February 2013 Chatterbox - Ruston High School - Lincoln Parish ...

Chatterbox 

The Voice of Ruston High 

May 16,2013 

Dubach High School Visits RHS 

by Nathan Bennett 

Academic Reporter 

900 Bearcat Drive, 

Ruston, Louisiana 71270 

http://rustonhigh.lincolnschools.org/pages/chatterbox.php 

Inside 

Box Tops 

Bearcat News (2-3) 

Academia (4-6) 

Outside Our Box? (7) 

Senior Wills (8-9) 

The Arts (10) 

Chatterbox (11) 

Clubs (12-16) 

Editorials/Opinions (17-23) 

Fun Page (24) 

Sponsors/Staff (25) 

Sports (26-28) 

Upcoming 

Issues 

June 2013 

Graduation 2013 

A Year in Review 

Summer Activities 

August 2013 

Welcome Back Edition 

Last month, students from Dubach High School came to Ruston for a very special tour. Since Dubach 

High will be closing after this year, Ruston High will be taking in those dispossessed students who seek a 

new high school home. 

Dubach students were greeted with a warm welcome in April when they came for their special visit of 

the school. Just like junior high students, they were given a tour of the school along with a ceremony in 

their honor. They were treated to performances by the Belles, the RHS band, and others in anticipation 

for their time next year as Ruston High School students. The Ruston High family is pleased to welcome 

all of these new students into the Bearcat nation, where they will join us in upholding the special RHS 

brand of excellence we’ve strived so long and hard to achieve. (continues on page 7) 

Agriscience Building Reaches Completion 

by Thristan Cecil 

Graphics Design Editor 

While the New Tech @ Ruston building undergoes 

construction, a newly built Agriscience building lays 

beside it. At the start of the New Tech @ Ruston program, 

planning for a new Ag and a new New Tech 

Building occurred for two years as New Tech would 

need to expand largely to accommodate its students, 

culture, and technology. These original plans would 

replace the old and outdated Agriscience building and 

put the New Tech @ Ruston Building in its place 

while construction of a new Agriscience structure 

would be built just east of the New Tech Building. 

Starting at the end of the 2011-2012 school year, the 

Ag building was cleared out and then torn down to suit 

the area of the upcoming New Tech @ Ruston Building. Following, construction of the Agriscience 

Building started almost immediately, while construction of the New Tech building closely followed behind 

the construction of the Agriscience building. By the beginning of April of 2013, the Agriscience had 

reached completion while the newly constructed New Tech was only a month behind it in construction. 

(continues on page 3) 

RHS Distinguished Alumni and Teachers 

by Elena Till 

Assistant News Editor 

The Ruston High School Alumni Association held their 9th Annual Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished 

Educator Awards Luncheon; this luncheon was held on Friday, November 2, 2012. The distinguished 

teachers honored were current educator David Crowe, retired educator Dr. Patsy Boudreaux, and 

the late R.W. Moose Phillips. The distinguished alumni honored were Major General Jack Ramsaur II, 

O.K. Buddy Davis, and Dr. Janet Duncan Barnes, and honored as the Young Alumnus of Significant 

Achievement was Martie Cordaro. 

As we did last year, Chatterbox will once again feature an honoree recognized by the RHS Alumni 

Association each month. In October we began the series, and this month we conclude the series with 

distinguished alumni Dr. Janet Duncan Barnes. (see page 2) 

RHS Graduation - May 21, 2013 - 7:00 P.M. - Thomas Assembly Center 

Speech and Debate 

Presents Antigone 

See Page 6 

Principal Milstead 

Receives Recognition 

See Pages 11 

FFA Dairy Cattle 

Judging Wins 

State Title 

See Page 13 

Senior Girls Organize 

Support for Baseball 

See Pages 26

Bearcat News 


Ruston High School May 16, 2013 Page 2 

Distinguished Alumni: Dr. Janet Duncan Barnes 

(continued from page 1) 

by Elena Till 

News Editor 

Dr. Janet Duncan Barnes is a 1974 Summa Cum Laude graduate of Grambling State University. She received her master’s degree and pediatric 

training at the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. 

Dr. Barnes is on the board of Credentialing Committee and the Medical Advisory, on the Committee for Amerigroup Louisiana, and is appointed 

to the Governor’s Healthcare Redesign Work Group. Further, Dr. Janet Duncan Barnes is the president of the only African American 

female medical organization in Louisiana. 

Chatterbox is proud to cover the Ruston High School Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni and Distinguish Educator Awards, and 

proud to recognize Dr. Janet Duncan Barnes as a RHS Distinguish Alumni. She is very deserving of the honor. 

Teacher Appreciation 

by Andrea Long 

Social Reporter 

Dr. Janet Duncan Barnes 

RHS Distinguished Alumni 

Ruston High School’s Annual Teacher Appreciation program took place last week 

from April 29 - May 3. During the week, the RHS PTA (parents of students) hosted a 

special luncheon for the staff and faculty each day. The program was made possible 

through the PTA and donations from local businesses. The following local businesses 

generously donated or funded meals: Portico, KXKZ 107.5 (Hot Rod Barbecue), Sonic, 

Log Cabin, Raising Canes, and Blue Bell Ice Cream. 

Additionally, working with the Sunrise Kiwanis, the following RHS Adopt-a-School Partners provided the funding for Friday’s jambalaya feast: Ruston Glass & Mirror, 

Comfort Inn, Sherwin Williams, Kilpatrick Funeral Homes, and Hunt Guillot & Associates. Glass Doctor also contributed to the jambalaya funding. In addition to a week of 

delicious meals, each RHS faculty and staff member receives a gift card from a local business. These gift cards are generously donated by the members of the RHS PTA. Mrs. 

Julie Kyte, president of the PTA, said “It is a delight to coordinate such a special week for our deserving faculty, and having such an outstanding group of parents to work with 

and contribute to this effort makes it a gratifying experience.” The PTA looks forward to Teacher Appreciation Week each year and the teachers have enjoyed the lunches provided 

for them. These teachers definitely deserve the appreciation for all the work they do and for another successful year at RHS. Remember to thank your teachers and the 

faculty members. 

Our teachers were not the only ones that we appreciated this month. The RHS PTA also hosted a Hot Rod Barbeque luncheon for our cafeteria and custodial staff, as every 

employee is vital to the success of the Bearcat Nation. 

Saluting Outstanding 

Student Achievement 

RHS PTA loves and appreciates the teachers 

and staff at Ruston High! 

Thanks for all you do! 

Throughout the Bearcat Nation

Bearcat News 



Farwell to Teachers 



Ruston High is full of great teachers and staff. Everyone has probably heard that our principal, Mr. Milsted, who has been here at RHS long enough to see eight different 

classes graduate, is leaving. In addition to Mr. Milstead’s departure from Ruston High School, RHS will also be losing six other faculty members this year. These include: 

Mrs. Wages who teaches Biology for NewTech freshman, Coach Taylor who teaches health and financial math, Mrs. Giesse who teaches Special Education, Dr. Lewis who 

is our Assistant Principal, Mrs. McKenney the Librarian, and Mrs. Pitri the secretary. All of the leaving teachers and staff will be missed dearly. 

Newly Built Agriscience Building Reaches Completion (continued from page 1) 



The newly constructed building holds three new bathrooms, three offices, a newly-created Food Science lab, along with three new classrooms which are both on the west 

side of the building where academics are held. On the west side, four large sliding doors are used for bringing in projects and equipment, where a finishing room, an outside 

storage area, and a small engines room lay. The building’s layout accommodates space and room for the students to work. There are also 12 welding booths, an overhead air 

compression delivery system for air tools, a safety shower, an eye wash area, along with a dust collection system followed by a heating unit for the cold winter days. 

With the New Agriscience Building, Ag students and FFA members can thrive and have an ease of access to finish and start projects which will surely allow for an increase 

in production and academics from the Agriscience department at Ruston High. 

Microsoft Certifications to Top 60 

by Mr. Lloyd R. Bruner 

FBLA Adviser/Chatterbox Adviser 

The business classes taught by Mr. Lloyd R. Bruner and Mrs. Melanie Garrison have been working hard to earn Industry Based Certifications (IBCs) this past nine weeks. 

