April Issue

Northridge High School 2901 Northridge Road Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35406

est. 2003

APRIL 2017

REBECCA HAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The student est.voice 2003of Northridge High School

I

n a twist on tradition, social science teacher Nancy Reed and chemistry teacher Megan Liljenquist took 1st place in Northridge’s annual phone book and can drive first period competition, respectively.

Winning classes received a Chickfil-a breakfast as a prize.

The victories come on the heel of several years of competition dominance by math teacher Scott Johnson’s classes.

Liljenquist’s third period AP Chemistry class was awarded the prize. As first period was her planning period, she instead opened up competition to her other classes.

Science teacher Nate Lynam was in charge of collecting and distributing the cans for student “canstruction” of BB-8, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” droid and companion to pilot Poe Dameron.

Senior Annika Horne said that despite being a bit behind, it was a success. “When we did this last year, we were on schedule, but this year we slacked off,” Horne said.

“Everything did look well, though. It was all very organized.” This year’s “canstruction” took place at the front of the building, a step up from last year, when students were “pushed to the back of the building.”

The cans will go to the West Alabama Food Bank, which requests food particularly in early spring and late summer/early fall.

Junior Sarah Guo was among those who brought in cans. “Ms. L[iljenquist] asked us to bring in orange and white cans for ‘canstruction’,” Guo said. “It was pretty convenient because those cans were on sale at Publix.

I bought around 15 or so, and when I brought them to class in plastic bags, I almost spilled some in the middle of

REPORTER

This Means War

Liljenquist and Reed emerge victorious from first period can and phone book competitions.

the road. The whole thing was super easy and it goes to a great cause.”

Chemistry teacher Megan Liljenquist participates in the canned food drive every year. “I was really pleased with the results,” Liljenquist said. “I wasn’t trying to win or anything; I was just trying to get cans for construction and help out. A lot of students brought cans in--around 250.” Over the past few years, there has been a little competition taking place between classes.

“Last year we joined forces with Mr. Johnson, and I gave him my cans,” Liljenquist said. “This year he was a little bitter that I didn’t do that. I was just going to give him my cans, but some of my students said that we shouldn’t let him win everything every year.”

Reed’s first period class was propelled to victory by senior Cameron Lake, who had access to an enormous amount of phone books.

“The drive was primarily one student with a few others bringing in phone books here and there,” Reed said. “Cameron Lake had an inside track to a multitude of phone books, so we capitalized on that fact.”

Junior Liza Thornell, a member of Reed’s first period class, said it took no time to gather the phone books.

“He [Lake] told us on the first day that he had a bunch of phone books, and we were like, ‘great.’ We went and got them out of his car a day before they were due, and we carried them up here,” Thornell said.

Though happy with the Chick-fil-a prize, Reed said the best part of winning lay in who they had defeated.

“We obviously loved winning a Chick-fil-a breakfast,” she said, “but it was very gratifying to beat the master of all Northridge High School contests – Mr. Johnson.”

FUN IN THE SUN

S

tudents enjoy spring break vacation in both familiar and exotic locales.

Photo by Mayci Hartley

HOME RUN Junior Caleb Toshcoff enjoys time off

from school on the baseball diamond as he races to catch the ball.

Photo from Katherine Stanley

WAR EAGLE Sophomore Katherine Stanley visits

Auburn University.

Photo by Jessie Kate Joiner

picture of scenery at Rosemary Beach.

BASEBALL SEASON

page 10

page 8

SPRING BREAK

SAY CHEESE Junior Georgiann McCullough takes a

AT A GLANCE

‘HAIRSPRAY’ PLAY REVIEW

VOLUME 14 ISSUE 6

STRING QUARTETS

page 5

“

Be happy for the knots, the thickness, the haircuts... Love your hair because one day, you might not have it anymore.

“

THE

NORTH RI D GE

www.northridgereporter.wordpress.com

ALEXANDRA DUREN, FRESHMAN

See story on PAGE 5

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OPINION

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER APRIL 2017

OUR THOUGHTS

On the dogma of college applications Seniors at Northridge high school know how strange the college application process can be, and now that decisions are finally coming in, that feeling is more apparent now than ever. The most unique feature of this process is the dogma. It feels like no one really knows what is going on. Even the faculty and guidance counselors, while a huge help, don’t always have the full picture. This is no fault of their own -- they’re not misinformed -- the fact is that the information just doesn’t exist. Sure, anyone can go onto a college website and see what test scores are required, or even the stats of a typical freshman class, but if they search any deeper they’ll find the same vague recommendations as every other school. These recommendations often espouse the importance of leadership but without any explicit explanation of how they measure leadership in a student.

The result of this lack of transparency is the dogma.

Students whisper rumors to each other about what a college really looks for, even though they have no idea themselves. These musings spread and spread until a student arrives at the counselors’ office thinking they’ll never get

into college because they’re not a red-haired Dunedain girl enrolled in 20 AP classes and president of 16 clubs.

It really doesn’t help that every single organization for students these days advertises itself as being “the number one thing colleges look for on a resume,” either. Even the ones that restrain themselves from such a bold claim aren’t much better. With every club telling students that “this is the thing colleges want,” it’s no wonder that everyone is confused. It’s not just seniors who experience this phenomenon. From the very instant the freshmen walk through the doors of Northridge, they’re bombarded with posters and recruiters from a variety of groups all claiming to be the one club to rule them all, which is more than a little disorienting -- not to mention the fact that high school has always been described as the time to “figure out their identities.” Can anyone really expect incoming students to find themselves when they’ve got all the other students and their mothers telling them that every move they make should be a step towards college but no one can tell which direction is the right direction? It’s the blind leading the blind.

A Student’s Perspective Art by Rebecca Han

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[

staff members...

AGREE: 12 DISAGREE: 0

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Again, the administration could probably help a lot, if we’d let them, but that ignores the bigger issue. Too much of life in high school is geared towards the sole purpose of getting into an institution of higher education. That’s not to say college isn’t important. It is. It just shouldn’t be viewed as the finish line. People might say otherwise, but it’s undeniable that the current institutions fail to show students the view that college is just another part of life.

