Colonial Heights High School November,2014-2015
Transcription
Colonial Heights High School November,2014-2015
The Colonial Courier Colonial Heights High School November,2014-2015 Volunteering! Robin Akers and Shannon Smith volunteerng at the Dunlop House. Page 2 It can be as easy as grabbing a why should breakfast bar from the pantry, or it can be as extravagant as eggs and bacon, in reality does not take that i eat break- which long to make. Breakfast is also the cheapest meal fast? of the day, if you are in the mood for by Thomas Metcalf Students never eat breakfast anymore. Whether it be on purpose or accidentally, it is proven that almost nine out of every ten high school aged students do not eat breakfast before school. Some of the excuses for not eating breakfast in before school are that the student is trying to lose weight, or that they do not have enough time. The truth is that breakfast is one of the easiest meals to prepare. Staff eating out. Most biscuits and breakfast items are on fast food dollar menus, and they normally have combos as well. It has been stated that students who eat breakfast on a regular basis perform better in school and do not get stressed out as easily as students who do not eat. One of the major reasons that people refrain from eating breakfast, and this is most common in adolescent females, is trying to lose weight. Studies show that not eating breakfast makes you gain weight, not lose it. Eating breakfast in the morning awakens your metabolism, making you burn through calories faster. Eating in the morning also improves your overall health, making you less likely to become sick and have health problems in the future. Some adolescent students complain about not being happy, and some of the people around them can tell that they are not in a good mood. This is probably caused by a lack of nutrition, mainly the nutrients that you receive from breakfast foods. Breakfast foods have been specially made to give people the nutrients that they need to start the day. Some of these include proteins, calcium, vitamins, and carbohydrates. Fruits and low-fat dairy products also add to the nutrients. This makes some of the best breakfast meals things such as smoothies, cereal, and prepackaged breakfast meals. Letter Editor-In-Chief from the Patricia Westfall Asst. Editors Elizabeth Magnusson Tommy Metcalf Staff Writers Victoria Johnson Ethan Carr Kate Barnes Corey Cowart Jill Mauro Jordan Booth Jasmine Webb Shae Johnson Omar Alkhadra Grace Kim Lanie Byrd Advisor Ms. Goforth The views, ideas, and opinions in this newspaper are exactly that, opinions. They are the opinions of the Colonial Courier staff and in no way represent the administration. Prior to being posted, the principal previewed the paper. school www.irishhealth.com by Patricia Westfall I may only be 17 years old, but there are people out there who make me wonder what I’m doing with my life. Seeing kids my age doing things that most average adults never get the chance to do absolutely amazes me. A prime example of what I’m talking about is Chase Elliott. Yeah, yeah, I know not many of you have heard of him because he’s a racecar driver, but being a huge NASCAR fan, this sticks out to me. Chase Elliott, son of NASCAR champion Bill Elliott, is 18 years of age. As a rookie, he has won the NASCAR Nationwide Insurance Series Championship. He’s EIGHTEEN and the youngest champion in all of NASCAR national touring series history. Unbelievable. And here I sit. Taylor Swift dropped her first country album at the age of 16 and her album went up to fifth on the Billboard Charts. First album, at 16, and BAM it goes right up the charts. And here I sit. Michael Phelps was 15 years old when he swam in the Olympics in Sydney, Australia, which makes him the youngest to ever swim in the Olympics since 1932. He won 6 gold medals in the next games in Athens, Greece, at the age of 19. And here I sit. I wonder what I could have done to be so successful at my age. Maybe I should have auditioned for American Idol or something like that. Singing was my thing, back in the day. Editor Maybe if I put forth more effort during my 14 years of dance, I could have been one of the top dancers in America, maybe I would star like Maddie in Dance Moms. Who knows? I’m just the average kid with no exceptional talents. I plan to go off to college in the fall, I plan to have an average career later in life. Everything is just average. What does it take to live a life that is out of the ordinary? Multiple things like talent, maturity, confidence, and determination. Talent is the thing that will get you in the spotlight, but the maturity, confidence, and determination is what will keep you there. It amazes me how calm and collected teen stars are when the pressure is building. I admit, some kids crack under the pressure, but most keep their head on their shoulders. I guess I’m grateful for being an average kid. I don’t have too many obligations, I don’t handle stress well, and my anxiety levels are out of the roof half of the time. Maybe being average isn’t so bad. The expectations placed on me are my own. No racing, no concerts, no fans, just me. I get to be myself and discover who I am. Others might know their calling at 17, but as for me, I am waiting, learning, and accepting. It’s really cool to see kids my age doing what they do best and being the best out there. It makes me feel like I’m doing nothing with my life, but I’m grateful for all that I have and the life that I live. Page 3 Congratulations To New National Honor Society Members National Honor Society is a club based on scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Students must participate in volunteering actives and be evaluated by the staff and sponsors to be selected to join National Honor Society. Members must have a GPA of at least 3.3 to able to be a member in the club and complete a minimum of 3 hours of community service each month. The sponsor of the Colonial Heights High School National Honor Society is Mrs. K.risten Crowder. New Members Janell Armstead Jackson Cox Rebekah Dubberly James Gabbert Tyler Gingrich Hannah Hatke Jeremiah Lucas Clay Morris Minh Nguyen Marissa Rigby Christopher Rowe Nojan Sheybani Haley Tucker Hayden Whitley Paige Benninghoff Stuart Crinkley Olivia Emerson Magdalini Galanopoulos Brian Gwaltney Madeline Holder Brian Madl Courtney Morris Alexis Page Michael Ritenour Laura Shelley Campbell Steele McKenzie Vrooman Zach York Kaitlyn Brown Kala Dobrick Savanna Fox James Garcia-Otero Kyle Hammond Braden Johnson Michelle Moran Noah Murdock Casey Ridpath Hank Rosser Katherine Shelton Nicholas Thomason Alex Waltman Kelly Spaine Congratulations To New BETA Members BETA Club focuses on promoting the character and leadership of the students in the community. They also promote the ideals of academic achievement as well as having to have a GPA of at least a 3.5 to become a member. The sponsors of BETA Club for the Colonial Heights Chapter are Mrs. Darby Wheeler and Mrs. Cassie Megginson. New Members Tyriq Anderson Julian Beltran Paige Benninghoff Sierra Bishop Jacob Bradford Kaitlyn Brown Wen Chen Jackson Cox Stuart Crinkley Brandon Daul Chris�na Davis Rebekah Dubberly James Earhart Ashton Edwards Devinne Edwards Olivia Emerson Katherine Evans Savanna Fox Linwood Fraher James Gabbert Magdalini Galanopoulos James Garcia-Otero William Gibbs Tyler Gingrich Ericka Hacker Marilyn Hekrdle Madeline Holder Megan Holmes Mya Jefferson Braden Johnson Carolyn Johnson Sophia Keene David Kim Jeremiah Lucas Brain Madl Seth Markins Laura McClellan Thomas Metcalf Clay Morris Courtney Morris Jacob Murdock Noah Murdock