Page 2
Points of Interest
June 2016
The Omniscient
Photo courtesy of Northwood Band Boosters
Senior drum major Hudson Moore graduates leaving role to junior Macie Marsh. pg 11
Hannah Gail Shepherd/The Omniscient
SENIOR MCKENZIE ALLGOOD eyes a pitch during Northwood’s 14-0 win against Chapel Hill March 8.
Photo courtesy of Jarnocan/Flickr
Stumped on what to do this summer? We have you covered. pg 12
The softball team advanced to a third round playoff game against the Corinth Holders Pirates May 20. The East No. 26 seeded-Pirates rallied three times, including a four-run seventh inning, to upset the No. 2 Chargers 10-8. Every player in the Northwood lineup had at least one hit, with senior McKenzie Allgood leading the way with a three-for-four. The Chargers ended the season with a 20-3 record. - THE NORTHWOOD -
O M N IS C IE N T EDITORS Chloe Gruesbeck Editor-in-Chief Becca Heilman Managing & Online Editor
Chloe Gruesbeck/The Omniscient
Editor-in-Chief Chloe Gruesbeck reviews local food trucks. pg 16
Sawyer Davis Layout Editor Adrianne Cleven Opinion Editor
Ellie Saksa Opinion & Social Media Editor STAFF WRITERS Madison Clark Jacqueline Condrey Jessie Craig Natalie Fragnito Sara Heilman Carter Owings-Hurgronje Leah Kallam Jessica Kolomichuk Chloe Maynard
Davis Palermo Emmy Robertson Tory Scott Hannah Gail Shepherd Sarah Helen Shepherd Briana Stone Harleigh White
ADVISOR Neal Morgan nmorgan@chatham.k12.nc.us
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. Ellie Saksa/The Omniscient
Seniors sometimes lose playing time to talented underclassmen. pg 26
Front Cover: An athlete sits on the bench. Photo Credit: Ellie Saksa
The Omniscient
June 2016
Page 3
Photo courtesy of Katherine Miles Jones
KRISTEN AND STEVEN OAKES share a moment during the first dance at their wedding.
From High School to Honeymoon: Former Northwood students get married By Carter Owings-Hurgronje & Harleigh White Staff Writers After getting off of the stage with beaming lights in her face, dance teacher Kristen Oakes was handed a rose by her husband, Stephen. It is never determined when you are going to meet your soulmate, but for Oakes it all started after her first talent show in fifth grade. “We were in fifth grade at Perry Harrison in Mrs. Lipson’s class,” Oakes said. “We dated in fifth grade then broke up in sixth grade, got together in seventh grade, etc. It’s just one of those things that we were a part of each others lives whether we dated or were just friends.” From meeting in fifth grade, all the way to high school and then marriage, Oakes feels that she and her husband, Stephen, were meant to be together. “We’ve grown together and so we’ve seen each other at our best and at our worst,” Oakes said. “I’ve known every version of him and vice versa, and so for us to still want us to spend our lives together is amazing. I think we’re going to make it for a while.” Oakes’ mom, JoAnn Norwood, felt that Oakes and Stephen were going to be together from the beginning. “When I think of Kristen and Stephen I think of these phrases: ‘Together at last, worth waiting for, not just puppy love, a match made in heaven,’” Norwood said. These married couples all have familiar stories, but the way each one of them met are all unique in their own way. CTE teacher Rick Parks met his wife, Jessica, when he was a freshman at Jordan Matthews while she attended Northwood. “Here’s another twist to it: my mother actually worked here while my wife was going here,” Parks said. Since these couples have grown up together, they share many similar interests. “You know, we like the same types of foods, we like to go out to the same types of places, we’ve really kind of grown up together,” Parks said. “We’ve always been together.”
With Oakes’ relationship, her parents were always involved, and it’s common for them to have their own opinions. “Well, my mom has always loved Stephen, because she taught both me and him in sixth grade at Perry Harrison,” Oakes said. “Any dad is going to be skeptical of any boy that I bring home.” Norwood has always considered Stephen as one of her kids, especially since they have spent so much time together. “I have been involved in Stephen’s life off and on since he was in my class,” Norwood said. “As a teacher, once you’re my kid, you’re always my kid.” High school and being separated can sometimes take a toll on a relationship, but in these cases they worked through it. “The first year of college was real tough,” Parks said. “Both of us have a pretty strong will and determination, and I guess it was like, if it was expected to be done, we did it.” Oakes feels that when you’re in a relationship, you still have to make decisions that support your goals. “I went to ECU for myself,” Oakes said. “I went there for the dance program, because it’s what I wanted to do, what I needed to do in order to graduate with a degree.” After his first semester at ECU, Stephen found his passion elsewhere. “He came back [home] and started working,” Oakes said. “College isn’t for everyone, and he wanted to work with cars, so spending money wasn’t needed.” After spending seven years together, Oakes and Stephen married in August 2015. “When we got married, it was truly a celebration between the two families, because we finally made that step,” Oakes said. Norwood’s favorite memory was during the rehearsal dinner. “Stephen was so emotional about finally getting to the altar that he could barely make his speech,” Norwood said. “Kristen broke down and cried when he kissed her goodnight because she was finally going to become his wife the next day.” Parks was also aware that he wanted to spend the rest of
“Together at last, worth waiting for, not just puppy love, a match made in heaven.” — JoAnn Norwood, Kristen Oakes’ mother
his life with his wife, so they took the next big leap together. “‘Hey, I’m going to spend the rest of life with you, I guess it was just a building process,” Parks said. “At some point I knew, I guess the time when I asked her to marry me. Now I’m 33, and we’ve been together since I was 14, so 19 years.” Parks and Jessica have learned to compromise over the years. “It wasn’t long ago where she complained when I washed the clothes because I dried something, and I said, ‘That’s fine, I’m never going to do the clothes again,’ and to this day I have not done them,” Parks said. Oakes and her husband have a conflict that still remains prominent now. “We disagree on his deer, ducks and turkeys all over the house, and right now they are currently in a room upstairs where I can shut the door,” Oakes said. In the end, these sweethearts feel like meeting someone you spend your life with is an amazing thing. Rick Parks, overall, feels that marriage is all about working together. “I guess it’s just, you’re willing to do anything, regardless of how it makes you feel,” Parks said. “Your main objective is to make the other person happy. I think when you love somebody, you are willing to do those things, willing to sacrifice more than anything else for that one person. I was very lucky and fortunate enough for her to like me as much as I liked her, I can tell you that.”
Illustration by Jessica Kolomichuk/The Omniscient
Page 4
The Omniscient
June 2016
“It was debilitating”: Students deal with mental illness By Jessie Craig & Sawyer Davis Staff Writer & Layout Editor
a time until I finally just dropped out. I just wasn’t getting better. Being at home didn’t make me feel better because I still “[Depression] makes you feel tired. You don’t want to had the pressure of school on me. I was do anything, it almost feels like you’re fake sick, without expected to make up the weeks of work a cough and sniffles; you feel drained,” junior Tatyana I was missing once I came back. So I Barrett said. “But I’d also like to say that it’s mostly men- dropped out entirely.” tal [for me], it’s all in the head.” While anxiety and depression are Barrett is not alone in her experiences with depresvery different disorders, they can have sion. In 2014, depression affected approximately 11.4 similar triggers. percent of people ages 12 to 17, and 17.3 percent of fe“Every kid I’ve ever talked to with males ages 12 to 17, according to the National Institute anxiety… if you ask them why, they’ll of Mental Health. say their family, they’ll say their friends… Along with depression, anxiety is another rather but invariably, they’ll always say school common mental disorder among teens and adolescents. too,” Pollard said. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 25 Some students find that a stressful percent of students age 13 to 18 have a sort of diagnosed and overwhelming part about school that anxiety disorder. makes anxiety and depression disorders There are many types of depressive disorders that can worse can be the workload. all occur with any anxiety disorder, all of which can be “I would skip my homework just so I addressed by medications. could get enough sleep at night and then “I started on Zoloft, actually, in ninth grade because… I would stay home the next day to catch I was not prepared for the high school workload and it up on what I didn’t work on,” Berry said. Illustration by Leah Kallam/The Omniscient has not calmed down throughout my whole high school “All that got me caught in this horrible ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION are mental illnesses that can make years,” senior Jordan Pollard said. “I just had to get used vicious cycle where I couldn’t handle school more difficult for some students. to not having time to do the fun things I used to do to ease the workload, I’d stay absent to try to “Everyone has anxiety, it’s just to what extent and to stress. I was so anxious and stressed that it was debilitatcatch up, but then I’d be swamped with what level,” Hunter said. “Some anxiety is a good thing ing. There were some days that I couldn’t go to school even more makeup work. It was horrible. I started having because that’s what drives people…. Anxiety is an issue because I couldn’t breathe and Zoloft has helped a lot, but panic attacks in the mornings because I was so terrified when it becomes unhealthy.” I still have a lot of anxiety issues.” of getting up and going to school to face all of that again. Due to the possibility of anxiety and depression beHowever, medication is not for everyone. Although Because I was panicking in the mornings I would get coming disruptive to one’s life, many students have found some people find it extremely helpful, others do not physically sick and either stay home or be late.” it helpful to see therapists or psychiatrists. agree with or cope well On the other hand, school “When I was talking to my psychiatrist about whether with the effects of medicacan help some students ease “You wouldn’t tell a kid in a to go back to school this semester or not she said, ‘Well, tions for depression. wheelchair to just get over it and their depression by providing if you think there’s a chance your depression might get “I don’t believe in depresstructure and purpose. try to use the stairs like an ableworse again, you shouldn’t go back. The goal is for you sion medicine; I feel like “Most of my anxiety is at not to be depressed,’” Berry said. “No one had ever told there has to be another way home; school is where I get bodied person, so the school me that before. It took me a minute to process what she to cope with it or fix it,” away from that,” an anonyshouldn’t be forcing mentally ill had said because the goal had never been for me to not be Barrett said. mous junior said. “When I kids to do things that neurotypical depressed before.” Regardless of whether come to school I have a plan Students have also found other ways to help cope with kids can barely do.” a person’s depression is for that day. Most people their depression and anxiety. chronic or not, individuals dread coming to school and — Jean Berry, former student “What actually ended up being my saving grace was handle it differently. love going home; I, on the exercise, so I actually lost 20 pounds after gaining… 15 “There are two different other hand, look forward to [due to depression],” senior Ricky Young said. “Whentypes of depression that I experience, one being punch school and dread going home.” ever I had time to free up [to be] a little less focused on drunk; I act goofy and laugh and makes jokes about killStudents struggling with mental illness have a larger school work over the summer was when I started getting ing myself and although it alerts my friends, I act [as if need for outside help in some cases. However, counselors myself back and started feeling a little bit more happy nothing is wrong],” an anonymous junior said. “The other and other administrators are only able to help those who and liked who I was.” type is almost like a catatonic state where I cannot move, reach out to them through methods like accommodations There are options for accommodations for mental illor speak, unless [I go] to use the bathroom or get water. I and therapy. nesses through the school, according to Hunter. just sit in one space for hours, not doing anything.” “The one thing about students is that we can only help “If your depression or anxiety impacts your ability While some students find they can manage their dethe students who reach out, so I can only know about stuto perform in school and you’re maybe being treated by pression or anxiety with medication, some find that their dents who have anxiety if they let us know,” Hunter said. a doctor, psychologist, therapist, something like that, anxiety can make it very hard to function in school. “As a school… we only have so many resources, so a lot there is an option under the Americans with Disabilities “We have had some students whose anxiety did get to of times when students have anxiety to the point where act to do something called a 504 plan which could… the point where they were not capable [of completing] it’s impairing your judgment or [you’re] having school provide you with accommodations if you qualify,” school,” school counselor Telisa Hunter said. “But someissues, we can do some things, but we are not trained to Hunter said. “There are also some times when teacher times it’s not that they can’t complete it here at a public get rid of anxiety, that’s not what it’s for.” will just, if they know about a situation, will also offer school, maybe there are alternative settings that work Without real help, some students can develop physical accommodations to students if you were going through better for those students.” symptoms of their anxiety. something like that.” Former student Jean Berry, who would have gradu“Last year, I noticed I started to lose my hair, in Berry sees the need for accommodations in schools ated this June, says he dropped out due to his diagnosed clumps,” an anonymous junior said. “When I went to for students with mental illnesses. anxiety and depression first semester. the doctor they blamed stress, and recommended ‘chill“You wouldn’t tell a kid in a wheelchair to just get “I was close to failing my classes because of my ing out’ as a solution. The issue with that was the load of over it and try to use the stairs like an able-bodied absences, I was pretty close to getting OSS for my tardiwork I had brought onto myself, resulting in anxiety.” person,” Berry said. “So the school shouldn’t be forcing ness, and I just… didn’t want to do that anymore,” Berry According to Hunter, there is a difference between mentally ill kids to do things that neurotypical kids can said. “My therapist wrote letters recommending that I stay diagnosable anxiety and depression and small amounts of barely do.” home for my health and she kept writing those weeks at anxiety and depression.
