Issue 2 October 2017 by The Sentry, Jackson Preparatory School

J A C K S O N

T H E V OL. XLVIII, ISSUE 2

P R E P A R A T O R Y

S C H O O L

S E N T RY

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The Sentry Volume XLVIII Issue 2 October 2017

Table of Contents Views and Voices/Sentry Picks.......2 News & Features...........................3-10 Junior High News............................11

jacksonprepsentry SNAPCHAT

thejpsentry

(we won’t follow you)

Around Town....................................12

Editors-in-Chief Avery Andress • Tynes Carroll Managing Editor Stewart McCullough Business Manager Patrick Phillips Copy Editors Alex Gibbs Mary Patton Murphy Entertainment Editors Tanner McCraney Tori Newsome

Entertainment.............................13-17

Graphics Editor Jake Bell

Sports.............................................18-23

Online Editor Preston Dubberly

Opinion..........................................24-26

Opinion Editors Maclain Kennedy Caroline McIntyre

Fun & Games.....................................27 Candid & Random............................28

sentry@jacksonprep.net

Affiliated with

MISSISSIPPI SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION www.mississippischolasticpress.com

The Sentry is a student publication updated throughout the year. As student writers, we try to reflect the thoughts of our most important readers-- the students of Jackson Prep. Because of this, we attempt to approach many issues, some more controversial than others. Nevertheless, the Sentry staff serves the school--her students, her faculty, her family, and her community. The staff hopes to inform, to educate, to entertain, and to question for the betterment of Prep and the lives of people in the Jackson community. The newspaper is produced by the Sentry staff, consisting of students both in and out of the senior high journalism classes. EDITORIAL POLICY The Sentry accepts outside editorial pieces under the following guidelines: •Letters to the Editor are a great way to make your voice heard. We do not print unsigned letters. •Longer concerns may be addressed via a Guest Editorial, with a minimum of 250 words. To be considered, such opinion pieces should not simply be rants, but should be about things that can be changed or alleviated, should suggest a solution to a problem. Pieces should not simply jab at things of which the writer does not approve. Humorous opinion pieces are subject to the judgement of the editorial staff. •All opinion pieces are the views of the author, and the author only, with the exception of staff editorials, which are unsigned and and reflect the consensus view of the students in the Sentry class. Staff editorials are the only columns in the paper that express the unified view of the Sentry staff. This staff editorial process is comprised of two main steps. First, the staff talks amongst themselves about a topic and organizes a position on the issue on which all class members can agree. The editorial is then written and run past the staff members for approval. •Submit letters to the editor or guest editorials to sentry@jacksonprep.net. •Questions or comments? Our mailing address is P.O. Box 4940, Jackson, MS 39296. We would love to hear your opinions.

May 2017

Sentry Staff

Photography Editors Sarah Avery Huffman Madeline Claire Hughes Genevieve Hurst Henley Johnson Records Managers William Fletcher Anna Stack Social Media Editor Emory Maxwell Sports Editors Bennett O’Quinn Steven Wyatt In-Class Staff Mary Virginia Baldwin •Jane Gray Barbour Payne Bell • Bonnie Burge • Camp Carter Tripp Cory • Sarah Cory • Katelyn Cox Sayley Crawford • David Crews Elizabeth Downing • Tanner Gough Ford Lange • Mara Liston • Barron Liston Kennedy Marble •Aubrey Scott Moak Eloise Moore • Olivia Moore Ainsley O’Quinn • Kate Oliver John Parrish • Hogan Privitt Russell Roberts • Charles Stephenson Carter Stockett • James Threadgill Russ Upton • Nevin Wells • Allie Wise Advisor: Mr. Lain Hughes

News & Features

Jackson Prep Homecoming 2017 by

Madeline Claire HugHes Henley JoHnson

and

This year’s homecoming fell unusually early into the school year on September 8th. In the week leading up to Homecoming, Jackson Prep senior high students participated in dress-up days with different themes that were decided by Student Council. Tuesday’s theme was doubles day, Wednesday’s theme was Christmas, Thursday’s theme was Hawaiian, and on Friday, the student body wore the homecoming t-shirt, which was designed by senior Katie Walker. On Thursday, many games and activities like face painting, limbo, egg tossing, etc. took place on Patriot Avenue during Activity Period and Homeroom. On that Friday at the pep rally, the homecoming court was presented to the student body. The annual homecoming game was against Pillow Academy. The game resulted in another win for the Patriots with the score of 49-0. During halftime, the Pacers performed while the crowd anticipated the presentation of the homecoming court and the crowning of the queen.Members of the court were sophomores: Mary Noble Howard and Julia Zoubukos, juniors: Breelyn Daven-

port, Emison Geiger, and Mary Patton Murphy, seniors: Avery Andress, Anne Clark Harvey, Dakota Jones, and Maddy Mazzaferro. 2016’s homecoming queen, Rosemary Ferguson, made an appearance once again to crown the new queen, Maddy Mazzaferro. Although the homecoming dance started shortly after the game around 9:30, most students got there early to take pictures near the entrance with their dates and friends. The far end of Patriot Avenue and the edge of the cafeteria were fully decorated with lights, and tables were stacked with delicious foods and drinks. A live band, who incorporated a blend of recent and older music, played as the musical entertainment. As the music was being played, students danced and sang.

Top left: Sophmores Bennett Johnston, Elizabeth Watson, Sarah Douglas Craig, Talbot Fletcher, Alice Ann Top right: Cheerleaders with flower girl. Photo courtesy Hollingsworth, and Jimmy Underwood. Photo courte- of Tracy Mallard. sy of Alice Ann Hollingsworth. Middle right: Sophmore maid Julia Zouboukos with her escort, her dad Constantine Zouboukos. Photo courtesy of

Middle left: Homecoming Queen Maddy Mazzaferro with senior Cooper Carroll. Photo courtesy of Mark Carroll.

Bottom left: Senior Shelby Andress and Junior Madeline Claire Hughes. Photo courtesy of Hannah Grace Berch. Bottom Right: Junior Henley Johnson with senior Andrew Beard, and junior Caroline Whitaker. Photo courtesy of Henley Johnson.

The Sentry

News & Features Change is coming to Prep’s schedule next fall Avery Andress Change is coming soon to the Jackson Prep day. The school has been working on deciding a new schedule as part of a strategic plan that began in the 2014-2015 school year, and the final result of the process will be an all-new schedule that will start in the fall of 2018. A main goal of this schedule change is to allow students to take more classes and become more student-centered. In crafting a new schedule, the school looked closely at a number of different models used by innovative schools nationwide. Independent School Management is the company that helped Prep make decisions regarding the new schedule. Dr. Bryan Smyth, a consultant with ISM, came to the school last year to observe and interview people to help understand how Prep functions. Using information from his observations and interviews, ISM gave several recommendations to the school which began to form the basis of the by

new scheduling concept. Prep’s Board of Trustees was briefed on the new schedule as it was being finished. Ms. Carolyn Sisk, Prep’s Director of Academics, and Mr. Hunter Upchurch, Assistant Director of Academics, introduced the new schedule to the faculty at a special faculty meeting on September 5. Interim Head of School Mr. Denny Britt unveiled the new schedule to his advisory board of students, the Interim Head of School Advice Council (see related story, page 6) at their meeting on September 27 to hear their feedback. Students and families will see a number of changes in the school day, including its length. One thing that will change next year is that the two different divisions of the school will have different schedules. The junior high schedule will retain more stability. Junior high students will still have sports during the school day. Each morning there will be a 15-minute advisory meeting for all students before 1st

period begins. Although the junior high schedule and senior high schedules will be different, there will be an overlapping carrier (class period) at the end of each day. There will be more carriers in the class day to allow for more variety and flexibility in a student’s schedule. In the senior high, the most visible change will be that carriers, or class periods, will rotate from day to day, so a student will not take all core academic classes in one day. This rotation should allow students to not have homework in all of their academic classes every night, and help people who get dismissed early from school for different activities such as athletic events, so they will not miss the same class every time. Students will also be able take more electives with this change. School will now start at 8:10 am and end at 3:10 pm each day. Each carrier (or period) other than the final one will be 70 minutes long. The lunch period for all senior high stu-

“I am excited that Prep is moving toward a schedule that is more student-centered and flexible.”

-Mr. Upchurch

dents will be 45 minutes and will no longer be part of 4th period. As it currently stands, the plan is not necessarily the definitive version of what the schedule will be for the next few years.

Mr. Upchurch said, “I am excited that Prep is moving towards a schedule that is more student-centered and flexible. I believe that these changes will allow our students more time to pursue innovative and creative educational opportunities.” The new schedule will remain a work in progress for a while as the administration gathers feedback and comments and moves toward implementing the new schedule for the next school year.

New Junior High Schedule

New Senior High Schedule

October 2017

News & Features High schoolers are not catching their Zs

mary Patton murPhy These days, almost everyone appears to be sleep deprived. It takes minimal effort to spot the differences between a well-rested, energetic person and his drowsy, droopy-eyed other. According to the National Sleep Foundation, the causes of sleep deprivation are innumerable, though the causes for high school students are more easily summed up than the causes for children and adults. Recent research suggests that up to 85% of high schoolers across the United States are not receiving the recommended amount of sleep (eight to ten hours) due to irregular sleep patterns during the school week (i.e. staying up late on school nights and sleeping in late on the weekends.) In addition, several teens also suffer from narcolepsy, insomnia, restless legs syndrome or sleep apnea. Evidently at Prep, the majority of the student body falls short of the recommended number of hours, receiving as little as four to seven hours of sleep. Junior Alexis Simon stated, “I never get enough sleep. When I finally get to bed, I’m out. No need for counting sheep!” Because sleep is essential for the performance of import-

ant bodily functions and brain activity, the results of missing an hour two at night can make all the difference the next day as well as in the weeks to come. In the short term, well-rested students will be more alert in the classroom and on the football field, and after a solid few weeks of sleeping the recommended number of hours, students will find that their overall health in regards to increasing heart rates or shakiness, memory lapses, and other activities will be (with the absence of other factors) in a stable condition. Still, there is one important (yet overlooked) area that is highly impacted by students’ lack of sleep: driving. When a student is sleep deprived, he or she is as impaired as driving with a blood alcohol content of .08% which is illegal for drivers in most states. In fact, drowsy driving is one of the top 20 causes of car crashes every year. Because research proves that sleep deprivation is found to be unhealthy and even fatal, it is important to note some solutions to this ever pressing issue. By making sleep a priority, students will be better equipped to complete their daily tasks.

Some ways to do this would be to create a sleep schedule or take naps when necessary. By establishing a sleep schedule, students will create a habit that guarantees a designated number of hours of sleep ev-

Preston Dubberly tori newsome One of the first things Mr. Denny Britt did as the Interim Head of School of Jackson Prep was develop a Student Advice Council which consists of thirteen 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students. The purpose of this specific committee is for the students to be able to have a voice. Mr. Britt said, “Influence, input, and having a voice are important.” The senior high office gave a list of thirty to forty students to Mr. Britt for him to abstractly choose who would be on his special council. One great

thing about this council is that none of the thirteen do the exact same activities. The students on this council are: seniors Avery Andress, Reed Peets, Gregory Vance, and Wesley White, juniors, Preston Dubberly, Jerrion Ealy, Barron Liston, Shekinah Lumpkin, and Maggie Waller, sophomores Gayle Grantham, Mary Noble Howard, Reed Kellum, and Alex Stradinger. Students that were not aware of the council can participate by sharing opinions with their peers that are on the council. Although, Mr. Britt is not opposed to anybody stopping by

his office. This year, Mr. Britt will hold six or seven meetings. They have already had two meetings. In August, their meeting was mostly an orientation and an aerial view about what the year would bring. Mr. Britt hopes that the students will not see these meetings as burdens with homework. He wants the council members to view it as “think work”. He is very adamant about treating the students like adults because he genuinely cares what they have to say. In their September meeting, the students were able to preview the new schedule changes. Mr.

photo illustration by Jake Bell ery night, and it is proven that even a 15 minute power nap can change a person’s behavior. Prep advisors and teachers also have some tips for high schoolers handling this issue. Their most common piece of

advice is that students make better use of their time. Senior High Physics teacher Ms. Myers stated, “Students need to take more advantage of Activity Period. Time management is huge.”

