October 2nd Issue

THE

FOCU S Midland High School | October 2, 2015| Volume 38. Issue 1

Martial Arts: Junior Hanybul and Freshman Danbi Johnson have trained in tae kwon do the majority of their lives, under Master Chang Soo Lim. (pg. 14)

Inside this month: Special Report: Vapes As vaping increases in popularity, questions arise about the legal, administrative, and athletic consequences, as well as the health effects, of the habit. (pg. 8-11)

Teens with Kids Senior Paige Davis and Junior Alicia Morales are learning to balance their schoolwork with their children. (pg. 20)

Ian Andridge | Photo

OPINON

3: Editorial

CONTENTS

4: Tidbits 6-7: Columns

5: Human of MHS 8-9: Legality of

Vaporizers

NEWS

10: Health Effects of Vaporizers

11: Clarifying the Consequences

12-13

SPORTS

12-13: Coaches Kick

into Action 15: Sports Zone

14: The Art of Hand and Foot 16: Striving for

Recovery

FEATURES

17: A Cultural Leap 19: A Weight has

been Lifted 21: Ads

18: Common to

Cultured 20: Finding a

Balance

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

23: Scouting for Somethng New

22: Generations

of Music 24: Chemic Band

of Leaders

17

10 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

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.

Up in smoke

OPINION

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Should minors be able to obtain any vape product?

Freshman Ethan Richards “No, because they say it’s just water vapor, but I think it’s more”

Ariana Gibson| Drawing

The Focus debates whether or not there should be a law enforced for minors obtaining vape products.

W

ith flavors ranging from bubble gum to blueberry, more and more teenagers are finding the e-liquids in electronic cigarettes, also known as vaporizers or vapes, more attractive than the average cigarettes. The regular cigarettes — which are illegal for teenagers under the age of 18 — have been going out of style due to their cancer causing agents and the claims that vapes are fresher and cleaner. The e-liquid, or juices, in these vapes contain propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, often times nicotine, and a variety of natural and artificial flavors.

As for now, there is a lack of research behind these substances and their medical effects.

Therefore, there is very little evidence to definitively support whether vapes are detrimental or suitable for health.

There is no law preventing minors from buying vapes, but nicotine is illegal. The liquid used in the vape has little research conducted on health effects. Kids are forced to trust the label of the contents printed on the e-liquids with nicotine content, many of which are homemade. Yet, there are some upsides to the usage of vaporizes at a young age. E-cigarettes do not stain the teeth like regular cigarettes, they can be used without nicotine, and they only emit water vapor and flavoring, which creates no secondhand smoke. This suggests that vaporizers could be used as a safer alternative.

However, we believe that the negative aspects and lack of research on vaporizers outweigh the positive sides. We find this situation similar to the 1920’s, when cigarettes became popular and little was known of the long-term side effects, including the cancer causing agents present in the tobacco and the nicotine’s addictive quality. Along with nicotine, the e-liquids contain propylene glycol, flavoring and other components, including tin, nickel and chromium —which are toxic. The aerosols, when heated, produce formaldehyde, which is used to embalm the deceased.

Under the current law, stores cannot sell e-juice with nicotine to minors. However, they are not always careful about what they are selling and who is buying. It is also difficult for law enforcement to tell if someone is vaping something illegal, since the vapor looks the same either way.

We also believe vaping can be detrimental to minor’s health because more dangerous substances can easily be smoked in a vape.

Some of these drugs include hookah and marijuana. This presents another problem due to sharing. Someone may not know what is in another person’s vape pen, and could end up vaping something they never intended to.

This could lead to a habit of other drugs, such as marijuana or cigarettes, and later could lead to experimenting with harder narcotics.

Vaping also can be used as a gateway to eating disorders. By using the vape, a person can feel full and not want to eat. However, this isn’t healthy because the vapor doesn’t provide any source of nutrients to keep your body functioning properly. While we recognize vaping is not often this dangerous, and can be a healthy habit, there are simply too many potential dangers for minors.

Overall, the Focus believes the vaping phenomenon presents a high risk to minors.

The current law is not enough to keep nicotine from minors. Therefore, we propose a solution of creating a law to ban all vape products for anyone under the age of 18. If the vapes do contain toxic chemicals in the e-liquids, and can contain nicotine, then they deserve to be considered illegal for the underage. Since cigarettes, which contain nicotine and other cancer-causing agents, are illegal for ages below 18, then vapes should be as well.

There is little definitive evidence on whether or not vapes have a serious effect on health, but we want to make sure there isn’t a repeat of the after-effects of cigarettes on minors.

Before vapes cause any serious detriments to the systems of the body, we want to make sure the research is completed and has plenty of evidence to show whether or not they are hazardous. Until then, minors should not be able to purchase any vaping products, for their own safety.

Sophomore Ellie Goddard “No, because we should be trying to stop young people from smoking, and this encourages it.”

Junior Lydia Ferreira “I think they should as long as they don’t have nicotine because that’s the only thing harmful, but it’s really their choice of what they want to do in their free time.”

Senior Christian Clark “No, because if minors are allowed to buy such products, it only encourages later use of the actual thing.”

3 | FOCUS | OCT 2, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

TIDBITS Photo OF THE Month

OPINION

Tweet of the Month “I can think of 1,000,000,000 things I’d rather do than read pr ide n prejudice r n”

156 likes saraaaaah_ Student section selfie

Follow THIS User @saraaaaah_

Follow THIS User

@kellymarsh_

3 THINGS you don’t have to worry about this month

1 2 Waiting for IOS9 to download.

Getting a Homecoming date (hopefully).

seniors: your last first day of 3 For high school.

and one thing you still need to do...

Try to get here early enough to snag a parking spot before they’re all taken 4 | FOCUS | OCT 2, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

WHERE’S VIC? Somewhere inside this issue of the Focus, Vic is hiding.

If you find him, tweet the Focus with a photo of him and the name of your fifth hour teacher, for a chance to win a free slurpee.

Sonja Anderson

T

he first thing I notice is the smell. I don’t think there’s any better title for it except Old People Smell. Kind of musty, a bit of lavender, maybe some moth balls. It doesn’t smell good or bad. I’m indifferent, really. It’s just there. Old people smell old, just like infants smell like infants, new or whatever.

One notices certain things while entering a nursing home, like the fact that the door is locked from the outside, and all of the decor looks like it was copied from a page of Better Homes and Gardens. It’s caged, and it’s impersonal.

Her room isn’t though. Her room has paintings tacked up on the wall, ones she’d done herself in an art class. And pictures of her family, and a portrait of Jesus Christ hanging above the television. Stacks of books and papers crowd the entirety of the back wall, and she’s converted her shower into a closet. There’s even a small statue of a tiara bearing dog to greet you as you walk in.

I’d come to visit Lu Delaney, as my family and I have been doing for some time now.

She’s known me since I was five years old, after all. She was my neighbor, her and her husband. Their yard was directly behind ours, so that the back of our house faced the back of theirs in a mirror image. My brother and I would run over there in free time, which is all the time when you’re five, and accept treats and stories from them. The treats being candy orange slices and strawberry pie, and the stories being from their own childhoods.

Mike, Lu’s husband, used to work as a milk delivery boy when he was young, and said he would often sip the foam off the top of the cartons before delivering them. I remember being intrigued by that, as that type of disregard for sanitation is pretty much a crime now.

Mike died on July 7, 2008, and Lu’s lived in a home ever since. He had cancer of the bladder, which was eventually replaced with a plastic bag. One of the many supporting reasons as to why age is frightening.

If Lu looked elderly when she was living at her house, it’s nothing compared to now.

She’s ninety years old, and that sort of number does not tread lightly on the body.

A great number of deeply purple veins show through almost transparent skin, her hair rests in loose, silvery white coils that reach to the bottom of her ears, and her legs are

Adopted Grandma not quite strong enough to stand for more than fifteen minutes. Although, when my dad offered to help her up from a chair, she shook her head and insisted on continuing independence. A very small woman, she only comes up to around my collarbone, maybe four and a half feet tall. Her eyes, though, remain a vivacious blue, like the color of a cloudless sky at midday. They pierce you when she talks. I love how she talks.

Lu was telling us of her volunteer work at the hospital, a twice per month occurrence.

She stuffs and seals envelops with letters of the breast cancer variety. They’re mostly reminders to people to come in for their next mammogram. She said that she likes doing it, that she’s glad the nurses, busy and “with their smarts,” don’t have to do mindless things like that, because she’s able to.

The thing about old people is, there comes a time when most of them choose one of two directions. There’s senile, and there’s happy.

I think that Lu has definitely chosen the latter.

She doesn’t really care about anything futile anymore. She only cares to enjoy herself.

For example, her feet are perpetually covered in a pair of green, fluffy slippers.

There’s a small bow on top of each. Also, the front bar of her wheeled walker is decorated in a long line of rubber ducks. She said that it started when somebody gave her that bright pink one right there. And then she got the other yellow ones, and then the one dressed like Santa Claus, and then the Halloween one, etcetera. She collects them, in the same way that one would collect coins or stamps. It’s kind of cute, really. Like, old people cute.

These small things that she finds joy in have taught me a lot. And I admire her, not only because she is braving her age, but also her losses. Her only remaining family consists of a daughter who’s around sixty years old. She once had a son, but he died when he was twenty-four of a brain tumor.

And her husband’s been dead for seven years now. Despite that, she’s cheerful when we visit her. I really hope that she stays that way. Appreciating the small things, like her collection of soda tabs for charity and her matching pastel outfits.

So, next time I see her, I’ll probably bring a rubber duck.

And the thing I love about that is, it’s all she’d really want.

OPINION

@HumansofMidlandHigh

Julia Quinn

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

Emily Kreush

“

The most influential person in my life is not even a real person, it’s a character: Beatrix Kiddo from Kill Bill. She is not only a physically strong woman, but also one of the strongest emotional female characters I have ever seen. She is the first female character that I have seen that wasn’t defined by her love interests and shows how she is a real human being with rage and sadness and hope. She inspires me to not be defined by my looks or love interests or others but to define myself by who I am and what I can do. She is one of my top role models and always will be.

”

S

The last first day

ummer mornings have always consisted But, in defeat, I smiled for the photo and of waking up to the sounds of birds, light boarded the bus to Northeast. How could my shining through the window, and laying mom seriously think I wanted a photo of me half-awake under a mountain of blankets wearing my backpack? until I feel like getting up. Those days always Ninth Grade: come to an abrupt end on the first day of Almost completely over my “trying to fit school where an agonizing alarm jolts me in with the cool girls” stage of middle school, awake in the pitch blackness, forcing me to I dressed casually for the first day of ninth drag myself to the bathroom and prepare for grade. My mom told me not to worry, as the most important thing of the day: The First always, and I posed for the mandatory photo Day of School Photo. before I left for my first day of high school.

Kindergarten: The first of the First Day “Do not post that on Facebook!” I hollered Photos. behind me as I ran to the bus.

Like any other five year old, I was scared How could I make the most of my four out of mind for my first day of school. My years at Midland High? mom gave her “You’re a big girl now, and you Senior year: The last of the First Day can do anything you set your mind to” speech Photos. while I ate breakfast that morning; and before The alarm buzzed and I dreaded the I knew it, thought of getting we were out my warm soft headed bed. I grabbed it out the the first shirt and “From kindergarten to my last year in the MPS shorts out my door.

Haircut to dresser I could find system, I’ve made friends, lost friends; I’ve my ears, learned more than I ever thought I could learn.” and threw it on. I ruffled skipped breakfast

socks on, and hardly looked and my at myself in the perfectly mirror before color opening the door coordinated outfit, we waited together at the to leave. My mom rushed over and stopped end of the driveway. me, holding her iPhone.

The big yellow school bus arrived and my “Wait! This is your last First Day of School mom snapped a photo of the bus driver and photo. My baby is all grown up!” She said I together with her old camera. I grinned with watery eyes. from ear to ear. I waved goodbye to her as we “Mom, I need a good parking spot or I’m drove away. How was I going to conquer an going to have to walk for miles. I don’t need entire half day without my mom by my side? the photo!” I responded.

