NewsNorseVolume 31 • Number 2

Spartanburg High School • 500 Dupre Drive • Spartanburg, SC 29307

November 5, 2012

sThe 2012 Literary Magazine "First Circle" was named an All-State winner at this year’s South Carolina Scholastic Press Association competition. Sophomore Jillian Hoffman won first place for Best Art and seniors Natalie Brown and Markell Meadows won second place for Best Cover.s

sOn Oct. 9, a group of principals from China visited the campus to determine the possibility of a foreign exchange program.s

News Briefs

Football, festivities

sOn Oct. 4, the Freshman

Academy celebrated

Oktoberfest with German

food and authentic

music.s

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sSeniors were encouraged to meet with counselors and college represenattives in the library on Oct. 25 to get help with college applications.s

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F rom hard-core practice to walk-throughs, the Viking football team earnestly prepared for the Homecoming game. Team members

such as junior quarterback Banks Wise focused their entire week on winning their first home victory the upcoming Friday.

“Like any other week, we practiced hard ... we tried to stay focused and blocked out any distractions. We just wanted to play hard and try to get our first home win,” Wise said.

On Oct. 12 1992, alumni and current Vikings went to Gibbs Stadium to watch the football team play the Boiling Springs Bulldogs.

In the first half, junior defensive back Branch Wilson intercepted a pass from the Bulldogs offense and ran 31 yards, giving the Vikings a 7-0 lead. The Vikings struggled against the Bulldogs who brought the score to 7-7.

The highlight of the week came during halftime when the 2012 Homecoming Queen was announced. KeAsia

Queen crowned at halftimeTimothy Lindsey

Op-Ed Editor Beasley and Diana Mendez were named Honorary Court Members while Oona MacDougall was crowned the 2012 Homecoming Queen.

“ ... I felt like the whole world was rallying behind me and that I was on top of the world. It was phantasmal!”

MacDougall said.In the second

half, the Bulldogs scored again, mak-ing the score 7-14. During the fourth quarter, quarter-back Banks Wise threw a pass to se-nior wide-receiver Dwight Rogers, ty-ing the game 14-14 and pulling the game into overtime.

Boiling Springs kicked a field goal to

take the lead 17-14. Junior running back Jaimee Bowe won the game with a seven-yard touchdown run. The final score was Vikings 20, Bulldogs 17.

When interviewed about the outcome of the game by reporter Todd Shaneshy of the Herald Journal, Head Coach Freddie Brown praised the team’s attitude.

“It’s your character that wins games like that,” Brown said.

(See Parade page 2)

Parade heard ‘round the worldKelsey Rector

Cover Editor

I t is the week that everyone longs for. The week that students can dress like complete fools and do a multitude of fun activities every school day for

a week. The homecoming parade never fails to exceed expectations and the homecoming football game brings the week to an end.

Throughout the week the classes competed in penny wars. There are many other competitions held as well, such as the pie eating contest. The contest was free, and, needless to say, competitors were going to their next class with a stomach ache.

Monday, the Vikings dressed in red, white and blue in honor of America, and people were covered in these patriotic colors from head to toe. Decade Day was held on Tuesday. Whether people were representing the 1920s, 1990s, or anything in between, they all looked different in what they wore. Farmer Day took place

on Wednesday with outfits ranging from camouflage to pigtails and freckles.

The homecoming parade theme was Parade of Nations. The seniors had first pick, and they chose the one and only USA. The juniors chose England, sophomores

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On Oct. 12 Oona MacDougall was voted this year’s Homecom-ing Queen and KeAsia Beasley and Diana Mendez were named Honorary Court members.

It was really fun working on the float with the senior class and it was great to see everyone come together as

a team.-Senior Ashton Cradit“

had the best costumes. Therefore we deserved to win,” Wilson said.

In front of the freshmen, the sophomore class represented China. The girls were dressed in their kimono dresses, and the boys were dressed like professional ping pong players. Some of the girls went all out with white face paint and black hair.

Sophomore David Dunlavey thought that the sophomores float would not have been pulled off without all the people.

“I think a big part of the float had to do with the people on it. The float was cool but it was all the people on the float that really pulled it together,” Dunlavey said.

The last night of

had China, freshmen had Egypt, and the service club members went with an Italian theme.

The seniors represented the United States everywhere with icons such as the Statue of Liberty and Miss America, and the whole float was decked out in red, white and blue.

Senior Ashton Cradit enjoyed working with fellow classmates on the USA float.

“It was really fun working on the float with the senior class and it was great to see everyone come together as a team right before the parade when our float fell apart,” Cradit said.

The juniors, who had the winning float, brought England to America with many famous characters such as Queen Elizabeth and the rest of the royal family, the Spice Girls, Adele, David and Victoria Beckham, the Beatles, One Direction, and other famous people that originated in England.

Junior Julia Wilson thought that the juniors deserved to win the float contest.

“The juniors put a lot of effort into our float and we

P assports are not needed to ex-perience the many different cultures in the world. The Inter-

national Festival is a one day event that allows visitors to dine and learn about different cultures.

The festival takes place in Barnett Park every year in October. This year, two rows of booths were set up along the street representing the USA, India, and all the countries in between.

Each booth sold delicacies from their country. From BBQ, to Thai chicken and noodles to German sau-sages the food was what attracted the most visitors.

Junior Jacqueline Linder worked in the Swiss booth and enjoyed participating in the festival.

2 Norse News News Monday, November 5, 2012

361 East Kennedy StreetSpartanburg, SC 29307

864-573-5252

Show your school I.D. and get a free drink with your meal purchase!

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Barnett Park holds 27th International FestivalAnna NayfaFeatures Editor

Down the street, across the globe

With an English theme, the junior class marches in the Homecoming Parade on Oct. 11. The juniors won first place in this year’s float contest.

1040 Fernwood-Glendale Rd.Spartanburg, SC 29307

864-582-3028

Parade (continued from page 1)

“The International Festi-val is great because you can see all the different cultures and you can try foods from every country, especially the wonderful Swiss chocolate,” Linder said.

The second part of the park included booths that do not sell food but are ven-dors and booths of other sorts. That sold trinkets and other items from their countries. Other booths of-fered information aboout their cultures instead of selling things.

Throughout the day shows were put on by different cul-tural people and performing

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Junior Stephany Rio observes a German musi-cian at the 27th annual International Festival in Barnett Park on Oct. 6.

groups. Martial arts demonstrations were put on along with a professional clog dancing group. A native Mexican man also got the audience to interact by teaching them a traditional friend-ship dance.

Junior Stephany Rio was impressed with the performance that the Hispan-ic man gave.

“It was cool seeing him interact with the crowd and educate everyone on a traditional Mexican dance,” Rio said.

The International Festival was a unique way for anyone, like sopho-more Kevin Phanhly, to experience the rich heritage of different countries without ever visiting them.

“It was interesting to see the differ-ent cultures and the influences on cul-tural societies,” Phanhly said.

homecoming week, Vikings dressed in extreme blue and gold before winning against Boiling Springs. The week of festivities was over it will not be forgotten soon.

Norse News News Monday, November 5, 2012 3

Down the street, across the globe Books and blazesLaura Blackerby

Editor-in-Chief

Literary Club hosts fall bonfire

Easy as one, two, threeNatalie Brown

News Editor

Cadets get “A” in education

Every teacher starts out as a student. On Oct. 2, the Teacher Cadet class, along with those from five other Upstate high schools, visited USC Upstate to learn about scholarship opportunities that the school offers and what is

required to have a career as an educator.One scholarship offered statewide is the South Carolina Teaching Fellows pro-

gram which offers up to $6,000 yearly to education majors. The student does not have to pay the loan back if they teach in any public South Carolina school for the same number of years that they receive funding.

