Meet Our Staff

Row 1: Samaya Edwards, Shawnie Green, Amarachi Achonu, Nan Becerra. Row 2: Isaiah Lucas, Emily Villegas, Alayjah Jones, Diamond Evans, Gabby Tallucci, Keely White, Tyease Wooten.

The current 2016 Shield staff consists of nine students, under adviser Ms. Lori Anderson.  We meet daily in Room 159 and work to keep you updated about school events while we produce the yearbook and manage photography deadlines for the school.

Editor in Chief: Amarachi Achonu

Copy Editor: Gabby Tallucci

Photography Editor: Keely White

Staff Writers: Nan Becerra, Samaya Edwards, Diamond Evans, Shawnie Green, Alayjah Jones, Tyease Wooten  (fall members included Isaiah Lucas and Emily Villegas)  

Students Take Opportunity to Save Lives as Blood Drive Returns to EWHS

Safety First:  Before you are able to donate blood, you have to pass certain requirements. Iron level checks and blood pressure are just a couple of checkpoints Mrs. Sandra Tyndall had to go through before donating blood at a past blood drive event.

By: Nan Becerra

On April 22, 2016, EWHS was part of a blood drive again at here at the school. Ninety-three people registered for this life saving event, and 74 pints of blood were donated, meaning that 222 lives could be saved. Anyone at or over the age of 17 was able to donate a pint of blood, and one donation can help to save three lives. This event was also possible thanks to Rex Hospital and their mobile buses.

HOSA club sponsored the event, managed by adviser Sandra Tyndall. Mrs.Tyndall, who attended UNC-CH and later took graduate courses at NCSU, teaches various classes about the human body and health and shares her passion for how we can all give back to the community. She served as the event coordinator, and Mrs. Pamela Lister and Mrs. Glenda Davis, both teachers in EWHS's Health Sciences Department, helped to facilitate Friday's drive since Mrs. Tyndall had a prior commitment.

Many students who donated were nervous and afraid something bad might happen--at least for the first-timers that is. For other students, this was their second, third, or even more times, but the anxiety was still a factor for many students.  Alyssa K. Moody, a junior, has donated blood more than once and will still continue to do so. She said, “Giving blood has been a great experience for me; I would love to donate again. The staff is very friendly and always caring.”

WOW Warriors: Demetrius Roberson Plans Big

Demetrius Roberson has big plans for his future. He wants to become a music producer and hit it big like Metro Boomin’.

By: Alajyah Jones

Sophomore Demetrius Roberson enjoys making beats and writing songs. He dreams of moving out of North Carolina and becoming a music producer. 

Using his own Macbook and recording equipment, he enjoys making beats and writing music for other people to enjoy and believes that one day he is going to go far. Roberson started making beats and music his 8th grade year.  In the future, Roberson plans  on going to college to pursue his dreams of  being a music producer. One of his idols is Metro Boomin’, because Metro is only 22 years old and is producing some of the hottest artists out, such as Future, Drake, Young Thug and Chief Keef. Roberson’s current mentor is Sean Gill, who's also a music producer from Patterson, New Jersey and lives in Raleigh, NC. Gill produces artists from all over and books shows. He plays a big part in Roberson’s life as far as helping him stay on the right track with the music and teaching him everything he needs to know about producing. We look forward to seeing this Wow Warrior in shining lights in the near future.

Who's Got Talent?

Junior Julian Alexander shows off his dance moves on stage with Sophomore McKinley Patterson.  Alexander did not just dance; he also had another performance where he sang. “ I enjoy being able to show off my dancing and singing skill any time I get the chance,” stated Alexander.

By: Keely White

From singers to dancers to actors, East Wake High School has a variety of unknown, hidden talent. On Friday, April 22nd Student Council held a talent show run by Drama Club from 6-9 pm. The show was only expected to be two hours and fifteen minutes but ran over time due to technical difficulties.

Some of the Drama Club members acted like the candidates running for president, including Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. They stayed in character throughout the whole show and  introduced the singers, dancers and actors on stage.

The talent show didn’t just showcase singers and dancers. It had one student who's known for being the class clown, sophomore James Elledge, come up on stage and tell jokes. Junior James Roldan stated, ”James Elledge was really funny! My favorite joke was when he compared the school to the Nazis.” Roldan was at the talent show, showing his support for his girlfriend, sophomore Rachel Sumney, who sang “Like I’m Gonna Lose You,” by Meghan Trainor.