More specifically, the students have been working on IC3 certification and Microsoft Office certifications. These certifications are national certifications that are recognized 

worldwide. In order for a student to earn a certification, they must demonstrate proficiency in the assigned suite on a national, on-line test. At Ruston High School. Certiprep 

and Certiport training and testing is administered to meet the requirements. In addition to students receiving their certification, which is part of their permanent academic 

record, each student who earns a certificate has the potential to enhance our school performance scores. This is great for the students as well as RHS, and the support of Lincoln 

Parish Schools has ensured that the software and funds are available to continue this great program. 

As of May 10, 2013, RHS students have already earned sixty certifications. These include three certifications in IC3, and fifty seven certification in Microsoft Word 2010, 

Microsoft PowerPoint 2010, Microsoft Excel 2010, and even Microsoft Outlook 2010. With another week of testing for some students, it is expected that at a few more students 

will earn additional certifications and RHS students will top the 60 certificates already earned. 

If interested in earning certification, students should sign up for computer courses at RHS in the business department. To see the tremendous work already accomplished, 

visit Mr. Bruner or Mrs. Garrison’s rooms where each certificate is proudly displayed for all to see. Next year, the goal of over obtaining over 100 certifications seems very 

realistic given that students did such a great job this year in a short period of time.

Academia 



Student Council Gains New Officers 

by Charles Pickett 

Clubs Reporter 

During these past few months leading to the end of the school year, student council has made itself very active within the RHS community. In addition to raising $289 

in the March of Dimes, student council has also held their elections for new officers. These officers were selected by the students of RHS to help improve the school and 

the welfare of its patrons. These officers were selected after the new Student Council President, Shelton Wooley, gave a speech to the RHS student body and afterwards 

revealed numerous facts about the candidates for each position the day before the elections. Chatterbox would like to extend a congratulatory hand to the new 2014 Student 

Council officers: Shelton Wooley (President), Beth Ramirez (Vice President), Liam Norton (Secretary), Jermiran Spivey (Treasurer), Taryn Stark (Parliamentarian), 

and Grahm White (Secretary At Arms). 

Rotary Club Scholarship Awarded to Jake Kyte 

by Vivien Ballard 

Arts Reporter 

Every year, the Ruston High School Chatterbox acknowledges students who are selected as Rotary Club Students of the Month. Eligibility for this honor requires a 

cumulative GPA of 3.5 and membership of at least one Ruston High School club/organization. At the end of each year, one exceptional senior is awarded a Rotary Club 

Scholarship of $1,000. The $1,000 scholarship winner for the 2012-2013 school year was Jake Kyte! At the end of the year, a list of all Rotary Club Students of the 

Month for the 2012-2013 school year will be recapped. 

Literary Rally State Champions 



In March, Ruston High selected some of its best students as representatives for the district literary rally. As always, they were met with striking success, bringing home 

plenty of first, second, and third places in their respective categories. Those students who placed were then chosen to further compete at the state level for fame, honor, 

and glory. And now, after much anticipation, the results are in: 

Austin Meng, unsurprisingly to those who know him, won 1 st place overall for the entire state of Louisiana for Algebra II. Kevin Riley was another overall state champion 

in Financial Math, as was Taylor Heiden in Family Consumer Science and Aaron Freeman in Agriscience I. Rachel Hegab also made RHS proud with 3 rd place in Spanish 

I out of all of Louisiana. 

If you see any of these students in the hall, know that you are among the presence of champions. They may appear modest, but they’ve truly distinguished themselves 

through their academic feats. These students represented Ruston High School well when they competed at the state literary rally at LSU! 

RHS Freshman Academy recognizes May Sharp Cats 

submitted by Mrs. McGuire 

Freshman Academy Teacher 

The Ruston High School Freshman Academy is proud to recognize some of our outstanding students each month by naming them Ruston High Sharp Cats. The academy 

faculty feels that honoring exceptional students is an important part of supporting and encouraging our freshmen. The Freshman Academy has three teams of students; 

and at the end of each month, students from each team are nominated by their teachers to join the ranks of the Sharp Cats. 

Through their accomplishments, the students selected for this program have set an outstanding example in some aspects of campus life. Some students have exhibited 

an intense rigor for academics or demonstrated their love of learning. Some have enhanced their grade point average standing while others have shown exemplary attitudes 

and behavior. They are determined to learn and genuinely lead and inspire others on our campus. It is with great pride that we present to you these students...for they 

are truly Sharp Cats! 

We are so proud of our freshmen, and we hope that you will join us in our appreciation of these extraordinary students: Tykeem Anderson, Caisey Baxter, Emily Erikson, 

Peyton Farris, Reed Rainer, and Madison Wooley.

Academia 



Freshman Academy Rewards its Exceptional Students 


Arts Reporter 

In fall 0f 2008, Freshman Academy was organized in order to nurture ninth graders and to prepare them for what lies ahead in the future. The staff works hard to ensure 

that every student is excelling. With incentives provided by Mrs. Alicia Thomason, ninth graders are rewarded for good behavior and/or exceptional academic succession. 

As always, those with no tardiness, referrals, cell phone violations, dress code violations, and no more than four absences were invited to an event to commemorate 

their success. This time, however, the usual field trip was not held. Instead, a jeans day and pizza lunch was held on May 9, 2013. Students who scored a 19 or above and 

students whose scores increased by two or more points from their eighth grade score on the ACT Explore were exempted from school on May 10. Those whose scores rose 

by one point from their eighth grade ACT Explore test were invited to a special rewards celebration with food and door prizes on May 14, 2013. If you were invited to any 

of these, lucky you! 

New Tech Building nears Completion 



On April 27, 2013, New Tech @ Ruston Students and other community members helped and participated in the third annual SOCA community event. Also known as 

South of California Avenue, SOCA is a Ruston community event created by Louisiana Tech University’s School of Architecture with the goal of improving the physical, 

social, living, and working conditions for the residents by envisioning and building projects that will serve as agents of positive change in the community. In the past, over 

50 people have volunteered with 90+ runners and several sponsors to count on. At SOCA a block party was thrown with live music, the third annual 5k run, and food to 

munch on. According to New Tech Director Pam Pruden it was “Yet another successful year for SOCA as it will continue to run through the coming years.” 

Alongside the events of SOCA and Relay for life, New Tech was also busy demonstrating for other schools as other schools find interest in possible construction of a 

New Tech program. This time around, Farmerville High School visited from April 16-23, 2013 and were exposed to the New Tech @ Ruston way of life and education. 

Coming to the end of another successful New Tech @ Ruston school year, and after waiting 3 long years, the newly constructed and self sustaining New Tech @ Ruston 

building is nearing completion. Set for final completion on May 23, 2013, the New Tech building and its keys will be handed over to New Tech Director Pam Prudent. 

Inside the newly constructed self sustaining building lays two science labs, three regular grade New Tech Class rooms, one conference room, one office, one technology 

room, and one double sized classroom (with sliding walls). Alongside the new rooms, the building will also hold several commodities, such as couches, printer areas, and 

different working areas for the working students. With “New Technology” in mind, the new building is suited to its interior of “New Technology”. Walking in, such a feeling 

of real world business and research can be felt as entering is accompanied by flat screens covering the walls of inner entrance along with trophy cases. Once completed, 

the New Tech @ Ruston class of 2014 (also its first graduating class) will be able to say their farewells as they spend their final days of high school in one of the most 

highly technology graded class rooms in the state of Louisiana.

Academia 



Speech and Debate Presents Antigone 



On May 9 and 10, 2013,the RHS Speech and Debate performed the play “Antigone”. Written by 

the Greek tragedian Sophocles, Antigone takes place after the events of his other play, “Oedipus 

Rex”. It describes what happens after the former king Oedipus plunges the kingdom into chaos and 

all-around drama. The play went surprisingly well, and everyone involved had a great time. It speaks 

to the universality of theatre how characters written about even thousands of years ago can be so 

relatable in their emotions and personalities even to modern audiences. That’s what I call drama. 

Pictured above: Speech and debate members: cast of Antigone. 

Pictured left: Students prepare to enjoy the play. 

Pictured Center: Mrs. Olsen provides the introduction for the play. 

National Honor Society 



National Honor Society has had a busy month of May. On Friday, May 3, 2013, they hosted the American Cancer Society’s annual Relay 

for Life for the Ruston area at the RHS track from 6 PM to 6 AM. Everyone involved had a lot of fun while raising money for such a great 

cause. There were Wii games such as Just Dance 4, Mario Kart, and Super Smash Brothers Brawl, as well as face painting and sno-cones. If 

you weren’t able to participate, you might want to next year. It’s not often that you can have so much fun doing something that helps so many 

people. 

