Survival of the Finals

Alexa Orozco

As winter break rolls in, students can not wait to receive their long-awaited rest for the end of the year. However, before the students can be set free they must first pass the final battle, the week of finals. Let the sleepless nights and the caffeine filled mornings begin.

Here are some study tips to help you become a survivor of the finals.

• Organize a study group
• Take study breaks and have incentives
• Draw your information by creating diagrams, tables, diagrams, or mind maps for visuals
• Study in a distraction-free environment by turning off your cell phone and TV
• Study based on the style of the exam

Students describe their feelings heading into the finals battleground.

Freshman Brayden Mackey, who is taking his first finals as an official high schooler said, “I’m going to do good, but it’s going to stink.” Mackey’s finals period are English, Spanish, Geometry, Biology, and Speech.

Returning finals survivor sophomore Madison Rose said that finals were “Stressful and time consuming” Rose said that she tends to study during her study hall in order to prepare herself.

Rose said that finals are very stressful for her because of the great weight they carry on her grade.

Sophomore Kaylynn Curly and that finals were “Stressful tests over what you have learned.”

Curly said that she de-stresses by exercising frequently to keep her mind and body in shape.

Junior Sierra Ellson said “It’s very stressful and I pull all nighters when the week comes around”

The students also offered key study tips to prepare for their final recap of the semester that is all packed into a defying test worth twenty percent of their grade. While Curly uses flashcards to review, Rose prefers to write down her facts. Mackey studies his vocab vigorously and Ellson reads over her notes.

Of all the classes the students said which class was their top priority for this week.

Ellson said “Psychology.”

Mackey said “I’m worried about Spanish.”

Rose said “Chemistry is the class I’m studying really hard for.”

Curly said “Either Spanish or Chemistry would be my hardest finals.”

PHS students prepare to take your finals this week. Tuesday December 19 will be first and sixth period. Wednesday December 20 will be finals third and eighth period and the semester will wrap up in Thursday with second, fifth, and seventh period finals.

National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day

Ivette Marin

Are ugly Christmas sweaters the new trend at PHS?

National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day occurs every third Friday of December. National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day started in 2011. It was started by people who liked to lighten up the holidays by showing off their ugly sweaters. It is celebrated worldwide. You can get ugly Christmas sweaters from almost any store. People of all ages wear ugly Christmas Sweaters even some animals wear them because of their owners.

Some students like ugly Christmas sweaters and some do not. Students wear ugly Christmas sweaters because their significant other wants them to or because it’s for family traditions.

Senior, Brandy Terrones said “It’s fun and I like some of the ones they sell in walmart.”

Junior, Chloe Parks said “Cause they’re ugly.”

Sophomore, Carson Spaid said “They are straight fire and I love wearing them.”

Freshman, Gabriel Justice said “They’re ugly.” He wears them because it’s a family tradition.

Freshman, Audrie Burton said “Because they make me feel pretty.”

Junior, Kiarra Ponce said “I don’t like wearing ugly Christmas sweaters because I must always look fabulous when it comes to Christmas time~! ;D”

Junior, Ezra Winkle said “They're fun.”

New Class, New Song, New Move

Maggie Bradway

New Song Church has now moved to a new location in Plymouth, and Plymouth High School’s new Landscape Management class assisted in the process. Dr. David Smith is leading the students in learning and executing landscaping concepts and techniques. This class includes students from each grade level.

The class first met with Jennifer Chambers and Pastor Justin to determine what the church would need to successfully move and decorate their new property before researching plant varieties that would accentuate their building. The church provided funds to receive the materials needed. There were plants and decorative stone chosen and purchased by the church and the class came and installed them over the course of a couple of weeks.

Dribble, Shoot, Score

Jesus Jimenez Garcia

The boys basketball team has started off hot, with a record of 5 win and 1 loss so far this year. Their only loss of the season is against South Bend Adams with a score of 63-53. Wins have come against John Glenn, New Prairie, Triton, Winamac, and Peru. Leading the Pilgrims in terms of scoring are Junior Clay Hilliard and Senior Garrett Tharp.

Tharp said “Our record so far is 5-1 and I am very happy about that. I would say this is a great team accomplishment.”

Tharp has a total of 63 points over 6 games and averaging 10.5 points per game. Not only does Tharp help on the offensive side of the game but also on the defensive side leads the team in rebounds with 34 averaging 5.7 rebounds per game.

There are many teams that the Pilgrims have circled on their calendar. Tharp said “Warsaw, because I hate them”. While Hilliard said “I am looking forward to starting our conference season! First game @Northwood”

Hilliard also said “Starting strong as a team at 5-1, and getting a nice victory over Peru our last game”.

This is Hilliard’s highlight of the season. The game against Peru was a very intense game with the Pilgrims winning by a score of 48-40.

The fans were very much involved in the game helping support the Pilgrims. The theme of the game was jersey night and the students showed out with all kinds of jerseys from basketball,football,baseball, and much more.

Hilliard then said “I say that our season has been very successful so far. Our loss showed us what we need to work on before conference season, and I see a very successful future ahead of us”.

