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The November 2012 issue of the Royal News.
Citation preview
New guard rails will be built on Courthouse Road at the site of Mar-vin Massenburg, Jr.’s ac-cident. Construction for the guard rails should be completed within the upcoming weeks.
Guard Rails Built After Accidentp. 5
Volume XI Issue 2
Basketball SeasonPreviewp. 23
The boys basketball season is fast approaching as students prepare for try-outs. Try-outs for the boys basketball team were held recently on Nov. 5 in the gym.
Prince George H.S. - 7801 Laurel Spring Rd. Prince George, VA 23875 - www.trnwired.org - November 9, 2012
Students participate in Elf Helpers and the Prince George Food Pantry food drive by contributing canned goods. The upcoming Junior/Senior Powder Puff game is dedicated to supporting the food drive as well. The Powder Puff game will be held on Mon., Nov. 19.
theRoyalNews
New Choir TeacherJoins Teaching Staff
Food Bank Donations Affect Livesp. 12-13
p.
8Newly hired choir teacher, Jessica Barkley, began teaching on Oct. 17. Barkley was originally an opera singer, but then found a love of the classroom.Photo by Ridhi Patel.
Visit trnwired.org to see the latest photo galleries
Editorial
In 2012, The Democratic Party
has declared that there is a “War
on Women” in the United States
of America perpetrated by the
Republican Party. Regardless of
whether this is meaningless pandering
or not, it has forced the issue of women
rights to become a front and center
talking point in the campaign for
president this year.
It is easy to see that the United
States has progressed past the turn
of the century gender prejudices that
so divided our nation. Women are
no longer seen as merely caretakers
of home and children. Women have
gained the right to vote. They can
have careers outside the home.
They can speak their minds and
they can be independent. Over the
course of the 20th century we have
seen an exponential increase in the
opportunities afforded to women.
When women are given the
chance to prove themselves they tend
to accomplish great things. Their vote
helped give Barack Obama four more
years as president. When the new
United States Senate is sworn in, there
will be more women in the Senate
than ever in history, Republicans and
Democrats. Women are a force to be
reckoned with in many, many ways
and it is fortunate that the majority
recognizes their value.
The Powder Puff football game
on Nov. 19th is a way to show that the
women at our school are a force to be
reckoned with and equal to men. The
roles will be reversed. The women will
be playing the game and the men will
be cheering. Our women will show their
strength, ability, and determination to
prove their ongoing equality to men.
They will do this on the field on Nov. 19th
and later on in a bigger game called life.
Marathon Election Campaign Encourages Partisan Politics
R adio. Television. Internet. No matter where you go, you have not been able to escape the continuous onslaught of propaganda from both sides
of the aisle. The Commonwealth, being a swing state, has been a huge target for the Presidential campaigns of Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. It has been nothing to see five or six consecutive political ads on network television lately. We have also had a fairly contentious Senatorial race in the state between Tim Kaine and George Allen to add to the noise. Finally we can all breathe a sigh of relief because it is all over.
Presidential campaigns last about two years when all things are considered. Mitt Romney began preparing for his run in mid-2010 and here we are two years later with the election coming to a close. Because of such a long, drawn out process, people are exhausted of politics. Americans are tired of both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney and they are ready for normal, passive advertising to return to the airwaves. The contentiousness of this particular campaign has been extremely fierce and even though President Obama has won, there will continue to be ill will between the parties due to how close the election has been. America has yet to nominate a candidate that can transcend the partisan nastiness that we have become so accustomed to in this new post-2000 environment.
Now that President Obama has won, it is time for the country to look towards our future. The President has no clear mandate for widespread changes in the government and the Republicans still have control of the House of Representatives. This was, in many ways, a status quo election. I doubt much will change regardless of what the President wants. I believe that, without mandate, he will attempt another defining moment with some sweeping reform in his second term. I don’t think this reform, whatever it may be, will bring positive results. However, I do not doubt his ability to accomplish his goals.
NathaN BRitt
the RoyalNews
Our 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 A4, or e-mail them to [email protected]
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.
Front page: Quetasia Faulcon-Op/Ed: Nathan Britt-News: Casey Overton-Features: Faven Butler-
Double Truck: Danielle Marshall-A&E : Deborah Gardner-Sports: Kristen Schwalm-Ampersand: Tiana
Kelly-Photo Editor/Distribution and Events: Ridhi Patel-Business & Ad Editor: Chloe Alexander-Online Editor-in-Chief: Korrina Smith Online Sports Editor: Courtney Taylor-Social Media Manager: Christina
Buckles
The Royal News, PGHStrnwired.org & trnsports.org
7801 Laurel Spring Road Prince George, Virginia 23875
804-733-2720The Royal News is printed at
The Progress-Index in Petersburg, Virginia
Professional affiliations & awards - Columbia Scholastic Press Associations Gold Medalist 2008-2011Columbia Scholastic Press Associations Silver Crown Winner 2011 Virginia High School Association Trophy Class 2006-2011Col. Charles Savedge Award for Sustained Excellence 2010
SIPA All Southern 2008-2011
Amanda Majewski
Section Editors
Chris Waugaman
Managing Editor
Editor-in-Chief
Business ManagerChloe Alexander
AdviserQuetasia Faulcon
op/ed 2 | thE ROYaL NEWS | FRiDaY 11.9.12
Writers
Debra Thomas-Genevieve Perez-Kolade Olanrewaju-Blier Smith-Sarah Daniel-JoJo
Taylor-Lindsay Pugh-Devan Fishburne-Angelica Martinez-Mallory Cox-Roxy Sherrick-John Shumar
Powder Puff Shows Feminine Strength
illustration by anthony Sudol.
