The Voice of Ruston High

Transcription

Chatterbox
The Voice of Ruston High
October 25, 2012
900 Bearcat
Drive, Ruston,
Louisiana 71270
http://rustonhigh.lincolnschools.org/chatterbox.html
PTA Awards Gift Basket at Open House
Inside
by Elena Till
Assistant News Editor
Box Tops
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Bearcat News (2)
Academia (3-5)
Outside Our Box? (6-7)
Admin Spotlights (8)
Editorials/Opinions (9-14)
Clubs (15-17)
The Arts (18)
Service and Social (19)
Senior Spotlights (20-24)
Student Center (25)
Fun Page (26)
Sponsors/staff (27)
Bearcat Spirit (28)
Sports (29-32)
Recently, RHS parent Dave
Meng was the Open House Gift
Basket Winner. The PTA draws a
name from all the members that
have joined them this year and then
the winner receives a gift basket
containing RHS sweatshirts, Tshirts, 2 football tickets, and a $100
gas card. As of now, 120 RHS
families have joined the PTA.
The RHS PTA continues to be a
key force in uniting parents, teachers, students, and supporters from
our community to improve and
enhance Ruston High School. The
organization engages in a range of
activities designed to act as a
“bridge between school and home” and demonstrates that the parents’ commitment to Ruston High
School goes well beyond sending their children to school each day. Also, the PTA does everything in
their power to support and recognize the teachers. Through academic mini-grants to teachers and special events throughout the year, the teachers are recognized. Some events that the PTA organizes are
Christmas Coffee, and Teacher Appreciation Week, where lunch and gift cards are provided for the
faculty and staff. Another way the PTA helps out is they serve as a resource for parents especially those
with incoming freshmen. Thank you for everything you do for our school, PTA!
Bearcat Blitz
See Page 4
FBLA Attends Marbury
Lecture Series
See Page 7
RHS Distinguished Alumni and Teachers
information provided by RHS Alumni Association
Upcoming
Issues
November 2012
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Celebrating Christmas at
School: Pros/Cons
FFA Preps for Area
Football Playoffs—Again!
December 2012
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New Year’s Resolutions:
Pros/Cons
Community Christmas
Basketball Heats Up!
January 2013
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ACT for All: Pros/Cons
FBLA Prepares for District
Competition Cheer!
by Elena Till
The Ruston High School Alumni Association will hold their 9 th Annual Distinguished Alumni and
Distinguished Educator Awards Luncheon Friday, November 2, 2012, where three distinguished teachers and three distinguished alumni will be honored and recognized. Also, a young alumnus will be honored a significant achievement award.
The distinguished teachers to be honored are current educator David Crowe, retired Dr. Patsy
Boudreaux, and the late R.W. Moose Phillips. The three Distinguished Alumni to be recognized and
honored are Major General Jack Ramsaur II (class of 1970), O.K. Buddy Davis (class of 1964), and Dr.
Janet Duncan Barnes (class of 1971). Martie Cordaro (class of 1991) will be honored as the recipient of
the Young Alumnus of Significant Achievement.
Chatterbox will be providing a detailed report on each of these distinguished alumni and teachers as
we have done for the past two years. The series will begin next month with Mr. David Crowe.
Mini Bearcat
Belles
See Page 28
Hot Halloween Happenings
Where: Main Fire Station - Georgia Avenue - Ruston, Louisiana
When: Saturday , October 27, 2012, 10:00 A.M.—1 P.M.
Join the Ruston Fire Department and the Future Business Leaders of America
(FBLA) and celebrate fire safety with fun, games, hot dogs, and candy.
Fan of the Month
See Pages 28
Bearcat News
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
October 25, 2012
Page 2
Speech and Debate
Bearcat Classic
by Jaisle Bailey
News Editor
The Ruston High School Speech and Debate held their annual
Bearcat Classic on Saturday, October 6, 2012. The team hosted
16 schools, which is more than ever before. They had numerous
RHS students & faculty contribute baked goods for the Hospitality Room. They also had over 150 volunteer judges. Many businesses provided much needed financial support. Mrs. Olsen and
the team would like to thank the following sponsors for all of
their help: Celebrity Theatre, Applebees, Libby English, Dixie
Employee, Stitchville, 107.5, Sexton, Walmart, Lewis & Co.,
Dominoes Pizza, Sonic North, FixMySmartphone, McDonalds,
Carol Sawyer, Pontchatoula’s, Twisted Cow, Starbucks,
Woodard & Clement Law, First National Bank.
On Saturday, October 13, 2012, the team travelled to
Teurlings Catholic High School to compete. Freshmen Alex
Bishop and Ross Taylor broke to semi-finals at their first tournament ever, with Alex competing in Original Oratory about celebrities and Ross with a Humorous satire. Mlle Schroeder placed
1st in Declamation with a speech titled "Bollywood, Beauty
Queens, and Barbie Dolls". She also placed 3rd in Oral Interpretation of Literature
(OI). Darby Guinn placed 2nd in OI with a poetry program about "A Letter to My
One-day Daughter" and a prose from "Listening is an Act of Love". Rebekah Barnes
placed 1st in Oral Interpretation with a poetry program entitled "The Blessings of the
Downtrodden" and a prose about a mentally questionable school teacher on a search
into her ancestry. As a team, they earned 3rd place overall Sweepstakes.
Left: William Ponder being silly during the tournament
Right: Students Handle Judging Assignments
Saluting Outstanding
Student Achievement
Rotary Club Honors Its Students
of the Month
by Vivien Ballard
Arts Reporter
Every year, Ruston High School’s Chatterbox recognizes seniors who are
selected as Rotary Club Students of the Month. In order to obtain the honor of
being a Rotary Club Student of the Month, you must be a senior with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 and be an officer or member of at least one Ruston High
School club/organization.
This month’s Rotary Club Students of the Month are Darby Guinn and Sam
Phillips! Their names will accompany those of other seniors chosen from Ruston
High School and other schools for possible future recognition as Rotary Club
Students of the Year. An article listing all RHS seniors chosen will be presented
in each monthly edition of Chatterbox and will be recapped at the end of the
year.
Throughout the Bearcat Nation
Academia
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
October 25, 2012
Page 3
National Merit Scholars
by Nathan Bennett
Academic Reporter
A big congratulations goes out to all those who qualified as National Merit Semifinalists. Semifinalists from Ruston High School include John Herren, Sam Phillips,
Savannah Woods, and our Student Council President, John David Moore. 16,000 high school seniors were selected by the National Merit Board to qualify for this achievement, based on their results on the PSAT. 1,600 Black Americans were also named as National Achievement Semifinalists, including two from Ruston High: Christan Dillard and BJ Findley. Remember to show your appreciation to all of these outstanding individuals as you see them around campus.
This Spring, approximately 8,000 National Merit Finalists will be named. They will be selected from the semifinalists who took the SAT and filled out an application. The
finalists will be competing for National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million total. The ultimate achievement would be to earn the distinction of National Merit
Scholar. The Scholars will be announced in May, right before graduation.
I talked to John David, our Student Council President who took the SAT on October 6 th. When asked about the competition, he replied: “I am honored to be a semifinalist
and hope to do well enough on the SAT to be considered as a National Merit Finalist.” Good luck to all our competitors who recently took the SAT! We know you will represent Ruston High well.
Student Council
by Charles Pickett
Clubs Reporter
These past couple of weeks, Student Council has been working on homecoming preparations nonstop, such as organizing the ballots, decorating the Lincoln Parish Library Event’s Center for the dance, selling tickets (which must be purchased the week before the dance), organizing the Homecoming game “Battle at James Field”, setting
the theme for Homecoming week (Southern Elegance), providing escorts for the Homecoming court, and organizing the Homecoming assembly itself. In her classroom, Mrs.
Tatum told a Chatterbox reporter, “Homecoming is the only thing Student Council will be doing this month…it’s going to be overwhelming.” However, Student Council is
also organizing the Halloween pep rally, as well as other pep rallies throughout the weeks leading up to the end of the football season. Also, due to the extensive preparations
for the Homecoming dance, Council members are encouraged to attend meetings and afterschool functions related to Student Council.
Resume
submitted by Emily Compton and Allie Free
Resume Staff Members
The Resume staff is working on the 2012-2013 yearbook. Currently, they are working on the business ad portion of the yearbook. The theme of this year is “A Picture is
Worth 2013 Words.” This book will include what it takes to be a member of the Bearcat Nation and words describing their character. Be sure to get your book, which can be
pre-ordered for $50 in Mrs. Garrison’s room, room 315. To really be a part of this year’s book, you can go to replayit.com to upload your own pictures that could be used in
this year’s yearbook! Follow the step-by-step instructions to register on replayit.com. These pictures can include sporting events, pep rallies, or even your life as a student of
the Bearcat Nation.
German Club
by Nathan Bennett
Academic Reporter
German club met for the first time this month on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 in Mrs. Nutt’s room. Members paid their $5 membership fee. During the meeting, the club
discussed activities that German students can participate in during the school year, including collaboration with other language clubs and picnics for members. The club will
also decided upon officers for the year. If you are interested in German club, talk to Mrs. Nutt for more information.
Spanish Club
by Nathan Bennett
Academic Reporter
Spanish Club met for the first time this month on Tuesday, October 9 th. At the meeting they elected officers for this year: Kari Hackbarth for President, Vanessa Santos
for Vice President, Emily Higginbotham for Secretary, April Hooper for Treasurer, and the Reporter and Historian to still be decided. More will be discussed in future meetings. Students interested in the Spain trip should talk to Mrs. Rivera as soon as possible to get everything in order.
An important holiday for Spanish countries this month is Dia de la Raza, also known to Americans as Columbus Day, held on October 12th. It is an important celebration
in Latin American countries where people commemorate the first encounters between Columbus and the indigenous peoples of these countries.
Academia
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
October 25, 2012
Page 4
Blast At Bearcat Blitz!
by Vivien Ballard
Arts Reporter
On October 19th, 2012, freshman Bearcats met with their mentors before the West Monroe game and participated in
various activities. Ninth graders who attended got the chance to show school spirit and have a blast, all while visiting with
their upperclassmen guides!
Due to the hardworking Freshman Academy staff’s hospitality, students enjoyed Sonic burgers and Little Debbie
snacks, and then the fun really began! Myriad door prizes were allotted to both freshman and mentors! The joyful cries of
those who received prizes could be heard for miles! While listening to catchy dance music, attendants made noise makers
from dry beans and water bottles and decorated posters with slogans such as “GO CATS!” and “BEAT THE REBELS!”.
In addition, some played soccer out in the open field and many got their faces painted black and red to show their appreciation of the school football team! At the end of the Blitz, students proceeded to attend the Ruston vs. West Monroe
game and show their support with their painted faces and inspirational posters.
Fun and Games with Freshman Academy
by Vivien Ballard
Arts Reporter
The objective in establishing Freshman Academy was to set students up for success and to nurture them in an environment full of relevance, rigor, and relationships. It
has done just that, and the Freshman Academy faculty works hard to make sure every student is prevailing academically. The growing needs for a more organized curriculum led to the foundation of this program. All freshman core classes and lockers are located on the third floor, making navigation of the school much easier for ninth graders.
Teachers collaborate to discuss any matters concerning teaching methods, tests, and students.
The Freshman Academy faculty provides incentives for ninth graders to do their best. This year, Mrs. Kari McGuire will be sponsoring Sharp Cats, which is a program
that throws a pizza party for ninth graders who make honor roll. Also, there will be an event called Breakfast of Champions for honor roll students and the first one will be
held on November 1st in the cafeteria. Students with no referrals, tardiness, or dress code violations will be given an opportunity to participate in a special event every nine
weeks. This event starts over every nine weeks, meaning that if a student receives a tardy, violates the dress code, or gets a referral, he/she will be able to participate in the
occasion the next nine weeks if he/she refrains from committing another infraction. In addition, this event is kept a secret so it doesn’t spoil the excitement! This nine
weeks’ surprise event will be held on October 26th.
October Sharp Cats
submitted by Mrs. McGuire
Freshman Teacher
The Ruston High School Freshman Academy is proud to recognize some of our outstanding students each month by naming them Ruston High Sharp Cats. The academy faculty feels that honoring exceptional students is an important part of supporting and encouraging our
freshmen.
