Fenton
InPrint
February 4, 2015 3200 W. Shiawassee Ave., Fenton, Michigan 48430
Ink Marks
Tattoos can be found inhabiting the bodies of teachers and students alike, telling stories and connecting family members to their designs. Although one must be 18 years old to legally put such a permanent mark as a tattoo on one’s body, many students have gotten the permission necessary to express themselves through the art of ink and needle.
PHO TO M
AKEN
ZIE C
OOL
Importance
Of Knowledge on Abstinence
Page 15
Parkour & Free Run
How to Start the Sport
Page 5
Relationships Valentine’s Day Breakdown
Pages 8-9
fentoninprint.com
2 NEWS Feb. 4, 2015
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Are Aliens Real? - Page 4
The Fentonian and InPrint staffs receive accolades from press association for last year’s publications
Places like Area 51 prompt a big question: Do aliens actually exist? Read and decide for yourself with conspiracy theories, facts and information in this month’s Pro/Con opinion pieces.
Mascot - Page 7 While the identity of Paws remains a secret, he makes an appearance at most games and events, pumping up the crowd.
Photo caitlin Heenan
Adoption - Page 14 Adoption provides a new life for the six individuals profiled on page 14. While one is from a different country, others are natives to Michigan.
Content Editor Kaylee Vasbinder
Once again this year, the InPrint and Fenton- established arguments from both perspectives ian staffs have received top-notch evaluations while maintaining a strong stance on the issue. from the National Scholastic Press Association Despite the technology difficulties last school (NSPA) for their 2013-2014 publications. year, the judge said he found the Fenton InPrint Both staffs exceeded the minimum number a pleasure to read, and praised the staff ’s efof points required for the All-American Honor. ficiency in delivering news to FHS students. This is the best evaluation that a staff can receive The Fentionian earned 4,275 points out of out of four different rankings from the NSPA. 5,000, meaning it also received the All-American honor award. The yearbook itself was judged The Fenton InPrint (newspaper) received in five different categories: photography, writing/ 4,225 points out of a possible 5,000 in the areas editing, design, concept and coverage. For each of coverage/ content, writing/editing, photos/ category, it scored between “very good” and arts/graphics, layout/design and leadership. “excellent,” excellent being the highest possible Judges commented on connections the score a publication can receive. school newspaper made between the student In addition to the All-American rating, the community and global issues. Such stories include ones about the changing face of downtown book also received five out of five Marks of Distinction, which are awarded when a book Fenton, risque television shows and college. “I am very pleased with our results as a staff,” exceeds the expectations in any one of the 2014 co-editor in chief Torrey Christopher said. categories. “This award means so much,” 2014 co-edi“We made the best of our technology situation tor in chief Josie and we were Foguth said. “The able to be sucstaff as a whole cessful despite put a lot of time working on into it starting the old computers summer before and outdated school and ending software, halfway through which I think is outstandthe next summer. I ing.” also think it meant Students a lot for the senot part of niors. I don’t think the journalthere was much we ism staff are could have done Submitted photo routinely inbetter because Members of the InPrint and Fentonian staff gather at Michigan terviewed and everyone did their State University to take a picture at the conclusion of the Michigan their opinions part and worked Interscholastic Press Association’s summer workshop last August. on issues together.” Members of both staffs spent a week at MIPA this past summer to appear in the The judge hone their skills in order to improve both publications. paper. Judges said the yearbook acknowledged how the wide variety of stories demonstrated outstanding photography and the that appeared in the paper appealed to a great elaborate design attracted readers to the pages. number of students with varying personalities. He found it to be an enjoyable read. The judge Many articles focused on a particular student’s also commented on the distinctive action photos talent or passion. which are abundant in the book. He also gave “There is always some room for improvecredit to the captions which helped the photos ment, but I’m proud of what we achieved as a come to life, forever capturing the memories staff,” junior Alexis Megandoff said. “Last year from the 2013-2014 school year. went so smoothly because we had a system that “I’m proud of everything we did,” 2015 was well run and familiar. We knew where we co-editor in chief senior Sarah Lawrence said. would have trouble and we were able to com“We worked hard and it was an honor because pensate for these rough areas. As a whole, we we didn’t receive a national award for the 2013 had strong leaders who knew what they wanted book, and we wanted to make it the best. In the and were experienced enough to execute it well.” evaluation we received back, the judge picked The staff was also praised for how it included apart how in our alternate coverage ideas we the “On My Mind” column, which is similar to were missing some quotes, so we’re going to try a man on the street interview. Students from to fix that this year so we can succeed again next outside the journalism crew have the ability to year. We’re also trying to work with design eleexpress their opinions in the newspaper via this ments we’ve never used before to help reinforce column. Credit was also given to editorials from our theme ‘Same story different angle’ as well as newspaper staff members, which were deemed paying close attention to the critique we received entertaining and informative. They thoroughly from the judge.”
Photo Hope dagenais
Going for the Gold
Fenton InPrint Publication Policy The InPrint is a student-led newspaper published every four weeks by the Advanced Journalism class at Fenton High School. We are an open forum. If the paper prints incorrect information, any necessary corrections will be made in the next issue.
Editorials
Editorials are staff editorials on which the entire class votes to decide the stance taken. Opinions expressed in editorials are not those of the administration. Columns represent the opinion of the individual writer and do not reflect those of the administration. Polls represent a random sampling of 10 percent of the students attending the school.
Letters to the Editor
The staff encourages students, staff and administrators to submit guest columns of letters to the editor. Letters and guest columns may be emailed to fentoninprint2014@gmail.com or deposited in the boxes in the main office or the media center. All letters must be signed and include a phone number to verify information. Letters are subject to editing for space. Anonymous letters and those that are photocopied or addressed to a third person will not be considered.
Photography
Pictures considered offensive will not be run without written consent from the persons pictured and, if necessary, his/her legal guardian. All photography not labled with a photo illustration has not been digitally altered to change the content of the original.
Advertising The InPrint reserves the right to edit any advertisement that is considered to be in poor taste for high school publication, or one that suggests a violation of federal, sate or local laws. Through a voting process, the editorial board makes the final decision whether an advertisement should be published.
Staff
Editor in Chief:
Caitlin Heenan
Assistant Editor:
Shealyn Mandle
Online Editor:
Alexis Megdanoff
Content Editors:
Carly Riggs, Samantha C. Smith, Kaylee Vasbinder, Hudson Villeneuve, Riley Wilson
Designers:
Carly Riggs, Samantha T. Smith, Christina Walker, Riley Wilson
Writers:
Emily Battaglia, Samantha Campbell, Tess DeGayner, Jennifer Eisenbeis, Jake Lee, Cameron Mathews, Calli Miller, Michael Pearce
Photo Editors:
Makenzie Cool, Hope Dagenais
Photographers:
Laura Albrant, Alyssa Branoff, Lauren Gruber, Preston English, Brienna Knierium, Erica Kolanowski, Maddie Roy, Wilson Personett, Matthew Shampine, Macyn Stevens, Parker Toonder
Business Staff:
Sylvia Stack, Alec Miller
Artist:
Karley Walsh
Adviser:
Pamela Bunka
Another honor for yearbook staff
The work completed by the 2014 Fentonian staff has earned it a finalist spot for one of the most prestigious awards in student publications: the Columbia Crown Award. “The Crown Awards reward outstanding work done by student journalists no matter how large or small the staff may be,” CSPA Executive Director Ed Sullivan said in the press release that announced the awards. “We seek out excellence wherever it’s found. Because Crowns are national awards, they attest to quality beyond that of state or regional awards. They represent Columbia’s considered opinion of quality and innovation.” According to CSPA’s web site, a total of 1,203 newspapers, yearbooks, digital media, and magazines were submitted this year alone. Members of the Fentonian staff will learn which crown they received for the 2014 book on March 20 while they are at the CSPA conference held in New York City. This is the 16th time the book has been a finalist for the honor.
