THE
FOCUS
Midland High School | March 23, 2016 | Volume 38, Issue 7
Paving the way
9
Inside this month:
The health of tanning
12 -15
Junior Emily Kreusch is one of the several girls participating in activities and pursuing a career in fields related to math and science, despite the disproportionate number of males to females.
Special Report: STEM in the community
20
Fencing Julia Quinn | Photo
CONTENTS
ON THE COVER: PAVING THE WAY
More girls around the school, including junior Emily Kreusch, are choosing to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. Many teachers, including Robert Fox and Ben Younkin, work to increase the female involvement in these programs (pages 12-13).
OPINION
3: Teenage tanning editorial
The Focus gives their opinion on the restrictions for tanning under 18.
FEATURES
15: STEM school
The district plans to open a STEM elementary school with bond money, which will focus on math and science and feature volunteer scientists.
SPORTS
8: Social media obsession
16-17: Sports zone
9: Health hazards of tanning
18-19: Track petition
10: Mormons in Midland
20: Fencing
Students explain their fascination with the world of social media, and the positives and negatives of its role in their lives.
Students and a dermatologist discuss the benefits and detriments of indoor tanning.
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints discuss the unique aspects of their branch of Christianity.
11: Children’s Grief Center
Local volunteers and children share their experiences with the center, and how it has helped them overcome personal grief.
NEWS
12-13: Girls in STEM
Many students and teachers work to involve girls in traditionally male dominated science and math careers.
14: Science olympiad
For the first time in twenty years, the Science Olympiad team has qualified for the state competition.
The Focus features the athletes of the month, with varsity tennis player Pia Schweminski, and assorted sports statistics. Due to the degrading of the track, the school cannot host any home meets this year. Many frustrated students have signed a petition to have it fixed sooner.
Junior Marin Tarnowski discusses her participation in this unique sport, based on traditional sword fighting techniques.
A&E
22: Playing the piano
Experienced pianists, senior Olivia Gandy and senior Haley Hendricks, discuss their musical careers.
18-19
20 EDITORS
Will Hackbarth Editor-in-Chief Megan Nylund Managing Editor Ella Colbert Features Editor Katherine Vernier News Editor Maddy Pasche A&E Editor Kayla Graham Sports Editor Kirstyn Cotton Opinion Editor
22 Zach Noel Website Editor Julia Quinn Photo Editor Hannah McAtamney Design Editor Lexi Costley Ads Coordinator Anna Schultheis Exchange Editor Jim Woehrle Adviser Midland Daily News Printer
23: Belly dancing
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
24: Workout reviews
Focus, established in 1977, previously the Vic Tribune, established in 1936, is the official school newspaper for Midland High. Focus is published monthly by the journalism classes at Midland High and is distributed free of charge. It is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA), the Michigan Interscholastic Press 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. Focus, however, reserves the right to contest the challenge of an administrator who attempts to censor and/or remove an article or graphic element.
Sophomore Becca Long shares her experience with this unique form of dance and its effect on her confidence.
The Focus reviews various workout locations in the Midland area, including Alignment 8, Seung-Ni, and Element 22, and their various services.
The Focus addresses the issue of ...
W
ith Spring Break quickly approaching, more and more students are tempted to darken the pasty white skin that winter has given them. Whichever warm and tropical place they plan to travel to, everyone desires that golden brown glow. Many students chose to use a tanning bed, despite its potential health hazards, to achieve the perfect beach body. As of now, anyone can use a tanning bed, but users under 18 have to provide a parent’s signature before doing so. However, this rule is not strictly enforced, and some minors have been able to tan without any parental permission. Because tanning is something that can have long-term effects on health, such as skin cancer, we feel that it is wrong for a business to provide this service to minors without consulting a parent or guardian first. Although some may say that choosing to tan artificially is a personal choice and that it is just as unhealthy as outdoor tanning, the Focus believes that there should be stricter rules and regulations about who can and cannot tan. It is the government’s responsibility to regulate children’s safety, as they are not always old or mature enough to make their own, logical decisions regarding whether or not they should use a tanning bed. According to a dermatologist, the artificial rays are more damaging to people who are under 18, but because they don’t see the effects until later in life. Therefore, they don’t tend to see indoor tanning as a major problem. If teenagers are allowed to tan whenever they like, as much as they like, no matter how old they are, it may become habit, causing them to tan well into adulthood, which increases their chance of skin cancer substantially. To prevent tanning from becoming a habit, people must be prevented from tanning at a young age so they do not get used to it.
OPINION
tanning under eighteen
Claire Booth | Illustration On top of causing cancer, tanning also ages skin faster than normal and, if done too much, can cause skin to look rubbery or leathery. Because these effects take a while to occur, they go un-noticed until it is too late to reverse them. The Focus recommends that the use of tanning beds be illegal for anyone under the age of 16. We also think that, for students between the ages of 16 and 18, there should be a parent signature required before tanning, without any exceptions.
The parent signature needs to be better enforced, because guardians need to be aware if their children are damaging their skin. Also, by requiring a signature, the number of minors who artificially tan may be reduced, because some parents are not going to allow their child to use a tanning bed. On top of the age limit, we believe that there should be a limit to the strength of the rays that the minors can be exposed to. Right now, there are six different strengths that customers can choose from, and we feel that
anyone under 18 should only be able to choose between the first few levels. The best way for minors to get a tan is to put on some sunscreen and go outside; the UVB rays from the sun do not penetrate skin as deeply as the UVA rays in a tanning bed. Therefore, natural tanning is a safer alternative. However, for people who would rather use a tanning bed, stricter rules and regulations need to be enforced, to make the practice less dangerous for anyone under the age of 18.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? Do you think it’s okay to tan in tanning beds?
Freshman Madylin Sherman “No, because skin cancer is one of the most frequent types of cancer, and I think we should prevent it any way we can.”
Sophomore Mia Pardel “It’s alright to tan to a certain degree. It’s okay for an hour or two. I even go to the beach sometimes to tan. But I think it’s unhealthy to tan for too long.”
Junior Allie Smith ”Yes, but only if it’s in limited and proper usage, and with the right intentions.”
Senior Sarah Meath “Yes, as long as you know what you’re doing and take the right precautions.” 3 | FOCUS | MARCH 23, 2016 | mhsfocus.com
TIDBITS Photo OF THE Month
OPINION
Tweet of the Month “My dad just told me he was going to a concert to see ‘42 flight attendants’”
244 likes ke l l l y m a r s h B a s i c a l l y g o i n g to prom with Justin Bieber #musicfest #loveyourself
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3 THINGS
WHERE’S VIC?
you don’t have to worry about this month
1 Signing up for AP tests 2 Voting in the primaries 3 The drug dogs and one thing you still do... Finding a date for Prom 4 | FOCUS | MARCH 23, 2016 | mhsfocus.com
Somewhere inside this issue of the Focus, Vic is hiding. If you find him, tweet the Focus with a photo of him and the name of your fifth hour teacher, for a chance to win a free slurpee.
I
Spencer Patrell
How to not win a political debate
believe both Hillary Clinton and Bernie conversation. I realize when this happens and Sanders are jokes in the upcoming election make sure to apologize afterwards. and would be detrimental to the country. The race in 2012 was a great time to me, I think Barack Obama has done a perfectly seeing two political forces clash with one mediocre job during his 8-year stay in the another at an age when I could actually Oval Office; but even if I am pro-gun and procomprehend the race in front of me. I watched life, none of it really matters. all the debates, both conventions, and the When I say this, I don’t mean I do not care news was my best friend for those ad-filled about politics, I love a good, clean, friendly months. debate over political ideologies. In fact, I Mitt Romney was the pinnacle of find this a great way to peer into the mind of everything I loved in economic and domestic another person. policies. He wasn’t the perfect candidate, but This being able to communicate with I was excited nonetheless. The night of the others about two different viewpoints while election, I sat by my television and anxiously remaining cool headed about everything is stared at the percentages. quite enjoyable, but sadly, it seems to be a Upset from the result, I ranted. A lot. I rare experience. believed the country had made the same Instead of finding this calm demeanor mistake a second time. I couldn’t believe it present when politics and I was actually mad is brought up, people about this. I went to can somehow change school and argued that into machines the American people “Whoever gets in office deserves it. had no idea what they created to point out flaws, ridicule, or ask America put them there and that is were doing (as a young loaded questions. I high school student all that matters.” am not saying people who was an expert in become monsters everything, my opinion when politics are was definitely superior brought to the table, just that there are subtle to those who argued against me). changes in the mind that make people bad at Though my opinions on politics have not arguments. changed, the storm of rage has since subsided. Conservatives spout that the other side I began to recognize the patterns of consists of immoral baby killers slowly disrespect that each political party has for one transforming America into a dictatorship. another, and how everyday people emulate Liberals point their fingers and call the other this to a smaller extent. Annoyed with this, side cruel to illegal immigrants, ignorant to I took up a new philosophy: I have to think other viewpoints, and perhaps even bigots. relatively when talking politics. This is an immature practice that is The same reasons I dislike Bernie Sanders no better than name calling. Each side are the same arguments others use for him. misconstrues what the other side is trying Just as they will never be able to change my to say and immediately makes a hyperbole outlook, I too must accept their opinions from mixed with judgement of what the other their point of view. person believes. It is ridiculous. So when talking about the next president, Even more mind-numbing is the practice the problems with capitalism, or even how to of asking questions when only seeking one spend taxpayer money in Midland, remember specific answer. This happens to me all the at the end of the day, things are pretty great in time when discussing politics. When I am our country. asked one of these loaded questions, I become Even though I was upset that Obama got even more dissatisfied with the current state elected a second time, I have yet to see any of humanity. They are tools created to satisfy major positive or negative effects on my the asker’s need to feel as if they are on a own life from this. Sure, I don’t care for his higher political or moral plane. Don’t ask policies, but it isn’t the end of the world. these questions. It is childish. People need to remember this fact when I know that these things are simply debating politics, regardless of how different a byproduct of debate, but they are not other’s opinions can be. necessary to the process. I too am guilty Whoever gets in office deserves it. America of all these crimes of passion, sometimes put them there, and that is all that matters. getting carried away in what could be calm Now stop arguing about it.
OPINION
@HumansofMidlandHigh
Driving down memory lane
A brief feature of students who have a story to tell. Follow the Focus on Instagram to see more.
Marni Lorenz
“
Over the summer I worked at the Midland Community Center
as a camp counselor, and one of the little boys in my gymnastics class had Autism. This was his first time having an interaction outside his household, interacting with other kids, and I was really nervous handling that. Everyone told me he was going to be a handful, but in the entire week-long camp, I never had any problems with him. I could always talk him into doing things when he was being rebellious. His mom came to me at the end of the week and told me, ‘I’ve never seen him take to someone so quickly’. That was the happiest moment of my life because it just reinforced that I am able to pursue my future major in Special Education, and I can connect with a special needs kid on that level.
