TheJacket buzz 603 Yellow Jacket Dr. Starkville, MS, 39759 www.shsjacketbuzz.com 8-05-10

By Zach Mitchell

Editor-in-Chief

This year at Starkville High, students will be wearing an all new wardrobe that includes not only a variety of gray, white, and black polos, but also a brand new ID badge.

This ID badge is something completely new for SHS. With it, students will be more easily identifiable to teachers.

“The biggest disadvantage to not having ID badges is that the students know who the faculty is, but we don’t know who all of the students are,” Millsaps director Jamie Stidham said.

The main purpose for the ID badge is of course identifica-tion, but the tag also has a num-ber of other functions.

Students can keep their lunch money balance on the card and check out library books with it.

The badge will also be at-tached to the lanyard with a quick-release mechanism.

This device will prevent the lanyards from becoming a choking hazard for students, as

well as a means for identifying fleeing students.

“A few years ago I caught some kids smoking out back. When they saw me, they bolted off, and I never saw their fac-es,” Stidham said. “This quick release system helps the teach-ers know exactly who is doing wrong.”

While Stidham feels that the ID badge is relatively simple and painless, some students think differently.

“People recognize who is in the school anyway,” senior Mu-hammad Dakhalla said. “I don’t think [the badges] are neces-sary.”

Students will be expected to

wear their ID badge on their lanyard at all times during the day. This is in addition to the new mandatory dress code, which has parents buying uni-forms for their children in droves.

“On average we have about sixty people per day coming in and asking or buying uniforms,”

JCPenny employee Caleb Baker said.

Stores are even promoting special deals on the dress code clothes in order to lessen the cost.

So SHS is going to have a brand new look this year.

“When people see ‘Starkville High School on the side of the bus, and then see the students, they’re know we’re a good looking school,” Stidham said. “I want to look good and look sharp.”

Students get uniforms and IDs

Channel One brings daily news show to SHSBy Taylor Bowden

News Editor

Along with the various changes going on this year at Starkville High School, the school will be showing about ten minutes of a teen-oriented news program called Channel One.

Students at SHS will view the program at the end of second block everyday, hopefully.

“As this is the first year to have this program,” principal

Keith Fennell said, “the first time or two we try and show it in the classrooms might be technically difficult. We wouldn’t have a way to know if it was successfully playing in all rooms unless we did a walk though the whole school and check. So it might be a few days until we get it run-ning in all rooms.”

Channel One is a nationally syndicated news program pro-duced and designed for teen viewers.

It’s owned by Alloy Media Marketing, a private company, and is hosted in hundreds of high schools across the na-tion.

“Its an opportunity for kids to view current events on a teen level,” Fennell said. “It’s a very professional produc-tion.”

One reason for Channel One’s success is that it’s free, and the company provides the TVs and any other equipment the school needs to have the

program shown in every class-room.

“We already have TVs in most rooms, and cable in a few from a grant we received,” Fennell said. “The equipment we received will put TV’s in the rooms that don’t already have them, and a satellite to receive the Channel One broadcast.”

Channel One pays for the news program it produces, as well as the equipment it pro-vides the schools by selling air

time during its show to adver-tisers.

“Channel one has a lot of companies wanting to buy ad space, and that allows them to pick and chose what ads they want on their channel,” Fen-nell said. “So they have high school appropriate content even in their ads. Things like college ads.”

The network also broad-casts teaching aids for many classes and homework help programs.

A mother and her child shop for their black polos and khaki pants at JCPenny. The store sees an

average of 60 people per day that ask for uniforms. Photo by Ruth Brown

www.shsjacketbuzz.com News

By Cullom McCormick

Clubs Editor

Every year in July, a group of teens write, produce, and perform an original musical in three weeks.

This program, called Summer Scholars, is very popular among students at Starkville High School and is hosted at Mississippi State.

This year, 25 kids wrote a full three act musical dur-ing the writers’ camp por-tion, which is one week.

