THE TIMBERWOLF
[Volume 11]
Spring Valley High School, Huntington, WV Painting the Mountain State Red
Election Day has come and gone,
as has the Democratic hold on our
state. November 4th was monumental, not just in our state, but in our nation. For the first time in over eighty
years, the West Virginia House of
Delegates has a Republican majority,
as well as the WV State Senate. On a
national level, the three Congressional districts in West Virginia elected
Republican candidates to the US House of Representatives. Additionally, Shelley Moore Capito won the US Senate seat from West Virginia,
becoming the first female senator from the state. By every meaning of the
phrase, our state has been painted red.
Wayne County is (with the exception of the Westmoreland community)
contained in the 19th House of Delegates district. In our county, Republicans have not had much luck fighting for a seat in the state legislature.
This year, Democrats Ken Hicks and Don Perdue took the two available
seats. Republicans Steve Marcum and Randy Tomblin came close – Marcum with only around 324 votes needed to tie Perdue. Tensions were
high and electricity filled the air as results were handed out at the Wayne
County Courthouse Tuesday night. Carri Pertee, daughter of Steve Marcum, described the feeling of waiting for the final numbers: “Every time
they would bring out the results from the different precincts, my anxiety
heightened. Although I was anxious, I didn’t worry too much, because I
knew win or lose, Steve made a difference in Wayne County.” Despite
the lack of Republican representation from Wayne County, Republicans
now have majority over the House of Delegates, while also making gains
in the State Senate. This could be seen as historical, because the WV
House of Delegates has been a Democratic majority for decades.
While our county is
still democratically represented, all precincts in
Wayne County showed
favor for Jenkins for US
House of Representatives, and Shelley Moore
Capito for US Senate,
who are both Republicans. This pattern
matched that of districts
all over the state. In
the WV US House 1st
District, Republican incumbent David McKinley won with a landslide
91,941 votes to his opponent’s – Democrat Glen Gainer – 51,755 votes.
In the WV US House 2nd District, while there were four candidates, two
candidates showed the most heated competition; Republican incumbent
Alex Mooney and Democrat Nick Casey held a close race, Mooney with
47% of the vote, and Casey with 43%. In the WV US House 3rd District,
the results were a bit more interesting; ballotpedia.org rated this race a
“Battleground Race,” due to the national coverage achieved by this race.
This district includes Huntington, Wayne County,
Bluefield, Princeton, and Beckley. Incumbent Democrat Nick Rahall has
held his seat in Congress since 1976, and former state senator Evan
[Issue 2]
December, 2014
Eddie Stamper
Jenkins (Republican) challenged
him. Evan Jenkins was formerly
a Democrat, but changed to the
Republican party to challenge
Rahall. The whole race was surrounded by attack ads, claims of
millionaire backers for both candidates, and voting records for issues
very important to the people of
West Virginia, such as coal, jobs, healthcare, and abortion. Regardless of
party affiliation, Evan Jenkins won the election with a 55% to 45% result,
showing the changing tides of party majorities, by ousting Democrat
Nick Rahall who had held his seat for thirty-eight years. After it was all
over, Evan Jenkins told WSAZ, “I’m just really humbled by the voters’
support today. That’s what elections are about. It’s making choices, making choices for the future. I’m excited about the outcome but ready to get
to work.”
Republican Shelley Moore Capito and Democratic Secretary of State
Natalie Tennant also held a heated race for the WV US Senate seat. For
the most part, the race was considered a toss-up with no clear frontrunner, but as Election Day neared, news outlets such as CNN, Fox News,
and NBC were calling for Republicans to take the majority in the Senate.
Tuesday night, with only thirty percent
of precincts reporting, Capito was leading Tennant 60% to 40%. This did not
change as all the precincts released their
numbers, as Capito became the first
Republican gain in the Senate and the
first Republican senator from the state
in almost 55 years. Putting parties aside,
Capito also became the first female
senator from the state of West Virginia.
From crossing party boundaries to crossing gender boundaries, Shelley Moore
Capito helped turn our state Republican,
and give Republicans a majority in the
US Senate.
Whether Democrat, Republican, or any other party, it is impossible to
observe the changing nature of our state and national government without
seeing the Republicans’ growing strength. While Republicans now have
both houses of Congress, that does not mean that the government can get
more done. Bipartisan gridlock was a problem for President Obama when
Republicans had the majority in the House, but it will inevitably worsen
as Republicans take the Senate as well. While this is a great time for the
Republican Party, it is also necessary for all elected officials to look past
party lines, and work for those who elected them. A government by the
people, for the people, is impossible without the support of the people.
http://ballotpedia.org/West_Virginia%27s_3rd_Congressional_District_elections,_2014
http://crow.herald-dispatch.com/elections/wvgeneral.php
http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/11/04/republicans-pick-up-senate-seat-as-capito-becomes-first-gopsenator-from-w-va-in-nearly-55-years/
http://banter.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Republicans-vs-Democrats.jpg
http://www.wvgazette.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/storyimage/CH/20140801/GZ01/140809961/AR/0/AR-140809961.
jpg
http://wvpress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/112_rp_wv_2_capito_shelley.jpg
Editorials p. 2
The Hawaiian Christmas
#motavator
Good Afternoon students, this is Dr. Cooper.
Christmas has always
been my favorite holiday, despite the shameful commercialization
we have seen in it lately.
The Christmas seasoni s
overflowing with unique
traditions from all over
the world: pinatas are
broken and candy collected in Mexico; stockings are hung in the U.S. and England; twelvecourse meals are served in Ukraine; and Australians have barbecues on the
beach. Interesting as these are, I decided instead to research the holiday
traditions of the Hawaiian Islands. Many of those that know me, including Mrs. Murray, know that I am a big fan of Hawaiian history. These tiny,
tropical islands, a blend of Polynesian, Asian, and Western cultures, boast
a very fascinating Christmas celebration.
Before European explorers reached Hawaii, the islanders celebrated the
closest equivalent to Christmas, which was the annual Makahiki festival.
Made to honor Lono, the Hawaiian god of fertility, rain, and peace, the
festival lasted a whopping four months. It consisted of feasts, dancing,
sports, games, and sacrifices. Work of any kind was forbidden, as well as
war. Simply stopping everything and having fun for one-third of the year
seems like a mind-boggling concept to civilizations today. See why I think
Hawaiians are so cool?