James Newsome Kyle Nguyen Minh Nguyen Alexis Page Hwibeom Park Neil Patel Casey Ridpath Marissa Rigby Michael Ritenour Hank Rosser Christopher Rowe Libby Ryan Alexa Sanford Peyton Selfe Laura Shelley Katherine Shelton Nojan Sheybani Emily Smith Shannon Smith Campbell Steele Amber Stra�on Jordan Taber Manel Taifour Nicholas Thomason Haley Tucker McKenzie Vrooman Alex Waltman Hayden Whitley Ryan Wolfe Bryan Young Page 4 Christian Davis selected to play in Macy’s Day Parade by Patricia Westfall and Elizabeth Magnusson The Macy’s Great American Marching Band now has a new member as a part of its talented musical group, which contains approximately 250 students who represent all 50 states. Christian Davis, senior, has been selected to be a part of the band that will start on 77th street and end on 34th street for the 88th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. In May, Christian was preparing his audition video for the band. He got to pick a solo piece of his choice and practice until he got it right. By June, his video was sent, seen, and selected by the Macy’s Band Selection Committee. Since June, he has had a lot of preparation and dedication towards this opportunity. He practices pieces from the band’s website, which don’t have to be completely memorized, but they have to be solid enough to the point where he can www.musicarts.com fansided.com www.wnypapers.com rehearse with the rest of the drum line. On Sunday, Nov. 23, Davis will make his way up to New York City to begin rehearsals with the band. Rehearsals will run from Sunday until Wednesday. “There is a lot on the schedule,” Davis explains. There will be loads of rehearsal time, but they will have time for other activities as well. The band will be going to see a Broadway show, visiting Rockefeller Center, taking a ferry to see the Statue of Liberty, touring Carnegie Hall, Radio Music City Hall, and the 9-11 Memorial as well. The band’s instruments are supplied for them except the drum line has to bring their own practice mallets. Davis will be expecting to play a bass drum. “I’ll be playing the bottom base, maybe.” You may be concerned that he will be carrying that heavy drum for two and a half miles, but Davis has the skill from four marching seasons with the Marching Colonials to keep that worry away. He is physically and mentally prepared for this feat. Davis has never been to New York and he has never been more excited. “It means a whole lot to me. I’ve always dreamed of going there and watching it, and now I get to be a part of it. It’s very exciting.” Page 5 Things to Know About Schools Grades not created equally? Fewer Graduates? Believe it or not grades account for about 75% of the usual admissons decision. Research by the College Board, the organization that issues the SAT, shows that the average GPA for high school seniors increased from 2.64 in the year 1996 to 2.90 in 2006 and this is even when the SAT remained necessarily flat. After 15 years of dependable growth, the number of U.S high-school graduates leveled off this year at 3.2 million . We expected to stay like that until we reach the year 2020, when we imagine it to rise, according to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. Stated this, that means more colleges will be pursing less students. Schools not what they seem to be? Roughly around 100 U.S. colleges offered admission to fewer than a third of their applicants in 2013. But did you know that a low admissions rate can help a college look “exclusive”-improving its scores in national college rankings. Also some admission officers say some colleges try to control that rate. Colleges will even accept incomplete applications, to increase their applications-to acceptance ratio. Colleges reconsidering students? Around 22% of colleges repealed at least one offer of admission in 2009 (also the most year studied), according to the NACAC. The most commonly cited reasons were senioritis-impacted final grades by 65%, displinary issues by 35%, and falsification of application information by 29%. Also in recent years, student posting on social media has caused some schools to reconsider their offers. Money Talks? According to the College Board, 10% of freshmen were outside the U.S in 2013. The reason colleges go for these international scholars is because many of them can pay a full tuition. Information for this article came from a Richmond Times-Dispatch article, College Admissions Won’t Tell You Oct 5, 2014. Page 6 by Lanie Byrd V olunteering is not just about filling up your required hours for school. Nor is it trying to find impressive activities to catch eyes on college applications. It is about giving a little bit of your time and effort into making a difference. Looking back on all the time you spend on your phones, or watching TV, imagine how much you could do if you spent that time doing a little something for others. The trick is making these endeavors fun for you. Do things you are interested in. Odds are if you do something that you do not like, you probably will not prosper as well as you would in something you are interested in. Use your talents and interests to your advantage! For instance if you are an advanced student and feel confident enough to help others, you might want to check out tutoring opportunities in schools, or libraries. If you have an interest in making personal bonds and simply making people’s day, maybe you should try nursing homes or hospitals. Just find opportunities near you. You can try schools, shelters, fundraisers, or any helping organization. Some things going on in our school are: middle school tutoring, kids-after-school programs, high school mentors, the Dunlop House, and even gardening. Refer to the school website, or room one for ideas and how to get connected to each source. Mrs. Kristen Crowder in room one is a good resesource to talk to if you have any questions. You don’t just have to look through schools though. There are many churches all around that are working with all sorts of organizations. Do what you are comfortable with. Get some friends to help you as well. That could make for an enjoyable experience for all of you. As they say, the more the merrier! by Grace Kim H ave you ever asked yourself how volunteering can help you? Many good things can come your way in the future. You can increase your social skills while you’re making new friends and experiencing new things. Volunteering for something you’re interested in is important too. Employers will look on your applications to see if you have volunteered on something related to the job. In conclusion, you have a higher chance of getting the job than someone who didn’t volunteer. The same goes for colleges too. Feeling great about volunteering is another benefit. When you’re done with the volunteering task, think to yourself about how you helped the community and people. Don’t be scared of asking if you can volunteer at a certain organization. Be confident and have fun while volunteering! Reminders! Volunteer opportunity at the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, November 22nd! Volunteer at the Food Pantry… set up a date with the manager! (Look on the school website) 10th~12th graders only- Blast tutoring every Tuesday at the school media center! (For more volunteer opportunities go to chhs.colonialhts.net) ~no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. ~ -AESOP Page 7 One Acts Mirrors & Voic by Shae’Ana Johnson The drama department has created magic once again. With their one acts, Mirrors and Voices, they bring to light many of life’s difficulties. Some of the difficult subjects they have to produce