Wingspan WEST HENDERSON HIGH SCHOOL
3600 Haywood Road Hendersonville, NC 28791
December 2018 n Volume 37 n Issue 1
n
THE FINAL STRAW Paper straw movement gains momentum in Asheville area
PAGE 18 n
DOWN TO BUSINESS Controversial Nike ad is all about the money and not about the cause
PAGE 04
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
04 - OPINION SECTION 10 - NEWS SECTION 12 - FEATURE SECTION 28 - ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SECTION 34 - SPORTS SECTION
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n DOWN TO BUSINESS Controversial Nike ad is all about the money and not about the cause.
32 n
OGRE THE TOP Rugby performs 20th musical at West
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THE FINAL STRAW
n SETTING FOR SUCCESS
By Annabelle Murray Photography by Abby Jackson and Julia Perrotta Paper straw movement gains momentum in Asheville area.
Seniors sign with universities after volleyball careers
Wingspan News Magazine DECEMBER 2018
VOLUME 37, ISSUE 1
The student forum of West Henderson High School is published three times each year by the newspaper journalism class. The purpose of Wingspan is to convey school and community news to the students, faculty, administration and surrounding communities. Wingspan content is determined by an editorial board of student editors. Wingspan is a Southern Interscholastic Press Association All-Southern, National Scholastic Press Association All-American, Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist and North
Carolina Scholastic Media Association All-North Carolina and Tar Heel Award publication. The 2018 Wingspan made the CSPA Crown list. Staff editorials express the opinion of the editorial board. Columns reflect the opinions of the individual writers. Circulation is 1,200. Printed by Mullen Publications located at 9629 Old Nations Ford Road, Charlotte, NC 28273. The Wingspan staff also publishes online at www.wingspanonline.net and can be found on Twitter and Instagram at @westwingspan. Contact the staff at wingspan@hcpsnc.org.
PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bartel Van Oostendorp WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Elise Trexler COPY EDITOR Katie King MANAGING EDITOR Katie King A&E EDITOR Kinsley Morgan FEATURE EDITOR Lauren Mullis
NEWS EDITORS Evan O’Donnell Nathan Turpin SPORTS EDITORS Wyatt Hughes Cole Braswell Graham Grush OPINION EDITORS Cat Whiting Annabelle Murray EDITOR Emily Mertz
STAFF WRITERS Avery Dull Jose Tinoco-Hernandez Amanda Jane Whiting Marissa Detwiler Taylor Frangesh PHOTOGRAPHERS Curren Podlesny Avery Brewer Chloe Eidt FEATURE WRITERS Sarah Monoson Lawrence Whittington Zoya Zalevskiy
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Maureen Husted Chloe Van Oostendorp Jackson Futch Grayson Crowe Johnathan Austin Allison Caskey Rebecca Chamberlain Lucas Kinsey Stone Hogan Max Portugal Mia McCall Noah Trexler ADVISER Jason Livingston
December 2018
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DOWN
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BUSINESS
(Photo by Curren Podlesny)
Controversial Nike ad isn’t making a statement By n Cat Whiting n Opinion Editor
O
n Sept. 7, Nike aired an ad featuring Colin Kaepernick, and it in turn caused a huge storm of attention. People started to post photos and videos of themselves burning and destroying their Nike gear in protest: shaming Nike for making such a statement. Others wrote news stories and Twitter posts in praise. However, Nike does not care about what people do with their already-purchased products or whether millennials call them “woke.” It’s all about business. The ad generated more than $43 million for Nike in the first 19 hours of its airing and sales have since gone up by 31 percent. Kaepernick, reportedly, will also have his own branded line. Nike and Kaepernick have been in close business since 2011, and despite all the negative press coverage and controversy, they never cut ties with him. When Kaepernick first started kneeling during the national anthem, his jersey quickly became the top selling in the NFL, despite not even being on the roster. Nike knew if they dropped Kaepernick, another company (maybe Adidas) would have quickly noticed the business opportunity and snatched him up. Kaepernick is a recognizable name and face in America. He was the perfect choice to get attention for Nike, and it worked. “Let everyone call your idea crazy…
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just keep going. Don’t stop,” said Nike cofounder Phil Knight in his 2016 memoir “Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike.” Reading this quote, it’s clear that Knight has a kind of revolutionary and determined spirit, and he reflects this in his company. Kaepernick’s political and social stances are also mirrored by this quote. If Knight was able to be so successful, Kaepernick would only boost their image and make more money for them. Nike is a billion dollar brand, so of course they have marketing experts who weighed the pros and the cons of the ad and the reaction it would get before deciding to give it the go ahead. Nike knew they’d get a reaction, negative or positive, and they knew it would still be beneficial, because all press is good press. The people who burned and cut apart their Nike gear did absolutely nothing to hurt the company. They were destroying merchandise they already purchased. Even if people wanted to boycott the brand, it would be difficult, and Nike knew this. Nike owns Converse, Hurley, Cole Haan and Umbro. They also sponsor dozens of sports teams such as Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Texas, Baylor and other colleges. Even the most conservative Americans would find it nearly impossible to boycott everything Nike owns. In the end, Nike still makes the profit. Kaepernick’s supporters aren’t only sports fans, but most of his critics are. Kaepernick’s supporters reach a wider variety of people and, well, they buy shoes too. Just like how one feels good when they buy something that will supposedly give money to a charity, Kaepernick’s supporters will feel good buying Nike’s
products. Perhaps they’d buy a Nike product to make someone boycotting the brand angry or maybe to show they stand with Kaepernick, but either way Nike gets the buck. If Nike claims to stand with Kaepernick and human rights, then it’s pretty ironic considering they’ve been accused multiple times with using nonunionized sweatshop labor. The first controversy was in the 1990s and the most recent was in 2017. Reports from these factories (mostly in Asia) say that workers have to continue to work excessive hours in high-pressure environments and they’re not paid enough to support families. Workers are also subject to harassment, threats to be fired or violent intimidation if they try to form unions or tell journalists about the conditions. Three years ago, Knight claimed that he promised he would improve conditions in Nike factories around the world, but he fell short on that promise. Nike seemed to treat the sweatshops issue as a public image problem rather than a human rights problem. Countless business experts and business advice websites encourage using a controversial topic to boost business. This isn’t uncommon knowledge. Controversy gets attention, and attention gets money. Cycles like this happen all the time, and it’s seen in more than corporation business. Back in the 2013 VMAs, for example, Miley Cyrus got lots of attention when she tore off her clothes and danced on Robin Thicke. It was shocking to viewers, and it got attention. This made her music sell better. People are quick to jump on an opin-
(Photo by Curren Podlesny)
ion. It’s very common in our society to have either a black or white viewpoint on an issue. It seems the only two viewpoints someone can have is that Nike is antiAmerican for teaming up with Kapernick or Nike is woke and socially progressive. However, before making claims that Nike, or any business that makes controversial claims or decisions, is good or bad, people need to stop and remember that everything a company does is all in the name of business.
Advanced Placement United States History teacher Vanessa Price assists juniors Aliya Shook and Madison Broome with test corrections during Smart Period. (Photo by Avery Brewer)
Smart Period is a positive change for school
W
hen Smart Period was first introduced, a lot of members of West High’s student body were skeptical. Some students thought it was a way to force them into doing extra homework. Some thought it was to give them less freedom at school. However, as the year has progressed, the students at West have learned that Smart Period is the opposite of their original concerns, and has proven to be highly beneficial for everyone. Smart Period is a period of about 25 minutes right after first period every day except Wednesday. Mondays are reserved for first period, Tuesdays for second, Thursdays for third and Fridays for fourth. It is not required for a student to attend these sessions for study purposes unless a teacher specifically requests their attendance or their grade in the class is below a 75. However, Smart Period can serve as extra study time whether a student is struggling in a class or not. The library is also one of the many places open during Smart Period, and it is a very quiet, secluded place to get away from the noise and chaos of school. Smart Period, therefore, gives students the freedom to choose how they want to spend their time. Smart Period has also solved many other common problems students face. If a student needs to collaborate on a project with another student, it can often be extremely difficult to find a time before or after school to meet due to extracurriculars and jobs. With Smart Period, students have the perfect time to work together during the school day. Students can also ask teachers questions
that might not have been answered in class, receive extra tutoring or catch up on missing work. The obstacle of scheduling time to make up missed tests is also dissolved using Smart Period. Many students avoid asking questions in class out of self consciousness, so having a more private opportunity helps some relieve those stresses. Students in Smart Period have the opportunities to ask teachers one-on-one questions and ask for specific individual help. By having this time, the individual connections between students and teachers are strengthened, and students can feel more comfortable asking questions and completely mastering material. Students are swamped with jobs, sports, clubs or volunteer work. Family emergencies, illness, and injuries also can occur. These can all lead to missing schoolwork, which is the cause of a lot of student anxiety, and catching up can be a huge source of stress. Smart Period can help a student get a head start on assignments they might not be able to complete later or catch up on something they missed in class. A huge weight can be lifted off their already stressed shoulders this way. Speaking of stress, Smart Period has another benefit: it doesn’t have to be spent working on academic assignments. Students can choose to use this time to socialize, play sports in the gym or just relax and unwind. Giving the student body an opportunity for a break from the extremely high-paced and high-pressure school day helps many to feel much better and rejuvenated for their next classes. Students are given a chance to relax and hang
out with friends. They can get out some extra energy in the gym. Smart period can be spent doing all of these things and more. This way, students are more focused in class, they won’t feel as pressured, they won’t talk to their neighbors as much, and they’ll feel calmer overall about the day. Teachers can also benefit from Smart Period. They can use the time to do tasks they wouldn’t have time to do in class. They can run copies, pick up items from their mailboxes, make phone calls, answer emails, grade papers and more. Teachers have more time to plan and finish the mundane tasks that might get buried duringclass and after school tutoring sessions. This way, teachers feel better prepared for their classes. It also gives them a break, too. Being a teacher is one of the most stressful jobs imaginable. They deserve a moment to breathe and finish their morning coffees before having to deal with hundreds of hyperactive and grouchy high school students. Smart Period also puts West in line with other schools. Some high schools, such as T.C. Roberson, have had something similar to Smart Period for a long time now. Since West has introduced the program, it has been much more up to date with other schools. West surpasses other schools in many ways, but was lacking in other areas. Having a Smart Period now gives us the ability to rise to the top again. Smart Period is, pun intended, one of the smartest things West has done. It has significant benefits that help the school achieve greater things.
