Longboat VIKING
3.30.16 Volume 21 Issue 7 vikinglongboat.org
Haslett High School Student-Produced Newspaper
Student Spotlight:
Sarah Garrod page 9
PHOTO: RACHEL HAMILTON
News
Opinion
Center
Sports
page 3
page 4
pages 6-7
page 11
East Lansing feels the Bern
Head to Head: Trump vs. Hillary
Devastation of drinking and driving
Life after high school athletics
Senior awarded full scholarship CODY THELEN | Staff Writer
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The Viking Longboat
Senior Peter Ecklund is living proof that hard work really does pay off. His determination and hard work led him to an exciting moment when he opened a letter that said he was one of 22 students selected to receive a full-ride scholarship to the University of Michigan. The university made its decision not only because of Ecklund’s academic achievements, but also for his involvement as a leader in the community. The Stamp Scholarship, started by Penny and Roe Stamps in 2006, is not like other U of M scholarships. With costs at $20,000 for residents and $40,000 for non residents, the scholarship can be game changing for students. U of M was one of the first to make its partnership with the Stamps, who are now partnered with over 40 universities. “This will cover everything, which traditionally the scholarship just covered tuition costs,” Ecklund said. “But this year was the first year they will refund the cost of books, tuition and even offering $10,000 for enrichment money for studying abroad.” Although Ecklund has committed to attend Michigan this fall, the decision was not always an easy one. “I had Michigan and Eastman School of Music for their excellent music programs tied for my first choice for colleges,” he said. “But after getting awarded the scholarship it made deciding a lot easier.” Ecklund said he will be continuing to work hard and achieve his goals as a performer and student. “I will be studying bassoon performance, which will be my main focus, and also minoring in neuroscience,” Ecklund said. After visiting U of M’s campus a few weeks ago, Ecklund’s decision to go became even more clear. “Touring campus was really exciting. We got to meet with a lot of professors and I really liked the atmosphere of campus,” he said. “I’m looking forward to being there.”
Authors Susan Dennard and Veronica Ross posed with students in the Viking room Feb. 17 following their book discussion. PHOTO: TYLER GOLDBERG
Teens read into their future Author visits are place for young writers to gain encouragement HUNTER DAWSON | Staff Writer ALEX SADLER | Staff Writer Freshman Kylie Flewelling has gone to three author visits for the encouragement to pursue her dreams of becoming an author of mystery and science-fiction novels (her favorite genre). “I’ve always wanted to be an author because I have creative ideas and thoughts, like I see the world from a different perspective,” Flewelling said. Aspiring authors and sophomores Avery Beyea and Eric Jordan also attend the author visits for the helpful mentoring in the writing process and for the safe idea sharing environment. “It helped me be more determined and explained the writing process,” Beyea said. His favorite genre is fiction fantasy/teardrop fantasy, like visiting author Lauren Kate writes. Jordan on the other hand wants to be a scriptwriter for movies. “The author visits have given me more confidence to share my ideas with who I am working with,” Jordan said. His favorite author visit was Scott Westerfeld. He enjoys all genres of book but Westerfeld’s are his favorites. Author visits have been a way for students to expand their reading diversity and writing confidence. It is an environment where students are surrounded by peers and people they look up to.
The Viking Longboat is the student newspaper of Haslett High School, 5450 Marsh Road, Haslett, MI 48840 and publishes about every four weeks of the school year. It is published by the fifth hour Journalism class. The Longboat is established as a student run public forum circulated within the school, the community and outside the school district. The Longboat is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association, Journalism Education Association, National
Scholastic Press Association and Michigan Interscholastic Press Association. The publication is an 11-time Spartan award winner and CSPA gold medalist. Letters to the editor are accepted at the discretion of the editorial board. Forms of speech not protected by the First Amendment will not be published. Letters must be signed by the author and may be edited for grammar, spelling and style. Direct all questions to the Publications Room, Room 411.
Author Susan Dennard answered several questions about her book, “A Darkness Strange and Lovely,” on Feb. 17. PHOTO: TYLER GOLDBERG
The Staff
Editor-in-Chief Kelsey Johnson Copy Editor Hailey Pecic Feature Editor Molly Gadola Opinion Editor Molly Brady News Editor Ben Hampton
NEWS
Sports Editor Brodee Gillam Photo Editors Ashley Dyer Rachel Hamilton Advisers Julie Price Cody Harrell
Staff Writers Kenzie Adler Leona Blosser Derek Choma Hunter Dawson Austin Eveland Connor Frank Conner Heinz Katelyn Lee
Khonnor Longendyke Kyle Looney JJ Miller Caleb Newport Alex Sadler Mia Salvador Cody Thelen
3.30.16
Students “Feel the Bern” Students express opposing perspectives following East Lansing Bernie Sanders rally
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Once I saw that he was coming to MSU I immediately made plans to go.
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CAMILLE NORRIS Senior Casey Schiebner accompanied Norris to the rally and is also a supporter of Sanders. Schiebner said despite it being a political rally, the environment was exciting and positive. “Everyone seemed super excited about him coming and it was just overall a positive environment,” Schiebner said. Antsy with excitement, Norris and Schiebner waited for over an hour outside the Breslin Center that cold windy afternoon. “Even though everybody had been standing outside for a really long time and everybody was really cold, the atmosphere was already super energetic,” Norris said. Despite a few protesters outside, the environment remained peaceful, positive and friendly. Among the quiet protesters was senior Brian Murray, a young man with a voice of his own. Just like everyone else, Murray was there to hear what Sanders had to say, and to do a little comparing and contrasting.
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I just figured I would do it because I kind of wanted to see the reaction of the people. BRIAN MURRAY
and made his voice heard. He attended the rally equipped with a Communist flag. “I just figured I would do it because I kind of wanted to see the reaction from the people,” Murray said. “I wasn’t sure if they would get offended or if they would support it.” The reaction to the flag came as a bit
Democratic candidate and Vermont senator Bernie Sanders speaks to a packed crowd March 2 at the Michigan State University Breslin Center. COURTESY PHOTO
of a shock to him. “To my surprise the people sitting around me were kind of OK with it. They kind of like looked at me smiling with thumbs up,” Murray said. Once the rally was over, many people felt changed. Others, however, not so much. “When I attend things like that it opens my mind and shows me that there’s more than just the bad stuff you see on the news,” Schiebner said. Schiebner also describes a change in her personal political views, “I really didn’t care too much until this election and I feel like that’s because Bernie’s really reaching out to the younger people,” she said. “He’s showing us how important it is for us to be involved in politics now because I mean this is our future.“ Sanders is a supporter of education and has stated plans to create a tuitionfree system for those wishing to attend a public college or university. His plan also calls for significantly lowering student loan interest rates and fight for equal access to education for all Americans. “I think it’s an excellent idea,” senior Emily Buczkowski said. “If we all pay a little money we can send millions of students to college. Everyone can get
NEWS
an education, which is really important especially with the families that are putting themselves into debt just to send one or two of their kids to college.” Sanders wants to put an end to shipping jobs overseas therefore creating more employment opportunities for
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He’s showing us how important it is for us to be involved in politics now because, I mean, this is our future.