in Voices are domestic violence, sexual identity crisis, and acceptance. Mirros, originally written by John O’Brien, was Mrs. Gee inspiration to write Voices while at a Performing Arts School in Pennsylvania during 2009-2010. She said what made her want to do the show was, “watching them [the characters] go through life and being so misunderstood.” The play can be misconstrued as controversial. Everyone in the world should have the right to choose how they wish to live their life. Mrs. Gee’s views are that, “Everyone has a right to choose their passion.” The show has a certain level difficulty because of the kind of characters have to portray. In order to get into character the staff got into a circle and hashed out the differences they shared within the lives of the characters. While most of the staff was quick to forgive someone for any wrong they had done, Mrs. Gee had another opinion. “It’s hard to forgive someone for something serious.” Mrs. Gee says the hardest part of directing the show was “Getting the kids to really give the right reaction. Like what a parent would say in certain situations.” The staff said that Mrs. Gee reminds them of a character named, “Momma Dean”. Mrs. Ge said, “I’m glad they think of me in that light, but I hope they see me as her understanding side. Momma Dean has a hard time understanding her son and his life choices.” Mrs. Gee says, “It has very tense and seri ous tone, but its not stuffy: it just makes you think.” It’s also a very interesting piece when it comes to the mind. It has you disbelieving what you think you saw or heard. It’s a two- sided mind game. The shows were performed on Nov 21 and 22. The next productiion is Dec 10, a showcase of four different shows including Poe’s popular “Tell Tell Heart” along with a one-man show called “The Second Best Bed.” Everyone in Drama 1 is in the plays while Drama 2 students will be working backstage. Drama students in ITS have also been involved in helping with Operation Christmas. Page 8 College Trips by Thomas Metcalf F or the second year, the students of Colonial Heights High School were given the amazing opportunity to tour a college of their choice. Just over 100 students decided to go on the trip, which was held on Election Day. The students were given a choice of six different colleges, and they had to rate each college in the order that they wanted to attend. The colleges featured on the ballot this year were Longwood University, Old Dominion University, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Richmond, Christopher Newport University, Virginia State University, and University of Virginia. University of Virginia was the top visited college this year, with Virginia Commonwealth University coming in a close second. There were so many students that wanted to go to these colleges that some students were turned away. This is a prime example of how the tours revolve around “first come, first serve” motto. This makes the least visited college this year was the University of Richmond. This is quite ironic because the students that attended this tour received a $50 certificate that will cover the cost of an application. Ms. Kristin Crowder, the one in charge of organizing the college trips, says that she has received a lot of positive feedback from the attendees. “The students were very thankful for the experience. They were excited about all the opportunities that are available at college.” There were even students who decided that they did not like the college that they chose to attend. Ms. Crowder says that this is just as helpful in narrowing down the search. While on the tours, most students were able to meet with the admissions of the college, have a question and answer session with their guides, and even eat lunch on campus with the college kids. CNU The same colleges are expected to be on the ballot next year, with the administration attempting to add Mary Washington University as well. Ms. Crowder says that she wished she could have included James Madison University in the choices, but that the travel time would take way too long. The great thing about holding the trips on Election Day is that the students aren’t missing school. This means that there will be no make-up work. It is also easier to find chaperones and buses because they do not have a normal work schedule that day. This trip could not have been possible without a generous grant from the local Wal-Mart to pay for the expenses. Ms. Crowder says that is a good idea for students to attend college early on. “It’s great for students to see what is available to them. For some students, it can be very motivating. It could push them to work harder and achieve more. Students and their families are busy and often cannot make the time to visit colleges on their own. This is a great way to narrow down their choices so students can focus on their favorite colleges early on.” The trip was available to all students of CHHS, and in order for the students to be able to go on the trip, they were required to fill out a request form. Once they were accepted, they had to pay a $15 dollar fee and get their parents to sign a permission slip. UVA Longwood r e c n a C t s a e r : B s s e r g o r p s s e n e r awa Page 9 activities. There are many cancer-care organizations that have brought a lot of attention to breast cancer, and for that we are grateful. One of which is NBCAM. This is a combination of organizations, agencies, and associations that work with each other to fight for a cure. by Lanie Byrd Another well known cancer care effort, Susan G. Komen is specifically for Breast Cancer. any people and This foundation does a lot of cancer-care foundations fundraising. Some of the items thoroughly believe that awareness is the first step to they sell include: -accessory trays beating breast cancer. -scarves If more people know, then -Christmas ornaments more people can donate and/ -blankets or participate in fundraising -shirts M All the money collected is distributed; about 17% goes to fundraising & about 83% goes to the mission field. It is said on Susan G. Komen website that “It can take well over 15 years and 5 billion dollars to translate a discovery in the lab”. So there is no set amount of money they raise each year, but they do have generous donators and sponsors that help out. There are other activities that fall under the fundraising and mission category. For example, certain sports ___________ _____ ________________________: on pink-out day : l o o h c s n i s s e n e awar by Grace Kim M uch awareness has been made over the years, all over the country. Money wasand still is being raised- to find a definite cure and ways to prevent it. Recently, on October 30th we had a Pink Out Day to show our support and raise awareness. The SCA have also collected some money and sent it to a Cancer Association organization. “Even though we didn’t collect much, we still donated and made a small impact.”Sofia Mohammed, one of the senators of the freshman class. Our CHHS sport teams have shown support too. Our football, soccer, and basketball teams have been showing support by wearing pink during their games. “DECA is a nonprofit organization which prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management, in high schools.”