November 20th Issue

THE

FOCUS Midland High School | November 20, 2015| Volume 38, Issue 3

Separate Ways

8 16-19

Freshman LeVale Walker follows a unique path through acting.

Inside this month:

Tony the Trainer

Special Report: Financial problems

24

Rhapsody Preview Julia Quinn | Photo

CONTENTS

ON THE COVER: SEPARATE WAYS

Even though he had three brothers heavily involved in sports, LeVale Walker never took an interest in athletics. Instead, he found his passion in the performing arts, such as acting and singing. His family takes pride in his skills, and appreciates him for being different than his brothers. (Page 21).

OPINION

3: Editorial

The Focus discusses the drawbacks of cutting German at Midland High.

SPORTS 8: Girls Basketball

NEWS

16-17: Fundraising

As clubs and teams don’t get the

money the need, they are forced to look elsewhere for funds.

18: Balancing the budget With enrollment numbers and finances

Despite injuries, the junior-led team, the team looks forward to a successful season.

decreasing over recent years, the

Senior Connor Legge is the SVL MVP and placed 53th in States out of 248 runners.

After this year, German will no longer be

9: Connor Legge 10: Sports Zone

The Focus features the best athletes of the month.

11: Tony the trainer

A day in the life of athletic trainer Tony Partipilo.

FEATURES

12-13: Teacher exchange

administration has made many cuts.

19: Cutting the German program

offered at Midland High. Instead, students must take the class online or at Dow High.

A&E 21: Performing arts

Sophomore Emily Thomas excels in the performing arts, along with Senior Elia

Danielson, who practices classical Italian.

22: New music reviews

The Focus reviews Adele, One Direction, Teachers from Midland and from China exchanged for two weeks in order to gain and Justin Bieber. a cultural understanding.

14: Hollenbeck retires

23: LeVale Walker

Marty Hollenbeck makes plans to retire at Freshmen LeVale Walker finds another passion, rather than following his three the end of this year, but will continue to coach cross country. brothers in sports.

15: Mr. Dingman

Substitute teacher Fred Dingman incorporates his skills from previous jobs into his teaching.

12-13

24: Rhapsody preview

A sneak peek at some of the acts of the annual Rhapsody Rendezvous.

15 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

24 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

OUR MISSION STATEMENT 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.

The Focus addresses the issue of ...

A

s Midland Public Schools sees steady drops in enrollment, the district notices a decline in the amount of students signing up for language programs.

Over the past few years, the number of students enrolling in the German program, at both the middle and high school level, has decreased dramatically. To combat the lack of funding and low enrollment in the district, the school has stopped offering the variety of German classes they did in the past. This year, only the second section of German is offered at Midland High. Students who are interested in other sections of the German program are given the option of taking the class online, or traveling to Dow High for half of the day.

The Focus recognizes many issues with these options. By relying on online learning, we believe that the risk of cheating is increased. Online translating sites allow students to get a good grade without truly earning it. There is not enough supervision for online classes to monitor how effectively students are using their resources. One teacher is not capable of monitoring 30 different students, who are all taking different classes simultaneously. It is too difficult for a teacher to ensure that these students are not cheating or doing work for other classes.

Also, language classes can be harder online, because students do not have a teacher in front of them to guide them through the material. Students in online classes do not have the opportunity to ask questions or receive extra help on material they do not understand. This lack of face-toface communication impairs the student’s learning ability. Teachers put an emphasis on learning culture and fluently speaking in class. Students also benefit from interacting

OPINION

cutting language courses

and practicing the language with classmates, who are able to develop a more comfortable and relatable tie to language. However, without the in-person interaction between the teacher and other classmates, a student does not receive the full culture of the language they are trying to learn. Much of learning a language is being able to comprehensively listen and respond, which is something that cannot be done over the screen of a computer.

Students need a real teacher in order to grasp a full appreciation and understanding of the language.

Because students do not have a teacher, grading systems can be unfair as well. It is not

possible for students to do speaking activities online, which gives them a disadvantage when being graded for understanding of the language.

With the movement towards online language classes, students have lost interest in the program altogether. The online option is not appealing to students due to the lack of classroom experience.

As an alternative, students may take a German class at Dow High. However, this increases the difficulty in scheduling. Students then have to be transported to and from Dow High. Additionally, they cannot just take the language course there. Instead, they must

Arianna Gibson | Drawing spend half the school day there, which is difficult and unappealing to students.

We understand that the school does not have the resources to build up the language programs to their previous state, but we do not think that learning a language online is sufficient.

The Focus believes the idea of blended learning, where students would have three days a week of online learning, along with two days of face-to-face learning, is the best alternative. We propose that Midland Public Schools begins to enforce and execute the idea of blended learning so students can have an ideal mixture of different learning styles.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Should MPS cut language programs due to students not signing up?

Freshman Jared Gonder “No, I think it is very good to have other languages under your belt. ”

Sophomore Fischer Genau “No, because it is very instrumental for providing students with cultural awareness and it opens up career opportunities.”

Junior Matthew Gordan “No, because it is important that we offer these courses so that we can better communicate with the world.”

Senior Zoe Stirn “No, because if people want to broaden their cultural knowledge, it shouldn’t be limited to enrollment or funding.”

3 | FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

TIDBITS Photo OF THE Month

OPINION

Tweet of the Month “Once I tweeted that I got a new phone and needed my contacts back just to see if people would text me”

69 likes brynn_ellen Watercolor?¿

Follow THIS User

Follow THIS User @brynn_ellen

@sammi_rice

3 THINGS

CORRECTIONS

you don’t have to worry about this month

1 2 Trying to get rhapsody tickets unveiling of the Starbucks 3 The holiday cup

Hiking nine miles from your parking spot

and one thing you still do...

Fitting into your clothes after Thanksgiving dinner

4 | FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.

1. Nobody was victorious in finding Vic last month, due to the fact that we forgot to hide him. Oops.

2. In the “Alice in the art society” story, we spelled Megan Zastrow’s name wrong. We sincerely apologize.

P

Sonja Anderson Objectified and angry

more.” rofane interjection], I could [profane The thing is, these comments are not verb] you aaall night, baby!” flattering. The main argument that men When getting out of the car in a Big make in favor of catcalling is that they’re Apple Bagel parking lot, this is not what one just “complimenting” women. Why is it so would expect to hear shouted at her from a hard to believe that being shouted at about nearby vehicle. Yet, a certain man, around your body is not in any way comfortable 40 years old, exceeded these expectations, or pleasurable? It is never pleasant proceeding to sound his car horn while doing to be objectified, in any situation. It’s so. embarrassing, and it feels gross.

I reflexively turned around and saw him Especially in bigger cities, where rape is a sitting behind the wheel of a red pick-up common threat, comments like that can make truck, looking me over. I never responded, women fearful for their safety. They are often just walked into the building, trying to ignore followed for blocks, stalked, and touched. In his words.

September of 2013, a 21-year-old man pulled This affected me more than I thought it his car up to a 14-year-old girl in Florida and would. My first reaction was to feel almost dirty, because his words had sexualized me in said that he wanted to have sex with her, and a way that I didn’t want to be. Thoughts crept would pay her $200 for it. When she refused, she was grabbed, choked, tossed aside, and into my mind subconsciously. Am I dressed then run over multiple times with his car. provocatively today? Could I have prevented this Stories like these make women rightfully by wearing sweatpants instead of a skirt? scared of overbearing comments on the street.

My second reaction was anger. I was One of the biggest problems with the issue mad at that man for being such a cretin. I is that mass media is actually supporting was mad at the culture that led many men street harassment. For example, last year a to think saying things like that is perfectly FOX News reporter okay. And I was described his especially mad at “well-mannered” myself for thinking “Why is it so hard to believe that form of street that it was in any being shouted at about your body is harassment, which way my fault, involved giving that I had even not in any way comfortable passing women considered that to or pleasurable?” standing ovations be a possibility. when he likes It stopped how they looked, bothering me within an hour or so, but the on live television. And Kimberly Guilfoyle, experience still serves as a reminder of how also of FOX News, said, “Let men be men.” big an issue catcalling is today. In 2007, Stop I guess I do have to cut them some slack Street Harassment, a non-profit organization though, considering it is FOX News, and of obvious purpose, asked 225 people if they they could never be expected to function have ever been harassed in a public place, as decent human beings. Another moronic such as verbal comments, whistling, leering, groping, stalking, etcetera. 99 percent of them comment from the media came from Author Steve Santagati, while on CNN. He said said they had been harassed at least three that women should leave New York City if times. they don’t like catcalling, adding, “There is I’m sure we’ve all see that viral video nothing more that a woman loves to hear from last year, featuring a woman walking through New York City with a camera trailing [than] how pretty she is.”

Understand: it doesn’t matter where you her. It was an experiment to measure the are, or what she’s wearing. Catcalling isn’t amount of times she was the victim of street okay. It has never been okay. And it will harassment within the span of ten hours. The never be okay. Stop doing it. final number ended up being 100+ times, and Consequently, in light of what I’ve learned, that doesn’t include the countless winks and I wish I could go back to that day in the Big whistles. Because part of the experiment was Apple Bagel parking lot. Because I don’t that she had to remain silent the entire time, think I would ignore that man in the red men whose comments she didn’t respond pick-up truck. To be perfectly candid, I think to reacted by following her, accusing her of I would tell him to go have sex with himself, thinking they were ugly, and, in one case, (using other choice words). even shouting that she “should say thank you

Julia Quinn

OPINION

@HumansofMidlandHigh

To the party people

A brief feature of students who have a story to tell. Follow the Focus on Instagram to see more.

Will Shaffer

“

My biggest fear, as of lately, would be the loss of creativity. It is really valued in

our family, so I have always thought that was a very important part of my character.

So that’s one thing I’m worried about losing. As a family, we have become much less oriented around creativity. Both sides of our family have been artists and musicians for a long time. Our uncle works for marketing for big movies, like The Revenant that is coming out. Also, we like to talk about our creative ideas together, so it’s kind of like a bonding thing. Plus, all of our weird dreams that we have with our imaginative selves. I used to draw a lot, but now I just have lots of ideas about what I will do when I’m older, which are oddly practical, which is almost unheard of. When I was younger, I would ask a lot of what-if questions. I would go off on

”

tangents a lot. It would seem random, but it would be related to a few things, and be the most spontaneous thing.

T

o the girls: When I say party, I mean throwing on your most revealing clothes, getting drunk, and dancing on any guy you see fit.

I see the photos, I hear the stories, and it seems like you have a fun time, all pleasure, all smiles, and all laughter. But at the end of the night, when you go home, are you really satisfied? Did those few hours of choices improve the quality of your life? Your selfworth?

This column is not to bash parties or the people who go to them. I write this in hopes that you will see yourself as a woman of beauty, a woman of strength, a woman who shouldn’t need the approval of a man or society to give you empty pleasure, because you are worth so much more than that.

You may feel confident, sexy, or even beautiful wearing the most immodest shorts you have with no more than your bra for a top. I understand that being stared at, lusted over, and gaining attention because of your outfit may bring satisfaction in the moment.

Those few moments of attention are not showing your best traits, your intelligent mind, and your wonderful soul that is capable of so much more than they can even imagine.

Is it truly rewarding to be desired by a man who may not even know your first name, based solely on your body? Would you want your precious daughter to believe that her self-worth is based merely on her outward appearance?

You may not dress in those ways, but maybe you dance with guys and take things to levels that may not be appropriate to state in this column. I can understand how being kissed, touched, and having a guy’s attention fully on you for more than five minutes, may seem like the best thing in the world.

But recall that moment. Did you know each other’s names? Your fears? Your goals and dreams? Did they respect you? Did you use each other only for self-pleasure and sexual satisfaction? Did that person care about you as a woman? Was that moment something you are proud of? Something you can’t wait to tell your kids and future husband?

You deserve someone who respects you and your body. You deserve someone who truly loves you from the inside and out. You are worth more than a hook up at a party. You are worth the wait. You are deserving of so much more.