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The crowd erupted with excitement and energy, proudly bearing red, white and blue signs that read “Bernie 2016.” Bernie Sanders, the democratic senator from Vermont running for the presidency in 2016, is about to take the stage. Nearly 9,000 community members filled Michigan State University’s Breslin Center March 2 to hear what the senator had to say. Among the 9,000 attendees was senior Camille Norris, who has been a supporter of Sanders for months. “I’ve been a Bernie supporter since November, so I’ve been waiting for him to come to Michigan,” Norris said. “Once I saw that he was coming to MSU I immediately made plans to go.”
“I had gone to a Donald Trump rally over the summer and I thought it would be kind of fun to go and kind of see the contrast and listen to his points,” Murray said. Although Trump and Sanders are running under differing party platforms, Murray has found there weren’t as many differences as one might expect when it comes to rallying. “The way that they both were able to get all their people to just get real riled up was pretty impressive,” Murray said. “At the Trump rally, Trump would say ‘we’re going to build that wall and who’s going to pay for it?’ And everyone would shout ‘Mexico!’ And then at the Sanders rally, he didn’t say it but one of the guest speakers came up and said ‘indict Snyder?’ And then they would all scream ‘arrest Snyder!’ So the energy was very similar,” Murray said. Murray has never considered himself to be a Sanders supporter, however this doesn’t come without reason. In fact, his view makes for a very unique perspective. “His major thing is you know free education that’s like his huge thing especially at a college campus.” Murray said. “If you taxed every single cent anybody made over $100,000 you wouldn’t even raise a trillion dollars,” Murray said. “That would be able to pay for one year of our expenses and then nobody would have any money and the economy would collapse.” In protest to this policy and other policies like it, Murray took initiative
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KELSEY JOHNSON | Editor-in-Chief AUSTIN EVELAND | Staff Writer
CAMILLE NORRIS
those right here in the United States. Along with creating new jobs, Sanders would like to invest $1 trillion to rebuild the nation’s deteriorating infrastructure. In turn, he said this could create a potential of 13 million new jobs for Americans. The job making doesn’t end there, however. He also hopes to invest another $5.5 million to provide as many as 1 million young Americans with jobs and provide job-training for those jobs. Sanders has also proposed to create a clean-energy workforce that could
create another 10 million jobs through a 100 percent clean energy system for electricity, heating and transportation. Investments in other efficient and clean energy sources, such as wind and solar power, will be made. “I think us, as humans, can’t take back what we’ve done to the earth, but we can take steps to improve our future,” senior Brielle Durrance said. “I think Bernie has set up plans to make clean energy a reality.” Sanders places a big emphasis on environment and working toward bettering the world around us. “We can make a better future for ourselves by cutting back on fossil fuels and using clean energy,” Durrance said. That is exactly what Sanders plans to do. He contends that by cutting the United States carbon pollution back by 80 percent and by placing a tax on businesses and factories that emit such pollution, they will be forced to look to new, cleaner forms of energy. It’s policies such as these that have proven to be what’s near to the hearts of America’s youth. By catering to the younger demographics’ needs and passions, Sanders has managed to spark what his followers call a political revolution.
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Frontrunner fight night
CONNOR FRANK| Staff Writer GRAPHIC: JJ MILLER
It was a warm May afternoon, and I sat across previous Congress, that failed to find a solution from Trevor Stirewalt in AP Government. Today to budget woes and could not make a difference was a free day, the exam had already been taken in the battle for city streets, nor rectify the and my teacher Kathleen Burns decided we wrongs in gang violence and police brutality. ought to brainstorm potential candidates for the People clenched their fists as they watched upcoming presidential election. their communities be torn apart by the Of course, the first person to be mentioned heroin epidemic. The people they elected to was Hillary Clinton, the obvious frontrunner positions of power did little more than shout of the Democratic Party. After 15 names had and say sorry. Because the system failed so been written on the board, I raised my hand and, many people for so long, those same citizens giggling, said “Donald Trump.” Stirewalt laughed, now look to an outsider with radical ideas in Burns smiled, and other students in the class took the hopes of a changed Washington. People notice of the joke. I thought it comical. who support Trump have looked past his Now, nearly a year later, I find myself in fear controversial commentary and instead like him of that same joke. I fear that, should he be elected, for his tendency to bully those who stand in some form of secret police will come to my house his way. and arrest me for writing this article. I know of the Unfortunately for America, hiring someone dangers of Donald Trump. From out of resent for the current the time he was the head political climate could work out honcho on “the Apprentice,” to be disastrous. Building a “great, People who I knew there was something great wall on our southern border” support Trump... off about the guy. He was is a senseless and impractical like him for his smart and cunning, but his waste of resources. It didn’t keep ambitions clearly superseded the Mongols out of China, and tendency to bully the world of network it won’t keep the southern half around those who of the Americas from wanting television. This election cycle, Trump stand in his way. a better life here. Banning all has shocked the media with Muslims from entering the United his calls for bans on the States could be done, but there is immigration of Muslims to the United States, no effective method for determining Muslims execution of captured ISIS combatants with from non-Muslim, nor does such a system exist bullets dipped in pigs blood, and labeling the heads to pick out terrorists from non-terrorists. The of his own party as failures. result of such a ban would be nothing more But the things Trump proposes aren’t just than fuel to feed the anti-American hatred, extremist views. They are views shared by most of and more tax dollars wasted on symbolic the United States. Both blue collars and doctors government programs. alike are supporting Trump and, despite his stance Besides, do we really want to be known as on immigrants, he has a 25 percent approval rating the nation who would not admit a member amongst Latinos. They support Trump’s campaign of their own Congress into their country because it has been a voice for everyday Americans explicitly because of his religion? That doesn’t whose elected officials have repeatedly failed them. sound like a value any of our founding fathers According to a poll conducted by RAND, people would support. Banning Muslims would be a who responded “yes” to the question “people like great hypocrisy, with no regard to history. The me don’t have any say about what the government notion that someone who makes up facts to does” were 86 percent more likely to vote for support himself and blatantly dodges questions Trump, regardless of any other demographic. about their legitimacy could very feasibly be the The reason for their response can be found in our next president is disturbing.
