Nov 2010

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Vol. IX Issue 2 - Prince George High School - 7801 Laurel Spring Rd - Prince George, VA 23875 - www.trnwired.com - 11.5.2010

the

royalnews

Bullying Through the Screen p. 5

Junior Rachel Coleman demonstrates an effect of cyber-bullying. Many social networking sites such as Facebook help initiate bullying online. Photo by Alison Brown.

Religion Series: Jehovah Witness P.15 On the Prowl: Job Hunting p. 11 Weighing facts on obesity p. 7

Junior Dance expects larger outcome p. 9

Vampires take over media p.22

Obesity has become more common in this day and age.

Becoming overweight can be a result of a lack of exercise and poor nutrition choices. Not taking control over obesity can lead to health risks later on in life.

With the lack of turnout at the dance last year, minor changes have been made to make the Junior Dance more enjoyable for this year. The dance and ceremony will be held Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m.

The Twilight Saga has created a lot of hype for vampires. Now it has transformed into books, movies, and television shows. Though there are so many fans, there are many people growing weary of the repetition.

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page 2 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

Opinions&Editorials

theRoyalNews

Adolescent dating sparks discussion

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Editor-in-Chief Jami Davis

Business Manager Janai Cunningham

Managing Editor Colby Eliades

Adviser

Chris Waugaman

Professional affiliations & awards Columbia Scholastic Press Associations Gold Medalist 2009 Columbia Scholastic Press Associations Crown Finalist 2010 National Scholastic Press Assoc. Pacemaker Finalist 2009 Virginia High School Association Trophy Class 2009 SIPA All Southern 2009

The Royal News, PGHS

7801 Laurel Spring Road Prince George, Virginia 23875 804-733-2720 The Royal News is printed at The Progress-Index in Petersburg, Virginia

L Never excuse internet harassment

Editorial

ur mission as the school newspaper for Prince George High School is to provide a form of media that represents all aspects of student life. The goal is to present factual accounts of newsworthy events in a timely manner. Our publication will be informative, entertaining and reflective of the student body’s opinions. It is the desire of the staff to reach every student and tell as many of their stories as possible.

We invite your commentary: The Royal News Opinion page is a forum for public discussion and shall be open to all students. The Royal News will print as many letters as space will allow. The Royal News reserves the right not to print a letter. The Royal News publishes a wide variety of opinions. Send letters to: Letters to the Editor, The Royal News, PGHS, 7801 Laurel Spring Road, Prince George, Virginia 23875, or bring them to room A6, or e-mail them to cwaugaman@pgs.k12.va.us We reserve the right to edit for clarity, brevity, accuracy, legality, spelling and grammar.

Please include your name, address and phone number. Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication. 500 word maximum. Please submit letters to the editors by December 3rd for the December issue.

Section Editors Mariah Blystone: News/Online EditorKim Carneal: Op/Ed- Malikah Williams: Features- Ciara Ward: Ampersand-Jessica Marshall: A&E- Wayne Epps:Sports-Colby Eliades:Double Truck- Alison Brown: Photo/ Front Page Editor- Gabby Whittington: Ads Manager- Jake McQuiggan: CirculationSarah Moats: Editorial Cartoonist- Olivia Tritschler:Online Editor- Rachel Waymack: News- Rachel Youmans: Copy Editor Writers Kourtney Galvin-Rachel Karns-Gall Mandy Lockhart-Maggie Smith-Michael Winn-Jessica Demas-Kimberly EdmondsBest-Emily Gray-Kevin Harris-Unique Larry-Carson Stout-Michelle Williams-Rachel Williams-Tasia Faulcon-Amanda MajewskiRidhi Patel-Cassie Smith-Elizabeth Nerdig

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yber-bullying has become a recurring issue among adolescents in today’s society. Children are being harassed, threatened, and embarrassed by their peers through popular Internet sites, e-mails, and text messages. These attacks have caused some children to go so far as to commit suicide. Even though not all cyber-bullying crimes result in such extreme consequences, those involved all suffer in some way.

Virginia law now makes cyberbullying a crime. Cyber-bullying applies to all bullying between one child under the age of 18 and another. Cyberbullying becomes cyber-harassment or cyber-stalking once someone over the age of 18 becomes involved.

Creating laws that show that cyberbased harassment is unacceptable while individuals are young sets a precedent that works to prevent it from continuing throughout their lives.

Cyber-bullying should never be tolerated, as it hurts not only the person being bullied, but also the person guilty of harassment. Those being bullied must deal with issues of poor self-esteem because of damaging comments, and even threats on their lives in extreme cases. Those who are guilty of cyber-bullying also suffer because it creates bad habits and hinders the creation of good social skills, not to mention the penalties law enforcement can enact against them. No one should ever have to feel violated, harassed, or endangered by their peers in person, or through an Internet based resource.

Preventing cyber-bullying helps to ensure that adolescents will have a more safe experience while using Internet resources. The Internet can be a very rewarding medium for learning and socializing, if used correctly.

ast year I had a boyfriend who was almost 2 years older than me. There would be times when his friends would joke Olivia tritschler on him because I was about 2 years younger than him. People have strict ideas about age restrictions on relationships. Usually parents are the most limiting with whom they allow their child to date.

Opposites attract might be correct when talking about science, but when it comes to relationships, couples meet due to having something in common.

Ways teens may meet others could be playing the same sport or eating at the same lunch table. Therefore there is a great possibility for a student to be attracted to someone who is a different age.

Age plays a great factor in maintaining a relationship. Maturity levels may make or break a couple.

A senior thinking about going away to college could add stress to relationships. When in the same grade, memories of awkward stages might prevent relationships.

I have often heard my friends say they won’t date a younger guy, but in reality about 40% of women would rather date younger men.

Whether you go for older or younger dates, I believe there is a limit to the number of years in between the two people. It is, of course, up to the individuals in the relationship to decide, but it is nauseating to see an 18 year old dating a 13 year old, and it raises some suspicious questions. Stick to dating your peers.

Opinions&Editorials

Students provide feedback on Pro/Con issue from October:”Should a Muslim community center be built near the location of 9/11 where so many Americans lost their loved ones?”

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We have to remember that this country was built on the principles of freedom. Rachel makes an extremely valid point; if we take away one group’s freedom, how long will it be before the government takes away even more? The Muslims have every right to build that center wherever they want to and

This is a very good article.

Rachel and Jake were both very persuasive in their views on the construction of the mosque.

However, I think this is an argument that America as a whole will never be able to resolve. Not allowing it to be built would be religious persecution, but at the same time isn’t building it there disrespectful to the family members of the 9/11 victims?

Posted by junior Joshua Kent

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In considering whether or not it is right for the mosque to be built near Ground Zero, you have to take into consideration the legality and morality of it. Legally, Muslims have every right to build a mosque wherever they please. It is part of the basic principles of our country. At the same time, there are moral issues to consider. With the mosque so close to the site, obviously many Americans are offended at even the thought of it. It would be more reasonable if the mosque was built elsewhere.

Posted by junior Joseph Pervall

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Posted by senior HaseenaAbdur-Rahman

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The bigger question of the ground zero mosque is whether a crime committed by two of America’s allies-i.e. citizens from Saudi Arabia- should be placed on the shoulders of 1.5 Billion Muslims worldwide? In addition, should such a crime allow for open “ethnic” hatred and accusatory rhetoric? America’s apparent need for an “other” or “enemy” to [make a villain] has been long standing from Indians, freed slaves, Germans, Japanese, etc. Even the questions of whether to build what is termed the “ground zero mosque” is inherently racist. In its “questioning” it automatically implies that there is somehow a question whether this particular ethnic or religious group should be allowed to practice their religion-especially if the others around them don’t like them.

Posted by junior Tessa Allen

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I personally don’t see any problem with a Muslim center being near the area in which 9/11 happened. I see it as an act of discrimination toward the Muslim society if there happens to

be any problem. Muslims are not bad people. No one race should be known as “bad”. In every race there are people that are inhumane, but the entire race should not be punished for others acts of cruelty.

PostedbyseniorJoi Hamm

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This is definitely a controversial subject. I would agree with a lot of people that think it seems a little distasteful, but our country is built on the freedoms of the people and freedom of religion is one of them. They have the right to build it if they want to.

Posted by senior Autrey Jackson

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Posted by senior Trey Carter

Islamaphobics have every right to protest to their wee heart’s content, and there’s nothing either side can do about the other legally. Whether it’s fair or not, it’s the law.

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We Americans can and should not punish the entire Muslim culture for what a few radicals have done. Yes, the events of 9/11 were horrific, but we cannot allow the stereotype of being “radical” fall upon the innocent people who are simply practicing their faith.