56 campers, including the 25 that wrote the musical, prepared and performed it during a two-week span at performance camp. 31 of these campers currently at-tend SHS.

“We’ve been told it’s im-

possible,” music director and SHS music and histo-ry teacher Joe Evans said. “It’s done a lot of good for a lot of people and it’s not just an exercise in the arts, though that would be worth while in and of itself.”

Students also meet new friends and find them-selves.

“It’s a great way to be yourself,” sophomore Lacy Claire Whitten said. “You find out who you are and not what people want you to be. You make tons of friends that have your back. If you call them, they’ll be willing to listen to you. It reminds you that you’re not the only one going through something. It gives so much confidence.”

After a student’s junior

year, he or she may enroll in a college course dur-ing the camp with a high enough ACT score and a recommendation from a teacher.

“You’re getting univer-sity credit on a sophomore level,” MSU professor and teacher of the course Wayne Durst said. “It gives a heavier introduction to a university and a chance to step closer to a degree be-fore you step through the door.”

Students learn about how a set is built and the me-chanics and tools of a the-ater.

“Sometimes they get to work with lights,” Durst said. “They also get to do an awful lot of painting.”

Going to both production

and writers’ camp costs $1,500. Going to only pro-duction camp costs $1,000. Taking the course waves

camp fees and one only has to pay for housing, food, and the course tuition of $850.

The Summer Scholars writers camp pose before the rest of the

production camp join the camp. Courtesy Photo

Drama camp staged at MSU

By Zach Mitchell

Editor-in-Chief

For most students, sum-mer means one thing: free-dom. However, some stu-dents pick up jobs during the summer, whether it be for the extra money or to get by.

Quint Pannell, recent Starkville High School grad-uate, has worked at Restau-rant Tyler since the end of his sophomore year.

“I just wanted the extra money,” he recalled. “I want-ed to be able to pay for the things that I wanted.” Quint is not alone in his need for extra money. According to the University of Washing-ton, a little over half of all high school seniors are em-ployed. The obvious prob-lem with this is that work may interfere with school work. According to the University of Washington,

most students that do work more than fifteen hours a week. This hectic schedule can lead to all-nighters the day before tests, homework not being completed, and snoozing through classes.

Raveonne Shoemaker, an SHS senior who has been working at Starkville’s Snow Biz since she was ten, agrees. “It’s really hard for me [at school] dur-ing the very beginning and very end,” S h o e m a ke r said. Because snow cones are not an all year food, Shoemaker only works summers.

To counter this, some stu-dents (including this reporter) only work on weekends dur-ing the school year. Mariah Newman, SHS junior, works weekend shifts at the bowling

alley, and feels that it doesn’t interrupt school at all. Unlike Pannell, she started her job for a more personal reason.

“The money was nice, but I wanted this job in particular so I could hang out with my friend Kayla,” she said.

Though students may not be quite ready to make a living on their own, these jobs have given them some valuable

real-world ex-perience that can be ap-plied in their lives.

“I’ve had to deal with all differ-ent types of

people,” Shoe-maker said. “My communi-cation skills have definitely improved.”

No matter what jobs stu-dents get, the benefits are nu-merous. SHS will always be home to students with jobs.

SHS senior Raveonne Shoemaker serves a snowcone to a customer.

Photo by Ruth Brown

Students grab summer jobs

“I’ve had to

deal with all

different types

of people.”- Raveonne Shoemaker

By Taylor Bowden

News Editor

This year at Starkville High School is a year that has been subject to many changes and new things. New dress code, new I.D. badges, new stu-dents, and new teachers.

A few of the High Schools teachers either retired or have otherwise left Starkville High School, and there are many teachers, either new or just new to Starkville High, taking the places now available, ea-ger to start their lives at SHS

Among them are two names already familiar to some students at Starkville High School, Catherine Woomer and Angela Hobart. Both have worked at AMS until this year and are now mov-ing over to the High School. Coach Woomer is going to be teaching Spanish and Hobart will be teaching English.

