The Omniscient Volume 15 Issue 4 May 2022
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The Omniscient
May 2022
POINTS OF INTEREST
Check out PAGE 4 to learn about the long (and weird) history of Northwood’s student-news publication, The Omniscient.
Which Northwood teacher are you? Take this personality quiz on PAGE 16 to find out! CRAVING MORE? The Omniscient publishes news stories each week on our website. Go to nhsomniscient.com for articles, videos, photos and podcasts on everything from sports, entertainment, arts and top news events happening at Northwood and in the larger community.
THE NORTHWOOD
OMNISCIENT
Are you interested in starting a small business? PAGE 10 has tips, tricks and all the info you’ll need to begin your dreams of entrepreneurship.
EDITORS
STAFF WRITERS
Grace Leonard Editor-In-Chief
Liam Sovereign
Lily Kate Witcher Assistant Editor-In-Chief
Check out PAGE 8 to see a photo album reviewing Northwood’s greatest arts & entertainment hits of the 2022 spring semester.
Mae Conners Matthew Sullivan
Ethan Westmoreland Multimedia Editor
Rosalie Denieul
ADVISOR
Hunter Liegl
Ms. Eliza Brinkley ebrinkley@chatham.k12.nc.us
Mud Schwankl
Aliana Robles-Marano Alanna Wood
Website: nhsomniscient.com Instagram: @nhsomniscient Twitter: @nhsomniscient TikTok: @nhsomniscient
ROE V. WADE
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OPINION: Overturning this Historic Decision is a Direct Infringement on Constitutional Rights BY GRACE LEONARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
As we’ve seen in recent months, multiple states have been putting restrictions on abortions, which betrays the previous Supreme Court rulA draft opinion leaked May 3 states that the Supreme Court is planning on overturning ing. If this ruling is overturned, more states will the 1973 Roe v Wade court case decision. The implement abortion restrictions that they have been waiting to make legal. Thirteen states landmark Roe v Wade case gave women the right to choose whether to end a pregnancy or have trigger laws, which means that they will not as long as it’s before 24 weeks. If this deci- make abortion illegal the second Roe v Wade is overturned, and ten states already have abortion sion is overturned, then the government will restrictions in place–one of them being North continue controlling womens’ bodies rather Carolina. These 23 states are just the ones that than protecting their reproductive rights. Reproductive rights are a natural right that have preemptively made decisions; it is highly all people should have. According to the Bill of likely that more states will follow suit. This Rights, the government must protect the natu- means that currently almost half of the United States believe that government control over the ral rights of people at all times; therefore, the female reproductive system is just. overturning of this case would directly break Despite Republican Ohio state Representaa constitutional law. The flip side of the argument, that abortion is murder, is untenable as a tive Jean Schmidt calling pregnancy resulting fetus does not even develop consciousness until from rape an “opportunity,” there are many valid reasons, including rape, that women get 24 weeks and the majority of abortions occur before 13 weeks. Abortion is not only safe and abortions. Some of the biggest reasons for abortion include being unable to physically or humane; it is a constitutional right. fiscally carry the fetus to term.
Children are expensive, and the hospital birth itself is also quite expensive; how can you have a baby if you can’t afford it? Some may say that the solution would be to put them into an orphanage or foster care, but often times these children end up without loving families and cannot be properly cared for. Every year, 20 thousand children age out of foster care without ever being adopted–meaning they have to go out on their own with no family support at 18 and minimal government care. Physically, pregnancies are very strenuous on the mother, but in some cases, the pregnancy can actually harm or kill the mother if carried to term. Even during labor, the mother can sometimes die if doctors are intent on saving the baby. Abortion can be a safe alternative to a dangerous pregnancy. It is more important to save the conscious life contributing to society than to “save” a fetus that has limited brain activity and no consciousness.