Besides the performances from the many students, senior Hannah Rash asked her girlfriend of four months junior Mercedes De La Cruz Martinez to prom. Since Rash’s role in the talent show was playing Hillary Clinton, she had Megan Bostic, the school's art teacher make a sign to look like Hillary Clinton's campaign sign, and it asked De La Cruz to prom.

Overall, even with the show’s technical difficulties, it proved a great hit! Parents and faculty saw the students perform with courage and enthusiasm, and that made the whole show!

Sophomore Meaghan Sherron has the courage to go up on stage and sing with her guitar. “Ever since I was little I have always had a passion for singing and I have always enjoyed being on stage with my guitar,” stated Sherron.

Students Prepare as They Count Down the Days to Recital

By: Shawnie Green

“Time to Dance, May 5th, admission: $7 for adults and $5 for students”--Everyday students hear that announcement being made, and when walking through the halls they see posters advertising the recital as well.

As the recital quickly approaches and is only a few weeks away, dance teacher Ms. Cathy Wills and her students are working extra hard to make sure it is perfect. Even under the pressure everyone seems to be handling everything pretty calmly. Junior Erin Matthews said, “The most important thing we do is practice dancing full out and give each dance pros and cons.”

Junior Erin Matthews rehearses with her classmates in their student choreographed lyrical dance. “I love my small group and I can't wait to dance at the recital.”-Erin Matthews, 11

Another important aspect of recital prep is marketing and stage readiness. Ms. Wills and her students have been getting the stage ready by setting up the backdrops and programming lights and music, “which are just as important,” says freshman Sequoia Edwards. The students made posters to hang around the school to advertise the recital along with a morning announcement to get the word out, hoping to reach more people for the dance recital.

EWHS Students Take Off to the Big Apple!

By: Diamond Evans

Senior Miles Lister, who plays the French horn, went to New York City with the band this April.  Other seniors in band and chorus went along with him too.  He said it was a different but fun experience having to go to a whole other state just to perform.  The main reason why they went on this trip was for the fun of it.  Mrs.Amy Parker, chorus teacher, said, “It’s something that the old teacher did before Mr.Mason came; they would go every four years, so that everyone will be able to go during their senior year.”  Lister also said that the concert went well and it was very interesting because he never did something big like that before.  They stayed in a hotel in New Jersey and walked around the city eating tasty, cold sandwiches and hot, fresh pizza.  They left on Friday, April 15th and came back the following Sunday.  He said that the bus was a very long and uncomfortable ride because they didn’t take many breaks.  But, overall it was a fantastic experience!

Senior Isaac Faulker displays his trumpet case after returning from his trip to New York with the band. He added the sticker “I <3 NY” as a reminder that he did something fun in his last year of band and chorus.

Finding New Rhodes

Mrs. Rhodes, who teaches biology, is one of many new faces at East Wake. Students look forward to her class and her smiling face as they enter the classroom.

By: Gabby Talucci

Of all the new faces here at East Wake, you’ve probably seen this one. Mrs. Rhonda Rhodes is a biology teacher and has a B.S. in Biology and a Masters in Secondary Science. “I have always been interested in science, and I started off in nursing,” stated Rhodes. She later decided that nursing wasn’t her thing. She had considered pharmacy, but ultimately went into teaching, something she’d thought she would love to do. Since then, she has never taught chemistry or physics, though she has taught every other science. But she wasn’t always a science genius. “I struggled with science in high school, but then something clicked in college. It just made sense,” recalled Rhodes.

Aside from being a teacher, Mrs. Rhodes loves to go camping and to the mountains as often as possible with her family. She also enjoys preparing bible study lessons, traveling, and cooking. In addition, she adds that she loves her mom.

Barbershop: The Next Cut Opens as the #1 Comedy in the Box Office

There’s no place like the barbershop! The barbershop and salon are places where you converse with others  while  pampering yourself simultaneously. Calvin’s barbershop is like a second home; that brings men and women together. “The barbershop is a pillar of the neighborhood,” says Jerrod in Barbershop: The Next Cut. It shows how essential the barbershop is in their community.