Senior Allison Cox found the day helpful in sorting out her college plans.“I thought [the day] was very informative. It was a fun way to learn about Teach-

ing Fellows and what is required to get the scholarship,” Cox said.Teacher of the Year Amy McAllister gave a presentation about everything from her

father’s obsession with Facebook to educators that changed her life. McAllister caught the attention of the crowd, like senior Tyra Oglesby, with her energetic speech.

“She was able to draw in the students with jokes, rather than just giving a lec-ture... she really put meaning into what she was saying,” Oglesby said.

After lunch, the visitors were given an opportunity to learn more about the Teaching Fellows program through a Q&A session with current USC Upstate stu-dents majoring in education. There, senior Jessica DeBiase learned even more from the current college undergraduates.

“The current Teaching Fellows do the interviews for the scholarship. I think that’s a great thing because they’re close in age [to applicants], so it’s like talking to a friend instead of a scary adult,” DeBiase said.

The Teacher Cadets class took a trip to USC Upstate to learn more about the school, scholarship opportunities, and what it is like to major in education.

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L iterature lovers and writers alike all gathered around the campfire on

Saturday, Oct. 13 when they had the opportunity to share original pieces and read some of their favorite stories and poems.

The Literary Club bonfire is the first of many traditions that the club will start this year in hopes that the new events will encourage young writers to engage in intellectual discussions with each other regarding their own writings and even their favorite books.

Some of the festivities at the bonfire included singing, fireside chats, and making smores, to name a few.

Junior Emily Leamy attended the event and enjoyed socializing with the other members.

“It was very exciting to meet with other members in a cool setting and talk about everything from books to things we have seen on the internet,” Leamy said.

Literary Club vice-president,

Open 8 am -3 pm2601 E. Main St., Ste. 21

Spartanburg, SC 29307(864) 541-7981

Breakfast, brunch, and lunch- served here or at home!

SHS students get 10% off their

bill!

Literary Club members gathers around a bonfire conversing, sharing their work, and making music.

Mary Parker Britton hopes to keep the fireside tradition alive for the years to come.

“I can’t wait until we have another bonfire next year,” Britton said

Club sponsor and Creative Writing instructor Edwin Epps is looking forward to planning the literary magazine for the spring.

“We look forward for setting our theme this year for First Circle. Be on the look-out for posters regarding when submissions are due so that we can can once again get a variety of submissions from great writers,” Epps said.

With this great kick-start to a new year, the Literary Club, whose magazine recently was awarded an All-State award by the South Carolina Scholastic Press Association, will continue to produce great work.

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points out that delayed work for a better outcome and internet-influenced pro-

Spartanburg High School500 Dupre Dr. / Spartanburg, SC 29307

(864) 594-4410 ext. 7236Fax (864) 594-6142

Vol. 31 / No. 2/ November 5, 2012

Editor-in-Chief - Laura BlackerbyNews - Natalie Brown

Op/Ed - Timothy LindseyEntertainment -Maron Tate

Centerspread - Laura BlackerbyFeatures - Anna Nayfa

Sports - Patrick Ingraham Cover - Kelsey RectorBusiness- Ellen Brown

Infographics/Photo Illustrator- Aaron RossCoverage Manager- Adam Hall

Ad Designers- Hunter Hicklin and Danielle Cassells

Adviser and Photography Instructor Lisa McCulley

Norse News is the student publication of Spartanburg High School. The editors and staff are

responsible for all editorial decisions. Therefore the opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the adviser, the faculty, or the

administration. Letters to the editor and student submissions are welcomed, and can be delivered to room 107C. The editors reserve the

right to edit, shorten, or reject any or all materials.

Still, this does not mean that it is not an issue. While some website creators depend on the minutes a user spends on their page, others are concerned with limiting that time. Bing.com is a search engine that presents narrower results than it’s competitor Google. Apps like HootSuite, TweetDeck, and Seesmic put multiple social networking sites in one place, eliminating the amount of time navigating from site to site. For those seriously addicted, RescueTime blocks certain sites that the users fear is too ad-dictive from access.

With all this information taken into consideration, an hour or so on the web is not all bad. Some sites even use their addictive qualities for good (Freerice.com donates rice to starving countries for ev-ery amount of vocabulary words that the user defines).

While the web has a dark side, it provides laughs, communication, and an immeasurable amount of infor-mation that teens could benefit from spending time on; just maybe not 100,000 years worth.

ContemplationWhich sex makes better choices?

I magine spending 100,000 years in front of a computer screen. While that seems like a large span of time,

a study on Yahoo! Technology found that each month 100,000 years is the collective time spent on Facebook.

While the internet seems like a fun place to spend a spare minute, those 60 seconds can easily turn into six hours. In fact, most websites design their pages to appear productive when in reality they cause browsers to spend unnecessary time (as much as 4.4 hours a day according to CyberSentinel) in front of a screen, click-ing through page after page of funny pic-tures or “liking” their friend’s statuses.

A problem that these “black holes” of the web presents includes distrac-tion from schoolwork. A study from the American Psychological Associa-tion found that 80 to 95 percent of col-lege students procrastinate doing their coursework. While the APA found that some students put off doing their work because the pressure of time helps them perform better, Carleton University Psy-chology teacher Dr. Timothy A. Pychyl

4 Norse News Opinion Monday, November 5, 2012

Norse News

Staff Editorial

S ome ask if there is a difference between the male and female brain when it comes to decision making. Science does not explain why women make better

decisions than men. It is just plain and simple, girls are better decision makers than guys.

Men and women differ in how they categorize the world. Men tend to organize the world into distinct categories where women see things in different perspectives.

Men use the decisions of others to help them form their own opinion. For example, in most cases a guy will not consider settling down unless his friends decide that they are tired of chasing girls.

Statistics say that women mature earlier than guys. With maturity women tend to think about the consequences of their actions, while men tend to do whatever and whenever they please with no conscience. When it comes to decision making, many men do not care about their actions because they belive they are “alpha males.” That is garbage. All it shows is that men are unable to make good decisions on their own and they are irresponsible.

Decision making has a lot to do with maturity. With that in mind you can clearly see that women are better decision makers than men.

Agreeing to disagree

Hunter Hicklin Justin Fox

crastination are very different.Research published by CNN found

that by the age of two, more than 90 per-cent of Americans have an online history, while more than 50 percent of children that are five years old regularly come in contact with a computer. Interestingly, the British Broadcasting Channel discovered that the internet releases the same addic-

tive neurochemicals as cocaine.However, the BBC also found that this

time spent online has the same effect on the human brain as hours spent watch-ing TV or texting. InsideTheSchool.com argued that the average number of teens doing productive things like reading for fun has barely changed with the past several years. In other words, countless hours clocked in on the web is nothing new.

Young men as traditional leaders of the household are endowed with a sense of responsibility for our actions. A key component of manhood is noting that the decision made now can affects ones ability to support a family in the future. Man’s tragic flaw is the in-ability to think logically when in the presence of a pretty woman.

Females do not realize how much influence they have over the male psyche. It’s difficult to be a good guy when all the ladies like the bold and daring bad-boy type. And that’s exactly what males become when we’re around them.

Not to say that every stupid thing a guy does is because a girl is looking, but… Guys may rev the engine a bit more when driving past an attractive girl. We may stick out our chest and defy authority in an attempt to look tough. And the little la-dies look harmless just giggling and egging us on! Females are not better decision makers than men: they are just better at not getting caught.

One look at the guy:girl ratio of school referrals, traffic tick-ets and misdemeanors could convince anyone that males are just reckless, disrespectful, and have no regard for common laws. But if one delves deeper into the more subtle motiva-tions for this outlandish behavior; a woman will be found as the catalyst for all evil. The dumbest decision a man can ever make is to sacrifice his morals for the sake of a dame.

