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November 2013
The Omniscient
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The Omniscient
Table of Contents News Eating Disorders 4-5 Expansion of Pittsboro 6-7 Struggling with Cancer 8-9 Blice leaves, Dr. B arrives 10 Words 11 Smith Wins Money 12 Homeschooling 13
Taylor Maloch/The Omniscient
Pittsboro is getting ready to expand. pg 6&7
Entertainment Cosplay 14-15 Chris Hackney Raps 16 Art Spotlight 17 Remembering the ’90s 18 New Theater Teacher 19 Photo Courtesy of Chris Hackney
Opinion 20-21
Chris Hackney hopes to become successful. pg 16
Sports Why Coach High School? 22 Q+A with Tobais Palmer 23 Colorguard 24 Under-appreciated sports 25 Recruiting Process 26-27 Supercharged 28
Ethan Hyman/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT
Tobais Palmer does a Q+A with The Omniscient. pg 23
- THE NORTHWOOD -
OMNISCIENT - STAFF -
EDITORS Jessica Clayton—Graphic Editor Allison DeJong—Editor-in-Chief Taylor Maloch—Social Media Editor Lauren Merrill—Social Media Editor Tori Nothnagel— Photo Editor Tyler White—Online Co-Editor Morgan Yigdal—Online Co-Editor STAFF WRITERS Rachel Boyle Savannah Castor Courtney Cleveland Jordan Dalton John Dunning Chloe Gruesback
Marlene Gutierrez Vanessa Jones Kenya Lee Savannah Maloch Mariah Moon Valentina Moreno Meredith Norman Savannah Raynor Emma Reinberg Zachary Robillard Ellie Saksa Jack Teague Dana Walker Skyler Waugh Jay Williams
-ADVISOR-
Neal Morgan nmorgan@chatham.k12.nc.us (919) 542-4181
The Northwood Omniscient is published by journalism students at Northwood High School. It aims to present accurate coverage of events of interest to our readers, as well as provide an open forum for the opinions of students, faculty and the community. We welcome letters to the editor, which can be delivered to the advisor in Room 607 or sent to the school’s address. Letters must be signed, and the staff reserves the right to reject any letter containing libelous statements, to edit for length and to ascertain the truthfulness of the content. Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the editorial board. Columns, letters and cartoons represent the views of the authors.
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•10 million women battle anorexia or bulimia. •1 million men battle anorexia or bulimia. •There is about $40 billion spent on the dieting industry alone each year. •Approximently 80 percent of ten year olds are afraid of being fat.
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•42 percent of first through third grade girls wish to be thinner. •Eating disorder-related hospitalizations for ages 12 and under have increased 119 percent since 1996.
Source: National Eating Disorders Association
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One student shares her story
By Ally DeJong Editor-in-Chief
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“I don’t recommend it. I don’t even recommend myself doing it. It’s like a drug, once you start on it, you keep wanting to do it, and you can’t stop.”
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“I was called a pig, told I was never going to be skinny, you might as well go get liposuction or something and I mean, I would, if I had money. They just said anything that a fat girl would get called.” These were the words senior Aubrey Dale, which is not her real name, would hear from her peers when she was younger before she became bulimic. Bulimia is characterized as extreme overeating followed by bouts of purging, which is frequent self-induced vomiting. “[At first] it was really hard trying to make myself throw up. It would be so hard I would start crying, tears coming out of my eyes and everything,” Dale said. “It was disgusting, just having to sit there. Having to smell your own throw up, having to look at it, having it come out of your mouth. I knew that if I wanted to be skinny, I just had to do it, so I did.” Diet pills, surgery, anorexia, liposuction and bulimia were all options when Dale typed in the initial Google search “How to make yourself skinny without working out.” “Everyone [online] was like, ‘Don’t do it. This could hurt you.’ Some people were like, ‘It’s not bad unless you keep doing it.’ So I was like, ‘Whatever, I’ll find out for myself,’” Dale said. Dale first started making herself throw up in June 2013 and went from weighing 213 lbs. to weighing 180 lbs. She says her goal weight is 150 lbs. “I don’t recommend it. I don’t even recommend myself doing it. It’s like a drug, once you start on it, you keep wanting to do it, and you can’t stop,” Dale said. “It’ll take a lot for me to stop. All the comments that were made a long time ago replay in your head whenever you’re running, throwing up or eating.” Not only does Dale purge by throwing up, but she also works out to the point of exhaustion. “When I work out I guess not having something in my stomach would make me dizzy; I would see two things at once and I would lose my balance,” Dale said. Dale realizes what she is doing to herself isn’t healthy but she “doesn’t care” and says she is “addicted.” She often finds herself wondering why. “I always pray to God, ‘Why the heck did you have to do it to me? Why can’t you give me the strength to run and run and run and run? Why can’t you make it go away with a snap of a finger?’” Dale said. “Why did you choose me out of everyone else? Why do
I have to be the one to have to go through this?” She says she will do anything to not consume more calories than she burns and to reach her goal weight. “I would throw up and then [slowly] drink a gallon of water. I wanted that to fill me up,” Dale said. “I remember one time I cheated and I ate a cookie and I had to throw it back up right away. I felt so awful; I can’t even keep a cookie down so what else can I not keep down?” Dale’s mom, aunt, sister and a few close friends know about what she is doing to her body. “[My mom] keeps telling me to stop and I keep telling her to stay out of my life,” Dale said. “I do it without her knowing. [I will say] ‘Oh, hey, I’m going to the bathroom,’ and I’ll go upstairs, lock the door, turn the fan on and just do it. She would never know.” Recently, Dale’s sister has been wandering down the same, scary path. “I don’t want her to follow in my footsteps and then something bad happens to her. She is going to be in high school next year and it’s going to get so much worse,” Dale said. “She is already having suicidal thoughts and I’m scared because if someone says something to her that makes her commit suicide, I will feel horrible. I’m teaching her to throw up. I’m her model. I want to be a better sister.” Insults may have had the biggest impact on how Dale views her body, but society also plays a role. “[In advertisements] you see girls that are skinny and they’re not ashamed of their body. I go out and see girls and they’re in shorts basically rubbing it in my face like, ‘Oh, look at me, I can wear shorts, a bikini and cute little tops,’” Dale said. “I don’t want to have to go to a different store because it’s all for skinny people. I’ve never been in Hollister or Aeropostale; nothing. It’s all for skinny people. You’ll go in there and everyone will look at you.” At the end of every day, Dale feels the same emotion: lonliness. “Even when I had a boyfriend, I would just say, ‘What the hell do you see in me? Like why are you with me?’ It’s just embarrassing,” Dale said. “People judge a lot. I don’t think anyone should judge me off of this because they’re not in my place, they don’t know what it’s like.” Dale used to throw up after breakfast, snack, lunch and dinner, but says she is now only making herself throw up once a week. “I’m tired of throwing up; my throat throbs and it hurts. I don’t want to sit there and let acid eat my esophagus up,” Dale said. “I want to stop doing it because I don’t want something serious to happen. I don’t want to sit here and be in the newspaper because I died of my heart giving up because I’m not keeping nutrients in my body.”
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TOO MUCH
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The Omniscient
November 2013
Growing Pittsboro: By Chloe Gruesbeck and Taylor Maloch Staff Writer and Social Media Editor
Chloe Gruesbeck/The Omniscient
Pittsboro as we know it is about to change. Real estate development company Preston Development is proposing to build a new community called Chatham Park, a future space for businesses as well as homes. As of last year, Pittsboro’s current population was close to 4,000 people. According to town estimates the park will be over 7,000 acres and plans to house around 60,000 residents in the next 20-30 years. “The developers want [Chatham Park] to be significant in the same way the Research Triangle Park is,” Pittsboro town manager Bryan Gruesbeck said. “I think they want to attract developers that fit the same model.” Their idea is to have a technology park with a community feel to it. For commercial uses, the park will contain a “downtown style village” in addition to five other smaller shopping areas. Another feature would be a total of 600 acres of parks along with a nature trail, connecting the community to the Haw River and Jordan Lake. The town of Pittsboro has not set an official date for the town board to vote on the approval of the master plan for Chatham Park. For now, Chatham Park is still in the zoning process (organizing what part of the land will be commercial, residential, etc.) If the master plan is approved, construction of a 25,000 square foot medical office could break ground in a couple of months. Pittsboro is mainly known for its restored historical courthouse and quaint downtown area. Some residents in the community enjoy the town the way it is. “[The new expansion] will help Pittsboro, but it will take away the small town feel,” junior Maddie Adams said. “I lived in Cary for a while and the reason why [we] chose Pittsboro was because it was a small town.” Other Pittsboro residents see Chatham Park as a change for the better. “I grew up in the country on a farm, so a part of me is certainly going to miss the rural aspect,” lifelong Chatham County resident and science teacher Gary Oakley said.“If there is a way to preserve that rural feel and still have economic development, that would be a positive.” Confusion on the outcome of the new community is still present throughout Pittsboro. “It depends on how it’s done,” Pittsboro resident Paula Anstrom said. “If they plan wisely then it could be done well, but if they let it grow without any planning it could hurt [Pittsboro] greatly.” While some have mixed feelings about the construction of Chatham Park, the Haw River Assembly (an environmental activist organization also know as the HRA) is worried about the scale of the project and how it will affect the environment. “We need the most amount of space possible
between the water and the lakes and where these houses and businesses are being built,” Pittsboro resident and HRA member Efrain Ramirez said. “Whatever the runoff is from this whole development, it should be filtered and not go in the drinking water.” With the new development expected to add more than 10 times the current population, the size of Chatham Park is a concern to some residents. “I don’t want Chatham Park to overwhelm Pittsboro,” Ramirez said. “I want there to always be a traditional Pittsboro town center…. Let’s respect Pittsboro, what there is in Pittsboro and keep the historical area a vibrant community.” Chatham Park is planned to function as a “livework-play” community. Offices, shopping malls and homes are all set to be within walking distance of each other. “[Offices] could lead to more daytime population in the area than what we’ve been used to,” Gruesbeck said. “It will be a less of a bedroom community.” Chatham County Schools is anticipating the student population to double in the next 10 years according to the school system. “[Northwood has] been growing around 100-150 students [each year],” former principal Chris Blice said. “This past year we grew around 110 [students]; I’m predicting next year we will probably grow by about 120-130.” The new expansion will also enlarge the student population. Chatham County Schools is anticipating the school population going from 800 to 18,000 according to Indy Week. In the years to come, eight elementary schools will be added as well as two middle schools and two high schools across the county. Northwood High School could expand in the future. “If we [expand] we are not going to just add classrooms, we will eliminate the foreign language and the math pods and build a building that will contain those classrooms and more,” Blice said. A problem some Pittsboro residents seem to have is limited choices for shopping and places to eat. Construction has already begun on a Bojangles that will be across the street from Northwood. A Waffle House is also approved and will be built beside KFC and Taco Bell. Chatham Park developers would like to increase the variety of shops in the community. “A better place to go shopping near home would be a positive,” Oakley said. “There are not very many interesting places to eat without having to ride to Durham or over to Southpoint; more options or places to eat would be great.” The town of Pittsboro and Preston Development are moving forward with Chatham Park despite opposition. “Change is coming, change comes everywhere, so it is exciting that at least I don’t have to move to another place in the world, that place is moving to me,” Oakley said.
