English awarded Golden Scepter

By: Taylor Parsons

Staff Reporter

“I was absolutely stunned. There are so many deserving people in the arts department, and I count myself as truly blessed to receive this award,” Lauren English, senior, said about her receiving the Golden Scepter.

The Golden Scepter is the award given to one senior every year who is especially gifted in the arts. English is a member of the drama department and has acted since her freshman year. She has diverse roles, including: Giant’s Wife in Jack and the Beanstalk, Raven and Sea Creature in Inuk, Chill the Vulture in Jungal Book, and Yukionna in In A Grove: Three Japanese Ghost Stories.

English received the Judges’ Choice Award at SETC for her portrayal of Yukionna. “Getting recognized by national judges was a huge honor for me,” English said. “So many actors deserve that same kind of recognition. I am very grateful.”

English has proven herself a chameleon in the world of drama and thanks Mrs. Allmon for pushing her to be better. “Being challenged by your director is the only way to grow as a performer,” English said, “Mrs. A is really to thank for all the success of our actors and our group as a whole. She gives us the motivation to really make the best show possible.”

For English, being chosen for the Golden Scepter shows her that her hard work and passion for theatre do not go unnoticed. “With actors especially, you don’t see the talent in yourself, so having teachers see that I am progressing is a huge honor,” English said. “God has blessed me with a wonderful director, friends to act with, and places to perform. All thanks goes to Him!”

Baseball, softball players bat against breast cancer

PLAYING FOR A CAUSE
Senior Payton Sheffield explains her senior project and introduces breast cancer survivor Donna Stanley to throw out the first pitch at her ‘pink’ softball game. | Photo by Mary Kate Waldron

By: Taylor Parsons

Staff Reporter

Payton Sheffield grew up playing softball. “When I was little, I used to watch all these ‘pink’ games, and I’ve known since middle school that I wanted to do one,” Sheffield said. A pink game is a softball game which is used as a fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness. The $372 made from Sheffield’s game, which was held October 29, went to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. The first pitch was thrown by breast cancer survivor, Donna Stanley. Before Stanley threw the pitch, Sheffield said, “You always had a smile on your face; thank you for that.” From there, the game began.

Boys and girls went head-to-head in a softball game with a trophy of bragging rights, lead by the competitive boyfriend/girlfriend duo of Jansen Bounds and Samantha Papp. Although Papp predicted a terrible loss to the boys’ team, everyone came out, knowing it was only a game, with a goal of raising funds, support, and awareness.

Both boys and girls showed off their pink wear. Girls sported pink glitter war paint and a variety of pink headbands, bows, and ribbons. The boys, unexpectedly, took an even more feminine approach. Ryan Cone dressed up his game t-shirt with a hot pink sports bra on the outside, complimented by pink zebra-print leggings, and Kirk McCarty decked out his jersey with tiny pink shorts and white tights. This game was one with style.

Commentary was provided by the witty pair of Andrew Adams and MacAlister Parker. While Adams and Parker took their swings of the bat for the boys team, Kirk McCarty took over the commentary. From there, the honor of commentary was passed to John Addison Ford, who took it upon himself to report his game findings from sitting behind second base.

Although the commentary microphone switched from reporter to reporter, the title for MVP of the girls’ team sits rightfully in Kristen Martin’s hands. “We were all really there to have fun,” Martin said. Martin is a regular on the softball field, and that certainly came in handy in the game.

Contrary to Papp’s initial bet, the girls came out with a 24-18 win over their scantily clad opponents. “I love how I can remind Jansen whenever I want that my team won, but then again, he got me out, so I can’t brag too much,” said Papp. Bounds responded, “It was a tough loss, but we all had fun, and that’s all that matters.”

Payton Sheffield’s Pink Softball game was a hit among students and parents alike. In the words of Kristen Martin, “We were doing something beneficial for those who have or had breast cancer, and we had so much fun doing it.”

Freshmen at Prom?

By: Olivia Diaz, Staff Reporter

 Why should freshmen be restricted from participating in one of the most exciting events in high school history? We’re all young, and we all deserve to take firm chances in the unknown. Why allow us to believe that we’re all “equal” in high school when we first year pupils can’t be a part of a harmless dance?

I am constantly hearing juniors and seniors claim that when they were freshmen at the prom, it was a scary experience. Let’s just say that there were some hazards in this dreamy picture. I admit that bursting through those doors at every prom is not always a walk in the park; almost every person is scared and doesn’t want to be embarrassed. However, that doesn’t mean that parents and students should let past experiences restrict others from not going.

There is the fear of the unknown. Nobody, especially newbies, wants to look completely foolish in such a crowded event. Where there’s high energy, there are high risks. But seriously, are freshmen not allowed to go to prom because of the grade and the age difference? If it’s such a pain to allow the freshmen to bust some moves with kids around their ages, then what do they expect them to do? In the long run, the older students have gained more experience and are usually the most mature in diverse situations. But when it comes to something as passive as prom, I know some freshman who would probably act just as mature as most of their older peers.

What’s this an example of? It’s an example of isolation, and the freshmen are being isolated from an optional opportunity that should be opened for every high school student. If they wanted to smack pacifiers in the mouths of the newbies and not permit them from participating activities with the “grown-up” kids, then they would’ve warned them long ago. Besides, this prom is to make a “positive impact for future learners,” isn’t it? Then why would this sponsored event allow freshmen to be negatively isolated now, without even considering the unfair fact that past freshmen were allowed to go?

