February 14, 2012 - Ruston High School

Box Tops 

Bearcat News (2) 

Academia (3-6) 

Outside Our Box? (7) 

Editorials/Opinions (8-14) 

Clubs (15-17) 

The Arts (18) 

Teacher Spotlights (19-20) 

Valentines Messages (21- 

23) 

Service/Social (24) 

Student Center (25) 

Fun Page (26) 

Sponsors and Staff (27) 

Sports (28-31) 

Bearcat Spirit (32) 

Upcoming 

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March 2012 

March Madness: Pros/Cons 

FBLA District Results 

Baseball/Softball Hits the 

Diamond 

April 2012 

Graduation Noise: Pros/ 

Cons 

FBLA State Results 

Track Results 

May 2012 

Summer Camps: Pro/Con 

Summer Plans 

Baseball/Softball Results 

Chatterbox 

The Voice of Ruston High School 

900 Bearcat Drive, Ruston, Louisiana 71270 

http://rustonhigh.lincolnschools.org/chatterbox.html 

February 14, 2012 

Superintendent of Education 

for Louisiana Visits RHS 

by Whitney Durrett 

Editor in Chief 

On January 26, 2012, the new Superintendent of Education for the state 

of Louisiana, John White, visited Ruston High School. He visited New 

Tech and met with some of Ruston High’s teachers. He spoke with students 

in New Tech about how they work and how they learn from doing projects. Members of the BESE 

Board, Mr. Danny Bell, and Mr. Milstead accompanied him as he viewed Ruston High. (continues on 

page 2). 

RHS Cheerleaders: National Champions 



The Ruston High Competition Squad went to Dallas, Texas January 

7 th and 8 th to compete at the National Cheerleading Association (NCA) 

national competition. This year they competed in the Non-Tumbling 

division and the Game Time division. After months of hard work, dedication, 

and determination to win, the RHS cheerleaders took the title as 

the NCA Game Time National Championships for the second year in a 

row. Junior, Caitlin Elliott told Chatterbox, “It felt better to win the second time around! It was so much 

fun and we are so thankful to have won two years in a row.” (continues on page 32). 

RHS Distinguished Alumni and Teachers 

information provided by RHS Alumni Association 

by Elena Till 

Assistant News Editor 

On Friday, October 24 th the 8 th Annual Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Educator Awards 

Luncheon was held by the Ruston High School Alumni Association. Three distinguished teachers and 

three distinguished alumni were honored and recognized at the luncheon. A young alumnus was also honored 

with a significant achievement award. 

The three distinguished alumni recognized and honored were as follows: in the category of Commerce 

and Industry, Captain Zane Skinner; in the category of Humanities and Education, Robert M. Lewis; and 

in Humanities, Duddy Burkhalter Garrett. The distinguished teachers honored were current teacher Elaine 

Johnson, retired teacher Bud Alexander (Coach Bud), and the late Mr. Morgan Peoples. Ryan David Dick 

was the recipient of the inaugural Young Alumnus of Significant Achievement. 

In the October edition of the Chatterbox, we began a series giving a detailed report on each of these 

distinguished alumni and teachers, covering one distinguished alumni or teacher each month. Last month, 

the distinguished alumnus Zane Skinner was covered. This month, we continue the series on page two (2) 

with a report on distinguished alumnus Robert M. Lewis. 

Seniors: Ensure that you get your cap and gown pictures to Mr. Bruner and 

your required pictures to Mrs. Strickler by the March. 15, 2012 deadline! 

Inside 

Mrs. Shaw’s Pillow Cases 

See Page 6 

Ruston Team FBLA 

2nd at Regionals 

See Page 16 

Band Members 

Win Awards 

See Page 18 

Basketbball 

Winds Down 

See Page 30

B earcat News 

Chatterbox 

Ruston High School February 14, 2012 Page 2 

Distinguished Alumni: Robert M. Lewis 

by Elena Till 


Robert M. Lewis went to Ruston High School the first year it received a Triple A ranking and was number 58, playing center, on the football 

team. His football career started off great when he made the first all-state football team and received the Coaches Award. This year, his senior 

year of 1966-1967 was a pivotal time in many ways and may have laid the groundwork for his life’s work. After his RHS graduation, Robert M. 

Lewis continued his love of football by accepting a scholarship to the University of Arkansas where he lettered as linebacker, finishing his career 

playing with the nationally ranked Razorbacks against the University of Texas for the national championship. Mr. Lewis received a Bachelor of 

Science in Business Administration after four years there. Upon graduation, he married his high school sweetheart, Sherard Thompson, and 

moved to Oregon to enter graduate school and seminar, earning his master of arts in Greek New Testament and a Master of Divinity in 1977. 

Apparently, Robert’s heart and strength was heading in God’s direction as he was the directional leader of the Fellowship Bible Church in 

Little Rock for twenty years. During that time, the membership grew from several hundred members to over 5000 and was recognized as one of 

the most innovative and influential churches in America. It was also during this time that he earned his Doctor of Ministry from Talbot Seminary 

in 1985. His leadership skills have allowed him to launch several organizations in Arkansas including a state adoption agency, a counseling center 

and a church planting and consulting organization responsible for planting over forty churches. His Sharefest initiative brings hundreds of 

churches together annually in Little Rock to serve the community. Also, he continues to serve on a number of boards, with a special heart for 

agencies working to elevate the life of the people of Rwanda. 

Besides being a devoted pastor and server of the community, Mr. Lewis has many other worthy accomplishments. He has written and produced many books and video 

resources, selling over a million copies. His Men’s Fraternity video series is nationally recognized and has been used in over 15,000 churches, hundreds of businesses and 

prisons and in twenty foreign countries, including China, Australia, Honduras and Spain. Another accomplishment is that he founded LifeReady, a video production company 

that creates resources helpful in building strong marriages and families. In 1997, he was a Gold Medallion Finalist for Book of the Year with Raising a Modern-Day Knight 

and in 2001 Lewis was named Pastor of the Year by the National Coalition of Men’s Ministries and was awarded the Community Service Award by the Governor of Arkansas. 

Robert Lewis has made his life’s work of being available… to his wife and four children and three grandchildren, to churches and pastors and congregations around our 

nation. He has filled the role of a pastor, a writer, a speaker and a visionary. And so, like the football squad in the fall of his senior year, 1966, he has met the challenges 

placed before him, and has accepted recognition with honor. 

Superintendent of Education for 

Louisiana Visits RHS (cont.) 



Ruston High is one of the first schools Mr. 

White has visited since he was appointed Superintendent 

for the state of Louisiana. He was 

greatly impressed with the school and how 

well the students work and how they behave. 

During his visit he visited with numerous New 

Tech students about their likes and dislikes of 

New Tech and they told him about how they 

work and how their learning process works. He 

also visited with Mrs. Boniol about how New 

Tech is run and what is different about it from 

the other types of classes Ruston High offers. 

After visiting New Tech, Mr. White, along 

with Mr. Milstead, members of the BESE 

Board, and Mr. Bell, continued to the teachers’ 

lounge on the third floor to visit with some of 

the many wonderful teachers Ruston High has 

on staff. They met about students and how 

they believe students can have a better learning 

experience and what they like and dislike 

about the Louisiana educational system. 

Mr. White had a wonderful visit to Ruston 

High School and was greatly impressed by what he saw. Ruston High is honored 

to be one of the first schools he visited and hopes it is not the last time he visits! 

Saluting Outstanding 

Student Achievement 

Throughout the Bearcat Nation

A 

Cancer What? 

submitted by Colton Boothe 

It is that time of year again, Relay For Life! The National Honor Society and I are 

gearing up for the big event once again this year, and I have a feeling this may be one 

of the biggest years yet for Ruston High. If you did not know yet, last year our team 

raised over $10,000! Are you sitting there thinking, “Yeah that is great but I am not in 

National Honors Society, so how does this pertain to me?” GREAT, no FANTASTIC 

question! Everyone, as in every student and faculty member is part of our team. Without 

you all and your contributions last year it would have been hard to get to our 

$10,000 dollar mark and reach above it. You are a bigger asset than you may think, so 

what can you do to help? Well you can tell your friends and family about it, you can 

contribute to our fundraisers throughout now and April, and you can come to Relay 

on April 20 th ! 

Now in case you had questions, here are your answers (hopefully, if you still have 

any please ask me!). Is Relay for Life an actual relay, as in running? No it is not a 

running event, people from each team walk the track and the whole point is to make 

sure someone is walking the track at all times. This symbolizes that cancer never 

rests, and we won’t either until we find a cure. Where does the money that is raised 

go exactly? All money goes into cancer research or into helping cancer patients. 

New Members for National 

Honor Society 

by Jaisle Bailey 

News Editor 

National Honor Society recently sent out applications to students who have a 3.5 + 

grade point averages and help out in the community. The following students made 

it in: 

Colton Boothe 

Matthew Cardenas 

Parker Carwile 

Laura Cason 

Farryn Cooper 

Rachel Cowell 

Channing Dorr 

Melissa Dosher 

Jacob Duke 

Mary Hollis Graham 

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Chatterbox 


Preparing For College through Speech and Debate Camps 


News Editor 

Last month the Ruston High Speech and Debate team travelled to St. Thomas Moore in Lafayette (STM) to compete in a tournament. Advanced Policy debaters Michael 

Davidson and Clark Pierce received first place. Interper Darby Guinn placed first in OI. Even though these students have state bids, they are still hard at work! The team 

competed in a tournament at Acadiana in Lafayette on February 3 rd and 4 th . We will have those results for the next issue. 

Every summer, member of the speech and debate team have to travel to a college that holds a camp. This is required so that students can improve their skills. Popular 

camps include Western Kentucky University, University of Texas in Austin, and Michigan State University. The benefits include learning to navigate through a college library, 

networking with college professors, and experiencing college lectures. This is an all around great experience that helps the students grow as performers and debaters. 

Chandler Haddox 

Maggie Humphries 

Sara Jones 

Chad Leachmen 

Kendall Lopez 

Mary Margaret Manning 

Courtney McKinney 

John David Moore 

Ty Oakes 

Josh Owen 

Zach Passon 

Beth Ramirez 

Rachel Ruff 

Ben Serio 

Erica Sorenson 

Michael Tolar 

Rebecca Wheelis 

Caleb White 

Shelton Wooley 

Anna Claire Wyatt 

National Honor Society is also helping out with Relay for Life. See Colton 

Boothe’s article for more 

When it goes to cancer patients it can range from gas cards to help them travel to and 

from treatments, helping to pay the medical bills, and even helping women with 

breast cancer learn how to do their make-up and adjust and wear wigs if they would 

like. All money goes to helping the patients and to helping find a cure to abolish cancer. 

Why does it last from 6PM – 6 AM? This honestly is one of my favorite parts. 

It lasts 12 hours to symbolize how cancer never sleeps, it never takes a step back and 

says, “I have done enough damage, I will give the person a break.” It is an ongoing 

battle that the patient fights. At the Relay a sheet will be read that explains this in 

fuller detail. Why do the commercials have “Happy Birthday” sung by someone? 

