How-To do laundry, deal with a bad date, and jump-off a car

How To Do Laundry

By: Brittain Allgood

Graduating from high school and starting a new year in college brings on responsibilities that some students may not be prepared for. College students, who live on campus, will be required to do their own laundry without the help of their moms and dads. It is important that students know the correct way to do laundry so this timely task will become an easy chore.

Step 1: Create three separate stacks: towels, light clothes, and dark clothes. Check labels for dry clean or hand wash instructions.

Step 2: For towels, choose the following settings: heavy duty, high spin, and hot/cold. For light and dark clothes, choose the following settings: normal, medium or high spin, warm/cold. You can use cold water only to use less electricity.

Step 3: When choosing a detergent, check if the washing machine is High Efficiency (H.E). If so, look for a detergent with H.E. on the label.  Press start!

Step 4: Dry your clothes on normal setting. For towels, do a timed dry (60 minutes). Remove promptly to avoid wrinkles.

How To Deal With A Bad Date

By: Ashley Ricks

We see it on movies, TV shows, and (unfortunately) some of us have experienced it: the disaster date. We all want to sit down and eat dinner, maybe see a movie, with Mr. or Mrs. Right and watch as sparks fly. But what do you do when the spark is a rancid fire and there’s no way to escape? There are infinite “deal breakers” that can turn a hope-to-be night to remember into a night that all you want to do is forget. Well, here is your map to the emergency exits.

The Narcissist: It may be an obvious answer, but it’s the only one that will shine a little hope on the night: change the subject as quick as you can. Talk about friends, family, anything and anyone you can to get the subject off of the other person. Once the conversation veers to another subject, it will make the night a little more bearable. You never know, you could even find something in common.

The Shy One: If you know that your date is shy, try to pick a location that he or she will automatically be comfortable in. The pair of you could go see a movie, giving you something to discuss after, or keep it low key and casual, taking less pressure off of the other person. Don’t give up. It takes some time to warm up and get the sparks flying. The most important thing is to keep the energy up. Try to converse over subjects that you know will interest the other person and keep the date from going down the drain.

The Worrier: Try to pull off your own version of cool, calm and collected as possible. Your relaxed attitude could show your date that there’s no need to be nervous and just have a good time. Keep the conversation light, and the date could take a surprisingly enjoyable turn.

How to Jump-Off a Car

By: Anna Kate Baygents

With the senior class about to head off to college, there are a few things they need to learn. Car maintenance, specifically how to jump off a dead car, is something that most students don’t know how to do. Here are step-by-step instructions for those times when your daddy can’t get there in time.

Step 1: Find a friend’s car that can be pulled about two feet in front of yours. Pop the hoods.

Step 2: Find jumper cables. Each end has black and red clips. Be sure to never let the ends touch each other while any part is connected to the battery.

Step 3: Connect one of the black clips to to the black (negative) knob on your battery, and the red to the red (positive) knob. Do the same for the other knob.

Step 4: Once connected, crank both cars and let them run for a few seconds. Carefully remove the cables and close the hoods.

Cheerleaders compete at Nationals

By: Ashley Ricks

At the beginning of the year a team always makes one ultimate goal: get the State Championship title. This year, the varsity cheerleaders far succeeded any expectations that they had made back in August.
On February 10th, the Oak Grove cheerleaders began what would be one of the most memorable journeys, competing in Nationals.
However, the experience didn’t start when they reached Orlando; it began the moment they piled into the charter bus and made their way to Disney World. The 15-hour bus ride allowed the squad to bond as they never had before. “The most memorable thing was the bus ride,” captain and senior Brittney Hiatt said. “The trip forced us to come together as a team.”
The competition didn’t come without its challenges though. The squad skipped preliminaries and went straight to semifinals. They competed against 16 other teams from around the nation in the Superlarge Varsity Division 2. The first round of competition was Saturday afternoon. Later in the day, the squad found out that their hard work paid off, and they would proceed to finals. With one round down and another to go, the girls were anxious. Finals were held Sunday afternoon, and they were awarded fourth place for that performance. Before both rounds, the team was required to have 6:30 a.m. practices to ensure perfection during their performance. “In my opinion, this has been the best squad Oak Grove has ever had and probably will ever have,” Hiatt said. The competition was intense, but with the input and work of the team, they were able to succeed and walk away with an impressive award. “After all of the bonding, I think everyone realized that we couldn’t have done so well without every single girl,” co-captain and senior Kaitlyn Hennessey said.
With a team of 29, one out because of an injury, the girls had to push themselves to give the performance of their lives. Leading up to the competition, the squad had grueling practices three days a week. “We went from practicing five days a week to three. So when we did practice, we had to get things done. There was no time for play or mistakes,” Hennessey said.
However, the competition wasn’t all work and no play. The squad was given the chance to experience all of the parks together during the day and on Sunday night, Hollywood Studios opened Rock ‘n Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, and the Toy Story ride only to the competing squads along with a dance party from 8:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m.
Although some will be continuing their cheerleading career, this was a bittersweet ending for all of the senior cheerleaders. The road has been a tough and challenging one, but it was all worth it to them. “I’m going to miss everything about it,” Hennessey said. “My teammates, the practices, the student section. Looking back, I’m going to miss all of it.”

