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Northridge High School • 2901 Northridge Road • Tuscaloosa, Al• 35406
May 5, 2014 • Volume 11 • Issue 8
Production casts a magical spell Sumona Gupta Entertainment Editor
Photos By: Rebecca Griesbach
Break a leg: Ben Wright and Anna Beth Northington, juniors, Margaret Crowe, sophomore, Caroline First, junior, and Maggie Butler, sophomore, act out their parts in the musical theater’s production of Cinderella on April 25 in the auditorium. Wright and Northington played Prince Charming and Cinderella, Crowe and First were the stepsisters, and Butler was the Fairy Godmother.
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One day before their show, theater production and musical theater students busily readied for their final dress rehearsal. As some added final touches to props and decorations, others worked on costumes and applied stage makeup. The drama and musical theater departments collaborated to put on their musical Cinderella. A few stragglers remained in drama teacher Donna Wright’s classroom three weeks before the show. Projects in mid-creation were strewn across clusters of desks with students working diligently alongside them. “Working hard or hardly working?” Sophie Fairbairn, senior, jokingly asked Mary Margaret Hand, senior. Occupying herself with gluing a piece of fabric, Hand worked not only on a scroll for the play but also on a dead goat. “It took about two weeks [to make the goat],” she said, “I started from scratch.” Billy Luu, junior, had three tasks: a pheasant, pork and a goat. “Right now I’m carving the bodies,” Luu said. “It’s hard because sometimes we have to make changes to them and recarve the whole thing.” Dooley McCutchen, set constructor, sat in a folding seat in the auditorium adjacent to the classroom with paint-stained hands. “I worked with Mrs. Wright at Central [High School]. My daughter was in her drama class. I got an emergency call from her to help with the set,” he said.
McCutchen said the true “magic of theater” lies in careful planning. Sometimes, challenging scenes require completely rearranging the stage and props just before the curtain parts again. “People behind the scenes work just as hard as the actors,” he said. Junior Anna Beth Northington, who plays Cinderella, and Donna Wright, drama teacher, rehearsed in a make-shift dressing room across the hall. They were “blocking” or staging, a scene. Much like Cinderella, many of the performers designed and made their ball gowns themselves. Sophomore Margaret Crowe played Portia, one of Cinderella’s stepsisters. Crowe said she taught herself how to add the trimmings to her costume. “Ms. Wright gave me a needle and thread and said, ‘Make your dress,’” Crowe said. “I added a hem, roses and fabric to the bust to make it poofy.” The students have prepared for the play since December, when they were cast in their roles. They learned their lines and musical numbers over the break. Sophomore Maggie Butler, who played the Fairy Godmother, said she used references as a source of inspiration. “I looked on YouTube a lot,” she said. “YouTube was my best friend for the show for ideas, timing the songs and motions.” In the week leading up to the play, the cast and crew worked for long hours, staying long after school ended. “Rehearsals last a long time. Some of us don’t leave until 11:20 at night,” Crowe said.
Junior, DeMario Plott, plays the king. He said that around the set, he was known as “Iron Man,” because he did all of the ironing. He was responsible for acquiring parts of his costume, a memorable experience for him. “I had to go get funny boxers. All these people saw me buy Ninja Turtle boxers for my first scene.” he said. In the sound booth, Beth McGuire, musical theater teacher, was testing the actors’ and actresses’ microphones. She said that she’s proud of the work the musical theater and theater production students have done together. “Things like making props together and dancing, they taught them how to work with different types of people,” she said. Sally Ozment, sophomore, served as a costume designer and manager. For her role as one of the stagecoach mice on Saturday evening, she may have taken the stage saying “break a leg,” too literally. “I was running backstage to get to my cue and I fell in a hole and broke my ankle,” she said. Despite this, Ozment felt that the play went well. “The first night, we had a couple of technical difficulties, but I heard the second night was good - I had to leave during the intermission.” Plott said that the play was a learning experience, as well as a team effort. “I’m not an actor; I’m a singer. But I get to work with amazing people. They know how to have fun but know how to get things done.”