Phone: (810) 591-2968 Email: fentoninprint2014@ gmail.com fentoninprint.com
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Feb. 4, 2015
In a technologically-reliant society, negative media influences diminish the importance of abstinence- based teaching
Just Say
LSH
WA ART KARLEY
NO
“Don’t have sex, because you will get pregnant… and die.” While coach Carr’s health class in the movie “Mean Girls” may have been a bit different than what many students experienced in freshman health class, he was only trying to inform his students about the importance of abstinence. Unfortunately, in the year 2015, Carr’s brutally straightforward message is not taken seriously by many. As technology becomes an increasingly more important aspect of American culture, so does television. With this comes a host of problems, one being TV shows’ constant display of sex in programs that are directed toward teenage audiences. Teenagers are exposed to this on a daily basis, and it is undoubtedly one of the reasons why abstinence is becoming less common in today’s society. While many may not believe this statement because of the common belief that it is “just a TV show” and “teenagers know right from wrong.” They are only kidding themselves. According to studies by RAND health, TV shows with sexual content ultimately lead to increased sexual activity among adolescents. Media presents sex in such a casual way, it diminishes the education students receive from their parents and teachers regarding abstinence and STDs. Many believe the media can be used as a tool to inform and educate young adults about sex, but most of these shows contain content that does not typically encourage safe sex.
This may be one of the reasons that the United States boasts a higher teen pregnancy rate than any other developed country. According to a study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 156 sex scenes occurred in 50 hours of TV, and in those hours there were only five references to safe sex. This is where schools are lacking, too. They teach more about not having sex at all than the use of contraceptives. It is also highly likely that instead of being influenced by their peers in school, young adults are being influenced by the peers they watch on TV. In the same study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 76 percent of teens said more adolescents are having sex because TV makes it appear “normal.” The students who were exposed to more sexual content possessed the belief that their fellow peers engaged in this behavior, thus making it acceptable for them to. Although it is very unlikely to eliminate sex in media altogether, there are definitely ways to reduce exposure to this type of content. By finding a way to inform teenagers about the effects the media has on them, we can assist in resolving this growing problem. Schools can teach more about the use of contraceptives, seeing that is the area in which curriculum on this subject lacks. Although this can’t completely resolve the issue, it could definitely contribute to a more abstinent future that even coach Carr would be proud of.
STAFF ED The staff selects a topic for each AT ISSUE
Do negative media influences dimin- OUR VIEW Yes. The negative influences given issue and votes to determine the direction the ish the push for abstinence given by parents and by the media diminish the push for abstinence editorial will take. The majority rules and the teachers? given by parents and teachers. editorial is written from that angle. Agree: 19 Disagree: 0 Abstain: 2
Letter to the Editor Have you heard the news? Did you know plastic bags are harming us and the environment! You may already know plastic bags are already harming us. But do you know how severe? PLASTIC BAGS ARE BEING OVERUSED! About 1 trillion plastic bags are being used every year in the world. Plastic bags are made of a special chemical that is called polyethylene. When polyethylene is added to the bags, it emits fumes which ruin our oxygen. Let’s say you walk into a store. There are plastic bags and paper bags. The cashier might ask you if you want paper or plastic. You might just think plastic bags are better than paper bags because the handle breaks... but paper bags are bigger and they do not harm the environment! Plastic bags are stronger but they are smaller. There is one more thing to add to this, there are reusable plastic bags in some stores you can use. The reusable bag is big and is not going to rip or break at all! Animals die because of plastic bags. The plastic bag can get the
animals’ stomachs which can cause them to get very sick or die. Plastic bags are also polluting the lakes and ocean and rivers because they go into the lake and make them dirty. Plastic bags can also hurt plants. However, plastic bags do not need to be thrown away. Here are some items that you can make out of plastic bags: woven bags, woven seats, woven lights, baskets, jump ropes, figurines, flowers, sling shots, pastry bags, earrings, bracelets, lamp shades, beads, coasters, clock cover, cup, hair bow, head band, watch cover, dress, wallet, bookmark and yarn. State Road Elementary has decided to take action by recycling plastic bags. There are two bins located in the lobby and cafeteria. If you would like to make a difference, grab your plastic bags and zip lock bags and bring them to State Road. -State Road Elementary 5th grade IB exhibition group: Samantha M., Jacob S., Josh U., Peyton G., Lauren W., and Chris Y.
OPINION 3
In the Spirit of ... L ve
editor-in-chief caitlin heenan
PHOTO MAKENZIE COOL
Even though this word has a place in every language around the world, none can do it justice. The language of love is a language humans have yet been able to master. There is no grammar, sentence structure, tenses of verbs; It is the language of emotions and human behavior. It is this unspoken, unwritten language that love belongs to and flourishes in. When humans attempt to translate this language, the message is greatly misconstrued. Only one definition of love has ever crossed my path that has come relatively close to what the word should be used for and ironically enough, it comes from the comedy TV series, “How I Met Your Mother.” Ted Mosby described the emotion, expected from human life as such: “‘If you’re looking for the word that means caring about someone beyond all rationality and wanting them to have everything they want no matter how much it destroys you, it is love. And when you love someone, you - you don’t stop, ever. Even when people roll their eyes or call you crazy, even then, especially then. You just, you don’t give up, because if I could give up, if I could just take the whole world’s advice and move on and find someone else, that wouldn’t be love, that would be, that would be some other disposable thing that is not worth fighting for.’” The disposable things, unworthy of struggle and pain are all of the other objects and relationships we as humans attempt to describe with the word love. Love should only be used to describe the relationship with the few people held in the inner circle of one’s life, those a person would give anything, even life, to be with. As a society, we overuse the word love. We destroy the meaning by believing it applies to those things that are not worth fighting for. Even those of us with the best of intentions dramatically overuse it. This word is used to describe an emotional connection to objects and even relationships unworthy of the word. Not a day goes by that the word love is used to describe the supposed emotional relationship people have with objects such as food, clothing, electronics or relationships with people that will leave the lives of those claiming such a strong connection. Love is a word disrespected in meaning by our society. People should take a step back and really think about what is important to them, what they really love. I can bet it is not the menial objects and places that many claim to love, such as Chipotle and an iPhone.
4 OPINIONFeb. 4, 2015
REAL
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R FAKE?
EXTRATERRESTR ALS Life outside of Earth is a real possibility. Look at the facts and studies, not the science-fiction
There is not enough fact to prove the existence of aliens, therefore their existence cannot be assumed
PHOTO CAITLIN HEENAN
PHOTO shealyN mandle
WRITER CAMERON MATHEWS
Since the beginning of man, our species has been baffled by what lies beyond our world. The sun, the stars, the moon and the planets were focal points of early civilization. Humans as early as the Egyptians and the Greeks attempted to find answers to what is beyond our eyes. While many have tried to comprehend the infinite space that surrounds our tiny home, only one thing is a common theme. There is life out there somewhere. The immensity and sheer size of space makes it difficult to understand what our earth is here for. Is there a purpose to life on Earth? That, we do not know, but what we do know is that we are not alone. What we do understand about the universe is that it is ever expanding, ever growing and ever creating new possibilities. This means our universe is infinite. There is no limit to the number of suns, stars, moon or planets that are out there. With an infinite universe, there are infinite realities, and infinite opportunities for planets to sustain life. Not to say that the life out there is the stereotypical green alien with an antenna and one eye, with infinite planets out there, there has to be some planets with intelligent life just based on the odds. Aliens exist, just maybe not in the way society thinks of them. The disbelief regarding aliens is built up from a sort of fear, a mass hysteria derived from popular culture. Myths such as those surroundings “Area 51” and fictional tales such as H.G. Wells “War of Worlds” have created an image of extraterrestrial life that appears to be so unrealistic and so scary that people have chosen to not believe in it. When Wells’ novel was read on a popular radio station, people tuning in late believed it was a news report and aliens were actually invading Earth. Society has made it hard for the average person to separate science fiction from scientific reality. It is critical to understand the difference in order to understand the universe and its potential to support life. Even in our own solar system we have examined possibilities for life. Hydrothermal vents, a type of underwater volcano that releases heat and minerals has been discovered on Mars. They are similar to ones on Earth, and are believed to once have supported mycobacteria, the building block of all life on our home planet. It is crazy to think we are alone in such a huge universe, just as it is crazy for a person to be lost in the jungle and think they are the only person on Earth. Evidence of life in space is everywhere. On one of Jupiter’s moons, Europa, traces of sulphur were discovered by Italian scientists in 2003. This mineral is a waste product of bacteria. Methane discovered in the atmosphere of Mars is evidence of life. All methane here on Earth is produced from bacteria or other life forms. With traces of life scattered throughout our own solar system, its illogical to think that life does not exist when there are 300 billion known solar systems. Life is out there somewhere, we may never have the technology to find it, but just because you cannot see it does not mean it is not there. Seeing is not always believing. But by understanding how our universe works and the science of life it is easy to see that life exists in other places than our home planet.