Digital time-wasters can impair a student’s learning as they study. Each website can lead to another making it almost impossible to escape from procrastination.

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Procrastination strikes web usersOut of time online

tally. This usually translates into being good with science and mathematics.

Furthermore, many visual learners are also very crafty with vocabulary and their writing capabilities. Visual learners also have a very quick and masterful grasp of multiple foreign languages as well as the English language.

However, they do sometimes come up short when having to verbalize these languages.

In addition, many studies show that those with similar learning styles as their teachers tend to do much better in the given course.

Honors Geometry teacher Melanie Eckles, has a very high success rate with her students.

“I think that my visual learning style really translates well with the students, because whether they like it or not, they have to learn to be visual in order to pass the course,” Eckles said.

Auditory learners typically make up the bulk of the musical courses. They

Memory techniques unique to allSee it, hear it, learn it

C hainsaws, clowns, and dark rooms will forever be grim reminders of

what Wompus Woods held for me that chilly October night.

Normally, I do not take part in thrill-seeking amusements. I can probably count on my fingers the horror films that I have seen, and I only started riding roller coasters a few years ago. Yet this year when I saw the billboard for Wompus Woods, I felt like it would be an entertaining experience.

What I learned from the haunt-ed path can basically be summed up in three rules. First of all, take a designated buddy. Preferably choose someone who does not mind hand holding and becom-ing a human shield when the big men with chainsaws appear.

Second, I learned to make friends with strangers. Haunted trails are bonding experiences. Logically, it should be easy to re-member that the trail is just a per-formance. However, the illusion that death lurked in all corners won over my common sense. The stranger that walked in front of me was left to suffer from my loud screaming and relentless efforts to keep up with the group by latching onto his now stretched shirt.

Lastly, the greatest secret to success on these trails is to try and keep it cool. The loudest screamers are the biggest targets, as are those who conspicuously hide in the middle of the crowd.

So by the end of it all, I would probably rather celebrate Hal-loween by watching Mean Girls than ever go on a haunted trail again. However, if someone finds pleasure in creepy clowns and a mild fear factor, who am I to judge?

A t a young age, most students across America have taken at least one of the “Learning

Style Tests” or surveys that are given out nationally. At first glance they seem very repetitive and frustrating, but these tests may reveal more about oneself than meets the eye.

Visual learners tend to be better at visualizing objects such as imaginary shapes and blocks and are actually able to rotate these or recreate them men-

Norse News Editorials Monday, November 5, 2012 5

Adam HallCoverage Manager

Try it, you’ll like it

Trail of terror Wompus claims victim

Laura Blackerby

I believe that my learning style helps me to be a better listener

as a friend ... -Sophomore

Rachel Moore“Ph

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Visualizing shapes and figures helps visual learners prepare for careers in the maths or sciences. Teacher Melanie Eckles uses her knowledge of learning styles to teach her Honors Geometry classes.

Different learning styles dictate the way in which individuals are best able to learn. These revolve around the individual’s most effective senses, either sight, sound, or touch.

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learn best when words are spoken or when something is repeated aloud.

Auditory learners also tend to be the best speakers, which usually helps in things such as stand-up comedy or singing. Auditory learners also tend to have very good adaptations to stage fright, in that they have very little fear when performing for an audience.

Sophomore Rachel Moore has been in band since elementary school and also sings for her church choir.

“I believe that my [auditory] learning style helps me to be a better listener as a friend and helps me to do better in classes because my teachers mostly speak their lessons anyways,” Moore said.

Tactile or kinesthetic learners learn best with hands-on activities. These

kinds of learners are usually good with the visual arts including drawing, painting, and particularly sculpting.

It takes tactile learners very little time to convert the image in their head into some-thing that is tangible.

Kinesthetic learners are often very ath-letic. Many football or basketball players as

well as wrestlers have the most success at their sport because of the active nature of their sports.

Despite the studies, however, the study of learning styles is a very new science and is loosely supported with evidence.

Harold Pashler, one of the authors of “Psychological Science in the Public Interest,” challenges the importance of

learning styles. “Instruments to mea-

sure learning styles are weak. We therefore ad-vise against pedagogi-cal intervention based solely on any of the learn-ing style instruments,” Pashler said.

The main point of Pashler’s stand is that the tools used for determining these learning styles and how they pertain to the everyday person are, or so he believes, largely inaccurate and are very loosely upheld.

Though Pashler and many other people across America believe that analyzing learning styles has little merit, students and teachers alike find that learning styles are a great way to discover more about themselves and their classmates.

6 Norse News Entertainment Monday, November 5, 2012

Hillbillies hit reality Reality shows are redneck, wild

Kelsey RectorCover Editor

Perks of Being a WallflowerEmma Watson makes new appearance

Anna Nayfa Features Editor grew up with an all-star football-playing

brother and a top-of-the-class sister. Though his household is stable, Charlie’s family is still distant. Family secrets evolve that begin to take a great mental toll on Charlie throughout the novel.

The book is based on Charlie writing anonymous letters to a person he believes to be a nice person, even though he does not know him personally. He writes to the individual as if they have been friends for the longest time and proceeds to reveal all of his dreams and secrets.

Junior Jada Farr can relate to the book. “We all have those few people that we can confide in, just like Charlie,” Farr said.

Charlie comes to cherish the people and the small moments of joy in his life. He learns through his experiences that maybe being a wallflower is not what he was meant to be.

The story has recently been turned in to a film, starring Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, and Ezra Miller. The movie was written and directed by the author Chbosky and follows the story line of the book closely.

Radin rises to fameJoshua Radin: the voice of an angel

That’s unheard of!

through shortly before. Since then, Radin has released three

more albums – “Simple Times” (2008), “The Rock and The Tide” (2010), and most recently “Underwater” (2012).

Joshua Radin has a very unique sound; his music is the perfect mix of his whispery voice and soothing acoustic guitar. His music has passed through stages, from the very soft feel of his first album, to the heavier, more energetic second album, and then back to a comfortingly placid sound in his most recent works.

The alternative genre is somewhat of a catch-all for music that does not fit anywhere else, encompassing everything from pop-punk to techno-metal. Joshua Radin deserves a genre all to himself, as he truly makes music like no other.

and their everyday lives. It is definitely a comedy, however some people certainly find it funnier than others.

Freshman Riannon Martin is en-thralled with the new hillbilly reality.

“I love Lizard Lick Towing and Honey Boo Boo! They are so funny,” Martin said.

A majority of audiences do enjoy watching the shows, whether it is to watch and laugh with them or to watch and laugh at them.

“Lizard Lick Towing” is a show starring Ronnie Shirley and his wife Amy and their repossession and recovery business. The show draws in viewers not necessarily to watch the actual repossessions, but for the everyday life comedy of the Shirleys and their customers.

It usually is not an easy repossession most of the time, so they deal with many wild people. Ronnie’s friend Bobby, Amy, and Ronnie are constantly

bickering back and forth and have the audience entertained.

“Swamp People” is a very popular reality show all over the country about people who live in Louisiana who hunt alligators for a living. Their dialect and way of life is so interesting to watch because it is not what many people are accustomed to.

Sophomore Henry Fields has a

Aaron Ross

different opinion of the reality shows.“I feel like the people in those shows

are extremely odd,” Fields said.Despite what many think, shows

such as “Swamp People” attract most of their viewers because of the crazy characters. “Swamp People” is so popular there are t-shirts, hats, bumper stickers, and many other items that advertise the show.

Alana Thompson, nicknamed “Honey Boo Boo,” loves to glam up her natural everyday look to become a pageant star.