The first Christmas was celebrated on Hawaii in 1786. A visiting European ship landed on Kauai and the crew had a large roast pig feast. Christmas
was introduced to the rest of Hawaii when the first Protestant missionaries arrived on the islands around 1820. As the previously-tribal Hawaiian Islands evolved into the Western-style Kingdom of Hawaii, Christmas
became an adopted custom among the natives along with Christianity as
a whole.
Today Christmas is a mainstay holiday in Hawaii as it is with the rest
of the United States, albeit with some interesting changes. Santa Claus,
known in Hawaiian as Kanakaloka, wears a Hawaiian shirt; He also rides
in a canoe pulled by dolphins, as opposed to the normal sleigh and reindeer. Residents spend Christmas day having a meal on the beach, surfing, wearing Santa hats, and playing live music, ukuleles and hula dancing galore. Some people manage to import live Christmas trees from the
mainland to display; many however prefer to simply decorate palm trees
instead. Poinsettia flowers are common because they flourish in the tropical environment. Hawaiians are big Christmas light enthusiasts and hang
them everywhere; even going so far as to deck their vehicles in lights and
parade them through the streets!
When the idea of a Hawaiian Christmas comes to mind, no one can avoid
thinking about the popular song “Mele Kalikimaka.” Literally the Hawaiian phrase for “Merry Christmas”, the jolly song was composed in 1949
by Robert Alex Anderson. The earliest and most recognized cover of the
song is by Bing Crosby; it has been featured numerous times in media,
including my personal favorite, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Residents have also taken many traditional Christmas songs and created
Hawaiian adaptations of them, including “Twelve days of Christmas,”
“Silent Night,” and “Here Comes Santa in a Red Canoe.”
Christmas in Hawaii is a very unique and quirky thing to experience. The
Hawaiian people always seem to take Western traditions and put their own
twist on them. It is for this reason that I admire them so much. On that
note, have a Mele Kalikimaka, and Live Long and Prosper.
Bethany Mota, a nineteen-year old from California, might be more
familiar to you as macbarbie07. This YouTube star
and beauty guru is more
successful than the average
American teen. She not only
has her own fashion line at
Aeropostale but now she has
a single paired in a dynamic
duet with Mike Tompkins.
The song is call Need You
Right Now; it immediately
rose to number four on the
iTunes chart.
Beth has no problem with a fan base, having 7,535,858 subscribers on
YouTube, 2,080,136 followers on Twitter, and 4,163,731 followers on
Instagram. The “mota”nation began in 2009 with her first video, Mac and
Sephora Haul. Her “mota”vation comes from when she was bullied in
eighth grade for reasons such as weight and physical appearance. As an
outlet, Beth decided to film YouTube videos. Now she has been a guru
for five years. During the winter of last year, she announced her fashion
line, which led to meetups and traveling across the country on a tour bus.
Last summer she released her Bethany
Mota fragrance and room decor. Soon
after that it was announced that she
would appear on Dancing with the
Stars, partnered with Derek Hough.
Her videos cater to every interest,
from makeup tutorials and Get ready
with Me to breakfast ideas and Starbucks dupes. Because her videos are so
popular, YouTube picked her to appear
in the first Youtube ad. From there she made appearances on television
shows such as the Today Show, The View, Entertainment Tonight, and
many more.
The buck doesn’t stop there!
Bethany Mota makes an estimated $40,000 a month from her
YouTube videos. This is quite the
amazing feat since she graduated
high school last year. As of right
now she has no plans regarding
college, but at this rate, does she
really need it?
Dr. Cooper
http://www.history.com/topics/christmas/christmas-traditions-worldwide
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_in_Hawaii
http://media3.s-nbcnews.com/j/streams/2012/December/121214/1C5175154-121213-santa-hawaii.blocks_
desktop_medium.jpg
http://beatofhawaii.com/wp-content/themes/widezine/thumb.php?src=http://beatofhawaii.com/wp-content/up-
Shelby Bellomy
http://cdn01.cdn.justjaredjr.com/wp-content/uploads/headlines/2014/09/bethany-mota-singing-in-the-raindwts.jpg
https://static-secure.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/2/5/1391613239744/Bethany-Mota.-021.jpg
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethany_Mota
www.businessinsider.com/haul-teenage-youtube-shoppin
bethany-mota.com/
http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/32900000/-bethany-mota-32927543-306-306.jpg
Like our Editorials?
Check out more blogs by Dr. Cooper
and the Staff at
thetimberwolf.blogspot.com/
News
The Many Faces of St. Nick
Jessica Harmon
Santa Claus, the magical being often heard
of around the Christmas holiday season, is
known over the world. He lives in the North
Pole with his elves. He rides in a sleigh carried
by the power of flying reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner,
Blitzen, and, special leader, Rudolph. He delivers presents to the nice children and lumps of
coal to naughty children. Or, does Santa Claus
really do all these things? Actually, to every
country, Santa is a little bit different.
Saint Nicholas:
Saint Nicholas was famous for giving
generous gifts to the poor. He was a fourth-century Greek Christian
bishop who was very religious and devoted his entire life to Christianity.
His portrayal in continental Europe is that of a bearded bishop wearing
canonical robes. During the Middle Ages, children were given gifts in
honor of Saint Nicholas. Originally, the gifts were given the evening of
December 5th, but during the Reformation, the days of giving gifts to
the children were changed to December 24th and 25th. Saint Nicholas
changed into Santa Claus and remained a popular bearer of gifts to children.
The French Père Noël:
In France and other French-speaking areas, Père Noël is the legendary
“Christmas gift-bringer.” On Christmas Eve, children leave their shoes
by the fireplace. They fill the shoes with carrots and other treats for Père
Noël’s donkey, Gui. While they sleep, Père Noël accepts the treats for
Gui and in place of the treats, leaves presents for the children. Usually,
he leaves gifts that are small enough to fit in the shoes, such as candy,
money, and maybe even small toys.
The German Belsnickel:
Belsnickel is the gift-bearer of Southwestern Germany. He arrives at houses a couple
of weeks before Christmas and often causes
fear because he knows exactly which children
misbehaved. Unlike the Northern American
Santa Claus who leaves lumps of coal for misbehaving children, Belsnickel carries a switch
in his hand with which he spanks disobedient
children. When Belsnickel visits the children’s
houses, he knocks on the door or window with
a stick and the children either answer a question or sing him a song. In exchange, Belsnickel
gives the children candy. He wears fur over his entire body and torn, dirty
clothes.
