October 20, 2017

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Midland High School | October 20, 2017 | Volume 40, Issue 2

Senior Kendall Altenburg talks about his transition from female to male and his move to MHS.

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fe a t u r e p h o to : Fischer Genau

Midland vs Dow

Chazaq

band showcase

self-defense

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in this issue volume 40 | issue 2

features

arts & entertainment

4 Tristan Gauthier 5 Gay Straight Alliance 6-7 Kendall Altenburg

15 Rebecca Henning 16 Band Showcase

opinion

news

17 Editorial 19 Reviews -

8 Officer Davis

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9 Independent Studies

sports Dow Football Profiles

14 Thomas Schwartz

Fall Drinks

editors

10-11 Chazaq Movement 12-13 Midland versus

Take a Knee

Editor-in-Chief | Gwynne Özkan Managing | Hope O’Dell Features | Elizabeth Mammel News | Holly Stauffer Sports | Hannah Smith Arts/Entertainment | Hailey Surbook Opinion | Danielle Julien Web | Hadley Morden Photo & Design | Fischer Genau Ads | Olivia Freidinger Exchange | Josephine Kuchek Adviser | Jim Woehrle Printer | The Argus - Press

p ub li ca t i o n p o l i c y

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Focus, established in 1977, previously the Vic Tribune established in 1936, is the official school sponsored newspaper of Midland High School. Focus is published monthly by the journalism classes at Midland High School and is distributed free of charge. It is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA), the Michigan Interscholastic Pres Association (MIPA) and Quill and Scroll. Adviser membership also includes the Journalism Education Association (JEA).

Focus is designed as a forum for student expression and as a realistic lab experience. Court cases like Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (1988) have restricted this right to free expression. As a result of the Hazelwood case, Focus may be subject to prior review by Midland High School administrators, who legally reserve the right to pull or censor articles and/or graphic elements (artwork, graphs, photos) planned for publication. Focus and its adviser(s), editors and staff writers, however, reserve the right to contest the challenge of an administrator who attempts to censor and/or remove an article or graphic element.

Administrators who attempt to pull and/or censor must provide reason on the basis of obscenity, if the article infringes upon the right of freedom of speech or rights to privacy, and if it and/or graphic elements are irresponsibly or inappropriately presented.

Letters of the editor are welcomed and encouraged. Letters are required to be a maximum of 250 words in length and must be signed to insure that the writer’s intent is serious. Any letter that is unsigned or uses a pseudonym will be refused. Focus reserves the right to edit letters as long as the writer’s opinion is unchanged and the facts presented in the letter are kept intact. Focus also reserves the right to remove from the letter the name of the individual toward whom it is directed or oriented.

October 20, 2017

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news in brief

the

bulletin I knew we had the heart and the will to do it, but it took a lot of drive and practice. We’re a family, we moved as a family.

@mach_david

What an amazing night, I cleaned the shoes of a SVL champion #pinknight #togetherforthecure #footballnight

@henry_kessler

“So are we just not going to talk about the fact that there was poop on the ground at hoco?”

The varsity boys football team beat Lapeer on Friday, October 14th with a score of 35-14. With this win, they claimed the Saginaw Valley League Championship Title for MHS. Money, Grove, and Methner contributed one touchdown while Reid contributed two.

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@mhs_focus

Boys Varsity Soccer The soccer team’s season finished on Monday, October 16th away at Heritage with a loss of 1-3. Their season’s final record is 8 - 8 - 8, while the season’s final conference record is 5 - 2 - 2.

Dow Foundation Grants The Dow Chemical Co. Foundation will gave $5,000 dollars to each high school, and will have $10,000 dollars in grant money for teachers to apply for.

Robotics Bot Bash On October 14th, the first Robotics Bot Bash competition of the year was held at Dow High. Multiple teams from Mid-Michigan schools come out to compete with their robots.

LeLand Blue Release On October 20th, LeLand Blue released their second single, “Cold Comfort,” on Spotify and Apple Music.

@themhsfocus

@mhsfocus

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Photo: Gwynne Özkan October 20, 2017

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LGBTQ+ awareness month

know thyself Sophomore Tristan Wilber-Gauthier has kept her sexual orientation a secret, but is now ready to fully express herself. Peers have frequently assumed she was gay because of her two gay mothers.

Ads Coordinator Olivia Freidinger | Staff Writer Will Shaffer

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ophomore Tristan Wilber-Gauthier became acquainted with anxiety at an age where boys have cooties and girls have crushes on them anyways. Well, most girls. Wilber-Gauthier was not one of them. First, she became close friends with anxiety. Next, she got to know how it felt to lie.

Over the course of her childhood and early teens, she got to know these feelings very well.

“I remember when I was younger, people would ask me if I was gay regularly because of my parents being gay,” WilberGauthier said. “I would just tell them no.

When I started to realize I actually was gay, it was kind of a feeling of disappointment in myself. In a way, they all knew me better than I knew myself. It was hurtful. After that, I never wanted to tell anyone because I just figured I should have already known.”

Wilber-Gauthier said she hid her sexual orientation in the back of her mind for most of her life -- never accepting it, never thinking about it, never even acknowledging it’s presence at all. Until seventh grade, she was only partially aware of a big part of who she was. After a close friend opened up about their sexuality, she felt opened up to a whole new community she wasn’t necessarily aware of, despite having two gay mothers.

“I remember when we were younger, they wouldn’t say much about it,” WilberGauthier said. “We weren’t concerned about our father because we knew that this was our family without a question.

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came to me one day and I could tell she was struggling,” Junior LeVale Walker said. “Then, she eventually just said it. I had the feeling that she thought that I would hate her.”

Wilber-Gauthier said that she struggled to tell many people out of fear of rejection and prejudice. After moving from Bullock Creek High School, she walked into the Drama Club as a freshman with low expectations for the new school year. Between learning lines and getting to know everyone, she immediately picked up Walker as a trusting friend who she was motivated to open up to. As their friendship continued on and she still remained hidden to everyone else around her, Walker radiated positive vibes and acceptance in hopes that she would one day feel proud to be in her own skin.

“I have been pushing her since she told me, to be okay with it,” Walker said. “Scream it from the rooftops, because it’s okay. You don’t have to hide from it. It shouldn’t be a secret, and you shouldn’t keep it to yourself.”

Although Wilber-Gauthier’s grown from the total disconnection of her sexuality in general and is now ready to come out with the moral support of her closest friends, she can’t help but wonder how everyone will react.

“Everyone will be seeing this -- including all of my sister’s friends, and my brother’s friends, and just everyone will know a whole new side to me,” Wilber-Gauthier said. “I’ve been lying to all these people. In my head I’ve been thinking that this is going to come out in

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Sophomore Tristan Wilber-Gauthier uses the rainbow flag to represent her newfound comfort with her sexual identity. She is now motivated to come out to her family and peers after being closeted for the majority of her adolescent life. Photos: Will Shaffer

familiar twinge of apprehension deep within.

“People are still asking questions because they know about my parents, and they just assume. I don’t believe every gay couple has gay kids -- I’m not along that mindset,”

Wilber-Gauthier said. “I do believe that people are born gay, but it takes time to develop that confidence where you’re willing to admit it. Before you can come out to everybody else, you come out to yourself.”

In a way, they all knew me better than I knew myself.

-Tristan Wilber-Gauthier

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never asked, ‘What about dad?’”

After coming to terms with being gay, Wilber-Gauthier said she became very aware of the elephant that seemed to follow her into every room. She was carrying the weight of her secret in the form of loneliness and isolation; in January of 2017, the burden pushed her to tell someone for the first time in all of her life.

“She didn’t really want to say it, but she

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the middle of the day; people will be asking me about it. But then again, it really doesn’t matter.

I know that it’s just me, and I’m not going to keep hiding myself when I don’t have to.”

Almost a year after Wilber-Gauthier’s first confession, only a handful of people actually know about her true sexual identity.

She finds it easier and easier to express herself, but even now is aware of the

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Sources: www.apa.org and www.pediatrics.aappublications.org October 20, 2017

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public & proud

In acknowledgment of LGBTQ+ History Month, GSA club hopes to promote a more accepting environment within the school.

Exchange Editor Josie Kuchek | Staff Writer Hannah Woehrle

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s members of the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) file into room 111, the atmosphere hums with excitement.

Each returning member is greeted by a chorus of “Hellos!”, “How are you?” and bright smiles. The members exchange hugs, high-fives, and sarcastic jokes. After they sign in and finish socializing, they slowly take a seat and begin to discuss their topic for the day.