The Freshman Academy has three teams of students; and at the end of each month, four students from each team are nominated by their
teachers to join the ranks of the Sharp Cats.
Through their accomplishments, the students selected for this program have set an outstanding example in some aspect of campus life. Some students have exhibited an
intense rigor for academics or demonstrated their love of learning. Some have enhanced their grade point average standing while others have shown exemplary attitudes and
behavior. They are determined to learn and genuinely lead and inspire others on our campus. It is with great pride that we present to you these students...for they are truly
Sharp Cats!
We are so proud of our freshmen, and we hope that you will join us in our appreciation of these extraordinary students: Michael Courtney, Morghan Garr, Xzavier Hull,
Collin King, Sierra Napoleon, and Ariel Walls.
Academia
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
October 25, 2012
Page 5
Food and Nutrition Banquet
submitted by Darlene Johnson
Food and Nutrition Teacher
Ruston High School students in Mrs. Darlene Johnson's Food and Nutrition class served as hosts and hostesses during the Lincoln Total Community Action, Inc. annual banquet on September 27, 2012. The students
helped with filling glasses and serving beverage, serving the elderly and disabled, and assisted with clean up
following the event. Serving at the event was an opportunity to teach students taking Food and Nutrition class
proper banquet service etiquette.
News on National Honor Society
by Vivien Ballard
Arts Reporter
Juniors and seniors who keep a grade point average of 3.5 or higher, are enrolled in one or more advanced class per year, have no major offenses such as out of school
suspensions, and who are involved in 3 or more clubs/organizations are eligible for the National Honor Society. Membership is based on repute and character and is approved by the faculty advisory council. A special ceremony allots membership and there is a mandatory $15.00 fee that must be paid before the ceremony. Severe violations,
failure to keep an above GPA, and failure to attend necessary meetings and/or activities will result in expulsion from the club.
The NHS Leadership team this year consists of President Jake Kyte, Eva Edinger, Kari Hackbarth, Anna Hall, and Maggie Morgan. This year, members will participate in
various community services and RHS-sponsored events where they will be exposed to many opportunities that will help them become strong leaders in society. In addition,
the intentions of the National Honor Society are to encourage interest in scholarship and volunteering for services. Most importantly, NHS exists to improve leadership skills.
What’s New at New Tech @ Ruston?
by Thristan Cecil
Graphics Design Editor
New Tech @ Ruston has been doing what it does best by keeping student busy. This month, chose their third annual advisory board. The New Tech Advisory Board
aims to help New Tech with general issues, incentives, future plans, and any emerging issues. Over 30 students applied - 14 were chosen. Students selected were Grayson
Allen, Lane Brown, Malarie Jarmon, Danielle Riles, Madison Wooley, Olivia Abney, Erik Martinez, Kailee Rivera, Shelton Wooley, Chandler Haddox, Emily Compton,
Jermiran Spivey, Jonathan Craig, and Caleb White. The board will meet twice a month in the New Tech building and will be the prominent voice of New Tech.
New Tech juniors are participating in the Job Shadowing Program. Job shadowing allows students to invest in possible careers as they follow those who represent their
desired jobs/ careers. If the job the student is looking into doesn't seem to quite fit them, students can pursue other options. New Tech is all about the real world and that’s
what they aim for with the Job Shadowing Program. Next year, seniors will consider internships, which will be a continuation of the Job Shadowing Program.
In other events, New Tech, in conjunction with Ford in Ruston, held a fundraiser to raise funds up to $6,000. On October 19, 2012, adults 18 years of age and older participated by taking test drives in a Fords vehicle. Each participant led to Ford donating $20 to New Tech. New Tech Coordinator Catherine Letendre and New Tech Director
Pam Pruden stated that they had high hopes for this fundraiser as it will help New Tech immensely in financing many of the student’s educational opportunities.
New Tech Power Lunches continue to bring a number of keynote speakers to RHS. In the past month Jason Thomas, Director of IT for Green Clinic; Jeff Vanderwerf,
Director for La Tech's ELS program; and Mark Bartlett, Consultant for Caterpillar, have spoken to students. Future speakers planned will be in the areas of Entrepreneurship
and computer programming.
Outside Our Box
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
October 25, 2012
Page 6
WWII Veteran Glenn Frazier Speaks at Library
by Elena Till
On Saturday, September 29th, World War II Veteran Glenn Frazier spoke at the Lincoln Parish Library Events Center at 10 a.m. Frazier is a survivor of the Bataan Death
March and was a prisoner of war in Japan for months on end and it was an honor to have him speak to the people of Lincoln Parish. He is also the author of The War, which
gives an account of his time as a soldier in the war. Originally from Fort Deposit, Alabama, Frazier lied about his age and joined the army, unaware that he would have to
endure a hardship that few American soldiers survived. What Frazier did is incredible and he will always be worthy of the highest form of respect we, his fellow Americans,
can give him for everything he did for his country and its people.
As a soldier forced to participate in the Bataan Death March, Frazier had to go with no food or water, all while marching for six straight days and seven nights. Of all
the people who had to do this, only 25 came back. Frazier told of how they passed by a pile of dog tags and he threw his in there so that if he died during the march he would
not be classified as missing in action. That’s how extremely bad the conditions were on this horrible trip the soldiers were forced to endure. After this march, Frazier became
a Prisoner of War during the year of 1942. The prisoners lived on a diet of leftovers of the Japanese, particularly rice with worms in it; this lack of proper food caused them
to revert to thievery of any food they could find. They had to work on the railroads, shipping yards, and factories as prisoners and every day one person would feign fainting
as a form of protest. Besides the terrible diet and forced labor, there were also numerous kinds of infection and sickness going around the P.O.W.s. Frazier himself had a
case of double pneumonia; while suffering from this illness he received only one aspirin the entire time and was classified as the person at the camp with the worst chance of
surviving his sickness. It is amazing that he was able to pull through and survive the whole horrible ordeal.
One of the funnier things he spoke of was a story about a monkey. Apparently when he was stationed at camp, there was this little monkey that came down from the trees
screaming and such. And it did this every time a bomb or other form of the enemy approached so it was a great help even if it was slightly annoying. This monkey stayed
with them until they eventually had to leave it behind. Frazier described circumstances such as the monkey helping them as “God helps us many times and we don’t even
know it.”
Frazier also talked about how when he arrived in San Francisco he called home and made his mother, sister, and aunt faint due to the fact that they thought he was dead
because he had dropped his dog tags. His father was the only one who believed he wasn’t dead. Frazier said that he came home from the war with a real, deep hatred for the
Japanese which was only heightened by the nightmares that he started having after the was, which he continued having for more than 30 years. According to him, he truly
lost his hatred after a young Japanese girl washed his feet and prayed with him. After telling this story, the WWII veteran gave the advice “Get rid of your hatred.” Now,
almost 70 years later, Frazier feels no hatred and is proud to share his story of being a veteran of World War II. Thank you so much, Glenn Frazier, for everything you did
for your country and thank you for sharing your story with the public at the Events Center. America will forever appreciate what you have done and sacrificed.
Thank You Ruston Glass & Mirror!
by Nathan Bennett
Academic Reporter
A big thank you goes out this month to Ruston Glass & Mirror, one of our Adopt-A-School sponsors this year. They have generously donated money and supplies to support our school including $200 for the Spanish club trip, $200 for 8 th grade t-shirts and $200 for Bearcat Belles State and National competitions. They also donated Sonic and
iTunes gift cards to use as academic incentive for Freshman Academy and New Tech, as well as ink cartridges for teachers.
It’s easy to take things like these for granted, but remember that without donations like these, it wouldn’t be possible to do many of the activities that we enjoy at Ruston
High. So be sure to show your appreciation to Ruston Glass and all that they do for us!
Below:
Freshman Academy and
New Tech Incentives
Below:
Donation for
8th Grade T-Shirts
Above:
Spanish Club Donation
Below:
Ink Cartridges Donation
Above:
Bearcat Belles Donation
Outside Our Box
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
October 25, 2012
Page 7
RHS FBLA Chapter Officers Attend 7th Annual Marbury Lecture Series
at Cedar Creek
by Thristan Cecil
On September 18, 2012, Cedar Creek School hosted the seventh annual Marbury Lecture Series. Once
again, the officers of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) had the privilege of attending. This
lecture series was founded in 2006 and takes its name from William Ardis Marbury, Jr. and his wife Virginia. Both Marbury and his wife graduated from Louisiana Tech and went on to start William A. Marbury
and Company, Inc.; an insurance agency. At its peak, this company was the largest insurance agency in
the state of Louisiana. Commercial Union bought the company in the 1950‘s, and in that same decade,
Marbury founded Bankers Life of Louisiana, a credit life insurance writer. Both of these companies are still
thriving in Ruston. The purpose of this lecture series is to honor the Marburys‘ significant contributions
to the Ruston community and to present an opportunity for citizens to hear a lecture on the business ethics
that the Marburys‘ applied to their everyday lives.
This year’s speaker was Cedar Creek School alumnus Rohan S. Rangaraj. Rangaraj is the director of
research and co-porfolio manager for Sirius Advisors LLC in Manhattan Beach, Calif. Prior to joining Sirius, he spent four years working directly under the chief investment officer at Bill Gates’ personal investment advisory firm Cascade Investment LLC. At the lecture, Rangara discussed the primary side of Business and Ethics where he discussed his life, his accomplishments, and what he had gained through his years in the business.
Before attending the lecture, the RHS FBLA chapter officers and adviser met with Cedar Creek’s new FBLA chapter officers and adviser. This will be Cedar Creek’s first
year as a member of FBLA and RHS will be assisting them as they learn the ins and outs of FBLA in Louisiana. Although both chapters will be competing in the same district competitions head to head, the chapters will work together to encourage both chapters’s members to be their best and represent Ruston well.
Ruston High School FBLA thanks Cedar Creek School for their hospitality and for the invitation to again attend the lecture series. Every year since the Marbury Lecture
Series has been hosted, Cedar Creek has extended an invitation to RHS FBLA to attend, and every year we have been honored to do so. RHS FBLA looks forward to future
lecture series as well as our new partnership, and competition, with Cedar Creek FBLA.
The Louisiana Military Museum in Ruston
by Whitney Durrett
Editor in Chief
Ruston is privileged to be home to a very educational and interesting military museum. The Louisiana Military Museum in Ruston is full of over 10,000 artifacts from all
wars the United States has participated in since the Civil War. The museum director is Ernie Stevens and has tracked down and collected most of the artifacts himself. Not
only does this museum have American artifacts form wars but it also has artifacts from other countries’ militaries, such as German guns.
The quality of the items in the museum is amazing and they are kept very well kept. Among the items in the museum are weapons, flags, patches, pictures, posters, and
pins along with much more. Outside the museum there is a replica of a Civil War cannon and an original jet fighter plane.
Every year Mr. Green’s U.S. History class takes a trip to the museum and every year students enjoy seeing what they are learning about. Senior Savannah Payne said “I
loved going to the museum and seeing all kinds of wonderful artifacts and learning outside of the classroom. It helped me a lot with understanding what weapons were used
during every war” about last year’s visit to the museum.
If you’re ever in Ruston and have spare time, this museum is not only interesting but educational and would be worth the trip to see it! It is located at 201 Memorial Drive,
and is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. The phone number is (318) 251-5099 and the after hour phone number is (318) 548-0949.
Thank You Ag. Department
submitted by Sutton Tinsley
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the faculty, staff, and students of the Ruston High School Agriculture Department
that built a deer stand for me. Even though after my accident in the spring of 2011 changed my life in many ways, thanks to you, I
can enjoy the sport of deer hunting again. You never know how deeply an act of kindness can touch you until you have had a firsthand experience. There is not enough room to thank everyone individually, but I would like to say special thanks to Mr. Sandifer,
Mrs. St. Andre, and Mr. Milstead for overseeing this project. I feel very blessed that you all used your valuable time to build this for
me. Your hard work is much appreciated, and I look forward to deer season.
