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.  

Football Finale

by Kyle Montgomery, Carlos Murillo, and Miguel Jimenez

After a huge overtime win over St. Martins, the Yellow Jackets played a very talented Houma Christian. The game was close until the 4th quarter when Houma Christian intercepted the ball and ran all the way back for a touchdown. When we received the ball back, we charged back down the field and intercepted the ball again. After that, Houma Christian ran the clock out and the Jackets lost the opportunity to win their homecoming game.

This past week we played a close game with Ascension Episcopal. At the end of the first half, Haynes was winning 14-13. By the start on the 4th quarter we were losing 33-14. Energized by the spirit of our loyal fans and the fact that it was our final game, we found a spark and charged back, winning the game 37-33. Now the Haynes Yellow Jackets have their first winning season, with the record (5-4)! J

Seeing Stars

by Minh Cao

     

     In 1960, the United States flag design altered to reflect the addition of Alaska and Hawaii. Now, 50 years later, there is a possibility our flag will soon be out of date.

     On November 6^th, 2012 Puerto Ricans voted to become a state with about 61% of the votes in the affirmative. The options on the ballots were statehood, sovereign free associated state, or full independence. Sovereign choice received about 33% of the votes, with 5% of the people voting for full independence.

     Even though Puerto Ricans voted for statehood, they may not even attain it. Before Puerto Rico becomes an official state, the United States Congress must vote on the issue. Since there is no urgent need for this topic to be approved, Congress may not vote on it for some time. Meanwhile, flag designers can wrestle with how to accommodate 51 stars. 

The Beat

by Quinn Lemon

For the week of October 21-27, The top songs are as follows:

1. One More Night by Maroon 5

2. Gangnam Style by PSY

3. Some Nights by Fun.

4. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together by Taylor Swift

5. Die Young by Kesha

6. As Long As You Love Me by Justin Bieber ft. Big Sean

7. Too Close by Alex Clare

8. Diamonds by Rihanna

9. Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself) by Ne-Yo

10. Blow Me (One Last Kiss) by P!nk

        The number 1 song “One More Night” was released on June 19, 2012 as the second single from their fourth studio album, Overexposed. It quickly became popular among the mainstream audience due to its catchy tune and its reggae-influenced sound. As for the lyrics, the song is about the battle between what the mind, heart, and body want. The singer, Adam Levine, sings, “You and I go hard at each other like we’re goin’ to war.”, indicating that he is involved in some precarious activities. But he then  contradicts his previous statement by singing, “Try to tell you no but my body keeps on telling you yes.” This implies that he knows that he shouldn’t be involved in such activities, but his “body” thinks otherwise.

HAAS Volleyball Team Goes Pink

by Megan Robles

Breast Cancer Ribbons

Everyone was thinking pink when they came to support our Haynes volleyball team in their efforts to raise money for breast cancer awareness!  Haynes Academy and Ben Franklin combined earned over five hundred dollars to donate to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The volleyball team earned money by selling pink breast cancer ribbons and t-shirts as well as asking for a dollar donation from each person in attendance. 

The Volleyball Team's Pink T-shirts

The pink game was also Senior Night for our team captain, and only senior, Katie Philippi.  Thanks to her great leadership and encouragement, the Lady Jackets have been very successful throughout the season.  The team would like to say, “Congratulations to Katie, we all appreciate and love you! The best of wishes for your future and we will all miss you very much.”

Nicole Lala, a JV player, was also announced at the pink game.  She gave a speech about her great aunt who passed away from breast cancer and the effects it had on the whole family.  “If only Aunt Teresa would have not procrastinated in getting a breast exam, maybe she would still be here to tell all her funny jokes, make everyone smile and laugh, and still be able to give her nieces and nephews the best presents ever. Because Aunt Teresa did not get her exam until it was too late, she died of stage 4 breast cancer and is greatly missed in all the hearts of her family members,” Nicole says.  Hopefully, that speech was a wakeup call for many women out there.  Do not wait until it is too late. Take care of business and get an annual breast exam.  As the celebration and remembrance of breast cancer continues through the month of October, show your love and support to those people out there affected by this terrible disease. Go Pink! 

Game Corner

by Austin Erwin

     Hello Internet, and welcome back to Game Corner! Last time, we gave a glance at the world of Dishonored; this time, we’re going back to see how it plays.

     First off, let me just say that the game was well worth the $60 price tag. Upon starting, I was greeted with a veritable chorus of digital sights and sounds. The opening scenes gave a distant look at the island on which the story takes place- beautifully rendered and full of a certain nuance that remains hard for this reporter to describe.