Also in May is National Honor Society’s yearly induction ceremony. On May 20, 2013, new members were inducted into the society. 

These students, distinguished by their academic and personal excellence, include: Destiny Bryant, Kristen Clark, Emily Colvin, Jonathan 

Craig, James Davison, Caroline Garrett, Kaitlyn Heiden, Rebecca Henderson, April Hooper, Emma Jones, Madison Kaufman, Katie Lashley, 

Jack Lindsey, Austin Meng, Barrett Moore, Matt Oakes, Adam Ramachandran, Hannah Rhodes, Kailee Rivera, Ben Sawyer, Mlle Schroeder, 

Landon Sims, Margeaux Smith, Taryn Stark, Bankston Summersgill, Riley Thompson, Robert Thompson, Elena Till, Paige Williams, and 

Morgan Winstead. All of these students had to be the best of the best in order to be accepted into this prestigious society, so be sure to show 

them respect for their laudable achievement. 

Career Center 



Last month, Louisiana Tech engineering professor Jane Petrus visited Ruston High School as a guest speaker. She spoke to students about careers in engineering, as well as 

the various engineering programs that Tech has to offer. Engineering, of course, is a very broad field, and has several categories: from cyber engineering to nano engineering, 

chemical engineering, biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and many more. 

It’s tough to cover everything in such a diverse field as engineering, but Dr. Petrus did a great job of explaining it to the students. She demonstrated hands-on engineering 

by showing off her boe-bot, a small robot that can be programmed to perform a large number of tasks. She also spent time describing in detail Tech’s renowned engineering 

program, which continually produces graduates prepared for the workforce. Engineers are typically met with a large amount of opportunity in the job market, and usually 

start off with a salary of about $60,000 a year. So, if you’re interested in math and science and you like working with your hands, a job in engineering might be for you.

Outside Our Box 



Eighth Graders Hit RHS! 


Arts Reporter 

On April 18 and April 19, 2013, eighth graders from Ruston Junior High, A.E. Phillips, Wildflower Montessori, Dubach, etc. visited Ruston High School to get a sneak 

peak at their upcoming alma mater. They got a good look at what our school is like and what we’re all about. Upon their arrival, they witnessed a welcoming assembly in 

which the RHS cheerleaders, Bearcat Belles, and RHS Brazilian Band performed for them. Later on, they were given a tour of the school. Before their departure, the eighth 

grade students were serenaded by our choir in a closing assembly. This was all organized in hopes that the eighth graders will look forward to coming to Ruston High School 

next school year as freshman students! 

Dubach High School Visits RHS (Continued) 



Dubach High School students were greeted with a warm welcome in April when they came for their special visit of the school. Just like junior high students, they were 

given a tour of the school along with a ceremony in their honor. They were treated to performances by the Belles, band, and others in anticipation for their time next year as 

Ruston High School students. The Ruston High family is pleased to welcome all of these new students into the Bearcat Nation, where they will join us in upholding the special 

RHS brand of excellence we’ve strived so long and hard to maintain.

Senior Wills 



In keeping with tradition at RHS, Seniors of 2013 were offered the opportunity to submit a senior will - their gift to students who 

must carry on their legacy at RHS. The submissions on the following two pages were submitted and approved for publication in 

“The Voice of Ruston High.” As always - this is a fun way for students to display something about their personalities and have 

their final say. Seniors will be missed, but their presence at RHS will always be felt and remembered. Congrats Seniors of 2013! 

Shelby Stinson wills Hunter Humble her drum major skills and responsibilities. 

Elena Till wills Thristan Cecil her leadership skills and responsibilities as FBLA President. 

Andrew Thompson wills Bayley Braddock his inside voice. 

Lain Kranz wills Sarah Hall his heart. 

Shelby Webb wills Makayla and Taryn her amazing outfield skills. 

DeKetris Johnson wills Jamaun Wright his ambition. 

Michael Reed wills A’keria Hewis his productive ways in class and with money. 

Sam Phillips wills Conner Scott his amazing athletic ability and coordination. 

Destiny Mitchel wills Shaterikka Spencer her great positive attitude. 

Kenuatta Percy wills Adam Rankins her smartness and sense of humor. 

Anna Hall wills Eric Huynh her personal bubble. 

John Ramsaur wills Riley Riggs his drive to not make stupid decisions. 

Shakoyale Roberts (Pinky) wills Lauren Moore her sense of humor and her ability to be the life of the 

classroom.

Senior Wills 



Connor Caudle wills Gracie Lewis his fantastic English grade. 

Courtney Alexis wills Yenessa Alexis her smartness and good looks. 

Moe Labbe wills Thristan Cecil her sanity. “You’ll need it to withstand senior year.” 

Cohen Stockman wills Michael Tolar and Blake Vanlandingham his French toast. 

Jonathan Verret wills Thristan Cecil his identity. 

Veontez Crowe wills Jawaun Wright his leadership. “Go the right direction in life.” 

Dalton Henry wills Mr. Milstead his emotions. 

Spencer Morris wills Landry Monroe his band uniform hanger collector position. 

John Herren wills Michael Tolar his House of the Rising Sun Solo. 

Chad Leachman wills Luc McGehee his way with the ladies. 

Eva Edinger wills her Russian accent to Ebony Wright.

The Arts 



Choir 



As always, choir has had a rather productive year this year. Over the 2012-2013 school year, they’ve had Coffee, Cakes, and Carols; District Festival; State Festival; Bearcats 

on Broadway; and performances at Carnegie Hall. The choir has also participated in State Rally, Solo and Ensemble Festival, Spring Concert, and they still have one 

final performance at graduation. Ruston High is proud of our choir and all the great accomplishments they have earned this year. Next year can only get better as the choir 

strives to be their very best and represent Ruston High with ambition and school spirit. 

Bearcat Band Finishing Up the Year 

by Elena Till 

News Editor 

The Ruston High School Bearcat Band is wrapping up the year with the same determined 

attitude even though school is almost out for the summer. Some members participated in the 

Solo and Ensemble Festival on April 20, 2013. The RHS brass ensemble received an Excellent 

rating and the woodwind ensemble received a Superior rating. Trey Pipes also received a Superior 

rating. The band banquet was also held on April 26, 2013. At this event, members were 

honored for their hard work and got to enjoy a delicious meal catered by Portico. It was a fun 

fiesta to honor members and directors alike for having such a successful and fun year. 

Recently, on May 7, 2013, the band held their annual spring concert in the RHS auditorium. 

This concert was open to the public and featured both the symphonic band and the concert 

band. The RHS symphonic band, directed by Mr. Walter Moss, performed Gandalf with soloists 

Michael Tolar and Ben Serio; Ride featuring soloist Bethany Roberts; and Lux Arumque. 

The concert band, directed by Mr. Randall Wood, performed The Star Spangled Banner, Three 

Ayres from Gloucester, and New World Symphonette. In addition, the brass ensemble played a 

medley of Phantom of the Opera and the woodwind ensemble played The Blue Danube. 

Next, the band is preparing for their performance at the Ruston High graduation ceremony; 

this is the band’s biggest performance of the year and even the graduating seniors get to participate 

in this last concert. Also, band members recently went on their end of the year trip to Six 

Flags and Medieval Times in Dallas, Texas. 

Art Takes A Field Trip! 



Kendal Martin, an Art 3 student in Mrs. Ashworth’s class, received second place in a state competition at 

the annual Grambling State University Art Competition in which she competed against several other individual 

students around the area. Kendal Martin’s winning entry was a mixed media painting titled “ Peony”. The 

art academia at RHS are very proud of her achievement as the event was very competitive. 

On May 4, 2013, Mrs. Ashworth’s Art Class took a field trip to Natchitoches, Louisiana were they came 

across some of the art that south Louisiana had to offer. In Natchitoches, the class took tours through Mellrow 

Plantations. Here students also learned of the artist Cleme Hunter who had worked and lived in Natchitoches. 

Wrapping it up the class took a Buggy tour of Historic Natchitoches.




FBLA and Chatterbox 

Thank Principal Milstead 

submitted by Elena Till 

FBLA President 

On April 30, 2013, Mr. Milstead was presented with gifts of appreciation on behalf of the 

Ruston High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) organization. Mr. Milstead 

shows continuous support for all of our organization’s endeavors and always helps out in any 

way he can. Also, he is a huge supporter of Chatterbox and helps out with the paper by editing 

each edition before it is printed and by providing funds to pay for one edition per year. To show 

our appreciation for his great support, FBLA presented him with a certificate and a plaque which 

had inscribed on it a few words of appreciation from FBLA and Chatterbox. He was also presented 

with a special set of cufflinks with the FBLA logo on them. 