To the boys: To begin, I do not direct this to every male in our school. Plenty of you who read this are amazing, selfless, and respectable men; so thank you. But I know some of you who aren’t, and this is directed towards you. To the guys who get drunk, use women, and/or make crude comments about the female body: I hear conversations between guys like “You didn’t have a good time at the party because you didn’t dance with any girls” or “I’d hit that” and more comments throughout social media that make me sick to my stomach.

What goes through your mind when you say those things? It sounds like you are trying to say that it is okay to treat a woman with no respect, that her body is only used for your own agenda, that you are promoting activity that often times leads to sexual assault.

From sexual comments to physical touch, you may think that in the moment that you are doing no harm, but imagine five to ten years from now, when you are married. You are going to have to explain to your wife how, in high school, you did X number of things with X numbers of girls and I have a strong feeling that those confessions will not be easy.

Now switch roles and imagine your future wife, probably a teenage girl currently in high school, would you love to hear that someone took advantage of her in those ways? Why be the one to partake in such activities when you can be the one to stop them.

You may say, “Well, it feels good” or “It doesn’t matter, it was only one night.” There is no excuse that can overcome the fact that you have violated a woman’s body, verbally or physically, used her, and tossed her away like garbage.

It doesn’t matter if you haven’t even touched a girl, if you make that sexual remark, you are not being respectful. Is that statement something you would tell your mother, your daughter, your sister? It is degrading. That woman who you may talk to your friends about is far more than boobs and a big butt for you to look at. She is a strong woman who deserves a man who will treat her with the utmost respect.

I say this with a kind heart. You have sisters, moms, and someday wives and daughters; so think about how you want men to treat those women in your life and stand up for that.

5 | FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.

Spencer Patrell

OPINION

Maddy O’Callaghan

Love and hate

I

hate dumb people. I hate slow drivers people together. Masses of people group who believe cruising at a solid 10 miles together to discuss, debate, and learn about below the speed limit is a grand idea. I things that they enjoy and the same is true for hate my computer when I try to get on it the opposite. Today’s political landscape is to do ten minutes of homework, but with infested with this idea of common dislikes for all of its powerful chips, takes 30 minutes certain things (be it where money should go in deciding to allow for my work to begin. or how to fix the lack of aforementioned green Most of all, I hate when people say vanilla stuff). is the base flavor of ice cream. Vanilla is Love and hate are embodiments of the a plant, a plant that is (in my, well based, extreme emotion that we as humans feel. opinion) responsible for the one of the best Both are simply strong emotions felt towards flavors of ice cream. For crying out loud the specific people, places, types of food and stuff is crucial, dare I say it, VITAL to the music. Everything in the universe can be frozen dairy industry. In the 1520’s when classified in terms of how people think of Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés brought them. Love is the intense positive emotion chocolate from the new world, he didn’t people feel towards stimulus, whereas hate bring it alone. No, he brought vanilla along is simply the inverse, the loathing, negative too. He saw what I see today: the best plant opinion on different subjects. to grace our taste buds is an orchid called When people say that an individual should Vanilla, but I digress. never hate something, and just say “strongly Hating things dislike”, this is is awesome. May simply a synonym sound odd or for the same pessimistic, but message. Hate is everyone does “Love and hate are the catalysts for our important. Not it. It’s natural. things is actions. Both are equals to one another, liking Rooting for a important. Just essential to life.” certain group of as my love of hot people who toss pockets makes me

a ball (or hit a Spencer Patrell, the puck, whatever headache I get as floats your boat) is simply not enough. It is soon as someone mentions Scrubs is equally fun to boo at the other team too, it seems. important in describing me as an individual.

As much as I love the Lions (next year Every opinion someone has is a reflection they’ll do better), it’s just as fun to hate the on who they are internally, how they think, Cheeseheads. tick, what gets them up and going in the Don’t get me wrong, I love things too. I am morning. Love and hate are the catalysts for not a big ball of hate and anger, I just think it our actions. Both are equals to one another, is fun to bag on certain things. essential to life.

I love buffalo chicken wings. I love hanging This is all a message to those who don’t out with my crew and being with my family. believe that disliking things is good. For those I love when I am asleep and then I wake, who think that being a Negative Nelly is a sin. but, plot twist, it is still pitch black outside, Most importantly, this is for those who think so I can just rest my head back down onto that one single complaint towards something my pillow and sleep soundly, knowing the is the equivalent to the most outlandish dreaded waking hour has not yet come. slander.

Life would be dreadful if it weren’t for Just remember that to some, what is those things that makes people smile, but not perceived as a negative in life, others could liking things is just as important. find joy from the very same source. Certain “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” is people don’t like what others have to say and a quote from 4th century BC Indian military vice versa. Everyone has their own opinion, book Arthashastra. Author Kautilya’s idea of and that is all that it boils down to. Even mutual hate being a source of alliance is true though not everyone agrees on what to love even now. Whether it be in U.S. foreign policy and what to hate, we are all unique in what or within social cliques, hating stuff brings we think and we should never get too caught up in those opinions that we all have.

6 | FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.

Veteran’s daughter

W

and I got that hallmark moment. I ran off the hen you’re little, and you think bus to greet my superhero with the biggest about your parents, there’s hug I possibly could, while the bus driver and often this illusion that they’re students clapped. I had never felt such a rush superheroes. No matter if they’re an of pure relief and unapologetic happiness. accountant, a salesman, or a doctor, somehow In that fraction of a moment, all of it seemed kids are still able to see their career as worth it. a superpower. As we grow older, these But I remember that his arms felt different. illusions fade into reality. To me, my dad, They were coarse, I didn’t fit in them the way who has been in the Army for over 20 years, once had, and I thought I saw him flinch a will always and forever be one. little when I ran up to him.

His first deployment to Bosnia was the The ride back was when I began to realize easiest. I was three, and I didn’t completely his return home wasn’t the perfect fairy tale comprehend what was going on. I knew I had been day dreaming about for months. there was a missing spot at the dinner How could I put into words how much I table, and I knew that he was far away and missed him without making him feel guilty? wouldn’t come back for a long time, but How could I talk to him about the highlights the routine of not having a dad was easy of the two years he was gone when he had to get used to when I wasn’t old enough to none? understand the severity of the situation.

The worst part of The second the whole thing was deployment seeing how war had was different. I affected him. When was eight, my “I hate that I’m expected to wear a we first got home, parents had patriotic grin and be proud to be a it was clear to my been divorced, military family when that was the thing 10-year-old self that and my dad my superhero was, in found out that tore mine apart.” fact, very human. As that he had to

we tried to adjust to go to Iraq. I our normal routine, I understood the started to see the signs of the invisible injury situation at this point, which quite frankly that haunted him. He would stare at a wall sucked. Saying goodbye was one of the for hours, as if its blank canvas was a way to hardest things I had ever done, because I had make sense of the tragedies he experienced. this overwhelming guilt. For the next two We had to walk on eggshells around the years, I would revert back to the ways things had always been, while he took on the burden house, because any loud noise could take him to a place he never wanted to remember. I was of fighting someone else’s battle in a different once able to make him smile simply by doing country. the same, but he began to wear a permanent It was a lot harder than any of us expected. frown that even his little girl couldn’t reverse.

I lived in this constant fear that he might not I feel like there’s this weird misconception, make it back. There was no seal of guarantee almost a glamorization, of what it’s like to given to our family for a safe return. I began have a family member in the military. The to cower whenever unfamiliar cars pulled videos of veterans coming home don’t give in the driveway, for fear that it could be the death messengers, come to tell me the rational you the happy ending, because that’s not the full story. It’s not even close. And I am so fear that continuously ate at me, was true. proud of my dad, but I hate that I’m expected I got sympathetic looks from adults when I to wear a patriotic grin and be proud to be a told them about my dad, which just made me military family when that was the thing that feel a thousand times worse. Calls home were tore mine apart. I hate that it forced me to infrequent and short, and they just made me act like an adult well before I was ready to miss him even more. be one. I hate that I had to be strong when Believe it or not, the hardest part of the whole thing was when he came back. I was on my heart was being torn into a thousand little pieces, and even more, I hate that my the bus when I saw him standing in uniform superhero had to do the same. at our stop. For a split second, my brother

Suzannah Koop After the end

S

ometimes, the most important things in life aren’t about the moments themselves. It’s about the before, and the after. The anticipation and the reflection.

In the beginning of September, my friend and I went to a concert. Specifically, we went to see the band Twenty One Pilots. Having spontaneously bought the tickets only a little less than a month before (at unreasonably expensive prices) it was finally go time.

With the show scheduled to start at 7:30, the driving time estimated around two hours, we ended up leaving around 4 p.m.

My friend drove, as I hardly trust myself just getting to Bay City. Bags were packed with snacks, water, sweatshirts, blankets, and whatever other miscellaneous items we assumed would be necessary on our journey.

We stopped at Starbucks first because we’re girls, and sometimes you just have to let the man win and satisfy the stereotypes placed upon your gender.

The air in that cramped Mini-Cooper felt different. I don’t mean like stuffy and warm (though it was). There was a feeling of excitement. We horridly sang along to the band’s CD for a good chunk of time, occasionally pausing to scream after each time we reminded each other where we were going. We watched nervously through the windshield as the sky gradually transitioned from mostly sunny to a light-gray plastered canvas.

Despite the imminent rain coming our way, we were eager to get to the half-indoor

Anna Schultheis

Death by dodgeball

T

hough it isn’t as bad as Monday, I still cringe when I look at my planner and see that it’s Thursday. To me, Thursday means game day. In Mr. Methner’s 3rd hour Weights and Conditioning class, this usually means taking a break from the usual bench and squat routine to be whipped in the chest, or maybe unfortunately in the face with a dodgeball.

OPINION half-outdoor venue. Parking wasn’t so bad, at least from my position as the passenger.

The line, on the other hand, was absolutely horrendous. We worked our way to the back, passing by guys and girls aged 14 to somewhere around 30, everyone with the same aura of anticipation. We met up with some friends in line, and casually chatted as the line slowly inched forward.

“Yeah, you’re good,” the (assumedly) underpaid staff member confirmed after looking through my bag, allowing me to have my ticket scanned and pass through the gates. We walked down the path, flanked on both sides by booths filled with either food or merchandise. There was a very slight drizzle when we arrived, but it almost immediately seemed to clear up.

When the actual concert began, everything felt surreal. The moment I’d been waiting for was happening right in front of me. I could finally see the band I’d been obsessed with over the past two years. Well, at least see their general outlines and movements across the stage. I took pictures on my phone to remember “everything,” worried I would somehow forget the experience.

Then, just like that, it was over. The sun was fully down, the moon rose to take its place. People were packing up and heading out, attempting to find their cars among the hundreds filling the grass lot. It reminded me a lot of Fourth of July down at the Tridge, some rushing to get home, and others quietly seated, soaking in the last few moments of the evening, My ears rang as my friend and I again sat in that cramped car, this time with a new feeling in the air. The anticipation was gone, the concert was over, and though excitement still pulsed through our veins, we were content. I felt an odd sense of loss. After looking forward to something for so long, it felt bizarre as it finally came and passed.

I was devastated that it had to end, but so grateful for the experience.

After our daily warm-up of tediously jogging in a circle for 5 minutes and deadly push-ups and sit-ups, my heart begins to pound as Mr. Methner lines us up single file.

The varsity jocks grunt and sniffle at one end, while the couple of girls, including myself, willing to participate, whisper nervously at the other end. My palms start to get clammy and damp at the thought of the feared words formulating inside Mr. Methner’s skull. As he opens his mouth, my hands turn to fists as I prepare to tackle him to the ground if he even starts to utter the word Toplet. But before I can pounce, the letters, T-O-P-L-E-T trickle from his lips like deadly poison dripping from Snow White’s apple. Each letter continues to ring in my ears as my forehead begins to perspire. The rest of the class seems oddly overcome with joy and cheers fill the sweaty, smelly air.

Mr. Methner’s voice abruptly brings me

I

Ella Colbert

All about that bass AND treble

am skinny. That is a fact, not a bragging right. People have said to me, “You’re a stick” or “You’re too skinny”. Those are opinions, not compliments. I’ve overheard people tell a girl that she needs to “put some meat on her bones”. That is insulting, not endearing. I’ve been witness to girls criticizing other girls over social media for their bones sticking out, or the space between their thighs. This is skinny-shaming.

