The Northridge Reporter

Micro-pig

networks page 12

Food drive gives aid

The Northridge

Reporter

November 19, 2010 • Volume 8, Issue 3

page 5

Violent games popular page 9

Northridge High School • 2901 Northridge Road • Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35406

Final exam replaces graduation exam renu pandit copy editor The class of 2014 will be the last class required to take the Alabama High School Graduation Exam (AHSGE).

Andrew Maxey, vice principal, said that they are replacing the AHSGE with end of course exams which will be administered at the end of each semester.

“I think it will definitely make a difference,” Maxey said. “Right now, a lot of students have trouble passing the graduation exam because the test is given much later than the course is taken.”

Maxey said that they are replacing the AHSGE because the school is spending a lot of time administering them again, and from a school’s perspective it’s not time well spent.

“The format of the tests will be very similar,” Maxey said. “But the scope of the tests will be different. For instance, the science section of the AHSGE only covers biology, but with the course exams you have to take an exam for each core class you take.”

Robert Coates, Director of Secondary Education, said that the EOC (end of course) Assessments are presently under development by the Alabama Department of Education.

“End of Course Exams will be administered upon completion of the course and will count as a percentage of the final

grade for the course completed,” Coates said.

Coates said the exams are based on the Alabama Course of Study Standards and Objectives for Algebra, Biology, U.S. History and Language/Reading.

CheQuita Burrell, freshman, said that it’s a good thing that they’re getting rid of the graduation exam.

“Students have a higher tendency to forget what they’ve been taught over the years, so by taking the course exams they have a higher chance to pass,” Burrell said.

Maxey said the test will be given just like a final; you’ll take it in your classroom with your teacher.

“The content of the tests will be decided by the state, but teachers will be given input through representatives,” Maxey said.

Burrell said that some upcoming freshman will like this change because they won’t have to strain to remember what they’ve been taught.

“But for others it just means extra tests,” Burrell said.

Scott Johnson, geometry teacher, said he has seen some of the end of course exams from other states in the south.

“Tennessee also takes EOC exams,” Johnson said.

Johnson said that the EOC exam is harder than the AHSGE. “They cover a lot more, and they’re more thorough,” Johnson said.

Do

you

prefer graduation exams over end of course exams?

yes no

46 4

designed by anu pandit compiled by ellie cauthen 50 students polled

University courses challenge, provide higher curriculum “I have actual classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays,” Oneal said.

“And I have virtual classes on Tuesdays and For some students, high school just isn’t Thursdays.”

Cook and Banerjee have classes on tough enough. That’s when they start taking Monday through Thursday. classes at the University of Alabama (UA) “[I] don’t just take the class to get Fridays during third period. off,” Banerjee said. “It’s a pain to apply, and Seniors Anondo Banerjee, Hamilton Cook it’s expensive.” and Owen Oneal do this.

Hudgins said that students who take these “Hamilton and I take Calculus 2, and classes have to pay tuition just like every Owen takes Spanish 103,” Banerjee other student. said.

Banerjee said he paid $1,590 for the class Jackie Hudgins, guidance counselor, said and $150 for textbooks. that it’s a good thing for students who want “I had to apply to UA to get started on college as a non-degree seeking courses. freshman and get a letter “[This is true] from my parents and especially if the the principal saying I student has maxed out was up for it,” Banerjee on the classes we have said. available here, like if He said that if you ~Anondo Banerjee, senior they’ve finished all want to take challenging the math courses and classes, have a car and want to go one more step ahead,” Hudgins enough money, then you should take a said. class at the university.

Oneal said that the classes are 50 minutes “They’re quite fun, and you get a taste of long and that he and Cook ride to UA with college life,” Banerjee said.

Banerjee. renu pandit copy editor

“

photo by anu pandit Anondo Banerjee, senior, walks into school after returning from his Calculus II class at the University of Alabama.

They’re fun, and you get a taste of college life.

”

in brief Yearbook layout changes ellie cauthen staff writer The yearbook is changing.

Andrew Lattner, yearbook co-editor, said the main difference is the layout.

“The other books have been organized by section. This yearbook is chronological, starting in the summer and going through the rest of year by month,” he said.

“Each month has a section, and each week gets a double page spread,” he said.

Amanda Burns, sophomore, said she felt like the new layout could be confusing.

“I’m used to the sections they used in the past. But if it looks good, that’s all that matters,” she said.

FIN assists needy families renu pandit copy editor F.I.N., or Families in Need, assists families of students who are in need.

Beth Holliman, special education teacher, is in charge of it.

“F.I.N. started because we had families who were in need of assistance, but there was no fund for us to draw from to help them,” she said.

“You can donate whatever you’re comfortable with. We ask the faculty to donate at least $10,” Holliman said.

Elizabeth Tiley, counselor, said donations are tax deductible.

The money goes in a school account.

Tiley said anyone can donate money.

“When a student’s family can’t afford something, they can come to either Ms. Holliman or a counselor and tell us,” she said.

Tiley said the money isn’t distributed to students, it goes to their families.

Holliman said F.I.N. is in its third year.

“We have a lot of students here who are well off, but we also have students who aren’t,” Tiley said.

Overpopulation affects grades craig first infographics editor The freshman class has 344 students, according to class records.

Math teacher, Craig Johnson’s fourth period Unified Geometry class has 37 students, mainly freshmen.

“I don’t mind having such large classes.

However, I feel it is a disadvantage to the students,” Johnson said.

Johnson said studies have shown that students in smaller classes tend to do better in overall class averages.

Angela Shaw, zoology teacher, had 42 students signed up for the course. She had to turn all juniors away.

Beth Lindly, senior, is taking Shaw’s zoology class.

“It is really loud, and it is hard to concentrate,” she said.

2

opinion

the northridge reporter november 19, 2010

our thoughts

Board considers new schedule

T

he Tuscaloosa City school board is considering the idea of changing the current block schedule to a school day with more class periods in an effort to improve the graduation rate.

Options for the switch include a day with six or more periods, with year-long classes, or a modified block schedule.

The Northridge Reporter feels that a switch of this nature would be more detrimental than it would be beneficial to students.

The current block schedule provides students with considerable flexibility to plan their schedules, as most classes are contained within one semester.

Students take eight classes a year, more than the six-period would allow, and focus on four per semester. This setup increases familiarity with classes taken and helps students keep up with assignments and material learned.

Since their freshman year, students have been encouraged to plan the rest of their high school career and a switch from four periods to six periods would throw these plans into disarray, especially juniors who have mapped out their senior year.

However, the block schedule presents some problems.

Only having four classes a semester presents a dilemma, as some classes need to be taken regularly for better retention, such as math and language classes.

These classes spend large parts of the semester on review instead of teaching new material.

The Northridge Reporter acknowledges the problems with the block system, but we think the problems with trying to switch to an entirely new schedule would cause a predicament with credits that would be a nightmare for students and faculty alike.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

SEE STORY ON PAGE 4

staff opinion

agree (19) disagree (3) neutral (2)

TALK TO US

The Northridge Reporter welcomes letters to the editor.