”
Julia Quinn
O
ne car, six family members, ten pieces ending smell of dirty diapers for another of luggage, hundreds of complaints, long trip. With the faint baby cries, toddler and more than 300 hours of driving. whines, and my sighs, my parents would say, This is what I like to call the Chronicles of Car ‘Look out the window, enjoy the scenery, Rides. These miserable experiences remind see the mountains’. But the minute Caity me of the cliché that says ‘It’s about the would try to enjoy the twisty, windy, swirly journey, not the destination’. Well, I beg to road, she would vomit. This was the trip that differ. introduced me to the world of car sickness, That statement is true for those of us who something I have never struggled with, but don’t get to lounge on a comfy chair and take would learn to deal with as I aged. Nothing is a quick 3 hour nap until our plan reaches the worse than waking up from a nap, only to see destination. For the folks like me, the journey your little sister hacking up her lunch into a consists of crying, complaining, and that plastic ice cream tub next to you. During my rotten fast food stench that lingers in the car first trip to the mountains, I had seen more for weeks. stomach acid than mountain peaks. Throughout my life, I have almost built up Book 3 in the Chronicles of Car Rides: an immunity to the horrors of sitting through Madness in Maine long car rides, jam-packed into our over filled The final baby, Michaela, completed suburban. Although my parents were told our family of six, and our first big trip out many times that vacationing with children East together. At the age of 12, my preteen was going to be an absolute nightmare, I’m years had created a doomsday style trip for grateful for everyone else in the the long car. This time the A common cliche says ‘It’s about the lasting bratty child was me. journey, not the destination’. Well, I memories Feeling superior that family to everyone, I was beg to differ. The journey is more like a vacation has bound to overcome treacherous march through provided. any potential the fog of terror. Book annoyances that 1 in the would come my way Chronicles of Car Rides: Florida Freak-Outs by whining, complaining, and throwing back Long, long ago, in a far and distant land, snarky comments to my parents. If we weren’t I was a tiny toddler with two pigtails and stopping for the food that I wanted, I made velcro sandals. This was my very first big sure that we did not stop. adventure. The whole family was going to Yes, I was the bratty child. Some common meet at New Smyrna Beach in paradise. Little triggers for my terrible behavior would did I know, for the next 24 hours I would be include Caity sticking her foot in my face, restricted in my car seat, and that was not a Erin obnoxiously kicking the back of my seat place I wanted to be. with her little legs, and the random pieces of As my mom buckled me up, I wore the luggage falling on me, due to such an over biggest grin in excitement for our trip. Being a packed car. mere five year old, I only had one baby sister Though this is only a small glimpse into to handle: Caity. She was cute, precious, and the Chronicles of Car Rides, the outings bound to steal the attention of every relative were always extravagant. I’ve lived through she could get her chubby fingers on. it all, including a bird flying into the car, The trip was going smoothly for the first three people being carsick at once, my selftwo hours, until Caity decided it would be a diagnosed suitcase claustrophobia, and much great time to screech her loudest. The next 22 more. hours consisted of on-and-off baby cries and But no matter how agonizing the a car that reeked of dirty diapers and spilled catastrophe on wheels was, the vacations formula. The fresh Florida smell of flowers themselves were always amazing. From and the ocean breeze was like a breath of skiing in Maine, hiking in Tennessee, annual fresh air. fishing trips in Canada, or just being beach Book 2 in the Chronicles of Car Rides: bums in Florida, this time has made more of a Tennessee Terrors positive impact on my life then my family will As we welcomed child number three to the ever know. No matter how hard the journey family, Erin, we were reunited with the never was to get there.
5 | FOCUS | MARCH 23, 2016 | mhsfocus.
Ella Colbert
OPINION
I’m not with her
The talking dead
I
believe in a lot of things. I believe in God. exactly how she spelled the word choked. I believe in astrology. And I may even I’m not quite sure where she was killed, believe in ghosts. but she made it clear that she was buried From early on, I was fascinated with the in an orchard. I later discovered that my supernatural world. I’ve watched too many neighborhood, the Garden District, was once episodes of Ghost Hunters and A Haunting covered entirely in apple trees; it was an apple to recall, and I have dedicated too much of orchard. my time reading books about paranormal The board answered each question we situations. I’ve been to one of the most asked with hesitation, lingering between haunted houses in America, in Gettysburg, letters, and often times spelling words and the Insane Asylum in Traverse City, each incorrectly. with hopes of encountering the supernatural. “Do you know why your father killed Both times, I left disappointed. you?” my sister said. It wasn’t until late September of last year The planchette paused, as if thinking, then that I believe I had my first supernatural slowly moved to ‘yes’. experience. “Can you tell us why?” I said. Disclaimer: the events that follow are The planchette shot to ‘goodbye’ so quickly told as I witnessed them, but may not be that my fingers fell off the piece. completely And the game was accurate. I had over. We may or may “It seems so probable that in a world not have successfully just gone to see the movie Ouija with so many mysteries, something as contacted the dead. with my friend. For the next crazy as the supernatural might actually couple weeks, I was The movie itself was not scary, terrified of going in exist.” but the idea of a the basement and medium through hated being home which humans could make contact with the alone. I did a lot of research, and turned dead was. So, inspired by the movie, my up with a whole lot of nothing. Based on friend, sister, her friend, and I pulled out our logical reasoning, I don’t doubt that one of ouija board from the back of my closet and us subconsciously moved the planchette, went down to the basement. engineering it to answers that would satisfy For those who are unfamiliar with a Ouija the question and evoke fear. It might have Board, it is a wooden spirit board with letters, even been me for all I know. But, I like the numbers, and the words yes, no, and goodbye idea that it wasn’t any of us. I’m really not written on it. There is a planchette (a spadesure whether or not this girl existed, but I like shaped piece), which moves over the letters to to think she did. Not because I’m sadistic and spell out words. The purpose of the Ouija is am fascinated with the murder of a little girl, for the living to communicate with the dead. but because it would mean I had a legitimate Each of us placed two fingers on the supernatural encounter. It would also mean planchette and chanted, “As friends we that the paranormal exists, and every book gather, hearts are true, spirits near, we call and movie I’ve watched would have some to you,” while moving the piece in a circle. glimpse of truth. Then we began asking questions. When we Our idea of the supernatural is probably far first started, I figured (and almost hoped) that off, exaggerated for entertainment purposes. my sister was moving the piece, but after a I’m sure ghosts don’t look like Casper, and couple minutes, she lifted her fingers off the probably aren’t as terrifying as portrayed in piece and it continued to move. Throughout most horror films. But the idea that ghosts the session, I watched as each of us lifted up might exist is quite plausible. our fingers and the piece continued to glide It’s kind of scary, knowing that there is across the board. More frightening was what something so unexplainable, and that we the board was actually saying. can’t see or even touch whatever it is. But We were supposedly talking to a little girl, I’ve kept an open mind. Maybe ghosts are five years old, born in 1963. Her name was real, maybe they aren’t. It seems so probable Grace Rhide. She said she was murdered; that in a world with so many wonders and her father “chocked” her to death. That was so many mysteries, something as crazy as the 6 | FOCUS | MARCH 23, 2016 | mhsfocus.com supernatural might actually exist.
Maddy O’Callaghan
T
he 2016 presidential election has been boys and Jupiter. I thought all women were somewhat of a shocking, never ending supposed to stick together, and that if we had circus to both left and right leaning a chance to have the first female president, we Americans. An evil orange with thin hair should take it. But my mother explained to and zero knowledge of how the government me that just because she is a woman doesn’t works is leading in the polls and primaries, mean she is a good person. the GOP debates have pretty much been Real Hillary recently had ‘feminist’ icon Gloria Housewives reunions, and millennials-who Steinem join her during one of her campaign tend to call for quick and radical change- are speeches, and Steinem claimed that the choosing to vote for an old white guy instead reason so many young women were siding of the first relevant female presidential with Bernie was because, at this age, girls are candidate. “wondering where the boys are, and the boys A lot of people are confused as to why are with Bernie.” As crazy as this must sound so many younger democratic voters are so to a so-called feminist icon, women form opposed to Hillary, but as a young person, political opinions based on their personal with a little bit of an ‘inside view’, it’s never values and the candidate that best fixes that, really been that much of a mystery to me. not on where our potential next boyfriend The first issue is the way she’s trying to could be. reach out to She also had millennials. The Madeline Albright join “There is nothing less feministic than her and condemn every poor woman is trying so woman who wasn’t excommunicating women for hard to be ‘hip voting for her to the not following a made-up ‘girl code’. and cool’ that underworld, as if it was I don’t owe anyone a vote because I get serious our job to help her out second hand and vote for her. But of my gender.” embarrassment. there’s not a special She’s dabbed place in hell for women on Ellen, made Star Wars references, and who don’t help other women; there’s a special even threw something in about our beloved place in hell for women who shame other Beyoncé. I find her entire act to be really women for their political opinions. There is offensive, because believe it or not, young nothing less feministic than excommunicating voters’ intellectual capabilities stretch beyond women for not following a made up ‘girl internet trends. Having your campaign code’. I don’t owe anyone a vote because of manager update you on the latest dance my gender. move isn’t going to get our vote, your policies For a generation that carries a sense of are. Young adults care more about that than hopelessness, Bernie offers quicker and more anything else. radical solutions than Hillary does. He brings While I do appreciate all Hillary has done up many issues inherent to a rigged economy, in terms of breaking barriers for women in like child poverty and racial inequality, while politics, it’s not enough. It doesn’t change Hillary tends to only speak out against such the fact that she has switched her opinion things if it’s popular opinion at the time. With on countless policies to increase her votes, it recent events involving police brutality, race doesn’t erase Benghazi, and it doesn’t change relations in America is what a lot of voters that she isn’t talking about a lot of the tough want to focus on, and Bernie has been a figure issues liberals want to focus on. in racial equality since his college years. When I remember in 2008, when Hillary was Black Lives Matter activists crashed one of a presidential candidate, being extremely Bernie’s speeches, he stayed silent and let confused as to why my mother wasn’t voting them use his stage as a platform to express for her. As a single mom/incredibly successful their concern. When the same thing happened business woman, I had always seen her as to Hillary, she kicked them off the stage and a powerful female figure. So when she told told them to be quiet. Someone who has held me that there was no way she was voting for the same values and political views since the Hillary, my nine-year-old self became very 50’s is naturally more appealing. confused. To be fair, my ‘in depth knowledge’ While a lot of things are a mystery to me in of feminism was the Spice Girls, Hermione this election, millennials opposition to Hillary Granger, and the playground rhyme about and attraction to Bernie isn’t.
OPINION
Suzannah Koop
government funding for that, because it’s a xenophobic and ridiculously expensive idea. And you can’t just force Mexico to pay for it. It’s not just the wall; so many of your policies have no real backbone. You have no plans to accomplish your huge goals. If you become the next president, I feel like you’ll have more problems with emigration than immigration. You spend the duration of debates calling the other candidates liars and losers, rolling your eyes, and disrespecting anyone who doesn’t support you. ear Mr. Trump, Also, please tone down the fascist I think most of us can agree that behaviors, it’s becoming kind of scary. I it’s time for you to reveal this was all know, fascist is a very strong word, and I a publicity stunt. Maybe you have a movie don’t see you at a Hitler level any time soon, coming out next year with you staring as the but there are still things you do that sound president of the United States, and you’re a little fishy to me. Using ethnic stereotypes just doing all of these horrible things to get and exploiting a fear of foreigners is an attention before the movie release. I truly echo of the fascist movement. You speak of hope that’s what’s happening, because if not, sending our military to foreign countries to I’m very worried. There’s just a few things kill terrorists, their families, and anyone else I have taken note of that I would like to associated with them. When asked what you address you about. would do if the military refused, due to most First of all, please stop being so offensive. I of that being illegal, understand that you responded, your supporters “They won’t refuse. say that they like how you speak “All you care about is beating everybody They’re not going to refuse me. Believe your mind, but else in the competition, and rising in me,” and later, I just wish you “I’ve never had any could do that power to be number one. Your mind is problem leading without hurting people. If I say do large groups of focused on money, not on people.” it, they’re going to people. When do it.” That sounds you talk about slightly like what a banning all dictator would say, but okay. Muslims from America, you’re stereotyping I get it, you’re a capitalist, but that’s not an entire population as evil terrorists, how you should be running this country. You when the majority of them are kind and can’t treat the United States like a business. average people. It’s sort of like stereotyping All you care about is beating everybody else all Christians as Ku Klux Klan members. in the competition, and rising in power to But apparently, you don’t have enough be number one. Your mind is focused on information to have an opinion on David money, not on people. You can’t even handle Duke or the KKK. And a side note on this someone writing a negative piece about whole “being offensive” thing, please stop you, and you have said, “I would open up talking about how you would date your the libel laws so we can sue them and win daughter if she wasn’t yours. That’s pretty lots of money. Not like now. These guys are disgusting. totally protected.” I know life is hard when Next, think about saying something of you leave home with only a small loan of one actual substance next time you participate in million dollars, I really do. But please try to a debate. No one cares about your ranking in take this political race a bit more seriously. the polls, or the size of your hands (amongst Stop being so arrogant and rude, it’s the least other things). All you talk about is how you could do. Take some notes from Kasich. you’re going to build a huge wall to keep all Thank you, Mexicans out, but how exactly do you plan Suzannah Koop to accomplish that? You’re not going to get
D
Letter to Trump
That’s so Trump Two of Trump’s most ridiculous quotes
”I’m speaking with myself, number one, because I have a very good brain and I’ve said a lot of things.”
