Cougar Call
Volume 2 Issue 5
Veteran's Day
The Veteran’s Day program was a fantastic success thanks to Mrs. Christie Wallace and Y club members. This year fifty people attended our appreciation breakfast. There were many interesting activities. Mrs. Allen April sang the Star Spangled Banner and our Piedmont kindergartners sang the Pledge of Allegiance. While being entertained, the Veterans and students snacked on some delicious food including ham, sausage, and bacon biscuits, fruit, and donuts. Beverages included coffee and juices. After breakfast the 4th and 5th graders read poems and essays that they wrote to thank the veterans for their service. The breakfast was a fun day to support our veterans, and Y-Club received many compliments on the performances and the food.
Decorations from the different service branches
Kindergartners entertain
Veterans enjoying the food!
Cougars end season on Friday the 13th!
The Cougars season ended on Friday the 13th against Windsor Academy in the 2nd round of the GISA State Playoffs. After a tough game, the Cougars were defeated 66-32. The high point of the Cougars loss was the fact that senior Cameron Hammock played for the first time since his 10th grade year when he was forced to quit because of injuries. Cameron wore number 14 and played mostly defense and special teams against Windsor. On the Monday before the game Cameron was cleared by his doctor, so he could play basketball and became eligible to play in this final football game as well. Cameron said after he was cleared, Coach Tanner called him and asked if he wanted to play football one more time. Cameron said he immediately knew that he wanted to play football. When asked about the game he replied, “I had a great time playing again, and it was fun to be out there one last time.” This season the Cougars are sad to see the loss of 10 seniors. The seniors leaving are: Chris Coogler #26, Mikey Weatherly #50, Zach Wilson #56, Chandler Burrell #7, Chris Cain #74, Nolan Cleary #64, Ben Davis #27, Noah Quick #24, Hunter Whiting #45, and Cameron Hammock #14. Great Season Cougars!!
National Bird- Turkey or Eagle?
Many have argued as to what should be our national bird. A turkey or the bald eagle? One of our founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, wanted the nation’s bird to be a turkey. “For my own part I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him,” says Franklin of the eagle.
Personally, I think the national bird should be the bald eagle; the eagle looks stronger than the turkey. The eagle represents the bravery our country represents. The bald eagle was chosen to be the nation’s bird because of its majestic beauty, great strength, its long life, and the fact that it is native to North America. Early in the Revolutionary War, the loud shots of gunfire and screams of men woke the eagles nearby, so the birds flew from their nests and over the battles. They voiced their loud cries as the men fought. The patriots said the eagles were crying for freedom.
Consider everything we see that has the bald eagle on it such as our coins, bills, and federal buildings in Washington D.C. Can you really imagine a turkey on any of these items? A turkey cannot even fly; however, an eagle can. When an eagle flies, symbolically he is watching over our country with pride. Because the bald eagle is our national bird and represents America, it is illegal for this type of bird to be hunted. If the turkey was our national bird, we wouldn’t be able to hunt it. So, what would we have on Thanksgiving? Be thankful for our forefathers who outvoted Benjamin Franklin and made the noble bald eagle our country’s representative. Otherwise, we would be having our national bird for Thanksgiving?
One Act Takes Second in Region
The One Act cast and crew brought home 2nd place honors from Region Competition that was held on November 9th. Senior cast member, Steve Martin received an “Outstanding Performance” Award and Junior, Will Tillman, received an “Honorable Mention” for Outstanding Performance. They will now polish up their play and advance to State Competition on November 19th at Darton College in Albany. Update: Our One Act won 2nd place in State Competition on November 19th. More details in the next edition of Cougar Call.
What is Your Favorite Thanksgiving Food?
Clay Crushing Cougars
On Saturday the 14th, the Clay Crushing Cougars shot at Old Hudson Plantation. The shooters each shot 100 sporting clay and 50 trap. Zach Sanders shot high overall for the team and high on trap and sporting clay. He shot 37 out of 50 on trap and 89 out of 100 on sporting clay with a total of 126 out of 150. Mitch Marsh shot 2nd high overall for the team and 2nd high overall on trap and sporting clay. He hit 33 out of 50 trap and 68 out of 100 sporting clay for a total of 101 out of 150. Andrew Chapko shot 3rd high overall for the team and 3rd high overall on trap and sporting clay. He hit 32 out of 50 trap and 67 out of 100 on sporting clay for a total of 99 out of 150.
Congratulations to all shooters.
The state competition will be on Friday and Saturday the 4th and 5th of December at Forest City Gun Club. Every shooter for Piedmont has qualified for the state tournament!
Senior year diary
Monday (11/16/15)-
What is even the point of Mondays? They start way too early, they are a school day, and they last twice as long as every other day. The first school day of the week is the most hated of all days. It means there are still four more days to go, and it signals the end of the weekend. As a senior, I have dealt with this infamous event for far too long. High school is almost over and that means I don’t have to drive here every dreaded Monday.