Bring yours to room 109 or email it to northridgereporter@gmail.com

Reporter The Northridge

Northridge High School 2901 Northridge Road Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 (205) 759-3734 ext. 235

NSPA 5th Place Best of Show 2008 • NSPA 8th Place Best of Show 2008 • NSPA 9th Place Best of Show 2006 • CSPA Silver Medalist (2003, 2004) • CSPA Gold Medalist (2005 - 2008) • SIPA All-Southern (2003, 2005 – 2009) • ASPA All-Alabama (2003 – 2009) • All-American, four Marks of Distinction (2004, 2008) • 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) • Rick Bragg Award for Feature Writing (2009)

Editor-in-Chief: Entertainment Editor : Feature Editor: Opinion Editor: News Editor: Beat Editor: Sports Editor: Business Manager: Photographers: Copy Editor: Infographics Editor: Art Editor:

Anu Pandit* Nick Pappas* Alex Hauser Raiha Naeem Bajwa* Samuel Yang* Laine Elliott Regan Walker Raiha Naeem Bajwa* Brock Hartley, Nick Pappas* Renu Pandit, Maia Wade, Trent Clanton Craig First, Foster Beck, Ellie Cauthen Maia Wade, Zoey Simpson, Trent Clanton Staff Writers:

Foster Beck, Ellie Cauthen, Madison Frazer, Brooke Houston, Maddy Ingram, Justin Jackson, SaVanna McLaughlin, Claire Nicholson, James Roberts, Chelsea Shepard, Alexandra Stewart, Destiny Stewart, Sami Story, MacKenzie Underwood

Adviser:

Susan Newell*

*Denotes state, regional and national award winners

Advertising and Subscriptions: Contact The Northridge Reporter Staff at (205) 759-3734 ext. 235 or snewell@tusc.k12.al.us if you wish to advertise in or subscribe to The Northridge Reporter.

Editorial Policy: The opinions in The Northridge Reporter are those of the students and not of the faculty or administration of Northridge High School or the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education. It is the policy of The Northridge Reporter to publish all nonobscene, non-libelous, signed letters to the editor, regardless of the opinion expressed in them. All letters must be submitted to Mrs. Newell in room 109. The Northridge Reporter reserves the right to edit letters and verify allegations.

Tuscaloosa City Board Policy: It is the official policy of the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, disability, sex, religion, national origin, age or creed, be excluded for participation in, be denied the benefits of or be subject to discrimination under any program, activity or employment.

Senior faces graduation reality brooke houston staff writer

Seniors, congratulations! We did it! For those of you who have not come face to face with reality yet, we are graduating in less than a year, and more than likely will not see any of these people we go to school with after that.

Ever since I was a freshman I yearned for the day when I could walk across the football field and have my diploma in my hand. All through my high school years I could not wait to get out and start my own life. It was not until I received my tassel that it actually sank in, I am on my own after this. Never in my life had I thought I would be emotional

about graduating from high school going to miss those classes in which because of all of the immature the teacher would assign homework people that are in high school and and I could finish it within five all of the awkward minutes. transitions. Yes, I am I am I yearned for the day so excited to move going to when I could walk across on to miss not the football field and have a new studying my diploma in my hand. chapter very hard in my for some life, but of my I’m not ready to be a tests and using the “study time” to freshman again! text my friends.

Receiving that tassel The other part of me is so excited reminded me of all to get out of high school because houston of the great teachers of all of the immature people who I have encountered and all of the have way too much time on their work I have done to get to the hands. I am definitely not going to point where I am now. It reminded miss how “cliquey” high school is me of all the trials and obstacles I and how people are so ridiculously have endured though out these last closed minded. four years.

I guess you could say this is I am not going to lie; part of me my formal goodbye. Farewell is going to miss high school. I am Northridge High School.

“

”

Holiday cheer

Sophomore bothered by holiday consumerism maia wade copy editor The holidays are fast approaching. For Thanksgiving, turkey is a must, as well as cranberry sauce, macaroni, sweet potatoes, corn, fall decorations, stuffing, dressing and fussing. Christmas?

Tree, lights, cinnamon scented candles, lights, ham, lights, and, of course, presents. New Year’s passes in a fit of fireworks and champagne.

Then comes Valentine’s Day, a time to buy your darling a teddy bear, chocolate and a thoughtful greeting card as tokens of love.

Is the essence of holiday cheer in the decorations, the presents, the food and the cards? The first thing I imagine when I hear about these holidays is the objects associated with them. I think that says something about the culture

in which I’ve been raised.

Something that should be emotional, getting together with family and friends to celebrate a holiday, has turned material.

It’s become another opportunity for companies to advertise and for us, the consumers, to buy.

Soon, school will let out for Thanksgiving.

I think the word itself could use some examination: “Thanks” and “giving.” wade Long ago, this holiday was a time for people to show gratitude that they’d survived to see another year. We’re having no trouble surviving, but we still have things to be thankful for.

It’s a luxury to live in a situation where food is almost always a few blocks away. It’s a luxury to live in a place with clean water and indoor plumbing. Books, movies and music are things that not everyone gets to enjoy on a daily basis, and

the opportunity to do so shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Then, there are the little things: The cool, breezy days signalling the end of summer; the way my house smells familiar when I get home after school; the way my cat walks over my head, waking me up in the morning.

I think people tend to forget about the things they have, and it shows.

When holidays made specifically for counting our blessings, so to speak, become races for the last remaining turkey or Xbox, or for the biggest tree, it’s obvious that something has gone terribly awry.

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opinion

the northridge reporter november 19, 2010

Tristen

3

Dishwasher explodes, Teen mom shares experience Alabama still wins regan walker sports editor

I am Regan Walker. I am a junior and I am a mom. I have a son named Tristen. I know what it’s like to have a paper due, a 3 month old crying and a whole house that needs to be cleaned.

Being a mom at any age is hard, but when you are a teen mom you have a whole different set of obstacles than the average mom. You try to be a normal mom, but you have to go to school, do homework and a thousand other things that have to do with school. You try to be a normal teenager but you are faced with a lot of responsibility.

I love my life as a mom, but it’s hard not being able to do what normal teenagers do. You want to go to parties or hang out with friends but you are responsible for a life that is not your own. Plus, you are so attached to your child that you really don’t want to leave them.

You have to have a lot of support

from the people around you because but that’s normal for any family. like they say, it takes a village to She gives me advice about raise a child. I used to be confused anything and everything, and she when my grandma would tell me tries to understand everything that that, but now that I have a child, I am going through. When I have I understand what that to study for a test or when I have homework in three classes, she saying means.

It means that just will take over my motherly duties because you have so I can get everything done.

But in the end, even when I have a child you can’t raise that child all by a thousand things to do, I always yourself. You need a make time for my son because that break sometimes or lets him know that I love him, and else you would go that I’m always here for him. walker crazy, and you have to have someone backing you and motivating you to let you know what a good job you are doing.

M y grandmother is my support system, and without her I would be totally lost. photo by regan walker Of course, we Walker with son, Tristen. “I love my baby,” Walker bump heads said. “I love taking pictures to capture his mos o m e t i m e s , ments.”

Victim gives amateur thieves robbing tips nick pappas entertainment editor

I was robbed.

I like to think that I am (generally) a nice person, and when a couple of kids knock on my door at 7 p.m. asking to call their mom, I am (generally) willing to lend my cell phone.

However, when those same two kids decide to run off with my cell phone when I turn around to check and see if my oven was preheated to the correct temperature to bake my pizza, I become (generally) unwilling to help strangers.

For the aspiring burglars out there, I have some advice to

STEP 1 cover your face

help you maximize your stealing potential.

First of all, hide your face.

It doesn’t matter if you might make your dupe suspicious by wearing a nun-mask when you ask to use his or her phone. If he or she is a (generally) nice person, you’ll get your loot easy. Next, survey your surroundings.

Try to notice things of value in your respective victim’s pappas home.

If it comes down to getting the easy cell phone or sneaking a few feet inside the house to steal the expensive camera, live a little; go big or go home!

Lastly, don’t be stupid!

If you’re going to steal a cell phone, learn how cell phones work.

Realize that you do need a specific charger to charge a phone.

Realize that your target can make all of his friends call, text, and/or harass the phone until you just want to throw it away.

Realize the phone can get deactivated less than thirty minutes after you steal it.

