Issue 7 February 2019

J A C K S O N

THE V OL. 49, ISSUE 7

P R E P A R A T O R Y

S C H O O L

S E N T RY

THEY SH

NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE Paid Jackson, MS Permit #93

FE BRUA RY 2 019

T AND SC RE!

Boys’ soccer and JH girls’ basketball take home state titles

by Stewart Mccullough

Editor-in-ChiEf Flowood, MS — At Jackson Prep, there are plenty of programs that are tacking on state championships year after year--football, baseball, track-- but no other program has the historic dominance that the boys’ soccer program holds right now. They have been on an elite level for almost 10 years, and their State title victory on Saturday, February 23rd re-cemented their legacy in Mississippi high school history. Yes, you read that correctly. The Patriots dominated Jackson Academy in the title matchup 3-0, capping an impressive season with their 9th straight championship win.

No other Mississippi high school team has ever won 9 straight championships in a row.

Jackson Prep already blanked JA in the regular season (2-0) and (3-0), but as everyone knows, nothing is guaranteed in the playoffs. Tensions run high, adrenaline pumps out of control, and unexpectable things sometimes tend to happen.

In a pre-game meeting, Head coach Jon Marcus Duncan told his team that they owed it to their teammates, to their friends, to their school, and to themselves to lay everything on the line Saturday night.

“Tonight after the game, champions or not, you have to be able to look at your fellow teammates in the eye and say ‘I gave everything I had.’ If you can do that, you will be state champions. You will go down in history as the team that continued this streak to nine.”

- Jon Marcus Duncan

Just 20 minutes into the game, Prep defender Michael Malouf surged up top, and landed his head on a cross from Sam Drennan. Malouf’s header would find the back of the net and just like that, Prep was up 1-0 early in the first half. Jackson Prep has struggled all season with finishing opportunities in the first half so the early goal was a huge boost of confidence.

~ continued on pg 11

Players and coaches hoist the trophy high after knocking off Jackson Academy 3-0 in the State title game.

by charleS StephenSon

Asst. sports Editor The Junior High girls’ basketball team took home the championship on February 16th.

With a score of 32-29, the girls beat the MRA Patriots. The #1 seed Lady Patriots of Prep lead by head coach Michael McAnally beat out the #3 seed Lady Patriots of MRA lead. Due to being the #1 seed, Prep had a first round bye, meaning that the winner of #4 seed PCS and #5 seed JA would face off against Prep in the second round of the MAIS Division 1 Tournament. Dominating JA, the Lady Pats advanced to the conference finals with a 25-11 win. #3 seed MRA defeated the #6 seed Oak Forest and #2 seed Parklane to advance and compete against Prep.

The Prep junior high girls’ team was dominant nearly all season, with a winning record of 24-3 and a perfect conference season with a 12-0 record against conference schools.

In the championship game hosted at Prep, MRA was held to 0 points at the end of the first period, while Prep had the lead with 7. Prep kept the momentum and pulled to a 16-6 lead at the end of the first half. The third period was once again dominated by

Prep, as MRA trailed behind to finish off the third period with a score of 29-18. MRA made a big comeback in the fourth period.

Prep scored a total of 3 points as MRA lead with a total of 12 points in the final period of play.

Despite the amount of points in the fourth, the Lady Patriots of Jackson Prep came out victorious in the 32-29 battle to take home the championship trophy. Andie Flatgard scored nearly half of the teams points, as she lead the team with 15.

Lead by Andie Flatgard, the Jackson Prep junior high girls’ basketball team knocked off Madison Ridgeland Academy 32-29 to clinch the title. Photo courtesy of Denny Britt

Prep’s Chinese sister school brings students to campus grounds.

Prior to the visit of the international students, Prep Head of School Mr. Lawrence Coco, along with faculty members Mr. Denny Britt and Ms. Jane Zhu, visited China to tour the Taizhou School and meet with its students and faculty. The visit took place in late October of 2018, and established a sister school relationship allowing for visits by students from both respective schools.

Upon arrival into Jackson on Saturday evening, the students were greeted at the airport by their host families and a giant “Welcome!” banner signed by various members of the Prep Family.

Sunday, the students spent much of the day resting from the long journey and spending time with their host families, closing out the day with a dinner at Cock of the Walk.

News/Features

Entertainment

Around Town

Sports

Opinion

Quebec Trip - pg. 5

Pardon My Take - pg. 7

Slim Chickens - pg. 9

Basketball- pg. 11

Country music - pg. 14

by tanner gough

nEws Editor From Saturday, February 9 to Thursday, February 14, Jackson Prep welcomed to campus a contingent of 17 students and 2 chaperones from its sister school, the Taizhou School in China.

During their time here, they were able to experience a wide range of activities, both on and off school

~ continued on pg 3

News/Features - 3 eNtertaiNmeNt - 7

Students from Taizhou School show off their talents in one of Prep’s art rooms. Photo courtesty of Ms. Vicki King

arouNd towN - 9

sports - 11

opiNioN - 14

What are your spring break plans?

“Going skiing in Vail, Colorado” - Worth Hewitt, 9th “I’m going to China to meet my exchange student’s parents” - Isabella Scalia, 10th “I have no plans” - Hayden Mathis, 10th “Playing Fortnite” - Andrew Purvis, 11th “Watching The Real Housewives” - Ms.Katie Luckey “Going to the beach” - Emma Liddell, 10th “Going skiing” - Tyler McMurtey, 10th “Staying home” - Nora Beth Hetzel, 12th “I’m going to the Bahamas” - Sara Hederman, 11th “I’m going to see Old Dominion in Pensacola, and I’m going to see Hamilton in New Orleans.”

- Grace Parker, 12th “I don’t know.”

- Abigail Metcalf, 11th “Become less pale and get some mental rest” - Mia Bruce, 10th

V I E W S & V O I C E S

What’s one thing you hope to accomplish in the last nine weeks of school? Why?

“I’d like to set the record for the 400 at Prep because it’s been my dream since 6th grade” - Callie McKinney, 10th “Make a 4 or 5 on the AP European history exam” - Eli Venarske, 10th “Develop a normal sleeping schedule” - Mia Bruce, 10th “Get all my grades up to A’s” - Patrick Faulk, 9th “Mental Stability” - Emma Liddell, 10th “I want to get an A on a Devine paper” - Nora Beth Hetzel, 12th “Get better at Fortnite” - Andrew Purvis, 11th “I want to finish my piano piece before graduation”Grace Parker, 12th “Honor roll” - Tylor McMurtery, 10th

“Tracking the rain itself “ -Tanner Gough

“Battlefield V with the squad” - Tripp Cory

“Netflix”

“Sleep”

“Going to a restaurant to eat lunch” -Cass Rutledge

“Phase 10” - Russ Upton

“Staying in bed and watching Netflix” -Ainsley O’Quinn, Sayley Crawford “Sleeping” - Olivia Moore, Emma Dye “Napping” - Mary Patton Murphy “Sleeping and watching TV” - Walker Pool “Sleeping and watching movies” -Avery Overby

Volume 49 • Issue 7 • February 2019

“Get a 36 on the ACT” - Neha Adari, 11th

Sentry PICKS: What’s your go-to Rainy Day Activity?

-Genevieve Hurst

The Sentry

“Driving recklessly” -Will Fletcher

-Alex Gibbs

Editor-in-Chief Stewart McCullough Print Managing Editor Olivia Moore

Online Managing Editors Russ Upton Ainsley O’Quinn

News Editor Tanner Gough

Opinion Editors Maclain Kennedy Caroline McIntyre Eloise Moore

Copy Editors Mary Patton Murphy Alex Gibbs Graphics Editor Payne Bell Photo Editors Genevieve Hurst Henley Johnson Kennedy Marble Around Town Editors Aubrey Scott Moak Jane Gray Barbour Entertainment Editors Tori Newsome Preston Dubberly Asst. Entertainment Editor Camp Carter Fun & Games Editor Sayley Crawford

“Playing Xbox” - Charles Stephenson

“Playing video games” - Joseph Watts

“Reading the encyclopedia” - Stewart McCullough

“Watching movies in bed” -Embry Hollowell

“Dark thoughts” -Emory Maxwell

“Reading a book” -Eliza Mazzaferro

“The rain can’t stop me and my plans” - Camp Carter

Find us online at www.jpsentry.net

Assistant Sports Editors Charles Stephenson Sarah Cory Records Manager Anna Stack Social Media Editors Emory Maxwell Ford Lange Video Editor Mara Liston

Contributing Staff Hannah Grace Biggs • Dax Murphy Alex Stradinger • Allie Wise

Advisor: Mr. Lain Hughes

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MISSISSIPPI SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION mississippischolasticpress.com

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SOUTHERN INTERSCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION sipa.scu.edu

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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.

Sports Editors Steven Wyatt Will Fletcher

In-Class Staff Anna Leigh Allen • John Henry Andress Ann Parker Baldwin • Bennett Carter • Hannah Carter Victoria Chough • Tripp Cory• Kennady Dausman Emma Dye • Lily Flowers • Sarah Herring Embry Hollowell • Francie Heidelberg • Liddy Hurst Ramsay Jeffreys• Kate Kellum • Barron Liston Abbey Mangum • Eliza Mazzaferro • Eliza Maxwell Mason Nichols •Victoria Nowell • Avery Overby Walker Poole •Rosy Ruffin • Lauren Anne Smith John Tyson • Joseph Watts

“Laying in my bed with window playing a game or watching/ reading something” - Barron Liston

“Staying in my pajamas all day and watching movies” - Preston Dubberly

Assistant Opinion Editors Cass Rutledge Lilly Noble

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

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COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION cspa.columbia.edu

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.

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The Sentry

3

Sister school visit, continued from page 1 On Monday, the students finally arrived on the Prep campus. Here, each of the 17 students were paired with a Jackson Prep Student Ambassador, who guided them during their time at the school. Notable activities of the day included a tour of the school given by the Jackson Prep Pathfinders, going to class with their paired Ambassador, and working with pottery with Dr. Luke Nealey. That evening, the group was able to attend a junior high baseball game, something none of them had ever experienced before.

Tuesday brought another day of exciting experiences for the international students. The morning’s events were personal favorites for each of the students, as they were able to work with virtual reality at the Jackson Prep XR Lab and visit the Patriot Shop to purchase mementos that would always remind them of Prep and their journey. In the afternoon, they had the option to visit a classroom of their choice, participating in activities such as making chocolate roads in Ms. Beth Watts’s ancient cultures class. The day concluded with a visit to Fannin Lanes to bowl with each other and with their host families, yet another opportunity the students had never experienced previously.

On their final day on campus, the visiting students were administered the Jackson Prep entrance exam, determining whether they were eligible for admission as full time Prep students in the fall. After testing, the stu-

dents were able to take part in archery with coach Jimmy Nix and team building activities with Col. William Merrell from the Global Leadership Institute (GLI). Once the school day ended, Prep held a send off party on campus, and the students returned home with their host families to prepare for their departure the following morning.

Finally, on Thursday morning, the Taizhou School students and chaperones bade farewell to the Prep Family and the Jackson metropolitan area. From there, they traveled to California, where they stopped in both San Francisco and Los Angeles, polishing off a trip of new insights and memories to take back with them to China.

Ms. Jane Zhu, Director of the Jackson Prep International Program, had much to say about the visit from the Taizhou School.

“It was a life changing experience for them,” she said. “In Mississippi, we have a rich history. If you really want to know America, this is the place you want to come.”

With regards to what the group thought of the school itself, Ms. Zhu said, “They [the students] said the environment here is very relaxing and more fun. Many said they would commend their friends to come to Prep.”