By: Samaya Edwards

April 15th, 2016 was the release date of the comedy Barbershop: The Next Cut. For those of you who don’t know, Barbershop is a film series which originated in 2002. The films focus on the personal life of the main character, Calvin Palmer Jr., owner of the barbershop. Calvin is played by Ice Cube, who also doubles as executive producer.

The movie takes place in southside of Chicago where Calvin's barbershop is located. To overcome tough times Calvin (Ice Cube) and Angie (Regina Hall), the owner of the neighboring saloon,  become business partners. With the amalgamation of two antagonistic businesses, conflict is inevitable. The movie accurately portrays the men vs. women conflict in a comedic way. Despite the altercation between the sexes, Calvin has to encounter an even bigger problem. With the rapidly increasing gang, violence, and crime rate in his neighborhood, Calvin worries Jalen’s (his teenage son) fate is in jeopardy. With all the violence consuming the neighborhood Calvin and his team work together to come up with a plan in attempt to save their cherished home and loved ones.

Barbershop: The Next Cut was definitely a theatrical event that pleased the audience. It was like a big family reunion. The riveting comedy succeeded in entertaining and engaging audiences. Although Barbershop fits into the comedy genre, the movie tackles real-life issues that affect our society today. It also takes on the conflict of battle-of-the-sexes. As a fan of the Barbershop franchise I was worried this sequel wouldn’t be as good as the first two movies. I was disappointed that Michael Ealy’s character Ricky Nash did not make a comeback. However, this sequel proved me wrong as I was very satisfied with the production.

God’s Not Dead 2 A Must-See for All

By: Gabby Tallucci

God’s Not Dead 2 stars Melissa Joan Hart alongside Jesse Metcalfe with many others, several of whom reprised their roles from God’s Not Dead. The movie premiered on the first of April making over seven million dollars its opening weekend.

Grace Wesley (Melissa Joan Hart) is a high school history teacher and a devout Christian. One day, when Brooke (Hayley Orrantia), one of Grace’s students, opens up about her struggle and about holding onto hope, Grace gives the credit to Jesus, sparking curiosity within the young student. Back in the classroom, Brooke inquires about Jesus and his teachings to which Grace gives an honest answer. After word is spread to the higher-ups and into the public, Grace finds herself in court fighting for her job and her faith--with the freedom to speak of Jesus hanging by a thread.

God’s Not Dead 2 is thought-provoking, tear-jerking, and definitely a must-see for any and all movie lovers.

Students Get Ready For Prom

Senior Damonica Blount gives us a preview of how her make up will be on April 29th at prom.  She says, “I can beat my own face, but I will get it professionally done to be more flawless at prom.”

By: Diamond Evans

Students are in the process of preparing for prom, which will take place April 29th at Market Hall.  This year’s theme is Mardi Gras, and students are excited.  Promposals occur daily, and everyone is making plans for the big night.

Senior Damonica Blount is excited about going to her second prom because she thinks this year’s prom is going to be different from last year.  She is still waiting on her secret promposal to happen, and she can’t wait for it.  She knows that she will be wearing long curly hair and getting her makeup done professionally.  But her dress will be a mystery to us because she said it will be a surprise for us, so we will have to see on the day of the prom.  She plans to ride in a Charger on the way there and make an outstanding appearance.  When she finally gets inside she wants to be with her friends and her mystery date, so she can having a wonderful night at prom.

Senior Aykia Taybron said she is really excited about prom this year.  It’s her first time going because she didn’t go to the one last year.  She thinks prom is the best memory to have in your whole high school time period.  Her date will be Tyler Burton and she plans to wear a two piece black and white dress.  Her hair will be in an updo bun with blonde highlights and also want to trim her hair too.  She knows that she will have a fantastic time there and can’t wait for prom day.

Another senior, Isaac Faulkner, asked his date in a very creative way, by putting his promposal in a fortune cookie.  He is going to have his hair in an elegant fashion; it will be combed with a part on the far right side and slicked down with gel and hairspray hold.  He’s also going to get his beard lined up and trimmed.  He really cares about how his girlfriend feels about celebrating their first prom together. He wants her to have a better time than he does because he loves her so much.

Whether excited about proposing to a significant other or just getting the right outfit, students are definitely preparing for their big night. It will be an event to remember.