The Charleston Gazette - Features

New Years resolution was life changing for teen

flipside@wvgazette.com (Ronni Lynn Wood, Scott High School) — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:16:55 -0400

Lots of people make New Years resolutions every year, sometimes without thinking them through. Many people fail to keep their resolutions for whatever reason, but some do. These resolutions can be small and inconsequential, or they can be life changing...

Electronic infatuation: teens love their cell phones

flipside@wvgazette.com (Michael Johnson, Scott High School) — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:22:28 -0400

Throughout the day, whether you are enjoying the waves of California or climbing the Appalachian Mountains, nine out of 10 times you will be carrying an electronic device. Electricity is what fuels America and its economy, and with electricity comes ...

Cherish high school with class rings

flipside@wvgazette.com (Morgan Thomas, Valley High School) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:32:07 -0400

The first class rings were made for cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1835. In 1897, the first high school class rings were made. Five female friends in Minnesota wanted to have a ring made so they would never forget the fri...

No age limit on birthday fun

flipside@wvgazette.com (Morgan Thomas, Valley High School) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:36:10 -0400

Every year, no matter what, we all turn a year older. It can be exciting or sad depending on the person and age. Some people will want to celebrate, but others wont. Valley High School sophomores Brooke Pauley and Destiny Holden celebrated when they ...

Students surveyed prefer small towns to big cities

flipside@wvgazette.com (Morgan Thomas, Valley High School) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:46:29 -0400

As you get older, you have to start making important decisions in your life. You have to choose what career you want to pursue, where you want to go to college and, after college, where you want to live. For instance, you could live in a big city like ...

Scott High students find fun in small town

flipside@wvgazette.com (Alyssa Canterbury, Scott High School) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 22:06:58 -0400

After the school bell rings, the last place many students want to go is home. However, for Scott High School students, hangout spots are limited. There arent movie theaters or skating rinks; Madison isnt a large enough town to have the attractions that...

Show choir returns to Scott High School

flipside@wvgazette.com (Ronni Lynn Wood, Scott High School) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 17:02:20 -0400

After being absent from the curriculum for more than five years, show choir is back at Scott High School. This spring is a trial run for the choir to see whether it will work again at the school; the groups future will be based on this springs success ...

Remembering the Titanic: 100 years later

flipside@wvgazette.com (Katherine Burgess, Winfield High School) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 17:19:40 -0400

Throughout the day on April 14, 1912, the RMS Titanic received iceberg warnings as it traveled the north Atlantic Ocean. At 11:40 p.m., ship lookout Frederick Fleet spotted an iceberg dead ahead. Shortly thereafter, the Titanic collided with the iceber...

Molding minds: Teens teach elementary students Spanish

flipside@wvgazette.com (Gabrielle Lee, Hurricane High School) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 22:52:44 -0400

Many people anticipate Friday. It can mean the end of a long week or the hopeful start of the weekend. Once a month, kindergarteners and first graders at Conner Street Elementary School in Hurricane look forward to Friday because it means "the Spa...

These teens are runway ready

flipside@wvgazette.com (Frannie Salisbury, John Adams Middle School) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:23:20 -0500

Many teenage girls dream of becoming a model, but there are a few high school girls here in Charleston who are living that dream. The West Virginia Symphony League selected eight teens to participate in its annual fashion show on Wednesday. "Teens are...

From freshman to senior: how students have changed

flipside@wvgazette.com (Gabrielle Lee, Hurricane High School) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:52:29 -0500

Isaac Asimov once said, "The only constant is change, continuing change, inevitable change; that is the dominant factor in society today." Change is a regular aspect of life, and as life prepares to change for them upon graduation, naturally ...

They may be outnumbered, but these guys love show choir anyway

flipside@wvgazette.com (Lauren Campbell, Horace Mann Middle School) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:06:45 -0500

Show choir is a chorus that sings while dancing. When it comes to show choir, many people talk about the beautiful dresses the girls wear and their hair and makeup, but they never mention the guys. However, guys are assets to the typical show choir b...

