Clark and Shoemake resign

By: Taylor Herring

After years of teaching AP students, preparing for state subject area tests, and helping students excel, both Ann Shoemake and Andrea Clark announce resignation this year. For somewhat unexpected reasons, these two Star Teachers will be finishing out this year and moving in quite opposite directions.
Shoemake was the first to announce resignation; she herself hadn’t planned on leaving Oak Grove for years. Upon a surprising twist of fate, however, Shoemake was forced to concede to leaving not only her job, but also her husband and life of comfort behind. After avoiding paying income taxes for nearly three years, law officials confirmed Shoemake’s tax fraud. “It all started after the stock market crashed. My husband and I were, well, more active than we should have been,” she explained. The district court has not yet confirmed her sentence, but Shoemake’s attorney feels strongly that she will be facing time behind bars. Through previous connections, however, Shoemake’s lawyers have been attempting to place her in a comfortable facility: Alderson Prison Units in West Virginia. Shoemake was immediately drawn to Alderson, as this was where Martha Stewart spent time after her own stock market scandal.
Shoemake began evading income taxes after the pay cut for teachers went into place. “Her teaching contract prevents officials from taking immediate action,” her lawyer commented. “Once it expires in May, Ann will be facing some very bleak times.”
Although her students, fellow teachers, and family are disappointed and embarrassed by Shoemake’s decision to commit tax evasion, administrators still consider her to have been quite an asset to the school.
On a much lighter note, Andrea Clark is announcing early resignation
as well, (although for an entirely different reason). After 16 years of teaching AP students and being named a Star Teacher five times, Clark has chosen to move in a different direction and join the Peace Corps. After teaching her students to be part of the world, to know about all cultures, and to avoid living sheltered lives, Clark decided that she herself should lead by example.
As the Peace Corps commemorates its 50th anniversary, Clark saw no better time than now to join the organization. “Since I found out Mrs. Shoemake was leaving next year, I decided this seemed like a good time for me to relocate as well,” Clark said. “I’ve always wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself; it will give me a chance to reflect on my own priorities.” After finishing this school year, Clark will face three months of training before being assigned to her location where she will commit to two years of field work.
Clark’s only worry is leaving her children at home. “Of course I’ll miss them, but my leaving gives the boys a chance to stay with their dad. They’re old enough to understand.”

APRIL FOOLS

The real story…

For those who haven’t figured it out by now, Mrs. Shoemake did not actually commit tax fraud, nor did Ms. Clark join the Peace Corps… go figure. Although Shoemake has actually met Martha Stewart at a Chi Omega Alumni event in Jackson, she will not be following in her footsteps by spending hard time in Alderson Prison in West Virginia. Likewise, although Clark may, let’s face it, love nothing more than spreading peace to all nations, she is not announcing early resignation either.
Losing two of the best, most committed teachers at Oak Grove would have been upsetting for Clark and Shoemake’s students and fellow teachers alike. They have both served not only as educators, but also as role models, and would have been greatly missed.  Mrs. Shoemake has taught at Oak Grove for 20 years and considers her time here to be some of the most fulfilling years of her life. Likewise, Ms. Clark has been at Oak Grove for 16 years, and would have a much harder time leaving her Acc. English I and Humanities students behind than she might lead us to believe. Lucky for us, however, we won’t have to worry about losing Clark or Shoemake for a while.
As far as we know, Oak Grove’s favorite English-teaching, tax-evading, peace-spreading jokesters are here to stay.

