Budget cuts have taken away small classroom sizes, and curriculum availability, but now it is taking away something that cannot be replaced, fifteen of Allatoona’s most loving teachers and head coaches.  Some of these educators left their former jobs two years ago in order to have the opportunity to build a program from the ground up.  Now as of this week, these same hardworking teachers are being let go.  The expression “Teaching is not a profession; it’s a passion”, can easily serve to describe the dedication that thrived and still does exist in our affected teachers.

        Personally, my past two years at Allatoona has allowed me to become acquainted with some of the best teachers I’ve ever had.  I’ve met a variety of personalities and I’ve experienced a collection of teaching styles.  The sincere teacher who is so passionate about learning, she has cried about the most inspirational stories in history.  I had the privilege of learning about science from a dry humored, yet extremely funny coach and child at heart. I’ve even had the honor of being taught by Allatoona’s mystery woman who drives one of the nicest cars in the parking lot.

       However, unfortunately at the end of the 2009-2010 school year, Cobb County has voted to cut 579 full and part time teachers.  But, rather than having sympathy for the educators that we’re losing, perhaps we should celebrate their remaining time here.  A contribution a teacher has made to students’ lives cannot be “reduced” nor is it “temporary”.  It is a gift that has created some of the most passionate student reactions in Cobb’s history.  With these last two weeks left, the teachers and students at Allatoona should still spend their remaining time growing the connection that makes Allatoona the school it is, and will continue to be, regardless of our losses.

        In order to express to the community how dear our teachers are to us, please leave a comment on this article with a memory of your affected teacher.  Writing your name on a petition is one thing, but a sincere thought is something entirely different.

        This year was the beginning of many successful years to come and Coach Ravenscraft, the girl’s head coach, was very pleased with the outcome of everyone’s performance. When Coach R. was asked about freshman sensation Jessica Brown and her performance at the region meet on April 23, 2010 where she ran her fastest time of 12:27 in 3200-meter run, and qualified for the state meet, he quoted “It was the best that I’ve felt as a coach in a long time, the experience to Albany, GA (where the state meet was held) was absolutely gratifying.” She holds the school record for the 3200 meter run and for being the first female to compete at the state meet.

        Henry Stevens-Carty has had an amazing senior year. He has many victories in the 800 and 1600 meter run.  His personal record for the 1600-meter run is 4:21.72 and his personal record for the 800-meter run is 1:52.44 making him the current sixth fastest 800-meter runner in the United States. Henry’s many performances have earned him a full scholarship to Samford University to run track and cross country at the college level.  

            Scott Lewis has Allatoona’s record for the longest throw in the shot put and discus. His farthest throw for shot is 49 feet and 11.25 inches, and farthest throw for discus is 137 feet and 0.25 inches, which were both made at the region meet. Scott went to compete at the state meet in both events, placing eighth in the shot put. He had a remarkable season this year, and has set high goals for his senior year.

            Corbin Williams has made himself known throughout the school and county that he is a competitive runner in all long distance events.  He ran a 10 minute and 15.32 second 3200- meter, placing second at the region meet. Then Corbin advanced to the state meet by placing eighth place with a time of 10 minutes and 16.87 second in the 3200-meter event. His performance during Track will benefit him during Cross Country season in the fall.

               These four athletes are only a few in Allatoona’s population, but they have surely shown their physical abilities that make them stand out in the crowd. Jessica, Scott, and Corbin have the potential to led Allatoona into a state victory before they graduate, and Henry Steven-Carty has proven that the Buccaneers can run just as fast as they can sail.

        What do you call bullying that leaves no physical evidence of abuse and no witnesses? One of the most commonly used forms of harassment- cyber bullying. Three quarters of the people who have admitted to being a cyber bully have never hassled anyone offline. This statistic implies that the internet has given youth a previously nonexistent courage.  By choosing the internet as their turf, a cyber bully feels detached to their victim’s feelings because there is no direct emotional response, therefore making it much easier to be malicious. Mrs. Candace Wilkes, an administrator here at Allatoona, elaborates on the thought process of an online bully by saying “It’s much easier to be mean when you’re anonymous.” Not only does the revolution of social networking sites open the door for cyber bullying, it paves the road to idleness.

