Coaches have a bigger impact than what most see
There is much more to the word “coach” than what we think
By: Terrence P
When you think of the word “coach” what comes to mind? Is it just a person who manages a sports team or is it deeper than that? Coaches can affect others in different ways that don’t pertain to sports. Coaches tend to be very active in the community and inspire others to give back to the community. Coaches provide the world with so much but it is often overlooked.
Things that are often overlooked with coaches are their impacts on a person’s character and the way they act towards others. Coaches can instill values and life lessons into a player or person, preparing them for the real world. Coaches regulate players’ grades making sure they don’t drop and giving them better opportunities to get into a good college and get a good job. Coaches take players to volunteer in community activities to help clean up the community and bring unity. These are just a handful of ways coaches can impact people.
The term coach is an understatement of what their real job is. I conducted a survey around the team asking them in what aspects has a coach helped them out in life. There were two responses that really stood out to me. Thomas stated that, “coaches have helped me out in life by showing me how to handle certain situations in a positive way no matter how bad they may seem”. Damien stated, “The way the football program is ran by the coach makes me feel like I'm in a brotherhood which can help me with my collaboration skills for my career path.”
Coaches can’t devote their full life to their sports, they have other things to do in life, most coaches have a family of their own to take care of. All of this can sometimes be too much for coaches to handle. I asked Coach Hicks can coaching be too much on you in addition to what you have going on outside of coaching? He stated, “It can be sometimes but it is worth it, because he is contributing to producing the next successful high class men in our society”.
When you think of the word “coach” what comes to mind? Is it just a person who manages a sports team or is it deeper than that? Coaches can affect others in different ways that don’t pertain to sports. Coaches tend to be very active in the community and inspire others to give back to the community. Coaches provide the world with so much but it is often overlooked.
Things that are often overlooked with coaches are their impacts on a person’s character and the way they act towards others. Coaches can instill values and life lessons into a player or person, preparing them for the real world. Coaches regulate players’ grades making sure they don’t drop and giving them better opportunities to get into a good college and get a good job. Coaches take players to volunteer in community activities to help clean up the community and bring unity. These are just a handful of ways coaches can impact people.
The term coach is an understatement of what their real job is. I conducted a survey around the team asking them in what aspects has a coach helped them out in life. There were two responses that really stood out to me. Thomas stated that, “coaches have helped me out in life by showing me how to handle certain situations in a positive way no matter how bad they may seem”. Damien stated, “The way the football program is ran by the coach makes me feel like I'm in a brotherhood which can help me with my collaboration skills for my career path.”
Coaches can’t devote their full life to their sports, they have other things to do in life, most coaches have a family of their own to take care of. All of this can sometimes be too much for coaches to handle. I asked Coach Hicks can coaching be too much on you in addition to what you have going on outside of coaching? He stated, “It can be sometimes but it is worth it, because he is contributing to producing the next successful high class men in our society”.
Teenagers mental health being caused by social media
Example of a teenager having different thoughts at once and how it affects her. This picture can be found at The Stinger.
By: Willow Bray
Social media is a big part of a teenager's life. Teenagers tend to be a part of social media considering the fact it’s a way to connect with others or express ourselves to the world. But, it also can affect the way we see ourselves, for example; body image, comparing our looks to others, or just looking for validation. This could also be caused by people making others feel less of a person because of who they are or what they look like.
Mental illnesses have increasingly become a common thing among teenagers recently. According to the statistics from Adolescent Wellness Academy, 50% of lifetime cases of mental illness begin at the age of 14. A study published back in 2019 in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology stated a few mental illness issues between 2009 and 2017. Cases of major depression among teenagers ages 16 and 17 rose by 69%. Feelings of anxiety and hopelessness among people ages 17 to 25 increased by 71%. One out of five girls ages 12 to 17 experienced major depression within the last year. Between 2008 and 2017, the suicide rate among teenagers ages 18 to 19 have increased by 56%.
Depression, anxiety, eating disorders, harmful thoughts, and loneliness are just a few examples of mental illnesses that may possibly be caused by social media. According to Etatics, spending 3 or more hours on social media per day puts adolescents at higher risk for mental health problems. These illnesses often affect the way people work, relationships, and themselves. Teenager’s mental health issues are often pushed away and not taken seriously, or often written as “feelings that will go away soon.”
Social media platform, Tiktok, often has teenagers and adults that create videos for spreading information and helping others out about mental illness. Recently, therapists have been creating Tiktok accounts for helping others educate themselves towards these illnesses or helping teens know how to deal with these illnesses better. Mental illnesses should not be taken lightly, as they are extremely important and can potentially destroy a person. If you know someone who may have a mental illness, let them know they aren’t alone and that you are there for them.
Social media is a big part of a teenager's life. Teenagers tend to be a part of social media considering the fact it’s a way to connect with others or express ourselves to the world. But, it also can affect the way we see ourselves, for example; body image, comparing our looks to others, or just looking for validation. This could also be caused by people making others feel less of a person because of who they are or what they look like.
Mental illnesses have increasingly become a common thing among teenagers recently. According to the statistics from Adolescent Wellness Academy, 50% of lifetime cases of mental illness begin at the age of 14. A study published back in 2019 in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology stated a few mental illness issues between 2009 and 2017. Cases of major depression among teenagers ages 16 and 17 rose by 69%. Feelings of anxiety and hopelessness among people ages 17 to 25 increased by 71%. One out of five girls ages 12 to 17 experienced major depression within the last year. Between 2008 and 2017, the suicide rate among teenagers ages 18 to 19 have increased by 56%.
Depression, anxiety, eating disorders, harmful thoughts, and loneliness are just a few examples of mental illnesses that may possibly be caused by social media. According to Etatics, spending 3 or more hours on social media per day puts adolescents at higher risk for mental health problems. These illnesses often affect the way people work, relationships, and themselves. Teenager’s mental health issues are often pushed away and not taken seriously, or often written as “feelings that will go away soon.”
Social media platform, Tiktok, often has teenagers and adults that create videos for spreading information and helping others out about mental illness. Recently, therapists have been creating Tiktok accounts for helping others educate themselves towards these illnesses or helping teens know how to deal with these illnesses better. Mental illnesses should not be taken lightly, as they are extremely important and can potentially destroy a person. If you know someone who may have a mental illness, let them know they aren’t alone and that you are there for them.
Changes Made Within Woodland’s Fine Arts Program
By Kristyn Foran
March 23, 2021
2020 was a year like no other. The Fine Arts program faced many changes in order to comply with the newly created rules. Mrs. Wall, the art teacher, expressed “I have had to limit the variety of materials that could be used for art projects. Some projects that we have done in the past will have to wait until more students are back face – to – face” when asked how her day to day classes were with most students online. Ms. Manson, Woodland’s choir teacher, said “Usually during the school year, the choir schedule is full of honor choirs, auditions, concerts, and all sorts of extracurricular activities outside of the classroom.” Events were pushed back and many things had to be cancelled.
Will schools ever go back to how they once were? Well, only time will tell but Mrs. Wall and Ms. Manson each give insightful answers. “For most of our students I think it will. Some have found that the online learning really fits them – and they are responsible enough to keep up with the work. Others are really struggling without the personal interactions between them and their teachers and peers.” Mrs. Wall said.
