December 17, 2021

Update Update

The past, present, and future for the Charger Closet Taylor Swift hits take on new recordings cheer seasonscompetitiveenter

A mission to improve teen driving habits

Mock trial club prepping for competitions

Eliezer Maldonado managing sports

Meeting every Monday after seventh hour in Room 306, the Mock Trial club simulates an actual civil court case where people have the chance to argue on behalf of prosecution or defense against other schools.

President of Mock Trial club, senior Mary McLaughlin, enjoys the club because it provides an opportunity for people get to learn about law in a fun way.

According to the Center for Disease Control, an average of seven teens were killed per day as well as 700 teens getting injured as a result of driving accidents. Additionally, teens are three times as likely to get into an accident than any other age group. Project 111 is an organization that was designed to contribute to the safety of young“Projectdrivers.111 is a safe driving initiative for teens, and they offer incentives as a way to do that,” School Resource Officer Brian Soule said.

According to the Project 111 website,officialpolice

officer Chad Schieber came up with the idea for Project 111. He believed that being rewarded for responsible driving could benefit students and save lives from preventable collisions on the road. However, he unfortunately passed away while participating in the Chicago Marathon before he could turn the idea into a program. His wife Sarah Schieber officially founded the driving incentive program in 2014 in order to honor her husband’s wishes and finish the initiative that was started by him. In order to honor his name with the organization, the program was named “Project 111” because 111 was Schieber’s badge number.

While Project 111 is present at DHS, the mission seeks to reach out to teen drivers all over the Midland area. This organization seeks to reach all young drivers in the community to help them be more conscious and aware of the dangers of distracted driving.

“It’s a Midland County program, so it’s not just something we do at Dow High,”

LeadershipStudentteacherChelseaBergsaid.Inorderto

enroll, all a student has to do is fill out the Google Form provided by Student Leadership. All students who sign up are immediately entered into a drawing to win a gift card for $25. Enrollment into the program comes with only two restrictions. First, the student must be a junior or senior. Second, the student must have a driver’s license, meaning a permit is not enough. Once the student has submitted an application into Project 111, their name could be randomly selected to win a prize. This selection process occurs once a month.

After two juniors and two seniors have been selected, they are given to Soule. Once Soule has received the names of the winners, he looks into their driving and school records to make sure they meet the requirements.“Icheckthese names to see if they have been ticketed, been pulled over and given a ticket,” Soule said. “[I] make sure they don’t have any negative police contacts, make sure they’re not causing problems in the school.”

If the students have no tickets, bad police contacts, or issues with the school, they are selected as the winners. The first senior that was randomly selected automatically wins the first-place prize, the second senior and the two juniors all get the second place prize. The first-place prize is a $300 gift card from a wide range of choices. Additionally, first-place winners have also been able to pick an item that is around $300. In the past, Apple products have been used for the grand ticket item. The secondplace prize for the remaining students are $25 gift cards from an assortment of different options.

As of now, there are around 200 students enrolled in Project 111 and they are always looking for more. Project 111 will continue to advertise the program in order to increase the number of students.

“We’re going to do probably another social media push to get people signed up,” Berg said.

While there is no specific statistical data that suggests that Project 111 has been successful in reducing the number of teen driving accidents, it can be inferred that the program encourages students to be more mindful of the distractions and hazards that could cause accidents on the road.

According to Live Science, a neuroscientist at UCLA named Adriana Galván did a study on teenage brains and found that teenagers positively react to rewards more than any other age group. Therefore, with the prospect of getting incentives, students are more likely to keep themselves from doing potentially dangerous things like texting and driving.

Junior board member Wil Kuper believes that Project 111 has a positive impact on driving safety.

“There are huge benefits to driving safely,” Kuper said. “Not only are you getting around safer, but you also get rewarded with different prizes.”

Project 111 is allowing students to enroll in their program, it’s never too late to sign up and get rewarded for good driving habits.

“We meet with a lawyer, and there’s so many different aspects of law that you get to know,” McLaughlin said.

The main attraction of the club is attending competitions. The first competition is set for March 6 in Ingham County. As many as 12 people can go to the competition, consisting of two teams of six people with three witnesses and three lawyers for each side.

If any students want to learn about and participate in a court case, then joining the Mock Trial club is a way for students to get a feel for the practice of law. To join, reach out to government teacher Jeffrey Richards or Mary

Houk changes water fountain experience

Eliezer Maldonado managing sports

McLaughlin.SeniorEthan

Houk recently devised an idea with the intent to improve the water fountain experience. The idea was born in his fourth hour Student Leadership class when he was posed with the challenge to think of a change he wanted to make at DHS. This idea consisted of Houk trying to scour the school for little tables so that students can place their books on the table while they fill up their water bottle or get a drink at the drinking fountain.

“I either put my stuff on the ground which is kind of gross or I do like an awkward carrying style to be able to unscrew my water bottle and it’s just not ergonomic,” Houk said.

Especially since students are not able to wear backpacks during the day anymore unlike last year, Houk thought that the change was necessary for maximum convenience. Tables have been placed at the water fountains near the U-hall and the library since those water fountains are the most utilized by students. People who fill up their water bottles are now able to use these tables to place their belongings on.

New club dedicated to celebrating holidays

Eliezer Maldonado managing sports

One of the newest clubs at DHS, the Holiday Club, is an opportunity for students to make new friends to celebrate the holidays.

Juniors Abigail Wilson and Elleana Bucknell created the club with the purpose to get people together during the holidays, as well as sharing their love for holidays with“Weothers.love celebrating and decorating for the holidays and wanted to share that with everyone,” Wilson said in an email interview.

They founded the club to have an environment where everyone can have fun and enjoy themselves with holiday-themed activities. For Thanksgiving, the members of the club made Thanksgiving-related arts and crafts. No matter the holiday, the Holiday Club plans to have some activity available at every meeting.

In addition to holiday-related activities, the club also offers holiday-related snacks at every meeting as well. Meetings take place after sixth hour every other Thursday in room 338.