Changes to come for OGHS 2011-12 school year

By:  Kent McCarty

For those who thought this year’s changes in the dress code and exemption policy were major, next year’s handbook is likely going to throw one for a loop.  During the last several months, school officials have been hard at work weighing the pros and cons of different plans and observing the results of the changes made this year with a watchful eye.  For starters, as most have heard, the dress code for next year is a more rigid version of the dress code currently in effect.  Color choices have been limited to white, black, and gold, and full-length khakis are students’ only option for pants.  Additionally, only color-approved jackets with full zippers will be allowed.
Outside of the dress code, students can look forward to several changes regarding the policy in the parking lot.  Due to the recent surge in the size of the student body, parking decals will be limited to juniors and seniors with leftover spots being offered to sophomores at the start of the spring semester.  Additionally, car riders and those who drive to school will now be required to wait until bus riders are dismissed to leave at the end of the day.  “We know it’s probably not ideal for all the students to wait until 4:00 or 4:10 to be dismissed at the end of the day, but it’s a big liability issue having all the students wandering the parking lot with those huge buses rolling in,” Principal Wayne Folkes said.
Additionally, the newly updated exemption policy, which limited senior exemptions to semester exams and allowed for only two absences per nine weeks, has been updated yet again to better prepare students for life after high school.  “We know this isn’t going to be that popular, and we took a lot of time to decide, but we’ve decided that it’s in the best interest of the students’ educational experience to take away exemptions altogether.  There are no exemptions in college, and we want to prepare the students for college in every possible manner,” Folkes said.
Finally, the grading scale for the 2011-2012 school year has been altered drastically.  While officials tossed around the idea of adjusting to a ten-point scale, a more varied scale was ultimately chosen.  A score of 93-100 still equates to an “A”, but the lower cut-off for a “B” has been moved up to 88.  Additionally, the lower cut-off for a “C” has been adjusted to 83, and the lower cut-off for a “D” has been adjusted to 78.  While this will cause failing grades to start at 77, officials are optimistic about the outcome.  “Yes, the “7-5-5-5-77” grading scale, as I call it, is more rigid.  But it should increase the students’ work ethic as they strive to make higher grades,” Folkes said.

APRIL FOOLS

The real story…

While it is truly unfortunate for anyone who will still be in high school next year, there is no need to worry about the majority of the aforementioned changes.  While the dress code policy next year will be more strict than this year’s policy, the only real changes consist of only allowing jackets in approved colors and eliminated navy from the approved colors.  Don’t worry; open-toed shoes are still ok.
As for the parking lot changes, those are lies as well.  Sophomores, juniors, and seniors will still be allowed to park on campus, with decals being given on a first-come, first-serve basis before the start of the 2011-2012 school year.   Additionally, car riders and drivers will still be allowed to leave with the bell, while bus riders will still probably have to wait a few minutes after on most days.  However, next year’s schedule contains some adjustments that should help get buses to school in a more timely manner.
Finally, the exemption policy next year looks a like the one this year; don’t miss more than two days a nine weeks and don’t let your average drop below a 90 (or 85, for seniors).  And as for the grading scale, no changes have been made for the 2011-2012 school year, though there are several options on the table for an updated scale in the next few years.

Administration gambles with ‘Vegas’ prom

By: Sara Sanner

Despite information given on recently issued prom invitations, changes have been made for the “Evening in Vegas” prom. Also, due to issues that took place at last year’s “Parisian Promenade” prom, several changes will be implemented for the upcoming annual dance.
The Thad Cochran Center just recently pulled their partnership with the juniors for prom due to awareness dealing with last year’s complications regarding alcohol consumption and minor violence that led the center’s managers to ban the school from using the facility again. Although this was an initial issue, this year’s junior class officers found the OGHS gymnasium to be a sufficient facility that will be perfect to host the dance. An additional change includes the time the dance will take place.
School administrators, along with members of security, are enforcing a time of 5:00-8:00 p.m. for the dance and 8:00-10:00 p.m. for the breakfast to ensure that all students are home by 10:30 p.m. “Proms that take place at earlier times have shown to be exceedingly safer than those who start late [past OGHS proms]. We made this decision with the absolute best interest of our students in mind,” Assistant Principal Sheila Kribbs said.
Last year’s complaints of revealing, distasteful clothing have led to a minor dress code check that will be performed on each student at the door, more specifically, the girls. Slits in dresses can be no higher than the lower knee and strapless dresses are prohibited. Also, to eliminate vulgar dancing, the lights of the gym will remain on throughout the entire dance. Principal Wayne Folkes said, “Students will actually be able to see their dates’ faces now. Imagine that!”
The juniors also wanted to spice up the musical aspect of the dance, as well as appeal to all musical tastes, and decided to go “unplugged.” The traditional DJ will be replaced by local bands including the Sweet Southern Comfort Trio and Hammer Smash Face who will play throughout the night, providing an array of exciting, versatile music. “Students complained that the DJ last year only played a certain genre of music, so this year we want to make the majority of students happy with the music on their special night,” junior class secretery Taylor Nace said.
Because the dance is now in the gymnasium, the breakfast will  be held in the school cafeteria for convenience. This will not only help the juniors with their limited budget, but also with prom attendees’ budgets. The new breakfast facility will eliminate the need for expensive prom busses and limos, leaving students with more money to spend elsewhere. The school district officials also decided to help out by providing the school kitchen staff and their famous “brunch.”
Junior Class President Mallory Maples wants to assure all prom-attendees that this will still be one of the best proms to date. “Despite the numerous changes and complications, we have faith that the student body can make it a night to remember.”

