NCLA news

May 2, 2024

The Scoop

Jojo: The First of Her Generation

By: Wenda McLaurin

“I’mma come back like a boomerang!” You’ve probably heard of the person who wrote this iconic song. If not, let me enlighten you. The creator of this song is Joelle Joanie “Jojo” Siwa, a former Dance Moms star that was known for her energetic and vibrant personality, making her different and more unique from the rest of her team. She was also known for her fabulous bows and signature hairstyle, a high ponytail.

However, since her teenage years, she has evolved into a different person. This year, she has started rebranding herself, and many people have noticed her new personality. Jojo has begun to switch from her bright and spunky colors to a more “emo” and “punk” look, trying to emulate the band Kiss, even though she has revealed that she cannot even identify the lead singer.

The song representing Siwa’s rebrand, “Karma,” is supposed to depict how much she has grown from being the “little girl” personality to more of an adult. However, the audiences of multiple different social media platforms did not like this. The first thing that came to many minds was that she was just her regular and colorful self a couple of days beforehand, being a role model for younger girls. 

However, her new personality was not a surprise, as she had countdowns and sneak peeks, like most other influencers. Jojo was saying that she was a “bad girl,” when in reality, she was just singing songs such as “Every Girl’s a Super Girl.” 

Secondly, people have claimed that the song is not hers and is actually from singers Miley Cyrus and Brit Smith. Karma was an unreleased song, until Siwa decided to release it as her own song, which some listeners think is not fair use. In an interview with Siwa, she addresses these claims, saying that there is “no such thing as stealing.”

The only thing that was changed about the song was one word. While the original version had “If I had a wish, I would have never messed around,” it is now “If I had a wish, I would have never effed around.”

Later on, she created a new song which was performed as a bit of a sneak peek to what she had coming out next. Listeners said she should have started with that song instead of Karma, because of how much better it sounded. 

As Siwa’s new song began gaining popularity, people started to do covers and attempt the dance that went along with it. When other people were impersonating Siwa, it was almost as if there was not really a problem with the song or the dance that accompanied it, but just Siwa’s personality that made everything worse!

In addition, she stole another song from an independent artist named Emiline. The song is called “Choose your Fighter,” and others are speculating that it was sold to Siwa. The artist said that she didn’t sign off on it coming out as Siwa’s, but that she will release her own version if it gets enough support. 

In multiple interviews, Siwa has been trying to showcase her new personality. For example, in one interview, she claimed that she is creating a new genre called “Gay Pop,” which has already been done by multiple artists, such as Troye Sivan and Madonna. Of course, she is getting backlash for this as well, and she tried to explain what she meant by this, stating that “Gay Pop” isn’t an official genre, so she wants to start it up.

In another interview, when questioned about a dream guest that she would have on her podcast, she replied, “Let’s spice things up, one of my exes,” in an attempt to seem more spicy and rebellious. 

She has also planned on having triplets. She plans to name the triplets Freddie, a girl, and Eddie and Teddie, two boys.

What will we see from Siwa next? Will she steal another song? Rant about one of her exes again? Well, we will just have to wait and see.

Works Cited:

Degrazia, Leah. “JoJo Siwa Addresses Claim She ‘Stole’ Her New Song ‘Karma’ From Miley Cyrus and Brit Smith.” E! Online, 13 Apr. 2024, www.eonline.com/news/1399418/jojo-siwa-addresses-claim-she-stole-her-new-song-karma-from-miley-cyrus-and-brit-smith.

Glaze, Virginia. “JoJo Siwa Under Fire for ‘Stealing’ Another Artist’s Song.” Dexerto, 5 Apr. 2024, www.dexerto.com/tiktok/jojo-siwa-under-fire-for-stealing-another-artists-song-2632945.

Kolgraf, Jackie. “JoJo Siwa Explains: ‘Gay Pop Artists Do Deserve a Bigger Home’” SiriusXM, 23 Apr. 2024, www.siriusxm.com/blog/jojo-siwa-gay-pop-genre.

“JoJo Siwa Reveals Plans to Have 3 Kids via Sperm Donor, Confirms Their Rhyming Names | Just Jared: Celebrity News and Gossip | Entertainment.” Just Jared, 29 Feb. 2024, www.justjared.com/2024/02/29/jojo-siwa-reveals-plans-to-have-3-kids-via-sperm-donor-confirms-their-rhyming-names.