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H

ey, US government?

Sorry, I guess you didn’t get the memo.

It turns out George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four was not, Rachel youmans in fact, a guideline for how to run a country.

A new ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals says that it is perfectly legal for government agents to plant GPS devices on your vehicle without warrant- even if it’s parked in your driveway.

This might seem extremely disturbing to you. It directly conflicts with the fourth amendment, which protects Americans from search and seizure without warrants.

And how is the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals explaining this? Apparently driveways just are not considered private. GPS devices do not require warrants in public because theoretically the information gathered from them could be found without tools, so classifying driveways as public means law enforcement does not need a warrant at all to track your every move.

But at least this is being used to catch criminals, right? Even if it’s an invasion of privacy, we know that it’s only for our own protection.

Yeah, right.

Yasir Afifi, a 20 year-old California college student, made news a few weeks ago when he found a GPS attached to his car and his friend posted pictures of it on the social news website Reddit. Soon after the post was made, FBI agents arrived at Afifi’s door, asking for their device back. They also interrogated him about a Reddit post another friend had made.

So what could the post possibly have said to have gotten not only the writer but a completely unrelated friend tracked by the FBI? It must have been a serious threat!

In short, it was an observation on how easy it would be for an unsuspicious person to blow up a mall, and a comment on the inefficacy of mall security systems.

This is ridiculous. The FBI should not be given the right to invade our privacy at any point in time if they are going to abuse that right by viewing a stupid joke a student made online as a serious threat to society.

Stop playing around on the internet and start doing your jobs, FBI.

Comments from trnwired.org ”

Government GPS invades privacy

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page 3 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

I also agree with Rachel.

When people started saying that the mosque should not be erected near ground zero, then those people are sacrificing their first amendment right. If Muslims want to practice their religion near Ground Zero let them. Sure it isn’t ethical but you can’t make them move because of it. It wouldn’t be an ethical move to erect it there but they have every right to build the mosque there.

Posted by junior Jamar Johnson

. d e r i w trn om c

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Opinions&Editorials

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page 4 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

Pro/Con: Was society better in the 1960s when peace and love was promoted?

Society has changed significantly in the last 50 years. Technology, music, and education are just a few of the changes. Was life better then?

PRO

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he 1960s were a time of revolution in American life and culture. It affected education, values, lifestyles, laws, and entertainment. With over 70,000,000 baby boomers becoming teens in the ‘60s, the youth dominated this revolution.

Time then was better than today in that thought back then included peace, love, and happiness and ‘nonviolence’ movements. Culture was evolving too, and the 1960s produced some of the greatest artists and writers such Michael winn as Andy Warhol and his pop art from ‘62 to ‘67, to Harper Lee and her famous novel To Kill A Mockingbird (1960). Music was the definition of the 1960s with icons like “The Beatles” and “The Beach Boys”, which innovated rock music, and promoted peace and love.

The most famous moment in music for the 1960s would be ‘Woodstock’, in which 400,000 young people rocked out in support of love and sharing. Another huge movement going on was the Civil Rights movement led by Martin Luther King Jr., which encouraged changes throughout the ‘60s in support of African American equality.

The youth of the decade swayed the fashions and trends. Fashion had it’s own tastes then too, with men’s longer hair, beards, and mustaches, to women’s ‘big’ hair-do’s and African American’s afro look. Clothing brought forth a new look with bright colored clothing, jackets, polyester pant-suits, and turtlenecks contributing to the scene. At least fashions then encouraged teens to dress well, while sagging jeans and ‘hoodie’ styles would be shunned in ‘60s society.

Perhaps the best representation of this decade is influenced by the space race, which sent the first American to space in 1961, orbit the Earth in 63’, and walk on the moon with Neil Armstrong in Apollo XI in 1969. The 1960s population was definitely united by this space program in a way that no one today could possibly recreate today. I think that the ‘60s were definitely safer, and better than the world today in 2010. Kids could walk to school alone without being kidnapped like today, and could unite and voice their opinion in a non-violent way together, full of peace, love, and happiness.

MAKING THE GRADE

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Fifth period classes brought out their creativity in the door decorating contest to get into the spirit of Halloween.

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The end of the nine weeks is around the corner and students are becoming stressed before report cards come out.

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Juniors are failing to buy tickets to the Junior Dance and reserving their spot for the Ring Ceremony.

or edit the ber o t tters Decem y le y it an issue b to cwau m b u g s n m i e e s h m t a Ple e upco -mail s e h u for t n A6 or k12.va. . i 3rd n@pgs a gam

Con

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ociety in 2010 consists of all different religions, ethnicity, customs and traditions mixed together.

Still they accept each other for the most part, better than in the 1960s.

In modern society, people can make decisions for themselves and do the things they want to do within reason. However in the society of the 1960s, many people were oppressed and therefore could not live life how they wanted. tasia falcon In the 1960s, African Americans were fighting for equality.

People like Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks were fighting for African American civil rights. Now we have our first ever African American president, Barack Obama.

Laws today are better at protecting people of this generation than in the last 50 past years. Women have more rights now, than they did in the 1960s. In the early 1960s women were discriminated against in the workplace until the Civil Rights Movement barred it. Women were excluded from educational programs, school activities and everything else that was federally funded.

Now, women are treated just like men in the workforce. They are equally paid, have equal job positions and cannot be discriminated against. It’s no longer a “man’s world.”

Society has improved significantly since the 1960s with new, more advanced technologies, such as cell phones and computers with internet. There are now even cell phones with internet available on them. People can keep in touch and meet new people easier and faster than 50 years ago. Now we have technology where we can do almost anything with the touch of a few buttons.

In the 1960s there was not as much technology. Life was way harder and to say society was better when people did not have half of the things they have in today’s society, would be crazy. Back then, it was work, work, work!

In today’s society, people get tattoos, piercings, and write books or songs without being judged or told not to do it. Back then, people could have done these things, but with more judgment.

There have been a lot of positive changes between the 1960s and now.

October Retractions

Features: Sergeant Simon is not retired. He is an active duty Army medic and has been for 20 years. Sergeant Simon was never in the Army Reserve.

Front Page: The volume number is not Vol. IV. It is Vol. IX. The date is not 5.21.10. It is 10.8.10.

Sources for the Pro/Con: http://socialnetworking.procon.org/-socialnetworks

News

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Harassment extends to technological medium Cyber-Bullying becomes punishable by law in order to help deter its devastating effects

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Cassie Smith trn writer

acebook and other social networking sites are becoming more and more prominent in high school and so are the problems that accompany

them.

Students have been personally affected by one major problem, cyber-bullying.

Cyber-Bullying is the sending of threats or lewd comments via any electronic device. These days cyber-bullying is becoming more common.

“I see it through Facebook on peoples’ walls, all over stupid things that should not have been started,” sophomore Matt Jones said.

Cases are popping up in the news of high school students committing suicide and other acts of violence due to today’s social networks. Social networks such as Facebook were created for people to share things about themselves, however, some students have been directly victimized by others or have witnessed it happening to their peers.

For example, Megan Meier committed suicide by hanging in 2006. Megan was 13 years old when she was sent lewd and harassing voice messages from a 21-year-old woman.

“My best friend was bullied by her ex-boyfriend through text messages, Facebook, and Myspace. Finally she told her parents. It turned into something bigger than a break up,” sophomore Katelynn Moody said.

What people these days do not realize is how serious these acts really are and how they can affect the rest of their lives. A threat to do bodily harm through electronic devices is a felony. Harassment,

such as name-calling and cursing is identified as a misdemeanor.

“People start rumors that are not true and say rude things that they would not say in person,” junior Anthony Jackson said.

“More teens are so used to the texting and social networking that they can not solve problems or find it hard to talk face to face. They get the confidence of being behind a computer and do not understand that once you send something electronically, you can not take it back.

These matters end up leading to fights,” sophomore Taylor Chiasson said.

The Code of Virginia states that harassment by computer is when any person with the intent to coerce, intimidate, or harass any person by use of a computer

or computer network to communicate obscene, vulgar, profane, lewd, lascivious, or indecent language, or make any suggestion or proposal of an obscene nature or threaten any illegal or immoral act shall be guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.

The punishment associated with a class 1 misdemeanor is up to a $2500 fine and/or up to 12 months in jail.

The Code of Virginia also states that threats to do bodily harm in a writing, which includes electronically, transmitted communication producing a visual or electronic message is a class 6 felony.

The punishment for a class 6 felony is 1 to 5 years in jail and/or a $2500 fine.

Most students are not aware that when applying for a job or college, they are required to make them aware of any arrests.

