LB PS
10.21.2011 haslett high school
5450 marsh road haslett mi 48840
volume 17 issue 2
AP classes see rapid growth
PORTSIDE
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viking LONGBOAT by jordan SCOTT
Band in GL festival
As students file into Arthur Chiaravalli’s first and sixth hour AP English classes, they find themselves in an unusually crowded classroom. This is what seniors have come to deal with in AP English this year. “It’s hard to get everyone’s attention,” senior Melody Stokosa said. There are currently 38 students in the first hour class, the bigger of the two hours. The class size has, in fact, decreased by 10 students in the first month of school. Despite this, the class is still too large to fit into an actual classroom and is currently being taught in the Viking Room. Stokosa said that at times she feels like “I’m not getting enough attention,”.
The marching band participated in the Grand Ledge Band Festival at Grand Ledge High School on Oct. 5. The band takes part in the festival each year, joining about 20 other bands from throughout Michigan. The festival is an opportunity for marching band members to get new ideas for their upcoming shows. They also had the opportunity to see the Spartan Marching Bands play.
Tennis at states The boys tennis team finished the regular season with a record of 10-3. On Oct. 6, the team came in second at the regional tournament that was played at the high school. This qualified boys to play in the state tournament in Grand Blanc on Oct. 14. The players are very happy with their performance this year. The team won the CAAC Red League title for the first time.
AP CLASSES on Page 4
BENEATH DECK
BD
What’s On Deck? • October 21 Homecoming Parade 5:30 p.m. • October 21 Homecoming Football Game Vs. Chelsea 7 p.m. • October 22 High School Homecoming Dance 8:30-11p.m • October 24 HS/MS Festival of Bands 7p.m • November 4 End of First Marking Period • November 8 Ralya Market day • November 17-19 High School Musical
photo by chase CAIN The three principles set up by the school during the summer are displayed as banners for the students to see as they enter school.
Academic integrity push Students surveyed; teachers respond by phil PRESCHER
Anxious students come through the doors on the first day of school expecting no changes from the previous school year. As the door closes behind them, they take a deep breath of the aged school air and proceed to their scheduled first hour. Students expected to have no instruction for the day, except maybe the annual classroom procedures. Instead, all were presented with a major problem in our school – academic integrity.
Homecoming finally here page 4
Get your haunt on INTEGRITY on page 4
page 5-7
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October 21, 2011
Everybody had to listen to the exhilarating lecture during the first week of school about HHS’s big idea for the year; academic integrity. It’s a nice concept. It’s definitely idealistic but is it realistic? It’s understandable why the administration and teachers are attempting to stress the wrongness of cheating. When students cheat, they’re not learning anything. The whole point of K-12 education is to prepare students for college and the real world. If a kid gets by with passing grades thanks to another student’s work, he or she won’t be ready for college level classes. Teachers know this and most try to help students, afterall it’s kind of their job. Academic integrity is their new phrase for trying to help students
prepare themselves. However, the new polices, posters, lectures and handouts won’t really change anything. The inconvenient truth is that there will always be people who cheat. No policy, rule, law or poster is going to change that. Psychological warfare isn’t going to change it either. Trying to scare people by threatening to put notes on their transcripts isn’t really that effective. The students who probably care about their transcripts are the kids with good GPAs and most likely are the ones who do all their homework. The kids this threat is targeted at probably don’t care. All that’s on their mind is making sure they don’t get caught. The keyword there is caught. Even with teachers cracking
down and watching students more intensely during tests, quizzes or quests, kids are still willing to take the risk of getting caught and continue cheating. They may have to use new techniques and spend more time and energy devising some ingenious way to steal the answers from a classmate when they could have used that energy to study. It’s kind of like when you were a little kid and you were sick of your parental unit nagging you about brushing your teeth every night. Instead of brushing, you ran some water over your brush and walked out of the bathroom saying, “All done!” You knew you had covered your tracks because your toothbrush was wet so they thought you used it on your teeth. Then after a while,
your parent got smarter and called you out on the fact that you never seem to run out of tooth paste. You would then wet the brush, put some tooth paste on the brush, then rinse it down the drain. With all the effort you made in order to avoid brushing your teeth you could have spent less energy actually brushing your teeth. Maybe you were just sticking it to the man, who knows. The point is, no matter what the motivation, people will go to great lengths to avoid things like studying or defying the system. So throw whatever cliché techniques or quotes at us all you want. Try pounding it into our brains or try to send subliminal messages through a new segment on the announcements. It won’t make much of a difference.
The CREW
pinions
Viking Longboat staff
editor-in-chiefs Lauren Hooper& Travis Stirewalt photography editor Sierra Dove photographer Chase Cain opinions editor Maggie Turney sports editor Shane Heston sports writer Adam Foren
features editor Jill Detwiler copy editor Phil Prescher graphics editor Erik Frobom web manager Austin Rosenbaum ad managers Kristen Everhardt & Logan Milliman adviser Julie Price
STAFF Laine Alexander Quinn Alexander Nick Andreson Amy Baumgartner Jeremy Burton Caitlin Eddy Reid Fowler Patrick Gifford Tirzah Harter Nick Lemmer Griffin Marinez
Nicholas McPhee Alex Murshak Tanay Salpekar Shelby Savage Josh Sawyer Jordan Scott Kurstian Shooltz Asha Sultani Morgan Underwood Emily Virkus Rory Youngs
The Viking Longboat is a monthly publication of Haslett High School, 5450 Marsh Road, Haslett, MI 48840. It is published by the fifth hour Newspaper Production class and Journalism class. The Longboat has been established as a student run public forum circulated within the school and to subscribers in the community and outside the school district. The Longboat is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association, Journalism Education Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association and Michigan Interscholastic Press Association. The publication is an eighttime 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.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
STAFF EDITORIAL: Once a cheater, always a cheater
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Let your voice be heard!