Teacher Spotlights
Ruston High School
October 25, 2012
Chatterbox
Page 8
Mrs. Diana Humphries is married to Ben Humphries, an RHS graduate. She has three
daughters: Kelly, 21; Molly, 18; Maggie, 16. She is the 11th Grade Guidance Counselor at
RHS. She is a 1980 graduate of Ruston High School and her daughters are 4th generation
Bearcats. She has great memories of being part of the Bearcat Band!
Her favorite quote is: “To the world, you are but one; to one, you may be the world.”
Mrs. Humphries says, “ Junior year is a very important year in high school. Work hard and
never give up. I am here to help you- I love juniors!”
Mrs. Kay White is the senior counselor at RHS. Before that, she taught IBCA and was the
COE coordinator. She has been married to Mr. Russell White for twenty-one years. She has
two sons, Jon, who is a senior, and Graham, who is a sophomore.
Mrs. White graduated from Natchitoches Central High School, but she says that Ruston
High School is her adopted Alma Mater. Her favorite quote is “The most wasted day of all is
that which you have not laughed.” She would like the students to know that she can pop her
jaw out of joint.
Mrs. Kellye Ratcliff is the freshmen counselor and the Keywanettes sponsor. She is married to Wade Ratcliff. Her two daughters are Marley Ratcliff, a senior at RHS, and Sydney
Ratcliff, a freshman at RHS..
Mrs. Ratcliff says to get involved and meet lots of people. High school can and should
be a great experience. She loves the students and faculty and RHS and working here very
much!
Editorials/Opinions
Ruston High School
October 25, 2012
Chatterbox
Page 9
Are You Too Old for Halloween?
by Charles Pickett
Clubs Reporter
As you get older, a question will arise: are you too old to wear a costume and go out on Halloween night? Every year, this question
comes to haunt teenagers not only in Ruston, but all across the United States. Of course, a parent’s answer on the matter, in regards to a
teenager, would be yes, they are too old to go out on Halloween. Some teenagers would agree with their parent’s opinion, as they might
think that going out in a costume would seem like a childish thing to do. I am not part of that crowd, but part of the one that says that
you are never too old to dress up and have fun. Halloween is not just about the candy, but the joy in not being ridiculed for wearing
goofy, yet somewhat stylish, clothes. Also, I adore the fact that on Halloween you have the chance to pretend to be someone you are
not, but in a good way. However, putting aside my personal opinions, the question of you being too old for Halloween again resurfaces.
Yet, all in all, the answer to this question is not definite, as it is up to specific individuals to find the answer within them.
The Glory of Samhain
by Nathan Bennett
Academic Reporter
If you celebrate Halloween, you’re taking part in a long tradition of ritualism that has its roots in Celtic paganism. Samhain is the
Gaelic name for the month of November, and is typically celebrated on November 1 st. In primitive Gaelic cultures, it marked the end of
the harvest season, and the beginning of the ‘darker half’ of the year.
The traditions of Samhain are numerous and diverse, and some are still practiced today through the Christian holiday of ‘Hallow’s
Eve’ or Halloween. Therefore, you may be familiar with costume wearing (or ‘guising’), hallowing out vegetables (in our case pumpkins), and bobbing for apples. All of these were originally pagan celebrations. Some that you may be unfamiliar with are feasting, bonfires, and spiritual divination. In ancient times, the Celtic religious leaders (or druids) would host grand feasts giving prayers of thanks
for the bounty of the harvest. Many bonfires would be lit in celebration, and would all be extinguished at the same time to signify total
blackness: the beginning of the darkness of winter.
As with most religious holidays, there were many superstitions held at this time of the year. It was believed, for example, that you
would dream of your future spouse if you put a sprig of rosemary under your pillow. Spirits were thought to be most active during this
time, and it was therefore believed to be easier to communicate or be haunted by them. Black cats, as you know, are supposed to be bad
luck, and owls were thought to swoop down and eat the souls of the dead. Delicious.
So if and when you celebrate Halloween, remember where it originated. You don’t have to believe the folklore behind the holiday, as long as you respect and appreciate it.
Remember, if it wasn’t for the traditions of the ancient Celts, you wouldn’t be getting free candy. So try to be a little grateful, just be sure not to do so around black cats.
Trick or Treat?
Why Trick or Treat!
by Taniah Nicholson
Sports Editor
How many of you think you’re too cool to go trick or treating? It’s a time to spend with family and it’s the only day of the year
when you can dress up like a complete loony bird and nobody would care. I bet when you were younger you couldn’t wait for Halloween to come around, so you could carve the pumpkin, buy your costume, and eat tons of candy.
But I guess when you get older you lose interest in things like that. Not me! I look forward to Halloween every year because I get to
be with my little sisters and just have fun. Now I’m not saying go out and buy a silly costume and walk 30 blocks for a bag of candy
that you could buy at the store, but go just to have fun. Remember your childhood doesn’t last forever, so you should enjoy this while
you can.
If you don’t like walking and you don’t know where to go, try Temple Baptist Church or bring your little sisters or brothers to Hot
Halloween Happenings at the Ruston Fire Department and support FBLA. If you give it a try you’ll be having fun, before you know it.
So get a group of friends together and go get some candy!
Editorials/Opinions
Ruston High School
October 25, 2012
Chatterbox
Page 10
Stop and Think Twice
by Taniah Nicholson
Sports Reporter
Since school started, I’ve been seeing the same thing that absolutely gets under my skin. At least once every day, I hear someone talking
bad about someone else as if that person has no feelings. Often, this leads to or is a form of bullying. Come on people - how would you feel if
someone was talking about you and there was nothing you could do about it? It wouldn’t be so fun would it!?
Everywhere you go, there is always going to be someone with a problem or a disorder. Don’t just look from the outside and think bad
thoughts - stop and take the time to get to know them. They might be the funniest person in the world, but you would never know because
you didn’t give them a chance. You never know what people are going through or what their struggling or fighting with.
It’s sad that we have people in the world that think and say things about others all the time. I respect the person that doesn't just walk by
and doesn't call others names as they have good hearts. If a person is talking bad about others just to be cool and fit in, they are sadly mistaken. Doing so does not make you cool; it simply shows that you need to work on your character.
Stop and think twice before you talk, and listen to what your “friends” are really saying. If you see someone who may be having a bad day
or seems like they just need someone to talk to, I challenge you not to walk by but to have a real conversation that person or walk that person
to class. You may get talked about, but those with true character will respect because you’re standing up for the person who always gets
picked on or ignored. Maybe someone else will see this and do the same and play it forward.
My Take on the iPhone 5
by Andrea Long
Social Reporter
Last year is the first time I really heard about the iPhone 5. The iPhone 4S was already out but rumors about the next generation of
iPhones were flying. I heard some people say it would be clear or have holograms but I figured modern technology wasn’t quite there yet.
Nevertheless, the iPhone 5 is supposed to be a great phone with faster Wi-Fi, better audio, and a thinner body. I was also interested to hear
that the phone also has a larger screen of 4 inches and the screen is brighter than the 4S. It is also said to capture more detailed pictures than
the 4S and have a better battery life. The iPhone 5 does have its down falls but luckily not many. For example, the iPhone 5 has a new
smaller connection port so a smaller connection cable is required. Also, the head phone mini jack is at the bottom of the phone unlike previous iPhones. The change that surprised me the most about the design of the phone was the new anodized aluminum back instead of the glass
back. This may cause the phone to get hotter than previous iPhones while using it.
Despite some minor flaws the iPhone 5 is supposed to be the best of the iPhones. It might not be the amazing phone of the future everyone expected; with only small adjustments and upgrades it’s sure to disappoint some but it’s also sure to amaze others. I believe iPhones will
continue to get better and eventually amaze all of its users. If you’re interested in buying an iPhone 5 keep in mind the price will be around
199 dollars.
Turn Off the TV and Log Off the Net
by Vivien Ballard
Arts Reporter
It seems society has become more and more illiterate as the years have progressed, possibly due to the fact that many of today’s children
and teens spend a lot of time on the internet, on their cell phones, playing video games, and watching TV. Hardly ever do I see a young child
as fascinated with reading as I was and still am. Instead of having their child read when bored, parents today often will give their child their
cell phone to play games or listen to music. Children nowadays are given their own cell phone at as young as age 8 and many learn how to
use the Internet before they even enter school. Being the good parents that they are, my parents didn’t expose me to the Internet at a young
age and didn’t give me a cell phone until I was ten, and even then, my time on the phone was monitored.
Personally, I am very concerned with how much technology children are exposed to today because it seems they are losing interest in
reading and learning, and this could possibly lead to the corruption of a literate society. Instead of reading a book, getting involved in a sport
or simply going for a walk, many spend hours playing video games, surfing the web, or texting. Why not walk or bike to your friend’s house
rather than instant message or text them? You’ll get some exercise, and it’s heartwarming to actually see your friend! I find that if I spend
too much time in cyberspace or playing video games, my brain feels “fried”. Two out of three Ruston High School students say they spend
too much time on the internet. Parents need to be cautious about how much time their children spend on the phone, on the internet, and playing video games. Teens need to learn to monitor their time as far as technology. Especially since it has been scientifically proven that voracious reading increases memory and makes you more intelligent, everyone should make an effort to read daily or at least weekly. Going outdoors has various benefits, too, such as raising your Vitamin D levels and increasing your concentration. In order to evade becoming illiterate, I strongly recommend that you
spend more time reading and enjoying the outdoors.
Editorials/Opinions
Ruston High School
October 25, 2012
Chatterbox
Page 11
The Awkward Transition from Summer to Fall
by Elena Till
Summer is the hottest time of the year as I’m sure anyone who lives in Louisiana will agree, but we all eagerly look forward to the
next season: Fall. Fall is the best time of the year because the weather is great, Halloween is here, and you get to stuff yourself with
turkey and mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving. It’s a great season.
However, in the South, we don’t always get the crisp, cool weather which is just a sneak peek at what’s to come during winter.
Often we merely receive more of the blistering heat from summer. It is really infuriating how we receive so little of the wonderful
weather that we keep waiting for. It’s insane that I should have to blast my car with heat in the morning because it’s fifty degrees, and
then in the afternoon have to roll all the windows down in order to not burn to a crisp because it’s ninety degrees. Personally, I am
sick of the daily dramatic weather changes. But as I cannot control the weather, I have had to make some alterations in my daily life.
First, I always carry a jacket with me and wear shorts. That way if it is cold outside I can just slip on the jacket and wear it until it
is warmer outside, then I will be ready for the heat with my shorts and t-shirt. Another thing I have to do is keep a fan in my car and
also a warm blanket. I wear the blanket in the morning and turn the fan on in the afternoon. It’s a good system although rather tiring
having to deal with the weather changes. Also, I always keep a pack of tissues with me because these changes are not healthy for my
sinus system. Anyways, these are just some things that I have had to do to put up with the Louisiana weather. I’m sure many other people have had to deal with the same
problems as me and I hope that I have helped make your daily life easier as you try to survive the crazy weather.
Paying for Water
by Andrea Long
Social Reporter
Recently I overheard some of my friends and classmates discussing the high price of Fiji water. Fiji is a brand of water that is typically
more expensive than other brands. The water is supposed to be from the islands of Fiji and contain a blend of minerals from the water filtering through different materials on the islands, but is it worth the price and is it really any better than tap water? The price of this water depends on where you live but in the US it can cost up to three or four dollars per bottle. This is a big difference from the two dollars for a liter
of Nestle or the one dollar and twenty five cents for a bottle of SoBe water. Some argue that drinking water from the faucet is more reasonable then buying any brand of water bottles. You already pay for water pressure at your house, so why buy more?
Some say that bottled water is convenient because it’s easy to carry around, bottles sometimes have added flavor too, and minerals. Also,
bottled water doesn’t have chlorine in it that negatively affects the taste of tap water. On the other hand, the taste doesn’t always indicate the
cleanliness of the water. The EPA, or Environmental Protection Agency, has standards for treating all tap water from public water systems.
In the U.S., about 90 percent of water systems meet the standard for the safety of tap water. In some countries it is unsafe to drink tap water
because of contamination so water bottles are essential, but in America it is usually very safe and environmentally friendly to drink tap water. Nearly every year 8 out of every 10 water bottles in America are sent to landfills. Some say recycling is the solution but if there are no
recycling bins near you, there is another option. After drinking all the water from your water bottle, fill up that same bottle with tap water,
and then stick it in the refrigerator. I’ve found that cold tap water taste more like store bought and I’m saving money.
