Final mastered52015

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the communicator

Vol. 34, Edition 5, May 2015 Community High School Ann Arbor, MI 48104

THE SENIOR EDITION

contents.

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common Rapper Common performed in Ann Arbor thanks to UofM organization Music Matters.

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rowing to ok Community senior Melanie Hampton will be attending the University of Oklahoma with a full scholarship in the fall.

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eliza vs. food In honor of her nearing departure for college, Eliza takes on ramen noodles and poptarts.

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human trafficking human trafficking is a larger problem in Michigan than many think.

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36 promposals Community students displayed their creativity in their prom proposals.

48 community accomplishments The achievements of Community High School and its students over the 2014-2015 school year, month by month.

50 presidential candidates A look at a few of the faces you’ll see as the country prepares for the 2016 presidential election.

64 senior map

The post-graduation plans of Community High’s Class of 2015.

WHAT WE’RE SAYIN’ Dear Readers, It seems like just yesterday when we sat down to assemble the first edition of this year. We were wide-eyed and excited, anticipating the approaching year and the stories that would come with it. And yet somehow we’re now at the other end. We, the seniors, are reflecting on the work we’ve done and the scarce moments remaining in these beloved halls.

How could any of us forget our first days at Community High?

The first analytical essay assigned in Intro to Lit, the first taste of fare sold by nearby vendors, the first time we heard the bells play at Kerrytown as we slipped into the routine of our afternoon classes. Each experience brought insight and further connection to this place we’d eventually call home.

The Communicator has been proud to bring our readers stories that matter. This year, we interviewed new dean Marci Tuzinsky who, with students, has already been a proponent of change such as bringing back forum overnights. We’ve been able to put faces to stories untold before, dealing with issues such as homelessness and incarceration. We’ve also of course been telling your stories: stories of nontraditional schooling, athletic engagements, artistic endeavors, and many more. We’re proud of the content we’ve published this year.

In retrospect, we will miss the gut-busting, outrageous CET musicals, the richly compelling murals that dance along the walls, the burn of the giant tug-of-war rope on field day, the singular student art, the crisp back lawn lunches, and, above all, the wonderful lessons of our teachers. The faculty at Community High is truly the reason why Community is the warm and lovely place it is.

As the year comes to a close, be sure to make a list of things you want to do before school’s out. Buy one last apple fritter, walk through the farmer’s market on a Wednesday morning, stop a teacher in the hallway just to say thank you. Whether these are your first days at Community or, like us, some of your last, you’ll be thankful you did. If you’re not graduating, remember to cherish each moment you still get to spend here, and continue to treat our school with the love and respect it deserves.

Love,

Your editors

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letter from the editors

we’re ready now

THE COMMUNICATOR

advertise. andersont@aaps.k12.mi.us

Printing thanks to Edwards Brothers Malloy.

Editors-In-Chief Kelly Arnold Madeline Halpert Eva Rosenfeld Marcelo Salas

Staff

Clarence Collins Hannah Davis Erez Dessel Dominic DiFranco Cameron Fortune Managing Editors Colleen Frantz Caroline Phillips Alexandra Hobrecht Eliza Upton Jacob Johnson Henry Jones Adviser Grace Koepele Tracy Anderson Frances MacKercher Fiona McKillop Cover Art Emily Ojeda Ada Banks Surya Palavali

Isabel Ratner Hannah Rubenstein Gabe Salas Carter Schmidt Miles Schwartz Sophia Simon Megan Syer Hannah Tschirhart Abe Weiner Sophia Werthmann Alex Wood Daniel York

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news.

alex wood

community students are among few to participate in an often overlooked student business organization.

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ommunity High seniors Jack Kozicz and Anders Rasmussen sat on stiff hotel conference room chairs amongst 3,300 other Michigan high school DECA participants. They anxiously straightened their ties and wiped their sweaty palms, waiting for the awards to cover their category. When each winner was announced, the massive crowd cheered and shook the conference room they sat in. After what seemed like hours, their names were finally announced and they walked to the stage to receive their award for MI DECA Financial Services runner up.

DECA is an international student organization that focuses on business education and competition. The organization, founded in 1946 and formerly known as Distributive Education Clubs of America, is one of the largest student organizations in the Country, and currently has 215,000 members worldwide at both the high school and collegiate level. There are 200,000 high school members from 3,500 school chapters. During the 2013-14 school year, Michigan DECA had 7,747 members in 150 chapters in eight districts.

This year 3,300 students competed at the MI DECA State Convention. Students had to do well enough in their respective district competitions in order to qualify for the State Convention.

DECA features dozens of different competitions ranging from Consulting, Marketing and Finance, to Hospitality and Business Ethics. Competitions are conducted through a number of formats including writing, testing and role-play.

Kozicz and Rasmussen competed in Financial services as part of the Pioneer DECA chapter. Their competition involved a testing and role play segment. Together they were the first Community High Students to participate in DECA since 2012. Pioneer DECA has seen consistent success since their chapter was established in 1980. Accord to Kara Morabito, the DECA chapter leader and Marketing teacher at Pioneer, their chapter typically

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has between 80 and 100 members depending on the year. This year, 76 of Pioneer’s members participated in the district competition; 52 qualified for the State Convention.

Additionally, this year Pioneer had four state champions: Matthew Cox, Nile Nwogu, Thomas Uhler and Lauren Albert. Besides Kozicz and Rasmussen, Pioneer had five other state runner ups: Anna Anderson, Charlie Markel, Rae Brigham, Elliot Deeds and Gabriella Gugliano. The four students who won their events qualified to attend the International Conference in Orlando Florida in April.

Kozicz and Rasmussen did not qualify to move on, but they were content with their performance and satisfied with their overall experience with DECA. “I thought it was a really good experience,” Kozicz said.

Because Kozicz and Rasmussen did not sign up for DECA until late November, far after registration for the chapter, and did not enroll in the Marketing class until second semester, their second place finish out of 40 pairs was even more impressive.

Many of their competitors had been participating in DECA long before the idea of joining had crossed the minds of Kozicz and Rasmussen.

Despite their late start, Kozicz and Rasmussen greatly valued their time in DECA. “It was actually a lot of fun and you learn a lot,” Kozicz said.

“It’s really good for going out in the the future because things you do, job interviews and stuff like that, are the same type of things. Being able to talk and come up with things on the fly, being confident, doing public speaking, are things that are good to know.”

Allison Dettling, a Community High graduate from 2012, had a similar experience to that of Kozicz and Rasmussen. Dettling joined DECA for only her senior year, but had great success while with the Pioneer chapter. Dettling and her partner won a

Above Jack Kozicz and Anders Rasmussen pose with their DECA medals. state championship in Business Law and Ethics at the 2012 State Conference, and competed at the International Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Despite Dettling’s short experience with DECA, she still thinks it was a great organization to get involved in and would recommend it to all CHS students.

For Kozicz, Rasmussen and Dettling, DECA was often a part of their lives that they found themselves explaining to their classmates at CHS. Despite the club’s popularity at Pioneer and nationally, Community High students seem uninformed about this prominent extracurricular. In fact, a recent Communicator poll found that 77 percent of CHS students do not know what DECA is.

Dettling noted much of Community’s talent pool for extracurriculars goes to activities like Mock Trial and Model UN, leaving DECA to the larger Ann Arbor high schools.

Much more likely however, is the issue of not having a Marketing or other business related courses at CHS. Offering a Marketing course that is sponsored by DECA is necessary for a school to have its own DECA chapter. Because CHS has never offered a Marketing class, it has never been a possibility for there to be a Community High DECA chapter.

In order to participate in DECA, students must first enroll in a Marketing class at one of the three larger Ann Arbor high schools.

However, split enrolling with one of the other high schools is not ideal for many CHS students and without busing is it is not possible for many more. DECA is another outlet for CHS students to excel, but without a DECA chapter of its own, it seems the rare students interested enough to make the necessary steps will be all CHS has to offer DECA. may

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news.

french trip cameron fortune

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n April 1, nine Community High School students flew into the Paris Orly airport for the CHS French trip. Danelle Mosher, Community’s French teacher, and Liz Stern, a Community science teacher, chaperoned and organized the trip.

For the first five days of the trip, students split up and lived with French families. The students were matched up with the families based on a letter they wrote including information about themselves, their family and activities they like to do. While staying with the French families, the students spoke French, ate traditional French food and went to school with the other kids in the family.

The students did not only speak French during the exchange; part of the reason that the French families join the program is so

6 th e c o mmunica t o r

that their child can practice their English with English-speaking students.

After the five days of the homestay program, the group stayed together in a hotel in Paris Saint Germain for the remainder of the trip. Students would wake up, eat breakfast at the hotel, then used the Paris Metro to go to different tourist attractions and museums with the group. They ate simple meals to avoid having to spend more money on food, but for their final dinner they all went to eat at a well-known restaurant.

“During their homestays, students spend hardly any money which helps keep the total cost of the trip down,” Mosher said. “We try to find restaurants that are affordable and have food that we want the kids to try.”

The total cost of the trip for students was about $3,000, not including spending money for shopping or buying food.

For the last day of the trip, the students had a day to themselves to choose what to do. “For [the students] to be in a different country where they get to navigate and be on their own it’s kind of scary but exciting and fun.” Mosher said.

Mosher expects the students to understand how to take the subway, read a map and maneuver around the city so that they can get around on their own. During the last day students went shopping, to the Centre Pompidou, Catacombs and some just relaxed in the city.

The French trip exposed Community students to a different culture as well as provides an opportunity for students to practice their French. They also made new friends with the French kids from the homestays.

The class flew back to the United States on April 10.

news.

A CAPPELLA COMES TO COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

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megan syer

athering around the piano with sheet music in their hands during lunch, students from Community High School sing cover songs a capella. After attending Skyline, and later being accepted into Community, Fin Seely adds to the existing clubs at CHS with Pop A cappella.

“I came over here and I knew that I would really miss being in choir and singing with other people,” Seely said. “Also, I thought a lot of people here might really like that experience, so that’s why I decided to start an a cappella group at Community.” After finding a teacher with an open room during lunch, the group began.

With no instrumental accompaniment, students from CHS sing pop songs in a classroom during lunch. After doing a few vocal warmups, the group focuses on learning songs such as “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift.

“I love how it’s a really laid back environ-

ment with friends,” Lindsey Dye, member of the club, said. “We still get work done and learn the music while we’re having fun.”

There are four different groups organized based on vocal range. Instead of using instruments to accompany the group, the soloist relies on the group to sing the instrumental parts for the song.

“I arrange music for alto one, alto two, soprano one and soprano two,” Seely said.

“I just call them groups one, two, three and four.” Alto one is for the lowest voices, then alto two, soprano two and soprano one. Soprano one is normally the group with the highest range.

Currently, the group is working on “How to be a Heartbreaker” by Marina and the Diamonds with soloists including Marissa Corzine and Maya Powell.

“You can make mistakes and no one will judge you,” Ashlyn Strain, member of the club, said. “I like how it’s really carefree,

creative and fun.” As the group continues to familiarize themselves with the song, Seely is currently working on finding a place to perform it.

In the future, Seely hopes to sing at A Cappellapalooza. This is a concert that is put on by the major high schools in Ann Arbor (Huron, Pioneer and Skyline) where the a cappella groups that are student-led perform their songs.

“Normally, they’re involved in choir,” Seely said. “They make their own groups outside of the choir and perform the songs.” Since Community has never been involved in A Cappellapalooza, Seely is hoping to join the event next year during the fall.

Pop A Cappella is open to new members all year. It also holds open meetings in Tracy’s room on Mondays and Wednesdays at lunch, so that members can come only to meetings that are convenient for them.

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abe weiner and erez dessel avery famer photos

OPPOSITE PAGE: TOP RIGHT Wylen Kirland waiting for the show to begin.

BOTTOM LEFT Timothy Mpjane hoping he is able to get tickets at the box office.

TOP LEFT An advertisement for the show found in the Diag.

BOTTOM RIGHT Common interacting with the audience during his show.

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S

ilence fell upon the crowd as Common walked on stage. He stood and then slowly raised a clenched fist into the sky as if he was beckoning the audience to follow him, an homage to the Black Power movement.

This moment was all that the students at MUSIC Matters, a student run organization at U of M, had spent the past year working for. The primary goal of MUSIC Matters is to promote positive social change through concerts and other large events, such as this one.

The process of bringing Common to the University of Michigan started with selecting an artist to headline this years SpringFest, MUSIC Matter’s biggest event which includes other musical artists, food trucks and other festivities.

“Our artist selection process begins with a very big picture with lists about the current climate of music, what is relevant in terms of our organization, and what we believe in,” Madeline Choné said, the Talent and Concert chair at MUSIC Matters. Choné believes Common exemplifies the ideas they came up with on their lists, especially the philanthropic ones.

“A big part of MUSIC Matters and a big reason why I joined is because it is not just about throwing concerts, but also about using the funds raised from the concerts to benefit the community,” Darren Appel said, the President of MUSIC Matter. “For our first concert, J. Cole, we were able to donate 10,000 dollars to CS Mott Children’s Hospital.”

The funds from MUSIC Matter’s 2 Chainz concert last year as well as the funds from this year’s Common concert are being used to create a summer leadership camp at the University of Michigan for underrepresented rising high school and middle school students from Detroit.

“Something that has resonated with students in our organization and in the broader student population these past two years is increasing underrepresented minorities. By creating this camp we hope to make college seem more feasible and create more of a streamline between these underrepresented students and the university,” Appel said.

Choné pointed out that the goals of this summer camp are very much aligned with the goals of Common’s philanthropic group, the Common Ground Foundation. The Common Ground Foundation’s mission is to expose underprivileged Chicago youth to opportunities through creative arts and endeavors.

After the members of MUSIC Matters realized Common was the artist they wanted to headline SpringFest they got in contact with his agents and were able to bring him to Hill on April 17.

The Concert It was the night of the concert and high-school student Nia Blair was very excited to see Common for the first time. One reason that Blair values Common as an artist is because she considers him a “conscious rapper.”

“There are so many controversial rappers out there, not really rapping about meaningful things,” Blair said. “I think it’s good that he is, and it shows a positive representation of what rap can be.”

Not only does Blair think that Common’s rapping is beneficial for listeners, but she also expressed support for Common’s recent social justice endeavours, namely his involvement in the movie “Selma.” Blair said she was most excited to hear Common perform the song he wrote for “Selma,” “Glory,” because of the impact she felt it had on american youth. She also felt that more rappers should follow Common’s lead and become involved with artistic projects centered around impacting the world positively.

This concert served as an introduction to Common’s music for another concert-goer, Emily Patrick.

“We know the kid, Evan Mack, who booked Common, but today’s the first time I’ve heard of him,” Patrick said. Patrick thinks that a concert is a highly effective means of getting a message of social justice out to University of Michigan students.

“Being able to listen to music is more of a thing that students are interested in rather than just listening to someone give a speech,” Patrick said.

A message of social justice is exactly what Common brought.

During the concert, Common gave a monologue in which he discussed how the social justice issues of the world affect everyone, not just those who are victims of social inequality. Later, when Common sang his Oscar-winning song “Glory,” he dedicated it to people who lost their lives to police brutality.

However, the concert wasn’t all serious. At one point, Common reached into the audience and selected a young woman to sit on stage with him. Common then freestyled about her, displaying not only his talent at written rhymes, but at improvisation. This wasn’t the only time he interacted with the audience. After his freestyle, he ran through the aisles of the auditorium, enthusiastically shouting lyrics and hopping up and down.

After the concert, Common met with the students in MUSIC matters and gave a short speech commending the student group for their work and stressing the importance of young people striving to change the world.

may

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a trip to wooten woods. chs jazz takes on only, tennessee.

alexandra hobrecht

Matt Epperson took a few cautious steps before he realized he had finally reached the drum. He casually lifted the blindfold off his face and was stunned to see a wall of 70 people applaud as he did so, all of their attention focused on him. It was eight o’clock in the morning and no one had eaten breakfast yet, but that was a distant thought to the enraptured audience. Among this group of people was Victor Wooten, one of the greatest bass players in the world, and this was just an average morning at his camp in Only, Tennessee. . .

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This was the first morning activity for the Community High School students at the Wooten Woods Music and Nature Camp.

All blindfolded, they had been given the challenge of finding their way through the luscious woods using only the sound of a beating drum as their guide. Epperson was the last student to make it back to the center of camp, using his sense of hearing to find his way. Every so often he would pause and listen for a beat, just yards away from the drum. Bassist Anthony Wellington, who was beating the drum every few seconds, would hesitate, waiting for him to move and creating a standoff with the unknowing Epperson to see who would move first. Many students would have continued moving forward when they didn’t hear the drum, but Epperson was content with waiting until Wellington conceded and gave him another clue.

“It was really a great feeling,” said Jack Wagner, the CHS jazz teacher who led and organized the trip, as he described the scene. The trip lasted five days total, as they departed on the evening of Wednesday, April 8 to arrive Thursday afternoon and left that same Sunday around noon. However, both trips proved to be more difficult than anyone had planned.

About an hour from the scheduled breakfast stop in Bowling Green, Kentucky, one of the buses began jerking as they drove along the highway. It was 5am and most students were still asleep on the air-conditioned tour bus. Following protocol, the driver pulled to the side of the road only to discover he had driven right into an enormous amount of mud. The bus began to sink down until it was at a 30 degree angle with the ground, close enough for students to see directly into the swampy ditch. The second bus, following close behind, also made the mistake of getting stuck. Blearyeyed students began to wake up and question what was going on; within minutes they were told everyone needed to stand on the higher side of the bus to prevent it from tipping over. The AC was turned off, creating a stuffy, nauseating atmosphere. Things remained this way for an hour while outside the drivers and chaperones discovered they would need a tow truck to free the buses.

Soon after, the students were let off of the bus and waited in the fresh Kentucky air for the tow truck to arrive. The local Sheriff arrived to keep the traffic moving to create as little a traffic jam as possible while the students stood watching a beautiful pink sunrise. Eventually the buses were released and they drove to the nearest gas station, waiting two hours for a mechanic. In order to try and stay on schedule, they decided to scratch their iHop breakfast plans and eat at the Subway restaurant conveniently located at the reststop. Students played card

games, caught up on much-needed sleep, and chatted as they waited until the bus was deemed safe enough to continue their journey.

Hanging on the wall of the main building at the camp is a plaque that reads “Love lives here —Mama Wooten.” It is right next to one of the many Yin-Yang symbols scattered throughout the area. These, along with the giant posters that say “Win the Day” and “May the groove be with you” help lay out the camp’s spiritual atmosphere.

Although many students were expecting the musical aspect of the camp, they were shocked by the in-depth nature side to their experience. Through rotating classes, students were able to participate in both jam sessions and outdoor exercises like tracking animal prints. They learned about edible and medicinal plants and wilderness survival.

“The guides were blown away that the kids were so open minded to try all of this stuff,” Wagner said. Both parties- the adults and the students- seemed to continuously impress each other.

“Every instructor had the same level of knowledge and intent to share it,”Avery Farmer, a CHS junior said. Each activity the students participated in seemed to amaze them. With such musical talent all within one camp, it was truly the experience of a lifetime to be around it all. While musicians were dropping by all week, there was a main staff present 24/7 to help teach everything, including Dave Welsch, Bob Hemenger, Steve Bailey, Bob Franceschini, and Anthony Wellington. The talent of all these musicians is difficult to capture; all are world-known and highly accomplished.

Victor Wooten alone has won five Grammy awards and the “Bass Player of the Year” award from Bass Player magazine three times in a row, being the first person to win the award more than once.

“Every word that came out of Victor Wooten’s mouth was like gold,” Liam Knight, a CHS junior said. Nonetheless, it wasn’t Wooten’s musical ability that impressed some students the most, but his spirituality.

There was an underlying message throughout the camp of how music is deeply connected with nature.

“Even our greatest musical heroes understood it,” the 50 year old father, composer and author said on the first night of camp when he explained the concept. This also connected to the idea of how the type of person a musician is reflects on their playing.

“They talk a lot about how you’re not really going to become a much better musician until you become a much better person,” Wagner said. “They really seem to believe that, and they really seem to live that. It never felt like they were preaching that to me.

It’s just really honest.” This moral theme was expressed again and again throughout the students’ stay at the camp.

“They’ve got this amazing way about them where they really try to think across many domains and connect everything,” Wagner said. “If you think about it, connecting is really the hallmark of intelligence. Intelligence is connections and finding patterns and being able to bring different things together to get meaning out of it. And they’re just fantastic at it. The way that they bring morality and character issues with nature along with music and sharing and communicating is really powerful.”

Wagner also pointed out how willing and supportive the staff was. Victor Wooten was often running around helping students by grabbing wires and sticking amps where they were needed.

“He’s used to having that done for him but at this camp he is a complete servant to all of the kids and all of the attendants,” he said. “It’s just really humbling to see that.”