The American Santa Claus:
In America, Santa Claus is known as the jolly old man who has a long
white beard, round belly, and who wears a bright red coat with fur trim,
a leather belt, and leather boots. He lives all year at the North Pole with
his wife – Mrs. Claus – and his little helpers, the elves. The elves work
on presents for the good boys and girls all year, and on Christmas Eve,
Santa gathers these gifts and delivers them to the children – with the help
of his flying reindeer. He loads his sleigh with all the presents and goes
house to house. For the naughty children, he supposedly leaves lumps of
coal. He is said to slide down the chimney to enter the house and leaves
through the fireplace.
No matter where Santa is from, he is still a very popular Christmas
figure. This Christmas, don’t forget to set out cookies and milk for Santa
Claus. Unless, of course, you decide to set out treats for Père Noël’s Gui.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus_in_Northern_American_culture
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus’s_reindeer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus
http://www.frenchmoments.eu/santa-claus-in-france-le-pere-noel-en-france/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belsnickel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A8re_No%C3%ABl
http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site241/2010/1217/20101217_123112_santaclaus.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/Joyeux_Noel.jpg
Child Poverty in WV
p. 3
Ryon Davis
While West Virginia is considered
“wild and wonderful,” not everything
is as happy and
pleasant as it seems.
An ongoing and rapidly growing problem in West Virginia
is child poverty.
Many children are
without food, and do
not have their needs
met on a daily basis. West Virginia has one of the highest rates of child
poverty and it doesn’t seem as if our government is doing much to assist with the issue. Many local places in West Virginia provide food and
shelter for the homeless in places like soup kitchens and the Salvation
Army. Non-state ran facilities like these help to fight the growing child
poverty rate in W.V. Local citizens help run canned food drives and help
to facilitate and provide hygiene and food products to suffering children
in their communities.
These efforts are the only way we can battle the tragedy. To combat
the growing poverty rate everyone needs to pitch in and provide a helping hand in order to ensure children are fed and have proper hygiene.
“No child should go without food” says Governor Earl Ray Tomblin.
Governor Tomblin is trying to find ways to assist the community in the
fight against child poverty. Many teens in W.V. are disowned and their
parents are no longer in the
picture, forcing them to fend
for themselves on the streets.
Many of these children are
not used to this lifestyle and
are unaware of the places
they can go for help. Small
children usually seek help
from strangers which can
sometimes lead to kidnappings. These children don’t
know who they are interacting with and can be abducted by scary criminals and fugitives. Here
at Spring Valley High School we have started a movement recently to
combat child hunger. It’s called “Let’s Can Hunger.”
Together hand and hand we can provide homeless men, women, and
children with food so they can survive. If you are not involved in any
type of hunger fighting groups, feel free to get involved. Our school and
state highly encourage volunteering! Together we can defeat child poverty and Hunger, just reach out and be considerate to those around you
and know that you can help someone who doesn’t have the privileges
that you may have.
http://www.wvpolicy.org/child-poverty-in-west-virginia-a-growing-and-persistent-problem
http://www.dailyslave.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/childpoverty.jpg
http://s1.ibtimes.com/sites/www.ibtimes.com/files/styles/v2_article_large/public/2014/01/27/calpov.
jpg?itok=YYPN19L_
Community
p. 4
4-H Clubs of America
Good Will Toward Men
The 4-H Club is the largest youth organization in the country with 7
million members. The club has a mission of engaging youth to reach
their fullest potential while advancing
in the field of youth development. In
4-H, the members learn life skills such
as: teamwork, decision-making, leadership, and public speaking.
The 4-H Club began between 1890
and 1900 when educators began to recognize the needs of young people. Educators introduced nature study, school
gardens, and subjects that taught boys
and girls to understand and appreciate
rural life and opportunities. Colleges
organized farmers’ institutes which provided instruction for the farm boy,
as well as his parents. Colleges promoted various productions, contests,
soil tests, and plant identification classes for youth.
Credit for starting clubs with formal organization requirements is usually given to A. B. Graham, superintendent of schools in Clark County,
Ohio. The model for a formally organized agriculture club for boys and
girls consisted of officers, projects, meetings, and record-keeping requirements was started in 1902. From 1905 to 1914, clubs were started in
nearly all states.
In the 4-H Club, members learn skills in certain subject matter areas
based on their interests. This is done through 4-H Club projects which
are opportunities for members to explore hobbies or interests. 4-H project
work is long-standing traditional activity that culminates with an exhibit
displayed at local county fairs that showcases the skills learned as a result of doing the project.
All 4-H Club members will have access to many educational bases
through clubs, camps, and other activities provided by the WVU Extension Service. Youth can learn about topics such as: art and music, animals
and agriculture, citizenship, communication, financial education, healthy
living, science and technology, and world cultures.
There have been some famous people in 4-H Clubs such as: Johnny
Cash, Herschel Walker, and Luke Bryan. Faith Hill, a famous country
music singer, was a 4-H member as well. At age 7, she had her first public performance at a 4-H luncheon. Faith Hill, Luke Bryan, and Johnny
Cash all participated in recording a CD called “Clover County,” which
has songs from famous 4-H alumni.
It is quite easy for someone to join this youth organization. The first
step is to identify a 4-H club to join. Then, the youth must complete a
4-H club member enrollment card, along with a Health History Form that
may be secured from the 4-H club leader or the County Extension Office.
Finally, attend a 4-H club meeting. It is free to join but some activities,
projects, and refreshments may have a cost. The youth ages are 9 to 21
years old. The Cloverbuds ages are 5 to 8 years old. There is currently a
4-H club at Spring Valley High School led by Jessica Willis.
Food banks in the area are always
taking up donations. Donating to
these food banks can not only help
people who can’t afford things they
need, but it could very well change
their lives. The holiday season is
one of the times that these food
banks need the most help in order
to give the less fortunate what they
need. Food banks, however, are not
the only places in need of donations. Clothing banks are as well.
They also need as much stuff as
they can get for the holidays with
the cold weather setting in.
Food banks in the area that you
can give to are the Facing Hunger
Food Bank in Huntington, West Virginia or Cares in Ashland, Kentucky.
Facing Hunger takes food or grocery items donated to or received by
them to give out to: local food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, school
programs and backpack programs. “Facing Hunger is a 501 (c)3 NonProfit organization affiliated with Feeding America, the largest hunger
relief agency in the United States,” as described by their website. Cares
gives out food and other supplies that is given to them. Cares website
says, “CARES is a community based non-profit agency which identifies, coordinates, and mobilizes resources for individuals and families in
emergency/crisis situations.”
