Buzzz Fun

by Megan Robles

Did You Know?

·         11% of people are left handed
·         August has the highest percentage of births
·         Unless food is mixed with saliva you can't taste it
·         The average person falls asleep in 7 minutes
·         Most lipsticks contain fish scales
·         No two corn flakes look the same
·         The Hawaiian alphabet has 12 letters
·         The most commonly used letter in the alphabet is E
·         The least used letter in the alphabet is Q
·         Cats spend 66% of their life asleep
·         Money is the number one thing that couples argue about
·         Each time you see a full moon, you always see the same side

Jokes&Riddles

Q. What did the glue say to the teacher?
A. "I'm stuck on you."

Q. Why did the clock in the cafeteria always run slow?
A. Every lunch it went back for seconds!

Q. Why was the music teacher not able to open his class room?
A. Because his keys were on the piano.

Q. What did the ghost teacher say to his class?
A. "Look at the board and I'll go through it again!"

Q. Why did the jellybean go to school?
A. To become a smartie!

Q. Why is 2+2=5 like your left foot?
A. It's not right.

School Events and Activities

V S N Q Q X C I M N W U X B S

L K G V A L A Y V O T E K V O

S Z D E T O Q B K B R F D G F

H L G B O O K F A I R P N K T

K C A R T S G S E M T I Q W B

N Y J M F O E F R Q L A B X A

F U Y D N B D G B F U X D W L

O F M X A J G W G R I D W Z L

P Z T L N T A N N Q R I X Y Z

Y S L T Z A I M I O F X J J M

H B F K I R X Y R Q U G X A Z

U G E Y P W J F P B W G Y W A

T C V S E K Y W S E A G U H G

B A V M J P C Y J N S F O F Y

S R H M R B Q L I E O I D N I

BASEBALL

BOOKFAIR

PROM

SLAMNJAM

SOFTBALL

SPRINGBREAK

SPRINGFLING

TRACK

Batwomen

by Kara Thomas and Haley Gonzales

The Haynes Academy softball season has started off with a bang. As of Wednesday, February 27th, the team is 2-0 with wins against Bonnabel (19-1) and Thomas Jefferson (14-2). Haynes also played a game against East Jefferson, but it was not completed because of a rainout.

   In the Bonnabel game, both Taylor Tucker and Sarah Prados hit home runs. Against Thomas Jefferson, down by two in the second inning, Chloé d'Aquin had a shot up the middle that sent two runs home and gave Haynes back the lead. Codi Vernace hit an over-the-fence homerun. Taylor Tucker went three for three. She pitched three innings and Codi pitched two. Thomas Jefferson did not score after the first inning.
   On Thursday, February 28th, Haynes plays Country Day at the JPRD complex. The team will compete in the John Ehret and Thomas Jefferson tournament Friday and Saturday at Avondale playground.
   The team is coached by Sam Gomez and welcomes new varsity players Hannah Rosamond, Carson Kelly, Amy Taylor, and Madison Scifo.

And the Grammy goes to...

by Quinn Lemon  
With a big year in the music industry, the 55th Annual Grammy Awards is guaranteed to be a huge success. The show will be aired on February 10, 2013. The competition is very intense due to the plethora of incredible music released throughout the year. Kelly Clarkson, Fun., Frank Ocean, and Mumford and Sons are only a few artists of many contending for a Grammy.
The Black Keys' El Camino, Fun.'s Some Nights, Mumford & Sons' Babel, Frank Ocean's Channel Orange, and Jack White's Blunderbuss are all in the race for album of the year. Mumford & Sons' album Babel is favored to win Album of the Year because of its mellow, yet not too mellow, sound. One critic described Babel as "more of a pleasant rowboat ride down a scenic creek", and that is apparently what people liked.
One big category is Best New Artist, which gives a Grammy to a newcomer that people feel has shown great skill and sound. The artists that have been nominated in this category are Alabama Shakes, Fun., Hunter Hayes, The Lumineers, and Frank Ocean. Many people predict that Frank Ocean will win the Grammy, but others believe in Hunter Hayes. The Grammy "track record" shows that the most unknown artists win.
What has many people wondering is the Record of the Year category. The nominations are all good, which makes a prediction very hazy. The nominees are "Lonely Boy" by The Black Keys, "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" by Kelly Clarkson, "We Are Young" by Fun. featuring Janelle Monae, "Somebody That I Used To Know" by Gotye featuring Kimbra, "Thinkin Bout You" by Frank Ocean, and "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" by Taylor Swift. Though all songs are popular, there is still a prediction that Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" will win because of its simple instrumentation and the fact that it popped up out of nowhere.
Tune in to CBS on February 10th to see who comes out on top.