Of course, you’ve heard of fat-shaming.

Movements have swept the country in recent years, seeking to promote positive attitudes towards all body types. But the focus is always on accepting the bodies of bigger women. I am all for that, but why single out one body type when others exist and are struggling for acceptance in society?

Everyone suffers from lack of confidence, due to an idea of what our bodies should look like. Just because someone is skinny, does not mean that they are happy with their figure. Skinny girls are constantly ridiculed for not being curvy enough. Their shape is considered “boyish” and immature. Just like bigger women, they often are afraid to go out in public wearing a bathing suit or shorts, because they aren’t confident in their body.

Every girl needs an ego boost when it comes to their body shape, not just big girls.

Models get hit the worst, especially during Victoria’s Secret Fashion Week. Their instagram pages are flooded with hateful comments from other girls regarding their weight, or rather their lack thereof: “It’s disgusting what these models do to

back to the reality of the situation as the game launches into a full-fledged war. I find myself stranded, defenseless, and in lack of throwing or catching abilities. My swimmer arms seem to suddenly turn to noodles as I attempt to beam someone in the shins with a ball.

The Varsity football players who have been trained to throw fast, long, and hard, shoot bullets every which way, each one whizzing past my head.

I search long and hard to find a ball amongst the chaos, but find that it is nearly impossible. Once I finally find one though, I slowly step to the line in hopes of helping our team towards the satisfaction of victory.

It just me, the ball, and one bowling pin at the opposite end of the gym. All I have to do is aim, shoot, and fire. But as I wind up to throw, a ball from across the gym comes straight for me. In the panic, I run through my head the different options I’m faced with.

themselves.”

“They’re giving girls such unrealistic expectations.”

My personal favorite: “Someone needs to feed her a burger, she is gross.”

No woman should be criticized for healthy eating and proper exercise. A model’s entire career is based on making sure her body is in perfect physical shape. Not all models starve themselves and become bulimic to make it in the industry. They work out. They eat healthy. There is nothing gross about a woman who is in incredibly fit physical form.

There is this common misconception that all thin women are unhealthy or anorexic.

Society tells us, “Don’t feel bad that you aren’t a size 0, at least you didn’t have to skip dinner last night to fit into your jeans.” You shouldn’t have rip on another body type in order to justify your own.

I get that Meghan Trainor was trying to advocate for plus-size women when she released “All About that Bass,” but to me it came off as more of a slam to skinny girls. I mean, did she not think it would be offensive to say “go ahead and tell them skinny b****** that”? The song implies that bigger women are superior to thinner women, while using a derogatory term to demonize skinny women.

People all over the internet preach equality for all body types and then turn their backs to voice their disgust for the body of a thin model.

All our lives we are taught not to judge.

Countless ads featuring celebrities have told us, “Be happy with the body you have”, or “Love your body, no matter what the shape.”

Yet, scrolling down my twitter timeline, I see women belittling other women for being “too skinny.” If we preach that everyone should love their body, then why are we targeting “thin” people and disregarding their feelings?

I’m going to say it again, even though you’ve heard it a thousand and one times: Every body type is perfect, big or small. When I say that, I honestly mean all types. And next time Meghan Trainor comes on the radio, just turn it off. Unless it’s “Like I’m Gonna Lose You.” I find I am left with two options. Option 1: Drop my ball and catch the ball coming 100 mile per hour at my face. Option 2: Duck and Cover. But something I have learned throughout my life is my reaction time is dramatically slower than the average high school student, which ultimately resulted in my demise. As you might have guessed the ball hits me hard in the gut immediately making me regret breakfast.

Now that I’m out, I find myself trudging towards the other group of students who I assume also lack my Toplet skills and pray the big hand on the clock moves faster towards its destination at the 7. When the bell finally rings after what feels like an eternity, I feel as if a weight has been lifted off my shoulders because for now I know that I have averted death by dodgeball. Until next Thursday…

7 | FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.

New players, new opportunity SPORTS

The varsity girls basketball team hopes to have a successful season despite injuries and lack of seniors this year. The main goal that will be focused on the season explained by coach Mahabir is to get the girls to work as a team and play together to get a win. Kayla Graham | Sports Editor & Lexi Costley | Ads Coordinator

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hile at CMU elite basketball camp, junior Jayden Williams went up for the rebound in the 3x3 finals.

As she landed, another girl came down at the same time and her leg gave out.

Williams began to keep playing, even though she knew it wasn’t a good idea. When Williams was seen by the doctor, she then got the news that she tore her ACL and surgery was going to be needed. Williams was devastated to hear this news, but she knew it was for the best.

“Losing Williams will impact the team because she was a starter,” Varsity Coach Elaine Mahabir said. “To lose that many court minutes is a huge loss for the team. Jayden is high energy and players feed off her while she plays basketball.”

Williams has been a starter on the girls varsity basketball team since her freshman year. Even though she cannot participate in the sport she is most passionate for, she will still contribute to the team by helping assist Mahabir while coaching and help the team with the skills.

Despite Williams being out for the season, Mahabir is very excited for the upcoming team.

Many former players will be returning to the team this year, retaining the team’s strengths that they have had in previous seasons.

“We have been a young team, due to the fact that most of the starters and players were underclassmen in the past, but now I would say that we have an upperclassmen team,” Mahabir said. “A lot of two year starters have returned and we are finally getting the youth behind us, so that helps with the team aspect.”

Since many of the girls are experienced, Mahabir has set high goals for the girls this season. One of her main goals is to make sure the girls play like a team, on and off the court.

This year Mahabir will make changes to the team that she feels will only make the team better, one is that she has the team read a book titled “Hard Hat.”The players will need to read chapters and answer follow up questions to go along with the reading each night. By having the girl read the book, Mahabir feels that this book will help gives insight to the girls about 21 lessons and exercises to make a better team.

Girls basketball stats and predictions 8 | FOCUS | NOV 20 , 2015 | mhsfocus.com

In addition to Mahabir’s goals for the team, junior Alex VanSumeren has set personal goals for herself. She wants to become a better basketball player, and also make the team unite as one, just as Mahabir wants the team to be this season.

“I wish to get better as an all-around player and improve in all aspects of the game,” VanSumeren said. “My goal is to do whatever the team needs me to do so that we are able to win. It is not secret that we want to win, so therefore as a team, we set high expectations for ourselves.”

Because of their high expectations for the season, the girls said they will need to work hard so the season begins with a good start.

Mahabir wishes to focus on the weaknesses and turn them into strengths for the team so they can have a successful season.

“On the court playing as a team is one of our weaknesses and this season I wish to improve that aspect,” Mahabir said. “In order for us to be a good team, we are going to need to play as a team and not just individuals on the court. Also, size can be a big factor. We are long and athletic, but not big like other teams are. Everyone brings their strengths and if we bring all those to the court and play as a team, the season should be successful.”

Watching the varsity team through their ups and downs has allowed Mahabir to see why she loves to coach the game. She has been coaching for 16 years at Midland High, 15 of those years as the varsity coach.

“After 16 years, I feel that you can lose your focus, but my favorite part of coaching is being involved in something bigger than just me,” Mahabir said. “I love being a part of a team, and using basketball to help people learn skills that I know will help them be successful in life. I know the importance of respecting something that isn’t just about me. Basketball is like my drug because I am crazy to do it for so long. Having the highs for something you love, it becomes a part of you and it’s your thing and there is excitement for it.”

Even though Mahabir also has a family and wants to be a part of her children’s sports, she

Goal for the season:

Be able to

a team

work as

on and off the court, not as just individuals.

Junior Alex VanSumeren starts to condition, but also work on her shooting skills while tryouts begin.

VanSumeren pushes herself to do her best, despite trying to make the team this year. Ian Andridge | Photo still finds the time to coach the team and drive them to a successful season.

VanSumeren and Williams also enjoy the game and commit to making their team the best that they can be.

“I’ve met some of my best friends through basketball and I had the opportunity to travel around the country and see some amazing places,” Williams said. “I was also able to play in front of Uconn, Tennessee, Norte Dame, Michigan, Michigan State, and South Carolina.”

The overall team goal will be to focus on their strengths and weaknesses, Mahabir wishes to make a stronger team than before in previous seasons. Both Williams and VanSumeren have been able to experience what it is like to be on a team and play the sport that they love.

“My favorite part about basketball is the team aspect,” VanSumeren said. “I love getting to play with people that have the same goal in mind as me. I have built so many great friendships from just being on the girls basketball team.”

Stats from previous season: Predictions for upcoming season: Overall Record: 15-6 Hardest Competition: Dow High Number of SVL wins: 3

SVL: High chance of winning Hardest Competition: Dow High, Heritage High School

1st game: December 1 at Freeland High

Built for stamina

SPORTS

Senior Connor Legge dedicated his high school career to cross-country, becoming Saginaw Valley League Champion in the process. Legge was awarded Most Valuable Runner, and in States, Legge placed 53rd out of 248 runners. Anna Schultheis| Exchange Editor Paige Murphy | Staff Writer & Arianna Gibson| Staff Writer

T

hree years of hard work has made senior Connor Legge, not only the best cross-country runner at MHS, but also in the entire Saginaw Valley League. Legge has strived to continue this triumph in the SVL league in his recent State competition, where he finished his high school career by setting a new personal record.

“The environment of the race was extraordinary,” Legge said. “There were so many people there watching and it was really cool looking up during the race and seeing the stands surrounding the speedway.”

During the state meet at Michigan International Speedway, Legge pushed his limits to accomplish his goal of placing well in the competition. He placed 53rd out of 248 runners with a time of 16:13. Legge beat his past personal record by three seconds, but still had mixed emotions about the race.

“I was pretty sad after the race was over, knowing it was my last,” Legge said. “I had many friends that made the trip down to

watch me, so I felt very blessed having them there to watch me.”

Legge finds enthusiasm and inspiration from his friends in the stands, and also from alumni Jake Greer. Greer still continues to motivate Legge even after graduation through encouraging text messages before his races.

“I tell Connor to run with his head, run with his heart, and leave everything on the course,” Greer said. “He is a phenomenal runner. He can accomplish anything he sets his mind to.”

Coach Martyn Hollenbeck also played an important role in the success Legge has been achieving. Hollenbeck’s motivation and coaching abilities have helped Legge gain his victories in the SVL league and state competition.

“One of Connor’s greatest assets is his ability to push himself, he is not afraid to work hard,” Hollenbeck said. “Cross Country is physically and mentally challenging, and to be successful you must have individual fortitude to your best, Connor has this inner drive.”

Runner Profile Name: Connor Legge Grade: Senior Rank: 53rd in the State Personal Record: 16:13 “One thing you have to remember is that it is only fifteen or twenty minutes.

It is only that amount of pain.

No matter how fast you’re running, you can always go faster.”

Keeping up with Connor Legge: Achievements:

Q:

What do you like about long distance running in comparison to short distance?

A:

Q:

How has Coach Hollenbeck influenced you and how well you’ve done as a runner?

A:

“I’m a lot better at running long distance, so it’s fun to do what you’re good at. I feel like sprinting a lot of the time is based on your natural talent. Sprinting, you have 10 seconds or 20 seconds to go as hard as you can, compared to long distance where it’s a lot of enduring, a mental battle with yourself. I like long distance too because you get to go on long runs with the team, which makes cross-country super social.”

“He is really good at motivating. The day before meets we usually watch motivational videos and he pulls certain people aside and tells them what he expects, but not in a way where he puts a lot of pressure on you. He knows how to get the best out of everyone. He knows everyone’s personal records and doesn’t favor one person over another. He doesn’t get up in your face and yell at you, but silently motivates.”

Q:

Q:

Do you have a piece of advice that has stuck with you from either an alumni or coach?

