The Orange And Black Record

Martinsburg High’s 2024 Homecoming is quickly approaching. Student Council has been working hard to make sure this year’s Homecoming of “A Night in Hollywood” is one for the history books. MHS Homecoming will be held on September 21st from 7pm to 10pm. The event will be located at Airborne Church. The address is 172 Creative Place, Martinsburg, WV 25401. Airborne Church will be sparkling and decorated to the nines to match the Hollywood theme. Starting Monday 9/16 through Friday 9/20, all MHS students will be able to buy their tickets during their lunch. Tickets will be sold for $20 each. Members of Student Council and other volunteers will help set up and tear down for homecoming. President of Student Council, Senior Savannah Malatt says “Student Council has been working hard to plan Homecoming, especially within their committees.”

A popular tradition for homecoming at MHS is the festive spirit week. The spirit week consists of themes for each day, in which students dress up. The spirit week themes for this year are Monday 9/16 - White Lie, Tuesday 9/17- Y2K/2000’s, Wednesday 9/18- Favorite Famous Duo, Thursday 9/19 - “Inside Out”, Friday 9/20- Class Colors (Seniors: black, Juniors: white, Sophomores: orange, Freshman: gray). On the Friday before Homecoming dance, there will be the powderpuff game, the pep rally, and the homecoming football game. The pep rally will be held in the morning and the powderpuff game in the afternoon. The pep rally consists of games the students participate in for each grade. The games are a three legged race, water train, musical chairs, an inflatable ball game, dizzy bat tic tac toe, and tug of war. At the beginning of the pep rally, all varsity fall sports will be introduced and recognized. The homecoming game is home against Hedgesville, during half time they will be introducing the 2024 homecoming court. The senior court for the girls is Mia Rivera, Jenna Wilson, Addy Strovel, Cara Anderson, and Eva Craigie. The boys for senior court are Dallas Richards, Zavier Pollard, Koi Fagan, Brady Breeden, and Taven Parsons. The Junior prince and princess are Syrah George and Ryan Spiker. The Sophomore prince and princess are Hailey Kackley and Brayden Amsler. Last but not least, Freshman prince and princess are Nayomi Rascoe and Patrick Henry.

Lots of volunteers are working hard to make homecoming possible. All these fun activities will be open to anyone that wants to participate. Don’t miss out on your opportunity to make memories with your friends and peers! For more information on these fun events, contact your class officers or Mrs. Foreman.

Fine arts:

The patio outside the auditorium and band room is gated off because they will be constructing a new band room and renovating the auditorium. September 3rd is when construction began for the band room. The projected completion date is February 6th. December 19th is when the auditorium renovations begin. The band, choir, strings, and dance will benefit from these renovations. The fine arts programs at MHS continue to grow in size every year so these renovations came at a perfect time. The money came from a bond approved years ago by the community. Mrs. Adams who I interviewed said she was “very excited and thrilled” for the new addition. She would also like to share the band hasn’t had these many kids since the late 90s. There are 132 kids in band, and it’ll only get larger!

Bathrooms/Floors:

The cafeteria and concession stand bathrooms were renovated this summer. It began right after school was let out in May. These bathrooms were renovated specifically because the public uses them whenever there are school events. The cafeteria floors were redone over the summer. So were the math, science, and CTE wing. The money came from a bond from approved last spring. Principal Sherman said he would like to see these renovations happen yearly to all the schools bathrooms. He also shared he was excited for the new additions to the fine arts wing.

Concession Stands:

The entire concession stands were renovated over the summer. They started renovations in April and concluded them in the beginning of July. During my interview with Mrs. Adams, she listed many of the changes to the stands. Adams said there are new counter tops, new epoxy floor, bathroom inside the concessions renovated, shelves painted, and Coca replaced all the machines. Berkeley Glass was taken on as a new community partner and gave $75,000 for a new AC unit. The concessions have never had AC before. Mrs. Adams mentioned a wish list of stuff the stands still needed were met beyond expectations by the community and past band parents. “It’s near and dear to a lot of people’s hearts.”

Outside Classroom:

In my interview with Mr. Gallagher he told me about how he’s trying to create an environment outside that’ll increase students’ experience in Martinsburg. “We’re continuing to put raised beds outside as far as to grow vegetables in, and a new pull-up bar, monkey bar, and rig on the tennis court.” Mr. Gallagher got a $10,000 grant over the summer from Cross Fit that funded all the new equipment. He also plans to apply to more grants to be able to add a 400 meter track around the bowl in the front of the school. He hopes people will want to come outside and want to move and be present.