Possible connection between absences, new exemption policy Renu Pandit Editor-in-Chief
The exemption policy, which was preciously strictly attendance based with a C average minimum, changed this year so that a student with a C average, even with no absences, would be unable to exempt an exam. Dr. Isaac Espy, principal, said there is probably some correlation between the exemption policy change and student attendance this year, “but there are way more important factors that influence student attendance.” “Our worst attendance problems, for example, would not improve or get worse with an exemption policy. Students who are candidates for exemptions, for the most part, have good attendance records,” he said. He said that despite the change in the exemption policy, “the attendance rate is slightly higher this year than the previous
five or so years.” “Most students make every effort to come to school. This seems to be the case this year, coincidentally, since we have turned up the pressure with Early Warning referrals. This means Juvenile Court,” he said. He said the school “mails out mean letters when a student accumulates five absences.” “Then, we get down to business after we have put together a plan to improve a student’s attendance and the absences continue. The worst thing is Early Warning—that is Juvenile Court. We have no control over the judge’s decision. Sometimes that decision involves punishment for parents,” he said. Rabisa Khan, junior, said she has Office Assistant first period, and one of their responsibilities is to assist students who are checking in. “Usually after first period we’ve used an
entire form for check-ins, and each form has around 50 names on it,” she said. She said last year many people used the exemption policy as an incentive for being on time. “People knew they couldn’t exempt exams if they exceeded a certain number of absences and tardies,” she said. “Which is pretty much why I was always on time.” “This year though, people know they just have to keep their grades up since absences play no role in exemptions,” she said. “I would think that to be a valid reason for why there are so many absences.” Parker Evans, senior, said he thinks the new exemption policy inadvertently encourages absences since there is no longer any real incentive to be in class. “Since exemptions are only given to seniors, underclassmen have no reason to go to class like they used to. Back in my day, we worked hard for our exemptions, but nowadays, kids don’t appreciate them
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because they don’t have them anymore. Seniors take them for granted because all we have to do is show up on the right days to take tests and make sure we get an A,” he said. Espy stressed the importance of being at school on time. “As a general rule, most people have a difficult time learning what the teacher is teaching that day if they are not in class,” he said. “Some people learn by not being there if they have profound powers of osmosis, or telepathic projection, to name a few. My experience has led me to conclude that those people are the exception rather than the rule.” “Just get up, shower, get dressed and come to school. You will learn more, have better grades, stay out of court and be happier,” he said. “You will have all of those things going for you. Which is nice.”
See the editorial on page 2
Principal Selection Page 8
Soccer Page 7
2 Our Thoughts Opinion
The Northridge Reporter May 5, 2014
Mason has problem with pollen
Exemptions could increase attendance
The change in the exemption policy this year removed attendance as an incentive for exemptions and removed exemptions in general for all students except seniors. It was a decision made with the intention of getting students to learn more by having them take exams. It is instead, however, counterproductive. Students no longer strive for perfect attendance, as the incentive of exemptions is removed. It is also obvious students are unable to learn if they are not present or on time for class. We at The Northridge Reporter believe that the previous exemption policy, which applied attendance as a prerequisite for all grades to exempt from exams, was more beneficial. Students were able to learn all of the material covered in the exam because they strove to be present and on time. Despite the supposed link between rising attendance and the new policy, which do not necessarily correlate, (and are instead most likely a direct result of administrators’ increased efforts to get students to school) we believe the old policy should be reinstated. Reinstating the old policy, coupled with administrative efforts, ought to increase school attendance.
