December 2017 by Northridge Reporter

Northridge High School 2901 Northridge Road Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35406

est. 2003

THE DECEMBER 2017

NORTH RI D GE

www.northridgereporter.wordpress.com

REPORTER

The student est.voice 2003of Northridge High School

VOLUME 15 ISSUE 3

MEETING THE CHALLENGE

Sports Management/Business club holds “Slope” game competition and other membership drives I had no idea what this black and green ball was doing ROLLING DOWN A RAMP, through tunnels, and over buildings. IT MADE ME DIZZY. My interest led me to Google.

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AT A GLANCE

RESTAURANT REVIEW: PHO TOWN

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ness marketing classes, planning events like Teacher Appreciation Day and participating in competitions. From Oct. 24 - Nov. 3, students entered a Virtual Reality Competition in which they ran retail businesses and operated a sports and entertainment venue. Sponsored by Marriott, the hotel component will offer advancing students an opportunity to win national prizes. “They managed a hotel,” Fuller said. “They competed in sports and entertainment by running a professional team and concerts at night. Another group did a retail sporting goods store, a grocery and electronic store, and personal finance about life skills like getting a job, apartment, groceries, buying a car and personal finance.” President Tristian Kelly, freshman, was excited to participate in the competition for a chance to win a gift card. “I play the game a lot in class, which I probably shouldn’t be doing,” he said. “I got second place, which was pretty good.” For National DECA Month in November, he remembers participating in sidewalk art that dotted the courtyard. “We wanted to sort of show that and get everybody to notice it,” he said. For more information on DECA, email adviser Patricia Fuller at pfuller@tusc.k12. al.us.

MEMBERSHIP GOAL

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ORTHRIDGE’S DISTRIBUTED EDUCATION CLUBS OF AMERICA Sports and Entertainment Officers (DECA) held a Slope contest membership drive Nov. 8 in adviser Patricia Fuller’s room. Freshman Cary Xiao, first place winner, won an $20 iTunes gift card. The competition is just one of a lineup of efforts to raise awareness for the club, a nationally recognized business organization linked with the school’s Marketing program. The organization, which is shifting more towards a focus on sports and entertainment, currently counts 33 members and is hoping to meet its goal of 50. “This week’s efforts helped us sur1980s, pass last year’s membership, quali- PATRICIA FULLER, DECA when she fying our club for the State Honor first parADVISER, ON SLOPE Roll for membership,” Fuller said. ticipat“The club is very student-centered ed with this year. They designed the t-shirts.” friends through her high The popular internet game Slope gives players control of school’s chapter of DECA. The a bowling ball thrown down “a one-way track in a Tron- family tie doesn’t end there, eilike universe,” according to a description on the website ther; her father was a member Crazy Games. Though it would normally be blocked from of DECA in the 1960s. access in Fuller’s classroom, students were able to access When the club isn’t holdit when classroom management system Net Support was ing membership drives, they’re uninstalled in anticipation for the arrival of a new system. inviting local business owners “I had no idea what this black and green ball was doing from Peterbrooke Chocolatier rolling down a ramp, through tunnels, and over buildings,” and UpSurge to speak to busishe said. “It made me dizzy. My interest led me to Google

CURRENT MEMBERS

what all the hype was about this game. I thought it had something to do with math. I asked Tristian Kelly, who is the current president, and he insisted that we recruit new members with this video game competition. It’s not the first time they’ve incorporated video games into events; they’ve held competitions with the popular online game Slither in the past. Fuller said that two year ago administrators learned from a zero period survey of a tremendous student interest in a video game class. In January, they’re planning to hold a basketball half-shot competition, tying in again to the new theme of sports and entertainment. Fuller herself was a multiple-time winner of those half-shot competitions in the

“ BOWLING SEASON

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To read a full press release on DECA’s activities during National DECA Month in November, visit the Northridge Reporter’s website at https://northridgereporter.wordpress.com.

I love being the person that I am not.

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REBECCA HAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

OLIVIA PRINCE, SOPHOMORE

See story on PAGES 4-5

2 OPINION

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER VOLUME 15 ISSUE 3

MERRY DAY-AFTER-HALLOWEEN? Host of holidays to be celebrated before Christmas

WILL MCLELLAND MANAGING EDITOR

hen do you start celebrating Christmas? A few days before? A week before? Well it turns out that our weak souls are too frightened by Halloween to the point that as soon as it’s over, we have to work out, put on our mittens, and commit a class C misdemeanor at Best Buy on Black Friday! I take classes at the University of Alabama as a part of my dual enrollment for high school, and on Nov. 1, I saw the festive cups and trees all on display. This makes me sick to my stomach that we have completely forgotten about all of the other holidays that we made up on the internet. These are holidays that include but are not limited to National Deviled Egg Day, National Traffic Directors Day, and National Men Make Dinner Day - and that’s just on Nov. 2. Do you know how many national holidays are celebrated on Nov. 1 alone? These holidays are National Calzone Day, National Authors’ Day, National Family Literacy Day, National Cook For Your Pets Day, National Vinegar Day, National Deep Fried Clams Day, National Brush Day, and National Stress Awareness Day. Seven holidays in one day! It’s like the Christmas of holidays! Think about how we as a society could be spending our winter in more valuable ways, such as buying our cousin’s independently published books, or cooking your dog a meal. But because you decided to go to your friend’s house and watch all of the “Home Alone” movies, your cousin gave up on her dreams, and your dog died! If you haven’t quit reading this article yet, good for you - and you might want to reconsider your life choices. However, if you’re like me and you want a change, then please join me in celebrating what I call, “Twelve Days of Not Christmas” every November and December. It allows you to celebrate all of the holidays you should be enjoying and takes up just enough time to devote a little bit more attention to holidays you care about like Thanksgiving and Christmas. To kick off November, we’ll start with a mere 37 holidays. Now if you don’t want to celebrate multiple holidays a day, get over it! Life doesn’t give you the holidays you want! For these first 12 days of November, we must celebrate each holiday which in-