Interim Head of School asks for student advice

anD

Upchurch presented the new schedule to the council and plans to present it to rest of the student body soon. Originally the meetings were to be scheduled during a lunch period, but due to different lunch times, two members of the council, Mary Noble Howard and Gayle Grantham suggested that the council meets whenever the school has early dismissals or late starts in order for everyone to be available. Mary Noble said, “I really like that Mr. Britt wants to hear the students’ perspective and how he wants to get to know some of the students.” The other

topics that are to be discussed this year are attracting new students, honor council, library transformation, and coding/robotic science. If Mr. Britt were to give the next head of school any advice, he said, “I would recommend having a council in order to create relationships with the students.” Hopefully, this council will help Mr. Britt see the school from a student’s point of view. This council is not like a suggestion box that goes unread for weeks; he actually puts these suggestions into action.

The Sentry

News & Features

Prep takes seniors on college visits By Avery Andress Jackson Prep took a group of seniors to visit the University of Mississippi on September 28. The bus left Prep at 6 am with Megan Thomas, the Assistant Director of Admissions, and Cole Putnam, the Ole Miss Admissions counselor for Madison and Rankin counties. Breakfast was provided for the seniors. When the seniors got to Ole Miss, they went to Paris-Yates Chapel to hear from Whitman Smith, the Director of Admissions. They also heard from Linda Spargo, the Special Projects Coordinator, Academic Advisor and an Instructor in Business Administration. The students were informed about Ole Miss and the opportunities that they would have at the university. The students then had the choice to visit to the Honors College, Croft Institute for International Studies, or the CME (the Center for Manufacturing Excellence). At the Honors College, the seniors

The University of Mississippi

heard from students who were currently in the Honors College discuss the opportunities that the Honors College has. The seniors who went to the Croft Institute for International Studies heard about the different study abroad opportunities. The seniors who went to the Center for Manufacturing Excellence learned that this major combines Accounting, Engineering, and Business. They learned about the program and got to tour the facilities. Huge steel cutting machines, factory production lines, and 3-D printing machines were part of the facilities they toured. The Students then went to the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics and heard from a panel of current Ole Miss students about life at Ole Miss and the new Provost, Noel Wilkin. Students on this panel were from different states, countries, and some were Prep alumni. Miss Ole Miss was also a part of this panel. Prep seniors could ask

guide who showed the seniors the landmarks in Oxford. After the tour, the double-decker buses brought the seniors back to the Grove. Lunch was provided by Old Taylor Grocery at the Grove and some Prep alumni came to lunch. When the seniors ate lunch, they had the

opportunity to talk to the department chairs of many majors at Ole Miss. This tour gave seniors the opportunity to see if they were interested in attending Ole Miss the next fall.

Prep seniors in front of the Walk of Champions. Photo courtesy of Megan Thomas.

Mississippi State University

Prep seniors at Mississippi State University. Photo courtesy of Anne Duncan.

October 2017

any questions that they wanted about Ole Miss. The Ole Miss students told the seniors about the student organizations they are a part of like NewsWatch and Associated Student Body. Double-Decker buses then took the seniors around the campus of Ole Miss and the city of Oxford. There was a tour

By Avery Andress And Tynes CArroll On September 5 the senior student bus to MS State departed from Prep at 6 am. Candace Johnson, a MS State admissions counselor, rode with the students on their trip to Starkville. Breakfast was provided for the seniors. Candace Johnson told the seniors about the campus and asked trivia questions on the ride to MS State. When the seniors got to MS State, there were MS State Roadrunners (ambassadors) waiting to greet them. The seniors then went to the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex and heard advice from MS State Chancellor Mark Keenum, Football Coach Dan Mullen, Men’s Basketball Coach Ben Howland, Women’s Basketball Coach Vic Schaefer, Baseball Coach Andy

Cannizaro, Jake Mangum, a Prep graduate and current MS State baseball player, and many more. After the seniors heard from the faculty and current MS State students, they went on a tour of the school of the major they are interested in. Prep seniors who went to the Business School were shown the entrepreneurial center. When they were in this center, some of the seniors were given current shark tank ideas and had to present them to the other seniors on the business tour. The seniors watching were given fake money to vote on their favorite products. The students who went on the College of Arts and Sciences were given a presentation and packets. The other students who went to the other colleges were given tours and more information about

their particular fields. Senior Miriam Box said, “I love Mississippi State because everyone there made me feel special and made me feel at home.” Lunch from McAlister’s was provided to all of the students. At lunch Connor Watson, a Prep graduate, and Tyler McMurray, the Student President at MS State spoke, giving the students advice and answering questions. There was an ice cream social after lunch in which Prep graduates came and talked with current Prep students. The students then left to return to Prep. This trip gave students a great insight into MS State and whether or not they would be interested in attending school there in the fall of 2018.

News & Features Freshman Exchange student: Brittany Jiang Tynes CArrOll Brittany Jiang is one of Prep’s newest foreign exchange students this year. She is a ninth grader from Southwestern Chiby

na and loves art. Brittany traveled to Prep during the summer and attended the Jackson Prep International Summer Camp in July of this year. She visit-

ed Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle with her family before coming to Jackson in the summer of this year. Jiang is fluent in both

Brittany Jiany contemplates her answers while being interviewed. Photo by Tynes Carroll.

Chinese and English and is continuing to further her English speaking skills here at Prep. Brittany said that her favorite part of America is the free time that she has during the school day here compared to her school in China. When asked what she thought was the strangest thing she had seen in America, Jiang responded, “I haven’t encountered it yet!”

Jiang’s favorite subject in school is math, and she loves the experiences Prep has given her over the past three months. You can find Brittany in the art room, behind a camera, running for the cross country team, or helping friends with math homework. Be sure to welcome Brittany to the #prepfamily!

You’ve probably seen the versatile Julia Zouboukos

Ainsley O’Quinn If you go to Prep, you have probably seen Julia Zouboukos on the football field, on the basketball court, or in the candy line. As a part of the class of 2020, she is involved in varsity basketball and volleyball, student council, pacer, patriot league, and a travel volleyball team outside of school. She was honored by her peers this month by being elected to the homecoming court. In order to keep up with her busy schedule, Zouboukos puts all of her activities in her phone calendar. This helps her stay organized and not get overwhelmed. Her trick for not getting behind in school is staying up as late as she has to to finish her homework. Her schoolwork is very important to her, therefore she makes it a priority. Zouboukos does not plan on continuing to play any sports in college, but she is open to the by

idea. She plans on continuing these activities throughout high school and hopes to get involved in a few clubs too. Soccer is the one sport she wishes she had pursued that she did not. Right now, her favorite thing she does is Pacer. It is very different from her other activities, and she is enjoying the new experience. Having Kristina Zouboukos, a former pacer, as a sister helped Zouboukos understand the responsibilities that come with the position on the team. She also helps her perfect her kicks and moves. Zouboukos plans to help her younger sister, Elena, juggle her various responsibilities in the same way her older sister helps her. Being this involved in the Prep community comes with a good deal of stress. Zouboukos gives herself time to relax every day in order to avoid becoming overly stressed. Her thought

when handling stress is, “Everything will turn out fine.” When she is not practicing, performing, or playing, Zouboukos makes sure she spends time with her friends. She balances her full schedule of work with her social life by talking to friends at school and hanging out on the weekends when she is free. According to Zouboukos, the best part of participating in so many things is meeting new people and building friendships. She also loves that she is never bored and always has something to do. She feels honored to have represented her sophomore class, along with Mary Noble Howard, on homecoming court this year. As stressful as it may get, Zouboukos enjoys her busy life and loves all of the friends she has met along the way.

Zouboukos tearing up the court during a game.

News & Features

Grant Hughes, man of many talents barron Liston Grant Hughes is not only a junior at Jackson Prep, but a sportsman, writer, history buff, and a war re-enactor. He was born in Mississippi as one of three triplets and soon after moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During his stay in Philadelphia, Grant developed a passion for Eagles Football. He returned to Mississippi and attended Saint Andrews before making the switch to Prep in the 9th grade. Grant, with his passion for football, immediately signed up for the team. Football is not the only team that Grant participates on, he also shoots skeet as a member of the Gun and Bow team. by

In his free time, Grant enjoys writing short stories, usually historical fiction, studying military history, and keeping up with/debating politics. Grant’s most interesting hobby is his participation in war reenactments. Grant said he enjoys it because “Reenacting gives you a whole different perspective and experience when you’re out there holding the firearm and wearing the uniform.” He is currently a WWII re-enactor as a member of the 1st Polish Infantry Division of the Polish Army in the East. Grant, the only non-Pole in his unit, has a deep appreciation and knowledge of Polish History. He feels that Poland’s history is underrepresented and that

its persistence for its independence is respectable. This leads him to reenact as a Polish soldier. Grant’s meaningful relationship with Christ and deep appreciation for our nation’s military play an important role in his life. He aspires to become a naval chaplain or a military history professor once he graduates from college. Once he graduates from Prep, Grant says he would like to attend Ole Miss, Mississippi College, Liberty University, or The Virginia Military Institute. Right: Junior Grant Hughes poses for a selfie. Photo courtesy of Grant Hughes.

Sophomore Exchange Student: Felix Lyu Kate oLiver and Mary virginia baLdwin In recent years, Prep has expanded its range of foreign exchange students; one of these students is 10th grader Felix Lyu. Lyu Comes from the city of Kunming in Southern China. He came to Prep during the second semester of the past school year and has been leaving his mark ever since. Lyu has observed in his time here that China and America are very different. Obvious differences include the language, the style of education, and the difference in sizes of schools in the US vs. China. Additionally, America allows much more freedom in the areas of education and sports, which is why his parents pushed him to travel across the world. For Lyu to be able to complete his education in America, by

he had to become fluent in English, which took him two and a half years. Despite all the differences, Lyu loves America. His favorite parts about living in the US include football games and the variety of people he is able to meet. While in China, Lyu’s favorite place is his beautiful hometown. His free time in China consisted of playing soccer, while he uses his free time now to perfect dances for the high school show choir group, Reveillon. Earlier this year, Lyu attended the first Ole Miss game of the season, and now claims that Oxford has been his favorite place he has visited so far. He hopes to visit many other famous American landmarks in his time here and further expand his American experience. Felix poses with Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves at the State Capitol. Photo courtesy of Felix Lyu.

To see more student profiles, check out www.jpsentry.net October 2017

News & Features Students help students at Writer’s Block By AnnA StAck Over the years, the Writer’s Block, Jackson Prep’s student-led tutoring service, has helped many students grow as writers and expand their literary skills. The Writer’s Block aims to focus primarily on papers and compositions, but it is open to helping with other projects and specific issues of individual students as well, preparing students to write compositions in college. As the Writer’s Block has grown, more students have begun to attend both to tutor and to receive guidance on their papers and projects. To attend the Writer’s Block, students can speak to their English teachers and receive an invitation. Subsequently, their teacher can recommend specific problems to address in the Writer’s Block, allowing a specialized session in order to focus on weaker skillsets. The Writer’s Block is also open to walk-ins, providing an opportunity for any student to receive help on their projects and/or compositions.

