October 2016 by The Hi-Times

VOLUME 75 ISSUE 2

TUPELO HIGH SCHOOL

4125 GOLDEN WAVE DRIVE, TUPELO, MISSISSIPPI, 38801

THE HI TIMES OCTOBER 2016

A STUDENT NEWSPAPER KEYWANNA ROGERS

INDEX:

NEWS...2

FEATURES...4

OPINIONS...6

SPORTS...7

ART&ENTERTAINMENT...8

OBSCURE, YET OUTSTANDING

From left, Nikki Bilger, Wilethal Johnson, Carolyn Gaston, and Willie Herron smile for the camera.

Tayolor Witherspoon @TayolorJay Editor-in-Chief

WHITNEY CAMPBELL

CAFE STAFF PLAY SPECIAL ROLES AT THS

When you think of a school faculty, one automatically thinks of teachers, administrators, and coaches. But, there is a group of obscure people that, on a daily basis, make Tupelo High School go ‘round. As a cafeteria staff, they are often looked over and hardly ever get much of any recognition, but that does not mean that they do not deserve it. As a whole, they play a huge part in making a day at THS go smoothly. Cafeteria staff members Carolyn Gaston, Nikki Bilger, Willethal Johnson, and Willie Herron take great pride in their jobs. arolyn Gaston Gaston has worked for THS for 17 years. Today, she is the assistant food service manager and head cashier. She monitors the kitchen and the employees, as well as receives and takes up money. Gaston says that she enjoys getting to know the students that go in and out of her line. “My favorite THS memory

would have to be meeting Tayolor in 2014,” said Gaston. “I believe that the most important thing about my job is getting out of bed, coming here, and helping serve others with a smile,” she explained. Gaston is a big hit at THS; her line often overflows with students who she is always ready to greet with a big, warm smile. ikki Bilger Bilger, the food service manager, has been an employee at THS for four years. “I enjoy the friendly atmosphere and working with my kind coworkers,” Bilger said. Bilger’s fondest THS memory was watching her daughter Keyaira graduate in 2014. “My job is to make sure that the kids get a healthy and nutritious breakfast and lunch,” she stated. illethal Johnson Johnson, a THS staff member of five years, is the head cook and kitchen coordinator. She cooks all of the dinners and make sure everyone’s line is flowing at a steady pace. “My favorite memory about the high school is when my youngest daughter, Ci’Koria, graduated

in 2013,” she said. She enjoys working with her manager, Bilger, and some of the other employees. “I have to make sure my food is going out on the line right and on time; that is the most important thing to me,” said Johnson. illie Herron Herron has been on staff at THS for six years. He is a food prep, dishwasher, and server. Herron also enjoys working with Bilger and the rest of his fellow co-workers. “I pretty much work in whatever area that I am needed,” he said. “I absolutely love the band competitions and the pleasant atmosphere here.” Herron’s favorite part about a normal day at THS is serving breakfast in the mornings and seeing the smiles on the students’ faces. There is a quote that I read a while back, “Treat the janitor with the same respect as the CEO.” Although the cafeteria staff are “obscure,” they are outstanding as well. Not only do they do it because it is their job, but they do it because they genuinely enjoy it; and more importantly, they do it with a smile.

FEELING PINK Jalysia Coleman @Jalysiaaaa Staff Writer October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For years, breast cancer has been a deadly struggle for people all over the world. Breast cancer occurs when cells in the breast divide and grow without their normal control. Tumors in the breast tend to grow slowly, but by the time a lump is large enough to feel, it may have been growing for as long as 10 years. Some tumors grow aggressively, while others accumulate over time. Between 50-75 percent of breast cancers begin in the milk ducts, while about 10-15 percent begin in the lobules; and a few begin in other breast tissues. Alcohol consumption, obesity, genetics, as well as dense breast tissue are only a few of the risk factors of breast cancer. People can prevent breast cancer by watching their health, receiving regular checkups, and remaining physically active. The importance of knowing about breast cancer can possibly change the outcome of one’s life. For example, if one has a family history of breast cancer, then his or her risk is higher among women or men whose close relatives have this disease. Knowing this can