Smart Filter: Does it Hinder Education?
by Charles Pickett
Clubs Reporter
For the past three years that I have gone to Ruston High, there is one thing that has remained constant. This is the Smart Filter, a
program placed on every computer in the school that blocks almost every website available to the students and/or teachers. However,
in light of recent events, the idea that Smart Filter may be hindering education has slowly started to form. This idea has sprouted from
the fact that some websites teachers try to use are blocked by the filter, inhibiting the students’ ability to be informed. In my personal
opinion, I agree with the idea that the smart filter is an unnecessary resource at Ruston High, as common morality and fear of getting
in trouble will keep students from venturing onto…inappropriate sites. The fact that there is a teacher in the room with them and that
their friends might inform the teacher of their wrongdoings will keep them out of trouble. These two factors will keep students out of
trouble and are valid reasons to not be skeptical about eliminating the Smart Filter, which will in turn help further many students’
educations and capacity for knowledge.
Editorials/Opinions
Ruston High School
October 25, 2012
Chatterbox
Page 12
Stomp Out Bullying
by Vivien Ballard
Arts Reporter
Since the dawn of ages, many children and teens have suffered harassment of various forms. Name-calling, teasing, threatening
or sexual comments, assault, battery, and stalking are all common types of bullying. The introduction of the Internet, cell phones,
and social sites such as Facebook and MySpace has unintentionally harbored bullies because it allows them to use aliases or pseudonyms to remain incognito. Cyberspace aids bullies in other numerous ways. They can text or instant message something they
could never say in person. Inappropriate or embarrassing pictures of others can be posted and shared easily. If caught, the bully
can delete his or her messages and claim innocence.
According to bullyingstatistics.org, a study in Britain indicated that about half of suicides among young people are related to
bullying. 10-year old Ashlynn Conner, an Honor student at Ridge Farm Elementary, begged to be homeschooled because of harassment at school and after being told no, committed suicide the following day. Bullying has gone too far: no students, much less
ten-year olds, should feel like they have to take their own life to escape torment. School should not be a bully’s paradise. School is
a place where students should be nurtured with a quality education and should feel like they have a purpose in the world.
As a former victim of bullying, I’ve learned that most antagonistic people are very insecure and mock others to feel a sense of
superiority. They want to keep a high social ranking and don’t want to be outcasts, so they make others outcasts. Many have endured a rocky childhood and/or some form of abuse. Some feel neglected and are seeking attention.
Because I am naturally a sympathetic person and grew up in a hostile environment, I find I often sympathize with bullies. Often I try to overlook some of their remarks and rancor. However, the line must be drawn somewhere. If the comments you receive
are threatening and/or make you feel unbearably uncomfortable, report the bully to an adult you trust. Overlook the fact that
you’re snitching on someone. You shouldn’t be pushed to the point of feeling violated or abused. Also, consider the consequences
you could face before creating an online profile. Someone could stalk you, post pictures of you, harass you, or find out your personal information. If this does occur, you may
want to make your profile private or deactivate it. Report any obscene behavior aimed at you on the internet. If you witness someone else being bullied, discreetly let an adult
know. Impassiveness only makes you just as culpable as the assaulter.
Ultimately, the number one tip of avoiding being a bully’s target is to hold your head high. If you appear confident in yourself, bullies won’t be as likely to attack you.
They usually go for those who seem insecure or depressed. For more information, go to www.stompoutbullying.org.
Getting Ready for Homecoming
by Andrea Long
Social Reporter
Are you ready for homecoming? It’s almost here, with only a few more football games to go before the big night. Many people are super excited for the dance but unfortunately some say they could do without it. I’ve heard far too many people say they
don’t get why homecoming is such a big deal while others claim they simply aren’t going. Homecoming can be expensive and
why should you spend so much to go to a dance when you may not even like to dance? Consider this, you don’t have to dance;
there are other reasons to go to homecoming. Go to socialize and spend time with your friends or date. Remember it’s not just a
night to dance it’s a chance for the whole student body to come together and socialize away from school.
I am happy to hear that a lot of students are already preparing for homecoming! Tons of guys and girls are organizing groups of
friends to go to the dance with and many girls have already bought their dresses. In my opinion, picking out a dress and finding a
group of friends to attend the dance with is the best part of homecoming. Sure, I like the actual dance but spending the night with
friends in a cute dress is what I think about when I hear someone mention homecoming. So if you haven’t found a date or fancy
clothes for homecoming and you know you want to go, hurry up and start getting ready now; it’ll be here before you know it.
Editorials/Opinions
Ruston High School
October 25, 2012
Chatterbox
Page 13
Psych
by Emma Jones
Guest Reporter
Originally, I was going to write about Arrested Development this month, but then the weekend happened. I have a tendency to want to
write about whichever show I’m watching/rewatching, so Arrested Development seemed appropriate, but when I finished it, I wasn’t sure
what to do with myself. There’s always this feeling of emptiness for a few days as I ponder over which show I should watch next. Then it
hit me, the whole answer was just one big duh. Thus, I’ve gone on a Psych kick. (Get it? No? You will in a minute).
I’ve watched a fair share of Psych on its home network. Whenever it aired, it became a Wednesday night tradition between my mom
and me. However, that was in the later seasons. I hadn’t seen much before season four or five. Now I’m starting from scratch and enjoying every minute of it. Psych tells the story of a sleuth named Shawn Spencer and his partner and best friend for years, Burton “Gus”
Guster. Shawn has an impeccable memory and is very attentive to detail, making him an ideal detective. At first, he simply calls the police department frequently, giving them tips for cases that baffle their top detectives, but when they start to become suspicious of how he
knows so much about every case, and saying he just pays close attention isn’t exactly a suitable answer, he convinces the police department that he’s a psychic and starts his own agency: Psych, private psychic detective.
I love this series because it’s quite paradoxical. Think about most popular crime shows such as Law & Order, Criminal Minds, NCIS,
and anything else that falls into that genre. Do any of those shows involve a fake psychic? No. Psych is somehow both a drama and a
comedy. The witty lines and three-dimensional characters will make you laugh throughout the entire episode, all while following a creative and intricate plot line. So take a
step back from your dramatic lineup of crime shows, and have a laugh with Shawn and Gus.
Romney vs. Big Bird
by Nathan Bennett
Academic Reporter
On the night of Wednesday, October 3rd, two candidates squared off to fight each other to the political death. Incumbent President
Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney battled in heated tirades with subjects spanning from the economy to health
care. The contender for the throne, Mitt Romney, repeatedly harangued the President in areas that he thought he had failed in, leaving
the President floundering for words. When the dust settled, most people saw Romney as the obvious victor.
Obama was not the only target of the Republican governor’s attacks, however. In his speech, he offhandedly said he’d end government subsidies to PBS, which takes up a whopping 0.00014% of the national budget. “I'm not going to keep on spending money
on things to borrow money from China to pay for” he said. No comment was made on the national defense budget, which takes up
more than 20% of federal expenses.
Contrary to his claims to love Big Bird,
his actions speak otherwise. Cutting PBS
would put an end to the beloved show Sesame Street, employer to Big Bird and
many other Muppet characters. Cast without warning into the political sphere, Big
Bird took to Twitter Wednesday night,
tweeting his displeasure from the account @FiredBigBird. By 10 PM, he was
joined by almost 10,000 followers, as well as other fired Sesame Street characters in a movement that has been dubbed ‘Occupy Sesame Street’. If Romney
wants to continue his crusade against the money sink known as PBS, he’s going
to have to step up his game as he tackles some new enemies: angry parents and
disgruntled former children.
Big Bird (right) might not have a job if Romney (left) wins the election this November.
Editorials/Opinions
Ruston High School
October 25, 2012
Chatterbox
Page 14
Voter ID’s Are a Good Thing!
by Whitney Durrett
Editor in Chief
This year I, as an American Citizen, get to vote for the President of the United States, and when I go to vote, I will have to present a picture ID. I feel like this is a great law because I wouldn’t want anyone to be able to vote for me who wasn’t me. Some people have never
thought of someone else trying to vote for them, but it could and has happened.
In the past people have voted more than once or have voted for people who aren’t even alive anymore. There is nothing wrong with having to present an ID when you go to vote and I think all citizens should want to present one so they can vote as themselves and have their
own opinion be heard. Being able to vote is a wonderful right to have granted to you, and having to present an ID should not stop anyone
from voicing their opinion. So, when November 6 th comes around, grab your ID and let your voice be heard!
We Should Not Have Strict Voter ID Laws
by Nathan Bennett
Academic Reporter
The United States, since inception, has been regarded worldwide as a bastion of democracy. We were among the first modern nation to
elect representatives through popular vote, and have over time opened up the process further and further to make the process more equal
and fair. We have even used the premise of democratization in our occupation of foreign nations; Japan and Iraq, for example, were not
democratic until we stepped in. Democracy, then, can be unanimously regarded as an American ideal.
Therefore, it is no surprise that the idea of democracy being threatened is a sensitive subject, and is subject to many debates. The recent
controversy over voter IDs so close to the election is a prime example of how debates over democracy can be especially polarizing. On
one side of the issue, Republicans argue that the voting process has been invalidated by alleged voter fraud, while on the other side, Democrats largely believe that voter identification disproportionately excludes minorities and those of lower socioeconomic status from voting.
So which side of the debate is right? In cases like these, the answer is not always forthcoming. Often times, statistics become muddled
and convoluted to fit certain agendas. However, there are some facts on the matter that might be able to clear up the issue somewhat.
First of all, one must consider what photo ID laws would be deterring: individual voter fraud. It is extremely unlikely for an individual to commit voter fraud. The person
in question would be risking five years of their life behind bars alongside a hefty $10,000 fine, just for one vote. No matter how much you want to win an election, that kind
of risk is not worth the result for most people.
Second, studies have shown that although voter fraud does occur, it happens exceedingly rarely. According to one study of the 2004 election in Ohio, there was a voter
fraud rate of 0.00004%, which is around as often as the average American is killed by lightning. Numbers this low are certainly no basis for policy action.
Third, it is important to note who would be negatively affected by the new requirements. Just as a general rule, anything that makes the registration process more of a hassle will cause some people to not vote, causing the system to become less democratic as it does not reflect the will of the majority as well as it could. Also, the laws are
thought to exclude poor and minority voters from the voting process, who vote predominantly Democrat. Therefore, if these laws were put into effect, it would skew polls in
favor of Republicans and make the entire system less fair for those groups affected most.
On the principle that all citizens should be allowed to vote, there should be no voter ID laws past what we already have in place. For the sake of fairness, we should make
sure everyone is able to vote, not trying to disqualify people through our policies. If democracy is important, we must promote it, not discourage it. Therefore, I urge you as
citizens and potential voters to stand against these new measures.
The Chatterbox reminds all students that everyone has a right to an opinion on issues. If you have an opinion and
wish to write an article, the Chatterbox reminds you that all submissions are subject to staff, editor, and administrative review to ensure that the article provides information or promotes school pride, and does so without materially disrupting work, does not cause substantial disorder, or does not invade the rights of these.
Clubs/Organizations
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
October 25, 2012
Page 15
4-H
submitted by Darby Rowland
4-H Club Reporter
It’s time for another great year of 4-H! Ruston High School’s 4-H club held its first meeting on October 23, 2012, in the auditorium during advisory. We have some exciting service learning projects planned to get our club more involved in our Parish 4-H
program. The local parish 4-H club also held a meeting for all 7-12th graders interested in becoming a teen leader, on October 8th,
at the 4-H office across from the Dixie Theater. The teen leadership program helps get students better involved with their school
clubs and the community.
Congratulations to our 2012-2013 Club officers: Hanna Tinsley- President, Aubrey Simmons- Vice President, Ty Evans- Secretary, Alexis Felton- Treasurer, Darby Rowland- Reporter, Amber Wyatt- Recreation Leader, and Bianca Drumgo- Sergeant at
Arms.
*For more information on upcoming activities see the bulletin board outside of Mrs. Tinsley’s room.
