From February 16 to 20, I had the unique opportunity to serve as a North Carolina Governor’s Page. This meant that I helped with office tasks, toured state buildings, and spoke to government officials. I loved the experience and would definitely recommend it to anyone with an interest in political science or history.
My experience was drastically different from the average page’s experience, as I had the bad luck to serve during one of the coldest weeks on record in North Carolina. Inclement weather meant that I didn’t serve on Tuesday, and I only served for half of the day on Wednesday. Some of the regular page activities, such as meeting and taking a picture with Governor Pat McCrory, were cut, while others were moved to different days. Regardless of the weather, I still gained priceless knowledge about the inner workings of our government.
Here were a few of my favorite activities:
Meeting the Commissioner of Agriculture: This almost didn’t occur, as we just happened to stumble upon the commissioner as he exited his office. We had previously spoken with David Smith, who serves in the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, about what the department does and some of the challenges it is facing with the ice and freezing temperatures. On our way out, Smith introduced us to another employee, who spends much of his time in China working with officials there. As he finished speaking, we were about to leave, when the door opened and Commissioner Steve Troxler walked out. He happily invited us into his office. His outer office may have been my favorite location that we visited, because it was decorated to look like a house. It even had a front porch and stove (with an apple pie on it). It was quite interesting, and his inner office was almost as fascinating. It contained countless items and antiques, including the painting that inspired North Carolina’s seal. He spoke about the difficulties of getting elected, what his department does, and why agriculture is important to the state.
Visiting McCrory’s office: This was my second-favorite location, as McCrory actually works here occasionally. The area we toured was
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Photo Credit: Diane McClary[/caption]blocked off to the public, but, as pages, we were allowed in. McCrory had a variety of knickknacks around his office, including items signed by sports teams and (possibly--it was hard to make out the signature) Mitt Romney. I took a picture at McCrory’s desk, where he has held some of his press conferences, so I found that particularly exciting. Afterwards, we toured the Capitol Building. It isn’t used anymore as an actual legislative building--the General Assembly replaced it--so we were able to tour the old Senate and House of Representatives chambers. I also visited the library, which was larger than I expected it to be.
Visiting the Innovation Center: People often bemoan the state of our government, calling it slow and complicated. Government officials are well aware of this, and the state created the Innovation Center to try to streamline government. The center is in a modern, beautiful building, and the employees were all young and eager to help the state. Pages viewed a number of new technologies designed to make the government more accessible and more competent, such as a license renewal kiosk. This kiosk, similar in design to a Redbox kiosk, allows users to renew their driver’s license. It can be placed anywhere and is particularly useful in rural areas, where DMV wait times can be extremely high. We also tested out videoconferencing technology that focuses on a speaker’s face, which is useful during
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Photo Credit: Maddie Norwood[/caption]large meetings.
Visiting the Archives: As a history nerd, I loved this part of the program. The Archives are where all of the state’s old documents, like newspapers and court dockets, are housed. It was full of information that genealogists, journalists, and historians use regularly. The most interesting thing I learned was how to use microfilm. Some pages didn’t even know what it was, but I had seen it in movies, so I had a vague idea. Basically, it’s a long roll of film with information engraved into it. It can store documents like newspapers, and it lasts for centuries without degrading. Some argue that the internet has made this technology obsolete, but I disagree. I wish I had learned how to use it in school, as it could be invaluable for research. We also were able to tour the stacks, another area that the public isn’t allowed in, and I touched centuries-old documents.
Speaking to a Court of Appeals judge: Chris Dillon, a Court of Appeals judge, discussed the intricacies of law and what the Court of Appeals does. We met with him in a courtroom. Actually being in a courtroom was interesting--the room was beautifully furnished, but it also contained some modern technology, like a television and tablet screens. Dillon described some of the complex situations judges on the court have to deal with and how their role differs from the role of the Supreme Court and district courts. Basically, the Court of Appeals deals with appealed cases and can’t change facts established in earlier trials.
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Photo Credit: Maddie Norwood[/caption]Touring the Executive Mansion: While not as large as the Biltmore, the Executive Mansion is quite an expansive building. We were only able to tour the bottom floor, as the second floor is reserved for McCrory’s private quarters, but I loved what I saw. There’s a ballroom, gentlemen’s parlor, and ladies’ parlor, all elaborately decorated with many historic objects. However, my favorite part of the tour was seeing an area that normally isn’t part of the tour at all--the kitchen. Because the grounds were icy and dangerous, we were allowed to go behind the scenes and see both the kitchen and the door McCrory uses to access the mansion. McCrory’s cooks have to work 14 hours a day to feed all of the staff and troopers in the building. When McCrory is home, their hours are even longer, as they have to stay in the kitchen until he retires for the evening. The kitchen was a small, cramped space, so I felt sorry for them, but they assured us that they were gaining invaluable knowledge from the experience. I enjoyed hearing what food McCrory eats--he has simple tastes and loves Raisin Bran for breakfast. I’m an avid cereal lover, so we have this in common.
Touring the General Assembly: Although I was looking forward to seeing this building, it ended up being less exciting than I thought it would be. This tour was brief, and we were only able to view the House of Representatives and Senate chambers from their respective galleries. I was mostly disappointed because both houses were not in session--pages normally do this tour on Tuesday (when they would be in session), but we didn’t meet on Tuesday due to the weather. However, we were allowed to enter President Pro Tempore Phil Berger’s office. He had some interesting decorations and some bills splayed across his desk.