possibly prevent breast cancer by obtaining a healthier lifestyle. Another factor is one’s race. Overall, white women are more likely to develop breast cancer than African-American women; however, African-American women are more likely to die from this cancer. Breast cancer has impacted a lot of people all around the world. Breast cancer awareness is shown in many different ways. People showcase awareness about breast cancer by painting pumpkins pink, participating in breast cancer walks, and also wearing pink clothing throughout the month of October. “Pink” even started appearing on football fields at high schools in Mississippi the first Friday in October. Everything from bracelets to football shirts are engraved with the universal pink ribbon. There were a lot of people who participated in the Breast Cancer Walk at Fairpark, in Tupelo, on October 22. Anna Patterson, an English and Spanish teacher at Tupelo High School, was one of them. “Race for the Cure is a great fundraiser for Susan G Komen breast cancer research,” said Patterson. Both of her grandmothers and two of her aunts are breast cancer survivors, so “it’s a cause very close to my heart,” Patterson stated. “I

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

know the struggle of going through treatment with this disease, so it is awesome to have the opportunity to make a difference and work toward finding a cure. Patterson wants people to reach out and get involved. “The disease is not limited to the month of October, so support and recognition shouldn’t be either,” she stated. Breast Cancer is very important to many people. It’s not just a big deal to the surviors but also to family members of survivors and non-surviors. Breast cancer has impacted so many people lives and every year in the month of October we show others how much we care.

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OCTOBER 2016

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

• October 3 First Quarter Assessments Begin • October 5 9 Weeks Finals • October 6 First Quarter Ends • October 6 First Quarter Assesments End

• October 7 Tupelo vs. @Southaven, 7 p.m. • October 7 First Development Day

THE HI-TIMES

Mary Preston Evers @marypreston_18 Staff Writer It’s that time of year again! The 11th annual “Lyric Haunted Theatre” is in full swing! Production dates are October 14-15, 21-22, and 28-29 from 7:00-11:00 p.m. each night. The theatre itself even has a haunted past. A spirit named Antoine haunts the inner halls of the theatre. In 1936, a tornado ripped through the small town of Tupelo carrying destruction and death along with it. Legend has it that Antoine, a child at the time, was one of the many victims brought to the location; which was used as a makeshift hospital. And although he passed away, his spirit is still quite the prankster. In 2006, the theatre was named as the sixth most haunted theatre in the nation. This year’s theme is outer space. The theatre is transformed into a spaceship with extraterrestrials running amok. Instead of the typical two-second scare factor, this year’s horror is taken to an entirely new MARY PRESTON EVERS dimension. The sci fi thrill gives a whole new mind-boggling feature. When entering, one is immediately transcended into a spaceship named Comust, which is the original name of the theatre. There are several rooms on the spaceship with various sci fi scenarios based on aliens, zombies, and mad scientists. Imagine seeing the dissection of a human, or even a “trophy” room filled with two-legged creatures instead of four. Steve Miller is the director of the Haunted Theatre, and each year he outlines and transforms it into a haunting showcase. He suggests the ideas and allows the volunteers to implement the designs. The Haunted Theatre provides the volunteers with opportunities in design, acting, and decorating. Time, money, and creativity are devoted to make this event a success each year. This is the biggest fundraiser for the theatre, and it helps fund plays and upkeep throughout the year. Also, this a no-touch Haunted Theatre, meaning all hands, feet, and appendages are to be kept to themselves by both actors and guests. It takes approximately 20 minutes to go through the Haunted Theatre with three to four people in a group. The cost is $15 per person.

• October 8 THS Band Competition @Northeast

SENIORS HELP HURRICANE VICTIMS

• October 10 Columbus Day • October 11 Second Term Begins • October 14 @Tupelo vs, South Panola, 7 p.m. • October 18 First Quarter Report Cards • October 18 60% Day for TPSD Students • October 18 THS Parent-Teacher Conference Day, 1-6 p.m. • October 19-20 Fall Picture Day • October 20 Okotober Fest • October 20 Toni Braxton Concert @Bancorpsouth Arena • October 21 Tupelo vs. @DeSoto Central, 7 p.m. • October 22 Breast Cancer Walk @FairPark, 8 a.m. • October 22 THS Band Competition @Liberty Bowl, Memphis, TN • October 25 THS Baskebtall Meet The Wave @THS Wood Floor Gym, 5 p.m. • October 28 @Tupelo vs. Horn Lake, 7 p.m. • October 28 THS Senior Night • October 29 THS Varsity Basketball Jamboree @West Point • October 29 THS Band Competition @Clinton • October 31 Halloween