Frank Herbert’s Dune and Its Adaptations [Spoiler Free]

By: Arthur Merchant

There is an argument to be made that Frank Herbert’s 1965 Sci-Fi epic Dune is the most iconic novel in the genre. It’s sweeping story of sand and spice is one that has captured the imaginations of generations since it’s release. In it’s six original volumes lie enough lore, characters, backstories, and themes rival the contents of most written fictional works, much less any movies or over-long TV shows. 

For a long time, Dune was considered “unadaptable”. Why? Well, that can be broken down into two main reasons. The book’s length and style. 

You see, Dune (the first novel) is…on the lengthy side. The hardest part for most filmmakers trying to adapt the novel is figuring out what of the 600+ pages should be left out. How can one accurately tell the story with all its thematic complexity through a medium that is much more length-sensitive than a novel is? That is a question for artists much more talented than I to answer. 

Style too, is a consideration. The book has many characters, each with their own arcs and storylines. The narrator in the story goes between these different characters, following them along the course of the story. 

The above mentioned structure can make adaptation of the book very difficult. The constraints of cinema make it much harder (practically impossible) to fit all the narrative complexity from the novel into a movie that is both feature length and in a (mostly) normal story structure.

Despite these issues, both Dune’s cinematic scope and it’s iconic status create ever-lingering bait that filmmakers can’t help but latch onto. 

Of these filmmakers, there are two who have created iconic interpretations of the story, both in completely different cinematic; David Lynch, and Denis Villeneuve. 

Starting with Lynch, his version of Dune was released in 1984, and isn’t exactly regarded well by most. Aside from the obvious technical challenges the film met with trying to create a sci-fi film on a different planet with some rather primitive digital effects (the practical effects looked good, though), the film heavily suffered from pacing issues. 

While it has been many years since I last viewed that particular version of Dune, I do remember the marginal contrast between the pace of the first and second halves. 

The first half of the film does a good job of getting the viewer into the world, but it’s rather slow with lots of dialogue. This contrasts heavily with the breakneck pace with which the films latter half moves. 

The second half speeds through months upon months of the timeline and ends leaving the viewer (or at least me) in confusion. 

As for Denis Villeneuve’s new recently-completed adaptation of the novel, it takes a rather different approach. 

It goes without saying that the effects are much better this time around, helped in large part by Villenueve’s mastery in mixing both practical and digital effects. This new version is also an improvement story-wise. 

The film is split into two parts, released a few years apart, and together they clock in at almost 5 ½ hours. Each part, on its own, is longer than Lynch’s original version, leaving a lot more room for developing the characters and bringing the viewer into the world. 

The second version is less convoluted, and does a good job of bringing all the different elements from the original novel, and picking out what’s vital to tell the story in the way they wish. 

Villinueve’s films aren’t perfect, though. There, once again, are a few pacing issues. The problems in this film are less severe than Lynch’s film, I think. The way the films are split story-wise correlate pretty well with the first/second halves of Lynch’s film. But, since the second half of the story has its own dedicated movie, there aren’t as many issues with it being rushed. 

Despite Villinueve’s second movie clocking in at almost 3 hours long, it still feels a bit rushed at times, it just goes to show how large of a story Dune really is. I think some rearranged screen time could both improve the some characterization, and make what happens to Dune’s main character, Paul Atreides, in the second half of the second film, far more believable/less abrupt. 

Overall, both these films are very interesting pieces of the cinematic sci-fi canon. For those who enjoyed Villeneuve’s interpretation of the books, there appears to be a high likelihood that he will be making another film to continue the Dune story. And, considering the immense success of Dune: Part 2, who knows how far these movies will go!

Inside the NCLA

From a King, To the King, For the Next King

By: Andrew Ellis

Mr. NCLA, an event that may have initially been met with some turned heads and questions, has since become a staple to the NCLA school spirit. Designed to showcase off the brave men of high school, we cannot forget everyone who helps to make the event happen.

We cannot recognize Mr. NCLA without first knowing that without Mrs. Martin and Mrs. Gunnell-beck, there would be no dancing, no fancy outfits, no showcasing of legs, and of course no crowing of the next Mr. NCLA

To those of you who watched last years and this year’s Mr. NCLA, you see the final presentation, months of dedicated work and countless hours of preparation all in one night. However, many of you may not know what goes on to create the wonderful masterpiece known as Mr. NCLA.

This year, we had ten contestants with representatives from every class. All organized into three groups to learn and perfect a dance that characterized the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s decades, all choreographed by sophomore Ella Moye.

For many of the contestants, learning a dance was far from their usual routine. “It allowed me to make new friends, learn new skills, and work on areas that I struggled at such as dancing.”, said by Corbin Tucker who won Mr. Sophomore about his experience. Our Mr. Energetic, Will Martin had a very similar experience, “I loved it! It pushed me out of my comfort zone and I had a blast with all of my friends.”