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November 2013
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The Omniscient
November 2013
Coping with Cancer: Teens By D ana W alker S taff W riter
March 6, 2013. Just four months earlier, junior Jalen Smith lost his mother, Angelina Hayes, to breast cancer Nov. 16, 2012. Cancer—the six-letter diagnosis that no one wants to hear. “It was like I was dreaming, but woke up stuck in reality,” Smith said. “I don’t have my dad here to watch me do great things in life, see me graduHayes had been diagnosed with breast cancer twice previously when Smith ate and walk me down the aisle,” senior Taylor Mason said, who shed some was younger, but the third time was the most serious. light on her devastating experience with cancer. “The doctor found it early so they started doing chemotherapy, which took Sept. 6, 2011, was the day Mason and her family found out that her father, stress off my shoulders because I knew something was being done,” Smith said. Ronnie Mason, was diagnosed with lung cancer and that chemotherapy would It was during football season last year when Hayes’ condition started to get be needed. The next year and a half would become the hardest worse, leaving Smith to turn to his father and lean on him time that Mason has ever encountered. for support. “It’s hard watching the “Shocked” was the first word that came to her mind when “The past five years I didn’t have a relationship with my person that you love, that dad,” Smith said. reflecting on the emotions she felt as she heard the news. “I didn’t think he actually had cancer; we just thought that When his father found out about Hayes’s condition, they you grew up around and his vision was messed up, but it ended up being a tumor,” began to develop the “father-son” relationship they never that you call your father go Mason said. had which helped him immensely. through cancer. It affects It took months for reality to sink in that this was “real life” “Probably the worst thing is when the doctor tells you and that death was a possibility. they don’t know how long the patient has to live,” Smith you tremendously.” Chemotherapy is a common treatment plan for cancer — Kadarus Ronesaid. patients and is hard on not only the patient, but the family as Smith must now do things on his own and having only well. one parent, lives a different life. “It was pretty rough because he was sick all the time, he “I grew up so close to my mom and it is a tragic thing to lost a lot of weight (100 lbs.) and turned into a completely diflose the parent that plays the role of a mother, father and a ferent person,” Mason said. “Knowing that he was going through such a tough best friend, knowing that you can’t get them back.” time and suffering was awful.” When thinking about the future and about not having his mom there with During this time, Mason says that family and religion were the two things him, Smith said, “I know she won’t be there physically, but it will make me feel that helped her. She says the battle with cancer made them stronger as a family proud of myself to say that I was still able to do something even after losing a because they stuck together and worked as a team to deal with the pain. parent.” “We don’t need easy, just possible,” was the inspirational quote printed on Junior Kadarus Rone lost his father, Robert Henry “Poppa” Rone Jr. to rectal the back of the cancer Sept. 2, 2011. “Rally for Ron“On the day before he died, I asked him if I should quit playing sports. nie” t-shirts made He told me to grab his hand so I did; he squeezed it hard and told me to keep by the Masons, playing sports and make it out of Pittsboro,” Rone said. “He told me he would worn by famalways be watching.” ily and friends Rone plays both varsity football and basketball as well as AAU basketball, when walking in which requires him to travel around the country to compete. His father never an event to help missed a game, even when he was sick and in bad condition. raise money for “When I first scored in football, I was emotional because I knew he wasn’t research to find a there physically, but that he was smiling and looking down at me,” Rone said. cure for cancer. “He was my motivator in sports and anything I did.” “Watching Rone’s father went into surgery many times but before the last one, a code someone go blue was called in his hospital room. through cancer “I was sleeping in his room, I woke up and saw doctors surrounding him and and knowing they told me I needed to get out of the room,” Rone said. “I thought he had died there is nothing then and I was scared.” you can do to His father went into a week-long coma and regained consciousness on a Sunhelp is the worst day. It seemed like everything was getting better until the infections came back, feeling,” Mason spreading throughout his body. said. He underwent chemotherapy every Friday, picking up Rone early from school Photo Courtesy of Taylor Mason Mason’s father because he wanted Rone to go with him to the doctors. The teachers were aware Taylor Mason and her father support cancer by walk- passed away on of the school time that Rone was missing every Friday. ing at Relay for Life.
Lung cancer is the
most common cancer in women (26%), followed by breast (14%), and colon & rectum (9%) are the leading sites of cancer death. Cancer remains the second most common cause of death in the U.S.
Lung cancer is the most common cancer in men (28%), followed by prostate (10%) and colon & rectum (9%).
Almost 1,600 people die every day from cancer. Source: http://www.cancer.org/ research/cancerfactsstatistics/cancerfactsfigures2013/index
November 2013
The Omniscient
struggle having a sick parent
Page 9
RIGHT: The Chargers football team honored Kadarus Rone’s father by signing the hand made frame to the right, Photo Courtesy of Kadarus Rone.
Photo Courtesy of Maria Reichle
Maria Reichle and her mother wear matching t-shirts to support finding a cure. “They told me to go to spend more time with him because they knew he would pass away sometime soon,” Rone said. Rone says football coach Bill Hall and both the football and basketball teams helped and continue to help Rone deal with the loss. Both his mother and grandmother support and motivate him. “It’s hard watching the person that you love, that you grew up around and that you call your father go through cancer. It affects you tremendously,” Rone said. Junior Maria Reichle’s mother, Nancy, has been fighting cancer since October 2006. It started off as breast cancer, which went away, only to reappear in her liver. As with Mason, Reichle was in shock when first hearing about her mother’s new condition and didn’t really understand what was happening. “I don’t even remember the beginning of it,” Reichle said. “My mom told me that sometimes she was so sick she couldn’t get out of the bed, but I don’t remember any of that.” Cancer has been an ongoing struggle in Reichle’s home for almost seven years. Her passion for dance is one thing that she knows will help her get through it. “I feel like I can go and let out all my emotions when I dance,” Reichle said. Reichle’s mother continues to fight the battle against cancer, hoping to be eventually cancer-free. “I’ve had a few friends that it was ongoing and it killed them, but my mom has had it for five years now, so I don’t really know what to expect. I think she is doing really well now, but you never know,” Reichle said. For all families battling cancer, the struggles and outcomes are different, but they all agree that cancer has a terrible impact on their lives not ever knowing which day might be the last.
“[My mother] made the frames to support them, so they can keep going, [because] it’s hard to live life without two parents. It is really hard and difficult because [my mom] she didn’t really live with both of her parents. They were really thankful for it.” — Jonathan Pena, Sr.
LEFT: The Chargers football team honored Jalen Smith’s mother by signing a hand made frame. Photo Courtesy of Jalen Smith BELOW: Relay for Life, an event that helps to raise money for cancer, annually held at Northwood. Photo courtesy of Taylor Mason.
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The Omniscient
November 2013
Out with the old, in with the Bartholo-new Principal Blice leaves Northwood during sixth year By S kyler W augh S taff W riter
Every morning, he is there waving cars along and talking to the students. Chris Blice has been the backbone of Northwood for five years. Recently he was offered a job at Chatham County Office and decided to seize the opportunity. “I have mixed feelings,” Blice said. “I am excited about the opportunity but I am really sad about leaving Northwood.” Justin Bartholomew, formal principal of Margaret Pollard Middle School moved into the position as principal Oct. 21. Blice’s responsibilities vary from overseeing transportation to maintenance. He is currently working on future schools for Chatham County. “I am going to a lot of meetings working on a strategic plan for the new schools that we will be building in the next 30 years,” Blice said. In recent years, Northwood has made improvements. The Washington Post named Northwood as one of “America’s Most Challenging High Schools of 2013.” U.S News and Report also identified Northwood as one of “2013 Best High Schools.” “I think the hardest thing for me is going to be missing being at the school every day with young people and teachers, it really is going to be hard,” Blice said. “I loved everyday of being the principal and I will love [it] until I hand the key to Dr. B and say ‘It is yours’ and walk out the door. That is going to be the hardest thing,” Blice said, choking up while discussing his move. Some teachers and students thrived on his positive attitude and determination to make Northwood the place that it is. “I think that Blice turned the school around and he should not leave. He picks up trash which I have never seen anyone do except if they are getting paid for it. It is showing good character,” senior Gabe Duff said. Although most will miss his presence, some are optimistic that the new principal will pick up where Blice left of. “[Bartholomew] was well accomplished and knew what he was doing but it just gives a chance for Dr. B to come in and take the role [as principal],” sophomore Arlo Estill said. The students are not the only ones affected by the change. Teachers have grown accustomed to Blice and many are sad about his departure. “I am really sad about it. He has been Photos by Marlene Gutierrez/The Omniscient here for a long time; I have gotten pretty
close with him,” history teacher Skip Thibault said. “He has really brought us a long way, he has done a lot of great things for the school. I think we will probably keep going in the right direction but I am going to miss him a lot.” Although people are disappointed Blice is moving on, many are supportive in his decision of taking the new job. “I am really happy that he has a move in his career that he is pleased with but I am very sad to see him go,” Spanish teacher Bethanie Adams said. “I really enjoyed having him as my principal.” Bartholomew is excited and confident about his transition to Northwood. “The nice thing is that [Blice] and I worked together for the last five and a half years and we are still going to work together. I think that part of my success is my ability to communicate with him,” Bartholomew said. “It is a relationship you always want to continue.” Bartholomew has been in high school environments for many years. He began at Pentucket High School in Massachusetts. After moving south, he taught biology at Chapel Hill High School, then became the assistant princiapl there. He later went on to be the principal at Horton Middle School, Moncure and finally Pollard Middle School. “The moment I found out, I was sitting in my office and Dr. Jordan came in. He said he wanted to speak to me,” Bartholomew said. “He told me about Mr. Blice moving on up to Central Office and asked how would I feel about going up to Northwood.” He remembers every detail about that Monday. The opportunity to return to a high school was right in front of him. “As a school continues to grow, to move on, is a tough thing to do. But you know that is what life is,” Bartholomew said. “You go through certain periods in your life where you just have to say ‘Okay, it is my time. I have got to move on to the next part of my life.’” Filling the space that Blice left behind is going to be challenging. “He is taller than I am, so naturally he is going to have bigger feet!” Bartholomew said. “Mr. Blice did a fabulous job. In the five and a half years he has been there, he has done amazing work.” As the year is inching past, Northwood is going to experience changes that will keep the school progressing. Nothing was put into action until Pollard found a replacement for Bartholomew. “It has been an honor,” Blice said. “It is been a great experience and I would not trade it for anything.”
