 April Fool’s Day...A Wise Man’s Holiday
By Siera Millard Picture by Hustle or Bust Ahhh … April 1st, a holiday for the regular *Prank Sinatra. Imagine: you wake up to the ice-bucket challenge, except you did not volunteer for it. It is actually your sister pouring a bottle of cold water on you as you sleep. You go down to breakfast, unable to fall back asleep for fear of another prank, and find that your mom has switched the milk and water so that your cereal has a nice dose of H2O in it. You roll your eyes and go to brush your teeth, instead screaming in fright at the fake spider your dad placed there. That’s it! (you think to yourself), next year… it’s your turn! This year, it is your turn to play the trumpet of tricks! Here are 10 fun ideas for a successful April Fool’s Day, ranging from freezing your siblings’ cereal for the morning, to changing the settings in your parent’s phone so that it autocorrects to APRIL FOOLS!
Sources “Home.” Hustle Or Bust, www.hustleorbust.com/2016/04/01/april-fools-day-matters/. https://www.littlethings.com/april-fools-day-jokes-school/20 Prank Sinatra is the nickname used in New Girl by and for Winston Bishop.  Rossview Band of Pride and Perfect Pitch By Siera Millard Picture from the Rossview Band of Pride Facebook If there is one thing in this world that everyone can agree on...it is that music is just plain awesome. Classical, rock, classic rock, country, alternative, Christian, Spanish. You name it and there are millions of songs for each genre. Now, I’m not sure if you know this, but we have our very own source of outstanding music right here at Rossview. Band! I want to assure you that this is not just some elective class; rather, it is one stepping stone in some students path to musical genius and for others it is one period a day and a couple concerts a year that they can make music and have fun. For you, the Rossview band offers a chance to listen to live music, free and available to you right here in our very own theater. In fact, there are technically four Rossview high school bands: jazz band, marching band, symphonic band, and wind ensemble. This year is one of record-breaking numbers. Symphonic band alone has ninety students and had to be split between two class periods. Wind ensemble has thirty-nine. There are even fifteen non-band students who participate in the other groups such as the jazz band. With a growing school population, there was bound to be a growing band boom. While this is fantastic for the future of the band program and for the arts, like any program it faces its financial burdens and often sells things like candy, chocolate, donut vouchers, and the like. So next time you are looking for a treat and have some extra cash lying around...ask the band kids! The director of this band is Mr. Brock Cobb, incidentally married to the middle school band director. Mr. Cobb obtained his Bachelor of Science in Music Education from APSU in 2003 and his Masters of Music Education in 2008. Although having taught at Rossview for an astounding twelve years, he also taught at Northwest and North Drive Middle School in Hopkinsville. Mr. Cobb, though claiming a cheesy answer, says that his favorite part about being a band director is the kids, “The whole point of the job is to share a passion for music with the kids in the band….When a kid has been working so hard to perform and they experience success, that’s the best.” This is particularly prominent when Mr. Cobb shared this moment: “The band qualified [this year] for the TN Bandmasters Sweepstakes award, which recognizes bands that excel in both marching band and concert band.” He claimed to be “over the moon,” not hard to believe when he stated that this would be the first time a CMCSS school had qualified for this award. “To be the first on something like that,” he said, “to set the standard and make school history, is pretty special.” However, life is not without its drawbacks. During his time in Hopkinsville, Mr. Cobb grew frustrated when his suggestions as the assistant director were disregarded. He learned “that part of being successful is listening to those around you, especially to those with more experience than you.” This is a wise lesson for anyone, in any profession. When asked what he has learned from directing, he proclaimed, “Patience. I had to learn a long time ago that no everyone is as super gung-ho about music as I am….My goals have changed from having the best band around to having a band in which each student loves music, and will continue to love music even after graduation.” A truly inspiring ideology. Mr. Cobb believes that the band will be able to achieve and invitation to the Music for All Concert Festival in 2027, a highly honored prestige. With such a dedicated and impassioned leader, it is not hard to believe alongside him. There is no better testament as to what band is like than from the students who participate in it. Eleventh grader Olivia Voldarski is a clarinet player of almost six years and currently enrolled in the wind ensemble. An impressive musician, she was accepted into the Curb Youth Symphony. With this feat she said she was able to be “surrounded by people who share the love of music,” whereas in high school band the passion may not be as strong. She has