The Cardinal: OHS' Newspaper

Poets of the Future

Ms. Testfa speaks on the growth and improvement of the Poetry Club
by Decarus Wright

If you like to write about feelings and current issues in your life, then join the poetry club! Instructor Ms. Shu-Shu Tesfa, a science teacher at OHS, hopes that you want to become a poet of the future!

Earlier this week I had an exclusive interview with Tesfa and we discussed the history of the poetry club. The debut of the club, Tesfa explained, occurred last spring. “I had a couple of students in my class writing poetry so; I looked up some information about young poets expressing themselves and I was contacted by a middle school teacher who was having an open mic. Then, I took the students there.”

The poetry club started from an idea coming two years ago through the Latin club Tesfa was involved in. It happened when a poet came in and spoke to the students. She thought perhaps students would enjoy a poetry club.

The members of the poetry club are Jessica Smith, Bentu Dumba, and Raynall Williams. The club meets every Wednesday in room F105 from 3:30 to 5pm. “If you want to join, attend a meeting and sign up,” Tesfa says.

Tesfa feels she has made a special connection with these kids because she has seen their work evolve over the past year. “I am trying to get them to expand to formal poetry and my students’ poetry has gotten better. Most of them write on gloomy topics or things that were bothering them,” she claims.

In the poetry club, none of the students have a specific role or job they have to do. It is all about hard work.

The purpose of the poetry club is to push the students toward spoken word, get them to perform poetry, expand their writing and develop their writing skills. The student that Tesfa feels has shown the most progress is Bentu Dumba. “Her writing is improving this year and she is more expressive and willing to go outside of conventional topics that young ladies face,” said Tesfa.

In class, the students work on free verse most of the time. Sometimes, Tesfa will give them a topic to work on. Currently, they are trying a group collaborative project on Women’s oppression. Tesfa wants the students to believe in real writing and take it with them each day. She enjoys teaching poetry because she loves to express herself with written words and when she read the students’ work it blows her away.

- Volume 4, Issue 1 -

How mighty are the OHS Mighty Cardinals?

Soccer, Osborne vs. Marietta
by Yuleni Romero

The Osborne Cardinals, both Junior Varsity and Varsity, soccer teams are something everyone looks forward to watch this year. Each game is full of action. Each game is filled with intense game play. What more can students expect from such an exciting sport? 
        So far, Osborne has had a reputation of numerous victories from both Junior Varsity and Varsity. In fact last year our soccer team went undefeated and made it to regions. However, the dedication of the players is not surprising with great coaches like Coach Aaron Foster, a social studies teacher at OHS, and Richard Horton, a social studies teacher at OHS. The friendship between students and coaches really seems to show out on the field and just might be what keeps their reputation and game play up to everyone’s expectations.
        We started off the year with an away game but the first game many remember was a home game Friday, Feb. 26, 2010. 
        Our very own Osborne cardinals went up against the Marietta Blue Devils.
Early in the day before the game, you could hear several people in the halls already predicting the score of the games According to some the Osborne winning streak would continue, while others worried about the Blue Devil’s defense. 
        The amount of fans and supporters we get during the game is also a huge deal. Students, parents, and fans of the sport come out to support the school and team. The cheers and yells are heard in the entire field. In comparison to the Marietta team we seem to have a real love for the game. At the start of the game, we got the team pumped-up and ready to go.
        The Jv game took place at 5:30 after school. Many of the Jv players are new comers that have shown hard work goes a long way.
        The game started off with so much energy from both sides of the feild. Osborne’s perseverance came out as the crow went wild with a starting goal made by sophomore Eric Guiterrez. According to friends and fanatics, Guiterrez is one of greatest soccer players the school has. For this reason Guiterrez has a place in both Jv and Varsity team.
        While the force and efforts that the team put in, it didn’t seem to be enough. Astonishingly, Marietta won 2-1. 
        Though the junior varsity team was upset, the varsity was next to show off what they could do. Starting off the game, either team could win. Consistent with the opinions of fans and students, Varsity games are looked forward to more then anything. As the game began, the stress of the previous game could be felt in the air. Both teams seemed to want to confirm that their school was better. Yet, Marietta’s confidence started to shrink as the Varsity team played an outstanding game.
        Even though our Junior Varsity team didn’t have much luck the Varsity won 2-0.

- Volume 4. Issue 1 -

The Art Club: Expressing Yourself

You Should Live Your Life Creative
by Erica Garcia

        Have you ever wonder how you can express yourself? Well, if you have ever wondered this then OHS has a place for you! Do you want to express yourself by drawing, painting, learning how to work with your hands, or just need to find yourself a quite place? Mrs. Janet Grenleski is the art teacher here at OHS, and she has just the place for you.

