NBHS Beacon

After extensive fundraising, the NBHS marching band has received brand new uniforms. The band is responsible for hyping fans up during assemblies and sporting events, in addition to their own concerts and competitions.

Sophomore Xander Knoebel said, “Having a new uniform makes me excited to perform at whatever upcoming events we have, especially since it has been a long time since we’ve gotten new uniforms and performing in something new is exciting as well.”

The band worked hard to raise the $50,000 to buy these uniforms by doing many different fundraisers, the biggest one being the Boston Butt fundraiser which brought in a large amount of money.

The uniforms are a dark burgundy red, black, gray, red, and a hint of silver exhibiting school colors, with the Gamecock symbol in the right hand corner. Having a new uniform can bring more excitement to performing, as well as looking nice and sharp while performing for a large crowd.

Valentine’s Day took place earlier this week, and there was no shortage of festivities at NBHS. Candygrams were sold all throughout February at break until Valentine’s Day when they were delivered. The candygrams were sold and promoted by students in Senior Beta. Gamecock TV highlighted couples around the school in a special segment. NBHS also hosted a Sweetheart Social on February 13th during an extended break where treats were given out.

Linda Boykin, sponsor of senior beta, said, “It gives [students] the opportunity to show kindness and friendship between each other.”

Although this is the extent of New Brockton’s celebration of Valentine’s Day, there could always be the addition of more. Boykin suggested, “A good choice would probably be a dance – let [students] dress up and have fun.”

This idea fits in with the core themes of the holiday as well as NBHS’s past tradition of hosting a Valentine’s dance.

Sophomore Mark Register was recently in a side-by-side ATV accident while riding around with some friends. He had a severe arm injury in his left arm, leaving it shattered so badly he had to have metal plates surgically implanted.

Aiden Bryant, sophomore, witnessed the crash.

“I was most definitely worried when I saw that he had flipped on the ranger; he was really messed up when I saw his arm,” he said.

Bryant called sophomore John Vernon for help.

“He told me Mark had flipped the ranger so I went over there and rode the ranger back to Aiden’s. Mark was taken to the hospital so I stayed with Aiden to see him the next day,” Vernon said.

Since the surgery, Register has been attending physical therapy. He says it’s painful, but helpful in the long run.

He originally intended to return to school during exam week, but now hopes to be back for the last few days before spring break, after his upcoming doctor’s appointment.

Prom is right around the corner and the upperclassmen of NBHS are excitedly looking forward to it. The event will be Saturday, April 1st, 2023 at 7pm at the Gilded Oaks (9 Co Rd 517, Elba, AL, 36323). The theme is “Roll Out The Red Carpet.”

“I’m really excited to get my first prom experience! I feel like prom will be even more exciting than Homecoming because Homecoming was a long week of events and also, it’s mainly upperclassmen,” junior Daven Cavanaugh said.

A lot of preparation goes into prom. From having to buy dresses and suits to finding the perfect shoes and hairstyle, the whole process is one of the best parts about prom.

“Dress shopping was really fun, because trying on all the dresses made me feel pretty much like a princess,” said senior Dakota Nowell.

If you’re a senior attending prom, you can choose to be honored through the Senior Walk-Out, when the seniors at prom are introduced and walk down the aisle to be recognized.

One of the most important things to remember about prom is safety. Whether it’s before, during, or after the event, be sure to make smart decisions and watch out for the others around you.

The majority of guys are simple in their wants and needs. Most really don’t care for anything big, flashy, or expensive. A good way to put it is that all the small things make a difference.

“Most guys want some form of candy or food,” said sophomore Jared Petitt.

Sophomore Baylon Foster suggests, “A bracelet or something.”

On the other hand, some just simply want their emotional needs to be fulfilled this Valentine’s Day.

“Most guys, if they’re honest, probably just want a girlfriend on Valentine’s Day,” said sophomore Aiden Sizemore.

That might not sound that simple but if you think about it from a guy’s point of view, nine times out of ten it will be pretty easy to guess what they would want.