June 2016
Page 5
The Omniscient
The Favor Desserts Bakery & Coffee Shop 5607 HWY 55 Bentley Ridge, Suite 105 Durham, NC 27713
(919)-908-9264
www.favordesserts.com
Page 6
June 2016
The Omniscient
Gap Year: Students take a year “on” By Briana Stone Staff Writer
2089 Lamont Norwood Road Pittsboro, NC 27312 (919)-918-1080 oldschool.fancygap@gmail.com
STAY ON TOP OF THINGS.
Follow the Omniscient!
@nhsomniscient
nhsomniscient.com
The Northwood Omniscient
@nhs_omni
A form of procrastination? A slacker’s path out of studying? On the outside looking in, taking a gap year may seem like an irresponsible decision. However, even Malia Obama recently decided to attend Harvard after a gap year. The concept of taking a gap year traces back to Europe, but has been steadily becoming more popular in the U.S. A gap year is defined as a period, typically an academic year, taken by a student as a break between secondary school and higher education. “A gap year is just another year of growth for students before they enter a four-year university,” guidance counselor Callie Robertson said. “I took a gap semester, and basically after it was over, my plan was to go back to college. A lot of times, when people go to college, they come in with one major and change it like five times. I think a gap year gives you growth as a person and furthers your maturity, as long as you have a plan.” According to many school counselors, after individuals work, travel, volunteer or explore other interests, they tend to be more mature when they arrive at college, and more engaged in their education going forward. There are many gap year programs available, all with the shared purpose of increasing self-awareness, learning about different cultural perspectives and experimenting with future possible careers. Lauren Bartek, a senior attending Carrboro High school, explained her gap year plans. “The main thing that I am going to be doing during my gap year is going to Thailand, New Zealand and I’m hoping to volunteer at a Burmese refugee camp and tutor children at a school there, as well as backpack in New Zealand,” Bartek said. “I don’t have a lot of plans yet, because I decided a few days ago, so I’m working on the rest of the details right now.” On the other hand, many students are exploring their options independently, without the assistance of a formal program. “Over the gap year, I hope to accomplish building a financially stable business and be able to live on my own,” senior Sean O’Donnell said. “I’m a bow fishing guide, and I have been putting up advertisements in gas stations and on Craigslist, and my website will be launching soon for the business I am planning to run. A gap year will help me reach success, because it will help me determine whether or not my business will be profitable.” According to a report published in 2015 by YouthTruth, only 44.8 percent of
students surveyed feel positively about their college and career readiness. Almost 40 percent did not agree that their high schools have helped them develop the skills and knowledge needed for college-level classes. Many students believe that a gap year will help them become more successful. “Success is really the reason I did the gap year; I just wanted to prove to myself that I could feel successful without going through the mainstream, like going to college and then getting an office job and then having a family,” Bartek said. “I think the gap year will change me into a person who is more aware of what they want in life so in college I have a better idea.” Senior Bryce Smith also decided to take a gap year. “I decided I was taking a gap year like six months ago,” Smith said. “The location of where I want to be, Utah, is why I decided to take the gap year. I’m going to be working and trying to get in-state tuition, and I’m also going to be working toward my pilot’s license. My plans for after the year are to go to Utah State or the University of Utah.” The idea of a gap year can be frightening for parents, especially for those who have carefully cultivated a cradle-to-college track for their children. Many fear that once their child veers away from a formal education, they won’t go back. “My dad at first was a little bit concerned about it, just because he thought it might be a waste of money when I could be working,” Bartek said. “I wrote him a four-page paper about what I hope to accomplish. Otherwise, my friends and family are in support of it, and some of them are pretty jealous. Everybody I’ve talked to encouraged it a lot.” Gap year experts say no one tracks the exact numbers of American students taking gap years, but most agree the trend is steadily growing in popularity. “I think gap years are becoming more popular, because the amount of money that it takes to go to college really sets you back,” O’Donnell said. “Going to college isn’t even a guarantee that you’ll get a good job after to pay off the thousands of dollars in loans.”
Briana Stone/The Omniscient
June 2016
Page 7
The Omniscient
Russell & Associates Attorneys TrafďŹ c Drug and Alcohol Real Estate Business Divorce www.rdulaw.com 919-754-3904 69 Hillsboro Street, Pittsboro
Page 8
The Omniscient
June 2016
“I feel a little bit like an outsider”: Race in AP and honors classes By Becca Heilman Managing & Online Editor To many students, Advanced Placement (AP) and honors classes are the norm, natural progressions on one’s high school academic track. Amid the advanced and often labor-intensive coursework of these classes, many may fail to notice or consider the racial makeup of their peers. “It’s a majority of white people [in AP and honors classes],” junior Kristian Eanes said. “ I know that during my first two years at Northwood, in my English I Honors and English II Honors classes, I was the only black person in the entire class. In many of my classes that are honors, I’m one of maybe three [people of color]. Three is a good number; we get happy when there are three of us in there, and four is phenomenal.” In fact, although 56 percent of Northwood’s population during the 2014-2015 school year was white, the race distribution in this year’s Honors English II classes is 83 percent white. This lack of class diversity can make students of color feel singled out or isolated. “I find that with every class I have, whether it be AP or honors… I feel a little bit like an outsider, not just because of the racial issue, but also I know that there are certain perspectives I have that others may not share because of background and where they grew up and all that,” senior Malia Hamilton said. Minority students like Eanes and Hamilton often find it difficult to speak up in classes. “Right now in American History, we are starting the unit on slavery and African American rights and women’s rights,” Eanes said. “I find myself a lot of times just being quiet…. When you’re already outnumbered, and you’re already on the opposite or ‘wrong’ side, then you just choose not to speak out sometimes.” Some white students take notice of the racial disparity in their classes. “When we have discussions, certain voices aren’t being heard, and it’s really important for those voices to be heard,” senior Isabel Bors said. “In AP Lang[uage], we talked about the Black Lives Matter movement, and there were no black people in the class.” Students of color account for only 16 percent of this year’s AP Statistics classes and 13 percent of this year’s AP Environmental Science classes. However, Puerto Rican-American senior Jacqueline Helgans, like many
others, believes that diversity has more of an effect on English and history classes rather than math and sciencerelated courses. “In a class like [AP] Lit[erature], with the ability to discuss things that are culturally relevant in our time, there is no new perspective to be had, because it’s homogenous, and everyone looks the same,” Helgans said. “We all have fairly similar experiences, not only skin color-wise, but also we grew up in similar financial situations; we’re all coming from a pretty generic place.” Many teachers notice that diversity causes differences in the atmosphere of their classes. “I think there is more enthusiasm about learning different topics in my diverse classes,” social studies teacher Melissa Hayden said. “Being a minority, [students of color] have a different perspectives of the world, and they like to learn things some kids might not be able to relate to…. I do notice that when you have a class that’s more diverse, discussion really is more willing to pick up.” Students and teachers cite many reasons for the lack of minorities in high-level courses. Spanish teacher and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) coordinator Henry Foust offered his perspective. “It is such a huge issue, and there is everything from historical events to legalized racism to cultural norms to situational decisions to personality issues that cause all that to happen,” Foust said. “It could just be personal, but I also think there are institutionalized dynamics that discourage people who are fully capable of performing from signing up for those classes…. When they get in there, they start seeing that there’s nobody there like [them], or [they] don’t see anybody succeeding, and therefore they start almost talking themselves out of achievement…. To pretend that there’s not still racism, sexism, all of those kinds of things in a class, is naïve. Putting your finger on identifying it is just difficult.” Foust continued. “There is a fear among African Americans that taking a lot of high level classes makes you act white, or kids may be getting ready to have some study group, and the kid from some lower socioeconomic class goes to somebody’s home in Governors Club and thinks, ‘There’s just no way I can compete against this,’” Foust said. “Of course, some kids see this as a challenge, and they decide that they’re going to make it in spite of this.” Helgans offered a slightly different viewpoint. “The course that a lot of students of color have been set on for their entire educational career is society kind of telling them that maybe they aren’t well-equipped enough or they aren’t capable of taking those higher courses, even if that’s what they’re interested in,” Helgans said. “It’s almost like a conditioning that they’ve been experiencing for the majority of their upbringing and educational career.” Eanes blamed the phenomenon on a lack of motivation. “It’s not even that we Becca Heilman/The Omniscient don’t have smart African
Americans here; I feel like it’s that they don’t push themselves, their parents don’t push them and teachers don’t push them,” Eanes said. “There are a lot of African Americans that can take honors classes here, but they choose not to because they think that they can’t do it.” Due to the lack of minorities in AP and honors classes, many students of color feel more pressure to succeed. “I push myself and work so hard just because I want people to see that we can do it just like white people can do it,” Eanes said. “We are just as capable of taking AP classes and honors classes and making good grades just like white people are. I really push myself to do well because of that.” Many schools turn to programs like AVID and Upward Bound to promote minority involvement in more challenging classes. Both programs aim to address the achievement gap in performance by factors like race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. According to Foust, AVID classes are typically more diverse than regular honors classes. “Part of the goal of AVID is to make sure that people who have potential to achieve on a university level have the opportunity to do so,” Foust said. “[Our goal] is to give them opportunities, experiences and support that other demographics have by virtue of birth. People are born into a family that has means, that has education, that has the privilege that society has constructed over the last 200+ years.” Foust discussed possible solutions to the issue. “The main thing is exposure, people having exposure to other people who are not like them, and just the experience of interacting with people who are not in the same demographic groups,” Foust said. “That experience, although I think that sometimes it is subliminal, can have a profound influence on how people see the world. If people don’t see females in science classes, they don’t think of females being scientists. And it could be that, 10 or 20 years down the road, all the males in that science class, if they’re doing hiring, there might be some inherent bias when they see a female come in the room…. We know from research and from experience that people’s experiences in all kinds of avenues affect their viewpoints of different types of people.” Foust believes that one solution may lie even before students enter high school. Only 24 percent of freshmen in this year’s Honors World History classes are students of color. “There needs to be more attention paid to some of the information and statistics we have about how kids perform on EOGs in middle school and things like that,” Foust said. “One of my ideas is targeting kids who make a certain grade, and those kids should be pulled up and told to take honors. You can’t force kids to do that, but identifying and searching out those people and being proactive about it would be a good thing to do. I don’t know if that’s a realistic strategy, but I know that when I was in high school, I didn’t think that I could be in those classes, but somebody identified me and pushed me toward those classes, and that made a difference in what I thought about doing later on.” Regardless of the causes of low diversity in high-level classes, Foust says change won’t be easy. “[Class demographics will not change] unless there are systematic, intentional policies in place to change those things,” Foust said. “I think it’s tough work; I don’t think you can just wave a magic wand and make it happen. No matter what we say or do, people are still free to make their own decisions about whether or not they’re going to take advantage of the opportunities out there. I think we can do a better job of offering the opportunities.”