PCI
by Charles Pickett
Clubs Reporter
After waiting through August and September of this year, PCI finally took off with their first meeting this month. Although there were not that many people planning to
come to the meeting at first, things started to heat up after a couple of minutes and Mr. Cason making another announcement as to where the club was meeting over the intercom. Mrs. Dunbar, sponsor of PCI, stated that there were a total of fifty members that signed up and a fairly large amount of them attended this first meeting. Despite these
obstacles, Mrs. Dunbar held a positive attitude and encouraged the people that did come, as well as the various students whose homeroom is in the gym, to fill out an application and join. During the filling out of the applications, Mrs. Dunbar outlined what PCI would be doing throughout the year, such as egg drop and model bridge contests. She
also stated that PCI would be holding a paper airplane competition this next month which members are encouraged to attend.
FFA is in the Game
by Thristan Cecil
FFA has been very busy this month! On
Tuesday, October 2, 2012, FFA held their first
meeting in the auditorium with guest Todd
Buffington from the Louisiana Department of
Wild Life and Fisheries. Mr. Buffington spoke
with the students about the new and updated
hunting rules followed by a questioning session,
and then committee reports.
FFA performed very well at the district competition. In first place was Team Gold, which
consisted of Josh Roane, Josh Nallet, Aaron
Freeman, and Joseph Colvin. Team Blue, Jonathan Craig, Brandi Griffin, Layton Richard, and
Barrett Moore, snagged third place. These students will be able to participate in state wide
competition which will be held in Provencal,
Louisiana on November 1, 2012. The FFA committees will meet to nominate the
FFA high school freshmen officers which will be completed through the week of
October 27th. However, on October 24, 2012 through October 27, 2012, a few select
FFA members will also make their way to the FFA National Convention and Expo
in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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www.Facebook.com/FixMySmartphone
Clubs/Organizations
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
October 25, 2012
Page 16
FBLA Prepares for Hot Halloween Happenings!
by Elena Till
FBLA President
Once again this year the Ruston High School Future Business Leaders of America will be holding Hot Halloween Happenings (HHH)! This year it will be held on Saturday, October 27, 2012, at the Ruston Fire Department from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is an event that is hosted annually by both the RHS FBLA chapter and the RJHS chapter. We
will be working with the Ruston Fire Department to educated children on fire safety using fun games and activities. This is a great, fun time for members of the community to
come play games, get candy, and eat, all while wearing their Halloween costume!
Last year we had over 700 children with their parents attend this fun event and this year we hope to have even more people. Events will include bingo, an obstacle course,
bowling, dancing, horseshoes, rope toss, and many other fun activities! Again this year Sparky the fire fighting dog will be on site to entertain everyone and pose for pictures.
The RJHS FBLA chapter will once again be helping out at this event along with the Alpha Beta Psi from Tech and members of the Cedar Creek FBLA chapter. In addition,
members of the Ruston Fire Department will be present to help out and cook and serve hot dogs for lunch!
Members are reminded that they need to report to the Ruston Fire Department between 8:30 and 8:50 a.m. You need to wear appropriate clothing- blue jeans are fine- and a
school or club shirt if possible. You may also wear a Halloween costume. All members attending Hot Halloween Happenings are to bring a large bag of candy. Those members who cannot make HHH should drop off a large bag of candy to Mr. Bruner to receive credit for a fundraiser. Members are also reminded that if they plan to attend district
and/or state, they must participate in two fundraisers and two community service events or they will have to pay surcharges. So make sure you bring a big bag of candy so that
you can get credit! Hope to see you all there!
Hot Halloween
Happenings
Oct. 27, 2012
10A.M.—1 P.M.
Ruston Fire
Department
Georgia Avenue
Ruston, LA 71270
Pictured with RFD personnel are RJHS FBLA members and RHS FBLA
members who sponsored last year’s Hot Halloween Happenings
Fun with FCCLA
by Vivien Ballard
Arts Reporter
Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is an
organization that revolves around principles of leadership and careers.
FCCLA provides members with several opportunities to prepare for adult
life and decision-making and learn about roles they will play in society in
the near future. Any student currently or previously enrolled in a Family
and Consumer Sciences class is eligible. Dues are $20. See Mrs. D. Johnson, Mrs. J. Maxwell, or Mrs. H. Shaw if interested.
Sparky greets and entertains kids as they enjoy last year’s events at
Hot Halloween Happenings!
Clubs/Organizations
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
October 25, 2012
Page 17
RJHS FBLA Inducts 2012-2013 Officers
by Elena Till
On Friday, October 19, 2012, the Ruston Jr. High School Future Business Leaders of America held their second meeting. President Amber Smith called the meeting to
order and read the minutes from the previous meeting. Also, present at the meeting were RHS adviser Mr. Bruner, and RHS officers Elena Till (president) and Michael Davis
(sergeant-at-arms). Mrs. Brewer, RJHS Adviser, welcomed each member and proceeded to conduct the officer induction ceremony. Each officer was announced and then
said their oath of office, officially becoming a part of the 2012-2013 FBLA officer team for RJHS. Officers are Amber Smith, President; Brandy Boyd, Vice President;
Frederica Davis, Secretary; and Rebecca Norris, Reporter.
Brandy Boyd, the new vice president, then discussed the upcoming district conference, Hot Halloween Happenings (HHH) and the MAP Awards. Members signed up for
the Awards if interested, and also signed up for HHH and District. The meeting was adjourned by President Amber Smith after final remarks by Mrs. Brewer and Mr. Bruner.
RJHS FBLA Members Attend October Meeting
RJHS FBLA Officers Are Inducted Into Office. Left to right
are: Reporter Rebecca Norris, Secretary Frederica Davis,
Vice President Brandy Boyd, and President Amber Smith.
Mrs. Brewer and Officers Lead RJHS FBLA
For Their Second Year of Membership.
Time for FBLA Local Testing!
by Elena Till
FBLA President
The RHS Future Business Leaders of America are already preparing for their district conference on February 6, 2013. This district conference will be held at the University of Louisiana Monroe campus as it is every year and members of FBLA chapters from District II will compete against each other in their assigned events.
RHS has been proud to be the best chapter in the state for three years and it is only because of all the hard work and preparation put into it months prior to the actual conference. Members should have picked up a district application at the October meeting and signed up for the events that they would like to compete in so that they can begin
the preparations as soon as possible. These applications should be turned in by October 25 th (today!) to be considered for the first round of testing and to be assured a slot at
district. If this testing is necessary, members will be tested October 26 th through October 29th and assignments will be made based on the highest scores. After these assignments are made, slots will be reopened to be filled by November 5 th. Also, all debts must be cleared in order to attend this conference.
This is going to be a very successful year for the RHS chapter as long as members ensure they are doing their very best to prepare ahead of time. We want to be even
more successful than last year and be the best chapter once again!
Daniella Alva Receives $500 RHS FBLA National Scholarship
by Elena Till
Last year the Ruston High School Future Business Leaders of America was honored to have a very talented member named Daniella Alva. Daniella graduated last year and was an FBLA member, where she contributed in many
ways to our chapter’s success. As a talented artist, Daniella painted last year’s state portrait for the state conference.
This can be seen in the RHS FBLA trophy case located at the front entrance of the school.
After our PLAW team captured their second straight state championship, Daniella stepped up to join the team as an
alternate when two team members could not make the trip to the national conference in San Antonio, Texas. Having
not worked with the team all year, Daniella had to learn the ways of parliamentary procedure and start practicing with
the team for the presentation aspect of the event. After a month of intense studying and practicing, our PLAW team
surpassed expectations and earned a fifth place national ranking. Without everyone on the team doing their best, this
would have never happened. Daniella ensured that she did her part and made our team proud.
Our chapter awards students who place in the top ten at nationals with scholarships of $250 for tenth through sixth,
$500 for fifth through second, and $1000 for national champions. For her contribution to the PLAW team’s top five
ranking, Daniella received one of the five $500 scholarship earned at nationals, and she is using it to help support her
art training in Texas. FBLA thanks Daniella for her hard work and dedication and for bringing national recognition to
RHS and our chapter and congratulates her on winning the $500 RHS National FBLA Scholarship.
The Arts
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
October 25, 2012
Page 18
RHS Band Preparing for Competition
by Elena Till
The Ruston High School band continues to perform their fabulous half-time show at all
RHS varsity football games. Along with their half-time show, they play their traditional pregame presentation before all home games. They have finalized their half-time show through
the completion of Malagueña, their third and final song which they perform.
As the season progresses, the band keeps marching on towards their competition at Cotton Country Marching Festival. This competition will take place at Caldwell Parish High
School on Saturday, October 27th. Every year the band competes at this along with one
other competition; this year they will also be going to ULM for the District One Band Directors’ Association Marching Band Festival on October 30th. Hopefully they do as well
this year as they did last year.
Shelby Stinson, Assistant Drum Major, exclaims “I’m so excited about our half-time show! It’s so much fun to be able to conduct these talented musicians while getting
to listen to them play beautiful music. I know we will do amazing at festival again this year.” Shelby has been a great assistant drum major this year and Chrissy Dillard has
done a great job leading the band. Thank you drum majors for your hard work and dedication to your band, and also good job to all band members of the 2012-2013 RHS
band!
Choir
by Nathan Bennett
Academic Reporter
The competitors for the All State Choir have been selected. In Women’s Choir are the following: Gracie Lewis, Bethany Cardenas, Victoria Wheat, April Hooper and
Melinda Martin. The following boys have been selected for Men’s Choir: Chizi Akoma, Jarvis Spearmen, Colton Boothe, Adam Ramachandran, Ryan Booker and Colby
Jones. Competing in the first round of LMEA All State Choir will be Victoria Wheat as 2 nd Alternate Soprano 1, Connor Caudle as 2nd Alternate Tenor 2, Adam
Ramachandran as 3rd Chair Bass 1, and Colby Jones as 3rd Chair Bass 2. Good luck to all those competing!
The choir is currently holding auditions for Bearcats on Broadway, as well as preparing for homecoming and Coffee, Cakes and Carols which will take place this December. Be sure to read next month for updates on these upcoming events!
The Scoop on Talented Art
by Vivien Ballard
Arts Reporter
Talented Art is a class for artistically inclined and exceptionally skilled Ruston High School students in which they are allowed to express their creativity and improve in their abilities. Students
from each grade come to Mr. Meeds’ class seeking relief from their chaotic day in order to release
their tension through drawing, painting, and many other forms of artistry. In order to be in talented
art, you must seek the approval of a teacher and then take a test.
Sophomore M’lee Schroeder, who is a student in Talented Art, proclaims, “Right now we are
doing head studies and taking turns modeling for each other. Being [in talented art] is great because
you get an hour to relax and draw all while strengthening your skills. Plus Mr. Meeds is pretty
funny.” Ashley Greer, another enthusiastic student in Talented Art, states “Art is my biggest passion and it makes me feel like I’m unstoppable. It’s like I’m living a life of no boundaries and
where time doesn’t exist. Talented Art is a class where I can lose myself. I take all my thoughts and
ideas that are swimming around in my head and put them on canvas and paper and bring them to
life. Talented Art has made a huge impact on my life by helping me develop stronger drawing
skills and making me even more passionate towards art.” Both of these students recently worked on
drawings of a cow skull and told what it was like creating the piece. “Drawing that cow skull was
work because there is so much to look at and trying to recreate,” M’lee shares. “When I was drawing this, I tried to have a variety of lines and rhythm. By that I mean something that has a sense of
beat. It’s like taking rhythm in music that you’ve “heard” and translating that to something you’d
see,” Ashley explains.
Service and Social
Ruston High School
October 25, 2012
Chatterbox
Page 19
Interact Club’s First Meeting
by Thristan Cecil
On Tuesday, October 16, 2012, Interact Club held its first meeting. Four members of the Lincoln Rotary came to the meeting and informed the students of their future
plans, such as delivering food to those without food during Christmas, passing out backpack meals to 146 students in Ruston, and running the Back to School Bash at the
Boys and Girls Club. Members will volunteer to attend the weekly Rotary Club meeting. They are waiting for the result of officer applications.
