Auburn High School, 405 S. Dean Road
Volume 28, Number 1, February 2011
www.auburnschools.org/jpennisi/fpindex.html
Property was Damaged but People were Not Ben Brinkerhoff Editor Every Wednesday at noon, the severe weather siren sounds, and every semester AHS has a severe weather drill. On Wednesday, November 16, 2011, right before 12:00 p.m., these practices became real. To most students, it seemed to be a normal, dreary day at the beginning of school, but Assistant Principal Mr. Ross Reed, who is in charge of the campus safety plan, had already sent an email in the morning warning the teachers of the possibility of severe weather that day. At the beginning of third block, another email was sent notifying the teachers of the soon-to-be severe weather warning. Mr. Reed said, ―You can never prepare, drill, simulate, or duplicate what Mother Nature can do. Severe weather drills, and for the most part severe weather that requires students to go into the hall, are rarely taken seriously — I've been in three different schools as a teacher and that has been the case. On November 16 there was fear in the eyes of our students.‖ First lunch wave had just returned to their classrooms and administrators had sent students headed to second lunch back to their classrooms. As they returned, the siren began. During the warning, all administrators were moving from building to building insuring that the students and teachers were in safe locations. English Teacher Mrs. Holly Robinson said that the mood in the 800 hallway was calm considering the circumstances because the students could not see the chaos outside. The severity of it hit her when Mr. Reed looked at her and told her to sit down. He had just watched the live feed from Toomer‘s Corner. The doors leading to the baseball field flew open and ears started popping. Sophomore Piper Blecher said, ―A lot of people weren‘t taking it seriously. At first I didn‘t realize how serious it
was. But after the power went out and you heard everyone talking about it, it was actually really scary.‖ In the 9000 building, Spanish Teacher Mr. Stephen Irwin, who claimed that the students are conditioned to these situations because of drills, said that his and Spanish Teacher Mrs. Sarah Holder‘s students sat up against the walls of his classroom away from the window. The blinds were down and the live feed from Toomer‘s Corner was also up on his Smartboard, but it seemed clear outside. He said that 30 seconds later the tornado hit and silence entered the room. Senior Daniel Harris, who was in Math Teacher Mr. Justin Yeager‘s class, said, ―It was crazy. We all thought it was just another drill until it actually hit. Everyone was goofing around and talking and joking about it all until it got really loud outside and we knew it was real. It shut us up really quick.‖ (Continued on page 3)
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Alabama and LSU Meet Again By Payton Beck and Seth Taylor Assistant Editor and Sports Editor They meet again. Louisiana State University and the University of Alabama will play again on January 9, 2012, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Number-one LSU (13-0) will be playing number-two Alabama (11-1) basically in their backyard. Oklahoma State University (11-1) came up short and was ranked number-three by eight thousandths of a point. The big question: Does Alabama deserve to be in the BCS National Championship game? November 5 was a nail-biting game between undefeated number-one LSU and undefeated number-two Alabama. The game was a battle between two very good defenses, but LSU came out on top with a 9-6 win in overtime. November 18 was a shocking game for Oklahoma State University. The team was on the road at Iowa State University and fell short in double overtime 37-31, making it their one and only loss, which ultimately kept them out of the BCS National Championship Game. Junior Andy Atkinson, an enormous LSU fan, said, ―I believe Alabama is the better team, but it is unfair how Oklahoma State was treated by the BCS. I wouldn‘t mind seeing Oklahoma State play us. Although people say an LSU vs. Oklahoma State game might be ugly, I would say that Oklahoma State‘s passing game would give
our talented secondary a challenge.‖ Senior Pate Howard said, ―Other than Auburn, Oklahoma State is my favorite team and I feel it would be a lot more interesting if a highpowered offense such as Oklahoma State went up against a great defense in LSU. Also, I feel that this game should host the two champions from the two best conferences.‖ Senior Daniel Cannon, an avid Alabama fan, said, ―Alabama has a better defense. They play in a more proven conference, and Oklahoma State had their chance against Iowa State. All they had to do was beat Iowa State and they didn‘t. It‘s pretty clear that the two most physical teams are playing in the national championship.‖ For LSU to win this game, Andy said, ―They must have a productive passing game from Jordan Jefferson or Jarrett Lee, get Tyrann Mathieu going on special teams, and slow down Alabama‘s runners.‖ Oklahoma State will be playing in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on January 2, 2012, against number-four Stanford. In less than one month, we will find out who the 2011 BCS National Championship winner is. Andy predicts the score will be 17-13 with LSU taking the win. Who do you think will be holding up the crystal ball?
