Cougar Call
Volume 1, Issue 2
9/11 Remembered
The tragedy known around the world as 9/11 resulted in thousands dead and even more injured. Across America, people watched as planes hit the Twin Towers early that Tuesday morning in 2001. Four planes, American Flights 11 and 77, and United Flights 175 and 93, were tools for this horrific terrorist attack. Americans were thrown into a state of panic while New York City workers and volunteers labored tirelessly to gain control of the chaos. The country was in shock. The nation struggled through the tragedy. That day Americans lost their sense of security. People were thrown from that long-held belief that, “It can’t happen here.” The American feeling of impenetrable borders was ripped away that terrible day.
Every American old enough to know what happened, knows where he/she was when he/she heard about the attacks. That morning at 8:47 a.m., Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the New York Trade Center. Onlookers were, at first, perplexed by the seemingly terrible accident. When the second tower was hit at 9:02 a.m., however, Americans knew they were under attack.
By the time the South Tower was hit, the news cameras had arrived on the scene. Many Americans witnessed the second assault live. Unknown to most citizens until later that day, the Pentagon was hit 39 minutes later by American Flight 77. At 10 a.m. on this dreadful day, another flight, United 93, crashed into a field just south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The passengers of that plane had known they were being hijacked. They took action against the terrorists. The men had made phone calls to their families and emergency services in order to tell others what was taking place. From that point, these brave passengers stormed the cockpit. Their actions prevented the hijackers from reaching their destination. Some speculate United Flight 93 was headed for the White House. Those amazing men saved countless lives while sacrificing their own. By 10:30, both towers had collapsed. Debris and burning ashes covered much of New York City.
Several Piedmont staff members were at school when the terrorists attacked. Mrs. Carole retold her experience, stating she received a phone call from a parent saying there was an attack and to check the news. She and Mrs. Judy had gone to Mrs. Sauls’s room and saw the second plane hit the South Tower. Mrs. Judy was notified of the event by Coach Camp. After checking with her sister, an employee of Delta Airlines, she kept her TV tuned to the news channel for the rest of the week. Soon, the depressing newscasts began to take a toll. She set the TV outside her office so others could continue to watch, as she could not listen anymore.
Mrs. Cook explained she was at home with her child when she saw the events on the news. She stayed glued to the TV for the rest of the week. Mr. Hickman was home in Oxford and was preparing to leave. His wife had told him of the attack. Together, they watched the news for the rest of the day.
Mrs. Marks was with 90 students at the Shakespeare Tavern in Atlanta when she got the news. She was notified when the performance was stopped by the acting company to ask where the group from Eastside High School was. Because of the show, all phones were turned off, so the school administrators had contacted their group over the bus drivers’ radios. She and her students immediately packed up and headed back to the school. She stated, “I was very proud of my students. They did not panic or cry. I think they realized our world was changed that day though.”
When the towers were hit, people inside immediately went downward in order to get to safety. The crowds made it difficult for the rescue teams to go up, and debris was falling down outside the towers. Security personnel told some employees to go back up to their offices and await any further news. This action helped firefighters to get upstairs faster. Some people continued to exit the building, ignoring the suggestions of officials. Many followed orders and never came down again. About two thirds of those interviewed stated they would have continued going down. Putting yourself in the shoes of those in the towers, what would you have done?
The Piedmont administrators and family were so affected by the events of 9/11that they decided to send something to help the injured firefighters in New York. Together, Piedmont’s staff, parents and students collected ten large packages full of white socks and baby wipes over the course of five weeks. The packages were then sent to New York to help with the recovery efforts.
The 9/11 memorial was completed in 2011-- a decade after the tragedy. It consists of two waterfalls in the exact footprints of the towers. The names of the victims are engraved on the side of the waterfalls. Yellow roses are placed on the names of the fallen on their birthdays. Mrs. Judy and Mr. Hickman both spoke of the memorial as an appropriate tribute.
Not only was the site of the incident memorialized, but the nearby Trinity Presbyterian Church also has a small memorial on its grounds. A tree was hit with debris and fell, miraculously missing that 300 year-old church. The tree, instead, fell across the street, barely missing the antique building. The roots of the tree were bronzed to preserve the memory of the church’s luck and the victims who were not so lucky.
September 11th, 2001 was a terrible day in American history. Over 3,000 people died, and most Americans suffered emotional distress. That day, the United States lost its feeling of safety when on American soil. Fortunately, Americans used this catastrophe to come together and rebuild as a country. The lives lost that day were not in vain. They helped America become unified in the fight against terrorism.
So, on this day September 11th, 2014, we must remember the sacrifices those brave Americans made. Keep in mind the horror those citizens experienced that Tuesday morning. Today, it is America’s duty to commemorate the victims and learn from their sacrifice.
By: Sarah Holland
Piedmont Sports
Piedmont Academy football has started off a great season with wins against Gatewood, Bethlehem Christian, and Griffin Christian. The Cougars defeated Gatewood 14-7, Bethlehem 77-0, and Griffin Christian 56-0. Piedmont’s leading scorer for the Gatewood game was Hunter Knox. Knox had 30 carries for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Jeremiah Dave and Gavin Edge led the defense against Gatewood. Dave ended up with 11 tackles, and Edge finished the game with 10.
