September 2015

TUPELO HIGH SCHOOL

VOLUME 74 ISSUE 1

4125 Golden Wave Dr., Tupelo, Mississippi 38801

See more people of THS

THE

on PG8

HI-TIMES SEPTEMBER 2015 A STUDENT NEWSPAPER

JEREMY HINDS/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

INDEX

• NEWS.................................2

• FEATURES....................4

• OPINIONS..........................6

• PEOPLE OF THS/SPORTS.......8

STUDENT SUCCESS STORY

JEREMY HINDS/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Skaberd members from left, Dylan Barlett, Wallace Owen, Ben Policicchio, Justin Zosel and Caleb Fancher have turned a T-shirt business into a successful online venture.

SKATERS TURN HOBBY INTO DAILY GRIND Anhthu Truong @anhthu.truong Staff Writer

Skaberd |skay-bird|: noun, a variant on the word skateboard; a skate clothing line started by Dylan Bartlett, along with friends Wallace Owen, Justin Zosel, Caleb Fancher and Ben Policicchio; adjective, having a skate state of mind.

• Bartlett’s startup line of skatewear dropped onto the Tupelo scene a year ago. Barlett and his friends began by selling three shirts a month out of the back of Bartlett’s black Volkswagen GTI, and the business has grown into a successful online venture that earns hundreds of dollars a week. While the business is financially satisfying, Policicchio has said that nothing can compare to the feeling of seeing all the positive feedback.

“Skaberd is such a cool asset Tupelo has,” junior Shelby White said. “It’s a group of hilarious people we all know selling amazing hand-crafted products.

Skaberd is for any age and makes anyone that wears it look awesome.”

Skaberd’s sales have now spread from Tupelo High School to Mooreville. Sales have also been placed to skaberd.com from as far as New York and Hawaii.

The Hi-Times’ Anhthu Truong spoke with members of Skaberd to find out more about their startup business.

Q

.When did it all start?

A

.Ben: Dylan Bartlett, an admirer of art and

culture of skateboarding, wanted to bring his thoughts to life. Dylan ran the idea by some

IN-COUNTY RIVALS

friends, and asked if the idea of a T-shirt business might be a promising enterprise. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. We just make clothes and stuff because we enjoy it and we also like filming promotional skate videos.

Q A

.What is your best memory?

.Justin Zosel’s best memory with Skaberd is going on skateboarding trips to Oxford.

Zosel: We have a lot of fun going to Oxford.

Wallace Owen’s best memory associated with Skaberd was getting punched in the face.

Wallace: Dylan said let me film you answering some questions about Skaberd, and Ben just surprised me with a punch in the face. It didn’t hurt that bad. He had boxing gloves on.

See Skaberd PG4

FOLLOW US: @tupelohitimes

KARLEE AVERY

In the Sept. 4 game against Shannon, Golden Wave wide receiver Chris Shannon attempted a touchdown after a 15-yard run, but it was spotted just short of the endzone. Tupelo went on to defeat the Red Raiders 5516. This is the most points scored by Tupelo at Renasant Field with Trent Hammond as head coach.

For more Sports photos and stories, visit thscurrent.org.

2NEWS

{

WHAT’S

THE HI-TIMES • TUPELO HIGH SCHOOL • SEPTEMBER 2015S

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Toyota policy inspires change in tardies at THS

COMIN’ UP

• THS Football vs.

Shannon, 7 p.m.

Sept. 4 • Down on Main Summer Concert @ Fairpark, 6-10 p.m.

Sept. 10 • 1st Term Progress Reports Sept. 10 • THS Football vs.

Brandon, 7 p.m.

Sept. 11

• Tupelo Flea Market Sept. 11-13 • Touch-A-Truck @ Ballard Park, 1 p.m.

Sept. 12 • ACT Sept 12 • WWE Live! @ BancorpSouth Arena, 5 p.m.

Sept. 13 • The Price is Right Live @ BancorpSouth Arena, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 17 • Smokey Joe’s Cafe @ Tupelo Community Theater, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Sept. 17-19 • College Fair @THS Gym, 5-7 p.m.

Sept. 22 • THS Football vs.

Hernando, 7 p.m.

Sept. 25 • Hernando DeSoto Day Sept. 26 • Pioneer Day Sept. 26 • Oktoberfest @ Fairpark, all day Oct. 1 • Miranda Lambert @ Bancorp South Arena, 7 p.m.

Oct. 9 • MHSAA Region 1 State Marching Band Evaluation Oct. 10 • Chili Fest @ Downtown Oct. 16 • Barktoberfest @ Veterans Park, 10 a.m.4 p.m.

Oct. 17 • Zombie Fun Run @ Cross Country Trails, 7:13 p.m.

Oct. 17 • Celebration Village Oct. 21-24 • ACT Oct. 24 • Newsboys @ BancorpSouth Arena, 7 p.m.

Oct. 22 • Halloween Egg Hunt/ Trunk or Treat Oct. 29

Illustration by Nathan Jackson

Aaron Kwag @AaronKwag Staff Writer

Inspired by policies at Toyota, Principal Jason Harris has changed the tardy policy at Tupelo High School for the 2015-2016 school year.

