By: Nate Jordan

This Tuesday, we had our third annual powderpuff game. It is a fundraiser put on by Mrs. Brooks, and all the proceeds go towards ICAP (Individual Career Acadmeic Plan) and St. Jude’s Children’s Cancer Research. It’s a good way to get the community together and raise money for a good program. With that out of the way, let's talk details. During the powderpuff game, the girls play football, and the boys cheer. The senior group won both competitions. I asked Dean Odom if there were any differences between this years powder puff game and last years game, and he replied “Yes. This year we can win because we’re seniors.” When trying something new, like cheerleading is for Dean, most times is can be difficult at the beginning. But when asked if cheerleading is hard, “No. I’m a natural at it” he replied. Not only can a new activity be difficult, it can be a little nerve wracking. “I expected to definitely be uncomfortable, nervous, and to forget all the dances we had practiced” said Caleb Bridges. He “... always had thought cheerleading was easy until we had practiced a few days and i still did not have any of the cheers memorized. Especially for everyone to be on cue & to hear the leader over all the crowd noise”. Both Caleb and Dean agree that Ben Campbell was the best cheerleader, due to his ability to do stunts and the fact that he can go all out with lipstick and a ponytail.

By: Tyler Baker

Children's shows have come a long way since old Mickey Mouse cartoons and the Looney Tunes. Shows like Tom and Jerry still play to this day. All around the world parents entertain their children with moving images we’ve all come to know and love as television. What started off as paying an “arm and a leg” to watch Family Feud is now as simple as clicking a button on your tv and choosing your preferred streaming service. With TV being so easily accessible, these younger generations practically grew up in front of a TV. Whether it be PBS Kids, Nick Jr, or Disney Junior, most parents sat by and enjoyed the peace and quiet of their distracted child. There are many different mediums to children's television as well as a wide range of targeted audiences. Each children's television network is known for different things like, Cartoon Network being notorious for its crude, quirky humor, or nickelodeon's coin for the silly outlandish adventures of young people, and Disney was once known for its take on the ventures of high school and animation following very different niches. Just about every child, especially in America, can name a couple of shows from a TV network. The television network that a person watched as a child says a lot about their personality now, some would even argue that you can figure it out just by looking at them. See a person whose hair color changes every other week and prides themselves on knowing niche ’90s grunge bands? Most likely they watched Cartoon Network. The teacher's pet who wears skinny jeans and vans just about every day, good chance they spent their days on the Disney channel, the kid who wore basketball shorts on picture day? Most definitely watched nickelodeon, Nicktoons, nick at night, teen nick, and can quote every line from Sanjay and Craig. Can’t forget the wildcard the kids who simply knew what they liked and watched TV based on the shows they enjoyed and not by channel. You can see them now enjoying life with a very broad music taste and impeccable fashion sense who's liked by everybody. Lastly, the kids liked by no one. The kids who watched tv with their dad and grew up on the history channel, getting their whole personality from shows like Duck Dynasty, Pawn Stars, and American Pickers. You can find them now on Instagram with their profile picture being the latest fish they caught, along with a quote from the Bible that they most likely know nothing about. Before getting mad and you start to call this article biased that’s correct it is get over it.

By Eli Solomon

Vampires are pretty cool, they can turn into bats, they live in big castles, and they even play baseball sometimes. Now imagine a vampire that can't do anything cool at all. That’s the basic plot of the 2022 movie Morbius. Morbius is a 2022 “action-adventure” movie starring Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jarred Harris, Al Madrigal, and Tyrese Gibson. The film is about Dr. Michael Morbius, a doctor of science with a rare blood disease that he cures by using vampire bat blood. But that somehow gives him vampire powers. Then after 30 minutes of nothing, the film decides it should be a superhero movie so this guy named Milo (Side note: the only reason I remember his name is because when I watched it with a friend he asked me “is this guy's name Murphy?” five minutes after they introduced him) and he gets vampire powers too and then they have a fight that was 75% slow-mo and 25% shaky cam. They tried to do something interesting when he first became a vampire with him trying to overcome his desire for blood, but they never fully develop this concept which is a shame because if that was the main focus of the movie it would have been more interesting. The worst thing about Morbius is that it’s just boring; the actors all do their jobs just fine, it’s shot well enough, it’s only a little over an hour and thirty minutes so it doesn’t feel like it’s wasting your time, it’s all just so meh. I could waste my time writing snide remarks and nitpicking this movie to death but I won’t, all you need to know is that Morbius is the worst kind of movie of all, a boring one.

By: Kimi Morales

Fine arts is a field of creativity, a place where an image or person can be given character and color. It allows all forms of art, particularly visual art, to be brought to life. The main fields are painting, sculpture, architecture, music, and poetry. Performing arts include theatre and dance. As of 2020, there are 48,200 possible jobs in the fine arts field. All combined, an average salary of $70k can be acquired.

What all is possible with a fine arts degree? You could become an artist or an illustrator, develop softwares, a photographer always on the go or working for a big magazine, help create the blueprint of a building, or release commercials or films. The possibilities go on for a long time, and the arts shouldn’t be underestimated. Names like Kristin Chenoweth, Adam Sandler, John Legend, and Freddie Mercury all have degrees in the arts.

People often look at those in sports or the medical field as more successful. Teens who choose the arts as a career often hear “you won’t survive with that job,” or “you aren’t making the right decision,” and instantly drop their dream. However, that shouldn’t be the case. People working on their art major, musical theatre major, and dance major are examples of a crowd that gets shut down by their parents. Most importantly, they believe they wont give themselves a stable platform.

This generation is led by devices that hold the history of the entire world with just a few clicks. Anything and everything can be looked for with just typing into the keyboard. With just pressing the record button, filming your work, and publishing it to the internet, you could build yourself a platform and give yourself a name over time. Don’t believe me? What are you reading this on?

By: Nate Jordan

Legacy. Everyone leaves one. Whether it’s good or bad, that’s for you to decide. I think we can all agree that we’d like to leave a good legacy. We don’t want to be remembered for the bad things we did or how badly we treated people. We would like to be remembered for our accomplishments and for treating others with respect and kindness. I caught up with seniors Brett Hoffman and Emily Teague to ask them some questions about the legacy they want to leave. Brett Hoffman said, “that it is okay to be kind to people and treat others with respect, also to support others and help lift them up”. When asked about what kind of legacy he wants to leave, he said “Hopefully, they remember me as a good leader who worked diligently on showing others how they should lead and not follow the pattern of unfit leadership”, but Emily Teague wants to “Leave a legacy of success. I want others to look at me, and what I managed to accomplish, and realize they can do anything if they only have the drive and will to rise above what they previously thought possible”. When asked about what legacy means to her, Emily believes “A legacy is something that guides others. An example of how someone paved a path so deeply, that it’s able to lead even more people in that same direction”. I agree with Emily on this one. When people realize how you ended up and the steps you took to get there, they will almost kind of follow in your footsteps because they want to be like you. That is why leaving a good legacy is a great way to encourage people to accomplish their goals, chase their dreams, and always do the right thing even in a difficult situation.

By Eli Solomon

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is the newest entry in the Sonic movie franchise. Sonic has been collecting rings and breaking the sound barrier since 1991. He’s been the star of multiple video games and has even been a balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (something a certain plumber hasn’t done) and now he’s made the transition from the arcade cabinet to the big screen. This time around Sonic and his new friend Tails go on a globe-trotting adventure to find a mystical emerald before the nefarious Dr. Robotnik and his mysterious new partner Knuckles. Now this movie is geared toward a younger audience but there is still something here for everyone. As a fan of the Sonic franchise, it was neat to see how well elements from the games translated to live-action. My favorite thing about this movie is the characters. Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) is our fast-talking, fun-loving, chili dog-eating hero, and the standout is Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) he’s an alien warrior that’s always serious and always focused on completing his mission of acquiring the Master Emerald, juxtaposed with Sonic’s carefree attitude, he has some of the funniest moments in the movie. Overall Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is a fun adventure for the whole family that can be enjoyed by fans of the games and casual viewers alike.