While the decades’ dances were exceptional indeed, another equally stunning part was the Spirit of NCLA. Each contestant was tasked to come up with a short act that revealed to the audience what they believed resembled their spirit. From Andy Alvarado’s amazing soccer skills to JT’s impressive Michael Jackson level dancing, every contestant showed off their spirit and did so without reserve.

Then, a new addition to the schedule this year, Best Legs! While I myself have to admit it took some time getting used to, it simply added to all of the fun.

The formal wear, something that left the audience stunned and in awe of the contestants professionalism. Will Martin believed it was going to be much harder and far more stressful, but found that it was very simple and enjoyable.

Yes, watching Mr. NCLA unfolding in front of our eyes was quite the experience, but there were  more people with different experiences on that night other than the crowd and the contestants.

One of our hosts for the past two years, Will Swisher stated “It was a lot of fun to see everyone step out of their comfort zones…For me personally, I enjoyed getting to be a host and I honestly don’t regret not becoming a contestant.”

Everyone can say undoubtedly that all of our hosts added to the experience and it just would not have been the same without any one of them. Interviewing the audience and speaking in front of them, it still took a lot of courage and willingness to host, hopefully, we will continue to have a long line of fantastic hosts!

And of course, we cannot forget the stagehands and the girls who danced. They were with the contestants every step of the way, embraced success together and also experienced struggles together. Caden Swisher, one of the stage hands, summed it up perfectly in a statement about his experience.

“I thought it was fun. Stressful at some points, especially at the beginning of the show when there was stress to get everything perfect. But all in all, it was fun!”

While not as involved as everyone else, our first ever Mr. NCLA, Dallin Tucker was present at nearly every practice and celebrated alongside all of the contestants. When asked if he wished that he could have participated again this year, he said, “While it would have been extremely fun to participate as a contestant again this year, it was time for me to pass the crown to another.”

Truly inspiring from the previous winner, but I too, as the current winner and Mr. NCLA have a few words to share as well.

I wish that even more students participate in any capacity next year and that everyone just have a blast doing it with your friends. It doesn’t matter if you win the crown or just one of the individual events, all that matters is that you did. 

To the next victor, shall the crown go.

Senior Season Comes to an End

By: Kaitlyn Parker

As the year comes to a close, the class of 2024 is entering their final weeks of walking the halls of NCLA. There are 51 graduating seniors this year who are each about to embark on a new journey. In honor of the seniors, we wanted to highlight each of them.

Senior Jordan Moore will be attending Appalachian State University in the fall with a major in nursing. Her favorite part of high school was playing on the varsity volleyball team all four years. Jordan’s advice to underclassmen would be to give your all in everything you do.

Senior Dain Crnojevic will be attending the University of North Carolina at Greensboro this fall as he studies business. His favorite part of high school was talking to Ms. Roberts at the front desk. If he had to share a piece of advice, it would be to talk to everyone because you never know what someone has to say.

Senior Lucas Zoellinger will be attending Forsyth Technical Community College studying criminal justice and forensic science. Zoellinger’s future plans also include entering the police academy. His advice to share would be to follow your own path instead of being influenced by what others say.

Senior Savannah Carter will be in class at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill majoring in environmental science. Her favorite part of high school has been making friends and getting to know every person in the grade. She liked how small the senior class was because it allowed everyone to hang out after school together. If Carter had to share a piece of advice it would be to enjoy the time you have with the people in your grade and focus on having the best time possible. It is not important to worry about things that are inconsequential, so enjoy high school because you won’t get these moments back.

Senior Dallin Tucker will be serving a mission for his church, speaking Spanish in East Dallas. He will then attend BYU majoring in exercise science after serving his mission for two years. His favorite part of high school was all the dances. Tucker’s advice to everyone would be to find the balance that works for you and not to put all your focus on school.  

Senior Hannah Simcic will be attending Forsyth Technical Community College in the fall with a plan to transfer after two years. She will be majoring in psychology and minoring in forensic science. Simcic’s favorite part of high school was spending time with friends. Her advice to other would be not to let other people sway you in your decisions. 

Senior Christian Caldwell will be attending college at either Liberty University or NC State in the fall to get a degree in aeronautics. His favorite part of high school was being able to grow as a person. He also enjoyed powderpuff. Caldwell’s advice to younger students would be to not procrastinate. 