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allergies, you’re stand outside for still affected a few minutes by the pollen without sneezing. c a t a s t r o p h e Pollen also Achoo! Achoo! Don’t you just because it can affects my eyes love pollen? I don’t, because it drives me get on your cars From the sneezing because it gets into or your clothes to the coughing, I’m my contacts which crazy. burn terribly. You can’t walk outside without which just makes about to lose my head it more horrible. The saying “April catching a glimpse of it on you or ason M Y o u showers bring May something else you come in from blowing my nose can wash flowers,” frightens contact with. into tissues all the time. your car me because that Many people have h o w e v e r just means for me allergies that just make the many times more of that pesky situation even worse. you want, yellow powder From the sneezing to the but that won’t flying all around. coughing, I’m about to lose my Yet, it is a wonderful sight to head from blowing my nose into help at all. On the bright side, you can see all of the bright and beautiful tissues all the time. draw funny characters on cars for flowers bloom before my eyes. It’s a headache to take allergy fun. It fills them with both tears of pills or shots all the time, and I envy people who don’t have joy and tears of allergies, all at the they sometimes make me drowsy. allergies because I can’t even same time! Even if you don’t have Art by: Grayson Lent Camri Mason Sports Editor
Journalist of the Year 2013 • Bailey Thomson Award for Editorial Writing 2013 • Rick Bragg Feature Writing Award 2009 • NSPA 6th Place Best of Show 2013 • NSPA 5th Place Best of Show 2012 • NSPA 1st Place Best of Show 2011 • NSPA 5th Place Best of Show 2008 • NSPA 8th Place Best of Show 2008 • NSPA 9th Place Best of Show 2006 • CSPA Gold Medalist 2005-2013 • SIPA All-Southern 2003, 2005–2012 • ASPA AllAlabama 2003–2013 • NSPA All-American 2004, 2008, 2011 • Best SIPA Newspaper in Alabama 2003–2007 • NSPA News Story of the Year 2005 • SIPA First Place News Story 2007• SIPA First Place Review 2009
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Contact The Northridge Reporter at (205) 759-3590 ext. 3432 or snewell@tusc.k12.al.us to advertise in or subscribe to The Northridge Reporter. Students: 1238 Faculty and staff: 90
The Northridge Reporter May 5, 2014
Reviewer discusses top films of 2014
This year so far: A scene from The LEGO Movie. Actor Jonah Hill (left) will reprise his role as agent Schmidt in 22 Jump Street.
Photos from: MCT Campus
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After barely making it through high school (twice) with their lives (literally), the two hysterically heroic officers of 21 Jump Street are going undercover once again in the summer film 22 Jump Street, and this time they’re ‘freshies.’ Parker Green, freshman, said he enjoys these movies because of their ability to mix his favorite genres. “I like war movies and comedies,” Green said, “so 21 Jump Street was a good combination of both.” 22 Jump Street (rated PG-13), the sequel to 21 Jump Street, takes place at a local college where young undercover agents, Schmidt, played by Jonah Hill, and Jenko, played by Channing Tatum, must risk their lives as well as their friendship in order to solve yet another top secret case only an insider could unveil. “I think it will be the same two idiot cops being heroes but being idiots
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‘The Giver’ promises to be dark, thrilling James Niiler Feature Editor
contain all the pain, beauty and emotion absent from the Community, When Jonas discovers far too much about the Community, he realizes the darkness within it, The perfect society, free from sickness, sadness and pain, and where death is merely a ‘release,’ is and then he must run for his life, away to freedom. The Giver is to be released on Aug. 15 and looks not at all a utopia. to be dark, forceful and exciting. Rather, it is a bleak, harsh moral wasteland, filled True to the novel, in which people of the Comwith emotionmunity can less people see only in in endless igTHE PERFECT SOCIETY, black and norance and free from sickness, sadness, white, a whose governand pain, IS NOT A UTOPIA. good porment ruthlessly tion of the cracks down movie is on anyone who filmed likediffers from the wise. status quo. Trailers and a featurette containing an interview Welcome to the Community, the world in which with Lowry have been released in anticipation of Lois Lowry’s novel The Giver occurs and home of the film. sixteen year-old Jonas. This book, which has for years shattered the Jonas was normal like everyone else, until he was seinnocence of many an adolescent, will likely be lected to be the Community’s ‘Receiver of Memories.’ fulfilled in the movie in an intense and emotional Jonas receives the memories from a mysterious style. old man known only as ‘the Giver.’ The memories
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22 Jump Street to deliver laughs, action, drama Sophie Fairbairn Assistant Copy Editor
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again,” Green said. Green said the two actors paired well together. “The fat guy [Jonah Hill] was pretty funny, but Channing Tatum is good with the action,” Greene said. Senior Marla Parks said she expects the second movie to be different. “Jonah Hill won’t be as funny because he lost weight,” Parks said, “but Channing Tatum is good at being a comedian, even with a pretty face.” Parks said she also wants to see more cameos and guest star appearances, referring back to the first movie’s surprise appearance of Johnny Depp and Peter DeLuise. (Depp and DeLuise are original cast members of the TV series 21 Jump Street which the movies are based on.) Rebecca Perkins said she can’t wait to see the two go to college. “I bet they are going to join a fraternity and get hazed,” Parks said laughing. “They might have to deal with cheating on exams or something stupid like that,”
Perkins added. Greene said the Jump Street movies are also relatable because they are set in high school and college. “We all can understand what’s going on in the movie,” Greene said with a laugh. Green said he thinks the movie will be really funny, and he plans to see it with his friends when it comes out June 13. “They did a good job the first time, so whatever they did before, they can just improve it,” Green said. Freshmen Briana Henderson and Raven Hill said they really enjoyed the first movie and already have plans to see the second movie. “The [first movie] was just very funny,” Henderson said. “The things they did in the movie were not normal,” Hill added laughing. “We like [these movies] because,” Hill paused. “We’re not normal,” Henderson finished laughing hysterically, Hill joining in.