The Envelope, Please!

by Kara Thomas

Welcome to the middle of Award Season. The 85th annual Academy Awards is just a month away and the nominations came out on Thursday, January 10. Top contenders are Lincoln with 12 nominations, Life of Pi with 11 nominations, and Les Misérables and Silver Linings Playbook both with 8.

Nine titles were nominated for Best Picture: Amour, Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Les Misérables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, and Zero Dark Thirty. For Actor in a Leading Role, Hugh Jackman for Les Misérables is the apparent underdog with no prior Oscar nominations. He is up against Bradley Cooper for Silver Linings Playbook, Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln, Joaquin Phoenix for The Master, and Denzel Washington for Flight.

Nominees for Actor in a Supporting Role are Alan Arkin for Argo, Robert De Niro for Silver Linings Playbook, Philip Seymour Hoffman for The Master, Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln, and Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained.

The category of Actress in a Leading Role has the youngest nominee ever - nine year old Louisiana native Quvenzhané Wallis for her portrayal of Hushpuppy in Beasts of the Southern Wild. Also nominated were Jessica Chastain for Zero Dark Thirty, Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook (only her second Oscar nomination), Emmanuelle Riva for Amour, and Naomi Watts for The Impossible.

In Actress in a Supporting Role, Anne Hathaway is nominated for her tear-jerking performance in Les Misérables. She is against Amy Adams for The Master, Sally Field for Lincoln, Helen Hunt for The Sessions, Jacki Weaver for Silver Linings Playbook.

Nominees for the category Directing are Amour, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Life of Pi, Lincoln, and Silver Linings Playbook. Up for Best Visual Effects are The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Life of Pi, Marvel’s The Avengers, Prometheus,and Snow White and the Huntsman.

In the category of Writing (Adapted Screenplay) are Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Life of Pi, Lincoln, and Silver Linings Playbook. For Writing (Original Screenplay) nominees include Amour, Django Unchained, Flight, Moonrise Kingdom, and Zero Dark Thirty. To see if your favorite movie wins, tune in to ABC February 24 at 6:00 pm central.

Remembering Newtown

by Megan Crowder and Rebecca Garcia
On December 14, 2012, a devastating event occurred in Newtown, Connecticut at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Twenty-six people were killed, twenty of which were children who attended the school. The gunman was 20-year-old, Adam Lanza, who had killed his mother just before arriving at the school campus. Lanza used a Bushmaster rifle, a Glock handgun, and a Sig Sauer handgun, all of which belonged to his mother. 

When he entered the school, he focused on two classrooms, which were filled with kindergartners and first graders. He also shot six adults, including the principal. After causing all this damage, Lanza shot himself.

The police arrived at the school around 10:00 a.m. and the rest of the students and faculty were escorted to a nearby firehouse. Parents came quickly to the scene, as soon as they were notified, to see if their children were spared. One parent, Joe Wasik, said that he found his daughter crying and a “nervous wreck”. Many parents were concerned with this school shooting. Now, schools nationwide have been becoming more cautious in terms of security and safety. President Barack Obama also made a speech concerning the children who were killed, saying, “They had their entire lives ahead of them- birthdays, weddings, kids of their own.” Now, the Sandy Hook school shooting has been declared as the second worst campus shooting in U.S. history.

Hunka Hunka Holidays

by Alexis Arms

Last Saturday, the Haynes Academy Key Club traveled to William Blvd. Baptist Church for a special persons’ Christmas party. Before guests arrived, members from Haynes, Curtis, Crescent City and Bonnabel were working hard setting up tables, decorating the walls, and cooking a delicious dinner. Christmas music was playing to set the mood as the guests arrived and were greeted by church members and Key Club volunteers. Guests were encouraged to get on the dance floor and show off their moves. Key clubbers from Crescent City put on a skit about Charlie Brown and the meaning of Christmas. Afterwards, everyone left their seats and moved to the center of the floor to limbo. Once everyone was limboed out, the gathering was served a delicious meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans and tea.

