2017 CHS Culture Fest

Niya Fearrington on November 29, 2017

Anticipate food, friends and a special video from the Unity Club and about what diversity means at CHS. On December 1 at 6:30 p.m, CultureFest will be held in the commons. CultureFest is a popular annual event for students and families at CHS to attend.

The celebration is an opportunity for students and families to engage with different cultures through posters, food and music. Students bring in a dish to represent their culture or the foreign language course they’re learning, and many of the foreign language classes have performed songs that are popular in the culture — like the Spanish classes singing “Chiquirritin” the past two years.

Historically, students, CHS faculty and the Academy of International Studies (AIS) Program jointly organized the event. This year, Jamie Schendt, social studies teacher and the new AIS coordinator, is bringing some new features to the table for the event.  One of the main goals that Schendt wants to achieve is a balance between education and culture.  

“It will be a balance of gathering as a school but also educating each other about who we are as a school and what cultures we bring to the school each day,”  Schendt said in an interview.   

Culture Fest is an event that CHS families look forward to.  Come out and explore the world!

 

An Unlikely Coincidence

mm Grace Hegland on November 27, 2017

Cameron Ferguson is a new teacher in the social studies department. He went to Smith Middle School, where he had Daphne Montoya as his sixth grade math teacher. This year, Montoya passed away, and Ferguson reflects on his memories of her.

“She was a great teacher and that was a great class. I’m not much of a math guy, to be honest, — I’m a social studies teacher now — but she made math really fun,” said Ferguson.

Ferguson distinctly remembers being in Montoya’s class when 9/ll happened. The class was afraid and shocked, but he feels Montoya managed the situation well.

“She calmed us down and was very professional and mature. Obviously, it’s a very scary situation when you’re a sixth grader and you’re told your country’s been attacked; you don’t know what to expect,” said Ferguson.

After all the help and support Montoya provided for her students on September 11, 2001, she coincidentally died this year around September 11.

“It’s really interesting how that came full circle” said Ferguson.

Ferguson wishes he could have had the chance to work with Montoya.

“I think it would have been cool for her to see a former student as a teacher now and [for me to] teach alongside her,” said Ferguson. “I wish I had the chance to have worked with her.”

Terrific Times at T-Dance

mm Grace Hegland on November 27, 2017

CHS students looked forward to T-dance since the beginning of the school year; finally, the long awaited T-dance was Saturday, November 18 at the Hope Valley Country Club in Durham.

T-dance is run by a collection of mothers and daughters and is a great opportunity to dance and have fun with friends. It includes Chapel Hill, East Chapel Hill and Carrboro High School, making it the perfect opportunity to see your old middle school and other friends.

Kelley Gosk, a junior who had a great second T-dance, said in an email interview that her favorite thing about T-dance was “dancing with my friends from other schools.”

“It’ll be nice to have a space where we all can dance and have fun together,” said Morgan Jackson, a sophomore who was excited for her first T-dance.

Many students testify that CHS students won’t regret going to T-dance because they are sure to have a fantastic time. 

“[High School dances] are fun and so rare” said Gosk.

“I just think that even if you don’t have a date, you should just go because it’s a time to have fun and it’s not about going with someone else; it is about spending time with people you don’t usually get to spend time with and getting away from school,” said Jackson.

“I’m definitely hoping for some upbeat songs that we can actually dance to,” said Jackson before the dance.

T-dance had hype music and lots of dancing; overall, it was an unforgettable night for all who attended.

Back to Back Powderpuff Champions

Cinthya Plazas on November 17, 2017

Following tradition, the freshmen and seniors played the first game of the night. With the help of senior coaches Karl Naomi, Joe Zhang and Chris Millar, the seniors defeated the freshmen 35-0. Sophomores and juniors faced off in the game that determined the seniors’ opponent. The one touchdown of the game earned the sophomores a ticket to the final, leaving the score 7-0. In the final game, following a scoreless first half, the seniors managed to score two touchdowns before the end of the second half, making them the 2017 Powderpuff champions. 

Can UNC go all the way?

Spencer Hayden on November 16, 2017

UNC is one of the premier sports universities in the country, so it’s no surprise that two Carrboro graduates, Miah Araba and Laura Sparling, decided to take their talents to the soccer team. Although Araba and Sparling aren’t starters yet, they bring a lot to the team and are future stars.