The view of higher education as it stands is one of an almost otherworldly reverence. It doesn’t seem real. When a student thinks about their future college, it’s almost like they imagine an entirely different person walking around campus, and the cognitive dissonance that occurs when they finally reach that finish line is not a pleasant one.

And as for students who don’t plan on going to college at all? The current mindset is that success is impossible without a college degree, which leads to the pervasive view of colleges as simply job factories. Higher education is a different issue for everyone, and should be regarded as such.

Want to submit YOUR letter to the editor? Stop by room 109, or contact one of our editors or Mrs. Lane!

]

Want to join the Northridge Quidditch team?

Visit room 177 for more information!

est. 2003

THE NORTH RI D G E REPORTER The student voice of Northridge High School

est. 2003

Northridge High School • 2901 Northridge Road • Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 • (205) 759-3590 Editor-in-Chief *Rebecca Han Managing Editor *Will Henson Feature Editor *Rebecca Han Sports Editor Sara Lang

News Editor *Will Henson Entertainment Editor Mayci Hartley Opinion Editor Will McLelland Art Editor *Rebecca Han

Opinion disclaimer: The opinions in The Northridge Reporter are those of the students and not of the faculty or administration of Northridge High School or the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education.

Advertising and subscriptions: Contact The Northridge Reporter at (205) 759-3590 or rlane@tusc.k12.al.us to advertise in or subscribe to our paper.

Photographer *Emily Matthews *Denotes state, regional, and national award winners

Letters to the editor: It is the policy of The Northridge Reporter to publish all non-obscene, non-libelous, signed letters to the editor, regardless of the opinion expressed in them. Submit letters to Rhonda Lane in room 109 or email to rlane@tusc.k12.al.us.

The Northridge Reporter reserves the right to edit letters and verify allegations. The newspaper is distributed monthly.

Adviser Rhonda Lane Visit us online at northridgereporter.wordpress.com Follow us on Twitter @NHSReporter Follow us on Instagram @northridgereporter Visit our Facebook page, ‘The Northridge Reporter, 2015-16’ Check out our YouTube channel, ‘The Northridge Reporter’ See our paper ONLINE at issuu.com, ‘The Northridge Reporter’

OPINION

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER APRIL 2017

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An open letter to the teachers of Northridge High Opinion editor’s thoughts on a common occurance in the classroom

WILL MCLELLAND OPINION EDITOR

On the first day of this school year, I walked into my Algebra 2 with Trigonometry class wondering what that course would be like. Towards the end of the class however, the teacher half-jokingly said, “Who’s excited about this class?” I was the only one in the room to raise a hand. It wasn’t out of excitement, it was out of interest, but I raised my hand anyway. Admittedly, I struggled in that class a great deal, and I am not a “math wizard” by any means.

Nonetheless, I was encouraged to keep working at it because I was constantly aware of something that I doubt most young high school students were.

Over the years, I have been in a situation where a teach-

er, especially a math teacher, is trying their best to explain something to their students, and during the middle of the lesson, a random student says, “When are we ever going to use this in real life?” Unfortunately, the answer from the teacher is almost always, “You need this to graduate” or “You need this for the ACT.” After they give a short, one sentence explanation of their whole purpose for teaching just to shut up a student, they move on with what they were saying. It is that excuse that causes the need for remediation classes.

Our teachers are all wonderful people trying to do the right thing for their students. Yet Alabama is one of the worst states when it comes to education. Why might that be?

As a disclaimer, I am not a teacher, and nor am I qualified education specialist. All I am suggesting is that there may be a flaw in the way that things are typically taught.

We could use any of the different kinds of teaching jobs, but I will use math as an example.

The job of a math teacher now seems to be to ram numbers and equations down students’ throats for them to regurgitate in a week for a test. In my view, the job of a math teacher should be to teach students how to understand what math is and does.

Let’s go back to the question from earlier, what does

math do for us in the real world? If I were asked that question as a teacher, this is what I would say: If you are not interested in math at all, that is perfectly fine. It is understandable to not be flattered by the subject.

However, at a minimum, this process of thinking about how to solve mathematical puzzles will give you a mindset for how to solve your own problems in the future. If you are more inclinded to study science or engineering, math will become your life. The people who use and understand math on a regular basis, are the people who solve the problems of today and create the luxuries of tomorrow. That is what I am here to teach you.

The answer to that student’s question will be somewhat different depending on the subject you teach, but it should resemble something like what I have said. Every job at this school has a meaning, and if a teacher studied their subject properly when they were in school, they would know that.

A teacher’s job is not to get a student from point A to point B like a used car. The job of a good teacher is not only to teach their students how to suceed in a certain area for the future, but to convey to them why the subject being taught is important to the world. I predict and hope that teachers who do not understand this objective, re-evaluate their methods.

The importance of distinguishing real and fake news

JAMES ANDERTON STAFF WRITER

There is a fine line between the truth and a lie, and it applies to everything, especially when it comes to our news media. That means television, press conferences, advertising, and even weather updates. Accurate and reliable reporting is the most important thing to news media, and a single falsehood or misquote could kill your reputation as a journalist. Throughout the United States, people depend on trustworthy reporting, which is why the rise of fake news is hard to distinguish from the credible sources.

Fake news can sometimes be difficult to label in certain circumstances. If a reliable news source misprints something or gives an incorrect statement, and the rest of the article is accurate, it is likely just an accident. There’s also a huge difference between general news and opinion articles.

If someone publishes their personal opinion in an article, the article is just their feelings and doesn’t represent the entire company. General news articles just report the news without as much personal thought. There is a big mix-up that goes along with all of this, which is news delivered in a comedic way, like late night show hosts, or news like The Onion, where views are tuned so that people laugh. When in doubt, no matter what, check your sources. If a website makes a claim, look it up just to make sure.

As fake news started to surface during the 2016 presidential election, notable sites including Addicting Info and Breitbart started to emerge. Several of fake news sites kept afloat after their articles were being picked up by news sources that have several hours of time on television, like many shows on Fox News. These sites don’t even need to write their own news either. It can just start off as a

harmless joke on Twitter, or simply enough, a conspiracy theory.