Have something to say? Angry, frustrated or downright upset about what we’ve written? Want to build a stronger student voice? 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 the in next issue of the newspaper. 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. Trust us, we want to hear what YOU have to say. We do NOT accept annonymous letters. If you have an issue with something, you should be able to admit who you are. Letters to the Editor are NOT here for you to simply rip on people, take on the issuses, tell the truth.
graphic by erik FROBOM
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Saving the best dance for last
by maggie TURNEY
Awkward acne-ridden teens in satin puff-sleeve dresses and oversized suits wander around the poorly decorated school gym. Soon couples are embracing while avoiding eye contact with each other and stepping side-to-side to a classic slow dance ballad. This is what I thought a homecoming dance was like because I had watched all the 90s television shows. I knew it would be a bit different because my freshman homecoming was in 2008 and that was almost a decade after those shows were made. I never expected it to be like this. My freshman homecoming was a bit awkward. I didn’t
have a date and my dress was a 8/10 in kids sizes. I also was going through my “emo” phase. So my face, especially my eye area, was heavily lined in black and my jet black hair was covering a majority of my face. I honestly resembled the girl from the “Grudge.” When I walked into the gym I instantly felt the pounding bass vibrating through the floor and saw a pack of teenagers rubbing against each other. I must have looked completely dumbfounded because a senior walked by and said “you look like an idiot with your face like that.” I spent the rest of the dance hanging out with my friends and avoiding all upperclassmen. Sophomore year was a little better. I at least knew what to expect. I did have a date that year and I had ditched the black clothes and heavy make-up so I looked and seemed pretty normal for that age. However, my date was about an hour late and then decided I wasn’t pretty enough and
left for some other girl. I ended up crying in the middle of the dance floor during “Everytime We Touch” by Cascada. I left early that year. Last year, my junior year, I spontaneously hosted a large gathering before the dance. About 19 people showed up and after about 15 minutes of awkward pictures, we all piled into cars and drove to the dance. Overall, I had a pretty good time. I knew what to expect which made things easier and I had also made some new friends who made things interesting and fun. One thing I have noticed all three years is that there are always about 23 percent of kids who are jumping around and basically having fun dancing in “school appropriate” ways, four percent who are just sitting down at the tables and the other 73 percent are grinding. Exactly when did “grinding” become dancing? Rhythmic pelvic thrusting bothers me a lot. It’s awkward to watch and it’s awkward when some kid you don’t even know shows up out of nowhere and starts moving to a steady rhythm.
October 21, 2011
Grinding is probably at its worst in the very popular mass of people usually located in the center of the dance floor. Have you ever been in a mob of sweaty teenagers in the middle of the dance floor? Consider yourself lucky if you haven’t. It’s a traumatizing experience especially if you’re my size. There’s nothing worse than feeling someone’s butt or crotch rubbing against yours or in my case my stomach. I mean it’s 2011, think of all the dance moves you can whip out. You have the Dougie, Spongebob, shuffle, jerk, cupid shuffle, robot, fist pumping and there’s always random jumping and flailing. Why not exert your energy on moves like these? They’re a lot more fun and you won’t be those kids that provoked the teachers and parents to turn all the lights on because the kids ignored all the warnings. No one wants to be in that situation, trust me. As I look back I realize that homecoming hasn’t changed. It still consists of kids dancing, loud music, and rumors
about the kids who had been drinking and a really annoyed looking DJ. The only thing that has changed is me. I’ve grown as a person (mentally, not physically unfortunately) and I’m looking forward to my final homecoming dance.
later stain the white pants of the band. Looking down at my own pant legs, grass stained as they were from outside play, my young mind was perplexed by a people so mighty as to keep their attire spotless. Throughout the fall seasons of my early schooling I was constantly reminded of the marching band. If my house were a story higher, I might be able to see the tips of the football field’s goal posts; the stadium lights illuminated the surrounding sky as if an electric sun had risen. In the close vicinity of the school, snare drum hits and the thuds of bass drums would echo off the vinyl siding of the houses in my neighborhood. Even though my room faced the opposite direction, sometimes it was as if the drumline was just across the street. Finally becoming a part of the band was nothing short of a thrill, as I find new things to be. As a person of many minute hobbies, I have known the
feeling a number of times. I would be lying if I said that being in the band is as intriguing now as it was when it was new to me. The mystic has given way to the mundane, especially after hours upon hours of rehearsal. However, waning fascination is no excuse for a decline in participation. If there is a prevalent theme throughout marching band, it’s commitment. A friend of mine had been playing clarinet since sixth grade and, while it may be a prime instrument for a concert setting, on the field it can’t quite perform to the same standards of volumes and intensity. After dedicated practice, he found himself to be a competent snare drum player and joined the drum line. Marching band is an obscure art form, and as with all arts it is impossible to succeed if you cannot find an appropriate place to apply your passion. Lastly, there is a sort of legacy that transcends from past generations and demands to
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Junior homecoming in the 20102011 school year with friend, then freshman Austin Liu.
Freshman homecoming in the 2008-2009 school year with friend Jorge Beltran.
