March 2019

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THE

ROYAL NEWS VOL. XVII ISSUE 5

PRINCE GEORGE H.S. 7801 LAUREL SPRING RD., PRINCE GEORGE, VA 23875 WWW.TRNWIRED.ORG & @ROYALSMEDIANOW MARCH 15, 2019

JROTC PREPARES FOR ANNUAL MILITARY BALL P. 7 Senior Adrian Colon-Montalvo and sophomore Samuel Grady stand guard at the Military Ball. Colon-Montalvo and Grady have both been a part of the sabre tunnel.

Photos by Royals Media Staff.

What’s Inside? p. 5 Caffeine Addiction p. 14 Preparations for Pit Orchestra Begin

p. 15 Girls Tennis Takes On First Match Of Season p. 17 Dual Players Juggle Two Sports

Where are you going for spring break?

- Staying home 60% - Traveling in-state 13% - Traveling out-of-state 17% - Leaving the country 10%

*Twitter poll of 63 votes

2 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 3.15.19

OP/ED

Cheating Into College Is Not Fair Or Right

theRoyalNews

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ur mission as the school newspaper for Prince George High School is to provide a form of media that represents all aspects of student life.

The goal is to present factual accounts of newsworthy events in a timely manner. Our publication will be informative, entertaining and reflective of the student body’s opinions. It is the desire of the staff to reach every student and tell as many of their stories as possible.

We invite your commentary: The Royal News Opinion page is a forum for public discussion and shall be open to all students. The Royal News will print as many letters as space will allow. The Royal News reserves the right not to print a letter. The Royal News publishes a wide variety of opinions.

Send letters to: Letters to the Editor, The Royal News, PGHS, 7801 Laurel Spring Road, Prince George, Virginia 23875, or bring them to room A2, or e-mail them to trnwired@gmail.com.

We reserve the right to edit for clarity, brevity, accuracy, legality, spelling and grammar. Please include your name, address and phone number.

Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication. 500 word maximum. Thank you for the support this year. Please continue to communicate on trnwired.org.

Publication theft. A person commits the offense of publication theft when he or she willfully or knowingly obtains or exerts unauthorized control over more than three copies of an edition of a publication distributed on campus or in the surrounding community [with the intent to prevent other individuals from reading that edition of the publication]. A “publication” includes any periodical that is distributed on a complimentary or compensatory basis. In addition to the imposition of other campus disciplinary penalties, a person who violates this provision is responsible for compensating the publication for all reasonable costs incurred, including, where appropriate, the refund of advertising fees.

Section Editors

Front page: Anna Mitchell, Op/Ed: Claudia King, Features: Harmony Thomas, Doubletruck: Maddison Shawkey, A&E: Sarah Schrum, Sports: Masako Kaneko & Carter Marks, Photos: Shelby Hayes

Writers Nic Brown, Skylar Gibbs, Allison McCauley-Cook, Gabbey Miner, Deanna Nichols, Lisa Parker, Francesca Quinata, Victoria Taylor, Kaylaá White, Zach Yamaguchi, Katie Zevgolis Professional affiliations & awards Columbia Scholastic Press Associations Gold Medalist 2008-2016 CSPA Gold Crown Winner 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015 Virginia High School Association Trophy Class 2006-2017 Col. Charles Savedge Award for Sustained Excellence 2010, 2017 NSPA Online Pacemaker Winner 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 SIPA All Southern 2008-2015 The Royal News, PGHS trnwired.org 7801 Laurel Spring Road Prince George, Virginia 23875 804-733-2720 The Royal News is printed at The Progress-Index in Petersburg, Virginia

Editor-in-Chief Anna Mitchell

Managing Editor Maddison Shawkey

Adviser Chris Waugaman

Illustration by Claudia King.

America Has A Caffeine Problem

T

hough many people don’t realize it, caffeine could be considered the cornerstone of our society.

American culture is known for always being on-the-go. We are always intensely busy, whether we’re speeding so we aren’t late to work or squeezing in those hours to get a project done. Naturally, we cling to coffee, relishing in the extra energy from the caffeine inside. But that while that caffeine feels good, not all of its effects are actually beneficial.

A toxic dose of caffeine is 10 grams in adults. Thankfully, the average amount consumed is under 500 milligrams, so the toxic dose is not a threat most must worry about.

But we forget that caffeine is, technically, a drug. It normally is innocent, consumed at safe levels, so we forget what it really is: a stimulant and a psychoactive drug, which alters feelings, thoughts, and behavior. High doses of caffeine result in increased anxiety, higher blood pressure, and insomnia.

Since caffeine is relatively innocent compared to other drugs, and since the energy burst feels so good in the moment, we consume it in great

quantities. But over time, our bodies become accustomed to the chemical. It takes higher and higher doses to have a significant effect, and on days we go without, we feel worse and worse. Caffeine is addictive, as much as we may pretend it isn’t.

This doesn’t mean you have to cut out all caffeinated products. Caffeine naturally occurs in over 60 species of plant; it is nearly impossible to rid your body completely of it. Besides- caffeine, when consumed in appropriate levels, can actually be good for youand in more than one way. Aside from increased energy levels, consuming caffeine results in improved memory and motor coordination, and strengthens the ability to retain information.

