Humans of Dutch Fork 9.14.15
Photo by Chyna Wallace
“The bass is underappreciated because no one really cares about it. I mean, it’s literally called the bass because it’s the bass of music. If they didn’t have the bass then music wouldn’t really have a beat to it. And now bass is kind of an animated thing with technology instead of, you know, the double bass or the bass guitar.
“Music affects me because it’s a way to describe my feelings without actually saying it to somebody and it’s also a way to describe how you feel. It also makes me happy and helps with depression and anxiety and just…emotional stuff.”
Michelle Lane, Sophmore
Suarez Profile Quotes
Teacher of the Year, Sondra Suarez
“I like being around kids and I like helping kids discover what they can do and develop their skills.
I originally went in for engineering and there was an educational component to that, that you could select compared to an industry option. It seemed like a more creative outlet.”
What does it mean to you to teach? “To let people know what their skills and talents and interests are and develop them along those lines of what they are interested in so they can take pride in their work and discover what they are good at.”
Describe the feeling of winning teacher of the year “It was a surprise and it was a nice feeling to be recognized and appreciated.”
“I teach principles of engineering (and ‘Civil Engineering’ and also ‘Engineering Design and Development’). Its more like mechanical engineering and open ended problem solving. You give them a problem, something you have to design to accomplish a task. It is very hands on.”
“Everyone who takes civil engineering and architecture isn’t necessarily going to go in that field.”
“There are certain skills, pride, craftsmanship, and accuracy that they also learn, things that can’t be learned from multiple choice on a test.”
“I started teaching in 1981. I taught in spartanburg for several years, columbia, and chicago.”
“I graduated from Clemson in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree, Cum Laude, and from honors.”
“I was the one of the four Deans for the engineering school of study from 2009-2014. It was a grant funded initiative.”
[The topic shifted to that of her fight with breast cancer]
“When you first find out, you’re kind of in a daze. You have a list of things you have to do and appointments you have to make. You have to move heaven and earth to make sure you can still get to work and all that stuff. You have a real set routine of medicines you take, and doctor’s appointments, and chemotherapy. You meet a lot of other people who are doing the same thing and the people are very supportive. Your hair falls out, your eyebrows fall out, and eyelashes fall out. Its not pleasant but it does grow back. You appreciate more that forever is finite. So you want to make sure you do stuff you want to do rather than things you have to do.”
“Youre being systematically poisoned on a regular basis(laughed a little while saying this). Its not so bad but it’s the next day that you feel lousy. Its the treatment they have so thats what you do.
“Chemo was every two weeks so I would miss Thursday and Friday. It went from Spring and into the summer. Radiation was every week at 4 so I had to leave school immediately after it was over. (DId that for a year.)”
“Youre more conscious of the things you do or want to do or should do.”
Daughter to Ms. Suarez, Senior Marypat Suarez
“It was scary to think that your mom had something as serious as [cancer].
When she did have cancer she never once showed us that things were getting bad, she always puts on a strong face and continues to do that everyday.”
Daughter to Ms. Suarez, Senior Catherine Suarez
“I was scared, and I didn’t know what to think but I knew she was strong enough to get through it.”
3 year student of Ms. Suarez, Senior William Blanks
“I think Mrs. Suarez deserves teacher of the year because she’s very passionate about what she does and always has a good attitude about everything she does.”
“Mrs. Suarez is a good teacher because she’s always working with students and willing to compromise with any difficulties that may be happening in the class. She’s very interactive. She feels like someone you can be friends with.”
“I like taking her class because its always a calm atmosphere and very relaxed yet you still get a lot of work done. It’s always hands on work and stuff that I like.”
“You should take her class if you like a teacher who’s reasonable and can understand that if you’re having a bad day here or there and someone who is very likely to compromise with studies and what not.”
Business Education Teacher Gail Gallman
“I think she’s very dedicated. She has done some outstanding things for our department. She is a leader in helping the engineering program grow at Dutch Fork. They have the largest completers in the cate area. As well she has many students that earn college credit from the engineering program here.”
“Shes passionate about what she’s doing and she’s passionate about the students. Everything she does is always student-driven.”
“Shes a good person overall because she is willing to do and help anyone in our department.” “She’s very creative. She’s very helpful with making our department grow and for that we are very appreciative.”
“She’s made a difference just by being who she is like helping the students, helping the department grow and taking a leadership role. She served as the dean of the engineering here at Dutch Fork high school. “
“If we had more people like Mrs. Suarez here at Dutch Fork we would be an even greater place.”
Mr. Football Quotes
Varsity Running Back, Senior Mr. Football Matthew Colburn
“The selection [for Mr. Football] was made at the North/South all star game. It was in Myrtle Beach. At halftime of that game they had five finalists walk up to a little stage that they had at the 50 yard line facing the stands. On the scoreboard they had a screen that showed each one of our highlights and had little bits of things to talk about, what kind of persons we were and what we have done in high school.
“It felt clouded like a dream, I was not expecting it. Once you get that far in something like [Mr. Football] you don’t expect it. You won, you love to have something to look back on, it was such a total surprise. I was in awe. “
“It is pretty cool to follow in the steps of Marcus Lattimore. Looking where he went after he won such an award. He had a crazy career in South Carolina, basically a hometown hero and he went onto the NFL. It is fascinating to look at everything that he has won”
“[my senior year] was alright, state would have been definitely the icing on cake. Teaches me, just a learning lesson for me not to let anything out of sight, not take anything for granted because when you’re at a stage like, that the players play and the losers don’t. Yeah it has taught me alot”
Josh Bristow Story Quotes
Senior Drama Preformer and Dancer Josh Bristow
“I auditioned for the Wiz my [sophomore] year in high school, and I got the lead role as the cowardly lion.”
“During the first rehearsal for dance I was really struggling with [it] and I asked Ms Haynes, ‘hey so what can I do to get better?’” And she said ‘take my class’ and I enrolled in her dance 2 class in the second semester and the rest is history”
“Its really difficult because the thing that I didn’t like was taking me away from the thing that I loved.”
“It came to a climax at the week of the state game. That week we had practice and in that same week we had dance concert rehearsal. It was really difficult because I missed all of practice that week but I still played in the state game. I had to talk to coach knotts like ‘hi this is my grade I am being graded on this and I’m a student before I’m an athlete. He said yeah ok, you can still dress’. So I ended up playing and still going even though I did not go to practice all week.”
“So going from dance concert to dance concert to dance concert to waking up the next day to the state game. It was really difficult to juggle and my mental capacity was at the negatives. but once I found out that once I got past it, it was smooth sailing from there. Loving my life”
“My parents were under the impression that I was still going to be playing football for my senior year. But I knew that I couldn’t let that happen.”
“I guess that several months went by and it was March or April and my mom was like ‘Ok you need to start going to workouts and conditioning and forced me to against my will and get a physical and a workout schedule and stuff like that.”