UNC’s current star is Alessia Russo, who leads the team with nine goals as a result of a team high of 52 total shots throughout the 2017 season; this earned her a place on the all ACC first team. After playing at Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion youth squads in England, Russo has brought another dimension to UNC by leading the team in goals as a freshman.

The UNC soccer team is working hard to achieve their end goal of winning a national championship. UNC earned the one seed in their side of the tournament bracket after being placed second at the end of the season right behind Stanford. They have already advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament after defeating High Point by three goals.

The next game is Friday, November 17th at home against Colorado. If UNC beats Colorado they could play against one of their instate rivals, NC State, if they win their next game against Princeton.

Photo courtesy Laura Sparling

Powderpuff 2017

Lauren Baddour on November 15, 2017

The Wednesday Night Lights will shine brightly on November 15 as students of all grade levels participate in a series of Powderpuff games to raise money for prom and to show school spirit. Powderpuff is designed to flip traditional roles, having only girls participate in the game while boys coach and act as cheerleaders.

Teams have held multiple practices over the past couple of weeks in which players have learned the basic rules of football, been assigned positions and carried out several plays.

The night will start with the freshmen facing off against the seniors, followed by the sophomores versus the juniors. Historically, the upperclassmen have advanced past the lowerclassmen with ease, but this year the sophomores believe that they can break that tradition.

“We have really improved since last year’s game, and the juniors are trash anyways,” said Sajan Lamba, sophomore Class Council vice president, in an interview.

Upperclassmen losing is not entirely unheard of. While the upperclassmen typically have an edge due to experience, the juniors defeated the seniors during the 2016-2017 school year. However, this year’s juniors do not appear to be concerned.

“Get ready to lose,” said Lauren Forester, junior Class Council president via text, to the sophomores about the intense rivalry.

The seniors are also confident about their matchup with the freshmen. Typically, the seniors dominate over the freshmen, beating them easily.

“The freshmen are no match for our fresh plays,” stated Rachel Hart, a senior player via text.

Anyone who wears their class Powderpuff shirt will receive a discounted entry price to the game. Once there, students can participate in a raffle and buy concessions from sponsors such as Rise and Al’s Burger Shack. All profits will go towards the 2019 prom. Students can show up and cheer on their class’ team to victory this Wednesday.

She Kills Monsters Killed It

mm Grace Hegland on November 13, 2017

Student’s excitement about She Kills Monsters continues to buzz through CHS hallways after the memorable performance.

She Kills Monsters explores common topics in many high schoolers’ lives: popularity versus geekiness, relationship problems, sibling problems and sexuality. The performance puts a spin on these typical topics by adding fantasy and adventure as the characters travel through the magical world of Dungeons and Dragons. The relationship between the two sisters, Tilly and Agnes, provides insight on the importance of taking time to learn about your loved ones before it’s too late.

Many students dedicated lots of their time and effort into this play through acting, show-running and set design.

“The cast has been rehearsing for about two months, and we have all been learning our lines and blocking,” said Rosie Cassidy, a sophomore actor in the play .  

There was a lot to love about the production, but one highlight involved the exciting stage combat.  

“My favorite part about the show is pretty much every time there is stage combat, because the music and lights make the scene look really nice,” said Juanita Roncancio, a sophomore actor.

The props, costumes and makeup gave the show a unique touch. Each character had a striking look that complemented their personality.

“The costumes and makeup are very interesting since there is a wide range of looks in the characters of the play,” said Roncancio. “For example, there are people who are using little to no makeup, as well as regular clothes. Some others wear masks and some other characters who wear lots of dark makeup, with wigs, and unique costumes.”

The comedic relief mixed with the unique plot created a captivating performance that always kept the audience laughing.  

“Some of the humor was very good. For example, the gelatinous monster and how it swallowed [Steven] and spit out his bones,” said Bar Caspin, a sophomore who came to see She Kills Monsters.

Many students enjoyed the She Kills Monsters performance. The hard work of the performers was evident in the quality of the show; I can’t think of a better way to have spent my Friday night.

The actors on stage during a performance. Photo by Grace Hegland

Celebrating CHS vets: part one

Gaby Alfieri on November 12, 2017

In honor of Veteran’s Day weekend, the JagWire interviewed three faculty members who served the Armed Forces. Here is part one of a three-part series.

