In My View--

Welcome Back

It is time, teachers and students, the 2006-2007 school year is finally upon us. Summer vacation is over now so we have to get out of the beach mode and get our brains fired up for the academic challenges ahead of us. The year is bound to be filled with much excitement and enjoyment beginning with our first varsity football game September 1st against Whitewater. There are many events this year at NHS that will keep all entertained including concerts, plays, and sporting events. The Cougar Chronicles would like to welcome you all back for another brain stirring year filled with pleasant memories and exciting events.

Welcome, New Teachers

The long summer vacation is over, and it is time for teaching. The staff of the Cougar Chronicles would like to welcome you to NHS. Hopefully, the change of scene to a new school will bring much excitement and build plenty of pleasant memories for all the new teachers. This year holds many promises for NHS including academic dominance and extracurricular success. We are glad to have you all on the staff of Newnan High School to see these things occur. We trust that you will provide great educational value to the students and awesome support for the NHS Cougars in everything we do.

Joshua Burston, Editor

As I See It . . .

Welcome to the Ninth Grade

Welcome freshman class of 2010. We hope that you make your four years here the best. We hope that you enjoy the classes and the teachers here at the school. There are also some sports and clubs you can sign up/try out for at the school. It is important to join something in high school because it will help you get to know other people at the school.

We hope you will get the most out of your classes and that you will reach for the HOPE Scholarship. You may not realize it now, but when you graduate, the HOPE Scholarship will be very important to you. It will not be easy to get because you have to have good grades and good test scores. So go out there, and be successful. Remember that you are here for four years, so make the best of them.

Sam McCloud, Associate Editor

SGA News

Greetings from your SGA officers. Since all students need to know the SGA officers, this article will serve as an introduction. Pierre Whatley is president, Marranda Hose is vice president, Jalesa Arnold is secretary, and Chris Watts is treasurer.

The jobs of the officers include planning upcoming school events, receiving input from the students and making good things happen. The SGA also works closely with the principal. The sponsor of SGA is Susan Quesienberry. If you would like to see things happen in our school, let these officers know, and it may be done.

Upcoming Events in SGA--

*Club Week

*Homecoming events

*Can-a-thon

*Letters to Soldiers

Start-up dates for these and other activities will be given later. So come on, Newnan High; let's get it together so we can make this the best year ever.

Calling all Newnan High students, starting August 28th through October 1, SGA will sponsor Club Week. What is Club Week? It is the time where everyone, especially newcomers and freshmen, can join or get information on the clubs at NHS. Every day during this week you will be able to check out the clubs offered during your lunch time.

Some clubs offered are:

Art Club

Beta Club

Chess Club

Drama Club

Epitome Art/Literary Magazine

FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America)

FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes)

French Club

Interclub council

Jobs for Georgia Graduates

Key Club

Lit Wits

Mock Trial

National Honor Society

Psychology Club

SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions)

Yearbook

Kiki Cato and Marranda Hose, SGA Editors

Local

Main Street Newnan Events

Main Street Newnan has a lot of events and activities planned every year. Some of the upcoming events for this year are:

*September 1-2--Labor Day Sidewalk Sale, Homemade Ice Cream, and Road Race--The sidewalk sale will be Friday from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm. The road race will kickoff on Saturday morning at 7:00 am. Market day will follow from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm joined by the homemade ice cream festival from noon until 3:00 pm.

*October 12--Full Taste of Newnan/Wing Cook-off--The Full Taste of Newnan/Wing Cook-off will take place in downtown Newnan on Thursday from 5:00 pm until 8:30 pm. Come down, try some wings and vote for your favorite to win the cook-off contest.

The Annual Powers Crossroads Country Fair and Festival will be held Labor Day weekend, Saturday, September 2 through Monday, September 4. The gates will open every day at 9:00 am and remain open until 5:00 pm.

The prices are as follows: Adults: $6, Seniors/Military Personnel: $5, Children: $3, Children 4 and younger: Free

Venders will have booths and decorative art, jewelry, games, food and much more. This year organizers are doing something a little different. An "Idol Contest" will be held on Saturday, September 2 from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. There is no fee, but only fifty contestants will be allowed. The three age categories are: 15-18 years old, 19-35 years old, 35 years old and up.