Clothing banks in the area that
are taking donations are Goodwill
and the Salvation Army. They both
take any gently used or new clothing items that you have to give
to people who need it for next to
nothing or no price. These places
will take any clothing, like: shirts,
jeans, coats, hats, etc. Closer to
Christmas their business starts to
pick up; this makes it the best time
to donate. You can help get people the things they need by simply cleaning out your closet.
Our school also has a clothing closet where you can drop off or pick
things up. You can find it in Mrs. Yeoman’s room. You go anytime during
the day to make a donation. Also the school is involved in a peanut butter
drive. All you have to do for it is buy a regular jar of peanut butter and
drop it off in room 109. If we bring in the most jars out of all the other
school’s competing we get a free dance thrown for us.
This holiday season is the time to make a change in someone’s life.
Whether you donate food or clothing, you can be a big help. The people
who receive the donations are more than grateful for what you can do
for them. Remember that the holidays are not just for getting gifts, but
for spreading the wealth and putting others before yourself. Give back to
your community, and good things will come back to you.
Draggon Napier
http://archives.ecmpublishers.info/2008/10/02/famous-people-were-4-hers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_Hill
http://garfieldco4h.blogspot.com/
http://www.ca4h.org/files/120640display.jpg
http://www.clipartheaven.com/clipart/holidays/christmas/santa-reindeer/elf-at-mailbox-clipart.gif
Raylen Hall
http://www.kafb.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Facing-Hunger-FB-white-logo.jpg
http://blog.crowdspring.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/goodwill-logo.jpg
http://facinghunger.org/how-we-work
http://boydcountycares.org/services.htm
Feature p. 5
Traditions with the Family
Dreidels and Tenenbaums
Gathering around a warm crackling fire together as a family, singing
christmas carols, and kissing under the mistletoe; it’s very clear to see
that Christmas is filled with traditions. Some are common among many
people, whereas many are personal traditions only celebrated by a select
few.
“In my family, every year the day after Thanksgiving we wake up, and
put up the Christmas tree.” said Sophomore Kacie Napier.
Sophomore Aaliyah Meadows said that in her family they
do a “Secret Santa”, where everyone draws a name, and you
buy a gift for the person whose
name you got.
When asked what his family
Christmas traditions are, senior
Tristan Salyers said “We just
celebrate it like normal people.
Christmas comes and we celebrate it.’’
If you’re looking to start new traditions in your family this year, one
option that many have picked up on over the last few decades has been,
rather than throwing their christmas cards away when the holidays end,
sending them to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children instead. St. Jude’s Ranch
for Children recycles your used cards, and creates new ones; these recycled cards are sold to support programs for the abused, neglected, and
homeless.
Another simple family
Christmas tradition that is
especially fun for those with
younger children, is an Elf on
the Shelf. Your family will
“adopt”an elf from the North
Pole to watch and make sure
that everyone in the family is
being well behaved enough
to make it onto the Nice list!
Every morning when you wake up, the elf is in a different location.
One last fun holiday tradition that almost anyone can do is the classic
Christmas caroling. You get a group together of friends, family, or neighbors and go door to door singing holiday jingles and spreading cheer. You
will find that many people will be thrilled to see you and regardless of
how media has portrayed it, carolers are actually very well received.
Whether it’s waking up each morning with an Elf on the Shelf waiting for you to seek it out, or caroling around the neighborhood until your
toes go numb in the cold, or even something simple like Christmas Eve
at Grandma’s, every family should celebrate this special time together in
what ever way makes them the happiest.
When our nation thinks of winter holidays, we think of two things:
Christmas, and New Year’s. This is logical, seeing as more than half
of the North American population is Christian. However, Hanukkah is
still widely celebrated in North America among the Jewish community.
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, Feast of Dedication, is
an eight-day Jewish holiday remembering the rededication of the Second
Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the
Greeks. This holiday is very similar to Christmas, because it has common
symbols, traditions, and histories.
Just as the North Star, the Manger,
and the Babe are used as symbols of
Christmas, the menorah is used as a
symbol of Hanukkah. The menorah is
basically a nine-branched candle holder.
The center holder, or shamash, is the
only holder not used for symbolic purposes. It is physically practical, and is
the only one lit directly from a match or
lighter, it is then used to light the other
eight. The symbolic form of the menorah is made of solid gold, and just as
the menorah is gold, the Jewish followers must strive to be gold as well,
through good will and behavior. The shape of the menorah, similar to an
up-turned goblet, is meant to emphasize the importance of sharing the
light of the menorah with others.
“The Light” is not the only thing to be shared on this ancient holiday,
but gifts as well. Over a period of eight days, a gift is given. Each day,
a single gift is exchanged from one person to another. This tradition is
much like the Christmas visits from “Santa Claus.” Presents are given to
children, not only by this mysterious elf, but their family and loved ones
as well. In each holiday, Christmas, and Hanukkah, the importance of
sharing, friendliness, and charity is emphasized.
Christmas and Hanukkah have many shared qualities, and both holidays serve as a strong memorial for important historical and religious
events of the Abrahamic faiths. While Christmas celebrates the birth of
Jesus Christ, Hanukkah celebrates the end of the Maccabean Revolt.
Around 200 B.C., Judea came under the control of Antiochus III, who
was a relatively kind ruler and allowed the Jews who lived in Judea to
practice their religion. His son, Antiochus IV, once he came into power,
outlawed the Jewish religion and ordered the Jews to worship Greek
gods. Judah Maccabee, the leader of the revolt against Antiochus, and
other Jews who took part in the rededication of the Second Temple, witnessed a miracle within the temple. Even though there was only enough
oil to keep the menorahs candles burning for one day, the flames continued flickering for eight nights, leaving them time to find more oil. This
event inspired the Jewish priests to start a yearly eight-day festival that
we, today, call Hanukkah.
http://www.ottawavalleymoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/elfonshelf2.png
http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1949049,00.html
http://www.elfontheshelf.com/
http://cartoon-coloring.com/images/63199-santas-elves-clip-art.jpg
http://www.clipartbest.com/cliparts/biy/rMr/biyrMrkiL.png
http://unitedwithisrael.org/what-does-the-menorah-symbolize/
http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/hanukkah
Kaci Moore
Alexis Giroski
SVHS Beta Club
“Let us lead by serving others”
Meets first Thursday of every month in the
school library
Sports Serve to Win
Eddie Stamper
Tennis is often thought to be one of
the most overlooked sports in today’s
society. With the Friday night lights of
Football and the American pastime feeling of baseball, tennis is often forgotten.