”I think the only difference between me and the other candidates is that I’m more honest and my women are more beautiful.”
Gwynne Özkan Mean girls
Depending on the gender role we serve, our age, or whether or not we get out much, point of views on things differ. Nonetheless, I take my stance as a social 16 year old sophomore girl. I say with confidence that girls are beautiful creatures; inspirational, kind, and successful. With this being said, I also say with confidence that girls are crazy. We are manipulative, psychotic, and just plain mean; ironically living up to our name in the infamous film, “Mean Girls.” A film that suffered next to no ridicules and basked in the glory of its timeless popularity. This is mainly because the descriptions throughout so accurately represented the crazy hysteria girls live through. I am still young, however, 16 years is all Ive needed to plead the case of female cruelty. To be fair, (most) girls do not wake up with goals to rein terror on their ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend or to socially destroy the new girl. But because girls can lack the ‘manpower’ men use to brawl through conflicts physically, we find alternate ways to resolve things. Because reputations are valued as much as psychotics, these methods are usually kept under the rug. I’ll commonly find myself believing I’ve seen or lived through it all. I foolishly think there’s nothing new that can topple the acts committed by girls with foul intentions and corrupt logic to my peers or myself. After I recall my friend getting jumped on her birthday, remember anonymous set her exboyfriend’s sweatshirt on fire, or think about the girls who wrote a paper on how much they hated my friend, stating all her ‘flaws’, and distributed it throughout the school, it’s pretty plausible. The upperclassmen girls littering a boy’s car with pregnancy tests and a baby cake after he started dating a freshman adds to my case. Regardless, I will say me thinking this is foolish, because girls love out-doing each
other. There are tactics like frenemies, the petty yet painful concept of sub tweets, and the mastered art of dirty looks in the hall. A girl tunneling her way into your friend group solely to find out your darkest secrets and insecurities, just to use them against you, puts you on the fast track to developing trust issues. As you scroll through your Twitter feed and read 140 characters of nasty remarks posted referring to you, knowing how cowardly and negligible the act is doesn’t soften the blow as much as it should. On top of that, nothing brightens a Monday like a group of girls passing you in the halls, like a massive dark cloud of negativity and entitlement. Their faces painted with scowls and eyes tilted towards you with disgust; like daggers, cutting you open, leaving you vulnerable and exposed to the public. Who knew girls could turn something as every day as eye contact into a device to make one feel so small? The strategies don’t stop there. Girls in heat of competition are girls that are dangerous. Pull her hair up and introduce a point system and all sympathy is lost. They rip at dangling earrings and claw at bare arms, all so at the end of the day they can say they won and you didn’t. Braggarts are found anywhere, boasting about test scores, new cars, or high-end clothing. Girls target your insecurities and abuse them, hitting you where it hurts. Labels like whore, slut, retard, fatty, they stick whether they hold truth or not. Adding to this are girls’ frequent loss of common sense when boys enter the equation. Ex-boyfriends deemed off-limits are claimed, lines of friendships are blurred, and acts of vengeance like spilling secrets and turning friends against each other are committed. Girls have been known to succumb to the twisty turny path of lies, fake friendships, cruel insults, stolen boys, and the millions of other unnecessary things we feel we have to do to escape conflict and feel content. Although, it is important I state I am not stamping every single female with the label of nastiness, but rather shedding light on our ability to be that way. Nevertheless, it is something we cannot fix, but rather only help. Because at the end of the day, everyone just rolls their eyes and gets over it; same as me, same as you.
The progression of outrageous acts committed by girls
Mean derogatory labels frenemies dirty looks
cyberbullying
catfights
Crazy
setting personal possessions ablaze
7 | FOCUS | MARCH 23, 2016 | mhsfocus.com
Through the looking glass FEATURES
The increasing popularity of social media has had a large impact on self-image amongst teenagers in recent years. The ability for people to have control over how people see them by posting online shows the “Looking Glass Self” effect. Hannah McAtamney | Design Editor & Sonja Anderson | Staff Writer
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ith her makeup flawlessly applied today. By using Instagram and taking selfies, and the sun shining perfectly they have the power to alter how people see through her bedroom window, them. If people online see them as beautiful, junior Naria Paytas holds out her iPhone and then they feel beautiful. As a sociology teacher, Albright covers takes a selfie. She applies a filter, edits the lighting, and uploads it to Instagram. A few the topic of social media in class and how it moments later, she checks the photo again, affects people, specifically teenagers. Albright watching as her notifications fill with likes believes that social media has had an overall and comments telling her that she’s beautiful, positive impact. “If you look at the studies done with with heart-eyed emojis attached, and even an Facebook and social media, they say that occasional comparison to a Kardashian. “I spend a really long time generally just people’s self-worth has increased because of putting on makeup and getting ready,” Paytas the positive feedback they’ve received, if they have received positive feedback,” Albright said. “That’s the majority of taking a selfie.” Paytas normally spends 7-10 minutes said. Sophomore Lexy Lang agrees that social editing a photo before she puts it online for her followers to view. Around 90 percent of her media is generally positive. She said that the goal of selfies is to upload something that Instagram feed is selfies. This online feedback is an important factor makes you happy. “If you’re in a good mood, you have good in increasing her self-esteem, and has a similar lighting, and effect for many you’re with teenagers. your friends, Like many of we think, ‘Let’s her generation, Paytas takes “It’s about how we see other’s perceiving take pictures together, we images of herself us. That doesn’t mean it’s accurate.” don’t have due to the any pictures “Looking Glass together’,” Lang Self” effect–the Sociology teacher Monique Albright said. “So we’ll idea that people take some, and view themselves I’m like, ‘Yeah, I based on what feel good about they believe others think of them, and find this,’ so I want to post it.” their self-worth in those reactions. Lang said she uses her Instagram to post “It’s about perception,” sociology teacher Monique Albright said. “It’s about how we see things that she enjoys and that make her feel other’s perceiving us. That doesn’t mean it’s good about herself. She also likes being able to keep all of her memories in one space, so accurate.” Albright said that people will differ in how she can scroll through later and remember much they care about what others think, but the fun times she had with her friends, or all humans have this idea of The “Looking embarrassing moments from middle school. But as much as Lang tries to use Instagram Glass Self” instilled in them. She believes it’s hard to not be impacted whatsoever by what and other social media outlets positively, it can sometimes be hard to do so while looking at society thinks. “To some level, we all deal with this,” other people’s Instagram photos. “There have been times when I just feel Albright said. “I think it is innately human to be concerned about the image that you like I don’t look that good, so I’ll take a portray. People who say they don’t care picture down,” Lang said. “Sometimes I see what people think are essentially still caring someone else’s selfie and think, ‘Wow, they’re because they’re still fitting themselves into the beautiful,’ and then I look at my selfie and it’s conformity of what society says. They’re just not as pretty.” Social media has had an impact on males as putting themselves into the segment that says ‘Don’t conform.’ They’re conforming to not well. Junior Jordan Patty said social media has both positive and negative effects. conforming.” “One positive is that people can show how The “Looking Glass Self” plays an important role in how teenagers use social media they feel or post something that they think
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looks good,” Patty said. “People may comment and say, ‘Wow you are so pretty,’ or, ‘Why can’t I be you?’ on girls’ pictures, and that can raise the self-esteem of a person very quickly. As a negative impact, I think that people try and fake their way to look pretty or look hot and it makes you wonder what kind of selfesteem that they have.” Paytas said that the selfie movement has been overall beneficial to young people, because it allows students to show aspects of themselves that aren’t usually seen. Despite
the many positives of social media, there are also problems that arise from its use, like negative influence and cyberbullying. With the popularity of social media outlets, such as Instagram and Twitter, these problems become more and more prominent. According to pewinternet. org, 81 percent of online teens use some kind of social media, and the numbers are only growing. This new way of creating personal image is an ever-present challenge for students today. Lang said that her reputation last year was formed mostly on social media, and distancing herself from that reputation was difficult. “People knew who I was last year just because of the internet,” Lang said. “This year, I finally had someone ask me, ‘What’s your name?’ and it felt so good because somebody didn’t know me.“
Junior Naria Paytas takes selfies to create her online image. This type of sharing allows her to project a certain lifestyle to her 1,374 followers on Instagram. Hannah McAtamney | Photo
Many students use indoor tanning to create a base tan prior to vacations like spring break. The use of tanning beds has led to an increase of health risks, including skin cancer and premature aging. Ella Colbert | Feature Editor & Paige Murphy | Staff Writer
Truth about tanning FEATURES
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unior Kennedy Fischer waits for the tanning bed in her garage to heat up to the appropriate temperature before getting in, closing the top, and setting a timer for ten to twelve minutes. She is careful to cover her entire body with tanning oil, paying extra attention to her face, which tends to burn more easily. “Normally, I go after the summer or spring break to maintain the tan I got from the summer and from being in the warm weather,” Fischer said. “I also go just before I go on vacation. I’m supposed to go to Florida for spring break, so I’ll go to get a base tan so I don’t get fried the first day because of how fair my skin is.” Like many other high school students, Fischer Junior Kennedy Fischer creates a base tan for her spring break trip to Florida. Fischer has a level three tanning bed in her garage. Maddy O’Callaghan | Photo is creating a base tan for her spring break trip. Unlike other students, Fischer has a personal the light force is a lot closer to the surface of must present a statement signed by a parent or guardian acknowledging that they understand tanning bed that is always at her disposal. the skin.” Fischer started using the bed two years ago, Fischer is aware of the health risks of indoor the health risks involved and that their child will following her mother’s example. tanning on the body, but continues to use the wear protective eye wear. Peoples said that creating indoor tanning “The place my mom went [tanning] was tanner to maintain her color after vacation and restrictions for people under 18 would limit closing, so she got a really good deal on one avoid sunburn. of the beds and bought it,” Fischer said. “I’ve done a report on [the health risks] the amount of people exposed to UVA light “She wouldn’t have to go get a membership before, just because I wanted to know for at a younger age, and decrease the amount of elsewhere.” myself, but it doesn’t really bother me because health risks later in life. Some of these adverse Senior Hannah Welter has a membership I think that you can get cancer from just about effects include sun-induced skin cancer and premature aging. at Global Tan and, similar to Fischer, “Usually you don’t notice any typically goes indoor tanning before deleterious effects of indoor tanning going on vacation. Two days before “You might not even notice any serious side until years later,” Peoples said. “You she leaves, Welter will go to the tanner a few times. effects in the beginning, even though most of the might not even notice any serious side effects in the beginning, even though “I burn pretty bad the first days I go damage occurs before age eighteen.” most of the damage occurs before age on vacation, so it helps if I have a little eighteen. Most of the effects are not bit of color,” Welter said. seen until patients are middle-aged.” Although beneficial in certain Dermatologist Danita Peoples Conversely, Welter and Fischer situations, Board Certified both said that restrictions for indoor Dermatologist Danita Peoples said tanning to people under the age of indoor tanning presents significantly 18 are unnecessary, as it is the choice of the more health risks than natural sunlight, such anything,” Fischer said. as increased risk of skin cancer and premature Welter is also aware of the risks of excessive individual and their parents. “I think the restrictions that they have now are aging. Indoor tanning uses Ultraviolet A (UVA) indoor tanning, but believes that, in moderation, light, whereas natural outdoor tanning uses it is not a problem. She goes to the tanning salon good,” Fischer said. “If you get a membership Ultraviolet B (UVB) light. before vacation to prevent sunburn, but not under eighteen, you have to have a parent’s consent. I think it’s up to them. If they want to “[UVA light] penetrates the skin more deeply every day. than UVB,” Peoples said. “It causes a certain “I know people at Midland High that go do it and their parents are okay with it, it’s their amount of cellular damage whenever you’re every single day, and I think they shouldn’t own choice.” Both girls’ attitudes towards the health exposed to Ultraviolet light.” do that because it’s wrong and they will get Peoples emphasized the dangers of indoor skin cancer,” Welter said. “I think going before risks of tanning are indicative of the general tanning and how much worse UVA is for the spring break two or three times isn’t going to population of high school students who also skin than UVB. Despite this, UVA light is just make that much of a difference, if you’re going use tanning beds. “We live in Michigan, so we don’t really have as likely to cause skin cancer as UVB. to get a tan anyway.” States that require parent consent “The ultraviolet light, in both situations, can The current law in Michigan for indoor much sun for almost nine months out of the and/or accompaniment for indoor tanning cause cellular damage,” Peoples said. “The tanning is not as strict as some other states, year,” Fischer said. “It’s nice to get some color to difference is, however, most people who do which completely ban tanning under the age your skin. I just don’t like being pale, so it helps Source: www.aad.org indoor tanning do it a lot more frequently, and of 18. In Michigan, people under the age of 18 to tan in the winter months.”