- www. deca.org. Our school has quite a few DECA members who represented our school at a breast cancer luncheon at the Jefferson. They talked about what DECA has done to raise money for the cause, such as their annual car show. Breast cancer is formed by inheriting mutated genes and risk factors. The cancer starts in the tissues of the breast and then progresses. Men and women both can get the cancer, but it is most often found in women. An estimated number of new cases of breast cancer for the 2014 year are 232,670 and the number of deaths is 40,000. In 2013 there were fewer deaths from breast cancer. (232,340) This means that raising awareness, showing support, and donating is gradually decreasing deaths. It may not be much, Monica Ericksonsophmore: on pink-out events that collect and donate money for the cure would fall under fundraising. Golf is one sport that does this, since some institutions are participating in Rally for the Cure®. Examples of the mission field would be athletes wearing pink at public games, walks, 5k runs, or pink out days. There are so many ways to help out the cause. You just have to be willing to participate. Page 10 Mr. Gelven : 10 QUESTIONS? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1) How long have you known you wanted to be a teacher? -Athena or Apollo -football 6) Is it true that you can speak the language from Lord -I never intended of the Rings? to be a teacher. -I have Prior to teaching studied the Elven I was a stay - at languages, but I – home parent am by no means with aspirations to fluent in them. The become a writer. High Elven tongue That was thirteen from across the sea years ago. is called Quenya. 2) What made you decide become a Latin teacher? -Economic necessity. Galadriel spoke this language. The language spoken in Rivendell was Sindarin, the GreyElven tongue. - College of William and Mary. I had so many incredible experiences, it’s hard to choose. I have fond memories of dressing up as Dracula & visiting a campus blood-drive which was held on Halloween, 1986! ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ 3) What do you do when you have free 7) What is your favorite hobby? time? -Bird- watching -Take my daughter on trips to & star watching zoos, museums, or with my telescope. nature hikes in the 8) What is your mountains. favorite story in Mythology? 4) What is your favorite sport? -Homer’s Odyssey! Magic: The Gathering card 9) Who is your game. favorite god in Mythology? 5)Least favorite? 10) What college did you graduate from; what was your favorite experience? er h g es n i m m a m i l F w S o on t y ati a w N by Patricia Westfall the whole atmosphere of the university.” She feels extremely blessed to be a part of the team and she is excited to see how far the team will go during her four years as a member. Elizabeth has been a year-round swimmer for eight years for Quest, originally known as Swimquest. She is a member of the Sherwood Hills Sharks team for 12 years. Ever since she was young, she has wanted to be on the US Olympic Swim Team, but now that she is a college athlete she adds another goal. “I want to help contribute to making Liberty a top 25 swim program.” What top 25 means is that the team will score in the top 25 at NCAA championships. “It just became a reality [to be a division one athlete] when I started emailing coaches and receiving calls. It especially became real the day that I verbally committed to Liberty.” There are nine upcoming freshmen and she has had the chance to talk to them and get to know them. “You can tell the team is one big Page 11 “Give me Liberty, or give me death,” Patrick Henry would say, but this time it’s Elizabeth Magnusson exclaiming it. Elizabeth, a senior here at CHHS, signed her national letter of intent to swim at Liberty University on Wed., Elizabeth and her parents, Mike and Kathy Magnusson, Nov. 12. after she signed her letter of intent. Each senior year-round swimmer has five schools to choose from for all-paid family. The girls are extremely nice recruiting trips. Elizabeth had selected and supportive. Everyone has each four schools to go visit, Texas Christian other’s backs and is very encouraging University, Bucknell University, towards one another.” Virginia Tech, and Liberty University. Elizabeth is most definitely excited After visiting only two of the origional to get her senior year over with and four colleges, she made her choices get to the Liberty pool. “’Excited’ is between Virginia Tech and Liberty, and an understatement,” she said. Liberty came out on top. Congratulations to Elizabeth “I chose Liberty because both of Jake Magnusson on her final commitment and Jessica [the coaches] and because and best of wishes and luck to her in I love what they are doing with the the future years to come. program. You can tell that they were We will keep you updated on any genuine and that they believed in me. I athlete who commits or signs to a feel that I can grow as a person both in Elizabeth signing her National Letter of Intent while her parents and college. and out of the water. I love the team and school swim coach Miss Kuschae look on. Where would you like to vacation if you had one chance to go anywhere? by Grace Kim Breanne Turner, 9: Italy because she loves their culture. Casie Slaybaugh, 10: Paris because they have really good food and I also want to go see the Eiffel Tower. Bill Coleman, 11: Alaska because I have always wanted to go there. Mrs. Jamie Wulfekuche, French: Indiana because I read a lot of interesting stuff about it in college. Mrs. Lee Lagard, Spanish: Hawaii because it is a beautiful state. Sarah Gallant, 9: New York City because I want to shop and go to Broadway shows. Sierra Longneck, 12: Thailand because my dad was born over there. Mr. Ronald Spedden, World History: England, because he wants to see the historical stuff there. I also want to meet Eric Clapton. Amber Stratton, 11: Harry Potter land at Universal because I love Harry Potter. Sonali Luther, 10: Europe because there is so much history there. Camille Pereira, 9: Greece because I am interested in their culture and it seems like a beautiful place. Mr. Matthew Gelvin, Latin: Alaska because I want to see the beautiful glaciers and mountains. David Kim, 11: Canada because it seems really cool there. Sofia Mohammed, 9 : Australia because I am interested in their customs and cultures. Greyson Pierce, 12: South Africa because of its breathtaking views. James Garcia, 11: China because my mom is from there. Sara Janke, 10: Pennsylvania, so I can watch all the Steelers games. Cody Cole, 9: Japan because I want to become an animation artist. Kara Modecki, 10: I want to tour all of America’s abandoned places so I can discover ghosts. Taylor Banty, 12: Hawaii because I love the beach. Shane Ervin, 10: New York because I wants to see the Broadway shows and sightsee. Daniel Hardy, 12: New Zealand because I have always wanted to go there. Alex Waltman, 11: Hawaii because it’s nice and relaxing. Tattoos and piercings in the Workplace Page 12 by Shae’Ana Johnson Body Modification is a big part in society. Whether it is a nose ring or a tattoo across the knuckles , it is how we express ourselves nowadays. But even though it’s tolerated throughout the streets, people say there’s little acceptance for it in the workplace. The Anti Discrimination Act states that no one should be denied a job based off of ethnic origin, race, religion, mental or physical disability and age. Society accepts normal piercings in the workplace such as a tiny nose stud or earrings, on a girl, but what about the guy with stretched ears or the girl with a tongue ring. Some companies understand having piercings if it is for religious reasons. Recently a Church of Body Modifications has been created. It is a religion for those who want to “practice body modification rituals with purpose”. Although it is a religion, employers will still require employees to remove the piercings. Even though it’s going against their 1st amendment right to