Volume 2 Issue 4
February 1, 2024
THE CREST
Hilton Head Christian Academy's Monthly Publication
1
s ’ a c h h
FEBUARY 1 2024
VOL. 2
THE CREST
The latest news and updates about HHCA, reported by its students
Lower school students excited for superhero day! Photo Credit: Cheryl Norton ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
BASKETBALL COFFEE BAR SENIOR ASSASSIN
Spirit Week By Emily Phillips In honor of another successful HHCA Spirit Week, here's a recap of the best part of the year! With the start of Spirit Week on Tuesday, grades jumped right into it to practice for the dance competition. This year, sophomores took first place, seniors followed in second place, and juniors
SENIOR RECOGNITION
and freshmen landed in third and fourth place, respectively. A highlight, and a favorite of the sophomore dance, would be Moses, played expertly
WINTER RECITAL
by Finn June, parting the Red Sea on the dance floor. The seniors took a different approach, as they used snippets of “throwbacks” to previous dances they performed throughout the years. The middle school also did
JEN CONFERENCE
very well on their dances, with 8th grade coming in first place. (story continues on next page)
1
FEBUARY 1 2024
VOL. 2
In addition to this, both basketball and powderpuff
games
were
the
students’
favorites. The seniors took first place in the basketball games, whereas the juniors won powderpuff. With intense rivalries between the grades, it was for sure a competition to see who could be best dressed. The themes this year allowed for students to be creative, and this resulted in some pretty devoted and hilarious costumes. This year, from blow-up suits to fun props and matching costumes, students went out to show spirit! Additionally, this year's videos, which each grade had made, were a huge hit. For middle school, students loved 7th grade’s video, and they finished in first place! For high school, the Juniors took first place this time with their music
Junior girls powderpuff victory Photo Credit: Jordan Ingolia
video, which incorporated an original song written by Junior, Peyton Dobbs. After all of that fun, Spirit Week 2024
Spirit Week Basketball
came to an end with another victory for
by Emily Phillips
the seniors, keeping their now 4-year streak! Congratulations to all the grades, as every single one showed HHCA spirit! We're looking forward to next year's Spirit Week!
The Spirit Week basketball games are a student-favorite tradition, both loved and looked forward to during HHCA’s Spirit Week. This year, many packed into the gym to watch which grade would win it all. There were three games, with the first two deciding who would continue to play in the final game. The first game, Freshman vs. Seniors, was a brutal matchup, as the seniors defeated them with ease. The highlight of this game would be Connor White showing off his skills and securing a win against the freshman class. Jack Ussery also did very well, banking a three-point shot to start the game. Whether it's in the pool or on the court, Jack says, “My favorite part was stomping the freshman." The second game, the Sophomores vs. Juniors, was much closer. They were neckto-neck, but ultimately, the juniors took the lead, winning by a few points. The final game, Juniors vs. Seniors, was a funfilled match. The seniors started strong and kept their lead for the entirety of the game. Students encouraged players to shoot crazy shots, such as long threes and half-court shots. A notable mention would be Evan Elliot, a crowd-pleaser who attempted multiple of these shots. In the end, the seniors were victorious, earning their grade points for spirit week.
2
Jack Ussery shooting Photo Credit: Laurie White
FEBUARY 1 2024
VOL. 2
HHCA’s New Coffee Bar By Claire Robbins and Emily Phillips Rise and shine; it’s coffee time! The coffee bar is
Students aren't the only ones who can enjoy the
here at HHCA and is ready for students to come
coffee bar; many HHCA faculty members visit it
and enjoy! With many options on the menu, it won’t
too! Mrs. Hilton said, "I am glad to hear that The
be hard to find a drink that you’ll like! Students
Coffee Bar has returned to HHCA! The coffee bar
seem to favor it so far, as we interviewed a handful
provides
of people about their thoughts and opinions about
conversation and building relationships, which is so
the coffee bar. Junior, Caroline Thomas, says, "I
important for everyone." Mrs. Robinson stated,
think it's super cool and a great idea!" Addi
“Well, aren’t we lucky to have our own coffee bar
Rodgers, a freshman, says, "I think it is a very fun
right here on campus instead of having to drive to
and nice way for our school to make money!" Some
Starbucks or Dunkin'?! It’s a little pricey for me,
suggestions have been voiced to us, such as senior
but I’ll splurge on a latte every now and then,
Millie Gilbreath, who said, "I wish they took cash
especially since the proceeds support our seniors’
because I don't have Venmo, but I have heard it is
Dominican trip—and that’s a great cause!"
good!". Some other students shared that they would
Overall, everyone is delighted to see that the coffee
like to see more options being offered, such as
bar
additional milk choices, specifically oat and almond
differences between the old and new coffee bars, a
milk. Another student said, “Earning coupons for
notable example is that the old one was exclusive to
the coffee bar might be a good idea... It would
seniors only. This time, however, it is open to all
possibly give students an incentive to work hard
students, so everyone can come and drink coffee.
and earn them.”.
