couple seniors that contributed last year, I feel like people who were on the bench and juniors are going to step up, and we could do some big things this year.”

A: “Winning a state championship my freshman and sophomore years.”

Q: Who inspires you?

A: “My ultimate achievement in basketball would be to play professionally following college.”

A: “Definitely my dad, he teaches me everything, he’s been coaching me since I was three, he supports me.”

Q: What’s your motivation?

A: “I do it for my family, I just want to be successful and make them happy, I want to take care of my mom and dad, and my whole family.”

Q: What would be your ultimate achievement in basketball?

Q: Who are some players who inspire you?

A: “My favorite player is Damian Lillard, and another is LeBron James.”

ALEX BOLLING

WYNTER WEBB

Q: How do you feel about the upcoming season?

Q: How do you feel about the upcoming season?

A: “I’m really excited because this year it’s like a new team, because we had a lot of seniors last year, so it’s going to be little different but I’m excited!”

A: “I feel like we’re going to be bomb this year, based on how practices have been going everybody has been bringing their A-game, and everyone has improved a bunch.”

Q: What are some changes you’ve noticed since last season?

A: “This season most of the team is juniors, so we’re already close friends, so the season will be different, we’ll be closer together, and we’ll do better on the court.”

Q: Where do you see the team by the end of this season?

A: “I think we’ll have a pretty good record, I think we have a good chance, we really could win region this year!”

Q: What would you say to any competition?

A: “Watch out for Mill Creek this year, cause we’re not playing any games!”

Q: What did you do over the offseason to stay in shape?

A: “I played track and softball, so I was in the gym running like every day.”

Q: Who are some players who inspire you?

A: “Skylar Diggins is my favorite player she inspires me!”

Q: What’s team chemistry like?

A: “Its pretty turnt, because after wins we get the aux cord and I keep it lit, with the Migos, Future and Drake blasting!”

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Wrestling

Swimming

This year, Mill Creek’s season is looking to be very promising. Last year, the team excelled in the light weight classes. Alan Andrzejewski, a member of the class of 2018, finished eighth at Sectionals last year and qualified for state in the 113 pound weight class. With Andrzejewski and other former freshmen getting older, it is likely that as they do, the team’s heavier classes will benefit. Andrzejewski says, “I’m very excited for the season. Last year I did very well for a freshman, and I want to see what else I can bring to the team this year.” Another sophomore, Harrison Hoffman, will be a major player for the team this season in the 132 pound weight class.

“Wrestling is a very competitive sport, and I have a very competitive nature, so it is the perfect fit.” says Hoffman. It looks to be a great season for the Hawks, who already have one win under their belt and with a current varsity record of 6-5.

Swimming is one of the biggest winter sports at Mill Creek. Their season has only just begun, but everyone seems to have high hopes for the team this year. The team consists of many new and experienced swimmers. Coach Creed says that along with the returning swimmers, they have gained many experienced Swim Atlanta swimmers. Swim Atlanta is a club team that practices year round and has been one of the best teams in the state for decades. Two of these new prospects are Owen Pendley, 9, and Lydia Evans, 9. Both consistently place in the top ten in the state, and Evans has won state four times.

“I want to try and break the school record this year,” says Evans, “and I’m only a second off.” Coach Creed says that it is attitudes like these that have led Mill Creek’s program to have many swimmers win races at the county championships and a few win state championships. The Hawks are looking forward to what should be one of the best seasons the school has had. They will be competing in meets on December 12th and 18th. After winter break they will also have a few meets on January 9th, 16th, 21st, and 22nd and in February on the 5th and 6th.

“I want to try and break the school record this year”

Diving “I’m excited for the season. Since the diving scores count with the swim team, it should also help us win a few more swim meets as we will actually be getting points for the boys’ diving.”

Usually Mill Creek’s dive team is small, but packs a lot of firepower. This year, the season looks to be the best the school has had. Last year, the dive team consisted only of only three girls. This year, the dive team has gained five new divers, two of whom are boys. Sophomore Ethan Santiago is one of the boys who are new to the team. “I’m excited for the season. Since the diving scores count with the swim team, it should also help us win a few more swim meets as we will actually be getting points for the boys’ diving.” Along with many new divers, Mill Creek also has a new coach named Heidi Creed.

