Month: September 2016

D-Crew: Fired Up For Fridays

Story by Haylee Hedrick

From the moment that water started spurting out of the firehose, Gabi Knittle’s face exploded with uncontrollable joy and excitement. Knittle, who is a member of Angela Kern’s Careers Exploration class, accompanies a handful of classmates as they take a field trip to see their buddy, Sergeant Justin Ames, every Friday at the firehouse.

This weekly field trip is made possible through the C.H.O.I.C.E program, which is an acronym that stands for ‘Community Helping Our Youth In Career Education.’ In this case, the youth is a group of eight special needs students known as the D-crew. (The Fire Department is split into A, B, and C crews.)

Special education teacher Angela Kern loves the program, especially Sergeant Ames’ connection with the students.

“I love that Sergeant Ames communicates with every kid,” Kern said. She said that Ames makes sure that the students are comfortable when they’re at the firehouse, and teaches them about communicating and working with others around the community.

“The activities that he does with the students help teach them soft skills they will need for later in life,” Kern said.

Before each lesson, Ames takes note of what the students are learning in the classroom so he can further apply it in their D-crew activities.

“He (Sergeant Ames) takes as much pride in this program as we do,” Kern said.

At the firehouse, the D-crew does a variety of activities, with one in particular called “Rescuing Randy.” During the activity, two students wrap ropes around a dummy (nicknamed Randy) and work together to maneuver him to safety. The activity teaches the students about the importance of teamwork.

“Without one, then the other cannot do their job,” Ames tells the class.

Ames also lets the students spray the fire hose. Two students hold the hose in place as one works the nozzle. This also allows students to work together, as they alternate roles so that each member of D-Crew gets a chance to spray.

“They love using the hose,” Kern said. “Some of them get crazy when it comes to the spraying part, though.”

During these activities, the students get to learn valuable lessons, whether they realize it or not.

“We’re proud to be involved in this great program, which allows us to help (the students)  be successful later in life,” Ames said.

When asked what their favorite part of the trip is, the D-crew students’ responses were joyfilled: “The hose!” Justin Keith and TreVeon Polk said.  

Sergeant Ames attempts to connect with all of the crew, even Deija Franklin, who is deaf. He signs her name to her to get her attention.  

When asked what she thinks of Ames, she responded with a smile.

“He signs to me and helps me,” Deija signed.

by hayleehedrick

Top 5 Places to Play Pokémon GO

story by Caleb Albert and Tomi Clark

Photo by Sam Gatewood

5: Perrin Park, 414 Perrin Ln, Jeffersonville, IN 47130

Although there aren’t many Pokéstops nearby, Perrin Park offers lots of space to walk and hatch eggs.

4: River Ridge, north of Jeffersonville

River Ridge is an area that will soon become busy with business. With tons of new buildings being planned, there are bound to be more Pokéstops being added in there. There is also a large variety of landmarks, such as ponds, forests and fields, which can draw different types of Pokémon.

3: Downtown New Albany

Being downtown in a city area almost always guarantees more/rarer Pokémon spawns, greater number of Pokéstops and other trainers to greet. Like many highly concentrated downtown cities, there are plenty of Pokémon Gyms and stops.

So go downtown with some friends, defeat a gym or two, and catch ‘em all.

2: Vissing Park, 2728 Vissing Park Rd, Jeffersonville, IN 47130

Vissing Park offers open air, plenty of space and masses of Pokémon to add to your Pokédex. Pokéstops are not as concentrated here, but it grants a lot of walking space to hatch those 2km, 5km, and rare 10km eggs.

1: Riverstage and Walking Bridge, downtown Jeffersonville

The epitome of Jeffersonville culture is an obvious destination for Pokémon Go trainers. With plenty of space to walk, a plethora of restaurants and coffee shops, and lots of friendly faces, the riverstage in downtown Jeff is an ideal place to be around friends, stay entertained and be safe. There are also Pokéstops on nearly every corner, which typically have glowing lures on them.

Tips:

Be safe

One of the biggest complaints people have about the game is the dangerous aspect of it. The best precautions to take are to always be around friends (training with friends is more fun anyway) and stay near public places. When hunting at night, stay in well lit areas and always know where you are and where you are going. Also, when more people are condensed in a smaller area playing, the chances of better that more rare Pokémon spawning will increase.  