Emma Mertes managing copy

graphics by Brooke Seymour Katie

Spreading joy through donating toys

Student organizations team up with Toys-for-Tots to supply gifts for the holidays

T he Marine haspublicFoundationToys-for-Totsisanon-profitorganizationthatbeenaroundforseveral

years to benefit children all across the country. Their goal is to collect unwrapped toys throughout the holiday season to spread the Christmas spirit to less fortunate children. They believe that the nation’s ultimate resource is the children, and they strive to bring together the community during their collection and 24.promotionsomeevenseniorIBaroundtoannouncementsmediaeffortstheystartschoolthroughoutincreasemadeonNov.takingIBDECAcampaign.distributionTogether,theofficersandstudentsbegandonationson29andconcludedDec.8.Thegroupmanyeffortstoparticipationthethisyear.Toapromotion,focusedtheironsocialandschoolgetthewordtostudents.studentandKefirKleeworkedonpersonalonNov.Kleedressedupin

a holiday suit and stood in the display case outside the media center during passing time to increase buzz about the project. The students hoped that advertising earlier than usual will give students time to purchase their donations over the Thanksgiving break. Beginning the week of Nov. 29, students were able to drop their donations off in the Toys-forTots boxes placed in front of the office and the gold gym. Additionally, DECA is provided a special treat to the thirdhour class that collects the most toys.

“Along with promoting the project,

we have also included an incentive this year of the winning hour receiving donuts,” DECA officer and junior Alex Price

Thesaid.DECA officers and IB students hoped to give toys to children who may not be as fortunate as others and to help spread the Christmas cheer.

brought in the most donations, winning donuts for their class.

Emma Schultz,senior

“The purpose of this project is to give toys to kids who may be underprivileged and their parents aren’t able to provide them with toys for Christmas,” Schultz said. “At Dow High, we recognize that some of us have privileges that those kids may not have, so we want to help the less fortunate as much as possible.”Although there are dozens of nationwide collectingparticipatesDHS’toyfordonatingcollectingparticipatingatevents,celebrity-sponsoredandstudentsDHSarealsoinandtoysthisyear’sdistribution.DECAclubintoysduring

December, but this year additional students are joining in to make the project even larger. A few of this year’s International Baccalaureate (IB) students joined with DECA advisers for their Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS)

“Weproject.decided to team up with them because we have the experience that they need to make this as successful as possible,” DECA officer and senior Emma Schultz said.

By the end of the collection process, DHS students brought in over 100 toys to donate to the program. Ms. Royalty’s class

The Toys-for-Tots Foundation was established in 1947 by a Marine Corps Reserve Major named Bill Hendricks. He was inspired by his wife, Diane, to start the project when she asked Bill to deliver her handmade dolls to children in need. After searching for an organization that performed a service like this, the couple wasn’t able to find one that did so. Their solution was to create one themselves.

After making national headlines, celebrities began to take notice of the project and became spokespeople for the foundation. Some of these celebrities included singers Frank Sinatra and George Strait, along with actors Clint Eastwood and Billy Ray Cyrus. Plus, Walt Disney designed the original Toys-for-Tots logo which features the iconic train logo that is still in use

Despitetoday.only providing services in the United States previously, the Toys-forTots Foundation has gone international on a few occasions, the first of which being after the typhoon in Nagoya, Japan in 1959. They have conducted international donations on two other occasions, following Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and the invasion of the Republic of Panama in 1988.

During the 1970s the foundation averaged an astonishing 6 billion toys collected and distributed in total. Along with public support, support from celebrities and television shows grew, as well. As of 1980, the foundation began to accept only new toys for donations and the Marine Corps found the need for a charity to be created to fully support the growing project.

Not only does the Toys-for-Tots foundation support families in need during the holidays, but it also provides support for certain communities when they’re stricken with other problems. When Hurricane Andrew struck in 1992, Toys-for-Tots donated 250,000 toys for communities throughout the states of Florida and Louisiana. Additionally,

when the Mississippi basins flooded in 1993, the foundation was able to donate over 8 million toys. They also held events during the first week in December for children who had lost a parent in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

In 2001, the Toys-for-Tots Foundation was ranked number 289 in the “Philanthropy 400,” which was the foundation’s first time being featured in the ranking. In 2008, the non-profit started the Toys-for-Tots Literacy Program, which was a year-round initiative developed to donate books to children. Their mission was to try to break the cycle of poverty while spreading joy year-round by giving children the gift of reading.

Students, discuss the newly updated 2021 exam schedule

Lindsay Hart staff writer

Exams:

either the bane of many students’ existences or the salvation of their fallen grades. The end of a semester usually marks the beginning of a furious frenzy of flipping pages, contacting tutors, or of taking the ignorance-is-bliss approach and continuing to scroll through TikTok. That’s how it used to be at least.

DHS hasn’t seen an exam week within its walls since the beginning of 2020. Being that nearly the entire student body has never had a full year of exams, many students are unsure of what to do moving forward. The few who have had at least half a year’s experience with these tests were able to partake in a game of “spot-the-difference” when DHS first introduced the 2021 exam schedule.

As opposed to exam schedules in past years, this year’s exams will now take place before winter break, during the week of Dec. 20, with the last day of exams on Dec. 22. Between each exam, students will have a half hour to recoup and refocus, compared to the full hour they used to have. This is also the first year in which attendance will be taken during the “open study” periods during the last two hours of the day.

Junior Timothy Bawar recognized that there are both pros and cons to the new exam schedule.

“[With the old schedule] we would have more freedom after taking the exams and could go to our house and study,” Bawar said. “Just being in school can be mentally draining in itself and

I would probably not do much work or studying during the mandatory hours because of that. But, I think before winter break is good because it keeps us in the school kind of routine and then we would take a long break and it´ll be good to just start off fresh when we get back.”

Freshman Nathan Hansen agreed with Bawar’s sentiments in the sense that he would prefer to do studying at home rather than staying at school.

“I think I would study better on my own time,” Hansen said. “Because I am more comfortable at home and I can use things that I might not have at school to study.”

The student body isn’t alone in their dislike of the mandatory study hours. Some teachers also acknowledge and sympathize with the concerns that this change has raised, and IB Spanish teacher Erica Meyer is among them.

“I believe students need time and space to breathe more than they need required study time,” Meyer said. “I think many students will resent this change and its impact will actually be negative rather than boosting how beneficial their study time is. Children and students thrive in a climate of trust and a certain level of choice and freedom alongside structure.”

The mandatory hours will force a certain amount of accountability on the students’ part to study. There are many mixed emotions on whether this forced responsibility will benefit those students or just create another tier of stress for many. Math teacher

Eric Mohr chooses to look at these modifications in a positive manner.

“I think that exams will always bring some stress and anxiety, regardless of the schedule used, but I don’t necessarily think that it’s bad for young adults to learn how to deal with those factors now when the stakes are relatively low,” Mohr said.