Girls La-crosse Over to Playoffs, Make Team History BY MAE CONNERS STAFF WRITER This spring season, the Northwood Girls’ Lacrosse Team made school history when they appeared in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) Women’s Lacrosse playoffs for the first time since the team was founded. After a season filled with effort, commitment and extensive planning, the team made the playoffs with an 11-3 record— their final win against Chapel Hill High School securing them a position in the NCHSAA East Bracket. Northwood played a total of two playoff games versus 3A and 4A teams. Their first was a nail-biting home game against Wilmington’s Laney High School. Northwood was behind in the first half, but they came back near the end to take the game into overtime, despite being a player down due to penalties. “We proceeded to play one overtime… and
nobody scored,” Coach Larry Fritsche said. “In the second overtime Kendall Laberge caused a key turnover with a perfect check, and then she effectively moved the ball downfield to set up our offense. Mia Collins rolled, drove and scored the game-winning goal in double overtime at home!” For their second game, Northwood faced off against Holly Springs High School, a large school with a successful lacrosse team. Northwood put up a fight and scored ten goals on them, using the opportunity to battle such a competitive school to learn and improve their tactics on the fly. Although they ended up losing the game, they had not only made it to the playoffs, but had successfully competed against two high-level opponents. Even after the playoffs, the team didn’t lose their momentum. At the NHS 2021-2022 Charlie Awards, the girls’ lacrosse team won the award for “Biggest Upset” for their match against Chapel Hill High School during the regular season, which went into overtime,
before Northwood player Ryan Tinervin scored a final goal for the win. Thanks to the commitment of Coaches Larry Fritsche, Katy Gilliam and Jess Boone, and the dedication of their players, the girls’ lacrosse team was able to accomplish more than ever before. “We are grateful and proud of everything [the players] have sacrificed and achieved since 2019, to rise together in a 12-4 season, along with playing two rounds of the 2022 NCHSAA Women’s Lacrosse playoffs for the first time in school history,” Fritsche said.
Omniscient History The Omniscient
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BY LIAM SOVEREIGN STAFF WRITER
1985
1998 1994
2001
Interview with Current Omni Adviser
Eliza Brinkley
The Northwood Omniscient is the student news magazine of Northwood High School. It originally was called Hoofbeats, but was changed in 2008 under Neal Morgan, the journalism adviser and course instructor from 2007-2018. In 2020, due to the pandemic, the journalism club was created to continue the magazine. Since then, people who haven’t had the opportunity to take the journalism class can join the club and produce stories for the online website. The two teachers that have overseen The Omniscient have watched it change over the years. We caught up with Morgan, who taught the course for 15 years, and Eliza Brinkley, who succeeded him in 2018, to get their take on the publication as advisers. Brinkley started teaching journalism in the fall of 2018 when she was first hired at Northwood. This school year will be her last year as the journalism teacher, as she will be leaving Northwood to attend divinity school. During her tenure, Brinkley taught journalism during the pandemic, which she found to be both challenging and an opportunity to make
some changes to the program. “I feel like I’ve found my ‘stride’ in terms of how I approach teaching the class,” Brinkley said. “I feel knowledgeable enough now about journalism as a discipline to not totally feel like I have no clue what I’m doing. I’m also really proud that our website won a first-place award through the UNC School of Journalism program for high school students last year. We hadn’t won that since before I was hired, and so to reach that milestone again after a couple of ‘growing’ years was pretty cool!” Ms. Brinkley has kept in contact with one former journalism student in particular, who has gone on to major in journalism in college. She said it has been amazing to watch her grow from a Journalism I student to someone with a passion for and knowledge of the subject that exceeds her own. “I would say that the biggest thing I hope students take away from this class is that no matter where they find themselves, there will be newsworthy stories that deserve to be reported on, that deserve attention and recogni-
nition,” Brinkley said. “Obviously, working in journalism is one of the best ways to do this, but you can also dedicate yourself to telling people’s stories in other ways–it’s a crucial aspect of a healthy, democratic society, and I hope my students have learned to value and promote that.”
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2007
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2017 2013
2022
Interview with Previous Omni Adviser
Neal Morgan
Mr. Morgan started The Omniscient in 2007, before which Northwood had gone several years without a student newspaper or magazine. “When I tried to get more information, very few teachers there remembered much of anything, so I think it had been on hiatus for quite some time,” Morgan said. “I gave my students the option to pick up the Hoofbeats legacy or start something new, and they decided to start something new. For most of the 11 years I led the paper we were a tabloid paper, but then we made the switch to news magazine, which was a very exciting opportunity for us.” Morgan says he considers his biggest accomplishment from his time as a journalism teacher to be his students. “On a personal level, I’m most proud of the relationships I built with my students and the opportunities the newspaper provided them,” Morgan said. “I had lots of students tell me that the best part of their high school career was that class, and that means the world to
me. In terms of the program, on the first day of class that first year, I told my students that we were starting with literally nothing. We had no money, no style guide, no layout software, no lesson plans, not even a name. But from that start, we built a program that consistently produced high-quality journalism. People outside of Northwood would see our paper and be blown away that a bunch of high school kids made that magazine. I sometimes keep in touch with some former students and I know of two who are still working directly in journalism… Honestly, once students leave college, I tend not to hear from them too often any more. But one former editor recently emailed me out of the blue to show me the fake Omniscient she made her best friend (and co-editor) to ask her to be a bridesmaid at her wedding. That was awesome!” Morgan also shared what he believes to be the most important aspect of student journalism. “I hope my students learn that everyone has a story,” Morgan said. “By talking to strang-
-ers, asking them questions, I hope they learn to recognize that all of us are people who have their strengths and shortcomings, our successes and disappointments. I think by writing about others, hearing from different people with different experiences than you, you develop empathy.”