This fact, however, did not stop athletes
from competing in the 2014 Barclay’s ATP
World Tour Finals. The ATP World Tour
is an annual tour which pits the top tennis
players of the world against each other
in heated competition. The ATP World
Tour Finals was held at the 02 in London, England. Top players such as Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Andy
Murray are among the contenders for the
trophy. Many people think of this tournament as the perfect ending to the
tennis season.
Tennis can be played in singles and doubles. In the doubles division,
the United States had one team who made a splash: the Bryan Brothers.
The Bob and Mike Bryan could be seen as the male version of Serena
and Venus Williams. The brother duo has never won an ATP title, but
after a winning season they pulled out a victory. Mike Bryan said, “Looking back at the year, we’re very proud of the way it went,” This season
they have won titles at tournaments such as the US Open, the BNP Paribas Open, and the Western and Southern Open. In the ATP World Tour
Finals, they played against various doubles pairs from Poland, Sweden,
the Netherlands, Romania, Australia, Brazil, France, and Croatia. In the
final match, they played against Ivon Dodig and Marcelo Melo from
Croatia and Brazil respectively. The match was on Sunday, November
16th, and the Bryan Brothers won after a third set with a 6-7, 6-2, 10-7
set score. In a humorous turn of events, Mike Bryan hit his brother in the
back of the head with a tennis ball! Even at professional tournaments,
humor can take place, especially between these winning brothers.
In the singles division, Novak Djokovic took the title after hopeful
Roger Federer dropped out due to health concerns. This year, Djokovic
has won titles at Wimbledon, Sony Open, and the BNP Paribas Open.
During this tournament, Djokovic played the top nine players in the
world, including Marin Cilic, Stanislas Wawrinka, and Tomas Berdych.
Going into the final, he was supposed to play second-ranked Roger Federer from Sweden. Federer, age thirty-three, claimed he was not matchfit after a recurring back spasm that started earlier this year: “I’m sorry
I’m not fit to play,” he said. “I hope you understand. I wanted to come
out personally and explain. I did everything I could. I took pain-killers,
had rest until the very end, but I just cannot compete at this level with
Novak. At my age it would’ve been a risk. It’s not that much of a surprise. This back spasm, whatever it might be, it’s just not a fun nothing
to have during the day. It’s just uncomfortable. But I’m positive and I’m
hopeful that it’s going to go away soon.” Tennis fans around the world
were disappointed, as the match between Djokovic and Federer would
have been the most heated and contested of the season.
Throughout the world, millions of people play tennis, but not everyone can play at a professional level like the Bryan Brothers or Novak
Djokovic. The ATP World Tour as a whole was full of friendly competition, and the finals kept everyone guessing. Even though you may not be
able to serve an ace like Federer, giving tennis a try is worth a shot.
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2014/11/46/London-Finale-Doubles-Final.aspx
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/tennis/30074849
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Players/Top-Players/Roger-Federer.aspx?t=pa
Picture courtesy of: http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/79061000/jpg/_79061736_djokovic_trophy_afp2.
jpg
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p. 6
Drill Team Marches On
Draggon Napier
What is the drill team and what do they do? The drill team is a group of
highly motivated JROTC cadets who compete with other teams using
precision movements with or without a rifle. In the drill team there are
5 different teams that you be part of, which are the armed and unarmed
squads, armed and unarmed exhibitions, and Color Guard. The drill team
travels around to other schools for competitions. The drill team also
participates in events throughout the community, like veteran ceremonies. If you want to join this
fine team of cadets, all you
have to do is join the JROTC
program.
In the drill team there are
many different teams you can
be part of. There is the armed
and unarmed squad. The
armed squad marches with a rifle and the unarmed squad marches without a rifle. The armed and unarmed exhibition is a larger formation of
cadets. The armed exhibition commander is C/CSM Scott McCloud; The
unarmed exhibition team commander is C/MAJ LouRae Pierce.
There is also the Color Guard; it is the highest honor that the drill team
has. Only our best drill team members can be on the Color Guard. If
you ever have been to one of Spring Valley High School home football
games you probably have seen them. The Color Guard are the cadets who
marches out to the middle of the football with the United States Flag and
the West Virginia Flag and stop in the middle of the of the football to
present the Flags for the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance.
The drill team also does things with the community. When Veterans
Day starts coming around they perform ceremonies with local schools to
do their responsibility to show respect to the men and women who have
served, or are still serving, our country. In November, the Spring Valley High School JROTC went to Vinson Middle School and the Buffalo
Kindergarten Complex to do veteran ceremonies. They marched in the
Veterans Day Parade in Ceredo-Kenova.
The drill team also competes with other schools that have JROTC programs. The Spring Valley High School JROTC drill team competed at the
Wayne High School Drill Meet and won first place overall. Also at the
Huntington High School Drill Meet, the SVHS JROTC drill team won
second place overall out of eight teams. Overall, the Spring Valley High
School JROTC drill team does very good at their drill meets and they
work very hard to deserve it.
http://svhs.wayn.k12.wv.us/studentsparents/student-organizations/jrotc/recent-accomplishments/
http://p2cdn4static.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_4531607/Image/JROTC/rotc-metal-tab-drill-
Refuse to Lose
Brenna Adkins
The Lady Wolves of 2014 are ready to dominate this year. Everyone who
tried out this year made the team! They ended up with more freshmen
girls than any other girls in the other classes. “I think we will be pretty
good this year,” said senior Allie McGraw. “Our season didn’t end how
we wanted it to last year so that’s motivating us each day to work harder.
We have last years starters returning and a great group of underclassmen
looking for playing time as well. I’m so excited to see what this season
holds for us!” Mcgraw continued. The Wolves head coach is Bo Miller.
When asked what his expectations of the girls are this year he said “I
expect us to be playing in Charleston in March. Anything less will be a
disappointing season.” The girls were very close to being state champs
last year but lost in the semi-finals to Cabell Midland. The girls are always practicing and working hard and there is no doubt that they refuse
to lose. This season is definitely one you do not want to miss! You can
find the girls basketball schedule on the school website under fall sports
and womens basketball. Good luck to the girls and the boys basketball
team this season!
2014-2015 Roster
Maddie Morris
Sarah Kelley
Jordan Ratcliff
Allie McGraw
Kassidy Lemons
Erica Mathis
Karlee Alderman
Alex Petry
Jaida Adkins
Madison Berry
Carley Meadows
Jessica Kilgore
Maddie Vaughn
Morgan Vaughn
Peyton Caldwell
Chelsia Napier
Autumn Pennington
Katherine Caldwell
Kaitlin Burgess
Tanisha Lilly
Lindsay Bellomy
Health
p. 7
‘Tis the Flu Season
The Possibility of Zombies
Seasonal flu activity can
begin as early as October
and can continue until as late
as May. However, flu activity particularly peaks in the
United States between the
months of December and February. For protection against
the flu viruses, the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that
everyone six months and
older get a yearly flu vaccine. How effective is the flu vaccine, though?