Northwood’s Acheivements with Blice as Principal
‘08-’09
‘10-’11
Raised test scores by 9% NHS chosen to be a school of distinction by the NCDPI
‘09-’10
‘12-’13
Northwood became NC school of distinction for the first time
Washington Post national challenge school
88.9% proficiency in ABC composite scores which was the highest in Chatham County
‘11-’12
In Newsweek for being one of the top high schools in the country
‘13-’14
November 2013
Page 11
The Omniscient
Talk Wordy to Me
Uproar over slang in the dictionary By Tyler White Online Co-Editor
The words “twerk” and “selfie” have recently been added to the Oxford Dictionaries Online. These two words join other pop culture words that have been added from the past such as “jeggings” and “totes.” While the Oxford Online Dictionary focuses mainly on current language and practical uses of words, the Oxford English Dictionary focuses on how words have changed over time. The addition of these informal words have some people upset about the legitimacy of these terms. The English language, as with all living languages in general, is fluid and always changing: words are added, modified and sometimes removed. The addition of these words is not a recent phenomenon. “The process might be quicker now because of all the immediacy of technology, internet and social media,” English teacher Pat Thornhill said. “That may be speeding it up to some degree, but it’s certainly not a new thing.” Some words are created as new things are created, and new words are needed to describe these objects. A good example of this is “Google” used as a verb. Googling came to be once people started using the search engine widely. The word stuck, and therefore caught the eye of dictionary editors. “It’s certainly true that if we have a thing that enters into our consciousness, then we have to have a way of naming that thing,” said slang and vernacular expert Dr. Connie Eble of UNC-Chapel Hill. Other words simply come from people giving things new names. “Most of the words we get in language are not because we get new things, they’re just because we get
“People think we have given over our right to decide what is right or wrong in our language to dictionary-makers.” – Dr. Connie Eble
tired of something and the name we have attached to it, and we make up another for it,” Eble said. Words are not just admitted into the dictionary based off dictionary-makers’ personal opinions, but rather based off evidence of the word being used. “Dictionary makers record what is observed about the language that the dictionary is done in. They don’t collect words or decide words will be in or out based on preference, but based on a collection of citations of words,” Eble said. Eble feels that people getting upset about word additions may not understand the process by which words get added. “People think we have given over our right to decide what is right or wrong in our language to dictionary makers. I can tell you the dictionary makers are the last people in the world that want that
right,” Eble said. According to Eble, dictionary editors are not the ones that regulate the English language. “They are highly educated people, and highly knowledgeable people,” Eble said. “They do not consider themselves the ‘arbiters’ of what is English and what is not English, what is correct and what isn’t correct.”
Informal words recently added to the dictionary • Selfie - a type of self-portrait photo, typically taken with a hand-held digital device • Emoji - the ideograms or smileys used in electronic messages • Mankini - a brief, one-piece swimsuit for men
• Jeggings - tight fitting stretch pants, styled to resemble a pair of denim jeans
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The Omniscient
$mith Dances to the Bank
By Savannah Castor Staff Writer
Every year, Herff Jones hosts a contest called “Teacher Shout Out� that gives students and faculty the opportunity to express gratitude towards a teacher, advisor or school coach. This year dance teacher Leah Smith was shocked to find out that she was not only in the top 10 and a winner of $5,000, but Smith had the most votes out of all of the 3,000 nominees all over the country. “We were just saying [to our students], ‘Yeah, vote!’ We never thought anything could have come out of it, because we didn’t know how many were in my category, or how many votes I had; I could have four, I didn’t know,� Smith said. “I found out I was one of ten, during a teacher workday. The lady from Herff Jones came in and said I actually had the most votes of the whole country, which was crazy and made me cry.� Fellow dance teacher Kristen Norwood, who was a former student of Smith’s, expressed how thankful she was to have a woman like Smith in her life. “I met Smith when she came here to teach. Before she came, I was going to be a business major. I was introduced to her as ‘the soccer player.’That’s who I was. When I walked into her dance class, she made me feel like it didn’t matter if I wasn’t the most flexible, tallest or if I wasn’t the skinniest. If I had a passion for it and can
pursue it and put my Hutchinson mind to it, then it is shared how her something I can do. relationship with She is the one that Smith started and really inspired me how it grew. and encouraged me “[Smith] is an to pursue my dream inspirational teacher of dance,� Norwood to me, I have known said. “She really her for about five gave me confidence. years because of my When I went off to [older] sister. She has college and when I taught me a lot, not Photo courtesy of Kristen Norwood just dance. I feel like questioned myself, I always knew that Smith excitedly holds up the check she I kind of owed her,� I could call her. She won for the “Teacher Shout Out� contest. Hutchinson said. always has supported me with every step According to students, Smith knows when I was deciding to be a dance teacher.� their different techniques and uses them to In order to be a part of this competiimprove in class. tion, students had to give a “shout out� to a “[Smith] really gets to know students on teacher on the Herff Jones website. Then, a personal level. She knows your strengths, students from the school were allowed to weaknesses and she’s really funny. She vote for the teacher every day via email. knows how to let you laugh, but also how to When Smith told Norwood that multiple be serious.� Roberson said. students had nominated her, it did not take a Outside of making dance class grow each second for Norwood to know why. year, Smith also allows students to be able to “[Smith] just embraces everyone no matcome and talk to her to help decide on their ter what. She always creates a safe environfuture career path. ment for people to walk into. Everyone is “She has made my high school experience just drawn to her because of that. Smith worth while. She is the main reason most is just calming and always gives the best of us come to school every day because we advice,� Norwood said. have dance,� Jones’ online Teacher Shout Juniors Taylor Roberson, Kyndal Out said. �She has made the dance program Hutchinson and graduated student Rebecca double and maybe even triple in size and I Jones nominated Smith while a couple don’t think I could thank her enough. She other students remained anonymous. has helped me decide what I want to do
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November 2013
when I go to college!� The total prize money that was given to each winner was $5,000. Half of it is used toward the school to help improve the department the teacher works in and the other half is for personal use. “With my $2,500 I have super big plans,� Smith said. “I’m taking [my son] to Lego Land and the rest will go to his college savings account; it’s all going to [my son] Lincoln basically. The rest of the money goes to [The NHS Dance Department] to buy costumes and things like that.� Smith received two checks at the faculty meeting, but the fame has not ended quite yet. Smith was notified to prepare for an interview that would be posted on the Herff Jones website. “[The Herff Jones company] really wanted to keep [the interview] kind of natural, so they basically asked a lot of questions I had never heard before to get my honest, sporadic answer,� Smith said. During the interview Smith was asked whom her mentors were when she was in school. “My mentors were my art teacher in high school and my dance teacher: those are the reasons I became a teacher,� Smith said. Smith is not planning to be a part of the competition next year to give another teacher the opportunity to win. “No, that’s not fair!� Smith said. “I will let someone else take the money next year.�
November 2013
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The Omniscient
Bringing School Home By Savannah Raynor Staff Writer The idea of waking up at 8 a.m. instead of 5:30 a.m. every morning, working mainly on the computer opposed to pen and penil, owning your own textbooks instead of checking out the heavy books from the library, working at one’s own pace, open book tests and all the advanced classes you could want in high school, intrigues some Northwood students. “I always thought homeschooling would be a great alternative to coming to school,” senior Alex McLauren said. “I think you would do a lot better in your studies because you wouldn’t have any distractions.” McLauren isn’t the only student to have a positive outlook on homeschooling; sophomore Natalie Martin has similar feelings. “I think the work load and the time it takes to get your work done would be a lot easier than regular school,” Martin said. According to the Journal of College Admissions, the average day of a homeschooled student is waking up at around 8-9 a.m. and doing online work or working with a private teacher for about five to eight hours, varying on the time it takes for the student to absorb information. The student can be taught by their parents or by an online teacher via webcam. The middle ground most homeschooled students use is online schooling with the occasional help of a teacher, which doesn’t require parental help. There is a program called k12, which is a more public form of homeschooling that only has around five students in a class and is virtual.