The Omniscient
June 2016
The Cost of Success: Barriers prevent extracurricular participation By Emmy Robertson Staff Writer Extracurriculars are school related activities that do not necessarily have anything to do with a student’s courses. In Dec. 2014, six out of every 10 students participated in extracurricular activities of some sort, according to the United States Census Bureau. But what about the students that are not involved? At 84 percent, the proportion of students involved in extracurriculars at Northwood is higher than the national average. However, some students cannot participate. 3 percent of students surveyed said one reason is because these students have serious things going on in their lives “When I had to stop doing a cappella, I was looking for a job, and then some serious stuff happened in my life, and it just became overwhelming,” junior Jonathan Kurz said. “But now when I just come home from school, I usually do homework and help my little brother do his homework, and then, if I have free time, I’m usually helping my mom around the house, because she has a bad knee.” According to the poll, 5 percent of students do not participate in extracurriculars because they do not have transportation. “I never have a way to get back home,” sophomore Nicole Campbell said. “My mom doesn’t have a car, and my dad is always at work. I used to do extracurricular activities, but then I had to walk home every day, and that highway is super dangerous. I almost have gotten run over twice.” Some students do not have the money to join the clubs they enjoy; therefore, they do not attend. “There are some clubs that I would like to join, like FCCLA, FBLA, color guard and marching band, but they all cost a lot of money,” sophomore Skylar Walsh said. FCCLA and FBLA have a $20 fee to join, and both the marching band and color guard cost $450. This money, for FBLA and FCCLA, goes to the various trips these clubs attend. The money
for marching band and color guard goes to the Northwood Band Boosters, where it is divided into categories of funds such as food, transportation and uniforms. Another reason for not participating in extracurriculars is that some students have jobs that take up most of their time. “I have a job, and I have to work,” said sophomore Cameron Marsh, who works at a lumberyard in Clayton. “I don’t want to be late and get fired.” Four percent of students just do not like the extracurriculars available. “I don’t think there’s anything I like in this school that I want to do,” freshman Noreli Lopez said. Extracurriculars have been shown to influence college admissions, being ranked considerably important for 7 percent of admissions officers and moderately important by 36 percent, according to a paper published by counselor education researcher Meghan Lentner. This influences student’s involvement in extracurriculars. There was a showcase of the extracurriculars at the beginning of the year to increase the number of students involved in extracurriculars. “We have over 50 clubs right now, which is way more than we have ever had,” principal Justin Bartholomew said. “I have talked with a lot more students about starting a new club and what they have to do…. Overall participation [in extracurriculars] seems to be better.” 83 percent of the students are involved in extracurriculars. “[Extracurriculars] are a great way to do things that you love and to meet new people that share a common interest,” freshman Ellen Pedigo said. “It also is great when applying to colleges.” Whether participating in extracurriculars or not, 96 percent of the student body feels that extracurriculars are important. “I think extracurricular activities are a really good way to stay in school,” sophomore Jasmine McDougald said.
Page 9
Life is Too Short to Be in Pain
Dedicated to restoring wellness while helping you eliminate the conditions that are holding you back from living life at
“Rooted in Your Health.” www.newbranchchiro.com
Books, Vinyl and CDs Rare, Used and Unusual.
121 Hillsboro St. P.O. Box 831 Pittsboro, NC 27312
Buy, Sell and Trade circlecitybooks@gmail.com (919)548-5954
Page 10
The Omniscient
June 2016
Community College: An alternative collegiate path By Hannah Gail Shepherd Staff Writer Former Northwood student Sophia Pearce stepped foot onto the University of North Carolina at Wilmington’s (UNC-W) campus for orientation, ready to take on her collegiate journey. As she walked into the crowded auditorium, surrounded by the noise of laughter and excitement from her hopeful peers, Pearce realized she did not feel the same. She felt no excitement to attend her future school. Pearce then withdrew from UNC-W and enrolled at Central Carolina Community College (CCCC). “If you have the money to go to college, and you know exactly where you want to go and who you want to be, then I say go for it,” Pearce said. “But if you are completely unsure and you don’t think that you’ll enjoy the college that you’re going to, or you need more help getting ready for college, then I think CCCC or any community college is a good idea.” Community college is becoming a more popular option for graduating seniors because of the benefits that community college offers. “The financial piece is a big thing,” intern guidance counselor Telisa Hunter said. “Sometimes it’s about maturity, whether you are ready to take that big step. Sometimes it’s helpful to for students who maybe want to save money. Maybe they want to go to a college, but they don’t want to have loans, or they don’t want to be in debt…. Sometimes it’s easier to live at home; for some students there are some issues going on at home where they need to be there or stay near whatever is going on, so that gives them the option of still going to college and not having to leave the home.” College and career advisor April Hammonds says that some students ultimately would not be pleased with attending community college because of the negative stigma. “A lot of people say, ‘Oh it’s just like high school,’ or ‘Oh, people are dumb if they go to community college,’ and it’s not really like that at all,” Hammonds said. “Some of the courses are very challenging for students. I guess you don’t get that experience. You don’t have big football games to go to, or you don’t really get to experience tons of student organizations. So for some
students, they want that college experience, but you plan to transfer to a four-year university. However, may not feel like you’re getting that if you go to a only 15 percent of them actually earn their Bachelor’s community college and you’re staying at home.” Degree within six years. Senior Eduardo Peralta-Reyes will be attending “I will say there are some students who get CCCC in the fall of 2016. He plans to transfer to a complacent,” Hunter said. “They say ‘I’m going to university after two years. go to the two year, and then I’m going to transfer,’ “I’m just going to CCCC to get the basics out of and then they don’t, and that can be a little bit of a the way, because I’m not really sure what I really downfall. Some students who need to get out of the want to do, what career I want to pursue,” Peraltaenvironment they are in don’t get that option if they Reyes said. “I’m just going to get my basics out of stay at home and stay in the same hometown. There the way, and if I want to get my doctorate, this way I are reasons for students to spread their wings or get save more money.” out of what’s going on in their Programs are being “I thought it was going to be bad. home or in their community, created to help stuwe have such an amazing I thought I was going to have but dents save money by community college system in an awful time, and in the first attending community North Carolina that I don’t know college and guaranteemonth of me going to CCCC, I that it has lots of negatives.” ing a transfer. One of After Pearce withdrew from absolutely despised it.... And I’m UNC-W and attended CCCC, these programs is called C-STEP. she was initially disappointed and slowly warming up to it.” “For any commuto tell people that she — Sophia Pearce, former student embarrassed nity college in North attended a community college. Carolina, as long as you get a two year Associate’s “I thought it was going to be bad,” Pearce said. degree, and you’re part of the transfer program, and “I thought I was going to have an awful time, and in you do well… you are almost guaranteed to transfer the first month of me going to CCCC, I absolutely to any of the UNC system schools,” Hunter said. despised it and I hated people knowing I went to “It’s different than getting in the first time. A lot of CCCC, because they [looked] down on me. My dad the time, it doesn’t include things like ACT or SAT didn’t want to tell anyone, because he graduated from scores, which hold some kids back.” UNC… and he was like, ‘And you’re going to comThe Accelerate Program was created at CCCC in munity college,’ and he felt ashamed. Then he looked Pittsboro and allows students to get an Associate of at the course work I was taking, with the grades I was Arts Degree in one year and then graduate in three getting. I was working full time at the same time, and years instead of four. he slowly warmed up to it. And I’m slowly warming Senior Chaz Bailey was accepted into the Accelup to it.” erate Program and will be attending CCCC starting For as long as community college has been around, in the fall of 2016. there has been a stigma attached to it. “I get to stay at home another year with my par“I personally have great respect for the program that ents, another year with my brother and my sister,” we’ve set up, especially in North Carolina,” Hunter Bailey said. “It’s only two grand to get my first two said. “I wish it did not have such a negative piece, years of college done. A lot of my friends are doing because I tell people all the time, you can have that the same thing, so I’ll be able to hang out with them same goal, and you can reach that same goal; you just for another year, which is good. It’s nice to be home take a different path to get there. That’s all community for a little while.” college is.” According to The Christian Science Monitor, 80 Pearce talked about the positive atmosphere that percent of students who attend community college CCCC has created to ensure students do not feel alone while in college. “People just watch over you,” Pearce said. “Mostly people go to community college because they’re not ready to go to a real college, so they are preparing themselves…. I know for people who struggle and who’ve never had a parent who went to college or anything, they need the attention, they get the attention and they do well in their classes.” CTE teacher Ann Thomas believes it does not matter whether a student attends a university or community college but that it all depends on the student. “I just hold education high, and I think we should all achieve,” said Thomas, who became a nurse after attending community college. “I think it’s an honor to go to college, and I think it’s an honor to have an Sarah Helen Shepherd/The Omniscient education.”
Entertainment 11
Photo courtesy of Northwood Band Boosters
SENIOR Hudson Moore conducts during a marching band performance.
Passing the Baton: Senior drum major leaves a legacy By Sarah Helen Shepherd Staff Writer “Detail atten hut!” senior Hudson Moore yells from the top of her eight-foot stand above the 130 marching band members below her. “Pride!” they yell back. Moore, a graduating senior, is leaving behind her position as the marching band’s drum major. “When I stand on the stand to conduct, it is honestly my favorite place in the world,” Moore said. Moore joined band as a flautist when she was in sixth grade and says she has always enjoyed music. Moore’s parents have been playing music around her for most of her life, which contributed to her love of music. “I want to be a band director, because I have seen the incredible impact that band has had on so many students, and I have wanted to be a teacher since I was little,” Moore said. “I joined band in high school and saw how many people changed from scared little freshmen into flourishing members of Northwood because of marching band and how many friends people make, and their confidence increases. Just everything gets better because of band, and I want to be able to spread that to as many people as I can.” Moore has been the drum major for two years. “I love looking down and seeing the faces of the entire band, and they are all my best friends,” Moore said. “I love seeing all of them watching me … and feeling like I am part of something that is bigger than myself. That is one of my favorite things about band, being a part of something so big, and I feel like I have an impact on people’s lives this way.”