Sophomore homecoming in the 2009-2010 school year with Aaron Malcom.
Marching band mystique hasn’t worn off
by erik FROBOM
file photo by christie HAMILTON Haslett’s marching band playing at a home game in the 2010-2011 season.
I will not ask you readers for any more recognition than we’ve already gotten. The band does march for entertainment, but it also marches because of and primarily for those involved. Rather I write to introduce a new angle on an activity that has kept me busy during the fall season for the past three years. I remember first being aware of the alleged grandeur of the high school marching band around the age of 6. The bus driver announced she was to transport the marching band to one of its events, and asked us not to place our feet on the seats as the dirt of our shoes might
be upheld. The older students who ran things when I was a newbie have since graduated and, a couple years later, I find myself in their shoes. As a younger student I enjoyed the company and attention of seemingly more mature upperclassmen. With each class, short lived traditions and inside-jokes surface and wear out, although a few come to mind that have surpassed the stay of the students who instigated them. My peers and I have started trends of our own that we hope may continue after our own graduation. High school is a time of growth and it shows from class to class. It is something that is easy to observe in an activity, such as band, that encompasses all four years. I think all involved are better people for it. It is one thing to work together toward a common goal, but healthy comradery is the stuff that lubricates torqued gears and makes it all the more bearable.
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INTEGRITY PUSH from page 1
Last year in April all students were instructed to take an online survey that asked questions about concerns and accomplishments at the high school. Students responded that Haslett students are at their best when they are respectful, responsible and successful. In contrast, over 60 percent of students also responded they aren’t at their best when they are cheating. With these responses, the administration and teachers have developed a strategy to tackle the growing concern of cheating. Russell Olson, history teacher, spent the first couple days of school going through Powerpoints with his classes. These presentations were designed to show students examples of successful historical figures who had an important sense of integrity. Olson also demonstrated examples of unsuccessful historical figures who lacked a good sense of integrity. Olson hopes this will give students an understanding of what it means to have integrity inside and outside the classroom. “I used important political figures that were models of integrity,” Olson said. “Unfortunately, I also used examples of people who not only acted without integrity, but were in some cases pretty despicable.”
Olson also has a poster hanging in the front of his classroom that quotes Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. It reads, “Integrity: If it is not right, do not do it. If it is not true, do not say it.” Olson thinks students have responded really well to the academic integrity message so far. Principal Bart Wegenke hopes teachers will inform the students on what academic integrity is and what it means to the students and to the whole school. “Teachers need to inform and uphold the integrity and fidelity of what academic integrity means,” Wegenke said. Wegenke wants students and teachers to ask themselves what integrity is and come to conclusions on their own. ”Are you allowed to copy math assignments and get credit for them?” Wegenke asks students. “Is that okay?” The growing concern of cheating and the push for awareness comes from a bigger program known as “Michigan’s Integrated Behavior and Learning Support Initiative.” MIBLSI is funded and supported by Michigan’s Department of Education and focuses on pushing learning and behavior initiatives. Many schools in Ingham County have used this initiative as a resource for promoting awareness for
Mr. Chiaravalli instructing during fifth hour photo by chase CAIN
various concerns in their individual school district. Wegenke and the administration have used this program as a guide to raise awareness about cheating in the high school. Students, however, have mixed feelings on the academic integrity initiative that has been present since the beginning of the school year. “I think students are more afraid to cheat now,” junior Chelsea Soper said. “But I feel like it hasn’t changed things much.” Soper, like many other students, said the strategy has brought much awareness, but it hasn’t had much effect on the actions of the students. Wegenke plans on starting another initiative on the growing concerns of bullying in the near future. Many teachers and administration members attended an anti-bullying convention two weeks ago to learn more about the problem and possible ways to tackle it. In the meantime, teachers and administration alike are focusing on academic integrity and hoping to see students react to the message in the classroom, but also in the future. “If they do not show integrity in the little things in life, the chances of them not doing it for the big things in life are greater,” Olson said.
photo illustration by jill DETWILER
AP Classes
Recall Rick fizzles
from page 1
by reid FOWLER
Arthur Chiaravalli admits he is struggling with class sizes. “Yes it is challenging, I’m not a college professor, I don’t have the style, and I’m still responsible for moving students up to a higher level,” Chiaravalli said. Despite this many students still have confidence that Chiaravalli is doing a good job and will prepare them for the AP exam at the end of the year. “I think he excels as an English teacher,” senior Matt Sauer said. “He knows what he’s doing.” In addition to instructing two large AP English classes, Chiaravalli also teaches three hours of English 9. “It’s hard for me to touch base with all of the students in my classes,” Chiaravalli said. “I’m afraid I will loose track with some of them, where there at and what there struggling with.” Luckily, Mr. Chiaravalli has had an MSU student teacher this year, Miss. Hayes, to help teach two of his English 9 classes and allow him to focus more on the larger AP English classes. Within all of this challenge Chiaravalli admits that he’s enjoying it so far. “On some level I have been intrigued by the challenge of it, it’s hard, but it’s made me think how you can you do the essential things in a context of a larger class,” Chiaravalli said. “I have enjoyed sort of pioneering things.” When looking towards the future of AP English and other AP classes, students and teachers alike are concerned. “I can imagine the Viking Room being used more often,” Chiaravalli said. “Although I hope that’s not what happens.” With more budget cuts looming it is difficult to know if class sizes will ever decrease. “Class sizes are probably going to stay big,” Stokosa said. Many students admit they would prefer a smaller class size to a larger one. Most students are, however, confident that the class sizes will work out. “I am confident things will improve soon,” Sauer said.