Junior Rachel Coleman shows disappointment after reading her comments on her wall. Facebook and other social networking sites facilitate cyber-bullying.

Photo By Alison Brown “If you do not like a certain person do not add them to your friends, or talk to them. Do not do anything on these sites that could cause problems,” Chiasson said.

There have been cases in the past of cyber-bullying which have transformed into something far worse than it seemed.

Bullying used to be a simple name-call.

Individuals now must face threats, fights, and more tragically, suicide.

page 6 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

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News

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Teen obesity continues to increase on national level Inactivity, careless food choices cause an increase in overweight youth Kim Carneal trn editor

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uring teenage years the physical changes and the shaping of self-esteem can add stress to a person’s life. With the addition of obesity it can change the adult life of that person by adding more severe consequences.

Teen obesity has increased more than half from 5% in the 1970s. The 2007-2008 percentage of overweight people from age 2 to 19 is 17%.

A common belief is that teen obesity is only caused by a lack in physical activity and overeating. However, studies have shown that parents who are overweight are more than likely to have overweight children.

The things that provoke teen obesity on a national level are equivalent to those that are in the school.

“First, inactivity causes teen obesity and then it’s the poor food and beverage choices,” Nutrition and Exercise teacher Tommy Harrison said.

Obesity can start a negative change in a person’s physical capability in all aspects of life, especially later on when it may become difficult to walk.

“Many students struggle in physical education from being overweight.

They struggle to perform activities,” Harrison said.

Not only does obesity affect physical health but also it can initiate psychological distress, low self-esteem and a negative self-image.

“Unfortunately, some overweight teens are picked at,” Harrison said.

Parents are the ones who control the amount of unhealthy food or drinks teenagers consume. Not only do parents provide the food but they should encourage teenagers to be active in their

every day life.

“There needs to be an increase in awareness for adults. They have the biggest impact because they are controlling the eating and drinking choices of teens,” Harrison said.

A popular health risk for overweight teens is Type 2 Diabetes. It can affect an individual for the rest of their life. Those who suffer from Type 2 Diabetes, cells either ignore the insulin produces or they do not produce any.

The insulin is responsible for taking sugar from the foods being eaten and putting it into the cells. Without the sugar reaching the cells the body is not able to get enough energy.

“More teens are having problems with the onset of adult diabetes. Those

individuals are at a greater risk for a reduced life expectancy,” Health and Physical Education teacher Lisa McDaniels said.

Certain classes are available to inform and assist students dealing with obesity or stopping it from ever starting. “[Teachers] Consistently cover activity and nutrition in tenth grade Physical Education. Nutrition and Exercise deals with specifically helping students from being overweight,” Harrison said.

Teachers are always available for any questions or concerns students may have with their body image.

“I would encourage them to evaluate their eating habits to see why there is weight gain and encourage exercise,” McDaniels said.

Photo By Alison Brown.

Being obese not only affects a single person’s future but also can result in a change in the entire country.

“Statistics show we are lagging behind in the world. Our country’s children are at more risk [in teen obesity] than any other country,” Harrison said.

There are a number of ways to stop or reverse the increase in teen obesity. It is the person’s responsibility to want and seek change.

“Keeping a log of active time including the hours in front of the computer or television and what foods you are eating/drinking. Putting stuff on paper helps look at the day assessments of where you need to change,” Harrison said.

NEws

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Popular behavior determines current social norms Students, faculty differ in accepted beliefs, customs Malikah Williams trn editor

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eenagers today are experiencing and accepting certain behaviors, such as getting tatto o s , pi e rc i ng s , and dressing more expressively and risqué, which in the past were considered taboo or unheard of. The behaviors that these teens are accepting are the social norms of the time.

“A social norm is an expectation for behaviors that is found in a culture of society, essentially how people are supposed to act, what they should do, and what they should not do,” sociology professor Michael Rutz said.

The norms of society today are results of what teenagers are exposed to through the vast and easily accessible media sources, which may or may not be a good thing.

“Being that the media is so uncontrolled, there is no limit on what one can see on the internet, what one can hear in music, or what one can see on television, there are very few limits,” Rutz said.

Activities are considered more acceptable based on the amount of people doing them.

“I am okay with [facial piercing and tattoos] because I see them so often that I just adjust to them,” junior Kiera Ortiz said.

In the last decade, the trend of getting tattoos and piercings has increased exponentially.

“Piercings are everywhere now,” junior Dorothy Horsley said. “In seventh grade when I got my first piercing everyone thought it was weird, but now everyone has [a piercing].”

According to a study done by National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health in 2000, the rate of

teens getting tattoos is 14% with the average age being 16.8 years old.

“I got my tattoo because it was my birthday and I was getting a special tattoo that I drew myself,” senior Alex Cain said. “[Getting tattoos is] more traditional now when one turns 18 and has freedom to do what one wants.”

The behaviors that teens exhibit are also dependent upon what their parents believe to be acceptable.

“Parents are now more lenient with their kids and they just have learned to accept the changes,” Horsley said.

Parents also acknowledge that they give their children more freedom in deciding what activities they participate in. “[I let Kiera] do volunteer work in the community and hang out with large groups of kids,” Kiera’s mother, Karen Ortiz said.

While some social norms may be acceptable to certain teens today, others norms are not, due to

the beliefs or morals of that person.

“I would never let my surroundings push me to do something drastic like crack or cocaine,” Ortiz said.

Other teens disregard what is acceptable in society and do what makes them happy.

“I am out there, I do what I want,” sophomore Gabriel Rivera said. “ I am not embarrassed to get out there and have fun.”

The social norms of society constantly change over time.

“When I was in school everybody smoked cigarettes, including me,” guidance counselor Bill Havard said. “It went from being a socially accepted custom to being a social pariah.”

Not all social norms are viewed as negative by older generations.

“People [teens] are much more accepting of different sexual preferences, faiths, races, and ethnicity than 20 years ago,” Havard said.

Social norms may change but

Senior Alex Cain shows off his tattoo; Cain believes tattoos are now an accepted social custom. Cain designed his own tattoo for his 18th birthday.

Photo By Alison Brown. the core values tend to stay the same.

“Values are what a culture deems as good or desirable or even something beautiful in society,” Rutz said. “The basic values of the United States that we see [now], we saw fifty years ago: hard work, a value around the family, and a value of individual responsibility.”

While these social norms are acceptable to teens and their parents, it does not mean that the norms are correct or even safe.

“Kids get away with a lot and it also endangers their lives and their futures with some of the things that they are allowed to get away with,” Rutz said. “It has also been seen as a reason to our lagging behind in education and success as a country.”

News

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page 9 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

Junior Dance faces minor adjustments Changes made to boost attendance, improve experience Michelle Williams trn writer

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he activities following the Junior Ring Ceremony will see some changes from prior years. The ceremony will now be followed by the new Junior Dance, which in previous years was known as the Junior Ring Dance. The new dance and the new changes have brought high expectations for the overall experience.

This new Junior Dance is being planned by junior class sponsor Carol Bolyard and the student dance committee. Bolyard and the dance committee are trying to make the dance an event that all juniors can look forward to attending by changing the format of the dance. The dance has been renamed and formal dress is no longer mandatory.

The purpose of these changes is to increase turnout for the dance by encouraging all juniors to attend.

“The dance is essentially the same dance, just that no formal attire is required and it is [called] Junior Dance,” Bolyard said,“I want to open up the eyes of the student body to show that you do not have to order a class ring to go to the dance.”

Bolyard hopes that making these minor changes this year will make a big difference

“I want to open up the eyes of the student body to show that you do not have to order a class ring to go to the dance.” in attendance, as well as how the students view the event. She hopes students will realize that it is a completely unique occasion.

“It is the only dance that juniors have for themselves, and it is not like homecoming or any other dances,” Bolyard said.

Juniors hope that the dance will live up to its expectations since they want it to be

an enjoyable and memorable experience.

“I want the experience, but it was no fun last year,” junior Hannah Wickline said.

Last year’s dance did not live up to many of the students’ expectations, including the matter of attendance. Despite the lackluster dance and lack of a large turnout, students still managed to enjoy themselves.

“The dance was alright, but not that many people were there. All in all it was a fun night though,” senior Nick Beaudet said.

Low attendance was the main problem of the dance last year; the dance was almost canceled due to very low ticket sales.

Because of this Bolyard and the dance committee targeted their changes to increase turnout. Their changes were also made in light of the current financial slump.

“Because of today’s economy we did not want students not to be able to attend because they could not afford the formal attire,” Bolyard said.

The name of the dance itself was also changed for partially financial reasons.

Bolyard and the committee did not want

Last year’s Prom demonstrated the formal attire normally associated with ring dance. This year formal attire will not be required. File photo. to discourage students who did not buy class rings from attending the dance; they wanted the dance to be open to all juniors.