participating in many of the bands offered here including the symphonic, wind ensemble, and marching band. Although thoroughly enjoying the marching band and all it had to offer, due to a tight schedule of difficult classes, she was unable to continue with the commitment. Ms. Voldarski plans on dedicating her life to music and pursuing a degree in music performance or technology. Staying on her current path, she is sure to achieve this goal and more. Twelfth grader John Kim, has also been a clarinet player, for seven years. He says his love of music and the sharing of ideas and techniques within the band have kept him playing for so long. Things found easily among the music stands in the band classroom. Not only does he play the clarinet, but Mr. Kim is also a very talented cellist. When asked for a memorable experience he shared the time he auditioned for the honored MTSBOA Mid-State honor band. “I remember auditioning for cello and my palms [were] very sweaty as I waited for my number to be called. This was my first music audition ever and I wanted to try my best.” Also serving time in symphonic, wind ensemble, and marching band, Mr. Kim “enjoyed meeting new people and learning new styles of playing.” About the more challenging course of the wind ensemble he says, “Wind ensemble is slightly harder than symphonic band, but I really enjoy the music we play and I wanted to better myself by joining wind ensemble.” Like Ms. Voldarski, Mr. Kim plays in other ensembles than Rossview’s due to his being a cellist. He states, “Playing in a string orchestra is different because strings require no breath as we only use our hands and fingers. Also, the repertoire is also different. String orchestras tend to ply from composer such as Mozart.” Although not planning a career in music, Mr. Kim would like to play through college, a fact that many admissions boards will surely enjoy. Each year, the band program runs around two concerts at the school and also participates in various other events in the region. Rossview band’s next concert is THIS MAY! Please come out and support your fellow Hawks. It is free admission and all they ask is that you bring your ears to listen to aspiring young musicians. You will not regret this unique experience!  By Siera Millard
You’re probably well aware of how obsessed society is with their computers and smartphones. You may have even seen some of the problems that arise from this new surge of technology. Maybe you’ve seen someone who bumped into something while using their phone, or maybe you’ve been surprised at those who spend upwards of $1,000 on a new iPhone. Maybe you’ve even done these things yourself. A grave problem arises, however, when this seemingly-innocent problem is placed in a dangerous situation, and the results are disastrous. Sleep deprivation caused by hours spent scrolling on your social media feed, social effects of preferring online conversation to face-to-face interaction, and even car crashes that were caused from texting and driving are just a few of the problems that can arise. All of these stem from the fact that society just can’t put their phones down. Although society recognizes the problem of smartphone addictions as a whole, little is being done to actually solve the problem. Nearly two-thirds of American adults have smartphones, which is an 8% increase from 2014, only five years ago. The numbers are staggering, and so are those who have begun to speak out against this problem. A growing number of tech geniuses- app designers, website creators, and social media developers- have recently stepped forward to inform the public of the addictive effects that these platforms can have. A collective group of concerned individuals came together to form “The National Day of Unplugging,” a day where you are able to take a break from the never-ending stream of text messages, phone calls, and news updates. On March 1st and 2nd, from sundown to sundown, America will celebrate the National Day of Unplugging. Originally founded by a group of Jewish people who were focused on respecting the Sabbath, the National Day of Unplugging encourages you to get off your tablets, phones, and computers and go outside, read a book, have a face-to face conversation, or learn about something new. Since its original founding, the National Day of Unplugging has hosted numerous events, even giving community members the opportunity to form events where free materials and resources are provided to individual groups. When you sign up to host an event, the organization will send you free “cellphone sleeping bags” to keep your phones out of sight, as well as fill-in-the-blank cards which state “I Unplug To… .” These cards are the perfect reminder of how important time away from your electronics are. Whether it be increased attention span, more meaningful relationships, deeper sleep, or any other reason, ask yourself: why should you unplug? Links https://www.nationaldayofunplugging.com/host-an-event Image- https://goo.gl/images/iQEB9v Studying: It Doesn’t Need to Hurt
