Senior and varsity captain, Cailee Pulido, has also been doing cheer since middle school, and also has a cheer and gymnastics background. She was influenced by her friends and has “fallen in love” with the sport. She said, “As captain, I want my team to keep up spirit for the crowd, smile, be loud, and hit what they've practiced.” When asked why cheer is important to her she said, “Cheer is important to me because it’s an opportunity for the team to show our school spirit and it’s time for us as girls to come together.”
McKenzie Almers, a senior and varsity captain, stated she has also done cheer her whole life. “I started doing dance when I was two years old, and then I had friends who did competitive cheer in middle school, so I tried it out,” she said. This year, she wants her team to “cheer competitively.” “We have a great coach and all the girls have the potential.” As for cheering in college, “It depends on where I go, but I definitely want to do it.”
Varsity captain, Carey Goodwin, wants the team “to be the best that they can be.” She has done cheer all of her life and loves the sport. Goodwin plans on doing cheer in college. When people hear her name, “I want people to think of a kind and caring person.”
Sophomore and junior varsity captain, Cassie Turner, has done cheer since middle school. “Once you've found something that you love, it’s hard to stop.” As captain, “I want to make the team great, and help the girls be the best that they can.” When people think of her as JV captain, she wants them to think of a “understanding person and a leader.”
Junior varsity captain Robyn Woodall, a sophomore, wants her team “to accomplish bigger and do harder stunts.” A cheerleader since the eighth grade, she decided to do it because people told her that she smiled a lot and that her positivity would be great on the team. She continues to do cheer because “it keeps me at a medium. I’m not cocky, too happy, or too sad. I’m in the middle.”
Junior varsity cheerleader captain and freshman Josie Smith, said she wants the team to “work together and be a family.” When asked why she decided to do cheer, she stated, “It’s fun, I love it and I’m very passionate about it.” Smith also cheers competitively outside of school.
In the final moments of my senior year, I’ve been struggling to figure out what these last four years have meant to me. However, when it comes to my time as a part of the Den Echoes staff, I am certain that I’ve been affected by this publication.
Through this newspaper, I have learned how to become a better writer, how to tell a story, how to interact with other people, how to be a good leader, and, among many other things, how to get out of my comfort zone. I have experienced first-hand many events at my school, from the unusual to outstanding, and have learned to love my community for all of its quirks and oddities. Furthermore, I’ve gained a sense of purpose as I now cannot imagine my life without journalism, leading me to my choice of majoring in the craft at a school well known for their journalism program; this was a choice which I would not have made without the guidance of the ever-excellent Brooke Smith, our adviser who has not only breathed life into the newspaper, but into the spirit of the staff.
Being a part of Den Echoes has been a great experience for me as it is a constantly evolving creature, bringing change and new challenges with the ebb and flow of events. I am immensely proud of the time that I’ve spent as Editor-in-Chief, but am ready to leave the paper in the hands of my entirely competent and wonderful staff, in whom I have nothing but faith. Just as I entered this paper excited and hopeful for the future, I leave even more so than before. While I may be having trouble with giving meaning to my overall high school experience, I can say with great certainty that my time as a staff member on the Den Echoes newspaper has not only been fulfilling, but enlightening, and an experience for which I am forever grateful.
As May 1, the almost universal college decision day, rapidly approaches, seniors are forced to decide at what school they want to spend the next four years. This certainly can be an overwhelming decision with the average student being forced to weigh the financial aspect with the academic, the social with the distance from home. Thankfully, there are a few tips that college admissions officers share with seniors, adapted from Martha O’Connel’s NPR article How To Choose A College That’s Right For You.
The first step is to figure out why the applicant is going to college, whether it’s for top ranked academics or a great basketball team. The student should know the pros and cons of their learning style and how they think they will react to certain situations in college, such as homesickness and making new friends.
The next step is to decide the pros and cons of being a large school versus a smaller one. Smaller communities are more conducive to making good friendships, but larger schools usually offer better programs in academics and/or athletics.
Realize that a well-recognized, “name brand” school may not be right for each senior. College is about the experiences had, not about the actual choice of university. The right college for many seniors may be a small school that not many others have heard about.
Individual seniors should compare their GPAs and standardized test scores to the averages of admitted students to see where they would rank in the class, especially if being in the top percentage of his/her class is important to seniors.
Compare the financial benefits of each school. While one school may be significantly more money than others, the financial aid and/or scholarships received may make the school the best value out of all provided.
Realize that it’s okay to take a gap year if need be. College isn’t right for everyone immediately coming out of high school, and taking a gap year gives the senior a year to figure out what the right next step is for him/her.
The last and most important consideration is the overall fit. If the student is not comfortable at his/her desired university, then it will be extremely difficult to enjoy the college experience. Before deciding, seniors should sit in on a class, tour the campus, eat in the dining hall, etc to be sure that their first choice university is the one that fits their personality the best.