express their religion in the workplace. But why is it such a big deal to have untraditional piercings in work today? Because people don’t see them as professional. When people apply for a job with gauges and a septum ring employers automatically assume that they are bad news or a” hooligan.” Society is so busy putting a name on people who don’t fit the “norm.” They forget about who is the best for the job based on education and instead base it on how it’s going to make the company look. Job hirers assume that because a perspective employee has tattoos or piercings then he or she is more “rebellious” or may not respect authority. There have been multiple cases where people who were great employees and qualified for the job , but have been asked to leave. Not because they became began to slack, but because they were found to have an “unprofessional tattoo.” Imagine being at a job interview and the two people competing for the job are Rick Genest, the most tattooed man in the world. The other candidate is the preppy Ted Bundy, a man without tattoos. Because our society is so based off of looks, Ted Bundy, one of the world’s most notorious serial killers in the world would’ve received the job--instead of Rick Genest, a man who goes around in- fluencing people to not be afraid of who they are and to accept and love themselves. Companies such as Costco, will fire you on the spot if you don’t fit into or challenge their rules. It doesn’t matter how good you are at your job, if you don’t look the part you’re gone. Other companies will not hire young men with long hair or a beard. Some employers will ask that tattoos or piercings be covered. The military. in addition to its many regulations, will not allow tattoos that show outside of their uniform. Hair cuts are mandatory, no facial hair is allowed. Some companies don’t want to be represented by someone with body ink or taboo piercings. In a restaurants, especially ones that caters to older people or families, restrictions on your appearance are in place. The owners believe you are representing their brand and want to protect the image of their restaurant. In the advertising business, where you’d have to put on a completely professional persona, people would expect you to have a certain look. You’re selling their product not your selfexpression. A company has the right to decide whom they want to hire and how they are to appear. You may not like their rules, but you know, in order to work there, you have to abide by them. This needs to change. it is underable to an extext, but is not fair. Times are changing and employers need to realize this. More and more people--who are good solid workers--are getting more tattos and piercings. Employers who will not hire them are missing out on great employees. Page 13 The Fault in Our Stars Movie Review by Jill Mauro The Fault in Our Stars was made into a major motion picture based off of the teenage novel written by John Green (who also wrote the ‘Divergent’ series and ‘Paper Towns’.) This movie was heart-wrenching, yet a sick and twisted love story that couldn’t help but to be loved. The actors and actresses did a fantastic job, and the cast chosen for this film was perfect. First, we have Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley). She is a sarcastic, down-to-Earth person that stays strong as she fights against a deadly thyroid cancer that has spread to her lungs. Hazel Grace, later on, falls for none other than Augustus Waters, played by Ansel Elgort. Augustus Waters is a charming young man with a flamboyant personality that helps swoop Hazel Grace off of her feet. He is a cancer survivor, but lost his leg in the battle. Now, there is always a character in a book, or movie, that never fails to surprise us, and Augustus is that person. Next, we have Isaac (Nat Wolf), Augustus’ best friend. He is a strong, resilient guy that has a positive mind set throughout the film. He lost both of his eyes due to cancer, but he is still able to befriend Hazel Grace and stick by Augustus through thick and thin. Lastly, we have Peter Van Houten (Willem Dafoe). He portrays himself as an arrogant, cold, and heartless retired book author that disses Hazel and Augustus as they visit his home in Amsterdam. He seemed like nothing but a selfish drunk, but redeemed himself at the end of the movie as he shared a story of his past, explaining why he has the attitude he does. The movie was amazing and it is greatly recommended to teenagers interested in seeing a sick and twisted romance film that brings tears to your eyes. Once again, the cast did an excellent job and this movie deserves an endless amount of positive reviews, as well as reads for the book. Best Of Me Movie Review by Victoria Johnson The movie “The Best of Me” made me and my whole group of friends cry. “The Best of Me” a best seller by Nicolas Sparks, was made into a motion picture. The two main characters are played by Michelle Monaghan (Amanda) and James Marsden (Dawson). Dawson comes from a broken home. His mother is not in the picture, and his father is a methaddict. The movie is about two high-school sweethearts who meet again, after 20 years of being apart because of a mutual friend’s death. During the years they did not see each other, they both lived miserable lives, but times have changed for these two love birds when they reunite. As Amanda’s marriage is fail- ing, and her daughter passed away, she and Dawson reconnect at this funeral for Dawson’s surrogate father. In typical Sparks’s fashion, the two characters have to discover truths about each other along with some surprises and twists along the way. The movie is so heartfelt and full of love, that it seems unreal. You will be crying by the end. It is so powerful because the actors really complete that movie. This story has a lot of plot twists; it is filled with love, heartbreak, happy, and sad moments. This movie keeps you on the edge of your seat, it is so captivating that you cannot help but cry because the emotion within it is so real. http://www.thebaynet.com/site_media/ movies/6b599480-e684-4745-81c057ccc8bb3d81.jpg Page 14 Godzilla: the lizard is back By Jordan Booth The movie has had a nice upgrade to the appearance of the monsters, in the old movie it used to be a frame by frame shot of a toy. Then, they made suites for people to wear, now they just animate them in the shot. The story gets changed a lot, but every story gets better. The old story was in 1954’s Godzilla. Since then, the fire breathing monster has had 28 movies, which lead us to 2014. Godzilla has gone from a mutated lizard to a force of nature with varying powers. There is no doubt that Godzilla has had a good run for the past 60 years and his movies are originals. I hope there will be many more. The 2014 remake of the famous movie “Godzilla” is holding to its name the big lizard is back and bigger. Godzilla has gotten a reboot in appearance and story. The story has had a lot of feel put into it. It makes the viewer worry for the character when the monster comes this part of the movie makes it mixture of action, suspense, and drama. The film follows the story of Ford Brody [Aaron Taylor-Johnson] a young marine just getting back from his service to see his wife and kid. The night following his arrival he gets a phone call from a police station in Japan. His father Joe Brody [Bryan Cranston] was arrested for being in the quarantine zone of old Japan, an area where Ford grew up, but had to leave when a nuclear meltdown made the city radioactive after an earthquake hit the power plant, killing his mother who worked there. What’s your favorite movie and why? by Lanie Byrd My Little Ponies. The Goonies because I Mr. Ashmore Dillon Brekke, 9: always watched it with Hyndman, Special Frozen because Elsa is my family. Ed.: Grease because fabulous. Jonathan Hartson. it’s entertaining, has Monica Erickson, 12: Field of Dreams good music & humor. 