Touring the Department of Environment and Natural Resources: This was our last stop, so I was tired, but I still appreciated the efforts the department is making to increase the efficiency of the government. The DENR is housed in the same building as the Innovation Center, which makes sense, as its strict regulations and extreme efficiency point towards a bright future for the government. Employees aren’t allowed to wear or spray any products that emit a strong scent, for instance. They can also adjust the temperature of their individual cubicles, which increases productivity. Ventilation keeps carbon dioxide from collecting in the air and making workers tired. The building itself contains some recycled materials, and it is designed to consume less energy than other buildings.
Photo Credit: Jared Taylor[/caption]In March 2015, a new play will be flying to the stage of Orange High School called Duck Hunter Shoots Angel. This play will be unlike anything that the OHS theatre has ever put on before and should be a refreshingly new experience for the members of the community. This play casts a new set of OHS performers that may have the potential to truly wow the audience.
Duck Hunter is a play by Mitch Albom that has been performed by large theaters like the City Theater in Detroit. Duck Hunter is about Sandy, a tabloid journalist played by Josh Leonard, who is following the story of two Alabama-native brothers. The brothers, played by Robert Piscitelli and Danny Archibald, are terrible duck hunters, and one day, when they find that they have shot a duck, they discover that their “duck” could be something much more supernatural. Along with following the brothers, Sandy is conflicted by his job and is guided in writing his story by The Voice, who will be performed by Brooke White.
Along with the main cast, there will be several other performers in this show. Lester, who will be played by Clayton Bailey, is Sandy’s boss. He is described as a jerk and is disliked by Sandy. Lester is followed around by many ‘ghosts of tabloids past,’ which include Marilyn Monroe, played by Nunna Noe; Elvis, played by Aaron Summey; and an alien, played by Caroline Branan. Lenny, played by Taylor McNeill, is Sandy’s photographer and friend. Phil is a half-human, half-alligator who brings comic relief to the play.
There are also flashbacks into Sandy’s life that show his career-driven past and his prior relationship. ‘The Woman,’ who is Sandy’s love interest, will be played by Katerina Gilfillen.
This new comedic change in performances comes after a strong finish to The Christmas Carol, which was a hit for the OHS theatre, and many are excited to see how the two plays will contrast each other. There are also many new performers introduced to the OHS stage in Duck Hunter. Molly Burke, the assistant to the director, said, “I am definitely optimistic about Duck Hunter Shoots Angel! Having new performers in the cast is very exciting and can bring a really helpful energy to the play. Different actors bring fresh perspectives on everything from character building to set building, making this show in particular a really spectacular collaboration.”
Leonard, who plays Sandy, added his excitement to the mix by saying, “I've had a great time being part of an OHS production, and although it has been challenging at times, it has been a very fulfilling venture. As any actor would, I hope to bring my brand of charisma to the stage. Sandy, the main character, has a personality very similar to mine, and I hope to portray his character to the best of my ability.”
Photo Credit: Den Echoes archive[/caption]Reading is an amazing way to expand your mind and gain new information. It can easily distract people from the stresses of the world and from daily issues. It gives the reader a chance to take his or her mind on a vacation. Not only does it help you get away for a short while, but it can also greatly increase your smarts and your vocabulary. Reading has been shown to increase your vocabulary much more than just talking or getting taught by a teacher.
Looking For Alaska by John Green is an emotional love story that will have readers laughing hysterically on one page, and crying on the next. The book is for young adults, so there is some young adult content in the book like drinking and sex, but it is a wonderful story regardless. The book starts out with Miles, the main character, getting dropped off at Culver-Creek Preparatory High School, a school his father and uncles went to.
On the first day of school, Miles, soon to be nicknamed Pudge, meets his future best friend called The Colonel and the unforgettable, rebellious Alaska Young, whom Pudge immediately falls in love with. Her mom died when she was only eight years old, and she was there to witness it. She relies on alcohol, her friends, smoking behind the principal’s back, and reading to cope. Alaska is the school pranker, known for her famous and mischievous pranks that no one but her, with the help of her best friends, could pull off. The book takes a turn for the worse when one of Culver Creek’s most beloved students encounters a tragedy that will change the lives of the students at Culver Creek forever. Rumors say it was a car accident, but Miles doesn’t believe a word of what anyone says. Who was it? What happened? Take a look inside this wonderful novel to find out.
Photo Credit: Morgan Michos[/caption]Dedicated to all of the procrastinators who refuse to study over Christmas Break
‘Twas the night before Christmas Break, when all through the school,
Not a creature was stirring, not even the class fool.
The chairs were all stacked on the desks with care,
In hopes that the janitor would soon be there.
The students were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of school-free weeks danced in their heads,
And a backpack in its corner and pencils away,
Had just settled down for a homework-less day.
When written on the calendars, revealed exams,
Students dreaded the time when they were forced to cram.
Away from school they flew like a bird,
In hope that wrapped gifts would have exam dates blurred.