Keywanettes
by Andrea Long
Social Reporter
The Keywannettes are ready for homecoming! As you may know the club makes decorations to liven up our homecoming dances so don’t forget to thank them. So far it
looks like there aren’t any club officers but if you have any questions consider talking to Mrs. Ratcliff or Mrs. Martin, club sponsors.
The article posted below is a reprint from an article that ran in the January 2012 edition of Chatterbox. A few months in to this school year, I find some of the same questions unanswered. Interests in teacher and senior spotlights seem to be down as they are not being submitted when asked for, or when they are, they are not being submitted
on time. ACTIVE participation by SOME students and clubs is great, but already this year the number of organizations that say they have nothing to report in Chatterbox is
down. This is the page that Chatterbox dedicates to service - and you see how little is on this despite the fact that we know our school is service oriented! We need to hear
those stories and not just report what has happened, but advertise what we will be doing in the future as well. YOUR newspaper staff consists of only 10 students out of
over 1100 students, and they work hard for you. However, they can’t just make up information - we need your stories, your pictures, your support.
Bearcats - we can and must do much better. Show your Bearcat Pride and take action, and report that action to the Chatterbox. As the “Voice of Ruston High”, Chatterbox needs to know and promote everything at our great school. Don’t silence your achievements, nor silence Chatterbox.
Are You Involved?!
by Lloyd R. Bruner
Chatterbox Adviser
I have asked many students this question throughout my brief career at Ruston High School, and in way too many “answers” I am asked “Involved in what?” That answer
in itself speaks volumes. However, to be fair, many students respond positively to this question and provide me with many details of their involvement in the many opportunities that they have at RHS. My questions will continue every year for as long as I am here, and every year, I hope that the next generation of Bearcats can proudly say that
they are involved in many things at RHS. Are you involved?
Students - being involved doesn’t mean that you have to get so into everything that you do nothing else. It also doesn’t mean that you join a club or organization and contribute nothing, and it certainly doesn't mean to join everything at RHS just to get out of advisory (you know who you are). Although many of you may be in several different
organizations, ask yourself if you are making any real contributions to those organizations. In this day of joining everything to build up your resume’, let’s not forget that
under these organizations, colleges and potential employers expect to see some type of achievement or recognition - not just that your paid your dues.
Every student at RHS has the potential to be involved in something beneficial at RHS. As an organizational sponsor and a person who gets involved in, admittedly, probably too many things, I sit in total disbelief at so many students who seem to have no school spirit or involvement. Having graduated from a school with just over 200 (and
that included the junior high on the same campus), I don’t think many students even realize the opportunities that they have here at RHS. The teachers and staff at RHS take
time from their busy schedules to ensure that there are so many opportunities to get involved, yet so many still do not. Are you involved?
Don’t get me wrong - getting involved doesn’t mean just joining clubs and organizations either. We have a great band and choir that are always looking for new talent.
We have a speech and debate team that could use you. We have social and foreign language clubs that are always looking for members. There are many ways to get involved
at RHS and support your school and your fellow students. Volunteer to help with the prom. Volunteer to tutor students who need it. Show up at basketball games and soccer
games and all the other sporting events. Baseball season is around the corner - take in a few games. Not only may you get to see and support our athletic teams, you can hang
out with other friends and get off of Facebook for a few hours. Are you involved?
I encourage each student at RHS to get involved in something - at least one thing, while at RHS. In the few years that I have been here, I have seen clubs and organizations and sporting teams have their ups and down, but regardless, student involvement is a must. Without student involvement, the level of excitement and excellence dwindles, and the willingness of leaders to continue providing these opportunities dwindles with it. As the saying goes - people tend to go where they are appreciated—not tolerated. So RHS students - do yourself, your friends, your sponsors, your advisers, your school, and future Bearcats a favor and get involved.
Senior Spotlights
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
October 25, 2012
Page 20
I am Rachael “Ratch” Maxson. Lain Kranz is my hero . I am in National Honor Society, Keywanettes, BUMS, Interact, and the Bearcat Mentoring Program. My favorite things about RHS are pep rallies, football season, and going to soccer and baseball games because I can be with friends and support my class.
My favorite class is Psychology with D-Whitty. My favorite memory is when I got mad at Jake and we weren't
friends. But don’t worry, we are besties for the resties now! My advice to the underclassmen is to keep it classy and always sassy ;). Also befriend Rob Kyte if you know what’s good. Deep down I am a country girl that loves a good ride
into the sunset. Yee-yee!
My name is Jerry Wayne. I play basketball for RHS. My favorite thing about RHS is my senior year because I only
have four classes. My favorite teacher is Mrs. Courtney Martin because she is fun.
My advice to the underclassmen is to work hard because grades don’t come easy. Hard work pays off.
I am Zach “Raincloud” Passon. My mother is Ouida, my father is David, my sister is Ashley, and my brother is
Brian. I am a member of National Honor Society, First Priority, Interact Club, and Bearcat Mentors. My favorite thing
about RHS is my pod in Chemistry II.
My favorite class is Chemistry II with Mrs. Freeman. My favorite memory at RHS is the egg drop I did freshman
year. My advice to the underclassmen is to bring your ID to the football games because they will not let you in the Cat
Box without it.
My name is Jacob Cobb. I live with my mom, and my twin brother and sister, Gracie and Grant. I have many
friends at Ruston, Neville, Louisiana Tech University, and University of Louisiana at Monroe. I play football and
baseball for Ruston High School. My favorite thing about RHS is academics. Since transferring from Neville High
School, my grades have improved greatly.
My favorite classes are Chemistry with Mr. Elliot and History with Coach Hoefler because they both have laid
back classes and a sense of humor. My advice to the underclassmen is to take advantage of every opportunity you are
give because you will be a senior one day, believe it or not. So create a story for yourself while you still have time.
I am Destiny Mitchell. I have one sister. My favorite thing about RHS is senior year because I only have four
classes. My favorite class is math with Mrs. Courtney Martin because she is the best!
My advice to the underclassmen is to put school first because grades are important.
Senior Spotlights
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
October 25, 2012
Page 21
My name is Jada Atkins. I have a one year old daughter, Janiyah, who is my heart. My hero is God. I love being with
my family and friends. My favorite things about RHS are that I am a senior and this is my last year, but I’ve enjoyed my
time here. My favorite teachers are Coach Taylor, Mrs. Stephenson, and Mrs. Johnson because they all inspire me in a
different way.
My favorite memories at RHS are being in ROTC and choir freshman year and being on Pom Squad sophomore and
junior year. My advice to the underclassmen is to act your age and not your shoe size!
My name is Nathan Karl Bennett. I have two parents and two brothers. My friends know who they are. My hero is Mr.
Nutt because he inspired me to be true to myself and shoot for the stars. I am actively involved in the debate team. It is a
safe haven for fascist communists such as myself. My favorite thing about RHS is Mr. Nutt because he is in touch with
the ways of the world and is a fountain of knowledge for all of his students.
My favorite class was Psychology because Mr. Nutt taught it and opened my mind to new ideas about myself and life.
My favorite memory at RHS is discovering conspiracy theories in Mr. Nutt’s Government class. It marked a pivotal moment in my life as I learned who really controls the world. My advice to the underclassmen is to question everything,
including yourself. Also, take as many of Mr. Nutt’s classes as you can.
I am Al’Niece Andrews. My mother is Ella, my sister is Jasmine, and my brothers are Taye and Chris. My favorite
thing about RHS is my senior year because I get out early. My favorite subject is English. My favorite teacher is Mrs.
Norton because she is nice and helpful in different situations.
My favorite memory at RHS is when I fell down the stairs freshman year. My advice to the underclassmen is to keep
your focus on school and stay out of mess. Interesting fact, I broke my neck sophomore year.
I am Hannah Albritton. I live with my mother, Angie. I have an older brother named Heath and a younger sister
named Sarah. My heroes are Margeaux Smith and Caroline Garrett. I have been a member of the softball team and FCA
since freshman year. My favorite thing about RHS is how supportive everyone is about the sports.
My favorite teachers/coaches are Coach Danny Roberts, Coach Fowler, and Coach Goulart. My favorite memory at
RHS is passing French. My advice to the underclassmen is to go to as many football games as possible, have fun, and
come watch our softball games.
My name is KenDerrick “KD” Miller. I have two sisters and a mother. My sisters attend NLW. My mother works at
Farmerville Junior High. My mother is my hero. I play basketball for RHS. My favorite thing about RHS is the basketball team and how despite that everybody doubts us and our season this year, we will do well.
My favorite classes are any classes with my boy because you know what we do! Ask about us. My favorite memory
at RHS is getting out of Coach Taylor’s class everyday. I love Alicia Love– Mitchell with all of my heart. Happy Early
Birthday (November 17th).
Senior Spotlights
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
September 20, 2012
Page 22
My name is Andre “Stunna” Albritton. My family is one of a kind. They are awesome. I am actively involved in
FCCLA. My favorite thing about RHS are the classes because I learn more and improve my vocabulary.
My favorite teacher is Mrs. Johnson because she is very intelligent, spiritual, and motivational. My advice to the underclassmen is to always do your best so you can achieve anything. I am too smart for my own good. I am a leader, not a
follower. I am the best at what I do. You only live once (YOLO).
I am Marley “Marls” Ratcliff. My father is Wade, my sister is Sydney (Freshman), and my mother is…. I am in no
way related to Mrs. Ratcliff… JK! I am a part of Bearcat Belles, National Honor Society, Student Council, Keywanettes,
Leading Lincoln, FCA, Bearcat Mentors, and Ambassadors.
My favorite teacher is Coach Reeder because he is awesome. I’ve had him freshman, sophomore, and senior year!
My favorite memory at RHS is going to the third round of football playoffs junior year. My advice to the underclassmen
is when my mother yells your name through her bullhorn, keep walking and don't look back! WOO PIG SOOIE.
I am Jake “Shake and Jake” Kyte. I have one fool of a brother– Robert Chapman. My hero is Airmax’s humor. I
am the president of NHS and I am involved with Leading Lincoln, RHS swim team, and Ambassadors. Knowing that
I am the loudest and most obnoxious person in the school makes me feel powerful.
My favorite class is advisory with Coach Reeder, Ratch, Airmax, and that kid Lain Kranz. My favorite memories
at RHS are all of the dances because I really get into it and embarrass my date. My advice to the underclassmen is to
hang out with my little brother Robert– he’s mildly cool. Eva Edinger got her dancing skills from me.
My name is Leia “Shorty” Barnes. I have five brothers who live in Washington. I have a very loving and supportive family. I like to run to stay healthy and I really like soccer and volleyball. My favorite teacher is Ms. Poret
because she is very helpful and understanding.
My advice to the underclassmen is to set high goals and make good grades. Take dual courses so you have less
classes to take in college! After high school, I plan to save money for college, where I will go to become a nurse,
and eventually a surgeon.
Senior Spotlights
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
September 20, 2012
Page 23
My name is Helen Ayim. I live with my father and my brother. My mother lives in Africa with my brother and my
adopted brother. I have two brothers, one half brother, and one adopted brother. I also have three half sisters. I am a member of the soccer team. My favorite thing about RHS is being apart of the soccer team. We consider one another family.
My favorite teachers are Coach Brown, Coach Whitlock, and Coach Bush. Coach Brown loved making fun of my
voice. Half of the time I said something, he would try to say it just like me. Coach Whitlock is like a mom to me. She helps
me through family issues and other problems. I feel bad for her because she has to deal with my crazy self every day.
Coach Bush is very funny and he doesn't get tired of me asking stupid and random questions, and his class is very easy,
thank God.
My favorite memories at RHS are being on the soccer team and learning new things each and every day. My advice to
the underclassmen is to never underestimate what you can do because you do not want to attend summer school. I have
never attended summer school but I had a friend that did, and he said it was not exciting. Never judge a book by it’s cover.
My name is Sheniqua “Poopsie” Moss. I have two sisters and four brothers. My youngest sister, De’Anana, is a freshman
at RHS. My heroes are my parents and God. My best friends are Alexus Sinnie, Jarvis Spearman, Hali Hester, Deja Young,
Alexis White, Jekembri Brantley, Sherry Jackson, Lanecia, Shane Giddings, Emaleigh Bickham, and Annabelle Bickham. I
plan on joining BUMS and 4-H. My favorite things about RHS are getting out at 1:52 and Bearcat Fridays.
