Maggie Neal crowned MBHS Homecoming Queen 2014

Exciting changes for the MBHS library

2014 Homecoming AttendantsSeniors

Cate HarmonEmily Owen Mendelsohn

JuniorsAdele Bird

Ellen Coleman Edwards

SophomoresKatherine Brian

Brooke Holloway

Please see “Queen”Continued on page 24

Photo courtesy of Image ArtsMaggie Neal was crowned Mountain Brook High School’s Homecoming Queen at today’s pep rally.

News: 2-5 Features: 6-11 Sports: 14-18 Reviews: 19-21 Editorials: 22-23

Photo by Thomas CooneyThis idea board displays future design possibilites that aim to improve the study environment at MBHS.

Today, at the pep rally, senior Maggie Neal was crowned MBHS Homecoming Queen for 2014-15. Maggie can best be described as a great friend to everyone. As her parents, Beth and Chip Neal, note, “Maggie is kind and loyal to all. Perhaps because she has moved four times, she has learned to make friends easily.” Maggie’s fellow students in the halls of Mountain Brook High School know quite well how enthusiastic she can be about life because she always does her best to make sure those around her have fun. She appreciates a good joke. In fact, she loves Will Ferrell. Her mom says, “Maggie loves to laugh,

the Sword & Shield

→Homecoming events, page 3→Info on iLEARN, page 5→New teacher interviews, page 11→Coach Cooper retires, page 16→Jersey Belle, page 23IN

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Eand she thinks Will Ferrell is so funny. She would have a ton of fun with him!” Her mom adds, “She is both fun-loving and funny while also being conscientious about school work. She does not like to let anyone down, including herself.” A young woman who values spending time with her friends and family, Maggie still leaves plenty of time for numerous activities. Maggie works hard academically and puts forth her best efforts in the classroom while being involved in a variety of clubs within the school.

Vol. XLIX No. 1 Mountain Brook High School September 12, 2014

Please see “Library”Continued on page 3

By THOMAS COONEYStaff Writer

The MBHS library moves into the 21st century with new tech-nology and comfortable furniture designed for the student. The library has lagged behind the rest of the school system with updating technology, like new updates in the Jr. High library. The library staff and school board hope to make the space a more comfortable and efficient learning environment with the proposed updates. Currently, the PTO is providing funds for the updates. Principal Amanda Hood says, “Any excess funds raised by the PTO this year are going to the library update.” Because the time frame for the update depends on the funds raised

by the PTO, there is no confirmed start date. “We are doing this to meet the needs of the students,” says librar-ian Ms. Annalisa Keuler. “The library needs a more flexible space with more mobility to be able to have multiple classes and to be able to accommodate a lot of different technology that wasn’t available when this library was designed.” The library staff also hopes to meet students’ needs by adding new technology including charging stations for phones, new TVs, self-checkouts, and new laptops. The funds for the new laptops become available October 1. The added TVs will allow students and teachers to display images from the

2news Friday, September 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

By LILY SMITHStaff Writer

Students at the high school can expect major changes in cell phone policies this year. Many teachers have decided to enforce stricter policies concerning cell phone use due to problems in previous years. Mrs. Megan Hastings, a sophomore advanced English teacher, says, “I am trying to save students from them-selves and mitigate distrac-tions.” Although some of the teachers at MBHS have not implemented these new, stricter rules pertaining to cell phone use in the classroom, many have. Many teachers in the English and Language de-partments, along with a few oth-ers, have developed a system that involves a specific spot for students to “park” their devic-es during class. This spot may be a pocket divider, cubby, or even a table on which stu-dents place their phones. Mrs. Cathy Ivey, an ad-vanced chemistry teacher

for the tenth grade, says, “I generally allow students to keep their cell phones with them, as long as they do not have them out in class. They may only use them for class procedures or other educa-tional purposes.” Not surprisingly, students’ initial reactions to this new set of rules have not been very positive. Sophomore Ellen Waller is not a fan of the new policies. “I think that the new policies are unfair. I understand that teachers don’t want students on their phones while they’re teach-ing, but we should still be able to have our phones with us in class.” Despite the immediate negative reactions from the student body, teachers believe

that this will benefit stu-dents in the long run. The idea is that with fewer dis-tractions, stu-dents will pay more attention to what is happening in

class. This will in turn begin to be reflected

in students’ grades, at which point they will most likely be thankful for the stricter rules.

Letter from the editors

The Sword & ShieldCo-Editor-in-Chief: Claire DavisCo-Editor-in-Chief: John SissonManaging Editor: Chandler Gory

Art & Photography Editor: Mathilde SharmanNews Editor: Madeline Mitchell

Sports Editor: Alec LewisFeatures Editor: Margaret HeathOpinions Editor: Coke Matthews

Reviews Editor: Natalie JonesBusiness Manager: Sarah Beth Daniel

Staff Writers

Sponsors: Ms. Catherine Lowe and Mr. Peter Perez

Letters to the Editors PolicyThe Sword & Shield welcomes Letters to the Editors from its readers. We re-serve the right to edit any letters for grammar, length, or libel; however, the meaning will be preserved. Whenever possible, changes made with a letter will be discussed with the author prior to publication. All letters must be signed, but

names may be withheld upon request. Email letters to gosands@gmail.com.

The Sword & ShieldMountain Brook High School

3650 Bethune DriveMountain Brook, AL 35223Telephone: (205) 414-3800

Fax: (205) 969-8113

Printing made possible byAlabama Web Press

1793 Eva RoadCullman, AL 35055

Telephone: (256) 734-5104

It’s that time of year again. Boys are running around the hall begging girls to go to Homecom-ing with them, college football has put its spell over the whole population of the South and of course the change in weather has everyone’s sinuses all stopped up. Yep, it’s the wonderful season of fall. While all of you have been out spending your weekends on The Plains or in Tuscaloosa, members of The Sword & Shield have been incessantly working at a speed comparable to Auburn’s offense. With an early Homecoming this year, staff writers and editors have been furiously running

around trying to track down teachers and coaches for inter-views, scouring the mall for the best dressed students on dress up days and pecking at their keyboards to organize their scat-tered thoughts into somewhat coherent articles. Although we didn’t beat Hoover (again), there is still plenty of reason to celebrate. Break out the musty blue blazer, cram into those old high heels that hurt your feet and dance the night away at the Homecoming dance. Happy Homecoming!

Thanks for reading, Claire and John

Photo by Lily SmithLeigh Lewis places her cell phone in the classroom’s pocket divider.

Stricter cell phone policies

Thomas CooneyWill Davis

Carter EnnisCasey Fan

Scott Lepley

Leigh LewisCaroline Lowe

Jonathan McWaneLily Smith

Brooke Tucker

3newsFriday, September 12, 2014The Sword & Shield

Library, continuedcomputer directly on the TV screen through a sin-gle cable. The furniture in the library is also getting a makeover. The spine-altering wooden chairs are being replaced. “The library will have more updated products that serve the same purpose,” said Mrs. Hood. Big group study tables will accommodate study groups and full sized classes. Another addition is glassed off study areas. “In these collaborative spac-es, students can work together without disturbing others in the library,” said Mrs. Hood. “We are excited about the newly renovated space being an embodiment of the reading culture here at the school,” says librarian Ms. Sonya Jordan. “The design will create a collaborative environment for students working together.”

Photo by Thomas CooneyThe MBHS PTO will fund the new library updates to make the library a better study space.