A:

I text Jake Greer, and he is encouraging because he knows what it’s like, and I ran with him a lot. Over the years, I’ve learned that the run is going to be painful, but to enjoy the pain. It’s pretty fun once you get out there and once you’re done running. At the end of a race, if you were running hard, you’re going to feel like crap, but once you’re done you’ll know instantly whether or not you’ve run your hardest, because you’ll either be mad or feel happy.”

7th Place in 2015 Regionals SVL Most Valuable Runner SVL Champion

What is one of your favorite parts of being on the cross-country team?

A:

“Every night at cross camp, we have a campfire with the team. It’s an exciting time because of all the freshmen and new people on the team. You get to tell everyone your goals and share your knowledge of cross. A fun part of running is that every run is different. When people look at cross-country, they think it’s just running, but when you have a group of five or ten shirtless boys running around town, crazy things happen. We get a lot of honks.”

9 | FOCUS | NOV 20 2015 | mhsfocus.com

SPORTS

THE SPORTS ZONE

Quick facts about the winter athletes and upcoming events. Kirsten Warner | Staff Writer & Lillian Mohr | Staff Writer

Athletes of the Month

Hannah White

Grade: Senior Sport: Pom Pon Stats: Making the All-Star team Favorite Memory: “Sophomore year, when we got 3rd at states.”

Coach’s Take: “Hannah is an outstanding team mate who listens to all members equally. She works hard to her success and we are so fortunate to have her on our team and as one of our captains.” Coach Katharine Stearns Key to Success:” Love what you do.

Having a passion for something pushes you to work hard and give 110%”

SPORTS Tweet

Upcoming Events

Month

Varsity Hockey: Dec. 2 vs. Bay Thunder Dec. 4 vs. Forest Hills Central High School

of the

“#3 in the pool, #2 in chemic idol, #1 in my heart” @AllyKiekhaefer

Ian Andridge | Photo

Grade: Senior Sport: Bowling Stats: Average score: 212, Highest Score: Favorite Memory: “The first ball I ever threw was a strike.”

Coach’s Take: “He takes the game very seriously, however, is laid-back enough to really have fun in the sport.”

Key to Success: “Consistency.”

Christmas tournament in my sophomore year.”

Mitch Gardner

Sports Poll

Kyler Bruce | Photo Courtesy

Grade: Senior Sport: Hockey Stats: Season Record: 13-15 Favorite Memory: “Traverse City

Coach’s Take: “He’s dedicated to the game. He studies the game and works really hard. He knows the game well.”

Coach Jeff Brown Key to Success: “Work hard on and off the ice, keeping a positive attitude and maximizing team work.”

Ian Andridge| Photo

Boy’s Varsity Swim: Dec. 11 vs. Power’s Catholic High School Boy’s Varsity Basketball: Dec. 8 at Bay City Western Dec. 15 vs. Heritage High School

269

Kyler Bruce

Girl’s Varsity Basketball: Dec. 1 at Freeland High School

61% 35% 32% 65% Out of 127 students

of Chemics prefer winter Sports over fall sports of Chemics prefer a basketball student section over a football student section of Chemics play a winter sport

of Chemics have never scored higher than 100 while bowling 10| FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

No train, no gain SPORTS

Tony Partipilo works full time at Midland High School as an athletic trainer, in addition to working under a physical therapist at MidMichigan Campus Ridge Rehabilitation Services. Partiptilo dedicates himself to the athletes he works with and builds personal relationships with them. Madelyn Groulx | Staff Writer & Jacob Presson | Staff Writer

Most common injuries 2

4

5

3

1 Tony Partipilo tapes junior Jordan Patty’s ankle to prevent an injury. Ankle sprains are a common injury that Partipilo treats as a trainer. Ian Andridge | Photo

A

Partipilo likes the high school age because s senior Rebekah Walter felt agonizing for MidMichigan Medical Center, for more they are beginning to understand what it truly pain traveling down her left tibia, than nine years,” Kerry Bishop, Partipilo’s means to become an athlete. They are past the athletic trainer Tony Partipilo made coworker at the MidMichigan Medical Center point of just having fun and playing games. He his way over to her. With calming words and for Rehabilitation Services, said. “He is highly stresses to students that keeping their bodies confident hands, he told Walter, “You are going respected for his knowledge and experience.” healthy is important for their whole team. to be fine.”

Partipilo has a bachelor’s degree from Central Partipilo’s favorite part of his job is helping Partipilo has helped dozens of other athletes Michigan University in sports medicine and athletes with injuries return to do what they love throughout his years at Midland High, through athletic training. He pursued the career because to do: compete. The hardest part of his job is cross training, conditioning, and support. telling the athletes they cannot play.

Walter first met Partipilo when he treated “Making that call is hard, especially with her injured foot during her freshman year “Making that call [that they can’t play] is seniors,” Partipilo said. “It is hard facing the at Midland High. Since then, Walter has hard, especially with seniors. It is hard facts, and I take it very seriously.” maintained her visits to Partipilo’s office due Partipilo emphasizes missing a few games to other sports related injuries. facing the facts, and I take it very seriously.” is better than being out for the whole season.

Senior Garret Kraut has also developed The risk of re-injury is not worth playing one a personal relationship with Partipilo. more quarter, or finishing one more race.

Kraut injured his knee the end of the Tony Partipilo He says concussions are common, but hard summer going into his senior year. Instead to diagnose because symptoms differ in each of attending practices with the rest of the case. Some athletes appear unharmed, while varsity football team, Kraut worked daily with he wanted to stay involved in sports. others may have a headache. This makes it hard Partipilo to regain stability and strength in his “When I’m at the clinic under a physical to determine when the athlete is completely knee. therapist, I do exercises to get people back to healthy again.

“He encourages me to do my exercises, and whatever they want to do,” Partipilo said.

Partipilo makes personal connections with the makes sure I am always healthy,” Kraut said.

After lunch, Partipilo works at Midland High student athletes he assists. Through his calming In addition to working at Midland High, from 3-6 p.m., and attends home athletic events attitude and steady demeanor, Walter said that Partipilo also dedicates his time at Campus five days a week to assist players and coaches.

Partipilo has helped her become a better athlete.

Ridge Rehabilitation Services, from 6 a.m. to Partipilo’s job is to keep the athletes hydrated “He has taught me the importance of cross noon, three days of the week. At the clinic, and healthy, as well as taping and stretching training and that when you’re injured, it does Partipilo works under a physical therapist, to prevent injuries. Many students appreciate not mean your season is over,” Walter said. “It assisting patients with exercises to help them Partipilo’s support at their athletic events. just means that you have to find other ways to recover to full health.

“I feel like I have to run faster because I know achieve your goals.”

“Tony has been an athletic trainer, working Tony is watching,” Walter said.

11 | FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

1. Ankle sprain 2. Concussion 3. Knee injury 4. Shoulder injury 5. Back muscle strain Rolls of tape used for MHS athletes annually:

960

That’s over 26 rolls a week, or nearly four rolls a day.

International A

FEATURES

exchange

s five Chinese teachers made their in Taiwan visiting schools and doing things way from the MBS airport to Midland, culturally, and those kinds of experiences are they were faced with a much smaller life-changing,” Hutchinson said. “You come setting than Chongqing, China, which is filled back and you are a different teacher; you are with pollution and millions of people. As they a different student because of what you now talked excitedly in the back of the 15-passenger know and from what you experienced.” van and pointed at unusual sights, assistant The partnership between Midland High principal Amy Hutchinson and social studies and SVSU was undertaken, in association with teacher Carol Neff were lost in translation, but the funds of the Gerstacker program, which the sound of laughter finally made peace. encouraged more relationship building between “I guess laughter is the universal language,” the two countries.

Neff said to Hutchinson “In emphasis of the Gerstacker program “We picked up the visitors from the MBS was the international aspect of education, and airport their first Saturday and [the teachers] it culminated all of us in a two-week trip to were in the back all talking in Chinese,” schools in [China],” Hutchinson said. “The Hutchinson said. takeaway from “ Yo u c o u l d s e e that professional them pointing out development is to the window and spread the wealth, “Kids will be kids.

They have fun. laughing and Mrs. the ripple effect, N e f f s a i d ‘ We l l , They joke around. They get in trouble if you think of a I guess laughter pebble falling into sometimes. They do everything i s t h e u n i ve r s a l the water. So we language.’” felt like we needed that our kids do.”

Three years ago, to take what we Social studies teacher Joshua Criner an incomplete know and value cultural exchange and try to bring occurred with that to Midland Taiwan, in which only the American students High.” and teachers were able to participate. This year, English teacher Yin Yan, from Friends High Midland High was able to have a successful School in Chongqing, achieved the objective exchange with China. With the assistance of of strengthening relationships, as well as Saginaw Valley State University, an exchange discovering cultural awareness. Yan said the with Chongqing, China, was planned. Eight trip broadened her mind and made her look students from Bay City Western, along with forward to a newer world in which ideas are teachers from Midland Public Schools and spread between cultures.

Western, traveled to China. Two weeks prior, Yan observed several differences between Chinese teachers visited the United States. the two school systems. One such observation “We launched this [original] exchange that was the behavior of the students. She said the allowed some of our teachers and students, students in America use critical thinking and through an application, to spend two weeks are more individualized thinkers than in China.

The students at Friends High School in Chongqing, China, have a different schedule than students at Midland H their school is also a boarding school. The students don’t have lockers, so they bring all of their books and supp “Between your school and our school, there are quite a lot of differences,” Yan said. “I think the biggest differences are the teachers’ ideas about teaching, the students’ learning ways, and school time. Your teachers’ teaching ideas are more acceptable, your students’ learning ways are more advanced, and your school time is much shorter than our students’.”

English teacher Kelly Murphy and social studies teacher Joshua Criner represented Midland High in China. Of all the differences between the American and Chinese school systems, the most prominent one was their college entrance exam.

“When you think about our school system, we’re very fortunate in that when you guys are applying to college, the college will look at your tests— ACT for [seniors], SAT for the juniors,”

Murphy said. “They’re going to look at that as a piece of the puzzle that makes up you, because they’ll look at your grades at school, the classes you took in high school, the extracurricular activities you were involved in, and your community involvement. For the Chinese students, the only thing that matters is the test.”

Along with these differences, Murphy and Criner spotted some similarities between the schools. They saw that the Chinese students’ personalities and attitudes were similar to those of American students.

“Kids will be kids,” Criner said. “They have fun. They joke around. They get in trouble sometimes. They do everything that our kids do.”

While in China, both Murphy and Criner were given the opportunity to teach a lesson

D

.

Social studies teacher Joshua Criner sits with a table of Chinese students and teaches them a history lesson on the Treaty of Versailles. Along with Criner, English teacher Kelly Murphy also spent time teaching Chinese students about grammar and descriptive writing. Kelly Murphy | Photo Courtesy

12 | FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

H Friends high school is a boarding school

Teachers switch rooms instead of students

FEATURES Teachers from Midland Public Schools and Bay City Western High School traveled to Chongqing, China, for two weeks, to experience their education system and culture. Two weeks prior, teachers from China visited Midland High. Megan Nylund | Managing Editor & Suzannah Koop |Staff Writer

High School, as they go to school from eight until five and eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner there. This is because plies for all of their classes to one classroom, and the teachers switch classrooms. Kelly Murphy | Photo Courtesy to students. Murphy taught an English lesson on descriptive writing and Criner taught the students about the Treaty of Versailles.

“Everything was so foreign and everything felt so weird the whole time,” Criner said.

“When I actually got in front of the class, it felt natural. It felt like I had a great communication between me and the students.”

While Murphy and Criner saw the high school perspective, Chestnut Hill kindergarten teacher Rebecca Faust observed a new culture at the kindergarten level, called an early childhood center. She observed that the young kids in China had more discipline than her students, due to the fact that the students there attended three years of kindergarten.

“Some of the same behaviors happened there that happen here, like they get squirrely, they

move around a lot, they don’t necessarily pay attention, but they definitely knew the routine because they had been doing the routine as a 3-year old, 4-year old, and 5-year old,” Faust said. “It’s the same routine, so by five years old, they were pretty self-sufficient and under control.”

Faust also said the administration in China had no creativity in the planning of their lessons.