“I’m also a Coach at the high school, so being over

here will be nice,” Woomer said. “I won’t have to run from one campus to the oth-er, and keeping my athletes informed will be easier.”

One new teacher, Joe Ev-ans, won’t be coming to a new place as much as he’ll be returning home. Evans graduated from Starkville High School In 1988 and has had plans to return. Until this year he worked as the drama teacher at Starkville Academy and before that he worked at Armstrong. Evans will be teaching World Geography, Mississippi studies, choir, and general music.

“I’ve always wanted to come back and teach,” Evans said. “I’m going to miss some peo-ple at the academy, I worked there for 3 years and made some friends, but I am look-ing forward to being back at the high school.”

One teachers is complete-ly new to Starkville High School, both to the town and

the school. She is Amanda Wilson, the new special edu-cation teacher. Before mov-ing to Starkville after her

husband got a job in town, she worked at an elementary school in south Carolina.

“I’ve heard a lot of good

things about SHS,” Wilson said. “I’m excited about the kids and about working on the high school level.”

www.shsjacketbuzz.com News

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Graphic by Ruth Brown

Several new teachers join SHS faculty

By Ty Ringo

Yearbook Editor

Though there have been rumors about Starkville High School getting out of school at 3:00 p.m., it has been con-firmed that students of SHS must stay in school until 3:30 p.m. instead.

Though the administrators of SHS have fought hard for the wanted-time of an earlier release, the central office has added an additional ten min-utes to the school day.

Some may assume these ex-tra minutes have been added because of Channel One. Students must watch Channel One each day for around ten minutes.

Even though this sounds

sensible, this isn’t the real rea-son for the added time.

Transportation is. Since students of the other

schools are being let out later, the central office has decided, in order to make transporta-tion easier, to also release high school students later as well.

The transportation office wasn’t available to make a statement.

Keith Fennell, SHS princi-pal, didn’t like the idea of the change either.

“We tried and tried to keep it the same, but it still got changed,” Fennell said.

Though this may leave a bad taste in some students’ mouths, the time has been set and can only be changed at the central office’s discretion.

Release time changed to ten minutes later

SHS Jacket BuzzFeature SHS Jacket Buzz Feature

Band campers sharpen skills in summer heatBy Cullom McCormick

Clubs Editor

Band students work hard, even during the summer. Starting July 19, SHS band camp is where band students work, march, and play for the last two weeks of summer.

“It’s tough,” senior bas-soon and tenor saxophone player Kenton Coble said. “You’re basically going to school for two more weeks than anyone else.”

Each year, the students learn marching techniques.

At the end of band camp, a show is performed with the music students have prac-ticed, but band camp’s main purpose is to prepare for the fall marching season.

Students work from 8:00 A.M. to 11:30 P.M. and from 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.

Each section has its own instructor and works inde-pendently.

The entire band then prac-tices together.

This year, the show is en-titled “Into the Dark” and consists of “Toccata on Bald Mountain” by Bach and Mussorgsky, “Faure Re-quiem” by Faure, and “Pan-demonium” by Berlioz.

“It’s classical with a dark,

scary, horror undertone,” Band director Shawn Sullivan said. “The music is written in that minor key that gives it that scary feeling. It’s all mu-sic that you would’ve heard in a scary movie.”

Keeping up with the music and marching and dealing with the heat is difficult, but it pays off.

“It’s helping because I don’t usually practice during the s u m m e r , ” f r e s h m a n bass drum player Justin Brooks said. “It’s helping me get my skills back together.”

With band taking up two separate blocks in scheduling and re-quiring effort from all the students, members must be dedicated.

“It’s just like drama, sports, and choir,” Sullivan said. “They’re proud of what they do and put in the extra time.”

This year, the band is most-ly composed of freshmen and sophomores out of the 115 members.

“I’m enjoying the upper-

classmen,” Brooks said. “They’re teaching me about what to do, SHS, and every-thing else.”

Even with so many new members, the band is still strong.

