Prince George H.S. - 7801 Laurel Spring Rd. Prince George, VA 23875 - www.trnwired.org -November 6, 2015
R N ROYALNEWS
NEW DESTINATION FOR PROM p. 6 p. 10-11 NEW SYSTEM PROTECTS EDUCATIONAL GROUNDS
p. 13 PERISCOPE SPARKS INTEREST p. 17 WRESTLING TEAM CAPTAINS GRADUATE, LEAVING THREE POSITIONS EMPTY
Volume XIV Issue 2 Free
Single Copy Only
Senior Jose Zepeda and junior Abby Harrell walk to the entrance of The Civic Center in Petersburg, Virginia. The Civic Center will be the new destination for prom. Photo by April Buckles. Visit trnwired.org to see the latest photo galleries and watch live broadcast events.
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OP/ED
Confederate
Flag Causes Controversy
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/Briefs: April Buckles, Op/Ed: Alexis Stewart, Features: Ryan Albright, Doubletruck: Hydeia Nutt, A&E: Chance Thweatt Sports: Madison Strang and Paul Dennis, Jr., Photo Editor: Ebony Gilchrist - Business & Ad Editor: Daniel Puryear, Online Editor-inChief: Alesondra Adams-Special Edition Editor-In-Chief Madison Strang and Ebony Gilchrist
Writers Aaliyah Cooper- Katherine Iwanski- Madison FosterWayne Coleman- Morgan Eminhizer- Willow HartCarlee Lively- Jacob Wood
Editor-in-Chief Ryan Albright
Managing Editor Daniel Puryear
Business Manager Daniel Puryear
Adviser
Chris Waugaman
Professional affiliations & awards Columbia Scholastic Press Associations Gold Medalist 2008-2015 CSPA Gold Crown Winner 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015 Virginia High School Association Trophy Class 2006-2013 & 2015 Col. Charles Savedge Award for Sustained Excellence 2010 NSPA Online Pacemaker Winner 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015 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
Illustration by Rosemarie Hopkins
Powderpuff Draft Causes Commotion Amongst Students
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owder Puff is usually fun for both the girls who become football players and boys who become cheerleaders and dancers. However, over the last couple of years there has been a growing controversy over the teams being stacked so that the best female athletes always made the team, instead of it being a fair draw of players. In reaction to this controversy, there was a recorded, randomly drawn draft held in the library. Now that the teams were completely random, there was still just as much controversy over the teams. This time, it was people saying that the selection of teams was unfair because some of the girls that were chosen were not good athletes, and others that were left off the team were good athletes that would have impacted the teams in a good way. You can either have it one way or the other. You cannot have completely even and random teams without people getting left off of the teams. Another way to pick the teams for Powderpuff could be to go back to the brutal playground way of things. The coaches of the junior and senior teams could actually hold a real draft of players, where they get to pick from the pool of girls who signed up. This would make it so that the teams would be fairly even, and if the girls were really
good athletes, they would most likely not be left off of the team. The bad thing about the form of draft would be that there would be girls who would not get drafted or those who got drafted near the end. That would bring about negative feelings and comments about the coaches choice of selection, the players, and even the parents would probably get involved. A second option to the draft, that also would have fault found with it, would be if the class of the girls that were getting picks were not a factor in the draft. Both the junior girls and the senior girls that signed up were grouped together and then they were randomly picked out of a hat. Or even better, if they were assigned a number and selected by a lottery machine. That way, there is not way anyone can complain about the teams not being completely random and fair, because the teams would be selected out of the whole pool of players, instead of by class. And that way, the teams are absolutely fair because there is no way a certain class could be stacked. The only foreseeable bad thing about that kind of draft is the fact that it would take away the “juniors against seniors’”narrative that really fuels the game itself, and has become such a rivalry.
he Confederate flag is one of the most controversial topics in American history, and the meaning behind the flag has been argued for decades. The flag gets many Americans rowdy on whether it should be banned or whether it should be kept. This past June, ALEXIS STEWART a racist massacre occurred in Charleston, South Carolina. It happened at a Black Methodist church, where there were innocent victims of African American descent killed. This sparked up more controversy on the meaning behind the flag, due to the perpetrator posting a photo of him waving the Confederate flag before the massacre. Americans who are supporters of the flag argue that it is a symbol of the southern culture and their heritage, not hate. But those who oppose the controversial flag state that it is a racist symbol representing a war that glorified slavery and later on, civil rights. Recently, this July in South Carolina, Legislators of the state voted to remove the Confederate flag that had flown on the statehouse grounds for decades. This caused controversy due to the fact that the flag was protected under the 2000 Heritage Act. The act states that the flag could not be removed without a two-thirds vote from each house of the General Assembly, which they eventually got. According to cnn.com, the flag that is being indicated as the official confederate flag is not even the original flag. In fact that the Confederate states went through three official flags during the entire Civil War. It was also reported that it is not even the second or third flag, but the battle flag of General Robert E. Lee’s Army unit. Even though at the time during the civil war, the Confederate states did encourage to uphold slavery. It does not mean that the flag symbolizes having an racist union. The flag does, in fact, represent the thirteen states apart of the Confederate Union. Unfortunately, racism still exists in America with or without the flag. Americans have the right of freedom of speech and expressions. Many southerners feel that the flag expresses their southern pride and in the end we all should be able to support whatever we choose to.