Ms. Manson’s response was similar but she still made her own points. “I don’t know if schools will return to how we did them before. Do I think there will be a day where all students return to the classroom in person? Of course! But I think the last year has shown a lot about how education is formatted and pulled all students, teachers, faculty, staff, county employees, board members, and all education personnel out of their comfort zone.” I agree with both of these statements and each student and teacher is different. We all adjust differently. Still, after facing many changes and challenges in the past year, the world is carrying on. Life goes on and so do we.
March 23, 2021
2020 was a year like no other. The Fine Arts program faced many changes in order to comply with the newly created rules. Mrs. Wall, the art teacher, expressed “I have had to limit the variety of materials that could be used for art projects. Some projects that we have done in the past will have to wait until more students are back face – to – face” when asked how her day to day classes were with most students online. Ms. Manson, Woodland’s choir teacher, said “Usually during the school year, the choir schedule is full of honor choirs, auditions, concerts, and all sorts of extracurricular activities outside of the classroom.” Events were pushed back and many things had to be cancelled.
Will schools ever go back to how they once were? Well, only time will tell but Mrs. Wall and Ms. Manson each give insightful answers. “For most of our students I think it will. Some have found that the online learning really fits them – and they are responsible enough to keep up with the work. Others are really struggling without the personal interactions between them and their teachers and peers.” Mrs. Wall said.
Ms. Manson’s response was similar but she still made her own points. “I don’t know if schools will return to how we did them before. Do I think there will be a day where all students return to the classroom in person? Of course! But I think the last year has shown a lot about how education is formatted and pulled all students, teachers, faculty, staff, county employees, board members, and all education personnel out of their comfort zone.” I agree with both of these statements and each student and teacher is different. We all adjust differently. Still, after facing many changes and challenges in the past year, the world is carrying on. Life goes on and so do we.
Membean Mayhem!
A student at Woodland completing Membean.
By: Victoria Davis, 3/11/21
Membean, the one word that every Woodland High School student dreads to hear these days due to the repetitive routine that Membean provides. Contrary to belief, Membean is a silently beneficial tool for those who use it, providing knowledge on roots, useful words, and generally improves grammar as a whole, proving to be an unseen benefit for students.
It’s a program that every Woodland High School student uses, and one that is unfavorable to most. While Membean has a repetitive and meticulous way of instilling seemingly random vocabulary words, the usefulness of this program truly shows to the teachers through testing such as Georgia Milestones and general literary assessments or assignments. While unknown to the students of how this tool helps them, the word comprehension, knowledge on common word roots, and overall improvement of grammar is an extremely beneficial tool for students.
An area of common improvement is in Georgia Milestones, and Membean aids students in being familiarized with the language used in this state testing for questions, answers, and passages, making it easier for the students to understand what’s being asked or stated in these tests. A surprising majority of questions missed on these sorts of tests are not due to the fact that a student is incapable of answering them, but is instead due to the words used that students may not know. With Membean being put in place at Woodland, the confusion in regards to certain wording or phrasing has decreased and testing scores have improved drastically.
The teacher who introduced this program to the school, Ms. Gordon, shares how and why she introduced Membean to Woodland, stating that she originally found it through a respected teacher at Luella High School named Lisa Boyd, and found the data very compelling and wanted to implement it here at the school. She states that the impact it’s had on the school is drastic, and using her own data from her classes, informs that “[w]ithin 2 years of introducing Membean to [her] students, [her] Distinguished [Learners] went up to 39%” on the Milestone tests in comparison to the 0% of Distinguished Learners in the 2 years prior. Milestones testing has 4 different scorings, Distinguished being the highest scoring possible, and considering the 39% increase and the drastic increase in the other scoring areas as well, Membean proved itself to be a strong tool.
When asked about other options that were considered before Membean, Ms. Gordon shares that she attempted more traditional methods of learning vocabulary, as that was the area that most students struggled with. The literature department attempted assignments like vocabulary quizzes, but nothing truly showed to be beneficial until Membean. While Membean may not be the most popular site at Woodland, everyone can agree that they’d take it over vocabulary tests. This fact was actually true, and the amount of information taken in by vocabulary tests was far less than what students imbibe from Membean.
The benefits aren’t just shown in testing though, and are shown everyday in class, whether it be an English class or any other subject. Ms. Gordon says that the effects of it show in casual lessons when students point out Membean words that they recognize, and also show in other subjects with a general improvement in grammar.
While most students have a love-hate relationship with Membean, the benefits of the program are undeniable. A simple 15 minutes for 3 days can go a long way for improving a student’s Milestone testing, knowledge on roots, suffixes and prefixes, and overall vocabulary. So next time you curse that one missed day, or that low percentage score, just remember that even though it may not be a student favorite, Membean is a silent aid to all.
Membean, the one word that every Woodland High School student dreads to hear these days due to the repetitive routine that Membean provides. Contrary to belief, Membean is a silently beneficial tool for those who use it, providing knowledge on roots, useful words, and generally improves grammar as a whole, proving to be an unseen benefit for students.
It’s a program that every Woodland High School student uses, and one that is unfavorable to most. While Membean has a repetitive and meticulous way of instilling seemingly random vocabulary words, the usefulness of this program truly shows to the teachers through testing such as Georgia Milestones and general literary assessments or assignments. While unknown to the students of how this tool helps them, the word comprehension, knowledge on common word roots, and overall improvement of grammar is an extremely beneficial tool for students.
An area of common improvement is in Georgia Milestones, and Membean aids students in being familiarized with the language used in this state testing for questions, answers, and passages, making it easier for the students to understand what’s being asked or stated in these tests. A surprising majority of questions missed on these sorts of tests are not due to the fact that a student is incapable of answering them, but is instead due to the words used that students may not know. With Membean being put in place at Woodland, the confusion in regards to certain wording or phrasing has decreased and testing scores have improved drastically.
The teacher who introduced this program to the school, Ms. Gordon, shares how and why she introduced Membean to Woodland, stating that she originally found it through a respected teacher at Luella High School named Lisa Boyd, and found the data very compelling and wanted to implement it here at the school. She states that the impact it’s had on the school is drastic, and using her own data from her classes, informs that “[w]ithin 2 years of introducing Membean to [her] students, [her] Distinguished [Learners] went up to 39%” on the Milestone tests in comparison to the 0% of Distinguished Learners in the 2 years prior. Milestones testing has 4 different scorings, Distinguished being the highest scoring possible, and considering the 39% increase and the drastic increase in the other scoring areas as well, Membean proved itself to be a strong tool.
When asked about other options that were considered before Membean, Ms. Gordon shares that she attempted more traditional methods of learning vocabulary, as that was the area that most students struggled with. The literature department attempted assignments like vocabulary quizzes, but nothing truly showed to be beneficial until Membean. While Membean may not be the most popular site at Woodland, everyone can agree that they’d take it over vocabulary tests. This fact was actually true, and the amount of information taken in by vocabulary tests was far less than what students imbibe from Membean.
The benefits aren’t just shown in testing though, and are shown everyday in class, whether it be an English class or any other subject. Ms. Gordon says that the effects of it show in casual lessons when students point out Membean words that they recognize, and also show in other subjects with a general improvement in grammar.