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WHAT HAVE NORTHWOOD'S CLUBS BEEN UP TO?
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BY MAE CONNERS STAFF WRITER
F C C L A
(FAMILY CAREER COMMUNITY LEADERS OF AMERICA) Won a Chapter Membership Award for doubling membership without COVID funding. Had 2 national qualifying teams in Nutrution & Wellness and Food Innovations.
STUDENT COUNCIL
President: Hannah Barnes
Competed in the Piedmont regional competition, where students participated in a variety of subjects, including, but not limited to anatomy, catapults, rocket building, chemistry labs, and forensics. Ninth place in the ornithology event went to Ragul Ramesh and Jacob Ewy.
SCIENCE OLYMPIAD
(HEALTH OCCUPATIONS STUDENTS OF AMERICA) 24 students placed top 10 at Regionals, 7 placed top 10 in State Leadership Conference. Largest Chapter in the 3A Division, won The Century Club Award & NC Golden Star Chapter Award Hosted a Blood Drive. Pres: Simar Kaur, Lauryn Womble
H O S A (SUSTAINABLE STUDENT SOCIETY)
Organized three NHS campus cleanups. Held a pop-up thrift shop for three days, with proceeds donated entirely to the League of Conservation Voters (LCV).
SSS
President: Anna Beck
F F A (MATH HONORS SOCIETY)
Attended Horton Middle School for three months every Wednesday to tutor the sixth, seventh, and eighth graders.
President: Noah Civiletti
(FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA) Won a National Chapter Award. Bailey Jones got an American FFA degree. Matthew Sullivan and Logan Quinlan got State FFA degrees. Had a second place State Horse Judging Team. President: Victoria Smith
MU ALPHA THETA
Achieved Honor Council status at NC Association of Student Councils' state convention in March. Kennedy Poston, Roselynn Hopp, and Aza McFadden inducted into the NCASC Hall of Fame.
President: Kennedy Poston Took home second place at the NC State Improvisation Competition, where teams participated in improv games in front of judges. Simar Kaur was awarded “Best Supporting Player” and Sam Cibulski was recognized as “Most Witty." President: Hannah O'Neill
UNIFIED
(A MARKETING CLUB FOR STUDENTS) 8 students placed top 10 or higher in DECA Districts, and 10 students were recognized as top test scorers. Savannah Matthews and Sarah Barbour placed top 3 in their subjects at States. Had a pumpkin decorating contest in October.
FCA
(FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF AMERICA) 2 students placed first in their subjects at Regional Leadership Conference. 6 students placed in the top 10 in their subjects at the State Leadership Conference.
President: Declan Leigh
D R A
M
A
Hosted and participated in four Unified sports events, including, kickball, indoor soccer and flag football. Threw an inclusive holiday party. Has even more events planned before the year's end, such as a banquet. President: Lindsey Vickers
D E C A (FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES)
Participatd in two CORA food drives with HOSA. Made cards for nursing homes during the holiday season. Were involved in the Christmas Shoe Box project.
F B L A
May 2022
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Ms. Adloo’s Hidden Gem Books in Northwood’s Library
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BY HUNTER LIEGL STAFF WRITER
The Northwood library is home to many, many books. With that many books, there are bound to be some relatively unknown books in the library that may just peak a Northwood student’s interest. Media Center Specialist Kelsie Adloo came up with some suggestions of lesser known books that students can check out from the library.
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn, which takes place on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill, is a story about “magic and triumph” (Adloo’s words). Bree Matthews, a 16-year-old girl wanting nothing to do with her family, attends a residential program after her mother dies in a car accident. The perfect escape turns out to be less calm than expected with the presence of a flying demon, a secret society and magical powers which Bree has been unknowingly harboring. “This is such a fun read, especially for anyone familiar with Chapel Hill and UNC’s campus,” Adloo said. “Tracy Deonn has brought ‘Black Girl Magic’ in this fantastic new series. There’s great backstory and world building, and excellent character development.
Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Brunt is a story set in 1987 that centers on a 14-year -old girl named June who has to deal with the death of her uncle. June receives a gift from an unfamiliar stranger that was present during her uncle’s funeral. Adloo says that in this novel “unbreakable bonds are formed and family secrets are revealed due to the gift [June receives].” “This book will go straight for your heart,” Adloo says. “The character development and writing style are absolutely beautiful and the story will stick with you long after you’ve finished reading.”