“I had a meeting with Coach Knotts and he was like ‘well if you don’t come to conditioning today then you are off the team’ and I didn’t go.” I didn’t tell my parents until much later and they were very adamant about [football] so I packed a bag and saved some money and when I tell them, if they kick me out then I’ll be ready. So I told them, and they were very very mad. and I’m sure that probably they still are. Once again the decision was done. it is made, you can’t do anything about it now. “And my passion is worth the consequences and I have to suffer with it.”
“Dance is the biggest change [to my high school life] without a doubt. Before, I thought I had a future in STEM, so I got involved in all these science oriented things and I lost a passion for it and I was freaking out like ‘what am I going to do’. Then I just auditioned for the Wiz on a whim and dancing has changed my life. I want to do something in the arts now and I know that for a fact”
“I am currently in Charlie Brown, I am president of the Drama club here, that is a lot of work, I dance at Dance Dept. for a competitive team, I am in Grease, which is a district musical, I work at sonic.”
“When I’m on the stage with my rehearsed lines and my well practiced dances my goal is to touch someone through my performance. If not, thats ok, but I know for a fact that I am going to do the best to my ability, to go out there and touch someone’s life with my performance. That’s much better than any touchdown.”
“It has given me a drive for life. I have a goal when I go out on that stage. ‘this is what you have to do. Do it to the best of your ability’”
“Well, from the inside it is really difficult, I’m not a tiny little guy who can flop around on stage. but at the same time, when I do leaps a majority of the time, I land softer than other people that are much smaller than I am. So I just have to keep telling myself ‘if I can land softer, that’s the goal here’ just because i’m bigger people are going to see me differently and it is something that you have to embrace.”
Well, Ms. Fichter is new to Dutch Fork high school and she wanted to jumpstart the drama program. So she started a club. The last time we had a drama club was years and years ago and I think she wanted to use it as a tool to start the drama program. So of course we had elections and everything that we need for an official club and I was voted president.
“I knew that [football] was not what I wanted. I was doing something that I was having to do, and dealing with it unwillingly and someone getting the benefit out of it that wasn’t me, it was really unfair. I almost couldn’t deal with it and that’s where I would be.”
“I made a bet with my dad that if I didn’t do anything related to sports my freshman or sophomore year, that I would have to play football. I didn’t know this. I guess he just pulled that out of his behind. He just conjured it up and he said that that was the reason I had to play.”
“He loves football with all of his heart, it is his one true love above everything else.”
““I have Ginny Haynes to thank for that. She is the best person I’ve ever known. She is the one that knew all of this information right as it happened to me. She was my confidant, she was the one that helped me through it. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t know where I’d be.”
“I don’t know” “I can’t give you a very good answer on that because once again it just comes back to ‘Im a big guy, I don’t fit the script of your typical dancer.”
“My bucket list dream job is to be a backup dancer, that would be the coolest thing ever. Traveling the world, its not very practical but again it is on my bucket list.” “Im also auditioning for a spot at Carowinds to be a performer for the summer for different shows they have there. I am going to a college that I don’t know of yet where I can study communications and work on a television set. ”
“There are sometimes where I see myself on broadway, but there are sometimes that I don’t because its really stressful. I would say personally that is way more stressful than being a performer because there is always someone who is better than you.”
“If you don’t already make sure you come and support the arts, You’d come to a football game but you can’t come to a show. But at the end of the day you are seeing the same set of people ty to perform the same task every single friday night. But, with the arts there is never the same dance concert, there is never the same show performed. There is more variety here and most times it is cheaper as well. You should really support the arts. ”
“Talk to me or talk to Ginny Haynes and sign up for a dance class. Her class changed my life. It is very instructive. I learned a lot of different styles of dance, but you have to be prepared to work.”
Norris Profile Quotes
Girls Varsity Basketball Coach Faye Norris
“When I was in college I coached my church league, I liked it then so I ended up coaching girls basketball”
“This coming year I plan on just moving forward. That is the main theme for the team every year is to just keep moving forward.”
“We have a motivational quote every practice, something that helps inspire them every game”
Her quote of that day was: ‘when there are no enemies within the enemies on the outside cannot hurt you’
“We are going to have enemies on the outside so we have to keep united on the inside”
“[This is how I was coached] is to take it one game at a time. One season at a time.
I always tell them whatever happened the season before has ended. Now we have to start a new season fresh and new and move forward. One practice at a time. One game at a time”
“We break our seasons up into four different types of seasons. We have non-region games, thats a ‘season’. We have our christmas tournament, thats a season. We have our region games, that a season. Then we have post playoff games. So we take it like that”
(asked her why she split up her season into smaller ones. Thought it was interesting) “Region games is what will get you into the playoffs. Regardless of what we did in the christmas tournament, regardless of what we did in the non-region games. These are the games that will count. The non-region games count for nothing there unless you have a region tie”
“Johanna Gibbs, aiken high school, she is a legend there (Yearly athletic award given at Aiken High school is named after her)”
“She coached me in volleyball and basketball. She was also a coach at USC Aiken and she recruited me”
“I try to be very supportive, I graduated in 1975 and my coach still calls me and she pays a visit every state playoff game(said with a lot of emotion in her vioce) and also she said “I’m so glad that you came back to South Carolina” She did not care where I was in South Carolina. She said “because South Carolina kids need coaches like you”
Varsity Center, Senior Morgan Williams
“Coach Norris is an interesting person. She has her mixture of very disciplined but she is also laid back. She is understanding, she is very loving also. I love her”
“Each day we have a motivational quotes and for me it helps set my mind and it gets me ready for practice and I apply that and it helps me do better and it pushes myself to become better.”
“I know that there is an expected pressure[to go to state]but as far as I am concerned I don’t look at is as a pressure, I look at it as a goal. That is what I want to accomplish and that is what I want my team to accomplish.”
“I love coach Norris, respect her”
HB Matthew Colburn wins Mr. Football award
Hard work is the key to success for senior running back Matthew Colburn. During his time at Dutch Fork, he has gained the reputation of a hard working and successful running back. His football career was solidified as he was named 2014 Mr. Football.
“Once you get that far in something like [Mr. Football] you don’t expect it,” Matthew said. “You love to have something to look back on, it was such a total surprise. I was in awe.”
The award of Mr. Football is a prestigious title, declaring the winner as the best player in the state. After being selected as one of the five finalists, Matthew made his way out to the North/South all-star game.
“On the scoreboard at halftime, they had a screen that showed each one of our highlights and had little bits of things to talk about [like] what kind of persons we were and what we have done in high school,” Matt said.
Marcus Lattimore and Jadeveon Clowney have also received Mr. Football in the past. Matthew makes history as he is the first running back since Lattimore to win the award.
“It is pretty cool to follow in the steps of Marcus Lattimore. Looking where he went after he won such an award. He had a crazy career in South Carolina, basically a hometown hero and he went onto the NFL,” Matthew said. “It is fascinating to look at everything that he has won.”
Tom Knotts plays a role to Matthew’s success, coaching him throughout his high school years, helping him to surpass national averages of running back stats and placing well above every category on the website MaxPreps.
“He’s a great student, athlete, and a tremendous leader. He’s just an overall good football player who does things the right way,” Knotts said.
