Kaydence Hancock is one of the kindest students here at Carter High School, who has a love for education, adventure, and pizza! She is 18 years old and works at Cruze Farm Pizza Barn which takes up most of her time outside of school. Cruze Farm motto is “work hard, and love harder,” which is something she lives by in her day to day life.  She is also one of the cleanliest people I have ever known, and has a deep hatred for germs. Kaydence has a lot to share about her additional love and memories for school. 

When questioned which class Kaydence loves, she declared, “Peer tutoring, definitely. My heart feels deeply inclined to show love and compassion to everyone. Mrs. Foust’s class sure had a thing or two to teach me about love, too.” Kaydence is always wanting to improve herself for the better. She has so much love and respect for everyone around her, and wants to grow. “My best memory from Carter High School was peer tutoring with Becca.” she says.  Kaydence has a deep love for the CDC class, which stands for Comprehensive Development Classroom. There are two classes, one of them being taught by Mrs. Foust, and the other class being taught by Mrs. Chollman, in which students can peer tutor and help not only the students, but the teachers. 

Kaydence was asked what she sees when it comes to Carter High School, and what CHS represents to her, and she stated, “I could be cheesy and say ‘love’ or ‘community’, but when it comes to CHS, I recognize it for our staff most of all. Throughout my years of high school here at Carter, the staff has always managed to show me the compassion and understanding that most of the students couldn’t.” Giant shout out for the staff of Carter, you are recognized. 

Kaydence has a giant heart for everyone and everything. One last piece of advice Kaydence would like to share is, “Be your own biggest fan, and self-advocate for yourself.” As always, she is a giant advocate for spreading love and positivity. 

Some people just have some crazy, unbelievable stories.

One of these people is a freshman named Tony Morton.

Tony has many crazy stories that just seem like they cannot possibly be true.

“One of my favorite stories to tell is the Golden Corral story. I took a tinkle in the ice cream machine one time when I was like six or seven.” He also has a couple stories with hamsters. “My mom ate a hamster in front of me once, for no reason. I also tried to eat one before just because I was hungry.” These stories may seem absolutely unbelievable, but, according to Tony, they are all real. 

Tony has told many of his friends and teachers about his favorite intriguing stories. He’s told Mr. Martinez many stories in his AP Human Geography class, and he’s told Mr. Berkeley many stories in Musical Theater. Sailor Bivens, a freshman, is very familiar with these stories, as she’s heard them multiple times. 

When asked which of Tony’s many stories is Sailor’s favorite, she responded with, “The Golden Corral story.” She also says that she doesn’t believe his stories at all. 

It’s hard to tell if these stories are true or false, but they are definitely entertaining. 

A student only has a dollar to spend at school, but nothing is drawing their attention. The smell of fresh baked cookies wafts to them, and there they are: Otis Spunkmeyer cookies at the school store. It is perfect, one fresh Chocolate Chunk Cookie for only one dollar.

The Otis Spunkmeyer company was founded in 1977 and produces baked goods. The company sells cookies, muffins, frozen cookie doughs, and other pastries. Many may have seen these cookies in Subway restaurants.

We have been lucky enough to get these cookies here at Carter. The school store sells Chocolate Chunk Cookies. Most of the time, these cookies are fresh, soft, warm, and gooey. The chocolate is melted perfectly into the cookie dough. They are served in a little paper bag with the Otis Spunkmeyer logo right on the front. Other times they can be cold or unavailable.

The only bad things about these cookies are that they can be hard to get at times. Many students buy too many cookies at a time to the point where they take all of them. Cookies take time to bake so some may not get them in their lunch period. It can be very frustrating if a student brings money and cannot get the one thing they want. Also, the cookies are normally fresh, but not always. When the cookies are not fresh, it takes away from the overall taste. The chocolate is not melted and the cookie itself may be cold. Some people may like their cookies like that so that room temperature cookies may be perfect for some but not all. 

Overall, the Otis Spunkmeyer Chocolate Chunk Cookies at the school store are worth the dollar. It is important that every student who likes cookies should try them. 

Mr. Caruso Taylor is an English teacher here at Carter High School. He is also currently teaching World History and Geography. 

Mr. Taylor has been a teacher for eight years, he taught for three years at a dropout recovery school in Columbus, Ohio. He also taught for four years at Anderson County High School, and now he has been at Carter for this year.