“It’s one of the best group of kids I’ve ever worked with,” Sullivan said. “We’re getting better through per-sistence and everyone is working hard.”

Band mem-bers all know that they have to work hard as soon as they sign up for the band.

“It disci-plines you,” sophomore J a s m i n e

Mangual said. “It’s all neces-sary for being a 6-A band.”

The band is gearing up for their many competitions throughout the year.

Watch out for them at the Tenn-Tomm Marching Con-test on September 25 and their Regional Evaluation on October 9.

Above, below: S. Kemp, T. Austin, M. Dunaway, and B. Hamilton practice their drums in the

theater. Photos by Ruth Brown

Right, below: Alex Nash and the

SHS color guard practice their

routines. Photos by Ruth Brown

“It’s one of the

best groups of

kids I’ve ever

worked with.”

- Shawn Sullivan, band director

SHS Jacket BuzzFeature SHS Jacket Buzz Feature

Band campers sharpen skills in summer heatBy Cullom McCormick

Clubs Editor

Band students work hard, even during the summer. Starting July 19, SHS band camp is where band students work, march, and play for the last two weeks of summer.

“It’s tough,” senior bas-soon and tenor saxophone player Kenton Coble said. “You’re basically going to school for two more weeks than anyone else.”

Each year, the students learn marching techniques.

At the end of band camp, a show is performed with the music students have prac-ticed, but band camp’s main purpose is to prepare for the fall marching season.

Students work from 8:00 A.M. to 11:30 P.M. and from 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.

Each section has its own instructor and works inde-pendently.

The entire band then prac-tices together.

This year, the show is en-titled “Into the Dark” and consists of “Toccata on Bald Mountain” by Bach and Mussorgsky, “Faure Re-quiem” by Faure, and “Pan-demonium” by Berlioz.

“It’s classical with a dark,

scary, horror undertone,” Band director Shawn Sullivan said. “The music is written in that minor key that gives it that scary feeling. It’s all mu-sic that you would’ve heard in a scary movie.”

Keeping up with the music and marching and dealing with the heat is difficult, but it pays off.

“It’s helping because I don’t usually practice during the s u m m e r , ” f r e s h m a n bass drum player Justin Brooks said. “It’s helping me get my skills back together.”

With band taking up two separate blocks in scheduling and re-quiring effort from all the students, members must be dedicated.

“It’s just like drama, sports, and choir,” Sullivan said. “They’re proud of what they do and put in the extra time.”

This year, the band is most-ly composed of freshmen and sophomores out of the 115 members.

“I’m enjoying the upper-

classmen,” Brooks said. “They’re teaching me about what to do, SHS, and every-thing else.”

Even with so many new members, the band is still strong.

“It’s one of the best group of kids I’ve ever worked with,” Sullivan said. “We’re getting better through per-sistence and everyone is working hard.”

Band mem-bers all know that they have to work hard as soon as they sign up for the band.

“It disci-plines you,” sophomore J a s m i n e

Mangual said. “It’s all neces-sary for being a 6-A band.”

The band is gearing up for their many competitions throughout the year.

Watch out for them at the Tenn-Tomm Marching Con-test on September 25 and their Regional Evaluation on October 9.

Above, below: S. Kemp, T. Austin, M. Dunaway, and B. Hamilton practice their drums in the

theater. Photos by Ruth Brown

Right, below: Alex Nash and the

SHS color guard practice their

routines. Photos by Ruth Brown

“It’s one of the

best groups of

kids I’ve ever

worked with.”

- Shawn Sullivan, band director

www.shsjacketbuzz.com Opinion

The Jacket Buzz

The Jacket Buzz is published three times each semester by the Journalism Department at Starkville High School.

The Jacket Buzz is a student-run publication committed to providing the students of Starkville High School with objective and

informative coverage of events involving or affecting the student body.

The Jacket Buzz serves SHS as a forum for student expression and thought. Content decisions are made by student editors.

Factual errors will be corrected by a retraction in the next issue.