For those interested in ghost stories, Adloo recommends A Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds. Will’s brother, Shawn, has been murdered. Revenge is on Will’s mind. With a gun in his hand and a target in mind, all that stands in his way is the elevator in his apartment complex…and the unexpected guests that visit him on each floor. “This is one of my go-to recommendations for students who think they don’t enjoy reading,” Adloo said. “Written in verse, the pacing is brilliant and will keep you turning those pages!”
Adloo recommends Dig by A.S. King, as For those interested in a LGBTQ+ story, well. The book is told from multiple perspecSissy: The Coming-of-Gender Story is an auto- tives. Dig brings out an unsolved mystery and biography by Jacob Tobia, a non-biniary activ- reveals a family secret during the story. ist and voice actor. The book details Tobia’s “The novel dives deep into the minds of experience growing up nonbinary in the South characters to tell a larger story,” Adloo said. and their eventual move to New York where “This book is not for the faint of heart. It they would become an activist and voice actor. wrecked me and then put me back together “Tobia was born in Raleigh and attended again better than before.” Duke University, so this is an especially cool Adloo advises a content warning for people read for North Carolinians,” Adloo said. “The as this book does contain sensitive content such audiobook is also available through Chatham as assault, racism, and drug use. PASS, which Northwood students can access anytime!”
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SPRING ‘22 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT BY ETHAN WESTMORELAND MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Apr 7, 8 and 9, the Northwood Art’s Department put on a production of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka. Theatre Teacher Kayla Sharp directed, Band Director Jason Freeman conducted the pit orchestra, and Visual Arts Teacher Leslie Burwell led setset design and construction. Photos Multimedia Editor (and author of this article) Ethan Abi Dasher and Quinn Hennessey as Grandpa Joe Westmoreland as the eponemous Willy Wonka. and Charlie Bucket. by Photography Teacher Jessica Cecchini.
(Left to right) Staff Writer Mae Conner, Staff Writer Eden Priddle and Rae Fridley as Violet Beauregard Liam Sovereign and A.C. Kappelman as Phineous and Mrs. Beauregard. Trout, Mr.Salt and Veruca Salt.
(Left to right) Levi Nash, Koda Robillard, Mae Conners as Ms. Teavee, Mike Teavee.
All-County
ART DAY
At this workshop, students worked together to construct a large wire sculpture of the now-extinct Chatham Rabbit.
“It’s been really fun to meet new people and collaborate,” senior Elizabeth Conger said.
Thursday, Apr. 28 was Chatham County’s first annual All-County Art Day. Students from Seaforth High Schoool, Jordan-Matthews High School and Chatham Central High School joined Northwood students in the arts wing for three workshops presented by local artists.
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Northwood Art Show
Friday, May 14, Northwood hosted the annual Art Show, featuring work from students in all of Northwood’s Visual Arts classes (Visual Art I, Visual Art II, Visual Art III, AP Art, and Photography.)
Three-canvas piece by junior Grace Rogan
Sculpture piece by junior Ella Crowley
Character design piece by senior Jade Schieder
Digital piece by senior Jade Schieder
Painting by junior Sophia Roberts
Photo of yarn piece by senior Ethan Westmoreland
Senior Elizabeth Conger stands with her painting
Sketch and photography by student artists
Paintings by senior Maggie Ferber
Painting by junior Samantha Thurber
Sculptures by student artists
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What are you selling? Who is your audience? What are your prices? Do you have business partners? Written and Designed by MUD SCHWANKL STAFF WRITER
Young people can be creative, and may want a way to profit from their creativity. Although many business platforms, like Etsy, requrire you to be 18 or older, this doesn’t mean you can’t sell. Ask an older friend, adult, or parent to set up your business for you so you can still sell your merchaindise on these platforms. Starting your own business can be stressful, so here are some tips on how to sell or make products in a easy, stress-free way.
Where are you located? What is your motivation? When deciding what you want to sell, it’s important to keep in mind how much it will cost you to make the product. For example, if you want to make clay pins, the clay may cost around $16.00. A jewelrymaking kit can be around $30. Jewelry wire can be around $12. You don’t always have to buy from big companies like Amazon. You can go to thrift shops, where you can buy fabric, find toys that you can use parts of, go to swap-and- shops, dumpster dive, and even find things on the ground or at scrap metal shops.
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If you’re making the product on your own, you may want to time how long you work; that way it’s easier to know how long you’re spending on each piece.