This can range from lunch, some kind of candy, or maybe a meaningful trinket. If that seems too stressful, some comfort can be taken from the fact that most guys are probably okay with anything they get, as long as it’s not useless or thoughtless. All in all, getting a guy a gift is a lot less complicated than you might think.

The 2023 State Beta Convention took place on February 23-24 and many NBHS students took home awards. The marketing and communications team consisting of Preston Bourne, Nashanna Harris, and Destiny Swope won 2nd place in their competition. “I felt amazing and like I did good. Our teamwork pulled through and we managed to get second.” Nashanna Harris placed 3rd in the Photography competition. In the onsite drawing competition, Hannah Wilson placed 3rd. “I feel like I gave it my all and that I deserved the place I got,” Wilson said.

Many who attended thought the convention went really well. “I really enjoyed the competitions and the suspense of waiting to see if we placed in any of the competitions,” senior Noah Nolin. “My favorite part was being able to travel as a group, allowing me to get to know everyone better and make a lot of good memories,” said junior Kennedy Kimbrough, who also attended the convention. For any upcoming or current beta members who are considering competing in the Beta Convention whether virtually or in person, the experience is well worth it.

The legal age to be tattooed is 16 (with a parent signature until 18), but some parlors still won't give minors tattoos, believing this is too young to make responsible decisions.

I believe one’s personality and uniqueness can be expressed through tattoos. They can also promote social bonding with others, and honor a loved one.

Parents should learn how to give us a chance and let us have tattoos. If parents don’t let us, then teens might go behind their backs.

My dad, Jimmy Adams, said “You should be at least 18 because you will be an adult so you can make your own decisions.”

I have heard about people getting tattoos and they're underaged and I heard that they like it and are happy with their decisions. Teens should not be looked at in a wrong way, unless the tattoos are just everywhere because I think if they are everywhere like on the face and stuff that just looks bad.

I’m not saying that Alabama should let babies get tattoos. But waiting until 18 is frustrating for a lot of kids.

The Willow Project is a proposal to drill oil and gas in Alaska. Recently, President Joe Biden has approved the Willow Project and is said to start by 2029. The company Conocophillips is the one who made the proposition, and is the largest oil drilling company in Alaska. They first started in 1969, but they announced the Willow Project in January 2017.

I believe that the Willow Project is a bad idea due to the potential for it to cause huge damage to the environment and the animals that live there, by deforestation and releasing the gasses in the air. The Willow Project is not necessary and it’s only to make more money. America already has plenty of oil drilling spots.

Recently. people have been protesting against the Willow Project and they filed lawsuits against the people in charge of the project. Word of the existence of the project has been spread throughout all of social media. People have publicly talked about how bad of an idea the Willow Project is on Twitter. Most people learning this information became upset toward President Biden for approving the project.

I believe if the Willow Project does start, the people responsible will be met with riots and more lawsuits, so it would be a better idea to cancel the project.

The well known Netflix original show, Outer Banks, which first came out in 2020, became very popular over time. There was recently a release of the third season on February 23, and everyone was hyped about it, even though it didn't reach some people's expectations.

Sophomore James Downing said, “The new season was alright but it's definitely the worst season in my opinion. The first season was the best; it actually matched.”

His favorite character is JJ because “he relates to me more and we're both pretty cool guys.” He also had strong feelings about the death of two very important characters from the new season.

He said, “I don't care about how they died in the end, but it will be weird without Ward because he’s normally the main character. I do hate Big John because he's annoying and only cares about the gold, like that's his only personality?”

James ends the interview by saying that he wishes for more seasons to come.

10th grader Jayda Jones was interviewed on her opinion on Outer Banks. Her favorite character was JJ. She believes that the third season should've been better.

Mrs. Holland, 8th grade English teacher, also agrees that her favorite character is JJ because he keeps the show funny. She also says “this season wasn't as good as the other seasons.”