This scene is all too familiar to most students: you’re hunched over your desk, spine curved in an arc that is probably not very healthy. Your eyes are swimming with words that you can read, but not process. Hands stained with ink and smudged with graphite, brain buzzing with caffeine and stress. For a lot of students, studying is a battle that never seems to end or get any easier. It doesn’t have to be this way! There are small things you can implement in your study schedule that can ease the pressure put on you by studying. Tip Number 1: Take breaks This may seem obvious, but taking five-minute breaks every thirty to forty-five minutes can keep you from burning out. Use these breaks to read a book, take a super-short power nap, or grab a small snack. Avoid using social media or starting an episode of your favorite show, as these things can be hard to stop doing when it’s time to start studying again. Tip Number 2: Multiple Notebook System One way to keep your notes more organized and easier to read is to organize your notes into notebooks for different classes. At first glance, this may seem like a lot of notebooks to carry around, but there is an easy way to amend this problem: leave all those notebooks at home and keep a different one altogether to school. This notebook can be used for all of your notes and they can be as messy as you want. When you get home, you should transcribe those notes into the individual notebooks so that they’re better organized and neater. Another way to do this is to take your notes on the computer, print them out and organize them into binders by class. That way you don’t take the extra time of rewriting your notes. However, the process of physically rewriting your notes does help you recall the information on them. Whatever method you choose, this can help you keep everything more organized. Tip Number 3: Decorate Your Notes This tip especially helps if you’re a creative or artistic person. By taking a little extra care of making your notes look nice, you’ll probably enjoy taking and studying them more. This works well with the multiple notebook system so that you don’t need to focus on making them look nice when you’re in class. Just make sure you’re not focusing on decorating them too much, or else the content of your notes can suffer. You can find examples of ways to decorate your notes online. Tip Number 4: Find a Study Buddy This is a good way to keep yourself accountable for your studying and homework. If you and another person, or maybe even a group of people get together to study with, you’re more likely to do it. If you have people checking in on your progress, you probably don’t want to let them down by procrastinating or skipping out on your work. Tip Number 5: Find Your Learning Type There are three types that describe how a person learns best - auditory, visual, and kinetic. If you’re an auditory learner, you learn best by listening to someone explain a concept. If you’re a visual learner, you learn best by seeing what you need to learn through graphics and videos. If you’re a kinetic learner, you learn best by doing something and practicing what you learn. By understanding what type, or types, you fall under, it can help you determine how you should study. Auditory learners might study by recording lectures (with the teacher’s permission) and listening back to them, listening to audio-books, reading their notes or assigned reading out loud, or finding recorded lectures online. Visual learners might study by drawing graphics such as mind maps or charts, watching educational videos, or drawing out what they need to learn. Kinetic learners might try to teach what they need to learn to someone else, label a diagram, or create their own powerpoints or lectures. One person may fall under multiple categories, and learning works differently for each person. To find out where to start, you can take an online quiz that determines which learning method works best for you. Tip Number 6: Become the Teacher Though this is classified as a kinetic learning activity above, it can be effective for almost anyone. After going over a concept in school, it helps to explain it to someone else, as it makes you more confident in your grasp of the information. There are many different ways to do this. When your parents ask you what you did in school that day, don’t just shrug it off, go into detail! Tell your friends about something interesting you learned in your favorite class. Helping your younger siblings (if you have them) with their homework can give you a practical and real-life way of applying your education. If you don’t have anyone to listen, give a lecture to stuffed animals, or even an imaginary classroom! Once you’ve taught someone about the things you’ve learned, you’ll probably come out of it understanding more. Tip Number 7: Battle Maps The name may sound extreme but the method isn’t. The second your teacher announces a quiz or a test, write down the day it will be given. Then, when you have the time, form a day to day plan for how you will study. Each day can be the same, or totally different. Maybe you’ll break the information up into chunks, studying a different one every day. An example of a battle plan might look like this: Subject: English Test Day: Four days from now Test content: Chapters 1-3 of The Grapes of Wrath + Vocabulary
