Senior Transformation pg. 4

Ask Athena pg. 5

Track Spotlight pg. 7

Fashion Trends pg. 9

Road to glory

During spring break most students either went out of town with their family, hung out with their friends or just relaxed around the house. However, for the Northwestern IB Program seniors, they trav-eled outside of the country together along with IB English teacher, Paul Nigro, to England. The trip was packed with many adventurous things to do including a tour of Stra-ford-upon-Avon, the childhood home of William Shakespeare, and many museums that had interest- ing art exhibits. One of the students, Ben Barkley stated “There is plenty to do there for Harry Potter fans.” The students were able to tour where certain scenes of different Harry Potter movies were shot. Catilyn Priddy said, “The trip from England to Scotland was a six hour ride and it was really beau- tiful. We saw many sheep out in the grass.” All of the students agreed that the weather was cold, so they had to wear coats, scarves, gloves, and other things to keep warm. Outside of the trip being for vacation, the students participated in educational activities. For example, the tour of Straford and also being able to experi-ence a different culture was a learning experience. The students enjoyed England as did Mr. Nigro. He is excited for next years trip and is lookikng forward to the rising IB seniors having the chance to enjoy this amazing trip.

School store under new management

IB seniors take England

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Dr. Venables works hard to ensure his students understand Chemistry.

The Agora, Northwestern’s school store, was in-troduced to the student body at the beginning of the school year. The students in the Future Business Lead-ers of America, FBLA, were in charge of the store for the first half of the year. Now, Mr. Shaw’s third block class, Introduction to Business Entrepreneur-ship, has taken it over. When FBLA was in charge of the store, different people were in charge of the store everyday. Now, with the class, students are learning about the basics of business in the classroom and then applying what they know to the store. When asked about the new im-provements, a student in Mr. Shaw’s class, Lizzie Saunders said, “There are more cus-tomers and a broader se-lection of items to choose from. People are able to buy with debit and credit cards since more people carry those to school instead of cash.” Some of the improve-ments are things such as, a credit/debit card reader and gift cards and new clothing for spring sports. Business has also improved and they hope to reach their goal of a total of $30,000 in sales for the school year. In the future, Mr. Shaw hopes to launch the school store online. He also stated that for the spring and end of the school year, he would like to include summer drinks. Want to vis-it The Agora for yourself? Check it out in A105.

Trojan TrumpeTnorThwesTern hIgh school aT 2503 wesT maIn sTreeT aT rock hIll sc 29732 Volume 42 number 1

maY 2013

Kristina Benson/ Contributor

The students and Mr. Nigro pose in front of William Shakespeare’s home.

by Armani Darby

by Kaelin Murphy

by Hunter Merck Dr. Jeff Venables, Northwestern’s 2011-2012 Teacher of the Year, is blazing a path to State Teacher of the Year. Dr. Ven-ables has worked diligently to help make stu-dents’ experiences at Northwestern unforget-table. Now, the work the he has done is being recognized on a state-wide level. When Dr. Venables was asked about how he felt about being nominated, he said that he was “sur-prised and was hoping to win.” When asked about the nomination process he explained, “that you have to submit an application and state your personal theory of education.” If Dr. Venables were to win, he would spend the next year traveling to different schools throughout the state. He would be observing how other teachers instruct their classes and how administrators run their schools. Good luck to Dr. Venables, and the whole Trojan nation is behind him.

Update: The selection of teacher of the year was an-nounced on May 1, 2013. Although Dr.Venables did not win, we appreciate his hard work and dedication to our students.

Hunter Merck

news

Every year prom proposals get crazier and more exciting. This year one prom proposal stood out the most. Zach Taylor and Reagan Caldwell were the hot topic of Rock Hill. After Zach posted the video of how he asked Reagan to prom, he never expected it to have so many likes or views. The last time the video was checked there were over 37,000 views of the video. It’s possible that this proposal inspired others to go even bigger and crazier. Below there are a couple of prom proposals that stood out the most. The prom proposal between Russell Hubbs and Madeline Ramsey wasn’t the most outrageous one but it was still very cute. If you don’t know the story about what happened, Hubbs put sticky notes all over Ramsey’s car that said Prom? He also had LSU Toms hanging from her side mirrors. Ramsey saw this when she walked up from soccer. When asked if she was surprised she stated, “Well yes and no...I knew he was going to ask me because someone told me but I didn’t know how or when he was going to do it.” Chad Fennell and Kathleen Barkley’s was also very sweet. Fennell proposed to Barkley over the radio. Barkley stated,“Ben, my brother, told me he was going to be on the radio so we were all listening and the radio host said that someone called in to propose to prom and right away I knew what was happening. I was so surprised. I loved it.” The expectations for the proposals are going to be even higher next year. Have a crazy prom proposal that you want to share? Send a letter to the editor and tell us about your experience.