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J oshua Radin was born into an everyday family in Shaker Heights, Ohio, with no real

ambitions of becoming a musician. He attended Northwestern University to study drawing and painting, then proceeded to jump between jobs as an art instructor, screenwriter, and employee at an art gallery. In all these occupations, however, he never found what he was looking for.

After moving to New York City in 2002, Radin bought a guitar and taught himself to play and sing. Radin’s career in music began on the set of the TV show “Scrubs” with the song “Winter,” only two years after he began learning to play.

Radin’s music draws heavily upon his personal life, referencing relationships and emotions he has experienced firsthand. He released his first official album, “We Were Here,” in 2006 and admits it was based almost solely on a bad breakup he had been

W e accept the love we think we deserve” is one of the themes of the coming

of age novel, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” which was written by Stephen Chbosky and published in 1999.

Charlie is a 15 year old boy starting his freshman year of high school and trying to cope with the loss of his friend, Micheal.Charlie finds a mentor and friend in his English teacher, the one person that believes he is special.

Junior Leslie Shealy believes “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” was an inspiring book.

“I love the relationship between Charlie and his teacher, Bill. Bill gives Charlie the guidance he never had,” Shealy said.

Always being teased as a “wallflower” Charlie finds a way to become more extroverted when he is taken under the wings of his two new senior friends Sam and Patrick. Through them Charlie learns what it means to have friends and to fall in love. He grows as an individual and begins to realize what the “real world” is. Charlie

You better redneckonize!” as the star of reality spin off “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,”

Alana Thompson, would say. Reality shows have become more popular throughout the years as TV watchers love to see the daily lives of others.

Lately, though, a new style of reality, “hillbilly reality,” has emerged with shows such as “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,” “Lizard Lick Towing,” “Duck Dynasty,” “Swamp People,” and “Hillbilly Handfishin’.”

Sophomore Sarah Martin finds the new shows very funny.

“They’re hilarious and I love to watch them, but they make southern people look really uneducated,” Martin said.

“Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” stars Alana Thompson who TLC found on another reality show, “Toddlers and Tiaras.” The show portrays Thompson, her family,

Recommended album: Simple TimesSongs you should listen to: “Anywhere Your Love Goes,” “The Greenest Grass.”

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Norse News Entertainment Monday, November 5, 2012 7

serious films released such as “2016: Obama’s America”, which is about Obama’s journey into becoming president in the 2008 election and his desire to achieve a second term this fall.

Though the two movies have different audiences and objectives, some believe neither should be over thought or taken too seriously.

Sophomore Madison Allen believes that po-litical films should not be taken into too much consideration.

“These movies allow us to see the flaws of campaigns and in certain ways can change our opinion and view point. However, these movies shouldn’t be taken too seriously, or a vote could be based on a comedy and not facts,” said Allen.

The election is right around the corner, the debates are heating up, and

Funny films win votesPolitical parodies fill theaters

that candidates running for office will do what it takes to be elected.

Senior Dino Chittavong shares that some campaigns can be taken too far and personal.

“Candidates will make up these lies about their opponents just to win. They rarely advertise what they plan to actually do in office and spend most of their time beating down whomever their running against,” said Chittavong.

“The Campaign,” however, also demonstrated the smooth side of politics and that in the end of the race, most running for office just want what is best for the people, and not for themselves.

Junior Matt Allen argues that candidates do in fact have boundaries on their campaigns.

“People running for office won’t always do whatever it takes to win if they could be hurting others. I think most of them have morals and will stop at some point,” said Allen.

In contrast to this laugh-out-loud film political parody, there have been more

Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis stand nose to nose while filming their new political comedy, “The Campaign.”

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T he 2012 presidential election took place on November 12 and the whole country was

watching as our 57th president was chosen for office. With this major milestone in American history, movie theatres featured election and campaign spoofs, comedies, and even serious films. These hilarious, and somewhat interesting, movies hopefully served as an encouragement to eligible voters to place their ballots.

“The Campaign,” starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, is a recent comedy about the secret political warfare that takes place between candidates behind the scenes of campaigns. Ferrell and Galifianakis play two outrageous senatorial candidates from North Carolina who will stop at nothing to secure a victory.

“America. Jesus. Freedom,” said Ferrell playing deceiving Cam Brady.

Though exaggerated and only a spoof, some do agree with the parody

the competition is getting personal.The true intentions behind these

political films, whether they are created for entertainment, persuasion, or exposure, are determined by the viewers.

Most movie-goers just want to enjoy themselves and enjoyment is the main ingredient in these outrageous films with their far from subtle jokes and scary accuracy in politics.

Maron Tate Entertainment Editor

8 Norse News Centerspread

AP American G o v e r n m e n t class, Welborn concluded that he wanted all voters to be aware of where their candidate stands on important issues.

“For this u p c o m i n g election don’t look at who is running, but look at what they are running for. There is something in my plan for everyone,” Welborn said.

Rogers instead wanted to remind voters of America’s opportunity to once again become a prominant leader in global politics.

“I am challenging the

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Seniors Michael Welborn and Dwight Rogers shake hands after practicing their speeches in front of the AP Government and Politics class.

Timothy LindseyOp-Ed Editor

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Barack Hussein Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on August 4, 1961 to Ann Dunham and Barack Obama Sr. After high school Barack attended Columbia University majoring in Political Science. Later, Obama moved to Chicago were he became a community organizer working

with underprivileged residents of the South Side area. Obama then attended Harvard Law School where he received his law degree in 1990 and became

the first African-American editor of the Harvard Law Review. Upon graduation, Obama traveled back to Chicago were he became a civil-rights attorney and began teaching at the University of Chicago Law School. He also married a fellow attorney in Chicago named Michelle Robinson.

Obama was elected as an U.S. Senator for the state of Illinois in 2004. Four years later, Obama ran for President as a Democrat and won the election against his opponent Senator John McCain. Barack Obama officially became the first African-American inducted into presidential office on January 20, 2009.

Obama said, “Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the changes that we seek.”

Election 2012

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T he Speech and Debate class is took

advantage of this election cycle by hosting a mock election in which students represented both candidates. This year senior Michael Welborn debated for the Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, and senior Dwight Rogers represented the incumbent, Democrat President Barack Obama.

Welborn worked very hard to portray his candidate in the best light possible, in hopes of swaying people’s political opinion of Mitt Romney.

While performing his speech in front of the

Practicing party politics

Democrat

Barack Obama

Laura BlackerbyEditor-in-Chief

Debaters mock election forum

HWe the people decide America’s fate

American people to support me in making America the super-power that it is capable of becoming,” Rogers said.

Both seniors researched their candidates’ policies and beliefs and prepared a speech that they went on to share with multiple social studies classes.

Speech and Debate teacher, Chris White has enjoyed sponsoring this school wide event and specifically enjoyed the lunch-time debate and press conference that was held on Tuesday, Oct. 30.

“[The debate] is basically for students to learn about

the democratic process... especially the party system,” White said.

During the debate, both the press and participating students were able to ask Welborn and Rogers questions regarding their candidates stance on important issues including taxes, the economy, healthcare and abortion.

White is very proud of Welborn and Rogers for taking on so much responsibilty and doing so much research.

“It’s not easy for the guys to take on the roles, but they did and they did a great job with it,” White said.

On Monday, Nov. 5, the student body had the opportunity to cast their vote for their favored candidate.

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Republican

Mitt RomneyElection

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W illiam “Mitt” Romeny was born in Detroit, Michigan on March 12, 1947 to George Romney and Lenore Romeny. Upon high school graduation Mitt became a Mormon missionary in France and in 1969 he married his high school sweetheart Ann Davies.

