Dance Ensemble takes NYC
For the ten seniors in Dance Ensemble, the school year is almost over, their high school dance careers nearly finished. Still, before they left Leesville…
Articles by Brendan Marks, Editor in Chief, 2012-13
Disney magic has us all under their spell
I’ll be the first to admit that, as a child, nothing brought me more joy than Disney movies. Aladdin, Peter Pan, The Lion King– you…
Promposals dominate Leesville
With Spring Break officially over, AP exams fast approaching and graduation just around the corner, we, the some 500 graduating seniors of Leesville, are in…
Viewers dive into Splash
As my avid fans will attest, and as I will shamelessly admit, I have a slight obsession with reality television competitions. The Voice, The Sing-Off,…
Macklemore redefines modern-day hip-hop
Before I continue, let it be known that I am by no means a professional hip-hop music critic, nor do I consider myself a true…
Leesville set to represent in World Karate Championship
At first glance, Kim Dang looks like any other high school senior. She spends time with friends, does homework and goes to class like everyone…
Te’o hoax, like everything in sports, will blow over eventually
Ray Lewis. Kobe Bryant. Ben Roethlisberger. Tiger Woods. Michael Vick. And now Manti Te’o. Phenomenal athletes. Some will even consider them among the greatest sports…
Espinal, McGarry set to leave Leesville
In the coming months, Leesville Road will lose some 500 graduating seniors, all off to pursue whatever it is life has planned for them, whether…
Mainstage play showcases student talent
Friday, January 4 was shaping up to be another ordinary day. After lounging through Art I and Pride Period, I trudged across campus to Mrs….
Sandy Hook shooting stirs up spree killing debates
It’s happened before. 1999, 2007, even earlier this summer. So how do we stop it? Can we stop it? Sadly, the answer is no. But…
Food drive finishes, feeds thousands
2,980 pounds of food. $8,662 in donations. Over 45,000 meals. After nearly a month of fundraising, Leesville Road’s food drive finally came to an end…
MUTEMATH mutes Marks’ concert fears
As a high school senior, I’m a little embarrassed to admit I’ve never been to a concert. Film premieres, album releases, even amusement park openings–…
State Fair calorie challenge
The challenge: one day at the State Fair, 10,000 calories. Go. When I first heard of the infamous 10,000 Calorie Challenge on the news, I…
Pride crushes Crusaders to capture top spot
Three straight games, two volleyball powerhouses, one number one ranking. When all was said and done, it belonged to the Pride. On Thursday, Sept. 20,…
Celebrity encounter shatters stereotypes
Victoria Justice is a star in the making. First Zoey 101, then Victorious, now the lead in Paramount’s Fun Size— Justice, 19, is already, by…
Fantasy football fun for fanatics
The 2012 NFL fantasy football season is officially underway– let the games begin. For the innocent few foreign to fantasy football, the system is simple….
AGT shows true talent on TV
Finally, a winner. As my devout readers (and closest friends) know, I have a strange love, some say addiction, to television singing competitions. From The…
Senior Sidewalk? Class of ‘13 begins new tradition to Senior Wall
Not even a full week into the upcoming school year and the senior class of 2013 has already begun to leave their legacy at Leesville…
Duets doesn’t quite do-it
After months of hype and anticipation, the time finally came. It was time. Time to do-it. When Thursday night rolled around, I found myself reclining…
Race: More than a matter of color
My name is Brendan Marks, and I am a junior at Leesville Road High School. I live with my parents and my dog, Bitsy; I…
Depp saves Dark Shadows from the Depp-ths of despair
Don’t get me wrong, I love movies. Whether I’m closing my eyes during a jumpy horror flick or tearing up during an emotional rom-com, I…
Han makes history as 2012 Valedictorian
14 AP classes. A four year varsity letterman for men’s golf. A devout member of FBLA, NHS, and Brain Game. Fluent in Chinese. A Morehead…
Junior opts for gap year, graduates early
Shalini Balagopal should be a junior. However, this June, when the graduating class of 2012 departs Leesville Road for the last time as students, Balagopal…
Fans want to hear The Voice
Here we go again. This past fall, as many of my diehard fans already know, I wrote a scathing review of NBC’s The Sing Off,…
Leesville baseball swinging for the fences
On Tuesday, April 10, after falling behind in the early innings, the Leesville Road men’s varsity baseball team pulled off the late game comeback to…
Draw Something paints Leesville