Overall, this season was definitely a downgrade compared to other seasons, but was still good. The Outer Banks cast recently announced there will be a Season 4 to come! Throughout the interviews, the ranking was low. We had a 7/10, a 6/10, and a 5/10. In conclusion, there were many controversial opinions on it.

Personalized Learning: AI-powered learning systems can provide personalized experiences for each student based on their learning pace, style, and preferences. By analyzing students' performance data and learning patterns, AI can generate individualized content and provide feedback tailored to their needs.

Automated Administrative Tasks: AI technology can automate administrative tasks such as grading, attendance tracking, and scheduling. This will free up educators' time, allowing them to focus on teaching and mentoring students.

Improved Learning Outcomes: AI-powered education systems can help identify knowledge gaps, provide targeted remediation, and track students' progress. This can lead to improved learning outcomes and academic success for students.

Accessibility: AI technology can make education more accessible by providing learning opportunities to students who have disabilities or are unable to attend traditional schools due to geographical or financial constraints.

Cost: Implementing AI technology in education can be expensive, which may limit its accessibility to schools and students with limited resources.

Dependence on Technology: Over-reliance on AI-powered education systems may lead to students becoming dependent on technology and losing the ability to learn independently.

Bias: AI-powered systems can perpetuate bias if they are trained on biased data. This could lead to unfair and discriminatory outcomes for certain groups of students.

Privacy and Security: The use of AI in education may raise privacy and security concerns regarding the collection, storage, and sharing of sensitive student data.

Information courtesy of Kansas State University English Department’s lightning talk series “Let’s Chat About ChatGPT”

Spring Break is what students look forward to the most in the second semester of school. It’s a time to relax, have fun, and glimpse into what summer will be like.

Some of my favorite activities to do during Spring Break are going to the beach or lake, going to my aunt’s house and swimming in her pool, and spending time with my family and friends. This Spring Break my family and I are going to visit my sister and her family in Maryland for my nephew’s birthday.

“I like to tan. I also really like to ride around and hang out with my friends,” said junior Kallie Qualls.

I like tanning too, but most of the time I just get burnt.

“I like going to the beach with my friends,” said senior Gavin Hughes.

Going to the beach during Spring Break is a really popular and fun thing to do when living in south Alabama. There are tons of stuff to do down there and you'll always have a blast.

“I am mainly going to stay home. I have a few baseball games, but that is really it,” said sophomore Hayden Pope.

Staying busy with a sport can prevent you from doing everything you want to do during Spring Break, but it can still be fun getting to be around your teammates and playing a game you love.

Spring Break is the break that every student needs during school, especially after the stress from having to take exams.

I sat at my dinner table with my friends; we were eating cheesecake for my birthday. I was happy, but I couldn’t shake this feeling that I’d lived this moment before. The whole scene felt so familiar, like it could’ve happened last week, but it was happening now. The crumbs that littered my plate, the taste of the cake, and the sky with intermittent clouds. The feeling washed over me, taking the place of my happiness. I retreated from the conversation, taking a moment to think. “This hasn’t happened before,” I thought. “I can’t say anything about it to them, they’ll think I’m going crazy.” I’m pulled back into the conversation and forget about my momentary confusion.

I stared out into the lake while my friends drove off, this as well felt familiar, like it could’ve happened before but why? Why did I feel like this? The lake was quiet, only small ripples from fish underneath the water moved the water. It was a pleasant background to allow myself to overthink. “Maybe I’m in a coma or maybe this is part of my life flashing before my eyes or maybe-” the thought is interrupted by another, a more reasonable thought, “It’s just how the human brain works, sometimes you falsely believe what’s currently happening to you is something you’ve experienced before.” I allow this thought to end my overthinking of a simple miscommunication.

