Photo Credit: Quinn Dombrowski (Flickr)[/caption]Most kids don’t want to stay in high school for the whole four years. People want to drop out because they don’t feel like getting up early or doing homework. They don’t care about going to college or getting a good job. In this century, you have to at least have a high school diploma to be considered at a fast food restaurant. It would be hard to provide for yourself, much less a family, without a high school diploma. So, why drop out?
“A high school dropout will earn approximately $300,000 less over a lifetime than a high school graduate. An individual that does not possess a high school diploma is more likely to be unemployed because they are not as marketable. In fact, it is estimated that at least half of all welfare recipients do not possess a high school diploma,” said a New Mexico University representative. So, why would you want to live your life without a high school diploma?
If you drop out of high school, you miss out on many memories and opportunities. You don’t get to go to prom, you lose your friends, you don’t go on field trips or learn about life in general. You lose all of these achievements, because you didn’t want to get up early.
If you expect your children to stay in school and get their high school diploma, you might just have to eat your words and practice what you preach. “Children are observational learners, meaning they learn from watching you and others around them. Be a good influence for your children if you want to see them to succeed in their high school career,” said the representative.
A popular reason that teens drop out are friends and peer pressure from other high school dropouts. “Family or other outside relationships can influence teens to drop out of school," the representative stated. This also goes for the teens that choose to drop out to join a gang or to be accepted in other teen groups and street communities all over the country and world.
So why would you risk your financial support, your future, and lose your friends for drugs, peer pressure, and to sleep an extra few hours?
Photo Credit: Mrs. Joyner.[/caption]Friday, May 2, the Lady Panther soccer teams played the Northwood Chargers at OHS. The JV game kicked off at 5 pm and varsity followed at 6:45 pm. It was a perfect 70 degree night for an intense match against a new conference rival. Despite the ideal conditions and packed stands, the Panthers weren’t able to pull through with a victory.
The JV team was prepared for another close game against Northwood, after coming close to a victory in their previous game. Being evenly matched, the ball was possessed by both teams for most of the half. However, midway through, the Chargers went up by one goal, due to a miscommunication between the goalie and center-mid on the Orange team. Thinking the ball was out of bounds, Aaron Collins passed the ball back to the keeper for a goal kick, who let it slip behind her. Aside from the keeper error, the Panthers had a clean game and finished the half with a score of 1-0. By the start of the second half, the Panthers were determined to come back. Lexi Mignosa, starting center-mid for OHS, controlled the ball and drove it up the field. Despite the tenacity that the Panthers showed, the Northwood forwards were too much for their backline, and the Chargers scored two quick goals, ending the game with a 3-0 victory. Mileah Shriner, one of the goalies for Orange, said, “Everyone played really hard. It was a good game.”
Following the JV game, the varsity team came out seeking revenge for their previous matchup against Northwood where they suffered a defeat 3-0. The game was evenly matched and tied at 0-0 for the majority of the half. But with about 20 minutes left in the half, #13 for Northwood, Haley Piester, received a long ball over the top of the Panther’s backline and scored on a breakaway, making the score 1-0 in favor of the Chargers at halftime. The score, however, did not accurately reflect the first half, with the Panthers keeping the majority of the possession and controlling the ball on the Chargers’ defensive side. At the end of the half, the Panthers had three shots on frame, but were unable to finish any of them. At the start of the second half, the game was evenly matched with both teams possessing it on both halves of the field. However, near the middle of the second half, the Panthers broke down and allowed five more goals to slip through. The Chargers finished with a conference win, 6-0 over the Lady Panthers. The outcome did not match up with the level of play. Until the Panthers broke down in the back, the game was fairly even, with the Panthers having most of the possession.
This game was the last one for senior Tallie Philips, who will be unable to attend senior night. She had a great season as an outside defender, holding the team up and making the defense impenetrable. She was not only a huge asset, but a team captain that led the team as they progressed throughout the season. She plans to take a semester or two off after she graduates high school to travel abroad in Europe with her older sister, Mia Philips. She then hopes to attend Alamance Community College and later transfer to a larger university.
Photo Credit: Brianna Hales[/caption]After finishing the 2013-14 season with a 20-4 record and winning the Big Eight regular season conference championship, the Orange High Varsity men’s basketball team earned the number one seed in the conference tournament. The Panthers defeated Northern Vance in the first round of the tournament by a score of 71 to 63 on Wednesday, February 19.
Leading the Panthers was sophomore guard Eryk Brandon-Dean, who finished with 26 points and 5 assists. Senior forward JD Brooks also had a big game, as he ended the game with 22 points 12 rebounds, to follow up his double-double against Cedar Ridge.
Orange will next face rival Cardinal Gibbons in the semi-finals of the tournament on Thursday, February 19. The game will be in the Orange High School Gym, with tip-off scheduled for 7pm.
Woodard has built a life for herself here at Orange High School and she has become a highly popular freshman. She has many goals for next year in high school. She is a successful member of Girl Scouts and wants to sell 1,500 boxes of cookies. She has another goal of becoming sophomore editor of the Den Echoes next year. She also would like to become more involved with clubs at Orange High School and join the cheerleading team.
Woodard is a current member of Theatre Club and FCA. She commented about FCA, “I feel like I’ve grown a connection with others and with God.”
She said one of the biggest benefits of high school life is the freedom that you get when you first begin. She said, “In middle school we were told where to be and what to do. When you get to high school, you get to choose.” She also added that the downside to having freedom is, “with more freedom comes more responsibilities. The problem is you have to keep up with the responsibilities.”
Woodard recalled many of her favorite moments that she has experienced at OHS. Her favorite moments include football games, Ag Day, Lee Gordon’s class, and the Homecoming game. She said [about the football games], “You get to meet new people and support your school. And you get to watch them dominate people.” She also said, [about Gordon’s class], “ I liked the funny stories he told us about his life.”
Woodard commented on the way some freshmen get treated, “I have friends who are older. I think the immaturity of some of the freshmen makes people have judgement calls on people they don't know. Not all freshmen act immature.”
Interact club officers, from left to right, Morgan Effland, Tara Weller, Haley Strong, and Blair Gattis, accept the Peace through Service Presidential Citation award.[/caption]The Interact Club, a program offered through Rotary International, is one of the most active service clubs at Orange High School and it’s not too late to get in on the action.
After being awarded the Peace Through Service Presidential Citation award from the Hillsborough Rotary Club this past summer, the OHS Interact Club has already begun to have regular meetings and to prepare for their year of fundraisers and community projects.
Upcoming projects organized by the the Interact Club include the annual Adopt a Highway event, beginning with the first of four clean ups this Saturday, September 14, from 9 to 10 am at OHS and along Orange High School Road.
Other events include the famous Kiss a Goat fundraiser during Ag Day, where students donate money to see one of eight seniors nominated by members of the Interact Club kiss a goat. The senior who kisses the goat is the person with the most money donated towards their name. Interact Club will also raise money by selling snow cones on Ag Day.
Interact Club meets on Wednesday mornings at 8:15 in room 326 with Mrs. Lantzy, the club advisor. Anyone from the student body is welcome and encouraged to join.