Cougar Call
Volume 2, Issue 12
Prom
By: Lauren Bernard
Did You Enjoy Prom?
Teacher Spotlight
This month’s Teacher Spotlight is on Mr. Alvin Hawkes. Coach Hawkes has been coaching and teaching at Piedmont Academy for five years. When I asked Coach Hawkes,“What brought you to PIedmont?” he answered, “ I had just graduated from Georgia State, I was looking for a job, and so I applied at Piedmont.” Of teaching Coach Hawkes says, “ I always knew in the back of my mind that I wanted to be a teacher, and I wanted to help people. In middle and high school I was never good in the math industry. In college I got a lot better at it and thought I might teach it.” Coach Hawkes' favorite color is green, and he enjoys anything outdoors such as hunting and fishing. He also loves to work in the garden and reload ammunition. Also, Coach Hawkes is the head coach of PAC's wrestling and middle school football teams. Coach Hawkes and Mrs. Hawkes (who teaches 6th and 9th grades here at PAC) are expecting a nestling soon!
Thank you to Coach Hawkes for everything he does for the students and everyone else at PAC. Coach Hawkes is an amazing teacher and always has a positive attitude. His “Good Morning”s are always appreciated!!
By: Lauren BernardFreshmen at High Falls Park
Seniors at Jackson Lake
Mattie J. Lends a Paw
Lend-A-Paw
Lend a Paw Day finally arrived! Piedmont’s community service project was a success. With every class traveling throughout the community, we have made a difference. In total, Piedmont visited over twenty locations. K-4 worked on the Blanket Project. K-5 went to The Retreat in Monticello. First grade visited the Children’s Home. Second grade wrote letters, visited Piedmont Academy charter parents , and cleaned the grounds. Third grade went to the Salvation Army in Covington. Fourth grade worked at the Jasper County Animal Control. Fifth grade visited the Dauset Trails. Sixth grade went to the Senior Center in Monticello and cleaned up the Westview Cemetery. Seventh grade cleaned the Never Too Late House and went to the Newton County Recreation Miracle League Field. Eighth grade visited the Never Too Late House and worked at the Solid Rock Church Food Pantry. Ninth grade cleaned High Falls and visited the Covington YMCA. Tenth grade visited the Presbyterian Church of Monticello and went to Falcon Woods Farm. Eleventh grade helped with the City of Jackson clean-up, went to the Lighthouse Village in Conyers, and visited Family Promise in Conyers. Twelfth grade cleaned around Jackson Lake. Overall, Lend a Paw Day was a complete success. According to Mrs. Robin Anglin, “We feel all the students enjoyed the day, and hopefully came away with a full heart. We’re already hearing lots of positive feedback from the communities that benefited from the work that was done.” Next year, the Piedmont staff is hoping to make Lend a Paw last a full weekend, and plans to have it in the Fall. Mrs Robin says, “ I love seeing the pictures that come in during the day of students, teachers, and volunteers smiling and enjoying themselves while helping others. I hope they know the impact they’re having on these communities.”
By: Sarah Holland
Jokes
1. When do monkeys fall from the sky?
During Ape-ril showers!
2. Can February March?
No, but April May!
3. Why is everyone so tired on April 1?
Because they just finished a long, 31 day March!
4. What flowers grow on faces?
Tulips (Two-lips)!
5. Why is the letter A like a flower?
A bee (B) comes after it!
6. When do people start using their trampoline?
Spring-Time
7. What do you call a rabbit with fleas?
Bugs Bunny
8. If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?
Pilgrims!
9. What monster plays the most April Fools jokes?
Prankenstein!
10. What’s a baby chick’s favorite plant?
EGG-plants!
11. Can bees fly in the rain?
Not without their little yellow jackets!
12. What bow can't be tied? A rainbow!
By: Savannah Mote
2016 Golf Team - Runners-up in Region
The Golf Team "Drives" Through Region
Head Coach Michael Wilson said “I’m very excited that we were able to garner region runner-up and advance to state. It’s a testament to everyone’s hard work throughout the season. I’m especially happy for Tanner to win the low medalist. Being a champion at any level is always something you can take with you at any point in your life. It’s something he should be really proud of.”