Prom proposals

When you need to change your classes, you see your guidance counselor. When you need to sign up for makeup school, you talk to Mrs. Scott in the E Office. When you need a band aid, ice pack, ankle wrap, or someone you need to turn to, you go see Nurse V. Nurse Van Gelder has been at Northwestern for six years now, treating kids in her office and helping with the special education students. The students have referred to her as “The sweetest person here at NHS” and “The best nurse ever!” The students, faculty, and staff all love having her here and Nurse V says she loves being here because, “It’s different every day, and I love watching you guys grow up, from being freshman to leaving for college.” Nurse Van Gelder is also very much known for her fierceness and determination with her fight with breast cancer. “When I found out, I was really scared and started crying. The doctors reassured me though when they told me they caught it in the very early stages and told me I would be fine. That gave me hope.” The nurse has dealt with a lot of things at Northwest-ern, everything from dis- tributing medications to helping a student with a pen spring stuck in his hand, but dealing with cancer was different than she expected. “I didn’t think I was going to have to go through chemotherapy, it makes me very tired, and it makes my bones hurt.” It has been a learning experi-ence for her, though. “Hair is so overrated” she says “Getting ready in the morning takes no time at all, and my showers take less than ten minutes! I think what I’ve learned so far is that people freak out over superficial stuff.” And when asked what she’s learned in her six years at Northwestern, Nurse V replied with “Don’t judge a book by its cover, ya know? Some of the big senior football players can end up being big teddy bears. Everyone has a story, and it’s up to you to get that story…everyone is worth knowing.” So whether you need your temperature checked or someone you can trust to get advice from, you can find Nurse Van Gelder in downstairs A building. Welcome back, Nurse V, we missed you!

Staff spotlight: Nurse Van Gelder by Corey Drennon

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Nurse Van Gelder posing with her dog.

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TrojanTrojanNEWS

Madeline Ramsey and Russell Hubbs

Kathleen Barkley and Chad Fennell

Photos by Instagram

by Breanna Rakestraw

On Wednesday, April 25, the Visions Literary Magazine had their annual poetry reading. This year, Mrs. Hughes, the advisor of the magazine, opened the poetry reading with an origi-nal poem. She was followed by 26 stu-dents reading their own original poetry. The poets that read were students in Mrs. Hughes’ English classes. The read-ing is a way for the staff to raise money for publication costs of the magazine. Mrs. Hughes also stated that she wanted to have the poetry reading to give her students the opportunity to present their own work and to expose them to events they would not end up at on their own. “Scripted in Sand” is the theme of the 2013 edition of the Visions Liter-ary Magazine. The theme was revealed at the annual poetry reading during the intermission of the reading, the poets and others were entertained with live music performed by Alecz Yeager, Walker Cobb, and Mitch Timmons.

Poetry on the rise by Hunter Merck

Hunter Merck

A student shares his original poem with the audience.

3Vol 42 Issue 1 news

On Monday April 15, 2013 there was a terrible bombing in Boston, Massachusetts. Innocent American citizens running the Boston Marathon were injured and some killed. The police and most of America suspected this to be a terrorist attack. Police were anxious to find these murderers. Thankfully, with today’s technology there was video of the two young men dropping suspi-cious bags near the marathon’s finishline. After looking at the video footage, suspicion grew. Police went searching and found the suspects. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, and his older brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, were seen dropping the mysterious bags. These two men from Russia were suspected to be the ones who killed 3 people, and injured more than 140 innocent people. Police had a shootout with Dzhokhar, but he managed to escape. His brother, Tamerlan shot a police officer and stole a cop car; later, he was shot and killed. The cops eventually caught the youngest brother. He is currently behind bars, and the courts are trying to figure out his future and the consequences he may face.

Terror strikes Boston Marathon by Lorna Day

No one likes exams. Exam time means forcing your brain to remember material from the beginning of the class, all the stuff you learned in the middle, and the stuff that your teacher taught you yesterday. There is one good thing about end of the year exams: it means that summer is closer than ever. Students can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and for some, it means graduation. Who would want to concentrate on formulas and verb conjugations with summer plans on our minds? Procrastination may not be a good thing, but it totally makes sense. Here are some last minute study tips to my fellow procrastinators out there!1) The most important thing is to find a good environment to study in. Do you focus better at home or at the library? Do you work better listening to classical music or heavy metal? Maybe you have to have complete silence. The point is to get into a place where you can work at your best productivity. 2) Cut out any distractions. I know it’s hard, but cut off your cell phone. I promise if you do, your grade will be better. Only bring a computer if you know you’ll need it. You can survive without TV, Facebook, and Twitter for a few hours. They will still be there when you are done.3) Bring a small snack and a bottle of water. You will get hungry and this kills the excuse to go to the kitchen to peek around for something to eat. Something like almonds, a granola bar, or a banana would work perfectly.4) Study in twenty minute intervals. Your brain only takes in about 15-20 minutes of studying. Study for that much time and then give yourself a five minute break, but no more than that. Don’t turn on your phone or watch TV, you will get sucked in. Stretch, take a walk, or eat a snack.5) First is the worst, so get that out of the way first. What’s your worst subject? Get that out of the way so you can be over and done with it.6) Bonus tip: Here’s the easiest part to studying. I’m about to give you the secret to getting the grade, and the best part is…it’s something you love to do. Sleep. Get plenty of sleep the night before which would be seven hours minimum. You will wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go, your brain will be more alert, and you will stay more focused during your exams. Well, there you go, Northwestern, those are my six study tips for exam time procrastinators. Please take note, though; procras-tinator or not, these tips work for anyone! Exams will be here before we know it, so whip this article out when time becomes valu-able and short. Don’t forget your number two pencils and your tissues, and may the odds be ever in your favor. Good luck.

