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By: Gabby LeBron

I dressed for winter,

a long trench coat covering my

little ankles, a wool hat

over my ears 

to keep out the aches

–

I never knew you had skin

under that thick sweatshirt

In fact, through squinting eyes

one may even say 

there was no difference

–

I knew better, I think.

I learned your song

quicker than I’d like to confess

I read your book 

deep. and cried for you

before I knew why

–

So what I’m trying to say,

my love,

is that I dressed for winter

–

In thick skin and knitted scarves

I dressed for ice and hail,

sleet and snow

–

Never knowing that we would be

warm enough together,

and summer would come

like sinking into molasses

–

There was no reason to hide,

was there?

By: Colleen Bailey

           Within the first five weeks of school, eight sports have already begun their fall seasons. From football to gymnastics, I’ve got you covered with the next games, matches, and meets.

Football

Football is America’s favorite sport, which is reflected by the mere size of the coaching staff here at Cary. There are more coaches for this sport alone than the gymnastics and tennis rosters combined! Our Cary High football team has managed to start the season with a 2-2 record. The next home game is against Apex on September 29^th; be sure to wear your best stars and stripes. Also, take note that captains Andy Kudlak, Nathan Cowles, Rylan Vann, Tyrik Bryant, and Sam Grena will be leading the football team on October 15th against Apex Friendship for the 2021-2022 Homecoming game. If you happen to catch a JV football game, keep an eye out for #26, Alpha Dominguez, the female running back for Cary who plays football and wrestles during the winter season.

Volleyball

Cary volleyball has begun the season with three wins and seven losses. Captains Alex Pierce and Kristen Schroeter are looking to lead the Imps to their fourth win of the season at home against Panther Creek on September 21st; show up wearing green and white. Also, mark your calendars for October 19th when the Imps play Middle Creek on Senior Night; the student section theme for that night is “Senior Citizen”.  

Cheerleading

           You can watch the cheerleaders perform during football games and later this year for men’s basketball. The eleven-person team cheers at Cary athletic events while also having a competition and stunt season. Beginning soon, the team will be fundraising for new uniforms, competition music, pom poms, and much more. To raise money, current Cary cheerleaders will be teaching younger kids how to cheer.

Women’s Tennis

           The eight-person tennis team takes on Middle Creek on September 20th at 3:30. The tennis team plays all their matches away from home because they don’t have a home court to host other schools. Captain Caroline Ford is hoping to lead the team to their second win of the season this Monday against Green Level. Sophomore Brianna Viets is 4-0 individually; her winning record led her to the state semifinals last year, which is quite a feat for an underclassman.

Gymnastics

           Yes, we have a gymnastics team! Consisting of five members, Cary’s gymnastics team has beat out tennis for the smallest sport. Their next meet is on October 9th at the Raleigh School of Gymnastics where they are competing against nineteen other schools from the Raleigh metropolitan area. This will be their first of four meets, all of which are on Saturdays throughout September, October, and November.

Men’s Soccer

           Starting the season with a 3-3-1 record, men’s soccer is already one-third of the way through their regular season. The team is captained by JP Keen and Will McIntyre; the former scored a fifty-yard goal in a recent game against Fuquay-Varina. Also on the team is Tad Thornton, who serves not only as the men’s soccer goalie but also as the varsity football specialist, both punting and kicking off the game. The next match is on September 20th at Holly Springs. Be there at 6:15 to cheer the Imps on against the Hawks.

Cross Country

At cross country meets, Cary athletes run a total of 3.1 miles and compete against multiple schools simultaneously. The women’s team is led by sophomore Emma Elkan, and junior, Abby Corn, who has helped the team finish third and fourth at local meets. The men’s team has placed second, fourth, and fourth again at local meets. Season records are currently held by Emma Elkan with a 20:46:20 time and Matthew Martin with a 16:53:30 time. Their next meet is the Greensboro XC Invitational on September 25th at Hagan-Stone Park.

Student Section Themes

Football
Cary vs.	Date	Time	Where	Theme
D.H. Conley	8/27	7 pm	Home	Jersey
Scotland	9/5	7 pm	Away	Black Out
Green Level	9/17	7 pm	Home	Hawaiian
Apex	9/29	7 pm	Home	USA
Holly Springs	10/1	7 pm	Away	Pink Out
Green Hope	10/8	7 pm	Away	Western
Apex Friendship	10/15	7 pm	Home	Green and White
Panther Creek	10/22	7 pm	Home	White Out

Volleyball
Cary vs.	Date	Time	Theme
Green Level	9/2	5 pm	USA
Apex	9/7	6 pm	Neon
Apex Friendship	9/16	6 pm	Tie-Dye
Panther Creek	9/21	6 pm	Green and White
Fuquay Varina	9/27	6 pm	Camoufl-age
Holly Springs	10/5	6 pm	Pink Out
Green Hope	10/7	6 pm	Black Out
Middle Creek	10/19	6 pm	Senior Citizen

By: Chloe Wilson

Why do we color our words,

The same way we color the sky above us,

And the grass below?

–

Why do we think it’s our job

To place importance upon colors 

We do not own,

Colors upon cultures we do not understand?

–

Why is the white deemed innately successful, 

While the black is uncouth and loud?

Why is the pale yellow the erudite,

While the brown is stubborn and bold?

–

Do we subconsciously connotate words based off experience,

Or fear, or the impending norm?

–

Why do we willingly submit to these belittling words?

To these small minded meanings?

When we as a multitude of colors equate to so much more? 

–

A rainbow is diverse. 

–

A rainbow holds power, 

Power of the successful, the loud, the erudite, and the bold.

Because alone, a hue stands as nothing against a rainbow.

–

Alone a single word stands nothing against our colors. 

Stands nothing against who we are, and what we can do. 