By Tyler Baker

Marvel is showing a well-deserved representation of lesser-known characters in its Cinematic universe by first adding all of the Marvel Netflix original series to Disney plus as well as working on multiple mini-series for multiple characters such as Loki, Hawkeye, Falcon, and the Winter Soldier as well as Wanda and Vision, and most recently Moon Knight. Moon knight is currently on a weekly release schedule of six episodes each around 40 minutes long. Behind the mask, there's more than meets the eye; for most heroes they only protect one secret identity. Moon knight is far different. Under the mask lies multiple personalities. Moonknight’s main host is Mark Spector, a lethal trained assassin but, inside Mark lie two other personalities, Steven Grant whose rich and funds moon knight’s crusades, as well as Jake Lockley, a cab driver, who’s good at picking up intel from off the street. Mark Spector has Dissociative Identity Disorder, meaning in reaction to trauma, Mark fabricated different people inside his head to avoid certain memories and now he ventures out on the streets of New York as the Egyptian moon god Khonshu’s avatar delivering “true justice”. Khonshu has been described as “the god of vengeance”. He shares the same powers as any god apart from the Ennead. (Egyptian group of nine gods) As Khonshu’s avatar, Mark is very powerful. Even though he’s viewed as a street-level hero, he’s more powerful than almost all of the avengers. He has enhanced strength and can deplete his opponent's life force through physical contact as well as absorb the power of others. He once overpowered Thor by controlling his hammer, since it's made of a moon rock called Uru. His powers grow stronger with the different phases of the moon and reach their peak during the full moon. Moon knight is a very underrated character and is now getting well-deserved praise due to being put under the spotlight thanks to Disney plus. Don't hesitate to tune in on Wednesdays for a new episode.

By: Eli Solomon

Have you ever had a celebrity crush? How far did you take it? Did you watch every movie they were in, listen to all their songs, or have a poster of them on your wall? If so you may have had a parasocial relationship. This type of relationship is a one-sided connection where one person will give time, interest, and emotional energy, while the other party is completely unaware of their existence. These types of relationships are often held with actors, musicians, pro athletes, and even YouTubers. Some notable examples of parasocial relationships are Elvis attracting screaming crowds in the ’50s, the rise of Beatlemania in the ’60s, and more recently with the “Bieber Fever” outbreak of the late 00s. We live in the age of social media and now have more access to our celebrity idols than ever. With this access comes the gift of knowing exactly what Talyor Swift had for breakfast, and with media sharing platforms such as Youtube and TikTok now anybody with a phone can gain a cult following. A parasocial relationship is more than just being a fan of a celebrity, it means actively following every aspect of said celebrity’s life. Some people will spend hours of their day thinking about how many times Tom Holland sneezed last month. Now believe it or not some experts say having a parasocial relationship may have some positive effects on the obsesser, it helps build self-esteem and gives the party a sense of belonging, but it can also lead to them taking their celebrity ignoring them as a personal attack. Look, having a favorite celebrity is perfectly normal but just don’t do anything too goofy and camp outside their house, alright?

Are you acting goofy? Teenagers using vape products are falling into the corruption of companies who target teens for profit. Marketing toward younger people and using their feeling of “invincibility” to an advantage profiting off the ignorance of teens. People buying into this industry are nothing more than a number on a spreadsheet giving money to fallacious corporations. These companies avoid tobacco taxes to cut costs and dodge algorithms used by online retailers to ensure products are being sold to legal-aged adults. “E-cigarette suppliers can go into business easily: They contract with a manufacturer in China, set up a website, and get space in a warehouse to store and ship devices. They use shell companies and can quickly withdraw the profits if they face scrutiny. It’s a whack-a-mole situation,” said Samantha Shusterman, a senior counsel supervising e-cigarette enforcement for the Massachusetts attorney general’s office. Companies have started to switch out one of the main ingredients: switching to unregulated synthetic nicotine instead of using plant-derived nicotine allows them to dodge F.D.A. oversight sales of synthetic nicotine skyrocketed from 2020 to present-day it went from essentially nothing to being in two-thirds of vape shops. Now they make up about 20 percent of sales, according to ECigIntelligence. The U.S. vape market online sales would reach nearly $6 billion as of 2021. Vaping started as a way for smokers could slowly ease away from their addiction by decreasing nicotine intake but is now used heavily by teens who are harming their bodies by intaking unnecessary chemicals vaping coats the lungs with potentially harmful chemicals. E-liquid concoctions usually include some mix of flavorings, aromatic additives, and nicotine or THC, dissolved in an oily liquid base. “We think that some of the vaporized elements of the oil are getting deep down into the lungs and causing an inflammatory response,” says Johns Hopkins lung cancer surgeon Stephen Broderick. Vaping is nothing but harmful to teens. What was originally a tool to fight addiction is now a mascot of corporate greed and the heights corporations are willing to go just for a profit.

By: Nate Jordan

Baseball season is underway, and this week is the county tournament. I caught up with some players to ask them about their record, what they are seeded in the tournament, and their expectations and goals for the rest of the season.

On a normal day, the Pirate’s average practice contains “lots of hard work and preparation for our next game” said senior Brett Hoffman. Currently, their record in districts is 6-1, but overall their record is 9-7. Hopefully, they can add a few more to the win column after this week. I asked Holden Mattox what his goals were for the season, and he stated “We have gotten better at pitching and hitting and some goals for the rest of the season are to keep improving, win districts, win regionals and make it to state.” Last year, the Pirates went 27-12, and they have been state quarterfinalists 5 years straight. When asked about some of the team's struggles and strengths, coach Dill said “Pitching is young and improving each time out. We have swung the bats well and we have really good offensive numbers. The regional tournament is what the team is really looking forward to and anticipating. The leaders on the team would have to be the seniors. ¨Caden Fox, Ben Brooks, Braden Knight, and Brett Hoffman are great leaders on and off the field.” Dill says ¨We have a really good group of freshmen this year and we have been playing 3 or 4 of them each game. They are getting a great experience.¨

Regarding the county tournament, the Pirates played Leflore on Tuesday and won. They played against Wister on Wednesday night, but could not pull it out in a close 5-6 loss. Today they play Panama at 2, and a win will send them to another game at 6.

By: Kimi Morales

If you want to talk about strong streaks, let’s mention choir’s. Poteau Choir qualified for state for their 34th year in a row! With 68 members, the sections that competed on April 1st were Mixed Choir and Treble Choir. This year the choir didn’t have enough for a Tenor/Bass Choir to compete. However, the choir didn’t fall apart. Treble Choir earned straight 1s in both singing and sight reading, while Mixed received 2s.

“Poteau has received MANY superior ratings at State Contest but we don’t have a steady streak like we do at the district level.” Director Mrs. Smedley shares. “In my 14 years here I believe we have had 9 superior ratings at state for treble choir.”

Solos and Ensembles have yet to compete and will do so on April 22nd.This year's last performance will be the Spring Concert on May 9th. With a slideshow of pictures, bios, and handing down of robes, seniors will be saying goodbye to PHS Choir. Come out to support your choir on their final performance!

By Tyler Baker

The long-lasting argument of fiction is about to get longer. The “ageless battle” of Marvel vs DC comics has been talked about in classrooms, living rooms, grocery stores, and even funerals. In terms of fiction, anything is possible. Both Marvel and DC have been pushing the limits of the imagination for decades now with notorious heroes recognizable around the globe. Just about anyone knows who flies around in the sky boasting an “S” on his chest just as you see children pretending to stick to walls like Spider-Man or shoot repulsor blasts like Iron Man. Although these heroes are a lot more than just pretend, within each character lies another story: a unique origin responsible for their choices to be a hero or a villain. Almost every hero was shown the evils of the world and chose to fight it with help of their loved ones fighting beside them. The lessons and morals they taught a notorious parallel between the hero and villain dynamic is a timeless tale of a battle of morals, not of strength. What's a hero without a villain, a lost archetype of hope and misjudged sense of justice. Marvel, as well as DC, have been pushing the limits of their heroes in their own unique way. What makes a hero for batman was the murder of his parents which led him to see darkness in the world before he could see the light that shines through. DC has done a great job of perpetuating why Batman does what he does. Bruce Wayne is not Batman, Batman is Bruce Wayne. What keeps Batman going? How does one keep playing cat and mouse and think he's making a difference? Batman and the Joker are one of the most well-known hero and villain stories in fiction and have been done, redone, and reiterated in every way imaginable. Just as Spider-Man learned that with great power comes great responsibility from the death of his Uncle Ben, each hero has a unique reason why they fight, and it can’t be boiled down to grown men in tights. DC has more recently been seen as a darker, more grown-up teller of stories. Due to the differences in the media produced by DC and Marvel that aren’t comics, Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is one of the most elaborate film franchises in the entertainment industry taking inspiration from hundreds of comic runs telling stories of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. DC is notorious for its many animated series of multiple heroes. These publishers have been putting smiles on children’s and adults’ faces for generations and can’t be compared; only appreciated. Therefore, leaving the “ageless battle” pointless.