The myth about aliens is an everlasting tale, and has been told through many different types of media in books, popular movies, as well as TV shows made for all ages of all genres over the years. There have also been stories on the internet to tell whether or not this fictitious tale is true. But, people have been taking this concept too far and believe that aliens actually do exist, when that is not the case. A conspiracy theory is defined as “a belief that some covert, organization is responsible for an event.” Most conspiracies are just developed by a person or a group of people who believe certain events happen for a reason. The topic of aliens is a conspiracy known to many people and was fabricated the government to keep the real truth of Area 51 a secret from the public. While most everyone knows about Area 51, for those who don’t know, Area 51 is a facility located in a desert north of Las Vegas, Nevada, that is alledgedly used to conduct top secret research for the government. The main purpose for Area 51 was merely a testing site for government aerial surveillance programs. People are unable to access the ground surrounding it because the government would like to maintain the secrecy. It’s believed that the government first started using Area 51 in the early 1940s. At this time, they were creating spy planes. In the late ‘40s, there were reports of a mysterious plane crash, and people reported seeing alien life forms at the crash sightings. That belief, on its own, is not enough to prove that there were actually aliens in the crash. People don’t believe in aliens because mostly everything surrounding the subject is made up by others. Crop circles, for example, are made by people, who are looking to make other people believe. People have also mistaken lanterns and other light decorations to be UFOs; that is because when they are grouped together, they move in unison and tend to look like something other-worldly. There are many other reasons to contribute to the belief that aliens don’t exist. There is also the fact that life on other planets is not possible. Planets like Mercury and Venus are so close to the sun, it would be impossible for them to support human life. Other planets like Saturn and Neptune are made of gases and are too far away from the sun, and therefore can not support human life, as well. If there is life in the many galaxies within the universe, there is absolutely no way of knowing, because these galaxies are too far away for people to realize the mere possibility of life in the universe. Most movies and other visual representations of aliens today have been perpetuating the myth of aliens. I would never believe that they would actually exist in our world. The fact that there are many people who believe in them, some believe more than others, it amazes me. Aliens don’t exist and is just a story developed by the government decades ago; people need to stop believing in their existence and look at the reality that is the real world. This is real world, where there are real ideas and objects, not silly ideas to be spoken of.
ART Karley WALSH
CONTENT EDITOR HUDSON VILLENEUve
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ree
Feb. 4, 2015
SPORTS 5
Runners
Students invest in challenging physical thrills while making parkour their new hobby
ASSIStANT EDITOR ShEALYN MANDLE
ART SHEALYN MANDLE
Approaching a brick wall, freshman Ryan Byczynski prepares to do a back You always need to be training and trying to become stronger because it takes flip. Once he has stuck the landing, he is back running again thinking of his next a lot of energy to perform,” Boedecker said. “For training, you need to focus on move. He cartwheels across the grass, continuing his rush. most of your body and get pretty physically fit through pull ups, sit ups, squats and so on. You want to mostly train with your As one of the most dangerous activities in own body weight because that’s what you’ll the world, parkour is anything but average. be when you go out and parkour.” It takes a willing person to go through the training required and to take the risk of For some, parkour and freerunning are getting injured every time when performing beneficial to other sports because of all the a new trick. action and training. “Parkour is aiming to get from point A “I like parkour because it’s a really fun to point B in the most efficient way by runphysical activity. It helps keep me in shape ning up walls, vaulting or dashing,” senior and also it helps with dance,” Byczynski Ivan Boedecker said. “Freerunning is the art said. “It helps with dance because it makes of expressing oneself through the environme better with tumbling and doing other ment rather than getting to a certain spot; flips if they’re in my dances.” you’re just expressing movement, like doing Byczynski goes to places like the Millpond, Tomek and State Road elementary awesome flips.” schools where he finds different play strucBoedecker started doing parkour and tures and objects to do flips off of. He goes freerunning two years ago. He learned by with his friend freshman Brett Blackburn. watching videos on YouTube that walked Students interested in starting Parkour through different tricks. To further his PHOTO NICK FARELLA should check out apexmovement.com interest, he began taking a parkour class at Jumping from one platform to another, senior Ivan Boedecker practices his free where they can read all about parkour & Phoenix Gym. running skills at State Road Elementary. Boedecker has been practicing parkour freerunning. This website provides inforand freerun since he was a sophomore. “You don’t need to purchase expensive mation about the history of parkour, who equipment to do this activity, you just need can do it, how to practice and where to get the clothes on your back and hard training. started.
6 SPORTS Feb. 4, 2015 PHOTO HOPE DAGENAIS
MP2
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T tle
WRITER MICHAEL PEARCE
The Importance of Sports In the grand scheme of things, high school sports are generally irrelevant. Right now, they can mean a lot to the athletes, but based on the long term impact on their lives, they mean little to nothing. The reason athletes play a sport defines its importance. Sometimes people play sports for all the wrong reasons and have a skewed view of high school athletics. For some, high school sports are a way to get exercise or get one step closer to a college scholarship. For others, it may be a way to escape their troubles or find out who they are. High school sports are great for these exact reasons; they help people find out what they like and who they may be. These are great short term impacts, but what we are looking at is the long term. People will put too much importance on these sports. They will determine how valid your argument may be in any sports discussion based on if you play or not. They will treat their sport like their first born child when, in reality, it really is not as critical to their lives as they make it out to be. If someone is an exceptional athlete, he or she may become a professional. For some people living in tough situations, this is the only way out. It is no coincidence some of the best athletes come from small financially strapped households. Of course, there will be exceptions to the poverty situation, like Tiger Woods, but some of the best athletes were poor growing up. Getting paid or receiving a college scholarship is the only way that a sport will have significance on their life outside of high school. In the end, the actual importance of high school sports on anyone’s life in the near future will be nothing. No one will care if you played a sport in high school, and no one will really care if you didn’t play anything. To act like these sports are the most important things in your life is ridiculous. Sure they provide a great source of fun and bring you together with teammates, but in the grand scheme of things, they have no importance.
Historical education act has lasting effects on athletic scholarships CONTENT EDITOR HUDSON VILLENEUVE
In the early 1970s, boys played basketball and girls cheered. Big brother got all the glory on the court while little sister’s only option was to join the cheer squad. If a girl wanted to play basketball, her opportunities may not have extended past her driveway hoop. In 1972, this began to change with introduction of the Title IX Education Act. The act was intended to create equality among the sexes, however some disparities have arisen. According to the NCAA Gender Equity Report, 65 scholarships out of an average 97 are going to football players. Because of the number of college scholarships given to football athletes, sports other than football suffer from a lack of scholarships. “Sometimes you hear about colleges cutting the wrestling program or some other sport to make sure the money is equal between men and women,” physical education teacher Chad Logan said. “It was meant to create equal opportunities in education, but it has unintentionally changed the sports landscape.” Since 1972 the scholarship distribution between female and male athletics was altered. For example, in division I basketball, men’s teams are allotted 13 scholarships while women’s teams are allotted 15. Before Title IX, the opportunity for women to even play collegiate athletics was minimal.