–

Because as a people we are no single color, no single word.

Because we as a people are so much more,

We are us. 

By: Charley Gilewicz 

On Wednesday, September 8th, a Florida judge ruled that Florida must immediately stop enforcing Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ban on school mask mandates.

Florida schools reopened for full in-person learning last month, and consequently, the state saw a spike in Delta Variant cases, which in turn caused more hospitalizations and deaths daily.

DeSantis signed an executive order on July 30th, which stated that “masking children may lead to negative health and social ramifications” and allowed the parents to decide if they want their children to wear masks or not.

Many districts in Florida have defied this, creating mask mandates with an opt-out strictly for medical reasons. DeSantis then threatened to withhold teacher salaries and school funding from the districts that enforced wearing masks.

Leon County Circuit Judge John C. Cooper mentioned that the Centers for Disease Control and Protection recommends students and staff to wear masks, saying that it’s the “gold standard.”

“We are not in normal times. We are in a pandemic. We have children that can’t be protected by vaccination,” Cooper said in court. “Children are at risk and they [masks] provide at least some protection by masking [the virus].” The FDA currently has not approved a vaccine for children 12 and under.

This ruling didn’t occur without any pushback, however, as Florida filed an appeal within hours, seeking to reinstate a stay as the court decides what their final decision will be.

Cooper’s ruling Wednesday currently allows school districts freedom to require masks for students and staff. Cooper says it’s unusual to lift the stay during an appeal, but, after all, “we are not in normal times.” 

By: Gabby LeBron

On the first of September, Texas passed a rigid law, titled Senate Bill 8, banning most abortions in the state. This law prohibits any abortions after doctors detect a fetal heartbeat, which usually occurs at about six weeks of pregnancy. Senate Bill 8 has been the most restrictive American abortion law passed since the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, which famously ruled strict abortion laws to be unconstitutional. 

S.B. 8 also allows any private citizen to bring civil lawsuits against a pregnant woman found guilty of seeking an abortion. The law provides an incentive of $10,000 awarded to those successful at the end of the lawsuit. Any private citizen, including family members, neighbors, Uber drivers, or abortion clinic staff, can accuse a pregnant woman of seeking an illegal abortion. This also extends to citizens outside of the state of Texas. The law does include an exemption for medical emergencies, but nothing for other extenuating circumstances such as incest or rape. 

For abortion opposers, this has been a long-awaited victory; Republican Governor Greg Abbott stated that the law “​ensures that the life of every unborn child who has a heartbeat will be saved from the ravages of abortion.” However, the law has been met with criticism from Democrats who argue that at the six-week mark most women are unaware they are even pregnant. This leaves little opportunity for them to seek out safe abortions. For these reasons, Democrats and women’s health activists have been putting increased pressure on Democratic President Joe Biden to take action against the bill since its enactment. 

On Wednesday, President Biden called Senate Bill 8 “an unprecedented assault on a woman’s constitutional rights under Roe v. Wade” and stated that, “the Texas law will significantly impair women’s access to the health care they need, particularly for communities of color and individuals with low incomes”. According to Texas health data, 30% of all abortions performed in 2020 were for Black patients despite the fact that only 12% of the state population is Black. Hispanic women, who had the highest percentages of abortions in Texas last year, may be unfairly targeted by the law as well. On Thursday, the Biden Justice Department sued Texas, claiming that S.B. 8 “illegally interferes with federal interests.”

The legal challenges between Texas and the Biden administration could continue for the foreseeable future. In the meantime, the Texas bill has encouraged Republican lawmakers to enact similar abortion bans in their states. S.B. 8 has started a larger conversation on women’s health and rights to abortion throughout the entire country that will likely not end anytime soon. 

By: Gabby LeBron

Fall is just around the corner! Though the North Carolina heat may be deceiving, it’s time to start looking forward to Friday night lights, hot apple cider and plenty of Halloween movies! If you haven’t been able to get into the fall spirit quite yet, these delicious seasonal menu items from local businesses are sure to put you right in the mood. 

Starbucks Coffee – Everyone knows Starbucks’ famous Pumpkin Spice Latte, but did you know about any of their other fall menu items? Try out the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew or Apple Crisp Macchiato one day this fall. After all, a perfect way to start a school day is with a trip to the Harris Teeter Starbucks. 

Caribou Coffee – If Starbucks isn’t your cup of tea, Caribou is a great alternative. This fall they have their own version of a Pumpkin Latte and a refreshing Apple Blast, their take on an iced apple cider. Check them out – they’re right off of Maynard. 

Duck Donuts – Duck Donuts did not disappoint with their fall menu options this year. Their fall donut assortment features pumpkin streusel, french toast, maple bacon, apple pie, and more. Get the full dozen in the assortment for $16 or a single donut for $2. 

Krispy Kreme – For those of you who prefer Krispy Kreme over cake donuts, head downtown to try their new Pumpkin Spice and Cinnamon Apple donuts. 

Dairy Queen – Wanting to cool off with some ice cream instead? Dairy Queen has two new blizzards this month that are perfect for fall: Pumpkin Pie and Pecan Pie. And if blizzards aren’t for you, they also have a Pumpkin Cookie Butter shake. Yum!

Andia’s Homemade Ice Cream – If you haven’t been to Andia’s yet, you’re missing out! Their newest location is conveniently located just across the street from our school. This month they have a Pumpkin Spice Latte Milkshake, complete with whipped cream and two cookies on top. If that’s not the thing for you, they have new seasonal items at the beginning of every month available  to try. 

Bath and Body Works – Would it even be fall without seasonal candles in every room? Bath and Body Works has brought back your favorite autumn fragrances: Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin, Leaves, Blueberry Maple Pancakes, Flannel, and so many more. Really – there are so many options so there’s something for everyone!