Against Bethlehem Christian, Piedmont’s leading scorer was Hunter Knox. Knox finished the game with 8 carries, 128 yards, and two touchdowns. Piedmont’s other scorers were: Michael Edwards with 4 carries, 111 yards, and 1 touchdown; Mack Brady with 6 carries, 65 yards and 1 touchdown; Hank Strickland with 2 carries, 50 yards and 1 touchdown; Gavin Edge with 2 carries, 41 yards and 1 touchdown; and Zach Beggs with 1 carry, 13 yards and 1 touchdown. The Cougars had two receiving touchdowns from Hank Strickland and Wyatt Galloway. The Cougars leading defensive players were Michael Edwards, Seth Wiles, Michael Davis, Hunter Pope and Jaron Autry. Edwards had 7 tackles, and Wiles had 2 tackles and an interception that turned into a Cougar touchdown. Davis had 6 tackles, while Pope and Autry both had 5 tackles.
Against Griffin Christian, Hunter Knox was the Cougars' leading scorer with 8 carries, 225 yards and 5 touchdowns. The Cougars leading defensive player was Jeremiah Dave. Dave had 9 tackles. Wyatt Galloway, Noah Quick, and Gavin Edge all had 6 tackles.
The PAC Lady Cougars won against Griffin Christian on 9/9/14 with a 15-0 score. This win put the Lady Cougars into the first region game of the season against LaGrange on 9/11/14.
By: Joseph Anderson
Cupid's Corner
Dear Cupid,
I like this guy, and he likes me, but we haven’t gotten around to talking. I would ask, but I feel too young to love and less attractive than I want to be. I need help.
-Jess
Dear Confused Writer,
What I have to tell you is to have confidence in yourself... You are beautiful in every way inside and out... Don’t get your head down about your appearance... If you think that you two will work out, then go for it! If not, it was worth the shot. What’s the worst that could happen? You have so much time to find your “Mr. Right.” Also, there is no such thing as being “too young” for love. Keep your head up and do what you feel is best for the both of you. And also remember, you are beautiful!
With love,
Cupid
Dear Cupid,
How do you get to know your crush that doesn’t talk?
-Em
Dear Confused Lover,
I think you need to “break the ice;” try texting him and getting to know him better. Go out of your way to try to “figure him out.” Leave little hints to let him see that you’re trying to get to know him, or hints that you are interested in him. Talk to some of his friends to see what his interests are, or what you can do to get him to open up a little more. Sooner or later he will start talking and your relationship with him will begin to progress!
Best of luck,
Cupid
Dear Cupid,
I need help. I think my girlfriend is cheating on me. What do I do?
Anonymous
Dear Anonymous,,
Well, to me, it seems to be a trust issue. If I were you, I would sit down with her and talk with her. Tell her what is bothering you. Both of you should be close enough to be able to tell each other what it is that is on your minds. Tell her why you think this is happening and just see what she has to say. You don’t want to go in there “knowing” this is happening and accusing her, in case it isn’t happening. If she tells you straight up that she wants to see other people or has been seeing other people, then I think it is time for you to move on, but if she tells you differently, then you should have the trust in her to know she is telling the truth. Follow your heart and your instinct to decide what to do from there!
Hoping for the best,
Cupid
Dear Cupid,
When are you going to shoot me?
?
Dear Lonely One,
Trust me; I will shoot you when it’s your time for love!
Much love,
Cupid
Dear Cupid,
Why am I single?
Your Friend
Dear Single Person,
The reason you are single is because the right guy/girl hasn’t come to steal your heart. Dating isn’t everything. You still have a whole life ahead of you, if you don’t find the one for you within your school years, then you will find him/her outside of your school life. Don’t spend all your time searching, let the right one come to you!
Sincerely,
Cupid
Dear Cupid,
Why doesn’t anyone like me?
Anon
Dear Anon,
It’s not that nobody likes you; it is that you just haven’t come across the right guy/girl yet. Sometimes it may take a while for the right person to come into your life, or sometimes he/she is right under your nose and you haven’t figured that much out yet. Be patient and you will eventually get the one that’s the best fit for you. Trust me, I’ll send you the perfect person when the time comes!
So much love,
Cupid
Paws At a Glance
9/11
PAC Middle school softball VS. Trinity Doublin- home- 3:30
PAC Varsity softball VS. Lagrange- home- @5:00
PAC Middle school football VS vs. Bethlehem- home- @6:00
9/12
PAC Varsity football VS. Mon Don- away- @7:30
Fall Book Fair Begins
9/13
GA Best Robotics Kick Off
PAC Cross Country vs. Westfield school- Johnson Farms- @9:00
PAC Middle school softball VS. Windsor- home- @11:00
PAC Varsity softball VS. Windsor-home- @1:00
9/15
PAC Varsity softball VS. Brentwood- home- @4:00
PAC Middle school VS. Brentwood- home-@5:30
DINNER WILL BE PROVIDED FOR ALL ATTENDEES
9/16
Middle School sports pictures @2:00
PAC Middle school softball VS. Flint River Academy- home- @4:30
PAC Varsity softball VS. Flint River Academy- home- @6:00
9/17
FFA raffle ticket drawing after school
9/18
PAC Varsity softball VS. Lagrange- away- @5:00
PAC Middle school football VS. Central Fellowship Christian Academy- away- @6:00
9/19
PAC Varsity football VS. John Milledge- away- @7:30
9/20
Cross Country at Trinity @10:00
PAC JV football VS. Trinity- home- @11:00
Shooting team target meet at Ocmulgee River Gun Club
9/23
PAC Varsity softball VS. Flint River Academy – away- @4:00
PAC Middle school softball vs. Flint River Academy- away- @5:30
PAC JV Football VS. Brentwood- home- @6:00
9/24
Varsity Cross Country at Mon Don @4:00
9/25
PAC Varsity softball VS. Briarwood- away- @4:00
PAC Middle school softball VS. Briarwood- away- @5:30
PAC Middle school football VS. Windsor- away- @6:00
9/26
PAC Varsity football VS. Windsor- home- @7:30
***HOMECOMING***
By: Haley Tyler