The burning facts
Using indoor tanning before the age of 35 school increases the risk of of high students
12.8%
Melanoma by
59%
have used a tanning bed
Indoor tanning causes upwards of about 400,000 cases of skin cancer in the U.S. each year.
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Breaking the minority model FEATURES
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints discuss being minorities in the community, along with the acceptance of their faith and the unique rules of their religion. Megan Nylund | Managing Editor & Kayla Graham | Sports Editor
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hen Brad Herzog faced a death in the family, he was unable to comfort his mother. However, through his Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), God, and the living prophet, Thomas S. Monson, he knew that the support his religion provided would help his mom more than he could at that time. “My dad had bone cancer, and he had been in a medical center because they reached the point where there was nothing they could do,” said Herzog, whose son, Nathan, is a sophomore. “He passed away in the night, and the morning after, my brother went out into the hall and he ran back in. He said, ‘Mom, guess what? President Monson’s in the hall!’ He was visiting his daughter who was in the same medical center. It was really special to my family.” Having a modern-day prophet is a unique aspect of the LDS followers, also known as Mormons. The religion is a branch of Christianity and follows many of the same principles. In addition, Mormons are also forbidden from alcohol, swearing, pornography, sex before marriage, coffee, tea, tobacco, and dating before sixteen. They must also keep the Sabbath day holy by staying in with their family and refraining from going to the store. Sophomore Spencer James, who is also Mormon, believes the rules guide him in the right direction. “[Mormonism] is just a lot of Christian morals,” James said. “Some people interpret them as strict, but when you grow up with the rules, they don’t really seem that bad. A lot of them are to give you more freedom in the end, because if you’re choosing to do one of those addicting things, you will have less freedom in twenty years.” In addition to the rules of their religion, male members between the ages of 18 and 22 are encouraged to serve two years in an area assigned to them by the church in Salt Lake City, Utah. Herzog was sent on his mission to Guatemala. While there, his partner experienced a uneasy feeling when walking down a dark, shorter path that he chose to take, over the long, well-lit path. This is a common feeling for many people of
Sophomore Spencer James reads his Book of Mormon. James, along with other Mormons, believe that the Book of Mormon’s views are equally as important as The Bible’s teachings. Megan Nylund | Photo the religion, when they believe the Holy Spirit guides them in the right direction. “Common sense would have helped just as well, but I wanted to get home,” Herzog said. “I said to take the short way and my companion didn’t say anything at the time. We saw some people come up from behind us, with flashlights, and they caught up to us. One of them pulled out a gun and they proceeded to rob us. Fortunately, they didn’t hurt us. We walked back to the apartment, and my companion said, ‘I felt prompted that we shouldn’t go this way.’ And I said, ‘Why didn’t you say anything?’”
Mormons in America The religious makeup of Midland, along with the North American locations of Mormons’ sacred temples.
Other Religions
Sources: Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Bishop Sasha Savage
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98%
Other volunteer opportunities are also common for the members of the church. One of the biggest responsibilities in a single congregation is being the bishop, an unpaid position. Bishop Sasha Savage currently holds the position at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while also working as a physician. “I did not choose to become a bishop,” Savage said. “Once the [leaders] feel confident that their prayers have been answered, they extend that ‘calling’ of Bishop to the selected individual. At that time, the person either accepts or declines. Most of us called to accept the opportunity,
Latter-day Saints
2%
of which roughly 6% are high schoolers
mostly because of our love for the Lord and our desire to serve Him.” Although the uniqueness of the Mormons’ religion makes the members stand out in the community, none of them feel as if they are outcast. Sophomore Nathan Herzog said that Midland is especially accepting of his faith. “It hasn’t really affected too many people in Midland, but since a lot of people in Midland are understanding of our religion, even if they don’t practice it, it makes it easier,” Nathan said. “Most of the reactions that I get are, ‘What’s a Mormon?’’” Brad and Nathan have not only experienced Midland’s acceptance of their religion, but have also encountered acceptance in Arkansas and Japan. Brad found that Midland is among the most accepting. “We lived in Magnolia, Arkansas for ten years,” Brad said. “Most people there were Baptists. People were very hospitable to us, but it seemed that they did have a little more negative attitudes toward members of our church.” Since Brad and Nathan have lived in Midland for several years without any discrimination, the family says they have never felt as if they were a minority. “I love Midland,” Brad said. “We feel like we’ve been welcomed here. This is our home.” Savage agreed that both Midland and the United States, in general, are very accepting of their faith. They, along with their families, have never experienced a time where they could not freely express their beliefs. “I am grateful to live in the United States of America,” Savage said. “In the early days of our Church, many of our people were persecuted severely for their beliefs. They were harassed, mobs threatened them, their homes and crops were burned, and some were even killed. Fortunately, I have not encountered any of those threats in my life. I am grateful for those brave pioneers who paved the way. For me, now my responsibility is to remain true to the faith, following their courageous examples, and living as my Savior would have me do.”
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Creating a sacred space FEATURES
The Children's Grief Center of the Great Lakes Bay Region has worked for the last two years to help students, from ages 5-18, who have lost a parent or loved one. Will Hackbarth | Editor-in-Chief & Hayley Russell | Staff Writer & Lillian Mohr | Staff Writer
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hen both of sophomore Robby Hawley’s parents passed away, he felt alone. With no support system, he lacked a way to cope with his grief. Hawley’s aunt, concerned about her nephew, looked for places in the area that could help and found the Children’s Grief Center of the Great Lakes Bay Region. Hawley was unsure at first, but after being welcomed by the volunteers and playing games with other students in a similar situation, he found himself laughing for the first time in months. “I was actually having fun,” Hawley said. “All the games we got to play, and all the fun we had; it was honestly one of the best days of my life.” Executive Director Camille Gerace Nitschky created this program in 2013, for students who suffered losses, after her friend asked her to take on the project. Coming from a background of therapeutic massage, she had no experience with running a nonprofit organization, but she was personally dealing with grief from recent deaths of many close family members and felt she would be able to make a difference with the program. Eventually, Nitschky agreed, and began overcoming the series of challenges in order to learn how to run her own nonprofit. “I’m amongst peers that have been doing this much longer than I, and they’ve all been overwhelmingly supportive to help me be successful,” Nitschky said. “It’s been the hardest two years [of my life], but it’s been the most rewarding.” For Nitschky, the best part of the job is seeing the kids smile, laugh, and play. She also loves to see the children learn how to vocalize their feelings and talk about their grief. This occurs weekly, at each group meeting, during different activities designed to create a positive, supportive atmosphere. “We aren’t therapy or counselling; we’re peer support,” Nitschky said. “As facilitators, we aren’t going to be like, ‘Oh, how does that make you feel?’ I’m there to create a sacred space, so that they feel safe [so] that they can share with each other, and they end up empowering each other.” Each group session begins with an opening circle. Here, the students can explain the grief they are experiencing with kids from the same age group. They then go to participate in creative activities or some higher-energy games. Nitschky finds that these fun activities often make students more comfortable about sharing their feelings. “Kids express themselves through play, through art, through creativity,” Nitschky said. “Sometimes a volunteer will be one-onone with a kid and they’re talking, and it’s the
Saginaw Spirit player Will Petschenig laughs with children from the Grief Center. He takes kids to his games, free of cost. Camille Nitschky | Photo Courtesy place where they can actually tell a story about the person that died.” The center also provides other special activities to help the students have fun and bond with each other. Will Petschenig, a Saginaw Spirit hockey player, regularly takes children to his hockey games, in addition to volunteering at the group meetings. “My goal is just to reach out to as many kids as I can, try to be a positive influence on them, help them out, and make sure they’re always staying positive,” Petschenig said. “If they ever need someone, or a friend to talk to, I just want to be there for them.” He began working with the Children’s Grief Center after his own father died, and he wanted to help younger children in a similar situation as himself, who had lost a parent or another loved one. “I remember my dad was one of the best fathers a kid could ever have and he always made me happy,” Petschenig said. “So I like seeing kids happy; it brings back good memories for me.” The happiness Petschenig gets from volunteering with these children and taking them to his hockey games helps him deal with his own grief. “It’s not just for the kids, but it’s for me as well,” he said. “As a kid, my dad would always make me smile and take me to games and do
fun activities [with me]. So, when I do fun activities with these kids and see them smile, that's awesome.” Helena Nitschky, Camille’s daughter, agrees that volunteering with children helps with her own grief, as well as her mom's, and said that the center differs greatly from the stereotypical grief center. “Being here for the first time, it changes a lot, and you really realize how much different it is than what you hear,” Helena said. “You think it’s a bunch of kids crying and being sad about their parent that died, but really, it’s them being able to have fun and let go.” All these volunteers agree the center has changed their lives in some way. “It’s opened my eyes a lot, and it’s something I’d like to continue for the rest of my life,” Petschenig said. “With all these kids, it has a really big impact on their lives. Seeing the kids happy, it’s awesome." Hawley and Petschenig both want to start their own centers if they ever leave Midland. Camille plans on expanding the Children’s Grief Center into other cities, such as Saginaw and Bay City. They all want to see the center grow because they have seen the positive impact it can have on students. “I’ve never seen a single person leave this group sad,” Hawley said. “If they come in sad, they always leave with a smile on their face.”
Children's Grief Center What:
Weekly group sessions for children, ages 5-18, who have experienced a death of a loved one, featuring: • Free pizza: A free meal for students and their families. • Opening Circle: Students share their personal grief with others in their age groups. • Recreation : A time to socialize and make connec tions with their peers through creative or high-energy activities. • Closing Circle : Students share what they are looking forward to, in order to encourage a positive mindset.
