Mr. Conrad: More than a Maintenance Man
by: Amelia Passer
Direct morning traffic: Check. Fix Mrs. Hedgepeth’s Promethean board: Check. Disable fire alarm: Check. Change light bulb in the cafeteria: Check. These are just a few of the many responsibilities Mr. Conrad Preston has to accomplish day to day. For Preston, being the Warriors’ maintenance guy is not only a job but also a responsibility.
Preston is in charge of all maintenance required at the school. Whether air conditioning or lights – basically, anything electrical – Preston knows how to fix it. Because of all of his many responsibilities, Preston is on-call for repairs even after he goes home in the afternoons. Every morning from 7:45-8:15, he directs traffic, and then he’s on call for various tasks throughout the day. “Each day is different,” he said. “You can’t plan a day here. You never know what’s going to happen.”
We’ve all seen Preston roaming the halls or in classes, working his handy man skills. No matter what he’s doing, though, he’s doing it with a friendly smile. “He’s so professional that he never let’s what’s going on in his life affect his work,” Mrs. Shauna Hedgepeth said.
“He’s the type of person that does things without receiving credit. He does what he does because he loves it, not because of the money,” senior Chris Franovich said.
When Preston has even a minute of down time, he’s looking for something he can do. “Sometimes he’ll poke his head in my class, look around, and make sure there’s nothing he can help me with,” Hedgepeth said. “I’ve known Mr. Conrad since I started Oak Grove, and I can confidently say he is one of the most selfless people on campus.”
Born and raised in Sumrall, Preston started his job as the maintenance guy at Oak Grove in 1996 after finishing his job in the military working with maintenance. When he first began, he was at the primary school where he handled maintenance until he switched up to the high school in August 2008, after 12 years. Because of this, Preston has been able to see kids from when he worked at the Upper and Lower elementary schools grow up. This will be his fourth year at the high school, making the class of 2012 the first and only year that Preston will be with a class all 12 years. He says that’s his favorite part about Oak Grove: “It’s like I’ve followed them up here,” he said. It’s true – Preston knows everyone. Anytime he passes a student, he can’t stop without smiling or saying ‘hello’. “He’s one of the select few individuals that have been with us and watched us grow,” Franovich said.
Outside of his work at Oak Grove, Preston is a freelance photographer, one of his favorite hobbies. When he needs a break, he enjoys riding his motorcycle.
Whether working at Warrior territory, shooting pictures, or taking a ride, Preston is always smiling. The class of 2012 has been greatly impacted by Preston’s presence throughout their 13 years of school. To students he’s not only the maintenance guy but also someone who can always be counted on. “He wants everything to work for the kids, and it’s those little things that make my job easier,” Hedgepeth said. Since his first day on the job, Preston has been a huge asset to the faculty. Whether he is working on the light fixtures in the main hall or changing the air conditioner filters in classrooms, Preston will continue to enrich the lives of everyone at Oak Grove. Be a role model for the students: Check.
Filed under Features
by: Julie Robinson & JoAnna Gunnufsen
Ask any woman between the ages of 14 and 40, and she’ll be able to elaborate on the new social media phenomenon called Pinterest. The website, popular among females yet unknown to most men, has seen an explosion in popularity over the past few months.
Pinterest is set up like a visual bulletin board. Users “pin” images by uploading them from the Internet or from their own computers. People can share images of crafts, wedding ideas, gadgets, shoes, and anything else imaginable. One of the most helpful features of Pinterest is its pinboards. Users can organize their favorite pins into their own categories, such as “Hairstyle Ideas” or “Favorite Foods.”
At Oak Grove, students and teachers alike are catching onto the “pinning” craze. Some of the Oak Grove faculty recently held a Pinterest Party where each teacher brought a certain food made from a recipe found on Pinterest.
Many students are turning to Pinterest instead of the more popular social networking sites. Melody Burton, senior, said, “Instead of spending time on Facebook, I waste hours on Pinterest looking for crafty ideas to create a life I’ll probably never live.” Through pinning, users can discover their own interests and express themselves freely.
If you’re looking for a bit of creativity in your life, look no further than Pinterest.
To see all these wonderful pins please go to the PDF version of the paper, Thanks!
Filed under Features
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: Movie Review
by: Jenny Tran
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, the Oscar nominated contender for Best Picture by filmmaker Stephen Daldry, is based on the novel by Jonathan Safran Foer. The story, though rooted in the September 11 tragedy, does not focus on the event. Rather, the movie documents the story of a young 11-year-old boy Oskar Schell who suffers from the loss of his father at the World Trade Center. Oskar, played by Thomas Horn, is convinced his father, who died in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, left a message for him hidden somewhere in the city. This is the story of his quest to keep his father’s memory alive by searching throughout the Big Apple, the nation’s largest city, for a lock to fit a key.