By: Kimi Morales

“The Other Room” is a one-act play directed by Heather Slater. It’s about a brilliant teenage astronmer named Austin who just happens to have autism. When he encounters his popular classmate, Lily, played by Ameria Daugherty, and learns of their shared love for astronomy, his misunderstood mind is revealed through four characters: Donovan, Talbott, Nick, and Christian. He meets Travis – Lily’s macho boyfriend – played by Bictoria Castillo, after things escalate in a complicated way. With a pinch of comedy, heartbreak, and intelligence, we get a glimpse into the inner world that is Austin’s. In the original production, Austin is portrayed as a male character. However, PHS casted Madison Skinner to play Austin instead.

The four characters that represent Austin’s mind are broken down into fragments of his imagination. Donovan, played by Jace Bandy, is an unkempt professor that’s over-the-top and intelligent, often bumping heads with Christian. Talbott, played by Darrel Richmond, is a straight-forward aircraft pilot who knows his facts very well. Nick, played by Kimi Morales, is an outgoing, streetwise kid that tries to bring balance to Austin’s mind. Finally, Christian, played by Kanyon Seegmiller, is a reserved Oxford student that tends to argue with all of Donovan's opinions.

One should watch with a mature eye. This show is filled with love from all cast members and the director. They’re more than excited to share this story with the world. Don’t miss the performance on March 30th at 7pm in the 7th & 8th grade center.

By Eli Solomon

After five years and one pandemic, the caped-crusader is back on the big screen. The Batman is the newest addition to the beloved character’s extensive filmography. Directed by Matt Reeves ( Cloverfield, War for the Planet of the Apes) and starring Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Wright, and Andy Serkis. The film follows a young Bruce Wayne in his second year of being Batman, as he follows a series of murders that lead him down a trail of corruption and riddles. The Batman is not a typical superhero movie; it's more of a mystery-thriller. Robert Pattinson is the latest actor to take on the cowl, and he does a superb job. Not only did he pull off fighting and the mannerisms of the character he brought out Batman's analytical side, really making you believe that he was the world’s greatest detective. He also has a really nice heart-to-heart moment with Alfred (Serkis). This movie somehow made the Riddler intimidating. Instead of just some dork in a flashy green suit, he is reimaged into a Zodiac Killer-Esque nutcase that puts his victims in death traps. There are parts in here that seem like a Saw movie, so hats off to Paul Dano for pulling that off. I was surprised by how much I liked Commissioner Gorden (Wright). He serves as the Watson to Batman’s Sherlock, and it's a really cool dynamic to see and makes the character more interesting in my opinion. By far my favorite character was The Penguin (Farrell), he was a gross sleazy slimeball of a man and it was great. Every line out his mouth was pure gold. Catwoman was also a major character in this story, Zoë Kravitz really committed to the choreography during the fights and she had good chemistry with Rob’s Batman (or Battison if you will). Overall, The Batman was a fricken sweet mystery thriller with great action, interesting reimaginings of classic characters, and a-rockin’ score by Michael Giacchino. This is the first superhero movie in a while that had made me want more. So, in conclusion, Warner Bros– Please cast me as Robin in the sequel.

Next week is Spring Break. That means most students will stay in bed for 9 days and be dragging themselves to school that following Monday. But there is also a good chunk of students who travel and go on vacation, whether that’s with their family or their friends. I had the opportunity to ask some students, as well as a teacher, where they will be going and what they will be doing over this wonderful Spring Break.

Some students like Lexi Fitzpatrick aren’t going too far but are focusing on family. “I am going to Tahlequah to stay with my cousins and grandma.” If she could go anywhere in the world over Spring Break, she would go to “...Colorado because I have never been and it seems really fun to ski or snowboard and the scenery is really pretty.” Freshman Westin Archey will be going to Florida. Sophomore Parker Patterson is staying home, but she wishes she could be in Colorado skiing. I asked each of these people which break throughout the year was their favorite, and I had two different responses. Parker and Westin both said Christmas Break because it is the longest one throughout the school year. But Lexi said, “Summer break because we are out for so long and my family goes to the beach for summers and I love the beach, and I don't have to do any school work all summer long and I have nothing to worry about.” One thing all these students had in common was the fact that they wished Spring Break was longer. I mean, don’t we all?

Some people may think teachers spend spring break polishing their grade books, but many use it as a chance to take once-in-a-lifetime trips. Mr. Brennan was excited to share his plans. “I am going to Europe. I'll be traveling through the Netherlands and France. I'll spend most of my time in Paris where I'll get to take tours and learn French history including Louis XIV, the French Revolution and Napoleon, and much more. So I'm really excited about that. I'll finish the trip with a marathon in Paris that goes from Versailles Palace to the Eiffel Tower.” I think we can all agree that Mr. Brennan is definitely having the best Spring Break. If he could go anywhere in the world, Mr. Brennan would “go everywhere. There's so much to see in this world and so little time. I suppose the places I'm really interested in are places that will be difficult for me to see. I hope to travel throughout much of the world before I die but places like Antarctica, Patagonia, and more remote places on Earth might be too expensive or too difficult to see.” Lastly, I asked him what his favorite Spring Break memory was. “My favorite spring break memory is when I found tickets from Dallas to Helsinki, Finland for $335 and took the whole family. We saw Helsinki, Berlin, and London in one week. It was a bit like the TV show the Amazing Race because we were going non-stop. It was somewhat spontaneous and a memory we will share forever.”

Now let’s talk about ME. I am going to a small resort in Colorado called Crested Butte. My family and some friends are going to rent a cabin and we’re going to ride the slopes all day. It is going to be a grand ‘ole time. I hope everyone enjoys their spring break.

The 2022 track season has started and it's looking good for Poteau. This season is shaping up to be an interesting one. “I’m excited. We have a good group of hard-working athletes and will be attending some very competitive meets this season,” says distance track coach Matt Aguero.

The Pirates will be attending their first meet of the season in Van Buren on Friday, March 4th. Poteau will be competing against previous track coach Billy Bond who now coaches at Van Buren. According to coach Aguero, Poteau will do well in sprints as well as field events. “We have a well-rounded team. The goal is to get as many runners to state as possible. I have my eyes on every athlete on the team. To be as competitive as I want us to be, we need every athlete to reach their full potential.” This year, Poteau has strong runners all around including sophomore Caleb Andrews who is pumped to start the season “I’m feeling good. You know we have a lot of new runners and I think we will be better this year than we were last year. I have my eyes on Dax Collins and Brooklyn Garner. Last year they both went to state in single-person races and were pretty good and hopefully they’ve gotten faster." Although he is excited about this upcoming season there is some uncertainty when it comes to being an underclassman on a team this strong. “I am sort of comfortable with my performance because I know I have some more years to get better and last year went to state in the 4x100 as an alternate and as a freshman.” Good luck this season Pirates!