The spike of energy caffeine provides also results in decreased fatigue and drowsiness.

So you can go ahead and keep drinking your coffee and eating your chocolate. You can eat and drink what you enjoy- just consider the effects caffeine can have on your body, and if you notice you’re experiencing more of the negative symptoms than the positive ones, take measures to reduce your caffeine intake and keep your body and mind healthy.

ou know what I hate more than anything in the world?

People who can buy their way to the top and act like that’s okay. We all know it’s not, it’s phony and disgraceful.

For those who do not know the viral scandal that has going on, let me fill you in. Hollywood actors, actresses, and other big name businesspeople have been caught bribing big and wellknown colleges to get their kids into the schools and SAT proctors to change children’s answers on their tests to raise MARISA KARGBO their score for a better chance of them being accepted.

Now I don’t know about you, but this made me sick to my stomach.

How dare you? How dare you rich parents make it easy for your kid to get into another’s dream college.

Children in households with less incomes than you go out there every day and work their butts off to get a solid grade or even go above and beyond those around them to gain the attention of the college of their choice.

I understand applying and getting into college is a competition, but it is one that must be earned, not paid off. And how dare you colleges? Most of the ones I saw in this scandal are ones I looked up to and strived to win over, and now I look at them in disgust.

Imagine how all the hardworking kids who stayed up all night doing their homework and studying for a test trying to pass with a 4.0 are turned down while some rich kid is breezing through life knowing mommy will pay for their path to success. This is beyond unfair.

I really hope those who have had issues with college acceptance understand that they are way better than the places they strived towards.

You keep working hard, you’ll get your just rewards… the ones you actually earned without the help of anyone.

FRIDAY 3.15.19 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 3

OP/ED

Smoking Regulations Match Drinking Regulations

A recent Virginia law has raised the age requirement for purchasing tobacco products from 18 to 21. More and more states are jumping on the bandwagon and adopting the heightened age restriction. Does Virginia have the right to mandate what goes in your body, and when?

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ecently the state of Virginia passed HB 2748, which will take effect on July first. This Bill raises the legal age to purchase and carry tobacco products from 18 to 21. The main goal of the bill is to curb the amount of students using new and dangerous tobacco products.

Virginia is joining the rising numbers of states who passed laws similar to HB 2748, hoping for a healthier future by giving students longer for their brains to develop before they can legally make bad decisions. Although this bill will mean something different to adolescent who already smoke, the future generation will now have a better chance to be completely tobacco free.

Nearly all tobacco users become addicted before age 21. Adolescents and young adults are more susceptible to nicotine effects because their brains are still developing. Even e-cigarettes are harmful. One Juul pod, the most popular e-cigarette among students, has the same nicotine content as 20 regular cigarettes. The issue of this is that tobacco companies make these products appealing to minors, coming in fruity or sweet flavors that cause them to become even more addicting than regular cigarettes. Increasing the age to buy tobacco to 21 will counter the marketing of tobacco companies, who regularly market to teens and young adults. Changing the market focus of these companies will, in turn, lower the addiction rate in teens.

Addictions are difficult to combat, especially tobacco addictions. People of any age can become addicted to harmful substances. With the passing of the new bill, many minors will have to start facing their addictions and, for some, even overcome it. This is going to be a big step in the process of a completely tobacco free future.

PRO CON SARAH SCHRUM

KAYLAÁ WHITE

“Adolescents and young adults are more susceptible to nicotine effects because their brains are still developing.”

“Although the right to smoke isn’t directly protected by our constitution, it is a legal personal choice included in our unalienable rights.”

“Increasing the age to buy tobacco to 21 will counter the marketing of tobacco companies, who regularly market to teens and young adults.”

A

s American citizens, we are guaranteed unalienable rights, and although the right to smoke isn’t directly protected by our constitution, it is a legal personal choice included in our unalienable rights. As a society, we’ve done our job by making people aware of smoking risks and limiting tobacco advertisement in inner-city areas that are target communities for tobacco consumption.

The National Institute on Drug Institute says that teens are more likely to smoke e-cigarettes, but the highest percentage of these teens are high school seniors who are already or close to the age of 18- the legal age of tobacco consumption in the past. In the end, the only way to halt teen smoking is more parental supervision in teens’ lives. While it may seem overbearing, if parents are monitoring your every move, the teens won’t be able to smoke. Although a percentage of these teens are exposed to tobacco by their peers, most were exposed to the products by advertisements.

Progress has been made towards restricting tobacco ads, but we cannot completely get rid of them, because they are protected by the 1st Amendment. Federal law regulates the manner in which tobacco is advertised. Regulations include a warning statement in at least a twelve point font, upper placement in the ad, and a legible font.

In states where this bill has already been implemented, tobacco prices have risen. Now, in Richmond, the Altria Company has voiced its support for this bill, giving the company more money for tobacco production and advertising, which doesn’t solve the problem.

This bill also excludes active military personnel.