STAFF EDITORIAL
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December 2018
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Silent No Longer
Should UNC Confederate monument have come down?
PRO:
The statue Silent Sam should stay down. The cause that the statue represented is irrelevant and has been
for over 150 years. Silent Sam represented the Southern United States’ soldiers who died without firing a shot. That sounds good, but that’s not the reason the South seceded. They seceded because President Abraham Lincoln wanted to end slavery, which the South disagreed with. The fact that statues like this are still standing is disgusting. When the United Daughters of Confederacy pushed for the creation of Silent Sam, they were also By n Noah Trexler pushing for schools to cover the history of the KKK. They wanted the KKK’s history to be spread in an effort to preserve white supremacy. This seems like more than a coincidence. In addition, when UNC trustee Julian Carr, who was also a Confederate veteran in the Civil War, dedicated the statue in 1913 alongside North Carolina’s then Gov. Locke Craig, Carr bragged about how he whipped a person of color 100 yards away from the statue’s dedication just because she had “publicly insulted and maligned a Southern lady.” Is that what we want to have as a testament for our great country? America shouldn’t honor people who promoted slavery and betrayed their own nation in an attempt to continue an inhumane practice. We need actual models of what the U.S. really stands for, not statues of our ugly past just because some people are sentimental towards them. Imagine if after World War II the remaining Nazis in Germany wanted to post statues of prevalent leaders of the Third Reich. Would you feel comfortable travelling to Germany and seeing statues of the most brutal members of Hitler’s regime posted all around the country? That’s not very appealing. How about the ‘honorable’ people who continued apartheid in South Africa until the 90s? Previously, there had been some plans to add historical context history markers to the side of the Silent Sam statue, but that doesn’t solve the problem since the markers would just elucidate the glaring racist backstory behind the statue. Adding historical context is simply an insult to the American public since we all have gone to history classes and learned about the U.S. Civil War fought between the North and the South. Furthermore, since we still have a large amount of people in the state who have no problem waving the Confederate flag around, it’s likely they already know the “historical context” that Silent Sam stood for. And beside, supporters of the Confederate statues act like they’ve completely forgotten the fact that we have museums specifically for artifacts from the Civil War. These museums can house the perfect historical context they’ve wanted to add to the Silent Sam statue, and also the artifacts of the Confederate soldiers who fought in the Civil War, still leaving plenty of room for the racist backstory behind the events of the Civil War. We are the only developed country in the world that has monuments of the racist enemies of our nation still proudly standing and a large group of people who are intent on keeping these monuments up. What other country in the world has statues held up specifically for when regions have seceded or rebelled against their home nation in order to uphold something as immoral and horrendously racist as slavery? Don’t forget the Kenan stadium at Chapel Hill. The stadium wasn’t dedicated to William R. Kenan Jr., who made a majority of the family’s contributions to the Tar Heels, but his father, who participated in a massacre led by white supremacists. At least the stadium has recently been changed to honor Kenan Jr. It’s about time we stop glorifying these ‘heroes’ and see them for who they really are: constant reminders of a time of hatred and segregation. Honoring Confederate statues is only shying away from the ugly truth behind the cruel, racist motivations they were built upon.
CON:
In America, laws are constantly changing due to society constantly changing. We’ve set up the system of popular sovereignty to suit the needs of American citizens, and to prevent mindless mobs partaking in violent threats, which often turn into actions towards what they see fit. Silent Sam, a Confederate statue that has stood in the center of The University of North Carolina since 1913, was violently ripped down by an angry mob of protesters, which was defying the very reason that we’ve set up this system. A reoccuring theme as of late is that the party of By n Wyatt Hughes “peaceful protest” has been doing everything but peaceful protesting. Groups like Antifa and the Black Lives Matter movement have been responsible for numerous violent acts which started as “nonviolent protests.” These violent acts have ruined businesses, families, and communities they are trying to improve. What they fail to realize that the government gives them these rights to protest in the first place. This unnecessary violence is dividing the country that they wanted to bring together. Baltimore, Brooklyn, Dallas and Gainesville. All these cities were able to peacefully take down confederate statues, through law, without violence or vandalism. All of these monuments were once illegal to be taken down. Silent Sam was ripped down by vicious protesters that aren’t patient enough to do things through law, the right way to do things. With all the buzz surrounding this statue it was only a matter of time until it would be taken down. The liberal school has been hiding behind a 2015 law that prohibits the taking down of any state statue or monument without permission from the state. The school has been saying they want to take it down for years now, but have have done nothing to do so. If this was the serious issue that it’s made out to be, why couldn’t they have taken care of it before it escalated? The effects on society from these ideas that it’s “OK” to use violence to get what you want is contradicting the very reason we have our laws. Americans have been protesting since the beginning, and some of the most successful have been violence free. These affect society in ways they are not seeing. Vandalism, invasion of private property and violent acts are not “peaceful protest.” The Left doesn’t understand the divide they are bringing with these actions. When people come out against what they are doing, they get shot down by waves of anger and hate. They’re promoting violence without even intending to do it. Doesn’t sound very peaceful does it? What happened to everyone working together? Everyone has different opinions and it’s always going to be that way. Recently Chapel Hill’s football stadium, Kenan Memorial Stadium, was renamed. The stadium was originally named after the donors father, but was renamed after it was found out he had a racist past. The Kenan family is still a huge donor to the school, donating millions every year to the university. The family now obviously has no racist or white supremacist ties, and ripping down their family name for an act they can’t control is unnecessary. Our short tempers, and how we fail to change our views, is extremely counterproductive. These people claim to be open minded, but in reality, they viciously shoot down any idea that differs from theirs. Often with violence. The idea of being rational and peaceful just get thrown out the window, especially when it doesn’t fit their political agenda. Silent Sam is one issue out of thousands that we will face. How hard is it for us to just be nice to each other? Let’s all just get our head out of the gutter and come together as Americans. At the end of the day, the harsh truth is that you can’t erase history, and idiotic and mindless violence is no way solve it.
OPINION n December 2018
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Cartoon by Cat Whiting
(Cartoon by Cat Whiting)
Daily congestion result of multiple factors
M
any things can be accomplished in 30 minutes. One could watch an episode of favorite new Netflix series, make a dent in the pile of homework sitting in their backpack, exercise, socialize or more. The list goes on. This year, West students and faculty have found a new way to spend 30 minutes or more By n Elise Trexler of their time: sitting in traffic on Haywood Road in the mornings. According to a recent Wingspan survey of 113 students, 93.8 percent of students feel that traffic has affected their commutes. Almost 72 percent of those surveyed said that the traffic affected them on a large scale. Spanish teacher Melissa Hannah said she now leaves her house at 6:30 a.m. to get to school on time, and has still been late, even though school starts at 7:45 a.m. Media technology assistant Denise Cope said her commute of three miles has increased from 10 minutes last year to an average of 25 to 30 minutes this year. That is a ridiculous amount of time to travel three miles. The traffic is also causing problems for first period teachers, whose classes are frequently shortened due to high numbers of students being tardy. Some people have electives during first period, so what they miss is not absolutely crucial. Others have core classes that are being cut short by traffic, so it has drastically affected their progress. “I have quite a few students who are finding it difficult to get to school on time for first period, and
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sometimes when there are several students who are missing, we have to delay class a few minutes to start,” math teacher Rebecca Hanson said. “More importantly, we’re having many, many days when we’re supposed to admit late students because of traffic issues, and this is interfering with how much material we can accomplish in a day. So I feel like we are a little bit behind in our academics due to the issues with the traffic.” Haywood Road, otherwise known as Highway 191, has become the source of many complaints within the past year. Construction has been in progress for what seems like years, the traffic lights never seem to last long enough and both schools located on the road have made schedule changes for the 2018-19 school year. Nobody seems to be able to identify a single source of the daily congestion, and nobody wants to continue sitting through it either. No matter the cause, the traffic has made drastic impacts on both Rugby and West. According to West’s administrative assistant Pam Smith, there have been mornings where more than 60 students have been admitted as tardy because they were stuck in traffic. That is 5 percent of the student body late in one day because of traffic. Rugby’s assistant principal, athletic director and bus administrator Michael Gates has observed a similar problem at Rugby. He said there have only been a few days in the school year when all the buses made it to school on time, and attendance was taken at the intended time. Many people are quick to blame Rugby for the backups, citing their schedule changes as the cause. Rugby has moved their morning drop-off time from 7:00 a.m. to 7:15 a.m., and their start time from 7:50 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. This leaves only 30 minutes for about 900 students to be
dropped off, which is not a lot of time, especially considering the buses have to drop people off as well. Though Rugby only allowing 30 minutes for about 900 students to arrive is almost certainly part of the problem, it definitely is not the only one. Despite Rugby only giving their students 30 minutes to get to school and the construction progress being unnecessarily slow, the main source of the problem is that people are sitting with their tires on the sensors designed to keep traffic flowing and nothing is happening. The sensors are essential to adapting to the varying loads of traffic and since they are out of order, some lines are stopped for a mile while lanes with no one in them get minute long green arrows causing the nonexistent people in those lanes to rejoice while others waiting have nothing to do except punch the steering wheel and tear their hair out. The impacted lights are currently operating on timers, which do not accommodate for the extra heavy morning and afternoon traffic. Brandon Pressley, electronics technician for NCDOT, said he expects the sensors will not be functional again until construction is finished, but he is unsure when that will be. In the meantime, the problem still remains. The most promising solution would be to change the timers on the lights to account for traffic. To do this, residents of Henderson County should call NCDOT and let their voices be heard. Construction should be finished as quickly as possible so traffic lights can run on sensors again, and to ensure the morning traffic is not a problem anymore, the timers should be altered. If nobody says anything, it could be a few years before there is a morning without a traffic jam.
Justice Served Is Kavanaugh a good choice for the Supreme Court?
