Tag Archives: Delaney Smith

Boys Basketball, Sports

Boys basketball players preview upcoming season with their new coach

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By Sydney Sears and Delaney Smith

As the boys basketball players trudge out of another practice their sore muscles let them know they have given the day their all.

With a new coach and fresh faces, FC awaits the upcoming season.  The players have a new mindset and are more determined than ever to have a successful season. The boys are adjusting to a new schedule, workout program, and coach in this upcoming season.

“I like what Coach Lieberman has come in and started doing. It’s really affected the team by all of us being in much better shape than we were before, and it’s helping us improve as athletes,” said senior Zane Nichols.

Coach Mark Lieberman has instilled a novice practice and workout schedule for the players. They practice every day of the week except Sunday. Lieberman said that the new workouts have resulted in improved strength throughout the entire team.

“He has us on a conditioning program that we can almost be positive no one else is doing,” said junior Brandon Smith.

Lieberman expressed his ideas on improvement and working hard. He said that he believes that they can outwork any team they will play this season. Lieberman shared that the team will work hard, compete, and find ways to outwork their opponents this season.

“I’m always looking for gradual improvement,” he said.

With all this hard work, team members are excited to see what will happen on the court.

“I’m just excited for the upcoming season to start. I want to know where all of this hard work that we’ve been putting in is going to get us,” said Nichols.

Though Lieberman cannot predict an outcome for the season, he promised hard work and dedication.

“We will play hard. I do know that,” he said.

The varsity team’s first official game of the season is at home against New Albany at 7:30 on Friday, Dec. 13.

Features, Uncategorized

Electronic cigarettes hit high school

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By Delaney Smith and Melanie Parrish

e-cig graphic
Based on a survey of 200 students.

Formaldehyde is a chemical used to embalm dead bodies. It is used in plywood and some glues, and is a known cancer-causing agent. This dangerous fluid is also a component in both traditional cigarettes and the newer “e-cigs.”

In 2007, cigarette companies came up with a new alternative to smoking conventional cigarettes. These new products are called electronic cigarettes.  Studies have shown that in three out of 10 e-cigs, the levels of formaldehyde come close to the amount in a normal cigarette.

This new alternative has been getting mixed reviews from users and nonusers alike. With electronic cigarettes not having been thoroughly tested yet, it is more of personal opinion on how harmful these products can be to people who smoke them and people around them.

“I don’t think it will hurt people in the long run because they are not harmful like normal cigarettes are,” said senior Timon Stermer.

Sophomore Tristan Barnes disagreed.

“I do believe that these are still harmful because of the nicotine addiction,” said Barnes.

E-cigs still do contain nicotine, which is a very addictive substance, so there is an age restriction on who can buy these. People have to be 18 years old or older to buy e-cigs, just as if they were buying traditional cigarettes. However, this does not mean that it is difficult for a minor to obtain one.

“It’s easy to get ahold of an e-cig because half of FC’s senior class is already 18 and some of them buy them for their younger friends without a problem,” said Stermer.

With these being fairly easy for FC students to obtain, there have been reports of students smoking electronic cigarettes in classrooms while the teachers are gone, in the hallways, and in bathrooms.

“We treat them like a tobacco product. So as of this year, if you get caught in possession of or smoking an electronic cigarette it will result in one day in-school suspension and one day out,” said assistant principal of student development Joe Voelker. Not all students agree with equating e-cigs with traditional cigarettes, though.

“Cigarettes are harmful to you and others. E-cigs aren’t. The penalty should be less stiff,” said Stermer.

One main concern with the anti-electronic cigarette groups is the different flavorings available, such as bubble gum and cotton candy, which are designed to target a younger crowd. According to Health News from NPR, the percentage of students in grades 6 through 12 who have ever used any type of cigarette has increased from 3.3 percent in 2011 to 6.8 percent in 2012.

“Teens are more likely to like the flavor and smell. . . so they may pay more attention to them,” said sophomore Saide Martinez.

“We had several kids caught with these last year, it seemed like we were dealing with them on a regular basis. Since the consequence was raised, we haven’t seen near as many electronic cigarettes in school in the last three or four weeks,” said Voelker.

Still not thoroughly tested by the FDA, there is no way to know for sure if electronic cigarettes are as bad as the traditional.

“Until it is proven that [electronic cigarettes] are not as bad as normal cigarettes, I would not say 100 percent that they are, although there’s always a chance,” said sophomore Zach Yagle.

News, Uncategorized

Vietnam Memorial Wall shines new light on veteran respect

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By Melanie Parrish, Delaney Smith and Megan Johnson

Walking up to the wall is an emotional journey to many of the people there. Tears are shed as people trace over names of loved ones that were lost all those years ago. Not all of the people who gave their lives were killed in battle. Many of them put others before themselves, risking their lives, on Sept. 11, 2001 to help people that could not help themselves while they were trapped in the burning towers when the planes crashed into the World Trade Center.