The fact is, the press will never report with 100 percent honesty, nor will they stop showing a little bias. But at this point, it’s better to have an honest media than a lazy, laughably stupid, incoherent mess without factual representation, and that only carries the advantage of being supported by political extremists. Fake news could have started off as a joke, but what happens is when repeated by prominent figures whose opinions people listen to, it just starts evolving into a wave of misinformation and falsehoods that just keeps on getting screen time and not brought up as a valuable issue surrounding and suffering the foundation of a trustworthy press.

But of course, in the end, there is something we can do to stop the spread. Great and honest journalism is still available. If you want the absolute truth, get paid subscriptions to The New York Times or The Washington Post.

If you want it free, the websites of CNN and Politico are good places to find reliable sources.

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NEWS

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER APRIL 2017

Carol Johnson elected state secretary for Alabama District Key Club PATRICK JOHNSON BUSINESS MANAGER

Prize winners discuss the creative process leading up to performance REBECCA HAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

S

ophomore Will McLelland was awarded 1st place at the annual Northridge talent show from a varied group of competitors comprised of singers, dancers, musicians, a finger-light performer, and a camel. Using an electric violin and a loop pedal, McLelland gave a “one-man orchestra” take on Imagine Dragons’ hit “Radioactive.” Seniors Jaelen Moore, Rashawn Moore, Trae’von Wilson, and Justin Mucha, of musical group, the Dynamics, took 2nd place for a self-composed instrumental piece. Senior singer Jalan Manassa placed 3rd with a soulful rendition of Etta James’ “At Last.”

McLelland’s cover, first performed by violin player and Youtuber Bryson Andres, was not his first choice.

“Originally I had decided to go with his

cover of ‘Chandelier,’” McLelland said, “but that was about 5 ½ minutes and the time limit was four, so I looked for something that was cool but not too crazy. He had a good rendition of ‘Radioactive.’” Adding to the competition, The Dynamics, formed around bass player Wilson’s sophomore year, was born out of a common rhythm first found in the band room. “We’re kind of a band,” Wilson said. “In the band room, on Fridays, sometimes we’d just sit there and play around with beats. We decided to participate in the talent show.” Their original piece was the result of combined creative efforts from him and bandmate Rashawn Moore, who discovered the background track.

“I kind of came up with it – it has a churchy feel,” Wilson said. “Rashawn found the track behind it, and we thought it sounded nice.”

Prior to the performance, however, he

expressed reservations in regards to the practice time the band had been able to get. “We practiced before the day of the talent show, but we didn’t get any practice the day of,” Wilson said. “We kind of forgot about it until the last second.” Wilson, in fact, plans to turn his love for music into an eventual career, speaking of his plans to attend the Berkeley College of Music in Boston after high school.

Singer Jalan Manassa, a talent show veteran, has been singing since the age of two.

“I’ve done multiple talent shows, including the Kip Tyner talent show and Tuscaloosa’s Got Talent where I won 2nd place overall,” Manassa said.

Manassa had rehearsed for the talent show daily, ultimately deciding on “At Last” after listening to a variety of artists. However, receiving an award came as a shock.

“I wasn’t expecting to win,” he said. “I was expecting to just get up there and sing.”

Photos by Beth Allaway

THE WINNERS Will McLelland, sophomore, performs ‘Radioactive’ on his electric violin, Traw’von Wilson, senior, (top-right), plays bass for his band, The Dynamics, and Jalan Manassa, junior, (bottom-right) sings a soulful rendition of ‘At Last’ by Etta James

C

arol Johnson, junior, was elected Key Club state secretary for the Alabama District Key Club.

“This past year I was a lieutenant governor for Key Club,” Johnson said. “When my term was coming to an end, I decided to take the step and run for district secretary. Although the competition was tough, I won.”

Johnson’s prior experience as the Key Club lieutenant governor of division nine gave her the courage to run for secretary.

“March 2016 to March 2017 I was the lieutenant governor, which is also an important position in Key Club,” Johnson said. “Already having a leadership position in Key Club gave me the courage and strength to run for an even more important position. It also taught me many skills that will come to use this year as district secretary.”

Johnson’s love for Key Club is what initially drew her into the idea of being Key Club district secretary.

“Key Club has opened so many opportunities for me,” Johnson said. “It gives me opportunities to serve our community, which I feel is my purpose. I felt that I could make an even greater change in the world by being the district secretary, so I decided to run.”

Johnson was initially nervous, but she grew confident after the first few speeches.

“At first I was very shaky because I had not spoken in front of that many people before,” said Johnson. “As the election process went on I became more comfortable with the amount of people, and I had become confident.”

Johnson’s opponent was also a lieutenant governor that she had been working with for over a year.

“Going against such a close friend of mine was hard,” said Johnson. “We had to overcome the fact that only one of us was going to be on the district board. We also promised each other we would stay friends no matter who won the secretary position.”

Northridge Key Club has supported Johnson throughout the election process.

“Five people from our Northridge Key Club came to the convention,” Johnson said. “Their support helped me through the process. Two of them were able to be delegates that got to vote for me.”

Although district secretary will be challenging, Johnson is excited for all of the joy that will come with it.

“The job is a lot of work,” Johnson said.

“Although I am extremely excited because it will give me the chance to serve more throughout our community.”

“

Five people from our Northridge Key Club came to the convention. Their support helped me through the process.

“

Photos by Beth Allaway

THE UNIQUE De’Shawn Johnson, senior, (top-left) shows the new trend of ‘gloving,’ Scott Johnson, teacher, (bottom-left) commences ‘Fez Frenzy’ with the striking of a gong, and Johnson’s AP Calculus class dances around the camel to the music of Steely Dan in ‘Fez Frenzy’

CAROL JOHNSON, JUNIOR

NEWS

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER APRIL 2017

DON’T WIG OUT!

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Student embraces natural appearance

LINDSEY ROBERTS STAFF WRITER

A

lexandra Duren, freshman, is not like most high school girls. She has a rare disease called alopecia.

“Alopecia is a huge part of my life because it is a disease that causes me to be bald,” said Duren. “It is the first thing you notice about me.”

Alopecia is a disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks the hair follicles, causing hair loss. Hair loss starts with one or more circular bald patches that may overlap.

Instead of Duren wearing a wig every day to cover the fact that she does not have any hair, she embraces her true self, showing the world who she really is. “I decided to stop wearing a wig this summer,” said Duren. “I realized that I needed to live more for myself. I finally realized I did not need to wear a wig every day.”

