Navigator program creates new friendships
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Voice The
your school. your voice.
Volume 55, Issue 2 November 20, 2015
news
School violence strategically handled On Friday, October 23, B lunch saw three fights happen. Public safety was trying to be everywhere at once. While fights are not a large part of high school (some students say they never see fights), they do happen. On this particular Friday, they seemed to be happening non-stop. Only a week later, a video of an officer in South Carolina throwing a student to the ground after she refused to comply with a request went viral. The video caused a debate over the rights of students and public safety officers, and a discussion about how things are handle in Lansing. Here is a look at the process that officers follow in the Lansing School District. First things first, there’s “the call.” How the public safety officers get notified all depends on where the situation is taking place. The call can come from a phone, or a walkie talkie. “If it's in the classroom the teachers call the office. After the office gets the call, they call us,” said Officer Nemus Gonzales. Anyone with a walkie talkie can contact public safety, and any available administrator or public safety officer can respond to help with the situation.
Next, as fast and as safely as possible, the students involved are separated. The first instruction is to tell the individuals to stop. If that doesn't do anything, they physically pull them away from each other. “We typically separate the parties by escorting them to separate locations,” said principal Susan Cheadle-Holt. Every year, public safety officers are trained how to restrain and stop individuals with as little force as necessary. However, the main concern administrators have is to restore order and ensure the safety of all students and staff. If an adult gets hurt in the situation, it first has to be determined if they were hit on purpose or accidentally. “If the student intended to hurt the adult, the student can face expulsion. If they did not intend to hurt the adult, they can still receive consequences for hurting someone,” said Cheadle-Holt. Sometimes things get out of hand and other precautions have to take place. If the individuals act violently against them, officers can use pepper spray and handcuff them. Administrators and public safety act as peacekeepers, but sometimes caregivers, as well. “Often we have our school nurse check for any injuries,” said Cheadle-Holt.
After order is restored, they get right to business. The individuals are given the chance to say their part of the story. Then the officers write a report recounting the incident. “We [as public safety officers] have to write a written report which is given to an administrator,” said Gonzales. Depending on the severity of the situations, the students face different consequences. A student can be suspended or even arrested. “If there are serious injuries, the student may be sent to student services. [It can also be] determined as assault [if one person does all the hitting],” said Cheadle-Holt. The School District Code of Conduct has specific punishments for fighting: for the first fight, the individual can receive up to 3-10 days suspension; for the second time, the suspension lasts 20 days. A third violation is 30 days with a referral to student services. “Sometimes there is more than just school consequences, students can also receive tickets that will cost them money in a court,” said Cheadle-Holt. If a student gets sent to student services, the school has no control over the situation. Their office investigates the case and makes the decision whether the student receives counseling, has to move schools, be suspended for a long term, or even be expelled.
GEAR UP: program
offers juniors SAT prep 2 • The Voice • November 20, 2015 • myvikingvoice.com
Ali Aljazi Reporter You sit there, looking at your choices. There are four, but only one is correct. You narrow it down to two or three, but the clock keeps ticking, and you decide with haste, hoping your answer was correct. “Five minutes left,” says the proctor. You panic because you have ten more questions. The sweat builds across your forehead. You’re exhausted, stressed, and afraid. Time passes and you know that it will end any second now. Ring! The timer goes off, and you are glad the PSAT is over, but you shudder at the thought of the real exam in the spring. Luckily for the class of 2017, the MSU GEAR UP program is providing SAT prep classes to help them get a jump on the test. After sitting through the PSAT, students now know they need to study to get a good score on the SAT. GEAR UP is running SAT prep before school, on late-start Wednesdays for those who are interested. GEAR UP is a program that works with students to help them do their best in high school, so that they can be prepared for
college. The SAT can determine your possibilities for the future, making it an important test. Students who want a better score are encouraged to participate. What is taught in class might help, but students might need more. Outside work is crucial to getting a boost on scores. “Students should absolutely be a part of the SAT Prep,” said English teacher Robin Elliott. “The GEAR UP staff may have the training for SAT that most teachers are going through right now. The staff here have been working on the ACT for so long and never taught the format for the SAT.” Many students felt the SAT was challenging, so a Prep may be beneficial for them. Even in the case where students did not find it too difficult, they had not done as well as they wanted. “I felt I did fine for the most part, the math section was tough,” said student Kazmyn Alexandra. “I think SAT prep will be good for me. I want to improve my SAT score and GEAR UP is a really cool program.” The math portion on the exam was rig-
orous for many students. After walking out of the exam many students said things like, “We never covered the material in class,” or “There wasn’t enough information in the question.” One explanation is that most of the exam is algebra based, and juniors at Everett have not completed an Algebra 2 course, which means students could expect better results on their next attempts. “The SAT prep is opportunity all students should take advantage of; especially because the challenges students faced,” said math teacher Eric Hartley. “The problems may have been tough because they were multi-step problems and required reading, which most students aren’t comfortable with.” The PSAT was tough and took students by surprise, giving them only a few days to study. But the SAT is expected in March and juniors have lots of time before the test to prepare and study. Any student interested in the Prep should go to science teacher Stephanie Robinson’s room, room 101, in the morning or contact a GEAR UP coordinator.