        She says that many students have sought out a place to express their art and in the past haven’t had a place to go. Since seeing this problem arise, and since she got here to OHS she decide to make an art club.

        So, if you are one of the many students searching for this type of place and to the students that don’t have her as a teacher on their school schedule, you will have her at least after school. They meet only on Wednesdays at 3:30 to 4:30 in her classroom.

        Grenleski claims that, “art tells a story it’s tell what you feel, see, and also what you have the in inside you.” Thus it comes as no surprise that the club’s motto is to live life creative. So, if you plan on attending, plan on being creative.

        You don’t have to know how to drawing in order to join in. You learn as you go along. If you want to join just go to Grenleski and ask her for a permission sheet and also you need to have a note from your parent showing that you are able to go. Also, you must have a ride home there will not be any bus transportation on Wednesdays. So you must have a ride.

        Grenleski says that she and the students’ goal in the art club is o plan to help the community with yard work. They plan on putting flowers in a children’s school with needs. They want to make the school a better place for the kids. So that they feel comfortable in there school. She wants a large group of students to help around with there goals, maybe by joining the art club they can help and do a helpful thing for the kids.

        Art club is a really good club to learn how to work with your heads. It’s a great learning experience. Especially because of the teacher that Osborne has in this school! Therefore, the Art Club is one of the few ways that you can get creative here at OHS!  

 

- Volume 4, Issue 1 -

The Best is Yet to Come

by Russell Clay

        “The best is yet to come,” claims OHS boys soccer team head coach Aaron Foster about this spring season. The soccer team has been blessed with talented players, outstanding coaches and supportive parents who all hope this will be the year they make it to a region championship game.
        Coming a long way over the past few years, the team had a good season in 2007 but struggled in 2008. In 2009, they opened up the season by winning important games against good teams. “The region we are in is pretty tough, but we are able to compete with the schools,” Foster says proudly of his team, adding that the boys have come a long way in their performance through their constant practice of soccer fundamentals. “Working on skills and doing little drills that really kind of build the technique, [the team has] started to understand, is what I feel is going to take us to the next level.”
        The soccer team has set high goals for this season, one of which is a region championship. This goal is set high, but the boys soccer team believes that it is achievable for them this year. If they make it and win they will have a chance to compete in the state tournament. Getting that far will give them the right to be ranked among other top-performing teams, and that is what they are hoping for. 
        Scoring 46 goals last year, it is expected that if they play with a strong mindset, a region championship just may be in their sights. Although last year’s season went very well, the OHS boys soccer team must “keep the same composure and play on a high level,” according to Foster. “We seek success this year in all our players, but the way we play will determine how the season ends,” he notes.
        So far, the seniors and juniors have been showing a great deal of dedication, commitment, hard work and leadership on the field and in the classroom. The soccer team understands that without these qualities it will be hard to be successful. 
        This year the boys soccer team has 13 seniors, each with at least one year of experience on the varsity squad. They are all well-qualified for scholarships and it is just a matter of who wants one more. They have put in time and effort during the summer and preseason to get ready for the upcoming season. Perhaps the thought of an impending scholarship offer will put these student-athletes in a confident mindset. 
        For senior Mohammed Dumbuya, a scholarship is just a matter of choice. He has received a couple of offers and Foster states that Dumbuya is debating on which school to attend. Foster has also recently taken four players to different schools in the South. “We are going to have a number of colleges come to watch us during the season, to see the guys play and see if they can help them out,” Foster explains. He anticipates that a few of his graduating seniors will be inspired to play harder for a potential scholarship offer.
        This year is expected to be a great one from start to finish. From the seniors down to the freshmen, the soccer team will be a force to be reckoned with. So watch out, the OHS boys soccer team is ready and better than ever!