Restaurant Highlights of the Week

(The poll is a reflection of the opinion of the Chronicles staff and does not necessarily encompass opinions held by faculty or administration of NHS.)

(Ratings: 1-5, with 5 being the best)

In a hurry? Run by . . .

Chic-fil-a * * * * *

Krystals * * *

Kentucky Fried Chicken * * *

Have a minute? Take a seat at . . .

Longhorns * * * *

Red Lobster * * * * *

Bugaboo Creek * * * *

Need something sweet? Go to . . .

Brusters * * * * *

Cold Stone Creamery * * * * *

Joseph Bentley and Mandy Morris, Local News Editors

Clubs

As a new school year begins, new opportunities appear around every corner. One of the best opportunities offered at Newnan High School would be the clubs. From Key Club to SADD, NHS has it all. With over twenty clubs running, NHS continues to grow. Clubs are a great way to meet new people. Clubs, just like any other extracurricular activity, also look good on resumes for college, jobs, and scholarships. Clubs can offer great opportunities for not only the present time but also for the future. NHS offers clubs to meet many different needs. If you are new to Newnan or just want to try something new, join a club; it is always a positive thing to do.

Haleigh Copeland and Chastity Garrison, Club Editors

World

Israel/Hezbollah Conflict

According to Webster's dictionary, war is defined as "any armed conflict openly carried on between nations or states, or between different parties in the same state." Living in a world where religious prejudice or opposition can mean war, it becomes hard to fully appreciate the freedoms and rights we take for granted in America.

Thirty-four days and nine hundred and fifty lives later, Israel finally pulls out of southern Lebanon. It all began when Hezbollah, a Lebanese umbrella organization of radical Islamic Shittes, fired rocketed projectiles into the border of Israel, forcing thousands to relocate into bomb shelters.

From fear of more life being lost, the U.N. Security Council drafted a plan to end the dispute. They brought about a truce that would cease fire and remove Israel from Lebanese territory. During a final ground offensive, about thirty thousand Israel soldiers were believed to be in southern Lebanon.

Aaron Shelley, World Editor

Flooding in India

The very rains which are vital for India's agricultural driven economy unfortunately have triggered massive floods across India. At least five states have been underwater since last weekend; these same disastrous floods have killed at least two hundred people. Military boats in the western states of Maharashtra and Gujarat have sent out helicopters to search for more survivors. A current flood official stated, "The situation is terrible. The area under submergence is increasing every hour due to backwaters." According to some sources, the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, is expected to tour the worst hit areas later this week.

Caitlin Williams, World Editor

Sports

Cougar Talk

Welcome back to all students and especially to freshmen! This season will be a surprisingly great one. As all the students know, our football team is doing really well in practice. All our seniors are trying hard to make sure they have a great year. Coach Herring is doing a good job at keeping his team in line. Mitch Stewart and Travis Rush are our new quarterback and running back coaches. Jerry Allen and Rich Fendley are the new defensive line coaches. Our first scrimmage game was against Griffin.

The varsity team will kick off the season with a home game September 1st at 7:30 pm against Whitewater. The JV team will start playing September 7th against Carrollton at Drake Stadium at 5:30 pm. Congrats on a great start, teams!

The NHS girls' softball team has been practicing really hard. Preparing to have a great season, they have been working on throwing and hitting. The varsity and JV teams had their first games Tuesday, August 15th against Starrs Mill. The team's next game was the Sandy Creek Tournament, August 18th and 19th at McMurray Park.

The volleyball team is looking fierce and working hard this season. The varsity team had their first games August 14th defeating Whitewater and losing to Troup. The JV also had a game August 16th against Hardaway. The varsity team's next games were August 17th against Morrow/Harris from 5:00-7:00 pm. The JV team's next games were August 21st at Sandy Creek/Lithia. We hope to see you there cheering our Cougars!

Cross-Country has been working hard running and preparing for a great season. The first meet was at Clinton Farms in Douglasville for the Early Bird-Alexander Meet. It was on Saturday, August 26th at 7:30 am.

Ben Blackburn and Kayla Brisbay, Sports Editors

Roses/Thorns

Roses and Thorns is the section where students speak out about what they like and do not like, in essence a public opinion. Roses are given to the good things, and thorns are tendered to the not-so-good things.