“This act absolutely gave me the opportunity to succeed and continue my softball career in college,” senior Paige Dean said. “Title IX is important for every woman wanting to play collegiate athletics. Women and men are already equal, but this act has made playing collegiate athletics more equal than before.” While this act has helped bridge the gap between men and women, there is still a hurdle toward full equality for the sexes. The revenue certain sports generate can determine the money a sport is entitled to. “Getting into money is a slippery slope; if you are at the University of Michigan, the football team funds the whole athletic program,” Logan said. “Nothing against girls soccer, but the revenue they bring in is not equal. That’s why football is going to get more money than girls soccer. Title IX does not necessarily help colleges save money.” Title IX has been proven to create discrepancies in college athletics. But it has, opened the door for women in the sports world. Before the act, women could not participate in many sports; their options were limited and the only opportunities were given to men. The culture of many high schools and colleges are based on sports and now women are given the chance to be a part of that experience.
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Art KARLEY WALSH
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Feb. 4, 2015
SPORTS7
Underneath The Stripes Behind the scenes look at the mascot Paws and how he or she is chosen
wriTeR Samantha campbell
The crowd cheers as the team runs across home territory preparing for the competition ahead. During the commotion, out pops Paws, the masked teen whose identity is kept a secret. “It is very important to keep Paws’ identity a secret,” Athletic Director Michael Bakker said. “With people knowing who the mascot is, their friends will joke with them and think it’s funny. The mascot is there to represent the school, not him/herself as an individual.” Because of the role Paws plays in representing the school, the administration considers a number of aspects before selecting a new representative. “There are no tryouts to be the mascot,” Principal Mark Suchowski said. “The mascot job is given to a student who shows interest and school spirit. Before the student becomes the mascot, I check his or her background to make sure rules will be followed.” Each mascot got the job in a different way. “I have always wanted to be Paws,” the current Paws said. “I asked Mr. Bakker if I
photos Hope dagenais
lin
t Cai
could be Paws. The day I signed up, I worked the homecoming parade.” The mascot is required to make appearances at all high school varsity boys basketball and football games. Suchowski has a plan so Paws can make an appearance at most, if not all, of the games to cheer on the team and pump up the crowd. “Paws being at games depends on his/her availability,” Suchowski said. “Some years we have more than one person serve as our mascot. With more than one person, Paws can be at more events.” It can be difficult at times to maintain this secrecy; Paws must also remain silent, and so must his escort, a friend who accompanies Paws to at the events. “It’s difficult to keep my identity a secret,” Paws said. “People will just run up to me and lift my mouth to see who is underneath the mask. I also worry that my escort will tell people who I am.” On the sidelines and in the crowd is Paws, the Fenton Tigers’ number one fan. “My favorite part of my job is seeing the little kids at the sporting events,” Paws said. “The kids are always so excited. They always give me hugs and take pictures with me.”
Heenan
photo
Visit www.gliks.com to find your nearest location
8 RELATIONSHIPS Feb. 4, 2015 Finding the perfect gift for a significant other may seem like a daunting task. The process of finding said gift may make some wonder...
...What She ...What He Really Wants Really Wants CONTENT EDITOR Riley Wilson
To some guys, girls seem like a intricate creation that can only be figured out through time and energy. This is not the case, especially when speaking the language of gifts. The gift guide for girls is simple, especially on holidays such as Valentine’s Day. Three words will help guys out when they are trying to find a gift for their significant other: classics are key. “Valentine’s Day is a special holiday for me because I’ve had a boyfriend for almost two years, so I am use to spending it with him,” sophomore Emma Glynn said. “The gifts that I like to receive are a box of chocolates or a cute little necklace or something like that.” Research shows that giving and receiving gifts is very important in building relationships and creating romantic interactions. Giving and receiving gifts strengthens the bond that two people have, be it with family or friends. “I am allergic to chocolate, so on Valentine’s Day I would not want a box of chocolates and would rather have a stuffed bear. That would be cute,” freshman Ariana Mansour said. “I think it is important to give and receive gifts in relationships to show that you care. Of course not all the time, but on special occasions.” Gifts are not everything, and many people think this is true. Gifts do not have to be expensive. In fact, studies shows that women actually prefer a homemade gift compared to a store bought gift. The famous saying still stands, the best gifts come from the heart. “In relationships, you can give and receive gifts if you want to but it just depends on the person,” Glynn said. “You don’t have to buy something expensive just to make them happy. Gifts can just be from the heart.” When it comes to the time to buy a girl a gift, the cliche roses, chocolates, and teddy bears are the way to go. Another equivalent option would be to strap on the safety goggles, grab a pair of scissors and DIY directions.
To Date or No ,
Online EDITOR alexis megdanoff
WriTer Michael Pearce
For guys, Valentine’s Day isn’t their favorite holiday of the year. They face the decision on what to get their partner and if it is good enough or equal to what they will receive. If they don’t, then they get to laugh at their friends stressing out about what to get. Many assume that Valentine’s Day is a female holiday, and in general it is. Girls may want a lot or something specific for Valentine’s Day, but most guys might not even want anything at all. However this doesn’t mean that guys shouldn’t get anything at all. “To me, Valentine’s Day gifts don’t really matter,” sophomore Brendan Triola said. “I think that having people in your life that you love and trust means a lot more than a card or some chocolate. But hey, chocolate is good, too.” Gifts do not mean the world, but it really depends on the individual’s importance of the day. To most guys, Valentine’s Day is not important, but as always, there are exceptions to the rule. “I expect a teddy bear filled with chocolates and a year-long subscription to Netflix.” junior Jacob Gutzeit said. “Once I activate my subscription, I can watch all the sappy love movies so I can get in the holiday spirit.” Most of the time, gifts for a guy can be a tough thing to decide. Guys don’t really like the stereotypical Valentine’s Day gifts like girls do. Girls can never go wrong with food for a guy. The best gifts are the ones you can eat. “Personally if I was going to get something for Valentine’s Day, I would want my favorite food,” sophomore Colin O’Connor said. “Nothing is better than getting food as a present. It’s the perfect gift.” The old saying is true. The way to a guy’s heart really is through his stomach, and it’s a great way to go. Most won’t care if they get anything or not, but getting some food on Valentine’s Day is a great way to make this stressful day a lot more stress-free.
Males Similarities and Differences
Females EDITOR in chief Caitlin Heenan
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PHOTOS MADDIE ROY
He won’t text you back. She’s giving you mixed signals. He doesn’t pay attention to you. She won’t let you hang with your friends. Problem after problem arises in your relationship until one of you decides enough is enough and you change your Facebook status. Since that’s done it’s time to text that cutie in your English class. It seems that today the ultimate goal on everyone’s mind is obtaining a boyfriend or girlfriend. Nevermind that only two percent of new marriages are between the classic pair of “high school sweethearts.” Let’s just focus on the slim possibility that the one is sitting right next to you but just talks to you to ask what the date is. While believing this might be entertaining, it almost always leads to complications that cause unwanted drama. High school relationships are what they are-relationships. This may be surprising, but relationships take work. They take away time from the endless list of responsibilities that are given to the average high schooler and it comes to a point where relationships are not worth it, especially in high school. Everyone in high school must come to the realization that in three years or less they will be leaving home to take on adulthood. A study done by Dr. Fritz Grupe found that 80 percent of college-bound students have yet to choose a major. If you can’t decide what you want do for the rest of your life, you can’t decide who you want to do for the rest of your life. There are too many decisions to make, classes to focus on, and not enough people in high school looking for a relationship for any notable progress to be made in the game of love. College opens doors to every aspect of life and it isn’t fair to close off opportunities while in high school. Sure you have fun for a year or two, but then one or both of you graduate and suddenly going into college in a relationship doesn’t sound too cool anymore. There are 7 billion people in the world, and you try to say you picked the one from a group of 1,100 kids? Many people claim dating in high school gives people the chance to “discover love” and learn what characteristics they are looking for. High school is not the time to discover love, it’s the time to discover attraction. No one is looking to date someone else purely because they think they can hold a conversation with them for the rest of their life. High school dating opens doors to everything they don’t teach you in health class and nothing more.