It has been nearly a year since Republican Rick Snyder was elected into office as governor of Michigan. Within that time, Snyder’s policies have set so many citizens over the edge that a significant movement to recall the governor was put into action. Hardy petitioners sat on the corners of streets - including at the corner of Marsh and Haslett roads – hoping to get needed signatures from citizens who had the same desires to boot the current governor. For this to work, petitioners needed 10 percent of the voting population in Michigan to participate. However the movement fell short. A final count has not yet been released, but it was not enough to file, according to firericksnyder.org. The website explains that over 5,000 members put their efforts into this campaign, but to little avail. Many Michigan Citizens are angered by Snyder’s policies. One of these controversial policies includes restricting unions’ rights in areas like health care. Unions view this negatively. As well as this, he
has been raising taxes on the lower classes. “He says it’s to pay off the deficit,” senior Justin Murshak said. “But he’s also giving tax cuts to corporate businesses. He just contradicts himself.” While these tax policies don’t affect Murshak personally, education cuts do. These cuts are, once again, to reduce the deficit. “Haslett alone has experienced $1.2 million in cuts,” Murshak said. This averages to about $715 per student. The policies don’t end there. Murshak claims the Snyder administration has been abolishing local government and replacing it with emergency managers, from the Snyder administration. “The problem is, we don’t know who they are,” Murshak said. “They could be anyone.” The efforts of the campaign have slowed, but the entire movement is far from over. According to the campaign’s website, the group does not plan on quitting, stating, “We will not surrender, we will not give up.”
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October 21, 2011
Hall
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Hauntings: Thrill-seekers wanted
weekends
by lauren HOOPER
I run off the Wicked Twister sprinting towards the Millennium Force. The classic Halloween soundtrack plays softly in the background as a trash can gets moved. The banner of “CarnEvil” unravels. I let out a slight shriek as the demented ringmaster takes to the podium. I got way more than I expected. Halloweekends at Cedar Point is a much treasured tradition to my family. Each year we make the four hour journey to the famed amusement park, excited for what’s to come. The park is decorated with skeletons, graves, spider webs and the occasional jack o’ lantern. During the daytime, it’s a cute typical October setting. However, once the sun begins to set on Lake Erie, the mood suddenly shifts.
Starting at 8 p.m. every day, the haunted houses open. There is always a variety of different types with varying “scare levels.” These range from “family friendly” to “enter at your own risk.” Each year I avoid anything haunted at all, even though I barely flinch during the horrifying Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies. Typically, these haunted pathways are set away from the bustling main stream road flowing from one end of the park to another. I believed this would continue to be true. Yet, for some reason, they decided to put a haunted path connecting the Wicked Twister to the rest of the park. I, unfortunately, was stuck. My only option was to walk through “CarnEvil.” This event advertised creepy clowns (I’m even frightened of regular clowns), a bearded lady and other sideshow attractions. Walking into the green fog that surrounded, I was immediately followed. Everyone says that the people working in these go for the ones who are most scared. I was literally sweating fear. I had a big red bulls-eye right on my back. I reached my hand
by josh SAWYER
Another year gone by, another Halloween month to get your spooks on. What better way than haunted houses, which Michigan has no shortage of. Here’s a short list of just some of what the state has to offer.
out hoping to ward off whatever came my way. Soon I was surrounded by clown after red-eyed clown. I screamed and began to run as fast as I could out of my own nightmare turned reality. Using my hands as a battering ram, I sprinted towards the exit. I could hear the footsteps catch up behind me, demented laughs echoing in my ear and fog surrounding my face. It seemed like I was never going to make it out. But then the fog disappeared, the laughing stopped. I looked up and saw I had made it to the other side. I searched behind me to find 3-year-olds emerging, with nothing even resembling a frown. The next day, during broad daylight, I made a trek back to the site of my terrible experience. Now that I could see, I realized the path was only about 20 yards and the scare level it was registered on was two out of five pumpkins, five being the scariest. On the way home, I was the laughing stock of my family. “It was a baby haunted house” and “It was only clowns” kept being thrown at me. This all may be true, but I still never seem to forget when my own Halloween nightmare came true.
1Chelsea Fear Grounds
Located off of old US-12 Hwy this is bound to get you scared as you walk through the self-guided walk in an eerie haunted environment. Filled with live creatures, extreme animatronics, bizarre special effects, digital sounds, ominous smells and, if you’re up for it, even special tastes for those with a strong stomach.
2Erebus
Located in Pontiac, Erebus was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records as the worlds largest walk-through haunted attraction from August 2005-September 2009. The four-story mansion keeps you on your toes with and eyes open.
3Scarefest Scream Park
Located in Lenox Township. This boasts 50 acres of haunted attractions; such as Hayride of Doom, Castle of The Dead, Forest of Darkness, and Terror Zone Maze. Also live on-stage entertainment for everyone.
by shelby SAVAGE
Caramel apple suckers are made by Tootsie Candy Company. According to the company, the suckers first came out in 1995. They are only around in the fall, because they are a holiday candy for Halloween. They are made using either a green apple, red Macintosh or golden delicious flavored hard candy, then dipped in caramel. “They are sweet and sour at the same time and literally last half an hour,” junior Mary Slack said. Not only do they last a long time, but can be eaten during the school day. “They’re a nice treat to have in class because you wont get in trouble with them,” senior Alysse Donahue said. graphic by maggie TURNEY
4Salem’s Haunted Barn Located east of Flint. Horsedrawn hay ride, and a huge truly haunted barn that will surely keep you scared.