By Eli Solomon

National FFA Week was a few weeks ago, and our chapter at PHS celebrated by hosting several events on campus to engage students and help out the community. These events included a scavenger hunt around campus, a teacher appreciation dinner, and goat yoga. They also started a canned food drive. Another way they’ve helped the community was by volunteering to monitor the creek water in Bill J. Barber Park. “Part of FFA is community service, and a section of that is environmental causes”, Mrs. Shipman explained. The natural resources class started preparing for this project about a month ago by watching videos about how to properly clean the creek. They tested the water for chemical contamination, checked the oxygen levels, and cleaned up the general area. Sophomore Lawson Akers was pleased to report “ Our creek is actually one of the cleanest around the area.” Another part of this activity was starting a water bug collection. The purpose of the collection was to see what type of bugs lay their larva in the creek. That may sound weird but it goes back to testing the pollution of the creek. Because some species of bugs lay their larva in clean water and others lay their larvae in dirty water. The FFA program makes many contributions to our community and our school and often goes unrecognized, but we really appreciate them!

By: Kimi Morales

EMMA! A Pop Musical is an upcoming musical directed by Alisha Smedley. “It’s about high school student Emma who is a self-proclaimed matchmaker. She tries to set people up but instead causes a mess,” Mrs. Smedley describes. It’s based on the novel of the same name by Jane Austen. It will premiere at the Reynolds center’s Black Box on February 24th at 7pm. If you can’t make it to premiere night, do not fear! The production will run through the 25th and 26th at 7pm, and 27th at 2pm.

You may be asking, “Why should I watch EMMA?” This musical is set apart from the rest due to the amount of dancing that will be shown. Many choreographers played a part in the show including students Aidan Falkner, Sadie Perkin, and Livia Campbell. You can’t miss out on a few teachers like Katie Hopper, Mary-lynn Perkin, and Tom Brennan making an appearance while playing roles in the show.

“This musical would be the result you’d get if you made a mashup of Clueless and Glee,” Mrs. Smedley laughs out. “What sticks out to me the most is the dancing, and that we made double castings. About six girls are currently learning two parts.” This is the first high school production to be displayed at the Reynolds center. Don’t miss out on the experience that is EMMA!

By Tyler Baker

Kallen Ramirez is a PHS sophomore. He drives a 2012 Ford F-150 EcoBoost that he inherited from his mother. “We’ve had this truck since 2014. I've only recently had it for a couple of months.” In what ways do you make this truck yours? “Oh, I’m gonna put a hula girl in it” He spends most of his time in his truck on trips to Arkansas for work. In the front seat there were essentially only two things present; Little Debbie donuts and headphones. The donuts he said were a friends that they just left in there and the headphones he uses while working. When I opened the rear door on the driver's side I saw a spray bottle of scent killer. What's this I asked. “Oh, that's like for hunting, it gets rid of your scent”. Do you like hunting? “Eh, not really the spray is my mom's, I just haven't really taken it out. I also have a broken mirror over here.” Did you hit someone? “No actually one day I was in fort smith with my mom and there was this biker dude he started cussing us out and came from behind and punched the mirror.” Do you like driving.” Yes and no I hate driving Because the cost and it gets uncomfortable, and I like the freedom of being able to play music. Who's your favorite artist? “Joji gotta love that sad e-boy music,” he said jokingly. If you could pick one genre to listen to, what would it be? “Hip-hop for sure it’s just a major influence on everything I’m about” he often goes to Fort Smith to the mall and “hits up Fried Rice 2 on Towson It’s really good El Super Taco is to there’s so much good stuff on Towson if I’m not at the mall I’m in Charleston chilling with the homies or cleaning In Fort Smith working.”

By Eli Solomon

What if everyone in your family had powers but you didn’t? Well, that’s the case for Mirable Madrigal in Encanto. Encanto is Disney’s newest animated movie. It follows the Madrigal family, a family that was gifted a magic candle that grants each member of the family a special power or “gift” as they're referred to in the movie, and it also provided them with a magical house. For example, there’s Pepa who can control the weather, Luisa who has super strength, Antonio who can talk to animals, and Bruno (let’s not talk about Bruno). The first thing I noticed about the movie was how well-animated the movie is. All of the locations, but especially the Casita (their house), are really nice to look at. The amount of neat little sight gags and action they pull off with the concept of a living house is really commendable. Another thing I’d like to talk about is the musical numbers. Now I’m not the biggest fan of musicals, but Encato’s musical numbers are really fun to watch, and it helps that the songs are really good. “We don’t talk about Bruno” is the runaway hit of the film, topping the charts multiple weeks in a row, and it’s a fun song. Personally, “Surface Pressure” and “Waiting on a Miracle” are my favorites. Overall Encanto is a fun movie about family and living up to the expectations of others.

By: Kimi Morales

Julie Marvin has worked for Poteau schools for 16 years. She is the Johnson O’Malley (JOM) Student Academic Adviser and the facilitator for the Choctaw language program. She’s had this position for the last 6 years. Julie helps out with ACT testing, scholarships/grants, higher education and career paths, driver’s ed, tech expenses, etc. Although her job mainly centers around Native American students, she enjoys helping students from all backgrounds fund their future.

Julie has two children; her son is in the oil industry, and her daughter is a recent OSU graduate. Her favorite snack is chips and salsa with a Coca-Cola on crushed ice. If she could be anywhere in the world, she’d choose the beach. Every beach is her favorite.

By: Kaylee Rorabaugh

So I raided sophomore Haven Ross’s car. Haven is sixteen years old and got her first car. It’s a 2021 black Nissan Sentra, and was love at first sight. She has had her car for about three months. Haven spends a lot of time in her car and cleans it often. She eats out every school day with her boyfriend, junior Joseph Marcaurelle. Haven and Joseph have been dating for over a year. Some of Haven’s favorite genres too are sad and pop. When I was raiding her car I didn’t find anything really crazy but here is a list of what I found. First, I found a bag full of trash in her car door, change, two flannels, a case of water, a pic of her and her boyfriend on her dashboard, and a blanket. She has a bag of trash because that is better than having it all over her car floor which makes sense. She has two flannels in her car because she’s the wrestling manager/ water girl and she doesn’t want to sweat even more, but they are her boyfriend’s flannels “he uses my car as his own personal closet”, she said. When I saw the case of water it didn’t really look weird because it’s normal to have water but she just forgot to take in the whole case. I found a blanket that was from football games but it is still in her car. This seems a little lazy to me. There wasn’t that much in her car or anything too crazy. Haven loves being the wrestling manager/ water girl because she gets to watch her boyfriend. She was also a water girl for football. Haven is also one of my friends and I got lucky that I got to raid someone’s car that I know.

By: Nate Jordan

Calloway Warren is a sophomore at PHS. He drives a 2012 Dodge Ram 1500. His parents surprised him with it on his 15th birthday. When it comes to other drivers, Calloway’s biggest pet peeve is “not using blinkers when you turn.” The first thing I found in the back of Calloway’s truck was a pair of camo Crocs. Do you like to hunt? “Yes. I hunt just about everything there is. Dove, deer, duck, turkey, hogs, squirrels, rabbits, you name it.” When asked if he eats what he kills, he replied “ yes we do.” The next thing I noticed in Calloway’s truck was also in the back seat. I found a red New Balance shoe box. I asked him what kind of shoes he got. “ I got baseball shoes.” Why do you play baseball? “I’ve played baseball ever since I was little. It’s my favorite sport and It has always just been really fun.” Calloway does not have a favorite Major League Baseball team, but his favorite player is Ozzie Smith. He has a lot of baseball hats on his dashboard. His favorite one is “the Bass Pro one just because I really like it.” Hanging from the rearview mirror in Calloway’s truck is a hog tusk and a “smell good thingy to keep my truck smelling good.” As anyone who drives a truck knows, they get dirty. Calloway gets his truck “dirty and muddy from hunting.” One of the best ways to keep your interior clean is to have a good set of floor mats. Calloway’s floor mats have a fleur-de-lis, which is NFL’s New Orleans Saints’ Logo. This is his favorite NFL football team. He has been to one game, where they played the Kansas City Chiefs and lost. In the midst of writing this article, Calloway’s truck broke and he had to convert to his hunting vehicle. His “new” car is an old GMC Yukon. It is a rich burgundy color. He has to drive this Yukon because his “CV axel boot busted and water, snow, and mud went up in there and messed it up."