Romney then attended Brigham Young University where he earned a joint law degree and later a M.B.A at Harvard University.

Romney stayed in Boston where he became a management consultant and later a C.E.O for Bain & Co. He later created a byproduct of Bain & Co. titled Bain Capital which eventually led him to become a multimillionaire. In January 2003 Mitt Romney became the Governor of Massachusetts where he remained until January 4, 2007.

In 2008 Romney became a Presidiential candidate but dropped out of the race due to a loss in Florida. Romney then endorsed fellow Republican candidate John McCain. Romney is currently running for President again in the upcoming November 6th election.

Romney said, “I stand ready to lead us down a different path, where we are lifted up by our desire to succeed, not dragged down by a resentment of success.”

We want youth ...to vote this election

Campaign ads are plastered every-where— on tele-

vision screens, bumper stickers, billboards, maga-zines, and they can be spotted around towns all over America.

Election is in the air and many young Americans are beginning to feel more obligated to vote. They are persuaded by teach-ers, professors, counselors, and even the media, to cast a ballot.

Some major factors that influence youth participation in elections are health care reforms and college education opportunities or new educational programs because these pertain particularly to students in college. Decisions on these issues often lead students to success after high school and also in the work force.

Some of the youth in this country deliberately choose not to vote because they do not think that their input will make a difference.

Voting makes denizens of America feel more independent

and responsible. Many who vote also tend to feel grateful that they have the great o p p o r t u n i t y to vote, and therefore feel pride in their nation.

Senior T a y l o r Mims is planning to vote in this year’s election because he feels that it is his responsibility as an American citizen.

“It is our duty to vote for the candidate who will be

most able to fulfill the needs of the

people in this c o u n t r y ,” Mims said.

M T V ’ s Rock the Vote is an

organization that helps

build political power in young

voters by taking polls concerning their attitude towards Congress, national

Danielle Cassells Ad Designer leaders and their

interest in elections. It also focuses on critical issues discussed in this election cycle.

As young adults get involved in politics and find their voice, this country becomes stronger because the youth are the future of America.

If more young adults begin to vote, then the people of America will be better represented in future elections.

Seniors Dino Chittavong and Conrad Hurst wear Barack Obama and Mitt Romney masks during this years’ annual homecoming parade.

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We the people decide America’s fate

Timothy LindseyOp-Ed Editor

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This information was gathered from a random sample of 50 Spartanburg High School students in order to predict the school-wide presidential preference.

Infographic by A. Ross

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Substitute teachers light up classroom

10Norse News Features Monday, November 5, 2012

Danielle CassellsAd Designer

FashionFrenzy Maron Tate

Cute as a button downButton up those button downs

Healthy Habits Ellen Brown

Holiday events bring culinary temptationsHow to be happy while eating healthy for the holidays

Mr. Roy Mortimer relaxes the classroom environment with his trivia questions and his prizes of Mardi Gras beads.

Looking for some fall and winter pieces to dress up and embellish your

wardrobe? Have no fear! A new fashion trend will leave your wallet full and your style unique.

Lately trends have been advertising the unisex garment that will change your view on button downs and the “lumberjack” look forever. Button down shirts, particularly plaid, flannel ones, made a grand appearance in New York Fashion Week, and even on sites such as Pinterest and Tumblr.

Tommy Hilfiger’s “lumberjack” collection that was featured in NYFW revealed a new high style for men this season. But this does not mean that all the guys out there have to go spend a fortune on a new look, just pull out of your closet that old plaid button down you thought was out of style from two years ago. Plaid is back!

All of the fashionistas, however, can get even more utility out of this button down look. Not only have designer collections such as Gucci shown women sporting the traditional look, but even sites such as Pinterest and Tumblr have shown the shirts being worn from a whole new perspective.

For example, girls can wear men’s button down shirts as dresses. With this idea, ladies can take a dad or brother’s flannel shirt or crisp white button down and transform it into that adorable mini you can show off at a party. All you have to do is button up the oversized shirt so the collar hits just below your under arms, and then tie the sleeves into a knot and bow over the chest.

With two different ways girls can wear shirts, you will not have to spend money on new items. Whether you are a male or female fashion addict, the lumberjack/button down look is perfect for you, and will leave your fellow classmates envious. Stay fierce!

H olidays are known for family, festivities, and most importantly, those favorite

holiday recipes. A majority of people will come home from the holidays feeling like they gained twice their body weight. Everyone loves the food that comes with the holidays but not everyone loves the weight gain. There are ways however to keep from gaining that Santa belly.

One tip is to not skip meals. People believe that by skipping breakfast and lunch they can save the calories for the holiday party that night. Although that idea is tempting and sounds good, skipping meals can make someone crabby, tired, and can

cause headaches that will the ruin all of the fun.

By the time the party starts the hunger kicks in. Normally the body will want to eat more than usual so it is more likely to have a higher calorie intake. Eating foods high in fiber before a meal makes the body feel fuller so it will not want as much food.

When it comes to eating big meals there is another way to avoid eating too much. During most meals the plate is filled with food so the bigger the plate the more food. Try to use a smaller plate so you do not get as much food.

Not every bite of food needs to be eaten to enjoy a meal. Instead of

eating every bite of dessert on the plate just eat one or two. This gives the pleasure of tasting the food but not all of the calories that will come with it.

Offering to bring a healthy dish to a holiday party is another good idea. This way there will definitely be something healthy to eat instead of only high calorie foods.

Staying away from the food table at parties will help limit calories as well. Walk around and socialize instead.

Cutting down on food intake during the holidays is not easy. If a slipup happens do not freak out. Watching what you eat over the holidays takes practice but it can eventually be done.

H aving substitute teachers occasionally during the school year can spice up the

classroom environment. Substitutes can lighten the mood in a classroom when the teacher is absent. Some bring many years of experience and knowledge with them, while others bring their bubbling personalities to brighten the classroom.

Sophomore Moesha Belton believes substitute teachers sometimes lessen the stress of having class with the regular teacher. Some of them are also more lenient than the classroom teacher is.

“I like substitutes who are fun and energetic and can bring new ideas to the classroom,” Belton said.

Substitutes are required to demonstrate patience and are often asked to take over in subjects they have no experience teaching.

According to sophomore Dezrae Thomas, substitutes should not only be fun, but they must also manage the class and student behavior assertively.

“A great sub is someone who keeps the class under control and on task,

but is not too mean, one who gives help when help is needed,” Thomas said.

The individuals who are willing to fill in for a sick or busy teacher almost always have something valuable to share with a class of students. They generally give students useful tips on how to be successful and work smarter and tell life lessons to keep in mind.

Mr. Roy Mortimer, who substitutes frequently, has taught for 35 years and still enjoys helping students to learn and succeed while having fun. During his time substituting, Mortimer sometimes gives trivia questions for which a student can receive Mardi Gras beads for answering a certain number of questions correctly.

“I love working with young people and I like to make the classroom fun for students who are eager to learn,”

Mortimer said.Mr. Tim Vera also enjoys working with

students. He can always seem to make students laugh and will occasionally sing for them with his opera voice.

Substitute teacher Brenda Lee Pryce is a sweet person who believes in respect and likes to see students excel in their schoolwork.

Sophomore Danashai Harrell’s favorite substitute teacher is Mr. Baker Maultsby.

“He is a really good substitute. He believes in students and encourages us to work hard,” Harrell said.

Subs everyone loves

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listening to music.“[I get] CDs from Walmart, Best Buy, and other

places that sell CDs. Then I burn the CDs to my computer and then transfer it to my MP3 player,” Smith said.

Online services like iTunes and Google Music aim to remove this intermediate step completely.

Senior July Kongkeo takes an alternative route to obtaining music.