5Dementia
Located at HamptonRochester Hills, Dementia is overrun by inmates of psychotic serial killers and savage mindless patients. This super scary theme will have you wishing it was over from the beginning.
6Erin Orchards
Corn maze and Barn of Horrors in South Lyon. Barn of Horrors has a secret mystery black hole, state of the art animatronics and no live actors.
7 Night Terrors
At Wizards Orchards- Ypsilanti, (Ann Arbor) is Michigan’s premier haunted thrill park with six attractions on site, 115 live monsters, 89 acres featuring the ultimate haunted barn asylum, the mineshaft, hayrides of the lost, the labyrinth, and the alien caged clowns.
8The Terrified Forest
A self-guided interactive experience, 30 acre field, 40 minute walk, and terrified manor shows what happened to the patients at Hillcrest sanitarium before it was torn down. Pickney (Ann Arbor)
9 The Fear Factory
In Mount Clemens (North Detroit) Michigan’s largest vortex tunnel, 30 minutes of relentless terror, 25,000 sq. feet of pure madness, and full refunds for finding secret doors in the vortex.
10Woods of Darkness South Rockwood. A hay wagon takes you off into the woods leads you to a haunted house. Then it is up to you to maneuver through the house to safety and escape the souls trapped there.
Halloween scare: not cl wning around by kurstin SHOOLTZ graphics by erik FROBOM
All Hallows Eve, formally known as Halloween, used to be a night for frightening the ghosts or spirits that haunted the Celts’ towns. The Celt’s were a diverse group or people originating around 800 B.C. When the Celtic beliefs changed to Christianity, it kept this night to haunt the dead. Truly, according to the Celt’s, Halloween is Nov. 1 not Oct. 31 as we were all raised to believe. Oct. 31 is “All Hallows Eve” a time where
the dead roam the land, and on the night of Nov. 1 is the day to scare away the ghosts who walked the land the night before. Senior Lexi Lone’s Halloween became a night to remember when she walked into Quality Dairy last year. She went to buy candy and energy drinks and got an odd surprise. “This little boy randomly started chasing me with water guns,” Lone said. “His dad
was watching from the window laughing.” Shortly she “lost” the boy and went to get her drink. As she opened the door she saw a clown staring back at her. “I had a mini-heart attack,” Lone said. The employee, dressed as a clown, was restocking the freezers. Her frightful night purchasing her goods made for a truly “Hallows Eve.” http://www.thegeminigeek.com/ what-is-the-meaning-of-halloween/
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October 21, 2011
the heart of
HOMECOMING Marching band gets set for “the big show”
How long does it take you to get ready for the dance?
by tanay SALPEKAR
“About an hour” -Chelsie Ritter, senior
Every day during sixth hour, the marching band is seen gathered on the practice field in front of the high school, working on formations and technique. However, this type of perfection doesn’t come over night. Senior Melody Stokosa is the drum major for this year’s marching band and knows how much dedication it takes to be a part of it. “Our band is very hard working and disciplined,” Stokosa said. “We work at the one show that we need to perfect.” The entire band puts together one show and performs it over the course of the football season at each home game. “The homecoming game is the big show, next to the Grand Ledge Invitational,” Stokosa said. There are multiple formations the band practices for the homecoming game. Band director David Gott explains this year’s programs involve four marching formations. The first is for the pep rally at school before the game. The next for the alumni band, where Haslett gradu- ates who were part of the
“A half hour” -Kenna Gebissa, junior “3 to 4 hours” -Annie Lewis, sophomore
How much did you spend for homecoming? $50 -Jake Wamhoff, senior $80 -Tasha Bolda, junior $120 -Ericka Williams, freshman
How did you ask your date? “I put a box of chocolates in her locker and a note asking her to homecoming.” -Graham Riley, sophomore “She told me to I had to ask her so I just casually asked.” - Kolby Casaday, senior “Since we’ve been dating for so long I just assumed we would be going together.” -Zack Chasse, senior
band when they were in high school get the opportunity to play in the parade with the current marching band. After, the homecoming court formation takes place at the homecoming game when the class representatives come onto the field. Last is the regular show, the one band has been practicing since August. With very little time until the actual homecoming game, the band is prepared and ready to go. Along with shows like homecoming and the Grand Ledge Invitational, there are other gigs in the future that the band is excited about. Haslett hosts the Tri-District Festival with Okemos and East Lansing on Jan. 29, as well as the Solo/Ensemble Festival on Feb. 4. The students and instructors have high hopes for this year. “Overall, they’re a hard working group and the rest of the year looks great,” Gott said.
photo by katie FLAGG
Freshman year chemistry makes four years of homecoming fun by jill DETWILER
Freshman year homecoming is an exciting time in the transition to high school. For most underclassmen, they scrounge around to find any person without a date, buddy up for pictures and jump into the pile of grinding teenagers. While most homecoming-night flings only last a few weeks afterward, Claire Cantlon and Zack Chasse’s has been going on for four years. “Two weeks before (freshman) homecoming, neither of us had dates,” Cantlon said. “I tried to be sly about it, like, ‘Oh, maybe we should go together then?’ He didn’t get the hint at first.” The couple has been together since 2008, giving them the op-
portunity to spend every high school homecoming so far with each other. “We haven’t danced with anyone else,” Chasse said. He adds that dancing together and taking pictures with family has become significantly less awkward than freshman year. “That was the first time I met his mom,” Cantlon said. For some people, the dance stops becoming as exciting over the years. One would think going with the same person every year tacks onto the bore-factor. But for these two, their personalities and chemistry keep homecoming enjoyable for one another.
