Tag Archives: The Warrior Beat

April 12, 2013 · 12:30 pm

Yearbook and newspaper staffs achieve at MSPA

By: Elizabeth Lee

 Staff Reporter

On March 28, the yearbook staff and The Warrior Beat newspaper staff headed to the University of Mississippi for the Mississippi Scholastic Press Association’s spring convention. The conference is held each year and helps to promote journalism at the high school level, and about 15 schools from across the state were represented at the convention.

Each school submits samples of writing, photos, and audio from their student-led newspapers, magazines, yearbooks, and broadcasts to compete for writing, design, and photography awards. The two divisions of competition for every category are mail-in and carry-in; mail-in photography and writing entries are sent in weeks before the conference, and carry-in entries are limited to the work that was published after the deadline for mail-in. This year, continuing their traditions of excellence, The Warrior Beat newspaper staff received 22 awards, and the yearbook staff received 12 awards.

The convention began Thursday morning with a welcome from Dr. Will Norton, Dean of the Meek School of Journalism and New Media at Ole Miss, and Beth Fitts, MSPA Director. The keynote speaker for 2013 was Bobby Hawthorne, author and former Director of Journalism for 30 years at the University of Texas at Austin. Hawthorne is a popular instructor and speaker at journalism workshops because of his knowledge of journalism and ability to keep younger audiences’ attention using humorous stories from his years of teaching. After Hawthorne concluded, attendees of the convention voted on MSPA officers for 2014. The winners were announced in the afternoon ceremony, and as in preceding years, out of the five who ran, the three winners were from Oxford High School.

Following the opening session, students who attended the conference participated in workshops designed to deepen their knowledge and improve their skills in journalism, photography, and editing. Every member of The Warrior Beat and the yearbook staff attended three classes that improved their skills, whatever their area of emphasis was. Emily Hope, senior, said, “The classes were so helpful. I think they’ll really help the staff with the yearbook next year.”

2012-2013 MSPA AWARDS

NEWSPAPER

Honorable Mention, TEAM Opinion Writing – Staff

3rd Place, TEAM Advertising Design – Staff

Honorable Mention, TEAM General Excellence – Staff

2nd Place, Individual Ad Design – Jordan Farrar

1st Place, Individual Page Design – Jordan Farrar

2nd Place, Individual Page Design – Jordan Farrar

3rd Place, Individual Page Design – Jordan Farrar

2nd Place, Individual Reviews – Mary Ryan Karnes

2nd Place, Entertainment Writing – Elizabeth Lee

1st Place, Cartoons – Aubrey Sanders

2nd Place, Cartoons – Aubrey Sanders

Honorable Mention, Depth Reporting – JoAnna Gunnufsen

1st Place, Feature Writing – Taylor Parsons

2nd Place, Sports Features – Kirk McCarty

3rd Place, Carry-In Front Page Design – Jordan Farrar

3rd Place, Carry-In Inside Page Design – Jordan Farrar

1st Place, Carry-In Nameplate Design – Jordan Farrar

1st Place, Carry-In Centerspread Design – Jordan Farrar

1st Place, Carry-In Ad Design – Jordan Farrar

2nd Place, Carry-In Ad Design – Jordan Farrar

2nd Place, Carry-In Best of Show – Staff

YEARBOOK

1st Place, Photography (2012 Yearbook)

1st Place, General Excellence (2012 Yearbook)

1st Place, Best Design (2012 Yearbook)

1st Place, Ad Design (2012 Yearbook)

2nd Place, Theme (2012 Yearbook)

2nd Place, Copy (2012 Yearbook)

3rd Place, Cover (2012 Yearbook)

3rd Place, Art (2012 Yearbook)

1st Place, Division Page (2013 Yearbook)

1st Place, Title Page (2013 Yearbook)

PHOTOGRAPHY

2nd Place, Sports Photography, Hayley Higgason

2nd Place, News/Feature Photos, Caroline Pruitt

3rd Place, New/Feature Photos, Raven Jones

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March 1, 2013 · 12:30 pm

Adviser Davis excels in classroom, community

By: Miranda Rester

Editor

With 35 newspaper and yearbook awards from last year alone to her name, Joy Davis accomplishes a lot in her reign as adviser of both The Warrior Beat newspaper and The Warrior yearbook. As the first teacher to ever advise both the newspaper and

MARY KATE WALDRON PHOT

Exceptional adviser Joy Davis poses with her yearbook and Warrior Beat editors,
(from left to right), Elizabeth McCullen, Caroline Pruitt, Mary Ryan Karnes, and Miranda Rester.

yearbook while teaching classes at OGHS and serving as a part-time instructor at the University of Southern Mississippi, Davis’s day is constant chaos.