Editors: Taylor Branch, Ben Brinkerhoff, Sydney Smith, Trey Van Nostrand Assistant Editors: Payton Beck, Carolyn Starks Copy Editors: Sarahanne Vaughan, Mitchell Warren Sports Editors: Seth Taylor, Jawad Sayegh Fashion Editors: Lauriston Carpenter, Katie Kimberly Assistant Fashion Editors: Alicia Graham, Marlee Yoxall Photography Editor: Peyton Kendrick, Amy Adrian Entertainment Editors: Chase Reid, Ben Parsons Circulation Managers: Samone Brooks, Meredith Walsh Special Events Coordinators: Jake Smith, Tatyana Newman
Business Manager: Abby Farrow, Aaron Yates Assembly Managers: Daniel Cannon, Andrew Hays Archivists: Maggie Rogers, Marc Tucci Webmaster: Courtney Guinane Duplication Technician: Codairious Finley Editors-in-Training: Matt Acker, Alex Beisel, Zsofia Bezdek, Jeff Brown, Tyler Rowell Staff Writers: Peyton Brewer, Su Jin Choi, Cole Feehan, Kevin Frinak, Reed Godbee, Duncan Henderson, Will Hudson, Charlie Johnson, Seth Kendrick, Ga Eon Kim, Debbie Mitcham, J.D. Nutt, Olivia Smith, Stephen Smith, Maeve O‘Shea, Will Pinyan, Tyler Thompson Advisor: Mr. John Pennisi Principal: Dr. Todd Freeman
Page 3, AHS Free Press, December 2011 (Property, continued from page 1)
Mrs. Robinson and Mr. Irwin said they did not realize how close of a call it was until they slipped outside and saw the damage. Piper said, ―We were more concerned with what was happening after we saw pictures on twitter and Facebook.‖ Anatomy Teacher Mrs. Pene Williams had one child at AJHS, one at Dean Road Elementary, and one in daycare. Her family also owns two houses on Green Street. She said that she just had to stay calm and clear-headed for the students. She also said, ―Honestly, the houses are ‗stuff‘ and ‗stuff‘ can be replaced or fixed. People cannot be replaced, and I am very thankful that nobody was hurt.‖ When the warning had come to an end at 12:40, teachers had to corral their students to the classrooms. Eventually all students went to lunch, early release students were allowed to leave, and the remaining students moved on to fourth block. Junior Natalie Waldrop said that the mood for the rest of the day was ―shocked.‖ Senior Chris Hill, who was in the 300 building, said, ―Mrs. Davis was out watching it through the door and when the doors all slammed open she came running down the hallway screaming, ‗It‘s real! It‘s real!‘‖ Science Teacher Coach Dan Norton backed up to the wall and sat down with an intense look on his face as things became more serious. Mr. Reed, whose house was damaged, said, ―We can rebuild and repair as long our family is safe — that's all that matters.‖ Senior Alex Hosey, whose house on Ter-
race Acres had many trees fall over, said that it was a bit disheartening but that he was okay with it when he realized that his house was most likely damaged. Dr. Freeman said, ―I think the entire staff and student body responded very well to the events. Mr. Ross Reed is in charge of the safety plan on campus and implemented it exceptionally well.‖Mrs. Robinson said, ―I thought all the administrators did a good job of keeping the students safe that day.‖ Mr. Reed sent out an email to the teachers and staff in which he said, ―Our front office staff answered hundreds of phone calls, radio messages, emails, and made announcements in a timely manner during and after the storm as well as after the normal school day. The cafeteria staff still fed nearly 1500 students on a different schedule with varying numbers of students…Thank you to our custodial staff who immediately began roping off areas that were potential hazards to our students and who are already cleaning the campus.‖ He also said that he was most impressed with the student body that day. November 16, 2011, is not to be forgotten by this school. Dr. Freeman said, ―It places a more significant value on drills when a staff and student body experience a close call like we did.‖ Mr. Reed added, ―This was a small storm — we are very fortunate, very blessed. I am very thankful that all of our students and staff were safe.‖ He also mentioned that he is interested in student feedback pertaining to how safety could be bettered in another situation such as this.
Holiday Gift Ideas for Last-Minute Shoppers By Trey VanNostrand Editor About this time every year you wonder:
What should I get for someone on my gift list this year? Here are a few suggestions to get you through this holiday season and give a gift that will be a hit! For the fashionistas in your life, you can never go wrong with a small accessory from their favorite store. Whether it be a designer key chain, or a scarf and gloves, or the season‘s musthave‘s, you will put a smile on their face while staying under budget. Jewelry is another option to consider for a female friend. Watches, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings are something she can
use all year round and will certainly like. If you‘re looking for the perfect gift for that guy in your life, I have one word of advice: POLO! You can never go wrong by getting him a Polo shirt or a ¼-zip sweater from Ralph Lauren. If you shop around, you can find really good deals on anything Polo. If your guy friend on your list isn‘t into that sort of thing, you can always get him a gift card. Most guys will use a gift card to a sporting goods store, iTunes, or even a restaurant. Remember, it‘s the thought that counts when giving a gift this holiday season.
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Fashion: Winter Accessories for 2012 By Katie Kimberly and Lauriston Carpenter Fashion Editors With the temperature dropping, more layers are needed to stay warm. These cold-weather accessories will help keep you warm and stylish over the holidays. Boots of all kind are a huge must-have this season. They‘re not only a way to keep warm, but they‘re also a way to stay on top of this winter‘s trends. From ankle boots to knee-high boots to over-the-knee boots, these shoes can go with pretty much anything. You can pair boots with dresses, skirts, skinny jeans, or high socks for a guaranteed cute outfit. Although it may seem hard to pull off, furry vests are another great way to stay warm and stylish. When going for a casual look, pair the vest with a long-sleeve shirt, jeans and boots. Want to dress it up a little more? Match the vest
Arturo Chiang "Emery" Boot $149.99
with a fitted dress and boots or heels and you have the perfect holiday party outfit. Hats are not only a way to hide a bad hair day, but also a way to look trendy. From berets to beanies to knitted ear warmers, this season‘s headgear is the perfect way to add a little something more to an outfit during the holiday. Another way to warm up is with gloves. The new Echo Touch gloves are engineered specifically with technology in mind. The eLink fabric on the index finger and thumb of each glove interacts with touch screen devices, making them compatible with the iPod, iPhone, iPad, and other touch-screen digital devices. Wearing a pair of colorful gloves is a great way to spice up any boring outfit.