Duren has faced many obstacles with her disease. She first discovered she had alopecia when she was in the first grade. “I was laughed at the whole day, which confused me,” said Duren. “I did not know why until I went home, and my parents had told me that I had a spot on my head. It was pretty big.”

Throughout her whole life she has had to deal with unwanted attention because of her disease. “Mostly only younger kids stare and laugh,” said Duren. “As I got older, people still stared but did not laugh as much.”

Duren’s alopecia affects more than just the hair on top of her head, it also affects her eyelashes and eyebrows, which is a big deal for a teenage girl who loves makeup. “Since I do not really have eyelashes, doing a wing eyeliner looks better on me,” said Alexandra. “When I do my eyebrows, depending on if I want them to look realistic, it could take me up to an hour to make them look perfect.”

Although life is harder with alopecia, Duren has grown to accept the fact she does not have hair. “I see girls with their hair up or doing their eyebrows, and I wish I had that,” said Duren. “The older I have gotten, the more I realize that I need to embrace my appearance, which I have.

Sometimes it is still a struggle though.”

The older Duren has gotten, the more self confident she is with her appearances, despite looking different. “I do think I am beautiful,” said Duren. “I know I do not have hair like most girls, but that does not mean I am ugly. I am unique in my own special way.”

Some teenage girls might complain about the daily task of combing or styling their hair, but Duren said to be thankful. “For those who do have hair, do not take it for granted,” she said. “Be happy for the knots, the thickness, the haircuts because one day you might look down in the shower and find a clump of hair by your feet. Love your hair because one day, you might not have it anymore.”

Photo by Emily Matthews

PIED Principal Kyle Ferguson copes with getting hit in the face with whipped cream, one part of the fundraiser

Photo by Emily Matthews

CLOSE GAME Student teacher, Steven Johnson, shoots a layup in the first half, advancing the lead of teachers

Student teacher competition used to raise money for cancer PATRICK JOHNSON BUSINESS MANAGER

T

Photo by Lindsey Roberts

ALL SMILES Alexandra Duren, freshman, shows confidence in her looks

he Northridge Key Club held a student versus faculty basketball game March 23 to fundraise for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

“The society is dedicated to funding blood cancer research and patient services,” Sujitha Peramsetty, Northridge Key Club president said.

Although the key club ran the event, they gave full credit for the idea to fundraise for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to Kenneth Smothers, freshman and sophomore counselor.

“Mr. Smothers brought the idea to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to key club,” Peramsetty said. “We were glad to support and help the cause because it is important to fundraise for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society since they help so many patients and their families.

We knew that every small contri-

bution counts and will go towards important research or services that can improve the patient’s quality of life.”

While the overall goal of $1,300 for the society was not reached, the key club is still working hard to accomplish it.

“We knew that we were not going to raise all of the money through the basketball game,” said Peramsetty. “We raised $450 with the basketball game, so now we are also taking personal donations to help achieve our goal.”

Peramsetty and Scott Johnson, key club advisor and math teacher, worked hard on planning the basketball game to ensure its success.

“The main people who organized this game were me and Mr. Johnson,” said Peramsetty. “We worked on a lot of the planning together. The members of Key Club were also a huge help with selling the tickets and helping at the game.”

The faculty team barely beat the student team with a final score of

16 to 15.

“It was a great opportunity to participate in the student versus faculty basketball game,” said Steven Johnson, student teacher.

“The game was a great chance to form relationships with students outside of the classroom. The game also helped raise money for the key club to try and help the community, which is awesome.”

Although the student team may have lost, player is glad he had a chance to participate in an event that had such a great cause. “I’m happy that all the proceeds went to help people going through a hard time,” said senior, Hannah Paulette. “I had fun and I’m sad we lost...the faculty had some good players.”

Although the goal was not reached, the Key Club is still glad to have such a great turnout.

“In general, I think the fundraiser went better than we thought that it would,” Peramsetty said. “I was really happy to see that a lot of people showed up and supported us.”

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THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER APRIL 2017

FEATURE

BREAKING

BARRIERS

Student finds joy in nationwide competition With several 5ks, 10ks, and half marathons under his belt, Northridge student HANK POORE is shattering stereotypes one race at a time.

WILL HENSON MANAGING EDITOR

H

ank Poore, freshman, wants to be defined by all the things he can do, not by the things other people think he can’t.

He participates in CrossFit, cycling, skiing, and soccer.

He’s competed in 5ks, 10ks, five half marathons and one full marathon.

With a list like that, he already does more than the average student, and while impressive on its own, it may surprise some to know that he does it all while in a wheelchair.

“I have competed in a lot of races,” he said. “I got started doing these with a group called the Kyle Pease Foundation out of Atlanta and my goal is to do the NYC, Chicago, Boston and San Francisco marathons.”

Poore has cerebral palsy, a condition that, according to the Cerebral Palsy Alliance, “refers to a group of disorders affecting a person’s ability to move.”

Even so, Poore is able to participate in such strenuous activities with a lot of independence. “I ride my bike, and I have at least one person with me to help push if I need help, but I really don’t need help,” he said. He’s got more than just this iron in the fire, though. “I’ve also started the ball rolling to do my first triathlon,” he said.

“For the run, I’d be in a racing chair; for the bike part, I’d be on my bike, and for the swim, I would be in a raft and someone would pull me.”

In addition to sports and races, Poore likes to get involved in all sorts of activities at Northridge. “I helped with the homecoming float, and I hope to get involved with the wrestling team next year.”

During school hours though, he tends to enjoy science classes and prefers as little special treatment as possible, which he feels the teachers have done well. “Sometimes they might have to cut down on the work, because it is so hard for me to type long assignments,” he said, “but other than that, I feel like they treat me like everyone else, which is how I like it.”

Poore expressed several times that he doesn’t feel defined by his cerebral palsy and hopes others won’t define him by it either. “I really don’t want people to refer to it at all because I just want to be treated like everybody else,” he said. “As far as enjoying my life and doing the things I want to do, it really hasn’t impacted my life. I love my life,

I

N MARCH, Poore participated in the Tuscaloosa Half Marathon, which he and his mother participate in every year. Though the 13.1 mile run started off in chilly weather, Poore recounts that temperatures quickly rose as the race continued.