Bring a charger

The most frustrating thing that can happen is when you finally find that long-sought after Pokémon, and your phone dies. A good investment is a portable charger, which can save your battery while you play. Another way to save battery is to enable the “low power” setting on your phone by going to Settings < Battery < Low Power Mode. The game itself also has a “low power” setting, which is found in the main menu.

by Tomi Clark

Overton Overachieving

Story by Carlos Molina

Jeffersonville senior offensive tackle/defensive end Dayna Overton has been catching the attention of some of the country’s most prestigious football programs.

img_0892
Dayna Overton using a punching bag during training day for the University of Louisville

Overton has been part of the Jeff High football team all four years, and has spent one year as a member of the Jeff track and field team.

The returning Red Devil made a huge impression on his coaches and teammates his junior year. Last season, Overton became an offensive Varsity starter among an offensive line full of seniors. He quickly earned the respect of his fellow teammates, and his opponents on the other side of the ball.

His time on the track also benefited him in football.

“I believe track helped me as a competitor,” Overton said. “It really helped me get rid of the nervousness when under pressure to perform at a high level. Now after track season, I don’t get nervous in the spotlight like I used to.”

A big reason for his success was his self motivation, and the support from his family, friends, and teammates. Overton’s mother, Amanda Kinnaird, played volleyball in her time at Jeff. The former Red Devil knows what sports mean to the community, and only wants to help him gain a competitive edge on his opponents.

“We’ve seen the success he’s been having and we’re behind him 100-percent,” Kinnaird said. “He’s always been a talented athlete — people are just now starting to notice.”

Overton’s parents have been there every step of the way, cheering him on from home football games, as well as track meets that are as much as four hours away.

“I think that the motivation to push myself to be a better player was always inside of me. I just had to find it with myself,” Overton said. “But also having a great pair of parents behind me, always motivating me to get better everyday.”

img_0836
Dayna Overton working with other prospective lineman during his training

Teammates, like quarterback Cameron Northern, have noticed the leadership skills he’s developed recently. Aware with the hard work he’s been putting in, they’ve set him to high standards.

“I hope to see him get his first offer and just become the player I know he can be,” Northern said. “I just want to see him dominate, see him being All-Conference, and maybe an All-State performance. He used to be an okay football player, but now he’s one of our best lineman and hardest workers.”

Jeffersonville head coach Alfonzo Browning has seen the way Overton has been growing the past two years. Browning’s star tackle has been an unsung hero on his high-powered offense.

“Dayna’s grown up a lot in the last two years,” Browning said. “His biggest improvement has been mental. He’s realized that he has a ton of untapped potential that he is now getting a grasp of. He’s helping lead a unit that will probably be the strength of our team.”

On July 15, Overton’s hard work paid off, as the tackle was invited to a seniors-only camp at the University of Louisville called Light up the Ville, which was hosted by Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino and his staff.

The camp marked the third time in the past year Overton has been invited to their training facility. Over the past summer, Overton has attended camps at Purdue, Ball State, Louisville and Western Kentucky.

“Being with the coaches again was so great. I loved going up against some of the top recruits in the country,” Overton said. “Going up against good competition just makes you a better athlete.”

Overton’s play stood out to offensive line/run game coordinator coach Chris Klenakis  so much that after the camp, Klenakis told Overton he had “made his guys look like fools” when referring to the 1-on-1 drills with the offensive linemen.

“He really stood out and performed well in several drills, and almost every guy in the D-line and O-line were at least three-star recruits,” Kinnaird said. “That camp was absolutely stacked with talent and he shined among them.”

With all the camps and recruiting news, Overton still gets support from school mates and friends. His teammates continue to push him to achieve his goal of getting offered a scholarship.

“Amongst the whole news about recruiting me, I’ve really noticed how much love and support I have from friends, family, and teammates,” Overton said. “I’m truly loving it.”

All Photos submitted

by cmolina

R.I.P. “The Greatest”

Story by Pat Duerr

“Don’t count the days, make the days count.”

The most illustrious athlete to come out of Louisville died at the age of 74 on June 3rd.
Muhammad Ali had a cocky nature about him in the prime of his career. This caused fans to dislike him for being himself; he was hated for being the greatest.

His death has a lasting effect on both boxing and the Kentuckiana area. Ali represented those communities his entire life, and did it with respect.

A genuine athlete who was unafraid to speak his mind was lost, but his legacy will never be forgotten.

by brycethomas310

Replacing a legend

 Story by Kelsey Luce

The numbers are staggering: 33 Sectional titles, seven Regional, three semi-state championships, and two final four appearances.

The Red Devil tennis teams have had great success over the past 30 years coached by Mark Reilly. However this past 2015-16 season was the last year with Reilly at the helm after he decided to step down, ending his JHS coaching career.

Since then, Jeff High has hired a new tennis coach for this upcoming season, Curt Roehm.