clude but are not limited to the following: National Sandwich Day, National Candy Day, National Love Your Red Hair Day, National Scrapple Day, and National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day. After you have diligently embraced every single holiday, then you will have four days to prepare for Thanksgiving - like adults do. (For the rest of the month, go about your normal life. What’s wrong with you? Don’t you have responsibilities? Do you want a holiday every day? TOUGH!) As soon as December starts, the process will start again, and you will participate in every fictional and nonfictional holiday you find on nationalholidaycalendar.com! After that, you will have extra time to shop for whatever gifts you need to give the relatives you think you care about, but that you really, really don’t. As I sat alone on that relatively warm November morning, staring at my Starbucks Holiday cup, I wondered to myself, “What desperate artist made this drawing? And what can I do to help them through this difficult and prematurely festive time in their lives?” With that being said, Merry National Ab-

JOY TO THE WORLD

True meaning of Christmas, God’s grace, often forgotten and distorted

GRACIE LANG STAFF WRITER

ecember has come with all the joys of Christmas, but the true

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Christmas can be a season of great joy. It is a time of God showing HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US.

meani n g of Christmas is sometimes replaced by the idea of waking up o n

surdity Day!

down the stairs to see what Santa brought you. Is it the gifts under the tree, the lights in the windows, the cards in the mail, turkey dinners with family and friends, snow in the yard, stockings hanging in the living room, and shouts of “Merry Christmas” to those who pass us in the streets? Is this really Christmas? This really shows the spirit of Christmas, but people should still celebrate the true meaning of Christmas--the celebration of the nativity of Christ. There are many different perspectives on the true meaning of Christmas, and there are people who are not particular fans of Christmas. A great many feel saddened by this time of year for many reasons: a loved one could not come home, or they could not afford to buy their family or friends any Christmas presents. Turkey dinners are only a wish, not a reality to some. People should put aside all the material desires and give gratitude for what they already have and what they are able to receive. The true meaning of Christmas lies within. Yet Christmas can be a season of great joy. It is a time of God showing His great love for us. It can be a time of healing and renewed strength. You see, Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Christ child. God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to be born. His birth brought great joy to the world. Shepherds, wise men, and angels all shared in the excitement of knowing about this great event. They knew this was no ordinary baby. The prophets had told of His coming hundreds of years before. The star stopped over Bethlehem just to mark the way for those who were looking for this special child. We can truly be happy, no matter what is happening during this time of the season. Joy comes from within. Look at Christmas in a new way this year, this is a year to invite Jesus into your heart. You will then have a “Merry Christmas.” The joy and peace you will receive will last all year long as you look to God for all your needs to be met. Jesus is the reason we are celebrating Christmas, so rejoice.

Christmas and rushing

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(From left to right) Photos from www.pinterest.com and xmaswallpapers.blogspot.com.

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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 ext. 3432 Managing Editor Will McLelland Feature Editor Rebecca Han Sports Editor Mayci Hartley & Isaac Smith News Editor Will McLelland

Entertainment Editor Sara Lang Opinion Editor Emily Matthews Copy Editor Reshu Chandra

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 ext. 3432 or rlane@tusc.k12. al.us to advertise in or subscribe to our paper.

Art Editor Rebecca Han Social Media Editor Mayci Hartley & Sara Lang

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.

Rhonda Lane, Adviser Rebecca Han, Editor-in-Chief Visit us online at northridgereporter.wordpress.com Follow us on Twitter @NHSReporter Follow us on Instagram @thenorthridgereporter1 Visit our Facebook page, ‘The Northridge Reporter’ See our paper online at issuu.com, ‘The Northridge Reporter’

ENTERTAINMENT

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER VOLUME 15 ISSUE 3

STICKS AND STONES...

Theater puts on collection of plays addressing bullying PETRA ZLATKOVIC STAFF WRITER

n Nov. 14 and Nov. 16, The Northridge Theater performed “The Bullying Collection,” a set of five 10 minute scenes whose only connection is the anti-bullying message they send. With their performances in “Frosh in the Pit,” “F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S.,” “Dolphin,” “Nerd-Bullies and Other Strange Creatures,” and “Bullies Anonymous,” the students have shown both interest in and opposition to bullying. A rookie in theater, senior Michela Congiu was glad to have been a part of a play with a powerful message. “As an exchange student, I finally have the opportunity to be in a school play, which I don’t have in my home country,” Congiu said. Participating in a school production is a way to meet new people and learn new things all the while enjoying the production itself. “Being in this play was both a way to discuss important topics such as bullying and friendship, which are a big part of our lives and find new friends to share opinions, anxieties and fun moments with,” Congiu said. Theater teacher, Donna Wright, believes that exploring social issues among adolescents is one of the important

roles of school theater. “I think theater is an important medium to examine society,” Wright said. Although the play was chosen for many reasons, some of them being of technical nature, the biggest reason was the topic itself. “The topic of bullying, the impact that it has, and the way it is expressed is something worth looking at because we all have an idea of what a bully is,” Wright said. The preparation of the play lasted an entire month, with students from both Acting and Theater 1 classes participating in it. “The ten-minute format worked especially well because the cast was divided in two classes,” Wright said. “The Bullying Collection” explores common situations in the world of teenagers in which bullying takes a large part. The setting of the scenes is simple, giving the actors a chance to show their full potential. It is a play relying mostly on the performances of its actors which paid off, considering all the talented individuals in both theater classes. It uses both a comedic and dramatic approach in telling the story, providing its audience with entertainment in its purest form.