Without Mr. Milstead, FBLA would not be the successful organization it has continued to be 

since its reorganization. We will miss you next year, Mr. Milstead, as you have been an awesome 

mentor and a strong believer who always encourages Ruston High School FBLA to do its best. 

Thank you, Mr. Milstead! 

FBLA President Elena Till Presents Principal Mike Milstead with a 

plaque to show appreciation for his support of FBLA and Chatterbox. 

Chatterbox Member of the Year and Journalist of the Year 

by Elena Till 

News Editor 

When the second annual FBLA Awards Banquet was held on April 23, 2013, a member was awarded the Chatterbox Member of the Year award for 2012-2013. Last year, 

at the first ever awards banquet, this award began and was issued to Whitney Durrett, Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper. The member awarded this honor is given it 

because he/she has proven to be the most dependable asset as well as the largest contributor to making sure the paper looks good and professional every month it is issued. 

This year, the Chatterbox Member of the Year was once again none other than Editor-in-Chief Whitney Durrett! Whitney has repeatedly been the most valued member of the 

newspaper staff as she ensures every month that the paper looks great and goes out. She builds each page herself, and she also makes sure that everyone is doing their job correctly. 

In addition, she writes a few articles herself and even does a little editing after the paper is finished. Whitney has been on the staff for three years of her high school 

career and has been a vital part of it all three years. She is very deserving of the title of Chatterbox Member of the Year for the 2012-2013 year. 

Also, a member was awarded the Chatterbox Journalist of the Year award for 2012-2013. This is the first year for this award and was created to honor the best writer of the 

Chatterbox who always takes care of business. The member awarded this is someone who always turns in articles on time and takes care of business efficiently. The first ever 

recipient of this award is Vivien Ballard! In her first year to serve on the staff, Vivien has served as the Arts Reporter for this school year and everyone on the newspaper staff 

will agree that she is a wonderful reporter and journalist. As her editor, I can definitely say that she is an incredible writer and worker and has been a huge asset to this school 

paper. She always has a positive attitude and is friendly to everyone. Congratulations Vivien, Journalist of the Year! You deserve it! 

Editor in Chief Whitney Durrett (left) receives the 

Chatterbox Member of the Year Award from former 

Senior Editor of Chatterbox, Amber Brown (right). 

Chatterbox on display at the 2nd Annual RHS FBLA 

Awards Banquet held on April 23, 2013. 

Editor in Chief Whitney Durrett (left) presents the 

1st ever Chatterbox Journalist of the Year Award to 

Chatterbox Arts Reporter Vivian Ballard (right).

Clubs/Organizations Chatterbox 


FBLA Adviser Awards Presented 

submitted by Mr. Lloyd R. Bruner 

FBLA Adviser 

In 2007, Ruston High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), first recognized the chapter members who contributed the most to the success of the chapter 

for the year with the Member of the Year Award. In 2008, a Senior Scholarship in the amount of $250 was added for the senior who contributed the most to the chapter over 

their career at RHS. In 2011, the Business Student of the Year Award was added for the member who best showed academic achievement as a “minor” in business at RHS. 

With the addition of RJHS FBLA, the Member of the Year Award was added to recognize the member who contributed the most to the success of RJHS FBLA. 

This year, past winners of the adviser awards were on hand to help present the awards. These past winners included Ravi Govin, Hannah Allen, Amber Brown, and Elizabeth 

Haughton. Mrs. Brewer, RJHS Adviser, presented the RJHS Member of the Year Award to Amber Smith, president of the RJHS chapter, as there was no past other winner 

to present it. Amber won this award for the 2 nd consecutive time as she was instrumental in ensuring the success of the chapter. Taking both the Senior Scholarship 

Award and the Business Student of the Year Award was Elena Till, RHS FBLA President. Elena will receive her $250 scholarship when she attends Louisiana Tech next 

year. Rounding out the adviser awards, Michael Davis, RHS Sergeant-at-Arms, took home the RHS Member of the Year Award. In addition, Michael was also recognized as 

the Exceptional Career Award winner, as he is now the only member in RHS FBLA history to have competed at district, state, and nationals all four membership years. 

RJHS Adviser Mrs. Angie Brewer (left) presents the RJHS Member of the 

Year Award to RJHS President Amber Smith (right). 

Former RHS FBLA President Elizabeth Haughton (left) presents the 

RHS Senior Scholarship Award to President Elena Till (right) 

Former RHS FBLA President Elizabeth Haughton (left) and former RHS 

Vice-President and RHS FBLA Alumni President Ravi Govin (right) present the 

RHS FBLA Business Student of the Year Award to President Elena Till (center). 

Former FBLA Member of the Year Winners present the RHS FBLA Member of 

the Year Award to Sgt-at-Arms Michael Davis. Pictured left to right are 

Amber Brown, Elizabeth Haughton, Michael Davis, and Ravi Govin.



4-H 

submitted by Darby Rowland 

4-H Club Reporter 

We had a great turn out at 4-H Achievement day this year. Ruston High school was represented by eighteen 

4-H-ers. Our club and members received several awards and honors: Banner - 3rd place; Scrapbook-3rd place; Hannah 

Tinsley - Key club award; Darby Rowland-Key club award; Darby Rowland - Outstanding reporter; Aubrey Simmons- 

Outstanding Senior Member; Brynna Hooper & Robert Thompson - Ag test award. 

4H congratulations senior club member Hannah Tinsley on her scholarships!! She received the La 4-H Foundation 

Scholarship worth $100 and a Scott Truck and Tractor Scholarship worth $1000! Hannah also received her honor cord 

for graduation. We will miss all our graduating seniors next year. Thank you all for a great year of 4-H and fun! Have a 

spectacular summer and I hope to see you back next year!*Information for each of these activities can be found in the 

newsletter or on www.la4h.org/lincoln 

FFA Dairy Cattle Judging Team - 

State Champions 

submitted by Mike Milstead 

Agriculture Department 

Congratulations to the newest State Champion team at Ruston High School. The Ruston FFA Dairy Cattle Judging 

Team won the State Championship at the Louisiana State Dairy Cattle Judging Career Development Event at Louisiana 

State University in Baton Rouge on Saturday, April 13, 2013. Members of the state champion team are Keirstyn Sonnier, 

Hannah Rhodes, Mercedes Fife, and Jonathan Craig. Keirstyn Sonnier was also awarded the state's Overall Highest Individual 

at the state event. 

Teams judged three Holstein cow classes, one class of heifers and one pedigree class. Team members also gave two 

sets of oral reasons on the Holstein classes. This team will be the sole representative for Louisiana at the National FFA 

Convention in October 2013 in the Dairy Cattle Judging event. National FFA rules only allow each state champion in the 

50 states to compete at the National level. Ruston will compete against the other 49 state champion teams at the event in 

Louisville, Kentucky. 

Special thanks go to Mrs. Tisha Sonnier for helping to coach the team for the last two years. Special thanks also goes to the family of Wayne and Leslie Salley and their 

farm in Sabine Parish, and also to the Mike Brian family and their farm in Baton Rouge for their time and expertise in training this year's team. Congratulations to the Ruston 

FFA Dairy Cattle Judging Team and good luck at Nationals in October! 

FFA Career Development and Fishing for FFA 

submitted by Annelise Pickett and Payton Brown 

FFA Members 

RHS FFA Dairy Cattle Judging Team 

State Champions! 

On March 27, 2013, six of our very own Career Development Event teams went to state 

and represented Ruston very well. Two of the teams placed at the state level. The Small 

Engines team consisting of Paul Martin and Dylan Chandler placed second overall in the 

state of Louisiana and our Dairy Foods team consisting of Cristal Cano, Brandi Griffin, 

Madison Gay, and Sara Jones placed third overall in the state. Cristal Cano also received 

the state high individual score for the second year in a row. 

We had a great turnout for the 2013 FFA fishing tournament on April 27, 2013. There 

were nine FFA teams and seven alumni teams fishing. Out of those teams Landon Wade 

(Ag. teacher at RHS) and Gary Wade won first for the alumni division with 21.2lbs and 

Jay Shively and Clay Flourney placed first in the FFA division with 15.15lbs. These four 

guys did really well and deserved to win. There was also a big bass competition. Gary 

Wade won the alumni division with a bass that was 6.10lbs. Ryan Dooley won in the FFA 

division with a bass that was 3.4lbs. 