Roehm has been coaching since he was in college at Indiana University Southeast. He started out coaching tennis at River Valley Middle School, before deciding to take a job as the assistant girls tennis coach at Jeff High towards the end of his college career.

Later, after leaving that position, Roehm took a job at as the girls tennis coach at South Oldham High School, before making his way back to Jeff High to become assistant coach for Reilly with the boys program.

The movement, and ultimate return to JHS, put him in the daily presence of one of the most decorated tennis coaches in the state.

“Working beside Coach Reilly the past few years was a privilege,” Roehm said. “He’s such a student of the game. He picks up on the smallest thing and can build an entire game plan around it.”

Because Roehm has spent so much time at Jeff High in the past, many current players recognize, and have been taught by, Roehm.

“He is a really great coach,” junior Trey Bottorff said. “He knows how to motivate and teach the game. He has some of the same great qualities that Coach Reilly has. I expect us to surprise a lot of teams doubting us and have a great season.”

The team already has big plans, along with a lot of respect, for their new coach this season. Roehm also knows, and understands, the legacy that came before him, and is focused on putting realistic goals on a team that went to the final four last season.

“I think it’s very important to set real and obtainable goals. We are focusing on things we can control,” Roehm said. “You can’t control when your opponent is going to have a near-perfect day. You can’t control when you go through a slump or a bad game. You can control walking off the court, knowing you gave 100-percent in practice and in the match,” Roehm said.

These goals are in place with a hope to follow up last year’s success, as well as preparing the boys to be the best they can for any opponents coming forward.

“The team already has respect for him, and now that he’s the head coach, he will bring a new and good element to the team this season,” junior Gerrin Moore said.

by BraxtonTroutman

On to the Next One

 

photo by Evan Petty

Story by Kylee Luce

The Jeffersonville High School volleyball team ended last year with a record of 12-16.  Shortly after the 2015-16 season, former coach Renee Stock made the decision to resign, meaning the team would be getting a new coach for their upcoming season.

At the end of March 2016, it was announced that the new volleyball coach would be former Red Devil Liz Cooper-Laythe. Cooper-Laythe, a Jeff alumni that graduated in 2007, was coached by Stock during her high school volleyball years, and played three out of four years at the Varsity level.

“Being back feels good; it just feels like home” Cooper-Laythe said.

Cooper-Laythe was hesitant to get into high school coaching initially, but after spending time thinking about it, she decided she was ready for the task.

“It didn’t feel right. I didn’t think I knew enough about it to run a whole program and I was young and not ready,” Cooper-Laythe said about her doubts.

When Stock resigned and she heard the news, it was the right timing and she decided she was ready. Cooper-Laythe stated that, “Basically the whole volleyball community persuaded me to apply for the coaching position.”

Cooper-Laythe has some coaching experience, including club volleyball for Prodigy. She also has been doing private lessons for many years. The 26-year-old has many new ideas that she wants to implement into Jeff’s volleyball program.

“I would like to change the mindset. I don’t want kids to be afraid to make mistakes,” Cooper-Laythe said. “I want them to think positively about themselves, not only because I am coaching athletes, but because I am coaching women that will be adults one day. My job is not only to make them confident athletes, but confident women,” Cooper-Laythe said.

Current players are already excited for the change, including senior Alexis Bassett.

“Change brings opportunity and I believe that Coach Liz brings a lot to the court.” said senior Alexis Bassett.

The hiring process was an easy one when it came to Cooper-Laythe.

“Coach Liz was hired for a number of reason,” Athletic Director Todd Satterly said. “She was the most qualified candidate, is a former Jeffersonville graduate, was provided excellent references by respected and successful coaches throughout the area, is incredibly passionate and knowledgeable about the sport, and I believe will relate well to our student-athletes.”

The team and coach Laythe want to win and have high hopes for the upcoming season.

“I would like to have one big upset,” Cooper-Laythe said. “A team that we aren’t supposed to beat; I want to beat.”

by Kylee Luce

Remembering Legends

Story by Pat Duerr

Mike Flynn and Tony Winburn, two Jeffersonville High School basketball legends, have become enshrined in the city that built them.

Two basketball courts at Richard L. Vissing Park, located in the Oak Park neighborhood, have been named after the pair. While the star basketball players showcased their talent while at JHS, their careers after high school are what made them so loved.

Flynn became Jeffersonville’s first Indiana Mr. Basketball before attending the University of Kentucky to play basketball for three seasons. After Flynn graduated from college, the 6-3 guard went on to play four years in the NBA for the Indiana Pacers, before finishing his career in Sweden.