Photo by Rebecca Han

HALT Sophomore Sam Allen bullies Katherine Brown with the help of Senior Hunter Harris (background) CORRECTION: In our last issue, Sam Allen was misidentified as Jafar in a photo caption in the story

Photo by Rebecca Han

NERD ALERT Seniors Natalie Jacks (Petra) and McKenna Marino (Sam) begin the show by addressing the audience and introducing the play.

Photo by Rebecca Han

BULLIES ANONYMOUS Senior Raegan Harrell enthusiastically coaches her bully anonymous students: Desjarea Tubbs, Giovani DeJesus-Colon, Allison Stegall, TJ Duncan, and McKenna Marino.

about “Aladdin, Jr..” The actor who played Jafar was Jordan Hall. Sam Allen played the part of a guard. The Northridge Reporter apologizes for the error.

New Vietnamese restaurant is un-Pho-gettable

ISAAC SMITH BUSINESS MANAGER

new restaurant called Pho Town opened Oct. 21. Located in Midtown Village on McFarland Blvd., Pho Town serves Vietnamese cuisine, such as the pho that it is named for. Pho is a type of soup. It is made up of rice noodles, a seasoned broth, and some sort of protein, which is often a type of meat but can be tofu. Pho Town has an extensive menu which includes several other types of Vietnamese food such as mi, an egg noodle soup, hu tieu, a clear noodle soup, bun, a dish with vermicelli noodles, com tay cam, meals cooked in a clay pot, and more. The restaurant does not confine itself to soup and noodle dishes; it also serves sub sandwiches and rice plates. All of these dishes are served with different types of seasonings, proteins and vegetables. My family and I went to Pho Town soon after its opening on Oct. 29. We were seated immediately. The decoration was fairly sparse but pleasant. There were around 20 tables. I ordered spring rolls as well as mi do bien, which is a seafood soup in beef broth. This soup is normally made with egg noodles, unlike pho, but the restaurant had run

out of egg noodles, so I ordered the soup with rice noodles instead. Although I only drank water, a variety of more interesting beverages were also available. These included fruit flavored smoothies, teas, and more. The spring rolls did not take long to arrive, and they were delicious. In addition to lettuce and herbs, the spring rolls had pork and shrimp inside. The peanut sauce that was served with the spring rolls was also good. My entree took much longer, arriving about 40 minutes after I had ordered. The soup contained rice noodles as well as several different kinds of seafood, including fish, crab and shrimp. The dish came with a plate of garnishes, which had lettuce, lime, onions and basil on it. When my family ate at Pho Town less than 10 days after it had opened, the restaurant seemed to be off to a rough start. There were ingredient

shortages and some confusion about our dishes. Around two weeks later, I returned to Pho Town. I ordered the same meal, but there were no ingredient shortages, and the soup tasted even better. The change in broth was particularly striking; the first time, it was good, but the second time it was amazing. Organization also seemed slightly better, and despite the restaurant being nearly full when I arrived, my food was served within 15 minutes of the time that I ordered it. I would gladly return to Pho Town and eat the same meal or try something new.

4FEATURE

A C T I N G O U T

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER VOLUME 15 ISSUE 3

Pictured left to right, top to bottom: sophomore Olivia Prince, sophomore Sam Allen, sophomore Molly McKane, senior Meredith Vaughn, sophomore Joshua Deck, and senior Natalie Jacks. Pictures by Rebecca Han.

REBECCA HAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Five Northridge students advanced to the state level at the District Walter Trumbauer Secondary Theatre Festival on Nov. 4, and one was awarded a ranking of “superior.” Through theater, they inhabit the spaces of others, and realize their own in the process, asking what it means to be labeled a “theater kid.”

OPHOMORE JOSHUA DECK got his first taste of the performing arts in a turn as precocious kid brother Winthrop from musical “The Music Man.” He was five years old then and attending a California pre-k through 12 school. “It was great because I was with these older kids,” he said. “I got my first chance to perform.” His first, but far from his last - today, Deck counts characters like Guard from “Aladdin,” Unicorn from “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” and John Northbrook in “Mary Poppins” among his many roles. “I got to play a dog named Rocky in an original musical that people from my hometown wrote,” he said. “I was in the play with some of my oldest and rarest friends. I was a stage manager for “Crimes of the Heart,” which was one of the greatest professional development experiences for me.” Up next, he’s set to be a stage manager with theater production “The Bullying Collection,” his first Northridge play among what will likely be many. And at the Walter Trumbauer Secondary Theatre Festival, he took center stage in a monologue from William Shakespeare’s “Henry IV, Part 2.” “Prince Hal, who will go on to become the king, Henry V, has a friend called Falstaff who acted as a father figure,” he said. “As he is ascending in to the throne, he sheds this old skin of a person who he could joke with and be a little kid with so he could become a king.” It’s no hero’s tale; Deck chose it just for its villainy. He became familiar with the piece through preparation for “Romeo and Juliet” and believed it would stand out from the heroic pieces that are more typical fare at festivals. He remembers being floored there, though, by the incredible variety of people dedicated to the singular craft of the performance. “It was so much fun…” he recounted. For Deck, the competitive facet of the event was dwarfed by the “great atmosphere.” “I saw so many people who had the same passions as you,” he said. “You could laugh about the same things. There was an appreciation for what you were doing, you got to see other people perform.” That sense of unity is compounded by the “stigma” that Deck sees surrounding theater. “It’s often seen as not cool,” he said. “There aren’t a lot of kids or boys. A lot of things contribute to this cliche atmosphere of theater.”