Before every meal, a performance would be put on by the camp staff. This could range from Steve Bailey playing alone on his bass guitar to one of the cooks singing gospel music to Richard Cleveland giving a spiritual ceremony in which he lit a fire on stage. There were also performances throughout other parts of the day, often by musicians dropping by the camp; J.D. Blair, who performed at the Super Bowl XXXVII halftime show, Rod McGaha, Pedro Saxo, and Beth and Danny Gottlieb all took the time to give eye-opening master classes for the students.

“I remember thinking after hearing Pedro Saxo that he was probably one of the greatest people of all time in just about every way,” junior Aaron Willette said. “Afterwards I talked to him for a bit, and he was extremely modest and genuine. Those two words describe every member of the camp staff perfectly.” Pedro Saxo, a finalist on the TV show ‘GOT TALENT’, used his saxaphone in ways no one had seen before. He performed an entire song on the mouthpiece of his instrument alone. To say the 30 year old Brazilian wowed the Community students is an understatement; his show was a night that no one will forget.

While the students treasured every performance, another highlight was when the Gottlieb’s came on Saturday. Both percussionists, they brought a wide variety of instruments with them including drums from a trip to Africa. Beth Gottlieb, a percussionist with Gary Sinise’s group, has ties with Disney and played the xylophone in “The Little Mermaid” for the song Under the Sea. She played the same song for the students at the camp. Her husband Danny is a drummer who has performed on more than 400 CDs and won four Grammy awards. The may

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allied husband-and-wife team engaged the students with interactive rhythmic activities, inviting students to the stage as they showed off the many instruments they had brought with them.

“It’s hard to describe how inspirational it was to see all of these people adding to the skill level and musical appreciation of every student,” sophomore Hannah Rubenstein said.

That same Saturday afternoon, all of the visiting musicians and staff gathered together to give an unbelievable performance.

“It was absolutely life changing to hear what [the] masters can do with their instrument, especially when Rob McGaha took his solo,” sophomore Kyle Radant said. “Totally mind blowing. When you hear recordings of past jazz musicians, it just doesn’t have the same power as hearing beautiful music in person.”

After getting to hear all of the artists take a solo, the students broke into smaller groups based on their instrument for help with their individual sound.

“My favorite moment during camp was having that two hour lesson with Joseph Wooten,” sophomore Emily Ojeda said.

“He was so kind and patient. He taught us

pianists so many cool tips and tricks that he uses when comping and soloing.”

Each class had notably important information about practicing, soloing, and other aspects of jazz. They met in separate spots around the camp, gathering in places such as the large white dome and the tiny tipi tent that looked much smaller from the outside than it did when filled with fifteen woodwind players.

Overall, the trip opened the eyes of many students to views of jazz they had not seen before. Many parents even commented on what a changed person their child was. This trip was not a party-bus in any way, nor was it a strict rule board. Rather, it was, as Radant put it, the single best experience in his high school career.

“Now, I feel that Jazz is a very important defining part of who I am,” Ojeda said. “I used to practice for 30 minutes a day. Now I get close to 2 hours of practice. And I love it.”

The trip understandably puts an immense amount of strain on Wagner so that he knows he can only make the trip every three years. This gives every student a chance to go at least once and for some the fortuitous chance to go twice.

“Some lucky kids that’ll be freshmen when they go the first time could have an option to go a second time and they’ll of course be very different people by the time they’re seniors,” Wagner said. Three years also gives parents and students plenty of time to save up for the trip because it would be difficult for many to pay each year. However, Wagner definitely plans on making the trip again.

The students arrived back in Ann Arbor around 1:30am Monday morning. They had been on the bus for nearly 13 hours thanks to a two hour traffic jam that added excess time to their trip. They were exhausted, dazed and flying high from all of the things they had experienced in the past few days.

It would take a bit, but they would eventually return to their normal routines, the lessons they had learned still fressh in their minds.

Junior Jordan Smith-Hays seemed to sum up the trip best when he said: “For me to be able to describe how amazing it was I would need to invent several new words, master the already existent english language, and reach some new level of poetic and linguistic beauty that would cause the world to burst into tears.”

TOP LEFT Pedro Saxo, contemporary saxaphonist, answers student questions during his performace at the camp.

TOP MIDDLE Students were invited on an after-dinner hike across the property with Victor Wooten.

TOP RIGHT CHS Jazz teacher Jack Wagner plays with brothers Joseph and Victor Wooten, his own brother accompanying them on drums.

BOTTOM Richard Cleveland teaches a group of students about tracking and identifying prints from animals.

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“The word absquatulate is another term for to depart in a hurry.”

- Julia Jaquery

“An octopus’s brain is not in its head, it’s divided into its tentacles so if one of them is severed it will continue to function.” - Ada Banks

“An inch of spider silk is stronger than an inch of steel of the same width.” Erez Dessel

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“There is no farsightedness in China. There is only nearsightedness.”

- Judith DeWoskin “If Bill Gates is looking into hiring you, he invites you out to dinner and if you put salt or pepper on your meal before trying it he doesn’t hire you because you aren’t open minded enough.” - Ava Sherick

“Men produce between 300 million and 500 million sperm in each ejaculation.” - Isaac Scobey-Thal

“Mono can stay contagious for up to 18 months.” - Mitesh Patel

“You can’t really measure space as a whole because it’s just blank space.” - Myles Markey “Robins are not actually a sign of spring because they live here all winter.” - Matty Hack “The largest porn industry in the world is in Japan.” - Louisa Judge

“There is a larger population of kangaroos than people in Australia.” - Hannah Tschirhart

“Wombats poop in squares.” - Monica Nedeltchev

“Giraffes have as many vertebrae as humans.” Sebastian Iniguez “Yak’s milk is pink.” Khaleel Eljamal

“A pregnant goldfish is called a twit.” -Rose Lewis

“The uterus is the strongest muscle in the human body.” - Eliza Upton

Tupac’s aunt [Assata] escaped from prison and fled to Cuba to hide from the FBI because she was falsely convicted of killing a New Jersey state trooper.” - Avery Farmer “If a female-bodied person gets into a freak accident in which one fallopian tube is removed and the other ovary is removed, the Fallopian tube that is still there moves and attaches to the other ovary.” - Catherine Nicoli

things to know “Abraham Lincoln kept his important documents in his hat.”

- Sophie Steinberg “The Milky Way got its name from the Greek goddess Hera. They said that her breast milk was smeared across the sky and that’s why they called it the Milky Way.” - Jenny Imperiale “Once you have mono you can give it to yourself again years in the future.” Tracy Anderson may

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news.

surya palavali

moving out. how one child’s move can affect a family.

A 15-year-old middle child sat alone in his room, staring at the moonlight streaming in from the midnight sky. He didn’t hear his brother’s voice outside of his room; he didn’t hear his parents talking about college or the future. For the first time in years, he was the last person to fall asleep in the house. Casey Roy, a sophomore here at Community, has experienced the effects of a sibling’s departure firsthand.

“I’m two years younger than my sister and five years younger than my brother,” Roy said. “My sister’s a senior, so she’ll be moving out soon, and my brother moved out a while ago.”

As the third of four kids (with a newly born baby sister), Roy immediately felt the effects when his older brother moved out.

“I wasn’t happy that he left at all because he was the first of my siblings to leave,” Roy said. “I think we all still miss him a little, and he still misses us.”

Regardless of how pugnacious they may act when together, Roy and his brother still have a good relationship.Even when siblings don’t appear close, they can still have a difficult time when the other leavest the nest. Roy, however, admits that he has accepted his brother’s move, albeit with time, and he feels that his family has as well.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 68.4 percent of high school graduates attend some type of college or university. Sadly, students can’t always attend their dream college, nor can they always attend a college that’s close to home. Because of this, many teenagers have to move out of their homes after they graduate from high school; even those who don’t attend college may move out to search for employment.

While many kids may not realize it at first, having an older sibling move out will not

14 t he c o m m unic a t o r

only affect them, but also their whole family.

Where Roy has had to deal with his brother moving out, Daniel Neamati, a 15-yearold sophomore at WIHI, has already started thinking about how his departure will affect his own life and that of his family.

Students like him, who are aiming to attend a college outside of their home state, can face problems of their own when they move out. Neamati knows that his family

“We have one less person to feed in the house, but I think we all still miss him.”

-Troy Swain, 16

will miss him when he leaves, but he feels that his 9-year-old brother will be hit the hardest. “[My brother]’s going to be really upset about it,” Neamati said. “I’ve been with him his whole life. We’re definitely close; I’ll miss him for sure. I think we have a good relationship. We don’t fight that much and I have to take care of him a lot.”

As evidenced by Roy and Neamati, younger siblings may be the most shaken up when their older siblings move out, even if they may not act like it. Especially with younger kids, thinking about never seeing someone again (in their mind) can be very upsetting.

However, not all kids have siblings. Only children, such as 16-year-old Huron student Luke Baker, can have different effects on their families when they move out.

“I am the only kid in the house,” Baker

said. “So I think [my parents] might get lonely when I leave.”

Baker also presumes that he won’t initially miss his parents when he first moves out, but that he will begin to miss them over time. When there isn’t another child in the house to keep the parents company, loneliness can be just one of the things that kids like Baker think their parents will have trouble with.

Although moving out may seem to affect a family in many negative ways, it can also have many benefits. Baker has pointed out a roomier house and reduced expenses as just a couple of positives for the family. Additionally, taking an older sibling’s room is traditionally seen as a method of accepting their departure (at least for younger siblings). Troy Swain, a junior at Huron, has coped with his 24-year-old brother’s move by keeping in touch with him. Swain has also realized how his brother’s life will change for the better because of his move.

“I mean [my brother]’s not around as much,” Swain said. “But we still talk and see each other on a weekly basis. I think he’s building his own family right now, and I’m happy for him.”

Moving on after a family member leaves the house can be a tough thing to do. However, it’s important to realize that some people can only build futures for themselves by moving out. Even though many families can be negatively affected when one of their members leaves, they can also be positively affected in many ways. Visits, communications and realizations can also help solve the problems that a move may cause. While many relationships can be built and broken, the bond with a family member, especially with a sibling, can last for a lifetime.

10 ways to start saving in high school.

“

financial adviser sarah murray gives tips from the pros frances machercher and eva rosenfeld

Teenagers should be understanding the mechanics of money in order to save for their future,” Murray said.

1.

Start saving money as soon as you start making money. Got a job? Set up a bank account and deposit at least half of your paycheck every time you get paid.

2.

Pay attention to how much things cost. That coffee from Starbucks every morning adds up (think about packing a lunch).

3.

Set a savings goal. How much money do you want to have in your bank account before you go to college?

4.

If you have a hard time saving, think about buying bonds. You can’t touch money in bonds for long period of time, and your savings will increase!

5.

For more financially advanced teens, setting up a basic brokerage account online is an option. This is an easy way to buy and trade stocks and learn more about the stock market.

6.

Think about cash versus credit: research shows that people are more careful with money when using cash. If you are spending with credit, make sure you never spend more than you can pay off in that month. Keeping a good credit score will be important when you want a loan.

7.

Try setting up multiple accounts: having one account for savings and one account for spending can help you control your finances.

8.

Know what you have: keep track of your bank account and how much you spend.

Don’t expect someone else to do this for you, it is important to know how finances work.

9.

10.

Make a budget. Writing out what you need and how much it costs every month can help you keep track of your money and make sure you don’t overspend.

$ $ $ $ $

NEVER SPEND MORE THAN YOU MAKE! may february

15

THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTHY EATING colleen franz

H

annah Frazier, a water polo player at Huron High School was struggling in the water.

“It was hard to keep going,” said Frazier. “It was as if someone had put weights on my feet while I was swimming.

My body wanted to give out right then and there.” It was something her coach had heard a thousand times. He knew that all she needed to do was learn to balance her eating habits to fit with those of an athlete.

Many studies have shown that it is important to maintain healthy eating along with being an athlete. According to The American College of Sports Medicine, athletes must learn proper food consumption to help their bodies maintain high performance. Improper diets can cause low energy intakes, resulting in loss of muscle mass, mental dysfunction, prolonged recovery processes, increased risks of fatigue, injury, and illness.

The average teen athlete needs 2,0005,000 calories a day, one half of which should consist of complex carbohydrates.

Complex carbohydrates are important in an athletes diet as they are the body’s main energy source. Second only to water, they

16 he ccoommunica m m unic attoorr 16 tthe

are the most important energy source to keep the body working. Starchy foods, such as pasta, potatoes, bagels, whole grain breads, nuts, beans, and rice, provide essential fiber, minerals, and vitamins. The body converts complex carbohydrates into glucose and stores it in the liver and muscles, where it finally becomes glycogen.

Once all of the glycogen stores fill up the body turns it into fat. The glycogen stores are used when the body is in need of energy, such as when doing exercise.

Proteins are another essential energy source in an athlete’s diet. According to McKinley Health Center, 10%-35% of a person’s caloric intake should be protein.

Protein is found in foods such as fish, chicken, milk, and nuts. Proteins from meat and animal products contain all essential amino acids as recommended by the McKinley Health Center, whereas plants lack certain amino acids that should be supplemented.

The body extracts amino acids from proteins in food and are kept as an additional energy source.

The most important part of an athlete’s diet is water, which keeps the body hydrated. During prolonged exercise, the body

begins to sweat.

Sweat is made of mostly water, along with salt and other chemicals. Sweating is the body’s way of cooling itself down.

While the body sweats, it also uses some of the much needed liquid to prevent muscle cramps and fainting. Approximately two hours before working out, it is necessary to drink around 16 ounces of water. This makes sure that the body has time to begin hydrating its muscles before they are used. Hydration should continue throughout a workout, drinking water every 15-20 minutes, and after finishing, by drinking another two to three cups.

With a good balanced diet of carbohydrates, proteins, water, along with other key vitamins and minerals, athletes can maintain a constant performance throughout? their entire workout. When going to exercise, athletes need to think about not just putting in the hours of work but also what foods they should be eating to help the body be at its best. Before her next practice Hannah Frazier should think about what she should be eating to change her diet so that she can be the toughest River Rat in the water.

news.

C

alex wood dominic difranco

I

t’s 11:20 on a chilly Wednesday afternoon in January. Community High senior Ben Wier wraps his red and blue scarf around his neck as he steps out of a first floor entrance and looks across Community’s back lawn.

He ducks his head and walks towards Kerrytown. As Wier steps outside, he sees students heading off in all directions. He sees many heading towards Kerrytown, others towards miller, some seniors getting in their cars, and a few darting around the school’s southwest corner towards Division and State. He walks quickly to get out of the cold and hopes to beat the crowd of Community students that are already flooding Kerrytown. As Wier slides through the automatic doors under the clocktower of Kerrytown, he sees that he is too late.

Sparrow Market, Sweetwaters, and Kosmo are all crowded with students buying food and talking with friends.

Ben is obviously not the only student who planned to buy lunch, and it’s no secret that Community High School students often eat out during the school day. Eating out is convenient and one of the many privileges of being a student at Community. Every week, students take advantage of their 50 minute lunch period, open campus and the school’s central downtown location to eat at many of the excellent restaurants nearby.

In fact, 93 out of 116 surveyed students said they ate out at least once a week. Additionally, about 1 in 5 students reported that they eat out everyday. That might not be surprising for some students at Community, but for many who attend schools without the privileges that Community has, these numbers may be be shocking.

However, the majority of students

seem to eat out in moderation. 24 of the surveyed students (about 21 percent) reported that they eat out once per week, and about 22 percent said that they eat out twice a week. 13 students said they eat out 3 days a week, while only 8 students reported eating out 4 times a week.

Students who eat out often, but less than they eat a packed or school lunch, probably wish to enjoy the benefit of being able to eat out, while still consistently using the cheaper and typically healthier alternative.

For students who eat out every day, a single meal may not seem too costly. But as an annual expense, the sum turns out to be quite significant. If one of the 23 students who said they eat out 5 days a week spent between $5 and $10 per day, they would spend between $25 and $50 on a typical school week. The State of Michigan requires public school students to be in school 175 days per school year. Minus the approximate ten partial and abnormal days that Community uses for finals, forum days, Multi Culti, and other special events, Community students spend about 165 days in school a year. That means if a student is spending between $5 and $10 a day on food, they spend anywhere between $825 and $1,650 a year.

If a student spends $7.50 a day, that’s $1,237.50 a year. That means if a student who eats out every day has the Ann Arbor median household income of $59,660 according to the Department of Numbers, they are spending about two percent of their family’s income on just 15 percent of one individual’s annual meals (assuming they eat 3 meals a day, 365 days a year).

Apart from the cost of eating out multiple times a week there are serious

health disadvantages as well. Of the 116 students who took the survey kids who brought their lunch ended up having fruit and vegetables 90% of the time, while kids who bought lunch only had fruit and vegetables 56 percent of the time.

According to the USDA, boys aged 1418 need to eat at least two cups of fruit and three cups of vegetables everyday.

Girls, in the same age group, need at least one and a half cups of fruit and two and a half cups of vegetables everyday. If students are eating three square meals a day --breakfast, lunch and dinner-- then the students who do not eat fruits and vegetables during lunch need to eat all of their fruits and vegetables in only two meals.

In order to fulfill a teenage girl’s vegetable needs, she would need to eat two and a half cups of vegetables, which is 30 baby carrots, an entire three-inch tomato or three spears of five-inch broccoli.

That could be 10 baby carrots at every meal, which is very manageable, instead of 15 at breakfast and dinner.

While the United States is in the middle of an obesity epidemic the issue of bad dieting habits is paramount. Kids in the United States are developing bad eating habits and are eating fewer and fewer vegetables and more and more high sugar foods.

With all of this taken into consideration, CHS students should be more attentive to what they buy for lunch. Either order a salad or something with more vegetables for lunch, bring food from home or know exactly how many fruits and vegetables you need to eat for breakfast and dinner if you decide to make lunch an unhealthier meal. february may

17

13

BLAST FROM THE PAST clarence collins iii

PEOPLE FLOCKED TO SEE COMMUNITY’S COMMSTOCK

O Past students enjoy and perform at Commstock on the back lawn.

18 t he c o m m unic a t o r

n the last day of finals there would be a great big concert at West Park. It was in the middle of the day and people were just so happy to have gotten their work done. It was a great way to kick off the summer. It was a big deal to see who out of the Community bands would play. This big concert was Commstock.

“As a student, I just hope that kids get the same pleasure as I did when I was your age.” Chloe Root said. “I hope that it can be a time where we can listen to each others music, and kick off the summer in a really cool, creative fun way.” The reason we didn’t have the event in past years was partly due to the previous dean.

“There would be the suspicion of kids getting high and doing inappropriate things that did not reflect the school in the best light.” Root said.

So we took a break from Commstock for a while.

Alex Johnson, a Community alumni, was the one who

started Commstock in ‘84, his sophomore year. Ever since then it has been a huge get together among students, listening to music and “hangin’ out.” If they were to bring it back, they would have to keep the reputation of inappropriate things out of the festival.

Commstock is a place to have fun after the exhausting finals and get your summer jammin’ on.

“People go to Commstock to connect with each other before they go off for their summer.” Evelyn Collins said, a former teacher of Community High. “You’re not going to see your friends until the next school year starts, and this was a great way to say your goodbyes.” The people of CHS have been doing this at west park for quite some time now, and Evelyn was surprised that they had stopped doing it.

Community is not a regular school, people here are not “normal,” we do things differently. Never the less having a high school woodstock is far from ordinary. No matter if Comstock is spelled with one “M” or two, there is one thing Community needs.

artist profile: keegan mackin

hannah rubenstein keegan mackin art

natalie potter photo

How did you get involved in art?

My mom did art in college and so did my dad, so did my grandma and grandpa so we’re all kind of artists. My borother is actually in art school right now. I was three or four when I got involved.

Who or what inspires your art?

My brother kind of does, because I take some of his ideas and turn them into my own. I don’t know, [I do it for] myself too.

There was this one artist at the Art Fair that got me into paper cutting, I don’t remember her name but I thought it was really amazing, I’d like to try something like hers, I just don’t have enough time in school. So I have to make time outside and it’s hard.

What forms of art do you create?

I do some painting, but I’m not very good at it. I do drawing with pencil, colored pencil, markers, crayons. I like colored pencils the best. I’m just used to working with them. They’re just the easiest for me.

How do you think art has changed or helped you?

It helps me release a lot of stress. When I’m really tired or I’ve been stressing about something a lot, I’ll just sit there and do art, and it’s really nice for me.

Why is art important to you?

It’s a good way to express yourself. I think it’s one of the best ways besides writing, but sometimes it’s hard to put things into words, so it’s easier just to put it into pictures.

What is the story behind the piece of art shown above?