It is hoped that these changes will be successful in producing a more enjoyable experience, not only for the juniors this year but in future years. These future juniors have a positive outlook about the event.

“I am going to the dance next year, I am excited to hang out with all of my friends,” sophomore Sarah Horning said.

For many juniors, the dance and the ceremony are a right of passage that marks the beginning of a future outside of high school.

“I am excited to finally get my class ring, it is like a major event in high school, and it feels like I am just that much closer to graduating,” Wickline said .

Junior Dance The Junior Ring Ceremony and Dance will be held Saturday November 13, 2010.

The ceremony begins at 7:30 PM in the auditorium and is immediately followed by the dance.

There is no cost for the ceremony but a ticket is required.

Formal attire is not required but jeans and tennis shoes are prohibited.

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page 10 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

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page 11 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

Job hunting in down economy exhausts students

Tough financial times proves equally difficult for adolescents Olivia Tritschler trn editor

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enior Lindsey Story takes on the tedious task of searching for a job, instead of enjoying typical teenager activities like going to the mall or movies, with the hopes of finding a suitable job. Due to the economy, job hunting proves to be unsuccessful for adults and adolescents.

There are students who have jobs and spend their free time and weekends at work, while others continue to apply in hopes of getting a chance to earn money.

Story has been trying to get a job since last summer. In gaining work experience she hopes to have an advantage over other applicants.

“I have filled out many applications online and at the actual stores or restaurants,” Story said. “I have also babysat a few times and applied at the recreational department to referee for soccer, which I have been doing for the past two weeks.”

Relationships with employees can increase the chance of getting a job.

Parents who have their own company or store may give jobs to their children or family friends.

“My mom’s friend helped me get the job since she volunteered at The Twig Shop in Southside Regional Medical Center,” junior Emily Kidd said. “She thought it was a good idea for me to volunteer for six months for college hours.”

For teens having extra money can be a great advantage, but jobs also offer more than money. The experience working and the responsibility that come along with a career might motivate people to search for a job.

“I am looking for a job so I can be

Senior Lindsey Story searches for job in local newspaper. She has been looking for a suitable job since the summer .

Photo by Alison Brown. able to pay for my own things, such as gas for my car and clothes,” Story said. “I also want one so I can be prepared for the future for when I will actually need a job.”

Parents support their children’s decision to find a job. Parents’ influence can convince young adults to contact businesses to see if they are in need of

help.

“My parents do have an influence in applying for jobs,” Story said. “They constantly tell me to go out and apply, because they want the best for me so I can get a feel of what it is like to be responsible and to be prepared for after high school.”

Time management is a necessary skill when students have to juggle school, extracurricular activities, a job, and hanging with friends.

“It’s not really difficult doing homework since we are allowed to bring it to work,” Kidd said. “I don’t have a lot of free time anyway being on the dance team, but I work on the weekends so it doesn’t cut into free time too badly.”

Applying to jobs is a lengthy process. First comes the application and then it may be followed by an interview.

Lastly, one has to wait till they get the call saying they have been hired.

“My least favorite thing about the application process is writing the same information over and over again,” Story said. “It gets tiring after awhile.”

Outside of school it can be awkward to see a teacher, but English teacher Elizabeth Houlihan has other jobs to receive more income. Houlihan gives haunted ghost tours in Richmond and participates with Will Power to Youth, a company that helps crossing over gang and racial lines through theater.

“Part of [having a second job] is to earn extra money to pay back college loans faster or to be able to renovate part of the house,” Houlihan said. “The other part is that I enjoy giving the tours and working with the kids.”

Sacrifices have to be made in order to have a job, or two. Work cuts into free time, and the time spent with family and friends.

“Luckily my husband also works for Haunts of Richmond so it is something we do together,” Houlihan said. “For example I do not have a free weekend in Sept. or Oct. because we are getting into our busiest time of the year.”

Hard work and dedication might not always get the job, especially in a down economy, but they show that one is responsible enough to be trusted.

This gives a major advantage over other applicants.

“You need to be willing to work no matter what the job,” Houlihan said. “We were hiring at the beginning of the season and received over fifty applications. Once we starting going through the interview process people would not show up. This showed that they were not willing to work even though they applied for the position.”

FEATURES

the

page 12 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

Age gap in relationships affects student couples Difference in years, maturity offer obstacles, advantages Elizabeth Nerdig trn writer

W

alking across t h e stage to gradua t e while y o u r significant other sits in the crowd cheering you on because they have a few more years to go to reach that pinnacle in their academic career is reality for many age gap relationships today.

There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about these relationships

that are not fully understood. While some people prefer to date someone their own age, others prefer age differences to match their own maturity level.

“He [my boyfriend, sophomore Caleb Johnson] is very mature for his age,” senior Emily Marshall said.

Compatibility is also a key factor in why some people choose age gap relationships.

“Relationships which tend to be more successful are those in which the partners are well matched regarding maturity, intellect, personality, and interests,” marriage counselor Dr. Barbara Morgan said.

Age gap relationships are on the rise, with a statistic in 2003 showing more women dating and marrying younger men.

“Everyone said, ‘Oh, you are dating an older girl; you are so cool.’ It was just a cool feeling,” junior Doug Buchanan said.

One benefit from dating someone older is the wisdom and the understanding that the person can give you.

“She [Marshall] is getting all the experience that I have not gotten yet,” Johnson said.

62.5% of teenage girls from age 1519 are involved in a relationship where their partner is 0-2 years older than they are.

Three and a half years is the average age difference in married couples.

Dating someone older also has its perks when it comes to driving and participating in school events.

“When I was in [N.B.] Clements, I got to go to the high school dances,” Buchanan said.

However, some people look down on relationships with age gaps because they think that one person could be taking advantage of the other.

“Men tend to choose younger females for biological reasons (from an evolutionary psychological perspective) and for child bearing reasons,” Morgan said. “Modern males may choose younger females as they age because of mid-life crisis issues and the need to feel virile and desired.”

In Virginia, the legal age of consent is 18 years old. This means that if anyone over 18 has sex with someone under 18, it is considered statutory rape. However, some states have Age Gap Provision laws that make age gaps less of a crime.

“People think she is older than me and wants to take advantage of me, all of that is just a big myth,” Johnson said.

Some parents still do not approve of age gap relationships. Other parents are

more accepting.

“They [my parents] did not have any opposition to me dating him at all,” Marshall said.

One big issue of a relationship with an age gap, however, is the uncertainty of the future. With high school relationships, the older person graduating and going to college can cause a strain on the relationship.

“She [Meaghan O’Hare] had to learn to stand up for herself and be on her own,” Buchanan said. “She was not depending on me as much.”

Additionally, physical aging can be an issue in an age gap relationship.

“The physical aspects of relationships tend to wear off after several years, and then the importance of actual compatibility regarding these other factors becomes even more important to the longevity and the ultimate success of the relationship,” Morgan said.

Most high school relationships with age gaps try not to worry about the future of their relationship.

“We will cross that bridge when we get to it,” Marshall said. “Right now we are just enjoying each other’s company.”

Typically, men are two years older than their wives the first time that they marry.

The average age that men marry is around 27, whereas women typically marry around the age of 25.

Information gathered from http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/3116099.html http://lifestyle.msn.com/relationships/article.aspx?cp-documentid=20703148 http://www.unmarried.org/statistics.html

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page 13 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

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page 14 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

Class of 2011 Prince George High School presents “Unforgettable” Miss Prince George High School Pageant PGHS Auditorium Saturday, November 6, 2010, 7:00PM

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the

page 15 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

Jehovah’s Witnesses clarify misconceptions Numerous fallacies surround widely practiced religion

Unique Larry trn writer

T

here are over 7.3 million active Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide. Although this religion is practiced all over the world there are still many people that have the wrong idea about the religion. Among this 7.3 million is Haley Anderson along with her fellow Kingdom Hall members Jeff Scott and Choni Brown Sophomore Haley Anderson was a bit wary about her knowledge of the religion and how her family would react when she first began to practice Jehovah’s Witness in 2007 but overtime she began to enjoy her religion.

“Once I learned more about it and did a Bible study I began to like it a lot,” Anderson said.

Anderson and her parents go to Kingdom Hall, The Jehovah Witnesses place of worship, twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays. Though they go to Kingdom Hall twice a week, Anderson still goes out every day determined to spread the word of Jehovah to everyone that she can.

“I go out from seven to nine but during later hours we go out in groups for safety,” Anderson said.

Anderson has made various changes

in her life when she converted, like changing her attitude and sorting out her personal priorities.