The Voice Archive photo
Briana Vazquez Reporter
Graduated senior Makayla Gleason marches in last year’s Silver Bells in the City parade. Tonight, the band is ready to again join the thousands of people downtown to kick off the holiday season.
31st Silver Bells excites students Julia Tominski Reporter
With winter right around the corner, Lansing is preparing to celebrate the 31st Annual Silver Bells in the City, an annual parade held in downtown Lansing. It is always the Friday before Thanksgiving, which this year falls on November 20. People from all over the city come to watch the parades, and the tree lighting at the capitol. Christmas lights illuminate the streets, and cheer is spread through floats and signs. The parade consists of over 60 units and area high school marching bands, with the ending surprise of Santa Claus. Towards the end of the ceremony, the State Christmas tree located in front of the capitol building is lit up with Christmas lights followed by fireworks. The Everett Marching band is performing in Silver Bells, along with 10 other local high school bands. The participating bands are competing for best illuminated band award during the parade. The two high school bands that are most well-lit will win
a $500 gift card to Marshall Music. Winners are announced at the Main State after the lighting of the Christmas Tree. Besides the parade, downtown has more attractions to bring the Christmas spirit. Many people are excited for Silver Bells, especially the students in Everett’s band. “I’m so excited to be playing in Silver Bells. Not too excited about the weather, but I can get past that,” said freshman cymbal player Jalina Crawford. Color Guard members are disappointed that they will not be participating in Silver Bells this year, due to a dance performance at Everett on the same night. “I think it’s super messed up Color Guard can’t perform this year. They add something to the band,” said freshman tenor player Caleb Weiker. Students who aren't involved in the band are also excited for the event, because it is one of Lansing's biggest attractions. “Silver Bells is an exciting time for Lansing,” said freshman Timia Edmond. “The lights, the parade, Santa, the lighting of the tree. It’s all magical.”
Arin Dampier Business Manager When senior Tia Le walks into her sixth hour, she is greeted with a hug by her peer. She smiles and greets her back. They start a conversation about what they did over the weekend, or about her favorite band. It makes her feel important because her peer looks forward to seeing her. “When I’m not there my peer misses me. She tells me she wishes I was there. When others are missing I hear, ‘Where’s my Navigator’ or ‘Where’s my friend’. We mean something to them,” said Le. A Navigator is a peer advocate. The Navigators elective is a class that students can take, normally in their junior or senior year. Navigators is a class that counts as an elective credit, students are graded based on attendance, participation, and how you treat and interact with your peer. A lot of students and staff don’t know the importance of Navigators, but to the students in the program it means the world. “I like being a Navigator because there’s a connection you get with your peer, they learn to trust you. It’s nice to help them out, and help them learn the things they need,” said junior Mariah Hernandez. The students form a bond with each other. Students go to class with their peer to help them with classwork, providing friendship.
“She helps me do my work, she is a good friend because she always helps me,” said freshmen Fabian Adame, a student who is paired with a navigator. The peer-to-peer program was begun by a teacher in Clarkston county, that is now being implemented all over the country. Navigators Coordinators Holly Triestram and Allison Wonch attended two years of “START” trainings in 2010 out of Grand Valley University, teaching them more about ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). Navigators is in its third year of activity at Everett. The first year of the Navigators was a pilot program, and students did not receive a credit for it. Now Navigator is offered as a credit-based class. “The Navigators program reduces bullying of students with Autism, and increases attendance of the Navigator,” said Triestram. Many adults and students find Navigators to be a great experience for everyone who gets the chance to take part in it. “Navigators helps students get a wide spectrum of what the world is really like, it also helps them get to know their peers, and realize that they have feelings too,” said school counselor Raymond Rubio. To become a Navigator, you can sign up for the class when you choose your schedule for the new year. If you have any questions or concerns contact Wonch.