I turned my attention to the green blur of grass as we drove. Trees sixteen times my height were made nothing more than pretty landmarks people could marvel at as they drove past. I’ve driven on this road more times than I can count, forest then country then home. I was listening to one of my favorite songs and after it ends another song follows that triggers the same false familiarity as earlier. “Why does this keep happening?” I skipped the song and another song I thought was familiar began. “That's enough music for right now,” I thought, as I hoped that it was just a

coincidence. As I continued staring out the window. I remembered how in the past there was a row of burning trees next to the road. It was a controlled burn so it wasn’t anything dangerous to me but it was a spectacle. “I wonder what the people doing the controlled burn wear..” I thought to myself as I watched the same row of burning trees pass me by. “That happened a year ago, how could it be happening now!” my thoughts screamed at me in fear. This was much more than deja vu, but what could it be explained to be? Why was I able to know what was going to happen next? Were my memories happening again or was my memory false?

I opened the door to my home already knowing what noise it will make as it opens. The creak sent a shiver down my spine. I walked to the chair in my room and sat down to do nothing. “Maybe if I don’t do anything.. Familiar things will stop happening.” I thought as I stared plainly at the wall. As I sat, a terrifying thought came to fruition. I thought about jellyfish and their qualities. I listed their qualities in the same order every time – every time. The false familiarity had spread to my own thoughts.

I shot out of my chair to the backdoor of my house, quickly opened the door, and ran down the hill trying to forget all about this. The rain pounded down on me when I remembered the next thing that would happen. I was about to slip and land on my back sharply but that’s where the memory ended. I turned my foot into the ground to try and stop myself but the rain had made it slick. My foot slid from under me just the way I knew it would. I felt my body lurch as I went down to the ground. The force of the ground hitting my back knocked the air out of me. I gasped for air as the rain continued, uncaring of my condition.

“Breathe-breathe-breathe!” I thought to myself but I already knew…the air would not come back to me.

NBHS Presents “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”

BY KEIRA BRODY

NBHS is hosting its first musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. The show will feature singing, dancing, and a live orchestra.

Two showings will take place. The first showing, the dinner theater, will take place on Friday, April 14th, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $25 for everyone for the dinner theater. The second showing, Student Night, will take place the next day, Saturday, April 15th, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for everyone else.

“The play has gone pretty smoothly overall; we haven’t had any big problems. We have a lot of cast members from last year’s play, and because they have that experience already, they know what to expect. We rehearse every day during sixth period, we have done a few Saturday rehearsals for choreography, and we will start after-school practices after spring break,” said NBHS media arts teacher Ashley Gresko.

Charlie Brown

“In the play, I am Charlie Brown. I’m a pretty decent singer I’d say, so the singing part came naturally, but the choreography was the hardest for me because I’m not a very coordinated person, but I was able to overcome it over time. Singing and practicing with my friends, and getting to perform in front of people has been my favorite part of being in the play. I’m in band so performing in front of people has always been close to my nature as a person,” said NBHS freshman Kayden Stanford.

Lucy

“I’m Lucy in the play. My songs are really high and I actually physically can’t reach the notes unless I do it nasally, so that makes it difficult to learn. I have some pretty fun scenes with some people and I’m the funny character in the play, and I get to flirt with Schroeder and make fun of Charlie Brown, and I have a few other cool scenes with some characters,” said NBHS freshman Reese Segall.

Segall also auditioned and made All-State Choir singing the Alto 2 position. This makes her the first person to ever make All-State Choir at New Brockton, and a qualified singer for this role.

Sally

“I was Marcie, but now I am Sally. I was the understudy before I became Sally, so I already knew a lot before switching roles. Learning my lines has been the hardest thing for me about the play. Being a part of the cast and the play has been my favorite part about it,” said NBHS junior Hannah Wilson.

Linus

“I am Linus in the play. The hardest thing for me was gaining the confidence to sing in front of people, because before this year, I never sang, but I am good at memorizing my lines.I like my character because he’s a little too smart for his age and you can tell in the musical. There are some portions in the play where he says words that a 5-year-old should know, to the point it’s hard for even me to pronounce,” said NBHS senior Blake Pirkle.

