Staff Reporter

Olivia Sanguinetti was crowned Miss Spirit of the South Outstanding Teen on February 11th. Along with the title, she received first place in interview, fitness, and evening gown. She will receive a $2,000 scholarship to William Carey University for winning Miss Spirit of the South Outstanding Teen if she chooses to go there. On February 26th she spoke at Hattiesburg’s cotillion about her title. She focused on the importance of self-esteem and how to express it. She talked to the coming of age sixth graders about ways to be different. Sanguinetti also talked about ways to get involved in the community and shared about the many opportunities she has had to better the community through her platform.
Sanguinetti’s platform is “creating a normalcy for special needs students and adults.” She is contributing to her platform by participating in Summer Adventures at Thames elementary school. Summer Adventures is a five week day camp for children with mental and physical disabilities. She is also an active member of the Junior Civitan club, participating in many projects. She has participated in the newly launched campaign “Spread the Word to End the Word”, collected cleaning supplies for the Abbie Rogers Civitan Camp and money to help send children to that camp, and was a student mentor in the play, Snow White.
This summer Sanguinetti will compete at the state competition in Vicksburg at a chance for Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen on May 31st – June 2nd. She will be judged on talent, evening gown, fitness, on-stage question, and interview. To prepare, Sanguinetti is working out daily, taking weekly voice lessons from Josephine D’Arp, a retired professor of music at William Carey, and keeping up with current events to prepare for her interview. The director of Miss Spirit ofthe South Outstanding Teen, Darlene Lee, has spent many months helping Sanguinetti prepare for the state competition by hosting a mock interview, helping with time-consuming paperwork, and finalizing Sanguinetti’s wardrobe for the state competition.

Staff Reporter

Oak Grove Centerstage! show choir will be attending the FAME national competition in Chicago on April 20. Centerstage! traveled to Orlando, Florida to compete at one of FAME’s national competitions on March 3. The group competed with groups from all over the south region and received third place overall, giving them a bid to the national competition in Chicago. The competition was held on the Hard Rock Live stage in the center of Universal Studios. “It was really cool because the name of our show choir was displayed on the same marquee as rock bands who have performed there,” said senior show choir performer Destiny Lomax. They were the first group to perform on Saturday, so they were able to watch all of their competitors after performing. Surprisingly, there was one other group from Mississippi that attended FAME in Orlando: South Jones High School. Having another school there that they were familiar with made it easier for them to focus and made them feel more at home. “The other groups were amazing,” said Lomax. “We all thought that we performed to the best of our ability and would just have to hold our heads high and accept last place since the competition was so fierce.” The group was so excited to hear that they had received third place because that meant that they had beaten over half of the schools that competed. Along with getting a bid to nationals, senior Clay Gatlin received Best Male Soloist and senior Markos Williams received Best Male Performer. “It was a very humbling experience, and I was extremely shocked because I didn’t think that I would ever receive this award,” said Williams. “Winning this award just made the trip much more exciting.” These specific awards were very significant because the two Oak Grove seniors were chosen as the overall singer and dancer of the entire competition. The week of attending FAME in Orlando was more than just a competition. The group was in Orlando for four days, giving them plenty of time to enjoy the theme parks. They spent Sunday and Monday at Universal Studios riding roller coasters and for some, experiencing Harry Potter World and the world famous “butter beer” for the first time. Oak Grove Centerstage! has had a successful season. Not only did they get a new show choir director, Darren Dale, but they also moved up this year to the large group category. They have made it to finals at every competition that they have attended this year, and have placed in the top three at all of them. Considering that Centerstage! was used to hardly ever making it to finals, this year has truly been a Cinderella story for them. “I have greatly enjoyed working with these talented students this year, and I look forward to competing in Chicago and preparing for next year,” said Dale. Not only have they made a name for themselves on the stage, but they have also been featured on WDAM for their hard work and dedication. The group has been working hard to raise money for the Chicago trip. They have had several fundraisers and have had much success but still have a long way to go to reach their goal. They will be in Chicago from Thursday the 19th through Sunday the 22nd. Since this is most of the group’s first time to the windy city, they will be spending time sightseeing as well as preparing for their competition on Saturday. “I am confident in their abilities, and I know that they will represent Mississippi well,” said Dale. Be sure to wish Centerstage! good luck as they prepare to compete against 18 of the best groups in the country. “This is the biggest competition that we have ever attended,” said Williams. “Everyone is so excited to go to Chicago, and it is a perfect way to end my senior year in show choir.”