Halloween celebration a bonding experience Katrina Turner
by your teeth, and even trying to keep balloons from falling to the ground. “I liked create-a-craft because you just use your imagination with them and create something fun,” said senior Navigator Na Dilai. The staff members who were supervising the event were happy to see the students interacting with each other and their Navigators. “I love it when we're all together, they have to come together and be social it brings them out of their shell,” said Special Education Assistant Cheryl Fields. The Navigators felt that the activities
Editor-in-Chief
On Friday, October 30, the normally dark and quiet small auditorium was transformed into a Halloween celebration. Students from the Asperger/Autism Spectrum Disorder classes taught by Denise Noble and Ron Polzin, along with Hearing Impaired teacher Amy Robinson's classes, met with their Navigators for a sixth hour party. Students and teachers signed up to bring treats. There were games, music, and lots of fun. The students looked forward to the party for weeks, and their expectations were met and exceeded. “I was looking forward to having fun, and seeing lots of friends,” said freshmen Fabian Adame. When you arrived in the small auditorium, you saw dozens of students. The auditorium was split into different sections, depending on the type of game. There were seven or eight games, and a few of the dance company members were on the stage, because they came to teach the students dances. “I liked the dancing, they taught us the Thriller dance and we did a little freestyle,” said freshmen Ronald Arras. The dancers volunteered to come to teach the students when they were asked. “I love these kids so much, and this kind of work is something I could do later in my life,” said senior Dance Company member Albrya Walker. Some of the activities included stacking cups, picking up golf balls with spoons held
were very fun and a good chance to get to know one another. “I liked playing defy gravity, it was fun to pass it around. They can contribute more when we do stuff like this,” said junior Gabriel Cruz-Torres. Overall mostly all of the people in attendance had good things to say about the event. Students and teachers alike were smiling and playing games, and the snacks and music pleased everyone. “My goal was for everyone to engage in an activity they never tried before, it was a good bonding experience,” said Peer to Peer teacher Allison Wonch.
Katrina Turner
Peer to Peer program beneficial to students involved
Navigators and Peers play ‘Defying Gravity.’ The sixth hour Navigators and their Peers attended a Halloween celebration October 30. There were games, food, dancing, and drawing.
3 • The Voice • November 20, 2014 • myvikingvoice.com
Navigators
Katrina Turner
news
news
Sein San Reporter Everett’s Dance classes host concerts every Winter and Spring. This year’s concert is sooner than usual, and dancers are nervous and excited about next week’s shows. The concert, November 19 and 20, has the theme “Emotion in Motion.” It will be held in the large auditorium, and will start at 7:00 p.m. The cost for adults is $5, students and kids are $3. Many of the dancers are nervous for this concert, since they are facing obstacles they have never had before. “We are really unprepared because our regular dance teacher left before the concert,” said senior Cortoria Jones, who is in Dance Company. Company also prepared for their performance at the Veteran’s Day ceremony. “We are making sure we put our feelings into the choreography, so we can show the
men and women who defeated our country,“ said sophomore Brianna Ramsey. The dance teacher, Karen Knaebel is on maternity leave. She had planned to leave after the dance concert, but things did not go as planned. “I have some very close relationships with my students and I think that what we all were feeling was that the situation was just unexpected and unfortunate but they are supportive and we all want what is best,” said Knaebel. Although, most of the dances were finished before Knaebel left, the dancers are still nervous. “I think it’ll be challenging to get used to doing the show without Mrs. Knaebel being here,” said sophomore Kule’ona Bray. In her absence, they have a new dance teacher who is subbing for Knaebel. The dancers are under immense stress preparing for their upcoming performances and are trying to invest all their time into that. “We are busy preparing for the Veteran’s
sein san
Dancers face challenges as they prepare for concert
Members of the Dance Company stretch as they prepare to practice for their upcoming show, “Emotion In Motion.” Tickets are $3 and $5 for the November 19-20 performances. Day ceremony and can’t do anything but practice,” said senior Albrya Walker. There are all different kind of dances, the dancers will be wearing costumes that goes with the theme of their dance. “I like the theme, I think it’s different than past years. Our paranoid dance costume
Raquel Adkins Photostory Editor
Katrina Turner
4 • The Voice • November 20, 2015 • myvikingvoice.com
There are many enjoyable things that happen during October. Trick-or-treating, Halloween parties, and corn mazes are things that all children look forward to. As children age, however, the month of October becomes less fun and turns into a nerve-wracking stress-inducer. Instead of planning which houses to hit for the best candy, they have to start applying to colleges, worrying about SAT scores, and planning for the future. College Application Week (CAW) was October 26-30. Teachers and the counseling department paired up to encourage students to apply to college. Many teachers decorated their doors with signs displaying what colleges they attended, and invitations to ask them about it. There were signs for Michigan State University, Central Michigan University, and even the University of Michigan. “[I decorated my door] To be encouraging from students,” said Japanese teacher Dawn Stark. Students dealt with a lot of stress as the application deadline approached. Some worked to perfect their essays and others attempted to remain calm while they wait for their responses.
