We often get the question, what do you want to be when you grow up?  As a teen, Mrs. Robinson knew exactly what she didn’t want to be: a teacher or a doctor.  It’s hard to believe she didn’t want to be a teacher when she turned out to be such a great one.  “She inspires me to be a better teacher,” says Mr. Robinson. At first she thought it was “probably the worst job in the planet,” but once in college she decided she wanted to make a difference.  “Teaching was a good place to start.  If I could influence young people’s lives and make them think harder and feel deeper, it could make the world a little more compassionate.”

She got her undergraduate degree at UNC Chapel Hill in Comparative Literature, and she minored in Spanish.  She then got her masters degree at UNC Wilmington, where her future husband attended college.  While Mr. Robinson got a job at Croatan, Mrs. Robinson started her career at the alternative school Cape Lookout.  After they had been working for a year, they got married and Mrs. Robinson came to work at Croatan after hearing how great a school it is.

As a Spanish minor, she lived in Xalapa, Mexico for six months, studying literature.  Mrs. Robinson says, “At that point in my life I was really interested in other cultures and I was dedicated to improving my language skills.”  Traveling is something that she really loves doing.  She traveled with her mom when she was younger, and it is something she enjoys doing with Mr. Robinson as well.  Together they have gone to many places in the U.S., spent their honeymoon in Europe, and took a recent vacation to Puerto Rico.

She loves to read books, and it’s something she likes to do in her free time.  Her favorite book changes depending on where she is in her life and what she is studying.   A lot of that free time was taken when she had her son, Forrest, last October.  “He is a little rascal,”  she said jokingly.  She says he is at the stage where he likes to run wildly through the house,  “licking light sockets and standing on the highest objects he can get on. He is a daredevil.”  According to Mrs. Robinson, Forrest is the opposite of what she was as a child. “Forrest is wide open and a little bit rambunctious,” but she describes it as “fun.”  On the weekends they go to the Beaufort Park as a family, and take Forrest on walks and trails in the woods.  Mr. Robinson mentions that his favorite thing to do as a family is “Spontaneous dance parties in the living room, especially when my 15-month-old son drops the beats.”

Whether you have her as an English or Journalism teacher, “she pushes you harder in order to learn as much as you can,” says Tanner.  There are no doubts when you enter her classroom.  Her class is “rigorous, engaging, and rewarding,” says Mr. Robinson.  Not only is her class worthwhile, she is just like one of us with her youthful and fun personality.  Tanner says, “She is a hard working teacher who works just as hard as her students.”

When I signed up for journalism, I’m not going to lie, I took it because I thought it would be a stress free, easy A, with no homework.  I never knew that I was going to learn as much as I did and that I would enjoy it so much.

Journalism, as you may not know, is a completely different style of writing than what you would normally do in your typical English class.  Making the transition to the journalistic style of writing was difficult, but once I completely understood it, it became fun to write my article every week.

When you write for journalism class you are writing for the school newspaper.  This idea initially scared me. I had always written for me, myself, and I; not the entire web population.  With time, and encouragement from Mrs. Robinson as well as my peers, I gained confidence in my work and by the end of the semester I was completely comfortable in publishing my work for people to read.

Journalism has not only taught me how to write journalistically, and to have self-confidence, it has given me experiences that I will take away and always remember.  One thing that sticks out in my memory is when we did a special photo essay story on people’s keys and what you can tell from a person just from looking at their keys.  Kelsey Hernandez and I went walking around Wal Mart one day after school and asked random people if we could take a picture of their keys.  The looks some people gave us made us laugh and we actually met some really cool people.

After taking this class and actually seeing everything that goes behind the news we get everyday, I have gained a whole new respect for journalists and what they do.  I hope what I’ve learned in journalism follows me wherever I go beyond this class because I know that the memories will follow me forever.

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."

This year, I have been so fortunate to share a class with such great writers.  Though I will not be able to get the moments I have cherished back, I will always have the memories to keep me smiling.  One of my most memorable moments was when I started researching my first article.  I was so excited to call myself a journalist, and that I was able to report on something I actually cared about.  Also, I can remember being nervous about letting my peers edit my work.  When I write, I tend to write a lot differently than when I talk.  I was able to put my own emotions into this class, and in the end, wasn’t scared to show my opinion.

I have learned so much about writing in just this one class of journalism.  I learned that you cannot be afraid to take a chance on a controversial topic, follow your heart, write with emotion and facts (and make it sound good), and be engaging in your research and interviews.  Most of all, I learned that everyone has a voice that they want to be heard.  It’s important for people to learn these skills.  I mean, let’s face it; these are typical life skills that don’t come from a text book or a teacher’s lecture.  You have to go out and learn this stuff through experience, and journalism is a great class that allows you to do so.