TUPELO HIGH SCHOOL

HAUNTED THEATRE RISES AGAIN

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NEWS

Bryan Kwag @KwagBryan Staff Writer Every year at Tupelo High School, all students in English IV are required to complete a project within an assigned group called “senior project.” THS alumni are always sharing the terrifying and overwhelming work to the newcomers, who will soon realize this as they reach their final year of high school. Some say it is the research paper that will be the most challenging problem to get through with; others say it is deadline that seniors have to manage. There are a lot of unique senior project groups; however, this year, one group of students did something out of the ordinary. The group consists of seniors Olivia Collier, Caroline Ferguson, Jacey Jenkins and Cooper Moore; The group’s project was based on helping the victims of the hurricane in Louisiana that recently occurred. The group started their first drive in Louisiana on September 18th. Ferguson, who initially came up with the project, has family living in the Louisiana area where they were hit by the flood; so she suggested the idea to her group. Seniors usually have some sort of trouble completing their projects; however, Moore thinks differently. “I would say the most challenging problem of senior project is figuring out how to get started,” Moore said, “That is probably the hardest part. Once you have a plan, actually doing the project is not the hard part, just figuring out all the stuff out before you begin is.” After helping out the victims, Moore and his group definitely learned something from this wonderful experience and opportunity. “Yes, it does remind you that you take things for granted and to be thankful for what you have, but it also teaches you about when you witness people suffering,” Moore said, “It makes you realize the need for an advanced warning.”

Hi-Times Staff Reporters @tupelohitimes

COURTESY TO CAROLINE FERGUSON He also said, “As technologically advanced as we are, the way we warn people about natural disaster is not effective because people still get hurt, and properties still gets damaged. Natural disasters will always happen, but there needs to be something to effectively warn citizens before disasters like this take place because they tried to learn Hurricane Katrina and Ike, but that did not prepare them for this flood.” When asked if senior project was actually overwhelming like others say it is, Moore said, “No, people build it up a lot bigger than it is really.” After knowing what senior project is like, he thinks that this project is going to help him as he grows older. “I think this will help me in the future as far as working with others who I am not familiar with and collaborating to come up with one unique idea rather than doing everything on my own,” Moore said. Senior project groups will present a week after Thanksgiving to showcase what they learned throughout one of their last projects as high school students.

[ NEWS BRIEFS ] Terrifying Reality

Are you afraid of clowns? If not, maybe you should be. In recent weeks, sightings of people dressed as clowns have been reported in numerous states. Even more frightenHot Night at ingly, clowns have been spotted right here in Mississippi. Chili Fest One reported clown sighting was said to have been the The 17th annual Tupelo cause of an automobile crash in Rankin County. In our Chili Fest, hosted immediate area, one sighting involves THS’s very own by the Downtown Levi Bishop. Bishop claims that a clown appeared near his Tupelo Main Street house. Recently, as his fiance let the dogs out, she noticed Association, was a movement along a wooded area behind their home and WHITNEY CAMPBELL delicious hit on Friday, as she looked closer, noticed a clown mask. She went into October 7, 2016. With the house to retrieve a gun for safety, then took a photo 19 competitive chili-making teams, 22 tents, original chili and posted it on Facebook. When the police saw the post recipes, and the local band “2 Drink Minimum,” visitors and that night, they searched the woods near the house, but judges got the full Chili Fest experience. As people walked were unable to locate the masked person. Oddly enough, up and down the rows of tents, they were welcomed and the police indicated that a clown was witnessed at a loencouraged to take samples of contestants’ thought-to becal Sonic a few days before. Clowns are supposed to be prize-worthy chilis; and if they liked what they tasted, they entertaining, yet some have other agendas. Be careful, and could vote for the “People’s Choice” award. The competition be safe! was tense with so many options, but the judges chose carefully and let their tastebuds do the talking. This year, overall first place was awarded to Community Bank’s chili, second place went to Storage Max’s chili, and “People’s See NEWS BRIEF PG5 Choice” was awarded to Sudden Panic.