With this addition, we are confident that the
has
an
opportunity
returned!
Though
for
there
intentional
are
a
few
students at HHCA will enjoy it!
Jayden Hedges (left), Mr. Suddeth (middle), Ali Hayes Butler (right) Photo Credit: Claire Robbins 3
FEBUARY 1 2024
VOL. 2
Senior Assassin By Emily Phillips An exciting and fairly new tradition is currently taking
place
among
the
senior
class.
Senior
Assassin, a fun water gun game, started last week. The rules are simple. If you choose to play, you are assigned a target through the app, and you have around one week to “eliminate them." To eliminate them, you must spray your target with a water gun and record proof to post to the app. For round one, immunity is granted to those who wear goggles or floaties. Purge day, which started at 8 a.m. on January 29, rendered all goggles and floaties
useless.
The
only
restrictions
on
eliminations occur on the HHCA campus, in church, or at their job. Our participating seniors are really into the game, and round two is currently in progress. This round, for immunity, goggles must be worn around the eyes only. As the pool gets slimmer and the stakes get higher, seniors must get crafty if they want to get their target. This
Emma Riley and Millie Gilbreath
game is a great way to bring the class together in a fun yet unique way, encouraging class bonding.
Senior Recognition By Amy Schutz On Friday January 19th, an HHCA tradition, Senior Recognition took place. The boys’ was held at 8 am in the PAC, whereas the girls’ was after the boys’ basketball game that night. The girls were also announced during halftime of the boys’ game. The tradition of Senior Recognition began over twenty years ago as a way of recognizing the senior class and giving the parents a chance to write their child a loving letter. Usually, the boys are escorted by their mothers and the girls are escorted by their fathers. There were laughs and there were tears from both the audience members and those on stage. Students also chose two teachers to write and read letters, Coach Houpt who was chosen by the boys, and Ms. O'Connor who was chosen by the girls. Overall, Senior Recognition was a huge success, and it allowed classmates the opportunity to learn more 4
about their peers.
Senior Girls Recognition Photo Credit: Amber Phillips
FEBUARY 1 2024
VOL. 2
Onions. Donezos By Luke Williams
Whether they’re being used for dyes, oils, seasoning, or more, the brownish white crop has helped to
To quote American actor Will Rogers, “An onion
shape the modern world. With its presence being
can make people cry but there's never been a
seen throughout history and up to the present, the
vegetable that can make people laugh.” Never has
onion is a staple of modern agriculture. About every
there been such a vegetable as unique as the onions.
home cooked meal in the modern day has some
Its
for
element of onion infused in it. Even restaurants love
shepherd's pie, yet also a great analogy for both
onions, according to GillsOnions.com, about 93% of
ogres and former empires alike.
American Dining establishments use the onion. With
The onion has withstood the tests of time, having
105 billion pounds consumed yearly, the onion has
been used as early as 5000 BC, with origins deep in
to be doing something right, so what’s the appeal?
central Asia. When BC changed over to AD, the
The onion contains many vitamins and minerals
Romans had found a different use for the vegetable,
that are good for you, it's high in vitamin B and
using them in ointments that they believed could
vitamin C. And most importantly, they’re delicious
cure
when
when used properly in culinary environments. The
to
versatility of an onion is one of its most unique
“America”, the onions were brought over, helping to
features, the onion can be boiled, grilled, roasted,
feed the new nation. According to individuals from
sautéed, fried, and much more. Not to mention there
the time, onions were one of the first cultivated
are countless different types of onions, the most
crops by the pilgrims.
popular of which being, red, white, and yellow. The
scaly
layers
visual
Christopher
act
issues.
as
A
Colombus
a
great
seasoning
millennia had
later
sailed
over
onion is here to stay, in a world so devoid of flavor
The Winter Recital
and spice, it's nice to have the onion as an amazing fallback no matter what.
By Eli Taylor and Luke Strebe Mark your calendars for HHCA’s annual Winter Recital!
The
recital
will
feature
a
vastly
entertaining roster of talented students. The Winter Recital is filled with amazing vocal and instrumental performances. Open to grades 6-12, the HHCA Fine Arts department students will perform in the PAC for a fun-filled opportunity to share their God given gifts. The concert will be held on February 10th at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $10. This recital has had a wonderful legacy as last year’s was a tremendous success. So many students were able to showcase their amazing performances and the audience really enjoyed getting to see them showcase their talents. We’re hoping for another amazing year. Come and support your fellow Eagles!
