The Revere | December 2020 Edition |Pike Road High School, AL

By Students. For Everyone.

Diamonds in the Rough: Pursuing Entrepreneurship as Students Piper Bedient and Rebekah Wilson Entrepreneurs are known for their creativity, innovative nature, and skill. At Pike Road, several noteworthy students have utilized their available assets and begun their very own businesses.

Even as teens, students such as Sydney Baker, Gavin Bay, and Ayriana Thomas are beginning to make their way in the world.

Sydney Baker, a sophomore, has gone about her entrepreneurial journey with her company called “Preppy Pointer Co.” She makes customizable equipment for K9s, or more specifically, service dogs.

Though she specializes in accessories for service dogs, her products work for any of your K9 companions. Sydney says that she loves dogs,“but I have a soft spot for working dogs.”

She has been in this business since she was a young girl, making regular income averaging up to $150 per month. This extra income is well earned considering the quality of her creations. “I can update my machines and I just use it for personal use,” Sydney says when asked about how she spends her profit.

Read about ...

What's the tea on Chromebook vs. MacBook?, page 5 Pike Road's Tyrrell Is 'TikTok Famous', page 7 New social worker, more than a counselor, page 11

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"I have a soft spot for working dogs."

- Sydney Baker

In the future she hopes to own an account on Etsy as well as a boothe for events. She plans to use her experience in making equipment to pursue her dream job: to train and work with service dogs.

Her company can be found on instagram, @preppypointerco '

'I might grow my business' During summertime quarantine, Gavin Bay started the path to his dream of being a videogame designer. Video Games have always been a passion of his. But the dream for video games design started in 8th grade. He loves ad design more than the other class. It would cost about $50 per design. “ I enjoy my business because I get to improve my designing skills," Gavin says, "and get to make designs for other people and make them happy.”

Gavin school and business schedules are maintained without a problem. Gavin doesn’t have plans to grow his business after school but he says “If my business gets bigger then I might grow my business.”

@preppypointerco

Example of Gavin Bay's work

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'No presher, no diamonds' Among these young entrepreneurs is Ayriana Thomas, who owns a monogram business called “Unique Vogue” as well as a clothing line called “Presher.”

A pageant contestant since the age of 3, Ayriana has a keen eye for fashion. Not only has she been competitive in pageantry, but she has also modeled for a short while.On top of all her fierce fashion plans, Ayriana is an aspiring nurse. Whether it be in nursing or in fashion designing, Ayriana hopes to make a change in the world.

Her clothing line’s name, “Presher,” a unique spelling that means to “work hard in hard times,” as she put it. “I want my clothing to have a positive meaning,” Ayriana says, “I want people to see my clothes and think about the positive part of hard things.”

Released in May 2020, her clothing line displays many other encouraging messages such as “Yes, all lives matter,” and “No Presher, No diamonds, No struggle, No strength.”

She works to leave the world a little better than she found it, one sale at a time. Her message stands as an inspiration to her fellow students, and as encouragement to anyone facing difficulties. To support her businesses, they can be found on instagram: @unique.vogue for monogramming and @presherapparel.co for the clothing line.

As high school students, these learners are taking on not only the challenges of entrepreneurship, but also the difficulties that come with maturity.

"I want people to see my clothes and think about the positive part of hard things.” @unique.vogue @presherapparelco

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Goodbye MacBooks, Hello ChromeBooks!

DeAysia Moore One of the biggest changes noticed by all students this year is the switch from MacBooks to ChromeBooks, and we all are asking the same thing: Why? Since the opening of Pike Road Schools five years ago, the MacBook Air was the only school device students were used to. Learning how to navigate and operate a new device while adjusting to virtual learning is a learning curve to most of us.

Reaching out to the district’s IT Director Diana Simpson in questioning about the switch, she says, “When we make decisions about devices, we have to start with the educational purpose behind the devices.

Based on the types of work our learners do, it was clear we could accomplish that for the vast majority on a Chromebook.”

“We found that for what 95 percent of classes used the devices for the MacBooks were a bit much when there were devices that allowed our students to complete the same things at a much cheaper price,” Ms. Simpson added.

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"Repairs were also becoming an issue with the MacBooks as they were costly and quite frequent.”

While students have strong opinions about the Chromebook, school leaders note that these new devices lower the technology fee cost. Still, students have their preference. '“I prefer the MacBook because I’ve had it since I’ve been here, I know how to work it really well,” said Khrysten McDonald, a 10th grader and second-year student. “And now that we have Chromebooks, I feel like I don’t know what to do … plus I've paid over 300 dollars for a MacBook.”