Coach Creed has a lot of experience in diving as she helped start the first club dive team in Gwinnett County. Another new diver, Ambria D’Alonzo, 11, has a long history as a gymnast, and has already begun to score 7’s and 8’s out of ten, something that normally only divers with years of experience can accomplish. In the future, the Mill Creek Dive Team will participate in multiple meets in December on the 12th, 18th, 19th, along with a few in January on the 9th, 16th, 20th, 23rd, and February 4th.

PHOTO: ELizabeth Jordan

PHOTO: Ambria D’Alonzo.

Katherine Parker (12) swims the 100 butterfly in the swim meet against Parkview. Parker, a swimmer for Swim Atlanta, won the event and helped lead the Hawks to victory.

Wrestlers from Mill Creek attend a tournament during the 20142015 season. This year looks to be even more promising as more and more students have joined the team along with the returning wrestlers.

Ambria D’Alonzo prepares to do a back dive at practice. D’Alonzo is new to diving, but her background as a gymnast has led her to a first place finish already in the season.

PHOTO: Mill Creek Wrestling Twitter.

By: Collins Sanovich

Winter Sports Preview

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Taking Center Stage Chorus department preparations for the winter concert season are nearly complete. Senior Alex Choi, from the Mastery chorus class directed by Mrs. Stephanie Archer, takes us backstage and behind the scenes: “We’ve been rehearsing every day and learning our parts for the songs.” He says, “The songs we [Mastery] are performing are “Away in a Manger,” “Christmas Jazz Trio,” “Veni Veni,” “No Room No Room,” and “I Wonder as I Wander.” There is a solo opportunity, but we haven’t auditioned for it yet. Also, special act auditions are the beginning of next week. I want to audition for one.” Many students like Alex are hoping for the opportunity to snag a special act slot in this year’s winter show. In addition to Mastery, the rest of the Mill Creek chorus classes are working hard, preparing this show for the student body.

By: Kelsey Bruce

PHOTO: Hannah Yike

Cassidy Hulsey, 12, Grace Breazeale, 12, and Jordan Lee, 11 sing at the fine arts showcase October 21.

Sophomore N’Deyah Warren lets us in on what the Mill Creek Dance Team has been up to lately. She says they have been practicing for their upcoming winter lyrical jazz competition performances. Their competitions take place on January 16th and 23rd, and February 2nd and 6th. They are dancing to the song, “Give Me Love” by Ed Sheeran. She tells us, “No one’s really featured. We have solos, but overall it’s a group effort.” She also tells us about the parts of the dance saying, “The turn section is my favorite part because everyone starts cheering us on.”

Freshman Renee Smith, a member of Advanced Band, is working with her classmates in preparation for this year’s winter band concert on December 8th. She tells us that her class is preparing the songs, “Three Minute Nutcracker,” “Read the Nights,” and “Clouds That Soar.”

The band is working diligently, rehearsing their songs. Some saxophone players, like Renee, are also studying their music in hopes of attaining the solo opportunity in the song, “T’was the Night.” She also tells us, “We’re probably going to be dressed up for this concert, like in Christmas attire. I think there’s going to be a Santa Clause on stage as well.”

The cellos of the Chamber Orhcestra preform at the fine arts show case.

PHOTO: Hannah Yike Orchestra classes headed by Mrs. Lowe, are preparing and rehearsing each day for this winter’s concert. Senior Madison Wicks, a participant in the Symphonic Orchestra class, tells us, “We are working hard rehearsing the songs, “Little Drummer Boy,” “Highland Cathedral,” and “Winter Palace.””

She also let us in on the secret of the special guests for this year’s concert. “The drum line is performing with us on the song, “Little Drummer Boy,” and it’s really cool.” She tells us that there is also a solo opportunity for a cello player, but auditions have not yet taken place. As a cello player herself, Madison is also a participant in cello choir which she says may make an appearance in the show. Make sure to buy tickets to the orchestra concert on December 11th at 7pm.