By: Joseph Anderson
Soccer Season Comes to an End
On March 29th, the Cougar soccer teams faced Westminster of Augusta. The teams did not do so well, but battled hard. The Lady Cougars fell 9-0 and the boys fell 15-0. “We did not have an answer for them,” said Piedmont coach Zach Norris. “They came out firing on all cylinders. I am still very proud of how both the boys and girls played. They never gave up until the game was over. We were just overmatched.”
On March 31st, the teams were supposed to face Monsignor Donovan of Athens. The game was rained out and rescheduled for April 19th. It was a very close game between the Lady Cougars and the Lady Rams. The Lady Cougars made the game a tough one with a score of 2-2, making the game go into overtime. Neither of the teams scored in the first overtime. The teams had to go to penalty kicks by choosing five of their top kickers to kick. Amelia Dodson was in goal for the Lady Cougars. The Lady Cougars did not finish as strongly as they needed, and fell in “PK’s” 3-0. The boys were defeated 4-0 by Mon Don.
On April 11th, the middle school Lady Cougars faced Creekside and earned a 2-1 win. The goals were made by Adrianna Chapco and Cally Cook. The middle school girls have improved tremendously througoutt the season and learned dribbling skills as well as regular fundamentals.
On April 12th, the teams faced John Milledge. The Lady Cougars ended with a tied game of 2-2. The scorers of the game were Amelia Dodson and Haley Tyler. The girls did not go into overtime because the game was not a region game. The boys’ team lost 6-0. Although there was much improvement, each team was playing hard opponents.
On April 15th, the Cougar teams hosted Providence Academy at home. The Lady Cougars put them away with a score of 8-0. Becca Hopper scored 2 goals, Amelia Dodson scored 2, and Alexis Dodson, Caitlyn Young, Sydney Davis, and Mattie Johnson all contributed one goal each. The Cougars boys lost 10-0. The guys played hard defense, but Providence's passing and dribbling skills were good.
On April 18th, the Lady Cougars had to finish their rained out game against Westfield, and the male Cougars had to make up their game. The Lady Cougars had been up 3-0 with 24:29 left on the clock just before the lightning struck and caused the postponement. The final score to the game was 4-0. Amelia Dodson scored 3 goals and Haley Tyler scored 1. The Cougars made up a postponed game and lost with a score of 11-0. “The boys played hard,” head coach Zachary Norris stated. “We were just over matched today.” he finished.
The next day, April 19th, the teams hosted Gatewood at home. This was the last home game of the season for each PAC team, and the very last game for the middle school girls and varsity boys and girls teams. This was the game recognized as senior night. The senior girls and boys were recognized between games. The middle school Lady Cougars tied Gatewood with a score of 2-2. The scorers were Cally Cook and Ava Anglin. The Lady Cougars were defeated by the Gators and the score was 7-2. Amelia Dodson scored the goals for the girls. This loss resulted in the team not being able to continue to state. The varsity boys team were defeated 11-0. Norris stated “I'm very proud of how well both teams played this year. We made a lot of progress from the beginning of the season to the end. It was a hard fought game we just came up short in the game.”
PAc's varsity girls were 5th in region, and the boys 7th in region.
By: Haley TylerThe Cougars Stay on the Diamond
The Cougars came back from Spring Break and played at John Milledge on April 11. The Cougars fell short losing the game 6-1. Mack Brady started the game for the Cougars and just couldn’t shut down the Trojans bats. The Cougars played a good game, but offensively there were a lot of runners left on base. The next game was a region game and was played at Windsor on April 12. The Cougars won in a 5th inning comeback. Going into the 5th inning the Cougars were down 2-1, but their bats came alive and by the end of the game the score was 6-2. Brock Carter pitched the entire game for the Cougars. The next game was Senior Night against Briarwood on April 14. Michael Edwards started the game and came out with the win in the 11-0 victory.