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October 21, 2011
Taking the stage, preparation by jill DETWILER and catie EDDY
Putting on a flawless musical has its costs, senior Nick Angel describes. Angel stars in this year’s musical as Joseph in “Joseph and the Technicolored Dreamcoat”. The musical alumn knows how much work and time goes into each year’s production. “Being in musical is a little stressful, but it’s exciting,” Angel says. In previous years, choir teacher and director Eric Wangeman has been the leader of the musical. However, women’s choir director Samara Valla has stepped up to the plate for this year’s production. “The seniors are great leaders,” Valla said, who will take all of the help she can get. Although the end of the road has come for musical-participating seniors, they aren’t sad yet. “We’re looking to out with a bang.” Seniors aren’t the only class to participate in Joseph. For junior Rachel Linnemann, this is her first year being on the musical crew. Like most people to join musical, Linnemann enjoys dancing, singing and the energy felt during rehersals. “Plus meeting new people and the cast parties, of course.” Haslett’s rendition of Joseph and the Technicolored Dreamcoat casts experienced and talented actors like Matt Sauer, Michelle Daniels and Rachel Feighner, to name a few. The show
will also feature new special effects this year and a large chorus of about 90 people. Linnemann reflects on her preperations for Joseph. “This has been a really fantanstic experience.”
photo by chase CAIN Sophomore Katie Lyon, junior Rachel Linneman, sophomore Maya Shankar, freshman Mannon McIntosh, sophomores Ariel Fahey and Emily Tinney rehearse a dance routine for “Joseph.” photo by chase CAIN Junior Caleb Jarvis practices his part in “Joseph”. Jarvis plays Naphtali and the baker in the musical.
There’s more than just dedication involved in longboarding by jill DETWILER
photo by sierra DOVE Kreps posing with his longboard.
You can find him at the abandoned hill in his neighborhood or in parking garages late at night, sliding. He’s been interacting with a different species, socializing into their habitat, speaking their language and adapting to a new lifestyle. Now he blends in, he can call himself one of them. Senior Mitchell Kreps can finally call himself a longboarder. “I saw this video on my StumbleUpon where they were sliding and I wanted to do it just like they did,” Kreps said. Kreps began practicing during the summer and mastered many manoeuvres like the toeslide 180, a standard trick performed by many longboarders. Even though longboarding is similar to skateboarding, longboarding takes on a different lifestyle. “We stay stoked and eat Menna’s,” Kreps said. Along with fellow longboarders Jordy Rich, Luke Corder, Ryan Beyea, Harrison Beyea, Nate Laczynski and Ryan Laczynski, they each show intense dedication to the sport. “You get a giant skid mark and just brush it off,” Kreps said. “There is no quitting.” This mentality may not be true for every skater, but it is something that Kreps religiously lives by. Like any other sport, perfection doesn’t come without practice in longboarding. “We practice about every weekend, plus other times too,” Kreps said. “My favorite thing would most definitely have to be trying new things,” he adds. “Showing your skills and that feeling after you land that impossible trick.” Kreps’ “impossible trick” was the 360 on-the-ground Coleman to Pendy, a challenging move that he came to master. “I love longboarding for the thrill and excitement it brings to me,” Kreps said. “The ladies love it.”
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October 21, 2011
SPORTS LOG
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Swimming: 10-1 Golf: went to states Football: 4-4 Tennis: 19th at states Volleyball: 10-0 Soccer: 7-7-3 Cross Country: Boys: 2nd in both of their last 2 league meets Girls: 4th and 5th
MONTH
OF THE
ATHLETE
AOT M
Jenny Jess Swimming
Main Events: 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle, and 100 freestyle What gets you pumped up for meets: Maria Fiorillo rapping Favorite pre-game meal: Subway Favorite professional athlete: American Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte Favorite team to swim against: DeWitt
Lions give faithful fans hope by patrick GIFFORD
After their Monday night victory on October 10th, Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz pumped his fist as the Lions improved to 5-0 for the first time since 1956. Many Haslett students celebrated along with him. Detroit’s fast start is finally giving their loyal fans something to cheer about. Before this past Sunday, the Lion’s had a nine game win streak dating back to last season. They are in first place in the wild card race and have the second best record in the NFL. Before this success, however, Lions’ fans had to endure many years of pathetic football. “Embarrassing,” junior Jake
Schmelter said, describing being a Lions fan the past few years. “I dreaded going to family events. I knew that they would just make fun of me for being a Lions fan.” The Lions mighty struggles caused Schmelter’s faith to falter. “It got to the point where I was just hoping for a close game, not even a win,” Schmelter said. With the Lions constantly losing, Schmelter also found it hard to even follow professional football. “It was tough to pay attention to the NFL when your team isn’t any good. I just started not to care anymore,” he said.