“Instead of buying CDs just to burn them to my iPod, I get my music directly from the Internet. That way, I don’t waste any materials [to make the CDs] and I still get all the music I want,” Kongkeo said.

Since the mass production of the DVD, movies have been released on discs and played in DVD players and computers. Streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Vudu have become popular on a national scale. Movies are now available online for download and to stream days or weeks before they

Keep it pinteresting Norse News Features Monday, November 5, 2012 11

Ellen BrownBusiness Manager

Website creates crafting sensation

Media moves from physical to digitalInternet streaming is now replacing rental services

Aaron Ross Photo Illustrator

Over the past year Pinterest has become a popular website on the internet. Pinterest is used to create virtual pinning boards to

organize the user’s favorite things for almost any category. The categories range from food, fashion, weddings, favorite books, and DIY (Do It Yourself ) projects.

The DIY category on Pinterest is one of the most popular categories and has created a new desire for everyone to get more creative. Thanks to Pinterest arts and craft is becoming a popular hobby to pinners everywhere. It has caused a creative spark that many did not know they had.

There are many creative ideas that Pinterest has to offer. Some of these are canvas ideas, how to make a fashionable scarf from an old t-shirt, how to make furniture out of everyday objects, and creative ways to organize.

Junior Harry Stephens finds himself often using ideas from Pinterest to make furniture for his room.

“I love using Pinterest for all of my DIY needs, like thinking of ways I can use milk crates as decorative center pieces for my bedroom,” Stephen said.

One of the best features of Pinterest is the variety of offerings. There are so many different creative ideas. It is hard to not find at least one that sounds fun and interesting enough to try.

The DIY section on Pinterest has many ideas that normally would not be thought about. Junior Grace

Knox has been able to find unique ideas and projects on Pinterest.

“I saw this awesome idea called fairy in a jar, where you break a glow stick in a jar. It looks so cool, and sparkly,” Knox said.

Since Pinterest has become popular among teens, they are finding their inner creativity and using it for all kinds of DIY projects.

Sophomore Perrin Hines is a perfect example of how DIY projects has established a creative pasttime for modern teenagers.

“Pinterest has brought out my inner creativity. The projects range from simple beginner projects to more advanced crafts,” Hines said.

Pinterest also offers creative ideas for classrooms. There are smart ideas for teaching kids certain subjects in school and neat ways to spice up a classroom.

Pinterest lets users view what their facebook friends are pinning. It is a great way to share ideas and get ideas from others that have the same taste and interests. There is also a link to every pin that goes to the website that the pin came from. If a pinner sees a product that they like, they can click on the link and it will take them to the website to find the product. There are also websites to blogs

Society is constantly outdoing itself with the latest this and the newest that. Over the past century, the vinyl record has almost

completely phased out to the CD-ROM and the VHS tape has become obsolete in the face of DVDs and Blu-Ray discs. If history follows any sort of pattern, the time is almost here for another major advance on the technological front.

Digital media is the media of the future. Thousands of pages of text can be compressed to 1s and 0s and stored on a computer chip the size of a sesame seed. Entire scrapbooks and photo albums can be compacted and placed on the same chip. An artist’s full discography will fit on a flash drive the size of one of their guitarist’s picks. As the technology age progresses, more large scale shifts will begin to occur.

Senior Michael Riley Smith experiences physical media working hand-in-hand with digital media while

are available as physical DVDs. Digital movies are less expensive to produce and distribute than their physical counterparts.

Print books have been in existence ever since the invention of the printing press. To an extent, it is doubtful that they will ever cease to exist. However, for leisure reading, eBooks hold a clear advantage. They are significantly less expensive to produce and distribute, and much easier to use. Freshman Addy Dame prefers to do all of her reading on her Amazon Kindle.

“I don’t have to hold down the pages when I’m reading without my hands,” Dame said.

There will always be collectors to make sure physical media remains in existence. As digital media becomes more efficient and readily available, it will begin to replace its physical counterparts. The technology age will have reached its full potential when digital media goes mainstream.

Pinterest has created a crafting craze with DIY projects. Junior Grace Knox enjoys turning ideas from Pinterest into her own creations.

about crafting, cooking and many more subjects that are available through pinterest.

Pinterest is not the only website that advertises creativity. Others like Wanelo and Stumbleupon are similar to Pinterest and spark creative ideas.

Pinterest is causing a creative sensation among people of all ages around the country and it is helping people organize thoughts, ideas, and interests to help plan their daily lives. Pinterest is a great website for everyone and contains ideas for all types of minds.

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F rom the age of 10, sophomore Phillip Greene has had an unde-niable passion for classical guitar,

singing, and the music world as a whole. Specializing in clas-sical guitar, Greene has ambi-tion, soul, and raw talent that prove a rare find these days.

Sophomore Taylor Moody has nothing but positive thoughts of Greene.

“Phillip is amazing! It’s just fun to watch him play because he gets so into it and you can tell that he really loves it,” said Moody.

Ironically, Greene first became introduced to clas-sical guitar when he wanted to play the electric guitar. Eventually, he found himself caught up in the ser-enading sounds of the classical guitar and fell in love.

Greene masters acoustic guitarYoung muscian strums up a stir

12 Norse News Student Life Monday, October 5, 2012

Maron TateEntertainment Editor

T he choice of hairstyle can de-fine a person’s appearance and how others perceive them. A

person should learn to choose the best hairstyle for their face and style. Hair-styles change regularly depending on a new artist, admired stars, and from trends set by other students.

Teen girls tend to stay updated with new hairstyles and are always looking for-ward to setting their own trends.

The sock bun has become a new trend for teen girls. It is an easy to do hairstyle by rolling a dark colored sock into a do-nut shape. Just by spreading the ponytail around the donut hole, you can get a sim-ple hairstyle in less than 15 minutes.

Desmoria Payden is a sophomore that stays updated with the hip hairstyles and tries to stay diverse with the styles. “It is easy to do when you need something quick to do to your hair. I love it,” Payden said.

The scene hair is another popular hairstyle among many teen girls. Scene

&Q AWhittling. I just can’t stop. So

far, I’ve carved a life-sized griz-zly bear, 1,232

toothpicks, and a bust of Rutherford

B. Hayes!Julian Cope, 12

Homework, I get home after

practice and it’s all I have time to do. It’s like 11 p.m. when I finally finish.

In my spare time I write songs and

rap lyrics.

My iPod, for sure. I usually just listen to

Jason Mraz while doing homework. Then three hours

later I’m at “wobble baby”!

Waiting on people!

I don’t waste time.

Looking at myself in the

mirror.

hair is a common hairstyle that can be casual or sassy from just one simple cut. It is a haircut that is similar to a layered cut, except there are only fine layers in the front. You can part it to the side and create a girly and stylish look.

Emilie Carr is a sophomore who has had the scene hair a number of times and con-tinues to change up her style. “Scene hair gives you a distinct look and if you love at-tention, the style is for you.” Carr said.

When it comes to color, the multi-tone hair is a trend for all genders and races. Multi-tone colored hair can be used on all types of hair, giving the hair more spice. Most are in the red and blonde family. Most are placed at the bottom or the front of the hair and in bobs and long hair.

Males have even started to join the

Fried dyed and laid to the sideFunky hairstyles set new trends

Hunter HicklinAdd Designer

Misty Keomany, 9

Nadia Gordon, 10

Sam Mathis, 10

Kristina Tran, 12

Jacqueline Linder, 11

Cameron Brown 11

EJ McSill, 9

Sophomores Phillip Greene and Taylor Moody sing together for their friends at a gathering.

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What is your

biggest time

waster?

“Your look should represent you and set a trend for others.”