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OP/ED
Black Friday Interrupts Holiday Season As The Holiday Season is Approaching, Shoppers Face the Choice of Deciding Whether To Spend Time With Their Families or Participate In Black Friday? Are Shopping Deals More Important Than Spending Time With Family?
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n Thanksgiving day, families get together to enjoy a delicious meal. Soon after, some may take a nap. Within just a few hours, they will get up to proceed with their big adventure. Black Friday is the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season. This started in November of 1924, when Macy’s had its first Thanksgiving Day Parade. Black Friday is known as one of the busiest shopping days of the year. In 2014, 133.7 million people shopped during Black Friday weekend. The average amount a person spent was 384 dollars, according to www.fundivo.com Some may ask, why do people go Black Friday shopping? It is a great time to get holiday shopping out of the way. Customers can get big ticketed items for a low price. Electronics are the biggest Black Friday deals. With all of this in mind, parents tend to go out during this weekend, to get the items on their children’s Christmas list. It is a great time to get more for less. Some may say that the crowds make Black Friday shopping not worth it; however, some customers do enjoy the crowds. It seems “adventurous” to them. With all the crowds and deals, families may map out a “game plan” for that night. It can be known as a form of family bonding. Along with the deals and saving money, the economy benefits as well. Twenty percent of retail sales occur between Black Friday and Christmas. For jewelry stores, the retail sales can go up to forty percent, according to www.useconomy.about.com, a person can save hundreds of dollars on Black Friday, if he or she knows exactly what they plan to get. This year Black Friday is on November 27th.
PRO CON
EBONY GILCHRIST
ALESONDRA ADAMS
“... Black Friday is the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season ...” “... Black Friday is now celebrated days or even weeks in advance ...” “... Along with the deals and saving money, the economy benefits as well... ”
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lack Friday has been looked at as a public holiday since the nineteenth century, and with the holiday signifying the beginning of Christmas shopping, it is no doubt that Black Friday is one holiday that will be around for a long time. However, with many positives of Black Friday comes many negatives. According to npr.org, Black Friday is “the single most manic, delirious shopping day of the year”. Black Friday is widely known as a traditional day that allows consumers to spend as much as they can on once-in-a-lifetime sales that are happening within a store. The problem is that other consumers have the same idea as their consumer counterparts, and pretty soon one store is completely crowded with people pushing and shoving to get the best items for the best deals. Not only that, but, due to many requests, Black Friday is now celebrated days or even weeks in advance, which not only ruins the purpose of Black Friday, but also ruins the Thanksgiving tradition. Families who used to celebrate on the traditional day now have to schedule family dinners a week or so ahead in order to not interfere with Black Fri-week. Furthermore, with the addition of Cyber Monday, the Monday following Thanksgiving where consumers can get the same or better deals online, Black Friday seems to not be as big as it once was. In 2014, Black Friday spending fell 11% as shoppers opted to stay at home and do their shopping on the internet. The term “Black Friday” was not made popular until the 1960s, and the tradition of shopping after Thanksgiving only recently became popular within the last two decades. Black Friday is a day that many believe is just an excuse to act absurd and spend money frivolously.
Black Friday
Photo courtesy of psdgraphics.com
4 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 11.06.15
Starting Positions available in:
General Laborer With Advancement in:
Heavy Equipment Operation Pipefitting Welding
FRIDAY 11.06.15 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 5
BRIEFLY Alumnus Reeve Ashcraft ran for school board office and won one of the three open spots on the board in district two. Ashcraft came in first place with a total of 2,254 votes out of all six precincts. Along with Ashcraft there was Kevin S. Foster, Lewis Stevenson, Jerry Warren. Foster had 2,077 votes, Stevenson with 1,598, and warren came in last place with 1,495 votes.
The Miss PGHS Pageant will be on Saturday, November 7th, at 7pm. Tickets are on sale for $5. All proceeds will benefit the class of 2016. The MC for the pageant will be Phillip Jones. Along with the MC will be the judges. There will be four judges to judge the event. The judges are Miss Allison Henry, Miss Toosdhi Jackson, Mrs. Helen James, and Mrs. Jennifer Allen.
Cheerleading tryouts for varsity and junior varsity Basketball sideline cheer will be held from 3-5pm on November 9, 10, and 12 in the auxiliary gym. All contestants must have a filled out VHSL physical form, a head injury or concussion release form, and a copy of your report card to be able to tryout for basketball cheer leading. If you do not have these forms you cannot participate. If there are any questions, feel free to contact Coach Sebera.
Boys Basketball tryouts will be held Monday, November 9th, and Tuesday, November 10th. If you are planning to try out, you must have a completed Virginia High School league physical form. All physical forms can be found in the main office. If there are any questions about try outs, feel free to contact Coach Carr.