PRO:
It’s been hurricane season in the United States. The country has been mercilessly beaten with sharp winds and relentlessly hammered on our golden shores: the beacons of peace and prosperity. People are in trouble. People are drowning. Among the floating wreckage, very little is salvaged as lives are destroyed, jobs are lost, groups divide and people are filled with rage. But even as millions lose hope, there are millions who have triumphed through the chaos. Washington’s most recent maelstrom, Hurricane By n Bartel Van Kavanaugh, has just passed through the country and there Oostendorp are definite winners and losers left in the aftermath. Obviously, those who saw Kavanaugh as a victim of an unfair hearing process and as someone who, using Sen. Lindsey Graham’s words, has “been through hell,” are among those winners. But among the half who did “win,” I consider the reputation of the United States as a standard of justice to be standing the tallest. If, despite the same investigation results, Brett Kavanaugh wasn’t sworn in as a justice, it would’ve been a black mark on the dignity of our democracy. Kavanaugh was denied due process a few more times than what can be considered fair. The allegation from Dr. Christine Ford was held by Sen. Feinstein’s office for over six weeks before being brought forward for investigation which could’ve been an underhanded political move by the democrats to postpone an appointment vote until the midterms, resulting in a locked senate until the 2020 election when perhaps a democratic president could appoint a liberal judge, creating a strong, left-leaning court. It’s a move that takes patience, but considering how long justices serve, it would be an essential play to execute to prevent a strong conservative court that could last for decades; long enough to possibly overturn key abortion cases and others that would be a devastating loss to the left. Considering what could be at stake while looking at Kavanaugh’s voting record as a federal judge, it seems a funny coincidence that everything stacked up on top of him, from the late release to the mysterious leak to the public while in Feinstein’s possession, which had the potential to sway senate votes despite a lack of evidence. What does this say about the quality of our new supreme court member? It says that he not only passed a thorough investigation but also passed through the fire and flames that were his unfair court hearings which means that this is a victory for everyone! Or it should be if an honorable Supreme Court Justice is truly the goal for all of our politicians. Kavanaugh is a victory for all those who value an honest court system and despise a denial of due process. Kavanaugh is also a victory for those who are wanting a strongly conservative judicial branch. Most studies based on his past decisions have placed him next to Clarence Thomas on the political spectrum of the court, making him the second most conservative of the nine. As far as how liberals view the upcoming damage, his conservatism is a category five force of pure destruction and will be making landfall shortly to murder your happiness, slaughter your liberties and annihilate America. In both ways, I consider this a win. It is about time for a strong conservative court to help get legislation through faster. But more importantly, it is a win for our country. If Kavanaugh was prevented from being on the court because of the allegation despite being found not guilty, it would’ve been a disgusting show of injustice. We pulled through the storm of media and scathing hearsay, and though storms will always be on Washington’s radar, we have another victory under our belt with Justice Kavanaugh and a firm court to withstand the upcoming barrages and winds resulting from the clashing fronts of red and blue hovering over the nation.
CON:
Sexual assault is no light topic. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it. Almost every woman has either experienced or knows someone who has dealt with this harrowing, often traumatizing experience. The #MeToo movement brought to light just how common these assaults are in our society. Though the hashtag is popular and filled with thousands of stories, speaking up about an assault is not easy for many. Women face ridicule, victim blaming, rape, death threats and claims that they’re making their stories up for attention. These fears can n By Cat Whiting prevent victims from speaking up, but it did not stop Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, an American professor of psychology at Palo Alto University. Her assault story dates back to when she was in high school when Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh and a friend shoved her down, held her, and tried to remove her clothes. She said she tried to call for help, but Kavanaugh put a hand over her mouth and laughed. She said she believed he was going to rape her. During her testimony, Ford exemplified sophistication and remained calm and collected despite the heavy content. Kavanaugh, on the other hand, screamed and cried. Most people would say that someone in a position of power should know how to stand their ground and keep calm during even the most difficult times of stress. Think about whenever a woman runs for a political office of power, and how lots of people claim that a woman’s emotions and hormones will get the best of her. She might have a breakdown and start a nuclear war or something. If you don’t believe me, check comments on news articles and videos of women politicians. Back when Hillary Clinton was on trial, for example, she remained calm and collected through 11 long hours. Kavanaugh lost his cool within 20 minutes. Think about who exemplifies the traits of a leader who will not back down within the face of adversity. Those who were opposed to Dr. Ford’s testament claimed her story was not concrete enough. I’ve heard some say that her story doesn’t make sense because she couldn’t remember the floor of the house in which her assault happened. This is extremely disheartening. Imagine your breakfast cereal was poisoned. You tell everyone exactly when you ate your cereal, what store you bought it in, and what brand it was. Now, imagine being asked exactly what shelf and aisle you bought the cereal. You probably wouldn’t have an answer. Now, nobody believes you, even though you had all the other evidence. People will think you made up being poisoned since you can’t remember which shelf the cereal was on and be accused that you were hired by anti-cereal companies to fake being poisoned. Of course, sexual assault and cereal are very different, but the point is clear. Women who have been traumatized by men of power are held to impossibly high standards. Many claimed that the Kavanaugh trial was avoiding due process. Due process is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a course of formal proceedings (such as legal proceedings) carried out regularly and in accordance with established rules and principles.” Those arguing this standpoint should also be reminded that President Obama was denied due process when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Republicans decided that Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court was not valid because there would soon be a new president to make the decision. Trump hadn’t even been elected yet. This lack of due process started back in 2016. If we were arguing that Kavanaugh should be elected so due process isn’t violated, then why didn’t Obama get to follow through with his nomination? A nation’s leaders should reflect a nation’s ideals. Kavanaugh being appointed as a Supreme Court Judge hurts America’s image. In a world where America is already a laughing stock, we should have been building an image of justice, equality and democracy. Appointing Judge Kavanaugh reflects none of these ideals.
OPINION
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December 2018
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Fundraising for
FLORENCE
West students and staff aid in hurricane relief By n Marissa Detwiler n Staff Writer
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ind and rain barrel down on the residents of Wilmington, North Carolina with a sense of urgency and contempt. Streets become rivers, following the flood waters that brought ruin to each town they crossed. Locals scramble to follow evacuation orders; gathering belongings and checking in with family members, all while desperately searching for refuge. On Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, Hurricane Florence made landfall on the North and South Carolina coastlines, bringing flooding, record rainfall and overall destruction to coastal towns, including Wilmington. Despite being downgraded to a category one hurricane after making landfall, the storm left mass devastation in its wake, killing 53 people, as a result of factors such as high winds and flooding. On top of these losses, many affected towns have been left with excessive damages to buildings, schools and other public facilities necessary for a community’s success. After learning of the recent damages and hardships inflicted on communities so close to home, many local organizations and schools, including West Henderson High School, have resolved to aid in efforts to assist them. Through student-led organizations, like Sheepdog Club, as well as various staff-led fundraisers, endeavors to assist Florence’s victims have taken off. “Sheepdog Club did a Ramenolla,
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This is a time where we, as humans, need to be human. We need to show others that we care. There’s enough negative in the world. So, let’s add a little positive.
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Dana Braznell
Sheepdog Club Staff Sponsor
where we collected ramen noodles, water, and granola bars, as well as some school supplies that went down there to help out. We were also selling t-shirts and some of that money was going towards those efforts,” Dana Braznell, one of West Henderson’s Sheepdog Club staff sponsors, said. Furthermore, an ongoing competition between West Henderson’s staff and students will result in additional support from the high school. “The staff and students are having a competition to see who can the raise the most money. Our goal is at least a thousand dollars to be sent down there from West Henderson,” Braznell said.
After Hurricane Florence, Sheep Dog Impact Assistance volunteers distribute food collected during their Ramonella food drive, to North Carolina citizens affected by the storm. (Photo by WNC PhotograSheepdog Club)
By encouraging community members to participate in fundraisers like these, Braznell said a large difference can be made in terms of impacting the victims of Hurricane Florence. “The least you can do is think about them and say a prayer because they’ve lost everything,” Braznell said. “But at the same time, we’re so blessed, as a country, as a school and as a community that to give a dollar or to give anything can be so helpful.” Regardless of the fact that Hurricane Florence made a lighter landfall than originally predicted, the storm damaged thousands of communities throughout the state of North Carolina. In addition to the evacuation of over a million coastal residents, the hurricane destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes in a matter of days. The aftermath of catastrophic events, including Hurricane Florence, cannot be erased. However, additional support from local schools and communities undoubtedly reduces their countless effects, according to Braznell. Schools and other fundraising groups are tirelessly working across the nation to provide relief and support for the individuals who have been impacted by the storm. “This is a time where we, as humans, need to be human. We need to show others that we care,” Braznell said. “There’s enough negative in the world. So, let’s add a little positive.”