Staff Reporter

On March 30, The Warrior Beat newspaper staff and the annual staff headed to the University of Mississippi for the Mississippi Scholastic Press Association spring convention. The conference is held each year and aims to support, promote, and nurture journalism in a high school setting. The students participated in workshops designed to improve their skills in journalism, photography, and editing. Senior and staff reporter Allison Slusher, who attended the conference, said, “I enjoyed learning new ways to help our newspaper become the best it can possibly be.” Each school submits samples from their newspapers and yearbooks to compete for various awards, including awards for best design and photography. The Warrior Beat newspaper staff received 26 awards, and the yearbook staff received 13 awards.

NEWSPAPER AWARDS:
2nd Place On-Line Technical Add-Ins, Jordan Farrar
2nd Place On-Line Opening Page, Jordan Farrar
2nd Place On-line Coverage, Jordan Farrar
1st Place Photography Portrait, Raven Jones
1st Place Newspaper Ad Design, Jordan Farrar
2nd Place Newspaper Ad Design, Jordan Farrar
2nd Place Newspaper Front Page Design, Jordan Farrar
1st Place Sports Photos, Raven Jones
1st Place Ad Design, Sydney Sanders
2nd Place Ad Design, Jordan Farrar
3rd Place Depth Reporting, Miranda Rester
3rd Place News/Feature Photos, Laura Prehn
3rd Place News Writing, Amelia Passer
Honorable Mention News Writing, Taylor Herring
2nd Place Reviews, Taylor Rigney
2nd Place Feature Writing, Amelia Passer
Honorable Mention Cartoons, Anna Beth Waldron
1st Place Cartoons, Aubrey Sanders
1st Place Page Design, Sydney Sanders
1st Place Centerspread, Sydney Sanders
3rd Place Newspaper Nameplate Design, Sydney Sanders
1st Place TEAM Opinion Writing
2nd Place TEAM Layout and Design
1st Place TEAM Advertising
3rd Place TEAM Sports Writing
3rd Place TEAM General Excellence
YEARBOOK AWARDS:
1st Place Division Page, Haley Line
1st Place Photography Illustration, Parker Brewer
2nd Place Division Page, Elizabeth Lucas
2nd Place Photography Candid, Dana Marx
3rd Place Photography News/Feature, Elizabeth Lucas
1st Place Table Of Contents, Parker Brewer & Elizabeth Lucas
3rd Place Double-Page Spread, Dana Marx & Elizabeth Lucas
1st Place Cover, Parker Brewer & Elizabeth Lucas
1st Place Double-Page Spread, Parker Brewer & Elizabeth Lucas

Staff Reporter

Oak Grove’s athletic trainer Kevin “Doc” Mauldin, was recently awarded High School Athletic Trainer of the Year by the Southeast Athletic Trainers’ Association. This title is given to one trainer from a seven state area. Mauldin was nominated by Ray Burr from the Mississippi Sports Medicine Association.
“It was an honor to be nominated,” Mauldin said, “but it’s an even greater honor to win.”
Mauldin will travel to Atlanta, Georgia, to be presented the plaque at an awards banquet on March 17th.
Mauldin graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2000 with a degree in Athletic Training. He has been at Oak Grove High School for 11 years. Initially he taught Science Skills and Reasoning, and in 2004, he began teaching the Sports Medicine class. Oak Grove was the first school in the district to offer this class. It teaches first aid and emergency situations, nutrition, proper training, and the anatomy of the ankles, legs, knees, and shoulders along with basic sports injuries.
“I learned so much in Doc’s class,” senior Madison Bourne said. “It helped me realize that I may one day want to pursue a career in the medical field. Plus, I can tape an ankle in under three minutes.”
Mauldin’s duties extend outside of the classroom. Mauldin is required to attend all football games, play-off games for any sport, and athletic functions on school grounds. This schedule keeps him working 3-4 nights a week.
Mauldin also helps rehabilitate injured players, much like a physical therapist, to help them return to play as soon as possible. Senior Shelby Stiglets tore one of her Anterior Cruciate Ligaments (ACL) in the spring of 2009 and tore the other in the spring of 2011. Mauldin helped her rehabilitate both, which allowed her to return to playing soccer.
“It was so nice having Doc here to help me,” Stiglets said. “Without it, I don’t think I would have ever been able to finish playing soccer in high school.”
However, not all schools have the luxury of having their own athletic trainer on campus every day. The coaches also appreciate his work and availability.
“Doc is a huge asset
to our athletic department,”
Coach Terry Smith said.
Mauldin’s dedication definitely does not go unnoticed.