“I chose homeschooling for a couple of reasons: first, there were courses offered through my online school that weren’t available at Northwood; second, I can work at my own pace and possibly finish high school early; and third, I have a flexible schedule that allows me to take tons of dance classes,” sophomore Hannah Lang, a former Northwood student said. Even though Lang chose homeschooling over public schooling, she still has some regrets. “[Homeschooling] takes a lot of work to manage your time and get everything done,” Lang said. k12 is an environment like a virtual classroom, (where school is on a more personal and advanced level). Lang says k12 is working out for her and is “excited” about finishing the classes that she is taking, but feels homeschooling was a difficult thing to just start out of the blue. k12 has a program called Keystone, a private kind of homeschooling that focuses on an independent learning style. Maddie Clark, a student who attends dance at The International Ballet Academy, has switched into the program midway through her sophomore year to take more advanced classes that will allow her to graduate at the end of her junior year. “I like Keystone because I can choose when I want to graduate or when I want to complete a class. The program gives me a day-to-day plan that shows me what I need to get done in one week,” Clark said. “Everything is organized for me and easier to follow than regular public school ever was.” While there are positive outcomes to the homeschooling programs, there are negative aspets as well. “You need social interaction with other people that will
help you develop as a person, giving you a chance of a [better future],” sophomore Gabriel Webb said. “I just always see [homeschooled kids] as awkward and smart.” Sophomore Henry London, who was homeschooled through eighth grade, says homeschooling was not “sufficient enough,” and that more kids, recently, are going to high school after middle school, if they are homeschooled. “I didn’t know that many people and I wanted to meet more. I thought I might get a better education at a school with more advanced classes, but it’s about the same [level of education],” London said. “I [passed] Algebra 1, Geometry and World History in 8th grade, so I didn’t have to take those classes my freshman year,” London said. According to a study on homeschooled students by The Journal College of Admissions, homeschooled students graduated from college at a higher rate (66.7%) than their peers (57.5%). Northwood counselor Telisa Hunter feels differently toward homeschooling. “I have found out over the years that colleges scrutinize homeschooled kids more, due to the fact that it is harder to gather evidence of graduation or grades of a homeschooled student,” Hunter said. Because of all the different problems or situations and people, sophomore Hunter Koch has been exposed to and dealt with, she agrees. “I guess I could see how [homeschooling] would be okay for some people,” Koch said. “But I really think the lack of social activities, life-skills, communication and wisdom from elders is not a good way to prepare for your future.”
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November 2013
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JORDAN POLLARD likes to show off her cosplay at conventions like Animazement held in Raleigh, NC. People enjoy getting in groups of cosplayers from the same fandom and taking group pictures or making cosplay videos to show off online.
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r How do I get my hair to stay like that? The inner suffering of a cosplayer
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By Valentina Moreno & Morgan Yigdal Staff Writer/ Online Co-Editor Flashy and extravagant outfits, multi-colored hair, wings, tails and flashing cameras are a common sight at a comic or anime convention, but not everyone knows what all of this is. “[Cosplay] is everything,” sophomore Jordan Pollard said. “Cosplay is dressing up as your favorite characters and being part of a community. It is just fun to be with a group of people who all share the same interests.” Sophomore Aiden Williams has similar feelings toward cosplay. “[Cosplay is] not just dressing up, it is more than that,” Williams said. “When you cosplay you are sort of being that [character].” Cosplay, short for “costume play,” is when someone dresses up as a character from fiction. Most of the time it is from anime, manga and comics, but it can also be from books, television and movies. Cosplay is a hidden popular hobby of many Northwood students. “Cosplaying makes me feel better about myself because I am a different person and I am not the person that I am usually,” sophomore Ashlynn Davis said. For some students, cosplay serves as an outlet. “Cosplay is more of an escape because you get to be a different person and if you really get into a character it is a lot more fun than if you just dressed up to dress up,” junior Sarah White said. Most of the cosplayers interviewed said that they started cosplaying during middle school. Each student had a different reason why they began cosplaying. “My aunt loves to cosplay. She will actually make all of her costumes and she will cosplay for Halloween and fly out to DragonCon and all these other conventions,” freshman Cameron Wheeler said. “She just started talking to me one day and we found something in common.” Cosplayers on the Internet who post videos and photos of themselves in their cosplay also influenced students. White was inspired by a group of cosplayers called “FightingDreamersPro” who posted YouTube videos. “I fell in love with their Naruto cosplay and that was the first cosplay I did,” White said. For those who cosplay, they know that it is not a cheap hobby. The cosplays themselves can range from $20 all the way up to $400, and that is not including the accessories. “The most money I have spent on one (cosplay) is about $200 for the fabric and accessories because I have to get good quality materials, not low quality stuff,” Davis said. Williams has similar feelings. “I spend too much money on cosplay,” Williams said. “I literally emptied my bank account.” Cosplay is not always expensive, as some students have discovered. “Last year I found this cosplay that was for $20 on the Internet and it was really good,” Pollard said. One way these cosplayers get to show off their creativity is by attending anime and comic conventions, such as DragonCon. Within these conventions there are contests, games, shows, a dealers’ room and an artist alley. Cosplayers can enter contests to be chosen as the best cosplay or skit. Fans can join games such as Cosplay Chess in Animazement (an annual anime convention held in Raleigh), where the fans are the pieces of the game. “I met my friend Nova during the last Animazement and I have been talking to her over the Internet for forever,” Davis said. “We were cosplaying together and she hugged me from behind and started ‘squealing’ when she saw me.” The experience at conventions and cosplaying in public can range from good, to bad, to strange. “At MomoCon, which is in Waynesville, there were some really mean people,” Davis said. “I cosplayed Jane (from the webcomic Homestuck) and people were so mean to me when I was into Homestuck because they thought that Jane was a terrible character and so they took my wig. I never got the wig back.” The reaction range toward the cosplay world is a wide one, many thinking it to be a rather unusual hobby. “I usually do not say that I cosplay much because there is some very negative aspects to it,” sophomore Eliza Griffin said. “There are always those people that think that it is full of pedophiles and creepy people.” White had a similar comment. “The first time I cosplayed my mom did not know what to think,” White said. “Her true reaction was, ‘At least she is dressing up as other characters and not being one of those kids who go out and party and stuff.’” According to Pollard, the most common reaction to the phrase “I cosplay” is, “what is cosplay?” Whatever you think cosplay is about, you can tell the cosplay community is passionate about what they do. “Cosplaying is the best; if you are not cosplaying, you are not living,” Williams said.
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Step-by-Step Cosplay Edition
Illustration by Valentina Moreno
Hand-made cosplay or detailed cosplay
• Choose a character you really want to dress as. • Then decide if you want to buy or make the costume. • If you make one you will have to find a pattern and buy fabric or any supplies that you will need. • Here I was finishing the top of my Meiko Sakine (from Vocaloid) cosplay.
Valentina Moreno/The Omniscient
Wig styling, painting and looking for accessories
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• Round up the accessories and props. • Most cosplayers would get a wig and buy/make props and accessories. • I bought a wig, a petticoat, a white belt and gloves. • I had to make the other belt.
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Valentina Moreno/The Omniscient
FINAL PRODUCT
• Dress up and show it off! Valentina Moreno/The Omniscient
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November 2013
Chris Hackney hip-hop artist Creates first mix tape By Kenya Lee Staff Writer
the weakme, you at est thing least heard ever,” said a song from He sits alone in his room, head bent Hackney, me, so I’m over a glowing computer screen. He laughing. at least doputs the final touches on the back“I used ing someground music, takes a deep breath, hits to be the thing right. “record” and… kind of So, I like “Is it a sin to spit the bars that I’m person who criticism. It writing down? used to tell really does Is it a sin the way the rap game is myself, nothing but acting now?” ‘You’re not motivate The lyrics above are from Born Sin- going to me.” ner Remix, a song by aspiring hip-hop amount to After artist Chris Hackney. anything’ graduating “An artist is somebody that is or ‘I can’t high school, photo courtesy of Chris Hackney sending a message with every song write,’ but Hackney they make,” said Hackney, a senior. then I started CHRIS HACKNEY’S mix tape Struggle With No plans on mov“I consider myself a hip-hop artist. I writing about Edits was released Sept. 13. ing to New don’t really like being called a rapper. my life and it York to study I feel like a rapper is somebody that’s all came together.” music. He is currently researching not telling a story, not being real.” The self-doubt has subsided as colleges that have a strong background Hackney has released Struggle Hackney plans to pursue a career in in music writing and production. With No Edits, a mix-tape that tells a music. “I want to do everything,” Hackney personal story from the first song to “I’m destined to have a record label said. “I want to go to school to learn the last. or a record deal. I just have to keep how to do more. A good artist knows “I feel like The Struggle is the real- applying myself, doing what I have to how to do everything: produce, write est thing I’ve known: family struggle, do to make it up there,” Hackney said. and play instruments. I’m going to go personal struggle, trying to make it “I feel like hip-hop in North Carolina up north to New York; I just feel like it out and living it day by day,” Hackney is not big enough yet. That’s why I’m suits me better.” said. trying to make it, to put North CaroIdeally he would like to make it He chose the title Struggle With No lina on the map.” to a point in his hip-hop career where Edits to show the authentic side of his The odds of being signed to a money will not be a concern. music. Many record label are “I don’t want to get too much hip-hop artists slim and the money, to where I just go stupid. I “I used to be the kind of and producers chances of being want to be able to make it to a point are endowed an in-demand where my mom can live with no worperson who used to tell with high-qualiartist are slimmer. ries and my grandma can live with no myself ‘you’re not going ty soundboards, Although Hackworries,” Hackney said. “I’m here, I’m auto-tuned mithis person, I’m not better, but I’m still to amount to anything or ‘I ney has a lot of crophones and a confidence in his can’t write’ but then I started dreams, his goals trying to better my life.” flock of record writing about my life and it of becoming a producers, but Hackney hip-hop artist all came together.” records with the have not been — Chris Hackney received without software on his computer. criticism from his “I felt like for the first mix-tape, family and peers. [I had] to show the people that the re“My mom used to tell me, ‘You’re cording software and equipment that I not going to be a rapper,’ my grandma have isn’t the best. Of course it messes still tells me, ‘You’re not going to be up, and the songs on the mix-tape aca rapper.’ I try to tell them, ‘I’m not tually have parts in it where it messes a rapper, you’re right, I’m an artup, but I kept them instead of changist,’” Hackney said. “Every other day ing them to show that I don’t have the I have people telling me, ‘You can’t best stuff. I kept it instead of changing rap’ or ‘You need to go find another it to show that I’m still struggling,” job’ or something like that, [a job] that Hackney said. normal kids do when they get out of Hackney’s journey as an aspiring high school… I don’t listen to them. Photo Courtesy of Chris Hackney hip-hop artist began in middle school. The way I feel about it is, if you say CHRIS HACKNEY records his music “I started rapping in seventh grade. something negative or positive, I feel in his room. I wrote my first rhyme, it was probably like they’re at least thinking about
Fast Facts Visit hotnewhiphop.com and search “Struggle With No Edits” to listen to the mix-tape. “Struggle With No Edits” has over 200 hits and 30+ downloads.
