Andrew Bulieris Staff Writer The 2016 NFL draft is looking like it could be one to remember. Almost every position is loaded with talent next year. From quarterbacks to cornerbacks, there could be a wide variety of players that are selected in the first round next year. Some big names for next year’s draft include Cardale Jones of Ohio State, Joey Bosa of Ohio State, Robert Nkemdiche of Ole Miss, Jared Goff of California, and Laremy Tunsil of Ole Miss. Most likely some first round talent will fall into the second round, maybe even the third round. The top quarterbacks are Jared Goff, Connor Cook of Michigan State, Cardale Jones, and Christian Hackenburg of Penn State. Top running backs are Ezekiel Elliot, Derrick Henry, and Devontae Booker. The top Receivers are Laquon Treadwell of Ole Miss, Tyler Boyd of Pitt, Corey Coleman of Baylor, and Braxton Miller of Ohio State. Possibly the best position in next year’s draft, the defensive line, will include the following: Joey Bosa, Deforest Buckner of Oregon, Shawn Oakman of Baylor, Robert Nkemdiche, and Shilique Calhoun of Michigan State. Ever since Ohio State Beat Alabama and Oregon, everything has changed in college football. Ohio State has taken over as the new number one with a roster loaded with first round talent; Alabama has also dropped out of the top ten surprisingly. College football is now full of elite pass rushers and top defensive lineman while last year it consisted outside linebackers of the same caliber. Football fans could be watching the next generation of NFL quarterbacks this year too. All the top quarterback prospects have showcased some serious skills and play that could prove their worth of being a potential top quarterback. The quarterback who has stood out the most this year is by far Jared Goff, who was an underrated prospect at the beginning of the year and has now moved into the #1 national ranking for college football quarterbacks and #3 on the all position ranking list. The team that has proven to have the most talent this season has been Ohio State, who has some unbelievably talented players at almost every position. The Buckeyes have nine players in the top 50, all of whom have potential to be first round picks. Next year’s draft is shaping up to be a big one, and everyone is asking the question: who will be the first overall pick? Who knows. Maybe everyone will have a better idea by the time the college football season wraps up. and the draft will be right around the corner.
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Alyssa Hotchkiss Staff Writer Members of tiny house movement are cutting their home sizes nearly one sixth of the size of their “regular” sized homes. In a poll about whether or not students would live in a tiny house, the majority said that they would. Tiny houses are usually 100-250 square feet and mobile. The average cost of a tiny house if you built it yourself would be $23,000. Also the majority of tiny house owners are fifty years of age or older. When asked if she wanted to live in a tiny house, sophomore Marelena Hickle immediately said “Yes”, even if she was living with a partner or friend. She said, “I wanted to live in a town house, and it is not much of a difference to me.” Sophomore Jacob Sosdian also said, “Yes”, explaining that he saw no complications with a tiny living space for two people. However some students had doubts about the tiny house. Junior, Megan Larson said “Only if I could fit all my pets.” For Larson the house would have to not only be big enough for her but also for her pets and a partner. Lastly English teacher, Ms. Odom said “yes” not because of price but because she wants to. There were some students who said that they couldn’t possibly live without all their items. One student, sophomore Brittany Jarrett, said no, originally due to the size of the house. After discussing the price statistics of an average tiny house versus a regular home today, Jarrett had changed her mind and said, “Yes” due to the major difference in total price. Statistics show that after bank loans, interest, any home modifications, and major appliance upgrades or fixes, the total cost of an average home would be slightly over $1 million. This is a drastic change compared to the tiny houses with the high total being $60,000. Meenakshi Sathish Staff Writer In an episode of the television show, Bones, the main characters investigate a fragment of human bone that was found in a school’s cafeteria food. The point of the episode is not to scare kids from eating food from their school’s cafeteria but to shed light on the fact that public school systems should make it a priority to serve healthy, nutritious, meals to their students. The Wake County Junior Chopped Competition’s main goal was to show that public schools can serve meals that are healthy for kids to eat and also can taste good. Students of the Honor’s Culinary class at Apex High School took a part in the competition to create a new menu of one meal and one dessert that could be served in Wake County School. It was Team Sporks against Team Peak City. The competition was set up like the Food network show, Chopped. The students were given their ingredients, which were unknown prior to competition, and forty-five minutes to make a main course meal and dessert. They were required to use all the given ingredients and they cannot use salt. Along with three judges from Wake County, there were people from local news stations, other Apex High School teachers, Ms. Erica Hoskins (culinary teacher of Apex High School), Dr. Diann Kearney, and many others who came to see the show. Watching the competition was like watching the Chopped live. The enthusiasm that was displayed by the junior chefs impressed most, if not all, the adults in the kitchen. The teachers, who were watching the students cook, were all talking to each other about how they could never do this. They were amazed at the ability of these students to create a brand new recipe within three quarters of an hour. Eventually, the forty five minutes were up, and it was time for the judgment. The judges were pleased with all the dishes. While they were all spectacular, the triumphant team was Team Sporks with their black bean quesadilla and apple cupcake.