In the end, however, I wanted my writing to be something that people could find comfort in reading.  I want my readers to learn that it’s okay to take chances in writing and to express themselves in the purest form…with words.  I want my readers to know that getting to the bottom of something and investigating situations and topics thoroughly is okay.  There is nothing wrong with challenging what you know.

I had such a wonderful experience in this class, and I wouldn’t change it for anything.  So, if you are reading this, I would like to leave you with a quote that is very near and dear to my heart.  “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”  The man who said this, Abraham Lincoln, was not only a great leader, but knew how to write in a way that allowed his readers/listeners to understand what he wanted.  So go forth my readers and see the world with journalistic eyes, ones that will have so much more meaning. 

By Kylie Wright

The semester is coming to a close- and so is my role here at the Cougar Print. Ever since I entered high school, I have wanted to be a journalist. Writing was something I felt I had a natural talent in. I decided to take Journalism as a step towards that dream I was chasing. After endless nights, intimidating interviews, and scrounging for knowledge of sports while writing “Athlete of the Week”, that dream fell apart- fast. That is how I ended up being the Webmaster.

Webmaster Tanner Simon

Even though I realized writing isn’t my forte, I did gain a lot from this class. I learned knowledge, social skills, and even how to run a website. I also learned people aren’t always as open when it comes to interviews. Before Journalism, I didn’t even pay attention to the news. I thought it was stupid. Now whenever I see a newspaper, I grab it and I’m immediately interested in it. Personally, I believe this class was nothing but a huge benefit to me.

So, what’s next? How am I going to pack up everything I’ve learned in this class and take it with me in the future? Well, instead of writing for a newspaper, I am thinking of maybe pursuing something along the lines of broadcast journalism. This form of reporting is not all writing, but also uses the same skills I’ve learned during my time at the Cougar Print.

Trust me, if I didn’t have to stop being the webmaster- I wouldn’t. This time next semester, I will be enjoying the luxuries of Honors Chemistry instead.

To all the writers at the Cougar Print: I will miss working with all of you. Its been inspiring to watch you all work hard and see the passion in your work. This school newspaper has been said to be the “best yet,” and that didn’t just happen on it’s own. You are all some of the most determined and focused students and writers I know.

To Mrs. Robinson: You have been beyond amazing. If you haven’t worked just as hard as the writers, you’ve worked harder. I have thought this since the first week of journalism when you declared you are not a journalism major and that you don’t know much about it. Because right after you said that, you began teaching about news values and style as if you had been studying it all your life- which says a lot.

To the readers: I always keep you in mind. And without you, there would be no Cougar Print.

Written by Tanner Simon

 I certainly have enjoyed every moment of writing I have done. Even when the writing became challenging, it was still fun. Of course there were plenty of memorable moments that entertained us writers in class. I think that many of us would agree that our visit from journalist Cheryl Burke was one of the most memorable. Her words certainly gave us an interesting perspective on journalism and its role in society. We also shared many laughs and other memorable moments during our work. Our class strived to bring interesting news to the students of Croatan. We learned and grew together, and the process has been one that is not to be forgotten.

I have come along way since writing my first article. I hope that I have improved and become the best writer that I can be. I must thank you, the reader, for coming along with me on this journey. Without the reader the newspaper wouldn’t exist. It is you who journalists truly serve. So for reading our paper, we thank you. And with that my friends, I bid you goodbye, and good luck.

Andrew Turner

Austin Saunders started the game with a three pointer, and Croatan continued to be one point ahead until the second quarter. Scoring was not difficult for the Cougars until the end of third quarter when things became more competitive.

The last 50 seconds of the game were crucial. A one-point lead shifted from CHS to Northside multiple times as each team scored during their possession. With 20 seconds left in the game Aaron Williams made the winning shot, making the score 56 to 55. The team and the Croatan Crazies ran to the middle of the court and chanted “Who’s house? C’s house!”

Their victory was a combination of team effort and “executing the plays that were called out” the best they could.

To prepare for their next game against Northside High School, Ashley Williams, guard for the basketball team, said, “We will work our offense more to be able to make the best out of each possession.”

The Croatan basketball team, with Dexter Williams leading the way, could possibly achieve an undefeated season. “I just want us to play our hardest every time and the results will take care of itself,” says Ashley Williams.

Before the Cougar Print, I was unaware of what happened in my county, the United States, and the world. Like most teenagers, I only watched the news to make sure school was out.