T TRUMBAUER, they played life and death—sophomore Olivia Prince was life for her “cheerful and happy personality” and sophomore Molly McKane as death for her “more serious” attitude. “It was like life was trying to save someone she loved... there was a sacrifice,” described McKane. Onstage, they were polar opposites, but behind the curtains, McKane and Prince find much common ground. For one, they’re both your prototypical “theater kids,” by and

by. So why theater? “I just have always been interested in it,” McKane said. “It sounded like a lot of fun and a good experience.” Prince laughs. “I think theater is for you if you’re always dramatic at home...like me...you’re always extra, so it’ll be perfect,” Prince said. “I’ve always been interested in theater, but I’ve never really given any thought about joining a theater class. But I’ve always been this artsy type of person. The things is, I’m so used to being extra, but on stage I’m like...so nervous.” Trumbauer was far from the first thing on her mind when the date first rolled around. Performing arts teacher Donna Wright’s description of the festival—judges, competing—was daunting to say the least. “Molly asked me if I wanted to partner with her,” Prince said. “I was like, I guess it would be pretty interesting.” They landed on a piece and set about to learning their lines but ran into a problem. Their lines were just that: lines. Strung-together words, clauses, and phrases on paper. “We were just line from line instead of being a character,” Prince said. “We were so busy trying to remember our lines that we forgot we were playing characters.” That nuanced struggle has long plagued novice and veteran actors alike. For one, “you’ve gotta have a really good memory to memorize lines and blocking,” said McKane, referring to stage direction for actors. Secondly, “you have to make people believe that this is not the real you,” said Prince. “When you do your line and read your lines you’re so focused on remembering them that you forget that. You are somebody who has a totally different personality, different experiences. You don’t want to sound like a robot reading line to line.” For her, the best way to combat that monotony is to embrace a certain variety of method acting. “I just think about the goal of the character and what their F EMALE SOLO MUSICAL purpose is,” DRAMATIC NOVIC E - SUPERIOR Prince said. NATALIE JACKS “I try to refer back to GRADE STARRING IN the line and “LIFEBOAT” FROM HEATHERS back to what’s BY LAURENCE O’KEEFE AND KEVIN MURPHY in the story. How is this person interacting with the things around them?” McKane and Prince had three days to memorize their lines and complete their transformations. Prince’s dominant emotion at the conclusion of those three days was anything but confidence. “I remember telling Molly that I didn’t think we were gonna go to state,” she said. Truthfully, she recalls being more thankful to be at the festival than anything. “It’ll be nice if we get something,” she said. “I’m just grateful to be here.”

McKane had to leave early, so she missed the moment that their names were called for recognition. It took Prince a good five minutes to realize what had happened. Thanks to the frenzied tapping of classmate Joshua Deck—”It’s y’all! Go up!”—she rose to her feet to collect their award. “I’m like, ‘what the heck!’ Prince said. “I can’t process this.” Her initial speechlessness soon gave way to an effusive expression of excitement. “I didn’t know I was going to get an award!” she said. “I ran up there so fast! Molly texted me like this long string of messages, and I was so excited. We’re planning on working harder because you can’t get too comfortable, and you have to be on top of your game, especially now that we get to go to state, and because they see us and think that we’re good, they have expectations of us. We have to be better than we already were.”

EST ACTOR...BEST ACTRESS...BEST PICTURE. It’s the starlets that become household names, but don’t forget about the backstage crew who, as senior Natalie Jacks puts it, you wouldn’t have a show without. She began her career as a crew/stage manager through theater friends and Northridge graduates Ben Wright and Jay Hubner. Jacks was approached by theater director Donna Wright one day, who gave her a choice. “She said, ‘if you’re gonna stay here, I’m gonna have to put you to work,’” Jacks said. She set to work first building sets—chairs, backdrops, lighting work. “Fitting in with the group is always a little more difficult,” Jacks said. “Another one is finding what you’re better at. Some people are better at acting, but others are in theater and have never acted before.” While she kept formerly to backstage work, Jacks has begun to branch out into onstage work. She’s always had a penchant for singing and has performed in the Northridge Talent Show before. This year, she participated in the District Walter Trumbauer as well, hoping for a “fun experience.” Though she’s been to thespian festivals before, she had never competed. “It’s very fun and lighthearted, but at the same time, people take it really seriously,” Jacks said. “Somebody’s always singing something. There’s always a show or a scene or a skit going on. It seems very much like what most people would think the backstage of a TV show looks like.” At Trumbauer, she says, you can meet people from every walk of (at least high school) life, apparently including anti-government folk. Still, it’s a community of like-minded individuals; the atmosphere is laid-back and totally relaxed. “You meet everyone from people who are really chill to someone who actually introduced themself as an anarchist,” she said. “Not a burn down everything kind, but a chill one. You get both ends of the spectrum.” She performed the piece “Lifeboat” from musical