OCTOBER 2016

TUPELO HIGH SCHOOL

THE HI-TIMES

WELCOMING MURPHY

Murphy directs the band as they review the sets for their show. Whitney Campbell @whit_alexc Business Manager Entering the 2016-2017 school year, Tupelo High School has hired another staff member, and the THS marching band has gained another mentor. Rick Murphy is a band director from Tennessee and is well known to many bands across the United States. He has directed notable bands such as McGavock High School marching band from Nashville, Tennessee, and Columbia Central High School marching band from Columbia, Tennessee. He is most recognized for taking the McGavock High School marching band to the finals three times in a row in the largest high school band competition in the United States, Bands of America (BOA). He expects nothing but the best for the beloved marching band, and will act as accordingly to get them so professional that when bands around the United States hear about Mississippi, they think of the Tupelo High School marching band. Murphy considered applying for the job as THS band director when his good friends Floyd Stevens, who was a band director at THS 39 years ago, and Eddie Peasant, assistant superintendent of Tupelo Public School District, convinced him to come out of retirement and get back on the field. THS principal, Jason Harris liked Murphy’s background as a band director and thought that he was exactly what the THS band needed to get them back on their feet. After three meetings with Harris to discuss the position, Murphy applied for the job and is now the official band director of the THS band, sharing his motto: we expect great things, with the whole band family. It is no secret that Murphy lives by the phrase “go big or go home.” The beginning of the summer is when the band starts discussing show ideas, and

upon arriving as THS band director, he had already decided on a show entitled “Waves.” Even though band camp went exceptionally well, Murphy still agrees with the rest of the band staff that there is still work to be done. The show will be complete with sound effects, props and voice overs that will hopefully get them to at least state championship finals. Murphy has the much needed push that the school’s band needs to make it to the top once again. The band practices every single day to prepare themselves for the upcoming competitions, and hopefully all of the hard work will pay off. Of course they will have plenty of marching band competitions, but Murphy says that “the biggest competition is ourselves,” referring to the challenges of being a member of the marching band. So far, Murphy has exemplified plenty of determination to make the THS band the best band in the state of Mississippi. Although some things have changed, they have changed for the better. Band members and boosters are adjusting very well to what Murphy is offering, and are all working together to make this marching season one to remember.

FEATURES

WHITNEY CAMPBELL

WHITNEY CAMPBELL Murphy is a band director from Tennessee and is well known to many bands across the United States.

FEATURES

OCTOBER 2016

TUPELO HIGH SCHOOL

THE HI-TIMES

CONTINUING TRADITIONS

Jalysia Coleman @Jalysiaaaa Staff Writer According to Google, Madrigals is “a part-song for several voices, especially one of the Renaissance period, typically arranged in elaborate counterpoint and without instrumental accompaniment.” Although Madrigals originated in Italy during the 1520’s, now, Tupelo High School has their own form of “Madrigals,” under the direction of Suzy Williams. At THS, Madrigals is an acapella Renaissance singing group that many enjoy participating in ,as well as watching. As of October 2016, THS Madrigals has hundreds of awards. The THS Madrigals was started by Tom Coker, in 1974, who later went on to become the choral director at Millsaps College in Jackson, MS. The group has had many talented directors over the years: Bruce Lesley, Tammy Maddox, and Vicki Wilson, to name a few. The group has performed all around the United States, both regionally and nationally; winning district, state, regional and national choral competitions. Each year, the groups have ranged in size from 10 to 32 incredibly talented students. Last year, the group won the Heritage Worldstrides National Competition in Williamsburg, Virginia; winning the Vocal Jazz division as well as the Madrigal division and tying with themselves to win the overall top choir at the competition. They sing in the fall as a Renaissance choir, but they also incorporate some non-traditional music in addition to the traditional Renaissance music. In the spring, the same students perform as a Vocal Jazz Pop group that performs acappella pop music, similar to that of Pentatonix. Zander Foster “I really enjoy being in Madrigals; I have been in Madrigals for about two years now,” Foster said. “I feel that if people think that we are very weird people, then that is what makes us different.” Foster, a senior, feels that Bryan Kwag @KwagBryan Staff Writer

Madrigals gives the audience a preview of their upcoming season. the freshmen are good, and that Madrigals will only make them better. “I hope this year will be great 2017 it is our time,” said Foster. Charity Hobbs “I think it is going really well. We are getting along much better than last year and we are learning more songs than we have in the past,” Charity Hobbs, another senior, said. “The only thing I miss from last year is the individual singing and personalities from the past seniors that have moved on.” Hobbs has also been in Madrigals for two years. Anna Katherine Williams “I am a junior at THS, and Madrigals has been a huge part of my past two years here. It gives me something