This method of studying will help keep you organized and helps you study the exact content you need for the quiz or test. Just by implementing a few of these strategies into your study routine, you can make your academic life much easier and less stressful. Just make sure that in the process of getting the best grades you can that you’re taking time to take care of yourself. Eat healthy, get some exercise and fresh air, and make sure you’re keeping up with the state of your mental health. Studying isn’t all books and flashcards, it’s making sure that you’re at your best so that you can do your best. Not all of these strategies may work for you and that’s ok. Just trying them out can help you find what helps you learn and may even get you some higher test scores. Good luck and happy learning!  Appreciation and Awareness: Red Cross Month
By Siera Millard Picture by Olean Times Herald Every year, the world and its inhabitants are devastated by tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and floods, not to mention the car crashes, accidents, and other daily occurrences. Without the help of disaster relief services, governments, militaries, and various other sources, the world would not be able to recover from natural and human disasters. The Red Cross is one such organization that works tirelessly to help. From the local scenes to global ones, the Red Cross stretches across the world, and is located not only in the United States. In 1881, tenacious Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross. She said, “You must never so much think as whether you like it or not, whether it is bearable or not; you must never think of anything except the need, and how to meet it” (A Quote). Once a civil war nurse dubbed the “angel of the battlefield,” brave Barton continued her selfless service after returning from a trip to Europe and founded the Red Cross here after discovering it in Geneva, Switzerland. She served faithfully and dutifully as president for about twenty years before resigning. This is an astonishing feat, especially at a time when women’s rights and involvement in management were abysmal. Since Barton founded this humanitarian organization, it has become one of the most well-known in the nation. On a daily basis they help all areas of the military, blood supply, disaster relief and preparation, and much more. Through the dedication of numerous volunteers, Clara Barton’s legacy thrives. This month is Red Cross month - four weeks to celebrate the volunteers of the Red Cross and to raise awareness to others of their own volunteering abilities. Even at age 16, YOU can donate blood with parent’s permission or become a volunteering member of selfless service. This month, donate blood and save up to three lives with just an hour spent of your time. This month, volunteer with the Red Cross and become a member. This month, give back to this great community, nation, and world that we live in. Works Cited “Red Cross Urgently Needs Blood Donations before Summer Ends.” Olean Times Herald, 13 Aug. 2018, www.oleantimesherald.com/news/red-cross-urgently-needs-blood-donations-before-summer-ends/article_91909ef0-9e9d-11e8-948f-2b0c2dfe1500.html. “A Quote by Clara Barton.” Goodreads, Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/quotes/726168-you-must-never-so-much-think-as-whether-you-lik  International Women’s Day
Sarah Lange We’ve all heard the phrase “girls run the world” but in recent decades, our current society has often fallen short of this. Despite the considerable efforts that have been made to bridge the gap between genders, there is still a lot of progress to be made before true equality is reached. International Women’s Day, hosted on March 8th in honor of when women gained suffrage in Soviet Russia, is a day dedicated to all-things women, celebrating both the accomplishments made by women in the recent years as well as bringing attention to areas of society which are still in need of help. This day calls both genders to action with the hope that, one day, society will be equal, in terms of both the rights and opportunities offered. The Seneca Falls Convention, in 1848, is arguably one of the crucial events in America that kick-started the Women’s Rights Movement. During this, citizens from all over the country met in New York to campaign for women’s suffrage. Additionally, in 1908, women protested in the streets of New York for equal pay and voting rights for women. Building upon these ideas, the first meeting of International Women’s Day debuted in 1911. Women representatives from Denmark, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany gathered to bring a voice to all of the underrepresented women around the world. Originally gathering over a million participants, current estimates report that International Women’s Day in 2019 will gather the support of more than 100 organizations and charities, garnering support from nearly 250,000,000 men and women across the world. The participation of every citizen from around the globe is crucial for the success of gender equality as a whole. Despite what the name might convey, International Women’s Day is a day dedicated to everyone. It is a way to celebrate the gender gap closing between men and women - the collective participation and efforts they have made to get this far. If you are interested in getting involved, here are a few ideas about how to celebrate women’s accomplishments.