Well the song ‘Happy Birthday’ is basically the theme song for the American Cancer 

Society and Relay for Life. By assisting patients with their needs, and hopefully finding 

a cure we give each Survivor another birthday for them to celebrate. Who is the 

American Cancer Society? The American Cancer Society is basically the people 

behind the research and the handling of the funds to assist patients. They do a whole 

lot to help in anything cancer related. Relay For Life is their biggest fundraiser 

WORLD WIDE, and raises the most money to combat cancer. 

DRIVER’S EDUCATION 

• 6 – Hour Pre-Licensing Class 

• Course is State Approved 

• Must be 17 or older 

• Cost: Only $30 

For information, call: 251-1234

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French Club 

submitted by Mrs. Greenwood 

French Teacher 

cademia 

Chatterbox 

Ruston High School February 14 , 2012 Page 4 

Voilà la chanson que les enfants en France chantent pendant la saison de l’Épiphanie (entre le 6 janvier et Mardi Gras). 

Qu’est-ce que c’est « la galette »? C’est la galette des rois - le dessert favori pendant la saison de l’Épiphanie. 

Le Cercle Français est en train de préparer notre célébration de Mardi Gras, le 21 février. 

Il faut le bien fêter, parce que le lendemain, nous nous trouverons dans la saison de Carême, les 40 jours avant Pâques. 

Et pendant le Carême, on ne fait pas la fête (au moins en principe). 

La galette des rois – King cake 

Le Carême – Lent 

Pâques - Easter 

Science Fair? We Care! 

by Moe Labbe 

Clubs Reporter 

At the science fair, which took place on January 31, 2012, Ruston High had over 110 entries this year. This is the most projects RHS has ever had. The winning students 

will compete in the Region II Science Fair on February 16, 2012 at Louisiana Tech University. We will be wishing them luck and will have those results for you in the next 

issue. Congratulations go out to all the winners for their hard work. Great job to: Austin Meng, Dara Smith, Laura Cason, Melissa Dosher, Emily Colvin, Rachel Hegab, 

Kaitlyn Heiden, Kendall Lopez, Kane Killen, Matthew Brewer, John Herron, Ty Oakes, Chad Leachman, Neesha Siriwardane, Clark Pierce, Seth Scriber, Nic McWilliams, 

Macey Sutherland, Aubrey Simmons, Gaby Harpel, Alise Williams, Matt Oakes, Josh Owen, Margeaux Smith, Changin Dorr, Anna Claire Wyatt, Braden Hilton, Erik Martinez-Rodriguez, 

Landon Sims, Bethany Cardenas, Jonathan Abernathy, Courtney McKinney, Ryan Duke, Jacob Duke, and Zachary Elkharash. All of the participants did a 

wonderful job and good luck next year! 

To LIGO and Beyond 

by Moe Labbe 


Last month, the STEM classes ventured to LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) to get a better look at gravity 

waves. This is done by sending two lasers perpendicular to one another and observing the interference patterns of their reflections. Also, while 

they were there, they got to explore their education center which had tons of hands on activities to explore science concepts. Before they left, 

many of the students (including Mr. Frey!) were vacuum packed in large garbage bags. This was a great experience for all the students! The 

Mini-Urban challenge is at the end of February and the STEM Physics class will be preparing for the competition to compete and hopefully win, 

so we will keep you posted! The challenge is February 25, and we will bring you the results in the next issue of Chatterbox. Make sure to wish 

them luck! 

El Clubo De Español 

submitted by Kari Hackbarth 

Spanish Club Reporter 

J’aime la galette 

Savez-vous comment ? 

Quand elle est bien faite 

Avec du beure dedans ! 

Tra-la-la-la La-la-la-lère 

Tra-la-la-la La-la-la-lère. 

El 11 de diciembre, El Club Español tuvo una fiesta de Navidad en la casa de la Señora Cazenave. Todos trajeron un casero plato de estilo mexicano. Algunos de estos 

incluyeron arroz español, fajitas de pollo, y paellas. Después de que todos comieron, escuchando con la música de Navidad mexicana, nuestros presidentes Carlos y Tomas 

nos condujeron en un cambio divertido de regalo! 

Leading Lincoln at RHS 

by Emma Jones 

Education Reporter 

Leading Lincoln is a leadership program at Ruston High for juniors and seniors. Once a month, the members of Leading Lincoln commute to I.A. Lewis and a group of 

students is designated to speak to a class about a certain aspect of leadership. Through this, a group of older peers can help instill virtues of leadership among the future generations 

of the Lincoln Parish community. The members will speak to the class about this topic, ask questions and give examples to help the students further understand what 

it means to be a leader. Then, they engage the students in an activity that will help them apply this topic to everyday life. 

So far the students have talked about the virtues of a leader, community service, and most recently, bullying. The members spoke to their classes about examples of bullying: 

verbal, physical, and over the Internet. They asked their students about why people are bullied and how we should react when we are bullied. The students were then 

given examples of real life scenarios of bullying. Lastly, they discussed the difference between harmful bullying and playful teasing and the difference between the two. The 

sixth grade students learned that day what integrity means as a leader and how bullying is very inappropriate for any leader as well.

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Chatterbox 


Freshman Academy 

submitted by Mrs. Pruden 

Freshman Academy Coordinator 

Ten Years Ago… 

the Average RHS Freshman was 4 and in preschool. 

the Average RHS Senior was 8 and in the third grade. 

some of your teachers were graduating from high school. 

Facebook and Twitter did not exist. 

What can happen to you in the next ten years? 

You COULD 

graduate from high school AND 

graduate from college AND 

travel the world AND 

buy your first car or home AND 

start a business AND 

get married! 

Do you ever think about where you will be in 10 years? What plans do you have 

in place now so that you can fulfill your vision for 2022? Is there someone that you 

trust to talk to about your plans? 

New Tech @ Ruston 

submitted by Cathi Cox Boniol 

New Tech Director 

Now, more than ever before, freshmen are expected to think about 

their career options. To help you with your plan, Ruston High offers classes 

in agriculture, business, family and consumer science, art, music, speech, 

drama (and the list goes on) so that you can explore different careers to see 

if they are a good fit for your personality. My advice is to take full advantage 

of what Ruston High School has to offer you in your career classes and 

in the Career Counseling Center located in the library, where Mrs. Tatum 

and Mrs. Bryan will help you investigate your options. 

Do not take the easy road – stick to the challenging classes so that 

every opportunity will be available to you when you graduate. Don’t get 

sidetracked by the desire to have a 4.0 in place of a rigorous course of 

study. Trust your teachers—they are the experts—and when the time comes 

to apply to a college or university, aim for the Ivy League and frame your 

acceptance letters! I want you to walk across the stage at graduation knowing, 

without a doubt, that you accomplished what you set out as a freshman 

to do at Ruston High School. 

My first year of teaching I asked my freshmen students to write a 

prediction of where they would be in ten years; I kept these essays and after 

10 years, I mailed them back to the students. This was an eye-opening experience 

for everyone involved. I challenge you today to write your own 

prediction, use your remaining time at Ruston High to prepare you for your 

future, and live your dreams in 2022! 

The New Tech Student Leadership Team has been busy brainstorming ideas to enrich the second semester of the year. In conjunction with the upcoming Adopt-A-School 

"GO GREEN!" emphasis as well as the NT@R Global and Community Engagement learning outcome, the group is developing a green project to be implemented in the community. 

Plans to "spruce up" an area in need are being coordinated with the City of Ruston along with the development of a new flower bed at an area senior adult facility. 

The program is also recycling plastic bottles and aluminum cans as well as printer cartridges, a joint project with Hillcrest Elementary School. Leadership Team Officers 

Shelton Wooley, Jonathan Craig, Michael Tolar, Emily Compton, Chandler Haddox, and Stephen Hall are joined in service by Caleb White, Anna Claire Wyatt, Gracie 

Lewis, Jessica Woods, Josh Chrisman, Aranaye Clay, Ryan Dooley, Alicia Mitchell-Love, Jamarion Harris, Keon Johnson, and Haley Harris. 

Along with service, the New Tech staff has put its culture in the spotlight and committed to recognizing students who embrace a culture of trust, respect, and responsibility 

consistently. Freshman Trust Card "superstars" were treated to lunch at Pizza Inn, a donut party was hosted for freshmen and sophomores with Trust Cards in good standing, 

and more than half of the New Tech student body celebrated their achievement with a trip to Louisiana Tech University for its production of "Robin Hood." Congratulations 

to those students who are truly getting the job done every day in New Tech! 

New Tech has also opened its doors to strong community partners who are contributing to the ongoing enrichment of its curriculum and project development. Bank of 

Ruston has worked with all freshmen every other week with a specially designed Financial Responsibility program that has been implemented within the Animation and Visual 

Effects class. A special project will culminate the program at the end of the year. KXKZ radio, The Ruston Daily Leader, and KNOE Channel 8 TV were all on site to 

work with the freshmen on their marketing campaign as part of the cross-curricular "FLOW" project and students will soon collaborate with R2 Productions and local filmmakers 

as they begin work on a film project. 

Congrats To January and February Sharp Cats! 

by Polly Michelle Gwan 

Academics Reporter 

Congratulations to the January and February freshman Sharp Cats! Sharp Cats are chosen by the freshman teachers each month by their academic and behavioral excellence. 

The January and February Sharp Cats are as followed: Ashley Henderson, Caroline Garrett, Peyton Spangler, Zac Davis, Latanzia Walden, Zenetra Holland, Kali 

Stinson, and Josue Tehuatcle. Congrats to all these freshman students for their hard work!

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Chatterbox 


A Place for Your Head? 

by Moe Labbe 


Ms. Shaw’s sewing class recently made pillow cases. These pillow 

cases are teaching the ladies in the class how to sew, measure, and cut 

the fabric to make the pillows stylish for the Career Center couch. Be 

sure to stop by the and check it out! Pillows are great, they are fluffy 

and your head (which is a whopping 8 pounds!) rests so gently on 

them and is comforted by it that you’re able to dream of rainbows, 

unicorns, and maybe even school! Don’t take the making of cases for 

said pillows for granted. Having naked pillows is totally unacceptable. 

Be grateful that these girls are thinking about the pillows’ well being 

and clothing them properly with handmade cases that add a personal 

“homey” touch to the office. Mrs. Bryan and Mrs. Tatum appreciate 

the gesture! 

Pictured Right: Katherine Sanderson and Benicia King making pillow 

cases in Ms. Shaw’s class. 

Resumé 

submitted by Emily Greer 

Resumé Staff Member 

Guys it’s time to start ordering the 2011-2012 Resume Yearbook. We will be having a Valentine’s Day Bake Sale on Tuesday the 14 th and Wednesday the 15 th .The price 

is $50 as of December 1 st ! It would make a great gift for a graduating senior! See Mrs. Garrison in room 315 for more information. Seniors it’s time to start thinking about 

your senior ads and pictures! Spring will be here soon enough. Senior Ad forms are available in Mrs. Stickler’s room. For more information please don’t hesitate to see Mrs. 