- Volume 4, Issue 1 -

Rifle Team Soars to New Heights

by Yuleni Romero

        Osborne High School’s rifle team is recognized as one of the best, according to its students, because of its many victories at competitions. Really, who hasn’t heard of them? With an outstanding 9-1 record, this season has been very successful. “We’ll probably have like 10 [wins] soon,” says Chief Rodney Fagan, OHS rifle team instructor. “Our rifle team has had a great amount of victories, but the most memorable has to be Westlake.” The Cardinals competed against Westlake several times without success but recently defeated them to ensure a place in the playoffs. 
        Despite a winning season so far, the rifle team faces many challenges at the start of every season. When beginning competition season, it becomes very hectic as only 10 students are taken to a competition and around 36 students show up for tryouts. During the first few days of tryouts and practice, students see how much work is required and some stop attending. After-school practice lasts four days, and the team shoots on Thursdays. 
        For those who do not know much about a rifle team, it’s hard to accept that most of the work is mental and involves a lot of concentration. “A person must be really strong mentally,” stated Fagan. If they aren’t, they will only have trouble in this sharp-shooting sport. 
        Anyone who would like to try out should be prepared for what they are getting themselves into. For example, many think that because they can hunt, they are prepared to be a rifleman. This is not always the case. The team is not just about hunting and shooting. Students must be mentally focused on the fundamentals of what they are going to be doing and what their goal is. “The target is about the size of a quarter,” Fagan emphasized. If you can’t focus, you can’t hit this small target. Although no accidents have occurred, students must be cautious and focused at all times.
        For those who are focused, the benefits are endless and most of the members exceed academically. The way they learn to focus and succeed during practice really helps them maintain balance in their daily school routine. For instance, Bernardo Trevino, an OHS senior, made Osborne proud last year by breaking the school’s shooting record. It didn’t stop there; this year he broke his own shooting record. Trevino’s dedication really shows in his outstanding performances.
        According to Fagan, the team’s improvement and qualities show their commitment to performing at the highest level. Bernardo Trevino, Jacob Furman, Daniela Berrones, Ceron Hargrove, Roxana Funez, Sonia Martinez, Cory Flowers and Roberto Molin plan to continue their winning spree and perhaps even win the playoffs.

- Volume 4, Issue 1 -

A Future Superstar: Emmit Rice

by Decarus Wright

        OHS senior running back Emmitt Rice had a great season, putting up stellar stats. Rice is a future star.
        During the Cardinals 2009 football season, he had 179 carries for 820 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Rice led the team to an improved 3-7 record following a dismal 1-10 record in 2008. After a surprising 2-1 start, the Cardinals slowed down and were 1-6 in their last seven games.
        Despite this loss, we are making room for improvement. Rice’s role in this improvement, while small, is lasting. He believes he set a standard for OHS running backs to look up to and surpass. “I feel I’ve left a great mark on the five running backs on the team. We all looked up to one another,” he says.
        As a native of Columbia, Mississippi, Rice has eight siblings in his family but only three are still living at home. He attended four different schools before OHS in 2007. “Life was pretty good for me growing up,” Rice reflects. “I always look for the positive things.”
        Rice got involved with football as a teen, and his first-ever game came as an OHS freshman against Pebblebrook. “It was kind of scary because we were big rivals, and we always talked crazy stuff before the game and we won,” he remembers. 
        Rice has grown through football during his career at OHS by overcoming shyness and meeting more people. This has made him a better person, he believes, by being a leader and having confidence that “you can get the first down when the game is on the line.” Rice has this attitude not only in how he plays the game but how he lives his life, and he applies this tenacity towards other sports as well. 
        Rice is also a member of the track team, and says he got into track because he is competitive and “always wanted to be the fastest on the team.” He runs an impressive 4.5, making him one of the fastest on the team. Though he participates in two sports, he does not let them interfere with his school work. Rice admits he is on the track team so he can be faster at football, but loves track because of the strength and agility it affords him. He acknowledges that he does not like to play fullback because there is a lot of blocking involved. “I just like to run the ball,” he says. “I never liked full contact. That is why I run hard.”
        Looking back on his senior season of football, Rice feels that the team could have done better. Three of the Cardinals close losses came against Pebblebrook, Paulding County and Cass. Rice’s proudest moment of the season came when he jumped over two defenders who were trying to tackle him. He feels his weakest moment was the way the season ended with a 3-7 record, humbly admitting it might have been better if he had worked on his blocking. 
        Reflecting on his years at OHS, Rice says he is sad that it’s almost over but feels he has left a great mark on Osborne football. He hopes that when he leaves he will be remembered as a humble, loving guy. Rice thinks that his time at OHS has prepared him for the future.
        Rice has a 2.5 GPA. “This all started my freshman year when I really did not take my classes too seriously. Other than that, now I am doing good and passing all my classes,” he explains. Rice’s favorite subject is math, his weakest is language arts.  He tries his best to be a good student so that he can get into a good college.
        Not only a football player and a track star, Rice is a member of the after-school OHS chorus group, The Sound. He says he started singing in the locker room and his teammates encouraged him to join the chorus and be in the talent show. Rice participated in the talent show and developed a new love for music. 
        For his future, Rice hopes to attend the University of Southern Mississippi. He says he has been scouted for college teams but hasn’t decided where to attend. Rice also hopes to play in the NFL someday, specifically for the Green Bay Packers because of their tradition and amazing defense. If he does not make the NFL, he wants to be a sports trainer and, in some way, be a part of professional football. With some luck, and if he continues to work hard, professional football could have a place in his future.

- Volume 4, Issue 1 -