JOhN ShumaR COuRtNEY taYLOR
A ccording to a poll done by quib-blo.com, only 15% of people said they write in complete sentences with proper punctuation. The re maining people said they either
do not use proper grammar or spelling, or they do not think it is important. Apparently, u ain’t need good grammar now ‘a days. As technology has advanced, it seems as if grammar has gone down the drain. Grammar is defined as the study of the way sentences are constructed. The use of good grammar today is becoming much less prevalent in society. But does it really matter? There are times when grammar is neces-sary; for example, in the workforce. Grammar can be used to show the amount of educa-tion someone has received and become a deciding factor when a boss is looking at applicants. Grammar is an indication of the amount of education provided, it is not a clear indication of intelligence, and therefore should not be used to judge someone on his or her ability. If grammar is used to determine some-one’s ability for a job, it diminishes the op-portunities for people from disadvantaged communities; grammar can always be taught to someone, intelligence cannot. Someone who has not been given the chance to receive proper education can be as successful as someone who appears to be more adequate with only a little training. Grammar is not a necessity in all areas of society. Although some speak to sound intel-ligent, most speak to get a point across. When speaking, not everything has to be perfect. For example, grammar police would be quick to point out the incorrect use of ‘ain’t’. Howev-er, everyone knows that when ‘ain’t’ is used, the speaker is saying ‘is not’. Similarly, your and you’re and its and it’s is often confused. However, people are intelligent enough to use context clues to figure out the meaning if it is misused. Overall, although grammar looks good in the professional/ business world, it ain’t necessary in everyday language and a few grammar mistakes will not take away from the substance of a conversation.
Is Proper Grammar Still Relevant? With the development of texting and other revolutionary technological communication mediums, proper grammar seems to have eroded. Staffers make their case about the relevancy of proper grammar.
op/ed
S ophisticated language is freedom. The complexity of speech and one’s ability to use expression through writing not only serves as a defense of thought, but may also
be used as a dangerous weapon. Knowledge, especially in the realm of language, is power. The subjugation of others is always easier when the suppressed are uneducated. Those who can communicate and express them-selves will always rule those who cannot communicate properly. Proper grammar is success. For students, especially seniors writing college applica-tions, proper grammar, correct sentence structure, and intellectual prose are vital to the creation of an essay that will impress college admissions offices. In almost every case, poor grammar immediately discredits the speaker. Improper grammar contradicts the goal of proving that your point of view is viable or the most important. Clear communication is valued. As tech-nology becomes more prevalent, it seems as if the common person no longer needs grammar. From Microsoft Word providing grammar tips and spell check, text messages riddled with textspeak and abbreviations, and everyday speech full of slang, it seems that society has moved away from the importance of sophisticated communication and proper grammar. But this is simply not true. Busi-ness leaders and company executives are not just looking for geniuses in their field, but also people who can communicate their ideas. This is why most job positions require an interview for entry into their workforce. Em-ployers want to know how well someone can communicate. A great idea cannot become understood as fact unless it can be properly explained. In the classic novel, 1984 by George Orwell, a suppressive party regime’s goal is to erase rebellion by simplifying the English language and erasing words containing precious ideas like freedom or individuality. As unimagina-ble as this sounds, it is quite possible to imple-ment this practice and it should be every American’s duty to be schooled in grammar and communication to maintain freedom of speech and thought.
“a great idea cannot become understood as fact unless it can be properly explained.“
“Knowledge, especially in the realm of language, is power.”
“Grammar is an indication of the amount of education provided, it is not a clear indication of intelligence...”
“although some speak to sound intelligent, most speak to get a point across.”
FRiDaY 11.9.12 | thE ROYaL NEWS | 3
4 | thE ROYaL NEWS | FRiDaY 11.9.12
Black and white ads:Black and white ads are available in the following sizes for the prices shown:• 1/8 page: $50• ¼ page: $100• ½ page: $150• Full page: $250
Color ads:Color ads are available in the following sizes for the prices shown:• 1/8 page: $100• ¼ page: $200• ½ page: $300• Full page: $400
Step-by-step instructions:• Simply follow these instructions to ensure that your senior’s ad is included in the
yearbook:• Select ad size.• Decide if the ad will appear in color or black and white.• Sketch an ad design, choose a previously designed ad, or inform the staff that you
would like for them to design it.• Complete order form provided on the school website.• Scan photos and burn to a CD. They must be saved as jpegs or tiffs. Please make sure
your CDs open before you submit them. We do not accept print pictures.• Write or type text for the ad on the order form or attach it to a separate sheet. Song
lyrics and copyrighted poems are not acceptable.• Provide payment. It must be cash, check, or money order.• Parents should deliver all of the materials to the yearbook staff on Tuesday, December
4, 2012. The staff will be available between 3:00 and 7:00 to collect all materials in the commons. Do not send through the mail. Please do not send materials to school with your child or attempt to simply drop it off in the office. We cannot guarantee that we will receive them.
Photo submission guidelines:• Select appropriate photos for horizontal and vertical spaces.• Photos will be enlarged or reduced to fit the layout.• Please write student’s name, contact phone number, and the number of pictures
submitted on the CD with a Sharpie.
Photo submission limits:1/8 page: 2 max ¼ page: 4 max½ page: 10 max Full page: 20 max
The Peerage Staff is now offering the opportunity to personalize the yearbook in a very special way with a senior recognition ad. Space is available to tell your senior how proud you are! To reserve your space, follow these guidelines:
Straight from the heart and into the yearbook!!!Personalize your yearbook.Peerage
Special Considerations:The yearbook staff reserves the right to reject photos or text or ask the customer to make changes to conform to the staff’s standards.
How do you deal with Diabetes in your life?“I watch what I eat and I also take insulin to maintain my blood sugar levels.”
What medicine do you take?“I take Novolog (insulin).”
How do you take your medication?“I take my medication through an insulin pump, and the pump works as a pancreas for my body.”
How do you deal with your diabe-
tes?“I have Type 1 diabetes. I can’t eat much, I have to exercise more and keep my weight under con-trol, and watch what I do in order for my blood sugar not to be low.”
What medication do you take?“I take insulin and Lantus at night.”
What is diabetes?
“Diabetes is a disease that affects the isallet cells in the pancreas so that a diabetic does not produce insulin. There are two types of diabetes. Type 1 is a childhood disease that they are born with when the pancreas doesn’t make insulin at all. Type 2 is a condition that develops in a person overtime and is 100% preventable. It can be prevented by maintaining a healthy weight and eating a healthy diet.”