“When Mr. Harris toured the Toyota plant, the tour guide said that the biggest problem they have at Toyota was getting people to come to work,” community liaison Christy Weir said. “There are attendance issues at work like we have attendance issues at school, so in your job or at school, attendance is probably the most important thing.”

The lack of attendance is an obstacle blocking the way toward success that many schools like THS strive to aim for. Not only is attendance an issue for schools but also it is an issue for workplaces like Toyota. Attendance at THS is a huge factor towards the school’s success, and it will definitely benefit staff, students and administrators equally.

Attendance to school and work is extremely important, so it is becoming even more emphasized and stressed with the new tardy policy. The new tardy policy is a wake-up call to motivate and persuade students to get to school and classes on time. Tardies and absences have been ongoing problems for workplaces and schools everywhere and the attendance rate of them.

There are new consequences for the amount of time late for a class.

JEREMY HINDS/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Junior Georgia McGee demonstrates the tardy sign-in procedure in Shari Chumley’s classroom.

“How we are doing tardies this year is from 0-5 minutes is a tardy, from 6-29 minutes you get a tardy plus a referral for truancy, and then 30 minutes or more is an absence plus a referral for truancy,” assistant principal Betsy Grubbs said.

With the new changes in the tardy policy, THS could possibly be benefited by students and staff alike in many different ways.

The consequences for the new tardy policy is just one of several changes that has happened. The removal of tardy slip machines has also occurred in this change of the tardy policy. Before the new tardy policy, students retrieved tardy slips from the tardy slip machines placed in buildings across campus.

When a student got to class with a tardy slip in hand, he or she handed it to the teacher

for proof of being tardy.

This method has changed this year. Instead of students grabbing a tardy slip for a class they are late in, the new tardy policy lets students to go in the classroom without going to a tardy slip machine to get a tardy slip.

“It changes the way you actually get into class,” Grubbs said. “You can just go straight to class and your teachers will handle the tardies.”

Along with new consequences for being tardy, the tardy policy also handles efficiency in students getting to class faster and teachers handling tardies for students.

“Our goal is to get to class as soon as possible, so this eliminates time at a tardy machine and time going to another building to get a tardy,” Weir explained. “It eliminates that amount of time spent so you can go straight to class.”

“I think it’s easier and you get more time in the classroom because you don’t have to roam the halls,” sophomore Alyssa Kisner said.

Efficiency, along with the motivation of students and staff to get to THS on time, is a crucial benefit for THS. Overall, the main reasons behind the new tardy policy are to motivate students to get to class on time and to save time when getting a tardy. The tardy policy’s main goal is for all students to attend and get to classes on time.

“Attendance is so important,” Grubbs said. “It’s one of those indicators that it’s just important to be here. It’s not just at school. It’s at work too.

It’s a life skill that we’re trying to teach children to be on time. That’s why we want to teach our students.”

Talk of the town: Teacher Advisory vs. T-Period Austin Nguyen @squishynguyen Staff Writer

T-Period is favored by the majority of Tupelo High School students, but now it has been redesigned and restructured into today’s Teacher Advisory. TA is a 22-minute session after second block, students are assigned a teacher based on grade level and last name. These students must also stay with their assigned teacher for every year they attend Tupelo High School.

“Teacher Advisory hasn’t necessarily replaced T-period, but it has refocused T-period around the students,” Principal Jason Harris said. “ freshmen student can go through four years of high school and may only know one person, their TA advisor, and their TA advisor can know their credits, athletics, academics, what they struggle with, and be their guidance counselor. I believe it will be more beneficial than T-period. It is more structured, and we can send in guidance counselors to help those who are struggling with their academics.”

THS has also shortened student lunches to increase instructional period time.

Rather than only having 90 minutes of class, time in the classroom has been slightly increased to 97 minutes. To increase instructional period, THS decreased lunch time from every lunch having

30 minutes to first and last “During TA we have 20 having 25 minutes with five minutes of extra practice so minutes to get back to class, that helps a lot and then the while the lunches in bell schedules are a between only lot better than the receive 20 middle school minutes bell schedule of lunch because we DO YOU lIKE with 10 have less TEACHER minutes classes and ADVISORY to get we can OR T-PERIOD to their get more BETTER? desigt h i n g s TA n a t e d done in TP c l a s s class, also room. the lunches ”Students are way too would go to short,” freshman lunch and finish Sara Mahmoud said. their meals within 15 minutes Coming from Tupelo Midand the other 15 minutes was dle School, Mahmoud entime wasted, so we cut out countered the changes of bell some of that time and added schedule and the new concept it to our instructional periods,” Harris said.

Most students are not too happy about these shortened lunches for an extra seven minutes of class. As the poll shows, many students do not like TA when compared to T-period. Students especially do not like their lunches being shortened to have longer classes either. Every other grade besides the freshmen have had T-period and knew what T-Period was, while the freshmen only know what TA is, and from what they know they enjoy TA. Freshmen also get to start with the new bell schedule and can adjust rather quickly when compared to the seniors who have had the last bell schedule for the previous three years of their high school career.

of TA. She favors this new bell schedule when compared to TMS’ bell schedule, as well as her extra practice time during TA. “I like TA, because you have one teacher for the rest of high school, even though you might not know anyone in that class you can get to know them because you’ll be in that class until you graduate,” sophomore Shelby Cottles said.