The Writer’s Block is overseen by Mr. Nathan Devine, who also teaches 11th grade English. He said, “I’m continually amazed by how selfless and consistent the tutors are. They’re very dedicated to their work. People that attended the Writer’s Block routinely last

year showed vast improvement. After identifying a trouble area, it’s worth coming back and working on it over time. One-on-one tutors are especially helpful in solving these problems over the long haul.”

Seventh Grader Teddie Carroll sketching underneath the trees at Arts Alive. Photo courtesy of Tynes Carroll.

ARTS ALIVE, previously known as “Meet The Arts” showcased students musical and artistic abilities with a student art gallery and performances from each of the Performing Arts groups.

Former Navy SEAL inspires students to live the “Team Life” Avery AndreSS, tyneS cArroll, And Ford lAnge David Rutherford is a former Navy SEAL and motivational speaker. He came and spoke to the Jackson Prep student body on September 21, at the invitation of Global Leadership Institute director Col. William Merrell. In a follow-up meeting with a smaller group of students during 5th period, Rutherford said, “One of the most interesting things I do is to watch where people sit during my speeches and learn things from that.” The four main ideas that form the core of Rutherford’s message are commitment, training, communication, and David Rutherford speaks to a group of students during 5th period. Photo By

by Ainsley O’Quinn.

leadership. He spoke on commitment to yourself and to others. He also told the students about training and how training never ends. He talked about communication and that one must be a good listener. He also talked about leadership and how we can all lead in our lives. Rutherford played football in high school and wanted to play college football. In high school he was the national representative for Florida at the All American lacrosse game. He played lacrosse at Penn State and gave up on his dream of being a quarterback. When he became a Navy SEAL it changed his life. He says he became a Navy SEAL

because of God. He was trained by Rob O’Neill, the man who killed Osama bin Laden. Rutherford told students that the Navy SEALs would have to run 9 miles to get to their meals each day. He talked about the training and dedication it takes to be a Navy SEAL. He currently has 32 friends that he has lost and are at the Arlington National Cemetery. He also talked about the “Team Mentality” as key to being a Navy SEAL, but also explained ways in which students could apply it to their own lives. More information about David Rutherford and his ongoing work as a motivator can be found at his website, https:// teamfroglogic.com.

The Sentry

Junior High News

Rollin’ with the sevies: Big Sis Lil Sis

Sayley Crawford, Mara liSton, and Sarah Cory Big Sis Lil Sis is a program that has been in place at Jackson Prep for several years now. Leading this group for her second year is Ms. Sharon Box. Ninth grade girls serve as a Big Sis to the seventh grade girls and the hope is that the two girls will grow in their friendship with one another. On September 12th, the by

girls of the two grades went to the Multi-Purpose Room and found their Big or Lil Sis. The ninth graders had drawn random numbers and when the seventh graders come in on that day, they were given a random number as well. The seventh

grade girls found the person who had the same number as them. From that point on, the two girls with the same number are considered each other’s “sister.” The girls will meet monthly to enjoy fun activities like karaoke and dance parties. They will also listen to several speakers which will include Ms. Mallory McCoy, interim Youth Pastor at First Baptist Church

well as a time of encouraging the girls to help one another. This successful program is something Junior High girls look forward to each year. Past participants still remember it fondly. Senior Maddy Mazzaferro reflected on her years in Big Sis Lil Sis, saying, “It was a good way to get to know someone younger. You got to do stuff with your little sister and see her throughout the day and it was a fun way to be an older ‘role model’ to a seventh grader.”

“This is a fun

Jackson; Ms. Lauren Compere, Ms. Wheelchair Mississippi; and Ms. Stacy Underwood, founder and director of HeARTworks, an art ministry for the homeless. Common issues that middle school and junior high girls share will be discussed as

Spirit kicks the season into high gear

aubrey SCott Moak The new Spirit coach and sponsor, Ms. Abby Clement, has set high goals for the 2017-2018 squad. Although she has sponsored many dance teams in the past, Spirit is her first squad where tryouts were held, and only 40 members were selected. The tryout squad provided Clement with the authority to compose more challenging choreography and have the girls always dance to the best of their abilities. Having danced her whole life, Clement enjoys making up different formations and choreography during her free time, which she doesn’t get to have very often. Currently, she is juggling the successes of the spirit squad, her engagement, by

coaching private dance lessons, and teaching the second grade at McLeod Elementary. Abby’s favorite part about coaching Spirit is watching the dances come together and watching the girls excel each and every time they perform. She is the most excited for the JA dance and JA football game because it will be the most difficult and a more challenging dance than the others. Aside from the Raiders being Prep’s biggest rival, just last year Clement trained their Junior High dance team, the Steppers, and she is interested to see how they have progressed while she has been working with Spirit. Abby is so excited for this football season and loves being apart of Spirit.

way to be an older ‘role model’ to seventh graders.”

-Maddy Mazzaferro

JH’s Spirit practices in the foyer of Lindsay Hall in preparation of their performances to come. Photo courtesy of Abby Clement.

Junior High Student Profile: Gatlin is a Jack of all trades Mara liSton Sarah Cory Applejack, crackerjack, flapjack, carjack. The word jack may be commonly used, but there is nothing common about Jackson Prep's Jack Gatlin. Gatlin is a current ninth grader at Jackson Prep. He attended Saint Andrews for elementary school and came to Prep in the seventh grade. Gatlin’s favorite parts about Prep are the coaches and athletics, and he is involved with baseball, pitching and playing first base, and football, playing wide receiver and corner. Gatlin is a regular church-goer at St. James Episcopal Church. One of the ways by

and

May 2017

Question and Answer:

he is involved in his church is by being an Acolyte, who are seen as leaders in their church community by assisting the celebrant in a religious service or procession. Typically, they will perform ceremonial duties such as lighting altar candles. He also attends youth group at Christ United on Wednesday nights. In his free time, Gatlin enjoys playing tennis at River Hills. Gatlin says he wants to be a doctor when he grows up.

Jack Gatlin, #25, protects the backfield from oncoming pass rushers. Photo courtesy of Jack Gatlin.

Q. What is your favorite quote? “If you have a gun you can rob a bank, but if you have a bank, you can rob anything” -Babyface Nelson Q. Who is your role model? Will Bailey Q. Who is your celebrity crush? Scarlett Johansson Q. Interesting fact about yourself? I ate a raw goldfish because I lost a bet. “I made a bet, and I’m a man of my word.”

Around Town

The Avett Brothers shine at Thalia Mara Hall Madeline Claire HugHes On September 21st, The Avett Brothers played at Thalia Mara Hall with Langhorne Slim as their opening act. The Avett Brothers are an American folk rock band from Mount Pleasant, North Carolina. The co-lead vocalists are Scott Avett who plays the banjo and his brother Seth Avett who plays the guitar. Their band also consists of Bob Crawford, who play double bass, Joe Kwon, who plays cello, Mike Marsh who plays drums, and Tania Elizabeth who plays the violin. Scott Avett took the time to let me talk to him and answer a few question for me. Not only is he a easy guy to talk to, you can also see his passion for music when he talks. One of my favorite things to do before going to a concert by

is to look at band’s setlist and to try to figure out what songs they will play. For the Avett Brothers, when I saw them Thursday I wanted it to be a surprise, so I asked Scott about their setlist. He said, “Recently we had a member leave positively to go and play his first instrument, which is the bass. He was playing keys with us. Without him we’ve changed the format of are show and the format of the way we present certain songs so that is really guiding some setlist right now. So practical things like that, like where we are and what we might have played last time we were there so there is a ebb and flow more gradually than extreme like tonight.” When I asked him what song out of all his albums meant the most to him, Scott said, “As of late I still really like

Eastover development grows elizabetH downing Open air and family friendly are the first things that come to mind when visiting the District at Eastover. The center of the District is the green strip with Cantina Laredo on one side and Fine and Dandy on the other side. Surrounding the green is the District Lofts, which are now occupied by residents. Below the lofts are spaces scheduled to have retail stores and other businesses occupying them. All of these aspects of the District result in a new, up and coming urban living area. The District at Eastover developers, Ted Duckworth and Breck Hines are hoping to attract more people to Jackson by having this new development. They are also excited to be bringing in more of this new urban living idea. The main attraction at the District right now is the new mexican restaurant Cantina Laredo. Cantina Laredo is a chain restaurant based by

in Dallas, Texas but makes it their goal to remain fresh and authentic. All of their food is made from scratch everyday by local chefs. They are also proud to say that the majority of the employees are local. General manager Michael Ryan also stressed the importance of a family friendly environment at Cantina Laredo. In addition to Cantina Laredo, Bank Plus, the District Lofts, and Beckham jewelry, the District has much more to come. Fine and Dandy, a burger and snack restaurant, is scheduled to open later this fall. Many locals are excited for this up and coming area and are happy to see new businesses coming to Jackson.

The District is already bustling.

the two dichotomy of “Ain’t no Man” and “No Hard Feelings” for the ying and the yang, the black and the white, for the contrast that they make, coming from two brothers with different perspective, so I like the pair. I think it’s important. I think it reflects the pair of Seth and I.” Scott’s musical range has a lot of variety between the banjo, piano, guitar, and fiddle. Scott mentioned, “The banjo is my natural voice, but recently I have fallen in love with the baritone ukulele and I also, just actual this week restarted trying to play the fiddle and I’m trying to train myself to play it well. I can toy around with it, but I really want to get accustomed with it, so I’m going after it just like a kid would so I’m starting that, so I’m good.” The Avett Brothers latest al-

bum, True Sadness, their ninth, paints the Avett Brothers in a different light. Rather than their rock n’ roll to folky style, the Avett Brothers present this album that shows the artists in a more vulnerable stage. Scott Thompson from NPR Music explains how this album gives a sense of fulfillment on how

heartbreak can make you stronger, and to not let our mistakes affect our future. Not only is this album heart filling, it also shows a deeper layer of who the artists are.

The Avett brothers on stage. Photo by Madeline Claire Hughes

Cantina Laredo, welcome to Jackson! Patrick PhilliPs Cantina Laredo creates authentic Mexican food inspired by the cuisine of Mexico City and adds a modern twist. The restaurant is a Texas-based “modern Mexican” restaurant. They are known for their “TOP SHELF GUACAMOLE” which contains Haas avocados, jalapeño, tomato, red onion, cilantro, lime juice and is prepared fresh tableside. Their most popular entree is FLAUTAS DE POLLO TINGA which has three chicken tinga flautas drizzled with poblano sauce, by

under shredded lettuce, diced tomato, fresh jalapeno, red onion, avocado, chopped cilantro and queso fresco. For older visitors, Cantina Laredo also has a variety of

adult beverages. Recently the restaurant opened their 36th location in The District At Eastover. It is located in the middle of The District area and is right next to the center park. The interior of Cantina Laredo has a unique contemporary design. Cantina Laredo has a patio, bar, and additional party rooms that can be rented out. In the winter when the patio becomes too cold for comfort they can close their windows and create an additional heated room.They also have valet parking every day except Sunday.

Entertainment

Only the Brave title speaks for itself Movie Review: Jake Bell Based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, Only the Brave is an exciting and moving tribute to the sacrifice and dedication of wildland firefighters. Joseph Kosinski’s film follows the story

of the Granite Mountain crew as it fights through a series of increasingly difficult wildfires to become the first city crew to achieve promotion to the coveted Tier 1 “hotshot” status.