Ms. Vicki King, Director of Events and Partnerships at Prep as well as coordinator of host families for the International Program, also commented on the sister school’s visit. “They really enjoyed their visit. They were very shy in the beginning, but later on

they really felt a part of things.”

She also said, “The faculty, staff, and students were extremely welcoming and made them all feel at home.”

As to how the visit from the Taizhou School furthers the mission of the International Program, Ms. Zhu quoted the program’s mission statement. “The Jackson Prep International Program’s vision is to build a more diverse and externally connected student body, to increase leadership opportunities, and to create a culturally immersive environment.” She went on to say, “I feel that everybody enjoyed this outstanding cultural immersion. I also saw leaders come out of students as they were leading the visiting students through the school, something very exciting to see.”

Plans for other schools from around the world to visit Jackson Prep are also in the works. “We are hoping to expand the program after the sister school visit to other countries to bring more cultural immersion,” Ms. Zhu said.

Over spring break, Prep will bring its own contingent of students to the Taizhou School in China for a reciprocal sister school visit. Some of the activities on the agenda include a visit to Beijing, the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, and the visit to Taizhou that will last approximately three days. To close out the visit, they will travel to Shanghai and experience one of the most modern cities in the world.

“It will be a great experience for our students,” said Ms. Zhu

Prep students welccome the Chinese students at the airport.

The Chinese students are enjoying their time at Prep with their student buddies that tour the school with them. Photo by Hope Kullman

Some Chinese students and Cassidy ZumMallen are enjoying their breakfast in the cafeteria. Photo by Ms. Zhu

AP Government students participate in mock elections

by Ford Lange Social Media editor

Starting in the middle of December, the senior AP Government classes began a mock election to go along with the course study. Students in both classes got assigned a specific role and everyone had one job or duty. Some were the presidential candidates; others were media outlets and party leaders. With a wide variety of things going on, it made the next two months very interesting.

At the direction of senior history teacher Ms. LouAnn McKibben, each class had its own campaign and results. Both classes started building up their campaign or doing their job to affect the polls.

In December, the candidates and their team had to come up with an introductory or “stump” speech to formally announce their candidacy. While that was going on, all of the media outlets were listening closely not only to report on them, but to get ready to endorse a certain candidate. After the endorsements and speeches, the candidates were tasked with making ads. Some were made in support of one candidate while others were made to break down the other candidate in hopes of boosting themselves.

The endorsement turned out to be one of the most important parts of the whole race, giving those who were endorsed a great lead in the polls. However, that was not the only big event that happened. After about a week after the endorsements, multiple scandals were released about certain candidates, hurting those who had any sort of lead and crushing the hopes of those in the middle of the race.

Towards the end of the race, each class held a formal debate, ran by certain members of the media who helped shaped the questions. Some questions were answered simply while others caused heated discussions.

While the candidates went back and forth on the topics, the media and audience listened closely to any flaws that may have come from the answers of the candidates. Each debate lasted a little under an hour, and every minute was used by the candidate to form their positions on the very controversial topics that were brought up by the media.

After the debate came both parties’ primary elections.

This was the closer of the two races due to the fact that there were more options to choose from.

While the race may have seemed to be close, the winners of both

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parties were fairly obvious. There was not really any doubt of who was going to win the elections. In the 3rd carrier class, Mike Lewis won for the Republicans and Cammie Harrison won for the Democrats. In the 4th carrier class, James Tarskyn won on the Republican ballot, and Larry Anderson won for the Democrats.

For the candidates that lost the primary, the project seemed to be over, but that could not be further from the truth. Those candidates who represented the swing states were the deciding factor for the election. In the 3rd carrier class, Mike Lewis carried both swing states on his way to the oval office, and in the 4th carrier class, after splitting the swing states, President James Tarskyn (a.k.a Donald Trump) returned for his second term as President.

This project was used to show the students how elections really work and all the work behind them as opposed to just reading about it from a book.

From the speeches to the ads and the financial aspects, this project gave the students a good look, on a small scale, of what the elections are like.

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Students in Mrs. Mckibben’s 3rd period class participating in a town hall meeting where other students were allowed to ask questions. Photo by Stewart McCullough

Prep took 2nd place at the MSMS tournament on Feb. 26.

Read more about math competitions by pointing your phone’s camera at the code below.

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4

News & Features

The Prep/JA stereotype This story was a collaborative effort between the Jackson Prep Sentry and the Jackson Academy Chronicle.

By Alex Gibbs, Anne Marie Lundy, Emory Maxwell, Mary Patton Murphy, Mary Parker Williams and Stewart McCullough To the people of Jackson, there’s a distinct difference between Jackson Academy and Jackson Prep. While people from each school may go to church together and hang out on the weekends, each school has its own unique culture and reputation. Not only do these two rivals compete on the football gridiron, in the basketball gym, and in other athletic arenas, but they’re often competing in the homes of young families deciding where to send their kids to school. The two schools, although only separated by a few miles, at times seem worlds apart.

Outside of Jackson, though, it’s a different story.

Some people might not even know they’re two separate schools. Often times, that leads the schools’ students falling victim to the “Jackson Stereotype.”

“Country club rich kids.” “Athletics over academics.” “Love to Party.” “Stuck-up and Snobby.”

These are only a few of the descriptions said about Prep and JA students.

Even though this harsh characterization is true of some students of both schools, the majority are nothing like that. At the end of the day, both schools have their own independent brand and culture that they

should be proud of, while at the same time sharing more in common with one another than they sometimes would like to admit.

The most obvious difference between the two schools is that JA has a preschool and elementary school, which means that a large number of JA students have been there since they were in kindergarten. However, at Prep, students come from many different elementary schools, the majority coming in the sixth or seventh grade. What this means for students at Jackson Academy is that many find the people who will be their closest friends in high school at a very young age, while at Prep the entry of students from different elementary schools causes students to find their close friends at a later age.

Another contrast between the schools is the block vs traditional schedule that Prep and JA have, respectively. While students at Prep operate on a three day alternating schedule, students at Jackson Academy have fixed time periods for all seven classes each day. This means that the schedules of students at Prep resemble the schedules of many college students, who don’t attend all of their classes every day, and they have to work harder to stay on top of their coursework, since they don’t meet with teachers as frequently.

As far as the subject material covered by the schools, both JA and Prep offer a variety

of classes and have Honors and Advanced Placement tracks.

However, Jackson Academy does not have a Dual Enrollment program. At Prep, students are able to earn college credit by taking classes through Mississippi College. This is a limitation for students at Jackson Academy, as they are only able to receive college credit for exceptional scores on the Advanced Placement exams.

Despite these differences, there are many factors that make the cultures at these schools similar. Both schools have storied athletic programs along with award-winning performing arts. Due to the school’s locations and histories, they draw students from similar family situations and backgrounds.

On a daily basis their paths are crossing, as many of them eat at the same restaurants, go to the same places on the weekends, or even live in the same neighborhoods. Many will choose from the same group of colleges and study many of the same majors.

Many have the same interests and partake in the same extracurriculars and even vacation at the same spots. Students at Prep and JA may not be as different as some want to believe they are, even with the differences that exist in each school’s daily operations. In reality, both schools have a lot more in common than they do differences, even though on fall Fridays no one would ever admit that.

February 2019

Pathfinders: Leading the way by

Victoria chough Staff WritEr

Every year, new students decide to attend Jackson Prep after being satisfied with a campus tour. Touring events can range from what is called Prep Preview, where a few students and their parents tour in a group, to a private tour with just one student and their guardian.

This year, Prep is putting a new twist on the way prospective students visit the school.

T h e Pathfinders are sponsored by the Director of Admissions Ms. Tracie Mallard, who interacts with every prospective family by giving tours of campus and walking families through the application process and admissions testing. The Pathfinders are a way for Jackson Prep students to connect with potential attendees by leading these tours and attending larger events like First Presbyterian Day School visits. The Pathfinders’ former name was Patriot League and consisted of 70-80 members that helped exclusively with large events like You Are Prep and the spring open house. Inspired by the Roadrunners at Mississippi State, the group’s numbers were cut down to approximately 30 students, selected through a survey.

To select the 2018-2019 Pathfinders, a committee of faculty members read through each application form. For 2019-2020 applications later this spring, an interview portion is also going to be added to evaluate the social skills of students.

Not only has the Pathfinders program assisted tours this

school year, but they also p a r t i c i p a te d in the Chinese sister school visit in February in which 20 Chinese students spent Monday to Wednesday on the Prep campus with Student Ambassadors and Pathfinders leading them from place to place throughout the school day. The group also assisted in the FPDS 6th-grade field trip to Prep, helping different teachers at separate stations with the students. Ms. Mallard said, “I can’t even count the number of times that [the Pathfinders] have helped me this year. I’ve started relying on them a lot to help me with events. It’s been a big help for me.”

Next school year also offers a Pathfinders class during the fixed carrier, and Ms. Mallard strongly encourages current Pathfinders to participate in it.

In this class, students will learn more about Jackson Prep’s campus, how to interact with prospective students, plan individual tours and events, and write notes to leave an impression on the student and their family.

With a one-on-one interaction between a Prep student and a family, it’s easier for connections to be formed between the Pathfinder and the family, and it relaxes the child when another student is the one conducting the tour. It lessens the kid’s nerves and makes them more open to the idea of attending a new school. Pathfinder and sophomore Abbie Mask said, “Pathfinders is such a fun opportunity that allows you to meet new people and show them around campus. It’s rewarding to make a kid feel excited and less scared about attending Prep.”

Senioritis is spreading rapidly at Prep as graduation nears

by Mary Patton MurPhy

Copy Editor There’s a mad epidemic spreading among the senior class, and they’re calling it “senioritis.”

Since the start of second semester (and for some, since before then), Prep seniors have been itching for graduation. “93 days,” senior Mary Parker Plunkett counted on Tuesday, February 19. “93 days ‘til graduation.”

Walk through the senior high hallways or enter a calculus class, and you’re sure to see the effects of “senioritis.” During their junior year, students dedicated countless activity periods and mornings before school to completing homework from the night before or practicing for standardized tests. Now, seniors not only procrastinate completing their homework, but skip studying altogether.

“Senioritis” does appear in different forms for different students, and there are a number

of reasons for it. Some seniors feel the hard work they have put forth the past four years has beaten them down, especially those seniors that have chosen to take honors and advanced placement courses. Senior Charlie Ott has taken all honors for the past four years. He said, “For me, senioritis is a product of putting everything I have into balancing my schoolwork and extracurricular activities. Once the finish line is near, you simply have nothing else to give.”

Students have also worked hard this year on college applications and scholarship essays, and many students know where they are going to school next year. Senior Grace Parker said, “My roommate and I have started planning for our dorm room, picking out colors and a few different items for our room.”

Thinking ahead and envisioning what next year will look like has distracted many students from their work, which has been a disappointment to their teachers.

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“I think it’s sad because they’re not living in the present,” said Ms. Griffin, a senior high english teacher. “There are no guarantees, so they should live fully in the moment.”

As far as students completing their responsibilities outside of the classroom, however, “senioritis” doesn’t seem to have an effect. Many seniors have been soaking up their “lasts,” the last pep rallies, athletic events, and show choir competitions. While teachers seem to be disappointed by the performance of their senior students, sponsors and coaches of different clubs and activities across campus don’t appear to feel this way. “For the most part, we have not had any slacking off this year. We even had a pep rally this semester! Everyone gets tired at times and needs encouragement, but I am proud of the way my seniors are finishing strong,” said Ms. Tracie Mallard, senior high cheer sponsor.

With less than eight weeks until graduation, many

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seniors are losing their steam.