The new phone policy, which prevents phone usage in many places besides lunch, and updated vape policy, which is much stricter with prohibiting vapes and other substances, was a shock to many students. As stated by Ms. Glover, the new policies were put in place by all Berkeley County Schools, and not just Martinsburg High. The phone policy prohibits phone usage in all classes and the halls, besides before school, lunch, and after school. The only other exception will be stated by your teacher. Phones were seen as not only a distraction, but also a contributor to disciplinary issues such as fights or texting drama. As for vapes, they are prohibited from being used, as well as any alcohol and drugs. Three offenses from any of those substances result in suspension and possible expulsion, while only one offense of distribution of a narcotic drug, such as THC, will lead to suspension and possible expulsion. Vape policies had recently gotten stricter as the WV law and school policies are finally catching up with the increase of these substances. There were many complaints of vaping in bathrooms, so with the vape policy in place they’re hoping to decrease these problems.

The administrators are hoping for a positive outcome with more opportunities to learn and feel safe in the school. Some teachers have heard more talking and engaging from students, and even conversations occurring during downtime rather than students getting on their phones. Ms. Glover is hoping by removing distractions, not only will we get a more valuable education, but our school’s test scores will go up.

However, Martinsburg High junior, Emily Zirkle stated the phone policy was a bit extreme. She understands the policy is to help with distractions in the classroom, and it does help her focus, but she wishes to listen to music while independently working and thinks there should be exceptions elsewhere, like in advisory. She’s confused on why we can’t have it outside of class. As for vapes, she feels as if no one cares. Emily claims they don’t enforce it enough, “Unless they get caught, they’re going to keep doing it,” she continued with, "It's an addiction, and if they want to vape they will. They won’t stop just because the principal tells them.” She did note that it didn’t affect her much though, because she doesn’t vape and avoids bathrooms with people who do. In conclusion, she believes it was put in place to help reduce distractions and make it a safer place, but “it is not working.”

Fall sports have already begun and all the athletes are excited to see how their seasons go! Volleyball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, football, cross country and golf have been working hard since July to prepare for their competition seasons. All six fall sports have already competed in their first game or meet. Volleyball lost their first game vs. Spring Mills 3-2. Men’s soccer won their first game against Spring Mills 2-0. Women’s soccer tied against Spring Mills 1-1. Football won their first game vs. Ballou 66-0.

Senior Captain Kamryn Sine says that the volleyball team is “going through lots of changes as a team and I am looking forward to our development together.” Sine is hopeful for a positive season and is excited to see how the rest of the season will go. For men’s soccer, Senior Captain Sam Collins predicts a successful season, saying he believes the team will win in the region and make it to finals. Women’s soccer is also hopeful about their season. When asked what she’s most excited about, women’s soccer Senior Captain Riley Harper said she’s “excited to be able to play a final season with teammates I’ve been with since freshman year.” Similarly to men’s soccer, Martinsburg’s football is predicting a successful season. Senior Brady Breeden says that he thinks the team will “go all the way” to states. Cross country Senior Captain Ariel Funkhouser is also optimistic about cross country’s 2024 season. Funkhouser says that her personal goal is to “put up a lot of new personal records” and that she’s most excited “to watch the girls team bond and just have an overall great season.”

All of Martinsburg’s fall sports put in a lot of work to prepare for their games and meets. Be sure to support MHS’ fall athletes as they compete in their 2024 seasons, and be on the lookout for their full game schedules!