Fellow 10th-grader Kaleb Zydiak, who has been attending Pike Road for four years, said he prefers the MacBook by far.

“It's much more accessible and user friendly,” he said. “You can do more stuff on it, .. and it's just easier to use.”

'With technology fees dropping, parents are praising the lower annual costs dropping from $170 to $80.

“The best decision from an educational and a financial perspective was to purchase the Chromebook’s at about one-fourth to one-third the cost of a MacBook.” Ms. Simpson said.

According to Ms. Simpson, Chromebooks are around $270 each and the 11-inch MacBooks are priced at about $600 each. Apple no longer makes that size, so a 13-inch MacBook – which is what teachers have – is all that is available and those are $799 each.

But the question remains how is it cost efficient if we’ve had the Macbooks for almost five years and they were paid off in a way?

“The best decision from an educational and a financial perspective was to purchase the Chromebook’s at about one-fourth to onethird the cost of a MacBook.” ~ Diana Simpson

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PRHS Senior Cole Tyrrell Is ‘TikTok’ Famous Allison Haynes There are many teenagers who say they want to be TikTok famous one day. One of our fellow Patriots, Cole Tyrrell already is. Forty-five thousand followers. A million-plus likes. Just him and his horse.

Cole, a senior at Pike Road High School, originally started making TikToks just to have fun and share his videos with people. Little did he know that it would turn into so much more. As mentioned before, he has gained many followers, and some people would even consider him “TikTok famous.” He doesn’t just do it for the fame, though.

TikTok is one of the most common social media platforms that most teens -- and even some adults -- use to make videos. Some TikToks include people dancing, while others are simply videos of people talking, or making tutorials about something.

“I always get messages from people saying that I have inspired them, I have made hard days better, et cetera," Cole said. "I’m also gaining more connections to other creators or even normal people everyday.”

He knows that his TikToks make people’s day, so that inspires him to continue doing it. When asked about getting verified by the platform, Cole said, “If it leads to that, then yeah. Honestly, I have a good bit of followers, but if I happen to get verified, that’d be great. If not, that’s still ok with me.”

Please see next page

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Teachers TikTok, Too! Allison Haynes However, Cole isn’t the only “TikToker” at PRHS. We also have one of our teachers who creates TikToks too. Ms. Elana Woodall, 9th grade History teacher, started creating TikToks earlier this year.

“I started creating TikToks because my students from last year were begging me to do it,” she said, “and I finally gave in during quarantine.”

Using this popular social media platform helps her to connect with her students, since so many of them use it too.

She also uses it as a form of teaching by explaining different topics so that her students have a better understanding.

When asked about her motivation to create TikToks, Ms. Woodall said, “Really I have two motivations: Number One, I think I am hilarious and I like to laugh at myself. Number Two, I enjoy using TikTok as a way to connect with my students!”

Ms. Woodall

"I enjoy using TikTok as a way to connect with my students."

- Elana Woodall

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Ask Paul!

Aurora Breland Q: How do we get excited for the future when everything keeps being cancelled? It was supposed to be a few weeks. Then months.

Now it’s still not the same! I get excited about something then get disappointed when it doesn’t happen.

Like sports and parties and events and stuff. How can we feel normal and do what we like. School doesn’t last forever. I feel like I’m missing it.

A: Life has become unpredictable and you are right we are missing out on so many things. We keep on saying we wish things would go back to normal but the thing is, right now quarantines and masks are the new normal (though hopefully not for long). I suggest you find new hobbies/experiences to participate in that fit the new normal. You may not be able to go to parties but set up a weekly Facetime with your friends etc.

Q: Can you give advice on how to maintain good grades and keep up in class especially when teachers assign so many assignments at a time?

A: It is all about time management. Prioritize your assignments and make sure you set specific times to work on specific assignments. Always try your best! Work hard and if you fail you try again. Don’t forget to take care of your mental health as well so don’t stress too much, never be afraid to take ownership of your learning and talk to your teachers.

Q: What should I get my girlfriend for Christmas? I'm really drawing a blank.

A: Think about what she loves. Think about her favorite hobbies, shows, books, trinkets, etc. and find something that ties to one of those things. Get her something personal that shows you listen and care and she will love it.

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Ask Paul!