When all of a sudden, heard on the school roof,
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
Students gathered, excited, dancing around,
When down the chimney Santa came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
Packages of scrap paper he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a high schooler just opening his backpack.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And they laughed when they saw him, in spite of themselves.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon let them know they had everything to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And sharpened all the pencils; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
GOOD LUCK WITH EXAMS, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!
Photo Credit: Roxanna Salceda (Flickr)[/caption]As fall leaves sprinkle the ground, pumpkin-spice flavored everything fills the grocery store shelves. The market has flooded with the seasonal flavor ever since the famous pumpkin spice latte made its debut at Starbucks in 2003. The food companies of America have hit an all-time high in creating food with the pumpkin flavor, as the shelves overflow with fall-flavored food.
Pumpkin-spice Oreos, pumpkin-spice candy corn, pumpkin-spice coffee creamers; look no more as your eyes will immediately find these classic products in the local Walmart. However, this fall 2014 has offered a variety of new foods including Pumpkin Pie Spice Pringles, Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts, Rossi’s Pumpkin Spice Lasagna, and Bigelow’s Pumpkin Spice Tea. While the pumpkin-crazed fans may be all over this trend, some Americans find pumpkin-spice to be suffocating. Senior Lexi Moyer said, “I’m personally not a fan of pumpkin spice, so the pumpkin-filled grocery stores are getting annoying.”
While pumpkin spice may be an overused fad, most people have responded positively and jumped on the pumpkin-spice bandwagon. Students can have an entire day’s meal revolving around pumpkin; pumpkin-spice waffles, pumpkin-spice yogurt, pumpkin-spice bread, pumpkin-spiced lasagna, the list continues on. In addition, Meleah Travis raves over “the pumpkin-spiced pop tarts! They are a perfect fall treat for the morning and get me in the Halloween mood.”
For those who aren’t big on the pumpkin flavor, other seasonal items include Glade’s pumpkin-scented air fresheners, Trader Joe’s pumpkin flavored dog treats for your pooch, and Bath & Body Works’ sweet cinnamon pumpkin body lotion.
Overall, pumpkin-spice is dominating the market and becoming a go-to flavor for food and product companies. As people continue to buy up the seasonal trend, it is suggested that there is everything nice about pumpkin-spice.
Photo Credit: Den Echoes archive[/caption]Reading a book should allow you to escape the real world and dive into a foreign and exciting land. A study by consultant firm Mindlab International at the University of Sussex showed that “reading reduces stress” and “subjects only needed to read, silently, for six minutes to slow down the heart rate and ease tension in the muscles.” In fact, subjects of the study had lower stress levels than before they started. So, in short, reading is amazing, you just have to find the right book to get you started.
Have you ever had to read a book in class for a grade and absolutely hated it? Have you bought a book thinking that it would be a page-turner, but you can’t get past the first chapter? What if you had a few recommendations? The following two books will leave you wanting more, and you may even end up reading them multiple times.
The Lovely Bones is American author Alice Sebold's first novel. The story is narrated by Susie Salmon, a fourteen-year-old girl who has been raped and killed by her serial killer neighbor in suburban Pennsylvania. That's right, Salmon is telling her story from the afterlife. She weaves back and forth in time from the date of her death in 1973, remembering her life, peering into the mind of her killer, and watching the loved ones she left behind. It's a gruesome and horrifying story, but also one of hope and renewal.
The Best Of Me by Nicholas Sparks is a love story that will leave you in tears. Amanda Collier and Dawson Cole are from opposite sides of the tracks: she's a well-to-do girl with the world at her fingertips; he's from the feared family of sleazy, violent neighborhood thugs. Cut from different cloth than his clan, Dawson breaks free to live in the garage of an old mechanic deep in the woods. Soon Amanda and Dawson cross paths and find themselves smitten, certain they will see happily-ever-after. Reunited after decades apart, they struggle with whether to finally give in to their love or continue their current lives without each other. Despite an obvious ending, the love is so heartwarming that it doesn't seem to matter.
Photo Credit: Den Echoes archive[/caption]The grass is always greener on the other side, whether one is a lamb or a college applicant. Until recently, Hillsborough, a unique little town filled with interesting people and places, seemed like the dullest place to live in the world. I yearned to leave and go to a big city, where there would always be something going on, and I’d meet new people every day. However, the last few months have taught me the error of my ways. While cities definitely have their perks, towns like Hillsborough are just as important. True, they may not offer the constant excitement of the city lifestyle, but they provide quiet moments, like a casual stroll down the paths of Ayr Mount or free ice cream at Last Friday.
I’ve always viewed Hillsborough as a brief stop on the road to my future. I’d pass through it then go on to better things and bigger places. However, as I’ve begun counting down the months until I leave, my view of the town has changed drastically. Suddenly, certain things have become last moments. These have included ridiculous things like my last last Last Friday (they end in September, and I leave in August), as well as more sentimental moments like my last Halloween and my last first day of school. While I know when the big ones occur, what about the small ones? I rarely get chocolate at Matthew’s Chocolates, so might the next time I go be my last? The same applies to some other restaurants and businesses--Cup-A-Joe, Saratoga Grill, the Maple View store. Since each visit might be my last, I cherish it and make sure to experience it fully.