“We’re on a three-week deadline cycle for a 12-page newspaper with 18 staffers. It’s a lot of editing with a short amount of time to work,” Davis said. Davis has been advising the newspaper six years and has aided The Warrior Beat in winning 74 awards, including her 2011 Adviser of the Year award. “There’s always room for improvement, but at this point, it’s a well-oiled machine. My staffers are dedicated, and there’s great leadership on staff,” Davis said.

Davis also is the site manager for OGHS’s school website, and she is the editor of the district newsletter, Excellence in Education, which is published twice each school year. In addition to her required duties and tasks as a teacher, she stays extremely busy organizing photographs, appointments with Bruckners School Photography, and communicating with the businesses in the community who are advertisers in the publications she manages.

Davis does all of these things, required and volunteered, with a smile on her face and no complaints. Davis suffered a severe injury in 1998 from a car accident that left her partially paralyzed with a loss of sensation and mobility in her legs. However, she doesn’t let this slow her down. “I realize that God is using me in great ways here at OGHS, and I am not about to let a few aches and pains slow me down,” Davis said. Although there are physical challenges she faces on a daily basis, she continues to give her best effort every single day.

Davis graduated from Southern Miss with Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Business Technology Education, which is not related to journalism. Therefore, she’s had to learn how to run both staffs on her own through experience. With six years of newspaper experience behind her, Davis’s biggest challenge is overseeing the yearbook, which is still fairly new to her. “Yearbook is a lot of work, but it is so much fun,” Davis said. “I’m still learning, and the most challenging part is trying to teach myself how to do things and then turn around and teach my yearbook staffers how to perform tasks, but these students are very talented and devoted. They make my job easier,” she said. Her staffs, however, have prospered from her learn-as-you-go method. “Since she taught herself how to do everything, she has a very unique style of teaching,” Jordan Farrar, newspaper graphic designer, said. “Mrs. Davis is so patient because she understands what it’s like to be thrown into something and have to figure it out. She’s a great teacher.”

As a dedicated teacher and adviser, Davis stays late after school every day working with students to make sure that their publications are the best they can be.

With supportive staffs and a loving family, Davis is able to juggle all of her responsibilities like a pro and still remain sane. “I love my job and my staffers. Even though it’s stressful, I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Davis said

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April 1, 2011 · 12:53 pm

Clark and Shoemake resign

By: Taylor Herring

After years of teaching AP students, preparing for state subject area tests, and helping students excel, both Ann Shoemake and Andrea Clark announce resignation this year. For somewhat unexpected reasons, these two Star Teachers will be finishing out this year and moving in quite opposite directions.
Shoemake was the first to announce resignation; she herself hadn’t planned on leaving Oak Grove for years. Upon a surprising twist of fate, however, Shoemake was forced to concede to leaving not only her job, but also her husband and life of comfort behind. After avoiding paying income taxes for nearly three years, law officials confirmed Shoemake’s tax fraud. “It all started after the stock market crashed. My husband and I were, well, more active than we should have been,” she explained. The district court has not yet confirmed her sentence, but Shoemake’s attorney feels strongly that she will be facing time behind bars. Through previous connections, however, Shoemake’s lawyers have been attempting to place her in a comfortable facility: Alderson Prison Units in West Virginia. Shoemake was immediately drawn to Alderson, as this was where Martha Stewart spent time after her own stock market scandal.
Shoemake began evading income taxes after the pay cut for teachers went into place. “Her teaching contract prevents officials from taking immediate action,” her lawyer commented. “Once it expires in May, Ann will be facing some very bleak times.”
Although her students, fellow teachers, and family are disappointed and embarrassed by Shoemake’s decision to commit tax evasion, administrators still consider her to have been quite an asset to the school.
On a much lighter note, Andrea Clark is announcing early resignation
as well, (although for an entirely different reason). After 16 years of teaching AP students and being named a Star Teacher five times, Clark has chosen to move in a different direction and join the Peace Corps. After teaching her students to be part of the world, to know about all cultures, and to avoid living sheltered lives, Clark decided that she herself should lead by example.
As the Peace Corps commemorates its 50th anniversary, Clark saw no better time than now to join the organization. “Since I found out Mrs. Shoemake was leaving next year, I decided this seemed like a good time for me to relocate as well,” Clark said. “I’ve always wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself; it will give me a chance to reflect on my own priorities.” After finishing this school year, Clark will face three months of training before being assigned to her location where she will commit to two years of field work.
Clark’s only worry is leaving her children at home. “Of course I’ll miss them, but my leaving gives the boys a chance to stay with their dad. They’re old enough to understand.”