Senior Will Swisher plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to study political science and peace, war and defense. Swisher then intends to go to law school and obtain a JD with a possibility of pursuing a PhD. His favorite part of high school was being challenged because they taught him how to persevere and be creative to come up with solutions. Swisher’s advice would be to take every opportunity to learn even if you think you know how to do something already. Swisher says to remember there is always room for improvement so you should take the opportunity to grow. Swisher feels fortunate to have attended the NCLA for many years and served it. He hopes to help the community in the future in bigger ways. 

Senior Blaine Overby will be attending the University of North Carolina at Greensboro to study computer science. His favorite part of high school has been seeing Ms. Roberts at the front desk. Overby’s advice would be to manage your time well.

Senior Andrew Ellis will attend the University of North Georgia for Army ROTC as he studies foreign affairs and business. However, he says if you don’t already know he is going into the Army then you have not been paying attention at school. Ellis’ favorite part of high school has been going to Dairy Queen for lunch every Wednesday. If he had to share a piece of advice it would be that college does not mean success, but instead passion and determination do. 

Senior Caroline Champe will be attending the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in the fall majoring in recreational therapy with a focus of pre-health and a minor in psychology. She also plans to try out for the dance team. Champe’s favorite part of high school was dancing at the basketball games. If she had to share a piece of advice it would be to not let drama ruin your life because it is not worth it. 

Senior Michael Garmon plans on attending NC State with a major in Mechanical Engineering. His favorite part of high school was getting more responsibilities. 

Senior Alyssa Pickle will be attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall with an intended major of business administration. Her favorite part of high school was going to soccer and basketball games with friends on Friday nights. She also enjoyed playing in powderpuff and going to school dances. Pickle’s advice would be to get involved and put yourself out there. 

Senior Jonah Burgess will be attending Indiana Wesleyan University with a double major in graphic design and marketing. His favorite part of high school has been checking the senior photo dump to see everyone’s kind of embarrassing pictures. His advice would be to do everything you can to have an easy senior year.

Senior Addison Guldberg will be attending Wisconsin Lutheran College as she enters the nursing school. Guldberg’s favorite part of high school was her junior and senior year English classes. She said AP Literature and AP Language have been the most fun and bonding classes with her friends. Her advice would be to take high school one day at a time. She said to be a friend to everyone and do what truly makes you happy. 

Senior Trystan Barnhill will be attending the University of North Carolina at Greensboro to study media  studies. His favorite part of high school was playing in the pep band. Barnhill’s advice to others would be to have fun.

Senior William Blake will be going into the nuclear field in the US Navy after graduating. Blake’s advice to others would be to not stress because it is not worth it. 

Senior Matthew Siewert will be attending NC State in the fall with a major in Mechanical Engineering. His favorite part of high school was getting to know his classmates and hanging out with them. He also enjoyed the school dances. Siewert’s advice to underclassmen would be to do your best in school and not take it for granted. He says to get involved in clubs and extracurricular activities ao college applications are easier.

Senior Kaitlyn Parker will be attending High Point University in the fall majoring in Elementary Education. Her favorite part of high school was all the little moments she got to share with her friends and the way everyone grew so close with one another. Parker’s advice to the younger students would be to try your best in everything you do, but remember that your worth does not come from your grades and you should enjoy the time you have. 

Senior Keegan Daurity plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Wilmington to study education and creative writing. Daurity plans to become an English teacher and write on the side. He says his favorite part of high school has been the people he has met along the way that made school enjoyable. Daurity’s advice is to talk to people when you can and check Canvas for the next day so you don’t get behind. 

Senior Carsyn Queen will be attending NC State with a major in computer science and a minor in media art and design technology. Her favorite part of school has been Mr. Landphair’s class when she got to go through it with her friends. Queen’s advice is to do your work and stay on top of things. 

Senior Christopher Alonso Cornejo plans on attending NC State in the fall as exploratory for his first two years. He plans to work through his credits in order to get into the college of engineering. His favorite part of high school has been the events during senior year like homecoming, prom, powderpuff and basketball games. Cornejo’s advice to freshmen is to go out of your way to do the school run events because you will be able to find like minded people and have a good time. 

Senior Kim Mead will attend the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in the fall to major in studio art and eventually open up a bookstore. Mead’s favorite part of high school has been growing closer with friends and teachers over the years. Mead says the people made it all worth it. Mead’s advice to the underclassmen would be that high school can seem stressful while you are in it but you will make it through. Mead says to just do your work and turn it in on time. It is okay to ask for help or extensions. Mead says to remember that your teachers are people too and they can be your biggest allies as you go through school.