Though activities are keeping some motivated, many activities will end this spring. Be careful, Prep family. With every new

week, more seniors catch the bug; “senioritis” is spreading fast.

Seniors, who will go unnamed, spend classtime sneaking in a few games of online poker. Photo by Mary Patton Murphy

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The Sentry

French Club takes on Canada

5

Précis: what goes on behind the scenes by emma Dye

stAff WritEr

& ViCtoria Nowell stAff WritEr

by Dax murphy

stAff WritEr On February 7th, nine ambitious French students from Prep were accompanied by two teachers to begin their journey to the “Maple Leaf ” country of Canada.

Students ranging from 8th-11th grade met Coach Cory Caton and Mr. Hunter Upchurch at the airport to catch their flight at 6 a.m. They flew from Jackson to Atlanta before heading from Atlanta to Montréal, Canada.

Stepping outside the Montréal airport, everyone felt the drastic change in temperature from what they were used to. Daily temperatures of 12-14°F in Montréal represented a significant drop for these Mississippians, calling for many layers of clothing at all times. This included large jackets, snow pants, gloves, wool socks, and water-resistant boots.

The students saw all kinds of sights on the walking tour of Old Town, a tour of the interior of the famous Notre Dame Basilica, and all kinds of people along the snow-covered streets. Many students experienced their very first hockey game, the Montréal Canadiens vs. the Edmonton Oilers. After many goals, and a few fights here and there, the game ended 5-1 in the Canadiens’ favor.

The next morning, the group departed from Montréal on a 3-hour bus ride to Québec City, where they spent most of their trip.

Outside of the city was La Poursuite Chenil, or, “The Kennel Pursuit.” Here, the group spent three hours dog-sledding, snowshoeing, tube sliding, and learning how natural maple syrup is made. They also could try the maple syrup, along with maple taffy and maple butter.

After eating the taffy, the group hopped back on the bus and were soon en route to the heart of Québec City.

The group stayed at a fantastic hotel, Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, which had amazing views of the Saint Laurent River, which was half frozen over. It was very convenient

being at the center of the city so they could walk everywhere they had planned.

The first day in Québec ended as the group returned to Le Château. Coach Caton let them loose into the knee-deep snow in front of the hotel, and for about an hour or so, everyone played in something that isn’t regularly experienced at home. With joyous smiles, they buried each other in the snow and formed balls of white.

Saturday was a day filled with activities of the Carnaval de Québec like Bonhomme’s Ice Palace, ice sculpture shows, and many more outside activities to really get a feel for the culture of Québec and its people.

That night, the group stayed around the streets of Québec and watched the Carnaval Parade. The whole group was relieved as they arrived back at the hotel to finally feel warm again and get some rest after the parade.

Sunday arrived with sun rays gleaming through the windows. The group rendezvoused in the lobby and headed toward the Montmorency Falls via motorcoach. The tour guide explained that the spectacle is actually larger than the famous Niagara Falls.

Most of the water was completely frozen.. After taking pictures, the group left for breakfast at a famous rural lodging place named Chez Marie where a lady made breakfast for them and another tourist group sitting adjacent to them.

After breakfast, the group went on a trip to The Basilica of Sainte-Anne-deBeaupré. Beautiful architecture and gorgeous artwork laced the sanctuary. A French-spoken mass was being held as the group walked in and around the church.

A highlight of the Basilica was two “pieces” of SainteAnne. One, a piece of her forearm, is encased in the front part of the church inside a golden mold of a hand. The other, a very small piece of her skull, is encased in the bottom floor, used as a more special place to worship. As the group left the Basilica, they weren’t aware of the amount of fun that was waiting

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to come. Next, the group arrived at Valcartier Village des Sports and stayed until around 7 tubing down snowy hills, twisting and turning down the slopes with a couple people in each raft, and visiting the ice hotel. That night, t he group ate at the crêpe restaurant right next door and have a great last dinner in such a beautiful city. They were sad that this is their last night, as Tyler McMurtery, a sophomore, says, “can we stay just one more night?” The realization of it being the last night really struck the group.

The cultural immersion that takes place on such trips, the many things you get to learn to help understand the world and its people just a bit more, is a major reason people recommend international travel for high school students who have the opportunity. Seeing people of different culture, religion, ethnicities, and nationalities prosper in their own unique and amazing ways is a sight for sure.

It really is magical to delve into a society that you’ve never really explored before and get to be right in the middle of it for even just a few days.

Looking back on the trip, Coach Cory Caton said, “[I have] been taking this trip for 15+ years and I absolutely love exploring the language and culture with French students of any and all levels. Their appreciation for the language and a different culture is so awesome. Dogsledding this year was an awesome addition.

My other favorite events are Valcartier, [the] Ice Hotel and definitely the hockey game! Staying in the Château Frontenac was also amazing this trip!”

French I student Tyler McMurtery, a sophomore, said, “The most interesting thing about Canada to me was the culture. The people in Canada were just as nice as people in Mississippi. Wherever you went, there were smiling faces, but their way of life is so much slower than our American lifestyle, and it gives you time to take in your surroundings and appreciate how they live their lives.”

The yearbook staff, also known as Précis, does much more than students probably know. Every person on the Précis staff is assigned numerous pages at the beginning of the school year and are also assigned a partner with every page they are given to complete. These two people work together to lay out the page, get quotes, conduct interviews, and come up with captions that go along with the theme of the yearbook. These pages have deadlines that staffers must meet throughout the year. After the page is completed, the editors and Ms. Anna Griffin edit the page.

The Précis staff works

Mothers’ group keeps Prep family in their prayers

by Camp Carter Asst. EntErtAinmEnt Editor

Moms in Prayer is a support group organized by moms of Prep students in grades six through twelve. The group of moms meets every second and fourth Tuesday of the month to speak and pray at Covenant Presbyterian Church from 1:00 to 2:30. Moms in Prayer is an international group, operating in one hundred and forty countries and all fifty states. Their mission is to have every school covered by a prayer group. Other Moms in Prayer groups exist at First Pres and other private schools in Jackson.

Jackson Prep’s own Moms in Prayer group has been operating for more than fifteen years and is currently run

by Ms. Lisa Ireland. There are around 25 regular members, and moms are divided into different groups by grade level.

A longer version of this story is at jpsentry.net

@jacksonprepsentry

very closely with their publishing representative, EJ Creel.

EJ Creel works for Herff Jones.

Herff Jones is a yearbook publishing company that prints the books, finalizes the yearbook, and gives helpful criticism. Creel gives the staff members helpful advice on how to make the yearbook better.

This year the editors are Abigail Pittman, Eliza Burnham, and Georgia Perkins. Abigail Pittman is the editor-in-chief, Eliza Burnham is the co-editor, and Georgia Perkins is the photography editor. This is Ms. Griffin’s eleventh year sponsoring the yearbook staff.

You are now probably wondering what the theme of the yearbook is, but you will not be able to find out until next year when you receive your yearbook.

Not only do staff members layout pages, but they also take pictures throughout the year. Photo assignments are assigned during the year. Pictures for photo assignments come from athletics, student life, clubs, and other events that take place at Prep. The Précis staff also puts on the annual Précis Pageant where seniors are given their awards. Each year, a senior and junior are in charge of the Précis Pageant. The Précis staff puts a lot of hard work and effort into making this award ceremony special for the seniors.

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@jpsentry

Prayer requests can be sent in three days before each meeting and are completely confidential. Both parents and faculty can send in prayer requests to the moms. If a student has a prayer request, they can also send it to Ms. Ireland’s phone via text or email. Over the course of the year the moms pray over every student by name. They also pray for faculty, the maintenance staff, the head of school, and the board of directors.

It’s nice to know that a group of moms is praying over Prep throughout the school year. Whether or not you are a Christian or believe in God, this group still offers support for students all throughout the year. If you would like to send a prayer request to Ms. Lisa Ireland, her email address is IrelandL@earthlink.net.

News & Features

6

February 2019

Profiles

Ben Johnson: the Patriot man, the Patriot myth, the Patriot legend our players.” He also stated that “a good attitude and shameless school spirit is needed in order to make an effective mascot.”

But Ben isn’t just a mascot. He’s also known as the guy who’s good at everything (almost).

He can cook an excellent egg over a campfire and speak a good bit of Chinese, which he was inspired to learn after he met his first Chinese foreign exchange student at Prep. Ben found that the lack

by AlEx strAdingEr

Staff Writer Most students at Jackson Prep have heard of Ben Johnson.

Some know him as the Patriot Man, our very own school mascot.

Ben applied for the job at the start of his 10th grade year and was accepted because of academic success and willingness to represent his fellow students. His strong sense of school spirit and incredible amount of energy allow him to be one of the best mascots Prep has ever had. He carries this role with pride and is always willing to help hype up Prep students at any given time. When asked what the role meant to him, Ben said that “I love to hype up everybody who comes to our sporting events, because it’s so motivational to

of communication he had with some of the students wasn’t allowing him to get to know his new friends better, so he decided to dedicate time every day towards becoming bilingual.

Ben is also a state contender in US table tennis, which he has trained hard in since a young age. Table tennis is a sport that Ben can embarrass almost anyone in, thanks to his quick reflexes and near perfect aim. He is

Ben Johnson, the Patriot Man, unicicles down the track to support the football team.

known for strategically using spin on the ball to keep opponents guessing on where to place their paddle. When asked if he would pursue the sport collegiately, Ben explained he had higher aspirations in life but that he would keep it as a hobby.

All who know him can also agree he’s quite a friendly guy. Ben is always willing to help a student out, whether it be with physics homework or car trouble.

Being a go-to guy in so many ways isn’t easy, but Ben has truly embodied servant leadership in his time at Prep to younger students that look up to him and the role he plays.

Most people don’t know these things about Ben because he’s such a humble guy, but get to know him and you’ll find that he has quite an intellectual personality. When asked why he and his friend canoed to school at 3 in the morning, Ben simply replied “why not?” Ben always asks this question when doing something stupid because it’s beneficial by convincing him to take that path.

When asked to describe a couple of things to define his lifestyle, he said that one should

“beg for forgiveness not permission,” and that “no matter what Mrs. Scruggs does, we will never be a communist state.”

Ben hopes to attend the Naval Academy when he graduates from Prep, and to travel the world and one day have children that he hopes are more athletic than he is.

Ben Johnson glows while canoeing to school.

GETTING PREP’S MESSAGE OUT Emily McClain, Director of Branding and Marketing

Ryan Sherman, Director of Communications

by Embry HollowEll

by JoHn HEnry AndrEss

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

From designing the new visual in the library to creating Prep’s annual Christmas cards, Emily McClain does it all. Ms. McClain has been the Director of Branding and Marketing at Prep for four years now. She has an undergrad in art and a Bachelor’s degree of fine art with an emphasis on graphic design, and also has an MBA in entrepreneurship and strategic retail alliances. Ms. McClain was introduced to Prep by her college roomate and was interested ever since then. She absolutely loves working with students on various projects.

Ms. McClain designed the large book graphic in the library to allow students to feel like they are entering a “new world of reading.” She also noted that the X-R lab in the library correlates to the numerous books in that they both “take you to the past, present, or somewhere that doesn’t exist.” This creative thinking done by Ms. McClain is what boosts Prep’s image and allows it to appeal to the eye.

Emily McClain seeks to keep Prep’s image consistent. According to Ms. McClain, “Continuity builds your brand,” meaning that if you keep a consistent look, then your image will appeal to the outside eye, thus recruiting more parents and students to join the Prep community. When recruiting new families, Ms. McClain also finds it very important to make sure that the new families feel like they fit into the picture at Prep and that they can reach their full potential by choosing to attend Jackson Prep.

