The Mulch Pile Mystery

The infamous Mulch Pile in the parking lot has been a school-wide conspiracy ever since it showed up in April. Since then, pinwheels and trucks have been appearing in the pile with no explanation. No one knows how that giant mulch pile showed up or why it’s there. There have been some theories as to why it suddenly appeared. Some think that controversial rapper, Drake, is buried under the mulch, while others believe it’s an alien offering to establish peace with Journalism teacher, Mr. Peace. However, the most outlandish theory I’ve heard (some would even call it plain prosperous) is that the pile is just to mulch the bushes. To figure out this mystery, we went directly to Heritage’s principal.

“It’s an enigma. It keeps growing and we can’t seem to get to the bottom of it,” Mr. Bradford explained. “First it was the pinwheels and the trucks, but I don’t know what could happen next. I would like to dispel the rumors that someone is buried in the Mulch Pile, but we can’t disprove anything yet.”

Since Bradford was obviously no help to our investigation, we went to conspiracy theorist and Journalism student Spencer Cordle.

“It’s obvious [that] Drake is in there. Do you really think it’s a coincidence that the Mulch Pile appears right before Kendrick Lamar’s diss to Drake, and VERY LARGE one at that? I’m not buying that. It’s very obvious to anyone with a brain that Aubrey Drake Graham is hiding and cowering in the shadows from Mr. Lamar and that this hideout has been placed on a high school campus to discreetly escape the allegations against him.”

Many questions still remain; why is the Mulch Pile there? Why does it keep growing? How will we ever get to the bottom of this enormous mound of mulch? We may never know for sure, but something strange is definitely going on. Pinwheels and trucks continue to appear and there isn’t an end to this preposterous pile in sight.

(Editor’s Note: No modifications were done to any of the interviews used. Sadly, the Mulch Pile was removed on May 16th, 2024, due to alleged landscaping purposes by the Agricultural students. Still, some of the trucks and pinwheels still remain scattered on campus for unknown purposes.)

About the Contributors

Natalyn McCormack, Staff Writer

Natalyn McCormack is a 9th grade student at HHS. This is her first semester in Journalism, and she is very eager to be a part of the staff. In her free time, Natalyn loves to listen to music, spend time with her best friends, and make crafts out of random stuff around her home. She has one older brother and two dogs. Her phone is full of pictures and videos of her favorite dog, Jet. Natalyn has many interests and hobbies including drawing, growing plants, and baking. When she isn’t doing one of those things, she’s most likely on the phone with her friends. She was also a part of the HMS and HHS chorus classes. Natalyn is interested in having a job related to plants when she grows up, preferably gardening. After high school, she plans to attend UTC. Right now, her grades are her top priority, and she always tries to put her best effort into all of her classes.

Natalie Ferry, Editor-in-Chief

Natalie Ferry is the Editor of The General Journal and a junior at Heritage High School. She has been, and will continue to be, excited about working on "The Legacy" and the General Journal website. Natalie attends Dalton State College for the majority of the day but stops by Heritage in the morning to hang out with her favorite people: the Journalism Class. Other than Journalism, she enjoys being a member of the Tome Literary Society, Tea Club, Beta Club, and the Literary Team. Natalie can proudly brag that she is a State Champion in International Extemporaneous Speaking, and she hopes to do well in her Literary competitions again this year. Outside of school, she is active in her local theater, a regular at her favorite Thai place, and on constant lookout for good deals at the thrift store. Natalie cannot wait for the (rumored) new solo album from Big Thief frontperson, Adrianne Lenker, and she hopes to see Big Thief again once they are on tour. Once she graduates, Natalie hopes to finish her degree at Dalton. Although she isn’t exactly sure of what she will pursue, she is currently leaning towards a degree in Communications or English. Wherever life may take her, Natalie knows that this year will be great.

Benae Pederson, Staff Writer

Benae Pederson is a 17-year-old junior at Heritage High School. This is Benae’s first time in Journalism, and she is excited about the rest of the year. Her favorite things include working out, drawing, singing, cheer, and hanging out with friends. Benae moved here from Ringgold this year, and before that she was from Nebraska. She would be on the cheer team if it was permitted after transferring, but she is looking forward to next year. Her goal for junior year is to focus on her grades, family, and friends. Benae is the youngest of five kids and the only one left at home. When Benae leaves home and goes to college, she plans on majoring in business. She has no preference on which college but wants it to be a big university. No matter what is to come in her future, Benae is excited for this upcoming year of carrying on "The Legacy."