     Once arriving at my destination and gaining control of my character, Corvo, I was happy to see that his controls were smooth and simple to understand. The opening serves as a way to gain familiarity with the controls, as well as the stealth aspect, in an innocent way- a game of hide-and-seek. Indeed, once the Empress’ daughter sees you, she will approach you with the option to play. For anyone just starting the game, it is a simple way to gain an understanding of your sneak skills, as well as being a fun distraction.  

Senior Spotlight

by Precocia Parlow

Senior night was a great success! We honored our football, dance, cheerleading and band seniors on the field at halftime. Escorted by their parents, each senior’s achievements and future college plans were announced by Heather Held to all in attendance. After, each senior gave their mothers a flower in appreciation. There were many people there to support both the Yellow Jacket football team and to honor these deserving students. The jacket fans cheered loud and proud and we beat Ecole Classique. Both the game and the presentation made memories for everyone. Haynes Academy will definitely remember our seniors. Go Jackets!!

Running with the Wind

by Minh Cao     

     The Cross Country team continues its quest to be the fastest in the league. The following chart shows the top 7 Varsity (3 mile) and Junior Varsity (2 mile) members’ best times. 

Varsity

Name	Grade	Best Time
Adam Strickland	10	17:43
Travis Theall	12	18:03
Lucas Schexnayder	10	18:31
Kyle Montgomery	10	19:39
Alan Tran	9	19:39
Jonathan Flores	9	20:07
Peyton LeBlanc	9	20:34

Junior Varsity

Name	Grade	Best Time
Joseph Walther	11	14:00
Bobby Wahl	8	14:21
Muhammad Al-Hassani	11	14:45
Andy Beams	9	14:48
Devon Neil	9	15:26
Blake Zamjahn	8	15:29
Noah Walther	8	15:53

      

     Our next race is the Metro Meet this Friday at 4:30. We will be running the Lakefront course near the UNO campus. This race is run by the top 7 runners of both Varsity and Junior Varsity. The State Cross Country meet is on Monday, November 12 in Natchitoches. This meet is only raced by the top 7 but others are welcome to come along. 

Bloody Revenge

by Shelby Katz

The new season of television has begun and the premiere of the second season of Revenge was greatly anticipated. The first episode recapped the important events of the first season and week two concentrated on an interesting story line. Emily, the main character, is in danger of drowning and the story unfolds in a series of flashbacks that keep the audience enthralled. Tune in each Sunday from 8 to 9 on ABC to follow Emily’s revengeful plots.

Viewers might remember the third season of Vampire Diaries ended with Elena in the morgue, after drowning, when she suddenly opened her eyes.  The fourth season opens with Elena having super-sensory experiences as she transitions from human to a vampire state. This premiered October 11 and fans of Damon, Stephan and Elena are eager to follow their exploits in Mystic Falls this season. Can't wait to see what happens in the next episode!! 

Homecoming Court

by Taylor Waguespack

The results are in! Last week was a busy one for the Homecoming nominees with posters hung and heavy campaigning and the court has been chosen. The following nominees have been selected to be on the Haynes Academy Homecoming Court for 2012:

Senior Court:

Hayden Chighizola, Dylan Cleveland, Jessica Cucinello, Alex Depp, Malerie Eiserloh, Benaiah Harvey, Heather Held, and Steven Nelson

Junior Court:

Josh Gebo, Sadie Martinez, Andrew Ngyuen, and Taylor Waguespack

Sophomore Court:

Chandler Harris, Sarah Jane Lowentritt, Justin Sandoval, and Andrew Young

Freshman Court:

Lenny Held, Brian Hinkamp, Satchel Joseph, and Katia Leiva

          Congratulations to the elected and thanks to the students who voted for them. We hope to see you at the Homecoming Pep Rally and the Homecoming game, where the members of court will be presented.

WAFL

by Kara Thomas

     Hardly anyone knows that there is a Women’s Arena Football League, let alone that we might have a team right here in New Orleans. Created in 2011, the Women’s Arena Football League is an 8-on-8 tackle American Football League that plays in spring. Currently, there are six teams in two conferences. In the National Conference, there are teams in St Louis, Kansas City, and a new team, Omaha Demolition. In the American Conference there are teams in Miami, Dallas, and Houston. New Orleans is on the list of 2013 target cities for new teams to expand the league. Other cities include Green Bay, WI; Las Vegas, NV; Orlando, FL; Chicago, IL; New York, NY; and even cities in Canada. The date of the tryout for the New Orleans team will be announced in the next few months, and the registration fee is $25.