(continued)

Q: My two closest friends are in a fight and they're both asking me to pick a side. What can I do? I don't want to pick a friend and lose another.

A: Unless you truly believe one side over the other then all you can do is stand your ground and make them understand that dragging you into it is not fair, that it is their problem for them to solve. If the problem does not involve you and they won’t listen to your advice of sitting down and talking, separate yourself and let them work it out on your own before it gets toxic and affects you badly.

Q: How do I get teachers to respond to my emails?

A: Don’t be shy to double email, they get so many emails a day sometimes they either get lost or simply forget. It also helps to talk with your mentor. Your mentor is there for you to personally help in any way so if you are having a problem with your teacher or just need them to see your email, ask your mentor to help.

Q: I am facing a hard choice, should I sacrifice my freedom but be safe and healthy, or do what would make me happy?

A: Your physical health is always important. But so is your mental health which is connected to your happiness. Try and make the best compromise you can that keeps you both safe and happy. Get creative!

Q: What is the best way to get a girlfriend?

A: First of all, be yourself! Don’t play games or be vague, let them know your intentions and how you feel.

Treat women with care and respect not as an object. Having a good personality is a sure way to attract people in a positive way. Personal hygiene and good grooming are also very important. Put together all of these things and don’t worry you will meet the one for you at the perfect time.

If you have a question for Ask Paul, click here

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New PRS Social Worker: Not Your Average Counselor Christine Shelton

Having gone through the foster care system as a child, Tasha Ruppert has dealt with her fair share of "bad social workers" and desires to be a sounding board for the youth.

Ms. Ruppert, the newly hired mental health coordinator for the Pike Road School System, is more than a counselor.

According to Dr. Charles Ledbetter, superintendent of Pike Road Schools, the school district applied for a state grant for a mental health coordinator and the grant was approved.

"We have completed the hiring process," Dr. Ledbetter said, "and have started the process of building a more effective mental health services approach to support the children of Pike Road.”

Courtesy photo

What does this mean for us? How can students be better equipped to handle mental health problems through this hiring? Before those questions are answered, here’s a little bit about Mrs. Ruppert.

Ms. Ruppert went to college in West Virginia and lives with her husband and two boys here in Pike Road. She served as a substitute teacher for PRS last year before being hired as a social worker. She has wanted to be a mental health coordinator since she was little because she went through the foster system as a child.

She dealt with many “bad social workers” throughout her childhood and wanted to make sure she grew up to be a good social worker that kids could go to when they needed help. She wants to be that person that teenagers can trust.

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When asked what she would say to students or parents who question the need for a social worker, she said “Look at mental health as a disease just like diabetes or cancer because it’s important to look at your brain. Mental health is just as important as physical health because, without your brain, your body cannot perform any tasks.”

She wants students who are going through something tough to know that you won’t receive judgment, and she is here to help with any issue you’re going through.

“I am not a counselor. I will put you in contact with resources that can help you no matter what the issue is. I will put you in touch with professionals who can help you deal with mental health, so this is much more than counseling.”

Mrs. Ruppert can’t wait to start helping kids through problems they don’t know how to handle. If you’re in need of anything, don’t hesitate to reach out and receive the help you need to be a healthy person, student, and friend.

The 'Pike Road Purge' What is it? Read page 14

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Congratulations, Pike Road Princess!

The Revere would like to congratulate Arica Haywood, a sophomore at Pike Road High School, for being crowned the 2020 National American Miss Jr. Teen!

In early August, Ms.Haywood became National American Miss Alabama Jr. Teen before moving forward to compete in the Nationals. There, she placed second runner-up in Runway Model Search and third runner-up in Actress as well as earning a spot in the Top 10 for Casual Wear.

“I went into [nationals] with a goal of leaving with no regrets and now here I am,” she said. “Not only am I leaving with no regrets, but I am also leaving with the National American Miss Jr. Teen title!”

Follow Arica’s journey on Instagram

@thenamjrteen

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‘Pike Road Purge’: Real or Fake?

Tom Walker and Christopher Mackey For those unfamiliar with what is called “The Pike Road Purge”, it is the colloquial name given to the yearly removal of many Pike Road faculty and staff members, especially teachers.

To be more exact, it refers to the idea that many teachers, often without cause, are fired from Pike Road suddenly at the end of each year.

“We have a brand, and you have to fit into that brand. We have to be flexible.

We change, and you have to fit into that change.”