Moore practices conducting every day for 45 minutes and stays later after rehearsals to make sure everything is cleaned up. “A drum major has a lot of responsibilities; the most obvious one is conducting the band during a performance, which is what everyone sees,” Moore said. “During the performance, I make sure the band stays at the right tempo; I cue in sections; I give in dynamic sections and make sure the music is sounding the way it should be. At daily rehearsals, I have a lot more responsibilities, because I act as an assistant teacher. I take attendance, I make sure everybody is doing what they should be doing and also I help with rehearsals and make music suggestions. There is a lot of stuff involved.” According to band director Brett Cox, the drum major has one of the most important leadership positions in the marching band. “If there was no drum major, I would have to do everything; things would not be as organized as they are,” Cox said. “If we maintained the same numbers and didn’t have a drum major, it would be impossible to do the competitions that we do.” Junior Mary Wardrop has been in band since sixth grade and is a section leader. She describes Moore’s leadership in marching band. “Hudson is a really good leader,” Wardrop said. “She is really nice to everybody, but she is assertive, but not too much, so you know what you are supposed to do, but she’s not mean about it. She was really sweet, and she knew what she was doing, and she’s really caring and nice to everybody.” Although Moore will be playing the flute in Western Carolina’s marching band this fall, she is sentimental
about leaving behind Northwood’s marching band. “I feel very very sad about leaving Northwood band,” Moore said. “This has been my home for four years, but I’m going on to become a band director, and a large part of that is due to Northwood’s band program and everything that is has done for me. I’m wishing the best for the band, and I know that the new drum majors and the new leaders are going to do an amazing job, but I will miss it very much.” Sophomore Macie Marsh will take Moore’s spot as the drum major next year. Marsh was the assistant drum major in the fall. She was the first assistant drum major in recent marching band history. As the assistant drum major, Marsh helps conduct the band, as it continues to grow in size each year. Marsh has been in band since fifth grade, and before she was a drum major, she played the trumpet. “I really like the people in band, and I like how we can all relate through music,” Marsh said. “I’ve always liked leading people and being a leader.” Cox said that he has been impressed with Moore’s performance over the past two years. “Hudson has definitely set the bar for every drum major,” Cox said. “Hudson was phenomenal; she kept me in line whenever I needed to be, especially the first year when I didn’t know the history of the program. She was the torchbearer from Mr. [Eugene] Cottrell to me, and she made sure things went as smoothly as they could. She had even more responsibility than a normal drum major would have.” Next year Marsh’s assistant drum major will be Clayton Hinson. Cox is hopeful that the new drum majors will continue on Moore’s legacy.
Page 12
June 2016
The Omniscient
— Compiled by Madison Clark & Leah Kallam
Get Artsy
American Dance Festival June 16- July 30 There will be 61 performances in 13 different venues in Durham and Raleigh. Performances will include pieces by Pilobolus, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and many more. Ackland Art Museum June 24 - Sept 11 Wed - Sat: 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Sun: 1 p.m.- 5 p.m. The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Upcoming exhibition: All About America: Photographs by Burk Uzzle
Photo courtesy of Selena N.B.H/Flickr.com
SPECTATORS can enjoy fireworks during Fourth of July celebrations across America.
Celebrate Fourth of July
Fireworks at Kenan Memorial Stadium July 4 Gates open at 7 p.m. Fireworks begin at 9:30 p.m. 104 Stadium Dr, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27514 Show off your red, white and blue at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill. Arrive early to enjoy live music, face painting and games. A display of fireworks will cover the sky to celebrate the Fourth of July. Photo courtesy of Paul B. Goode/Flickr.com
THE BILL T. JONES/ARNIE ZANE DANCE COMPANY performs Continuous Replay at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York. The company will perform during American Dance Festival’s 2016 season.
Go to a Festival
Photo courtesy of Charlie Cowins/Flickr.com
Bee Amazed Aug. 20- National Honey Bee Day 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Waynesboro State Park 801 South US 117 Goldsboro, N.C. 27530 Hosted by Beekeepers of the Neuse Learn about beekeeping, get your face painted, make candles, listen to live music and get BBQ and ice cream.
Hanging Rock State Park 1790 Hanging Rock State Park Rd, Danbury, N.C. 27016 Hike along the trails and witness the Lower Cascades of the Hanging Rock State Park. Northwest of Winston-Salem, this park holds 7,869 acres of remains from ancient mountains and waterfalls.
Festival for the Eno July 2 and 4 The 2016 37th Annual Festival for the Eno 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. each day West Point on the Eno in Durham City Park 5101 N Roxboro St, Durham, N.C. 27704 Experience food trucks, a craft show with over 80 artists, 65 different performers, paddling demonstrations, backyard chickens and bees and hands-on activities on the banks of the Eno River.
HIKERS can enjoy the picturesque beauty of the trails and waterfalls at Hanging Rock State Park in Danbury, NC.
Try Hiking
The Omniscient
June 2016
Page 13
The Pressure to be Plastic: Students struggle with body image By Tory Scott Staff Writer You look in the mirror and immediately begin to pick out your flaws. You wish that stubborn acne would go away, that your nose was not so pointy or that you had more curves. You wish you could change those features that you do not like, even though other people may see your flaws as something beautiful. According to the National Report on Self Esteem, 98 percent of adolescent girls feel pressure to look a certain way. Adolescents sometimes overcome their insecurities by getting plastic surgery. Senior Mariah Perez recently got rhinoplasty, a plastic surgery procedure that alters a patient’s nose. “Ever since I was in middle school, since maybe sixth, seventh grade, I always found that my nose was [proportionally] bigger than my face,” Perez said. “[People] kind of bullied me about it, so that really got to me. I had told [my parents] four years ago that I wanted the surgery, and they just wanted to wait until I got older to go for it.” Perez discussed some of the details from her procedure. “I went into the place, and they put me on anesthesia right away, and I fell asleep in a good 15 seconds; I don’t remember a thing until I got home; honestly, I did not feel any pain,” Perez said. “They gave me narcotics to take if I did feel any pain, but I didn’t have to take them at all. The only thing was I couldn’t really breathe at first.” Dance teacher Kristen Oakes feels that everyone has the right to do what they please to their body. “I think that everyone has the right to do whatever they want to their body; however, I feel most plastic surgeries are unnecessary, and it stems from an insecurity that someone has about themselves, and most people may not even notice it,” Oakes said. Junior Dashawn Matthews agrees with Oakes’ standpoint on plastic surgery, saying the desire for plastic surgery originates from one’s insecurities. “All the insecurities that they have, like people telling them they’re fat or that they need to have this done; they are basically listening to people judge them,” Matthews said. Many people agree that others should have the choice to undergo plastic surgery. “I think that if someone wants to get plastic surgery, then they should be able to no matter what the reason, because it’s their choice, even if it is because of internalized misogyny,” senior Piper Puckett said. There are those who want plastic surgery because of stereotypes and sexist messages women are taught by society and media. However, there are others who want the procedure simply to fix something they would like to change about themselves, not because of bullying or body image issues. “I hate my lips, because I think they are so thin, and when I smile, my top lip just doesn’t exist anymore, so I have considered getting lip injections,
because I want bigger lips,” Puckett Top Five Cosmetic Surgeries in 2015 said. “It’s not for any reason other (According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons) than I would just like my lips to be bigger. I don’t know if I’m going to go through with that or not, of course, because I want to look a certain way, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.” Oakes thinks body image is a conflict that many young adults are faced with. “Teaching mostly girls, body image is something that I think females struggle with always, because someone’s always got something to say; you’re too fat, you’re too skinny, you’re too tall, you’re too short,” Oakes said. “My advice is to ignore what other people say, because you are the way you are for a reason; you are born with these flaws.” Social media and the Internet give people, especially adolescents, the opportunity to be exposed to celebrities endorsing beauty products and what Hollywood considers the ideal body image. According to PR Newswire, about a quarter of 15-17 young girls would consider plastic surgery. “What we had connections to [online and with social media] versus what you all are exposed to now is Illustration by Natalie Fragnito & Jessica Kolomichuk/The Omniscient completely different,” Oakes said. YOUNG ADULTS often feel the pressure to look a certain way, some“They also didn’t have so much Photoshop, and airbrushing and con- times resulting in the use of plastic surgery. touring wasn’t like this huge thing.” “I definitely think it does in some ways, but not TV shows and movies hire actors and actresses who are in their mid 20s to play nearly as many pressures as it puts on young women,” Maynard said. “There’s a stigma, an idea that the role of teenagers. Puckett thinks this gives adoyou have to look a certain way and look manly and lescents a false idea of how they should look. be manly. If men were to wear something remotely Young adults are constantly surrounded by what feminine, it is usually frowned upon.” society considers beautiful, and adolescents face a Matthews speaks about confidence and how you should great deal of backlash from other people on social not alter yourself but instead learn to love who you are. media for not having the ideal body. According to “I do not think that [plastic surgery] provides confiInternet Safety 101, 95 percent of teenagers who use dence at all, because you don’t need plastic surgery for social media have witnessed cruel behavior towards you to think that you’re cute,” Matthews said. “You can other teens based on appearance. “I don’t the like the system as a whole, because it tell yourself when you look in the mirror, ‘Today I’m is the system that tells young girls that they must ca- cute,’ and find your confidence.” Oakes expresses how she feels about self-love. ter to the male gaze, and they must care about their “I feel like you need to learn to love yourself for who you appearance,” Puckett said. “It is that same system are,” Oakes said. “I would hope, especially at a young age, that then turns around and says, why are 14 year everyone can learn that you can love yourself for the way olds wearing short shorts? Why are 14 year olds you are. Plastic surgery is a quick fix, and it’s a dangerous caking their face in makeup? It is a vicious cycle, and slippery slope; the minute you fix one thing, then all and it is purposeful, and I hate it.” of sudden there’s another thing you want to fix, and then Senior Jack Maynard believes that men also have there’s another and another, so it can quickly decline.” pressure to look a certain way.
“Teaching mostly girls, body image is something that I think females struggle with always.” — Kristen Oakes, dance teacher
Page 14
June 2016
The Omniscient
Passing Down Wisdom: Seniors offer words of advice Kyla Hatch: Dance Department
Piper Puckett: Theater Productions
“Dance has helped me become more confident. When I dance, I don’t feel as shy anymore. I guess some advice would be [to] just worry about yourself. Just be yourself. Don’t worry about what other people think about you, because at the end of the day, you’re only going to have yourself.”
“Just do the most all the time. Do the most. Be so extra that Ms. Sharp has to tell you to stop being extra…. Seriously, work so hard you feel like quitting…. Put your all into everything that you do here because you guys are so phenomenal…. The arts department is just so chock-full of talent; all that I would really want to see is to bring that out in every single thing that you do.”
Photo courtesy of Kyndal Hutchinson
Tory Scott/The Omniscient
SENIOR KYLA HATCH dances in the finale of the dress rehearsal for the 2016 Spring Dance Concert.
SENIOR PIPER PUCKETT performs “Saturday Night in the City” as Holly in this year’s spring musical, The Wedding Singer.
Sierra Teta: Student Council
DéShawn Alston: School Mascot
“I would say to keep working hard, because we’re not done yet, especially for the freshman group this year. They have a lot of potential, so I would encourage them to stay with it and keep reaching out to their peers because they’ve done a lot this year, and so I think they have a lot of potential to do a lot more for the school.”
“Don’t be scared to do something, and always have fun with it. Your job is to make sure the crowd has fun, and your job is to mess with people, so just do something different.”
Becca Heilman/The Omniscient
Ellie Saksa/The Omniscient
Photo courtesy of Northwood Band Boosters
SENIOR HALEY POYTHRESS warms up with the marching band before a competition.
SENIOR SIERRA TETA leads the final student council meeting of the 2015-2016 school year.
SENIOR DESHAWN ALSTON cheers on the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams as Charlie the Charger.
Haley Poythress: Marching Band
Marissa Stephenson: Virtual Enterprise
“I would just say [to] bring your best attitude every day and make sure you are being kind to everyone else, because things that you say are definitely impacting other people every single day.”