Procrastinaors Unite: exam study tips by Corey Drennon

Forensic Science teacher, Ms. Cecilia Boles, hatched up the idea to set up an in-classroom crime scene for her students to solve. From stuffed dummies to fake blood, half of the classroom looked like an actual crime scene. With three days to prepare and a very determined teacher, the students had a very rare chance to investi-gate a “real” crime scene. In the scene, there were two crimes committed. The first was a robbery and the second was a murder. The robbery occurred before the couple arrived home. Soon after they discovered they had been robbed, they met their killers. The woman was knocked unconscious and the man was immediately shot dead. With bloody footprints and fingerprints, the scene was quickly recovered. The students had to put gloves on, collect evidence, and take pic-tures. The crime scene investigation was a group activity and took one day to complete. Students were surprised, intrigued, and ex-cited to have a hands on experiment with forensics. It was a very educational experience and it took a lot of time and effort. Thank you to Ms. Boles for setting this up for her students.

CSI: Northwestern by Danielle Dease

Google

Above is the impact after the first bombing.

Google

Procrastination can lead to frustrating results.

Victim #1 died after an apparent struggle which left his apartment in shambles.

The female victim was found uncon-scious at the scene of the crime.

Photos by Danielle Dease

Trojan

opInIon

TrojanOPINION

Poll: If you were the principal for the day what would you do?

I would be the principal. Also, I would fire some teachers and make more student holidays.

- Haper Woods, 9th

I would have a dance party and get everyone out of class.

- Tiffany Moss, 10th

The only thing I would do is change the dress code. -Chelsea Priest, 11th

by Grace Mahon

I would quit. -Austin Gardner, 12th

As the seniors get ready to graduate Northwestern, they took time to reflect and share some of their best pieces of advice, favorite memories, and not so fond moments. This is how the seniors went from “puny little freshman” to “The class of 2013.” While most of their dreams of escape are finally about to come true, they take the time to spread their wis-dom to those that would follow. To the freshmen class they offer this bit of advice: “Don’t stress about your image in high school” and “Don’t tweet about the staff.” They wanted to tell the rising tenth graders: “Keep your mind on the goal.” For the future juniors of Northwestern: “You are not a senior yet” and to remember “Don’t think you are the head honchos.” Lastly, they could not stress more for the future seniors to not “Take any second for granted.” The class of 2013 would like to share their fondest moments as Trojans from when they broke various sports records and winning Ms. Northwestern. Some of the more humiliating moments include, but are not limited to slipping in the hall way on way to class

and forgetting to sign in and having to go see Dr. Sparks. While most seniors are happy to leave, a few wish they could go back and start over from the beginning. However, the most common sentimement that was given was “My time in high school has flown by; I can’t believe it’s almost over!” So hold on tight underclassmen, the rest of your journey will be over before you know it. And to the seniors about to graduate: Good luck in the adventures that are soon to come in life past high school. And never forget your Trojan pride!

Seniors reflect by Corey Drennon and Jon Michael Sprouse

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This topic brings up mixed feelings for me. On one hand our school resource officer, teach-ers, and administration do their best to keep us safe. On the other, there are crazy people in this world that will find a way to harm innocent people whether here at this school or in our commu-nity. As a student, I see ways to improve our student’s safety. One of my major concerns is the ease of public access to our campus and buildings. It bothers me how you can walk on campus and into a building with-out permission. Another issue I have is that even though it is a rule in our Student Hand-book to not leave campus for lunch students still do. This becomes an issue especially if the student gets in an accident during school hours. Our school resource officer does his best to keep us safe while on school grounds. Officer Simple does many jobs throughout the day. One of the tasks he par-takes in is monitoring campus grounds as well as parking lots. This includes checking for student IDs and parking tags. On top of that, he continues to teach the school staff about how to keep students safe. Officer Simple relies on the student population to learn about what is happening at the school. Next time you do not feel safe at school go see our resource officer in A building office! Do you feel safe in school? Write a letter to the editor and let us know!