Staff Reporter

Oak Grove High School nominee, Mrs. Stacey Todd, received the honor of 2011-2012 Teacher of the Year for the entire Lamar County School District. Todd was nominated by fellow teachers to represent Oak Grove High School as Teacher of the Year. Next she submitted applications and several essays to be reviewed by the school board and administrators. Just like Oak Grove faculty, they believed she was the best candidate for Teacher of the Year.
Mrs. Todd has taught the community- based class at Oak Grove for two years. “My favorite part of being a teacher is, of course, my students. My job is the greatest job in the world! I am so blessed to work with these exceptional kids and their families. They challenge me to be better every day. I learn more from them than they do from me,” Todd said. Before, she taught a special education class at Poplarville High School for five years.
Todd goes above and beyond when it comes to her job as teacher. Not only does she help students excel during school hours, but she also dedicates a lot of her personal time to students outside of school. She is dedicated to making sure her students are included in all school and community activities. For example, Todd takes some of her pupils to cheer on Tuesdays and to the movies and tailgating on weekends. It’s not hard to see the inspirational and distinguishing attributes of Todd as a teacher. “I think it’s wonderful that Mrs. Todd was selected Teacher of the Year, especially with all of the work she has put in. She’s making an amazing difference in our community. I can’t think of anyone else who is more deserving of the title,” sophomore Jr. Civitan member, Sam Knowles, said of Todd’s nomination.
Mrs. Todd has already been successful in helping her students become involved in extracurricular activities such as the Homecoming Court, a talent show, and the production of the Wizard of Oz. “My favorite thing to do is plays. I love the plays,” Kaitlyn Fuller, a student in Mrs. Todd’s community-based class, stated. Todd is also the sponsor of the chartering class of the Jr. Civitan Club.
As for now, Mrs. Todd is working to represent the Lamar County School District for the state title.

Staff Reporter

Sydney Sanders recently received the DAR Good Citizen Award at the MSSDAR State Convention. The award, specifically for high school seniors, is presented each year at the MSSDAR State Convention. Along with this honor, Sanders also received a $275 scholarship.
At the beginning of the year, Mr. Folkes and Mrs. Stein select one student with the traits of service, leadership, dependability, and patriotism.  Once a student is selected, the student fills out an application and then writes an essay on that year’s topic and submits the essay to be judged along with multiple other essays in their district.
“I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to participate in such a committed, proactive organization,” Sanders said. Due to her success at the state convention, her essay has been sent to Washington, D.C., for further review. If Sanders’s essay is chosen in D.C., she has the chance to receive a $5,000 scholarship as well as a trip to Washington, D.C.
“It was humbling to have been chosen among such a great group of worthy applicants,” Sanders said. Now Sanders is eagerly awaiting news from Washington, D.C., about the standings of her essay.

Staff Reporter

Oak Grove science teachers Kathy Smart and Randy Germany, along with their students, recently planted 125 pine trees across the street from the school. The project was a part of former Governor Haley Barbour’s Arbor Day declaration. Before he left office, Barbour facilitated the donation of seedlings to private, public, and religious schools in Mississippi in celebration of Toyota Arbor Day and the opening of a new Toyota plant in Blue Springs, Mississippi. Smart, Germany, and their students planted the trees on February 10, Mississippi’s Arbor Day.
One hundred twenty-five pine tree seedlings were donated to the high school, and Principal Wayne Folkes delegated the responsibility of planting them to zoology and marine biology  teacher Kathy Smart and environmental science teacher Randy Germany. The Arbor Day project, which was created to instill a knowledge of the Mississippi environment and a love for conservation in students, helped Oak Grove students realize the importance of the area’s ecosystem. “The students could see how small the trees are now, and in seven or eight years, how tall they’ll be.” Germany said. He also noted how students could take part in replenishing the Oak Grove area with oxygen and learn about the tree growth process.
The trees that Smart and Germany received have benefited the teachers and their students. Soon, however, these trees will benefit the entire Oak Grove community. By growing a love of environment and conservation, the Arbor Day project has given Oak Grove and Mississippi students an opportunity to use nature as their classroom and to help preserve it.