When: Every first and third Monday at Messiah Lutheran Church, 1550 S. Poseyville Rd. and every second and fourth Tuesday at the Salvation Army, 330 Waldo Ave.
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NEWS
The way of the future Computer Science
Junior Hannah Striebel has been a member of the American Computer Science League for the past two years. Striebel considers STEM to be a key part of her education. Julia Quinn | Photo
Robotics
[ ] Iron 26
Fe male 55.845
How gender diverse the school's STEM programs? Maddy Pasche | A&E Editor & Julia Quinn | Photo Editor
Junior Emily Kreusch recently joined science programs at Midland High and the Midland Center for The Arts in order to broaden her interests and also prepare herself for the future, as she plans on studying microbiology in college. Kresuch notices the gender gap in these STEM programs. Julia Quinn | Photo
A Senior Abby Lund is the Electrician Captain for the robotics team. Lund credits Robotics for finding her passion for working as an electrician. Ben Younkin | Photo Courtesy
Science Olympiad
Junior Taylor McGuirk dissects a rat in her AP biology class, helping her improve her anatomy skills. McGuirk is going to states for Science Olympiad on April 30. Julia Quinn l Photo
s the fastest growing, most demanding industry in the nation, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) is rising in importance in both education and the work force. However, there is often a gender gap in STEM programs at all levels. This disparity is present at Midland High, with boys outnumbering girls in every STEM related club. Computer science teacher Bob Fox has been working for the past five years to get more girls involved in the STEM programs, specifically computer programming. Fox has successfully increased the amount of girls in the class and club by expanding the exposure and education of STEM throughout the school. “Getting exposure and seeing what they can do at computer programming or robotics or whatever STEM program it is attracts a lot of people,” Fox said. “I get girls all the time in my class who say they took computer programming because there was a hole in their schedule, but now that they see what it is, they love it.” Math teacher and robotics coach Ben Younkin agrees that the main way to get more girls to join STEM is to educate and expose the program to everyone throughout the school. Younkin says it is not just girls that STEM is looking for, but anyone who is willing to try
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and work hard. “The biggest hurdle is just getting kids exposed and having them realize all of the viable opportunities that exist in STEM fields,” Younkin said. “Beyond a nationally noticed shortage of girls in STEM fields, you will notice that there is a lack of minorities and economically deprived students in STEM related fields, and I think these shortages all come back to the idea that students need to be exposed to STEM fields.” Younkin said Midland High has been very progressive in involving girls in the STEM programs. He said that he has a strong group of girls on his robotics team who play key roles as leaders, including the team president, electrical captain, and safety captain. “Midland High has done a great job of breaking the tradition of STEM fields being male-dominated by working hard to encourage girls to join STEM based clubs and pursue STEM based careers,” Younkin said. Junior Hannah Striebel is one of the four girls involved in programming club, and has participated since the winter of her freshman year. Striebel notices the gender gap within the programming club and American Computer Science League, but she does not feel that it limits her as a member of the clubs. “[Being a female going into a STEM related
career] has never really intimidated me,” Streibel said. “I’ve always thought of it as an opportunity, since there is more room for me to put myself in a position to be influential.” Fox agrees that the demand for women in the STEM industry exists and presents an advantage to women pursuing a career in those fields. Current STEM industries and programs generally are looking for diversity, and the different ways of thinking that both males and females can bring to new innovations and products, bettering their economic outputs. Fox feels that the shortage of women in STEM comes from deficiency of education and misconceptions about the field. “There’s a perception that girls don’t belong in the field and there are also a lot of stereotypes about what those STEM fields involve,” Fox said. “Research shows that the big things that attract women to whatever job they want to do is creativity, and the ability to change the world – to have an impact, and I think sometimes there is a perception that you can’t do that in those fields, even though that’s not necessarily true.” Fox said that there are many things in STEM that attract women to the field, like the ability to create something that doesn’t exist, to change the world, and to come up with something that no one else has before.
NEWS
Junior Emily Kreusch, a member of Science Olympiad, said that STEM offers more than some people may think. “All of the STEM fields interconnect together,” Kreusch said. “There is something for everyone in science; it just depends on what interests you.” Like many of the women with interests in math and science, senior Abby Lund has found her calling in a STEM related career. Before joining the robotics team, she knew that she liked math and science and was good at the subjects. Being on the team opened her eyes and made her realize that this is what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. Lund's work with electrical components especially sparked her interest in that field. “I realize that I will be working with a lot of men in my future, but it doesn’t bother me that I’m working with them,” Lund said. “Of course, I would like to see more women in the STEM field, but the fact that there aren’t a lot of women right now doesn’t discourage me from pursuing it.” Kreusch agrees that woman have an advantage going into STEM careers because they are such a minority. However, she recognizes the difficulties women often face in a male dominated career field, and expects to face some of these challenges while pursuing a career in microbiology. “My only concern about going into a field that is so male-dominated is being looked down on because of my gender,” Kreusch said.“I may not be as respected because I am a girl. There are probably a lot [of female scientists] but they are not very well known; they aren’t as respected.” Fox said that another advantage to pursuing a STEM career is the job stability and financial benefits that come with jobs in the field. The 2020 National Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that 76 percent of new jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math are going to involve programming or computers. Kreusch agrees that the job stability associated with STEM is an advantage and a main reason she joined Science Olympiad. “STEM is the education trend right now, a lot of people think that’s where jobs will be in the future, so focusing on it now will help me,” Kreusch said. With the amount of female participation in STEM related careers rising, many believe the field provides a promising future for both genders. All three girls think it is valuable to pursue what interests them most. “[Women looking to join STEM clubs] should do what they love and don’t let other people in that field intimidate you,” Striebel said. “Go for what you want to do. Do what you are passionate about it. If you are good at it, things will fall into place.”
Girls in STEM
Various facts about girls and women in working STEM fields and Midland High STEM programs
What holds girls back? 47% of girls say that they would feel uncomfortable if they were the only girl in a class or group. 57% of girls feel that they would have to work harder than a man to be taken seriously.
Gender pay gap in STEM fields A woman earns $0.77 to every $1.00 a man makes. (33% less)
Midland High STEM club gender ratios
% of women in STEM careers 15.6% of chemical engineers 8.3% of electrical and electronics engineers
Robotics 16:19
7.2% of mechanical engineers
Science Olympiad 4:10
17.2% of industrial engineers
Computer Science 3:9
12.1% of civil engineers 27.9% of environmental engineers and geoscientists
Sources: ngcproject.org, elearningfeeds.com, ncwit.org 13 | FOCUS | MARCH 23, 2016 | mhsfocus.com
The way of the future
NEWS
Formulating victory
The Science Olympiad competition team continues to prepare for the state competition on April 30, after recently placing third at regionals. Madelyn Groulx | Staff Writer & Kady Volmering | Staff Writer
S
miles filled the faces of the Science Olympiad team as they heard they had placed high enough at regionals to advance to the state competition for the first time in several years. Science Olympiad advisers, Keri Ivan and Brian Reinhardt, were filled with the same excitement. “I knew going in that we had a strong and complete team,” Reinhardt said. “When it was official, I was happy to see the hard work and time had paid off. This was a goal that a lot of individuals have been working for, and it was great that the whole team was able to come together and accomplish it.” Reinhardt said that, because Midland High placed in the top five of all but five events at regionals, he knew the team would place high enough to move on to states. This year has been the most successful season the club has seen in the last 20 years. Due to a rise in participants, the Science Olympiad program has divided into two teams one competitive team and one practice team. The practice team prepares alongside the competitive team at the club meetings, so they may eventually take their place after the seniors graduate. At the start of the season, the team received a grant of $800 from the Michigan Science Olympiad organization, designated for purchasing study materials, model building kits, and other team expenses. Science Olympiad is a competition for students who have an interest and passion for the sciences. Subjects such as biology, physics, and chemistry are tested through 22 different events. The team is responsible for having at least one group represented at each event, which results in each member competing in an average of three different events. At the competitions, the tests vary from free response or multiple choice questions to hands-on building projects. Both the competition and practice teams prepare through studying and building models, using designs from previous groups. After placing third at the regional competition, they will compete at states, taking place on April 30 at Michigan State University. “Placing for states has always been the goal,” senior Ryan Swierzbin said. “I look forward to testing my skills with the best in the state.” Swierzbin has been a part of Science Olympiad since the seventh grade, excluding his junior year. He decided to continue the
program as a senior because of his interest in science. At regionals, Swierzbin tested in forensic science, bridge building, and experimental design. As he prepared for his favorite event, forensic science, Swierzbin decided to study that field as a career. This year, the competition team is composed mostly of juniors and seniors. Senior Zach Church has been a part of Science Olympiad since the sixth grade. At regionals, he competed in the creation of an electric vehicle, experimental design, a Wright Brothers project, construction of a robot arm, and bridge building. Church was one of the club’s highest scoring competitors, consistently placing in the top five in all five of his events. Church said he and his partner, Swierzbin, will have a good chance at placing well in the bridge building event at states. Church and Swierzbin placed second in the bridge building event at regionals, after their bridge withstood roughly 15 kilograms of weight. Swierzbin hopes to improve the bridge design from the regional competition by rebuilding and making changes to accommodate previous problems. Although the team members are happy with the results of the competition, Reinhardt and Swierzbin both agree that the team isn’t necessarily expecting to place at states. Instead, they are looking forward to the experience of the competition. In her first year in Science Olympiad, junior Laura Lange also looks forward to the opportunities the competition presents. Lange and her partner, junior Taylor McGuirk, are excited to compete and see how well they can place. “We were really excited because it was a lot of prep time and we didn’t know what to expect,” Lange said. “I’m excited to go to Michigan State and see how well we can do.” Lange competed in protein modeling, anatomy and physiology, and a cell biology event with McGuirk. Lange said she and McGuirk could potentially place in the cell biology event at states, because they won first place at the regional competition. Lange and other students on the team said that Science Olympiad was a fun high school experience that allowed them to use their knowledge and passion for science outside of the classroom. “[Science Olympiad] is a good environment to surround yourself with people who also appreciate science,” Swierzbin said.
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Junior Laura Lange dissects a rat in her AP/IB Biology class. For competitors like Lange, advanced chemistry, physics, and biology classes give an advantage in Science Olympiad events. Julia Quinn | Photo
Games for the brain
A glimpse at two of the events the students competed in during the regional competition.
Bridge Building
Photo Courtesy | Richard Ivan
The team starts to build the bridge with materials from a kit, but innovates by making a unique design. During the competition, the judges inspect the bridge’s design to ensure it passes specifications. Then, the bridge must be tested for how much weight it can hold before it collapses. The team placed second in this event.
Robot Arm
Before the competition, the team builds the robot arm to find its optimal performance. The arm contains many joints, has a motor for motion, and provides support for the axis. It must manipulate objects, such as a ping-pong ball. A high level of physics knowledge is required to ensure control and stability. The team placed fifth in this event.
Photo Courtesy | Richard Ivan
The way of the future
NEWS
Shaping young minds
MPS finalizes plans for the new STEM elementary school.