In pursuit of their goal with various dramatic fire fighting scenes, “Only the Brave” feels more character-driven, exploring the different personalities of those who have spent years on the crew. Through this, they form an inseparable brotherhood; however, when the time comes to get in the middle of the fires, “Only the Brave” responds with high-intensity sequences and numerous overhead shots that send rushes of adrenaline through the audience. With duty and honor in mind, Kosinski brings emotional tolls on the firefighters. Heartbreak and tragedy are frequent in the most intense scenes, as seeing the dangers of fighting fire strike the brotherhood. The movie truly portrays the heroism that goes into the job of being a firefighter. Only the Brave gives the true experience of being a firefighter that

many other films fail to present, while bringing a real story, life, and meaning to its characters. I highly recommend viewing this movie; it never bored

me and showed a great contrast in emotion and action.

Atomic Blonde kicks butt and takes names Movie Review: James Threadgill This year David Leitch took Anthony Johnston’s book, The Coldest City, and made it into a movie, earning $18.3 million on opening weekend. The movie was cast well

with Charlize Theron and James McAvoy, two MI6 agents Lorraine Broughton and David Perceval; John Goodman, a CIA representative; Sofia Boutella, French spy Delphine Lasalle;

Pictured to the right: Atomic Blonde fights off criminal

Toby Jones, a director of MI6; Til Schweiger; and Eddie Marsan. Atomic Blonde is a spy movie set towards the end of the Cold War. The whole plot of the movie is to go to Berlin to retrieve a list that has information on every active agent and the name of Satchel, a double agent within MI6. The list was given to another MI6 agent who was killed before he could return it to London. Theron’s Lorraine Broughton is sent to Berlin to meet with McAvoy’s David Perceval, who is to assist her in locating the list. While trying to find it, she runs into setbacks such as KGB agents

following her, Berlin police mysteriously knowing where she is, and several other issues. One of the things I enjoyed about the movie was the music, which I felt went pretty well with the setting/tone of the movie. I also really enjoyed the mystery of who the double agent was because I thought that it was one person for half

of the movie, then scenarios started coming up out of the blue that convinced me that it was someone else. I definitely did not expect the end of the movie, and highly recommend it to those who haven’t seen it yet.

Out on DVD on 11/14 The Sentry

Entertainment

Imagine Dragons are back with a fun new album Album Review: Genevieve Hurst dylitis, a disease characterized Imagine Dragons album by inflammation of the spine. Evolve was released June 23, 2017. The album came after a hiatus following their 10 month tour for their last album, Smoke + Mirrors. The album was highly anticipated, particularly after this break. Their first single released from Evolve, “Believer”, has come to be very well known. You may know it from the end of the finale of season 1 of the show Riverdale, or from the multiple commercials it has been featured in. It was released February 1, 2017. The song hit number 4 on the Billboard Top 100. Dan Reynolds, the lead singer of Imagine Dragons, has said that this song is about his experience with ankylosing spon-

He told People, “The meaning of the song is really reflecting on specific things in my life that were painful, whether it was anxiety and dealing with crowds, feeling overwhelmed by that or the success of the band, disease, going through

Above: Imagine Dragons’ new album cover. Top right: The band.

depression—anything that was a source of pain in my life. And just rising above that, finding a place of perspective where I could be appreciative of the pain in my life and make it my greatest strength.” Another single from this album, “Thunder”, focuses on Dan Reynolds’ rise to fame with the band and the struggles of this newfound fame. The song is very catchy and different. Junior Kennedy Marble says, “I

love the beats in Thunder.” The songs are fun and interesting. The first song on the album, I Don’t Know Why, has been particularly well received. This album was very well made, containing many cool, mostly electronic songs with fun tunes matched with meaningful lyrics.

The Killers’ latest offering kills it Album Review: Kennedy Marble The Killers’ latest al- complex meanings behind each. bum, Wonderful Wonderful, Lead Singer, Branmade a splash in the alterna- don Flowers, gained inspirative genre. This was their first release in five years since their last album, Battle Born. The full album was released on September 22nd, although three hit singles, including “The Man”, “Run For Cover”, and “Wonderful Wonderful”, were already out. The album as a whole has a very different vibe to it than previous songs such as “Mr. Brightside”. There is a variety of up and downbeat songs that break out from any routine sound the band could have slumped into before, with

October 2017

tion from experiencing writer’s block for some time while writing the album and looked to U2 member, Bono, for guidance. The song “Have all the songs been written?” has a slow, chill feel to it and represents the theme of being unable to find something that has not already been done. “Run

For Cover”, a song with more of an upbeat rhythm, begins with the rapid strum of a guitar and picks up momentum as Flowers begins to sing, revealing a moral lesson about when to fight back and when to bow out. The Killers also stated that they wanted to explore the idea of what it means to be a man. In the song,“The Man”, The Killers joke by purpose-

fully using a bit of cliche lyrics to touch on this idea. With a choir in the background and a funky beat to it, this song will no doubt catch the ears of those listening in on the radio. Overall, this album, exploring new sounds not heard before from The Killers, is most definitely worth listening to.

For more music reviews and Kelly’s Album of the Week, visit our website at

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Entertainment

Annabelle and It will give you nightmares Movie Review : Henley Johnson This fall, two very popular horror movies have come out into theaters. The first of these scary movies, released on August 11, is Annabelle: Creation. This movie is the story of a husband and a wife who give the Annabelle doll to their

daughter in their house, so they transfer “their daughter’s spirit” into one of the dolls that the father made. Twelve years later, the family decides to allow six orphans and their keeper to stay in their home, but quickly, the main character named Janice, who has a disability in

Annabelle waiting to kill her parents.

first child, who turns out to be haunted by a demon seeking another life. The movie explains where this doll came from, how it became possessed, and why it wants to continually take life. A child is killed, and her parents begin seeing signs of their

her legs, is taunted by the spirit into letting it out. **SPOILERS AHEAD** Shortly after this, the mom and the dad are murdered, and the nun saves the rest of the children and escapes

the farm. The police come and remove the doll, but Janice escapes. She proceeds to being adopted by a family, which she kills twelve years later that ends up being shown at the beginning of Annabelle. This connection between the two movies was really well thought out in my opinion. The second scary movie is It: Chapter One, which was released on September 8, 2017 into theaters. I like this movie a lot better than Annabelle: Creation just because it’s scary throughout the whole movie and more realistic. The movie starts off with a little boy named Georgie being eaten by a creepy clown, aka Pennywise the Dancing Clown, in a gutter. Georgie’s older brother Billy and his group of friends ( “The Losers Club”) spend their summer trying to find out what has happened to these kids, but they usually end up being interrupted by some bullies. The group ends up making allies with a new kid, a homeschooled kid, and an abused girl to help figure this out. They all begin to experience their biggest fear, ranging from a headless boy, a fountain of blood, a

diseased/rotting man, a creepy painting of a woman coming to life, people burning alive, a clown, and the ghost of Georgie. The painting of the woman was the freakiest. They all determine that “It” comes back once every 27 years to feed on the children of their town, Derry. “It” uses their biggest fear by moving throughout the town’s sewage lines that connect to an old, abandoned house. This feud ends when the girl member of their group Beverly is taken by It; they decide to travel through

the sewers together to get her back. **SPOILERS AHEAD** They all battle together against Pennywise in their own nightmare figures and end up defeating him. The last scene of the movie consists of the friends making a blood pact together that in 27 years they will come back here no matter what and end him once and for all if he isn’t already gone, which is great foreshadowing.

“It” trying to lure one of the kids in to eat them.

High hopes for upcoming superhero film: Justice League Movie Review : Tynes Carroll Directed by Zack Snyder and written by Chris Terrio and Joss Whedon, DC Comics’ latest installment, Justice League, will hit theaters on November 17th. The cast includes Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Ezra Miller as the Flash, and Ray Fisher as Cyborg. In the film, Batman and Wonder Woman assemble a

team consisting of Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg to face Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds) and his army of Parademons. In the wake of Superman’s death in Batman v Superman, Bruce Wayne reevaluates his extreme methods and begins reaching out to form the classic DC superhero team, the Justice League. Throughout the last decade, DC has been very lackluster in their movies, leaving everyone feeling nauseous after

numerous cinematic failures such as Green Lantern, Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, and Suicide Squad, to name a few. It was not until Wonder Woman

took the world by storm in June of 2017 that our faith in the DC universe was restored. Many members of the media have claimed that Wonder Wom-

an will make Justice League a bigger hit. Wonder Woman has helped the DC franchise hop over the three billion dollar mark at the worldwide box office. Thanks to Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot, Justice League will be more anticipated than it otherwise might have been just because it is the next chance to see Wonder Woman kick butt on the big screen. No matter if the movie fails or exceeds expectations, Wonder Woman alone will draw crowds. Of course, it would not hurt if the movie did live up to the hype. The ball is in your court, DC.

The cast of the Justice League

The Sentry

Entertainment

Kingsman crowned king of the box office Movie Review: Anna Stack

When it hit theaters on September 22, Kingsman: The Golden Circle gripped the box office by storm with $15.325 million in revenue on its opening day. Just like its predecessor, Kingsman: The Secret Service, the sequel revolves around a group of London spies known as the Kingsman, operating as covertly as possible to save the world. When their headquarters are destroyed and over half of their agents are

eliminated, however, the two remaining Kingsman, Eggsy (Taron Egerton) and Merlin (Mark Strong), must travel to Kentucky to receive aid from an allied organization, the Statesman. As a malicious drug cartel ringleader, Poppy Adams (Julianne Moore), implants her drugs with a synthesized disease, the Kingsman and the Statesman must band together to defeat Poppy before

her disease kills over half of the world’s population. Elton John stars as Poppy’s personal hostage, performing many

Main characters Gary Unwin and Harry Hart in Kingsmen.

of his classic songs for her and providing comic relief in some of the most intense moments throughout the film. Junior Haley Wimberley says, “Elton John really made the movie worthwhile. His jokes occurred at the perfect moments, and his songs lightened the mood.” As the Kingsman and the Statesman travel around the world searching for Poppy, they face many common enemies and even locate an old friend along the way, keeping the viewer on the edge of his or her seat throughout the entirety of the film. The movie has generated over $114 million worldwide,

becoming especially popular in the United States and United Kingdom. Though the film may be heavy on the computer-generated imagery, the complex plot and exceptional acting easily overshadow this. One of the better performances in the film came from Channing Tatum; his witty one-liners as Agent Tequila had the audience laughing hysterically and proved to be one of his best performances yet. Whether one has seen the original movie or not, anyone can enjoy this action-packed film and its fascinating story of modern-day heroes.