The purpose of the Gay Straight Alliance is clear to its members and advisors. Its official mission statement reads, “To help students and staff at Midland High recognize different sexual identities and gender identifications in a positive and accepting manner through education. To create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ students.” For Spanish teacher Heather Aviles, GSA is available to make the school climate more accepting for all kids, regardless of their identity. She hopes that the visibility GSA provides will eliminate the use of derogatory slurs against members of the LGBTQ+ community.

G S A started six years ago, replacing a club called “A-Z”. The former club was run by Spanish teacher Ana Geib, and it served as a support group for its members. With the intention to protect the students, it was kept on an invitation-only basis and wasn’t spoken of publicly. It wasn’t until a concerned parent approached former principal Janet Greif about making a more public and approachable group that the GSA club was formed, taking place of A-Z. Aviles knew that a more visible group would benefit the students more.

“We thought about protecting the kids at the beginning, and protecting them is by making it public. Making it ‘OK’, not something you should hide,” Aviles said.

A typical GSA meeting consists of looking at involvement in up-coming school events, such as preparing a banner for the Homecoming parade. They also

have informative presentations, and team building exercises, such as the “human knot”.

Members of GSA can give presentations on their topic of interest, such as defining the differences between demisexuality and asexuality. Another aspect of GSA meetings is addressing potential bullying or personal issues members could or have had.

“I would like them to feel that this is a safe space,” Aviles said. “I want them to feel that they are safe here; that they have a place to come and talk about whatever issues they may be having that are related to LGBTQ+.”

Guest speakers have also been involved in GSA meetings, representing LGBTQ+ organizations in the Great Lakes Bay Region such as Gays, Lesbians and Allies Employee Network at Dow (GLAD), and Gay Lesbian Student Education Network (GLSEN).

Junior Gabriella Thompson not only serves as one of the three leaders of GSA, but she is also a member of GLSEN. By being an active member in both organizations, Thompson has gained knowledge on how to educate others, and is proud of the fact that she can use her experience to help others.

“I do get a lot of recourses on how to educate people [from GLSEN] and how to become more involved in school,” Thompson said.

Since October is LGBTQ+ History Month, Thompson hopes to increase awareness of this by promoting the day of silence and other club activities. In the past, the club has been involved in the Harry Potter carnival run by student counsel, and they had a large T-shirt sale where they sold more than 200 GSA shirts.

“One thing we really worked for last year was getting involved in administration,” Thompson said, “so that they can be more aware of what to tell teachers and how to be more accepting of students who don’t use their birth name or go by different pronouns.”

Junior Sofia Pardel, another leader of GSA, hopes to clear the misconception that the club is only for people who are members

The school climate has become more accepting.

-Heather Aviles

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October 20, 2017

Junior Sofia Pardel (left) and freshman Mackenzie Leaguers (right) talk during the most recent GSA meeting. Pardel started attending meetings the end of her freshman year, and is now one of three leaders. Photo: Maureen Aloff

of the LGBTQ+ community, or people who have been bullied. Thompson, Aviles, and Pardel emphasize that GSA isn’t exclusively for members of the LGBTQ+ community, but rather for anyone who wants to stand up for the rights for others. GSA encourages people to come together, regardless of their background, sexuality, or gender identification.

“It’s almost like a second family,” Pardel said. “The people there are all so differentfrom tastes in music, to the classes they’re taking; it’s just incredible to be able to see the different kinds of people who come in, but we all have something in common.”

Over Aviles’ six years as GSA’s main advisor, she has not only been able to educate the members of GSA, she has been able to learn from them, too. This includes new terms and identifications that are not included in the LGBTQ+ title.

“The LGBTQ+ spectrum is called ‘LGBTQ+’ because there are so many other things that are not included in the LGBTQ part,” Aviles said. “I’ve learned an incredible amount of stuff.”

Just as she has learned from the GSA members, Aviles hopes that the school body becomes more open about accepting those in the LGBTQ+ community. Aviles recognizes that not everyone within the LGBTQ+ community is involved in GSA, but claims that the club’s presence has contributed to a more accepting atmosphere at Midland High.

“The school climate has become more accepting, I’ve seen a lot more transgender kids,” Aviles said. “It used to be so incredibly rare, and now it seems to be becoming more common, or at least kids are more comfortable in expressing themselves.”

With GSA’s growing presence, the members are hopeful that a more accepting atmosphere at Midland High is within reach.

Thompson emphasized GSA’s impact on Midland High. She believes that it has the ability to provide a positive enviornment for anyone.

“For me, the purpose of GSA is to provide a safe place where you can have fun with people from Midland High who you know will be accepting, and it’s not a judgment zone.” Thompson said. features

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making changes

LGBTQ+ awareness month

Senior Kendall Altenburg transferred from Meridian after harassment and negligence from students and teachers for coming out as transgender. He finds MHS to be a much more accepting environment. Managing Editor Hope O’Dell| Staff Writer Maureen Aloff | Staff Writer Lillian Mohr

Senior Kendall Altenburg sits on a ledge at Dahlia Hills. Altenburg plans to one day hide his transgender identity, fearing it will hurt his aspirations to be a lawyer. Photo: Maureen Aloff

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hen senior Kendall Altenburg was a kid, he loved playing with Legos and making mudpies out of the dirt in his yard. He was rough-and-tumble, just like any other little boy. But at that time he wasn’t any other little boy, he wasn’t Kendall. He was Megan.

“Everyone knew I was the tomboy,” Altenburg said. “Sam from iCarly was one of my fashion icons when I was younger.”

Over time, Altenburg realized he’s not just a tomboy, but transgender. This means that he was born biologically female, but identifies as male. Altenburg’s realization and coming-out experience was both long and painful.

Altenburg was in the Meridian Public School system for ten years. A decade ridden with bullying, anxiety, and depression. Altenburg said he felt that the teachers were unaccepting of him and didn’t do enough to protect him from bullying.

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“Teachers were pretty harsh,” Altenburg said. “I had some teachers that were even worse than most of the students.”

Altenburg said he felt alone at Meridian, and what friends he did have made coming out harder for him.

“I didn’t really have any friends,” Altenburg said. “I had a group of friends towards the beginning of the year, before I came out. They always kind of pushed me into this ‘girl’ mold. They were like, ‘you have to wear dresses,’ and all of this stuff. It was tearing me down.”

Halfway into the year, Altenburg started to question his gender identity. Shows like I am Jazz and Caitlyn Jenner’s coming out helped educate him on what being transgender meant. He also looked to online friends to help him discover himself and his gender identity.

“I was like, ‘is this me?’” Altenburg said.

“I questioned it for a long time. ‘Am I just a tomboy or am I transgender?’”

His final deciding factor was his past friends who had pushed him into a box of femininity he felt he didn’t belong in.

Altenburg came out to his family on January 1 of this year, and Altenburg said they weren’t immediately accepting of his transition.

“There was lots of fighting the first couple months,” Altenburg said. “Lots of fighting. Anytime it came up it turned into a screaming argument.”

Altenburg said that at first his parents thought his transition was a coping mechanism, a temporary trauma response.

Altenburg was diagnosed with PostTraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) six months ago after being sexually assaulted by a significant other a year and a half ago.

At this point in the interview, Kendall’s

mother, who would rather not be named, chimed in.

“We still feel like the transition might be a trauma response a little bit,” she said. “Where if she’s a man, she can’t get hurt by another guy.

She’s not going to put herself in a relationship where she’s going to get hurt again. So, being a guy means you’re less vulnerable and she’s stronger. There was some consensus with a lot of people that it might be a coping mechanism, or a reaction to the trauma. There’s all kinds of different trauma responses.”

Elizabeth Eiten is a therapist who specializes in PTSD, and she said that although she cannot vouch for Altenburg’s specific situation, she is very familiar with the effects of PTSD. “People who have PTSD can experience hypervigilence, flashbacks, trouble sleeping, nightmares, angry outbursts, dissociation, and feelings of shame,” Eiten said. “This can cause personal, social, academic, and October 20, 2017

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occupational distress. However, with proper treatment, people can overcome PTSD and even experience post-traumatic growth.

Eiten did not necessarily rule out the possibility that gender identity can stem from PTSD, and she doesn’t know Kendall’s specific situation.

“We often think of sexual preferences and gender identities in black-and-white when it is actually a spectrum,” Eiten said. “Sex and gender are two different genes, and that is why sometimes someone’s gender identity does not always match the sex they were born with. If someone is wondering if their sexual preference or gender identity is related to a trauma they should explore that in therapy.

Regardless of life experiences, there is nothing wrong with being gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, or transgender.”

After coming out to his family, on Altenburg’s first day back at school he walked into the office and asked to speak with the Meridian administration. Altenburg informed them of his new preferred name, which was Austin at the time, and his new preferred pronouns of he/him.