“I feel this weight on my shoulders with my application and my class work,” said senior Branden Bolte. Counselors understand that CAW can cause students to go crazy, so they worked hard to help them. School counselors Jennifer West and Doreatha Rusher were in the computer lab Monday through Wednesday helping students apply. They strongly encouraged all students to apply to at least Lansing Community College. The LCC application is a fairly easy one, and a safe fall-back school. Any students who has been in the Lansing School District for four years qualifies for the Lansing Promise Scholarship. Similar to the Hope Scholarship, the Lansing Promise provides two free years of LCC tuition to Lansing students. “[At LCC] you can get your basic classes out of the way for free, it's a chance at a good education,” said senior Arlet Solis. College adviser Frankie Hernandez worked hard to help students as well. She arranged appointments for students to come down to the library during class to work on their applications. She also is available in her office to assist students randomly throughout the day. “My counselors just do whatever I ask of them, it’s helpful,” said Bolte. As the end of CAW approached, the
and are expecting a good result. “Though the show might be slightly different than what it would be if I was there, I think the show will not be too changed if all of the dancers stay focused and work together on and off stage to make the show a success,” said Knaebel.
First national Link Crew conference a success
College Application week hectic, but manageable Katrina Turner Editor-in-Chief
is black clothes with painting that will glow under the black light which is pretty unique and will start off the show with a bang,” said senior Jillian Johnson. The dancers are being professional and are working hard to make the show as good as it always is. They have been practicing tirelessly
College adviser Frankie Hernandez wore her cap and gown earlier this year to encourage students to start thinking about college. counseling department congratulated students who had applied. On October 31, students who applied were ushered into the large auditorium 2nd hour for a snack and a movie. The movie was a documentary about students working to get into college. “It was to show that we appreciate all the work, time, and effort they have put into their college applications,” said Hernandez. Many students signed up for college during CAW, and learned a lot of information about how to reduce stress working on college applications. “My advice is to start working on your applications as soon as they open up so that you’re not rushing it at the last minute,” said Bolte.
Link Crew is one of the newest activity that students can be a part of. Link Crew is made up of juniors and seniors who work with freshmen and New Tech students. Their goal is to have students participate in school events and connect with the school community. This year, the group hosted an international event for members from all over Michigan and even some groups from Canada. Everett’s Link Crew has also been hosting events for the students they work with here. “So far we have had orientation for freshmen and New Tech. They also have tried to get a tailgate together for a football game but it got rained out,” said senior Kayla Dennings. To be a part of Link Crew you have to be recommended by a teacher. After you hear more about the program you fill out an application. If you are accepted you are sent information about the meetings. “Link Crew is not for anyone lazy. You do have to take the time and go to the meetings,” said junior Mariela Torres. On October 30, Everett’s Link Crew hosted a Link Crew Conference in the Gym. At least five different schools attended. The Link Crew Conference is hosted by Boomerang Project throughout the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. Having students from all over be part of one thing helps with diversity and meeting new people.