Although many students prefer T-period, there are some who prefer TA as well.

Cottles said she really enjoys TA, the concept of which she agrees with Harris.

Having a teacher for four years of high school can be extremely beneficial, she said.

3

NEWS

5SEPTEMBER 2015 • TUPELO HIGH SCHOOL • THE HI-TIMES

KARLEE AVERY

Following too closely may have contributed to junior Karlee Avery’s wreck on the second day of school.

Karlee Avery @karleeavery Business Manager

INFOGRAPHIC CREATED BY CHRIS PATTY

When getting a driver’s license for the first time, it is normal for teenagers to be excited, nervous or any emotion in between. In the midst of all those feelings, it is important to remember to drive safely.

At Tupelo High School, driver’s education classes teach students to drive safely.

“Make sure you and all passengers have their seat belts on,” driver’s ed instructor Lamar Aldridge said. “Watch your speed on tempting roads like Graham, the Northern Loop, Thomas and West Jackson. Make sure that your phone is on DriveMode.”

DriveMode is an app created

by AT&T that silences phone calls, texts and any other alerts that drivers receive once the vehicle is moving at speeds faster than 15 miles per hour.

There are also settings where a teen driver’s parents receive a text message as soon as the app is turned off.

Aldridge said his main concern for teen drivers is distracted driving, especially texting.

“You’re so used to doing it,” he said. “It can wait.”

According to www.teendriversource.org, texting and driving is very dangerous. No one should so much as think about texting while behind the wheel.

An accident can happen in the blink of an eye, and doing it does not make someone cool.

It just puts that person at a

higher risk of getting involved in a car accident, much worse a lethal one. To highlight the dangers of texting while driving, the website is promoting National Teen Driver Safety Week from Oct. 18-24.

On July 1, 2015, a texting while driving ban was signed into law for the state of Mississippi.

“I think it was needed,” Aldridge said. “I think it’s something that you have to avoid and not do it. It’s very dangerous. It’s a big problem because everybody texts.”

Teenagers break several laws when driving on their own.

Their inexperience can cause major accidents, and several thousands of dollars in damage. When Aldridge was asked about the laws that teens break the most, his response was not surprising.

“Speeding and tailgating,” Aldridge said. “Try to cut down on the number of driving errors. You don’t want to have an accident if you can prevent it.

Leave early. If you leave late, you’ll be tempted to speed.”

According to CDC.gov, “Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens. In 2011, about 2,650 teens in the United States aged 16–19 were killed and almost 292,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor-vehicle crashes. That means that seven teens ages 16 to 19 died every day from motor vehicle injuries.”

THS says Konnichiwa to Japanese class

doesn’t stop at just having the class. He said he also plans to study in Japan at @tgcrump2 some point in his college life.

Staff Writer Tasma wasted no time in searching for anyone who would help him with his peLast year, students at Tupelo High tition. Many students at THS thought it School heard whispers of a new foreign was a good idea, and agreed to help him, language class coming in the fall of 2015. he said, by signing the petition.

Unlike most rumors, this one was 100 “We actually have a need for an underpercent accurate. standing of the Japanese “It’s great,” senior Gaculture because of increasbriel Tasma said. “It’s a ing affairs with Japan in mix of rigorous and laid Tupelo,” Tasma said. back, because the teachSato agreed. er is really nice, and she “The relationship betakes the time to help evtween Japan and America eryone out.” is growing, and in addiThe new Japanese class tion to that I hope there has arrived, and seems to are many more people that be going well. Along with are interested in learning the new class, THS has about Japan,” Sato said. also gained a new teachJEREMY HINDS/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER The 9-week course is er. rather rigorous since it has Sophomore Mary Catherine Miller does her Japanese homework.

Lucky for currently enmany objectives to meet in rolled students, Japanese such a short time. teacher Atsuko Sato to They include handling TAMARA CRUMP accept this job. Being a basic conversational skills, graduate of the Univer- ATSUKO SATO understanding basic consity of Mississippi, Sato versation and grammar, is teaching the Japanese understanding basic cultural elements, class through a program at Ole Miss. and reading and writing Hiragana, From the moment the students walk in Katakana and some Kanji. the classroom, Sato said they are no lonAt the end of this course, students will ger allowed to communicate in any lan- be expected to complete three final asguage other than Japanese without her signments, an oral presentation, a video approval. project and a student-led cultural presenSato uses this communicative language tation. Students enrolled in the course are learning method to ensure that the stu- eligible for a dual credit as long as they dents fully delve themselves into the lan- pay the college fee. guage and culture. Since this isn’t an easy Harris explained that the price has been task to accomplish, Sato often will make set at $459, which is half the cost stugestures to give hints to the students to dents would pay at Ole Miss for the same help them understand what she is talking course. Tasma said that the dual credit is about. optional, so a student can take the class Originally, THS was supposed to be and just get a high school foreign langaining a Chinese class, but Tasma said he guage credit. wanted something different. He proposed If it continues to go well, Harris said that THS get a Japanese class, which Prin- there is a possibility that Japanese II will ANHTHU TRUONG cipal Jason Harris said he would consider be offered next.