This has given me a new perspective, as I don’t just glide through life anymore. Little moments have become big moments. I imagine that all seniors go through this, although the colleges I’m planning on attending will make this transition more drastic for me than it will be for other students. I’m applying to 14 schools--three are in North Carolina, six are other states, and five are in the United Kingdom. So far, I have been accepted to the University of Manchester, a college in Great Britain. Finances are certainly an issue with regards to going overseas, but I’m at least hoping to go out of state. My newfound appreciation for my town has not changed this fact--I want to live in a big city, and few places in North Carolina are big.
Assuming that I get accepted into and choose to attend an out-of-state school, I’ll have to leave North Carolina in about nine months. This is the state that I have spent my entire life in. While it isn’t perfect by any means, it is still my home, and leaving it will be difficult. I moved to Hillsborough when I was five and have lived there ever since, so Hillsborough is basically synonymous with North Carolina to me. Both the town and state are charming and unique, and both will be sorely missed.
What makes Hillsborough different? For people like me who grew up in the town, it may not seem like that special a place. It has some cool shops and a nice atmosphere, yes, but why is it so dearly loved? It takes an outsider’s perspective to answer this question. When I was being interviewed for a job at The Chapel Hill News a few months ago, the editor of the paper said that he wished he had more coverage of Hillsborough because it’s such an interesting place. I didn’t respond negatively, as I wanted the job, but in my head I scoffed at this remark.
A few days later, when I was walking through town running an errand, I looked around and actually saw the town I had lived in for 12 years. A toddler spun around happily in a circle and fell on the grass. An elderly couple walked their dog down the street. A band played guitar and the spoons in an alleyway. Behind the courthouse, there’s a beautiful glass wall, but a few hundred feet away there are historical buildings and signs explaining Hillsborough’s past. This mixture of young and old, historic and new, is what makes the town so intriguing.
Hillsborough isn’t a bad town. It certainly isn’t perfect, but it contains many memories for me, and I’ll miss it and its inhabitants dearly.
Photo Credit: Pedro Ribeiro Simões (Flickr)[/caption]For teenagers, it's easy nowadays to stay up way past midnight and sometimes not sleep at all. Teens then end up sleeping in class or missing important information and are always tired and worn out. Sleep is very important to a teenager's learning and enriches their learning experiences when they are completely rested.
Scientists at Mayo Clinic, an educational medical center for information, believe that, on average, a teenager should get at least nine hours of sleep each day to maintain part of a healthy lifestyle. But for a teen’s busy life, with an overwhelming amount of homework, chores, extracurricular activities, etc., there are just not enough hours in a day to sleep that long.
So why do teens stay up so late? “Most teens can't easily fall asleep until about 11 p.m.,“ experts say,” and their brains stay in sleep mode until at least 8 a.m.” Some schools acknowledge this fact and start school later than others, so students have time to wake up fully and come to school focused. But, on the other hand, most schools start from 7 a.m to 8 a.m.
Scientists at Mayo Clinic explain, “Everyone has an internal clock that influences body temperature, sleep cycles, appetite and hormonal changes. The biological and psychological processes that follow the cycle of this 24-hour internal clock are called circadian rhythms. Puberty changes a teen's internal clock, delaying the time he or she starts feeling sleepy and awakens.” That’s why teens have the stereotypical reputation of staying up later and later as they get older. The idea of “not being tired” is simply not true.
Sleep deprivation can not only tire out the average teen, but it can also cause mental and physical illnesses. When teens are tired, this can make it difficult for them to remember things, such as names, club activities, and homework assignments, which can be detrimental to their school and social lives. Also, no sleep can cause a greater risk of catching a cold or getting strep throat or other illnesses involving the immune system.
Teenagers are capable of getting a driver's licence the moment they turn 16. This is another risk that a tired teen puts on themselves. If teens cannot sleep enough at night, they are at a greater risk of falling asleep behind the wheel. Studies done on sleeping habits of teens by Nationwide have proved that adolescents can fall asleep behind the wheel in the middle of the night and in the afternoon. If they don’t fall asleep while driving, being tired can still affect their ability to pay attention to the road. It could be something as harmless as missing a road or exit, or something as life-threatening as not stopping at a stoplight.
Another risk factor for loss of sleep is participating in sports. If teens do choose to participate in sports, practices can last until late at night. Sports can be a direct cause of pushing back homework and of the lack of sleep teenagers receive. Not only does school get affected, but lack of sleep can cause sports-related injuries. Lack of sleep while playing sports could result in soreness lasting longer and injuries due to not paying attention during practices or games.
If you need help falling asleep, doctors do not recommend sleeping pills. Lifestyle changes will affect teens more positively than just covering up the problem with a pill. Some practices that are encouraged to get better sleep are adjusting the lighting in the bedroom, buying a nightlight, sticking to a sleep schedule, waking up earlier, drinking a glass of warm milk, and making sure to leave cell phones turned off several hours before trying to sleep.
Photo Credit: Den Echoes archive[/caption]Most people say they can’t run, won’t run, and will never run, but running girls are the exact opposite! Ask most female runners why they run, however, and they don’t have a good explanation. Orange High School runner Kayla Woodley said that she runs to keep fit. Many runners agree with Woodley--running is a great way to stay healthy.
To run well, you must buy shoes frequently--every six to twelve months. Having shoes that fit well and give you support is important to your health. This is why traveling to the store and being fitted for shoes is important. Buying shoes is a significant event in the life of a runner.