Hackney’s Freestyle I’m coming tomorrow, shout out to my school I’ve always been the type of dude to stay away from news But sometimes you gotta lie just to find the truth In the struggle getting realer getting bigger too Call me OG, Call me Fresco I’m the man bruh Had to format it for school just to play it bruh And what you didn’t know is probably what I didn’t too Christopher Hackney just ask about me you know I got it Give me a beat, give an hour a song you got it NHS we’re turning up I love you all 2014 my senior class we’re ‘bout to ball Excuse me for the language but I’m just doing me I gave you six bars... Times three.. do the math that’s eighteen And all of you people probably have heard of me Visit nhsomniscient.com to hear more from Chris.
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The Omniscient
November 2013
Visual Arts
— Compiled by Morgan Yigdal
Dance
Jeremiah Smith, senior “He is a first year dance student. He is incredibly hardworking, talented and driven. Dance is another way for him to express himself.” — Dance teacher Leah Smith
Kirsten Coleman, senior “She is my quiet storm. When the music comes on she becomes a new person. She is talented, focused and a beautiful dancer. She could take dance to the next level.” — Dance teacher Leah Smith
Vocals Cameron Ward, senior “He is someone who has grown exponentially as a musician over the year. He has gained a lot of confidence.” — Vocals teacher Matthew Hansen
HONORS ART students make protest boxes to expose world problems that relate back to North Carolina. Students were given 10 days to complete the challenge given to them by art teacher Leslie Burwell. TOP (LEFT to RIGHT): Robert Hamlet, senior; Antonio Basilio, senior; Bailey Miller, junior BOTTOM (LEFT to RIGHT): Vanessa Jones, sophomore; Samantha Yigdal, senior; Shelby Kremer, senior
Theater
Jessica Puckett, sophomore “She is the type of person people gravitate towards. Her passion for music is inspiring.” — Vocals teacher Matthew Hansen
Band
Morgan Yigdal/The Omniscient
THEATER ENSEMBLE work with theater teacher Kayla Gahagan to build the peach pit for the ensemble play, James and the Giant Peach.
MARCHING CHARGERS’ quartet opens the show for their performance Way Down Yonder this season. The quartet is doing a Dixieland Quartet style for the season. RIGHT to LEFT: Eli Emerick, junior; Wyatt Kellam, senior; Kelsey O’Daniel, senior; Tommy Lorbacher, sophomore
TOP Puck
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The Omniscient
Favorite Show
1. Full House 2. Dragon Tales 3. Rugrats 4. Hey Arnold! 5.Zoboomafoo
9 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
November 2013
Favorite Movie
1. The Sandlot 2. Home Alone 3. Air Bud 4. Dr. Dolittle 5.The Parent Trap
o r w h b T a s ’ c k 0
Favorite Toy
Heelys Game Boy Nintendo 64 Easy Bake Oven Monopoly
Other Favorites
1. Bill Nye 2. Goosebumps 3. Backstreet Boys 4. Berenstain Bears 5. ’N Sync
This year marks the last year that everyone in high school will be born in the 1990’s. Next year the incoming freshman will be a mixture of kids born in 1999 and 2000. This graphic shows the top five things from each category that 90’s kids miss. A list of various things from each category was narrowed down by The Omniscient staff and then was narrowed down further by students. — Compiled by Tori Nothnagel
November 2013
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The Omniscient
New Theater Teacher Kayla Gahagan takes the stage By Lauren Merrill S ocial M edia Editor Her head bobbed side to side and her shoulders shrugged up and down as her snapping fingers created a rhythm. “And that’s all I got,” new theater teacher Kayla Gahagan said when asked about her dance experience. “I can weave my head and shake my shoulders and that’s it.” Gahagan may not have any dance experience but she has acting under wraps. “She’s boisterous,” Theater Arts I student Sam Morgan Yigdal/The Omniscient Yigdal said. “[When I first met her] I could defiENSEMBLE builds the nitely tell she was an actress.” peach for the Fall play. Gahagan took theater in high school, studied theater education at Appalachian State, was a student teacher in Boone starting her sophomore year of college and went on to be a student teacher in Cary her senior year. Now she is at Northwood for her first full-time teaching position. “It’s a dream first job,” Gahagan said. “I love that the administration considers the arts, athletics and academics equally. That is how I think it should be.” The arts community believes that Gahagan is succeeding at filling the shoes of former theater teacher Lori Carlin, who took a position at the Central Office. “I think she’s doing a great job and she’s not trying to replace Dr. Carlin in any way,” Ensemble student Gaby Cila said. “She is trying to bring her own aspects to the arts department.” Gahagan is even considering expanding the arts department further by opening up the play to students outside of acting ensemble. “I think it will be good for her because right now she is so limited with what plays she can do based on her class size,” dance teacher Leah Smith said. Gahagan only has 12 students in her Ensemble class and had to pick a play that would feature all of the actors. The play will be James and the Giant Peach. “I wanted to be able to bring the play to middle and elementary school levels, so I wanted to do a children’s play,” Gahagan said. Gahagan says that ensemble will have to alter their acting for the play and tone it down. “They’ll have to cheese it up,” Gahagan said. “Children’s theater is a lot more expressive, not so realistic, which they may have been used to in previous plays.” Gahagan will be directing the spring musical Hairspray and she predicts that auditions will be held this semester before 2014. “[The musical] will definitely be a challenge, especially with all of us working together for the first time,” Gahagan said. “We are all just really excited about it.” This will not be Gahagan’s first time putting on productions. She helped with Nunsense where she did costume design and put on plays such as The Tortoise and the Hare and Just Like Us, which were one act plays directed and designed by her at Cary High School. “I’m most looking forward to the productions that we will be putting on this year,” Gahagan said. “I love collaboration.”
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November 2013
Turtle Time: Saving turtles’ lives one shell at a time Rachel Boyle Everyone has those summer memories at the beach. Lying out in the sun, taking relaxing walks on the shore, eating mouthfuls of seafood, or simply lounging in a hammock with a good book. With friends or family those memories are unforgettable. Sure, I have those memories at the beach, but mine hold a lot more within them. I am always encouraged by my family to follow my passions (hoping to find my lifelong passion). I have had different passions throughout my life but I have had one that stayed quietly on the shorelines for quite some time, until this summer. I am a Class A nerd when it comes to science, especially marine biology and sea turtles. Whenever I see something
with marine biology on it, my nerdy self is drawn. That’s what happened when I was browsing the web last year and an ad for a “Sea Turtle Camp” popped up. Reading the requirements for this camp was nothing compared to what we were going to be doing during the 10 full days I was going to be there. I was going to be interacting with REAL rescued sea turtles. My favorite animal made this camp more of a dream than a reality. Every day I went to the sea turtle hospital. Instead of someone else feeding the sea turtles, I threw them the squid to eat. Instead of watching someone scrub a sea turtle’s shell, I scrubbed its shell, wiped its flippers and cleaned its bellies. Instead of listening to someone ramble about them, I climbed into the tank with them. I was hand in flipper, with my favorite animal. Each sea turtle had his or her own personality. My favorite sea turtle, May, who was an average sized, nine-year-old loggerhead weighing about 300 pounds and
about five and a half feet from the top of her head to the tip of her tail, always showed her excitement by flapping her flippers as I stepped into her tank every morning. May learned from her stay at the hospital that humans are there to help and care for her, not to harm. She would scoot as close as she could to me, put her head on my knee and close her eyes, asking for her head to be rubbed. I became May’s caretaker for the 10 days at the hospital, and she and I bonded more every day. Each morning I stepped into the tank with May, who gave me a warm welcome; she seemed to know I was there to help. The flapping of her flippers and the excitement that she portrayed in her eyes made me more passionate than ever about the fate of sea turtles. We would always go to the sea turtle hospital (where the sea turtles were held), but we would do different activities involving them too. We released a young sea turtle back to the ocean, surrounding it with our
positive energy on the shore praying for a safe journey. We were even woken up in the middle of the night sprinting to the shoreline dropping down into the sand and military crawling to a safe distance to observe a mother sea turtle lay her eggs in the dunes and inch back into the sea. We didn’t only work with sea turtles. We learned how to surf, paddle-boarded to the only coconut tree in North Carolina, hiked through salt marshes, and even went behind the scenes at the aquarium in Wilmington. At the end of each day, I was run down and exhausted. Every day was filled from sunrise to sunset with a booked to-do list. Two days felt like five and five days felt like two weeks. Helping an endangered species thrive is something that I feel will make a positive impact on the world and I want to be a part of it. Those 10 days spent with May helped me realize that this wasn’t just the way I wanted to spend my summer, this was the way I wanted to spend my life.
Photo Courtesy of Sea Turtle Camp
RACHEL BOYLE helped release a turtle into the ocean while at Turtle Camp.
Charge down for what?: Charge-Up doesn’t work Staff Editorial Charge-Up time: three words that will make or break your mornings. For some students, it is an extra 25 minutes of learning, reviewing and school. Students with a 74 or above get more of one of the most valuable aspects of our high school lives: sleep. On paper, Charge-Up time sounded like an ideal way to give students who need help a more individualized learning experience. Two weeks into the program, it doesn’t seem to be fulfilling its original purpose. Every morning, students are being pushed along in an inefficient frenzy of confusion, essentially herded, to their designated areas. The 8 a.m. bell rings and the madness begins. Charge-Up time is meant to be an aid to help struggling students grow and learn in their classes. Is Charge-Up time really providing an environment where this growth is possible? Students are grouped together in Charge-Up sessions no matter the grade
or level of their classes. When placing a honors student and college prep student in the same Charge-Up session, how can one expect both to benefit equally? Let alone anyone in an AP class. Instructors can’t be realistically asked to help many different levels of students within a 25 minute period; not effectively anyways. This predicament will continuously leave some unfortunate portion of students with no help. Students in Charge-Up time may feel like they are being singled out for their academic struggles. Charge-Up sessions, according to some students, often are a review of past work which typically will not benefit your current grade. Sometimes, students complete work in Charge-Up time that they have already completed in their normal classes. When a student isn’t helped with current information, how can one expect that the student’s grade will improve? This, in a way, traps the struggling student there and wastes their time.