“The hardest thing about conversion was telling my friends and my grandma about me converting but now they are a little bit more accepting,” Anderson said.

Despite Anderson’s dilemmas she looks forward to Judgment Day. “When Jesus resurrects the dead I will get to see my mom again and just knowing that I can always trust in Jehovah,” Anderson said.

Jeff Scott studied various religions such Islam, Catholicism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. After all of his studies he could not help but to prefer Jehovah Witness as his religious choice.

“At first I was a bit skeptical but then I had to accept the truth,” Scott said.

Witnesses are organized under a “theocratic government”, reflecting their belief that it is a form of God’s organization on earth. “ We are not an offshoot of any church nor do we look to any human but rather Jesus Christ as our leader,” Brown said.

Witnesses have a system set up to where everyone is equal and everyone has a chance to participate in the Kingdom Hall meetings.

“We encourage people to read the bible themselves, do not believe what your told go back and verify it for yourself,” Scott said.

Other beliefs of the Jehovah’s

Witnesses include that they should not have blood transfusions, and should remain neutral in politics and wars. “Men are not able to rule themselves obviously so that is why we do not vote, God is a much better ruler than any man so we think of Jehovah as our ruler,” Anderson said.

Witnesses do believe in the authority of the Bible and trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection for salvation. They do not believe, however in the trinity or in the existence of a “hell”.

“Before the Bible was translated there was three different meanings Sheol,Hades, and Gehenna that were all translated into one word hell,” Scott said.

They believe that once dead one will be in a state of unconsciousness but an “elect” few will go to heaven, or live in paradise on earth. ”I believe that Jehovah is going to resurrect me here on earth and I shall live on paradise,” Anderson said.

Witnesses do not partake in any holidays such as Easter, Halloween, Christmas or even birthdays that are all believed to be pagan ideas and are not compatible with Christian beliefs. Some may believe that the witnesses do not celebrate any holidays at all, however they do recognize the celebration of Jesus’ death (his memorial) as a holiday.

“For the memorial we go to Kingdom Hall, say a prayer, pass the bread around, say another prayer, pass the wine around, and say a final prayer,” Anderson said.

Jehovah Witness Richard Brown explains the beliefs of the religion. He has practiced the religion since he was a teen.

Photo by Gabby Whittington.

There are many wrong assumptions about Jehovah’s Witnesses like that they do not believe in Jesus, that in the future Anderson would like to clarify.

“I hope to travel the world preaching to people in other countries and sort out misconceptions of my religion,” Anderson said.

Another fallacy of her religion is that they think of themselves as “perfect” people.

“We are just normal people and we make mistakes too,” Anderson said.

. d e r i w trn om c Look for a continuing multimedia project on religion in Prince George County.

the

page 16 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

The Progres

How music ha fi

“[I listened to] Elvis Presley, Pat Boone, and Frankie Avalon [in the ‘50s and ‘60s]. I do not listen to the music of today because it is too loud,” government teacher Louise Thornton said.

1950

Rock ‘n roll was dominant during this decade with artists like Elvis Presley, Pat Boone and Frankie Avalon just to name a few. Jazz was also popular with Frank Sinatra and Nat “King” Cole.

“[I liked] The Beatles and The Rolling Stones [as well as] Diana Ross and the Supremes. There are so many remakes of songs and less creativity and originality now,” history teacher Cynthia Hasley said.

1960

Artists like Diana Ross and the Supremes, and Aretha Franklin were dominant female artists. The Beatles and The Rolling Stones also dominated the rock scene of the time.

“[I liked] the Eagles, Bob Marley ‘80s, things became easier and m can play the piano or bass guitar,

1970

The 1970s consisted of mainly lots of rock and disco. Rock artists like, The Eagles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Fleetwood Mac dominated the music scene of the decade.

Disco was also popular with artists like the B-52’s and ABBA.

The Mad Mic scen and Rap mai Dog

the

page 17 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

ssion of Music:

Information gathered from: http://kclibrary.lonestar. edu/decades.html

as changed over the past five decades

y, ABBA, and Fleetwood Mac. In the more electronic. Now almost everyone r,” Anatomy teacher Roy York said.

1980

e 1980s: the time of MTV, donna, and Michael Jackson. chael Jackson dominated the pop ne with hit songs like “Thriller,” d “Beat It.” p and hip-hop became more instream with artists like Snoop gg, LL Cool J, and MC Hammer.

“I listened to NSYNC, P!nk, Woo Tang Clan, and Lil Bow Wow. I hated the Backstreet Boys. Now I listen to R&B and [artists like] Maroon 5, Kings of Leon, and Trey Songz,” senior Rachel Crawford said.

1990 Hip-hop and R&B became more popular with artists like Run DMC, Mariah Carey, Macy Gray and Destiny’s Child.

Pop was huge with the emergence of The Spice Girls, Britney Spears, and P!nk. Boy bands like The Backstreet Boys and NSYNC became extremely popular as well.

2000 Eminem and 50 Cent emerged early on, while new artists like Kid Cudi and Drake are now starting to dominate this genre.

Pop ranged from Avril Lavigne and Britney Spears early on to Lady Gaga and Katy Perry in 2010.

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page 18 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

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page 17 - royalnews - 11.05.2010

Students exhibit unusual pets “I like it where his neck is. It swells up when he gets angry.”

“I got him because of a class project in the 7th grade in science to study the way a lizard is in its natural habitat.”

Junior Alison Nichols Pet: Bearded Dragon Name: Pogo

Junior Ben Poe Pet: Lizard Name:Learl

“I’ve had them for 2 years. They’re awsome!

I wanted them because most people don’t have ferrets.”

Need to Know November Dates

November 2:

No School

November 11:

No School

“He’s a pig that acts like a dog. He eats dogfood, sits like a dog, and lays like a dog.”

November 24: Early Release Day November 25-28:

Fall Break

“I like putting it in a [hamster] ball an letting it run around the house.”

Sophomore Bailey Williams Pets: two ferrets Names: Smokey and Bandit

Senior Amber Williamson Pet: miniture potbelly pig Name: Kija

Junior Carsey Meredith Pet: Rat Name: Templeton

Graduation Countdown:

218 days

A&E SPORTS

the

page 20 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

Show takes weeks to perfect Band, Color Guard come together to entertain

Vampires, get off of my television

S The Marching Band and Color Guard perform halftime shows at football games. They underwent weeks of practice before performing the first show.

Photo by Alison Brown.

Jessica Marshall trn editor

A

ll the weeks of hard work and dedication pay off at this one performance.

As the band takes their place on the worn football field, members reflect on how they got there. Their main goal for show is to entertain and pump the crowd.

Seniors Chelsea Gifford and Shay Vandevander are two members of the tenteam Color Guard.

“We are the ones with the flags, ribbon, rifle, and saber. This is my first year being a part of the color guard,” Gifford said. “It takes a lot of hard work.”

Along with being in Color Guard, Vandevander takes on various roles.

“I am the color guard captain. But I’m also choreographer and teacher. I wrote most of the show this year, and taught the nine other girls how to do the routines,” Vandevander said.

“Now only three out of the ten of us had done this before so it was definitely a challenge.”

Senior Megan Greenwell is an assistant drum majors.

“Our job is to conduct the band with the head drum major, who is Maria Siltz,” Greenwell said.

Before the band can make their way onto the field to perform the halftime show, they undergo a series of practices to perfect the performance.

“Previous years, we were still learning drill by the 2nd or 3rd football game. We were focused mainly on making it performable, let alone prefect. But once again, this year is different,” Vandevander said. “We had the whole show on the field by the first football game. Granted, it wasn’t beautiful, but instead of having to worry about learning drill and all that, we got to focus of perfecting the show.”

In order to practice, the band needs to be assigned music. There is one person in particular who gets a say in what song is performed.

“Mr. Warnock picks the music based on numerous things. Whether or not he has the budget for it, what instrumentation he will have for the year,” Vandevander said. “Example: He won’t pick a show that is heavy on brass (trumpets, trombones, horn, baritone) when he has an army of woodwinds and maybe 8 brass total.”

With the song chosen, the band begins to practice every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

“During practice we go over all of our sets, and if there are a few sets that need more practice than others we do them over and over again. Or as Mr. Warnock would say ‘Take it back, do it again’,” Gifford said. “After working on a few sets we will do a run threw of the show. “ When game day arrives, mixed feelings and emotions arise from the hard-working band members. They wish to show all of their heart and dedication.

“The first few performances were filled with a bit of nervousness,” Vandevander said.

“Then they got a bit more comfortable. So to really describe the atmosphere, it’s a little bit

of nervousness but a whole lot of excitement.