Warrior athletes sign scholarships

By: Ashley Ricks

From soccer to softball, Oak Grove has always excelled in athletics. The talent in this year’s senior class has colleges around the south impressed. On February 3rd, 13 athletes signed to take their talents to the next level. “Playing college football has been a goal of mine since I started playing,” Layton Holcomb said.
The soccer players have made quite an impressive mark for Oak Grove with seven of them signing to Jones County Junior College (JCJC) and Pearl River Community College (PRCC). “I’m most excited about next year, meeting new teammates and having a chance to hopefully improve my soccer skills,” Millie Barr said, who will continue to play soccer at PRCC. “I’m most nervous about getting used to playing against tougher teams and more skilled players.  It’s going to be an adjustment, but I think I’m ready for the challenge,” Blackwell said.
The football players have shone their talents as well. Four football players will be continuing their careers to the collegiate level. Layton Holcomb and Dillon Fedora will really be pushing themselves out of their comfort zones traveling to other states. Fedora will be on the road to Oklahoma State, while Holcomb travels to the University of Memphis. “I’m excited about playing on the next level and that I get to play at one of my favorite places,” wide-receiver Dillon Fedora said. Among other players, Oak Grove will be represented at Itawamba Community College by Derrick Cunningham and East Central Community College by Cornealous Mitchell.
The only player to sign a softball scholarship, Whitney Waits will be playing center field in fast-pitch softball for Pearl River Community College. “I’m nervous about the intense training and conditioning, but I know it will all be worth it,” Waits said.
Meghan Petersen is the only swimmer to sign for next year. She will be traveling all the way to University of Arkansas at Little Rock and is excited about the journey.
The college experience will be exciting, but high school experiences will be missed. “I’m going to miss my team the most. We grew so close this year and consider each other family,” soccer player Presley Stiglets said.

Book Review: The Help

By: Ashley Ricks

First time author, Kathryn Stockett took a brave leap in writing about one of the most significant and revolutionary times in history. In her novel, The Help, Stockett explores the lives of rich white society and the way they treated their “help.”
The novel thrusts readers back into a time that is a distant reality to this generation: 1963. Everyone is taught in history classes about Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and the success of other civil rights leaders, but this book takes the time and circumstances to the most real and emotionally enthralling levels that I have yet to read. The story is told through the eyes of three different characters: Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny.
Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan is an Ole Miss graduate, living at home, single, and striving to survive in a rich, white, and judgemental (that’s an understatement) community. Her dream is to be a writer, but not just any writer. She wants to make a statement, a difference, anything that means something to someone. So, she embarks on a journey that no one, especially a white woman who (by their standards) belonged at bridge club meetings looking their best, has ever dreamt of going. Her destination? A novel revealing as many of the black maids’ stories and hardships around the Jackson community as possible.
Aibileen Clark is a 50-something year old maid who has raised 17 children and is currently working for Elizabeth Leefolt, one of the push-overs of the bridge club. She is kind-hearted, caring, and level-headed: all of the perfect traits of a house maid and nanny. Aibileen’s big heart breaks though every time she thinks of Elizabeth’s little girl growing up. Like all of the others, she knows that her “baby girl” is going to be raised to be just like her mother: racist. But along with her big heart, comes a desire for justice. Aibileen is one of the biggest pulls in the black community to help Skeeter make her dream of making a difference come true.
Minny. You hear the name and think small, sweet, and sensitive, right? Wrong. Minny is a big ball of fire who will burn anything that gets in the way. She’s a maid but can’t seem to hold a job because she won’t take any disrespect from anyone, especially Mrs. Hilly, who she used to work for and the president of the oh, so prestigious bridge club. Her attitude may get her into a lot of trouble, but it makes for a perfect spark added to not only The Help but also to Skeeter’s book seeking justice.
Many people are criticizing the book saying that it’s racist or degrading to the African-American society because of the dialect and shown mistreatment of the maids. But the truth is that this book does just the opposite. It’s exposing how some, not all, of the homes in Mississippi were stuck in a racist world and had no intentions of changing that. She doesn’t totally degrade Mississippi though. She writes of homes that loved their help like family and shows that there was hope in young people of that generation – the ones who knew something was wrong and refused to idly sit back and watch it happen, like Skeeter. With The Help, Kathryn Stockett gives a voice to every race, personality, and experience throughout the 60s.
A big-screen adaptation of The Help is currently in production, with another Mississippi native, Tate Taylor, working as screenwriter and director of the film.  Taylor promises to remain true to the novel’s southern roots by insisting that the entire movie be shot in Greenwood, Mississippi, and by hand-picking Emma Stone (Easy A) for the role of Skeeter Phelan.  The film is scheduled to be released in August 2011.
There’s no way to sum up the depth and weight of this book in less than 500 words, so I recommend you go pick up a copy and immerse yourself into our world 50 years ago.