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Hillary hits back with scandalous server switchhit
This morning I bought an African Autumn Tea Clinton responded, “What, like with a towel or Latte from Biggby coffee and sat down. I opened something?” No, Mrs. Clinton. With a military the link I was sent by my father to a 13 minute grade server blanking device that would be long video comprising entirely of times Hillary damning evidence of concealment of the truth if Clinton was caught lying or swapping her views in proven true. as little as a month of time. Still isn’t as bad as Donald Trump and his The Democratic frontrunner has been hateful rhetoric, right? Well, allow me to introduce compared to many fictitious figures such as Bess you to Clinton’s thoughts on the “superpredator” McCord from “Madam Secretary” (who may have theory; a topic of interest during a nationwide even been based on Clinton), or President Bartlett crime spree under her husband’s presidency. A from the television series “West Wing.” However, quote from Clinton, on the subject of black I find one character to capture the essence of youth committing crimes. “They are often the Clinton in near perfect form: Francis Underwood kinds of kids that are called ‘super-predators.’ No in “House of Cards.” This sly, conniving character conscience, no empathy. We can talk about why plays the political game like a champ to consolidate they ended up that way, but first we have to bring power and rule the country as his own. But instead them to heel.” The website idioms.dictionary.com of loudly denouncing his enemies, he simply slips defines the phrase “bring to heel” as “commanding past them and relies on his political strength to a dog to come close behind its master to similar subdue those who oppose him. control over human beings or affairs. While it can be assumed (Second half of 1800s)”. I’m not sure that Clinton hasn’t killed a which is more dehumanizing; calling gubernatorial candidate from all illegal immigrants rapists, or Clinton says Pennsylvania, the similarities theorizing that children, and in the everything her are striking. Clinton at the most context of her speech black children, recent debate touted a claim are sociopathic dogs. I find them donors pay her that “Libya isn’t perfect, but we equally disdainful. to say. (America) didn’t lose a single This election is likely to boil person.” This is untrue, as we lost down to Clinton and Trump our US ambassador to Libya contending for the presidency. and several Marines in a firefight Americans who support Trump in Benghazi, Libya at the same conflict. Though vehemently oppose Clinton, and vice versa. many were quick to point out she probably only The truth is that Clinton and Trump are nearly meant we didn’t have to deploy ground troops to identical in their desire to win the election. Trump help overthrow the Libyan dictator. But the notion says anything his supporters would like to hear. she helped to conjure an overthrow in Libya that Clinton says everything her donors pay her to say. was not damaging at all to the United States is The race then is between the monster you entirely untrue. know and the shape-shifter you think you know. The other obvious, related issue is that of Sadly, there are no ghost-busters in politics. So her Email server. Regardless of the legal or who do you call when the ghouls of politics have ethical matters involved with her personal server a death grip on the election? Your friends. Your being used to send department information, her family. Everyone you know. To stop the hysteria handling of the subject is telltale of how a Clinton and hypocrisy, get educated on political stances. presidency would handle controversy; deny and Know your candidates and what they stand for. distract. When asked about her server, Clinton And please, go end the madness with your vote. gives vague or nonsensical answers. When asked if she had attempted to wipe her Email servers of information that could potentially be classified,
OPINION
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Trump throws pandering punch at blue collar America
3.30.16
A Staff Editorial
The societal influence Irresponsible drinking culture is dangerous for everyone
Teenagers are going to drink. Period. They’ve been drinking since the creation of alcohol and it’s nearly impossible to prevent this from happening. Despite this, instead of being educated on responsible drinking, teenagers continue to be bombarded with facts and statistics in an effort to eliminate drinking all together. Parents have tried relentlessly for generations and no matter what they do teens find a way to drink. Although most teens have made the choice to drink responsibly, many continue to treat it lightheartedly. This involves drunk driving, intentionally blacking out, and ending up in dangerous situations due to poor planning. More times than not teens partake in drinking massive amounts of alcohol without even knowing what they’re drinking and aren’t able to function by the end of the night. What’s even more worrisome is most of the time they aren’t thinking ahead and arranging a designated driver or a safe place to sleep. This usually results in catching a ride with someone who had been drinking that night or driving themselves because they don’t want to risk getting caught by their parents. Again, if parents encouraged safe drinking, it’s more likely teens would reach out for help when it’s needed. In addition to this, it is a parent’s
job to set a good example and practice safe and responsible drinking themselves. It’s not uncommon to see parents have one too many beers and casually drive home. “I know my limit,” they say, as if age overrides the science behind blood alcohol content. Today we live in a society that romanticizes binge drinking and belligerent partying and the consequences are inexorable. According to the Mothers Against Drunk Driving, or MADD, organization, 27 people every day in the U.S. die as a result of drinking and driving. And according to the same organization, two in three people will be involved in a drunk driving accident in their lifetime. This wild and irresponsible view on drinking has got to end. Making the decision to drive under the influence not only puts you at risk but others on the road or in the car with you as well. It’s a selfish decision that can kill not only you, but the people in your car and others on the roads. You also run the risk of getting a DUI (Drinking Under the Influence) charge which can result in jail time and a $500-$2,000 fine. In order to eliminate these devastating situations from happening, we must start by having conversations about safe drinking. It’s time for adults to stop denying the fact that it’s happening and start talking to teens about the decisions they’re making in regards to alcohol. And it’s time for teens to start advocating for this as well. We are in no way encouraging or defending teen drinking, but what we are doing is encouraging responsibility for teens and parents alike.
Hangin’ with Jane Legalized states show good, bad on recreational marijuana With the growing trend of marijuana legalization pioneered by Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska spreading around the country (Michigan being one of several states currently flirting with the idea), it is common belief that national legalization is right around the corner. But even as these prolegalization beliefs become more popular, incarceration rates for weed related arrests continue to rise in every state with the exception of the four aforementioned. A majority of these arrests are not even big drug busts of kingpins, but simply for possession of the drug, usually not for large quantities. Forty-five years after Nixon declared the “war on drugs,” weed culture seems to be growing more than ever, especially among America’s youth. It’s no wonder why. With rappers like Wiz Khalifa and Kendrick Lamar, and movies and TV shows like “Pineapple Express” and “Workaholics” that glamorize the party lifestyle, teens are constantly entertained and encouraged to think that marijuana is a wonderful and harmless thing. Certainly it’s not like these are new fads, weed has been a main component of many rap artists’ style, namely Snoop Dogg, and Cheech and Chong pioneered weed comedy with “Up in Smoke” in 1978. The argument that marijuana is indeed harmless has many avid believers, and it is a solid argument.