Teens autistic brother sees the world differently

flipside@wvgazette.com (Gabrielle Lee, Hurricane High School) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:10:30 -0500

Sometimes life can be a little complicated. When a person sees the world from a completely different angle than most people, though, those complications can be amped up. Taylor Moore, a junior at Hurricane High School, has some experience with this. ...

Scott High School senior is out and proud

flipside@wvgazette.com (Alyssa Canterbury, Scott High School) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:12:19 -0500

Devin Green is an 18-year-old senior at Scott High School. There is one thing about Green that sets him apart from many of his peers: he is openly homosexual. Green realized he was gay around the seventh grade. "I was always like this, but that was w...

Seniors, consider these college factors

flipside@wvgazette.com (Ashley Haycraft, Herbert Hoover High School) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:24:12 -0500

When choosing colleges, there are many options to consider. Dont know where to start. Here are some factors to use in your college decision-making process. 1.Academics: One of the most important factors is whether the school offers th...

Hunting for a heartfelt Valentines Day gift

flipside@wvgazette.com (Michael Johnson, Scott High School) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:50:21 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- What do you want to receive for Valentines Day. Do you want flowers, a box of chocolate, a teddy bear or maybe just a simple kiss.

Valentines Day i...

Masturbation is the safest sex there is

flipside@wvgazette.com (Nicholas Ransbottom, FlipSide staff writer) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:13:23 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Aside from birth and death, the most important time in our life is puberty. Puberty brings about many changes, from deepening voices and height changes to hair growing in unwelcome places and pimples popping up when we dont ...

Sex on the small screen

flipside@wvgazette.com (Rachael Shook, St. Albans High School) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:22:28 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- "The Secret Life of the American Teenager." "16 and Pregnant." "Teen Mom." Each of these series center around one main idea: teen sex. And each show receives millions of viewers each week. Each s...

Saying no to sex

flipside@wvgazette.com (Ronni Lynn Wood, Scott High School) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:41:47 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- In high schools everywhere, teens may be confronted with the idea of having sex with their partner before theyre ready. They may not know just how to say no, though. If this is happening to you, you must tell your partner wha...

High school senior prepares for fatherhood

flipside@wvgazette.com (Ashley Haycraft, Herbert Hoover High School) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:42:30 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Kenny White is like any other 18-year-old teenager. He is finishing his senior year at Herbert Hoover High School, working at Burger King and part time in the school cafeteria and has been in a relationship with his girlfriend...

Teen mom labors through her first delivery

flipside@wvgazette.com (Morgan Thomas, Valley High School) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:43:37 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- At 5:22 p.m. on Dec. 12, 2011, at Thomas Memorial Hospital in South Charleston, teen mom Tonja Danberry gave birth to a 7-pound, 15-ounce, 21-inch baby girl she named Destinee Faith. Being pregnant wasnt what Danberry wanted ...

Teen adjusts to life as new, single mom

flipside@wvgazette.com (Morgan Thomas, Valley High School) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:46:05 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- For most teen girls, a mom isnt the first thing they want to be. Every teenager has dreams and goals in life. Sometimes, though, pregnancy happens, and teens may have to put those dreams and goals on the back burner or speed th...

Having kids while still a kid

flipside@wvgazette.com (Chelsea Shamblin, Poca High School) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:48:43 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Many teens enjoy sitting down on Tuesday nights to watch MTVs hit reality series "Teen Mom 2," questioning what its like to be a teen mother. But whats it like to live that reality. To be the mother of two by age 15....

Local playwright not afraid to push peoples buttons

flipside@wvgazette.com (Nicholas Ransbottom, FlipSide staff writer) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:04:32 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Playwright, librettist, and director Dan Kehde founded the Contemporary Youth Arts Company more than 15 years ago with his wife, Penny. Hes the managing director of the drama group and has produced more than 50 new and o...

What a difference a few years make

flipside@wvgazette.com (Chelsea Shamblin, Poca High School) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:13:56 -0500

Being the only junior in my fourth block gym class, well, sucks. Its not that I have no one to talk to because I have made many friends this semester. Its that as a junior who only has one year of school left, I get no respect from my freshman classm...