Apple unveils new product line to compete in technology market Payne bell On September 12, 2017, Apple revealed the much-anticipated iPhone 8, iPhone 8+, iPhone X, Apple Watch Series 3, and a new version of their unique TV device, Apple TV. Also revealed at the event was the AirPower wireless charging mat, set to release in 2018. It should be noted that the AirPower mat will only support wireless charging for the products revealed at this most recent Apple event; future Apple products will presumably have wireless charging support through the AirPower as well. The event also doubled as a debut for Apple’s 1000-seat auditorium, the Steve Jobs Theater, inside which the event was hosted. The iPhone X, the spearhead product of this year’s Apple event, comes essentially as a complete overhaul to the design of previous iPhones, including those of the new iPhone 8 and 8+. The most immediately striking design element of the iPhone X is its new display, which consists of a screen that covers almost the entirety of the front of the phone--excludby

October 2017

ing a small space left at the top for the front-facing camera and the speaker held up to one’s ear while making a phone call. The casing of the iPhone X features surgical-grade stainless steel, covered by a durable layer of glass all around the phone. Preorders for the iPhone X become available on Friday, October 27, 2017, and the phone is officially released to the public for purchase a week later on Friday, November 3, 2017. The new iPhone 8/8+ comes with exciting changes to its design from the previous iPhone 7. A prominent new feature announced for the iPhone 8/8+ is the introduction of a water and dust-proof design. Exterior design changes were introduced as well. Claimed by Apple to be “The most durable glass ever in a smartphone,” the entire back of the iPhone 8 is covered in a new, glossy glass coating, replacing the metallic finish previously featured on the back of the iPhone 7. A buyer can choose between three new design finishes: space gray, silver, and gold. Updates for the phone’s camera were also introduced. While

the 12-megapixel rear-facing camera remains from the iPhone 7, more advanced zooming features for the camera were

the addition of cellular support, giving owners of the new Watch the ability to make and answer phone calls from the Apple Watch alone. Also new in the Apple Watch Series 3 is a comprehensive health and fitness application. Preorders for the Apple Watch Series 3 became available on Friday, September 15, 2017, and the Watch became available for purchase Apple Watch Series 3

Apple iPhone X

Apple iPhone 8+ & iPhone 8, from left to right, respectively

showcased: up to 10x zoom for photos and 6x zoom for videos. Preorders for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8+ became available beginning Friday, September 15, 2017, and the new phones were released in retail a week later, on Friday, September 22, 2017. Also introduced at the 2017 Apple event was the Apple Watch Series 3. The key new feature of the Series 3 is

Apple TV Box & Remote Control

7 days later, the same release dates of the iPhone 8/8 and the Apple TV 4K. The Apple TV 4K comes with the same functions that Apple TV users have enjoyed in the past. New with the Ap-

ple TV 4K, as indicated by the product name, features support for 4K Ultra HD, a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels. Preorders for the Apple TV 4K become available on the same dates as the iPhone 8/8+ and the Apple Watch Series 3.

Entertainment

New game features make “Madden 18” a worthy purchase Game Review: Alex Gibbs On August 25, EA Sports released its yearly installment in the Madden NFL video game franchise, Madden ‘18, about two weeks before the start of the NFL season, with Tom Brady as the cover athlete. When it comes to a sports video game such as this, many people wonder whether going to spend 60 dollars on a video game that is most of the time very similar to the one preceding it the year before is a smart choice. While the general gameplay and graphics are mostly the same as Madden ‘17, Madden ‘18 contains several new features that make it worthwhile to purchase it instead of continuing to play an older version. The most notable and publicized new feature is the story mode, titled Longshot. Similar to a feature that has been included in the NBA 2K franchise the last few years, Longshot follows a movie timeline that shows the life story of a young prospect. However, instead of

allowing for the gameplayer to create their individual player as they can in 2K, Madden only allows players to play with two players: quarterback Devin Wade and wide receiver Colt Cruise, who is portrayed by Scott Porter, the actor who played Jason Street in the popular television show Friday Night Lights. As you play the story mode, you follow these two prospects as they both try to make it in the NFL as, as the name of the story suggests, longshots. It goes along as if it were a movie rather than a video, with the gameplayer being able to enter into the story to make certain decisions for the characters and play certain games, whether it be in high school, college, or the NFL. Another innovation is the creation of three different game styles: Arcade, Simulation, and Competitive. Arcade mode is designed for huge stats and unbelievable plays, while Simulation and Competitive modes are more realistic.

For those who have played fantasy football or Madden Mobile on their phones, the designers of Madden 18 have introduced Madden Ultimate Team Squads, which allows for players

pens oftentimes in real life, instead of being forced to wait until the receiver breaks open. Personally, I believe this is the best Madden yet. I believe the makers of the game have

to collaborate with their friends to create the best team possible. In addition to these new features, Madden 18 has introduced other smaller features to make the gameplay better. The primary example of this is target passing, which allows for quarterbacks to throw it to a spot, basically throwing the receiver open, like what hap-

finally found the perfect balance for elements of the game such as aggressive catching and kicking field goals. Moreover, the story mode and the new game styles provide a new element to the game and are very entertaining to play. However, there are a few things that are very frustrating about this game. The first

is the number of injuries that occur in franchise mode. Basically any time the quarterback gets hit, he’s going to be out for at least that game or possibly multiple weeks. Other major positions that have frequent injuries include offensive linemen and receivers. Another annoying thing is the unrealistic amount of extra points missed if you want to simulate after scoring. Furthermore, it still can be difficult to run the ball effectively even with the best running backs in the NFL. Even though there are these frustrating parts of the game, they overall are very minor and should not deter someone interested in buying the game. In addition to the other reasons for buying the new game, it is also a worthwhile purchase because it involves the most updated rosters, stadiums, and jerseys. Again, I believe this is the best Madden ever and that if you are still playing an earlier version of the game, you should head over to the store and get a copy of the new one.

EA Sports’ “FIFA” looks promising as ever Game Review: Tanner McCraney The release of the newest edition of best-selling soccer video game series, FIFA 18, has brought new and exciting changes, as additions in graphics and gameplay are evident across the board. For starters, new lighting and facial recognition systems have been implemented to make the pitch and players look more realistic. Furthermore, they have added player personality and traits that bring the game

to life. For instance, Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo will exhibit his well-known sprint, freekick preparation, and infield banter. These mechanics will be seen in many of the wellknown players in all leagues. As far as gameplay, there have been many updates. The major addition is seen in the substitution of players. A new feature is that one can preset subs before the start of the game that can be put into effect at any time with a simple click

of a button. This has the potential to cut out a tedious routine that causes a mid-game interruption. As for minor updates, players will see a boost in almost every offensive aspect. The infamous “button lag” from the previous game has been fixed, and the close dribbling option has improved. Next, passes will feel crisper and players will be able to make athletic plays in order to receive passes. All of this has been added to the legitimization of the “one-onone” play in real life soccer. Although these enhancements make it much easier to put the ball in the back of the net, it could end up causing scoring to be too easy, making defending feel unnatural and difficult.

For Ultimate Team, the beloved experience will change very little. There will still be squad building challenges, FUT drafts, FUT champions, and seasons. They have added a few options for offline Ultimate team play for those who like to play against the computer rather than other players. The Journey picks up where it left off with Alex Hunter’s emergence as a top player. You can expect about the same gameplay as last year, where you have more of a sideline role rather than the personal experience that they strive for. All in all, the game is not too much different than last year’s game. But, these

small updates will be more

than enough to sell the game.

Cover of new Fifa addition.

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Entertainment

American Assassin completes its mission on the charts Movie Review: Russell Roberts American Assassin is a thriller/ action movie that hit theatres on September 15th. American Assassin is directed by Michael Cuesta who is widely known as the directors of movies such as Kill The Messenger, Roadie, and Tell-Tale. This thriller casts Dylan O’Brien as CIA Black Operations recruit Mitch Rapp. Michael Keaton also makes an appearance as ex Navy SEAL and veteran Stan Hurley. Taylor Kitsch from the famous “Friday Night Lights” stars as the

ex CIA Black Operations villain Ghost. Sanaa Lathan takes the role as CIA operator Irene Kennedy. Upcoming Iranian actress Shiva Negar plays the mysterious double agent Annika. This story is set around the determination of Mitch Rapp. Rapp starts off his life growing up with the loss of his parents. Rapp continued to pursue his studies at Brown University until he took a trip with his fiance to the beaches of Saudi Arabia. That day on the beach, there was a massacre

Alex Gibbs I should probably start out by saying that I and my fellow Sentry staff members participating in this feature--Will Fletcher, Emory Maxwell, and Stewart McCullough--are not good cooks. Not even just that, we have little to no experience in cooking. Yet, we, inspired by one who came before us, the great Sam Mosley and his Cookin’ with Sam feature, are going attempt to teach you, our reader, to cook. Joseph Joubert was once quoted as saying, “To teach is to learn twice over.” For us, teaching will be learning it for the first time. However, we hope that we can make a student-teacher pilgrimage together to food glory. So I ask you to join us in this adventure and have a little bit of fun as we, just as our ancestors long ago were forced to do, learn how to provide a meal for ourselves. For our first episode of the year, we chose to make ribs. (Note: If it is your first time to do some actual cooking, ribs are not the smartest choice, as you will probably be able to tell

from later on in the article.) We began our quest by journeying to the great armoury of food and supplies: Kroger. As we walked in, avoiding the stares of the many shoppers wondering why four teenagers were coming into a grocery store and filming themselves, our first objective was to find a perfect rack of ribs. After selecting the prized pig, we then proceeded to find our other materials: rib rub and apple juice to flavor the meat and chips and Coke Zeros to compliment our entree. After checking out, we made our way back to Will’s house and began the process of preparing our ribs. Our first step was cleaning off the ribs. (Warning: It’s a bloody mess. I’m not British. I mean like actual blood.) Next, we applied the rib rub onto the ribs and injected the apple juice into them. While this was going on, we also were getting the grill up to the proper temperature, about 230 to 250 degrees. More details on our cooking methods are available in our video, which can be found on the Sen-

Dylan O’Brien a.k.a Mitch Rapp lines up his next target.

and some gang members took something from Rapp that he loved greatly. Rapp becomes full of vengeance and decides to join the CIA. Growing tired of waiting around, Rapp takes matters into his own hands and ends up being caught. But the

punishment is exactly what Rapp was looking for. Rapp ends up in the hands of ex Navy SEAl and veteran Stan Hurley who shapes him to be a better assassin physically and mentally. Rapp goes through a se-

try website, jpsentry.net, and our Sentry social media pages. After about 3 hours smoking on the grill, our ribs were ready to eat. While they tasted fine, they were somewhat undercooked. Stewart and Emory might try to tell you they got food poisoning and they were awful, but they are mightily over exaggerating. Still, they

were somewhat undercooked, and if we had been willing to leave them on a little longer (it was 9:00 and we were starving), they could’ve been perfect. Overall, I believe our first cooking adventure of the year was a successful one. We hope after reading this and watching our video that you might learn something about how to

ries of scenarios such as fighting, saving, sneaking around, betrayal, and disobeying orders. Although Rapp, at first, despises Hurley, he ends up feeling as if Hurley was a father figure to him. A important quote in this movie is to not let things “get personal”. This is ironic because the movies characters are driven by personal experiences. Rapp and Hurley work together through the muck to stop a ticking nuke. Rapp never gets to assassinate the man who wronged him, but he ends up completing another mission for a better cause. The things I liked about this movie was the directiors choice of actors. Dylan O’Brien is one of my favorite actors and I thought he did a fantastic job.

Cookin’ with the Boys: Ep. 1 - Ribs by

October 2017

make ribs (or how not to) and that you have enjoyed the first episode of this year’s edition of the Sentry Culinary Collection: Cookin’ With the Boys. Stay tuned for our next episode, where we will be cooking something much simpler.

Juniors Will Fletcher, Stewart McCullough, Alex Gibbs, and Emory Maxwell chowing down on ribs. Photo courtesy of Nicholas Sanford.