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FEATURES
New Destination for Prom Petersburgs’ Old Towne Civic Center To Host Dance, Relocated From Fort Lee After Six Years Willow Hart TRN writer
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or the last six years, prom has been held at the Regimental Club on Fort Lee. This year, there will be a change in venue due to previous lack of space and to increase interest to students. On April 30th, 2016, students will attend prom at the Old Towne Civic Center in Petersburg, which is located near the Farmer’s Market and restaurants Brickhouse Run and Wabi Sabi. “It’s a larger facility, so we will be able to accommodate more students. We have use of indoor and outdoor areas,” said Kasi Roberts, junior class sponsor and prom coordinator. The added outdoor area will be tinted, and provides a new environment that students have not been accustomed to in the past. Also, this 10,000 square foot building is equipped with twenty bathrooms and a capacity for up to 880 people, as opposed to 600 in the previous building. Along with the new outdoor facility, the indoor area has features that will add to the evening festivities. “They offer two large screens pulled down on either side of the stage that we are in the works of PGTV with running a video or doing a live feed so the students will be able to watch themselves on camera,” Roberts said. The decision process is made by the SGA junior class and the
prom coordinator, Kasi Roberts. “The decision process was not difficult, it was just looking at the criteria and who could meet our needs within the budget. Trying to find a place that could house all of us was the deciding factor. It was all about trying to find the perfect marriage of size and money,” Roberts said. Although not a deciding factor, the location of the chosen facility can also be beneficial due to its proximity of pre-prom activities.
Senior Jose Zepeda and junior Abby Harrell pose for a picture in front of the Civic Center in Old Towne, Petersburg. Prom will be taking place here this year, instead of at the Regimental Club. Photo by April Buckles. “A lot of students go to the restaurants in Old Towne Petersburg for dinner before prom or go there to take pictures before prom. I also do not want our teenagers driving on the interstate or to Richmond on
prom night. Parents do not want their kids driving that far and we do not want any accidents or fatalities,” Roberts said. By adopting this new venue, there are some added burdens for the prom coordinators, one of which being able to provide the food. “We’ve traditionally had like a one stop shop where the Regimental Club provided the food, where here we have to provide the food, which is not a big deal because I felt like we really needed a new venue to bring back some of the interest and excitement about prom,” said Roberts. Being her first year coordinating prom, Roberts has already brought a new venue which will allow students to have more dancing space, an outdoor area, and screens that will bring a video and live feeds to the students as they are dancing. “We want prom to be a magical, memorable, and positive experience, and once I went to look at it, I knew everybody was going to love it,” said Roberts. SGA junior class member, Jaqui Beasley is involved with making prom more enjoyable to all students. “It’s cool to get to go outside and eat instead of being stuck inside the whole time. Having it at the same place can get boring after a while. We want to keep it exciting so people will go and have a fun time,” Beasley said. While still in the process of getting arrangements together, the prom committee has taken a major step by breaking the tradition and having prom at a new venue.
FRIDAY 11.06.15 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 7
FEATURES
Students Focus on Diabetes Awareness Month Diabetic Students Explain The Hardship of Balancing Diabetes With School, Sports, and Other Activities. Wayne Coleman TRN Writer
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enior Logan Chadek sits down to eat his lunch, but before he can take one bite he has work to do. He must make sure his blood sugar is at the proper level by securing a drop of blood for his glucose meter. November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Diabetes is a disease that affects the pancreas. There are two different types of this disease. In type 1, the pancreas can not produce insulin, a hormone that is needed in order to turn carbohydrates into energy. In type 2, the pancreas produces irregular amounts of insulin. This disease affects an estimated 200,000 people under 20 years old in the United States; that number is projected to go up to 600,000 by 2050 (JDRF.org). There are four students and one teacher in Prince George High School with diabetes, and although they may have to be a little more cautious, it may be hard to pick them out of the crowd. Chadek, a senior at Prince George High, has dealt with this disease all his life; he was only 13 months old when he was diagnosed. This disease has different effects on different people; for some, it can be hectic, and even stressful. This can be especially true for high school students. Sometimes the disease may cause for missing assignments or notes. “I miss out on a lot of deadlines [because of shots, or changing sites for my pump],” Chadek said. Fellow student Dominic Wishaw has some distinct memory of when he was diagnosed. “I was four years old,” Wishaw said. “I was taken to the hospital, I got blood
drawn. I remember my mom and being stuck a lot with needles.” For most people diagnosed with diabetes, the change in lifestyle is drastic; it’s not just the injections, or the sudden crashes either. The most difficult change is in the eating and drinking habits of the person. “[I had to change] everything, what I eat/drink, drink a lot of water, exercise,” Wishaw said. It’s harder for younger people to adjust to the drastic changes that account for the disease, but Wishaw says he adjusted fine. Diabetics can also still live active lives; in fact, getting involved in physical activity aids in keeping blood sugar in balance. However, too much exercise can cause it to bottom out. This adds to their anxiety, because
now, besides learning techniques and plays, they have to be able to know when to alert someone of possible fall out. “Yes, I am doing wrestling, [but also] just stressing about my blood sugar,” Wishaw said. This can really take a toll on earning playing time: “It sucks because I miss out on practice,” Chadek said. The diabetics all agreed that life with the disease is pretty erratic; if that isn’t enough, they balance it with homework, sports, clubs, and their social life. Even though Logan and Dominic may be stretching themselves, they balance it all pretty well. Some even take advantage of their disease, turning it into a learning experience for their friends. Chadek even loves getting the chance to talk about
Senior Logan Chadek checks his blood sugar levels with his test kit, Omnipod. Chadek was diagnosed with diabetes at 13 months old. Photo by April Buckles. what it means to him. “I don’t mind telling them[my friends], because I’ve had it all my life.” Chadek said about telling people about his experience with diabetes. There are other ways to find out about diabetes; from the internet, to all books on the disease, there are many resources to learn gain an understanding. Diabetes has no known cure, so until there is, please join your school in helping raise awareness for this lifechanging illness.