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Graduation The Omniscient
Northwood’s Ceremony Over the Years BY ALIANA ROBLES-MARANO STAFF WRITER
pandemic replaced the normal graduation with a drive-through event. In other states, some high schools held a This year’s graduation will be held on Northwood’s football field with the senior class virtual ceremony, hosted an in-person event in July, or held a ceremony before their state went ready to say their farewells. Rehearsal for the into a lockdown. event will be held Thursday, June 9 at 3 PM; “It sucked not getting the full experience,” the ceremony will be held the following day Northwood Class of 2020 alumnus Kevin at 10 AM. Each graduate has unlimited guest tickets for the ceremony and a livestream will Moreno said. “I had been looking forward to this since the start of freshman year, but at least be available on Northwood’s website. I got some form of graduation.” A rain plan is in place for undesirable 2019 was the last year that Northwood weather; under this plan, the ceremony would held a full graduation ceremony at Carmichael be moved into the gym and limits the number of tickets each student receives to six: four for Arena at the University of North Carolina at gym access and two for remote viewing in the Chapel Hill. “We had been working with [Carmicheal auditorium. Arena] for almost 15 years, so we knew the faThe graduation ceremony in 2021 had its cility and how to run the graduation smoothly,” unique challenges due to safety protocols. Despite these difficulties, the ceremony looked Social Studies Teacher and graduation coordivery similar to this year’s plan; 2021’s ceremo- nator Skip Thibault said. Despite the setbacks from prior years, a ny was the first graduation event that was held graduation event is still being planned for on Northwood’s football field since 2004. 2022.Thibault has led the organization and “It was very difficult graduating during a planning for this year’s event. pandemic because the future seemed so un“This is a total team effort,” Thibault said. clear,” Northwood Class of 2021 alumna Ella “I have just become the face of it for pulling Sullivan said. “I’m glad I got to have an inthings together. This year, Mr. [Lorenzo] Davis person graduation, but wish I could have had and I have been working closely together to the full senior experience.” However, the graduation ceremony for the plan the event.” Class of 2020 looked entirely different. The
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Students Support Sports Selling Snacks:
UNC CONCESSIONS BY MATTHEW SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER
Fundraising is an important part of any successful program, making it a necessity for Northwood’s athletic department. In Sep. 2021, students and parents from various sports teams began volunteering for the first time this school year at the concession stands at Kenan Memorial Stadium and the Dean Smith Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). Northwood Athletic Director Cameron Vernon said that each sport benefits from participating in different ways. “Coaches and teams have sport-specific needs that… use the funds,” Vernon said. “For instance, baseball might need a new pitching machine, girls lacrosse might need new kickback nets or a backstop net for the soccer field. Those items are paid for through fundraising efforts like UNC Concessions.”
Fundraising allows each sports team to pay for the essential items for their program. Vernon explained that the money is divided evenly among each team, regardless of how much is raised on a certain night. He hopes that Northwood students will continue to volunteer in the coming years, depending on coaches, players and parental support.
“[Northwood] expressed interest to UNC and [was] lucky enough to get on the schedule,” Vernon said. “During the fall, we raised approximately $7,800.” He expects future seasons to raise more. Some students have also seen the benefits of fundraising. Junior Savannah Matthews, a swimmer, says this form of fundraising benefits her team. “I chose to volunteer for UNC concessions because I wanted to support my team and I had friends volunteering with me,” Matthews said. “The money raised went to pay for pool time at our practice facility… I know that we would not [be] able to swim if we didn’t have the funds for pool time.” Similarly, junior Kalena Delgado, a member of the dance team, enjoyed being able to interact with customers. She said that being a cashier for the night was a unique experience that she appreciated having. “[The money we raised] will likely go towards paying for our summer camp,” Delgado said. “Despite falling under the sports umbrella, having to get physicals and being invited to the sports banquet, the dance team is not recognized as a sport in the [North Carolina] School System… We have to fundraise through events such as UNC Concessions to alleviate some of the money our parents have to pay to support our team.” This fundraising effort not only benefits Northwood, but UNC as well. Alexander Blanco, Director of Operations for UNC Athletics, said that volunteers are essential to making the games run smoothly. “Because there are so limited football and basketball events in college venues, it becomes a challenge to maintain a full-time staff, or even part-time staff, for such a seasonal position,” Blanco said. “By bringing in non-profit groups, it alleviates that need for such a big workforce. To fully staff a typical football game, it takes around 450 employees and volun-
-teers.” Looking to the future, Northwood students hope to continue supporting the local community through their volunteer work.