At a glance
A closer look at growing STEM careers in the United States
Maddy O’Callaghan | Staff Writer & Cara Spencer | Staff Writer & Jacob Presson | Staff Writer
In 2018, there will be 1.2 million job openings in STEM 50% of STEM jobs don’t require 4 year degrees
STEM jobs are expected to grow 16.8%
There are 3.7 million unfilled STEM jobs Students at Eastlawn work on a science project focusing on gravity. With the closing of the two elementary schools, students from Carpenter and Eastlawn will most likely be attending the new STEM school when it opens in 2017. The STEM cirriculm will be introduced to all Midland Public Schools in the following years. Maddy O’callaghan| Photo
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pril 1st marks the beginning of the construction for Midland Public School’s new STEM elementary school. The plan for the new school was developed in February of 2015, when community members voted on a bond that would demolish Central Middle School and build an elementary school in its place. With growing career fields in STEM, the school district changed their plan from a regular elementary school to one focused on science, math, technology and engineering. “Somewhere around that time we began to think ‘Why not develop a STEM school,’ with the push on STEM,’” superintendent Michael Sharrow said. “Our thought was the earlier the better. If we’re going to shape student’s interests into what fields or careers they want to go into, we want to start in elementary, which is a different concept, because a lot of the time STEM is targeted at the middle and high schools.” The school will be paid for with bond money from Midland residents, as well as $3 million granted from the Gerstacker Foundation, the Strosacker Foundation, the Dow Family Foundation, and the Dow Chemical Company Foundation. The money will go to provide training, curriculum, and materials for the next 10 years for the new school, as well as the other schools in the district. “We now have what we call a full STEM strategic plan,” Sharrow said. “Which starts with the STEM elementary school. In the following year, we implement the curriculum into the other elementary schools at the same time we implement curriculum into the middle and high schools.” Principals Bridget Hockemeyer and Shannon Blasy have been appointed to be the principals.
Hockemeyer has been involved with MPS for 30 years and taught elementary education for 22 years. She is now principal of Plymouth. Blasy is currently principal of Eastlawn Elementary School. Her teaching career began in Cario, Egypt, when she taught IB Art, before she carried her skills back to Midland to teach art at elementary and middle schools. The two plan to collaborate to create a beneficial experience for the expected 600-700 children attending the school. They believe that the STEM school will be constructive for
Wages are 26% higher for STEM workers
Spaces, trying new things, assembling machines, trying to make sense of something or creating innovative projects,” Blasy said. “These students will be in a less traditional educational setting that will allow their curiosity and discovery to grow.” The teachers for the school will mostly come from the two closing schools: Carpenter and Eastlawn. The teachers will be trained heavily in science and math and will be taught a curriculum through Project Lead The Way, along with educators at the other elementary schools. The STEM school will also have a 1 in 5 STEM college students group of volunteer scientists to assist “The STEM school is a support for decided to study STEM in middle with the students. One group, created by students so that they can reach their Carl Geoders, has volunteered at other school or earlier academic potential and be prepared elementary schools and plans to help the STEM school when needed. Retired for our changing world.” Dow Chemical engineer David Shannon Principal Bridget Hockemeyer is excited for the opportunity to help the 7.3% in students and teachers. 18% in “[Our] interest is using our technical Engineering Computer both the students and the community. backgrounds to support the teaching staff “My hope is that the STEM school will in delivering high quality instruction to the Science inspire students to learn new skills they may students in a variety of STEM activities,” not know they have,” Hockemeyer said. “It is Shannon said. “The elementary years are our goal to create an environment that will not a critical time for students, as they begin to only inspire students, but encourage them to explore their individual skills and interests. embrace challenging learning experiences.” Whether individual students ultimately The school will have innovative features pursue careers in STEM fields, or their that provide students with hands-on learning interests carry them in other directions, a experiences in STEM. Each grade level good background and a positive view of 10% in Social will have a learning studio surrounded by STEM will always be of great value to them 26% in Science classrooms, outdoor STEM studios, and maker and the communities they live in.” Mathematics spaces. The STEM studio will be technologyThe volunteer scientists are among the & Science enriched with hands-on projects, while the many aspects of the school exciting people maker space is where students will go to create for its opening in the 2017-2018 school year. messier projects and experiments. Blasy looks “The STEM school is a support for Sources: elearninginfographics.com Brooking Institute forward to the new spaces. students so that they can reach their National Math + Science Initiative “I can’t wait to see them in the Maker academic potential and be prepared for US Bureau of Labor Statistics our changing world,” Hockemeyer said. 15 | FOCUS | MARCH 23, 2016 | mhsfocus.com
Predicted Growth for 2022
SPORTS
THE SPORTS ZONE
Statistics and player profiles of the season’s prominent athletes, along with future sporting events, a sports column, and a sports poll. Spencer Patrell | Staff Writer & Ian Andridge | Staff Writer
Anna Schultheis
Couples’ Counseling
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f my relationship with working out could be described with a Facebook status, it would say: It’s complicated. Dr. Phil would definitely consider our relationship as unhealthy. I was constantly cheating. We would go long stretches of time without seeing each other. When we would see each other, I was often in a bad mood and exercise was definitely not happy to see me. But I wanted to make the relationship work. We had been on the verge of legal separation for forever, and with college approaching, the obstacle of the Freshman Fifteen loomed in our way. I just I wanted to get back to adoring the isometrics I once loved. This forced me to confront some significant problems. Problem #1: I often cheated on my beloved exercise. Yes, I had an affair with food. My mentality was that if I worked out for an hour, then I deserved a bowl of ice cream at night. If I wore athletic clothes, then I earned a bagel from Big Apple Bagels. If I took the stairs instead the elevator, I could take 10 days off our relationship. I knew it wasn’t right, but I couldn’t help myself. Problem #2: I neglected exercise and forgot about him and his needs. Often, I got so caught up in my own life that he got pushed aside. I needed to learn to schedule him into my time and remember the more we work out together, the less pain there will be. We just had to recall who we were again and get past that initial awkward stage. Problem #3: I needed to have a more optimistic mind-set and mood when we were together. Every time I would go to work out with him, I often wanted to give up. I had to remember that I couldn’t just give up our relationship. I had to stop swearing and whining and learn to cherish our time together. In the future, when my bones are
brittle, Depends underwear becomes my daily fashion statement, and I take 50 pills before breakfast,we won’t be as close as we should be now. The only time I will see him is as a geriatric patient on the shuffleboard court at my retirement home. Our relationship, even though I admitted to my mistakes, still needed a little extra push. So, one day this summer, I stumbled across a couples counseling course. My counselor called me in and basically gave me no other option but to take this course, because our relationship was in such dire circumstances. The option was for an hour, every day, throughout the entire school year. The course was named Weights and Conditioning. There I met a coach and teacher who has taught me to learn and respect my relationship. He has taught me different ways that we can get quality time together, such as squatting, bench press, and running laps. Also, in this class, I met other people in the same position as me. A girl named Kelly has been a big influence on me. She was also in a struggling relationship with exercise and we both wanted to make it work. She taught me that it is good to create balance; if you are concerned about your butt, then focus on that and lay off the arms. Or work on your abs if you feel that area needs the most work. I also met my main motivator: Cam. He encouraged me to push through the pain and never give up, even if it meant one more squat. Without the relationship counseling of these three people, my relationship with physical activity wouldn’t be what it is today. In the recent months after taking this class, I have repaired my relationship with working out and respect both myself and my soulmate-exercise-as well. So, if there is anyone out there struggling through the same things as I was and still do, then I highly recommend taking the Weights and Conditioning class or any other gym class to help fix what is broken and rebuild a healthy relationship with exercise. Just remember that you are not alone; we all go through rough patches in relationships. Just don’t let this one end in a divorce.
My Top Five Food Affairs
Everything Bagels from Big Apple Bagels
Dessert Nachos from Buffalo Wild Wings
Applebee’s Mozzarella Sticks
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Soaring Eagle Cheesecake
Wendy’s Fries
Athletes of the Month Cheyne Maier
Grade: Senior Sport: Varsity Baseball Statistics: Last season: scored 6 doubles, 108 plate appearances and 18 hits. Proudest Moment: “Hitting a walk off home run off of Luke Delong.” Key to Success: “Put in extra hours after regular practice time.” Co a c h’s Ta ke : “ I t w a s t h e d i s t r i c t championship game and we played Heritage. Their catcher was weak, and at that point I said to myself, ‘thank goodness we have Cheyne’.” Eric Albright
Dehlia Whitley | Staff Writer
Grade: Senior
Kayla Patnode
Sport: Varsity Track and Field Statistics: Highest pole vault: 8ft. 6in. Proudest Moment: “Freshman year when I just beat the girls freshman pole vault record, I was so excited. I was screaming and crying, it was on TV also.” Key to Success: “ Try to focus on one correction at a time. Work and pay attention to what your coach tells you to do.” Coach’s Take: “She is doing great, always laughing. She’s a great kid and she has a great attitude, always great to work with her.” Butch Wenzel
Olivia Barber | Staff Writer
SPORTS
Tennis abroad
Upcoming Events Boy’s varsity lacrosse opening game: Wednesday, March 23
Girl’s varsity softball opening game: Thursday, April 7
SPORTS
“That was the best Midland High basketball game I have ever seen” @mitchkent17
Tweet of the
Sophomore Pia Schweminski prepares herself for tryouts at the Tennis Center. Ian Andridge | Photo
Sophomore Pia Schweminski, a German exchange student, started playing tennis nine years ago and has been honing her skills in the sport ever since. Ian Andridge | Staff Writer & Spencer Patrell | Staff Writer
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oming all the way from Lübeck, Germany, exchange student Pia Schweminski has been playing tennis ever since she was six years old. She started her sports career playing handball, a popular sport originating in her home country. She began playing tennis when her father, a prominent badminton and tennis player in Germany, motivated her to pick up the game. “My dad started with badminton when he was my age,” Schweminski said. “He was super good and travelled all over Germany for it. Then I started [playing tennis] at six with my brother. My dad was my coach all the time because I played with him. He knows a lot about tennis.” While her father plays matches with her and helps her to have more confidence in her game, her current coach helps her expand her techniques. To Schweminski, the best part about the sport is the variance in how games can play out. “It depends on the day, sometimes my serve is good or my volley,” Schweminski said, “Sometimes I like to use my slice. It is all totally different and you are on your own, so you can’t judge anybody because it’s you that messed up.” Schweminski said the hardest part about the sport is when she is losing and can’t strategize
a way out of the situation. “When you think you can’t win a game, you have to get yourself to stand up again and go back onto the court and play your best,” Schweminski said. Teammate Arianna Hohner has known Schweminski ever since she first came to Midland last summer, and has seen her devotion to the sport. “She has always been a good player, but she has gotten a lot more consistent in her game since I’ve known her,” Hohner said, “One day, our class was coming to an end, but she kept asking for just one more game.” Melissa Henning, another member of the team, has seen Pia’s skill on the court twice a week in the Tennis Center’s tournament training class. “She is really good at hitting a shot cross court, really deep into your backhand, which is a killer shot,” Henning said. Schweminski describes her serve as the one thing she still needs to work on and often practices to improve. “She has devoted a lot of time to tennis, and has really improved a lot on her serve,” Henning said. With her skill and devotion to the sport of tennis, Schweminski has only one thing to say about her decision between tennis and handball from years ago: “Tennis was the right decision.”
