Article by: Nichole Johnson Picture by: Devan Turlington 1 November 2018 Every year, the Pioneer playmakers compete at the North Carolina Theatre Conference, also known as the NCTC competition. This year on November 2nd they will be taking their play “Epicinium” with them to the competition at Weaver Academy. A NCTC competition is when the Pioneer playmakers are given 45 mins to set up and break down a set as well as perform any piece they choose. When I asked Ms. Miller her thoughts on this competition, she replied, “We want to like the work we do. It’s like baking a cake. It could be that we make the best chocolate cake in the whole wide world, but the judges are allergic to chocolate and they only want to have apple crisp. If we try to work for the judges we’re never going to get to apple crisp because we don’t know who the judges are, we don’t know how to work for them, and we shouldn’t be. We should be working for us and our own growth. We want to love our cake, and we don’t care if anybody else likes the cake. If we get any icing on it great but that’s not what we’re working for.” Not only is this an important tip for competitions, but it’s also a great life tip. In life you shouldn’t worry about what others think of you, but you should always stay true to yourself. With this play solely being written and performed by students it was interesting to see what sparked the idea of the play. When asked about the origin of this play, Spencer Ball said, “This play honestly grew out of nowhere. We knew we wanted to make something that would connect with the audience and we knew we wanted it to correlate with a theme of death. From that Epicinium was born.” The show involves two main families, the Osiris family and the Mors family. The Osiris family is wealthier than the Mors family, and you slowly grow to see why when watching the show. It is important to note that the title of the play, Epicinium, comes from a Latin background, and means aftermath. This title is significant to the theme of the show because throughout the show the audience gets to watch as they see the individual characters deceive one another. From watching all of this unfold the audience can assume that the aftermath of what is happening will have negative effects on everyone involved. As an audience member, you hear the line, "It's a house of cards, mother. I don't want to be around for the aftermath," from Anna Osiris, the eldest of the Osiris family. This is an important line because it helps to tie the title into the main idea of the play. Playmaker Laramie Ward said, “My favorite part about Epicinium is that it isn't just an incredibly written play that people can truly enjoy (I'm a bit biased), it's also something that every single person that watches it can take something from.” I would 10/10 recommend watching the beautifully crafted show that the playmakers produced. While the play stemmed from a simple plot, it left the viewer begging for more.
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By: Emma Schneider 24 October 2018 Boone Boo, 2018 Trick or treating is a Halloween tradition that has impacted many children’s lives. This annual celebration sparks a night full of candy, costumes, and memories. However, many families seem to die out of this tradition that has been in children’s lives for many years. As people get older, some begin to believe that they are “too old” for this holiday. Brown family, 2018 My personal experience of Halloween festivities consist mainly of preparing for my costume a month in advance, as you can tell, this holiday is taken very seriously. Once this special day comes around, we slip on our creative costumes and walk from house to house to gather our goodies. My family and I generally looked for the largest neighborhoods that would yield the most candy, and typically returned home with pillow cases full of candy. I remember one house in particular gave out whole king size candy bars to the fortunate children that entered. Conway Family, 2018 Ending the tradition of trick or treating is very sad, however the costume making does not have to end so quickly. This idea of continuing the fun and spookiness is what keeps Halloween going. Without costumes this holiday would not exist to the glory it has now. Once you have passed the years of trick or treating, dressing up slides in and is what keeps Halloween making you feel young and bringing generations of children and memories back to you. As you get older and grow out of the tradition of trick or treating, it does not mean you are too old to participate in Halloween. Family and friend gatherings are a very large part of the community on Halloween. Many involve costume parties, haunted houses, and food. Cities even close down streets for people to trick or treat and congregate on. The idea of turning the night from a candy oriented night, to a family and friend oriented night is what makes this holiday so special. This night gives people the chance to spend time with their families and friends while having fun and dressing up. Having time to connect with one another means helps you pass down the amazing memories of Halloween that you experienced and loved, to the people and generations that follow you. Written by Rachel Amburose November 1, 2018 2017 Watauga High School Model UN delegation at ILMUNC. Credit: Watauga High School Model United Nations Club In the small town that is Boone, Watauga High School is much more than a typical school. Ask any former or current student or staff and their answer would praise Watauga High’s abilities to cater to all students’ learning types and passions by providing a diverse range of high-quality academics and a plethora of clubs. One club that has remained hidden and isn’t as popular as DECA or FFA is Model United Nations (MUN). MUN is sponsored by Mr. Stollings, a beloved World History and Holocaust teacher, and is led by officers Galen Miller, Christian Hughes, Sophie Pilkington, Carmen McKee, and Apurba Paudel. MUN is an academically-enriching experience that allows students to take on the roles of international delegates for a conference where they discuss and negotiate resolutions to major world crises. The club “lets students improve their public speaking, writing, and social skills,” explained President Galen Miller during an interview. Students are assigned