By: Kimi Morales

Tonya Chavez has taught for a total of 20 years; her first 13 being in Texas, and the remaining 7 at Poteau. She is an ESL Teacher at both the high school and the 7th and 8th grade center, and teaches Computer Apps 1 at PHS. She has three children; the oldest is a senior, her son is a freshman, and her youngest is in 7th grade.

During her free time, she watches movies with her kids. She sells jewelry as her side business, so she stays busy. She loves going back home to see her family and wishes she could see them more.

By: Kimi Morales

Sandra Lum has worked at Poteau Public Schools for 28 years. She was a secretary for the first 14 years, and a school counselor for the rest at Poteau High School. Sandra currently works as a District LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) for Pre-K - 12th grade, and teaches Criminology Online for juniors and seniors at Poteau High School. She has three sons and three wonderful grandchildren that she likes to spend time with.

When she was a kid, Sandra thought she’d be an accountant, but found out she liked working with students rather than numbers. Her go-to snacks are popcorn, kit-kats, and trail mix.

Tana Weaver is the special education life, transition skills, and special olympic coach. Mrs.Weaver has been teaching at Poteau for seventeen years. She volunteered for Special Olympics for twenty-three years, which takes up most of her free time. She provides opportunities for the Poteau Special Olympic Athletes to compete in sports like football, basketball, cornhole, e-sports, bocce, powerlifting, and track & field.

She also taught at Upper Elementary, Pansy Kidd, and high school. Mrs. Weaver married Randy Weaver. They have five children, sixteen grandchildren, four dogs, and six cats. In her spare time, she enjoys pond fishing, making crafts, and riding roller coasters.

By: Kimi Morales

Nikki Cruse teaches junior English, Journalism, and Reading for pleasure at Poteau High School. Nikki taught the exact same things at Heavener High School for twelve years, transferred to Poteau, and has been teaching there for two years, which makes a total of 14 years of teaching. She only has a daughter.

If Nikki could trade lives with anyone on this planet, she’d choose any of the Kardashians to avoid washing her hair on her own and to be rich. She loves to read and read over 175 books in 2021. The last great book she read was called “You’d Be Home Now,” by Kathleen Glasgow.

By Eli Solomon

Kymber Hinson is a junior at Poteau High School. She is the proud owner of a 2014 red Kia Soul. She has had it for about a year and three months, and she was drawn to it because “it was cheap, basically brand new.” The first thing I noticed when I opened the passenger side door was her letterman jacket. When asked about the symbols on her letterman she explained that she was in track during her freshman year. She was also on the wrestling team in freshman year , and she is now the team manager. She played softball from middle school to freshman year. She is currently on the dance team. She keeps her dance bag and uniform in her trunk. She has been on the dance team since her freshman year. Her favorite parts of being on the dance team are “getting to go dance on the sidelines at football games with my team and the team bonding retreat where we go camping at Broken Bow.” Wrapped around the gear shift is a cheetah print scrunchie she got from one of her friends on the dance team during Secret Santa. In the cup holder is a bottle of Bikini Body tanning lotion. “I usually go to Family Fitness to tan.” She enjoys going to the beach. Her favorite trip to the beach was when she and her friends went to the Gulf Shores last year. Minted to her dashboard is a phone holder that she use to listen to music. Her favorite songs to listen to while driving are “Dance Her Home” by Cody Johnson, “Feathered Indians” by Tyler Childers, and “Tie Me Down” by Talyor Hobrock. After investigating the front seat I then move on to the back seats of the car. When I opened the side door I was greeted by a purple notebook laying across the back passenger seat. What’s with the purple notebook? “That’s my notebook for precalculus at the KTC.'' Why did you take precalc?. “I took it because it was the next math class I could take.''In the side of her car door was a cup from Raising Cane's. Do you get Raising Cane's often? “Not often, it’s more like a special treat.”On the floorboard, under a styrofoam cup from an unknown restaurant was a pair of Birkenstocks. So are Birkenstocks your favorite brand of shoe? ”Yeah, right now I’m wearing an off-brand pair.” Lastly, I asked a question any driver would be happy to answer: What’s your biggest driving pet peeve? All she had to say was “Slow drivers”.

Caleb Bridges is a junior at PHS. He plays football and power lifts. He is involved in FCCLA, as well as his youth group at Cross Community Church. When asked why he plays football, he said, “I like football because you get to run around and hit people for fun. You get really close with the whole team and enjoy being around everyone. You get pushed to be a better person and not to quit when things get tough. Football means getting to spend time with my friends. Working hard together and forming a brother-type bond with each other. Football is fun and important to me even though I don’t get to play very much. But when you do get the chance to go in the game with your brothers, you make the most of it. But more importantly, you have fun and make memories.” When asked about the biggest influence in his life, Caleb replied, “The biggest influence in my life would be my dad. I’ve always looked up to him since I was young and always wanted to be like him. He is a really hard worker and knows how to do almost anything. I would like to become an electrician when I get older, and he has helped me with what I need to become one because he was a lineman. He has guided me and taught me my whole life how to grow up and be able to take care of myself and my own family when I am older.” His greatest achievement is “surviving a mission trip to West Virginia and overcoming my fear of hillbillies. In the future, I would love to go back to West Virginia and I would also like to become an electrician and start my own business.”

By: Kimi Morales

What do you value most in life? "My family. Family is the most important thing to me in life. My family consists of my Mom, Grandma, my little sister, and my four little brothers. I am the oldest sibling. They are the reason I keep going. They motivate me to not give up and to push on. For a while, I had no intentions of going to college or having any sort of career once I finished high school. I was able to put myself back on track after doing some digging with friends, whom I also consider family." How do they impact your life? "I decided that I’m planning to enter the military. The National Guard branch to be more precise. When I’m in boot camp, having a hard time going through things, they will be the reason I succeed and push through the trails and tasks that I need to complete. I want to see their smiles at my graduation as I enter the first step into adulthood, I want to see their smiles when I come back from my service, I want to see their smiles when I complete a difficult task, and more. They have always been my motivation to get through the day. Of course, when you’re with the people you love the most for long periods of time, they can start to grow annoying, but when you’re gone for what feels like eternity, all you wish for is that long period of time. You start to yearn for their presence, even if they’re aggravating. I know that I’ll miss out on a lot when I’m gone to complete my service, but the stories they’ll tell, the accomplishments they’ll brag about, everything that helped them grow into the beautiful people they will be, it will be worth it. It’s always an amazing feeling to see the progress they make to better themselves. They encourage me to better myself, and I’m able to see myself as more than just a person. I’m very thankful for them.”

By: Kimi Morales

Catherine “Katie” Hopper is an Art teacher at Poteau High School. Starting her job in Poteau in 2009, she’s been teaching for 13 years. Outside of teaching, she spends her time with friends, at home with her pets, (four cats and two dogs,) and she likes texting Stefany Snipes things that make her reply with her name in full shock. Every now and then, she’ll go on car rides and bring along special guests that vary from her pets to family members. She usually goes on car rides with her white 2015 Ford Escape, which I was able to climb in for a quick exploration.

The first thing you see when you step in from the passenger side is the bracelets around the gearshift. If you don't look closely, you’d think they’re earrings because of the big hoops she often wears for her signature look. “I wear all kinds of bracelets every day. I like the jingle of them. I take them off after the day and leave them there for the next.” Hopper’s fashion tends to vary between colors, layers, glasses, jewelry, and crocs. “You know I keep that thang on me,” She said.

You’ll also notice the salt crackers on the seat and along the carpet on the floor. “The crackers are for my mom when we go to the duck pond. She’s obsessed. Emphasis on obsessed.” Hopper says, eyes growing big. “We know every duck that hangs out there. Except for the new pelican. Mom hasn’t named him yet.”

In the middle compartment in between the front seats is a bag of dog treats. “I often take my dogs on car rides to pick up food or just to drive. They love it,” Hopper smiles. Her dogs are small, usually in costume or in some sort of sweater.

Lastly, in the back seat of the car, there is a huge accordion folder. At first glance, it looks like a big scrapbook or photo album. “I keep it there for my bills. It’s easy to just grab from behind me and get the job done,” Hopper explains. “I call it an ADHD hack. Welcome to ‘ADHD Hacks With Hopper!”