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CONNER HEINZ| Staff Writer The main point of those who are pro-legalization is that there has been to this date zero recorded deaths as a direct result of marijuana. Compare this with the fact that there are an astounding 2,200 deaths from alcohol poisoning every year, and it makes one wonder why the latter is legal and marijuana is not. The only injuries or deaths related to marijuana are usually accidents not directly caused by the substance itself, but the circumstances of use. Last year a young man in Colorado died after eating six times the recommended dose of a marijuana cookie and proceeding to jump off a fourth story balcony. The man, an exchange student from the Republic of Congo named Levy Thamba Pongi, was actually quoted saying, “This is a sign from God that this has happened, that I cannot control myself. It’s not because of the weed” before his unfortunate death. This is a clear example that marijuana leads
to dangerous situations only when irresponsibly misused. Six months after legalizing recreational use of marijuana, Colorado saw a 10.6 percent decrease in property crimes and 60 percent decrease in homicides in Denver. There has also been $12-$40 million saved in enforcement costs each year, and over 10,000 jobs created by the marijuana industry. In the 2014-2015 fiscal year, Colorado collected almost $70 million in marijuana taxes, nearly doubling the revenue from alcohol taxes. However, there has also been an increase in accidents and hospitalizations linked to weed in legal states. Most of these incidents are cases of misusing edible products or incorrectly attempting to perform the incredibly dangerous process of extracting hash oil with butane without taking proper safety precautions. As of February of 2015 there have been new regulations put in place considering the labeling and packaging of edibles, making inclusion of serving size, potency, and warnings required on all labels. Both the benefits and negative results of legalization are evident. If you consider that most problems could be avoided or eliminated by moderation, responsible selfcontrol and product regulations, the numerous benefits far outweigh the negative consequences.
Marijuana in Colorado The impact of legalization Infographic: MOLLY BRADY
Write a letter to the editor. Let your voice be heard! Have something to say? Angry, frustrated or downright upset about what we’ve written? Want to tell us how well we’re doing? Write a letter to us! Drop the finished product off in the Publications Room, room 411, for consideration to run in the next issue of the newspaper. We do NOT accept annonymous letters. Thank you. Letters to the Editor are here to help! We know that you all have issues with different things around the school and in our community. We want to hear what YOU have to say.
Property crime fell a full 9% after legalization
$12-40 million saved in enforcement costs
60% fewer homocides were reported in Denver
10,000 new jobs created Statistics reported by endthedrugwar.org.
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OPINION
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A tragic intersection History teacher Jeff Smith tells story of horrifying accident to advocate for student safety
In a two hour period, a 16y.o. female 135 lbs.
can consume
can consume
Kelsey Johnson | Editor-in-chief
As history teacher Jeff Smith stands in front of his class of 30, tears stream down his face. Trailing away from a normal day of lecturing and notes, Smith has decided to share a haunting memory with his students. Memories of horror and anguish come over him as he rewinds to 20 years ago on a late Sunday afternoon. Newlyweds Jeff and Nancy Smith were returning home from a softball game with their newborn son, Joseph, when they were unexpectedly hit by a drunk driver. “My son was 6 months old and we were newlyweds when we were hit by that car. The driver was just finishing his junior year of high school and was drunk, he had a friend with him who was going to be a senior that was drunk, and the owner of the car was an adult who was a buyer of alcohol and drugs for the boys,” Smith said. “They had had these somewhat dysfunctional lives leading up to then. They had been going to graduation open houses that day in early June, so you have very high school themes and adult themes intersecting on that roadway.” Over 20 years later, Smith and his family still deal with the trauma that came with the accident. Smith’s wife suffered from serious closed head injuries, and went through years of rehabilitation as a part of her recovery. Jeff has suffered from some post-traumatic stress disorder and finds it difficult to forget the trauma. The traumatic event of almost watching the two people he loves most in this world die left behind lingering remnants of pain. “I feel awkward even saying that because I feel like it does a disservice to people serving overseas with living day to day with the trauma they see on a daily basis. But I did deal with some PTSD,” Jeff said. “Every intersection I went through I would get the chills and the sweats. I was really self conscious that I had those feelings that I couldn’t control so I just tried to avoid it.” Dealing with the symptoms of PTSD, it took Smith years to be able to talk about the accident. Reliving all of the trauma he experienced that day was nearly unbearable and while he continued to deal with his PTSD and his wife’s rehabilitation, he decided to not talk about the accident with anyone. Despite his best efforts, this changed later in his teaching career after seeing a few of his young students lose their lives due to senseless acts by drivers under the influence. “It was just absolutely heart wrenching to see such a young life, with their whole life ahead of them, taken away because they’re just out partying and just trying to have fun with their friends,” Smith said. He said that witnessing young people’s deaths as a result of drunk driving inspired him to tell his story. Smith hoped that his story would inspire young people to think twice about their actions
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Every intersection I went through I would get the chills and the sweats.
and see a different perspective. “It was almost as if it was haunting me. I just want them to hear it from someone else’s perspective that’s been through an accident that had drinking as the root cause,” Smith said. ”It was very difficult sharing my story that year, but the comments the students made, things they shared with me that had happened to family or friends of theirs and just how it moved or touched them made it all worth it.” Smith says that telling his story all day, for six hours completely drains him physically, and emotionally but it’s something he feels he has to do. “I decided every year going into prom I want to share my story and if it just helps one person think differently in the moment it will be worth that one hour or one day out of the year that I have to go through the pain of sharing my story,” Smith said. “And I’ve just been doing it ever since, and it’s kind of become that right of passage in Mr. Smith’s class.” Smith knows people are bound to make mistakes, but he hopes his story can prevent his students from making the kind that will stay with them for the rest of their lives, like the young man who nearly killed his family. “Even if a student is new to me, they’ve been working with me all year long and there’s hopefully a healthy, teacher student relationship there,” Smith said. “I’m sure people still shrug it off, we all do that with different things at different times. But I think there’s more open communication nowadays with being careful, I think there’s progress there.” Even with the progress, Smith realizes kids will go out and let loose with their friends. But he believes there is a much safer way to handle things when you are put in those situations. He says that when you go into it with a game plan, prepared for any situation you take out the factor of possibly contemplating driving drunk. “In the moment when you’re having fun and you’re out with friends it’s easy to lose track of things whether it’s how many drinks you or someone else has had,” Smith said. “In the moment you’re not always going to make the best decision or the safest decision. But when there’s a game plan in advance then you can behave and act in a more safe manner for yourself or for others.” Smith has continued to be an advocate for safe drinking and hopes his students can come to him with any problems or questions. “I think that my goal when I share my story is for kids to think more. Yeah you hear about drugs or you hear about drinking or driving but you don’t really think about it too much,” Smith said. “I hope my story can change that.”
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3-4 16 oz. beers
2-3 16 oz. beers
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Katelyn Lee | Staff Writer
In a two hour period, a 16y.o. male 160 lbs.