Do you feel safe in school? by Grace Mahon

Corey Drennon

Easy ways to go green at school

5Vol 42 Issue 1 opInIon

Gossip is a huge issue at Northwestern High School. Rumors spread like wildfire and you never know who you can trust. Backstabbing and spreading lies is one of the most beloved activities at Northwestern. If you have a secret most likely it will get around. People who are nice to your face turn around and talk bad about you. Don’t talk about people behind their backs if you don’t want them to do the same to you. If you spread lies about others, most likely they will spread one about you. Stay out of other people’s business and they will stay out of yours. The solution to gossip is to simply not do it.

What do you think the worse type of gossip is?

“When people spread rumors.” -Meghan Kaplan, 10th

What type of drama/gossip have you been in?“A bunch.. Between relationships and dramatic girls.” -Justin Cunningham, 11th

Two Faced Trojans: Gossip at Northwesternby Lexie Payne

Gossiping in the halls is an everyday occurence.

Photo by Lexie Payne

Poll: Pets of the student body by Kaelin Murphy

You don’t have to take icy cold showers or stop using your car completely to help out the environment. You can help out the Earth by doing really small and easy things. You can even start here at Northwestern! Here are five easy steps to a cleaner and greener campus!1) Recycle more. This is probably one of the more obvious ones, but don’t throw away your soda cans or old tests! Every classroom has a recycle bin, make use of it!2) Fix drippy sinks in the bathroom. How many times have you walked into the restroom to find a sink left on? Save gallons of water by turning it off, and don’t leave it on in the first place!3) Always throw your trash away. This seems like it would be an obvious thing, but after the break on the last late start day people left ice cream trash ev-erywhere. This is arguably the easiest thing to do on this list. Throw away your trash; don’t just leave it lying around. You wouldn’t like it if your friend just left a half-finished ice cream on the floor in your room, would you?4) Buy a reusable water bottle! Stop buying plastic water bottles and find a

by Corey Drennon and Lexie Payne

cool camelback or water bobble water bottle to re-fill at school! Don’t like un-filtered water? Find a water bottle that filters water as you drink! They aren’t expensive and you can find them almost anywhere. Remember: if you do end up bringing plastic water bottles, make sure they end up in the recycle bin!5) Carpool or bike with friends to school. Now that it’s getting warm out, skip the school traffic and walk or bike to school with your friends! Live too far away? Start a carpool and you get to hang with your friends before school! Both of these options are fun and will save you gas and money. These five easy tips may seem small, but remember that the smallest things can make the biggest difference!

“Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.” –Mark Twain

Photos by Lexie Payne

Recyclable materials are often turned into new products.

Don’t be trashy, throw away your trash!

sporTs 6 Vol 42 Issue 1

TrojanSPORTS

Trojan

It all started last year when students came to Mrs. Amy Medina telling her they had a lacrosse club outside of the school and were wondering if they could start a club here at the school with her support and help. She jumped on board right away. At the beginning of the school year, in late August this year, the first practice was held at the Rawlinson Road Middle School football field with 20 girls in attendance. Now eight months later, some girls have left, but more girls have joined. Most of the people who are playing heard it from their friends who were planning to play after hearing about the club on the an-nouncements. After the first practice, Summer Willis said, “...it was exciting and fun.” “It was a little overwhelming,” said Laura Oliver. Before a game, all of the players stretch and run together to get prepared for a non-stop mov-ing, action packed game. Even though it is just a “club,” the girls have really become close as a team and have grown tremendously since August. They hope to become a school sanctioned sport in two years. If anyone is interested in joining, see Mrs. Medina in A219.

Mrs. A. Medina/ Contributor

The lacrosse girls club pose after a very intense team.

Stand out senior Mariah McCoy participated in the pres-tigous North-South all-star game at Lexington High School on March 16th, 2013. An all-star game has a completely different feel than a regular game. The crowd plays a big role in the atmosphere of the game. The audience did not seem to have much of an impact on McCoy, considering she scored 12 points, and had five re-bounds. She also had two blocks and two steals. McCoy says that, “Playing in front of a different crowd is always exciting for any athlete.” McCoy also says that, “The feeling of giving someone a new thrill when watching you is something to die for.” Playing in an all-star game also means that you have different players that you have to adjust to. The adjustment seemed to be easy for the all-star McCoy. “My teammates were very energetic, enthusiastic, and posi-tive. I admired their personalities and athletic ability.” The other elite players could be intimidating for some, but not for McCoy. She says, “Being on the floor with nine other top players in the state was fun. I think playing with new girls with different styles is always a learning experience.” McCoy’s overall experience was positive, and she enjoyed her new teammates. With McCoy being a future college athlete (University of Maryland Eastern Shore) one may wonder how this game would influence the way she would play at the college level. McCoy said “The game made me think about college. I wondered if playing with a whole new team would impact me in the same way, but I do believe that all of the factors that I’ve always brought to the game will make me excel.”

Lacrosse club finds new home at NHS by Katie Moore

NHS senior participates in all-star game by Lauren Reese

Mariah McCoy/ Contributor

Mariah McCoy proudly displays her plaque.