By JONATHAN MCWANEStaff Writer

As expected, the anticipation was high for this year’s Homecoming events. Such occurrences as the annual carnival and Powderpuff football were no exception. The Powderpuff game is generally viewed as just a way for those who are participating to create silly nicknames to put on their t-shirts, while the annu-al Homecoming carnival is, simply put, an opportunity to have fun with your friends prior to Homecoming itself. The Powderpuff game is run by the Interact club, which is sponsored by Mrs. Katrina McGuire and Mrs. Holly Mar-tin. “The football team is who technically coaches the game, while the referees are Mr. Jeremy Crigger, Mr. Ben Hudson, Coach Joe Webb, and Coach Justin Ran-som,” Mrs. McGuire said. “At Mountain Brook, exactly 357 stu-dents signed up for the 2014 game, and we expect about ¼ of the girls to actually

play,” said Mrs. Mc-Guire. “The sopho-more team plays the junior team, and the winner of that game goes on to play the seniors.” Meanwhile, the Homecoming car-nival has been a consistent favorite of Mountain Brook stu-dents and teachers alike. The Student Government Asso-ciation (SGA) planned the entire event and reserved rides, while Spartan Pride, headed by Mrs. Jane Major, made food arrangements. “The carnival was held on the lower soccer fields this year,” said Mr. John Bi-net, who is the sponsor for the SGA. This was a change from the past few years in which the carnival has taken place on the

upper soccer field. “There was music from 6 o’clock until 8 o’clock, which is when the carnival typi-cally ends,” said Mr. Binet. As usual, the students were able to have a good time as both the carnival and Powderpuff were major successes and an important part of Mountain Brook’s Homecoming week.

Students enjoy Homecoming activities

Photo by Caroline LoweAnnie Somerville and Bill Perry flip burgers at the SGA-sponsered carnival.

Carnival and Powderpuff hit the mark again

4news Friday, September 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

By CASEY FANStaff Writer

A new school year is here, and Moun-tain Brook High School has created the new Spartan Card to accommodate the day-to-day activities of their students. While students have always had their student ID cards, the new Spartan Card has many more capabilities. While most students have never used anything like this before, Principal Amanda Hood says, “As there are more opportunities that require small amounts of money, the Spartan Card makes per-forming finances much simpler.” One advantage of the new card is that students can scan it in the lunchroom, thus not having to remember their lunch PIN anymore. The Spartan Card is di-rectly tied to students’ lunch accounts. Furthermore, the new ID card can be used at the Spot, the coffee bar, athlet-ic events, as well as the WEPA printing stations. While the Spartan Card can be utilized for all the above, the money for the various uses is tied to three different

accounts: one for the lunchroom, one for the WEPA printing stations, and one for everything else. Mrs. Hood adds, “Many colleges throughout the nation utilize ID’s very similar to the new capabilities of the Spartan Card, so it is a great skill for our students to be accustomed to such an innovation.” However, with anything comes po-tential drawbacks. Because student IDs haven’t been used regularly in the past, students may not think to carry their IDs

on them on a daily basis. Another con-cern is that if a student loses his or her ID card, someone else may steal it, but there are security measures, such as the picture on the ID, to be used for identification. When asked what she thought about the Spartan Card, junior Angela Fu says, “It’s hard to believe that a student ID can perform so much at once, but I think that it will make things easier for everyone alike.” Meanwhile, sophomore John Martin Weed says, “I’ve never had a student ID card because this is my first year at the high school, but I think it is a great idea!” Since the school year has just started, it is far too early to see the full impacts of the new Spartan Card, but the simplicity behind such a capable device points to a bright future. Unless it simply proves to be catastrophic, Mountain Brook High School will most likely keep this idea until further updates are needed.

Photo by Caroline Lowe Sophomore Lucy Chapman scans her Spartan ID card at the WEPA printing station.

New & Improved: MBHS debuts Spartan Card

5newsFriday, September 12, 2014The Sword & Shield

iLEARN: Opening new doors for MBHS students

By NATALIE JONESReviews Editor

Mountain Brook High School’s iLEARN (Learning Education by Assisting Rangers Now) program is, without a doubt, a unique but often undiscovered opportunity available to students here at the high school. Currently 14 students participate in the course, working in classrooms ranging from kindergarten to 3rd grade. Students in the program visit Brookwood Forest Elementary School (BWF) every day to assist teachers in their classrooms. The program enables MBHS students to engage in elementa-ry students’ learning and build valu-able one-on-one relationships with the students. “What we find is that learning is transferrable. Through the iLEARN program, students gain life skills that truly matter. They learn how to com-municate, how to teach to an audience, and how to lead,” said Mr. Nathan Pitner, Brookwood Forest Elementary School Principal. BWF students were quick to re-spond with why they loved having the MBHS students involved with their learning. Many of the kids felt like they received more individualized attention by having an additional “teacher” in the classroom. “Whenever I didn’t know how to solve a problem, my iLEARN teacher would always help me until I figured it out. Sometimes she would even

teach me new strategies if I still didn’t understand. It was easy to tell her that I didn’t know how to do something,” said 4th grader Ellie Keplinger. Many of the students liked having the additional attention with their ac-ademics, but BWF students seemed to most enjoy getting to know and inter-act with their iLEARN teachers. “My iLEARN teachers always make everything fun and cheer me up when they talk to me. It would be so different not having them there every day,” said 2nd grader Adriana Sciara, who has had an iLEARN teacher the past two years. While MBHS students contribute to the academic and social environment of their classrooms, the BWF students aren’t the only ones benefitting from the program. The course aims to bene-fit everyone involved and is tailored to fit each individual’s needs. “We aim to be a culture of growth, and we just haven’t seen many oppor-tunities where everyone grows as much as they do with the iLEARN program,” said Pitner. The program’s potential truly lies in its ability to support everyone involved. Teachers receive help in the classroom, students get hands-on experience with teaching, and BWF children gain ad-ditional encouragement and academic assistance. Pitner envisions the iLEARN pro-gram as eventually becoming an outlet for the infinite variety of talents and passions among the student body at the high school, allowing MBHS students the chance to explore the subjects they’re interested in through a hands-on approach. “We want to provide an opportu-nity for students to explore what they’re passionate about, have an authentic product

in terms of what they’re creating, and have an audience to investigate these passions with,” explained Pitner. Senior Grace Anne Latimer joined iLEARN last year in order to pursue her interest in elementary education. While she admits to not knowing what to expect at first, Latimer believes that deciding to participate in the program was the best decision of her academic career. “I’ve figured out what I want to major in from my experience last year working with the 3rd grade and special education. If it weren’t for this course, I would not have had the opportunity to explore elementary education,” she said. Latimer is just one of the many students who have been able to explore their passions through the program. Currently the program only covers four grade levels, but the end goal is for each classroom in all grade levels to have an assigned MBHS student. Because iLEARN began only three years ago, many students at the high school have yet to hear about the course. Pitner hopes that iLEARN will expand with more awareness about the program. So if you’ve got something you’re passionate about, love working and learning with others or simply want to see what it’s like to be the teacher for once, then consider applying for the iLEARN program when scheduling time rolls around.

Photo by Natalie JonesJunior Maggie Hightower listens intently to her small group of students.

Photo by Natalie JonesJunior Rachel Pugh hugs her iLEARN partner.