APRIL FOOLS

The real story…

Dry those eyes, all is well with this year’s prom! The “Evening in Vegas” will not be in the school gym, but at the Thad Cochran Center on the University of Southern Mississippi campus from 8 p.m. -12 a.m. with pictures starting at 5 p.m.  Prom busses and limos will have a designated area to drop off prom-goers at the back of the facility where cars can also be parked. Students will then enter and have their name checked off a list by an adult volunteer. The list of names will include all seniors, juniors who have paid their dues, and students from other schools who were signed up by their Oak Grove dates. A DJ will play top dance hits and will be glad to take requests for your favorite songs.
And don’t worry ladies! There is no enforced dress code as the dance is not school-affiliated, although tasteful formal dresses are asked to be worn.  Each attendee will receive a gift that will remain to be a surprise until the end of the night, as tradition.
A semi-formal breakfast will follow the dance at the Canebrake Clubhouse at 12:00 a.m. with live music from Mr. Brandon Webb. A wide variety of delicious food will be served thanks to volunteer parents who will bring homemade breakfast items along with doughnuts, pastries, biscuits, etc.
“We have been working hard all year planning it, trying to make it the best we can for the seniors. I think it’s going to be a great time for everyone,” Junior Class President Mallory Maples said.

OGHS names three STAR students

By: Amelia Passer

Every year Oak Grove honors seniors who are able to go above and beyond standard academic achievements. Star Student is awarded to students who receive at least a 35 on the ACT or the student who achieves the highest score at his or her school. Each of these students then selects his or her Star Teacher, or the teacher that he or she feels influenced his or her education the most. This year Star Student was awarded to Kent McCarty, Connor Lawson, and Steven Wild.Teachers honored by these students were Ann Shoemake, Andrea Clark, and Shauna Hedgepeth.
“Anytime a teacher receives an honor such as this, the honor serves as recognition for the entire educational process,” Shoemake, nominated by Kent McCarty said.
This is Shoemake’s second time to receive Star Teacher while teaching at Oak Grove. “If a 9th or 10th grade teacher receives this honor, he or she is especially touched because the awards tend to go to upper- level teachers,” Shoemake said.
“They are three of the neatest kids I’ve taught,” Hedgepeth, nominated by Steven Wild said. “They are all super smart with great personalities. They will represent Oak Grove well.” This is Hedgepeth’s first time to receive Star Teacher. “Shock and awe is all I can say,” she said. “I never expected to be honored; I’m the last person I would pick.”
Receiving Star Student takes tremendous dedication. All three students honored took the ACT at least five times. “Keep at it,” Lawson advises. “If you get your test scores back, and they were lower than before, don’t get discouraged. All tests are different, and it may just be a bad day.”
McCarty, Lawson, and Wild have put in tremendous time and effort to be selected for this prestigious award. “It’s a really great honor to be recognized for all the hard work we put in it as well as the hard work teachers have put in for us.” Wild said.
Star Students and their selected teachers throughout the state are honored with a banquet which will take place on April 23rd. “I’m really excited to spend the day outside of  school with my teachers, not to mention there is going to be food,” Kent McCarty said with excitement.
Despite all of the teachers and the students extraordinary accomplishments, each one of them remains as humble as ever. “One single teacher does not make or break a student,” Shoemake explained. “It’s a team effort.” With much dedication, these students and their teachers have truly earned their honors and recognition.