Rutledge Foster is a sophomore and this is her second year playing on the girls Trojan Soccer team. The team has been doing really well. Rutledge was inter-viewed for a look at her spectacular season.

Q: What is your daily routine to get ready for practice? Games?A: We run the loop (running around the soccer field); Pray and Katherine Moore gives a speech before every game.Q: What do you do to improve after games?A: I do the same things I usually do at practice.Q: What were your goals for the season?A: My goal was to have no regrets.Q: When did you start playing soccer? Why?A: Last year was my first year, and I played because ev-eryone else was doing something fun. My friends inspired me to play.Q: What is your favorite memory from a game or season and why?A: My favorite memory is Coach M [Mouzon] coaching us and meeting my team-mates.Q: Would you consider the team close? Why?A: Yes, we spend every day with the team after school. We are a family.

Patrick Raad is one of the captains of the Varsity Trojan Soccer team. He was inter-viewed for a close look at his success.

Q: What is your daily routine to get ready for practice? Games?A: I go to the locker rooms, change, fill water bottles, roll out, and then meet the coaches in their offices or classrooms or on the field. Before games I listen to my iPod, hang out and talk to teammates, see how they are doing, and eat pasta before each game.Q: What do you do to improve after games?A: I ask coach what set of skills to work on, think about whatever he says and try to implement it in practice.Q: What were your goals for the season?A: my goals were to get MVP for one game, and stay mentally focused through a whole game.Q: When did you start playing soccer? Why?A: I was about five, and my mom put me in the sport to see if I would like it.Q: what is your favorite memory of the season or game and why?A: Being announced team captain, and playing Rock Hill High because of the rivalry.

Soccer Spotlight by Sarah Davis

Photos by Sarah Davis

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Julisa Tindall is one of the track athletes that definitely have the potential to make it to the State Championships. Julisa is a senior this year and this is her third year on the Trojan track team.

Q: When did you first start track?A: “I did some in middle school, but I really got into it in my 10th grade year.”Q: What events do you compete in?A: “High jump, long jump and triple jump.”Q: What are your goals for the season?A: “Go to State for all of my events and win in high jump.”Q: What is your daily routine to get ready for practice?A: “Warm up laps, stretch, and running drills to get loose.”Q: What do you do at practice to get ready for meets?A: “Run throughs and I run some to build endurance.”Q: What do you do to improve after meets?A: “Go back and try to remember any mistakes and fix them to get better.”Q: What is the best performance you have had at any meet, from any season so far?A: “State 2011 where I won high jump at 5’10.”Q: Who inspired you to do track?A: “My sister because when she was in high school she also ran track.”

Quanterious “Q” Caldwell is one of many boys on the track team with State Championship potential. Caldwell is a sophomore and this is his first year on the Trojan track team.

Q: When did you first start track?A: “I started this year.”Q: What events do you compete in?A: “4x100, high jump and long jump.”Q: What are your goals for the sea-son?A: “Medal, anything really; to win state.”Q: What is your daily routine to get ready for practice?A: “Eat healthy throughout the day.”Q: What do you do at practice to get ready for meets?A: “I go talk to the coaches to see what I can improve on, stretch before I go to sleep and take a cold shower.”Q: What do you do to improve after meets?A: “Practice basic techniques and do not go all out at practice.”Q: What is the best performance you have had at a meet so far?A: “The first track meet at Sandlapper I jumped 6’4” in the high jump, and at the York meet I jumped 22’2” in long jump.”Q: Who inspired you to start track?A: “My mom, probably, Coach Hudgins; both.”

Track Spotlight by Sarah Davis

In an interview with Jake Rentz, senior Trojan baseball player, he ex-pressed his gratitutde for a successful season and gave insight about the team’s budding potential.

Q:What’s your routine to get ready for practice every day? Games?A: “Get the field set up. If it’s a game we listen to our music to get pumped up. And then we just go from there.”Q:What do you do after each game no matter if you win or not?A: “We usually go out to eat and if we lose we talk about what we could have done better. If we win we celebrate and hang out.”Q:What’s your favorite game? Why? A: “Clover because we had our walk off hit. It was pretty crazy.”Q:What do you do to make yourself better after each game?A: “Talk about what I didn’t do right.”Q:What are your expectations for the rest of the season?A: “To win State because we have never made it to upper state before.”Q:Who inspired you to be a baseball player?A: “My dad because he was a baseball player.”Q: When did you start playing baseball?A: “I started playing baseball when I was in elementary school.”Q:What’s your favorite memory from this season?A: “My no hitter against Nation Ford.”Q:Would you consider the team close this year? Why?A: “Yes, we are definitely close this year. We dont really just one star player. This year we just have a bunch of great players that play well together so we have definitely bonded.”

Maddy Plaxco, senior Trojan softball player, spoke with the Trojan Trumpet about her high-school softball career.