While this is understandable, it is important to note that in American history, we’ve run into problems when we only give a percentage of the population privileges. If you are old enough to serve your country, then you are old enough to indulge in tobacco products.

4 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 3.15.19

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FRIDAY 3.15.19 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 5

THE WEEKS AHEAD

DECA Lock-In

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ECA will hold a lock-in for fashion show participants that are preparing for the show from Friday, March 13 at 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM the next morning. DECA’s sponsor

Kimberly Beales expresses her excitement and pride for the participants in both the lock-in and the fashion show.

March Teacher of the Month of is Michael Warnock

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arch 2019’s Teacher of the Month award goes to Michael Warnock. Warnock conducts both the Concert and Symphonic Bands, as well as [winter guard, marching band, pit orchestra????]. Warnock also teaches Music Appreciation.

Congrats, Warnock, and thank you for all of your hard work.

Annual DECA Fashion Show

ThisABILITY Seventh Annual Festival

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hisABILITY 7th annual “Autism Awareness” Family Festival A festival that shares awareness and fundraiser presented by Dominion Energy and AETNA Better Health of Virginia. The family friendly event includes several activities including face paintings, entertainment, music bounce houses, and 70+ other vendors. Saturday, April 03, 2019, 4:00-8:00 PM

D

ECA presents the annual fashion show on March 22, 2019 at 7:30 PM. Tickets are three dollars in advance and five dollars at the door. The doors open at 7:00. Come check out the show, packed full of beautiful clothing and lots of action.

6 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 3.15.19

FEATURES

Caffeine Addiction Spreads Throughout Nation Allison McCauley-Cook TRN Writer

CAFFEINE: Side effects may include ...

E

ach morning in the halls, students and teachers alike can be spotted drinking caffeinated drinks to help kick start their day.

Though contributing to an extra boost in the morning, caffeine is a popular substance many people become reliant on, for some even becoming an addiction.

March is National Caffeine Awareness Month, the purpose is to bring awareness to the effects caffeine can have on the body. School Nurse Tanya Bryant explains that caffeine is a substance that can lead to an addiction because of its stimulant properties. Be it through coffee, energy drinks, or soda, students and teachers at the high school are not an exception to the amounts of people who are hooked on caffeine. “[Caffeine] increases heart rate, makes the blood pressure go up… it makes people more jittery, which makes it more difficult to fall asleep, it is a stimulant, caffeine, that is what it does, so people routinely take it to stay awake,” Bryant said.

Despite warnings of the negative effects to the body senior Jacob Martin has been drinking Monster Energy Drinks for nearly two years.

“I don’t feel like I need [the caffeine] but I really do like it … caffeine acts as something that kind of focuses me instead of giving me so much energy that I don’t know what to do with it,” Martin said.

Energy drinks, soda, and even creams that can be added to coffee can come in almost any flavor, making the daily dose of caffeine taste better than

WHY SHOULD YOU AVOID

a fast and irregular heart rhythms high blood pressure migraines or other chronic headaches ever. History teacher Kendall Warren says the added flavors can take away from the main purpose of drinking caffeinated beverages.

“I used to drink probably a 12 pack of Coke a day … I needed the caffeine, and the Coke had sugar in it, it wasn’t good.

That is why I drink my coffee black, because you’re not getting anything out of it if you’re gonna put sugar and milk,” Warren said.

A pot and a half of coffee is on average the amount of coffee Warren consumes in just one day.

Coffee is the healthier alternative to the sugar-filled sodas so many people drink daily. Coffee contains 0 grams of sugar, one 12 ounce can of soda contains upwards of 39 grams of sugar. For both junior Brooke Lawrence and Warren, when soda became too sugary it was time to make the switch to coffee.

“I probably drank one or two [sodas] a day … it got to the point where if I didn’t drink it my head would start to hurt really bad, I wouldn’t feel good,” Lawrence said. “I drink a lot of coffee … I don’t drink it black but if I get it from somewhere I usually get caramel type, but when I

History teacher Kendall Warren drinks his morning coffee to start off his day. Warren drinks a pot and a half of coffee a day.

Photo by Shelby Hayes.

make it at home, usually sugar and Half and Half.”

School work, having jobs, and just staying up later are big contributors to reasons why so many people become reliant on coffee, sodas, and energy drinks, and other types of caffeinated drinks.

“I work six out of seven days a week for the different jobs I do, so if I feel myself starting to get tired, I’ll get a Red Bull, or a Monster, caffeine is a really big issue for me,” Lawrence said.

While caffeine is a known stimulant that gives a rush of energy to the brain, it does not always affect the sleep schedule for some people, like Martin.

“I can drink a Monster at like eight thirty, eight o’clock, and I’ll be still fine, and get a decent night’s sleep, actually, so it hasn’t impacted me much, besides keeping me focused,” Martin said.

dizziness frequent anxiety dehydration sleeping disorders such as insomnia

Information provided by: https:// medlineplus.gov/ caffeine.html

FRIDAY 3.15.19 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 7

FEATURES

JROTC Prepares For Annual Military Ball Francesca Quinata

I

TRN Writer

t is March 16 at 5:30 PM. From new to returning, JROTC cadets begin to enter the venue arms locked with their dates. Each cadet is dressed head to toe in their service uniforms and formal dresses and they all wait in a line to get in. As they walk in, the excitement in the room fills as the night begins.