What is done when a student’s blood sugar is too low in school?Speaking about Type 1 specifically, they have to eat a certain amount of carbohydrate, if they’re still conscious. If they lose consciousness, they have to be injected with a medicine that in-creases their blood sugar level. This is a medical emergency.”
BRIeFLYNational Diabetes MonthConnor Livesay (Junior)
Tashana Singleton (Sophomore)
FRiDaY 11.9.12 | thE ROYaL NEWS | 5
Nurse April Paulson
NEWS BRIeFSReport cards will be
distributed today,
Nov. 9 in 1st period.
The 2nd 9 weeks last
from Nov. 5 to Jan. 24.
The Miss PGHS Pageant
has been moved to
Dec. 15. at 7:00 p.m.
due to a conflict will
the VHSL Cheerleading
competition. The
pageant will be held in
the auditorium.
The homecoming
dance was moved to
this Sat,, Nov. 10 due
to Hurricane Sandy’s
impact. The dance
starts at 7:30 p.m. and
will be held commons.
The Powder Puff game
is on Mon., Nov. 19, at
3:30 p.m. The game
will be the senior girls
versus the junior girls.
Ring Dance is on Nov.
17. The dance starts at
7:30 p.m. Juniors can
buy tickets next week
during their lunch
block.
How do you take your medication?I go to the nurse before and after lunch. I take my insulin through needles/injections.”
What should students do to maintain their blood sugar and be healthy with diabetes?They have to moderate their carbohydrate intake. They have to check their blood sugar regularly during the day, and they have to give themselves insulin according to their blood sugar level.
What medicines are there?“There is rapid acting insulin, usually given with a meal. There is also a long acting insulin that is given once a day to last the whole day.”
6 | thE ROYaL NEWS | FRiDaY 11.9.12
NUMBeRSBY THE
30Any tree along a road must be no closer than 30 feet to
the edge of the payment.
1.8the proposed intersection im-
provements (turning lane) slated to be made in front of
N.B. Clements Jr. high will cost 1.8 million dollars to complete.
11.4the improvements on Route 36 at
the Fort Lee gate amounted to 11.4 million in costs.
3.8the grid deck replacement on the James River bridge amounted to
3.8 million dollars.
1.1the warning and barrier gate
replacement on the James River Bridge amounted to
1.1 million dollars in costs.
6.5Safety improvements on the
temple avenue interchange of i-95 in Colonial heights amount-
ed to 6.5 million.It is 2:25 on a Wednesday afternoon, and students are half-listening to the an-nouncements over the loudspeaker and discussing Homecoming and home-work. The minute Marvin Massenburg,
Jr.’s name is mentioned, the classroom goes silent. It’s not until the speaker moves on to bus changes the talking resumes.
All of Prince George is familiar with the story. On Sept. 25 Massenburg pulled over onto the shoulder of Courthouse Road to allow a police officer to pass. His car slid into Black-water Swamp and Massenburg could not be saved. The most tragic aspect of Marvin Mas-senburg’s death is how easily preventable it was. A simple guardrail blocking the swamp from the road would have deflected the car.
That is why the Virginia Department of Transportation has undertaken the project of installing guardrails on either side of Court-house Road where the swamp runs parallel to the road. Without delay, VDOT conducted a review of the site and decided a guardrail was warranted.
“We began immediately,” VDOT spokes-person Sundra Hominik said. “We began to
prep the site within a week of the review.” Prince George High School students are
hugely supportive of the project, though they regret the cost for VDOT to take action.
“I feel like there should have been guard-rails there before the accident,” senior Joy Ara-kelian said. “It [is] sad we needed an accident to realize [the danger].”
Though Courthouse Road is traveled daily by many students, VDOT has no record of anyone petitioning for a guardrail on Court-house Road through 1975.
“Any place with [exposed] water is un-safe,” Arakelian said. “There still may be other places in the county that need to be looked at.”
Arakelian is not the only one to lament the timing of the project.
“It [is] about time,” Massenburg’s friend and bandmate, senior Jon Ryan Campbell, said. “The water is so deep there they should have done something before.”
“It [is] unfortunate it was too late; it’s been needed a long time,” junior Hannah Tjomsland said.
Students were not the only ones impact-ed by the accident.
“Having a child who will soon be driving makes it hit really close to home,” Mother De-nise Covington, whose daughter is a sopho-more, said. “It only takes a second for a tragedy
to occur.” Covington travels Courthouse Road ev-
ery day and has often wondered why there were no guardrails on the road. Covington in fact passed through the road the day of the accident, but made a route change that lead to her family being several minutes earlier than they usually are.
“I really [cannot] explain why we made a diversion that day; if not we may have wit-nessed the accident or been caught up in it,” Covington said.
Though many students feel the project’s progress is going slowly, it should be complet-ed within weeks, according to Hominik.
“The work is based on a number of fac-tors, like weather, so there is not an exact date. We expect it to be done soon.”
“They should do it as fast as they can,” Tjomsland said. “Another accident can hap-pen.”
Sophomore Sydney Bakke agreed, but empathized with VDOT.
“I think it’s important [to finish] but it also costs money and they have to follow their bud-get,” Bakke said. “I’ll feel much safer when I be-gin to drive knowing no one else will crash or run off the road on Courthouse Road after the guardrails are put up.”
Lindsay Pugh
trn writer
Guard Rails
After student’s tragic, fatal crash VDOT responds
COMMUNITYNewSNew guard rails are being
built along Courthouse Road. The guards rails were
installed in response to Marvin Massenburg, Jr.’s fatal accident.
Photo by Ridhi Patel.
All information was obtained at http://www.virginiadot.org/projectsUse the QR Code to read more on TRNWIRED.ORG
FRiDaY 11.9.12 | thE ROYaL NEWS | 7
Installed
FeatUReS
Jessica Barkley was sub-stituting in for a choir teacher when suddenly a light bulb went off in her head. She remembers thinking “This is where I belong.”