“I would say [to] definitely take advantage of the course, because it’s really hands on. So if you have an idea, speak it, because most likely it will be followed through, whether it’s about the company idea or a [marketing] strategy. My biggest advice is to speak up, because your voice will definitely be heard.”
Photo courtesy of Marissa Stephenson
SENIOR MARISSA STEPHENSON prepares for a Virtual Enterprise trade show.
— Compiled by Sara Heilman & Ellie Saksa
June 2016
The Omniscient
Page 15
Page 16
The Omniscient
June 2016
Aromatic Roasters
Location spotted: Alpha Install parking lot (Pittsboro, N.C.)
Hunter Koch & Jessica Kolomichuk/The Omniscient
By Chloe Gruesbeck Editor-in-Chief
For coffee lovers, Aromatic Roasters is a unique find. The Roasters (who solely serve coffee) pride themselves on purchasing their coffee beans from farmers or co-operatives focused on growing and processing practices that support sustainability and socioeconomic improvements. From behind the counter, one can witness them roasting their beans on site in their own three-kilo roaster. As the warm, strong scent wafts out of the truck, one truly becomes aware of the rich cup of coffee that will soon be theirs. Although the coffee was amazing, I gave it three stars because it only serves a small niche compared to the other trucks. Drink Pictured: Unsweetened iced tea with a shot of espresso
Belgian Waffle Crafters Location spotted: In front of Steel String Brewery (Carrboro, N.C.) At Belgian Waffle Crafters, everything is Belgian: the waffle crafter, the recipes, the sugar, the chocolate and even the waffle irons. Parked in the heart of Carrboro, the truck is easily found but usually has a long line. However, the wait is worth it. Each item has a gourmet taste to it, despite the fact that it is given to you out of a window. The menu features a wide variety suited to just about every individual, from the classic waffle to some more creative variations that have toppings like goat cheese, apples, walnuts, honey and thyme. For those with a sweet tooth, the “Oh la la!” topped with Nutella, strawberries, banana, whipped cream and hot Belgian chocolate fudge is a home run. Belgian Waffle Crafters was my personal favorite, because like Leslie Knope said on Parks and Rec, “We need to remember what’s important in life: friends, waffles, work. Or waffles, friends, work. Doesn’t matter, but work is third.” Food Pictured: Liege Classic (waffle with caramelized sugar crust) and Waffast (waffle with bacon and maple syrup)
Chirba Chirba Location spotted: In front of Cliff’s Meat Market (Carrboro, N.C.) “Chirba Chirba” literally means “Eat eat!” in Mandarin when you’re speaking to another person, and eat you should. Chirba Chirba features Asian street fare food and specializes in Chinese dumplings. The dumplings themselves are hand-folded and exceptionally delicious. The menu contains a load of selections which range from simple pork dumplings to the more adventurous braised beef dumplings (sweet braised beef with daikon, plum vinegar and carrots, tossed in chili oil). Dipping sauces such as Chirba Spicy, garlic sesame, pineapple curry or black vinegar can be paired with the meal for an added kick of flavor. For those looking for savory late night snack, Chirba Chirba is definitely a four-star option, however those with a sweet tooth might prefer other trucks. Food Pictured: Juicy Buns (pork mini bun dumplings) Visit www.nhsomniscient.com for a food truck video
June 2016
The Omniscient
Page 17
Page 18
The Omniscient
June 2016
Dorm Room DIYs — Compiled by Jessica Kolomichuk
Do It Yourself: Printed Wooden Picture Block
Do It Yourself: Dry Erase Paint Swatch Calendar
Materials Needed: Wood blocks, pictures printed on a
Materials Needed: Poster frame, thin fabric, hot glue
laser printer, gel medium, modge podge, water, paint brush
gun, 35-45 paint swatches, dry erase marker, scissors
Step One:
Step One:
Take your block of wood and cover it in a gel medium, making sure your strokes go with the grain of the wood.
Take the poster frame and remove the edges and plastic so that you can work with the cardboard.
Step Two:
Step Two:
Place your freshly printed picture face down on the gel medium and smooth out all the air bubbles.
Measure and cut fabric to cover your cardboard plus an extra inch on each side.
Let dry 24 hours.
Then pull the fabric tight and hot glue it around the back of the board.
Step Three:
Step Three:
Take a wet cloth and soak the printer paper through.
Next, lay out your paint swatches in a 7 by 5 pattern either horizontally
per off of the wood. This process may take a while and the paper may need to rewet throughout, so be patient.
your room best). It is also an option to include 10 swatches at the top for the month and year. Then, hot glue the swatches one by one to keep your spacing uniform.
Step Four:
Step Four:
After making sure that all of the paper fragments are off of the wood layer the picture with a thick coat of modge podge, making sure that your strokes go with the grain and are even.
Last, replace the frame and write your dates in a dry erase marker.
Do it Yourself: Illuminated Box Letters
Go to www.nhsomniscient.com for a video tutorial:
June 2016
Page 19
The Omniscient
French Connections French Antiques & Home Decor • African Art • Imported Fabrics
CHATHAM TUTORS & CLINICAL TEACHING TUTORS Let’s Make This the Best Year Ever With Clinical Teaching Tutors! •
We put the “A” in “TEACH” K-ADULT 7 DAYS ONLINE TUTORING NC COMMON CORE AP/HONORS
• • • • • • • • • •
EARLY CHILDHOOD-ADVANCEMENT & RECOVERY ADHD, LD, AIG, DYSLEXIA, ASPERGERS, ESL ACADEMIC COACHES: READING, ADHD, STUDY, COLLEGE WRITING, ENGLISH, COLLEGE PREP MATH AND SCIENCES - ADVANCED & REMEDIAL ESL and FOREIGN LANGUAGES SAT/PSAT/ACT/GRE/SSAT/ISEE STUDY, ORGANIZATION SKILLS, TIME MANAGEMENT WRITING AND READING COACHES AP AND HONORS, COLLEGE, ADVOCACY, EVALUATIONS INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION
NC licensed and LOCAL Experts Serving NC and Triangle Schools
967-5776 Mon - Sat 10:30-5:30 • 1st Sundays 12-5
178 Hillsboro St. • Pittsboro NC www.french-nc.com • (919) 545-9296
jlocts@aol.com www.clinicalteachingtutors.com TUTORS APPLY!
Page 20
The Omniscient
June 2016
Mobile Matchmaking: Facts about mobile dating apps — Compiled by Carter Owings-Hurgronje
Top Apps Used for Mobile Dating
Catfishing: Don’t Get Hooked
Tinder
Catfish: a person who is intentionally deceptive when creating a social profile, often with the goal of making a romantic connection, according to Scientific American. This involves fake photos and fake biographies.
#1
• A mobile dating app to locate singles in your area. If you are interested in the person, swipe right. • Over 7 billion users. • 2 million matches occur daily. Data courtesy of Bloomberg Businessweek
and Co-founder of Tinder
#2
• Love and adoration are shown early • Not tagged in any photos • Refuses to video chat or Snapchat • The messages are coming from another country
Hot or Not
• Impatient ploys to gain personal information • Desperate pleas for financial help
• This is an app that is similar to Tinder except it has a reputation to rate and find other “Hotties.”
#3
Warning Signs
81 percent of daters misrepresent themselves in some way online, according to the New York Times. 97 percent of catfishing accounts claim to be female, according to CNN.
OKCupid
• Known for longer lasting relationships, this app has a better reputation than Tinder and Hot or Not.
Pick Up Lines from NHS Students • • • • • • • • •
On the scale of one to America, how free are you tonight? I lost my number, can I have yours? I need to call the police because you stole my heart. Your hand looks heavy, can I hold it? How much does a polar bear weigh? Enough to break the ice. Are you a ticket? Because you have FINE written all over you. Are you tired? Because you’ve been running through my mind all day. You’re hotter than the bottom of my laptop. If you were a transformer, you’d be Optimus Fine.
Illustration by Cassandra Navarro/The Omniscient
ONLINE DATERS sometimes believe that someone else has presented false information in their profile.
Top Apps to Slide in Someone’s DMs:
According to Urban Dictionary, “sliding into DMs” is when a person sends a direct message to someone on social media confidently and smoothly. Northwood students say these apps are best.
1.
2.
4.
3.
Top Used Emojis:
People who use more emojis in messaging have a better chance of being more active in the relationship world, according to USA Today. Northwood students say they use these the most.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
June 2016
Page 21
The Omniscient
We’re More Than Orthopaedics With 20+ locations across the Triangle, we are the region’s largest and most comprehensive Specialty Care practice.
Visit us at Chatham Crossing Offering comprehensive Rheumatolgy services 11312 US 15-501 · Chapel Hill, NC 27517 · 919.220.5306
Visit us in Apex Offering Orthopaedics · Physical Therapy Rheumatology · Rehabilitation Medicine MRI · Orthopaedic Urgent Care 910 West Williams Street Apex, NC 27502 · 919.363.1957
Infinity Ballet Conservatory & Theatre Learn the Art of Dance in a fun and progressive enviroment!
(919) 303-1105 3462 Apex Peakway, Apex, NC 27502
WWW.TRIANGLEORTHO.COM · 800.359.3053
22
O pinion
How Non-Traditional Schools Molded Me
Hannah Gail Shepherd
I began my schooling as a Montessori student; there were no desks, no bells and no change of classrooms. I came into my classroom every day and I got out the materials that I wanted to work on. In Kindergarten I learned how to tie my shoes, wash my hands and practiced learning how to write the alphabet and spell. I learned how to garden, draw pictures and sing songs about the continents all over the world. Montessori is special. Montessori teaches children to learn for the value of learning. In Montessori you don’t learn by being taught, you don’t do your homework because you want a good grade on the assignment, you learn because you want to do better. Everything a student does is self-paced, so that no child feels like they are being left behind. When I was six years old, I couldn’t get all the way across the monkey bars
during recess. So, I practiced and I practiced until blisters covered my hands and I eventually mastered it. I was so proud of myself that I told everyone I saw: my teachers, my parents, waitresses and cashiers. If I hadn’t gone to Montessori, I don’t think that I would have been so persistent and I don’t know if I would today know how to successfully make it across those seven yellow metal bars. As I got older, the Montessori way of thinking and doing started registering in my life outside of school. In second grade we had a talking stick. Whenever there was a conflict with my friends, my teacher would bring us into the hall and we would use that talking stick to work through our arguments. Now a days, I don’t force my friends to sit in a circle and hold a stick to get through the arguments, but I know the importance of working through problems, the importance of listening to others when they are upset and the importance of being heard. The summer before fifth grade, my mother, siblings and I moved from Washington, North Carolina to Durham, North Carolina, so that my mom could follow her dream of becoming a lawyer at the University of North Carolina’s
School of Law. To say I was scared to make the two-hour move away from my friends and away from my dad was an understatement. As my mom followed her dream, I got to begin a new journey. Fall of fifth grade I started school at Carolina Friends School (CFS), a private, Quaker affiliated school, in Durham. In terms of education, CFS’s teaching style was similar to that of a traditional school, but what made CFS so unique was the environment beyond the classroom doors. CFS inspired students to be leaders, and leaders we were. After my fifth grade debut as an Oompa Loompa in the production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, I decided to retire from my acting career. But in seventh grade when I heard that the middle school was producing the play Inherit the Wind, I knew that I had to be a part of it, but not as an actor. I got the opportunity to be the stage manager for the play. It was the only performance I’ve been a part of where I got roses afterwards. I was only 13 and I got to be in charge of a performance start to finish. CFS taught me how to be a leader and taught me the importance of giving
back to the community. But the most important lesson that I learned from attending CFS was how to love everyone. CFS emphasized the importance of accepting people who were different, recognizing groups of people who have been forgotten in history, and giving a voice to students who didn’t feel like they had one. CFS inspired me to stand up for what I believe in, and to take actions to make a change in the world. Because of CFS, I am an active member in Planned Parenthood and I attend LGBTQ pride parades to show my support for the people who are still struggling for their acceptance in society. I attended Smith Middle School for my eighth grade year, before transferring to Northwood for high school. My experience at traditional public schools hasn’t been bad. I have gotten the chance to be introduced to new kinds of people, and it has given me the opportunity to focus on my future and prepare myself for college. However, if I hadn’t attended Montessori or CFS, I don’t think I would’ve voluntarily tutored my struggling peers in classes. I don’t think I would be as open to the idea of accepting people who are different than me. I wouldn’t be who I am today.