     To add to the festivities, all of a sudden, Elvis music began to play and before anyone knew what was happening, “Elvis” entered and began to jive. Everyone cheered and laughed while singing along and dancing. The moment came that all the guests had been waiting for! The four Key Clubs, dressed up as reindeer, escorted Santa! The guests clapped and rushed to snap a picture with old St. Nicholas. The event was meant for a celebration for special people but the Key Club volunteers made valuable memories as well.

Food for Thought

By: Taylor Waguespack    

On Saturday, December 8th, Haynes hosted its 6th annual International Food Festival. This event recognizes the cultural diversities of the Haynes families. The night was full of wonderful entertainment from students who sang, danced, and played instruments. The entire Haynes community donated time volunteering, decorating, cooking, and doling out samples of a variety of delicious foods from countries all over the world. Sponsored by the PTO, the International Food Festival supports Haynes’ clubs and organizations. Mrs. Nancy Serio and Mrs. Gina Schuette worked closely to make this event a success. The fine arts department coordinated the talent and Mr. Piazza carried out the theme, “Colors of the Wind” with the Native American and waterfall tableau above the stage.  

There was a great turnout and more than sixteen countries were represented. Everyone who attended had a great time and we look forward to having another fantastic night at the International Food Festival next year.

McKenzie's NFL Moments

by Matthew McKenzie

It was yet another exciting week in the NFL. There were so many upsets it was hard to count. But we can’t forget about the recent death of the Cowboys player, Jerry Brown Jr. He, along with team mate Josh Brent, were driving home. Brent was intoxicated and the accident that ensued took the life of his best friend.

Though mentally distraught, the Cowboys took on the Bengals and ended up winning the game they dedicated to their fallen teammate. In the emotional win, they kicked a last second field goal to seal the game.

The Vikings took on the Bears in a divisional match-up this week and they won 24-17. Adrian Peterson (Minnesota's running back) ran for over 150 yards and scored. If he rushes for 155 yards in each of the remaining games this season, he could break the single season rushing record of 2,104 yards. To add to this incredible story, Adrian Peterson is coming off of knee surgery from last season.

New York took on New Orleans in what was expected to be a closely contested game. The outcome was completely different. The Saints started off strong, intercepting Eli Manning and returning it for a touchdown. Immediately after, New York returned the kickoff for a touchdown. New York’s special teams and stellar defense embarrassed the Saints on national television in a 52-27 victory.

Monday night the Patriots took on the Texans. This was a very important game for both teams because playoff seeding is on the line. Many favored the Texans to win but the Patriots came out firing. The Patriots knocked off the Texans 42-14.

This Thursday the Eagles battle the Bengals, a critical game as Cincinnati is fighting to stay alive in the playoff race. Tune in for a good one!

Gotta Kick It Up

by Megan Robles and Kara Thomas

Winter sports are getting started. The Lady Yellow Jackets Soccer Team opened its season on November 13, against McGehee. Having lost four significant seniors, the team has a lot to prove. Welcoming several new players, including seventh grader Megan Marsolone, and a new coach-teacher Chris Totaro, the Lady Jackets are competing in District 10-2A.

           The schedule includes many fierce competitors such as Riverside Academy and St. Charles Catholic. The Lady Jackets hope to face them head on with an offense of two great scorers-Sydney Schaubhut, freshman, and Hannah Rosamond, sophomore-and a strong midfield and defense comprised of Carolina Ochoa, Keely Reynolds, Celita Dopp, and Sabrine Mohammad. The Haynes Lady Jackets keepers are Nancy Nguyen and Rachel Marin.
           The season, lasting until late January/early February, is expected to be a true test of whether the Lady Yellow Jackets Soccer Team is ready to compete in district. As of December 12, the team is undefeated with five wins and one tie.

Hoops with Haley

by Haley Gonzales
The Lady Jacket basketball team is just in the beginning of their season, with a record of 5-6. Last year the Jackets had made it to the first round playoffs and the team is hoping to go even further this year. Losing two of last year’s starters is a detriment, but it will just make each player push individually for more improvement. Coach Michael Bonura is in his fourth year at Haynes and he believes in the Lady Jacket ability.
On December 22nd, the Jackets will play their rival Thomas Jefferson in the New Orleans Arena. Basketball players are selling tickets for this special event. Please come out and support our great team!