Photo Courtesy of CreativeCommons.org

This year’s winter theater performance is titled, “May the Farce Be with You,” senior Erika Clark tells us. The theater program has been preparing furiouslythese past few months, rehearsing, blocking the vast on stage, and working on set and structure. She gives us a sneak peak of the play saying, “It’s more of a big cast with major parts but the main character is Miss MacDonald played by Emily Brown. It’s about this group of superheroes called “The E-I-E-I-O” and once a year they have a retreat at “Old MacDonald’s Health Spa.” People start going missing and the super heroes are trying to figure where they are and why they’re missing, but the intergalactic super villains, Deprava played by Alexandria Newsome and Star Raider played by Reece Sharpe, arise and the heroes have to find a way to defeat them without their powers.” Be sure to get your tickets to the play being performed December 4th and 5th at 7pm.

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Heating up the Fall

By: Eric O’hara

PHOTO: Kye Lowe

Hannah Petit (12) leads the girl cross country team in their victory parade after their state championship win.

After winning the state championship in Columbus, Sydney Grimes (12) and Hannah Adams (11) kiss the trophy.

PHOTO: Abbey Robertson

Football: While football hasn’t finished its entire season, the Hawks have completed their regular season. The team had a record breaking year both individually and as a unit. As a team, the Hawks finished the regular season 10-0, the first undefeated season in school history. In addition, the team collected its second region title, the first one coming in 2014 when Mill Creek co-tied with North Gwinnett.

Junior David Milon said this determination, “started with soar drills last year when we realized how bad we really wanted to win a state championship and how much time we would have to put into it. Then once the season really got kicked off and going we all bought in and made sure we have our minds right because we knew this season was going to be great.” Keeping this motivation in mind, The Hawks defense was stellar. The defensive shut out 5 teams, held opponents to 63 points over the entire regular season, and didn’t allow a team to score more than 19 points. With teams averaging only 6.3 points per game against the hawks, the defense has truly shown that the hard work they’ve put in is paying off.

Individually, the Hawks had several key standouts.

Senior Tyler Vernon achieved the sack record this season. Brenton King also kicked a record long 51 yard field goal. As we go to press the Hawks are preparin to host defending state champion Colquitt County in the state semifinals on December 4.

Senior Tyler Vernon breaks through the line and pressures the Newnan QB PHOTO: Kye Lowe

Softball:

Competition Cheerleading:

Mill Creek softball had a spectacular season. Completing the regular season with an overall record of 26-8, the Hawks had a fantastic push just before entering the playoffs. Softball carried this momentum all the way throughout the playoffs winning 10 games in a row sweeping several teams. Playing their best ball when it counted most, the Hawks were able to pull off the upset over Brookwood and claim the elusive state title.

The team’s success can be attributed to their incredible unity. Senior Sydney Grimes agreed saying, “At the beginning of our season, we played more selfish than as a team but once we set our eyes on the ring, and we played as a unit and play for each other.” This victory was the second state championship in softball’s history; the first title was in 2008. The girl’s championship is a testament to the hard work that they have been putting in all season and reflects the team’s unity and strength.

The Hawks will attempt to match this success next season where the majority of their playoff squad will still be intact.

The Cheer Hawks performed well all season in their various competitions. Cheer won two meets at both Dacula and Buford. In addition, the Hawks finished second at sectionals in Columbus, GA, which qualified them for the state meet. The squad knew they had a strong team and they certainly proved this at sectionals.

Wrapping up the season, Cheer competed at their final meet, state, placing fourth out of 16 teams. Although they fell short of their championship goal, Junior Alexa Waldrep looked at the positives saying, “We had a great second season of being coed, and we can’t wait for what next season may bring.” With an impressive year in the books, the Hawks should have something to look forward to next season.

Cross Country: Cross Country finished with a great season. The varsity boys’ team won several races such as Battle of Atlanta, Stage Races, and Region. Also the team placed high in several other races, collecting second place finishes at Carrolton, Coach Wood, and County while placing 6th at state. JV found incredible success this season as well.