Winburn played at Indiana University Southeast before transferring to the University of Evansville. Winburn and 28 others, though, were tragically killed in a plane crash in 1977, cutting short his life.

The courts, which are painted black in the middle of the park, have the respective players’ names painted at half-court circling a crisp, red basketball.

The courts provide not only eye candy in the park, but a new place for young players to hone their skills — exactly how the names they are playing on did in the past.

by Cameron Njuguna

Athlete Spotlight: August

Spotlight by Tristan Jackson

Jacob Clemons, 10

 

The player: Jacob Clemons, sophomore, has earned a starting spot on the Varsity soccer team, playing as a defensive center midfielder this year. His work ethic, passion for the sport, and experiences with injuries are what pushes him to be a better player.

 

Player’s perspective: “I’ve had injury problems so when I’m healthy I make sure to give it my all. I never know how long I’m going to be able to play.” — Clemons

 

Coach’s perspective: Varsity coach Carson Webb praised Clemons, saying the dedication and confidence he has shown is “beyond his years” and the reason he chose him.

 

Stats: Webb likes to focus on team accomplishments rather than individual stats, but Clemons recalls scoring a goal in a 3-3 tie against Fairdale during the Kentuckiana Cup and two more goals in a 7-0 win against Jennings County.

 

When to catch them next: 9/24 @ Providence at 7:30pm, 9/27 @ Silver Creek at 7:30pm, 10/1 vs. Columbus East at 12:30pm

by tristanjackson15

A Valedictory to the Valedictorian

Story by Kyle Sanders

Graduation day is a special moment for many seniors at Jeff High.

While many will take their last steps through Jeff High, two students are honored with an award for their academic achievements. One of those lucky students will earn the title of valedictorian, an award given to the student with the No. 1 rank in their class. That student is awarded by having the opportunity to give the valedictory farewell speech at graduation.

However, soon the Valedictorian, as well as the Salutatorian award for second place, might not be around.

According to the Greater Clark School District, unhealthy competition among students in their battle to receive this award has led administrators to consider getting rid of the Valedictorian and Salutatorian award altogether.

“The way the system is now requires you to be really excellent at strategy, have a lot of foresight, and lots of luck — on top of being really smart and determined. I’ve had to sit down with students and their parents every year to talk about strategy and why another student has a higher GPA,” Jeff principal Julie Straight said. “I’m not against students exploring, but I know that students have given up classes that pertain to their career to take AP classes to get a better rank.”

As the years have gone on, more universities have decreased the importance of class rank in the college admission process, according to the National Association for College Admission and Counseling. Because of this, the Valedictorian and Salutatorian is not seen as a “must have” to get a scholarship into college.

Instead, schools tend to focus more on ACT and SAT scores as well as grades in college prep courses.

“The title of being Valedictorian created motivation for me,” said Cassidy Padgett, the class of 2016 co-Valedictorian. “I wanted it for my own personal pride because although the title itself didn’t get me any extra scholarships or into any extra colleges, it motivated me to get the grades and ACT scores that produced those things. Titles and rewards create competition, which creates motivation.”

In the past, the Valedictorian award honors one student for their academic achievements throughout their four years of school. The new proposed system, however, would honor the top 10-percent (approximately 40 students) of the senior class.

From there, that group would vote on two kids to speak at graduation. Formerly, both the Valedictorian and Salutatorian, along with the class president, would receive this honor.

“We like this idea because we want students to be open to taking classes related to their future, and not so focused on taking a full load of AP classes just to raise their rank,” JHS counselor Whitney Roberts said. “We have multiple students affected by choosing classes based on rank in this senior class who may have chosen differently if we honored students differently.“

GCCS is finding that students are taking classes for the sole purpose of raising their class rank, instead of taking classes that can teach them something valuable for their future, as well as what they want to do in the future.

Despite the buzz around the impending decision, this change in the system would not occur until the Class of 2020, this year’s freshman class. This  is causing some students in the freshman class, including Greta Reel, to be upset. Reel feels like the change would put JHS students behind other students around the state when competing for scholarships.

“I feel that getting rid of the Valedictorian system is going to put Jeff High students at a disadvantage compared to other schools with Valedictorians. When it comes to getting academic scholarships, I feel like Valedictorians from other schools are going to have the advantage in competing for scholarships,” Reel said. “Even if the college understands Jeff’s system of honoring the top five-percent or 10-percent, the word ‘Valedictorian’ automatically sticks in a person’s head.”

by carleycalabro

Jeff Football looking to improve, again

 

“We have a history of not doing great in the first few games of the season, and we really want to change that trend,” Browning said.

While Browning is excited for the season, he expects to see large improvements from last season.


