Mardi Gras is a celebration of a lifetime. It's truly the YOLO holiday of the south, and it's one of the biggest reasons why I’m proud to call Louisiana my home state. Emma Cahn says “It’s one of my favorite holidays because it's a party (5 second pause) but in the middle of the road.” Mardi Gras really makes up for a lot… like our education ranking. Also let's not forget about king cake. I actually know the biggest fan of king cake… its my mother, but y’all may know her as Mrs. Chamberlain. She loves that stuff so freaking much she even tried to have her birthday moved to February so she could have king cake as her birthday cake. Mrs. Chamberlain says, “I’m personally a king cake connoisseur. I have tried them from all around Louisiana. My favorite is from Lilahs in Shreveport, although in the past years we have been in a love-hate relationship.” As Mardi Gras sadly comes to an end I couldn't be more thankful for such an experience growing up. People are right when they say “There is nothing like the south”. 

Mardi Gras is a holiday that is commonly celebrated in the southern states. Mardi Gras can be traced back all the way to Medieval Europe, passing through Italy and France. March 2, 1699, a french canadian explorer Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieur de Beinville arrived a little outside New Orleans, and gave it the name of “Pointe du Mardi Gras,” when his men realized it was the eve of the festive holiday. In 1703, the tiny settlement called Fort Louis de La Louisiane celebrated America's very first Mardi Gras. Before the big, amazing parades, people in Louisiana only celebrated Mardi Gras through the balls that were thrown by the Governor. That actually became the model for today's Mardi Gras balls that are thrown all around the state. In 1875, Governor Warmoth signed the “Mardi Gras Act”, making Fat Tuesday a legal holiday in Louisiana. Now you may hear Mardi Gras parades be referred to as “the greatest free show around.”

Mardi Gras is even celebrated here at Benton High School. The biggest way we celebrated was by having the teachers play a big game of Ro-Sham Beaux. If you saw the teachers wearing beads that were constantly changing, and rock, paper, and scissors (not real ones) being thrown all around then you witnessed the famous game.

Last week, Jersey Mike’s opened in Bossier, and I couldn’t be more excited! Jersey Mikes is one of my favorite restaurants, but some people might not agree. But we will get back to that. First, I interviewed Benton High student Ashlee Carrillo (11) because she works at Jersey Mike’s and I wanted to her about her experience working there so far. She said, “it’s been really fun making sandwiches” and she enjoys “working the register and chatting with the customers.” Then, I thought I would ask her about my favorite thing about Jersey Mike’s, which is the subs. I wanted to know which sandwich was the most popular and what her personal favorite was. She said the most popular ones are the #13 original italian and the #17 philly cheese steak, and she said her personal favorite was the #3 ham and provolone. I love that sandwich, it’s definitely so delicious. After I interviewed with Ashlee, I wanted to get student’s opinions on Jersey Mike’s opening and if they prefer other sandwich places in town. Lindy Machen (10) said, “she’s never had Jersey Mike’s, but she would love to try it.” but until she tries her first Jersey Mike’s sandwich, she likes Subway because they have “so many options on their menu and many things you can get on your sandwich.” Zian Toves (11) said, “when i think of the perfect deli, I think of Jersey Mike’s.” I think that is a perfect way to describe a Jersey Mike’s sub. Lastly I interviewed Kimora Brown (10) because I know she doesn’t like Jersey Mike’s. She prefers Firehouse subs because, “the food is always fresh and flavorful.” I have never tried Firehouse, but I still prefer Jersey Mike’s. I think Jersey Mike’s is a great addition to Bossier and everyone should go there to see Ashlee and to get some amazing food!