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I like war movies and comedies, so 21 Jump Street was a good combination of both.
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The top grossing films of 2014 so far are The LEGO Movie, Ride Along,” and “Lone Survivor” and those are just the top three. The LEGO Movie is the first-ever, full-length theatrical LEGO adventure in which cartoon LEGOs run around. The original 3D computer animated story follows Emmet, an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant, a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared. The movie seems to be really cool to younger viewers between the ages of 4-10, but if you’re into animated cartoon super-hero movies, this is definitely one you should see. Next, there’s Ride Along in which a fast-talking guy joins his girlfriend’s brother, a hot-tempered cop, to patrol the streets of Atlanta. He gets entangled in the officer’s latest case. Now, in order to prove that he deserves his future bride, he must survive the most insane 24 hours of his life. It’s a very funny movie from the look of the previews, so if you’re into funny home warming comedies, you really should go and check this movie out. Finally, there’s Lone Survivor which tells the incredible tale of four Navy SEALs on a covert mission to neutralize a highlevel al-Qaeda operative. They are ambushed by the enemy in the mountains of Afghanistan. Mark Wahlberg plays the leading role of Marcus Luttrell, the only survivor from the four SEALs. I would recommend this film to more mature viewers only.
ADMIT ONE
Keshaun Byrd Staff Writer
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The Northridge Reporter May 5, 2014
Questions answered in Transformers sequel
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Camri Mason Sports Editor
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Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon, ended with leader Autobots, Optimus Prime killing Megatron and saving the world. Now the sequel continues with Transformers 4: Age of Extinction, when a mechanic and his daughter find an old Autobot in their barn. When this information leaks out to the public, the government wants to cut in and figure out how to get rid of all transformers for good. You may think that due to losing their leader, they would give up, but the Decepticons are back and ready to start war all over again. The transformers now have to save the world without being killed off by the government or Decepticons so they can save the world from harm. According to movie trailers, Dinobots will be introduced. This movie appears as though it will be an epic sequel to the Transformers trilogy. It will be available for viewing in 3D and 4D. Will the Autobots be able to save the world from the Decepticons again? Will Optimus help mankind? There are still so many questions to be asked, but they will be all answered when the movie comes to theaters on June 27.
Audiences unsure of new Spider-Man film
Photo from: MCT Campus
Newfound friendship: Andrew Garfield and Emma Shone were two of the stars featured in “The Amazing Spider-Man” (2012). They will appear again in this year’s sequel.