At the Link Crew conference, all the Link Leaders from other schools grouped together and interacted in a series of mixers and activities that helps them connect with each other with a positive experience. The meaning of these activities are to build skills and awareness students need to be a good Link Leader. The students were also provided snacks, and were excused from classes for the day to participate. The only other place in Michigan where they hold a Link Crew conference is Farmington. “This is the first time Everett is hosting a Link Crew Conference,” said Certified Link Crew Coordinator Colleen Selby. The band and mascot greeted students as they arrived. At the end of conference they were given lanyards, color changing pencils, and bracelets that say “Leaders For Life.” They also left with a keychain link to help them remember we are all linked together. “We are trying to be a school that stands out by having our mascot and band there,” said Dennings. The conference went well, with four schools coming. The team building activities facilitated conversations between the schools, and the students really liked the experience. “We met so many new people, and we connected on a leadership basis, it was really cool,” said senior Link Crew member Austin Arnold. For more information about Link Crew you can visit www.boomerangproject.com
OPINION
Mac OS X vs. Windows: The user opinions
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Surface Book Cost: $1499 Operating System: Windows 10 Pro Tech specs: 6th Gen Intel Core i5 128GB Solid state drive (SSD) i5: Intel HD graphics 520 8GB Memory Ports: SurfaceConnect Mini DisplayPort Two full-size USB 3.0 Headset jack Full-size SD card reader
Isaiah Garrett Multi-Media Editor Apple Inc. has been around since the 1970’s providing computers that can be used in the comfort of your own home. From the Apple I to the current line of Macs that are available, hundreds of innovative ideas were put into them. Although certain features such as the GUI were influenced by other companies, Apple took those already great ideas and threw their own great ideas on top of that. Mac OS X is the operating system that runs only on your Macs, which makes the whole idea of getting a Mac even more exclusive. For people looking for a great looking but also productive experience, Apple computers are the best choice for you. Today, Apple is releasing products several times a year with items like the iPhone, iPad and MacBooks introducing new software features and hardware upgrades. On the latest Mac roll out they introduced 4K 21-inch iMacs and an upgraded 5K 27inch iMac with all new and more powerful processors and graphics. The MacBook Pro also got new hardware. Nearly every Mac today has a retina display screen
which has more pixels than your fifty-five inch high-definition television at home which makes viewing your Mac more beautiful than any standard windows computer. Mac OS X today has tons of features that surpass its number one competitor Windows. Mac OS X El Capitan, a free software upgrade, did provided some features that did indeed apply a similar experience that has been on Windows with the split screen feature, but Windows 10 just released a virtual desktop feature that resembles an ancient Mac feature. Mac OS X has some of the best animations and features for the new generation starting college classes or just surfing social media. The default web browser Safari is simplistic and gorgeous just like the rest of the operating system. Pages, Numbers, and Keynote are already installed when you buy your Mac which are perfect for those long essays and those reputable presentations with the nice graphs. These apps have the same use as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel, but are free with your Mac unlike the newest
Dan Tran Online Editor versions of Microsoft Office which costs sixty dollars a year on one computer. Other Apps that come free and pre-installed are GarageBand, Photos and iMovie. These audio, photo and video editors are very simple to use and free. Windows has nothing compared to these simple editors. If you want the hottest and up-to-date hardware and software along with that fancy Apple to be a part of your everyday computing; iMacs, Macbooks, or any type of Mac will allow that fast productive experience with great looks on top of that.
Everyone knows about the fierce Apple vs. Microsoft rivalry when it comes to whose operating system reigns supreme. Though Apple’s OS X operating system has proven to be a reliable operating system, it’s versatility and sheer potential doesn’t match Microsoft’s Windows. In a Mac vs PC debate, for most people a PC is the way to go. In general, Mac is known for its simple and elegant interface with an easy to maneuver ecosystem: and they do that very well. The beauty of Mac’s simplicity is also one of it’s greatest flaws. OS X, is inherently inflexible compared to Windows. Most Macs in the world are used in America, while over 80% of computers worldwide, including the US, are built on a version of Windows. This reflects similarly to the software available to Macs. Many programs in existence are optimized for Windows, while compatibility with Mac remain a secondary priority for most software de-
velopers. Mac has generally been marketed toward archetypes such as the “aspiring artist” or the “humble college student”. It would definitely throw a wrench in an artist’s workflow, if his drawing tablet could not work on his Mac because compatibility issues with drivers. It is rather contradictory that OS X offers much less software and versatility, when generally Apple products cost hundreds of dollars more than Windows powered equivalents, which leads to the next point. Macs are not necessarily marketed towards the “poweruser”, with the exception of the Mac Pro. Apple has a notorious reputation of having a price premium for not necessarily a top end product (*cough* Apple Pencil *cough*). Fun fact: the 2006 Mac Pro was still sold at little to no price drop up until the release of its waste-basketesque successor in 2013. One could easily build a much more powerful PC for LESS than the price of even a standard Mac Pro. If that’s not enough, for the price of the top configurations of the 2006 Mac Pro at Apple’s retail price, a smart shopper could build