Because in the end, we are performers and when we perform, it’s a high you can’t get anywhere else.”

As the second quarter comes to a close, the band gets ready to put on their show. Each band member has his or her own way of coping with the adrenaline.

“I prepare for our half time shows by highfiving all the band members and stretching out with the color guard and my other fellow drum majors so our arms don’t cramp up,” Greenwell said. “I also do this dance thing with the guard when I’m feeling good. Go bananas!”

Looking back on previous performances, Vandevander sees a clear difference in performances.

“This year is different than other years. We really performed as a whole, everyone covering their parts. We didn’t have individuals try to carry the band...that’s always been the case, but not this year,” Vandevander said. “It’s truly amazing how much we have come together to become this family that actually loves performing together. There are no intense feuds between sections because is actually carrying their own weight. It’s made this year amazing.”

Hard work and dedication result in shows worthy of applaud. Once the first game jitters have worn off, Greenwell believes the performances will improve.

“Our first game that we perform at, we’re all nervous but after that it’s just fun and exciting. At the end when we know we’ve done well, we have the greatest feel of accomplishment,” Greenwell said. “We like having fun but we love to succeed.”

itting at home, trying to find something to watch, I get disgusted when I see that some of my favorite channels are playing vampire shows. After flipping through the 200+ channels on my TV, I turn to the movie channels.

There they are, again. Those unrealistic vampires Jessica Marshall that have seemed to take the entertainment industry by storm. How have these bloodsucking creatures come to overrun the business?

Back in ninth grade, I remember seeing a ton of my peers carrying around some book that had hands holding an apple on it. Much to my surprise, it was some book called Twilight; it was about vampires. Ever since I saw that book and the amount of people reading it, I knew that I was going to dislike anything dealing with vampires.

Last year, I was at my friend’s house and we were bored trying to find something to watch. After much debate, she suggested that we watch Twilight” As soon as the words came out of her mouth, I immediately came up with excuses to not watch it. My last appeal was that if we watched it I would ‘staple my eyes shut’.

Much to my delight, during the previous summer, a movie came out by the name of “Vampires Suck”.

Even though I did not go to see it, I was ecstatic that I was not the only one who thought that vampires, did indeed, suck.

I do not think that vampires need to be erased completely. But I do think they need to be limited to the Halloween season, and only to the sci-fi channels. Let’s be obsessed with something that relates to reality, not some world created in a studio.

So to the vampires of Twilight and Vampire Diaries, get off my TV!

A&E

the

page 21 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

Clinic transforms to room of expression Junior Josh Hahn’s artwork adds color to bare walls

D

Jami Davis trn editor-in-chief

ozens of colore d drawings cover the walls of nurse Kim Smith’s “Room of A r t ”. F o r months junior Joshua Hahn has been drawing and coloring pictures that have become almost the sole decorations in nurse Smith’s office.

Hahn has drawn hundreds of pictures for Smith, in part because of a competition with Smith’s daughter.

“I have to draw outer space against Savanah Smith. I have a contest against her. She is the daughter of the school nurse,” Hahn said.

This contest began when Smith brought in a picture that her daughter had drawn for her.

“It all started because I have a four year old daughter, and last year I hung up pictures that she drew and one day Josh came in and started hanging up pictures. He’d try to hang up more than I did,” Smith said.

Most of Hahn pictures involve images from outer space, such as space ships, galaxies and black holes.

“I draw these things because of Star Wars and Star Trek, etc,” Hahn said.

Hahn lives with autism, but he is able to cope with his disability with the help of his aide Teresa Hutzell.

“I’ve been his aide since his 7th grade year, so since 2006,” Hutzell said.

Over the months that Hahn has been hanging up pictures in Smith’s office, they have created a bond.

“I’ve found he’s comfortable with me talking to him. He’s very funny.

Josh is quiet, but once he gets to know you he opens up. He’s just a really sweet kid. He is very excited that people are interested in his drawings,” Smith said.

Hahn names every one of his drawings, and can recall the names of each and every one as soon as he is asked.

He also hangs up most of his pictures himself.

Being Hahns’s aide, Hutzell hears about all of Josh’s drawings, and frequently spends time in Smith’s “Room of art”. Since Hutzell has been working with Hahn for so long, she has gotten to know him very well.

“He’s quiet and can be very funny.

He gets a kick out of everything. He’s easy going. He’s growing. He really is.

He may be autistic, but he’s still going

through everything everyone else is,” Hutzell said.

Hutzell helps Josh to learn and function in his school environment.

According to Hutzell, Josh is a good and compliant student.

“He is very smart, and catches on very fast. He makes A-B Honor Roll all the time. He will not do something that he’s not supposed to do. He never wants to get in trouble with anybody,” Hutzell said Josh also has typical teenage interests; he even has somewhat of a celebrity crush. His folder harbors many drawings with doodles of his favorite stars’ name.

“He loves to surf the internet and he loves to play computer games. He also loves the actress Miranda Cosgrove,” Hutzell said.

Junior Josh Hahn draws pictures for a competition between himself and Kim Smith’s daughter. He has drawn the pictures for months.

Photo by Kevin Harris.

A&E

the

page 22 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

Vampires take over entertainment industry Students express mixed feelings on creatures of the night

S

Rachel Karns - Gall trn writer

ince the introduction of movies such as Twilight and I am Legend, vampires have flooded the entertainment world.

Following the lead of other fads, these blood sucking creatures come with fans and people who do not like them.

“Some people talk about them a lot.

They’re becoming obsessed. They say that they love the books, but other kids say they’re tired of all the vampire talk,” junior Brittany Yocum said Students have mixed feelings about vampires. 75% [of students] surveyed thought they were becoming overwhelming in media. Others disagree, and can understand why teens are so enthralled in them.

“From what my students say, they enjoy the romance aspect. It’s a very unknown topic, it’s almost magical,” said Sarah Owens, English teacher and Young Author’s sponsor.

Shows, movies, and books about vampires are becoming popular sellers.

These stories are targeted towards teens, by showing vampires in a new perspective. Because of this marketing tactic, teens are more likely to be hooked on anything vampire.

“Now they aren’t as scary. And they’re always hot. I’ve never seen an ugly vampire. Like Edward or the Sal-

vatore brothers. They’re really hot. And they’re always the ‘good guy’,” junior Brittany Yocum said.

The view of vampires has evolved over time. They went from being scary monsters to relatable creatures.

“With Dracula, it was strictly a horror story. There were different beliefs of the time, but vampires were mostly sinful, evil creatures. Now they are simply everyday people, but with special abilities. It’s a more positive outlook,” Owens said.

Stephenie Meyer’s New York Time best-seller Twilight is partially responsible for the surge in vampire popularity.

“It’s just an updated view on vampires. With Count Dracula, it was scary, and he was unsocial. But with Twilight, they’re regular people with regular lives. People can relate to them better.

I mean, they go camping, play baseball, and they don’t drink human blood.

They only drink animal blood, so they aren’t a threat to humans,” librarian Kim Bailey said.

The book has also been a popular movie. 44% of students surveyed said that they have read Twilight, while 61% have seen the movie. After being overexposed to both book and movie, students appear to be outgrowing vampires. “ There’s just too many of them, it’s too much. They just aren’t real. People should just stop,” sophomore Josh Blackwell said.

Students have admitted to disliking the popular genre. 57% of students surveyed did not like vampires. It seems

that the popularity of vampires is based on a concentrated, strong fan base. The majority of students seem to have moved on from the phase.

“I think we should switch it up. Not just use vampires. There should be more about robots. They’re cooler,” Blackwell said.

As in most controversies, there are two sides to this argument. Teens have begun to grow tired of the over-used myth.

“I just really don’t enjoy shows with vampires in them. I mean, everybody knows they’re fake. I’d rather watch comedy movies like Major Payne or Billy Madison,” sophomore William Hires said.

There are students, though, who still cling to the popular trend, and do not think that they are too obnoxious in media. “ I watch my vampire shows religiously. They’re just really interesting. I like to watch The Vampire Diaries, True Blood, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” sophomore Heather Campbell said.

Before vampires, teenagers were hooked on other popular books, such as Harry Potter.

“Vampires aren’t overwhelming in the same sense as wizards were after Harry Potter. But once a popular book has been released, other books with similar subjects will follow for a while.

As long as the audience enjoys it, I don’t think other people mind it too much,” Owens said.

A&E

Gamer’s Corner

the

page 23 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

Medal of Honor does not fulfill expectations

M

Movie Review

edal of Honor… oh how you have disappointed me. A game like this that is made by EA, who also created the exceptionally good and bestselling “Battlefield” series has to be good right? Sadly, wrong. What you get with Medal of Honor is a full $60 price tag, a game that looks visually like it was made four years ago, very little positives, and a long list of negatives.