Senior Dylan Elkington will be taking a gap year to work and then attending the University of Tennessee to study physical and life science. His favorite part of high school was playing for the soccer team. Elkington’s advice is to just do you. 

Senior Jacob Vogt has an interest in aerospace engineering. He was accepted at Auburn University and was waitlisted at the US Naval Academy. Vogt’s favorite part of high school was playing in the pep band. He enjoyed still getting to be part of a band even though he did not have room in his schedule for the class. Vogt also enjoyed designing a rocket engine for his AP Research project. His advice to others would be to challenge yourself now or you will regret it later.

Senior Monica Truhe will be attending Bible school to earn a degree in theology and Biblical studies. Her favorite part of high school was the friendly environment and the memories made with every event, especially powderpuff and dances. Her piece of advice to underclassmen is to take the hard classes- challenge yourself, you can do it!

Senior Natalie Burns will be attending Wofford College in the fall to study biology on the pre-dental track. Her favorite part of high school had been spending time with her friends everyday. Burns’ advice to other students would be to stay on top of your work and not procrastinate. 

Senior Andy Alvarado plans to attend Appalachian State University with a field of interest to communicate disorders and science.  Alvarado’s favorite parts of high school were his free period, zoology, spending time with friends, and junior year bus trips. His advice is to enjoy the ride of high school. 

Every graduating senior this year has a bright future ahead of them as they head out into the world and continue to be leaders and shine a light on the rest of the world. 

“For The First Time in Forever”: An Exploration on The AP Capstone Program at The NCLA

By: Arthur Merchant

Picture the scene: a Jeopardy game, the two top contestants are tied and there’s only one question up on the board. 

“High School Hooligans for 400 please.”

This Advanced Placement program, started in 2014, is taken by thousands of high school students every year, 40% of which sign up knowing little to nothing about what the course actually entails.

“What is, AP Capstone?”

Correct!

All jokes aside, AP Capstone is a 2-year program consisting of two classes: AP Seminar and AP Research. 

AP Seminar can be taken during one’s sophomore or junior year (at least at the NCLA). The course consists of two Performance Tasks (essentially, two research projects) that consist of their own respective writing and public speaking assignments. 

AP Research is a more advanced course taken after Seminar during one’s senior year. It consists of one main research project that culminates in a 5,000-word paper and a twenty-minute presentation. At the NCLA, the course also presents an alternative to the senior project.

Other than just being an available course though, there is some significance to the Capstone program this year. In fact, Capstone graduates the 2023-2024 school year will be the first in the NCLA’s history!

Precisely, this school year marks the first time any of our seniors have gone through the whole Capstone program. This year’s graduates are paving the way for what will hopefully be a fruitful and successful program for high schoolers for years to come. 

Now, the question you underclassmen may be asking: should I enroll in the Capstone program…?

Well, frankly, this isn’t a question that anyone other than yourself can answer, but here is some information you may want to keep in mind:

The purpose of Capstone is to aid in the development of both research and critical thinking skills, so if those are things you wish to work on, this may be a program you want to consider. Also, while I know many of you may be dying to get out of doing your senior project (teenagers, eh?) the Capstone program isn’t necessarily easier. 

First of all, it’s a larger commitment (two years rather than one) and is graded with an AP rubric. Another thing to keep in mind is that Capstone, in total, encompasses 3 research projects (varying in rigorousness) rather than just one.

For those who are still curious regarding more about skills Capstone requires/develops, I interviewed our very own Capstone teacher, Mr. Hartzell. 

Upon asking him what kinds of skills Seminar students tend to struggle with in regards to the Performance Tasks, he specified both “Getting comfortable with the public speaking.” and “…being confident in their own research.” 

While these are things that can be difficult for Seminar students (me included), they are essential skills that the course helps develop. As they say: “No pain, no gain.”

For those who are considering enrolling in the program, there are some things Mr. Hartzell suggested to help prepare:

Firstly, he says people should, “Pay attention to the world around them…” This includes watching the news, finding something to be passionate about, and talking with adults about real world topics and considering different perspectives on issues. 

While all these are essential skills for those who wish to achieve high goals in life, Capstone provides fertile ground for the development of these types of concepts and thought processes. 

To conclude, here is what Hartzell says on what makes Seminar (and Research too) so useful, “It’s a great course…[it aids in] connecting the dots between the classes you take…[and] helps you get confident and college ready.“

Quiz Bowl: Battle of the Scholars

By: Wenda McLaurin

The NCLA is definitely known for being competitive, especially in sports. But what about trivia, and answering complex questions in a group? A few students from the NCLA themselves were especially interested in this club. 