Peppermint Patty

“I am Peppermint Patty in the play. For me, the hardest thing about being in the play is learning the choreography for it. My favorite part about being in the play is the memories I'm going to be making with the people in it,” said NBHS sophomore Rayna Stephens.

Pigpen

Schroeder

“I am Pigpen in the play. The hardest part for me is the choreography. My favorite part of being a part of the play is the other actors, specifically Kayden, love you bro,” said NBHS junior Pedro San Miguel.

“I am Schroeder in the play. The hardest part in the play for me is definitely the singing cause it's like out of my comfort zone for singing. There's some high notes really and I'm not that high of a singer sometimes. I really enjoy working with the cast members and being a part of the cast as I enjoy funny people,” said NBHS sophomore Kiandre Tacey.

Snoopy

“I play Snoopy in the play. I would say the most difficult part of being a part of the musical would be working on large musical numbers with a number of people who are both new and experienced with vocal work. What I enjoy most is being a character in front of an audience. I enjoyed the performing aspect of it and being a part of a bigger production that means a lot to the group that I'm with as well,” said NBHS senior Damian Pope.

You can buy your tickets at the office or from Mr. Gresko at any time! Saturday night student tickets are $10.

This Edition’s Topic: Culture & Heritage

French Culture

Each edition of the Beacon will “feature” a new topic relevant to our school community. Edition 5 features the topic of culture and heritage.

BY MAËLYS BOUCHER

Each country has a culture which differs from the other. When foreigners talk about French culture, they directly associate it with Paris, the city of love, the city which is the center of fashion, art, gastronomy and so on. However, life outside Paris is very different.

One of the most important points in my culture is the food. In France, most people like to eat well and healthy. For us, a meal is a really important moment that requires attention and time. For foreigners, French food is associated with bread, which is true, in each meal we eat bread. It is important for us to have it.

Next, there is fashion, which is one of the biggest parts of my culture. French people dress sophisticated, fashionable, professional, not like in other countries such as the United States where people tend to prioritize comfort over style. In France, we all value comfort but not to the point of going out with joggers and Crocs. Paris is known as the fashion capital of the world. This is the home to several worldwide brands such as Coco Chanel, Louis Vuitton or Christian Dior.

Another thing is art and architecture. Art is present everywhere and you cannot escape from it in France! In my hometown, when we walk down the street, we can see street art on houses, infrastructures, and so on. Each day, people paint in the street. We can find some of the best constructions in France such as the Eiffel tower and Arc de Triomphe.

Literature is one of the last most important things in my culture. In fact, French people love to read. We read every time we can, even on the bus. Victor Hugo, Emile Zola, Honoré de Balzac, Molière, and Voltaire are some of the greatest names in French literature.

Each country has a unique culture which makes a country special, and it is really interesting to uncover a different country from where you come from.

Heritage Months

BY NATALIA BALL

February is Black History Month but did you know that just about every month has a different heritage and ethnicity to celebrate and recognize?

This month, March, is National Irish Heritage month. To celebrate, a Shamrock ceremony takes place in the White House. Here a Shamrock, a traditional symbol of Ireland, is presented to the President.

Next month, April is Arab American Month. The purpose is to honor and celebrate the contributions of Arab Americans to the wider American community. To celebrate, it is common to share films about Arab American communities and documentaries by Arab Americans.

May is Asian Pacific Heritage Month. People will celebrate the contributions of Asian and Pacific Americans with festivals and educational activities.

August is Diversity Awareness Month. During the month of August, people celebrate the value of diversity. Activities such as film festivals, diversity book clubs, and diversity trivia are used to celebrate.

September, Hispanic Heritage month, acknowledges the history, culture, and contributions of the Hispanic heritage.

“I’m from Puerto Rico and we love dancing, singing, spending time together, and eating.” said ESL teacher Nilsa SanMiguel.

October is Latino Heritage month as well as German Heritage Month. To honor this culture, festivals and colorful parades are thrown.