While most students have a love-hate relationship with Membean, the benefits of the program are undeniable. A simple 15 minutes for 3 days can go a long way for improving a student’s Milestone testing, knowledge on roots, suffixes and prefixes, and overall vocabulary. So next time you curse that one missed day, or that low percentage score, just remember that even though it may not be a student favorite, Membean is a silent aid to all.
2020-2021 Woodland High School Prom
Learning the outlook on 2020-2021 Prom
By: Jade Walden
Prom for high school students has always been a dream.Growing up as kids you might have seen your big brother or sister and even cousins getting ready for prom and one day wish that you be there someday.Prom is a very special event to girls expectantly.Young women dress in their long gowns and the young men dress in their suits and ties and dance,eat,and enjoy each other company away from school.Prom is something that will follow you for the rest of your life.The reason why people reflect on prom is because they one remember who they went with, if they went with someone.Secondly they remember the pictures that they took for prom.
Coronavirus has changed the outlook on so many key events.As of last year the 2019-2020 school year was cut short at the end of the year.Things like senior day,senior and junior prom,and the question about if they were going to have graduation had everyone up in the air.
This 2020-2021 year they are trying something new which is having the prom at the Atlanta zoo.The zoo has came up with a place that is nice to have a outside prom no matter the weather.Being able to be giving the option to attend prom is a great idea because this is one moment that as you grow older you can always come back to moments like this.There are students that are all for the prom and some that don’t think that is the best option.
While some thought it was a good idea for prom I asked some students what they think.Kayla Rivers says she will attend the prom rain,sleet,or snow.Kayla says she will most definitely have on a mask just to remain safe.Kayla has not yet heard the theme of prom but she is happy to find out what it maybe.I spoke with Mya Angue and she says she has not yet made up her mind about going to prom.Mya says being that it is outside has her wondering a little.Mya believes that maks should be required.Mya says she is not big on knowing the theme for prom but is open to know.Even though prom is going to be very different this year just to be able to say that Woodland High School juniors and seniors will have a prom is very exciting.
Prom for high school students has always been a dream.Growing up as kids you might have seen your big brother or sister and even cousins getting ready for prom and one day wish that you be there someday.Prom is a very special event to girls expectantly.Young women dress in their long gowns and the young men dress in their suits and ties and dance,eat,and enjoy each other company away from school.Prom is something that will follow you for the rest of your life.The reason why people reflect on prom is because they one remember who they went with, if they went with someone.Secondly they remember the pictures that they took for prom.
Coronavirus has changed the outlook on so many key events.As of last year the 2019-2020 school year was cut short at the end of the year.Things like senior day,senior and junior prom,and the question about if they were going to have graduation had everyone up in the air.
This 2020-2021 year they are trying something new which is having the prom at the Atlanta zoo.The zoo has came up with a place that is nice to have a outside prom no matter the weather.Being able to be giving the option to attend prom is a great idea because this is one moment that as you grow older you can always come back to moments like this.There are students that are all for the prom and some that don’t think that is the best option.
While some thought it was a good idea for prom I asked some students what they think.Kayla Rivers says she will attend the prom rain,sleet,or snow.Kayla says she will most definitely have on a mask just to remain safe.Kayla has not yet heard the theme of prom but she is happy to find out what it maybe.I spoke with Mya Angue and she says she has not yet made up her mind about going to prom.Mya says being that it is outside has her wondering a little.Mya believes that maks should be required.Mya says she is not big on knowing the theme for prom but is open to know.Even though prom is going to be very different this year just to be able to say that Woodland High School juniors and seniors will have a prom is very exciting.
Valentine's Day: Success or Fail?
Will this Valentine’s Day be a fail due to Covid-19?
By: TaMiyah Gordon
3/3/21
This year's Valentine's Day highschools will not be able to exchange gifts or plan activities with their friends or significant others. Valentine’s Day is a day where people express their love to their friends and significant others but this year will be extremely different due to Covid-19. For most people they like to go out on dates and exchange gifts but this year extra safety precautions will have to be followed.
With Valentine’s Day this year people will have to make sure that if they decide to go out that they are not around a lot of people, and they have to make sure to follow Covid guidelines. When asked if Covid has ruined his plan Freddie says,”I wanted to take my girlfriend out on a date, but I dont think we’ll go.” Covid may have stopped outings but there are still many ways that you can enjoy Valentine’s Day with your significant other. Jason says,”Yes Covid ruined my first plan but now I plan to take my date to a drive in movie and exchange gifts there.”
This year is different from the other years but don’t let that stop your fun and plans. There are still ways to make this Valentine’s Day memorable and creative.
3/3/21
This year's Valentine's Day highschools will not be able to exchange gifts or plan activities with their friends or significant others. Valentine’s Day is a day where people express their love to their friends and significant others but this year will be extremely different due to Covid-19. For most people they like to go out on dates and exchange gifts but this year extra safety precautions will have to be followed.
With Valentine’s Day this year people will have to make sure that if they decide to go out that they are not around a lot of people, and they have to make sure to follow Covid guidelines. When asked if Covid has ruined his plan Freddie says,”I wanted to take my girlfriend out on a date, but I dont think we’ll go.” Covid may have stopped outings but there are still many ways that you can enjoy Valentine’s Day with your significant other. Jason says,”Yes Covid ruined my first plan but now I plan to take my date to a drive in movie and exchange gifts there.”
This year is different from the other years but don’t let that stop your fun and plans. There are still ways to make this Valentine’s Day memorable and creative.
2021 Anthem Challenge
Multiple music apps, commonly used to play music.
By: Ja’Veon Jones
Everyone can admit that 2020 was not the best year, but this year is going to be better. So we want to start it off with the 2021 Anthem challenge. To make your year better than it has already been, we want our fellow students and teachers to create their own 2021 anthem playlist, a collection of songs that will help YOU get through the year. The songs can be any genre, any artist etc. as long as it will inspire you and tell you that your year will be great.
If you don't believe that music will help, according to a singer/songwriter and fellow student at Woodland High says that it can “inspire you to do other things in life”.
I encourage students that you participate in this amazing challenge. We will also be selecting 3 playlists that we feel will inspire students the most and they will be shared with the school in our next article. If you do wish to participate please submit your playlist by emailing jones.a.javeon20@gmail.com. We hope you all are successful at creating your playlist. Good Luck.
Everyone can admit that 2020 was not the best year, but this year is going to be better. So we want to start it off with the 2021 Anthem challenge. To make your year better than it has already been, we want our fellow students and teachers to create their own 2021 anthem playlist, a collection of songs that will help YOU get through the year. The songs can be any genre, any artist etc. as long as it will inspire you and tell you that your year will be great.
If you don't believe that music will help, according to a singer/songwriter and fellow student at Woodland High says that it can “inspire you to do other things in life”.
I encourage students that you participate in this amazing challenge. We will also be selecting 3 playlists that we feel will inspire students the most and they will be shared with the school in our next article. If you do wish to participate please submit your playlist by emailing jones.a.javeon20@gmail.com. We hope you all are successful at creating your playlist. Good Luck.
How has social life decrease with COVID-19 being around
Life being different with new social rules.