Opinions expressed are those of students and do not necessarily reflect the views of the adviser, administration,

Starkville High School faculty, or the Starkville School District.

Editorials represent the majority opinion of the Jacket Buzz staff.

Letters to the Editor are accepted and published, excluding those

that are deemed libelous, malicious, hurtful or disruptive.

Unsigned letters will not be published, and all letters are subject

to editing. Please email all letters, or other comments/concerns, to

rjmorgan@starkville.k12.ms.us

Zach MitchellEditor-in-Chief

Taylor BowdenNews Editor

Tess LongOpinions Editor

Lammi Micha Sports Editor

Cullom McCormickClubs Editor

Ty RingoYearbook Editor

Ruth BrownPhoto Editor

Volume 18, Issue 1

R.J. MorganAdvisor

Statement of Policy

EditorialThe editorial below is a written collaboration among all members of the Jacket Buzz

editorial staff. Ideas expressed represent the majority opinion of the staff.

Graduation. Scholarships. College applications. The junior and senior years

of high school are pretty ex-citing, but also a little intimi-dating at times.

As most of us on the Jacket Buzz editorial staff are se-niors ourselves, we know first hand that this is a stressful time in a person’s lives.

At Starkville High School, the guidance counselors spend countless hours trying to prepare us for our college journey ahead.

However with more than 200 students in our senior class, our devoted counselors are stretched few and far be-tween.

While much important col-lege information is given out during the year, we think it might be helpful to us (and take a load off our counsel-ors) if the school organized more opportunities for col-lege representatives to visit our school and hold work-shops for the junior and se-nior classes.

Information on where and when scholarships are avail-able, workshops on writing the perfect scholarship essay and basic college info might take a little stress off both students and counselors.

Information on financial aid and student loans might also be helpful before our parents start writing the checks.

Understandably, more as-semblies will take up more class time, which we know is always an issue with the ad-ministration and faculty.

However, senior schedules are very lenient.

They almost always lend themselves to allowing more time for experiences out-side of the classroom, with a good portion of the senior student body taking senior privilege and being teachers’ assistants.

We all appreciate a little boost when it comes to start-ing the next important chap-ter in our lives, and we as stu-dents are definitely not too proud to ask for a little more advice and encouragement.

By Tess Long

Opinion Editor

By now, everyone knows that the economy has been strug-gling. In some cases it even be-comes a joke: “I can’t buy you that, we’re in a recession.”

We laugh off lots of our ex-pense issues, but in all serious-ness, the economy is having major affects on America, es-pecially regarding higher educa-tion.

The struggling economy has made tuition costs rise by thou-sands of dollars.

“Federal government subsi-dies and state tax collections used to be a huge part of col-lege funding,” Mississippi State University professor Robert Long said, “but they have just gone way down.”

Tuitions have skyrocketed in the past several years, and schol-arships are becoming slimmer.

Even in a good economy college is still costly and tu-itions increase each year, but when the economy is down it increases these costs to higher than average rates.

“This fall the university will increase tuition by 6.3 percent and then another 6 percent next fall,” MSU vice president of finances Wayne Bland said.

Many families feel that they are struggling to pay outra-geous college fees without any help from the schools, however colleges are trying to help stu-dents with the funds they are allowed.

So instead of all the blame being placed on the universi-ties, maybe more of the focus

should be put on the state and federal governments which continue to decrease funding for higher education.

“The university is trying to do their part, and we’re asking students to do the same thing,” Bland said.

But in many cases the state funding is just not there.

“A major source of income is state appropriations and they are falling like a rock,” Bland said. “From July 1, 2009 to July 1, 2010 they have fallen 29% which is the most I’ve seen in my time here.”

Even though the facts and numbers can be intimidat-ing, it’s not completely hope-less out there in the school world.

Many universities are still giving out scholarships that almost or completely cover the cost of school, and other colleges have very low tu-itions in the first place.