APRIL FOOLS

The real story…

For those who haven’t figured it out by now, Mrs. Shoemake did not actually commit tax fraud, nor did Ms. Clark join the Peace Corps… go figure. Although Shoemake has actually met Martha Stewart at a Chi Omega Alumni event in Jackson, she will not be following in her footsteps by spending hard time in Alderson Prison in West Virginia. Likewise, although Clark may, let’s face it, love nothing more than spreading peace to all nations, she is not announcing early resignation either.
Losing two of the best, most committed teachers at Oak Grove would have been upsetting for Clark and Shoemake’s students and fellow teachers alike. They have both served not only as educators, but also as role models, and would have been greatly missed.  Mrs. Shoemake has taught at Oak Grove for 20 years and considers her time here to be some of the most fulfilling years of her life. Likewise, Ms. Clark has been at Oak Grove for 16 years, and would have a much harder time leaving her Acc. English I and Humanities students behind than she might lead us to believe. Lucky for us, however, we won’t have to worry about losing Clark or Shoemake for a while.
As far as we know, Oak Grove’s favorite English-teaching, tax-evading, peace-spreading jokesters are here to stay.

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· 12:53 pm

Changes to come for OGHS 2011-12 school year

By:  Kent McCarty

For those who thought this year’s changes in the dress code and exemption policy were major, next year’s handbook is likely going to throw one for a loop.  During the last several months, school officials have been hard at work weighing the pros and cons of different plans and observing the results of the changes made this year with a watchful eye.  For starters, as most have heard, the dress code for next year is a more rigid version of the dress code currently in effect.  Color choices have been limited to white, black, and gold, and full-length khakis are students’ only option for pants.  Additionally, only color-approved jackets with full zippers will be allowed.
Outside of the dress code, students can look forward to several changes regarding the policy in the parking lot.  Due to the recent surge in the size of the student body, parking decals will be limited to juniors and seniors with leftover spots being offered to sophomores at the start of the spring semester.  Additionally, car riders and those who drive to school will now be required to wait until bus riders are dismissed to leave at the end of the day.  “We know it’s probably not ideal for all the students to wait until 4:00 or 4:10 to be dismissed at the end of the day, but it’s a big liability issue having all the students wandering the parking lot with those huge buses rolling in,” Principal Wayne Folkes said.
Additionally, the newly updated exemption policy, which limited senior exemptions to semester exams and allowed for only two absences per nine weeks, has been updated yet again to better prepare students for life after high school.  “We know this isn’t going to be that popular, and we took a lot of time to decide, but we’ve decided that it’s in the best interest of the students’ educational experience to take away exemptions altogether.  There are no exemptions in college, and we want to prepare the students for college in every possible manner,” Folkes said.
Finally, the grading scale for the 2011-2012 school year has been altered drastically.  While officials tossed around the idea of adjusting to a ten-point scale, a more varied scale was ultimately chosen.  A score of 93-100 still equates to an “A”, but the lower cut-off for a “B” has been moved up to 88.  Additionally, the lower cut-off for a “C” has been adjusted to 83, and the lower cut-off for a “D” has been adjusted to 78.  While this will cause failing grades to start at 77, officials are optimistic about the outcome.  “Yes, the “7-5-5-5-77” grading scale, as I call it, is more rigid.  But it should increase the students’ work ethic as they strive to make higher grades,” Folkes said.