        As with most habitual problems, the product isn’t the issue, the excessive use of it is. With the rapid technological advancements in America, children are encouraged to take full advantage of the equipment offered to them by not only their friends, but the media as well. The rate of overweight children in America is increasing rapidly. The childhood obesity statistics in America reveal the astonishing fact that almost 60% of children in America are obese, or overweight. With these very observable statistics, you would think that our population would be encouraged to become more physically active. “When your country leads the way in obesity, it’s time to put down the BlackBerry and pick up a basketball. I’m not advocating a Facebook boycott or a video-game bonfire. What I am calling for is a little participation in the analog world. Unplug for one day a week. Play flag football instead of Madden 10. Build houses for Habitat for Humanity instead of a barn in Farmville. Meet and befriend real people. After all, it’s not as if Facebook could give you a ride to the airport.”-Mel Layos (writer). We are doing ourselves a disfavor and producing a generation of socially inept people.

        Contrary to what you may believe, what you have on your Facebook is NOT just your business. The minute that you post it on the internet, it becomes the world’s business. According to a 2008 study, one in ten college admissions officers periodically check out college applicants’ Facebook and MySpace pages. Thirty-eight percent of them found posts and pictures that reflected poorly on those prospective students. Keep in mind that no admissions officer is going to be impressed by statuses reading “party, party, party let’s all get wasted!” Use your site as not only a place to communicate with friends, but a place to promote yourself and increase your chances of acceptance, or getting the job. Colleges and employers prefer applicants with apparent social skills. Posting pictures of vacations and appropriate photos with your friends and family is not a bad idea. By vacation, I don’t mean your annual Spring Break visit to Panama City: be sure to keep it classy. Be confident in the fact that your posts reflect upon your experiences in a positive light. Make an effort to join groups that have positive messages. Admissions officers and human resources representatives may be snooping on your Facebook, so before posting anything ask yourself if it represents you well.

        As would seem custom, I must mention the child predators that lurk on the internet. Nowadays, predators are much more straightforward with their intentions. They used to hide behind fake names and ages only to find your general information (i.e. age, name, town, activities) so that they may have a chance of tracking you down. Whereas now, all that they use as a cover is a false sense of kindness and an interest in “getting to know you”. Not every person that adds you on Facebook has a heart of gold; don’t be so naïve as to think so. The phrase “stranger danger” could never be more appropriate.

        Prom was held at the Marietta Conference center from 7-11pm. While students slowly but surely showed up, the DJ kept the event upbeat. Dancing the night away, the DJ introduced the first prom court consisting of Kara Cook, Brittney Alferi, Ashley Noble, Kim Callahan, Laney Massengale, Henry Stevens-Carty, Eric Rich, Bubba Green, Dylan Abernathy, and Cody Hardin. Calling all of the court to the front of the floor, the king and queen were announced. Congratulations to Laney Massengale and Henry Stevens-Carty for being the first Allatoona prom king and queen in history. “I was really shocked but very much honored to be Allatoona’s first prom Queen. This was my first prom, I really thought it was awesome and I had a great time. It is definitely one of those memories I will always cherish,” said Laney Massengale. Allatoona’s first prom ever was a major achievement. With creative Masquerade Mask center pieces, good fun and music, the students helped make the prom successful. A big thanks to Mrs. Haney, Mrs. Wells, and Mrs. O’Conner for all their hard work. Prom was a great way to kick off the classical spring tradition.

Three men, including the captain of the ship, have been arrested and charged for veering nine miles off course into a prohibited zone of the reef. Although it may seem unrelated, the global economic crisis has posed a major threat to the Great Barrier Reef because many ships have been taking short cuts through restricted ecological areas in order to save fuel. These ships can severely damage the delicate coral not only by possibly wrecking into it but also through oil spills and other pollutants that could leak into the water and degrade its quality

The Great Barrier Reef provides a multi-million dollar tourism industry for Australia and hosts popular activities such as glass bottom boating, scuba diving, snorkeling, and helicopter rides. The Reef is on the World Heritage list of important global locations and is considered one of the seven wonders of the natural world. Covering an area of 133,000 miles, the Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world and is home to hundreds of thousands of different plant and animal species, many of which are endangered. This natural wonder is clearly something worth protecting and the destruction of this amazing ecosystem would have serious repercussions across the globe.