3-4 1.5 oz. shots
1-2 1.5 oz. shots
2-3 12 oz. glasses of wine
1-2 12 oz. glasses of wine
My goal when I share my story is for kids to think more.
before exceeding the legal limit of .08 BAC.
before exceeding the legal limit of .08 BAC.
INFOGRAPHIC: KELSEY JOHNSON STATISTICS: HEALTHSTATUS.COM
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For more information on safe drinking and drinking and driving, here is some contact information: Students Against Drunk Driving 24-Hour Hotline- 877-MADD-HELP Mothers Against Drunk Driving Victim Helpline- 1-800-323-6233 Alcohol Addiction Recovery Hotline- 1-888-319-2606
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LIFEBOAT
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LIFEBOAT
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Walking into a healthier America MOLLY GADOLA | Features Editor
As sophomore Alaina Melton sat at that eating healthy doesn’t have to be the dining room table and stared at the some elaborate thing.” chicken her mother had made on the Senior Emma Stevenson, an table, she had a sudden realization that experimenting vegan, said watching she didn’t want to eat meat anymore. documentaries and seeing celebrities Now over two years later, she is still partake in the lifestyle change is the going strong. reason so many young people have “I wanted to be a vegetarian for decided to go vegan and vegetarian too. so long, but I had so many people tell “I think it’s becoming more me I’d only last a week,” Melton said. common now,” Stevenson said. “They “Now, it’s over two years later and I’m have definitely shed a light onto all the still with it.” negative aspects of the meat industry.” Melton is part of the growing The documentaries she watched, trend of healthy living making waves “Forks over Knives,” “Earthlings” and across the country, particularly the “Cowspiracy,” are what she credits millennials. Social media has been most for her change. dominated by vocal vegetarian and “They were really eye opening vegans, like Melton, who want to because I had no idea of the negative spread their message. effect animal products have on our “The reason I am so vocal about it bodies and the environment,” she said. is because I love being a vegetarian,” Like Melton, she has found her new Melton said. “I gained so much energy. diet provides her much more energy. It’s just so much healthier for you.” In a country where over 35 percent Teachers talk health of the adult population is considered Lack of energy, a common factor obese, according to the National among many who decide to change Institute of Diabetes and Digestive their diets, is what led math teacher and Kidney Diseases, millennials have Tara Erickson to see a nutritionist. taken it into their own hands to change “I am hoping that I can discover their futures with which foods—maybe new lifestyle gluten, dairy, sugar—I changes. should avoid so that But, many will I feel less fatigued,” say it’s not just Erickson said. “I’m about keeping hoping that the result the weight down. will be something It’s about their that I can make a general health, permanent lifestyle and the health change.” and protection of Erickson has animals and the noticed throughout environment,” her time at Haslett Melton said. that many of her KIMBERLY SNOOK “There are ethical students are changing vegetarians and too. vegetarians that “We have so much do it for health more information reasons. I am both, but mainly ethical. now,” she said. “I hear them (students) I really love animals.” talking about making good food Melton’s change has been choices and working out regularly.” contagious. “Ever since I’ve gone But despite having more available vegetarian, my family has started information, biology teacher Kimberly eating a lot better,” she said. “It’s Snook says even students who want to affected my friends as well because make changes can have trouble doing when they see what I’m eating, they so. see how easy it is to be healthier and “As a teenager, it can be hard
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Any exercise or healthy eating is great, as long as you don’t become obsessed about it.
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because your folks are more in control of what’s in the cupboard,” Snook said. “I hate to think of teens getting caught up in the whole dieting thing anyways. I believe it is important to live a healthy lifestyle. The key word there being lifestyle and not diet.” Snook says staying active and starting good habits is key to lifelong health. “Living an active lifestyle in high school makes it more likely you will value an active lifestyle in the future,” Snook said. “As a result, you will have more energy, productive thoughts, be more pleasant to be around, hopefully live longer and be less sick.” Snook, who has been open to students about her struggle with an eating disorder, is now healthy and happy because of balancing her health. “Being active helps keep my eating disorder at bay. The need to fuel myself for the next workout is more important than depriving myself,” she said. She encourages students to find a balance for themselves too. “Any exercise or healthy eating is great, as long as you don’t become obsessed about it. There has to be a healthy medium for both aspects or your body will break down,” she said. “You are too important to let that happen.”
Monitoring fitness
Lack of balance is what senior Shyan Goodrich sees as a threat to health among young people. She decided to start tracking her steps with a Fitbit after she saw her dad doing it and his success with it. “I thought it was really cool. I wanted to keep track of my steps and then I started working out a lot,” Goodrich said. Her overall goal is to simply be healthier, something Goodrich says her generation struggles with. “I don’t think they’re (her peers) healthy at all. Things like not eating right or not eating enough, and working out too much. There’s unhealthy habits like that,” she said. Overall, Goodrich says her steps to living healthier have been worth it.