Much like how there are many opposing views on the mandatory study hours, there are also many conflicting opinions on the shortened time between eachThereexam.are students like Hansen who believe that not only is 30 minutes enough time for studying, but it is also the ideal amount of time.

“It gives people just enough time to get reorganized and focused for your next class but it isn’t too long to the point where you would lose your focus on the exams,” Hansen said.

However, there are others who take the opposing stance.

“After sitting there for an hour and just trying to do your best and remember everything for that exam, you don’t just want to go right into studying afterwards,” Bawar said. “I feel like an hour would be better to just get food, sit down, and get mentally ready for the next exam.”

Meyer concurred with Bawar’s statement, and added her own thoughts about how working at such a breakneck pace can end up being detrimental to students’ and staffs’ welfare.

“Our brains cannot function at their best with small amounts of transition time,” Meyer said. “I am also opposed to our normal school day schedule with only six minute passing times and 30 minute lunches. This is not good for our wellbeing. You also don’t have the potential extra time to do the exam so that could definitely affect those who benefit from that extra time.”

Despite the prospective obstacles with most of the student population having very little to no experience with exams, having less control over their independent study, and less time in between exams, most teachers expect that this year’s results will be similar to previous exams.

“I don’t know much about test scores because I don’t use the exam time the same way most teachers do,” Meyer said. “I think students will all probably do about as well, but I think they’ll be more stressed, which is bad in my opinion. I didn’t support the way we did exams before and I don’t support it now either. I think the exams need to be more authentic and experiential and less of a cram to memorize a bunch of stuff and fill in the bubble, then forget most of it.”

Mohr agrees with the prediction that students will perform about the same as they did on preceding exams.

“I expect this semester’s exam scores to be pretty similar to previous years’ results,” Mohr said. “I’m optimistic that these changes in the timelines and the necessary adjustments will be worth it in the long run.”

“The purpose of this project is to give toys to kids who may Christmas,”withprovidearen’tandunderprivilegedbetheirparentsabletothemtoysfor

Brooke Seymour managing graphics

graphic by Chloe Stafford

Charger Closet cleanout

Cassidy Wainwright managing feature

The Charger Closet has been around for years, however recently Student Leadership has been working on cleaning and organizing the closet to better suit the needs of the students. The Charger Closet is a closet like room where students can go if they are in need of clothing or personal hygiene items. It’s located down the hall of the left side of the Little Theater. Students can go to the office or to any teacher whenever they are in need.

“The whole goal of the Charger Closet is to have a place where students who might need something like clothes, personal hygiene items, can go if they need it,” Student Leadership 2 teacher Chelsea Berg said. “So it could be students who might just have financial need for that kind of stuff or even you know, at lunch if you spill something on your shirt, you need a new shirt, that kind of stuff is there for you too.”

Berg manages the Charger Closet and the Student Leadership students help out by cleaning and organizing so the items are readily available for those who need

“Kidsit. come down every now and then with a teacher and they’ll come and will take clothes,” junior Student Leadership student Catelin Greiman said. “You can tell they need it, or I think one of the times they needed a suit for a presentation. You could just see them like ‘oh my gosh, they do have a suit. I don’t need to go find one.’ It’s already here so they could take what they needed and leave.”

Donations from students are also welcomed too. To donate students or staff can bring donations to the office or talk to either Berg or Student

Leadership 1 teacher, Kimberly Outinen. In recent years, they have been getting almost too many donations and are planning to expand the Charger Closet, to make a formal attire section for events like presentations, interviews, prom, and homecoming.

“We have been getting donations a lot,” Berg said. “The last couple of years DPAC, the parent committee, has been very generous with wanting to donate stuff. We’ve actually had to start telling them they needed to slow down on the donations because right now the only thing we need is a bigger Charger Closet because we have so much stuff in there. But they’ve been really good at donating and then there’s a lot of teachers like Ms. Swanson, that brings us stuff a lot. But we’re working on trying to find a way to keep its original purpose but make students more aware of it. We just don’t know what that looks like yet.”

The Charger Closet started around 2015, so it’s been around for nearly seven years now. Outinen is the teacher who decided to open up a Charger Closet at DHS in 2015 after she saw a similar idea at another school.

“The Leadership students and I go to conferences and visit other schools,” Outinen said. “I think it was a school in Mount Pleasant, they had something similar to that. I thought that was a really cool thing that they had to supply students with any kind of basic resources they needed, and I thought that we could pull it off pretty easily here. So with the help of my Leadership classes over the years, we’ve gotten a pretty good stockpile of things for the kids

Duehere.”tothe under usage of the Charger Closet, there is an abundance of clothes

and resources so students are always welcomed to take what they need.

“[The Charger Closet has] always been underutilized,” Outinen said. “We never really wanted it to be something that kids felt embarrassed about accessing. And I think with the trend in upcycling clothing and checking out resale stuff we were hoping to make it more available to all types of students and to do something like a swap, bring something, take something. But still allowing for whoever is in need to access it as well with hopefully taking the stigma away in terms of needing those things. So that’s been a goal for a couple years.”

Students are encouraged to come to the Charger Closet if they need to or want to, especially because many donors are willing to help in whatever way they can to make DHS feel comfortable utilizing the resources found there.

If you know me you would probably understand that I love to write a lot. I’ve loved writing since elementary school. And if you have been reading my columns you probably know I’ve wanted to write this column since my freshman year. Out of all the clubs, sports, and interests I’ve dropped, this has been here the longest and one of the only interests I’ve kept. My skills and style may have changed drastically over the years, but my devotion for writing has never wavered..

I somehow still remember over 11 years ago writing picture books in first grade. I must have made hundreds of them. Most of them were very unoriginal, but I loved it. I can remember taking all of them home at the end of the year. All stuffed together they were the thickness of a dictionary only held together by a weak construction paper cover. I’m not sure where it is now.

All throughout elementary school I continued to write. English quickly became my favorite class. I’d always look forward to writing. I wrote personal narratives, comic books, short stories, and sometimes even poems. I remember in fifth grade, for some of our writing assignments we posted whatever we wanted on the website KidBlog, in which my classmates could see what I wrote. My imagination went wild and I loved the idea of being able to display my work to others.

Going into middle school, sixth grade was when I began to take my writing seriously. My friend Molly introduced me to a school club called the Young Writers Club. We only met once a week, but we took a bus and met at the Alden B. Dow Home and Studio. The first meeting of the year we would decorate our journals, have a snack, break off into groups and take turns writing in different parts of the house. The atmosphere felt so relaxing. I remember the calming quietness and the enchanting architecture. It held enough inspiration to last a millennium. We could write whatever we wanted and how much we wanted in the hour we were given. I always looked forward to it; the club was the highlight of my months all throughout middle school.