And finally, no matter how clever you might be, you’ll still look really dumb trying to call someone on a cell phone that doesn’t work.

Some people might say I’m stupid, but like I said, I’m just a nice person, trying to help out those amateur robbers out there.

STEP 2 survey your surroundings

STEP 3 get the good stuff

art by trent clanton

But, considering we would have to clean everything by hand, my dad made the decision to cancel My house almost caught on fire. our tradition for the time being. I No, I didn’t leave my flat iron was nervous throughout the whole on, nor did I burn my cheese toast game, not having my delicious bean dip to calm me down. But, in the toaster.

Alabama pulled through with an No, none of that, amazing victory. Good thing too, my dishwasher just I would have never exploded. forgiven my dad.

At first, it was just During funny. I mean, who the week, w e has ever heard of an ordered lots o f exploding dishwasher? food and ate a lot I certainly hadn’t. of leftovers, trying But as good things to avoid having to come and go, it quickly became quite the hauser clean anything. But my health-nut mom nuisance. finally had enough. She decided Every time I use a plate, or a cup or even a fork, I to make dinner that night, nobody would have to immediately complained.

It was nice to have a scrub it down with dish soap, making sure to get all of the food fresh meal for a c h a n g e , residue off and then rinsing it but the dreaded clean-up afterwards afterwards so my next meal doesn’t lingered over my head throughout dinner. taste like soap.

In all actuality, it wasn’t as bad Then I have a Nazi of a sister standing over my back to make as I thought. It was great bonding time and we had a couple of laughs sure I do it “correctly.”

It got worse when my d a d along the way, even with my learned that no store i n sister’s complaints.

Living in a the entire Tuscaloosa a r e a carried a dishwasher we could buy. dishwasher-less life for a week We had to order one, and it took a made great memories and was definitely an experience, but I’m week to come in.

The scariest thing was so glad to have my dishwasher during the A l a b a m a back. I will never take that amazing appliance vs. Tennessee art by maia wade for granted again. game. Every Saturday my mom makes b u f f a l o chicken dip and I make my bean dip. We are convinced that it helps Alabama win. alex hauser feature editor

Oil spill hurts ecosystems

anu pandit editor-in-chief

It’s so much more than the beaches.

I’ll admit, however, that when the oil spill was broadcast, my thoughts immediately went to my ruined summer beach plans.

After my initial anger, I began to think of the more serious consequences; such as a damaged ecosystem, possible biohazard risks, and all the poor little animals with nowhere to go.

Now, I have only one thing on my mind.

Thank you BP, for not only ruining my vacation, but also my education.

Alabama is a state famous not only for football, but also the beautiful Gulf Coast. Over the years, tourists have flocked to the golden, sandy beaches in search

of memorable vacations. In fact, so many have come that Alabama has come to depend on tourismgenerated revenue to support many of its government-run programs.

Tuscaloosa City Schools (and the school systems of many other cities and counties, for that matter) is one of those systems.

But what happens when bad publicity turns those tourists pandit away?

Bye-bye tourism revenue!

With such heavy depletion of funds, cuts have to be made somewhere, including education.

Hello, proration.

art by zoey simpson

4

news

the northridge reporter november 19, 2010

Is cursive dead?

Rise of print and computers threaten cursive writing zoey simpson art editor Cursive is dying. Some school teachers focus more on typing than cursive in their classrooms.

Carol Clanton, 2nd grade Rock Quarry Elementary School teacher, taught 3rd grade for fourteen years. She said she gave intensive cursive lessons and prefers cursive over typing.

“Children are very excited about learning cursive,” Clanton said. “I don’t think we will lose the need for cursive writing.”

Traci Watson, English teacher, said she does not enforce cursive writing in her classes because it’s an elementary and middle school curriculum.

“We weren’t allowed to print in high school,” Watson said. “I prefer typing as opposed to handwritten work because of poor penmanship.”

Clanton said typing has overtaken handwriting, cursive and print in popular use.

Missy Stephens, Tuscaloosa City Schools Director of Elementary Education, said she does not think writing in cursive should be a dying art.”

In elementary schools, cursive writing is one of the essential skills for students she said.

“I think everyone needs cursive skills because computer is impersonal, and we need to maintain that skill to write legibly in cursive,” Stephens said. “[In order to decide whether cursive should be taught in schools,] the Alabama State

the whiteboard

Do you write in cursive?

YES: 25 NO: 25

Do you think cursive is necessary?

YES: 25 NO: 25

infographic by craig first

infographic compiled by craig first

Department of Education would research to see if it needs to be included or excluded in the Alabama courses of study.”

Sara Pierce, senior, said she does not use cursive except when she writes her signature.

“I think people should learn cursive, but it is good for them to learn typing because more technology is being used now,” Pierce said.

Erin Kendrick, junior, said her teacher does not make her write in cursive, but that it is “the only way” she writes.

Jessica Procter, freshman, does not write in cursive for her English class. “[Lakesha] Tillman doesn’t make us write in cursive. We can print anything basically,” Procter said.

“Children are very excited about learning cursive. I don’t think we will lose the need for cursive writing.”

design by samuel yang

Carol Clanton 2nd grade teacher at Rock Quarry Elementary School

design and artwork by samuel yang

artwork by trent clanton

Board considers replacing or revamping current block schedule craig first infographics editor

T

he city school board is tossing around the idea of changing the current block schedule in order to improve the graduation rate.

“Block schedule has been the instructional format in the Tuscaloosa City Schools since the early 1990s. Recently, school systems have been reconsidering this format.

Options for other formats include a six period day, a seven period day or a modified block schedule,” Dr. Isaac Espy, principal, said.

Espy said a modified block schedule could mean having a bonus period in between blocks for remediation or enrichment.

“Currently, students must have 28 credits to graduate. On a six period day…well, do the math.

You couldn’t earn 28 credits with that format,” he said.

A format like this would mean that students would not have as many elective choices.

There would only be room for two elective classes and the four required core subjects. “[With less electives], you could focus more on core classes and have more time to learn the chapters and stuff.

Although, it would mean that we won’t have as much freedom as we would with the block scheduling,” Marla Parks, freshman, said.

Jordan Ballard, former American Christian Academy student and sophomore, said she

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had six periods a day at ACA. “Having six periods in one day definitely gave me more homework, and teachers had less time to get everything done,” she said.

In addition to less time for teaching, there may be less time for learning. On a six period schedule, students will come up short in the number of credits.

Although some students like Parks and Ballard worry about stress from these extra class periods, but Espy said students would adjust.

“Our students are resilient and adapt easily to new situations,” Espy said. “They would handle this better than many adults.”

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friday november 19 OPTIONS FOR SCHOOL SCHEDULE

Six-period day

24 credits but only two electives Seven-period day 28 credits but more room for core classes Modified block schedule Bonus period for remediation/enrichment infographic by samuel yang

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news

the northridge reporter november 19, 2010

in brief Blood drive was ‘bloody battle’

Eggs dropped savanna mclaughlin staff writer

Art Club collects coats for needy chelsea shepard staff writer

During the holiday season, charities need help. It is colder and feeding and clothing the homeless and less fortunate becomes a harder task.

Art teacher Richard Nowell and the art club are joining with an organization chosen by Nowell to help collect coats for the less fortunate.

“I needed to do a service project, so I chose this one,” he said.

Crystal Rawls, senior, said she is happy that the Art Club decided to the project.

“It feels good to help others and know that you are making a difference in someone’s life,” she said.

Nowell said he has done this project before.

He said “[Art Club] collected about one hundred [coats]” two years ago.

Debra Downs, Spanish teacher, told Nowell about the organization, Love, Inc. and delivered the donated coats.