Besides recruiting new families to the Jackson Prep community, Ms. McClain also loves to work with students on our campus in designing many different things around Prep. For example, she loves having students’ artwork, writing, creative ideas, etc. to use in showcasing Prep not only around campus, but also locally throughout the community. According to Ms. McClain, “Our brand is our students.” Ms. McClain finds it quite important to showcase the students’ talents and allow those around us to experience this too.

On a day to day basis, Emily McClain strives to better tell Prep’s story with visuals on campus. From designing the poster for one of Prep’s formal musicals Footloose, to creating important visuals on the Prep website, Ms. McClain plays a huge role in bettering the image of Jackson Prep. Also, with her creative mind and enthusiasm to better Prep and its overall image, Ms. McClain recruits those from all over to join the Prep community and make it a better place.

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@jacksonprepsentry

Mr. Ryan Sherman is the Director of Communications at Prep, and he has served in this position for the past six years. He grew up in South Jackson, where he attended Hillcrest Christian School. At the University of Alabama, he tried out several majors, but he ultimately decided on a degree in Broadcast Journalism because it was very interesting and sounded like a lot of fun. After graduating from Alabama with his degree in Broadcast Journalism, he went on to live in Birmingham with his wife and family. He has three children: Mattie, age 11, Jackson, age 7, and Wyatt, who is about to be 4. He plans on sending all of his children to Prep.

Once his wife got a great job opportunity in Jackson for a promotion within Enterprise, the car rental company, Mr. Sherman’s family moved here. After hearing about a job opening at Prep, he eagerly joined the Prep community. One of his favorite parts about his job is the variety that he sees every day. He said that his job changes from day to day, which keeps the job enjoyable for him since he gets to try new things.

One part of his job is to make videos for fundraisers and graphics for athletic events.

He is also in charge of running the Jackson Prep Instagram account, Jackson Prep website, and fundraising.

One thing that he has enjoyed doing is learning about the new technology that has been invented since he got his degree. He got his degree in 2001, so many technological advances have been made since he graduated.

Mr. Sherman has loved working at Prep. “I love the family atmosphere of Prep. We use the term Prep family, and I really believe that it is true, and we do have a family community,” he said. Mr. Sherman loves the Prep community and the family that is formed by Prep, and he shares this when he promotes Prep to prospective families.

Mr. Coco said, “Mr. Sherman is a fantastic member of Jackson Prep. He is tireless in promoting Jackson Prep and highlighting the achievements of the entire Prep community, particularly our students and faculty. We are extremely lucky that we have Mr. Sherman as part of our Prep Family.”

One of the challenges of his job is to find good videos to post in an increasingly video-oriented social media, but he says that it is made much easier since Prep students are always active and doing exciting things. He does a lot of videography and photography for Prep, but he said that he makes more videos in the spring and takes more pictures more in the fall.

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Entertainment

The Sentry

7

Avril Lavigne shows her growth on ‘Head Above the Water’

by preston Dubberly EntErtAinmEnt Editor

Avril Lavigne released her newest album ‘Head Above the Water’ on February 15, 2019. She gave fans a sneak peek three separate occasions: ‘Head Above the Water’ released in September of 2018, ‘Tell Me It’s Over’ released in December of 2018, and ‘Dumb Blonde’ featuring Nicki Minaj released February 12, 2019. The

album has twelve songs on the track list.

Avril Lavigne announced that she was working on a new album in 2017, so her fans have been waiting patiently for years.

In 2014, Lavigne was diagnosed with Lyme Disease, which put a halt on producing music.

Because she has been so sick, she kept pushing the release of her album. Originally, she was going to release it at the end of 2017, but this album has been too emotionally gut-wrenching for her.

On February 7, 2018, she tweeted, “These songs are so close to my heart. Wish me luck while I throw every last drop of me into these final stages.”

‘Dumb Blondes’ sounds like it could have been on any of her older albums, so it is definitely one of my top three favorite songs on this album. The major-

ity of the songs on ‘Head Above the Water’ are slower songs, which makes sense because Lavigne said that this was the most emotionally invested she has ever been in an album.

‘Bigger Wow’ is another one of my favorites because it is more upbeat and fun.Avril Lavigne definitely takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions throughout the songs. She will have you in your feels in one song and the next song will make you want to get up and dance. It was also nice to hear Lavigne’s voice again and that she did not lose herself in her Lyme Disease battle.

Overall, this album is something that everyone should give a try. If you liked Avril Lavigne’s older music like me, then you will love this album.

The album cover of “Head Above the Water.”

Primitive technology

Emory’s take on “Pardon My Take”

by emory maxwell sociAl mEdiA Editor

“Pardon My Take” is my favorite form of news, entertainment, and media to consume. It is a podcast, about an hour and a half in length, released every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

by Barstool Sports. The podcast hosts are two widely known internet personalities: Dan “Big Cat” Katz and PFT (real name unknown) Commenter. The podcast is produced by Henry “Handsome Hank” Lockwood.

The show began in the spring of 2016, and it first gained notoriety for boasting about interviewing the legendary orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews for an update on Kyle Schwarber, a baseball player whose ACL was torn just days prior, when in reality they had interviewed a Dr. James Andrews that was a professor of library science at The University of South Florida. Their hijinx in this instance, and in many instances since, has drawn them a massive audience of loyal followers, who contribute to the community of “award winning listeners” that make the show so great. Some of the trouble the podcasters have gotten into include getting kicked out of the Westminster dog show for sneaking in, getting arrested and questioned by the FBI for trespassing at the Super Bowl Media day, getting kicked off of ESPN after having a show that ran two episodes, and one of them getting arrested for protesting Tom Brady’s suspension

by Camp Carter AssitAnt EntErtAinmEnt Editor

The hosts of “Pardon My Take” Dan “Big Cat” Katz and PFT Commenter welcome guests into their van to interview them.

outside of the NFL headquarters in New York. These two 35 year-old cohosts relish in the “bad boy journalism” narrative, and all their publicity for it has made their show all the more popular. Some of their guests are drawn to their style, such as JJ Watt, Blake Griffin, Alex Rodriguez and many more, but others like Dak Prescott did not like the show’s humor.

The show is wacky and quirky, which is the major reason why I am such a fan. Ever since I was drawn in over two years ago, I was immediately immersed in their world of comedy and jokes that build on each other from episode to episode, and it gets better every time. You can find the Pardon My Take podcast on the apple podcast app, and I would advise everyone to give it a listen because it will be well worth it.

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Dan “Big Cat” Katz above and PFT Commenter featured below.

@jacksonprepsentry

Primitive technology is a term for a wide variety of videos dedicated to outdoor construction and wilderness survival. Using as little modern tools as possible, videos center around producing shelter, obtaining food, and making swimming pools (yeah that last one is a thing). There is some controversy in the primitive technology community of copycatting and faking the videos such as using bulldozers or shovels, but most videos appear to be self-made efforts. Channels such as Primitive Technology, based in Australia, Chad Zuber, based on an island in the Caribbean, and Primitive Skills, based in southeast Asia, produce well edited and self-made content. Their locations allow them access to fresh water, and vast stretches of untamed wildlife. Other channels produce similar content, but lack originality and polish compared to these three.

One of the most important skills used by primitive survivalists is the ability to make fire. Fire is an indispensable asset because it provides warmth, cooks food, hardens mud and clay, and can be used to clear land easily. Another necessary skill is the ability to make a shelter; mud bricks and stones can be made into strong huts with roofs of palm fronds or branches. Wattle and daub, a method of construction by covering a wooden frame with mud, is

jacksonprepsentry

also used. Shelter made entirely of branches and tree limbs can also be used in more wooded areas. Primitive tools are constructed from rocks and wooden materials and are used to either dig or chop. A sharpened stick, called a “digging stick,” is used to rake up dirt by pushing it into the ground and pulling it up quickly. A fire bow is a tool used to make fire by spinning two sticks together with the help of string that creates friction and heat.

Although these videos are helpful and entertaining, watching them does not make you a survival expert. Mosquitos and ticks carry harmful diseases, and drinking dirty water can cause health problems. Fire can cause massive property damage if used incorrectly, so be sure to always put them out. Despite these hazards, I was inspired by their efforts and decided to try to make some primitive technology of my own. In a field behind my house, I cleared a small patch of land with an old machete, my only modern tool, and began to make a small stove out of rocks and mud. Using a ring of sand around the stove to prevent fire spreading, I made a small fire on the stove and tried to cook some food. Needless to say, the rainy weather hindered my work, and due to my lack of experience, things went poorly. My egg slipped off of the rock and I could barely get the fire going in the first place.

Needless to say, I am no primitive survivalist, but this was fun to try out for a couple of days.

The stone/fire grill is one of the most prolific primitive technologies. Photo by Camp Carter

@jpsentry

8 Entertainment February 2019 Isn’t It Romantic: a self-aware rom-com Happy Death Day 2U doesn’t live up to expectations

by Lauren anne sMith

by

staFF Writer Isn’t It Romantic? premiered February 13th and was everything it said it would be. So far the romcom has earned a 69% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and $16.6 million in the box office.

With the star studded cast featuring Rebel Wilson, Adam Devine, Liam Hemsworth, and Priyanka Chopra, this movie is hard to pass up, as the most anticipated event was seeing Liam shirtless.

Isn’t It Romantic? is about a girl named Natalie, who doesn’t believe in rom-coms until she’s in one. After Natalie gets knocked out by trying to escape getting mugged, she wakes up in a cliché romantic comedy.

For romantic comedy lovers, this is a good movie if you are wanting a laugh here and there, but it is not the best when it comes to a rom-com. Although the plot revolved around the idea of poking fun of rom coms and is displayed to be one as well, it

Rebel Wilson and Liam Hemsworth on the set of Isn’t It Romantic

falls short in that department.

The whole movie was based on creating the sappiest and over the top plot for the audience, who would be able to tell that the writers were mocking all romantic comedies. Some of the iconic scenes featured was a dance number similar to 13 Going on 30 and the wardrobe choice resembling Julia Roberts

Video editor Cold Pursuit is an action-packed thriller in which the life of Nels Coxman, a family man who works as a snowplow driver, gets turned upside down when his son undergoes a mysterious death. Trying to find answers, he starts on a quest, vengefully searching for a drug lord called Viking, believing he is connected to the death. He is transformed from a normal citizen to a cold blooded avenger, setting off a series of deaths and a war between Viking and other rivals. Coxman will let nothing, or no one, get in his way.

The main character is played by Liam Neeson, who is no stranger to action movies.

Would it even be a thriller if Liam Neeson wasn’t in it? The movie premiered on February

8th and lasts about 2 hours. It grossed over $24 million.

Most critics enjoyed the movie, rating it at about 73% on Rotten Tomatoes.This was a typical Liam Neeson movie, which I usually enjoy, but it wasn’t anything special. It had all the aspects of action, drama, and mystery. It included many action sequences and some dark humor.

My favorite movies are the Taken series in which Neeson stars in. Although I did enjoy the movie, nothing will live up to Taken’s expectations.

If you are a fan of Neeson movies or just any action movie, I recommend going to see Cold Pursuit.

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**WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS A SPOILER ** Happy Death Day 2U is a sequel to the movie Happy Death Day that came out in 2017.

Tree Gelbman wakes up the same day every day at the same time in a parallel universe. Her day repeats until she dies. She kills herself in many different ways until she can figure out which algorithm works to turn off the machine created by her friends to end the repetition.

Her friend who ended up being the murder in the first movie is back to life in the parallel universe and actually isn’t the killer.

Spoiler: the killer is actually the teacher she had an affair with in the first movie.