Barkley started her new job as choir teacher on Oct. 17th, giving students a new permanent teacher for the school year. Barkley moved from Bingham-ton, New York, and although she is not used to seeing so many hills, she enjoys the qui-et, country community of Prince George.
“Things are slower here, which is re-freshing,” Barkley said. “There is a slower pace of life, and the weather is much nicer.”
Barkley has been an opera singer for over ten years now, starting from the time she was in college. For the past four years, she has taught a little bit of everything, including chorus and general music for grades K-12.
“I’ve been a musician for a long time,” Barkley said. “I started out as an opera sing-er and performer. Then I decided to go back to school for chorus education. After I did
some substituting, a light bulb went off in my head. I knew what I wanted to do.”
Before Barkley started her job, the students had to figure out a way to learn music independently. Seniors Ashley Wil-kes, A’marah Hawkins, Abria Humphries, and Jahmyah Garrett took on the role of becoming teachers. The choir students noticed that there was more pressure on the students to stay productive in their fifth block class.
“We had no one to make decisions for us; we had to make them ourselves and deal with the students’ opinions of them,” Humphries said.
Former choir teacher Danielle Mor-reti left music for the students to go over and rehearse. In an attempt to try to give students a way to enjoy the class and learn about one another, the class would play games to stay connected.
“My favorite was when we played hot potato because we learned something new about each other every time someone got the potato,” senior Edward Brazile said
Students outside of the choir class may have thought that the students in the music room were just fooling around since there was no formal teacher in the classroom, but the choir students were determined to be as prepared for their new teacher as
possible.`“We practiced new and old music; ev-
erything we knew. We did new warm-ups, went over singing techniques, and contin-ued some of the things Ms. Morreti left us,” Hawkins said.
Once Barkley began her job, students quickly adjusted to her warm and caring character. While some students felt the class was learning without the need of a teacher, other choir students felt they were in desperate need of a one.
“We are just thankful to have a teacher. This is my first year in here and it was get-ting kind of boring without one,” senior Ja-maal Gooden said.
Even though Barkley has only been teaching the fifth block class for a few weeks, she is already leaving a good im-pression on the choir class.
“She’s very professional and she en-courages me to love music in a different way,” Hawkins said.
Barkley feels it is a key aspect to make sure students learn things they can use throughout their life.
“I feel it is my job to teach students how to sing properly and let them develop a love of singing independently,” Barkley said.
With teaching music being Barkley’s dream career, she has set goals for herself
and is determined to reach those goals.“My goals are to put on some wonder-
ful concerts and to get to know the students and staff better,” Barkley said.
The fifth block choir class has many events they will be participating in this year and now that they finally have a teacher who is more than willing to help them, they plan on having extraordinary performanc-es.
“We’re adjusting just fine. It’s only been a couple of days since she came, but we al-ready feel like one big family,” Wilkes said.
8 | thE ROYaL NEWS | FRiDaY 11.9.12
Deborah Gardner
A&E editor
the advanced choir class prepares to sing by practicing voice warm-ups. Choir teacher
Jessica Barkley joined staff on Oct. 17. Photo by Ridhi Patel.
Students Welcome New Choir Teacher
Seniors take on a leading role to prepare choir class for new teacher
Visit trnwired.org to hear the choir perform
Carol of the Bells.
2833 S. Crater Rd.Petersburg, VA 23803
(888) 348-3143Open Monday Thru Friday
8 AM - 7 PMSat. 10 AM - 4 PM
Sebra’s
Sebera’s Custard Kitchen
Call 732-0990
BE SURE TO VISIT OUR NEW ICE CREAM SUNDAE SHOPPE!
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6335 Courthouse RoadPrince George, VA 23875
FRiDaY 11.9.12 | thE ROYaL NEWS | 9
Prince George Fire & EmS
Our volunteers don’t’ get paid.that doesn’t mean they are worthless,
that means they are PRiCELESS!!!!Be an impact player – Be a hometown hero.
Volunteer – Join Our [email protected]
(804) 722-8614
10 | thE ROYaL NEWS | FRiDaY 11.9.12
Wyatt’s Florist
4712 Ownes Way Prince George, VA
23875 (804)458-6392 (800)458-6392
Yankee Candle Spring Collection Now in Stock!
Visit us for Thanksgiving
Arrangements!
FeatUReS
English teacher James Owens is not only an avid runner and participant in endur-ance races, but he has also been a dedicated vegetarian from the age of 19 to last year,
for a total of 11 and 1/2 years. With Oct. be-ing National Vegetarian month and Nov. 1st beginning World Vegan month, Owens reminisces about the years he spent prac-ticing vegetarianism.
“I became an ovo-lacto vegetarian when I turned 19. After moving out of my parents’ house and attending college, I was introduced to a lot of new eating habits,” Owens said
Vegetarianism comes in varying de-grees. Ovo-lacto means egg and milk; in other words, ovo-lacto vegetarians do not eat animals but are still allowed to con-sume egg and milk products.
Even though his father was hunter and his mother was big on cooking, his parents still supported him in his decision. Despite his family’s omnivorous eating style, Ow-ens decided to follow through with this new kind of diet.
“I did not like the idea of living off of a dead thing, and I decided it was a good time in my life to try something new,” Ow-ens said.
Because Owens felt vegetarianism was a healthy choice, he did not think it was difficult to maintain that lifestyle.
“A lot of people say they cannot be a vegetarian because they like the flavor of actual meat. My diet was rarely lacking in flavor because of the soy products I ate, which had all different types of flavors in-cluding chicken, hot dogs, and my favorite, shrimp,” Owens said.
Although Owen’s diet was initially working out fairly well for him, he eventual-ly had to stop being a vegetarian in order to continue running marathons, something he has loved doing ever since he was in high school. He remembers the accomplishment he felt after completing the 100K race last September.
“I believe it is important to try your best at doing what you like to do. Running is something I love which is why I was proud of myself when I ran the 100K, whereas be-fore I couldn’t complete it,” Owens said.