The JV team picked up wins at Stage Races, County, Region, Carrolton, and every Mulberry race. The Girl’s team had a terrific season as well. The girls won every race they ran, including state, except for FSU and Coach Wood where they got second and third. Both teams experienced significant success individually.

For the boys, Seniors Sam Costa and Noah Hollis ran a top ten all time 5k time. Costa set the school record in a time of 15:30 previously held by Tyler Woodrome who set the record in 2013. Hollis ran a time of 15:56 and claimed the 5th fastest 5k in school history. On the girls side the record board will also see several changes.

Senior Hannah Petit set a new school record of 18:24 at the Footlocker meet in Charlotte NC. Senior Lexi Froh and sophomore Camryn Petit also moved up on the record board with their respective times of 19:32 and 18:36. Hollis, in reflection of this past season, said, “I think the season went well. We competed well all year and I am proud of all my teammates for all the hard work we put in.” Watch out for cross country next year as both teams will have strong returning teams.

Volleyball: Volleyball finished the season strong with an overall record of 32-8 and finished second in the area. While the Hawks missed playoffs, they finished 5th in both the region and county. Junior Chloe Freeman reflecting on the year said, “I think we had a good season. We played well as a team, and I think next year we’ll come back even stronger.” With only four seniors, seven juniors, and three sophomores the Hawks should have a strong base to build for next year.

Senior Anna Braschler goes in for a spike.

PHOTO: Abbey Robertson

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FINAL EXAMS

By: Olivia Parks

Coming up soon is finals week, also known as “cram week”. Students push themselves through a week of no sleep, an overwhelming amount of studying, and lots of stress. Through collected information from a survey at Mill Creek High School, it was discovered how students study, where, and how long. Overall, 244 students took the survey which was placed online.

Out of the 244 students surveyed, 85.65% said they studied at home while 12.7% said they studied at Starbucks and only 1.64% said they studied at the library. When asked how long they studied on average, most students said between one and two hours per night at 41.4% saying this. While 25.41% said they studied for less than an hour per night, 22.95% said they studied between two and four hours per day, and only 10.24% said they studied for more than four hours per night.

At Mill Creek High School, students strive to be the best in their class.

During finals week, students begin to study more than usual since grades are at high risk of increasing or decreasing drastically.

In order to optimize the information taken in and lessen the amount of time spent studying, a few students have offered their advice on study skills, organization, and surviving finals week.

Freshman, Diana Kim, says, “For me, studying while I’m comfortable seems to be most effective, so I usually study at home. Likewise,

doing practice problems and having someone, like a parent or friend, quiz you over the information you’ve been studying is a great way to determine how prepared you are, how much more you need to study, and what information you need to study.”

Caroline Holmes, 10, believes in changing settings while studying, “I like to study in my room but I have to change my setting around a lot so I don’t get distracted, like rearranging my desk or sitting on the couch rather than in a chair,” she says.

Dr. Nick Perham, a lecturer in the School of Health Sciences at the University of Wales Institute, Cardif, explains the ‘Mozart Effect’, “which, in one early experiment, gave individuals who had recently listened to the famous classical composer enhanced spatial-rotation skills.” Going along with this idea, Holmes always listening to music when she studies, “I make sure it’s classical though so I’m not tempted to sing along or get distracted,” she says.

Shad Arif, 11, one of the top students in the class of 2017 says, “I probably spend a couple hours a night doing homework.” From his experience at Mill Creek, Arif has learned valuable lessons about studying and doing school work. “My biggest advice is to be organized, be able to prioritize, and be efficient. You get what you put in, you can’t put in ‘C’ worthy effort and expect ‘A’’s.”

& STUDY SKILLS

Senior Claire Yu, has accomplished her goals of being a top student throughout her high school career at Mill Creek High School. “I naturally have a competitive drive,” says Yu, 12. She spends hours every day doing her school work to make sure to maintain her grades, “I usually study till around midnight every day, sometimes 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning.” Yu has advice for her peers. “I know almost everyone struggles with procrastination. It’s hard to overcome, but to make life easier, you have to. I suggest actually using an agenda. It helps organize your thoughts and manage your time.”