Drama shows off talent this spring

By: Will Bedwell

This past January Oak Grove’s Drama Department showcased its talented members at the Southeastern Theatre Conference, held this year in Atlanta, Georgia.
SETC is a recruitment process which allows students in the Southeastern United States to try out for numerous college drama programs.  Suzanne Allmon, Oak Grove’s drama director of 15 years, takes any students to the conference who wish to attend.  This year she took juniors Amelia Passer and Taylor Nace as well as seniors Chris Permenter and Kaz Zumbro.
Students chose to either try out in the field of tech or acting.  Passer, Permenter, and Zumbro exhibited their talents in the technical field.  They each were given space on a table where they could organize set and costume ideas that they would explain to recruiters from different colleges.  Nace, however, chose to perform in the field of acting.  She had to perform a one-minute monologue and a 30-second song, both in only one attempt.
“I was beyond nervous knowing I was auditioning for so many colleges. It was sickening, but the exhilaration it brought was awesome,” Nace said.
All four students came back extremely successful from the conference with a multitude of offers from many colleges.  Some of the scholarships awarded were even in excess of $20,000.  Allmon was pleased with their performances stating, “I’m very proud of them. Almost always the kids we take to SETC do exceptionally well, and the experience plus the scholarships they receive are great.”  In order to witness the extreme stage talent here at Oak Grove, one can attend both the Junior Class Show and the Spring Show.
The Junior Class Show was held on March 31st with another show upcoming April 7th at 7:00 p.m.  They will be performing the comedy “Questionable” by Alan Haehnel.  The show, which involves all the juniors in the department, is essentially an acted-out standardized test with the audience as the test takers and is sure to provide countless laughs.
The Spring Show, to be performed at 7:00 p.m. on April 28th and 29th, is likewise a comedy entitled “A Night of Durang.”  The show was written by Christopher Durang who has written many comedic pieces for the likes of both Carol Burnett and Robin Williams.  The two shows can be seen by purchasing tickets from Allmon. Adult tickets cost $7 and students $5.
If these shows prove enticing to any students, auditions for the award winning Oak Grove Drama Department will be held April 18th and 21st after school.  To audition one must perform a chosen monologue by Allmon, which are currently available outside the drama room door.

Golf team tees off for successful season

By: Taylor Rigney

The OGHS golf team has started off 2011 with high expectations and ambitious goals, and even Coach Terry Smith boasts that much can be anticipated from the team’s many talented players. “If we play to the level that we are capable of, we will do well,” he said.
The team recognizes its own potential and obvious strengths, and Coach Smith said that the team’s experience is the one element that sets Oak Grove golfers apart from the competition.  Coach Smith also singled out a couple of schools that threaten to be the golf team’s toughest opposition this season, including Brandon and Terry in regional tournaments and Tupelo and Madison Central in state tournaments.
The golf team travels all over South Mississippi, from the Coast to Jackson, to compete against teams from the Hattiesburg area, and its next home match is scheduled for April 19th at Shadow Ridge Golf Course.
Although he describes his own golf game as “horrible,” Coach Smith works diligently to ensure that the team is a well-oiled machine by refusing to single out individual golfers as “the best” and by encouraging his players.  “Generally, I just try to keep them calm and focused,” Smith said. “If that doesn’t work, I beat them with a nine iron.  Just kidding.”
With a notoriously wise-cracking coach and the recent spell of pleasant weather that’s blanketed the Pine Belt, it’s not hard to believe that the team enjoys a good time while out on the course.  “We’ve actually had great weather for golf,” Coach Smith said.  Senior golfer Will Bedwell added, “The team always has a good time, and that really helps to take the edge off during a tournament.”
And eliminating stress just before swinging proves to be beneficial to golfers.  “I just try to clear my head and hit the ball,” Bedwell said of his technique.  Even so, Coach Smith admitted that remaining focused is one of the team’s main weaknesses.  “We do have a tough time staying focused, but we head out to the driving range a lot to work on that and some other things,” Bedwell said.  Coach Smith agreed that the team has specific areas that could always use some improvement: “We always need to practice chipping and putting,” he said.
Coach Smith is convinced that, when it comes to golf, practice makes perfect.  “Work everyday.  Remain calm and focused,” Smith advised to those searching for the secret to being a successful golfer.  “We practice a lot everyday, and the whole team has a lot of experience being out on the course.  That’s what we owe all our success to,” Bedwell said.
With the golf team’s track record from previous years, and their enthusiasm and drive (pun intended) for the current season, Oak Grove can expect to see big things from the golfers.  “We definitely have a lot going for us this season, and the whole team is expecting to do extremely well,” Bedwell said.