Many of the differences in the ways girls and boys act and think can be attributed to the way their brains work. One of the main differing aspects between males and females that impacts their behavior is the structure of their brain. While males and females use their brains for the same functions, they go about the process of thought in different ways. This is because of differences in the structures of the parts of their brain. The sizes and connections between the hemispheres and lobes of the cerebrum, which is in control of higher brain functions such as thought, memory and perception of stimuli, can account for differing thoughts for males and females. Likewise, the Amygdala, the emotional center of the brain, and the Pituitary Gland, which secretes hormones, can account for the emotional changes for girls and boys and why they are not the same for each gender.
The Brain:
1. 15 percent larger brain overall 2. Large Amygdala 3. Testosterone released by Pituitary G 4. Emotional connection to eating foo
1. Hemispheres of Cerebrum have mo A. Sections that aid in transpor B. Information is stored in mul 2. Estrogen and Progesterone released
SOURCE: Guys are Waffles Girls are Spaghetti By Chad Eas
www.fentoninprint.com
ot to Date
Feb. 4, 2015
RELATIONSHIPS 9
That is the Question
Assistant EDITOR shealyn mandle
Being able to enjoy high school memories with a “significant other” can be exciting and even necessary for some teenagers. Although there are many positives within a high school relationship, they should not be viewed as too serious. There’s an idea of “do’s and do not’s” within each aspect of a relationship. For example, do introduce your boyfriend/girlfriend to your friends and find a way to have fun together. Do not take away all of your boyfriend/girlfriend’s friends to only spend time with each other and pretend you are an isolated married couple. It is important to keep friends around and stay involved in high school activities. You can do all of this with someone by your side, just make sure they are not holding you back. On special occasions it is nice to give your loved one some kind of gift. However, many people overdo this idea. It is by no means necessary to go out and buy a $400 ring for your girlfriend on your “three month anniversary”. Money just should not be that big of a factor in a high school relationship. You are doing it right, though, if you hand make something that will generate more happiness or laughter than something bought ever could. High school relationships can teach people a lot about themselves, and allow them to know exactly what they will look for later in life. Individuals can benefit in lessons, knowledge and good memories just by being linked to someone. However, if taken too seriously, relationships can be damaging, heart breaking and messy. This is why it is important to have priorities and to be thinking straight when dealing with someone you have feelings for. Girls should not make it their biggest goal to find their husband in high school rather than focusing on a career and college. Boys should not allow their opinions and interests to be swayed just because they are wrapped around a girls finger. The biggest problem with love-struck teenagers is that they think their relationships will last forever. Judgement can often be clouded when one is deciding on his or her future with the constant thought of staying with his or her partner. There is still a two percent chance that you’re high school sweetheart will stick with you throughout life. True love does exist, and you might just find it early on. It is perfectly okay to enjoy time spent with a boyfriend/girlfriend but your lives should remain separate. If someone is going to change the other, it should be for the better.
EDITOR in chief Caitlin Heenan
Once upon a time there was a woman. She was to live happily ever after with her husband and three children in the faraway land of Warren, Michigan. The destiny of this seemingly joyous family would forever be rocked on June 6, 1944, also known as D-Day. The husband, storming the beaches of Normandy, was shot and taken back to the United States in hopes of healing. Shortly after, the woman was widowed and never married again. Rather than dwell on her husband’s death, to this day, the woman keeps sweet memories of their short time together. Everything I know about love, I have learned from my grandma (the woman from the story). I find it incredible that she could spend most of her life alone by never remarrying. This, to me is a testament to true love, showing that love can come from anywhere, at any time and can last a lifetime. This demonstration of love can even come in high school or middle school for that matter. Love should not be defined within the limits of age and maturity levels. It is selfish and naive to think high schoolers are incapable of loving each other just because they are young. High school is the time when the corruption of the real world is kept just far away enough to allow people to see each other as partners, not just an opportunity for a tax write off. High school relationships have a positive influence on teenagers; they allow teens to learn what they like and dislike in the people around them and allow teens to experience the process of forming and developing relationships. According to a study by the University of Denver, “The formation of romantic relationships is often thought to be one of the important developmental tasks of adolescence and these relationships have significant implication for health and adjustment.” For example, relationships require those involved to give, not just take, learn about each other’s strengths and weaknesses and to listen to the other person, making sacrifices when necessary. Although, I believe it is possible for high school relationships to last, I am not suggesting everyone who claims to love each other in high school will get married, have a bunch of healthy children and live happily. After all, not every relationship as an adult occurs in this fashion. However, I am suggesting high school relationships are a lot more important than our society currently gives them credit for.
The Behavior:
Gland od
1. A larger brain allows boys to complete single tasks easier than girls. 2. The large Amygdala emphasizes aggressive behavior and risky behavior, such as being more willing to fight or go sky diving. For this, boys are more likely to get angry at people and things that challenge them head on. 3. Testosterone produces male genitalia before birth, develops secondary sex characteristics at puberty and maintains sex drive. 4. Chemicals are released by the brain when food is eaten and the effects are felt by the emotional structures of the brain.
ore connections rt are larger ltiple places d by Pituitary Gland
1. More connections between the left and right sides of the brain allows for information to be stored in more than one place, allowing girls to have better memories and make connections between topics and aspects of life easier and more frequent. This allows girls to make plans, be organized and remember/ carry out those plans more efficiently than boys. For this, girls are most likely to get angry at situations out of their control. 2. These hormones aid in the menstrual cycle for girls and make them more sensitive than boys.
stham and Will and Pam Farell
10FEATURES Feb. 4, 2015
The Drive to Succeed
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After being paralyzed in a motor cross race in 2012, Michael Johnson sets his sights on the Indy 500 writer jake lee
Driving a race car at speeds of up to 180 mph, with only hand controls to accelerate, brake and change gears, Mt. Morris native Michael Johnson has taken his tragedy and turned it into a quest to race in the Indianapolis 500. Johnson started racing motorcycles when he was 3 ½ - 4 years old. The more he did it, the better he got and he started accumulating national titles. One of his favorite races was not one that he won, but one he placed third in. It was on his birthday in 2004 and he was racing in the qualifying round of the Supermoto in Reno, Nevada. What Johnson loved so much about this race was that it was his birthday, and by placing third he moved on to compete in the finals, and got to race in the streets of Reno in and around the buildings. He had just turned 12 and had 14 national championships under his belt. Then on a fateful day in August 2005, 12-year-old Johnson was in a flat track motocross race in Sarnia, Canada. Mud is a big part of motocross and during his race, Johnson ran out of tear-offs for his face shield (plastic sheets that lay over the face shield of the helmet that can be torn off one by one when they become too dirty to see through to give a racer a clear view). He tried to wipe the mud off his face shield so he could see, but it smeared instead. The next thing he knew he was skirting between hay bales and into a wooden fence. His chest slammed into his handlebars and the impact severed his spine and broke several bones. He was paralyzed. His back was broken, but not his spirit. “I always wanted to keep racing,” Johnson said. “I asked my dad not to let this be the end of my racing career and he didn’t. In 2006 he gave me a go-kart with hand controls and in 2007 I was back into racing.” Now at age 21, he has his eye on one of the biggest races of them all: the Indianapolis 500. “Right now, I’m in the Pro-Mazda Series, the second step
in the racing series to get to Indy,” Johnson explained. “Next year, I hope to advance to the next level, the Indy Lights. After that it’s the Indy 500.” He hopes to be the first ever paralyzed driver to race at Indy. Driving race cars with hand controls isn’t the only new thing Johnson is doing. This last year, he learned a new sport and got to hang out and train with an Olympic team. “This year I tried skiing and was with the U.S. Paralympic team. It was really fun,” Johnson said. “It would be cool to do the Olympics one day. I really like to do both (racing and skiing) but racing comes first.” Johnson attributes his drive and motivation, in spite of everything that has happened to him, to the strong support he gets from his family and friends. “My dad is my biggest fan,” Johnson said. “He pushes me to keep going and never give up. My parents and everyone around me, they are my biggest support system. Because of them I know that anything is possible. If I really want it, I’m going to go for it! There will be some obstacles I will have to overcome, which is money and me not having the use of my legs, but I think that all of that can be overcome.” Money is Johnson’s biggest fear when it comes to racing. It can be expensive; to equip cars for him to race adds to the expense, but he is not deterred. “Never give up...keep going,” Johnson said. “Always have a goal. With a goal everything is possible.” Nine and a half years have passed since the accident. Johnson has endured and persevered through physical and emotional challenges and says he is grateful with where he finds himself today. He has overcome his injury, is back into racing and is successful at it. Five words Johnson would use to describe himself are: humble, respectful, caring, achiever, but most of all...daredevil. A daredevil that won’t stop racing no matter what life throws his way.