Sports

Girls’ volleyball team is on the upswing Maclain Kennedy “Bump! Set! Spike!” are words that can be frequently heard if you walk past the Prep gym. The Jackson Prep girls volleyball team has been working hard all summer and started off with a Varsity win in their first game against Hartfield Academy. This year, Prep has a new junior high and varsity coach. Ms. Watters, who is also a new teacher this year, has coached three seasons of club volleyball and two seasons of school volleyball. She has been training the girls along with her husband. When asked about the season, Ms. Watters said, “The volleyball program at Jackson Prep is fun to be part of because this is only the 6th season for the program, so it is still very new. There are a lot of young players on the team, so we as coaches are excited to see what

The team has played 17 games this season, winning 9 of them. The volleyball team has only been active for six years, and it is clearly showing signs of im-

provement each year. Their last tournament will be on October 4th at Belhaven University.

Junior Georgia Perkins hits the volleyball as fellow Junior Emison Geiger looks on in awe. Photo by Stewart McCullough.

the future holds.” Neely Wood, a current senior, plays predominantly right side on the court. “The new coaches have brought so much to the team, and done so much for us. They have had so much to teach us and done such a good job”, said Wood when asked about the coaches.

Emison Geiger is the libero on the Varsity team. She has been playing volleyball for five years, and she said, “My favorite part of the season so far was beating St. Joe because it was super close and intense, but we learned to trust each other and won”.

Freshman Carol Curie, Senior Jordyn Jeffcoat, and Junior Georgia Perkins hang out in the gym after a game. Photo courtesy of Emison Geiger.

Girls’ soccer looks strong as playoffs near Will Fletcher Heading into October, the varsity Girls Soccer Team has ended the regular season with an away game against JA. This season has been a challenging one with multiple conference games and out of state tournaments, including the preseason. The team traveled to compete in the Collierville Preseason Tournament, winning two games and losing only 1, and again to Collierville in September, winning both games. The girls were also able to overcome distractions after having 4 out of the 10 scheduled games in August either postponed or cancelled. Led by seniors Addison Galloway, Macey Abraham, and Sarah Avery Huffman, the team has acquired a 17 - 3 overall record and is a strong force heading into the playoffs. With the only losses coming from JA by

and an out of state game in Collierville, the girls are very confident and optimistic heading into the playoffs. Head Coach

Jon Marcus Duncan is also optimistic going in and thinks the season has gone well, saying: “The season has gone as

scripted. The losses to JA are hurting, but we have playoffs next week and everybody is undefeated going in so we are

Jackson Prep versus Jackson Academy on September 18th. Photo courtesy of Emory Maxwell

looking to win 2 games and go 2- 0.” After the injury of starter Anna Minich vs. JA last week, the team will need someone to step up and fill her spot. Despite this, the roster has a lot of depth and should not be a problem to the team. This is because of the many talented Juniors and Sophomores on the team such as Mary Price Montagnet, Kathleen Myers, Price Loposer, Eliza Mazzaferro, Campbell Perkins, Katie Hubacek, and others. With an earned bye game, the girls will be able to rest up before a big playoff game on Thursday, October 5th at Prep. This game will be played against the winner of the MRA vs. Parklane game, who play on the 3rd, and will determine who goes to play in the championship on Monday, October 9th.

The Sentry

Sports

Young Athlete to Watch: Gavin Mullins

Alex Gibbs emory mAxwell Last school year, we featured several athletes in the Class of 2022 at Jackson Prep who showed significant promise for the future. We begin this year with another athlete from this class: Gavin Mullins. Gavin is a multi-sport athlete, participating on the junior high football team, the 8th grade basketball team, and the 8th grade baseball team here at Prep. In football, Gavin, who plays offensive and defensive line, starts for the 8th grade

And

team and has had a substantial amount of playing time on the junior high team, being one of only a few 8th graders to do so. On the basketball court, Gavin uses his size and strength along with a nice shooting touch as a forward to be one of the better players in his age group. Last year, when the 7th grade team played against other schools, he was in the starting lineup. On the baseball diamond, Gavin will begin his first year of Jackson Prep baseball in the spring, as he tried out and made the 8th grade baseball

team in August. He plays third base, first base, and pitcher and possesses a powerful bat with a good swing. Outside of Prep, he plays for the Flowood Phillies

Gavin playing with the Flowood Phillies. Photo courtesy of Gavin Mullins

along with several of his classmates. Perhaps something more impressive than anything Gavin does on the court is his dedicated fandom of the lowly Cleveland Browns, as he has stuck with them through all of the recent struggles of the franchise. On September 10, he attended the season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a game in which the Browns were competitive but lost. Even with these struggles, he remains optimistic for the future of the franchise after drafting several highly rated

prospects this past April, including Jabrill Peppers, whose jersey Gavin bought and wore for the jersey-themed pep rally on September 22. His love for Cleveland sports also extends towards basketball and baseball, as he is a Cavaliers and Indians fan. With a vibrant personality that causes him to be wellliked by his teammates and a strong work ethic, Gavin looks to have all the tools to be a successful athlete over the next few years at Jackson Prep.

Mid-season college football playoff preview steven wyAtt Since we are now at the midway point of the season, it’s time to begin looking at who the real contenders are for the College Football Playoff. The race for the number one seed in the playoff looks like it is going to get closer and closer as we approach postseason time. The Alabama Crimson Tide are atop the AP Poll for week six, but the Clemson Tigers control the number one spot in ESPN’s Power Rankings for the same week. Both teams are coming off of an impressive week five wins over Ole Miss and Virginia Tech respectively. Alabama is coming off of a 2016 season that ended in disappointing fashion as they lost in the final seconds of the National Championship game to Clemson. The Tide did everything they could this offseason to make sure that this year ended differently, and so far it looks like they are on track to do just that. The Tide took on an Ole Miss team Saturday that is in utter disarray with not only on field but also off field issues. The Tide showed no mercy, beating the Rebels 66-3. This is not the only game that the Tide has played where they wanted by

October 2017

to prove a point through all four quarters. Alabama has already outscored all of the Power-5 opponents they’ve faced thus far 149-10. The Crimson Tide are deep, athletic, and most importantly well coached, and they don’t look like they’re going to be satisfied until they have that championship trophy in their hands at the end of the season. The two seeded Clemson Tigers, much like the Tide, are striving for nothing less than greatness. They have proven that they can beat anyone and that they can do that with ease. The Tigers are coming off of a week five road win, where they took down a highly ranked opponent in Virginia Tech. The 31-17 score can be very deceiving seeing as the Tigers really dominated the game from start to finish. Clemson is led by a quarterback in Kelly Bryant who has been tasked with replacing Deshaun Watson who was arguably one very best to have ever even stepped foot in Death Valley. Watson is gone now, but Bryant is not, and he is doing an exceptional job of showing fans that they can not only win, but dominant with or without Watson in uniform. The team that holds the

three spot through week five hails from the state of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Sooners are one team that many people need to keep their eyes on. The Sooners have not gotten the same amount attention as Alabama or Clemson, but they are one team that could make some noise come playoff time. Even though the Sooners have only played four games, it looks like that is all they have needed to prove how explosive they can be. They only have one resume-padding win thus far, but the win came on the road at an Ohio State team that was ranked second in the nation at the time. The fourth spot is the one position that could easily change many times before the committee puts out their final decision on Sunday, December 3rd. As of this week though ESPN has the Nittany Lions of Penn State in the driver’s seat to grab the final spot. The Nittany Lions do not hold a win over a top 25 team to this point, but they are on track to face two in the month of October. Penn State is lead by the deadly offensive duo of Trace McSorley and Saquon Barkley, one of which, Barkley, is the Heisman

Trophy favorite to this point. Even though these are the teams that are in the top four to this point, that doesn’t mean that they will stay in the top four. Teams like Georgia, Washington, Michigan, and TCU could easily continue their winning ways to the point where they get into the playoff. Some analysts even have a team like Georgia in their top four right now, over a say Penn State team. Now the only thing left to be answered is whether or not any of these bubble teams will be able to pad their resumes enough to make the fourth annual College Football Playoff.

Above: Jalen Hurts on the run. Photo by Getty Images Below: Saquon Barkley pregame. Photo courtesy of USA Today

Sports

Cross country looks to finish their season strong

Maclain KenneDy At 6am when most people are still asleep, you can hear the quiet footsteps of the by

Jackson Prep cross team. Since this past the team has been towards the season,

country summer, building working

hard in the summer both in the morning and evening. Meredith Lange has been helping with Jackson Prep

Cross Country team members Andrea McCaa, Elanor Baker and Abby Allen participate in the PCS invitational.

Cross Country for four years now, but this year is her first as head coach. Coach Lange says, “They [girls] are figuring out how to balance working together as a team and being competitive and reaching their individual goals.” This season, Coach Lange is joined by Coach Daniel Burnett, a current MC runner. This is Burnett’s first year coaching at Prep. He says “It’s been great. I was extremely nervous when coach Lang asked me to be her assistant, but glad I’m making the adjustments and that our athletes are in a good place right now.” The first meet was on August 28th at Choctaw Trails. Runners trekked through, despite the muddy conditions. This year, the girls raced a 4k, which is a half of a mile more than what they raced last year. The boys are again racing a 5k this year. For the girls, Eliza Burnham, a junior at Prep, came in the top ten with a time of 17:23. Eliza says, “I have

been working hard all of this summer to get to that level, and I hope that I can see some good results this season.” Not far behind her was Havens Smith, an eighth grader. Her time was 17:30. The girls got 4th place. As for the boys, Alex Stradinger, a sophomore, finished in 14th place with a time of 19:30. The boys team got 5th place out of 19 teams. Since then, Prep has attended three cross country meets, two at Choctaw Trails and one at PCS. On September 23rd, the top runners for the boys and girls team went to Pensacola to race in a 5k. 13 runners attended this meet, and afterward they got to take a trip to the beach for the day. Greyton Ray said, “The Gulf Coast XC Stampede was one of the more fun meets I have been to. Each runner went out and competed hard, and we all came back with new PR’s, which just added to the fun”.

Aqua Pats continue to stay in their victory lane Preston Dubberly stewart Mccullough The annual MAIS State swim meet was held on September 20th at the Lakeland Courthouse. Dr. Nealey, who doubles as the swim coach, said, “This meet was a lot closer compared to previous meets.” Once you stepped into the Courthouse, you could feel the tension and the humidity. Goggles were flying off and swim caps squeezed the brains of the swimmers, but they continued to push through it. In previous years, Prep has dominated each meet with their size in numbers. Swim meets are determined by the point system, and the team with the most grand total point accumulation wins. Prep’s advantage to this is that they can by

anD

compete with very serious swim teams just because 40+ will be swimming for Prep. Something that could damage the school’s scoring is for a swimmer to get disqualified. The common disqualifications were due to not touching the wall with both hands or if a foot touching the bottom of the pool. One of the best parts of the swim meet is reading what is on every swimmers’ backs. For instance, Jackson Prep has recently started a trend where they write in Mandarin with the help of sophomore foreign exchange student, Felix Lyu, and of course, Google Translate. Neil Marchetti also put his artistic ways to use along with his swimming skills to intimidate the opposing teams.

Dr. Nealey and Co. will strive to reach 45 consecutive swim titles next year where the competition is anticipated to be even tougher.

Mackenzie Nichols swims the butterfly at the MAIS swim meet. Photo courtesy of Preston Dubberly.

Olivia Thigpen is ready for the swim meet. Photo courtesy of Madeline Claire Hughes.