This is from when I was inspired by an artist from the Art Fair and I wanted to try something like that. I figured cutting out little ovals was the easiest for me to do at the moment. My original piece was actually going to be a lot more complex, but then it wasn’t working well compositionally so I changed it. I would really like to display it so that it’s between two pieces of glass and you can see through it and you can get the full effect.

may

19

anna raschke (left) melanie hampton (right)

melanie hampton (left) head coach kit bennett (right)

sophia klein (left) melanie hampton (right)

20 t he c o m m unic a t o r

ROWING TO OKLAHOMA community senior melanie hampton is heading to the university of oklahoma with a full scholarship kate burns carol poulos photos

R

iver water temperatures were dropping, the boats and oars were tucked away for the winter and the much dreaded erg machines were brought out to be used for the next four months. Regardless, Melanie Hampton joined Skyline Crew during the winter training season of her sophomore year, without knowing that she would receive a full scholarship to a Division I school.

At this point in her life, Hampton was a committed swimmer, practicing for about 15 hours a week. Although she had been swimming since she had been walking, Hampton knew if she swam in college it would be more of a competitive activity rather than a competitive sport. Instead of swimming year round, Hampton decided to join crew because “my body type suggested I’d be good at it,” she said.

For the three short high school seasons she has participated in rowing, Hampton has won a Midwest Championship in the Women’s Pair, placed 10th place in the U.S. Rowing Youth Nationals, and placed second at Midwest Championship in the Women’s Quad.

Hampton knew that she wanted to extend her rowing career to the college level. Her next step was deciding on which university she wanted to row at. “I researched for the schools I wanted to visit individually, looking for my major [a form of engineering] and looking at their teams and looking at their locations,” Hampton said, “Then I filled out their online recruitment questionnaires and from there they emailed me back.”

From there Hampton went on official visits to Syracuse, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Duke.

Syracuse was Hampton’s first visit. She had low expectations for her trip: “I liked the team atmosphere, and the head coach, but I was not a fan of the city and the school,” Hampton said.

Duke was both her mother’s and father’s alma mater, although she felt little pressure to choose it. “They didn’t expect me to like Duke,” Hampton said. She ultimately did not choose Duke. “It was very intense academically, and the combination of engineering and rowing at Duke would not of worked,” Hampton said. “We met with academic adviser for the crew team and he said that for one of the girls, who is an engineering major, they plan out every second of her days. She has a schedule where they have to plan out times for her to eat, times for her to do everything.”

In the end it was between Oklahoma and Notre Dame. “Notre Dame was a lot closer to home and it was a very good school,” said Hampton. “It was really hard not to let other people influence my decision. So many people have given me that look saying, why would you go to Oklahoma?”

“The combination of the team atmosphere, the school’s spirit, the head coaches and the school itself [made me choose Oklahoma],” Hampton said. “Every time I came close to choosing a different school there was always something that brought me back to going to Oklahoma.”

Hampton has received support in her decision from her friends and family. “I think the school fits her well and her excision proves it was a good decision,” said Sophia Klein, a junior at Skyline High School and Hampton’s close friend who also rows.

In terms of Hampton’s lack of rowing season that she has participated in, she thinks

that has helped her with getting coaches to be interested in her. “They know that I still have a lot of development to do. And that my improvement curve is going to be steeper,” Hampton said. Even though she missed out on years that she could have been rowing, by doing swimming, she thinks that swimming was a net positive experience. “It taught me to be an athlete.”

“For both swimming and rowing she works her butt off and puts everything she has into it,” said Cece Keene, a junior at Skyline High School who is a teammate of Hampton on both the rowing and swimming team. “College athletes have to be totally dedicated to both their sport and school and that’s what Melanie does. She’ll easily get by, most likely excel knowing her.”

Hampton knows that there are going to be various added pressures by becoming a college athlete. There are the obvious physical pressures that she is preparing for by trying to stay as fit as she possibly can, but she is also preparing for mentally. “I’m trying to prepare myself for the increase in academic rigor,” Hampton said. She realizes the academic and athletic pressure she is going to have to perform. “A coach’s job is going to ride on my performance,” Hampton said, “and the fact that they are spending money, a lot of money, on you. It’s a little bit scary.”

As Oklahoma’s college move in day and pre-season approaches, Hampton is nervous, but she is sure she has made the right decision. “It was more of a gut feeling more than anything else,” Hampton said. “There was always a sinking feeling in my stomach when I thought about going to another school.”

may

21

elizavsfood

in honor of her nearing departure for college, eliza takes on ramen noodles and poptarts. eliza upton madeline halpert & caroline phillips photos

H

ey readers, let me begin by issuing a formal apology for not having an Eliza vs. Food last edition. But I promise the pictures you’re about to see will make up for it all.

So it’s senior edition, and despite all of my denial I am a senior. So in honor of my upcoming departure for college I decided to do a college themed challenge. So naturally Ramen Noodles is what I opted to eat, and somehow blueberry frosted Poptarts wormed their way into the mix. In honor of Community, I decided to attempt to eat a Poptart for each year at Community and a packet of Ramen for each semester. Ambitious yes. Impossible no.

And so at our last Communicator production of the year I brought poptarts and my eight cooked packages of Ramen Noodles in a big blue pot to be consumed in the third floor hallway outside of the computer lab, a beloved spot where all Communicator production dinners take place.

What I did not expect was a crowd. I knew I would have a few Communicator spectators, but to my surprise the mock trial team was more than curious to see this challenge go down. So after a quick bout of The Cha Cha slide and The Wobble, I sat down in front of a crowd, put thirty minutes on the clock, and began.

To my horror, the noodles were still boiling hot. I couldn’t shove them down fast enough without enduring shots of agony. I was having major flashbacks to that steaming burger I had at Blimpy’s against Anders. So I decided to switch up my strategy, and start with the Poptarts to give the noodles time to cool off.

After washing down a Poptart or two, I directed my attention back to the ridiculously huge blue pot. The noodles were still hot and I wasn’t able to take bites as big as I needed, but I decided to stick with them for a bit.

Unfortunately I had majorly underestimated the density of the noodles. Going into the challenge I knew the outcome would most likely be a bleak one, but I had not expected just how impossible competing would feel. Only ten minutes in and my stomach felt like it was being pumped with pressurized gas, and my crowd had severely dwindled since Mock Trial had to return to their practice.

An early surrender felt destined, but when I looked up from

22 t he c o mmunica t o r

that pot and looked at my surroundings I was immediately overwhelmed by the love I felt in that moment. To my right Gabe Salas and Clarence Collins were slow dancing to “A Thousand Miles” that blasted out of the lab. Caroline Phillips and Madeline Halpert were sitting across from me, dutifully documenting my every move on a camera and motivating me to no end. Behind them Marcelo Salas was giving a fake Ted Talk, and somewhere in the distance I heard our beautiful leader, Tracy Anderson, telling me to “stop sweetie, you’re going to be sick.” They contained all the distraction, motivation, and care that I needed. I decided I couldn’t give up on these people. At that moment I knew I wouldn’t finish it all, but that I would be doing them a disservice to just quit. I would finish out the thirty minutes and try my best to keep eating the whole time.

The next twenty minutes were rough. Each new bite held the possible fate of ending it all by throwing up and it was getting harder and harder to swallow. However my support stayed strong. Those loyal Communicator friends were more energized than ever, and had all joined in off key jubilation of singing camp songs to keep me distracted for the intense pain I felt.

It was a slow and painful hobble to the finish line, but when the clock hit zero I dropped my fork and fell to the ground. The fetal position had become the greatest comfort I had ever felt. I had finished the Poptarts, but still had a sizable amount of Ramen left untouched. Though I lost, it was the best challenge yet. Not because of the food, as I can say that I will not be even looking at Ramen Noodles for awhile, but because of all the lovely faces that surrounded me as I took on a beast. Those faces perfectly captured my three years on Communicator staff: loud, fun, distracting, caring, determined, but mostly enthused.

It’s been a pleasure eating food for you all this year and I’m sorry we didn’t end with a win, but check out some of the backgrounds in the computer lab if you want to see the severe pain endured during this challenge. Communicator, it’s been swell. Thanks for the memories. Peace.

>>

judith dewoskin appreciation post For this edition I need to give a HUGE shoutout to Judith DeWoskin. Back in February when Eliza vs. Food was in desperate need of a challenge, Judith stayed up late on a Sunday night to make me popcorn for what was supposed to be a school-wide popcorn judging contest. Sadly the idea failed majorly and Judith was the only person who brought in popcorn, but she did it with a beautiful smile on her face.

So that Monday at lunch Judith and I chowed down on her life-changingly-good popcorn, and I had the pleasure to talk with Judith about her strong feelings associated with those corn kernels.

If there’s one thing you readers should know it’s this: if you thought Judith was passionate about thesis statements, think again. This woman is crazy (but in the best way) for popcorn.

Judith’s love for the food has been thriving since her early childhood. The snack, and in some cases for Judith, dinner, used to be made for her by her mother. On Sunday nights her family used to sit and watch T.V. while snacking on the buttery treat. Judith’s love for popcorn is so strong that as a little girl, if she was ever feeling car sick, the very thought of

popcorn and fried chicken could cure her queasiness.

Judith has mastered the art of popping. On her stove in either a large stainless steel pot, or a special popper her husband bought her, she sticks to butter and salt to flavor her Ruby Red or Black Jewell kernels. No sugar, cheese, or pepper is used or desired by the “popcorn purist.”

For Judith there are endless reasons to love popcorn.

Whether it’s the salt, the taste, the way it gets stuck between your teeth, or the lack of health benefits, something has got her addicted. But perhaps one of the most important things about the food is the way it connects her with others. What started out as a snack her mother made for her, is now the expected food during visits with her sister and time spent with a grandson. And luckily for me, her popcorn gave me the chance to sit down and talk with a beloved teacher.

So thank you Judith. If you are a CHS student and you haven’t noticed it yet, we have some really incredible staff here. Staff who will go out of their way to make you popcorn.

Popcorn that could make even a Monday great.

may

23

music: beyond high school jazz

emily ojeda emily ojeda photo

in the beginning

“I’ve been infatuated with the guitar ever since I was a little kid. I remember getting my first Jimi Hendrix record, and I was just blown away,” said Adam Kahana, a senior at Community and Pioneer High School.

“I was like ‘Man, this is what music should sound like.’”

Kahana recalled a period in which he would try to pick up the guitar but didn’t really feel the connection. That all changed the spring of 8th grade when he took part in a middle school production of “Grease.”

Kahana, who was playing one of the “Greasers,” was to hold and play a prop guitar.

“I remember just fooling around with it backstage and thinking, ‘Man, I finally get the relationships between the strings and how to make a sound come out of it.’ And I was so thrilled,” Kahana said.

This may seem like the beginning of Kahana’s musical journey. But in fact, it is not.

Kahana has been playing music since he was four, but has been around it and listening to it his whole life.

Guitar is not his only instrument. Kahana split-enrolls at Pioneer and plays piano for the jazz band there. He also plays bass and drums.

24 t he c o m m unic a t o r

plans for the future

Kahana didn’t always plan on going into the field of music. Before entering high school, he wanted to become a doctor or scientist.

“I hit a point in music where I didn’t really want to do it because primarily I was playing classical piano,” said Kahana. “It didn’t really speak to me then.”

joining jazz

Then, he met Jack Wagner. He became immersed in the program, and met amazing people who would come to be close friends with Kahana.

“Playing and learning music together, jazz, rock– we’re pretty much all into the same stuff,” said Kahana. “But, Jack Wagner is really responsible for just opening music to me as a possibility, or just creating the possibility for me as a musician.”

“I met him at the very tailend of his freshman year,” Wagner said. “He seemed like a very eager student, very excited to join. He was willing to do anything as far as what instrument to play.”

As it turns out, Wagner had already decided all of the bands, but was in need of a drummer.

“I said ‘How about playing some drums?’’ said Wagner. “And he said he was willing to do that, even though he didn’t have a ton of training.”

Eventually, Wagner was able to place Kahana amongst the guitar players. “From time to time, he’ll pick up the bass or piano and play, either casually with people or sometimes he’ll sub on different instruments.

He definitely has the ability to fill in on all kinds of instruments.”

Wagner explained that Kahana has a special ability when it comes to working with other people.

“He’s a really nice guy,” Wagner said. “He’s really cooperative. He’s very appreciative, complementary. He’s very patient with other kids. He understands things pretty fast but he doesn’t get frustrated when someone else doesn’t understand things right away.”

outside of school

School isn’t the only place where Kahana plays. During his sophomore year, he played bass for a rock group called “Ashes to Ashes.” Together, they played a few times in the Neutral Zone.

“That kind of hipped me into being part of a band,” Kahana said. “Getting my act together, setting up, breaking stuff down.

The whole collaborative playing and songwriting process.”

This past year, Kahana joined the Louis Smith Jazz Orchestra, run by Sean Dobbins.

“He is one of the best teachers I’ve ever had,” said Kahana. “A greater mentor. He was one of the people who just opened me up to jazz and music in particular.”

This past spring break, Kahana and other jazz students had the opportunity to travel to Only, Tennessee, and visit Wooten Woods Music and Nature Camp.

“A lot of thanks to Victor Wooten and all the cats over there for just making the whole thing possible,” he said. “Thank you Jack. Thank you all the parents. Thanks for the hella expensive trip.”

For Kahana and others, going to Wooten Woods was an amazing learning experience. “ I think we all learned to see music as something that is not just bound to a book.

You have to make it come alive,” said Kahana.

Kahana said that people tend to just sit down and practice, when in fact it is better to just work with the music, to try and play

it, to come up with your own ideas and responses.

After the camp, Kahana said that he “really got more of a sense that music is collaborative and kind of individual.”

One of the more import aspects of the camp was establishing the connection between music and nature. Kahana feels that music and nature tend to be overlooked because they’re so important to us, that we just don’t notice them as much.

“I think that music just connects our hands with what we think and what we feel.”

Music and nature both have the power to heal.

“I heard a saying once that anyone who was sick, looking at a tree, you feel better,” said Kahana. “When I’m down, it’s the same with music. There are songs that uplift me.”

going into the field of music

There are many different sub-specialties in music. There are the instrumentalists.

There are studio musicians, who produce and record people’s albums, and record

commercial jingles. And then, there’s the artists.

“You think it’s the difference between someone like John Lennon and Charlie Parker,” Kahana said. “Both are incredible artists, but in different ways. John Lennon was much more of a thinker and an artist than he was a technician. Better yet, take John Lennon vs. someone like a working studio musician who has all the technical chops in the world. Both have a very important role in society. But completely different.

John Lennon was an artist. He wasn’t really a technician. He could play guitar well, no question. He was a songwriter.”

“But then, you have these studio musicians, who also play these incredibly important roles. They’re the ones behind the movie soundtracks. They’re the ones who record commercial jingles. They’re the ones whom artists like John Lennon call to get whatever is out in their head musically into real sound.”

“You gotta love it,” he said. “You gotta know what you wanna do in life with music.

And, you gotta make sacrifices for it.”

TO THE LEFT: Senior Adam Kahana jamming outside of Community High School. Starting this fall, Kahana will be attending the University of Michigan to study both music and science.

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q&a.

10

QUESTIONS

BEN WIER alex wood

Ben Wier, Community High School Senior, dynamic CET actor, Dairy Queen soft serve aficionado and real life fruit ninja How have you made it to the last ten remaining in the Spork War? I play a defensive game. Everyone who plays offensively, for the most part, is out. Some say “that’s just mathematics Ben. There’s only ten people left; of course they’re all out.” Nope. I haven’t gotten a single person out. You think it’s a coincidence that I’m still in the game?

What’s your favorite childhood memory? What makes it special?

I almost got killed by a fish on a dock in North Carolina when I was three.

Some guy moved me out of the way and gave me a twizzler. He was nice.

How old would you be, if you didn’t know how old you are?

Probably 18 or 19, so not that much different than I am now. But sometimes I just feel a bit older than I am.

You know sometimes I feel a little more mature, but I’m still like kind of reckless and am just trying to have a good time. You know how it is.

What’s your favorite beverage from sparrow?

Any orange Nantucket Nectar is solid.

26 t he c o m m unic a t o r

What’s something you do differently than others?

I always carry around this little tub of vaseline and this little tub of Nivea, just for dryness needs.

What’s the last song you listened to?

I just listened to “Heard ‘Em Say” by Kanye West in my car.

My car is named Jess.

Where do you find solace?

There’s this little cottage up north that my family rents every summer. It’s very peaceful and calm and cute. It’s on a lake and I feel very at peace when I’m there. So for a week every summer I’m totally at peace.

What do you do with your hair in the morning?

Well I always shower, I wash it too. If I don’t wash it it just looks weird to me. I know you’re not supposed to wash it everyday but I do. Just shampoo. If I condition it it looks weird. When I condition it looks matted down, so I don’t condition.

Cats or dogs?

I personally understand that dogs are better than cats in almost every way. But I just have such a good cat and such a bad pair of dogs that I like my cat a lot more than I like my dogs. But in general I’m a dog person.

What do you think the best and worst breakfast cereals are?

Cinnamon Toast Crunch. That’s always a classic. Some of those Kashi cereals are trash and my mom was really into those for a while. My mom is usually pretty good about cereals though. She hooks me up with the freshest cereals on the market.

feature.

THE COMMUNITY INFLUENCE madeline halpert

Cody DeVee was in his freshman year of high school when he first felt like it was okay to talk about his S E X U A L I T Y .

It was during his first week at Community, when the school’s Queer Straight Alliance group came to talk to forums. When DeVee listened to two members of the group open up about their own sexuality, he knew he was finally in a safe space.

“For me, that was a rather lifesaving moment,” he said. “The fact that everyone was so open with each other, it made it possible for me to come out of the closet as well.”

DeVee hadn’t always felt comfortable sharing this part of himself. Before high school, he tried opening up to friends about his sexuality. From that point on, they wanted nothing to do with him.

“It was hard to even get to the point [where] I could think about talking about it with others, so it was a major setback,” he said. “[It] made me truly feel that I was doing something wrong.”

But when he got to Community, things were different.

“Even to this day, I still hide my true identity from my family,” he said.

“But for me, seeing others so open and expressive about who they felt they were was absolutely liberating.”

DeVee feels liberated in another respect as well– his attire. DeVee likes to wear as many bright colors as possible, some days even dressing in pink and green from head to toe.

Not only has Community embraced DeVee, but DeVee has embraced Community. He is a frequenter of multiple fundraisers, plays and other events for the school. In the past four years, he has raised a total of $4,200 on his own for the school’s annual Food Gatherers fundraisers.

Steve Coron, DeVee’s forum leader remembers the day that DeVee came to him with a $900 check in hand for the fundraiser. When Coron asked

him how he collected the money, he simply replied, “I just asked people. I went door-to-door.”

“He has this ability to connect with people,” Coron said.

Coron adds that on top of DeVee’s philanthropic pursuits, he has everyone’s best interest in mind.

“He’s got a really big heart,” Coron said. “He’s always thinking, ‘What’s the right thing to do?’”

DeVee said this is easy to do when you’re a part of a community.

“This school has showed me that we all really have a purpose to be together,” he said. “That no matter how different we may seem from one another, we all have reasons to get together and help each other.”

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forced laborsexual sex slavery forced labor slaverypros prostitution entertainment sweatshop commercial exploitation debt bondage sexual exploitation forced marriage stranger friend family local trans-national surrogacy force fraud psychological coercion domestic servitude human trafficking organ removal implantation or manipulation deception abuse migrant smuggling child labor child pornography illicit international adoption child soldiers brothel bonded labor manufac-

s stn aer nyc ror e or rs c-

feature.

human trafficking in michigan. eva rosenfeld

It was nighttime in Lansing, Mich. Clara’s, a local restaurant built into the historic Michigan Central Railroad Depot, was quiet on Michigan Ave. Down the street, tenyear-old Christina Linguidi climbed down a fire escape.

Linguidi’s parents met when her mother was 14 and her father in his late 20s, a soldier. He picked her up hitchhiking and she got pregnant with Linguidi soon after. They were married when she was 16. Growing up in that home, Linguidi was sexually assaulted by her father and her male babysitter, and eventually put into foster care.

The foster home turned out to also be an abusive environment. At ten, Linguidi ran away with her foster siblings. It turned out that they were going to the home of her 16-year-old foster sister’s pimp.

She was prostituted out by him until she escaped down a fire escape. She was then placed into a new foster home. There, her foster mother’s girlfriend sold her to a male relative, whose house she was sent to every day. Once again, Linguidi was sold into trafficking.

Finally, when Linguidi was 16, she moved to Vista Maria, a Social Services organization in Dearborn Heights, Mich. From there she went on to college and began speaking out about her experiences as a victim of human trafficking. She has also worked with various organization to combat human trafficking and is writing a book about her experiences.

“I know I can’t change what happened to me, but I can change it happening to somebody else, so it’s given me a passion,” Linguidi said.

Linguidi worries that the foster care system is very susceptible to abuse and human trafficking because of the prevalence of high-risk children who are already vulnerable. She experienced this firsthand.

“I was exposed to that stuff at a very young age, so I didn’t have any red flag sign of what was normal or what wasn’t normal,” she said. She also pointed out that when people who have already been emotionally traumatized, traffickers play on their vulnerability.