D ylan Chandler and Paul Martin 

State Runner Up - Small Engines 

Pictured left: 

Jay Shively and Clay Flourney 

with their first place catches. 

Pictured right: FFA Dairy Foods Team 

State 3rd Place



FBLA Holds 2nd Annual Awards Banquet 


FBLA Adviser 

On April 23, 2013, RHS FBLA held their final meeting of the year - their awards banquet. After introduction and 

a formal dinner, the awards presentation began by thanking administrators from the Lincoln Parish School Board and 

Ruston High. Also recognized were the many RHS and RJHS advisers, and district and state chaperones and other 

special guest. It was then on to the actual awards ceremony where members were presented with many district and 

state awards. (continues on page 15) 

Adviser Awards are covered to ensure winners are unknown until presented. 

Special gifts and awards on display for guests and supporters. 

State Champions Awards (left) and Officer Ceremony Candles (right).



FBLA Holds 2nd Annual Awards Banquet 

(continued from page 14) 

Members received awards for membership. Seniors who were members of FBLA throughout their 

careers were also presented with Career Awards. Chatterbox awards were presented (see page 11) as 

well as Adviser Awards (see page 12). The awards banquet ended with the formal induction of new 

officers (see page 16). 

Pictured right: 

Doc Hoefler is recognized for his support of FBLA. 

FBLA officers prepare to present awards to administrators and supporters. 

Career Members are recognized for being members throughout high school. 

District Champions receive their chapter certificates. 

State Champions receive their state plaques.



FBLA Officers Inducted for 2013-2014 


FBLA Adviser 

On April 23, 2013, RHS FBLA bid farewell to their outstanding officers and inducted new officers for next year at the 2nd Annual RHS FBLA Awards Banquet. With 

past FBLA President Elizabeth Smith serving as the chapter flame, newly elected and/or appointed officers took their vows and were inducted. For the first time in RHS 

FBLA history, two of the newly inducted officers were members from the RJHS chapter. Next year’s officers are pictured below lighting their induction candles as the leadership 

was transferred from their outgoing officers. Not pictured below is the FBLA Parliamentarian Ty Oakes, who was excused from the ceremony as he was representing 

RHS in the state golf tournament. With the ceremonies done, the new officers now face the task of keeping RHS FBLA # 1 in the state - again! 

FBLA President: Thristan Cecil 

RHS FBLA Outgoing Officers from 2012-2013 

FBLA Vice President: Erik Martinez Rodriguez 

FBLA Secretary: Nina Collins FBLA Treasurer: Ghenet Tseggai FBLA Reporter: Amber Smith 

FBLA Historian: Landry Monroe FBLA Parliamentarian: Joseph Ham FBLA Sgt-at-Arms: Savannah Floyd

Editorials/Opinions Chatterbox 


Doomsday 



For most of my life, I have been surrounded by fictional heroes such as Superman, 

Batman, and The Flash. However, when I find myself surrounded by these heroes in 

movies, video games, or TV shows, I sometimes find myself on the villains’ side. This is 

due to the fact that villains have cooler powers, easier jobs (they cause collateral damage 

to things while heroes have to protect things), better costumes, and that they hold a staggering 

amount of power throughout the hero’s journey. 

However, if I had to pick a favorite comic book villain, I would choose Doomsday. 

For those of you that do not know, Doomsday is the only creature capable of defeating 

Superman. He is covered in bone-like armor and can adapt to anything while in battle (if 

you punch him in the eyes, he will adapt by making armor for his eyes). However, even 

with all of these outstanding powers and his incredible strength, there comes a cost. This 

cost is the fact that Doomsday is a mindless monster bent on destroying not just ours, but 

multiple universes. Yet Doomsday’s mindlessness does not eliminate the fact that he is as 

invulnerable, strong, and fast as Superman himself, and is more than a match for the Man 

of Steel. I sincerely hope that they consider putting Doomsday in the upcoming Superman 

movie, Man of Steel. 

My Favorite Villain - Doomsday 

photo from Wikipedia 

Doppelgangers: Double Trouble 


Arts Reporter 

“What does that word mean and how on Earth do you pronounce it?” is what 

you probably thought when you read the heading. Doppelganger (dahp-ul-gainghur) 

is German for “double walker”-an apparition that is identical in appearance 

to an individual. It is said that everyone has one that accompanies them 

and only the owner of it can see it for himself. However, some claim that a person’s 

loved ones can also view that person’s doppelganger. Legend has it that 

seeing your doppelganger can be a foreshadower of your death. 

Quite a spellbinding doppelganger story dates back to 1845. At a girls’ 

school near Latvia, a French teacher named Emilie Sagee became the talk of the 

town when rumors stating that she had a twin began to spread around. Thirteen 

students in her class witnessed an appearance of her double one day while she 

was writing on the chalkboard. The phantom mimicked Sagee’s every move, 

but held no chalk. One evening during dinner, the doppelganger appeared again, 

this time copying her actions while she ate, but possessing no utensils. One day, 

the entire student body was gathered in the school hallway for sewing lessons: all the girls could see Emilie Sagee in 

the garden picking flowers. The teacher tending to the girls at the time left the room to speak with the headmistress. 

As soon as the teacher left, Sagee’s doppelganger had a seat in the teacher’s chair. The authentic Emilie Sagee could 

still be seen in the garden. Two students attempted to touch the apparition, but felt a resistance in the air encompassing 

it. One girl walked between the chair and the desk, moving right through it. Shortly after that, the doppelganger 

disappeared. Sagee stated that she never saw her doppelganger herself, but felt as if her energy had been sapped from 

her when it was said to be present. 

Many other cases of doppelgangers have been reported. While reading some of them, I noticed something: a lot of 

Doppelganger—Paranormal Double 

photo from Wikipedia 

the doppelgangers were those of intellectuals such as poets. Is it possible that this holds some kind of significance? Some believe that these phantoms have something to do 

with time or dimensional shifts. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, a German poet of the 18 th century, saw his doppelganger while on the way to Drusenheim. Coming in the opposite 

direction was his identical wearing a grey and gold suit. Eight years later, von Goethe was traveling on the same road, but going from Drusenheim and not to it. Suddenly, 

he realized that he was dressed in the grey and gold suit he had seen on his doppelganger eight years previous. Scary, huh?



The Great Gatsby 



Plenty of exciting movies are coming out this summer and one very anticipated movie in particular is based off of Scott Fitzgerald’s 

American classic The Great Gatsby. The movie will be playing in theaters on May 10, 2013, in 3-D. Leonardo DiCaprio is playing the role 

of Jay Gatsby, a wealthy man that has turned his life around and is now living the “American Dream.” Gatsby’s love interest, Daisy Buchanan, 

a rich woman who made Gatsby want to change everything about himself, will be played by Carey Muiligan. The movie also has a 

soundtrack produced by Jay-Z. 

Though the film sounds like it could be a success, the novel has a huge fan base and so this movie has a lot to live up to. The director 

Luhrmann, not the first director to try and recreate a novel into film, has a lot of pressure hanging over him; many are hoping his film lives 

up to the book. I’m hoping it will too, not only because it was a clever and well-written book, but also for the actors and director who 

worked to produce it. 

What is a “Good” First Vehicle 

by Mike Foster 

Sports Reporter 

As people around me start getting old enough to drive, they start looking for a good vehicle to drive. Whether it is a brand new truck, a 

luxury convertible, or an old beat up farm truck, many people wonder what the best first vehicle for a new driver is. I think that contrary to 

popular belief, the old, beat up car/truck would be the best. 

If you get a brand new vehicle, you aren’t going to respect it as much as an older vehicle. If you get a fixer upper, then you’ve put time 

and effort into that vehicle, which means that you’re going to treat it more than something you just happened to get. If you get a brand new 

2 door convertible, you’re going to take it for granted because that level of luxury is what you’ve always known. But if you start out in an 

old beat up car, when you work to get that new car, you’ll respect it more. Picking an old car is much cheaper than a new car anyways. 

The insurance usually tends to be less. If you happen to get in a wreck, you won’t have lost a huge amount of money. 

So rather than getting that new convertible, get an older car, and restore it! 

Why is There Something Rather than Nothing? 



Why is there something instead of nothing? Wouldn’t it be simpler if nothing existed? The question has perplexed philosophers for at 

least hundreds of years. You’d think it would’ve perplexed them for longer, but apparently earlier philosophers had better things to worry 

about, like whether the world was made out of air, earth, or fire. Regardless, it’s had a few great thinkers scratching their heads in wonder 

for some time. It’s an ineffable fact that we exist to contemplate these questions to begin with. 

