The Northridge Reporter Oct. 2018

Northridge High School 2901 Northridge Road Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35406

est. 2003

THE OCTOBER 2018

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VOLUME 16 ISSUE 2

PINK AND PROUD Theater teacher reflects on her fierce breast cancer battle SCARLETT MAPLES COVER EDITOR

In the United States, women have a 12.4 percent chance of getting diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. This means for every eight women, one woman will be diagnosed.

October is internationally recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, during which awareness is increased and money is raised to help research and find a cure.

Last year, Northridge raised $750 for the Breast Cancer Foundation at DCH and hopes to surpass that amount in the donations given this year. Throughout the week, zero periods have taken up donations, with Mallie Humber’s class in the lead with $159.00. They will present $725.00 to Casey Johnson of the Breast Cancer Foundation.Of the 3.1 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., Northridge is blessed to have our wonderful English and theatre teacher, Donna Wright.

Wright was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in 2006 at age 39. “It was odd because I’ve been having mammograms every other year for years,” Wright said. “I found a lump when I was in college, and we don’t have a family medical history; I’m adopted.” Statistically, the chances of a woman getting breast cancer are doubled if a first degree relative has had breast cancer, so it is quite uncommon that Wright was diagnosed.

Wright went in for her mammogram.

“So I just had my biannual booby squish... and while I was waiting for the results to come back, I found this funny spot in the left breast.” Women are encouraged to check themselves for odd lumps and symptoms of breast cancer so that they can catch it early–not to only rely on the mammogram.

When the radiology clinic called, they said that something was up, and they needed Wright to go in. She figured

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it was for the spot she had found, but it turned out that it was in the right breast.

Around the same time, Wright’s close friend from graduate school was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer. It’s incredibly nasty and rare–so rare, she said, that “your other doctors have never seen it outside of a textbook.” This cancer, that starts out at stage 3 and that is already in the lymph system, terrified Wright.

She called her doctor, who scheduled her for an ultrasound on a Tuesday and told her to see her surgeon. The ultrasound almost missed the lump that Wright had. She had to physically show the physician who then had her hold everything in place. “Then it starts to pick up,” she said. “They found not one but two little spots...and they were connected by this little cancer bridge.” This is another reason why women need to be diligent in checking themselves for spots and lumps, because technology cannot be 100 percent accurate every time. If Wright hadn’t found her spot, the doctors might not have caught it as early as they did.

On Thursday, Wright went to see her surgeon, and went back the next day for a core needle biopsy. They called back and told her that they got all of one, but needed her to come back to make sure they got all of the other and to see if it had gotten into the lymph nodes. “If it’s hit the lymph nodes, that means it’s hit the body’s highways and can spread,” Wright said. When she went back, they told her there were actually four spots, not two. “21/23 lymph nodes that they pulled had cancer in them,” she said.

Her surgeon advised her to have a lumpectomy because it wouldn’t be that noticeable; however, every time they sent out the lump they found more evidence of the malignant cancer. Wright had talked with her husband about what to do in this event and told him, “Don’t let them close me up if there’s anything in there. That’s ridiculous...They [her breasts] will kill me.”

The doctors went through with a mastectomy while Wright’s family waited.

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“They [Wright’s children] actually knew that I’d had a mastectomy before I did because I was still knocked out in the recovery room,” she said. Her kids, Ben and Xan, were aged 9 and 5 at the time.

Wright had to go through eight rounds of chemotherapy next. Many of the drugs she was given were toxic. One in particular required her nurse to wear huge, bulky gloves and a protective face mask to ensure that she would not be exposed. “[The drug] is extremely corrosive. We have to wear protective gear when we administer it,” her nurse had explained.

The first two rounds of chemo were bearable. Wright thought it wasn’t too bad and that she could make it–then came the third round. “I felt like I’d been hit by a truck,” she said. One of the nurses said that this was actually a good sign. The chemo was now doing its job of killing off the fast-growing cells in the body, which is why Wright felt so tired and began to lose her hair.

“When you think of losing hair, you think the hair on your head,” Wright said.

“No. You lose your eyebrows. You lose your eyelashes. You lose your nose hair, which you think would be okay until you realize that nose hair filters out dust and pollen; no filter anymore. I did not have to shave my legs much that summer so that was nice.”

Some other side affects that Wright experienced through her bouts of chemo were nausea, thrush, and neuropathy (numbness in the hands and feet from nerve damage).

“Thankfully, I got some [feeling] back, not as much as I would have liked, but you’ll take what you can get,” she said. Cancer patients are also exhausted all the time and look different Photo by Tribune News Service than their normal selves.. “It’s like you’re looking at the bride of Frankenstein in the mirror, but it’s you,” Wright said.

At one point, her doctors told her that she may experience a radiation burn, which is like a sunburn, only worse. They said

that she may have to go without a bra because it would be uncomfortable, to which Wright was vehemently opposed to, seeing as though she works in a high school with teenagers.

Wright and her husband chose not to keep the fact that she had cancer from her children. “There’s no sense in keeping it from them,” she said. “When you have cancer, you’re going to look sick.” Ben was old enough at the time to understand that his mother was sick, but did not grasp the full reality of it. Xan was fascinated, and told her mother that she wanted her reconstruction to be rainbow colored.

During the diagnosis, Wright kept teaching at the school as much as she could. Fortunately, Wright had an amazing student teacher that semester. “She held it together,” Wright said. The reason the kids got what they needed is because she was there doing what she needed.”

Her theater students were also a great help. “They’d babysit or just take the kids to a movie to get them out of the house,” she said. “My kids loved it because they got to hang out with the big kids.”

The summer after that semester, Wright completed her treatment with daily radiation. Chemo wasn’t as taxing because it’s a weekly thing. “You can lay at home and bemoan your state and hate cancer and try to find something that doesn’t make you want to vomit,” she said. “But with radiation, you have to get up and go, whether you feel like it or not.”

Aside from Wright, there are several other families at Northridge who have been through breast cancer. Sophomore Katelyn Lovinggood’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in the middle of stage two and three a couple years ago, when Lovinggood was 14. “My mom found out the day after her 40th birthday,” Lovinggood said.

Like Wright, Lovinggood’s mother is also a teacher, now at Northridge Middle School. “She taught until she couldn’t teach in her class anymore, because it was dangerous for her to be around that many

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OPINION

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER OCTOBER 2018

The true importance of voting: make yours count “We are all part of a movement

that must work together to figure that out and set up future generations for success.”

CAROLINE FERRY ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Coming up on Nov. 6, the general statewide election will offer many seniors their first chance to vote. While I understand that your vote may seem insignificant or that a non-presidential election ‘doesn’t matter,’ it is still imperative that all adults with the right to vote register and do so this fall.

The biggest aspect of this election is the race for the position of governor. The democratic candidate is Tuscaloosa mayor, Walt Maddox, with the republican candidate being the interim governor, Kay Ivey. With a corrupt history of former governors and leaders, it is important that Alabama carefully weighs their options in order to elect the candidate who will be best for our state.

In this election, the state will also vote on attorney general, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, and district members for the board of education. While these roles may seem less important as they aren’t the highly publicized governor or mayoral positions, we should still carefully consider the options as these people will make crucial decisions for our government in the years to come, and they will be the face of our state.