The Sentry

Sports Softball seeks consecutive overall title by nevin wells

The 2016 reigning state champions reported back to Jackson Prep hungry to defend their state title. The key leaders of the 2017 Prep Softball team are the seniors, but there are also many younger faces who are great contributors to the success of the team. The standouts from the underclassman consist of Olivia Clappe (10th grade), Carly Lewis (10th grade), and Olivia Sasser (9th Grade). Senior Dakota Jones describes these new faces as “an incredible impact for the team both offensively and defensively.” The Prep Softball team is loaded with talent as they

have four members who will continue to play at the next level: Bailey Winscott (University of Virginia), Haley Hanson (Jones County Junior College), Breley Boykin (University of Southern Mississippi), and Mckinley Weeks (Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College). The Lady Pats finished the regular season with a remarkable record of 24-3-1. Additionally, Coach Caton reached a milestone of 400 wins as the head coach of the Lady Patriots. The Lady Pats started post-season play with the AAAA divisional tournament. The team continued to impress many as they battled and won the AAAA Division

1 State Championship. In the the Lady Pats will do just that. support our Lady Pats as they championship game, Sopho- Students and Faculty come and begin the Overall tournament! more Olivia Clappe tied the game with a big time 2 RBI hit in the bottom of the 7th inning. This set the Lady Pats up with a walk off win against Oak Forest. Although this is a tremendous accomplishment, they Lady Pats are not satisfied. The team will move on to the AAAA Overall State Tournament as the 1st seed. When asked what the attitude of the team was, senior Dakota Jones followed “Last year we won both of these titles, so we are hoping to win them again for sure, but as always nothing is guaranteed and we The softball team smiles after willing the Division I Championship. have to keep working.” And

Football rumbles through first six games (6-0)

resembled Johnny Manziel and PCS (6-0) On September 22nd, Shea Patterson with his nimble Jackson Prep traveled down to body and shifty moves. Now Jackson Prep opened 3A teams at the time of play. Presbyterian Christian School six games into the season, the up the 2017 season with solForest (3-0) in Hattiesburg, Mississippi for defense has become the most id performance against East On Friday, September what seemed like one of the solid part of Prep’s team. An Rankin Academy on Friday, 1st, Jackson Prep(#1 MAIS) top show-downs of the year. identity of fast, physical and August 18. Chance Lover- took on Forest High School(#3 From the start it was clear relentless pursuit of the ball is tich lit up the sky and Jerrion MHSAA) in an all out defenthe offense would struggle. 1st what Prep’s defense is known St. Joseph (5-0) Ealy, along with Jack Gideon, sive grudge match. The first Jackson Prep faced and 10s became 2nd and 15s, for now. For the third week in dominated the ground game quarter set the tone early. This a row, Friday night was the through the first two quarters. game was far from an offen- off against St. Joseph Catholic leading to multiple instances Jerrion Ealy show. At the conwhere PCS’ quarterback was School of Madison for the first Ealy had four rushing touch- sive matchup. Jerrion Ealy ran clusion of play, Prep emerged downs and decent number of for what seemed like negative time in 147 years on Friday, scrambling. But man could he victories 41-9. scramble. Brandon Thornton September 15th. From the bereception yards. Jack Gide- yards, Chance Lovertich was on reached nearly 120 yards getting eaten up by the Bearcat ginning, it was obvious this on just 7 carries. At the end- defense and the passing game would be a high scoring affair. ing buzzard, Prep knocked off was the only form of movement. “Chance Lovertich to Jerrion Ealy for six points” seemed to East Rankin Academy 42-14. However, the defense came in with their guns blazing. De- ring throughout the stadium Washington (2-0) fensive coach Nick Brewer sent every 5-10 minutes. RespecAfter a strong perforblitz after blitz. The 14-3 victo- tively, the Bruins completely mance during week one of the ry over the Forest Bearcats is picked apart the Prep defen2017 campaign, the football not what you would call, easy. sive back field. At halftime, the team learned from their misscore was 64-20. Jayvon MaPillow (4-0) takes and headed to the Missisgee and Reed Kellum rushed The Patriots returned sippi Delta. Facing Washington for two touchdowns combined School in Greenville, MS, the home from a two-week road ending the complete blowout of Patriots scored early and often game period to take on the Pil- the St. Joseph Bruins, 77-10. in a complete 49-0 route of the low Mustangs for homecoming 77 points is the most scored by Generals. The Patriots defense on September 8th. On offense, Jackson Prep in football proshut down the Generals offense the Patriots had a strong per- gram history. While breaking by not allowing any points, pass formance with Chance Lover- their own record,Prep’s imprescompletions, and only one first tich going 13/17 in completions sive win was 2 points shy of the down the entire game. Prep with 261 yards and 4 touch- state record. The record of 78 Senior wide receiver and defensive back, Nevin Wells, climbs the ladder showed out well as they transi- downs. On the defensive side points still stands untouched. and snags a magnificent back shoulder pass from QB Chance Lovertich. Photo by Stewart McCullough. tioned for Forest High School. of the ball, the Patriots had a by

stewart Mccullough

East Rankin (1-0)

October 2017

Forest High was ranked number three among all MHSAA

dominate night allowing zero points. The defense also tallied two interceptions, one of which a crazy one-handed diving grab by senior cornerback Maddox Henry. At the end of week five, Prep remained undefeated (40) as they blew out Pillow 49-0.

Junior High Sports

JV football team ending strong season Charles stephenson The Junior Varsity Football team, under the leadership of Coach Matt Butts, has had a very successful 2017 season. Entering the season with a new head coach, the team questioned if they would have a dominant season. As of press time (October 3), the team is currently 7-0 after their 42-14 win against MRA last Thursday night. On the offensive side of the ball, quarterback Riley Maddox has had a very successful season with 545 yards overall and 5 touchdowns entering this week’s big game against JA. Riley’s “partner in crime”, Matt Jones, running back, has had a by

stellar season with 44 carries for 337 yards and 10 touchdowns. While it is somewhat true that offense wins games and defense wins championships, the d-line has a total of 31 tackles. Eli Berch, 8th grader, has had 18 tackles and forced 1 safety. In the backfield, Matt Jones, has a total of 29 tackles and a interception with an 85 yard return for a touchdown. The Junior Varsity Football coaching staff is filled with many new faces: Head Coach Matt Butts, Brian Fugler, and Drew Wilson. While there are three returning faces, coaches Derek Williford, Brent Heavener, and Zander Romano.

JA heads into the final game of the season 7-0 after their 34-0 win against Oak Forest. Coach Brandt Walker is heading into the game looking to defeat Prep, where he coached for ten years.

Right: Members of the JV football team get ready for a play. Photo courtesy of Beverly Oden.

JV girls soccer finishes outstanding season Campbell Carter On the seventh of September, the junior high girls soccer team finished a great season, winning every game by

but one, which ended in a 2-2 draw against Jackson Academy in their final game of the season. Jackson Prep played

Coach Duncan gives the soccer team a pep talk. Photo courtesy by Campbell Carter.

aggressively in the first half, scoring a goal and taking ten times as many shots. Jackson Academy played defensively the first half, rarely passing onto Prep’s half of the field. In the second half, JA played much better, scoring two goals, and turning a dull shootout into an exciting match. Though demoralized for a while after suddenly finding themselves losing, the Prep girls soon went back to passing, dribbling, and shooting on JA’s end of the field. With ten minutes left in the game, 9th grader Ramsay Jeffreys scored, and led both of the teams into a match ending stalemate. After the game, the girls lined up, and shook hands with their opponents. When asked for her opinion of the season, Anders Morgan, a 7th grader, says, “We improved as a team, we were good with communication and improved a lot.”

Dylan Burkhalter throws the ball in from the sideline during a game. Photo by Campbell Carter.

The Sentry

Sports

Excitement builds as the upcoming NBA season nears bennett O’Quinn It has been a very eventful NBA offseason, as many teams have made moves to put themselves in position to compete for a championship. Teams are stacking up to try and overthrow the two teams that have dominated the NBA the past three years: the Warriors and Cavs. Free agent signings, trades, and intriguing rookie prospects have filled the NBA community with excitement. This upcoming season promises to be a good one as many teams could threaten the elite few for a title. One team that instantly improved in the offseason is the Golden State Warriors. They wasted no time getting better, as they signed free agents Nick Young and Omri Casspi. Stephen Curry resigned with the Warriors on a five year, 201 million dollar contract extension, making him the highest paid player in the NBA at the time of signing. The Warriors also retained highly sought after free agent center JaVale Mcgee. Kevin Durant resigned with the team while taking a pay cut, allowing the Warriors to resign Andre Iguodala. The best team in the NBA has only gotten better during the offseason and will by

continue to be a scary team to play this season. As soon as it looked like PG-13 (Paul George) would remain in Indiana for his final year before free agency, out of nowhere he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis. People are still questioning whether George will opt-out of his contract at the end of the upcoming year to sign with the Lakers, or if he will want to stay long-term with the Thunder. OKC has also recently traded for Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks, which surprised many as he was expected to go to the Rockets or stay with the Knicks. The combination of Westbrook, George, and Anthony will be very tough for teams to stop this year. The Los Angeles Lakers fans finally have something to look forward to. The Lakers selected Lonzo Ball out of UCLA with the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft. With both Lonzo and his father Lavar being center-stage, Laker fans are hyped about what the future holds. Lonzo played very well in the Summer League, earning himself Summer League MVP. Late first round pick Kyle Kuzma also played well, averaging 18 points and 6 rebounds per

game. The Lakers could be very good soon, as Los Angeles is an attractive city for free agents. LeBron James, Paul George, and others have expressed interest in joining the Lakers in next years free agency. Along with Brandon Ingram, this young core looks to lead the Lakers back to the playoffs. The Houston Rockets made big news with the announcement of resigning James Harden to an insane four year, 228 million dollar extension. This contract figure passes Steph Curry’s 201 million dollar contract, making Harden the highest paid player in NBA history. The Rockets were not done as they traded Patrick Beverly, Sam Dekker, 4 more players, and a 1st round pick in next year’s draft to the Los Angeles Clippers for Chris Paul. With both Paul and Harden in the backcourt, the Rockets are aiming to take out the Warriors. One of the most surprising events of the offseason is that Kyrie Irving requested a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers. Not long after losing in the finals, Irving met with team officials and requested that he be traded. This decision puzzled many people as the Cavs had been to three straight fi-

nals with him as a vital part of the team. About a month after his request, his wish was granted and was traded to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, a 2018 1st round draft pick, and a 2020 2nd round draft pick. Even with losing Kyrie, the Cavs are still in contention to make it back to the NBA Finals.

Kyrie representing his new team. Photo by Getty Images

Along with acquiring Kyrie Irving via trade, the Boston Celtics signed Gordon Hayward and Marcus Morris to free agent deals. Hayward will pro-

vide a much needed scoring and size for the Celtics, while Morris will most likely start at the 4. Boston also drafted Jayson Tatum with the 3rd pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Tatum is considered the best scorer in the draft and has the potential to become a star. A big plus for the Celtics is being able to complete the trade for Kyrie Irving without giving up Marcus Smart and Jayson Tatum. Both Smart and Tatum are very valuable assets to the celtics, as they are viewed by many as the future stars of the team. Boston has a bright future, as bringing in stars like Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward will allow them to compete with the Cavs for the Eastern Conference title. Many moves were made this offseason, making this year one of the craziest offseasons of all time. Exciting moves not mentioned include Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves, the drafting of Markelle Fultz to the 76ers, and John Wall re-signing with the Washington Wizards. Many teams got better, while others are tanking in order to rebuild for the future. This upcoming season will be exciting as many teams can compete for the ultimate goal: a championship.