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER VOLUME 15 ISSUE 3

FEATURE

“Heathers,” adapted from the 1989 movie starring WinoIKE HER TROUPE OF ACTORS, theater departna Ryder and Christian Slater. It tells the story of a clique ment head Donna Wright is a chameleon. She is Enof four girls, three named Heather and one named Veroni- glish teacher, then theater teacher, then technical director, ca, and the latter’s plot to destroy the former with then creative director. She was the last theater teacher at the help of enigmatic outsider, J.D. Central High School East before the City Schools’ 2003 “My piece was at this point in her [Veron- restructuring when she found herself at newly constructed ica’s] character development where s h e Northridge and took the reins of an infant theater prois realizing that her friends aren’t w h o gram. Fourteen years later, she’s still for the most part a they say they are, and none of her peers one-woman show—one who’s relaxed her hold on the are either,” Jacks said. “She realizes D U ET AC TING DRAMATIC “reins,” but carefully cultivated the this, but you also see that she already MOLLY MCKANE quintessential “theater kid” environstruggles with some bulimic issues ment: one where anyone from anyOLIVIA PRINCE where can be anything they wish. and just wanting to fit it. She wants to fit in so badly to which she feels like Before she wore any of these hats, S TA RRING IN GRADE she’s in a lifeboat from a sinking ship, though, she was a high school dancer “A SACRIFICE” and it seems like it’s about to go down who struck a chord acting in a small BY so somebody has to go overboard. She D.M. LARSON theater program at a “tiny 1A school.” feels like it’s her.” “It’s hard to put my finger on it,” It wasn’t her first choice, which Wright said pensively, deep in recollection of years when was “Burn” from popular Broadshe’d lend a hand in her carpenter father’s set-building way musical “Hamilton.” process. “I majored in it in college, but I didn’t think I was “I found out at the last minute that going to be a high school theater teacher. But that’s where it was 45 seconds too long,” she said. “I couldn’t cut that I landed.” much without it not making sense, so I chose a song I To appease her concerned mother, Wright obtained a could learn quick and that wasn’t long at all.” graduate degree in English. Her efforts were awarded with a Superior rating in the “She thought it was more practical than theater,” she Female Solo Musical Dramatic Novice category. But even said. “I thought, well, I’ll see if I miss doing theater or if I though she’s stepped into the spotlight lately, she says that just miss being around those people. While it’s true that I working from behind the scenes will always have its allure. was around a great group, I did love doing theater. I took “I like the fact that without us, even if you have all the some directing classes in grad school.” actors, the show won’t go on because you need a set and all After graduation, the plan for Wright and her husband this other stuff,” she said. “Without everybody backstage, was to settle where he could work as a chemist, and she you couldn’t do it. You make everything work like clock- could go to school for a graduate degree in theater. work, but nobody ever sees it.” “Well, the best laid-plans of mice and men, and all that This anonymity is, naturally, a part of backstage work, stuff…” she said. but sometimes difficult. DUET MUSICAL COMEDIC Where he would “Nobody knows that you’ve built the set,” she said. “Af- find a suitable job, SAM ALLEN ter you’ve built this big marvelous set that looks great, you there wouldn’t be MEREDITH VAUGHN have to take it down.” a nearby school. So for Jacks, a “theater kid” isn’t always center stage or It was during this STARRING IN GRADES under the spotlights. It’s someone who “isn’t quite defined seemingly endless “CRAZIER THAN YOU” FROM THE ADDAMS FAMILY by other extracurriculars and doesn’t really fit in very well game of cat-andBY MARSHALL BRICKMAN with any one group.” AND RICK ELICE mouse that Wright “We’re all for the most part floaters among different began teaching as social groups,” she said. “We all just kind of enjoy being a “waystation.” Her goal was still professional theater. around each other, even when show week happens and we “But the longer I went, I realized that this is not a seem like we hate each other.” bad jam,” she said. “I get paid, and there are benefits.

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ENIOR MEREDITH VAUGHN AND SOPHOMORE SAM ALLEN took their personalities and talents to the stage with a rendition of “Crazier than You” from “The Addams Family.” “The characters Lucas and Wednesday were engaged,” Allen said. “They come across comflict.” They’d performed the piece at a competition earlier in the year and decided to compete with it at Trumbauer. He first became interested in theater during middle school, having friends in the program. “I couldn’t relate to any of my friends outside of theater very well,” he said. “But in theater, it’s like one big family and everybody is supportive and loving.” Like Allen, Vaughn’s stage to offer her a level of self-expression not found anywhere else. “I’ve been interested in theater since I was little,” she said. “My first play was “Aladdin” ten years ago with the Children’s Theater, and I felt like I could be myself onstage.” Since then, she’s been acting with troupes like the Actor’s Charitable Theater, Theater Tuscaloosa, and the Children’s Theater. “It’s very hard sometimes to figure out characters,” Allen said. “For “Aladdin Jr.,” it took me almost a month and half to figure out who this character was. I, personally, like to make a list of this character that I’ve created, write down their favorite foods, favorite music.” For Vaughn, the physical aspect of theater can be the most challenging. “Sometimes you have to dance and remember your blocking,” she said. She’s never really entered in competitions like Trumabuer and decided “why not?” this year. So they went and found it to be a constructive, community-like environment. “It was really fun,” Allen said. “Even though it’s a competition, you’re all on the same team. You meet people from other schools.” Vaughn agreed saying, “It didn’t feel overly intimidating as most competitions are.” “Theater is really helpful in my life because it doesn’t matter what theater I’m in,” Allen said. “I always find peeople that I’m comfortable with.”

You can have a husband and a family, whatever a normal life is. For my friends who were doing professional theater, those weren’t things they were in a position to do.” She moved to Tuscaloosa in the summer of 1999 and found herself with the Tuscaloosa City Schools at now-defunct Eastwood and Tuscaloosa Middle School. “The theater teacher at Central East was going to graduate school in New York City,” she said. “I applied for the transfer in 2000. I was the last theater teacher there, and then they restructured, and of course, I’ve been here since the beginning.” Those early years went smoothly, thanks also to efforts by dedicated students, many of whom SOLO MALE AC TING were from CenC LASSICAL DRAMATIC tral East and “happened to JOSHUA DECK be NorthridgeSTARRING IN GRADE zoned people.” MONOLOGUE “I’ve had some FROM HENreally, really good RY IV, PT. 2 students through BY WILLIAM the years who SHAKESPEARE were able to step up, to kind of build a program,” she said. As Northridge theater lacks some of the monetary resources of larger schools, such student initiative is its lifeblood. “Beth McGuire and I do the musical together,” Wright said. “I would not do the musical without the choir teacher on board, that goes without saying. She will help with the tech stuff too, but the straight plays, that’s all me. I’m the technical director as well as everything else. Bigger schools have a second teacher, and they’ll swap off who does what. They have budgets to hire somebody to come in and build sets. We’re not those people.” But, frankly, she wouldn’t have it any other way. What Wright has found to be infinitely more valuable than the huge parent volunteer groups and professional set-builders are the lessons to be taught. “I would want my kids to learn all the aspects anyway,” she said. “It makes you a well-rounded person.” Actors are backstage workers and learn what goes into making a production possible. And vice versa, all backstage workers