By: Jade Walden
COVID-19 has changed the world for many reasons.When everything was being shut down the world stopped in a certain way.As the world began to take a major turn everyone had to remain in their house which meant we had to quarantine.The means that stores were limited,parties were cancelled,graduation for students in class of 2020 was postponed,and social distancing stepped in.Being that everyone was stuck in the house this brought on emotional issues.While being at home the social life was put on pause.The one thing that kept a lot of people going was tik tok.The reason why tik tok played a major role in households is because you had to learn challenges with others in your house or even just yourself.The thought of going places around the world was scary.When coronavirus fist hit the United States the citizens did not know how to react that is why you had people that really care about about it and there were others that didn’t really believe that the virus was here.
Anthony Benton, who attended Woodland High School, shared how COVID-19 affected his social life.When asked to go into detail he said that just the fact of being around his close friends was limited took a toll on his mind. Anthony loved to skateboard with his friends but because of the pandemic his time with his friends where limited ar first because he shared he didn’t know what they had.Anthony made a good decisions at first because even tho he wanted to see his friends he wanted to be safe also.Kayla Rivers said how the pandemic did not really affect her in a negative way because she was always used to the at home life.Kayla and Anothony are different because Anothy like to be among his friends and Kayla Likes to chill in the house.Both have different looks on the pandemic.
COVID-19 is now the new normal until the world gets on the same page.We as citizens have to make sure that we take the proper precautions for the virus so that we can get to somewhat normal.Even though we are a long way from normal we have some type of freedom with means maybe a social distancing party,going to the beach,and even a 2021 graduation that is social distancing and mask are required.One day we will return to a normal life.
COVID-19 has changed the world for many reasons.When everything was being shut down the world stopped in a certain way.As the world began to take a major turn everyone had to remain in their house which meant we had to quarantine.The means that stores were limited,parties were cancelled,graduation for students in class of 2020 was postponed,and social distancing stepped in.Being that everyone was stuck in the house this brought on emotional issues.While being at home the social life was put on pause.The one thing that kept a lot of people going was tik tok.The reason why tik tok played a major role in households is because you had to learn challenges with others in your house or even just yourself.The thought of going places around the world was scary.When coronavirus fist hit the United States the citizens did not know how to react that is why you had people that really care about about it and there were others that didn’t really believe that the virus was here.
Anthony Benton, who attended Woodland High School, shared how COVID-19 affected his social life.When asked to go into detail he said that just the fact of being around his close friends was limited took a toll on his mind. Anthony loved to skateboard with his friends but because of the pandemic his time with his friends where limited ar first because he shared he didn’t know what they had.Anthony made a good decisions at first because even tho he wanted to see his friends he wanted to be safe also.Kayla Rivers said how the pandemic did not really affect her in a negative way because she was always used to the at home life.Kayla and Anothony are different because Anothy like to be among his friends and Kayla Likes to chill in the house.Both have different looks on the pandemic.
COVID-19 is now the new normal until the world gets on the same page.We as citizens have to make sure that we take the proper precautions for the virus so that we can get to somewhat normal.Even though we are a long way from normal we have some type of freedom with means maybe a social distancing party,going to the beach,and even a 2021 graduation that is social distancing and mask are required.One day we will return to a normal life.
What is Woodland 100?
A QR code for Woodland 100 on the Woodland High School website.
By: Victoria Davis
Date: 2/23/21
Woodland 100, a year-round program hosted by Mr. Robinson at Woodland High School, is a program that is intended to help young African American men gain and strengthen the skills necessary to be leaders in their future. The program teaches these men leadership, communication, confidence, etc. to help these students prosper when they leave high school.
The program is centered around communication and leadership, two things which greatly aid someone when coming fresh out of high school. Woodland 100 allows students to build their career portfolio and college/work resume, gives the young men opportunities to connect with businesses, increases academic achievements, and has shown a benefit for those who have participated. Mr. Robinson, the facilitator of the program, shared that he’s seen students leave high school with the knowledge that Woodland 100 has provided them with and come out of college continuing to apply that same knowledge in their schooling and work career. While he hasn’t seen it from Woodland students as of yet due to this year being his second year at Woodland, he has seen the effects of it in previous schools and speaks very highly of the benefits it has.
Mr. Robinson isn’t the only one who sees the benefits of Woodland 100 though. Aaron Dozier, a member of the Woodland 100, expresses that he enjoys being in the program. “It gave me the opportunity to… get together with a bunch of people to talk, have fun, and learn what I need to learn from a black male.” He states that the skills taught focus on the best ways to go about living and the best way to approach situations handled daily. They focus on confidence, communication, and success, and apply that regularly. Aaron also explained that there are weekly meetings and they always look to teach younger students and to take advice from those older than them.
Woodland 100, while a relatively new program for Woodland High School aims to grow their members and continue to teach African American males essential skills for their future.
Woodland’s Drama Department Goes to One Act Competition
Dress rehearsal for Taboo from @woodlandchoirs Instagram
By: Kristyn Foran
January, 2021
On Friday January 29, 2021, Woodland’s Drama Department, Pack Productions competed in the One Act competition against Ola High School and Union Grove High School. Pack Productions performed “Taboo”. Usually, schools would be able to watch their competitors but that was not the case due to Covid. Taboo is filled with interesting characters and a storyline that could very well be connected to things going on in today’s society. I interviewed Brie Dinkins, who played, “a foreign exchange student named Georgie who was a straight-A student and was very set on following rules.” She said that she was “kind of upset that we weren’t able to perform with other schools or watch them”. She felt that she lost some the bonds that would normally be formed at a normal competition. Brie went to One Act her freshman year and knowing how it was before “makes me understand more of what I’m missing out on”.
Shortly after arriving back to Woodland, the award ceremony started. Taboo placed in third but our student director, Shelby Freshwater won All Star Cast after having to fill in for another actress and learning her lines in two days! Two of our actors, Maya Ash and Dontravelis Allen won Best Supporting Actor. Everyday was not easy leading up to this, though. We were faced with many long days and challenges. Some days, we did not have full cast and we had to change many things in this show to make it be the best one possible. “Some of the biggest I had to face when preparing for the show was finding time to study and practice. It was hard to balance my school work and my extracurriculars even with being at home full time. It caused a mix of work and stress.” Brie said.
Ms. Manson really stepped up when she decided to take over drama and she really brought back light into the eyes of sad theatre kids. Shelby Freshwater is one person that will truly be missed when she graduates. She co-directed Taboo alongside Ms. Manson and Zac Castillo, and alumni of Woodland. On behalf of the whole drama program, I am very proud all the hard work everyone put in.
January, 2021
On Friday January 29, 2021, Woodland’s Drama Department, Pack Productions competed in the One Act competition against Ola High School and Union Grove High School. Pack Productions performed “Taboo”. Usually, schools would be able to watch their competitors but that was not the case due to Covid. Taboo is filled with interesting characters and a storyline that could very well be connected to things going on in today’s society. I interviewed Brie Dinkins, who played, “a foreign exchange student named Georgie who was a straight-A student and was very set on following rules.” She said that she was “kind of upset that we weren’t able to perform with other schools or watch them”. She felt that she lost some the bonds that would normally be formed at a normal competition. Brie went to One Act her freshman year and knowing how it was before “makes me understand more of what I’m missing out on”.