Q: What’s your routine to get ready for practice every day? Games?A: “Stretch, work offense, work defense.”Q:What do you do after each game no matter if you win or not?A: “My team and I gather together and discuss the highs and lows of our game. We talk about how to imorove and we always, no matter what put our hand in the middle and ‘break it down’.”Q:What’s your favorite game? Why?A: “During the pre-season tournament, we played in the show that Saturday and still went unde-feated.”Q: What do you to make yourself better after each game?A: “Stay after practice and ask questions in practice.”Q:What are your expectations for the rest of the season?A: “I expect my team to go far, not only on the field, but to be a closer team.”Q:Who inspired you to be a softball player?A: “Myself. I wanteed to get involved and when I got bored of gymnas-tics, softball was the next sport to occupy my time.”Q:When did you start playing softball?A: “6th grade.”Q:Whats your favorite memory from this season?A: “When we played Clover in the playoffs. We lost, but we played hard and never gave up.”

Baseball/Softball Spotlightby Breanna Rakestraw

Joe Jackson/ Contributor

Breanna Rakestraw

Sarah Davis

Joe Jackson/Contributor

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lIFesTYles

TrojanLIFESTYLES

The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins is one of the most popular series of the year. It’s based on a teenage girl named Katniss Everdeen who volunteers to take her sister’s place in the 74th annual Hunger Games, where 24 kids are forced into an arena and must fight to the death on live T.V. until there is a lone victor. But what makes this book series so widely popular? We interviewed local students of Northwestern High School to find out. “The love story between Katniss and Peeta is my favorite part,” said Lauren Bigham. The love story in the Hunger Games has been another reason why the series has been such a huge hit. “I like it for the action and fighting,” said Niko Thomas. This has been the main reason why people have such a love for the series. However, Andie Enabenter said she loved it for both. “The action story and the loved story tied in one is why I love it.” But when we in-terviewed Brogan Gaskill, he gave us a completely different answer about the series from the others. “I liked the background story of it,” said Gaskill, “I really liked the point of view and the feeling of hope you get while reading it.”

Next we sought out to find out the favorite characters of the series. After all, the char-acters always have a huge impact on the story. “Peeta obviously,” said Marley Littleton and Bigham flatly. “I like Katniss the most,” said Gaskill and Andie Enabenter. Bigham and Littleton liked Peeta the most because of his compassion and love for Katniss. Gas-

kill and Enabenter liked Katniss the best because of her personality and because she’s good at what she does. Niko Thomas, however, liked President Snow the best for reasons no one knows. President Snow is the evil dictator who controls the districts. After interviewing these students, it was clear that the series are extremely popular for the genre, the characters, and the story overall. Suzanne Collins, the author of the trilogy, truly did an amazing job with the series.

New book series excites young readers by Kole Koterba

The Hunger Games books are currently be-ing made into movies. Catching Fire will be released in theatres on November 22, 2013.

Cinco de Mayo is a well-known holiday in America. According to Mrs. Ruff, a Spanish teacher at NHS, the holiday is primarily celebrat-ed in the US even though it is not a traditional American celebration. Cinco de Mayo is meant to celebrate the victorious battle between the Mexi-cans and the French (Franco-Mexican War; 1861-1867). Even though the Mexicans lost the war, they won this one battle in 1862 and made the glorious day of the triumph a national holiday. In Mexico, to celebrate Cinco de Mayo there is typically a parade, however it is not as large of a festivity as the one in places such as California, reported by Mrs. Ruff. Why is this day a big deal in the U.S.? Many say it is a mar-keting scheme to sell Mexican products to the citizens of the U.S., and a money making oppor-tunity for companies who sell celebration related items. No matter what the reason, Cinco de Mayo will continue to be a part of American citizen’s festivities.

Cinco de Mayo: Tradition or Reason to Party?by Kathleen Faris

Traditional garments are worn to celebrate Mexico’s Cinco de Mayo festival.

Photos by Google

Photos by Google

9Vol 42 Issue 1 lIFesTYles

Not many people are aware of these new drinks that you literally will go CRAZY for. From sleeping to sporting events, these special inven-tions have a way to fuel you for anything. Red, pink, orange, yellow/green, blue, purple, and white are the color variations of Neuro. Soon to come is their NeuroAqua and NeuroSupreme. Neuro is a beverage that helps you do more than simply exist. Each Neuro is only 35 calories, contains no artifi-cial flavors or colors, and the bottle is recyclable. You can get any Neuro drink at practically any convenient store or grocery store. Diana Jenkins is the chairman and founder of Neuro that was estab-lished in 2007.