6News Friday, September 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

By MATHILDE SHARMANArt and Photography Editor

With the start of the school year came a change to the way students print: WEPA print stations. WEPA’s website, wepanow.com, describes its product as “a cloud based print solution developed specifically for higher education.” Principal Amanda Hood explained the school’s motivation for adopting the WEPA printer system in terms of stu-dent capabilities. “We’ve been looking at it for several years. When students go to college, they will be given some type of printing opportunity on campus, where they have to learn to manage printing costs. Bringing WEPA to our school is a way to develop that skill,” she said. Budgeting concerns also motivated administrators to look for a new print-ing solution. “There’s a financial aspect when looking at the cost of what our school was spending on printing, when students would print 80 pages and only need one. We were looking at the exor-bitant cost that was being wasted, so we looked at it from a financial lens so those resources could be allocated elsewhere for instructional purposes,” said Mrs. Hood. Concerning the financial side of the WEPA printers, Mrs. Hood discussed the agreement between the school and WEPA. “The company provides the print stations, toner and paper. What we have to do is preload 250 black and white pages into each student’s WEPA account, which can be accessed through the Spar-tan ID card. Mrs. Hood described the decision process to use Wepa in Mountain Brook. “There are several schools in the area that use the WEPA system, so we did a lot of research on how this was set up. We looked at those places and how it worked with schools that were much larger than ours,” she said. The new printers feature many capa-bilities designed to improve accessibil-ity for students. “The main difference between the old printers and the WEPA is students can print from anywhere—from an app or their own computers,” said librarian Ms. Annalisa Keuler. Despite the printing system’s abilities, students responded with mild concern to the printers. Some complained of the added time printing requires with

WEPA versus the system used in previous years. “I’ve used the WEPA printers three times. It was more time con-suming than the old printer system, and I had to type in a code several times before it would go through,” said senior Emily Owen Mendelsohn. “Even if I use the app to send my paper to the WEPA, I still have to come in the next morning like I did with the old printers. There is a bo-nus to being able to just pull my paper up on the printer, but printing by logging into a computer would only add a minute,” she added. Mrs. Hood commented on the issue of time and how to simplify printing. “The Spartan ID card is important because it expedites your login process; it makes the printing process much faster,” she said. While junior Helen Cath-erine Darby understands the changes that come with the WEPA, she is still concerned about its efficiency. “I’ve used the WEPA printers several times. I think it’s a good idea in principle, but the problem I have is that you’re not able to just print and pick up what you need. It takes a lot longer than a regular printer; when-ever I’ve tried to print there’s been a line,” she said. However, Darby admitted that the old printing system did create financial difficulties for the school. “It’s definitely more economical. Students are not wasting as much paper or ink, and it’s getting us prepared for college. I definitely see the benefits. We’ll have to make adjustments and ease into it; there’s a learning curve,” said Darby. Ms. Keuler emphasized the impor-tance of taking the time to learn how to use the WEPA printers. “If students are willing to come into the library and spend a few minutes with us walking through the process, they can ease their stress about WEPA. It’s going to take some time to get used to, and students will need to be patient.”

However, some students are adimant-ly opposed to the new system. “I’m just going to keep using my printer at home until I find myself in a situation where I need to use it. For me, I don’t like change. However, I know it was a huge cost to the school to let people print for free,” junior Alex Debruge said. Despite the concern, Mrs. Hood looks forward to students using the WEPA system with success. “Right now it’s a pilot. We’re going to look at and make adjustments as needed. If we need more printers, we’ll pursue more printers. I do think it’s about students making deci-sions and not waiting until the last min-ute and managing their time,” she said.

Administration urges student cooperation amid concern over new WEPA printers

Photo courtesy of MBHS Library

7FeaturesFriday, September 12, 2014The Sword & Shield

Just a Chat: Drum Captain Alex GrahamBy MADELINE MITCHELL

News Editor You just watched MBHS’s drum line kill it at the pep rally, and you’re excited to see them rev up the student section tonight. All of this jammin’ music has probably got you wondering, “Who are these rad individuals who consistently bring us quality entertainment?” Well, never fear, The Sword & Shield did some recon to satisfy that nagging question. Drum Captain Alex Graham shares his favorite quote, future plans, and what he would do if he had $1 mil-lion dollars.

The Sword & Shield: Let’s start with a big one. If you could give one piece of advice to a large group of people, what would it be?Alex Graham: “Even a broken clock is right two times a day.” I use that as inspiration when I’m evaluating input from other people. Even the least skilled people can be correct at times. Man that was good. I’m such a wordsmith.S&S: Even though you just quoted some-one else?AG: Yep.S&S: Ok. What is your favorite drum line memory?AG: Probably the first year of band camp when we went to Mentone. It was one of the hardest band camps we’ve had, but it was a lot of fun and a really good way to break into what it would be like in high school when we had drum line.S&S: What is your favorite school mem-ory?AG: Definitely the first day of senior year because it’s my last first day. S&S: I second that. SEN1OR5. Of the marching band shows you have per-formed, which is your favorite?AG: For sure [our halftime show from] 9th grade when we did the music of Motown, in which I played bass four (the second largest bass drum), and all with my left hand because my right arm was broken. I just had to overcome and adapt because I couldn’t turn my wrist.

S&S: So how did you break your arm?AG: I was on hardwood floors, wearing socks, when I slipped, fell backwards, and landed on my arm the wrong way. S&S: Ouch. If you could pick any theme for a marching band halftime show, what would you choose?AG: I would pick a Pink Floyd show because the musicality of it would be re-ally cool. The music that we could write would be awesome, and it would be cool for the drum line. For this year’s show, we’re doing a blend of front ensemble and battery percussion that could also be done with a Pink Floyd show.S&S: What would you say your favorite band, musician, or song is?AG: My favorite musician is a tie be-tween Gucci Mane and Lil’ Boosie. And Lil’ Wyte. Favorite song? “Show the World” by Lil’ Boosie and “You a Drug” by Gucci Mane. I also like “It Must Have Been the Roses” by Grateful Dead.S&S: Just before your 6th grade gradu-ation, when asked, “Where will you be when you’re 25?” you answered, “I will be alive!!!” Now that your high school graduation is not too far off, how would you answer that question now?AG: I want to have graduated high school with a decent GPA, then gone to Alabama and hopefully joined a fraterni-ty. I’ll have graduated college with decent grades, majoring in business or pre-law, and then either be attending law school or owning my own business.S&S: A man with a plan. I like it. You mentioned that your English teacher, Mr. Jeff Roberts, reads your class different poems every day. What has been your favorite poem so far?AG: One called “Mushrooms.” Even though it’s called “Mushrooms,” it’s not necessarily about mushrooms. Initially, I thought it was about the idea that wom-en are not valued in a patriarchal society.S&S: So what was the poem actually about?AG: That’s up to you to decide.S&S: If you were given $1 million, how would you spend it?

AG: I would immediately put $500,000 of it in a safety deposit box, and then I would set aside $150,000 for my college tuition. I would give $100,000 to each of my parents and my brother and then buy a decent car with the last $50,000.S&S: And lastly, do you have any hidden talents?AG: I don’t know about that. I can’t roll my tongue. I can’t snap. I can whistle though. S&S: Anything else? AG: I’m pretty good at the drums. (laughing)

Photo by Madeline Mitchell

Drum Captain Alex Graham leads the MBHS drum line during football season and enjoys listening to Gucci Mane and Lil’ Boosie in his free time.

8Features Friday, September 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

“Applause” will be heard when the MBHS Marching Band performs Lady Gaga

By MARGARET HEATHFeatures Editor

As football season rolls around, the marching band mem-bers are warming up their instruments and breaking out the ol’ razzle dazzle. Lady Gaga reigns supreme as the new show theme for this year. Be prepared as the band surprises you with their snazzy renditions of popular tunes such as “Ap-plause,” “Just Dance” and “Bad Romance.” Drum Major Anne Marie Bonds says, “It’s much differ-ent than anything we’ve ever done, and it’s much more fun. We’ve never done anything in this century, and it’s great to have something that’s so modern.” But more recent show music isn’t the only surprise the band has in store. They’ve got plenty more tricks up their

large, green sleeves. Band Captain Lillian Keith says, “There will be a dance. You didn’t think that band kids could get down, but we can get pretty down.” These surprises will make you want to “Just Dance” as the band breaks it down with the Dorians and Color Guard. The dance segment is a challenge for the band as they must try not to break an instrument or run into each other. Still, according to Keith, “It’s not just your stereotypical sway back and forth. It’s going to be cool.” The Dorians and Color Guard also have some key piec-es as they sashay down the field with their colorful flags. Speaking of flags, Color Guard Co-captain Anne Grey Cook claims, “We have some really cool flags this year; we have some that are 10 feet, some that are six, smaller flags and we have rifles.” These exciting new additions to the flag reper-toire allow the Color Guard to really stand out this year. The Color Guards’ other Co- Captain, Harper Alexan-der, says, “The Dorians and Color Guard are working really, really well [together]. The props are really different because Lady Gaga is kind of a freak. It’s just that they are different than what we normally would have had.” The culmination of these elements leads to a thrilling new show. Bonds says, “I’m excited about it.” The enthusiasm is palpable as the band looks forward to competitions and the upcoming marching season.