Tuition costs skyrocketWhile costs continue to increase colleges ask students and families to continue to support higher education

www.shsjacketbuzz.com Sports

Davis scores accidental scholarshipsBy Lammi Micha

Sports Editor

As Ti Davis practiced walk-ing on his hands for the Sum-mer Scholars talent show, he noticed about four 4 foot 7 inch chairs in the corner of the room.

He immediately formed the idea to jump over them.

He practiced the jump a couple of times and when it came time for the talent show, he set up the chairs on the stage (with help from recent SHS graduate Zak Mayo) and proceeded to perform his tal-ent. He addressed the audi-ence while wearing a cape and glasses.

“Who wants to see me jump these chairs?” he asked the crowd.

With the crowd’s support, he attempted his jump and fell a little short, clipping one of the chairs, causing him to roll across the stage.

He immediately stood up and said, “Now, who really wants me to see me jump these chairs?”

As the crowd screamed for him to not jump, the 5 foot 5 inch SHS senior jumped over four 4 foot 7 inch chairs with ease.

The crowd went wild!As soon as Davis stepped

off the stage, former Missis-sippi State track coach and

high school principal, Sean Richmond, talked to him and told Davis that he could pos-sibly receive a scholarship for long jumping.

Davis jumps a 6 foot 9 inch long jump.

“I was stunned,” Richmond said. “I was impressed by how easily he jumped the chairs.”

After making a couple of calls, Richmond was able to confirm that Ole Miss, Au-burn, and Texas State were immediately interested in Da-vis.

However, he is waiting for an answer from Mississippi State before he makes a deci-sion on where he may want to attend college.

Ti Davis prepares to jump four chairs at the Summer Scholars talent

show. Courtesy Photo

Softball sports senior leadership

By Ty Ringo

Yearbook Editor

This season, the Lady Jack-et softball team is filled with many talented players.

Some players are just begin-ning, some have been playing since their freshman year and others have been playing since their Armstrong years.

“I’ve been playing six years straight, since my 7th grade year,” senior Shanice Camp-bell said.

Throughout the years of playing slowpitch, seniors have developed skills that have helped them become successful over their softball careers.

More has been learned than just catching, throwing, and hitting a ball, however.

“Playing softball has made me a strong player, as well as a stronger person,” Campbell said.

Senior outfielder T’Keyia Davis has learned that when it comes to the game, hard work

is key and giving it your all is vital to being a success.

“Even if you’re not the strongest in a certain area, if you try your hardest and give it your all, then it’s more im-portant than knowing you’re good and slacking off,” Da-vis said. “I’ve learned to be a smarter player and not just a physical player.”

If one thing is certain, the 2010 Lady Jacket team won’t be the same after the senior class leaves.

“I’m going to miss playing for SHS and my coaches,” Davis said. “It’s a sisterhood that we built around what we love to do and I’m seriously going to miss it!”

First Game

Saturday, August 14

Houston, Miss.

SHS (0-0)

@ Houston Classic

Cheerleading not sport, Connecticut judge rules

By Ty Ringo

Yearbook Editor

Throughout the United States, there have been de-bates of whether cheerlead-ing is an official sport.

Two weeks ago in Connect-icut, a federal judge said that competitive cheerleading isn’t an official sport that schools can use to meet gender-equal-ity requirements.

This came to pass after sev-eral volleyball players and their coach sued Quinnipiac University after the college announced it would eliminate the team and replace it with a competitive cheer squad.

Title IX is a 1972 federal law that orders equal oppor-tunities for men and women in education and athletics.

Under this 1aw, U.S. District Judge Underhill basically said that cheerleading is too unde-veloped and unorganized to be treated like other athlet-ics and shouldn’t receive the same opportunities.

Starkville’s own athletic di-rector Stan Miller believes the complete opposite.

To him, cheering is as much of a sport as basketball and football.

The girls must try out, be physi-cally fit and compete just as the other athletes.

“They ac-tually have the longest season of all the sports,” Miller said. “They cheer from football to basketball season, which means from August to basi-cally March.”