Along with Schmelter and many others, sophomore Rhett Pringle felt the negative effects of being a Lions fan. “It was kind of hard,” Pringle said. “Coming to school and wearing my Lions gear, knowing I wasn’t going to hear the end of it from my friends at school.” Pringle, however, didn’t have trouble staying a fan during the losing years. “Everyone in my family is a Lions’ fan. I’ve always been a fan, so I never gave up hope,” he said. Jump to midseason 2011, the Detroit Lions are 5-1 and have set the sports world aflame. With their success,
loyal Lions’ fans are finally soaking up the sweet taste of victory. Schmelter and Pringle have both noticed the effects on the town of Haslett and on the school. “I think it’s brought hope to everyone in Haslett,” Schmelter said. “You can tell the students and teachers in the school are excited. It’s good to see everyone dusting off their Lions’ gear and sporting the Honolulu blue in the hallways.” The Lions’ success has also changed the way Pringle watches the games. “Even when they’re losing, I just know that they can come back,” Pringle said. “Now it’s me talking all the trash.
Class of 2012: One last time to shine by emmy VIRKUS
The practices they dreaded. The games they strived to win. The fans that always had their backs. Student sections full of a crazy support system along with a crowd full of proud family members. The team dinners where everybody takes time out of their day for their fellow brothers and sisters, taking a breather from the stress on the field or court. The tears, the sweat, the laughs, wins or losses, no matter the sport, they are a Viking family and they do it together. Pretty shortly, for some senior athletes, this roller coaster ride of emotions and events will come to either an exciting or heartbreaking end. Many seniors still have sports they’ll go into after the fall. While others’ sports careers come to a dramatic close. One of those students is senior swimmer Kate Steinfield. “When in the water, I feel at home,” Steinfield said, “I feel a sense of comfort I can’t find anywhere else. It’s sad because it’s about to be a very heartfelt goodbye.” While some girls are done in the water, others only have a few moments left to shine in the gym. “I think what I will miss the most is the feeling I get when I hit the ball, and when my team comes together as one,” senior volleyball player Lexy Mitchell said. One thing taking out of the
sad farewell for volleyball, however, is the season ending on a good note by defeating rival DeWitt twice this year. “It’s going to be difficult leaving the girls that I’ve always played with,” she said. Senior Mathew Lammers, or otherwise known as “Chewy”, is closing his two year run of getting down and dirty on the football field. “Football is a great sport and always has been,” Lammers said. Lammers also enjoys being with his teammates every day. “I like the game, and I like my boys.” He expected the biggest game when the Vikings faced off against St. Johns. “They are an awesome team and we haven’t played them in a while,” he said. “It should be a good game, and we will be on CMU grounds.” Another senior spending his last moments being a Viking athlete, Adam Schoonmacher has a lot to say, too. Spending three years total on the court, the tennis player was on JV as a sophomore then spent his last two years of high school on varsity. “Playing doubles on JV with Alex Mallory was fine,” Schoonmacher said. “But it’s better to be in na environment where I need to take it more seriously.” His senior year, he is playing second doubles with senior Wes Holton. The team
photo by chase CAIN
has fortunately only had one loss against Eaton Rapids, as well as taking the League title for 2011. That being said, Adam is also dealing with the struggle of letting go of his racket. “It’s kinda disappointing,” Schoonmacher said. “I realized that everything is coming to a end when playing Holt because it was our last regular season match, and the last time being on the bus together. At the same time, It’s also
kind of motivating because I want to finish things the best we can and go out with a bang to end my tennis career.” As for these seniors, they all have goals to finish for their last shining moments: working hard, winning and, most importantly, enjoying it. When the time comes to an end, these athletes have decided to deal with their emotions then and, for now, continue on with their mission.
S
ports
Golf team finishes season on top by morgan UNDERWOOD
This year’s golf season has been distinctively different from previous seasons. After an undefeated season, the team advanced to leagues. The team was named league champions on Sept 29. The team then took its key players to the regional meet where they placed fourth in their region. Other than their progression as a team, what they will all remember most is beating Dewitt for the first time in seven years. Dewitt was their biggest match of the season and Haslett came out victorious by two strokes on their home course. Winning the match against Dewitt is what led to the team being league champions. “It has been really amazing because we (seniors) got to be a part of the team that beat Dewitt,” senior Erin Scott said. The undefeated team faced them again at leagues. “We really weren’t expecting to beat Dewitt,” junior Janie Brink said. However, the girls once again defeated them, this time with a win of ten strokes. This put the girls in the number one spot at the league match. The team then proceeded onto the regional meet that took place Oct 6. The team had the toughest region that consisted of the hardest teams. In order for the team to move onto states, they needed to place third. The team came in fourth place but the girls were all satisfied with their performance as a team. “It was our best team score we’ve had,” senior Daisy Yonkus said. The team will not move onto states but team members Erin Lawrence and Chelsea Root will individually play at the state meet. As the season concludes, the team has nothing but positive things to say about their season. “We definitely improved from the last couple years,” senior Daisy Yonkus said.
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11
ports
Pre-game rituals: The prep before the win Football
“I arrive one hour early, wait 15 minutes to get taped up and listen to music. I go back to the locker room, talk to my teammates to get them pumped up, get dressed, and then listen to the same five songs over and over again. Jump around then I’m ready to play.”
October 21, 2011
Big switch: Vikings to Ramblers by shane HESTON
D
Senior Connor Chadwell
Volleyball
“I go to Jess Tyer’s house and
we eat and lay down. Sometimes Lexy Mitchell and Mckenna Ott come too and Chelsie Ritter gives us a great pre-game speech.” Senior Colette Reed
Soccer
“I call my uncle in California and he gives me a pre-game speech every game. And right before the game when the ref blows the whistle to begins the game, I start to cry.”