Shortly after arriving back to Woodland, the award ceremony started. Taboo placed in third but our student director, Shelby Freshwater won All Star Cast after having to fill in for another actress and learning her lines in two days! Two of our actors, Maya Ash and Dontravelis Allen won Best Supporting Actor. Everyday was not easy leading up to this, though. We were faced with many long days and challenges. Some days, we did not have full cast and we had to change many things in this show to make it be the best one possible. “Some of the biggest I had to face when preparing for the show was finding time to study and practice. It was hard to balance my school work and my extracurriculars even with being at home full time. It caused a mix of work and stress.” Brie said.
Ms. Manson really stepped up when she decided to take over drama and she really brought back light into the eyes of sad theatre kids. Shelby Freshwater is one person that will truly be missed when she graduates. She co-directed Taboo alongside Ms. Manson and Zac Castillo, and alumni of Woodland. On behalf of the whole drama program, I am very proud all the hard work everyone put in.
ACL Injuries
Serious knee injuries of a football player
By: Terrence Pollard
Injuries can happen at any time to any person, but we don’t often expect them to happen to us. There are many different injuries you can get from playing sports but the main one most athletes get is an Anterior Cruciate Ligament tear known as the ACL. The Anterior Cruciate Ligament is located in your knee and controls the back and forth motion in the knee.
Tons of athletes in different sports deal with Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries every year. This article will inform others about the steps and amount of time it takes to come back from a serious injury like this. For this injury, it takes 4-9 months to get back to your sport, but you don’t want to rush because you can reinjure yourself. You can get this injury from landing wrong in a sport or just from your knee doing a bad twisting motion. Treatment for the injury consists of surgery, physical therapy, and pain medication.
I tore my ACL by landing on my knee in a way that caused it to twist in ways it shouldn’t. The first thing I got done when I tore my ACL was an MRI or x-ray to assess the situation and find the actual problem. To do this they put me under a machine for an hour to examine my knee. I didn’t get the results till a week later. When I did get the results it was two vivid pictures of my knee showing the differences in each other and where the problem mainly is.
Not only did I tear my ACL I tore its counterpart the MCL which is on the sides of the leg and controls the left and right movements of it. This required me to do physical therapy with the therapist and at home to strengthen and heal the ligament. The exercises they had me doing consisted of leg raising and bending in order to get the regular functions in my leg to start working again. I had to go once a week for 6 weeks and by the end of therapy, it felt like I didn’t even need surgery because my leg felt great. Most days I would go in there with painful sensations in my knee then come out feeling refreshed.
Even though the MCL can heal on its own the ACL can’t so I still needed surgery. This is because there is no blood supply for this ligament. When the time for the surgery came they gave me a Percocet for pain relief surgery, but I couldn’t swallow it because I didn’t have enough water so they made me chew it and it left a chalk-like taste in my mouth. When I got to the surgery room I got on the table then the woman put an anesthesia mask on my face that let out a minty smell and she told me to breathe in and out and I was sleeping in seconds. I woke up from the surgery in tremendous pain then went home and got plenty of rest. 3 months after surgery I will start running and other physical activities that will prepare me for my return to my sport.
Injuries can happen at any time to any person, but we don’t often expect them to happen to us. There are many different injuries you can get from playing sports but the main one most athletes get is an Anterior Cruciate Ligament tear known as the ACL. The Anterior Cruciate Ligament is located in your knee and controls the back and forth motion in the knee.
Tons of athletes in different sports deal with Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries every year. This article will inform others about the steps and amount of time it takes to come back from a serious injury like this. For this injury, it takes 4-9 months to get back to your sport, but you don’t want to rush because you can reinjure yourself. You can get this injury from landing wrong in a sport or just from your knee doing a bad twisting motion. Treatment for the injury consists of surgery, physical therapy, and pain medication.
I tore my ACL by landing on my knee in a way that caused it to twist in ways it shouldn’t. The first thing I got done when I tore my ACL was an MRI or x-ray to assess the situation and find the actual problem. To do this they put me under a machine for an hour to examine my knee. I didn’t get the results till a week later. When I did get the results it was two vivid pictures of my knee showing the differences in each other and where the problem mainly is.
Not only did I tear my ACL I tore its counterpart the MCL which is on the sides of the leg and controls the left and right movements of it. This required me to do physical therapy with the therapist and at home to strengthen and heal the ligament. The exercises they had me doing consisted of leg raising and bending in order to get the regular functions in my leg to start working again. I had to go once a week for 6 weeks and by the end of therapy, it felt like I didn’t even need surgery because my leg felt great. Most days I would go in there with painful sensations in my knee then come out feeling refreshed.
Even though the MCL can heal on its own the ACL can’t so I still needed surgery. This is because there is no blood supply for this ligament. When the time for the surgery came they gave me a Percocet for pain relief surgery, but I couldn’t swallow it because I didn’t have enough water so they made me chew it and it left a chalk-like taste in my mouth. When I got to the surgery room I got on the table then the woman put an anesthesia mask on my face that let out a minty smell and she told me to breathe in and out and I was sleeping in seconds. I woke up from the surgery in tremendous pain then went home and got plenty of rest. 3 months after surgery I will start running and other physical activities that will prepare me for my return to my sport.
A Day in the Life of a Permanent Substitute
Ms. Taylor a permanent substitute for Woodland High School
By TaMiyah Gordon
11/12/20
There is more work to a substitute teacher than many people know. Ms. Taylor is a familiar friendly face everyone has seen at Woodland High School. You have probably seen her as a substitute teacher in your class when your teacher is not in class. Ms. Taylor is a permanent substitute which means that she reports to Woodland everyday and substitutes for any needed class.
Ms. Taylor has been a substitute for 10 years but has only been a permanent sub for Woodland for 5 years. She substitutes for all classes and is there when any class is in need of a substitute. Her favorite classes to substitute for are English and Science. When asked what she does when she teaches a class she is not so familiar with she says, “If I need to know more about the subject, I will certainly do the homework and meet with the teacher to clearly and understand what is expected of me.” This shows that Ms. Taylor is very dedicated to her job and the students at Woodland High School. Ms. Taylor says, ”I love being a sub-teacher. I really enjoy knowing all of the teachers here and have grown close to many. Woodland is a great place to sub-teach.”
Thank you Ms. Taylor for all you do for Woodland and for always being there!
11/12/20
There is more work to a substitute teacher than many people know. Ms. Taylor is a familiar friendly face everyone has seen at Woodland High School. You have probably seen her as a substitute teacher in your class when your teacher is not in class. Ms. Taylor is a permanent substitute which means that she reports to Woodland everyday and substitutes for any needed class.
Ms. Taylor has been a substitute for 10 years but has only been a permanent sub for Woodland for 5 years. She substitutes for all classes and is there when any class is in need of a substitute. Her favorite classes to substitute for are English and Science. When asked what she does when she teaches a class she is not so familiar with she says, “If I need to know more about the subject, I will certainly do the homework and meet with the teacher to clearly and understand what is expected of me.” This shows that Ms. Taylor is very dedicated to her job and the students at Woodland High School. Ms. Taylor says, ”I love being a sub-teacher. I really enjoy knowing all of the teachers here and have grown close to many. Woodland is a great place to sub-teach.”
Thank you Ms. Taylor for all you do for Woodland and for always being there!
Woodland Best Friends Retiring Together
Ms. Douglas and Ms. Brown together in Ms. Brown’s room.