On February 8th, sixteen giant banners portraying Benton High School seniors were hung up in the commons area. These banners celebrate students who have achieved an ACT score of 30+, an accomplishment that deserves to be recognized. By recognizing these students, Bossier Parish hopes to motivate other students to focus on their academics and perform well on tests like the ACT. The new banners are not the only way Bossier Parish is recognizing these students’ performances; during June 2023, Bossier Schools posted about all students who achieved a 30 or above on the ACT on their social media pages. Benton High School will also recognize these students during the Spring Pep Rally on April 8th. Through acknowledging these students, Bossier Parish intends to help students realize that doing well on one’s ACT is not as impossible as it may seem. Payton Prichard (12), who scored a 34 on her ACT, said, “I think it’s cool that [Bossier Parish] is honoring students, especially since we’re an athletic-driven school.” Tyler Underwood (12)--who scored a 32 on his ACT--furthered this point, saying “someone who earns a great score on a test like the ACT deserves as much recognition as…players do.” The recognition Tyler received from other students reminded him that “working hard and staying focused on school does pay off in that way,” a lesson that all students should be reminded of. For students looking to accomplish a 30+ on their ACT, Cayden McKelvey--who scored a 32 on his ACT--advocated for lots of practice, saying “the more you take the test, the easier it becomes because of how familiar you get with it.” Although the length and gravity of taking the ACT may seem daunting, it’s important to remember that you have the power to do phenomenally, just like your peers who have been recognized; they’re students just like you. With a little bit of hard work, you can achieve something deserving of a giant banner hung in the commons, too. If you see any of these students around campus, make sure to congratulate them!

One of the little known facts about JROTC is that the cadets compete in Drill, Color Guard, Physical Training, and Academics. On November 4th, our various cadet teams traveled to Airline High School to compete against over a dozen different schools from the tri-state area. Our cadets competed in 10 different events and came home victorious in 2 categories. “I'm pretty proud of how we did, especially since we placed first in the armed exhibition. I mean, usually that's a guarantee for us, but it's always nice to see that we continue on that tradition every year.” This was the fourth year in a row that they have placed highly in this event. “I also commanded Armed Inspection and won 3rd place. Even though it's just third place, I'd like to think it's nice that we finally won an inspection after so many years” says Mallorie Johanning (12), the Cadet Corp Commander. Our Drill Team, the Benton Bombers, performed both an Armed and Unarmed routine, and they displayed their winning routine at the Veterans Day Assembly. Our Color Guard Teams also performed exceptionally well, and while they didn’t take home a trophy this time around, they all displayed outstanding leadership and teamwork skills. Master Sergeant Ricker remarks, “I'm just really proud of the Color Guard and the fact that that throughout the year they've been able to perform in every football game that we've had, and been able to do Veterans Day and different programs that we've had here at school and just being able to show the colors if you will, and display the pride that we have for America, and help other people be able to have that same pride that that I have for my country. I think that's an awesome thing.” Caylee Brammer (9) competed in the Academic Bowl and Master Color Guard Team and told us about her experience at her first competition: “I was nervous for both of them. But overall I think that we did amazing. Overall, we did great with our teams and communicated very well. I can’t wait for the next comp!” They are now working toward victory for their next competition, which will be at LA Tech in April. Mallorie Johanning adds, “Just in case they're reading this, I just want to say I'm extremely proud of everyone who turned up, not just the drill team, the color guard did extremely well too. The PT team, the academic team, I'm just so proud of everyone for showing up and showing out.” Keep up the amazing work, Cadets!

We all know the Super Bowl has sparked some very strong opinions this season. Many incidents have happened in the last year that have influenced this Super Bowl hate, starting with the most obvious reason for this hatred: Taylor Swift. Many people are starting to hate the NFL just because Swift has had a major impact on how people see the league. To be honest, the only people that are hating are the old white men in the NFL Instagram comment section, specifically the, “Dads, Brads, and Chads,” as Swift referred to them. Even younger people are engaging in the controversy because they are being influenced by others' opinions on Swift's impact on NFL culture. People are mainly spreading hate because they feel like they have to, simply because it is what everyone else is doing. 

In reality, is Swift really doing anything to harm or affect the outcome of the game? I mean, very opinionated people may think that her presence is affecting the outcome of the Super Bowl, but in reality, she has no control over the game. For example, Trey Smith (12), who said, "Taylor Swift definitely has the power or influence to make the Chiefs win the Super Bowl just because it would mean more money for the NFL as a whole.” I don't listen to Taylor Swift, but am I really going to hate a person just because she is being shown on camera for 2 seconds at a time? Absolutely not. 