Once you have your shoes, you need to get fit. This doesn’t mean only working your legs--you have to do core too. Remember, good things happen with a good core. The most important thing is running everyday. Run one or two miles to start and then slowly ramp it up to five miles or more. While you are running, find a medium pace. This pace shouldn’t be too hard, but it shouldn’t be effortless either. Make sure you watch your pace, how many miles, and how long you run every time!
While you are racking up miles, try a timed mile. As you dive deeper into the running world, this will become very important. As you wait at the start line of a race for the pop of the gun, other runners will ask you for this. Runners mainly ask this to size themselves up to you and predict their own results. Also, you can use this to estimate race times.
Running isn’t easy. You have to train often to reach your goals, and you need to eat well. Any runner will tell you that they had to work hard to get to where they are now. Your first 5K will be your worst, and that’s okay. Many people start with around a 30-minute 5K. After that, you will continue to improve. As in anything you will do, you must start from the bottom to reach the top!
Photo Credit: Mia Frenduto[/caption]OHS Theatre’s A Christmas Carol opened on November 20 without a hitch and swept the audience away with its miraculous and touching storyline. A Christmas Carol has been performed for over 100 years, but only the ability of great actors like the actors at OHS can really bring this story of redemption to life. With a new perspective, a bigger stage production, and a mesh of C.W. Stanford and OHS student actors, this play is unmatched by any previous production. A Christmas Carol will be showing on November 21 and November 22 at 7 pm and November 23 at 2 pm. It is highly recommended that everyone in the community attend.
A Christmas Carol was originally a book by Charles Dickens, published in 1843, that was adapted into a play later in the nineteenth century. The story follows a grumpy, greedy, money-driven old miser named Scrooge (Luke Taylor), who is visited by his former business partner, Jacob Marley (Miriam Carr), and three spirits of Christmas--the Ghost of Christmas Past (Erin Burgner), Christmas Present (Hunter Moser), and Christmas Future (Maleke Moore). Through them, Scrooge learns that money has cost him more than it is worth and living life to the fullest means receiving and giving the love of others. Attached to this, there is a smaller, but just as significant, plot where Scrooge learns that the man who works for him, Bob Cratchit (Robert Piscitelli), and his family are in need because Tiny Tim (Brenna Mehl), their youngest son, is sickly. This drastically changes Scrooge’s demeanor as well.
All of the lead actors did extremely well in bringing their characters to life. Taylor plays a wonderfully grumpy Scrooge and will truly make you hope that Scrooge can see the error of his ways. Alongside of him, Piscitelli will bring you to tears in some parts of the production and was probably the most powerful onstage presence. Other minor roles were very powerful as well, especially the middle school actors that were lent to the OHS stage for this production. Mehl as Tiny Tim moved the story in a more positive direction towards the end of the play. Three of the funniest actors on stage were Moser, playing Christmas Present, Tyler Rubio, playing Fezziwig, a former employer of Scrooge, and Mrs. Fezziwig, played by Nunna Noe. They had the audience rolling in their seats, gasping for air.
The set and production values were also incredible, thanks to the OHS theatre department’s backstage crew. The efforts of the crew and manager Molly Burke were represented very well in the show. There were various parts of the play that highlighted the abilities of the stage crew. For example, there is a scene in the beginning of the play where the ghost of Marley finds Scrooge in his bedroom. This is accomplished through eerie noises, fog, perfect lighting, and glow-in-the-dark effects. There is also a scene where Christmas Future, a huge, dark puppet built by the FFA department, is introduced to the stage. This, the most powerful and frightening scene of the whole play, is accomplished through an intricate system of fog machines, blue LED lights, and interesting sound effects. This scene requires the whole theater to be pitch black and will rock the audience to their core.
Photo Credit: Andrea Michos[/caption]As most families gather around the table dining on the food to be thankful for, others find themselves outside, waiting in line for a store to open on Black Friday. This shopping day has become a national holiday and is a way for Americans to ring in the Christmas season, right after indulging in the pie and stuffing that Thanksgiving brings.
Black Friday can technically be called “Black Thursday,” because stores open as early as 4:00 pm on November 27. Additionally, some stores have chosen to make Black Friday a week-long event, such as Walmart, who spreads their deals throughout a 10-day period.
Many members of the Orange High School student body have experienced the shopping night at least once. Senior Rachel Shinnick has made it a holiday tradition to “wrap up Thanksgiving dinner early” in order to head out for the deals. “One year I waited at Best Buy for a laptop. Sure it was chaos, but it was totally worth it for the price--also the memories! I usually go Black Friday shopping with a group of friends. Together we are able to scrounge for deals and sales,” Shinnick explains.
The annual event has become a night full of savings, but also madness. “Black Friday Horror Stories” have become a trend, and this night seems to bring out the crazy in every shopper. Before the turkey leaves the table, people forget their things to be thankful for and automatically rush for some bargain-hunting. “It can be completely insane. One year, people began skipping the line in Target and the patient people went nuts! Everyone began shouting, me included, and the police had to come and escort the ‘skippers’ out,” Megan Joyner said, giving her best horror story. According to Black Friday Death Count, the hysterical night has caused seven deaths and 90 injuries. Black Friday is no longer just a night full of savings, but also dangerous shoppers.