Elias Torres is a freshman at NBHS and has a German and Puerto Rican ethnicity. Torres said, “I really don’t get bullied or teased for having a different ethnicity because heritages are so widely celebrated.”

November is Native American Heritage Month. This month is a time to celebrate the cultures, traditions, and history of Native Americans. Some ways to celebrate can be visiting a Native American museum, historical site, pow wow, or other traditional ceremony.

Saint Patrick’s Day

BY LYLA HATAWAY

This year, Saint Patrick’s day was celebrated on March 17, 2023. The first observance of it was around the tenth century. Saint Patrick’s Day was actually celebrated for the first time in Ireland in 1631.

Most people know Saint Patrick’s Day as a day to see a leprechaun with a pot of gold, but it is so much more than that. Saint Patrick’s Day is a day to remember the death of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.

One of the most worldwide known traditions for Saint Patrick’s Day is wearing green. Most people wear green to prevent getting pinched or because of folklore that says green makes you invisible to leprechauns.

“Every year I plan to wear a funny green shirt on Saint Patrick’s Day, but I never actually get around to it,” said NBHS science teacher Brad Smith.

Most people wait until it is too late to get something special to wear on Saint Patrick’s Day, but you could also just wear something you already have.

“I can not see the color green, so no I am not going to wear it on Saint Patrick's Day,” said NBHS sophomore Cheyenne Koehler.

Not being able to see the color green can put a hindrance to celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day, but Cheyenne says it doesn’t ruin it.

Wearing green is a fun way to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day, but some people might think it is silly. If you are opposed to wearing green, some other ways you could celebrate it are going to a parade, eating an Irish meal, and sharing good luck with others.

This Edition’s Topic: Culture & Heritage

How ESL Teachers Help Foreign Speakers Transition

BY KEIRA BRODY

Moving to a new country is hard enough in itself. Having to learn and speak a whole new language is even more challenging. Luckily, NBHS ESL teachers are here to help.

“We do assignments and activities with [our students], and we use pictures so they can see and memorize it. We help them practice their pronunciation, and we use a website called Rosetta Stone. We help teach content by making connections using familiar things or background knowledge; it helps the students learn faster and keeps them engaged. We also use colored flash cards, and books. In addition, we provide a word bank and we practice and encourage the students to use those words in a sentence,” said ESL instructor Camila Harper.

“What I do in the ESL program has helped me with English. I like when they give me something to read and it is something that I am interested in, like characters from Dragon Ball-Z. It makes me more interested, which helps me learn,” said 8th grader Maynor Gregorio.

“I believe our ESL program is pretty special. We not only help new students get familiar with American customs like the Pledge of Allegiance and Rosetta Stone software for English language learning, but we also help them get connected with local resources. Our local resources can help with clothing, furniture, food, among other things. We also help with translating. We enjoy building personal relationships with our students and their families, in order to help them meet their needs better, and we definitely try to set them up for success,” said EL instructor Nilsa San Miguel.

Not every school uses the same techniques as NBHS.

“I can speak English, but when I have trouble understanding assignments, I come into the ESL room. When I went to Enterprise, they had a separate ESL class instead of how we have it here. With my tests, I can get extra time to comprehend the test better because I speak multiple languages, so English can be hard to understand at times,” said junior Ruben Reyes.

“Mrs. Nilsa lets me go to Rosetta Stone where I speak into the microphone and learn how to type in English which has helped me. She would pull me out at different times and explain assignments to me and teach me how to do it,” said sophomore Sandra Tiul.

Having this opportunity and program helps foreign speakers excel and transition into NBHS.

Finding Out Your Ancestry

Through DNA Tests

BY GRACE HUGHES

NBHS librarian Lori Martin did a test through the company 23andMe. She was surprised that she had any Filipino, Congolese, and Italian ancestry.

Martin believes that knowing your ancestry is important because it can make you stronger and more resilient, knowing our past family members faced plenty of tragedies gives us extra courage to overcome our own. You can make family connections through DNA services, and it can give you insight on health related conditions in your ancestry.