Mr. Taylor did not want to be a teacher, here is a little story, “I did not want to be a teacher, I wanted to be a biologist. I entered college as a biology major. However, I was dismayed to discover that biology and math were much closer than I knew. So, I was at a loss, I didn’t know what to do; I knew that I did not have the math skills to continue in biology, but I also had no idea what else I would, or could, do.”

He also said, “I was taking an extra composition course at this time, and my professor overheard me complaining about my predicament. He pulled me aside after class one day and suggested that I consider teaching English.”

He said, “He had noticed that I had a strong grasp on the foundations of reading and writing, and that I was great at breaking down complex concepts in my essays. So, I tried it, and loved it. I basically stumbled backwards into teaching after failing at what I thought I wanted to do, and I don’t regret a second of it”.

Now here is some of his background. Mr. Taylor is from Cleveland, Ohio. He has 4 younger siblings, the youngest of which is 22. He also attended Catholic Schools from K-12 and was on the track and chess teams in high school. He also graduated with a degree in AYA English Education from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He has been married for seven, almost eight, years.

He also says, He has a 2-year-old son. He took last year off of teaching, and the reason why he did was because, “I wanted to spend time with my son, especially during his formative years. I was very nervous about leaving him with someone else. I left teaching in 2021 and planned on never returning, but I realized about halfway through the year that I could not stay at home full time. I was on edge and bored. I needed to do something besides sit at home or take my son out in between naps.”  

He also worked for 2 years as a children’s pastor and here is what he says about it, “It’s funny, I said that I never wanted to be a teacher, but I have been teaching in a church setting since I was 15.”

He adds, “I like working with kids, I always have. I have been volunteering in children’s ministries for the past 17 years. I was given an opportunity a few years ago to go on staff at my church as their part time children’s pastor. I accepted the position and did it for 2 years.”

After two years, he made a change, “Eventually I burnt out and couldn’t keep doing it, my church kind of fell apart. It was a very hard time in my life. However, the time I spent teaching kids in that setting was amazing, I loved every second of it.”

Mr. Taylor is a really good person, all you need to do is just get to know him and once you meet him, he will be one of your favorite teachers because he is my favorite teacher.

Out of all the classes we have in Carter High School, my favorite class is algebra 1. Ms. Shoemaker teaches it. I enjoy math. I like dealing with numbers and I like to solve equations. In Ms. Shoemaker’s class, she helps you when needed and she also helps you if you don’t understand something. Math to me is like a mystery problem, you try to get to the bottom of the answer. Also, it’s something new every time. We also use numbers in life and math is a great way to use them. It can be hard to do math but the more you do it the better you get. There are a lot of benefits of learning mathematics. In  real-life applications of Mathematics are endless. We are surrounded by numbers, equations and algorithms. Especially in this age of data science, with huge data sets that can only be understood through statistical models and analysis. It can also strengthen your skills and critical thinking. Math helps us think analytically and have better reasoning abilities. Analytical thinking refers to the ability to think critically about the world around us. Reasoning is our ability to think logically about a situation. A strong foundation in math can translate into increased understanding and regulation of your emotions, improved memory and better problem-solving skills. There are so many things in math, and it is very interesting to learn. But, some people don’t like math because its too hard for them and some people think that whoever likes math is a nerd. I am a nerd and this is why I love math, and I love learning about it.

The first room on the right once you enter the office is where Mrs.Lee’s room is at. You can also find her during lunch at the tables in front of the cafeteria or walking around the halls to make sure everyone is where they need to be. Mrs.Lee says being an assistant principal is a daily challenge. She explains how it is like “everywhere you go there is always something new. No day is ever the same, you never know what’s going to happen when you turn the corner.” Mrs.Lee is the principal of 9 grade and 10 grade for last names that begin with p-z. She has been a principal before but this is her first year at Carter High School. Mrs.Lee also explains she always needs to phone a friend. But she loves meeting the variety of kids she sees.