Instructor Atsuko Sato’s goals for the Japanese class are to teach students basic conversaif there was enough interest. tional skills and cultural elements.

Tasma said his passion for Japanese

Tamara Crump

4FEATURES

THE HI-TIMES • TUPELO HIGH SCHOOL • SEPTEMBER 2015S

JEREMY HINDS/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

From left, cosplayers Sanders Higgins, Emma Crockett and Retta Maxwell pose as characters from their favorite shows and comics.

THS cosplayers play dress up “I really like Fem Kaneki, because I really relate to that character in general, being able to experience the him as a her,” Crockett said of the Tokyo Ghoul character. “Also I did Midori from Sound EuCostume and play equal fun for Tupelo High phonium, because she looks identical to me, and I School sophomores Emma Crockett, Sanders Hig- made that one, and that was really fun.” gins and Retta Maxwell.

Higgins, who once bought a very expensive “It’s the extreme intensity of dressing up,” exHarry Potter costume, said her plained Crockett, an active cosplay enthusiast favorite cosplay is low-budget who meets once a month with about 20 other “It’s the Mikasa. cosplayers at the Lee County Library. “A bunch extreme inten“That’s because I made it all of nerds get together and dress up as their fa- sity of dressing myself and I was really proud up. A bunch vorite characters.” of it,” she said. “I’ve done Cosplayers go all out for their characters, who of nerds get three others. I did two Doctor can come from television shows, books, movies, together and Who ones, the Doctor and the comics and imagination.

TARDIS, and I did Nymphadora dress up as “I’ve just always been big into anime,” Max- their favorite Tonks.” well said. “When I found out about cosplay, I characters” Maxwell chose a character just thought it was really cool.” from a show on Cartoon Net- Emma Crockett Anime is a style of Japanese animation.

Sophomore work.

“It’s basically Japanese cartoons,” Higgins “I really like Marceline, the said, noting that animes typically air on CarVampire Queen from Adventoon Network. “They’re really intense cartoons. ture Time, just because she seems like this sassy They have a really big plot and everything.” person that I dream to be,” Maxwell said. “I have Another common place to find inspiration for co- two of her outfits that I cosplay as.” splay characters is manga, or Japanese comics.

But cosplay’s not just about dressing up. If they “They’re backwards,” Higgins explained, mean- choose, participants can learn the character’s pering they are read from back to front. sonality and poses, and also use their dialect.

Any character is eligible, even imagined ones, The girls say they’re not really sure who invented and cosplayers just know when it’s right. cosplay, but it might have something to do with Crockett describes the process like this: “Oh, my Halloween. gosh, this character is me, and it just kind of hap“It’s been around forever,” Crockett said. pened,” she said.

“Probably as long as anime,” Maxwell added.

She cosplays several different characters.

“It kind of became a big deal as time went on,” Mary Catherine Miller @marycate2018 Staff Writer

Crockett said.

Cosplayers meet at national conventions like Dragon Con and Comic Con. At cons, “You feel so cool being surrounded by all these fellow geeks and nerds and dorks dressed like you, that are interested in the same thing,” Maxwell said. “You don’t have to worry about being judged. And you get to walk around as this completely different person than who you are, and people are like, ‘Hey, I like your costume.’ And just simple compliments like that just completely make our day.”

The downside, however, is the expense.

“The thing that kind of stinks about it is that you have to pay for Cons,” Crockett said, citing the ticket and travel costs. “It’s expensive, other than just the cosplay. But it’s such a rewarding hobby.”

“You definitely have to pick out your budget and resources and plan,” Maxwell said.

Cosplay is also time consuming.

“At the beginning of the summer, all of June I was just stuck in my room sewing,” Crockett said.

“Every morning I’d do it, take like a five-minute break, and then I’d just keep going until you’re done.”

Sometimes they choose different characters, but that’s expensive.

“We’re in high school and we don’t have money,” Crockett said.

Anyone can participate in cosplay. Groups and families attend together.

“It doesn’t matter how old,” Higgins said.

“There’s babies and there’s like, really, really old people. Anyone can cosplay.”

If you could cosplay as any character, who would it be and why?

IN THE HALLS

“Hermione Granger, because she is awesome.”

“I would be Samurai Jack, because he doesn’t talk that much and his sword is awesome. He is a hero.”

Diesel Howell

Emma Rice

Junior

Senior

“Salior Moon, because she is a strong independent woman who doesn’t need a man. I like her because she fights her own battles and cares for her friends and she is good inside and out.”

Avery Bush Junior

Skaberd Continued from PG1 Illustration by Nathan Jackson

Ben Policicchio’s best memory was when they were getting their skateboard decks made.

Ben: Definitely getting our first skateboard deck made, and the photo shoot with them afterwards was loads of fun. Skating them was even more fun.

Q A

.What products are being sold?

Personalization is available, but due to the number of orders they get a limit must be set. All designs are available in short and long sleeves and many different color options. They’re also available as hoodies and sweaters.