TWO PCs that both run BETTER than Apple’s cream of the crop (if a 2006 flagship could even be considered as such). One may complain that not all consumers know how to, or go through the hassle of building a PC, which to be honest, is hardly a chore to begin with. You could only assume that an individual knows enough about high-end computer parts to fork up $3000 for the Mac Pro, could put together a PC after watching a couple YouTube tutorials. Tailor-making your own PC is the ideal way to make the perfect computer while saving hundreds of dollars that could be spent on other stuff, such as a decent mouse… not naming anybody. Adding onto the hardware in general, Macs are very well built and admittedly are built better than lower end Window computers. Again though, this places Mac into a single mold. Mac is inflexible hardware wise as well. The spectrum of the many forms a PC can take is simply more vast than that of a Mac. A PC can be a traditional desktop tower or an All-in-One computer. It can be a slim and portable notebook or a home entertainment PC that sits right by a Blu-Ray player or a PS4. Heck, it can even be a tablet. It can even be your game console
which leads to the next point. Games: something that Mac has ALWAYS lacked upon and will always continue to lack upon. There is absolutely no comparison between the two in this category. While a Mac user restricted to playing little more than Plants vs Zombies, Minecraft, or older MMO’s like World of Warcraft while a PC built to the right specifications can run games with graphics next generation consoles. In fact, many Mac owners actually INSTALL Windows onto their Macs via a software called Boot Camp, just to play decent games. Windows has always been the leading brand of computer operating systems. Some of the best of these systems include 2001’s Windows XP and 2009’s Windows 7, considered to be some of the most revolutionary operating systems ever released. These precursors lead up to the modern and sleek Windows 10, which is 100% FREE to owners of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users. No matter the gripes that some individuals may have with Windows, it works. Most software is optimized on Windows and most pieces of computer hardware are made to run with Windows. Conclusively, for most consumers, PC is absolutely the way to go.
5 • The Voice • November 20, 2014 • myvikingvoice.com
Katrina Turn
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Macbook Pro 13-inch Cost: $1499 Operating System: Mac OS X El Capitan Tech specs: 2.7GHz Intel Core i5 256GB flash storage Intel Iris Graphics 6100 8GB of 1866MHz memory Ports: MagSafe 2 power port Two Thunderbolt 2 ports Two USB 3 ports 3.5 mm headphone jack SDXC card slot HDMI port
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OPINION
Paul’s Point:
Yicheng (Paul) Li is an exchange student from China. At home, he was the editor in the broadcasting station at his school. He made sure to join the newspaper staff when he got to Everett. Each month, Paul will share his colorful view of life at Everett, as seen by someone from the other side of the globe.
Consider AP classes to prepare for college
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AP classes are notorious for their great difficulty and amount of work. They are meant to be harder, but you can learn a lot from them, and it may even be different from what you expect. The best thing you can do for yourself in high school is take an AP class. “AP classes provide students with a freshman college level experience,” said AP US History teacher (APUSH) Lothar Konietzko. “The level of the class teaches the students to develop many skills, such as time management and study habits. When students take the class it is more than they expect, but they adjust to expectations. What my students regret most is not being responsible to take care of the work and study.” AP is truly a college experience because of the requirements it must meet. “AP classes require teachers to follow certain requirements by the college board,” said AP Literature teacher Robin Elliott. “We are required to form a syllabus, send it to the college board, and have it approved before the
class can be credible. I have even had students who told me AP made the transition from high school to college easier.” Students who sign up for AP have a better experience than their expectations, and think the difficulty is sometimes exaggerated. “When I signed up for APUSH I thought the work would be overwhelming, but that is not how it actually is,” says sophomore Erika Orozeo. “It’s pretty chill and the people are great. In AP you get a lot more help from the teacher. Also the college credit at the end motivates me to do my best.” Many students even enjoy their AP classes more than general classes and honors because of the way the classes run. “AP gives a lot of work, but I’m okay with that because it can prepare me for college,” says sophomore Jeremiah Benavides. “There is a lot to like about AP. The class environment is better because everyone is focused and willing to learn. Every day I look forward to going to APUSH sixth hour.” Some students take AP because of the difference and challenges the class presents E AR VOIC
6 • The Voice • November 20, 2015 • myvikingvoice.com
Ali Aljazi Reporter
compared to general classes. “AP is a lot different than general or honors classes in a good way,” says junior Lynden Badgley. “In some of my general classes I can fall asleep and still have an A, while AP keeps me up until three, but it’s worth it because the class is always engaged in learning and it has a faster pace. Like Billings’ AP European History class, he helps us focus more on learning and doing well on the exam, rather than focus on the best grade” The great goal for students in AP is to pass the Exam at the end of the year, which provide the college credits. “At the end of an AP class you can get around 4-8 college credits by passing the AP exam,” said Konietzko. “It takes about 120 credits to graduate depending on the major, so that is a lot especially when multiple AP classes add up. Also passing the exams can save you money because you won’t have to pay for those classes in college.” AP classes prepare students by challenging them to give it their best effort in order to succeed. “In the fifteen years I have been teaching, no student has told me that AP was a waste of time,” said Konietzko. AP is a great experience. If you are looking for a lively class environment, a challenge, or a better education, then join AP. If you are one of those people who are on the fence about signing up then just do it, you won’t regret taking the class. You will however regret not taking it, so sign up for AP next year and make the most out of it.