Sixth Grade: With some resistance, I was then positioned Hollister jeans. Abercrombie top. Flip flops. with my backpack. She took my photo and Straightened hair. Lip gloss. I was ready to be hugged me goodbye. a middle school girl. After getting up way too As I drove to school that morning, I thought early (thinking it would take 2 hours to get about the thirteen photos taken of me on the ready), I had a lot of time to think about how very first mornings of school. the day was going to go. I imagined myself From kindergarten to my last year in the not being able to open my locker, getting lost, MPS system, I’ve made friends, lost friends; and the day going up in flames. When my I’ve been embarrassed, been proud; I’ve mom asked if I was nervous, I obviously had learned more than I ever thought I could to play it cool. She then said I needed to get learn. But most importantly, how thankful I my usual First Day photo. am that through the years I will always have “Mom, no! That is so embarrassing! None my First Day of School Photos as proof of of the other kids’ moms will make them do how time truly does fly. that!”

5 | FOCUS | OCT 2, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

OPINION

Maddy O’Callaghan

Ella Colbert

O

Don’t disconnect

n a lonely fall night, while tucked In most situations, I would be opposed into my soft, cream duvet, I stopped a to listening to someone else’s problems, stranger from committing suicide. especially those of a stranger. I don’t like to Typical of most of my weekend nights share my problems with others, and I guess spent alone, I was in bed, browsing the I expect others to feel the same. My fingers web, bouncing between Facebook pages reluctantly punched into the keyboard. and obnoxious, yet somehow entertaining, “You can talk to me about anything.”

YouTube videos. Once I exhausted one web “I’ve been thinking about committing page, I’d proceed onto the next. suicide,” he said.

My surfing landed me on Omegle, a My eyes glazed over those six words as the website that allows worldwide chat through cursor blinked in the response box. A wave SMS or video. I knew most of the people of red hot panic overtook my body. I’m not using the site had intentions that were less a suicide hotline, nor, am I a therapist. I was than appropriate for a 13-year-old girl, but highly inexperienced in comforting others. was carelessly drawn in by the danger it But, I bit my upper lip and asked why; what promised. I opted for the messaging option, his motive was. just to be safe.

He explained the stress he had been The site sorts by selected user interests. experiencing through work, school, and After a moment of hesitation, I clicked start, problems at home. He was bullied by his leaving the interest box empty. peers for getting poor grades and for not “You are now chatting with a random participating in sports. His parents always stranger. Say yelled at him, and made hi!” the website him feel worthless. prompted.

“I just feel like it I sifted through would be easier for “My eyes glazed over those six words stranger after them if I was gone. They as the cursor blinked in the response wouldn’t even care,” he stranger, sexually box. A wave of red hot panic overtook said. “Nobody would.” explicit comment after sexually The advice I gave my body.” explicit comment, him was a compilation until reaching a of dialogue from every decent person. movie I had ever watched.

Hi,” random stranger said.

“It’s going to get better” We began to talk about our hobbies, our “You’re going to get through this” interests, our favorite movies. I told him I “Don’t give up”. loved microwave popcorn; he told me about a It was all cliché, but I didn’t know what time he threw up on the Corkscrew at Cedar else to say. The words typed on the screen Point. But we never exchanged ages, genders, probably seemed meaningless to him. But, I or names. felt an obligation to say them.

I pictured him a boy, roughly 17 years old.

His tone remained somber, so I gave the That’s how he sounded online. “you have other options” speech and referred Our chat started out lighthearted, yet him to several suicide hotlines. I kept him intimate. I became so wrapped up in the talking until I physically could not stay awake conversation that I didn’t realize how much any longer. time had passed or how late it was.

“I’ve said all I need to say,” I said. “Just “I’m really tired,” I said.”I think I’m gonna please make the right choice.” go to sleep.”

For several minutes I waited. I wanted to Wait,” he said. hear his response before falling asleep.

My fingers brushed the keyboard, “You really helped me,” he said. “I didn’t expecting him to ask for my phone number so think anyone would care enough, or be this we could stay in touch. persistent.”

“I need to talk to someone,” he said.

I still don’t know his name, his I sighed a loud, exasperated sigh and whereabouts, or whether he did it. And my eyeballs rolled under my tired eyelids. honestly, I don’t want to know.

6 | FOCUS | OCT 2, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

W

Islamophobia

want to recognize that radical Islam was the hen I was told I was going to exception, not the rule.

Kuwait for spring break, my initial The sorrow that many Americans felt reaction was excitement. My mom slowed developed into hate, ignorance, and had traveled all around the world for her racism. It was the same hate and ignorance job, and her annual trips to Kuwait always that caused my mother’s boyfriend to miss his served as her favorite. All the stories she daughter’s college graduation in America. He had shared were positive experiences, so was questioned for 7 hours in airport security being scared had never crossed my mind. just because his skin was dark and the outfit I only began to feel nervous a few months he had on made him a reasonable suspect for before the trip, when I announced to friends terrorism. It was the same hate and ignorance and teachers the location of my upcoming that caused a 14 year old Muslim boy in adventure. Their reactions were the polar Texas to be arrested for bringing a homemade opposite of mine, expressing concerns about clock to school for fear that it was a bomb. It my safety that I had never thought about. I was the hate and ignorance that led a man in had off their thoughts as narrow-minded, but North Carolina to kill three college students I couldn’t help to think that there was a slight because they were Muslim, and because he possibility that they were right. felt their innocent lives were payment for I had never considered myself September 11th. islamophobic. I always steered clear of Fox The rest of the trip to Kuwait served as News, I was aware of the prejudice that one of the most humbling experiences I exists in our country, and knew that 99.9% will ever have. I of Muslims saw the beauty weren’t in a religion so Americandevoted to their hating terrorist, so I “People so blinded by grief and anger didn’t faith that they 5 times was surprised want to recognize that radical Islam was the found during their when I first exception, not the rule.” busy days to arrived to pray. I went to the airport in

the market place Kuwait. and saw people My family treat strangers and I were the only white people, and our like family. My breath was taken away the sweat pants and hoodies stood out among first time I heard a prayer call, witnessing the crowed of men and women in traditional hundreds of people drop everything to go Muslim wear. Some of them had looked at and find a peaceful place to worship. I spoke me funny, only because it was quite obvious with my mother’s friends and they explained that I didn’t belong, but no one acted hostile to me how frustrated they were that the pilot or gave me a reason to be frightened, never who had brought down a plane and killed the less, I was. Just because they looked the hundreds of men, women, and children was way they did, I felt the need to be concerned. not labeled what he was, a terrorist, simply Subconscious prejudice that I didn’t know I because his skin was of the fairer color and held became very clear, and when I caught because he attended a church instead of a myself thinking these awful things I couldn’t mosque. They told me of the fear they felt at help but feel entirely disappointed. Despite airports in America, and the discrimination my awareness of current issues, I couldn’t they had experienced on our streets. escape the islamophobic thoughts that had The rest of my trip served as a learning been so prevalent in our society since the day experience not to fear what I don’t the towers fell. understand, and my eyes were opened to the Millions of people have been held harmful prejudice that existed in our country. accountable for a crime they didn’t commit I understand we’ve been in a healing process because the terrorists who perpetrated the since 9/11, but we’ll never overcome the pain horrendous acts shared the same religion. until we overcome the hatred.

People so blinded by grief and anger didn’t

Spencer Patrell

I

You can dance if you want to

stumbled through the dark labyrinth of perpetually shifting bodies, thinking I had finally found my way out of this alien world, when a small horde of people seemingly materialized around me. Panic.

This was not how I wanted things to go down. If only I had done my research, I would have known what to do in this scenario. These people who surrounded me were all chanting what sounded like some odd form of English. They started to close in on me, their arms flailing, legs kicking, some induced to a seizure-like state.

“Spencer!” they yelled to me, in order to be heard above the intense sound waves that filled the room. “Why aren’t you dancing?!”.

This pickle I found myself stuck in was none other than my first middle school dance.

“But I don’t know how!” I explained, hoping my friends would understand.

Before I went to the shindig, I contemplated googling how to dance. This glimpse of intelligent thought failed to come to fruition. I was doomed to a night of not dancing.

“Just jump up and down!” one voice retorted.

I looked around the chaotic sea of adolescents and, sure enough, around half of the people there were simply doing some sort of motion reminiscent to jumping. I shrugged, jumped, and proceeded to have a great night.

Fast forward five years or so. I was getting ready for prom and I felt great. Though I

Suzannah Koop

W

The road ahead

hat do you want to be when you grow up?”

The question rings from as soon as you can speak, up until your college graduation day. Teachers, family members, and literally any adult you’ve ever met, all seem so interested in your future plans. I’ve never understood why complete strangers were so concerned about a decision I would

OPINION hadn’t gone to a single dance since middle school, I was pretty sure I’d be amazing at dancing. All those times where the family left the house, leaving me to turn up the stereo to a volume damaging to human ears, had garnered me much practice in the art.

As I buttoned up my shirt, I reminisced on the memories of a younger, naïve self. One who only jumped and called it an adequate substitute for dancing. Then I thought about how much more elegant and ravishing my new dance styles that I had honed in my basement were.

Wait. How did I dance to that Depeche Mode song? Jumping.

Well then, a fluke. After all, the way I jumped to “Take on Me” was stunning.

This couldn’t be right. I jumped with Journey, hopped for Hall and Oates, and leapt to Lionel Richie. At that moment I realized I still had the dancing abilities of my chubby sixth grader self. I shoved this thought to the back of my mind as I walked into the Valley Plaza Great Hall, trying to forget my lack of finesse. Panic was not an option here, this was the big leagues. The legs I almost solely made use of for transportation to-and-fro short distances, now had a higher calling: to get down.

My group and I were soon on the dance floor, music booming, and the oh-so familiar dancing circle was constructed. At first I stood there like a rock, not moving a muscle in my body. But as the night ticked away, I realized something that changed my outlook on dancing: everyone in my circle was awful at dancing. This epiphany sent a rush of adrenaline through my blood. Suddenly the crowded floor was my cool, carpeted basement, and I started jumping. Though not quite as erratic as 6th grade me, I was jumping and rocking on my feet again.

I commend those out there who can get jiggy with it, I hail those who can shake what their momma gave them, but for all those who can’t get too groovy, just jump. (probably) change within my first couple semesters of college, and maybe even more than once.

Nowadays, it’s expected for high school graduates to immediately enroll in college, whether or not they have the vaguest idea of what they want to do with their lives. While it’s common in Europe for students to take a gap year, in the United States it could be considered academic suicide. If everyone around you is achieving and progressing forward, and you decide to wait a year, it can leave you behind and put you out of step with your peers. But, with tuition costs at an all-time high and steadily increasing, doesn’t it make sense to at least consider taking a gap year? Perhaps get a job? Try to figure out your path before starting college? Do you really want to pay $500 a credit hour just to sort out who you are? It all seems so inevitable, but

Anna Schultheis

remained above the water. At the end of the day you aren’t physically tired but mentally you realize how drained you are because of the anxiety that builds up inside the pit of your stomach. Imagine the anxiety you feel when you take the ACT or being asked to parallel park for your driver’s test and times it by two. That’s what I experienced every day.

There were days though where praying didn’t work. Sometimes parents are negligent.