a country to represent and a committee that discusses certain topics, like the UN Human Rights Council or Arab League who debate serious issues like the Myanmar Genocide, ISIS in the Middle East, or the Paris Accords. This year, the club boasts 22 members, a massive upgrade from the 7 students it accommodated last year. The rise in popularity was unexpected and club officers faced a dilemma: the majority of the club had zero experience in Model UN conferences and would most likely struggle at the upcoming Appalachian Model United Nations Conference. Since Model UN is a type of activity that is best learned through experience, Miller decided to hold a mock conference for all new delegates. “I wanted the members to have exposure to how a committee works and that experience before they get thrown into a real conference,” explained Miller. The mock conference was held on October 21st from 2-6 PM at Appalachian State University. A chair of Miller, McKee, and Pilkington assigned characters like Blackbeard, Lady Gaga, and Fidel Castro to delegates and set aside the first 10 minutes to do some basic research. The committee had an agenda of three topics: the Emu War of 1932, the Ebola Outbreak, and the Constitutional Convention of 1787. After the allotted 10 minutes, the committee begins its first session: the agenda is set and delegates around the room raise their placards to be added to the speakers list. This is the essence of Model UN: representing people and places by negotiating as they would. It is so much more than research and speeches; Model UN expects delegates to defend their country’s views and mentally prepare for heated debates. Miller enthusiastically added, “As a delegate, you're always looking for the person and trying to be the person that is taking initiative and being involved.” What started out as a boring and dull conference soon turned lively. Notes were being passed around and delegates formed alliances as they proposed ideas to add to the resolutions. In the end, the committee had successfully discussed two out of three topics. Sure, these resolutions won’t fix anything, but the fact that we were able to defend a character’s view while discussing solutions and analyzing an issue with a global perspective was mind-blowing. By: Erin Stevens For all the seniors at Watauga it’s that time of the year when you start to consider and apply for colleges. It can be a very stressful time not only for the students but the people helping the students, for instance, their school counselors, and their parents. Let’s take a dive into what goes on through a college applicants mind and examine if it’s really as stressful as they say it is. The following is Wade Garlands experience.
“It’s about 8:30 at night and I’m about to start my search for colleges I could possibly want to go to. I’m starting off by thinking about what I want my major to be. After thinking for an hour I finally settled on Physical Therapy. I then decided to look at my best bets for colleges, which ones are cheaper, which ones allow instate tuition, and what colleges actually offer Physical Therapy programs. Stress is the only thing going through my head throughout this entire process, especially since I want to go to a school I actually like.” It’s definitely not easy choosing what college you want to go to but it does make it a little easier when you know what you want to do. Now let’s go on the other end of the spectrum and see what a day looks like for Mr. Calbreath, a senior school counselor. It’s 9:15 in the morning and a senior has come to him for help. He starts off by getting the basics, do they want to go instate or out of state, public or private, rural or urban, and what size of school. If he doesn’t know any off the top of his head he will refer them to CFNC and then he will assess how much support the student needs, whether it be them being able to make decisions on their own or do the research themselves. Calbreath said “a lot of the process also comes with the student knowing what the really want to do versus what they think they want. A lot of student’s think they must go to Chapel Hill or NC State to be successful but that’s not true, nor is it the best path for everyone. Counseling students through the process of understanding themselves well enough to know if they are making a good decision for themselves is a big part of it to”. It is very evident and easy to see that applying for college isn’t easy for anyone involved and comes with a lot of added stress. Along with the stress of having to go through all of the steps of applying and having to wait to see if you got in, there is also a heavy weight on our shoulders because we want to make our parents proud. The people who help us also want to see us get in to our top choices because that means they’ve done something right and can hope to see their kids or students be successful in whatever they choose to do. Whether it be us trying to figure out what we want to do with our lives and where we want to go, or our school counselors trying to help us as much as they can, everyone has a role to play and nobody ever said it would be easy. Article By: Marley Forrester
Get ready, Pioneers… Student Body Vice President and leader of all things homecoming, Peyton Cline is bringing new ideas to life with the help of student council as well as their new advisor, Ms. Brittany Wood. “I’ve been working on the production of hoco since march,” says Cline. “Students should look forward to our new spirit days, tailgating, and of course the dance because we’re expecting a huge turnout.” SUPERNOVA Student Council is attempting to steer away from romantic homecoming themes such as last year’s Parisian theme or the previous year’s “To The Moon and Back” with a glow in the dark “Supernova.” The term supernova refers to the explosion of a star which has reached the end of its life. Supernovae are “the largest explosion that takes place in space,” according to NASA. WE’VE GOT SPIRIT This year a new system will be used to measure which class has the most spirit, called spirit points! Spirit points will be earned by dressing up for America Monday, Twin Tuesday, Meme Day on Wednesday, Throwback Thursday, and Friday’s class day. Whichever class has the most spirit points will be awarded a mystery prize. SHOW OUT In addition to participation in spirit days, students will be allowed many opportunities to earn further points throughout the week by activities such as attending after school events. These events include Watauga’s first ever drive in movie on Monday, Powder Puff the following day, King of the Court Thursday, and of course the new and improved homecoming tailgate. Article By: Isacc Ewers