The Military Ball is a formal event for the JROTC cadets to have a night to enjoy a dance that includes military traditions. To meet military traditions and courtesy, the ball requires numerous amounts of preparations to be done such as scheduling and rehearsing.

This year, the venue and tickets have changed for the ball, as well as the senior leadership.

“All of the cadets are involved, the instructors and guest speakers [are involved],” Sergeant Major Artis said.

“They have to act accordingly to the traditions and customs of the military when they go there.”

Artis explains that all of the cadets are a part of the ball. They each must act accordingly while following the military traditions. Although all cadets have responsibilities, some cadets have bigger responsibilities than others, like senior Alexis Mitchell, who is a part of the preparation committee for the ball this year.

As part of the preparation committee, Mitchell’s job entails collecting all supplies and materials needed to run the ball. Mitchell also helps in assisting and designing the whole event.

“The hardest part of the preparation process is the organization of everything. There are 210 cadets in the

program, and we have to make sure everyone is able to attend, as well as organize the venue itself in order to maintain an organized event,” Mitchell said.

Although the Military Ball is a night for the JROTC cadets to enjoy themselves, people like Mitchell have big roles that require lots of responsibilities so everything goes according to plan.

Mitchell defines the hardest part of her job as the organization of the great number of people in one room at a time.

“I decided to participate in the preparation process because I am able to effectively design and organize decorations, as well as assist in all areas of the preparation process in order to make this ball the best one we’ve ever had,” Mitchell said.

While the preparation process has many responsibilities, Mitchell enjoys her job because it allows to her to help

others. Mitchell found that one of her strengths was design and organization skills, so she decided to join the preparation committee to put her skills to work. After all her hard work is done, Mitchell is excited to participate in the senior walk at the event.

“I am looking forward to the senior walk, where all JROTC seniors are honored by walking through a saber tunnel and their names are read off as well as a small information section [about them],” Mitchell said.

Another cadet looking forward to the event is junior Mason Kienzler. Kienzler has been going to the Military Ball since his freshman year and has gained responsibilities since then.

“For the color guard we post the colors and for the honor guard we have a saber tunnel that honors all of the seniors,” Kienzler said

The honor guard marches in for the Military Ball in 2017 to set up the saber tunnel. The saber tunnel is only for seniors to walk through and have their names read off.

Photo by Taylar Bauschatz.

This year, Kienzler has taken the responsibility of being in charge of both the honor guard and the color guard.

For each event, Kienzler and the cadets practice in the morning prior to the ball.

Then he comes to the event early to make sure all of the cadets are squared away.

“The Military Ball is just a great experience. I have responsibilities at the ball that require me to attend but I would still go if I didn’t have to. It’s a great experience to be at a formal event like that,” Kienzler said.

8 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 3.15.19

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A&E Choral Students Prepare For Assessments Anna Mitchell

Editor-in-Chief

T

he choral students conclude their first semester with a concert, holiday but they do not forget all that they have learned once it is time to scrap their winter music for spring music.

A semester and a half of hard work cumulates every March when the students attend the District III Choral Assessment.

The district assessment will be held at PG for the second year in a row. Similar to the district assessment for the band, the choir assessment involves both a rehearsed performance and a sight singing test.

Sight reading is considered by many students to be one of the more challenging parts of the district assessment. Students are given a short piece of music that they have never seen before and given a brief amount of time to look over it. They may rehearse individually or with the other students, but they are only allowed limited help from the teacher. After their practice time is up, they perform the piece and are graded accordingly.

For senior Malcolm Merhout, the most difficult part about sight reading is keeping up with the timing of the piece.

“The most challenging part about sight reading is definitely the timing of notes- quarter notes versus half notes [are difficult], and different rests and rhythms that you have to pick up for sight reading,” Merhout

said, referring to the different durations of various notes.

Sophomore Emma WoodwardBurdett agrees on how difficult it is to sight read music.

“For a lot of people [the hard part is] just trying to keep rhythms at the same time,” Woodward-Burdett said.

“You have to be very focused on [the music].”

Senior Adina Purdel is one of two managers of the Chamber Singers. She works to ensure that she is always as prepared as she can be, no matter how big the performance or difficult the song.

This includes practicing just as diligently at home as she does in

Sophomores Abbie Glazier (left) and Laci Lipford (right) sight read on stage. Both the Treble Chorale and the Chamber choir sight read a short piece as part of their performances at the Spring Fling. Photo by Ashton Lohnes.

class in order to secure her group’s success.

“I try and look over my music about once a day and work on trouble spots,” Purdel said. “I listen to tracks on YouTube … [and look] over them a little bit each day to make sure I’m staying on top of things.”

Students in all three choirs are led by conductor Storm Burks.

Burks does not require that his students must receive the top score or win awards for best-in-show. Burks’ goal is not absolute perfection- it is simply to help his students learn and grow into the best, most hardworking musicians they can be.