In the new parallel universe, her mother comes back to life, but her boyfriend is dating someone else. She has to make a

The movie poster for Happy Death Day 2 U.

Run and go see Escape Room!

Cold Pursuit: a Liam Neeson chiller thriller

by Mara Liston

in Pretty Woman. The movie also plays cliché songs like “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” or “1000 Miles” that definitely made me cringe as they were played.

Overall, the movie’s plot lacked depth, but it was able to get a good laugh out of the audience with cheesy jokes and poking fun at rom-coms.

CaroLine MCintyre opinion editor

decision to either stay where she is with her mother alive where she truly doesn’t belong, or go back to current time and have her day go back to normal.

Ultimately through the struggle of the Dean of School trying to turn off the machine because of blackouts, they finally decide to leave the fantasy life and go back to her regular day.

Overall, I thought it was an interesting sequel, I had no idea that that was how it was going to be set up, but I thought it was a good movie. I just probably won’t see it again.

by sayLey Crawford Fun and Games editor

& Mara Liston Video editor The recent psychological thriller Escape Room is definitely worth watching.

The film is about six strangers who think they are trying to escape a certain room, but this is not just a regular escape room. These rooms put them in situations to test their intelligence and abilities to the extreme. Each room is a reflection of a tragedy one of the characters has previously experienced. These include a reception area that turns into a giant oven, a snowy vista complete with mountains and ice fishing, and, most impressive of all, a brilliant practical set depicting an upside down pool bar.

It was an action-packed film filled with plenty of stress and sorrow that kept us on the edge of our seats.

@jacksonprepsentry

All the main character types are covered in this movie.

We have a cutthroat businessman, stoner burnout, video game geek, blue collar trucker, PTSD suffering vet, and an intelligent girl who is the breakout star of the film. The group of lost souls each receive a puzzle box containing the information that is used as the invitation to the escape room.

In our opinion, the concept of this movie was much greater than the actual product. We think it deserved the 54% that Rotten Tomatoes gave it. A little more than half of the audience said they enjoyed this movie, with a rating of 59% in audience score. Critics agree with us, stating that it “fails to unlock much of the potential in its premise, but what’s left is still tense and thrilling enough to offer a passing diversion for sus-

jacksonprepsentry

pense fans.” The movie definitely lives up the genre of a thriller, proving to be very riveting and exciting. It made us jump, curl in a ball, close our eyes, and gave us a case of severe anxiety.

@jpsentry

Around Town

The Sentry

9

Slim Chickens opens in Madison KAte KelluM Staff Writer

by

Slim Chickens is a Southern-based fast-food restaurant. The founders Greg Smart and Tom Gordon first launched their first restaurant in February of 2003. The first location of their newly founded franchise was Fayetteville, Arkansas, where they began to grow and soon decided to expand to other locations. Slim Chickens is known for valuing their customers and has created the “Life-Changing Chicken” organization which gives back to their communities. In recent years they have given money and services to many organizations focused around the following: children & food insecurity, children’s education and performing arts, children & health, food banks, and food pantries & meal distribution.

The franchise recently opened a new restaurant in Madison, MS, making it easily available to students in the Jackson/ Ridgeland area. The restaurant first offered traditional southern chicken and has now expanded their horizons to selling wings with other well known “delta dishes.” The menu has a very wide variety and something for everyone, including the pickiest eaters.

The franchise has grown very popular among Jackson Prep students, Jackson Academy students, and other people in the Jackson/Ridgeland areas. While traveling out of town, such as starkville, many students said they have tried the restaurant before and were excited a new location closer to them was being opened, making the restaurant more reachable.

Best known for their fried chicken, the company concentrates their menu on chick-

en-based meals and entrees, which includes their famous sauce. Although the chicken was good, it was personally not my favorite because it was too crispy and greasy for my taste.

The service was fast and friendly and the menu was easy to read.

When ordering the employees were very patient and waited for me to figure out what I wanted with a smile. My food arrived in a decent amount of time but I was not a fan of the sauce. It was thin and slightly greasy which made it messy and hard to clean up. The chicken alone was not bad but I did not enjoy it with the sauce, although it is most people’s favorite part of the meal. Overall my experience was not as I had expected but the workers were friendly and the service was great. I did not like the chicken but the menu had many other options, such as salads, sandwiches and wraps, and wings that I would love to go back and try.

Simple Burger review

What to do in March

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MARCH 2019 - JACKSON, MS NEEDTOBREATHE - ACOUSTIC LIVE TOUR MARCH 1ST YMCA MARDI GRAS 8K AND FUN RUN MARCH 2ND DISNEY’S LITTLE MERMAID - BLACK ROSE THEATRE FEBRUARY 28TH - MARCH 3RD LES MISERABLES - THALIA MARA HALL MARCH 5TH - MARCH 10TH ZAC BROWN BAND - BRANDON AMPHITHEATER MARCH 29TH

Abbey MAnguM Staff Writer

Simple Burger is a new locally owned restaurant in Flowood, MS. Construction for the restaurant began in October 2017 and it later opened on January 18, 2018. It is a casual, quaint space that is great for family and friends to enjoy a meal together.

The menu has a variety so that almost everyone can find something they like including: burgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, and a salad bar. There are even veggie burgers, if vegetarian is your thing. The menu also includes three different types of fries to choose from: regular, Cajun, and Parmesan. After your meal you can enjoy a hand-spun milkshake, to satisfy your sweet tooth craving. It is open seven days a week from eleven to eight thirty; with the option of dine in or carry out.

Simple Burger is a quick and easy spot that has something for everyone. My favorites on the menu are the burgers and salad bar. The salad bar has a wide variety of veggies and toppings with many healthy options to choose from. You can even put chicken or turkey on it to add protein.

The burger is also something I enjoy because they use fresh beef

that will make your mouth-water.

With the ability to customize it with whatever you want is a great addition to the menu. My one complaint would be that it is a little greasy for my taste.

Simple Burger is a great spot to go enjoy lunch or dinner, but nearby is a rival burger joint known as Five Guys. Each restaurant has a laid back atmosphere with friendly employees. Both restaurants are good, but if I had to choose, Five Guys would be my preference. In my opinion Five Guys is better because it is less greasy compared to Simple burger. Another reason I like Five guys more is because their fries are just the way I like them kind of crispy, but soft.

Overall I think Simple Burger is a great spot to have a meal. Its quick service is another great addition to the restaurant.

The employees are friendly and will leave you wanting to go back.

Simple Burger’s famous cheese burger. Photo by Abby Mangum

Simple Burger’s new location centered behind the Flowood Chick-Fil-A. Photo by Abby Mangum

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10

February 2019 Around Town Hotworx heats up Jackson Buffalo Wild Wings: fan favorite emmA Dye Staff Writer

by

Hotworx, a virtually taught exercise center, is becoming the next new thing in the Jackson area. Jackson Prep senior, Nora Beth Hetzel says, “I like hotworx because it’s open 24 hours a day and has a wide variety of classes. I love the hot yoga and hot row because you can go at your own speed or follow the instructional videos,” What makes hotworx different from any other workout center? At hotworx, you workout in a sauna, causing you to sweat more, which in turn, removes more toxins from the body.

At hotworx there is a variety of workout techniques and exercise forms to choose from.

The different classes consist of iso, pilates, yoga, ot roll, core, warrior, zen, and cycle. All of them take place in hot temperatures.

Hot Iso, the original hotworx workout, is performed in thirty minute courses inside a 125 degree sauna. Hot iso has three phases, launch phase, fight phase, and landing phase. Launch phase is a modified yoga workout used to help students get warmed up.

Following that is the main work-

out, flight phase, which consist of 14 isometric postures beginning with lower body and upper body, finishing with the core. The landing phase finishes the workout with a meditation phase designed to help the body cool down. A different style, hot pilates, provides an intense workout that focuses on the principles of pilates: flow, breath, centering, concentration, precision, and control. Hot yoga is a thirty minute yoga workout designed to leave you feeling comfortable and fresh. Along with it, it stretches your core and tones your body. In hot roll, students use a foam roller to massage deep tissues throughout the whole body. This is very useful when feeling tense or tight. Hot core consist of two different parts.

Firstly, abdominal, hip, and lower back exercises to help strengthen the core. The second portion consists of a deep tissue massage.

Hot warrior is a similar workout to hot iso but is designed for students who enjoy a more difficult class. Hot zen provides a perfect place for meditation. Hot cycle, a spin class, is a hotworx original workout. Sophomore, Isabelle Dyess, claims her favorite class at hotworx is hot zen, because you burn a lot of calories from doing absolutely nothing.

by

HAnnAH CArter Staff Writer

Buffalo Wild Wings is a casual sports and bar restaurant franchised across the world.

The Buffalo Wild Wings location that is local to me is in Flowood, Mississippi. Buffalo Wild Wings was originally founded by Jim Disbrow and Scott Lowery on an Ohio State campus in 1982. Also, the original name was, “Buffalo Wild Wings and Weck,” and was first a sandwich restaurant until Disbrow and Lowery realized wings are far more popular than sandwiches. The atmosphere of Buffalo Wild Wings is very exciting and filled with fun activities throughout the restaurant. Such as, the touchscreen tablets, multiple televisions, and sometimes a jukebox. Many sports fans attend Buffalo Wild Wings when

there is a big sports event occurring to watch the game and eat wings.

Despite the name, Buffalo Wild Wings has a variety of choices to eat other than wings.

For instance, many people enjoy the burgers and cheese stick appetizers Buffalo Wild Wings serves. One good thing about Buffalo Wild Wings is you put your money where your mouth is. The food can be very pricey (depending on what you get) but the prices of the food will not compare to the taste of the food.

Buffalo Wild Wings’ main money maker is their boneless chicken wings, around 2 million are sold each year. My friends and I get the boneless honey barbeque wings every time, they are irresistible. If you enjoy the wings so much that you want your own sauce, Buffalo Wild Wings sells their signa-

ture sauces to anyone who eats at the restaurant. Despite being known for their chicken wings, there are many other options, even burgers. Many people go for their appetizers as well, a popular appetizer are the cheese sticks or the buffalo chips. Buffalo chips are potato fries that can be served with melted cheese on the top and with a side of ranch, if the customer chooses.

Personally, I am a huge fan of Buffalo Wild Wings and would recommend it to anyone who wanted to try it out. The service is always fast and the food never disappoints, the food always come out in a reasonable time and the food is always fresh and hot. If you are looking for a fun place to go with friends on the weekend, you should always consider going to Buffalo Wild Wings for great food and fun experience.

Greek showdown: Aladdin vs. Lulu Kabab Allie & Ainsley’s

Fannin Mart serves up homestyle cooking by

AnnA leigH Allen Staff Writer

Fannin Mart Restaurant, located in Flowood and Gluckstadt, is a dining experience you won’t want to miss. Fannin Mart really takes time to prepare and serve their home cooked food, like the fried chicken that is so adored, to the best of their ability. As soon as you walk in you’re instantly greeted with the amazing aroma of your grandmother’s kitchen and smiling staff members ready to serve you. The food is perfectly cooked and seasoned making my experience at Fannin Mart even more enjoyable. The service is fast and the food is great and I highly suggest that you give it a try.

Fannin Mart is a table-service restaurant that is open and fun for all ages. The atmosphere is very happy and warm,

and it feels good to be there. The tables have the old green plaid tablecloth that reminds you of Sunday lunch with your family.

The restaurant usually has a good crowd, but the service is fast and easy. The menus’ three main dish options are fried chicken, fried pork loin, and cajun baked chicken breast. Some delish sides to go along with the main dish are mashed potatoes, green beans, corn salad, and fresh fruit. Even though the menu doesn’t have a lot of main dish options there are still many sides that will help you change up your order.