Charge-Up time is promoting a never-ending cycle of struggle and failure for those who get stuck in the trap. In order to improve a students grades you have to assist them in their current studies. What do you expect to achieve by reviewing non-relevant information with someone who is having a hard time to begin with? Simply aim the extra help towards material which will benefit them in the future. Between 8 and 8:25 our administrators treat us similarly to domestic sheep—we’re all herded into different “pens” (gym, auditorium, cafeteria and library) depending on what time we arrive. Students are crammed into various places in a disorganized fashion against our will. We earn passing grades and they thank us by shoving us into the cafeteria or, if you have the option, you can always go hide in the McDonald’s parking lot. Is there really any harm in giving students freedom to enter the library after 8 a.m.? Unfortunately for underclassmen,
the majority don’t have a license so they get here whenever their ride, be it bus or car, arrives. If they were to get to school five minutes after 8 a.m., one becomes stuck in the humid, crowded gym, filled with the deafening echoes of fellow students voices. There is no possible way to complete homework in such a chaotic place. Even more painful to think about is had that person been five minutes earlier, arriving at or before 8 a.m. they are allowed access to a place like the library, where studying is easy and peaceful. At 8:32 class begins; and if you’re late you get a tardy. That is necessary. We can’t have students arriving whenever they want but when you’re essentially getting there early for a study hall why can’t you walk down the hall to the library or auditorium, even the cafeteria? Who would this inconvenience? While Charge-Up time has a genuine purpose, it doesn’t seem to be achieving any of it’s initial intentions.
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The City that Never Sleeps I took a bite out of the “Big Apple” John Dunning A shirtless painted woman, a one-man band, break-dancers and the Naked Cowboy all strolling the sidewalks of Times Square. An alien world to any who hasn’t been, New York City’s colossal structures stand ominous, yet inviting. Each street is bombarded with people who scurry underneath brightly colored neon signs. The air is muggy and ambiguous in smell; you can almost taste the food as you breathe. New York City is the second most popular tourist destination in the United States and for good reason. The “city that never sleeps” has earned its name. On the 56th floor of the Marriott Marquis in Times Square my family and I had decided to call it a day. Shortly after settling in we were bothered by faint cheers. Looking out the window I enjoyed a wonderful view of the city. A group of people had gathered in an awkward oval-looking shape, leaving open a clear space for a performing gymnast. I turned to my bed stand where I read the time of 11:45 p.m. No other place in the country would there be significant enough a crowd to perform a street show at this time of night. I was convinced, the city truly never slept. While nightlife can be interesting and unique in the city it cannot be compared to the high-paced insanity each day brings. Even long-time residents haven’t enjoyed everything the city has to offer. Around each corner is another restaurant, electronics store, hotel, clothing store and ice cream parlor. The choices will be overwhelming; don’t be surprised to see your cash lessening with every step further into the city’s bowels. Vendors chase you, beggars beg and stores enchant you. With so many potential
money-draining opportunities it would be suggested to keep a budget for each visit. It’s funny how in the city the best places are sometimes tucked away in secrecy. Upon realizing the place we had planned to eat at no longer existed my grandmother immediately walked up to a women, who seemed to know her way around Chinatown, and asked where the nearest restaurant was. Her hospitality was like no other; we asked for directions but she took it a step further and simply said, “Oh yes, follow me!” She led us two blocks away to a small entrance at the bottom of a large building. Above the door was an impressive red sign with golden Chinese writing. My family followed, hesitant but curious. As she opened the door a grand lobby with a two-story ceiling and a pair of escalators was revealed. The room was covered in an eloquent red carpet and smelled of fish, soups, noodles and other foreign, inviting scents. She went as far as to speak to one of the waiters who then lead us to a large circular table. We all thanked her, exchanged smiles and waved goodbye. She walked off quickly and we never saw her again. The restaurant was terrific. Cheerful women in white aprons pushed carts of steaming soups, dumplings, rice cakes and meats to our table, they offered us whatever they had available. With each dish they gave us they would mark a check next to its name on a paper-stock menu. The food was delectable. It was nothing like the typical “Americanized-Chinese” food we were used to back home. We all ate until it hurt, laughing and sharing each dish that we received. We all agreed the unnamed lady who led us here had done us well. My family and I still refer to this unique experience. No place can match New York City’s diversity or unpredictable nature. Each day you spend will be an adventure to be remembered. Every US citizen should have a trip to the magnificent city on his or her bucket-list. You won’t regret it.
John Dunning/The Omniscient
Editorial Cartoon
— By Vanessa Jones/The Omniscient
Family First
The thing that matters the most in life Jessica Clayton Every teenager has gotten into horrible fights with their parents. It starts with a request, followed by a “no” and then an explosive war, a stalemate of the common household, no solutions and no compromises. Through my personal experiences, the main reason a fight starts is because your parents forbid you to do something, or their opinions of how you should be living your life aren’t congruent with your opinion. I’ve been there through the tears, door slamming and “I hate yous.” It seems like the end of the world and it seems that what you think should matter the most, but I have a secret to tell you: your parents probably aren’t as crazy as you think they are. And honestly, the fighting isn’t worth it. It’ll blow over and you’re stuck with your parents until you can leave at 18, so make the most of it. When I was a freshman and sophomore, being around my family seemed like the least important thing in the world. I wanted to go out and I didn’t really pay attention to what was going on at home. As I got older I realized how important my family is to me. I used to overlook all the things that my mom and dad did for me. Now that I’ve become more responsible and I’m faced with tougher decisions about my life, I real-
ize how much my parents do and did for me. It kind of makes me ashamed at times about how I treated them, because if I parented a kid like myself, I would probably have to slap them. I look back on the beginning of high school with almost remorseful feelings that I wasted two years of my life on stupid things instead of at home with my family. If you know me personally, I always have to be right. And here I write that in many, many cases my dad has told me something, I haven’t listened, and then he turned out to be right in the end. Maybe it’s one of those things that come with age and you have to experience it to know what I am talking about, but I promise it will benefit you to have a better relationship with your parents. I spent a lot of time over the summer with my dad and around my house. It really put into perspective everything it takes to be a single parent and run a household by yourself. It doesn’t seem like such a big job until you actually pay attention and start helping out. I will never take what either one of my parents does for granted because being a parent seems like one of the hardest jobs you can imagine. I honestly don’t think I could do it. Instead of just worrying about yourself, as most teenagers do, parents have to worry about themselves, their kids, animals and whatever else is involved in their household. My advice to everyone is to spend as much time with your family as you can; blood is thicker than water and they will always have your back.
Why Coach High School? Coaches explain their responsibilities
By John Dunning Staff Writer Hours of preparation, little pay and daily practices. All over the country, adults sacrifice extra time to lead students in athletics as coaches. To the casual observer this may seem puzzling. Why would anyone want to dedicate that much time to coach high school sports? “In high school you coach because you love the sport; it’s a love of the sport and a love of working with kids,” volleyball coach Lynn Smith said. Most coaches agreed that the extra workload that coaching presented was significant, but none seemed to mind; most were passionate about what they were doing. “Really the main reason I coach is because I like to just work with young kids,” said social studies teacher Roddy Story, who coaches JV football and JV baseball. “I do spend a lot of time preparing for my classes and coaching, but I like it; it’s not like I’m out there digging ditches.” Story is busy teaching two Honors Civics classes, an AP Government class and an AVID class on top of his commitment being a head coach. “All the time, every day it is very hard. I never have enough time,” Story said. “I guess I just work a lot; that’s how I cope with it.” Athletic director and wrestling coach Jason Amy stood alone describing the extra responsibility of coaching as not anything “overwhelming.” “I consider myself a machine and I do not allow myself to get overwhelmed,” Amy said. “Being in the physical education department you have obligations to help out with coaching, so I picked a sport I have a lot of passion for.” Varsity football offensive line coach Kyle Smith said he coaches for “the love of the game” and that he enjoys “seeing kids be successful.” Smith played football in high school and college and simply wanted it to be a part of his adult life. As a coach and leader of young people, Smith feels you are held to a higher standard. “I’m representing the school program, I’m representing the coaching staff and I’m representing my family,” Smith said. “You’ve got to live your life to a higher standard – you’re being watched by everybody.” Most coaches said that the most grueling aspect of coaching is the time commitment.
Kevin McDaniel Lacrosse
“Lacrosse has actually been nationally stated as the fastest growing sport right now, and to be a part of that is pretty awesome.”
“People don’t realize the after hours, preparing for games, studying film and putting together drills. When you become a coach, you’ve got to live your life to it,” Smith said. History teacher and tennis coach Joseph Kiertekles chose a sport he was familiar with and one that he played in college. “I really enjoy the sport,” Kiertekles said. “I’ve played it since I was a little kid, I enjoy working with the athletes, I look forward to it, it’s the fun part of my day. I get to go out, hit a tennis ball around in good weather and watch the students get better at it.” Outside of class in a different environment, coaches get to know their students differently. “You get to interact in a different way, you get to see your students on a more relaxed level,” Kiertekles said. Bill Hall, head coach of the football program since 1989, is the longest tenured coach currently at Northwood. He found inspiration in one of his past coaches. “My high school coach, Burgin Bill of Pinecrest High School was a big influence on my life and he’s the reason I wanted to get into coaching,” Hall said. “I respected him, admired what he did for the kids and he was just someone I looked up to.” Hall was given his start in coaching from that same man. After he graduated from UNC-Wilmington, Hall was offered a job at Pinecrest as an assistant coach alongside Burgin Bill. Hall spent a year there before moving on to Northwood. Since then, he hasn’t looked back. “My biggest responsibility is to make sure our coaching staff is prepared week in and week out,” Hall said. “That’s my main responsibility right there: to make sure we’re prepared to give the best knowledge to our players.” New to Northwood, Bill Renner, the offensive coordinator of the varsity football team, has 28 years of experience in high school coaching. He spent 25 years in Virginia coaching and will now be using that experience to help Northwood make the transition into the competitive world of 3A sports. “What I learned is when you’re coaching 14 to 18 year old kids something different happens every day that you could never predict,” Renner said. “That unpredictability keeps you young, vigorous and enthusiastic about coming.”