Warrior Tennis: Serving up victory on court

By: Mary Ryan Karnes

While most students in fourth block are tired and ready for the day to end, the Oak Grove tennis team is full of energy and prepared to swing a raquet. With a schedule full of practices and matches, Warrior tennis players are eager to ace their opponents. Sophomore member John Lewis Neese said, “We have a solid team, and we’re going to take gold this year.” And indeed, the 2011 season’s talent is quite impressive. Even though Coach Samantha Padgett lost a few key female players, she said that the boys’ teams were all very skilled at the sport.
Coach Padgett believes that this year’s team will work well together. “The students on the team are all extremely friendly and passionate, and this quality helps to serve the team to be tolerant and accepting of all members. Our relationships help us work together as a team, especially at doubles.” Padgett said. Sophomore member Laura Prehn agrees that the team definitely has strong bonds on and off the court. “Learning how to cooperate with so many different kinds of people is exciting. I think we have a lot of potential this year, and I hope we do the best we can!” The season is in full swing now, but the first part of the year took some adjusting. “It’s been confusing because we have a lot of new people, but we’re adjusting really well,” Prehn added.
Now that practices are underway and the team has played a few matches, they are ready to dominate the courts. The first match of the season was against Petal, and it has been the most intense game so far. However Coach Padgett believes that the matches against Brandon, the team’s greatest rival, will be exciting for all. “Brandon, last year’s number one team in our district, is our biggest rival. I really believe we can pull off a win against them this year, but we also face tough teams in Ocean Springs and and Biloxi.” The Brandon matches will be on April 6th at home and April 12th in Brandon, and fan support is much appreciated.
Win or lose, Warrior tennis has been a rewarding experience for both the players and Coach Padgett. To her, the best part about coaching is, “the students and seeing their interactions with each other. I enjoy seeing the kid’s faces light up after a victory or even a close loss. I also love the deep-rooted relationships formed and am blessed to see these teenagers come together for each other during good and tough times.” To everyone at Oak Grove affiliated with its tennis program, the sport has become not only a measure of athletic achievement, but also a venue for developing positive relationships, and that is a victory the team has come to “love.”

Have school uniforms really made a difference?