John Alcox, Marines

John Alcox. Photo by Gaby Alfieri

Physical education teacher John Alcox served the Armed Forces for six years, from 1990 to 1996. Stationed in Augusta, GA, he was a diesel mechanic before serving as an office administrator.

Alcox’s grandfather served in World War II as one of the first Black marines. His grandfather did basic training at Montford Point—the camp for Black marines during WWII—located in Jacksonville.

“I wanted to follow in [my grandfather’s] footsteps,” said Alcox in an email interview.

Alcox knew he wanted to teach before he enlisted, hoping to shape future generations into productive citizens. But, transitioning to civilian life after leaving the Marines, he remembers difficulties.

“Without a doubt the toughest thing was the transition from the Marine Corps way of thinking back to the civilian way of thinking,” said Alcox. “The Marine Corps way of thinking tended to be more black and white. Civilian thinking tends to have a few more gray areas.”

To the third round they go

Cinthya Plazas on November 6, 2017

Saturday night, the boys’ varsity soccer team defeated Randleman in the second round of playoffs, with a final score of 3-1. Dixon Flores, sophomore, opened the scoreboard for the Jaguars in the first half of the game.

Following the half-time break, the Jaguars scored twice more before the Tigers scored in the final minutes.

Hudson Magee, junior, scored the second goal of the game. Magee addressed team’s performance from last week.

“We played really well, and it was a good team effort. It tested us, and we showed that we are a strong team,” said Magee.

Finishing the second half, Casey Mook, senior, cemented the fate of the game in favor of the Jaguars.

“I was really excited, because the third goal was the goal that pretty much clinched the game for us,” said Mook.

The Jaguars will face Jordan-Matthews on their home field for the third round on Wednesday at six.

“Jordan-Matthews is a really good team, and it should be a good game, so people should really show out and support,” said Mook.

Photo by Spencer Hayden

Going for Gold, Again

Hope Anderson on November 3, 2017

Those interested in supporting the Carrboro women’s volleyball team can attend the State Championship game on Saturday, November 4 at 2:30 pm at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh.

The players will face West Iredell High. They are optimistic but acknowledge the challenge ahead.

“[West Iredell] is the best team we’ll play all year,” said Emma Fritsch, senior.

Tomorrow’s 2A State Championship game will determine the final score of a 60-0 winning streak the team has accumulated since their sophomore year.

This year’s varsity volleyball roster includes one freshman, three sophomores, two juniors and, making up half the team, six seniors. The seniors, all of whom are captains, attribute much of their accomplishment to the closeness between teammates.

Destiny Cox, Emma Fritsch, Millie McGuire, Sarah Montross, Penny Newall and Kirby Thornton started playing volleyball together as freshman.

“A lot of us have been playing together for such a long time,” said Fritsch. “We have chemistry.”

The bond between the girls stems in part from the family-like atmosphere players and coaches created during practice this season. Each of the six seniors was paired with an underclassman in a “big sister/ little sister” relationship that fostered friendship, support and even “love,” as Thornton put it.

“We’ve been playing for so long and every year the thing that’s kept me going is who I play with. These four years haven’t been about volleyball; they’ve been about family,” said Thornton.

Montross agrees. “It’s so much more than going out and playing volleyball. It’s about who I’m with.”

The team held their last practice of the season on Thursday. For Montross, it was was more sweet than bitter.

“Before we left we had a group hug and ate kit-kats. It was a great way to end being in that gym for four years,” said Montross.

The athletes hope they can carry momentum to tomorrow’s game from winning the State Championship just one year ago. Moreover, the game will be an entirely different experience from that of last year for the team’s seniors, only two of whom plan to continue volleyball at a competitive level in college.

“This is the last big volleyball game I will play,” said Thornton.

The team hopes tomorrow’s game will complete their nearly perfect record over the past four years.

“If we could go out with a win it would be incredible to have that feeling,” said Montross.

No matter the outcome of the championship game, however, the season will come to a close with the blow of the final whistle. While sad to leave, the seniors have a good feeling about the future of Carrboro volleyball.

“I love every girl on our team and I can see where everyone is going to step up [next year],” said Thornton.

Fritsch agrees, and believe their coach, Steve Scanga, will continue to lead the team to victories.

“[Scanga] is amazing and I know he’ll do great with whatever team he has,” said Fritsch.

The team after winning the Regional Championship. Photo Courtesy Sarah Montross