From Central America to Charleston: adopted teen shares his story

flipside@wvgazette.com (Lauren Campbell, Horace Mann Middle School) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:16:50 -0500

Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to be adopted. Horace Mann eighth grader Matthew Ditchen knows. He was adopted by his parents from Guatemala City, Guatemala. They adopted him on Oct. 25, 1998. "Ever since I could speak, they ...

Youre stuck in school, so make the most of it

flipside@wvgazette.com (Gabrielle Lee, Hurricane High School) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:19:40 -0500

Assuming that the average student spends approximately seven hours a day at school 180 days a year for 12 years, school easily sucks up 15,120 hours of a persons life. This does not include zero block, fifth block or college. What purpose do these 1...

Creative students like a good challenge

flipside@wvgazette.com (Gabrielle Lee, Hurricane High School) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:20:51 -0500

Katie Lago and Noah Gillispie are two very different students who have dissimilar interests in hobbies and activities. Yet they do have one thing in common: they can both appreciate a challenge when it comes to the creative activities they enjoy. Gill...

Why do band members choose their instruments.

flipside@wvgazette.com (Morgan Thomas, Valley High School) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:21:51 -0500

Whether youre in your schools marching band, a garage band or some other sort of musical group, youve got an instrument to play. Theres probably a reason why you picked up that instrument and started playing, but what is it. Several Valley High Sch...

Do U dig dancing. This crew does!

flipside@wvgazette.com (Sabriyah Shahbandy, George Washington High School) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:25:31 -0500

Check out the U-crew in action here and here. If youve been to a teen event a...

A new year means new resolutions

flipside@wvgazette.com (Gabrielle Lee, Hurricane High School) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:32:41 -0500

The tradition of New Years resolution dates back to the early Babylonians, when the most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment. (They celebrated the New Year on the spring equinox.) More modern resolutions that people make will often...

All hail the King of Rock and Roll

flipside@wvgazette.com (Katherine Burgess, Winfield High School) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:43:59 -0500

January 8, 1935 is a day of special importance in the music world. On this day, the King of Rock and Roll was born. Elvis Presley, or simply Elvis, is a cultural icon and one of the worlds greatest music legends. He has sold more than a billion recor...

Winter means snow days, snowball fights and more

flipside@wvgazette.com (Morgan Thomas, Valley High School) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:15:06 -0500

Dec. 21 is the first day of winter, but just because it isnt officially winter yet doesnt mean that snow isnt going to fall, school isnt going to be cancelled or the weather is going to stay warm. Soon, we will be able to see our breath as we breathe....

Fill your break with dynamic days off

flipside@wvgazette.com (Gabrielle Lee, Hurricane High School) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:25:53 -0500

Its that time of the year again. Winter break is approaching fast, leaving many students to ponder, "What am I going to do with two weeks of boredom." The first couple days are often enjoyable, but by day three of doing nothing but sl...

Plenty of ways to help others through the holidays

flipside@wvgazette.com (Gabrielle Lee, Hurricane High School) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:33:47 -0500

Some students do it because it may be a graduation requirement at their school. Other students may do it because it makes them feel better about themselves. Whatever the reason, volunteering is an honorable way to spend the winter break this year. Vol...

This season, give gifts that give back

flipside@wvgazette.com (Gabrielle Lee, Hurricane High School) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:56:51 -0500

Tis the season to buy Christmas presents for friends, family and other loved ones. Many people, however, are stumped on what to buy for the gift-giving season. Why not consider making a purchase that will affect more than just the gifts recipient. The...

Meet Hurricane High School teacher Jennifer Weddington

flipside@wvgazette.com (Gabrielle Lee, Hurricane High School) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:54:45 -0500

Life isnt fair. Most people will hear this phrase a number of times throughout their lives. Nonetheless, people have the power to change that concept, or at least that is the philosophy by which Hurricane High School teacher Jennifer Weddington abides....

Jack the Ripper vs. Dexter Morgan: a comparison of killers

flipside@wvgazette.com (Katherine Burgess, Winfield High School) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:20:25 -0500

What defines a serial killer. Most would believe that it is someone who kills a ton of people, but actually a serial killer is anyone who has killed three or more people in a month or more with a period of down time between the murders. There have been so...