The 2024-2025 Bulldog band half time show SHINE is a show that honors the Class of 2025. It was created specifically with them in mind. This class is especially dear to the band director, Mrs. Adams (formerly Ms. Rogers), because it was the very first class of sixth graders she taught when she was band director at South Middle. These seniors have only had Mrs. Adams as their band teacher in their entire band career. The opening song of the show "I Want You Back" was Mrs. Adams way of telling her students to come back to the band program. She said in an interview, “I want you back. I want you back with me. I want you back in the program. And I want you to keep sticking out music.” She had learned late that she would be the band director at MHS so none of the students knew. Many of them had decided to quit band after middle school, but when they had found out she’d be their teacher once again they came back. Martinsburg does something called “Step up night” every year where the middle schoolers come and play with the high school band. So, the second song "High Hopes" commemorates that because it was the first song this class played with the high school. The third song "Golden Hour" is where we get the title of the show and where the seniors have a feature. Mrs. Adams feels this song shows how they’ve shined since middle school and how she wants them to continue to shine into adulthood. The last song "A Million Dreams" is from their first marching show "The Greatest Showman". The show ends with a chord from "Golden Hour". While planning the show, Mrs. Adams saw a plaque her seniors had given her their last year at South. It says, “Teaching music is meaningless unless it impacts the receiving minds to whom it is taught.” That is the motto for this year’s show. Mrs. Adams expressed how much pride, love, and joy she has for her students. Sean Wood, senior and drum line captain said, “To me the show is a finale. A finale to four years of my life that felt like one looking back. I feel like in all four years, I haven’t resonated with a show the same way I do with this one. It’s personal to me. It means something and I want it to be the best it can. It makes me feel like the end is near. It’s easy to forget that you’re a senior and the show gives me little reminders every Friday night.”

Senior and head drum major, Ariel Funkhouser said, “It reminds me of the impact Rogers has had on my life. It makes me sad knowing that I’ll go from seeing her almost every day for years to not seeing her. Being head drum major was honestly not my main goal. I just wanted to be a drum major but the more I worked with Melody, the more I became determined to get the position I am in now. And I wouldn’t trade it. I get to lead the seniors in the senior feature which I feel is the most emotional and impactful part of the show. The show gives me a lot of mixed emotions, sad that I’m leaving Martinsburg High School Bulldog Marching Band, but excited to start a new chapter and SHINE.”

Women’s lacrosse is still fairly new to Martinsburg High School, but some players are already making big impacts. Senior Kaylin Henry, recently won the USA Lacrosse All-Academic award. Kaylin has worked extremely hard to get to where she is today. When asking Kaylin her reaction to first hearing she won, she said, “I was at our school's orientation and my dad pulled everyone together to announce that I had won All-Academic. It was super exciting and a big honor.” Winning this award in West Virginia is very difficult because it only goes out to three women's lacrosse players. All-Academic is awarded to players who show exemplary lacrosse skills, good sportsmanship on and off the field, and represent high academic achievement throughout their school. Kaylin has been on the MHS women’s lacrosse team since her freshman year; achieving new goals and expectations every year.

Patrick Henry, Kaylin’s father and the woman’s lacrosse coach expressed, “Having a player recognized for both academic and athletic achievement is a great thing for the team and for the school. Martinsburg High School has a long academic tradition and to have a student athlete receive recognition for academic success and athletic excellence says a great deal about the team, the school, and our athletes.” Henry was ecstatic to award his daughter with such a big title. Being a lacrosse coach and a parent can put him in sticky situations, but as a parent he exclaimed, “As a parent, knowing that her hard work was recognized and rewarded is a great thing. She has worked very hard in the classroom and on the field, putting in hours out of season, before and after practices, and on “off” days to get to where she is and seeing that recognized is really great. The parent/coach in me works hard to not make the team about a single player, particularly when that player is my own daughter.” Martinsburg High School is honored to recognize the first USA lacrosse All Academic award in MHS to their very own Kaylin Henry. MHS hopes Kaylin continues to succeed in all she’s done on and off the field! Congratulations Kaylin!

One club that builds all of these skills is EmpowHER which is run by Mrs. Girod. Mrs. Girod, who some students know as Mrs. G, is located in room 2053 in the English hallway. Mrs. Girod teaches English 10th and 12th here at MHS. She’s been here for 3 years now. Even though she been teaching for 3 years now, she shared her excitement on how this year is her first year having a classroom inside the school. Mrs. Girod enjoys theatre, photography, crafting, and reading. She has a feathery companion, a parrot named Sprite.

She is ecstatic to be an advisor of EmpowHER. Meetings will be held every Tuesday morning at 6:45 AM in her room. She said, “I want to give MHS ladies a safe space at MHS where they always have support!” It’s important to encourage kids to join clubs to feel supported and enjoy something fellow students here at MHS have an interest in doing. Mrs. Girod even mentioned that they’ll be doing activities in the Martinsburg community. One of which is volunteering at, “women's shelter for domestic violence survivors.” Another activity would be donating items to Renewed Life Ministry sometime in November.

If you enjoy forming a sense of community and sisterhood you can contact Mrs. Girod through Schoology, or shoot her an email!

In the month of September, we recognize people who have suffered with mental illnesses and people who struggle with suicide. Starting in 2008, we take this month to educate ourselves on the topic of mental illness and what we can do as a community to support and lend a helping hand to those who have been affected.