Links
 A Day in the Life of a Hawk
By Siera Millard Photo by Siera Millard Novelist Mohsin Hamid stated, “Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself.” Oftentimes, we can overlook the similarities between ourselves and those around us, and overstate the differences. We are so focused on our own lives that others’ may fall victim to our narrow sightedness. Because of this, we may judge others when really we are all the same - living our lives the best we can.” We asked different people about their day to day life to catch a glimpse into the lives of our fellow Hawks. Here are their responses. Students were asked the following questions: 1) What time do you wake up? Is it a struggle? 2) Do you do homework right when you get home? Or take time to unwind? 3) How do you spend your free time? 4) What is the worst part of your day? Ella Irwin “I wake up at four in the morning. Yes it’s a struggle. I take time to unwind before doing my homework. I spend my free time in my room and with friends. The worst part of the day is morning classes at school.” Meadow Millard “I wake up at five AM and it is a struggle every single morning. I have recently started doing my homework right when I get home, trying not to be a procrastinator. I spend my free time watching Netflix or hanging out with my friends. The worst part of my day is P.E.” Sierra Martin “I wake up at 0530, and sometimes it’s a struggle. I do my homework right when I get home. [I spend my freetime] doing raiders/fitness team for my ROTC program. The worst part of my day is periods three through six.” Elijah Brower “I usually wake up around six. It’s not a struggle to wake up, I’m pretty much good to go. I do most of my work throughout the day so i don’t really have to worry about it, but when I do i take time to unwind [first]. My favorite way to spend free time is with friends, family, or exercising. Going to sleep [is the worst part of my day] because most days I just wanna spend even more time with people or do more than i did, and sometimes I have a little trouble falling asleep.” Andrew Rutter “I wake up at 5:45 and it is the fight of the ages. I have the intention of doing my homework as soon as I get home, but because of my own shortcomings that’s unfortunately impossible. [I spend my free time] playing games with friends or writing programs. Getting ready in the morning while fighting the urge to collapse [is the worst part of my day]. Madison Matheney “[I wake up] at 6:20. Yes [it is a struggle] because of my alarm; if my mom wakes me up then it’s not. [I do my homework] late at night or during school, no I don’t take time to unwind...sometimes on the weekend, but usually not. [I spend my free time] watching One Tree Hill, spending time with Logan, or with friends. [The worst part of my day] is stressing over school at night because I’m a procrastinator.” Logan Prairie “[I wake up between] 5-630, depends on the day. [I do my homework] either during school or late at night. [I spend my free time] hanging out with my beautiful woman or playing sports or with my friends. [The worst part of my day is] first and second period.” Emma Ross “I wake up at 5:45 in the morning. I find it to be troublesome some mornings depending on the circumstances...Once I am up and out of bed, I am typically excited to get my day started and face what the day will bring me. I find it most effective to do my homework immediately after school. I do, however, like to take time to...be active with a light workout. I enjoy treating myself time to watch a film or go antique shopping…[playing my] piano and guitar as well as being with friends or family. The worst part of my day is typically facing the struggles and difficulties with my schoolwork. I am, however, always able to receive help from a friend or a teacher the following day and it keeps me motivated.” Elijah Perkins “I wake up at 6:00 in the morning everyday and I rarely struggle getting out of bed. Personally, I do not start my homework right when I get home. I usually get home at 3:15 and take forty-five minutes to make a meal or exercise before starting my homework at four. Very rarely do I have free time, but when I do I enjoy watching new movies or discovering new genres of music. For the past year I honestly do not have any bad part of my day. Life is pretty enjoyable for me right now.” Teachers were asked the following questions: 1) What time do you wake up? Is it a struggle? 