As a 16 year old, I often find myself keeping up with politics and elections but feeling helpless or stuck without the opportunity to contribute my opinion. It’s frustrating knowing that changes are being made in our state and country, both for better and worse, and still I have no legal outlet to offer my own views.

However, the new generation of voters does have an opportunity to share their own opinions and to represent the unique society today’s youth have created. This

land of the free, to enforce the allowance of generation has a new set of problems and this right. The men and women who made issues, which have never had cause to be our modern privilege possible should be considered by our government before. celebrated by all through the utilization of The scary fact is that the older and wiser government officials in charge are just as clueless, if not more so, as to the best ways to deal with new problems that arise due to new technology as well as societal standards and attitudes. We are all part of a movement that must work together to figure that out and set up future generations for success.

History has taught us that voting shouldn’t be taken for granted. Obviously what first comes to mind are the citizens of dictatorships, still struggling to find a voice.

However, it is also important that we remember our own country’s history. In order for women to earn the right to vote, bold suffragettes had to protest for their own rights and those of future generations.

It was not until 1920 that a constitutional amendment was made to guarantee females this right.

Further, African Americans did not gain this privilege until 1965 due to the Civil Rights Movement. It took 189 “Wake up sheeple!” years for America, the Art created by Luke Martin, Opinion Editor

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the product of their struggle.

You can serve as a connection between the adults in charge and the youth wanting to make a difference. You can voice your own thoughts, whatever they are, and have them be considered and heard. You can elect representatives who you believe to be the best face for our state and country.

You can stop hoping for change and start changing.

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

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NORTHRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL • 2901 NORTHRIDGE ROAD • TUSCALOOSA, AL 35406 • (205)759-3590 EXT .3432 Managing Editor Isaac Smith Feature Editor Emily Matthews Will McLelland Sports Editor Addison Taylor News Editor Isaac Smith

Entertainment Editor Caroline Ferry Opinion Editor Luke Martin Beat Editor Patrick Johnson Art Editor Luke Martin

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 Board of Education.

Advertising and subscription: Contact The Northridge Reporter at (205) 759-390 ext. 3432 or rlane@tusc.k12. al.us to advertise or subscribe to our paper.

Social Media Editors Kyla Dunning Luke Martin Head Photographer Emily Matthews Cover Scarlett Maples

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, Advisor Will McLelland, Editor-In-Chief

Visit us online at northridgereporter.wordpress.com Follow us on Twitter @jagsreporter Follow us on Instagram @thenorthridgereporter1 Follow us on Snapchat @nhsreporter Find us on Facebook Northridge Rep Find us on Isssuu issuu.com/northridgereporter

OPINION

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER OCTOBER 2018

DIGITAL FOOTPRINT

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Can you really be judged based on your social media?

LUKE MARTIN OPINION EDITOR Employers are using social media resources to conduct research on potential employees, and determine whether or not they are suitable for work based on their content. Whenever you post anything online, you leave a digital footprint-- a recognizable trace of your presence. Whether or not your social media accounts are private, employers can see the way you present yourself, the people whom you interact with, and, generally, the “recommended” similar accounts. This is only the bare minimum. If your accounts are not private, it is much easier for employers to scout out your personal life in order to choose whether or not you are a good person to work for their company.

One thing that must be understood, is that privacy settings are an illusion. Yes, other users won’t be able to see what you post, or be able to send you direct messages, but there are other ways of gathering infor-

mation about someone that aren’t so direct.

As stated previously, the way your account looks to everyone else greatly affects how you are perceived (eg. if your profile picture is of you with a blunt in your hand, you aren’t going to look very professional). Also, seeing the kinds of people w h o follow you can be quite informative. On one hand, if you have your relatives, some high school friends, and maybe one of those cute animal accounts all following you, you’re probably in the clear.

On the other hand, if your followers consist of “suspicious” figures, accounts with NSFW images/themes, and radical bigots, you’re probably going to be tossed off of the hiring boat. The people who want to see your content are good indicators of the kind of person you are-- at least in the eyes of others.

This begs the question: is your social media representation of yourself actually relevant in the context of potential jobs?

There are countless debates over the importance of private life versus public life on all platforms, ranging from politics to celebrities-- and now to employment. One could say that privacy is an important right that everyone has, and that as long as you don’t let your private affairs influence your

public ones, it shouldn’t matter who you are or what you do in your spare time. However, one could also say that your personal actions reflect those of your associates, and the kind of person you are behind closed doors will inherently affect what you do out in the open, no matter how y o u claim that to be false.

The arguments vary, but the issue is the same: should private life matter in the face of public life?

The answer

ignored as they are, and won’t have any lasting or significant impacts on your quality of work. It becomes a problem when your distasteful music turns into hateful actions, when you and your friends are snorting cocaine, and when your uneducated opinions turn into radical hate speeches. It becomes a problem when your “guilty pleasures” morph into horrendous behaviors that actually affect you and those around you in a negative way. That is when companies have the right to deny you employment because your personal faults should not be put in a position where they can cause harm to you and those who come into contact with you.

So, yeah, companies are actually thinking on the right track when they sift through your social media (though, the way in which they do this and the things they are looking for can vary by employer and are sometimes unfair).

So, if you want to avoid becomis acing an unemployed hermit under a tually bridge, you should probably stray away rather complex, dangerous/felonious Artwork created by Luke Martin from just as the issue is. The simplest activities. Or, at the very way of putting it is: your private affairs don’t least, don’t post about them online; keep matter until they become notably harmful your private life private and you should be to yourself or someone else. It shouldn’t set. Remember: the things you do and post matter to potential employers if you like about in high school are probably going to music with harmful lyrics, or have friends come back to haunt you at some point in who smoke cigarettes, or if you voice uned- your adult life. Comforting thought, right? ucated opinions because all of these things are, in a way, superficial. They can be easily

Our right to expression, not suppression

SCARLETT MAPLES COVER EDITOR Freedom of expression, a right granted to all American citizens, is often criticized and has been stripped from schools and the workplace in order to look “professional,” but who really gets to decide what is and is not professional?

Since the country’s establishment, Americans would step out of their houses dressed to the nines to walk to the grocery store. In the 60s and 70s, Generation X began to shift from wearing formal attire to more casual attire for daily activities. They also introduced tattoos, piercings, and hair dye to the restricted lives of the generations older than them. It was not met with arms wide open; many of the older generations attacked Gen X for what they chose to wear and how they chose to express themselves

through body art. The Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines is an excellent example of young adults expressing their thoughts about U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War through armbands, which the school system tried to stifle. That same criticism is still ever-present in society today. Students and adults from all over have been sent home and even fired for clothing or accessories that highlight their character and values, deemed “unprofessional” or “inappropriate.”

The First Amendment to the Constitution gives all Americans the right to freedom of expression, so we should be able to express our personalities and thoughts through tattoos, henna, belly button rings, piercings, hair dye, and a plethora of other ways without being told we are “wrong” or “unprofessional.” Society has often labeled people with tattoos, piercings, and such as creepy, unintelligent outcasts, but these things are absolutely no measure of someone’s mental or physical capabilities; therefore schools and businesses should not ban them from their respective environments.