Photo courtsey of Ms. Kat Lawson The band and Dorians get funky on the field during the Lady Gaga halftime show.

9FeaturesFriday, September 12, 2014The Sword & Shield

Classroom Crashers make over teachers’ roomsBy CAROLINE LOWE

Staff Writer As students walked into Mr. Peter Perez’s English class room on the first day of school, the first thing that they noticed was the new layout. A large, interactive white board dominated the wall and comfortable sofas beckoned students. Those entering Mrs. Casey Truesdale and Mrs. Katrina McGuire’s classes were also greeted with new desks and chairs. Last spring, Mrs. Amanda Hood and the PTO devel-oped the Classroom Crashers program. Teachers wrote proposals for room make-overs, and Assistant Principal Lisa Walters organized a committee that selected the winners. The PTO was generous in helping to get the program underway. Mrs. McGuire said, “In order to enhance the environment in my class-room, the PTO contribut-ed money for the awesome Classroom Crasher Edition.” Ms. Walters added, “The money also came from the school’s general funding.” For the Classroom Crash-ers competition, teachers “essentially had to write a proposal about how the mon-

ey would impact instruction for the classroom and most effectively impact students’ learning,” said Mr. Perez. “I tried to envision the learning environment when consid-ering how I could inspire students.” Mr. Perez came up with two separate ideas for his classroom. He said, “One involved the re-arrangement of the classroom. I also, re-quested an interactive wall to engage my students.” The other two teachers had different approaches. Mrs. McGuire said, “I wrote a proposal for my room to have two times the whole work space, allowing room for a laptop and all school materi-als to complete classwork and homework.” Mrs. McGuire also got new flexible chairs. “They also are more comfortable to sit in for extended lengths of time. Everyone wants a comfort-able work environment. I think the new furniture will help students to create better quality work,” she added. Mrs. Truesdale’s makeover includes new tables and blue rolling chairs. She said, “The students can collaborate eas-ier, and I can teach anywhere in the classroom.”

The room makeovers are designed to help students learn better. Mr. Perez said, “I hope that the new white board will keep students interested, and I envision students using it to interact with the lesson.” He added, “It’s bigger and clearer than a regular white board, and stu-dents can’t learn if they can’t see the board. Plus, I expect to use it for collaboration.” Students seem to like the changes. Mrs. Truesdale said, “My students tell me that the chairs are comfortable, and they like sitting at a table and working together.” Junior Ella O Neill added, “I like that we have more space on the desk, and I love how the chairs support your

back.” Mr. Perez’s student, Sam Poole, said, “I like the white board because it’s much bet-ter than standing in front of a projector and getting blind-ed.” Ms. Walters shared that the purpose of the makeovers is to enhance student learn-ing. “I certainly do think the students will benefit from the new furniture. I think it helps teachers be more flexible in their classroom space and to engage students in a variety of ways.”

Photo by Caroline LoweJunior Robert Waudby interacts with the white board in Mr. Perez’s room.

10Features Friday, September 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

By SARAH BETH DANIEL Staff Writer The creativity of the students at MBHS never ends. The three probational clubs this year, R.E.A.D., Film Club and APC, make that apparent. Many students still came to the library for the new book club, R.E.A.D., even though it was not scheduled for the club period. Students sug-gested various books for the club to read. Books from “If I Stay” by Gayle Forman – to placate those who are romantic at heart – to “The Autobiography of Jack the Ripper” by James Carnac – to appease those with a sensible taste of the macabre. Students will also be split up into groups to read books suited to their tastes. In other words, guys won’t be forced to read the latest, tear-jerking romance novels. “I really just wanted to create a reading culture at the school,” explained Ms. Annalisa Keuler, who spon-sors the club with fellow librarian, Mrs. Sonya Jordan. R.E.A.D. gives students who enjoy reading but don’t have a venue in which to read and discuss books which interest them a place to do so. “I normally don’t have time to read,” sophomore Eleanor Swagler says. R.E.A.D. will be partnering with Film Club this year by reading a book that has been produced as a film. The two clubs will then watch the movie at their members’ only event.

Ethan Ron, president of the Film Club, comments, “It is part fun and part to show people all kinds of movies for the purpose of cultural education.” The movies will range from classic to contemporary, pre-chosen by the officers to be shown at events. Film Club events will occur once a month in the Black Box

Theater. “Silver Lining Play Book” will be playing a week after Homecoming for the club’s first student event. And what would a movie be without food? Officers vote for what food to bring to events for the students to enjoy. Anyone interested in this club may sign up with Mr. Matt Ferguson. Not all clubs are pure entertainment. APC is a club that meets a real need at MBHS, just as APC presi-dent, Junior Hailey Smith explains, “Last year there were a bunch of issues at the school with depression and anxiety.” Smith joined up with fellow junior Megan Beck,

the APC vice president, to found APC with the help of the counselors. “We realized we wanted to do something with the issues of the school,” Smith said. The goal of APC is to spread awareness of and help stu-dents deal with depression, suicide, and addiction. APC is actually a part of the Addiction Prevention Coalition – an Alabama, state-wide program – which spreads awareness of the abuse of drugs and alcohol. Students may attend Friday morning meetings as they wish, where breakfast will be served. APC will also have speakers come to talk to the club during some of the morning meetings. There is no formal sign up, but stu-dents may contact Smith or Beck for more information.

Going Clubbing at Mountain Brook High School

Photo courtesy of Mrs. Sonya Jordan Sophomore Emily Sykes and her friend enjoy their free time in R.E.A.D. with books.

11FeaturesFriday, September 12, 2014The Sword & Shield

By MADELINE MITCHELLNews Editor

As the new school year starts, a few classes of students are jumping for joy because they won’t be looking at the same teachers’ faces that they saw last year. Five new teachers have joined the Mountain Brook High School faculty this year, bring-ing with them, of course, their fresh new faces. In the 100 hall, Mrs. Amberly Burrow teaches Algebra II and Discrete Math. “I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” Mrs. Bur-row says, so when Mountain Brook offered her a position, she eagerly accepted. Walking into the classroom, students can see Mrs. Burrow’s collection of her own paintings: “I’m very crafty. I painted all of these pictures in my classroom.” When asked what would be on her perfect sandwich, Mrs. Burrow quickly replied, “Peanut butter and jelly, no questions asked. I love it!” In the counselor’s office, new 11th grade counselor Ms. Elizabeth Tiley would make her perfect sandwich “something toasted and warm with turkey, cheese, and bacon.” Originally from Tuscaloosa, Ms. Tiley lived in Hawaii for a year before beginning teaching at a school for troubled children. This experience led her to pursue guidance counseling full time. “As I was working at

the school, I was doing a lot [of] counsel-ing, so that’s what led me to go into school counseling.” Ms. Tiley has been a counselor for eight years. MBHS’s newest art teacher, Mr. Mi-chael Dudley, began his career in art as an architect but later became an art teacher at McAdory Middle School. Entering his sixth year of teaching, Mr. Dudley says, “I began teaching because it was something I’ve always wanted to do.” Mr. Dudley said, “I admire Japanese cul-ture because there is a ritual to everything. [The Japanese] don’t just build a building. They cultivate tradition and pass it down because it is sacred to the culture.” And his favorite sandwich? “A Cuban sandwich from this place in Vestavia. It’s very good.” Ms. Shannon Marks is the newest ad-dition to the 300 hall. Beginning her 11th

year of teaching as an English teacher, Ms. Marks began teaching out of her love of and aptitude for literature and writing and because she believed that she would enjoy working with kids every day. “Be confident and avoid regret,” Ms. Marks advises when asked her favorite words of wisdom. “And my perfect sandwich would be tomato, basil, and fresh mozzarella.” Can’t go wrong with that. Ms. Becton Morgan is the newest face behind a camera lens at MBHS as she begins her first year teaching high school photography. Though born in Alabama, she has lived all over the country, but moved back to Alabama to begin teach-ing. Ms. Morgan said, “I wanted a more rewarding career. I had amazing teachers in high school that really shaped who I am today. I’d like to be able to give back and do the same for MBHS students.” Ms. Morgan’s perfect sandwich is the Fisherman’s Deck which has grilled salm-on, lettuce, tomato, and Zunzi’s sauce from Zunzi’s, a restaurant in Savannah. “I would love to learn French,” Ms. Mor-gan says, “I know poquito Español only from living in Texas, but French is definite-ly on my bucket list.” And why did she come to Mountain Brook? “Because Mountain Brook is awe-some!”