By: Victoria Davis
Date: 11-16-20
Two of our most memorable teachers here at Woodland High School, Ms. Douglas and Ms. Brown, are retiring from Woodland High School at the end of this school year. With their retirement coming up soon, I wanted to give them a platform to share their experiences and pass on wisdom and memories from their time at Woodland, and to speak on their time here and the impact they’ve had on this school.
When coming to Woodland, neither of the teachers expected to find a best friend, but over the years, a bond stronger than steel was formed between two of our soon-retiring teachers: Ms. Douglas and Ms. Brown. As they grew and gained wisdom both together and apart, the two teachers have had a lot of experience under their belt. When asked about their teaching experience and history, Ms. Douglas states that she’s in her 34th year of teaching, and has been teaching at Woodland since the doors opened. Ms. Brown on the other hand has been in a wide variety of teaching locations, teaching 31 years total, but spending 17 years teaching in Virginia, 2 years in Belgium, 1 year in Alabama, and only came to Woodland in January of 2010. With experience and time comes challenges though, and both teachers during the interview describe how their teaching style throughout the years, both here and in their teaching career as a whole has been met with resistance before. “When I came here,” Ms. Brown states, “my approach was just really no-nonsense, and that was difficult for people to accept… I did not feel as though I had the support of my department chair.” This lack of support from her department chair is actually what ended up bringing her and Ms. Douglas together, as they both pushed and supported each other whenever they felt like giving up and caving in. Ms. Douglas says that she has a similar attitude to Ms. Douglas. “She says “no nonsense,” I say “I don’t play.” I don’t mind working with you, but you have to be willing to work with us,” Ms. Douglas states. Both of their outlooks have been met with defiance and at times, it took a toll on both teachers at some point, but especially Ms. Brown, who described the response she’s received with her approach to teaching as being met with anger.
Ms. Douglas said that her challenges were something entirely different, however. Everyone knows of the dispute between teachers and phones, and Ms. Douglas states that the introduction of phones have been one of the main problems in recent years. She says that not only have they caused a distraction in her classroom, but they’ve also caused disputes between parents over phone usage. Another problem she’s had is an issue with AP students and procrastination issues. “[The AP kids] don’t have the discipline problems,” she states after speaking on the disciplinary issues with regular classes, “but they do have the- almost procrastination issues that your regular kids do. You kinda expect more out of them and sometimes they don’t always give you that.” Ms. Douglas shares that she had to learn how to deal with this struggle and deal with the attitude that AP kids have in regards to work.
Looking on the brighter side of things, both of the teachers have had successes that they’re proud of as well while they’ve been here at Woodland. Both Ms. Brown and Ms. Douglas have expressed a fondness for those students who come back and tell them what went down after they left school. Telling them things such as, “I majored in history because of you,” or, “Every good thing you said that would happen happened to me.” Ms. Douglas shares that she’s actually taught someone who’s in a legislator position and even in the Pro Baseball Leagues. “My success comes with [the students’] success.” Both teachers expressed that when the students come back and inform them of the good that’s going in their life, they find enjoyment in it and love hearing about the good that’s happened to their past students.
Both teachers have not only left an impact on the students that have left, but the students they have now, and their co-workers as well. While others can see how big of an impact both Ms. Douglas and Ms. Brown have left, I wanted to know what impact each teacher felt they had left, both on the school and the individuals in it. Ms. Douglas joked that she most likely has people who can’t wait for her retirement, but then said that she’s been loyal to the school, administration, and anyone who’s loyal to her as well. She brings up an example from the day of the interview, whenever she helped another teacher with car duty, and all that she really asked was that the teacher would cover for her if she was out sick. Small gestures like this are a recurring theme with Ms. Douglas, and she tries to help out others whenever she can. Ms. Brown on the other hand says that she’s often referred to as “The Matriarch” due to how long she’s been here and the fact that people trust what she says and listens to her. Both teachers state that learning to be a key player is important for the job and important when working with others. “Oftentimes, being a team player means that you have to be willing to sometimes just sit on the bench,” Douglas says, “and then if they need you, you step in.”
With the mention of learning how to be a team player, I then asked if there was anything else that the two have learned while teaching. An immediate response that both agreed with was patience. “You have to have a grey area to have a peace of mind,” Ms. Douglas claims, “things just can’t always be black and white, you have to work in a grey area.” Ms. Brown states that an important lesson she’s learned is to simply leave things where they are. “What happened yesterday, leave it there. Don’t borrow from tomorrow, just live in today.” She expresses that it’s helped her a lot with her own peace, and allows her to not overwork herself or drive herself too far. Both teachers say that they needed to leave work alone sometimes for peace of mind, and to allow themselves time for themselves and to realize that what they have is enough, something that Ms. Brown confides that she’s struggled with in the past.
During the interview, the teachers mention that there have certainly been ups and downs throughout their time here, but definitely more ups. I asked about this, asking if they had any favorite memories or moments at Woodland High School. This was actually something that the two had hoped to do and talk about this year, but were unable to do because of COVID-19. Though for individual events, Ms. Brown says that becoming teacher of the year was the most exciting for her. She came into the school believing that everything she was doing was just what was to be expected of her, and when she received the award, she was surprised. She often just worked at the level of efficiency that was expected of her in Virginia, and was shocked when she realized that the expectations weren’t the same here. Ms. Brown also says that a fond memory, or rather occasion of hers, was the fact that she had never missed a sporting event for the school until COVID-19. “[Attending every event] was a fond memory, just cheering them on!” Ms. Brown says, and talks of how she loved supporting the Woodland High School teams whenever she was able to.
Ms. Douglas speaks on more bittersweet memories since she’s been here, saying that she hates to see good teachers leave, whether they retire or move on to other schools, but that she’s proud of them. The mix of both good and bad is what makes it bittersweet for them, because she’s proud, but it’s still a sad occasion. “My memories- they’re like the good, bad, and ugly. I like to see people go where they’re gonna be happy, but I hate to see the good people leave.” Both teachers say that they’ve seen some really good teachers that were here at Woodland move on to different stages of their life. She also says that her AP kids that come back and thank her and grow a personal connection with her hold a special place in her memories. Ms. Douglas also acknowledges that she has made an impact on many of her students, and those students have shown that through their actions after they’ve gone past their time at Woodland High School.
Focusing more on their time after they leave this school, I asked both of them if they were making any changes in their day-to-day life to prepare for retirement, and both have done many things to prepare. Ms. Douglas shares that she’s started cleaning out her room, her filing cabinets, and hopes to get her closet cleaned out as well, all of which both teachers and many others tend to view as a watershed for retirement, and the moment when it becomes “real.” Ms. Brown says that she has already cleaned out her closet at home, and donated a decent amount of the clothes she had for work to Goodwill.
I then shifted into plans for retirement, and what they plan to do afterwards. Ms. Douglas explains that she has plans to go to the Mediterranean, Boston, and the Panama Canal, while Ms. Brown plans to explore more up north all around, stating that she first wants to go to Hawaii, then Canada, Japan, and finally Alaska. Both state however that they worry they’ll need something to fill up their days after a while, and they “need structure” as Ms. Douglas states, and both teachers share that at some point during their retirement, they wish to volunteer somewhere. Douglas wants to volunteer at an animal shelter, stating that she loves animals and even at one point in her time here at Woodland, adopted a stray bullmastiff that found its way onto school grounds. She named the dog Henry, after Henry county, and she truly adores the dog, stating that another one of her aforementioned favorite memories was adopting him. In contrast, Brown states that she wishes to volunteer to help people get their GED’s, better their writing and interviewing skills, and help people with writing resumes, and shares that she feels as though during COVID-19, many people struggled with these skills. She also wishes to work at a children’s hospital to help people for the same reason. Douglas also mentions that to keep some structure, she may spend half a day teaching or may become a substitute, joking that she can only be around her husband for so long.