Sophomore Kiyosha Jones“

My biggest time waster is watching TV. I

watch TV in my free time, when I should be doing

other things.

Greene has taken guitar lessons for five years now at Converse College’s Lawson Academy and participated in as many mu-sically based activities as he can.

Greene traveled to Germany for two weeks in the eighth grade to study classical guitar and he attended the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts Academy Program for singing this summer. He just recently played at Furman University for

a classical guitarists meeting and learned many useful tips.

“I learned how to more properly shape my nails,” said Greene.

The young protégé gives back to the Spartanburg community through musical means. He volunteers at two different nursing homes on a near weekly basis to play the guitar for the residents.

Junior Jaya White is one of Greene’s many friends and fans.

“He is super talented at the guitar and can learn any song I ask him to in no

time,” said White. Though Greene does not plan on do-

ing music professionally, he definitely has potential. Whether on stage or with his friends, he will keep on strumming.

trend by patching the front of their hair or dying the hair blond like the well-known artist Wiz Khalifa. Some males try to be different by even dying the whole head blonde.

Last but not least there is the natural look. When it comes to African Ameri-cans, most use a chemical called a perm to straighten the hair. To remove the perm you cut the hair into an afro to re-grow the hair so that the hair is considered to be natural. This look is trendy and gives those who wear it a natural beauty. Such natural beauty is hard to come by so most take ad-vantage of the look.

Sophomore Kiyosha Jones is always around hair because she is the daughter of a hairstylist. “Your look should represent you and set a trend for others,” Jones said.

Choosing a hairstyle is more than picking a trendy look and having a stylist do the work. Expressing an atti-tude through one’s appearance makes a statement. It defines a person’s style and personality.

Norse News Sports Monday, November 5, 2012 13

Funk leads the way on the greenSenior golfer leads team to region championship

Danielle CassellsStudent Life Editor

SCOrEBOArd

Senior golfer Katy Funk has been playing golf for seven years and is an active member

of the SHS golf team.This motivated, energetic girl started

playing golf for fun at the age of ten. However, it was at the age of twelve that she started learning to play golf as a competitive sport.

Funk’s interest in golf sparked be-cause of her older brother, who also plays golf. Her mother, who played golf for Furman College, got her brother started in the sport and Katy followed in both of their footsteps. Now, it is her favorite sport to play and to watch because she feels most connected to it.

Funk takes the game of golf very seriously and practices every day for at least two hours.

She prefers practicing alone and al-ways chooses an area with the fewest number of people when she practices at the Spartanburg Country Club. She enjoys putting and practicing without distraction.

“It’s the most frustrating thing I do, but I have the most passion for it as

well,” Funk said. While playing or practicing, Funk

is motivated by her dad, though both

her parents have encouraged her to keep working at her golf skills.

“My dad motivates me most, espe-cially when I think about all the time and money he has put into my sport, and I do not want to let him down,” Funk said.

Boys Swimming

Katy Funk aims down her shot as she putts in a tournament earlier this season. Funk led the Vikings to a near perfect 16-1 regular season, a Region 2-AAAA Championship, and second place finish at the state tournament.

Funk’s high school coach is Coach Bill Dees and her personal coach is Jen Shillington.

State AAAA Meet 7th PlaceAll-Region Swimmers:

Chandler BrownEalon MannNoah MartinWade MillerBrad Oberg

Girls SwimmingState AAAA Meet 7th Place

All-Region Swimmers:Sarah Babrowicz

Girls Tennis Christ Church 1-5 (L)Boiling Springs 6-1 (W)Wade Hampton 3-4 (L)Mauldin 6-0 (W)Gaffney 7-0 (W)TL Hanna 0-6 (L)

Girls GolfLady Rebel Tourney 1st PlaceRegion II-AAAA 1st PlaceUpper State Tourney 1st PlaceState AAAA Tourney 2nd Place

Varsity Football

Dorman 21-40 (L)Boiling Springs 20-17 (W)Wade Hampton 6-7 (L)Mauldin 49-35 (W)

Varsity Volleyball

Dorman 0-3 (L)Boiling Springs 1-3 (L)Wade Hampton 3-1 (W)Mauldin 1-3 (L)Gaffney 0-3 (L)

SENIOr MEMOrY

-Demarlus Lyles, Varsity Football

“My best memory is when the football team beat Boiling

Springs in overtime on homecoming night.”

JV FootballLaurens 20-28 (L)South Pointe 7-33 (L)Greenwood 13-17 (L)Riverside 39-0 (W)Byrnes 14-68 (L)Dorman 7-29 (L)Boiling Springs 27-33 (L)Wade Hampton 34-13 (W)

Coach Dees has been Funk’s coach at SHS since her seventh grade year. He says Katy’s work ethic and positive attitude have helped her succeed on the golf course.

“Katy is not the typical athlete, but she is driven to excel. She works the

hardest on her game than any golfer I have ever coached, including boys,” Dees said.

Funk’s coaches and mentors have taught her during practices that not every shot she takes will be perfect, but just to be patient, and bounce back from a bad shot to make the next one.

“Playing golf has definitely made me more confident and has taught me to have patience and to trust in God,” Funk said.

The SHS golf team has been ex-tremely successful gaining an impres-sive record of 16-1 and the Region 2-AAAA title, the Upper State title, and the State Champion Runner-Up title. Along the way, Funk earned two performance medals.

“Katy has taught me to smile be-cause I know I can always count on her to do her best no matter the out-come,” Dees said.

Funk plans on playing golf at Wofford College next year, where she is sure to succeed after leading the Viking golf team to numerous accomplishments and championships, showing drive and enthusiasm all the way through the season.

Boys Cross CountryAlumni Run 27-37 (W)Eye Opener 19th Place Coaches Classic 19th PlaceMeet at Dorman 3rd PlaceMeet at Duncan Park 2nd PlaceWendy’s Invitational 26th PlaceRegion II AAAA Meet 5th PlaceCounty Meet 3rd PlaceUpper State Meet 10th Place

State Qualifiers:Bret Freed

Myers McKinney

Girls Cross CountryEye Opener 10th Place Coaches Classic 11th PlaceMeet at Dorman 2nd PlaceMeet at Duncan Park 1st PlaceWendy’s Invitational 18th PlaceRegion II AAAA Meet 4th PlaceCounty Meet 3rd PlaceUpper State Meet 5th Place

State Qualifiers:Monica GrieshopMadeline KiserSaray Pineda

Evie Tate

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14 Norse News Sports Monday, November 5, 2012

Swim team reflects on accomplishmentsBoys’ and girls’ swim teams break records, beat opponents

Junior Noah Martin swims the breastroke leg of the 200 medley relay in a dual meet earlier in the season at the Spartanburg Swim Center. Martin was a member of the school record breaking 200 freestyle relay team.

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Patrick Ingraham Sports Editor

T he month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and there is pink everywhere. People,

organizations, and clubs show their sup-port for it in many different ways. The vol-leyball team has a “Dig Pink” game every year. The gym is decorated in pink and par-ents and players do all sorts of fundraising to raise money for breast cancer victims.

This year the Viking volleyball team actually hosted two separate “Dig Pink” nights, and the players continued to fund-raise well after the two games. At the games they sold many different little things like, pens, shirts, bracelets, and so much more.

Sophomore Sam Mathis thinks that the “Dig Pink” game is a great cause.

“I think it is great that a group of teen-agers can raise money for something that may or may not affect them, and it is good to see people stepping up for a great cause,”

Kelsey Rector Cover Editor

Digging and diving deep for pink Volleyball team raises money for worthy cause

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Mathis said.This year the sophomores were in charge

of this special night. They all sold bracelets for breast cancer awareness to raise money. The whole team had to sell T-shirts to raise money, and the people who buy them can wear them to the games.