The question entered modern philosophy with the German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, who first asked, “Why is there something 

rather than nothing?” as the first question of philosophy. After that, a lot of German and other philosophers suddenly became fascinated 

by the subject. Existing is something that most people take for granted, so the question apparently shook up their worlds. Martin Heidegger 

was so befuddled by it that he made the question of being the basis of his entire philosophy. Consequently, he ended up writing a lot 

of books about nothing. 

Some people say, well, things exist because of the Big Bang, or God. But why did that creation happen? What did it come from before 

there was something? Why does anything exist? Nobody really knows for sure. So, where does that leave us in our search for an answer? 

Nowhere. That’s what makes philosophy so fun.



American Oil 



With all the tension that’s in the Middle East, oil prices are at an all-time high. Americans are 

getting fed up with the high prices that result from that and it seems that there isn’t anything we 

can do about it. Wrong. The solution is quite simple. We have our own oil reserves in our own 

country. We should drill here. 

In my opinion, increasing our drilling for oil in America would create a large number of jobs 

but would also stop some of the funding that is received by some countries overseas that fund 

state sponsored terrorism. If we stopped buying oil from countries in the Middle East, we wouldn’t 

necessarily need to be over there to stabilize it. We would be using our own vast oil supply in 

the United States. The results would be that it would lower petroleum prices in the Unites States 

and that we could also mass export our petroleum to other countries. 

Some environmentalists say that this would destroy America’s environment, and that is partially 

true. I believe that we can develop much cleaner and more efficient ways to extract petroleum. 

To minimize any harm to the overall environment, drilling in the United States makes 

more sense as it is HEAVILY regulated. 

In many areas around the world, there are places where it seems as if the powers that be do not care about their people as far as 

the environment. Many have little or no regulations on environmental control. If we brought drilling home to America, the environmentalists could have greener produced 

petroleum, at half the cost, for the United States as well as the rest of the world. 

So to me the decision is pretty obvious - let’s stop supporting other countries with our revenue, remove the possibility of having funds from overseas petroleum purchases 

diverted to terrorists, and bring the drills home. 

The Sea of Monsters 



Anyone else remember the old Percy Jackson series? The first book, The Lightning 

Thief ,came out in 2005 so I’m betting that most of you have spent some of your childhood 

enjoying the brilliant series written by Rick Riordan. I’m also guessing that many of you 

have seen the poor movie adaption of this book. The movie wasn’t necessarily bad, it just 

wasn’t Percy Jackson. 

The movie did have many of the characters that the book did but the plot was completely 

different. For starters, in the movie Percy and his friends are much older than they are in the 

book and Luke is the main villain; but in the book, Ares, the god of war, is one of the main 

villains. While it’s true that some people were fine with the adaption many others thought 

that Hollywood destroyed Percy Jackson by making it into something it’s not. 

In my opinion it would have been a great movie if Rick Riordan had never written Percy 

Jackson and the movie adaption wasn’t an adaption at all. This isn’t the case though, and 

after three years since the last movie came out another Percy movie is being made. 

The Sea of Monsters is the second book in the series and Hollywood’s taking another 

swoop at it. Maybe this time they will stick more to the original story. I know I’m eager to 

see what they do with it and I encourage you to check it out too! It comes out in theaters August 16, 2013. 

The Sea of Monsters 

photo from Wikipedia

Editorials/Opinion Chatterbox 


Tootsies in the Tide: Solved? 


Arts Reporter 

You may or may not have heard of it, but a baffling mystery has been haunting the minds of 

many curious individuals for quite a few years now: In British Columbia and Washington, detached 

feet, all contained in lightweight sneakers, have been washing up on the shore since 2007. A total of 

roughly fourteen feet have been found. 

The first foot was discovered in August of 2007 on Jedediah Island. Contained in a size 12 Adidas 

tennis shoe and sock, the foot was traced back to a missing and possibly depressed man from 

British Columbia. Just a few days later, another foot in a size 12 Reebok washed up on the shore of 

Gabriola Island. Throughout the next three years, more feet were found, one recovered in a black 

plastic bag along with a leg bone. Some cold-hearted soul thought it would be funny to put an animal 

paw in a sock and shoe with seaweed. 

Many theories arose regarding this mind-boggling case. A popular suggestion was that the feet 

belonged to victims of the 2004 Asian tsunami. Some believed the feet were those of illegal stowaways 

or were what was left of a serial killer’s victims. 

Recently, a conclusion was reached: individuals committed suicide by jumping into the Fraser 

River, which flows into the Pacific Ocean. As their bodies decomposed, their lightweight, buoyant shoes floated back up to the surface 

along with the feet contained in the shoes. The shoes then floated along in currents until washing up on the shore in British Columbia/Washington. 

This explanation, however, does not explain the case of the foot found in the plastic bag: I assume someone got 

away with murder. As for the animal paw, someone probably thought it would be funny to meddle with the cops. 

Are We Alone? 



Throughout the Modern Age, a question has risen and has been repeated numerous times. 

This question is: Are we alone?” What this question is asking is that are we the only forms of 

life in the universe. 

Some believe so, as Earth, due to its destination from the sun and specific atmospheric structure, 

is the only planet in our solar system that can sustain life. However, others believe that we 

are not alone, and that there are other forms of life just waiting to be contacted by us. However, 

this group is mostly made up of folks that many in society would refer to as “out there” (pun 

intended). Personally, I side with those who are considered “out there”, although I am not necessarily 

one myself. 

I believe that there are other forms of life in the universe, although they are probably not 

waiting to be contacted by us. Why do I believe this? Well, I will tell you after this quick side 

note: I said the universe, not just our solar system. This fact leads into my reasoning. I believe 

that the this universe we live in, composed of millions of galaxies and billions of planets, is just 

too big for the possibility of life besides ours to be absent. The fact that we might be the only 

life forms in the entire universe is just too improbable. There is bound to be a planet with similar 

conditions to ours somewhere in the universe. And this argument is excluding the possibility of other dimensions, but that is a whole 

other discussion. 

My final answer to the question “Are we alone?” is no, as the universe we inhabit is too big and vast to be absent of all forms of life 

except ours.



Injustice: Gods Among Us Review 



On April 16, 2013, the video game Injustice: Gods Among Us was released. To be honest, I was not looking forward to 

the game and never bothered pre-ordering it as I did not look at any advertisements for the game. There was just no time. 

However, I took a gamble and blindly purchased the game without doing any research on it, which resulted in my thinking 

that this is one of the best fighting games of 2013. 

The storyline basically follows a handful of DC superheroes, including Batman, that are transported to an alternate dimension 

in which Superman has taken over the world with the new One Earth regime. He has done this in response to killing 

the Joker after the Joker drugged him, making him kill his wife, Lois, and their unborn son, thereby triggering a nuclear 

bomb set in Metropolis by the Joker that was rigged to Lois’ heartbeat. The handful of heroes from another dimension 

therefore embark on a quest to stop the One Earth Regime’s murderous practices, encountering their duplicates that Superman 

subjugated to his will along the way. I will not reveal any more of the story for those of you who have not enjoyed this 

game. 

My overall review of the game would be that it is one of the best games I have ever played. While the storyline is really 

dark (with so much killing between superheroes), it is very well thought out and keeps one asking “what’s next?” from start 

to finish. The graphics are also extremely well made, topping even Call of Duty games in the graphics department. My only 

complaints about the game are the similarities in gameplay and storyline organization to the Mortal Kombat remake (2011). 

However, this is due to the fact that the same people who created Mortal Kombat produced this game. My other complaint 

about the game is the lack of classic characters, such as Darkseid, Brainiac, The Penguin, and Robin (although Nightwing is in the game). 

While there is a great assortment of characters to choose from, a fighting game of this caliber would not be complete without names like these. However, overall, I would 

say that this is one of the best games of 2013 and would recommend it to anyone who likes to play video games. 

Avatar: Legend of Pro-Bending 

by Moe Labbe 

Sports Editor 

When you think of “Avatar” what do you imagine? Is it tall blue people with funny looking ears, tails, and wicked cool 

braids? If you’re a person like me, the answer is no. If you’re a person like me, a true fan of the real Avatar, you think of a 

bald kid named Aang with wicked cool blue arrow tattoos all over his body. He is THE Avatar. He is from the Nickelodeon 

animated series of Avatar the Last Airbender. 