Florence Facts •The winds brought on by Florence, as a tropical storm, stretched for more than 335 miles, long enough to reach from New York to Toronto •There were 53 storm related fatalities •5,214 people and 1,067 animals were rescued and evacuated in the aftermath of the hurricane •Damage costs could fall anywhere between $10 and $60 billion •More than 25 million people faced the threat of the storm Source: CNN
RAIN Check
Hurricane Florence pushes back fall sports playoffs By n Amanda Jane Whiting and Marissa Detwiler n Staff Writers
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rill after drill, play after play, practice after practice. Student athletes across North Carolina endured hours of labor-intensive workouts. Sore and exhausted, players pushed themselves to be stronger and improve their abilities in time for playoffs. Despite their hard work, the students were met with disappointing news. Their final games had been postponed or canceled, due to inclimate weather. In addition to the devastation faced by coastal communities throughout North and South Carolina, Hurricane Florence left massive impacts on numerous high school athletic schedules. Months before final games and meets, students spent countless practices solidifying abilities. Now, the players are unsure of when, and if, they will be granted the opportunity to display their skills at all. Although many fall sports were impacted by Hurricane Florence, the storm affected football more than any other. In terms playoff scheduling, high school football games throughout Western North Carolina were either pushed back or canceled altogether. “All fall sports were slightly affected by the hurricane. Volleyball and men’s soccer were bumped ahead by just a few days. So there weren’t really major changes with those sports,” athletic director Jeff Smith
said. “But, the football schedule was bumped by about a week. The reason for this is that volleyball and soccer can play three games in a single week, meaning these sports can make up multiple games in one week, whereas football players are limited to just one game each week.” West Henderson’s football team, however, was not affected by the schedule changes nearly as much as other schools in Western North Carolina. Compared to local high schools, such as Hendersonville and North Buncombe, West’s football season was short-lived. Conversely, nearby teams that made the playoffs were granted an additional week to practice and prepare for upcoming games. “It didn’t have a huge impact on West, simply because what we consider minor sports were only pushed back a few days,” Smith said. “At this time of the year, extra practices are not necessary. However, the additional time is helpful in the sense that it gives athletes time to rest a little bit before the playoffs start.” According to Smith, most local high schools were unaware if their teams had made the cut for regional playoffs. In turn, this realization caused athletic directors to question the importance and continuation of after-school practices. “They don’t even know if they are getting in the playoffs or not. It is fully up
West Brunswick football players Patrick Vereen and Hunter Younts huddle with other players to discuss the upcoming plays. (photo from West Brunswick High School)
to their coaches to decide if they want to practice or not in the time leading up to the games. Some of these teams have spent two weeks not knowing if they are going to the playoffs, or if they should even hold practices,” Smith said. “ We have all of these student-athletes that are trying to start winter sports, but I don’t know if I’m done with fall sports yet.” Other regions of the state, including the majority of Eastern North Carolina, are struggling to recuperate from the storm in any way, much less manage a new high school athletic schedule. “To experience a natural disaster of that magnitude leaves an indelible mark on you forever. You’ll always remember it,” Hendersonville High’s athletic director Eric Gash said. “I’m really thankful that it didn’t have more of an impact on us up here. We pray for our brothers and sisters down east. Thankfully, they’re getting back to normal. Most schools, sports and businesses are finally getting back in their usual groove.” Despite these tribulations, most high schools have plans to finish off fall sports and push forward into the winter season. According to Gash, Hendersonville High School will likely compete in playoffs
during Thanksgiving break, which could pose additional problems for his players. “The changes are really pushing things back. The biggest impact, and it really depends on whether we make it to the second round, would be the playoffs taking place over Thanksgiving break. Whereas last year, Thanksgiving occurred in the third round of the playoffs, so that would call for some adjustments,” Gash said. “If the spectators and players have plans with their families, then that could change and impact things as well.” While the schedule changes have presented many issues to players and coaches, local athletic directors and coaches said they have ultimately chosen to remain positive through their thoughts, actions, and words. “I wouldn’t want to dwell too much on the negative aspect of it,” Gash said. “Instead, focus on the positive, which is that you have the opportunity to get an extra week to improve, an extra week to heal up. We understand that things happen and I think one of the greatest impacts is the willingness of the schools, as well as the western part of the state, to help out the east, and the people who were affected more than we were.”
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Drawing Line the
Midterm election includes new amendments and gerrymandering issues By n Evan O’Donnell n News Editor
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n a late night session of the North Carolina General Assembly, six new amendments were drafted. Those six amendments were an income tax cap, Marsy’s Law, hunting and fishing laws, selections for judicial vacancies, a bipartisan state board of ethics and elections enforcement and voter ID laws. The current income tax cap is at 10 percent, but the new amendment would lower the tax cap to 7 percent for personal and corporate taxes. The tax cap was pushed by the political advocacy group Americans for Prosperity in 2017. The original goal of the tax cap was 5.5 percent, but it was negotiated up to 7 percent in the North Carolina Senate. If the amendment is approved by voters, not much would change at the moment. The current tax rate for personal incomes is 5.5 percent, but it is expected to drop to 5.25 percent next year. The corporate tax rate is 3 percent, and will drop to 2.5 percent in January. Marsy’s Law, or the California Victims’ Bill of Rights Act of 2008, is a law passed to expand the rights of crime victims. The bill originated in California as an amendment to the state’s constitution. It includes 17 new rights in the judicial process, including the right to be informed of these new rights as a type of Miranda Rights for victims. There is one issue with this law though. Victim rights and defendant rights are fundamentally different, and comparing them is a fallacy. Defendant rights are rights against the state, and victim rights are rights against an individual. In framing a trial as a criminal against a victim, rather than a defendant against the state, many people worry that it could lead to unforeseen consequences in North Carolina. The third issue being voted on is whether or not hunting and fishing protection should be added to the state constitution. There hasn’t been much debate on this, mostly because it has never been an issue in the state’s history. This was thrown in with the other five amendments in the late night drafting session. The fourth amendment is a bill that would allow the North Carolina Congress to fill judicial vacancies with judges of their choice without the approval of the Governor of North Carolina. The purpose of the bill is to ensure
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With the voter ID laws they’re trying to decide who can and cannot vote, and people know this. Oh, and the tax cap. 7 percent won’t be enough during a natural disaster. They’re trying to pass laws to supercede the federal government.
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Brian Brewer
History Teacher at West Henderson High that North Carolina always has a full Supreme Court to stop ties in the judicial process. Those against the bill argue that it could threaten the balance of power in the North Carolina State Government. The bill gives full control of the selection of the North Carolina Supreme Court Justices to the NC General Assembly, a power previously shared between the congress and the governor. This would give the ruling party full control of the selection process, and allow for fewer nonpartisan justices to be on the court: the only branch of government designed to be free from partisan politics. Some of the notable opposers of this amendment are the previous governors of the state. The bipartisan board of ethics and elections enforcement amendment was a bill with the intent of giving the NC General Asembly the power to choose who goes on the board of elections. This is a power that currently belongs to the governor, and those against the bill say that its only purpose is to weaken the power of Gov. Roy Cooper, more than it already has been. The biggest and most controversial of the bills was voter ID. Voter ID is not a new topic of discussion in the United States. Many states already have voter ID laws. In fact, 34 out of the 50 states do. These ID laws range in
their strictness, and in which IDs count as voter IDs. The IDs that count for voting are where many complain. The ID laws only started to come into effect after a 2013 US Supreme Court case with a 5-4 decision to strike down an important part of the Voting Rights Act, and give the states less federal oversight in their elections. Voter ID was first introduced to North Carolina in 2015. In 2017 it was promptly shut down by the US Supreme Court as unconstitutional; the US Supreme Court stated that it was an effort to “target African-Americans with almost surgical precision.” Five parts of this law were struck down: the voter ID requirement, the change in early voting from 17 days to 10 days, the elimination of same-day-registration, the elimination of pre-registration and a ban on recounting votes cast in the wrong precinct. After this victory in the courts, many civil rights groups rejoiced, with a spokesperson from the ACLU, Dale Ho, going so far as to say “An ugly chapter in voter suppression is finally closing.” Others believe that we need to follow in the steps of other states, and enact voter ID as soon as possible. Believing that it is paramount to our democracy to prevent fraud, and that the ends make the means worth it. “I think that it is an important law to keep illegal citizens from voting,” Lacey Cagle, a senior at West Henderson High School who is pro voter ID, said. The voter ID law made a resurgence in the 2018 election, being the target of many complaints about the amendments. Many across the state accuse the bill of not being for its stated intent to stop election fraud, and rather be for a much more nefarious purpose. “Voter ID disenfranchises minorities and makes it more difficult for young people to vote,” Prestin Ryan, a senior at West against the voter ID amendment, said. Now that the election is over, the results are important to go over. Out of the six amendments, four passed. The hunting and fishing law, income tax cap, Marsy’s law and voter ID passed, while the bipartisan state board of ethics and election enforcement and the judicial vacancies bill failed. The judicial vacancies bill received the fewest votes, with only 33 percent of the population voting for it. Marsy’s Law received the most, with 62percent
voting for it. Marsy’s Law received the most, with 62 percent of North Carolinians voting for it. The most controversial was the voter ID law, only passing with 56 percent of voters voting in favor of it.
Gerrymandering returns to NC On Aug. 27, 2018, a court of North Carolina judges declared the new map drawn by Republican lawmakers was unfairly giving an advantage to Republican voters over Democratic voters. This process is known as gerrymandering, and is unconstitutional in the United States. The term “gerrymander” was first used by the Boston Gazette on March 26, 1812, as a reaction to the redrawing of the Massachusetts state senate districts in order to help the the governor, Elbridge Gerry, and the Democratic-Republican Party maintain control of the state. One of the districts in Boston was said to resemble a salamander. The combination of Gov. Gerry’s name and the word salamander resulted in the word gerrymander. The district was won by his party, but the Federalist party regained control of the state, costing Gerry his job. The state of North Carolina has a long history of gerrymandering, but it hasn’t been the entire state. It started with the 12th district. In 1992, the 12th district was erected in order to satisfy the demands of the Supreme Court. Although partisan politics played a role in the creation of this district, it was mostly the Voting Rights Act. The Voting Rights Act made it illegal to gerrymander districts in order to deny minorities a voice in politics. In
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Gerrymandering has been happening for a long time, and both Republicans and Democrats have taken advantage of it. However, the gerrymandering here in the 11th district, as well as the 12th district in North Carolina, have been determined to be unconstitutional by the courts.
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Phillip Price
Former DNC Candidate for NC D11 1991 the percent of black voters in North Carolina was 22 percent, but there was only one district in the entire state that had a sizable minority population, meaning 8 percent of the district. The Democrats in charge of the state at the time used early computer technology to design the “perfect district.” And thus the 12th Congressional District was born. The Wall Street Journal went so far as to describe the district as “political pornography.” The district stretched
(photo by Chloe Eidt)
165 miles across the state, from Charlotte to WinstonSalem, and at some points was as thin as an interstate highway. The 12th Congressional District quickly became the most famous district in the country for being a prime example of gerrymandering on both sides of the political spectrum. While the intent of the 12th Congressional District was to give minorities a voice, it quickly strayed from its original purpose. When the North Carolina Republicans regained control of the house, the district was extended to include more areas of the state containing Democrats, becoming one of the most packed districts in the nation. The district pacing was most clearly shown in the 2016 redistricting of the 12th district. The district went from being a majority minority district to being only 30 percent minority. The redistricting brought the number of districts with a minority represented back down to only one. All of this is coming from the fallout of the US Supreme Court case Shelby County v. Holder. In 2013, Shelby County, Alabama filed a lawsuit in the district court looking to declare section 5 and 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act unconstitutional. The argument was that they were no longer necessary and unconstitutional. “Whenever a State or political subdivision with respect to which the prohibitions set forth in section 4(a) are in effect shall enact or seek to administer any voting qualifications or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure with respect to voting different from that in force or effect on November 1, 1964, such State or subdivision may institute an action in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for a declaratory judgment that such qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure does not have the purpose and will not have the effect of denying or abridging the right to vote on account of race or color, and unless and until the court enters such judgment no person shall be denied the right to vote for failure to comply with
such qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure: Provided, That such qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure may be enforced without such proceeding if the qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure has been submitted by the chief legal officer or the appropriated official of such State or subdivision to the Attorney General and the Attorney General has not interposed an objection within sixty days after such submission, except that neither the Attorney General’s failure to object nor a declaratory judgment entered under this section shall bar a subsequent action to enjoin enforcement of such qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure. Any action under this section shall be heard and determined by a court of three judges in accordance with the provisions of section 2284 of title 28 of the United States Code and any appeal shall lie to the Supreme Court,” according to Section five of the Voting Rights Act of 1964 Section five of the Voting Rights Act gave additional federal oversight to several states and counties across the nation which had a history of voter suppression. The states fully subject to federal supervision were Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. Certain counties and townships in California, Florida, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina and South Dakota were subject to federal oversight as well. Now, with no laws to stop them, the NC GOP chose to use the heavily gerrymandered 2016 map, which by all means is still unconstitutional, in the 2018 Midterm election. Like many other heavily gerrymandered states, the election went exactly as it was expected to. The GOP won 10 seats in North Carolina, while the DNC only won 3, or 23.1 percent of the congressional districts. This was in spite of the fact that Democrats won 48.4 percent of the popular vote in the state. Despite the court orders to change, the North Carolina state government chose to slant the odds heavily in their favor.