Betsey Johnson Rallly Boots $179.99
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Vest $14.95
Staring at Stars Slouchy Knit Trapper Hat $34.00
Side bow Echo Touch glove $32 Boots from Dillards Vest from H&M Hat from Urban Outfitters Gloves from Behind the Glass
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Presenting the History of Mistletoe By Will Pinyan Staff Writer Mistletoe is said to bring peace, life-giving power, and magic in some folklore. It can also be credited with doing many things for people in love and making truce. During the holiday season, it is said that if you kiss beneath mistletoe there could be a promise of marriage. Agriscience Teacher Mr. Mahlon Richburg said, ―My first kiss under mistletoe was back when I was in high school, but the second time I kissed a girl under mistletoe I ended up marrying her.‖ Junior Ben Littleton said, ―My favorite memory of kissing under mistletoe was when I was hanging out with my friend at her house around Christmas when she wanted to kiss under the mistletoe. So we kissed and her parents saw and she ended up getting in trouble for kissing me.‖ Mistletoe opens many doors to decorating doorways as well as the opportunity to catch your sweetheart for a quick kiss. For Math Teacher Mrs. Angelika McGuire, it worked just like that. ―The only time I kissed under mistletoe was to my husband. I just had it in my hand and put it over our heads and we kissed,‖ she said. It is also said in some cultures that it would bring a plentiful harvest and human fertility. In the middle ages, it was hung over ceilings
to ward off evil spirits. In Europe, mistletoe was believed to have mystical powers and protection against poison. They would hang it on stable doors to prevent witches from entering. That type of mistletoe in Europe is now found in the southeastern United States where we use it to celebrate the coming of Christmas. With all of its romantic lure and mystical powers, you would be surprised to learn it is a parasite that grows on the limbs of trees and obtains its nutrients from the tree. Mistletoe can grow to be several feet in diameter and is capable of living on its own by producing food by photosynthesis. In some countries, the juice from the berries is used as a type of adhesive to trap birds. Now that you know a little more about mistletoe, you can appreciate it this holiday season. All you need is a tree that has mistletoe hanging from the limbs and good aim with your shotgun. You will be that much closer to getting that magical kiss from somebody you love!
Local Winter Break Ideas for Frugal Students By Will Hudson Staff Writer You don‘t have to go to the North Pole to have a memorable Winter Break. East Alabama is abound with activities during the holiday season. In Valley, the public can enjoy the Christmas merry-go-round until December 24, and it‘s absolutely free. This classic attraction was a gift to Valley-area children from the West Point Pepperell Company in 1956. A Christmas season often sees over 60,000 carousel riders, and each season a new group of riders and many older fans, still filled with childhood memories, enjoy the wonder and the magic of the Christmas merry-go-round. In Opelika, the Camelot Subdivision off Rocky Brook Road decorates the entire neighborhood for ―Christmas in Camelot‖ each year. There
are approximately 55 homes in the neighborhood with lighted signs in their front yards with various seasonal scenes. It occurs each night from 4:40 until 10:00 through New Year‘s Eve. It is also free of charge. At Callaway Gardens, near West Point, Georgia, you can experience ―Fantasy in Lights,‖ the most spectacular sound and light show in the South. Featuring more than eight million twinkling lights that celebrate the holiday season, the show has attracted more than two million visitors from around the world. It continues until December 30 and tickets start at $16 for adults and $8 for children.
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International Traditions: Holiday Celebrations By Carolyn Starks Assistant Editor Christmas is celebrated around the world in so many different ways. When asking the students of AHS, the general responses were: ―We always bake cookies for Santa and leave them out for him on Christmas Eve,‖ ―We always go to church Christmas Eve for a special service,‖ and ―We have to wait for our parents to get up before we open presents.‖ So when researching how Christmas is celebrated on an international level, the same thing was expected, but that was not the case. In the Hispanic culture, Buena Noche, or Christmas Eve, is just as important as — if not more important than — Christmas Day. Spanish Teacher Señora Holder said, ―They spend the day cooking lots of food getting ready for the big family meal. They also celebrate Epiphany, also called Three Kings Day, which is in January, and the parents say the three kings will bring gifts for the family.‖ Something interesting about the Hispanic culture is that rather than leaving cookies for Santa, they leave hay for the reindeer. Instead of
stockings, they leave out shoes. Senior Andrew Hays said, ―The German celebration of Christmas is relatively the same as the American celebration. The only difference is that they have a celebration called St. Nicholas Tag, where Santa comes around on December 6 accompanied by the demon Krampus to give out candy and presents or even coal.‖ The Chinese culture does not specifically celebrate Christmas, but they do have their own holiday. Senior Elina Zhang said, ―My first year that I participated in Chinese New Year we did a fashion show with all the girls from my Chinese language class. It was a lot of fun and it was a great experience to wear those traditional dresses.‖ Every year, Chinese New Year is held on campus in Foy Union where they serve food and then participate in traditional plays and games. Senior Daisy Dai said, ―I love going to Chinese New Year! I like to take friends and let them experience the Chinese culture.‖
Black Friday: The Unique Shopping Experience By Marlee Yoxall Assistant Fashion Editor Black Friday marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. With sales on practically everything in stock and by opening at extreme hours, there is no question as to why so many Americans crowd stores and malls for one day. Best Buy opened at midnight and cut many of its prices on merchandise in half. Gap also opened at midnight and offered 60% off everything in the store. Some stores began their sales on Thanksgiving Day, including Walmart and Toys -R-Us. Junior Jenna Martinez took a trip to Target in Tiger Town at midnight Friday morning. She said, ―I was disappointed that I didn‘t find many deals there, but it was super crowded!‖ While Alabama was not witness to any extreme Black Friday shopping incidents, other parts of the nation had some problems.
In Porter Ranch, California, a woman used pepper spray to better her chances at getting a discounted Xbox at Walmart. By using the pepper spray, she injured 20 people. In Buckeye, Arizona, as a grandfather saw his grandson knocked down by the crowd of Black Friday shoppers, he put a video game in his waistband to help his grandson up. Thinking that he was shoplifting, police immediately took the grandfather down and arrested him. The man was charged with shoplifting and resisting arrest. Stores rely on Black Friday to bring in more money than any other day of the year, and many shoppers are determined to go to these stores and get everything on their shopping list at a ―one-day-only‖ price. With the great deals and sales that come along with Black Friday, there also comes chaos and mayhem.