Sometimes kids are clueless. Sometimes you are forced to react. One time, a dad let his 5 year-old son go to the slide not realizing that where the slides are located, the water is 12 feet deep. The poor kid didn’t know how to unburned and sticky from my SPF 4, swim so he was unable to make it to the edge I trudge from chair to chair every 15 of the pool without my assistance. First thing minutes. My black flip-flops slap the you need to realize when saving someone’s scalding concrete as the sun beats down on life is that the save isn’t going to be perfect, my back causing the tanning oil to sizzle on your mind goes blank, adrenaline takes over, my skin. This was my summer. Six days a and your body has to remember the motions. week. 40 hours a week. A.K.A the life of a Another thing to remember is not to cry, at lifeguard at Plymouth Pool. least for me that Your voice was my first becomes hoarse reaction because at the end you get so upset of each day that someone “Nobody, except other lifeguards, truly because you’ve would send their understand what it is like to sit and worry yelled through pride and joy your white about hundreds of lives.” into a dangerous megaphone situation and

“WALK abandon him PLEASE!” because you are about 150 on the opposite times that day. Or some of my other favorites end of the pool. Last thing that is important “Please don’t hang on the lane lines!”, “You to know, is when you go over and approach can’t do flips!”, and “Off the shoulders the parents, be sure to talk to them as an adult please!” Your butt sticks to the lifeguard chair and scold them. They see you as a kid so you because you are constantly sitting in a puddle must be sure to talk at them as equals. of your own sweat. Your legs become restless These are all valuable lessons I learned this because you have been sitting for over an summer while working at Plymouth Pool and hour. Yet, your job often gets labeled as easy as much as I dreaded walking into work some and mindless because you get to sit all day, days, I am glad that I received the experiences getting tan.

I did because they helped me to grow and Nobody, except other lifeguards, truly realize that life is valuable and the real world understand what it is like to sit and worry isn’t all fun and games. Sometimes you are about hundreds of lives. I would sit there and going to have to fish poop out of the shallow hold my breath, praying that every kid’s head end.

S

How to save a life

what is it even for?

Recently I’ve been wondering about what we as students sacrifice in our efforts to achieve “success.” Education isn’t simply about learning anymore. We are taught from a young age that to succeed in our lives, we need to get good grades. The purpose of getting good grades in high school is to get into the right college. The purpose of getting good grades in college is to get into the right job, at the right company, to ensure your success. To accomplish this, however, educators and students have unintentionally adapted to a culture of test taking and grade point averages. In this, we find ourselves too focused on an end result, instead of the true pursuit of knowledge.

It’s no longer enough to just do well. Now, you have to be the best. It’s not about how the knowledge you’ve gained has benefited you

as a person; it is strictly about getting a higher score than someone else. We’re told that to get into college we need to stand out. That means participating in multiple extracurriculars, volunteering around the community, and achieving the impossible--a 4.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale. With the increased competition, I know I personally feel pressured to achieve recognition and prove my worth.

So, should you try to do well in high school? Of course. But that doesn’t mean you should blindly accept the status quo. It’s your future. It’s your education. It’s up to you to set your own course and take what you want from it. Want to take a gap year? Do it. Want to apply to every college in the state? It’s your choice. You, and only you, have the power in your hands to control your future.

The question is not what you want to be when you grow up, but rather who?

7 | FOCUS | OCT 2, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

NEWS

An electronic alternative

Members of the community discuss the current restrictions, or lack thereof, on minors purchasing e-cigarettes. Will Hackbarth | Editor in Chief & Gabe Severson | Staff Writer & Laura Lindauer | Staff Writer

Legality of vaporizers

The Vapor House carries around fifteen lines of e-liquid, which contain Vegetable Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, artificial and natural flavoring, and occasionally nicotine. Will Hackbarth | Photo

Josh Skelly, an employee at the Cig Free Vape & Gift Shop in Midland, converses with a customer as he makes reparations on a vaporizer. Though they are not restricted by any federal or state laws, the shop instates their own policy of only selling to people eighteen years of age and older. Will Hackbarth | Photo

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hen he was sixteen years old, senior Kyle Stoll entered a local vaporizer shop, looking to buy an e-cigarette. Despite the signs that plastered the walls, indicating he had to be at least 18 years of age to purchase anything, he was not worried. Stoll was not asked for identification when he made his purchase at the front desk, and so he left the store successful.

Although many stores claim they only sell vaping products to adults, there is no law restricting them from doing otherwise.

Legally, a person of any age can purchase an e-cigarette or a vaporizer.

“Right now, there is no federal age requirement to purchase an e-cigarette,” Paul McDonald, a Midland Police Department Community Relations Officer, said. “That doesn’t mean that a store [will] sell it to you.

Some stores are treating it like a tobacco product. You may walk into one store, and

8 | FOCUS | OCT 2, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

if you’re not of age to buy tobacco products, they might not sell an e-cigarette to you. Other stores may.”

The Cig-Free Vape and Gift Shop does instate its own system of rules, which transcend the standards set by current legislation. While they recognize that federal law does not restrict them, their policy states that anyone below 18 cannot purchase any products from their store.

“If a twelve year old came in here, legally I can sell it to him. We don’t, we choose not to,” Manager Jeff Dahl said. “Anybody with half a brain, half a conscience, any good business that has any good business ethics, will only sell it to people [who are] eighteen, just like cigarettes, because there is nicotine in it.”

It is illegal to sell a vaporizer with nicotine to a minor, as it is then classified as a tobacco product. However, many kids still manage to illegally purchase the e-liquid with nicotine. It is for this reason that Stoll believes vaporizers should only be sold to adults.

“It is addictive,” Stoll said. “You always want to vape.”

Stoll eventually quit vaping when he realized he was becoming addicted. Due to the vaporizers’ addictive nature, The Vapor House, in the Midland Mall, also does not sell to minors. “[Kids] just think it’s cool, they got to be like everyone else, but if you don’t have an ID, we can’t sell you anything,” Vapor House Manager Hailee Zieroff said. “Pretty much, we have to kick them out of the store.”

Both stores have noticed an influx of minors looking at and attempting to purchase their products. Despite the potential business, they post their own restrictions because their primary goal is to make people healthier.

“Cigarettes are very harmful to your health, vaping is not,” Dahl said. “Most people get into it to try and quit smoking. That’s what we’re here to do, to try to get people to quit smoking [and] live a healthier lifestyle. You get

The Vapor House requires customers to be at least 18 to purchase vaporizers. Will Hackbarth | Photo more energy, your lungs clear up.”

Zieroff began vaping to stop smoking, and opted to not use nicotine in her e-liquid. As a result, she has been nicotine free for two and a half years. While she chose not to use nicotine, she understands that kids may not. The risk of purchasing e-liquid with the addictive substance is why she supports her store’s age restriction on purchasing vaporizers.

“The nicotine is more or less a drug, and anyone under 18 is not considered an adult yet and doing this you have to be an adult,” Zieroff said. “It’s an adult decision and if you’re under 18 then you shouldn’t be allowed to make that decision.”

Eric Abel, a regular at the Vapor House, started vaping three and a half years ago, to become healthier. Besides the people who start vaping to stop smoking, he has seen many people, including minors, pick up the habit for recreational purposes.

“A lot of the people I know that started

Map of E-cigarette legislation

Difference in e-cigarette legislation among the fifty states.

Illegal Under 18 Must be above eighteen years of age to purchase an e-cigarette in these states.

Illegal Under 19 Must be above nineteen years of age to purchase an e-cigarette in these states.

No Regulation Anybody may purchase an e-cigarette no matter their age.

Gabe Severson | Infographic vaping just to vape actually do no nicotine, because they like the idea of smoking,” Abel said. “If you look at a guy who blows a big cloud, or a guy who does smoke tricks, you’re like, “Oh, that’s kinda cool”. So it’s an appeal to younger people, just because it’s cool.”

Because vaporizers lack many of the carcinogens cigarettes contain, and do not cause second-hand smoke, he believes vaporizers have been an improvement to his own well-being and that of the general population. However, he recognizes there are risks involved, especially to those who are under eighteen. Namely, it is hard for law enforcement to determine whether or not the e-liquid in a vaporizer contains nicotine.

“Nicotine is a carcinogen and it is a drug,” Abel said. “It’s one of those things where, if you’re not able to buy cigarettes because it’s a carcinogen, why should you be able to buy e-liquid? You can’t really discriminate zero nicotine versus anything. If you’re vaping, it could have nicotine, it might not, but you can’t do it.”

This mystery of what vaporizers contain is the main concern of the Midland Police Department. McDonald notes that it is much easier to put harder drugs into a vaporizer than a cigarette, and it’s harder to enforce the law when this happens.

“If people are using legal, non-tobacco products in their e-cigarettes, it probably is healthier for them than smoking regular cigarettes,” McDonald said. “The problem for us, in law enforcement, is that we don’t know what’s in that cigarette. It could be nicotine,

it could just be vapor, it could be something somehow, but as of right now, a fifteen year harder than nicotine. It could be a hard drug old kid could come in here and I could legally that they’ve got in there, we can’t tell. As far sell [a vaporizer] to him,” Dahl said. “We want as enforcing the law is concerned, you have to it to be eighteen or older, that’s what we’re have a reasonable suspicion that there would striving for. Any petition that comes around or be nicotine in it or something like that, for us anything else, we’re hopefully one of the first to even do something about it, if a minor [is] in ones to sign it.” possession of it.”

Stoll, given his personal experience with Another issue, according to Abel, is the the danger of vaporizers, would also agree quality of the e-liquid that is sold. Some with this legislation. Because he was addicted juices, like those sold at The Vapor House, are to the nicotine in the e-cigarettes, he wishes from approved there to be some vendors. Other sort of regulation juices are made on what shops are “There is legislation trying to regulate it locally, like those allowed to sell, sold at The Cig somehow, but as of right now, a fifteen year and to whom they Free Vape and are allowed to sell. old kid could come in here and I could Gift Shop. While “I think they

legally sell [a vaporizer] to him.” should Dahl says all their ID harder, Jeff Dahl products are just because FDA approved, anyone could go in Abel claims that and buy a vape if homemade juices can still be dangerous. they wanted to,” Stoll said.

“There are some people who make their While the legal status of vaporizers and own juice, and there’s some people who will e-cigarettes are still in limbo, Officer McDonald throw random stuff into anything,” Abel said. says the best thing for minors to do is abide by “So, homemade juices, I don’t recommend. their school’s restrictions and stay safe.

They’re not safe, unless you know what you’re “You got to remember what the policy is here doing; buy it from an approved vendor.” at school, and that’s that they’re not allowed in While there is proposed legislation to any way, shape, or form on school property,” regulate the usage of e-cigarettes and McDonald said. “Outside the school grounds, vaporizers by minors, nothing has passed yet. you just got to remember to be smart and be According to Dahl and Zieroff, both the Cig safe. If you’re underage, don’t be using the Free Vape and Gift Shop and The Vapor House nicotine products in them. And, no matter how would be in favor of such a law. old you are, don’t put anything harder into “There is legislation trying to regulate it those, and use it as another way to get high.”

Source: www.cdc.gov

Vaping legislation in Michigan Governor Rick Snyder vetoed

3

pieces of legislature related to the use and sale of e-cigarettes to minors.

Since there is no federal legislation regarding e-cigarettes, this means that there is no Michigan legislation.

E-cigarettes are n o t approved by the FDA as a quit tobacco device.

Sources: www.michigan.gov, www.fda.gov

9 | FOCUS | OCT 2, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

NEWS

An electronic alternative The real consequence

As the popularity of vaping continues to grow, students find themselves joining the trend while unaware of potential health issues.

Megan Nylund | Managing Editor & Maddy O’Callaghan | Staff Writer

Effects on the Body Nicotine buzz

Nicotine increases heart rate

Inhale tin, nickle, chromium, formaldehyde and propylene glycol

nauseous Senior Kaitlyn Stymiest uses her new drip tank vape to blow a large cloud of vapor. She recognizes that the drip tank model is worse for her health, but finds more relief in them. She vapes with her favorite flavors, known as Pinup Vapors, which are inspired by ‘50s’ pinup models. Maddy O’Callaghan | Photo

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he steps out of the school to her car are filled with excitement. It’s Friday. She looks forward to the next two days, which are filled with no school, football games and relaxation. However, as senior Kaitlyn Stymiest gets in the car, beginning to back out of the parking lot, anxiety sets in. The only way to rid herself of these nerves is to fill her lungs with the taste of fruit and vapor, as she inhales from her vape.