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Effects of Gerrymandering Will you be of voting age by 11-6? No Yes
Foreign ex-
Popular Vote 48.43%
1.23%
50.34%
Yes
Districts Won 3
Is it important to vote? No
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By District
Democrat Republican
District One: 68.9% 31.1%
District Two:
District Five:
Independent
42.8% 57.2%
District 10:
District Six:
40.7% 49.3%
45.7% 2.9% 51.4%
43.4% 56.6%
District Seven:
District 11:
District Three:
43.7% 1.6% 55.7%
District 12:
100%
District Eight: 44.6% 55.4%
38.7% 2.0% 59.3%
73.0% 27.0%
District Four: District Nine: District 13: 72.3% 3.6% 24.1% 45.5% 2.9% 51.6% 48.8% 1.8% 49.4%
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What influences your vote? Media Friends Family Religion Other
Stand. By n Emily Mertz
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Players kneeling, advocates marching, protestors chanting – all across America, people are excercising their First Amendment right to protest. Locally, the sound of shrieking whistles rang through the air in Downtown Asheville in an attempt to cover up the negative shouting from people protesting the Pride Marchers and everything they stand for. They intended to protest in peace but even that was impossible in a time like this. Everywhere they looked, they saw faces filled with anger and there was an inability to understand what was being protested on the other side. Only hours away, the streets of Charlottesville were filled with angry protesters from both sides, burning everything in sight. If each side understood each situation in depth, there would be a deeper understanding of where they were coming from. Violence and agony could have been prevented, as well as the arresting of protesters from both sides. That, however, has not been the case. “This year there were protesters at the Pride March protesting against gay people and a bunch of people stuck around them and blew whistles, including me,” sophomore Theo Sherman said. “We did it in order to drown out what they were saying so the people there marching that didn’t like the protesters could still feel protected.”
(Photo from pxhere.com)
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Several West Henderson students were present at the recent Pride march in Downtown Asheville. They were able to witness people who were protesting the march, as well as the people participating in it. Some said they were worried about how this would affect newcomers to the march. “I was worried about all the people who were there for the first time. I felt worried that they were going to leave and not feel welcome back,” Sherman said. “People were saying that what we were doing is against God and that we’re going to hell.” The face of protesting has changed over the course of the past year. What was once small showings in isolated areas of the country has grown exponentially. There is anger built up toward the other side of each protest and some individuals take things to the extreme when they become violent. “Protesting in the Constitution has set rules such as there needs to be a time and place to do it,” Sherman said. “You can’t just randomly do it. You shouldn’t be trying to actively hurt people for protesting. You have to peacefully protest and sometimes people don’t understand that fact.” Protesting is a frequent occurrence in the world today, both in the U.S. and outside of it. At the end of the day, people want their needs and wants met and their opinion and thoughts to be heard, whether it is by kneeling on the sidelines of the football field or marching on the streets of Washington. “Protesting is a way that people feel they can get their point across to both local government as well as the federal government,” senior Shylee Stocks said. “People turn to the protesting to show the government the changes that they want to see in our society.” According to the United States Constitution, people have the right to “peacefully assemble.” While the majority of protests are peaceful, there are many that are not peaceful at all. Violent protests tend to get more attention, with them there comes a backlash. Violent protests cause chaos in the streets, and the majority of people become nervous and fearful. “When protesting is peaceful it can be a great tool. However, when you violently protest, not only are you putting yourself in danger but other protesters and the other civilians as well,” senior Shylee Stocks said. “People won’t listen to you if you turn things violent. There are so many alternatives to where you don’t need to violently protest.” Over the past year, protesting itself has changed significantly, the most significant change caused by the Nike ad featuring Colin Kaepernick. When some people saw and heard about the ad, they began to burn their Nike apparel. They felt that Nike was showing that it sided with a man who led players in kneeling during the National Anthem. “Kneeling during the National Anthem is very disrespectful. This is your country. You can have your
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When protesting is peaceful it can be a great tool. However, when you violently protest, not only are you putting yourself in danger but other protesters and the other civilians as well. People won’t listen to you if you turn things violent. There are so many alternatives to where you don’t need to violently protest.
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Shylee Stocks Senior
During a 2015 protest in Baltimore a women fled the scene as fires were being set ablaze and police officers were attempting to enforce a curefew. (Photo from Flickr)
own opinion. That’s fine,” Stocks said. “You just don’t need to be disrespectful to our flag as well as those who have fought for us to live with the freedom that we have.” While there are some people who believe kneeling during the National Anthem is disrespectful, others see it as something that is needed to raise awareness to important issues. “I think that people should be allowed to kneel. It’s freedom and they are not disrespecting the armed forces at all,” senior Sumer Dupree said. “They are just taking a stand for what they think is right. Any
other time nobody would fight them over that,it’s their choice and we should let them be.” Though it is now a frequent occurrence, protesting is a very controversial topic. While some see protests as overreactions, others see it as something that must be done in order to get the attention of others and to get their point across. “Protesting is very important. Without it the government would have no real idea what it is that the people want,” Sherman said. “As long as it’s peaceful, and people have a time as well as a place to do it, then it’s a something that everyone should be able to do.”
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Fresh from our garden to yours
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December 2018
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The
FINAL Straw
Environmental movement gains momentum with restaurants in the Asheville area By n Annabelle Murray n Opinion Editor
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he video that sparked the largest environmental issue of 2018 featured an unlikely subject: a sea turtle. A camera pans down to show the animal, clearly in distress. A person with pliers is shown pulling a long object out of the turtle’s nose. The culprit: a plastic straw. A marine biologist recorded the video in August of 2015, unaware of the massive effect it would have on the conversation surrounding the subject of plastic straws and their necessity. In the years since this video came on the scene, there has been a worldwide push to increase awareness of plastic’s effects on the environment—especially straws. Multiple cities across the country have
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(photo by Abby Jackson)
put laws and bans in place in an effort to reduce single-use plastics from entering the oceans and harming animals. The city of Santa Barbara, for example, voted on a ban that would have punished restaurant workers with up to six months of jail time for giving out a disposable plastic straw. Even before the famed turtle video, fourth grader Milo Cress contributed to the start of the straw debate. At only nine years old, after questioning the necessity of plastic straws, he set out to calculate just how many plastic straws the United States goes through each day. The nineyear-old called distributors and came up with the shocking number - 500 million. Per day. In the United States alone. He gained a tremendous amount of attention after discovering this statistic, and has had many large news sources report on his findings. The New York Times credited him with the very start of the straw debate. After lots of concern due to his statistical evidence, Milo started a campaign called “Be Straw Free.” This foundation raises awareness of the impact of straws, and continues to campaign for a plastic straw-free world, promoting zero-waste events, and ideas on how to make a difference in a person’s respective community. Since then, many more organizations have been founded to support the cause. However, with much support also comes resistance. Opposers to the straw debate argue that the majority of ocean waste does not even come from advanced countries such as the United States, but from less environmentally regulated countries, such as China and Indonesia. Many believe reducing plastic use—or even more specifically straws, will therefore not even make a large impact on the United States contribution to ocean waste, and that it is not an urgent issue. A study published in 2017 by The Environment Science & Technology Journal found that 90 percent of the plastic debris found in the world’s oceans is dumped there by just ten of the world’s rivers’ showing that the United States is not contributing a large amount of plastic at all. Another downfall of the plastic straw debate is its exclusivity. Although the bans on plastic products benefit the environ-
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lives. The plastic, bendable straw came about in 1930, after inventor Joseph Friedman watched his daughter struggling to drink a milkshake with a paper straw. This new invention opened up opportunities for hospitals, as some patients could not easily access beverages lying down. In the following years, the plastic straw grew into a worldwide phenomenon, present in almost every restaurant, cafe, and fast-food spot in the nation. With the new growth and accessibility, the number of straws used began to increase rapidly. Americans now use 500 million plastics straws a day. Although this statistic seems overwhelming, compared to the amount of overall plastic being n tossed into trash cans each day, it is only a Junior small fraction. The problem surrounding plastics is centered around the longevity of the material: plastic never fully decomposes. Even after 500 years of breaking down, there are still microscopic particles remaining from a piece of plastic. Fish and other animals ingest these pieces in their food or water supply, and may contract health issues. Humans consuming these animals absorb the plastic into their bodies, providing for a very vicious cycle. “The biggest problem with plastic is that it doesn’t biodegrade, and our society is built around single use plastic,” AP Biology teacher Kathleen Abraham said. Many ask: why focus on straws and not all plastics? Due to their small size and insignificant weight, as well as the material they are made of, straws are unable to be recycled as frequently as other single-use goods. Another aspect that makes straws attractive for reducing waste is their sole (photo by Julia Perrotta) purpose: to make drinking easier and more convenient. For most of the population, using a straw is not a necessity, but a The first straw ever recorded was convenience. a long, thin metal tube used over five Although straws may seem like a small thousand years ago by the Sumerians. It piece of everyday trash, they are the 11th became a regular tool used to help drink most found piece of ocean waste. Each fermented beer. Although they emerged year, one million seabirds and 100,000 from humble beginnings, straws quickly marine animals die from ingesting plastic. spread to the rest of the world. “I try to not use straws at all; however, This fascinating new invention led I tend to use paper straws more often than Marvin Stone to make the first patented plastic. Paper straws are okay, but if they paper straw in 1888, by gluing strips of are left in a drink for too long they can paper around a pencil. This was created become soggy. I would rather go strawless after wanting to help make straws more because I do not really use them anyway,” accessible to Americans with on-the-go
It would be more beneficial if the majority of people gave up plastic straws and switched to paper, but to look on the bright side, even the smallest attempt to save our environment can help in the long run.