During the Super Bowl party at the University Church of Christ Youth Group, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was previewed. The group watching the preview of the movie was filled with “oohs” and “aahs” but some scoffing as well. “It looks too silly because Sony owns the rights,” Shea Mills, English teacher, said. “[I’ll see it,] then I’ll complain about it,” she said. According to comments on YouTube after the trailer of the first movie, some fans of
Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man were skeptical and had diverse opinions on the new movie. The sequel has the same kinds of reviews on YouTube. On Rotten Tomatoes, a movie review website, the film received positive and negative reviews. Despite the negative reviews, 99% of 108,828 are willing to see the movie. The villains for the new movie are confirmed by Sony Pictures to be the menacing Green Goblin, who is donned by Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan); the electrifying Electro (Jamie Foxx) also makes the scene, stealing away most of the trailer
Fault in Our Stars to focus on love, life despite hardship Lauren Curtner-Smith Copy Editor “Without pain, we couldn’t know joy,” is just one of the inspirational quotes from Augustus Waters, a character from John Green’s novel, The Fault in Our Stars (PG13), which premiers in theaters June 20. The Fault in Our Stars follows the unusual love story between two cancer kids, Hazel Lancaster and Augustus (Gus) Waters, who first meet at a Cancer Kid Support group in Indianapolis. Hazel, who is plagued with Stage IV Thyroid cancer at the age of 16, and Gus, an amputee from osteosarcoma, defy the plot of the average ‘cancer story’ by not letting their illnesses define them. Instead, they each live their lives with truth and purpose by not sugarcoating their opinions and by trying to leave a metaphorical scar on the ones they love for when their lives end, so they can be remembered. Gus, a Knight in Shining Hospital Gown, romances Hazel with his humor, charm and goals. He is focused on having a meaningful life. Gus, portrayed by Ansel Elgort, is persistent in a relationship with Hazel (Shailene Woodley) even though Hazel is hesitant to attach herself to friends because she believes she is a ‘grenade’ who will explode and hurt her loved ones around her.
Hazel describes her cancer as a side effect of an evolutionary process of mutating genes. Freshman Courtney Mobbs said she is excited to see the movie. “I can’t wait to see how the characters interact and work through all the sickness on screen,” Mobbs said. She said she can’t wait to see the first few scenes [of the movie] between Hazel and Gus as they’re getting to know each other. “The message of The Fault in Our Stars is to always see the bright side of things and keep pushing forward. Most of my feelings [while reading the book] were focused on the tragic consequences of sickness,” Mobbs said. Sally Ozment, freshman, said she wants to see how close the story line stays to the book. “I always say books are better than movies because you get those extra details from the characters’ thoughts that you don’t get in the movies, but John Green was always on set, so I’m sure it will stay extremely close to the story line, and I’m excited to see how he will do,” Ozment said. Ozment said her favorite scenes in the book were when Hazel and Gus traveled the world, and she hopes they are included in the movie. “If I could sum up my feelings in one
time out of the villains; the triad is completed with the unstoppable Rhino (Paul Giamatti). What possibly hit hardest for fans was Electro’s soliloquy. Electro ends the trailer with, “Everyone in this city…will know how it feels to live in a world…without power…without mercy… without Spider-Man.” This quote gives a sense of dread to what the future may hold for Spider-Man. Overall, people are either hyped or unimpressed. The movie opened May 2 and is rated PG-13. “It looks like it’ll be good if they do it right,” Averette said.
sentence, it would probably be ‘kill me now’ but in a good way. I admire Hazel and Gus’s relationship because they are both in dark times in their lives, and they meet each other and eventually get through the dark times. I love how John Green can make any story seem like a happy one,” Ozment said. Mobbs and Ozment said they didn’t picture Ansel Elgort as Gus. “He is indeed attractive, but in my opinion he is not Augustus Waters. Though I think he will play the part well. Personally, I love Shailene Woodley and think that she is the perfect match for Hazel,” Mobbs said. “Ansel is not who I imagine playing Gus, but I’m excited to see how he will do. I love Shailene, and I know that she’s going to put her heart and soul into making sure Hazel really comes alive on screen,” Ozment said. Mobbs said she isn’t sure what to expect from the movie because she does not think movies can live up to the expectations of a good book. “The relationship between Gus and Hazel is adorable. It makes me long for more real-life relationships like that,” Mobbs said. Simply put, Ozment said, “the message of The Fault in Our Stars to me is just be happy and love life.”
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The message of The Fault in Our Stars to me is just
BE HAPPY and
LOVE LIFE.