              Master Sergeant Mckoy and Lieutenant Commander Ronald Hojnowski have invested countless hours into the program to build it from the ground up. The practice and preparation the students and the officers put into the ceremony was shown through their perfection and unison in every step and move. “We practiced almost every other day and have been preparing for week. We conveyed the importance to them everyday,” explained Master Sergeant Mckoy.

              Throughout the assembly, numerous speeches were made including a special guest speaker, Commander Rustie Hibbard. Commander Hibbard is Area Twelve’s NJROTC manager. Hibbard has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (Gold Star), Navy Commendation Medal (Three Gold Stars), Navy Achievement Medal and various sea and unit service related honors. During his speech, he expressed the importance of education and the honor gained through the NJROTC program. Allatoona’s own principal, Scott Bursmith, made an appearance at the podium as well. He shared his enthusiasm for a Navy program at our school due to his emotional ties to the Navy, which has been in his life and family for as long as he can recall.

              At the conclusion of the ceremony, they retired the colors and presented Allatoona with the official Allatoona NJROTC flag. One member of the crew, Melissa Santamaria said, “I feel proud to be a part of all this and it is a huge honor.” This ceremony is one of the ways that show the unity Allatoona has produced in just the last two years. 

     Now being a senior, I have witnessed Allatoona grow as a body and as a school.  I was extremely surprised when I realized that there were only about 150 students in my graduating class.  I was so used to being apart of a class that had over 700 students.  During my eleventh grade year, there were only 800 students at this school, due to the fact that there was no senior class last year; but now, there are over 1200 students!  The previous year, the faculty really made an effort to make this school the best it could possibly be.  But there have been some issues concerning the school that have been considered “stupid” by the student body.  The main issue has been the new dress code.  Coming from another high school (as many other students were), the administration was very lenient when it came to the dress code.  On the other hand, students at Allatoona can actually get ISS for wearing jeans with holes or for skirts that are not three inches above the knees.  But from what I experienced, the administration is trying to maintain a “professional” atmosphere for the student body. 

      There have been a few things about Allatoona that have been good considering it is a new school.  I was surprised by the new technology that was present in all the classrooms.  The fact that there are smartboards, projectors, and brand new computers in all the rooms does demonstrate that Allatoona does care about the students education. 

While being at Allatoona, I have enjoyed the chance to get to use the smartboard to learn various subjects.  It has been an interesting experience to get to use all the new technology that Allatoona offers.  Allatoona is definitely a school that has kept up with the technology of the century. 

     Finally, thinking about how much Allatoona has grown, I believe that most of the change has come from the expansion of clubs.  Last year, there were a limited number of organizations due to the lack of a large student body.  Last year, the only clubs that were available consisted of the Beta, Mileage, and Model UN.  There were no such activities as the Outdoor Adventure and Athletic Leadership club, and National Honors Society.  With the creation of all these extracurricular activities this year, students have the opportunity to be apart of something they love at school.  For example, I myself am apart of the Beta Club because I am not much of an outdoor person. 

     Now that the countdown has begun until graduation, I realize the amount of transformation that this school has been through.  Allatoona first began as school that did not have much to offer to students, but now it has something for everyone.  This school has been through much change and I can say that it has definitely made a difference.

          Much of its success can be attributed to the judges: Simon Cowell, the notoriously cruel-yet-somewhat-truthful one; Randy Jackson, the fair but honest one with his signature slang such as “Dawg!”; and then Paula Abdul, the judge that was more known for her sea of compliments than actually giving anyone criticism or advice.  For most of the first few seasons, people looked forward to the insults that Simon frequently threw at contestants, with the occasional compliment and praise.  Attentions also pointed to the kind-hearted Paula, whose general love and gusto towards virtually every performance was almost comical.  Her kind ways, however, began to backfire, as her opinions soon turned moot or unimportant.  She loved everyone, so why bother listening to her speak at all?

          The most recent season of Idol, however, has taken an odd turn in terms of entertainment.  With the loss of Paula and addition of Kara DioGuardi and Ellen DeGeneres as the newest judges, the panel has begun to flatten out and attention toward the show is falling.  Kara and Ellen seem to fall into the same category as Randy, offering honest opinions, while still being subtle.  Even Simon has mellowed out, giving more advice and compliments in the past few seasons than anyone ever thought to be possible.   Most of the contestants deliver mediocre performances at best, and the outstanding ones either come from the same few people or once in a blue moon from the others.  However, perhaps the strangest, and possibly the most unwelcoming, change yet would be the behavior of American Idol host, Ryan Seacrest.