“Getting graded at assessments or any music festival is a byproduct of hard work and good musicianship,” Burks said. “I don’t like to think about playing to the level of competition from other schools or things like that. I just want my students to make the best music that they can possibly make. ... We put our best selves out there, so I’m proud of my kids if they feel like they had a successful performance.”

Afterwards, Burks will use the critiques and comments the judges have given him to strengthen his choirs for next year’s assessment.

“I look forward to the feedback I get from critically acclaimed musicians,” Burks said.

Burks is excited to learn from the choirs in neighboring counties, as well.

“I’m looking forward to hearing other choirs. I love getting with the other directors from other schools, and seeing how they work, and what energies their choirs bring, and what are some of their strengths and weaknesses, and how do we compare, and what are things we can work on,” Burks said. “What does a high school [musician] look like at Monacan? What does it look like at Thomas Dale? What does it look like at Colonial Heights? Those are goals for [next] year.”

12 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 3.15.19

A&E

Passion For Fashion Takes Over

MAN ON THE STREET

Victoria Taylor

A

TRN Writer

s 2018 came to an end, another year began for one of the most student run events in Prince George, the fashion show.

The fashion marketing teacher and head coordinator for her 11th year of the fashion show, Kim Beales, is preparing her students for the big event that every student is talking about.

“My advanced fashion class starts by creating the show in October and tryouts [were] held in the middle of January,” Beales said.

Beales’s students in advanced fashion class were the ones helping create and bring everything together.

The start of the event, when she gets to meet everyone participating, new or returning and the end event, when everyone gets to see the entire show full out, is Beales’s favorite part about the Fashion Show.

“It always amazes me how it all comes together,” Beales said.

The entire completion of the fashion show and how it all looks in the end is astonishing to Beales. “[There are] about 100 people involved. We have asked band to help, 70 models and dancers this year plus workers,” Beales said.

There are many people that are involved in this event, either on stage work, backstage work, or just helping out in the fashion show in general.

Every member has a different aspect they enjoy. The designing and clothing choice is junior Alliyah Riley’s favorite part.

“The themes are different, how

Junior Mark Hutson

“I enjoy expressing myself in a way where others can look and see that I went out of my comfort zone.”

many people we have in the set and we really didn’t have coordinated colors as much as last year,” Riley said.

These dancers and models have to be sure to make room in their schedules to commit to this show.

“There has been a lot of practice and a lot of out of school research like looking at clothes and watching videos of other models on the runway,” sophomore Maylahnne Tercero said.

Seeing the fashion show last year is what influenced Tercero to participate this year.

“The dances are much harder than last year,” Tercero said. “They are difficult but Ms. Beales is putting in more practices for the dances this year.”

This year’s fashion show is stepping it up in dances and the dancers are having more rehearsals to perfect them.

“You get to meet a lot of other people like upperclassmen and just kind of get involved in something fun

Kim Beales takes the stage with her performing students. Beales has coordinated the fashion show for over a decade.

Photo by Wessam Hazaymeh. that is also part of the school,” Tercero said.

The fashion show does not only get students involved in school events or make them want to perform dances or walk down a runway, it also pushes them to become social with other classmates and meet new people.

All the students that are participating in the fashion show are getting themselves ready for the big day taking place on March 22. According to the many students involved in this event are more engaged in it then they thought they were going to be in the beginning. “[You] just have [to have] heels and know how to walk,” Riley said, encouraging others to be a part of the show in upcoming years.

Senior Anjl Powell

“What I most enjoy about the fashion show is the dancing part because that’s what I came for.”

Junior Tatiyanna Johnson

“It gives students a chance to express themselves with certain styles.”

FRIDAY 3.15.19 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 13

A&E

A

pex legends is the new Battle Royale game that has been taking the gaming community by storm. This free game made by the same developers as the Titanfall series is high paced and action packed.

With a map smaller than most Battle Royales and on 60 players instead of 100, this game is filled with intense gun fights and adrenaline packed combat.

Before the game begins you and your other squad members chose a specialist. This part of the game is a little bit like Rainbow Six Siege where each member of your

GAMER'S CORNER

squad chooses a specialist that can only be chosen once. You choose one of eight specialists: Bangalore, BloodHound, Caustic, Gibraltar, Lifeline, Mirage, Pathfinder, and Wraith. Each of these specialists has a special ability that benefits you in fighting enemies or aiding you and your teammates with health.

At the start of the game you Nic Brown and your squad of three jump out of the aircraft. One player is the Jumpmaster while the other two players in the squad have the choice to either follow, or go their own way from the jump master. Once you land you

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search the buildings and supply pods scattered throughout the map. Placed in the buildings and supply pods are 21 different types of weapons, along with armor, helmets, attachments, health packs, and various other things.

After you get your gear you make sure to stay in the circle that closes every three minutes and your only

Photo courtesy of Eurogamer.net.

goal is to win, survive and become the next Apex Legend.

Overall this game is a thriller for anyone who is tired of Fortnite and looking for a new game to replace it, this is the one for you.

I rate this game an 9.2/10. Thanks for reading gamers. Good luck, have fun, and game on.