Orders can be made directly from skaberd.com or through any of the members involved.

Q A

.What are your future plans?

.Skaberd has the ability to design whatever they desire. The shirt ideas usually come from the things .They are currently trying to get they see in the environment, or they’re our product into some retailers. born straight from the imagination. The Ben: We are currently trying to get members come up with the ideas and into retailers and purchasing a vinyl Dylan designs them on his computer. cutter to begin producing windbreakers “I think all the designs are so simple and rain jackets and they also plan to and funny and not unreasonably film a full-length skate video.

JEREMY HINDS/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Senior Ben Policicchio does a kick flip at Ballard Park. priced,” senior Jordan Poppelreiter said.

“Overall I’m a big fan. It’s really interesting for sure.” For more pictures of Skaberd, visit thscurrent.org.

5SEPTEMBER 2015 • TUPELO HIGH SCHOOL • THE HI-TIMES

5

FEATURES

Students and teachers travel to help others

THS math teacher Tracey Goggans helps Ecuadorian children with crafts at Bible school during a mission trip in June.

Meredith Beasley @mbeez33 Sports Editor

Recently, Tupelo High School students and teachers have traveled far and wide to share their faith through mission trips in places ranging from Honduras to Africa to Ecuador. The works they did brought joy not only to the people they were ministering to, but also to themselves.

“God gave me a heart for Africa in 2012,” freshman English teacher Hannah Kimbrough said. She took her third trip to Africa last March, traveling to Limuru, Kenya.

Kimbrough explained that she felt called to go so that she could work with kids who do not have someone who loves them. She wants them to know that they are loved.

While in Africa, Kimbrough worked at LCC orphanage hosting Bible schools and mentoring and discipling teenagers. She also worked with Care for AIDS and Pat’s Feeding Program.

Care for AIDS is an organization that works with Kenyan churches to provide centers that physically, spiritually, economically and socially serve men and women living with HIV/AIDS. Kimbrough said Pat’s Feeding Program is held at the Limuru Red Cross every two weeks. They feed more than 400 elderly women with HIV enough food to keep them alive for two weeks.

“It helps others but it is also good for you,” Kimbrough said.

She said that people do not necessarily have to go to Africa to be a missionary and that everyone has

COURTESY OF AVERY GOGGANS

their own mission fields at home. and three additional rooms that were used as classThis summer, a group from Harrisburg Baptist rooms and Sunday school rooms for the local HonChurch took a group of about durans. They also taught Bible classes.

50 teens and adults to EcuaSenior Ann Douglas Stone said she dor. On June 6, the group went on this trip to help people and tell flew out of Memphis to Atthem about God. lanta and then to Quito, the “I also wanted to get out of my comcapital of Ecuador. Among fort zone and meet, communicate, and the group was THS math lift up new people,” she explained. teacher Tracey Goggans.

Stone added that her favorite part of “I wanted to on this trip to the trip was when they gave out clothes experience another country that had been donated from people in and to be the hands and feet the United States. of Jesus with my daughters, “Everyone was so ecstatic when we Avery and Anna, who also found them a shirt or a dress that fit went on the trip,” Goggans them,” she said. “It was neat that, even said. though they did not speak the same They stayed at Camp Chalanguage, they were still able to intercauco, a local missionary’s act with the local people.”

COURTESY OF SUSAN HESTER camp, for the week and THS Spanish teacher Susan Hester Spanish teacher Susan Hester reached out to the nearby THS also went on the FUMC trip and got to with Nicol, the Honduran girl she has communities by hosting Bi- sponsored for the pass eight years. meet the child she has been sponsorble school for the local chiling through an orphanage for the past dren. The group also helped eight years. The orphanage is named out with small construction projects.

Montaña de Luz. It supports and helps children who “The kids and adults were both so kind, happy are HIV positive. and loving,” Goggans said. “It was really cool to Hester’s class raises money yearly through bake worship the same God in a different language.” sales to sponsor her assigned child, a now 18-yearFirst United Methodist Church also took a mis- old named Nicol. After years of sending love and sion team to Honduras. The team left June 26 and support, Hester and Nicol finally got to meet face to returned July 5. Senior Bess Buskirk said her love face this summer. for God and children motivated her to take time out “I got to meet her and it was just really sweet,” of her summer to go on this trip.

Hester said. “We just hugged the whole time and Buskirk said the team built a total of 12 houses visited.”

Three’s company for THS triplets Tamara Crump @tgcrump2 Staff Writer

If you look, you can spot several sets of twins strolling around the Tupelo High School campus, but if you squint hard enough you will find two sets of triplets.

Being a triplet “is great because you have people to watch out for you, and people you see every day,” said Rachael Saval, whose brothers are Ryan and Paul.

The other set of triplets is the Sanos – Momoka, Ayaka and Haruka. Seeing the Savals or the Sanos wandering around campus may come as a surprise since people typically strive to avoid their siblings, especially at school. Then again, three people who have shared a womb are bound to be a bit closer than the average siblings.

Personality-wise, all three of the Savals differ greatly. There is quiet and subdued Rachael, a book always at hand, and the girl of the bunch.