“They seemed super inviting and super accepting of it,” Altenburg said. “And then I found out later that day that after I left the office they had called my parents to ask what was wrong with me, if I was okay, I wasn’t acting right, if I needed help.”

Meridian’s administration had no comment.

After Altenburg spoke with the administration, Meridian brought in their social worker and his transition was talked about at his 504 plan meetings. A 504 plan, along with his service dog, Lana, is Altenburg’s strategy to deal with his anxiety, depression, and PTSD. It took three weeks for students and teachers to start calling him Austin. At this point, however, it was in vain. Altenburg had decided to finish out his junior year online and only had two days left at Meridian.

“During those three weeks,” Altenburg said. “Teachers never called on me in class, they never said my name, even though they knew I wanted to go by Austin. For attendance they would look at me, but say everyone else’s name.”

The bullying got worse for the rest of Altenburg’s time at Meridian, especially from one student in particular. Altenburg was targeted by this student, and called derogatory names such as “tranny,” and “she/he.” This student harassed Altenburg up until his last day at Meridian.

“On my last day, during exams,” Altenburg said. “He screamed out ‘dyke’ at me in the middle of exams. And my teacher just stood there.”

Altenburg had to pull his teacher aside and explain how offensive this was to him, and his teacher pulled the student out of class and punished him. Altenburg brought this incident to the school administration, but they took no action.

After Altenburg’s experience at Meridian, he said that coming to Midland Public Schools has been a breath of fresh air. His first look into the atmosphere was at band

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October 20, 2017

camp, where he said the saxophone section made him feel welcome.

Altenburg said that at first he went by Megan because no legal changes have been made to his name, so that’s what appeared on all of his papers, including attendance roster.

Two days into band camp, Altenburg said he told his section that he preferred the name Kendall and he/him pronouns.

“I never heard ‘Megan’ again,” Altenburg said. “My section told Monroe, they told everyone, that I go by Kendall.”

He said that the environment here is exponentially better than Meridian, and that everyone has been welcoming and understanding.

Altenburg said that the saxophone section holds his closest friends, and he appreciates them for bringing him into other activities such as saxophone choir. Junior Cecily Welser is a part of the saxophone section and saxophone choir. Welser said that Altenburg has fit in well with the saxophone section. She said that he has helped the saxophone section learn a lot about the transgender community.

“I think Kendall brings a different point of view,” Welser said. “Just being himself opens our eyes, that there are people like that. That people can be whatever they want to be, and it makes us more accepting.

Going into it I thought the saxophone section would be judgmental, but hearing that Kendall feels accepted, it makes me feel good about the section. We really care.”

Altenburg said that the change of schools has been an amazing change for him, and he hasn’t had to use his 504 plan or leave class once.

“The worst thing that’s happened to me is probably when people pet my dog without asking,” Altenburg said with a laugh.

Overall, Altenburg said he is happy with his transition and his choice to switch schools, but he still has some fears about what the future holds for him.

“The biggest fear,” Altenburg said. “that makes me want to go back in the closet is that I want to go into law. I want to be a lawyer, I want to go to law school. I’m so scared that people won’t take me seriously because they know I’m transgender.”

Altenburg said that in order to combat this fear, he hopes to one day pass as a cisgender man, as someone who was born biologically male.

He plans to start his journey towards that goal in April when he turns eighteen.

He plans to start taking hormones, mostly testosterone, which will help his physical transition.

As of now he is open about his transgender identity, and said that he is not ashamed of it.

Altenburg said he hopes he can show other people questioning their gender identity that they have nothing to be ashamed of.

“It’s okay to question yourself,” Altenburg said. “And to evolve yourself. Be true to yourself and make yourself happy. Don’t let other people tell you what to do or how to look or anything like that because you’ll be miserable.”

LGBTQ+ awareness month

Altenburg walks down a path with his service dog, Lana.

Altenburg was diagnosed with PTSD a year and a half ago.

Photo: Maureen Aloff

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serving the school

Officer Davis has spent 16 years working in law enforcement. After years at Midland High, he will soon be leaving.

Opinion Editor Danielle Julien | Staff Writer Liam Grady | Staff Writer Theo Rammidi

School resource officer Jeremy Davis talks with junior Debbie Rodriguez during lunch. He often stands in the hallways and talks to students during passing times. Photo: Danielle Julien

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n a room tucked away, there is a painting of a fish. It hangs on a white wall, across from pictures of a family and children.

Officer Jeremy Davis has spent nearly 10 years in this room. 10 years in this school.

As the school resource officer for the midland police department, Davis has spent his time working with students and building bonds he is sad to be breaking.

Officer Davis has held his position since 2008, but he didn’t always know what he wanted to do with his career.

“Growing up, really what I wanted to do was go into the department of natural resources and be a conservation officer,” Davis said. “I was introduced to an outreach program and I got to go into elementary schools and present some of my stuff to kids in there and I really enjoyed it. Through some conversations with the counselors, they brought up teaching. So then it was what do I want to do; do I pursue education or do I pursue law enforcement?

Law enforcement won.”

Many opportunities arose for Davis as he went into law enforcement.

“I did an internship in Mount Pleasant before I started [in Midland],” Davis said.

“I saw their youth service unit and how the officers interacted with the kids, and I thought ‘Man, that’s awesome, if I can get involved with something like that, that’s my dream’.”

From the beginning of his law enforcement career, Davis knew he wanted to work with kids, but there weren’t always positions available for that.

“When I started with Midland, they didn’t have resource officers, they didn’t have anything of that nature,” Davis said.

“We got a new chief of police, and a lot of

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communication happened between the chief and the schools, and the idea was hatched that we should have school resource officers. At that point of time, I was selected, and I became one of our first ever school resource officers in Midland. And I’ve loved it. I wouldn’t go back and do anything else. This has been, and probably will be, the highlight of my career. I truly have enjoyed the opportunity of working with young people, being able to interact with young people, and help to influence kids lives.

I mean, truly, truly enjoyed it.”

Although he loves this job, Davis will be leaving the position of school resource officer in the near future, likely around Christmas break. He is going on to pursue other dreams related to law enforcement, as a detective with the Midland Police Department.

“Part of the job of the detective bureau is that you take a complaint from the start all the way to the end,” Davis said. “And, a lot of times, those investigations can go a lot of different directions.”

Being the school resource officer, Davis takes in the complaint and is able to follow it all the way through to the end. He does not pass it on to another officer when he leaves, like most cases.

“With me being in the school and being connected to a lot of the people here, when I start an investigation I’m able to take it from the beginning to the end,” Davis said. “So, getting to see a lot of those types of complaints, and even my career as a police officer in general, you get the idea as to whether you like that aspect of digging into the puzzles in the investigation, or if you’re not really interested in it. I have been interested in that, and the opportunity presented itself so I threw

my name in the hat, and that’s where I’ll be heading soon.”

Although he said he is excited to start his new job, Davis said he will especially miss interacting with students.

“A lot of times kids look at police officers as ‘oh we can’t approach them’ or whatever, and being able to break that down and let kids know you as a person, you know, as a human being, he said.” Then to have kids come back years later and say you helped them through something- those events, when you think at the time that it wasn’t that big of a deal, that I didn’t really help out a lot, but that meant the world to somebody- means everything. Four, five, six years down the road and they still remember the impact that you made when you did that- the reward in that is immense, just immense.”

Principal Jeff Jaster said that the school benefits greatly from having a school resource officer.

“There are occasionally issues that come up during the year in which, frankly, police involvement is needed,” Jaster said. “In the past, before we had resource officers, we would occasionally have to call and have officers sent here. Now, it certainly simplifies the process if we ever need to speak with the police department because someone is always here.”

Before he removes his badge here and dons a new one elsewhere, Davis will help in training the new resource officer. Working with the police department, Jaster and Davis will help decide on who will be taking Davis’ place when the time comes for him to leave.

Until then, a painting of a fish stays nailed into the wall.

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specialized studies

Photo: Hailey Surbrook

Independent studies are available to everyone and have proved to have positive impacts on students involved. One of the studies running at Midland High this year involves the A.H. Nickless project. Arts/Entertainment Editor Hailey Surbrook | Staff Writer Alyssa McMillan | Staff Writer Katie Gibbs

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very day, a group of students sit in the back of computer science teacher Robert Fox’s room to discuss their plans for making a cell phone application that will improve safety on college campuses. During fifth and sixth hour, these students collaborate to figure out the functionality of the app and work on a presentation that they will later give to a panel of judges at two competitions.

Despite all of the classes offered, some students who have special interests in specific subjects or fields have trouble finding classes to suit their interests. The idea of an independent study stemmed from this very issue. Assistant Principal Amy Hutchinson is in charge of the independent studies and she said they are for a wide range of students.