“Oh, I understand. I’m gonna protect you.

I’m gonna help you,” she said. “You think this person loves you, and it’s not till you defy them that you realize [they don’t], but then you still go back to them because they’re still taking care of you, giving you clothes. It’s like a family.”

Linguidi’s foster sister fell into this pattern with her pimp.

“She didn’t look at it as being trafficked,” Linguidi said. “She looked at it as he took care of her. He bought her things -- jewelry and purses and clothes -- she was brainwashed and didn’t see the truth of what was happening.”

Linguidi also had friends in the foster care system who were be-

ing trafficked. Many ended up pregnant or falling into cycles of abusive relationships into adulthood. While Linguidi speaks out about her past, many of her friends have chosen to leave it behind.

For people going through human trafficking now, Linguini offered this message: “I think you need to believe that these people don’t have what’s best for you. It’s easy to find love in the wrong places. You need to seek help. Learn the red flags of an abusive relationship and that if someone hurts you they’re going to continuously hurt you.”

Although today Linguidi has found a support system in her church, throughout her

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“You need to believe that these people don’t have what’s best for you. It’s easy to find love in the wrong places. You need to seek help. Learn the red flags of an abusive relationship and that if someone hurts you they’re going to continuously hurt you.” youth she had no one to check in on her. “[If] somebody was on my side and didn’t just look at me as a troubled foster care kid, if they looked at the whole situation of my background and what I’d come from, I think it would have been different,” she said. But in her experience, law enforcement and social services were overwhelmed.

“My caseworker had probably 40 cases on her caseload. She’s supposed to have 20,” she said. “I even had a caseworker tell me later, ‘I knew things were wrong but [my] hands were tied.’”

There are, however, efforts in Michigan that work to provide more services to victims of human trafficking. The Human Trafficking Clinic at the University of Michigan Law School provides legal support to victims of human trafficking.

It was founded in 2009 and is the only human trafficking clinic in the county.

Students in the program, along with a partner and an adult supervisor, provide services to several clients over the course of a semester. Clients come to the clinic through many different routes. One is the Polaris Project, a national organization with a human trafficking hotline which people can call at any time to be fielded to a place to get services. Some find out about the clinic on their own, or

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by googling terms or things that are happening to them, and human trafficking comes up. Sometimes law enforcement might refer them to the clinic.

The clinic has dozens clients with a wide variety of needs. Human trafficking is divided into two subsections: labor trafficking and sex trafficking.

“The term human trafficking is a legal term that the federal government uses to identify somebody as a victim, and then they get many services through their victimization,” said Toce, a law student working in the clinic. “And then also there’s a criminal aspect to criminalize the act of enslaving somebody and being a human trafficker, so they can be prosecuted by the federal government as well, the traffickers or pimps or bosses. Our clients really range from the most obvious sex trafficking story that you hear.

Young naïve girl comes to a new city and maybe starts dancing or stripping in some places. Someone tells them, you could make more money doing this, and then quickly she’s either brought somewhere else or isolated from her family.”

According to Toce, many people don’t think of Michigan as a hub of trafficking.

“But it’s a border state, which a lot of people forget about, and Detroit is kind of a city with less than optimal oppor-

tunities for somebody, which frequently push people who are already at the margins further out,” she said.

Linguidi echoed this sentiment, noting that another vulnerable group is homeless women and youth and LGBT youth, people who are already socially marginalized.

“Most people can’t imagine that it’s happening in Ann Arbor, or Lansing,” Linguidi said. “People don’t want to see it. If you see it you can’t stand for the injustice, and so it’s easier to turn a blind eye and say, there’s no way that’s happening in my city. It’s also easy to see it as happening in other countries, but not in America.”

The clinic serves victims of sex trafficking who, like Linguidi, have been forced to prostitute themselves in Michigan or around the country. To be legally classified as a victim of sex trafficking, Toce explained, “you have to be obtained, harbored, procured and a few other things, through the use of force, fraud or coercion. And that’s kind of an important key because it take the voluntariness out of it and somebody has to force you, but it doesn’t have to be physical abuse. It can be all different types of intimidation tactics that people use for the purpose of slavery or peonage or death bondage.”

“Most people can’t imagine that it’s happening in Ann Arbor, or Lansing. People don’t want to see it. If you see it you can’t stand for the injustice, and so it’s easier to turn a blind eye and say, there’s no way that’s happening in my city.”

Many of the clients in the clinic are victims of labor trafficking, which takes many different shapes. These people are frequently foreign nationals, many of whom are duped into coming to the US by fraudulent promises of getting a visa or a job. Many of these people have put a lot of money into traveling to the US, and when they arrive are exploited for labor.

“There are a lot of clients from India, a lot from Togo, a small country in Africa,” Toce said. “We have a lot of girls who were found forced to hair-braid for 17 hours on end and they were kept in this house and secluded for years and years and years. It’s a lot of visa manipulation and promises that if you come here we’ll pay you, we’ll house you, we’ll set you up.

It’ll be great, you’ll have a job. They arrive and they’ll be living in the back of a store with bugs and its disgusting. Especially if you’re here illegally, a lot of victims easily fall prey to an idea that there’s no help for them, no resource, and they feel indebted in a lot of ways - not even angry at their situation, but, how will they pay off the money that supposedly they owe to the person who brought them here?

Unfamiliarity with the way that our law enforcement works, unfamiliarity with the way that or visa system and immigration work, and then they find that they’ve

been here for five years working endless hours but they don’t have legal status here and they have made no money because they’re not getting paid.”

Many people come from well-to-do families in another country and come to the US to find a better life.

They want to fulfill the American dream,” Toce said. “Many don’t identify as being victims, and then once you’re called a victim, there’s a lot of shame that can come with that: how was I so stupid to let this happen to me? How did I not think better? When, in reality, when you have a dream it’s easy to put blinders on and not see what’s really happening.

And the tactics that people use to coerce people are extremely subtle and very well thought-out. Some people think that this is just the way that it is in America, or this is just how my life is going to be.”

“One of my clients, a couple, thought, no, we’re not victims of human trafficking, that’s for girls from Russia who are prostituted,” said Toce. “We think of it as only one thing sometimes. They don’t realize that not only is the definition very broad, but there doesn’t need to be such a stigma about it.”

Linguidi believes that a better understanding of human trafficking is necessary not only from those experiencing it,

but from people in positions to help stop it.

“You have to have everyone on board and seeing the same thing,” she said, “especially the men in politics, seeing that trafficking is trafficking and rape is rape. You have to have them seeing that this isn’t the woman’s fault, this isn’t the girl’s fault. A kid can’t consent to this kind of thing, nor would they. There are a lot more men standing up for it now but also a lot more men who still look at it and say that woman should be prosecuted or that 16-year-old should be in trouble. And that’s not the case.”

She also emphasized that this can not be a fad issue that is quickly dismissed - it’s institutional. “[Traffickers] are making billions of dollars,” she said. “If you’re watching any pornography movie many of them have been trafficked. Men don’t think about that… Organizations, like sports organizations and fraternities are allowed to get away with things too much. It’s happening all over the place…

We need people willing to stand up and say no.”

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Evening on Lake Tomahawk in Minocqua, Wisc. at Clearwater Camp for girls.

Roy and her cabin kayak in Alaska in the summer of 2013.

32 m unic a t o r 23 t he c o m mmunica

hannah davis & isabel ratner elizabeth roy, eliza upton & hannah davis photos

W

ith my friends at camp, I know that every single one of us would do anything for each other. I’ve seen them at their worst and I’ve seen them at their best,” Elizabeth Roy said.

Roy is a senior at Community High School. For Roy, summer camp offers an environment where she feels comfortable in her skin. After attending Camp Arbutus Hayo-Went-Ha in Northern Michigan for nearly ten years, she has grown to believe that camp has given her the opportunity to discover what she is truly capable of.

Although she feels that she can be herself with her friends at home, her camp friends allow her to bring out her true self.

“When I’m in a social setting where there are other observers, there are just different ways that I act than at camp because I know that no one is going to be judging me,” Roy said. “At camp I am not worried about what people [think of me] and I am not afraid to embarrass myself.”

Amanda Macaluso is Camp Arbutus Hayo-Went-Ha’s director. She has worked on staff at camp since 1993.

Macaluso thinks one of the best things about camp friends is that they come from different cities, states, countries, and socioeconomic backgrounds. She feels that this is why camp friends are important.

“We are all on the same page at camp regardless of where you come from.” Macaluso said.

Roy sees a big difference between friends at home and friends at camp. “[At home], you definitely have more acquaintances that you’re sort of courteous with,” Roy said. Roy feels that since she is only with her camp friends for a small part of the year (two or four weeks), she tries to enjoy all of the time she has with them.

Because of the strong relationships Roy has with her camp friends, they have shown her the great qualities of true friends.

“My camp friends helped me realize what I know is a healthy relationship,”

Roy said. Roy added that being with her camp friends all the time while at camp adds to how close they are.

“With camp friends, you have to deal with them when they’re grumpy in the morning and when they’re really tired before bed,” Roy said.

Roy has been able to form some of her closest relationships with camp friends through going on long and challenging trips. She has taken many trips, but her favorite was one she took two summers ago, to Alaska. This three week excursion consists of several trips, such as seven days of kayaking and five days of backpacking.

One day in particular will stick with Roy for the rest of her life. She hiked over the Chilkoot trail, a trail that goes over

nience,” Roy said.

This positive spirit among the girls manifests not only on trips but at camp as well.

“It’s really just a place for girls to feel good about themselves and not feel like they need to be a certain way,” Roy said.

Macaluso agrees, and feels that camp is an escape for people.

“A teenager has so many social and societal pressures to conquer on a daily basis during the year,” she said. “At camp, so many of these challenges are removed, and this allows a [campers] to really be [themselves] and let [their] guard down,” said Macaluso.

Because of these circumstances, Roy has been able to discover things about herself.

“Camp was always a place for me to find myself,” Roy said.

“I [don’t] think it’s changed me in the way that it turned me into a person that I would never have been; it sort of helped me find out these things about myself that would have taken longer in life to figure out.”

Macaluso also feels that camp has done a lot for her.

“Camp [has] helped me to work better with others,” she said. “Everyone has a contribution to make and I welcome that at camp.”

Taking part in challenging trips has helped Roy figure out what she is capable of.

“I have really been able to test the strength of my character, my physical self, and my mental toughness.” she said.

“So it’s reassuring to know that I am capable of getting through this kind of stuff which helps a lot with confidence.”

Camp Arbutus Hayo-Went-Ha has always been a place where Macaluso has been able to push through adversities, and she is grateful for that opportunity.

“Camp helped me grow and mature, facing challenges head on, but enjoy the path along the way.”

“Camp was always a place for me to find myself.” the Chilkoot Pass in Alaska through the boundary ranges of the coast mountains in Alaska and Canada. Miners hiked the trail during the Klondike gold rush. It is extremely dangerous and requires a 5 a.m. start due to avalanche risk. The night before this excursion, Roy was overwhelmed with fear for the following morning. But by the end of the trek, that feeling vanished.

“When you reach the top, there’s still snow on the the mountain, and you get such an accomplished feeling.”

“It was one of the best experiences of my life,” she said.

Sometimes things don’t go quite as planned on trips. In one particular case, Roy sprained her ankle while on a canoeing trip. This required the girls on her trip to step up in place of Roy, which brought a feeling of helplessness to Roy. “I felt useless,” Roy said.

The girls were very understanding of Roy’s state and were always offering to portage for her so she could rest her ankle.

“They didn’t treat me like an inconve-

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ALONA HENIG, SENIOR name and location of camp: Tavor, Three Rivers, Mich. favorite part of camp: “I really like the community aspect and the conversations that we have there.” why they go to camp: “It’s just a really great way to spend my summer. It’s also a nice change of scenery, and I get to spend time with really great people.”

background photo sunset in alaska, during senior eliza upton’s trip in 2013.

CAMP EXPERIENCES ISAAC SCOBEY-THAL, SENIOR name and location of camp: Becket, Becket Mass. favorite part of camp: “The friends that I only see during the summer and sort of unique and wacky setting in which we get to interact. It’s an environment free from stress.” why they go to camp: “I started going because my brothers went, and I started going back because I really love the people there. I also became a leader in training and then a counselor because I really wanted to work with kids and I wanted to plan the activities the meaningful camp activities that i had done as a camper for kids in the camp.”

EMILY FISHMAN, SOPHOMORE name and location of camp: Explo, Yale University, New Haven, Conn. favorite part of camp: “Even though I am only it’s there only for three weeks of the year I get to spend it with all of my very best friends.” why they go to camp: “I started going to camp because my parents thought it would be a good thing for me to try out. I continued to go for sven more years after that because I loved the people and experiences.”

VIVIENNE BRANDT, FRESHMAN name and location of camp: Al-Gon-Quian, Burt Lake, Mich. favorite part of camp: “I am able to be whoever I want to be.” why they go to camp: “When I began going to camp, I formed really close relationships with other campers and counselors.”

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the rorschach interview. reminiscent of the rorschach test, in which participants identify what they see in an inkblot, chs students and teachers answer the question, “what is the first life experience that comes to your mind when I say _______?”

eva rosenfeld

beansprout

vegan

indigo

literature

legacy

“Jack. Jack and the Beansprout.”

-Ava Sherick

“Food co-ops.”Laurel Landrum

“Oceans, waves and beaches.”

-Rachel Felkey

“Hemingway.”

-Kevin Davis

“Magic: the “Bill.”-Kevin Gathering. It’s a Davis format.” -Chris Hoban “Hired.”

-Craig Levin

moscow

“Yum.” -Craig Levin

“Russia, I remember Ken’s World Lit class over the winter when we read a ton of Russian short stories that I had a really hard time getting into.”

-Clara Kaul

ghost “Camp.”

-Lilo Digiovanni “White sheets.

No, Halloween.”

-Jaleana Pace “Halloween, scary, dark.”

-Rachel Felkey

promise “Loyalty.”

-Jaleana Pace “Commitment.” -Lilo Digiovanni “Vows.” -Laurel Landrum

clinton

genocide “Death. We actually just talked about this in world history class.” -Jaleana Pace “I just think of sadness.” -Lilo Digiovanni “First thing that comes to mind is Armenia. Hasn’t that been in the news?” -Laurel Landrum

naive “Dumb.” -Leah Manzetti “Young.” -Laurel Landrum “Most… I feel like people think they know a lot more than they know. But really we’re all just naive.”

-Craig Levin may

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prom? frances mackercher

promposal • noun. the act of asking a special someone to prom, especially in an elaborate manner, like...

the bridge to prom sebastian iniguez and hannah chosid

“The original plan was that Taylor [Erhardt] and I were going to ask Naomi [Cutler] and Hannah to prom. Essentially we were going to canoe down the river starting at Argo, have a picnic in the park and continue to canoe down to Gallup where we were going to have a friend hang a sign from a bridge. Unfortunately once we got to Argo the people running the canoe livery decided that it was too late in the day to send us out so they didn’t let us go out from there. We had to drive back to Gallup, rent canoes there, and kind of mess around in the area. We found a nice spot and we had lunch there, a picnic that I packed. We came by the sign and of course, Louisa had gone to the wrong bridge, so that was a massive fail. We had to go around again so she could find the right bridge.” - Sebastian Iniguez

a love song

alexander wood and jessica krueger “I did my promposal on Saturday, April 25. My girlfriend, Jessica Krueger, works at Sweetwaters so I had my grandma put a rose in the tip jar when my grandma was at the farmers market. There was also a note on the rose that said to be at my house at 8 that night. When she got to the house there was a note on the door that said to sit on the seat I had set up for her on my deck. At that point I was waiting in the house, Ben Wier was hiding under the deck, and Isaac S-T was waiting on the other side of the house. Ben was waiting to set off fireworks and Isaac was holding my dog, who had Prom painted on him. When Jessica sat down on the deck I came out and sang Hero by Enrique Iglesias to her.

At the climax of the song, Ben set off the fireworks and Isaac brought out my dog. She said yes.” - Alexander Wood

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‘croc’ing it out isaac sobey-thal and louisa judge

“A friend of mine gave me the idea to use Instagram as part of the proposal. I made an account and uploaded a bunch of pictures of me and Louisa from the whole time we’d been dating. On the afternoon of the promposal I had one of her friends tell Louisa to check her follow requests, where she’d see the Instagram I had made. The last photo said “come outside” where I was standing with the sign. Basically I have these shoes (the croc slides) that everyone at school makes fun of me for, so I thought it would be funny to use them in the promposal. I got Louisa a pair and made a sign with croc puns and that was that.” -Isaac Scobey-Thal

orange you glad? ben weir and eliza upton

“We had plans to hang out so Ben picked me up from my house, and he took me to a parking garage downtown where he and his friends like to partake in the weird activity of [CONFIDENTIAL] (bunch o’ hooligans). It was a little random because it was in the middle of the day and this is usually a nighttime activity. There were a couple of other hints that I should have picked up on, but I was totally oblivious. So after we [REDACTED] we went back to his car, but before I got in he stopped at the trunk and asked me to help him get something out. When he opened up the truck, Milo Tucker-Meyer was lying in the trunk with a bag of oranges and a sign that read “Orange you glad he’s asking you to prom in such a clever way.” Milo was only wearing his underwear, socks, and a classic Milo smirk. It was really funny and surprising, but also disturbing due to the fact that Milo had been in the trunk for at least twenty minutes and I had no idea.” - Eliza Upton may

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Maddi Tease and Lukas Kruger smile for a photo.

prommy @commy sophia camp photos

Julian Stockton and Lily York share a laugh.

Ruby Lowenstein and Athena Le converse on the dance floor.

Marin Scott and Avery Pieroneck have some laughs at their table.

Robert deals blackjack.

38 t he c o m m unic a t o r

Tamya Anderson and Christina Hicks embrace outside the dance hall.

Judith DeWoskin, Dianne Dudley, and Chloe Root, the most beautiful girls at prom, pose for a picture.

Steve Coron smiles with student before busting out his moves on the dance floor.

Seamus Lynch rocks out as the students arrive.

Marcelo Salas is lifted on a chair on the outskirts of the dance floor.

Jula Heckendorn and Raven Eaddy show off their moves on the dance floor.

Drew Sisson and Ireland Van Eck take a break from the dancing.

Katy Mckay dances. may

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u p o n f r o z e “I had the whole summer to train with the team, and if I worked hard and caught up to their skill level, I could join the team in the fall.�

40 t he c o m m unic a t o r

zen water A

sophia werthmann

Disney Princess helmet and a purple snowsuit fell to the cold, hard ice. Inside was a young girl, complete with knee pads. It was the first time Ariana Gould-Tasoojy had ever skated. She was four or five years old, and had been enrolled in a basic skills learn-toskate class at the Ann Arbor Ice cube.

Gradually, Community High Junior Gould-Tasoojy worked her way up through the levels – Basic 1 through Basic 8 – and afterwards joined Hockettes, a synchronized skating team based at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube. From there, she worked her way up to the highest level the Hockettes offer, Junior. Gould-Tasoojy has been on the Hockettes for 9 years now.

From Jan. 17 to 18, her team participated in a U.S. Figure Skating funded trip to Sweden in a competition called the “Leon Lurje Trophy;” all of them representing the United States for their division. Out of the nine teams in the Junior category, the Hockettes placed fifth in the short program and fourth in the free skate, earning them with an overall score of fourth place.

Gould-Tasoojy only just recently became more serious about skating. When she didn’t make the Junior team at tryouts this past year, her coach made her a deal.

“I had the whole summer to train with the team, and if I worked hard and caught up to their skill level, I could join the team in the fall,” she said.

Thus, her priorities shifted.

“I changed my mindset to being really about the hard work and the effort, not as much like ‘I’m just here to have fun with the teammates,’” Gould-Tasoojy said.

She joined the Junior Hockettes in September. Since then, her team has been training for 14 hours a week, doing mostly on-ice training. Off-ice training includes ballet, Yoga, and strength training.

Her training routine is different, depending on the day. Saturday is the long day.

Gould-Tasoojy wakes up around the same time she does for school – 6:40 or 7:00. She slips on a pair of black stretchy pants, the team shirt, and her white team jacket. Then she molds her brown hair into a slicked back bun – complete with required hair gel. After eating breakfast, a three to four minute car ride gets her to the Ann Arbor Ice Cube. At 8:15, the Hockettes are on the ice. For the first hour, they normally work on their short program, skating to “Puttin’ on the Ritz.” The second hour is usually spent working on their free skate: “Sleeping Beauty.” Her Saturdays usually go from 8:00-4:00, with a two hour break for lunch.

Throughout the year, the team’s competition outfits and music are consistent.

The routines are improved as the year goes on; for example, the skills become more difficult. This year, “Puttin’ on the Ritz is paired with sparkly black and yellow outfits; “Sleeping Beauty” is coupled with pink dresses with a silver neckline, and tiaras on their heads – similar to that of the Disney movie.