By Eli Solomon

Everyone has had a hero at some point in their life. It might have been a parent, a teacher, or even a fictional character. You may have looked up to them because of how brave they were, what they accomplished, or just how they treated other people. I asked my good friend sophomore Killion Barnes about his hero. He replied, “for a long time it was this guy named Andrew Ellis but for even longer it’s been my dad.” Andrew was someone I used to be friends with who is quite a bit older than me and I looked up to him because he was everything I wanted to be. “In my little kid brain, he was this big strong dude that was popular.” What do you admire most about your dad? “How strong he is not just physically but mentally and emotionally with everything that he has to go through and see as a firefighter and with his regular life.” How does your dad being a firefighter impact your life? “He would have to leave a lot during things like family movie nights and if we only had one car when we went out we would have to stay there or walk home from places” he stated. When asked if his dad was still his hero he said: “yeah probably him and Talynn my sister because she’s helped me through a lot of stuff and I can ask her stuff that I just don’t feel comfortable talking about with my parents.” What would you consider a defining moment in your life? “When I realized I wanted to be more confident in myself and social situations and with the stuff that I say.” What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given? “Confidence not cockiness, I’m pretty sure my mom taught me that.” What is your life goal? “ My entire goal in life is to rack up as many unique experiences as I can, so far I’ve cleaned up an abandoned cult building and gone indoor skydiving.” Photo Credit: John Sullivan

By Tyler Baker:

Why is it such a struggle to meet goals? Year after year millions of people make a list, a list of resolutions for the new year; a strong set of goals. The next step to an ideal life. Typically only 12 percent of people fulfill their resolutions leaving 156 million people on square one every new year. People continuously try to bite off more than they can chew, causing them to fail. This year make a plan and take baby steps. Small progression is better than no progression at all. According to English teacher Abigail Hill, her resolutions regarded her health. “I wanted to start trying to lose weight after my twins were born. I did not complete the goal I set for myself but am going to attempt setting more realistic goals for myself in regards to weight and health this year.” When it comes to the new year, Mrs. Fox uses it to reflect on life choices and make smart decisions. New year's resolutions cause a constant struggle including the staff at Poteau when asked why it’s difficult to follow through with ones resolution. Mrs. Hill said, “Lack of free time and not having an accountability partner. It can cause a lot of anxiety because of my Type A personality. I feel like I constantly have to strive for perfection when in reality nobody is perfect.” Resolutions contribute a big part to the infamous holiday where most people fail by planning and trying to accomplish too much without enough preparation. When asked about the difficulties of new year's resolutions, Mrs. Fox said “When I have tried to set unrealistic resolutions that are more difficult it is easy to give up.” New years isn't exclusive to adults and faculty; students here at PHS want to make improvements in their life as well. Sophomore Grant Thomas wants to improve his health and diet and continue to reach all state choir. Sophomore and dance team member Adriana Crouch wants to pass her drivers test. So this new year, remember to start small and work your way up. Try making long term goals that are relatively easy to maintain, pay attention to every little win and continue to achieve those goals. Go Pirates.

By: Kaylee Rorabaugh

This season PHS wrestling got a new coach, Matt Kennedy. There are a couple of different things that go into wrestling. They have things like duals and tournaments. Duals consist of two teams and each weight class for each team will wrestle a match. By winning a match a player can earn their team, team points: You can win by a decision which is beating your opponent by 1-7 points, Major Decision is when you beat your opponent by 8-14 points, Technical Fall is when you beat your opponent by 15 points, and a Fall is when you pin your opponent to the mat. At Tournaments, each wrestler is placed in a bracket with wrestlers from other schools at their weight class. Team points awarded in a dual are as follows:

Decision= 3 Team Points

Major Decision= 4 Team Points

Technical Fall= 5 Team Points

Fall= 6 Team Points.

Each match won at a tournament can earn your team, team points. If you win by Major Decision, Technical Fall, or by Fall at a tournament you earn your team, Bonus Points. At the conclusion of the tournament, there are individual champions for each weight class and there is a team champion. This is Coach Kennedy’s ninth year coaching and his first year at PHS. He coaches 7th-12th grade wrestling. Between 7th-12th grade, there are roughly seventy wrestlers this year. The first home dual is January 11th at the Sherman Lloyd Field House. Come out and support your Pirates!

Why band? “Why I chose the band over any other organization is because when I walk into the band room I instantly feel at home, everyone is family, and accepts you for who you are. It isn’t just a choice for me, it’s the best opportunity I’ve ever taken and was made to feel right at home. No one judges you and it really is just one big loving family. I have gained such amazing relationships I wouldn’t have expected to, I also met the sweetest and just the best guy I’ve ever met and I couldn’t ask for more. Even though we practice a bunch it isn’t hard because I am surrounded by the funniest people who make going to practice and staying in the band worth it. I have definitely got more out of my band experience than I would out of just about any organization and that’s why I love it and would choose it any day over other organizations” said freshmen, Katlyn Cherry.

By: Nate Jordan

Let’s talk about music. I love music. I have an appreciation for most genres. But when it comes to my tastes, only one takes the cake. That is country music. Specifically country music from the ’80s and ’90s. One of my all-time favorite artists is Garth Brooks. I have a deep appreciation for his music and others like him. He is able to use his lyrics and string them together to create a story.

I never got into country music until about 2 or 3 years ago. At first, I listened to new country music. I thought it was amazing. Everything about it made it my favorite genre to listen to. But once I heard people like Garth Brooks, Brooks and Dunn, and Travis Tritt, I knew that my taste in music had changed drastically. Every time I turned on the radio I listened to an old country station. I learned about different eras of country music, as well as the different artists within those eras. Like I said before, the artist I enjoy the most is Garth Brooks. One of my favorite albums is “The Hits”, which features songs like Friends in Low Places, Much Too Young, and The Thunder Rolls.

There is a lot of meaning behind country music that can only be found by listening to and understanding the lyrics. For me, it’s a way to listen to a piece of history I didn’t get to experience. Another reason I like it so much is because I grew up on it and it’s pretty common around the area we live in. When asked about her favorite artists, counselor Misty Upton said that “... Garth Brooks and all the red dirt bands…” are her favorite. Simply put, great minds think alike. As for counselor Ashlee Taylor, she has been on a “...Tyler Childers, Chris Stapleton, Thomas Rhett, and Morgan Wallen kick.” But her all-time favorite artist is “King George! He’s the man!” Simply put, great minds think alike.

As we all know, different decades produced different types of music. For example, the ’60s had Johnny Cash, George Jones, and Patsy Cline. The music they made was slow. Today we have people like Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, and Blake Shelton. Their music is fast-paced and a lot different than it used to be. “In my opinion, the greatest decades would start in the 1970s thru the 2000s,” says Mrs. Upton. Mrs. Taylor kind of has the same opinion. “The greatest decade of country music would have to be the 80s/90's.” It’s safe to say that country music ruled during the end of the 20th century.

I find myself listening to all kinds of music, but country music is the best in my opinion. There is a song for every mood you’re in, and the whole genre tells a beautiful story. As it continues to grow and we are introduced to new names and faces who represent the brand, let’s never forget those who laid the foundation for country music.

By: Colin Lynch

Kirsten Bebermeyer is a sophomore at Poteau High School. She is involved in choir which she has been in for 7 years, as well as Art Club. Who has helped you get to where you are today? “My mom, because she was a single mom, so my dad wasn’t really around, but she definitely helped me get through a lot of stuff that I’ve been through. My lowest point was in 7th grade for sure. My dad came back into my life for a couple of months, and then he did some things and ended up leaving again. I had to go to several different therapists. I got put on antidepressants. It was just a really tough patch for sure.” Tell me about an interesting experience or encounter you’ve had in the last month? “I went on my first date, and that was fun, but the car broke down and he fixed it.” When asked where she sees herself in the future, Bebermeyer said “In five years I will probably be a couple of years into college, so I’ll either still be around here, or probably going to college at Carl Albert getting my associate degree, or I’ll hopefully be on my way to a bigger college to get a degree to be a phycologist. “What makes me unique is definitely having a different perspective in life than a lot of other people, usually people are pessimistic or optimistic but I feel that I’m sorta somewhere in between.”