Creator: Tracey Thomson

Year Released: 2021

Available where: Disney+, Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Now, FuboTV, Google Play Movies and TV

Cast: Preston Oliver, Kyleigh Curran, Elle Graham 

Are abandoned hotels supposed to be haunted? Does time travel really exist? If you want to see a show where all this happens, then you should watch the TV show Secrets of Sulphur Springs. In the first season is when Griffin’s family just moved into the Tremont. In their first days there they learn about a ¨ghost¨ named Savannah who is supposedly haunting the hotel since she went missing in 1990. Griffin meets Harper at school and they become friends because she is interested in Savannah. Griffin and Harper find a secret bunker and in it find a radio that goes back in time. They meet Savannah and it turns out she isn’t a ghost. In season two Griffin, Harper, and Savannah find out there is an actual ghost haunting the hotel and use the time machine some more but not without a few problems. At the end of season two there is a cliffhanger with a different haunting. Season three follows Griffin and Harper, two best friends, who just found out there is someone new haunting the Tremont Hotel. They go back in time to try and get clues about who is haunting the Tremont with Sam and Savannah´s help. While they are finding clues Griffin’s brother and sister find out about time travel and a little later, Harper´s brother. Throughout the rest of the episodes there are new problems in the future they try to prevent. The creator Tracey Thomas is also known for writing some episodes in The Young and The Restless, General Hospital, and All My Children. She has won two daytime Emmy awards and one Writers Guild of America award. This is a great series to watch because it is available in a lot of places, is kid-friendly, easy to follow along, and has anticipation in each episode. It is available on Disney+, Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Now, and more. The series is rated TV-PG which makes it fun to watch with just about anyone. The show isn’t as complicated as it sounds once you start watching it. There aren’t too many characters to keep track of, and all the problems have some kind of solution. A lot of new TV shows lately don’t have something to look forward to. It’s like some plots of TV shows are similar to ones before it. This show is different and leaves you wanting to keep watching it after each episode. Some things that the series is starting to have are the characters getting way older than their characters. In season one they all looked and were their on-screen age. Now they look quite a bit older. After watching all the seasons I feel like there should be more episodes if not a little longer. It is also annoying waiting on the show to get renewed because if it doesn’t how will we know how it ends. Season three left a great potential story, and now you have to hope it gets renewed.

Lefties are normally forgotten about, left out, and completely disregarded whenever thinking about their needs in schools. 90% of the population are right handed people, which leaves 10% of people lefties . In school, that leaves roughly 80 kids to be left-handed. Andrew Stiles, an 11th grade student at Carter High School who is a leftie, has shared his struggles with being an outsider. 

Andrew shared that “being a left-handed person is good, fun and interesting.” Being left-handed definitely comes with many questions like, “Wait, you’re left-handed?”, “Can you write with your other hand?”, “That’s weird!” Different people, but the same questions occur.

It was also shared that “smudges for days” while writing is probably one of the most annoying things that left-handed people go through, besides the school desks. left-handed people’s hands get tired so easily while writing, especially sitting at these desks for 8 hours. 

Mr. Browning, the senior principal who is right handed, stated, “If a student, parent or teacher requests a left-handed desk they can get one.” If you would like a left-handed desk, you can contact Mr. Browning so he can put in a request. It would take roughly about 1 week for it to arrive, and you’re able to get one in every class you have. This includes the 8 periods for the new school year next year. 

I also talked with Mrs. Dottely, the senior class English teacher, to get a right handed person’s perspective. She agreed that left-handed students are left out. In Mrs. Dottleys 8 years of teaching, she shared that she has never seen a left-handed desk. She also shared, “I think that I don’t have to think about things the way lefties do.” 

Even though being a lefty is tough through many things, I’ve personally adapted to use my right hand for many other things, which makes me ambidextrous. I do struggle as most lefties  do, but I can get by fine using my right hand for scissors, throwing and doing various activities in the gym, and sometimes even writing if I ever were to hurt or break my left hand. It’s just preferred to use my left hand. 

I may be ambidextrous, but it really is a pain to write in right handed desks, and in notebooks with pens because we smudge everything. The schools have left-handed desks but don’t use them, probably because no one ever had a problem with it until now. left-handed students should still get equal care like anyone else. It’s not thought about, but it would be very much appreciated. 

I genuinely advocate that the administration of Carter High School should be inclusive towards left-handed people, and not discriminate. Even though there may be few left-handed students, it doesn’t mean we don’t exist. 

Title: Motto
Artist: NF
Record Label: NF Real Music
Release Date: March 9, 2023

NF – the rapper that made the famous song “Let You Down” – has released yet another song from his upcoming album HOPE: “MOTTO.” “MOTTO”is a wonderful song with a well made music video. It is one of NF’s best songs yet, and it makes me very excited for the full album’s release.