- Ted White

Is the Pike Road Purge real?

One easy way to find if the Pike Road Purge is real is comparing Pike Road’s turnover rate to the national average.

“Eight percent of teachers leave the profession yearly and another 8 percent move to other schools, bringing the total annual turnover rate to 16%,” according to The National Center for Education Statistics.

The Revere wrote to Ryan Kendall, Pike Road’s Director of Human Resources & Technology, and asked about the turnover rate of Pike Road. After calculating the information, Mr. Kendall said the PRS turnover rate is 15.6%.

That means that the Pike Road turnover rate is actually slightly lower than average. However, due to the age of our school almost none of our teachers have actually retired.

When removing retired teachers from the equation, Pike Road has almost double the average turnover rate.

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Why Can’t We Retain Teachers?

The system of project-based learning (PBL) seems to be the core of both the success of Pike Road and the reason we end up parting ways with so many teachers.

“On the most basic level project-based learning takes a lot more on the teachers part” said Hannah Bradford, an English teacher.

“If you are not passionate about [project-based learning] and why it matters [teaching at Pike Road] may be frustrating, it takes much more planning, preparation and thinking about what students might need,” Ms. Bradford said.

“It’s not about you,” she added. “You do more work, but it feels like you’re sacrificing more control.”

The change from traditional learning to PBL was one problem many teachers cited for why teachers leave Pike Road.

AP history teacher and instructional coach, Kathleen Griswell said, “[Traditionally,] teachers want to use grades as a way to punish or reward kids, but using mastery. Mastery can happen at any time. It shouldn’t matter when they finally get it.

“It shouldn’t count against a child if it takes them longer to make a connection than someone else,” Ms. Griswell said. “In the end, that is the goal.”

Not being able to beat unruly learners over the head with a bad grade is something most teachers agreed could be frustrating to traditional teachers.

Music production teacher Theodore White shared an entirely different perspective stating, “The reason why teachers leave is because they move. They don't fit into our system or they don’t buy into what we are doing.”

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Mr. White added, “We have a brand, and you have to fit into that brand. We have to be flexible. We change and you have to fit into that change.”

Furthering this, Mr. White practices as he preaches, “They don't want to be acquiesced. They want to stay stuck. Look at me. I was talking politics and playing bass, but I can't talk politics with these children.”

The core of Pike Road’s success For many students and teachers, the transition from other schools to Pike Road’s project-based learning. However, PBL has very clear benefits.Most teachers agreed that simply memorizing information on a study guide and reciting it the next day on a test isn’t learning at all.

This is what the PBL system seeks to counteract. If you memorize the information and forget it the next day, you still have to relearn it to do the project.

Even the strain on teachers can be counteracted by the administration.

Almost every teacher interviewed mentioned that the annual summer training is helpful.

Professional development is the key,” said Brittney Duncan, assistant principal at PRHS. “When we were going through the hiring process, we communicated Pike Road’s vision and made sure we shared the vision to set [teachers] up for success.”

Added Jason Hadden, principal of Pike Road Junior High: “[For teachers,] it’s very similar to a student coming from the outside. Teachers and students are a lot alike with the struggles of getting used to the new system.”

School leaders say it is their mission to ease the transition to PBL.

“For the new platform, you have to roll out professional development for the challenges,” said Greg Foster, principal of Pike Road High. “If we continue to do that and support our teachers, they will be successful in the classroom.

“We’re planning on empowering those teachers to be great,” Mr. Foster added. “That’s our goal.”

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The Revere's

Viewpoints Virtually Impossible Sierra Weitherspoon

"Being at home all the time to do my work made me believe that I have all the time in the world to complete it."

Due to the Coronavirus, students as well as teachers are experiencing a drastic change by participating in virtual learning. It is definitely an adjustment to go from going to school everyday consistently to watching YouTube videos and Zoom calls from our teachers.

Being online this year makes everything different. My personal experience? This has definitely been a challenge. It's never easy. Being at home all the time to do my work made me believe that I have all the time in the world to complete it. That is just not the case.

Virtual learning does cause your attention span to crash out. I would definitely say there is little to no interaction between the teacher and student on Zoom calls. I know when I am on Zoom, interaction is not my strong suit.

For this reason, I have returned to the traditional classroom.

Like many virtual students, my sleep schedule was also messed up due to the inconsistency of my classes. For instance, if I have one class at 12 noon, I would choose to go to bed at a later time just considering the fact I don't have anything else to do beforehand.