typically appear in at least one play to sample a “completely different experience.” Additionally, it’s this semi-grassroots experience that has made Northridge theater the safe haven that so many know it as. For many student actors, the most difficult roles to play is themselves. High school is all-too conducive to such crises of identity. For a period that boasts itself as safe, formative, and self expression friendly, the teenage years often seem marked more definitely by pressure: to conform, to appease, to remain mercifully under-the-radar. But on and off the stage, Wright allows her students a level of freedom that’s far different from the “micromanagement” that she often sees in today’s classrooms. Students are able to find their niche in something wholly unexpected. “You’ll have kids stuck in something they never thought they’d be interested in,” she said. “The ones most dear to my heart are the kids who maybe wouldn’t have found their niche somewhere else. They’re not an athlete, not a writer, or anything like that. They don’t sing or play an instrument. Especially since we don’t have a real theater program, for a lot of people this is their first experience. You can take them where they are, and they get to grow not just as performers but as people, because it’s project-based. There’s a deadline that has to be met. I was doing project-based learning before that became a hot new word in education. You get to see students learn how to work together and learn how to take responsibility for things and not be micromanaged.” She’s seen the growth in students across the years, like in recent graduate Riley Thomas, a “quiet reader” who found a home first constructing sets for theater, then entering the spotlight. “That’s the thing that can happen in a theater department like this,” she said. “There’s a place for everybody, if you’re willing to work.” Still, Wright is cautious against the data drive learning that she sometimes sees. “I think a lot of times, we are so concerned about what the data is gonna look like that we like to micromanage everything,” she said. “The problem with that is that we send you into the world, and you’ve never had to figure things out on your own.” Wright’s students have plenty of time to do just that. “In theater, there’s not always one right way to do something,” Wright said. “We try and we fail, so let’s try something else, and a lot of times it’s the kids making that decision. I’ll tell them, you guys figure something out, and let me know if I need to buy something. That doesn’t happen a lot.” In fact, she’s welcome to failure—for her, it simply means that one is “trying.” “I hear every day that failure is not an option, and that’s ridiculous,” she said. “Failure is an option every day, and it’s not bad. To me it means that you’re striving for something that’s possibly beyond your reach instead of playing it safe. It becomes a problem when you cease to try because you’re afraid to fail.” She’s watched students compete and win time and time again at the Trumbauer competition, bringing home titles like Best Actress and Best Set Design. She’s ready to see more, in the future, especially those who never expected to be there. “If you’ve ever thought about it, you should try it,” she said. “Don’t feel like you could never do this. Yeah you can. The stuff is not so much talent, but the ability to be a team player, and work hard and take direction and risks. Don’t be afraid to try it. Life will narrow down a lot.”

O WHAT MAKES the late-night memorizations and show week frustrations worth every minute? “That moment right before the house lights do down on opening night, and all the hard work you’ve put in is about to be released to the world,” Deck said. “We all want to put on a great show and to tell these stories. That stays the same.” “Seeing everyone enjoy the shows that we’ve worked so hard on,” McKane said. “You make everything work like clockwork, but nobody ever sees it,” Jacks said. “Diving into the characters and of course, wondering what their motivations are,” Vaughn said. I’m always accepted in theater,” Allen said. “That’s really important, especially for people my age.” “Having the people applaud and come up to you and say that you did awesome in this,” Prince said. “I like filling different emotions. I love being the person that I am not.” At the state competition held on Dec. 1, Sam Allen and Meredith Cook placed second in the state in Comedic Musical Duet Novice.

NEWS

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER VOLUME 15 ISSUE 3

Northridge offers students warm clothes RESHU CHANDRA COPY EDITOR

s the weather starts to become colder, teachers and administrators are announcing that if any student is in need of warm clothing such as coats, scarves, gloves or socks, they need to go see a teacher or administrator right away so that they can get those things. English teacher, Rhonda Lane, is one teacher offering these necessities to students. Every year, Principal Kyle Ferguson asks teachers to look in their closet for any extra clothing such as jackets, scarves or gloves to bring in for students who may need them. Two years ago, Lane started an ‘anonymous pantry’ where students and teachers can bring in basic necessities

like deodorant, toothbrushes, soap, lotion and even sunscreen for students who need them but don’t have the resources to get them. Lane alerted all of the teachers about the anonymous pantry and let them know that this was a way for students to get what they needed in case they were too embarrassed to ask for them. If a student needs something, they can tell a trusted teacher, and the teacher can anonymously request it for them so the student can get ASST. PRINCIPAL whatever they need. In Lane’s back closet, there are many shirts that are available to students who might need them as well. Lane said that not enough people use it

possibly due to the fact that students and teachers just don’t know about it. Dean of Students, Darrin Spence, said offering these items to students who might need them is a great idea. “There are definitely a few kids in here that might need these basic necessities and for them to know that they can get those things from school makes a big difference,” Spence said. “It’s awesome how we have our students’ backs, and KEITH JACKSON if they ever need anything we are here to help.” Principal Kyle Ferguson said that every school should ensure that its students are taken care of. “Every school should of-

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As the days get colder, we should all remember to have a WARM HEART.