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ment and animals, they exclude the disabled community. People with disabilities rely on single-use plastic products to help them in their daily lives. Some are unable to lift drinks to their mouths, while others cannot drink through an alternative straw. With plastic bans growing rapidly, it is becoming more and more difficult for people that need access to these products to get to them. With all of the attention surrounding this simple everyday object, it is easy to wonder how straws came to be.
Aleigha Kozlik
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said Aleigha Kozlik, junior. By raising awareness of the impact of one small decision, citizens can feel empowered, even if they are only making a small choice in their life to help the environment. Everyone working together to reduce plastic waste turns one small significant change into real improvement. Many businesses have begun to realize the impact plastic straws has on the earth, and have made the change to “compostable” straws. These straws do not break down under normal landfull conditions, and must be sent to special facilities in order to properly decompose. Therefore, these straws end up being just as harmful to the oceans as plastic. Paper straws provide convenience, as well as being much more friendly to the environment, and marine animals. Paper breaks down easily, and can biodegrade, therefore eliminating all issues surround-
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Although we are only one small piece of the worldwide issue of plastic waste, I believe that every effort possible positively impacts the planet, and that in order to preserve our world, we must all acknowledge our influence.
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Bryan Ray
Server at Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack ing plastic straws, as well as compostable alternatives. Alternative straw companies have been few and far between for years, but because of the recent attention, many have arisen within the recent past. Aardvark Straws, the first paper straw company in the United States had a 5,000 percent increase in sales in 2017. Because of the huge demand for their products, Aardvark is being forced to build more straw-making machines. Strawsome, a Detroit-based glass straw manufacturer has had more sales in the first quarter of 2018 as the entire 2015 year. A huge reason behind the straw boom is social media’s influence. As part of an initiative to raise awareness of plastic straws, environmental organization The Lonely Whale has started
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the hashtag #StopSucking. On their website, they have a pledge against straws, encouraging people to take a photo and caption it with the hashtag. This not only spreads the cause, but also engages people in an interesting way. “I have heard a lot about the straw issue from social media. Hashtags help to highlight trends in society, and I think it’s really cool that this is a new way for people to make a difference. Social media is also useful to learn about current happenings, such as the news that Starbucks will replace plastic straws by 2020,” said Nelly Balazs, grade 11. Even locally there have been efforts to make more citizens aware of the straw issue. There have been multiple petitions made by Asheville residents to try to spread the word, and even attract attention from city council. Internationally, there is also major attention on the straw debate. Recently, Starbucks, the leading national coffee chain has pledged to eliminate plastic straws globally by 2020. McDonalds has announced they will stop carrying straws at all in Ireland and the U.K. locations. Alaska Airlines will phase out both plastic straws and stirrers. These actions from large corporations have received backlash; people argue that straws are only a tiny portion of plastic waste used, and these businesses should instead focus on all single-use plastics in order to eliminat the root of the problem. “It would be more beneficial if the majority of people gave up plastic straws and switched to paper, but to look on the bright side even the smallest attempt to save our environment can help in the long run,” Kozlik said. Straws make up only .025 percent of all ocean trash, making opposers arguments all the more valid. However, some believe that even small actions have the power to create change. “I applaud any efforts to re-think disposable plastics, and find ways to reduce the environmental impact of plastic,” Abraham said. Another subject of criticism is that large companies are trying to appear more environmentally friendly as a PR stunt, and an opportunity to gain press and boost sales. Locally, many restaurants have followed the lead of these corporations, and adopted the use of paper straw alternatives. “My family owns a vegan restaurant, so some environmentally-concerned customers do not use anything made with plastic – let alone plastic straws. Therefore, we have a selection of paper straws or plastic straws depending on the customer’s preference,” Kozlik said. A few businesses in the Asheville area that have switched over to paper include Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack, Asheville Piz-
(photo by Annabelle Murray)
za Company, Brixx Pizza, and Bouchon. The customer response has been positive. “Nobody has complained about the new straws at all yet, and we’ve had them in use for a couple of months. I think people appreciate our efforts as a restaurant to reduce the amount of plastic waste we are creating. Even though these straws may not be as convenient as the plastic alternative, I believe it is well-worth it for the benefit of the animals and the environment,” server Bryan Ray at Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack said. Citizens from all across the world have come together to try to preserve the
well being of the oceans and environment as a whole. Although seemingly small, the decrease of plastic straw usage can help to protect the future of our earth. “Although we are only a small part of the worldwide issue of plastic waste, I believe that every effort possible positively impacts the planet, and that in order to preserve our world, we must all acknowledge our influence. I am really glad that we have started carrying paper straws as an alternative to plastic. I feel good about people using these, and it’s such an easy change that can impact the earth in such a huge way,” Ray said.
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BEARING DOWN
Growing black bear population causes concerns in community
By n Mia McCall n Feature Writer
A
ttention West Henderson students, we are now entering a code yellow due to a bear seen near campus,” principal Shannon Auten said over the intercom on Oct. 18. As rare of an event as this was, the reason for the lockdown was even more unusual. “I believe the bear population throughout the past few years has grown. We have definitely received quite a few more calls,” Master Wildlife Officer Carson Rogers said. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and local biologists have been discussing the possible causes for this increase. “We discussed with some of the biologists [during the] last meeting we had. They were saying a lot of population growth has to do with the mass crop this year. There was a lot more available to eat in the woods. It seems to have grown from what it used to be.” Rogers said. As human population and migration into Western North Carolina continues to increase, urban areas
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increase as well. As bears’ habitats continue to decrease, they have no choice but to move, causing them to appear in neighborhoods and public places more often. “I don’t believe bears are increasing their habitat. I think it’s more people decreasing the bear’s habitat by building here and there. The bears were there first,” Rogers said. When a cub gets old enough, it will leave its mother and start the search for new land to create its own family. Often a bear will look for the same prime area of flat land that people do, making it more difficult for bears to find and claim this territory. With bears producing more offspring, they are requiring more living space; however, this is not being provided to them. Black bears are very adaptable animals. While some wildlife are fearful of humans and tend to keep their distance, bears generally don’t have an instinctive fear of civilization. “Many animals can’t take it, but
bears are actually okay with living in a close proximity to people,” Rogers said. In the past, bears have not been known to be very aggressive animals, but that may be changing. Within the past five months alone there have been at least three cases of a bear having negative contact with a human, although one of these incidents was caused by humans feeding the bears. Any wildlife creature getting too comfortable in the presence of humans can put the animal and the civilians in immediate danger. “A lot of times you may get a bear that is a lot more inclined to be aggressive than other bears, just like you may have some people in school more inclined to be a bully,” Rogers said. Population control with bears is different than with other creatures. Bears are much larger than anything they prey on, as well as more defensive and tougher than typical forest animals. With these factors in mind, bear population is much harder to
maintain. Hunting is something that can greatly help regulate these numbers. “Hunting is actually a very good, very useful tool and a very useful method of controlling populations when it can be done the right way as far as dealing with bears,” Rogers said. Because of hunting laws in North Carolina, bear hunters can only harvest one bear per year. Oftentimes bears are killed for their meat and their fur. Rogers believes that if hunters were allowed more bears per year, the population inreases would not be as much of an issue. Some students at West take advantage of their oppurtuity to hunt black bears. “When hunting I pick out a good weapon that won’t make the bear suffer when I do shoot it, and after that I do the best I can to make it as ethical as possible,” Ethan McMinn, a sophomore who hunts bears said. Although bears are typically laid back animals, safety measures are still required when dealing with them. “If you’re near a bear just talk to it. Maybe clap your hands. Make some noise. Most of the time the bear has no desire to have contact with people. They just want to be left alone and they want to do their own thing,” Rogers said. In order to keep bear and human populations safe, the two must learn how to coexist with one another. Urban sprawl is alredy pushing bears closer to homes, and humans must understand that any food, trash, bird seed or smells will further attract bears into developed areas. “We obviously cannot educate the bears, so we are going to have to point the education toward the people about how to live around bears, what to do with garbage, waste, table scraps and things of that nature. Most of it’s going to boil down to education and experience.” Rogers said.
“
It all started out when a couple of our neighborhood friends told us that there’s a bear in the neighborhood. I didn’t take it seriously because I thought it was kind of dumb, like maybe they had seen a large dog running around and they thought it was a bear. It went on for a few more days. Then other neighbors started to mention a bear in the neighborhood, but I still didn’t really care because what’s a bear going to do in a residential neighborhood? Then I wake up one morning and I look outside and see that both of the bird feeders we hang up are torn down. all the seed was gone and a lot of the bark from the tree had been like peeled off. That’s when I started to get a bit paranoid. We set up a trail camera in our backyard but so far we haven’t gotten anything.
” n
Thomas Southern
Senior
(Photo from pixnio.com)
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TAKE THE REINS Tryon hosts 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games By n Lauren Mullis n Feature Editor The Tryon International Equestrian Center recently hosted one of the biggest events in the equestrian sport, the 2018 Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Equestrian Games. Held every four years in the middle of the Olympic cycle, the World Equestrian Games took over Mills Spring, North Carolina from Sep. 11 to Sep. 23. With all seven principles performed and almost 70 different countries represented, the World Equestrian Games was expected to draw in a crowd of 500,000 or more. Having been hosted in such a small town, this event had the potential to be the largest sporting event in North Carolina history with over $400 million dollars of projected economic impact. The opening ceremony was held on the evening of Sep. 11 with performances by various music artists such as Grammy nominee Hunter Hayes and local country star Joe Lasher. Following this ceremony, anywhere from two to four events were judged each day with a few cancellations due to the weather brought in by Hurricane
Florence. Although the overcast weather deterred some people from attending the games, others, such as sophomore Kaiya Mann, weren’t inhibited by the rain. Mann attended the cross country and reining events on Saturday, Sep. 15. “Cross country is an event where you’re out in the open and you’re jumping over solid obtstacles. You have to go through water and woods, which tests your horse’s trust and how well of an all-around rider you are,” Mann said. “Reining involves a different type of saddle and the riders are judged on how far their horse slides when they are asked to stop.” Mann is an equestrian herself, which was the motivation behind her interest in the event and lead her to attend the games with her family.