A Flurry of Activities
Photo submitted by Michael Johnson
Running in 10th place at a race track in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mt. Morris native Michael Johnson maneuvers his car through a turn. Johnson was later eliminated from the race when he crashed his vehicle.
While some students spend the winter trying to warm up in front of a fireplace, others embrace the cold
writer jennifer eisenbeis
Photo Parker Toonder
Cross blocking the slalom gate, senior Logan Beltinck finishes the apex of his turn. Beltinck has been on Fenton’s co-ed ski team, practicing and competing for four year.
Photo wilson Personett
Catching almost two feet of air from a jump at Mt. Holly’s Terrain Park, freshman Tristan Prybylowicz, hones his skills. Mt. Holly has been open since Thanksgiving.
Winter is the season full of complaints about the cold and wishes for warmer weather. However, others smile and welcome the cold temperatures and snow. For them, winter is a time to embrace the outdoors by participating in activities they know and love. “I go to Clover Beach and sled on the big hill,” sophomore Madaline Hall said. “We took a plastic skateboard jump and put it at the bottom of the hill, and then we jumped off of that. I enjoy it because it’s something to do rather than sitting inside when it’s cold. I like going fast down the hill and going off of jumps at high speeds.” Sledding may be a more common winter activity because not much athletic ability is required. However, with practice both cross country and downhill skiing provide opportunities to be active outdoors when the temperatures are low. “I started skiing when I was eight,” sophomore Madeleine Welch said. “My dad taught me how to ski because all of my brothers knew how to ski, and I wanted to as well.” Although there are ski hills like Mt. Holly and Mt. Brighton within driving distance, Welch enjoys going up north to ski. “I mainly go to Boyne Highlands. I go there at least five times a year, normally during the weekends with my dad,” Welch said. “I love it because when I ski, I don’t really think about anything else. I’m in a trance and in a relaxing, neutral place. Thankfully I have never been seriously injured, only a couple of bruises.” While some people hit up the slopes for a weekend of skiing or snowboarding, others head out to enjoy a day of speeding up and down the trails on a snowmobile. “I started snowmobiling when I was about six,” freshman Brandon
Bossenberger said. “I went up to Higgins Lake recently and snowmobiled with our friends, the Millers.” Just like highways and roads connect towns and cities, snowmobile trails do the same for the places scattered along them. Routes and trips on the trails can take anywhere from all day to a few hours depending on the conditions of the trails and the distance the route takes to complete. “The longest trip I have been on was about 200 miles,” Bossenberger said. “We started out on Little Platte Lake and rode up to Maple City, where we stopped for lunch. Then we rode back south to Wellston and back to Little Platte Lake. It took us a day to complete and I was going about 55-65 miles per hour.” Some trips can take longer to complete than others and result in more fatigue to the body, but to Bossenberger, the fatigue from longer trips is worth the experience of snowmobiling. “After a trip, I’m a little sore and tired from riding all weekend,” Bossenberger said. “But it’s worth it because it’s not something I can do every day, and I get to ride longer and see new places. It is fun and I love the adrenaline pumping through my body when I’m riding the trails. Also I like the alone time in my helmet.” Activities like skiing, snow boarding, sledding, ice skating, ice fishing, hockey, making snowmen and many more can all take up the time in the cold winter months. Winter may be the season where people long to go to warmer places, but it is also the season that brings the snow and puts a smile on people’s faces when they participate in the cold weather activity they love to do.
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Feb. 4, 2015 Biology Teacher Christa Shulters
Video Teacher Rich Ashley
English Teacher Deanna Baker
FEATURES11 Mrs. Adas
Classes Taught: Lit. & Comp. 1, Lit. & Comp. 2
High School Attended: Corunna College Attended: Mott Community College, U of M Flint
Hobbies: Hiking, swimming, spending time with my family
Favorite High School Memory: “I
A-Z Teacher Profiles
English Teacher Kim Adas
English Teacher Dana Grimes
Most People Don’t Know: “I was the
editor of my high school yearbook. I also did synchronized swimming in high school. I still swim, and I’ll occasionally show my grandkids what I did. I also love to travel.”
Mr. Ashley Classes Taught: Video Productions 1 & 2, Advanced Video
High School Attended: Clarkston College Attended: Oakland Community
CONTENT EDITOR kaylee vasbinder
English Teacher Sarah Andersen
graduated in 1978. It’s funny how I wanted to get out of high school and I ended up back in it. I knew right off the bat I wanted to be a teacher, but the timing wasn’t right. Teachers weren’t in demand.”
Sociology Teacher Michelle Belson
College (associates), U of M Flint (1st bachelors), Concordia University (masters) and Madonna University (enrolled now for second bachelors)
Hobbies: Playing outside with my kids, running wildlife camps, lifting weights, magic
Favorite High School Memory: “My
buddy and I ‘leasing’ lockers to the people who wanted to have lockers near us. Looking back it was not very nice of us, but I actually met some of my closest friends that way.”
Most People Don’t Know: “I used to sing with some bands that were regulars at Pine Knob Ski Resort and even at a few bars in the Clarkston area. I also never went to a high school dance and did not have a girlfriend until the year after I graduated.
English Teacher Sally Averill Photos Macyn Stevens
Mrs. Averill Classes Taught: ELA Teacher/Special Services High School Attended: Cameron County High School, Emporium, PA
College Attended: Bachelor of Science in Special Educa-
tion, Indiana University of PA; Masters in Learning Disabilities, Eastern Michigan
Hobbies: Yoga, downhill skiing, cross country skiing, kayaking, gardening
Favorite High School Memory: “I remember going on
Mrs. Baker Classes Taught: Lit. & Comp. 3, Lit. & Comp. 4, MYP Personal Project Coordinator, DP Coordinator
High School Attended: Milford College Attended: Eastern Michigan University (undergraduate), Regis University (graduate)
Hobbies: Anything on the lake, spending time with my kidsespecially my twin girls, golf, biking, traveling
Favorite High School Memory: “An English teacher I
a field trip to see a Broadway play.”
had inspired me to love Shakespeare! That is talent! Thank you Dawn O’Leary!”
I got my motorcycle about seven years ago. Sometimes I ride as a passenger with my husband. We have gone to Colorado, Montana, Maine and plan to ride to California this summer. I enjoy riding because you can experience the environment more fully. The views, the smells, etc... are just so much more intense.”