What harm does it really do? Maybe it’s a bit flashy at first, but within five minutes you can be professional enough not to let it distract you and move on with your day. This old school mindset that these expressions should be hidden away needs to change because it does not affect anyone but the actual wearer. So long as you are not a security risk and everything that needs to be covered is covered, dress how-

Self-expression

Art created by Luke Martin, Opinion Editor

ever you want and do not be afraid to express yourself.

The same is true of social media presence.

What I post should be my decision, not influenced by what others will think of me.

I can’t post selfies without being labeled self-absorbed, Bible verses without being labeled as a goody-two-shoes, or fangirl over a book series without being labeled a nerd. Many workplaces will find potential workers’ social media pages and formulate a judgement that will determine if they are hired or not before ever meeting the person, quite honestly a heinous thing to do.

Preconceived assumptions and judgements

are not what our parents teach us, but what society conditions us into doing. As long as what I post does not harm anyone else, who is to say a company can’t hire me for being myself ?

You are the one who gets to decide how you are going to live your life. Want to get a lion tattoo on your back and pierce your nose? Go for it. Want to dye your hair blue and wear fishnets with that mini skirt? By all means, do so. Know that you will be criticized and judged for it but in the end, if you’re happy and healthy, that’s all that matters. You’ve got one life. Will you live in the shadow of others’ doubts and snide remarks, or will you live boldly for yourself ?

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NEWS

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER OCTOBER 2018

Debate team prepares for tournament

KYLA DUNNING SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR The debate team has started the season with the help of Abby Kirkland by putting in lots of practice and hard work to better themselves for the season. They spread the word by announcing during school, over twitter, word of mouth, and emails. Previously run by Nancy Reed, the debate team was handed over to Kirkland this year and is off to a great start.

“When we had the interest meeting we had 20 people sign up,” Kirkland said.

They held the first interest meetings in late August and had their first official meeting on Sept. 4. Kirkland is dedicated to pushing the new team forward this year to improve the organization.

“My main goal for debate team is building strong communication skills, strong public speaking skills, and research skills that will benefit them both in their Northridge classes and in their lives later on,” Kirkland said.

The debate team is focused on getting ready to win for the upcoming season tournaments. So far the team has won two out of three matches with their novice team.

The team has gone back to the novice tournament at Vestavia Hills and shown their improvement for this year compared to last year’s lost.

“I think we have already shown a lot of gain compared to last year,” Kirkland said. “The novice team won two out of five rounds, which is considerably better compared to last year when they did not win any rounds.”

They do not stop there either; the team is currently preparing for their next tournament, scheduled to be Nov. 16 and 17 in Prattville.

The team has partnered with the Alabama Debate Society from the University of Alabama. They meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school. They help mentor the Northridge debate team and help write cases for the students to practice with.

Practice with the professionals has aided in the team enhancing their skills.

Students form fashion club

ADDISON TAYLOR SPORTS EDITOR For the students in Northridge’s new fashion club, style isn’t merely what you wear day to day; it’s a representation of yourself and personality. Started as an idea during an art class, the fashion club came to life during the 2018 fall start of school, giving students with a passion for individual style the opportunity to engage their interests in a fun and inviting community.

“We spent like every day talking about runway shows, and somebody said, ‘what if this was a club?’ ” fashion club member Claire Brasfield said Regarding the concept of a club dedicated to fashion, this is the first of the sort that Northridge has seen.

“Ferguson was very excited about it, and after we met about the club a lot of people started asking about it,” Brasfield said. “I was really surprised at the response it got.”

When asked what the fashion club meant to students involved in the club, the response was simple, yet resonated with their passion for individual style and self-expression. Many use the club as a medium to share their designs and ideas to a receptive community. But collectively, despite differing reasons for joining, all members enjoy the idea of having a space to discuss style and runway shows among those who share their interest in personal style.

“This [being on debate team] will benefit them so greatly in all academic settings including their college environments,” Kirkland said.

Kirkland has confidence in her team that they will display their improvement for the season tournaments to bring home Northridge victories. Kirkland discussed how the students prepare for each tournament with the cases that the UA provides for them.

“They have shown improvement in many areas, such as public speaking and correct argumentative ways,” Kirkland said. “It gives them a chance to be apart of something greater than they know because of how it will continuously benefit them in their lives.”

TEAMWORK Students on the debate team work to formulate their arguments for the upcoming tournament. University of Alabama students have been helping them prepare.

Photo by Kyla Dunning

Seniors put on event to welcome transferred students WILL MCLELLAND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Several new transfer and foreign exchange students gathered in the library on Oct. 3 for the first ever new student mixer event to meet others and learn about what extracurricular activities and clubs Northridge has to offer.

The roughly hour long event showcased representatives of clubs including yearbook, robotics, debate, art, strings, Girls State, and many more. Students learned who each club’s sponsor was, what the requirements are to join, and what kind of experience they could expect if they signed up.

“This year we felt we just had such an influx of new students,” counselor Lynsey Vickery said. “There were about 75 that had come just within a few weeks in the summer so we felt like ‘Wow! We’ve gotten so many new students.’ ” Seniors Hannah Irby and Destyni Newson came up with the idea for the event and started planning three weeks before the date of the mixer. As students who had transferred to different schools themselves, Irby and Newson wanted to make sure that the large number of new students coming to campus this year were being taken care of. Irby had the idea to give them gifts, Newson had the idea to throw a party, and they worked together to create an event they felt was effective.

“We wanted [new students] to feel welcome because [both Destyni and I] have been new students before,” Irby said. “We know how hard it is to come to a new school and not know everybody, so we wanted them to meet each other and have fun.”

As way to ‘break the ice’ after club representatives finished speaking, both new and old students participated in simple games.

“The first game was the ‘get to know you’ game where people wrote a question that they wanted to ask on a sticky note, and then they just all traded sticky notes until they asked a bunch of different questions and got to know people,” Irby said.

“Then we played the marshmallow game where one person stuffed their mouth with marshmallows and tried to say [Northridge related] phrases.”

Irby and Newson had planned to add more games to the event but were pressed for time.

Before the event started, students wrote their names down on a piece of paper and placed them in a bag for the chance to win some Northridge merchandise. After the games, Principal Kyle Ferguson pulled the names of four new students to receive their gifts before being served food.

Students and teachers were served a large blue, black, and white cake with the phrase “Welcome to NHS! We’re glad you’re

here,” written in icing. During that time, students got to bond over a slice of cake, talk to club leaders, and familiarize themselves with their new environment, which is exactly what Irby and Newson wanted.

“I think it turned out great,” Irby said. “I wish more people had come because there were more new students, but I’m glad those that wanted to come came and I think we’re going to do it again.”

Sophomore Addysn Kidd who has moved upwards of 16 times in her life finds that while transferring to a new school is normal for her, it is not an easy process to adjust to her new environment.

“It was kind of difficult having to move so much,” Kidd said. “I always form relationships as if they’re going to end. So I’ll know someone and then I know that I will leave them and so I don’t try to get to know them as much as I should which is really harmful to my relationships sometimes, but I’m getting over it because I want to have people I can communicate with for the rest of my life.”

Kidd is still figuring out how she ‘fits in’ at Northridge, but found that the new student mixer made the process a little easier for her.

“It was welcoming,” Kidd said. “I like how they introduced the clubs one by one because then I actually get a sense of what

the options are for me because now I have joined three clubs already here. Even if [these mixer events] don’t help some people, they help the majority [of new students].”