Strickler in room 208 or a yearbook staff representative. 

Senior Cap and Gown Pictures 

by Lloyd R. Bruner 

Chatterbox Adviser/ FBLA Adviser 

It’s that time of year again Seniors – picture time! I am sure that each of you has already made your appointments to take all the pictures that you need for Chatterbox, the 

Ruston Daily Leader, and for Resume’. If not – you need to hurry. Deadlines are drawing near and every year, someone misses out. 

Chatterbox requires that all senior cap and gown pictures be sent electronically to chatterbox@lincolnschools.org. Remind your photographer, especially if you use independent 

photographers. These are the pictures that will be used in the Senior Edition of Chatterbox that is published in June 2012 as well as the Ruston Daily Leader, usually 

published in late April or May 2012. To be clear, here are the requirements for cap and gown pictures: 

Cap and gown pictures must be in RHS colors. 

Cap and gown pictures must be CAP and gown worn. Cap is on your head. 

Guys – you must wear ties. 

No excessive jewelry – no inappropriate jewelry – no inappropriate gestures. 

Cap and gown pictures must be sent electronically by March 15, 2012. 

Professional photographers know the requirements. If you use anyone who does not know them, have them contact one. You may take any pictures you want as it is your 

right; however, understand that only photographs done to our traditions and standards will be published. We do this as a courtesy – it is not a right. So seniors, let’s make this 

year great and send in quality pictures that show your Bearcat Pride. We want every senior covered this year! 

Only send one official cap and gown picture to Chatterbox. Photographers already know this and they send in all their pictures at once. If you have questions, ask them. As 

for any other pictures required for Resume’, check with them and ensure that you follow their instructions and meet their deadlines. Please do not send cap and gown pictures 

to Resume’ and do not send outdoor pictures to Chatterbox.

O utside Our Box? Chatterbox 


Winter or Spring? 

by Elena Till 


Every year on the second of February, groundhogs across the nation rise up and peer out of their habitations to take a look at the wide world. This day is very popular in 

America; many people have celebrations and a movie called “Groundhog Day” was even made about it, starring Bill Murray. The tradition says that if the groundhog sees his 

shadow there will be six more weeks of winter as he believes it to be an omen of bad weather. However, if he does not see his shadow then spring is on the way and winter is 

coming to an end. This year there seems to be some controversy among groundhogs across the country as some saw their shadow and others did not. Probably the most 

highly regarded groundhog is that of Pennsylvania, a state that widely recognizes and even celebrates this day: a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil (as in Philadelphia). 

On Thursday, February 2, 2012, he saw his shadow yet other groundhogs across the states did not. The weather has been a bit out of the ordinary this year so it is no surprise 

that the groundhogs are confused and may not be able to “accurately” predict the weather of the upcoming months. So will winter continue on or will spring begin? 

A Month to Remember 

by Moe Labbe 


Black History Month is celebrated every year during the month of February. It’s meant to celebrate achievements by black Americans and a time for recognizing the central 

role of black Americans in American history. Since 1976, every U.S. President has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries 

around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also take this month to celebrating black history in their countries. 

Here at Ruston High we would also like to recognize such a glorious month. African Americans have had hardships and have the fortitude to overcome it all. Great people 

and inventors have come from the black community. We have our commander and chief Barrack Obama, actors like Samuel L. Jackson and Morgan Freeman, and fantastic 

musicians like Snoop Dogg and Lil Wayne. We can even go further back into the Civil Rights Movement and talk about Thurgood Marshal, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther 

King Jr., who were all very influential people. I think the African American youth today should stop and appreciate this month because you can’t know where you’re going 

until you know where you’ve been. 

Military Appreciation for Chatterbox 

by Sarah Kay Blaylock 

Arts Reporter 

RHS Chatterbox Staff, 

Thank you so much for finding a place for our soldiers in the Chatterbox. I would also like to thank you for sending me a copy of the Chatterbox. I look forward each 

month to receiving the Chatterbox so I can read about the great things that Ruston High School is doing! 

SGT Taylor 

Left: Coach Taylor and another 

Military personnel supporting the 

Louisiana Tech Dawgs even from 

over seas! 

Right: Coach Taylor standing in 

knee deep snow!

E 

Erin Maxson 


ditorials/Opinions Chatterbox 


Moe Labbe: Dive into my mind? 


Hello, hello. My name is Moriah but you should call me Moe. As you’ve probably already noticed, I’m extremely good looking… I play soccer 

because I’m cool. My voice is like a mixture of Jesus and Fergie, even the Beibs is jelly. You should all get to know me. But here’s a tad more 

about myself. 

How about my favorites? The colors of my choice are orange, grey, blue, and white. The people of my choice are my buds on the speech and 

debate team, soccer team, and just awesome people I’d invite to a party someday. My favorite music is acoustic, alternative, pop, rock, and DUB- 

STEP. My favorite bands or DJs or singers are Coldplay, Mumford and Sons, Kid Cudi, Skrillex, One Republic, Adele, Iron and Wine, and Jack 

Johnson. I love superhero movies and my favorite superhero is Captain America. I want to be him. I like his costume. 

In conclusion, I’m an amazing human being and I like it here on earth. One day I’d like to make cool movies and create street music with a few 

friends. I’d love to meet new people so stop me in the hall and say hey and stuff. I’d probably be really happy. I really want some tacos… which are my favorite food in the 

world. We should chill, it’d be chill. Um, I’m at a loss now. So have a groovy day and remember, everything gets better in the end, if it doesn’t then it’s not the end. Take it 

easy, life goes on dudes. 

Nathan Bennett 


They told me I could be anything, so I became controversy. My name is Nathan Bennett, though friends call me Karl. By that logic, I have no 

friends. Right now I’m a Junior at Ruston High, though that might change if you’re reading this in the future. 

I sprung fully formed from my mother on the 25 th of February 1995. In only a month, I grew to the height of an adult and taught myself basic 

skills using only a paperclip and a piece of string. I since evolved into a being of pure light energy and have made it my purpose to enlighten the 

lesser creatures of earth. 

My interests include humans, capitalism, and procrastination. The rest are probably beyond your level of understanding. I am the Grand Master 

of the Illuminati and serve of Secretary of the Interior for the New World Order commission. All that aside, I put my pants on two legs at a time 

just like everybody else. 

I can safely say that Ruston High School is the best high school I have ever attended, just as I can say that my parents are the best parents I have 

ever had. I am a very sane and approachable person, but if you ask me for an autograph I will ignore you rather than hurt your feelings. Sorry. 

Hi, my name is Erin Maxson and I recently joined the Chatterbox Staff. I moved here in October of 2011 from Lubbock, Texas, which is about 

9-10 hours from here. I had lived there all my life, so it’s been a big change. I’m a junior, and I’m ecstatic about graduating from Ruston High 

next year. My mom works at First National Bank as an accountant. My twin sister, Ratch, goes to school here, too. I have two dogs, Luna and 

Oliver, a cat named Sophie, and a hedgehog named Mumford. I love to read and write about anything and everything. My favorite TV show is the 

Office, which I personally think reflects my own sense of humor. I have a few obsessions, mainly Netflix, NBA (OKC Thunder), and finding new 

music. My heroes in life are my grandpa, my mom, and Steve Carell. 

In the future, I’m thinking about going to the University of Hawaii or somewhere near an ocean so I can study marine sciences after high 

school. I aspire to be a marine biologist, and hopefully move to Australia or Africa later on to study sharks. My ultimate goal is to be on Shark 

Week on the Discovery Channel. If that doesn’t work out, I want to be comedian and have my own show about my hilarious jokes. 

As for my recent journalism career, I’m extremely excited to be a part of the Chatterbox staff for this semester. I’m very passionate about writing and current events, so 

this seemed like the perfect fit for me. I hope that articles make you think a little bit or even make you laugh because then I’ll know I’m doing something right! J 

Preston Ponder 

Social Reporter 

Hola! As most of you know my name is Preston Ponder, and I’m a new member of Chatterbox as of this semester! I will be taking over 

the role of ‘social reporter,’ which involves major events and issues going on at Ruston High School. I have many interests outside of school including 

running, painting, and keeping up with politics. I am also a cashier at Super1 Foods, so whenever you come in be sure to look for me! 

Being only a sophomore here at RHS I hope being in Chatterbox will expand my horizons as far as my interests at school go. I wish to 

learn more about our clubs, organizations, and various teams here at Ruston High, and in the process help you do the same! I’m always open for 

feedback on anything that I write, so don’t hesitate to talk to me about anything. That goes for issues or topics that you may wish to know more 

about as well! I’m always willing to explore for a greater understanding. With that being said, adios Ruston High! I hope you will all be looking 

for my future articles!

E 



College Tuition and the President 

by Erin Maxson 


Recently, President Obama made a speech called the State of Union Address, which is a speech that is meant to report the condition 

of the nation and the things the President wishes to accomplish in office still. In this speech, Obama stated some very good things he 

plans to do to help teachers, students and their futures. Many schools today do not have enough money to pay for the right materials in 

order to make progress in education. Some teachers even take money out of their own pockets in order to make a difference in class, 

even when their own salaries are modest. Obama plans to reward the best schools and teachers, as well as give them the resources they 

need in order to accomplish the needs of students and their education. 

Obama has pressed state governments to not allow kids to drop out until they graduate or turn 18 years old instead of 17 years old 

because they have a better chance of achieving their goals if they don’t drop out. More students would receive diplomas if states would 

say that kids could not walk away from their education. 

Even after graduation, Obama is looking out for the students of America. He said that many college Presidents have tried to cut 

down costs of college tuitions by using better technology and redesigning classes so students can finish their classes quicker. The president 

said that the colleges that won’t do anything about continually rising tuition rates would not receive funding provided by taxpayers 

because “it is an economic imperative that every family in America should be able to afford.” 

In other words, the president is looking out for you and me. He’s trying to lower costs of tuition so everyone can afford higher education. He’s also trying to give more 

resources and money to high schools and other schools so that they can achieve the goals they have set for their students. All of these things are just a step forward for every 

student in America. 

Political Activism or Political Capitalism? 

SOPA and the NDAA 

by Nathan Bennett 

Academic Reporter 

As many of you may know, the Stop Online Piracy Act, better known as SOPA and its sister bill PIPA, or the Protect Intellectual 

Property Act is a controversial bill that, as of the writing of this article, has been shelved by Congress. But why is this bill so special that 

so much action has been taken against it? For the answer to that question, we’ll need to look at the history of the bill itself. 