T h e Garrett Albright campaign of MoH is based on the real life soldiers fighting over in Afghanistan. Okay. American patriotism, that’s cool. But if this game was supposed to represent our country’s patriotism by being good and fun to play, then EA must be implying that we’re a step away from communism by how terrible this game is. You start out as “Tier One Operators”- basically just a group of specially trained soldiers who have to fight

off and kill the Taliban over in the Middle East. And… that’s about as far as it gets depth wise for your story line. You spend the rest of the game running around horribly designed levels that make your eyes hurt just by looking at them because the graphics are truly awful which makes everything look like it was blended together.

This makes it next to impossible to pick out enemies who are about to shoot you.

Oh well, good thing the AI is extremely stupid, most times amazing me that they barely even know how to hold their gun, let alone shoot it at you. This makes the campaign barely last long enough for you to even notice it, which I have yet to decide if that’s a good thing or not.

Thankfully the multiplayer is more fun though because it runs on a completely different in game engine. This results in better looking entertainment that is definitely worth a few plays. But all in all, it’s not enough to actually make a solid game worth shelling out $60 for. If you can get it used in a few months for about half off, just for the online multiplayer, I highly recommend that.

v

photo from: http://www.ea.com/1/index

Paranormal Activity 2 terrifies audiences Sophomore Katie Garrett

Senior Anthony Kittles

“I thought the movie was good and a lot better than the first one. The scariest part of it was when the girl got dragged down the stairs twice. I didn’t like the fact that they included the first movie into the second movie. They should have just done the first one and had the second follow it to make sense. The crowd in the theater was packed full and everyone was really loud and they all laughed a lot.”

I thought the movie was shocking. I did not expect the woman to get dragged down into the basement. The scariest part was when all the cabinets in the kitchen flew open. The stupidest part was the fact that they stayed in the house and kicked out the nanny. I had a feeling that the demon would take over the girl but I did not think that they would kill her. The theater was full but everyone was talking and a few people even left.

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page 25 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

Head injuries to be taken more seriously

New rules, regulations for concussions are starting Kevin Harris trn writer

T

he quarterback takes the snap and drops back into the pocket.

He fires a bullet to a receiver coming over the middle. Just when you think he is going to get a big gain a linebacker comes out of nowhere and lays a big hit on the receiver. The receiver gets up, but is dazed. The referee notices but says nothing.

Under the old VHSL concussion policy the referee had no power or say if a player got sent off because of signs of a concussion.

Now, with the new concussion policy, the referee can send a player off if he believes the player has a concussion.

“If a referee told me to leave the game then I would be mad and try to argue with him,” said senior running back/linebacker Lawrence Taylor “At first I would be mad but then I would look back and see that he was only trying to help me out,” sophomore running back/linebacker Caleb Johnson said The player must then be checked out by a certified medical physician. If the player is cleared, he can go back in, but if the player is found to have a concussion, he cannot participate in activities for the rest of that day and cannot return to physical activity until he is cleared. The new policy also says that each school division must set guidelines and policies to educate coaches, parents, and players.

Such as making sure that each year the player and their parents review information on concussion and sign off that they received that information. They must also set guidelines on the identification and handling of concussions.

“It is the correct way to go,” junior linebacker/running back DaQuon Chapman said “Getting a concussion never crosses

“If a referee told me to leave the game, then I would be mad and try to argue with him,” Lawrence Taylor.

my mind while I am playing”.

Concussions have become a topic of concern in not only high school but also in professional and college athletics. The problem is that the athletes are coming back to soon after getting a concussion, or they are not being checked out by proper medical physicians.

Concussions are a form of mild traumatic brain injuries.

“A concussion is when you are hit forcibly and your brain moves and hits your skull,” school nurse Kimberly Brown said, During the October 22 football game against Thomas Dale, junior kicker/punter Travis Taylor was diagnosed with a concussion. He was taken out of the game and did not return. “When I got to the sidelines they did a flashlight test,” Taylor said Symptoms that doctors look for when

diagnosing a concussion are headache, blurred vision, unequal pupils, nausea, and confusion. Treatment includes Tylenol for the pain and rest with no physical activity for 1 week.

Even after 1 week of rest, the player will still need to get medical clearance by a doctor or another certified medical physician.

According to the Roanoke Times, after a player is cleared to play they still need to be eased back into playing. This is done by first doing light aerobic activity, followed by sport specific exercises such as drills.

Then non-contact drills precede full contact practice. By doing this, the player insures that they are ready to get back on the field.

VHSL has made these changes to its concussion policy for the safety of the athletes involved. People agree that they are good changes. The changes will hopefully have an immediate impact and help players when they have concussions.

Junior Travis Taylor suffered the effects of a concussion during the football game against Thomas Dale on Friday October 22. Photo by Alison Brown.

. d e r i w trn om c

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Cross Country

the

page 27 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

track

competes at districts

Photo essay

Top right: Corey Bridgman gets hydrated after the district race.

Middle: The vasity girls prepare themselves mentally for the big race. Bottom far right: Joy Arakelian is anticipating her final dash for the finish. Bottom left: Diana Owens stretches by using movement drills that improve flexibility.

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page 28 - royalnews - 11.05.2010

Male cheerleaders break gender stereotype Two new, unexpected students on squad Amanda Majewski trn writer

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ive me an M! Give me an A! Give me an L! Give me an E! The Royals have two male cheerleaders: junior Jamar Johnson and junior

Tyler Engel.

Both males are on the competition and school cheering squads. Johnson and Engel joined the cheerleading squads in tenth grade, but for different reasons.

“I went to conditioning as a joke, but then I started to enjoy it,” Johnson said.

Cheerleading became Johnson’s new thing, his new sport, while giving up soccer.

Engel was different. He was tired of doing all the same old sports. He wanted to try something new, so he started cheerleading. “I like school cheering and getting the crowd pumped up during the game,” Engel said.

The male cheerleaders got their cheering skills from natural athletic ability and from doing other sports activities to help them excel in cheering.

“My skills came naturally. There is nothing I did to prepare for cheering,” Johnson said.

Engel does karate to help him prepare.

“It really helps out,” Engel said.

Competitive cheering is a lot of work.

It takes a great amount of stamina and hard training, if the team wants to win. The male cheerleaders like competition cheering better than school cheering because of their competitive nature, wanting to compete against other squads, and the possibility of winning a trophy.

It is practice, practice, practice for these cheerleaders. They practice four days a week for three hours. The males consider practice boring, but they will do anything to get better and stronger.

“Johnson and Engel are stronger, better tumblers and back spots. They are also louder, have more energy, and move more swiftly than the girls,” senior cheerleader Megan Flanders said.

The cheerleaders are coached by three terrific coaches: head coach Meghan Whiteaker and her two assistants Courtney Winn and Mary Lowder. “I like how the coaches know exactly what they are talking about since they were all former cheerleaders. I also like how they keep the girls in check when they are constantly talking.” Johnson said.

Cheering has its ups and downs for Johnson and Engel. They both favor tumbling and agree it is the best part of cheerleading. “Cheering is the worst part.

It is no fun and it is mostly being robotic,” Johnson said.

“The males have true natural ability and are stronger then the girls which makes the stunts easier for them. They also make practices and games more fun because they bring a different sense of humor, they are hard working, and very encouraging,” senior cheerleader Erin Ford said.

Johnson and Engel were teased and harassed at first for being cheerleaders, but they stuck with it all the way making our cheer squad better.

“The harassment was the worst from the guys. I got them back though. They cannot hate when I am with a bunch of girls, and they are out there rolling around on the ground and tackling other guys,” Engel said.

Johnson and Engel work up a sweat during football games. They hype up the crowd with their amazing tumbling skills, lifts, and the team’s cheers.

Junior Tyler Engel pumps up the crowd at the football game on Friday November 22. Engel started cheerleading this year. Photo by Amanda Majewski.

On Friday nights you can catch Johnson and Engel cheering on the sidelines of the football field. The last two home games of the season are against Central District opponents, with rival Hopewell on November 5 and Dinwiddie on November 12.

Johnson and Engel are looking for cheerleading scholarships. They both want to cheer in college and with their work ethic they might just get the chance.

SPORTS

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page 29 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

Boys volleyball strives to keep focus Fast-paced nature of volleyball can make concentrating difficult Kourtney Galvin trn writer

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he whistle blows and the ball is on the move, from one side to another, from player to player.

Concentrating on not messing up and concentrating on the ball while the crowd is cheering makes boys varsity volleyball complicating. Losing concentration at any part of the game could lead to mistakes, hitting the ball wrong, or losing site of the ball. How would a player come back from a mistake that just cost the team a point in the game?