They set up when to teach each unit and how to teach it. Similarly, the children had no creativity in the class setting, but were able to use their ideas in play.

America also differs in that emotional and social development is provided by preschools or day cares. In China, this is presented to children during their three years of kindergarten. Faust enjoyed this change of pace.

“ T h e y d o n ’ t p u s h t h e i r l i t t l e o n e s than their teaching style. In particular, Faust academically, but later on they push them said personal space in China was nonexistent, very hard,” Faust said. “Kindergarten is more as was the concept of waiting in line. focused on social and emotional growth rather “The culture is just so different and it was than academic.” wonderful to learn about it,” Faust said. “I can Each country found a takeaway from the better understand some of the Chinese students experience. The American teachers tended to who come here and I can see how it’s such a focus on the culture and the impact it had on huge change that maybe we need to do more them, while the Chinese teachers focused on for them to help them integrate into the school.” trying to incorporate critical thinking into their One of the hardest parts of the exchange curriculum. process was communication. To aid this Yan noticed American teachers tended to problem, the teachers had a translator. In times pose more questions to the students, whereas lacking one, they used charades and gestures her students were less active in class in this to dodge the language barrier. aspect. Since the “There were three exchange, she English teachers with has thought of us most of the time, “I can better understand some of changing the way and they did a great she teaches certain the Chinese students...maybe we need job translating for topics to improve us,” Murphy said. to do more for them to help them their critical “Their principal thinking. didn’t speak much integrate better into the school ” Conversely, the English, he knew Kindergarten teacher Rebecca Faust v e r y f e w w o r d s .

American teachers see China shifting Their headmaster, their ways of who is in charge of teaching in order to find a balance between the curriculum, didn’t either. We had a lot of testing and metacognition. This is due to their meetings where we had to wait for interpretation heavy emphasis on testing, which is a result of and I think there was some meaning lost in their college entrance exam. translation.”

“I think they are making pretty good strides Even with a language barrier, the intent of this to become more like us and to ask their students exchange was accomplished. Relationships were to do a lot more thinking and critical thinking,” formed, cultural awareness spread, and teaching Murphy said. “But when you are focused solely styles were shared. on a test that is factual, there’s not a lot of room “As we spend time with these people and get for creativity of thought, because there is so to know them, even if you aren’t really talking, much pressure on that.” you understand each other,” Hutchinson The American teachers found their trip to said. “We hugged, cried, connected, and said have impacted their cultural awareness more goodbye to people we’ll probably not see again.”

Differences at Friends High School

High schoolers have a playground Teachers and students have a two hour nap period

.

Chestnut Hill kindergarten teacher Rebecca Faust and Woodcrest kindergarten teacher Lynn Tolfa play with a group of kindergartners from Chongqing, China, on their playground. Their playground is made out of turf instead of grass and is separate from the elementary school. Rebecca Faust | Photo Courtesy

13| FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

Young at heart

FEATURES

Martyn Hollenbeck is in his last year at Midland High, after 22 years of teaching health and wellness. He plans on continuing coaching, as well as exploring other hobbies.

Ella Colbert | Features Editor & Sonja Anderson| Staff Writer

Memories of Hollenbeck “Everyday, when I would walk past Hollenbeck in the hallway, he would punch me and push me. But it was fun because I could do it back.”

Senior Bryce Thomas “After I did badly in a practice, he reminded me that I have good potential and a lot of times everyone has a bad practice. It got me excited for the next speed workout.”

Senior Dylan Anderson “At the end of the cross country course, he was standing where runners are coming around the corner. He was always there to motivate them for that last push to get their PR. He’s really caring about both his students and his runners.”

Teacher Sarah Dodick

M

Hollenbeck cheers on his cross country runners at the Post Regional Open Meet at Delta College on October 31, during the ladies 5k race. Sonja Anderson | Photo artyn Hollenbeck is 56 years old.

He’s been coaching sports for 32 years, teaching health and wellness for 22, and coaching cross country for nine. Yet, in his last year of teaching before retirement, he still feels 27. Hollenbeck credits this to the students he interacts with every day.

“Right now, [retirement] seems surreal in a way,” Hollenbeck said. “I don’t think of myself as being at the end of my career. I’m still learning and growing and the students keep me so young that I feel like, ‘Is this real?’”

He chose a career in teaching because of a middle school teacher who took interest in him and gave him the opportunity to be an assistant teacher for a while.

“At that time, I realized that was what I wanted to do,” Hollenbeck said. “If someone could make that big of an impact on my life, I would like to try to do that for others, give them a chance to succeed.”

Over his years of teaching, he has been able to meet this goal with many students. Seeing things he says make a difference in students lives has proven to be the most rewarding part of his job.

“There’s been those times when I’ve seen the light go on in someone’s eyes, and I know I’ve made a difference,” Hollenbeck said. “I think that’s powerful. You think sometimes it goes in one ear and out the other, so when you hear

14 | FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

from past students who come back and say, ‘I athletes. Hollenbeck helped him become used remember when you said this’ or, ‘I changed to the structure of the workouts by running and after this lesson,’ it is so rewarding.” lifting with him in the weight room.

Another aspect of his job that Hollenbeck Hollenbeck has developed these skills over finds gratifying is the environment of the school. 32 years of coaching sports. He has been an Hollenbeck said that the students, generally, are assistant track coach to head coach Keith Seybert respectful, hard working, and caring. He also for four years. Seybert said that Hollenbeck’s commends students for having upbeat attitudes. even temperament is one of his strongest “It’s positive here. I didn’t start teaching until qualities as a coach.

I was 31 and I had been in other workplaces, and “You want to do the best you can, for the people were negative,” Hollenbeck said. “How individual kids and for the team as a whole,” many jobs have a marching band on Fridays?” Seybert said. “It takes a lot of time and effort, Senior Max and he’s a champ.”

Pasche, one of Pasche also enjoys Hollenbeck’s “There’s been those times when I’ve seen Hollenbeck’s style of previous coaching. the light go on in someone’s eyes, and I students and “He makes us do top cross everything together, know I’ve made a difference.” c o u n t r y Martyn Hollenbeck so we’re all really r u n n e r s , close and like a believes that family,” Pasche said. his positive attitude is one of his strengths as “He also makes us work really hard.” a teacher.

The mood of family is important to “You could just tell he really liked what he Hollenbeck, in order to create a strong and was talking about, that he enjoyed it, which unified team. His focus lies not in winning, but made it enjoyable for everyone else,” Pasche in developing relationships with the athletes, said. and trying to help them grow to become better Pasche has been running under the instruction people. of Hollenbeck for four consecutive cross country “At camp, we talk about more than just seasons. His first year on the team, he was the running,” Hollenbeck said. “We talk about only male freshman and didn’t know the other being good people and being self-motivated.

“At the pool, he tried to make dolphin noises, and it didn’t sound like a dolphin.”

Senior Max Pasche I like the interaction, it’s personal. Whereas, in some other sports, you don’t get the time.”

Pasche said that Hollenbeck’s “all I ask is nothing but your best” motto has stuck with him throughout four years of running.

“I knew that he wouldn’t be mad at me if I ran a bad time,” Pasche said. “If I gave it everything I had, he would be happy with me.”

Hollenbeck said his plans for retirement include staying active and spending “a bit of time on me.” He would like to split his time between traveling and other activities, like running, biking, and swimming.

“I’m hoping to find a different career, maybe even teaching at Delta,” Hollenbeck said. “I’m not quite sure what I want to do yet. I’m kind of excited about that, looking outside at some other activity. ” It was 1982 when Hollenbeck was first able to coach a cross country team, and he was hooked from that moment on. This is why he plans to continue working with the team long after he retires from teaching. When he is eventually replaced, his advice to a new cross country coach stands exhibitory of what he has worked to build throughout nine years of cross country.

“Care more about the athlete than the wins and losses,” Hollenbeck said. “Relationships are much more important than a record. We forget what the record is, but you never forget the impact that people have on you.”

Forging minds

FEATURES

Fred Dingman is a well-known substitute teacher, a man with a storied past, and an array of interesting hobbies. His calm demeanor and interesting personality has left him with the ability to build a strong rapport with the students, as well as the staff, at Midland High School. Gabriel Severson | Staff Writer & Spencer Patrell | Staff Writer & Cara Spencer | Staff Writer

L

auren Siegmund, a junior enrolled in the fall of 2012, after his retirement from English teacher Kelly Murphy’s IB the software company. While he has been a World Literature class, walked into her substitute for teachers in some of the middle first hour on Monday morning and silently and elementary schools, he prefers teaching at rejoiced. Murphy had been one out of the the high school level. two Midland High teachers to participate in “I find that I can work at Midland High the teacher exchange program, and would be pretty much every day,” Dingman said. “And in China for the next two weeks, leaving her there’s a familiarity here that’s been developed classroom in the care of substitute teacher Fred with most of the teachers.”

Dingman.

Dingman believes that the familiarity Dingman has become a well-known and between him and the teachers is one of the well-liked substitute teacher by the student reasons he’s asked so often to substitute teach. body, despite starting to teach only three “That’s one of the reasons they ask [me to years ago. Prior to teaching, Dingman held an substitute teach for them], because there’s impressive career history. a familiarity and they know what they’re He served in the g e t t i n g , ” Military, Air Force, Dingman said. before joining the “If they just Midland Police put a name Department in “Students deal with the same teachers day in in, anyone out 1974. He retired and day out. I’m not a teacher, so I give them a there can grab from the Midland it. And with break from the routine they have every day.”

Police Department me, they know at the rank of what they’re captain after 23 Fred Dingman getting, and the years. kids know what He m o v e d they’re getting.” through the police ranks quickly, and he was English teacher Becky King appreciates captain of the patrol his last two years as an Dingman’s knowledge of the students at officer. His range of jobs within the force varied the school, as well as him being aware of his from being out on patrol to a desk officer, and surroundings. he holds the jobs to a high standard.

“I like Mr. Dingman because he’s always “Police work is described as hours of competent,” King said. “I know that I can leave boredom interspersed with minutes of pure sub plans and he will follow through with adrenaline,” Dingman said. “It’s a very them and he is also around a lot. It’s always different life and not everybody can do it.” nice to have a connection as opposed to [the After retiring from the police force, Dingman substitute] being someone I never see or talk was employed at a public sector software to. I also like his demeanor, which I think is company located near Detroit. For nearly why the students like him too, because things 14 years, he traveled around the country, don’t faze him. He doesn’t get intimidated by visiting different police departments as a high school kids all the time, he’s seen worse system analyst and project manager. It was a than what we have here. I like the fact that he taxing job, and he spent almost 46 weeks out is laid back, easy going, but he’s still in control. of the year on the road. After retiring from the People respect him.” software company, Dingman found himself at For substitute teachers, being respected by a loss for something to do. fellow teachers is just as important as creating “I’ve never not worked, so when I stopped an engaging classroom environment for the working I had to pick up something,” students.

Dingman said. “[Substitute teaching] is a good “I have him first hour,” Siegmund said. way to keep busy, and I’m almost looking at it “I’m always terrified to participate in circle as a hobby.” discussions, but Mr. Dingman makes it fun.

Dingman began substitute teaching in I remember once, during a class discussion,

Fred Dingman enjoys spending part of his Tuesday and Wednesday nights at a blacksmithing forge.

When Dingman is not blacksmithing, he can often be found at the high school. Will Hackbarth | Photo Dingman tried to read The Joy Luck Club in order to help us with our analysis. He just always has a smile on his face, and he makes me happy in the mornings. “ Dingman has his own thoughts on why the students enjoy seeing him as a substitute for their teacher.

“Students deal with the same teachers day in and day out,” Dingman said. “I’m not a teacher, so I give them a little bit of a break from the routine that they have every day. We still do the work assigned to them, but I try to add something to it that they can take a little bit of a break from.”

Substitute teaching isn’t the only hobby Dingman enjoys in his free time. He is also a blacksmith, he participates in recreational agility with his labradoodle, Zoe, he is a selfproclaimed “rabid hockey fan” along with his wife, and is also a fan of rugby.