“An independent study is a way to have a course that is beneficial to the student when the other electives we offer are not fitting a particular criteria or need,” Hutchinson said.

Hutchinson said independent studies are rare, because most students are satisfied with the classes that cover a wide variety of topics and interests. There have only been two independent studies at Midland High in the last eight years since Hutchinson has worked as assistant principal.

“It’s not to be a replacement for something we already have,” Hutchinson said.

“It’s really intended to be

something very different.”

In order for students to take an independent study, they have to collaborate with a teacher and create a curriculum for the course. Once this is done, the teacher and student must talk to an assistant principal and get permission for the course. Then the assistant principal must also get approval from the district curriculum director. After all of this is done, the student can enroll in an independent study.

“In these cases the need arises because the teacher sees the need for a particular student or group of students,” Hutchinson said. “ It’s not exclusive to anyone, I think it’s probably not common because the need or desire to do it is not there.”

Currently, there are two independent studies taking place. One is the A.H. Nickless competition, while another independent study is offered to IB diploma candidates who have a gap in their study due to the switch in how Theory of Knowledge is offered.

The Theory of Knowledge class originally ran as a full year class taken junior year. Now to fulfill IB requirements, it is taken second semester of junior year and first semester of senior year so that it reaches both grades.

This independent study was introduced and developed by English teachers Becky King and Kelly Murphy. Students use it to finish work for that class, which includes the required essay along with other diploma expectations.

The Nickless competition encourages innovative thinking in students by challenging them to come up with a project that addresses a real world problem. The team from Midland High is creating an app that improves safety on college campuses. The app sends the user a notification that says “You are leaving a safe zone would you like to activate the application?”

After clicking yes, a timer is set and

will go off every few minutes with three options. The user can then click panic to contact campus security, dismiss to close the app, or reset to restart the timer.

Fox hosts the independent study hours for the students who participate in the Nickless competition, and wrote the curriculum for their study. Fox says it’s dictated by the competitions the students participate in, and there’s a lot of work for the students involved.

“For A.H. Nickless, the first thing the students will be doing is submitting an app,” Fox said. “They will also need to write a paper that is approximately fifty pages, fully professional, single-spaced, they have to make a presentation, they have to make an infographic, and they’ll make a research board. Usually a team for the Nickless competition has hundreds of hours of work per student.”

Senior Jerry Bringard participates on the team for the Nickless competition and he says taking an independent study has helped him learn skills that will benefit him later in life.

“It allows you to learn good time management skills because it’s an independent study so the independent part of it is that you set your deadlines for when stuff needs to be done,” Bringard said. “With the competitions that my team’s competing in, if we don’t have those done by certain dates we’re just not in the competition.”

This independent study is student led and all the responsibilities fall on the members of the team.

“Independent studies are a lot of work.

This is really for students that want to go above and beyond,” Fox said. “It’s going to be just as much or more work as any point four class, but if the students are interested, they get a lot out of it.”

Allowing students to participate in the A.H. Nickless competition has given the students the opportunity to be more innovative, and help come up with solutions for real world problems. Independent studies give students the opportunities to explore fields that they’re interested in and benefit from them. “ The independent study is meant to be a rarity, not a commonality,” Hutchinson said.

Photo: Hailey Surbrook

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October 20, 2017

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helping hands Human trafficking is not only a serious issue in large cities, but it is also present in Midland. The Chazaq Movement is a non-profit organization founded to open a shelter house for victims, ages 12 to 17, of sex trafficking and exploitation in the surrounding tri-cities.

Editor-in-Chief Gwynne Özkan | Staff Writer Adelyn Dunsmore | Staff Writer Kelly Craig

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hazaq is a Hebrew word, meaning “unique courage from God.” This mantra became the basis of a nonprofit organization called the Chazaq Movement, local to the TriCities, which works to provide salvation for teenage victims of human sex trafficking and exploitation (ages 12-17). This organization is working to open a shelter home to house specifically these victims, providing a safe and relieving environment as well as a treatment plan. This home will serve as an alternative to the juvenile detention center for victims of human sex trafficking.

Founder Nikki Atkinson has been traveling to inner-city Atlanta for years on mission trips through the Christian Celebration Center.

During her time in Atlanta, she witnessed human sex trafficking, because in large cities it is much more common, and therefore much more apparent. This motivated her to make a change on a more local level.

“After going out on the streets in various inner cities, I started meeting people who were already involved in trafficking,” Atkinson said. “It was from their work that the idea for Chazaq Movement was born.”

The Chazaq Movement teams up with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the local Midland police in their aim. This way, they are provided with direct access to specific names of teenage girls who are in need of reclamation. Although the primary goal is opening multiple houses for youth victims ages 12-17, the first being an emergency shelter and then a long term shelter with in-depth programming, the Chazaq Movement works in a multitude of other ways to provide service.

“We walk alongside survivors of trafficking in whatever way they need,” Atkinson said.

“We help find housing, vehicles, jobs but most importantly we are there through the ups and downs that inevitably come with recovery. We also are very active in awareness and prevention of trafficking in the form of presentations.”

Senior Nick Pellegrino became involved in the program in early 2016, and is now currently a student leader. He has participated in many prayer walks, since the majority of the members are Christian, where he accompanies other members walking around the city of Midland, asking permission to pray for any people they see.

He also regularly attends meetings held

by Atkinson, where topics of advertising, funding, event planning, and housing are discussed.

One event Pellegrino was most impacted by and proud of was called, ‘Princess Night.’

In Atlanta with Atkinson, their mission trip members broke off into groups and separated into vans. Boys would remain in the backseat watching while the girls would deliver a rose and a tube of Chap Stick to women on the streets. The rose represented beauty while the Chap Stick was a source of help, because they were specially made with concealed contact information to the human trafficking hotline. Pellegrino has also been involved in a similar movement called Save Our Adolescents from Prostitution (S.O.A.P), where bars of soap were specially made with hidden contact information.

These bars of soap were placed in every bathroom in local hotels, with the intent

that when teenage girls were put up in hotels and abused, they would visit the bathroom in private and uncover the help. Pellegrino thoroughly enjoys his heavy involvement in the organization.

“I’m so comfortable where I’m at, but I don’t want to be comfortable,” Pellegrino said. “I want to step into where people are uncomfortable and help them come back.

Anything I can do and anything the people I work with can do to help make these lives better for these girls…It means a lot to me.”

Pellegrino said people don’t understand the extent to which human trafficking exists, even on a local level. While it is stereotypically laced to big cities, there is a misconception that it does not exist anywhere else.

“People don’t understand how much human trafficking is around us. Especially people in Midland; they would never imagine that it would be present here, but it is,” Pellegrino said.

Atkinson said it is sometimes difficult to get statistics on human trafficking, but said it is a problem locally. “Let me just say, I know survivors in Midland and it is happening more than we would think,” she said.

Sophomore Abigail Krohn is also a large contributor to the Chazaq Movement, which will provide medical, educational, and

counseling services to those in need. A store called ‘Repurposed’ will be opened up with the home as well, which will provide working experience on top of all of that. The store will accept donations of worn, old furniture and other things that are not wanted, and repurpose these items into things of beauty to then sell and raise money for the home.

“This is just like the girls that are coming in, whereas people are saying, ‘You’re not worthy.

You’re not loved. You’re not worth it.’ So the furniture that they’re selling is being repurposed and the girls are being repurposed.” Krohn said.

Atkinson’s plan is to host a college student

Let me just say, I know survivors in Midland and it is happening more than we would think.

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The cross represents the Christian members of the organization.

-Nikki Atkinson

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in the home as well as the victims of sex trafficking to provide an example for what a ‘normal life’ looks like. Krohn hopes that she can fill that role when she gets older, in order to set standards and provide guidance herself.

“It gives them a home,” Krohn said. “It gives them a new start. It gives them the ability to get out of the place they are at so they have other options.”

Atkinson says the real benefit for survivors is unconditional love.

“We are there through the ups and downs,” Atkinson said. “Everyone heals at their own pace and way. When the home is open we will offer a place that they can heal and learn how to have healthy relationships.”

At a local level, the best way to aid in The Chazaq Movement is to be informed and inform others. The primary signs of sex trafficking are exhibition of fearful or anxious behavior, visual signs of physical or sexual abuse, limited control of their possessions and finances, unexplained absence from school, and inappropriate dress. Atkinson says to be aware of the signs, not to be afraid to report something, and to support local agencies working with survivors by volunteering. A more complete list is posted on ‘Chazaqmovement.com’ as well as links to more resources for information on human trafficking.

“Just being informed can impact so much.

October 20, 2017

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If teenage girls are informed, it’s not going to happen as much.”

Pellegrino also agrees on the importance of awareness.