“

I HAVE COMPETED IN A LOT OF RACES...MY GOAL IS TO DO THE NYC, CHICAGO, BOSTON, AND SAN FRANCISCO MARATHONS.

and I don’t want to change anything about it. Of course, there are other things that other people can do that I can’t, but that doesn’t bother me. I have found a way to do everything that I want to do.”

Despite feeling equal, Poore admits that other people don’t always see him the way he wants to be seen. “People assume things about me that I wish they wouldn’t,” he said.

“I feel like some people look at me like I’m dumb and don’t talk to me. Or people are afraid that they won’t understand me, so they don’t talk to me.” Poore is also bothered when people assume he doesn’t enjoy school functions and doesn’t really understand why anyone would think that. “I can pretty much have fun wherever I am,” he explained.

Poore doesn’t feel that people try to be patronizing towards him, but he seems to find unintentionally condescending people everywhere. “One time,” he said, “someone knocked on the door at our house and told my mom that I was out driving my wheelchair down the street.

This is something I do all the time! I drive to my friend’s house, and I drive my wheelchair home from school almost every day by myself.”

His response seemed to use humor to mask a bitter truth. “I guess those people assumed I had escaped or something,” he joked, then added, “or that I wasn’t smart enough to go out of the house by myself.”

While most of Poore’s response was full of positivity, he did shift to a more serious tone to discuss a problem that affects him and the rest of the wheelchair community. “My pet peeve is when people that don’t need [handicap] accessible parking take up the spots,” he said. “If I don’t have a place to park my car and space to get out with my wheelchair, then it is a real pain,” then added insightfully, “I wish everyone would spend at least two days in a wheelchair, so they would know what it’s like and how I feel. It might change the way they act.”

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER APRIL 2017

FEATURE

“

BRINGING HOME THE GOLD Hank Poore and his mother pose with his medal after completing the 2017 Tuscaloosa Half Marathon.

Photo from Hank Poore.

I love my life, and I don’t want to change anything about it.

Of course, there are other things that other people can do that I can’t, but that doesn’t bother me.

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READY, SET, GO Hank Poore runs in the 2017 Tuscaloosa Half Marathon. Photo from Hank Poore.

I HAVE FOUND A WAY TO DO EVERYTHING that I

want to do.

Hank Poore and his mother at the Tuscaloosa Half Marathon TUSCALOOSA HALF MARATHON, 3/2017 Hank Poore smiles with TCT Sports Medicine teacher Mary T.

GEORGIA HALF MARATHON, 3/2017 Poore finishes the marathon in 2hrs 10 min., beating last year’s time.

MARINE CORPS MARATHON, 10/2016 In Washington D.C., Poore bikes by monuments such as Iwo Jima.

All photos courtesy of Hank Poore

GEORGIA HALF MARATHON, 3/2016 Poore runs his first year in the Georgia Half Marathon with the Kyle Pease Foundation.

To see these pictures and more about Hank’s races, visit his blog at

https://hankpoore.wordpress.com/

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ENTERTAINMENT

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER APRIL 2017

‘Hairspray’ brings students together

THAT’S A WRAP Sarah Pierce, Mason Miller, and Lillian Woolf after traveling to the 60’s WILL HENSON MANAGING EDITOR

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wo Northridge students were a part of the Actor’s Charitable Theatre production of “Hairspray.” Lillian Woolf, junior, and Sarah Pierce, sophomore, both performed as Nicest Kids on the Corny Collins Show named Becky and Tammy, respectively.

Although their parts were similar, their experiences were very different. Woolf performed in the Actor’s Charitable Theatre’s first production, “Footloose,” while “Hairspray” was Pierce’s first show with the ACT. Woolf was also in the ACT’s first production of “Hairspray” five years ago.

“I was in their first production of “Hairspray” when I was 12,” said Woolf. “Back then, I was the youngest person in the cast and was only in the ensemble, but I remember having such a great time. The cast for that production was extremely talented. I was in awe of their abilities.” Woolf said that she “practically idolized the first cast,” so it was a treat that she got to perform again with many of the same people. “Joey and Alisha Lay and Mary Katherine Matthews got to come back as the same roles from the first production,” she said, “and I think they played them just as good if not better this time. I also have the biased opinion that this group of Nicest Kids was the best one I’ve ever seen.” Pierce agreed with Woolf on the talent of the group, saying that her “jaw dropped” the first time she heard Mary Katherine Matthews perform “Miss Baltimore Crabs” as Velma von Tussle.

Pierce moved from Hattiesburg, Mississippi to Tuscaloosa last year. “It took a while for me to get involved in community theatre here because I didn’t know about it,” she said, “but once I knew about it, I was all for it!” After she started performing in Tuscaloosa, Pierce found that community theatre here wasn’t particularly different from theatre in Hattiesburg. “They’re very similar,” she said. “The biggest differences are with the people. Here, they’re such a great family.”

Auditions for the musical were on Jan. 5 and 6 and featured a dance audition that would be considered difficult by most. However, Woolf felt that her experience as a dancer prepared her well for the auditions. “I have been dancing for 14 years, so I knew going into auditions this show would be right up my alley,” said Woolf. “After being trained for dance auditions where the combos are extremely hard and technical, musical theater dancing for

WELCOME TO THE 60s Gracie Avery and Callie Atkinson show off their 60’s styles me is really just about having fun and showing that I have vocal a lot of the time, so it was hard to hear where I fit in stage presence and acting skills.” Woolf felt that this kind the music sometimes,” she said. “I couldn’t sight sing like of dancing was special because she knows she’s entertain- some of the others, which was aggravating at times, but ing an audience. “I also get to sing, which is fun for me as once you know your part your set.” a musician,” she added.