Red Sox vs. Yankees: Red, white and blue, with emphasis on the red Davis Palermo
Red Sox vs. Yankees: A rivalry that has been in the makings since the beginning of baseball. The hatred between the two teams has resulted in on-field brawls and off-field skirmishes. Ever since the Red Sox dealt Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1919, hatred has been evident; the Curse of the Bambino was in place for 85 years, preventing the Sox from winning the World Series, until they won in 2004. The Yankees may have gotten the better of the Red Sox in the past, but the Sox have had the upper hand recently and are much better set for the future. The Yankees have 27 World Series wins compared to eight for the Red Sox, but the
Sox have also had incredible teams that just failed to get the job done. The Yankees have had a good amount of all-time greats, including Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and of course Derek Jeter, just to name a few. However, they are countered by Red Sox greats Carl Yastrzemski, a triple crown winner, Wade Boggs, five-time batting champion, Cy Young, who has an award named after him, and of course Ted Williams, the greatest player ever, and the most recent player to have over a .400 batting average over the course of one season (1941). The Sox especially have the upper hand recently. They have won three World Series since 2004, compared to the Yankees one. The Red Sox have also gotten the better of the Yankees in the playoffs. In the 2004 World Series, the Sox were down three games to zero, and then proceeded to win the next four games and advance to the next round, the first team to ever do so in MLB history. The Red Sox also won the World Series that year, ending the Curse of
the Bambino. Another thing is money. The Red Sox have had access to a lot of money in their own right, but still nothing compared to the Yankees. According to stevetheump. com, the Yankees had a major league high payroll of $229 million dollars in 2013, almost $70 million more than the Red Sox; despite this, the Sox won the World Series that year. The Yankees have been recently known to attempt to buy their success, signing great players like Alex Rodriguez, C.C Sabathia, and Mark Texiera to extremely expensive contracts. Rodriguez’s contract was 10 years, $275 million dollars, which at the time was completely absurd. The Red Sox are also better prepared for the future. According to bleacherreport.com, the Red Sox have the third best minor league system in all of baseball, compared to the Yankees’ rank of 16th. The Yankees also invested large sums of money into long term deals with players who are aging. Rodriguez is 40 years old,
and signed through 2018, Brian McCann is 32 and signed through 2020, and Jacoby Ellsbury is also 32, and signed through 2022. These players, as they get older, begin to lack production, and also take up roster spots and money, preventing the Yankees to sign younger and better talent. The Red Sox, on the other hand, have young talent already on the major league roster, and not nearly as many aging players with long term deals. The Yankee’s lack of respect for the tradition and culture of baseball is evident in their decision to tear down their old stadium and build a new one. What team with morals would tear down an 87 year old stadium? Tearing down the House that Ruth Built in order to get “bigger and better” is just a disgrace toward history. Fenway Park has been around 104 years and is still going strong. This year, the Red Sox so far have a record of 25-16, and are 4-2 against the Yankees. Meanwhile the Yankees are 17-22, and dead last in the division. Maybe indicating karma is finally beginning to take its course.
June 2016
Self love:
The Omniscient
What my first heartbreak taught me about myself Chloe Maynard I’m 15, and I experienced my first heartbreak a couple months ago. I thought I was in love with this boy, so I made him my priority until the day came when he told me that he wasn’t sure I was what he wanted anymore. In that moment I swear I felt my heart fracture, and I cried like I had been stabbed, which caused my mom to come running because she thought I had been injured. The following weeks were filled with more tears than I care to recall, and more nights wondering what I did wrong than anyone should have to endure. What I was feeling wasn’t a new emotion and it wasn’t an experience unique to myself, but I swore no one would ever understand the pain I was going through. I wallowed in self-pity and thought, “Why me?” I spent so much time furiously typing my feelings at 3 a.m. that I became oblivious to the beautiful life I could be living. On one of these nights I swore that I would never be the more passionate one again, or the more caring, or the more giving,
Raised in the Grassroots: Why I love Shakori
or the one that loved more because that is the one who got hurt the most. I have realized since then that is the most ridiculous thing I could’ve done. Life is nothing without passion. Why stop myself from rising to the clouds because I’m scared of the fall? I am a passionate person, and I’m tired of being ashamed of it. Having passion is thrilling. Being 15 years old and thinking my life is over because of a boy is ludicrous, but not being scared to start over makes me feel brave. I’ve developed a self love that goes beyond acceptance. I absolutely love being able to laugh at myself, and I take immense pride in being a good friend. I love my goofy personality and the way I walk with my head held high. I love the things about myself that other people may not find so appealing, but it took someone loving me in spite of these things for me to love myself because of these things. I will get my heart broken again, and I will probably spend a few more nights on a tear-fueled writing rampage, but it will not be in vain. Next time I will have the solace of loving myself and knowing that they lost someone who loves, and loves a lot. So to the boy who broke my heart, thank you. You taught me a lot about myself. Thank you for the moments of joy you gave me, but I am ready to start my next adventure in life.
one, somewhere, will thoroughly enjoy the sounds of the music. To be able to fully express yourself however you Jessie desire is beyond fulfilling. Shakori feaCraig tures many different stages, dance tents, and yards for the feet to lose control. Mud, get used to it. A Shakori without mud is unheard of, due to the annual *Birds chirp* *Guitar strings start to downpour. You’re best off with rain rattle* *Yawns* The sun is waking up, boots or bare feet, depending on the along with the rest of the “dirty hippies” day. There’ll be mud in your tent, mud lying in their tents, smiling as they hear on your clothes, mud between your Grateful Dead’s “Sugar Magnolia” betoes and everywhere else God knows: ing played by people doing their mornembrace it. ing walk to wake the campers. The fire It doesn’t matter if you go with sets with a low crackle from the night friends, with someone special or alone, before, and dampened beautiful souls “Regardless of the meeting tents begin to unzip. It is inevitable. Smiles, band playing, some- hugs and compliments usually takes several minutes for the cricks one, somewhere, will fill the atmosphere at and cramps from the all times. If it’s not thoroughly enjoy the your first time, there’s previous night’s sleep to go away, but it’s sounds of the music.” no doubt you’ll come worth it. across people from the Thursday is the first day, full of exyear before. It’s fun, meeting new peocitement as everyone starts to arrive and ple, hearing where they’re from, what fill the remaining campsites. Thursday is made them come to little Grassroots, also the rainiest of rainy days, the cold how long they’re staying and maybe day, the ultimate patience test. Despite even visiting their camp sites. how brutal that sounds, the sun never Four days in the woods, filled with fails to redeem the ugly weather with a painted faces, friendly people and irbeautiful, warm weekend. replaceable melodies may not be for You’ll never see anything like the everyone, but only those who haven’t dramatic dancers losing themselves in gone yet. Shakori is no big festival, front of the stages, day in and day out. yet it owns a big spot in many hearts; I Regardless of the band playing, somespeak from experience.
The solutions are simple and numerous. Our school can begin using recycled paper trays or plates in the cafeteria instead of styrofoam. Teachers could be more encouraged to use their technological resources instead of printing packet after stapled packet. And the implementation of compost bins in the cafeteria was well-meaning but received little support or recognition from Northwood administration. Let’s try that again, but this time place recycling, compost and trash bins
in key places in the cafeteria so that caring for the environment becomes more of the norm than a political statement. Northwood’s vision statement includes the line, “Our vision is to empower technologically literate, life long learners who will make valuable contributions to society.” It goes on to propose that students who have completed a tenure at Northwood “will be prepared for the demands of the 21st century.” Needless to say, an
Northwood and Nature: Room to improve
Staff Editorial
It is the opinion of the editorial board of The Omniscient that Northwood as a community, as a system and as an organization is not doing everything in its power to positively impact the global environment. The problem is simple: Northwood is not as earth-friendly as it has the potential to become. The school uses styrofoam plates like they’re going out of style, has difficulty consistently composting food from the cafeteria and uses up an inexplicably large amount of paper given that each student and faculty member is bequeathed their own MacBook Air each August. Of course, strides have been made. The Green Club placed compost bins in the cafeteria for uneaten food, many textbooks are available in PDF form on student laptops and each classroom has a space for recycling paper and plastic. But if Northwood was an adult in our lives, most of us would wag a finger at its obvious disrespect for the environment, hand them a copy of The Lorax and implore that it “reduce, reuse, recycle” with extra ardor in the future. There is simply more that needs to be done, and efforts toward taking these extra actions have been slow and laborious at best.
Page 23
Illustration by Hunter Koch
aspect of living on Earth in the 21st century is caring for the earth, and “contributions to society” indubitably includes caring for our home planet, our little third rock from the sun. It’s time that Northwood, which is so exceptional in so many other ways, broadens its scope of stewardship. Instead of simply caring for the students under their charge, administrators should work to ensure that our school cares for the earth as well. It’s too late to take back the thousands upon thousands of styrofoam cafeteria trays dumped in the landfill over the years or the mounds of wasted food products shuttled far away from any location where they could be of use. But let us use past mistakes to guide us toward a more sustainable future. The changes Northwood must make are simple, but any change inherently is a challenge. The editorial board thus challenges our own school to do its part. Figuratively, we wag our earth-loving fingers at you. We hand you our own dogeared copies of The Lorax. And we stand by with support as our beloved school transitions into a school that leaves an even greater lasting impact on the earth and—by extension—the lives of its students.