“If we don’t talk about it, it’s not there, and that happens a lot,” Pellegrino

said. “Human Trafficking is one of those things because no one wants to talk about young girls being used for sexual activities against their will. Even though this is a passion I have, I don’t like talking about it.

But I feel like it’s my responsibility to make it aware because the more people are thinking about it, the more people can catch it. If no one is talking about it, no one sees it, and no one can do anything.”

The rose symbolizes the inner beauty of the victims.

The helping hand represents the purpose of the movement.

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Photos: Gwynne Özkan October 20, 2017

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SENIOR

Mitch Reid

What is something you’re personally working on for the game?

What is something you’re personally working on for the game?

Everything is going to be finely tuned for the big game. I’m going to be mentally focused and ready to go.

I can’t let my temper get the best of me on the field, so if guys are getting mean, I can’t get a penalty because I retaliate.

How is the game different than the other regular season games?

This game is different because it’s the last time I’ll ever play Dow in a sport. It really blows my mind. I will work to execute my best and play harder than I’ve ever played.

Position: Wide receiver & linebacker

The annual rivalry game between Midland High and Dow high will be played tonight at 7:00 pm at the Midland Community Stadium. Here is a glimpse of some of the football players from both sides. Sports Editor | Hannah Smith & Staff Writer | Devin Alexander

SENIOR

Martin Money

Cade Methner

Connor Moe

What is something you’re personally working on for the game?

What is something you’re personally working on for the game?

I’m going to work on tackling lower because Martin is a big kid and will be running the ball hard.

Mentally I’m going to focus on what I need to do in the game throughout the day.

During the game I want to control the game at my speed not other peoples’ speed.

How is the game different than the other regular season games?

The Dow game is a bit more special and we expect to win, so we go in there confident and well prepared. The atmosphere is amped up.

Position: Quarter back

JUNIOR

Nick Sierocki

How is the game different than the other regular season games?

The games are the same besides we come even hungrier to get a win and we are more focused and ready to hit.

This game is against our crosstown rival so we treat it like a championship game.

It’s the last game so we want to go into playoffs off of a win.

Position: Linebacker & running back

Position: Running back & safety

F00TBALL FACE-0FF Comparing Statistics

GAMES:

What is something you’re personally working on for the game?

How is the game different than the other regular season games?

You play more with your heart than you do your mind.

Position: Running back Sports

SENIOR

How is the game different than the other regular season games?

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Overall

Help guide the juniors and get their heads focused because a lot of them haven’t played in front of a crowd as large as they will tonight. I’m also going to work on pumping up the team and doing everything I can to help us win.

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SENIOR

SVL Champs SVL Champs Red Division

Blue Division

What is something you’re personally working on for the game?

7-1

COMMON OPPONENTS:

COACH’S TAKE:

It’s a tremendous rivalry. I know how much it means to every Chemic alumni, the current students, our staff members, and all our fans. I take it very personally. On game night, it’s an electric atmosphere.

Eric Methner

Bay City Central

Mt. Pleasant

55-0 (W) Midland 37-0 (W) Dow

42-35 (W) Midland 22-21 (L) Dow

34-13 (W) Midland 14-6 (W) Dow

HISTORICAL RIVALRY:

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out of 50 times played, Midland has won

October 20, 2017

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times both teams have been 7-1 or better heading into the game

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Caden Skinner

How is the game different than the other regular season games?

COACH’S TAKE:

It is a great atmosphere for a football game. Our community is fortunate to have a great school system. Getting to play in a game like this, in front of straight years Dow a great crowd, is a memory they will has won have forever.

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Jason Watkins

October 20, 2017

SENIOR

Make sure I’m focused and not lackadaisical so that I can help execute plays.

Overall

Bay City Western

Photos: Gwynne Özkan

There is a little more juice and effort out of everyone because we want to beat our crosstown rival and show that we are the better team in Midland.

Position: Outside linebacker, tight end, & wide receiver Sports

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a new goal Senior Thomas Schwartz has played soccer most of his life at a high level.

This year, he has put the sport behind him to pursue football. Features Editor Bitsy Mammel | Staff Writer Spencer Isberg | Staff Writer Devin Granzo

Senior Thomas Schwartz shoots a soccer ball while dressed in his football uniform.

Thomas has enjoyed playing football this fall because he finds the games more exciting to play in. Photo: Fischer Genau

S

ince the age of three, senior Thomas Schwartz has been playing soccer competitively in clubs across the state. These include Midland Fusion, Waza, and the varsity soccer team. Over a decade of experience has helped him in soccer enough to the point of attracting the attention of college scouts.

However, this year, Schwartz has made a large transition away from soccer to a sport new to him: football. With the help of coach Eric Methner and the encouragement of his family, Schwartz has translated his skills in soccer into the skills needed to be kicker on the varsity football team.

Schwartz first started considering the option after his time in conditioning and weight training class.

“We’d go outside and play games, so Methner brought out a football once and I kicked a couple and it went okay,” Schwartz said.

One day, Schwartz wanted to work out, but didn’t have anyone to work out with. A friend of his suggested that he came to the football workout that night. As a sort of joke, Schwartz agreed.

What started as a joke turned into multiple football workouts, to football tryouts, to Schwartz ultimately deciding to quit soccer and join the team.

Schwartz started considering leaving soccer for mainly three reasons. The first was that Schwartz wanted to take a break

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sports

from soccer, and give himself time to enjoy his time in high school and live a more normal teenage life.

“For soccer, for me, it was kind of more of a job,” Schwartz said. “Whereas football, it’s a high school experience that I never had.”

The second was that the level of play that he was used to in travel soccer was not the same level of play in high school soccer. For Schwartz, continuously playing at a lower level became frustrating. The other reason was that

was hard to start over and start from scratch where a lot of things were the same but there were the few things that were different enough to be frustrating.”

Methner explained that a strong kicking leg isn’t all that goes into being a kicker on the football team. Accuracy, height, and timing are all very important aspects of the position.

A lot of work is involved with honing those skills, and Methner is happy with the results. “[Schwartz] has worked very hard on all

For soccer, for me, it was kind of more of a job. Whereas football, it’s a high school experience that I never had.

Schwartz had spent his entire life devoted to one sport, so he decided to try football to experience something new. Although, the change hasn’t been easy.

“As a soccer player, I knew what my job was and I was good at it,” Schwartz said, “and I knew what I could do and what I couldn’t do. So going into football, I always thought it would be really easy: just kick a ball straight for 20 yards. But there’s a lot more to it than that, and it was tough for me to transition. It

- Thomas Schwartz

those facets of kicking, and I am very proud of him,” Methner said. “His teammates appreciate his hard work as well, and they are extremely excited for him when he makes big kicks for us.”

Schwartz’s father, David Schwartz, was supportive of his son leaving soccer. Thomas was driving to Detroit three times a week for two hour soccer practices, so David understood that this was a big commitment and that there were other things Thomas could

be doing.

“I figured he just needed a break and I didn’t really mind that he was not playing high school soccer,” David said. “He talked about playing both, but I didn’t think that would be smart for him to do. Just because you have to go enjoy life. I mean if he’s just going to soccer and football practice, there are other things he might be missing out on.”

Thomas said that the coaching styles in soccer and football are different. In soccer, one or two coaches cover the entire team, from defense, to offense, to the goalie. But in football there are multiple coaches for each area of play.

Schwartz also is getting used to a different role on the team. With his knowledge of soccer, he was much more of a leader of the soccer team, frequently helping his teammates. But in football, Schwartz’s goal is focused on kicking and being a good teammate, which he is already excelling at, according to Methner.

“In addition to being a very good kicker, Thomas is a terrific young man. We are very grateful he decided to join our football program,” Methner said.

Though Thomas has not committed to a university, he’s still being recruited by colleges and recently practiced with the University of Chicago. He’s not playing soccer this fall, but he is playing with a travel team this spring.

October 20, 2017

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symphonic band baritone saxophone

symphony orchestra cello

meistersingers alto vocalist

musical maestro

Photos by: WillHere Shaffer the deck. you will

put info a Junior Rebecca Henning is an involved musician who participates in many of the arts. Staff Writer Ben Woehrle |Staff Writer Mady Sherman

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hile walking the halls of Midland High, it is not uncommon to meet someone who are involved with arts, such as band, orchestra, choir, and drama. However, it is nearly unheard of to come across one who is involved with all of them. For junior Rebecca Henning, it is her life.

“I love music; playing an instrument is so much fun,” Henning said. “You get to create something and that is so cool and real.”

Henning has learned to balance her schedule around school.

“It’s a lot of work and it’s really stressful,” Henning said. “Usually I’ll have time to do homework after I get home late at night or I’ll try to squeeze it in early before school.