Finishing the game in second place marks the end of Matthew’s high school football career but Matthew has yet to reach the pinnacle of his career. Verbally committing to Louisville, Matt takes his accolades and talents to a higher level. He passes his legacy on to his younger brother sophomore Christopher Colburn.
“[Matt has] matured over the years. We just kept challenging him to grow up and accept more responsibility, and he did,” Knotts said. “He accepted his role as leader of the team, [and] he will be greatly missed next year.”
Profile: Coach Faye Norris
You see it all over social media first. All the hype, all the excitement. Another title under the belt of the girls basketball team. However, there may be one person that you forgot to mention in your congratulations tweet, the coach behind it all: Faye Norris.
She has lead the girls’ basketball team on a series of wins, totalling a record of 76-10, boasting an undefeated season to boot. However, it did not start off with rings on rings for Norris. It started back in her high school days in Aiken with her own basketball coach, Johanna Gibbs.
“[Gibbs] coached me in volleyball and basketball,” Norris said. “She was also a coach at USC Aiken, and she recruited me [to play there].”
Gibbs was, as Norris put it, “A legend at Aiken High, no one there has topped what she did,”. Norris and her coach continue to stay in contact years after Norris’ graduation from USC Aiken and remain an encouragement to each other.
“I graduated in 1975, and my coach still calls me. She pays a visit every state playoff game,” Norris said with a lot of emotion in her voice. “She said ‘I’m so glad that you came back to South Carolina because South Carolina kids need coaches like you.’”
Norris’ coaching style has made an impact in the lives of her players. One of the ways she’s done this is by always giving her team inspirational quotes before every practice, driving them to go the extra mile to win.
“For me [the quotes help] set my mind, and it gets me ready for practice. It pushes me to become better,” senior Morgan Williams said.
In order to calm the ever-present nerves and pressure of going to state or upholding the outstanding reputation of the girl’s basketball team, Norris takes each day one step at a time.
“[I was coached] to take it one game at a time. One season at a time. I always tell them whatever happened the season before has ended,” she said. “Now we have to start a new season fresh and new and move forward. One practice at a time. One game at a time.”
While the pressure of upholding a dominant reputation may seem like a heavy burden to bear, Norris’ positive attitude is constantly reflected through the dedicated members of her team.
“I know that there is an expected pressure [to go to state], but as far as I am concerned, I don’t look at it as a pressure. I look at it as a goal,” Morgan said. “That is what I want to accomplish, and that is what I want my team to accomplish.”
Despite the external pressures, Norris’ main goal remains to unite the girls as a team. As one of her motivational quotes once said, ‘When there are no enemies within, the enemies on the outside cannot hurt you.’
“I try to be very supportive,” Norris said “We are going to have enemies on the outside, so we have to keep united on the inside.”
Norris always has her eyes set on the horizon, hunting for the team’s fourth consecutive state title.
“This coming year I plan on just moving forward.” Faye added “That is the main theme for the team every year is to just keep moving forward.”
*Statistics provided by maxpreps.com.
Profile: Josh Bristow
Senior Josh Bristow is living a story of the ages, stuck in a war between two worlds; one on the fifty yard line, the other, center stage.
“Dance is the biggest change [to my high school life] without a doubt,” Josh said. “Before [dance], I got involved in all these science orientated things, and I lost a passion for [science].”
He found himself asking, “What am I going to do?” It was at that moment that he discovered ‘The Wiz’–a theatrical version of Wizard of Oz–and history soon followed suit.
“I auditioned for the Wiz my [sophomore] year in high school, and I got the lead role as the cowardly lion,” Josh said. “During the first rehearsal for dance I was really struggling with [the dance] and I asked [dance instructor] Ms. Haynes, ‘Hey so what can I do to get better?’ and she said, ‘Take my class.’”
And that was the start of what Josh now describes as “his passion.” But there was just one problem. Josh was still on the varsity football team.
That issue became a bigger and bigger problem the more Josh missed football practice to go to dance recitals. His absences caught notice of the varsity head coach, Tom Knotts.
“I had a meeting with Coach Knotts and he said, ‘Well if you don’t come to conditioning today then you are off the team,’ and I didn’t go.” Josh said.
After Josh’s resignation from the team, he decided that telling his parents would be catastrophic. His dad breathed football.
“[Before, my dad] would come to every single game, he would be there early, stay late,” Josh said. “He would stop at the drop of a hat and leave his job and do everything to make sure that I had what I needed to be successful in football.”
However his family’s passion for Josh’s new hobby was less than stellar.
“I didn’t see him at ‘The Wiz’ until the last night because I made him go. I didn’t see him at the dance concert until the last night because I made him go,” Josh said. “You could tell that because I was not doing what he wanted me to…the relationship was definitely different.”
There to guide him through those now strenuous times with his family was Ms. Haynes.
“[Haynes] is the best person I’ve ever known. She is the one that knew all of this information right as it happened to me. She was my confidant, she was the one that helped me through it. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t know where I’d be.” Bristow said.
Two years later, Josh reflected back on that transition.
“[It was] really difficult because the thing that I didn’t like was taking me away from the thing that I loved,” Josh said. “I would say I’m very happy [now], interestingly enough, me and my dad are better than ever. I’m loving my dance experiences whether it is in school or out of it.”
Although Josh dances competitively for the Dance Department, nothing quite compares to acting. Josh is currently the head of the newly founded Drama club, and has been in two school musicals just this year.”
“When I’m on the stage my goal is to touch someone through my performance.” Josh said. “If not, thats ok, but I know for a fact that I am going to do the best to my ability, to go out there and touch someone’s life with my performance. That’s much better than any touchdown.”
PC vs Apple: A review
For those of you who live under a rock, there are two tech giants here in America: Apple and Microsoft.
Both of these companies started out as a project worked on in their respective CEO’s garage, but now they are everywhere. They both make phones, tablets, gaming systems, personal computers and just about anything else that uses a computer chip of some kind.
For those of us who are off to college, we are faced with a choice. Which one do we throw money at to get a laptop? That’s where it gets more complicated. Apple fans (and probably any self-respecting hipster) will say that Windows should not even be compared to Apple.
Anybody who has not used Windows 8 yet would say just the opposite. So of the two options, is Windows (colloquially referred to as PC’s) or Apple (makers of all things Mac) the product you should buy?
All the following comparisons are made by comparing two products with similar specs (courtesy of bestbuy.com), and the only difference between them internally is the operating system.
The first and most noticeable difference between a Mac and a PC is the appearance. Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, always put appearance as a center point of his philosophy and thus made his Macs more sleek and modern than their competitors. The next noticeable difference is the price tag. Apple products are known to be way more expensive than PC’s. A standard desktop Mac would cost at least $1300 while a PC would be around $1000 with similar hardware.
“Oh yeah, thats WAY cheaper,”Apple fans say. Well it is. That was one of the more expensive PC’s there are plenty more under the specs of a Mac. Some go for as low as 400 dollars. There are plenty of cheaper options for any person who does not want to murder their wallet. For those people who really hate having excess money and/or love loans, the cheapest, brand new Mac is the $1300 one. Go crazy.