The Avatar is the master of all four elements: water, fire, earth, and air. In the world of the Avatar there are people with 

special abilities that can “bend” the elements. This means that they can control one of the elements. But, the Avatar can 

control them all. The series follows Aang on his journey to master the elements in time to defeat his enemy, Fire Lord 

(equivalent to a dictator) Ozai, before Sozin’s Comet hit and gave the fire nation army the power they needed to destroy the 

other nations. 

Last year, there was a spinoff series released about the next Avatar. This was called Avatar: Legend of Korra. This version 

of the Avatar series has many characters that are said to be children of the characters in the previous series. Here the 

Avatar goes to Republic City to try and save fellow benders from being “equalized” by her enemy, Amon. Amon was trying 

to rid the city and later the world of benders on the stance that they are “abusers of power”. To blow off steam and just 

take a break from the trials and hardships of being a hero Korra discovers the world of Pro-Bending. 

Pro-Bending is a sport unlike any other. It’s like an amped up version of mixed martial arts. There are teams of three 

that consist of fire, earth, and water. The court this is played on is on a raised on a platform over water in an arena. There 

are three zones that you can fight from. The center is where you start and as you get hit, if you stumble back into another 

zone, you must stay there for the duration of the round. If all members of a single team get pushed back into another zone 

then the other team may advance into a zone towards them. The benders can use their skills to push the other team back or 

to knock them out of the ring completely. Korra joined the Fire Ferrets with brothers Mako and Bolin. She was the water bender, Mako had fire, and Bolin had earth. Over all 

the team was pretty successful and were able to use what they learned in the game against the enemy equalist.



I’m Not Hungry Anymore 


Arts Reporter 

In a society in which our foods are heavily processed, there are lots of ingredients contained in our foods that are quite bizzare, 

and gross! If you have a weak stomach, you might want to stop reading now. 

Some of our spices contain propylene glycol, a chemical found in antifreeze. Apparently, this ingredient is safe, but a relative, 

ethylene glycol, is very toxic. Before you indulge into those Skittles, take a look at this: a lot of snacks such as Skittles, ice cream, 

and lemonade are colored with carmine, which comes from boiled cochineal beetles. 

An ingredient that is “generally recognized as safe” and is often disguised as “natural flavoring” is called castoreum. Castoreum 

comes from the castor sac scent glands of beavers. 

A lot of our ground beef contains an ingredient commonly referred to as “pink slime”. Pink slime is obtained from the bits of 

meat stuck to fat. The fat is separated from the meat pieces by melting the fat away. The leftover pink substance is treated with ammonia 

gas and added to ground beef as a filler. 

Quite a sickening ingredient that uses the alias “confectioner’s glaze” makes our jelly beans sparkle and shine: Shellac is extracted 

from the secretions of the female Thailand-native Kerria Lacca insect. 

“Cinnamon Challenge” 



So you might have heard of the YouTube fad called “The Cinnamon Challenge”. 

It’s a fad in which teens try to swallow a whole tablespoon of cinnamon in 

under sixty seconds, without water. This challenge sounds interesting to many teens 

and plenty are filming themselves trying it and downloading it to YouTube for others’ 

amusement. What they may not realize is that it has been dubbed as extremely 

dangerous, according to a study shown in the journal “Pediatrics”. 

Steven E. Lipshults is the director of the Bachelor Children’s Institute in Miami. 

He and his team have discovered that the challenge has increased the number of 

calls to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. Many of the people 

who called needed medical attention. 

Cinnamon may not seem like something dangerous and in small doses it’s not; 

but studies done on animals have shown that swallowing lots of cinnamon at one 

time can cause lesions, scarring, and airway and lung inflammation. Though an extensive 

study hasn’t been done on humans, it’s pretty likely that taking in too much 

sugar can cause lung damage. 

So remember to think before doing some weird challenge you found on the internet. 

Ground Powdered Cinnamon 

Use it Properly



8 Hour School Day? Sign Me Up! 



Most of the students reading this are probably thinking, “we need less school, not more!” and that’s a valid opinion. But what’s 

wrong with allowing the option for students to take extra courses if they want to so they can get certain requirements out of the way 

early and even move on to more advanced classes? 

The answer is nothing. It’s a good idea to help motivated students to better exceed in their high school careers. And all that hard 

work in just one extra hour a day could mean less to do in the future. 

Now, even though it’s a good idea in theory, what would it mean in practice? I for one am not a fan of waking up as it is, and an 

hour earlier would probably put me in my grave. However, it’s possible that the new hour could be introduced in the afternoon as well, 

so non-early birds could attend. If implemented correctly, it could be a win-win for everyone involved. 

The Sad Side of Increased Academia 



enough to deal with already. 

As the 2012-2013 school years comes to a close, there have been rumors and consideration of cutting the current advisory period 

making way for another class to fit the gap, meaning that the day would consist of eight periods instead of seven. While this 

rumored decision has yet to be declared (in fact, the word is that it is not an option), it raises more questions that haven't been answered 

pertaining to what it would actually solve. 

Ruston High has a consistent seven period schedule to which students follow, followed with a lunch shift and advisory period for 

students to use as work time. For some students, the advisory period yields many academic opportunities while for others it represents 

a much needed brain rest from test or any other stressful factors. However, cutting the time would not allow for this. Instead 

it is said that school may be extended to eight full periods, meaning that students could supposedly finish more credited classes 

with a possibility of less days of school. 

However, one must look at the cost benefits. For one, a student’s life could end up being more stressful as he or she would have 

to study and do more for classes. Students would also have to spend more time in school which could possibly not allow for the 

study and work time needed at home; this could possibly make students more irritated and anxious to get through the day. 

Not to be forgotten are the clubs that meet during this time. Large school academic clubs such as FFA, FBLA, NHS, and other 

clubs would no longer have the time to meet. Clubs at Ruston High are regarded as a high priority as some take clubs very seriously 

as experience in different organizations can be placed on a college application. To students and organizations, this could end 

up being stressful and aggravating for those running clubs since clubs would have a high probability of being cut. With such clubs 

such as FFA and FBLA who have both yearly national competitors and winners, the decision to cut for eight periods would be a 

very stressful event for students and faculty alike. Students and faculty should not have to be pressured for more, as they have 

The Chatterbox reminds all students that everyone has a right to an opinion on issues. If you have an opinion and wish to write an article, the 

Chatterbox reminds you that all submissions are subject to staff, editor, and administrative review to ensure that the article provides information or 

promotes school pride, and does so without materially disrupting work, does not cause substantial disorder, or does not invade the rights of these.

Word Search 

Sudoku 

Fun Page 



Quote of the Day: 

“Birth was the death of him”.-Samuel Beckett 

Popular December 

Movie Releases 

Did You 

Know? 

Japan has over 50,00 people 

that are over 100 years 

old? 

According to Rotten Tomatoes, 

the Toy Story trilogy 

is the most critical acclaimed 

trilogy of all time. 

Recommended Albums of Summer 

In 1893, an amendment 

was proposed to rename 

the US to the “ United 

States of Earth.” 

It is scientifically proven 

that when a woman is attracted 

to a man, she 

speaks in a higher pitch 

than normal. 

There is an experimental 

radio show called “ A Call 

in the Night” that will call 

you once a week after 2 

am and connect you to a 

random person to discuss 

your dreams.

Sponsors/Staff 



2012-2013 Chatterbox Sponsors 

Platinum Level Sponsors: ($200 +) 

Mark and Donnie Bartlett First National Bank John B. Holstead 

Ruston High School Alumni Association Ruston High School RHS FBLA Chapter 617 

Gold Level Sponsors: ($100 - $199) 

Jack Fluck Realty Ballard Forestry Richard Durrett 

Tara Ballard Superior Loss Control Solutions, LLC Lloyd R. Bruner 

Silver Level Sponsors: ($50 - $99) 

Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office Don & Elizabeth Yielding Troy Maxson 

Amy Colvin RHS Business Department Stephanie Carwile 

Rodney & Libby Manning 

Bronze Level Sponsors: ($25—$49) 

Ann Ballard 

2012-2013 Chatterbox Advertisers 

Business/Organization Owner/Manager/Contact Agent Page of Advertisement 

Lincoln ACHIEVE Cathi Cox-Boniol 2 

RHS PTA Julie Kyte 2 

Hunt, Guillot & Associates Donna Ott 7 

Broom Auto Holly Broom 14 

Please thank and support these businesses, organizations, and individuals for making your Ruston High School Chatterbox possible! 