Finally, I asked the two if they had any advice for anyone still at Woodland after they leave, and they had a few words of wisdom to share. Both teachers agreed on one general form of advice for all of those reading: “One day at a time.” Ms. Brown adds that people shouldn’t compare themselves to others, especially students. She asks those reading to not compare themselves to others, to not compare their work, their students and how they act in different classrooms, and what they’re teaching/how they’re teaching it. Both Ms. Brown and Ms. Douglas express that that’s the best advice that they’ve learned through their own experiences, and hope to pass down onto others who are willing to hear it.
The departure of these two Woodland High School best friends will be an impactful and meaningful one, and they’ll be leaving behind many teachers and students alike that will miss them greatly. With so many memories made, jokes shared, bonds formed between these teachers and others around them, the impact they’ll leave after retirement will never be forgotten in this school, and the people they’ve affected. Both Ms. Douglas and Ms. Brown will be sorely missed here at Woodland, but the change they’ve left here will be one that’s always remembered.
Date: 11-16-20
Two of our most memorable teachers here at Woodland High School, Ms. Douglas and Ms. Brown, are retiring from Woodland High School at the end of this school year. With their retirement coming up soon, I wanted to give them a platform to share their experiences and pass on wisdom and memories from their time at Woodland, and to speak on their time here and the impact they’ve had on this school.
When coming to Woodland, neither of the teachers expected to find a best friend, but over the years, a bond stronger than steel was formed between two of our soon-retiring teachers: Ms. Douglas and Ms. Brown. As they grew and gained wisdom both together and apart, the two teachers have had a lot of experience under their belt. When asked about their teaching experience and history, Ms. Douglas states that she’s in her 34th year of teaching, and has been teaching at Woodland since the doors opened. Ms. Brown on the other hand has been in a wide variety of teaching locations, teaching 31 years total, but spending 17 years teaching in Virginia, 2 years in Belgium, 1 year in Alabama, and only came to Woodland in January of 2010. With experience and time comes challenges though, and both teachers during the interview describe how their teaching style throughout the years, both here and in their teaching career as a whole has been met with resistance before. “When I came here,” Ms. Brown states, “my approach was just really no-nonsense, and that was difficult for people to accept… I did not feel as though I had the support of my department chair.” This lack of support from her department chair is actually what ended up bringing her and Ms. Douglas together, as they both pushed and supported each other whenever they felt like giving up and caving in. Ms. Douglas says that she has a similar attitude to Ms. Douglas. “She says “no nonsense,” I say “I don’t play.” I don’t mind working with you, but you have to be willing to work with us,” Ms. Douglas states. Both of their outlooks have been met with defiance and at times, it took a toll on both teachers at some point, but especially Ms. Brown, who described the response she’s received with her approach to teaching as being met with anger.
Ms. Douglas said that her challenges were something entirely different, however. Everyone knows of the dispute between teachers and phones, and Ms. Douglas states that the introduction of phones have been one of the main problems in recent years. She says that not only have they caused a distraction in her classroom, but they’ve also caused disputes between parents over phone usage. Another problem she’s had is an issue with AP students and procrastination issues. “[The AP kids] don’t have the discipline problems,” she states after speaking on the disciplinary issues with regular classes, “but they do have the- almost procrastination issues that your regular kids do. You kinda expect more out of them and sometimes they don’t always give you that.” Ms. Douglas shares that she had to learn how to deal with this struggle and deal with the attitude that AP kids have in regards to work.
Looking on the brighter side of things, both of the teachers have had successes that they’re proud of as well while they’ve been here at Woodland. Both Ms. Brown and Ms. Douglas have expressed a fondness for those students who come back and tell them what went down after they left school. Telling them things such as, “I majored in history because of you,” or, “Every good thing you said that would happen happened to me.” Ms. Douglas shares that she’s actually taught someone who’s in a legislator position and even in the Pro Baseball Leagues. “My success comes with [the students’] success.” Both teachers expressed that when the students come back and inform them of the good that’s going in their life, they find enjoyment in it and love hearing about the good that’s happened to their past students.
Both teachers have not only left an impact on the students that have left, but the students they have now, and their co-workers as well. While others can see how big of an impact both Ms. Douglas and Ms. Brown have left, I wanted to know what impact each teacher felt they had left, both on the school and the individuals in it. Ms. Douglas joked that she most likely has people who can’t wait for her retirement, but then said that she’s been loyal to the school, administration, and anyone who’s loyal to her as well. She brings up an example from the day of the interview, whenever she helped another teacher with car duty, and all that she really asked was that the teacher would cover for her if she was out sick. Small gestures like this are a recurring theme with Ms. Douglas, and she tries to help out others whenever she can. Ms. Brown on the other hand says that she’s often referred to as “The Matriarch” due to how long she’s been here and the fact that people trust what she says and listens to her. Both teachers state that learning to be a key player is important for the job and important when working with others. “Oftentimes, being a team player means that you have to be willing to sometimes just sit on the bench,” Douglas says, “and then if they need you, you step in.”
With the mention of learning how to be a team player, I then asked if there was anything else that the two have learned while teaching. An immediate response that both agreed with was patience. “You have to have a grey area to have a peace of mind,” Ms. Douglas claims, “things just can’t always be black and white, you have to work in a grey area.” Ms. Brown states that an important lesson she’s learned is to simply leave things where they are. “What happened yesterday, leave it there. Don’t borrow from tomorrow, just live in today.” She expresses that it’s helped her a lot with her own peace, and allows her to not overwork herself or drive herself too far. Both teachers say that they needed to leave work alone sometimes for peace of mind, and to allow themselves time for themselves and to realize that what they have is enough, something that Ms. Brown confides that she’s struggled with in the past.
During the interview, the teachers mention that there have certainly been ups and downs throughout their time here, but definitely more ups. I asked about this, asking if they had any favorite memories or moments at Woodland High School. This was actually something that the two had hoped to do and talk about this year, but were unable to do because of COVID-19. Though for individual events, Ms. Brown says that becoming teacher of the year was the most exciting for her. She came into the school believing that everything she was doing was just what was to be expected of her, and when she received the award, she was surprised. She often just worked at the level of efficiency that was expected of her in Virginia, and was shocked when she realized that the expectations weren’t the same here. Ms. Brown also says that a fond memory, or rather occasion of hers, was the fact that she had never missed a sporting event for the school until COVID-19. “[Attending every event] was a fond memory, just cheering them on!” Ms. Brown says, and talks of how she loved supporting the Woodland High School teams whenever she was able to.