The team played their first “Dig Pink” game against Dorman, and they played their second one against Wade Hampton. There was a bigger turn out for the first game against Dorman. The Vikings battled hard, but the Cavaliers took home the win.

The second game happened the next week. The Vikings took on Wade Hamp-ton at home this time. Wade Hampton came to play, but so did the Vikings. The lady Vikings won the first two games, but then Wade Hampton came back to win the third game. The lady Vikings pushed through and won the fourth game, and therefore won the whole match.

Although this was an exciting win for the Vikings, it wasn’t just about winning. The team raised over $400 for breast cancer awareness! Senior Cody Wheeler was inspired by the hard work that the volleyball team showed for the cause.

“I think it is inspiring to see such hard work and determination go to-wards such a worthy cause as breast cancer,” Wheeler said.

The team worked really hard this year and continued to raise money after the two games were over. Not only were the players working hard, but the parents were work-ing hard as well.

Senior volleyball player, Becklin Blan-kenship loves playing on “Dig Pink” night. She thinks that it is a great event for not only the fans but the players as well.

“Dig Pink is probably my favorite game of the year because we get to play in a gym

covered in my favorite color and we raise money for a great cause! It’s awesome,” Blankenship said.

In the “Dig Pink” game against Wade Hampton, all participants from both schools came together to support a worthy cause.

A fter weeks of training the boys’ and girls’ swim teams’ season came to a conclusion on Oct. 6 at the Carolina Natatorium in

Columbia at the High School AAAA Meet where

both teams placed seventh in the state. Despite not placing as high as they had hoped,

at the state level, the swim team looks back on the 2012 season as a very successful one. Head Coach Victoria Merritt believes that both teams accom-plished a lot this season.

“I’m very proud of the way the team performed

this season, even though we had some disappoint-ments, we also had plenty of successes and achieve-ments,” Merritt said.

Both teams finished 5-1 in the regular season and also placed highly at Stratford High School’s “Swim-

min’ in da Crick” Invitational in Charleston and the Mauldin High School Invitational in Greenville.

At the Region 2-AAAA Meet in Greenville, the boys’ team finished second and the girls’ team fin-ished third. Seniors Wade Miller, Sarah Babrowicz, Allison Cox, Temple Smith, and juniors Chandler Brown and Brad Oberg placed in the top three in

one or more of their individual events at Region to help the Vikings.

At the State meet, the boys’ 200 freestyle relay, consisting of Brown, Miller, Oberg, and Junior Noah Martin finished second behind Fort Mill with a time of 1:29.59, improving on the school re-cord which they had set earlier in the season in a regular season meet against region rivals Dorman and Boiling Springs which was 1:29.90.

Before that mark, the previous record was 1:32.03 set in 2008 by SHS alumni Antoine Con-nors, Sam Mercer, Cole Miller, and Parrish Smith. Martin said breaking the record against region ri-vals was an unforgettable feeling that he can share with his teammates in the future.

“It was all kind of a blur from the time we broke the record. It was an awesome experience and defi-nitely a team effort,” Martin said.

In addition to the relay finishing second, Babro-wicz placed third in the 500 freestyle and Oberg placed third in the 100 fly. Oberg was also named as a 2011-2012 member of the USA Scholastic All-America Team by having at least a 3.5 GPA and a Junior National time standard in the 100 fly.

“Even though we would have liked to score higher at State, we accomplished a lot this season as a team and that’s what really matters,” Babrowicz said.

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Norse News Sports Monday, November 5, 2012 15

Power to the Women

Students delve into pigskin cultureKelsey Rector

King: The queen of Wimbledon

M any famous female athletes have come and gone, but one of the most respected and influential women of

the 20th century is Billie Jean King. She made her mark during her career and is continuing to make her mark today.

With her many accomplishments, King showed the world how a woman can dominate, just when the world said she couldn’t.

King was born on November 22, 1943, on Long Beach, California. She began playing tennis at an extremely early age and soon be-came one of the best in the world. She was not only just an outstanding tennis player. She also fought for women to have more rights.

She fought for equal prize money for the wom-en and men in tennis competitions. In 1971, she became the first woman to win $100,000 cash in prize money. To go with her campaign there was a “Battle of the Sexes” match against Bobby Riggs. King beat Riggs.

King won 39 grand slam singles, doubles, and mixed doubles tennis titles. This is including a record-making 20 titles at Wimbledon!

She had 13 US titles, four French titles, and two Australian titles. She was selected to the In-ternational Tennis Hall of Fame.

King headed up the first women’s tennis tour as the first president of the Women’s Tennis As-sociation. This women’s tour was known as the “Virginia Slims.”

Billie Jean King was the first woman ever to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. President Obama presented her with the award on August 12, 2009.

King has made a huge impact on how people view female athletes. Her name has gone down in history as a pioneer for women’s rights and a spectacular tennis star.

Tennis star fights for women’s rights

Livin’ in a fantasy worldPatrick Ingraham

Sports Editor

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Billie Jean King delivers a return during one of her matches in her illustrious career. Aside from being a superstar on the tennis court, King was also very active in achieving equal women’s rights in sports and in everyday life.

F ootball is evermore a part of the American psyche. Every Fall Saturday and Sunday (and Monday and Thursday and sometimes

Friday) there is either a college football game being played or an NFL game occurs.

According to ESPN, for the 2011-2012 football season, eight of the top 10 most viewed shows were NFL broadcasts. NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” was the third most popular show behind “Ameri-

can Idol” at number two… and ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” at number one.

So with all this football culture it might seem like more football might just make people sick, right? Of course not! The more pigskin in America for people’s pleasure, the merrier, which is exactly why fantasy football leagues have become a regular activity for masses of people across the nation.

Senior Sebastian Hernandez plays in a Fantasy Football league with some of his friends.

“We got together and created a league, and had a draft. My team isn’t that good but it’s still fun,” Hernandez said.

Anyone can play fantasy football, much like anyone can watch football. Some people play with their friends for money or just play for fun, but fantasy football requires league members to follow their NFL “team” in order to track players’ stats and earn points.

It works like this: A “commissioner” creates a league on a fantasy website (ESPN.com, NFL.com, and Yahoo.com are the most popular fantasy websites) to set all the league rules to determine how many points different statistics like yards and touchdowns are worth, how many teams are in the league, league settings, and the rest.

All the members of the league participate in a fantasy draft, where players from different teams across the National Football League are picked by the fantasy owners.

For most leagues you pick several quarterbacks, running backs, wide recievers, tight ends, an entire team’s defense and special teams, and a kicker.

Although fantasy football is predominantly a male activity, junior Demetris Laney is proud to say she participates in a league.

“It may not be the norm, but I love football and fantasy is fun to follow and helps me follow the league better,” Laney said.

A team owner earns points based on players’ stats and forms two different teams with players from all over. So even if a team is losing to another team af-ter Sunday, a player from a team playing on Monday night who happens to be on an owner’s team can earn enough points to win.

It is completely up to chance on who will win, as players perform differently throughout each game of the season. Most fantasy owners try to draft play-ers who are certain to perform well.

This season the top point-earners up to week eight were all quarterbacks. They are New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees, Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback Matt Ryan, Green Bay Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers, The Chicago Bears’ entire defense, and Washington Redskins rookie superstar and former Heisman winner Robert Griffin, III .

Fantasy football has become a great pasttime for football fans in order to follow their favorite players and teams, and it offers a facet of the game that Americans get to indulge in and fill their football cravings week in and week out.

With the new and in-depth fantasy features that websites like ESPN.com and others offer, it can be easy for someone to think only about players, teams, and statistics in the NFL.

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