FEATURES
“I feel better. I’m more energetic, she’s older. but results are coming slowly.” Slow or “It’s a good way to relieve stress not, Goodrich is in it for the long run. and it’s just a good habit to get into “I wanna do it right and be successful. because I’ll always be able to run, even Then, other girls can see it that way when I get older.” Wegenke said. too.” Like Schmidt and Wegenke, junior Like Goodrich, senior Makayla Amanda Young enjoys running and Casaday has has kept it a part picked up on of her daily routine the Fitbit trend. since she could Casaday says she remember. Because Running has likes knowing of her passion for helped me get how many steps running, Young’s she’s taken in sister encouraged over certain a day because her to start running things that has it helps her competitively. stay motivated Since then, she’s happened in my throughout the made running a big life, that’s why I week. part of her life by “Days that participating in the love it so much. my step numbers school’s cross country AMANDA YOUNG are low, I feel and track teams. She extremely guilty. I also competes outside know the next day of school. I have to work harder,” Casaday said. After watching her sister train for a Along with knowing the step count, half marathon, Young was inspired to Casaday also enjoys participating in do the same. the “challenges” feature of Fitbits. This After training, Young and her allows participants to compete against family traveled to Orlando, FL to themselves or friends/family and stay participate in the Walt Disney World active together. Half Marathon. “Having a challenge with someone Although she was just doing it means you have a week or weekend to for fun, Young ended up winning in see who gets the most steps within that her age division. Since then she has amount of time,” Casaday said. “I love managed to be a two year reigning challenges because I’m a competitive champion for the female division ages person so it helps push me to exercise 14-17. more.” “There are people announcing your name when you are approaching the Running for relief finish line and as I was getting there, For other students, a Fitbit isn’t I heard them say ‘here comes our needed to get motivated and isn’t youngest female runner, 16 year old necessarily for health reasons. Junior Amanda Young,” Young said. “It was Andrew Schmidt says he runs because surreal, I couldn’t help but smile as I it relieves stress and frustration. He ran through.” also has found that it’s become a habit. Despite her talent, Young says that “When I run it makes me forget it isn’t what keeps her running and about the stress of the day and it helps motivated. me release it. It’s kind of a habit of “Running has helped me get over mine to stay in shape and I really enjoy certain things that has happened in my it.” Schmidt said. life and that’s why I love it so much.” Senior Emily Wegenke is motivated to run because she thinks it will benefit Also contributed: her in the future. By running every Mia Salvador day, she says she’s setting up a routine Kelsey Johnson that will hopefully follow her when
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HAILEY PECIC | Copy Editor
Students, teachers on the forefront of diet, nutrition and technology trends
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Endless world, endless wonders Garrod finds solitude and inspiration in nature, music, art MOLLY BRADY | Opinion Editor The land that senior Sarah Garrod lives on is bordered by nature. Sarah often looks back to her roots for inspiration in her artwork. You don’t have to step far from her front door to reach a pond, “I have a lot of nature-centric work,” she said. “My love of nature and the backyard stretches out into acres of forest, with small paths definitely comes through in my art. When I see something out there trailing through. Not that Sarah needs the paths. From the age of in nature I think, ‘wow I really like that. I could take a photo of it, but 6 she could be found on any given day tramping carefully through I could also paint it instead.’” the acres of dense woods, leaving the precarious path in favor of the In the last two years Sarah has won two awards for her artwork, unexplored forest floor. As she went, she liked to imagine she was an honorable mention award and a social media award, and has had going farther and farther into the endless woodland. Sometimes, she her work displayed in multiple shows. But painting is not the only art wished she could get lost in it. she’s interested in. To her, all art connects. To 6-year-old Garrod, the woods were an oasis of peace and “I find that drawing, painting, that sort of art, is also connected to untouched nature, and she felt as if she could run through it forever. the music side,” Sarah said. “It’s artistic representation. You have to She spent hours searching the woods for birds, deer and squirrels. But, interpret it in your own way, you have to put the emotion in it.” to her great disappointment, the creatures were always too afraid to To Sarah, an important aspect of her music and art is having the get close. She made up for the rejection by collecting buckets of snakes ability to affect others. and frogs and dragging them home to her mother, who promptly “One of the most rewarding things for me is being able to impact insisted she let them go. other people. I could be helping them,” she said. “I could be using my Although she may not have been the biggest fan of snakes, art or music to influence their emotions. I can show you what I’m Garrod’s mom, Sally Garrod was nothing but supportive of feeling and then I can just shove it at you.” her daughter’s love of the woods. Although nature had a huge impact in her life, “Richard Louv, author of the book ‘Last Child in Sarah was impacted by more than just nature. the Woods’ wrote: ‘Children who don’t experience “I grew up with my sister who has a mental nature won’t grow up to cherish or protect it,’” impairment. She has a chromosomal displacement. Sally said. “This statement sums up my belief and They’re characterizing it as autism. She can’t attend therefore exemplifies why I have encouraged school and has the mental capacity of a 3-year-old,” all of our children, including Sarah, to get she said. “I had a different household growing up than outdoors, observe, study and lots of people because I had to live with her, I’ve lived respect our environment and the with her my entire life. plants and animals in which we “My mom says it made me grow up faster than a are privileged to share this planet, lot of people but I don’t think it was a bad thing. It Earth.” has allowed me to mature a lot, which is something Inspired by her mother, a botanist I’m grateful for in the end. It allowed me to have a and environmentalist, Sarah learned to broader understanding of others.” SALLY GARROD love all living things. Thanks to the endless acres of serene wood behind “Sarah has always been a lover of her house, and the lessons taught to her by both her animals – not just cuddly creatures mother and her sister, Sarah has been given the rare such as cats and dogs, but also frogs, toads, turtles, opportunity to experience what most others do not have the privilege snakes, birds, spiders, mice, insects, bunnies . . . to. Her well-rounded love of nature, music and art, along with her basically all wildlife. When Sarah was little, instead unstoppable urge to protect the beautiful nature she grew up in have of playing ‘house,’ she would pretend to be different led Sarah to plan on dual majoring in art and biology, while being animals,” Sally said. “Sarah’s love of nature comes involved in orchestra. through in the art that she creates. Most of her “I’m not sure what I’ll do with those yet,” Sarah said. “I’m hoping paintings and drawings are of nature and/or wildlife. I can combine them and find something I would really enjoy in the She has written some beautiful poems and stories, based on future.” the nature she has observed,” Sally said. Whatever it is she decides on, Sarah plans on using the knowledge Sarah has loved art almost as long as she’s loved nature. she gained as a child throughout her life. “I don’t know what I’ll “I’ve been drawing ever since I can remember,” Sarah said. do,” she said. “Whatever it is, I just want to make a difference in the “I always loved that I could make my own things, I didn’t ecological world.” have to rely on somebody else.”
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Children who don’t experience nature won’t grow up to cherish and protect it.
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Senior Sarah Garrod playing her string bass. She plays this, the symbols and bass guitar in the marching band and wind ensemble. PHOTO: RACHEL HAMILTON
Shoemologies: Fights
KHONNOR LONGENDYKE| Staff Writer
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While students often rush to the four corners to watch the latest drama go down, Jan Shoemaker chooses to stay in her classroom. She finds fighting to be unnecessary and cruel and would much rather stay ignorant to the latest high school drama. “Most of the drama is not necessary,” Shoemaker said. “Why do we human beings act this way? Avoiding the drama you can, would make for a happier life.” Shoemaker says that while she was in high school she stayed out of the drama, “I didn’t go in for that stuff,” she said. Shoemaker thinks social media has made harassment and bullying
even more of a problem for teens, and is very different than when she was growing up. Because of the social media, she believes it is troublesome and hard to be a teenager in this day and age when the drama follows you everywhere. “If it’s bad at school you can’t even get away from it when you leave school. I think that would make being a teenager a lot harder than it used to be,” Shoemaker said. She thinks bullies are mean and hurtful for many different reasons, but she does not exactly know why people are so mean to others. After giving it some thought, she came up with some common reasons such as personal
FEATURES
feelings and trying to be better than the person they chose to prey on. “Sometimes it’s probably to deflect feelings of unworthiness in themselves onto somebody else,” Shoemaker said. She also assumes it can just be about control or even about wanting to fit in. “If there’s an outsider it can make you feel very much like an insider,” she said. Shoemaker believes bullies have problems of their own. Regardless, she thinks bullies can and should control themselves instead of taking it out on others. “I don’t think it’s acceptable,” Shoemaker said. “I believe we have some amount of free will, and just
because somebody is being mean to someone, I don’t believe it has to turn into ugliness on their part.” Harassment is found around the world, where young teenagers are stuck in all of the chaos of bullies and their cruel behavior. Shoemaker has some helpful advice for any individuals who are getting bullied, whether it is cyber bullying or in person. Her advice is to go to an adult that they trust so they can tell them about any problems they have at all. “We’ve got lots of them in this building that can help,” Shoemaker said. “People shouldn’t ever feel like they have to suffer alone, it’s a terrible thing.”