P.E. requirement in college because I was not very good at team sports. Ironically, I did so well I was invited to join the EMU trap and skeet team. I did that for a year and eventually branched out to shoot competitive archery in addition to trap and skeet. Now I shoot sporting clays with my husband as a hobby.”
Most People Don’t Know: “I enjoy riding motorcycles.
Most People Don’t Know: “I took trap and skeet as my
Mrs. Belson Classes Taught: Sociology High School Attended: Sylvania High School in Ohio College Attended: Bowling Green University (Ohio) Hobbies: Reading, cooking, sewing/crafts, exercising Favorite High School Memory: “Doing ‘Cougarview’
play. It was written and directed by the students with a teacher advisor. It included a boys and girls senior chorus line.I was the boys chorus line choreographer. It was fun to choreograph because people who normally weren’t in plays joined this one.”
Most People Don’t Know: “Most people don’t know I’m
from Ohio and I was on a dance team in high school. In college, I was in a sorority. When I started teaching, I taught almost every class in the social studies department before sticking with sociology. Right now I am a part-time teacher.”
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The Fenton Education Foundation invites you to the first annual
LIVE MUSIC with Newsmaker!
&
Friday, February 6th at 6:30 pm
The Coyote Preserve Golf Club in Fenton Dinner, Silent Auction, LIVE entertainment and more! For details and tickets:
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Ghassan & Manal Saab Foundation
INKED www.fentoninprint.com
As tattoos go from taboo to a must-do, more people are finding reasons to get one. Before heading to the tattoo parlor one has many decisions to make.
SENIOR DILLON GARDNER
ENGLISH TEACHER REGINALD MANVILLE
SENIOR SAVANNAH HOURIGAN
ONLINE EDITOR Alexis megdanoff
INSPIRATION Choosing the actual design of a tattoo is a large part of the decision making process. There are some people who get tattoos simply because they like how they look, but many place meaning and significance behind their tattoos. “A lot of my tattoos are the names of family members who have died,” junior Jermaine McGlown said. “That’s where my inspiration comes from, but I don’t plan to get anymore. I’m not counting on anyone else dying.” Once a solid idea is established, it is often recommended to work with the tattoo artist in order to make sure the final design is visually appealing. An artist can offer advice about how a tattoo design will look based on their experience and can help make the transition from paper to skin. “I wanted a tattoo because I think they’re pretty,” senior Emily Green said. “I think they’re unique and they can be more than just art. They can express how you feel about something. That’s where I get my tattoo inspiration, from my life.” To give customers ideas for tattoos, parlors will often display pieces on the wall known as flash art. Flash art includes images that are pre-drawn specifically for the purpose of being turned into a tattoo. They are created by tattoo artists and sometimes traded between artists or parlors. “I’m not into flash art,” English teacher Reginald Manville said, “although I do have a flash art piece. That’s fine if you find a piece that you like, but if it’s on the wall, how many other people are walking around with the same tattoo? My fleur de li is flash art, but it commemerates an event: Hurricane Katrina in ‘05.”
Feb. 4, 2015
PLACEMENT Typically after a design is chosen, the next step is choosing an area on the body for the tattoo. Often, the design of the tattoo and the shape of the body influence this choice. “The piece generally dictates where it is going to go on my body,” Manville said. “I wanted to do a piece on my shoulder, but when I brought the piece in for the artist to look at, he said it needed to go on my back. I have different parts of my body that are designated for different parts of my life. My left arm is more family oriented. I see my left arm evolving as life goes on.” The fact that getting a tattoo can be painful has driven many people choose to have their tattoo work done in places on their body that are known to hurt less, places that typically have more fat or “meat” than others. “He [my brother] told me it would hurt less if I got it on my shoulder,” senior Savannah Hourigan said. “So I just followed his advice. It doesn’t hurt as bad as people think it does. It only hurts when they hit the bone, so it’s not bad.” Visibility is another big influence in the decision making process. The ability to hide a tattoo when needed drives people to position tattoos on specific areas of the body. “My brother and I wanted to get a tattoo together,” senior Dillon Gardener said. “We both like lions so we got a lion. We were going to get our tattoos on our arms, but I play basketball and I can’t have it showing, so we just decided on ribs even though that is where it is the most painful.” THINK BEFORE YOU INK Anyone considering a tattoo is advised to think long and hard about the fact that tattoos are permanent. Permanent means permanent, and the required commitment to a tattoo is often what holds people back. Asking people questions about their ink is a good way to gain direct information. “I didn’t look around for a tattoo shop that I liked before I got my tattoos,” Green said. “I kind of regret that, I really do. The one on my calf could have been a way better tattoo. Anyone considering getting a tattoo needs to know the artist, know the work they do, and have trust in the design before you put it on your body permanently. Think on it a long while before you get it.” Doing extra research on a particular artist provides insight into his/ her work and what he or she specializes in which might be something to consider depending on the type of tattoo one wishes to get. How a tattoo could affect employment is another factor that can influence the decision to get a tattoo. “I regret my tattoos right now,” McGlown said. “People will tell me, ‘That’s stupid.’ ‘Why did you get it there?’ ‘You might not be able to get a job.’ They’ll even ask ‘Why did your mom let you get it?’ I’ve thought about getting a lot of them covered up with different designs, but I have them now so I’m stuck with them.” A survey conducted in the United Kingdom found about one-third of people suffer from tattoo regret. Many people say the regret from a tattoo can be avoided by getting a tattoo that will still mean the same thing in 10 years. “I don’t think a tattoo should be taken lightly; I wonder about the folks that just want it because it looks good,” Manville said. “Teenagers need to spend some time thinking. For those people who aren’t happy with what they got, I feel bad. That was a choice you made, you put that on you and now you have to live it.”
all photos by makenzie cool
SENIOR EMILY GREEN
FEATURES13
JUNIOR JERMAINE MCGLOWN
children are adopted in the United States each year
Three stories of families
Connected through Love
children in the United States are living with parents who are the same sex
of people know at least one person who is adopted
Total adoptions from 1999-2013
the estimated cost of adopting a child from China
100,000
of children eligible for adoption will wait more than three years in the foster system before being adopted
children have been placed in the United States from South Korea since 1958
32%
135,000
249,694
65,500
58%
81%
of adoptive mothers are 3544 years of age, compared to the 52 percent of non-adoptive mothers
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$20,000
14FEATURES Feb. 4, 2015
Family is not about genes, it’s about the heart Sources pbs.org |travel.state.gov
CONTENT EDITOR TESS DEGAYNER
Sisters freshman Johanna, sophomore Jada and senior Brook VanCamp were adopted by their great aunt. Brook was two years old when she started her new life. “My adoptive mom is 68 and my adoptive dad is 72 so compared to other parents, they have a different way of parenting,” Brook said. “My adoptive mom is my mom. She takes care of me. I don’t talk to my birth mom. The only thing that is weird about me being adopted is the fact that I have two moms and two dads. I don’t mind, but sometimes it is hard to explain to people.” A few years after Brook’s adoption, Jada and Johanna were added to the family. Brook’s birth mother could no longer support her two younger daughters, so she gave the parental rights of Jada and Johanna to their great aunt. “Our family tree is sort of like a pretzel. People usually don’t understand because I have a different dad than my sisters,” Brook said. “The only downside is I do not have extended family. Also in public, people don’t believe that we are sisters because of the race difference, both Jada and Johanna have black fathers and my father is white.” Johanna vaguely remembers her biological parents. “I do not know them on a personal level because I was so young when I began living with my aunt,” Johanna said. “I would not be averse to meeting them again, but I don’t believe I would go out of my way looking for them,” Although the children do not remember their birth parents parenting ability, they can only imagine what life would be like if their aunt did not gain the parental rights. Both girls agree that their life now would be drastically different if they were still living with their biological parents. “Life with my birth parents wouldn’t be as amazing as it is with my family. I am thankful,” Jada said. “I know that I wouldn’t be at Fenton High School and I would not be able to have the feeling of coming home to the ones that I love.”