When in the classroom, Dingman enjoys giving the students a break from their monotonous daily routines. The stories he is well-known for telling also have an ulterior and inspiring motive.

“I try not to take myself too seriously,” Dingman said. “And that’s what I kind of try to impart [on the students]. They shouldn’t take high school too seriously, because down the road this is going to be all forgotten. They should enjoy this while they have the chance. ”

Get to know Fred Dingman favorite hockey team: His Detroit Redwings

He has an extensive collection of ties

He has been in many highspeed chases

He teaches lessons

in blacksmithing His dog’s nickname is “the blonde bombshell” 15 | FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

Rebalancing the budget

NEWS

Running out of funds

Midland High’s annual magazine drive has been the biggest fundraiser in the school for seventy five years, providing funds for different sport teams and clubs every year. Yet the fundraiser has continued to decrease in the amount of revenue it brings in each year causing clubs and extra curricular activities to seek external funds and fundraisers in order to cover the costs the magazine drive once did. Maddy Pasche | A&E editor & Maddy O’Callaghan | Staff Writer.

I

n 2009, the annual magazine drive was able to generate $92,000 to fund clubs and organizations at Midland High. Now, the school finds it difficult to reach half of what it once did.

The annual magazine drive has been a tradition for seventy five years and was at one point the only source of income for clubs and organizations. Over the past few years, the revenue has steadily declined. The funds raised from the magazine drive haven’t been able to cover many of the costs for these clubs to operate due to the decrease in school funds for extracurricular clubs and organizations.

Student Council Advisor Monique Albright believes the decline in sales is because more clubs are fundraising on their own, due to the decrease in school funding.

“Everyone has a hand in the pot, because they need to, because the funds are no longer available,” Albright said. “So people have to raise funds in they want to run. It used to be that clubs and organization and sports had budgets. We don’t get budgets anymore.

Clubs and sports used to start out with ‘here’s your budget,’ and they don’t anymore because of school funding, which has hurt what we make from the magazine drive” Although there has been a steep decrease in the revenue made from magazine drive, Student Council hopes to continue the tradition by changing the way they promote and present it to the student body. They plan to use social media and internet sales to more easily reach the students. This year, many of the magazine purchases will occur online, which Student Leadership feels is a way to increase student participation.

Senior Bryce Gandy, secretary of Student Council, hopes these changes lead to success.

We’re expecting a lot of revenue,” Gandy said. “We’re definitely pushing online sale this year, to renew subscriptions, and just to order online in general because it’s easier for them, it’s easier for us.”

Albright recognizes the challenges that are presented in asking students to sell magazines which didn’t exist in previous fundraisers.

“It’s challenging today to get the attention of students because there is so much talking at you. There was a day and age where

16 | FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

we didn’t have cell phones, so people actually had to listen to the announcements to know what was going on,” she said.

Many feel that the reason for the decline in magazine sales is due to the emphasise now on getting media and news from other sources, such as television or online newspapers.

But Albright feels that this isn’t the case .

“The reality is, magazines are still out there,” Albright said. “People just aren’t buying them” The fundraiser recently changed from past years in how the money is distributed among the clubs. Each student who sells magazines will determine directly what club will benefit from his/her sales. In previous years clubs and other activities told Student Council how much money they wished to receive from the magazine drive, Student Council then appropriated the money into the various clubs.

“We are trying to get a revenue path for other clubs and organizations to help them make money, but at the same time, they don’t make enough, so they are also having to do their thing,” Albright said.

Clubs and organizations like KIVA and pom are directly affected by these fundraising decisions. Junior Varsity Pom Coach Suzanne Rielle knew that in order for their teams to be more competitive, they would have to seek external funding apart from the magazine drive as well.

“Even if we got our fair share out of fundraising, we would still need to do our own because we have a competitive team,” Rielle said. “We want to be proud of the team and be able to succeed, it just takes money to do that.”

Since the pom team is technically a club, it is only funded by the athletic department for coaching and uniforms once every five years.

In order to offset other costs, they have decided to sell soy candles to pay for things such as uniforms, competition fees, and summer camp. The team will sell the candles for $8 each, with half of the profit going directly to the club and the other half going to the girls directly to help cover the costs for Pom camp.

Another club that has been directly affected by the decrease in funds from the magazine drive is the KIVA club. KIVA is a student led organization that fundraises money to give micro loans to entrepreneurs around the world

Students in the third hour Student Leadership class and members of Student Council work to count on the first day of the magazine rive. Student council’s goal this year is to bring in a total revenue of 40,000 dollars. Students who sell magazines will have the choice to decide what clubs and extra curricular organizations they want their magazine sale money to go to. Maddy O’Callaghan | Photo in order to help them start their own business.

At the end of each semester the club loans out money in $25 increments to these entrepreneurs through a KIVA website. The loan will eventually be paid back once the business starts up, so the money stays within the system.

In order to provide these funds for the loans, the club has turned to alternative fundraising.

Senior Jonathan Haynes, President of the KIVA club, feels as though it is important to give the student body a fundraiser they’re interested in, and something they haven’t seen in the past.

NEWS

Magazine Drive by the numbers Do you think clubs are underfunded?

Magazine drive goal : 20%

$40,000 59% no

41% yes

Have you previosuly participated in the Magazine drive?

Haynes and fellow KIVA members created the idea of a Men of Kiva calendar, showcasing fellow KIVA members.

“I was thinking what’s something new, something that no one’s seen before something that will make people talk and create a lot of buzz,” Haynes said.

The calendars will be available on preorder late November and early December in order to prevent losing money because it is a new fundraiser the club has never done before. Haynes hopes the calendar will bring in $1,500 at the minimum.

“It’s a new fundraiser we’ve never done before,” Haynes said, “so we’re hoping for the best.”

In order to offset the revenue lost over the past years, and provide more funds for clubs like MHS Pom and KIVA, Student Leadership felt it would be beneficial to incorporate another way to generate funds for school cubs in addition to the magazine drive.

Steven Englund, the father of Senior Alex Englund, gave the idea of coffee subscriptions to Albright after coming across a band in Portland who released their music for free, and then generated their funds by selling coffee subscriptions.

no

Money raised through the years 60,529

55,603 45,964

51,250

80% yes

30,039

Money Raised as of November 13, 2015

$6,155

2010 2011

2012 2013

Englund presented the idea to Albright, who States is so inexpensive is due to the low thought it would be potentially beneficial wages coffee pickers are paid for their job.

They will also be using a coffee roaster from to both Midland High and the community.

After approval from the administration, Michigan, which will provide both whole and they formed a product with Jobs for Life, an ground beans. The final product, Chemic organization that provides job training for those Coffee, will be sold for $15 a bag, or 6 or 12 months subscriptions for $13.95 a bag. The bags underemployed will be personally or unemployed delivered to and who are experiencing “Everyone has a hand in the pot, because customers homes

by Jobs for Life challenges such they need to, because the funds are no every month. as homelessness. longer available,” An advantage After paying the to the coffee coffee produces, subscriptions is the profits Monique Albright that the orders will be split can be renewed between MHS and purchased and Jobs for life. generating funds “That’s one of the reasons we’ve monthly, the entire year. embraced it as well, because it can be throughout Student Council and Student Leadership a way to give back to the community, not just Midland High” Albright said. both were able to try the coffee before it was The coffee they sell will be a blend of several available for sale, and were pleased with kinds, and the coffee grounds used are a part the results. Junior Jessie Dalzell, student of Fair Trade Coffee, which is the initiative leadership member, is excited about the to pay coffee pickers in developing countries quality of the final project and hopes this lead equal and fair wages. Albright explained that to success both this year and years to follow.

“This isn’t just your average coffee,” Dalzell the reason coffee currently sold in the United

2014

said. “It’s the best coffee I’ve ever tasted” Because the coffee provided so many benefits to local and global communities, Student Council hopes to see Chemic Coffee bring in revenues for school organizations while also making a difference.

Student Council plans to continue the magazine drive, along with Chemic Coffee in future years. They hope that the two fundraisers will lead even more success.

“Right now, we want to see how the coffee thing works out,” Dalzell said. “We’re hoping it works out well, but the magazine drive will probably continue, it’s still a big fundraiser.”

Student Council member Lauren Curtis has already seen the positive reactions to the coffee.

“I’ve gotten to work at both parent teacher conferences and the Midland Dow game, and the most rewarding part of this is when people see that it’s Chemic Coffee and they get excited just because it’s Chemics,” Curtis said. “Then they actually try the coffee and they come back for a second or third cup because it’s actually quality and it’s going towards a good cause, That just shows that all this hard work we’ve been doing, people actually like it, and I think for that reason it will be very successful in the future.”

17| FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

Rebalancing the budget

Fixing the fall

H

aving lost nearly 2,000 students since 2005, Midland Public Schools has reached its lowest enrollment in more than twenty years. As most of the district’s funding is based on a foundation allowance from the state of Michigan, which grants around $8,000 per enrolled student, the district finances have reached an equal level of disparity. While student enrollment and the foundation allowance have both decreased over recent years, the expenses of the district have increased.

“We’ve had kind of like the perfect storm,” Superintendent Michael Sharrow said. “A recession hits, we have less students, we have less income coming in per student, and then we have some local issues as well.”

School districts are funded based on the number of enrolled students because the fewer students they have to teach, the less money they will need to operate. However, many districts have found that when they experience a loss of students, the expenses do not always decrease accordingly.

“We can lose 100 students, but that's across 13 grades, so it's not this nice, neat, ‘you have less people, it should cost less money’,” said Robert Cooper, Associate Superintendent and Director of Finance. “Because I could take one out of every class, you're not going to notice one less student in here, but the district as a whole is going to notice that difference in money. The number of people we are employing stays the same, so it's not easy to say, just because you're losing students, you're losing the cost.”

In order to account for the decrease in revenue and the increase of expenses, the district has had to make many cuts. Nearly 85 percent of expenditures are personnel-related, so most of the budget reductions have primarily affected district employees. The administration has diminished costs by decreasing salary and benefits, as well as reducing the number of staff members.

“Most of our reductions have been less people in the building [and] less people in the district,” Sharrow said. “We've reduced hundreds of employees throughout the district over just the last five years, and certainly the three years that I've been at the helm.”

When Sharrow first arrived in Midland, he and his fellow administrators considered every possible method to save money. Throughout the entire budgeting process, their primary goal was to affect the classroom as little as possible, and to maintain the level of quality to which the district was accustomed.

“We've had to learn how to provide quality services in a different manner,” Sharrow said. “[The students] are our quality. How well

18 | FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

NEWS Because Midland Public School’s enrollment has reached its lowest point in over twenty years, the administration has had to make many cuts. They have now balanced their budget, and hope to start replenishing the general savings fund. Will Hackbarth | Editor-in-Chief & Kalie Dornbos | Staff Writer

The general savings fund has fallen from

20% 8%

of district expenses to

Midland Public Schools receives

$8,291 per student.

Student enrollment has fallen by The districts fund balance has fallen

$10,475,119

1,714

students since 2007.

since 2007.

For nearly half a decade, the MPS administration has had to balance the budget by drawing from their general savings fund. Through many cuts, they balanced the budget without the general fund. They now strive to restore their savings, which have depleted over the years. Will Hackbarth | Photo Illustration [they] do academically, how well [they] do successful in creating a balanced budget without when [they] leave here, is what we produce. harming the education of students. Even though To keep delivering quality results, but do it in a the district has significantly less money than it vastly different way than we once did, we had to has had in the past, he sees that the academic discover how to do that over the last few years.” scores and course selection numbers are as high Sharrow’s philosophy behind cutting was as they have ever been. to never cut an Sharrow entire one thing. has also been Instead, he scaled pushing for down costs in many the creation of different programs, “Once you hit a balance, you feel like you’re online curricula, and asked for done by teachers

heading in the right direction.” compensation from in the district. all the employees.