“It provides a sense of relief for me since it has become a big habit,” Stymiest said. “It feels good, but now when I don’t have it, I’ll get headaches. I’m addicted.”

Stymiest was first introduced to the flavored form of electronic cigarettes, known as vapes, at a party her sophomore year. The social pastime quickly turned into something she found herself doing regularly, whether it be buying accessories, such as coilers and juices, which include a variety of flavors and nicotine content, or attempting to do tricks with different models.

“Anything that you start as a habit, you can become addicted to,” Stymiest said. “It’s something to do; it keeps your hands and mouth busy.”

Much like Stymiest, Lynn (a pseudonym given to protect the source’s identity) found vaping through a social event. Lynn also finds vaping as a way to be preoccupied and keep her hands busy.

“I started and it was more of a relaxing sort

10 | FOCUS | OCT 2, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

of thing,” Lynn said. “I was with people and adolescence because the use of nicotine can they were doing it. It’s a time filler. It’s not that prompt the brain to use illicit drugs. Along anyone necessarily has a reason for doing it; it’s with Malmften, Lynn has seen this pathway that it becomes a part of your routine. For me it’s firsthand.

“One of the reasons why I would say don’t do an alternative to [snacking], so that’s the reason why I do it. When I get home I’m bored and I it is because it’s a stepping stone where you get think I’m hungry, so I grab a bag of pretzels. It’s into a habit of it,” Lynn said. “The moment you realize this isn’t really bad for me and someone unnecessary calories.”

As this was a way for Lynn to extricate offers you a cigarette, it’s ‘Why shouldn’t snacking, she explains she previously had dealt I’ and it just keeps going further. I’ve seen so many friends with an eating go f r om vapin g, disorder and which stepped finds vaping “I see patients everyday who thought they into cigarettes, and could easily were ‘bulletproof’, and that bad effects of that steps into pot, lead to one. She and the next thing refrains from smoking weren’t going to happen.”

I’ve actually had using vaping a friend struggle as a substitute with is a heroin Physician’s Assistant Richard Mamlften for eating as a addiction. If you whole. don’t have a reason “Personally, to start, I say don’t if you’re thinking of it as a weight loss opportunity, then do it.”

Both Malmften and dentist Kirsten Rorvik it could be dangerous territory for other reasons than just side effects of smoking,” Lynn said. “If agree that, although there are limited studies that’s really what you’re considering, I wouldn’t showing long-term negative effects of vaping, there are reasons to believe that it isn’t healthy. look into it because it’s vapor, not food.”

Physician’s Assistant Richard Malmften Malmften has found research that the e-liquids said that vaping can be a gateway to more contain nicotine, propylene glycol, tin, lead, serious problems. He has seen the use of and other metal toxic to the body. Therefore, legal substances lead to harder drug use in he believes vaping is not a good alternative to smoking.

Megan Nylund | Infographic “It’s like asking: which is better, playing Russian roulette or jumping off a four-story building,” Malmften said. “My answer is neither. Nor would I recommend using e-cigarettes as an alternative to cigarettes.”

Rorvick adds that the aerosols in the liquid heated in vapes produce formaldehyde, a chemical used to embalm the deceased, and has seen other research supporting negative side effects.

“This year the California Department of Public Health issued a report stating the ‘aerosol has been found to contain at least 10 chemicals that are on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm’,” Rorvik said.

On the other hand, Rorvik sees the benefit in vapes with less staining on patients’ teeth. Vape users said it is a better alternative than cigarettes, although research on the subject is still scarce.

“I see patients everyday who thought they were ‘bulletproof’, and that bad effects of smoking weren’t going to happen,” Malmften said. “It’s always the ‘other guy’ who has things happen to them. [Smokers] have some effect on their lungs, heart, or risk for developing cancer.

So while they smoke and feel okay, the damage is being done. Unfortunately, the effects, even if they quit, do not show up until their late 40’s or early 50’s. By the time the effects present themselves, the damage is done.”

NEWS

An electronic alternative Clarifying the consequences

Administration discusses and clarifies the consequences of using vaporizers on and off of school grounds. Ella Colbert | Features Editor & Spencer Patrell | Staff Writer

The usage of vape pens on school grounds is a growing issue that administration now has to address by adapting their school policies to include this possibly harmful trend. Ian Andridge | Photo Illustration enior Jorden Miller has recently been school grounds, they are only punished through drugs, or alcohol in any form is not permitted permitted to run his first cross country the violation of the Athletic Training Rules, not at any time on the school grounds or at any school-sponsored event. meet of the season, three meets after through school policy.

Albright said there are more athletes using “The use or possession of nicotine in any form the season officially started. The reason Miller has not been able to run is not solely due vapes than he knows of, as the usage is a is not permitted on school grounds,” Pritchett Quick statistics regarding the said. to his knee injury, but because he violated the growing trend. relevancy of vaping at the school.

“We have had instances of e-cig and vaping Administration recognizes that there is Athletic Training Rules.

In the spring, Miller was caught vaping in his use that have come to our attention,” Albright essentially no way for them to know what is car by the parking lot security guard, Ron Glanz, said. “Administration is worried about vaping inside a student’s vape. Vapes are capable of which violated both the school policy against as a growing problem, not just for athletes, but containing various substances, called e-liquids, commonly referred to as juice, and come in vaping and Athletic Training Rules. Miller faced for other students as well.”

Administration has had to adapt school many different flavors with the option of adding a one day school suspension, as well as missing varsity golf state finals, and one-third of his policies to address this new trend. Assistant nicotine. Therefore, whether there is nicotine of students have vaped in the e-juice or not, they apply the same following sports season, meaning three punishment. meets of his cross country season.

“The staff is just trying to keep MHS a safe “You can put any substance into a vape,” “Advice I would give other athletes Albright said. “We have to react as if any is to just stay away from vaping, and environment for the students. If you do given substance is in use, that is how we anything else that will get you in choose to vape on school grounds, and treat it. You just can’t trust that what is trouble,” Miller said. “I’m stuck serving you do get caught, you deserve to pay the inside the vape is just juice.” my suspension my senior year of sports Concern for students arises from this and it is honestly the worst experience consequences for choosing to do it.” fact, that a vaporizer can contain such a knowing that I have to miss part of my Senior Jorden Miller variety of different substances, both safe season just because I was being a dumb and harmful. Students may offer vapes teenager.”

The school district’s athletic policy follows the Principal Kandis Pritchett said that, as of to other students who are unaware of the of students said they have no tolerance principle. The policies are outlined recently, there has been an increase in student chemicals they are putting into their bodies. seen someone vaping on This issue creates problems because a larger in a contract that athletes automatically agree to suspensions due to e-cig and vape usage.

“In the last three years, the use of the electronic amount of the school population could be school grounds when signing up to play a sport.

“The athletic training policies set by Midland cigarette, or the possession of electronic subject to putting unhealthy substances into Public Schools include e-cigarette and vaping cigarettes, has increased dramatically,” Pritchett their system.

“If we see it and hear about it, we suspend the in the same category as cigarettes, marijuana, said. “As far as vaping, we don’t see it that much, alcohol, and other mind altering substances,” but occasionally we do catch students that have student,” Pritchett said. done that outside, on school property.”

Despite the consequences Miller has faced, he athletic director Eric Albright said.

Out of her six years working at Midland High, believes that the school and athletic policies on If a student athlete is caught vaping on school of students grounds, that student will face the consequences Pritchett said the first signs of vapes and e-cigs this issue are fair. would say that vaping is a problem “The staff is just trying to keep MHS a safe of the school policy - one to three days of school becoming a problem showed up three years at the school suspension - in addition to the consequences of ago, a year before vapes and e-cigs were given environment for the students,” Miller said.

“If you do choose to vape on school grounds, violating the athletic policy, which varies case explicit punishments for their usage.

The current school policy outlines that the use and you do get caught, you deserve to pay the by case.

Out of 106 students If a student athlete is found vaping off of or possession of tobacco, electronic cigarettes, consequences for choosing to do it.”

S

Got Vape?

22.6% 88%

51%

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As the pom team finishes out their fall season and heads into competition season, they look back on the improvements the team made with new coaches Katy Stearns and Crystal Forsberg. Maddy Pasche | A&E editor & Paige Murphy | Staff Writer & Arianna Gibson | Staff

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onfusion and panic filled senior Hannah White’s mind as she tried to prepare herself for her last fall pom tryout without a coach or an idea of where her team was headed. The team was left upset and overwhelmed by the fact that their coach left as tryouts were underway.

“I didn’t know why she quit or what we we’re going to do without a coach,” White said.

Since the loss of the varsity pom coach last season, the program has gained two new coaches: English teacher Katy Stearns and assistant coach Crystal Forsberg. Stearns and Forsberg quickly jumped into the program and completely changed how the team practiced and how the overall program was run.

“They have such different personalities that it really balances everything out,” Junior Abby Jozwiak said. “Crystal is tougher on us and Mrs. Stearns is really positive and brings more of a happy element to the team.”

Pom has influenced Stearns throughout her entire life. She pommed at Northeast Middle School and continued at Midland High for three years. While in college, Stearns coached two years at Jefferson Middle School and then went on to coach pom at Midland High for three years, when she began teaching. However, she took a break from coaching once she got married and had kids.

“I loved pom when I was a pommer,” Stearns said, “and I always knew I wanted to come back.”

Students approached Stearns after their coach had resigned and asked her if she would be willing to fill the spot. She felt reluctant, knowing the amount of time and work that went into coaching; but after discussing the opportunity with her family, she knew it was perfect timing for her to come back.

Having not coached or been in the sport of pom for a while, Stearns brought in Forsberg to help. Forsberg is an experienced coach and pommer whose life has revolved around pom for 14 years. She started pom in elementary school and continued through high school at Midland High. Since then, she has coached middle school and JV pom for seven years.

“Pom has been a part of my life for so long that I couldn’t imagine not being a part of it,” Forsberg said. “I love the sport, the competitions, the stress, the games, the performances, the uniforms, the pom poms, the parents, the long weekend practices, and of course working with an amazing group of girls.”

Stearns and Forsberg have brought a lot of

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Coaches kick SPORTS

The Pom team cleans and improves their routine for the upcoming performance ‘Irresistible’. (above left) Stearns coaches the girls as they practice their routine. The team attends Mid-American pom camp every summer (above right). The two new coaches, Stearns and Forsberg, share a laugh while helping coach the girls. They have made a lot of changes to the program and hope to continue, such as increasing funding for scholarships. (bottom left) The team practices for the upcoming high kick competition on November 8th. The team prepares by drilling kickline every practice. Hannah McAtamney | Photos new changes to the pom program. at Midland feel to the team. Senior Hannah White has been High. Since becoming coaches they have on Varsity for 6 seasons and has felt a noticeable increased fundraising and opened up JV to difference in the team’s confidence and unity everyone, in order to cut since Stearns and costs and ensure that Forsberg have every girl who wants become coaches. to participate in pom “Have the girls shoot for the stars. “ We ’ v e b e e n is able to. Fundraisers focusing a lot on such as car washes, can You’ll never know your true potential team unity because drives, and sponsorships until you actually try to reach for the these new coaches have allowed the team really care that top. ” to cut costs and give we’re all close. A Crystal Forsberg b i g p a r t o f p o m out scholarships. These scholarships will make is trusting each the sport more affordable other,” White said. for anyone who wants to join JV. “We are so close this season and it’s awesome “The JV program has to feed the varsity because we’re all best friends and a family, and program, and the varsity program cannot do it’s made pom fun, and I enjoy doing it with well without a solid JV team,” Forsberg said. these new coaches.”

Along with fundraising, the new coaches have Junior LeeAnn Rielle, who has been pomming provided a positive atmosphere and a family for four years, agrees that the new coaches have

brought a positive atmosphere to the sport and team. Rielle says that having Stearns and Forsberg as coaches helps make tough practices more enjoyable and fun.

“They are just more passionate about pom and really love pom,” Rielle said. “That rubs off on us so that we get more excited about pom too.”