Roses to . . .

*New bathrooms--Our new bathrooms are supper clean, and they don't smell!

*Senior Parking Lot--Finall, something for those of us who have been here four years!

*Price of parking permits--The prices of parking permits are fifteen dollars cheaper this year. Who can complain about that?

Thorns to . . .

*Lunch price raises--We have to pay two dollars for a school lunch?

*Parking Permits--Why should we have to pay five dollars to park at the END of Armory and walk that far?

Spotlight

"Spotlight" features teachers and students who stand out in various areas, from sports and academics to talents and activities outside of school. Our section incorporates students' ideas along with ideas of staff members on the Cougar Chronicles. Therefore, our section will vary from week to week as more students and faculty contribute.

Teacher Feature

"Teacher Feature" highlights new teachers and outstanding teachers at NHS. It gives a chance for those new to the school to introduce themselves and tell a little about their lives. It also recognizes teachers who do a lot for their students.

Mrs. Penny Johnson

Making sure 2,200 students get to class on time in six minutes is a hard job! Mrs. Johnson has decided to take that task on plus all the responsibility of being an assistant principal.

"The thing I like most about my job is the variety of activities in any one day. I enjoy supporting teachers so they are able to teach," said Mrs. Johnson about her job.

Before coming to Newnan, Mrs. Johnson taught Physical Science, Physics, and AP Physics at Sandy Creek High School. In Michigan (where Mrs. Johnson originally taught), she was the athletic director of a smaller school.

Mrs. Johnson is really impressed with Newnan High's southern charm. "I was surprised at how polite all the students and faculty are. In Michigan, we don't usually say, 'yes,sir' and 'yes, m'am' so it was strange to hear it from students. I love how caring everyone is. It's amazing."

When asked what Mrs. Johnson does outside of school, she replied, "My hobby is school. I've gone to school for the last forty years! I also like to play golf." Mrs. Johnson has two children, and her favorite football team is the Florida State Seminoles.

Mr. Rick Surrett

Mr. Surrett joins us this year from Northgate High School. While at Northgate, he taught Economics and Gifted World History for eight years. His first impression of Newnan High was, "WOW, This is a huge school. It is larger than many colleges."

Mr. Surrett says of NHS, "Every day brings new experiences and opportunities. It is never boring or mundane."

Outside of school, he enjoys sailing and fishing at the beach. He and his wife plan to get certified to go scuba diving before next summer. He is a big Jimmy Buffet fan and always attends his local concerts. Let's wish Mr. Surrett a great year at Newnan and the best of luck with scuba diving!

Stand Out Student

"Stand Out Student" does not necessarily spotlight the best athlete or the student at the top of the class but the student who excels in anything he or she does. Teachers and fellow students make recommendations for this section! The editors of "Spotlight" personally interview each recommendation and select students to be featured each week.

Jennifer Gaddie

Think back to what you did all summer. Did you hang out with friends and lie around the house? Jennifer Gaddie spent her summer another way. Four days a week for two months she was in the classroom with the ESY Volunteer Program. She helped children ages three to eight with disabilities to continue their learning.

Through the Key Club, Gaddie heard about this opportunity; she could not turn it down. Each day she helped the students with writing and manners as well as basic skills. When they did things wrong, they were taught why they should not do those things. When they did well, they were rewarded. Reflecting on her experience, Gaddie said, "It's something you have to experience to understand."

Nicole Burnham

Do you know what you want to do after high school? Nicole Burnham already has her plan. She is currently pursuing a career in law and has been given the opportunity of a lifetime.

Nicole has received a scholarship from the National Youth Leadership Conference Forum and Law. The scholarship goes toward a trip to attend a conference in Washington, D.C. So how did Nicole get such a great opportunity? "I received a nomination in the mail. I applied and waited to be accepted," said Burnham. While she waited, Nicole researched the program. "It will be a full week (November 7th through 12th) of rigorous legal analysis, shadowing lawyers, mock trials, and tours of courthouses."

In preparation for her big trip, Nicole is fundraising. She has sponsors who are helping to cover the costs associated with her flight to Washington, D.C. What is Nicole's opinion on all this? "This will open so many doors for me and give me so many opportunities. I'm still shocked!"

Whitney Black and Nikki Rice, Spotlight Editors