The seniors for this year were Noah Quick, Alan Powell, Hunter Whiting, and Zach Wilson. These seniors along with their parents were honored before the game, and after the game there were snacks for everyone in celebration of our PAC seniors. The Cougars played at Central Fellowship Christian on April 18. Mack Brady started the game for the Cougars and received a W after Wyatt Galloway came in for the save in the 7-6 victory. The Cougars will play the region championship game here at home against Brentwood on April 22, and on April 23 the Cougars will face off against Deerfield Windsor @ Deerfield. It will be the AA State champs vs. the AAA state champs.
By: Joseph Anderson
2016 Cougars Track team
A Race to the Finish Line
Track season is off with a great start! The track team’s head coach is Rick Ringer with assistant coach Traci Brady. For field events for Long Jump are Lucy Tuggle and Alexis Dodson and boys Michael, Ben, and Mack. For Triple Jump is JT Webb and Parker Clark for High Jump is Bailyn Whitiker and for Short Put is Amileia Dodson and Neely Bradford. For Discus are Neely Bradford, Maddie Morton, and Amelia Dodson and boys Zach Wilson, Chris Cain, JT Webb, and Clay Kirkpatrick. For the 100 Neely Bradford won for the girls her time was 14.35. For the 4x100 in the slow heat are Neely Bradford, Maddie Morton, Lucy Tuggle, and Cassidy cook with 57 Flat and in the fast heat were Sydney Davis, Caitlyn Young, Taylor Patterson, and Anna Knox with 57.56 Flat.
For the 100 Hurdles is Bailyn Whitiker and for the 300 Hurdles are Amelia Dodson and Bailyn Whitiker. For the boys 100 is Ben Davis and Noah Quick and for the 4x100 is Ben Davis, Noah Quick, Michael Edwards, and Mack Brady. For 200 is Anna Knox, Sydney Davis, and Gracie and the 400 is Taylor Patterson, Gracie, and Corbin. For the 2 Mile is Mallory Boyd and for the 1 Mile is Gracie Black and Mack Brady.
Congratulations to the following Track Team members who will be advancing to State competition in Albany next week. Bailyn Whitker placed 4th in High Jump Amelia Dodson placed 1st in the 300 M Hurdles and 3rd in girls Shot Put. Gracie Hunt placed 3rd in the 400 M Dash JT Webb placed 4th in Boys Shot Put and Mack Brady, Ben Davis, Noah Quick, and Micheal Edwards placed 3rd in Boys 4x100 M Relay.
By: Savannah Mote
A "Magical" Grandparents Day
The Piedmont elementary students performed a Disney themed program for Grandparent’s Day on Friday, April 15, 2016. The gym was decorated with everyone’s favorite Disney characters. The young students belted the most popular songs from well-known Walt Disney movies such as The Lion King and The Little Mermaid. Audience members enjoyed watching the carefully choreographed dances that each class performed. A special thanks to sophomores Sara Hammonds and Gracie Britain for teaching the dances and to Mrs. April Allen for organizing the program. The program was a wonderful way to honor the talented Walt Disney who provided magic and joy to generations.
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”- Walt Disney
2016 Tennis Team
All the "Racket" Comes to an End
Congratualtions to the team for a successful and productive season.
By; Lauren Bernard
Editorial: IPhone vs. Android
It’s the age-old controversy: Android or Iphone? Both sides hold on to their opinion and will debate until the end. No matter how enjoyable listing all of the reasons for choosing the phone that you like, how much do you really know about the other side? Iphones are known for their user-friendly interfaces, while the customization of Androids both make it difficult to decide: which one is better?
Going by the numbers, iPhone is winning. In the first quarter of 2015, iPhone held 92 percent of smartphone profits. iPhone has a reputation for being a little pricey, and the stigma only increases its popularity. However, Android picks up the slack with the volume of their shipments. According to informationweek.com, “Android is outselling the iPhone nearly five to one.” This year, IDC predicts Android will ship 1.15 billion versus 237 million from iPhone. What does this tell you? IPhone has ridiculous profit margins.
Security is always a major focal point in today’s world. IPhone had a leg up on Android for a while. The addition of Touch ID provided users an airtight unlocking technique that most Androids haven’t yet mastered. Samsung is the only manufacturer that has provided fingerprint-sensing technology to the table. Apple, no doubt, has more security in their app store. Before downloading anything, a password must be entered. Android is not nearly as locked down as Apple, but has become more creative in ease of use. They have recently added the ability to ‘trust’ areas and other devices so that the password is temporarily disabled. In total, Android’s high levels of customization is matched by Apple’s security.