Last year in February, the Hockettes placed third out of all Junior teams in the U.S. The top six teams from that competition were selected to be part of team U.S.A. Each one is given a different international assignment from U.S. figure skating. The Hockettes were sent to Sweden because of their performance the previous year. In the past, the team has gone to less intense competitions in Italy and Germany.

After participating in six competitions in the 2014-2015 season, the Hockettes finished with their competitive period. It ended after the team participated in the U.S. Synchronized Skating National Championships, and received third place overall for the Junior level. It took place in Rhode

Island from Feb. 25 to Feb. 28. The entire season ends after “Melody on Ice,” an annual ice show which took place at the Ann Arbor Ice cube on March 27 and 28.

In 1956, the world’s first synchronized skating team – the Hockettes – was created in the very city where the Gould-Tasoojy practices.

“I think it’s really important that the sport started in Ann Arbor,” she said.

There’s another thing that sets the team apart. This year, the Hockettes were the only team to attempt a move called the “death spiral” in competition with the entire team participating at the same time.

According to dictionary.com, a death spiral in pair skating is a dramatic movement in which the man spins his partner around him in a gradually increasing radius while he spins in place, holding the extended arm of the woman, who revolves around him on one skate with the other leg stretched out and gradually lowers herself backward until she is just above the ice surface.” However in this case, this skill is performed by pairs of two women as there are no men on the Hockettes.

Now, the sport is trying to create an event for itself in the 2018 Olympics. It will be announced this April if it has been accepted by the Olympic Committee. “If it’s gonna be in the 2018 Olympics, I want to really get serious and try to go to a college with a great team that can qualify for the Olympics,” Gould-Tasoojy said.

Gould-Tasoojy went from a Disney Princess helmet to a Disney Princess costume.

She enjoys feeling the wind in her face when she’s skating, and she likes that she can go fast. But for her, there’s one thing that stands out.

“I like skating because I’m part of a team,” she said. “We experience everything together.”

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41

BRILLIG

THE WEEKEND SUN SLOWLY SINKS AS BRILLIG OPENS FOR BUSINESS grace koepele & natalie potter debi bailey photos

A

t seven o’clock every other Saturday, Mighty Good Coffee transforms from a cozy café into a dynamic dry bar. Fairy lights are hung, candles are lit and that night’s theme of music begins to serenade those seated inside; Brillig is now alive.

The idea for the pop-up event came from Sobar, a non-alcoholic bar in Nottingham, England. Sobar features non-alcoholic drinks, food, entertainment and a safe atmosphere, all of which Brillig also possesses. Coming from a past dealing with family members being alcoholics, Brillig owner and founder Nic Sims wants to show that a good time can still happen without drugs.

“Brillig is a concept that is trying to dis-

42 t he c o mmunica t o r

rupt the classic nightlife of alcoholic bars in the community,” Sims said. “What I’m really trying to do is show that there is a way to go out and have fun and not have to include alcohol as part of the mix.”

When Sims and her husband David Myer moved to Ann Arbor 20 years ago, they vowed not to give alcohol the ability to mess with their lives and became heavily involved with the recovery community in Ann Arbor.

“The Students for Recovery group and I have become fast friends. I love them very much,” Sims said. “I love that [the students for recovery] are trying to tell a different story, that drinking is not required and there’s an alternative.”

As a unitarian-universalist, Sims wants to

make the world a better place and she believes that Brillig is going to help her do just that.

“I think recovery is very much based in service to others and getting out of our own heads, and our own stories, and our own egos and really focusing on making the world a better place,” Sims said.

Her ideal future would be to have Brillig available on a variety of college campuses for students recovering or those involved in a sober house, providing a safe space where drinking wasn’t expected like when she was in school.

“When I was in school drinking and partying was almost part of the college experience,” said Sims. “It was almost expected

Left to right clockwise: The birth of a rosemary-pomegranate soda; red and white adorn a fresh brooklyn egg cream; bananagrams joins drinks and a single candle for entertainement; newly created beverages not only complement each other in taste but in color as well.

that you had to participate in that in order to be a college student.”

The name Brillig may not mean much to the unexpecting ear, but to those who read the Jabberwocky poem by Lewis Carroll it might spark something. In short the poem is about a little boy who kills a terrifying monster called the Jabberwock. To Sims, the poem is more than just a poem.

“For me it’s very much the story of someone overcoming their own demons, their own jabberwockys,” Sims said.

“Brillig is one of the few non nonsense words in the poem and it means around four o’clock in the afternoon when you start making dinner,” said Sims. “For us it meant transitioning the café. It just made sense.”

So far Brillig has found a footing in the student population at University of Michigan, but has yet to draw in foot traffic from high school students and people from the community.

“I’m trying to figure out what works, what’s sustainable and what people respond to,” Sims said. “It’s been a huge experience for me and a bit emotional. I’m very overwhelmed by the positive response. The fact that you want to talk to me about this — it’s a big deal.” Sims said. “So I’m very humbled and overwhelmed by the nerve that we seem to have touched.”

Presently Sim’s vision is self funded, but she hopes the future holds help from a financial partner and adds new aspects to the

business.

Although there are already a handful of hot hangouts in the city, Sims hopes that Brillig will eventually become another favorite of Ann Arbor teens.

SCAN THIS BAR CODE TO VISIT THE BRILLIG WEBSITE FOR EVENT INFORMATION.

may

43

sotd awards (song of the day)

most underrated artist:

song most likely to make the sun come out and dance with you:

run the jewels

“homegrown”-zac brown band

Unless you’re an avid hip-hop fan, you’ve probably never heard of el-p or Killer Mike. But this duo has something to say, and they’ll speak their mind whether or not you care to listen, So I suggest you pay attention. However, if you are an aficionado of all things hip-hop, you would know that that their most recent album “Run the Jewels 2” was rated the #1 album of 2014 by pitchfork, and the #12 by Okayplayer.

Country music is summer music, which is great.

Unfortunately, country music also tends to be the music of unintelligent lyrics, unintelligible singers and unimpressive musicianship. Zac Brown and his band of merry musicians have captured all the entertaining and endearing aspects of country music, plus a plethora of pop influences and pretty melodies.

Throw in a little southern twang, and you’ve got one of the most complete groups in the industry today.

in-the-feels award:

most overrated:

“only one”-kanye west

juicy j

In any other year, Drake (A.K.A Drizzy A.K.A Heartbreak Drake A.K.A Drake Griffin A.K.A Drizzy Hendrix A.K.A Jimmy Brooks A.K.A Dr. Rappers-have-emotions-too A.K.A Drake-o Malfoy A.K.A Aubrey Graham A.K.A Captain Canada) would have taken this award in a heartbeat. This year though, Kanye West decided to venture into the vast and unknown terrain commonly referred to as “the feels”, and he beat Drake on his own turf. The musical boundaries of Kanye West are still yet to be found, as he proved with this song.

Being recognized as a terrible rapper is difficult these days. Some of the most popular rappers today have terrible flow, ignorant lyrics and an IQ slightly above single digits. But Juicy J takes the cake as the worst of these mc’s. With the rhythmic capabilities of an octopus mixed with the vocabulary and lyricism of a four-year-old, Juicy is an egregious example of rap music.

44 t he c o m m unic a t o r

extravaganza joel appel-kraut & erez dessel

album of the year:

most likeable artist:

You’re Dead!

Action Bronson

Flying Lotus is a musical mastermind. Arguably the most creative mainstream musician ever, FlyLo is all over the music industry, whether you notice or not.

But, after working with Kendrick Lamar, Chance the Rapper and every other rapper you love, the production prodigy decided to step out of the backstage darkness, away from the soundboards and drum machines, and into the spotlight. You’re Dead is truly a complete album, and shows that this bad-ass beat-maker may have found the jazz, hip-hop, electronic and IDM (intelligence Dance Music) balance that so many producers strive to achieve.

A professional chef turned rapper, this massive albanian man with a massive albanian beard speaks six languages, runs a cooking show called “F**k, that’s delicious,” and released the fantastic studio album “Mr. Wonderful” in March. What’s not to like?

most ignorent rapper whom you the “welcome back” artist award: should listen to while doing d’angelo ignorent things:

OG MACO

15 years is a long time. 15 years ago, there were only four Harry Potter books. 15 years ago, there was no such thing as an iPhone. 15 years ago, all Beyoncé wanted was for someone to say her name. And it has been 15 years since we heard from the father We all do things that we probably shouldn’t someof modern soul, D’Angelo. And yet, in biblical fashtimes. Every once in a while, they’re for the greater good, and there are times when we do them unknow- ion, the modern-day messiah has returned again, and the world is a better place. His third and most ingly. But most of the time, it’s just stupid, unintelligent, ignorant, dense, foolish, dull-witted, slow, sim- recent studio album, “Black Messiah, ” is filled with pleminded, vacuous, vapid, idiotic, imbecilic, obtuse, the beautiful overlaying harmonies that have always made D’angelo such a profound musician. The vocal doltish behavior. So next time you’re about to do something that fits into one of those categories, listen virtuoso has made a welcome return to the music industry, and we hope he’ll be here for a while. to OG Maco, and then do it anyway.

may

45

history of forum

hannah rubenstein ada banks photo

W

hen Community High School first opened its doors in 1972, forum, an earmark of the school’s unique system of education, took place every day for almost two hours each day. This is a far cry from the modern, biweekly meetings that last about an hour at most.

In the first few years of Community’s history, the hours dedicated to forum would include one or two of each student’s classes.

For example, if a forum leader was a Science teacher who had a minor in English, the students in that forum would take English and Science with that teacher during the allotted forum time.

This system of forum didn’t last long, and by the time Mike Mouradian, who taught at Community for about 35 years, arrived at the school in 1975, it was already evolving.

Forum already met for slightly shorter periods of time.

“Forum just progressed over time,” Mouradian said. “It became an hour, and then it became an hour rotating through the schedule; one month it would be 1st hour, then 2nd hour, [etc.] Then it became once a week, and by the 80s it had shrunk down to about 15 minutes during lunch.”

Despite the cutbacks to meeting times allotted for forum, it remained an important class for students and staff. For this reason, when the idea came up to change the school to block scheduling in 1996, forum was given 8th block, the position that it continues to hold. This meant that the forum would meet at least twice a week. The length of meetings was similar to what it is today, being about an hour on Tuesdays and half-anhour on Thursdays.

When speaking about forum being given 8th block, Mouradian expressed some displeasure.

“Personally, I wanted it to be in the middle of the day,” he said. “I wanted it around lunchtime, because otherwise everyone just

46 t he c o m m unic a t o r

wants to leave early. I always had a problem that a lot of people would use it as an hour off, when it needs to be an hour on. But the way politics works is you take what you can get. I could get 8th block, I couldn’t get 4th block.”

This was not the only time that “politics” contributed to forum being altered from its original form. In the blueprint for Community High School, it is stated that “each forum consists of one teacher-counselor and twenty-two students.” Forums oftentimes had even fewer students due to under-enrollment at the school. As Community started to become a more traditional school, however, budget cuts had to be made to its many unique aspects, including forum.

While the original blueprint for the school limited forum sizes to 22, most forums today have about 27-28 students.

Judy Conger, a former dean of the school, recalled this sacrifice in adding to forum sizes that had to be made in order to keep the program alive.

“I don’t think [having this many students in each forum] is a situation anybody would’ve asked for,” Conger said. “When budget cuts happened, however, it’s a trade off. To keep forum, we added more kids so it was like a regular class.”

Forum has evolved along with the staff, student body and district standards. It has ranged in meeting times anywhere from 10 to 120 minutes a day. It has ceased to be an academic part of the students’ schedules.

Despite these changes, certain core concepts upon which forum was built have remained.

Mouradian felt that the role of forum leaders should be almost like that of another parent to their students, and that this relationship could come naturally through activities and forum bonding experiences. “[A parental role] is the role forum leaders end up taking,” he said. “To get to that role, both the student and teacher need to

create trust, and that’s what all the talking in forum is about; it is to create that relationship. That relationship gets built in the activities, so that eventually the forum leader can be that person, that significant adult [in the student’s life].”

Marci Tuzinsky, the new dean of Community, echoed this idea that a forum leader has to take on a different kind of role in their students’ lives.

“I have always equated being a forum leader to being a camp counselor,” Tuzinsky said. “There’s a certain relationship that isn’t as formal as a teacher relationship, but it’s not as informal as a peer.”

Conger believed that the bonding between the students of different grades was an indispensable part of Community’s culture.

“A core idea of forum has always been that it is multi-grade,” Conger said. “The older kids can be a role model for the younger kids and can help them be a part of things.

I think kids are nice to each other in forum, and it’s this sweet nature of kids at Community that has been preserved. Kids here are just nice, at least that’s my observation.”

Tuzinsky, as well as many current forum leaders, also believes that a core principle of forum is the fact that multiple grades are present in each class. While the growing numbers can change the dynamic, the single idea of having all four grades is what keeps forum as the unique bonding experience that it has always been.

“When freshmen and sophomores are new to the school, they feel like they haven’t had the same experiences they’ve heard other kids describe,” Tuzinsky said. “It always sounds like it was better in the good old days, but when you hear kids talk at graduation about their forum experience with their teachers and among their peers, it is still equally strong as it was before forum changed.”

what core parts of forum should be preserved in our environment of change? ed kulka

cindy haidu-banks

“I think the biggest thing is that we should get along. We should get along and enjoy each other, because I think that covers everything.”

“I would say regular meeting times are important, all four grade levels is important, and forum days in the fall and spring are important.”

steve coron

judith dewoskin

“It is important to not treat forum as a time to blow off, but to embrace the spirit of forum.

liz stern

“The multi-age relationships or bonding that can occur outside of core academics.”

“The absolute core thing is the multi-graded nature of it. It’s all about kids developing responsibility and taking leadership roles and looking out for each other. I also think it’s really important that it be a random mix of students, not just the art kids or the jazz kids.” may

47

community accomplishments

For students and staff at Community High School, the 2014-2015 school year has been an important, and in some cases life-altering, period of time. Working as a groups or as individuals, we have helped the community and earned awards and recognition. This timeline displays some of the biggest accomplishments made during this school year. hannah rubenstein

Sept. 2 - First Day of School

Nov. 8 - The Communicator won a number of awards at the National Scholastic Press Association Fall convention Nov. 25 - Community raised $7,000 for Food Gatherers, which was matched for a total donation of $14,000 Cooper Bodary, Jasmine Chang, Marianne Cowherd, Matty Hack, Scott Morton, and Adrian Stoll all made it on to the second part of the Michigan Math Prize Competition

September October Oct. 23-26 - Community Ensemble Theatre puts on William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night Oct. 18 - Mankad, Strassel and Thomas Forums raised hundreds of dollars for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

48 t he c o m m unic a t o r

November

Jan. 14 - Dance Body had its winter performance Jan. 16 - Community’s Jazz Band, Sonic Boom performed at the Detroit Auto Show Gala

January December

Dec. 16 -The first meeting of Community’s Robotics Team, Zebrotics, took place Dec. 17 - The Community High Jazz Program had its winter concert Dec. 19 - Stapleton Forum conducted an Amenities Drive for SOS Community Services Community photographers and artists, including Robin Speth, Alex Spranger, Eva Rosenfeld, and Emma Alson, placed at high ranks for various categories in the Washtenaw Teens Without Walls Art Exhibition

M

M

M a

M

M fo

F p

S M

March 6 - Marianne Cowherd competed in “Who Wants to be a Mathematician?” May 9 - Community Ensemble Theatre’s 24 Theatre edition of March 10 and 24 - Depression Awareness Group hosted a panel discussion Just Desserts March 14 - Among many awards CHS recieved at the Western Jazz Invitation- May 11 - The Community’s Jazz al Aidan Wada-Dawson was named the top soloist Program had its spring concert at the Ark March 19-22 - CET put on Monty Python’s Spamalot March 28 - The Community High School Mock Trial B Team came in fourth place at the state competition and the A Team came in first place Frances MacKercher won 3rd place in the Allen Creek Greenway competition Scott Morton placed in the top 100 students in the 2014-15 Michigan Mathematics Prize Competition

March

February

Feb. 25 - The first meeting of Community’s Pop A Cappella group took place Feb. 28 - The Community High School Mock Trial A Team won the regional competition and the B Team came in second place Adrian Stoll qualified to take the American Invitational Mathematics Exam

April

May 14-16 - The Mock Trial A Team competed at the national competition in North Carolina May 21 - Dance Body had its spring performance

May

April 2 - Clara Kaul, Carson Borberly, Jacob Johnson, Alice Held, Eleanor Olson, Isaac Scobey-Thal and Eve Zikmund-Fisher competed in the Ann Arbor Poety Slam city finals. Kaul, Olson, and Borberly will be competing in the National Poety Slam team.

April 18 - The online Communicator won an Online Pacemaker award April 21 - The Communicator won a total of 55 awards at the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association conference, including Spartan awards for both the print and online editions, the highest award in the state for high school publications. Madeline Halpert was also named the Top Journalist in Reporting and Writing in Michigan.

April 22 - Forums participated in the annual Garlic Mustard Pull

April 26 - In a One Pause Poetry contest, Audrey Jeffords, Isaac Scobey-Thal and Danny Frieband took first, second and third place, respectively may 49

presidential ca nd ida te s kelly arnold

a look at a few of the faces you’ll see

Ted Cruz Republican United States Senator Ted Cruz handpicked the audience he announced his presidency to on March 25: the entire student body of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty, the world’s largest christian institution of higher education, was started by the late Jerry Falwell, a televangelist, in 1971. Nowadays, the campus is still fervent with the Christian morals that Cruz embraces. Attendance was mandatory for students, the lack of which resulted in a $10 fine. While many students were irked by an obligatory seat in the crowd, Cruz needed to reign in as many of his “troops” as possible, and thus created a patriotic and buzzing scene, the waving of American flags and the hum of youth present in the audience.

Cruz’s announcement of his presidential run at Liberty was a tactful decision in a myriad of ways. According to an article written in the Washington Post, the social conservative youth vote is one that each Republican candidate is desperately vying for. And by beginning his road

to the White House at Liberty, Cruz has made the biggest attempt of any other current candidate.

Cruz already has an edge in one demographic of voters: immigrants. His father, Rafael Cruz, fled to the United States after enduring torture as a member of Fidel Castro’s guerilla groups fighting against Fulgencio Batista’s regime. He arrived in the United States in 1957, at the age of 18. In 2005, he became a naturalized citizen.

While the elder Cruz has made several insensitive comments in the past few years (in a recent speech he mentioned that President Obama should “return to Kenya”), he’s become somewhat of a GOP rockstar, gaining the praise of personalities like Rush Limbaugh.

Cruz’s main goals as listed on his Cruz for President website include adhering to constitutional rights and laws, creating a safer and stronger national presence, growing job opportunities, and supporting both prolife and anti-gay initiatives.

as the country prepares for next year’s presidential election

Rand Paul

Hillary Clinton

Republican United States Senator

Democrat Former Secretary of State

At first glance, Rand Paul’s presidential candidacy webpage closely resembles a sleek car advertisement. The logo his campaign has chosen is simple, his first name adorned with a lit flame atop, in a sleek italic form.

As soon as the main screen loads, the viewer is hit with a fast-paced video, showcasing Paul’s speaking and interacting with potential voters, intertwined with several patriotic images such as the Statue of Liberty and a screenshot of the Constitution.

And at first glance of his Issues tab, you’ll see he’s got a lot of them.

Not that Paul has a lot of issues. He was a physician for 18 years before entering the political world, before he decided to “shake things up and make a difference” according to his website. But let’s just say his move to Washington (currently as a senator) wasn’t totally unexpected.

Rand Paul’s father just so happens to be Ron Paul, former Republican presidential candi-

date, even as recent as the 2012 election. The father-son similarities are quite striking. Both attended Duke Medical School to become physicians before entering the political world on a national level. Now both have run for president.

While Ron was never successful in his runs, this is Rand’s first time running, and voters will see if he’s learned anything from his good ol’ pops.

Even though Paul is running for the Republican ticket, he often criticizes his own party as much as he does President Obama. He recently told young voters that “what you do on your phone is none of the government’s goddamn business”.

His priorities if elected include tackling national debt, shortening term limits of certain politicians, cutting the taxes for all, and auditing the Federal Reserve, to name a few.

Yes, she’s back. The infamous Hillary Clinton has seen the bright lights of the political sphere shine on her and her family for decades now. This woman has been there and done that, to say the least. Her first political position was assigned to her in 1979, when her husband Bill became governor of Arkansas and she became First Lady. Since that day over 30 years ago, Clinton has enjoyed positions such as First Lady of the United States, senator from New York, and most recently as United States Secretary of State.

As of May 7, Clinton is one of only two democratic nominees (Bernie Sanders, United States Senator), and as such is receiving much criticism and critique. With President Obama’s sinking popularity and the democrats losing ground in the midterm elections, the expectations for Clinton are sky high. The left-leaning members of D.C. are hoping she’ll discuss

issues such as the wage gap, job training, and college affordability.