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Yankee Coffee Shop
2557-A S. Crater Rd. Petersburg, VA 23805 (804)-861-4990
Hours of Operation: Thursday-Monday: 5:30 A.M.- 1:45 P.M. Closed: Tuesday & Wednesday
Sebera’s Custard Kitchen Go Royals! Call 732-0990 6335 Courthouse Road Prince George, VA 23875
FRIDAY 11.06.15 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 9
FEATURES Chief Frankenstein Retires After Fifteen Years Prince George County’s Police Chief Steps Down After Successful Tenure.
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Madison Foster TRN Writer
n April 2015 Chief of Police, Eddie Frankenstein, announced his retirement from the police force effective the first of October. For the past 15 years, Frankenstein has honored this county with his bravery and dedication to keeping the community safe. When Frankenstein moved here with his wife in 1980, he started his service with the police department. “After getting my associate’s degree in criminal justice, I knew I wanted to get into that occupation,” Frankenstein said. “I tried a couple of other agencies but I always wanted to go to Prince George because my father always spent a great deal of time in Prince George…and the citizens were always friendly.” Frankenstein was appointed Interim Chief of Prince George Police twice before actually stepping up to take on the role as Chief of Police in 2000. Not only does being the Chief of Police mean having to be on call, but also there are many leadership roles to fill. Frankenstein managed a yearly budget and oversaw the activities of the entire police force as well as the K9 unit as chief. Most chiefs are done after seven or eight years because of how stressful their job can be, but the county was lucky to have Frankenstein for 15 years. “There were so many accomplishments that the department made,” Frankenstein said. “Two big items would have to be always establishing a great partnership with our citizens and accomplishing Accreditation Status.” Accreditation Status is the honor of sustaining professional standards by the officers in their line of work Where there are good things happening in the community, like creating new technology for police cars and establishing different programs to benefit the public, there are also the bad things going on. Frankenstein exclaims that being a police officer is not only rewarding at the end of the day but also difficult in certain day to day situations.
“The hard times were probably seeing the bad side of people who chose to do illegal things instead of the right things,” Frankenstein said. “But certainly the toughest part was seeing young children get hurt or see the parents hurting each other. Children should be able to grow up and have fun and learn things that will help them be successful.” Frankenstein loves seeing kids learn and grow in the safe environment of Prince George. Having been a recreational soccer coach for 18 years, he is thinking about becoming a coach again now that he is retired. “Short term plans are to catch up on
some ‘to do’ items around my house and my sons’ house,” Frankenstein said. “Do some hunting and fishing in-between and after the first of the year I would like to begin looking for a part time job.” Other than his love for recreational sports, Frankenstein enjoys doing things with his two sons. They are always a high priority with him. “Prince George is a great place to live and work,” Frankenstein said. “Prince George remains a locality that we should be proud of for many reasons. We need to look around us to really appreciated what we have.” As the search for a new Chief of Police
Now retired Police Chief Eddie Frankenstein drives in the annual Prince George County Christmas Parade. Frankenstein was the Police Chief for fifteen years. Photo by Ronald Dayvault. starts, the county yearns to find another individual to put the time and effort into the job. “But one thing I will miss the most is having the best officers and employees a chief could ever have,” Frankenstein said. “Without them, everything else could not have been done.”