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The History of the Christmas Tree By Taylor Branch Editor Have you ever wondered why we have a decorated Christmas tree? Long ago, plants and trees that remained green all year had a special meaning for people in the winter. Today, people decorate their homes during Christmas with pine, spruce, and fir trees, just as ancient people hung evergreen leaves over their doors and windows. Many countries believed that evergreens stopped witches, evil spirits, ghosts, and illness from entering their homes. Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition in the 16th century when devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. It is a well-known belief that Martin Luther, a 16th century Protestant reformer, first added lighted candles to a tree. On one winter evening, he was walking towards his home when he was struck by how beautiful the stars twinkled amidst the evergreens. To recreate the image for his family, he pitched a tree in his living room and equipped its branches with lighted candles. The tradition of placing presents under the tree is very popular, but earlier traditions included tying gifts to the limbs of the tree. The first record of a Christmas tree being on display was in the 1830s by German settlers of Pennsylvania, yet many Americans found Christmas trees odd, and in 1840, they were seen as pagan symbols and were not accepted by most Americans. In Europe, pagans would decorate living trees with bits of metal and replicas of their god, Baccus. In New England, Puritans believed that Christmas was sacred. Oliver Cromwell preached
against ―the heathen traditions‖ of decorated trees, Christmas songs, and joyful expression that referred to ―that sacred event.‖ In 1659, the General court of Massachusetts produced a law that made any observance of December 25 a crime. People were fined for hanging decorations. This law was carried out until a vast amount of German and Irish immigrants weakened the Puritan legacy in the 19th century. By the 1890s, Christmas ornaments were arriving from Germany and Christmas tree popularity was on the rise in the U.S. It was said that Europeans had small trees about 4 feet in height while Americans preferred their trees to reach from the floor to ceiling. Many early American decorations included homemade ornaments. Popcorn appeared after being brightly colored and strung with berries and nuts. Electricity created the Christmas light, making it possible for Christmas trees to glow through the night. With this, Christmas trees began to pop up across the country and having a Christmas tree in the home became an American tradition. When asked about her Christmas tree, Junior Carla Phillips said, ―We put our Christmas tree in the den and we decorate it with Auburn ornaments.‖ Sophomore Elizabeth Brice said, ―We use a fake Christmas tree and we always put it up at the end of Thanksgiving in our den.‖ Junior Kaitlyn Spencer said, ―We have four different Christmas trees that we put around the house.‖
New Year’s Resolutions By Samone Brooks Circulation Manager Most Common New Year’s Resolutions: Lose weight Quit drinking Quit smoking Get a better job Save money Manage stress Make better grades
Most Commonly Broken New Year’s Resolutions: Lose weight Quit smoking Eat healthier Save money Be less stressed Drink less
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Holiday Movie Review: Hugo in 3D By Ben Parsons Entertainment Editor Wow. That's all I was able to mutter as I stumbled from the movie theater after experiencing Martin Scorsese's latest masterpiece: Hugo. The story begins in the 1930s with Hugo, a young orphan living behind an enormous clock in a Parisian train station. His father has left behind a large robot man called an automaton that he'd found in a museum basement. Hugo has since made it his mission to fix the machine and discover its origin and purpose. The film is a true miracle for selfproclaimed films buffs such as myself. It's a real treat for everyone, but those who are able to watch between the lines will definitely be able to witness the magic of one of the world's greatest living artists. I don't really have a bad word to say about the film. Was it flawless? No. But the acting, costume design, art direction, editing, and
writing were all excellent and top-notch. What really caught my attention, though, was the beautiful cinematography and spectacular direction of Robert Richardson and the infamously awesome Martin Scorsese. They're sure to pick up some golden guys come Oscar time, and it'd be a complete disaster if they didn't. Hugo was a real privilege to see in 3D as well. From snow flying towards you to the outspoken faces and spinning clockworks, this is truly how 3D was meant to be used: as a way to both enhance and enchant the story for the benefit of the audience. As a whole, Hugo is a fantastic, beautiful, and overwhelmingly feel-good masterpiece. I'd recommend this film to everyone, but true cinema aficionados will be the ones who will enjoy it the most. To quote the film itself: "You've never seen anything like it."
First Holiday Spectacular was a Success By Alex Beisel Editor in Training The AHS Honors Band, Varsity Choir, Élan, and Advanced Theatre class performed a wonderful Christmas show for the public December 13 and 15. The Honors Band played fun and festive tunes to get the audience in the holiday spirit, while the Varsity Choir and Élan captivated their listeners with their inspiring holiday songs. They played many classic Christmas carols, such as ―O Come All Ye Faithful‖ and ―Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy‖ from The Nutcracker. Both the band and the choirs sounded great, and it was obvious that the audience enjoyed the show. Junior Meredith Bovee is a singer in the Varsity Choir. ―I received good feedback from the audience, and, in my opinion, we did well tonight,‖ she said. Mrs. Kim Mock‘s Advanced Theater class performed dramatic readings of Dr. Seuss‘ How
the Grinch Stole Christmas and Charles Schulz‘s A Charlie Brown Christmas. These two short ensembles were the perfect touch to the show overall. It added a little bit of diversity to the choir and band performances. The talented actors brought these two classic Christmas plays to life. Junior Steven Sullivan portrayed the Grinch perfectly, and Senior Ben Parsons also did a great job as Charlie Brown. Junior Kathleen Hand helped operate the lights for the Christmas Spectacular. ―I thought it went great,‖ she said. ―I was extremely impressed with how well everyone sounded.‖ The auditorium was decked out in holiday decorations, and the actors and singers looked great in their Christmas costumes. This Christmas Spectacular really did live up to its name … It was a spectacular performance!