“There were hundreds [of coats],” she said.

A number of people who attempted to donate their blood were turned down.

“Every time I try to do something nice for somebody else it never works out. I was so upset,” Amber Box, sophomore, said. “I am anemic and I do not weigh enough for my height so it was kind of a double whammy.”

Kaitlin Krueger, senior, said she was surprised at the amount of people that were interested in donating blood.

“I did not expect so many folks to show up, but a lot of people did. Some were not even students.

We all were very pleased with the outcome,” she said.

photo by irum syed Students get their blood drawn at the school’s blood drive on Nov. 4. The Red Cross also held a blood drive at the Tuscaloosa Center for Technology.

History class emerges victorious in ‘Can-paign’

nick pappas entertainment editor

W

hat started as a battle between separate first period blocks transformed into a clash between the classes to bring in the most canned foods from United Way. Jack Blankenship, senior and SGA student, said the SGA changed the Beat Bryant canned food drive to a battle of the grades “mainly because our Bryant pep rally got cancelled.”

“We wanted to [end the football season] with a big shebang,” he said.

Although the game was changed, the winning class of the initial contest still received a doughnut party.

History teacher Mallie Humber’s first period AP US History class brought in over 300 cans to win the class competition.

Humber said in addition to going to a good cause, the competition aspect is important.

“Who doesn’t like to win?”

Humber said. “I like to surround myself with winners.”

Humber’s class had two

slogans that kept them going: for both essay possibilities in case ‘We got cans’ and the familiar they didn’t bring in the 200 cans.

‘Yes we can.’

They weren’t allowed to slack,” “[One student] asked his mom she said. to run to the store to buy some Sarah Hayes and Wil cans, and her response was ‘We Ledbetter, juniors, are both in got cans,’” Humber said.

Humber’s first period class.

“Parker Shields, [junior,] can Ledbetter brought in be attributed with the ‘Can we whatever he could find. do it? Yes we can!’ slogan. He “I brought in everything that invoked the campaign slogan had been in my pantry forever: of President Obama and put his cranberry sauce, artichoke own spin on it,” she said. “He hearts, [etc.],” he said. loved the irony of using the word Ledbetter tried to take in ‘can’ in a canned food drive.” more, but said his mom is Humber offered more “stubborn.” incentive than just the doughnut Hayes gives a lot of credit to party.

Humber on rallying support for “The students had a big, big the drive. unit test one day [during the “Ms. Humber was the drive]. I had given them two backbone of our ‘Yes We Can’ essay options, and they did not campaign, or Can-paign, if you know which essay would be on will,” Hayes said. “Basically, the test,” beastBasically, we beast-moded we she said. moded on on the entire school.” “ O n e the entire student school.” ~ Sarah Hayes, junior suggested Out of the that if [the class] could bring more than 300 cans brought 200 cans in one day, I would in by her class, Hayes brought let them choose the essay they about a tenth of the total. wrote on the test instead of me “I personally brought, like, choosing.” thirty [cans]. My mom got “[The deal] sounded good to me mad because I emptied out our because they still had to prepare pantry,” she said.

“

”

Hayes challenged the school to another round.

“Bring it on. We’ll win again,” she said.

Although Humber’s first period is made up of only sophomores and juniors, the seniors came out victorious after the competition was changed to a battle of the classes competing for a cookout.

Hank DeBell, senior, said he toted in around 60 cans of beans and veggies.

“I wanted to beat the juniors and help the homeless,” he said.

Lorin Smith, senior, said she really wanted that cookout. “[It is] in the senior courtyard,” she said. “Senior year you try ten times harder because you know you’ll never get to do this again.”

Even with the efforts of Humber’s class and the seniors, the school still fell over 100 cans short of Bryant’s club.

Callie Paxton, senior class president at Bryant High School, said she is proud of her school.

“It seems we’ve really got our priorities right,” Paxton said. “This accomplishment is something [winning] a football game couldn’t live up to.”

WINNERS school | HUMBER classes | SENIORS schools | BRYANT

Ria Evans’ third block class spent Nov. 1 in the football stadium dropping eggs.

Students decorated the outside of shoe boxes to look like cars and stuffed their insides with things like cotton balls, diapers and oven mitts to protect the eggs, which they dropped from the stadium.

“The object of this experiment is to let the least amount of impact get to the egg, so it won’t break,” Evans said.

“The shoe boxes represent cars, and the eggs represent the people inside of them,” Evans said.

Kierra Rice, sophomore, said her egg lasted “all the way through to the last round.”

mackenzie underwood staff writer

A blood drive was held Friday, Nov. 5 in the auditorium foyer. Students who were at least 16 years of age were allowed to participate if they had parental consent. Angela Shaw, science teacher, described it as “a bloody battle.”

Joseph Edwards, junior, witnessed a girl vomit while her blood was taken.

“I did not think I would witness someone puke on the woman taking their blood, but it definitely made my first time giving blood more of an experience,” he said.

snapshot

5

photo by nick pappas

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6

feature

the northridge reporter november 19, 2010

You b****

Society adjusts to sexist language

destiny stewart staff writer

B****.

Some students use the word loosely.

H i p H o p artist such as Gucci, Flocka and Lil Wayne use the term in most of their music.

Yo Gotti’s “Five Star Chick” originally titled “Five Star B****” contains the lyrics “I’m lookin’ for a five star chick…

I’m talkin’ about a b**** lookin’ like she just stepped out of a magazine.”

The children’s show SpongeBob Squarepants had

an episode where Patrick encourages SpongeBob to say all the bad words referring to them as “fancy.”

Hit TV reality series like The Bad Girls Club, Jersey Shore and The Real World may influence the way students act and talk.

Has the student body and society accepted this word?

Destiney Page, senior, said she felt the only reason males say it is because females let them, and that’s how most women conduct themselves.

Page said she has used the word and has also been called [it] but is not offended.

“It doesn’t bother me because I feel like I’m speaking my mind. Just like I have the right to say what I want, you do too,” she said.

Jonathan Hill, senior, said he thinks it’s “different” for guys.

“Guys usually take being called a promiscuous person as a compliment whereas girls are looked at as “that girl” or “that slut” he said.

Dean of Students Darrin Spence said he thinks using this kind of language is “very disrespectful

to themselves and the person they are talking to, and it’s usually a sign of a weak vocabulary.”

“Students need to think before they speak and learn to express themselves in a more positive way, “he said.

Spence said that “because that word is now common derogatory language on TV and the radio, society almost “okays” it. “But that doesn’t make it right or acceptable,” he said.

Andrew Maxey, assistant principal, chalks it up to human beings being mean.

“Some people are still trying to figure themselves and their personality out,” he said. “They choose the one that is most positively reinforced and because of that fact, young people are vulnerable to having their feelings hurt,” he said.

“And that could be why [students] are mean to each other.”

Donna Wright, English teacher, said she thinks students should “expand their vocabulary and insult people in another fashion.”

“If you mean it, then for heaven’s sake, try to be a little original,” she said.

“Instead ask, ‘what is it that you don’t like about that person.’”

Old phrases hurt more than realized claire nicholson staff writer “Boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider! Girls go to college to get more knowledge!”

This little rhyme that was thrown around the playground during childhood is an example of sexism.

Erin Baggett, history teacher, has been a victim of sexism.

“I was at UA Red Day [a job fair for education majors at UA], and I approached a school system and the woman [doing the interview] said, ‘You will never get a job as a history teacher because you’re not a man, and you can’t coach football.’ It was ridiculous,” Baggett said.

Baggett has been a teacher here for three years and is the head coach for JV volleyball and assistant coach for varsity volleyball.

Assistant principal, A n d r e w Maxey, said that the concept of one sex being better than the other is based on faulty logic.