“I feel that you should treat a veteran with as much respect as you would your best friend,” said  sophomore Aidan Holt, a former NJROTC cadet.

The memorial, which was in Clarksville from Aug. 14-18, displays a small scale replica of the original Vietnam Memorial wall as well as replicas of many other memorials honoring the people who have died for the country. This includes the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and multiple 9/11 memorials. FC NJROTC proudly carried the honor of posting the colors at 1 p.m. on Aug.15.

“It made my heart hurt for those who have lost [loved ones],” said sophomore Joel Jackson, who attended the event.

Jackson said that he believes the wall honors everyone in the way they deserve, and hopes that people visiting, including himself, would take a moment to remain silent and reflect upon what they had seen.

“The area where the wall was standing was almost silent.”  

This memorial means something different for each individual that visits. 

“It means more than just a wall with a whole bunch of names. I think it meant that people risked their lives for everything that we know,” said Holt.

Some say veterans were treated very harshly when they first arrived home from the war. The wall is intended to honor these veterans.

“When we arrived home in Washington, protesters spit at us and hollered. We were just doing our jobs,” said retired Army Artilleryman Bud Downard.

Former Air Force Captain Jeri Rue agreed that veterans should be treated with more respect.

“They gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. We need to do more for the ones that come back that are handicapped veterans and that society needs to do more for them. Veterans are very honored. I just wish the economy was stronger so they would have better jobs for when they come out of service,” said Rue.

About 9,870,000 military personnel served on active duty during the official Vietnam era from Aug. 15, 1964 to May 7, 1975. According to Standown.org, about one third of homeless adults in the US are veterans. Veterans represent about 11 percent of the population, meaning that anywhere between 107,000 and 300,000 are homeless and/or out of work. The Department of Veteran Affairs stated that the number of homeless Vietnam veterans is higher than the number of fatalities during the war.

“Veterans deserve good VA (Veteran Administrations). They deserve to be taken care of when they have problems,” said Downard.

Downard explained that during the time of the war that his job as a specialist fourth class was to fire cannons at the Vietnamese. He remembers the living conditions of the war most vividly, as camps consisting of holes dug in the ground with sandbags on top. 

“They gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. We need to do more for the ones that come back that are handicapped veterans. Society needs to do more for them,” said Rue.

Holt shared his finial opinion on respecting veterans.

“I think a good way to honor veterans is to show your greatest respect and gratitude to them and their families.”

Uncategorized

The wave of the future steps into the classroom

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By Delaney Smith and Rachel Lamb

Technology. It surrounds us in every aspect of our lives.  A single beep from a phone can draw a full classroom of students to their backpacks in an instant and strike fear into them, as they hope that it is not theirs. FC’s strict cell phone policy may keep us from using technology in a way that distracts us from our school work, but is it  keeping us away from online resources that could help us outside of  teachers and books?

”It [eBooks] would greatly enhance the students ability to learn with the technology that they are surrounded by on a daily basis,” said senior Scott Schuchardt.

Many of the teachers at FC are already letting their students use mobile devices in class if they are used in a very controlled manner and for designated educational purposes.

“In English and Spanish classes we can use our phones to look up definitions on a dictionary app,” said sophomore Cara Miller.

This is one of the valuable resources that most of us do not have in school because of FC’s strict policies. Phones are the most denied resource in our school system because it has a huge risk of being used to do other things, such as texting and playing games. However; not all teachers allow cell phones to be used in the classroom, due to the possible distractions.  A different alternative is iPads.

“This year I am only allowing iPads, nooks, and eReaders,” said English teacher Karen Lehman.

Schools in our area, such as Providence, have switched to using iPads instead of  traditional text and reading books.

“Everything school wise you do on the iPad. Compared to carrying books around, it’s a lot easier,” said Providence sophomore Jakob Summers.

Many students at FC agree that switching to the use of technology, instead of lugging around those textbooks, would be much easier on student’s backs.  Not only will they alleviate weight off student’s backs, but could also limit the use of lockers throughout the school day.

“I am for FC eliminating textbooks, because I hate the fact of going to my locker every passing period,” said freshman Kaelyn Gibson.

English teacher Anne Martin agreed with most students saying that she expects to see eBooks taking over in the next few years.

“NAFCS is letting other schools to work out the bugs first, but they know that it is the future,” said Martin.

One of the few downsides to using iPads, instead of the traditional textbooks, is that the school would have to  get wireless internet. Having such a big school with so many students could be a huge challenge to get a signal strong enough to support everyone who would be using it.

Every step towards a more “high tech” education system is going to come with its glitches and bugs, but it is all about how these things are approached as a school and a community.

Lehman added one last opinion on the future of technology at FC.

“I think that technology instead of textbooks is the wave of the future for FC and there is no way to avoid it.”