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Restaurant Review: University Grill Aims to Please By Cole Feehan & Charlie Johnson Staff Writers Tired of paying too much money for overly hyped food? If you want a great value and wide variety, you should try University Grill on South College Street. Walking into University Grill, we didn‘t know what to expect. Immediately we saw Auburn Alumni mementos all over the walls. It was rather welcoming and felt like home. We were greeted nicely and the service all around was great. The restaurant was casual and family orientated — not too crowded and just a good atmosphere. The food caught us off guard with its hodgepodge variety. University Grill offers all-day breakfast, Italian, Greek, seafood, Mexican, and American food. For starters, we had a starter of cream of
mushroom soup and the house salad with a unique Italian dressing. Both were delicious and not on the table for very long. For our entrees, we ordered the tripledecker grilled chicken and bacon sandwich for $7.35. The sandwich was excellent, but the fries were bland. We also ordered the fried chicken sandwich with melted mozzarella for $8.45. We thought it was the best chicken sandwich of our lives. We think it‘s way out of Chick-Fil-A‘s league. We would have tried dessert if we wouldn‘t have been so full after the large entrees. You get your dollar‘s worth for your food. The portion sizes are huge with very reasonable prices. Taking atmosphere, food, price, and service, into consideration, we think University Grill has the potential to be a successful restaurant.
Schools for Schools: Raising hope for Uganda By Sydney Smith Editor Schools for Schools held a fundraiser to raise money for books for the children of Awere Secondary School in northern Uganda. Schools for Schools, a non-profit organization established by Invisible Children, provides free education for many of the children of northern Uganda and has 11 Partner Schools there. According to the Invisible Children website, Schools for Schools was established in order to ―raise the standards of secondary education in northern Uganda‖ by providing the schools with libraries, classrooms, dormitories (for teachers and students), and other supplies they need. The children of northern Uganda have been the victims of an ongoing war between the government of Uganda and a rebel group, the Lord‘s Resistance Army (LRA). The LRA is responsible for the abductions and deaths of over 950 Ugandan people, many of these being children. Offering the children the opportunity to receive an education can help break them away from the violence of the war. Senior Co-President Lacy Campbell said, ―Schools for Schools makes a difference in
Uganda by supplying children with an education. Most of the schools built are boarding schools, so they also provide the children with a safe place to stay.‖ Schools for Schools at AHS became an official club last year when Senior Co-Presidents Lacy Campbell and Sarah Armstrong requested to establish the club. Sarah said, ―The money from the past two years of fundraisers has gone to building dormitories, because that was the main need at Awere at that time.‖ This year, Schools for Schools raised $170 to buy books for the children of Awere Secondary by selling bracelets with beads the colors of the Ugandan flag, which, according to Sarah, were used to remind students of what they have done to help a child in need. On the importance of the books, Lacy said, ―Reading is the stepping stone for all learning. Reading and education provides a solid background for their future.‖
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Too Much Sugar for ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ By Marc Tucci Archivist According to an analysis earlier this year by CalorieLab, Inc., Alabama is the second fattest state in America, preceded only by Mississippi and followed by West Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The top fattest states are primarily in the Southern region of America. Alabama has stayed in second place for the past three years, and if the current food trends proceed, Alabama‘s adult obesity rate is expected to exceed Mississippi‘s by 2013. Junior Miranda Pecot said, ―I think it‘s crazy how unhealthy America is, especially the South. We have so much fried food down here, I‘m not surprised we're so fat.‖ The slimmest state this year is Colorado, with Virginia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Hawaii following behind. Junior Tomas Williams said, ―I‘m not surprised that these states are the slimmest. I think they are slimmest because of where they are located in the country, and also because of what each state manufactures.‖ Tomas has a theory why Colorado is the slimmest state. ―Colorado is located in the west and is known for its really tall mountains and dry climate. People are more motivated to exercise in Colorado because they enjoy going on long hikes in the cool air and seeing the pretty mountains. Down in the South, some people aren‘t as willing to exercise because they don‘t want to go outside and take a walk in the humid, unexciting Southern climate.‖ The U.S. as a whole has become fatter
over the years. In 2003, only four states were over 30% obese. This year, 28 states are over 30% obese. Miranda said, ―We need to start making the right decisions about exercising and eating right and educate those who don‘t know what those right decisions are.‖ Senior Josh Connelly was also concerned about how rapidly the U.S. is gaining weight. He said, ―I feel like weight-loss initiatives are ineffective because most of what's out there depends on whether the person has the desire to get started. What we need is more motivation for people to initiate a weight-loss program for themselves.‖ Some students exercise before binge eating on the holidays instead of changing their eating habits. Josh said, ―This year during Thanksgiving, when my family was out of town visiting my grandma, we found a 5K race near her house. We decided to run it on Thanksgiving morning. It was probably the best way to start my day because it built up my appetite and made me feel more confident about eating so much unhealthy food. My family felt the same way. Running that morning made us feel so much better about eating a huge meal. We didn‘t worry about our weight at all.‖ In addition to exercising before consuming your holiday feast, the FDA suggests we rethink the amount of sugar and butter we put into our holiday treats. Miranda said, ―By using a low fat recipe for Christmas cookies this year, which can easily found online, we are not only cutting hundreds of calories from our daily intake, but also prolonging our family members‘ lives.‖
Creative Writing Classes Share Creativity By Meredith Walsh Circulation Manager Creative writing students recently had the opportunity to write children‘s stories and share them with students at Dean Road Elementary. Creative Writing Teacher Mrs. Julie Wentworth said, ―My classes videotaped themselves reading the books and then sent the video and the books to an elementary classroom.‖ Some creative writing classes are still in the process of writing their stories to read for children, while others have already shared them with elementary students.