Some believe that Clinton and her family’s political hierarchy has lasted too long, and that she stands no chance in the face of several controversies she’s engaged in recently, including owning a private email while serving as Secretary of State. And yet, she continues to have a large financial advantage and almost universal Democratic support. Along with almost 100% name recognition and overwhelming support of working-class women nationwide, it’ll be interesting to see what the months leading up to November 2016 have in store.

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parental misguidance the war on coaching jacob johnson

grace koeple illustration

52 t he c o m m unic a t o r

O

n competitive high school sports teams, it happens all the time – a coach makes a call that upsets a parent in the stands, and that parent makes their displeasure known to everyone within earshot of their profane shouting. Sometimes, this displeasure is sent en masse via email for all the other athletes and parents to see. Sometimes, it means going so far as relentlessly contacting school officials with incessant calls and complaints in an effort to get a particular coach fired.

Even successful coaches, with a long legacy of victories behind them, are not exempt. Whatever the case, negative parental influence has become an epidemic in high school sports, and every day, more cases of rude, offensive, and detrimental behavior by high school parents surface. It would be easy to blame the added pressure of increased competition in college athletics and the scholarships they offer for this shift in behavior. However, this in no way excuses the actions of parents who will go to great lengths to attack coaches, often over something as trivial as playing time, or a disagreement in a particular coaching method. This, in itself, distracts coaches and athletes from the single most important aspect of any team sport: the team itself.

Don Sleeman, 76, has been the men’s cross-country coach at Pioneer High School for the past 47 years. In that time, he has coached five state championship teams, along with five additional state champion runner-up teams. In 2009, he was selected as National Coach of the Year in Cross Country by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association. Even with his outstanding record and half-century legacy of athletic and academic performance, Sleeman has still experienced the change in parental attitudes towards coaches firsthand.

“Eras change,” Sleeman said. “And people’s points of view change with those eras. In the so-called ‘good old days,’ I think people recognized boundaries better – in the sense that it was just an understood thing. Coaches coached. Parents were parents.”

Now, it is difficult to find a high school coach – successful or not– that has not had to deal with unhappy parents, which is a significant change from previous decades. Of course, it isn’t only coaches that are affected by this. Referees, umpires and even other athletes have all had to deal with parents overstepping their invisible boundaries.

“I’ve seen parents go up and confront officials, right in the middle of competition,” Sleeman said. “They have no business doing that.

The athlete has no business doing that, let alone the parent.”

“When kids are at practice, or with the team, I think the parents have to stay away,” said Alex Wood, a Community senior on the Skyline lacrosse team. “They shouldn’t be walking on the sidelines, or yelling out coaching advice from the stands.”

But the boundary for what is acceptable behavior by a parent and what is not is never black and white. On many teams, parents serve prominent roles, through planning, fundraising and even assistant coaching. Sometimes, the line can be blurred.

“We had one incident where a parent sort of lashed out at the players in an email that was also sent to the parents,” Wood said.

“It was sent with the intention of being a wake-up call … we were all thinking what he said in the email, but I was surprised that he thought that he could do that- thought that was within his boundaries.”

Recently, there have been calls to try to regulate parental behavior in games and at practices, but as Steve Dedoes, 55, a longtime basketball coach at both youth and collegiate levels, points out, such a regulation would be difficult to make.

“You know when someone’s crossed the line,” Dedoes said. “But what can you encode as a formal policy? Parents are very clever about pushing up against those boundaries.”

On top of this, in many sports and especially on travel teams,

parents are now required to make huge investments in terms of both time and money for their children. These investments might include buying equipment, paying team expenses, or providing transportation to games that are often hours of driving away. With such a large commitment, parents are linked much more closely to their child’s teams than in the past.

“Parents’ lives can often be dictated by high school sports,” said one parent, who preferred to remain anonymous. “To think that they should be on the sidelines and have nothing to say? It’s a hard sell.”

“If you try to establish boundaries, it tends to get argumentative.

‘What do you mean?’ ‘I have the right!’, et cetera,” Sleeman said.

“I’ve never had the mentality of writing down every set of rules. You get into this situation where, in advance, you’re trying to manage every possible set of circumstances.”

Such issues can distract coaches from their main focus, namely, coaching. Instead of concentrating on coaching their team, they are forced to either deal with the concerns of parents, or find ways to avoid conflict altogether.

“I heard about another coach in Ann Arbor,” Sleeman said. “His solution was to not talk to the parents at all. He has his wife talk to them. He wouldn’t even answer emails.”

“You get very gun shy around parents, no doubt about it,” Dedoes said. “You develop tactics to not make yourself a target. If a parent is upset with me, I try to disengage myself from that parent and strengthen my relationship with the kid.”

But the greatest amount of damage that “helicopter-parenting” is doing is not to the coaches, but to the team itself, by lessening the importance of an overall team, and emphasizing the importance of a specific individual. By each individual focusing on their own goals and own image – whether they a pursuing college athletics or not – there is a disconnect among the players.

“I think that there’s less of a team focus overall, even in those sports that are seen more as a team, like basketball, football or baseball,” Sleeman said. Even then, you get the hotshots. For example, if the team wins, it’s because of the point-guard, the quarterback, or the pitcher.”

That isn’t to say that team spirit has been lost altogether, but that if parents, coaches, and athletes could find a civil, effective and non-intrusive way to work together, there could be a great benefit to team cohesion and attitude.

“After one of our meets, all of a sudden, the entire team got off the bus and took a group picture together,” Sleeman said. “Right then, they saw themselves as a team. It can happen, not that it doesn’t happen at all, but I’d like to see that happen more.”

“It’s in the nature of sports to have adrenaline, both for the players and for the spectators,” the anonymous parent said. “Sometimes, that adrenaline takes over. Parents feel helpless, and they lose it.”

When adrenaline does take over– in a situation that may not call for it– it is the responsibility of other parents, athletes, athletic directors, and in some cases, principals, to alleviate the situation, rather than allowing it to continue to escalate out of proportion. Of course, there are times when a coach truly is out of line, and parental intervention is justified. However, those situations are few and far between, and dramatically less common than the sheer amount of parental complaints would suggest. Coaches or athletic directors should be required to listen to, but not indulge parents when their behavior is out of line.

“It’s inevitable that parents are going to want to be involved,” Wood said. “Which makes it more important for coaches to know how to handle that, and for parents to conduct themselves in a reasonable and professional manner.” may

53

54 t he c o m m unic a t o r

grace koepele

essentials: summer lovin’ skin

spot treatment

Spot treatment is a a great product for tackling those pesky pimples that pop up overnight (or sometimes in the middle of the day). Apply it before bed for optimal results.

(Tea tree oil is a great spot treatment that is also economically friendly.)

night cream

Believe it or not, there is a difference between moisturizers for bedtime, and ones for use throughout the day. Night creams tend to be heavier and skin takes a bit longer to absorb them. If you have very dry skin, a thicker cream would be best. If you have more oily skin, a lighter cream will work wonders.

body lotion

Say goodbye to scratchy skin and hello to luscious legs (and the rest of your body) with body lotion. Your epidermis will love you and you will love yourself. feel comfortable in your own skin and happy with yourself.

hand salve

This beeswax and oil -based alternative to lotion is a great midday moisturizer for hands and feet. Normally sold in a pocket -sized container, salve is a wonderful product for people constantly on-the-go.

sugar scrub

when your acne seems to be getting a bit stubborn and/or your skin is starting to mimic the Sahara Desert, sugar scrub is a fabulous addition to your skin product friend group. It cleans as well as moisturizes, and doesn’t strip your skin of its essential oils.

moisturizer

quench your pores’ thirst with a nice, thin moisturizer every morning.

Your face will feel fresh, your soul will feel complete.

gel face wash

Gel face washes tend to be more gentle on skin and battle acne as well as redness for an even skin tone and a soft complexion. The best gel may 55 washes are usually oil-free and sensitive on skin.

letter home

alumni give advice for current seniors: where they are now and what they’ve learned there madeline halpert

laura waltje

current city of residence: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates currently: studying theater and literature at NYU advice: Roll with the punches. It sounds clichĂŠ but if you trust that things will work out (and work really hard) things generally turn out okay, or even better than you could have imagined.

rachelle mehdi

current city of residence: Ann Arbor, Mich. currently: studying sociology and international studies at the University of Michigan advice: Take the time to really learn another language. It will help you no matter what you want to do with your life.

kayla stoler

56 t he c o mmuni c a t o r

current city of residence: San Francisco, California currently: 5th grade teacher advice: Community High School students are expected to be self-motivated and proactive. CHS kids learn to be their own agents of change and to seek out opportunities. These skills will be absolutely invaluable- in high school, in college and in the real world. They helped me to find my dream job in the best city ever.

ruth facer

current city of residence: San Francisco currently: senior director at Zillow advice: If you’re going to college out of state, prepare for sudden moments of crippling homesickness. The trigger could be anything from wanting a hug from your mom to craving a Zingerman’s sandwichThere is nothing wrong with missing home but don’t let it throw you off your game.

luke king

current city of residence: Fort Benning, Georgia currently: Army Captain and Staff Officer advice: Find your passion, devote yourself to that passion. Do not let others tell you that your passion doesn’t make sense, won’t bear fruit, isn’t reasonable. Push yourself and earn it. If it fails, dust yourself off and try again.

mari cohen

current city of residence: Chicago, Illinois currently: studying at the University of Chicago advice: If you go to college, resist the urge to blame yourself if things don’t go as planned or if you go through a rough patch. College is awesome in many ways, but it still can take time to adjust to a new social and academic environment, and that’s so okay.

sofi st john

current city of residence: Thousand Oaks, California currently: English Major at California Lutheran University advice: Set aside time for extracurriculars. Grades matter, however, extracurriculars are great for broadening your horizons and getting you interested in things you may never have considered.

may

57

summer hannah tschirhart

what to listen to

s unds

when to listen

The Girl From Impanema- Astro Guilberto

how to listen

in an elevator in the Bahamas

If you want to hear the playlist:

Hungover Pixie Dreamgirl- The Euphorics

walking wiith yourself in the morning

1. download a QR code scanner on your smartphone

The Look- Metronomy

longbaording

2. take a picture of the code below

The Light- Common

driving to get ice cream

Take it as it Comes- The Vivian Girls

talking some sense into a dear friend

3. your phone will open the spotify app to the songs

The Cigarette Duet- Princess Chelsea

drinking lemonade with ice

The Only Place- Best Coast

an early morning shower

Lovely Day- Bill Wathers

drinking a smoothie with a loved one

Little Red Corvette- Prince

driving in your convertable

Rich Girl- Hall and Oates

looking at flowers

Play That Funky Music White Boy- Wild Cherry

at your patio dinner party

Little Wing- Jimi Hendrix

dancing with all the windows open

You Make Me Feel Like Dancing- Leo Saver

serenading your love

Get Down on It- Kool and the Gang

setting the table

House of the Rising Sun- The Animals

at the crack of dawn

Funny Little Frog- Belle and Sebastian

laying in the sun

Fly Like an Eagle- Steve Miller Band

disc golfing

Latino & Proud- DJ Raff

when you’re having dinner with your best friend

4. plug in your earbuds 5. have a listen

in my room: elle gallagher hannah tschirhart

“I made these quote signs after a difficult time. It is helpful to have a daily reminder of meaningful phrases.”

“I used to wear crazy headbands all the time and I wanted a cool way to display them, so my mom bought me this wooden bust sculpture in Florida.”

“I do my homework and random crafting things on my desk.”

“My mom sent me these at camp (they are elle rocks!).”

“I am named after the magazine so when I was born my mom got these from a store that was going out of business.”

may

59

fashion.

JOE RIESTERER Joe Riesterer, junior at Community High, sports a layered look and chooses his colors well (top left & bottom right)

TRACY ANDERSON Tracy Anderson, beloved teacher at Community High, twists up her hair to highlight her glowing eyes brought out by the sea foam green scarf (bottom left & top right)

By Hannah Tschirhart and Sophia Simon

fashion.

KAIYA WOLFF

blue burton hat sam’s

$12

“I love that you can kind of project your personality into an outfit. It’s fun and it’s cool.”

tie dye shirt brother’s closet

$12 high rise pants american eagle

DRAW FROM HER LOOK • darker colors complimented with the light feel of the tie dye • the boots pull the look together creating an earthy vibe

$20 brown doc martens online

$160 WORD ON THE STREET GET READY FOR WARMTH

GET RID OF THE COLD

sandals slip them on quick and easy and all day your feet will feel free and breezy

scarves no need for trying to keep the cold out, throw these babies in a bin and move it to the basement

t-shirts pull on a t-shirt and wear it with shorts, skirts, or jorts visors look hip and prevent sunburn on that beautiful face of yours

long underwear now that you’ll be wearing shorts, pack these away too winter jackets it’s too hot fo da shi

advice.

letter from a senior caroline phillips

As my senior year draws to a close, and after many months of constantly thinking of looking ahead, I look back and reflect on what I wish I knew when I was entering this final year of high school. Senior year is known for being the best and most fun of all the years in high school. I would not disagree; senior year is filled with excitement, fun and in general just not giving a crap. However, a lot of people do not acknowledge all the hard things that do go down senior year, things that I was not prepared for.

So, I would like to provide all of you with a list of tips, and things that I did not expect out of senior year, and mistakes that I made.

Hopefully you can remember these and keep them close to you when your time arrives as a senior. Or ignore them, I mean I’m just taking a gap year, feel free to reach out to some of our more successful member of our class for some real tips. (One Five!!!!) ;)

One of the most important things to do is to support each other.

Especially in the beginning, a lot people don’t say this but - the first semester of senior year is (for a lot of people) the most stressful time in all of high school. It’s tough, but the best way is stay close with your friends and always give them the encouragement and love they need. Just an extra text or cookie can really help people not feel like they are so alone, and confused, and overwhelmed. Be good listeners and always root for each other.

College essays can be hard.

These essay can be extraordinarily painful, some more than others... Most things on applications are no big deal but the essays can easily be underestimated. They are usually no more than 500 words, you get a topic you know about (yourself), and you can be creative and write in anyway you want - sounds not too bad. But what can really trip you up is the pressure you put on yourself. For me, I thought that it had to be the best, most self-defining, memorable piece of writing I have ever produced. The fact is, you will write something, it will be good enough, and you will send it in.

Please try to be happy with that and know that the essays are still, a small part of the application, and you will do yourself a favor if you can stay on track and not let the essay hold you back in a major way.

seem simple, but don’t underestimate the symptoms Give yourself rewards, 2 pieces of chocolate for each page (question) of math homework.

Try to keep the skipping to minimum.

Keep game plans for your application decisions.

Always prepare yourself - the best case scenario, if that doesn’t work, if that doesn’t, and if that doesn’t work. This will help with decisions and keep your mind from going into the ridiculous fog that may happen after all the college variables are in front of you.

If you are rejected from your dream option, I am sorry, I love you and please know the entire college system is bad. You or someone you know will get screwed and it will hurt. Chin up. You’re going (also PS. as much as you’ve built it up in your head, there are so many school out there that are just as good and will make just as happy).

The goodbyes.

I’m sure people have told you this, and you have too most likely but, I would like emphasize this again. You will not be prepared for the overwhelming sense of no motivation that hits once the senior year starts, and getting almost all your applications done early will save you so much stress.

You know that they are coming all year, but you do not realize it until it is too late. So please, cherish each other the whole way through. Realize you really will not see some of these people again.

Some people will tell you your senior year to, ‘Give a little extra wave’, or ‘start a conversation with someone new’ or ‘Finally ask that cutie in the back out to lunch ;)’ but what I will say is to love and hug the people who are close to you. These people have been with you, and this year will consist of your final memories with them that you take with you for a while. So have the best of times, don’t let the little stuff matter (it doesn’t), and maybe on a wednesday you should hangout at midnight and go searching for four-leafed clovers in the dark. Make sure you use all the love you have left up for these people.

This easily leads me to my third point: senioritis.

My last and final tip: do not stress too much.

Lots of non-seniors joke about senioritis and how they know how it feels. You don’t. Senioritis is so real and it is a combination of not caring, being stupid, being unmotivated and actually not being able to produce homework. There is no avoiding it, however I can provide you with some helpful tips to cope.

Keep a solid, kind, relationship with your teacher; they may hold your hand through the illness.

Make sure you doing something productive. Everyday. this may

My biggest mistake. Especially in the beginning, I have spent too many nights worrying about where I’ll be, who I’ll become, what the hell am I doing with my life, but the truth is, you will be ok, and you will go somewhere fantastic. It is 92% mind set. So try to keep peace within yourself and enjoy this final year here, with them, for the last time it will all be like this again.

Get ahead of the game.

62 t he c o mmunica t o r

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MICHIGAN Baker College Emma Parrow Eastern Michigan University Emilee Cameron Alex Ford Jula Heckendorn Elsie Lewis Raul Solorzano Hope College Kelly Arnold Emma Sowder Tamya Anderson Kalamazoo College Noah Thornton Gabe Warschausky Lily York Kendall College of Art and Design Mia Prochaska

66 t he c o mmunica t o r

Michigan State University Yonatan Hodish Keegan Mackin Max Mihaylov Michigan Technical University Cameron McLaren Northern Michigan University Phebe Burns Elle Gallagher Oakland University Sarae Vawter University of Detroit Mercy Phoenix Patterson University of Michigan Miranda Chambers Raven Eaddy Claire Fendrick Merideth Freiheit Alona Henig Julia Jaquery

Rose Lewis Anna Morrison Scott Morton Jeff Ohl Mitesh Patel Natalie Potter Liz Roy Griffin Roy Jesse Rubin Adrian Stoll Ireland Van Eck Ben Wier Alex Wood Lynus Zullo University of Michigan Dearborn Andreea Serban Washtenaw Community College Nate Corry...

...Robin Galler James Harkey Marius Johnson Jeremiah Joslin Ben Maciag Conor Martone Aidan McCormick Connor Melcher Avery Pieronek Marcel Price Kassiana Revious Jonathan Ruelle Liam Sabor Allison Sheldon Nick Stevens Victoria Trojan Wayne State University Stephen Brandell Juliet Gustafson Western Michigan University Cassie Gayari Bel Todoroff CALIFORNIA Stanford University Marianne Cowherd NEW YORK Barnard College Ella Steiger Cornell University Sarah Toner Marymount Manhattan College Grace Stamos IOWA Grinnell College Alec Doss INDIANA Earlham College Lydia Evans RHODE ISLAND Brown University Claire Fishman

OHIO Bowling Green State University Nylise Jones Miami University Karl Gage Wooster College Cooper Bodary Isaac Shore NORTH CAROLINA Duke University Madeline Halpert Elon University Eliza Upton VERMONT Marlboro College Marta Piper

MINNESOTA Macalester College Lydia Krienke Lucy Moran Clara Motiño St. Olaf College Lucy Fuller WISCONSIN Beloit College Lexi Schnitzer Northland College Zach Hough Solomon CONNECTICUT Wesleyan University Marcelo Salas Yale University Isaac Scobey-Thal

ILLINOIS DePaul University Hali Sturgis Oby Ugwuegbu Loyola University Chicago Jake Ressler University of Chicago Jacob Johnson

OREGON Reed College Emily Brod

MASSACHUSETTS Bentley University Anders Rasmussen Berklee College of Music Julian Stockton Boston University Aly Reynolds

GAP YEAR/TRAVEL/WORK Cody DeVee Alice Held Fiona McKillop Mari Milkie Caroline Phillips Anna Raschke Danny Villalobos

OKLAHOMA University of Oklahoma Melanie Hampton

•11 out of 118 seniors did not report •55.1% of the senior class will be attending a school in Michigan next year •5.1% of seniors reported that they would take the next year off •1 student is in the ROTC program

NEW JERSEY Rutgers University Kevin Xie

SOUTH CAROLINA Clemson University Jack Kozicz

may

67

collegeessays alona henig: university of wisconsin

“Consider something in your life you think goes unnoticed and write about why it’s important to you.”

I listen to country radio every morning on it belittled? Why are men expected to never to be a part of the community there premy drive to school. One day this fall I was feel vulnerable? Why are women the only ciseley because people are treated equally listening to the same station I always do ones who can be afraid and show it? and we, as both campers and counselors, and I heard the radio hosts talking about Unfortunately, the sexism doesn’t end feel safe. No matter one’s gender, he or getting the flu shot. They had a pharmacist there. I see it everywhere and I see its ef- she can participate in whatever activity he on air giving people at the station flu shots fects. From having to “man up” in times or she chooses and be tough or not tough and advertising the deal. Two of the radio of distress to turning to anger rather than depending on the situation at hand. Now I hosts are male and one is female. One of the showing sadness, men I know often feel know I’m a little biased because I’ve grown men on the show admitted that he hadn’t pressured to hide their vulnerabilities–sub- up with these amazing experiences, but I gotten a flu shot this year yet because he is consciously or otherwise. While men are want to bring what I’ve learned with me to scared of needles. The woman responded, sometimes seen as weak for showing emo- college.