“I don’t think there is empirical proof that either gender is generally superior to the other,” he said Some scientists tell us that due to the difference in muscular structure there are some

things t h a t most in shape men can do that in shape women can’t.

A l e x u s Sommerville, senior, said sexism is still unfair.

“Just because they’re men, they get to do more stuff than us, even though

some studies have proven that females tend to be smarter than males.”

Sommerville said.

Laneecha Turner, junior, said she feels the same way.

“I feel like God created us as equals, and the fact that guys think they’re superior to girls is absurd.”

Michael Lindsey, senior, said he thinks that the whole idea of sexism is oldfashioned.

“In my o p i n i o n , it’s stupid.

I wouldn’t make a girl do something I wouldn’t do or know how to do [myself],”

Lindsey said.

Dorian Robin, sophomore, said that it is unfair to the person who is being treated in a sexist way.

“I believe there is no point in it because most of the time women are smarter than men,” Robin said.

“So why are guys sometimes still seen as superior or more able than women?” Sommerville said.

She said that question can never really be answered.

Baggett said Southern tradition has a lot to do with the reason sexism is still around.

“People with those beliefs are old-fashioned and are set in their ways and unwilling to accept change,” Baggett said.

feature

the northridge reporter november 19, 2010

7

‘Retard’ still causes sharp pain

anu pandit editor-in-chief

“Dude, that’s so retarded.”

Lauren Johnson, sophomore, said she hears this “everywhere.”

“I usually don’t think of the word ‘retarded’ as being offensive to [mentally disabled people]. I know it just means that something’s dumb,” she said.

Johnson said although it could be construed to be offensive, most people don’t consider or mean for it to be.

“The offensiveness is not the first thing that comes to mind. People just say it subconsciously. It’s synonymous for ‘dumb’ or ‘stupid’ and carries about the same amount of offense as those words too,” she said.

Adrika Venkatanarayanan, senior, said she has a cousin who is autistic.

“People consider [my cousin] to be retarded, even though he’s not.

Technically, ‘retarded’ just means slow.

The word has come to have a negative connotation, but it isn’t bad. People just make it out to be bad,” she said.

She said the negativity associated with the word wasn’t going to make people

stop saying it. “’B****’ is a bad word too, but people will still say it. The offensiveness of ‘retard’ depends on the person who hears it. If I hear it, I’m not offended,” she said.

Becci Hauser, transition teacher, said she doesn’t hear the word very often, and never in her classroom.

“Because of my work, I am more aware of the pain and hurt the word causes others. It stings because I know how it affects those who have people with disabilities in their families,” she said.

Hauser said that although ‘retard’ can be used to convey offense, it is also used as a description.

“The word is offensive if it is used to hurt or put someone down. However, many people will use it to describe someone as being retarded. It is not meant to hurt but is said because they are unaware of ‘people first’ language. For example, you wouldn’t say ‘that cancerous person’; you would say ‘the person that has cancer.’It works the same way with people with disabilities. Instead of saying ‘that retarded person’, you should say ‘the

person with a disability’,” she said.

Hauser said ‘retard’ can be just as offensive as other derogatory words.

“It doesn’t bother me when it’s used as a description because the people who say it don’t know any better and are trying not to be hurtful. They just haven’t been educated on how to refer to people with disabilities,” she said.

Hauser said she thinks it is her responsibility to advocate for people with disabilities.

“I want to educate others about ‘people first’ language, so they will realize how hurtful the word can be. Many times people’s hearts are in the right place but the outcome is not what they intended,” she said.

Hauser said she wants to assist students in becoming productive citizens in the community.

“I do the same thing as every other teacher at Northridge. We all strive to build self-confidence and self-worth in all our students, regardless of whether or not they are disabled. We all have talents and gifts, we all have our disabilities, and we can all make a difference,” she said.

Historical words meaning changes with context

samuel yang news editor

N

****r.

People tuning in to the popular syndicated radio program The Dr. Laura Program on Aug. 10, 2010 may have gotten a shock when she used the word, un-asterisked, 11 times to a caller.

“Black guys use it all the time,” she said.

“Turn on HBO, listen to a black comic, and all you hear is n****r, n****r, n****r.”

Schlessinger apologized the next day for doing the “wrong thing,” but her argument prompted media discussion over the word’s meaning and significance.

Dr. Frye Gaillard, USA Writer-in-Residence and author of numerous books on the Civil Rights movement, said her argument “doesn’t move me at all.”

“I don’t like it when black comedians use it,” he said. “But it’s not the same thing.”

Gaillard said there was “different…very complex psychologies” behind the word’s use, and he understood its use by African-Americans.

Regardless of its complexity, the word has found its way into everyday

use, beyond the airwaves and into personal conversation.

“I’m not going to say I have not used it or will not use it,” Siara Thomas, senior, said. “But I try to stray away from it.”

The meaning, Thomas said, changes with its context.

“It’s both [a casual word and a strong, hateful word],” she said. “It depends on how you use it. It’s a different thing [when it’s in textbooks]. That is history.”

For her, Thomas said it is “one of those things where you have to be the bigger person.”

“Get some new vocabulary. Look in the dictionary. That’s what it’s for – so you don’t have to use those kinds of words,” she said.

The word’s acceptability, she said, did not depend on its speaker.

“Why is it okay for one person to say it and not for another person?” she said.

Clifton Baker, senior, said there is a “kind of a double standard.”

“If that fight was for equality, how is it fair for some people to be able to say it and others not to?” he said.

He said the word is inappropriate, but there was “no point in denying it.”

survival of racism.

“It’s a reflection of the fact that we haven’t solved the problem of racism,” he said. “It’s one of the ways we preserve racism.”

Gaillard, who teaches a Civil Rights class, said he uses the word in its historical context, such as in quoting George Wallace, governor, who upon losing a race said he would “never be out-n*****ed-again.”

“It’s hard to say out-n-worded-again [and have the same effect],” Gaillard said. “[I use it to] convey how blatantly racist Wallace’s thinking was.”

The word in other contexts, he said, “was always designed to be hurtful.”

“It was a kind of slurring of the word Negro,” he said.

“Even when I was growing up, there was an immediate word ‘Nigra’ that was used even up into the 1960s.”

H e s a id [It’s a] startling reminder of how t h e pervasive racism was. m i n d s e t ~ Dr. Frye Gaillard, was similar USA Writer-in-Residence to saying, “We don’t “Words are cheap,” he said. “It’s not even have to appropriate, it’s strong – but it shouldn’t represent [the whole issue of] racism.”

Gaillard said there are issues tied to racism that are “more substantial” than pronounce Negro a word, but that its survival reflects the correctly.”

“

”

“It’s a racist, belittling kind of word,” he said.

When Gaillard was young, he “almost always” heard the word used as a slur. Post-Civil-Rights, he said, it was appropriated by African-Americans, perhaps to “rob that word of its hurt.”

“It was clear to me that if I used it, the sting would still be there,” he said. “I’m old enough to remember how blatant racism used to be and how hurtful it was.

I’m just sensitive to the possibility.”

Gaillard said “when racism lost its respectability, the n-word did, too.”

Today, it’s a “startling reminder of how pervasive racism was.”

“Words carry hate,” he said. “Words hurt.”

The n-word is just one of those words.

“For an African-American person to use ‘whitey’ seems just about as offensive,” he said. “There needs to be a single standard.”

To him, the use of words is a “matter of manners.”

“If you say something you know will make someone feel bad or that is hurtful – [words like that], you almost never have to use it,” he said.

Gaillard remembers when, as a college student, he playfully used a word that a friend had used in self-reference.

“It actually hurt his feelings,” he said.

“That was the last thing I’d wanted to do.”