The SHS cheerleaders also agree with Miller.

“I feel we do just as much as any other sport,” senior cheerleader Jondia Weather-spoon said. “It takes endur-ance and conditioning, and it

has to be in your heart.”Toria Carter, who has been

a cheerleader since her sev-enth grade year, feels cheer-

ing should be a sport because it is a competi-tive activity that requires agility and skill.

“ P e o p l e only see what we do on Fri-day nights,” Carter said. “They don’t see us when we go to the

regional, state and national levels.”

Jessica Gray, another varsity cheerleader, believes cheer-leading should be recognized just as much as basketball and football.

“A Yellow Jacket is a Yellow Jacket whether we run, drib-ble, hit or cheer,” Gray said. “We represent Jacket pride!”

“A Yellow Jacket

is a

Yellow Jacket,

whether we run,

dribble, hit or

cheer.”

- Jessica Gray, senior

Sports buzzThe

By Lammi Micha

Sports Editor

The 2010-2011 Starkville High School football players seem excited to have a new head coach.

Coach Jamie Mitchell, who came from Itawamba High School to coach the Yellow Jackets, says that he is ex-cited to come and do one thing: bring tradition back.

According to Mitchell, Starkville High School has competed for seven state championships and won four of the seven.

Mitchell plans on meeting those ex-pectations again.

“Work ethic and practice tempo are the two things that I am working on with this team,” Mitchell said.

Senior tight end Martavius Foster

agrees that a faster practice tempo helps keep him in shape.

“I am in a lot better shape than last year,” Foster said. “Even though we don’t run after practice for condition-ing, it is the full speed practicing that is keeping me in shape.”

Quarterback Jaquez Johnson, who Coach Mitchell has confidence in as leader of the offense, said that he feels good about being a leader.

“I have wanted this all my life,” John-son said. “I have always wanted to be the leader of my team and to lead the team to victories.”

The new coach seems to be moti-vating the team and making positive changes in the Yellow Jacket game plan.

Johnson describes having a new coach as having a new first impression.

“Everyone is working really hard and is trying to show him what they can do,” he said. “The sophomores are stepping up and working hard, which is impressive. Of course we have the big boys working hard and the seniors coming back, and they all want to im-prove their game.”

The Yellow Jackets seem determined to make the state championship game this year and plan on working very hard to get there.

“Everyone wants to be here and we want to change it and turn it around,” Foster said.

Though considered a longshot for such a finish, Johnson and his team-mates are not shy about setting lofty goals.

“The goal is to not lose,” said John-son.

New Coach, New SeasonSenior quarterback Jaquez Johnson takes his position as leader of the Yellow Jacket football team in the middle of the huddle at

preseason practice. Photo by Ruth Brown

2010-2011 SHS

Football Schedule

8/20 Noxubee Co.

8/27 @Louisville9/3 @Meridian9/10 @West Point9/24 @Desoto Central10/1 Tupelo

10/8 @Horn Lake10/15 Southaven (HC)

10/22 @Olive Branch10/29 South Panola

11/5 Columbus

PitcherJohnson signs pro deal

By Lammi Micha

Sports Editor

When one thinks of the Milwau-kee Brewers, one thinks of players such as Rickie Weeks, Prince Field-er, and Corey Hart.

However, recent Starkville High School graduate R.J. Johnson may be added to that list.

Johnson was drafted from the SHS baseball team in 2010, and went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to join the Brewers.

He signed with the Brewers on Sunday, June 27th and officially went pro.

Johnson says that he is not plan-ning on going to college immediate-ly, but, his contract with the Brewers gives him the option to go to col-lege later on with financial support from the team.

As a rookie, Johnson has already started games for one of the Brew-ers minor league teams.

“It’s a lot of work, and no play,” Johnson said.

With practice and/or games al-most everyday in 115 degree weath-er, one can only imagine how John-son’s work is cut out for him.

Mitchell turns up tempo, expectations on talented group of seniors

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