KEYWANNA ROGERS

exciting to look forward to throughout everyday,”Williams said. “Madrigals has given me a place to plug into, and I could not be more thankful.” Abby Spires Spires, a new member of Madrigals, and a freshman at THS, said, “I was very nervous at first because I did not know any people. But overall, I think it is an amazing group to be a part of. ” With positive feedback, Madrigals will continue to be a special acapella singing group with many more and bigger awards to come. Madrigals is a true tradition that lives within THS.

This year Tupelo High School welcomed Christy Jordan as the new librarian after the former librarian, Holly Gray, received another job at Itawamba Community College. Jordan previously worked at Thomas Street Elementary School, where she held two jobs. “For 14 years, I taught first grade, and I spent six years in the media center,” Jordan said. But what exactly made her come to THS instead of other schools? “I always taught elementary school,” said Jordan, “And I just wanted to teach the upper grades to gain more experience.” So far, THS has provided Jordan a chance to see some familiar faces that have grown older. “It has been lots of fun seeing so many of my former first grade students.” She also wants future events to take place in the library. “I hope to keep the book fair the same as last year. I also want to keep the library open all day for students to come in and out like they normally do, to use it as a real resource for printing and other things. In addition, the media center will be in part of the National Honor Society as well,,” Jordan said. She went on to explain the day-to-day responsibilities as the new librarian. She said, “Apparently, we are still checking out and bringing back lots of textbooks, due to the changing of different nine weeks classes. Also, lots of kids come in during their lunch time; sometimes, even in the morning. We are constantly doing book-care, and we try our best to keep the library up to date with the newest copies of books and other materials.” On another interesting note, students will also be able to use e-books while in the media center. “We are actually in the process of placing an e-book order,” Jordan said, “Because we know that some students now prefer e-books versus hardback books.” She described a few of the media center challenges she has to face here at THS compared to her previous job at Thomas Street. “For elementary kids, we checked out lots of books because they love reading.” However, it is a different story for high school students because they are usually busy doing lots of homework, assignments on computers, and

MARY PRESTON EVERS Jordan showcases a few books that THS students were required to read over the summer. even occupied on their phones. To change this, Jordan said, “The biggest challenge we get is to get them to take the earbuds out and read a book. After all, we know they are not using them to actually listen to books.” As the new librarian, what she looks forward to the most is ordering new books so our kids can use them instead of the old and outdated ones the library currently has. That is one way how some students can go back to reading again.

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OCTOBER 2016

TUPELO HIGH SCHOOL

OPINIONS

THE HI-TIMES

WORST MONTH, WORST CELEBRATION

Bryan Kwag @KwagBryan Staff Writer

Every year, when October comes by, I tend to be more cautious. For example, before I go to sleep at night, I make sure that my closet door is closed at all times; just in case something peculiar pops out. Also, for some strange reason, whenever it is time to take out the trash, I have to beg Aaron, my twin, to do it for me at night. Sometimes, I even wake up in the middle of the night in cold sweat, from nightmares about clowns staring at me while I sleep; this being from the recent clown sightings that have gone viral. I know it might sound ridiculous for a 17-year-old to act this way, but that is how much I dislike frightening things. I do not understand the purpose of being scared, or the reason why people enjoy scary things. Which explains why Halloween is just not my thing. I do not cherish the tradition of people dressing up in costumes, coming up toward someone’s door, and saying the threeworded phrase, “trick or treat.” Of course, not everybody dresses up as a terrifying character, but I still think it is odd. I actually went trick-or-treating when I was in elementary school, and if I remember correctly, one year I dressed up as a ketchup bottle, while Aaron dressed up as a mustard bottle. My mom thought it was cute for us to be matching, but I found it horrible. I hated being that ketchup bottle so much. The whole night a group of adults shouted at me to “catch up” to them. After that, I never trick-or-treated again. So, what exactly do I do on Halloween now? I usually do multiple fun activities with my twin, since we think alike, of course. We both love board games; our favorite one is Monopoly. We spend hours on it until we get tired of it, which is usually near four to five in the morning. We take breaks during the game, and on those breaks, we usually have a short ping-pong competition, betting pieces of candy or chocolates based on the winner. Another break we have, if it does not rain,is jumping on our trampoline. At night, we love the cold weather; so we always go out and embrace the crisp wind. When we are satisfied enough, we go back inside and continue our game of Monopoly or start other short games like UNO, chess, or checkers with our favorite candies on the line. However, if we do not feel like doing a lot of things at once, we make airbeds COURTESY TO KWAN CHUNG and lay them near our TV; where we watch different movies and shows on Netflix, while eating an endless amount of junk food. Some people might think the things I do are strange, while some may not. As long as I find something enjoyable for me, then it is worth it. Once October ends, I am most likely going to be myself again because November and December are my favorite months of the year. Instead of eating candy corns and chocolates, I can look forward to nice warm meals for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HALOWEEN ACTIVITY? 23%