This is Quiz Bowl, a game where two teams compete against one another to answer questions from multiple areas of knowledge. Ranging from science and physics to music and art! This club didn’t exist until this school year. The interest meeting was in mid-September of 2023, and a small group of students wanted to know more about the club, and what it entailed. 

As the school year went on, answering questions became a habit. Every Friday at 2nd lunch, these students would test their knowledge on these topics. Finally in February, news was given that the members would attend an actual tournament in March. Excitement was definitely in the air! Despite the fact that the club was started for fun, the members were enrolled in regionals. 

March came quickly, and regionals did too! The people who were selected to go Bella Hall, Beau Harrell, Henry Hartzell, Abigail Nelson, Caroline Sweat, and me! Mr. and Mrs. Hartzell attended regionals with us as well, along with our supportive parents.

Our tournament was on March 2nd. We went head to head against many different schools in different counties, such as Grimsley, Page, and the Early College at Guilford. Everyone was very nervous, but excited to compete. At the end of the day, we ended up winning 1 out of 6 matches, which was pretty good for our team, considering the amount of upperclassmen competing against us. 

I asked some of my fellow Quiz Bowl members about regionals.

Caroline Sweat, a sophomore at the NCLA, reflected on her experience at the competition, and her enjoyment of it overall! “Honestly, it was better than I could have hoped! I loved our team, and getting to compete was super fun.” She added that she learned a lot, and that she’s excited to get even better next year! 

Abigail Nelson, another sophomore at the NCLA, shared a bit about why she loves Quiz Bowl, stating, “I like Quiz Bowl because we get to do fun trivia questions with friends!” 

Sweat agreed with Nelson, stating that she loves being a part of a team, and you get to learn about your team members. In addition, she adds, “Being in Quiz Bowl gives me motivation to learn as much as I can. I seriously look forward to Quiz Bowl practice! It’s always a highlight of my week.”

Henry Hartzell is the only freshman on our team so far, and he always racks up points for our team, no matter which subject. When asked about being the only freshman, he replied, “Being the only freshman is a challenge. It’s unique, and I like to rise to challenges!” He also added that Quiz Bowl is very challenging. “You have to rack your brain for the answers. It’s very mentally intensive, and it’s a good outlet for intelligence.”

Bella Hall, another sophomore at the NCLA, revealed that she actually knew some of the people there at the competition! She was already familiar with so many people. She added that she thought the competition was fun. “It’s like Jeopardy, and I love playing Jeopardy!”

Beau Harrell had some of the same thoughts as well, stating, “It was really fun! I wished there were more questions related to science. There was a lot about history, and locations. Everyone there was very nice, but aggressively smart. Those other teams were definitely on the buzzer!”

Harrell added that he enjoys Quiz Bowl because he gets to spend time with others from school, and he feels smart when he gets a question right. 

Mr. Hartzell shared his feedback on the team overall, and his thoughts on regionals. He commented about our overall growth, and stated, “It went really well! I expected the group to gain experience and to win a match or two, and that’s what we did. We did only have underclassmen on our team, so we were just getting a feel for things.”

We’re so excited to compete next year, and get better at what we do. If this sounds like a cool opportunity to you, don’t hesitate to join us next year! We’d love to have you. 

Works Cited:

NAQT | About Quiz Bowl. www.naqt.com/about/quiz-bowl.html.

Under the Lantern Light

By: Monica Truhe

The NCLA’s Prom 2024: Under the Lantern Light, united Falcon juniors, seniors, and dates alike for a night of dancing to bring the year to a close.

Located at The Event at Two Ten in Kernersville, the venue was decked out in greenery, purples, and soft lantern light to emulate the beloved Disney favorite, Tangled. The rustic venue with its courtyard, loft, and floor-to-ceiling windows made for a picturesque night. Emmy Guldberg says, “I thought it was lit…I liked the brownies. It was super pretty.” Panagiota Mellonas says, “It was very scenic. The decorations were very Tangled-y.” 

The dance was seen as a sort of last-hoorah for seniors, a bittersweet conclusion to their high school dance years. Nick Swisher says, “I was super excited. The vibes were there. It was sad, being the last one of course, but I’m glad everyone seemed to enjoy it. I got to be there with my friends and everybody.”

The NCLA upperclassmen voted seniors Natalie Burns and Will Martin as prom queen and prom king.

Junior Claire Saunders says, “Everyone looked gorgeous and the music was good. Everyone was having a great time, even people who don’t usually talk to each other were chatting and it was a great event all around. I do wish there was more decor to fit the vibe.” 