Gunnufsen, Liles introduce charities to make a difference

By: Ashley Ricks

Most students at Oak Grove have partaken in some form of community service, whether it be for their own enjoyment, or simply to get an ‘A’ in their history class. Two juniors, however, have recently taken serving and helping others to whole new levels.
“Any difference, no matter how small, is a difference.” These are JoAnna Gunnufsen’s own words of encouragement in her quest to help others. Just two months ago she started collecting books for an organization called Books for Africa. “I saw that there was a need, and I wanted to help fill it,” Gunnufsen said. Books for Africa is an organization that supplies books to children and libraries whose bookshelves are scarce and whose education is inadequate because of it. BFA has shipped 22 million books to needy African communities and Gunnufsen hopes to add 1,000 to that number, but that’s not how she is defining success. “I’d call it a success even if I’d only received one book,” Gunnufsen said. However, she has already collected 150 books thanks to peers and Bourne Brothers Printing for spreading the word. Gunnufsen is making a huge impact on children’s lives that she may never even meet, and by simply donating a book, anyone could help that impact become even greater.
Kelly Liles was first inspired to start Dresses of Hope this past August through word of mouth. After hearing about the prom dress drive organization and realizing there was not one in Mississippi, she decided to take on the challenge. Dresses of Hope is an organization that collects lightly worn prom dresses and shoes no more than eight years old. “The goal of Dresses of Hope is to provide high school girls an opportunity that so many of us take for granted,” Liles said. So far, the organization has been a great success with $200 collected and many dress donations promised; however, there is still a lot of work to be done. An important part of the program is to become tax-exempt. The organization is almost at that stage with only $100 to go. Liles has taken on a big project that will make a big difference in girls’ lives, and she’s doing it with a positive attitude. “If I make one girl feel and look beautiful for her prom, then I believe I’ve accomplished my goal,” Liles said.
Gunnufsen and Liles are reaching out of their comfort zones and challenging themselves for the sake of others.
If you would like to donate to either cause: contact JoAnna Gunnufsen or Kelly Liles through Facebook or at school.

As football season ends, seniors reflect, prepare for future

By: Ashley Ricks

The Warrior football season kicked off early this year with a big win against Bassfield. The season has been one of the most exciting, and the team has had to work harder than ever before. For the senior players, to say it has been a bittersweet experience is an understatement.

Layton Holcomb and Chris Lee, senior defensive ends, agree that the Bassfield game has been the highlight of their last high school football season so far. “It was the first game of the season, so we were all excited to get back out on the field,” Holcomb said. The team walked away from their first game with confidence and playoffs in their futures. For senior players Colton Farris, nose guard, and Telvin Keys, cornerback, the Hattiesburg game stood out because of the impressive defensive plays of the game. “Nothing is better than making a big play like a sack,” Farris said.

Throughout the season the team and coaches have had to work hard to keep up the winning tradition that Oak Grove is so well known for. Players have to be ready and willing to work as hard as they can all year round. “Playing football requires a lot of hard work, and one of the most important things I’ve learned is how to work hard as a team,” Lee said.
For many of these players, this is the end to a road that could journey back as far as third grade, but for some, it is still the beginning. Most hope to go on and play at a junior college, or simply any college who will give them a shot at the bigger world of college football. Moving on from the memories and traditions of high school football is still going to be a big challenge for the players who have grown so used to the Oak Grove football atmosphere. “I will miss running out of the Warrior banner and hearing the students go crazy with their cowbells,” Farris said.

With the regular season coming to an end, the team has to prepare for the beginning of playoffs. The team is excited about the first round of playoffs tonight against a huge rival, Petal. The season has been a successful one so far, and will continue to be as the Warriors push their way towards a triumphant ending to the 2010 football season.