It was also during the rehearsal process that the actors The rehearsal period began very shortly after audi- really started building a character. “The fun part about betions and lasted about seven weeks until the public shows, ing a nicest kid is that the only character trait you’re given which were at the Bama Theatre on the weekend of March is that they’re racist and mean,” she said. “You’re free to 3. “The rehearsal process [for Hairspray] was a lot more make up your character’s story by yourself other than that. intense [than Northridge shows] because you’re there for I decided that Becky was just a big flirt obsessed with boys longer,” said Pierce. According to Woolf, it still took a long and attention.” All characters in the group of Nicest Kids time for this intensity to pay off. “Around two weeks before were not the same, however. Most had individual quirks to the show we were really starting to get into the groove of set them apart from the rest. “Tammy just sort of followed things,” Woolf said. “We finally had most of our props and the crowd with integration and stuff,” said Pierce, “but she knew the order of the show and transitions between also stuffed her bra!” the scenes.” She also felt that it was helpful to At the Historic Bama Theatre, the ensee the other parts of the show after a over t i r e cast seemed to get along famously. a month of seeing the same thing.

Especially fun were the dressing “Since I was a Nicest Kid, I rooms, according to Pierce and was really only in the Woolf. “Our whole dressing scenes with was just the Nicest Kids and the othsome other girls, and before every er show we would listen to Beyonce and Disney songs,” said Pierce. Woolf expressed similar feelings. “It was the best time I’ve ever had,” said Woolf. “We all treated each other like family and genuinely cared about each other. We would play music while we were all getting ready and sing along. I also like to pray before the shows and wish my friends good luck. Sometimes the atmosphere can be stressful before shows but we were genuinely all so happy cracking jokes the whole time.” w h i t e Pierce said that after a few shows, the rest of the cast startpeople in the ed to join in on their singing, dancing and prayers. “At first, cast,” she said. “When it was super hectic and super excited [backstage], but the I got to see the scenes that cast prayer helped calm everyone down. As the show went took place in the record shop and at on it was still hectic, but it was like a calm sort of hectic,” school with the African-American people she said. in the cast, it really showed me what the show The only negative thing either of them had to say was about. The Dynamites had show-stopping vocals about the production was an unsturdy part of the set, and that would leave me speechless and proud that I could be a even that became a light-hearted joke after a time. “There part of something so spectacular.” was one spot I had to stand on [on the set], and it would The set and props were moved into the rehearsal space always wobble, and I was always so scared I would fall,” sooner than most shows. Woolf said the actual hairspray said Pierce. “But by the end of the show… it was still kind cans came first, but the Corny Collins Show booth came of wobbly! It was all good though. I did not fall; nobody shortly after due to its importance. “[The space] got a little fell off of it, so it was all good.” cramped as the sets came in, but it was great that everyWhen the play was finally over, the cast knew they’d thing was there. If we needed something, we could just go miss each other, but most of the actors weren’t too upset. get it,” said Pierce.

“We all knew that we would see each other soon, and we Although Woolf did find the dances easier to swallow, still all keep in touch and hang out. We didn’t want it to be she felt that learning the music was not without difficulty. over, but we weren’t upset that it was,” said Woolf. Pierce, “I’m usually a soprano part, which is the highest female on the other hand, was a bit more effected. “Me and Farris vocal part. But I ended up having to be the middle female Turner were crying backstage before we went on for the last song in the last show,” Pierce said.

ENTERTAINMENT

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER APRIL 2017

‘The Shack’ proves to be eye-opening

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MAYCI HARTLEY ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

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he Shack is a Christian book that tells a man’s story of how he met God at a shack one weekend. The book has many lessons and Bible stories sewn into it that not only help the protagonist Mackenzie, but also anyone who reads the book.

My favorite part is how the Trinity is personified. God is an African American woman, Jesus looks the way most would imagine him from the Bible, and The Holy Spirit is a Chinese woman. The personification shows that God can look and be anything. God shows Mackenzie that he needs Him in many ways throughout the weekend.

Mackenzie had a troubled childhood due to the fact that he killed his father. This affects his view of God for the rest of his life. When Mackenzie takes his children to the lake for one last summer hoorah, he does not know what he will come home with. Throughout the book and the movie you learn about what is going on Mackenzie’s life in all different aspects. God uses Mackenzie’s troubled life to bring him to the shack but uses lessons to greaten his relationship.

The book and movie are told through third person perspective allowing readers to be able to replace Mackenzie and put themselves in his place. The book being told this way makes it seem more story like, but it also greatens the effect it has on the reader.

Both the book and the movie have wonderfully vivid imagery that helps the reader see exactly what happened at the shack that weekend. While the movie does change minor details, it does justice to the book. The movie is a good introduction to the book, but the book is a definite read. I believe that this book can help those who need a little more Jesus in their life or who are struggling with the idea of God because of events that have happened in their life. “The Shack” is a must read for everyone. I recommend it to anyone who would like to know more about the relationship Christians have with God.

A NEW GARDEN Mack, God, Jesus, and Sayru are content with Mack’s new life garden.

FAMILY PHOTO Mackenzie and his family take a photo before their camping trip.

Photo credits RELEVANT Magazine

Photo credits www.theshack.movie

Staff writer finds ‘Blood Meridian’ a gripping journey SAMUEL MARQUES STAFF WRITER

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ormac McCarthy’s “Blood Meridian” is a gruesomely violent, grim, dire, and heinous odyssey across the southwest. I loved every second of it.

The book follows the exploits of The Kid, an antihero that like most elements of the book is intensely, morally ambiguous though he does show some moral fiber. In the first few pages he meets the seminal character of the novel and the true focus. Antagonist, protagonist, mentor, and friend to The Kid, Judge Holden’s introduction sees him accuse a reverend of an unspeakable crime against a minor, and he is thus run out of town and lynched.

When The Kid rendezvous with him at a bar later and asks how he knew so much about the man, the Judge laughs and says he didn’t at all, and the bar laughs with him. The Judge is the high-

light of the novel rife with contradictions and one of the most complex villains ever written. Though we know almost nothing of his past, he is philosophical and seemingly knowledgeable of all subjects. He is a seemingly supernatural force to be reckoned with as he reaps destruction wherever he goes. There are no heroes in this book, and it cleverly circumvents most all genre conventions of the Western. The violence doesn’t have to serve a purpose, more so it reinforces the Judge’s thought that war has always been there and a man might as well ask why the stone in the earth exists.