Month Origin of the yellow tennis ball: In 1972, research showed the traditional black and white balls were harder to see on televisions than the brighter alternative. Thus, the neon yellow ball became standard. Source: Tennis Week
The students participating in a sport are playing:
36% o f
students are playing a spring sport
11.5% 5.6%
7.5% 7.5% 9.4%
28.3% 30.2% Based on a survey of 143 students
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Filling in the gaps SPORTS
Senior Luke Malace and other track athletes have started a petition to resurface the track for the upcoming season. The current track is torn up, making it unsuitable for home meets. Katherine Vernier | News Editor & Chloe Gall | Staff Writer
Senior Rebekah Walter runs around the track before practice. The poor condition of the track results in a peeling surface that could potentially be dangerous when runners start their races. Ian Andridge| Photo
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hen senior Luke Malace discovered that he wouldn’t be able to run any home meets in his last year on the track and field team, he was angered and disappointed. He thought that the district was not paying attention to the condition of the track, which was flaking and peeling in large sections. In order to draw attention to the poor track condition, Malace started a petition to resurface the track for the upcoming season. “I feel like the issue was brought forth to them on many occasions,” Malace said. “It has got to the point that other districts have understood that it’s a bad track and I find that embarrassing. I don’t want to see future athletes get injured from it. It’s sickening that they haven’t maintained it.” The petition has over 200 signatures. Senior Max Pasche was one of the participants in the petition. Pasche felt that the district was
neglecting the issues concerning the track of the track is not suitable for runners. and was worried about the disadvantages of “There’s a type of surface that goes on not having any tracks,” Walter said. home meets. “For the really “You always good tracks, it’s want to run at thicker and kind “Just for the kids who do care and home,” Pasche do love to run, I hope the track gets fixed of bouncy. Right said. “You feel now, the track is as soon as possible.” comfortable essentially concrete, running on so people who run a track that it could get shin Senior Rebekah Walter on you train on. splints and stress I think it's fractures.” terrible the freshman won't get to run Track coach Keith Seybert agrees that the here. It’s just a different atmosphere, poor condition of the track is a safety hazard. especially if students are able to come.” Last year, he noticed athletes slipping due to Senior Rebekah Walter also signed the large chunks of the track coming up as they petition to replace the track. She was concerned were starting. with the safety of the track as well as the lack “I don’t think that schools would have of home meets. Walter feels the current surface refused to run here if it wasn’t a safety issue,”
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Seybert said. “It doesn’t look nice either, and it’s been like this for a number of years.” The track was last resurfaced in 2004, when the entire stadium was retouched. Track coach Diane Sugnet said the poor construction of the track is to blame for the current issues. “It’s weird," Sugnet said. "Most tracks, when they get old, they get worn and pushed out, but this one, you can go and just peel it off. It was done wrong and it shouldn’t be this bad, this early.” Athletic director Eric Albright agrees that the track was poorly constructed. He also feels that the issue should have been addressed earlier. “The recommended maintenance of a track is that it should have a resurfacing every five to seven years, and the school district put that off, either because they didn’t have the money or didn’t want to spend the money because
SPORTS they had different priorities,” Albright said. “Surfaces wear, but they don’t flake and peel off.” The original plan for the track was to wait until the turf of the football field would be replaced in 2019, and then fix the two at the same time. Athletics, at this time, were at a lower priority than other issues around the district. Fortunately, some savings were found in the lower-than-expected costs for the demolition of three elementary schools: Parkdale, Mills, and Cook. Now, the district can use the money they saved to do a light resurfacing on the track this summer, with intentions to completely renovate when they replace the turf in three years. Sugnet is thankful for the district’s efforts to get the track fixed as soon as possible. She said that the track is adequate for practices, but since it is worn and torn, it is not a suitable place to host any meets. Pasche is glad that the track will be usable for home meets in the 2017 season; however, he is still disappointed that he won’t be able to compete on his home track for his senior year. “It’s cool that they are making a step towards fixing the problem,” Pasche said. “But I’d rather see it get done. No one wants to come run on this track, and that is disappointing for us seniors [who] don’t get to run here anymore.” Malace is also disheartened that he will not be able to compete at Midland High his senior year. He feels that the school district has been neglecting the problem for a long time.
“It stinks our class won’t be able to benefit from the new track, being it should have been done a few seasons ago,” Malace said. The light resurfacing of the track has to be put off until summer because of the weather and the use of the track during the spring season. Seybert is appreciative of these efforts to fix the track and understands why it was put at lower priority. “I think people are working and trying to do the most important things first,” Seybert said. “If you can’t heat a building or if a roof is leaking, that has to take precedence over an athletic facility. I know that when you ask the community for support financially, above and beyond normal property taxes, there is a priority list that has to be followed if you want to continue to get support from the community. I’m pleased to see that they are moving up the resurfacing of the track and going to proceed with that.” Walter also understands that other issues take precedence, but hopes the track will be fixed quickly so that future runners can develop the same passion for running that she has. “I hope they do it as soon as possible, because this program is really important to me,” Walter said. “Coach Sugnet has put so much of her time and effort into this program and for one of the best programs in our school history, it just feels like they don’t give us any credit. So, just for the kids who do care and do love to run, I hope the track gets fixed as soon as possible.”
Senior Alex Englund signs the petition to get the track resurfaced. Senior Luke Malace started the petition in hopes of getting the track resurfaced before the spring season. Hannah McAtamney | Photo
To keep the track in good condition, the recommended maintenance of a track is a resurfacing every 5-7 years.
Fast Facts explaining the poor condition of the track
The track was resurfaced in 2004, and it was done improperly. There will be a light resurfacing of the track this summer to make it suitable for home meets.
The district plans to resurface both the track and the turf of the football field in the summer of 2019. 19 | FOCUS | MARCH 23, 2016 | mhsfocus.com
SPORTS
Foil
Sharpened mind
Junior Marin Tarnowski practices fencing with a foil, one of the three types of swords used for fencing. She has fenced for nearly a year, under the instruction of Guy Sabrie. She has competed in many fencing tournaments, in which points are given based on technique, style, and form. Ian Andridge | Photo
-Only torso is strikable. -Points for defending and attacking. -Has a rectangular cross-section.
Epee
Junior MarinTarnowski, taking after her family, started fencing in 2015 and has competed all over Michigan. Kirstyn Cotton | Opinion Editor & Gabriel Severson | Staff Writer & Kalie Dornbos | Staff Writer
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fter years of playing unique and circuit keeps track of points electronically. To “You have to have duplicates of all of your odd sports, junior Marin Tarnowski get a point, Marin must make the tip of her blade equipment for a tournament, in case something decided to try fencing. She was instantly come in contact with the opponent’s electrical malfunctions with them, so that means you hooked. vest, or lame. have to have two blades [and] two body cords,” “I have been fencing for a little over a year; I “[The equipment] is plugged into the wall Marin said. “[The equipment] isn’t cheap to started early January of 2015,” Tarnowski said. and there’s a computer that will keep track of begin with and it’s also not readily available; it “I have a long history of really liking odd sports, points,” Marin said. “Your blade is plugged all has to be ordered specially online.” like things that aren’t quite the typical sport that into the box and it’s on a long cord. When the Cindy enjoys the happiness that fencing a person would do, and so fencing just popped tip of your blade comes into contact with your brings to Marin. She also appreciates what it has up as one of those odd things that I could find.” opponent’s vest, it will trigger the box and it will taught her, such as good sportsmanship, quick When Marin first presented the idea of fencing either show that you hit it and scored a point, or reflexes, and self discipline. to her mom, Cindy Tarnowski, she thought “I like that [Marin] is able to do a sport it was a great idea. Both of Marin’s uncles that she loves,” Cindy said. “She seems fenced in high school and college. Cindy to enjoy the physical workout, as well as “A fencing tournament is the equivalent enjoys watching Marin practice, as well as the mental challenge of fencing, because it participate in tournaments. of doing 30 to 40 rounds of boxing, while involves strategy, kind of like chess.” “It’s fun to see her progress during lessons Marin’s fencing coach, Guy Sabrie, playing several hundred games of speed describes the sport as involving quickand fun to see her competitive side come out chess in an afternoon.” during tournaments,” Cindy said. thinking and precise decision making. A c c o r d i n g t o M a r i n , f e n c i n g i s a “To give you an idea of the game, a Coach Guy Sabrie modernized version of the basics of sword fencing tournament is the equivalent of fighting. The main difference is that it is doing 30 to 40 rounds of boxing, while focused on tactics and strategy, instead of force that you missed and then you restart.” playing several hundred games of speed chess and strength. One thing that Marin enjoys about fencing is in an afternoon,” Sabrie said. “It doesn’t have anything to do with actual the people she’s met through the sport. At the Sabrie enjoys coaching Marin due to her combat; it’s focused on technique, motion, and tournaments, people are generally kind and positive attitude and her ability to be satisfied planning out your attack before you do it,” helpful, even though they will be competing regardless of the outcome. Marin said. “A lot of people compare fencing against each other later in the day. Marin has “She endures grueling hours of training and to a mind game instead of an actual physical traveled around Michigan for tournaments in pushes herself hard because it allows her to play sport, because the real key part of it is once you hopes of getting better. the game at ever-increasing levels,” Sabrie said. have the motions down, if you’re thinking fast One negative of fencing is its cost. The “It’s a joy to coach Marin, because no matter enough, you can essentially figure out a little equipment is expensive, and athletes competing how grueling or frustrating a training session is, chess game in your head.” in tournaments require two of everything. For she always leaves the salle [fencing floor] with During fencing tournaments, an electric Marin’s starting set, it cost around $200. a smile on her face.”
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-The entire body is strikable. -Points are awarded for attacking. -Has a triangular cross-section.
Sabre
-Upper body is strikable using blades’ sides. -Points are awarded for attacking and style. -Has a triangular cross-section.