“Oh man up! I got my flu shot–I’m more tion, women also suffer the consequencI want to build a place for people to be manly than you are!” and they laughed. es–the term “man up” isn’t only used in tough or vulnerable without an immediate I often find myself feeling agitated by regard to males. Women are often told to correlation to their gender. I want to be the ignorance in these talk shows. I won- “man up” if they want to be taken serious- made aware and help others become aware der how something so bluntly sexist and ly in a male-dominant society. So from this of the sexism and forced gender roles that old-fashioned can be aired publicly… and it’s clear that being tough is a man’s duty we have become so accustomed to, and try then I realize many people don’t notice. and if a woman is tough she is manly? I’m to fight them! I care about the society I grow Stating that this woman is manly because confused again. up and learn in, and I want to make it one she isn’t scared of getting a shot confuses I’m happy to say this isn’t the case every- that I can be proud of. I plan to bring these me. What makes her more of a man than where. Every summer for the past six years conversations to college with me and start he is because she isn’t scared? What about I’ve gone to Habonim Dror Camp Tavor ei- there. I don’t want it to go unnoticed anya man’s fear isn’t taken seriously and why is ther as a camper or a counselor. I am proud more–we need a change.

isaac scobey-thal: yale university “Reflect on something you would like us to know about you that we might not learn from the rest of your application, or on something about which you would like to say more.”

For the first fifteen years of my life, I my voice to create something beautiful. selor. The other half of my vocal confidence was very, very short. My height inevitably I have acted and sung in large venues, was learning how to listen, how to help othmarked my sense of self-worth and confi- and I enjoy the energy of performing for ers find their voice. dence. I worried that I would not become a crowd. But I am especially drawn to the This combination of voice and listening a leader, that I would lack power. But being black box theater in my school. Performers has also been present in my deepest intelshort also led me to one of the qualities I do not need microphones there; our raw, lectual experiences. During my junior year, now find most integral to my personali- imperfect voices are our vehicle and give I took part in a wonderful seminar on politty: my voice. I found a power in voice and us an intense connection with the audience ical modernism at the University of Michwords that carried me to personal traits and with each other. My confident voice igan. As we discussed Picasso and Orwell, I might not otherwise have found: confi- gave me this black-box passion, this inti- my voice allowed me to express myself and dence, integrity, and empathy. Smallness macy in performance. to learn from others in this seminar; I used was an insecurity, but it was also a fuel that While the theater allowed me to project it as an intellectual tool. pushed me to become the person and leader and own my voice, my camp counseling enOn the surface, these experiences may I am today. abled me to use it as a tool. Camp Becket seem disconnected from my being short.

This may be the reason I fell in love with has a unique nightly tradition in which the But my height pushed me to find my voice, theater: it was the first place I truly owned cabin sits down before bed, lights a candle which has been invariably linked to my my voice. From growing up in large-scale in the middle of the space, and reflects upon learning, leading, listening, and performusicals to becoming president of my a question posed by the counselor. “Cabin mance. I used to worry that my height school’s Community Ensemble Theater, the chat” must be a space of openness, where would make me powerless. I now know that stage has been a place where I experienced the group shares without fear of judgment; it is one of the qualities that has most influpower through voice. I am a singer, and I I experienced this community as a camper, enced the person I am today. found an artistic power in being able to use and I used my voice to foster it as a coun-

68 t he c o mmunica t o r

jacob johnson: university of chicago “Three litle pigs, three french hens. Create your own group of three and describe how and why they fit together.”

Omne Trium Perfectum” is an age-old saying that can be applied to a variety of groups, but sometimes, a group of threes can come together in a way that is much less than perfect. Just such “perfect imperfections”, as John Legend put it, happen to be the main subject of my recently released song Averageback. To appreciate this connection to the essay, the reader needs to listen to the attached recording (either before or while reading the essay). In Averageback, knowing absolutely nothing about fashion, my alter-ego-comedy-rapper personage Average Johnson dons three seemingly disconnected items of clothing- Crocs (paired with socks), a fedora, and a Speedo, much to the shock and amazement of his overly-sensitive high school teacher Ms. Durchschnitt. In doing so, Average unwittingly discovers a weird, geeky, and amusing union. Let’s break it down, delve deep, and see how Average is able to navigate this Bermuda Triangle of fashion in all of its strange complexity.

In the summer of 2004, Crocs descended upon an unsuspecting populace in a flurry of close-toed plastic and sandal factory nightmares. Their low price, comfort, and customization was a hit with everyone from grade schoolers to senior citizens. As time passed, however, Crocs became increasingly unpopular with the footwear community, and within two or three years, had fallen out of the limelight altogether. Nevertheless, the spark these highly-flammable shoes ignited would not be extinguished, and the footwear found a new home: the feet of those who did not care at all what the world thought of them, embracing the form-fit-

ting shoes for how they felt and nothing else. These footwear fundamentalists consider comfort the only relevant factor. For someone like Average Johnson, these shoes are the perfect attire- they accomplish the goal of fitting comfortably without the hassle of raising the expectations of others.

This allows Average to continue earning bronze medals to his heart’s content.

Unlike Crocs, the fedora predates the 20th century and harkens to a culture of keeping up appearances and respectability. From explorers, to 1920’s gangsters, to jazz musicians, these hats were considered “hip and happening”. Though their popularity eventually faded, fedoras were still iconic upon their assimilation by the record-playing, cappuccino-drinking, mainstream-breaking, comrades in counterculture- better known as Hipsters. These Hat Honchos want to use their fedoras to create a unique sense of individual identity and belonging. As Average Johnson sees it, by so many people trying so hard to not be mainstream, they end up creating the opposite effect, turning the originally unique fedora into something completely average.

In this ironic mediocrity, Average flourishes.

While Crocs and fedoras are not terribly noticeable, there is absolutely nothing subtle about the brazen nature of someone in a Speedo. Similar to the fedora, Speedo swimming trunks were popular around a century ago, but fell out of style as standards for swimming attire literally lengthened. The remnants of this time-long-past exist mostly in the bathing gear of septi and octogenarians, and to a lesser degree young

athletic enthusiasts, eager to show off their figures. Though Speedos used to refer to a single brand of swimwear, the name has grown to encompass many brands and styles. Despite controversy, Speedo-wearers remain adamant, proudly displaying their bodies without reservation. For these existential exhibitionists, clothing should display and highlight the features of the human body, and this should be shared without squeamishness. When Average Johnson wears a Speedo with his Crocs and fedora, however, the ordinarily brash attire becomes something laughable and absurd.

The different statements of all three generic pieces of clothing cancel one another out in an outfit that is terribly unique.

Though the students and staff at UChicago would not likely view an outfit consisting of Crocs, a fedora, and a Speedo as a perfectly normal choice of attire, they would not be so quick to judge as Ms. Durchschnitt is in Averageback. The most lasting impression from my visit and research on UChicago is that rather than wanting to disregard someone wearing Crocs, a fedora, a Speedo, or a combination of the three, it encourages being wacky, dressing avant-garde- because why not? In the bigger picture, the clothes we wear don’t make one bit of a difference.

What is important is that we are somewhere where we are allowed be ourselves, to be our own definition of “average”, and not that of any one else’s. When we accept this fact for ourselves, we are able to live. When the people around us accept this fact for everyone, we are able to thrive. Let Crocs, fedoras, and Speedos grow from more to more, and so be human life enriched.

raven eaddy: university of michigan “Why do you want to attend the University of Michigan?”

My mom often tells me the story of when violin. I was awful. No matter how hard I I first fell in love with music: I was three tried I was still mediocre. Now I know it years old when two artists grabbed my was because I wasn’t meant to play the viattention, BB King and James brown. I olin. One day after school I went to talk to heard their music from our television and my orchestra teacher. She had to leave the asked “Who are those Grandadies?” My room for a moment. I sat across from the mom told me and she bought tapes. My bass rack waiting for her. I looked at the mom and I would jam out to “There Ain’t basses on the rack and I had an urge to pull Nobody Here But Us Chickens” and “Get a string. I looked around to make sure my Up Offa That Thang” in the car. Those are teacher wasn’t there and pulled a string. I some of my best memories. A little bit after decided I wanted to play the bass. that My mom brought a CD for the car, At first I was awful at bass but then I and my favorite song on that CD was “Well began to be just okay. High school is when You Needn’t”, by Thelonious Monk. In the I began to really play the bass. I discovered second grade I listened to Ella Fitzgerald Jazz again, but this time I was a musician. when I was afraid to sleep at night. My faI found that I could express myself so well vorite radio station was 98.7. They played through improvisation. smooth jazz, I’m not sure what I was thinkI have grown so much musically throughing then. When I was little, I didn’t know it, out high school and I could not have but I fell in love with jazz. without the helpful students and Jazz In the sixth grade most kids tried out professors at the University of Michigan. instruments in orchestra or band. I chose When I first started playing jazz I met with

students who were taught exceptionally well and their knowledge came from the U of M program. I really wanted to get the same education that they were getting.

Currently I am working with two of the Jazz professors at the University of Michigan. When I work with them I can feel how much they care about me. I want to further my education with these wonderful people and continue to let my love of music flourish.

Being well rounded is also very important to me. I wouldn’t feel whole only majoring in music. This is why I want to be a part of LSA at U of M. I know that I’ll be very busy dual majoring but I like a challenge.

I love rigorous musical and academic environments. I know that the University of michigan will provide the environment that I crave. may

69

clara motino: common app

“Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it.”

I rounded the corner that held the blue one, but two hills in the last six miles. Af- cle and bone in my body to the limit. Who twenty-six mile flag and could barely be- ter hours of “running,” which was actually knew that extended exercise could affect all lieve what I was seeing. Just two blocks more like shuffling since it was so hard to these parts and systems in such excruciataway, at the end of the final 0.2 miles, was lift my feet, I could see the blue flag in the ing ways. a great banner marking the finish line. I distance marking the twenty-sixth mile and Prior to taking up running, I was never turned to a new friend I met around mile the almost-end of my race. While the flag drawn to sports or vigorous exercise at all. twenty and together we hobbled just a bit brought a feeble surge of energy, it also As someone who is perfectly content with faster toward the end. Just hours ago, I was brought a wave of dread as the street began studying or lounging around, it was easy to watching the sunrise from the peak of the a slow and steady incline. ignore that physical activity could be both Ambassador Bridge to Canada.

After completing twenty miles, I felt like fun and beneficial. In my sophomore year, I The tenth mile of the marathon ran I was going to fall apart. My legs were wob- committed myself to running. straight through Mexican Town in Detroit. bly, my hands were swollen, and I was hunJust two years later, I feel the positive efWith the perspiration on my body growing gry. I could almost believe that the nauseat- fects that running has had on my health and stale and pungent, the frigid October morn- ing vanilla-flavored energy ‘goo’ tasted like my body. Supplementing academics with ing air brought with it the smells of fresh the Tahitian vanilla bean gelato malt that I running has had a true energizing effect on plates of food being prepared and eaten by craved - not to mention flaky buttery-crust- my life. I feel stronger in school and healththe less sweaty. Immediately I began fanta- ed quiche made with fresh eggs and local ier than I ever thought possible. sizing about all sorts of delicious treats that famer’s market produce.

I could feel the six months of training pay I would eat after I finished. Unfortunately To distract myself from thinking about off as my legs miraculously did not give out this was a poor idea, for there still remained food, I began to focus on the anatomy of my after staggering up the hill to complete mile a whopping sixteen miles. During training, discomfort. In school, we had already cov- twenty-six. A tiny smile crept onto my face I had learned to ignore the typical side ef- ered the muscular, skeletal, and cardiovas- despite my exhaustion. What seemed like fects of long-distance runs: pain, fatigue, cular systems in great abstract detail. My just a few seconds later, I raised my arms and boredom - I had never imagined that appreciation of these systems in my own above my head and let fly a full-blown grin. fighting to ignore the wafting smells of food body and their ability to maintain power for With my aching legs, a salt-caked face, and would be necessary to stay focused. twenty-six miles continues to leave me in my mother cheering from behind the fence, Needless to say, mile ten was nowhere awe. My understanding of how the human I made it across the finish line. near the worst moment of the race. The body functions and adapts was enhanced route planners had strategically placed not by my experience of pushing every mus-

zachary hough solomon: common app

“Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it.”

At a certain point, it felt as though some an unknown ability to express my emocountry march, “The Great March For of the mystery had been stripped away tions and take leadership with strangers.

Climate Action,” which was sounding the and excitement was beginning to settle.

I learned to listen to myself, my gut, the alarm for climate action and divestment.

I linked it to the transition from youth to people around me, and the natural world.

At the end of junior year, I took the train the realm of adulthood. This evolution was The wildest thing of all was the return of to Denver, Colorado to join the march. I foreign to me, I felt unsure of what sparked mystery and fascination with what was walked 900 miles across the United States, my interest or likes. Transitioning from around me. past the world’s largest feedlot, across boyhood while adapting to the expected The deep forests beckoned, and I knew I the proposed Keystone XL pipeline route, conformity of being “cool”, left me unsure had found belonging. It pumped through miles of flattened crops from tornadoes, of my passions. So after Sophomore year, my veins and still does--an excitement Iowan highways littered with their state that summer I went to the woods in pursuit composed of passion fills me. In that time, bird, Goldfinches, and the algae bloom of a search, and returned with certainty.

I fell for the woods. consumed waters. However, the beauty I The flashing White birches, and rising All through my junior year, I still craved saw impassioned me even more. We would Eastern White Pine gave way to stoic pilthe feeling of a pack on my back and the march all day and speak with as many peolars of American Elm, American Beech and canopy of leaves above me. I began to ple as we could, from small town preachers American Chestnut; These seemed more realize a stark connection; wild lands were and corporate executives, to Aboriginal patriotic than any stars or stripes. I found being destroyed and exploited by humans, people. We protested and educated; myself understanding the flag-wavers I and I was one of those responsible. Those brought unlikely allies together in places of scorned before. I joined up with 12 other rare human sounds I heard on the A.T. faith. We asked them to give us their local Students from all over the country for a were not just irritating noises, but mining issues, and we would carry them to D.C. rugged undertaking with Outward Bound. trucks tearing up the serene beauty. Then I carried a notion that I needed to change We swept through the mountains, trekked the dots outlined a larger tumultuous my lifestyle when I returned home. After along the narrowness of the Appalachian picture: I was indirectly destroying without returning, I felt as though I had matured Trail and canoed down the wide stretchtrying, as many of us do. Being a vegetariin how I assert my opinions and beliefs, ing waters of the Androscoggin River. an and recycling did not exempt me. I was and made strides towards manhood. It The lands of Maine and New Hampshire left in a churning state from the indirect felt good to take action, but I know it was seemed wilder than any dream. It was as destruction of my daily consumption. just a first step towards what I envision. I if the mountains were formed on the back To me, the comprehensible resolution consider this translation of myself to be a of a rumbling Black Bear, skirting up each seemed clear: to stand up to the ugly truth story that is central to my identity. vertebrae of his spine. As I traversed many of our fossil fuel dependence and climate miles through the woods, I discovered change dilemma. I had heard of a cross 70 t he c o mmunica t o r

sarah toner: common app

“Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?”

“I will... in the sand with two of my birding friends, orchid petals, flat-headed Le Conte’s Spar[enjoy] the freedom admiring a trio of endangered Piping Plorows, and fluffy, bumbling Spruce Grouse ...that there is no finality of vision, vers scurrying toward us, almost running chicks. that I have perceived nothing completely, into our binoculars; I retraced the footsteps Most of the birds that pass through that tomorrow a new walk is a new walk.” of Sanderlings along the beach, mimWhitefish come for the seasonal bounty --A.R. Ammons, “Corson’s Inlet” icking their darting motion as I stepped and leave when the fall storms and winter The stark austerity of Whitefish Point back from each sweeping wash; and, on a snows arrive, but a few stay, finding opporused to scare me. I was terrified by the sunlit morning, I gazed in awe at a vagrant tunity even in the winter. Golden-crowned harsh winds of Lake Superior that lash the Northern Gannet, champion of ocean wind Kinglets feed on the larvae of the One-spotpoint; by the gnarled jack pines, stunted currents, gliding along the horizon. ted Variant moth throughout the winter, by the wind and lack of nutrients, their As I embraced Whitefish Point’s bird relying on that specific food source to heat boughs draped in eerie old man’s beard; life, I found a home in all of its habitats. their six-ounce bodies. White-winged and by the spooky grey reindeer lichen The sand dunes are undoubtedly the Crossbills pry open pine cones, unlocking dotting the undefined rock and sand trails. harshest environment, yet they provide the seeds with their unique bills. BohemiI felt far from content in this foreign envisafe harbor for many migrants. On one an Waxwings spend the winter feeding on ronment--until I held an owl. memorable day, I braved ferocious wind sparse fall berries, traveling long distances Saw-whet Owls were my ambassadors at gusts and hissing sands in order to see my to find suitable trees. Despite the harsh Whitefish Point. At the research station, first-ever Lark Sparrow, feeding placidly winter conditions, these birds have adaptI was enchanted by the eight-inch birds. on dune grasses, oblivious to the weather. ed, making their homes in an ecosystem They effortlessly rotated their turret-like In search of Spruce Grouse, I ventured into with few resources. heads, watching us intently. Occasionally, the jack pine forest and discovered that Like the birds, I have also adapted to their large eyes, bordered in eyelash-like the grey lichen and trees were awe-inspirWhitefish Point, which has become my feathers, blinked. Holding an owl, with ing and beautiful rather than scary; the favorite place on earth. Each visit offers its soft carpet of smooth feathers, made grouse strutting on the forest floor seemed new vantage points over bogs along ridges Whitefish a comforting place where I ulticontent, anyway. Moreover, I discovered of deciduous forest, chances to hone my mately became enamored of all birds. that those forests also sheltered throngs of seabird watching skills along the lakeshore, On return trips to Whitefish Point, I migrant birds that breed in nearby cedar or opportunities to kayak across calm witnessed thousands of Sandhill Cranes swamps and bogs. The swamps are calm, inland lakes. Whitefish Point is a complex, fly overhead on their way to Canada, my dark places to relax in the morning while rich place with the perfect combination of binocular field spotted with a few of the birdwatching and imagining a fantasy inspiration and contentment. It is a place ten thousand Blue Jays migrating alongworld on the muffled carpet of cedar scales. where every new walk is, indeed, a new side them; I watched a flock of rare Boreal In the bogs, on the other hand, there is no walk.

Chickadees move methodically past me need to imagine; these open, green swaths and fade off down the dune line; I lay down are alive with strange sights: convoluted

mitesh patel: common app “Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it.”

I began to raise my hand but stopped as me different from all my friends. I tried to culture is waking up early with my dad to I saw the red bracelet on my wrist. I raised emulate my school surroundings whenever watch the English Premier League every my left hand instead hoping that no one possible. When I talk, my accent is quite Saturday. had noticed and that my first grade teacher clearly an American accent, but my broth- I have realized that it is impossible for me would simply call on someone else instead. er says some words with a slight English to call one culture my own. My family is a The red bracelet is called a r​akhri;​My cous- accent even though he moved to America culmination of races and cultures which are in had sent it in the mail from England to not long after his first birthday. My accent all a part of me. Because of this, I am able celebrate Raksha Bandhan. She sent it to is a product of my preschool teachers and to see across cultures, countries, and color. me as her b​hai,​ or brother, to protect me friends while his is influenced slightly more I am at ease in a cosmopolitan world and from evil spirits and act as a symbol of love by our parents. I was always conscious of understand that cultures are not exclusive, and protection between brothers and sis- how I could fit in, even dressing in a way rather they are part of the greater world. ters. To me, it was something that made me that would be like other kids at school.

By being so close to people of many differdifferent from the other kids in my class.

As I got older, I was able to really learn ent races and backgrounds I have gained As the child of foreign parents I felt like I about my family and who I am. I remem- a sensitivity and curiosity about society’s was missing something that everyone else ber sitting around a table with my cousins, structure which helps me to empathize with had. My mother was born in Cambridge, laughing, yelling, and fighting for the best different people.

England and my father is a Tanzanian­born seats around the table. My aunt brought Being American doesn’t mean not being Indian who moved to England to go to col- her delicious home cooked Indian meal foreign. Being culturally diverse is somelege. Even my brother who is just two years to the table. We all went quiet and stuffed thing to be proud of. Now when a teammate older than me was born in England. I am ourselves until we couldn’t eat any more. asks me why I have tape on my wrist at a the one American in the family. I felt I had As I sat there, I felt at home. My culture game I tell them it’s so the referee doesn’t to learn how to be an American like all of my isn’t something that only exists hundreds make me take off my r​akhri.​ First they classmates or I would be left behind without of miles away. My culture was me stuffing ask, “What is a​ rakhri?​” and when I exa culture to call my own. I was embarrassed myself with my favorite food. My culture is plain, their response is, “I can see why you by things like my r​akhri​that would make laughing and playing with my cousins. My wouldn’t want to take that off.” may

71

thenandnow seniors reflect

on how they’ve changed in four years.