While the leftovers join the refrigerator, the shoppers hit the stores. To some people, Black Friday is just a way for Americans to forget their thanks, while others have made the night a tradition. There are two types of people in this world: the ones that go Black Friday shopping and the ones that take a snooze after their pumpkin pie. Whichever type of person the reader finds themselves to be, they need to be sure to beware the mania that Black Friday entails.
Photo Credit: Rene Schwietzke (Flickr)[/caption]Just about everyone loves a hot donut right out of the oven, but people currently have to drive nearly half an hour out of their way to taste that delicious Krispy Kreme goodness. That's all about to change, because there will be a Krispy Kreme opening up in Durham on Hillsborough Road soon.
The building that Krispy Kreme will soon be inhabiting was once famous for the restaurant known as Miami Subs Grill. The plans for this donut shop have been filed, and Krispy Kreme is on its way to starting another branch. This new location is close to where it all started, considering that this is a global chain. The chain began in Winston Salem, North Carolina, founded by Vernon Rudolph.
Why is this so important? Hillsborough and Durham residents who want a hot donut from Krispy Kreme won’t have to drive all the way to Raleigh just to get it. Several people have even tweeted about it and put their thoughts on Instagram. College students that attend school in Durham are excited to have a place to hang out at besides the beloved Cook Out.
Although the renovations haven’t started yet, the shop is definitely on its way. When it comes to its new destination, residents should make sure to stop by and take a selfie with one of the chain's famous paper hats on and eat a freshly-baked donut.
Photo Credit: daniellehelm (Flickr)[/caption]The media has a huge effect on girls and their body images. It proclaims that being thin and perfect is the only way to be anyone of significance and forces young women to look like computer-generated images. A primary result of this is bullying--people are bullying girls because their body image “doesn’t measure up.” Society deceives girls into believing there is a perfect image of what a young woman must look like. This pressure to look like a Barbie doll can have an extremely negative impact on a girl's body image in today’s generation.
During teen years, girls begin to compare their appearance to other girls and to what the media advertises. Doing this only make their self esteem deteriorate. Being surrounded by fake perfection stimulates the desire for girls to reflect the images they see all around them: on T.V commercials, in magazines, on the Internet and even in public. Even before teen years, girls who are between the ages of 9 and 10 try to lose weight because they don’t look the way that they want to look. One study reports that about 53 percent of 13-year-old girls are unhappy with their bodies and have at least one thing that they would change if they could. This number increases to over 78 percent by the time they reach the age of 17.
Eating disorders often are paired with body image issues. Girls want to look perfect so they want to be skinnier. Researchers have found that about eight million Americans have an eating disorder, seven million of those being women and one million being men. This is a sad fact, because many people are either hospitalized or end up dying because of these diseases. 95 percent of people with eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 35.
Fashion magazines have a particularly powerful effect on how girls view themselves and their bodies. These magazines contain a powerful message: “If you could just lose those last 10 pounds, then everything would be perfect. You would have the perfect body, the perfect relationship, and the perfect life.”
In closing, every form of media focuses on being perfect and having the perfect body. Teen girls are deceived into thinking that this is the normal, when in reality it is quite the opposite.
Photo Credit: Jordan Cox[/caption]Orange High School has many new teachers for the 2014-2015 school year. One addition to the English Department is Meredith Newlin, who teaches English I and II.
Newlin came to teach at Orange after teaching summer school here this past summer. “I love all the other teachers and the overall atmosphere,” says Newlin. She said she loves all of the students here, their ability to work hard, and their willingness to learn. “I’ve missed teaching high school, and I’m glad to be back,” said Newlin.
This year marks Newlin’s 10th year of teaching. She is very fond of writing and reading. She used to work for a magazine before she began teaching. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys participating in activities outdoors. She likes hiking or running, or just any outdoors-related activity. Along with exploring the great outdoors, Newlin loves spending time with her one-year-old daughter, Lola.
What encouraging do students here at OHS need? According to Newlin, they don’t need any encouragement! She believes that all the students here are doing fantastic and don’t need any advice. “Don’t sweat the small stuff and believe in yourself,” is the advice she gives the students if they really needed it.
Newlin decided to be an English teacher because she loves to build the confidence of her students as readers and writers. She is excited to be here for her 10th anniversary of teaching, and we’re lucky to have her!
Photo Credit: Sami Dickerson[/caption]As the USA gets older and more entrapped in the digital age, people can forget that there is more to life and more to history than cell phones and computers. The country that citizens know and love today was not always glamorous and sometimes involved making due with the means that were given to them. This meant war could not always be avoided and got messy, especially in World War II. Because of maintained pieces of history, like the battleship USS North Carolina in Wilmington, which was used in WWII naval fighting in 1942, citizens have a way to look back at some of the ways American citizens lived during wartime and how they kept the freedom that Americans cherish today.
Stepping onto the battleship North Carolina, or Showboat as she was called during wartime, is like stepping into a huge time machine. On the top deck, 20 mm gun mounts that had to be operated by four men and a Kingfisher airplane line the platform. Although these are pretty spectacular, the most obvious and astounding parts of the top deck are the massive cannons that rocket into the sky to do the most damage to enemy ships as possible.