By: Colin Lynch

Christmas is coming up faster than expected, and parents are wondering what they want to get their teenagers. Oftentimes your child makes a wishlist for Christmas this could include five or more things. This wishlist is going to include a wide variety of things depending on the type of person you are shopping for. I’m going to give you a few ideas on what to get them this holiday season. One of the things your child might enjoy would be electronics. It can be really pricey at times but there are a few things that are cheaper such as Beats, a FujiFilm Instax Mini 11 Instant Camera, a Crosley Record Player, and a Kodak Luma 150 Projector. After a quick Google search, it appears that some of the top tech gifts are ranging from a streaming subscription to Spotify to Wireless Earbuds that connect to via Bluetooth to Apple and Samsung products. Another thing your kid might like would be clothes and or shoes. It can be hard to find clothes around Christmas time because everyone is shopping, so an alternative shopping option would be to shop online. Another great thing about online shopping is that it is quick and fast. You also have a lot more options to choose from, as well as great deals and free shipping. If you want something simple and fast you could just give your child money, or a gift card from their favorite place or store. Cristmas is coming up quickly so let’s get the shopping done. Merry Christmas!

By: Kaylee Rorabaugh

The holidays are a very meaningful time of the year. Most of us get to spend them with the ones we love and care about, make fun memories, and laugh right through the holiday. There is so much good food to be cooked and be made full with memories like sugar cookies, pies, mashed potatoes, dressing, fudge, and lots more. Katy Walls, one of our freshman English teachers, shares her favorite holiday food. “My favorite food would be making sugar cookies because it is something me and my children do together.”

One of my favorite things to do is make coconut cream pies with my nana and cousins. They make baking so fun and all I have are amazing memories because no one is stressing out about anything, it is just truly fun and there is no wrong way to have fun. For those who don’t get that time with their family, friends, or anyone I am truly sorry but you can still make that and have a powerful sense of making memories with yourself and getting to do everything the way you want to and not have to listen to anyone and you get to say “I did this myself” and be proud of yourself. Just know it’s okay to be alone that doesn’t make you any less and you are loved so very much and everything will turn out, after all, everything happens for a reason.

By: Eli Solomon

One of the most tried and true holiday traditions is getting cozy by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate, and watching favorite holiday movies with friends and family. But what exactly can be counted as a Christmas movie? There are the ones that everyone agrees on like Elf, It’s a Wonderful Life, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. But there are a few that cause some people to go bah humbug. One of the most famous examples of a controversial Christmas flick is Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas. The big dispute surrounding this stop motion classic is its holiday status. While it involves the main character, Jack, discovering the joys of Christmas and it literally has Christmas in the title it has led to some seasonal squabble because of the macabre characters and the fact that most of the movie takes place in Halloween Town. In fact, the director himself says that it is a Halloween movie. Another debated film is Die Hard. The beloved 1988 action movie seems to be brought up every year. Die-hard fans will defend the movie by saying that it is a Christmas movie because it takes place during an office Christmas party, and it has Christmas music in a couple of scenes. But others will detest it because apparently, Bruce Willis gunning down terrorists doesn’t exactly scream peace on earth. In the end, it doesn't matter what movie one does or doesn’t consider a Christmas movie as long as you enjoy watching it with the ones you love. Anyway, this concludes my article on why Gremlins is a Christmas movie.

By: Tyler Baker

I recently spoke with Sophomore Darion Brooks about his passion for football. “Why football?” ”I like the atmosphere. Friday nights are more different than I can explain. Being out there on the field, lights on, audience loud, there is probably no better feeling. Everyone around you shares the common goal which is to win. We start early in summer 6 am workouts, 2 a day practice, but once you’re winning all of that feels amazing.

I didn’t wanna play football. I went a long time trying to avoid it. I didn’t like it all that much my 8th-grade year, but my freshman year I fell in love with the sport. It feels great. It's given me some of my best high school moments and shows me how to overcome anything.

I’ve always liked football, I like watching it and I enjoy so many aspects of the game. Football gives you long-lasting relationships, I’ve played different sports and none of them are as impactful as football. That’s a fact, no one will change my mind about that. During the season it’s what runs through my mind, it’s truly just you and your best friends making Memories everyday. In life It's all about the little things. I believe football is a good representation of that.

A bond is built between your teammates, all the 6 am workouts, all the time spent at the field, your teammates become your family. From freshman to senior year, you’re with each other so much. So knowing you all have the same common goal to win, means more. Knowing you’re doing it for not just yourself but everyone around you truly makes it special. It shows me you can’t give up, you always have to fight for that extra inch. You have to take adversity on, that’s what football is. Not everything is always gonna go your way, but are you gonna give up? Or keep fighting forward. I believe our team is gonna be good for years. What we have is hard to match, when you mix hard work with a lot of great athleticism, and the will to win it’s hard to stop. As for my future, I'll play football until I graduate, and I’ll cherish every moment, just like the seniors the past two years have told me.”

“So would you rather in 4-6 years play football in college/ maybe professionally or in 15 years in your backyard with old friends?”

“15 years with old friends, I love football, but it isn’t anything without the relationship. I would love to play professionally. I mean anyone would, but I would have to say old friends would mean more.”

Well, it’s that time of year again. The holiday season is upon us. Personally, this is my favorite season. The colder weather, decorations, music - I enjoy all of it. More importantly, I like the traditions that come with this time of year. There is just something special about having a tradition that you get to celebrate every year with the people you care about. Someone who REALLY enjoys Christmas time is Sadie Perkin. When asked about what she thinks makes something a tradition, she stated “A tradition can be something that started last year or long-standing. The only thing that I think a tradition has to have is a meaning. If it doesn’t mean something important to you, then why continue to make it a routine in your life?” Sadie hits that spot-on. Traditions are supposed to have meaning and be important because if they aren’t, it’s almost just a waste of time. Speaking of traditions, Sadie has a special one. “Every year we hide baby Jesus out of the nativity scene to symbolize the waiting and searching for the newborn savior. Whoever finds baby Jesus then hides him in a new spot and writes a clue so the other family members can search for him. On Christmas Eve night, baby Jesus is then put back in the nativity to illustrate the birth of Jesus. It’s important to me because it’s a tradition we started when I was in 3rd grade to help my brother and I understand the importance of Christmas and the Christmas story. It’s also fun to search for baby Jesus all throughout the house.” In my opinion, this is a really good tradition. Although traditions are important, it is as important (if not more) to make memories that you can look back on. Although Sadie has many good Christmas memories, her favorite one is “...seeing the lights in Chickasha…” If you have not been there, you are missing out.

On that note, Christmas isn’t about the presents you get. It’s about the traditions you celebrate and the memories you make, but more importantly the reason for the season. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

By: Tyler Baker

This year Poteau High School welcomes a new coach and history teacher, Peyton Werner. A husband to Makayla Werner, a nurse at UAMS in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Mr. and Mrs. Werner have a Daughter, Charlotte who is six months old. Werner also claims to be quite the chef. “I would like all of our students to know that I can cook better than all of their Moms and Dads.” Werner attended Southeastern state university where he graduated with a Bachelor of Social Science, History, and a Master of Sports Science in Athletic Administration from Southeastern. Werner has 9 years of experience Coaching at Southeastern Oklahoma State along with Northeastern State University. At Southeastern, Werner Took the position of Director of Sports Performance and Running Coach for two seasons. In 2015 the receivers featured a pair of 60-plus catch performances by Franky Okafor and Farmer, who tallied 121 catches for 1,385 yards and 14wtouchdowns between them. When working with the wide receivers in 2016, his group piled up 2,369 yards and 19 touchdowns as part of SE’s record-breaking offensive season. The Savage Storm in 2017 under Werner’s guidance saw his group pile up 1,728 yards rushing. Werner has proven himself to be an outstanding coach and hopes to “help young men learn to be a part of something bigger than themselves each and every day. My goal is to create better husbands, fathers, brothers, teammates, and members of society within our football team.” Werner has taken inspiration from his father, also a coach here at Poteau High School as well as coaches from his days in high school. We at PHS are happy to welcome Coach Werner to our staff.