APRIL FOOLS

The real story…

While it is truly unfortunate for anyone who will still be in high school next year, there is no need to worry about the majority of the aforementioned changes.  While the dress code policy next year will be more strict than this year’s policy, the only real changes consist of only allowing jackets in approved colors and eliminated navy from the approved colors.  Don’t worry; open-toed shoes are still ok.
As for the parking lot changes, those are lies as well.  Sophomores, juniors, and seniors will still be allowed to park on campus, with decals being given on a first-come, first-serve basis before the start of the 2011-2012 school year.   Additionally, car riders and drivers will still be allowed to leave with the bell, while bus riders will still probably have to wait a few minutes after on most days.  However, next year’s schedule contains some adjustments that should help get buses to school in a more timely manner.
Finally, the exemption policy next year looks a like the one this year; don’t miss more than two days a nine weeks and don’t let your average drop below a 90 (or 85, for seniors).  And as for the grading scale, no changes have been made for the 2011-2012 school year, though there are several options on the table for an updated scale in the next few years.

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· 12:52 pm

Administration gambles with ‘Vegas’ prom

By: Sara Sanner

Despite information given on recently issued prom invitations, changes have been made for the “Evening in Vegas” prom. Also, due to issues that took place at last year’s “Parisian Promenade” prom, several changes will be implemented for the upcoming annual dance.
The Thad Cochran Center just recently pulled their partnership with the juniors for prom due to awareness dealing with last year’s complications regarding alcohol consumption and minor violence that led the center’s managers to ban the school from using the facility again. Although this was an initial issue, this year’s junior class officers found the OGHS gymnasium to be a sufficient facility that will be perfect to host the dance. An additional change includes the time the dance will take place.
School administrators, along with members of security, are enforcing a time of 5:00-8:00 p.m. for the dance and 8:00-10:00 p.m. for the breakfast to ensure that all students are home by 10:30 p.m. “Proms that take place at earlier times have shown to be exceedingly safer than those who start late [past OGHS proms]. We made this decision with the absolute best interest of our students in mind,” Assistant Principal Sheila Kribbs said.
Last year’s complaints of revealing, distasteful clothing have led to a minor dress code check that will be performed on each student at the door, more specifically, the girls. Slits in dresses can be no higher than the lower knee and strapless dresses are prohibited. Also, to eliminate vulgar dancing, the lights of the gym will remain on throughout the entire dance. Principal Wayne Folkes said, “Students will actually be able to see their dates’ faces now. Imagine that!”
The juniors also wanted to spice up the musical aspect of the dance, as well as appeal to all musical tastes, and decided to go “unplugged.” The traditional DJ will be replaced by local bands including the Sweet Southern Comfort Trio and Hammer Smash Face who will play throughout the night, providing an array of exciting, versatile music. “Students complained that the DJ last year only played a certain genre of music, so this year we want to make the majority of students happy with the music on their special night,” junior class secretery Taylor Nace said.
Because the dance is now in the gymnasium, the breakfast will  be held in the school cafeteria for convenience. This will not only help the juniors with their limited budget, but also with prom attendees’ budgets. The new breakfast facility will eliminate the need for expensive prom busses and limos, leaving students with more money to spend elsewhere. The school district officials also decided to help out by providing the school kitchen staff and their famous “brunch.”
Junior Class President Mallory Maples wants to assure all prom-attendees that this will still be one of the best proms to date. “Despite the numerous changes and complications, we have faith that the student body can make it a night to remember.”

APRIL FOOLS

The real story…

Dry those eyes, all is well with this year’s prom! The “Evening in Vegas” will not be in the school gym, but at the Thad Cochran Center on the University of Southern Mississippi campus from 8 p.m. -12 a.m. with pictures starting at 5 p.m.  Prom busses and limos will have a designated area to drop off prom-goers at the back of the facility where cars can also be parked. Students will then enter and have their name checked off a list by an adult volunteer. The list of names will include all seniors, juniors who have paid their dues, and students from other schools who were signed up by their Oak Grove dates. A DJ will play top dance hits and will be glad to take requests for your favorite songs.
And don’t worry ladies! There is no enforced dress code as the dance is not school-affiliated, although tasteful formal dresses are asked to be worn.  Each attendee will receive a gift that will remain to be a surprise until the end of the night, as tradition.
A semi-formal breakfast will follow the dance at the Canebrake Clubhouse at 12:00 a.m. with live music from Mr. Brandon Webb. A wide variety of delicious food will be served thanks to volunteer parents who will bring homemade breakfast items along with doughnuts, pastries, biscuits, etc.
“We have been working hard all year planning it, trying to make it the best we can for the seniors. I think it’s going to be a great time for everyone,” Junior Class President Mallory Maples said.