14 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 3.15.19

A&E

MEET THE

Preparations For Pit Orchestra Begin

MUSICIANS

Zachary Yamaguchi

P

TRN Writer

it orchestra is something that Prince George hasn’t had in a play for several years.

However, for this year’s play, Into the Woods, they have decided to bring it back.

Pit orchestra is live music that is performed during a play.

School theatre requires copious amounts of work in a little amount of time, and because of this, not everything can be included. Unfortunately, the theater community hasn’t been able to include a pit orchestra in some time. With the news of this addition to the musical, many students and teachers are looking forward to it.

Band director Michael Warnock explains that the school wanted to explore mixing the various arts programs.

“We wanted to try to get the instrumental music program involved with the spring musical this year,” Warnock said.

With this recent change, many people believe the school play will be more exciting and authentic. The difference between live music and prerecorded is substantial, and can be the difference between a good play and a great one.

“The last time I conducted a play [with live music] was Mr. Phillips’ first year here,” Warnock said.

Live music is one of those things where you wouldn’t think it would be that big of a difference, but that

Senior Thaddius Durham will be playing the trumpet.

Senior Matthew Trumble will be playing the mallets.

couldn’t be further from the truth.

There’s something about it that enhances the play so much more than you would expect. There are always reasons to be excited about the plays, but in this case, there is even more buildup because there hasn’t been live music in so long.

“We’re all pretty excited about it and as the play gets closer, it will only grow,” junior Jordan Nugent said.

The ideal pit orchestra complements the scenes and the overall play and helps bring out the emotion

The students participating in pit orchestra hold up their instruments. This is the first time in years that a PG Players production will have pit orchestra.

Photo by Sarah Schrum. for the viewers. While pit orchestra is a great addition to a play, it does take a lot of work and preparation to accomplish.

“I love pit orchestra because it puts two talented groups together and when done right, they work really well together,” Phillips said.

Junior Jordan Nugent will be playing the xylophone.

Junior Morgan Parker will be playing the baritone.

FRIDAY 3.15 .19 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 15

PH TO GALLERY

Girls Tennis Takes On First Match Of Season 1. Senior Genesis Sanchez prepares to hit the ball back across the net. Sanchez played the three seed for singles and two seed for doubles. Photo by Francesca Quinata.

2. Senior Sudie Halder makes a strong and swift serve against the opposing team. Halder and Nina Tran hold the number one spot for doubles. Photo by Francesca Quinata.

3. Senior Sela McDowell volleys at the net.

McDowell is number three doubles. Photo by Francesca Quinata.

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4. Senior Nina Tran hits a forehand to the other side of the net and scores the point. Tran won her singles and doubles match against Highland Springs. Photo by Francesca Quinata.

5. Junior Taylor Tennant adjusts her position to serve the ball. Tennant enjoys the social aspect of the tennis team and playing matches against good teams. Photo by Francesca Quinata.

6. Junior Hanna Kellar takes slices the ball as it softly crosses the net. Kellar warmed up for the number three seed doubles. Photo by Francesca Quinata.

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For more photos of girls tennis go to www.trnwired.smugmug.com

16 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 3.15.19

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3.15.19 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 17

SPRING SPORTS

Dual Players Juggle Two Sports

Senior Spotlight Abby Jones

Varsity Girls Tennis

Deana Nichols

TRN Writer

A

s the school soccer season kicks into full gear and the academic school year comes to a close, with SOLs, Advanced Placement, and Dual Enrollment exams right around the corner, senior Maya Calhoun has to find time to balance playing soccer, running track, studying for upcoming exams, and working a job.

Calhoun is currently in AP Environmental Science and Honors English 12. She works at a gym on Fort Lee military base.

“You have to remember that you still have schoolwork in between all the stuff.

When I get home, I try to think about it on the way home- what I need to do and how much time I need to do it, ” Calhoun said.

Running track during the indoor season keeps Calhoun in shape and builds her strength for the school soccer season.

“It definitely helps me with endurance. It also helps you with speed,” Calhoun said. “Track, for me, [is] mentally harder. To go into something harder and then go into something a little bit easier on your mind, per se, it’s better.”

Even with soccer practices and games during the week, Calhoun is still able compete in track meets over the weekend for the outdoor track team. She participates in the long jump as well as the 4x100 relay for the outdoor team.

The hardest part for Calhoun is finding a way to maintain healthy eating habits to keep her in shape.

“Eating good food in between is the hardest part,” said Calhoun.

What got you into tennis?

When I was a kid my family used to play at the beach. I knew how to play and how the rules worked, but I didn’t start playing until my older brother played in high school and I just followed after him.

Calhoun started running track for Prince George this past indoor track season. The girls’ 4x200 meter relay team broke the previous school record for the fastest time with 1:48.90 meet during the indoor track season. Calhoun was the fourth leg, or anchor- the last person to run- for the girls relay team.

“It was awesome [to beat the school record]. We were like 0.8 seconds shy of states,” Calhoun said. “But beating the record was still cool.”

Calhoun is not the only one on the team with a full plate. Senior Sydney Bartlett also runs track, plays soccer, has a job, and is in Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment classes.