With the quick approach of finals and final grades, students tend to stress, lose sleep, and lose time for self-care. Though studying for your finals, last tests and quizzes, and making sure you do your assignments is important, your physical and mental health is important as well. Make sure to take breaks. In 2011, Alejandro Lleras, a psychology professor from the University of Illinois, performed a study to see the effects of studying with and without breaks. The study found “the control, non-switch, and digit-ignored groups, performance began to progressively decline until the 50-minute mark” but “the switch group remained sharp and on-task for the entire duration”. Since then, other studies, such as the one in 2006 by professors from University of California, San Diego, and University of South Florida, have proven that studying without breaks and forcing yourself to over-study is not “an effective strategy for long-term retention of information”.

On top of over-studying, students, during finals, tend to lose sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, “Teens need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night to function best.”

Although from surveys the foundation has conducted, it is found that “only 15% [of teens] reported sleeping 8 1/2 hours on school nights.” Even if you think that it is worth it to lose sleep in order to gain more study time, more than likely this would not be beneficial. The National Sleep Foundation has found that when students do not get enough sleep at night, it can “limit your ability to learn, listen, concentrate and solve problems.”

I PROBABLY SPEND A COUPLE HOURS A NIGHT DOING HOMEWORK

Overall, while you need to make sure to study, prepare, and pass your exams with flying colors, your physical and mental health is also extremely important. Make sure to take care of yourself. In a study performed by Ann Arbor, a professor at the University of Michigan, it was found that many students base their self-worth on their grades in their classes. Arbor found that “self-esteem, affect, and identification with major increased on days students received good grades and decreased on days they received poor grades.”

I KNOW ALMOST Study, but take breaks. Make sure EVERYONE to prepare thoroughly, but get the correct amount of sleep. Also, if you STRUGGLES WITH do as well on a test, quiz, assignPROCRASTINATION. IT’S don’t ment, or final exam as you had hoped; remember that you are not HARD TO OVERCOME, always defined by your grades, class rank, or BUT TO MAKE LIFE Study and do your best, but take 29 EASIER, YOU HAVE TO. GPA. care of yourself.

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Academic Decathlon Science Olympiad and

By: Gavin Childers

January 14th marks the beginning of the official academic decathlon season, a club which most students know very little about. While most students are scared away by the word “academic”, this co-curricular is open to any student who shows interest. This club is more than just a club, it’s an intellectual competition. Students who sign up compete academically in seven different categories, science, literature, art, music, social science, economics, and mathematics. However each year there is one central theme that each of the categories is based around, and this year that theme is India. “I have always been really interested in India; that is the main reason I joined,”

said competitor Ashton Carr, 12. Students will be tested on Indian ecology, economy, history, art, and other aspects of the country. Furthermore, Academic decathlon isn’t just for straight “A” students. “I have to have students from three different levels of GPA: one from a 3.75 to a 4, one from a 3.-3.74, and one with a GPA below 3,” said decathlon adviser Dr. Lori Bowen. This structure is unique because it allows all students a chance to compete on a level playing field. It is important that the club has dedicated members at every level. Hopefully, this year the team will get a chance to compete at nationals in Hawaii.

Science Olympiad...

PHOTO: Courtesy of Hannah Lee

is a competitive club much like Academic Decathlon; however students compete using their knowledge of science subjects like genetics, earth science, chemistry, anatomy, physics, geology, mechanical engineering and technology. “One thing I love about Olympiad is that I get to explore my two of favorite sciences, Environmental Science and Physics,” said club member Justin Thongsouk, 12. The club stems from a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the student body’s interest in science and math.

Each team is composed of 15 students who compete in teams of two or three during each event. The different events can include test taking, labs, clicker questions, and more.

The goal is to have all students working together in handson participation. Being on the team offers scientifically minded students to display their previously learned knowledge, “as well as learn something new they never thought about learning before” said Head Coach for the Olympiad team Mr. Scott Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell says, “our team has done quite well in the past, even qualifying for state multiple times.” A team who does well at state can potentially make it to nationals, which will be held in Orlando, Florida.

The 2014-2015 Science Olympiad team waits for thier first meet to begin.

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