Henning has learned not only has to balance all of her activities, but to excel in them.

She is a member of symphony orchestra, symphonic band, and Meistersingers, along with having performed in many school and community theatre productions.

Henning said that she is involved in all of these activities because the people that she gets to meet.

“The people involved with music and drama are just incredible,” Henning said.

“They’re so nice and they're so fun to be around.”

Her love for music has grown since she started playing the piano in fourth grade. She now plays, cello, saxophone, and clarinet as well.

“I just had a lot of fun with music,” Henning

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October 20, 2017

said, “Then I got to high school, it was even more fun.”

Orchestra director Anna Mamassian has Henning in symphony orchestra. Mamassian speaks highly of Henning’s work ethic.

“Rebecca is an excellent musician,”Mamassian said. “She is always prepared and she does not stop practicing.

She is attentive to detail and asks questions, but when it comes down to it she is a very hard working musician.”

Senior Drum Major Josh Danielson says not only is Henning a hard working musician

positive attitude pushes people forward.”

Both Danielson and Henning are saxophonists in symphonic band and Danielson personally knows Henning as a musician.

“She’s just really good. She first learned the saxophone last year and a year later she’s in symphonic,” Danielson said. “The progression was fun to watch; she struggled with it at first, but really quickly she bounced back and hit the ground running.”

While in band and orchestra, her emotions are expressed through her music. In theater,

She’s just really good. She first learned the saxophone last year and a year later she’s in symphonic -Josh Danielson but she is also a fun and energetic student that is respected by her fellow musicians. He talks of Rebecca’s role in the music program.

“Band’s like a sports team,” Danielson said.

“You have to have a captain that is positive and motivates everyone. Rebecca does a good job with that, she’s a good motivator her

Henning is able to express her full personality.

She first got involved in drama in the fourth grade, and is now an active member of the drama club. She has performed in a number of school productions, such as To Kill A Mockingbird, Shrek, and Putnam County Spelling Bee, as well as many productions

at the Midland Center for the Arts including The Jungle Book and High School Musical .

“It’s fun and relaxing to be able to get up on stage and you don’t have to worry about other things,” Henning said. “Sometimes with all my commitments it can be stressful, but it's fun to relax on stage and just make art.”

Drama director Megan Applegate has directed Henning in several school productions and praises her tenacity and drive.

“Rebecca’s a hard worker,” Applegate said.

“She’s dedicated to the production and always has a positive attitude. She approaches both large and small roles with the same amount of enthusiasm and energy and is always a joy to have in the production.”

Not only does Applegate admire Rebecca’s presence on the stage but Applegate also appreciates the many personal qualities Henning possesses.

“She is kind, trustworthy, resourceful, dedicated, funny, and talented,” Applegate said. “She contributes through her leadership skills and her positive attitude at all times.”

Henning hopes to continue her passion as a musician throughout the rest of her life but is unsure of what her plans are for college.

Henning stresses how important going out of your comfort zone is when it comes to music.

“Never be afraid to try something new because you never know if you’ll love it,” Henning said. “The people you will meet are so incredible, everyone is very positive and wants you to be involved. You just have to go for it.” arts/entertainment

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Photos: Holly Stauffer & Noah Jacobson

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1 1) The snare line plays the percussion feature “Unlimited” led by drum captain Marina Budinsky.

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2) Tenor saxophone player Hannah Woehrle marches in line with her squad members.

3) Drum major Aidan Haase leads the band as they raise their instruments for their first song, a medley called “Up, Up, Up.”

band

e s a c show

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Ne Sta ws Edi Sta ff Writ tor Ho ff W er J lly rite aco Stau r No b H ffe ah J artw r aco ick bso n

setlist UP, UP, UP

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STAR TREK

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FLY ME TO THE MOON

4) The band works on marching together in straight lines

UNLIMITED E.T.

arts/entertainment

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to wow the audience.

5) The brass march to various positions that result in visual shapes the audience can see.

6) Each section of the band plays an important role in creating the desired effect.

7) The drumline forms a house to symbolize the iconic Disney film “Up.” October 20, 2017

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The Focus addresses: pub l i c pr ote s t s

T

ensions in Midland have been rising for the past several days because a group of Midland High students announced earlier this month they plan to protest during the national anthem at the Midland versus Dow football game. They will be standing and linking arms during the anthem.

The students are protesting at the game tonight to bring light to the oppression they believe minorities face. They will link arms to represent unity. Word of the protest started spreading when students started posting about it on social media, and from there it quickly spread around the community. Because the students initially planned to kneel during the anthem, a lot of people were infuriated. The protest has been covered by a variety of local news broadcasters and the superintendent has sent out a statement that said that the protest is not sanctioned by MPS, but it is allowed and will be protected in order to respect students’ constitutional rights.

The Focus staff believes it is

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October 20, 2017

vote: u na nimou s appropriate for students to protest at the football game because they should be able to express their opinions in a peaceful manner. The First Amendment of the Constitution gives students the right to protest. As long as the protest is peaceful, students are allowed to protest at any school events.

Protesting at the football game allows students to get their point across powerfully and effectively. If the students were to protest at a smaller school function, then they wouldn’t be able to reach as large of an audience, making their protest ineffective. In order to demonstrate their message more powerfully, it is appropriate for students to hold protests at football games, given that they are peaceful.

With hundreds of people going to the football game, the students are able to get their message across to a larger audience, which results in more people in the community seeing the protest

and understanding why the students are protesting and how the oppression and inequality they’re feeling.

We are in dismay at the fact that students with the sole intent to peaceably protest found themselves the subject to malicious threats from other students as well as adults. These threats have come verbally and through social media.

The Focus staff understands the drawbacks that come along with protesting at the Midland versus Dow football game. It could be unsafe for the students who are participating in the protest, and there is no way to predict how the community will react. They may become hostile and the students participating could be harmed. The students could also become a disruption for the community if the protest becomes aggressive.

However, the school is taking the necessary precautions to keep the protesters safe by doing things such as bringing in extra security, and if need be, sectioning off the spectators

from the protesters. Also, this protest is peaceful and has been well-organized, making it unlikely to become a disturbance, and it is taking place before the game begins, so it is not probable that the players will be distracted. If the protest was loud and disruptive, and was during the game, where it could become a disturbance for spectators and athletes, then it could start to become inappropriate. That is not the case here, the action of standing in front of the scoreboard and linking arms to show unity, will not intentionally cause a disturbance.

The Focus staff believes that protesting at football games is appropriate. Students should be able to peacefully protest at school functions to express how they feel about certain issues. It was unanimously agreed on that this was appropriate because students need to be able to demonstrate their opinions on problems, and have the chance to change their community. For this to be done effectively an event like the Midland-Dow football game is the best way to do it.

editorial

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FOCUS tries...

self-defense

Follow me and two other Focus editors’ experiences as we participate in our first ever self-defense class together. | News Editor Holly Stauffer

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1. Elbow strikes may be executed in high, low, and backwards positions. 2. Olivia shouts “No!” as she performs an elbow strike. 3. Palm strikes are least painful if the heel of the hand makes contact first. Photos: Danielle Julien

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onfidence is the first step to defending yourself. This was emphasized from the moment I walked into Lim’s Taekwondo for my first self-defense class. After going through the class, I can testify that it is true. After only an hour-long class of learning basic defense moves, I feel that I would have a much better idea of what to do in a threatening situation. Jaewon Lim, instructor, and her daughter Danbi Johnson (an MHS junior) taught the class to me and two of the other Focus editors as a mini-workshop. The real class, which will be offered at Lim’s soon, will last two hours and go into greater depth on self-defense skills and inform participants of important statistics.

We began by discussing the importance of self-defense, and how it is particularly important for females because the statistics show that they are at greater risk for attack. We then began learning to use our voice as a defense tactic. Yelling “ S t o p ” and “No” powerfully was critical because for the rest of the moves we yelled each time we made a strike. Being vocal discourages the attacker because it draws attention to the scene. I was a little hesitant to shout, especially because my friends were the ones approaching me; but I became more comfortable with it when we actually began to learn physical moves.

Next we learned three different hammer fist motions, which can be used to break a collarbone or any other weaker bone if executed properly. We were also taught palm strikes and elbow strikes, as well as how to escape a tight hold. Already I felt so much more empowered, and shouting “No!” each time we threw an elbow or fist seemed to add even more strength to my perception of myself and the others.

We then moved on to sweeping kicks and vertical knee strikes. When learning to use our knees, we had to grab Danbi’s shoulders and pull her towards us to add more power.

Jaewon informed us that after using a kick to the groin to weaken an attacker, we could then use our knee to strike their face and knock

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them out. While it seemed excessively hostile at the time, it was also liberating to realize that I could now knock out a fully-grown adult if I had to. After practicing the kicks a few times, I began to feel as though I was getting the hang of channeling my inner strength and releasing it in the proper ways.