How well the flu vaccine will protect against the virus actually changes
from year to year. The flu vaccine each year is designed to protect against
certain strains of the virus that research indicates will be most common
during the season. In order to determine its effectiveness, the vaccine has
to “match” the virus spreading in the community. Also, the age and health
of the person being vaccinated plays an important role in determining if
the flu vaccine will properly protect him or her during the flu season. For
example, people who are sixty-five and older have weakened immune
systems and, therefore, have a lower protective immune response after flu
vaccination. This lowers the vaccine effectiveness in these individuals.
However, this does not mean that they should avoid getting the vaccine.
In healthy adults and children two years of age and older, the flu vaccine
generally works best. Recent studies of the flu vaccine’s effect on influenza show that it can reduce the risk of flu illness by about sixty percent
among the overall population.
The flu vaccine is available by a shot or by a nasal spray. It is recommended that once available in your area that you get the flu vaccine, especially if someone you live with or care for is at high risk of complications
from influenza.
There are mild reactions to the flu vaccine. Common side effects
include soreness, headaches, nausea, and fever. If the reaction is severe,
such as difficulty breathing, hives, or facial swelling, you should immediately seek medical attention.
The idea that you can get influenza from the flu vaccine – either in the
form of a shot or a nasal spray – is a myth. The shot contains inactive
flu viruses that cannot cause the illness. While the nasal spray contains
weakened live viruses, those viruses cannot infect the lungs or other areas
in the body where warmer temperatures exist.
There are some people, however, who should not get the vaccine. It
is important to talk to your healthcare provider about vaccination if you
have a severe reaction to chicken eggs and if you have a history of severe
reaction to a flu vaccine. If you have a moderate-to-severe illness involving a fever, it is best that you wait until you are well before you get the
vaccine.
In case you need to know where flu vaccines are offered, you can find
them in several locations. Doctor’s offices, clinics, health departments,
pharmacies, and college health centers all provide the vaccine. Also, some
schools and some employers offer the flu shot. The vaccine will not work
right away. It takes about two weeks after the vaccination for its antibodies to develop and provide the protection against influenza. It is best to get
vaccinated early, before the season’s peak, to ensure that the vaccine will
be active.
Today, Zombies are a popular genre in books, movies, and TV shows.
What you may not know about zombies, however, is that the myth of
their existence didn’t start out as a disease that makes you crave human
flesh, and walk around without a beating heart. It started out in the late
1700s. It was once thought that witches or necromancers would resurrect the newly dead to serve as a mindless slave until their dead bodies
completely deteriorated. The idea of zombies that eat humans came
from the myth, that in order for the
necromancers to keep their slaves
longer, the slave’s deteriorating
body parts had to be eaten from a
living human.
In films like Resident Evil, the
zombies are the result of a contagious, viral disease that infects a
human when he or she is bitten or
scratched by an infected zombie.
However, the idea of a zombie existing today, wouldn’t actually be a
possibility if it were viral. A virus
is a microscopic parasite that can only survive within a living host, but
things like fungi, or bacteria can thrive on the remains of the dead. However, if the disease were to spread as fast as it does in movies, it would
have to reproduce like a bacteria. This bacteria, if strong and fast enough,
could infect a population as big as Florida’s in under a year. In order for
this bacteria to spread, however, it needs an already infected host, and a
healthy, living victim. This victim must have his or her blood mixed with
the DNA of an infected zombie in order to contract the disease. So, the
reason why zombies have the overwhelming urge to take a chunk out of a
human, is because the disease is telling the zombie to reproduce.
Reproduction of the disease wouldn’t be the only reason the zombie
would bite, of course. The disease would also tell the zombie to eat for
energy, which would explain why the zombie wouldn’t stop after the first
bite. The reason why these zombies “live” as long as they do is because
the disease shuts off the functions of the body that is doesn’t need. The
zombie wouldn’t need the systems of functions that we do, like a nervous system, or a digestive system, or a reproductive system through
sexual organs. The only functions of a zombie that are needed to ensure
the survival of the disease are the muscle functions, and the instinct to
survive and feed. So, the only part of a zombie’s brain that is needed is
the Hindbrain, or Reptilian Brain, and only a small part of it at that. The
Reptilian Brain also controls heart beat and breathing, which wouldn’t
be needed because the disease would provide the energy needed for the
zombie to survive and function through the energy found within the meat
of its victims.
The stories of zombies “rising from the grave” could not be true, because the disease would first need a fresh, living organism to control and
thrive in. If the victim was not infected pre-mortem, or at least before all
of the tissues within his or her body were completely dead, then he or she
would not have the ability to function as a zombie because no functions
within the body would be active. The stories of resurrection through religious practice cannot be proven as a possibility, for only fictional stories,
myths, or unproven sources have ever recorded any such happenings.
But even though a zombie-apocalypse causing disease may not have
existed before, new diseases have been popping up and dying out since
the beginning of recorded history, and a disease like this one, is certainly
a possibility.
Jessica Harmon
•http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm
•http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-guide/fact-sheet-vaccines
•http://www.flu.gov/prevention-vaccination/vaccination/
•http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaccineeffect.htm
Free Tutoring!
Monday - Thursday
3:30 - 4:30
All subjects taught.
Alexis Giroski
http://files.abovetopsecret.com/files/img/hc52d03649.jpg
Opinions
Do You Believe?
p. 8
Free School Lunches
Raylen Hall
Alissa Adkins
Is Santa real in your household, or is he
just a made up character? Do your kids
get excited the night before Christmas?
Children dream of Santa coming every
day until it’s that time...WOW! Santa is
for real! He is alive and working in his
workshop everyday to make these kids’
dreams come true. All around the world
there are kids going without or in need of
toys or supplies. Do you take time out
of your day to make these kids’ dreams
come true? Santa is known as a make
believe character in our parents’ minds,
but to children he’s a real person. Do you
know how parents keep Santa real? Let’s take a look.