Not only have Stearns and Forsberg made the team more cohesive, they also hope to make them more competitive and respectable throughout the student body. White says that this new coaching style has improved the team a lot over the past five months, and made them more confident in their skills and ability.

Stearns felt right away that in order to increase the pom teams skills and credibility throughout the school, they needed to increase the number of practices. She hoped that with the increase in practices the team would improve in form and strength, and be more competitive throughout

Meet the Captains

into action SPORTS

Senior Alizabeth Stein Years doing pom: 5 Favorite memory: “My favorite pom memory was performing our Britney Spears rhapsody routine. It was a routine we worked really hard on and it came together really well.”

Senior Hannah White Years doing pom: 5 Favorite memory: “We were at pom camp this past summer and we were trying to practice, but there was nowhere to perform. So coach Stearns goes ,‘let’s practice in the street’!”

After gaining two new coaches,the pom team has improved greatly. The team practices everyday in preparation for football games and upcoming MidAmerican Pom competitions where they hope to improve their standings from previous years and move into division one. Hannah McAtamney the state as a whole.

“They were only practicing twice a week.

They’re a varsity sport and no other varsity sport practices that little,” Stearns said. “They want to be better, and you’re not going to get better with practicing only two days a week.”

The increase in practices have greatly improved the team even over the short five months they have been together. Jozwiak feels as though they now have more time to go over their routines and make them clean than they had in the past. This contributed to the teams recent wins as Mid-American Pom summer camp, where they won first in original routine, first in kick line, and second in speed-learning.

“We expect a lot out of the girls individually and as a whole team,” Forsberg said. “We know that they have not reached their full potential yet, so we are pushing them to be the best, and they are succeeding beyond our imagination.”

The coaches and teams have set high goals for themselves as high-kick, regionals, and state

competitions approach. They hope to move Midland High out of division two and into the more competitive division one.

“Midland High has been competing in division two for too long,” Forsberg said. “I think they have always aimed low so they can place high, but they have been limiting themselves to this. Have the girls shoot for the stars. You’ll never know your true potential until you actually try to reach for the top.”

As a team they hope to place in at least the top three this year at states. In order to prepare for these competitions, Stearns and Forsberg have increased practices and conditioning.

They’re focusing on cleaning the teams kick line, jumps, form, showmanship, and overall pomming.

“Above all, I want the girls to have fun,” Forsberg said. “No one is going to want to work hard during practices if they are not having fun.

If I can get the girls to love pom half as much as I do, then I’m off to a very good start.”

| Photo

156 kicks per practice

Junior Allie Smith Years doing pom: 3 Favorite memory: “On the night of day 3 of camp, we got first place on a routine . We had worked so hard that day, and it was cool to see it all come together.”

Junior LeeAnn Rielle Years doing pom: 4 Favorite memory: “Our first football game.

When we were performing done our coaches ran to us and we had one big group hug “ 13 | FOCUS | OCT 2, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

The art of the hand and foot SPORTS

For the Lim family, kicking boards is not the only importance to their respected Tae Kwon Do school in Midland. The Family has a long line of martial arts dating back to when their grandfather came to America after being sponsored for Tae Kwon Do. Julia Quinn | Photo Editor & Ian Andridge | Staff Writer

(left) Junior Hanbyul Johnson is breaking with a knifehand strike. This is a technical break with a greater level of difficulty because he is holding the board by himself. (middle) Freshman Danbi Johnson is breaking with an axe kick while Jaewon holds it steady. Any kicks that are high, at or above face level is also more difficult. (right) Danbi, a red with black stripe, is doing a flying side kick over three mats. Ian Andridge | Photos

O

ne choice to make, two options: join a gang, or do Tae Kwon Do. This decision, faced by Chang Soo Lim, would have a lasting impact on his daughter and grandchildren. In 1951, he chose Tae Kwon Do. In 1973, he became sponsored to come teach this rising sport in America. His family, including 3-year-old Jaewon, got on a plane to America.

Jaewon Lim grew up training under her father and his black belts. Tae Kwon Do is known as the art of hand and foot, which focuses on kicking, blocking, sparring, punching, and poomsae: a defined pattern of defense-and-attack motions.

She acquired her black belt at age 12.

After eight years of working for a mortgage company, in 1996, she decided to open her own Tae Kwon Do school named after her father’s business. She is now ranked as a seven degree black belt and has trained for 40 years, as of this month.

“It just made sense for me to call it Lim’s Tae Kwon Do,” Lim said.

Lim was not the only one influenced by her father’s dedication to the sport; Junior Hanbyul Johnson and Freshman Danbi Johnson both began training under their mother’s black belt at ages four and five.

Lim says that Hanbyul is very self-motivated

and a hard worker in many aspects of his life, multiple days a week. Often times, Danbi feels especially when it comes to Tae Kwon Do. For as though she must work harder because her the past six years, Hanbyul has participated in mom is her Master. about 50 competitions; even going as far as the “ I t r i e d n o t t o d o t h a t [ h a ve h i g h e r 2010 Nationals in Chicago. expectations], because my dad expected that “The whole experience was just mindfrom me,” Lim said.”But, I do because I know blowing,” Hanbyul said. “On a scale that was so what they are capable of.” much larger than anything I had done before.”

To the Lim family, Tae Kwon Do is more of a While he had an amazing time at Nationals, lifestyle than a sport. his best memory was his first tournament.

“It is obviously the kicking, the punching, “I got a gold in poomsae and a gold in the breaking boards, the competing, but sparring, so right there’s a whole there I was hooked; other element for I loved competing,” Lim said.

“It is obviously the kicking, the punching, children,” Hanbyul said.

“It’s about character T h r o u g h o u t the breaking boards, the competing, but development. It’s h i s w h o l e l i f e , there’s a whole other element...It’s about growth I’m looking Tae Kwon Do has to see in them, an character development.” emotional thing, a brought Hanbyul back to his roots, Master Lim physical thing, a helped him mental thing, and overcome stress, self-control” learn discipline, and embrace his culture.

Hanbyul and Danbi have plans to continue Danbi turned to Tae Kwon Do because of her this sport in the future, to make their family social personality and motivation from being proud and stay true to their roots. Danbi is the master’s daughter. interested in pursuing Tae Kwon Do in a way, “I love meeting new people,” Danbi said. similar to her mother. Hanbyul will continue “You can meet someone who is five or someone to train in the future but wishes to pursue a who is 45, and they are at the same skill level.” different career.

Both Danbi and Hanbyul have trained “It’s a way for me to honor my heritage and

BLACK BELT CLUB

How did you get involved in this sport?

What is your favorite thing about it?

“My sister and I used to dress up and pretend to be ninjas while jumping between our couches, so I asked my mom if I could try it.

I started on the first day of fourth grade.

“Master Lim really cares about each student. I’ve never once showed up to a class where she hasn’t made me smile within the first five minutes.

She has been a constant source of happiness, encouragement, and support for me.”

Rebekah Walter

14 | FOCUS | OCT 2, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

to remember my grandfather,” Hanbyul said.

“When he was alive, [Tae Kwon Do] definitely made me closer to him. I spend a lot more time with my mom so it does make me closer to my family.”

Similar to Hanbyul, Danbi had always felt a strong connection to her grandfather and will always have a strong memory of his presence.

“He came in while I was training and doing drills,” Danbi said. “At the corner of our shop, I looked over to the shoe section and I saw my grandpa standing there. I was just so excited; it was hard for him to talk to me and that was one of the last times I saw him outside.”

Because of the culture in which he was raised, Lim’s father had never told her “good job” in the aspect of Tae Kwon Do. After years of vigorous training, competing, teaching, and parenting, Lim recalled her father giving her a rare bit of positive encouragement.

“My dad was a real hard nose. He’s never, till the day he died, told me I did a good job.”

Lim said.

“The closest I got was at a black belt test, I asked him ‘Are my students doing alright?’ and he said ‘Well of course, they’re your students,’ That was really a neat thing when my father complimented my teaching. I really worked for that.”

Master Lim’s thoughts on Rebekah: “I take great pride in her becoming one of my black belts, I love the entire family, but Rebekah is just near and dear to me. She is truly one of my favorites.”

THE SPORTS ZONE

Quick facts about the fall athletes and upcoming events. Kalie Dornbos | Staff Writer & Hayley Russell | Staff Writer

Athletes of the Month SPORTS

Jacob Gomez

Grade: Senior Sport: Varsity Tennis Stats: 14-1 in this season Favorite Memory: “Going to States for the first time.”

Coach’s Take: “Jacob is a very adaptive athlete. He learns new techniques quickly and works hard to make his game better.

Not to mention he is also hilarious and a ton of fun to be around.”

Key to Success: “Being in as much physical shape as possible and having a strong mental game.”

Tweet of the

Month Going all out for the football games makes them way more fun.

@kellie_koning

October 2 vs. Carmen Ainsworth October 9 vs. Lapeer October 16 at Arthur Hill October 23 at Dow

Boys’ Varsity Tennis: Boys’ Soccer:

Kalie Dornbos | Photo

October 12 JV at home at 5 pm October 12 Varsity at home at 7 pm

Volleyball:

Vasa workout.”

October 10 girls JV and Varsity at 8 pm

Coach’s Take: “Max is by far the hardest worker I have coached in my 31 years. He cares for his other team mates and he is always there to help them get better.”

Key to Success: “Working Hard at everything he does to become an overall better runner.”

Sports Poll

Kalie Dornbos | Photo

Grade: Junior Sport: Varsity Golf Stats: 104.5 average in 8 tournaments Favorite Memory: “The feeling I get

Madison Hert

Varsity Football:

October 2 away at 9 am

Grade: Senior Sport: Cross Country Stats: 16:56 best time Favorite Memory: “Completing the

Max Pasche

Upcoming Events

every time I finish an 18 hole round. It’s a really profound moment because I just realize what I have accomplished.”

Coach’s Take: “Madison has been very important part of our success this year.

She has become a more consistent and mature player this year.”

Key to Success: “Having a good attitude out when playing. You should focus on things ahead of you. That will take so much pressure and edge off of the game.”

Hayley Russell | Photo

38% 49% 67% 46% Out of 113 students

of Chemics said that they enjoy participating in the student section at sporting events. of Chemics said that they would be going to the homecoming football game. of Chemics say they participate in at least one fall sport. of Chemics said they prefer outdoor sports instead of indoor.

15 | FOCUS | OCT 2, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

Striving for Recovery

SPORTS

Coach Will Luzar recently had a triple bypass surgery and to recover, he requires resting, cardio, and then physical therapy. He intends to return to teaching, coaching, and simple everyday tasks, such as lifting more than a single gallon of milk by Dow week. Kayla Graham | Sports Editor & Chloe Gall | Staff Writer

A

s a football coach and physical education teacher who exercises regularly, Will Luzar seems like an unlikely candidate for triple bypass surgery. But this summer, that is exactly what happened, when doctors found three of his arteries blocked. Luzar had hoped that he would never have to experience the surgery. However, it seemed this adversity was inevitable.

“The triple bypass surgery was hereditary through my grandfather, who died at the age of 42, and father, who had two heart attacks before he was 42,” Luzar said. “The surgery is more common for people around 70 to 80 years old, not 45 years old.”

Luzar’s son, Sam, explained that his dad having the surgery has greatly impacted his life and taught him that he will have to get frequent cholesterol checks when he is older.

This procedure was hard for him because Sam is one of the people at home who helps take care of his father.

“The hardest part was not being able to see him three days before and three days after because I was in New York,” said Sam, a junior.

“The feeling of this ticking time bomb was hard.

One artery was one hundred percent blocked, another was ninety-nine percent blocked, and the third was ninety percent blocked.”

Will’s triple bypass surgery has made him change the way he does every day things.

“Before the surgery, I was able to do things I wanted to do, but now all I do is sit at home and rest until either my wife or children get home,”

Triple Bypass Facts

Will said.

Sam also feels that he has changed as a person as a result of his father’s surgery.