”

fer these basic necessities to all students,” Ferguson said. “This is something that I’ve done since I began teaching. It is important that we as a school make sure that every student has the basic necessities needed to achieve. If any student has extra warm clothing that they would like to donate, by all means please do so by coming to see me.” Assistant Principal Keith Jackson said he is glad that Northridge offers warm clothes to students. “I am very excited that the teachers, students, faculty and staff at NHS are participating in this worthy cause,” Jackson said. “Simple acts of kindness on the part of the Northridge Family can play a pivotal role in ensuring that individuals in need have the clothing they need to make it through the cold nights that are coming. As the days get colder, we should all remember to have a warm heart.”

DESTINY CALLING French teacher’s husband pens fantasy series ‘Bow of Hart’ WILL MCLELLAND MANAGING EDITOR

FTER TWO YEARS OF WRITING A FANTASY TRILOGY, French teacher Carolyn Smith’s husband, Paul Smith, has sold nearly 10,000 copies of his book series, “The Bow of Hart.” Paul Smith has published three Tolkien-esque books since last year under the pen name P. H. Solomon. Smith said that these novels have been a dream of his since he graduated high school. “I began writing this series just out of high school well over thirty years ago out of interest in fantasy since I read “The Hobbit” in grade school,” Smith said. “The first book was actually completed around 1995 and was offered a publishing contract from a small publisher. That did not work out so the entire project was shelved for some years with a few attempted reboots over time. I restarted work on “The Bow of Hart Saga” in 2010 because of the opportunities with self-publishing and worked to rewrite this series to more current genre expectations. The last book, “The White Arrow,” was just published Oct. 3.” Smith describes his series as a three part fantasy story that follows the main character, Athson, on his journey. “‘The Bow of Hart Saga’ encompasses a quest for a mythic bow of which the main character, Athson, is the heir,” Smith said. “But Athson suffers from PTSD-like symptoms from a tragic past, so he’s not quite sure what’s real and isn’t without some medication. In the first book, ‘The Bow of Destiny,’ Athson is unwillingly dragged into the quest and begins to discover more of his family’s past and ends up at a surprising end. The next book, ‘An Arrow Against the Wind,’ continues the journey of finding the Bow of Hart while his family’s enemies try to gain leverage over him so that he will give them the bow if he finds it. The concluding book of the series, ‘The White Arrow,’ unravels Athson’s afflictions as he tries to survive a major troll attack commanded by his enemies in an attempt to stop him from using the Bow of Hart.” Although his books can only be purchased and read electronically at the moment, Smith has already sold thousands of copies. “The series has sold about 8,880 total copies,” Smith said. “‘The Bow of Destiny’ has been out the longest and sold about 6,850 copies. ‘An Arrow Against the Wind’ was released last April and has sold over 1,600 copies and the newest book, ‘The White Arrow,’ has sold just over 400 copies. The most sales come from Amazon but the series also does well on Barnes & Noble, Kobo and iBooks. I’m working on releasing them into print and audiobook formats mainly during 2018. I’m also investigating submission of the series for publication in the graphic novel format.” With this series having been completed, Smith has taken some inspiration from this experience to start working on new novels and ideas for the future. “I’m working on several projects at one time, but I plan to release the first novella of a parallel series to ‘The Bow of Hart’ Saga during 2018,” Smith said. “Additionally, I’m developing the first book of another series entitled ‘The Broken Shield Chronicles’ that I also hope to release during 2018.”

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SPORTS

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER VOLUME 15 ISSUE 3

The team’s success this year bodes well for future athletes, as many runners will be returning in following years. Northridge’s boys cross country team “What’s really encouraging is that a maand two wild card girl qualifiers, freshmen jority of our athletes that are competing Anna Grace Smith and Elizabeth Vise, ad- will return for next year’s team,” Sparks vanced to the Alabama High School Ath- said. “It encouraged them to work a little letic Association (AHSAA) Cross Coun- harder.” try State Championship held on Nov. 11 Niiler, who has qualified for the chamin Oakville. pionships twice in the past, will be one of Junior John Niiler placed at 38 in the 6A those returning. For him, advancement is Boys 5,000 meter run finals, clocking in a “just another goal accomplished.” time of 17 minutes and 39 seconds. Other “It’s another chapter in the book,” he Northridge athletes who placed in the top said. “You run faster, and you run better. 100 were juniors Adam Bolton and Na- It’s just the best meet of the year.” than Shemwell, at 82 and 84 respectively. For senior Hunter Harris, the race was Smith placed at a “sentimental one,” 145 in the 6A Girls as it ended his third 5,000 meter run fiyear of high school nals, clocking in a cross-country. He time of 24 minutes first joined on the and 5 seconds. Vise suggestion of his was unable to attend father, himself a the Saturday meet. cross-country athlete Coach Jeff Sparks in high school. has seen athletes to “He said that I the state champishould try out for onships before, but BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS Junior the team,” Harris still finds every in- Nathan Shemwell races against a competitor. said. “It also helps stance incredibly me stay in shape rewarding. during soccer’s off-season.” “I mean, personally, it winds up being Harris found the championship very one of those things as a coach that you put similar to regular season meets. out to entice your athletes,” Sparks said. “I didn’t want to treat it like any other “This is something you could achieve. It’s race, but at the same time, I knew that it the epitome of our sport, which is not al- was the most important race in my career ways about winning, but still, it’s an oppor- of cross country,” he said. “The race had a tunity to go to state championships. Blood, sentimental aspect considering it was my sweat, and tears.” last one.”