Hilliard has been a huge part of the Pilgrims success leading the team with a total of 96 points averaging 16 points per game. The Pilgrims still have a very long season to go with their next game being on December 19th against South Bend Riley at home at 6:15 p.m.

Rockies Tame the Tigers

Taylor Medeiros

Home is where people are comfortable. Home is where people can be themselves. Home is where people have support. Home is where the Rockies wrestled their first duel and defeated Warsaw under the lights. There were crazy matches in so many weight classes that had the fans on their feet.

Starting off the wins was senior Gavin Banks who walked out there and got a 16 second pin. It took him longer to shake his opponent’s hand than it did to wrestle him. “I’m looking forward to seeing Brayton [#2 ranked wrestler in the nation] at state.”

In the next match, sophomore Graham Calhoun dominated his opponent with 3 takedowns and a pin in the first period.

Senior Trystan VanDerAa was in a dogfight with the 170 pounder from Warsaw and in the third period, he hit a body lock and stuck the kid on his back for the pin.

VanDerAa said, “I knew I was only up by a point with just under a minute left so I was trying not to force anything drastic, but then he tried to headlock me and it was game over from there I swung him on his back and pinned him.”

Sophomore Kendall Himes took a little time to get going, but when he did, he racked up 6 points in roughly 20 seconds at the end of the match.

The night was stuffed stuffed with wild matches, but it’s the one that people overlooked that was the match of the night. Freshman Tyler Richey weighing in only his second time for a Varsity match was the one to watch.

He said, “It felt amazing coming in as a freshman as a varsity wrestler, getting a win for my team and seeing how excited everyone was.”

Pressure was light as the Rockies secured the win earlier in the duel, but Richey wasn’t just going to be happy with that. He was down early in the match then the momentum switched sides. You could feel the energy in the gym start to rise. People began getting into the match, cheering his name. Parents were shushing their kids so they could help coach when they were not even sure what he should do. Richey ends up getting a takedown in the final seconds to send the match into overtime. This is where home field advantage come into play. With everybody standing and chanting, he shoots in and gets himself into a scramble. The intensity was unreal. He popped his head out and the ref signaled two. The gym was silent for half a second, then the roof exploded. Every Rockie Wrestler jumped up and fist pumped at least once after that win.

Swim, swam, swum

Alissa Knapp

The swimmers competed at a swim meet at Culver Academy on December 2nd 2017. All the swimmers brought their competitive spirits to the the pool. The girls team placed third with 68 points, while the boys team placed fourth with a score of 56 points. The Diving team for the guys got 2nd. The girls diving team got third overall.

Junior Paige Young participated in two events, the medley relay and the 200 breaststroke relay.

Freshman Ava LoMargo was in the medley relay and 400 free relay.

LoMargo said, “I was not at all nervous because I have been swimming for so long.”

The swimmers had mixed emotions about the invite. Swimmers who were nervous were that way because of the different relays.

Freshman Victoria Vancza said, “As soon as I got in the pool I just swam.”

One swimmer was especially fond of his performance at the invite. Junior Daniel Stauffer said, “I’ve had a lot of improvements happy with swims and looking forward to the rest of the season.”

There next meet will be at Wawasee High School which would be their first meet of the season to earn ribbons on December 14th, 2017 at 5:30.

Mrs. Lori Mclellan

Gabbi Wright

Candy apple red. Warm Summer days. Majestic elephants. Mrs. Lori McClellan has one of the most colorful personalities in Plymouth High School. Mrs. McClellan is a science teacher that teaches Earth space and Integrated Chemistry and Physics. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Science at Indiana University of South Bend and has an Indiana Wesleyan Masters degree. She has also attended Ancilla, IPFW. Mrs. McClellan was a high school student at LaVille High School.

Mrs. McClellan enjoys spending time with her family. She has two sons who have graduated and both live and work in Colorado. She also has a daughter that is enrolled in IUSB. Although, she enjoys the time she gets with her family, she also enjoys many fun activities such as traveling, watching movies, and horseback riding. McClellan has lived in places such as South Bend and Columbia City, but is now settled down in Plymouth with her husband and their dog, Dusty. Students know and love her creativity and fun-loving personality, but she’s no slouch academically.

New Year’s: You Fill In The Blanks!

Samuel Carroll

This past year has been really _(adjective)_. The most _(adjective)_ event was when

_(celebrity)_ whipped out their fidget spinner and said, “_(exclamation)_!” My favorite character

in the best movie of 2017, _(movie title)_, was _(celebrity)_. The best music album came from

_(politician)_ - their number one hit song _(song title)_ is still ringing in my ears. One memory

I’ll never lose is when _(sports team)_ battled _(faculty member)_ to prove their _(noun)_ was

better. Can’t forget New York Times Bestselling author, _(celebrity)_, and the upcoming movie

adaptation to their book, _(verb)_, _(noun)_! There were are least _(number)_ _(plural noun)_

spotted throughout 2017. Well, even though 2017 was very _(adjective)_, I hope 2018 is

extremely _(adjective)_!