One aspect of this that is dear to Irby is the effect that taking care of a new student can really have on them and how it is more than just a way to get them familiar with the school.

“Most of the time when students transfer, they’re transferring to a new school, but they also have personal stuff going on,” Irby said. “I know when I transferred and moved to a new city, my mom was battling breast cancer, and my parents got a divorce. So you should just realize that they can have other things going on than just being new.”

While Irby and Newson could call their event a success after bringing in several new transfer and foreign exchange students, they plan on having more events and want to spread a welcoming message through the school.

“If you ever come across a new student, ask them questions,” Newson said. “Make them feel welcome - just make sure they’re okay, because it is very difficult to move from a different school [or] different state, so just make them feel welcome however you can.”

GETTING TO KNOW NORTHRIDGE Sophomore Addysyn Kidd and junior Daria Poliakova smile as they recieve Northridge jaguar t-shirts at the mixer event. Kidd has moved over 16 times and Poliakova is from Ukraine.

Photo by Will McLelland

NEWS

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER OCTOBER 2018

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Four Northridge seniors earn National Choir, jazz band, and strings put on fall concerts

BY SCARLETT MAPLES AND WILL MCLELLAND EDITOR AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Merit Scholar qualifying PSAT scores COVER The jazz band and choir have worked on Nov. 3-4. Their final song was “Bridge

NATIONAL MERIT Seniors Isaac Smith, Ethan Sneckenberger, Nathan Shemwell, and Walker Ferry pose for a picture by the jaguar after finding out they qualified to be National Merit semifinalists.

CAROLINE FERRY ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR On Sept. 12, seniors Walker Ferry, Nathan Shemwell, Isaac Smith, and Ethan Sneckenberger received the news of their PSAT scores, qualifying them for consideration in the National Merit Scholarship competition. This accomplishment is a widely recognized prestige, and it opens up many admissions and scholarship opportunities for high school seniors applying to schools.

Going into the test last October, the four recipients didn’t expect very much. “I was mostly just taking it to take it,” Shemwell said.

Smith agreed, explaining that he didn’t stress over the test beforehand. “I was hoping to make the National Merit thing, but I wasn’t really thinking about it much,” Smith said.

As expected with the seemingly relaxed attitudes of the students, the group didn’t spend much time poring over study books and agonizing over their scores in the months beforehand. “I did not really prepare for the test as I should have,” Ferry said. “I did do one or two reading passages on the nights before the test.”

While the initial recognition is still a high honor, the qualifiers must complete further steps in order to be considered as National Merit finalists and to receive any scholarship. “We have to fill out an application and we also write an essay and just fill out personal information,” Sneckenberger said. “Then we take the SAT eventually. If we get a matching score and our application accepted, then we get accepted.”

However, the prestigious recognition

Photo courtesy of Kyle Ferguson

may be more exciting than the potential school scholarships it could earn students.

Ferry said, “I definitely think it helps with your admissions, because it’s a huge honor. Although, the scholarship is not a lot of money, but I hope it helps financially.”

On another note, if there was any room for doubt of the students deserving their qualifying scores before, it is certainly clear now that all four boys have set high goals for themselves in the years after high school. “Some of the [schools] I’m looking at are Carleton College, University of Chicago, Washington University in St. Louis,” said Smith.

Additionally, Ferry, Shemwell, and Smith are all interested in STEM-based careers.

“I want to be a sports medicine physician,” said Ferry. “I’m probably going to major in math in college,” said Shemwell.

“I’m especially interested in physics, and maybe some sort of engineering, and I also like biology,” Smith said.

As far as tips for underclassmen, the four seniors gave impressive advice for approaching the PSAT. “I think it’s probably helpful to take it multiple times,” Smith said. “So take it in your freshman and sophomore year. Also, I think that Khan academy has some SAT or PSAT prep. I think that could be useful.”

Shemwell offered his own strategies as tips. “I wouldn’t worry about it that much,” he said. “Don’t stress out about it.”

Sneckenberger, however, had a more unique approach to testing than most.

“Eat a good breakfast, get a good night’s sleep,” Sneckenberger said. “Wear the same sweatshirt to every standardized test you take. That’s what I did, and it’s worked.”

hard this nine weeks and showcased their abilities at the fall concert on Oct. 4.

The jazz band, under the direction of John Cain, performed six pieces–“Tweet Fatigue,” “Act Your Age,” “The Mudbug Strut,” “This Can’t Be Love” (featuring senior Sarah Pierce), “Attitude Adjustment,” and “The Best of Sly and the Family Stone.”

“This Can’t Be Love” was different from their typical performances because they typically do not perform with a singer.

Jazz band meets during zero period, meaning that they didn’t have tons of time to prepare seeing as it is cut into by announcements, advisory, and testing; however, their program highlighted the members’ talents and not how little time they had to prepare. “[The best part of the concert was] my dope bass solo,” senior Carson Keller said.

Keller plays bass and guitar for the jazz band and had to switch guitars mid-concert. He has also played saxophone in other jazz band performances.

Junior Isaac Burnette also enjoyed soloing. “It was my favorite part,” he said.

Burnette plays the trombone and soloed in three of the pieces played.

The choir, under the direction of Beth McGuire, performed four pieces. They began with “I’m Goin’ There!” and “Alleluia, Alleluia!” The third tune, “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown,” gave the audience a sneak peek into the musical that theater will be performing

Over Troubled Water.”

Like the jazz band, choir also meets during zero period but has additional class periods. The catch is that not everyone can sacrifice an entire period for choir, so members do not get daily practice with the full choir. The time that they got to practice together was crucial.

“The best thing about the concert is hearing everyone’s voices come together and sound as one,” junior Marianne Lollar said.

The Tuscaloosa City Schools’ Middle and High School string orchestra held a concert in the Northridge auditorium a week later on Oct. 11 dedicated to pop music.

Parents and friends gathered to watch as the orchestra performed renditions of well known songs by artists from Elvis Presley to the writer and star of the broadway musical “Hamilton.”

“I thought it was a wonderful experience for the Tuscaloosa City Schools ‘Strings in Schools’ program,” senior John Niiler said.

“We had a great crowd come see us play our pop songs...and the advanced group that worked extra hard every week got to put on a performance of their own, and I thought it was very well played.”

The symphonic band and choir will present their winter concert on Dec. 10.

Musical theater will present “You’re a Good Man Charl i e Brown” on Nov. 3-4 in the Northridge auditorium. Strings will present their winter concert on Dec. 2

TOOTING YOUR OWN HORN Colin Murphy, Zach Palan, Will Kimbrough, and Tristan Kelley practice for the jazz band concert.

CANCER

Photo by Scarlett Maples

mother normally did. “She cooks most of the meals for us, she does the dishes, and she washed most of the laundry at that children with the possibility of contagion,” point,” Lovinggood said. All of these daily tasks still had to be done, but LovingLovinggood said.

While her mother was going through good’s mother was in no shape to do them treatment, Lovinggood, her father, and so the responsibility was left to the rest of brother had to pick up the things that her the family.

Lovinggood explained the impact that her mother’s breast cancer has had on her.