All throughout middle school I went to the Young Writers Club. I wrote about everything I could possibly imagine, mostly short stories and sometimes poems. I tried so many times to write a book or novel, something long but I would usually come up with something better and drop the idea for a new one 10 pages later. My imagination just couldn’t stay focused on a story that long. I think this is why I mostly stick to poems and occasionally short stories now.

I heard of Poetry Club on the announcements early my freshman year. I couldn’t find any other creative writing clubs anywhere. The lack of creative writing clubs at DHS shocked me. I felt disappointed at first because of the club’s restrictions to just poetry, but I really loved how it met every other week instead of just once a month like the Young Writers Club.

After just a few meetings, I realized I liked poetry much more than trying to write entire novels. At first I felt restricted by structured poems, so when I discovered free verse I found so much more freedom in writing poetry than writing stories. I didn’t have to stick with one topic and one story for hundreds of pages. I could write about so much more. It became an outlet for all my feelings. I wrote short stories in the form of poems, I wrote for people, I wrote about emotions, and I wrote about objects. I tried writing comedy poems, but it didn’t turn out all too well. I still write poems whenever I need to get something out, even though Poetry Club doesn’t meet anymore. Now I write columns and stories for the Update, and I absolutely love it.

photos by Cassidy Wainwright

ORGANIZING Junior Student Leadership students Catelin Greiman and Natalie Nussear organize the Charger Closet on

Mixing paint with academics

Teagan O’Dell managing news

Whilestudents are hustling to their classes day after day, they may or may not notice the murals that have been displayed throughout the halls over the years. Around the halls of DHS, murals done by many talented people can be observed, most of which were worked on by former art students. Each mural is based on where the piece is located in the school, such as a sports-based mural, a business mural for the business hallway, or the painting in the back of the U-Hall dedicated to all things mathematics.

Art teacher Mark Francisco shared his experiences with these students and their efforts towards creating the murals that are displayed throughout the school hallways.

“Most [of] the murals that are up right now are done by our students probably 15 to 20 years ago,” Francisco said. “In fact, one that [Gledhill] took down in the other room has the name of Britney Wendt on it, and she was a Congressional Art Award winner, but that would have been around the year 2000, so 20 years ago. She’s in her 40s and has a kid in school now, so that’s how far back some of these murals might go.”

Along with Wendt, another DHS alumnus who worked on the murals is Stephanie Simmerman. Francisco

recounts how this all came to be, which involves the collaboration of a past art teacher at DHS, Carol Lewin.

“[Lewin] was the art teacher at the time,” Francisco said. “I was teaching at Central Middle School at the time, and my students did a ton of murals there. They were going to come here, and there she would carry on with that and do it at DowToHigh.”many, the murals at DHS might have a sense of nostalgia and school pride within them, brighteninglearninginspiringwhileup the hallways with the bright colors that they exhibit. With many talented artists at DHS today, a new mural is currently being worked on by the National Art Honor Society (NAHS), with the intent of carrying on the artistic legacy throughout the hallways. One of these new murals is being created in the graphic design

computer lab. Senior Makayla Fernette has taken the lead on this project, constructing most of the work for these new artistic contributions to the school.

“We’re currently working on a mural for the language hallway, so we’re including different sothey’repasthavetheJustbigFernettedifferentinbecultures,frommonuments,structures,outfitsdifferentandthere’llgreetingspaintedthebackgroundinlanguages,”said.“It’satasktotakeon.lookingatallothermuralsthatbeendoneintheinthehallway,superdetailed,[I]feelalittlebit

of pressure to create something to kind of match what we see in the hallways at Dow rightAnothernow.” student working on the mural is senior Hailey Bunn. Like Fernette, she is also a member of NAHS and has dedicated lots of time and effort towards the making of this new mural

for the language hall.

“One of the main things I like about working on the mural is the time I get to spend with my friends who are working on it,” Bunn said. “ We all come together, and it’s just a fun time. We all just hang out and paint. I’m not really a detail-oriented person, I do more abstract art. I think we have a really good system down where I can do big blocks of color, then my other friends can come in and do their details because, obviously looking at it, they’re really good. But yeah, overall I really like working on [murals]. I think it’s super fun and cool, and I also think it’s cool that they’re going to be in the hallways at Dow High. So even after we graduate, we’ll still be here. It’s also a really great way for National Honors members to get their hours in. Overall, I’d say it’s a blast.”

The murals displayed around DHS show the rich history of the school, as well as the talent and dedication put forth by students from the past and present classes. As murals continue to be created today, art students that are involved in the making of them hope that the experience of attending DHS and walking the halls each day will only be enhanced by the new additions.

“One of the main things I like workingabouton the mural is the time I get to spend with my friends who are working on it, ” Hailey seniorBunn,

Long live the old Taylor Swift eras

Rachel Erdmann assistant copy editor

Taylor

Swift, an 11-time Grammy songwriterAmericanwinningsinger-isone

of the biggest artists of this generation. Swift released her first album in 2006 and has released nine more since. One of her most recent projects is the re-recording of her first six studio albums in order to obtain the rights to her music. Artists should own their own music because it is something that they create and that comes from their experiences and heart.

Musicians usually have issues with record labels and contracts when it comes to owning their music. Many artists such as Dr. Dre, Kesha, Prince, and now Swift have feuded with record labels. Swift taking action and deciding to leave her record label and re-record to own her music is a powerful move, and will hopefully start a trend for other artists to take back what is theirs.

How It Started

When Swift was 14 years old, she performed at a songwriter’s showcase at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe where the owner of Big Machine Records, Scott Borchetta, noticed her. At age 15, she signed a six-album record deal with Big Machine Records. The contract gave Big Machine Records full ownership of Swift’s masters (an official recording of a song) on the next six albums she would create.

In 2019, Scooter Braun, manager of Ithaca Holdings, bought Big Machine Records from Scott Borchetta for $300 million. When he bought the record label, he also bought the rights to Taylor’s first six studio albums. Swift claims that she was made aware of the transaction on June 30, 2019, the same time that the public was made aware of it. Her masters were sold once again in November 2020 to a private equity firm called Shamrock Holdings.