Junior Sara Carden said, ―I‘m excited about reading my story to kids!‖ Junior Kelsea Kind, who read her story to students at Dean Road, said ―At first I didn‘t know what to write, but once you get an idea it‘s amazing what just flows out! I really enjoyed coming up with the story. I love little kids, so reading to them was fun. But in the end, I think all the kids really enjoyed the stories. Their faces were smiling.‖
Page 12, AHS Free Press, December 2011
Impacts Seen After The Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill By Courtney Guinane Webmaster On Dec 3, 2011. AHS held a live video conference with the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and the University of Alabama at Birmingham to talk about the impacts of the oil spill a year after the disaster took place. Dr. Halanych, who researches sediments and sediment dwelling creatures at AU, was the first to present. Though Dr. Halanych barely talked on the subject of sediments, he had much to say about sediment dwelling creatures. With crude oil settling into communities such as the salt marshes, many animals, including shrimp and oysters, died in mass quantities, while fungi and other decomposing organisms increased in population. ―There is oil on the ocean floor, and we have no way of cleaning it up,‖ he said. Normally, some oil leaks into the ocean floor from wells and is cleaned through a natural filter. This spill, on the other hand, was more like a volcanic eruption. The natural filter to clean oil could not handle such a spill, and the oil will remain on the ocean floor for many years. The next talk was by Dr. Drymon, who works for Dauphin Island Sea Lab, on Fisheries. Dr. Drymon talked a lot on different ways they went about catching fish and how they made sure the data they collected was consistent. Dr. Drymon said, ―Surprisingly, fish were hardly affected by the oil spill.‖ Fish, unlike animals who are stuck where they live, can move and avoid the oil. There were many claims that total populations had died off in certain areas. Dr. Drymon and his team investigated such claims and found that the fish population was thriving. His research showed that not a single species of fish or shark was affected by the spill. There was no decline in the population numbers at all. Also, the spill did not bring about any harmful diseases or mutations to the fish. In fact,
since no one fished for a whole year, fish were able to grow to trophy size. The third speaker was Dr. Thane Wibbels, who works for the University of Alabama at Birmingham, on sea turtles. Sea turtles, unlike fish, were affected by the spill in a devastating manner. The lab was receiving 3-4 calls a day about dead turtles that had washed up on the beach. Many of those turtles affected were the critically endangered species, the Kemp‘s Ridley Sea Turtle, whose population has just reached the 20,000 mark. ―Our biggest concern was that we had 100 nests of sea turtles getting ready to hatch, and all of them were going right in the oil spill.‖ A huge collaborative effort was put forth to collect as many eggs as possible and relocate them to the other side of Florida away from the oil. The last speaker of the day was Dr. Asim Bej, who works for the University of Alabama at Birmingham, on microbes. The ocean is full of microbes, and when the spill hit, many of them died, but one that eats oil flourished. One big idea was to harvest and grow the oil-loving microbes and then release them by the oil so they could clean up the spill. One concern about this otherwise promising idea was that a huge population was going to be introduced, and that it might affect the natural balance in a harmful way. Dr Bej responded to this issue by saying, ―Well, once all the oil is gone, they all die.‖ Dr. Hlanych wrapped up the video conference by offering this advice: ―The future health of the Gulf of Mexico is very dependent on the public understanding the science that goes into assessing our understanding and management of ecosystems. Thus, dialog between the public and researchers is critical.‖
Page 13, AHS Free Press, December 2011
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: 5/5 By Chase Reid Entertainment Editor
Get a doctor‘s excuse for an arrow to the knee, because The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim will take over your life. The main plot revolves around the return of dragons to the northernmost province of Skyrim, which is wracked by a civil war. The main character is quickly found to be a ―Dovahkiin,‖ or ―Dragonborn‖ in the language of the dragons, and is therefore able to devour the souls of dragons and truly kill them, resulting in an epic quest to exterminate the dragons and kill Alduin, their godking. The civil war is also playable, with the player given the option to join either the rebel Stormcloaks or the Imperial Legion. However, these stories can be put off indefinitely, as anyone who‘s played any previous Elder Scrolls title should know. There are four separate factions that the player can join, which make up for essentially being a retread of the ones from the previous game, The Elder Scolls IV: Oblivion, by having incredibly interesting and compelling storylines. These include the Companions, a group of mercenaries akin to the Fighter‘s Guild from Oblivion; the College of Winterhold, a learning community for mages; the Thieves Guild, a group of pickpockets and home invaders; and the Dark Brotherhood, a close-knit ―family‖ of cutthroats. Thanks to the new Radiant Story system, each of these have randomly generated sidecontent in addition to the actual stories behind them, and this combined with the infinitely spawning dragons make this a game that you won‘t want to put down even after you‘ve ―finished‖ it. The game‘s combat is vastly improved upon, having taken hints from Bioshock 2 of all things. The focus is on holding things in either
hand as opposed to just equipping them, and because of this developer Bethesda Softworks has finally been able to include one of the most requested aspects from the time that the development was announced: dual wielding. Swords and spells, instead of being mapped to entirely different controls, are put into the same system and are therefore able to be combined in ways that have previously been unheard of in the series. It‘s possible to go into battle with swords in both hands, a shield and an axe, or a spell and a mace. They have also introduced shouts, which are bits of the dragon language and are akin to magic, which come in handy in a pinch. The conversation system has also changed for the better. In Oblivion, the small number of voice actors crippled the system, with characters often seen conversing with clones of themselves about how much they liked buying from the shop owned by a clone of themselves. The facial animations and the way that the characters would stand ram-rod stiff with an expression like they were trying to murder you with their eyes took the project on a trip into the Uncanny Valley, causing many players to lose immersion. Skyrim, for the most part, fixed these issues. Where Oblivion had a couple dozen voice actors, Skyrim has over seventy. Some voices are reused, mostly for the nameless, faceless guards, but they have enough distance between them to be almost unrecognizable. The animations are also greatly improved, with characters continuing what they‘re doing as you talk with them, much like an actual person would. Skyrim is my Game of the Year, and anything that hopes to unseat this behemoth had better be well-prepared.