YES

By: Miranda Rester

Uniforms were implemented to improve students’ behavior and classroom performance, but they don’t seem to be doing such a good job.  Students are getting into even more trouble now than they did last year.  In previous years, students were scolded for wearing things such as baggy pants, long shirts, and short skirts.  Now a student may be sent home to change just for wearing the wrong color belt.
Students certainly haven’t improved their behavior because of the uniform policy.  Wearing khaki pants with a tucked in collared shirt doesn’t make a student behave differently.  We’ve all seen students misbehave, regardless of what they’re wearing.  While clothes play a part in the attention of a student, clothes do not contribute to their behavior.  Students still fight and break school rules.  The cafeteria and hallways are still filled with booming voices and obnoxiously loud shrieks.
If uniforms have done anything for the student body and faculty, they’ve made life more difficult.  Continuous “dress code checks” at the beginning of every class take away valuable class time because teachers have to walk around the classroom and correct every student’s outfit.  Students then have to go down to the office, find out if they’re in dress code, and either go home to get new clothes or go to IST or, if they’re told they are in dress code, return to class.  Not only are both the student and teacher irritated, but the teacher also has to inform his or her student of what was taught while they were going through the tedious routine that the new dress code has forced upon the school.
The uniform policy isn’t even truly uniform.  Some students are even coming to school in Jeggings, (jean leggings), and t-shirts without a teacher or administrator ever noticing.  Students walk around in a million different variations of the same outfit, and it’s almost impossible to see which students are in dress code and which are not.  That’s why many students don’t get in trouble for major violations while some are sent to the office because their pullovers are the wrong shade of gold.
If the dress code policy were better enforced, perhaps there would be a noticeable change in students.  However, the lack of enforcement and absence of specific details explaining which clothes are acceptable and which are not allowed, makes the school’s uniform policy an unnecessary hassle.

NO

By: Brittain Allgood

Last year, when students heard that we would have uniforms the following year, most began to plan rebellious protests, petitions, and flat-out reject the thought. Wearing khaki pants and tucked-in polos was not my idea of a fashion statement, either. However, we students of Oak Grove High School were forced to enter a facility of black and gold uniformity. After a month or two, students became accustomed to the embarrassment, for we realized that this nightmare was not going away anytime soon. Actually, I believe that students realized uniforms weren’t as bad as they had made it out to be. I think that uniforms have been extremely beneficial. Not having to wake up early to decide what to wear has given my snooze button more meaning. The biggest decision we have to make is what color to wear, black or gold? Girls always want to look their best. They must turn heads when walking down the halls, so I can understand how uniforms may take away from their spotlight. However, it is extremely easy to make our dull uniforms into cute outfits without violating dress code. Adding accessories such as earrings, necklaces, or headbands can give the most boring outfit a little something extra. Also, girls can add a cute cardigan, scarf, or belt to any outfit. Therefore, I do not agree with people when they say that uniforms “take away a person’s style.” Boys wear polos and khakis anyway, so why complain when nothing has changed? Most students feel that uniforms have not made a difference in our school. They believe that having uniforms could never decrease chaos, resolve conflicts, or even reduce the number of fights; however, last year, there were over three fights on school grounds in one day. Since uniforms have been implemented, there have been only a small number of fights that have taken place. Being one of the best schools in the state of Mississippi, we must show extreme loyalty to our Blue Ribbon school, and wearing our school’s colors daily is a great way to display our terrific Warrior Pride. The students of Oak Grove have adapted to the uniform system, and we have grown as a student body because of it.