Overall Fannin Mart eating at Fannin Mart was a great experience. The service was fast and all the waiters were helpful and seemed happy to be there. The atmosphere was very comforting and friendly. I recommend everyone try Fannin Mart in either Flowood or Gluckstadt for a good meal and a great time.

Fannin Mart’s storefront in Flowood, MS. Photo by Anna Leigh Allen

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Appetite

by Allie Wise

Staff Writer

& Ainsley O’Quinn Staff Writer

We are back and this issuee are comparing two of our favorite Mediterranean restaurants.

We love mediterranean food, so it was hard to narrow it down.

First on deck is Aladdin in Fondren. Aladdin has a very authentic Mediterranean atmosphere. We ordered hummus, a beef shawarma salad, and a tea. The tea is infused with mint

which makes it taste absolutely great. We could drink it all day, every day. Their hummus is probably our favorite we have ever had. It always tastes fresh and just delicious. The pita bread that it is served with is also super tasty.

It comes out nice and warm and goes great with the hummus. The beef shawarma salad was very delicious. The beef has a lot of flavor, and the caramelized onions that come with it are amazing.

The flavor of the beef and the coolness of the cucumbers and the dressing match perfectly together. The only fault we found was that the beef is sometimes a little tough. The service is great, except for this one guy we have had a couple times who seems like he is sad about everything.

The prices at Aladdin are pretty affordable especially considering the quality and consistency of the food.

Next up, we have Lulu Kabab. This is a fairly new restaurant in Madison off Highway 51.

It opened up a little over a year ago. The interior of the restau-

Hummus from Aladdin. Photo by Ainsley O’Quinn

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rant isn’t as intriguing or genuine as Aladdin. The prices aren’t too bad, around the same as Aladdin. Their menu includes typical Mediterranean appetizers (such as hummus and baba ghanoush), salads, gyros, and plates. We both ordered the chicken shawarma plate. They were served with feta cheese salads, hummus, pita bread, rice, and tzatziki sauce.

The salad had a strange, kind of funky taste. The rice was delicious. It was cooked perfectly and had a ton of flavor. The chicken was tasty, but some of it was kind of tough. The tzatziki was super fresh and tasted great on the chicken. The hummus was good but definitely not the best we’ve had. Overall, Lulu Kabab was a good experience.

For our winner, we had to go with Aladdin. With it being one of our favorite restaurants in Jackson, it was our obvious winner. While we did like Lulu Kabab a lot and were very impressed with the food, Aladdin’s atmosphere and superior taste really just pushed it over the top.

The beef kabab plate from Lulu Kabab. Photo by Ainsley O’Quinn

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Sports Boys’ soccer claims 9th straight title

11

The Sentry

~ continued from Page 1 Prep forward, Cam Carroll, followed his teammate with a goal shortly thereafter. Carroll controlled a beautiful free-kick from fellow teammate Mason Morgan.

Carroll volleyed the floating ball out of mid-air, slid it just past the keeper, and continued after with his “rock the baby” celebration.

This extended the lead to 2-0 with less than 15 minutes left to play in the first half.

The second half was filled with plenty of opportunities for both teams. Jackson Academy tallied up two shots on goal, while Prep reached double digits with 12 shots on goal. With the second half drawing to a close, Prep once more added another score to the board. Sophomore Preston Speed lofted a corner kick towards the middle, and junior Sam Drennan headed it past a diving Jackson Academy Keeper.

The final whistle blew and Jackson Prep not only dominated their cross-town rival 3-0, but made history while doing so.

It was a long season filled with ups-and-downs. Injuries plagued their regular season, losing MAIS All-Star and All-Conference player John Mark Rose to an early ACL injury and Center Back J.C. Polk to a late hamstring injury.

“We really had to embrace the next man up motto this year.

With John Mark and J.C. going down, our underclassmen were forced to step-up and fill the gap.

Without the help from our bench

this year, we wouldn’t be nine time state champions.” said senior Mason Morgan.

Thae boys soccer program at Jackson Prep has been surrounded by elite company for a long time, but now having captured number 9, they stand alone by themselves. Strong junior and sophomore classes should have no problem carrying on this legacy. The junior high team only dropped one game this season so it’s anyone guess as to when this streak will end. If you were to ask anyone inside of the Jackson Prep Soccer Program, the answer is simple: hopefully never.

Tennis tryouts by

Junior Sam Drennan celebrates with senior Cam Carroll after scoring the third goal of the night.

Avery Overby Staff Writer

Jackson Prep’s boy’s and girl’s tennis teams are extremely well-trained and have obtained many achievements over the last several years. With the season coming up, Prep tennis coach Rachel Causey has a lot of preparing to do, and she never fails to compile the best possible team.

Causey has had multiple years of experience coaching tennis. This is her 13th year being a coach for Prep. She started out coaching tennis because her daughters were playing and were in need of a coach. She stepped in and has been doing it ever since.

The initial tryouts begin in the fall. The process is done in a tournament-style bracket. “I just think it’s the fairest way to do it,” coach Causey says. “You can look great, but if your mind is not in it and you can’t win points, then that’s an indicator that you might not be ready for a match.”

With this format of tryouts, you have to work your way up the bracket to make the team, but if you are unable to make the varsity team, Coach Causey created a developmental, or C team, for players who are less experienced with the sport but would

still like to play and build up their skill set. She said that since there was such a large interest in the tennis program, it would give a whole other group of people the opportunity to compete and maybe not lose them from the program.

After the main selection done in the fall, the A/B team selections occur in late January going into Early February. After these selections are made, the teams jump right into practice, preparing for the difficult matches to come. “I like to play tougher schools because it makes us better, even if our record isn’t as good, we play a lot of public schools,” Coach Causey mentions. Although a lot of the public schools have spectacular teams, she still believes that for conference play, JA is our biggest competition.

The team’s first match is February 28th, and the season extends through to the end of April, so make sure you get out there and support the team!

Basketball season nearing finale by

Will Fletcher SportS editor

With the regular season complete, the district tournament over, and MAIS overall tournament starting, it’s time to look at the recent grind(ings) undertaken by the boys’/girls’ varsity basketball teams.

Boys: The guys have had a very successful end of their season with a multitude of big wins, especially against highly seeded teams and in conference play. Finishing out the regular season with a 19-11 record, the boys put themselves in a good position heading into the playoffs. Despite a loss to a bigtime MRA team and a road-loss to Washington, the team stayed positive and finished strong in February. With big wins against Pillow, Oak Forest, and top-ranked PCS, Coach Wise and the boys headed into the district tournament with a full head of steam. The district tournament, which was held at MRA, was the deciding factor for who goes to the MAIS Overall State Tournament at Mississippi College. Only the top 3 teams from the tournament go to overall, and Prep earned their spot with a third place finish, knocking the regular season #1 seed PCS out. The #1 and #2 placing teams were MRA and JA, respectively.

Prep went 2 - 1 in the tournament,

The Girls Varsity team after their district tournament state championship runner-up appearance. Photo courtesy of Lynn Redding

4 of their 6 regular games in February, the girls had a lot of momentum heading into district play. In the district tournament at MRA, the girls went 2-1, beating Oak Forest and MRA, with their only loss being against JA in the championship in a riveting game.

The girls finished second in the tournament, earning a spot in the MAIS Overall State Tournament.

On Monday, the girls suffered an unfortunate loss in the first round of the tournament to Brookhaven, the AA #1 seed. Since the tournament is single elimination, the girls’ season is over, and only the boys remain. Despite the early tournament exit, this season should be viewed with a great deal of pride and respect.

game that was not decided until the last few seconds. With overall tournament play beginning for the team on Tuesday against Heritage Academy, the AAA #1 seed, the boys have a great deal of drive and motivation to make it far in the tournament and hopefully culminate their season with revenge over JA and a championship ring.

Girls: Thomas Thornton against Pillow.

Photo courtesy of Robert Smith

with their only loss coming in the form of a heartbreaker to JA in a

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Just like the boys, the girls had an amazing regular season and earned their spot in the district tournament with good seeding. Finishing the regular season with a 21-12 record, and winning

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Reece Davis driving in the lane. Photo courtesy of Robert Smith

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Sports

12

February 2019

National Signing Day: all the hype you’d ever need

by Steven wyatt

sports editor

& Stewart MCCullough editor in ChieF

Flowood, MS -- From national media outlets to the coaches and fans at Jackson Prep, February 6th has been a day in the back of everyone’s mind for quite some time now. On National Signing Day (NSD), three Prep stars made their decisions official in front of the entire student body and a whole host of national and local media correspondents, including ESPN. Peyton Greenwood: Peyton Greenwood, a wide receiver and defensive back, announced his decision on Tuesday, February 5th, just hours before the window opened for NSD. Greenwood announced via Twitter (@GreenwoodPeyton) that he would play football at the United States Air Force Academy, and on Wednesday, he made it official.

Greenwood is a long, athletic, and explosive player. Greenwood will join the flashes as a wide receiver, but with his versatility and playmaking ability, it would come as no surprise to see him playing on both sides of the ball.

Jerrion Ealy: With the nation’s eyes on Jackson Prep, Jerrion Ealy announced his decision to sign with Ole Miss on ESPN’s broadcast,

live from the Prep auditorium.

Now that Ealy is an Ole Miss Rebel, a sigh of relief can come from all parties involved. Although, Ole Miss Head Coach Matt Luke and his staff will feel the most at ease as they have added arguably the most explosive player in the 2019 football class. Ealy took multiple official visits within his final month before signing, his most recent being to the Alabama Crimson Tide. However, Nick Saban and his staff weren’t able to make the last second push they needed to land him.

The Jackson Prep dual-sport All-American was also originally committed to the Rebels for over a year, but de-committed in January before eventually reapplying his pledge. Ealy, who is rated a five-star athlete for both football and baseball by at least one service, now has an even big-

ger decision in front of him as the MLB Draft is months away and he is a projected first-round pick.

Whether he decides to stick with his decision or start his MLB career remains to be seen. For now, Ealy is primarily focused on one thing: winning another state title for Prep’s baseball program. For now, Ealy is primarily focused on one thing: winning another state title for Prep’s baseball program.

Adam Norsworthy: Along with Ealy, Adam Norsworthy signed his NLI to play football for the University of Mississippi. Adam Norsworthy is classified as an all-around athlete because of his size and speed, but he hopes to primarily play inside linebacker for the Rebels. Adam will play a key role in rebuilding Ole Miss’s defensive backfield thanks to his knack for chasing ball carriers.

Norsworthy surrounded by his family and the Prep coaching staff. Photo

by Stewart McCullough

Ealy celebrating immediately after announcing his commitment to Ole Miss. Photo by Stewart McCullough

Greenwood surrounded by his family after signing his letter of intent.

Photo by Stewart McCullough

Young Athletes to Watch: Vail Wartes, Rives Reynolds, William Walker

by Sayley Crawford Fun and Games editor

& Sarah Cory asst. sports editor

First up is 7th grader Vail Wartes, who has a bright future ahead at Prep. Wartes plays soccer, basketball, and runs track.

Her first year of Prep soccer was nothing short of impressive. She proved herself to be a playmaker in the midfield, leading to her not only getting moved up to Varsity but starting. Soccer never stops for her, as she plays with a travel team throughout the year. In basketball, she plays point, and for the track team she runs the 100, as well as doing the long jump.

Wartes is a phenomenal athlete and is certainly someone to watch out for in her years ahead at Jackson Prep.