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Grayson Lent Staff Writer
SALLY OZMENT, SOPHOMORE
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The Northridge Reporter May 5, 2014
er of g n a d ts n e s re p d Tattoo tren
Design by: Rebecca Griesbach
K e a m b r i a Washington Staff Writer Artistic or harmful, whatever the case, tattoos continue to be popular. Television shows like The Black Ink Crew and LA Ink have aided the growth in popularity of tattoos. According to the most recent Harris Poll, conducted in the summer of 2010,
approximately 15 percent of Americans have at least one tattoo. James Granger, senior, said his decision to get a tattoo had a lot to do with their popularity. “I have a tattoo of praying hands and one of my names with a brick background, and I don’t plan on removing them,” Granger said. The 2010 Harris Poll said that 83 percent of respondents to the survey had no regrets about their choice to get a tattoo, while 17
What
Students, staff get
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D’Aja Patrick Photographer Tattoos are a very popular thing with young people and teens. People at school have tattoos everywhere from head to toe. Kayla Johnson, senior, has four tattoos. “My favorite one is a cage with birds coming out of it. It means to me that sometimes I just want to be free,” Johnson said. Marquis Gray, junior, got his grandmother’s name tattooed on him. “I got her name (Mary) because she means a lot to me, and I love her so much,” Gray said. Chris Thomas, senior, has three tattoos. He said two are on his arm, and he has his mother’s name on his wrist. “My mom’s name is my favorite,” Thomas said. La’Trice Washington, math teacher, has a tatoo. Washington said she has one on her foot. “It says my name (La’Trice),” Washington said.
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percent said they regretted getting a tattoo. Of those who regretted getting a tattoo, 16 percent said it was because the tattoo contained someone’s name. Derricka Palmer, senior, said the tattoo of a rose she got over winter break was irritating. “It’s on my foot and leg. It didn’t hurt on my leg, but when he started on my foot it hurt, and I cried,” she said. “It itches because the old ink starts to flake and peel off.” According to Medical News Today, since
Granger
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“...I don’t plan on removing them.”
“My mom’s name is my favorite.”
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-James Granger senior
“It itches because the old ink starts to flake and peel off.” -Derricka Palmer senior
-Chris Thomas senior
“...it means to me that sometimes I just want to be free.” -Kayla Johnson senior
Photos by: Rebecca Griesbach
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Keshaun Byrd Staff Writer Underwear showing, pants hanging and an absence of a belt are all symptoms of sagging, a dress code violation that plagues the hallways on a daily basis. Will Brown, senior, picked up the trend at an early age, and said peer pressure is what usually leads to sagging. “My friends always sagged, so it kind of rubbed off on me,” Brown said. “I know it originated from prison, but that’s just what people say in my opinion,” he said. Brown said sagging’s roots, however, did not turn him off to the idea. “I would tell people not to [sag] because that’s
Trend makes comeback, students discuss what it takes to pull off
try to be Mrs. Prissy,” Thomas said. James Granger, senior, said he wears his grills from time to time and likes the way they look on him. “They attract the female. That’s why I love them,” Granger said with a laugh. Carter Hill, English teacher, said they do not cause a distraction in classes. Hill said he finds grills to be very unique. “People like to be different. I wouldn’t personally wear them, but I think they fit other people,” Hill said. p am
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tudents spend what some would call ridiculous amounts of money on Louis Vuitton belts and Jordan shoes, but more noticeably they have now put their money where their mouth is. Grills, also known as ‘slugs,’ have been a very popular trend to some students. They have recently come back in style for teens. Grills can cost up to $150 for a single set of fronts and as much as $800 or more per tooth in a set of fronts, according to a Tuscaloosa News article published in 2006. There are a variety of ways to get a grill designed. The most popular choices among teens are gold or platinum. Christopher Thomas, senior, wears his grills on a day to day basis, and said he decided to get some grills after he saw his stepdad with some.