“[Volunteers help] with the challenge of maintaining a large workforce for such a limited time,” Blanco said. “There will always be an opportunity to volunteer with us in the future.”
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Having Computer Problems? CTE Technician Mr. Love would love to help BY GRACE LEONARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Every student at Northwood has at least one thing in common: their Google Chromebooks. Chromebooks can be finicky and might malfunction during their four years with you, but don’t try to troubleshoot them yourself as Northwood has IT specialist Mark Love to fix them for you. Love sees all sorts of computer problems from cracked screens to loose hinges, but most commonly he sees broken keyboards. To fix this he has to go into the machine and open it up, or use a special spray to clean the keys out. Almost every complication with computers requires Love’s aid, and he wants it that way. “[Students] don’t need to try and fix it themselves because in the past students have come to me with ‘I’ve tried to fix this’ and it makes it worse,” Love said. “If you have any problems, come see me.” Love says there is one situation where a student should take matters into their own hands. “If they’re having [wifi] problems at home but it works at school then they need to call
make it as smooth as possible. The first step is to charge your Chromebook and the next step is to restart it. “If you just restart your Chromebook, just like anything else, it will fix a lot of things,” Love said. “If it is a software issue and it’s glitching…a lot of times if they just restart it, it fixes it.” To prevent having issues with your Chromebook–although some are unavoidable–and to help him out, Love offers some important rules. “Do not take your cover off,” Love said. “Do not put stickers on it. Do not sling your computer around. Do not take your anger out on your computer. Treat your laptop as if you bought it with your own money.” their internet provider; then they can fix it that Love encourages you to reach out to him way for home use, but anything else–especially with all of your computer questions and asks the hardware–I’m really wary of having them that you take your computer to him immediatefix on their own,” Love said. ly if there is any sort of problem. You can email Getting your computer fixed is just an aphim at mlove@chatham.k12.nc.us. pointment away, and Love tries to make it easy. “The best way, if a student really needs to see me, is just to email me, and I respond pretty quick,” Love said. Before you have your appointment with Love, there are a few things that you can do to
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BY ROSALIE DENIEUL STAFF WRITER
Patriotism in America
The United States of America is a country known around the world for having a patriotic citizenry in comparison to others. In France, the notion of being “proud” of one’s country is perceived differently than in the United States. The American brand of patriotism is foreign to many people in France. While Americans express their patriotism in symbols and words, like flying American flags in front of their homes or saying the Pledge of Allegiance, in France, there are generally no flags in front of houses (perhaps the only person who has a flag in front of his house is the president, Emmanuel Macron, at his official residence, the Élysée, in Paris), and students don’t pledge allegiance to the French flag at school. For many people in the United States, sports are an important part of life; in high school, a lot of students participate in sports, and for some, it’s what makes them proud of their country. “Something that I’m most proud of in the United States is basketball,” senior Caroline Allen said. For others, the arts are also an important source of patriotic pride. “I’m most proud of our arts like dance and music,” senior Hannah O’Neill said.
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For senior Caroline Murrell, American patriotism is about recognizing the strides the U.S. has made in equality and opportunity. “I’m most proud of the opportunities, the freedom, and the inclusivity that we have in the United States, and how far we’ve come,” Murrell said. “I definitely do think there are still issues, and we’re experiencing setbacks. It’s not perfect, but I’m proud of the progress that we’ve made, [and] there is still more to go.” English as a Second Language Teacher Chris Atkins has a unique perspective on the U.S. as someone who has lived in the U.S. since 2002, but is a citizen of the United Kingdom. “The thing I’m most proud of [about the U.S.] is [that] Americans are very slow to judge people…not necessarily on where they come from, but what sort of background they have,” Atkins said. “I think that they are very good at judging people for what they do–their actual actions…[On the other hand], I think the United States is parochial. It doesn’t look beyond itself, doesn’t see its connections to the world. Many Americans don’t really travel, so they don ‘t really have an idea of what countries outside of the USA are like. I don’t like the fact that they think that they are the world’s greatest country when, in fact, every country I’ve ever visited thinks they are the world’s greatest country–they’re all the same...It’s [also] not
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very free in terms of how people can vote and who can vote. It limits that sort of thing, even though it claims to be the world’s biggest and greatest democracy.” An American’s political opinions can be a reason to have pride in their country, but they can also be a reason for a lack of patriotism. “I’m less proud of the election process and the school system [in the U.S.],” senior Hannah O’Neill said. Social Studies Teacher Skip Thibault, who teaches civics at Northwood, explains that he is not proud of certain inequalities that exist in the United States, but that he supports the fact that the United States is a country which has extensive knowledge in medicine and scientific research. “What I’m most proud of is probably scientific achievement…and least proud of, I think it’s probably a tie between racism and homelessness,” Thibault said.