20%

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Editor-in-Chief: Tayolor Witherspoon Chief Photographer: Karlee Avery Sports Editor: Keywanna Rogers Business Manager: Whitney Campbell Poll Results: Staff Writers: 1. Haunted Houses - 37% Mary Preston Evers Bryan Kwag 2. Bonfires - 17% Jalysia Coleman Corrections: 3. Trick or Treat - 20% The Hi-Times newspaper staff is committed to writing 4. Watch Scary Movies - 23% the most accurate and compelling news. We strive for integrity. If there is a 5. Carve Pumpkins - 3% misprint in an article, photo cutline or infographic, please inform us; and we will correct the mistake in our next issue.

[ NEWS BRIEF ] Continued from PG2 HiTimes Staff Reporters @tupelohitimes Election Day is approaching, which means people will not only be able to vote, but they will be able to vote early! However, there are a few requirements for those who want to vote early. Early voters may cast their votes starting September 26, 2016 until November 5, 2016. In order to be considered for early voting, one must meet at least one of many requirements. Here is a list of only a few: 1. Be away from their county on Election Day 2. Be 65 years of age or older 3. Have a temporary or permanent physical disability, and are unable to vote in person without substantial hardship 4. Be unable to vote in person because required to be at work on Election Day, November 8 from 7

A.M. to 7 P.M. 5. Are a student, teacher or administrator at a college, university, junior college, high, junior high, or elementary grade school, and will be away from the county on Election Day, or are the spouse or dependent who lives with a student, teacher or administrator The official day for voting is on Tuesday, November 8, so be sure to submit your vote either before, or on Election Day. Every vote counts!

Editorial Policy: It is the intent of the editorial staff to provide Tupelo High School students with an oppurtunity 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 HiTimes staff unless otherwise bylined. Guest editorials may be submitted to The HiTimes and will be published accoridng to available space and relevance. Anonymous submissions will not be considered.

OPINIONS

OCTOBER 2016

TUPELO HIGH SCHOOL

THE HI-TIMES

MY WORST FEARS

“Or, maybe it’s just me overreacting. Or, maybe not. I would tell you to be cautious, but after reading this, you may already be. “ Keywanna Rogers @keyylashay Sports Editor Being afraid of something is common, and many people have fears. In fact, I, myself, have many fears. One of my deepest fears is staying at home alone. You would think, being that I am 17 years old, that I would actually like staying at a house by myself. But actually, I am the exact opposite. Anyone who knows me knows that I am scared by a lot of things. I am not crazy or anything, but I am always hearing things that no one else can. Sometimes I wonder, is it just me? I know I cannot be the only one very frightened of things. Many people say that I just watch too much television, but I believe that things like that happen all the time, somewhere in the world. I am probably the easiest person to scare. I honestly don’t know why because I love scary movies and things like that. Although I am scared of a lot of things, staying home alone tops them all; but being alone may be the second worst. I cannot even walk alone because I am so scared of getting kidnapped. I always think weird things, such as “What if someone is watching me or maybe just in the dark hiding?” I know it’s crazy, but it’s really not that crazy if you think about it. How many people actually walk around thinking nothing will ever happen to them? Yeah, maybe almost everybody! In reality, it happens all the time, at least somewhere in the world. Or, maybe it’s just me overreacting. Or, maybe not. I would tell you to be cautious, but after reading this, you may already be. Another one of my biggest fears is being buried alive. In scary movies, that always seems like the worst way to die. Well, the worst way to die is like being left to die from a wound or something, but in the movies when they are being buried alive it looks as if they suffer a lot. Although I know that the movies are fake, sometimes they can be based on true stories. Just the thought of not being able to breathe because you are deep under dirt sounds horrible. Another fear that ranks at the top of my “scary list” is failing. Since I am the second oldest grandchild, my family expects me to do a lot because they believe that I have lots of potential. It’s not that I feel like they are pressuring me; it’s just that I am capable of so much at my age and my family expects even more out of me. They are my overall biggest supporters, and I fear I will disappoint them if I fail. Failing is not an option for me. I want to be successful and live the life that I want, but if I fail then I would not know what to do. Fears are just something that everyone has. Many people can walk around saying that they are fearless, but everyone has at least one thing that they are afraid of.