10: God’s Not Dead because it’s about Kathryn Davis, 9: because he’s not. my favorite sport: The Fault In Our Stars Alex Gabbert, 11: baseball. because it tells a good Amadeus because Mrs. Terri Moody, story, and it makes me Mozart’s a pimp. English: The Breakfast happy. Taylor Banty, 12: Just Club because it reminds Holly Funda, 10: If to avoid I Stay because it’s Go With It because it’s teachers stereotyping students. amazing. funny. Mrs. Lee Legard, Maddie Chellino, 9: Kala Dobrick, 11: Spanish: ET; it made Aquamarine because I The Little Mermaid; want to be a mermaid. it’s a really sweet and me laugh, and cry. Breanne Turner, 9: The Sara Janke, 10: The touching movie Book Thief because it’s Blind Side; just the Mrs. Colleen Hirn, heart of the whole English: August Rush about history. movie. because it teaches us to Shane Ervin, 10: Beatles Yellow McKenzie Vrooman, trust in ourselves and Submarine; it’s 11: Ferris Buelers Day our talents; it also has great music. Off; it’s a classic. amazing. Braden Johnson, 11: Andrew Walker, 12: Greyson Pierce, 12: 27 Dresses. Kali Boyce, 9: You’re Next because the guy turns against his family for the money. Elizabeth Anderson, 10: The Fault In Our Stars because I read the book and it’s good. Savanna Fox, 11: Frozen because it shows girls they don’t need a man’s love to be happy. Brenay Johnson, 12: Twilight because I like vampires. Amanda Mrs. Creasey, English: The Constant Gardner because it touches on important social issues. It’s romantic, emotional, and I have good memories with it. Guess The Actor/Actress... who provides the voice Disney’s Lion King, telling of friendship, family, and loyality, this actor add comic relief. Page 15 Tom Hanks stars in numerous movies, but his voice resounces with this character. Robin Willisams added his loud voice to numerous cartoons and movies; this is one of his favorites. Popular kids’ movie with a powerful message about friendship and working together, lots of us had toys, backpacks, or lunchboxes from these hits. Angelina Jolie not only plays sexy characters in her dramas, but has at least one movie where her kids can see her silly side. This actor adds a distinct voice to one of the tigeress in this children’s comedy, about a Panda who, oh yeah, has to learn Kung Fu. A magic carpet might take you away, but not until this character has you laughing at the multiple jokes. Whoopi Goldberg might best be known for her comedic personailty, and her character is this movie is no exception. Page 16 New Game Reviews and Speculation Halo 5: Guardians Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire by Corey Cowart L ook out Pokemon fans, it looks like Nintendo has outdone itself another time with its newest games Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire.. These Generation 3 remakes include multiple new features, the new Soar Mode on certain pokemon that gives them the ability to fly, and new mega evolutions. Mega evolution is the stage after a pokemon’s final evolution, which increases some stats, while decreasing others. Some mega-evolutions make a pokemon look completly different while some hardly change it at all, as well as the game exclusive Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre. Both primal pokemon come with their own exclusive moves ,Origin Pulse and Precipise Blades. The criminal organizations ,Team Magma and Team Aqua, have returned to take over the world using the power of the Primal Pokemon. Nintendo made the Hoenn remakes like I never would have imagined them. These games also include the brand new, and greatly improved Sky High Pokemon, Mega Rayquaza. In addition to one of your rivals being able to master megaevolution later in the game, the gang leaders Archie and Maxie will have their signature pokemon with the ability to megaevolve. Some of the legendary pokemon can even use the new Soar Mode, these being the new Mega Latios and Mega Latias. The player will need the item known as the Eon Flute, which is used to summon one of the Eon Pokemon, which will megaevolve and allow you to control them as you fly through the air. There is even the possibility of encountering legendary pokemon from the other regions as well. For more information on the games, visit http://www.serebii. net/omegarubyalphasapphire/. This game is set to be released on November 21 2014. For information on Pokemon in general, visit youtube.com/ user/TyranitarTube. by Corey Cowart H alo 5 is a continuation of Microsoft’s hit Halo Series. According to the website cinemablend.com, the E3 trailer starts as a cloaked figure treads through a desert. Suddenly, an enormous robot rises from the sand and flies into the sky. The cloaked person pulls out a crystal chip on a dog tag, and while inspecting it the robot opens its wings and sends out a blast of wind. The wind knocks off the cloaked person’s hood, revealing it to be Master Chief, aka John-117. The official Halo 5 box art (shown above) shows an armored figure known as Agent Locke in a mirror image with Chief in the exact same location. Many people at first thought Locke was Spartan Palmer or even the supposedly the deceased Artificial Inteligence figure Cortana. 343 Industries’ Bonnie Ross confirmed that this is indeed a new character in the Halo game, even if this character won’t be the star. And while the name sounds human, we can only guess the race of the new agent. To get more information on the Halo 5 story, we must go to Halo: Nightfall. In Nightfall, it will tell the origin story of an unnamed character, who is later revealed to be Agent Locke. Nightfall is intended to familiarize all gamers with the new character. Nightfall is set to debut this fall, and new episodes will be aired every week. The series will also be included with the new Halo: The Master Chief Collection. The Master Chief Collection is a compilation of the previous four Halo games. This collection will be available for Xbox One exclusively November 11. The enormous robot in the E3 trailer is suspected to be one of Halo 4’s main enemies, a Promethean construct. The Prometheans were once humans turned into heartless warriors by the Didact. The Didact is an evil forerunner, a different word for an ancient extraterrestrial race that created the universe, with the use of the ancient relic known as the Composer. The Prometheans were the only new enemies since Halo: Combat Evolved. The Prometheans are different from other enemies in any other Halo game, so it wouldn’t be in Microsoft’s best interest to discard them so quickly. The game is set to be released sometime late 2015. Page 17 My Top 3 Games by Corey Cowart Halo 4 Pokemon X and Pokemon Y Saints Row: The Third In Halo 4 the flame that is Master Chief is reignited. Chief is back, and better than ever, and this time Chief has to save the universe from an ancient evil. Face them all with new weapons, vehicles, and armor abilities. Go beyond the story with the Spartan Ops mode, Xbox Live Gold required. It’s time to save the world, with Cortana, who is going through the rampancy, a stage in an A.I.’s life when they literally think themselves to death. Can you save Cortana and the universe, find out in Halo 4. Pokemon X and Pokemon Y feature their own exclusive legendary pokemon as well as their own exclusive mega-evolutions. The story line is easy to follow, while also allowing the player