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Sonja Anderson
10 things I hate about you
you afraid we’ll do, take a bunch and make am upset with this school and here is why. tampon-friendship-necklaces? The passes. All right, so here’s the thing. Okay, this one is really petty and dramatic, The pass system is, on the surface, efficient. but many will relate. The squeaky desks. It ensures that only one person goes out of the Shift one centimeter to the left in a silent classroom at a time, designates destinations, classroom, and the entire world knows. whatever. Except, people are gross. And Seriously, everyone looks at you. So, they take the passes into the bathroom stall whenever I’m assigned a creaky desk, I am with them. And some of them don’t wash ultimately condemned to an entire marking their hands after they go to the bathroom, and period of complete stillness, forever living in then they touch the pass. And then, I have to fear of the ugly sound my desk will make if I touch the pass. Because students, including move. I know this is a really small problem, legal adults, are not allowed to leave a room but it’s honestly so fixable. There are plenty without holding a piece of plastic, like a of desks. The squeaky must burn. kindergartner. I would bet my life that there The gap. It’s in the girls’ bathroom, the are traces of urine on those passes. We all one downstairs by the language hallway, and know. you see it when you first walk in. Between Fifty dollars for a parking permit? Hah, the actual wall and the plastic wall of the first no. I don’t even own a car and I’m mad about stall, lies about 400 feet of unmanned airspace, that. The temperature. If it’s cold outside, maybe making the person in the stall completely visible to innocent you should heat onlookers. When you the school so it’s walk into the bathroom, not cold. And maybe if it’s “I am ultimately condemned to an your eyes automatically flash to the gap, as it’s warm outside, entire marking period of complete the first thing there, you should make stillness, forever living in fear of the which is awful, because the school a little someone is usually half cooler. Why is ugly sound my desk will make.” naked in there. You can that impossible to give all of us personal do? Sometimes, laptop computers next my first hour is the literal sun and my sixth year, but you can’t invest in four more inches hour is colder than the corpse of Joseph Stalin. of plastic stall material so that I don’t have to This is what our workforce’s hard earned tax see someone urinating every time I walk into dollars are going towards? the bathroom? Public Displays of Affection. This is selfAnd, on the other side of things, people explanatory, and everyone hates it. Stop using that stall probably feel uncomfortable trying to swallow each other in the hallway. I and exposed, because you can see people hope you get mouth-herpes. glance at you while inside it. Stop the Bop. I know it happened a In relation, there’s never any soap in the month ago, but I’m still recovering. Student soap dispensers. Council’s agenda infringed upon my rights The vending machines. Fact: reduced-fat as a citizen. The nerve, honestly. I care about Doritos do not exist. They are a figment of world hunger, but that’s not the way to fix it. imagination. A real Dorito holds as many The Geneva Convention says that torturing calories as the true, gluttonous American sees prisoners with music is not allowed. Plus, fit. Reduced-fat is just code for fake. Only in “What does the fox say” has too many key my hungriest of days have I spent a dollar on changes to make people pay money; it’s not those Doritos, and those were the worst days repetitive enough. If they played “Happy” by of my life. I swear, I can almost taste flakes Pharrell, the whole thing would be over in a of Michelle Obama’s yoga schedule on them. day. Also, stop the diet soda! I want diabetes! Why do tampons cost a quarter? Why These are the things that bug me, and are they not free? If you get shot with the they’re meant to be funny. Overall, I really unforgiving bullet of feminine nature and you like most of Midland High. I like the people, are not prepared, that’s the end. One day, I’m the sporting events, the assemblies, and the going to be standing in the bathroom, and I Chemic Pride aspect. And the newspaper, I won’t happen to have a quarter. And then guess. I’ll literally die on the spot. Do you want me But seriously this place is the worst. to die? Make the tampons free. What are
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Private Practice
A&E
Left: Senior Haley Hendricks sits at the orchestra room's grand piano, playing the song "On My Own" from the Broadway hit, Les Miserables. Hendricks is also the school band's drum captain. Ian Andridge | Photo Right: Senior Olivia Gandy plays the song "Falling Slowly" from the musical Once. Gandy sits in her piano teacher's home, where she has been going for lessons over the past thirteen years. Hannah McAtamney | Photo
Seniors Olivia Gandy and Haley Hendricks have been playing piano for over ten years each. Despite recitals and band accompaniments, both girls prefer to play the piano for themselves. Suzannah Koop | Staff Writer & Kirsten Warner | Staff Writer
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enior Haley Hendricks sits comfortably in the center of her piano bench, creating soulful music that resonates through her home. From the Les Miserables songs, to the Harry Potter soundtrack, Hendricks sees playing the piano as a soothing and enjoyable pass time. Hendricks began playing the piano at the age of six. Since then, she has become more involved with music in many different ways. She joined the school band in fifth grade, and worked her way up to drum captain this year. Between the drums and piano, Hendricks finds more comfort in playing the piano, and she loves what she is able to create on the instrument. “It feels kind of magical,” Hendricks said. “You need an orchestra to do some music, but for other things, you’re the entire orchestra and you can play everything.” Hendricks occasionally accompanies bands, as she did at this year’s Music Fest, playing with the band 45th Parallel. Aside from the occasional accompaniment, most of the music she creates on the piano is for herself. She loves feeling accomplished after putting in effort to practice a new song then finally learning it. “Playing the piano is a really good skill to
have because you can have it for the rest of Gandy has expanded her musical capabilities, your life and you can play it at any moment,” and along with the piano, she can play both the Hendricks said. guitar and the ukulele. She has performed at Although Hendricks loves the piano, she last year’s Music Fest, and played a duet at the plans on discontinuing her piano lessons in the Midland Center for the Arts Holiday Art Fair. future, since she thinks it would be difficult to One of her favorite pieces to play is “Falling stay dedicated to it in college. Yet, she wants Slowly” from the musical Once. She finds the to continue playing percussion in the CMU piano special, as it is something she can focus marching band. on individually, Senior Olivia w i t h o u t Gandy also holds competition or a strong passion pressure. Gandy “You need an orchestra to do some music, l i k e s t h a t t h e for piano, and like Hendricks, piano is her own but for other things you’re the entire she mostly keeps special, hidden orchestra and you can play everything.” her talent to talent. herself. Gandy “ I n e ve r Senior Haley Hendricks perform,” Gandy began playing the piano because said. “That’s her parents encouraged her to try something probably why no one has ever heard me play.” different as a child, and she fell in love with the Marcelle Herman, Gandy’s piano instructor, music. It was something her parents always began teaching her piano over ten years ago, wished they had done, and they pushed her to using her own experiences from playing continue learning. throughout high school. Teaching piano was a “It was just something fun that I did,” Gandy business that allowed Herman to share her love said. "I think that's what motivated me, the fact of music while based at home. Gandy was one of that there wasn't anything riding on it." Herman’s first students, and hopes that Gandy
Key facts A more in-depth look at Haley's piano experience 22 | FOCUS | MARCH 23, 2016 | mhsfocus.com
Clair de Lune
Yankee Doodle
Haley's favorite song to play right now. She enjoys the complexity.
One of Haley's first songs she learned to play when she was six.
continues playing throughout college. “I will truly miss her when she graduates, but know she will always have her musical talent for life,” Herman said. Herman agrees with both girls in their preference of performing. She doesn’t tend to have her students participate in contests, but instead holds recitals at her home in the spring. She teaches students classical training through method books, and then works on the music that interests them. She tries to teach in a way so that her students understand the deeper messages of the songs and form a personal connection to the music. “I encourage students to share the story of their song, not just play the notes on the page,” Herman said. Although Herman recognizes not everyone has an interest in piano, she wants all of her students to try some art form, whether it be singing, playing an instrument, dancing or something else. Hendricks agrees on the importance of trying new things, and discovering something new to be passionate about. “I’ve been playing for years and I couldn’t imagine my life without it,” Hendricks said.
"I play on a 100 year old piano that belonged to my greatgrandmother. It's old and chipped, and a little out of tune, but it's still really nice" Reported by Allison Stevens
Inner goddess A&E
Sophomore Becca Long participates in tribal fusion belly dancing. This style of dancing has helped build her confidence and increase her self-esteem. Claire Booth | Staff Writer & Gypsy Worrall | Staff Writer & Zach Noel | Web Editor
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ophomore Becca Long anxiously peels back started, she was very self-conscious and afraid the curtain to examine the large crowd to try new moves. She was worried others would waiting for her to take the stage. Panic runs be watching and judging her. However, the belly through her body as she thinks about the large dancing community is very empowering. This amount of people waiting to see her perform. atmosphere has been very good for her. Her She takes a couple of deep breaths before fears and inhibitions have started to gradually heading out to execute her first belly dance fade away. She holds herself up and recognizes that there is a goddess in every women.” performance. Becca’s belly dancing teacher, Linda Sarantis, Long started belly dancing in January of 2015 after her aunt suggested it to her and her has also seen a significant change in Becca since mother, so they could spend more time together. Sarantis began teaching her. “Becca has always had an amazing personality, They perform tribal fusion belly dancing, which blends a variety of different belly dances but like most girls her age, she lacked confidence in her ability,” together. Although Sarantis said. there are various “Performing in types of the dance, “Becca has shown incredible personal front of people Long said they can wa s o n c e all be summed up strength in overcoming her fears. To see terrifying for her. into one definition. her perform is inspiring.” A year later, she “It’s a type of has developed dancing where you poise and grace need to be feeling Dance teacher Linda Sarantis i n [ t h e ] c l a s s . it,” Long said. When she is on “You’re supposed to be putting your emotions into it. Once you stage, she is strong, powerful, and graceful. learn the names of different moves and how to Becca has shown incredible personal strength do it right, then you just put it together however in overcoming her fears. To see her perform is you’re feeling. It’s supposed to tell a story in a inspiring.” Belly dancing has developed the idea that way.” According to Long, belly dancers look at people are all one body shape and one size. This themselves as goddesses; they have to be idea once made Becca nervous, but after she uplifting and know how powerful they are. experienced the class, she is no longer afraid. “I love how everyone’s there to build you up,” Belly dancing is mainly about self-confidence and empowering the audience that watches Becca said. “You’re not there to say, ‘Oh I look the performances. Long and others, such as her really bad in this outfit.’ Everyone there is trying mother, Kelly Long, have seen great changes to make you feel beautiful. When I started doing in her attitude and personality since she began it, I was really scared because I didn’t know what to expect. I thought there were going to be belly dancing. “Becca has always been a mix of shy and super skinny people, but really, they’re all just outgoing,” Kelly said. “Belly dancing has really regular people. The whole point of belly dancing helped her on the shyness part. When we first is to accept your body for how it is.”
The Maya
This is a step-by-step on how to do one of Becca’s favorite belly dancing moves, which she is doing in the photo.
1. Lift your hip using the oblique muscle. 2. Push your hip out of your body line. your hip back down and into your body 3. Push line again.
Ian Andridge | Photo
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A&E
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Get Fit
The Focus reviews three of Midland’s local workout studios after experiencing some of the offered classes. Anna Schultheis | Exchange Editor & Lexi Costley | Ads Coordinator
Seung-Ni
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f you are looking for a workout facility with enthusiastic, high-energy instructors and a comfortable environment, then Seung-Ni Fit Club is the place for you. With a variety of different classes available, and studios throughout the Tri-Cities, Seung-Ni doesn’t give you the option to fail. The fit club offers everything from Body Sculpt, a class that works to tone muscles, to Booty Work, a high-energy dance workout class similar to Zumba, but without the Latin flair. We took the Body Sculpt class, which involved core and strength training exercises using a variety of different dumbbells. They also provide indoor cycling/spinning, but you must reserve in advance. In addition, they have a Boot Camp program that combines plyometric and body sculpt exercises for a full-body workout, as well as a Core training class that works your stubborn midsection. They also offer a kick boxing class that puts your body through an intense cardio program proven to burn calories. Something that sets Seung-Ni apart from the rest of the gyms is their Body Challenge; a 6-week program that combines fatburning workouts, a nutrition plan, and experienced trainers to help you reach your goal of losing weight. Pricing is reasonable with a $10 fee for drop-in classes, or $69.99 for a monthly membership. Overall, Seung-Ni is worth the investment. The friendly instructors give you that extra push your body needs to get fit and with multiple options, your body and mind will never get bored with redundant exercises.
Alignment 8
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estled in the Wackerly Plaza sits Alignment 8, a small studio designated for yoga and spinning. With a wellness program focused on mind, body, and spirit, Alignment 8 combines the philosophies of inner peace and controlling your body. The studio offers multiple classes, such as yoga, spinning, PIYO, strength training, TRX, turbo kick, core training, and meditation. Alignment 8 is an official spinning facility with certified spinning instructors that help you feel comfortable on your bike and understand how the class will run. The gym also has certified nutritionists and dietitians as part of their staff. These individuals provide information about healthy eating habits, diet plans, and meal prep. If you have a busy schedule, Alignment 8 offers early morning classes as well as late night classes. The studio is a small, dark room surrounded with mirrors and is dimly-lit. The atmosphere is relaxing, low stress, and lacks intimidation. They offer fruit to help keep you energized and give you sweat towels in order to ensure you are comfortable during your workout. The trainers are helpful and enthusiastic. The pricing is reasonable, with student discounts such as $55 per month for unlimited classes, or $5 per class. If you are dedicated to their program than you might be interested in purchasing a 12-month, 6-month, or 3-month membership with payments per month. Alignment 8 Yoga and Cycle can help assist you to become a healthier version of yourself.
Element 22
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lement 22 offers a unique workout experience that focuses on three essential exercise programs: strength and core, sweat, and balance and restore. They offer Barre 22, a full body, one-hour long class that incorporates ballet style exercises, designed to lengthen your muscles. They also have Sky 22 classes that involve using an aerial silk hammock to either develop your core and upper body or improve your yoga poses and flexibility. The silk hammocks make the exercise more challenging; even a simple pushup forces all your body weight onto your shoulders. Along with these classes, they also provide members with cardio and sweat based workouts such as WERQ and Rebound 22. WERQ is a cardio workout that combines exercising with top music hits. Rebound 22 is a class where participants rent and wear rebounding shoes, Kangoo Jumps, while dancing and bouncing to club jams. Yoga is also available and there are multiple types, whether you are a beginner or expert. Prices are on the higher side, but with various class options, you are paying for a unique experience. For students, it costs $10 for drop-in classes or $90 for 10 classes. All the instructors are encouraging and motivational, and the atmosphere is welcoming and filled with high-energy people who push you until the last set.
Julia Quinn, Ian Andridge, and Hannah McAtamney | Photos