Photo by Madeline MitchellMs. Burrow, a new teacher at Mountain Brook, works studiously with her students on a project.

Welcome to the Brook: MBHS’s New Teachers

J u n i o r sS o p h o m o r e s

S e n i o r s

Congratulations, Homecoming court nominees!

From left: Virginia White, Cate Harmon, Mary Seldon Andrews, Ellen Given, Maggie Neal, Emily Owen Mendelsohn

From left: Annie Lovelady, Charlotte McRae, Sophie Brint, Ellen Coleman Edwards, Adele Bird, Maggie Baker

From left: Grayson Gamso, Sally Neal, Brooke Holloway, Katherine Brian

Homecoming Fun

Photos by Caroline Lowe, Margaret Heath and courtesy of Greg Davis and Catherine Lowe

School Spirit

Go Spartans Go!

Red, White and Blue

Rock n’ roll Day PJ Day

14Sports Friday, September 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

By SCOTT LEPLEYStaff Writer

The high school cross country teams began their season Friday, August 29, in the Early Bird Twilight Classic under the lights at the University of Montevallo and continued Septem-ber 6 at Chickasaw Trails at Oakville Indian Mounds. The girls team is seeking a 12th straight state championship this season while the boys are looking to rebound after finishing 5th at state last year. This year’s boys team replaces only two runners who placed at last year’s state meet. Top runners for the season include Marshall Smith, Michael Clark, and Drew Williams. On the prospect of winning a state championship, Williams said, “We can definitely do it. We know it hasn’t been done in a while, but we know we can do it this year, and we need to start catching up with the girls at some point.” The girls team has not lost a state championship in the last 11 years and is expected to win yet again this year. Top re-turning runners include Jessica Molloy, Frances Patrick, and Anna Grace Morgan. Patrick said, “This team has a ton of talent and should defi-nitely compete for the state title for at least the next few years.” The girls team has high expectations set for themselves for the coming season.

Coach Greg Echols believes that both teams have potential to bring multiple championships to Mountain Brook. Echols said, “We have lots of young talent - especially on the boys side. We haven’t lost a ton from last year and won’t lose a ton next year. We’re a young team with a lot of potential.” The teams are stockpiled with talent of many underclassmen such as sophomores Parker Cobbs, Spencer Hinson, and Grif-fin Riley who are working to take this team to another state title.

Mountain Brook Cross Country teams seek state titles

Photo courtesy of William BloodworthThe JV girls team poses with their second-place trophy from the Chickasaw Trails meet.

15SportsFriday, September 12, 2014The Sword & Shield

By JOHN SISSONCo-Editor-in-Chief

As the new school year begins, many fall sports like football, volleyball, and cross-country stand in the spotlight. However, the baseball and track teams are also working hard during their off-season thanks to the help of Pure Perfor-mance. Mountain Brook graduate Thomas Twitty runs Pure Performance, a gym located in Liberty Park. Many athletes who compete for Mountain Brook High School work out at the gym. Because of the large number of Mountain Brook students, Pure Performance partnered with the track and baseball coaches last year to start training those athletes in the offseason. The hard work from last year cer-tainly paid off. The baseball team swept Vestavia to win its first Area champion-ship since 2008 and reached the quarter-finals of the state playoffs. The outdoor track team also had a successful season last year. The girls finished second at the state meet behind Hoover, and the boys finished third. During the summer, the Pure Perfor-mance staff was hard at work preparing for this year’s offseason. Several of their trainers received USA Track & Field certification in order to assist the athletes with their individual events. This year, Twitty revealed a new plan for the baseball offseason program in-

volving meal plans for each athlete and even higher levels of training than in the past. Trainer Brandt Thomas explained that this year in-volved more work-load and also more individual respon-sibility for each athlete. “We are supplying everything necessary for the athletes to get better, but we cannot supply the ‘will’ to get better.” The workouts are not just making these athletes stronger; they are seeing a direct correlation with their performance on the track or the diamond. Junior javelin thrower Mac McLaugh-lin said, “The biggest benefit of having someone there to train us with this pro-gram is that we are able to get stronger and in better shape so that we can com-pete at our highest level.” Junior pitcher Burt Bellande ex-pressed similar praise for the offseason program: “I do not know where I would be in my life if it wasn’t for Pure Per-formance. Coach Twitty has given me

the ability to know what it is like to com-pete at my highest level. I am thankful for the opportunity to get bulkier with him every day.” With an even tougher and more in-tense offseason program this fall, both teams are looking forward to see their efforts pay off this spring.

Photo by John SissonJunior Luke Hartman prepares for the upcoming baseball season.

Pure Performance taking offseason workouts to a new level

16Sports Friday, September 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

By ALEC LEWISSports Editor

For the last 22 years of Mountain Brook athletics, one man has spearheaded every coaching decision, every facility renovation, and most notably, every championship. Mountain Brook Athletic Director Terry Cooper is retiring next month after 38 years of Spartan duties. He began as a basketball coach and has finished as the director of athletics for a program that now boasts 148 state championships. “There are so many people I’m thankful for,” Coach Cooper said. “From teachers to coaches, to players, to students and to the community itself. It’s been a phenomenal opportunity for me to be a part of this school system.” Over the years, Mountain Brook athletics has grown in countless ways. Holistically, the growth of each and every girls and boys program, individually, has shaped the way those view Mountain Brook. “Our school system has always done a great job of balancing that,” Cooper said. “I do feel like that sets us apart from a lot of school systems and a lot of schools. We have had a philosophy to have an overall successful athletic program. It hasn’t mattered if it was tennis, softball, baseball, volleyball or basketball; what has mattered is that the student athletes in those programs believe that their team is the most important.” As the football and volleyball teams have kicked off their seasons this past month, it’s hard to overlook the support and the resources that Cooper has provided. From facility improvements such as the new football field house to student-

attendance at the volleyball games, so much has been done, all at the hands of Cooper. “Coach Cooper loves this school. He loves this community, and he’s given almost four decades of his life to Mountain Brook,” said Spartan head football coach Chris Yeager. “I think Coach Cooper’s legacy will be that every program was just as important as the next. Coach Cooper has been great at maintaining balance, and I don’t know that we’d be where we are today without him. He takes so much off of me and has always told me he’d do the peripheral things, and he has.” This past year, Mountain Brook basketball won their second straight championship. As a coach that began to lay the foundation for that program almost 40 years ago, the team’s success has allowed Cooper’s work to come full circle. This month, Cooper will be retiring and the school will hire his successor. How does Cooper project the future of this school’s athletics? “I feel like the best days are ahead. This school system does a great job in transition. We have enjoyed greatness or success for years. I feel like the next person will be able to take us to a new and better level. It may be different, it should be different. They’ll have different ideas, different ways of doing things, and I believe all of that is positive.”