Cameron Vernon Girls’ Basketball
“Most of these kids have dreams, goals and aspirations of playing college ball. My biggest thing is I want to help get these kids there.”
Vanessa Jones/The Omniscient
Richard McDonald track and cross-country coach, stands beside the track encouraging runners to do their best.
Rick Parks Baseball
“I coach for the love of the game; I’ve played sports all my life, I’ve enjoyed being around it, enjoyed the competitive nature of it. this is the only way I can be involved with the hands on, competitive environment. Softball on the weekends wasn’t cutting it.”
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Talkin’ with Tobais: NHS grad discusses life in the NFL
Tobais Palmer graduated from Northwood in 2008. He played football at NC State and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars this season. He played in his first professional football game Sept. 30. Palmer spoke with Omniscient reporter Jack Teague to discuss life in the NFL. After this interview was conducted, Palmer was cut Oct. 8. Q: When you were at Northwood, did you ever imagine that you’d be playing in the NFL? A: “To be honest with you, I never imagined that I’d be able to go to college and play football. You know, whenever I was in college I felt like I was just doing enough to graduate. ... It feels more like a dream come true. I just started living my dream even more.”
Q: When you were at Northwood and NC State, how did playing there help you, if at all? What did it do to prepare you for the NFL? A: “.... Mentally, it comes from the playbook itself. ... When you get to college you have a... more challenging version of the playbook. Then when it gets to the NFL, it’s hard. Most guys [are expected] to come in and learn an NFL playbook in a couple of weeks at the least and it’s hard. But I felt like actually experiencing those years from high school to college and now the NFL has prepared me a lot. Now I’m just hoping that something happens here for me and I hope that it happens for the best. Q: What is the biggest difference between professional football and college football and high school football? Is it just the playbook? A: “It’s not just the playbook. You have guys that are bigger, faster, stronger, and I mean it goes around. The difference between the NFL and college is that the NFL is your job. It’s what you do for your living and at the end of the day, if you don’t perform, then it may be the next day or the following week that you don’t have a job. So that’s the biggest difference in that you’re getting paid to play the game that you love to play. But that also means that you have to put in work to get where you want to be and to be successful.” Q: I know that you went undrafted originally, but what made you keep looking for a team to play with? A: “The thing for me was that I was determined. You can never give up on your dreams and never let anyone say that you can’t do something. That’s been my motivation ever since I left Northwood. When I was at Northwood, I used to have people tell me that they didn’t think I could play running back or play a certain position because I was small. Well, I proved them wrong... and whenever I did get my opportunity and my chance to play, I exceeded in it. I took it to the next level and that’s the same thing I did
Ethan Hyman/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT
TOBAIS PALMER played for NC State for two years before signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an through college and it got me to where I am now. I have a strong motor and I just try to keep pushing whenever I hear negative things when people tell me that I can’t do something. So I just take that as motivation and go on.” Q: How did you originally find out that you made the team? A: “The way the process works in the NFL is that the day of the draft, you don’t get drafted, you get numerous teams from the organizations calling you. The good thing about the undrafted process is that you can choose which team you want to go out and play for. I felt like the Jaguars, by them being at the bottom of the NFL right now, needed the most help. I came here, and now since I’ve been here, I’m just trying to fit in and trying to get them to see why they should have drafted me and give them a reason to choose me to keep playing here. That’s my goal as of right now and I feel like I’ve worked toward that, but at the same time it’s a work in progress.” Q: What have you learned watching guys like [fellow Jaguars wide receivers] Cecil Shorts and Justin Blackmon play and practice? What impression have they left on you? A: “The motivation that they have, what keeps them going, the way the speed of the game should be played, the way routes should be run, and just learning technique. Your craft is the
biggest thing in the NFL that you would like to work on because at the end of the day that’s what they invested in you. They invested in you and pay you all types of money to come out there and perform at your best, at the highest level and to make plays. Cecil has been a big help in my life and ever since I’ve been here he’s taken me under his wing and guided me through things to do and what not to do. When Blackmon came into the picture and came back [from his suspension], he’s also been doing the same things. Both of those guys, they’re real positive people that I’m fortunate enough that I have met. I’m glad that I actually got to meet them, they’ve been a real positive aspect of my life.” Q: In the preseason you had a couple of fumbles. What did you take away from those? A: “Those two punt returns, that will be one of the memories that I will never forget. I’d never done a punt return a day in my life until those particular two games. I guess the organization just wanted to throw me under some pressure and see how I could handle it. The things that I took from those is that I should focus and concentrate on the ball, catching the ball first, and then being able to run and make plays with it, after the ball is secured. As a rookie that’s a big thing because you come in and you’re trying to prove and do so much to show the organization that you want to be here and that they should put you on their 53-man roster. That’s a lot of pressure on us, and we don’t know what we’re in for... At the end of the day, those are the things that I took from it and ever since then I’ve been trying to deal with the positive things on top of it.”
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Guard Problems
November 2013
The real inside story on colorguard By Courtney Cleveland Staff Writer
I stand at attention, waiting with a calm air about me for the Drum Major to begin the show. My heart is beating wildly and my mind buzzes with nervous lastsecond thoughts. The whole field seems to burst to life as the band begins their melody, a bright fortissimo that brings all eyes to the mass of marchers. As music is not something that can be seen, the thing to catch the eyes of the onlookers is the flash of multicolored silk and the sparkle of glitter catching the bright stadium lights. From the bleachers, the audience is able to see the intricate choreography of the performers, as we handle our flagpoles with as much grace as we can muster. We are known to be the colorguard, the visual counterpart to the marching band. We guard members provide color and mood to the band’s music by using body movement and handling flags, rifles, sabers as well as other props and equipment. The task is most certainly not an easy one for someone who has only been a member for one previous season, not even the captains who have been members their entire high school careers. “It has been four years now [since I joined],” senior Gabriella Vasquez said, one of the two guard captains. “I was one of those people who thought colorguard was flag-twirlers, and that it would be easy.” We are trained during the summers and well into the school year to toss and spin weaponry, which has been remodeled to be as safe as possible and to maneuver a flagpole, all while marching and hitting spots on the field. After various guard practices and two weeks of band camp before school actually starts, the whole band practices a total of 11 and a half hours a week to get the show memorized before our first competition. The goal: Superior band rating. Despite all of the hard work, it really is a terribly fun pastime. “It’s frustrating and hard, but it is also fun, and I like it a lot,” freshman Kierra Payne, a new member of the band family this year said. Despite all the sweat and sore muscles, each season leaves us with a smile on our faces. Each practice contains just as much laughter as noises of frustration. There are many jokes we have between our group of nine girls, and even our instructor, Allen Wiley. The choreography that Wiley comes up with is also a contribution to our joy. “[I like] the dances, and the different types of choreography we have to do,” Payne said. Every guard member has a favorite piece of equipment. For example, I am partial to rifle, though we are not using it in the show this year, while others prefer flag or saber. While weaponry is fun, it is easier to get hurt while handling it. Guard members are known for having bruises on our arms and broken fingernails from catching weaponry incorrectly. These injuries,
however, come with a sense of pride long after the pain fades away. Many members even show off their black and blue arms with honor. We get used to the feeling of equipment hitting our wrists and the marks only remain as trophies, proving that we have come this far and with a little practice, we will be back in line with the music and the choreography will become second nature. “In guard we have this thing called ‘battle wounds,’” Wiley said, laughing in amusement. “When I was in college I gave myself a mild concussion; I was doing a helicopter (a toss in which the flag spins directly over the head) and dropped the flag on my head, and another time I busted my eyebrow open.” The fear of this pain keeps some people from trying out for guard. “A lot of people do not even try because they think they are not coordinated enough,” Wiley said. In fact, the lack of confidence in potential members could cause Northwood’s colorguard to cease. This year, eight of the nine members are juniors or seniors. If more students do not try out, in a few years the entire program would be impossible. We are a small Courtney Cleveland/The Omniscient group as we are and, as Top: Freshman Kierra Payne shows off Wiley says, the only way the third movement flag. to remedy this is to get the Bottom: Juniors Katie Pernell (left) and word out. Amber Hughes (right) pose before the “We just need to Homecoming Game. get out there and really let people know how much we love it and how fun it is,” Wiley said.
Valentina Moreno/The Omniscient THE COLORGUARD shows off their skills on the field with the band during competitions and performances.
Courtney Cleveland/The Omniscient
November 2013
The Omniscient
Morgan Yigdal/The Omniscient
Under the radar
Sports that don’t beat the buzzer By Ellie Saksa Staff Writer
Waking up for school seems early enough, but imagine waking up at 4:45 in the morning to get to a 5:30 practice and to jump into an ice-cold pool. Then, you race home to get a quick shower before school. You get to school and immediately after it ends, you must speed home to do your homework without time to socialize. After that, you find yourself swimming laps in the same frigid water. After a day of school and two practice sessions, your day is finally over. Senior swimmer Moli Eddins attends morning practices three days a week and nightly practices five days a week. Eddins is committed to a year-round swim team as well as the school team. “Everybody who’s on the [school] swim team typically swims for a year-round swim team, so they love the sport of swimming,” Eddins said. “So if you love what you do, it’s really easy to become motivated and dedicated to do it.” Junior Elizabeth Conte is also on the swim team. She has a busy schedule and says it aids her time management skills. “I think it actually helps me prioritize because if I wasn’t on a strict schedule, I think I would be a little more lazy towards classwork,” Conte said. The school team does not get much recognition, but despite this, both Eddins and Conte stay committed to the team. Swim team is not the only under recognized sport. “Nobody comes to our games; it’s just our parents, and nobody from the school supports us,” sophomore volleyball player Kayli Blankenship said. Some athletes have noticed a gender bias against women’s athletics. “I feel like most of the time the fans really show up when it’s both the girls and the boys playing the same night, but when it’s just girls playing there’s barely any people in the stands,” junior basketball player Savannah Morris said. Morris feels women’s basketball is less supported than the men’s team. “I do feel like it’s a gender thing; I guess [people] kind of underestimate how good girls are at sports,” Morris said. Junior basketball player Shontai Totten feels that even though the women’s basketball team is less recognized than the men’s team, they are more appreciated than other Northwood women’s sports.