“It’s hard to watch,” she said. “It really took more than the little family that we had here to do it.” Lovinggood’s Sunday school class were a huge help by bringing meals and attending to the family’s needs. Her grandmother, who was just recently diagnosed with breast cancer, was around during the whole experience and was also a huge help.

Both Xan Wright and Katelyn Lovinggood will have to start getting scanned for breast cancer earlier than other women because a first degree relative had been diagnosed.

The whole cancer experience was surreal for Wright. “You don’t think about it being you,” she said. “You don’t think about it being something when you’re younger. You always expect it to be somebody else. You’re 39. Cancer is what happens when you’re old, right? Except it’s not.”

Northridge’s football Friday dress up theme against Pelham was “Pink Out Pelham.” Students wore pink clothing and accessories to show their support for breast cancer.

From Page 1

4851 Rice Mine Rd NE Suite 540, Tuscaloosa, AL 35406

6 FEATURE CREATING A CHANNEL THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER OCTOBER 2018

WILL MCLELLAND AND EMILY MATTHEWS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND FEATURE EDITOR

O

ver faint background music she sings the lyrics to “My Boy” by Billie Eilish, and at three minutes and 35 seconds, the video ends.

Mackenzie Duren is a 17 year-old junior who manages her own YouTube channel called “Mackenzie Brooke.” In the grand scheme of things, her channel would be considered small, but for a high schooler starting from scratch, 230 subscribers and over 11,000 views isn’t bad. She started posting videos to YouTube when she was in middle school but has since deleted them because she didn’t feel like they were made with serious intent. Now Duren has taken a more professional approach to the way she uploads.

All 62 of her videos have a thumbnail that has been edited, a small channel profile picture in the bottom right hand corner, background music; everything a typical YouTube channel has. The platform vernacular is also present in her videos, like the frequent use of the phrase “you guys” when referring to her audience and the routine request for subscriptions. Duren does have hopes to go into the entertainment industry and would accept fame should it come to her, but she says it isn’t a major priority.

“I don’t really care about getting big,” Duren said. “I think if you’re doing anything just to get famous or get a lot of views on something then it’s not worth do-

ing because people who watch you can tell.

I think it’s very obvious when someone’s putting on an act versus when they genuinely enjoy what they’re doing, and I really like to do it whether I get a lot of views or not.”

Over the years, Duren’s channel has evolved both in terms of style of her videos and the content itself. When Duren first started putting videos onto her YouTube channel when she was 15, she had strong intentions of becoming a makeup artist and wanted to be as active as possible with that passion. In her earlier videos Duren recorded herself with her iPhone applying makeup.

With a voiceover she explained everything step by step. Occasionally, she uploaded a video about a completely different subject like her eighth video titled “5 Things Guys Do That Annoy Me.” As her channel grew, her video thumbnails became more uniform and the equipment she used to film became more advanced.

As for the content of her channel, Duren still mostly made videos relating to make-

up and fashion, but instead of recording a time lapse of her applying makeup, the videos became more personal. YouTube sometimes acts as an outlet for Duren to share her feelings and things going on with her. Videos like “Get Ready With Me” and “Things I’ve Been Loving” or her question and answer vide o al-

low h e r to express herself and create simultaneously.

Being successful on YouTube requires constant attention to one’s channel. All of which Duren did for a time, but then life got in the way.

CHANNELING POSITIVITY Last year Duren was uploading videos to YouTube once a week, but as time went on, responsibilities like school assignments and work commitments set back her video making. At the time she had stopped making videos, Duren took a job as a hostess at the local Cracker Barrel doing 28 hour work weeks. Her job provided a steady stream of income, although her employer made sure she was working as much as she could, once even letting other employees take off work for spring break, except Duren.

“When you’re a hostess [at Cracker Barrel] which is what I w a s , you don’t have someone t o help you,” Dur e n said.

“It was super busy.

It’s like a Sunday at any restaurant every day there. I basically didn’t get a day off at all - I had one, maybe.”

On top of her work life was

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER OCTOBER 2018

FEATURE

LIVING A LIFE

Duren’s academic life. At the time, Duren was home schooled, which she says is less of a workload, but that the learning process was harder given that there were no teachers or people to help and that she had to teach everything to herself.

With her job, her school work, and the effects of other situations like her parents’ divorce, Duren started to become constantly stressed.

“When [my parents] were fighting and stuff, that already makes it really hard because you’re like ‘I don’t know which parent to go with,” Duren said. “I was working a lot at Cracker Barrel and that was really stressful because you have people yelling at you because they’re not happy. Then I was behind on all my school work, so I would get home and I’d have to stay up for like four hours doing school work and trying to catch up. I was really stressed and I would just be crying in my bedroom with my mom telling her all this stuff, and I’d just be like, ‘I don’t know why I’m crying, but I can’t stop crying.’”

Eventually Duren and her mother went to see a doctor about treatments for her anxiety and soon she was on medication. After getting help and medicine, Duren says she began to ‘mellow out’ and feel like herself again. Duren subsequently quit her job at Cracker Barrel, started to get back on track with school work, regular exercise, and got back to doing what she loved-making YouTube videos.

“I’ve always been a very active person,” Duren said. “Seventh grade was when I was like, ‘Nutrition - what is this thing?’

So I started really getting into fitness and wanted to actually eat stuff that was going to be beneficial to me, because when you eat junk food all the time, you don’t feel good.”

Duren has both cerebral palsy and alopecia. For Duren, her cerebral palsy only causes a slight limp in her walking, and alopecia is nothing harmful for her, but it causes hair loss at a

young age. Small patches of hair would fall out and Duren would have to get injections to stimulate hair growth in those areas, until last year where it got to a point where she felt it was too much trouble to keep perfecting her hair; so she shaved it.

“You have to learn that hair is an accessory,” Duren said. “If you’re worried people like you, or if you’ll ever have a boyfriend because ‘that’s what matters,’ people who love you will love you for you whether you have hair or not. It honestly gets so hard sometimes not to be really rude to people when they ask you if you have cancer. You would think the kids would ask, but it’s always the adults, and they’re most likely always rude about it. [They] never introduce themselves, never, they just - ‘Do you have cancer??’ What happened to, ‘Hi, my name is Amy, how are you today,’ and all that?”

In day-to-day interactions with her, Duren gives of strong feelings of positivity almost consistently. She described how people who know her well call her “bubbly” and how she will “literally laugh at almost anything.” Though while she was still working at Cracker Barrel and taking a brief hiatus from making videos, Duren said that much of the time, her positivity was an act to get through the day - especially on the days when employees would yell at her and make her want to cry, yet she had no other choice but to keep smiling, like a ‘good hostess’ should.

Although she despises having to sit down at her computer for hours trying to watch and edit her videos, so much so that she keeps notes in purple ink telling her how badly she needs to get a certain amount of editing done on a given day, the final product makes her truly happy.

Duren is inspired by other professional YouTubers like Shane Dawson and James Charles, but producing a video she is proud of is just what she loves doing. Although making a career out of YouTube would be a major accomplishment for Duren, she knows that fame does not equal happiness. Her top two most viewed videos are a tour of her Toyota Camry at 2.8 thousand views, and a four minute video showing everything she has on her iPhone, with 3.9 thousand views. Yet she has not attempted to recreate or copy those popular uploads, instead she posts the content she wants to put on her channel.