Holiday Recipies By Zsofia Bezdek Staff Writer As the holidays are drawing closer, the agony over what to prepare becomes a more difficult question to answer. There are many cultures that have different holiday recipes. In Germany, they eat Christmas Stollen as a dessert, and in Hungary, stuffed cabbage and beigli pasrty rolls make the holidays complete. (Continued on page 14)
Page 14, AHS Free Press, December 2011 Stuffed Cabbage Ingredients 6-8 sauerkraut leaves 1000 g chopped sauerkraut 100 g (2 cups) pearl barley or rice 400 g minced pork 1-2 onions 1 clove of garlic 1-2 tbs lard or oil 2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika powder ground black pepper 1-2 bay leaves Salt 200 ml sour cream Instructions Make the stuffing 1. Braise half the diced onions in lard, add the minced pork, the pearl barley (rice) and sprinkle it with 1 teaspoon paprika. 2. Add the mashed clove of garlic, some salt, ground black pepper, and stir well. 3. Place some stuffing on the sauerkraut leaves and make nice rolls. 4. Braise the remaining onion in oil. 5. Remove the pan from the heat, add 1 teaspoon paprika powder, half of the chopped sauerkraut and the bay leaves. 6. Place the stuffed rolls on it and cover it with the other half of the sauerkraut. 7. Add some water and cook it until the cabbage and the stuffing is tender (approx. 1 1/2—2 hours). 8. Remove the stuffed rolls. 9. Mix sour cream with 1-2 tablespoons of flour and add to the sauerkraut and cook it for 1-2 minutes, dilute it with some water if necessary. The name of this last process is habarås in Hungarian and it thickens the meal. 10. Place the cabbage rolls back in the pan. We have this dish with sour cream and slices of white bread.
NBA Lockout Ends By JD Nutt Staff Writer The Dallas Mavericks won the NBA championship on June 12, 2011 when they beat the Miami Heat 105-95. The NBA Lockout began the next day. The lockout was the fourth lockout in the history of the National Basketball Association. The players‘ union and owners began to meet July 1 about issues involving revenue sharing and the structure of the salary cap. During the lockout, teams can‘t trade, sign, or contact players, and players can't access NBA team facilities, trainers, or staff. The players‘ unions and owners met during the summer when NBA Commissioner David Stern announced the league was losing $300 million a year and proposed to reduce 40% of players‘ salaries and institute a hard salary cap as opposed to a soft cap currently in use. Three hours later, players‘ union President Derek Fisher (also Los Angeles Lakers guard) said the players would decline. On September 23, 2011, they met again. Stern announced that the NBA would cancel training camps, which were to begin October 3; the first week of preseason games were also cancelled. During this time, many of the NBA's star players started to look overseas to sign contracts. Players like Deron Williams, Kobe Bryant, and Tony Parker signed contracts overseas with countries like Turkey, France, and China. On October 4, the NBA cancelled the remainder of the preseason since the union and owners had not yet agreed on a deal. Later that month, Stern announced the first two weeks of the regular season would be cancelled on the 10th; then on the 28th he would announce that all games through November 30 would be cancelled. On November 14, the NBA canceled all games through December 15. On that same day, the players filed antitrust lawsuits against the NBA in California and Minnesota courts. Then on November 26, the players and the owners reached a tentative agreement to end the lockout with a new collective bargaining
Page 15, AHS Free Press, December 2011 agreement. The players would receive 51.2 percent in 2011–12, with a 49-to-51 band in subsequent years. Teams are allowed a one-time amnesty exemption to waive one player and remove him from the team's salary cap. The player could be claimed off waivers by the highest bidder; the waiving team would be responsible for the remaining salary without it counting against its cap. In a rule dubbed the "Derrick Rose Rule," the league‘s 2011 MVP award winner, a player finishing his rookie contract could be re-signed at up to 30 percent of his team's salary cap—an increase from the previous 25 percent—if he was either a two-time All-Star starter, twice voted AllNBA, or winner of an MVP award. The maximum salary for a player otherwise remained unchanged at 25, 30, or 35 percent of the salary cap, depending on the player's years of service. The regular season would start with teams having training camps beginning on December 9. The regular season will start on Christmas Day with five games. ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy said, "It's a different opening day than has ever happened in the past, and Christmas Day games have always been a big day for the NBA. This unique situation combined with the unveiling of a championship banner for the Mavericks in a finals rematch, and then to see the Lakers and the debut of Mike Brown as head coach, those things are all going to be very compelling." Opening day will begin with the Boston Celtics traveling to New York to take on the Knicks for an 11 a.m. tip-off. The game will be telecast on TNT. ABC and ESPN will then take over with four more games the remainder of the day. ABC will have coverage of the Miami Heat at the Dallas Mavericks beginning at 1:30 p.m. followed by the Chicago Bulls at Los Angeles Lakers at 4:00 p.m. ESPN takes over for the Orlando Magic at Oklahoma City Thunder at 7:00 p.m. followed by the Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors at 9:30 p.m.