(Photo by Lisa Goodlett) (Photo by Kimberlyn Beaudoin)
“I compete in cross country with my horse, so that was probably my favorite event to watch,” Mann said. “When I watched reining, it was so different because I don’t participate in this myself, like I do cross country. In the events that I participate in, it’s always super quiet and people don’t talk so that the riders are focused but in reining everyone was wild and excited.” Attending the games as an equestrian allowed Mann to view the riders and events in a different way. Having experienced some of the setbacks and challenges that the riders did, Mann was able to empathize with those participating and learn from what she saw. “I learned after watching the events that everybody makes mistakes and that everyone is human,” Mann said. “It made me realize that maybe I could do that one one day if I work hard enough because I can see that I’m making some of the same mistakes that they are.” A lot of pressure is put on those who participate in the World Equestrian Games, as those who did well at this major event had the potential to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. “I think a lot of training and practice goes into participating in an event this big. The riders definitely have
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(Photo by Lisa Goodlett)
to train every day to build up that speed and endurance,” Mann said. “I think that the stress levels and pressure involved is just a risk that you know you’re going to have to take just like athletes would with any other sport.” Not only did the equestrians have to prepare for these events, but the Tryon Equestrian Center also had to prepare to host an event this large. A new ring was built for the occasion, which some argue will never be used after the event is over due to their prediction that Tryon will never host an event this big again. Junior Keegan Owens attended the World Equestrian Games on Saturday, Sep. 22 after hearing about the event from a relative who helped with the construction. “Our decision to go was very last minute,” Owens said. “I went with my sister and her roomate who were both home from college. My brother-in-law had been telling us to check it out for a while because he helped work on some of the buildings surrounding it, so we finally decided to go.” Owens watched para-dressage, which is an event for paraplegic riders where those participating are judged on their horse’s obedience and discipline. This event was Owens’ first experience watching equestrians, and she said she was surprised to see how her expectations differed from reality. “It was really different from any other event that I had been to, it was super cool to see a bunch of different cultures all in one place,” Owens said. “I think that I expected it to be more chaotic and exciting,
but it was more sophisticated and there were lots of vendors everywhere. It was also way bigger than I was expecting.” Owens also noticed a difference between sections at the event. “The section with the vendors was pretty chaotic, they had tents everywhere trying to sell horse related things and give you free stuff,” Owens said. “But then we walked into the arena and it was totally different, it was super nice and calm. There were people announcing the horses and all of the people were focused on the events.” Although the event was far from what Owens expected, she said the experience that the World Equestrian Games provided a lot to take away and learn from. “I learned a lot more about what it takes to ride horses and how you can specialize in different things,” Owens said. “I learned that there are events for disabled people and that they do really well and put on a great show despite the challenges they face.” Like Owens, Mann had much to take away from the event and left Tryon with a different perspective on the equestrian sport. “I’m already planning on continuing my horseback riding career but I learned that most of the riders at these events have been with their current horse for a long time,” Mann said. “With my horse being so new, I know it’s going to take me a while to get to that level but I’m willing to put in the work. I just have to remember to keep a positive mindset even when it feels like I’m taking one step forward and two steps backward.”
(Photo by Lisa Goodlett)
FEATURE n December 2018
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STUDENT to SENATOR West graduate wins state senate seat in Raleigh By n Bartel Van Oostendorp
W
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Print Editor-in-Chief
est graduate Sam Searcy stood on Nov. 6 surrounded by 200 people all anxiously awaiting the news they had worked and stressed over for a year. Over the wave of sound and shouts of victory, Searcy heard what he had been waiting for. Starting in 2019, Searcy would be the representative of NC Senate District 17, representing the 1.1 million people of Raleigh, North Carolina. “I was excited and then a bit overwhelmed by the moment,” Searcy said. “It’s surreal when something that you have worked on for over a year comes down to a single moment.” The results from Raleigh’s voting came in on Nov 6. and showed that Democratic challenger and West grad Sam Searcy had won the State Senate seat with a 50.4 percent majority. To win, Searcy had to defeat incumbent Republican Tamara Barringer who was running for her fourth consecutive term as senator of District 17 and won 46.5 percent of the votes. “I felt confident that we would win the election, but I was surprised by how much of a margin we won by. Nearly 5000 votes or 3.9 percent, this was a race we expected to be within one percentage point,” Searcy said. “Since election night I have been in transition mode. I’ve been meeting with local mayors of the district, policy groups and the Democratic Senate caucus in preparation for my swearing in on Jan. 9.” The fight between the Democrats and Republicans for Raleigh’s State Senatorial votes over the past six years has been a heavily contested one with the Republicans winning by narrow margins that grew increasingly narrow from election to election. Those eroding margins gave Searcy the hope for a party flip in Wake County. “You always want to run against someone who has a fairly bad record.
She has records of votes against funding for public schools. She voted to allow magistrates to refuse same sex couples in terms of marriages, and she came out and supported HB Two,” Searcy said. “So the best advantage you have when you’re a well-funded challenger is having an incumbent with a record that I can keep going after her. The challenge is that I don’t have a record.” Running for office is however, only the first challenge of the job. The rest of those challenges fall into carrying out plans the representatives have for their districts and representing their constituents. Searcy’s platform focused heavily on education reform, particularly on per-pupil spending, Medicaid expansion and the ending of partisan gerrymandering, which he said he plans to remain focused on since winning the election. “My time between family, business and politics remains siloed,” Searcy said. “I think the most important thing is to be present in the moment during whatever it is that you are working on. So when I’m working on senate matters, I am 100 percent focused on that. Same with business and family.” As with any new thing, Searcy doesn’t know what being a State Senator will be like. Searcy hasn’t had experience being in office before but runs Greybeard Distillery, an award winning vodka distillery in Durham, North Carolina. A busy career and a family with four kids means there is always something for him to do. “We’ll see if I find it enjoyable and feel like I’m able to make an impact,” Searcy said. “My gut tells me I probably would run for re-election two years from now if it was something I felt like I could contribute more by doing. But if I didn’t get elected, I have a full time job at the distillery. It’s just from one thing to another.”
Sam Searcy and Gov. Roy Cooper go door to door in a neighborhood to campaign for votes on Nov. 4. (Photo from Sam Searcy’s Facebook)
He said his decision to run for senate wasn’t a life long goal, but rather a reaction to the controversial legislation known as House Bill Two, or “The Bathroom Bill.” The bill, passed in 2016, resulted in the loss of potential jobs and millions of dollars for the state. “House Bill Two came out and business was cratering,” Searcy said. “I called up Patsy Keever who is now the head of the North Carolina Democratic Party and said, ‘Let’s have lunch; I want to pick your brain and see what you think I can do to help get this mess turned around.’ She mentioned that I should run for State Senate. And that’s what we’ve decided to do.” Searcy wasn’t only a winner on Nov. 6. As a West student, Searcy ran cross country on the team that ranked in the top 25 in the nation and
nearly won the state championship two years in a row. On top of cross country, Searcy also served as student body president and as an editor on the yearbook staff. “I really enjoyed my time at West. We just had such good educators. If a teacher could tell you were going through a rough period, they would ask questions like, ‘Are you okay?’ or ‘what’s going on?’” Searcy said. “West provided a very solid foundation for success, certainly in the future.” The hard work came through on election day for Searcy and district 17 can expect to see him on the ticket again in 2020. “The process overall is grueling. I wish we could shorten the American election cycle process,” Searcy said. “But we won by a comfortable margin and I feel we have a political mandate headed into session in 2019.”
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All Photos used with permission
What’s Hot?
Music Festivals
By n Kinsley Morgan n A&E Editor n Max Portugal n Feature Writer
With all the recent additions of songs and artists to the music scene, music festivals have been on the rise recently. Huge well known festivals, like Coachella and Bonnaroo have not only been attracting music lovers from all around but huge headlining artists. However, smaller events like Midtown Music in Atlanta, Georgia have also been gaining attention recently. With headliners like Post Malone and Imagine Dragons teamed with the overall festival atmosphere, it makes for a exciting overall experience. “ The atmosphere is really so cool, everyone around you is electric from the performer and it’s just something you don’t get over the radio,” junior Addison Hichman said. Whether you go to an extremely popular festival of hit producing artists or a local festival of starting bands, the experience of these events is something sure to please.
Riverdale Season 3 Since its release in 2017 the show Riverdale, an American teen drama has been an extremely popular series and it’s new season, highly anticipated. Riverdale is about the stories of those who live in the mysterious town of Riverdale after it had been turned upside down by the death of Jason Blossom. It’s first two seasons have gained a massive following, especially through the streaming of the series on Netlfix. Season two, ending in a massive cliff hanger concerning main character, Archie Andrews left fans wanting more. When the first episode was released on October,10 of 2018 the show saw a massive response. The appeal to a younger audience as well as a gripping story makes this show one to watch.
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Throwback Clothing With the growing interest of thrifting for high school students, the look that shoppers are going for has changed as well. Instead of looking for the newest,hottest clothing, throwback clothing has been the craze recently. Scrunchies, mom jeans and anything vintage in particular have been the focus of fashion. “I’ve been wearing mom jeans for three years. The comfort is really what appeals to me, I like how it looks and them being high waisted makes me feel more secure,” senior Valeka Ramekis said. Older brands like Champion and New Balance are now being sought after and have become the latest trend. The influence of fashion icons and celebrities has also made the trend more and more popular.
Youtubers: Emma Chamberlain In 2018 we have seen a rise in all social media platforms as well as their influencers. However, Youtube, though having been around since 2005, has recently seen a rise due to it’s new age influencers and exciting and quality content. One of the most popular “Youtubers” that has a following of over 5 million subscribers is sixteen year old Emma Chamberlain. Her humor teamed with her interesting content has made her a favorite and drawn many to Youtube. “I watch her videos all the time, she makes me laugh a lot and her videos are always something new and unexpected,” Allison Pierce said. Her strong social platforms make her unique and “unfiltered” content in high demand as well. The growth of certain Youtubers and their channels has made Youtube a prime source of entertainment especially among high schoolers.