Martin enjoyed her experience with 23andMe, as she was able to confirm her suspected ancestry, and was able to discover new ancestry that she had. She found out her body metabolizes caffeine too fast to feel the effects of it. She also found out that she gets stung by mosquitoes more often than most people, which she always noticed.

Sometimes, we assume that we mostly have one ancestry, but you would be surprised how diverse your bloodline can actually be.

“I was surprised by the diversity of my lineage. I had assumed the results would be at least 95% British, but half the map lit up. I even discovered that one of my grandparents is indigenous Mexican American. I used 23andMe's ancestry service, but not the health add-on. I’m adopted, and know next to nothing about my birth parents. DNA testing is a fun way to find out a little bit more about who I am and where I came from,” said NBHS English teacher Molly Burt.

Knowing your ancestry is the first step to connecting to it.

“I was surprised to have been 25% Portuguese. I went through Ancestry. I think it’s important to know your ancestry for health reasons and just to know my background overall. It was a pretty nice experience, although a lot of research had to be done.” said ESL instructor Nilsa SanMiguel.

The most common DNA kits are Ancestry and 23andMe. They usually cost around $100, but there are some things you can pay extra for, such as a health background.

ESL Teachers Camila Harper and Nilsa San Miguel

La Plena performance by Nino Galindo Figueroa, Carlos Rivera, Lilah Ankrom, & Isabella Marsh

Gamecocks’ Performance Up to Par

BY CHRISTIAN BALDERAMA

New Brockton’s golf team has played in multiple matches so far this season, and have held their own against competing schools, with sophomore Morgan Casey placing in early-season matches.

In fact, at the team’s first 18-hole match in early March, hosted by the Troy Country Club, freshman Landin Norris scored 103 and sophomore Morgan Casey took 4th place among girls with a score of 106.

“You warm up with the other schools and it’s hectic, because everyone’s practicing,” said Casey. “After this, you’ll start by being given a scorecard that will tell you what hole you start on.”

Furthermore, Casey placed second on March 16th with a score of 99, which was only one point behind the girl who placed first. Casey said “I would have come in first, but on the last hole one of the girls I was playing against accidentally hit my ball with hers, hitting mine off the green.”

These matches consist of 6-7 schools competing with each other, usually in an all-day affair lasting 10:30 to 2:30.

Overall, the golf team has established themselves as having the potential to be a threat and achieve their goals.

Golf Coach Harvin said, “We are hoping to continue getting better in practice and throughout the season, with hopes of qualifying for the postseason.”

March 22

RTJ Greenville

Brantley Hosting

April 3

Troy Country Club

Pike Lib Hosting

April 5

Luverne Country Club

Brantley Hosting (Boys Only)

April 11

Dothan National

Rehobeth Hosting

April 12

Enterprise Country Club

Enterprise Hosting (Boys Only)

April 18

Tartan Pines

Enterprise Hosting (Girls Only)

Morgan Casey and Landon Norris pose with Coach Harvin after their most recent golf match.

March Madness Chaos

BY WILLIAM FRICKS

If you planned on creating your own March Madness bracket this year, you're better off just using a dart board while blindfolded to pick your champion. Why? Because this year has no doubt been one of the most volatile college basketball seasons yet. We didn't fall in love with March Madness because it follows predictions; we fell in love with it due its chaotic nature and we intend to witness the utter chaos of college basketball this tournament.

So grab your popcorn, draft your insulting tweets to opposing teams, napkins to wipe off buffalo sauce, and tissues when your team's inevitable loss occurs.

Established #1 Seeds

South: Alabama

Midwest: Houston

East: Purdue

West: Kansas

(Provided by ESPN’s Bracketology)

What occurs during this tournament cannot be determined, but what can be determined is that this will no doubt be one of the most exciting March Madness events to date. Will the top 4 seeds reign supreme? Or will an underdog team shock the world? Who knows!