Angry Birds, Words With Friends, even Temple Run – all three had their moment of glory, their time in the limelight as “the game.” Now…
Leesville combines, shines at Pieces of Gold
“Finally we’re back, and we made a big splash,” said Mrs. Hoban, Leesville’s dance instructor. On Wednesday, March 14, after a two-year hiatus, Leesville Dance…
Leesville welcomes Dr. Dixon
The end of an era is oftentimes met with harsh criticism, disappointment and a reluctance to change. However, with every parting of ways comes the…
Carpe diem: Latin students join honor society
On Thursday, February 23, the National Latin Honor Society held inductions for the first time in the history of Leesville Road. Dr. Mash, Latin teacher…
Capital Pride hopefuls on pitch
Capital Pride held their annual auditions in order to select the students who will represent Leesville Road for the 2012-2013 school year. Mrs. Covington, chorus…
Rivalries persist despite diminished relevance
Never lie to others. Listen to your parents. Hate the New York Yankees. Growing up in the Marks’ household, those were the golden rules. Most…
Group projects land one person with all of the work
Melancholy groans echo throughout the classroom. Feet shuffle, only to be masked by the occasional clang of a desk scraping along the floor. Uncomfortable students…
Leesville band: ah, refreshed
On Friday, January 6, the Leesville Road band program received the one belated holiday gift they had been waiting nearly a month for: a $25,000…
Tebow, woah
It’s called Tebowmania. Tim Tebow. College superstar. Heisman Trophy winner. National champion. First-round draft choice. Starting NFL quarterback. On Sunday, January 8, Tebow earned himself…
Secret Santa: Ho Ho Hoax
As a Jewish teenager at Leesville Road, Christmas confuses me. Plastic Christmas trees. Multicolored flashing lights. Tinsel and garland from Dollar General. The overwhelming commercialization…
Caroline Gentry named All-American
When Caroline Gentry woke up on Monday, December 5, she knew something had happened. “By the time I checked my phone before school that morning,…
Unbelievable football season ends with bitter loss
“After everything we’ve been through, all the challenges and adversity we faced, I’m so proud of our guys. We had an unbelievable season, coaches as…
Leesville loss ends soccer season for Pride
With a 4-2 loss to Jordan High on Nov. 4, the 2011 Leesville Road varsity men’s soccer season came to an unfortunate end. The Pride,…
Wrestlers lose weight to gain a championship
After an underwhelming 2010 season, Leesville Road wrestling fell from the ranks of the elite squads in the Cap-8. Wyss is looking to reclaim the…
Arachnids give Marks nightmares
I was but a young lad, a boy of only sixteen, when I first saw it, the thing I changed my life. It was a…
The Sing-Off doesn’t hit a high note
I have always loved the fall. Unfortunately, as I have grown older, I have also grown apart from my childhood in regards to the ways…
Pride football wins Cap-8
Blistering cold, constant rain, even seemingly insurmountable injuries– nothing could stop the Pride. With Leesville Road’s 41-16 victory over Wake Forest-Rolesville on Friday, October 28,…
Cross country runners work towards a strong season
On Tuesday, Sept. 21, the Leesville Road men’s cross country team defeated Sanderson High, while the girl’s team fell just short. Still, riding this victory,…
“He said” on cheating
Dear Girls, Cheating is not okay. It is, without a doubt, the worst thing you can possibly do to your guy; it strips him of…
Leesville defeats Broughton in Homecoming game
On Saturday, September 24, the Leesville Road varsity football team blew out the Broughton Capitals 71-21 in Leesville’s Homecoming game. With the win, the Pride…
Moving up: Brewington becomes administrative intern
After serving as a CTE teacher for six years at Leesville Road, Mr. Roderic Brewington has turned a new page in his career; for the…
Golf wins States
On Tuesday, May 10, the Leesville Road men’s golf team defeated Myers Park High School by four strokes to win the NCHSAA 4-A State Championship…
Varsity Women’s Soccer enjoys Senior Night
As each sports season comes to an end, varsity athletes, along with their ever-rabid fans, gather to celebrate that year’s graduates with a Senior Night….
TheVent brings Jewish teens together
Over the weekend of March 25, hundreds of Jewish high-school students from all over the eastern United States gathered at Temple Beth Or in Raleigh…
Officer Manson: real life hero
Growing up, Officer John Manson always dreamed of becoming a policeman — catching bad guys and being the hero. Now, after almost nine years on…