Student Council plans 2010 Homecoming events

By: Ashley Ricks, Staff Reporter

On November 5 Oak Grove will play Wingfield for the homecoming game. Homecoming week has been a tradition throughout high schools across America for years, but at Oak Grove this particular week always has its own special energy. Every year the school comes together for a week-long celebration. From dress-up days to hallway decorating, everyone enjoys the excitement of homecoming.
This year the theme is going to be as intense as ever. Although an official name has not been implemented, student body officers want homecoming 2010 to be centered around music. “We’re really excited about this year, music is an entertaining theme, and we hope that it will get many students involved during the week,” Student Body President Victoria Stein said.
Throughout the week the students will be able to get involved in many traditional events and competitions. Student council members and their classmates will have to put their imaginations to work in the hallway decorating competition. Each grade is assigned a hallway and is judged on their creativity and artistic skills throughout the hallway.
Another long-standing tradition is Battle of the Bands. Students with musical talent are encouraged to sign up for the competition. For years past, this has been one of the biggest events of the week. Family and friends gather to hear what talent the bands can dish out. Battle of the Bands is a great way for students to show their talents that, otherwise, may not be heard around the community.
The powderpuff football game is another crowd-drawing event. Each year, the cheerleaders arrange a friendly game of flag football. Senior and junior girls practice with football players as coaches to get ready for the fierce game and fight for the win on the field. On the sidelines, of course, are the cheerleaders, but they are not your average cheerleaders. Senior and junior boys cheer on their teams throughout the game and are the halftime entertainment.
Of course the most recognized tradition of them all is the homecoming dance. After the game, students go to the gym to take pictures and enjoy a night of dancing. The dance starts at 9:00 p.m. and ends at midnight.
For the first time last year, a carnival hosted by the Key Club took place during Homecoming week. The event was a great success. The Oak Grove community came together to enjoy an array of fun booths and concessions for the evening. Clubs and staff participated in making the carnival happen. Students got to throw pies at teachers and even made them go for a swim in the dunking booth.  Key Club is planning to host the carnival again and hoping for an even more exciting event this year.
Homecoming week is always an important part of the school year. “Homecoming is one of my favorite parts of the year,” Stein said. “Hopefully, this year will be one of the best yet.”
To find out this year’s homecoming theme as well as dress-up days, follow The Warrior Beat on Twitter.

Newsbriefs

By: Ashley Ricks

OG students named French Contest winners

Students who have taken French classes at  Oak Grove recently had the chance to participate in the National French Contest. In order to take the test students had to pay $5, and as an incentive for students, French teacher Jennifer Kelly promised each class a party if more than 60 percent of them signed up. The push to take the test paid off because eight of the students placed among the top ten scores in Mississippi, two of which became national winners. The test was split into two sections with the first part involving listening comprehension. Students listened to a CD and answered questions about the recording. The second part of the test was multiple choice on reading and writing. The top Mississippi winners  from Oak Grove were Alexander Ritter, Ashly Kyzer, Ashley Grantham, Amanda Gammill, Kelly Liles, and Mary Kathryn Nobles. The national winners from Oak Grove were Joanna Gunnufsen and Sam Buti. All winners were recognized at a School Board meeting on Monday, May 3.

Annual Acorn Run funds cancer research

On April 17, Oak Grove Lower Elementary hoasted the 4th Annual Acorn Run. Participants had a choice of a five kilometer or one mile route trailing through the Bellegrass neighborhood. To enter the run, Lamar County students had to pay of fee of $5. All proceeds acquired from the entry fees were donated to the American Cancer Society. The run raised $4,500 with 600 runners participating. “It’s great to be able to do what I love, and at the same time, raise money and awareness about an important cause,” five kilometer winner Chad Moore said.

OG student honored for leadership

Sophomore Trey Barnes is one of four students in Mississippi to be selected for the National Federation of High School Leadership Conference that will take place this summer. The 2010 conference will be held in Indianapolis on July 15-18. The conference is free thanks to generous supporters of leaders across America. The donations cover everything from meals to travel fare. Students are hand-picked after being evaluated by a board of college facilitators, and are chosen by their involvement in school activities and academics.

Showchoir holds Black and Gold Revue

Oak Grove High School’s entire choral department, along with guest choirs, performed their annual Black and Gold Revue on April 20 at Oak Grove Primary’s auditorium. The show was not like any other performances, and it was the last one the seniors would participate in. “It was an emotional night, and we’re all going to miss the seniors so much,” sophomore performer Anna Kate Baygents said. The two-hour show included songs ranging from “The Coming of the Dawn” from “Frankenstein” to “High School Musical” from the Disney movie of the same name.