12 | THE ROYAL NEWS | FRIDAY 11.06.15
Heaton’s Fall Treatment Plan Includes: Winterization treatment, Weeding & feeding, Lawn Aeration & Lime Treatment. Call and make an appointment before November 23rd, 2015
Contact Us:
FRIDAY 11.06.15 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 13
A&E
Periscope Sparks Interest Individuals Introduced To Live Broadcasting Mobile Application Kattie Iwanski Writer
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ith the evolution of apps and the demand to know about events as they happen, there is a newly released app owned by Twitter called Periscope. It allows one to stream live from anywhere in the world. Periscope came out Mar. 26, 2015. Being a fairly new app, only three people knew what Periscope was, out of the hundred surveys given out to Prince George High School students. Periscope is used to get different types of information fast and efficiently including, entertainment, news, and sports. Josh Mathews, a sports editor for Village News, uses Periscope to covering Chesterfield County and the Tri-Cities sports. While blogger, wife, and mom Samantha Citty uses Periscope to talk about her blog and events happening at her church. “In today’s media world, people are able to get information faster than ever. It only makes sense that the next step is live streaming,” Mathews said. Once you have streamed live on Periscope the stream stays on your profile for 24 hours. “With any type of social media you have to be careful because whatever is out there stays out there…If your are in high school I would be careful with using Periscope just speaking long term wise past high school and even past college,” Citty said. While streaming live, viewers can comment. These comments pop up on the screen letting not only the broadcaster, but all viewers to see them. This allows a constant communication between viewers and streamers. “It’s solid, especially for sports so you can communicate time outs. Also, if you use it on
a broader spectrum, you could actually broadcast the game, play by play,” Mathews said. “At first, it threw me off because it is not like Youtube…where you get comments later. My first couple of scopes it really threw me off where someone would comment and I was like ‘oh wow that is kind of weird’…But later on it was really cool to have that interaction moment where you could say something and someone can comment and ask a questions,” Citty said. Periscope’s motto is “explore the world through someone else’s eyes.” When on Periscope, the app has a map letting the viewer see where people are steaming from. This is great for people who want to learn about the cultures of different counties, but cannot afford to travel the world. “I think the app achieves its motto. I think that is a really good description of Periscope, especially with blogger it has really been effective because with blogger you just read their words or you might follow them on twitter, but you really don’t see them face to face like say a celebrity or movie star you see the on traditional social media…You are put into someone else’s eyes and are looking into their own world,” Citty said. Periscope is also a great way for teenagers to receive information about local events. “We’ve started to use the app to create a ‘NFL Red Zone’ type of feel on Friday nights,” Mathews said. Even though Periscope is marvelous at all these aspects, there are very similar apps including an app called YouNow. So what is the difference between the two? Periscope is more of a news based app rather than an entertainment based app like YouNow. “[Periscope is a great app for] journalists, anyone who covers live events,” Mathews said. Citty had a very positive view when expressing her thoughts on the future of Periscope. “[As for the future of Periscope] I think it will gain popularity and a lot of people who are social media gurus think so, as well because it does have that authenticity that you don’t necessary get from Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You see people as they are,” Citty said. The dynamics behind things seen in stores or on the internet.
PERISCOPE FACTS • Total users: as of 9/14/15 10 million • Active daily users: 1.85 million • 1% of internet users between 16 and 64 were surveyed and use Periscope • 29% of Periscope URLs are posted by women • Top 3 countries where Periscopes are live USA, Turkey, and Brazil • People are watching 40 years worth of live videos everyday • 350,000 hours of videos are streamed daily
Find us on Periscope as Royals Media - we will broadcasting several events live during basketball season.
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A&E
TOP
A Cappella COVERS
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Daft Punk Pentatonix
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Let It Go Straight No Chaser
A Cappella Group Finds Harmony Morgan Eminhizer Writer
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cappella is the act of singing without accompanying music or instruments. Jessica Hoople, the choir teacher and a cappella advisor recently held auditions for an a cappella group, The Royal Tones. Altogether, there are approximately 20 singers in both ensembles. “The mixed [ensemble] is meeting now; the women’s [ensemble] starts in January,” Hoople said. A cappella is very different from regular choir. They put in approximately the same amount of time, however as a cappella sings without any form of backup, those singers have to be able to cover every note, and any mistakes are glaringly obvious. There is a great deal of pressure on a cappella singers to be perfect. “[There is] a little [pressure] but I like knowing where I can improve,” sophomore Eric Sykes said, via text. Regular choir is accompanied by piano, band, or recorded music. Any mistakes can easily blend into the sound around them. A cappella singers have to be able to hit every note in their vocal range flawlessly.
“Basically we had to pick a pop song that showed off our vocal range,” sophomore Sabrina Brown of the women’s ensemble said. “As a soprano I had a limited selection of songs. I ended up singing ‘Bring Me to Life’ [by Evanescence].” “[I sang] ‘Fireflies’ by Owl City [for my audition],” Sykes said via text. Owl City, according to its website, owlcitymusic.com, does all genres of music, having worked with Aloe Blacc on ‘Verge,’ and country star Jake Owen on ‘Back Home.’ “Fireflies” from 2009’s Ocean Eyes received a five-times RIAA platinum certification in addition to going #1 in 26 countries, according to owlcitymusic.com. “Bring Me to Life” is considered pop/ rock and Evanescence classifies themselves as a rock band. Some students, such as Sykes, thought auditions were “pretty stressful.” “We won’t be doing any competitions this year as of now, but the mixed [a cappella] will be singing at the winter concert, and both parts of The Royal Tones will be singing at the spring concert,” Hoople said. “I know we’ll be doing a Decembertype thing where we sing Christmas songs,” Sykes said. The mixed ensemble of The Royal Tones will be joining Hoople’s regular choir classes and PAAS Vocal in singing in the winter concert. “[I’m] more nervous than excited [for
Sophomore Kayla Whittington, senior Nellie Martin, and senior Jasmine Hart rehearse their songs for an a cappella choir performance. This is the first year with an a cappella choir group. Photo by Morgan Eminhizer. the winter concert] but if I make it there then I’ll finally know where my talents lie in all actuality,” Sykes said, via text message. The mixed ensemble will be singing a jazz piece called “Chili Con Carne” and “Over the Rainbow”, and the ladies ensemble will be singing the “Bellas Medley” from Pitch Perfect and “I Feel the Earth Move” by Carole King in the spring concert. The roster of the mixed ensemble after all auditions is Jasmine Hart, Alexis Korkos, Nellie Martin, Deja Spicely, Kayla Whittington, Monique Bertrand, Jhalyne Blackwell, Alexis Lyons, Mariah Rogers, Shelby Thompson, Austin Noblin, DeKarius Woodson, Bennett Buetow, Noah George, LeVante Joyner, Francesco Pino, and Eric Sykes. “I feel the audience will have as much fun as us. The more expressive we are the more fun everyone’s going to have,” Sykes said. “[The Royal Tones] is modern music mixed with older and a collection of the most talented singers in school, it shows off what people can do with their voice,” Brown said. “I honestly believe it’ll be an amazing thing to watch.”