The most empowering, although strangest, technique was taught at the end. We learned to gouge someone’s eyes out. It felt uncomfortable to exert so much aggression on a pad, imagining I was gouging out a person’s eyes, but I had to remember that learning this skill was giving me the confidence I needed to be able to defend myself.

We then applied all of our new tactics by doing a 30-second drill on a dummy. It was exhausting to try and remember everything we had been taught while continuing to shout and throw strikes, even for half a minute.

But Jaewon reminded us not to give up, because it wouldn’t be an option in a real life situation.

B y t h e end, all the adrenaline made me almost feel like it was real, and I even earned a few bruises and scrapes on my forearms and fists.

Finally, we repeated our first practice of shouting to stop an attacker. We all carried a new confidence and boasted a louder voice. I felt exhilarated afterwards, now possessing an important life skill, especially as a senior soon going to college alone.

I would still like to improve on the skills that I picked up, and potentially learn even more, so I feel that a longer class would be beneficial.

Regardless, my greatest, most invigorating takeaway was knowing that if I am ever in a dangerous situation, I have the ability to beat a person up. Not only do I own that ability, but I am confident in it, too.

I had to remember that learning this skill was giving me the confidence I needed to be able to defend myself.

To view more of the self-defense experience, scan the code to the left.

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5. The tip of the elbow is the strongest point of the body. 6. Pulling the face towards the fist during a hammer-fist strike strengthens the blow. 7. Gouging out an eye was an intense technique to learn. Photos: Danielle Julien October 20, 2017

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reviews:

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Senior Lexy Lang travels to some of Midland’s most popular coffee shops sampling pumpkin spice lattes.|Staff Writer Lexy Lang

Starbucks

Taste: 7 Appearance: 5 Starting out, this latte tasted like it had a bigger cream to coffee ratio, and I did not start to taste the pumpkin spice until after I had finished the initial drink. Considering this drink did not have a bold coffee flavor, I found it to be similar to a fall spice hot chocolate. Overall, I was upset with the presentation of my latte, because it was not made as advertised with big whipped topping paired with sprinkles of cinnamon and other spices on top.

The Loch Coffee Co. Taste: 8 Appearance: 10 This drink wasn’t a typical pumpkin spice latte. The Loch Coffee Company calls it their “October Standard.”Overall, the drink had subtle flavors of fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger and a little hint of pumpkin.

Along with the subtle taste, the drink had a nice coffee flavor that wasn’t too overbearing.

In comparison to other coffee shops, I thought it had a unique twist to the typical pumpkin spice latte, I loved the latte art.

Live Oak Coffee House Taste: 6 Appearance: 7.5 This drink had a very bold, almost overpowering coffee flavor to it.

Before drinking it, I could smell all of the spices. I found it to be very spicy, it was not as creamy as the others, and there were little chunks of pumpkin spice mix not mixed in very well. This drink, even though not my personal favorite, was presented the best compared to Coffee Chaos and Starbucks.

Coffee Chaos: Lexy’s pick

Taste: 9.5 Appearance: 6

The initial drink was flavorful, creamy, and full of spices. The latte had the obvious pumpkin spice taste throughout the whole drink, not just the after-taste. I found this drink to be extremely creamy- this could be because of the pumpkin puree. Comparing all of the drinks as a whole, I found Coffee Chaos’ to be the most appetizing. The reason is because it had that strong yet not overpowering pumpkin spice taste paired with the creamy latte base. Even though this drink was not presented as well as The Lochs, the taste definitely made up for it all.

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October 20, 2017

opinion

19

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it’s not a sport

Delaney Randall I would tell [my middle school self] not to be as afraid of high school because I think people make it more of a scary thing than it has to be because it’s not that bad and it’s actually great to be here.

Zach O’Dell I

I would change the fact that I live in Michigan because even though it is beautiful I wish we had mountains and more diversity in our wildlife becuase I am a very nature oriented person, and I am outside a lot so I think that it would make a much more interesting environment to live in.

Jenna Spencer

P

icture a ballerina in your mind.

You know, your typical everyday ballerina. You’re probably picturing a thin, pretty girl wearing a tutu with shoes laced up to her knees and her hair in a tight, uniform bun. When you hear the word ballet, the word “graceful” probably comes to mind. But I’m betting that “easy” also comes along with it.

You probably think that it doesn’t take a lot of physical strength to call yourself a ballerina. If I asked you if you thought ballet was a sport, you’d stare at me like I was crazy and say bluntly, “No.” Well, as a ballerina, I’m here to tell you you’re wrong.

Well…mostly wrong. We are graceful and we do wear tutus with our hair in tight buns, but our shoes aren’t laced to our knees and we are strong. Thanks Misrepresentation By The Media (that means you, Barbie).

News flash: Ballet isn’t easy. Just because I don’t have a six-pack doesn’t mean I don’t have abs, people. And even though my muscles don’t look like a professional wrestler’s, trust me, they’re there because ballet takes a lot of training.

I mean, we spend years on developing correct technique. One full year is dedicated to perfecting one performance alone in ballet. But in other sports? Their season is only a few months. So doesn’t that make ballet a sport?

If I’m being honest, sometimes I don’t want to tell people I dance- especially when they ask what sports I’m in because I know that even though they don’t say it, they are thinking that ballet doesn’t count as one.

Or, they are at least taken aback by it, even if momentarily. Plus, this will lead to the inevitable mocking. It happens to every

ballet dancer at least one point in their lives.

Someone says something along the lines of “Oh look! I’m a ballerina,” and attempts to pull off some ballet move (with terrible form, I might add) and chuckle to themselves about it. Meanwhile, I’ll just awkwardly stand there smiling, then quickly change the topic because I know that no matter what I say, it won’t do any good.

I can say it’s harder than they think it is, but they won’t believe me. I can tell them that when on pointe, sorry, the toe shoes, that I’m literally standing on the tips of my toes.

Or, that a multitude of different hip injuries are common. And that, yes, toenails do fall off, that it’s common to develop arthritis and bunions, and I usually end class with a new blister forming.

And these are just a few of the things dancers suffer from. But I know it won’t make a difference and it is absolutely infuriating.

Moral of the story here: don’t harp on something you don’t know. Don’t just automatically assume that something is easy and that anybody can do it, because guess what? You’ve never done it. And while it may look easy, chances are it’s not. Chances are that it requires at least a little bit of skill, as do most things.

So when someone tells you they do something, and tells you it’s hard, just take a minute and try to believe them. Because maybe ballet isn’t a sport. Or maybe it is.

Either way, it’s hard. Really hard. And painful.

So painful.

But ballet isn’t the only thing that’s underestimated. Ballerinas aren’t the only ones who are sick of that. And it would be nice if people started listening.

The moral of the story here: Humans of don’t harp on something you Midland High don’t know.

20

opinion

October 20, 2017

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p.f.a.t Mo Aloff

I

t’s not easy to be an early bloomer, I mean what fifth grader wants to have to wear a bra? Don’t get me wrong, it can’t be easy to be a late bloomer either, what eighth grader doesn’t want to have to wear a bra? It’s just not easy to bloom in general.

When I say ‘bloom’ I am referring to going through the earliest, most awkward stages of puberty. A time when you have no idea what’s happening to your body and you’re afraid to ask. The terrible thing about this is that it happens at a different time for all of us. So, it seems as if we are all going through this insurmountable amount of self-doubt completely and utterly alone.

That’s the problem with freshman year, some of us are in ‘full bloom’ and some of us are just getting started. And I was one of the types of girls who had to wear a bra in 5th grade. I was never the type of girl who got to wear size 0 jeans from Hollister, never petite.

I remember the sting of wanting to be as curveless as some of the other girls in 9th grade.

That was until I was told my score on the “fat” scale. Well, P.F.A.T. is actually how it’s spelled. It’s pronounced like “fat”, because the ‘p’ is silent and (not so) secretly this is because ‘p’ is the least important. You see, each letter stands for a trait. P is personality. F is face. A is a** and T is t**s -- hopefully you can figure those out for yourselves. A girl is given a score out of ten for each category, which means a perfect score is 40.

One day some of my guy-friends were talking about this scale. And me not being able to leave well enough alone, I listen in. I hear them rattle off names and numbers for each category, and see the gears turning as they all mentally compute their next victim’s final score. It was almost like an auction you’d see at the county fair. The “popular girls” names were often followed by a 30, or 32, or sometimes even as high as a 34.

Of course at this point I don’t know what

the letters mean. I poke and I prod every one of them until one of them caves and tells me.