The bill was first proposed on October 21 st 2011 by Lamar Smith, a representative from a district in Texas. It was intended to protect 

intellectual property on the internet by allowing law enforcement greater ability to take down sites that posted copyrighted or pirated 

material. It would effectively stop the illegal downloading of content, which is very widespread on the internet right now. However, despite 

its many legal perks, it also has a downside. Sites thought to have infringing material could potentially be taken down without trial, 

and forcing internet providers such as Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Google Chrome to deny access to such sites. Sites that could be 

considered potential offenders include Facebook, Tumblr, Reddit, Google, Firefox and YouTube. Many anti-SOPA groups have criticized 

this as censorship and as stifling innovation over the internet. 

Yet the question remains. Why has a normally politically apathetic nation become so galvanized over two pieces of legislation? The 

obvious answer would be that people feel their freedoms are threatened. They sense that their fundamental rights under the First Amendment 

are in jeopardy and feel obligated to take action. So this is all about rights, right? Wrong. 

Let’s take a look at another bill which has already passed through Congress and Obama has signed into legislation in December of last year, the NDAA, or National Defense 

Authorization Act. These Acts are passed yearly in order to appropriate funding for the United States’ national defense, but one provision regarding counter-terrorism 

in this particular bill has caught the eye of the American Civil Liberties Union. Title X, Subtitle D of the Act states that any person who has substantially supported al-Qaeda, 

the Taliban, and other associated terrorist organizations may be infinitely detained by the United States armed forces. An amendment to the bill clarifying that U.S. citizens 

could not be detained without a trial was rejected. Valid concerns have been raised that say that these provisions infringe upon the rights of citizens by saying that they can be 

detained without a trial for having a certain political affiliation. 

So why has SOPA generated such a widespread opposition while the NDAA is more or less overlooked by the average American? The answer lies with corporations. 

Both SOPA and PIPA were backed heavily by lobbyists from the entertainment industry, as protecting intellectual property is critical to them generating the maximum 

amount of profits. Lobbyists from Internet companies, however, had a different motive. If the Internet was threatened, so was their profit margin, making it in their best interest 

to promote Anti-SOPA sentiment. On January 18 th , several companies did just that, blacking out their sites to promote awareness of the bill. The next day, several Congressmen 

that had been pro-SOPA quickly withdrew their backing, substantially reducing its likeliness to be passed. Protestors of the NDAA, however, didn’t have such 

luxuries as this. Civil rights groups had no access to these tools to take political action. No major companies opposed the NDAA, because it didn’t have the same monetary 

value. 

Money has an undeniable effect on politics. Though this may come off as cynical, I view it more as realistic. If we know the way our system works, we are better 

equipped to work to promote positive change and reform. While I am grateful that self interest has motivated companies to protest SOPA, I find it unfortunate that the violations 

in the NDAA are at the same time overlooked. I feel that if we provide some economic incentive for maintaining civil rights, we will be able to ensure our continuing 

freedoms as American citizens.

E 

Aliens 

Friend or Foe? 

by Moe Labbe 




As long as people have had imaginations, they have questioned if we are truly alone in the universe. Movies like War of the Worlds, 

Men in Black, Alien, and Independence Day all entertain the fact that aliens are among us. We as human beings have the natural curiosity 

to question such existence of other life forms. Have you ever just stopped to think that we really aren’t alone after all? 

Perhaps we aren’t. European scientist have discovered planet Gliese 581c, an Earth-like planet in space found circling around a star 

near the constellation Libra. This new planet orbits a comfortable distance from its sun; like Earth, it maintains a surface temperature 

somewhere between 32 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Most importantly, like Earth, it could easily harbor surface water. In the biological 

arithmetic we know best, warmth and water often supports life. What if on this “mock earth” there are little cave men walking around? 

Or, maybe even a species more advanced than human race that is just waiting for the right moment to beam here and attack us. 

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t really think all aliens are bad. We could be graced with the presence of some ET like aliens. They could 

come here seeing us in distress and attempt to aid us with our global warming problem. They could even give us a new form of energy 

that could save our tails from destruction. Or, they could come here, in peace, looking for refuge and offer advanced technologies in exchange. 

Who knows? These are just my theories though. If they are out there, are they friends… or foes? 

Is There Such A Thing As A Shopaholic? 

by Ambria Holmes 

Sports Reporter 

I have heard people refer to those who shop a lot as a shopaholic. To me, there is no such thing because you can never shop too much! 

Yes, it’s true I love to shop and I do so almost every weekend. Some people go shopping to relieve their stress by spending money or to 

just have fun. I am one of those people. Not only are you relieving stress but you will have brand new clothes, and you can never have too 

many clothes. 

To some people the mall is their place of serenity, and what’s wrong with that? You might disagree with me and feel there is such a 

thing as a shopaholic. However, I still don’t see the harm in getting rid of your problems by shopping, as long as you can afford to spend a 

lot of money. I will honestly say I shop to ease my mind. I spend a lot of money but I’m never disappointed. Would I be considered a shopaholic? 

No! There’s no such thing! 

Great Ways to Ask Out Your Prom Date! 



Prom is just around the corner and just like those gorgeous dresses and snazzy suits, the number of prom dates are going down by the 

day. Though this is true many guys are still reluctant to ask a girl out to the dance for various reasons. Some guys are just a nervous wreck 

and others just are afraid to hear that dreaded word: NO. For people who are having a hard time asking that special person to the biggest 

dance of the year, here are some great ways for you to ask your prospective date out: 

For guys who want to be creative, a great way to ask your date out is to send them on a "scavenger" hunt around the city. Find special 

points and leave cunning clues around the town, then send your special person off on a "wild goose hunt." In the end, send your person to a 

last point and surprise them. They may be confused, shocked or frustrated, but I’m sure they will have a hard time saying no after all that 

effort you put into it. For the ones that think this is too over the top or too much work an easier, more simple, yet still creative way to ask 

out your person is a poem. It may sound a little cheesy, but a cute little poem can be the key to getting the date you want. There are many 

other ways to ask a girl out to prom. Either way, remember this, be confident and if she says no don’t fret because there are many other fish 

in the sea!

E 



Movie Theatre Number Two? 

All in favor say “I”! 


Arts Reporter 

If anyone has yet to hear the grand news, here it is: Ruston is getting a second movie theatre this year! That’s right; the completion of a 

new movie theatre has been promised to residents and everyone in Ruston! However, there is a downfall- the Ruston citizens who fail to 

realize why movie theatre two is such an honorable project. 

I am sure that most of you are thinking that a second theatre sounds pointless due to the fact that we already have one. However, if you 

look at all of the bigger cities in Louisiana such as Monroe, Shreveport, Baton Rouge, etc; they all contain at least three movie theatres if 

not more. Another concern that has been brought to my attention is whether or not Ruston will be able to afford and fund this new movie 

theatre. I desire to mention that if the folks in charge decided to build one, then surely and hopefully they considered and thought through it 

before placing the fresh news in the Ruston Daily Leader! 

I believe that as citizens of Ruston, we should be proud that even the thought of a second movie theatre has been brought up. I’m not 

saying that our town is unworthy of one, but our population is like zero. With that being said, I do feel as though it is pretty fabulous. Imagine 

all of the new jobs that will soon be available! Think of all of the people it could bring in. With more people, come more things such as restaurants, parks, libraries, and 

so on. I am stoked! 

Why Pay More? 


News Editor 

This past month, it was announced that a second theatre will be coming to Ruston. The United Entertainment Corporation based out of St. 

Cloud, Minnesota is buying 7.8 acres of land to build a new movie theatre containing nine screens. The theatre will be able to show 3D movies 

unlike Celebrity Theatres. The company is hoping that the theatre will be open by Christmas of this year. 

While it will be nice to be able to view 3D movies, I do not see why they couldn’t have just made it to where Celebrity Theatres could 

show 3D movies. It would have been so much cheaper to just convert the original theatre. 

The new theatre will provide more job opportunities, but it will take away for the amount of money Celebrity Theatres makes. The current 

theatre has more than enough space and it is still fairly new. In order for one of the theatres to succeed, one is going to have to fail. I think 

that they should just build something more useful like a laser tag center. 

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.

E 



Ruston High in the 1960s 

by Elena Till 


Ruston High School has always been a school full of traditions and spirit. In the 1960s, there were many things that were the same as 

they are today. For example, Neville was the school rival and was despised by the Bearcats as they are today. Another similarity was the 

excitement of football games. Today football season is a big part of RHS and a great time for the school to show its spirit. The band plays, 

cheerleaders cheer, fans scream, and the football team does the best they can to make the school proud. Students from then are similar to 

students now, too. They tripped up the stairs, had problems with skirt length, could not get to class on time, etc. Pep-rallies were always a 

big school tradition like they are today. 

Although modern day Ruston High and the past RHS were very alike, there were also some major differences. First, believe it or not, 

there were no computers! If you had to research something you looked it up in a book. The business classes would teach you how to type 

on a typewriter (either electric or manual) and they taught you shorthand, a form of writing using symbols to represent phrases or words 

instead of writing out the whole word. Secretaries and other business people often used this for taking notes. Also, since there were no 

cell phones, the school provided pay phones. At lunch or at any break in the day you could go down to the phone area and make a call. 

Another difference is that students were not required to wear uniforms, but they did have certain guidelines. For a while, girls were not allowed to wear pants and they had to 

wear a dress. When they finally changed the rules so that girls could wear pants, they made it so that it had to be a part of a matching pantsuit with panty hose underneath. 

Despite not being allowed to wear shorts, girls could wear a mini-skirt as long as it was 4-6 inches above the knee. So as you can see, Ruston High School has evolved over 

time, but it has retained its school spirit. 

Irony vs. Coincidence 

by Emma Jones 


We’ve all been in that situation: in response to an event or story, someone would respond, “Oh, how ironic!” and then that one person 

whom everyone hates kills the mood and interjects, “Actually, that’s not ironic at all. It’s coincidental.” I know I’ve been in this 

situation because I’m always that person who ruins a great story with my obnoxiousness. I’m sorry, but there is a distinct difference 

between irony and coincidence, and when people can’t take two seconds to understand the difference, it irks me to no end. 

I don’t know if you realize it or not, but there will always be people like me. There will always be people like me. There will always, 

I repeat, always, be that one obnoxious person who will correct you on what most of you would call “no big deal,” such as calling 

something ironic when it’s actually not ironic at all. So in order to keep that unpleasant individual from making a big deal about what 

irony is, why not just learn the difference and keep their comments from surfacing in the first place? That makes complete sense to me. 

Coincidence is when two similar events occur in the same kind of setting. It’s when you see someone you know in a public place, or 

when the song that’s stuck in your head comes on the radio. However, in any coincidental situation, the outcome stays the same. This is 

where the key difference is between irony and coincidence. 

Irony is when what you expected to happen doesn’t happen, and vice versa. It’s when you win a raffle but the prize was a gift card to 

a restaurant that you hate, or, according to Roald Dahl, when you beat your husband with a frozen lamb’s foot and then feed the lamb to the detective working on the murder 

case. It’s when Romeo believes Juliet to be dead when really the audience knows she’s asleep. While Alanis Morsiette is right about rain on your wedding day being ironic, a 

traffic jam when you’re already late or a no smoking sign on your cigarette break doesn’t exactly qualify. In these cases at least, there’s no context, so instead of being a reversal 

of expectations, it’s just an unfortunate event. Now, if the local traffic reporter had said, “There will be little traffic in this area today,” it would be ironic, but until the 

intended or assumed outcome of the situation is known, it cannot be considered ironic. 