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· 12:51 pm

OGHS names three STAR students

By: Amelia Passer

Every year Oak Grove honors seniors who are able to go above and beyond standard academic achievements. Star Student is awarded to students who receive at least a 35 on the ACT or the student who achieves the highest score at his or her school. Each of these students then selects his or her Star Teacher, or the teacher that he or she feels influenced his or her education the most. This year Star Student was awarded to Kent McCarty, Connor Lawson, and Steven Wild.Teachers honored by these students were Ann Shoemake, Andrea Clark, and Shauna Hedgepeth.
“Anytime a teacher receives an honor such as this, the honor serves as recognition for the entire educational process,” Shoemake, nominated by Kent McCarty said.
This is Shoemake’s second time to receive Star Teacher while teaching at Oak Grove. “If a 9th or 10th grade teacher receives this honor, he or she is especially touched because the awards tend to go to upper- level teachers,” Shoemake said.
“They are three of the neatest kids I’ve taught,” Hedgepeth, nominated by Steven Wild said. “They are all super smart with great personalities. They will represent Oak Grove well.” This is Hedgepeth’s first time to receive Star Teacher. “Shock and awe is all I can say,” she said. “I never expected to be honored; I’m the last person I would pick.”
Receiving Star Student takes tremendous dedication. All three students honored took the ACT at least five times. “Keep at it,” Lawson advises. “If you get your test scores back, and they were lower than before, don’t get discouraged. All tests are different, and it may just be a bad day.”
McCarty, Lawson, and Wild have put in tremendous time and effort to be selected for this prestigious award. “It’s a really great honor to be recognized for all the hard work we put in it as well as the hard work teachers have put in for us.” Wild said.
Star Students and their selected teachers throughout the state are honored with a banquet which will take place on April 23rd. “I’m really excited to spend the day outside of  school with my teachers, not to mention there is going to be food,” Kent McCarty said with excitement.
Despite all of the teachers and the students extraordinary accomplishments, each one of them remains as humble as ever. “One single teacher does not make or break a student,” Shoemake explained. “It’s a team effort.” With much dedication, these students and their teachers have truly earned their honors and recognition.

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· 12:49 pm

Drama shows off talent this spring

By: Will Bedwell

This past January Oak Grove’s Drama Department showcased its talented members at the Southeastern Theatre Conference, held this year in Atlanta, Georgia.
SETC is a recruitment process which allows students in the Southeastern United States to try out for numerous college drama programs.  Suzanne Allmon, Oak Grove’s drama director of 15 years, takes any students to the conference who wish to attend.  This year she took juniors Amelia Passer and Taylor Nace as well as seniors Chris Permenter and Kaz Zumbro.
Students chose to either try out in the field of tech or acting.  Passer, Permenter, and Zumbro exhibited their talents in the technical field.  They each were given space on a table where they could organize set and costume ideas that they would explain to recruiters from different colleges.  Nace, however, chose to perform in the field of acting.  She had to perform a one-minute monologue and a 30-second song, both in only one attempt.
“I was beyond nervous knowing I was auditioning for so many colleges. It was sickening, but the exhilaration it brought was awesome,” Nace said.
All four students came back extremely successful from the conference with a multitude of offers from many colleges.  Some of the scholarships awarded were even in excess of $20,000.  Allmon was pleased with their performances stating, “I’m very proud of them. Almost always the kids we take to SETC do exceptionally well, and the experience plus the scholarships they receive are great.”  In order to witness the extreme stage talent here at Oak Grove, one can attend both the Junior Class Show and the Spring Show.
The Junior Class Show was held on March 31st with another show upcoming April 7th at 7:00 p.m.  They will be performing the comedy “Questionable” by Alan Haehnel.  The show, which involves all the juniors in the department, is essentially an acted-out standardized test with the audience as the test takers and is sure to provide countless laughs.
The Spring Show, to be performed at 7:00 p.m. on April 28th and 29th, is likewise a comedy entitled “A Night of Durang.”  The show was written by Christopher Durang who has written many comedic pieces for the likes of both Carol Burnett and Robin Williams.  The two shows can be seen by purchasing tickets from Allmon. Adult tickets cost $7 and students $5.
If these shows prove enticing to any students, auditions for the award winning Oak Grove Drama Department will be held April 18th and 21st after school.  To audition one must perform a chosen monologue by Allmon, which are currently available outside the drama room door.