As Oskar is exploring through his father’s closet, he accidentally knocks over a blue vase and finds a key in an envelope that is simply labeled “Black.” He ponders the true meaning behind the key: Was it left for him or his mother? Did it even have an actual meaning at all? He quickly looks up the name “Black” in the phone book and finds that there are 417 people with the last name “Black” in New York City. Oskar vows to himself that he will meet every person until he finds the key’s lock. As he searches for the lock, Oskar meets many sympathetic yet helpful strangers; however, one stranger stood out from the rest who becomes Oskar’s confidant. Oskar is accompanied by “The Renter,” an old man played by Max von Sydow, who rents a room in Oskar’s grandmother’s apartment. As they both become close friends, Oskar learns many lessons from this stranger, such as facing his fears and knowing when to intervene. 
As his adventure continues, Oskar’s hope begins to falter and wants to stop until he notices that the stranger he has been sharing his journey with is just like his father. Oskar finally concludes that the stranger is actually his grandfather. Oskar confronts him, but before Oskar can receive any real answers, his grandfather moves out of his apartment and tells Oskar not to search anymore. However, Oskar does not give up. He continues his search until he finds the truth behind the key.
Tom Horn, the actor who played Oskar, who was discovered on the game show Jeopardy, delivers an incredible performance of a young boy searching for answers after his father’s tragic death. While many critics call his character selfish and spoiled, I call him a crushed, grieving character who finds his rite of passage as he overcomes obstacles and faces his own fears.
Stephen Daldry’s film meanders a bit, but the stellar cast, starting with young Horn, as well as the weighty nuances such as Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock, make this a must-see film for the New Year. Daldry’s ability to remove the slight ambiguity of the original novel allowed the film to retain the precise symbolism for applying the message to all the hurting people in the world. Furthermore, the movie explores the importance of a three-word phrase that is continuously misused today, “I love you.” Suspend your disbelief on the unbelievable parts and stay to the end. I promise it will be worth it.
Filed under Entertainment
54th Annual Grammy Awards
by: Morgan Guess
With only nine days until the unraveling of one of Hollywood’s biggest red carpets, music junkies have a lot to look forward to with this year’s 54th annual Grammy awards night. Music’s biggest night airs on February 12 at 7:00 p.m. on CBS. It will definitely be a night to watch with actor and rapper LL Cool J as host and artists like the newly popular Adele and the always hip Rihanna as competing nominees. 
There will be many compelling performances consisting of both solo and duo artists. One of the most anticipated performances is Coldplay and Rihanna. Coldplay recently released their successful album Mylo Xlyto which featured Rihanna in the song “Princess of China.” Paul McCartney, 14 time Grammy award winner and member of the legendary Beatles, will also be making an appearance on the Grammy stage. In the four most popular categories are nominees that are the most talented artists of our time. Nominated for Record of the Year are Rolling in the Deep by Adele, Holocene by Bon Iver, Grenade by Bruno Mars, The Cave by Mumford and Sons, and Firework by Katy Perry. Rolling in the Deep is a shoe-in to win based on the charts and the many fans who adore Adele’s chilling voice. The song sold an impressive $5.567 million in the U.S. in 2011. That’s the most digital copies ever sold within a year’s time in the U.S.
Other nominees, such as Bruno Mars and Katy Perry, are also equally loved for their pop serenades. Bruno Mars especially caught attention with the song “Grenade” and the appearance of “It Will Rain” on the Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn soundtrack. Mumford and Sons and Bon Iver are also great competitors for their popular alternative hits. Adele’s 21 and Bruno Mars’s Doo-wops and Hooligans are up for Album of the Year along with The Wasting Light by Foo Fighters, Born This Way by Lady Gaga, and Loud by Rihanna. Sadly, Nicki Minaj didn’t make the album cut with Pink Friday which sold 1,663,000 U.S. copies as of November 2011.“Rolling in the Deep,” “The Cave,” “Holocene,” and “Grenade” are all also nominated for Song of the Year with “All of the Lights” by Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi, and Fergie. Kanye West is the leading artist with seven total nominations. The nominees for Best New Artist include The Band Perry, Bon Iver, J. Cole, Nicki Minaj, and Skrillex. After the remix of “If I Die Young” in early 2011, the original song hit the charts in July to make The Band Perry a well known group. Skrillex is not like any other nominee. Known for his wild techno mixes, Skrillex is nominated for five Grammys including Best New Artist, Best Dance Recording, Best Dance/Electronica Album, Best Remixed Recording (Non-Classical), and Best Short Form Music Video for “First of the Year.” Kelly Rowland, Lil’ Wayne, Chris Brown, Cee Lo Green, Lupe Fiasco, Beyonce, and Wiz Khalifa are nominees in different rap and R&B categories. Others nominated for pop and alternative Grammys include Foster the People, Maroon 5 with Christina Aguilera, Kings of Leon, and Radiohead. Taylor Swift, Sum 41, Mumford and Sons, Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood, The Civil Wars, and Blake Shelton are nominated for Grammys in Country and Rock categories. With so many new and continuously crowd-pleasing artists nominated, the 54th Grammys is sure to be one of the best awards ceremonies of the year.