Teens help those in need at Labor 4 Neighbor 2011

flipside@wvgazette.com (Morgan Thomas, Valley High School) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:58:03 -0500

On Oct. 9, a group of teenagers and adults met at Good Shepherd Mission in Coalburg to go out and winterize homes for needy families in the area. The event was called Labor 4 Neighbor, and it was planned by coordinator Cathy Savilla, who for mont...

Hurricane students find ways to remember lost classmate

flipside@wvgazette.com (Gabrielle Lee, Hurricane High School) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:04:51 -0500

On Sep. 2, the halls of Hurricane High School swarmed with a wave of black as students wore black attire in a symbol of respect and mourning for a fellow student. The previous night, Hurricane lost Kara Sue Stowers, a bright and bubbly senior, in a car...

Pets are like family, so dress them up too

flipside@wvgazette.com (Morgan Thomas, Valley High School) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 23:45:00 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Halloween is right around the corner, and that means kids need costumes. But should we only buy costumes for kids. For most pet owners, pets are part of our family. Many of us consider them just as another child, so why not ...

Alex Flinn on fairy tales

shellyd@wvgazette.com (Shelly Davidov) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:53:24 -0400

WANT TO GO.

Alex Flinns "Why I Still Believe in Fairy Tales"

Part of the W.Va. Book Festival

The fall bucket list: Things to do before autumn fades away

flipside@wvgazette.com (Katherine Burgess, Winfield High School) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 18:10:47 -0400

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Leaves are covering the ground like a blanket of orange, yellow and brown; they crumple under our feet as we walk. The air has cooled a bit and the days have shortened. Theres only on...

Healthier alternatives to fulfill your Halloween candy fix

flipside@wvgazette.com (Nicholas Ransbottom, FlipSide staff writer) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:00:13 -0400

Halloween is a holiday thats celebrated in different ways by different people. Some use it as an excuse to put on naughty or ridiculous costumes to pretend to be someone or something different. Some use it as an excuse to gorge themselves or violent an...

Teen tells his adoption story

flipside@wvgazette.com (Ashley Haycraft, Herbert Hoover High School) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:02:09 -0400

Andy Matics is a typical teenager. He attends Herbert Hoover High School, plays trombone in the school band and is an Eagle Scout. A senior, he plans on attending Marshall University and studying architecture after he graduates this year. But thats n...

Free yourself from your fears

flipside@wvgazette.com (Samira Shahbandy, John Adams Middle School) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:03:36 -0400

Fears, or phobias, can be about small things like clowns (coulrophobia) or spiders (arachnophobia) to big things like being afraid of heights (acrophobia) or closed spaces (claustrophobia). All of us are going to face some kind of fear in our lifetime....

Candy conundrum: how old is too old to trick-or-treat.

flipside@wvgazette.com (Lauren Campbell, Horace Mann Middle School) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:20:44 -0400

Halloween is a time for people to scare their friends, dress up in costumes and watch scary movies. Its also the time to trick-or-treat. Now that youre in middle school or high school, though, are you too old to trick-or-treat. Everyone has a differe...

Ouijia board: spirit communicator or just a game.

( ) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:25:05 -0400

By Joey Anania and Marykathryn Sheets The Minerva Center for Academic Success The Ouija board has been around for more than 120 years. Recently, it has become more popular among teenagers. The board is reputed ...

Paranormal investigator searches for spirits

flipside@wvgazette.com (Katherine Burgess, Winfield High School) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:32:28 -0400

Much of the worlds population is fascinated with the paranormal. Thousands of people spend hours watching paranormal shows like "Ghost Adventures," "Paranormal State" and "Ghost Hunters." However, there is little to no t...

Valley students show spirit during homecoming dress-up days

flipside@wvgazette.com (Morgan Thomas, Valley High School) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 17:23:00 -0400

Valley High School, home of the Greyhounds, showed its school spirit during homecoming week, held Sept. 26-30. The cheerleaders deliberated on theme days and came up with Team Day, Fashion Disaster Day, Costume Day, Nerd Day and Blue and Gray Day (for ...