Now let’s say a person buys both a Mac and a PC with all the similar do daas. As these things gets old, their software becomes out of date. The company moves on to keep its products updated with new technology. For the Mac owner, this is a free update or at the most 20 to 30 dollars. For someone who wants to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 8… It’s about $200.
Yeah. $200 bucks. For Windows 8. Not really worth it.
And then there are the viruses. Those pesky little bugs that are almost as annoying as the ads for the software that blocks them. PC is more susceptible to bugs than Apple products. Let me bust a myth here and say that Apple products can get viruses.
I repeat. Macs can get viruses. However, since the Macs operating system is less used compared with the PC’s (probably because of the price), most viruses are aimed at PC’s simply because there is a bigger group to target. So when you buy a PC you probably want to purchase a good anti-virus program with it.
For those who like to play games, PC is your best bet. This goes back to the whole “we need to reach more people to make more money” concept. When you go through the giant game library of Steam, which holds just about any game ever, you will find that Macs are incompatible with just about everything. They just aren’t used as much so most developers focus on the PC audience.
So who wins? Well, thats ultimately up to you. Despite what either side of the argument says, they are both pretty equal. Macs cost way more and have some better protection from viruses while PC’s cost way less, but you have some extra buying to do when you need to rid yourself of a viruses or update to Windows 10. I would say that if you are going to rack up some debt with some loans anyway, go ahead and invest in a Mac. But if you do not want to spend two whole house payments on a computer, consider a PC. Either way, you’re better than the other guy. Right?
First Dutch Fork Football Game of the Season
It is Christmas in September for the Dutch Fork football fans as the team demolishes Rock Hill in the first home game of the season 63-28. Dutch Fork proved to be dominate on both sides
of the ball; the offense scored nine total touchdowns, four rushing and five through the air,
while the defense was just as immaculate with an interception and constant pressure on the Rock
Hill offense.
“The [Dutch Fork offense] scored almost every time they had the ball,” Senior cornerback
DJ Smalls said “I think they only punted one or two times, they executed everything that they
had to do.”
The offense put up a total of 602 yards against Rock Hill, scoring six touchdowns before
the end of the first half. Senior quarterback Derek Olenchuk led the way with five passing
touchdowns, three of which were to Senior tight end Austin Ruger. Junior running back Matt
Colburn rushed for three more, and also caught a 66-yard pass from Olenchuk for another score.
“Offensively they were running the ball and [Rock Hill] couldn’t stop them” Senior Adam
Elsey said “Defensively, besides a few mental mistakes, [Rock Hill] didn’t really score.”
The Dutch Fork offense is stacked with impressive talent, and one of the deadliest weapons
is Colburn, who already has 541 yards rushing on 72 carries and 8 touchdowns this season.
“Its just the mindset” Colburn said. ”I just got to keep pounding them harder, when I
start to feel tired I just got to think a little harder”
The coaches are truly to thank for the home game blowout.
“I am really proud of [the team], they really executed what we practiced,” Head coach Tom
Knotts said
The players also credit the coaches for their triumph.
“I don’t think that we have the greatest athletes but when you lifting and Knotts
together…” Colburn said. ”[Strength coach Noah] Dixon has also taught us that if we give up in
[the weight room] then we would give up on the field”
With this win Dutch Fork is now 3-0, and ranked 5th in the state according to polls on
SCvarsity.com. If they continue on this winning streak, it sends a big message to the rest of
the teams, both in their region and in the state.
“This [win against rock hill] was a message to the state, saying, ‘we’re coming’,”
senior defensive end Omar Staley said
With expectations high, many players feel that this win is just another step on the team’s
strive for excellence, and also on their quest for a state title.
“I think that we have a dynamic offense, we just have so many weapons” Olenchuk said “We
strive for perfection and in that strive we achieve greatness.”
Should School Polices Differ
Eddie Bates, Michaela Baker and McKenzie Mack
2 May 2013
Different School Policies
School policies differ from others
Rules are made to help a school function, although some made at high schools in District 5 are seen as unvoid due to the fact that other schools don’t have some of the same rules.
Dress code varies from school to school.
At Dutch Fork, dress code is simply shirts have to be as wide as the I.D. width (men must have sleeves on their shirts) and skirts/shorts cannot be shorter than one I.D. length above the knee.
While at Irmo, tops can be three finger width wide and skirts/shorts can be fingertip length, which differs from Dutch Fork.
Leggings or yoga pants are allowed at Dutch Fork and Irmo. Leggings are only acceptable at Chapin if paired with a shirt that is long enough to cover the butt.
Same district, different schools, different rules. Dress code is enforced to help eliminate any distractions one may have when seeing a particular outfit being worn either by the opposite sex or any student at school. The school wants the students to dress business like so why shouldn’t all schools have the same rule?
Dress codes are enforced at schools to create a sense of structure and unity.Some schools have specific uniforms or colors they must wear everyday to school, while some let their students have more of a choice in what they wear to school.
According to greatschools.org, uniforms help the school environment overall in a postive way. The only school in District 5 to require uniforms is the Alternative Academy which is still only khakis and a polo.
Other rules vary too.
At Dutch Fork and Irmo, signing up for a parking pass includes signing up the year before and not guaranteed a parking space for the underclassmen. At Chapin, parking is free range at the moment due to the construction.
Dutch Fork, up until this year, has required mesh bookbags. Now they are highly recommended. Irmo and Chapin do not have a bookbag requirement.
According to the district, their mission statement is “to provide challenging curricula with high expectations for learning that develop productive citizens who can solve problems and contribute to a global society”. The mission statement does not change from school to school. It is the same for elementary schools to high schools. Since the mission statement is the same throughout the schools in District 5, then so should the rules.
We as students know what is expected of us but sometimes rules can feel overbearing but why aren’t district rules the same across the board? It is understood that rules are made for the good of the group so something that might of worked at one school may not work at another.
Some rules are the same across the board such as not being able to use your phone during class, having to be on time to class and so forth. These rules are understandable for many high schools across the state have the same rules. Those are common sense rules.
In all, a district should have the same set of rules across the board to create consistency and to show unity among different schools which ensures equality throughout the district.
Socail Media: First or Accurate?
Michaela Baker, Mckenzie Mack and Eddie Bates
Opinion
24 April 2013
Social media spreading of right and wrong information
From a picture of what someone may be eating to a tweet complaining about the weather social media has us involved in everything and everyone. Although viewed as something great and useful, social media can produce lies that the public may not realize that knowing the news is not the same as knowing the right news.
When searching for what has happened make sure to check for the credibility of the source. Most of the time when people see something has happened they are quick to learn what they can and post about it soon after not even knowing the whole situation.
People on social media like Twitter ,jump the gun on almost any situation that they see fit.For instance: The Boston Bombing.
The bombing brought about many questions right when it happened. Many answers followed, just not the right ones. It also circulated multiple photos.
Social media users took the photos into their own hands and made up captions. Captions ranged from a man laying over his fiance-to-be to a little girl who died who was running for the children of Sandy Hook, neither of which were validated.