The Junior Chop competition finished with the utmost success. Mrs. Erica Hoskins, the Apex culinary teacher, believes that it went “awesome.” She was not surprised with how well the students completed the challenge and “always had high expectations from them.” It is the “best group [of students] I’ve ever had,” Hoskins says confidently although she admits and laughs at the fact that she says that with every class she has. Nevertheless, she is highly impressed with their level of skills. The Honors Culinary students proved that being healthy does not mean eating foods that are not appetizing. In the future, not only will there be better nutritious foods in lunch lines but also a generation of amazing culinary artists. Henry McKeand Editor-in-Chief and A&E Editor Of all the Halloween traditions, sitting around with family or friends and enjoying a good scary movie may be the most fun. Finding the right seasonal flicks has never been easier, with streaming services like Netflix adding a strong horror selection during the weeks leading up to the year’s scariest holiday. Here is a list of some of the best Halloween movies that you can watch for free on instant video apps. The Blair Witch Project (1999): Often cited as the film that started the “found-footage” craze in horror, this horror hit’s influence can still be seen today in films like The Visit and Paranormal Activity. To top it off, it’s amazingly suspenseful and entertaining.(Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu) The Blob (1958): A horror classic, The Blob’s over-the-top plot and cheesy special effects may inspire more laughs than screams today, but it’s campy and fun enough to be enjoyed by any viewer. (Hulu) Dawn of The Dead (2004): This remake of George Romero’s zombie classic had a lot to live up to, but director Zack Snyder (Man of Steel, 300) managed to craft a rock-solid undead flick. Strong performances, great special effects, and some surprisingly strong human drama all make Dawn of the Dead worth watching. (HBOGO) Dead Snow (2009): You don’t need to know much more about Dead Snow than its basic premise: Nazi zombies. With enough creativity and gore to satisfy even the most jaded horror fans, this Norwegian gem is already a cult favorite. (Netflix) McKenzie Feldman Staff Writer Looking for a way to jump into the autumn season? Warm up with these delicious fall recipes! From creative party dishes to mouth-watering seasonal desserts, search for your favorite blend of fall ingredients. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread: Yield: 1 loaf Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes plus cooling time Ingredients:
Grace Fendrick Features and Web Editor New and longtime residents were ecstatic when Money Magazine announced Apex, NC as the “#1 Best Place to Live in America.” The town quickly began planning a celebration for this great feat, budgeting $20,000 (most of which was obtained through sponsorships,) to the event dubbed Peak-a-Palooza. The festival was held on Saturday, Oct. 10. It was a beautiful autumn day with the sun shining, wind blowing, and ideal temperatures. The city limit signs now completed with the new accolade were a popular place to take pictures at the event. The town of Apex held a similar event in 2013 to commemorate being named the “#9 Best Place to Live in America” and the “#1 Best Place to Live in North Carolina”; there were over seven thousand who came that year. The expectation was for many more to attend this time, not only because of the more prestigious award, but also because of the town’s rapid growth. Many Apex High School students and alumni were in attendance. Sophomore Morgan Finley said that she would come again, and alumni Kalabria Gilbert explained how she has grown to love and appreciate the town of Apex more than she has in the past. Class of 2015 graduate Jennifer Friedler said that she was happy to be home for it and loved the sense of community at the event. Hailey Loftin Staff Writer Apex fall sports have had a great couple of days in the last week. The SWAC cross country championships took place on Wednesday, Oct. 21. The Cougars took their third straight men’s championship, coming in ahead of Green Hope High School and Panther Creek High School. Apex’s key runners were Ben Savino and Derek Duin, who came in second and third respectively. Andrew Boland’s twentieth place-finish pushed the Cougars into first place. The women’s team finished in second place behind Green Hope and in front of Panther Creek. Senior Allison Rosen finished in fourth place, and Coach O’Donnell was voted coach of the year for the conference. Green Hope’s defeat of Middle Creek High School’s soccer team on Monday, Oct. 26 clinched the SWAC championship for Apex’s varsity men’s soccer team. Middle Creek has only lost three games this year, and a win for them would’ve meant the possibility of a shared title. The Cougars face the Mustangs on Oct. 28 at home on senior night. This is the first time the Cougars have won the soccer conference championship in eight years.