24
S ports
Private school involvement in public school athletics sparks debate By Davis Palermo Staff Writer The scoreboard reads 0-0, as the game has not even started yet. But the athletes stand on the expensive turf field, already feeling the effects of a loss. “Going into the game knowing you don’t have a chance [to win] isn’t very fun,” said sophomore Jonathan Robbins, who plays both varsity football and lacrosse at Northwood. “Against [Cardinal] Gibbons, [the lacrosse team] didn’t have a chance.” Cardinal Gibbons is a non-boarding parochial school, or Catholic school, located in Raleigh. Gibbons is just one private school that is dominating other public schools in the state. Cardinal Gibbons has won 55 North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) state titles since 2005, more than any other school in the state. The girls’ volleyball team has won the state championship 10 of the past 11 years, including seven straight, and the boys’ soccer team has won five state championships in the past 10 years. “It’s a challenge [to play Cardinal Gibbons], which is good, but then you feel it’s a bit unfair that these high schools have so much talent,” said sophomore Thomas Russell, who plays varsity soccer at Northwood. Some Northwood athletes do not think one school dominating throughout all sports is good for the sports, or for the conference. “Variety and new champions every year is good for the league,” Robbins said. “It keeps it spicy.” Dominating almost every sport makes it less enjoyable for other competitors. “For [Cardinal Gibbons] they think it’s good, but it makes it less fun for the rest of us,” Russell said. “We kind of dread playing Gibbons.” Private schools have the reputation that they can offer kids a better path toward their future with both athletics and education. This can be a big factor for attracting talented athletes to their schools. “They can promise an amazing education and a good guarantee on getting into a great school,” said Nick Roberts, a senior at Northwood who used to attend private school Durham Academy. “The private school also might have more connections in being able to bring college coaches to games, because college coaches are attracted to organized, nice programs and facilities.” Some say the talent of the teams like Cardinal Gibbons and other private schools gives them an advantage over public schools. “I don’t think [Cardinal Gibbons] should play those who don’t have the same advantage as they do,” said sophomore Morgan Simmons, who plays varsity soccer at Northwood. Cardinal Gibbons has a 25-mile radius from where they can admit students, which is a much larger area than from where public schools can admit students. Head varsity baseball coach Rick Parks thinks the bigger district gives Cardinal Gibbons an advantage over public schools that have limited districts. “If they told me I could coach a baseball team here, and I didn’t have to go by jurisdiction, I would like my chances
too,” Parks said. It is the opinion of many people, including girls’ head varsity basketball coach Cameron Vernon, that Cardinal Gibbons and other Catholic schools should not be allowed in the same conference as public schools. “In North Carolina we have a league for that, and it’s called the North Carolina Independent Athletic Association (NCISAA),” Vernon said. “So I think that those schools that are able to pull from other school districts should play each other.” Illustration by Jessica Kolomichuk/The Omniscient However, not all PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL CARDINAL GIBBONS dominates public schools in sports. students share the opinion that private certainly have been programs in the area that have been and public schools should not be in the same conference. successful for a sustained period of time. I would never feel “Yes, [they should be in the same conference] because it comfortable as an educator, or even as a citizen, making offers other schools good competition so that they can get that claim [that they’re winning, so they must be cheating] better,” said junior Ally Mckee, who plays varsity softball without knowing any facts.” at Northwood. Junior Sam Milliken, who plays varsity soccer at CardiCardinal Gibbons participated in the NCISAA from 1983 nal Gibbons, also denies any recruiting of athletes. to 2005 but then rejoined the NCHSAA in 2005. “Because I’m a soccer player, I know a lot about the “I don’t know what the appeal is for Gibbons to be in athletics,” Milliken said. “And I know for a fact that Giba public school league,” Parks said. “Like for me, why bons does not do any recruiting or give scholarships to any wouldn’t you want to play in a private school league? Then student for sports.” you can get the apples to apples and oranges to oranges.” There are also not many people who transfer into This past year, Cardinal Gibbons moved up from a 3A Cardinal Gibbons for athletics. According to Highconference to a 4A conference, but there was some controschoolOT.com, there are currently seven athletes that versy while doing so. Two 4A conferences, the Cap-8 and have transferred from another high school into Cardinal the Southwest Wake Athletic Conference (SWAC), changed Gibbons, and all are observing a mandatory 365-day sit their conference’s bylaws so that schools in their conferout period. In addition, athletes who went to a public ences cannot play non-public schools like Cardinal Gibbons. middle school make up only 13 percent of Cardinal SWAC president Mike Dunphy spoke to the News and Gibbons athletic rosters. Observer about the issue. Cardinal Gibbons instead credits its success towards “We have a lot of kids that should probably be going talented athletes from Catholic middle schools, as well as to public schools that are choosing to go to private school nice facilities. instead,” Dunphy said. “We just felt it wasn’t fair to our stu“Honestly I think [we have been successful] because dent body and our athletes to compete against those schools of all the talented kids from Catholic middle schools,” when we don’t have to.” Milliken said. “There really isn’t another Catholic high This prevented Cardinal Gibbons from joining those con- school around like [Cardinal] Gibbons, and all the middle ferences, and they are now playing in the Pac-6 conference. schoolers are drawn to it anyway. Another part is the faciliContrary to what many students believe, Cardinal Gibties. We have a crazy nice gym and a great field that all the bons is officially prohibited to recruit and give teams get to play on.” scholarships to athletes, and the administration denies any Playing teams overloaded with talent is not easy. Vernon involvement in doing so. discusses his mindset when playing Cardinal Gibbons. Jason Curtis, principal of Cardinal Gibbons, spoke to “You want to play against the best, and you want to beat HighSchoolOT.com about the issue. the best,” Vernon said. “So I don’t care what their situation “I’m grateful for what our students and coaches have is, it’s a challenge for your kids, and as a coach, and you go done and the work that they do,” Curtis said. “There out there and try to beat them.”
June 2016
The Omniscient
Making the Assist
Page 25
Northwood alum and UNC basketball manager Maria Vanderford discusses highlights, disappointments of an unforgettable season.
Photo courtesy of Maria Vanderford
MARIA VANDERFORD cuts down the net in Philadelphia after UNC’s regional final win to advance to the Final Four. By Adrianne Cleven Opinion Editor Maria Vanderford, a current junior at UNCChapel Hill and former Northwood student, is one of six managers for the UNC men’s varsity basketball team. She recently showed me around UNC’s basketball facilities and discussed her role in the program. “Please forgive me, because I’m not used to using my keys,” she said, unlocking the door to the Dean Smith Center athletic complex. As we headed downstairs, senior basketball forward Joel James passed us. “He’s graduating in a couple of weeks, and it’s really sad,” Vanderford said once James was out of earshot. “This was my second season with him.” Part of Vanderford’s job as a manager is to set out jerseys for the team, help during rebounding drills, order food for players and generally assist the players and coaches. She travels with the team to games and is with them at practices. Vanderford has access to restricted areas like locker rooms, training rooms and basketball courts. The team of basketball managers is an elite group. “It’s a very competitive program,” Vanderford said. “This year I think we had 15 or 16 JV managers.… A lot of it is just your cards falling right. It’s harder for a girl, because there are fewer spots. There are only two spots for girls, and there are four spots for guys.” Vanderford and senior Maggie Boulton, the other female manager, have a different role than the male managers in one aspect of the job. “One thing that we do a lot that the guys don’t do is we do the food orders,” Vanderford said. “During the year we’ll get a lot of food for the guys. We’ll do a lot of individual orders. We have to print out menus for these restaurants and then take them to the guys and say, ‘Hey, after practice what do you want to eat?’ like for your entree, your appetizer. They’ll write it down on paper, and then we have to go type it up; we have to email it to the restaurant…. We’ll eat the day before a game and the day of a game. If it’s the day before a game, Maggie or I go pick up the food. That’s one thing that the guys don’t really do, and whenever we ask them to go get the food, they’re kind of like, ‘I don’t really know
what to do.’” Vanderford described a typical practice, which she says lasts approximately two hours during the regular season. “We usually get here at least an hour before a practice,” Vanderford said. “Each one of the six of us…has a job that we have to do. We have one head manager, and then the five of us are under him. My job before practice is to hang out jerseys. The guys always wear the same thing at practice, like a jersey and shorts. Some of them sweat a lot—like the guy that we passed on the way down, he sweats all the time. So during practice he changes his jerseys. [Maggie Boulton] sets out hitting pads and gum and pens.” Vanderford is not new to the world of basketball and still has connections with Northwood’s basketball program. “I played [basketball] in high school,” Vanderford said. “[Cameron Vernon] was my basketball coach in middle school for a year…. He was my first basketball coach in middle school, and then he moved to Northwood, and then he coached me at Northwood. He’s a good family friend as well. I’m going to be his new baby’s godmother, and he’s my confirmation sponsor, so we’re good family friends. I text him every now and then with updates.” Vanderford calls the members of the basketball team “the 16 brothers that I never had.” “I never had any brothers growing up,” Vanderford said. “I have two younger sisters. Everyone always asks, ‘Do you know the guys? Are you friends with the guys?’ Yes, I have a very good relationship with every guy on the team. They are all like my big brothers. I saw three of the guys this weekend. I was going to visit one of my friends at her apartment, and they were riding the elevator up with me, and we got off on the same floor. I went one way, and they went another way, and Justin Jackson was like, ‘Hey, Maria, if you need anything just let me know.’ They don’t have to do things like that, but they do. They are all genuinely really nice guys, and I can see them all being my big brothers. If I see them on campus, they’ll say hello. Sometimes they’ll grab me and pick me up, and sometimes you don’t get very nice looks from other girls on campus when they do that… and I’m just like, ‘I’m just their friend. They’re like my
brother. It’s not a competition.’” The most memorable aspect of UNC’s season in the eyes of the public is most likely their near miss at a national championship title. As usual, Vanderford attended the game with the team. She gave an eyewitness account of the game’s now-famous final seconds. “It was under thirty seconds, and Marcus came down [the court], and he shot a shot; it’s a big shot, where he was falling, and he double pump faked,” Vanderford said. “It was a Hail Mary shot almost; there was no way it was going in, because it wasn’t a jump shot. It was a one hand three pointer. And when it left his hand, I was like, ‘There’s no way this is going in.’ I was like, ‘Great. This is it.’ And it went in.” At that point there were only 4.7 seconds left on the arena’s clock. Villanova scored a final shot at the end of the game and pulled clear for a 77-74 win. Vanderford described the loss as “the worst feeling in the world.” “So the shot goes in, the confetti comes down,” Vanderford said. “I jump over the fence in my dress; I have spandex underneath, but I was like, ‘I’m not waiting prissy proper to get out right now.’ I jump over the fence, and I have to climb up on the court to go across and get to our locker room, because it’s on the completely opposite side. As I’m walking up on the court…Villanova, I kid you not, they’re right here celebrating, like in a dog pile. It took everything in me not to cry and punch them in the face. The confetti’s hitting me and I’m just like, ‘Maria, don’t cry right now. Don’t cry right now. Don’t cry right now.’” Though the past season has been one of the most eventful the UNC basketball program has seen in years, Vanderford’s favorite moment was “beating Duke at Duke.” She described her experience after the team’s 76-72 victory. “So we come back down Franklin Street…on a charter bus coming from Durham…and everyone starts to flood out of the bars…they start hitting the bus, and I was just like, ‘This is awesome,’ Vanderford said. “And I hear Marcus [Paige] behind me say, ‘Wow, this is really neat. This is awesome.’ Just to hear the players say that it actually means something to them and reflecting on it, it’s just really neat.”
Page 26
June 2016
The Omniscient
UPPERCLASSMEN are often forced to sit the bench when they lose playing time to younger players.