Fantasy football is back and better than ever Jake bell Every fall, fantasy football becomes a norm in the lives of everyday Americans. The point system based on the playing ability of NFL players creates quite the stir in many friend groups. This season has proved to be an interesting one as a few diamonds in the rough have emerged to the top of fantasy points charts. Here are your position leaders in ESPN fantasy points through Week 5. At Quarterback with 1092 yards passing and eight touchdowns, Tom Brady leads with 77.2 total points. Rookie by

October 2017

Running Back, Kareem Hunt, from The University of Toledo and the Kansas City Chiefs has 401 yards on 47 carries in the running game along with 137 yards on nine receptions. Hunt has four rushing and two receiving touchdowns, giving him the lead over all players with 96.8 points. Totalling 70.1 total points from the Minnesota Vikings, Stefon Diggs, leads all Wide Receivers with 293 yards on 17 receptions that include four touchdowns. The other face of the New England Patriots, Rob Gronkowski, leads all

Tight Ends with 51.8 points by racking up 238 yards on 16 receptions and two touchdowns. With 57 points allowed, three touchdowns, seven interceptions, and one fumble recovery, the Detroit Lions lead the defensive and special teams category with 44 points. Finally, at kicker, from the Tennessee Titans, making 10 out of his first 11 field goals and all eight of his extra points, Ryan Succop leads with 42 points. Right: Kareem Hunt with his sights set on the endzone. Photo courtesy of Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire

Opinion Volume One: “Dead” Rappers Alive in Cuba? Emory’s Conspiracy Corner

by Emory Maxwell In today’s society, there is a widespread belief that some of the events and decisions that happen in the world are not random. Rather, they are all connected in a master plan known as a conspiracy. While some conspiracy theories are serious and attempt to explain many major

world events, there are also many that are much more lighthearted dealing with popular culture and sports (ex. Frozen envelope theory, Pizzagate, etc.). One of the most popular of these is the “Celebrities Still Alive in Cuba” theory. This wildly popular theory says that many celebrities who died under mysterious circumstances are still alive and are living out their days in a rural Caribbean nation, the most popular of these being Cuba. Some of the celebrities that have supposedly done this include: Christopher Wallace (aka The Notorious B.I.G.), Tupac Shakur, Elvis Presley, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Paul Walker, Princess Diana, and Marilyn Monroe.

The celebrities most often rumored to be alive in the Caribbean are Tupac and Biggie. The reason many people still believe that these two rappers are still alive is that both of their deaths were very mysterious, with no one convicted in either case. The murders of both of these hip-hop superstars also happened within a year of each other, giving people just another reason to think that they could be connected in a conspiracy. These facts about their murders, combined with photos and videos that may or may not be fraudulent, have lead lots of people to believe that two of the greatest rappers of all time may or may not be alive.

Preventing Prep’s parking lot peril Opinion: Sarah Avery Huffman As most Prep students know, the parking situation at Prep is not good. If you aren’t in your car and out of your parking spot by 3:05, you can be stuck in the parking lot for up to 30 minutes. Senior Katie Walker says that every day she feels a panic while trying to get to her car to beat the traffic because she knows if she doesn’t get there fast enough, then she will not be able to get to Pacer practice in time. While there is no immediate solution to this problem, there are actions everyone can take to make the traffic of the parking lot flow better. First off, students should take turns. Although they are

Parents and students wait to get out of Prep’s parking lot. Photo by Sarah Avery Huffman

in a hurry to get out of the parking lot and it is easy to not let people back out, it is essential to be courteous. Alternating between people pulling out will

allow the lanes that lead up to the exit to flow more smoothly. Second, students should let people out of their parking spots. Even though they’ve been waiting to get out of the parking lot, they still have to let people out of their parking spots, so those people can have a chance to get out too. If students don’t, most people will just pull out in front of them anyway, which creates a dangerous situation. Third, students need to quit stopping in the middle of the road. It is very tempting to stop and say hey and talk to friends, but they have to keep moving. Randomly stopping in the middle of the road causes the whole line of cars to have to stop and disrupts the flow of traffic. Fourth, parents need to stop parking in places that make it difficult for students to get out of the parking lot. When parents are parked way off the

curb, it is tough for students to get out of their parking spots. They have the right to park there, but they should also be aware of how they park so that students can get out. Finally, students should be more aware of what they’re doing in the parking lot, especially walking in the middle of the road. If there are cars behind a student, he or she should not continue to walk slowly down the center of the

lane to his or her car. Additionally, students should quit walking out into a lane without looking first because when they do, it causes the whole line of cars to have to slam on the brakes. Overall, the student body should just be more aware of its surroundings. While the Prep parking lot isn’t something that will be easily fixed, it can be improved with the help of the students and parents of Jackson Prep.

Long lines of parent cars waiting in pick-up line. Photo by Sarah Avery Huffman

The Sentry

Politics

NFL players continue national anthem protests Opinion: Barron Liston & Tripp Cory Recently, there has been a whirlwind of controversy surrounding the NFL, the U.S. president Donald Trump, and the physical action of standing or kneeling. This all began when former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the playing of the U.S. national anthem prior to football games in the 2016 NFL Preseason. Kaepernick did this as an act of peaceful protest against police brutality, an issue that has recently received loads of national attention. Other NFL players took after Kaepernick and began to take a knee in protest. President Trump has made some controversial com-

ments on the act of kneeling during the anthem, claiming that owners should fire players who don’t stand for the anthem, stating “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, get that son of a b**** off the field right now, out, he’s fired. He’s fired.” Trump’s comments have sparked additional protests from NFL teams, leading to blatant acts of protest and the refusal of teams to come out of the locker room for the anthem. Many of the players and fans who support the protests have said that the President’s comments infringe on their rights to freedom of speech. After analyzing the First Amendment, however,

this argument is debunked, as free speech is only protected from government interference. The players are at work when they play football, so their bosses can fire them if they do not like what their employees (the players) are saying without being accused of violating their rights to free speech. It is important to note that there is merit to the message of those players, owners, and coaches who use the kneel as a method of protest. This act of protest has led to harsh responses from those who believe that kneeling during the anthem is a deliberate sign of disrespect for our nation and its military. The protesters, however, don’t see this as disrespectful; to the contrary, they see their actions as a message of change in our country regarding the treatment of African-Americans and particularly police brutality. After Trump’s harsh com-

ments, players have begun to send another message. Miami Dolphins tight end Julius Thomas usually stands for the national anthem, but on Sunday he decided to take a knee. When asked why, he said, “To have the president trying to intimidate people -- I wanted to send a message that I don’t condone that. I’m not ok with somebody trying to prevent

someone from standing up for what they think is important.” Other players, such as Drew Brees, who last year notably came out and said he believed everyone should stand for the anthem, and Lesean McCoy, have also criticized the president for his unprofessional comments.

Collin Kaepernick, who is considered the founder of the movement to raise awarness of oppresion, takes a knee sidelines prior to a game during the 2016-2017 season.

Mississippi’s State Flag: It’s time for a change Opinion: Barron Liston & Tripp Cory The state flag of Mississippi has been a contentious subject in both Mississippi and national politics in the years since its adoption in 1894. The reason for this controversy is due to the inclusion of the battle flag of the Confederate army of Northern Virginia. This flag has become the most easily recognizable Confederate symbol despite it not being the official flag of the Confederate nation. However, we feel that the flag has become much more divisive than unifying. This division stems from those who believe that the flag is offensive and misrepresents what our state stands for. We stand with this divi-

October 2017

sion due to the flags negative connotation and use. Since the 1950’s the confederate flag has been used as a symbol to strike fear in the hearts of minorities by white supremacist groups such as the KKK and Neo-Nazi groups. More recently the alt-right has also begun to use the flag- along with radical white supremacists, such as Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof. With rising racial tensions in America and Mississippi’s history of racism, we feel it would greatly benefit the state to remove this symbol from the state flag. We do understand that the Confederacy is an integral part of our state’s his-

tory, but it is a part of history that should be remembered not celebrated. Other nations do not celebrate dark times in their history. The Germans do not celebrate Nazism. Like-

wise, we should not celebrate the Confederacy. This is not to say that all those men who fought under the Confederate banner were bad people and that their service should sim-

ply be forgotten. We are saying that the Confederacy should not be celebrated and represent our state because it is divisive and a symbol of hatred.

Mississippi State Flag proudly flying outside of the Governor’s mansion in downtown Jackson, MS.

Staff Editorials

Sentry II (Sixth Period)

The Ups and Downs of Social Media

Social media takes up an undeniably large portion of American society today. According to Ipsos Open Thinking Exchange, the average American between the ages of 18 and 64 spend 3.2 hours a day on social networks. Social Media has improved our society in amazing ways and completely changed the way we communicate. It creates easier access to news, which can help people learn what is going on not only in our community, but also all around the world. The instant something remotely social media worthy happens, apps like snapchat makes it convenient to publicize. Social media is also a great way to share upcoming events. When it comes to keeping up with old friends, things like facebook allow a person to know everything posted by oth-

ers, so you never have to miss out. However, social media can also have negative side effects. Once a person is on social media, it can become addicting. Deloitte says that Americans check their phones an average of 46 times per day. Bullying can be easily accomplished when hiding behind a screen, which is another problem that users of social media face. Not only this, but social media takes away from human contact. Our staff agreed that social media is neither good nor bad. The pros and cons to social media are clearly visible. Ultimately, it comes down to how one chooses to use it. Whether it is used for bullying other people, or just posting an Instagram picture, social media has an overall effect throughout our community.

Sentry I (Fifth Period)

Restricting Dress Code Needs to be “Relaxed”

We as a staff believe that student life at Jackson Prep would improve greatly if the dress code restrictions were relaxed. We understand that the school enforces these restrictions because it makes the student body appear more organized, but we hold that there are new guidelines that could be put in place to compromise between the comfort of the students and the uniformity of the student body. We feel this way because the school has failed to supply ample objective evidence to

support their claims that the dress code allows for a positive academic experience. We do not dispute the idea that having a general dress code requiring students to dress in clothing such as khaki shorts or pants and appropriate shirts keeps the students looking more formal as opposed to the erratic variance in clothing that would come with no dress code. One issue that is recurring throughout the staff is how self expression is different between males and females. One example is the rule regarding hair.

Boys are to abide by the “collar rule” while the girls have much less restriction on what their hair may look like. Given that males and females are equal, the male students should not be subject to a different enforcement of the school’s policy than their female counterparts. These are just a few of the issues that we feel are plaguing the student body on a daily basis, and we hope that the school will reconsider its dress code policy.

All opinion pieces are the views of the author(s), and the author(s) only, with the exception of staff editorials, which are unsigned and reflect the consensus view of the students in the Sentry classes. Staff editorials are the only columns in the paper that express the unified view of the Sentry staff. This staff editorial process is comprised of two main steps. First, the staff talks amongst themselves about a topic and organizes a position on the issue on which all class members can agree. The editorial is then written and run past the staff members for approval.

The Sentry

Find the Fib The game is Find the Fib. It’s extremely simple; each person has given three facts about themselves, but one of the facts is a lie. Find the fib! Answers at the bottom upside-down. NO PEEKING!!! Felix Lyu: 10th

Alexis Simon: 11th

1. “I have never lived in the same city for more than three years.” 2. “I have never been to New York or California.” 3. “I can speak Japanese.”

1. “I once flew a plane.” 2. “I have been to over 60 concerts.” 3. “I drank out of Harry Styles’s water bottle.”

Andrea McCaa: 10th

Jennings Duncan: 12th

1. “I don’t like sweets.” 2. “I have three siblings.” 3. “I drive a Jeep.”

1. “I have kissed an alpaca.” 2. “I have a single out on itunes.” 3. I fell through the roof in the band hall in 7th grade.

Complete the maze

nswers elix Luy: 3 lexis Simon: 2 ndrea McCaa: 3 ennings Duncan: 1

October 2017

Fun & Games

Candid & Random

The Sentry