Patriotism in France
In France, the word “pride” (fierté) is perceived differently than in the United States. Overall, people’s national identity is generally less important. (Note: the following quotes from French sources have been translated into English). As Romane Denieul, an 18-year-old French medical student, explained, “I am not proud to be French. I think the most accurate term
Page 18 would be that I am happy to be French, that I am lucky to live in France, to have so many rights, but I think the notion of pride is not appropriate… the notion of pride for me would only be applied to something that I would have accomplished.” Dominique Denieul, mayor of Piré Chancé in the Brittany region, agrees that France is a country with many values, rights and cultural wealth that should not be taken for granted. “I love France because it is a country that has a cultural richness, a diversity of origin with each region, but all with a remarkable heritage and history,” said Denieul. “France has been able to highlight its gastronomie (cuisine) which is now recognized throughout the world…I am proud to live in a country…where democracy has an important place. France has [also] been able to create a health system accessible to all, almost free. What I don’t like seeing is that there are fewer and fewer people participating in all the elections, except those with extreme views. This solely pushes politicians with similarly extreme views into power. I think that young French people in particular forget the history of their country a little quickly and do not realize how lucky they are to live in a democratic and free country.”
Importance of Political Knowledge
It can be difficult for people to have specific opinions about their country if they are not directly involved in national politics. Many of the French people interviewed for this story said that politics are difficult to understand, and that
The Omniscient politicians and the media that cover them are corrupt and childish. Jeanne Lehurt of Brittany says that “no matter what [someone] believes, [they] will always be disappointed” in decisions politicians make. Adèle Rivé, a high school student, also from Brittany, says that politicians “always use terms that [she doesn’t] understand.” Marie Monique Didier of Valence in the South of France says that politicians often say things that are “more idiotic than even they are themselves.” Back in The United States, 50 Northwood students were asked if they were interested in the politics of their country; 35 students said yes and 14 said no. When senior Tessa Barni was asked why she thinks high school students may be interested or uninterested in politics, she said, “I think that students are interested in politics because it’s such a big part of our daily lives. [And] even if you’re not really interested, it really plays a big part in everything you do. Everyone has their own opinions, and I know not everyone likes to talk about politics, but policies and the decisions of politicians impact our daily lives…It’s not really everyone’s favorite subject, but you kind of have to talk about it, even if you don’t want to.”
Nationalism v. Patriotism For American History Teacher David Orphal, to be patriotic is to have “love for [one’s] country” even if we know it’s not perfect. Orphal considers patriotism and nationalism to be distinct from one another. “We’re a nation in progress,” Orphal said.
May 2022 We’ve got a plan on how we want the country to be, and then we’re progressing toward it… I think when people’s loyalty to their country is blind, [it’s] like my country is right or wrong. I love my country no matter what, no matter what it does– that is when patriotism becomes nationalism. And I think nationalism is very dangerous.” “ ‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity’ is the motto of France,” Denieul said.“We value our freedom, freedom of expression. Equality is the social side–access to care, solidarity with each other–and fraternity is living together regardless of origin. It’s tolerance, debate, accepting the ideas of others even if you don’t agree. When you are patriots, you defend your country and what it represents; you defend our values.” Despite the fact that “pride” is perceived differently in each country, the definition of patriotism that both groups seem to accept is that patriotism is about loving your country through honoring its values, debating issues with others in a respectful way, and fighting for people’s right to freedom and equality. Orphal, Denieul and others believe that patriotism is a happy medium between a person who thinks that his country is perfect and does not make mistakes, and a person who does not care about their country at all. As Charles de Gaulle (former President of the French Republic) said, “Patriotism is to love one’s country. Nationalism is hating that of others.”