He began to run longer races. What started off as the 5K and 10K races turned into ultra marathons, which are anything longer than 25 miles. The more vigorous the races became, the more Owens felt a need for meat during and after difficult exercises.
“I started craving shrimp. My body was telling me I needed more protein and iron. I could get these in vegetables, but it was more abundant in meat products,” Owens said. “Shrimp was the first thing I had after being a vegetarian for more than 11 years.”
Owens said he did not feel any notice-able difference when first eating real meat; but after only 2 of weeks of replenishing his diet, he recovered thoroughly.
“I knew if I was going to continue ac-tivities like that I was going to have to treat my body appropriately,” Owens said.
Although Owens is not currently living a vegetarian lifestyle, he plans to resume vegetarianism in the future. He believes that you have to have an adamant attitude to pursue vegetarianism, considering there will not be many people to support your de-cision.
“Vegetarianism is not a difficult way to live, but it’s a lot easier when you buy your own food. I strongly encourage anyone who’s interested to try, but do not expect much support from those who are not veg-etarian or vegan,” Owens said.
Although Owens is no longer a veg-etarian, he values their eating lifestyle just as much as before. He plans to resume his vegetarianism later on in life.
“I definitely believe I am going to have a vegetarian diet in the future, especially when I’m done with endurance running,” Owens said.
FRiDaY 11.9.12 | thE ROYaL NEWS| 11
Faven Butler
features editor
Teacher Values Former Vegetarian LifestyleOwens reflects on early vegetarian diet and reasons for discontinuing
Owens prepares a vegetable serving for dinner. he was formerly a vegetarian for
more than 11 years. Photo contributed by James Owens.
12 | thE ROYaL NEWS | FRiDaY 11.9.12
Debra thomas & Courtney taylor
trn writer
Overwhelming Donations For Food Bank
Help Support Needy Families
People are coming and going with carts full of food. With just five volunteers, the Prince George food bank manages to serve the entire county. On Mon. and Fri. from 10 am to 2 pm the food bank is open and work-ing to help support surrounding needy families.
The Prince George Food Bank is very important to the community. Between 30-40 people come in each day reaching 500 plus families monthly.
Through the donations given to the food bank, they are able to help many families. Andrea Barnes, the director of the food bank, said that they are heavily supported by the county; donations come in everyday the food bank is open.
Along with donations, the community helps support the food bank by offering up hours to volunteer. Churches, students, and organizations are all key to keeping the food bank running smoothly.
Most of the volunteers come from the local churches. The food bank has 13 surrounding churches that volunteer.
Senior Pamela Harsh is one of the student volunteers. She spends her free time helping to make a difference in the community.
“I mostly hand out food to the people that come to the food bank,” Harsh said. “I enjoy working at the food bank because I enjoy helping other people. I help because I get what I need so I want to help others get what they need.”
The senior class also helps contribute by hosting a can food drive and donating it to the food bank. The can food drive is done during the powderpuff game. The senior class also donates all of the money raised during the game to Elf Helpers. All of the food and money donated is given to local families who are in need. Any remaining food is sent back to the food bank.
The senior class sponsor, John Pelter, and Rick Massey, a teacher at J.E.J Moore Middle School, work together to head up the operation.
“It is a great mix to give a really fun event for the students and some-thing that helps the community as well,” Pelter said. “One of the coolest things to see is how many people donate more than what is required to participate in or watch the game.”
Last year, over 1,300 dollars and a cart full of food was raised. The food drive takes place every year during the powderpuff game.
“Sometimes events over time lose attention, but powderpuff has grown,” Pelter said. “All of this has to do with the students, staff, and par-ents. It would not get done without them.”
Powderpuff takes place at the prime time for the Prince George Food Bank. The holidays substantially increase the number of people coming in needing food. The food bank sets a goal to ensure that every family has something to eat on Thanksgiving. Last year, one hundred plus turkeys were given out as a Thanksgiving meal.
“During the holidays we try to give all the larger families a turkey to celebrate,” Barnes said. “We also try to provide the smaller families with a whole chicken. We try to provide for everyone.”
With the high demand of food, the food bank is able to stay above water with the help of other organizations working hard to help provide
to families in need as well. The Chesterfield Colonial Heights Alliance for Social Ministries, CCHASM, is a non-profit organization that raises money and takes food donations. Around Thanksgiving they collect Thanksgiv-ing meal packages.
“The Thanksgiving meal packages helped 2,040 families last year through two separate events; one for Prince George and Hopewell at the Hopewell VFW and one for Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, and Dinwiddie at the Chesterfield fairgrounds,” Sharon Juozapavicius, the director of CCHASM, said.
The holidays are a time that the whole community comes together to provide for the less fortunate. It is a time to give back so that everyone can be a part of the seasonal happiness.
FRiDaY 11.9.12 | thE ROYaL NEWS | 13
Overwhelming Donations For Food Bank
Help Support Needy FamiliesDonations from all over the county
come together at the PrinceGeorge Food Bank.
Photo by: Danielle marshall
to families in need as well. The Chesterfield Colonial Heights Alliance for Social Ministries, CCHASM, is a non-profit organization that raises money and takes food donations. Around Thanksgiving they collect Thanksgiv-ing meal packages.
“The Thanksgiving meal packages helped 2,040 families last year through two separate events; one for Prince George and Hopewell at the Hopewell VFW and one for Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, and Dinwiddie at the Chesterfield fairgrounds,” Sharon Juozapavicius, the director of CCHASM, said.
The holidays are a time that the whole community comes together to provide for the less fortunate. It is a time to give back so that everyone can be a part of the seasonal happiness.
BY THE
13 churches have volunteers serving at the
pG Food Bank
100 plus turkeys were given out last year at
thanksgiving
pG Food Bank serves
500 plus families on average monthly
2, 040 families were helped through
CCHaSM
3,000 to 4,000 dollars of donations were donated to the pG
Food Bank last year
pG Food Bank serves
30 to 40 people a day
andrea Barnes, director of the PG food bank, organizes boxes of cereal to be given out.
the Food Bank is open monday and Friday. Photo by: Danielle marshall
NUMBeRS
14 | thE ROYaL NEWS | FRiDaY 11.9.12
Contact Us:
Be sure to visit us before Ring Dance!