Botswana, home to the largest number of elephants in the world, has recently been reported to be the location of the death of 87 elephants at the hands of poachers. This news comes a few months after the government recently decided to reverse a law that was aimed at preventing poaching through armed anti-poaching units. Despite these findings, Botswana’s Department of Wildlife and National Parks responded to these claims by labeling them as false. Elephants Without Borders (EWB) reported on September 4th details surrounding the death of 87 elephants near the Okavango Delta Wildlife Sanctuary. A head director , Mike Chase, of EWB explained that they discovered the first traces of elephant deaths through aerial flights over the area outside of the wildlife sanctuary. Through both eyewitnesses and physical data of GPS locations of each dead elephant, they presented their finding to the public. Much of the public has looked for a possible reason behind the mass killings, and some point to Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s recent decision to reverse a law set in place by previous administrations that fund an armed anti-poaching unit of soldiers. This was put into effect in the late 1980’s, and in 2014 was changed to implement a more strict shoot-to-kill policy for any poachers that were found hunting protected game. In May of this year, Mokgweetsi Masisi took away the firearms to any anti-poaching units, leaving less consequences for anyone caught poaching. While critics say this decision makes poaching more likely, the Botswana government defends the decision. EWB is responsible for the census of elephants in Botswana every 4 years. They operate under government support, and the census of 2014 found only 9 elephants were reportedly killed by poaching, a stark contrast to the 87 already found in 2018. However, the Botswana government recently released formal statements striking down the EWB’s claims, instead citing “At no point in the last months or recently were 87 or 90 elephants killed in one incident in any place in Botswana.” On top of this, they explained that many of the elephants were “...not poached but rather died from natural causes and retaliatory killings as a result of human and wildlife conflicts.” Their argument against the reports of 87 elephants killed by poaching claims that many of the deaths actually came from natural causes, such as old age or attacks from other animals. After the response from the Botswana government, Mike Chase released a statement to reporters, saying “I am an objective scientist, with no political agenda. I am sad that our government has responded in this way.” Elephants Without Borders stands by its original findings. Article By: Rachel Amburose
On August 25, 2018, around 4:28 MST, an influential American powerhouse and decorated veteran took his last breath, leaving behind a legacy that is guaranteed to be etched in history books forever. This man is John McCain, a distinguished political figure and dauntless prisoner of war. McCain, who was pushing to age 82, died from a rare and deadly brain cancer called glioblastoma after he and his family publicized his decision to cease treatment. Although he was absent from the Senate this year, McCain has been an active participant in politics and a household name with a plethora of terms in both the Senate and House of Representatives. His extraordinary career commenced in 1954 when he was accepted into the Naval Academy and trained to become the infamous Lieutenant Commander John McCain III. The year 1967 marked a transformative moment in his life as he was captured by the Vietnamese during Operation Rolling Thunder and imprisoned for a whopping five years until his release in 1973. After prolonged torture, abuse, and neglect that POWs were subjected to, McCain suffered multiple wartime injuries, including his inability to raise his arms over his head. With his death making international headlines, a monument that celebrates McCain’s captivity in Vietnam has been converted into a tribute where locals honor his life with flowers and other memorabilia. John McCain was a man inspired by the notion that peace could be achieved at all costs and thus, embarked on a journey to politics’ grandest stages in the Congress. Starting in 1982, McCain campaigned for Arizona’s seat in the House of Representatives and won two terms. McCain’s charisma and loyalty to the American people garnered tremendous support during elections which paved his way to the Senate in 1986, where he was reelected five times. In 2000, McCain decided to try his luck for the presidency but lost the Republican Primary to George W. Bush. During 2008, McCain once again campaigned, and although he won against his GOP candidates, he fell short to the Democratic nominee, Barack Obama. Unlike current politicians who promote slander, McCain has always demonstrated respect for opposing parties. One memorable example is when a woman who claimed that she “cannot trust Obama...because he’s an Arab”, McCain refused, saying, ”He’s a decent, family man citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with.” McCain’s legacy has always been set in stone, and many news sources distinguish his character as a maverick: someone who is unorthodox and a nonconformist. He earned this reputation due to his unpredictability because although he belongs to the Republican party, he has exhibited bipartisanship and accepted his Democrat peers’ perspective. For example, McCain voted against the Obamacare Repeal Reconciliation Act, an act which was developed by fellow Republican Congressmen to end affordable healthcare. His condemnation of President Trump has also generated opposition from other Conservatives. Once, Trump publicly announced, “He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.” John McCain may not have everyone’s support regarding his political views, but the world acknowledges that his death was a loss to the American government and people. |