Staff Reporter

Oak Grove math teacher Suzie Welch helps students achieve inside the classroom, and her efforts have gained recognition statewide. Recently, Welch was nominated for and won the Alan R. Barton Award for Excellence in Teaching. Presented by Mississippi Power, the award is given annually to six outstanding teachers in grades K-12 across the state of Mississippi. Nominations are made by school principals and are limited to one per school. “Mr. Folkes nominated me, and I had to fill out an application. It asked me about some of my teaching methods, and I had to get letters of recommendation from students, parents, and administrators,” Welch said. She began the application process in the fall and found out that she had won at the end of January. The award is highly prestigious, and winning teachers receive $3,000 for their own use and $3,000 for supplies, equipment, and personal development. It is given annually to teachers who live within the Mississippi Power service area.
The Alan R. Barton award is not the first of Welch’s accomplishments. Last year, she received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math Teaching. This award, which is highly prestigious for teachers, gave Welch an opportunity to connect with other successful educators. “I got to go to Washington, D.C., for a week, and I met the President,” Welch said. “I met a lot of math and science teachers from all over the country as well.” In addition to these honors, Welch received $10,000 with the Presidential award. “Don’t tell me teaching doesn’t pay,” Welch said.
Welch, who incorporates technology such as iPod Touches, instructional videos, and online notes into her Pre-Calculus, Trigonometry, and AP Calculus classes, has gained the respect of not only statewide organizations like Mississippi Power but also her own students. “I think Ms. Welch is more than deserving for the Mississippi Power Award,” Chloe Sanders, a pre-calculus and trigonometry student, said. “She is an amazing woman and teacher.” Although Welch is thankful for state and nationwide recognition, she enjoys being in the classroom and interacting with her students most. On any given day, she can be found helping students with their math homework during advisor period. She says she enjoys what she does because she is allowed to impact many lives through her work. “Receiving honors is very nice, but my biggest reward as a teacher is witnessing the growth of my students over the course of time that I have them in my classroom,” Welch said.

Staff Reporter

Members of the Warrior band auditioned in order to gain spots in the District V Honor Band. Auditions took place at Jones County Junior College on January 9th.
The auditions were used to determine who would obtain a spot in the four bands. Red band is the 2nd band for junior high school students; Bronze, 1st for junior high; Silver, 2nd for high school; Gold, 1st for high school. “It helps you earn experience, and they have many different band directors and professional clinicians who come to conduct for the bands,” said sophomore Nadia  Triñanes.
For the auditions, which were required of the members of Oak Grove High School’s wind ensemble, students were given a music piece to learn and play in the audition room. “Even if Mrs. Laird didn’t make us audition, I still would’ve because I like to see how I rank,” sophomore Daniel Mendoza, who received 2nd chair in the Gold band, said. “When we went and they were calling the results, the 1st chair of Silver band went to Daniel, and as soon as I heard that I thought, ‘Oh, that’s not too bad,’ but it ended up being another Daniel. They went through the whole list, and I wasn’t on it. Then they called the Gold band, and I got 2nd chair. I completely had a heart attack.” Auditioners also had to learn and memorize all 12 major scales and play two of the 12, not knowing which two, until the audition. “The audition wasn’t nerve-racking. It was very laid back,” junior drum major Melody Hill said. In addition, students were given a sight-reading piece to momentarily glance over and then play. Sight-reading is when a musician performs a piece with no previous knowledge or experience with the piece.
The 116 Oak Grove students who advanced went to JCJC to figure out which band they were placed in and spent February 3rd and 4th preparing for a concert that they would perform with their new band on that day. “I met a lot of fun people from different schools, and that’s the best part. It’s also cool to just play music with other people my age who are passionate about band,” Hill said. Most high school band members, however, weren’t too pleased with the music selection for the concert. “I didn’t enjoy the music too much because it was middle school level, so everyone was insulted by it,” said Mendoza, who has been placed in the Gold band every time he has auditioned for District V.
Participating in the District V Honor Band offers band students of all ages the opportunity to gain more experience playing the instruments they love. This opportunity helps them excel not only in the school’s concert and marching bands but also in college band. These bands are composed of the best musicians in the district.