The unfortunate thing about irony is that the interpretation of its presence varies by person. For instance, some people think that sarcasm is a form of verbal irony, while 

others disagree. My advice is that unless it is blatantly obvious that a situation can be labeled as ironic, refrain from even bringing up the subject. While I won’t be the kind 

of person who will get offended if your average Joe doesn’t completely understand irony (unless he refers to it as coincidence), there are people in this world who almost 

take it personally when someone misunderstands a situation and considers to it be ironic when it’s sort of debatable whether it is. All in all, don’t make yourself look dumb in 

front of that one person who always makes you feel dumb, because believe me, when given the chance, they will tear your apart for thinking irony and coincidence are the 

same.

E 



The Future and You: What to Expect in Your Lifetime 



Flying cars, personal jetpacks, robot servants, hoverboards, and time machines: these all predictions that society has made about the 

future that have yet to come to fruition. On the same note, however, there have also been several predictions made in the past that have 

come true, among these being tanks, the atom bomb, and automatic doors. People have been fantasizing about life in the future since 

there was ever a future to imagine, and with the art of prediction and extrapolation reaching new heights, the future has never looked 

brighter. Here are some of the things you have to look forward to. 

The first great innovation that’s coming up in the near future is the driverless car. As hard as it is to believe, these incredible vehicles 

technically exist already. A few years ago, Google sent out a fleet of these driverless cars across the country along with a human ‘copilot’ 

just to be on the safe side. On average, human intervention was required only once every 10,000 miles of driving. While this is a 

great feat, the desired mark is at 1,000,000 miles without human assistance. The first driverless car model is expected to be sold by the 

year 2018. 

The next great technology is holography. Some futurists believe that there will someday be home entertainment systems that simply 

project holographic recreations of scenes without even needing a screen. Researchers at Microsoft labs as well as others have been working hard to make the reality possible. 

Using motion sensors, they have been able to track eye movement and project holographic images into a viewer’s eye. It’s possible that we might live to a day where high 

definition television becomes obsolete; much like black and white seems to us today. 

Robots have been written about in science fiction novels for ages. However, with new technology some of the dreams of the past might soon come true. In Japan, robotics 

has reached a new level. Companies have already designed and constructed several models that are able to recognize humans in a mall setting, determine if they are in a 

hurry or not, and approach or keep distance accordingly. Once they have engaged a prospective user, they are able to assist them by answering questions and pointing them in 

the right direction. Though not perfect by any means, robots are closer than ever to becoming all that we want them to be, and maybe even more. 

Perhaps the most exciting and equally the most frightening future technology is a ‘cure’ for aging. Scientists estimate that they will be able to determine a method of artificially 

stopping or slowing the aging process within the next 25-30 years. Immortality may be no longer inconceivable. If such a technology were to be created and made 

public, all of us would not only live to see the creation of all the technologies listed here, but possibly all future technologies ever to be invented until the end of time. While 

the ethical, philosophical and societal concerns over eternal life will undoubtedly be debated about for ages to come, such an invention is quite definitely a great stage in human 

development. 

Only time will tell how many (if any) of these predictions will come to be true. Though there’s a lot of evidence out there supporting these ideas, I have no idea what the 

future holds. What I do know for certain is that the future is what we make of it, for good or for ill. It’s up to us to make a better tomorrow, tomorrow. 

To See the Change, You Have to Be the Change 

by Erin Maxson 


In today's society, everyone is talking about how disappointed they are of our generation. Kids from their own generations are saying 

that they want to be part of another generation because people today aren't exactly the brightest and politest. But I think that people 

don't really see what they're saying is wrong because when they say that our generation is messed up and not smart they're saying that 

they, themselves are ignorant people. If you want to see a change in your life and other lives, you should be the person that changes 

what needs to be changed and not sit around and wait for someone else to step up and do it. 

For everyone that has said our generation is stupid and neglects what needs to be done, you need to take a look at yourself first and 

see if there is something you could do to make others see that what they do and say is wrong. Making a change isn't for everyone else, 

it's for YOU. Don't think for a second that if other people aren't making the change that you shouldn't either. Don't think that it's not 

your responsibility to step up and do what you want to see done differently. Do what you dream of seeing everyone else doing and everyone 

will fall in behind you.

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ditorial/Opinions Chatterbox 

Ruston High School February 14, 2012 Page 14 

Little Feet Covers 

by Moe Labbe 


Stereo Types in Ruston 

How much does it matter to you? 


Arts Reporter 

Shoes have been around for…. a while. They have made a healthy bond with our feet. Shoes and feet go together like peanut butter and 

jelly, like Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin, like superheroes and tights, like Snooky and stupidity. Have you ever considered what 

our lives and our feet would be like if we wore shoes on our hands? I mean, what if somewhere back in history our ancestors went loopy 

putting what was meant to be a shoe on their hands and said “La vie”. How would our lives be affected? Would our feet go all unprotected 

and get all hard and mutate over time? Would they be more flat and coarse at the bottoms and be able to withstand anything, like fire? Who 

knows? But I know that I’m thankful for our little feet covers. 

Have you ever felt intimidated when it came to talking to the person sitting next to you? There are various reasons as to why one may 

feel discouraged about conversing with a stranger or even a person that may be familiar to them. It may be because you feel like the parallel 

individual is either better than you or you have convinced yourself that you are better than them. Though I am not a current believer in 

equality, it pains me a smidge, and only a smidge, to see cliques of people who are constantly and purposely trying to mirror one another, or 

even worse: resenting others due to their lack of whatever may seem important to the guilty party. As for my first example mentioned, I 

desire to recognize the very truthful truth. If you fail to put yourself out there, stepping out of your comfort zone, how will you ever know if 

the girl that prefers the Bible or The Diary of Anne Frank, could not be a fitted friend for you? 

We all come from an assortment of unique lifestyles; however too many people are unsuccessful in realizing the legitimate beauty and 

exclusiveness in their irreplaceable individuality. As shameful and discouraging as this may be, it is the candid and truthful take on today’s 

teenage society. Too many of us depend on our friends in terms of style, grades, in and out of school activity, and other influencing aspects. 

A valuable thought to consider is: stereo types are quite common and occur every day of our lives. However, the fact of how much notice 

and care we take to them depends on each one of us. When we allow ourselves to be placed or classified as something; that is when our conscience experiences happiness or 

grief. Both vivacity and anguish seem to be the most common reactions to one’s society placement, especially in high school. 

I feel at ease. To me, it does not matter where one is placed. It matters most where people place themselves. Once all of us genuinely understand and accept our own natural 

personalities, there will not be a need to fit in anywhere. Therefore, it will no longer exist, even in the back of our minds. How much does it matter to you? 

Thanks a Lot Business Department! 

by Elizabeth Smith 

Business Manager 

I would like to personally thank all the teachers in the Ruston High School Business Department for all they have done for me this year. 

Thank you so much Mrs. Tinsley, Mrs. Garrison, Mrs. Lewis, Ms. Peters, and Mr. Bruner and Mrs. Christy! Ya’ll have made my senior year 

so much less stressful with my given situation. I am so thankful for all the help ya’ll have given me this year., I couldn’t have asked for any 

better people to be so kind to me and help me every way that ya’ll possibly have. I would like to extend a very special Thank You to Mr. 

Bruner for always being there for me and having my back when I have needed him. Thank you so much for being so supportive and believing 

in me this year when I need it the most, and thank you for continuing to push me and helping me to believe that there is nothing that I 

can’t do. I am so thankful that you have never let me down and have kept me going. I hope that one day I will be able to truly thank you and 

all the teachers in the business department at RHS for all ya’ll have done for me this year.

C 

lubs/Organizations Chatterbox 


FFA Takes 2 District and 2 Area Titles 

submitted by Mark Milstead 

FFA advisor 

Congratulations to the FFA students that competed at the District II Leadership CDEs on Friday, January 6th in Downsville, LA. District 

II Champion in Creed Speaking was Barrett Moore and District II Runner-up was Hannah Rhodes. These two students were the top two out 

of the eleven students that competed district-wide in Creed Speaking. The Parliamentary Procedure Team was also named the District II 

Champion. Team members are Jonathan Craig, Brandon Myers, Seth Nichols, Ryan Dooley, Mercedes Fife, Dustin Thomas, and Keirstyn 

Sonnier. Jonathan Craig and Brandon Myers also received 3rd and 4th places respectively in the Extemporaneous Speaking competitions. All 

of these students qualified for and competed at the Area I competitions. The top 2 at Area from each event will move on to state competitions. 

Congratulations also go to the FFA members that competed at the Area I Leadership Career Development Events on Thursday night, January 

12 at Louisiana Tech University. The Parliamentary Procedure Team was named the Area I Champions. Team members are Jonathan 

Craig, Brandon Myers, Seth Nichols, Ryan Dooley, Mercedes Fife, Dustin Thomas, and Keirstyn Sonnier. The team competed on Tuesday, 

January 17th for the state competition and was ranked 5th place in the state. 

Jonathan Craig was also named the Area I Champion in Extemporaneous Speaking while Brandon Myers earned 4th place. Hannah Rhodes earned 2nd place in Creed 

speaking and Barrett Moore received 3rd place. The top 2 from each event at Area competition move on to state competition in June at the Louisiana State FFA Convention 

in Alexandria, LA. Congratulations to all these students for representing Ruston High School with excellence and good luck to all students that will compete at state in June! 

Congratulations also go out to the Freshman FFA students that competed at the District-wide Freshman Day Leadership events on January 6th in Downsville, LA. First 

place in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies event was the team of Marqueax Smith, Cassidy Oglesby, Riley Thompson, Brooke Warren, Taylor Hammons, Hunter Conner, 

and Conner Scott. The Parliamentary Procedure team received 2nd place with team members Sara Tyler, Chrissy Bryant, Zariah Sims, Forrest Small, Shadaja Brown, 

and Tucker Smith. Congratulations to the Freshman FFA members who went above and beyond to make us proud in our Freshman Day Leadership events. You are our 

future FFA leaders!

C 



Ruston Team FBLA Captures 2 nd Place at 

Regional Competition: Bicentennial Project 

by Elizabeth Smith 

FBLA President 

On Tuesday, January 31, 2012, the Ruston High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) traveled to Monroe to compete in the Louisiana Bicentennial Project. 

This project was a statewide competition to promote Louisiana and was open to all high schools in Louisiana, with regional competitions throughout the state. Teams 

were required to submit a business plan that would include promoting their area’s events or statewide events, including publicizing the event and bringing in tourists. The 1 st 

place team from each region would then qualify for state. 

At the state FBLA planning session, state officers decided to make this a mandatory event for the state project as it fell under all three pillars, Service, Education, and Progress. 