“Everyone thinks that everyone has to [have a normal job], and that anything different is way too hard to do. People in my life [think that when I say] I want to act one day, I want to sing, I want to do YouTube ‘you can’t make a career out of those. It’s so hard, and you didn’t start when you were five years-old so you’re never going to get into that business.’ Everyone always tells me that and I’m just like, ‘but that’s not true.’ If I really want to do something, I can do it, and I’d rather try for the rest of my life to do something and never make it versus never trying at all.”

YouTube play button and movie reel edited by Emily Matthews Makeup brush from Tribune News

UP NEXT:

Other Northridge Student Channels: Javaris Wells-Barnes - vIsold Sontarion Heard - Khadira & Munchie Thaddeus Roberts - AstroV3(Gaming)

7

8

ENTERTAINMENT

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER OCTOBER 2018

Lil Wayne makes comeback with release of new album, ‘Tha Carter V’ RENEE MOREMAN STAFF WRITER

Lil’ Wayne recently came out with the next volume of “Tha Carter” albums, with this one being his fifth. There was a lot of hype around the release of this album because Lil’ Wayne hasn’t released an album in years, and all his fans have been anticipating a new release. The release date for this album was a couple years earlier, but there were a lot of setbacks such as Lil’ Wayne’s health and interference with his management that continued to push the date back even further. Was the wait worth it?

“Tha Carter V” is a completely different sound than anything Lil’ Wayne has produced before. Each volume of “Tha

ANSWER KEY ON PAGE 9

Carter” is like a story, and this album hits certain stories that haven’t been told before. In many of his songs on this album, Lil’ Wayne’s mother is featured. Having his mother on the album brings in a new perspective on his life, including a devastating moment in his younger years.

In “Let It All Work Out,” which is the last song on the album, Lil’ Wayne gets really personal and talks about him shooting himself when he was younger. Lil’ Wayne has never confirmed this to be true and never talked about what actually happened before, so this song really opened some doors and let his fans into what actually happened.

With different collaborations on his album, such as XXXTENTACION, Kend-

rick Lamar, Travis Scott, Nicki Minaj, and more, each song sounds unique. Every song on this album is so original and each song has something enjoyable about it. Each song has its own style and its own message that comes with it. The songs that he came out with are not like your typical rap these days with just a couple of catchy lines repeating over and over. Lil’ Wayne is still in the game with his lyrics, and real rap fans are able to enjoy that. Considering the radio is constantly over-filled with the same songs on repeat that repeat the same beat and lyrics over and over, this album was a refresher about what rap is really supposed to be like.

Lil’ Wayne doesn’t need to prove to anyone that he’s back in the game after his

long hiatus; this album does it for him.

With new sounds we haven’t heard before and dialing back on many of the inappropriate jokes, he really shows a personal growth over the past couple of years. He raps about important things in his life on his album such as certain experience and his kids. With today’s artists rapping about nothing and mumbling to where you can barely hear them, Lil’ Wayne’s album shows exactly what he said years ago: Lil’ Wayne is “the best rapper alive.” Every song in the album is unique in its own way. Lil’ Wayne’s fans waited a long time for this album, and it did not disappoint. This album put him back on top after his long hiatus.

New YouTube docuseries investigates seemingly taboo topics

ADDISON TAYLOR SPORTS EDITOR During late September, to great anticipation, long time YouTuber, Shane Dawson, released the first episode of a new mini-series titled, “The Mind of Jake Paul.” The series spans well into October, as it consists of eight parts. The series itself can be YOUTUBE Dawson gives viewers a sneakpeak of characterized as more of a docuseries than the drama to come in one of the thumbnails from a a string of YouTube videos, as each episode video of the docuseries. Youtubers like Dawson are totals nearly 40 minutes and presents a known for using pictures like these as ‘clickbait.’ level of professionalism that many viewers awaited fervently. Upon the initial 24 hours genuine sociopaths, as stated as an ongoing of the first video in the series’ release, the fact throughout the videos. These people video obtained nearly 10 million views and are also not inherently sociopaths, as the received both positive and negative reac- disorder is created from environmental factors, and the majority of those suffering tions from fanatical fans and critics alike.

Contrary to the series’ title, the docuse- from the disease are completely nonviolent. ries focuses mainly on the peculiarities and So, the disorder is nothing to be afraid of; attributes of a specific personality disorder however, it is necessary to be familiarized named Antisocial Personality Disorder. with the topic and offer compassion to The disorder’s implication struck a sense those that have a struggle that may seem of fear into many viewers uninformed of invisible or frightening to uninformed peoits actualities. Ignorance can commonly be ple Some may say that Dawson’s approach defined as the perception of misguided and to this traditionally untouchable topic is uninformed unanimous fear, over a topic progressive and inspiring. Others argue that is not necessarily hair-raising. When that the way he examines the subject is a put into perspective, these types of perbit insensitive and places far too much fear sonality disorders are relatively common, on the disorder as a whole and the people as an overwhelming one in 25 people are who struggle with it. Dawson responded to this criticism on Twitter: “I understand why people are upset. The last thing I want is to hurt anyone. It’s never my intention,” said Dawson.

The series’ performance along the lines of how Dawson has successfully ingrained new media into traditional and mainstream entertainment is quite notably groundbreaking. His level of influence concerning the perception of new internet media to more conventional media consumers is significant in that these new forms of media can be disregarded and be deemed unimportant in the eyes of traditional media giants.

Is Dawson merely normalizing an otherwise untouchably serious topic, or is he casting light and sympathy into the direction of those who cannot fully understand empathy themselves? Ultimately, this decision can only be made by the viewer, who takes Dawson’s remarks towards the subject with a level of compassion.

ENTERTAINMENT

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER OCTOBER 2018

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Noah Centineo stars in new Netflix originals SCARLETT MAPLES COVER EDITOR Netflix has recently started making their own original movies and shows, three of which star teenage heartthrob Noah Centineo. So far, he has appeared in three movies aimed toward teenagers: “SPF-18,” “Sierra Burgess is a Loser,” and “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.”

“To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” swept the nation’s teens as the best love story. Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor) has five letters for the five boys that she’s ever been attracted to, and when the letters are sent, her life becomes chaotic. She and one of the boys, Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo), begin to fake a relationship to make Kavinsky’s ex-girlfriend jealous, but things get more serious on the school’s annual ski trip.

Condor and Centineo are both perfect for their roles and interact in such a way that extends outside of filming. They are

known to spend time together even now, months after the premiere. Because they work so well together, it pulls the entire movie together and makes it one of the best ones out there. For this particular role, Centineo has been idolized by the teenage girl population, who all want a boyfriend like him. I personally believe this is Centineo’s best movie.

“SPF-18” opens with Camilla Barnes (Bianca Santos) going to spend the summer with her cousin, Penny Cooper (Carson Meyer). The two girls and Cooper’s boyfriend, Johnny Sanders (Noah Centineo), spend the summer housesitting at a beach house in Malibu where they meet a lifeguard and a rising country music artist, Ash Baker ( Jackson White). The five characters then embark on a journey of self-discovery. New bonds are forged. Hearts are broken. Major decisions about futures and careers are made. It was not a summer to be forgotten.