Then there is chill, laid-back Ryan, who would never be mistaken for the self-proclaimed “agitator” of the trio, Paul. At first, you might never guess that the THS juniors are triplets.

The Sano girls, however, are accustomed to being mistaken for one another. They aren’t identical, but have extremely similar facial features and build. While they are almost identical in appearance, however, their personalities are easy to distinguish. Momoka is the quiet and reserved sister – not quite shy, but certainly the least talkative.

Ayaka is much more extroverted and outspoken.

And Haruka seems reserved and quiet like her sister Momoka, that is until she gets warmed up.

Then she seems to be a match to Ayaka’s louder personality. All three 11th-graders have a unique sense of humor that plays off of one another’s personalities.

If you think twins have trouble with people getting mixed up, imagine the headache triplets must suffer. After all, three is more than two, and that mean that it must be thrice as crazy for them, or TAMARA CRUMP triple the trouble, or some other such crazy math.

The Sanos have this problem often. Fortunately There are two sets of triplets at Tupelo High School. Top photo, from left, are Haruka, Momoka and Ayaka Sano. Bottom for the Savals, they hardly ever have to deal with photo, from left, are Rachael, Paul and Ryan Saval. these little mishaps considering they have two boys and one girl. Even with the boys, it is easy to spot the differences. Paul and Ryan favor a bit in the face; however, their heights easily give them do not spend quite as much time together. Ryan and pelo for long. The Savals have lived here since 2014, away. If you are looking for Ryan, just look for the Paul are more into outside activities like soccer, while the Sano girls have been here for a short 16 taller of the two boys. while Rachael would rather read a book. Despite the months. Both sets of triplets moved here because of The Sano girls spend a great deal of time together, Savals not spending as much time together as the their dads’ jobs. So, if you see them on campus, take whether it’s practicing guitar or playing table tennis Sanos, they are still just as close. a moment to meet them and welcome them to THS. together, and are very close. The Savals, however, Neither the Savals nor the Sanos have lived in Tu- It’s as easy as 1-2-3.

6OPINIONS

THE HI-TIMES • TUPELO HIGH SCHOOL • SEPTEMBER 2015S

Should the Confederate flag stay or go?

Nathan Jackson @yasnthn Editor-In-Chief

In many ways, when the conversation about banning the Confederate flag came up I was indifferent.

Being black in America and being told “___ is racist” is a dime-a-dozen thing. So many things are honestly racist and yet, throughout my childhood and youth, I have had a hard time actually placing any feeling of particular animosity or distrust to the Confederate flag itself.

It was a non-factor to me, as though living in the South had immunized me against it, but as I gained more knowledge I learned that the Confederate flag can symbolize heritage and that heritage is the South fighting to preserve the right to own black people and white supremacy.

The Confederate flag has many nicknames like “rebel flag,” “Southern cross” or “Dixie Flag.” It’s sometimes incorrectly called the “stars and bars” – which is only on the first Confederate flag.

There are still people who want to say that the

Confederate flag isn’t a racial thing, because they believe slavery was not a central point of the Civil War. But in South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi and Texas, documents of secession all cite threats to slavery as reasons for leaving the United States.

According to the Declaration of Causes of Seceding States (http://www.ucs.louisiana.edu/~ras2777/ amgov/secession.htm), even our lovely state went as far to say that “A blow at slavery is a blow at commerce and civilization.”

Now let’s fast forward to the 1940s when the Dixiecrats adopted the Confederate flag as their symbol. The Dixiecrats were a short-lived segregationist political party that wanted to retain Jim Crow laws. This summer I read “A Confederate Battle Flag: America’s Most Embattled Emblem” by John M. Coski. Coski stated that the Confederate flag was rarely used as a symbol before 1948 at the University of Mississippi, but after the students Truman’s civil rights proposal the university began to incorporate the symbol with the school.

Also it was the desperate need to preserve segregation in 1956 that made Georgia add the Confeder-

ate flag to their state flag. But in 2001, they decided to change it because of the racist notion it gave, and let’s not forget about the Ku Klux Klan. The biggest white supremacist group in America waves that flag likes there is no tomorrow.

More recently, on June 17, 2015, a white supremacist shot and killed nine African Americans at a church in Charleston, South Carolina. According to reports published on cnn.com, the gunman later confessed to committing the shooting in hopes of igniting a race war.

All of these obvious racist groups have the Confederate flags as their symbol, because the flag represents hate, not heritage. According to an article in The Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/06/23/ the-confederacys-pathetic-case-of-flag-envy/), even the flag’s designer, William T. Thompson, called it “The white man’s flag.”

The Confederate flag can stand for a lot of people’s heritage, but do not try to act as if the heritage behind that flag is not terrible because that’s just playing dumb.

Illustration by Shanna McCauley

POINT OF VIEW: Domestic terrorism on the rise Chris Patty @chrispatty97 Staff Writer

Domestic terrorism has had a small role in previous times, but it is making its way into our society and causing lots of scare throughout the population.

