Tag Archives: Luke Bush

May 11, 2010 · 1:09 pm

Live with no regrets, live to the fullest, above all… just live

By: Luke Bush

If you ask anyone who knows me, they’ll all tell you that I always have an opinion, and am always willing to express it. So, here is my opinion of high school. My past four years in high school have been amazing. As a senior I have got to say that I am really sad to be graduating, but I know the memories I have made will stay with me forever. Whether it was turning the tailgate of a friend’s truck into a pool, watching the sun come up after decal night, or always having teachers telling me and Logan Little to be safe on the weekends, I know I loved every minute of it. I’m not saying I got everything right, but we all learn from our mistakes. I guess I have learned a lot in that case, but that is beside the point. There are not many moments that I would say went to waste. I can remember my sister telling me at the beginning of freshman year, “live up every minute of high school, and live with no regrets.” It makes me smile now to be able to look back and know I truly took that advice to heart. A wise man once said, “There is no such thing as regrets, because at the time it is what you truly wanted.” Now I know this does not apply to everything, but I find it to be very true. Because of this, I would have to say the one piece of advice I would give before I graduate would be to live with no regrets, and to have a blast. These four years will be some of the best years of your life, so make sure to live them up. Stay up late, even if you have homework. Go to football games and ring a cowbell. Soak up every minute you have here. In the words of my older brother, “high school is not just about four years of school, but how many memories you can pack into those four years.” I can’t wait to be able to look back on the memories I have at Oak Grove when I get older, and I hope all of you can say the same. In the words of Dave Matthews, “for life is short but sweet for certain.” This is true, life is short, and high school is even shorter. I can say that I lived my short time here to the fullest, though. The real question now is, will you?

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March 4, 2010 · 2:44 pm

Local band makes statement with new CD

By: Luke Bush

There is an up and coming band  in Hattiesburg. Some of us know them from last year’s Battle of the Bands competition, while others know them from their appearances at Shuckers or from their new CD. But to students at OGHS, they go by Adam, Haley, and Chase.

Their band’s name is currently undecided. “The CD is titled Monokrome, but we aren’t positive on a band name  yet.  We’re either changing the name back to What Willis Was Talking About, or possibly changing it to Derelict,” Adam McPhail said.  McPhail said they are open to any suggestions though. “We really want some feedback from people.” McPhail stated.

The band consists of Adam Mcphail, Chase Harrod, and Haley Line. The members wanted to enter a band in the Battle of the Bands competition, and the group just developed from there.  “We just wanted to start a band, and I knew Haley could sing,” McPhail said.  Hundreds of students and parents watched as the group dominated songs like Paramour’s “Misery Business” and Flyleaf’s “Fully Alive.” The next stop for the group was Shuckers, an oyster house in Hattiesburg. “They were amazing,” John Lloyd Martin, senior at Oak Grove, said.  “They really don’t seem like a high school band.”  At this performance the band was joined by Logan Little, senior. “Playing with Adam and Haley was a great experience. They are very talented and educated musicians,” Little said. He accompanied Adam and Haley with percussion and some guitar playing.

This band is no ordinary garage band; McPhail and Line attended Delta Music Institute Music Camp last year, and Harrod plans to attend with them this summer.  All three plan to study audio engineering techniques. They also won Battle of the Bands last year.  Most exciting of all, the band recently recorded a full-length CD at Delta State, which can be bought from Adam for $5.00. They also plan to record another CD in the future, this time with all original material.  For those who missed them at Shuckers or Battle of the Bands, there’s still a chance to see them perform.  The band is scheduled for an appearance during the morning portion of this year’s HubFest, and plans to compete in Battle of the Bands later the same day.

Recording Monokrome was no easy task. “It was an all day event,” McPhail said. Their CD consists of covers of many songs and also a few interesting drum and guitar solos. For the band, this is more than just a hobby. “Everything revolves around music for me,” McPhail, who wants to be a musician and a producer when he gets older, said. Their band is planning on playing together for many recording sessions in the future. Whether you know them by name or by their new CD, be sure to check them out.