Mallory Krimm performing at Winter Recital 2023
5
FEBUARY 1 2024
VOL. 2
The Eggstremely Sad Truth By Emily Phillips Studies and surveys found that eggs are a staple in
"Vegetarian-fed" labels are pretty straight-forward.
around 94% of people's diets. In fact, statistics show
It means the chicken is fed a vegetarian diet, mainly
that an average American eats around 279 eggs per
corn,
year. Furthermore, each year, over 4 billion cartons
uneducated shopper, this, on a label, looks healthy.
of eggs are purchased. That's over seventeen billion
Unfortunately, this is not the case. By nature,
dollars a year spent on just eggs. With these
chickens are omnivores. They eat plants, animals,
statistics in mind, the next time you're at the grocery
and insects—a balanced diet. When you take away a
store buying eggs, stop and check exactly what kind
main food source from a chicken, they often fall
of eggs you're buying. Does the package say "cage-
short of essential nutrients and vitamins. This causes
free chickens," “free roaming chickens," or "pasture-
the chickens to be unhealthy and have a low quality
raised"?
of life.
Perhaps
it
says
"vegetarian-fed"
or
barley,
wheat,
and
other
grains.
To
an
"organic." You might think that these words are just marketing gimmicks and don't mean anything. On a
Organic eggs are classified by the standard that the
certain level, it is marketing, but believe it or not,
chicken
all these labels mean completely different things.
genetically modified food, no addition of chemicals,
is
fed
only
organic
feed,
no
use
of
pesticides, or anything of the sort, and lives in a On an egg carton, "cage-free chickens” is phrased to sound nice, when in reality, it can be harmful to the chickens. True, the chickens aren't in cages, but in some harvesting places, there are so many of them packed in one room together that they would honestly end up getting more space in a cage. Additionally, these facilities have no windows, which means
that
chickens
receive
artificial
light
as
opposed to natural light, which, mixed with crowded spaces, can potentially mess with their natural instincts. This quality of life is not ideal for a chicken, which hopefully causes you to stop and think about ethics next time you pick up a "cagefree" carton.
their access to fresh air and open land. These factors can help lead to healthier chickens. Many people swear that these eggs taste better due to the chickens being better taken care of and fed. Unfortunately, larger producers have been known to meet the bare in
order
to
call
themselves
a
free-
range/roam farm. This can mean only putting small windows in the space and giving the hen access to the outside to roam, but the access is nonetheless limited. 6
only then will the farmer treat it with antibiotics. (This is important because commercial non-organic chickens are given antibiotics routinely, even when they aren't sick.) Depending on the provider, organic eggs aren't a bad option when you are looking at healthy options. Pasture-raised chickens are allowed to roam freely in pastures and graze on whatever natural food they find. This can include worms, insects, seeds, or any other food that has been spread for them. These chickens spend all of their time in the fresh air and sunlight, free to roam freely and happily on a pasture. Additionally, these chickens are given no
Free-roaming chickens are slightly better, regarding
minimum
cage-free environment. If the chicken becomes sick,
hormones,
drugs,
or
antibiotics.
Farmers
who
pasture raise their chickens emphasize that the chickens
live
as
naturally
as
possible.
Buying
pasture-raised chickens is a healthy and ethical alternative to other eggs. Though they can be pricey, I would say it's worth the extra money to ensure healthy eating and living habits in your home.
FEBRUARY 1, 2024
VOL: 2
JEN Conference: 2024 By Emma Taylor The HHCA Eagles Jazz Band had the amazing opportunity to go to the Jazz Education
Network
2024
jazz
music
conference. This invitational conference was held in the city of New Orleans, LA. The Eagles Jazz band got to experience New Orleans music and culture and see some of the best musicians in the US, and
even
world-renowned
musicians.
Despite this, they still enjoyed seeing musicians their age. The students got to perform in front of and receive a short lesson from professional musicians while they learned a lot about the music they were playing. The band was also able to go to an exhibit hall where they could try new instruments, and see what certain colleges had to offer!
The Eagles Jazz Band is standing in front of the steamboat at the Toulouse Wharf
This experience extended even beyond the conference hotel! The jazz band got to go on a street car ride through the city down to the Toulouse Wharf, and go on a steamboat ride where lunch was provided. During this, the Eagles got a fun tour of the river on one of the most iconic forms of New Orleans transportation and also got
to
eat
some
incredible
food.