The Boston Police scanner became an “awkward and chaotic spectacle” because of people who were tweeting things that were not said. Is social media the right place to find news? No.
Although social media may be the faster way to find what out what is going on, it’s not something to rely on for serious information.
Even companies pages are not safe.
On April 23, the Associated Press’ Twitter account was attacked by hackers. The hackers sent out a tweet saying that there was an explosion in the white house and the president was injured.
The aftermath of the fake tweet had real world consequences however.
The Stock Market went from 1467 to 1458, dropping a whopping 150 points before stabilizing back at 1:10pm
Within three minutes, the levels had returned back to a normal number of 14690. During the three minutes of rebutting numbers, over 136 Billion dollars in equity market value were lost.
For news or reliable information, news networks like CNN, NBC and CBS would be better than listening to Twitter on a situation as serious as the Boston Bombing. The big news stations do not put out anything that they have not background checked thoroughly.
It is more important to some journalist that there publication is the first to get the story out, even when all the facts are not correct. While Instagram and twitter are very useful for news stations for gathering information about what’s going on, they always need to background check.
“Twitter uses tweeted and retweeted information that proved to be false or distracting” (neimanlab.org)
Don’t fall into the “Social Media Trap”. No matter how cliche it may sound, never believe everything that you read on the internet.
Senior Attendance
Michaela Baker, Mckenzie Mack, Eddie Bates
22 May 2013
Senior Attendance
Time for exemption
As the school year ends, the long awaited walk across the stage is anticipated by the seniors. With AP exams over, senior exams ahead of the rest and seniors having the choice to exempt exams seniors are ready to finish their high school career.
Senior exams specifically start May 29 and go through June 3. Not all seniors are required to come these days unless they do not meet specific exemption requirements made by the district.
Exemption is an option for all graduating seniors unless you do not have a yearly grade of an eighty-five or higher.
This technique is good because it keeps the students motivated to finish strong throughout the year so that they can enjoy this special reward only available to seniors.
Also, seniors are enrolled in numerous rigorous classes, and we just had AP Testing end last friday, so a handful of students have no real reason to come back to those classes after their exam is finished.
It is unfair though that underclassman including juniors must continue to come to school until June 6th as they prepare for their exams, even in the classes they have eighty-five or above in.
But the seniors now that have the opportunity to exempt had to do the exact same thing when they were underclassmen.
Everyone gets the wrath. The wrath of having to stay and complete their high school year while the class of that year got to leave early and be done, so it equals out in the end.
Another requirement is that the senior must not have any disciplinary strikes against them which include but are not limited to: twilight detentions or out-of-school suspensions. If a student has one of these then exemption of exams is not allowed.
A student may obtain a twilight, or out-of-school suspension by doing the following, but is not limited to: Fighting on school property, numerous tardies, being a distraction in the classroom, out of area, not serving a detention or skipping school.
For a lot of seniors this is the main reason why they can not exempt.
This opportunity is one that must be earned, even by seniors through following the rules and trying your best in school.
Seniors are required to attend school throughout the exam week. The only reason a senior can miss school is for a class that they are exempting the exam. They are still required to attend class regularly and teachers will still take attendance.
Although attendance is required, if a senior has absences to use they may use them.The absence is unexcused so seniors have to be diligent with how they use them in each class as only 5 unexcused absences are allowed per year class and 3 per semester class.
Senioritis starts from the first day of school but by the end of the school year seniors are checked out completely.The only thing on their mind is summer and how many days left they have to come while doing the least amount of work possible. We dream of lake days full of sun and friends, not calculus and grammar rules.
Junior Civitans
Collyn Taylor and Edward Bates
16 January 2013
Junior Civitans profile
Strengthening your community one charity at a time
As the steady stream of girls file in from the busy halls into the senior cafeteria, the smell of perfume overcomes the air. It becomes silent as the leader begins to speak about community service and the Junior Civitans’ meeting has begun.
“We’re an all girls community service organization and we do a lot around the school whether you know it or not,” senior co-President Ivana Chen said.
The Junior Civitan organization is an all girl group that does community service projects and volunteer work in the community. They clean up Koon Rd., donate to active military families, donate to Sharing God’s Charity as well as volunteering at the Firehouse Carnival, Ballentine Halloween Carnival and Region Band Auditions.
“We let females have an opportunity to do these community service projects and also we help out with people in need,” Ivana said.
The organization, which has a list of members whose length mirrors that of a child’s Christmas list, allows for the Civitans to expand out of their comfort zone.
“When you become a junior civitan, you do all of these community service stuff for the Kit Den and other places,” public relations officer Shannon Roberson said. “You get to meet new people through junior civitans because we are a really big organization.”
For each member, giving back to the community has its own benefits and rewards.
“I feel great [when volunteering]. I feel that I’m really changing something and the more
that you do it, the more you do,” Ivana said.
As that feeling continues to grow and the want to help out continues to expand, their will be a favorite volunteer work or way of helping out.
“[One of my favorite charities] is Trick-or-Canning, which is in the fall,” Ivana said. “On Halloween we go around in Ashford and instead of asking for candy, we ask for canned goods and donate it to Harvest Hope. It’s really fun cause us girls get to dress up, hangout with our friends but also we’re doing something and giving back to the community by doing something productive.”
Not only the students love to give back to the community, the faculty also loves participating.
“I really enjoy being [the Civitans] mentor,” Junior Civitan advisor Demetra Vastis said. “It gives me a chance to meet girls that I don’t normally teach and help them give back to the community.”
The next Junior Civitan project is Pasta for Pennies. In February, they go around the school collecting spare change, helping to raise awareness for Leukemia. Some civitans plan on continuing their charity work even past the Junior Civitans organization in high school.
“In college I plan on doing something [similar] to the Junior Civitans, probably relating to a pet shelter, volunteering in more hospitals, something related to my career field, but it is not limited to just that.” Ivana said.
For Ivana, Junior Civitans has had a lasting impact on her life and has taught her many things important to success.
“It really made me a better person character wise. It really made me think about the people in need in our community that we need to help out and be selfless,” Ivana said. “Especially in my position, it made me more talkative and productive.”
Gun Control
Eddie Bates, Michaela Baker, McKenzie Mack
14th May, 2013
Opinion
Gun Control Needs to be Reformed
Unnecessary and senseless acts of gun violence have covered the media in a gore for the past few weeks as one shooting after another occurs in a series of events.
Following the recent failure of the gun control bill, more violence has filled the news in the past week.
On May 12th a nineteen year old opened fire on a mothers day parade in New
Orleans, leaving 19 injured. Ten men, seven women and two children were injured Sunday but luckily there were no deaths.
It is a miracle that this close call didn’t end with more tragedy.
With this following the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary school and the Denver movie shooting, hopes are that this will be a wake up call for America that stricter gun control is needed. Government officials also feel as though something needs to be done to better control who can get their hands on a firearm even if it means restricting the Second Amendment.
The Second Amendment of the Constitution gives all americans the right to “bear arms”.