Many believe that the Super Bowl is rigged in the Chiefs' favor, like Elijah Mucullah,. (9) who believes it is impossible to "win with only 6 seconds left [when] nobody even wanted the 49ers and Chiefs in the Super Bowl anyway.” Which is fair, but how could the NFL rig a live game?

Anyway, what really makes me giggle is when someone says, “Taylor Swift's boyfriend,” and fans of said boyfriend, Travis Kelce, get heated. Now I am going to be honest, I didn't even know who Travis Kelce was until Taylor Swift made him famous. And people who say you only know Taylor Swift because of Travis Kelce…stop lying. 

Now let's talk about half time shows. In 2023 Rihanna performed and it was amazing. Now as to what other people thought about it...they definitely did not have the same opinion. For some people the 2023 halftime show was definitely hit or miss. However, why are people so mad about it? Like come on, do you just feel the utter urge to voice your opinion that means absolutely nothing to people? Or have you just dedicated your life to being a hater? Now back to the point…for some people, the half time show is the whole reason they watch the Super Bowl, and can you blame them? Now, I get it. You old men and high-school football players watch the game just because you like football. I know and I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to the people who aren't interested in the football game and who have never heard of the teams playing in it. 

Now last year I didn't even know who the Chiefs or the Eagles were (even though I pretended I did, but that's not the point). The only part I was interested in was Rihanna, and she did not disappoint. Now on the other hand, Usher…? Now I know all of you saw that chemistry between Usher and Alisha Keys... LIKE WHAT. And I know some people agree with me, like when Lexi Carlisle (10) said, "she literally has kids and they were there and so was her husband!...It was obvious Usher had no care in the world.” I felt like I was seriously interrupting something. Other than that, and Key's voice crack, the performance was great. Granted, some of the songs were definitely unknown by our generation, but it was probably enjoyed by the elders--so like the 40 or 50 year olds--I think. The thing is, last year, there were so many posts about the halftime show that it was overwhelming, but this year there are definitely not as many posts about Usher as there was about Rihanna. Was that because people had so many opinions on Rihanna that there were just so many posts? Also the marshmallow-looking people were getting a lot of attention. Now to the boring part of the Super Bowl: the teams. When you ask someone to name a player on the Chiefs they would 100% say Patrick Mahomes or Travis Kelce. All that's left is the question: is the Super Bowl rigged? Some people may say yes, some people may say no, but what do you think?

As the hype around Class competitions has come and passed with the football season, the competitive air of Benton High School is finally settling... for now.  Looking back, students from each grade put immense effort into each of their respective hallways, attempting to triumph among other classes, as they hoped for fair judging and a chance to win the title of "best class".
However, that raised the question that many students have: Are the judges biased toward the Senior class? Claire Tolar–a sophomore class Student Council Senator–claims “there is some favoritism” in the judging process; she presents a rhetorical question to prove her point: “who wants to lose their senior year?” The answer is nobody and, therefore, those responsible for determining the winner judge the hallways in a way to appeal to the senior class as “they’re about to leave.” However, junior class student council senator Addison Bell refutes such; she argues that the judging comes down to the class being “more put together,” and usually, since it is their last year, it’s the senior class that’s “a lot more organized.” Although organization is an important factor, Student Council Sponsor Mrs. Martin contends that seniors have a variety of advantages over other classes, such as having “three sponsors as opposed to two” and “being able to drive.” Therefore, although a bias is absent, the senior class still has undeniable advantages. However, Mrs. Martin argues that this year's freshman class was “really into all the things” and “they want to get involved,” so they very well could be a contender to win next year’s class competitions.