Page 16, AHS Free Press, December 2011
Should New Sports be Brought to AHS? By Kevin Frinak Staff Writer AHS offers 11 men's and 10 women's varsity sports, but some students are wondering if those are enough. With over 1400 students and so many different hobbies and interests, some students are looking to see their favorite sports recognized at AHS. Sports at AHS have always been an important and respected aspect of the school. Since 1995, AHS has placed in the top ten of the 6A allsports rankings every year, including ranking in the top four for the past five years. In all, AHS has won a total of 40 state championships for its athletic program. The traditional sports like football, basketball, and track and field are all well established programs, but some students desire for AHS to expand its programs. Junior Brien Miller, a member of the AHS Track team, said, ―Bringing new sports to AHS would give kids who like other sports a chance to participate, and it would give everyone a better variety to choose
from.‖ Many students have shown interest in other sports not offered at AHS, like lacrosse, rugby, and badminton. These sports would not necessarily have to be school sports, but clubs for alternative sports organized through the school have been speculated by students. The Auburn Youth Lacrosse Club has made major strides in introducing the sport to Auburn, and preparations for lacrosse should be completed by 2012. Their website is www.auburnyouthlax.com. Despite AHS‘ diverse athletics program, some students have shown interest in the introduction of more athletic clubs at AHS. Junior Grant Hughes said, ―I believe that our school should open up new opportunities to create various sports clubs for other forms of athletics that will appeal to various types.‖
AHS Competes in First Indoor Track Meet By Abby Farrow Business Manager Nearly five years ago, on February 2, 2007, AHS competed in the last high school indoor track meet. This changed on December 10, 2011, when AHS, along with other high schools from around the Southeast, competed in the Magic City Invitational. This meet was held in Birmingham at the new Crossplex Facility. This $46 million facility, one of the best in the nation, includes a 200meter banked, hydraulic track and holds over 4,000 spectators. Senior Laurel Andrews said, ―It is new for us this year, and we are all super excited about it. It‘s a lot different from the outdoor track style, so it will be cool to see how we all compete.‖ The team is also excited about the longer track season. Sophomore Olivia Selby said, ―I‘m looking forward to running track in the winter instead of just the spring. It gives us more time to improve.‖ AHS brought a small portion of their team
to compete in this indoor track meet, including 15 men and 9 women. Marnesha Boler‘s second-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles and Ashley Williams‘ secondplace finish in triple jump helped to lead the AHS women‘s track team to a seventh-place win against 23 teams. Cameron Luper led the AHS men to a fifth-place win against 22 teams with his firstplace long jump finish and second-place 60-meter dash finish. Sophomore Dylan Ogburn said, ―The meet went great. We competed well as a team and as individuals. The competition was tough, though, but I was excited to run against such a talented group of guys.‖ The next indoor track meet for AHS will be held at the Crossplex on January 27-28. AHS will also compete in the State Meet on February 3-4 to end their season.
Page 17, AHS Free Press, December 2011
Exercising with Diet and Music By Daniel Cannon Assembly Manager Diet and exercise: It‘s a phrase that could make the bravest of us quiver. It could leave you a winner, paving a way for a new life and a better body, or it could leave you a loser, settling in defeat because of a lack of success and consistency. This mere hint of possible loss makes most people completely shy away from the idea of starting a new way of life in exercising or reconstructing their diet. After all, some polls show that around 61% of Americans are overweight, which shows a general lack of motivation. So how do you get motivated? For starters, we all have a close friend that can motivate us to exercise: music. Studies have shown that 84.7% of people who exercise listen to music while exercising. When Junior soccer player Peyton Kendrick was asked about the use of music in exercising, she said, ―It can really help make hard things easier. It helps take more focus off the hard part of the exercise and help you get through it.‖ In general, most people believe music provides a beneficial distraction that helps get through any grueling exercise. Whether it be rap, rock, country, or any other types of music, listen to what gets you motivated and that will help you in your exercise routine. Music can have a tremendous impact on your emotions and motivation
levels in an exercise routine, which some say can be good or bad depending on how you view it. Music can help you relax, stay motivated, and peak your focus. This will help in any exercise routine; however, some say you should be wary of the relaxing power music can have on your mind. Either way you look at it, in general, music can help you get started on a positive road to fitness success. Besides music, there are many other things that help you. A few small steps can lead to big leaps in creating a new way of life that will boost your self confidence to a whole new level. Any personal trainer or fitness expert will tell you to set goals. Have a goal in mind and follow the proper steps to achieve it. A critical factor in your goals must include key changes in your diet. A proper diet can work miracles for your body. It can help you feel energized, motivated, and refreshed. If you have a poor diet, it is crucial that you reconstruct your diet to fit your body, but everyone must include the proper amount of nutrients everyday to maintain a well-functioning body. Do whatever you can to stay motivated, maintain a proper diet, and never lose sight of your goals.
Auburn Swim Team Places in State Meet By Andrew Hays Assembly Manager AHS participated in the 2011 State Swim Meet on December 2. The men‘s team placed fourth and the women‘s team placed sixth. For the men, it wasn‘t a victory, but it wasn‘t a loss, either. Senior Ben Hoerlein said, ―Considering that more than half the team were freshmen, Auburn performed above and beyond the expectations.‖ Ben‘s 100-meter breaststroke time was a
personal best 59.6 seconds. He received a bronze medal for placing third in that event. Senior Kody Coggin said, ―I‘m very proud of how everyone swam.‖ Kody swam in the 100-meter butterfly with a time of 52.30 seconds; he also swam the 200-meter freestyle 1:46.2 minutes. The men‘s 200-meter medley relay was 1:40.2 minutes, which placed them in second.
Page 18, AHS Free Press, December 2011
Random Holiday Facts By Tyler Rowell Editor-In-Training When Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island, died on Dec. 4, 1894, he willed his November 13 birthday to a friend who disliked her own Christmas birthday. It is estimated that 400,000 people become sick each year from tainted Christmas leftovers. During the Christmas buying season, Visa cards alone are used an average of 5,340 times every minute in the United States. December is the most popular month for nose jobs. Based on previous studies, 17 percent of you will embarrass yourself in some way at your Christmas party. 1 in 3 men wait until Christmas eve to finish their shopping. We eat 10,000,000 turkeys over the Christmas period. If you laid down the number of mince pies bought per year lend to end, it would be 3 times the size of the great wall of China. The average American takes six months to pay off the holiday credit card bills.
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Top 10 Holiday Songs By Stephen Smith Staff Writer Holiday songs bring people joy and get them excited about the holidays. Here are the top 10 holiday songs according to www.contactmusic.com: 1. ―White Christmas‖ - Bing Crosby 2. ―Do They Know It's Christmas Time‖ - Band Aid 3. ―The Christmas Song‖ - Nat King Cole 4. ―Blue Christmas‖ - Elvis Presley 5. ―Merry Christmas Everybody‖ - Slade 6. ―Winter Wonderland‖ - Doris Day 7. ―Last Christmas‖ - Wham! 8. ―Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow‖ - Dean Martin 9. ―Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas‖ – Judy Garland 10. Peace On Earth - Bing Crosby + David Bowie