WORDS FROM THE WISE:

“Make sure you spend time outside and look at green things”Courtney Kiley

“The biggest thing in your life is just to find balance” -Ed Kulka

“Take time to breathe and drink water”-Cherie Charbeneau Anders Rasmussen

THEN

THEN | NOW more outgoing

quiet Harry Potter lawyer

$

THEN | NOW

NOW

buying lunch and sitting in Kosmo

lawyer

hanging with friends

sharks

THEN | NOW

less shy and spazzy

shy and spazzy

$

Grace Stamos

Claire Fendrick

72 t he c o m m unic a t o r

$

public health sharks and solitude

THEN

THEN | NOW

NOW

hang with friends at home

mike dean’s basement

spiders

no idea working and friends

indie/ country

NOW

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Mama Mia

backlawn/ Courtney’s room

pop

something in business

THEN

tv with friends

THEN

articles on the phone

playing video games

veterinarian

Alona Henig

doctor

NOW

She’s the Man

college

$

nutritionist Grand Budapest Hotel

James Harkey

THEN

NOW

THEN | NOW

rarely reads

slept

academic games practice

Star Wars

The Godfather

The Princess Bride

introvert

much more social

at huron high

Teriyaki Time

Rise Against

Chance the Rapper

read a lot of books

Game of Thrones

NOW

NOW

The Wolf of Wall Street

THEN

Jack Kozicz

Cameron McLaren

THEN

THEN | NOW

NOW

THEN

THEN | NOW used to read a lot

Claire Fishman

biomedical engineer

trophy husband anything but Teriyaki Time game/movie night with pals

Teriyaki Time hang with friends or row Fergie: Chitty Band

fergie: some old, some new

THEN | NOW

alternative rock

not knowing what to do

whether or not it’s going to workout

quiet and a good student

social and not-sogreat of a student NOW

KEY MUSIC

FRIDAY NIGHT

BOOK

MOVIE

$

rap

DREAM JOB

BIGGEST FEAR

LUNCH PLANS

DESCRIBE YOURSELF

“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It can not be changed without changing our thinking.”

Albert Einstein may

73

Q&A with

EVE ZIKMUND-FISHER

grace koepele

How did you get the idea for this poem?

This poem. I’m not sure exactly. Most of my poems I get from a random train of thought I’m on and then it pops out of no where and I’m like I should write a poem about that. I’m pretty sure this one I was on a college visit tour and I was in the hotel getting ready to leave. I was thinking about how being jewish there are some really stupid things you just hear around like “Do you speak Jewish”, and “Isn’t Moses basically Jesus”.

I was just thinking about how stupid that was and I was like boom I should write about that. And that’s where I got the idea.

Then it took me another week to go okay this is where I want to say here, this is what I want to say here about this, this and this.

What exactly was your writing process for this poem?

I knew I wanted to write like the stupid

things that people talk to me about. I got the idea for talking about how to talk to a Jewish person and say this is what you’re not supposed to say, please just don’t. Then it kind of bloomed into what else do I want people to know about talking to Jews.

I was like you have to eat the food because Jews and food kind of go together and then I was thinking about Jew jokes, how people tell them and it just gets really frustrating when non-Jews tell Jew jokes. Once I had the idea to say stuff about Jew jokes, then I had to talk about Holocaust jokes So I knew the I wanted those four parts and I was just thinking for like a week about what do. I want to say about those things and I was writing about them part by part over the course of about a week. Each part didn’t take that long, but I would finish a part and I would get stuck. So I had to let is sit for a couple of days before I could write the next thing.

Is there any little instant that triggered the little details within the sections?

So most of the stuff I experienced personally was the Christian privilege section.

When I was six there were actually kids who made fun of me because I never went to church and what I didn’t put in this poem was when I tried to explain that I was Jewish they didn’t understand that there was

any other religion beyond Christianity.

The part about speaking Jewish and religion being Hebrew that actually happened to my friend, but I wanted to incorporate it into this poem because I was like that’s exactly what’s going on.

Then there are some parts in the other sections that are stories that I’ve heard. Like my aunt actually did get out of Poland on like the last boat and the jewelry was actually sewn into her coat. That’s like a story that my mom always told me. My mom does actually say that food does have a little piece of the person who made it. The rest is just me kind of being mad at people, to be perfectly honest. There are stories and then there’s just general “This is how I feel”.

How does this poem make you feel?

What was it like to let the school know your feelings on the subject that’s so close to you?

Reading it to myself there’s a mixture of Jews love food and there a feeling of identifying with the poem. I was actually really scared to read in front of the entire school because talking about Judaism becomes a polarizing subject almost what with the Israeli Palestinian conflict. Just nobody talks about the underlying, I don’t want to say anti-semitism because that’s a strong word, but there is an element of, Jews are a tiny minority and people just forget when they’re in the majority.

Tips For Interacting With Your Average Everyday Jew

By Eve Zikmund-Fisher (Poem excerpt) 1. Eat the food 2. Check your ChrisWe Jews are born tian privilege Into the world as When I was six Fully fledged foodies The kids at camp We come from a reliMade fun of me begion of cause They tried to kill us I never went to We won church Let’s eat A girl asked me if my Victory pours from Religion was Hebrew our hands and Into the food on the If I spoke Jewish table I walk in a world of Celebration melts on Blatant Christianity our tongues They argue that My mother always saying said that Happy Holidays is a Food contains the “War on Christmas” essence of its maker But I cannot shop in I can still taste the December love Without the reminder In her handmade that matzah balls I am different The innocence in my I had to learn the brother’s challah story of Jesus And all about the 74 t he c o m m unic a t o r

Holy Trinity And I still have to sit and listen to “Is Moses, like, the Jewish version of Jesus?”

And “Isn’t Hanukkah basically Christmas?”

3. Jew jokes are only funny when Jews tell them Hey hey hey Want to hear the greatest joke?

What’s faster than a speeding bullet?

A Jew with a coupon!

Ha. Ha. Ha. A thousand years ago Moneylender was all we were allowed to be We became cheap-

skates To overcome the cheaters We rose above the Centuries and centuries Of degradation And walked over the Stones they threw at us We create light Out of years of crushing darkness We are survivors Continually walking our own Exodus We lifted bricks of tyranny over our own heads But your laughter piles onto the weight Of our oppression 4. Holocaust jokes are never funny.

Ever.

They tried to kill us We won Let’s eat They tried to kill us We won Let’s eat There are no special foods On Yom HaSho’ah The Day of Holocaust Remembrance In Israel Air raid sirens blare For two whole minutes As the nation comes to a standstill and thinks They tried to kill us They won What’s next?

And I am halfway across the world But this heart Beats...

to read more visit www.communicator.com

proust questionnaire. gabe salas and clarance collins

KEN MCGRAW “Adorable. Quirky. Hilarious. Witty. Intelligent,” said Katy Mckay when describing Ken McGraw, beloved Community English teacher.

McGraw teaches everything from how to write an essay to how to create your own world.

Who are your heroes in real life?

People that are not afraid to speak truth to power. My example would be Eva Rosenfeld when she didn’t take censorship for an answer last year and she took it all the way to the New York Times. Maybe Tracy Anderson, who has gotten in similar trouble over the years for her newspaper. Sometimes it seems like it’s easy to just back off, and I’ve always admired people that keep going out of principle.

What is the quality you like the most in a woman?

A large library.

Where would you like to live if not here?

Probably Stockholm.

What are your favorite names?

I’m reading essays on Ancient Greece so I’m really in an Ancient Greece mood. I’ve always really liked the name Agememnon and I think that would be a great dog name.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Perfect happiness is being so into the moment that it would never occur to me to wonder about perfect happiness. like when you’re holding a big fish that you just caught, no one’s thinking about happiness, it’s all about the fish.

Which talent would you most like to have?

Probably to read or grade faster.

What is your most treasured possession?

I don’t know if I’d call it a possession but I might even say this classroom. It’s sort of up there with my house. But my house is a shack on the west side. This is about as cool and wonderful as a classroom ever gets in the world. So I think I’m pretty lucky to have this room. It’s not really mine though. I just get to, be here.

What would you like your job to be if not teaching?

I’ve been thinking lately and I’d like to be a journalist. Maybe in Stockholm. may

75

op-ed.

#reclaim the bindi = culture shock anurima kumar

A white girl wore a bindi, and social media exploded.

“My culture is not your accessory,” say supporters of the new trending hashtag #reclaimthebindi, in response to this new Coachella fashion. The fashion statement has been mushed into the category of cultural appropriation, but it shouldn’t be. As of now, the bindi is seen as a fashion statement even in India because it has multiplied from a simple red dot worn by married women to protect them and their husbands or to symbolize the third eye, to packages of jewel studded shapes that have taken on every color possible.

Civilization grows through the acts of borrowing – people have always shared, whether it is something that leaves a huge impact on society, like the alphabet, or like a pair of earrings. How will people understand others, without exposing themselves to other traditions or cultures?

Creativity stems from borrowing from different diverse sources. Borrowing from each other creates a paradigm for change – and change is a good thing.

Cultures can be a trend, and still be respected; it helps people have a common identity. Yoga stemmed from India, yet

another alternative. matthew ferraro

Ann Arbor needs more alternative schools.

The late 60s and early 70s were a crazy time. Society was changing: the Civil Rights movement, the Feminist movement, the Anti-war movement, the Gay rights movement. All across this country and the world people were standing up for what they believed in; especially students. At the time, many new alternative schools sprung up, and many different school environments were used.

The first progressive classrooms in Ann Arbor were in Earthworks High School in 1971 (Pioneer II), succeeded by Community the following year. Ann Arbor was a pretty radical place at the time. In 1972, a 15 year-old ran for school-board in a write-in campaign and garnered eight percent of the vote. That may seem small, but for a 15 year old, eight percent is rather large.

In 1986, an alternative elementary school was started at Bach. It would eventually become Ann Arbor Open, a K-8 middle school that is just as progressive as Community. While the turmoil and drastic desire for change of the 60s and 70s may have been left behind, Ann

76 t he c o mmunica t o r

it is now a worldwide practice. Henna originated from many cultures long ago, and is now a fad among many people in the United States.

Amandla Stenberg, who acts as Rue in the Hunger Games released a video called “Don’t Cash My Cornrows” that went viral. “The line between cultural appropriation and cultural exchange is always going to be blurred,” she said. She explained that appropriation occurs when the style that leads to racist generalizations is seen as cool, but when privileged people take it for themselves it is seen negatively.

The girls at Coachella are not trying to represent all of Indian or Hindu culture, and while it is always good to learn about culture they did not intend to mock or make fun of Indians who have been wearing bindis from long before them.

Community teacher Maneesha Mankad understands that culture is hard to represent accurately. “When people try to understand people’s cultures and show that we’re representing diversity at a very superficial level it ends up becoming a stereotype no matter how hard you try,” she said. Embracing other thoughts, ideas and ways of life to create a new way of life that will constantly be changing.

Arbor still needs alternative education.

Actually, we need more.

In short, Ann Arbor requires another Community High School. However, a xerox copy of Community would just take away from what makes CHS so special, and what would eventually make our new alternative High School special as well.

So to be more precise, Ann Arbor doesn’t need an exact replica, but a similar while notably different small high school with an open environment and progressive attitude. The entire country could do better with a few smaller schools that foster more respect than hall passes, but for now we’ll stick with Ann Arbor.

For ease, I’m just calling the new school “Alhambra HS,” named for a pretty awesome street off Stadium Boulevard (and that palace in Spain I guess).

Anyway, Alhambra High School can’t just be a copy of Community; that would hurt both schools. What is going to make Alhambra attractive to students is what it does differently. Maybe it would have a certain academic tilt, or a specific ethos, but the students and staff of Alhambra will decide what they make their school.

Hopefully it will carry on the traditions

“We express ourselves differently,” Mankad said. “I really cannot claim certain things that belong just to me.”

Apoorva Asthana, a junior at Pioneer, is a student who also goes to Sunday school every week and learns about the significance in her culture. “There is nothing wrong with sharing culture,” she said. “When we do have different cultural aspects or values we should make sure people should understand the significance of those values.”

While cultural appropriation is still an actual issue, cultural assimilation is beneficial to educate others and move society forward. Yes, the bindi has sacred roots, but the girls at Coachella are not representing racists or bullies and instead are looking at the bindi from a different point of view: fashion. And even though there are instances where people of color or non-Christian religions receive different treatments at airports or in society, discriminating on solely a bindi is not notable. In fact, the girls at Coachella might even motivate people to learn about the significance behind the bindi, and still appreciate it while using its concept for fashion. Anyway, mimicry is the highest form of flattery.

of respect and self-reliance that Community has been building for 40 years, and hopefully Alhambra will be free enough to chart its own path.

With 400+ applicants for the class of 2016, we know that Community is definitely doing things right. Alhambra should embody these things and still find its own soul. Alhambra will have to balance old with new.

To be honest, I have no idea how much such a venture would cost. But to be quite honest I don’t care. In the grand scheme of things the education that alternatives--and just different options--create, vastly outweighs the argument made by those who argue we spend too much on education. Or to be more on target, those who don’t directly say we spend too much but with their legislative actions leave school districts strapped year-after-year-after-year. I don’t know how we’re going to solve many of the problems facing education in America, but I tell you with every fiber of my being that we will be worse off without alternative options. Without Alhambra.

op-ed.

cameras in class alexandra hobrecht

The controversial issue of whether or not security cameras should be used in schools is not a problem that will simply disappear. Just as with guns, there is a point of diminishing returns for keeping students safe. Security cameras would do no help in restoring the safety of students, but rather only raise more unneeded tension between students, teachers and parents. They turn what is supposed to be a trusting environment into one more similar to that of a prison, filled with guilt. If parents cannot trust their school to effectively and rightfully teach their children, the answer is not to simply place a camera in the classroom at all times.

While some argue that cameras would justify and strengthen safety for their children, it raises the question of why cameras should be needed. If parents are worried for the safety of their child while they are at school, this is a monumental problem on its own. Students should feel safe with their teachers no matter the circumstances. Putting a camera on a teacher who poses as a threat to their students will not change the teacher, but will only make the teacher more self conscious of their teaching and what they say around children. It does not stop them from acting disreputably as soon as the camera is turned off. Cameras will not change the kind of person the teacher is; they will only mask the true iniquity of the teacher

while they are being filmed.

Security cameras are a major invasion of privacy. How can parents feel comforted with the knowledge their child is being videotaped at all times? While the United States’ Constitution does not specifically state privacy protections, many amendments do touch on the subject: the First Amendment protects the privacy of beliefs, the Fourth Amendment protects privacy against unreasonable searches and the Fifth Amendment protects self-incrimination, thus protecting the privacy of personal information (livescience.com). Placing cameras in classrooms at all times consequently invades the privacy of both the students and teachers. They cannot be expected to do their jobs naturally with the thought of being watched at all times.

Not only do cameras affect the teacher’s performance, but they train students to behave correctly only when they know they are being surveilled. Children should be taught to be leaders-- not followers with the knowledge they can be caught. Security cameras only destroy an environment where people learn without worrying about facing consequences.

They also create countless distractions.

Students will spend time worrying about the cameras that should be spent learning.

One argument to use cameras is they would show parents what goes on in

The Communicator, being committed to the free exchange of ideas, is an open forum for expression of opinions. It is student-run; students make all content decisions. Letters to the editor are encouraged and can be sent to thecommunicator@googlegroups.com. Signed articles will be accepted with no prior administrative review as space is available. The Communicator reserves the right to edit submissions. Furthermore, opinions expressed therein are those of the authors and not of this newspaper, Community High School, or Ann Arbor Public Schools. For our complete policy, please see www.chscommunicator.com.

the classroom, preventing abuse from both teachers and students. They argue cameras would help with students who are especially rowdy and disruptive, and keep the teachers in check. However, cameras should not be used just because one or two students’ have behavior problems. The whole class does not need to be taped on their account; any problems students create should be privately dealt with between the teacher and parents.

And as mentioned earlier, teachers that need to be videotaped in order to behave correctly should simply not be teachers.

This is a problem of its own: a problem that cannot be fixed by putting up cameras.

Security cameras ultimately damage the creative learning environment all students deserve. They are not the answer to the issue of school safety. Instead of just threatening teachers, parents should take the time to get to know their child’s school. They should not have to wonder what goes on in the classroom, but rather be aware of it. At the same time, schools need to be attentive of who they hire so situations in which a teacher is abusive do not happen. Granted even in a perfect world, there will be students who are troublesome and there will be teachers who are offensive; but security cameras Mysolution Kaywa QR-Code to dealing are not the correct www.chscommunicator.com with them.

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may

77

ACROSS

1 Best coast 9 Paradise 13 Ethnic group of Western Europe 17 A National Park in Maine at the most Eastern point of the U.S. 20 Red Hot Chili Peppers Album 22 The flavorful outer peel of a citrus fruit 23 Clothing brand based on Shepard Fairey’s street art 24 36 x 0.25 = ___ 25 Snake that kills its prey by constriction 26 Movement of the body to express meaning 27 Disposable mini toothbrush 29 A tablesetting 32 Human Body part made of keratin 34 Nancy Drew is a...

40 Golf Term 41 Atomic Number 47 42 You should switch to ______ after 2PM 46 XOXO, _____ Girl 49 String controlled theatre 51 Sophisticated, graceful 53 Activates 10 down 54 Drunk Speech 56 _____ Allergy (hint: Wheat) 57 Brand of Toothpaste 58 French Conjugation (Il/Elle/___) 59 Settlement smaller than a town 61 South Asian female garment 62 Leaves or flowers soaked in hot water 64 ____ and confused 66 Human parasite 69 James Franco in Spring Breakers 70 Captain Jack Sparrow’s ______ doll

78 t he c o m m unic a t o r

is thrown off a cliff in On Stranger Tides 71 Chess piece 74 Ambulances are an example of _____ 75 Apply, Exercise 77 Major Airline 78 Bacterial infection caused by puncture (a.k.a. Lockjaw)

DOWN

2 Kosmo’s Best Sandwich 3 America’s Finest (Farcical) News Source 4 Lemon ________ (Wolf of Wall Street drug) 5 Adjacent over Hypotenuse 6 Engaged to be married

7 Blue-Green Ornamental Rock 8 Italian Car Company 10 Dynamite 11 Air Conditioning 12 Dolce & _______ 14 Branch of math devoted to Triangles 15 What Russia did to Crimea 16 Non-Truths 18 Arizona abbrev.

19 Al-Qauda in Iraq 20 Company 21 Large cat 28 Global warming is melting them 30 Illinois abbrev.

31 Cartoon around since 1960 called Family ________ 33 When your car windows get steamy

you...

35 Company that probably produces your calculator 36 Santa’s helper 37 Written overview of a person’s qualifications 38 Japanese batter-fried dish (hint: shrimp ________) 39 Cousin of the Cashew 43 Appear, Materialize 44 In ‘Get Smart’ Steve Carell wants to be a field ______ 45 A ceremony of actions in a prescribed order 47 Slump 48 America’s late night sketch comedy

50 The thing on top of a submarine 52 Not eating or using animal products 54 UK’s constituent country 55 Solitary 59 Soft fabric (also a type of cake) 60 It’s raining cats and dogs 63 “Out of the sea, Wish I could be, Part of your world” 64 That 70’s Show Character 65 Goodbye in French 67 Price 68 CHS Teacher 72 Noah’s 73 Unit of measurement 76 Clothing Size

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RECALLING INFLUENTIAL LOVED ONES THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHS

Natajah Bullard Not many high schoolers can say they have a best friend over a decade younger than them. For CHS freshman Cameron Hawley, however, it’s his two-year-old sister Natajah.

“She’s always smiling so that makes me smile,” Hawley said. “When I’m upset or something I can just look at her and she’s smiling and it makes me happy.”

Hawley likes to play outside and watch television with his little sister, and she usually hangs around while he’s doing his homework.

“We do a lot of stuff together,” he said, “like a third of the stuff that I do daily. Because I love her so much.”

One of Hawley’s favorite memories with Natajah is a time they went to the movies together. She got frightened when the movie was too loud and jumped into his arms.

“It made me feel really happy,” he said. “I hope my kid is just like her.”

Jo Anne Schnitzer Having a good relationship with your mom during your teenage years is rare, but Lexi Schnitzer seems to have it.

“My mom is my best friend,” Schnitzer said. “I tell her everything.”

Jo Anne is very friendly; everytime she goes grocery shopping she makes sure to talk to the baggers and the clerk.

“She deeply believes that everyone is good until proven otherwise,” Schnitzer said. “And she’s right.”

Whether it’s grocery shopping or Friday night date Schnitzer loves spending time with her mom.

“I love my mom!” she said.

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