Domestic terrorism is becoming more and more popular this day in time due to various political and religious reasons. One thing to make clear is the difference between domestic terrorism and hate crimes. Domestic terrorism is defined as unlawful force/violence committed by two or more individuals towards the government or civilians as a tactic to advance political, religious, or ideological beliefs, while hate crimes are defined as crimes/ violence motivated by racial, sexual or other prejudice. There can be instances where the crime can be considered both, but most are categorized as one or the other. Most people have heard about the recent events that took place in Chattanooga and Charleston, yet there are many instances that are never made popular in the news. For instance, Eric Robert Rudolph, a right-wing terrorist, bombed

many abortion clinics and homosexual nightclubs, and is still missing today after evading the FBI and being put on the “Ten Most Wanted” list.

There are different types of terrorism depending on what their intentions are. There are rightwing terrorists, which are motivated by white supremacy, as well as anti-government beliefs. They may also include extremist Christian groups such as those that bomb abortion clinics, like the one Rudolph was involved in. On the contrary, there are left-wing terrorists which have revolutionary socialist ideas and project themselves as protectors of civilians from capitalism and U.S. imperialism.

Most groups that consider themselves as leftists are associated with anarchist or socialist groups.

Many people associate the Ku Klux Klan as a domestic terrorist group, but strictly speaking, it is not a terrorist organization. Its acts of violence and aggression have been retaliatory rather than symbolic. The Klan was established in an attempt to strike the federal government back for its imposition of martial law in the South. Most of the Klan’s violence was directed towards the black community because the victims were mostly recently freed slaves, and were far more vulnerable than Southern whites.

“Since 9/11, extremists affiliated with a variety of far-right-wing ideologies, including white supremacists, anti-abortion extremists and antigovernment militants,” CNN reporter Peter Bergen said, “have killed more people in the United States than have extremists motivated by al Qaeda’s ideology.”

Many people are talking about countries in the Middle East threatening us, but those same people don’t realize we are a threat to ourselves more often than not.

Twenty years ago, Timothy McVeigh set off a massive truck bomb at a federal building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 Americans and 19 children, all fueled by his hatred of the government. Everyone at the time instantly assumed it must have been Muslim jihadists, but they were proved wrong when detectives found out McVeigh was a U.S.born white man.

Are we really going to sit back and ignore all of the violence America is bringing upon itself? Every generation has hate and anger fueled by politics and government, but these acts of terrorism America is enacting upon itself are a new low that we need to end.

7

OPINIONS

5SEPTEMBER 2015 • TUPELO HIGH SCHOOL • THE HI-TIMES

KEYWANNA ROGERS

Second and third lunches are shorter than first and fourth lunches.

Keywanna Rogers IG:@kayy.lashayy Staff Writer

This school year at Tupelo High School is a little different than the past.

We have new things added to our schedule such as Teacher Advisory and a few more minutes in each class. There are a couple more differences this school year.

One difference that is very noticeable is that second and third lunches are shorter than the others. Last year all of our lunches were 30 minutes; this year both second and third lunches only have 20 minutes. It takes us at least half of that time to stand in line and just get our lunches and when we finally get through the line to sit and eat, a couple minutes later our lunches are over.

In my opinion, it doesn’t bother me about the time being shorter. The only thing that bothers me is that the time isn’t split evenly, which isn’t fair to all the other students to have the same amount of time to eat lunch like first and fourth lunch.

Second and third lunch have 10 minutes to get back to class after lunch. Teachers suggest that they should stay five minutes at lunch and use the other five to get to class.

That is a smart idea, but I like to digest my food before I do anything. Who wants to sit in a class for 97 minutes with food not really digested yet?

Many students complained the first week of school that it was not enough time for them.

“It’s not fair because we should have equal time just like the others,” junior Takeyah Taylor said. “Lunch time was our free time to socialize, eat and catch up with friends, but we don’t have time to do that anymore.”

Last year most students were excited about lunch,but this year it is not as exciting as it used to be.

“As a freshman last year, I enjoyed eating lunch with my friends, but this year I barely get to see them because our lunch is shorter than what it used to be,” sophomore Asia Buchanan said.

Although I think the schedule should change, there are some students who think it should remain as it is.

“I think it’s better,” senior Benjamin Warren said. “It keeps kids from getting in trouble.”

Even though a few students think the new schedule is absolutely fine, it is really not.

Lunch is taking a break away from class

THE for a couple of minutes and not having to worry about anything, or for a few students to study for a test, to talk to a counselor, or whatever else. It’s our free time, and with the new schedules that we have, we don’t have time to do anything now. Many students are concerned about the lunch times. I think the schedule shouldn’t have changed.

Although some students thought Teacher Advisory was a good thing until they saw their lunch was shorter than usual, I would rather eat lunch for 30 minutes than to sit in a class for 20 minutes and talk about recess.

Dear Tayolor:

Freshman Advice Tayolor Witherspoon @tayolorjay Staff Writer

Although I didn’t attend Tupelo High School as a freshman, I can share some of the things I experienced as a new student here.

My freshman year of high school was spent at home. I was a student at American High School online, through Florida.