Being a journalist not only changed the way I viewed the news, but it also changed the way I viewed life and my surroundings. I have learned to be more flexible and adapt to situations that I am unable to change or control. I have learned to be open-minded and to listen, because there are two sides to every story.

I am proud of all my articles, but if I had to choose one, “Seniors—Want Some Cheese with That Whine” http://chsnews.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/want-some-cheese-with-that-whine/ would be my number one choice. Before writing the article, I felt like every other senior at Croatan. I couldn’t wait to graduate, move out and only come back for holidays. I even felt that way while I was writing it. After interviewing my peers and a few adults I realized I let my complaining ruin my experience as a senior. Writing the article not only changed a few of my peers, it also changed me.

I will remember the journalists I have gotten to know, and the knowledge that I have gained. I plan to use everything that I have learned, including my 21^st century skills

Reported by Gabrielle Hill

At first we had to choose the type of article and the topic we wanted to write about.  I would never know what to write or how to write it.  Ideas did not come to very easily to me in the writing sense.  I was a major victim of writer’s block.  I now am overflowing with creative ideas and topics to write about.  A few weeks in we were all given specific jobs; I was given the beat of teacher profiles.  This meant I was going to have to do a lot of interviews.  I remember in the first weeks of this class, one of the things we learned about was how to give a proper interview.  Mrs. Robinson had us prepare an interview for her, so we could have the opportunity to practice as a class.  For some reason the idea of asking people, or teachers, about their personal life made me very nervous.  As I did more and more interviews, I became more comfortable and actually enjoyed doing them.  It changed from something I was sort of anxious about to something that was just fun.  I really loved talking and getting to know the staff and the different things they do at Croatan.  It was my chance to get out information that students would never know about some of their favorite teachers.

The article I am most proud of would be “Baby on Board,”  an article about Mrs. Olander, giving some information about her soon to be pregnancy, art class, and activities she does outside of school.  I think this is my favorite article, because it was the only article that I really used a indirect lead for and made the introduction very interesting and creative. http://chsnews.wordpress.com/2011/11/23/baby-on-board/.  I am very proud of all the articles I wrote, and the caricatures of each teacher that I wrote about.  It was also enjoyable to read my classmates articles as well.  A lot of the people in my journalism class are very talented in the fact they know exactly how to make an article interesting and a good read.

Our class had a special bond, and this learning experience was awesome.  I will miss the class very much.

Reported by Nicole Hebert

At the beginning of the year I felt like I was going to fail miserably in this class. Then everything changed the more I wrote. I realized my strengths as a writer near the end. The thing I do best is persuading people to do things. One person who was editing my paper said, “every time I read your articles, it makes me want to go and buy it so I can try it.”

My most memorable moment was when my article about the homecoming dance was still number one months after I wrote it. It’s nice to know people read my articles and share them with friends. Even though this article wasn’t published untill after the homecoming dance had happened, it was still a big hit.
The article I’m most proud of isn’t the homecoming dance;  it’s “Thrills and Chills,” which is about the Nightmare Factory. I used a lot of descriptions to make you feel all the emotions I wanted to express. I just wrote what I felt when I got scared and tried to put it in words so others would feel it too.
Most people will ask, “Are you going to continue writing after this?” I feel like if I do write it will only be in a journal that I write in at night in my bed. A journal nobody sees except me. Writing just isn’t my thing, it’s just not me. On that note I have had a great time in this class, but this will be my final article forever.

Reported by Tiffany Johnson

This semester has been very interesting and has taught me a lot of things about writing that I didn’t ever know.  From learning about the news values, to the 21^st Century Life and Career Skills; these are things everybody really needs to know about. I created the column “Artist of the Week,” and it was all about rappers and singers with their new albums or television shows. I also learned that when you write a paper, your audience learns what kind of writer you are by the tone of voice you use. My articles were written in a laid back, soft voice, with some opinion in them.

It was really interesting for me to find out all the facts, and then to put them all together in a great manner, and to keep all of y’all interested in everything that I did. If I didn’t think that people were interested, then I wasn’t going to write about it. I didn’t only write about rappers, I also wrote about country singers and whoever anybody requested to see facts about. It’s hard to decide when there are so many artists today.

I would have to say that my articles were all good, but the one that stuck out the most to me was the one about Adele ( Rolling in the Success « The Cougar Print.) Adele named her cd’s after the age that she was when the album was done, something very unique and nobody else has done. Adele, being a heavy set artist, hasn’t let the negativity of people who don’t like her bother her. She continues to do her thing and is one of the best artists on the scene.

I am sorry to say goodbye so soon, and I enjoyed my time with you guys. I hope that you loved your time with me too.

Signing Off,

AlexandriaBrimmer