Next up is 8th grader Rives Reynolds. Reynolds plays football, basketball, baseball, and runs track. For football, he is a quarterback and also plays some linebacker on defense. He has impressed many with his abilities thus far on the football field. For him, football happens to be his favorite of the sports he plays because “it allows you to let out your anger.” Baseball is a time consuming sport for him as he plays with

William Walker pursuing the ball during a game. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Mooneyham

a travel team in addition to Prep.

In baseball, he is a center fielder.

Then comes basketball, where he plays point guard. During track season, he runs the 400. Reynolds is a standout athlete who will attract the eyes of onwatchers for a long time.

Lastly we have another 8th grader, William Walker.

Walker plays football, basketball, and runs track. For football, he is a wide receiver and plays some safety on defense. Basketball is probably his favorite of the sports he plays because of its “fast-paced nature.” Walker is a shooting guard in basketball and runs the

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Rives Reynolds looking for a call on the feild. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Mooneyham

400, 800, and 1600 in track. The sky is the limit for Walker who has the ability to be an incredible playmaker at Prep.

Wartes is a phenomenal athlete and is certainly someone to watch out for in her years ahead at Jackson Prep.

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Vail Wartes warming up before a game against MRA. Photo courtesy of Avery Lee

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13

Sports

The Sentry

Prep and select soccer: the best of both worlds by elizA MAzzAferro

Staff WritEr Juggling two teams at once can be tricky. Here is how some of our very own students at Jackson Prep handle the responsibilities and duties that go along with these. All students are required to put their best foot forward at all times. However, there are many athletes at our school that participate not only in the sport programs we offer here at Prep, but also extra curricular activities in the sports department that further skills and abilities through serious travel and competition.

Select soccer is a way for players to get noticed by college scouts and better the individual in the game through tough competition. The Jackson Prep soccer program, headed by Jon Marcus Duncan, is a good way for students to be teammates with fellow classmates and friends, while also having a great chance at winning a state championship.

Student Athlete Preston Speed noted that there are definite benefits to playing both. Specifically talking about Prep soccer, the opportunity of practicing and playing with older boys is a great tool in the development of his soccer career, especially since they push him to work hard and keep up with their fast pace. Both

programs build intense character and sportsmanship in young athletes and are great opportunities for possible future scholarships.

Although both programs have their benefits, the major downfall of doing both is having to handle the time and effort expected from both areas. These student athletes are exhausted by the end of the day from having to go from one practice to the next, getting home late at night, then having piles of schoolwork to catch up with. Sophomore Owen Lundberg says that using different ways to find time to get his work done is the key to his success as a student athlete. He uses spare times, such as activity period or lunch, to do homework.

Speaking from personal

“Prep teaches you to learn how to use the least amount of time to get the most done.”

- Price Loposer

experience, getting all of these things done in one night, for several days out of the week, takes a toll on one’s physical and mental abilities. Most of these activities occur at full speed during the first term of the school year, when fall

sports really pick up and teachers are assigning tons of schoolwork. Junior Price Loposer, a very skilled soccer player and Ole Miss commit says, “Prep teaches you to learn how to use the least amount of time to get the most done.”

The key to success for any student athlete is plenty of rest. During this time, the exhaustion that overtakes these students becomes unbearable and it is almost impossible to catch up on sleep, usually resulting in a decrease in grade point averages and ability to do the very best at both practices and school.

In order for a Jackson Prep student to be successful in all departments, major time management needs to take place. This requires focus during the school hours, getting as much work done as possible during free times, and going to bed at a decent time.

This does not always happen, however, which is why it is known among these student’s that time is precious and is an important key to their success.

Students that participate in both programs learn good time management, social skills, and a hard work ethic. The overall outcome is very beneficial and useful for success later on in life. Once the options are weighed, one has to decide if they are willing to take on such a complicated but rewarding task.

Sophomore Owen Lundberg who is a defensive player for Jackson Prep and his select team. Photo by Eliza Mazzafero

Preston Speed in a game against MRA. Speed plays GK for his select team and midfielder for Jackson Prep. Photo courtesy of Beverly Oden

The AAF is more than a sideshow football league

by Alex Gibbs

Copy Editor When you think about watching pro football, you likely think of watching teams on fall Sunday afternoons such as the New Orleans Saints or Dallas Cowboys, teams led by household-name star players such as Drew Brees and Ezekiel Elliott that play in palaces, the Superdome and AT&T Stadium. Obviously, you are thinking of the National Football League, a staple of American life for nearly a century.

What if I told you there was a new professional football league, only that this league plays in the springtime? Instead of the New Orleans Saints and the Dallas Cowboys, this league features teams such as the Birmingham Iron and the Memphis Express, led by players such as Luis Perez and Christian Hackenberg, who play in stadiums not quite to the levels of the Superdome and AT&T Stadium, Legion Field and the Liberty Bowl.

Before you laugh and dismiss this as nothing more than a short-lived pipe dream, as other alternative professional football leagues such as the USFL in the 1980s and the XFL in 2001 turned out to be, consider that the broadcast of the opening night of this league on CBS beat the ratings of

the Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder on ABC, which aired at the same time. This league is taking a different strategy than leagues have in the past, choosing not to directly compete with the NFL while still fulfilling the thirst for competitive springtime football, which gives them legs to stand on and hopes of achieving long-term success.

This league is more than a sideshow. This league is the Alliance of American Football.

Filmmaker Charlie Ebersol, following the making of This Was the XFL for ESPN’s 30 for 30 series in 2016, a film that researched and examined the history of the XFL, a professional football league that turned out to be massive failure, came to the conclusion that the concept was viable but that the product was poorly executed and, from an onfield standpoint, bad football.

In 2017, he began developing the AAF and announced it in March 2018. His primary goal being to put a strong football product on the field in hopes to attract fans, he hired a team of experienced football players, coaches, and executives to prepare the league for launch, including former NFL general manager Bill Polian, former Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, and former NFL executive J.K. McKay to oversee the league.

By June 2018, the league had announced its eight teams: the Birmingham Iron, the Mem-

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phis Express, the Atlanta Legends, the Orlando Apollos (coached by Steve Spurrier), the Salt Lake City Stallions, the San Antonio Commanders, the Arizona Hotshots, and the San Diego Fleet. The teams are divided into two conferences, the East and the West, and play a ten game schedule from February to April. They play the other teams in their conference twice and the teams from the other conference once.

The first games were played on February 9, 2019. Most weekends, two games will be played on Saturday and two will be played on Sunday. Following the regular season, the top four teams will advance to the playoffs, with a championship game being held on April 27.

The AAF has a unique way of determining who is on each team. Each team’s roster consists of 52 players, with some selected by a territorial draft. The territory assigned to a team consists of at least five colleges plus delegated professional teams. For example, Mississippi State and Alabama fall in the Birmingham Iron’s region while Ole Miss falls in the Memphis Express’ reason.

This allows local fans to follow some of their teams’ former players who are playing on a team not so far away. In addition to the territorial draft, in November, a quarterback draft was held to determine each team’s quarterback.

While the basics of foot-

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ball are the same in the AAF as the NFL, there are several noteworthy rule changes. There are no television timeouts, which has shortened games by about 30 minutes and has made for a better viewing experience. There are still commercials (the league has to make money), but the AAF has 60 percent fewer full-screen commercials than the NFL. There are no extra points; teams must attempt a two-point conversion after a touchdown. Defenses are forbidden from rushing more than five on a given play, and all rushers must come from no wider than two yards outside the tackles. A violation of these rules can result in an “illegal defense” being called, which is a 15 yard penalty.

Perhaps most significant is the elimination of kickoffs. Each possession after a team scores or at the start of a half starts at a team’s own 25 yard line. In lieu of an onside kick, a team can attempt a 4th and 12 play from its own 28 yard line. Other significant rule changes include a shortened play clock, an official sitting in the sky box to help with reviews, and different overtime rules. Many analysts believe that some of these rule changes will eventually be seen in the NFL. Each AAF player is given a 3-year, $250,000 contract that includes health coverage and the opportunity to earn scholarships for post-secondary education.

Contracts also include a clause

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for players if they are offered NFL contracts. This league seeks not to compete directly with the NFL for players; doing so would be a disaster. Rather, they want to give guys a second chance to get back to the NFL and allow players who weren’t quite good enough an opportunity to keep making money playing football. Over 81% of players on AAF rosters have spent some time on an NFL roster.

Thus far, the AAF has been entertaining for football fans. There have been many highlight plays, and some have called it football in its “purest form.”

Combining the void of springtime football with giving players a second chance to accomplish their dreams provides intrigue that could make this league last.

So instead of thinking springtime football as crazy, get to know the AAF, because it’s here to stay.

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Opinion

14

Is country music a genre?

by GEnEviEvE Hurst

Photo editor anna Stack recordS Manager Honestly, can new country music even be considered its own genre? Aside from the (often faked) country accents, there is no real uniting factor in these songs.

Perhaps the subjects of the songs, however, are what holds these songs together: trucks, jeans, girls, four-wheelers, back roads, and beer. There are very few country songs that have genuine meaning.

Old country songs had an important message. Think of Johnny Cash’s songs that, despite their simplicity, spoke of real life issues and triumphs. He told real stories, not clichéd, shallow taglines repeated over and over again.

Think of Dolly Parton, who embraced her Southern stereotype while also breaking boundaries for women, especially in country music. Think of Merle Haggard, who told his story of struggle and redemption as an American epic through his music. Think of Willie Nelson, who fought against the mainstream country music of the

time to make music that meant something to him. With their music, they aimed to depict the true highs and lows of real life with substantial, genuine feelings.

The country boy stereotype has come to dominate this once meaningful genre, leaving it dryer and more offensive than ever. These boys have all or most of these characteristics: boots, trucks, four-wheelers, guns, heavy southern accents, and an oversized belt buckle. He loves his mom, beer, fishing, and hunting. He’ll make sure that you know these things if you listen to his music. If this guy were an original, he would be pretty cool.

Thousands of songs later, however, his country boy lifestyle gets pretty boring.

Many of the songs are romantic; the majority are written by men about women. Some of these are really genuine and sweet, but others are just sexist.

They’re extremely degrading; they often describe women’s bodies in an objectifying manner, hiding under the guise of romanticism. For example, in Luke Bryan’s “That’s My Kind of Night,” he says, “You got that sun tan skirt and boots. Waiting on you to look my way and scoot your little hot self over here. Girl hand me another beer! All them other boys wanna wind you up and take you downtown. But you look like the kind that likes to take it way out.

Out where the cornrows grow, row, row my boat.” Does he care about her personality? Probably not. Country songs like this often

portray women as objects to be proud of rather than equals.

Even beyond these deep-rooted issues, country music is just simply unoriginal in every aspect. Take Keith Urban, for instance. His songs are most akin to Christian contemporary music, which is fairly infamous for its monotonous, repetitive, and overused melodies. The only thing differentiating these songs is his accent, which is fake! He’s from New Zealand; he can’t have a Southern accent! To be fair, though, discounting the lyrics, the vast majority of new country sounds exactly like Christian contemporary, so Keith Urban isn’t the only one failing the genre. Other artists such as Florida Georgia Line simply fall into the category of pop music, which has become the definition of repetitive beats and shallow lyrics.

Country cannot be considered its own genre when it simply utilizes an existing style of music and just alters the lyrics to stereotypical “country things.”

Photo by Genevieve Hurst

Border immigration isn’t a crisis

by tripp Cory

Staff Writer On February 15, 2019, President Trump declared a national emergency to address what he called the immigration crisis at the U.S. border with Mexico.

He did so in order to appropriate funds to construct a border wall with Mexico, as Congress only approved $1.4 billion for border security in the budget that was passed prior to the president’s national emergency declaration.