Bellas Finals The Barden Bellas
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Woods The Nor’easters
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We Found Love University of Chicago
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Trebles The Treblemakers
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Take Me To Church Meladores Top songs according to Mashable.com May 2015. Scan code to listen to the songs.
PH TOGALLERY
FRIDAY 11.06.15 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 15
Royals Win Homecoming Below: Senior MonĂŠ Stevens performs her routine in the 2015 marching band halftime show Pirates of the Carribean. This is her first year in color guard. Photo by Jacqui Beasley.
TOP LEFT: Senior Malik Gurley blows past the Petersburg defense on his way to a touchdown at the end of the second quarter. Gurley helped the Royals offense score the second highest point total of the season with 32 that night. Photo By Jacob Sanford. BOTTOM LEFT: Senior Michael Myrick and Brendal Vargo are crowned Homecoming King and Queen. Alumni Brenton Vaughan and Casey Abernethy returned to help crown each. Photo By Kattie Iwanski.
For more photos visit www.trnwired. smugmug.org
Above: Seniors Elijah Smith-Thomas and Hanif Jones rush the Petersburg kicker as they attempt to block the punt. The final score of the homecoming game was 32-12. Photo By Jacqui Beasley.
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A&E Gamer's Corner & Critic Review
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n September 29, 2015 2K Sports released their seventeenth installment of their popular NBA 2K franchise. In this edition of the game, developers at Visual Concepts have made an expressive effort to make 2K16 more cinematic and realistic than ever before. Visual Concepts has not only done facial scans of players, but also full body scans to make skin, hair, and even tattoos in better details. Developers have also focused on the mannerisms and reaction of players when certain events happen during the games. Along with the new visual effects, there will be changes in the sound track with songs chosen and/or made by DJ Premier, DJ Khaled, and DJ Mustard. DJ Premier is a classic Hip-Hop DJ who has made hits with artist like NAS, Biggie Smalls, and Jay-Z. DJ Khaled
is an artist who has made hits with artists like Chris Brown, Rick Ross, and Big Sean. DJ Mustard is currently one of the hottest DJ’s in the country. The player can also completely customize an arena in which you can add any images from NBA2K.com and put it almost anywhere in the arena. The customizer can also add any logo they choose to uniforms, for instance, the player could make their jersey a picture of Andre Iguodala or any player in the league. The 2K16 career mode is directed by Spike Lee which means it will be more cinematic than years before. Your MyPlayer career starts in high school and progresses through college until you make it to the NBA draft part of the game where different scouts from NBA team come to your home and talk to you. Throughout the story your character will be referred to as Freq which is short for Frequency Vibrations which is a name he got in the womb for kicking a lot as a baby. As your Story mode progresses, Spike Lee himself will individually interview characters and discuss different things in the story that impact the storyline.
omedy has always been there for people as a nice way to get out of reality, and just laugh which can be some of the best medicine. There is always the need to outdo the other forms of comedy. Some of the oldest comedy being stand up and then moving to improvisation and skit comedy which eventually turned into sitcoms and television comedy shows. The new show Undateable Live puts together the aspects of sitcoms and improvisations together to make it a comedy success. The show consists of a group of friends that own, work at, or just frequent a bar in Detroit. They are an eclectic group of people ranging from a large African American man, who is extremely funny, to a petite young Caucasian woman who adds a dramatic aspect to the show. They clearly create a new aspect to com-
edy that people had not experienced, to a certain degree, and it draws in an audience. They mostly stick to the plot and idea that the average sitcom goes with, but then they add the flare of being able to play with a live audience and make jokes regarding to the fact that they are live. Sometimes they even allow themselves to mess up because it is funny to the audience, but they try not to over do it and get too far away from the fact that it is a sitcom. The show may seem odd to the person who is used to the average sitcom or used to the average comedy show, but that same peculiar aspect is what draws people in. The only downfall in the show is that they try to fit into the sitcom norms that we are use to. They often have some type of problem and the main
Matt Reed
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Daniel Puryear
Photo courtesy of sportingnews.com.