McKenzie Feldman Staff Writer Tired of emptying your pockets on store bought Halloween costumes? Well you are in luck. Here are some homemade Halloween costume ideas that are not only affordable but also creative. Many of these outfits can be either done individually, with a partner, or with a group. These pictures range from outfits you can put together in minutes to projects that only costumers seeking a challenge will be brave enough to tackle. M&M’s This costume is for those of you who need last minute ideas. You could do this with a group or you can do it by yourself. To complete this costume you will need:
Click "read more" to see even more cool costumes, including some of your favorite characters.
Hailey Loftin Staff Writer Fall in North Carolina is a difficult season for picking out what to wear, especially in late September and early October. School starts early enough in the day that the temperatures are too cold to wear shorts and a cute tank top, but it finishes at a time of day where it’s too hot to be in leggings and a flannel. A common problem among female students is being confused about what to wear in order to stay comfortable throughout the day. Below are ideas to help you get through temperamental early autumn and into the consistently cold temperatures that November brings. Layers, Layers, Layers Layers are a girl’s best friend in October. A summery tank top can be worn underneath a sweater or a denim jacket in the morning to keep warm. As the day gets hotter, your warm outer layer can be shed without disturbing the overall look of the outfit. This also allows a lot of variation with the bottom half of your outfit. If it’s really going to get warm in the afternoon, a heavy sweater over a solid-colored tank top or short-sleeved shirt can be paired with denim shorts and sandals. If it’s only going to warm up a little bit, a short-sleeved top with a denim jacket goes very well with jeans and boots or booties. Layering also lends itself to easy accessorizing. A statement necklace can be worn whether or not you keep on your outer layer as could a light scarf. A sleek bun or topknot adds an air of elegance to an outfit while curls or a loose braid gives a relaxed and playful look. Jes Stiehm Staff Writer After hearing the phrase ‘Save the Bees’ for years, one would expect people would be more inclined to attempt to conserve the tiny insects or at least learn more about their oncoming infliction. However, since the alarming drop in the honeybee population in 2006, public awareness has been minimal. Without a direct threat in the public's face, it is unlikely anyone will immediately care about the drop in honeybee population. So, why should you care about the bees? Frankly, we will severely suffer without bees. Bees, although seemingly small, provide essential services in nature. They pollinate at least a third of the world's crops. Bees are an indicator species, which makes them an essential linchpin in nature's ecosystems. If they go extinct, other species will suffer or perhaps die out altogether. The crops that would be left without bees would become scarce and expensive. Albert Einstein is credited with saying, “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man.” The quote is not completely accurate but he did grasp the seriousness of the situation. Several factors are attributed to the sudden drop in bee numbers. Neonicotinoids, one of the top reasons for the declining honeybee population, is a systemic insecticide that works in a different way than most other insecticides. Neonicotinoids, when applied, are absorbed into the plant as a sort of poisonous protection. This poison does not hurt the plant, but it is harmful to any insects that come in contact with it. Neonicotinoids are preferred by farmers because of their lasting presence in the plant; it can take months or even years for the chemical to fade. The European Commission has banned the use of it on all bee attracting crops, and several food brand groups are urging the Obama Administration to do the same. Saving the bees cannot be done instantly. It will take a united front and conservation consistency. There are a few key things the average person can do to support the bee movement. Plant a bee garden with nectar producing plants, for instance, or if you find a hive of bees in the attic, don’t call the exterminator. Call a local beekeeper instead, and they will remove the hive safely. If desired, become a beekeeper and enjoy the added benefits of a bountiful garden and fresh honey. Click here for more ways to help save the bees. |
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