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Killer instinct, playful nature Brittain takes over on the field and on the mat CONNER HEINZ | Staff Writer While wrestling, junior Nevin Brittain is relentless, powerful and aggressive. Brittain was the only member of the wrestling team to make it to the State tournament this year. He wrestled in the 189 pound weight class, despite weighing just under 180 pounds, and it’s no challenge for him. But the minute Brittain steps out of the ring, he leaves the aggression and power on the mat and turns into a humble jokester. “When he’s on the mat he’s just in this different mode, pretty serious, but when he’s off the mat he never stops making jokes,” teammate junior Micah Williams said. “And though he’s super smart, sometimes I’m tempted to ask his parents if they can start paying me for babysitting.” Brittain’s success isn’t just shown in wrestling, as he has managed a 3.9 GPA and has big plans for college. “I’m hoping to play a sport in college, and if I do hopefully I’ll get my school paid for,” Brittain said. As for a field of study, the junior said he “definitely wants to go into sports medicine because I like helping people and and really love sports so to be able to combine those two together would be like a dream.” His love for both sports and helping people is clear. “He is a very nice young man, very smart and caring. He is very unselfish in helping the program and helping younger wrestlers,” varsity wrestling coach Tom Heniser said. Often times Brittain was known to stay after practice to help out wrestlers in the youth program. Brittain not only excels on the the wrestling mat and in school, but also on the football field. He is unable to pick a favorite between the two sports. “I like them equally, like two babies. They’re my children,” Brittain said. Despite not wanting to have to pick between the two, Brittain thinks he will end up playing football in college instead of wrestling. “Right now I’m leaning more towards football because that’s where more coaches have seen me, I haven’t really looked for many schools for wrestling yet,” Brittain said. To continue reading, go to vikinglongboat.org/1815/photos/ sports-photos/junior-nevin-brittaindominates-as-an-athlete-and-astudent/
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Redemption on the diamond
Varsity baseball players give insight on tradition and upcoming season
HUNTER DAWSON | Staff Writer The 2016 varsity baseball team is looking to redeem itself after losing at Districts to Fowlerville last season. According to senior Luke Sleeper, the team struggled last year due to lacking fundamentals. “It was just kinda small things, we didn’t really do the small things all that much (and) we never really played well,” Sleeper said. By improving on fundamentals, this team is looking to win more games this season utilizing their speed and defensive strengths, rather than relying on big hits. By doing so, the team should be able to be more consistent and win more games. Q: The team’s past success, how are you hoping to replicate it? Luke Sleeper: “We are hoping to win Districts and win our league, but we haven’t been able to capitalize on our talent. The last couple of years we haven’t been able to get out of Districts. We just want to be able to maximize it this year.” Stephen Fox: “I think we have a good chance at winning Districts and I’d like to repeat the success of last year.” Matthew Stephon: “I’d say we have less power like batting wise than years past, but I feel like pitching and fielding are what we are concentrating on. The little things are huge, doing all the little things.” Fox: “I think if we focus on the little things and we try and we do our best every game I think we will have a lot of success.” Stephon: “I would like to better it (last year’s season), last year we lost in Districts, when we should have won.” Q: Where does your team excel i.e. pitching, hitting, fielding? Sleeper: “We are pretty good in pitching, and then we have solid defense usually. We usually do the little things on offense, bunt, steal, stuff like that. We have never really been a power hitting team, we don’t score runs much.” Fox: “It’s kinda hard to say because we have had one practice so far so I can’t give a good read on you. But I think we will be a pretty good fielding team.” Stephon: “ Yeah, pretty strong in the field obviously with Luke.” Fox: “Yeah, we have a very good pitcher in Luke (Sleeper).” Stephon: “Luke and Hunter (Ruhstorfer) are pretty good pitchers.” Q: What has caused you guys to excel in those areas? Paul Fiorillo: “Probably just working hard, like yesterday we had a three hour practice.” Q: You say you have strong seniors with Luke and Hunter. Do you have any strong younglings coming up? Stephon: “We have a sophomore Hayden Garrett. He was on the team last year as a freshman, and put up some really good numbers, and I think he (might) be starting this year. If he can re-create what he did last year or maybe even (get) better he’d be a huge lift.” Q: Who are the leaders on your team? Sleeper: “Most of the seniors or the guys that
have been on varsity a while” Fiorillo: “Luke Sleeper, Hunter Ruhstorfer, Cullen Turner.” Fox: “I’d say Luke.” Stephon: “Hunter probably.” Fox: “Luke and Hunter I would say.” Stephon: “Cullen too. It’s really their team, (since) they have been on varsity the longest.” Q: Why are they the leaders? Fiorillo: “They lead by example mostly, (it) helps that they are some of the best players.” Fox: “I think they kinda lead by example, they let everyone else know what is going on and what to do.” Stephon: “Yeah they are coming back, but they also have put the numbers up in years past to back up their leadership.” Q: What are you hoping to do this year? What is your vision for the season? Sleeper: “Bring more intensity when it come to the games, stay focused and just take it inning by inning. Try to win as many games as possible, hopefully at least 20 wins, that’s usually the Senior Hunter Ruhstorfer hustled to field a ball against East benchmark of a good season.“ Lansing last season. DIXIT YEARBOOK FILE PHOTO Fiorillo: “(I) want to get better, become a better pitcher, throw harder.” Stephon: “Winning the District is huge for me. Because coming so close last year and if you ask any of us we all think we should have won, we should have played better and own that game.” Fox: “I would also like to win the (CAAC) Red conference too.” Stephon: “Winning the conference would be huge with DeWitt and St John’s both having (great teams). What they have it would be a big deal for us to win the conference.” Fox: “Making a run in the Diamond Classic.” Stephon: “They have a committee that chooses the teams and last year we did alright, but I’d really like to win that.” Q: What is the Diamond Classic? Fox: “It’s a tournament of the best teams in the area.” Stephon: “Of all sizes, from small schools like Portland Saint (Patrick Catholic school), up to Holt and Grand Ledge. It’s really about bringing everyone together and kinda Senior Luke Sleeper in just seeing who is the best without pitching mode last season. having to go through the Districts.” DIXIT YEARBOOK FILE PHOTO Fox: “If you win it (the Diamond Classic) you can say (that) you are the big dog in the area and that’s why Grand Ledge is so prestigious because they have won it a lot.”