The casual use of sensitive words, he said, can “turn in a moment.”

“Words are powerful things,” he said.

For Thomas, though, the power stops at her.

“People make words wrong,” she said. “I don’t need a word to put a label on me.”

8

entertainment

the northridge reporter november 19, 2010

Fine arts classes more than an easy A The requirement of having a fine art credit to graduate high school can lead to students taking classes that don’t interest them. This sometimes causes issues in the classroom and misconceptions about art in general.

Amber Box, sophomore, said she thinks that students take fine arts electives for granted.

“Since the class is viewed as easy, students feel like teachers don’t really care what they do. The students take advantage and slack off on their work,” she said.

Donna Wright, teacher, said she has experienced these sorts of issues with students in her classes.

“They always have something witty to say, like ‘This is an elective, I ain’t supposed to work,’ or ‘This is an elective, it’s supposed to be easy.’ They’ve been raised with the idea that it’s fun, and it’s a filler class,” she said. “It’s not something that’s specifically tested, and the benefits aren’t something that’s laid out in front of you.”

John Cain, teacher, said statistics can prove the benefits of fine arts, including music.

“Research would show a correlation between music literacy and higher test scores. Arts work a different part of the mind, and it benefits learning,” he said.

Wright said arts are beneficial in other ways.

“It encourages creativity. We’re so concerned with tests and so focused on the ‘right answer’ that we miss when there’s more than one way to approach a problem,” she said.

She said that in drama, working with teams, building sets and facing general technical issues can help develop skills like group work and problem-solving that employers look for in job candidates.

Cain said exposing students to different kinds of art could help cultivate appreciation.

“We could have things available to students where they could take more than one kind of art per semester. They could be

on rotation so that students could find out what they like,” he said.

Wright said she had seen a program similar to this before.

“In Starkville, there was an interdisciplinary fine arts class required for freshmen,” she said.

In this class, students had a chance to experiment with different arts. The goal was to show students the workings behind different types of art and to show them art’s importance in society Wright said.

“I saw kids from all backgrounds develop a greater appreciation for art,” she said.

She said that many times, the reason for students not appreciating fine arts courses is a lack of interest.

“What you’ve got are kids needing a credit who don’t truly want to be there [in the class] for a whole semester,” she said.

Wright said it would be best if students had more exposure to different kinds of art, so they could find something suitable to them. “[Without art], we’d never progress as a culture,” she said.

photo by nick pappas James Brown, freshman, asks Donna Wright about an assignment. The past two years, Wright has taught only English classes in the fall semester.

photo by irum syed

photo by nick pappas

photo by nick pappas

photo by nick pappas

Brandon Mitchell, junior, presents a speech in Susan Newell’s speech class.

Cameran Beg, junior, plays his guitar in Beth McGuire’s music appreciation.

Courtland Wells, senior, works on a project in Richard Nowell’s ceramics class.

Freshmen Takulia Hutton and Brittany Houzer work a zumba dance for danceline.

maia wade staff writer

New shows disappoint old generation claire nicholson staff writer On a day when there’s nothing to do, some students wonder what happened to the old cartoons they loved.

Jackie Hudgins, counselor, said the shows today are more relevant to what is happening now.

“A lot of stuff on TV is a product of society… but some students think today’s shows aren’t great compared to the ones that used to air,” Hudgins

said. .

Between the years of 2000 and 2006, some of the most beloved shows, including Johnny Bravo, Kenan & Kel, and Rocket Power, were cancelled.

The shows on both Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon were targeted toward a younger audience, but are now geared toward older ones.

“There’s a lot of inappropriate language for children and a lot of violence as well,” Hudgins said.

Sonia Blunt, teacher, said the “networks are changing.”

“They’re geared more towards the older children and my son is six,” Blunt said.

Blunt said the old shows had a lot of character, moralism and showed the meaning of friendship. “[Shows] like Tom and Jerry; even though they fought with each other, showed true friendship in the end,” she said.

Sulandria Hayward, senior, said the old shows were more imaginative and fun to watch.

“The old shows were amazing,” Hayward said. “I go to sleep on [the new ones].”

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entertainment

the northridge reporter november 19, 2010

9

game-mania ceiling tile literature WoW maintains popularity Fitzgerald describes Gatsby beautifully justin jackson staff writer World of Warcraft (WoW), voted #1 MMORPG of the century, was released on Nov. 4, 2004, but that wasn’t the beginning of the story.

The original version of the game known as the Warcraft series was first released Nov. 25, 1994 starting the game series that is played today.

Jesse Parker, junior, has been playing world of Warcraft for five years. He said the reason he started playing WoW was “because there was no other game like it.”

“It [is] a turn of the century game,” he said.

Parker said he has a lot of friends that play the game and no one should be ashamed of playing it.

“I think people should play [World of Warcraft] if they like MMORPGS,” Parker said.

He said it’s hard for him to find one favorite aspect of the game.

“I like everything about the game,”

Parker said.

Parker said he doesn’t play every day, but when he does, he plays it for a long time.

“I play to win,” Parker said.

Caleb Spencer, senior, has been playing World of Warcraft on and off for two years. He said the reason he started playing WoW was because “there was this guy in my community that started playing, then he got me into it.”

Spencer said he plays WoW with a lot of juniors, but he hasn’t found any seniors that play yet. He said no one should be ashamed of playing the game because it’s just like any other game. He said his favorite thing about the game is playing with people he knows.

Spencer said that he hasn’t played the game in awhile, but when he does play he usually plays for four hours.

“When I’m playing the game with friends I’m thinking don’t screw up, but when I’m alone I must kill.”

Spencer said.

Video games can have negative influence james roberts staff writer Grand Theft Auto.

This name, among other notorious violent video games, strikes fear into the hearts of parents around the world who fear that this game will negatively influence their teenage children.

But people have different views on how violent video games affect high school students.

Elizabeth Tiley, counselor, said she believes violent videogames are a negative influence on teenagers.

“I believe it can desensitize them to violent behavior. They observe the images over and over again, so when they see things like that in real life, they see it as entertainment instead of abnormal” Tiley said.

Connor Latham, freshman, said violent video games are fun and harmless if handled correctly.

“You shouldn’t take them too seriously,” he said. “You can meet new people you’d normally be unable to meet, but you can get addicted and not do homework.”

Erin Baggett, US History and Psychology teacher, said that in her psychology class, she’s held polls to see what her students think. “[They’re affected] more from music videos and films,” she said.

She said they can have a negative influence on high school students.

“They spend too much time playing them, and they don’t see a proper role model,” Baggett said.

Omar Elsoukkary, freshman, said that it can only be a bad influence on teenagers if the players take the game’s meaning the wrong way.

“It’s just a game,” he said.

Fatality

photo illustration by nick pappas

Do you think violent video games have a bad influence?

Yes

grander things.

Even Fitzgerald’s hero, Gatsby, never seems to take There are a lot of reasons to flight because he spends the read this review. whole book dragging around You could be a purveyor of the disillusionment of an entire great literature, someone out to nation – which may, ultimately, learn the most they can be Fitzgerald’s goal. from the stories of the The focus here is past. not on the individuals Or you could have been in the story, but on the intrigued by the cover of world around them.

The Great Gatsby tiled Fitzgerald is drawing on into the ceiling of the the drawing emotions library, with its purple and atmosphere of skies, big eyes and green the country during the cries. forced smiles following Or you could have World War I. been assigned this book His purpose is not to for Advanced English 11 bring literary characters and now you’re hoping to life but to bring living that I’ll sum it up and tell characters to literature. you everything you need It’s a sacrifice that is to know about it for an ultimately worth it. artwork by kristy chae The Great Gatsby ceiling tile. easy A. The book really does Not to give it away or that maybe Fitzgerald was in a the best job of representing anything, but there is a little bit hurry, that he was trying to get the Twenties, and that means of death and dying at the end the thing finished as soon as it really is one of the most of the book – death and dying possible. important books of the that Fitzgerald covers in some In a lot of ways, though, that century. of the most elegant, descriptive feeling is a part of the world Writing, after all, is telling prose you will ever read.