“I used to just kind of relax in my free time, but now I help my dad with a lot more than I used to,” Sam said. “My dad getting the surgery has showed me family means everything.”

Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Daniel Lee was the heart surgeon who worked on Will’s surgery. Will was taken care of at the McLaren Health Care hospital in Bay City, Michigan. Dr. Lee explains there are risks during the surgery due to the fact that the heart has to be stopped.

“When the three arteries are blocked our responsibility is to cut open the sternum and unblock the arteries,” Lee said. “Usually, we will take a vein [from the leg] and bypass the blockage. The surgery takes three to three and a half hours.” Lee said the surgery caused a 2 percent chance of death, 1-3 percent chance of having a stroke, and a 5 percent chance of an infection in the sternum because the bone may not heal.

Having completed the surgery, Will’s expected recovery process could take up to one year. The first step to recovery starts with twelve weeks of resting and cardio rehab so that the bone can recover.

Next, physical therapy will be needed to form stronger muscle. Will can currently only lift one gallon of milk.

“I feel that the recovery process has definitely been going well, due to the fact that this was the hardest surgery that I have ever had,” Will said.

What is a triple bypass and why does it occur?

A

triple bypass occurs when

three arteries are clogged. Without getting the surgery, a heart attack may occur due to the severity of the condition.

Chloe Gall| Infographic

16 | FOCUS | OCT 2, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

Will Luzar works on the assigned cardio rehab as his recovery process begins after having a triple bypass surgery. Luzar hopes to have a fast recovery and get back to his everyday life. Will Luzar | Photo Courtesy While the recovery process is difficult, one of the hardest parts for Will is not being able to teach in the classroom, helping his family or help to coach football.

“We definitely miss his intensity on the field. He pushed everyone to their maximum capabilities and really helped make the team better,” junior Zach Capua said. “[Will] Luzar still helps the team but is behind the scenes with the film. Luzar leaving is definitely a loss for our team. He really added energy, vitality, and passion to our practices. He pushes us to our limits to make us better players.”

Will helped the varsity football team by being the strength and conditioning coach as well as a linebacker coach.

“Seeing him every morning at workouts knowing he was doing his very best to make us top players was always a good feeling and

always made us feel good as a whole team,” Capua said.

The recovery process has been slow, and Luzar said that all he can do is be patient. But Luzar has not been able to coach or teach, he is expected to come back between October 19-23.

“Even though it has been very difficult to go through, this surgery has changed my life forever,” Will said. “It’s not a surgery I wish on anyone.”

Now that Will has been through the whole surgery process and will be returning to school soon, he says that this surgery was necessary to save his life and he is glad that he had it done before it was too late.

“My goal for myself is to resume the life I was living with my family,” Luzar said. “While also being able to go back to teaching and coaching the kids everyday.”

What are the risks during surgery?

How long does the surgery take?

2% chance of dying 1-3% chance of having a stoke 5% chance of having an infection in the sternum

three to three and a half hours. After the surgery is completed, the patient must stay in the hospital five days.

Surgery takes

A cultural leap FEATURES

Sophomore exchange student Mey Kaynakcioglu from Turkey organized her exchange with the help of her parents and the school.

She hopes to be attending college in the U.S.A. after she graduates from her German school. Hannah McAtamney | Design Editor & Lexi Costley | Ads Coordinator & Lillian Mohr | Staff Writer

U.S. school systems VS. Turkish school systems Sophomore Mey Kaynakcioglu plays a game of badminton with her host family. She is partnered with her host sister, Jenna Spencer. Kaynakcioglu has never played badminton, since it is an American game. Here the girls are hitting rackets in celebration of the point they just scored. Hannah McAtamney | Photo

T

he first thing sophomore Mey Kaynakcioglu noticed was how sharp the blade being pointed at her face was. She and her friends fished out some spare money that was swimming around in their pockets and handed it over in exchange for their safety. For Kaynakcioglu, this was the reality of her home.

When people asked her about college, her mind drifted away from Turkey towards a safer place: America.

Kaynakcioglu dreamt of moving to America to study, but she decided that she must experience the culture first. She emailed Midland High School and awaited the approval of her exchange. She soon was approved and began to plan out how she would experience the culture to the fullest.

Searching for a family was an intensive process for Kaynakcioglu. She did not have a program like Rotary to go through. Instead, she relied on herself and her family to fulfill her dream of studying in America.

Kaynakcioglu found her host family in quite a unique way. Her host mom, Emily Spencer, is the sister-in-law of her uncle. Spencer’s sister-in-law asked Spencer if she would host Kaynakcioglu since she had an extra bedroom and girls that were similar in age. Spencer accepted.

“My husband and I thought it would be a neat experience and also would be good for my daughters, Cara and Jenna,” Spencer said.

Kaynakcioglu attended school at the German embassy in Turkey. Her school offers her the opportunity to go on a foreign exchange the first semester of her sophomore year. Spencer says that becoming Kaynakcioglu’s host family was

much more extensive than what it would be for a normal exchange program.

“Mey was born in the US and is a US citizen,” Spencer said. “A lot of research was done by the lawyers and the school to determine that [my husband] Jamie and I had to become Mey’s guardians for this to work.”

This past summer, the Spencer family attended family court to gain guardianship of Kaynakcioglu for the time that she would be in America. Once Kaynakcioglu arrived, the family had to make some adjustments.

“You have to tiptoe around each other and get a feel on how things work,” Kaynakcioglu said.

“No one comes and kisses you on the head and says ‘Good night’, but they’re nice so it works.”

Kaynakcioglu’s host sister, Jenna Spencer, said that it did not take long for her to get used to having another person in the house.

“I guess you could say it’s like having a third sister,” Jenna said. “It was a little strange a first, but that feeling is gone now. I like having her here.”

School is much different in Turkey for Kaynakcioglu. She takes 14-15 credits in Turkey instead of the 6-7 in America, and she has a different schedule daily instead of the consistent schedule she has here. Another difference in school is her surrounding area.

For the past few in Turkey there have been protests against the government. Two years ago, Kaynakcioglu witnessed the Gezi Park Protests, the worst riots she has ever seen. Approximately 8,000 people were injured during this time period. Social media was restricted by the government, people were arrested, and some were killed.

Kaynakcioglu has opened Jenna’s eyes to what life in Turkey is really like.

“It’s not like it is here in America; it’s harsher in Turkey,” Jenna said. “That’s what stood out to me the most, just how different life is between the two countries.”

In Istanbul, Kaynakcioglu’s hometown, there is currently a refugee crisis. To her knowledge, there are 2 million unregistered people who have no jobs or homes living in her city.

“We would walk to our buses after school and there have been times when refugees would pull a knife on us and demand money,” Kaynakcioglu said. “Or girls would be flashed.”

Kaynakcioglu says her city is dangerous to live in with the current refugee problem. She accredits the problem to the government.

“The government is so corrupt and we can do nothing about it,” Kaynakcioglu said.

Kaynakcioglu does not affiliate with any party but strongly disagrees with the leading party, which is the Justice and Development party.

“They have had a negative impact on Turkey, economically, socially, and politically too,” Kaynakcioglu said.

Kaynakcioglu says that the riots have gotten smaller, but many still revolt against the Turkish government.

“You shouldn’t talk about the government.

It’s not forbidden, but it’d be better if you didn’t,” Kaynakcioglu said. “People get arrested if they express their opinion in a way that the government doesn’t agree with, especially if they hurt the government’s image. Technically, I shouldn’t talk about the government, but that doesn’t keep people from doing it.”

AMERICA • Students have the choice of classes they wish to take • Can take 6 or 7 hours • Students move from class to class

TURKEY • Teachers rotate classes • No choices on class • 7 classes per week/14-15 classes per year • Daily/weekly schedules

17 | FOCUS | OCT 2, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

Common to cultured FEATURES

1.

Last year, seniors Madison Tarnowski and Rebecca Clark traveled to Bologna, Italy, and Oaxaca, Mexico, as a part of Rotary International Exchange program.

Each gained cultural experience and noticed significant differences between their home country of America and the places in which they spent their junior year. Cara Spencer | Staff Writer & Sonja Anderson | Staff Writer

I

t was six o’clock on a Monday morning, and time for senior Rebecca Clark to put on her school uniform. While most would expect this to consist of a navy colored tie, a pair of khakis, and a white button-down shirt, Clark’s was different. She walked into school every morning in the city of Oaxaca, Mexico, wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt.

During her foreign exchange, Clark’s experiences in a Mexican high school proved to be very different from her native Midland High. For example, all of her classes took place in the same room, while teachers were the ones who moved around, rather than the students. The school didn’t offer lockers.

Another significant difference she noted was that her schedule changed from day to day. Rather than attending the same six or seven classes consistently, she would go to different courses on each day of the week.

“You don’t have math every day,” Clark said. “You would only have it Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.”

School was also very different for senior Madison Tarnowski, who spent time as a foreign exchange student last year in Bologna, Italy. She attended Leceo Scientifico, a high school that focuses mainly on science and mathematics. Courses she took included science, Latin, and philosophy, which were much more difficult than the ones she’d taken at Midland High.

One of the biggest adjustments Tarnowski had to make while in Italy was getting used to a new grading system. In Italy, a 70 percent is roughly equivalent to a B, or “good,” while an 80% percent is “very good,” and a 90 percent is “better than the teacher,” according to Tarnowski. She remembers earning about the same grades in school as most of her Italian classmates, due to the fact that half of her classes were in English while the other half were in Italian.

Upon arriving in Italy, Tarnowski said she only knew very basic Italian, such as, “Hi, how are you?” and how to count to ten. She now considers herself fluent in the language.

“Around December, I went on a walk with my host sister,” Tarnowski said. “After we finished walking, which was about 2-3 hours, I remember thinking ‘Was that in English, or was that in Italian?’ It was so natural to me by then.”

18| FOCUS | OCT 2, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

Both girls went on exchange through Rotary International, a worldwide organization created to give young people the opportunity to travel to over 80 different countries. The program is typically open to students aged 15-19 years old.

“Applicants are selected by a sponsoring Rotary club on the basis of a written application and a personal interview,” Dianne Rodgers of Rotary said. “Qualified applicants are above average students who demonstrate community involvement and possess the potential to be an excellent cultural ambassador.”

Exchanges can be either short term, ranging from several days to several weeks, or long term, spanning an entire academic year. Both Clark and Tarnowski chose the latter. Over the course of her exchange, Tarnowski stayed with three different hosts, two families and one old woman, whom she remembers as her favorite host, an amazing cook and “the sweetest thing.”

Although drastic differences in schooling exist between Mexico and Italy, after-school activities were similar for both girls. Both spent time with their friends and host families, and learned to balance their necessary work and responsibilities with personal enjoyment.

“I had a wonderful year,” Clark said. “It’s always very hard to explain in just a few words, but now I’ll always think of specific events, like how I would have enfrijoladas for breakfast, but I also miss the people.”

Clark said that after school on a typical day, she might go to the local center with some friends, or out to eat at a restaurant with her host parents.

Both girls also traveled with their host families. Clark visited Yucatán with other exchange students in Mexico to view ancient ruins. She also went with her host family to Cancun, where they explored underground caves.

Tarnowski traveled outside Bologna as well.

Her third host took her to the sea once, and she also visited Rome, Venice and Florence multiple times.

“In Rome, I wandered around the city with an Italian friend of mine named Andrea,” Tarnowski said. “As we passed by monuments like the Colosseum and the Pantheon, street vendors kept trying to sell us roses and yarn bracelets. By the end of the day, I had a full bouquet and our wrists were lined with

2.

3.

1) All of the Exchange Students in Mexico of 2014-2016, posing together for a group photo at ancient ruins in Yucatán. 2) Tarnowski enjoying a trip to the Adriatic Sea one week after her arrival 3) Tarnowski’s view from the top of the bell tower in Il Duomo di Firenze in Florence, Italy. Madison Tarnowski & Rebecca Clark | Photo courtesy bracelets.”