Brecklyn Wilson, “Prom was such a great experience this year! It was so special to share this experience with my friends and get to get dressed up for pictures.”

Prom 2024

Photos supplied by the NCLA

What a Brew-tiful Day: Coffee House

By: Kaitlyn Parker

Did you know NCLA has their very own coffee house? Despite what you are thinking, it is not a normal coffee house, like Starbucks, but instead a night dedicated to the arts where students of all ages come out to perform together. 

NCLA’s coffee house event took place this year on March 11th when many gathered to hear long rehearsed and awaited performances from their kids and friends. The event was held in the middle school gym where coffee and sweet treats were provided so parents and family could come and enjoy.

Even the middle school gym was too small of a space for the large crowd that lined up outside the building. There were friends and parents filling the bleachers and standing along the walls while students sat in the floor to make more room. It is safe to say the event definitely drew a crowd.

The evening started off with a performance by the elementary school choir. These students elected to be in the choir and attended many after school practices to prepare their songs.

Third grade Allison Demmitt said she chose to be in the choir because she “thought it would be a good afterschool thing to do”. Demmitt’s classmate, Chloe Mackie said she decided to join because she “wanted to perform a lot” and “liked singing”. 

All of the elementary schoolers were excited to participate, but that also meant they had a lot of practice to do. Third grader Kaaraj Hunjan said they practiced for “four or five weeks” for Sing for Peace and “A Million Dreams took only two weeks”. The elementary choir worked hard and was even able to commit Sing for Peace to memory. 

After the elementary school choir, it was time for the band to take the stage. Middle school band performed in many different ensembles including duets and trios before their group performance. It was great to see young students stepping outside of their comfort zone and performing. 

The middle school choir left many people very impressed with their performance. Junior Rachel Bouton said “I really liked the 7th and 8th grade choir. I thought they sounded really good with what they did”. Many others agreed with Bouton saying the middle school choirs were impressive and memorable. 

Bouton also performed a solo at coffee house, a decision she says came easily because she enjoys performing and thought it would be a good opportunity to express herself and do what she loves. Bouton’s experience is what coffee house is supposed to be about, allowing students to step out of their comfort zone and perform because they love it. 

The night ended with performances from the high school chorus and band. The choir sang Someone in the Crowd and Pure Imagination. These two songs were fun for the choir to explore because they have very different dynamics and almost encompass a musical theatre type rhythm. 

High school band was last to take the stage. Senior Michael Garmon says a lot of preparation went into the pieces the band showcased. Garmon said “I could definitely tell Ms. Ryder was working hard on it, especially the whole production and everything. I practiced mostly after school, but I’m sure that she practiced a lot with her own kids in class”. 

The effort from everyone was definitely seen through the wonderful performances of the night. It was evident how much work Mr. Pugh, Ms. Donciu and Ms. Ryder put in with their groups as well as everyone else who made the night a success. 

Ultimately, coffee house has always been about the students sharing their love and music which was definitely showcased this year at the brew-tiful event!

Living

Coachella

By: Sarah Hernandez

Coachella is one of the biggest music festivals in the U.S. usually done in April. This music and arts festival is held from Friday to Sunday and people are able to listen and enjoy their favorite artist, food, art, and meet new people. To get the full experience people often camp throughout the 3 days to be able to enjoy the festival to its fullest potential. One of the most exciting parts about being able to go to this festival is being able to meet not only your favorite artist but also influencers and celebrities. You already know for these types of occasions everyone’s outfits have to go all out. Which makes for some very interesting outfits making it all the more fun for everyone around.

Outfit reviews: 

Our first headliner was Lana Del Rey and she appeared on stage with a beautiful sparkling blue summer-ish dress paired with bedazzled boots to pull the look all together. This was such a simple yet stunning look that is able to completely capture your attention making it a 7.5/10. It perfectly suited Lana and paired well with the vibe of Coachella. 

Next in line is the second headliner Tyler the Creator who is famously known for his cool and experimental style. For his entrance he wore a safari outfit with a tie and hat to pull it all together   with white shoes to stand out. His outfit was different from what is usually seen on the Coachella stage but it has such a presence with the whole stage making it very funky. It was something new that had never been seen before making it very on brand for Tyler the Creator and a 8/10 for me. 

Finally in our list of headliners there is Doja cat who is famously known for outlandish and exploratory outfits throughout her career. For her night at Coachella she had multiple outfits however the one that stood out the most would have been the all white jumpsuit with her long blonde wig. The jumpsuit was baggy and large making it a very flowy outfit for her set. It was different from what most artists wear and very fresh to the public eye making this outfit a 7/10.