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· 12:49 pm

Golf team tees off for successful season

By: Taylor Rigney

The OGHS golf team has started off 2011 with high expectations and ambitious goals, and even Coach Terry Smith boasts that much can be anticipated from the team’s many talented players. “If we play to the level that we are capable of, we will do well,” he said.
The team recognizes its own potential and obvious strengths, and Coach Smith said that the team’s experience is the one element that sets Oak Grove golfers apart from the competition.  Coach Smith also singled out a couple of schools that threaten to be the golf team’s toughest opposition this season, including Brandon and Terry in regional tournaments and Tupelo and Madison Central in state tournaments.
The golf team travels all over South Mississippi, from the Coast to Jackson, to compete against teams from the Hattiesburg area, and its next home match is scheduled for April 19th at Shadow Ridge Golf Course.
Although he describes his own golf game as “horrible,” Coach Smith works diligently to ensure that the team is a well-oiled machine by refusing to single out individual golfers as “the best” and by encouraging his players.  “Generally, I just try to keep them calm and focused,” Smith said. “If that doesn’t work, I beat them with a nine iron.  Just kidding.”
With a notoriously wise-cracking coach and the recent spell of pleasant weather that’s blanketed the Pine Belt, it’s not hard to believe that the team enjoys a good time while out on the course.  “We’ve actually had great weather for golf,” Coach Smith said.  Senior golfer Will Bedwell added, “The team always has a good time, and that really helps to take the edge off during a tournament.”
And eliminating stress just before swinging proves to be beneficial to golfers.  “I just try to clear my head and hit the ball,” Bedwell said of his technique.  Even so, Coach Smith admitted that remaining focused is one of the team’s main weaknesses.  “We do have a tough time staying focused, but we head out to the driving range a lot to work on that and some other things,” Bedwell said.  Coach Smith agreed that the team has specific areas that could always use some improvement: “We always need to practice chipping and putting,” he said.
Coach Smith is convinced that, when it comes to golf, practice makes perfect.  “Work everyday.  Remain calm and focused,” Smith advised to those searching for the secret to being a successful golfer.  “We practice a lot everyday, and the whole team has a lot of experience being out on the course.  That’s what we owe all our success to,” Bedwell said.
With the golf team’s track record from previous years, and their enthusiasm and drive (pun intended) for the current season, Oak Grove can expect to see big things from the golfers.  “We definitely have a lot going for us this season, and the whole team is expecting to do extremely well,” Bedwell said.

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· 12:47 pm

Warrior Tennis: Serving up victory on court

By: Mary Ryan Karnes

While most students in fourth block are tired and ready for the day to end, the Oak Grove tennis team is full of energy and prepared to swing a raquet. With a schedule full of practices and matches, Warrior tennis players are eager to ace their opponents. Sophomore member John Lewis Neese said, “We have a solid team, and we’re going to take gold this year.” And indeed, the 2011 season’s talent is quite impressive. Even though Coach Samantha Padgett lost a few key female players, she said that the boys’ teams were all very skilled at the sport.
Coach Padgett believes that this year’s team will work well together. “The students on the team are all extremely friendly and passionate, and this quality helps to serve the team to be tolerant and accepting of all members. Our relationships help us work together as a team, especially at doubles.” Padgett said. Sophomore member Laura Prehn agrees that the team definitely has strong bonds on and off the court. “Learning how to cooperate with so many different kinds of people is exciting. I think we have a lot of potential this year, and I hope we do the best we can!” The season is in full swing now, but the first part of the year took some adjusting. “It’s been confusing because we have a lot of new people, but we’re adjusting really well,” Prehn added.
Now that practices are underway and the team has played a few matches, they are ready to dominate the courts. The first match of the season was against Petal, and it has been the most intense game so far. However Coach Padgett believes that the matches against Brandon, the team’s greatest rival, will be exciting for all. “Brandon, last year’s number one team in our district, is our biggest rival. I really believe we can pull off a win against them this year, but we also face tough teams in Ocean Springs and and Biloxi.” The Brandon matches will be on April 6th at home and April 12th in Brandon, and fan support is much appreciated.
Win or lose, Warrior tennis has been a rewarding experience for both the players and Coach Padgett. To her, the best part about coaching is, “the students and seeing their interactions with each other. I enjoy seeing the kid’s faces light up after a victory or even a close loss. I also love the deep-rooted relationships formed and am blessed to see these teenagers come together for each other during good and tough times.” To everyone at Oak Grove affiliated with its tennis program, the sport has become not only a measure of athletic achievement, but also a venue for developing positive relationships, and that is a victory the team has come to “love.”