Coach Cooper retires after 22 years of being Mountain Brook’s Athletic Director

Photo by Alec LewisCoach Cooper stands in front of the various trophies he’s helped win over the years.

17SportsFriday, September 12, 2014The Sword & Shield

By WILL DAVISStaff Writer

Coming off one of the greatest seasons in program history, the Mountain Brook volleyball team is looking to improve even more in 2014. The Spartans lost just one player to graduation from a team that made it all the way to the AHSAA elite eight last season and was eventually one of the final four teams standing. Needless to say, expectations are high entering the 2014 season. "We feel like we can win a state championship," coach Haven O’Quinn said about her team. "It does not matter if you won last year or have never won one, that is the ultimate goal." “We want to be the best ball control team in the state of Alabama,” senior Kendall Crumbaugh said. Last year, the Spartans entered the season under the

radar, a season in which one of their star players admitted they exceeded expectations. “I think that last year we definitely were not expected to do as well as we did,” junior Sara Carr said. This year will be different with Mountain Brook being looked at as one of the prime contenders for the 7A state championship, but the Spar-tans are focused on the task at hand, not the pressure around them. “I don’t think (the pres-sure) will faze us,” Carr said. Crumbaugh agreed saying, “There is no bad pressure.” Carr, who was the Bir-mingham News South volley-ball player of the year, returns as does senior defensive spe-cialist Julia Smith, who is the reigning Birmingham News all-metro player of the year. In addition to Carr and Smith, junior setter Sara Chandler Mitchell was also named to

the Birmingham All-Met-ro team, while senior Abby Garret was named honorable mention as an outside hitter. The team began their sea-son in Orlando with a tour-nament from August 27-31. Mountain Brook went 6-1 in the tournament. The Spartans home opener was held Sep-tember 3 against Hoover and

resulted in a five set loss to the Buccaneers. Key upcoming dates in-clude road games against Vestavia and Hoover, two 7A teams the Spartans are look-ing to beat in hopes of anoth-er playoff run.

Volleyball team looks to replicate historic season

Photo by Will Davis Girls volleyball team huddles up for an inspirational talk.

18Sports Friday, September 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

By ALEC LEWISSports Editor

Playing on a brand new turf and pre-paring in a fully-furnished field house, the Mountain Brook football team has hit the field and is primed to duplicate the heart and the fight of last year’s team. “To me, the thing that’s exciting is that the desire and the demand of this football program have only continued to grow,” Spartans coach Chris Yeager said. “With this new field house and all of the new fa-cilities fully renovated, things are great for Mountain Brook football.” This past week, Mountain Brook faced Hoover in a rematch of 2011’s season-defy-ing game, as the then-undefeated Spartans defeated the undefeated Buccaneers for the first time since 1984. This time around, both teams were win-less as Hoover was defeated in its first two games and Mountain Brook was unable to get past Huntsville in the Spartans’ first game, losing 22-21. Hoover, boasting seven division-one signees and two straight state championship rings, was able to defeat the Spartans, 12-0, thanks to as athletic a defense as there is in all of high school football. Mountain Brook began by feeding the ball to seniors Drew Odum and John Ea-gan, allowing the Spartans to run the clock and keep the score close.

Mountain Brook was able to hold Hoover’s points to a minimum in the first half with solid defense and tackling by junior Joe Donald as well as seniors George Eagan and Ridley Culp, and by the third quarter, the Spartans trailed only 3-0. “I’m very proud of the way the defense played Friday night,” said senior quarter-back Jacob Carroll. “They set the tone in the first quarter that we weren’t going down with a fight. From an offensive stand-pont, to play against Hoover’s defense or the Spartan defense, I’d pick Mountain Brook’s every time.” Then, in the second half, Hoover’s speedy wide receiver Alex Elam made a move past a Spartans cornerback and caught a 68-yard touchdown pass, extending Hoover’s lead and ultimately allowing the Bucs to take down the Spartans. “I thought we would have our opportu-nities, and if our defense played well, which they did, and we could be opportunistic

on offense we could have our chances,” said Yeager. "But we missed a field goal; we dropped some passes. I didn’t think we would get many opportunities. They’re not going to give people many oppor-

tunities so you better make the most of them when you get them, and we didn’t.” This week’s home-opener and Homecom-ing game against Thompson, a team that has begun this season with three straight losses, is one that Mountain Brook is most certainly looking to win.“We’re trying to have a good week of prac-tice going into this game. We’re hoping we can come together as a unit and get our first win,” said Donald. As Mountain Brook’s defense looks to continue their early season success, the Spartans are looking to advance past regional foes Spain Park, Vestavia, and Hewitt-Trussville on their way to a solid year in new class 7A.

Spartan Football aims to succeed in first 7A season

Photo courtesy of Image Arts Senior Drew Odum breaks away from defenders on a kick return.

19ReviewsThe Sword & Shield

By CARTER ENNISStaff Writer

Behold the Samurai, elite war-riors whose skill in the art of death has become the stuff of legends. The current Lethal Beauty ex-hibit at The Birmingham Museum

of art displays the arms and armor of these world renowned knights until September 21. For only just $10, you can see what is easily one of the most inter-esting exhibits the museum has offered in quite some time. Lethal Beauty features three complete armor sets, each with exquisite detail and distinct personality. The pieces shown are true works of art, with patterns, meticulous designs, and calligraphy adorning the surface of every helmet, cuirass and mask on dis-play. The weapons in the exhibit are certainly on par with the armor. Not only are they often illuminated

with precise designs that reflect an-cient Japanese culture, but also the craftsmanship is outstanding. The blades on display were obviously not meant for just cutting butter. They have all been magnificently

curated too, giving eating a fine reflective surface. Along with these tools of war-fare is a collection of artifacts which complement the subject matter well. These paintings, sketches and writings help to show feudal Japan’s societal aspects in a way that no mere plaque on the wall could. They offer insight into not only the lives of the Samurai, but the Japanese proletariat, which is something Western media often fails to address. The exhibit’s only drawback is that it is too short. The exhibit is only about three rooms long and can be thoroughly looked over in 30 minutes. This fault, however, is easily overshadowed by the amount and richness of the items on dis-play. All in all, the Lethal Beauty exhibit is one of the best ways one can spend $10 in Birmingham. If you have an interest in the Samurai, have seen a Samurai movie at some point, or just like looking at sharp objects, then you should head down the Birmingham Museum

of Art and take a gander at Lethal Beauty. You will not be disappoint-ed.

The Art of Death on display at Birmingham Museum of Art

Friday, September 12, 2014

Photo by Carter EnnisLethal Beauty, an exhibit about Japanese Sa-muri art, is on display.

20Reviews The Sword & Shield

Putting protein bars to the ultimate test...

Because protein is an essential part of one’s diet, it’s no shock that protein bars are slowly gaining popularity. These nutrient-rich bars are an easy on-the-go snack, and most are extremely tasty. But protein bars are no different from any oth-er processed food. Although they are marketed as a healthy op-tion for people to consume necessary nutrients, most protein

bars are as unhealthy as other machine-made, highly artificial snacks. The Sword & Shield hit up the local grocery stores to put protein bars to the ultimate test. Which bars are truly natural, and which bars are merely fake?

Rating: 5/5Taste: Über bars come in eight different flavors, all made fromwhole fruits and nuts. The Apple Turnover bar is exceptional for people who like apples and walnuts. This bar

is surprisingly fresh and natural compared to origi-nal Lärabar bars. Nutrition: Three grams of protein, 190 calories, ten grams of fat and 21 grams of carbohydratesSpecial Benefits: Über bars are gluten free and contain only natural ingredients.Verdict: Über bars are tasty, healthy and natural, and they consist of many important nutrients.