Fitzgerald is building for the a story.

He balances description and reader.

That’s why I wrote this, and substance, and he writes stories He fills this world with that’s why you’re reading it. about people – living, breathing intriguing characters that can Or it could be because people disillusioned by the sometimes feel like caricatures you haven’t read The Great crazy world around them.

– cutouts running around, Gatsby like you were It makes for depressing, but burdened by the responsibility supposed to. enlightening reading. of being symbols for greater and Go. Read it. It’s important.

Centipede makes skin crawl, lacks plot maia wade art editor

Allow me to preface this by saying that it takes a mighty lot to make me cringe, at least in the horror movie genre. The Human Centipede, an indie flick directed by Tom Six, did an admirable job.

The movie builds on a fairly elementary character the mad scientist. Dr. Heiter, a brilliant surgeon once known for his advancements in separating Siamese twins, decides to direct his skills elsewhere; the opposite direction, specifically.

He begins to experiment with putting organisms science class

Buster, you’re the best pet bat ever!

together. The movie covers graphically, nastily, crudely - his foray into testing this practice on three humans.

The kicker?

They’re connected end to end, mouth to... well... the other end.

Being the middle child has a whole new downside.

Basically, this movie is about what happens to dimwitted tourists who don’t know their way around Europe, and who have zero discretion when it comes to accepting beverages from strangers. I literally laughed at some of the victims’ blunders.

There is very little plot and character development, but language barriers, fecal matter,

squeak! squeak!

Dude! We gotta have partners for this chemistry lab!

Spud, take it easy man!

a really fashionable lab coat, and general depravity make up for the gaps.

The whole thing made me a bit uncomfortable.

However, it had that car crash effect; I couldn’t look away.

As the credits rolled, I felt somehow mentally violated.

As they say, what is seen cannot be unseen.

In a nutshell, if the phrase “mucus cutaneous zone” sounds unappealing, I would recommend other forms of entertainment.

However, if you’ve had a bad day and need an “it could be worse” scenario, this movie definitely fits the bill.

We just have to mix these chemicals...

IIII IIII IIII IIII I

I I I I I I I I

I I I I I I I I I I I I “You’re in the game, and it makes you mad, and when you’re out of the game, you’re mad too,” -Marla Parks, freshman said.

The writing is good, but it’s so good that it tends to overshadow the story, which, honestly, doesn’t put up a fight.

Very occasionally, they cancel each other out. I can’t escape the nagging feeling

review:

No

IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII

photos by foster beck

samuel yang news editor

“[I think games] are not going to influence us in real life,” -C.J. Dorsey, junior, said.

Ha

a

Ha

Ha

Those are the wrong chemicals!

H

Ha

infographic by foster beck, ellie cauthen and madison frazer

Ha

No they’re not!

But I guess there's only one way to find out...

Ace? Let's mix them!

Yeah, Spud?

Let's read the directions next

time

10

sports

the northridge reporter november 19, 2010

sports talk

Iron Bowl schedule change annoys fan

trent clanton art editor

The college football season has almost run its course as teams end the year with an exciting game.

Thoughts of Christmas and other winter holidays dance in people’s heads.

But there is still at least one game remaining, the most heated rivalry in all of college football.

Cars breeze by with their windows rolled down, playing the fight song of their team on the loudest volume setting on their stereos. Teenagers play frisbee with their friends in the autumn sun, and leaves rustle as children run around and toss a football to one another.

This is the

historic game where the Alabama Crimson Tide plays the Auburn Tigers, Iron Bowl Saturday.

But wait, no it’s not! The Iron Bowl is on a Friday. That would be okay, but it is the Friday after Thanksgiving! And on top of that, the game is at 1:30 p.m.

That’s right, the Iron Bowl kickoff is set to be midday on Black Friday. The Iron Bowl was scheduled for the same time last year.

First of all, the kickoff time is awful. No one wants to wake up early for games, the perfect kickoff would be anytime from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

At around 6:30 p.m., the sun has just set, the stadium lights glow, and the crowd goes wild after an entire day of tailgating and having fun.

The Iron Bowl is a huge game, so the crowd will be pretty involved, but they may be more involved if the game was in the evening. At 1:30 in the afternoon, a football game just isn’t as enjoyable as a 6:30 p.m. game.

Second of all, why make it on Black Friday? Many people go out of town to visit family for Thanksgiving. Some may stay at home or have family in town.

Regardless, if some people wanted to tailgate or go to the game, this creates a scheduling conflict for those who visit family for Thanksgiving. Extreme football fans may stay at home and not travel, opting instead to tailgate and go to the game. Others may not be able to go to the game or any pregame festivities because they are out of town.

And finally, the Iron Bowl is set on Black Friday, which everyone knows is one of the largest shopping events in the country.

Millions of crazed shoppers across America go to bed early Thanksgiving night to wake up before the sun even appears, so they can take advantage of the sales in popular stores everywhere.

Either nobody is going to want to tailgate and go to the game if they have woken up early to

go shopping or the game may affect sales at stores that really count on Black Friday to make a yearly profit.

If the game was later, shoppers could come home and maybe get some sleep, but not with a 1:30 kickoff.

However, if the game was on a Saturday, there wouldn’t be a problem.

I’ve heard that the reason for this scheduling is because of the game being televised, and the television companies are going crazy with time slots because of the time of the year and this huge game.

Really? The game has been televised for at least half a century.

Why change it to a Friday at 1:30 p.m., a time that would create a scheduling conflict for many people? Because businessmen, like the ones at these television stations, only care about money?

Really, CBS?

Who are

you rooting

for?

Alabama: Auburn:

52 23

75 students polled compiled by madison frazer

Football scores victory in last regular season game brock hartley sports editor

but I was really impressed with our defense; we completely shut them out,” Burns said.

Two of the three touchdowns were The football The team played well most scored by junior Antonio team played their Easterwood with simple of the game, but I was last regular season running plays. really impressed with our game against “The first touchdown was Bryant and pulled defense; we completely a great play and everything through with a 21-0 went perfectly as planned, shut them out. victory. especially the O-line,” ~ Brooks Burns, quarterback Easterwood said.

Brooks Burns, junior, said he is The third touchdown was a touchdown really proud of his team and is happy with pass to Griffin Rudolph, junior, right in the their successful season. end zone.

“The team played well most of the game, The team ended the season 7-3.

photo by beth allaway Trey Prewitt, junior, gets tackled during the game against Bryant on Oct. 28.

Football team gets fired up

Dr. Arti Pandey and Dr. Anand Pandey

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He said these rituals make an impact on the players.

“It really gets us mentally ready for the Just before a game, the football team game,” Lewis said.

Jared Smith, performs chants to defensive back get excited.

It really gets them fired coach, said that the Clifton Lewis is an up. [The players] will coaches do not even offensive lineman start these cheers or for the team. be jumping around and prayers.

Lewis, senior, said yelling and will come out “The players lead the football players onto the field with more in the chants and the enjoy cheering in Lord’s prayer. The the locker room intensity. players start all of before running onto ~ Jared Smith, defensive back coach it,” Smith said. the field.

Smith agreed that “We do a chant the cheers help the [where we say] ‘Nasty Jags’ over and over again, and we players tremendously.