REBECCA HAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

TAKEDOWN

Wrestling team grapples for clean finish at State

MAYCI HARTLEY SPORTS EDITOR the lower levels of school. “We do have a The new wrestling season started on low number of 9-12th graders this year,” Nov. 28 at home against County High he said. “I would have to attribute that to and Macadory, bringing with it changes to the fact that we have not had a middle or the team. One of those changes is the new elementary school program in the past. Inhead coach, Edward Love. Love was the dividuals who begin a sport in high school assistant coach last season. are more likely to only compete for one or “We aren’t really worried,” senior Landon two years because it is not a sport that they McCullough said. “He coached a lot last have a true connection with.” year, too.” Love is excited to have the opLove is excited about new changes. “This portunity to work with the team in a dif- year will be the first year that we will have ferent way. He now has the ability to work a middle school program,” he said. “I feel with guys that have never been coached. that starting a middle school program will “I worked with the guys last year, and I help the program grow with athletes who hope that being the head coach I can have are committed to the sport and have a a greater impact on the students’ success,” connection with the sport and look at it as Love said. one they anticipate Love is lookcompeting in and ing forward to being successful at the new team throughout their and his ability to high school career.” coach them fully. Students up for “My favorite part of the challenge the team is that they still have an are a blank slate,” opportunity to he said. “I have the join the team. ability to guide their “The first pracEDWARD LOVE, WRESTLING technique from the tice will be Nov. HEAD COACH beginning of their 8, and we’ll be acjourney in the sport. My favorite part of cepting potential wrestlers until Christmas being the head coach is that everything is break,” Love said. on me; if something goes wrong, it is on While the team is small, they believe me to fix it, not anyone else.” they will do well this season. “I think we’ll This year the team has around 12 mem- go to state,” said Love. They have never bers rather than the usual 20. “Most of the placed higher than the top ten, but with team are sophomores,” McCullough said. the members returning, he believes they “We usually have around 20, so it’s small will do better. “Last year the season ended this year.” with two seniors finishing in the top ten in The small team could be due to how dif- the state in their respective weight classficult the sport is. “Wrestling does not have es. We hope to build on that this year and tryouts,” said Love. “It is a tough sport; if have someone finish in the top four, which you can make it through the practices, you has never been done in Northridge wresare on the team.” tling history.” Love believes that the smaller team could be due to not having programs at

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My favorite part of being the head coach is that everything is on me.

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Cross country advances to State Championship

Bowling team prepares to strike

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every game. While they are anxious to compete, members of the team also enjoy many other aspects of being a part of the team. “I joined because I wanted to be more involved in school activities,” said senior Mary Grace Boatright. “I haven’t improved much, but I think it’s fun and we said Cooper. “Our have good camaradestandouts are Keilan rie.” [Poe] and several of Senior Mary Evthe guys who have elyn Beavers agreed. worked all year and “I wanted to join so improved. And the I could be on a team Photo by Reshu Chandra girls have been get- SPARE! The bowling team practices at Le- my senior year,” said ting better.” Beavers. “I have enland Lanes every Tuesday and Thursday. Senior Keilan Poe joyed bowling and was on the bowling team last year and said think it’s really fun to practice with everyhe has practiced throughout the year, try- one. I have definitely improved. My avering to improve his game. The extra practice age is in the 90s, and at tryouts I bowled a has made him ready for some competition. 74,” said Beavers. “Bowling is my favorite sport,” said Poe. The team is looking forward to conitn“I’m not really nervous for the match; I’m ued improvement and success. Their next ready. I think I’ve got it down pat.” Poe has match is Last year, the team had great sucbowled a 279 and bowls an average of 200 cess and is looking to follow that again.

WE CAN DO IT Spanish National Honor Society officers pictured left to right: Amaya McClain (12), Andrew Thigpen (10), Haleigh Bedsole (10), Merrill Fitts (10), Olivia Jackson (11). This drive was intended to help families get back on their feet and MAYCI HARTLEY provided everyday items they might not have access to. SPORTS EDITOR “Among the items collected were: baby wipes, shampoo, toothpaste, diapers, lotion and first aid kits,” Loyd said. After recent natural disasters the French and Spanish club stuThe school was able to help eight families in the time span that dents decided they needed to help with relief for affected areas. the drive went on. Loyd was impressed by the amount donated in After hearing that there was going to be a local shipment, the four days. “This was the first time we did this drive, so we did students in the Spanish club jumped at the opportunity to help by not have other schools to compare with, but we [sponsors] were surgathering basic necessities such as baby wipes and toothbrushes. prised by how willing our students and staff were to help advertise Spanish club sponsor Lisa Loyd said that they found a way to help and gather the donated items,” Loyd said. through a connection at a local church. “The Spanish and French The drive for Puerto Rico was a competition amongst zero period club students sponsored the event because several of the students classes. The winner was Kathleen Oatts’ SGA class.Mary Grace in Spanish club attend The First United Methodist Church,” Loyd Boatright brought in extra items from home. “When most of our said. “Our PTSO officer, Mrs. Amy Thigpen, helped connect us to families go to the store, they’ll buy an extra toothbrush or thing the missions pastor in charge of this. The church sponsored a cargo of toothpaste, so we really just gathered up all the extra stuff from shipment leaving for Puerto Rico.” around our houses,” Boatright said. The work that was put in was done by the club members themThe students who helped with the drive were also impressed. “I selves. It was mostly student lead. “Spanish Club officers created liked seeing everybody bring stuff in and knowing we were doing the flyers and other club members placed the flyers around the something to help Puerto Rico,” Merritt said. “I loved doing it beschool,” Loyd said. “Our officers were wonderful to take the items cause in America we take these items for granted but they need this to the church.” Junior Kate Merritt was one of the students that stuff so we’re making an impact.” helped to get the word out. “I walked around the school and hung posters and went to the office to have them announce it.”

Northridge students hold can drive for Puerto Rico

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