Parents keep Santa real with food, presents, tracking Santa, etc. “Santa
is a tremendous source in my house. My siblings look forward to this day
all year round.” said Trista Robertson. In this house it looks like Santa
is treated as a real character, but in some it may not be so real. Most of
everyone I speak to has a family tradition of Santa Claus. No matter if
it’s staying up as a family, wrapping each other’s gifts, or just out having
a Christmas dinner with each other, it is all a family tradition. Robertson
has spoken her own opinion about how they reveal Mr. Clause in their
home. “Not only do we make a big deal out of Santa, we also set cookies
and milk out the night before for him to fill his big, jolly belly up.” Robertson spoke. As I continue to seek more about Santa he becomes more
real in my head. Clause is hefty, jolly, deep and most of all loving!
Continuing, still falling back on the question: is Santa Claus real? We
see all these sources, yet not enough facts. Humans fall more on what
Claus Day is all about. Jesus is our source on this day. It’s not all about
Claus day, but simply about the true meaning of Christmas. “Yes, I do
agree on having Santa in this subject, but I as well agree on keeping
the true meaning of Christmas in my house,” said one source. Do you
not agree with our sources? I agree 100% with what my resources are
stating. For the simple reason Claus may be real in thoughts, but what is
more real too your house, Clause or Jesus?
The final argument has been settled; Christmas is not all about Santa
Claus! There’s a reason to every season and I will always fight for the
correct reason. Santa makes children all around the world beyond happy,
but what would make them even happier? The true meaning or all the
presents? Such a tricky question to be left unknown for the world to ask
themselves! We will one day realize the children loving this holiday, because when I was their age as well as all the other adults in the world in
that day of time. There are billions of children all around the world, let’s
make their Santa day worthwhile.
Wayne County schools
have started serving free
breakfast and lunch to all
students this year. The free
meals will be provided
as a part of the West Virginia Feed to Achieve Act.
Wayne county schools will
have the benefit of a nutritious meal twice a day so
that they can focus on learning and retaining information. This change
could also get more kids to eat breakfast and lunch which would help
improve their overall health.
Where all of this came from is the West Virginia Feed to Achieve Act.
This act makes it possible for children to get the nutrition they need to
reach their full potential. Our state has a higher rate of poverty which
could mean that the meals that some kids get are the only ones they get
throughout the day. The act doesn’t only provide meals at school, but it
ensures that students can receive meals all through the year. “The West
Virginia Feed to Achieve Act will fill in the gaps when kids are most
at risk for proper nutrition: after school, weekends, during the summer
months, holidays and snow days,” said on the department of education
website.
In the past Wayne County has provided free meals to 11 of the 20
schools in the county. This year the Board of Education voted to include
all the schools in the free meal program. The additional schools will not
cost the county much more money. In fact it may save them money in the
long run. The county has lost thousands of dollars in the past on unpaid
lunch bills. The total bill for one student a year can add up to $1,500.
“We provide a free education, free textbooks, and free transportation to
our students, this is just one more component we can use to take care
of our families,” says Brenda Arrowood, Food Service director for the
schools.
There’s no doubt this change was for the better not only for the students and community, but the board as well. The students who before
didn’t want lunch just because they didn’t want to pay for it can now
have it without having to worry about cost. Parents also don’t have to
stress about remembering to pay their child’s lunch bill or the cost piling
up. This simply helps everyone who chooses to eat lunch or breakfast at
school.
http://imgbook.blogspot.com/2011/11/santa-cool-hd-pictures-mery-christmas.html
http://media.bonnint.net/slc/803/80399/8039955.jpg
www.herald-dispatch.com
www.boe.wayne.k12.wv.us
http://wvde.state.wv.us/child-nutrition/feed-to-achieve/
http://lizandstevedooley.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/mypyramid1.png
http://wearebothright.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/cookies-and-milk-for-Santa-Claus.jpg
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Opinions
Where do you stand on the Border?
When you think of our nation’s border (particularly our Southern border) you probably imagine a tall fence, with little to no people on either
side. While there is a big fence, it is not as quiet and desolate as you
might think; some of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country are along the border, and the US-Mexico border has the highest number of legal land crossings in the world. Controversy has surrounded the
border and border control this year as an influx of illegal aliens – many
of whom were children – came across the border this summer. Border
control was used as a ploy in politics throughout campaigns leading up to
November. Ebola has played a role in border control when it comes to air
travel.
The summer of 2014, in terms
of the border, can be described as
the 2014 American Immigration
Crisis. During this time, there
was a surge of unaccompanied
minors crossing our southern
border from Central America.
Tens and thousands of women
and children from El Salvador,
Guatemala, and Honduras made
their way to the United States,
under the assumption that they
would be able to stay as refugees. Many aliens simply crossed the Rio Grande and turned themselves
in, quickly overwhelming border patrol stations all over the area. Due to
immigration laws currently in place required trials, hearings, and counsel
for those found to be illegally migrating to the country, which also led to
the overwhelming of immigration courts and other government facilities,
such as temporary shelter for the immigrants. This caused tensions to rise
in terms of government and political parties, due to the large amount of
taxpayer money spent to take care of the immigration problem. President
Obama and other Democratic lawmakers felt the heat of Republicans
who oppose unnecessary government spending. In addition to this overspending, border control agents have been reported to using excessive
force while investigating cars at checkpoints. These interior checkpoints
were put into place after 9/11 to deter terrorism threats, and can be up
to 100 miles from the border. While they say they are trying to counter
terrorism, they have been found to break windows of American citizens,
who pose no threat to national security. When asked of their motives,
they claim they have the authority to do searches of anyone they see as
a threat, but refuse to give those they are inspecting the rights provided
to citizens by ordinary law enforcement. American Civil Liberties Lawyer James Lyall told Fox News, “Agents tell people that all residents are
suspect simply by virtue of living in southern Arizona.”
As I’m sure you know from the countless news alerts and mass hysteria, Ebola has become an issue when flying from countries in Africa
or anywhere the epidemic is taking place. Due to the lack of restrictions
and screenings on flights coming from these African countries, the Ebola
virus has made its way to the United States. Major cities such as Austin,
Texas; New York, New York, and Newark, New Jersey have had confined cases. Many are calling on the president and government to suspend
flights from the areas where Ebola is at its worst, but the only safeguard
they have in flights is a questionnaire, which can be forged or lied upon.
I think it is the responsibility – or the duty – of the United States government to protect the welfare of its citizens by stopping all flights to and
from African nations with Ebola. It is also my belief that there needs to
p. 9
Eddie Stamper
to be stricter guidelines for screening those returning to the United
States from foreign countries in order to stop the epidemic before it
reaches our country. I am in agreement with Dr. David Dausey, a Yale-educated Epidemiologist (disease researcher) who wrote in the Washington
Post, “The human errors in this single case highlight why it is urgent that
we ban all commercial flights from the impacted countries to all nonaffected countries until the outbreak is contained.”