Taylor’s POV

“Artists should own their own work for so many reasons, but the most screamingly obvious one is that the artist is the only one who really knows that body of work,” Swift wrote on an Instagram post on Feb. 11, 2021 when she announced the rerecording of her second studio album

while this was all going on. She shared that for years, she asked for a way to own the music that she produced. In return, she was told she could sign something with Big Machine Records to “earn” back one album at a time, one for every new album she turned in. In a tweet from November of 2020, Swift explained that Braun’s team wanted her to sign a contract stating that she would never say another word about Braun unless it was something positive.

“This is what happens when you sign a deal at fifteen to someone for whom the term ‘loyalty’ is clearly just a contractual concept,” Swift wrote on a Tumblr post. “And when that man says ‘music has value’, he means it’s value is beholden to men who had no part in creating it.”

Scooter’s POV

Like any story, there are always two sides. What Scooter Braun claims about this story is very different from what Swift claims through her Tumblr posts and interviews. Braun claimed during an interview with Variety that everything that happened between the two of them was confusing and not based on anything factual.

Braun went on to say that he asked Swift to sit down and have a conversation multiple times, but she refused. Most of what Braun has stated to the public is that beingthatalonggotknowthatSwiftunfortunatethatconfusion,happenedwhatwasanditisverythatreactedway.“Idon’twherewemessedupthewaywedecidedpolitically

correct is more important than having conflict resolution,” Braun told Variety during an interview.

“People are allowed to grow as human beings. They’re allowed to have conversations. They’re allowed to change their mind. They’re allowed to go from not liking each other to liking each other, and vice versa. But you don’t find that out by just yelling at each other. You find that out by showing respect and having a conversation.”

If Swift agreed to have a conversation with Braun, it could be possible that they would’ve worked something out or cleared up misunderstandings. But at that

point, Swift was so hurt by the way she was treated that the only thing that seemed like the right thing to do was to leave Big Machine Records.

The Re-Recordings

Because Swift has written every one of her songs, she, unlike most artists, owns the publishing rights to her music including the lyrics, melodies, and compositions. This is important because in order for a producer of a third-party company to utilize a song, the producer must obtain both the masters rights and the publishing rights for the song. This is why Swift can re-record her music without being sued for infringement of copyright for her songs by Shamrock Holdings.

Because of the years of controversy between Swift and Braun, and the fortunate fact that Swift has written all of her music, Swift announced in August of 2019 that she is going to re-record her first six studio albums. The first rerecorded album was “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” released on April 9, 2021. This included 20 re-recordings, and six new songs, which she refers to as “From The Vault” (these are songs that were written for the original album in 2008, but didn’t make it). The second re-recorded album was “Red (Taylor’s Version)” released on Nov. 12, 2021. This included 21 re-recordings, and nine

contracts, in turn forcing record labels to grant artists greater control over their work.

When Swift announced her plan for re-recording her albums, many interpreted this as a new version of the old songs. Specifically new instruments, and lyrics, which would give the original music a new spin. But most of what Swift released sounded mostly identical to the original songs. This disappointed a lot of fans because it seemed there was no point in listening to the re-recordings versus the original music. But for Swift, re-recording her music means she now owns her music, exactly the way she wrote it. Along with the re-recordings, Swift fans were able to hear songs that were supposed to be released with the original albumsSwift shared on an Instagram post that she wanted to create the new recordings because she is the only one who knows which songs almost made the tracklist

“Songsoriginally.Iabsolutely adored, but were held back for different reasons (don’t want too many breakup songs, don’t want too many down tempo songs, can’t fit that many songs on a physical CD),” Swift wrote. “Those reasons seem unnecessary now. I’ve decided I want you to have the whole story, see the entire vivid picture, and let you into the entire dreamscape that is my fearless album.”

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Taylor Swift

her earning every penny that comes from the streams and downloads of the albums. But this doesn’t mean that her old masters belonging to Shamrock Holdings won’t exist. Shamrock Holdings can still use those masters in any way that they want that doesn’t require publishing

Althoughrights.owning her own music is a big reason that Swift is re-recording her music, another reason is so she can help other artists. Swift believes that young artists need to be educated on how record labels work so they know what they are getting into.

“They need to learn these things because I didn’t know these things when I was a teenager,” Swift said during an interview with Elvis Duran on The Morning Show.Swift’stheirrenegotiateartistspowerfulrecordingsre-couldalsoinspiretorestructureandown

In both re-recorded albums that have been released, Swift has released never-before-heard songs featuring other artists. For example, on “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” she released “That’s When (feat. Keith Urban)”and “You All Over Me (feat. Maren Morris).” On “Red (Taylor’s Version)” she released “Nothing New (feat. Phoebe Bridgers), “I Bet You Think About Me (feat. Chris Stapleton), and “Run (feat. Ed Sheeran).” She also released a 10-minute version of the hit song “All Too Well,” which included new lyrics. Along with the 10-minute version, she directed a short film on her YouTube channel titled “All Too Well: The Short Film” that features Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien. She released another version of the same song titled “All Too Well (Sad Girl Autumn Version)” which is a slowed down, acoustic version of the song. This was recorded at the Long Pond Studios which is the same place she recorded a version of her album “Folklore” that was released last year. What’s The Point?

Throughout music history, there have been many cases where musicians and record labels have issues with contracts and record deals. The bottom line is that artists should own the music they create, and producers and record labels tend to have issues with that. After looking into the full story of why Swift left Big Machine Records, the re-recordings seem a masterpiece rather than a waste of time and energy. No matter what drama went down between Swift and her record label, what matters now is that Swift owns her music, the way it should be for any musician, and she is taking a stance that has the potential to inspire other musicians and artists.

resultssongsrightspublishingmastersownssheofre-recordsVault.”“FromsongsTheWhenSwiftoneheralbums,thenboththeandtoherwhichin

Swift fights for the right to own the music she has created over the years

“I’ve decided I want you to have the whole story, see the entire vivid picture, and let you into the mydreamscapeentirethatisfearlessalbum.”

What are your thought’s on re-recordings?Taylor’s

Sophomore Marieke Theuerkauf

“I think it’s really cool. I’ve seen a lot of people [say] ‘it’s not going to work’ and then it worked and she’s having an amazing time with it. I also think it’s going to change the industry for future artists.”

“Absolutely spectacular. Show stopping. There’s no other way to describe it.”

“I feel like it was a good choice because of the way she got screwed over with Big Machine Records. She brought some of her new songs, like the ‘out of the vault’ stuff, so I thought that was fun. And obviously it sounds really good.”

“I don’t really listen to Taylor Swift too much. Honestly, I think that she is one of the most overrated musicians of our generation.”