Bob Marley: One Love

By: Hannah Simcic

Bob Marley has gone down in history as one of the best artists of his time. His music not only was enjoyable to listen to, but had great messages of love and peace, representing his Jamaican culture and identity. 

Bob Marley: One Love as described by IMDb is “The story of how reggae icon Bob Marley overcame adversity, and the journey behind his revolutionary music.” 

This movie shows the audience the immense work, effort, and love that went into Marley’s music and the community that stood behind him during the hardest times in Jamaican history. 

The movie has an overall rating of 4.3 stars. With many loving the message of the movie and bringing back the legacy of Marley and his intentions of his music. 

Luke Rota says “Bob Marley One Love is a biopic that endeavors to peel back the layers of the reggae icon’s life, revealing the man behind the music, the father behind the legend, and the soul behind the revolution.” 

“In the One Love movie, the actor who portrays Bob Marley truly and almost, mystically captured Bob Marley as we all remember him to such a degree you could almost believe it was Bob Marley on screen.  Deeply impressed.” said Brian Kirschner

Being a Bob Marley fan myself, I felt this movie perfectly presented what Marley stood for, and fully represented the hardships and obstacles that he had to push through in order to get to be the success and inspiration people know him as today. 

Sports

Spring Sports

By: Alyssa Hopkins and Sarah Hernandez

Ahhh spring! The grass is green, the flowers are blooming, and the sun is out. This means it’s finally time for spring sports!  We will be deep diving into the falcon’s girl’s soccer, baseball, softball, track, and golf. Looking at players’ experiences and how it has helped them with their sport career. The experiences they make with their team and how they feel about the start of the season. 

First we will be looking at varsity softball who has already been through a few games and is off to a great start in their season. First we interviewed Caleigh Buwalda, who is experiencing her first year playing, she told us she is “excited but scared for the first game.” The usual nervous jitters get us all, but she still played great, and got many outs for the team. Caliegh also said she is looking forward to “working on batting and improving her skills at the plate.” Freshman on the team, Kelsey Brown says, “Our team is very close and we are excited for the season.” Looking at the team overall we can’t wait to see what they have in store for the season.  

Now let’s look at our varsity baseball team, who are also diving into their season quickly having already played 3 games. We talked to one of the juniors on the team, Isaac Colman, who has played baseball for 11 years. From the start Isaac thinks that the team will get better and “loves the team environment, and can’t wait for them to progress through the season.” As a junior this year he hopes to progress and grow with the team to the best of their ability. 

Jumping straight into golf this year we have a larger group with 7 boys. They haven’t had their first match yet however from the past Adam Koonce remembers having his first match and how it felt. He says he felt, “Kinda stressed but as the match went on I was more comfortable” He has told his fellow teammates and other students, “Don’t be stressed by golf or by the peering eyes find a medium of being calm and taking it seriously.”

Although track hasn’t had a big start into their season yet, they are well on their way and have joined together to make one of the largest track teams the NCLA has ever  seen. Ethan Parker, a junior on the team who has been running track since 6th grade. Speaking to us about his experiences, he said, “I think we are all still out of shape, but we will be good when we get started. I was a little nervous but very excited to start.” When asked about the upcoming season and team environment he stated, “We lost a couple seniors but we are all excited to get to know the new people and it’s nice to have a bigger team, I’m really excited to meet new people.”

Finally we have girls varsity soccer, the girls have started out strong and are well on their way to a good long season. Zoey Martin, a junior who has been playing soccer for 13 years, told us about her experience so far this year. She states, “This year was definitely a jump because we played with 10 players and it took a lot of teamwork and communication compared to last year. Personally, under circumstances I think I did really well, best can be different on different days. We have a big group that have been together for a while, so it makes it even more memorable.” In all she says the team goal for the year, “It’s always a goal to beat bishop, the ultimate goal is to make it to the state playoffs. We love our seniors and hope to have a great season with them.” 

Wow! We can’t wait to keep the teams going and see how much our school can do this season. These players are committed to their team and sport and overall show what it means to be a falcon involved in sports. If you’re able, go out and support our teams this season! Good Luck Falcons!

 

Student Submissions

We asked the NCLA’s

most creative minds:

What does Saint Patrick’s Day look like to you?

Elliot Swanson, 2nd Grade

Lindsay Shepard, 3rd Grade

Vivi Ross, 3rd Grade

Kaaraj Hunjan, 3rd Grade

Justin Sawyer, 3rd Grade