One in four unlicensed teens are too scared to drive however, driver’s ed can be a fun and educational experience that can teach you valuable lessons that could one day save your life. I interviewed Coach George who used to be a driver's ed teacher but is now one of our assistant principals, Coach Rambin who is a current driver's ed teacher and softball coach, and Machen White who is a former student in the class and a current 10th grade student. When asked about his funniest driver’s ed experience, Coach George had quite the story to tell. He told me about an anonymous student who “gassed it” and caused the car to go into a water-filled ditch. He described the experience as “frustrating” and “embarrassing,” but luckily Coach Plunkett saved the day and pulled the car out of the ditch. Because of the incident, Coach George had to make the students restart some of their hours again! My next interview was with Coach Rambin; coincidently, her story also involves a ditch. Coach Rambin’s student was pulling out of a neighborhood, and she forgot to straighten her wheel out after turning. Coach Rambin had to “slam on her brakes,” but they ended up “dangling on the edge of a ditch.” It must be terrifying being a driver's ed teacher. My last interview was with a student who took the class through the school, Machen White. Machen was driving with Coach George, and he forgot to turn off his blinker because he was “distracted,” which apparently “happens all the time.” After forgetting his blinker, he pulled into a parking lot and almost got rear-ended. Machen sarcastically described the situation as “fun times.” After hearing these stories, first-time drivers can relax a little and realize that all people make mistakes.

Looking for something new to do? Need a hobby? Well you're just in luck, because the new trend is actually having a hobby. BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT ONE NOW DID YA! If you're looking for a hobby then I’m bound to mention one that is perfect for you. Feeling bored, out of touch, wanting to do something useful and pays off?!?!?!?!? Well then I have just the hobby for you… (PAUSE FOR DRAMATIC EFFECT) CROCHETING!!!! While this hobby may be a very hot mess for some (Uhhhhhh me), it might be just a hobby for you. Crocheting has actually become a very popular hobby in the past couple of years. You might see things that are on your TikTok about it. For those who don't know what crocheting is, it is basically knitting but with a thicker yarn. You also have way more opportunities of creation with crocheting. I actually have found a student on campus who graciously decided to tell us her views on crocheting. Ladies and gentlemen, AIVLINN BECKHAM!!!!!

Machen: “Why did you choose to crochet?”

Aivlinn: “I choose to crochet because I love to make things with my own two hands, and I LOVE to show them off.”

Machen: “What are all the things you have crocheted?”

Aivlinn: “I’ve crocheted things like bags, blankets, sweaters, and headbands.”

Machen: “How long have you been crocheting, and how long does it take you?”

Aivlinn: “I have been crocheting since [last] January. And projects can take up to 30 minutes, or even up to a month.”

Machen: “What advice do you have for the people who are new to crocheting?”

Aivlinn: “My advice is to practice A LOT. Whenever I look back on the first thing I did, it doesn't look nearly as good as what I am doing now. And the reason for that is practice.”

Machen: “What even is crocheting?”

Aivlinn: “Crocheting is the process of hooking yarn through loops within itself and interlocking them to create things!”

After hearing what Aivlinn has to say about her hobby, don't you want to try something new?

Whenever you get home from a long day of doing school, work, or whatever after-school activities you have, what do you do? Well, most people will put on their favorite shows and relax, but it is hard to do that unless you are watching a bingeable show. A binge-able show is a show you can watch in a short time, rather than waiting every week for a new episode. That is why services like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, etc. are helpful because you can watch whatever show you’d like without commercials and with every episode being available at one time. Now that y’all know what a binge-able show is, let’s see what some people from school said their favorite shows are. First, I interviewed Addison Morris (12). She said her favorite show was The Office because the “jokes are always just so good and whenever you are in a bad mood they just always pick you up, no matter what.” The Office is a 9 season show and Addison watched it in about 6 months. Next, I interviewed Peyton Cedars (10) whose favorite show is Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl is her favorite because “ [She] likes the drama and how you never know what is going to happen next and also Chuck Bass of course.” I mean, who doesn’t love Chuck Bass? Peyton finished Gossip Girl, a 6-season show, in about 3 weeks. Personally, that’s how long it takes me to binge-watch shows. Lastly, I interviewed Lainey Clark (10) whose favorite show is Friends. What an awesome show. Lainey said she likes Friends because “it’s funny and [she’s] watched it a lot of times.” Lainey said it took her about half the summer to watch Friends which makes sense because there are a lot of seasons! I think binge-watching is a great way to pass time because it provides you with great entertainment and you don’t have to spend a whole week waiting for the next episode.