All math classes are my favorite. My favorite teachers are Mrs. Tinsley, Mrs. C. Martin, Mrs. D. Martin, Mrs. Cochran,
Mrs. Rivera, and Mr. Bruner. My favorite memory at RHS is having sixth period with Shane Giddings and Danielle Finley.
My advice to the underclassmen is to please do your homework, every point counts, and listen to Mr. Antee if you don’t
want detention. I love hanging with my sister at church and outside of school. I’m very nice, outgoing, and LOUD. I am the
loudest at the pep rallies with my friend Jarvis. Also, I love to sing.
My name is Maggie Morgan, and I would like to give a shout out to the Class of 2013! I am a member of the girl’s soccer team, FCA, National Honor Society, Keywanettes, Bearcat Mentor Council, National Honor Society Leadership Council, Leading Lincoln, Ambassadors, and Interact Club. My favorite thing about RHS is being able to learn and grow with
people I love and care about every day of the year.
My favorite classes are Mrs. Freeman’s Chemistry II class with my awesome pod, Coach Reeder’s World History class
with my best friends, and Ms. Griffin’s Public Speaking class - “Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?” My favorite memory at RHS is chanting on the football field after we beat Neville my sophomore year for like ten minutes as an entire student body.
My advice to the underclassmen is to study, study, study– trust me, it’s worth it! My third hour pod can harmonize really
well together! Come by Coach Reeder’s room and hear us jam to The Lion King sometime!
Senior Spotlights
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
October 25, 2012
Page 24
My name is Paul Martin. My mother is Patti and my father is Paul. I have a brother named Layton who is a sophomore,
but I wish I was an only child. I will lead the school’s volleyball team to a national championship. My favorite things about
RHS are Bearcat Friday caravans and the band parades.
My favorite class is English III. I loved it so much that I got to take it again. My favorite memory is when I got pulled
over by four policemen in front of everyone in the parking lot. My advice to the underclassmen is to stay out of 2013’s
way. My truck is for sale
My name is Darby Guinn. I have many nicknames, yet I could not think of a single one to feature in my spotlight. I am
on the Speech and Debate team and the soccer team. My favorite thing about RHs is David Reid. My favorite class is
standard Civics and Free Enterprise.
My favorite memory at RHS is that time I bumped into Chad Leachman. He didn’t notice… but I did. My advice to the
underclassmen is to pick Bulbasaur; he is the best starter. More advice is don’t wear moccasins to school on a rainy day. .
Just something random - I only eat cheese fries. That’s it. Nothing else shall pass these lips.
Chatterbox only received 19 Senior Spotlights this month. The minimum acceptable number is 25.
We will continue Senior Spotlights in the future only if we have the minimum 25 turned in with appropriate pictures and
language. Should Seniors fail to turn these in, we will cut the Senior Spotlights out beginning in December and either
replace the pages with additional editorials or academic news. If there is not enough material, we may even have to consider reducing the pages in Chatterbox to 28. This is both an editorial decision as well as a financial one.
To facilitate this, Chatterbox will again pass out forms during advisory to all senior homerooms. This will be the last
time that these forms will be passed out in bulk. Completed forms can be turned in to Jaisle Bailey or Mr. Bruner in
Room 318.
If you wish to fill out your spotlight but never received a form for any reason, see Mr. Bruner during 3rd or 4th hour and
get a spotlight form. You may also email us at chatterbox@lincolnschools.org for forms. If we have to discontinue Senior Spotlights early, they will not return until next year, if then.
Student Center
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
October 25, 2012
Page 25
Ask the Staff
by Emma Jones
Guest Reporter
How does being involved in clubs help
enrich your high school experience?
It looks good on a college application.
Yep. That’s it.
Just kidding, well, partially. It does look
very nice on a college application, but that
isn’t the only reason you should do it. If
you only join clubs so it makes you look
good, you’re going to have a hard time
sticking with it. I advise everyone from every grade to get as involved as
possible because it helps you connect with the rest of the school. I don’t
think you should be one of those people who only get involved for the
purpose of bragging rights or whatever, because that can be a very difficult image to maintain. Only join clubs that you know you’ll be interested in. Take Spanish? Join the Spanish club? Want to be a business
executive one day? Join FBLA! It also gives you opportunities for
things like different competitions or community service. But most importantly, it lets you see a different side of the community at RHS. It
lets you see a non-academic side while still being involved at school.
Ask JD
by Emma Jones
Guest Reporter
Why are pep rallies important?
I can't imagine a Bearcat Friday without a pep rally. Each week the
student body comes together in the gym to show school spirit and
pride ... that's pretty special if you ask me. Pep rallies give the students
and community the opportunity to "rally" behind the Bearcats and show
their support. Although the football team may not look enthused, the
environment of a pep rally is very encouraging -- knowing that so many
supportive fans have your back. A pep rally is kind of like the fan warm
up for the game: they come, get hyped, win the spirit stick, and then
carry that spirit over to the game. I truly think that without a pep rally,
not nearly as many students would attend games and the few that did
would not be very spirited. Also the tradition of pep rallies is a great
one. The freshman are often shy and reserved while the upperclassmen
forsake all dignity to attain the spirit stick, but without fail, those same
shy freshman will grow to become spirited seniors one day and it's all
due to the environment and tradition of the pep rallies. It may not be
"necessary" to hold a pep rally before each football game, but I sure
think it is important that we do. And by the way... did I mention there's
no advisory on Friday's as a result of pep rallies... yep, pretty hard to
argue with that one!
Articles, Rants and Suggestions
Students who like to write and would like to have their articles published in Chatterbox are asked to submit articles to chatterbox@lincolnschools.org.
If you have a particular rant, comment, or suggestion about anything Chatterbox has printed, or wish to present your side in an editorial, we would love to hear from you.
Bring your thoughts in writing to Room 318, pass it along to a Chatterbox member, or email it to chatterbox@lincolnschools.org.
Fun Page
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
October 25, 2012
Page 26
Cason Quote of the Day:
Attention Students. Attention Students. Attention Students. Attention Students.
Did You
Know?
There is an extreme form
of veganism called
fruitarianism that does not
believe in killing plants for
food?
A cat cannot climb head
first down a tree because
its claws are curved the
wrong way?
You can download the entire English Wikipedia, just
6gb compressed?
Sudoku
Word Search
Popular October Movie Releases
Russia and Japan still
haven't signed a peace
treaty to end World War
II?
On average, girls apologize
5.2 times a day. Guys 3.6
times?
Sponsors/Staff
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
October 25, 2012
Page 27
2012-2013 Chatterbox Sponsors
Platinum Level Sponsors: ($200 +)
Mark and Donnie Bartlett
First National Bank
John B. Holstead
Ruston High School Alumni Association
Ruston High School
RHS FBLA Chapter 617
Gold Level Sponsors: ($100 - $199)
Jack Fluck Realty
Ballard Forestry
Tara Ballard
Richard Durrett
Superior Loss Control Solutions, LLC
Lloyd R. Bruner
Silver Level Sponsors: ($50 - $99)
Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office
Don & Elizabeth Yielding
RHS Business Department
2012-2013 Chatterbox Advertisers
Business/Organization
Lincoln ACHIEVE
Fix My Smartphone
Owner/Manager/Contact Agent
Cathi Cox-Boniol
James Stevenson
Page of Advertisement
2
15
Ruston’s Locker Room
Yvonne Craft
31
Chatterbox is a tradition at Ruston High School – let’s keep it going. Let “The Voice of Ruston High” meet your advertising needs.
Please thank and support these businesses, organizations, and individuals for making your Ruston High School Chatterbox possible!
With special thanks to Principal Mike Milstead for all his support!
2012-2013 RHS Chatterbox Staff
Editor in Chief
News Editor
Sports Editor
Graphics/Design Editor
Arts Reporter
Clubs Reporter
Education Reporter
Social Reporter
Sports Reporter
Guest Reporter
Guest Cartoonist
Whitney Durrett
Jaisle Bailey
Elena Till
Erin Maxson
Thristan Cecil
Vivien Ballard
Charles Pickett
Nathan Bennett
Andrea Long
Taniah Nicholson
Emma Jones
Rachel Huckaby
Senior
Senior
Senior
Senior
Junior
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Junior
Sophomore
Senior
Senior
Adviser/Sponsor: Mr. Lloyd R. Bruner, chatterbox@lincolnschools.org
The Chatterbox is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA).
The purpose of the Chatterbox is to provide information and to promote school pride. We strive to meet the criteria set by the National Scholastic Press Association for
student journalism. In addition, if a reasonable basis or belief that a publication would materially disrupt class work, involve substantial disorder, or invade the rights
of these, it will not be published in keeping with the guidelines of Hazelwood School District vs. Kulkmeier (1998). Signed editorials may be sent to Ruston High
School, 900 Bearcat Drive, Ruston, Louisiana 71270.
Chatterbox can be accessed at: http://rustonhigh.lincolnschools.org/pages/chatterbox.php
Bearcat Spirit
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
October 25 , 2012
Page 28
The Mini Belles
By Erin Maxson
Sports Editor
On September 14, 2012, the Bearcat Belles ended their dance clinic for young girls in kindergarten through the fifth grade. The Belles brought out their mini-me’s during
halftime at the Arcadia game to perform the dance they had learned throughout the week. A few Belles stepped out onto the field one after another to let each group of girls
perform their dance. The young girls looked proudly at the faces of their parents and Bearcat fans as they danced away. In the future, these talented girls will become even
more talented Bearcat Belles!
Above: Some Mini Belles posing before
starting their dance.
Above: These elementary girls came to dance!
Ruston High’s Fan of the Month
An Interview with Mrs. Ratcliff
by Taniah Nicholson & Erin Maxson
Sports Reporter and Editor
Mrs. Kellye Ratcliff is known to most students as one of the Bearcats biggest fans, rather than a counselor. But little do most students know that Mrs. Ratcliff is quite the tradition starter here at RHS. Six years ago, when Mrs. Ratcliff taught math, she had the idea
that the drum line should march through the hallways on Fridays to support the football players. She went to Mr. Milstead and he liked
the idea. Mrs. Ratcliff then marched her way down to the band hall to speak to Mr. Moss and the drum line. They all loved the idea and
there the tradition of Bearcat Fridays began.
Mrs. Ratcliff isn’t just any old Bearcat fan either. She gets excited for the games on the Mondays before Bearcat Fridays. She also
has more ideas on how to raise the school spirit at games. Mrs. Ratcliff proposes a larger student section where RHS students can come
together and cheer louder and prouder. Mrs. Ratcliff does miss Bearcat Fridays after football season is over, but she’s more than ready to
cheer on the rest of the Bearcat teams too. When asked how she became one of the school’s biggest fans, she said, “I love the school,
and I love the students. And that made it easy for me to love Bearcat Fridays!”
Want to be the next Ruston High Fan of the Month?
Bring a picture of yourself and a few reasons why you are RHS’s
most dedicated fan to the Office and drop it in the Chatter Box!
Sports
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
August 30, 2012
Page 29
Happy Halloween, Basketball Fans!
The Start of NBA Season
by Erin Maxson
Sports Editor
The official NBA season starts this month! Yes, this month! This year will be quite an interesting year
since the NBA is no longer in a lockout and the teams will be playing a REGULAR season of basketball of 82
games. 2012-13 will be the 67th season of the NBA. It will begin on October 30, 2012 with the Cleveland
Cavaliers and the Washington Wizards and a bittersweet game between the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics due to former Celtic Ray Allen’s transition to become a Heatle. This game will be very controversial and
will likely be the most talked about the next day on SportsCenter. (You can quote me on that). A strong contender for number two on SportsCenter’s most talked about will be the Dallas Mavericks at the Los Angeles
Lakers. With Steve Nash and Dwight Howard on the Lakers this will be an easy win for Los Angeles, but the
look on Dirk Nowitzki’s face will be priceless as the Black Mamba (Kobe), Nash, and Howard sweep the floor with the Mavs.
Overall, this year’s season is going to be phenomenal and I’m more than excited to share all of my thoughts with the rest of you. BUT,
I’d also like to encourage those that read this to approach me with your opinions about the season and maybe, just maybe, I’ll put some in
the paper over the next few months!