OCTOBER 2016

TUPELO HIGH SCHOOL

A&E

THE HI-TIMES

ANOTHER “ODD” PRODUCTION

WHITNEY CAMPBELL One of the sets in The Odd Couple production at Tupelo High School. Mary Preston Evers @marypreston_18 Staff Writer

Tupelo High School’s theatre, Troupe 1949, is presenting Neil Simon’s play “The Odd Couple.” The previous play performed by THS, “Rumours,” was also written by Simon. This comedy is an adaptation of the original play from 1965. The leading characters in the initial play were men; however, the playwright modifies the production to feature females. In this modification, two mismatched females,one neat and the other careless,become roommates in New York City. They meet two Hispanic brothers who add to the hilarity. The dissimilar women host a trivial pursuit party with mutual friends, which sets the stage for the comedy. Theatre teacher, Alana Austin, and student assistant, Connor Harper, will be directing this production. The lead female roles will be played by Emma Gousset and Emma Witty. Chael Williams and Blake Harrell will play the brothers. The other friends who attend the party are Chera Jones (cop), Kenzie Dixon (ditzy goofball), Savanah Ziegler (wise-cracker), and Erica Gassaway (complainer). In past plays, these actors have proven to work well together in providing more than excellent entertainment. This particular performance is unusual because the cast is made up of all seniors. They have grown together over the past four years. Through this, they are able to see what creative things they can do together as a whole. When Harper was asked about the production, he said, “We get along well because we have known one another for a long time; and we get the job done efficiently.” The production will be November 10th, 11th, and 12th at 7:30 p.m. each night. The tickets will be seven dollars per person. Attending the play would be a great tribute to the actors who have worked so hard over these past few weeks and would also be a tremendous way to support the theatre program at THS. For an entertaining and amusing evening, seeing “The Odd Couple” would be a choice.

FORKLIFT

REVIEWS:

Whitney Campbell @whit_alexc Business Manager After months of construction, the highly anticipated, local restaurant, Forklift, on Jackson Street in Tupelo, is finally up and running for business. For the past few weeks, many Tupelo residents have stopped to enjoy a very unique meal from the restaurant. According to customers, the menu has been changing often. When I went to experience Forklift for myself, I noticed that their menu was in fact not a full menu, but a list of a few food options in several categories of meals. For my meals, I chose a flat biscuit with fried chicken complete with collard greens, onion tomato sauce, and sweet potato sauce with a side of pasta salad; and a pig melon baguette with sliced ham and melon preserves with a side of their homemade potato chips. For dessert I got their pineapple cobbler with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I was unprepared for the amazing taste of the flat biscuit chicken. The ingredients used for the food made me question its taste, but when it arrived, I was immediately proved wrong. The chicken was crispy, juicy and dressed up just right. The sweet potato sauce and collard greens complemented the chicken so well, that I did not want to stop eating. I was very surprised. The bread used for the pig melon baguette was fresh, sweet, and worked great with the ham and melon preserve blend; another unusually, yet divine combination. The homemade potato chips were the “cherry on top” of the entire meal. With just a touch of brown sugar and spice, the soon-to-be-famous snack is a treat for everyone. The delicious meal was perfectly portioned, so I had room for my tart, yet tasty pasta salad and soft pineapple cobbler. The unexpected ingredient combinations are a pleasant change to classic Tupelo restaurant recipes. I think Forklift might be the start of a new type of cooking.