Be sure to visit us before Ring Dance!
Guess The Desk aMpeRSaNd
FRiDaY 11.9.12 | thE ROYaL NEWS | 15
1 54
32
TOP 5 ITEMS FOUND ON DESKS
TEACHERS DESKS THAT STAND OUTA DESK THAT HAS PERSONALITY
Looking at a teacher’s desk, how do they describe the teachers? Are they messy or clean? Does the teacher personalize them or are they
plain and boring? What does their desk say about them, as a teacher?
1 32
“I like to have unique and interesting stuff on my desk. It keeps
things interesting dur-ing the day,” Physics
teacher David Pollard said.
“The fact that I have a swirly Sunflower as the central
element of my cart reflects my effort to have a sunny
disposition, but the fact that I also have a big hammer lets people know that I do not mess around,” English
teacher Beth Anderson said.
“I love my desk, I have all my stuff
in it I need for my classes. I also
have the best paper weight in the school,” Ecol-ogy teacher Matt
Weston said.
Do you think you can guess which desk belongs to the teacher on the
left?AB
C
1.C;2.A;3.B
16 | thE ROYaL NEWS | FRiDaY 11.9.12
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Student after student walks across the stage, all show-ing proud expressions on their faces as they prepare to receive their class rings. As they are escorted by a guest of their choice, the students walk to the end
of the stage where they are greeted by Smallwood, who presents them with their ring. Afterwards, the juniors enter the only dance of the year where they are the sole at-tendees. This is the Junior Ring Ceremony and Dance.
The dance, held especially for juniors, will take place on Nov. 17 after the ceremony, which begins precisely at 7:30 p.m., and lasts until midnight. Many juniors are excited for the dance, for multiple reasons. One is that it is an event specifically for the junior class.
“It should be more special than home-coming, like a prom that’s less formal,” ju-nior Taylor Gonzalez said. “Because it’s the juniors’ one big event for just them, it should be memorable.”
Juniors are looking forward to this ex-citing event.
“I think it’s going to be more fun for the juniors, it’s just for us,” junior Dillon Franz said.
It’s an opportunity for juniors to have
a special experience all to themselves, and is accompanied by the ring ceremony, an-other reason juniors are enthusiastic.
Buying a ring is not a requirement to attend the dance, but one must purchase a ticket in order to attend.
“The juniors need to understand that buying a ring isn’t the focus of this event,” junior sponsor, Carol Bolyard said. “It’s a cel-ebration of the beginning of the junior year.”
The dance is simply for the enjoyment and recognition of the juniors, and their class as a whole. If one wishes to attend primarily the ceremony, they must sign-up where the tickets are sold during their lunch block.
Juniors consider this more than just a fun social gathering, it is also a representa-tion of all the progress they have made by completing two years of high school already.
“The ring I’ll have on my hand will re-ally show my pride as a junior,” junior Eric Wells said.
The preparations for the ceremony and dance began in Sept. The main focus has been planning the decorations, the food, and anything that the juniors may want. These decisions are made exclusively by the juniors and approved by the supervi-sors of the dance. This is another great ex-ample showing that this ceremony is solely for them.
The proper attire is not specified for the juniors, however jeans and tennis shoes are
not advisable.“It doesn’t have to be formal,” Bolyard
said. “But semi-formal to formal is usually the route that the juniors take.”
Understandably, most juniors think of this dance as an extremely significant event in their high school career. It serves as ac-knowledgement for their hard work and achievements as high school students.
“The ring ceremony and the dance is really the next big step towards graduation,” junior Erica Skiddle said.
Those who are not involved with the planning of the dance have very high ex-pectations for the event, because it will be the celebration of such a momentous year in their lives.
“I think the music is going to be the lat-est and greatest,” Franz said.
Even though the date of the dance is not quite here yet, the juniors have been prepared for a long time. The prominence of the event is triggering the excited reac-tions throughout the class. Many juniors have been looking forward to this ever since they placed orders for their class rings in Mar. of last school year.
mallory Cox & Roxy Sherrick
trn writers
a&eFRiDaY 11.9.12 | thE ROYaL NEWS | 17
No Ring Necessary To Attend Junior Dance
Juniors Celebrate Special Night
Class of 2013 celebrates the receiving of their rings by participating in their Ring
Dance. the dance takes place immediately following the ceremony in the commons.
Photo contributed by Dallas Smith
UPCoMING a&e eVeNtS
the final movie in the famous vampire novel series will be at theatres soon. Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part II debuts on Nov. 16.
The high school will be presenting the play Little Women on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. The play is about four sisters who grow up while their father is away at war.
Steven Spielberg’s latest movie Lincoln, starring Daniel Day-Lewis as united States President Lincoln is coming to the-aters Nov. 16. many of the scenes were shot in neighboring Petersburg last winter.
Latest Music Releas-es: Taylor Swift’s new CD Red is in stores and is available on iTunes now. The CD costs $14.99.
Junior Dance is on Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the commons.
18 | thE ROYaL NEWS | FRiDaY 11.9.12
Container First Serviceswww.containerfirst.com
(804)748-8324866-587-HAUL
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a&e Gamer's Corner
It has been a long five years for Ace Attorney fans. With Capcom teas-ing a sequel to Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
since a month after its release in 2007, it has been difficult to ignore how the franchise has been neglected. With such a long time since the last release, it is not hard to believe that the beloved series is dead.
OBJECTION! When Capcom’s panel at Tokyo
Game Show opened with that iconic shout, an uneasy excitement grew within the fanbase. When they announced not one, but two new Ace Attorney games, both starring the iconic Phoenix Wright in surprisingly good looking 3D, fans erupted.
But there’s still doubt hanging in the air, mostly surrounding Ace Attorney 5, the next main installment in the series.