Welcome to the new Haynes Academy Journalism blog, The Hive! The purpose of this blog is to keep everyone at Haynes Academy-that is, students, faculty, and parents-well informed on events at Haynes, including dances, sports, pep rallies, and more! With this blog, the Journalism class hopes to be able to update events more frequently than the past quarterly school newspapers.

This blog is going to act as a replacement to our school newspaper with the exception of the coveted Senior Edition at the end of the year.

The Journalism class hopes that you will enjoy this blog, and comment on articles that are posted. If you have any suggestions to better the blog, or would like a story concerning your club, extracurricular activity, or sports team, please feel free to contact Mrs. Dooley, Jessica Smith, or Malerie Eiserloh.

Volley with Dollie

by Haley Gonzales

The Haynes Lady Jacket volleyball team’s successful season has come to an end with a record of 19-11. Advancing to the playoffs, it was déjà vu as Haynes and Berwick met again for a rematch. Last season, Berwick topped our Jackets 0-3 but this time Haynes turned the table in defeating them 3-0.  It was the Jackets’ fourth year making it to the first round of playoffs and our first time winning.

The jackets went on the road for the second playoff game at Teurlings Catholic in Lafayette. Haynes fell a little short losing in 3. Finishing the season off positively, the Jackets’ new coach, Mrs. Dollie Lala, said that everyone really stepped it up this season. The Jackets can’t wait till next year and are planning on going even further!

Dancing in the Dark

by Taylor Hickman

The Sophomore and Freshmen Student Councils hosted the annual MORP dance this month. MORP is an event created for the underclassmen since they cannot attend prom. The difference between MORP and PROM is that all of high school is invited.

The dance was held at the Metairie Lions Club from 8-11. "Dancing In the Dark" was the theme this year and the venue was decorated with neon and black lights. Glow stick bracelets were given to all of the guests to light up the dance floor! The ambience from the lights and glow sticks was carried further through the use of fog machines and laser lights. Attired in all white, everyone added to the glow. A night of food, dancing, and music, as well as the clever decorations made it a memory for all in attendance.

The Beat

by Quinn Lemon

Instead of giving the top 10 songs for the week, this article will be about a musical group that few people know -  Atmosphere. Atmosphere, a Minneapolis-based rap group, formed in 1989. Its members include rapper Slug (Sean Daley) and the DJ/producer Ant (Anthony Davis). Their former member and co-founder, Spawn (Derek Turner), left after their first album Overcast! because he believed that the group wouldn't go anywhere. Other former members include Stress (Brent Sayers) and Beyond (Musab Saad).

The members of the band met in high school and performed under the name Mental Subjects.  They then changed their name to A Rhythmic Culture, and finally to Urban Atmosphere. Original group members, Stress and Slug, met Ant through group member Beyond and welcomed the opportunity to work with him. Slug thought that Ant was good and saw an opportunity to work with him. They soon started recording tracks together and later dropped "Urban" from their name.

Their first album Overcast! was released in 1997. It was viewed by a wider audience than expected due to the amount of airplay of the album's single, "Scapegoat". The album was received very well by critics; it earned a 9.5 out of 10 by Rap Reviews.

After their debut album came God Loves Ugly, released in 2001. It sold 130,000 copies and reached #18 on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks charts. It, too, was received well by critics.

Seven's Travels, their 2003 release, reached #1 on KTUH's charts for the week of October 6, 2003. Again, critics raved. It received 4 out of 5 stars from HipHopDX.

When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint that **** Gold (2008) was one of their best albums. Selling 36,000 copies within its first week of release, it debuted at number 5 on the U.S. Billboard 200. This was the first time one of their albums reached the top ten on the Billboard 200. Critics awarded 5 out of 5 stars and praised Ant’s producing skills and Slug’s smooth storytelling. HipHopDX gave it 4.5 out 5 stars, and The New York Times said that it was favorable.