She went to Florence with a group of other exchange students just a few weeks after arriving in Italy. Venice, however, was a trip she took by herself near the end of her stay, as she’d gotten to know the language and train system fairly well by then. She spent hours there photographing Carnival, a festival that is world famous for its elaborate and colorful Renaissance themed costumes, masks, and parades through the streets.

Tarnowski said that the people in Italy were very similar to Americans. Teenagers in both countries struggled with relationships and school. What stuck out to her the most as a difference was the scenery.

“Just walking down the street in Italy was a completely different experience because the buildings are so old, and orange and yellow.

Beautiful colors,” Tarnowski said.

Both Clark and Tarnowski agree that spending their junior years in foreign countries with the Rotary program gave them valuable experiences.

“I would always recommend someone going on exchange, it’s a wonderful experience,” Clark said. “I grew so much as a person, I have friends from all over the world, and now I have a second home.”

Rotary by the books Rotary International hosts exchanges in over 80 different countries Students start preparing for depature 6-8 months prior.

Rotary is in partnership with10 different organizations

8,000 students per year go on exchange through Rotary.

To participate in a Rotary exchange, students must be 15-19 years old.

A weight has been lifted FEATURES

Seniors Allie Brubaker and Rhiannon Hintz underwent a major operation to improve their health and quality of life before their last year of high school. Both girls made the decision to have breast reduction surgery. Anna Schultheis | Exchange Editor & Kady Volmering | Staff Writer & Kirsten Warner| Staff Writer

Rhiannon’s Story

S

enior Rhiannon Hintz thinks back to a week ago at the Tridge, where she found herself being able to run away from a rather strange crowd of people.

“It was the first time I ran in a long time,” Hintz said.

Hintz underwent breast reduction surgery earlier this August. She struggled with large breasts, facing problems starting early in her adolescent years.

“Middle school was hell,” she said.

Hintz often felt like the odd one out amongst a crowd of small-chested pre-teen girls.

She constantly felt ridiculed by her fellow classmates. Girls and boys alike couldn’t help but stare at her in the hallways.

Before

After

Cutting into the

Facts :

“A lot of people,when they talked about me or thought about me, that was one of the first things they thought of,” Hintz said. “It identifies you more than it should.”

So when Hintz turned 16, she approached her doctor about the surgery.

Breast reduction surgery is a reconstructive surgery performed on people with large breasts. The surgery’s goal is to take out as much breast tissue as possible while still having the breasts look natural. In order to do this, the surgeon cuts underneath the breast and removes some of dense tissue. Dense tissue is a mixture of fibrous and glandular tissue, not fat. The surgeon also removes part of the nipple in order to make it proportional to the breast. The surgery has a fairly rapid recovery rate with a total of eight weeks resting time.

Some of the risks going into the surgery are

Allie’s Story

W

hile most average twelve yearold girls were searching for funny videos on YouTube or stalking their crushes on Facebook, Allie Brubaker was googling how to change her body.

Now a senior, Brubaker is showing off her new slimmed-down figure and smaller breasts on Instagram in hopes that anyone else dealing with large chest will consider getting breast reduction surgery like her. Brubaker received the surgery February of last year, just before she turned 17, and it couldn’t have come soon enough.

“It’s been a pretty big issue for me,” Brubaker said.

For years she has visited the chiropractor weekly with back problems, headaches, and neck issues. Her breasts have also gotten in the way of the simplest physical activities,

being unable to breast feed in the future and there is also a chance the breast tissue could die.

“My doctor actually told me that if the surgeon accidentally takes out too much breast tissue, the breast can turn black and die due to lack of blood supply,” said Hintz.

There were many factors that went into the decision to have the surgery done that Hintz had to consider. Finding clothes that fit was a huge concern that inspired the surgery. Hintz, who is involved in drama, says that it was very difficult to find costumes for her character that fit what they were trying to portray. As with any other type of attire, such as dresses and bikinis, finding clothes that fit appropriately for school was also a struggle.

Hintz was told she may have to have another surgery in the future but for right now is content with the end result. such as running and swimming.

“I might have been faster at swimming if my body didn’t conflict with the water,” Brubaker said.

She is now able to work out and run comfortably, without having to hold her chest. She also notices she doesn’t find herself slouching in her chair at school and has even grown one inch since the surgery. Brubaker has noticed that her posture has gotten better as well.

Brubaker started thinking about surgery around the age of 12, but actually went in and talked to her doctor when she was 16.

She ended up having the surgery a couple months later. The process took a few months of preparing, making sure she was healthy and also getting ready for post-surgery.

Brubaker said that she has gotten a lot of support from her family and friends.

Post Surgery Average Cost of Recovery Time: the Surgery : $5,000-$7,000

8 Weeks

Before

After “My first thought was that she should wait until she was older because they may grow bigger,” said her mother, Jennifer. “But now Allie is more confident in her own skin now that the surgery is done. This alone is worth the cost.”

Jennifer’s advice to any parents who have kids considering the same surgery is to have a good, honest conversation about the procedure before a final decision is made. It’s important to consider all of the risks of having the surgery done so there are no surprises after the surgery .

Overall, the surgery has been a great decision for Allie, and has impacted her life in ways she never imagined.

“It’s changed my physical well-being so much, every obstacle I faced was worth it,” Allie said.

Procedure

Satisfactory Rate : 80% 19 | FOCUS | OCT 2, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

Finding a balance

FEATURES

Senior Paige Davis and Junior Alicia Morales are both working hard to balance their school work and the challenges of raising kids, in pursuit of graduation. Katherine Vernier | News Editor & Madelyn Groulx | Staff Writer

I

t is 3 a.m. on a school night and senior Paige Davis is being woken up from cries across the room. Although she knows that she is supposed to let her 11-month-old son, Miccah Morris, soothe himself, she cannot help but get up and comfort him.

This is one of the daily challenges that Davis faces when raising her son. After bringing Miccah back to her bed, she comforts him until he falls asleep. Davis then tries to get as much rest as she can before her alarm goes off in just a few hours.

“Being away from him is hard,” Davis said.

“My mom tells me when I’m at school he always walks around saying ‘Mama, Mama’.”

Davis said one of her proudest moments as a mother was hearing him say “Mama”. She also enjoyed watching him learn how to walk.

In order to cope with being away from Miccah, Davis weighs out the good from the bad.

“Miccah’s not going to remember the missed time when he’s older,” Davis said. “It’s better that I’m going to school now so I can support him when he’s older.”

Paige’s mother, Lisa, helps watch over Miccah during the school day.

“Sometimes it can be difficult trying to help Paige because I am so used to being the mom and taking care of everything,” Lisa said.

“Paige rarely asks for help because she is such a great mommy and loves being a mommy, so it is more of a challenge for me to just step back and let her do it herself.”

Paige also goes to the Pregnancy Resource Center, Young Lives for Young Moms, and the Midland Women, Infants, and Children Clinic (WIC) for support. At Young Lives for Young Moms, Paige is able to meet other young moms and learn about child safety. WIC also provides Paige with nutritional advice and baby formula.

After working hard to stay on track her junior year, Paige is planning on graduating in the spring with the rest of her class. In the

future, she hopes to transfer to Grand Valley State University to study primary education.

Her goal is to become a kindergarten teacher.

Currently, she teaches swim lessons to children and lifeguards at the Greater Midland Community Center.

Junior Alicia Morales and former Midland High student and father, Michael Ripke, are facing similar challenges of teen parenthood.

Their daughter, Faith Ripke, was born in July of 2015. After a year of online school, Morales is back at Midland High in pursuit of graduating. Ripke received his GED and is now attending Delta College and working fulltime with plans to become a corrections officer.

“With both of us it’s easier than it would be with just one of us,” Ripke said. “Having our own space helps too.”

Ripke and Morales moved into their own apartment at the beginning of July, just before Faith was born. The couple has found that living on their own presents unique challenges.

“Sometimes we’ll be carrying so much stuff that we’ll lock the keys in the house on accident,” he said. “We just miscommunicate with the diaper bag and all that stuff.”

Although they are on their own, Morales’ mother still helps take care of Faith while Ripke and Morales are at school or work.

Ripke currently works a 6-2 shift so they can get home at the same time. Then, together they can experience the same moments with their daughter, such as taking her for car rides and walks around the mall.

As young parents, Paige, Morales, and Ripke are facing different obstacles than most of their peers. They balance school and their jobs, while experiencing the difficulties that come with raising their babies. Through it all, they are able to cherish the beautiful moments of their children’s lives.

“She starts smiling and I just like it when she smiles,” Ripke said, with his daughter Faith is his arms, grinning back at her dad.

(Information provided by: American Civil Liberties Union of Washington State and Teen Pregnancy Statistics.org)

of teen mothers graduate

Teen Pregnancy by the Numbers

20 | FOCUS | OCT 2, 2015 | mhsfocus.com

Senior Paige Davis (Top) enjoys time with her son, Miccah Morris, and plays at a park in downtown Midland. Father Michael Ripke and Junior Alicia Morales (Left) look at their newborn child, Faith Ripke who is wrapped up in her father’s arms (Right). Katherine Vernier and Julia Quinn | Photos

40% 85% 59% of teen pregnancies are unplanned

of teen mothers give birth

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iPhone Addiction

oogle defines the word, ‘addicted’ as on the activity of an electronic rather than of “Physically and mentally dependent yourself. on a particular substance, and unable Sadly, after the apprehension is cured to stop taking it without incurring adverse with a tight grip on an iPhone, the effects effects.” There is a substantial range of things aren’t any better. Hours spent on cell phones you can be addicted to, however I want to pull are just wasted time. Precious moments your focus towards one in particular that most slip away subconsciously and you’re left all can relate: iPhones. Created in 2007, the with nothing but the memory of clicking era of inattention to detail, disrespect towards buttons for or advancing to the next level on peers, laziness, and the act of being social an over rated application. Walks with your without actually being social began. Over dog have become walks with your phone. time these rectangular boxes have developed Dinner dates have morphed into elbows on into our whole lives and become objects of the table and attention on a screen. Heart to our intense affection. So much to the point it heart conversations with your best friend are becomes hazardous to our health. Despite the now reduced to negligible emojis sent over entitled aura iPhones emit, they bring more iMessage. Is this what we have let our society trouble to our lives than you probably think, downgrade to? We have let iPhones replace along with ‘adverse effects’ when taken away. common courtesies and personal connection.

The privilege Another the vast venomous spine majority of iPhones have teenagers have protruding in our of possessing “Over time these rectangular boxes have culture is the new this global found idea of social developed into our whole lives and become media. We have phenomenon is not really a become inclined objects of our intense affection.” privilege. There to believe if other are endless people see us as amounts of happy online, then features and apps stemming from these we are in fact happy. However, in reality smartphones but that is not the talking point. people are now just more concerned about The glow of the screen and the sounds of other people seeing their ‘fun’ experiences the notifications are slowly poisoning our than actually having fun experiencing society. The addiction aspect increasingly them. Teenagers have mastered the art in adds to the issue because the only method of making their lives look good, rather than rehabilitation is your mom taking your most be good. Crediting the fact to iPhones, prized possession away because of a bad test online appearances now dominate the new grade. generation.

IPhones act as tethers. Without them, You may see the solution as evident and people feel lost and helpless. In a constant obvious: limit time on your phone or cut it state of anxiety, they’re continuously thinking out entirely. However, the addicted aspect about what they’re missing on their twitter is present in the majority of iPhone users feed or the phone call getting ignored while and that is easier said than done. Giving their eyes aren’t glued to a screen of petty up something we feel as if our whole life is pixels. Their heart jumps at the feel of their inside of is a bit of a stretch, but really it’s empty pockets and their minds dart to where not. It’s not because our whole lives aren’t in they last had it. Instantly, moods of happiness that insignificant phone. Our lives are gifts shift towards anger when their precious that are constantly in action, but we miss the phone is not in their grasp. This is because opportunities given with our heads buried in the amount of dependence they have on it our laps and our headphones buried in our is so significant. It has gotten to the point ears. Life is more than just a screen, so lets not where people can’t function unless they’ve let people get caught up with being connected cleaned up their snapchat feed or sent at least to their phone, when in actuality they’re a dozen text messages. More concern is put disconnected from their life.