Historical Society to visit museum

On Friday, May 14 the Oak Grove Historical Society will be taking a field trip to the D-Day museum in New Orleans. Twelve students from Oak Grove will be going along with students from Sumrall and Purvis. Not only will students visit the museum, but they will also have the chance to talk to veterans of the war. Mr. Robert Sutton and Ms. Whitney McBeth will be chaperoning the trip.

Movie Review: Edge of Darkness

By: Ashley Ricks

When the trailer for Edge of Darkness plays on TV what are the first words that cross your mind? Probably thriller, suspense, and blood; well, that’s exactly what you get.

After almost a decade of being off the big screen, Mel Gibson gives a star performance portraying Thomas Craven, a man on a mission. As he waits for his daughter, played by Bojana Nocakovic, to arrive at the airport, he has flashes of his adorable little girl dancing in the sand and splashing in the water. But the ride home shows the distance between Emma and Thomas Craven that has grown over the years. She seems weak and fragile in the car; after stopping for groceries, her father finds her leaning beside the car vomiting. Just minutes later as they begin to make supper, her sickness turns for the worse; she coughs up blood. As they try to rush out the door she says “I have to tell you something.” What happens next comes in a flash; they open the door, a man yells “Craven!” and a father loses his daughter in a matter of seconds.

Of course with his being a Boston Homicide Detective, most assume he was the original target. But his years of paternal and detective instincts kick in and he remembers the six words his daughter said to him before her death. He knew he was not the intentional target. As he begins his personal investigation, he goes to the ends of the earth to bring justice to his daughter’s death.  As he says “[he is] a man with nothing to lose.”

He quickly discovers that his daughter wasn’t any typical, underpaid intern at a scientific research center. Jack Bennett (Danny Huston) is head of the research at the institute where Emma worked. Bennett swears that no nuclear weapons were or are made at the center, but Craven is suspicious. His suspicion is only pressed further when Bennet asks what it “really feels like” to see a loved one die.

We soon meet Jedburgh, played by London native Ray Winstone, a government “clean up” man. He comes out of nowhere, and literally shows up in Craven’s backyard unseen. But as they size each other up, a certain respect is shown between one another. They are both men with nothing to lose, and will do anything to complete their missions.

As the investigation continues, Mr. Craven comes in contact with people who were in his late daughter’s life, including her boyfriend and friend/coworker. Both are painfully paranoid and try not to say too much. But Emma’s friend breaks down and tells her father everything, even giving him a personalized video Emma had made. The video glued together the pieces of stories Mr. Craven had gathered.

With all of the above said, I give this movie three stars; one for Mel Gibson’s incredible performance, another for the twists, and a last because honestly, the movie was just outright good. I’m lacking the two last stars for the unnecessary amount of blood (I could have gone without seeing Emma’s organs), and the back-and-forth moments that take just a minute for someone to process.

The movie kept me on the edge of my seat; eyes squinted from suspense, and heart racing waiting for the next explosion of events to happen.

A sushi invasion

By: Ashley Ricks and Sara Sanner

Driving down Highway 98, it’s next to impossible to miss the overwhelming number of sushi restaurants that have invaded the city.

The sushi trend has been evident in cities around the nation, and a growing Hattiesburg is finally catching the fish fever.

Inexperienced sushi eaters may be intimidated toward the onslaught of foreign food. No worries. These quick tips will guide you in becoming a sushi guru. When placing your sushi order, keep in mind that a roll is not buttered bread, but actually a six piece seaweed wrap filled with rice and other various ingredients.  The best starter roll is the California Roll consisting of crab meat, avocado, cucumber dices, rice, and dried seaweed. To give the sushi more flavor, try drizzling some soy sauce (also known as the ketchup of Asian delicacy) over each piece.

Although Asian food can be a delicious treat, there are a few cultural traditions that you should be cautious of; for instance, the wasabi. This gritty green substance will always accompany your plate of sushi; however, unless you want your eyes to water, nose to burn, and stomach to turn we suggest you keep your distance from wasabi. Although the bright pink garnish looks appealing, eating the ginger will leave you feeling as if you just chugged a bottle of Chanel No.5.
By using these helpful guidelines you will be on the track of becoming an expert in the field of sushi eating.

Although all of Hattiesburg’s new restaurants provide the same cultural setting, each place has unique qualities that bring authenticity to the table. When faced with the newly numerous Asian restaurants, choosing one can be difficult. To help you decide which restaurant would be best for you when eating out, we have dined at each restaurant and have broken them down into four categories to be evaluated.