“I am in AP Environmental Science, D/E English, D/E Sociology, and D/E Probability and Statistics,” Bartlett said.

Last year was Bartlett’s first season having to balance having a job and playing soccer. Bartlett started working at The Boathouse in Hopewell a little over a

Senior Sydney Bartlett takes the ball and begins to travel up the field.

Bartlett and her teamates went on to beat Henrico 5-0.

Photo by Emily Whitehead.

year ago.

Along with playing soccer and working, Bartlett still finds time to complete her school work and participate in extracurricular activities. She is an active member in the PGHS Student Government Association.

Bartlett has been playing soccer since she was six. She is involved in soccer most of the year, playing on a travel team during the offseason as well as being a part of the school’s varsity team.

Bartlett is able to successfully balance her workload, but the hardest part for her is finding time for anything extra.

“It’s hard finding time. It’s hard finding time to sleep and to hang out with my friends,” Bartlett said. “It’s very overwhelming but I just do it.”

How long have you been playing tennis?

I have been playing against people since tenth grade, but just playing for or with my family since I was a kid.

Do you see tennis as your future career?

I’m not good enough for that and most girls who go professional... I’m too old for that. They usually go pro at sixteen. So I could never do that as a career. Maybe giving lessons to people who want to play tennis.

What is your favorite Netflix show?

I really like Planet Earth and Planet Earth 2. Those are just the best ones.

I like learning about animals. I also like Forensic Files.

What do you do during the off season?

I play other sports. Overall I’m very active - not much regarding tennis, but I run a lot. I did field hockey so I worked with that. I’m a lifeguard so I swim all the time and basically stay in shape.

18 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 3.15.19

SPRINGSPORTS

Wyatt Travels With His Game Nic Brown

A

TRN Writer

s the season closed for the Prince George boys varsity volleyball team, sophomore outside hitter, Mitchell Wyatt’s season was just beginning with the Richmond Volleyball Club (RVC) national volleyball team.

The RVC was founded in 1981 and according to their mission statement from their website, “is dedicated to providing a lifetime of opportunity through the sport of volleyball by promoting interest in the sport, teaching and developing skills and techniques, fostering teamwork, sportsmanship, and an appreciation for health and wellness.” The club has over 2400 members, 600 of which are involved in their junior program.

Wyatt was introduced to the RVC by fellow players that reached out to him and encouraged him to try out for the team. After two days of rigorous tryouts in November, he was selected to be a part of the Richmond Volleyball Club 16-1 National travel team. Donning jersey #4, Wyatt plays the opposite and outside hitter positions for his team. With the team, Wyatt has traveled to Chicago, Pennsylvania, and Florida as well as more local places like George Mason University. The RVC 16-1 National Travel Team is currently ranked 13 out of 36 teams across the nation.

“Travel ball is different from school

ball ... it’s a little more intense, especially when going to a different state and playing back to back for days at a time,” Wyatt said.

Having already played three years for the school, Mitchell feels that there are differences between school ball and travel ball. With all the travelling, there is no wonder that it can be very tiring and stressful, however there is nothing about travel ball that Wyatt does not like and he would recommend it to anyone.

“I’ve gotten the opportunity to play with many great players during [the] school season and travel, but the main thing is to have a good relationship with all of your teammates to benefit your team the best you can,” Wyatt said.

Whether playing for school or travelling with the RVC travel team, Mitchell is an important part of the team. It’s safe to bet that Mitchell’s teammates rely on him just as much as he relies on them.

Playing travel ball has allowed Mitchell to improve his game and gain experience. While he will generally play the same position, he has had the opportunity to play and learn all positions.

This offseason practice has allowed him to bring a stronger skillset to the high school varsity team.

Even though Mitchell is a sophomore, his eyes are still set on his future.

“Multiple schools send coaches to every tournament to scout usually,” Wyatt said. “I have talked to college coaches at tournaments. I am looking at Randolph Macon and George Mason.”

RVC Tournament Destinations Chicago, Illinois

Orlando, Florida

Jacksonville, Florida

Harrisburg, Penn

Sophomore Mitchell Wyatt watches his kill after it rolls off of the defensive block during this past fall season. Wyatt has plans to continue playing volleyball at either Randolph Macon or George Mason.

Photo by Monica Thompson.

Tulsa, Oklahoma

SPRING SPORTS

Boys Tennis Prepares Young Team Gabbey Miner

Current Top Six Singles

1

TRN Writer

S

weat drips down junior Max Bennett’s face as he throws the tennis ball in the air for the first serve, and all his hard work and training pay off as he serves an ace. Bennett is one of many juniors and sophomores that compose the tennis team, with only one senior, Alexander Pino, on the roster.

“It is a lot different, as instead of me being a younger player who is learning from the older ones, it is the opposite way around, and it is a lot more fun in my opinion,” Bennett said.

Returning juniors are the team’s main source of peer leadership since the only senior on the team is playing for the first time this year. This has led to the juniors having to be leaders while still learning and developing their skills as well.