Lärabar Über: Apple Turnover

Clif Bar: Blueberry Crisp Rating: 3/5Taste: Clif Bars come in a large variety of flavors such as Banana Nut Bread, Apricot, Chocolate, and Chocolate Mint. One of the most popular flavors is Blueberry Crisp. Its taste is similar to that of a blueberry muffin, which is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Nutrition: Ten grams of protein, 250 calories, five grams of fat and 43 grams of carbohydratesSpecial Benefits: Clif bars are not made with any high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors or synthetic preservatives.Verdict: The Clif Blueberry Crisp bar has a natural taste and is moderately healthy, but they are definitely not the best addition to one’s diet.

Photo by Leigh Lewis

Photo by Leigh Lewis

By LEIGH LEWISStaff Writer

21ReviewsFriday, September 12, 2014The Sword & Shield

Rating: 4/5Taste: Grab the Gold Bars come in only one flavor: chocolate-peanut butter. Tasting somewhat like a Reese’s candy, these bars have an appealing taste. Although the bar is made with all natural ingredients, they do not look “all natural.” In other words, they are mushy brown bars that are not even the slightest bit enticing.

Nutrition: 11 grams of protein, 193 calories, five grams of fat and 25 grams of carbohy-dratesSpecial Benefits: Gold bars are gluten free, vegan, dairy free and high in fiber. They also contain no high fructose corn syrup and no preservatives. Verdict: Grab the Gold Bars are made with all natural ingredients and are a healthy option. The unappetizing appearance of these bars can be easily overlooked after taking only a small bite.

Grab the Gold Bar

Rating: 1/5Taste: Lärabar bars come in over 20 unique flavors such as Carrot Cake, Cappuccino and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. The Peanut Butter Cookie bar is overly sweet and tastes very artificial.Nutrition: Seven grams of protein, 220 calories, 12 grams of fat and 23 grams of carbohydratesSpecial Benefits: Lärabar bars are gluten free, dairy free, soy free and vegan.Verdict: With only three ingredients, this bar is extremely natural. However, the bar’s unappealing taste overrides its healthiness.

Larabar: Peanut Butter Cookie

Rating: 5/5Taste: Kind bars are made with all natural ingredients, and they taste noticeably fresher than most other protein bars. The Almond and Coconut bar has a perfect amount of sweetness; it tastes of roasted coconut and a hint of honey with an added crunch from the almonds. The bar’s taste greatly surpassed all other bars.Nutrition: Three grams of protein, 190 calories, 12 grams of fat and 21 grams of carbohydratesSpecial Benefits: Although this bar has only a small amount of protein, it is a great source of fiber and is gluten free.Verdict: The Kind Almond and Coconut bar is a perfect source of nu-trients. With all natural ingredients and great benefits, there are almost no negatives to the bar.

Kind Bar: Almond and Coconut

Photo by Leigh Lewis

Photo by Leigh Lewis

Photo by Leigh Lewis

22Opinions Friday, September 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

Were he around, Sir Walter Raleigh would be quaking in his boots. I bet he never thought there would be a day when someone could have their nicotine fix without his precious tobacco, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. Ok, maybe that isn’t the best expression to use considering the subject matter, but the ever growing e-cigarette industry isn’t something that we can ignore. Ac-cording to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), from 2011-12, e-cigarette usage nearly doubled among high school age students, adding to the 23.2%

of students who already use tobacco products. I spoke to Mr. Jeremy Crigger, and it seems like MBHS falls right along those national trends: “You know, I would say going back three years ago I probably had one or two that year. Last year I think I probably took up a total of maybe five, and this year, I’ve already gotten one.” But what’s

so special about these e-cigarettes? Theoretically, they can be used as a form of NRT (Nicotine Replace-ment Therapy). They mimic all the actions of smoking and supply the much needed nic-otine that smokers are after, so when cigarette users remember the fact that smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer in America, they can go pick them-

selves out a brand new e-cigarette. And it shouldn’t be hard to come across one. You see them marketed heavily on TV and in social media. Even celebrities have used them at awards shows. It’s like a blast from the past.

E-cigarettes are being mar-keted just like cigarettes were back when ev-eryone started smoking. E-cigarette companies are campaigning hard for their products, reit-erating again and again that their products are safe and help people quit smoking. But I just don’t buy it.

First of all, you can’t claim something is safe with-out knowing the long-term effects of it. Plus, how can they really be any safer than just smoking a

regular cigarette? Though compa-nies say there aren’t any harmful chemicals in their e-cigs, nicotine is still involved, and that’s what causes people to become addict-ed. Honestly, why do cigarette smokers even need e-cigarettes? Using nicotine gum and smoking patches work just fine, so why not use those? Using an e-cig is just like transferring one addiction to another. It’s not really quitting if you’re still consuming nicotine, right? Then, to make matters worse, e-cigarettes aren’t regulated by the FDA, and there’s little to no information on what effect e-cigs have on pregnant women and their babies. So maybe Sir Walter Raleigh would be sitting around laughing and puffing on his e-pipe. Who knows? Maybe e-cigarettes won’t even stick around. But, based on trends, I don’t think they’re going anywhere anytime soon. Though they may be unregulated and potentially unsafe, people contin-ue to use them, hopping on the e-cigarette bandwagon in growing numbers.

By CHANDLER GORY Managing Editor

First e-mail, then e-books, now e-cigs

The USA will send a team full of NBA stars to compete in the International Basketball Federation (“FIBA”) tournament in September. However, from the moment NBA superstar Paul George suffered a gruesome compound fracture to his leg during a USA basketball practice game, a debate has raged about whether NBA stars should risk serious injury by participating in such tournaments. After the initial shock of seeing such an awful injury, fans like me quickly lined up on either side of the issue. My opinion has evolved since that first reaction.

Thanks to television, com-mercials and ESPN, we’re con-stantly taught that to be chosen to represent our country is the ultimate honor. We invented basketball, our NBA stars rep-resent the pinnacle of achieve-ment in the sport and we like to show off just how much better we are than everybody else. Consequently, there’s an intense group of fans that feel that Paul George absolutely should be participating and that the honor of playing on America’s team far exceeds the risk of a career-ending injury. God Bless

America! Shut up and play! FIBA will make millions on this tournament. The star players in America volunteer and even compete for a spot on the team. Neither the NBA nor the individ-ual teams that draft, employ and invest millions in these young stars get a dime. Should this matter? At the very least, I agree with Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Maver-icks, who argues that the NBA team should share in the financial benefit if they are allowing their stars to risk injury for the good old USA. But Cuban and I may be missing

the most im-portant point. None of the NBA players have come out against partic-ipating in this or other inter-national bas-ketball events. Whether Cuban adds to his billions is not their issue. They grew up playing the sport they love and have achieved the highest level in their profession. They want to play. They want to represent their country. They want to enjoy the camaraderie that they can’t experience during the NBA season when they’re busy compet-ing against each other for a title. Each star that has given an inter-view says first, that they’re heart-broken for Paul George, but then quickly add that injuries are part of the game. My early opinion against our players’ participation in these tournaments has shifted. The USA team is now back on the court after a brief break. Even after the scary injury to Paul

George, other NBA stars are eager to join our country’s team and play on this worldwide stage. Rather than complaining about the injury to one of my favorite players, or about all the money involved, I now find myself eager to simply watch our best players go up against the rest of the basketball-loving coun-tries. If love of the game and their country and respect for each other are good enough reasons for the players, then they’re good enough for me.

By COKE MATTHEWSOpinons Editor

Would you break a leg for your country?

Cartoon by Sarah Beth Daniel

Photo courtesy of www.sporttechie.comTeam USA gears up for scrimmage.

23OpinionsFriday, September 12, 2014The Sword & Shield

Mountain Brook: home to all the filthy rich, snobby, know-it-all, sassy, inappropriate, rude and obnoxious. Well, at least that’s how Jaime Primak Sullivan, the main character in Bravo’s new reality TV show “Jersey Belle” portrays us.