Photo courtesy of parentstv.org character has a heartbreak or some other type of love story. The rest of the cast is either the cause or trying to help the character in this dilemma. This setup is what causes most sitcoms to fail in the first place. The jury is still out on whether or not the musical guests add or take away from the shows small time slot. Overall, the show is a hit and gives the entertainment industry something to top that will cause it to be ever-growing.
WINTER SPORTS
FRIDAY 11.06.15 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 17
Wrestling Seeks Leadership In New Group With Loss Of Three Captains, Team Looks For Players To Step Up Jacob Wood Writer
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hree senior wrestlers graduated last year. These seniors include Carlos Littles, Spencer Gifford, and Matthew Burgess. There is uncertainty over how this will affect the team. The three seniors all held leadership positions in their league and mentored the other wrestlers. They wrestled exceptionally well, leading their teams to a record number of seasonal wins. Their absence means a lack of experienced wrestlers for the upcoming season. “We’ll be missing some true leadership,” Wrestling Coach David Emory said. All three of the graduates were team captains and that means this year three new captains have to be selected. Wrestling is a dangerous sport and injuries are definitely not foreign to the experienced wrestler. This upcoming season, the team will need to make up for this sudden loss of experienced wrestlers. The graduates had a big role on the team and could cause a drop in the performance of the team. Acknowledging the strong correlation between experience and success, senior Austin Noblin said, “We’ll be affected at first, but later in the year when we become accustomed to the wrestlers we have, we’ll be better.” This year will be Noblin’s eleventh year wrestling and his fifth year wrestling for the school. One cannot help but wonder if there is anything the wrestling team can do in order to compensate for the loss in members. “It’s not the wrestlers that make the team great,” sophomore Wallace Canada, a fourth year wrestler said. “It’s the coaches.” Wrestling is a sport that puts a physical strain on the body. Despite proper coaching and training, wrestlers will often sustain in-
juries. “You can’t step on the mat and not expect to get hurt,” Canada said. He also mentioned that senior Austin Minton would most likely fill one of the leadership positions because he knows the ropes. Many of the wrestlers remain undaunted in the face of this new trial, which is making up for the absent graduates. Canada believes that even though their wrestling captains graduated, it will just help the younger athletes rise to their potential. Some even know likely candidates for their positions. There are many young wrestlers who could potentially fill in the three positions. Emory said that members that are being considered for the open positions in weight
classes include Jared Faiser, Jared Davis, Austin Minton, Jakob Kennedy, and Jaret Moneymaker. Last year the school achieved a record of 19 wins and only seven losses. The team is confident in their ability to outdo their last record. Jaret Moneymaker, a third year varsity wrestler, said “(This year) we’re gonna top that again.” Wrestling tryouts start Nov. 9 and practice starts Dec. 3. All interested students are encouraged to try out. Students will be competing for a limited number of positions and seniors for team captain, meaning that the coaches are going to have a number of skilled wrestlers to pick for the open spots. When considering possible replace-
Sophomore Wallace Canada takes down a rival wrestler during last season’s match up against Matoaca. Canada has been wrestling for four years overall. Photo by Daniel Puryear. ments for the graduates, the current wrestlers must match their weight class and have a compatible skill set. Noblin says that Kennedy could step in for Burgess and also Cy’Reke Taylor for Gifford, because their weight classes match. Meanwhile, wrestling continues to be part of the lives of some of our graduated wrestlers. “Carlos Littles is trying to join club wrestling at Old Dominion” Emory said. Wrestling is a skill that has continuing importance, even after high school.
18 | THE ROYAL NEWS| FRIDAY 11.06.15
SPORTS
Senior Spotlight
Athletes Find Sports Outside of School
Swimming, Dance, Gymnastics Among Alternative Activities Students Choose
Alex Flickinger
Boys Volleyball
Carlee Lively TRN Writer
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s a gymnast twists and turns in the air, the final landing sounds throughout the gym ringing in the ears of the audience. As a dancer’s feet step to the count of 8, everyone watches as they are in sync with the beat. As a swimmer splashes lap after lap, the heavy breaths are felt all the way to the stands of cheering fans. All of these experiences are because of an outside sport. Many athletes play school sports but also, there are students who perform for other organizations. These athletes are senior Caitlin Leary and sophomores Liza Newbold and Candace Kanney. Leary has been an avid gymnastic student since she was 4 years old. She now practices at Full Force Gymnastics in Chester. Newbold started out in a ducky dance number at the age of 3 and has been with Angel De Souza’s School of Dance in Colonial Heights ever since. Kanney has been swimming since she was 5 at a local gym. She now competes with Nova of Virginia in various areas. (Question) How did you get involved with the sport/activity and what benefits does it offer? Leary: “I was really energetic as a kid, so my mom put me in gymnastics to get all the energy out. It definitely keeps me in shape.” Newbold: “My mom put me in it (dance). It helps me maintain my figure - it keeps me active - and it helps my memory and social skills.” Kanney: “My Dad put me in (swimming) lessons at American Family and than my American Family coach took me to more teams so I could get involved more with higher level teams. It (swim) gives you team bonding, so being able to work with others. It gives you responsibility and being able to handle school work with other things.” (Question) What makes you continue to play this sport and if it was offered in school would you play for that team as well?