“It’s a lot of fun helping and teaching the younger players things I have learned over the years, in which Carter and I are like mentors to our younger teammates,” Bennett said. “I try to help the younger ones as much as possible to get this team as good as we can.”

Another form of leadership is the one senior on the team, Pino. Although it is Pino’s first year playing tennis he has played other varsity sports, including volleyball, that have given him experience with leading a team.

“I feel as if it is my responsibility to guide my peers to be the best people and teammates they can be no matter the sport. So even if it is my first year I still make sure that everyone around

3.15.19 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 19

Junior Max Bennett

2

Junior Carter Marks me keeps their head in the game and their spirits up,” Pino said.

A young team has many advantages, long-term and short-term. A long-term beneficial effect of having a younger team includes the longevity potential for the next years of the team.

While, a fresh look at techniques, an increase of energy, and an opportunity to mold new players with no prior knowledge of the sport are short-term advantages of a youthful team.

“The advantage is you are going to have more longevity potentially. So, I’ve got a lot of juniors and a lot of sophomores, so that means next year I should have a lot of seniors and a lot of juniors, and then the next year a lot of seniors,” Tennis Coach Matthew Weston said. “It gives you two to three years after the season of solid participation, hopefully.”

In contrast, there are also disadvantages to having a predominately youthful team. Downfalls to a team of underclassmen include more time spent teaching rather than developing skills, and lack of upperclassmen leadership.

“Young teams require a little bit more support, they don’t necessarily

Junior Max Bennett gets warmed up for a tennis match against Matoaca last year. Bennett has been ranked number one for two seasons and has been playing since eighth grade.

Photo by Royals Media Staff.

know what they are doing, they don’t know what to expect. They get caught in scenarios that they don’t know how to adjust to, so you just have to talk them through it a little bit more than a more experienced team. The other side of it is you don’t have any leaders that are used to going through the process,” Weston said.

The tennis season has just begun and many of the players have personal goals for the rest of the season already set in mind of either making the top six or playing in regionals. However, Weston has a different viewpoint on the gals for the team.

“The goal is to get them acclimated and to grow quickly in the first half of the season. So that we can come back in the back half of the season and be a lot more productive and be ready for the tournaments,” Weston said.

3

Junior Mark Hudson

4

Junior Mason Kienzler

5

Freshman Colby Weston

6

Sophomore Garrett Wohnig

SPRING SPORTS

UPCOMING EVENTS

>>

Varsity Boys Soccer home game against Colonial Heights on Tue. Mar. 19 at 6 PM.

Boys Tennis Varsity Girls Outdoor Softball plays >> Varsity >>Varsity competes against J.R. >>Track meet on Wed, against J.R. Tucker @ Tucker away on Wed, Mar. 20 at 4:30 PM.

Mar. 20 @ Petersburg High School at 3:30 PM.

Prince George High School on Thurs., Mar. 21 at 5PM.

Designated Hitters Step Up To The Plate Carter Marks

A

Sports Editor

Junior Jake Farrar stands in as the pitcher winds up. Farrar hit a three run home run in his only at bat against Henrico in the team’s home opener.

Photo by Madison Winner.

For more photos of from this game scan this QR code.

s the third out is recorded and the Lady Royals jog off the field, they knew they had work to do because of the errors they just allowed.

Then designated hitter senior Madison Quesenberry stepped into the box and waited for the Cosby pitcher to deliver the ball.

With this being her first at bat, she is trying to catch on to the patterns that the pitcher has. But for Quesenberry, her first at bat was common.

“I hit a home run at my first at bat to bring us back in the lead from an inning of errors,” Quesenberry said.

Quesenberry would come up at the end of this game and her plate appearance ended very much similar to her first one- a two run home run. “...towards the end of the game I came up again and hit a two run home run to bring the team further ahead,” Quesenberry said.

Designated hitters are positions in both softball and baseball who are in the batting lineup but are not on the field for defense. They are usually a better batter than one of the players out in the field.

That is when the designated hitter steps up to the plate and bats for the fielder.

About 10 years ago, Virginia High School League (VHSL) put in a rule in

which composite bats were banned for high school games and now BBCOR will be the new bats. They banned these bats for the safety of the pitcher and his infielders. Also, for pitchers, this meant the ball did not travel as far after the batters made contact with the ball.

“I never really played in this time but when you turn 15 you have to swing BBCOR,” sophomore pitcher Dylan Bowen said. “I’m okay with it, because we all get stronger with age and as a pitcher I was really happy because that meant less home runs get hit off of you.”

For designated hitters, this rule change really changed the aspect of the game. It went from a power league to a league in which you now have to get on base and have your teammates knock you in.

If you ever catch a baseball player with their baseball bag, you notice that they usually have two bats. It could vary from a wood bat and their regular bat to two of the same type of bat. This all just depends on the player.

“I carry my bat that I use all the time and I carry a wood bat,” Bowen said. “I bring the wood bat because sometimes you do drills that could mess up your bat and you don’t want to break a $400 bat.”

With rule changes come positive and negative aspects to every part in life.

With a new bill or law passed, there will always be supporters and an opposing party. As players, they have to stay a step ahead of the rules so they know how to perfect their game.