“President Barack Obama introduces proposals to tighten gun-control laws. His plan includes universal background checks for gun sales, the reinstatement and strengthening of the assault weapons ban, limiting ammunition magazines to a 10-round capacity, and other measures”. (infoplease.com)
The recent gun control law would have added more background checks for people who want to buy a gun online and at gun shows as well as criminalize the private transfer of guns without the proper paperwork.
The vote failed 54 to 46 in the senate, just falling short of the 60 vote requirement to pass.
It is amazing that the bill did not pass after everything that has transpired in the last few weeks.
With the Denver shooting, the Sandy Hook shooting, the newest incident at the Mothers day parade, and even the shooting of Representative Gabby Giffords, you would think that they had more than enough reason to pass it.
“Obama said Republicans and the NRA had “wilfully lied” about the background check proposal. A minority of senators had decided it wasn’t worth it to protect children’s lives”. (www.guardian.co.uk)
Obama made it very clear that he did not approve of the Senate’s decision not to pass the bill on gun control saying “It is a sad day in washington today”, as he learns of the senate’s decision to veto the bill he so strongly campaigned.
“Most opposed senators could not offer any good reason for why we wouldn’t want to make it harder for criminals and those with severe mental illnesses to buy a gun,” President Barack Obama said (www.abcnews.go.com).
Though not exactly what was expected came out of the bill, some important protective measures were introduced as a response to the latest disasters.
“Two other measures introduced in response to Sandy Hook – a ban on assault weapons and a ban on high-capacity magazines” (guardian.co.uk).
It is good that rifles are no longer an option for anyone who wants to cause harm, however the threat of someone dangerous could still obtain a gun with minimal background checks is still a threat to the nations safety that should have taken care of a long time ago.
The Ugly Schoolfront
Michaela Baker, McKenzie Mack and Eddie Bates
8 May 2013
The ugly business in the front of the school
Unfinished landscaping
In the morning as you reach Dutch Fork High school you see the iconic bell tower, the hectic carpool line with students not so ready for school, as well as a chain linked fence surrounding a retention hole full of dirt, construction aftermath, and a hill that used to consist of trees and grass now is dirt and few trees.
With the construction now over, the landscaping has turned out for the worse.
The outside appearance of the school is nowhere near appealing, and with summer coming soon the school looks more like a prison than a fun educational environment.
As students and parents pull up to the school, the first thing they see is the chain link fence followed by the new parking lot that was once a hill.
Even though the new additional parking area is beneficial to teachers and visitors, the construction aftermath outways the simple product.
For the new parking, a retention pit had to be dug. The pit is used to retain the water and runoff from the front of the school. Yes it is helpful, but no it is not beautiful. It is one of the first things seen when coming to the school and it does not make a good first impression. Better places could of been found to dig it.
Again, this is the first or last thing visitors see when coming or leaving the school.
With the option of school of choice being available next year, it is likely students and parents will be unimpressed with the maintenance of the school unless changes are done over the summer time. Hopefully changes will be done over the summer time to spruce up the front of the school.
Chapin has been undergoing construction for almost a year and a half and finally the school is starting to look very impressive. The workers have managed to clean up the mess so the school does not look so unappealing.
Irmo has also gone under some reconstruction over the school year but the outside appearance has stayed very appealing with a plethora of trees and flowers along with benches and walkways.
With other schools in District 5 advancing their looks, this could be a problem for Dutch Fork as we lose half of our student body and teacher faculty to the new school Spring Hill High School opening up next fall. Looks are not all that influence a student’s choice to attend one school or the other but looks could influence an opinion easily.
If Dutch Fork wants to stay as the number one school in the district along with being in the top five public schools in the state, the outside appearance needs to be changed immediately before it has a lasting negative effect on its community.
Dutch Fork Baseball Season Begins
Brandy Williams, Tapanga Brigman, and Eddie Bates
02/09/13
Baseball gears up for another season
Baseball
Pitchers are throwing curveballs, players hit and run the bases, announcers announce a home run and the crowd goes wild.
The sun is at its brightest, there’s a slight breeze, and the grass is definitely greener on the field. Yes, it’s spring time and it’s time for another season of Dutch Fork baseball.
Just like any other sport at Dutch Fork, most players just want to have a good season their school can be proud of.
“You always want to make your school proud,” junior varsity first baseman freshman Parker Shepard said.
The baseball team is full of diverse individuals who all share a common love for a sport.
“I think that we, is pretty well rounded. We have a lot of dedicated athletes who love baseball,” junior varsity second baseman sophomore Dominic Cothren said.
The members of the team played together on many occasions before joining the high school team.
“We have all played together for a while when everyone played recreational league at Irmo and Friarsgate. We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses,” Parker said.
Some members have a specific reason for playing the position they do on the field.
“I became a pitcher because I’m left-handed and that’s a golden opportunity because left-handed pitchers are rare,” varsity pitcher junior Eric Holton said.
Training is a routine part for any sport and a chance for athletes to improve on their skills.
“You have to make sure you’re fit and in condition. It [baseball] requires a lot of concentration and you need to focus on what you need to do,” Dominic said. “For training, our coaches makes us hit a lot and run sprints.”
Sometimes the players get a little extra help at practice.
“I think it’s awesome to have University of South Carolina players coming down to help us,” varsity pitcher senior Mark Kingsmore said. “They obviously know what they’re doing because they are at the top of the college level.”
Just like any other sports team, the baseball team will definitely have some tough games throughout the season.
“Our toughest game will be Lexington because they have a very strong team and they are our rival [in baseball],” Mark said.
Other sports teams at Dutch Fork are motivating the baseball team this season.
“It motivates us that a Dutch Fork team [varsity football] could make it that far and go to state,” Mark said. Our goal is definitely the state championship for baseball.”
The varsity baseball team will play many scrimmages and tournament games before starting their season on March 5th. They will play multiple times throughout the weeks of the season.
Check under the Sports Schedule section on Dutch Fork’s website for dates and times.
The Dutch Fork community rallies around a student in need
Eddie Bates and Collyn Taylor
November 27, 2012
Fire story
The Dutch Fork community rallies around a student in need
Flames that reach towards the sky, watching as your home and memories go up in smoke. For sophomore Joshua Imholte that experience became a reality when his house burnt down on Sunday, Nov. 18.The fire started that morning at 7 a. m. when Imholte’s computer shorted. He heard a popping sound and when he went back into his living room he saw the fire.
“[My first thought] was to get everybody out” Josh said, “I felt like it was my responsibility as the oldest child to make sure everybody was safe.”
Josh acted quickly to get his three younger siblings and his mom out of the house and safely away from the fire as they waited for the fire department.
“The first thing I heard was Josh scream that the computer was on fire” Josh’s mom Annie Hansen said. “It was a nightmare”
“He actually went back in to get his band instruments and his moms purse” Josh’s friend sophomore Kelsey Busch said.
The Imholte family lost most of their possessions in the fire. The family has almost nothing to their name.
“I’m blessed to have so much and it breaks my heart that [the family] lost everything” teacher Carol Jackson said. “I want to model to my students that giving back is more than a one time thing, its a way of life.”
