The Pony Express, Vol. II, Issue 02 (Oct. 2018)

The Pony Express The student newspaper of Center Hill High School

October 2018

Center Hill High School

Volume 2, Issue 2

#RaiseTheBar

Center Hill, district maintain ‘A’ rankings By Emily Merz Editor-in-Chief Desoto County Schools has once again been named an “A” school district by the Mississippi Department of Education. Under the current accountability model, DCS is one of nine Mississippi school districts to earn the highest ranking for three years in a row. Center Hill High School has also been rated an “A” school multiple times. The MDE released school and

district performance grades for the 2017-2018 school year on Oct. 11. “I am very excited to announce that DeSoto County Schools has received an ‘A’ rating based on test scores from the 2017-2018 school year, and we were one of only 9 school districts in the state to receive this ranking for the last three school years, 201516, 2016-17, and 2017-18,” Superintendent Cory Uselton tweeted the day the accountability results were announced.

“This is a testament to the commitment and dedication of everyone in our school district, and I want you to feel proud about playing a role in this accomplishment.” In an email to employees the same day, Uselton said the district’s success is due to teamwork. “Thank you for all that you do to help our students to succeed at such a high level, and I look forward to seeing how you #RaiseTheBar this school year,” Uselton wrote. “It is definitely a team effort, and I

appreciate all of your hard work!” Staff and administration at CHHS also said the “A” ranking is the result of a combined effort. “This ranking means that we are a top-rated school in our state,” Assistant Principal Brenda Case said, adding that CHHS has been a top-ranked school since the 2009-2010 school year. “It is a great accomplishment that we have reached due to the hard work of our great staff and students. We are proud of Center Hill, and this ranking is one of the reasons it is

great to be a Mustang.” English teacher Trudy White said the continued “A” rating is important to everyone involved. “I’m really proud of the students and teachers who worked hard to maintain that ranking,” she said. “It says that we work hard and shows how hard the teachers and administrators work, and how much the students care about their own future.” Staff writer Kymoria Mottley contributed to this story.

Students encouraged to just say no to bullying By Paige Brick Staff Writer Although National Bullying Prevention Month is October, that doesn’t mean the topic should be ignored for the rest of the year. According to the website stopbullyingnowfoundation.org, “Bullying is when a person or group repeatedly tries to harm someone who is weaker or who they think is weaker. Sometimes it involves direct attacks such as hitting, name calling, teasing or taunting. Sometimes it is indirect, such as spreading rumors or trying to make others reject someone.” A healthcare website, findapsychologist.org, states that 70 percent of students report that bullying is a problem at their school. Bullying can also affect a child’s mental state. According to findapsychologist. org, “Bullying can contribute to students feeling socially isolated, worthless or depressed. In addition, the psychological effects of bullying can last well into adulthood and increase a person’s chance of experiencing things like anxiety disorders.” Some victims of bullying feel that they can’t tell anyone about their situation, which could lead to depression and even suicide. “Suicide is one avenue students select when faced with a bullying situation,” Center Hill High School counselor Danielle Brown said. “When a person comes to that point, where they don’t feel they have another option, it is important for them to seek help.”

Photo illustration by Ana Le Bullying can affect a child’s mental state and can contribute to students feeling socially isolated, worthless or depressed.

If you are experiencing bullying or thoughts of suicide, talk to someone that you trust. This can be a friend, a parent, a teacher or administrator. “Find someone to talk to,” Brown said. “It doesn’t have to be your parents. You can talk to any adult in this building and they will point you in the right direction to get the help you need. In my experience, students benefit from having someone to talk to or to be able to say ‘I’m sad/angry/frustrated’ without the person judging them.” If you don’t think that you can talk to anyone else, call 1-800273-TALK (8255) for 24-hour assistance. You’re not alone.

Photo by Brooke Neal On Oct. 24, students in Jayme Nobles’ first-block class signed an anti-bullying pledge. Pictured, from left, are Aaron Brackeen, Dean Wardlow, Cameron Jackson, Makayla Hale and Keanna Coburn.