Afterwards, they got to do some shopping downtown and go to the famous Cafe Du Monde,
and
eat
some
delicious,
old-
fashioned beignets! The Eagles Jazz band would like to thank HHCA and all of the Boosters for making this super fun and enriching trip possible!
The Eagles Jazz Band is on stage with their two professional judges after the clinic
7
FEBUARY 1 2024
s ’ a c Winter Writing h h
VOL. 2
Competition Submissions Vote on your favorite student entries bellow...
Locked By Madison Moore
Captain Jack By Anonymous
My heart is locked
Whish, splash, thud, whish, splash, thud.
With the key thrown far
Sailer sailing the seven seas. Looking for
It’s completely blocked off
Inqa treasure more than a mind can
With an iron bar
conceive. Many men have tried ,but all have failed. Until Captain Jack has set
The iron stays strong
his trail. Under a hidden ruin the treasure
And the bar won’t budge
lies waiting for Jack to arrive, his mind
My heart feels heavy
debating. Many men have tried ,but none
And slow as sludge
dug until Captain Jack arrived with a thud. As he dug he heard the voices clear
The iron holds fast
Jack had found the artifact of fear. In his
And it’s still sealed tight
glory he thought back to his past. The
My heart seems to stop
people he killed the families he had
And nothing feels right
trashed, but Jack can not look back no no he was holding what he thought he loved
Then someone calls out
most. Many men have loved ,but no not
And opens the vault
Jack, he spent his life searching for
Voices rise saying
something that can't love him back. Jack
“The world’s not your fault”
sits there in his hole reflecting back waiting for this inamite object to show where compassion lacks.
8
FEBUARY 1 2024
VOL. 2
Desert
By Anonymous The worst place to die is the desert. Everything looks the same You don’t know where you’re going You’re lost You’re hungry You’re thirsty Heat exposure makes you insane You die as a different person Heat melts your face, disfiguring your body Your corpse rots as the animals eat They eat like you’re their last meal
Mac-n-cheese By Chloe Knight The time has come for all to gather round. The table’s set, the worries put at bay. Never guessed when they sat down what they found. For this dish, surely everyone will stay. The recipe passed down from age to age, This dish is as easy as one, two, three. Truly could’ve been said on Shakespeare’s stage, When with this dish, no one compares to thee. A classic course that everyone will love. A dish that you will never have to fear. The masterpiece that’s made from up above. The melted cheese and pasta makes my year. Don’t take it away from me please oh please. Can’t wait to eat the glorious mac and cheese.
9
FEBUARY 1 2024
A Trip to the ER By Anonymous
10
VOL. 2
FEBUARY 1 2024
VOL. 2
When Bluebirds Sing By Anonymous
Fall breeze was everywhere in the forest, the trees swayed, the birds chirped and particularly today the wolves hunted fiercely. There were all types of wolves gray, white and black, they ran and roared with their thick fur and bellowing eyes all who were eager to get their first meal of the day. Not Blue, Blue liked to sit at the ridge and cook meals watching over the animals and trees spread throughout the forest. He enjoyed the scent of eggs and peppers cooking nearby, while listening to the fashioned blue birds sing a song nearby. The other wolves laughed and pointed paws at this, thinking that he was less of a dog because he only ate what he cooked. He seemed to have worries every now and then that this might be true, Blue had never been hunting, nor had he fought to lead the pack. Blue had gotten bullied because of this many times by a wolf of the name of Briar, Briar always hunted and never listened to the birds sing joyfully, he pointed and howled about Blue's way of life. One day Briar challenged Blue to a competition to see who could create the best legend. Briar made his that he was fighting 3 bears and conquered them all with a fearsome claw and powerful bite with wonderful glory. Blue made his story about a simple life of a cub that listened to the songs of birds for wisdom. The pride took great interest and wit towards Briars story and it is said that he won the competition. Four years later both wolves die and the other wolves hurt until one day the alpha heard a bird singing in the trees. The alpha told many great stories of wisdom and justice towards the pack so one day maybe they would understand the value of knowledge. Years later the pack walked again
VOTE HERE!
11
Crossword
ACROSS 3. WHERE WAS SENIOR RECOGNITION HELD? 6. WHERE DID THE EAGLES JAZZ BAND TRAVEL TO? 7. BEST VEGETABLE, ACCORDING TO THE CREST?
DOWN 1. THE WINTER RECITAL WILL FEATURE INSTRUMENTAL AND _____ TALENTS. 2. WHAT'S THE ABBREVIATION FOR THE JAZZ CONFERENCE? 4. HOW MANY YEARS HAS HHCA HOSTED SENIOR RECOGNITION? 5. WHERE WILL THE WINTER RECITAL BE HELD?