Ms. Douglas speaks on more bittersweet memories since she’s been here, saying that she hates to see good teachers leave, whether they retire or move on to other schools, but that she’s proud of them. The mix of both good and bad is what makes it bittersweet for them, because she’s proud, but it’s still a sad occasion. “My memories- they’re like the good, bad, and ugly. I like to see people go where they’re gonna be happy, but I hate to see the good people leave.” Both teachers say that they’ve seen some really good teachers that were here at Woodland move on to different stages of their life. She also says that her AP kids that come back and thank her and grow a personal connection with her hold a special place in her memories. Ms. Douglas also acknowledges that she has made an impact on many of her students, and those students have shown that through their actions after they’ve gone past their time at Woodland High School.
Focusing more on their time after they leave this school, I asked both of them if they were making any changes in their day-to-day life to prepare for retirement, and both have done many things to prepare. Ms. Douglas shares that she’s started cleaning out her room, her filing cabinets, and hopes to get her closet cleaned out as well, all of which both teachers and many others tend to view as a watershed for retirement, and the moment when it becomes “real.” Ms. Brown says that she has already cleaned out her closet at home, and donated a decent amount of the clothes she had for work to Goodwill.
I then shifted into plans for retirement, and what they plan to do afterwards. Ms. Douglas explains that she has plans to go to the Mediterranean, Boston, and the Panama Canal, while Ms. Brown plans to explore more up north all around, stating that she first wants to go to Hawaii, then Canada, Japan, and finally Alaska. Both state however that they worry they’ll need something to fill up their days after a while, and they “need structure” as Ms. Douglas states, and both teachers share that at some point during their retirement, they wish to volunteer somewhere. Douglas wants to volunteer at an animal shelter, stating that she loves animals and even at one point in her time here at Woodland, adopted a stray bullmastiff that found its way onto school grounds. She named the dog Henry, after Henry county, and she truly adores the dog, stating that another one of her aforementioned favorite memories was adopting him. In contrast, Brown states that she wishes to volunteer to help people get their GED’s, better their writing and interviewing skills, and help people with writing resumes, and shares that she feels as though during COVID-19, many people struggled with these skills. She also wishes to work at a children’s hospital to help people for the same reason. Douglas also mentions that to keep some structure, she may spend half a day teaching or may become a substitute, joking that she can only be around her husband for so long.
Finally, I asked the two if they had any advice for anyone still at Woodland after they leave, and they had a few words of wisdom to share. Both teachers agreed on one general form of advice for all of those reading: “One day at a time.” Ms. Brown adds that people shouldn’t compare themselves to others, especially students. She asks those reading to not compare themselves to others, to not compare their work, their students and how they act in different classrooms, and what they’re teaching/how they’re teaching it. Both Ms. Brown and Ms. Douglas express that that’s the best advice that they’ve learned through their own experiences, and hope to pass down onto others who are willing to hear it.
The departure of these two Woodland High School best friends will be an impactful and meaningful one, and they’ll be leaving behind many teachers and students alike that will miss them greatly. With so many memories made, jokes shared, bonds formed between these teachers and others around them, the impact they’ll leave after retirement will never be forgotten in this school, and the people they’ve affected. Both Ms. Douglas and Ms. Brown will be sorely missed here at Woodland, but the change they’ve left here will be one that’s always remembered.
Glaucoma has not stopped her from her everyday activities
Photo by hp koch on Unsplash
By: Darcelle Lee
Published: December 15, 2020
African Americans ages 45-65 are 14 to 17 times more likely to go blind from glaucoma than Caucasians with glaucoma in the same age group According to, Glaucoma.org. In 2017, the life of Beverley Cooke was unexpectedly disrupted by a "silent disease" where the optic nerve of the eye is impaired which causes limited eyesight due to increased intraocular pressure. Mrs.Cooke referred to the condition Glaucoma as a "silent disease" since you “don’t know that you have it”.
Since her peripheral vision has deteriorated, she's worried about driving more than ever. As she drives, it looks like you're staring through a black toilet paper tube in which you can only see a limited amount of everything. It feels as though a black hole is encompassing your vision in which the light becomes dimmer and dimmer. This condition, however, has not hindered her from performing her routine activities such as walking, tending to young children, as well as reading. People do not have to have excellent vision whilst walking. In peripheral vision, a plethora of incidents can happen while walking that you may not be able to see so this may be a gamble to do this without another individual. Mrs. Cooke is impassioned to work with kids and is very cautious when she takes them outside as though she has to watch every single one of them since she can't watch them out of her peripheral vision. She follows each child with her eyesight to make sure each kid is in the count and none of them have run off into the road that is nearby. When she found out that she had Glaucoma she felt “sad” and “scared” because our “eyesight is the most important thing”.
Mrs.Cooke is not the only one in her family to face Glaucoma head-on as her Mom, Sister, Daughter, and Grandson also have it. Mrs.Cooke always has a smile on her face and is well known throughout her community. She enjoys hosting get-togethers with her neighborhood friends and going to church on Sundays since she does it often. She attends church every Sunday to get her prayers in. She's very grateful for what she has in her life now since she is an older black woman dealing with health problems. Some advice that she offered to people about glaucoma is to “ regularly get your eyes checked …. no matter what age you are.” She is a kind woman who often volunteers herself to help others and is tragically facing this condition by herself probably for the rest of her life. Even though she has family members going through the same situation she has it worse than all of them. She does not want pity though as she can still do basic activities that other people in the world cannot do.
Published: December 15, 2020
African Americans ages 45-65 are 14 to 17 times more likely to go blind from glaucoma than Caucasians with glaucoma in the same age group According to, Glaucoma.org. In 2017, the life of Beverley Cooke was unexpectedly disrupted by a "silent disease" where the optic nerve of the eye is impaired which causes limited eyesight due to increased intraocular pressure. Mrs.Cooke referred to the condition Glaucoma as a "silent disease" since you “don’t know that you have it”.
Since her peripheral vision has deteriorated, she's worried about driving more than ever. As she drives, it looks like you're staring through a black toilet paper tube in which you can only see a limited amount of everything. It feels as though a black hole is encompassing your vision in which the light becomes dimmer and dimmer. This condition, however, has not hindered her from performing her routine activities such as walking, tending to young children, as well as reading. People do not have to have excellent vision whilst walking. In peripheral vision, a plethora of incidents can happen while walking that you may not be able to see so this may be a gamble to do this without another individual. Mrs. Cooke is impassioned to work with kids and is very cautious when she takes them outside as though she has to watch every single one of them since she can't watch them out of her peripheral vision. She follows each child with her eyesight to make sure each kid is in the count and none of them have run off into the road that is nearby. When she found out that she had Glaucoma she felt “sad” and “scared” because our “eyesight is the most important thing”.
Mrs.Cooke is not the only one in her family to face Glaucoma head-on as her Mom, Sister, Daughter, and Grandson also have it. Mrs.Cooke always has a smile on her face and is well known throughout her community. She enjoys hosting get-togethers with her neighborhood friends and going to church on Sundays since she does it often. She attends church every Sunday to get her prayers in. She's very grateful for what she has in her life now since she is an older black woman dealing with health problems. Some advice that she offered to people about glaucoma is to “ regularly get your eyes checked …. no matter what age you are.” She is a kind woman who often volunteers herself to help others and is tragically facing this condition by herself probably for the rest of her life. Even though she has family members going through the same situation she has it worse than all of them. She does not want pity though as she can still do basic activities that other people in the world cannot do.