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Generations of music A&E

Junior Ben Robertson, and Sophmores Connor Robertson and Alex McMath have all grown up with a great infulence in music. Claire Booth | Staff Writer & Gypsy Worrall | Staff Writer

Other band members:

Brendan O’Connor

Sophomore Alex McMath and junior Ben Robertson peform in their band, The Goons, at a fundraiser for Midland Evangelical Free Church’s youth group, known as Xtreeme. The band perfoms at a wide range of places, including Freeland Park in Freeland, MI and every year at Rhapsody and Music Fest. Ian Adridge | Photo

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illed with nerves and anticipation, Ben, Connor, and Satchel Robertson waited to go on stage as the talent show announcer introduced them. Slowly, the boys walked onto the gym floor at Northeast Middle School.

This was the very beginning of their band, The Goons.

Juniors Ben and Satchel, as well as sophomore Connor, formed the band for their middle school talent show, thinking it would be a fun experience. They later brought sophomore Alex McMath and senior Brendan O’Connor into the group.

Ben (lead guitar) and Connor (drums) have always had a love for music, because their father, Mike, has a band called Maybe August, and has been in other bands since high school.

As a result, music was always around them while they were growing up.

“I was inspired to play guitar because my dad played it,” Ben said. “I would always pick up his guitars and try to play it from a young age.”

Similarly, Connor also acquired his love for drums at a young age, from items found around the house.

“When I was little I would always bang on pots and pans and pretend it was an actual drum set,” Connor said. “So, I guess I’ve always wanted to be a drummer.”

Mike loved seeing his son’s love for music grow as they grew up and matured in their music.

“They would make awesome videos of

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themselves playing songs in their bedroom that they made up,” Mike said. “I could always tell they had a lot of natural talent, but I didn’t know what they would do with it.”

Mike continues to fill Ben and Connor’s childhood with music and entertainment.

Whether it was singing songs for the boys to fall asleep to when they were little or currently blasting music through the speakers of their

“I could always tell they had a lot of natural talent, but I didn’t know what they would do with it”

Mike Robertson house while he cooks, he immerses their lives in music.

“They would always ask me to play ‘You’ve Got a Friend in Me’ from Toy Story. They also asked me to play ‘Lullaby,’ which was actually a song by the Beatles called ‘Golden Slumbers’ with the word lullaby in it,” Mike said.

McMath (lead singer) grew up similarly to the Robertsons where, her childhood was filled to the brim with music.

“I’ve been singing since I was two years old and I eventually got better and better,” McMath

said. “My dad would let me sing one or two songs. Then, in fourth grade, I got up in front of thousands of people at one of his concerts.

It was super scary, but such a great experience for me.”

Like the Robertsons, McMath’s father was in a band with his brother, Scott, called Empty Pockets. Now, Mike McMath and his brother Scott have a duo called Empty Canvas where they sing songs while Mike paints.

“It’s basically like a musical every day with my family,” Alex said. “We mainly base our schedules around music.”

Mike Robertson also has known McMath since she was young; he has been friends with her father and uncle for years.

“When I first heard Alex sing was with her dad,” Mike Robertson said. “I was playing with his band and he had her come up and sing ‘Give Me One Reason’ with us. She was probably nine years old and she brought the house down.”

The band has many supporters, ranging from experienced sound equipment people, to many students from Midland High. But their main support is found in the faces of their very own parents. Anywhere from lending a room in the Robertson’s house for band practice, to taking vacation time off their job to support McMath at an addition for the show, The Voice, the parents undoubtedly have the backs of the young musicians.

“The band stuff is no different and is a unique experience we share,” Mike Robertson said.

Grade: Senior Instrument: Acoustic guitar and some vocals What made you want to be in the band?

“M usic has always been the biggest influence in my life, and playing in a band was something I wanted more than anything, but seemed a little unrealistic.”

What’s the best thing about being in the group?

“The feeling after a show, when we’re all super excited and can’t stop smiling.”

Satchel Robertson

Grade: Junior Instrument: Bass guitar and back up vocals What made you want to be in the band?

“My cousins [bandmates] learned how to play at a young age and I wanted to join them.”

What’s the best thing about being in the group?

“We’re at such a young age and we have loads of time to perfect our parts. Also, we were all born around music, so it naturally makes sense to us.”

Ian Andridge | Photos

Scouting for something new A&E

Although there are many challenges the drama department expects to face, Drama Director Megan Applegate is very excited about this year’s fall production, To Kill A Mockingbird. The show will feature many roles that are different from what MHS is used to. Kirstyn Cotton | Op/Ed Editor & Suzannah Koop | Staff Writer

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hen it came time for Drama Director Megan Applegate to select this year’s fall production, she knew right away that she wanted to put on To Kill A Mockingbird.

This play has been something that she’s wanted to do for awhile, not only because of its large cast, but also because she herself performed in the same show as a student.

“I like the size of the cast because it’s really big and there are a lot of important roles as oppose to just a star vehicle,” Applegate said. “[To Kill A Mockingbird] was also the first show I performed in at Midland High so I think it’s kind of cool to revisit it.”

Applegate recognizes that, even though in most instances race isn’t an issue, To Kill A Mockingbird is completely different. She says that it’s crucial for the story to have the character’s race portrayed correctly to avoid losing the message of the entire show.

Important characters like Tom Robinson, Calpurnia, and Helen Robinson need to be filled by African American students. These roles will be portrayed by Freshman LeVale Walker, Senior Carter Beckett, and Freshman Annie Laforet, respectively.

“I’m hoping that we have a lot of our student population audition, especially the minority student population,” Applegate said.

“Traditionally we haven’t had a lot of minority students in our shows so I’m hoping that that’s an obstacle we can overcome.”

Senior Carter Beckett is excited that To Kill A Mockingbird features roles specifically designed to be portrayed by the minority population.

In any production, getting a part depends on whether or not a person fits the character so Beckett feels as though she would be a good fit within this cast.

“I was excited when I found out [about the fall show],” Beckett said. “I don’t want to get in solely because of my race, but a lot of casting depends on how you look and how well you can fit a character, and I’m excited that there’s an opportunity to play a character that’s relatable to me.”

Before making the final decision to have the students perform To Kill A Mockingbird, Applegate had to be sure that she had a backup plan in case not enough students auditioned for certain roles. After discussing it with Principal Jeffrey Jaster, Applegate was given the permission to collaborate with Saginaw Arts & Sciences Academy (SASA) to fill the remaining roles.

“I have permission to bring in some guest artists, and I’ve already approached them, if we don’t get students to audition that can fill [minority] roles,” Applegate said. “The show will go on regardless, but my hope is that it will

be Midland High students entirely.”

Applegate’s decision to include students from SASA is causing some Midland High students to worry about which students are going to play which roles. Beckett hopes that Midland High students will get prioritized in casting and then if there are roles that still need to be filled, students from SASA will fill them.

“A lot of people [were] worried that because SASA is involved, they will lessen the chances of Midland High students getting roles,” Beckett said.

Only the role of Reverend Sykes will be played by a SASA student, as well as a chorus to sing in church scenes. The remaining roles consist of Senior Aaron Mealey as Atticus, Sophomore Emma Brown as young Scout, Senior Taylor Winslow as older Jean Louise Finch, and Senior Josiah Grenier as Jem. English teacher Sarah Dodick, along with finding the race aspect important, hopes other challenges are overcome as well.

“The passage of time will be difficult to communicate, and the court section contains detailed accounts of the testimonies,” Dodick said.

Dodick also hopes that her favorite scenes and characters are incorporated, such as Atticus and Scout and the final Boo Radley appearance.

“I love the characters of the book, and can’t wait to see how the actors and actresses bring them to life,” Dodick said.

On top of the casting issues, Applegate is concerned about the set building process, because of the renovation coming to Central Middle School, where the play will be soon be performed. This is the last play the Midland High drama department will be able to perform at the middle school and it will be hard for them to leave the stage, which they all know so well, behind when it’s over.

“One of the challenges is going to be getting the set done with the renovations looming at Central and the staff being smaller at that building,” Applegate said.

Despite the challenges that Applegate expects to face, she is extremely excited to be retelling one of her favorite novels on stage this fall. She is ready to bring the characters from novel to stage, while also having the opportunity to address some issues that she believes are very relevant.

“I’m looking forward to bringing these characters to life and the chance to talk about some issues that I think are pretty timely,” Applegate said. “Like some of the race issues that have come up in the country over the summer. I thought this was a pretty important piece to do and I’m excited about the themes and the story.”

Megan Applegate discusses audition expectations with drama students. Though the majority of the cast is caucasian, multiple African-American roles are needed to be filled. Kirstyn Cotton | Photo

A Slice of

Diversity :

19% of the

81% of the

characters

characters in the play are

African American

in the play are

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Chemic Band Leaders A&E

Every year, the marching band refreshes their palette with a selection of new drum majors, section leaders, and squad leaders. While met with different responsibilities, they all strive for the same goal: to make each show and performance the very best it can be. Zach Noel | Web Editor & Jacob Presson | Staff Writer

What’s your favorite thing about band?

Drum Major Marina Nadobny “The color show my sophomore year.

We played Rhapsody in Blue and Moves like Jagger along with other songs.”

The Chemic Marching Band’s leadership positions, including the instructors, drum majors, section leaders, and drum captain. This year the band will be performing at showcase with the theme of the British Isles, preforming songs from the iconic bands The Beatles and Queen. Julia Quinn | Photo

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ast week, band director William Monroe announced his upcoming absence so that he could undergo open heart surgery.

He will be out for 3 to 5 months, but Monroe has hopes to be back by Christmas. Despite Monroe’s absence, the band will continue under the direction of music teacher Chris O’Connell, getting support from the various leaders of the band.

“We need Mr. O’Connell, Mrs. Welser and the drum majors even more than ever so they can help bind us together until Mr. Monroe gets better,” sophomore Hannah Rivet said.

“We’re super lucky to have such strong leaders, especially now.”

Monroe’s job as director puts him in charge of all aspects of the Midland High Band Program, including the budget, performances, and

Band Director

As band director, William Monroe is in charge of the performances, rehearsals, inventories, budget, and direction of the Midland High Band Program.

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Section Leader Olivia Candela “I like making music with everybody.

It’s just a fun time; it’s high quality.”

“Successful performances and adventure filled rehearsals make our journey together fun,” Monroe said. “I always try to make sure we create a very tight-knit family in the band.”

Under Monroe, drum majors Elia Danielson, Ally Kiekhaefer, Marina Nadobny, and Katie

Wenban will continue being role-models for the band students. They work hard to include everyone and strive to ensure each member remains successful, organized, and has fun.

Drum captain Haley Hendricks, along with the other section and squad leaders, will lead their various sections in their drills, making sure they march correctly, and encouraging every student to give their best effort.

“There are all types of students in band,” Monroe said. “We have athletes. We have people involved in drama. We have students that have jobs, that are future engineers, doctors, teachers, and musicians. We are all together to enjoy the adventure of learning new music and having new experiences together. That is the beauty of music; it brings people from all different parts of life together.”

Drum Major

Drum Captain

Section Leader

Senior Haley Hendricks leads the drum line. You can see her at the football game, whistle in hand, keeping the band organized and the crowd revved up.

A section leader is in charge of their instrumental section. If a student has a question concerning their instrument, the section leader is their go to person.

rehearsals. He tries to inspire all of his students in his class, both in music and in life itself. Being a director is the hardest job that he has ever undetaken, but it is also the most rewarding.

“We’re super lucky to have such strong leaders, especially now”

Sophmore Hannah Rivet

Seniors Elia Danielson, Ally Kiekhaefer, Marina Nadobny, and Katie Wenban act as role-models for the band. They help perfect the vision of the performance.

Section Leader Sammi Rice “I love the people and Monroe.

Band would not be the same without Monroe.”