The Kid ends up running with a man named Clanton’s gang of cutthroat killers whom the Judge is second in command though he becomes an icon and de facto leader as they are retained by the Mexican government to take Indian scalps. This grisly econo-

my soon expands, and the gang begins waylaying anyone that catches their eye wrong.

Most all characters have a philosophical position, and it is the reader’s job to evaluate their moral positions. I never knew that an author could describe a dusty landscape so many ways; the world feels one step short of being dead with the Judge’s theory that all societies reach a meridian of violence before their inevitable downfall.

Scattered with allusions and metaphors, the prose is nice and thick with much to decipher. There’s enough content in this book that I’m going back for a second read. If you enjoyed “No Country for Old Men” or “The Road” by the same author, you should read this book. Artistic yet sometimes longwinded with its images of the desert, this is a book to decipher.

photo from google images

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SPORTS

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER APRIL 2017

Team bonding leads to historic win against Vestavia Photo credits: Mayci Hartley

MAYCI HARTLEY E N T E R TA I N MENT EDITOR he winning score of 7-1 against Vestavia has given the baseball team a new mindset. “Beating Vestavia was a big accomplishment because it was the first time in school history,” senior catcher Batson Brumfield said. “There’s a lot of motivation there,” said Brumfield. The win against Vestavia left a lasting impression on senior pitcher Luke Coker due to the amount of fun had while playing and because of how big the accomplishment was. “This was the first time we beat Vestavia, and that’s a huge deal because they’re usually a 7A powerhouse,” Coker said. “We went in there, and we had expectations for them being good. They were pretty solid, but we played a really good game. Stevan Fairburn pitched a lights-out, two-hit game. We were just having fun, and we all came together. We put hits together; we started scoring runs, and it was really fun. That was a really good memory for the season already.”

The baseball season has been unanimously “good” according to the team. The losses they carry are to 6A and 7A state champions, a private IMG type school, and Hillcrest High School, according to junior third baseman Dalton Clary. Their record is 8-9.

The team has seven losses that they are planning to come back from. They are favored to win State.

“Our losses are to really good teams,” sophomore shortstop Will Butler said.

“We’re ex-

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YOU’RE OUT Caleb Toshcoft catches a ball on third base

pected to win State.” Junior out fielder Cameron Crouse believes they could make a run in state playoffs. “We have all the tools necessary such as timely hitting, focused pitching, and exceptional fielding,” said Crouse. Junior first baseman Timarques Samuel said the team’s winning is about timing. “We have a lot of talent, and we’re progressing over the season,” he said. “It’s a time thing; hopefully, we’ll get better before time runs out.” With the team knowing that a multitude of people believe that they will go to State or the final four, they are trying to make those beliefs a reality. They are using their chemistry to their advantage, playing as if they have been together for years.“We have a really special team this year, and we can do something big,” Coker said. “We all believe that we can go to at least the Final Four, and that is further than anything we have done in the past.

We’ve never been past the second round as a team here at Northridge. With the guys we have this year, if we put it together, we will go really deep into the playoffs.”

This year’s wins come from more than just practices; the team is constantly together and deepening friendships.

Brumfield said that hard work at practice is needed in order to have big wins. “We try to come out every day and work hard, just be efficient,” Brumfield said. “After we get our work done, we have some time to mess around and cut up.” While they are serious during practice, they have found ways to make the the practices more than just bearable this year. They have been able to come together and show respect to each other while also being able to be goofy teenage boys. “In the past, practices would kind of be a drag, day after day, but with this group of people we’ve found a way to make it fun,” junior catcher Caleb Toshcoft said. “Everything we’re doing is fun regardless if it’s serious or not serious.”

While they cut up after practice, they are also friends off the field and have become a tight nit group. Coker confirmed their special bond. “It’s a special group of guys.

I’ve never been part of something like this,” Coker said.

“We do everything together. Those are my best friends; I’m going to remember them for a lifetime.” These bonds have been made on and off the field creating a team that has become family. “The best part of the season has really been when we hang out together,” Butler said. “We have cookouts on Friday nights before our Saturday games and get lunch on the weekends.”

The team has had many rain delays this season causing them to get creative to have fun. Brumfield said they play tic-tac-toe between the dugouts during rain delays. “You write down your move [on the ball] and throw it across to their dugout, and they write down their [move] and throw it back,” Brumfield said. “We were playing Opelika, and there was a rain delay, and we got the idea to play tictac-toe from the dugouts,” Brumfield said. “We won that and then got the idea to joust on home plate on the tarp. We put Drew Wells on Evan London’s shoulders and gave him a catcher’s mask, chest protector, and a fungo (skinny baseball bat); him and someone from the other team jousted. We won that too.

We were 2-0 for that day, and we didn’t even play,” Brumfield joked.

Clary added that he wanted to play because they “were not going to get to beat them in baseball

Photo credits: Mayci Hartley

that day.”

T h i s year’s seniors have left a lasting impression on juniors like Toshcoft by leading by example. “They don’t just tell you what to do; they’ll do it too. They don’t make you do something they wouldn’t do,” Toshcoft said. Seniors like Coker are teaching things that they will take with them through college league and life. “I think it’s mainly going to be being a team player and not being selfish because when you get to college you have to work while you wait,” Coker said.

Coker has been known to be a guy who wants to stay positive and keep the mentality that the game is a game. He wants the team to remember that they need to keep a positive mindset. “Words I live by when I play are ‘have positive thoughts and positive things will happen’ because sometimes bad things will happen in the game, and things won’t be going as well as you want them to,” Coker said. “Even if you’re in a slump and you’re not hitting as well as you think, just go out there and have confidence and think positive because positive things will happen. If the game isn’t fun, you’re not going to play good.

It’s just a game, so just have fun with it, and you’ll play to the best of your abilities,” Coker said. Regardless of the season’s outcome, the players have formed bonds that they will remember for a lifetime. “I love being able to go out with them one day and then the next day being focused and playing a game together,” Toshcoft said.

“It’s just a good group of guys to be with.”

