GATORHAWK November

PIZZA VILLAGE

The folks at Pizza Village invite you to enjoy their
special brand of pizza as well as their other traditional menu items.
It’s a menu that has been a Columbus County favorite for 40 years.

910.642.5812 • Whiteville

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Hustling on the Field

East Columbus Junior-Senior
High School Gator Jamie Reyes
prepares to send the ball to his
teammates.

This is My Ball Ladies

East Columbus Junior-Senior
High School Hawk Jennifer Rivas
works to steal the ball from her
opponents during a recent soccer
match.

Senior Reese Looking at
Career in Occupational Therapy

Eighteen-year-old East Columbus percent in.”

Junior-Senior High School senior Kinley She is also active in FFA.

Reece said she likes the people best at Outside of school, she attends church

East. every Sunday.

“I love all my “I teach children’s

friends there, they church on Sunday

are all nice and great mornings.”

people,” she said. She also works at

She said her Collier’s Jewelers

favorite class is and The Gift Shop.

English IV “because Her favorite

all of my friends are activity outside of

in that one class school is being with

together.” her friends.

Her favorite She said a place

teachers include art she would like to visit

instructor Jeffery is Bora Bora.

Rudnik, English IV “I want to see the

teacher Tara beautiful scenery and

Williamson, history blue water,” she said.

teacher Karen Haley, “Daddy and I have

agriculture teachers always dreamt of

Bryan Fowler and going there since I

Alicia Pickett, junior was a little girl.”

high teacher Lacinda She plans to go to

Freeman, school East Carolina

counselor Brittany University, attend

Edwards, science occupational therapy

teacher Reah Jacobs, school, earn her

and science teacher degree and go

Mariel Sellers. straight to work.

She considers She said the emoji

Edwards a mentor that best describes

and an inspiration her the Smiley emoji.

“because she’s “I’ve been told I’m

always so happy and always smiling,” she

nice and works for said.

what she wants and Her dream job

keeps others on the would be to become a

right path.” veterinarian because

“I’ve been in “I love animals,

National Beta Club especially dogs, but I

and National Honor Society since the recently changed my career path to

seventh grade,” she said. She is also on occupational therapy.”

the Principal’s List. She said if she won $1,000,000 in the

She said her talents include giving lottery, “I would pay off my college

advice, being a good friend, staying on funds and give some back to my church

top of her school work and “putting 110 GATOaRnHdAmWyKfa5m4 ily for all they have done for

me.” hopes to be “well-off financially and

She said the one thing she would work for someone or myself in the

change about East would be to occupational therapy field.”

change the courtyards, adding plants She said if she could do anything

and flowers, and “put the mascot in over again, it would be her high

the middle of the courtyard like school years.

other schools.” “My sophomore and junior years

Reece said a student she looks up weren't the best experience,” she

to is James Little, because of “his said.

great work ethic.” She likes country and old R&B

She described her strengths as music. Her favorite movie is The

“good focus, determination, and Fast and Furious. Her favorite

staying on top of my television show is The Golden Girls.

responsibilities.” He favorite team is the Atlanta

She said her weakness is always Braves, her favorite food is Mexican,

trying to put others’ happiness before her favorite book is Liar, by Nora

her own. yeGaArTsO, RshHeAWK Roberts, and her favorite app is
Reece 55Pandora.
said that in 10

Images by Alina Freeman

Fair Volunteers

In October, students from East Columbus
Junior-Senior High School helped with
Kindergarten Day at the annual Columbus
County Agricultural Fair. Top photo: Katie
Wilson and Karli Godwin use their best
techniques to dance with kindergartners on
stage. At left: Serenity Shufford and
Matthew George.
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Images by Alina Freeman

Celebrating Native American Heritage

November was Native American Heritage Month. East Columbus Junior-Senior High School has a
significant population of Native Americans from the Waccamaw-Siouan and other regional nations.
Celebrants included, top photo: staffers Alina Freeman, Reah Jacobs, Christina Jacobs and Fred
Pedro, and students Jade Bryant, Maleah Roberts, Keisha Jacobs, staffer Venita Young, students
Chyna Patrick, Destiney Mitchell and Ava Jacobs. Bottom photo: Christopher Jacobs, Gracie Coyle,
Chalee Bryant, Alina Freeman, Myleigh Moore, Aubrey Jacobs, Carley Jacobs and Tripp Costin.

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Jacobs Happy to be at East;
Loves being a ‘GatorHawk’

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By FULLER ROYAL provide a positive influence on the lives of

Gator Media Instructor students.

East Columbus Junior-Senior High “There are many outside influences for

today's youth that are not always
School media coordinator Christina Jacobs positive,” she said. “I believe all students
is a 16-year-education veteran.
should have someone they can go to for
A graduate of Hallsboro Junior-Senior good advice and direction.
High School, she attended Bladen
Jacobs said former Hallsboro Junior-
Community College where she earned an
Senior High School computer teacher
associate’s degree in business
Mary Frances Alsup was her mentor.
administration.
“She was always kind to me and
From the University of Mount Olive,
willing to help whenever needed,” Jacobs
Jacobs earned a bachelor’s degree in
said. “She is still a dear friend to this day.
business administration and from the
In fact, she even stopped by the library
University of North Carolina at
and checked on me a few days ago. I
Wilmington, she completed the transition
always value her advice and friendship.”
to teaching program.
Jacobs said that communication is
She is currently enrolled in the
what works best in education.
University of North Carolina at
“Not just between teachers and
Greensboro’s master of library science and students, but all staff members, the board
information program
of education and the state,” she said,
Jacobs is East’s new media coordinator. adding that what education needs the
“I've been teaching for 16 years,” she
most is highly qualified teachers who are
said. “The majority of those years have
valued for who they are and what they
been in elementary education and three
bring to the table.
years were middle school. I have had the
“The need for teachers is increasing at
pleasure of teaching in Robeson, Bladen
an alarming rate,” she said. “In order to
and Columbus counties.”
recruit and retain new teachers, the state
She is certified in kindergarten through is going to have to begin to value teachers
sixth grade.
and provide compensation that supports
“My children both graduated from East all the responsibilities that teachers are
Columbus and I always enjoyed the
expected to maintain.”
atmosphere when I was in the school,” she
She added that technology and
said. “I was excited when the middle school administrative support is always
moved over and I was given the opportunity important to teachers.
to be a ‘GatorHawk’ teacher.
She said East Columbus' greatest
“This school is close to my home and
selling point is the staff and students.
I've met a lot of good people here,” Jacobs
“We have a great staff here and
said. “The staff is great to work with and I although we do have our behavior issues,
get along well with them.”
we still have a great group of students on
She said that she had taught science
campus,” she said.
because it was very interesting to her.
The Council resident has been married
“I enjoy learning how and why things
for 29 years and has two children, one
work the way they do,” she said. “All
daughter-in-law, one son-in-law and two
subjects can be utilized in the science
dogs.
classroom – history, reading, mathematics –
She said her family loves outdoor
that's why I enjoy it the most.”
activities such as hunting, fishing, boating
She said she became a teacher to
and camping.
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One Last Look …

East Columbus Junior-Senior High School senior Jacob Freeman shows his younger brother, Kaiden, images he
captured of Kaiden’s action during a junior varsity soccer game. Kaiden was a freshman player on the team.
Jacob played on the varsity soccer team.

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