“My stepfather had some, so I thought they were cool and wanted some,” Thomas said. Thomas said his mother thought they were cool also. “She liked them enough to buy them for me,” Thomas said with a giggle. Walking through the halls associating with peers, Thomas said he notices the facial expressions on some of the student’s faces. This lets him know whether they liked the grills or not. “When people see you with something different, some automatically think they’re ugly or some will think it’s tight, but everybody has their own style, you know?” Thomas said. Thomas said that wearing grills is naturally a male’s style. “They look better on boys; I don’t think they’re for girls, but if you are a girl and wanted to get some, you have to have the right personality for it, and you can’t
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Smile for me Keambria Washington Staff Writer
skin is broken when a person gets tattooed, some basic health risks are inherent. Once the skin is broken, the area being tattooed is essentially an open wound until it has healed. Some risks involved are infection, Herpes Simplex Virus, Fungal Infections, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
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Art by: Grayson Lent
being a follower,” Brown said. Cedarian McMullen, senior, is against sagging, but said sometimes he has no choice. “It depends on if I have a belt or not,” McMullen said. McMullen said that following trends such as sagging does not appeal to him. “I wouldn’t sag if I had the choice because it makes you look stupid for real,” McMullen said. Influencing people not to sag is a huge priority to McMullen. “I would tell kids not to sag because that’s a bad look; you can’t get a job or any of that,” McMullen said.
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Sports
The Northridge Reporter May 5, 2014
Golf team battles weather Renu Pandit Editor-in-Chief
The golf team has battled through adverse weather conditions to become a dominant force in the state. David Akins, golf coach, said the golf team has played in five tournaments this spring and finished in the top 10 in all five tournaments. “We have two third place finishes and one fourth place finish. We have progressively gotten better as the year has gone on. We have battled the cold and wet spring and really haven’t had a chance to get in the work that we really need to get in,” he said. “William Walker was the medalist at the Tom Bell Memorial tournament this past week with a two day total of 143, 1 under par. He along with Jackson Seawell, Trey Rose, Jason Campbell and Miller Almond have competed against some of the best teams in the state this spring,” Akins said. He said he has coached golf for 14 years and considers himself a hands-on coach. “I do a lot of the drills with the student athletes, so they understand what we need to get done. I have always allowed and encouraged our players to obtain a swing coach, so they understand the concept from someone besides me,” he said. He said the team practices every day that they possibly can. “I encourage each player to play as much as they can. We have individuals who are members of Indian Hills and NorthRiver [Country Clubs] as well as Ol’ Colony, so they can get on a course on a regular basis,” he said. The golf team consists of 14 boys, and they try to play a JV schedule as well in order to get everyone the opportunity to play. “We can play 14 dates during the spring,” Akins said. “This does not include
weekend dates and spring break. So we could play as many as 17 or 18 dates if it falls in place.” “Golf is a sport that goes through cycles. We are in a good cycle right now with several pretty good players,” he said. “With that being said, we are constantly battling against Mountain Brook and Spain Park for tournament titles.” Akins said he enjoys coaching golf. “Golf is a passion of mine, so being out there on the course with the young guys watching them mature as individuals is fun to watch. With spring being so busy with so many activities, it also gives me a break from everything,” he said. “We have played as long as Northridge has been a school. We have finished second in the state three times, 3rd twice, and 4th last year,” Akins said. “Fortunately, I have been the coach the entire time we have been a school. I have been teaching and coaching for more than 30 years. I absolutely love what I do,” he said. “Being the Athletic Director as well as the golf coach is something that I enjoy every single day. I have some great young men on our team this year, and I look forward to trying to help them win a state championship for our school,” Akins said. Jason Campbell, junior, has been on the golf team three years and played for three years at Rock Quarry Middle School. “I just love playing golf,” he said. “I started in 2008 because I wanted another fun sport to play besides football.” He said the current golf team is a “good group,” and he’s enjoyed the season with them so far. “I think we have a really good chance to make it to state and compete,” he said. “We need to prove to everyone else that we’re just as good as the other schools.”
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Photos by: Rebecca Griesbach
Girls soccer team plays tough in state playoffs Kick it Senior Emma Jackson, freshmen Courtney Mobbs, sophomore Catherine Spence, junior Isabella McVeagh, and sophomore Annika Struthwolf of the girls soccer team play against Chelsea in the first round of the State Tournament on Saturday, April 26. The team lost 3-2 in a close match against the club team. More photos on website and Facebook.