to try to complete the Poke’dex. The hidden items, and new battle contests will keep you occupied throughout the night. This game opens the player’s imagination to new things, and helps them explore their inner child. Fame, fortune, and a life of crime. You will find all of this in the game Saints Row : The Third. This game is the third of the trilogy, and features a multitude of new weapons, vehicles, and missions, and homies This game was released in 2011 and is still a favorite for gaming beginners, or people with a lot of spare time. This game features old characters like Shaundi and Johnny Gat. This is definitely a game worth playing. Page 18 Tablets versus Laptops Which would work best for you? Tablets Laptops by Omar Alkhadra Tablets • • • • • Light Weight: Tablets are much lighter to carry around than laptops and weigh up to a pound or less. Portable: Tablets are more portable than carrying around a 13+ inch laptop. Tablets can offer mostly everything a laptop can and small enough to bring almost wherever you like. You can use your tablet in the kitchen, car, etc and stream the internet or watch tv shows on the go, where laptops, you need wifi or a ethernet cable to go on the internet. Easy to use: Depending on what feels best for you, tablets can generally be easier to use, because everything is touch screeen and there’s not a whole lot of files you have to look through like you would have to do with a laptop. Features: Tablets have a front and back facing camera that you can easily take high quality photos and videos (slow motion as well) anywhere you are, unlike laptops where there’s only a front facing camera. Less Expensive: Where Laptops start off at $500 dollars, most tablets are around $160-$500 and perform almost everything a laptops does. Yes, the iPad may be $500 dollar but they are plenty of other choices you can get that are just as good and less expensive. Laptops Pro • • • • Limited: Tablets don’t have all the outputs and dvd trays like a laptop does. You wouldn’t be able to download files or watch movies unless you rent or buy them off your tablet. Fragile: Tablets may look really nice, light weight, and thin, but you must take care of it and probably should get a case for your tablet. If you ever drop or accidentally scratch your tablet it could cause damage, unlike the laptop where they’re more durable depending on which laptop you get. Battery Life: If you’re a average user, who doesn’t do too much heavy gaming or on it for a long period of time then battery life is really good, but if you’re a heavy gamer that plays for hours then your battery life will drain a little bit. Also if depending on your tablet, if it completely dies, it normally takes awhile for it to charge fully or even half. Laptops, on the other hand if it dies, you just plug in the charger and it should boot up without waiting. Screen Size: If you have a hard time seeing text, then your tablets are probably going to be a pain to get use to. Now they are some pretty big tablets out there but a 13+ inch computer screen is much better. You can always make text bigger on your tablet but that’s will most likely take up more space and you’ll have to keep scrolling or zooming in constantly. Plus if you play games a lot, a laptop with a bigger screen and fans to cool it off is a lot better. Storage: Tabets offer up to 128GB, which is a lot of space, but if you’re a heavy gamer,that plays for long hours and downloads a lot games and programs then you might need more than a tablet, depending on what you want to use it for. • • • Tablets • • Con Extra add-ons: Laptops have an extra dvd tray for blue ray movies, HDMI outputs and usb slots you can use to transfer files and things like that, unlike a tablet where if you wanted to watch a movie you’d have to rent or buy it. Features: If you are big into editing videos and pictures, then a laptop is probably better suited for you. Yes, the table can do that, but it’s very limited. Some laptops already a video editing software that you can use with more options and if you want to take it at step further you can eventually buy a more professional editing software. Performance: Tablets do have a nice and great game performance for a tablet, but if you are a hardcore gamer, then laptops definitly have a better and faster processor with twice as better graphics than tablets do. Plus on a bigger screen with a keyboard in front of you, your gaming experience will definitly change. Storage: Tablets have a good amount of storage, but depending on how much music you listen to or the games you play, that space can go down pretty quick. With laptops, like the MacBook Air offers at least 128GB and that’s where some or most tablets top off at unlike laptops, which offer up to 500GB-1000GB. So if you’re a person who needs a lot of space for files, music, and gaming ,then you might need more that just a tablet. Laptops • • • • Price: If you’re someone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on a computer, but still wants the essentials of one, then a tablet its perfect. Laptops normally start off at $500 for a decent one. Tablets on the other hand, end roughly at $500, but there are plenty of tablets to choose from that are just as good and affordable. Tablets, like the kindle fire is around $350 and if you still don’t like that, you can always search online for good deals. Portability: You could always put your laptop in your suitcase or a bag and go along your ways, which make it portable enough, right? Well Laptops can weigh up to 3-9 pounds, where tablets can weigh no more than a pound. Also if you like to play games or take something on vacation, normally the tablet is the best option. Features: Laptops do have a lot of features, but if you like to move around and take a lot of photos and videos, then most laptops, unfortunately do not have a back facing camera or flash. Battery Life: With the charger plugged in your laptop will be fine, but without it is a different story. Laptops use a lot of powerful components and the battery has a small percentage of that, which makes it not run as long as a tablet would. Tablets generally run up to 10 hours as where a laptop can run up to 5 hours long. Pictures from Google imgaes s m l i F e am G by Ethan Carr Watching game films in sports can set the edge for your team. Many sports have film of their games and opponent’s games to study. Most of the time the coaches will e-mail each other and swap films. The coaches would pick some games to trade away and they will get the same amount of games from them. The coaches look at it first so they can identify formations, look for weaknesses, find tendencies, and locate star players. The coaches will show the team every game and will have those games available to the players at any time. The most common and widely used film site is Hudl. Hudl is Page 19 Pho to c http://www.hudl.com/ our tesy of h udl .com http://www.maxpreps.com/national/national.htm http://preps.scout. com/ http://www.highschoolsports.com/ http://highschoolsports.al.com/ http://www.ihigh. com/ http://www.hudl. com/team/32254/#/ team/32254 a web site that can show you every play that is shared to you if you have an account. Hudl also has an app that can be downloaded onto your phone and you can access it at all times. When asked about how he feels about watching film, varsity quarterback for the Colonials, Brian Gwaltney, said that he “believes it is necessary.” The main purpose of watching film is so the team can be prepared when they face off against their opponent. A player can get an inside look at everything the other team tends to do, and thus