Their most recent album, The Family Sign(2011), debuted at number 13 on the Billboard 200 and sold 28,000 copies within its first week of release. This did not receive as much critical praise as When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint that **** Gold, but it was still liked among critics with AllMusic giving it 3.5 out 5 of stars.

It is not known whether or not Atmosphere is working on another album, but it is certain that many people are waiting.

Beyond the Grave

by Megan Crowder and Rebecca Garcia
Beyond the Grave is a Christian play based on the Columbine shooting in Colorado. Its venue is the Victory Fellowship on Airline Highway, every other week, until sometime in the spring. In the play, teens in a drama class are preparing for their annual performance of Phantom of the Opera. Other scenes give the audience a look into the life of the students and the problems that they are facing at home. During the performance of Phantom of the Opera, a student comes to class dressed as the Phantom and shoots his classmates. Eight of them are dead and the shooter commits suicide.
In the next scene, those eight students are facing God and being judged on whether they go to Heaven or Hell. The message Beyond the Grave tries to convey is that you never know when you are going to die, so you have to accept God into your heart and live your life according to His plan. Every year, hundreds of people get saved and baptized because of this play. The next performance is on December 7, 2012, and admission is free. Everyone should come see it!

Bridge Over Troubled Waters

by Megan Arabie and Precocia Parlow

Besides electing a president, Tuesday, November 6, was also a referendum on the Crescent City Connection Tolls. The three parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, and Plaquemines all got to have their say on the subject. 58% of Orleans, 46% of Jefferson, and 44% of Plaquemines voted to keep the tolls. In the end, this important tax renewal passed by only a sixteen vote difference.
There has been great controversy as to where the money, from the tolls, is going. Toll opponents have argued that the state has misused the $400 million collected for the purpose of the bridge and adjacent roadway. They claim the monies, instead, were used to maintain the Westbank Expressway. The money was originally earmarked for maintenance of the two structures and for the Crescent City Connection police and the administration. Few people know that $22 million is collected annually from the toll booths.
Opponents say that although West Bankers pay the majority of the toll revenue, they have been shorted when it comes to giving back to the community with the money. They claim the money has become a fund for ferries and road projects around the entire state. Over 200 West Bank businesses have opposed the renewal of the toll. They also think it's unfair to have only the West Bankers pay when they cross the bridge, and not the East Bankers.
Proponents of the toll tax said that eliminating the tolls could put the region's security and progress to a halt because the bridge and expressway would have to fight other structures across the state for funding. If the bridge fees were discontinued, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and
Development would stop collecting at the end of the year and have to find a way to direct traffic after the booths are removed. The bridges would also be dirtier, with more debris, because the  decrease in funding would curtail daily clean up.
Haynes Academy, on the East Bank, boasts 35 West Bank students. Julia Vedros, a sixth grader from Harvey, says that it takes her about thirty-five minutes to get to school everyday. She dislikes the tolls but was uncertain about where this revenue goes. East Bank sophomore, Victoria Jones, travels the bridge for volleyball clinics on weekends. She sides with renewing the tax because it pays for lighting and trash pickup. But, she added, “…if the vote was different and the toll didn't stay, then I guess there are other ways that those things could still be possible.”
It took several days for poll commissioners to validate the toll votes but, in the end, we’ll still be passing the toll booths and paying our dollar for years to come.

Winter Lights

by Shelby Katz

December 8, 2012, or the 25th of Kislev, is Hanukkah, according to the regular and the Jewish calendars. Since the Jewish calendar is shorter, Hanukkah falls on a different date, in December, each year. 

Every year, the Jewish people keep special traditions such as, cooking everything in oil, lighting the menorah, saying prayers, having a big feast, and going to temple. A favorite event of the Jewish community is the giant menorah (Hanukkiyah) that is lit by the Rabbi. Lighting the menorah is a special task because it is done in a certain way. The first night, a candle (shamash) is placed in the middle and one candle to the far right on the menorah. Each day after, a candle is added to the left of the far right candle. This symbolizes the miracle with the oil. The lighting of the candles is usually done right before sundown (if it’s the Shabbat) or just after sundown and prayers are said. The shamash is lit first and then is used to light the rest of the candles, from left to right. Following this sacred tradition, the Jewish family celebrates with a feast. This is repeated for eight consecutive nights. Gift giving usually accompanies the celebration.