First of all, let’s just get one thing straight; she doesn’t even live in Mountain Brook. Sulli-van lives in an area of Cahaba Heights, which is considered Vestavia Hills territory according to Mountain Brook officials. In fact, most of the Belles on the show don’t live anywhere near the villages. So how can someone who doesn’t even live in Mountain Brook act like she has been living there her whole life? Although she doesn’t even live here, she is portraying the Tiny Kingdom as one big, ob-noxious and immature community. Mountain Brook is known for its classy, southern culture. After this new reality TV show, all the positive attention Mountain Brook has gained over the years will disappear thanks to “Jersey Belle.” Sullivan might be trying to be the funny one of her little circle of friends, but to TV viewers, she is crude and tacky. The show is only enter-taining because it is so ridiculously fake. “Every Mountain Brook woman loves her silver,” exclaimed Sullivan in her awful accent

in the season premier. HA! Please, give me a break! What would she know about Mountain Brook women? Oh, wait, that’s right, she doesn’t know anything. Nice try, Sullivan, but “every Mountain Brook woman” knows the difference between a sweet southern accent and a fake one. Sullivan is demonstrating not only how much of an embarrassment she is to the town, she is representing the city of Mountain Brook as a whole. The show is casting the city in an undesirable, negative light. Bravo apparently needs to dig a little deeper. People in a show about Mountain Brook should actually be from or live in Mountain Brook. Background checks on the "stars" should definitely be in order.

Jersey Belle invades Tiny Kingdom

By BROOKE TUCKERStaff Writer

It’s that time of year again, folks. The leaves are turning brown, the sun rises later than it used to, we rise earlier than we’re used to and boys have been spotted swapping ideas in the halls on how to ask a girl to Homecoming. For the past few weeks, it hasn’t been unusual to see an especially eager boy standing in someone’s parking spot with flowers or anx-iously stuffing balloons into a girl’s locker before she gets to school. It’s not even that unusual to see chalked murals depicting very fancy word art and stick figures asking the age old question: “Will you go to Homecoming with me?” The boys slave over making the entire event perfect and remark-able beyond reproach, which is sad considering the amount of time the girl takes to give her answer. These originally uncharacteristic spottings have become a social norm, and that is a problem. My point is that it IS an age old question. Boys have been asking

girls to Homecoming since there even was a Homecom-ing dance. Up until a few years ago, it was about as low-key as nonchalantly ask-ing your girlfriend or a girl friend in a side conversation. Then, suddenly, the unique bug hit MBHS like swine flu. It isn’t enough anymore to simply talk to the girl; now, as a boy, you have to prac-tically woo her in hopes of bribing her into attending a school dance. Besides having

to come up with an idea, it has to be new, sweet and better than any other before the beginning of time. Even couples that have been going steady for years have to ask creatively because face-to-face conversation isn’t fascinating enough. Girls, why do we ask so much of our dates? They just want to hang out with us at a dance and maybe dance a little. Why do we ask them to impress us and bribe us with chocolate chip cookies that spell in green and gold icing what we knew was coming all along? If we keep this trend going, our own kids will have to recite Shakespearean monologues to our friends’ daugh-ters outside their physics class or learn the art juggling flaming torches just to spell the question HOMECOMING? Do we really want to ruin the next generation’s lives as they go through flaming hoops just to hang out with girls for one night? Yes, it makes us feel

special and loved, but the whole world isn’t ready to handle that much creativity and cookie dough, much less our little high school. Not to mention that I haven’t heard anything about girls scram-bling to ask boys to our debutante balls in new and fascinating spec-tacles. Granted, I think that maybe girls in general don’t scramble, but we aren’t reciprocating the favor done to us for Prom and Home-coming. Furthermore, this charade puts pressure not only on the boys who come up with this crazy stuff, but also on the girls who are asked and turn the guy down. By making a simple question into a public

display of affection, the girl feels pressured to accept the offer, even if she doesn’t want to go to Home-coming at all. This whole intricate cat-and-mouse game between boys and girls over one simple dance has gone too far. As a girl, I do not think we should pressure the boys to cater to our dream dates and Holly-wood ideals. We may not live to fulfill the high school experience of our wishes, but we should expect the biggest and best as the social norm. It becomes a public show-boating exercise and puts undue pressure on both the boys and the girls.

American Horror Story: Homecoming Dates

By CLAIRE DAVISCo-Editor in Chief

Cartoon by Claire Davis“Oh, this? I just whipped it up from some scrap metal and lightbulbs in my back-yard, welded it together on the weekends, and set it up in your parking spot at 4 o’clock this morning, coordinating the fireworks with your arrival. So....?”

Best All Around:Cate HarmonStephen Little

Most Likely to Succeed:Natalie JonesVince Bolus

Most Intellectual:Ellie NaffCasey Fan

Most Active in theCommunity:

Madalyn RosenthalPaul Roth

Best Personality:Mary Seldon Andrews

Tucker Deaton

Most School Spirit:Katie Reiss

Cooper Barnes

Most Athletic:Abby GarrettDrew Odum

Most Talented in Writing:Claire Davis

Lewis Fitzpatrick

Most Talented in Music:Emily Sink

Andrew King

Most Talented in Drama:

Hampton AdamsHunter Stanley

Most Talented in Art:Kelley Jiang

William Pankey

Best Looking:Mary Farley Stevens

Will FreemanAndrew Frese

Cutest:Hannah Louise Perkinson

Angel Reglero

Best Dressed:Findlay Shelfer

John Eagan

Friendliest:Ann Hollon Morris

Ben Rysedorph

Wittiest:Cile Baker

Quint Jones

SeniorSuperlatives

Maggie is a member of both the National and French Honor Societies. She also is involved in First Priority, the Ambassadors, Natural Helpers, and the Key Club. For the past five years, Maggie has been a key member of Mountain Brook’s varsity and junior varsity volleyball teams. Her mom says, “Besides volleyball, she loves to run and go to fitness classes.” Away from school and the volleyball court, Maggie works hard, spending the past three summers as a lifeguard and afternoons during the school year as a nanny. She also is involved with her church youth group. For several years, she has donated new toys and books to children at Preschool Partners and participated in Angel Tree adoptions. “Maggie is a motivator and an up lifter,” her mom says. “She has a very positive attitude and she loves to help the underdog.”

When asked what Maggie would bring if stranded on a desert island, her mom did not hesitate in saying “her Bible” while jokingly adding, “her cell phone, of course!” Her parents note that Maggie wants to serve others as an adult. “When Maggie ‘grows up’, she wants to be a teacher,” says her mom. “She has always said she wants to make a difference in someone’s life.” Whether that is at Auburn or Clemson—her two choices for college—Maggie’s conscientious approach to school work will serve her well. As is custom, this afternoon, Maggie will bring up the end of the traditional 2:30 p.m. Homecoming parade. Her father, Chip, is scheduled to escort his daughter during the halftime festivities tonight. At that time, following the introduction of the Homecoming court, Maggie Neal will be crowned Mountain Brook High School’s 2014-15 Homecoming Queen.

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION: The Mountain Brook School system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or age in any of its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries re-garding nondiscrimination policies: Dr. Dale Wisely—Director of Student Services (Title VI), (wiselyd@mtnbrook.k12.al.us); Mrs. Sylvia Harper—Personnel Director (Title IX), (harpers@mtnbrook.k12.al.us); Dr. Missy Brooks—Director of Instruction (Title II), (wildman-brooksm@mtnbrook.k12.al.us); Mrs. Shannon Mundy—Special Education Director (Section 504), (mundyl@mtnbrook.k12.al.us). Contact Information: 32 Vine Street, Mountain Brook, AL 35213, 205-871-4608.

Photo courtesy of Beth and Chip NealMaggie Neal flashes her sweet smile from an early age.

24Homecoming Friday, September 12, 2014 The Sword & Shield

“Queen,” page 1

Sophomores:Brooke HollowayCarter Kampakis

Class FavoritesJuniors:

Adele BirdJackson Kidd