In my overall opinion, I do not think that the United States government
is protecting the integrity of its border or the welfare of its citizens by
allowing countless illegal immigrants refuge in our nation or allowing
those individuals who have contracted the deadly Ebola virus to walk
off a plane onto home soil. Our taxpayer dollars should not be spent to
house, educate, and care for those who have illegally crossed our border.
Border control has gotten out of hand dealing with citizens of the United
States, while at the same time doing less to control those crossing our
border. While the final decisions of how to protect our borders is up to
the national government, the people must have a voice. Call your local
lawmakers and tell them where you stand on the issue of border control.
http://www.cbp.gov/border-security
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/08/06/border-patrol-cant-control-southern-border-but-can-still-harassamerican/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2783829/Epidemiologist-says-US-stop-flights-Ebola-stricken-WestAfrica-prevent-future-outbreaks-America.html
http://www.funkyfunz.com/christmas-pictures-of-elves/christmas-pictures-of-elves-3/
Entertainment
Ceramics Showcase
p. 11
Jessica Harmon
The ceramics class has been quite busy with their projects. The last six
weeks of the first semester will be one in which the students can show
their personality through their pieces. According to Mrs. Hager, the ceramics students will have a little more creative freedom than they had the
first two six week periods.
Hannah Meredith
Katie Christian
Liz Rickman
Cassidy Sullivan
Josh Campbell
Amber Smith
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The Timberwolf is a student newspaper blog
and is a forum for free expression and discussion of ideas. Articles represent the views of the
staff, not necessarily the views of the Editors,
the adviser, or the administration.
Entertainment
Brenna Adkins
www.fandango.com
www.imdb.com
www.annie-movie.com
http://blog.coyoteproductions.co.uk/films/orphan-annie-gets-poster/#.VGENO3ktC70
p. 12
Gather ‘Round the TV
It’s a Hard Knock Life!
Everyone knows the little miss
redhead Annie from the musical
film Annie, originally filmed in
1982. The movie was inspired
by the hit Broadway play, which
in turn is based upon the 1924
comic strip Little Orphan Annie
by Harold Gray. In the movie,
Annie is a young orphan girl living in the Hudson Street Orphanage in New York City.
She thinks that her parents left
her there. One night while Annie is singing to another orphan
to comfort her, the orphanage’s
cruel and alcoholic supervisor,
Agatha Hannigan, hears the
singing and punishes them all
by making them clean the whole
orphanage. Later, Annie tries to flee on a laundry truck, she befriends a
dog and then later named him Sandy after convincing the dogcatcher that
he is hers. Grace Farrell, a secretary to billionaire Oliver Warbucks, picks
Annie to stay at his mansion to make Oliver look good. When Sandy and
Annie arrive to Oliver’s mansion, Annie meets all of the people who help
run the mansion and becomes close to all of them. After a while Annie
earns Oliver’s trust. Annie and Oliver become very close and he wants
to adopt her but then Annie tells him she wants to find her real parents.
Oliver sets out a search for them and offers whoever her real parents are
a $50,000 reward. A crowd of would be parents shows up at Warrbucks
house. Annie’s orphan supervisor Hannigan is very angry with the whole
situation. Hannigan’s brother and his girlfriend come to the orphanage and find out that Annie’s parents perished in a fire a long time ago.
They go to the mansion and seize Annie and the reward money. After a
while they find them on the bridge where Hannigan’s brother planned on
drowning Annie and keeping the money. The police and Oliver show up
and rescue Annie. They find her a good home.
There are three different movie versions of Annie. There is the 1982
version, the 1999 version, and now the new 2014 version. The new 2014
version is an American musical comedy-drama and is a little more updated to fit the times. The film is directed by Will Gluck and is produced by
Jay-Z and Will Smith. The star role Annie is played by a young AfricanAmerican girl named Quvenzhane Wallis. The film already has its fans
and critics. “Previews don’t excite me.” said one critic who rated it one
star. “This movie will be wonderful for kids, that’s all.” said another.
Annie is a movie for families to see over Christmas time. It has been
updated and it is kind of different from the 1982 version, but it should be
an amazing and funny movie for kids.
In the 2014 version, Annie is a young, happy foster kid who’s also
tough enough to make her way on the streets of New York in 2014.
Originally left by her parents as a baby with the promise they’d be back
for her someday, it’s been a hard knock life ever since with her mean
foster mom Miss Hannigan. But everything’s about to change when the
hard-nosed tycoon and New York mayoral candidate Will Stacks makes
a thinly-veiled campaign move and takes her in. This film is written by
Sony Pictures Entertainment. Some people are saying that Annie looks
good and that it looks exciting and they are rating it five stars and others
are rating it three stars or lower and are saying it looks boring. The only
way you could find out how the movie looks is to go and watch it yourself! Annie comes out to theaters December 19, 2014.
Raylen Hall
Christmas time is filled with joy, love, celebration, food, and even
movies. The Christmas movie season is fast approaching. Many families have traditions that involve gathering together around the television screen to watch a certain holiday show. Some people like different
genres of movies, but when it comes to Christmas almost everyone
enjoys all of the holiday films.
Many families have Christmas traditions they honor at this time of
year, one of which can be watching their favorite movies. Movies of all
kinds are available to watch, but they all do one thing; they fill us with
the love and laughter that resides with the holidays. These movies help
get us in to the spirit of the season. It doesn’t matter if your family is
strictly old school and prefers It’s a Wonderful Life or How the Grinch
Stole Christmas, or if the family prefers a modern festival like Elf.
No matter what your preference is, the selection of films below will
provide a winner for everyone. No one will be saying “Bah humbug.”
1. A Christmas Story
2. Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer
3. A Christmas Carol
4. Miracle on 34th Street
5. Charlie Brown Christmas
6. National Lampoon Christmas Vacation
7. Home Alone
8. Elf
9. Frosty the Snowman
10 .It’s a Wonderful Life
Top Ten Jingles
Seth Johnson
‘Tis the season for Christmas jingles! Based on extensive internet research, the following are top ten Christmas songs:
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The Christmas Song – Nat King Cole
All I Want for Christmas is You – Mariah Carey
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Judy Garland
Happy Christmas (War is Over) – The Beatles
Santa Claus is Coming to Town – Bruce Springsteen
Jingle Bell Rock – Brenda Lee
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer – Bing Crosby
White Christmas – Bing Crosby
Winter Wonderland – Michael Bublé
Do They Know It’s Christmas? – Band Aid
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