“We’ve had a good history with it,” Totten said. “We work hard and put in a lot of effort to win games, and with winning games comes more respect.” Along with women’s basketball, some feel softball is less recognized compared to baseball. “It is definitely not as appreciated as baseball,” sophomore softball player Evie Hoffman said. “Baseball gets more donations and their field is a lot nicer.” Jacob Fowler, a junior baseball player, is aware of the difference in fan turnout between softball and baseball games. “I don’t think [softball] is as popular among the kids at this school and we don’t hear about it as much,” Fowler said. “I don’t think it’s due to gender, I think baseball is just more prevalent in the nation. We’ve done really well the past few years, so it keeps building on the reputation.” Many under-appreciated athletes feel their hard work and dedication goes unnoticed. “No one realizes how much commitment it takes,” senior cross-country runner Erin Nelson said. “If you miss just one day of running it can make you a few seconds slower on the race.” On top of being overlooked, some feel under respected. “We don’t get the respect we deserve for all the hard work we put into it,” senior lacrosse player Jacob Friedman said. Many athletes want the attention and recognition the football team receives. “We would be more enthusiastic about our games, more than we already are,” Totten said. “I think it would be a better and more fun experience.” Some athletes say they are under-appreciated because of a lack of funding and equipment. “It’s definitely not funded as much as football,” sophomore lacrosse player Eric Franklin said. “This school has always been more of a football school, lacrosse has just recently gone varsity, so it’s less known.” Junior football player John Atwater says the football team fundraises on its own. “We do a lot of fundraisers ourselves. During the summer we sell Charger Cards and chicken,” Atwater said. “We have corn hole tournaments and all different types of stuff to raise money. It’s a lot of work.” Atwater feels all sports should be publicized equally. “I feel like every sport should be displayed,” Atwater said. “They all have accomplishments, and I know that the players all want their classmates to see what they’ve accomplished.”
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The Recr 1
Take the Right Classes — Starting freshmen year; take classes that will affect your NCAA eligibility.
2
Register with the NCAA — An eligibility center that students must register up with to confirm their status as a young student athlete.
3 Pittsboro 35 Thompson St. Suite 103 Pittsboro, NC 27312 (919) 542-5481
Chapel Hill 101 Conner Dr. Suite 401 Chapel Hill, NC 27514 (919) 929-2365
www.severtsmiles.com
Make your List(s) — Be realistic in your choices and list your dream schools and list fallback schools; no more than 1215 schools.
Create a Video — Make a recruitment video showing your talent. Football and baseball has 15-25 highlighted plays; soccer, basketball, and lacrosse, about 10-15 plays. With an additional clip of half game to see your in game skills.
By Tori Nothnagel Photo Editor Soccer has always been a huge part of my life and is one of my favorite things to do. It keeps me in shape, it lets me get away from stress for a while and I have made some of the greatest friends. With college approaching, the question is: do I want to try and play on a collegiate team or just put it aside and play club or intramural instead? While looking at colleges, I have not really made soccer a top priority in choosing which college I want to attend. I know I will never be good enough to play D1, that is just the plain hard truth, but I have definitely thought about maybe playing D2 or D3. One college I am looking at is D3 and has the major I am intending on studying. Best of both world’s, right? That is just the hard part of it: am I still even good enough to play on a D3 team, keep up with class work and try to major in Music Business? But it is just so hard to think of not having a team or soccer around 24/7 anymore. I understand at some point I will have to let go of soccer. The US Department of Education reported only two percent of high school athletes will play in college at any
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level. I know it is tough to make it to college level, and I think it is even tougher for a goalie, since teams usually only have two to four goalies per team. I have played soccer since I was six years old. That is eleven years of playing now, and it will be twelve once I graduate. I know tons of other kids are in the same boat as me, that have played their own respective sport since before they can remember and are now suddenly at the point where this may be the last year they play. I would like nothing more than to just be able to play for a college and have the time to focus on my studies, but is it actually possible for the major I am passionate about? All these questions just come rushing forward as I approach college applications, my last club and high school soccer season and the final decision I will have to make soon. I know that I will always have soccer and no matter if I am playing for the varsity team, club team or intramural, it will still be around while I am in college. This is just a huge decision to make because soccer has been my life it seems like. It is what I have put the most time into and has been my passion since the beginning, so it is hard for me to not try to play in college when I have put so much time into it leading up to college. Now I just have to make the choice on where I want to go and if soccer fits into my life at that school.
Kadarus Rone, Jr. “NC State was one of the first schools interested in me. Coach Hall set up a practice so I went to one of their practices; it was cool but I didn’t think I could face something like that. It was big and I was blessed to have an opportunity to go to a Division I school and visit it.”
The Omniscient
November 2013
Page 27
uiting Process By Jay Williams Staff Writer I have been playing football my whole life and it literally is my life. Football has taught me so much. There is not one thing in the world that I would choose over the game of football. I have a hard decision to make before I go to college. I don’t know if I want to go play ball in college or just live the life of a college student. I was five years old when I was eligible to play sports. I tried playing baseball, soccer and even gave karate a shot, but none of them worked. I told my mom when I younger that I wanted to play a sport that involved more activity and contact. We had to wear flags my first two year of playing football because no contact was allowed. I played for the East Chatham Chargers, the best organization for young boys to start their football careers. I stayed with ECC even though I wanted to hit people. By the time I was seven, we were allowed to get pads to start tackling. Then and there, even though I was young, my life changed. Some people wonder what kind of person I am for actually wanting to hit the guy in front of me. My whole life I have been underestimated because of my height. I was always shorter than everybody else, and that is still the case. Now though, I have strength over everyone I line up with and I know that for a fact. I work harder than most people because the required height for a division one
defensive tackler is 6’4”, I can’t afford to be weaker. Growing up playing the sport, I played fullback and blocked for our All-State running back Kadarus Rone. I also played defensive end, but my main responsibility was playing offense. We never won any championships but we did win a lot of games. After leaving ECC, several years later I entered high school and that was when things got realistic, and the speed of the game increased. I played full back, which was a position that blocked for the running back and I didn’t play another position. I made varsity and started the first two games of the season, but I was soon demoted to junior varsity. I used that as ambition and played hard for the team. We ended up being the first JV team to win a conference championship. I was pulled up for the playoffs and played a fair amount, but we were knocked out of the third round. Sophomore and junior year excelled my potential and I was named All Conference and All County. I am now in my senior year of high school and I can say that I have seen it all on and off the field. I struggle daily with the decision to either play college football or not. I love the game because it changed my life and made me who I am. It has taught me discipline, respect and how to figure out who my true friends are. I feel like my time is up with this sport, because I have given my whole life to football and I feel like I need to move ahead, it’s time to make a life outside the sport of football. The one thing that is holding me back, is the fact that I will be letting people down that expect me to play college football. I have a big decision to make at the end of the season. May God be with me.
Alex Gorry, Sr. “Make sure you start really young. A lot of people think that the recruiting process doesn’t happen until your junior year. It actually kind of happens freshmen year. My advice to people is to make sure you’re getting your name out to colleges before it’s too late.”
Final Choice — It will depend on the financial part of it, full ride? Partial scholarship? Playing time? Or if you just want to go there or not.
Go to the College’s Camps and Excel — Perform well at the camps you go to. Look professional and play professional. Best behavior and be ready to learn. First Contact — It would be good idea to begin contacting coaches in the summer before your sophomore year. A copy of your recruiting video or a link where they can view your video, the latter quickly becoming a popular choice with coaches — as well as a recruiting resume with details such as stats, honors, academic data and contact information for your high school coaches should also be included.
Ti Pinnix, Jr. “[You need to] work hard and know what you have to do and go out and do it. [I’ve talked to] ECU and NC State and I received a camp letter from Tennessee.”
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Research the School — For starters, check out the school’s website to find out the best coach or school official to contact. For smaller schools, individual e-mail addresses for coaches can be found easily. For bigger schools it may be harder to find contact information for specific coaches.
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Sports
Every issue we’ll showcase an individual and his/her achievements from an ongoing sport. In order to qualify, one must be nominated by his/her coach for athletic ability, outstanding leadership, work ethic and sportsmanship.
Jalen Smith football
— Compiled by Tori Nothnagel & Chloe Gruesbeck
“He’s a first year varsity player who has been named captain and has set school records already. He has been here all summer and has been working hard and it shows on the field.” — Coach Bill Hall
Logan McClamroch golf
Erin Nelson girls’ cross country
“She brings a lot of knowhow and she brings the team together to help lead us in the right direction. She always leads our team in her times and placement.” — Brooks Holt, So.
charged shot
“She’s a really good player and puts a lot of time and effort into the game. She’s good to watch and learn from.” — Karen Vanderford, Jr.
Rob Hamlet boys’ cross country
Madison Cohen cheerleading “She has good school spirit, enthusiasm and loves to cheer. She works well with the team.” — Coach Delisa Cohen
Shelby Kremer volleyball “She’s been one of the leaders of the team, has been instrumentally leading the team and has been on the team all four years.” — Coach Steven Thomas
Jay Williams/The Omniscient
Angel Rosas boys’ soccer
JONATHAN PEREZ keeps the ball inbounds in a game against Northern Vance.
Placed 2nd at Chatham Central & Orange. Top 20 at Greensboro Invitational. Best time is 17:37 in 3.1 miles.
He has scored two goals and three assists.
Hannah Holloway tennis
“He never complains, a hard worker and is consistently a good athlete.” — Jacob Friedman, Sr. Marlene Gutierrez/The Omniscient
“She’s number one, plays the toughest competition day in and day out and is one of the top players in the conference.” — Coach Joseph Kiertekles
“He has a great attitude and works hard all the time.” — Coach Kevin Tanceusz
Jay Williams/The Omniscient