How to have the best summer possible

By: Julie Robinson

What are your plans this summer? If you’re the average high school student, your answer is waking up at noon on a daily basis, maybe doing a little swimming, possibly hanging out with friends, and inevitably staying up until 1:00 in the morning only to wake up the next day at noon again and start the cycle over. The first and only thing I recommend to make an ordinary summer extraordinary is traveling. According to Lin Yutang, “No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” I’ve been lucky to have been given many opportunities to travel internationally during the summer. I take advantage of each opportunity because traveling allows me to experience a world entirely different from my own. Traveling forces me to step out of my comfort zone and into the realm of the unknown. You should travel during the summer because it can teach you about other countries and especially about yourself;  plus, traveling is so exciting when with the right people.
One of the most obvious reasons you should travel is to broaden your horizons. It’s almost impossible to go to another country without learning about that country’s customs, culture, and people. Spending time in a country is the best way to learn about that country. The longer you stay, the more you will learn about that country. I’ve been to England three times each time for about two weeks. Though England is the international country I know most about, I have only skimmed the surface of the English culture. Among other things, I know that the English drink tea like it’s water; they are generally healthier than Americans; and they aren’t nearly as sociable as Americans are.
The less obvious but equally inevitable result of traveling is a greater knowledge of self. Traveling will teach you about yourself. You’ll learn how flexible you are when things don’t go the way you’d intended, and trust me, it’s going to happen when you’re traveling. There’s just too great a probability for error. Your flight could get cancelled, your bags could go missing, and worst of all ,you could lose your passport, wallet, or purse. As these interesting trials arrive in your travels, you’ll learn how well you handle change. The hardest trial I’ve faced while traveling occurred two summers ago. After spending two weeks in England, I packed to go to Italy. I had two suitcases, and I oh ,so cleverly decided to pack all the clothes I wanted to wear in Italy in one suitcase and the rest of my clothes in the other. I was traveling with a group, and upon arrival in Rome, we learned that some of our bags went missing in transit. Luckily, only one of my bags was missing. Unfortunately, the missing bag was the one I had “cleverly” packed all my Italy clothes in. I wore long sleeves in the scorching Italian summer but still completely loved every minute of my time there.
You know that saying, ‘It’s not what you’re doing, it’s who you’re with?’ Well, that saying is true in its entirety. A major part of traveling is who you travel with. How fun can an experience truly be if it’s not shared with someone? I’ve been very blessed to have been able to travel with some amazing people. They’ve changed would-be bad experiences into incredible adventures. Once, on that same trip to Rome, my group had to run to catch our flight, and I was wearing the wrong shoes. After sprinting a good half mile to the boarding area, we missed the flight. Though I was disappointed that we were pushed back a day, the positive attitudes of my group lifted me up and encouraged me. The group you travel with will either make your trip wonderful, no matter where you’re going or make your trip disastrous, even if you’re exactly where you want to be.
A lot of people believe traveling is very expensive, but there are surprising affordable trips available to students all around the world. There are many great travel opportunities available to students who do a little research. You’ll never regret going if you have the chance to travel this summer.

Upgrade/Downgrade

By: Anna Kate Baygents

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, you’ve probably heard of Charlie Sheen’s newest claim to fame: his final hit of rock bottom. The Two and a Half Men star has been struggling with drug and alcohol addictions for years and finally let it get the best of him- or so we thought. In countless interviews and on his new Twitter page, Sheen has made off-the-wall comments that make him seem as if he’s completely lost it. One would think that all feedback would be negative, but Sheen now has more fans than before. Whether it’s a publicity stunt or he really is on “the Charlie Sheen drug,” Sheen is back and funnier than ever.
Charlie Sheen #winning?: Upgrade

Everyone remembers the 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti in January of 2010 and all of the destruction and devastation it brought. But an 8.9-magnitude earthquake recently struck the east cost of Japan on March 11th. This quake triggered a 23-foot tsunami that crushed the coast and swept away homes, cars, and anything else in its path, causing even more problems than Haiti has endured. The Japanese earthquake and tsunami affected the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Powerstation, Tokoyo’s main power company. Employees there, now known as the “Fukushima Fifty” are trying to repair the plant, but are exposing their bodies to extreme levels of radiation in the process. Send money and prayers to help these victims because who knows, the U.S. could be next.
Natural disasters destroying Japan?: Downgrade

IT’S MADNESS! After five rounds of play in the 2011 NCAA basketball tournament, very few people could have guessed the teams remaining in the final four. Multiple upsets like the eleventh seeded VCU Rams defeating the first seeded Kansas Jayhawks, the Arizona Wildcats taking down the number one seed Duke, and the eighth seeded Butler Bulldogs defeating the number two Florida Gators have surprised basketball fans everywhere. This has added much excitement at the expense of most fans’ brackets.
NBA March Madness upsets more than ever?: Upgrade

Most students look forward to spring because of baseball games, specifically big rival games. This year, the Oak Grove vs. Sumrall game has been scheduled on April 9th, Prom day, with JV playing at 12:00 and varsity playing at 2:00. This isn’t a conflict for the players, because guys don’t take very long to get dressed, but for the girls’ big night, this creates a disaster for hair and make-up appointments. The numbers of fans will be down dramatically, and support is the one thing the Warriors need. Scheduling one of the most anticipated games of the 2011 season on Prom was not wise on the schedulers’ part.
Baseball game on the day of Prom?: Downgrade