With special thanks to Principal Mike Milstead for all his support! 

2012-2013 RHS Chatterbox Staff 

Editor in Chief Whitney Durrett Senior 

Assistant News Editor Elena Till Senior 

Sports Editor Moriah Labbe’ Senior 

Graphics/Design Editor Thristan Cecil Junior 

Arts Reporter Vivien Ballard Sophomore 

Clubs Reporter Charles Pickett Junior 

Education Reporter Nathan Bennett Senior 

Social Reporter Andrea Long Junior 

Sports Reporter Michael Foster Junior 

Guest Cartoonist Rachel Huckaby Senior 

Adviser/Sponsor: Mr. Lloyd R. Bruner, chatterbox@lincolnschools.org 

The Chatterbox is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA). 

The purpose of the Chatterbox is to provide information and to promote school pride. We strive to meet the criteria set by the National Scholastic Press Association for 

student journalism. In addition, if a reasonable basis or belief that a publication would materially disrupt class work, involve substantial disorder, or invade the rights 

of these, it will not be published in keeping with the guidelines of Hazelwood School District vs. Kulkmeier (1998). Signed editorials may be sent to Ruston High 

School, 900 Bearcat Drive, Ruston, Louisiana 71270. 

Chatterbox can be accessed at: http://rustonhigh.lincolnschools.org/pages/chatterbox.php

Sports 



New Boys Basketball Coach 

by Moe Labbe 

Sports Editor 

Coach Bakari Beckwith 

Picture accessed from 

The Advocate - Baton Rouge 

Mr. Bakari Beckwith was born in Monroe, Louisiana and attended Ouachita High 

School. His wife, Yolonda is a Ruston High School graduate so it’s like he was coming 

home after spending the previous two years working as the head coach of Zachary High 

School. After spending five years as a head coach he is here to bring a new face to 

Bearcat Boys Basketball. “Coach Beck” spent seven years as an assistant at his alma 

mater of Ouachita High and sent the Rebels to the Louisiana High School Athletic Association 

5A state semifinals during the 2008-2009 campaign. Coach Laird said, “After 

spending the last couple of days with him, I can tell you that we couldn’t have hired a 

better person for the program.” Coach Beck said, “It may be a gradual process, but my 

role here at Ruston High will be to make sure our players realize the potential they have 

and how good they can be while they’re here.” Ruston High School is looking forward 

to the new leadership on the basketball team. 

Tennis “Racket” 

by Moe Labbe 

Sports Editor 

The Ruston High School tennis teams competed at the Regional Tennis Tournament. The boys’ singles matches included 

Caleb White. The boys’ double team consisted of Hayden Smithey and Matt Oakes. The boys finished 5 th overall at Regionals. 

Those gaining wins at Regionals were Caleb White and the doubles teams of Hayden Smithey and Matt Oakes, Owen 

Ellis and Collin King, and Tristen Huff and Collin Shively. Along with them were the girls’ doubles team of Kaitlyn Heiden 

and Hannah Matejowsky. Caleb White, Hayden Smithey, and Matt Oaks all qualified for state. 

Baseball Supporters 

by Whitney Durrett 

Editor in Chief 

For the first round of the 5A Baseball playoffs, Ruston High Baseball hosted Northshore High School. 

Bearcat fans were very excited for the game. Senior girls organized a group of girls from all classes to spell 

out a saying for the boys. Each varsity baseball player had a girl with his name and number on the back of 

the shirt. The shirts spelled out “Cats Take State #RedRocker.” 

Ruston High School Bearcat Softball tryouts were held on May 13-15, 2013. The results of the tryouts will be revealed in 

next month’s issue of Chatterbox.

Sports 



Bearcat Golf Finishes Season Strong 



The Bearcat golf team has been hard at work. After earning a second place finish at district, they 

went on to win second again at regionals. 

At the state tournament in Shreveport, Ruston went on to compete against 7 other schools and finished 

in 4 th place with a team score of 651 for the two day tournament. Mitchell Haddox shot 3rd best 

score with a individual score of 148 for the two day tournament. This placed him only two strokes 

below second place and then only 4 strokes below first for the highest individual score. This has been 

a good season for Bearcat Golf. 

Track and Field 

by Moe Labbe 

Sports Editor 

Some of the Ruston High School Lady Bearcat Track and Field 

Members Who Participated This Year on the State Runner-Up Team. 

The Ruston High varsity boys and girls Track and Field teams close out an amazing season at the 

LHSAA Class 5A State Championships at LSU in Baton Rouge, Saturday, May 4, 2013. In the elite 

field of very talented athletes, the Ruston girls fought hard against Louisiana’s track powerhouse, 

Baton Rouge High School, a multiple-state championship winner, all day in a head-to-head struggle 

for the grand title. Separated by only ten points going into the day’s final event, the 4X400 meter relay, 

the Lady Bearcats came away from the State Meet with the Class 5A State Runner-Up trophy, 

against a Baton Rouge team loaded with nationally ranked talent. 

The Ruston Boys also completed their season with some outstanding performances from a young 

group of athletes, highlighted by podium finishes for Michael Courtney and Travis Woods. 

The results from the LHSAA Class 5A State Track and Field Championships for the Lady Bearcats 

were: Quanese Jones (State Runner-Up), Kristen Clark (State Runner-Up), Breanna Cooper 

(Seventh Place), Girls 4X200 meter Relay Team: Erin Goree, Phynecha Richard, Sunni McAllister, 

and Hannah Siegmund (Fourth Place), Keke Wright (Seventh Place), Girls 4X100 meter Relay Team: 

Erin Goree, Sunni McAlister, Brittany Jenkins, and Hannah Siegmund (Third Place), Sunni 

McAllister (State Runner-Up), Girls 4X400 meter Relay Team: Sunni McAllister, Phynecha Richard, 

Alexus Hadnot, and Hannah Siegmund (Sixth Place). 

The results from the LHSAA Class 5A State Track and Field Championships for the Bearcat Boys 

were: Michael Courtney (Third Place), Devin Price (Seventh Place), Sam Haskins (Sixth Place), 

Boys 4X100 meter Relay Team: Devin Price, Malik Taylor, Travis Woods, and Darrian Cooper 

(Seventh Place), and Travis Woods (Third Place). 

Hannah Siegmund broke the high school record in the 400 meter dash with a time of 55.95 and was 

the State Champion in her event.

Sports 



Bearcat Baseball Playoff Run 

by Whitney Durrett 

Editor in Chief 

Ending the regular season with a record of 29-5, the Bearcats went into the playoffs swinging. The 

first game against Northshore on May 30th was a short victory. With a 10 run rule victory in the 5th 

inning. David Michael Burkhalter pitched the entire game, Ivan Wilson hit a home-run and scored a 

triple, Garrett Patterson scored a triple, and Cannon Brasuell scored a walk off single to score the winning 

run. 

For the second round of the playoffs, the Bearcats hosted Sulphur High School. The game began 

with a homerun from each team tying the score 2-2 at the end of the first inning. David Michael Burkhalter 

pitched 6 innings of the game with Tanner Fraiser relieving him. Senior, Ivan Wilson hit a total 

of 3 homeruns in 4 at bats. The Bearcats played a hard came but came up short with a loss 7-4. 

Ruston High has much to be proud of this season! The Bearcats only lost one home game the entire 

season and were the District 2-5A Champions. 

B.J. Findley Signs to LA Tech for Baseball 



On April 29, 2013, RHS Senior B.J. Findley, a strong bearcat baseball player, signed to Louisiana tech to play 

baseball. Soon after signing, our sports reporter Mike got to interview him about his future as a Bulldog Baseball 

player. The first question was about being excited to play baseball for Louisiana Tech to which B.J. Responded, “I’m 

definitely excited, I can’t wait for the opportunity to play there and I’m gonna enjoy being close to home.” Then 

when asked if Louisiana Tech was his first choice, he answered “Not initially, but they came on stronger later and 

eventually I couldn’t say no.” After being asked what position he’s aiming for he answered “I wanna play center 

field.” I then asked him if that was the position that the Bulldogs were going to play him at, or if he didn’t know yet. 

B.J. responded “Yeah, I’m gonna be playing in center field.” Please wish B.J. Findley good luck in his years as a 

Bulldog baseball player and support him and the entire Bulldog Baseball Team at next season’s home games!

February 2013 Chatterbox - Ruston High School - Lincoln Parish ...

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