northridgereporter.wordpress.com Northridge High School • 2901 Northridge Road • Tuscaloosa, Al• 35406
April 23, 2013 • Volume 10 • Issue 7
JEOPARDY
DOUBLE
ACT and prom scheduled on same day Rabisa Khan Copy Editor
Testing by day, dancing by night. Students taking the ACT and attending prom found themselves with a busy schedule when the two events were placed on the same day. Julia Hocutt, junior, said she did not think having the prom and the ACT on the same day would be a problem. “I don’t think they’ll interfere that much because the ACT is in the morning and prom is at night,” she said. Hocutt said prom has interfered with her preparations for the ACT. “This week I haven’t been able to study as much as I’d like to because of prom,” she said. Hocutt said as long as she gets a “good night sleep and a nutritious breakfast” for the ACT, she should be good. “I won’t focus on prom until it’s actually happening,” Hocutt said. “The ACT is my number
one focus because in the long run it matters the most.” Kearston Wells, senior, said she has been able to “prioritize and organize everything outside and inside of school.” “I made a schedule around the ACT, so I can make sure I can get everything done on time,” Wells said. She said the ACT is more important. “I have taken it a few times, and I know what is on there and what I need to do to raise my score,” Wells said. Marianne Martin, junior, said she is also not worried about balancing prom and ACT. “I don’t take that long to get ready anyways, and I’ll be done with the ACT by about noon,” she said. Martin said she does not need a lot of time to get ready because she is not “getting her hair or nails done.” “I don’t think it’s necessary because I want to look recognizable,” she said. “I don’t want
to look completely fake.” Martin said she wishes the prom and the ACT were not on the same day because she is going to be “really exhausted by the end of the day.” “I never have enough sleep, but I’ll try to get as much sleep as possible because it’s going to be a busy day,” Martin said. She said she will be able to focus on the ACT because “honestly, it is more important.” “Prom may suffer but not my ACT,” Martin said. After taking the ACT, Wells said balancing the two was not bad at all. “Taking the ACT on the day of prom was actually not as difficult as I had heard,” Wells said. “It was just another thing on my to-do list.” Hocutt said she also thought it was pretty easy to handle both events in one day. “It felt like waking up for another school day,” Hocutt said. “But, I will say by the time prom was over, I was exhausted.”
AP Diploma graduates with current seniors
college and give me AP credit,” he said. “I need AP Chemistry the most because Pharmacy is a strongly chemistry-dependent field.” He said whether or not he will waive college courses with AP credit is When faced with a “regular” or “AP” diploma, students often choose dependent on his exam scores and the benefits of taking the class again. Elizabeth Tiley, counselor, said the decision to eliminate the diploma the option that carries more weight –literally– simply because it “looks” better. However, many students and counselors agree was left to the state officials. “I would imagine a lot of thought behind the elimination of the AP that funneling students into an overload of AP classes for the sake of a diploma with an asterisk is not neces- diploma is [that] taking an AP class in each subject is not beneficial, necessarily.” sarily a good idea. Jackie Hudgins, counselor, said that Some people felt it wasn’t in the “One of the major negatives was that some people felt it wasn’t in the students’ best interests to [require classes unreas far as students’ opportunities are concerned, the lack of an AP diploma does students’ best interest to [require] lated to] what they wanted to do in the future,” Tiley said. classes unrelated to] what they Julie Potts, junior and self-proclaimed overachiever, not change anything. said she is undecided on her major, but chooses to take “Basically, [we] are moving with a man- wanted to do in the future. AP classes because of the intensity. date from the State Department of Educa“First of all, you get college hours for taking AP tion towards a singular diploma,” she said, Elizabeth Tiley, counselor classes in high school, so it saves you money. I like to “but it’s not going to change the classes we take a few challenging classes to keep me from getting offer and students can take as many AP courses as they want.” Hudgins said that she disagrees with students taking Advanced Place- bored of material that I already know,” she said. Potts said she would take AP classes even if she “wasn’t going to get ment classes merely for the sake of AP endorsement. “The main purpose of taking an AP class is the intention of earning an AP diploma.” Boping Kang, a junior in AP Chemistry, said she believes students college credit, not just an AP diploma,” she said. Michael Gamble, a junior intent on entering pharmacy school, said should be offered an alternative diploma option. “Students should be rewarded with AP diplomas because they work even though taking five AP classes his senior year will “[make] next year hard in their classes, and it motivates them to take more AP classes,” more difficult,” it will “make college easier.” “I am planning to take AP classes because they will help me out in she said. Kelly Caroline Burnham Sports Editor
In the news
School dismisses early for severe weather Alex Hauser Editor-in-Chief
Students learned they would be dismissed from school because of severe weather on April 11 during the morning announcements. School was dismissed at 11:00 a.m., so students could eat lunch, which would qualify the day as a full day of school, thus keeping April 26 a weather day. Kris Strickland, science teacher, said that buses are not allowed to travel with any weather warning. “We’re getting dismissed at a time for buses to run their routes before the severe weather warnings start,” he said. LeAmbreya Long, sophomore, said she had mixed feelings about getting out of school. “I’m glad because we’re getting out early, but then again, it means that there’s something serious, and it’s tornado season, so I’m a little nervous,” she said. Kim VanHorn, senior, said she was glad she was getting out of school because everyone can go home and prepare before the storm comes. “It’s good that they are letting the people that drive leave early because some students like to rush, and that could cause accidents,” she said. “Plus, it gives me time to go home and get ready for prom [tomorrow].” Nicoletta Versace, sophomore, said she liked the weather day. “Better safe than sorry,” she said.
Counselors sit down with students to discuss registering for classes Alex Hauser lored to their interests and strengths.” too much time. Editor-in-Chief
T
he normal registration process has been modified for next year. Each student is scheduled to have a personalized session with their counselor to discuss classes they need to take. Elizabeth Tiley, counselor, said there were “so many” benefits to meeting with students individually. “Central Office Administration encouraged all middle and high schools to meet with students individually to have a more personalized registration system,” she said. “Students receive more attention and classes can be tai-
Rebecca Perkins, junior, said she understands the purpose of the sessions, but is afraid she will not be allowed to take the classes she wants. “It seems like if a class isn’t suggested, but you want to take it anyway, you’ll have to fight it. [It’s the] same if they try to get you to take something you don’t want to,” she said. Tiley said current course placement and grades are considered as well as class prerequisites and assessment scores. Career interests are also used to help determine the appropriate placement. Perkins said she thinks that the sessions are taking up
Review ASSASSINS Page 8
“I want to take the classes I want, so I don’t see why we need these meetings that are so time-consuming when just writing them down myself would take five minutes, likewise for everyone else,” she said. Tiley said that questions and misconceptions could be addressed with individual sessions. They also give the counselors more insight to each student. “Everyone has been very positive, and I have been able to get to know all of them [students] a little better. I met a few students for the very first time, and I’ve been able to discover interests and understand personalities a little more,” she said.
Honk! Page 3 Soccer Page 7