English teacher Carol Jackson turned her words into action and organized a clothing drive that was a great success.
The Dutch Fork community has also been very helpful to the family during this hard time and the school has been finding other ways to help out; such as taking donations during the lower state championship.
“We are a family, I told my students that if the same thing were to happen to me that I would receive the same assistance,” Jackson said
Along with the school’s donations, some of their neighbors have also helped out the family.
“[The community] has donated clothes for my family and stuffed animals for my little sisters along with a whole apartment of furniture” Josh said.
Students are doing what they can to help him out through this time
“I have been there for him as much as I can,” said Kelsey. “[When I heard] about the fire my heart dropped.
Teachers also know how the family feels. Teachers, such as Journalism teacher Amy Medlock-Greene and Government teacher Laurie Humphrey, have been organizing drives for the Imholte’s as well.
“[Student Council] put out two buckets at the playoff games, one was Carolina and the other was Clemson,” Student Body Vice President Rachel McAfee said. “All of the proceeds went to the family”.
The incident registers on an emotional plane with the faculty because Josh’s mom is a District Five substitute teacher and pto president at H.E Corley
“I’ve gotten so many hugs this week, it’s been unreal” Hansen said. “The community has been pouring in; I can’t find any words to describe it”
The community has not only given Josh and his three younger siblings hope but also strength.
“[The experience has] given me confidence in knowing that I saved [my family],” Imholte said.
The fire has changed the outlook of things for the Imholte’s.
“I’ve realized that everything is so vulnerable, and that things really don’t last” said Imholt, with emotion in his voice “[I guess] the only thing that we can do is try and get back to normal.”
All of the family’s belongings are still on their front porch, charred and black with smoke, among the possessions are his sisters doll houses.
“Love your kids and love your family. This has brought my family closer together,” Hansen said with tears coming to her eyes. “If Josh hadn’t gotten up to go to the bathroom that night, we might not be here. He is my hero and I will tell him that until the day I die.”
Homecoming Delay
Dalya Beckett, Eddie Bates and McKenzie Mack
News Story
October 15 2012
Homecoming change causes uproar
Making reservations, scheduling hair, nail appointments and renting tuxes, all describe the process students go through, who are anxiously awaiting Homecoming 2012.
Now their plans are completely altered.
Recently, Student Council announced the change of date of Homecoming from Saturday, October 20 to Saturday, November 3. The shift in the scheduling of the dance conflicted with several events.
“I’m mad and disappointed because I had to cancel my plans,” junior Kailya Hyman said. “The new date is the same day I have to take the SAT, but luckily it ends at 12 [noon] so I’ll still be able to go.”
In addition, sophomore Austin Hays noted comparisons between past mistakes made by the school administration and the Homecomings’ sudden change. Therefore, he was not as surprised as his peers were.
Others have differing opinions on this subject and view this in a more positive light. They are taking the opportunity to partake in events that they previously held off, such as sporting events.
“I’m ecstatic, it’s the best thing that could have happened,” freshman Mitchell Lambert said. “Now I don’t have to miss the University of South Carolina (USC) game.”
Homecoming is considered to be both an exciting and memorable event for a majority of students, especially those new to Dutch Fork.
“As a new student I was looking forward to homecoming [at Dutch Fork], now I have nothing to do all weekend,” senior Rachel LeBouef said.
Students state that the excitement of the dance also lessened their negative views of the change because as long as the dance happens, they will be satisfied.
“I was kind of mad at first but the dance is still going to happen,” junior Kristen Kline said.“ My dad is the DJ [for homecoming] and he thinks that the schedule change will definitely affect the number of students that are going to attend.”
In addition, the band members of Dutch Fork are scheduled and required to compete in the State competition on November 3rd.
“I was going with someone in band and we already bought his shoes, his suit and my dress,” sophomore Samantha Byrne said. “I’m really angry, how do they [Student Council] make a mistake like that.”
The Zone at Williams-Brice Stadium has been a place for past Dutch Fork Homecomings, therefore Student Council booked the event there to keep up the traditions. Both parties agreed that November 3rd would be the best date suited for the dance.
“The Zone overbooked,” said Student Council Advisor Laurie Humphrey “Its only available when USC [football team the Gamecocks] is on away games, so we [Student Council] tried to set the date for that; specifically for the away game.”
Student Council especially have dealt with the backlash associated with the change of date. They are attempting to make the best out of the situation at hand.
“I’m on Student Council so I know that there wasn’t really anything that we could do,” said senior class Vice President Michael Faikes. “I still think a lot of people are angry, which is understandable but they can get a refund in Mrs. Humphrey’s room.”
Suicides
Michaela Baker, Eddie Bates, and McKenzie Mack
16 April 2013
Suicides
America’s number one problem
Every day there are people, friends and family around the world who have a mindset that life is not worth experiencing anymore. This problem is called Suicide and it is not an easy fix.
Suicide is an issue that needs to be addressed on a national scale. According to The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC.org), in 2008-2010 suicide killed 30,000 people which is twice the amount of homicides.Suicide not only affects the person, but it also affects their family and friends.
Life is the experiences that we have with others, the fun and the laughs that we all remember. Suicide is alarming to people. They wake up the next day and it hits them that the person that they love is out of their life forever. The only thing left are the words unsaid and the experiences that were shared…only memories.
The factor for suicide can range from bullying to depression according to Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE.org). The experiences they go through define them although it may not be seen from the eye.
Some may not realize that the way that you make them feel will literally stick with them through the rest of their life and it may scar them. People may think that the bullying or depression is just something that happens and will fade. They also may think it won’t ever affect anyone close to them. They are wrong.
Suicide affects one in every hundred and five people (SPRC). Suicide is also the 3rd leading cause of death for fifteen to twenty four year old Americans (SAVE). This could mean that someone you know may be having these thoughts. Wouldn’t you want to know so you could help them?
The result of feeling suicidal is unlike any other. The loneliness, the depression, the feeling that it is them against the world, the paranoia, the wondering that what they say next will be turned against them by someone. Death seems to be the only way out.
They feel the need to escape everything so much that they want to remove themselves from the world. Sometime the feeling of suicide leaves no other choice and often times consequences aren’t rationalized beforehand. The family, the friends who will never forget that person or what they meant to them, the teachers, co-workers and lives of people the person may not of known that they touched are changed.
Often times teens use the familiar phrases such as “kill yourself” and even “go die” joking around when someone may do something. Suicide is not a joking matter and you never know who may be telling to “go die”. Take caution in your words because words can hurt. The littlest of things may stick with someone forever. Choose your actions wisely because in reality we all have something going on inside of us… some just may be worse situations than others.
Suicide is an echoing problem that needs to be solved. Learn the signs. The signs of suicide may be learned from any prevention site or organization. Knowing the signs could lead to saving a life.
Get involved. Suicide can not be ignored. Ignoring the problem can only lead to more of one thing: death. Everyone should get to experience life to the fullest and not want to make a choice to end it before it truly begins. Why wouldn’t you want to save a life if you could?