Born in Cambodia, 8,445 miles away from Fenton, sophomore Alex Keith was adopted at two months old, not ever realizing his life could be entirely the opposite of what it is now. “My adoptive parents were living in Japan at the time and were looking to adopt a child,” Keith said. “Because of health reasons, they could not have their own children. An adoption agency they were working with called them when I was only three days old, but becasue of legal reasons, I could not be adopted until I was two months old.” When it was time for Keith’s parents to pick him up, they met in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. Since then, he has lived in two countries. His family moved back to Japan until Keith was three years old. Next, they came to the United States and lived in Las Vegas, Nevada. Finally, in 2006 the family moved to Fenton. Culturally his life has been flipped around completely. “I am so lucky to be in America with my family. If I was still living in Cambodia, I imagine myself uneducated and working in a rice field or being a monk,” Keith said. “It would be a totally different life than I have now.” Although Keith says he is grateful for his current life, he hopes that one day he can return to his birth country of Cambodia and visit the city where he was born to see what his life would have looked like had he not been adopted. “I would love to travel to my home land,” Keith said. “I would not plan on staying to live there because my adoptive parents have been providing for me since I was young. I would miss my friends also. But the biggest part about being in Cambodia would be the fact that people don’t know how good they have it until they are in a third world country that does not have it as good as our nation” Because of the lack of information about Keith’s biological parents, he is left with curiosity about who they are and what they are like. “I am really curious to know who they are and what they do,” Keith said. “Sometimes I think about what it would be like meeting them. I hope that one day I could go back and just visit and see what it is like in the country and to be in the city I was born.”
Lynn Caligiuri works in the main office as a clerk. She and her husband knew they wanted to adopt two children. To become adoptive parents, they were required to complete an extensive application which included information about their finances, health and good standing. In addition, the couple had to have a complete background check as well as attend social worker meetings. Once eligible, they were put on a waiting list before they entered the adoption pool. From there, they had to wait until a birth mother chose them based on their profile. Caligiuri described the process as “very nerve-racking” because of the wait and the fact the birth parents can change their minds. “You know the court date for when the birth parents terminate their parental rights, but you don’t know if they are actually going to follow through. Depending on the situation of the parents, they could change their mind and keep their baby. We waited about an hour and a half when finally our social worker called and said ‘Go get your baby,’” Caligiuri said. That baby was named Emily. She is a junior who wants to someday learn more about her birth family. “I do want to meet my birth parents one day,” Emily said. “I have so many questions, and I hope that they don’t feel negative about it.” Emily seems grateful to have been adopted at birth. “Say I was [placed] in a foster home,” Emily said. “Today, at the age of 17, I don’t think I would have the confidence in myself that I do because my parents are such a big support system for me.” Her adoptive brother, freshman Matthew Caligiuri, shares the same perspective regarding their parents. “The environment of the birth home probably does not compare to my home life now,” Matthew said. “My parents are unique and probably not anything like my birth parents.”
The vancamps
Sophomore Alex Keith
The caligiuris
Photo Hope dagenais
Photo Hope dagenais
Photo makenzie cool
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Feb. 4, 2015
Abst i ne n
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Although the view of premarital sex has shifted, some students still stick to abstinence CONTENT EDITOR Samantha smith
Most high school students have sat through a sex education class where the teacher talks about contraception for having safe sex. Among these numerous methods, abstinence is taught as the only 100 percent effective way to prevent pregnancy or avoid getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Abstinence is more than a means of conception and disease prevention; it is a life-altering decision. According to Familyfacts.org, an average of 53 percent of high school students have chosen abstinence. This includes people like senior Abby Rachor. “I grew up in a faith-based family, and I believe in what the Bible teaches, which is the origin of my viewpoint,” Rachor said. “This choice was intended to save this special gift for my future husband.” Those who practice abstinece are not exluded from being stereotyped. A popular stereo-
type about abstinence is that only women are abstinent. On the contrary, about 40 percent of men have made the commitment to wait until marriage. “I can’t really pinpoint a date,” sophomore Justin Beemer said, “but I was raised in the church and went through confirmation. It’s just the way I was raised. My parents had an impact on my choice. I didn’t really sit down and make the decision; it was always just how it was and how it was always going to be.” Once the decision to refrain from sex has been made, it is not easy to maintain, especially in a society that glorifies sexual intercourse. Of all Americans who choose abstinence, only about three percent are capable, or willing, to wait until marriage with any success. “The temptation to have sex is there,” Beemer said. “It is difficult when all of your friends are doing it. It’s not an easy choice to make, and even after you have made it, it is difficult to maintain.” Temptation is not the only issue faced by these chaste individuals. Sixty years ago, the idea of premarital sex was met with disapproval. Today the judgement falls of those who do choose to abstain. “I understand that religion and Christianity isn’t really prevalent anymore in high school and
most of my friends aren’t Christian,” Beemer said. “They don’t judge me per se, they let me be, but I sense they find it silly. I don’t let it bother me, we’re still friends for it but I do sense they do judge it and don’t understand or agree with it, and that’s okay. I have no place to tell them otherwise but I choose to stick to my beliefs rather than let their judgement affect it.” Despite the judgement faced by these abstainers, they have no condemnations to offer to those who choose to criticize them for their personal choice. “Peer pressure doesn’t affect my judgements because this decision is personal,” Rachor said. “It’s not my place to judge others on their personal opinions.”
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Reaching Higher
As the first half of the school year comes to an end, students set new goals for themselves and work to achieve greater things ONLINE EDITOR ALEXIS MEGDANOFF 1. Heading up the hill at Mt. Holly, sophomores Milo Keranen and Lauren Gruber and junior Sylee Kiran ride the chair lift to get ready for their race later in the day. “This is my second year on the ski team,” Keranen said. “Right now, I’m trying to get earlier turns and faster starts out of the starting box. Our team is trying to make it to SEMSLS this year. In order to do that we have to be one of the first two teams in the division.”
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2. As she serves food for a public lunch-in, senior Jessica Muhleck works to raise money for her Guatemala mission trip in June. “I need to raise $3,000 to be able to go this summer and I’m to working to pay for it on my own without my parents’ help,” Muhleck said. “I want to make a difference in other people’s lives and my own. When we’re there, I think we are impacted the most because of what we see and experience.” 3. Standing in front of her LC4 class, senior Shannon McDunnough explains her family’s value of happiness for the My Story project. “The value I place on happiness comes from my parents,” McDunnough said. “They are always really positive and have taught me to be optimistic and spread positivity.”
Photo PArKER TOONDER
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4. After their GS race, junior Sylee Kiran and sophomore Milo Keranen laugh and relax. “The team had ended up winning, but it was hard,” Kiran said. “This year I’m putting more hours into training. The team has had more dry land practices and we’re working on the basic skiing techniques and strategies. Skiing is more than just going really fast down the hill. If you don’t know the basics, you can’t ski.” 5. As the Grand Blanc swim meet goes on, senior Mark Villemot performs the Butterfly for one of his races. “By the end of the season I would like to get under a 5:30 in the 500 free,” Villemot said. “To get there, coach is putting me in distance practices and I’m trying to eat healthier than usual. The entire team would like to win Metros again in order to continue our three year streak.” 6. As the crowds cheer at the Holly game, senior Dillon Gardener goes for a rebound. “The team is working hard to be the best it can be come district time,” Gardener said. “We’re all working hard in practice to get better in the games. Because it’s my last year I’m trying to have fun and do my best to help my team win districts. Photo HOPE DAGENAIS
6 Photo MaKENZIE COOL
Photo LAUREN GRUBER
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Photo MAKENZIE COOL
Photo ALYSSA BRANOFF