The ability to customize Android’s physical properties surpass that of Apple’s. Most of Android’s phones allow the battery to be removed, and users can upgrade their storage if needed. To upgrade the storage of an iPhone, consumers must buy a whole new phone. Android allows consumers to use third party launchers, for added customization. The flexibility can come with a price, though. Apple prides themselves on their user interface. Even is the phone itself is slower than an Android, iPhones have a fluidity that trumps that of an Android.
The saying, “your reputation precedes you,” rings true in the smartphone industry. IPhones is known for their allegedly easy-to-use interface, and sky-high prices. Android’s customization and supposedly complex system is a common conception. Does a phone’s reputation effect their consumers? Apple’s costs have given their brand a reputation as a status symbol. Recent events between the FBI and Apple have given the company an edge in security. While the case is polarizing, most consumers look at security when purchasing new technology. However, surveys have concluded that Android’s popularity takes up 52 percent of the market, while iPhones only have 42.7 percent.
After researching and conducting survey after survey, can anyone say for certain which system is better? Each has its pros and cons. Really, it depends on what you feel is important and what you are looking for in a smartphone. So… Android or iPhone?By: Sarah Holland
Senior Letters
Monday: Prom is finally over! All the stress is done. Aside of having to wait an extra hour for the food, the strawberries being covered in dark chocolate, and only having 30 minutes of the DJ to dance to, prom was a success! The music was good, the dancing was good, and pictures were great! Aside from the rush to get to there everything ran smooth! It was by far one of the best Piedmont proms I have ever attended, but I'm not sure if that says anything considering this is only my second…. Prom was definitely worth the time and effort!
Tuesday:
We have a month of school left! Soon, summer will begin, and the Seniors will be shipped off to college. This year has gone by in a flash, and I have a hard time believing this is the end of my Senior year in high school. Things are about to pick up. With graduation, baccalaureate, and exams, the rest of the year is going to be over before we know it!
Wednesday:
Family members ask me what it’s like to be a Senior in high school. My answer? It feels surreal. Sometimes I think it will never end, and then other times I have a hard time believing it’s been more than a month. I can’t imagine there being anything out there other than the typical structured high school. Now, I am living with my parents, wearing a uniform, and go to school eight hours a day. It’s been that way for most of my life. Now, I am about to move on to something completely different. Even if I read every book ever written on what to expect when going to college, I would still have no idea what I’m in for. It’s terrifying, not knowing where you’ll be in a few months, but I’m ready.
Thursday: One more day until spring break. 8 hours of school left! Why are we even here? This whole week senioritis has really hit. After prom, I have technically checked out of school. This week has been a slow, dreadful, painful week of waiting for that what else week off… But the way I see it after this, only four more weeks of school left for us seniors! Can I get a whoop whoop!?!?
Friday:Spring break is finally here… Sunshine and time off here we come.. No matter where everyone else goes, I know people will be going to the beach, mountains, lake, or maybe just bed… Anything sounds better than school!! This half day is what has gotten me through the week and now that it's here, this has been the longest day of my life! Ugh! Until next week y'all (:
By: Haley Tyler and Sarah Holland
Paws at a Glance
4/21
B-team baseball vs. Briarwood@4:30 DH
Tennis State Tourney-team
Golf vs. Gatewood @Harbour Club @ 3:30
4/22
Varsity Baseball vs Brentwood @4:30
4/23
4/25
B-team Baseball @LCA 6:00
Golf State @Vidalia
Spring Book Fair (25-29)
Middle School trip to Chattanooga (25-27)
4/26
Varsity Baseball @Briarwood 4:30
4/28
B-team Baseball vs. Oak Mountain @4:30 DH
Track state competition in Albany
5/1
FFA banquet @5:00
5/6
Elementary field day
5/7
Grandparents spring yard sale
5/10
Yearbook dedication @2:15
Middle school field day
5/11
1st -3rd chapel 1:30
K5
By: Joseph Anderson