Visit the Suicide Prevention Lifeline Website to learn about opportunities to volunteer or to donate to the cause.Promote how to get help. The website also offers free printable cards and posters to give to those who may be in need. Know the number, 1-800-273-TALK (8255) is the free number for any to call to talk to one of the Lifeline networks for help. Every call is confidential and serves for the purpose of help for the caller.
-In Loving Memory of Rachael Gaudet
Suicide Awareness Voices of Education
http://www.save.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewpage&page_id=705d5df4-055b-f1ec-3f66462866fcb4e6
Suicide Prevention Resource Center
http://www.sprc.org/basics/about-suicide
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
Performance Enhancing Drugs
Eddie Bates, Tapanga Brigman and Brandy Williams’
31 January 2013
Performance Enhancing Drugs
Performance Enhancing Drugs
Some athletes will go above and beyond to become the best ay, but it seems like for some that becoming the best means using performance enhancing drugs to get ahead.
Performance enhancing drugs are defined as any banned substance taken by an athlete to perform better athletically.
“Athletes want to take performance enhancing drugs (PED’s) to get better, bigger, faster, and stronger” DFHS Trainer Mack Harvey said
The use of performance enhancing drugs has certainly become a major issue in Major League sports today
“Theres no place for performance enhancing drugs in sports” DFHS strength coach Noah Dixon said “If its banned they should not use it”
The short-term benefits of taking performance enhancing drugs like strength is coupled with the long-term side effects such as baldness, liver and kidney disease and neurological damage.
“Its not bad that [athletes] want to be stronger,” Harvey said, “however the side effects are not okay”
Other than health issues, athletes can face other consequences as well, such as death, losing scholarships or losing their awards they’ve obtained over the years. One recent example is Lance Armstrong, who lost his eight cycling titles when it was discovered that had he used the PED steroids previously in his career.
“If its banned and if they (pro players) use it, its still banned, thats terrible, they need to be out”, Dixon said, “I don’t care what it is”
A common belief is that PED’s give you almost immediate strength, however that is and urban legend.
“Everybody does not respond the same to PED’s”, Harvey said, “there is hard work involved”
Even though there are several side effects and severe consequences for used PED’s, athletes still risk it.
“As you progress in your career, you make money based on how good you are,” Harvey said, “It is not fair to the other players if your on steroids and they’re not”
Dixon believes that there are healthier alternatives to using performance enhancers
“I would recommend hard work and nutrition,” Dixon said, “such as lifting weights and eating carbohydrates”
Professionals agree that you do not need PEDs today in sports
“Personally if you put in the hard work” Harvey said “you will not need any type of substance to help you”
2012 Election
Collyn Taylor and Eddie Bates
1 November 2012
Election Story
Election hangs over students
Long lines stretched throughout schools and churches await as the community and students prepare for the national election.
With the election coming up on Tuesday, Nov. 6, students at Dutch Fork and the community are preparing for election day.
The 2012 election, which includes candidates for School Board, House of Representatives, Senate and the Presidency, will be decided. Many seniors this year are able to vote this election.
With numerous issues that are weighing in the minds of voters, the electorate has its major issues that will be their deciding factors.
“The economy, energy and social issues [gay marriage and abortion],” senior Young Americans Club officer Bradley Williams said.
The deficit, which has grown to over 16 million dollars, has been an increasing factor in this election, since it was talked about in two of the three debates.
Also, with the recent attack on the US Embassy in Benghazi, Libya, the current Obama administration has come under attack by the Romney campaign and foreign policy has climbed into the forefront of the discussion and debate as well.
“The economy is the number 1 issue. The others are healthcare and foreign policy and Middle Eastern policy is so unsettled,” social studies teacher and Young Americans Club adviser Steve Fisher said.
Current polls have Obama winning in the electoral college with 201 electoral votes, with 146 votes still undecided.
With the election looming, students and faculty alike have to make up their mind about the candidate they are voting for.
“I think Romney because, he really knows the issues and will help small businesses and he’ll do a better job than Obama,” Bradley said.
Obama, the incumbent, is running for the Democratic Party and is running on the platform of health care, foreign policy and the economy. To Fisher, this is enough for reelection.
“Both of them would have difficulties because [the Presidency is] a very tall order; however, Obama has proven to have positive effects [on the country],” Fisher said.
Dutch Fork has seen a rise in political activity this year: from the mock election senior government classes took to the formation of the Young Americans Club.
Bradley, one of the many seniors able to vote in this election, believes that it is important to “go out, vote and get politically active.”
In 2008, America saw the election of the first black president. In 2012, the electorate could see the election of another minority.
“It’s interesting that [the candidates] represent a minority,” Fisher said. “No Mormon has ever become a major candidate.”
Foreign Exchange
Mckenzie Mack, Dalya Beckett and Eddie Bates
News
August 30th 2012
Foreign exchange students diversify student body
Students from Valdapno, Italy and Frankfurt , Germany say Ciao and Hallo to new friends, new experiences and a new way of living.
Some parents are so thirsty for the American dream, that they are often willing to send their eager children across the world to experience American culture.
“[I came to America] to grow, to have fun and to have the best experience of my life,” Italian foreign exchange student Paolo Capellette said.
Not only do biological parents have high hopes for the exchange students but their host parents who as well are experiencing the new change
“[We participated in the exchange program because I wanted] to do something different, to give someone the opportunity to come to the states. I wanted to give my children a good experience [along with Rahel],” host family member Lisa Davis said.
As Rahel and Paolo settle into their new homes, they must attend their first few days of American public schooling.
“The school is very different, here it’s more interesting, at the school in Italy we come back at one p.m and in the afternoon we have to study a lot,” said Cappellette.
As the school year begins, various clubs and activities offer the students opportunities to interact with students and teachers not only at Dutch Fork but also in the community.
“I told [Rahel] to join Pep Club and just to get involved in school sports and have school spirit,” said senior Brenton Davis.
Although, some organizations and clubs have been recommended to the new students, others have sparked their interest.
“[I want to join] Pep Club, spring soccer and either cross-country or volleyball, maybe even Beta club if it’s possible,” said German exchange student Rahel Kauskopr.
Paolo has said he is interested in joining either track or cross-country because he enjoys watching the sport along with participating in it.
Those also affected by having a foreign exchange student are the teachers. Some have had the opportunity before which has benefited them greatly and made them more aware of their needs as new students .
“ If I know anything about their culture I try to be sensitive to their beliefs,” said history teacher Kathy Wagner. “I [know] I can’t always use American examples.”
Preparations for exchange students aren’t only made by schools and teachers; families in the community willingly offer up their time and homes to these new students.
“There were lots of meetings with the organization that does the foreign exchange and they gave advice [about] their culture and with the information you receive you learn a lot about that person”, said Lisa Davis.
Though they’ve only been here a short period of time, they’ve quickly been able to form an opinion about American culture.
“I think it’s more fun than back in Germany and more individual, said Rahel”.
She is not the only foreign exchange student who feels that way, her and Palo have mutual feelings about life in America.
“I think it’s too early to say [that I’ve adjusted to living in America] because I’ve only been here for two weeks, said junior Rahel”.
Eddie Bates 