create a better edge in the game. Hudl and the films in general are also a major way that high school athletes get their highlights out to college recruiters. Players get to pick all of their favorite plays of showing your best, and put them together so the whole world can see. What Is Your Favorite Professional League Sports Team? by Patricia Westfall Amber Tingen, 9: The Washington Redskins (NFL) Monica Erickson, 10: The Dallas Cowboys (NFL) Sara Janke, 10: The Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) Christopher Rowe, 11: Manchester United (Premier Soccer League) Greyson Pierce, 12: Milwaukee Bucs Nojan Sheybani, 11: The India Cricket Team (NBA) Jonas Biermann, 12: The Seattle Sounders (Major League Soccer) Gabby Filippes, 9: The Dallas Cowboys (NFL) Trent Martinson, 10: The Washington RedMrs. Colleen Hirn, English: The Pittsburgh skins Steelers, it’s a family Hank Rosser, 11: The tradition. (NFL) Denver Broncos and Morgan Hodge, 9: The the Washington Redskins (NFL) Washington Capitals (NHL) Ashleigh Rush, 12: USA Gymnastics team (Olympics) The Washington Nationals (MLB) Bethany Fitzke, 9: The Washington Redskins (NFL) Allison Tucker, 9: The Washington Redskins (NFL) Blade Palmer, 10: The Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) MaKenzie Cloninger, 10: The New York Yankees (MLB) Marissa Rigby, 11: The Andrea Nadeau, 12: New England Patriots The Baltimore Orioles (NFL) (MLB) Patrick Lawrence, 12: h t a idp R y ase C Page 20 How do you feel about being athlete of the month? It’s exciting! It has been a great season so it is exciting to be recognized. What position do you play in field hockey? Do you like it? Would you rather play another position? I play both center midfielder and center forward, and I like playing both of them, but forward is my favorite because it is less running. How long have you been playing field hockey? Do you want to play field hockey in college? I have played for three years and hopefully I will play club so I can still play, but there is less competition. Do you have any pre-game rituals? If so, what are your pre-game rituals? Well our team has the same warm up every game, but right before the referee blows the whistle to start the game I’ll close my eyes, calm down my nerves, and try to boost my confidence. yelling positive messages. How many hours do you practice a week? Do you play any other sports? What are your favorite aspects about field hockey? How do you balance school and sports? I try to pay as much attention in class as I can so I do not have to re-teach myself the lesson. I also manage my time, and you will usually find me studying on long bus rides. What are your favorite memories? My favorite memory from this year was my first game that I scored. I had never scored, and on our first game of the season I scored the first goal. It was the best feeling. Why are you so passionate about field hockey? Do you play any other sports? I play varsity soccer in the spring. I try to raise my confidence, take warm ups seriously, and talk to my team. What do you feel most confident about in field hockey? I feel like I have strong stick skills. Does the crowd the effect how you play? Honestly, we do not have a large amount of support at our games so I really only listen to my dad who usually encourages me by How do you mentally prepare yourself for a game? I make smaller goals for myself such as getting a certain number of digs or aces. I also try to pick out weaknesses in the other team. What are your favorite aspects about volleyball? I love the intensity in the sport. The energy of my team is one of the reasons we have done so well. How do you balance school and sports? I have done well in school and in volleyball, but it has resulted in many late nights. Does the team hangout outside of the sport? We are all friends and all of us hangout with smaller groups of the girls on weekends and after school. What are the best characteristics of the team? I believe we are hard working and we do not ever give up on ourselves or our team. How hard is it to manage your time between Drama and Field Hockey? That is actually the hardest part because they are both very demanding and I often have to come in on weekends to get in hours I missed during the week. Month I like volleyball because of my teammates. The sport would not be as fun if we were not all good friends. How long have you been playing volleyball? Do you want to play volleyball in college? Practice ranges from anywhere between six to ten hours a week depending on how many games we have. How do you mentally prepare yourself for a game? Why are you so passionate about volleyball? I have been playing Libero for three years now and I still have not mastered the position. It takes experience and quick reaction time to play the position successfully. How many hours do you practice a week? the last few years and I love to be involved in something that involves such a cohesive and focused team. of the What does it take to play Libero? The team and I try to meet up and eat before every game, where we discuss the game plan for the night. It is an honor, a responsibility, and rewarding. Being the captain is something I knew I wanted to be since my freshman year and being the leader of a group such as this makes the experience that much better. I love how it is a mental game that you really have to think about. I also like that you can learn different techniques to beat your opponent and of course scoring. It is a great honor to receive this award. I am also surprised because I do not put out stats like some of my other teammates, but I am very thankful for the recognition. Do you have any pre-game rituals? If so, what are your pre-game rituals? What does it feel like to be a junior on the team and be the captain and leader? I played soccer when I was a kid, but this is the only sport I compete in. Athletes I have only been playing for three years but I plan to play club while in college. Thinking about the reward of winning, playing my best for my team, and remembering how exciting it is to win. Every school day from three to five. My team and I have grown so much over How do you feel about being athlete of the month? What keeps you excited during the game? Max Hay nie What role do you play on the team (leader, motivator, etc.)? Physically, I am not the strongest player, but I tend to think of myself as a leader being co-captain. What do you feel most confident about in volleyball? Does the team hangout outside of the sport? I feel most confident about my team’s ability to win. The last time we lost a set was against Dinwiddie in our second game. Yes, we hangout constantly on the weekends and before and after games. Does the crowd the effect how you play? Volleyball is a mind game. The team with the most intensity and smarter plays usually wins. Therefore a crowd that is cheering us on will most likely cause us to play more competitively. What are your favorite memories? What keeps you excited during the game? My favorite memory is when we beat Thomas Dale in five games last year. That is one of the biggest challenges this team has overcome. I get most excited after I get a dig. It excites me because I am keeping the ball in play. What are the best characteristics of the team? I think we have the best chemistry in the region next to Cosby. We have all been playing together for three years and we know what we can do on the court. How does it feel to be undefeated? It has been a goal of mine to go undefeated since my sophomore year. It means so much to me for us to go undefeated my senior year. I would not want to play with any other team.