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February 9, 2010 · 3:34 pm

Spring sports review

Baseball

By: Luke Bush

Oak Grove baseball is getting ready to kick off another year. The season officially begins with the first game in the Oak Grove Classic Tournament being played at the Harry Breland Field. They are very hopeful for victory this season. “A lot of people are underestimating us,” Scott Weathersby, senior pitcher for the Warriors, said. “We discussed it as a team and our goal is to go to the State Championship. If we give it our all, there is no reason we can’t make it.” If the Warriors are able to hold up their promise, they will be traveling to Pearl, Mississippi, where the State Championship is played each year.

Weathersby is not the only one who will be pitching for the Warriors this year. The pitching rotation will include Casey Comfort and James McMahon. “Our team has a lot of talent this year with solid hitting, pitching, and defense,” Weathersby said.

This year should prove to be a promising year for the Warriors. The team is looking forward to seeing the support of students and the community.

Tennis

By: Kate Zachary

As the tennis season approaches, the new coach and 10th grade English teacher, Samantha Padgett, is excited about the new season. “My goal for the team this year is to represent Oak Grove High School with dignity as we travel to other high schools in the area. We want to enjoy and embrace the chance at camaraderie, sportsmanship, and the bond of being a part of a team, and hopefully we will perform as well on the courts as we do off the courts,” Padgett said.

Even though the team consists of new players this year, they are confident about the upcoming matches. “I expect the team to grow, to embrace and mentor our new, younger teammates, and to hopefully win some important matches,” Padgett said. “The road to state will be a difficult one this year, knowing that the team is young; however, we should never put anything past anyone. Doubt is an unhealthy quality as a coach or as a member of a team,” Padgett said.

Track

By: Taylor Herring

At the beginning of a new season, the track team hopes to get off to a strong start. The head coach, Robin Ryder, feels confident considering their successful 2008-2009 season. The team recently began daily practices, and Coach Ryder expects even more runners to join after soccer and basketball seasons end. As of now, the sprinters are full-speed running one mile a day; and the distance runners are doing up to eight miles a day. The official practice schedule begins February 8th; and Coach Ryder held a set of tryouts on February 1st. Ryder is looking forward to another successful season and reaching new goals. “Last year, we had more all-state runners than ever before. Hopefully we can build on that success,” Ryder said.

The team kicks off the season with a meet on March 1st in Slidell, LA.

Softball

By: Lauren Pace

The Lady Warrior Softball Team plans to have a very exciting season this year. With six of the 2009 All-District players returning, Coach Gary Ivy has high hopes for the season.

Last year, the team made it to the first round of the playoffs and finished with a record of 17-7. Head Coach, Gary Ivy expects to have another great season. “Our biggest competition would probably have to be Brandon or Clinton in South State,” Ivy said. Northwest Rankin currently holds the State Championship title.
The only returning varsity senior, Kayla Stanley, recently signed to play softball at The University of Southern Mississippi next year.

Recently, the team has been sprucing up the softball facility. They have a new bullpin area and are looking forward to a new field house. “The Lady Warrior softball team is on our upswing,” Ivy said.

The team is striving for many goals this upcoming season and hope to win the State Championship.

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December 11, 2009 · 1:07 pm

Is Santa real?

By: Luke Bush

There have always been skeptics who say “Santa is not real.” This, of course, is nonsense. Santa Clause is very much real, but people consider him fake because everyone has been misinformed who Santa really is.

Most have always thought of Santa as an old guy in a red suit who puts presents under the Christmas tree. Now this may be true, but that’s not all Santa is. Santa represents the spirit of giving and has caused countless boys and girls to behave well in order to be placed on the “nice list.” Santa represents the magic of Christmas that too many have forgotten. Santa is not just about the man who drives the sleigh, but instead,  he is a figure that represents all of Christmas.

Some people make the mistake of telling children at a young age that Santa is not real. These people don’t realize that they are depriving children from the magic of Christmas. Everyone can remember the magic of Christmas morning and running to see what Santa had waiting for them.  By ruining the belief in Santa, the parents are robbing children of wonderful childhood memories.

Believe it or not, Santa can still be found in children on Christmas morning; in the cookies we set out with family and the memories of the holidays remembered forever. Essentially, Santa is the spirit of Christmas and he is real.  As long as there are people who truly believe in the spirit of Christmas, there will be a Santa.

