Cheerleaders and Cheerleading Deserve respect

By: Kaitlyn Shanks
M&M Tipsters
I have been born and raised in Houston, Texas. In many parts of Texas, cheerleading is a very popular sport. One of the reasons it is so popular is because many of the winning teams are from Texas! If you are in the right competitions, CHEERLEADING IS HARD! Cheerleaders have to be built with muscle and be extremely limber, if not they could easily sustain an injury. The tumbling that cheerleaders do is incredibly difficult; it requires accuracy, speed, strength, and flexibility. When gymnasts do the same sort of stunts they are said to be amazing athletes, so why do people treat cheerleaders differently?
I used to participate in cheerleading, but I stopped because it was so time consuming. All of my friends that participate in competitive cheerleading spend at least twenty hours of their week in practice; that does not include rehearsing at home. Does cheerleading still sound like it is not a sport? Have you ever been in a grueling completion where you have worked for weeks practicing dance moves, stunts, tumbling, and, of course, the cheers?
Many colleges give scholarships for cheerleading; now why would they do that if they did not think that cheerleading was an important sport? Now, with cheerleading evolving from being a little dance on the sidelines at football games to full out gymnastics routines in competitions all about their own sport, the respect given to cheerleading should also grow. They should get respect for their hard work and the effort they put into their sport. A good deal of respect would be given to any other athlete if they won a competition, but many people do not take cheerleading competitions seriously so they work hard, win, and get no respect. Is that fair?
Most cheerleaders are also given a bad reputation just because people are stereotypical. Cheerleaders are said to be stupid, ditzy, and generally not educated. This, however, is not the case. Just because you enjoy cheerleading and tumbling does not drop your IQ, in fact many school cheerleading teams require certain grades and conduct scores for you to be allowed on the team. My step-mother was the captain of the cheerleading team and was in the top 10 intellectuals in her class, she loved cheerleading but, like most cheerleaders, she knew that her grades were more important. She graduated high school in three years, got a full scholarship to college, graduated in three years, went to law school and graduated in two years. Sure, not all cheerleaders have their law degree when they are 21 years old, but most are not stupid. Cheerleaders and cheerleading deserve respect.

Kaitlyn is a 9th grader at Memorial High School in Houston, Texas.

Green Eyes

By Abby Hunt
M&M TIPster

With all the talk of global warming, Earth deterioration and such, millions of people across the world have come together in an effort to "go green." The old "reduce, reuse, recycle" saying has come back in fashion, and people are striving to become more "Earth Friendly." Among these people are the faculty and students of the University of Georgia. While scavenging through Twitter for an interesting blog story, I stumbled upon the Twitter page UGA GoGreen and thought it would make a perfect Abby blog. Although the most recent post on this page was on April 26th, it's the thought that counts.
The campus has begun working on their three r's, and I actually noticed it before coming across the online testimony. In the vending machine room of TIP dorm (Myers Hall), there's a giant bottle that you can disperse your empty cans and plastic bottles. In Snelling Dining Hall, there are other receptacles for your newspapers, too. Recyclable receptacles can also be found in every other building and by all the bus stops. Since I have yet to truly explore the town of Athens, I can't really claim that the rest of the town is trying their hand at conserving, but I'd like to think that they are.
A lot of cities nowadays are instituting city-wide efforts to recycle. In my own town of Tupelo, MS, the city gave out green boxes for everyone to place their recyclables in, and they come around once or twice a week to receive them and take them off to somewhere where they can be put to another use. Many industries have moved away from their old, harmful ways and have become more Earth-friendly as well. For example, many companies that produce bottled products have begun using less plastic in their bottles. The fashion world is pressing hippie/ Earth-friendly clothing and reusable shopping bags made out of recycled material. Several cleaning product companies have begun to create their supplies using less harmful chemicals, and those help you and the earth.
There are many ways that you as an individual can help the earth. One way is to conserve your water. The world may currently be 70% water, but who’s to say it will always be that way? Let’s do little things such as turning off the faucet while we brush our teeth, taking shorter showers, and using less water to water the lawn to help our future generations and their battles against droughts and such. Another way you can help is to save energy. If you’re going somewhere a mile down the road, brave the hot southern sun and walk or ride a bike instead of driving. Watch less TV, unplug your chargers when they’re not in use, use solar-powered products, turn the lights off when you leave a room. There are so many ways to save energy that we don’t even consider until someone else points it out to us. Also, reduce the amount of trash you produce. This can be done by simply reusing and recycling your stuff. Find products that are made using less waste, energy, and water, and that combines the three previous tips into one.
Going green isn’t just a fad; it won’t fade away like Miley Cyrus or Brittney Spears’s careers. It’s here to stay, whether you like it or not. The choice is up to you – help out your greats on down the line and become Earth-friendly or continue to be too lazy to do something about it. But I say go green with all your heart.