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· 12:46 pm

Have school uniforms really made a difference?

YES

By: Miranda Rester

Uniforms were implemented to improve students’ behavior and classroom performance, but they don’t seem to be doing such a good job.  Students are getting into even more trouble now than they did last year.  In previous years, students were scolded for wearing things such as baggy pants, long shirts, and short skirts.  Now a student may be sent home to change just for wearing the wrong color belt.
Students certainly haven’t improved their behavior because of the uniform policy.  Wearing khaki pants with a tucked in collared shirt doesn’t make a student behave differently.  We’ve all seen students misbehave, regardless of what they’re wearing.  While clothes play a part in the attention of a student, clothes do not contribute to their behavior.  Students still fight and break school rules.  The cafeteria and hallways are still filled with booming voices and obnoxiously loud shrieks.
If uniforms have done anything for the student body and faculty, they’ve made life more difficult.  Continuous “dress code checks” at the beginning of every class take away valuable class time because teachers have to walk around the classroom and correct every student’s outfit.  Students then have to go down to the office, find out if they’re in dress code, and either go home to get new clothes or go to IST or, if they’re told they are in dress code, return to class.  Not only are both the student and teacher irritated, but the teacher also has to inform his or her student of what was taught while they were going through the tedious routine that the new dress code has forced upon the school.
The uniform policy isn’t even truly uniform.  Some students are even coming to school in Jeggings, (jean leggings), and t-shirts without a teacher or administrator ever noticing.  Students walk around in a million different variations of the same outfit, and it’s almost impossible to see which students are in dress code and which are not.  That’s why many students don’t get in trouble for major violations while some are sent to the office because their pullovers are the wrong shade of gold.
If the dress code policy were better enforced, perhaps there would be a noticeable change in students.  However, the lack of enforcement and absence of specific details explaining which clothes are acceptable and which are not allowed, makes the school’s uniform policy an unnecessary hassle.

NO

By: Brittain Allgood

Last year, when students heard that we would have uniforms the following year, most began to plan rebellious protests, petitions, and flat-out reject the thought. Wearing khaki pants and tucked-in polos was not my idea of a fashion statement, either. However, we students of Oak Grove High School were forced to enter a facility of black and gold uniformity. After a month or two, students became accustomed to the embarrassment, for we realized that this nightmare was not going away anytime soon. Actually, I believe that students realized uniforms weren’t as bad as they had made it out to be. I think that uniforms have been extremely beneficial. Not having to wake up early to decide what to wear has given my snooze button more meaning. The biggest decision we have to make is what color to wear, black or gold? Girls always want to look their best. They must turn heads when walking down the halls, so I can understand how uniforms may take away from their spotlight. However, it is extremely easy to make our dull uniforms into cute outfits without violating dress code. Adding accessories such as earrings, necklaces, or headbands can give the most boring outfit a little something extra. Also, girls can add a cute cardigan, scarf, or belt to any outfit. Therefore, I do not agree with people when they say that uniforms “take away a person’s style.” Boys wear polos and khakis anyway, so why complain when nothing has changed? Most students feel that uniforms have not made a difference in our school. They believe that having uniforms could never decrease chaos, resolve conflicts, or even reduce the number of fights; however, last year, there were over three fights on school grounds in one day. Since uniforms have been implemented, there have been only a small number of fights that have taken place. Being one of the best schools in the state of Mississippi, we must show extreme loyalty to our Blue Ribbon school, and wearing our school’s colors daily is a great way to display our terrific Warrior Pride. The students of Oak Grove have adapted to the uniform system, and we have grown as a student body because of it.

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