SICK
FACTS:
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1.
A Star Is Born (Soundtrack) Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
Quavo Huncho Quavo
3. (All photos free for public use)
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2.
Tha Carter V Lil Wayne
“ I really like the music that’s out right now. It’s all really different and has a new type of sound that I’m into.” America Anderson, 10
Listen Up By n Kinsley Morgan n A&E Editor
On The Rise
A
s of right now, the hottest music charts have been dominated by new rap and hiphop artists. With the addition to the hype of popular rappers like Quavo and Lil Baby, but also the return of artist Lil Wayne, fans have been going crazy to get their hands on their new sound. Even though rap and hip-hop are on the rise, an unlikely collection of music holds the number one spot. Film soundtracks aren’t what you would expect to see ruling the charts. However, when you team famed artists like Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, their sound could do just that. “A Star is Born” album is the background to the new movie, “A Star is Born.” The highly praised film has drawn people to the box office resulting in record sales. Because of this, the album has also claimed high remarks by creating a sound that reaches most audiences with its pop-like style. We also see a trend in the music rising on the chart. Though they didn’t claim one of the top three spots, the mix of genres has something for everyones taste in music. On this chart we see popular voices like twenty one pilots and Drake, but there is also a debut album already in the top ten for new music. R&B Artist Ella Mai released her self-titled debut album and rests at number five on the chart. Her single “Boo’d Up” is what made her a popular addition to playlists.
Drip Harder / Lil Baby & Gunna
Ella Mai / Ella Mai
Scorpion / Drake
Trench / twenty one pilots
ASTROWORLD / Travis Scott A&E n December 2018
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the Rugby performs 20th junior musical By n Elise Trexler n Web Editor-in-Chief
T
he boy anxiously tapped his foot against his bedroom floor. His fingers shook as he awaited the result of his audition, which would be on the webpage any second. The contents of this list would determine his future for the next few
months. As his shaking finger tapped the refresh button for what seemed like the 30th time, the boy went silent: still in shock. The eighth line of the list read, “Shrek- Ryder Pond.” He had just landed the lead role. He had auditioned and hoped for the role of Shrek’s companion, Donkey. “Honestly, for the first second I was almost disappointed. Not because I got Shrek, but because I didn’t get the part I originally auditioned for,” eighth grader Ryder Pond said. “Once I realized I could do this, I think it really hit me that it was happening.” Rugby Middle School performed “Shrek Jr.,” their 20th junior musical, on Nov. 15, 16 and 17 at 7 p.m. in the West auditorium. The starring role of Shrek was played by Pond. Eighth grader Sarah Henby portrayed Princess Fiona, sixth grader A.J. Hernandez played Donkey and seventh grader Gage Filipovic played Lord Farquaad. Rugby’s theater teacher and musical director Heather Denton almost chose “Singin’ in the Rain” for the anniversary production, but said she was hesitant due to Hendersonville High’s recent production. She discovered “Shrek” in the process of looking for alternatives. “I heard the music (to “Shrek”) and I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, we have to do ‘Shrek,’” Denton said. “It’s so positive. It has such a positive message about being yourself and accepting the people around you for who they are, and not who you want them to be. I think that, especially at the middle school age, that is so important.” Rugby originally did not produce any plays, until Denton decided to perform a murder mystery musical in Rugby’s cafeteria in 1999. After that year, she began to produce junior musicals. With the exception of the third musical, the junior musicals have all been performed in
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the West auditorium. “We made such a mess (during the first year at West) that the second year at West, they didn’t want us back,” Denton said. “We had to have our third junior performance in the gym (at Rugby), where we had to rent the lights and the sound and everything.” Since it is the 20th anniversary of Rugby’s junior musicals, Denton decided to do something special involving anyone who has participated in a Rugby or West musical, past or present. Former and current students sent in letters or video statements about how theater has affected their lives. Before each show, a slideshow presentation was shown featuring all of the statements, including one from a former student who is now on Broadway. Senior Travis Pressley began his theater experience with Denton at Rugby. He said he tried a variety of sports and other extracurriculars, but he did not enjoy anything until he joined the cast of “Into the Woods” during his seventh grade year. “I was Cinderella’s father,” Pressley said. “I had one line, but it changed my entire life. It made me realize that I loved theater, and it’s what I want to do for the rest of my life. I looked forward to going to every rehearsal, and I just enjoyed being part of a family.” Denton’s musicals have made an impact on not only West students, but teachers as well. Dance teacher Elizabeth Creamer participated in Rugby’s first junior musical, “Annie.” “(“Annie”) really got the musical bug in me because I had only seen this stuff before. Watching it on stage and being in it are two completely different things,” Creamer said. “It was a lot of fun to see the shows, but then once I was in it, I was like, ‘This is what I want to do. I love this. I love performing, I love being onstage and I love seeing these other people being onstage too. (“Annie”) really set into motion where I was supposed to be later in life, and now I’m here.” Denton said one of her most challenging musicals to produce was “Beauty and the Beast.”
Seventh grader Gage Filipovic sings “What’s Up, Duloc?” for “Shrek Jr.” as Lord Farquaad during a dress rehearsal. (Photo by Elise Trexler)
“We fought like wildcats to get that show to go up. My husband, who is also a trained theater teacher, came to dress rehearsal, and he said, ‘Well, the costumes look good.’ I was absolutely prepared to cut the whole show the day before [we were supposed to perform],” Denton said. “Then opening night came, and we were just resigned. We were standing in the back of the auditorium how we usually do, and the first song came on, and we went, ‘Who are these children, and what aliens came and possessed these kids?’ It was amazing. It’s like theater magic happened. The theater gods were smiling down on us and blessed us with a good show. It was fantastic all three nights; it was perfect.” With the help of Denton, Rugby’s musicals have led to many careers in theater. The musicals usually sell out. Denton attributes the success to support from parents and teachers, but mostly her students and their confidence in performing. “Yes, you're still the most amazing students when you go to high school. But there's something that happens between middle school and high school where there’s a mental block that can happen when you're on stage, like if you don't want to be silly,” Denton said. “I feel like a lot of times in middle school, I'm able to be silly in my classes and with my cast. When they see me with that energy, and that silliness, and the willingness to just be out there, then that gives them permission to do that, which then translates to the stage. So I think they bring a lot of energy, where high schoolers can sometimes feel inhibited.”
“
Honestly, for the first second I was almost disappointed. Not because I got Shrek, but because I didn’t get the part I originally auditioned for. Once I realized I could do this, I think it really hit me that it was happening.
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Ryder Pond
Rugby student
Donkey, played by sixth grader AJ Hernandez (left), and Shrek, played by eighth grader Ryder Pond (right) meet for the first time during a dress rehearsal. (Photo by Elise Trexler)
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B a rber Sho n i a M t s e p W 78 West Main Street, Brevard, NC 28712
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A complete line of antiques & collectables displayed in a 15,000 foot area - Dealers Welcome Myra Jansen 828-692-9057
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Setting For Success
Senior Darby Fisher receives a serve for the first contact of the rally, setting up the ball for sophomore setter Malia Moore to pick up an assist. (Photo by Pat Shrader)
Seniors sign to play at next level By n Cole Braswell n Sports Editor
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Senior Darby Fisher is caught settting up the ball for sophmore Daija Jackson to acquire the first points of the set. (Photo by Pat Shrader)
atch point in the 3rd set, down by four. Senior Darby Fisher tries to rally her club volleyball team to make a comeback to stay alive in bracket play of the Ultra Ankle Bluegrass tournament. Fisher stares in awe at a clutch dig by team libero Ashley Downer. She then takes the second contact and sends it to outside hitter Kate Condra who swings on the ball but the point is blocked by the opposing team. Although taking a tough loss, the night was not all bad for Fisher, as her efforts on the court hadn’t gone unnoticed. The head coach of The University of Louisiana at Monroe had expressed his interest in Fisher. “It was easily one of the most exciting moments of my life. There was immediately a weight lifted off of my shoulders and my dad was so proud of me,” Fisher said. According to Fisher, the recruiting process was challenging, but having the support of those around her made all the difference. “My recruiting process went well for me I think,” Fisher said. “I had a lot of people supporting me through it, like our club recruiting coordinator Anna Grant, my parents, my coaches, and my teammates because we were all going through the same process.” Although her recruiting process was an exciting and interesting new experience, she was overjoyed when she finally committed, Fisher said.
“It was definitely really stressful and I was extremely relieved when it was over!” Fisher said. “It’s a lot of pressure having to talk to coaches and playing knowing you’re being watched.” Even though she’s committed to play college volleyball, Fisher said her work ethic hasn’t declined, but has grown. “It’s also made it a lot less stressful because I only have one school to apply to, so it’s made things a lot easier academically,” Fisher said. According to head volleyball coach Tiffany Lowrance, Fisher’s attitude is what most affects her team and part of the reason she’s such an outstanding player. “Darby is always smiling and that brings the best in all of us. She is always giving 100 percent effort and is a strong leader,” Lowrance said. “All of those qualities affect any team in a positive way.” Lowrance went on to say that Fisher’s strong work ethic and commitment by playing club volleyball is what elevates her game and helps her succeed. “I believe her work ethic is what has helped her succeed in her volleyball career. She is always in the gym whether it’s in season or out of season,” Lowrance said. “I have never been more proud of Darby than when I found out she was going to take her volleyball career to the next level at ULM. All of her hard work has paid off.” Fisher is most excited to be a part of such a competitive atmosphere at ULM,
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It hasn’t changed anything except what I’m working toward. Now I’m not working to commit somewhere but I’m working to try and prepare myself for playing at the next level and to earn some playing time next year.
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and to improve as an athlete. “I’m most excited to compete. I can’t wait to learn more about the game at a higher level and improve myself as an athlete,” Fisher said. “I’m also just excited to be a part of the team because the girls and program are awesome overall.” Her motivation and growth stems from the team around her pushing her to compete and succeed, Fisher said. “I’m motivated by my coaches and teammates,” Fisher said. “There’s nothing that gets me more pumped up than being surrounded by people who are all wholeheartedly dedicated to competing and winning.” In addition to Fisher, Senior outside hitter Casey Brown Senior libero and Ashley Downer have commited to the University of Albany, and Gardner-Webb University, respectively.
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