Tuesday (11/17/15)-
Do you ever have those days where you have no idea what is happening? Well, that’s a senior’s whole last year. There’s always something extra that seniors have to do to prepare for college. From senior pictures to applications for college, our workload never ends. A side effect of that happens to be an eternal state of confusion. Classes race ahead while we scramble along, barely getting by. Most of the time, seniors will find a way to do the least amount of work for that A in the end. Essays are usually written the day they’re due, tests are passed with binge studying, and any parent permissions are forged and promptly turned in ASAP because we would lose the paper before our parents ever saw it. The last year of high school is a big jumble of little things added to the responsibility of school, and we handle it with the grace of a toddler learning to walk.
Wednesday (11/18/15)-
Wednesdays are a confusing time for all seniors. It’s impossible to tell how the day will go. Sometimes Wednesday feels like a Friday, while other Wednesdays will feel like Tuesdays. It’s like drawing a day out of a hat. Wednesday is like the middle child of the weekdays. It gets overlooked often and never comes first to mind. There should be a holiday just for Wednesdays. Someone must celebrate the poor soul that is the middle day of the week.
Thursday (11/19/15)-
I was late but it wasn’t my fault.
I was late to school today. Why, you ask? Well, I can tell you, it was everyone else’s fault but mine. After hitting the snooze button, I fell asleep and didn’t hear it go off the second time. Then, on my way to school, I got stuck behind the slowest driver in America, and, last but not least, the officers directing traffic in front of the schools stopped me for at least five minutes. So, yes, I was late, but it was definitely not my fault.
Friday (11/20/15)-
Yay, it’s Friday! Who doesn’t love Fridays? They are the last school day of the week, so there’s no setting an alarm for the next two mornings. I can lounge on the couch in my sweatpants as late as I wish. I don’t have to bother with homework until ten o’clock Sunday night, and I can stay in these sweatpants for the next 48 hours. I literally do not have to move - unless there’s a fire. So, future Piedmont seniors, enjoy all the free Fridays you can get, because you might actually have to wear pants for some of them.
"Big Jake" Comes to Piedmont
Charles McClain, or “Big Jake,” came to Piedmont Academy on November 17th. He read Joseph Wants to Know the Bonfire. He shared other stories about his missionary trip to Haiti in 2012 after the earthquake.
His books, published by Southern Lion Books Inc., center around maintaining strong bonds with family and friends. Most stories are real events written about outdoor activities with his grandchildren. Some of his works include Big Jake on the Farm, Big Jake and the Billy Goat, Big Jake and the Bonfire, and Big Jake Plants a Garden.
For more information, visit their website at bigjakeadventure.com/About-Us-.html
Pictured:
Members of the K3, K4, and K5 classes include Austin Anglin, Saylor Berry, Callie Black, Adam Brimberry, McKenna Brown, Nicholas Chapko, London Cobb, Nolan Collier, Grayson Colvin, Kymber Colvin, Matthew Cumbie, Paisley Deck, Helen Downs, Bella Harden, Aubrey Kitchens, Isaac Lockett, Abby Moore, Wyatt Perry, Andrew Pittman, Will Pope, Kayleigh Rivers, Ryder Selman, Harper Tanner, Synclair Wyatt and Macee Wyatt.
Be Thankful!
It’s another Monday. You’re grumbling about everything that is going wrong, focusing on the worst things. I know first-hand that it is easy to fall into such negative thinking. It can seem like the bad things in life are huge and surrounding you. At these moments, God calls you to take a step back and breathe. “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10). It’s a bad day, not a bad life. Take time and thank God for all that He has given you. God deserves our praise! We fail Him every day although His love is never failing. We grumble and complain even when we are incredibly blessed. Thank God for the gift of Jesus who forgave our sins and made it possible for us to have a close relationship with God. Once you step back and express your gratitude and praise, the world will seem a bit brighter. This Thanksgiving, make it a point to appreciate all you have been given.
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.”- Psalm 28:7
Paws at a Glance
11/20
· Shotgun team sells Chik- Fil- A biscuits @ break
· FFA to CDC Museum
· Dismiss @ 12:30 for Thanksgiving Break
11/21
· Cheer Competition state meet
11/23-29
· Thanksgiving Break
11/30
· Middle school basketball VS. Brentwood- away- @ 6:30
12/1
· Middle School fieldtrip to see “A Christmas Carol”
· Elementary Christmas Program @ 6:00- 8:00
12/2
· Secret Santa Shopping
12/3
· Middle school basketball VS. Gatewood- home- @ 4:30
· Varsity basketball VS. Gatewood- home- @ 6:00
12/4
· Middle school basketball VS. Nat Greene- home- @ 4:30
· Varsity basketball VS. Nat Greene- home- @ 6:30
· Shot gun state tournament
12/5
· Wrestling @ Covington Christain