2) Do you do homework right when you get home? Or take time to unwind? 3) How do you spend your free time? 4) What was one memorable day or experience serving our school? Dr. Doughty “I wake up at around 4:30 during the week. It is not usually a struggle because I really do love my job and being organized for my day. I love to read and be outdoors. I read lots of different types of books and usually have a LARGE stack next to my bed waiting to be read. I also love hiking, running, and kayaking. I enjoy being outside especially when the sun is shining. The worst part of my day is saying goodbye to my youngest son. He likes for me to wake up and hug him before I leave each day and he always begs me to stay home with him. It makes me sad because being a full time working mom is a struggle, but I know that one day he will understand why I do the job I do. There have been so many amazing moments over the past three years. Being selected as a US News & World Report Silver Ranked School...watching the wrestling team[s]...baseball….Having students walk through the door of our school feeling hopeless and leave in 4 years with a positive attitude and a diploma which is a gateway to a successful future. If I truly had to pick one, it would be my first graduation ceremony as principal in 2017. I was a nervous wreck speaking in front of so many people….When I would start to feel nervous, I would look out at the students and staff and realize what an amazing place Rossview really is. Then, shaking hands with all of the 2017 graduates and knowing that they were going out into the world and that their possibilities were endless made me forget my worries and nervousness and embrace that I am doing the right work.” Mrs. Meadows “My alarm goes off at 5am, but I usually snooze until 5:30am. It is a bit of a struggle because I am a night owl and have a hard time getting up in the morning. I rely on my coffee to get me going! I like spending my free time with my family. We like badminton, watching movies, and playing games. The worst part of my day...that is a tough one. I enjoy helping students and teachers. I guess the worst part is knowing with one to one technology, my job is evolving I no longer have classes in the library everyday. Teaches no longer quire print source for their research assignments. So, sometimes I get a little down that the activity level has decreased in the library. I do focu on the individuals that come in and help them in any way that I can. Don’t misunderstand; I do love my job. It is just changing with the times and therefore I am too. My favorite classes were the LIterary Criticism that junior and senior English use to require. I enjoyed that one because student really need assistance and I love seeing them learn new things about research. That was something that I missed being out of the classroom. I think every teach loves to see that ah-ha moment and with that particular assignment, I got to share in those moments. The most memorable...was the Hunger Games Competition. This is my thirteenth year at Rossview so it is a little hard to pinpoint just one thing.” Mr. Lusk “I get up between 4:45 and 5:00. It has never been as great a struggle as I initially imagined it might before I became a teacher. During the school year, I don’t have much free time. I spend two to four hours...on school preparations daily...one hour getting exercise. After this, I take time winding down from the school day and spending time with my family. During the summers, besides spending extra time with family...I read voraciously and try to catch up on movies or shows. The worst part of a professional work day is when somethings goes wrong and - after reflection - I feel that my actions/behaviors were at least partly responsible….As this point in my career it’s usually when there is a major conflict with a student - usually about his/her behavior in class - and...I feel as though I could have managed the conflict better….I try to learn from each and every one of these situations. I feel very fortunate that there are very, very few “bad days at the office” for me here at Rossview High….Each and every day brings a lot of gratification, a little bit of stress, and sometimes even drudgery. Moments when current or former students share how I’ve affected them in a positive way are especially gratifying.” |