“I look at the mistake I made and what I should have done better, and I correct that and I promise myself that I won’t make the same mistake on the next play,” said senior Nicholas Sulc.

What causes a player to lose track of where the ball is? Some players say it is the coach yelling too much, and others say it is the other team being rude. Problems during practices also play a role in the lack of concentration on the court as well.

“Sometimes in practice we’ll mesh together really well and we’ll make some spectacular plays, but then other times we’ll kind of lose focus and we’ll mess up on our basics,” said junior Douglas Buchanan.

Whatever the reasons may be, the team has good ways of bouncing back and concentrating on what the opponents throw at them next.

The crowd plays a big role according to some of the players. The crowd’s cheering and clapping helps motivate and bring out the best in them all. Sometimes the players have trouble keeping motivation and energy, but the crowd can help with that.

“The crowd doesn’t distract us it helps us more,” said senior Nick Beaudet.

The team members talk to one another, making sure that they know they have each other’s back, which helps with the energy.

Support is a major thing on the team.

No matter what happened, the team would appreciate each other’s effort to succeed.

When I went to one of the games I noticed with every fall there was a team member to pick him up, and ever missed shot there was a team member there to show he still had faith in him with a simple highfive.

What you feel is like; I don’t even know how to explain it. It’s like, when you play a sport you’ll know, but its some kind of rush,” senior John Martin said.

Some of the players have been playing volleyball for a few years now. Some did not expect they would stick to it; they were just using it for conditioning for another sport such as basketball, or they just wanted to play a sport during the school year. For what reason some will never know, but what we do know is that they now enjoy the sport

Senior Nic Sulc goes up to hit the ball during a game on Tuesday October 12.

The Royals Photo by Kourtney Galvin. and continue to play it.

Though Coach Pelter would describe the boys’ play as “inconsistent” this season, the team has made it to fourth in the Central District and is moving on to the district tournament. They are prepared to take on the first place team in the district (the fourth place team in the district plays the first place team, while the second place team plays the third place team). Whether you come to the games, or just tell the boys good luck in the halls, let us cheer on and support our boys varsity volleyball team.

Postseason needs change

O

n Sunday October 17, the first Bowl Championship Series (BCS) rankings of this college football season came out. Oklahoma topped the rankings despite being #3 in the USA Today poll and #4 in the Harris poll, Both of these polls, plus six computer rankings are taken into account to decide the BCS rankings.

Wayne Epps, Jr. With the BCS rankings coming out, I started thinking again about having the rankings decide the teams to play for the Division I-A championship versus having a playoff.

To me, having a playoff would seem like the fairest way to decide the champion. However, there are some things to take into account that might make a playoff the wrong way to go.

Deciding the teams that would qualify for the playoffs would be very tricky if there were no rankings at all. There are usually several teams at the top of the rankings with the same records or similar records at the end of the season.

If there were rankings and then the top however many teams in the rankings were chosen to play in the playoffs, then there might still be opposition by those teams that were right on the verge, but were left out the of the playoffs.

I would be for a system that used human rankings like the AP, USA Today, and Harris polls to choose the teams that go to the playoffs. Human decided rankings are the fairest type of rankings in my opinion. I would get rid of computer-generated rankings having any influence on the teams that get a shot at the championship My question to you is what do you think? Do you prefer the current system with the BCS rankings deciding who gets to play for the national championship? Or would you like to see a playoff system? Let us know your opinion and why you have that opinion by commenting on our Facebook page or by submitting a Letter to the Editor to room A-6. One of the comments will be printed in the December issue.

Sources: http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/bcs_explained.html, espn. com

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page 31 - royalnews - 11.5.2010

Injuries plague athletes throughout season Students work through physical setbacks in order to heal properly Carson Stout trn writer

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arely able to stand up, limping with every step that they take is what every injured athlete may have to go through.

With the increase of competition in sports, more athletes in high school and college are becoming more prone to injury.

High school and college athletes from across the country have the risk of injuring themselves, sometimes severely enough they are unable to stand or walk, this is something that is painful enough that can affect them in other places besides the field.

With the rise in sports related injuries around the country, doctors and trainers are taking extra steps in order to help prevent some of these injuries. Every school in Virginia requires a complete physical before participating in any sport.

Doctors that administrate these physicals are cracking down on what they let slide in terms of risk factors that are signaled during the physicals.

“I never let anything pass when it comes to a teenager’s health because there are too many cases where even the slightest things can cause life risking injuries,” said Dr. Vicente Licen of The Children and Adolescents Center.

Senior Albert Williams, a threesport athlete playing his first year of football, sustained injuries to his fibula in two places and dislocated his ankle during a football game.

“I was running and I just fell down, I didn’t even know what happened, but I ran another play on it,” Williams said.

When an athlete gets injured,

certain steps are taken to help insure a safe and quick recovery. They are seen by a physician and then told whether or not they must complete a rehabilitation program. Most physical therapy sessions consist of simple exercises that help heal the injury such as balancing, walking, strength and flexibility. Physical therapy is important for the recovery of any injury. If the proper steps are not taken, the injury might get worse.

“If I try to rush the physical therapy it might affect my comeback,” Williams said.

Many athletes that sustain severe injuries worry that those injuries may affect their chances for college scholarships and playing time on the field.

“Injuries are often unavoidable and can happen to anyone,” said physician Dr. David Miller, “I have seen injuries happen to even the most fit athletes and it has deterred them from going on to continue their athletics through college.”

For each injured athlete, there are parts of the injury that they dislike the most.

“The worst part about having the injury is the crutches,” Williams said.

For others it was the pain, not being able to play, and even all of the attention.

Although the worst parts of the injuries may vary, having the injury is always a nuisance. Injuries are often inevitable and can happen to the best. The only thing that athletes can do is take the steps necessary to reduce the risks.

“With new methods of treatment and safer procedures of surgery, the problems of having these injuries will be less of a stressing matter,” Miller said.

Sophomore Bailey Williams holds a football to symbolize the season he lost due to injury.

Photo by Alison Brown.

Sports

briefs

Girls volleyball lost 3 games to 0 to Colonial Heights in the Central District tournament semifinals on Tues. Nov. 2.

Field hockey lost to Deep Run 5-0 in the Central Region tournament on Tues. Nov. 2.

Boys volleyball lost 3 games to 0 to Matoaca in the Central District tournament semifinals on Tues. Nov. 2.

Fall sports teams support breast cancer

O Senior John Martin shows his support before a volleyball game on Tues. Oct. 12. Fall sports teams have been supporting Breast Cancer Awareness month by wearing pink. Photo by Alison Brown.

Rachel Waymack trn editor

ctober was National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and many sports teams answered its call and showed their support for the cause. According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer affects one out of every eight women in the United States, so the teams are supporting a cause that hits close to home for some of the students and faculty.

The football team has been showing their support for not only breast cancer awareness in general but also for fellow teamate Junior Cameron Shegog’s mother. Shegog’s mother is a breast cancer survivor so when Shegog asked to do something to show support his teammates quickly jumped on board.

“The guys have been using pink athletic tape as opposed to the traditional white,” Coach Bruce Carroll said, “Announcements have been made to ensure that both survivors and patients still in the battle understand our players’ support for them.”

The players are so fond of this cause that some believe that their support of it should become an annual occurrence.

“I think the football team should do it [wear pink] everyday because so many peoples’ lives are affected by breast cancer, so anything anyone can do to raise awareness for it is a great thing,” junior offensive and defensive lineman Joseph Pervall said.

The boys’ and girls’ volleyball teams have also been showing their support for breast cancer awareness. The boys’ team had a “pink-out” for their game against (opponent), where all of the players wore pink shoelaces and pink ribbons on their shoes. The girls also showed their support by wearing pink shoe laces.

The team also tried to get the fans to participate in the pink-out by wearing pink to the game.

“We thought it [the pink-out] would be a good way to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” senior Victor Bullock said.

The idea of the pink-out was suggested by senior Taylor Gibbs who was inspired by another school who had done it and thought it would be a good way to get people involved in the cause.

“October is breast cancer awareness month, so I thought it was important to increase the awareness of breast cancer for students and faculty at our school,” Gibbs said.

The field hockey team also believes breast cancer awareness is a worthy cause, with the disease affecting some of the players’ family members. Junior Madison Guidry, whose great aunt had breast cancer and who is very passionate about breast cancer rallied the team to support the cause starting at the beginning of October.

“I suggested it [putting pink tape on the sticks] because I am a huge advocate for breast cancer awareness and I felt it was a good way to show our support for it,” Guidry said.