Vaylee Olack, the public relations officer for Martinsburg High School’s Mental Health Awareness Club, is taking on the task of helping and educating our community on these struggles. When asked about what the club wants to achieve she said, “For this club being new this year, I hope that the right people find it and people know everyone is there for each other,” “I also hope that we have fun with the activities planned,” With the number of mental health issues rising in teens throughout the years, this club will be a proven asset by trying to connect with our community and create a sense of togetherness so that our peers don’t feel alone in their struggles. When asked about her plan for spreading awareness for their cause, she replied with, ”Kris has already done such a great job recruiting other members. Even if you aren’t struggling with mental health, you are encouraged to be in the group to be a supporter.” To become a supporter or a member of this group you can attend their meetings every other Thursday.

Suicide awareness month tackles acknowledgment and education on the struggles of people who have been affected by suicide. Suicide can affect anyone so it is critical that we give people the tools they need so that don’t feel alone and can reach out to seek help. “Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death among adults in the U.S. and the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-24 and these rates are increasing.” says NCTSN.org. Within this month of recognization, people are inclined to share their own stories of how they or their loved ones have been affected by suicide. If you are experiencing any of these issues, we urge you to you to get the help you need and reach out to our social workers, guidance councilors, or any of our administrators. “Many students struggle with mental health for all different reasons and some not even shown. Having a club to bring awareness and having those support systems in place for people are important for these students to grow as adults,” says Vaylee Olack.

Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from September 15 to October 15, is a time to recognize and appreciate the very impactful contributions of Hispanic and Latinx communities in the U.S. It’s an opportunity to learn about their history, culture, and heritage of the communities. From music and art to food and traditions, Hispanic heritage is a big part of what makes America so diverse and unique. This month is all about celebrating that diversity and honoring the achievements of Hispanic Americans.

The Spanish Department at MHS offers a wide range of opportunities for students to engage with Hispanic culture and language. By joining the Spanish National Honor Society (SHH) or the Latino Student Union (LSU), students can get involved in events like the 1,000 schools fundraiser and trip to Honduras and there are future plans for a trip to Spain in 2026 (Not Endorsed by MHS.) Additionally, there are chances to attend a Spanish concert, visit an authentic restaurant, and explore an authentic store. SHH is also planning a Hispanic Heritage festival in October, while LSU offers activities like reading Spanish children's books at the public library and hosting an English as a Second Language workshop.

Students can also take part in community-focused events such as helping Profe Sanchez with posters for cultural events, attending Embassy Day, or joining the WV World Language Showcase on April 4th at Fairmont. Keep an eye out for more opportunities, which will be posted in the Spanish Hall, including fun events like "Locura de Marzo" and teaching Spanish to students at feeder schools.

When asked how and why she decided to form the Spanish National Honor Society (SHH) and the Latino Student Union (LSU), Profe Sanchez explained, "I decided to form SHH because I felt it was important to create a space for students who excel academically in the Spanish language and wish to stay involved. It’s also another way to grow interest in world languages, as students may be more inclined to continue their language studies. For LSU, I created it to ensure that the Latino population at MHS has a safe space, while also giving both Latino and non-Latino students a chance to be more involved in the school and foster a sense of community.

When asked, “Who is your favorite person in Hispanic history and why?” Profe responded, “While that is a very difficult question and there are many that I admire, I look up to Frida Kahlo for her beautiful artistic talents and for being willing to stand out in society. She maintained her own unique personality, even when it wasn’t easy. Her strength, resilience, and individuality continue to inspire me Profe Sanchez also shared, “One of the things I believe is most important is making sure that Americans realize a lot of the U.S. was originally part of Mexico. On February 2, 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, which gave 55% of Mexico’s territory to the U.S. It's also important to recognize that the Spanish language has been spoken here just as long as English, and there are Mexican families who have been in the U.S. for multiple generations. Understanding this history is key to appreciating the deep roots of Hispanic culture in our country.”

If you are interested in any of the options mentioned above, please contact Profe Sanchez by Email (emsanchez@k12.wv.us) or via Schoology.

Martinsburg High has new faces in the school! Here are a few of them!

Reporters: Taylor Strack, Riley Harper, Malaya Chhouk, Lizette Lopez, Ella Murphy

Co-Editors: Savannah Malatt and Kaylin Henry

Advisor: Rhonda Foreman