          Though Seacrest has been with the show since the beginning, sharing the stage with comedian Brian Dunkleman only for the first season, he never did much outside of simply announcing the performances, winners, and those to be eliminated.  His occasional comments to the contestants or judges were usually brief and mainly consisted of questions or the rare quirky remark.  This year, however, Ryan seems to be stepping the talking up a notch.  Rather than keep to the basics, he’s started conversations with the contestants, judges, and even some of the audience members.  During one of Tim Urban’s performances, Ryan was seen dancing in the audience with a bulky man.  His actions confused Urban and distracted him from his performance.  “I didn’t really know what they were doing…people were laughing, so I just had to zone out and keep thinking about my song,” Urban says.  Seacrest also told previous Idol contestant Adam Lambert: “My tongue isn’t as talented as yours.”  His supposedly witty comment left the audience speechless and Lambert looking considerably embarrassed.  In addition, he mentioned on one of the shows that his former co-host Brian Dunkleman would return to host Idol Gives Back—then later admitted that it was just a joke. 

          Seacrest’s behavior is certainly not typical nor well-received.  Fans complain that he is trying—and failing—to be funny for the sake of attention and ratings.  This wouldn’t be unlikely, considering that ratings for the show are at an all-time low.  Idol has lost out on views from shows such as Dancing with the Stars and NBC’s coverage of the 2010 Olympics, dropping the ratings to the lowest they’ve been since 2003.  In addition, many of the fans feel that that his actions are uncalled for and embarrassing to the contestants and himself. 

          So if it’s causing all kinds of problems, why is he doing it?  Seacrest claims that it’s all in the spirit of fun. Since most of the dialogue for the show is unscripted, he’s free to say and do a great deal of what he wants.  “Often, I will playfully do things to amp up the energy for the live show, because it’s at the end of my long day,” he said.  Seacrest also claims that he’s getting ready for next season, with the tenth anniversary of the show as a look-back at the things that made American Idol special. “…the 10th-anniversary season is gonna be fun,” Seacrest believes.

          Whatever it is that he is trying to do, it may be in his best interest to tone it down a few notches and keep the jokes to himself.

            Eyjafjallajokull had only erupted previously in 1612 and 1821 according to records. Because this volcano is located on a glacier, the lava melted the ice, causing flooding powerful enough to wash away roads. Luckily, the volcano is located in a sparsely populated area, so few people were forced to evacuate. Scientists worry this eruption could trigger another eruption from Katla, a neighboring volcano. Katla is the most intensely watched volcano in all of Iceland. An eruption of this volcano would make the crisis that Europe is in right now exponentially worse.

            The plume of the volcano stretches from Britian’s East Coast, to the North Sea, and to the Dutch Coast Line. Air traffic was suspended completely from Wednesday, April 14^th, to Sunday, April 18^th because of the danger that comes with flying through volcanic ash. In 1989, a KLM flight discovered what would happen when planes fly through volcanic ash. The plane lost all four engines momentarily until the pilot was finally able to regain control. The dust cakes on to the inside of the engines, causing them to slow or even stop. The particles in the ash can also peel paint, clog passenger air ventilation, and disrupt navigation. For these reasons, air traffic control has been extremely cautious about allowing planes to take off.

            Although some air travel has finally resumed, flying in and out of Europe is at a gridlock. Sixty percent of scheduled flights were back in the air as of April 20^th. The first flight landed in London-Heathrow on April 20^th since last Wednesday. A few countries still remain completely shut down after 7 days of no flights in or out, costing airlines a huge chunk of change. Airports are overwhelmed with the number of stranded passengers.

            With the significantly lowered amount of flights taking off, the value of a one way ticket has skyrocketed. Many travelers have to get creative by choosing alternate routes by train or bus. Southern European countries such as Spain were bewildered by the number of people trying to depart out of Europe, but flights were completely booked there too, leaving the problem of stranded passengers unresolved.

            The vast amount of stranded passengers throughout Europe leaves little hope for a speedy recovery out of gridlock for airports around Europe. This disturbance by nature placed a large economic burden on airlines around the globe. The volcano, Eyjafjallajokull, not only caused damage to Iceland, but it also caused a worldwide disruption to air travel.