“I think it’s really empowering that she’s taking back what she owns. And now she’s being a girl boss, and she’s doing really well off of it too.”

Senior Veronica Klein

Freshman Gavin May

Senior Tate Clerc

Senior Ava Nelson

graphic by Brooke Seymour

photos by Rachel Erdmann

It’s not about the moneygifts are better than expensive ones Staff Editorial

As we enter the season of giving, the question of “what gift should I give?” comes up more and more often. Whether it’s gifting technology or something expensive, the question of finding the “perfect gift” is front and center in everyone’s minds. However, the “perfect gift” doesn’t have to be anything of any monetary value. A meaningful, impactful, gift can be the “perfect gift” someone didn’t know they needed.

Obviously, anyone would rather receive a new pair of shoes over a paper mache project their five year old nephew made in five minutes when she was bored. But a really meaningful gift is a gift that has a useful and positive impact on the person receiving it. Whether it is cooking food for the local food pantry to give out to people in need or giving loved ones a sign of gratitude and appreciation, a gift can come in so many different forms, and the “perfect gift” can be different for everyone depending on what they value most.

Meaningful gifts are also the gifts that people remember for years to come. Sure they may like a new pair of shoes and will wear them every day for a couple of months until they have to toss them out, but getting a framed picture of them and a loved one that they can keep in their

house lasts much longer and is much more valuable than the pair of shoes that will wear over the years. A framed picture is something that a person can bring with them wherever they go and can stay in their memories forever as opposed to a new pair of shoes, which will most likely wear out over time.

While finding the “perfect gift” for someone can be much more difficult than simply buying the latest Apple iPhone, the reaction once they open up their gift Christmas morning is priceless. Sometimes knowing that they spent time and effort to come up with a unique gift means more than the actual gift itself.

Gifts also don’t have to be physical objects. Giving time or effort can also be a heart-warming gift to someone. Leaving a generous tip to a waiter or waitress, spending extra time with a friend who needs it, volunteering at organizations and shelters are all forms of giving to others that anyone can do with a little bit of time and effort. Even making someone’s day with a simple gesture or smile can be a gift to the person receiving it. These thoughtful ideas can be gifts that can be given to family, friends, or even strangers.

And if someone doesn’t have the time to volunteer they can still donate to charity. With a quick Google search

many charities that support different causes can be found that all help people in need throughout the year, especially during the season of giving. Even within DHS there are some charities that can still be supported easily. Toys-for-Tots provided an easy way for students to donate and support a charity without having to spend time or effort outside of school. All someone had to do to make a kids Christmas was to donate a new toy of any size or shape to the charity and the organization did the rest. This is proof that giving thoughtful gifts to others is very simple and easy to do. These kinds of small donations may seem insignificant to the giver, but can make all the difference to the person receiving it. Giving meaningful gifts can mean so much more to people, as opposed to material things.

As we get closer and closer to Christmas time, people are going to have to eventually stop procrastinating and buy their family presents. As they go looking for last-minute gifts for their family and friends, remember that it’s not about the money, but about the value of the gifts themselves. Gifts that make lasting memories are always the gifts that are the most impactful, and those kinds of gifts are the best to receive and give in the season of giving.

Dec. 18 is a highly anticipated date, one where the community can discover just who some of the most talented recreational basketball teams in the area are. Dozens will flock to the Midland Community Center that night to see teams like the Kool-Aid Jammers, Sweaty Seadogs, Women in Soccer, Local Legends, and Sunset Beach Ballers take on the Midland Community Center courts. But there is one team that sets itself apart from the rest: the Meme Mosquitoes.

The first thing a team must have in order to succeed in the Community Center League (CCL) is chemistry.

Senior Jacob O’Connor was responsible for handcrafting the Meme Mosquitoes roster and brought together a wealth of talent, but more importantly some of his best friends. Having your best friends on a team is critical. They pick you up when you’re down and know your potential so they can challenge you to reach it. Laugh now, but the stakes of CCL basketball are at the highest they’ve ever been. Rivalries are constantly brewing between squads, and peers become enemies on the court. Added pressure from Midland CCLHub, a social media organization devoted to covering the league, ensures you’ll be getting the best of player’s abilities come Dec. 18.

The point is, this companionship inside the Meme Mosquitoes gives them a much-needed boost as they prepare to hit the hardwood in this surprisingly competitive basketball league.

A second attribute required for recreational basketball success is versatility. Sure, it’s always fun to throw a group of guys together, but if they’re all 5’8” or all can’t hit a jump shot to save their life, you will see limited success. Nobody wants that, especially considering the hefty player fee of $75. To me, the Mosquitoes did a great job of including a variety of builds and skill sets throughout the roster that should set them up for plenty of winning opportunities this winter.

The Mosquitoes undoubtedly have one of the best coaching staffs this league has ever seen - the combination of the father of Caden Clement, Chasen Clement and DHS varsity basketball player Josh Hofmeister is sure to help lead the Mosquitos in the right direction.

The team is led by star point guard Noah Reuter-Gushow, considered one of the most talented prospects in the league. Gushow is known for his ability to race past opponents on the court and finish at the rim. However over the off-season, he has developed a very capable outside jump shot that may catch some teams by surprise. His elite ball handling skills combined with his athleticism turn Gushow into an Allen Iverson type player for the Mosquitoes.

The other members of the starting lineup

Chipinclude:Shumaker: His dominant post presence shows flashes of prime Ben Wallace with his physical rebounding and punishing play-style.

Mason Prather: Showing resemblance to Dominique Wilkins, Prather is an athletic forward who has lots of defensive potential.

Jake Rettelle: A sharpshooter from behind the arc as well as a gifted defender, Rettelle’s RJ Barrett type playstyle could be the x-factor to the team’s success in the playoffs.

Connor McBride: Possibly the best passer on this team which is not something you see from a typical power forward, McBride is also a solid defender who can get after opposing players. McBride’s playstyle is similar to the Memphis Grizzlies’ Kyle Anderson.

In addition to O’Connor and Caden Clement, other members that will be leading the squad are Ian Metzler and Alex Futter. Though their minutes may not be consistent, these four bring more to the game than just stats. They are great teammates and have a passion for the game that you just can’t teach.