SPORTS
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Now what?
Seniors struggle to give up high school sports in light of college options KYLE LOONEY | Staff Writer
Unprepared for the next level
Senior William Holton, one of the tennis team’s top athletes, has had an amazing run within his high school career. Like most of his peers, he will not be pursuing the sport in college despite his love for the game. Because of a foot injury, he was held back earlier this year which prevented him from playing his last tennis season. For any athlete, an injury is an immediate nightmare to even think about. Holton did all he could to get back in action, but the injury was too much to fight against. “If I had played, I probably would have continued to play after the season so I could have got a little bit better. But you just never know,” Holton said. Experience has also been huge in his decision not to continue his tennis career. Having started late, he was not able to acquire some of the extra practice that could have been a real game changer for him. With Holton feeling not quite there to pursue tennis at the collegiate level, he wants to play in smaller leagues with
friends. He runs into the transition of not having constant daily practices and team activities and says that it will be a difficult shift. “It will be hard and I won’t have much to do, but I can still play recreational because I know a bunch of people that still play,” Holton said.
Up to snuff
Senior Harry DeHaven has been playing soccer since he was five years old, and he said the transition to being without it will be difficult. “It’s going to be really difficult because I’ve been playing soccer my whole life,” DeHaven said. DeHaven has accepted the fact that he doesn’t have what it takes to play at a division one level. Despite this, he wants to continue playing soccer, possibly for a club team. “I don’t think I’m good enough to compete at a division one level,” DeHaven said. “I want to play club, but the competition at a major school is intimidating. Plus, the amount of time you have to commit to practice and having it is like a job.”
Senior Harry DeHaven will be leaving his high school and club soccer teammates behind and preparing to train on his own when he attends college this fall. PHOTO: ASHLEY DYER
How many high school athletes play in college? 7,151,806
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I’m definitely going to have to work out on my own now and find a way to fulfill my passion because that’s what always gave me the competitive drive. HARRY DEHAVEN
Students play high school sports in the U.S.
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Senior Darek Wroblak has been a figure for Haslett basketball for most of his high school career. While being an undersized big man played to his benefit, his height has put a hold on him playing the usual big man position he’s been accustomed to. “I’ve been a big man my whole life, usually a four (power forward) or five (center),” Wroblak said. “There’s no one that would want to take me for my height, at my current position.” The factors that play into being a power forward or a center include being exceptionally taller than the usual person and having the bigger body type to be able to survive down low. Hope is not all gone though. Wroblak is considering continuing basketball again in his sophomore year at Lansing Community College. He says he needs a year off to get used to the transition of the college life. “The transition is gonna be a little weird. I’ll probably still play pickup with my friends,” Wroblak said. “I was thinking about taking a year off of basketball, see how my body develops and maybe my sophomore year, see how I do.” Although some student athletes pursue sports on scholarships, others have to cut ties with being an athlete and focus on what they want to do throughout their college career. For a few senior standout players, athletics is not their main pursuit like it once was.
DeHaven is making the transition by having to be independent and find his own workouts to do. He’s going to have to find something else to feed his passion other than soccer for the time being. “I’m definitely going to have to work out on my own now and find a way to fulfill my passion because that’s what always gave me the competitive drive,” DeHaven said. “There’s going to be some empty in my life now because of it.” Being an athlete missing out on their sport can be heartbreaking, but these seniors are starting to know that their sports careers will soon be left behind.
Male
Female
4,251,847 Only 5.7% of men get to play college athletics
2,899,959 Only 5.9% of women get to play college athletics
NCAA statistics from NCAA.com Top: senior Darek Wroblak goes up for a layup against Grand Ledge in the first round of Districts on March 7. Bottom: senior William Holton returns a ball at tennis practice on Oct. 9. PHOTOS: TYLER GOLDBERG, RACHEL HAMILTON
Sports Ticker Girls varsity tennis after Spring Break, 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 13, at Lansing Catholic.
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Girls varsity soccer plays after Spring Break, at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, at East Lansing.
The varsity boys lacrosse team plays tonight at 7 at Troy Athens High School,
The varsity girls lacrosse team plays after Spring Break, at 7 p.m. Monday, April 11 at Hartland.
SPORTS
Varsity baseball plays after Spring Break at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 12 at East Lansing.
Varsity softball plays after Spring Break, Tuesday, at 4 p.m. April 12 at East Lansing.
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You Can’t Take It With You 1
Review of the 2016 play
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HUNTER DAWSON| Staff Writer This year’s play “You Can’t Take it With You” was a decent success. Moments of greatness shown throughout the play were dulled by the first act, but the second act allowed the true storyline to shine. Roles for this play were cast perfectly. The Grandpa, played by Evan Switzer took the show by strongly fitting into his role and speaking in a manner that reminded me of the typical family grandfather. The Grand Duchess Katrina was portrayed by Maddie Membiela, whose personality was that of the character she was cast and made a somewhat minor character very memorable and left me thinking about the
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great casting done. A high point for the show was the acting, as it was enjoyable to see all the random craziness going on and how individual actors/characters act and react to the situation. From the subtle nodding of the head during a conversation to Essie Carmichael (sophomore Elise Endres) doing her ballet stretches randomly throughout the show made it laugh out loud funny. The only reason the play wasn’t living up to it’s potential was the structure of the play itself. In the beginning, it was so jumbled and confusing you couldn’t recover in time to enjoy the gut-busting
second act. I got confused during the first act because it attempted to give backstory, but it didn’t explain much and left me wondering how all these odd characters ended up together. The high point of the play was by far the second act ,full of very funny moments that made the crowd truly laugh, instead of the polite chuckles most plays get. The third act tied together most loose ends that came up during the play, however none of the ones brought up in the first act. These actors did an amazing job of portraying their characters and it was easy to become fully enveloped in the storyline of the play.
1: Senior Hannah Vogelsang (Penny Sycamore) paints senior J.J. Miller (Mr. DePinna) as he poses for the painting as Act II unfolds. Senior Evan Switzer (Grandpa) gets ready to play darts and laughs at the commotion going on in the scene. 2: Sophomore Ethan Bresnahan and senior Aly Homminga played the snobby, rich, married couple Mr. and Mrs. Kirby. They both wait in disgust while the Sycamore household frantically cleans up in Act II. 3: Junior Lauren Jewell (Alice Sycamore) leans over her mother, played by Vogelsang, and tells her about the man she is in love with in Act I. 4: Bresnahan, Homminga, Jewell, Switzer and senior Ben Maines (Tony Kirby) sit at the table and play a game in Act II. 5: Jewell and Maines talk while Maines opens a drink for them to share in Act I. PHOTOS: ASHLEY DYER
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BACK OF THE BOAT
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