S C O R E S Soccer Girls v Chelsea: 2-3 L Boys v Chelsea: 3-0 W Boys v Oak Mtn.:
0-4 L
Baseball/Softball
Bsbll. v Hoover: 4-8,4-6 L Sftbll. v County: 5-4 L
Tennis
Girls: 4th(State) Boys: 3rd(Sectionals)
Golf (Sectionals)
Boys: 3rd
Infographic Designed/Information Compiled By: Sumona Gupta
Girls tennis team wins at sectionals, places fourth in state The girls tennis team hosted sectionals at Northridge on April 16, with some players moved up to the statewide competition in Mobile, AL., which took place on April 24 and 25. At the state competition, the top six players from the team competed. Becci Hauser, tennis coach, accompanied the team to the state tournament. “Four girls [of the six] are seniors, so it
was a good time for them to play,” she said. Singles players (in order of spots) were India Woods (8, RQMS), Kathleen Kennedy (12), Anna Laura Killian (12), Marla Parks (12), Hayden Murphy (12), and Isabelle Buettner (10). Doubles were Woods and Killian, Kennedy and Parks, and Murphy and Buettner. Buettner said that in order to qualify for the state tournament, the players had to win at sectionals. The team didn’t rank at the state competition but were successful at sectionals.
“[The team didn’t win anything], but we are sectionals winners; we came in fourth,” she said. Although they didn’t win during the trip, the team had valued bonding time, Hauser said. “The entire trip, the girls stayed together. They rode together, ate together - breakfast, lunch, and dinner,” she said. “It was great for the athletes and parents because we all got to bond.”
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Sumona Gupta Entertainment Editor
The entire trip, the girls stayed together. They rode together, ate together...we all got to bond.
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Becci Hauser, tennis coach
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The Northridge Reporter May 5, 2014
The search continues
Beat 8
The one great equalizer is enhancing reading ability. Once you enhance reading ability, you enhance comprehension, and therefore [students’] education.
n F. Comer, I Joh II
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Q: How would you handle repeat offenders in bullying? A: Handling bullying is my greatest strength. I have no tolerance for bullying. There have been less than 10 fights at my school in the last 10 years. My goal isn’t to punish children, but change their behavior. I could never ever run a 100 mile race [like Dr. Espy]. I’m built to stand and fight.
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Q: What is your vision for Northridge High School? A: I have looked at the data, and I see two things that stand out-what’s being achieved by advanced students...One of the concerns I see is on the other end of the continuum. I would like to bridge the gap between the two.
On April 16, parents were invited to a princpal selection meeting in the auditorium. The town-hall style assembly included parentconducted questions, aimed at aiding the selection processs for a new principal. A principal should be named this week.
Kyle Ferguson
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Principal, Thomasville High School
Q: How would you support Northridge’s special education program? A: We could make improvements like providing cell phones for the children’s teachers...When you know [special education students’] strengths and weaknesses, miracles can happen. You should support their weaknesses but build on their strengths.
Tests are the gatekeepers in our society. Students should start studying earlier [for the ACT] rather than later, and providing Saturday support would help-tests are a double edged sword.
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Teachers are the driving force of this school...A general doesn’t go to war without some troops behind them.
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Q: How would you go about improving ACT scores? A: When we establish a positive climate, we don’t have a problem with ACT scores. We have a bonus period that needs to be utilized more than in the past. Making learning relevant to all children is important, showing them how to utilize their knnowledge in the future makes it more important to them.
Q: How would you involve buisinesses and the community in the school? A: Some of the best ways to get to know people is to break bread with them...We could try to bridge the gap by creating a buisiness alliance and bringing buisinesses to talk to ninth graders. We need to remember that Assistant Principal, Asheville High School (NC) young people need encouragment in order to succeed.
arles L. Anthon Ch y
Assistant Principal, Northridge High School
Q: What can be learned from extracurricular activities? How can they be improved? A: The expectation for [athletic teams] is to win-we weigh heavily on winning. But the ultimate purpose is guiding children to be successful citizens....Athletics are great, but academics can take you places you’ve never seen before. Information compiled by Sumona Gupta. Designed by Sumona Gupta. Photos by Rebecca Griesbach.
Cinderella page 1
Ben Wright, junior
northridgereporter.wordpress.com
May 5, 2014 Volume 11 Issue 8
Anna Beth Northington, junior
Photo by: Rebecca Griesbach