“The number A s a r e s u l t , t h e one priority of Michael Sharrow administration was creating our able to balance their own courses budget, without having to take money from is that our students will be taught by MPS their fund balance, for the first time in around teachers instead of a teacher from an online five years. course provider,” Christopher Sabourin, a “Once you hit a balance, you feel like you're technology coordinator for the administration heading in the right direction,” Sharrow said. said. “Furthermore, the courses taken will be “We're not spending more than we're taking in, managed by an MPS teacher, ensuring that the and now we're looking to start having a little rigor and expectations are the same as what is more dollars than we were taking in, which we expected in our traditional classrooms.” could [use to] replenish some of our savings.”

The Michigan Online Course Catalog allows Sharrow said the administration has been students to take online classes from anywhere

in Michigan. Through this catalog, MPS could charge tuition for students taking their online classes.

Although Cooper and Sharrow believe the district to be in a good position, they have some concerns about the future. Enrollment is still projected to decrease in the next few years, as the current elementary classes are much smaller than the current graduating classes.

“If you would look historically at K-12, we had high school graduation classes of about 800 students,” Cooper said. “The elementary has been riding through with somewhere between 500 and 600.”

Another potential problem is the prospect of Dow buying out Corning’s stock and consolidating resources. This action could reduce the people living in Midland and, by extension, the number of students enrolled in the school district. Nevertheless, Sharrow remains optimistic for the future.

“We seem to be trending in the right direction,” Sharrow said. “I don't ever think we're going to be as wealthy as this district once was. I think those days are gone. We definitely are going to finally be out of the dark days where we're talking about cutting all the time.”

Rebalancing Money Probsthe budget

A language lost

F

NEWS

or junior Ashton Doyle, the decision to shrinking in the last few years. Milne says that quit studying the German language was part of this may be due to the fact that, two not an easy one. Doyle, who would have years ago, the former German teacher left midbeen in German 4 this year, was not able to take year, leaving the students to be taught by an the elective because the course was no longer assortment of substitutes. offered at Midland High.

“German has been less popular than French Currently, the only level of German that is or Spanish, and I have been told that German offered at Midland High is level 2; and in years has struggled with numbers [in the past],” to come, the language will not be offered at all Milne said. “The MPS school district has been to Midland High students in a normal classroom shrinking for years and this has undoubtedly setting. To continue with the language, students had an effect.” must either take the course at Dow High or Before the decision to cut the German online. program from Midland High was made, the “[I quit German] because I would’ve had to go district put together a committee of language to Dow High and that wasn’t really an option for teachers and administrators to explore options me,” Doyle said. “I opted out of taking the class for reductions in the language department. online because I heard that German 4 online French teacher Amy Rankin said that it was is extremely difficult. [Last year] every single a very difficult decision; but after discussing it, German 4 online it came down to student dropped cutting a language down into our completely or German 3 class.” splitting them Sophomore between the two “German 3 online doesn’t set me up for Ethan Bruce is high schools. success or mastery of the language. currently taking “After looking It’s really not an ideal way to learn.”

German 3 online at years of and doesn’t think enrollment it’s fair to make a t a , we m a d e

Sophomore Ethan Bruce dthe online learning decision to the only option for offer German at students who want to continue German. He Jefferson Middle School ( JMS)/Dow High doesn’t think taking German online is worth the School (DHS) because, historically there has time and effort because it’s too difficult to learn been higher enrollment in that language in and understand a language without a teacher. those schools than at Northeast Middle School “I would definitely not recommend taking (NE)/Midland High School (MHS),” Rankin an online course to other students,” Bruce said. said. “And conversely, we made the decision to “German 3 online doesn’t set me up for success offer French at NE/MHS because, historically, or mastery of the language. It’s really not an we have had higher French enrollment at those ideal way to learn and it’s not worth taking a schools than at JMS/DHS.” language class unless you have a teacher there Although Rankin is sad to see her department to help you.” shrink, she is happy that all three languages are Bruce said that the main difference between still offered somewhere in the district, because learning online and being taught by a teacher very few districts in the state offer three foreign is the lack of interaction and the lack of variety languages to their students. She also recognizes of assignments. that many students are not going to want to “Last year, when I was in German 2, we travel across town to take the language they would often do skits, games, and other activities want. which made the class fun and helped us learn “I’m sad that NE/MHS students would vocabulary and grammar,” Bruce said. “The have to travel across town if they want to take structure of the online class is more like reading German, just as I’m sad that JMS/DHS students an extremely long article that you have to would have to travel across town for French,” memorize and be tested on.”

Rankin said. “Traveling makes a student’s day One of the biggest issues for the German vastly more complicated, and languages open program is that there aren’t enough students so many doors for students that I don’t like who are interested in taking it anymore. Because reducing choices.” this is only David Milne’s second year teaching According to Midland Public Schools German at Midland High, it is hard for him to superintendent Michael Sharrow, it isn’t comment on long term trends of the number economically smart for the district to run every of students in the German program. However, level of every language at both high schools. he has been told that the numbers have been Because the schools have been suffering from

Midland High’s German program is coming to an end, as the district begins to offer it only at Dow High. This is due to the lack of students signing up for the class and the lack of funding. Kirstyn Cotton | Opinion Editor & Chloe Gall | Staff Writer

German teacher David Milne helps two of his German 2 students before class. Because not enough students are signing up for German at MHS, the class will only be offered at Dow High in the future.

Students who wish to continue German will have to travel to DHS or take it online. Chloe Gall | Photo lower enrollment, there aren’t enough kids at each school to fill that many language classes.

Sharrow’s temporary solution for this is to offer German only at Dow High and French only at Midland High.

In the future, Sharrow would like to implement a blended learning option for the students who desire to take the language not offered at their high school. Blended learning would allow students at both high schools to be taught by the same teacher, but they would be in a classroom setting some days and learning online other days.

“Let’s use the tools that have been given to us; this blended world,” Sharrow said. “The teacher will be [at Midland High] face-to-face one day, face-to-face at Dow High another day, and the other three days you meet in the online blended world.”

Sharrow’s ultimate goal is to make the best economic decisions for the district. In this case, it meant cutting the German program from Midland High. The blended-learning

program would allow the language to get back into Midland High and also help the district to increase revenue.

“I think [blended-learning] is going to cost me, dollar for dollar, about the same,” Sharrow said.

“But, the teacher would have been [teaching] 10 students over there and now we’ve got 20. It all works out; the formula. It’s the revenue vs. the expense side. I’m increasing the revenue instead of decreasing the expense.”

As hard as it is for Milne to watch the German program disappear from MHS, he understands that it is for economic reasons and that the district has tried in the past to preserve the class, but it hasn’t worked. Milne hopes that he has had an impact on the students he was able to teach and hopes that one day the German program will be reinstated into Midland High.

“I have only been here a short time, but I have done my best to bring the enjoyment net of language learning to everyone I have had,” Milne said. “I hope they have enjoyed it as much as I have.”

19 | FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

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I

Gwynne Özkan

White in a World of Color

am going to simplify the concept of are sentenced to the depths of fiery hell. We religion to an unadorned pack of Crayola will never reach the height of Nirvana, will be crayons, so try to stay with me. Each color turned away by the guidance of Allah, and a represents a different religion. Each is a color million other versions of the same despicable completely different than the last. Along fate. This is a tough bill we all may or may with the base colors, there are a handful of not be forced to pay when our path of life is different shades for each stripe of the rainbow. ended. We mean no harm and do no damage; Each shade exemplifies different branches as much damage as a white crayon could do to of each religion. Crimson for Catholicism, a sheet of white paper. maroon for Protestants. Lilac depicts Sunnis In defense of my fellow white crayons, we while lavender represents Shiites. No matter are different thinkers. We can’t quite grasp the the color, each is important in the unity of a concepts of religion with no tangible evidence rainbow, much like how each religion holds or viable witnesses. Upon hearing this, people importance in the unity of the world. think the worst. They take it as an accusation The cliché, “what is your favorite color?” against their beliefs and an attack towards can be compared to “what is your religion?” their lifestyle, when the reality is none too in more ways than one. There is no right or severe. In actuality, we just don’t have the wrong answer, but it asks for an opinion. missing pieces to the puzzle we need to feel Some answer complete and satisfied. automatically When white dabbles “Each human thinks differently and has with purple, amounts and with intent: ‘burgundy,’ a a different take on the universe. Such become crucial. Too specific shade a big concept deserves no less than an much of one will drown of a certain out the other. I am still infinite amount of perspectives.” color. Others waiting for the purple, fall into a daze or red, or yellow to

of indifference, drown me out. The claiming they same goes for religion. don’t have a favorite or simply say blue to I’ve attended church on many occasions. Each fit in. Those who fall in the first category time I left those doors with a new perspective. represent the group for whom religion is a However, nothing ever stuck, and that’s okay. priority and their faith is something of the It just means that color didn’t drown me out. utmost importance, while people who answer Each human thinks differently and has the latter could rattle off a few facts of the a different take on the universe. Such a big religion they were brought up in but not much concept deserves no less than an infinite more. None of this is to say one is superior to amount of perspectives. My lack of religion the other, only to simplify things. happens to be a battle I struggle with. Whether Different colors have the ability to mix, it be looks of disgust when it comes up in mingle, and create brilliant combinations, conversation, or cut ties from ‘friends.’ I do although the meshing of two doesn’t always my best to shrug it off and continue my own have a result appealing to the eyes. Some journey. This just makes me thankful and colors disagree with others and some blend appreciative of those who respect my beliefs naturally. Some lie side by side without issue and think of me no worse for them. I trust that but hold no desire to mix. Still, all colors are beliefs don’t classify someone as a good, but needed for a pretty picture Now that you’ve rather their behavior. grasped the concept of religion in terms of The white crayon is often belittled and colors, lets shift to my color, or lack there of. picked on for its irrelevance and uselessness, The word atheist has a negative but I disagree. Despite it’s absence of the connotation. It rolls blunt and bitter off the rainbow, white is unique. Though not visible tongue, so I’ll refer to myself as the color to the eye, it is a mix of all the colors in the white. I am not a color of the rainbow. I hold world, combining into one. I may be a bleak, no religion at all. That is not to say I am a nonuninteresting white in comparison to the believer, but rather a blank canvas, waiting to radiant shades of the world but I hold each be splashed with a color of my liking. I have one inside me, whether or not you can see not yet identified myself with a religion, and it. Maybe one will bloom and overcome my instead I’m living my life with open arms to being, directing me towards a faith I can be ideas that strike me. passionate about. But until that day, if there is To many people, we hold a bad name. We a day, I am okay with being the white crayon.

The performing lifestyle A&E

Senior Elia Danielson and sophomore Emily Thomas both have backgrounds in music and the performing arts, and which they use to express themselves through. Danielson expresses herself through Classical Italian music while Thomas uses musical theatre. Ian Andridge | Staff Writer & Claire Booth | Staff Writer

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he night before her vocal recital, senior Elia Danielson, sits down at her piano and begins pressing the keys, while singing along to an Italian song she will perform the next night. She pictures all of the friends, family, and strangers she will have to perform in front of. After practicing the piece with her piano, Danielson takes her sheets of music and begins highlighting what emotion she wants her audience to cling to when they hear each line.

“I’ll sit down with my music and I’ll highlight what emotion I want to come through in different verses, so you can see the progression of feelings through a song,” Danielson said.

“Even if you’re only singing one song, and it’s not part of an opera, it still tells a story. For me, that’s the main goal of music: to tell a story.”

Classical Italian is described as a song in Italian that stands on its own; it can sometimes be confused with Opera, which is a series of songs that tell a story, and is performed in many different languages.

“Opera is lots of different languages and a lot of times from shows, so you can have different songs from different operas,” Danielson said.

“You can have an opera in Chinese, or English, or whatever language. Italian singing can be one classical Italian song that stands on its own.

It doesn’t have to be a part of an opera or show or production. Classical Italian is one song and Opera is a series of songs that tells a story.”

Danielson has been singing classical Italian since her ninth grade year, when she started taking voice lessons from her teacher, Grace Marra.

Often, people perform this type of music to improve their vocal skills. Danielson began primarily for this reason, and soon fell in love with the music.

“It’s really cool because it’s a different language that you’re singing in,” Danielson said. “I feel like you connect with the words more. Especially Italian, the words flow together really cool and English doesn’t always do that. It’s really beautiful.”