Junior Jonah Brown
Coach Rob Porritt has gone from coaching the freshman football at haslett to serving as head coach of the Perry varsity football team this season. He will continue to coach the Haslett boys varsity basketball team this winter.
ecked out in Perry football gear, teacher Rob Porritt can do nothing but wait for the opening kickoff to the newest challenge in his life thus far. When first asked to consider becoming the new varsity Perry head coach, all Porritt could do was laugh, knowing there wasn’t a chance he could make it work while staying at Haslett. With teaching English and coaching basketball at Haslett, not many could pull off coaching for another school. However, Porritt is not your typical coach. The biggest concern Porritt had while thinking about the job was not being there for the kids in the hallways at Perry. “I knew it would be hard to not be there to watch over the kids or be there if they had any questions about football or everyday life,” he said. When first offered the job, Porritt told Perry he was not interested. “I was content and excited to be the freshman head coach at Haslett,” Porritt said. Even though Porritt was not willing to take the job, Perry’s athletic director Bradd Shedd kept working to persuade him. “Every time I would think of a concern about the job to get out of it, he had a way to solve it and make me feel comfortable,” Porritt said. Perry must have really wanted him for all the trouble Shedd went through to get him to accept. “He must have been the best salesman in America because every question I had he had a better answer for it,” Porritt said. While coaching football at Haslett for many years, he never even imagined attaining the major title of head coach. “I had no idea I would ever be a varsity head (football) coach anywhere,” Porritt said. With being the seventh Perry coach in the last nine years, he went into the job knowing it would take some time for himself and his players to get to know and trust each other. “It all started when I took the team to camp Grayling this summer,” Porritt said.
“There was definitely that natural feeling about getting used to the new guy as their coach.” While moving onto the next school of Porritt’s career, he has kept his deep Haslett roots to help take Perry to the next level. Taking the Smash mouth Wing-T offense from Haslett to Perry was an easy choice for Porritt. “Knowing the kids didn’t have much football experience, I knew the Wing-T would be perfect for them to just be able to fake, run and play hard.” Porritt said. To make the offense work he had to supply himself with guys knowing the system well enough to bring it to a whole new place. Porritt brought teacher Tim Beebe and Haslett weight room consultant Pat Dunn. “I really wanted to add guys I was comfortable with on a personal level before I could revamp this football program,” he said. For the most part the Perry football job has positively affected Porritt’s family. All of his family was thrilled for him to take on the challenge. “It really bonded us and brought us closer together with everyone being happy and excited for Dad to take this job,” Porritt said. The only ways the job has affected it negatively is the whole time consuming part. Going from freshman head coach at Haslett getting out of practice early every day to becoming the head man at Perry, has taken some time away from his kids. “Sometimes I have to miss my daughter’s activities and that’s just a part I have to deal with,” Porritt said. Through it all, the most rewarding part so far of Porritt’s head coaching days was his first win as Perry’s new coach. This happened the second game of the season with a 20-14 win over Whitmore Lake. “I really was excited after the game, but honestly more of my joy went out to that community and the kids that haven’t been around much winning being a part of this team,” Porritt said. “Just to see those kids storm the field after beating a fairly inferior opponent wasn’t like winning the Super Bowl like they treated it. But we were one and one at that point and that’s all that mattered.”
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October 21, 2011
S A F A R I PhotoStory
Classes prepare floats for homecoming
Photos by chase CAIN Left: Senior Monica Walker works to construct a part of this year’s senior float depicting a lion. Middle: Seniors Monica Walker and Katie Hughes build and paint their town for the float. Left: Seniors Matt Sauer, Jordy Rich and Josh Carter create blue and gold people to put on their float.
Photos by sierra DOVE Left: Junior Christine Harder works to put finishing touches on the leg to their animal, the giraffe. Middle: Juniors Tasha Bolda and Taylor Braatz work on putting the legs of the giraffe onto the body. Right: Alysia Little and Jenny Jess get their animal to stand up and add the neck.
Who do you think will win the float building contest?
“I am wholeheartedly convinced that the senior class will pull off a stunning victory because of the uniqueness of our float building approach, mainly our reusing of past float building materials.” –senior Matt Sauer “Not the juniors because we never win. It doesn’t matter how good our float looks, seniors always win. Two words; Harry Potter. Three words; Not a super hero.” –junior Sierra Bain “Definitely sophomores because we have put in the long hours, blood, sweat and tears.” -sophomore Quinn McCabe “Well I heard the seniors usually win and I also heard their float is really good so I would guess they will win.” -freshman Emma Krueger
Photos by chase CAIN Left: Sophomores Sarah Trosko and Erin Grondine start to create a bus for the side of their float. Middle: Sophomores Emma Wood, Sydney Wrinkler and Paige VanAtta work on putting hay on the float. Right: Sophomores Devin Dabler and Paige VanAtta are busy constructing their animal, the rhino.
PREVIOUS HOMECOMING THEMES
Photos by sierra DOVE Left: Freshmen start to create the tail of their Cheetos cheetah. Middle: Freshman Logan Braatz shows off the head of the freshman animal. Right: Freshman Trevor Stirewalt works to put up the fieldgoal for the float.
2002 : Board Games 2003: Small World 2004: Movies 2005: Cartoons 2006: Fairytales
2007: Under the Sea 2008: U.S. Cities 2009: Candy 2010: Super Heroes 2011: Safari
Be sure to check out the final results of this year’s float building contest online at: www. vikinglongboat.org!