Although the top deck is impressive and held the most advanced weaponry at the time, the lower decks are a different story. As soon as you go below deck, it is like a whole new world. The first part of the lower deck includes the mess hall, kitchen, movie section of the mess hall, the general store, the mail room, and the church. The mess hall was a large room that would hold hundreds of men if necessary. Because of the number of men on the ship, the kitchen had to support that number, so the kitchen is quite large as well. The church, on the other hand, is a very small section of the mess hall and holds a small pulpit.
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Photo Credit: Sami Dickerson[/caption]The third deck holds the crew’s quarters (including bathrooms), offices for the higher ranking officers, and different shops for the men who needed repairs, such as the laundry, cobbler, tailor, and print shops. In this deck, during the summer, it is extremely hot and uncomfortable. Even for a visitor who walks around the deck for a mere thirty minutes, it is stifling and unbearable.
On the third deck in the men's quarters, hundreds of men had to sleep side by side on small cots that hung from the ceiling. Other men had the privilege of sleeping where they worked. The bathrooms are completely open with no doors and no privacy and there was no toilet paper like citizens have today. Men who were wounded would get to sleep on a lower platform in isolation, so as not to infect the other crew members. Higher ranking officers had their own quarters that were spacious and came with the privilege of their own bathroom.
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Photo Credit: Sami Dickerson[/caption]Even though many would not think the battleship NC a fit place for people to live today, it was home for 2,300 men who served for the country in World War II. These men do occasionally stop by the battleship with their families to reminisce and tour the boat. Some men were recently present for the battleship’s reunion in May 2014.
Photo Credit: lobo235 (Flickr)[/caption]‘Tis the season of falling leaves, cooler weather, pumpkins, and apples, but would the season truly be complete without scary costumes and buckets of Halloween candy? No, of course not. But how exactly did candy and caramel apples and pumpkin carving become tradition on Halloween?
Halloween began in Europe with a group of people known as the Celts. Culturally, this people group believed that the souls of their dead visited Earth on the last day of October and they made the day a holiday known in their culture as Samhain, which translates as “sow” in Irish and now celebrates the end of a harvest season.
When the Romans took over the Celtish people, they altered many of their holidays and traditions, but allowed Samhain to remain. The Romans created a holiday on November 1 called “All Saints Day” and the Catholic Church called the service they held to celebrate All Saints Day “Allhallowmas,” which meant “Mass of all the hallowed” and was commonly referred to as “All Hallows’ Saints Day.” Not much later, the night before Allhallowmas became known as Allhallowe’en and then became known as it is today as Halloween.
The tradition of dressing up in scary costumes such as ghosts or vampires came from the Roman idea that the souls of the dead would be frightened and scared away by the costumes. People also used to leave food and baked goods on the outskirts of town hoping it would distract the souls and keep them from raiding the village. Perhaps this is where the tradition of handing out sweets on Halloween night originated.
Wandering from house to house in search of food is not a recent development. Children would travel from doorstep to doorstep in hopes of getting soul cakes to celebrate the morbid holiday. This is also where Jack-O-Lanterns and pumpkin carving originated, though the children didn’t carve pumpkins, they carved turnips. They would carve turnips with menacing faces, light a candle inside, and carry them around as they asked for soul cakes to ward off souls and ghosts as they traveled around their communities at night.
The majority of other things associated with Halloween--candied apples, parties and candy corn--are just a product of marketing, though they stem from the old traditions. So whether you’re warding off ghosts with Jack-O-Lanterns or eating candy in the comfort of your own home, maybe you’ll take the time to think about why you’re celebrating dead people.
Photo credit: Ann Stanmore-ThurstonKatie Baity gets lifted into the air by her bases, Christa Walls, Robyn Woodall and Alexis Prebula.[/caption]
There has always been a debate between athletes on whether cheerleading is actually a sport, but, for junior Katelyn Baity, there is no debate. Cheerleading is life. When asked why cheerleading is her favorite sport, Baity replied, “Cheer helps me stay in shape and it's a lot of fun to be with the team. Everyone is crazy, but we can get stuff done.” This year will be Baity’s third year of OHS varsity cheerleading.
Baity was a dedicated cheerleader even before high school began. She participated in cheer when she attended CW Stanford Middle School, in seventh and eighth grades. Baity has also continued her cheerleading career by participating in OHS cheerleading since her freshman year. Baity made the junior varsity team when she was in ninth grade, but this was not enough for her. She practiced her routines and kicked up her workout schedule to make sure that her form was perfect, and she made the varsity team in sophomore year of high school.
When asked about how she deals with cheering through a bad game, Baity replied, “Even when we're losing a game, we have to keep up the spirit. It is hard trying to stay positive when we get behind, but you kind of have to think optimistic.” Baity also shared that she likes to get pumped up to keep her spirit alive before games. “I listen to a random shuffle of music while I get ready for a game. I usually get ready with Christa Walls, and we kind of help each other get warmed up and pumped up.”
Sports figures normally get recognition for being role models, even when they don’t want to be, but Baity has taken this as a part of the sport. When asked why she thinks she is a good role model for other students, Baity replied, “I'm a good role model for other students because I'm proud of who I am without having to do things I'll regret later in life.” She shared who her role model was when she was growing up: “I had a coach in the past that really pushed me to succeed when I was in gymnastics. Because of what she taught me, I'm able to work through pain in any sport or activity I decide to do and I can keep up my tumbling!”