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November 13, 2009 · 1:39 pm

Stock market game yields substantial gains

By: Luke Bush

Every year around September, the stock market game kicks off.  The stock market game is a fictional game where students invest fake money in real stocks. They then sell, trade, or keep stocks until the end of the year and hope their choices are fruitful. Some win big, but some do not win at all. At Oak Grove in Coach Lang’s marketing class, this game is played as part of a course requirement. But what many do not realize is this game isn’t just being played at OGHS, but is a national competition in which thousands of students participate.

“We have been playing for about five years,” Coach Lang said. “But I believe the game has been going on for about ten or twelve years.” Many do not realize that the game does not end locally. There are three levels: national, state, and regional. If a team comes in the top fifty in a region, that team goes to state. Oak Grove is considered to be a part of the southeast region.  At the national level, the money becomes real, as actual money and prizes are awarded to winners.
The stock market game is simple to play and the teams are made up of five people. One person, who is picked as the leader, must create an account for the game and then the team decides what stocks would be a good choice to purchase.  Each team is given a set amount of money and as the game continues, they are allowed to sell or trade until the end of the year. Some think it is better to buy stocks and leave them alone, while others believe it is better to sell and trade a stock over and over until the desired result is acheived. “Just make sure not to invest all of your money in one type of product, like electronics,” Coach Lang advised. “It is better to invest in different things like, some in electronics, some in food. That way, if one part of the market is doing badly, you will still have a shot with the others.”
“It is a very simple game that many do not know about. The purpose is not just to get students interested in the stock market, but also to get them involved and to really use what they learned in school. The students who take the time to do the math and really see which stocks are best are proven to have higher scores on the ACT,” Coach Lang said.

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October 5, 2009 · 12:22 pm

Teachers listen to what?

By: Luke Bush

Students find that many areas of life revolve around music. There is constantly something new and  different to listen to. Students consider the music they enjoy to be theirs, because the older generations don’t listen to what they do. Or do they? What adults listen to is a mystery to many students.

One teacher who has a definite opinion of music is Mrs. Haik. She grew up surrounded by music, fell in love with it, and she loves going to concerts and checking out new music. When asked about how music affects her daily life she replied, “Music is a very large part of my life. I listen to it when I run, in my car, and at home.” Though Haik has many favorites, one song stands out, “If I had to choose, it would probably be “Closer” by Kings of Leon,” said Haik.

Another faculty member with a surprising amount of musical knowledge is Principal Wayne Folkes. He keeps his updated iPod by his computer at all times and can even be spotted checking out new songs on iTunes. “Music speaks to all individuals, races, and genders. It brings us all together, no matter what kind of music you like,” said Folkes.  Although many genres interest him, Mr. Folkes has his favorites. “I like vintage rock. My favorite though would probably be Lynard Skynard.  There’s nothing wrong with a little ‘Sweet home Alabama,’ is there?”

Mr. Mcneil, another math teacher at Oak Grove, is also very interested in music. “I do like the oldies and some classic rock, while most people just assume that, as a preacher, I would only listen to gospel music. Now don’t get me wrong, I do love Christian music, but there is other good music too.” He also loves to listen to XM radio and has many favorite channels. “Channel fifteen, Classic Rewind, plays the good music I like to listen to.”

It turns out teachers know more about music than most expect. They love music just as teens do. Music is not something that is new or old, but timeless and affects not only this generation and the one before, but all of them. So next time you wonder what is on your teachers iPod,if they have one, watch out. It might be what’s on your iPod too.

Teacher Playlist

  • Mr. Folkes – Lynard Skynard, “Sweet Home Alabama”
  • Mr. Sutton – The Allmon Brothers Band, “Whipping Post”
  • Mrs. Slusher – Kings Of Leon, “Use Somebody”
  • Mrs. Clark - Lilly Allen, “L.D.M.”
  • Mr. Breland – Frank Sinatra, “Fly Me to The Moon”
  • Mrs. Haik – Phoenix, ”1901”
  • Mrs. Joy Davis – Ben Harper, “Steal My Kisses”

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September 4, 2009 · 12:39 pm

Editorial Cartoon: Cash for clunkers

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