Haynes Football

by Kyle Montgomery, Carlos Murillo, and Miguel Jimenez

     

     After losing three games straight, the Haynes Yellow Jackets came back with a bang by completely dominating the Crescent City Pioneers at Muss Bertolino. Our senior quarterback, Jared Smith, ran for 154 yards and junior running back, Ashton Morris, ran for another 142 yards. Senior running back, Hayden Chighizola, finished with 44 yards rushing and 28 yards receiving. Also, Kyle Montgomery had one interception and another one that had a debatable call. The refs said he stepped out of bounds when landing on his feet. The final score was 33-8.

     After a big victory against Crescent City, the Yellow Jackets had to prepare for Ecole Classique Spartans. Haynes came out running full throttle. The Yellow Jackets scored two touchdowns on the first three offensive plays. The team played in honor of the seniors, as it was senior night. Michael Bossier had two defensive touchdowns, which made Ecole absolutely quit. We cruised through the game and won 48-6.

McKenzie's NFL Moments

by Matthew McKenzie

Week 5 of the NFL came to a close with a 23-16 victory for the Houston Texans (5-0) over the New York Jets (2-3). Everyone expected the game to be a blowout due to the fact that the Jets lost 34-0 to the San Francisco 49ers (4-1). But New York came out firing in a game that went down to the last minute.

This past Thursday Night’s game was a matchup between the St Louis Rams (3-2) and the Arizona Cardinals (4-1). St Louis came out on top and handed Arizona their first loss of the season. It was a close game and was decided by one play.

Other notable games from this past weekend were the Green Bay Packers (2-3) against the Indianapolis Colts (2-2) and the Atlanta Falcons (5-0) against the Washington Redskins (2-3). The Colts mounted a massive come-from-behind victory after being down 21-3 at halftime. They had added  incentive to play because earlier in the week their head coach, Chuck Pagano, was diagnosed with Leukemia. It was an emotional win for the entire team.

The game between the Falcons and Redskins came down to the wire. The Redskins QB Robert Griffin III was knocked out of the game with a concussion. Backup quarterback, Kirk Cousins, had a chance to lead the Redskins to a game-tying touchdown, but he threw an interception that ended the game. Falcons win 24-17.

Sunday night the New Orleans Saints (1-4) picked up their first victory against the San Diego Chargers (3-2). Drew Brees broke the NFL record for most consecutive games with a touchdown pass  (48) with a 40-yard pass to Devery Henderson. Former Baltimore Colts quarterback, Johnny Unitas, had set the record fifty two years ago. The Saints forced 2 turnovers in the second half which lead to the Saints 31-24 victory.

This Thursday the Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2) take on the Tennessee Titans in what should be an exciting game. The Steelers defense is depleted with the loss of safety Troy Polomalu and that could serve as a big loss to them this week.

A Shocking Development

by Mercedes Mooers

Looking for a thrill in your neighborhood? Is your local haunt not filling your horror needs? Well, there is an excellent haunted house nestled in the New Orleans metro area. It is close enough to venture to with ease, and, considering what you get for the price of a single ticket, it is generally inexpensive. From a live source of music to the haunted house itself, the whole event amps up your nerves and gives you the chills, even before you enter the gate. What's the name of this place? House of Shock.

          The first thing you see when coming to the House of Shock is cars- rows and rows, parked along the surrounding streets and officers roaming to keep away any mischief. Now, the line to get your ticket may be long, but don't fret. People, decked out in gore and costumes, are roaming to 'play.' You can take pictures with these characters or, if you are like the majority of the bystanders, be spooked. After you buy your ticket and explore, you'll come across live music, as well as food and drink places (including, but not limited to, Hell's Kitchen). The Arachnaride (imagine the bull ride, only in the form of a creepy spider) is a fun feature. Lastly, who could forget the Haunted House. The heavy metal and clever horror film clips raise your excitement even before entering. The whole show is well put together, and if you miss the stage show you can always wait around for another. As far as the inside of the haunted house goes, I cannot disclose details. Just know that this is not a place for the faint of heart, and be prepared to be touched or brushed against. Even the person behind you may scream and grab onto you, using you as a human shield. 