-abby=)

Abby Hunt is an upcoming sophomore at Tupelo High School in Tupelo, MS.

Toy Story 3: Worth Seeing?

“I expected Toy Story 3 to be like the first two movies. But it was unlike any movie I’ve ever seen.”- Maddie Kim
“ I thought it was hilarious.”- Kaitlyn Shanks
“I can’t wait to see it.” –Abby Hunt

If you still haven’t seen the third Toy Story, then you better see it soon. Toy Story 3, directed by Lee Unrich, is a compelling, clever, funny, joyful, and thrilling new movie brought to you by Pixar. It features the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, and Micheal Keaton. The first two movies have won a number of awards including the ASCAP Award, the Special Achievement Award, and one was nominated for an Oscars award.

Even following these two phenomenal movies Toy Story 3 has exceeded all expectations. It dominated the box office with its record-breaking $110.3 million debut. The movie made $41 million on its opening day alone. It was the largest opening for a June movie, the second largest for an animated movie (following “Shrek the Third”) and the third biggest weekend of the year (following Alice and Wonderland at $116.1 million and Iron Man 2 at $128.1 million.) Toy Story 3 also received a rare rating of 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, a popular movie rating site.

In the movie, Andy is going off to college and before he leaves he has to decide if he should keep his childhood toys and store them in the attic or if he should donate them to other kids so they can love and treasure them as he did. When the toys accidentally get put in the “Donate” box without Andy’s knowledge they find themselves at a daycare center called Sunnyside. The toys expect to be in for a great day of finally getting played with after being neglected for several years but they soon find out that their assumptions were wrong. An evil bear, Lotso, tries to prevent them from getting out and back to Andy. Will they get out of Sunnyside? Will Andy miss his missing toys? Will Barbie marry Ken? These are the questions you will ask yourself in this emotionally satisfying, near-death adventure as the toys try to get back to the home they belong to. Toy Story 3 will have you on the edge of your seat in suspense as well as rolling on the floor in laughter. Pixar has once again accomplished the makings of a wonderful movie enjoyed by adults as well as kids with its captivating plot and relatable characters.

Brittney Vidal is a 9th grader at Byron Nelson High School in Trophy Club, Texas

Summer Teen Editions

The previous aThEENs editions were produced by introductory news writing students in the Grady College of Journalism. Most of the reporters are college juniors.

This summer, aThEENs is being produced by teenagers from around the country who have convened in Athens for Duke TIP. Most of the reporters are high school freshmen.

The new stories posted here in June and July are from rising 8th through 10th graders taking part in the "Media and Message: Communicating in the Digital Age" course, held here at the University of Georgia.

The M&M TIPsters live on the UGA campus for three weeks so in essence they are temporary Athens residents.

The summer aThEENs produced by DukeTIPDawgs is truly by, for and about Athens area teens.

We hope you enjoy!

Summer in Athens

by Cody Thompson and Brooke McMillan

So what is there to do in Athens during the summer months for high school students? This is the question that has left class after class of local high school students scratching their heads. In the summer Athens is desolate, “There is no traffic on Milledge and no wait at restaurants; it is like a ghost town really. It can be hard to find things to do, especially if you are under 18,” said 19-year-old University of Georgia (UGA) freshman Ian Dunne, an Athens, Ga. native and a Monsignor Donovan Catholic High School alumnus. It turns out there are many things to do, including music festivals, summer camps, college classes, weight lifting, and rock wall climbing. Let the following information serve as a guide to the upcoming summer in Athens, and never ponder the question of what to do again.

The Athens YMCA holds a group interview every February for summer camp counselors. Applicants must be 16 years of age or older. This year, 133 people applied for the program, and 36 were hired. Besides being a camp counselor, high school students can also apply to work in child watch, as lifeguards, or in the fitness center. Sarah Akinosho, an 18-year-old senior at HarrisonHigh School in Marietta, Ga., worked as a lifeguard at her local YMCA during her summer. Akinosho said, “As a lifeguard I learned about how to relate to different types and ages of people. For some reason everyone seems to want to talk to the lifeguard. So I got to know elderly people, middle aged working parents, other teenagers, and kids. I also learned how to cope with patrons and the issues they had.” The YMCA also offers a training program for 14 and 15 year olds. “The Leaders in Training (L.I.T.) Program is a great opportunity for young teens. It is a six-week program and is a lot of hard work,” said Shae Wilson, the Athens YMCA Youth Director. Volunteering is also an option at the YMCA, with opportunities in all of the summer camp programs, as well as in the office and in special events.