Filed under Entertainment
Chews Wisely
by: Julie Robinson
As Valentine’s Day approaches, it cannot be denied that many of us are thinking of that one special person that we like, love, or even hate. Thankfully, my first love will never forget nor forsake me. And my first love is, without question or hesitation, chocolate. Yes, I admit our relationship isn’t perfect, and we’ve been through some rough times including the time I ate an entire bag of M&Ms in one sitting, and my stomach hurt for an entire day. But I would say we have a pretty strong relationship excluding a few low points. I have spent countless nights sitting on my bed watching a movie with one of my very best friends – chocolate icing. Another high point in our relationship is the time I had a chocolate fountain at my 16th birthday party. So because of my great love for chocolate, I decided to make truffles this month.
At first I thought this endeavor might be challenging, and as I looked for recipes, I found this to be true. Most of the recipes were complicated, and as an inexperienced chef, I try to find the simplest recipes that I know I can do well. So, after much searching, I found the perfect recipe. It has only three ingredients: 12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate, half a cup of heavy whipping cream, and half a teaspoon of vanilla. I heated the heavy cream over medium to low heat until it was simmering, stirring constantly to keep it from scalding. In a separate mixing bowl, I combined the chocolate and vanilla. I poured the cream over the chocolate/vanilla mixture and stirred until the chocolate was melted. Then came the hard part: I was supposed to let the mixture chill in the fridge for two hours, but I impatiently put the mixture into the freezer for 20 minutes instead. When it was chilled I rolled tablespoon-sized amounts into truffles then rolled the truffles in cocoa powder. I thought my truffles were delicious and am not ashamed when I truthfully say I ate all 30, my sister as my witness. I will definitely be using that simple recipe again, but maybe next time I’ll share my truffles.
If you would like some high quality truffles without having to make them yourself, C’est La Vie sells wonderful ones. I will warn you: their truffles are expensive but worth it. They will serve as a great pick-me-up on the dreaded holiday that is known to many of us as Singles’ Awareness Day.
Filed under Entertainment
Cynthia Venson: Changing lives one grade at a time
By: Jenny Tran
Staff Reporter
As the end of the first semester draws to a close, many faculty members and students are excited about holiday vacation plans. However, for Cynthia Venson, Oak Grove’s intervention specialist, the school year has just begun. Her role is to creatively develop ways to help students who are struggling academically.
Venson instructs seniors Bryson Rogers and Bria Burkett during advisors. / Photo by Raven Jones
Her nonstop efforts to improve the education and young minds of students are more than inspiring. “Every time I see Mrs. Venson, she is either in a meeting with a student to discuss his or her academics or working in her office,” said senior Bailey Jones, a tutor Venson recruited for U.S. History. When asked about her biggest goal for the school year, Venson said, “I wish to graduate 100% of the students.” To accomplish this goal, she is attempting to oversee those students who are at risk of failing their classes and making sure they have their academics together before the end of the semester. To accomplish her goal, Venson has gathered a small group of students to participate in a peer tutoring program during advisors. Students who need tutoring in any subject from geometry to ACT prep can go to Venson to discuss possible arrangements for tutoring sessions. Prior to being a faculty member at Oak Grove, Venson was a sixth grade teacher and academic coach in the Hattiesburg Public School District. Venson’s primary goals at Oak Grove do not stop at helping at-risk students reach their full potential. Venson continuously attempts to reach out to any student who needs guidance and direction. “Everybody needs something different, and I’m always interested in knowing what your need is and how to help you,” said Venson. Her best accomplishment at Oak Grove thus far? Venson added, “I see accomplishments differently than most would view them. When I see students who are struggling show some sign of success, that is an accomplishment to me. It doesn’t matter whether he or she has an A or B in the class. If they can survive the class and successfully pass after having a failing average, that is an accomplishment to me.”