Move over Red Bull! by Danielle Dease

Red (Sonic) -increases alertness so you can

focus*caffeine fused with

L-theanine

Pink (Passion) -en-hances your perfor-

mance*L-arginine and

L-citrulline

Orange (Sleep) -pro-vides restful sleep and relieves muscle cramps

*Melatonin

Yellow/Green (Sun) -1000 IU of Vitamin D

in every bottle

Blue (Sport) -electrolytes for hydration

Purple (Trim) -healthy weight loss/speeds up

metabolism*LuraLean

White (Bliss) -enhances mood/helps focus/boosts

immune system*L-theanine

Rock Hill is not as boring as many people make it seem. Whether you like shopping, eating, going to the movies, or just having fun, Rock Hill has a place for you to hangout. Emma Finch says, “I enjoy the Manchester Area because of the variety.” Manchester has many places to hangout such as shopping stores (T.J Maxx, Ross), the movie theater, the eating venues (Moes), and the soccer fields to play on. If Manchester isn’t enough for you then there is also the Rock Hill mall. Rae-kwrn Ervin says “One of my favorite places to hangout in Rock Hill is the mall.” It has many stores for all the things you enjoy shopping for. The mall also has a food court for when you and your friends get hungry. No matter what you and your friends like to do, Rock Hill does have a place for you all to hangout.

Google

The Manchester area of Rock Hill is a popular place for teens to hang out.

Fun things to do in Rock Hill by Kathleen Faris

Across America there are several different fashion trends. People express themselves through what they wear by colors, brands, and different designs. This season some of the most popular fashion trends are mint and corral color patterns, polka dots and cheetah prints, denim vests and jackets, maxi skirts, and Chevron design print. Here at Northwestern, some of the most popular trends include colored pants with bold printed tops, tortoise shell jewelry, and designer flats

Raging fashion trends at Northwestern by Lorna Day

Examples of the various fashion trends found at Northwestern.

Photos by Lorna Day and Lexie Payne

10 Vol 42 Issue 1

Trojan

lIFesTYles

TrojanLIFESTYLES

Scary Movie V is a comical “scary” movie that recently came out on April 12,2013. It is the fifth installment of the Scary Movie series and the previous films have included stars such as, the Wayans Brothers, Carmen Electra, Anna Faris, and others. However, this movie included a different range of celebrities from Mac Miller and Snoop Lion to Simon Rex and Ashley Tisdale. As usual, like in the other Scary Movies, the story features spoofs of different scary movies and in this particular one it included revamped scenes from Mama, Para-normal Activity, Planet of the Apes, and many more. Personally, this movie was not what I thought it was going to be. It did not make me laugh that much and the story line was confusing. I feel like the movie should have had more to it instead of just being another ordinary parody of dif-ferent movies. I would give this film 2 out of 5stars because I did not enjoy it much as I had anticipated. However, if the movie was better put together, I feel like it would have been a good hit and it would have done better in the box office. Have you seen the movie? Write a letter to our staff and let us know what you thought!

Rock Hill, South Carolina may be a small town, but it is not lacking in great places to eat. The newest addition is the Jimmy John’s located downtown at 147 E Main St, Rock Hill, SC, 29730. The business has been open for a few months and serves strictly sandwiches. The atmosphere is fun and the staff is welcoming, considerate, and very polite. Jimmy John’s is somewhere you would want to go after a sporting event or if you are in the mood for a tasty sandwich. The food was really good. I ordered a Big John with bacon and I was in sandwich heaven. I would recommend Jimmy John’s to anyone who really likes sandwiches and enjoys a fun, clean environment.

Vine is one of the most current popular social media apps. It was developed in June of 2012 by Dom Hofmann and Rus Yusupov. It was released in the iTunes App Store on January 24th, 2013. Currently, it is only available to Apple users. On Vine, you can create a video made of small clips for a total of six seconds, and then share it on the Vine newsfeed. Also, you can connect and share your creation with other social networks like Twitter and Facebook. It is set up in the same format as another hot new app, Instagram. When asked how she uses it on a daily basis, Lauren Sabatini says, “I usually record funny things with my friends or just unplanned unusual situations.” In other words, if you’re looking for a new, enter-taining, and also free app, you should check out Vine today!

Not so Scary Movie

New restaurant opens in Rock Hill by Lauren Reese

Google

Vining is a popular pastime for many Trojan Trumpet staff writers.

Hot New Apps: Vine by Katie Moore

Google

Jimmy John’s menu features an array of delicious sandwiches.

by Armani Darby

Google

11Vol 42 Issue 1 FeaTure

TROJAN TRUMPET STAFF

Layout/Design...............Hunter Merck

Copy Editor.....................Armani Darby

Writers.............................Sarah Davis Lorna Day Danielle Dease Corey Drennon Kathleen Faris Kole Koterba Grace Mahon Katie Moore Kaelin Murphy Lexie Payne Breanna Rakestraw Lauren Reese Jon Sprouse

Newspaper Advisor.........Mrs. Brown

Short story feature: “The Meteor”by Kole Koterba

Need more news?! Visit www.thetrojantrumpet.weebly.com for previ-ous issues and additional news feautres.

We want to know what you think! Please contact the Trojan Trumpet staff at trojantrumpetnhs@gmail.com.