Overall, “SPF-18” is a great movie be-

Poll: What are you dressing up as for Halloween this year?

cause it contradicts the idea that teenagers must have their lives all figured out. Sanders struggles to decide whether he wants to go to art school or be a surfer, honoring his late father. In a society where education and college are severely stressed, it is comforting to see someone who does not have it all figured out and on top of that, someone who does not see themselves ending up in a college or university. The movie was down to earth and highlighted real issues that teenagers deal with, but the only problem I have with it is the title. SPF-18 sunscreen is mentioned once in the movie and has no impact whatsoever on the plot; therefore, it is not relevant and could have been appropriately titled another way.

In “Sierra Burgess is a Loser,” Sierra Burgess (Shannon Purser), a so-called “nerd” at her school, is mistaken for the most popular girl in school, Veronica (Kristine Froseth) by her crush, Jarney (Noah Centineo). Burgess befriends Veronica and amidst their fights, the friendship blossoms

into what will become a lifelong bond.

“Sierra Burgess is a Loser” is a decent movie that takes viewers on more of a friendship journey, rather than a romantic one. The actresses and actors win the hearts of the audience early on, and are really what pushes the movie forward when the plot begins to drag. The movie reinforces the fact that in the end, friendships are more important than some boy that you may date for a couple years then break up with. The only complaint I have from watching “Sierra Burgess is a Loser” is that sometimes it just gets a little boring; however, it always picks back up.

Centineo’s first main appearance on TV was as Dallas from the cell phone accessory cart in the Disney Channel show, Austin and Ally. As an actor, he has come incredibly far and deserves the attention he is getting. We can’t wait to see what he will star in next.

Photoshop by Emily Matthews

Down: 1. HILLCREST 2. FOOTBALL 3. FLAG PARADE 5. ASHCRAFT 7. CONSTRUCTION 12. WHITEBOARDS 13. GUM

1663 McFarland Blvd N Suite G5, Tuscaloosa, AL 35406

www.wagnerdmd.com

ANSWER KEY Across: 4. JAGUARS 8. STALLWORTH 9. COFFEE 10. PEP RALLY 11. CHEERLEADERS 14. MARCHING BAND 15. FERGUSON

10

SPORTS

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER OCTOBER 2018

Varsity volleyball looks forward to postseason after stellar season performance ISAAC SMITH MANAGING EDITOR

The varsity volleyball has had a good season and is looking towards what they hope will be an even better postseason. The team is 3-2 in the Area 7 region, which also includes Hillcrest, Brookwood, and Bryant.

They are currently 9-10 overall.

“This season has been quite exciting,” volleyball coach Erin Heck said. “The girls have been successful in area play and are looking forward to the postseason.”

This is Heck’s first year as head coach of the varsity program, but she has plenty of experience coaching volleyball.

“Previously, I served as the head JV volleyball coach and assistant varsity volleyball coach from 2008 to 2012,” Heck said. “It is different from years past because I am able to work solely with one team. In addition, I get the opportunity to influence and coach girls who are pursuing collegiate volleyball careers.”

Heck works with Kathleen Oatts to coach the volleyball team, dividing the coaching duties between themselves.

“Ms. Oatts handles all the paperwork and schedules, anything like that, but Ms. Heck is our actual coach who coaches the actual sport to the varsity team,” junior Charley Drain said.

While the team participated in workouts over the summer, the first game of the season was Aug. 8.

“We have about two games a week and we’ve had a few tournaments,” said Drain.

“We’re pretty successful. We have a really good team.”

Everyone on the court takes a turn serving, but the players also have specific jobs ALL TOGETHER The varsity volleyball team huddles before their match against Hillcrest. to perform.

“I am a As a passer, competition. setter,” Drain senior Stella “It’s more fun when the match goes on said.

“So Bolton has a longer. I like to be pushed to my limits,” there’s passer, different role Bolton said. and then there is to play.

Drain also enjoys a difficult match, and a setter and a hit“I pass and particularly loves hard won victories. ter. You have difthen I cover “When you’re team has good rallies and ferent hitters and the ball when you finally win it, or when you have a rally different passers, they hit,” that’s been going on for a long time and but the passers are Bolton said. you finally win it, it’s a really good feeling,” the ones who have “When they Drain said. the first contact hit and the The Northridge volleyball team has usually. They pass person blocks scored several area victories to put themthe ball to the setit, I’m there to selves in second place in Area 7. They deter and then the pick the ball feated Brookwood on Sept. 27, but continsetter sets it for a back up.” ue looking for ways to get better. hitter and the hitter is the one who puts it Bolton’s favorite part of being on the “We could’ve done better, but we won,” down on the other side.” volleyball team is playing against tough Bolton said. “We had some great hits. We

fun when “It’sthe more match goes on

longer. I like to be pushed to my limits.

”

STELLA BOLTON, SENIOR

Christopher Taylor, D.M.D Brant Gentry, D.M.D Phone: (205) 750-8008 Fax: (205) 750-8152

300 Towncenter Blvd., Suite A Tuscaloosa, Al 35406 Toll Free: 1-866-384-4254 www.smiledesigncenter.net

Photo by Caroline Ferry

had a lot of aces and our passes were decent.”

Hillcrest, the number one team in the area, has given Northridge trouble sometimes.

“We lost to ACA and Hillcrest, but we beat Hillcrest in a tournament game, so we know we can beat them; we just had an off game,” Drain said.

And beat them they did. On Oct. 22, Northridge defeated Hillcrest in five sets to win the Area 7 tournament. They will move on the regional tournament in Monteogmery, where the top four teams will advance to the state tournament in Birmingham.

SPORTS

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER OCTOBER 2018

HIGH EXPECTATIONS

Bowling team anticipates great season

CAROLINE FERRY ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

STRIKE Ross Zeanah takes a shot during the bowling team’s first practice. The team meets twice a week at Leland Lanes.

The bowling team met at Leland Lanes n October for the first practice of a season they are excited and hopeful for. The team will have their first meet in November, with the state tournament being in January.

Out of the eight varsity boys, four are returning bowlers, setting the team up for a good season.

“I feel like we’re going to be pretty good,” said junior Ross Zeanah. “But it hurts to lose Dee and Keilan.”

There are four returning juniors, two new seniors, and one new junior on the girls’ varsity team. One of the new players this year is junior, Sydney Crowe.

“

Bowling is the highlight of my week. I look forward to it.

Photo by Caroline Ferry

Ledbetter who organizes team bonding, as well “ I as snacks. tried “I personalout bely don’t enjoy cause bowling, but m y since I’m the friends manager I don’t s a i d have to bowl and it was SYDNEY CROWE, JUNIOR I still get to show really up and talk to everyone,” said Ledbetter. fun, and I thought I could bowl and get “It really just shows you that bowling has better,” said Crowe. something for everyone.”

Returning for her second year as managThe team’s head coach is Dustin Cooer and third year with the team is Carson

”

11

per, who takes the sport so seriously that he quit his position as a football coach to focus his efforts on bowling.

“Coach C inspires everyone to do their best with his famous, long, wordy pep talks and gentle encouragement,” said Ledbetter.

Cooper’s assistant coach is the notorious Shane Ashcraft who, thankfully for the players, goes a little easier on the bowlers than his soccer players or English students.

“We’re having some problems with our assistant coach, but otherwise it should be a good season,” said Ledbetter.