Even though sports is Baity’s life, she participates in many other things as well. Baity is a dedicated leader at Ebenezer Baptist Church, and she participates in dance to keep up her fitness. “I perform at Dance Expressions and it's so much fun. I used to dance and do gymnastics from when I was four all the way up to seventh grade. It's nice being back onto a team like that! I'm a student leader at the church, so youth group is always fun! I get to talk to the younger girls and lead a small group on Sunday.”
Photo Credit: Megan Joyner[/caption]Elise Kechele is a new guidance counselor here at OHS. She joined the staff as an intern in 2013 and became an official Panther in August 2014. She has a passion for students and enjoys being able to help teenagers find a path for their future.
Kechele grew up in Holland, Michigan. She attended high school at West Ottawa High School, where the mascot was also a panther. After high school, she went to the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, MI, where she found an interest in psychology. She majored in Brain, Behavior, and Cognitive Sciences. After earning her bachelor’s degree, she began working in labs. From a young age, she has had an undying passion for helping people and interacting with them, so working on a computer all day didn’t seem to satisfy her. She said, “I used to work in a research lab where I didn’t have much human interaction on a day-to-day basis and was on a computer all day. I then started to search for a career that I’d enjoy and make me happy.”
This is where she found her passion--becoming a school counselor. Upon her acceptance into the University of North Carolina’s School of Education, she moved to North Carolina and began her masters degree in school counseling.
As Kechele was earning her degree, she applied for an internship. In August 2013, she spent a year interning at Orange High School. After enjoying her experience at OHS, she became a licensed guidance counselor and joined the Panther family. Since she has been at OHS, she has contributed a lot to the school. She implements Link Crew and Peer Counseling on top of maintaining her duties as a guidance counselor. Kechele has enjoyed every minute of her experience at OHS. She especially likes the students, teachers, and culture. When asked about her favorite part of the job, she said, “I love to get to know people and help them find their path in life!”
Outside of her role at OHS, she enjoys the outdoors. Her hobbies include hiking, backpacking, and camping. She also likes to read “sappy” novels and play the piano. In fact, she is teaching herself how to play the piano.
Kechele is a new face at Orange High School, but she hopes to get to know more students and help them find their paths for the future.
Meet the new counselor, Lynn Douglas! She is the counselor for names M-R. Photo Credit: Kathryn Obenshain[/caption]Orange High has a new counselor named Lynn Douglas. She is the counselor for names M-R. She is a very laid back, relaxed counselor, but if a student needs help, she is ready for action. When Douglas was in high school, she had a poor counselor. Her and her classmates were very under-informed about opportunities they needed to be aware of. Having this experience made Douglas want to become a counselor. She applied and got accepted to North Carolina Central College in Durham. Recently, she completed her masters and bachelors degree in school counseling. Although she is a newer counselor, she isn’t new to the school scene.
While completing her masters at NC Central, Douglas was an intern at Dudley High School in Greensboro. Douglas enjoyed her time there, but she needed a real job now that she had her masters. When looking for jobs, she says that she always looks for opportunities where the population is diverse. She sees Orange High School as a place that is not only diverse, but where she can add diversity. Douglas wants to help the Panthers celebrate world cultures, talk to students to fulfill their needs, and make sure Orange High School is well taken care of.
Although Douglas is a devoted counselor, she doesn’t stay at Orange all the time. In her spare time, she enjoys singing, shopping, cooking, traveling, and pageantry. She has been all over the United States with her college marching band. However, she hopes to go out of the country this upcoming summer. Douglas competes in and organizes pageants in her spare time.
A word of advice for the Panthers: “Always, always, always have a plan, a back-up plan, and a back-up plan for your back-up plan,” said Douglas. She loves talking to, interacting with, and helping students. Her door is always open to help anyone.
Photo Credit: Mia Frenduto[/caption]A familiar face to many former CW Stanford students has arrived in the Orange High history department, and she couldn’t be more thrilled. “Oh, I love it,” said Traci Barger, referring to her new home as one of Orange High School’s social studies teachers. Barger remarked that she much prefers teaching high school students to middle school students, as they are more mature and responsible.
Barger comes to Orange after a year of teaching at a Durham charter school and ten years of teaching at McDowell High in Marion, North Carolina, as well as many years of teaching English at CW Stanford Middle School. Barger prefers Orange to many other schools she has taught at, listing the block scheduling unique to our school as well as the absence of recess as two of her new favorite things.
Barger is now serving as an American History I teacher, a change from her previous role as an English teacher at CWS. This is an exciting prospect for Barger, who actually received a degree in History from Appalachian State University.
“I believe that the truth can be stranger than fiction,” says Barger, reflecting on how she most enjoys teaching the “crazy parts” of history that you won’t often find in a textbook. Her passion for history is only matched by her passion for teaching--Barger remarked that she loves teaching kids and watching them learn.
Outside of school, Barger is an active member of her church and enjoys running, sewing, and reading. Among the things she is most intrigued by at Orange is Ag Day. She remarked that she is “curious” to experience this Ag extravaganza for the first time, but “not quite sure of what to expect.”
All in all, Barger is thrilled to be a member of the Orange High School family this year. Her excitement to be a member of Orange High’s faculty as well as her passion for both teaching and history prove that she will soon become a favorite teacher of many Orange High students.