So while some may argue that the Meme Mosquitoes aren’t championship material for the 20212022 CCL season, the aforementioned reasons suggest otherwise.

cartoon by Rachel Erdmann

Serving up the sauciest slice in the city

Local pizza consumer discovers the best pizza place found in Midland

Joe Craig managing opinion

According to a survey conducted by The Harris Poll in 2018, over 2,000 U.S. adults were asked what food they would want to eat for the rest of their lives. The leading choice: pizza. Twenty-one percent of people surveyed chose pizza for the single food that they would eat for the rest of their lives. Beating steak, tacos, pasta, and hamburgers, pizza is undoubtedly an American specialty.

In Midland, there are 14 pizza restaurants in total. Just four of these restaurants are purely local to the city of Midland. The other 10 restaurants are all chain-based restaurants, most available all across the U.S.

Owner and founder of Barstool Sports, Dave Portnoy, has a famous series on his YouTube channel branded as the “One Bite Pizza Reviews” in which he gives official pizza reviews of restaurants all around the country. One of his mottos is that there is nearly no such thing as a perfect pizza score. Every pizza is different from the next. Each has a different ratio of cheese to sauce, different toppings, different crusts, so it’s practically impossible to score a pizza a perfect

Using10/10.the same 1-10 grading scale, and narrowing the number of pizza restaurants in Midland down to the top four best pizza restaurants, each pizza place received an official review of a single slice of each respective restaurant’s pepperoni pizza.

Pizza Sam’s

Pizza Sam’s, a staple in the Midland community, celebrates its 61st anniversary this December and has been in business downtown ever since its opening in 1960. They have a New York style slice, featuring their own signature cheese and sauce, with thickcut, cupped-style pepperoni. The best qualities about this pizza is the pepperoni and sauce. Unlike most pizza places, Pizza Sams’ cupped-style pepperoni is smaller, yet thicker than the average pepperoni. The unique crisp to it gives a nice kick of flavor to the pizza. They have their own original sauce recipe that is considerably better than any other pizza in Midland. The crust has a good mixture of crispiness and thickness to avoid too much “flop” or sogginess in the crust. Overall, most would agree that this is the best pizza option in Midland.

Official rating: 8.4/10

Good Times Pizza

Located next to 7-Eleven and across the street from LaLonde’s Market, Good Times Pizza is the most underrated pizza choice in the Midland community. They’ve been locally owned and family operated in Midland since 1983. One of the most exceptional qualities about this establishment is that their prices are actually cheaper than most, yet the quality of the pizza never fails to satisfy the need for a good slice. The pizza is always ready in roughly 10 minutes, and it is always steaming hot. The best part of their pizza is their crust. They make their own hand-made dough daily, with fresh ingredients. It’s always nice and crispy-not too thin and not too thick. Good Time’s original cheese is always cooked to perfection, and always has just the right amount. Their sauce to cheese ratio is top notch. Topping it all off, the customer service is great, and employees are always friendly. Whether it is for a work function, or hanging out at home with friends, Good Times is overall a valid pizza for any occasion.

Official rating: 7.9/10

Pizza Baker

Another very underrated choice for a good slice of pizza in Midland. Pizza Baker opened in August 2019 in Downtown Midland, and is the only wood-fired pizza in the city. The most unique quality about this pizza is the french-made brick oven that the pizza is cooked to perfection in. In just two minutes, the pizza is cooked at roughly 800 degrees and is ready to be served right away. The unique brick-oven style pizza creates an amazing tasting smokey flavor on the crust that blends in well with the sauce and cheese. The pepperoni is a similar take on the Pizza Sam’s pepperoni down the street, but is a bit thinner.. The restaurant’s most popular pizza choice is their margarita pizza consisting of tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, basil, and olive oil. This restaurant is a great choice for going out and enjoying a nice pizza in the 7.4/10Officialevening.rating:

Domino’s

A large scale, chain-based restaurant, Domino’s beats out any remaining pizza places outside of the top three on the list. Their signature hand-tossed pizza features an amazing garlic seasoned crust. The sauce is made from California tomatoes, however it isn’t anything special. It seems like just an average pizza sauce for a large-scale pizza corporation. The most quality feature about their pizza would definitely have to be the crust. Their dough is made fresh at each location, rather than the frozen alternative that most pizza chains use. Overall, Domino’s pizza is always pretty dependable, and is an average overall. It’s an amazing choice for most occasions, especially for a party or some type of function in which many people are enjoying.

Official rating: 6.8/10

Honorable Mentions:

Though these restaurants aren’t necessarily bad in any way, they don’t really offer much to make the top four best restaurants list.

Mancino’s

sometimes has a lot of cheese and not enough sauce, setting the sauce to cheese ratio off balance. But nonetheless, their sauce still has an amazing burst of flavor that combines well with the cheese.

Papa John’s

Another large-scale chain restaurant, Papa Johns is good but simply doesn’t offer enough for it to be on the same level as Domino’s. The best pizza on the menu would be the “Shaq-a-Roni”, an extra large pizza with extra pepperoni and cheese. One thing that Papa Johns always is great about is respecting a proper sauce to cheese ratio. They never seem to put on too much of either. This pizza is another great choice for a party, having some friends over for the game, or having game night with some buddies.

Jet’s

Featuring a slice different from the rest on the list, Jet’s pizza has a deep dish slice that is particularly unique compared to the rest of the pizza in Midland. Jets always excels in the crust area of their pizza, it’s always thick and crispy with a crunch in every bite. However, they are lacking

Sledding is the best way to bond with family during the holiday season

The holidays are just around the corner and everyone is preparing for the joy and the chaos of it all. Christmas, like many other holidays, is celebrated widely around the world, bringing in many different traditions from all different kinds of families. Christmas’ main tradition is giving and receiving gifts, but is that all there is to it?There are many different ways to

best holiday traditions known to man.

Sledding requires three main things. A hill, a sled and a lot of snow. This fun holiday activity stands out from the rest because of its exciting elements. Unlike decorating a Christmas tree or building a gingerbread house, sliding down a hill at very high speeds is exhilarating.

This activity does not have to be done alone. Going sledding with tons

memorable. Sledding is also a great way for distant family members to bond when they all get together over winter break. Senior Abigail Rogers shared a cherished memory about sledding during the holiday season.

“We have a hill at our house, so every winter we normally sled out there,” Rogers said. “One of the more distinct memories would be last winter when my 4-year-old nephew had joined

sledding. Anything without a lot of traction can be used. A cardboard box, or a laundry basket, just about anything imaginable. One can create this into a game as well, whoever creates the best sled is the ultimate winner. Sledding is a Christmas tradition that requires no money or skill, it simply is a fun activity that people of all ages can enjoy.