Another Athens area counseling opportunity is with Camp Twin Lakes, a non-profit organization with camping facilities in Georgia for children with serious illnesses, disabilities, and other challenges. In Winder, Ga. Camp Twin Lakes at Will-A-Way is located at Ft.Yargo State Park , about a 30-minute drive from Athens. The camp has job and volunteer opportunities running from mid-May through mid-August in areas such as crafts, nature, waterfront, and sports. Staff members typically get Friday nights through Sunday mornings off, and live in an area known as “the porch” with one or two roommates and a private bathroom. “I worked in the kitchen and the office of Camp Twin Lakes for 5 summers in a row. I was able to talk about my experience at Camp Twin Lakes and how it opened my eyes to want to work with children in the future. It helped me realize that I wanted to teach and I was able to talk about this in my essay for my application to get into UGA's Early Childhood Program. Working at Camp Twin Lakes was an amazing experience and it really helped me grow as a person,” said 21-year-old Katy Ellard, a UGA student and early childhood education major.

18-year-old Clarke CountyHigh School student Abby Suddreth enjoys the opportunites for entertainment during summer in Athens. “I have always had a job over the summers, but there is a lot more to do than work. AthFest is just one of the events on the music scene that are fun in the summer; it is so fun to just get a group and go hang out and listen.” Athens is a famous music hub and the home of bands such as R.E.M. and The B-52s, so it should come as no surprise that the summertime is loaded with music events. AthFest is an annual music and arts festival that takes place in downtown Athens, and this year it is June 23 through June 27. It features an open air artist market and two outdoor stages with performances by bands from all around the southeast, as well as venues all around town hosting live concerts. Ciné and The Green Room are open to people of all ages, while many others including Square One, 40 Watt Club, and Farm 255 are 18 years old and up. Some of the events are free of charge, and others require a pass or have a cover charge.

As part of AthFest, a local magazine, Flagpole, will host the Flagpole Athens Music Awards on June 24. Michelle Gilzenrat, the music editor of Flagpole, believes that the event is for anyone who reads the magazine, plays music, or is a fan of local music. “All ages are welcome to the Flagpole Athens Music Awards, so this is a great opportunity for teens--especially the ones who can't get into clubs--to see some of the best music this town has to offer live on stage. In addition to the performances, we of course hand out awards to top local musicians, so teens who hope to one day become an active part of the Athens music scene might get a better idea about what this town has to offer, and the wide range of genres that exist here. It's a great introduction to the Athens music scene, and the perfect way to kickoff AthFest,” said Gilzenrat. The awards begin at 8 p.m. and the cost is TBA.

Another music-related activity for teens and people of all ages, Ashford Manor Concerts on the Lawn is a concert series celebrating its tenth year this summer. The concerts are held on the property of Ashford Manor Bed and Breakfast, a five acre estate in Watkinsville, Ga. Concert goers are allowed to bring a picnic dinner and are encouraged to bring a blanket or low lawn chairs to sit on. “The concert is a great place for people of all ages,” said Dave Shaeron, an owner of Ashford Manor, “It is a great opportunity to see bands that would otherwise only play in adult venues late at night downtown. You can bring your own food and beverages, put down a blanket, and listen to some great music under the stars. It’s a friendly environment, and at $12 per ticket with a student I.D., a great date night.” The music style ranges from bluegrass to jazz, and the dates are Monday nights from May 3 through Oct. 18. This summer’s lineup includes Sons of Sailors, a Jimmy Buffet cover band, and Abbey Road, a Beatles cover band.

For Athens teens looking to take classes over the summer, joint enrollment with the University of Georgia is an opportunity to gain college credit. Students who do joint enrollment are jointly enrolled in college and high school. Patrick Winter, the senior associate director of admissions marketing and recruitment for UGA said, “The courses that they take usually count for both college credit and high school graduation requirements. There is a small number of students or apply for joint enrollment every year, and it can be a great option for students in the summer, provided that it is a good fit for them and that they are prepared to do the work expected of them in a college class.” Applicants must meet or exceed the average grade point average and SAT scores of the previous year’s freshman class. They must also have letters of support from a parent or guardian and from a high school counselor. The application can be found at UGA’s undergraduate admissions Web site.

For someone who is looking to stay active over the summer, Athens has a new climbing center downtown with daily specials and monthly or yearly memberships. Active Climbing is an indoor climbing gym built in an old ice house and boasts 20-foot tall roped walls and a 40-foot long traverse. Teens can learn techniques from owner and award-winning Romanian mountain climber Adrian Prelipceanu to refine or begin their climbing skills, and there are fitness alternatives like yoga and gymnastics classes. Prelipceanu said, “We just started the Georgia Spiders Youth Climbing Team. We have close to 15 kids on the team, and that is one of the main training outlets for the teens. They range from 12-15 years old. For other teens, we have a lot of groups from high schools come to take classes on basic techniques. We are just getting started, and we are trying as much as we can to cultivate a market in Athens for sports other than football.”