Last year both teams made it to regionals, making it a priority for returning players this year.

“We’ve got some good players,” said Zeanah. “Everyone I think has improved, so I think we’ll be successful.”

Even Crowe, a newbie, has high hopes for this year’s season.

“I want to make it to regionals/state,” said Crowe. “I want to win.”

The team practices twice a week in order to stay sharp for meets, tighten techniques, and strengthen scores.

“You come in, and then you bowl a little warm up, and then you play a game and then another game,” said Crowe.

Players all agree that there is an edge of civil competition in the practices, but that it only makes each bowler better by pushing one another to do their very best and to improve.

“The boys team is better this year [than the girls],” said Zeanah. “And they always will be, as long as I’m on the team.”

The team encourages new members to tryout next year.

“If you’re afraid to try out, you should do it anyways,” said Ledbetter. “It’s very supportive. We have a lot a lot of people that tryout who suck, and they still make the team,” said Ledbetter, referring to her own position on the team two seasons ago.

Students love being a part of the team because of the fun, friendly, and encouraging atmosphere set by peers and coaches.

“My favorite part about coming to bowling is just the atmosphere. It’s really lighthearted and just great,” said Crowe. “Bowling is the highlight of my week. I look forward to it. It makes me happy.”

TOUCHDOWN IN T-TOWN

Quarterback Markie Beuttner honored as Player of the Week after big win

PATRICK JOHNSON BEAT EDITOR Quarterback Markie Beuttner, senior, was awarded Prep Player of the Week by Tuscaloosa News after a victory over Hillcrest High School.

“I feel like I have improved tremendously this year just because of the experience I have gained over the years,” said Beuttner.

“I feel much more comfortable out on the field, which could have played a role in receiving the award.”

During the Hillcrest football game, Beuttner threw for over 224 yards and 3 touchdowns.

“A couple of the games did not go the way we wanted it to,” said Beuttner. “It would have only taken around five plays here and there to change our record to 6-1.

We made less mistakes during the Hillcrest game, which lead us to the victory.”

Beuttner was not aware that he was awarded player of the week until it was announced in the Tuscaloosa News.

“I did not realize Tuscaloosa News gave me player of the week until it was stated on the website,” said Beuttner. “I never thought of winning something like that through my own performance. When I found out I felt

honored and extremely grateful that other people thought I deserved something like that.”

Although Beuttner was singularly awarded, his team played a major impact in winning the game against Hillcrest.

“I just wanted to play my part in beating Hillcrest,” said Beuttner. “The a w a r d was just a byproduct of my team’s success.

Without their hard work and determination to win the football game, I would not have received the award.”

Beuttner, along with the rest of the football team, is excited to see where the rest of our football season takes them.

“I am really excited for the rest of the season and looking forward to a playoff berth,” said Beuttner. “If we continue to show the

hard work that we have, I believe that the rest of the season will be positive.”

Having played on the football team all four years, it has left a major impact on Buettner’s high school experience.

“Football has affected me in many ways, such as the unavailability to attend social events, or have free time,” said B euttner.

“Although, playing in front of so many people under the lights with all of the attention on the team has made it worth it.”

Beuttner plans to make the rest of his senior year performance one to remember, as it will be the end of his football career.

“As a senior, I expect to finish strong by beating Bessemer City High School and

to play “Imyjustpartwanted in beating Hillcrest. ” MARKIE BEUTTNER, SENIOR

Tuscaloosa County High School,” said Beuttner. “ I will work as hard as I can for the fans, and most importantly my team mates. Playing football is an experience I will remember for the rest of my life, even though I am not playing in college.”

Cheerleader Meg May, junior, felt that the Hillcrest game was one of the best she has ever cheered for.

“Beating Hillcrest this year was one of the best games I have ever cheered at because of the excitement the team and the student section had,” said May. “Watching the jags take a victory was just what the community needed to get us excited and optimistic about the rest of the season.”

While the 2018 high school football season is not yet over, the team is optimistic about their performance for the years to come.

“I feel that our teams attitude has improved greatly over the course of the year,” said Andrew Fairburn, junior. “We may not have the best record in the state but we play as a team. That is what will build are program to be successful for the rest of this year and years to come.”

BEAT 8FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT SERIES

Photo by Kyla Dunning NEW EXPERIENCES Riccardo Rizzo takes advantange of the sunny weather and studies outside. This is Rizzo’s second time in America.

Rizzo’s experience in America has been may not have the best English skills, but I going smoothly, besides having issues un- have come here to improve, so it is okay.”

PATRICK JOHNSON Coming to an American school has always derstand the English language and finding BEAT EDITOR been a dream of Rizzo’s, due to his goal of transportation.

Riccardo Rizzo, junior, is an Italian eximproving his English skills.

“I have not face many issues yet, except change student from Milan who is attending “I have always dreamed about going the problem of understanding and speakNorthridge this year. to America just from what I have seen on ing English,” Rizzo said.

“The fact that you “This is the second consecutive year and time television,” Rizzo said. “I thought America cannot go anywhere without a car has also I have came to the America,” Rizzo said. “This would be the best place to go to improve my been an issue.

I always need someone to time I am doing the longest exchange expeskills, while making unforgettable experidrive me.” rience I have done yet, which is nine months.

Rizzo feels that there are not many difences.

This is something I will never forget, so I am ferences between America and Italy, alHaving exchange student Laura Lacoba, happy to do it.” though there is one that stands out to him. junior, in her house, Sara Pierce, senior, has This is the third exchange program Rizzo has “There are not big cultural differences been able to get to know Rizzo. been on, so he has experience building up to apart from the fact that churches are very “Getting to know Riccardo has been a such a long program. different,” Rizzo said.

“In Italy, we do not blast,” Pierce said. “Having Laura stay with “I have spent two weeks in a college in Enhave music or a band playing.

All we have me has enabled me to get to know many gland,” Rizzo said. “Last Summer I spent three is a priest that make prayers.” of the exchanges on a much more personal weeks in Canada with a host family. Thus, I am Another sight Rizzo isn’t used to is 16 level.

Riccardo is definitely someone I will strong enough to stay away from home for all year olds driving cars. always remember.” of these months.”

“In Italy we are unable to drive until we Rizzo has made it his goal this year to Growing up in one of the largest cities in Itaare 18,” Rizzo said.

“Seeing kids in high meet many lifelong friends in America, ly, Rizzo was shocked by the lack of people and school at the age of 16 being able to drive is while improving his English skills. transportation systems here in Tuscaloosa. very weird for me.”

“It is my goal this year to make good “I am from Milan, Italy, which is the most Rizzo began studying the English lanfriends and remain in touch with them in beautiful city in Italy,” Rizzo said. “It is a metguage in elementary school, but he feels the future,” Rizzo said.

“On top of that, it is ropolitan city with 1.347 million inhabitants. It that he still has room for improvement. also my goal to improve my English.” also has a lot of transportation, such as buses “In Italy, we started learning English in and underground subways. In fact, you do not even need a car. It is very different from here, elementary school, and we have studied it every year since,” Rizzo said. “I realize I and much more crowded.”

Italian student enjoys cultural differences in America

THE NORTHRIDGE REPORTER OCTOBER 2018

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OCTOBER 2018 VOLUME 16 ISSUE 2