As such, Ruston FBLA entered a team into the competition to promote Lincoln Parish Park. Ruston Team FBLA consisted of President Elizabeth Smith, District II 

Vice President Jared Spiller, and State Parliamentary John Herren. 

Ruston Team FBLA presented their plan and placed second in our region. The team was awarded with a $1000 scholarship. As a reward for their hard work and great job 

on placing second in our region, the team was treated to Chick-Fil-A for lunch. Next year they plan to compete in it again and place first and win another $1000 scholarship 

and be eligible to compete at the state competition and win a $14,000 scholarship. 

Ruston Team FBLA members pose at Atrium fountain after competing: 

District II Vice President Jared Spiller, RHS FBLA President Elizabeth 

Smith, and State Parliamentarian John Herren. 

Ruston Team FBLA members receive their briefing and 2nd place results 

at the regional competition of the Louisiana Bicentennial Project.

C 



Keywanettes Looking For New Members! 



As the year quickly dwindles down, many clubs and organizations are beginning to look for hopeful new members that will help create a successful year. Keywanettes is 

one of those organizations looking for girls who are dedicated to serving not only their school, but their local community as well, such as decoration g for homecoming and 

Relay for Life To become a member of Keywanettes you must have a 3.25 GPA and must have not been suspended or received a referral from this year. Keywanettes is a fun 

way to get involved and make friends, so stop by Mrs. Courtney Martin’s room and pick up an application! 

We Want to Know What You’re up to! 



Every month each RHS club has the opportunity to have something about their club published in the Chatterbox. Clubs Reporters for Chatterbox are Moriah Labbe and 

Erin Maxson. If you would like for something to be published contact one of them or email an article or information we can compose into an article to chatterbox@lincolnschools.org. 

Please send us information about your club and what you are doing! 

Come visit Ruston’s Newest Full-Service 

Convenience Store! 

Home of Arby’s 

211 Farmerville Highway, Ruston, Louisiana 

Stop by for 

101 South Service Road, 

Exit 85 and Highway 167 

Ruston, Louisiana

T 

RHS Band 



he Arts 

Chatterbox 


On January 19 – 21, 2012, selected Ruston High School band members traveled to the campus of Louisiana Tech University to 

participate in the 2012 All - District Honor Band conference. These musicians had a blast performing challenging music, meeting up 

with other musicians from various district schools, and exploring the Tech campus. At the concert three Ruston High band members 

received awards for their dedication to music and making the LMEA All-State Symphonic & Orchestra Honor Bands. These three 

musicians were junior, John Herren; senior, Kori Teague; and senior, Polly Michelle Gwan. 

As of now, the Ruston High School Symphonic and Concert bands are working hard and preparing for the District and State Festival 

competitions in hopes of receiving the coveted superior ratings and sweepstakes trophy. 

New Plans in the New Year for the Bearcat Choir 

by Emma Jones 


Band Members, Kori Teague, Polly 

Gwan, and John Herren accepting 

their awards. 

On Thursday, January 26, the Bearcat Choir gave a concert performance featuring guest conductor Charles Bruffy and composer Blake Henson. The Treble choir performed 

three pieces, one of which was the world premier of a piece written by Henson specifically for the Treble Choir. The Concert Choir also performed three pieces, one 

of which was written by Henson. As for February, the Concert Choir and Treble Choir will be going to view the LMEA District Large Ensemble Festival, held on February 

23 rd at Louisiana Tech. 

In the meantime, the choir is preparing for Bearcats on Broadway. The show will be held Friday, March 30 th at 7pm and Saturday, March 31 st at 2pm and 7pm at the Dixie 

Theatre. This year’s performance will feature numbers from the shows: Hair, South Pacific, Wicked, Little Women, Jekyll and Hyde, Saigon, Spamalot, and more!

T 

eacher Spotlights Chatterbox 


Coach Nick Brown teaches physical science, helps teach physics with Mr. Elliott, and serves as the 

FCA advisor. He is married to Mrs. Mandy Brown, a 1995 RHS graduate, and has two children, 

Baylee Auburn and RJ. They are also expecting their third child this march. He would’ve liked to 

name him Nick, but it was voted down. He says that he is blessed to work around great friends, great 

students, and an administration that appreciates a good cup of coffee. His advice to students: 1. Lift 

weights with people weaker than you, 2. Run with people slower than you, 3. Take pictures with people 

shorter than you, but study with people smarter than you. He hosts a radio show on ESPN 97.7 

(Like it on Facebook: Nick Brown Show). In his picture with him is his half brother (half, not step) 

Coach Bush. 

Ms. Jill Cheek teaches Freshmen Academy biology. Her brother-in-law is none other than the wonderful 

Mr. Falting, whose children, Lilla and Jude, her niece and nephew, are the most beautiful in the 

world. Most of her high school memories revolve around playing basketball and running track. Her 

least favorite subject then was science, especially biology, but coincidentally it is the subject she now 

teaches and loves. She always tries to encourage her students not to be afraid to make mistakes because 

knowing what something is not increases knowledge and to be willing to learn from them and 

move on. 

The one, the only Mr. Randall Elliot teaches chemistry and physics and is the assistant coach to 

Coach Brown for Table Tennis (Ping Pong). He lives with his beautiful bride Christi and has two wonderful 

kids, Abby and Jack. He also considers Jake Haddox (right) as his son. 

Mrs. April Winstead teaches Freshman Academy biology I, Pre-AP Biology I, Biology II AP, and 

sponsors Freshman Cheer. She only has one husband. She has two daughters, Chloe Mae, ten, and 

Morgan, fifteen, and RHS freshman. She is a gourmet chef and she cooks three meals a day for her 

loving family and all of their boyfriends and friends. 

Coach Bob Garrett teaches health and is the assistant football and track coach. He is married to 

Mrs. Karen Garrett, and has a daughter name Lily. His pets are a Labrador Retriever named Judge, 

and two Miniature Yorkshire Terriers named Rowdy and Petunia. He is a 1984 Jonesboro Hodge High 

graduate and a 1991 LSU graduate. He has taught at Opelousas High, Cedar Creek, Adams Christian, 

and Ruston Jr. High. His advice to students is to endeavor to persevere. He enjoys reading Mr. Nutt’s 

spotlight and all of the issues of Chatterbox.

T 

eacher Spotlights Chatterbox 


Mrs. Melinda Jackson teaches Biology I and is the co-advisor of the Keywanettes. She has 

been married to Mr. Josh Jackson for nine years. They have three children: Jayden, five, Abby, 

three, and Maddie Grace, four months. She is a 2000 graduate of Drew Central High School. She 

then went on to get a BS in Biology at University of Arkansas in Monticello, and an MA in 

Teaching from Louisiana Tech. Her favorite Bible verse is, “Not that I speak in respect of want: 

for I have learned, in whatever state I am, there with to be content.” – Philippians 4:11 

Coach Danny Roberts teaches health and Education for Careers, coaches the varsity running back 

for football, and is the head softball coach. He is married to Mrs. Lynne Roberts who teaches and 

coaches at Airline High School. They have three daughters: Samantha, twenty-two, a senior at NSU 

and softball player, Kristin, nineteen, freshman at NSU, and Jamie, thirteen, in the 8 th grade. He is a 

1981 graduate of Zwolle High School where he was co-valedictorian. He then graduated from Northwestern 

State University. He says the pride and tradition at Ruston reminds him of his high school. 

Zwolle holds 13 boys basketball champions and it was an awesome experience to play there. His advice 

to students is to get involved and enjoy high school; it’s the best time of your life. He loves to 

deer hunt and bass fish. He hopes to retire and live on Toledo Bend someday. 

Mrs. Missy Wooley teaches STEM physical science, Pre-AP physical science, STEM chemistry, 

and CP chemistry. She is married to Mr. Steve Wooley, who teaches at Ruston Jr. High, and has two 

children, Shetlon, a sophomore at RHS, and Madison, an 8 th grader at Ruston Jr. High. She is a graduate 

of Northeast Louisiana University. She is a fourth generation teacher; she says teaching is in her 

blood and that’s why she loves her job. Her advice to her students is to cherish what they have in high 

school, and shoot for the moon but don’t forget to have some fun along the way. 

Coach Dan Gressett teaches environmental science and coaches baseball. He is married to Mrs. Jamie 

Gressett and has a sixteen-month-old daughter named Addy Lou. He also has two cats named 

Ollie and Louie. He is a 1996 Lake High School in Lake, MS graduate. From then he went on to East 

Central Community College, then graduated from Louisiana Tech in 2001. This is his tenth year now 

at RHS. His favorite quote is, “A word to the wise ain’t necessary. It’s the stupid ones that need all the 

help.” – Bill Cosby. His favorite joke: What do you call a dog with no legs? Doesn’t matter what you 

call him, he’s not going to come. He loves to spend his time hunting and fishing. He would like the 

school to know that Mrs. Pitre is the hardest working 72 year old in America.

V 

alentines Messages Chatterbox 


To: Matthew Cardenas 

From: Shelby Knodel 

Happy Valentine’s Day sweetheart! I am so thankful for you. I love you, forever and always. 

To: Vivien Ballard 

From: Hakeem Wilson 

A special Valentine’s Day for a special girl. I love you, Vivi. 

To: Caitlin Berry 

From: Nick Parks 

Hey, boo!!! Happy Valentine’s Day! I can’t believe it’s already here, but 

there’s no one else I would rather spend it with! ILU ;) 

To: FBLA Members 

From: Mr. Bruner 

Keep up the intensity! State should be ours! Love it and do your best. Love ya’ll! 

To: Satyn Kidd 

From: Your Friend 

Happy Valentine’s Day

V 



To: Erin Maxson 

From: Blake Cheatwood 

You’re the sweetest, most beautiful girl I know. 

Happy Valentine’s Day, I love you! 

To: Labresha Maclain 

From: Sunni McCallister 

Happy Valentine’s Day, Mrs. Jackson.

V 



To: Maria Creamer 

From: Shane Giddings 

I love you so much. Baby come back to me. You can put the blame on me. 

To: Erin Goree 

From: Your Husband 

Erin Goree, you belong with me. I can’t wait until we get 

married. Until then, I’m waiting for that day to get on one 

knee. 

To: Mr. Knutt 

From: The Illuminati 

Keep up the good work. 

To: Mary Jane 

From: Spiderman 

You’re the best person ever. You make me a better man. 

To: Mis alumnos 

From: Anonymous 

Feliz dia de la Amistad! 

To: Mr. Bruner 

From: Chatterbox 

Mr. Bruner, we appreciate everything you do for us and how hard you work 

to create such an awesome paper! We all love you and thank you for putting 

up with our craziness! And our laziness!