           Overall, this local haunted house is spooky enough to fill even the most horror-obssessed person's needs, and puts together an excellent show with an excellent cast -as they like to call their crew members. They are also not for profit, all the money going to keeping the attraction running. They are a model for other haunted houses, their fire safety standards rewriting the code for haunted houses of Louisiana, basically. So go support the local haunted house, get scared, and enjoy yourself.

Picnic at Pontiff

by Taylor Hickman

Over the weekend, the PTO sponsored a picnic for all Haynes students, family, and friends at Pontiff. The picnic was filled with many activities including a fun run, a blood drive, a powderpuff game, and tasty food. The only charge for the mile long race was a canned good that was donated to Second Harvest Food Bank. The collection will help feed families for the upcoming holiday season.
        Powderpuff is when the boys and girls switch roles. The girls play football, while the boys cheer them on. The freshmen and senior girls played the sophomore and junior girls in a fun game. The freshmen and seniors won with a score of 24 to 18. The cheerleaders practiced different cheers and chants with the boys before the game. During halftime, the boys performed a funny and unforgettable cheer.  The family picnic unites the whole Haynes community. Thank you to all who participated. 

The Sophomore-Junior Powderpuff Football Team

The 13th Gate

by Alexis Arms

Recently, the Haynes Academy Theater Department took a trip to Baton Rouge to get a behind-the-scenes preview of 'The 13th Gate'. The haunted house is located in Baton Rouge, approximately 10 minutes from LSU's campus. The tour began with meeting the owner of the Attraction. Dwayne Sandburg has dreamed of owning a haunted house since he was ten years old. After meeting with Dwayne, we began our tour through the first gate getting to see how the special effects worked. As we traveled through each gate, Dwayne would choose someone to stay to the side of a room and hit a button that would either blow a horn or make an object pop out. Dwayne and his employees work extremely hard year-round to alter at least  1/3 of the haunted house each halloween season. The new attraction is a hand carved cave that took the entire year to build. The cave is extremely detailed with a running stream, a pit of live snakes, and even different scents in each room. Also new, is his beehive with its giant mechanical bee that launches its stinger towards you. Even with all the lights on inside, and no actors in the building, there were parts of the house that made everyone scream. There are a total of 180 employees that work between both 'The 13th Gate' and Dwayne's new attraction, 'Necropolis'. In 2-3 hours each evening, 120 actors are transformed into the terrifying characters that haunt you. Some actors wear realistic masks that cost up to $500 each. Dwayne has put 10 long years into perfecting his haunted attraction and it is now ranked as one of the top haunted houses in the nation. If anyone is looking for a real scare, the '13th Gate' is the place to go.

Bible Study

by Megan Crowder and Rebecca Garcia
     In our last Bible Study meeting, we read John 6, which brings out a message of having faith in Jesus. In the passage, a huge crowd is asking for food and they worry about the shortage. A little boy comes to Jesus with only five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus takes the bread and fish, and He gives thanks for them. Suddenly, there was an abundance of food for everyone. This parable shows that people shouldn’t be filled with worries and that we should have faith in Jesus.

     If anyone is interested, there will be an upcoming Christian concert taking place in the Baton Rouge River Center Arena on Friday, November 30 at 7:00 p.m. The music expresses faith, God’s love, praise, and worship. The concert is part of Toby Mac’s tour called The Hits Deep Tour. There will also be appearances by Brandon Heath, Mandisa, Chris August, Britt Nicole, Jamie Grace, and Group 1 Crew. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com.  Check it out! You don’t want to miss this!

TLC

by Megan Arabie and Rebecca Garcia

Johan

The second Compassion Club meeting will take place the week of October 22^nd in Mr. Prentice’s room. We will be communicating with Johan through letters, but since Johan only knows Spanish, there will be a person translating. We have received a letter from Johan and this is what it says:

          Dear Sponsor,

It makes me really glad to write to you. I’d like to tell you more about me. My favorite color is green because it is everywhere in God’s creation. My best friend’s name is Juan. I like attending my school and the subjects I like the most are arts and Spanish. All my teachers are very kind. MY hero is my mom, who takes care of me. Do you have children? Thank you very much for helping and supporting me. On vacation, I traveled to visit my granny and it was so much fun. Please pray for my grandpa so the Lord will heal him since he went blind of one eye. Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”       

Love, Johan

     We encourage you to make donations for Johan. If anyone is interested, go to Megan Bott, Emily Hingle, or Mr. Prentice. Your contribution will be added to the funds already collected for such a worthy cause. We will soon have a bake sale and other fundraisers. Hope to see you at the next meeting!