I stand, staring up at the brilliant, nighttime sky. The stars are absolutely dazzling as they twinkle and gleam, looking more alive than ever. A low groan that erupts through the night interrupts my trance. I dart my eyes to see my best friend, Zac, lying on the ground, his arms crossed around his chest, looking bored as can be. His shaggy brown hair is full of grass and leaves, his brown eyes narrowed on the sky. “Well this sucks…” he mutters carelessly. “Oh shut up,” another voice next to me says. It’s my cousin, Jenny. She’s standing next to me, her arms folded in front of her chest. Her light caramel hair that’s braided to the side stands out in the moonlight as her sapphire eyes are fixated on Zac in annoyance. “You didn’t have to come you know.” “Well I was expecting to see a meteor shower. Not a boring sky filled with boring stars.” He shoots back. Actually, the only reason Zac is in my front yard is because his parents are out of town on “top secret business.” Now, I don’t know if this is true, but Zac claims his parents actually work for Area 51. I know, it sounds totally bizarre, but I’m the first person outside of Zac’s family of three that Zac has told. Every time his parents go out of town on “top secret business” Zac comes to my house because his parents claim and I quote, “it’s safer for Zac here.” I have no idea what that means. But when they first gave me this information, it really made me nervous. Why would my house be safer for Zac than his own? Then that made me wonder what his parents actually did. I’ve asked Zac before, but even he doesn’t know. We both assume it has to do with aliens…but then again, I don’t believe in aliens. The whole idea of it just seems like a load of old rubbish. So instead of say-ing what I want to say since Jenny isn’t allowed to know of the secret, I say: “Zac came for you Jen. He’s got it bad for you.” Both Jenny and Zac turn bright red. “Bryce…” Zac growls at me and punches me hard in the shin. I wince but let out a good laugh. It’s pretty obvious they both like each other. Zac never really denies it every time I tease him about it. Jenny on the other hand, denies it all the time. It’s like she’s embarrassed or some-thing. But Jenny is a bad liar, and I know for a fact she’s lying when she says she doesn’t like Zac. “Oh look!” Jenny shrieks, “Bryce look!” She’s grabbing my shoulder and pointing to the sky with her free hand. It’s finally the moment all three of us have been waiting for. The legendary meteor shower everyone has been talking about for the past few weeks. First one meteor shoots across the sky, then another, and then multiple at once. Streaks of blue and red cut across the nighttime air, causing the sky to light up with breath taking beauty. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. “Wow…” I sigh, taking in the amazing scenery of the flying meteors. Zac is now on his feet, his eyes fixed on the shower. He moves silently next to Jenny and he actually takes her hand. And to my surprise, Jenny’s fingers intertwine with his. They both give me a quick glance. Zac grins and Jenny gives me a warm smile. I can’t help but smile too. All three pairs of our eyes turn back to the meteor shower. I feel nothing but pure happiness as I stand looking up at the sky. I feel like I could stay in this moment forever, until suddenly, something catches my eye. I freeze for a moment, my body tensing up. The thing I’m looking at is up in the sky. It’s right in the middle of the meteor shower. I know it’s a meteor, at least, I think it is. The only problem is, it looks way different than all the other ones. It looks bigger and brighter. A bright green color radiates off of it. And if I’m not mis-taken, it seems to be hurtling closer and closer to where the three of us are standing. “Guys…” I say finally, “do you see that?” Both of them seem dazed as the two of them come back to reality. “See what?” Jenny asks. I point up at the sky. Both of their eyes follow to where I am pointing. Once they see it, they both gasp. “Oh my God…” Jenny whis-pers, “is it me, or is it getting closer toward us?” The meteor seems to be heading right for us!!....

To be continued.....

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arT12 Vol 42 Issue 1

TrojanArt‘Nexus’ art show wows Northwestern by Kole Koterba

On Friday, April 19th, 2013, the NHS AP art students had their annual art show on display for the entire school. Their theme was “Nexus” which means a connection or series of connections linking two or more things. “I really like the art show,” said Lauren Bigham, “I like to see all of the AP student’s art, which is all REALLY good.” Students and teach-ers alike all around the school are amazed by the AP art students work. The class has ten students in all. Their names are Jordan Collins, Logan Childs, Kasandra Rios, Shelby Williams, David Miller, Ryan Cook, Emma Gilmore, Brianne Sul-livan, Stephanie Mansueti, and Maria Neal who are taught by Mrs. Grant. “I really liked putting on the art show,” said Logan Childs, “I liked the idea of connections and everyone getting to see our art.” Overall, the Nexus Art Show was a hit this year. The student’s art was incredible and everyone is eager to find out what the new batch of AP students have in store for us in the near future.

Logan Childs takes a minute to explain his portrait. Jordan Collins working on her latest painting.

Jordan Collins exhibit featured many differnt types of art. Alicia Sanchez and Brogan Gaskill viewing a student’s artwork.

Photos by Kole Koterba