S ervice and Social Chatterbox 


Update on FCA 



FCA held a meeting on the January 26, 2012. Coach Brown opened the meeting by telling the group when their next prayer meetings will be held and what events are 

coming up for the club. After Coach Brown finished, Mr. Elliot took over and discussed what they had talked about in their previous meeting. He also explained how you 

should pray for others and the school. He wrapped up by saying a prayer and Coach Brown said his final words and dismissed the meeting. FCA is definitely a group that 

shares how you could better your relationship with God. Just being present in the meeting can touch your heart if you listen to the message and receive it. FCA meets once a 

month in the auditorium. 

Grecian Romance: Time for Prom 


News Editor 

It’s that time of the year again, ladies and gentlemen. Prom. Something every Junior and Senior dreams of attending. Ruston High School Junior and Senior Prom will be 

held on March 24, 2012 at the Louisiana Tech Student Center where it was held last year. It is from 9 PM to 12 midnight. The theme this year is Grecian Romance. Mrs. 

Griffin, in room 220, along with the prom committee continues to meet and plan the event. 

If you plan on going to prom, go ahead and snag your tickets before the price goes up. Juniors will pay on a sliding scale: $25 in January, $30 in February, and $35 in 

March. Seniors, if you paid as a Junior, you will not have to repay as a Senior. For Seniors who did not pay as a Junior the cost is $35. Guests of Junior and Seniors do not 

have to pay. However, all Juniors and Seniors, male and female, who attend Ruston High School and plan to attend must pay. If you purchase a ticket, you will receive them 

a week before prom with your name on them. 

Male Beauty Pageant 



The Male Beauty Pageant will be Tuesday, March 13 at 7 pm in the RHS auditorium. Any RHS male is invited to participate, though clubs and organizations are able to 

nominate a member to represent their organization. The entry fee is $5 per contestant. Each male should provide a female escort and will participate in evening gown, talent, 

and interview competitions. Admission to the pageant is $3 per person, with proceeds benefitting a local charity. 

PYPM 



PYPM recently visited Ruston Elementary to teach the second grade classes that began teaching at the beginning of the year. The teach almost every week. Members of 

the group say that they enjoy teaching and getting to know the kids. They feel honored and do their best to educate young kids on how to keep themselves safe. Mrs. Maxwell 

is proud of the group for all they have done. The teachers of the classrooms enjoy the group and so do their students. PYPM members would encourage those who love kids 

to join because it is an awesome experience. They just want to educate the next generation and future Bearcats. 

PCI Goes to Competition 

by Alexandria Cockerham 


Pre-college initiative (PCI) is preparing for their big break of the year. They are going to Grambling State University for the Engineer 

Competition. The PCI groups has been working hard, putting together bridges so they can be the best. They have been meeting on Monday 

afternoons since school has started. So when they attend the competition on February 15 they should be over prepared for it. RHS hopes PCI 

brings home first place, Good luck PCI!

S 

tudent Center 

Chatterbox 


Ask the Staff 

by Kori Teague 

Guest Reporter 

What does it mean to love someone? 

Jesus said to love others as He loved us. What 

does that mean? “For God so loved the world that 

He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him 

will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). 

Does that mean we have to give up our children for 

others? Not really. Does that mean that we have to 

go be crucified on a cross for someone? Not necessarily. 

It just means that we need to be willing to 

sacrifice things in our lives when we love someone. 

Surely, since God gave so much for us because He loves us, we can show His love 

in us to others. Happy Valentine’s Day!is onlyhis 

Love is Sweet 

by Amy Gibson 

Guest Writer 

L-ooking into your eyes takes my breath away 

O-ver the rainbow is where i wait for you 

V-igerous love is what you give to me 

E-ver will i? with you i will never be through 

I-n my arms i hold you close to me, putting away my pride 

S-oothing your pain and brushing your tears aside 

S-lowly, patiently waiting to be free 

W-ith you i will spend every second, of every minute, of every hour, of 

every day 

E-ach hug supportive and loving everytime we 

meet 

E-very kiss tender and filled with passion 

T-eaching you that LOVE IS SWEET 

Articles, Rants and Suggestions 

Ask Nick 

submitted by Nick Letendre 

Student Council President 

What are your thoughts on Valentine’s Day? 

“I think it’s a great time to share with not only your 

significant other, but also with your friends, and 

spoil them on one of the ‘sweetest’ days of the 

year.” 

Students who like to write and would like to have their articles published in Chatterbox are asked to submit articles to chatterbox@lincolnschools.org. 

If you have a particular rant, comment, or suggestion about anything Chatterbox has printed, or wish to present your side in an editorial, we would love to hear from you. 

Bring your thoughts in writing to Room 318, pass it along to a Chatterbox member, or email it to chatterbox@lincolnschools.org.

F un Page 

Chatterbox 


Word Search 

Quote of the Day: 

“ You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.”- Wayne Gretzky 

Anti-Jokes! 

How do you confuse 

a blond? 

Paint yourself 

green and throw 

forks at her. 

Whats green and 

has wheels? 

Grass, I lied 

about the 

wheels. 

Popular 

Movie 

Releases 

In February 

Sign letter of 

the Month 

Did you know? 

11% of people are 

left handed 

40% of McDonald’s 

profits come 

from the sales of 

Happy Meals 

The first paperback 

book was 

printed by Penguin 

Publishing in 

1935 

That the first MTV 

video played was 

'Video killed the 

radio star' by the 

Buggles

S ponsors and Staff Chatterbox 


2011-2012 Chatterbox Sponsors 

Platinum Level Sponsors: ($200 +) 

Mark and Donnie Bartlett First National Bank Ruston High School Alumni Association 

Green Clinic Bank of Ruston Community Trust Bank 

Gold Level Sponsors: ($100 - $199) 

Jack Fluck Realty Embellishments Richard and Nancy Durrett 

RHS Business Department Lloyd and Christy Bruner RHS FBLA, Chapter 617 

Silver Level Sponsors: ($50 - $99) 

Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office McCarter Financial Group Danny Carroll Appraisal 

Robert Temple, Agent (State Farm) Tom Sumrall Joey and Juanita Coker Bert C. Hogg 

2011-2012 Chatterbox Advertisers 

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

Lincoln ACHIEVE Cathi Cox-Boniol 2 

Driver’s Education Coach Ricky Durrett 3 

King of Hearts Pat Murray 15 

Hi-Tech Richard Raue 16 

Well’s Fargo Julie Guillot 16 

Pow Wow Manuel and Nilda Chinchilla 17 

Village Market Manuel Chinchilla 17 

Matthew Ramsaur Photography Matthew Ramsaur 18 

The Fashion of Ruston Kelly Hogan 31 

Ruston Locker Room Yvonne Craft 31 

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! 

2011-2012 RHS Chatterbox Staff 

Editor in Chief Whitney Durrett Junior 

Business Manager Elizabeth Smith Senior 

News Editor Jaisle Bailey Junior 

Sports Editor Reed Malek Senior 

Assistant News Editor Elena Till Junior 

Graphics/Design Editor Thirstan Cecil Sophomore 

Academics Reporter Polly Michelle Gwan Senior 

Academics Reporter Nathan Bennett Junior 

Arts Reporter Sarah Kay Blaylock Junior 

Clubs Reporter Moriah Labbe Junior 

Clubs Reporter Erin Maxson Junior 

Education Reporter Emma Jones Junior 

Social Reporter Preston Ponder Sophmore 

Sports Reporter Alex Cockerham Sophomore 

Sports Reporter Ambria Holmes Sophomore 

Guest Reporter Kori Teague 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. 

Access the current edition of the Chatterbox at: http://rustonhigh.lincolnschools.org/whatsnew.html and archived editions at: http://rustonhigh.lincolnschools.org/chatterbox.html

S ports 

Chatterbox 


Pro Bowl? Really? 



On January 29 in Hawaii the 2012 Pro Bowl took place. If you aren’t familiar with the Pro Bowl, it’s a game in which the 

best NFL players from various teams come together and play against each other. 

Honestly, I see no point in the whole game. I mean, it’s awesome that star players from different teams are playing one 

another, but they do not really try in the game, so really, it’s pointless. I’m sure if the players really tried, the game would be 

very entertaining, but that’s not the case. In the game, the players were not putting forth an effort. They weren’t really tackling 

or playing aggressively like they would for a real game. The game was not fun to watch so I only watched the final quarter. 

In the end, the AFC defeated NFC 59-41. 

I think the real reason the game even happens is because both teams receive money. The winners receive $50,000 and the 

losers receive $25,000. Regardless if they play for real or not, they are still getting the money. All I know is that I will not be 

watching the Pro Bowl next year. 

Sports with Animals 



How would the world feel if animals could play sports? Many things come to mind when I think of an animal actually 

playing a sport. I asked around RHS to see how the people who played sport’s will feel if they had animals as a teammate. 

Chad Sims, a RHS football player, said he would be a little terrified but he said it would benefit them in many ways. In my 

opinion, I think it would help us at a sport, because animals can do things we can’t do. I think if we take the time out to teach 

them and work with them they will be just as good as sport players. 

Tray Brown, a basketball star, said if animals were to play a sport with him it would be cool. A good animal that would 

come in for basketball would be a giraffe because they are very tall and might have a little speed. Another thing is it would be 

kind of funny to play a sport with animals. 

Joe Paterno’s Legacy 

by Reed Malek 

Sports Editor 

On Sunday, January 22 the sporting world lost possibly its classiest and most influential figure ever when Joe Paterno, legendary 

head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions, died of lung cancer. Paterno spent his last moments at Mount Nittany 

Medical Center in State College, Pennsylvania, the place where he spent 61 years of his life being a part of Pennsylvania State 

University, 46 of which were spent as head coach of the Nittany Lions. 

No matter how legendary and successful Paterno’s reign at Penn State was, it will sadly be remembered negatively by 

many. Coach Paterno was fired a few months ago amid speculation that he neglected cases of child sex abuse by former defensive 

coordinator Jerry Sandusky. 

Though Paterno’s legacy at Penn State is one that was marred by scandal in the last few months of his life, it is one that I 

will remember as one of the best ever. Even if Paterno did not completely take the scandalous matters into his own hands, 

blame should not be put him; and certainly, no university should ever oust a man who brought it 37 bowl wins, two national 

championships, and a Division I-record 409 total wins during his reign as head coach. Besides his unprecedented victories on 

the football field, Joe Paterno also brought classiness to Penn State University that is unprecedented, as well. 

As the sequence of events at the university progressed over the past few months, it became clear that as Penn State left Joe 

Paterno, his life began to leave him as well. Paterno was fired on November 9, 2011, and was diagnosed with lung cancer nine 

days later. Two months later, the legendary coach passed away. 

Rest in peace, Joe Paterno.

S uper Bowl 

Chatterbox 


Eli’s Late Heroics Lift Giants to Super Bowl Victory 

by Reed Malek 

Sports Editor 

The Giants’ Mario Manningham (with ball) made a 

spectacular fourth quarter catch that was reminiscent 

of David Tyree’s from Super Bowl XLII. 

Photo obtained from: www.sports.yahoo.com 

slammed to the ground. The catch propelled the Giants to a 17-14 victory in the game. 