“It really gets them fired up. [The players] like to say ‘I love football.’ Coach McNabb [the offensive lineman coach] started that will be jumping around and yelling, and one. We also say the Lord’s prayer,” Lewis they come out onto the field with more intensity,” Smith said. said. trent clanton art editor

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sports

the northridge reporter november 19, 2010

11

Football Season Stats LOSSES Hoover : 44-7 Walker : 28-7 County High: 41-6 Hillcrest : 17-9 James Cox, sophomore, catches a pass during the game against Hillcrest on Oct. 22.

photo by beth allaway

Hillcrest game ignites friendly rivalry alex hauser feature editor It is the unofficial rivalry of the season.

Players and fans both anticipate the game against Hillcrest every year, but this season, a win was important.

Quarterback Brooks Burns, junior, said the game would give them a spot as coregional champions with County High. “[Even though we would have to play County High for the trophy], we would have called ourselves region champs [anyways],” Burns said.

Burns said the rivalry is a friendly one and is fun for both teams.

“Luke Wingo [Hillcrest quarterback] wished me good luck before the game,” he said.

The game is also very important to fans on both sides.

Whit Chambers, junior said “The game was more fun because [his] girlfriend, Kailyn Webb [Hillcrest junior] went there.”

“It didn’t necessarily make the game more important [for me] because either way, I was going and cheering on my team,” Webb said.

Kasey Barger, Hillcrest junior, said that the Northridge student section is always spirited no matter the outcome of the game.

“Our student section has fun cheering for a winning team, but Northridge is just as excited cheering for their team whether they win or lose. Both are equally excited about cheering on their

teams,” she said.

Burns said he thought Hillcrest was a friendly rivalry, although the teams have their differences.

“There is always some good in people, just more so in others,” he said.

Barger said Northridge is not usually a big rival for them.

“This year Northridge thought they had us and talked a lot of mess, so we came out and showed them that we were the better team,” she said.

Although Northridge lost three starting players due to injury, Brooks said they played well.

“It made me excited to know we could be called champions,” he said.

Hillrest won 17-9.

WINS Carver : 35-6 Oak Mountain : 23-0 Gardendale : 19-10 Bessemer : 38-0 Jackson Olin : 21-0 Bryant : 21-0

PLAY-OFFS Mountain Brook : 17-7 designed by anu pandit compiled by regan walker and anu pandit

Sisters, best friends use their bond as an advantage on the court sami story staff writer

“They will have sisterly disagreements, but in a game, they are teammates,” she said.

Sisters Carly Cignetti, senior, and Natalie Shuttlesworth said the sisters are very Cignetti, freshman, are two members of the alike.

No. 3 volleyball team in the state.

“I see Natalie as a mini Carly right now,” “We practice against each other,” Carly she said. “They are identical in their work said. “We play tennis ethic, and they both They will have sisterly distogether and volleyball want to perfect agreements, but in a game, at home.” volleyball the best they are teammates.

Natalie said the they can.” sisters give each other Carly said they ~ Sherri Shuttlesworth, tips. were both “pretty volleyball coach “It’s bonding time,” tall” and love Carly said. passing.

Natalie is a setter, and Carly is a digger.

“I get the pass up, so she can hit,” Natalie “We’re both good passers,” Natalie said. said.

“I’m more of a setter, and she’s more of a Carly said they encourage each other. hitter.”

“We pick each other up,” she said. “We Sherri Shuttlesworth, volleyball coach, work together; Natalie is the one who sets said both are excellent volleyball players. for me.”

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photo by beth allaway Carly Cignetti, senior, serves the ball during the match against Hillcrest on Aug. 31.

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photo by beth allaway Natalie Cignetti, freshman, serves the ball during the match against Hillcrest on Aug. 31.

Sunseri focuses, practices daily sami story staff writer

She clicks her heels, bounces the ball and serves.

Ashlyn Sunseri, junior, has been playing volleyball since the seventh grade.

“My mom wanted me to play a sport,” she said. “It was either volleyball or cross country, and I hate to run.”

Sherri Shuttlesworth, volleyball coach, said Sunseri has been “good since day one.”

“She never quits. She’s harder on herself than I could ever be,” she said.

Shuttlesworth said she nominated Sunseri for the North/South All-Star volleyball game in the state of Alabama.

“She is no. 1 in kills, no. 1 in digs, no. 2 in blocks; she tied for no. 1 in aces, and no.

3 in serves,” she said. “I am hoping that we can get her a scholarship with UAB playing volleyball because she wants to go into the

medical field there.”

Sunseri said she enjoys the high energy side of volleyball.

“I feel like it’s a very competitive sport; it has a lot to do with your skills,” she said.

Sunseri’s position is outside hitter.

“I’m on the left side of the net, and I spike the ball,” she said.

During volleyball season, Sunseri practices everyday, and in the summer she attends training camps.

“We practice every day for around two hours,” she said. “This summer I went to two camps, and I had workouts every day.”

Sunseri said she admits that losing can sometimes get inside her head.

“Sometimes you think about the ‘what if’s’ of the game,” she said.

Sunseri blocks out her surroundings during the game to help her focus.

“You have to shut everything out,” she said. “Think about winning.”

the beat

the northridge reporter november 19, 2010

12

photo by nick pappas Steve Phillips, pig, gazes out on the courtyard from his cage. “Hunnngh reeeghh hunggh ghunnnnnh,” Phillips said. According to his Facebook profile, Phillips is part of the Communist Party.

Zoology project enjoys Go-Gurt, Cheerios zoey simpson art editor nick pappas entertainment editor

photos by nick pappas Top: Jack Blankenship, senior, gives Steve Phillips, pig, some Go-Gurt. Middle: Phillips ambles around the courtyard during some free time out of his cage. Bottom: Whitt Poore, senior, watches as Phillips grazes on grass in the courtyard.

Steve Phillips is a pig.

He lives in a small cage in the courtyard and he likes Go-Gurt.

“Rheeeeeeeegh, rheegh rhegh,” he said.

Phillips is a micro-pig, in fact, and said he sometimes feels left out when he goes to a social event with other, regular-sized pigs.

“Huungh, rheegh hungh hungh,” he said.

“Rheeeeghhh hungh rhegh.”

Even with his size prob-

lem, he said he finds most pigs are open to being his friend once they get to know him.

“Hunngh ghunh gruunghh.

Rheegh hungh RHEEEGH ghunh,” he said.

Phillips said he keeps up with his friends on Facebook (created by Jack Blankenship, senior).

“Reeegh rheeegh hnngh,” he said.

Phillips said he enjoys being a pig, but sometimes he wishes for more.

“HUNGGGGHH rheeegh hungh rheeegh. Ghuuuung hungh rheegh rhegh reeegh hungh rhegh,” he said.

Phillips is a pet in science

teacher Angela Shaw’s zoology class. His owners are Blankenship, Joe Limbaugh, Whitt Poore, Jonathon Hill and Drew Hoagland. They call themselves “Team Steve.”

When Hoagland and the team bought Steve, he weighed 10 lbs.

“After [he got] neutered, he gained three pounds,” Hoagland said.

Blankenship said the whole team came up with the name Steve.

“We all like the name Steve, and the guy in the pet store’s name was Phillip, so we decided to put Steve Phillips together,” Blankenship

said. “It’s also the name of a baseball announcer.”

Blankenship said he was curious about what things Steve would eat.

“We figured he liked everything, but Mrs. Shaw said Go-Gurt was good for animals, and so I had some Go-Gurt in my lunch box, and I was like aahhh Steve would love Go-Gurt,” Blankenship said.

In addition to Go-Gurt, Limbaugh said Steve’s interests are Cheerios, Facebook and rolling in the mud. “[But] he doesn’t like to take showers, and he doesn’t like to be picked up,” Limbaugh said.

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