May 2022
The Omniscient
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CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF 2022! Senior Wills & Testaments
I, MAGGIE FERBER, of unsound mind and crippled body, do hereby leave Sñr. Lupoli’s spring third period class of 2021 a flipped table, Sñr. Lupoli a hippo, Mrs. Freeman liquid chalk bubbles positively everywhere, and the entire school a vast questionable knowledge of Greek myth along with random world history that really nobody should know. I also leave Chloe Wheeler a single finger from my right hand. I also leave whoever hit my car in the school lot the detached bumper. Thanks for that. I, NATALIE BELL, being of sound mind and tired body, do hereby leave my basketball determination to Natalia Whitaker. I leave my softball facial expressions to Callen Perchinsky. I, MIKAYLA GUZZI, being of procrastinated mind and sleepless body, do hereby leave anyone who gets caught in the hallway traffic in the cafeteria hallway after plus one my ability to swerve between people to avoid being ran over and my best wishes to the amazing marching band (particularly guard! much love <3) I, ALI POTEETE, being of aimless mind and exhausted body, do hereby leave anyone who forgets to get gas before school the ability to remember and leave early enough to get gas and be in your seat in exactly 7:58 am. I, KODA ROBILLARD, being of exhausted mind and body, hereby leave my ability so somehow have all my teachers like me even when I do no work in their class. I, JOSHUA BULLOCK, being of sound mind and tired body, do hereby leave nothing because doing more than the absolute minimum is against my code of honor. I, MAKAYLA PASK, being of a stressed mind and tired body, do hereby leave those who arrive before the doors open a little extra warmth... To whom has warmed my heart with their kindness and friendship, I give my love and best wishes. To those who tried to stir up drama in my life, I leave you my procrastination so I don’t have to take that to college with me. And lastly, to my sweet darling Ava Jones, I leave my love, gratitude, and math smarts.. I know she will need those. And I leave everyone with a thank you, for making my senior year a little more special, even if I did transfer. I, NOAH BARNETT, being of unstable mind and swagger body, do hereby give grace to all of the kids who actually use the bathroom in this school. I, ELIZABETH CONGER, being of semi-sound mind and exhausted body, do hereby leave all the memories, good and bad, to my friends, teachers, and everyone else who helped me through my education thus far.
I, ALEXANDRA ALVAREZ CHIRINO, being of sound mind and tired body, do hereby leave release anyone who reaches the traffic lane to enter the school five minutes before class begins. More advice than I would give to all of you, do not stop, continue with the desire to study and get ahead, so that later you cannot regret not having achieved it. I know that every day you strive to move forward and put that desire, and continue like this so that later the results that could be achieved can be seen. For my brother Gabriel, I leave you this, continue with that desire, that restlessness to give everything. You are very intelligent and you will always be; nothing and no one makes you doubt yourself, you can do a lot. And for everyone, the last thing I say is that you also enjoy this stage of life, because you only have one. I, OLIVIA THILL, being of mentally ill mind and tired body, do hereby leave my fashion sense to the mannequins of nursing fundamentals. I, KELSEY MOORE, graduate of Northwood high school, would like to say that you should stay on task, stay true to yourself, and never get in any drama. I leave breyana stackhouse my bestfriend all my luck, happiness, and laughs. All the other people I love and my closest friends, they know who they are, I leave them with all my luck and happiness as well. All of them are juniors and are right behind me :). I love y’all. y’all got this. I, AZA MCFADDEN, being of peace, love, mind, and a very attractive yet short body, hereby leave my lovely fashion sense to Kalena Delgado. May she always show up to school and eat you all up. To Naki Ellis I leave all my good times, may you enjoy your high school year with no regrets. I leave lots of laughs from listening to that one video every time we’re at my house to Emma Korey, and awkward hallway encounters to Dream Walker. To Aniya Crump and Bianca I leave my ability to catwalk into class ten minutes. I leave my “slight” shade throwing to Bella Brown, and Kaidyn Blank, you already have my shopping addiction. To Lexi Anthenien, I leave my congratulations. I know you’re going to get into whatever college you so desire and prosper. To Revy Godehn, I leave my love because you are sweetest and to Catherine Hall I leave my laughter because you’re too funny. To your new Student Body Vice President, I leave Deon Bailey prayers and organizational skills. And to Sofia Alvarado-Marin I leave side eye and facial expressions (use it wisely). To Alayna McLandsborough, Rae Fridley, and Nellielou Errett, I leave my smart mouth. May someone try you one day and you leave them in awe. To Kennedy Knoll, I leave my congratulations for getting through AP Lang, pur. To G (Gianna), I leave all my TI-84 calculator and math note, yk why. And to Giselle Hernandez and Beckett Brantley I leave you my lovely driving skills, may you never back into your dad’s lawn mower :) any time of the day.
The Northwood Omniscient is an award-winning student magazine. In 2021, the publication received the Tar Heel Award for its website from the North Carolina Scholastic Media Association (NCSMA) along with recognititon for many individual students’ pieces. If you are interested in journalism, current events, writing or graphic design, then The Northwood Omniscient is for you. As a journalism student, you will practice your writing, editing and creative skills while working with other student journalists. To become a staff member for The Northwood Omniscient, join Journalism Club or apply for the Journalism class. ~ To learn more about both the club and class, please contact Ms. Eliza Brinkley at ebrinkley@chatham.k12.nc.us.