This time, it was Manning to Manningham. Eli lofted up a beautiful 38-yard pass to Manningham, 

who grabbed the ball like it was his first-born son. Manning and his superb receiving core 

chipped away at the Patriots defense, setting up a rushing touchdown from Ahmad Bradshaw with 

a minute left in the game, the score 21-17 in favor of the Giants. 

Brady and the Patriots took the field and managed to get near midfield with only enough time to 

send a Hail Mary pass to the end zone that was batted away by New York defenders. The Giants 

won an instantly classic Super Bowl victory as underdogs to the New England Patriots for the second 

time in five years. 

The 4-seeded Giants entered the playoffs with a mediocre 9-7 record, coming off of a solid victory 

over the Dallas Cowboys in the last week of the regular season, which put them into the playoffs. 

They fought through the 5-seed Atlanta Falcons at home, then defeated the 1-seed Super 

Bowl favorite Green Bay Packers and 2-seed San Francisco 49ers on the road to reach the big 

dance. MVP Eli Manning marched into the “house that Peyton built” and he and his Giants left 

with the Lombardi Trophy. 

On February 3, 2008 it was the heroic head-helmet combination of David Tyree that helped seal a Super Bowl 

XLII victory for the New York Giants over the New England Patriots. Two Sundays ago, it was the awesome 

hands and superb footwork of Mario Manningham that did the same for the Giants against the Patriots once again. 

For many weeks, and perhaps many years, before the game, Giants quarterback Eli Manning had frequently 

been asked whether or not he was on the “elite quarterback” level of the likes of his February 5 opponent Tom 

Brady and even his own brother, Peyton Manning. His 30 completions in 40 attempts for 296 yards, one touchdown 

pass and no interceptions answered that question for him. 

The beginning of Super Bowl XLVI belonged solely to the Giants; the G-Men struck first blood with a forced 

safety on an intentional grounding penalty called on the Patriots’ Tom Brady. A few minutes later, Eli Manning 

found Victor Cruz for a 2-yard touchdown toss, putting the score at 9-0 in favor of the Giants after the first quarter. 

At one point during the Giants’ early domination, Manning was 6-for-6 with 61 yards passing, and his supposedly 

superior counterpart Tom Brady was 0-for-1 with a safety looming over his head. However, it didn’t take long for 

Brady and the Pats to strike back. 

Late in the second quarter, Brady led his team to a touchdown with eight seconds left on the clock on a 96-yard 

drive which NBC commentator Chris Collinsworth called “one of the best in Super Bowl history.” After a bizarre 

halftime performance involving (to name a few) Madonna, M.I.A., Cirque du Soleil, Nicki Minaj and a legion of 

dancers dressed as Trojans, Brady complemented his fantastic first half-ending touchdown drive with another one, 

this time ending in the hands of tight end Aaron Hernandez in the end zone. The Giants tacked on a few field goals 

to close out the third quarter at a score of 17-15 Patriots. 

Merely a minute into the fourth quarter, Giants linebacker—and former schoolteacher—Chase Blackburn made 

a spectacular interception over the Patriots star tight end Rob Gronkowski at the Giants’ 6-yard line. The two teams 

then exchanged possessions, setting the stage for yet another dramatic Super Bowl finish at the hands of either 

Tom Brady or Eli Manning. 

With a little less than five minutes left in the game, Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker broke coverage and 

drifted into a Giant-less area of field over 20 yards away from the line of scrimmage. Brady tossed a perfect a pass 

to the wide-open receiver that, if caught, would have put the Patriots into position to not only score at least a field 

goal, but to win the game. Welker dropped the ball, and the Patriots punted the ball to the Giants. Eli Manning took 

the ball at his own 12-yard line, and it 

was 2008 all over again. 

Late in the fourth quarter of 2008’s 

Super Bowl XLII between the same 

two teams, Eli Manning scrambled 

away from pursuing New England defenders 

and threw a hopeless pass to 

receiver David Tyree. Tyree jumped, 

miraculously got a hand on the ball and 

pressed it against his helmet as he was 

MVP Eli Manning holds the Lombardi Trophy after winning Super 

Bowl XLVI. 

Photo obtained from: www.sports.yahoo.com

S ports 

Chatterbox 


Boys Basketball Finishes Regular 

Season 



The Ruston High Boys Basketball team defeated Bastrop on January 30 by a score of 66- 

50. The leading performers were Jerry Melton who had 23 pointts, 7 rebounds, and two steals, 

Jamaya Burr with 17 points, 3 assists, and 3 steals, and Raheem Regis 13 points, 7 rebounds, 

and 4 steals. The Bearcats finished their season yesterday against the Ouachita Lions on the 

road. 

by Reed Malek 

Sports Editor 

BEARCAT TENNIS SCHEDULE 

DATE OPPONENT LOCATION 

Feb. 23 Caddo Magnet HOME 

Feb. 27 Neville HOME 

March 1 Caddo Magnet Away 

March 6 Cedar Creek HOME 

March 8 West Ouachita HOME 

March 13 West Monroe Away 

March 15 Franklin Parish HOME 

March 22 Ouachita HOME 

March 27 Cedar Creek HOME 

March 29 Franklin Parish Away 

April 10 West Ouachita Away 

April 12 Ouachita Away 

April 17 Neville Away 

April 19 West Monroe HOME 

April 23-26 REGIONALS -- 

April 30-May 2 STATE -- 

Baseball, Tennis, Others Spring into Action 

As warmer weather begins knocking on the door, 

Ruston High School’s spring sports are springing into 

action. 

On February 18, the Bearcat Baseball team will see 

their first action of the regular season in a Jamboree 

against West Ouachita. Later in the month, the Bearcats 

travel to the Big Easy to play in a tournament at Brother 

Martin High School in New Orleans. On March 22, the 

‘Cats finally begin district play in a three-game, threeday 

series against Ouachita. 

Next Saturday, February 18 the Lady Bearcat softball 

team will begin their own regular season in a Jamboree 

at West Monroe. On March 15, the Lady ‘Cats begin 

district play against Natchitoches Central, and their 

playoffs begin on April 17. 

Bearcat Raheem Regis (33) goes up for a rebound. 

The Lady Bearcats defend a Ouachita Lion. 

On February 18, Bearcat track & field members will 

get a chance to compete at an indoor track meet at LSU. 

On Saturday, March 3 the team will travel to ULM to 

participate in the Super One Relays. The Bearcats get 

their first home meet against Simsboro on Friday, March 

9. 

Come out and help support the Bearcats of the spring 

sports as they begin their seasons!

S 

ports 

Chatterbox 


Bearcat Soccer Teams Dominate 

Senior Day 

by Reed Malek 

Sports Editor 

On Saturday, January 28 the boys’ and girls’ Bearcat soccer teams played 

their final home game of the regular season against the Wossman Wildcats at 

Ruston Junior High. The teams also said goodbye to a total of twelve senior 

players as they celebrated their bittersweet Senior Day. 

The Lady ‘Cats defeated the Wildcats in a blowout, 5-0. Daniella Alva, 

Garielle Dupree, Traci Evans, Erin Otwell, and Samantha Wilson all played their 

last game as Bearcats that day. 

The boys’ soccer team matched the girls’ performance with a blowout of their 

own, defeating the Wildcats 7-0. The Bearcats said goodbye to Ceylon Godfrey, 

Daniel Hale, Nicholas Liberatos, Brenner Mabry, Garrett Mills, Daniel Nichols, and 

Marlin Rushing. The team finished their regular season that day with an 8-11-4 record 

and went on to face St. Paul in the first round of the playoffs in Covington, Louisiana. 

January 28’s Senior Day was a memorable one for all twelve senior Bearcats, and 

they will be missed greatly by the entire Bearcat Nation! 

left: Senior goalkeeper Garrett Mills (green) and Brenner Mabry (right) practice 

before their game against Wossman on Senior Day. 

Right: junior Darby Guinn lays a shot on goal.

B earcat Spirit 

Chatterbox 


RHS Cheerleaders: Back-to-Back National Champions (cont.) 

By Whitney Durrett 


The Game Time division consists of three parts, Timeout Cheer, Timeout Dance, and Fight Song Dance. They did well in all three events. Competition Squad had the 

high score of 94.63 for the Timeout Cheer, the high score of 96.07 for the Fight Song Dance, and the third place score of 93.07, only two points behind the top scoring team. 

Throughout all three routines performed there were no penalty points taken away from the team. 

The RHS Competition Squad has been competing at this competition for several years and has had great success every year. Last year they placed 1 st in game time cheer, 

1 st in game time fight song dance, and sixth in Game Time time-out dance, which gave them an overall high score, winning the Game Time division. They also placed 3 rd in 

the Non- Tumbling Division. 

This squad is made up of all levels of cheerleaders, freshmen to seniors. Working as one, they learned difficult stunts, dance routines, and cheers. In order to synchronize 

over 30 cheerleaders, the team had to have patience and drive to work as hard as they could to succeed as a team. There are not many cheerleading teams that can have so 

many girls on one team and still succeed as well as Ruston High’s Competition Squad did. Coaches for the team were, Mrs. Heather Reeder (sponsor), Mrs. Olivia Gorgon 

(sponsor), Shelby Griffith (Game Time choreographer), and Stan Tabor (Non-Tumbling choreographer). 

Earning the title of a National Champion, in any activity, is difficult. The Competition Squad worked extremely hard to get this title and they deserve it! These ladies 

started practices in the summer and practiced at least twice a week, sometimes more, until the day of their competition. They competed two other times before Nationals, 

including Regionals, which they won 1 st at, and the LHSAA State Championship, which they had 3 first place wins and a 3rd place. The hard work and dedication was shown 

throughout the time the Competition Cheerleaders spent preparing and through the success of their performances! 

New Beginning for Pepettes 


Sport Reporter 

The Pepettes are preparing to start over with a new beginning for the 2012-2013 Bearcat Belles, Cheerleader, and Pom Squad try-outs. On March 8-12, 2012 the Bearcat 

Belles will have try-outs open to all girls who are going to be 10th-12th graders for the 2012-2013 school year. Freshmen must be a current member of Pom Squad or Freshmen 

Cheerleaders to be eligible to try out. Sophomores and juniors may be in Pom Squad, Belles, JV Cheer, or a member of one sport or two clubs (in good standing with 

those groups). You must have a 2.0 GPA and NO out-of-school suspensions. 

Cheerleader Tryouts are March 15-18, 2012 for Freshmen, JV and Varsity Cheerleader Squads. Open to girls who are going to be 9th-12th graders for the 2012-2013 

school year. Incoming freshmen must have a 2.0 GPA and NO out-of-school suspensions for 8th grade. Current Freshmen must be a current member of Pom Squad or Freshmen 

Cheerleaders to be eligible to try out. Current Sophomores and Juniors may be in Pom Squad, Belles, JV Cheer, or a member of one sport or two clubs (in good standing 

with those groups) Current 9th-11th graders must have a 2.0 GPA and NO out-of-school suspensions.

February 14, 2012 - Ruston High School

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