Many students see Mrs. Venson as a huge asset to Oak Grove. “Mrs. Venson is a wonderful mentor. She is always helping someone whether it is in the classroom or in the hallways. Her determination to see students succeed is admirable,” said senior Allison Slusher, another tutor Venson recruited for her peer tutoring program. Whether she is in her office working or in a classroom monitoring students, Venson seems to be a role model for all to recognize. Her love and dedication to her career and students reveals her true character: a hero.
Filed under Features
Music Review
by Mary Ryan Karnes
Staff Reporter
Unlike many American approaches to romance and its many dizzying effects, British band Florence + the Machine’s analysis of love is anything but cookie-cutter. Lead singer Florence Welch, who describes her music as a reflection of her unrelenting emotion, is a powerhouse of vocal talent and gripping personality. The band’s new album Ceremonials certainly portrays stark intensity in every song; however, the instrumentals to which Welch’s vulnerable lyrics are set are repetitive and overbearing. As a whole, Ceremonials achieves resounding emotional effects but fails to deliver adequate instrumental range. 
Welch, who admittedly writes all of her songs on hangovers and wears secondhand clothes at performances, wanted the album to consume listeners with both its words and its sounds. Indeed, Ceremonials is initially captivating. In “Shake It Out,” Welch proclaims, “It’s hard to dance with a devil on your back, so shake him off.” The song is arguably the purest showcase of Welch’s vocal range and poetic abilities. “No Light, No Light” successfully fuses pulsating drums with ethereal electronic sounds, creating an eerie and unsure tune. Other songs like “Breaking Down” are positive and relaxed. The album also cleverly incorporates the theme of water into many songs. In “What the Water Gave Me,” a synth keyboard and electric guitar are the backdrop to lyrics like “Let the only sound be the overflow.” The fast-paced song “Heartlines,” although heavy on backup vocals, portrays the power of water and nature to subtle trumpets and mystical chimes. The ballad “Never Let Me Go” shows Welch’s infatuation with the ocean. The consuming effects of Florence + the Machine’s Ceremonials are synonymous with the ocean’s waves: powerful, loud, and largely predictable. Even though Ceremonials is different from other albums, it shows little internal range. This lack of variation makes the album surprisingly mundane after the first few tracks. Each song is accompanied by heavy drums and clamorous instrumental swells that, for the most part, drown Welch’s vocal clarity. Perhaps the British accent or the hangovers also contributed to the difficulty I had understanding many songs, but, at times, the numerous instruments made Florence’s voice sound like it had gone through a machine. Also, Ceremonials included unsavory songs that produced a clash between Welch’s normally fluid voice and her forced, shrill singing in songs like “Strangeness and Charm.” The apocalyptic tune “Seven Devils” started with the words “Holy water cannot save you now” and ended with “I’ll be dead before the day is done.” These words were only made more terrifying by ghostly sound effects and muffled birds’ cries. The most chilling songs on this album did not contribute to the band’s emotional intensity. Rather, they added melodrama and made listeners like me wonder if the band attends Voodoo funerals for fun.
Ceremonials is anything but traditional. The album redefines love as a heavy, serious, and often haunting issue. Florence Welch herself is hardly jovial, and her blunt lyrics and diamond vocals illustrate how seriously she takes the band’s music. The artistry of the album, however, is severely limited because the songs are similar in structure and theme. The first time I heard a song from the album, I was left wanting more. When I listened to Ceremonials in its entirety, however, the magic and power of Florence + the Machine became repetitive. Even though the album is supposed to consume fans, I felt like I was drowning in it. Much like the band’s widely used water motif, Ceremonials proves that too much of a good thing dilutes the talent of a potentially excellent band.