The president’s declaration has gotten praise from some, and condemnation from others.

Many people, myself included, do not agree with the president that the immigration situation at the border is a crisis. After all, if the situation is a crisis, why could Congressional Republicans not pass legislation to build a wall and fix the country’s immigration problems when they had a majority in December? If the situation

really is a crisis, I would have expected there to be less disagreement among Republicans over how to handle this so called “crisis.” In reality, the debates over border security and Trump’s wall are merely political theatre. The most significant issue that has been raised by this debate is not immigration, but rather the precedent that President Trump is setting by declaring a national emergency because Congress didn’t do what he wanted it to do.

Since the National Emergencies Act was invoked in 1976, presidents have had the power to declare national emergencies so that the government can respond quickly to a crisis when the need arises. 60 such emergencies have been declared by presidents since then, including President George W. Bush’s declaration of a national emergency after 9/11 and President Trump’s current declaration.

President Obama declared 13 national emergencies during his time in office, with emergencies ranging from Yemen to the Swine Flu outbreak in 2009. Some national emergency declarations have been questionable, such as President Trump’s declaration of a national health emergency over the opioid crisis. The President’s national emergency over border security, however, is different.

President Trump’s national emergency declaration undermines our legislative process. Congress did not give him

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what he wanted, so he simply went around them. Instead of respecting what Congress decided, he has decided to use emergency powers to acquire funding for his wall. The National Emergencies Act allows President’s to bypass Congress to respond to crises, but not to undermine what Congress has decided. Congress can pass a resolution to overturn emergency declarations, but the Supreme Court has ruled that a President can veto a Congressional resolution. Overturning a presidential veto requires two thirds support in both chambers of Congress, which is very unlikely to happen, so the battle over Trump’s emergency declaration will have to take place in court.

To supporters of this decision, I ask how you would react if a future President was to use the precedent set by President Trump as legal grounds to declare a national emergency over an issue such as gun control, and order that money be set aside to increase regulations on firearm sales and ownership. In all likelihood, the same people who supported using emergency powers when President Trump did it would now find themselves opposed to doing so. The President of the United States should not be allowed to use emergency powers just because he didn’t get his way, and I am confident that when challenged in court this declaration will be struck down.

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February 2019 Weird smells of Jackson Prep

by barron Liston

Staff Writer

& Emory maxwELL Social Media editor If you’ve been walking through the halls of Jackson Prep lately you might have noticed a peculiar stench.

What is this strange smell?

Desperation? Despair? Or maybe something positive that also stinks?

On some days, the smell of formaldehyde pours in from the Guyton building after one of the classes dissects something. Other

days, you can smell the popcorn Ms. Headley makes for her advisory.

However, the scent we are referring to is one that is prevalent every day. It is theorized by Jackson Prep experts that the strange stench is the result of the abominable amalgamation of various scented candles put out by teachers. However, none of the scientific studies have provided conclusive evidence.

Another popular theory is that the smell comes from a single rogue student who has made it their goal to spread weird smells throughout the school. This hypothetical student is referred to as “Sniff”.

The final and most conclusive theory is that the stench comes from all the various smells of the vapes in the boys’ bathrooms.

None of these theories are completely proven, but we felt it was necessary to explore the sources of the undeniable smell of Jackson Prep.

The nose of one lucky Jackson Prep student. Illustration by Neil Marchetti.

Is detention necessary for being tardy?

by ainsLEy o’Quinn

Staff Writer

Getting to school on time might not seem that hard, but the majority of the students at Prep would tell you that it can be extremely difficult at times.

From the unpredictable traffic on the interstate to the exceptionally long traffic lights on Lakeland, getting to school at 8:10 can be a hard task.

If a student is tardy 3 times, they get detention. I do not think this policy is fair for a number of reasons. It is pretty easy to

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be late 3 times in 9 weeks.

I understand that students can’t be let in without any punishment if they are 10 minutes late, but when 20 students walk in at 8:11, it makes no sense to punish all of them. Detention is very harsh for being late only 3 times.

The pressure to get to school on time makes the parking lot even more dangerous than it already is. The Prep parking lot is notorious for being a dangerous place, but from 8:05-8:10, it is ten times worse.

People are zooming through the parking lot trying not to be late, making it super dangerous for anyone walking in and everyone else driving.

Detention is a very harsh punishment for being late 3 times.

I think the number of times allowed should be higher.

This is not meant to be disrespectful to any teachers or administrators. I just believe that this policy too strict and should be revised.

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Opinion Staff Editorials

The Sentry

Sentry I

15 Sentry II

Advisory should be optional

Students unprepared for real world

Advisory was created for students to talk to teachers about their problems, stress, or anything else, but it has begun to give the teachers a false sense that they are impacting a student when in reality, they are forcing them to sit in a room. Although many people say they don’t have a problem with advisory, when asked “would you go if it was optional?” their answer is usually a resounding “no.”

Some teachers are enthusiastic about helping students or listening to their issues, which are oftentimes non-existent, but others pay no attention to their students and sometimes do not even show up.

Why go to advisory if some faculty members do not put in the effort required for the class? The students with bad advisors, some of us included, would much rather be in the cafeteria, the hallway, or literally any other place on campus instead of sitting in silence.

As a staff, we have all agreed that although Prep prepares us for college academically, it doesn’t prepare us for life.

Although there are classes such as Financial Management and Life Strategies, they are not mandatory, which doesn’t help the people who don’t take the class.

We agree that Life Strategies should be mandatory for students in lower grades. If 9th or 10th grade students took this class, they could be prepared early instead of right before they head off to college. Also, they could learn basic necessities of life and start to practice now instead of cramming all of the information in senior year.

We think that this information is great to learn, and learning it early would help. Especially in life strategies, it’s never too early to learn how to wash your own clothes. It does make sense that Financial Management is just for juniors and seniors. If you learn how to manage your taxes in ninth grade, you won’t be interested because you have a long way to go before you actually start paying taxes yourself.

A college application class would be a good idea to include for freshman or sophomores. As a senior, it can be easy to become overwhelmed with the college application process. Some students never stepped foot in the college admissions office until senior year, and it would be insightful for students to be familiar with the office and feel comfortable going in there before senior year.

A group of dedicated advisors beautifully carry out the duties in which advisory was created for, to make a relationship with the students. Others, both teachers and students however, fail to do this by not putting in the effort required, which keeps the student from getting valuable advice. Our suggestions are to either make it optional, which would effectively abolish it because as previously stated, students would rather be other places, having it less often, rather than more as the new schedule is permitting, or to create a system of making sure advisors are held accountable and doing their jobs.

“ Our suggestions are to either make it optional... or having it less often”

Advisors are stuck with a student throughout high school. How does a student not get a say in who their advisor is?

There have been instances in which a relationship between an advisor and a student has been demolished, forcing the student to live in awkwardness every Monday for the rest of his/her high school tenure.

Reject socialism in all its forms

by Cass rutlEdgE aSSiStant opinion editor

“America will never be a socialist country,” President Trump said to Congress and the country at his second State of the Union Address. As some Democrats are moving more and more towards radical socialism, President Trump made the right call to denounce the extreme leftist view. The former capitalist country, Venezuela, and its ruthless, people-harming dictator, Nicolás Maduro, serve as an example to the world of the destruction that socialist policies bring.

During the 2016 presidential election cycle, Sen. Bernie Sanders successfully normalized his drastically socialist policies in the “Democrat party,” as President Trump calls it. These views was further cemented when New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez upset a prominent incumbent in her primary and went on to win her district’s seat. Her first bill in Congress, the Green New Deal, with speculative and illusory benefits, would cost trillions of dollars annually with no way to pay for it. Meanwhile,

President Trump wants only a one time payment of about five billion dollars for a wall, which would have an immediate, tangible, profitable, and a proven benefit.

The Green New Deal also promises Medicare, government run health insurance for the elderly, for all. But Medicare for all is Medicare for none. Private hospitals and health insurers that people like would go out of business privately owned, competitive capitalist hospitals are what keep American healthcare the highest quality in the world.

Removing competition and the profit motive is a recipe for inefficiency, corruption, and declining quality - a result that has been proven time and again in other countries as well as the United States.

President Trump’s call to reject extreme liberalism is a warning to which we should all listen. There is too much at stake.

Abortion kills tens of millions of people annually, more than automobile accidents and gun violence. New Yorkers celebrated legalizing abortion on demand when it was, at best, a difficult, controversial decision. This new law permits the unborn to be given the death penalty, but not pedophiles, school shooters, rapists, or serial killers. This should not be a partisan issue. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness should apply to all people, especially born-alive babies at their most vulnerable stage of life.

Border security is at stake.

Enough drugs have come over our southern border annually

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to kill every single American, according to the White House.

There is no harm in trying a proven successful and effective wall that Democrats have voted for in the past, but the obstructionist liberals cannot bear to let President Trump fulfill another campaign promise that could help him in 2020.

The economy is better than it ever was during the Obama Administration. The unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in over fifty years. President Trump’s deregulatory, capitalist policies are working, especially for women and minorities. President Trump’s greatest legislative achievement, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, lowered taxes for 80% of Americans, according to the Tax Foundation. Unlike what “Crazy Bernie,” Elizabeth Warren, and other presidential candidates might tell you, this was not a tax cut for the rich. It was a tax cut for modern, middle class America. The Democrats’ socialist, tax-raising agenda will undo the economic progress that has been made.

Whether voting Democrat or Republican, vote for a capitalist or a moderate in the primaries and general elections. So far, no Democratic presidential candidate fits that description.

Socialist extremism must and should be rejected by Americans, so that we avoid the path Venezuela took. As President Trump said, “Socialism promises prosperity, but it delivers poverty… Socialism promises a better future, but it always returns to the darkest chapters of the past.”

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Jackson Prep does a great job preparing students academically for college, but with these suggestions, we think they can do an amazing job in helping prepare students for life outside of college.

Chuck E. Cheese fools customers with pizza Emory’s

Conspiracy Corner

by Emory maxwEll Social Media editor

Pizza. Pizza has recently been a main topic for many conspiracy theorists. From the recent theory from some guy on Youtube to the Pizzagate theory by Alex Jones in 2016, pizza has been the topic of many conversations involving conspiracies.

Chuck E Cheese. For some, it is a place where many childhood birthday parties were held, eating pizza, and being scared away from the huge mouse. For others, their parents did not let them know it existed to keep them from wanting to go (i.e. Baxter Hughes).

There is a personality on YouTube that did a report on the pizza at Chuck E. Cheese, speculating that the slices look uneven on the pizza there because the establishment recycles pieces from other pizzas and puts them all together on whole pizzas their customers order.

This video quickly became

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immensely popular and gained millions of views, as people flocked to his explanation of why their pizzas looked so strange.

However, this theory was quickly proven false. Chuck E. Cheese and their former employees alike created a social media firestorm showing that they do not practice this in their pizzerias, and Chuck E. Cheese even showed us how their pizzas are made to look that way.

I’m just gonna come out and say this, guys. This is what you get for trusting another conspiracy theorist other than me.

No one has been brave enough to prove my theories wrong, so everything I have said in these columns have an element of truth.

If you believed in this theory, you are an idiot and that is what you get for trusting someone with your conspiracies other than me.

Above is one of Chuck E. Cheese’s sketchy pizzas that does not fit and contains different flavored pieces.

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CANDID AND RANDOM

The Sentry Presents....

PICK UP LINES My doctor says I am lacking a vitamin!

It’s Vitamin U Are you an appendix?

Because I need to take you out.

What’s your first name?

I wanna know if it will sound good with my last name.

Are you a library book?

Because I would check you out.

Are you a cat?

Because I am feline a connection between us

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