March 2, 2013, Orange High School student Ashley Hinkle placed second in the Teen Chef Competition at the Art Institute of Raleigh-Durham. Many high school teens with a heart for cooking surrounded the stadium. During the competition contestants make two main courses: appetizers and a main dish. They’re given ninety minutes to prepare both. Before cooking the main courses, contestants have to show their knife cutting skills by dicing tomatoes, potatoes, and onions, this takes thirty minutes.Hinkle says she was nervous about the knife cutting portion of the competition. “ I practiced all week to be ready!”
Hinkle made shrimp cocktail for her appetizers. She started off by boiling the shrimp with bay seasoning. For her presentation Hinkle placed the shrimp around a margarita glass with a basil leaf on the side accompanied with a lime.
The main dish was Italian chicken with broccoli and rice pilaf. Hinkle says while making her main dish she tried, “to stand out as much
as possible without showing off.” She cooked her Italian chicken with white wine, the broccoli was sauteed with onions, and the rice pilaf was joined with sun dried tomatoes and onions, cooked in chicken stock. After given her place in the competition, on her way to greet her family and friends, Lora Leslee from WRAL came up to Hinkle and said “Did you take 2nd place?” Hinkle confirmed that she did take 2nd place, Leslee then says, “ You had the neatest prep table, that I seen! Congratulations!” Hinkle was grateful for the compliment but excited to see her friends and family.
Hinkle says she has always wanted to be a chef and this gives her all the confidence that she needs to pursue her education in cooking.
Daly is a UNC-Chapel Hill senior, and she just won a national championship for Division 1 soccer. “Not only is she a very skilled player, but she is also a positive mentor with a lot of fun, fresh new ideas to add to the program,” said Hunter.
Hunter also talked about the new training structure for the team. “Since December, we've been using the weight room during preseason this year two or three times a week,” said Hunter. “We're hoping that against some of the tougher teams that we go up against, this discipline in the preseason will make us both more physically and mentally prepared to meet such challenges.”
With the incorporation of new training and a new assistant coach,
the team is hoping to have a winning season.
Devon Allen, Natalie Hartmond, MJ Bumgarner, Viviane Feldman, and Madison Chandler are all seniors on the team. Since they will be graduating, this will be their last season of high school soccer.
The rain over the past week has been a concern for the team. “Despite being rained out for the past week, they are all still in high spirits, having fun, and working together really well. Staying positive and working together is key to our success,” Hunter said.
Junior Quinlan Blackmon said, “Yeah, [I'm ready for the second semester] because baseball season is about to start!” Austin Goehring said, “Yes! I’m really happy I’m almost done because I’m so ready for this to be an unforgettable summer!”
New semester means new classes, which is a new start and expectations for students. Zach Wagner’s expectations is to make all A’s. Daniel Gallardo said his goal is, “To actually pass, I’m not doing too good right now...” Jake Frederick’s expectations are not for his grades to improve but to get teacher he likes and can get along with.
When freshmen were asked how their first high school semester was, Brooke Chamberlain said, “It’s a lot more freedom than I thought it would be.” Brooke’s experience may have been a bit shocking, but Mylta Medrano’s was not much of a surprise, as she stated, “No, not really. I pretty much already knew everything from hearing it from my sisters.”
For seniors, it’s their last semester of high school, which can be bittersweet.
Brian Hernandez said, “It’s been pretty chill, relaxing, I don’t have to do much besides finish off my last year good. I just can’t wait until I walk across that stage, and know I’ve achieved a lot.”
On the other hand, Seth Watkins said, “I’m ready to get out of school and have fun and enjoy life without the stress.”
Taylor Harris feels both sad and happy, saying, “It feels good, but at the same time, I’m going to miss it, and have to make it last."
Melissa Barragon adds, “It’s exciting but scary because i know I only have one semester left then its off to the real world with more responsibility.
The 2012-2013 school year is an exciting school year for the seniors because they get to graduate. With second semester approaching, seniors are getting hit with senioritis badly and ready to graduate and go to college.
Evonna Sampedro, who will be attending Johnson and Wales in Charlotte, NC is excited to graduate and feels pretty good about being a senior.
Asha Parham is excited and, “can not wait to walk and receive my diploma.” She will be attending East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. “My favorite thing about going to ECU is the recreational area, they have a great place and I love it.
Other seniors have decided to skip college for now and instead go to the army. Lyric Poole is one of those seniors who decided to go to the army. “I was influenced by my sister to join and also it was opportunity to gain experience and a way to pay for school.”
Houston Shultz decided to also go to the army. “I wanted to start in the workforce so I can care for myself and work for myself, its something that I wanted to do for myself.”Austin Coffey is also going to the army. “I wanted to have a plan for the future,” said Coffey.
While some students prefer to go the army others still choose to just graduate and get job. Vianey Gomez said that she will skip college and just go straight to work. She is also graduating early to get a head start on her work.
There are so many options for recent high school graduates just as long as they have a plan for the future, Anything is possible.