Filed under Entertainment
Welcome to the Jungal
By: Will Pipes
Staff Reporter
Sherakhan (Stephanie Weiss) convinces Grey (Nathan Maxwell) to see things her way in the Drama Department’s production of The Jungal Book. / Submitted Photo
In previous years, the Oak Grove drama department has put on several award winning shows, and this year is no different. This year’s show, “Jungal Book,” is a darker version of the Disney cartoon that came out in 1994. When asked about the choice for the show, director Suzanne Allmon replied, “I chose Jungal Book because it’s an ensemble piece but also has individual characters. I have a very strong senior class this year, so I wanted them all to have a chance to showcase their own roles without being just part of an ensemble.” The show stars senior Xavier Martin as naive Mowgli, trying to learn the ways of the jungle and staying out of the way of Sherakhan the Tiger, played by Stephanie Weiss, who would like nothing more than a bite of Mowgli. Along the way he is taught and protected by reluctant mother Bagheera the Panther (Jessica Palmer), wolf pack leader Akela the Wolf (Heather Boutwell), and teacher of jungle law Baloo the Bear (Andrew Adams). The enticing Kaa the Python (Taylor Nace), and the cackling Chil the Vulture (Lauren English) appear as well. Juniors Rachel Hummel and Haley Laird seem incredibly hyperactive as they shake and laugh onstage as the Hyenas. Allison Walters and Nathan Maxwell round out the rest of Boutwell’s wolf pack as Grab and Grey. Sophomores Will Thaggard, Keirston Murphy, and Baxter Rose Walters, along with senior Rachel Jackson make up a screeching family of monkeys, and the Lord of the Jungle, Hathi the Elephant, is voiced by juniors Logan McCarty and Miranda Rester. In designing the costumes for the show, Mrs. Allmon said research was key. “Since the show is based in India, we did a lot of research in Indian culture, which would be why we have the henna tattoos. We also took the Indian culture to create the costumes; each color matches up with the characteristics of the animals, so we tried to put a lot of the culture into the costumes instead of just making them look like animals.” This past weekend the drama department competed at the regional Dramafest competition at USM, in hopes that they would be one of three schools chosen to advance to the statewide Mississippi Theatre Association competition. Not only were they called to advance to the next level of competition, the cast and crew also picked up several additional awards, such as Technical Achievement for having the best overall tech crew, an All-Star Cast for Xavier Martin’s portrayal of Mowgli, and Best Physicality to Will Thaggard, Keirston Murphy, Baxter Rose Walters, and Rachel Jackson for their performances as the monkeys. Technical Director, junior Addison Arroyo, fondly remarked on the weekend as a whole: “It’s definitely cool to go to Dramafest because it’s fun to compare and see what your peers can do and to prove what you can do. And of course, there’s nothing like being called for MTA.” So far the drama team has been very successful and hopefully will continue to be as they bring a part of the Jungal to the stage.
Filed under News
Should abstinence education be taught in schools?
By: Austin Heusser
Staff Reporter
“About 34% of young women in the U.S. become pregnant at least once before age 20,” Henry J. Kaiser of the Family Foundation stated. This unfortunate statistic can be attributed to the failure of sex education programs in public schools that teach young people about sex, pregnancy, and the risks involved because they fail to teach them that remaining pure is a realistic option. Sexual education programs are intended to prepare young people for sex by arming them with the information about sex, contraceptives, STDs, and the potential mental and emotional effects. Oddly enough, “in 2009, 409,840 live births occurred to mothers aged 15-19 years,” the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said. The teen pregnancy rate in South Mississippi is 8.6% which is currently the nation’s highest. Because of this, a new approach may be needed. That approach is teaching students why they should refrain from sexual activity rather than simply teaching them what sex is. Although some people may believe that abstinence education programs are ineffective, statistics show that such programs reduce the percentage of sexually active teenagers significantly. Georgia, for example, adopted abstinence education as a statewide policy in 1995, and since then, the teen pregnancy rate has dropped 46%. This indicates that abstinence education can make a difference in an adolescent’s decisions. Oak Grove should implement an abstinence program because it has been proven to be successful.
By: Amelia Passer
Staff Reporter
Let’s be honest, we all know about sex. Whether we approve of it or not, sex pops into our everyday lives; it simply cannot be avoided. Yet, sex education is one of the most controversial subjects taught in schools.
This past March, Haley Barbour signed a law giving middle schools the option for either abstinence-only education or abstinence-plus education, making abstinence the primary focus. With Mississippi leading the country in teen pregnancies, and the state spending $154 million a year on those pregnancies, obviously the state’s promotion of abstinence is ineffective. The law promotes abstinence-only, giving no alternative route of action for the majority. There has been no abstinence-only until marriage program that has been shown to help teens delay the initiation of sex or to protect themselves when teens do initiate sex. According to SIECUS (The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States), by the age of 18, 70% of teens have had sex, but billions of dollars supporting abstinence are spent every year. Adolescents have the right to accurate sexual health information. As of now, 87% of schools in the U.S. use abstinence as the main form of sexual education. Of the entire federally funded abstinence-only curriculum, over 80% contained false information about contraceptives (SEICUS). Despite what teens are taught in schools, they are going to continue to have sex; they always will. In the 21st century, we need to change our focus from keeping our students pure to keeping our students safe.
Filed under Opinion