Ellie Saksa/The Omniscient
Watching from the Sidelines: Athletes discuss playing time By Chloe Maynard Staff Writer An athlete stands on the sidelines and watches their teammates, many of them freshmen and sophomores, battle the rival school. This athlete is a senior and has been on the team since they were an underclassman, so why are they not on the field? Senior Logan McNeill has struggled firsthand with this. He played boys’ lacrosse at Northwood for almost three years until he recently quit the team during his second year of being on varsity. “I had devoted a lot of time prior to senior year, and I didn’t get a lot of playing time, so I quit,” McNeill said. “[My playing time] kind of increased up until senior year, and I don’t know the reason for not playing me but… none of the coaches wanted to play me.” Although it is unusual for an athlete to quit their senior year, it is not unusual for a senior to see their playing time decrease. Many athletes thrive on JV teams until their sophomore or junior year, but when they move up to varsity, they watch their playing time get cut. A likely culprit is already experienced underclassmen who enter their freshman year with the skills of a varsity athlete. Head boys’ lacrosse coach Kevin McDaniel had much to say on the issue. “Over half of our starting lineup is sophomores and below, and again, that’s because these kids have been playing at a lot younger age, so they already come with the lacrosse background,” McDaniel said. “It might be different in other sports, but to get good at lacrosse, you’re not going to find out that you’re good until your third or fourth year of actually playing the sport. If you pick it up as a freshman, you’re not going to even be able to compete until your senior year; meanwhile, we have kids picking it up in fifth and sixth grade, so when they come in as a freshman, they’ve already figured it all out, so that’s why we have a lot of underclassmen playing. It’s because they’ve played for so long. I have a lot of upperclassmen who just picked it up, so you can’t expect to be as good as the person that has been [playing for a long time]. It’s a skilled game; it takes a lot of practice.” Junior Arthur Goncalves has played varsity boys’ soccer for one year now and has already seen the impact of underclassmen on the team. “There were a few JV players that were freshmen and did get pulled up,” Goncalves said. “Some sophomores did get to play over seniors and juniors that were on the bench.”
Sometimes when underclassmen are played over their older teammates, they are ostracized; however, senior wrestler John Dunning oftentimes beat his upperclassman counterparts his freshman year and said he was not on the receiving end of any backlash. “I think after a certain point, after you’ve wrestled off so many times, you don’t really start to expect to win,” Dunning said. “A lot of people wrestle just to get in shape, so the person that was trying to beat me, he was a junior, I think accepted it about halfway through. If anything, the upperclassmen kind of thought it was cool that I was able to continuously make varsity every week.” Many agree that making a varsity team is an accomplishment, especially as an underclassman. This trend has become more prevalent in recent years, according to McDaniel. The question among senior athletes is, is this fair? “No; [it’s not fair] at all actually,” McNeill said. “I think that freshmen and sophomores, even if they have the skills, should still earn their position and not just get it right off the bat, and that’s exactly what happened.” Goncalves agreed. “I don’t [think it’s fair],” Goncalves said. “Like in football, varsity players are usually juniors and seniors. If you were really highly skilled [as an underclassman], that’s the only reason they would pull you up [to varsity], but they still played upperclassmen before underclassmen.” Although McNeill and Goncalves hold this point of view, not all athletes agree. Senior Breanne DiBernard has played varsity girls’ soccer for two years and thinks that this action is justified. “I definitely played more on JV,” DiBernard said. “[I have] definitely [lost playing time to underclassmen], but it’s for good reason; it’s not for no reason. There’s not a lot of favoritism really.” The concept of favoritism is common in high school athletics; however, the impact it has on the athletes differs from sport to sport. Junior Colter Orchard plays varsity football at Northwood and says it does not play much of a role. “It depends on the team we’re playing and if we’re losing or winning, but usually [the coach] tries to intermingle all the players into the game,” Orchard said. However, McNeill believes favoritism greatly affected his coaches’ decisions. “I think there were a lot of favorites,” McNeill said. “[One of the coaches] had really close relationships with a lot of the freshmen and stuff, because he had heard such great things about them, so yeah, I think that plays a huge
roll in that.” According to Goncalves, his coaches favored students from a specific middle school. “For soccer, yes,” Goncalves said. “They coached them at their middle school, and they would just like them, and if they knew you, they would play you. Also, if their parents talked to the coaches, they would give you playing time because of that.” Head boys’ varsity soccer coach Bret Pedigo disagrees that favoritism affected his decisions. “The best players who work the hardest and play good team soccer play the most,” Pedigo said. “The goal is to win games and help players become better players and people. We do that by holding everyone accountable for their effort, mental and physical, and their attitude as team players. There are some matchup realities. Playing someone slower against a fast opponent only sets them up for failure, and we put our players in positions to be successful. To maximize chances of success we want to play our strengths and minimize our weaknesses, but the bottom line is the players playing the best that day play the most regardless of who they are [or] what class they are in. Personal favorites play no part in my decision making.” McDaniel also gives his perspective as a coach regarding favoritism. “You can see the pull from a player to a coach for sure,” McDaniel said. “Bottom line, to me it’s not favoritism as much as it is coachability of a kid, meaning I’d much rather put a kid in with a good attitude versus a kid with a bad attitude if they had the same talent. A lot of times, if you equate favorability as coachability, that’s what head coaches want, even at the Division I level.” Regardless of the reasoning, the desire to play more is the most reiterated view by second-string athletes in the majority of sports. “I think I should have been out there a lot more,” McNeill said. “I mean, I didn’t mind playing second string, but if you’re not even going to play your second string, there’s no point in coming out to those games.” Goncalves shares this same sentiment on his position on the soccer team. “Everyone on the bench of course thought they deserved to play more, and we showed that in practice, but it just didn’t translate onto the main field,” Goncalves said. This attitude echoes all the way to the girls’ soccer team. “Of course, I do [think I deserve to play more], but everybody does,” DiBernard said.
Page 27
The Omniscient
June 2016
Walking the Extra Mile: Fitness watch users step up to the challenge By Natalie Fragnito Staff Writer Fitbit and fitness watch users are going the distance and becoming more active. “I use it every day, and then I sleep in it, and it tracks my sleep; the only times I don’t wear it is when I’m showering, and that’s when I charge it,” sophomore Mallory Storrie said. A Fitbit is typically worn in the form of a bracelet and has an accompanying app. It tracks the user’s steps and physical activity. Users say the Fitbit helps them eat better and sleep and exercise more. Storrie says the Fitbit helps her to stay in shape and reach her step goal every day. “The goal for the day is to get 10,000 steps, and the average is 5,000,” Storrie said. “I usually try to get 10,000 every day, especially on weekends. If I don’t get 10,000 before I go to bed or something, I’ll just sit there jogging for like five minutes so I can get my 10,000.” With the Fitbit Flex, one of the many variations of the Fitbit, there is a customizable option for step goals called dots. Dots are used to set the user’s step goal for the day. Each dot represents 2,000 steps, and the watch beats faster as the step count increases. “I’m very reluctant to go a day without getting my steps, because it’ll ruin my record,” social studies teacher Skip Thibault said. Thibault has used his fitness watch on vacation to track his steps and was surprised by the results. “At the end of the day, we were really tired and me and my wife said, ‘We walked 10 miles today,’ and it turned out we walked 12,” Thibault said. “We knew because we both had these [fitness watches].” Users buy the Fitbit to monitor their activity, to push themselves and to remind themselves to meet their goals. “I’m very active, and I like to measure how well I’m doing,” Storrie said. “I have goals for how many steps I take, how many miles I go and how many calories I burn, [and I] try to keep it up to date.” Thibault explains how his fitness watch has helped him personally. “I really think it’s helped me a lot; I’ve lost a bunch of weight,” Thibault said. “Part of it is you can keep track of how often you do things, and consistency is the key. It’s like,
if you go to the gym and work out, you’ll go, ‘Oh I went to the gym just the other day,’ and maybe just the other day ...but you remember just going to the gym, but if you [use the Fitbit], it graphs it, and it keeps track of your activity every single day, so I get pretty competitive with myself. I never want to break my streak.” According to Fitbit, 70 percent of the users walk for fitness. However, for the users who like to push themselves or have a more competitive side, the Fitbit allows users to complete challenges solo or with friends. These consist of daily or week-long challenges. “I mostly do [the challenges] with my cousins,” Storrie said. “There was a 20,000 step challenge…. So I walked around my whole entire neighborhood and back, and I got 26,000 steps, and then my cousin only got 18,000, so I guess I beat her.” Sophomore Megan Walker also uses her Fitbit outside of school to compete with friends. “Me and my friends went on vacation, and we did the work- week challenge just to see how many steps we could get, and all day we would run and try to beat each other,” Walker said. “It’s fun to compete with.” The Fitbit app includes a messaging system that allows friends and challengers to communicate as they compete, encouraging or taunting their opponent, like seniors Terrence DeWeese and Natalie Hayman. “We set it up to see how active we both were and for that week,” Hayman said. “We would actually be texting back and forth during the week and tell each other how many steps we have and each night we would do that.” DeWeese and Hayman have done many challenges together to keep their steps up. “She had work all week, which is funny since I don’t have a job, so I had to go on the treadmill for 2 hours straight to try to keep up with her,” DeWeese said. “That was a fun week.” Hayman said that her job as a waitress helps her get more steps when she competes. “I finish a shift there and I have over 20,000 steps, so I’m running around constantly, going back and forth for food orders and going into the kitchen,” Hayman said. “Every time I have work, I beat him by a solid 60,000 steps.”
Fitbit Zip Features: •Tap Display •Long Battery Life •Wear and Water resistance •Wireless Syncing
Fitbit Flex Features:
•Accessories •Long Battery Life •Water Resistance
•Alarms and Auto-Sleep Tracker •Progress Display •Wireless Syncing
Fitbit One Features:
•Alarms •Long Battery Life •Water Resistance
Fitbit Charge Features:
•Alarms •Call notifications •Long Battery Life •Wireless Tracking
•Display and Clocks •Sleep Tracker •Wireless Syncing
•Automatic Sleep Tracker •Exercise Mode •Time and Daily Stats
Fitbit Alta Features:
•Accessories •Auto-Exercise Recognition •Automatic Sleep Tracker •Reminders •Call, Text and Calendar Alerts •Clock
Fitbit Surge Features:
•Automatic Sleep Tracker •Alarms •Call, Text and Calender Alerts •GPS •Heart Rate •Multi Sport Tracker •Music Controller •Wireless Syncing
Jawbone UP 3 Features:
•Bluetooth •Heart rate tracker •Three Colored LEDs
•Galvanic Skin Response •Respiration Tracker
Photos courtesy of Fitbit.com and Jawbone.com
SUPER
CHARGED
This issue’s Super Charged features senior athletes who will be continuing their athletic careers at the collegiate level. — Compiled by Davis Palermo
Tory Scott/The Omniscient
Hannah Gail Shepherd/The Omniscient
Anna Jasper Softball, UNC-Pembroke Jasper finished her senior year with a 20-3 record and a 0.99 ERA. “I’m excited to go to Pembroke because the team there is so much like a family,” Jasper said.
Brodie Beasley Baseball, Wake Technical Community College Beasley recorded 49 strikeouts in only 28 innings pitched his senior year. “I’m very excited to be continuing my baseball career at Wake Tech,” Beasley said.
Josh Conger Swimming, St. Cloud State University Conger was named 2015-2016 Big 8 Conference Swimmer of the Year. “I think it will be a really fun experience and I’ll learn a lot and grow there,” Conger said.
B.J Harrington Football, Elizabeth City State University Harrington led the team with 22 pass breakups and was third on the team in tackles. He tied a school record with two interceptions in a single game. “It feels good, I’m excited to play college football,” Harrington said.
Kayli Blankenship Softball, Guilford College Blankenship ended her senior season with a .531 batting average. “I am excited to see what the college level of softball has to offer,” Blankenship said.
Jasmine Atkins Basketball, University of Mobile Atkins averaged 7.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game over the course of her senior year. “It’s a dream that I have always had [to play at the collegiate level], so to be able to finally do that is crazy,” Atkins said.
Alexis Hollis Volleyball, UNC-Pembroke Hollis had 90 digs and 23 serving aces her senior season. “I have gone to the camps since sophomore year, and I have fallen in love with the players and the program,” Hollis said.
Jonathan Welch Football, Maryville College Welch played two years on varsity as an offensive lineman. “It feels like nothing I have experienced before [to be playing college football],” Welch said.