Junior Cameron McClure, Jeff’s starting center, agrees, and thinks the offseason workouts will benefit the Red Devils.

“We have worked really hard all summer for this season,” McClure said. “Our guys are really excited to do some thumping.”

While last season was filled with ups and downs, starting nose guard Brandon “Beef”

Wellington image1believes that a fast start to a season is key to winning.

“The first few games of any season are always a big test. It can show if you’ve made any improvements during the offseason or if there’s still anything you need to practice on more,” Wellington said. “As a player on the team, I can say that we are putting in hard work and dedication into the season and we have a lot of amazing talent on the team. I have faith in this team that we can do incredible things this season as a team.”

In the first game of the season, the Red Devils faced off against Southwestern in the Don Marshall Bowl. The Red Devils fell to the Warriors, 56-26. Senior running back Jordan Barnett ran for 159 yards and three touchdowns.

Junior Kameron Fuller also ran for 139 yards and a touchdown. Senior Cameron Northern threw for a total of 91 yards on  10-21 passing.

Photo by Carlos Molina

by adrianblair99

From Varsity Letters To College Letters

story by Carlos Molina and Tristan Jackson

IUPUI, Bowling Green, Western Michigan, and Wright State have all offered junior Jacinta Gibson, a guard/forward on the girls basketball team at Jeffersonville High School, a scholarship to play at their school.

The junior is entering her third year as a member of the Varsity. Gibson played volleyball her freshman year and ran cross country her sophomore year, but decided to focus her skill set on solely basketball this year. Gibson also played in the AAU basketball league for the Indiana Elite.

Gibson finished the 2015-16 season, and averaged 4.4 points, 1.6 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and started 24 of the 25 games they played. However Gibson’s all-around game is what is attracting so many coaches.

“I am really excited. I just feel as if they are rewards for my hard work in the offseason,” Jacinta said. “I’m focusing on basketball this year. I was a part of the Varsity team for my freshman and sophomore year and this upcoming season, I hope to make the Junior All-star team.”

Girls basketball head coach Michael Warren has high expectations for Gibson, especially now that she has colleges interested in her game.

“It’s awesome for her and awesome for the program. It’s a credit to her hard work and it’s what she’s earned over the summer for her work in the spring,” Warren said. “Her work ethic is unbelievable. She has come a long way since she has come here.”

The girls team ended last season with a 15-9-1 overall record, including 4-3 in conference play.This year, Gibson is expected to play a much larger role.

“People are going to know she has offers now, so she’s going to have to take more of leadership role and step her game up,” Warren said. “It’s great for her to have AAU experience and Division One offers, but as a coach and a team, I need her to come play like that come January and February.”

Sophomore power forward Chelsea Gibson (Jacinta’s sister) also plays for the Indiana Elite and the girls basketball team at Jeff. Gibson plays Varsity basketball, as well, with her sister.

“It’s really awesome and I’m really proud of her,” Chelsea said. “I expect a lot of scoring, more assists and more college offers for her this upcoming year.”

by jalinernest

Bad Guys on the Rise?

Story by Kyle Sanders

Everyone loves a good superhero movie. From Marvel’s Avengers to DC’s movies of Batman vs. Superman, and the Dark Knight Trilogy, both have been able to create good superhero movies that everyone can watch over and over again.

But what if these movies were made up of bad guys instead? Would you still cheer them on?

The release of Suicide Squad on Aug. 5 showed how the villains can make a great movie too. This movie showed how the villainous squad of Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang became who they are, but also how they could do some good, too.

As entertainment seekers, we always seem to get the origin of the good guys. But when we finally get to see the bad guy’s background story, and see why they became who they are, that makes for a great movie or TV show, too.

Almost every movie with a “good and bad guy” ends with the good guy walking away victorious. Eventually, that gets old. Don’t get me wrong: I love superhero movies and love to watch the good guy win; but, it’s about time we see the bad guys get some love, too.

Some movies we watch make it seem as if the good guy wins. However, as the movie progresses, viewers also see that the goal of the bad guy eventually gets achieved.

The Dark Knight is a perfect representation of this. Batman ends the movie capturing the Joker and defeating Two Face, but the Joker also got what he wanted. The Joker’s goal throughout the movie was to get Batman to become the villain, and by the end of the movie, he is.

Not only is it amazing to see the bad guys get some more time on the big screen, but it also makes for some great shows. Shows like Gotham, Mad Men, and The Sopranos have the bad guys as lead characters, yet are shows people love to watch.

Seeing a movie or TV show where the good guys wins is always great to watch. But what if we gave the bad guys a chance to shine in the spotlight, too?

by kylesanders5308