For one, key characters that were
introduced in both the original series and Apollo Justice are missing. Phoenix’s most loved assistant’s – Maya Fey’s – whereabouts were laughed off when they were questioned. People asking about the seven year – now eight year – gap in the story between the original trilogy and Apollo Justice were brushed aside. Despite having two already established assistants in the series, yet another new one has come to take the place of both Maya and Trucy Wright (the assistant in Apollo Justice). The titular attorney from Apollo Justice has also not been con-firmed to make a reappearance, leaving us with four new characters and Phoenix so far confirmed.
Still, it’s hard not to be excited, espe-cially since it has been a long time since we have seen Phoenix Wright starring in a proper game as an attorney. While I have my doubts about the newly appoint-ed writing staff, I have faith that as we get more details the negative murmurs will become more positive.
For people who have no experience
with the Ace Attorney series, all three of the original games (Ace Attorney, Justice for All, and Trials and Tribulations) are available on the Wii Virtual Console for 10 each. Apollo Justice is unfortunately still not ported, but is available used on the DS for 20 dollars.
Alternatively, if you want to play it on the go or are interested in better graph-ics, Ace Attorney HD – which includes the first three games - is coming to the iOS this year. With the first games at such a low price for hours of entertainment and puzzle-solving, I will always recommend giving at least the first game a try.
Ace Attorney 5 is currently up for release in 2013 on the 3DS in Japan, and has been confirmed for American local-ization.
Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney is currently up for a Nov. 29, 2012, release on the 3DS in Japan, but has not yet been confirmed for a North American release.
Ace Attorney Trilogy HD will be re-leased in the late fall or early winter pe-riod on the iPhone and iPad.
Ace Attorney 5 brings Fans Awaited Joy
FRiDaY 11.9.12 | thE ROYaL NEWS | 19
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>TOP LEFT: Senior Jasmine Jefferson attacks the ball in an attempt to score a point on the Royals’ senior night. Of the twelve members on the team, six are seniors. “my mind-set on senior night was to do whatever it takes to get a point, even if that meant not hitting the ball as hard as i could,” Jefferson said.
>LEFT: Senior angela Poreda tosses the ball for her serve. Poreda has been playing at the varsity level for one year. “Senior night was a really emotional game for myself and also the rest of the team,” Poreda said. “it was our last game of the season in our gym and we all felt the pressure. Even though we did not win se-nior night, i still felt proud of the way i played.”
all photos by Kolade Olanrewaju.
>ABOVE: Freshman alexis Lyons dives in an attempt to dig a deep spike. Lyons has been a varsity player for one year.
>FAR LEFT: During a time out, the team discusses the previous play and how to improve. the Royals faced the matoaca Warriors on tues., Oct. 23. the Royals were victorious in the first game, but then dropped the last three. their scores were: 25-22, 11-25, 19-25, and 23-25.
Girls Volleyball Senior Night
Permanent Trainer Needed
After a player spikes the ball, on the way down she hurts her knee. Af-ter the play is over, her teammates help her to her feet. The trainer sees that the athlete is i in pain and runs out
on the court to help. As the player goes down, the person
running out to the field or court is the sports trainer. Checking for concussions, wrapping ankles, and caring for athletes are all jobs of a sports trainer, which the school is lacking at the moment.
Currently the school does not have a permanent trainer. The athletic department is trying to acquire a new trainer. By the middle of Nov. a decision will be made on a new and stable sports trainer. If the trainer is approved, they would sign a contract making it a full time deal in January.
“Two times a week we have people from John Randolph come and check on injuries,” Athletic Director Billy Russell said. “ We have had no complaints from any parents, athletes, or other teams this year about not having a trainer.”
When the trainers are not at the practices, the coaches have to watch out for injuries. The coaches are the ones who wrap the players’ ankles before practice. Usually, this is a job for a trainer, but because the school does not have permanent trainer, the coaches have to take control.
It is very different going from having a full time trainer to barely even having one at all. It is tough for the athletes to get used to.
“For wrapping ankles we just get Coach Wags to do it,” sophomore football player Heath Pack said. “I would rather have our old trainer back because I felt more comfortable around him.”
The athletes are frustrated with the fact that the school does not have a permanent sports trainer. They are not as comfortable as they were last year when the school had a full time trainer. The school needs a permanent sports trainer as soon as possible.
“We have been very blessed for a quite a while to have our old trainer and more blessed than we realized.” Russell said.
While sophomore Montae Bradshaw was playing quarterback, he got hit hard. With halftime just around the corner, Bradshaw took three steps back and felt his ankle roll. He already had previous issues with his ankle and this hard hit did not help his recovery.
When Bradshaw went down, one of the trainers went out to help.
“She did alright,” Bradshaw said. “I don’t like that we don’t have a permanent trainer. I wish it was like last year because it was better having our old trainer there. Now there is no trainer.”
To become a sports trainer, one has to have at minimum a bachelor’s degree in ath-letic training, health, physical education, or ex-ercise science. After they go to college for four years to obtain their bachelor’s degree, they have to take a test and be examined by a su-pervisor in clinics.
A high school sports trainer is supposed to be able to examine the injury and declare whether or not that person needs to go to a physician or if it is just a minor injury. The train-ers also need to check in with the coaches, par-ents, and athletes about the injury. They need to know if the injury is getting better or worse.
It is very important that every school have a trainer.
“Each school should be seeking a trainer, however that is not always possible,” Russell said.
Having a trainer makes the athletes and coaches feel much safer.
“If anyone is out there, can you come be our trainer,” Bradshaw said.
The school is in dire need of a permanent sports trainer. The trainers are here to protect and serve the athletes.
WINTERSpoRtSFRiDaY 11.9.12| thE ROYaL NEWS | 21
Visit www.trnsports.org to view our latest photo galleries.
During the homecoming game on Fri., Oct. 26, junior Ryan Prigge discusses an injury with the
temporary athletic trainer Josie mcmahon. Prigge has scoliosis and was being treated for
a hurt back. the Royals defeated the Colonials 36-0. Photo by Kristen Schwalm..