BATTER UP Luke Coker concentrates-- on an incoming ball

Photo credits: Mayci Hartley

SPORTS

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER APRIL 2017

11

SOCCER TEAMS LOOK TO NAB STATE TITLE All teams eager to advance to first round of playoffs COLLEEN MCNORTON STAFF WRITER

Coming off of an amazing season last year, Northridge’s soccer team have high hopes for this year. The varsity girls and boys teams have performed marvelously this season. The boys currently have eleven wins and two losses. “We’ve done really well,” said William Arnold, member of the varsity boys’ team. “The two teams we lost to were a 7A super school and the 6A state champs, and we beat the 5A state champs.”

The girls have also performed strongly, winning five games with only three losses and one tie. “We’ve done fairly well,” said Courtney Mobbs, member of the varsity girls’ team. “We’re undefeated in the region.”

Coach Carter Hill is proud of how the teams have done so far. “Both teams have done very, very well. The only matches we have lost have been against 7A teams, so we’ve done very well against same competition,” said Hill.

With the girls and the boys making it to state, both teams have the same goal this season: “State championship,” said Wheeler Greene, member of the varsity boys team.

“I’d like to see a state championship.” And the girls have the same goal, “Make it back to state,” said Drew Browning, member of the girls’ varsity team “We’ve done that twice already in the past two years. Third

Photo by Mayci Hartley

POINT AND SHOOT Sophomore Wesley Marcus and the JV boys take on County High

year, [Browning’s] freshman year, we lost in the semi-finals to go to the final four. Then sophomore and junior year we’ve gone to final four and came in third in 2015, second in 2016, so the goal is to actually win this year,” Browning added. Coach Hill believes this is most definitely something the team can achieve. “State is definitely a reachable goal.” Hill says. “Make it to the second [round of the playoffs], get to the third [round of the playoffs], and after that it’s final four which is considered state. So definitely,” Hill adds.

In addition to positivity, the soccer team has many strengths. “I think our coaches are really good,” said Mobbs. “Coach Hill and Ashcraft are really good and then the girls on the team work together really well. I think that’s been one of the big things,” Mobbs said. “The brotherhood,” said Greene. “Our attacking is really good this year, and we’re just close knit,” added Greene. “We’re just a solid team all around,” said Riley Byars, member of the boys’ varsity team. Their only weakness it seems, is that the girl’s team has many young players. “The girl’s team,” Hill said, “are much younger than what they’ve been in the past, but other than that we’re still working hard and just trying to out work everybody else.”

The teams have one request from our students: “Everybody should come watch us play,” said Browning, “it’s the best team and full of the sweetest people.”

Track starts season on good foot, gears up for sectionals SARA LANG SPORTS EDITOR The track team has had a successful beginning of the season, competing in a 6A indoor competition, where freshman Zion Binion placed third in the state and broke Northridge’s freshman shotput record.

They will also compete at weekend meets throughout the month. The team is currently preparing for sectionals which will take place at Bryant on Apr. 28 and 29.

Other athletes also competed successfully in the indoor meet. Junior Jade Johnson was nominated for Top Athlete, which takes the girls or boys with the best marks at a meet and puts them in a poll where anyone can vote. She also broke some of her personal records. “I ended up clearing 5’4 for the indoor season and 5’6 for outdoor,” said Johnson. She enjoys track and field as well as competing and looks forward to remaining active in the sport.

“My favorite thing about track is whenever I get down here [the field] it’s like everything else is behind me, which is really nice. I want to compete at the collegiate level, and of course I’d love to go to the Olympics, but you have to be realistic,” said Johnson.

So far this season, the athletes are training hard and seeing success. “Individually,

all are doing well; everyone is consistently competing,” said coach Jason Bothwell.

“Right now our focus is all starting to drive into sectionals, which is a meet at the end of the month that will qualify us for state championships. We still have meets on the weekend, but our focus in April is to prepare for sectionals,” said Bothwell. He is hopeful that the team will participate well and make it to state.

Although there have been some complications this season, the team is working through them. “Rezoning has really affected us, and we lost some of our runners to Central and Bryant,” said coach Jeff Sparks.

“It gives opportunities for the younger athletes; we’re a young team, but it’s going well.” The coach also said that the top three shotput athletes on the team would be competing at sectionals, and Zion Binion would definitely be going.

The athletes enjoy competing together, as well as challenging themselves. “I’m a mid-distance person, and I run two laps at the most,” said junior Kerry Shephard.

“We work pretty well together, and we’ve been beating personal records. I think this season is gonna turn out really well.”

Photo by Mallie Humber

GOING FOR GOLD OJ Gibson competes in the long jump event at the Central Falcon Invitational

TEARIN UP THE TRAILS Junior Wil Charles rides his bike at a meet. Photo by Roger Champion

With a new season underway, the mountain biking team has gotten off to a good start. After two competitions, they are in ninth place out of 26 teams. Max French, who has been on the team for three years and competes on the varsity, believes that this year has been different than the rest. “I’d say this year has probably been the best one.” French said. Katie Tindol, a teammate on the junior varsity girls team, agrees, “This season's been really good because it’s the same trails,” Tindol said. “They haven’t added any new locations or taken any out. I know the trails, so it’s been a lot easier.”

There are a total of five races a year all throughout Alabama, with the last race being the state championship. “It’s just one of the five locations,” Tindol said. “And then all of your points get added together, they drop your lowest race, and whoever has the highest out of those four races, places in state.” There’s a good collection of kids there to compete against as well. “It’s everyone,” says Wil Charles another teammate on the junior varsity team, “from independent homeschool kids to 7A super schools like Hoover, so there’s a lot of diversity as far as student bodies go.”

The first race of the season was at home at Munny Sokol park.

“The first race is always a little nerve wracking,”said Charles, “because you don’t know where you are compared to the competition.” But compared to the competition Charles finished in tenth out of 62 other racers, and overall the Northridge team finished fifth out of 26 teams. The second race was in Auburn. “As a team we didn’t do so well,” says French, “because it was right after spring break, so everybody was a bit tired.” French himself did well with a second place finish, and the team over all finished eleventh out of 27 teams.

But it’s not just about doing well. “A lot of it I think is about having fun and meeting new people,” said Tindol, “and just participating in something that you wouldn’t have the chance to do otherwise.”

With two more races left before the state championship in Tannehill, the team has a good chance to finish the season with a nice close.

COLLEEN MCNORTON STAFF WRITER

Northridge Mountain Flyers start season with a bang, gear up for state championship

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER APRIL 2017

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