WHITNEY CAMPBELL From left, a flat buiscuit with fried chicken, collard greens, oniontomato sauce and sweet potato sauce, along with a side of pasta salad and a pig melon baguette and potato chips.

PARADOX

Whitney Campbell @whit_alexc Business Manager For most people, being locked in a room with no way to get out sounds pretty alarming and stressful, but not for the owners of Paradox. Paradox is an escape room business that opened over the summer and is located on North Gloster in Tupelo. We had two uniquely themed rooms to choose from: Agent 22 and Houdini, but more are coming soon. Paradox gives a very fun choice of tests for friends and family. Upon arrival, we signed in at the front desk and a Paradox employee took our group of seven people to a space in www.twitter.com/paradoxtupelo the lobby and told us exactly what an escape room is and what we would expect once we entered the room. The idea of an escape room is to use teamwork and individual smarts to crack codes, find keys, and eventually escape the room, all in a limited time of one hour. If the group gets stumped, which we definitely did, the guide for that specific room can give a hint to get you back on the right path, but only if asked. We chose the Agent 22 room in which we had to figure several lock codes to find tools and defuse a “bomb” in order to escape the room. Conveniently, everyone in our group had special skills that could be used to contribute; therefore, everyone had a job to do. Clues were everywhere: bookshelves, books, board games, floppy disks, tape recorders, and more. As we started to understand riddles and solve puzzles, more challenges appeared that led us to something new. At certain points everyone needed to stop whatever they were doing, and when we did, something would always click and fall into place. After 50 minutes, we found a code to release the bomb defusing instructions on the computer and were able to safely disable the bomb and escape. It was a very good learning experience for us, requiring us to use communication skills. We did not know half of the people that were in our group, but we all worked together and put forth effort. Anyone wishing to have team-bonding or family fun, Paradox is definitely the place to go!

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SPORTS

OCTOBER 2016

TUPELO HIGH SCHOOL

THE HI-TIMES

Keywanna Rogers @keyylashay Sports Editor

The Golden Wave football team started the season off with being undefeated . Their record is 11-0. Coaches and players are excited about the season outcome. The new assistant coach Cody Stubblefields said he is very pleased at the way the season has begun. “It’s always good to be 11-0.” said new assistant coach Cody Stubblefields. “I am impressed with the season so far. Some of the seniors on the team had a lot to say about the season also. “This season so far has been great for the defense,” Senior McKenzie Richardson said. “ We have a pretty solid group of linebackers, corners and safety so our defense is solid and I believe we have a good offense also. They are just a little young and have to adjust to bigger players and whenever that happens, I think we’ll KEYWANNA ROGERS have a bright future for our team.” The first game the Waves played this season was against Clarksdale on August 19. The waves did not score until the second half. Clarksdale was in the lead the first and second half with a score of 0-6. Sophmore Jacquerrious William scored the first touchdown for the Waves that night. After that the Waves scored two more touchdowns, which lead to their victory in defeating the Wildcats of Clarksdale. “I thought defense played really well, “ Stubblefield said. “Offense needed to do a better job of capitalizing on field position and finishing drives. The next game the Waves participated in was against Corinth on Aug. 26. The Waves came back to the field like a brand new team that night. They played differently and better than they played on their first game against Clarksdale. “We played really well” Stubblefield said. “We did not put the game away as early as we should have.” The game that everyone has been waiting for finally arrived on Sept. 2. It was the Golden Waves versus the Red Raiders. Tupelo’s long time rival, Shannon, was defeated with an ending score 42-10. “The season has been exciting so far” said Richardson. “I am ready to see the outcome of our season, which will probably be great!” The game that had everyone shocked was against South Panola on Oct. 14. The Waves have lost 11 meetings against the Tigers. Tupelo’s last win against South Panola was at Batesville in 2001 with Coach Phil Ferguson as the head coach. The final score of the game was 3-0. The only points that were scored was a successful punt by junior kicker Josh Smith. After that game the season was a breeze. The Waves finished the regular season undefeated with an 11-0 record. This was the fourth time in school history that the Waves closed with a perfect record. The Waves played Horn Lake on the Renasant Field Oct. 28. The game ended with a final score of 39-19.

KEYWANNA ROGERS The Waves prepare to make a play on the field.

KARLEE AVERY/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Sophomore Jordan Jernigan incorporates pink in his football wear in support of Breast Cancer Awareness.

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