My initial reaction is not disgust. I only have one thought in my head. ‘What’s my score? I wonder if I even break 25…’

Later that night we all log on to Skype, a nightly tradition 8th grade. I have to address the knot in my stomach. It’s been there all day.

I can’t stop thinking about it. My score.

“Tell me” are the first words to leave my lips when the call starts.

“Fine. 35. 9, 8, 8, 10.”

“What.” No way.

“Shut up. 35. We all agree.” Apparently they had discussed this ahead of time.

“No way.”

“Yeah way. Now what’d you get for number 16?”

As I flip through the pages of my math book, I smile. I feel good. I feel accepted.

Everyone wants to be accepted.

I did not feel objectified. I did not feel violated. I didn’t comprehend how vile this was. I don’t think I wanted to. I mean, girls were being assigned numbers to gauge their value, but people are not just numbers.

In my head, my ‘score’ cancelled out all my self-doubt about my curves and that justified the game to me, well at least at the time. It took awhile for me to be comfortable with myself, but I have discovered that people remember you for your personality, the way you carry yourself, and the way you treat others.

You can’t instantly change your cup-size and you can’t instantly change the roundness of your butt, but you can change your attitude.

The thing people remember most is the way you treat others, not the way you look.

You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone.

You will fit in, or stand out, or whatever you want, if you try to do so. Yes, you will crave approval, and we all do, but don’t let anyone tell you your worth. Only you can do that.

You can’t instantly change your cup-size but you can change your attitude.

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21

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(ill)ogical Ryan Kreusch [My favorite part about Dow week] is probably the hallway decorating and all of the spirit days. Everybody’s just so excited and ready to go.

It makes everbody feel closer as a school.

Debbie Rodriguez My favorite thing about myself is that even though some people are not always happy or look sad, I always look happy and peppy. So even though I might not be happy and peppy I always look like I’m happy and peppy so I give off good vibes of being joyful.

Humans of Midland High 22

opinion

Fischer Genau

P

erusing my psychology textbook, I couldn’t get past the section discussing psychosomatic symptoms and the effects of

stress.

It was well into the hours of the night, and I toiled away over my eight pages of notes relentlessly, as they were due the next day. Stressed and worn, my haggard eyes gazed blearily out of hollowed sockets.

The effects of school were sinking in: lack of sleep, nagging stress and consequential anxiety.

But glaring up at me from the pages of my book was verifiable evidence suggesting that the very behavior I was engaged in results in fatigue, headaches, a weakened immune system, and even long term chronic illness years down the road. All of the psychosomatic symptoms that I was being warned, in the most dire manner, to avoid.

What perplexed me is that I had been assigned, by the school, to read about how it would be wise to cease performing the routine school had thrust me into.

Astonishing, yes, but at least I can rest easy with my newfound enlightenment.

I know EXACTLY what symptoms and issues will assail me in the future.

With vast stores of information concerning psychological health, it baffled me that the education system failed to put much of it in practice. The night in question was not unlike many others, hours spent pouring over pages upon pages of “learning” material.

Of course it is never my intent to stay up to keep the raccoons, bats, and other denizens of the night in good company.

I would’ve completed this earlier, had it not been for the web of other engagements I had woven. Sadly, it seems I only ever find my own limbs tangled in it.

In school, we are pressed to challenge ourselves scholastically, to take the higher point level courses and fixate anything with the prefix IB or AP. This is an important

factor in attaining the intelligence and insight needed to succeed later on, and is essential to catch the eye of many colleges that we should feel driven to aspire for.

So I’m told.

Ah, but it isn’t enough to limit ourselves to solely academics. No, instead we should join clubs, sports teams, and volunteering outlets.

We should step into various leadership roles to prove to ourselves and the rest of the world that yes, we are competent and charismatic, and will be an asset to our future college classrooms.

Geez, when a Columbia recruiting officer reviews my application and sees that I was a member of the illustrious Kick-Off Mentor Program, I fully expect them to worship the dust kicked up in my sprint for success.

How could they proceed in any other manner when acknowledging how I single-handedly took a batch of wide-eyed freshmen under my wing, turning them into fully-fledged, academic powerhouses through the KO program (watch out for a group of six students all attending Ivy League schools in a few years).

Revolutionary stuff.

Simply put, do everything, and do it well.

Sometimes I wonder if we are working towards personal growth and fulfillment or simply constructing a boastful portfolio to brandish in the faces of others. I still wonder which camp I myself fall into.

While aiming to live up to such lofty standards, I can’t help but apologize to the learned minds working towards bettering the psychological health of the nation.

There seems to be no discernible method to factor mental health into the picture.

This miscalculation implies that our education system does not find mental health pertinent enough to integrate it.

Instead, students are left to chuckle at the crooked irony embedded within psychology textbooks.

October 20, 2017

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needles and hay

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Hope O’Dell “I still love you” I typed out on my iPhone with shaking hands.

“Okay.”

Nine months of prepubescent, hormonal love boiled down into a text conversation that ended with “okay”? Some “love” that was.

I remember the feelings of “love” well: the high of a requited crush, the sweaty palms before a first kiss and the awkward silence after a first kiss, the sting in my wrist that traveled to my chest when she let go of my hand in public to keep us a secret, the ache of a “we can still be friends,” the freedom of detachment and the fleeting joy of reattachment, the searing tear of old wounds reopened, the jealousy when I realized the black and white striped long sleeve paired with a maroon skirt--my favorite skirt of hers-wasn’t worn for me anymore.

Disingenuous “love” is easy to find. Trying to find real love is like searching for a piece of hay in a mountain of needles. And trust me, this girl was a needle. But at the time I was blinded by the prospect of a future while the present consisted of me walking away my friend mid-word because I saw my needle strut by. The future of that turned out to be a feeble promise to remain friends.

While I was beginning to recover from my pinpricks, I casually and carefully began sifting through needles again.

And I found her.

She is not the needle, she is my piece of hay--which is an odd romantic euphemism, but that’s what she is. After the needle pricked my finger and left, she was patient. She let me take my time to realize that not everyone is a needle. She let me cry in her lap when I saw my old needle with her new stack. She allowed me to accompany her to a football game on a Friday night and call it a date, even though it was probably the crappiest date she’s ever been on.

We decided to ditch the game early, because she didn’t like or understand football, and the chill in the crisp autumn air had turned the trickle of snot from my nose into a flood. After that sad excuse for a date, we sat on the wet grass in Greenfield Park and watched for the blinking of plane lights through the sparkling night sky. I was out hours past curfew, but for the first time in my life, I didn’t care. I was entranced by the random facts she would croon out to break the silence: her favorite color is orange, not bright orange, the burnt orange seen in the summer sky as the sun sets, and she could listen to Tame Impala’s album “Currents” for the rest

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October 20, 2017

of her life and die happy.

Oddly enough, she got me that album for Christmas that year.

She ran out of words, and the silence turned to serenity. We looked at each other, noses almost touching. Even though I had kissed her before--that’s a whole other story--I felt nervous. I leaned in, and she leaned in. Then I leaned in, and she leaned in a little bit more.

Then I leaned in, and she leaned in. Our lips met. It felt like I was living a romantic comedy rather than the horror film I had come to know. Instead of Saw, this was some idealistic romance, like Nicholas Sparks had written it himself, without the cancer and building a house with my bare hands for her.

A year after this snot-ridden yet wonderful night, we are still going strong despite being teenagers who--let’s face it--are idiots most of the time.

Just in case you’re wondering, I’m well aware of how cheesy all of this stuff is, but it’s what’s important to me. Two years ago, I was infatuated and anxious and depressed over some fifteen-year-old girl who couldn’t even manage to write me a note for Valentine’s day when I had spent weeks combing through my town’s Target for her favorite tin of peppermint tea to put in the pastel pink mug I had purchased for her.

Now I am with a girl who respects me, trusts me, and most importantly, allows me to trust her. I’m not up until three in the morning every night wondering what our future holds, because as of right now I’m pretty sure it holds some great stuff.

I’m not trying to be “that person” who writes about his or her significant other as if that’s life. She’s not my entire life, and that’s the point I’m trying to make. This girl in the picture has given me the best romantic love I’ve ever received. It’s healthy love.

I know what it’s like to be consumed by love that isn’t really love. Because in this grand scheme of needles and hay and peppermint tea and pastel pink mugs and Tame Impala albums, love is not combing every store in town for peppermint tea only to receive nothing in return, love is searching through a pile of needles and risking a prick--or more--to find a single piece of hay.

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Midland High School | October 20, 2017 | Volume 40, Issue 2

Senior Kendall Altenburg talks about his transition from female to male and his move to MHS.

6-7

fe a t u r e p h o to : Fischer Genau

Midland vs Dow

Chazaq

band showcase

self-defense