Danielson also loves how a classical Italian singer can put on different personas and act them out. The most common personas are love, hate, and jealousy.

“I love singing the jealousy or the part of the

snobby girl, because it’s totally different from who I am that it’s just really fun to act out that part,” Danielson said. “Also, the music is so sassy and it has fun little turns you can do and vocal embellishments.”

Sophomore Emily Thomas also finds herself conveying her emotions and passions through a style of singing.

Unlike Danielson, Thomas enjoys musical theatre over classical Italian and finds she can better express her emotions in opera and musical theatre.

“I tried out for my first musical and then realized that this is what I totally want to do forever,” Thomas said. “And then it just took off from there.”

Thomas has participated in more than 10 singing performances and several plays over the years. She has been singing for as long as she can remember, but she did not officially start until she was in seventh grade.

A main goal of hers is to be on Broadway.

Getting involved in musical theatre and going to school in New York would be a dream come true for Thomas.

Thomas gives credit to her parents for making it possible to do what she loves.

“I think it’s very cool that my parents have provided my lessons,” Thomas said. “As a singer, it is super epic to have an accompanist father.”

Todd Thomas, Emily’s father, has sang and studied music for much of his own life. He has pushed and encouraged Emily to follow her dreams into musical theatre, as he did in his past.

Todd is thankful that his family can grow up in an environment and city that surrounds its citizens with what he loves to do.

“We are amazingly blessed to be in Midland,” Todd said. “At any given moment, you can find anything involving arts and performances.”

Emily takes after her father when it comes to what her passion is and what she loves to do.

“When I sing, I feel the way that anyone does when they’re doing their absolute favorite thing: epic,” Emily said. “And my favorite thing to sing is definitely musical theatre. I can let out my full sound and be creative with it, plus it feels so comfortable if my technique is correct that I could just sing and sing and sing.”

Senior Elia Danielson is trains with her teacher, Grace Marra, for an upcoming college entry contest. She is singing classical Italian while Marra accompanies on the piano beside Danielson. Ian Andridge | Photo

Other classical Italian singers:

Name: Allie Williams Grade: 12 Favorite thing about classical Italian?

Name: Sarah Evans Grade: 10 Favorite thing about classical Italian?

“My favorite thing about singing these pieces is the emotion and the story the writers put behind them, and I get to tell these stories while performing them.”

“It’s way prettier than songs in English because Italian flows a lot better and it’s smooth which is always ideal for singing.”

21 | FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

One word wonders...

A&E A&E

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he bone-chilling voice that brought the world “Rolling in the Deep” and “Someone Like You” is back with a new single tinged with longing and sorrow.

Adele has again blessed the world with her sultry vocals in her recent single “Hello.”

Her comeback has greeted her fans with a melancholy piano instrumental and echoing lyrics. The opening line of the song, “Hello, it’s me...” will haunt listeners and give a hint of gospel tone. When the chorus arrives and hits the listener at full blast, it begins a wave of different emotions. Adele’s vocals pull the listener’s heart strings and will make anyone miss the ex that they may have never had. The way that Adele gasps for breath after every syllable makes listeners soak up the emotion she is experiencing. The depth and heart written from this from a personal experience will draw in broken hearted listeners who need a shoulder to cry on. Having the piano as the main instrument in the piece, with the bass quivering quietly in the background, puts emphasis on Adele’s voice, which doubles as a musical instrument. Even though this song reflects her usual style, it does not sound like anything she has ever done before. This song lacks the spite and revenge that her previous songs on her previous albums 19 and 21,have. Adele has given a Grammy-worthy performance with this single, not letting any of her fans down with this great return.

Ratings:

22 | FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

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ne Direction’s slow release of what may be their last album is breaking the hearts of teenage girls across the nation. The fact that ex-member Zayn Malik isn’t featured on this album could be the cherry on top of this dire situation for the boy band. “Perfect” is the third single released from the album, and, frankly, it may be 1D’s demise. The lyrics in the beginning of the song are corny and cliché: “I may never be the one to bring you flowers.” These boys may be speaking to thousands of fangirls, but average listeners will not connect with the sappy love lyrics.

The lyrics make 1D sound like needy boys who are trying to coerce a girl into thinking that they are secretly good guys. The only part of the song that is meaningful is the chorus, which has a good beat and catchy lyrics: “And if you like midnight driving with the windows down. And if you like going places we can’t even pronounce.

If you like to do whatever you’ve been dreaming about.” The autotune discredits their strong vocals that listeners have enjoyed for the past five years. The beat sounds simplistic and choppy and the song does not flow well. Sadly, it never compensates for these errors. I, along with die-hard 1D fans, only hope the new album is at the top of the charts just as Four and Midnight Memories were.

Sorry

Perfect

Hello

Reviews of the newest singles just released that are topping the charts. Hannah McAtamney | Design Editor

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ustin Bieber’s new single, “Sorry”, is a great comeback from his two year break. I commend him for taking the time to write a song apologizing to his fans for the problems that he caused while he took time off from his career. Beside the strong message, not a single person can sit down when listening to this song, as it provides a great fast-paced beat. To the average person who is just looking for a song with meaningful lyrics and a new techno, but yet the same JB sound, this is perfect. This song is a very catchy tune all while providing the fans with a wonderful underlying meaning that tells the story of his journey in becoming a new person, this powerful message is one of change, matched with a new sound. Justin’s vocals are just as strong as they were in his previous albums, My World and Believe; and if anything they have improved since the last time. Justin was able to provide a song unlike any of his other music, yet it still fits the pop/ rock tune that fits him well. Listeners are left wanting more after hearing this single and they are given a sense of truth, without having to know the context of the song. Justin made a great comeback to his music career, and it seems likely that he will build his fan base back up to what it once was. Bieber did an amazing job at writing a universal song, so the fans that are still with him should hope that he continues to produce the same quality of music as this single.

A different path of passion A&E

Freshmen LeVale Walker takes a different path from his sport-oriented brothers, as he takes on one of the lead roles in the Midland High drama club production, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. Julia Quinn | Photo Editor & Kady Volmering | Staff Writer

The Walker Boys

Vaughn, Virgil, and Vince talk about their youngest brother’s acting talents.

What is LeVale’s best quality?

Freshman LeVale Walker portrays Tom Robinson, the mockingbird figure in Midland High’s drama production ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. He shows the prejudice against his skin color and invokes sympathy from the crowd as they learn that he is falsely accused of rape. Ian Andridge | Photo

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rom a young age, his three older brothers were running around the yard playing various sports, as freshman LeVale Walker was singing with his microphone, made out of an old table leg, around, dressing up in suits, and putting on miniature performances for his family.

When Walker was young, he knew that he wanted to pursue acting, and was inspired by the actors on the Disney Channel. Walker said that the actors on the shows looked like they had fun, and so he wanted to try it out for himself. He was involved in his church choir at an early age and has been in many plays, one of the main aspects that make Walker stand out from his three older brothers—Virgil, Vince, and Vaughn—who are all active in sports at Midland High School.

Despite what coaches, and other people have told LeVale about playing sports, he has chosen to create his own way through his love for the arts.

“I always used to call him my David,” Adira Walker, LeVale’s mother, said. “He had these older brothers that were huge and everybody was like, ‘Those are the warriors’. I think of them like the brothers. Then you’ve got little David, sitting over in the grass writing music. People don’t see him coming because he doesn’t carry himself the way people think that strength should look; he has a lot of inner strength.”

LeVale has carried on his inner strength throughout his acting career, ever since he

was first involved in his seventh grade play at Northeast, “Casey at the Bat.” The play gave him a lasting enjoyment for drama.

“Being on stage made me feel really great,” LeVale said. “I thought, I’m going to keep doing this.”

Not only did being in front of a crowd encourage LeVale to continue his involvement in theater, but the friendships made during the preparation and production gave him incentive to keep acting as well. LeVale has since been in five other plays, including “A Comedy of Errors”, performed at the Midland Center for the Arts this summer.

LeVale recently landed one of the lead roles in “To Kill a Mockingbird”, Midland High’s most recent drama club production. LeVale played Tom Robinson, a role he dedicated a lot of time outside of club practice to master.

He focused on familiarizing himself with his character, Tom, who gets falsely accused of raping a white girl. He embodied his character physically and emotionally, and said he cried a few times when portraying him.

“They’ve really risen to the challenge,” Production Director Megan Applegate said.

“LeVale in particular—I’ve been impressed with his maturity and his honesty.”

Applegate said that LeVale played the part genuinely and sincerely, which was especially impressive coming from a freshman actor.

She attributes LeVale’s success of accurately portraying Tom Robinson to his dedication to the role, his attention to detail, and willingness

to get close to the part.

“I’ve had to really think about my character because of his story,” LeVale said. “I’ve had to think what it would be like to be an African American at that time.”

Adira is extremely proud of LeVale for taking on this role of such a controversial topic, especially after growing up a minority in a suburban area.

“It’s been a growth moment for him,” Adira said. “So I’m proud of him; not everyone can do that.”

Adira and LeVale’s brothers all fully support him in pursuing his acting career, just as he does in their athletic endeavors.

Adira is a firm believer in passion, and encourages all of her kids to pursue their interests. Sophomore Vaughn Walker is very supportive of his younger brother’s singing and acting career, along with the rest of his brothers.

“He was always different from us, but at the end of the day he was our little brother and we love him a lot,” Vaughn said. “He puts that special part into our family that gives us everything: the sports and the acting and singing.”

Adira said the best thing about him is how he created his own path.

“When I see my children being their own person, their own leader, it’s good and I’m proud of that,” Adira said. “Especially in today’s society where a lot of kids are afraid to walk alone.”

“When we were younger, all four of us used to do musicals for our family. He’d be the leader of the musical and would boss us around, but in a good way. It was pretty funny.

And now when we look back at it, it’s super fun and cute.”

Vaughn, Sophomore

When were you most proud of LeVale?

“My proudest moments of LeVale are when I’m watching him act in his plays. It’s one of my favorite things hanging out with him after his play recitals.”

Virgil, Senior

What is your best memory of LeVale?

“LeVale’s best quality is that he’s completely different than all of us. He’s his own unique person; he doesn’t really follow anything we do. He sings 24/7, he loves everything about singing. He practices acting all the time in the downstairs mirror.”

Vince, Junior 23 | FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

A&E

THAT’S A RHAP From clarinet choirs to army-themed dance routines, here is a sneak preview of what is in store for Midland High’s Rhapsody Rendezvous. The show starts at 7:00pm, on Nov. 20, at the Midland Center for the Arts. Katherine Vernier | News Editor & Gypsy Worrall | Staff Writer & Hayley Russell | Staff Writer

At a Glimpse:

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24 | FOCUS | NOV 20, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

Katherine Vernier & Julia Quinn & Ian Andridge | Photos

Seniors Allie Williams, Michael Adams, Taylor Winslow, and Josiah Greiner will be the emcees of the evening. They will be using different techniques, such as skits, to introduce the performers throughout the night.

Frankie and the Valli Girls will be playing the song, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” by Frankie Valli. The band consists of seniors S co t t J o f f re, A a ro n M e a l e y, Samantha Rice, Ashley Cline, Olivia Candela, Noah Scheiber, Katie Wenban, along with junior Nicky Billovits and sophomore Connor Robertson.

Senior Juliana Rowley will be singing, “Fight Song,” by Rachel Platton. Rowley chose this song because she finds it very relatable.

“No matter how small you feel you can make a big impact and you do have a voice,” Rowley said.

Seniors Shannon DeGroot and sophomore Cassandra Thoms will be performing a contemporary dance duet to the song “Words Remain,” by Josh Garrels. Degroot choreographed this dance on her own.

S o p h o m o re s Fi s c h e r G e n a u and Sarah Evans and will be performing “Ain’t No Cover,” by Regina George. Evans is going to sing while Genau plays the cajón.

Dressed in army costumes and paired with ceography, seniors Jamie Dwyer, Emma Longoria, Elia Danielson, and Natalie Vinande will be singing and dancing to “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” by the Andrews Sisters.