Tunnel Vision
Why RHS fans should participate in the football tunnel!
by Erin Maxson
Sports Editor
I know there is only one more home game, but the students of RHS should be able to make the
tunnel between the Cat Box and the blow up helmet for the last home game of the season. Over the
years, the Bearcat fans in the Cat Box have lined up where the football players come out onto the stadium and made a pathway for the players to run through while cheering the team on to play their best!
When the seniors realized they couldn’t go out onto the field this year and create their well-loved tunnel, it seemed like they were missing some of the tradition they had been a part of for the three years
they’d been at Ruston High.
I realize that the football players come out at a different place now that the new field house has
been built, but the fans are a big part of how the Bearcats start off their game. Yes, the students of Ruston High can form their tunnel behind the Cat Box on the track, but that’s not really leading the team onto the field; that’s just watching them walk off the
track and onto the field without them. Also, the track is not really big enough to go full throttle fan tunnel for our Varsity players
that need all the fans encouragement to be ready to step out onto the field and win a game!
Personally, I would like to see the fan tunnel moved back onto the field, if not for any other reason than the seniors who always
look forward to that opportunity at home games. There wouldn’t be such a great team at RHS without the help of the fans and it’s
time to give back to them!
Saints or Ain’ts?
by Taniah Nicholson
Sports Reporter
Watching Sunday Night Football, I realized that the Saints are not doing so well this season. Only 4 weeks in the season and they
have lost 4 games in a row. This doesn’t look like the same team from 2 years ago or even a year ago. Week 1 is when they lost to the
Redskins (40-32). I thought that was just first game nerves, but when they lost to the Panthers (35-27), I got scared. It didn’t even stop
there! They lost to the Kansas City Chiefs (27-24) and the Green Bay Packers (28-27). I began to think it was due to Head Coach Sean Payton being out or
because of the loss of a prized teammate.
One thing I do know is that all of these games have been close, only just a few points off. Although they won against the Chargers (31-24), the Saints
still need to make up for all those losses because they’re starting to look like the underdogs again. They need to bring their past determination and successes these next few games if they want to be in the playoffs this season.
Sports
Chatterbox
Ruston High School
October 25, 2012
Page 30
Bearcat Basketball Coming Soon!
by Erin Maxson
Sports Editor
RHS Girls and Boys Basketball starts soon! Some of your Bearcat teams have actually already started in fact. Here are the schedules for the next month in Varsity Bearcat
Basketball:
Girls Bearcat Varsity Basketball
November 2012
Date
Opponent Location
Time
November 3
November 7
November
10
November
19-20
November
27
November
28-30
Parkway
(Scrimmage)
Ouachita,
Byrd
Hall of Fame
Games
St. Fred’s
Tourney
Parkway
TBA
Ruston
5:00 PM
Ruston
TBA
St. Fred’s
TBA
Winnfield
Winnfield
Tournament
Haughton
** Complete Schedule
will be listed in November
Edition.
Boys Bearcat Varsity Basketball
October & November 2012
Date
October 22
October 30
November 10
Opponent
Bossier
(Scrimmage)
Huntington
(Scrimmage)
Ruston Hall of
Fame
Location
Time
Home
5:00 PM
Away
5:00 PM
Home
TBA
6:00 PM
November 1921
Grambling Tourney
Away
TBA
TBA
November 28December 1
Zachary Tourney
Away
TBA
Swimming Cats Take Off!
by Erin Maxson
Sports Editor
On September 27, 2012, the RHS swimmers held their second official home meet at the Lambright Center. Many different schools made an appearance
to compete against the Bearcats. Schools such as Byrd, West Monroe, Haughton, Cedar Creek, and others arrived at the meet before 6 PM to warm up and
get ready for this large meet!
Many Ruston High School individuals won their events. Sophomore Austin Meng won the Boys 100 Yard Fly Event and Morgan Meyer took first place
in the Boys 100 Yard Freestyle. Senior Jake Kyte beat the competition and received first place in the 200 Yard Freestyle event. Madison Kaufman, Sophomore, won the Girls 100 Yard Backstroke.
All the RHS relay teams did extremely well at this second home meet: the Boys Relay Teams won the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay, the 200 Yard Medley
Relay, and the 400 Yard Freestyle Relay. The Girls Relay Team won the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay, as well.
The Ruston High Swimmers have competed well against teams from all over the state, and we hope to see Bearcat Domination throughout the season!
Cross Country Kicks It In Gear
by Taniah Nicholson
Sports Reporter
Our Cross Country girls are on fire this year! In the first meet Adaiza Austin and Ebenae Eddy were in the Top Five, finishing in 2nd and
4th. The second meet wasn’t as exciting for RHS as no one made it into the Top Five. However, the ladies made it up for it in the third meet
when Adaiza Austin finished in 1st place with a time of 19:19 and Anna Hall finished in 3rd with a time of 19:35 in the 3 mile run.
Cross country is not an easy sport. Team members have to get up at 5 a.m. every morning and run. Their hard work and dedication is paying off already. All of our girls are doing great and looking forward to their next meet this Saturday.
Our Cross Country boys are making their marks too! They did an awesome job in both of their first two meets, with most of them finishing
with strong times. Top performances to date have included Dominique Cheffin, who finished with a time of 16:12, and Eman Gwam, who
finished with a time of 16:14 in the 3 mile race. The team is doing great and hopes to see more support from RHS students. State will be here
before they know it, and they are running hard every day as they prepare to represent our school.
Sports
Ruston High School
Chatterbox
October 25, 2012
Freshman Football
Page 31
JV Football
By Taniah Nicholson
Sports Reporter
by Taniah Nicholson
Sports Reporter
The Freshman provided RHS fans with a stunning evening of Monday football
against the West Monroe Rebels on September 24, 2012. They started the game on a
high note, using teamwork and a good offensive series to drive the ball downfield
against the Rebels, leading to a touchdown from Qayshon Thurman. The Rebels
didn't like that and started pushing back, but Ruston kept the heat on them and kept
on driving the ball downfield. West Monroe gave Michael Washington all they had
but he didn’t give up! Chase Levingston fought off the Rebels and recovered a fumble. As if that wasn’t enough, Chris Brasuell drove it down the field far enough for
Jeremy Brown to give RHS the winning touchdown. The Freshman ’Cats walked
away victorious with the score 26-12.
The Ouachita game proved more challenging. RHS took an early 6-0 lead with a
touchdown from Chris Brasuell. Into the second quarter, the score was tied 12-12.
After a long defensive battle, Ouachita scored in the closing minutes of the game
and sneaked away with an 18-12 victory.
Our Freshman ’Cats closed out their season at Neville, a rivalry game. There was
no let down by either team throughout the game, with both teams playing in true
form to the rivalry expectations of the fans. The ’Cats moved up and down the field,
giving the Tigers all they could to close out the season. Chase Levingston provided
a spark to the offense and stayed hard charging the entire game. Defensively, Michael Washington and Qayshon Thurman were taking down Tigers left and right.
The outcome of this game remained in question until the end, but the freshman
’Cats fell just short with the final score 20-24.
This was a great season for the freshman ’Cats and in each game the Bearcats left
the field with pride. The RHS Freshman Bearcats had an amazing season and take
pride in a job well. Their efforts and devotion will make each player and our future
RHS Bearcats even better.
The JV ’Cats played West Monroe on September 24, 2012. Darrian Cooper
contributed with many plays, including an awesome catch. The JV ’Cats struggled against their opponent and did their best. Overcoming a costly fumble, the
JV ’Cats kept up the pressure. Ladarius Winzer led the offense with two amazing
touchdowns, each covering over 10 yards. The JV ’Cats found themselves on the
wrong end of a 13-27 score, dropping them to a record of 0-3, but they put the
game behind them and prepared for the next opponent.
The JV ’Cats hit the field again on October 18, 2012 and showed the Ouachita
Lions that they were there to play. They were crossing, tackling, and driving the
Lions up and down the field. The highlights of this game were Ladarius Winzer
and Jawaun Wright. The final score was 27-10 Lions/’Cats.
The last game for the JV ’Cats was against the Neville Tigers, and they didn’t
leave without a fight. RHS scored the first touchdown and gave the Tigers more
than they were expecting. The Neville Tigers were tough, but the JV boys were
not intimidated and played hard. They stepped on the field with confidence and
determination. The game ended 20-6 Tigers/’Cats.
The JV ’Cats have played hard this year and have gained much experience.
This experience should make each player and our ’Cats even better in the future.
The JV ’Cats displayed good sportsmanship and kept their heads up like true
’Cats, and the future will be even better for our team.
Above: Qayshon Thurman is caught in between two West
Monroe Rebels.
Sports
Chatterbox
Ruston High School
October 25, 2012
Page 32
Varsity Football Takes a Turn
by Erin Maxson
Sports Editor
On September 20, 2012, the Bearcats traveled to Shreveport to play against the C.E. Byrd Yellow Jackets. The ’Cats were down during the first part of the game and
struggled to get back up against the Yellow Jackets. Concerning the hard game against Byrd, Coach Laird said, “I thought our team played extremely hard against a good
Byrd team that was averaging 35 points a game.” He also commented on Tanner Frasier and Damien Washington who were the tackle leaders of the game with a total of 14
and 12 tackles. Veontez Crowe also had an impressive interception in the Red Zone. Senior Alexio Williams-Hargrove had 103 total yards rushing and one touchdown. C.J.
Gatlin passed for a total of 124 yards and Chris Millage had 4 receptions. In the end, the ‘Cats just fell short with the score 16-9.
The ’Cats then traveled away to compete against the Tide. “The Bearcats executed their offense and defense extremely well. A total of 81 players got playing time,” said
Coach Laird. Senior C.J. Gatlin threw 9 for 9 passes for 116 yards with 2 touchdown passes and a touchdown of his own. Sophomore Ben LeBlanc was 2 for 3 passes total
completed. Senior Alexio Williams-Hargrove carried the ball 12 times for 138 yards and 3 touchdowns. Chris Millage had 4 receptions for a total of 61 yards and a touchdown. Seniors J.D. Moore and Travis Woods secured two more touchdowns for the Bearcats as well. Mark Weir had 7 tackles and both Isaiah Buggs and Jesse Parkman
had 6 tackles to their names by the end of the game. The Bearcats defeated the Tide soundly with the final score 59-14.
After the win against the Tide, the next Friday, October 5, 2012, the Bearcats traveled to Ouachita to take on the Lions. Chris Millage had a total of 64 yards receiving
and 3 touchdowns. Jaquel Owens had 7 tackles and 4 assist tackles and Damien Washington had 6 tackles, as well. Parker Begale had 4 quarterback hurries and Tanner Frasier had 12 assist tackles by the end of the game. Despite the strong performance by the ‘Cats, Ouachita held on to win 48-33.
Looking to get another game in the win column, the ‘Cats traveled to North Desoto. The Bearcats didn’t play very well the first half, but during the second half the players showed that they came to play! Some younger players got the chance to play due to injuries of some of the normal starters. Jawaun Wright came in for Alexio WilliamsHargrove and scored 2 touchdowns and rushed for 110 yards. Wright also had 22 carries throughout the game. Ben LeBlanc replaced the injured C.J. Gatlin and ran the offense well. Senior Devin Price had an interception and Sam White and Darren Crawford both recovered fumbles. The Bearcats took the win at the end of the night with a
score of 27-10!
In last week’s game, the Bearcats took on the West Monroe Rebels. Despite hard playing on both sides, the Rebels made a few big plays that helped lead them to a 35-0
victory. GOOOOOOOOOO CATS!
Above: Junior Kramer Newsom is
always ready to play some football.
Above: RHS Football player
Bryce Davis said, “I think
we’re going to make the playoffs because we’re getting
better and better every week.”
Above: Senior C.J. Gatlin gives a
shoutout to his offensive line and
hopes to see the team get better!
Come out and support your Bearcats
tonight at Natchitoches Central High
School at 7 PM!
Above: Jon White says.
“We’ve had a really strong
schedule this season and I
think we’ll make it to the
playoffs if we finish strong in
our games.”

The Voice of Ruston High

Transcription

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