We’re all in this together here at Oak Grove, so why should the higher grades be allowed to share their pleasant time together at school in a carefree event, and freshmen shouldn’t? It’s flattering that people care about our well being, but at the same time, they shouldn’t take away an important school event from us just because of that. We’re tougher than we seem, and I believe that the majority of us are capable of not acting like babies in public. So, I refuse to believe that it is fair at all to separate freshmen from the other grades when it comes to an optional get together like prom.

By: Taylor Parsons, Staff Reporter

 Freshmen of OGHS, do not hate me for writing this article. Hear me out, and actually read my article before you decide that I am a hypocrite or that I hate freshmen, upperclassmen, and prom. None of that is even remotely true, but I do think the decision for no freshmen to be at prom was for the good of  freshmen and the boys/girls who would be their dates. Do not get me wrong, prom was a good experience with some great people, but I am speaking for the generality of freshmen at prom. I went to prom as a fourteen-year-old. That sounds ridiculously young to begin with, but my friends were going and a great guy asked me, so I was in. My parents were extremely resistant to even let me go because “I wasn’t ready.” I disagreed, but looking back, as much as I hate to say it, I’d say to a certain extent, they were right.

To be perfectly honest, juniors and seniors don’t want freshmen at prom unless they are dates, and that can make freshmen feel unwanted (which they are) and excluded (which they should be). Most juniors and seniors haven’t already been to prom and want the night to be theirs for the taking.  Freshmen just don’t have the high school experience to handle prom. I like to consider myself a mature person, and I wasn’t mature enough to handle it yet. There’s a reason prom is designed for juniors and seniors.

Going to prom as a freshmen somewhat takes away from how special junior and senior proms are. Picking the perfect dress, hairstyle, and shoes becomes less of a priority. Prom is something that current seniors who went for the first time last year were buzzing about since September. By the time I’m a junior, I hope I have that same anxiousness, but I’m afraid people who have been going for three years don’t get that same inquisitive excitement. That is not to say that prom is boring, just to say that it becomes more routine when it is an annual event.

The truth of the matter is, the rule that freshmen cannot go to prom has already been made. Freshmen, it’s okay! You have three years you could possibly go! Live those up. Don’t sulk in the fact that you won’t be going this year. It’s for your own good.  Prom is a blast, but it should really be saved for any other year.

Drama club acts up for improvisational competition

By: Taylor Parsons

Staff Reporter

The OGHS Theatre department will be hosting an Improvisational Invitational on October 20 at the Lower/Upper Auditorium. The festivities will begin at 2:00 p.m., and admission will be $5.

“Improvisation is really making things up right off the top of your head,” said director, Mrs. Suzanne Allmon. Actors have to use improvisation when a line is forgotten, misplaced, or skipped altogether, so it’s an important skill to have. Schools from all over Mississippi have been invited to compete in this “Whose line is it anyway?” inspired invitational.  Schools will have improv teams that will have to think on their feet in order to take home the first place trophy. Three professional judges will choose the winners based on certain criteria, including the humor of the scenes each team creates.

Each team will randomly draw a topic that Allmon and members of I.T.S. (International Thespian Society) have decided. Those topics will be the bases of (hopefully) hilarious, unrehearsed scenes.

“We are all really excited to host this event,” said I.T.S. member Baxter Rose Walters. “If nothing else, it will be a hilarious day in general. Improv is great when done correctly.” Some actors, on the other hand, have winning in mind. “I’m looking forward to spending a day with all of my fellow actors,” I.T.S. member Lauren English, said. “But at the same time, I would love to win. It’d be the icing on the cake.” Whether the drama department outwits the competition or not, the invitational promises hours of entertainment.

OG students #swerve to new music careers

By: Taylor Parsons

Staff Reporter

Swerve – to turn aside or be turned from a straight course; swag reinvented. Will Moreau Murphey and Deriyus Magee, otherwise known as Moreau Murphey and D-Cash, disagree with the dictionary on an exact definition of what exactly it means to swerve. On July 19th, the Magee/Murphey duo released their most popular song “Swerve.” The music video, directed by Murphey, was released four days later, after three hours of filming and six hours of editing. Since its release, the video has had over 2,000 views on YouTube. Murphey’s success is remarkable, considering that he has only been rapping a year. Magee, however, has been rapping since he was a child. Rapping is something that Murphey and his friends do to keep entertained, along with playing Xbox.

“It’s pretty much just a movement because of all of our fans’ support. It’s really becoming one,” Magee said. The fans’ support is part of what motivates them to keep making music. Those fans have purchased over 30 Swerve t-shirts to support the rappers and their music, raising over $250. “The response is crazy. We never expected this much publicity,” Murphey said, “Big thanks to all who supported us.”

For all of the DJ Moreau and D-Cash fans, the duo can now be booked for shows and performances. Hopefully, those shows will lead to even bigger appearances. “I just want to be able to start a tour,” Magee said. Their shows will contain some of their own music, including “Swerve,” and music from their newest, yet to be released album entitled Fate Loves the Fearless, which will also include collaborations with local musician JB Bounds on guitar and vocal.

To purchase t-shirts, give donations, or keep up with the music of Moreau Murphey, visit http://www.MoreauMurpheyProductions.com. “Basically, we just want to keep it original, try new things, and get our names out there,” Murphey said. “We want our music to be heard.”