By: Nate Jordan

PHS introduced a new aviation program this year. The instructor is Mrs. Jami Hackler, and the class has really taken off. When asked about what inspired her to start this program, she stated “Our superintendent, Dr. Sjoberg, approached me with the idea and I immediately got excited.” Aviation is a class that PHS can benefit from. Not only is there the hobby aspect, where someone goes and flies for fun. There are also countless job opportunities and career paths within the aviation industry. There are three different types of aviation. The smallest branch of aviation is military aviation, which is in charge of protecting our skies. The second smallest branch is commercial aviation, which is in charge of cargo shipments and passenger airlines. The largest branch is general aviation, their mission being anything that is not done by the military or commercial branches. The class itself is a four year program. The focus of the class is to educate kids on the general aspects of aviation in the first year, and then eventually dive deeper into the material throughout the next three years. When sophomore Cooper Gillham was asked why he took this class, he said “I was asked by the counselor if I would be interested in the class, and I had previous interest in aviation so I decided to give it a shot.” Mrs. Hackler and the students are excited about the class and can’t wait to see what’s in store.

By: Kaylee Rorabaugh

The high school welcomes new teacher Matt Kennedy. Mr. Kennedy is an assistant football coach and head coach of wrestling. “My dream for my wrestling team is to win a district title and I want to coach a State Champion in wrestling this season,” said Kennedy. He has been teaching for seven years and coaching ten. He has been married five years and has a rottweiler named Boss. Mr. Kennedy looks up to his parents and coaches. His parents were also teachers, his mother taught school for thirty years and his father has been teaching for twenty. His coaches also inspired him to coach and he loves doing it. The teaching style he uses is treating his students how he wants to be treated and hopes it will make a positive impact on someone and they will do the same to someone else. Mr.Kennedy grew up in Geary and taught high school there. He was ready for something new so he came to Poteau High School. He has taught many different things such as Tech Ed, Alternative Education, and Elementary PE. Mr.Kennedy is currently teaching computer apps one and financial literacy and he is loving what he was available to teach.

By: Nate Jordan

This year PHS welcomed the freshman class of 2025 to high school, and I had the opportunity to interview some of them.

The jump from middle school to high school is probably the biggest one before college. Students are introduced to a bunch of new things, such as classes and people. When asked about his favorite class, Logan Randolph said “My favorite class would have to be Mrs. Walls because she makes learning fun and interesting for me.”

Perhaps this transition not only introduces new classes and people, it also gives them new freedoms. They get to have open-campus lunches and there are a lot more electives and activities to be involved in, so freshman Grady Jackson took advantage of that. “I am involved in football, student council, AG program and livestock judging.”

Goals in high school are extremely important. If students don’t set goals for themselves, they’re not really achieving anything or getting better at something, which is what we should all strive for. Freshman Westin Archey stated “My goals are to hopefully win state in football… and take college classes my senior year..”

We are glad to have these new freshmen and cannot wait to see what this year holds.

By: Kaylee Rorabaugh

This year the Pirates welcomed some new teachers, one being Sara Maxwell. Ms.Maxwell came to us from Keota, has one child, is not married, and loves playing with legos in her spare time. She moved here because she “wanted to be in a bigger town and continue to teach study skills and coach 7th and 8th grade basketball” she said.

Study skills is a class to go and get help with your assignments, if you are failing she is there to help you and try to relate to you. Ms.Maxwell's goal for this year is to make sure everyone is passing and wants to increase basketball skills and knowledge for her 7th and 8th grade girls.

Her favorite thing about teaching is getting to meet kids she normally wouldn’t get to meet and loves having a positive impact on people.

Ms.Maxwell is loving Poteau Highschool and what does, and can’t wait for an amazing year with us. She wants PHS to know she is not as mean as she looks and is here to be positive and have an amazing year with the Pirates.

By: Kaylee Rorabaugh

The high school experienced turnover in several positions this year. Replacing former FACS teacher Mrs. Upton (who is now a counselor at the high school) is Mrs. Rachel Hackler. Mrs. Hackler came to us from Pansy Kidd Middle School. Before that she taught in first grade at the Elementary. She moved up to the high school because she always wanted to be an FACS teacher and the opportunity finally came to her. Mrs.Hackler is married to Vice Principal Eric Hackler and has two children Dylan and Emma Hackler. Mrs.Hackler enjoys watching her daughter play sports, being outdoors, and teaching. She teaches Culinary Arts, FACS, and is an FCCLA advisor. The thing that she loves most about teaching high school is “building relationships with her students.” She teaches 9th-12th grade and loves being here at Poteau High School and is so excited for an amazing year with us and many more. She said her goal this year is to provide an environment where students feel free to be themselves while learning real-world skills.

By: Tyler Baker

Poteau’s cross country team has been practicing since mid-summer. With the new season and a new head coach, runners ' hard work is paying off. Coach Matt Aguero is no stranger to Poteau nor running. He holds 2 records in the 1,600 and 5,000-meter run and hopes to bring a “champion mindset” to PHS cross country. The Pirates traveled to Bixby, OK this past Thursday where they placed fifth out of the six schools in an invitation-only meet. For being a 4-a school competing with 5/6-a schools, the pirates Held up well with seven runners, Stihl Snyder, Ramiro Lucero, Alexe Pickle, Ashly Johnson, Lyndsey Clark, Zoe Nesbitt, and Camryn Zink finishing top 25 for medal qualification. The Pirates showcased their hard work once more in a 1-4A division race at Ben Geren Regional Park in Fort Smith, Arkansas on 9/11 in an invitation-only meet, where they placed first. The pain and anguish felt by runners at practice and races will show when the results come through many runners will expect to have a new personal record. When asked their favorite thing about Poteau Cross Country runner Beau Flanagan said, “Last year I was only able to consistently run a mile and now I’m running four and a half miles on easy days, I'm excited to see how far I can run.” PHS Cross Country is working hard and hopes to show that in upcoming races all throughout the season.

Photos courtesy: Matt Aguero

Tuesday, September 14th, 2021

By Eli Solomon

PHS has added a staff member to its Agriculture Education program, Mr. Tanner Jarrett.

His hobbies include golfing, fishing, and building his new home. Since his junior year, he has always wanted to teach to help improve students’ lives and watch them grow through the National FFA organization. He chose to teach Ag Education because there are many opportunities for students, not just showing livestock and farming. Mr Jarrett enjoys “Seeing the progress students make toward their education.” When asked if he was nervous about his first year teaching, he replied, “Not at all; I have heard from multiple sources how great the students at Poteau are. I have seen over the last few weeks how true this really is. I’m beyond excited to keep this great year rolling. He went on to say “the student base as well as the teachers have welcomed me with open arms and have given me the best experience possible for my first year.” Thank you, Mr Jarrett, for your kind words. PHS is honored to have you!

Thursday, September 2nd, 2021

by Nate Jordan

Football season is back again, and the Pirates are ready to rumble. As the reigning district champions who suffered a heart-breaking second-round loss, Poteau is ready to tackle unfinished business.

The Pirates have two new coaches this year, Matt Kennedy and Peyton Werner. Kennedy will be working with receivers, while Werner is focusing on running backs and defensive backs. The Pirates are currently 1-0, after beating a good Bishop Kelly team 35-28 on Friday, August 27th. The Pirates will take on Shiloh Christian this Friday, the second-best team in Arkansas regardless of class, and possibly the best team Poteau has ever hosted. When asked about the momentum for the upcoming game, Lowrimore stated, “It’s going to be a big week for us offensively because they are really really good, possibly one of the best teams to ever come play at Poteau.” While the Pirates are certainly focused on winning Friday night, they do have long-term goals in mind. “...More than anything it’s just getting us ready for district play which is really what matters to us.”

Lowrimore knows that this team is something special and that this game is a way to demonstrate that. “It’s just … a chance to show people how talented we really are.” Make sure to check out the game this Friday, September 3rd. Kickoff is at 7:00 PM.