I had eight classes and communicated with all of my teachers and classmates online and in chat groups. I took all advanced placement classes and got a few extra classes out of the way. For example, art history, health and P.E. When I was home schooled everything was done on my on time, but I didn’t get to see my friends as often nor did I have any team or club to cheer on and support. Sometimes I got pretty lonely which is one reason why I came back to Tupelo Public School District for my sophomore year. My parents also felt that I needed to be in a real classroom setting to better prepare me for the college life.

At THS, there are many opportunities placed before us. We have so many different classes to choose from, giving us a platform for any future college classes we plan to take. There’s also a great number of clubs that you can choose to take part in. We have Key Club, Beta Club, Fashion Club, and even clubs for you animal lovers. There’s also many different sports you can try out for. We have basketball, baseball, swimming tennis and even archery, etc. We have lots of pep rallies, school dances, assemblies and more. We also have really cool visitors who come to speak and share their special talents with us. Some dread about having to be here so early in the morning, having 90-minute classes or even only having five minutes to get

to your next class. But there’s so many great things about being a student here at THS. I remember the day I came to register. I was sitting in my counselor’s office making my schedule with my dad.

Unfortunately, he made me take a few classes that I didn’t necessarily want but I was determined to make the best out of my first year at a real high school. My sophomore year I took a total of eight classes and earned a total of eight credits. My favorite classes were Foundations of Journalism, Biology II and World Geography. Not only were they my favorite classes, but the teachers who taught them were my favorite as well. My sophomore year really gave me a good feel about how the high school life was going to be.

Besides academics, my first year as a high school student helped me gain more confidence and even become less impatient. I learned more about respect and responsibility and it even helped me progress in my leadership abilities.

I started off at THS with a bang, ending my sophomore year with all A’s. And now as a junior, I plan to continue that streak this year as well as next year.

A few seniors, who’ve attended THS for the past four years, shared a few words of wisdom for the new and upcoming freshmen.

“You should stay to yourself, always pay attention in class and also make sure you take the hard ones before your 12thgrade year,” Chelsey Clad said. “I think that’s pretty much it.”

Even though I didn’t attend THS my freshman year, now that I’m a junior, I can share with you the advice that’s helped me accomplish all that I have and has brought me this far.

Set a goal, put your mind to it and accomplish it. Embrace your positives,

Opinions

Dine and Dash

then focus more on your negatives to better them. Keep a good attitude and a strong mindset. Not only respect your teachers and administrators, but respect your peers as well as yourself. Pay attention in all of your classes, do your work in and outside of school and always listen.

Make good choices. Never let anyone tell, nor stop you, from being who you are, and realize that you along with everyone else are special in their own way.

Most importantly, always do your best, and do it to the best of your ability. And lastly, good luck to you all.

HI-TIMES A STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Editor-in-Chief: Nathan Jackson Chief Photographer: Jeremy Hinds Business Manager: Karlee Avery Sports Editor: Meredith Beasley Staff Writers: Tamara Crump Aaron Kwag Bryan Kwag Mary Catherine Miller Austin Nguyen Chris Patty Keywanna Rogers Anhthu Truong Tayolor Witherspoon Adviser: Ginny Miller See more news and photos at thscurrent.org Follow us on Twitter @tupelohitimes

Corrections The Hi-Times newspaper staff is committed to writing the most accurate and compelling news. We strive for integrity. If there is a misprint in an article, photo cutline or infographic, please tell us, and we will correct the mistake in our next issue.

Editorial Policy It is the intent of the editorial staff to provide Tupelo High School students with an opportunity to create a productive forum to further enhance a positive academic environment at the school.

The opinions expressed on the editorial page reflect the feelings of the entire Hi-Times staff unless otherwise bylined.

Guest editorials may be submitted to The Hi-Times and will be published according to available space and relevance.

Anonymous submissions will not be considered.

8PEOPLE OF THS/SPORTS

THE HI-TIMES • TUPELO HIGH SCHOOL • SEPTEMBER 2015 JEREMY HINDS/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

NATHAN JACKSON

VOLLEYBALL MATCH

Senior Kaitlyn Wilson serves the ball to Caledonia during a Sept. 1 home match. The Lady Wave defeated Caledonia 3-0 [25-15, 25-11, 26-24]. Lady Wave Varsity is now 11-2.

BAND

Alyssia Brieck and the THS colorguard perform at the Sept. 3 community pep rally at Fairpark.

JEREMY HINDS/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

PEOPLE of

Caldwell drives his Jeep SENIOR PARADE Jason in the senior parade.

THS

JEREMY HINDS/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

PEP RALLY

THS junior Leah Sevilla shows her cheerleader uniform.

MONDAY- DRESS UP OCT 5 - OCT 9 TUESDAY-OLD TIME ROCK & ROLL WEDNESDAY- BACK N BLACK THURSDAY- BLUE & GOLD FRIDAY- NO SCHOOL. KICKOFF AT 7.

HOMECOMING DAYS: JEREMY HINDS/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

PEP RALLY

Golden Wave football players at the community pep rally.

JEREMY HINDS/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

SENIOR PARADE

From left, Chelsea Clay, Jamie Cook, Danielle Sharp, LaKoya Gordon, Madison Clark, Mariah O’Neal and Michea Hayden show their senior spirit on the first day of school.