How long have you been playing volleyball? “I’ve been playing for about four years.” What do you love most about the sport? “I love being with the team and helping them to succeed.”
Leary: “I have been doing it for so long and I just love what i do. And yes, I’d wish we had a school team.” Newbold: “My love and passion for dance. I enjoy it so much. And no because the type of dancing I do is not the same.” Kanney: “The competition feeling, I hate the long, early morning practices but i love competing in a meet.” School sports often help with the students looking to do something productive out of school. Depending on the sport, many funds are covered by the Athletic Department. Outside sports or activities would be paid for out-of-pocket. The high school offers 12 sports spread out through the year between seasons. There has been conversation about an idea of lacrosse being added but the topic and interest is not constant. The biggest obstacle in sports is budget. Co-Athletic Department Director Heze-
Senior Caitlin Leary performs the floor exercise at a local gymnastic competition. Leary competes with the Full Force Gymnastics company out of Chester. Photo contributed by Caitln Leary. kiah Butler said, “Most sports we currently do not have is because of the budget. The second problem is space, it presents a lot of challenges.” Spacing is already an issue with the current sports that the school offers now. The football team has over 200 kids that practice on 2 fields. All 6, girls and boys basketball teams practice in various areas all over the county to get the practice time needed. The most recently added sport was field hockey in the early 2000’s. Another obstacle would be the conference. If the school were to add a new sport, the team would have to have other teams to play against. This adds the problem with transportation to find teams to play and where they are located. Although adding a new sport to the school would be difficult, the growing student body may bring an interest for something new.
Do you plan on playing volleyball in college? Why or why not? “I do. I have already gotten an offer to visit Eastern Mennonite.” How did you get into volleyball? “I was invited by a friend to play for the team.” How do you think your performance has been so far this season, team-wise and individually? “Individually, I think that I have done pretty well. I’ve contributed to the team in every way coach has asked me to. As a team, we have performed very well, finishing 2nd in the conference.” How do you feel about it being your last year playing? ”It feels good to graduate but at the same time it doesn’t because I won’t be able to play with the team I’ve bonded with since my freshman year.”
FRIDAY 11.06.15 | THE ROYAL NEWS | 19
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Sports >>
UPCOMING EVENTS
Varsity football game vs. Hopewell is Fri., Nov. 6th at 7:30 P.M.
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Varsity boys volleyball regional tournament at Princess Anne is Thurs., Nov. 12th at 5:00 P.M.
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Varsity girls basketball scrimmage vs. Lee Davis is Thurs., Nov. 19th at 5:30 P.M.
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Varsity boys basketball scrimmage at Deep Run is Sat., Nov. 21st at 11:00 A.M.
Goalie Steps Up, Leads Team To Regionals Aaliyah Capers Writer
W Junior goalie Jade Tyler looks on to her teammates to defend their ground as they face Varina. The team beat Varina 14-0 on Sept. 17th at home. For more field hockey pictures visit trnwired.org. Photo by Candid Color.
ith a record of 145, the field hockey team has had one of their best seasons to date. Of course there are many factors contributing to the team’s success; one of which being their goal keeper. Junior goal keeper Jade Tyler has had to stand and watch a lot during the matches. The Royals offense has kept the ball in the opponent’s end a lot this season. But that does not mean she is not ready every minute of the game. “It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to be a great goalie. You can’t be afraid of the ball; you have to be fearless. You have to have love and passion to be good at what you do. You just gotta really love the sport,” Tyler said. Her teammates are quick to show their support for both goalies and feel they are hard working and really good at what they do. The team together only allowed 16 goals the entire season. “The goalie is the team’s last resort. If the ball gets past me then, that’s it, they score,” Tyler said. “I am the team’s last line of defense. I am our last hope”. Even though it is quite clear that having a good goalie is crucial to winning the game, that is not all it takes to do well. Field hockey is a team sport
and it takes good team defense to play and execute well. “It is more important to have a strong defense so that our goalie doesn’t get overwhelmed or stressed. We don’t want to lose and have the goalie think it was her fault,” sophomore Haliegh Horne said. Although having a good goalie is important, teamwork is what brings home the wins. Without the team working together as well as they do, the team would have not been as successful as they were this year. In team sports the most crucial element to success is having good chemistry, and that is a trait this team definitely has. “Without strong defense the ball can breakaway and they can score. We really do have to work together, we depend on each other,” Tyler said. In the future the team plans to keep their winning streak and win their tournament. They are also planning to work harder to maintain their high expectations. Junior Kendall Eaton is one of many players who will do her best to ensure the team plays well and together. Winning does take a whole team. It does not matter how good the goalie is, without a really good connection between the players the team will suffer. “Being a goalie is hard, and no doubt the single most important job on the field. Yes, having a good offense and defense is important, but without great goalies like the girls we have, none of it matters. To have a season as good as ours takes everyone to work together and do well, and we did just that,” Eaton said.