JoJo taylor
trn writer
Prince George cur-rently without full time trainer
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22 | thE ROYaL NEWS | FRiDaY 11.9.12
JROTCRoyal Battalion
Command & StaffSchool Year 2012-2013
Cadet Assistant Instructor:Brian KreemerBattalion Commander: Malik VaughnBattalion Executive Officer: Brooke CampbellBattalion Command Sgt. Major: Keasha Clairmont
Coordinating Staff Officers:
Personnel Officer: Jazlyne CrawleySpecial Projects Officer: Austin WagnerOperations Officer: Sidney ShippySupply Officer: Andrew FrazierPublic Affairs Officer: Raven Ulrich
Company Commanders:Dantre Boone Timothy Jones Austin Proctor-Raney Brian Watkins
Team Commanders:Rifle Team: Destiny Grubbs Drill Team: Diana Jackson Honor Guard: Christopher Scott Raider Platoon: Hunter Love
It is three o’clock on the first day of try-
outs and a group of around 60 hopeful
basketball players line the wall. They
all realize they have just under a few
hours to impress the coaches enough
to find a spot on the team.
Head boys basketball Coach Da-
vid Hettinger has the task of building
a new team after evaluating players during the
tryout period.
“I will be looking for the best guard and for-
wards for the team,” Hettinger said.
Tryouts began Nov. 5, directly after school in
the gym. Pre tryout conditioning prepares play-
ers for running and physical aspects of the sport
while also going through drills to ensure that ev-
eryone on the court understands the game plan
on day one.
Although conditioning is not mandatory, it
prepares inexperienced players.
“Whether or not you show up for condition-
ing has no effect on making the team or not,” Het-
tinger said.
While conditioning is seemingly less stress-
ful due to the lack of extreme evaluation, tryouts
are quite the opposite.
“The players need to show up ready to play
basketball,” Hettinger said.
Players tryout for the team with all different
mind-sets. Some could be nervous because it is
their first time stepping on the court for school,
while others perhaps are the seasoned veterans
that have returned to lead the team.
One of those seasoned veterans is senior
Jeffrey Ramsey, who is familiar with the process
of trying out.
“We do a lot of running, and handling and
dribbling drills,” Ramsey said.
Some of the newer ones to the tryout scene
are briefed on the first day, learning basic skills.
After the basics have been practiced over and
over, they proceed into the other, more difficult
drills.
“We work on gauntlets, ladders, and twelve-
twenty-twos,” said senior Malik Alexander.
The players are then separated mainly
by age, but also by their skill level and whether
Hettinger needs to better evaluate their perfor-
mance.
The team lost six seniors from last year
which has lead to some unrest in the team.
“We don’t have a lot of team chemistry this
year,” Ramsey said. “We really need to learn from
our mistakes, and listen to our coaches and old
players.”
It could be easy to lose a step with a lack of
chemistry on the team.
“We will step up as the underclassmen from
last year and work together as one unit,” Alexan-
der said.
There is a lot to be worked on from the first
day especially when it comes to specific ele-
ments of the game.
“We are running, doing footwork, and de-
fensive slides,” Alexander said.
According to Alexander, defensive capabil-
ity plays a major role in looking for a player.
“If you play defense better than someone,
you will most likely be on the team,” Alexander
said.
Alexander has high hopes for the upcoming
season.
“I look forward to winning the banner for
the district championship,” Alexander said.
The team plays home only on weeknights at
7:15 or 7:30. Home games are held in the school
gymnasium.
Blier Smith
trn writer
WINTERSpoRtS
During tryouts on mon., Nov. 5, coach Dave hettinger instructs
potential players on what he expects from them. tryouts
were held the week of Nov. 5-9. Photo by Blier Smith.
SENiOR SPOtLiGhtIan Douglas
Boys Volleyball
How long have you been playing volleyball? “I have played volleyball for five years.”
Who or what inspired you to play volleyball? “My cousin originally asked me to come out and play and then I made some friends.”
How do you train outside of practice?“The volleyball team gets together on Sunday’s and plays volleyball on a sand court.”
What do you do before a game to prepare yourself?“I eat, joke with my friends and listen to music. I listen to Dubstep, metal, and rap.”
Do you plan on continuing to play volleyball in college?“I want to try and play intramural. It is like a fun activity for volleyball.”
What has been your best expe-rience as a part of the team so far?“Going to districts was my best experience from being a part of the team.”
FRiDaY 11.9.12 | thE ROYaL NEWS | 23
Basketball SeasonBegins
SportswINteR
CaLeNdaR
Varsity Girls Basketball Schedule 2012-13Wed., Nov 14 @ highland Springs - 7:30 Pmtues., Nov 20 @ Cosby - 7:30 Pmthurs.,Nov. 29 @ Ft. Lee tip Off tournamenttues., Dec 4 @ hopewell - 7:30 Pmthurs., Dec 6 vs. Dinwiddie - 7:15 Pmtues., Dec 11 @ Petersburg - 7:15 Pm
On Oct. 31, as kids all over the coun-try crowded the streets asking for candy, the varsity field hockey team traveled to compete in re-
gionals. This was the first time the majority of the team had the chance to be a part of the re-gional tournament. In order to advance, they would need to beat Cosby.
At half time, the Royals were down 3-0.
Their original excited mentality was begin-ning to fade.
“At halftime the coach talked about how we were still in the game and could hang with them,” junior Grace Burch said. “After the first half, though, the mentality went to ‘we cannot do it’ even though we wanted to win.”
In the end, the Royals ended their season by being defeated by Cosby 6-0.
Courtney taylor
trn editor
Field Hockey Travels To Regionals
Pictured below: Junior Grace Burch attacks the ball in order to gain
possession back for the Royals. The Royals were defeated by Cosby 6-0.
Photo by Blier Smith.
Varsity Boys Basketball Schedule 2012-13Sat., Nov 17 @ hermitage - 9:00 amthurs., Nov 29 @ Deep Run - 7:30 Pmtues., Dec 4 vs. hopewell - 7:30 PmFri., Dec 7 @ Dinwiddie - 7:30 PmSat., Dec 8 @ monroe - 3:30 Pmtues., Dec 11 @ Petersburg - 7:30 Pm