The song is about three and a half minutes long. It was released on March 9 as a single from the album HOPE, which will be released on April 7 of this year. The song talks about how far NF has come in his career and how he is no longer afraid of being himself and doing his own thing. It also has a music video that goes along with it, which shows NF at a red carpet event that he seems out of place in.

NF has released many albums: Mansion, Therapy Session, Perception, The Search, and CLOUDS (The Mixtape). He released two EPs before these albums, though (I’m Free and NF). He also has released a few singles, a couple being “NO NAME” and “Warm Up.” He just released the song “HOPE” on February 16 as a single that will be in the album HOPE along with “MOTTO.”

This song is amazing for many reasons. First of all, the lyrics show how NF is finally comfortable with being himself and being unique. He used to be too afraid of making happier and brighter songs, as he was known for making sad songs. He didn’t want to lose his fanbase because of a new style, but now he’s willing to get out of his comfort zone and try something new. Also, the music in the song itself is just catchy. Even the music video is amazing. Not only is it well made and interesting, but it is also amusing at certain times throughout the song. For instance, at one point in the music video NF takes the mic from one of the people on the red carpet, acts like he’s going to give it back to her, then does a mic drop with it. In addition, the extras (people that are in the background in music videos, plays, etc.) in the music video were actually a group of NF’s fans that wanted to help, which, in my opinion, just adds a lot of meaning to the music video. 

Yes, some people may not be as big of a fan of this song. It is kind of slow, especially compared to some of his previous songs and songs from other rappers. This may make people like the song less, as it may seem too slow to be a song by a rapper. However, I kind of like that it’s a bit slower. Not every song a rapper releases has to be fast. Also, some people may not like the song’s music video, as it doesn’t have quite as much meaning behind it as all of his other music videos had. Yet, in my opinion, I think it’s actually kind of nice that he is trying something new and making videos that don’t have to have too much meaning behind them. Plus, there are some hidden meanings in the video, such as a part in the end of the music video where the same kid from a part of his “When I Grow Up” music video was outside of the building when NF was kicked out of the event.

In the end, NF’s “Motto” is an absolutely amazing song that is worth listening to. If the album is anything like this song and the song “Hope,” it’s going to be his best one yet. 

Movie Review

Title: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Director: Joel Crawford

Produced By: DreamWorks Animation

Release Date: December 21, 2022

DreamWorks has produced some of the best-animated movies, including Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, and Puss in Boots. Many of these movies have a sequel just after the first movie was released. At last, Puss in Boots got a sequel: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

The whole plot behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is very clever. The story takes place after the first movie. Spoiler warning! Puss begins the sequel by accidentally getting killed which knocks him down to his last life out of nine. Once he gets visited by Death or the Wolf, he realizes he has to be very careful with his last life. He meets a new friend at the cat sanctuary he takes refuge in, Perrito, and they set off on a mission to find the last wishing star. Puss, Perrito, and Kitty Softpaws (who joins soon after they began searching) are all on the same mission together while being hunted by Goldilocks, the three bears, and Jack Horner. 

In regular sequel fashion, the same actors for the main characters are back! Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek are back voicing their characters Puss and Kitty Softpaws. The sequel has added some new voices with Florence Pugh, Harvey Guillen, Olivia Coleman, and John Mulaney who voice Goldilocks, Perrito, Mama Bear, and Jack Horner. There is also a new director for the sequel, Joel Crawford compared to the first movie Chris Miller. 

Once again, the plot for this movie is very unique, dealing with touchy or mature topics. Death is nothing to joke about and this movie does not make any jokes. However, it presents how scary death is and how it is very important to be responsible with your choices like Puss. The movie also shows the importance of trust in relationships through Puss and Kitty Softpaws. Lastly, this movie’s soundtrack and animation style is amazing. The soundtrack includes two popular songs Death’s whistle called, “Bounty Hunter” and Puss’ opening number, “Fearless Hero”. The animation compared to the first Puss in Boots is very colorful and fresh. The movements of the characters are very smooth and are more amusing to watch rather than the dull colors of the first movie. 

The only bad thing about this movie is the Death character. It can be very scary for young kids who might come and see the movie. No, the movie would not need to be a different rating, but parents with squeamish or kids that get scared easily may have problems. 

Overall, this is a wonderful movie and was worth the 11 years of waiting. It was the perfect addition to the large canon and universe DreamWorks has created.