If I have a morning class, I would just go to sleep afterwards. I would definitely say that might be one of the perks of doing virtual learning even though it kind of set me back.

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Speaking of setbacks, Alabama Education Superintendent Eric Mackey expressed concern that virtual students across the state are failing. The failure rate went up according to the school-level top administrators he spoke to. Some school leaders stated that students don't even show up to learn.

Others mentioned that the failure numbers are extremely significant. Some schools also communicated that there is a lack of substitutes.

Virtual learning does make doing things outside of school easier. Extracurricular activities are easier to make time for since school isn't everyday. We have extra time to do other things during the week even though we still have to prioritize our work.

Those priorities are sometimes affected by distractions during Zoom sessions. Problems arise when the link is distributed out to people who are not students.

Unknown people would join the call with disrespectful words and language as well as inappropriate images or videos, disrupting the class period.

In one of my classes, an intruder came in with foul language. My teacher ended up speaking about the situation which took up more of our learning time than intended.

I think we all will get used to virtual learning eventually, but it will definitely take more time than intended.

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Chris Myers: A Councilman and a Coach Government Leader Foresees PRS Growth Abbie Roach

With post-election stress heavy in the air, The Revere brings some stress-free political news that is closer to home. Chris Myers, who was elected as one of Pike Road’s newest Town Council members, works steady on three of his main campaign goals: advancement in schools, economic development, and fiscal responsibility.

Myers, whose three children attend Pike Road Schools, also is a varsity football coach for Pike Road High School.

The Revere wanted to learn more about why and how he wanted to achieve these objectives.

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Why help the school? What drew you to education in Pike Road?

The school is what drew my family to the Pike Road area. We liked the town, but the determining factor for moving to Pike Road for us was the potential of the Pike Road School system. We moved here in time for our children to be in the school the first-day PRS opened the doors. I believe helping the school was just a natural reaction for many in the Pike Road school community. The teachers, administrators, and school board have done an amazing job getting the school off the ground and where it is today. I feel like another critical piece to the school's success has been community involvement. Many parents recognized places they were gifted to help and plugged in to support the efforts of creating an amazing place for students to learn and grow. Schools are critical for helping the next generations, and they are the heartbeat, part of the identity, and critical to the success of a town. That is why so many residents in Pike Road have been involved in supporting the school.

How will you be working with the town council to advance Pike Road Schools?

I think the most important thing at this point as a council member, with regard to the school, is communication and working with the School Board to understand the current and future needs of the school.

The town is growing at a tremendous pace, and with the town growth, the school is growing rapidly as well.

To accommodate this growth we are experiencing, we need to be working together on a plan for future facilities soon.

This will give the school the needed space to absorb the number of students coming into the system.

"Schools are critical for helping the next generations, and they are the heartbeat, part of the identity, and critical to the success of a town."

- Chris Myers

How can the student body and school support our community?

Just asking that question is an amazing first step in supporting our community! Support starts with awareness of needs and stepping in to help where you can. Plugging into the events on the town calendar and supporting those events would be a great start.

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You spoke about focusing on advancing our schools, economic development, and fiscal responsibility. How do you see all of these supporting each other?

I think all three are critical pillars for the continued success of the school and the town.

Currently, the school is the largest driver of growth for the town. The school requires proper funding to maintain excellence, and a portion of that funding is derived from taxes from business.

Increasing the proper economic development in Pike Road increases the funding available to the school and town, which must be utilized wisely and prioritized responsibly.

The town has other pillars to maintain, but right now it is about prioritizing the needs of each pillar and acting accordingly.

"The school is the largest driver of growth for the town. The school requires proper funding to maintain excellence, and a portion of that funding is derived from taxes from business."

- Chris Myers

What's next for PRS from where you're standing?

Finishing with excellence. Pike Road Schools has amazing teachers and great administration in place to carry the school forward and become the best school system in the state of Alabama.

Right now is an important time to ensure the school is finished properly. We are grateful for the three facilities we currently have, but we know that in the near future we will need more classrooms and more teachers to accommodate our growth patterns.

Possibly a new high school campus is an option I feel needs to be considered now. As a town, we need to continue to step up and do everything we can to provide the proper space and funding to finish the school system with the target of excellence.

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By Students. For Everyone.

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The Revere, a student-run publication, publishes an issue monthly.

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Editorial opinions expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper staff or school administration.