Although City Forest is known for having a huge hill that most people

graphic by Brooke Seymour

Kirsten Kenyon managing photo

Winter competition kicks off

Pom, cheer teams begin prepping for competitive seasons

As the winter season arrives, the competitive season falls upon DHS’ cheer and pompon teams. Yes, believe it or not, both pompon and cheerleading are indeed sports. Pom is considered a club sport, while cheer, sometimes referred to competitive spirit, is recognized as a sport in 31 states.

The cheer team held their tryouts for winter season from Nov. 8 to Nov. 10. Since then, they have been practicing for competitions. Cheer team bumps up the difficulty ahead of competitions, as opposed to the sideline cheer at football games and sophomore cheerleader Leah Jones believes there is a reason for this.

“Yes, I definitely think that competition practices are a lot more difficult than sideline practices,” Jones said. “This is because during competitive practices you have to learn and perfect three whole routines. This is a lot different than learning cheers for sideline because the rounds include different stunting and tumbling and are a lot longer and more complex than sidelineCheerleadingcheers.” was originally from Great Britain and eventually made its way over to America around the 1880s. Cheering in the US first consisted of the students making up their own cheers to boost morale and get people excited at sporting events. One of the earliest examples of cheer was from the first

itgrewmorphedcheerleadingfrom.Rah!”knowntheThisUniversityandUniversitybetweenfootballintercollegiategameRutgersPrincetonin1869.waswhereverywell“SisBoomchantcameFromthere,andintowhatistoday.Fromthe

simple cheers at a football game to jaw dropping stunts at national competitions, cheerleading has been a part of the sports world for years.

Cheer competitions break down in three rounds with three separate routines for each round. Each round lasts around two minutes each. The first round is centered around motions and jumps. Teams being in sync is of the utmost importance in this round, while round two is more focused on tumbling. The third and final round is about stunting. Stunting includes twist cradles, pyramids and more.

After all teams have completed the three rounds, the judges go over the score sheets. Once the scores are

toplacementsandscoresmattocalledareteamsthefinalized,theforconclude

Whilecompetition.thecheerleading is all over America, pom is exclusively a Michigan sport. Mid American Pompon was formed in 1979 and focused on giving people a positive environment to learn routines and build their self esteem. Michigan State University was the first pom team to be formed at the collegiate level back in 2005. Since then many other teams have been formed, including many more teams in the middle school and high school divisions.

not involve cheering of any kind on a competitive level. Pom also does not include stunting such as lifting people into the air. Pom focuses on dancing and is most known for the kickline, which is a series of consecutive kicks often showcased by the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall.

The pom teams learned a routine for

Craig’s

with Joe Craig Bestupsetssportsofalltime

The best stories in sports are without a doubt, an underdog story. Everyone loves to see the upset, the comeback, the long shot winners. They love seeing David beat Goliath, the little guys taking down the big guys, the “good” beating the “evil.”

The year was 2004. It was a cold, chilly night in the middle of October at Fenway Park in Boston. The Red Sox, branded with the nickname of “The Idiots” were a team of misfits. A mixture of free agents, young guys, and veterans. The team’s nickname was derived from the fun-loving way they played the game.

But “The Idiots” were matched up against the Yankees in the American League Championship Series. The Yankees had jumped out to a 3-0 series lead, and were looking to close the series out at Boston.

Three outs away from elimination, the Red Sox came up to bat in the bottom of the ninth with a 4-3 score. They worked a walk, a pinch-run stolen base, and a base hit to center field that scored the tying run, sending the game to extra innings.

In the bottom of the 12, Red Sox retiree David Ortiz, the heart of the team, hit a deep fly ball that sailed into the Yankee bullpen in right field, sending the Red Sox home with the win. This shifted the series momentum, which led to them beating the Yankees in seven games, and ending the 86-year World Series drought, nicknamed the “Curse of the Great Bambino.” The “Idiots” had become the only team ever to come back from a 3-0 playoff deficit.

But perhaps the more exciting longshot stories are the NCAA Men’s Basketball upsets that are present in every year’s addition of the March Madness tournament.

shortly after, the state wide competition. During the first regional competition, both middle school and high school teams compete to try to qualify for the state competition. They don’t compete against each other, but rather attempt to please the judges with their routines. The second competition is where competitiveness between teams starts to show. Teams in the same division compete against each other for a better placement or award than the other team and are ranked first to last based on the scoring competitionsystem.days

typically look like for the team.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: The pom team prepares for their upcoming competition.The team practices every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from four to six p.m. in the cafeteria. PUTTING IN THE WORK: The cheer team practices for the winter competitive season. The team has practice from six to nine p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The greatest NCAA basketball upset is most considerably the story of the 1983 NC State team. Nicknamed the “team of destiny” by writers, the team found a way to edge out big upsets throughout the entire season.

Led by coach Jim Valvano to the NCAA tournament, the six seed team was solid, but were considered no match for their national championship opponent, Houston, who was led by future hall of famers Akeem Olajewon and Clyde Drexler.

As time ran down late in the second half, NC State had possession with a score of 52-52. Wolfpack guard Dereck Whittenburg shot a deep three that came up short. Thinking that it was the last shot, Houston left NC State’s Lorenzo Charles all alone under the basket, who caught Whittenburg’s miss in the air, and threw down the game winning dunk as time expired to win 54-52. Pulling off an upset for the ages, they held the “team of destiny” nickname true.

But regardless of the sport, the greatest sports upset of all time is without a doubt the 1980 USA hockey team’s historic win against the Soviet Union hockey team. Nicknamed the “Miracle on Ice,” the USA hockey team was considered to have no shot at beating the Soviet Union. The biggest reason why: USA’s team was made up of just college students while the Soviet Union’s team were the defending fourtime gold-medal winners at the time and were made up of grown men.

The group of young gun Americans upset the Soviet team by a score of 4-3. The USA team had scrapped their way to the semi-final game against the number one ranked Soviets. While the Soviet team was relentless on offense all game, Team USA fought back. And it certainly paid off.

Trailing 3-2 going into the third period, they managed to tie it up at three a piece with a goal from forward David Silk. Shortly after, left winger Mike Eruzione slapped in the go ahead goal, giving them a 4-3 lead, and the eventual win.

As the clock winded down, the crowd chanted the final 10 seconds and erupted when the final buzzer sounded, cementing the team into history and capping off the greatest upset in sports history to this day.

“[Competitive practices]are a lot different than learning cheers for sidelinebecause the rounds include different stunting andtumbling and are morecomplex,”

LeahsophomoreJones,

photos by Kirsten Kenyon