So when you realize it's past March 14th and your ESPN subscription has ended, you can proudly whip out your team’s colors and any other obscure chant knowing your school made it to the destined land.

NBHS Softball Steals a Win;

Baseball Bat for Chance at Playoffs

BY MORGAN CASEY

The New Brockton High School softball teams are well into the spring season.

The varsity team has played five games, but have only left with one win, while the JV team has played 4 games and played in a tournament, without any wins yet.

Some players attribute their record to underdevelopment of the team’s cohesion.

“I think teamwork is a big issue we’re dealing with this season,” said freshman Madison Hudson.

Sophomore Anna Blackmon agrees.

“The team isn’t super comfortable with each other, and I feel like that restricts us from making the plays we want and need to make,” said Blackmon.

Teamwork is a necessity for any group of people. It improves productivity, efficiency, as well as friendship.

“I just hope that [we] can come and work together to win the next games,” said Hudson.

In the past seasons, the varsity game has gone to playoffs and have done well. Despite a rough start to the season, they remain optimistic.

“I think we have a chance of going this year if we really start working hard to get there,” said freshman Gabby Eubanks. “I know the team wants to go and I know Coach Wade really wants to go.”

The New Brockton baseball teams are securing their spot in playoffs as they continue to take wins over schools in the region.

“We’re doing really good, we're performing very well,” said sophomore James Downing. So far this season, Varsity has played 15 games and won 9 of them.

“I think Varsity needs to work on plays at the plate. Like knowing where they wanna hit the ball and knowing what pitches to look for,” said sophomore Baylon Foster.

“We work really well as a team, and we’re all comfortable with each other,“ said Foster. Varsity has already won one of their regional games against Daleville and only needs to win against Pike County to continue to playoffs.

The Junior Varsity team has won only 8 out of the 22 games they’ve played. Some players attribute their record to a lack of optimism.

“I feel like sometimes we just give up, because we aren’t doing great,” said freshman Robert “Robo” Boutwell.

However, Boutwell has high expectations for coming games.

“I feel like we’ll do really well in the playoffs, it just depends on who we play,“ said Boutwell.

Last season the Varsity went to playoffs and had quite the time. The team won one game and the opposing team won one game. It came down to the final game, where the Gamecocks ultimately lost.

Will the Gamecocks move on and win in playoffs, or be knocked out along the way like last year? Only time will tell.

NBHS Track Sprints to Win!

Boys & Girls Soccer Captains Proud of Growth

BY GRASON WALLACE

With the soccer season underway the New Brockton boys and girls team have had several games at this point and are still playing strong even though they have lost most of their games. Currently, the boys are 2-5, and the girls 2-6. Right now the boys and girls have played half of their regular season games.

Both captains expressed pride at how the teams have improved since last year.

Boys’ team captain Julian Soto said, “We now are able to score on private schools and even the region-leading teams. With each player practicing hard and putting their work in, they can achieve anything. When they are at an appointed field they are good friends and they show sportsmanship.”

Girls’ team captain Ashley Hernandez agrees.

“This season is better, because we’re not just playing private schools. The girls are growing in the way they play and gaining experience.”

BY WILLIAM WALLACE

With the Track & Field season getting started, NBHS athletes have been practicing distance, sprinting, hurdles, discus, and shot put, working hard for peak performance ahead of their second meet.

Head Coach Eric Reynolds said, “I feel like they work really hard for their meets. They are just getting started and will work to get better every day. If everyone will try their hardest, I know that the whole team will make it to state.”

Sophomore Jared Petitt said, “I know that everyone can get better than what they are if they put in the time and practice. I am getting ready for state and may have more athletes to come with me.”

The team did great at their first meet, with impressive results; Gabriel Murphy got 1st in the boys 100 meters, Grason Wallace got 1st in the boys 3200 meters and 2nd in the boys 1600, Bradley Adkinson got 1st in the boys shot put and 2nd in the boys discus, Ariana Smith got 3rd in the girls 100 meters and 2nd in the girls 200 meters.

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