Locked bathrooms punish good students as well as bad ones Briana Vazquez Reporter Every now and then you feel the need to use the rest room and you can't hold it anymore. You give in and decided to use the school's bathroom. You get there and the door is closed and locked, what do you do now? Either you go and find a open bathroom or you go to class and pee your pants. Have you ever found yourself in that situation? The school should not be able to lock the bathrooms. They lock them up because some students don't know how to behave. Administration should find other solutions, like monitor them more often, or have security guards check the bathrooms for stragglers. Students should have all bathrooms open throughout the whole day. Holding your bladder can cause Urinary Tract Infections, and other illnesses that affect students. Students have to be able to use the rest room; if not, it could become very painful. If students are not able to use the bathroom, then no one else should either. It should not matter who you are, all staff bathrooms should be locked, too. I don't think staff would enjoy that, so why should students bear something that even the staff
couldn't handle. If bathrooms are not open, then there is no point in having rest rooms. What are bathrooms for? Students have the need to use the rest room and they should not be denied. You cannot expect someone to hold it all day. No one should ever have to bear the embarrassment of peeing on themselves because they couldn't find a bathroom in time. Remember girls also go through that time of the month. We need to use the rest room; if we don't then we’ll have a issue. Then some students won't want to come to school and miss out on way more than just five minutes. I can see why they are locking the bathrooms. Some students do roam the hallway too often. All they’re trying to do is get people to class and not having students in the hallways. And they are keeping some bathrooms open… but for some students, those open bathrooms are too far away. But they should not be locking bathrooms either way it is not right to do so. If workers are expected to have bathrooms then we should too . Also students could end up with health problems. Administration can find other ways of controlling students without having to lock the bathrooms. san
Are you ready to experience the wild animal side of violence? Are you ready for the sensational secretion of adrenaline? And are you ready for of imminence of death threat? Yes, it is right. WWE national tour has come to Lansing, Michigan!!! Every day at Everett High school, available for free!!! Am I kidding? Yes and no. You are not going to see Seth Rollins vs Kofi Kingston, but nevertheless we can still appreciate the beauty of wrestling at anytime and anywhere in this building. Recently, some precariousness was pervading Everett High - the peace that once dwelled here has been replaced by a phenom-
someone presents takedowns in the cafeteria? Are you able to socialize or chat with your friends when someone get a right hook into their face besides you? Haunted by continuous potential danger, what the Vikings are faced with is, instead of the growing pains, the potential real pains of physical injury and mental disturbance. Also, in this day and age, teenagers could come up with thousands of methods to kill time, but involvement with fights is probably not the best idea. The 7 precious hours could be utilized for something more interesting. But if you have already been in school, there ought be nothing besides the self evolution into a better man or women. Forget about all the serious topics. I hereby emphasize once again, Vikings, be prepared, for the great chance that you might get a first-row ticket for WWE (no insurance included).
Sein
Katrina Turner
Cafeteria or WWE?
enal popularity of physical encounters. Some statistics might be helpful to understand the situation now. According to the estimation Officer Beard makes, this year on average, twice a week do physical assaults take place in this tiny teeny building. Moreover, under extreme circumstances, students in the cafeteria have witness 3 spontaneous fights during the B lunch on October 21st. Should this riot be a common scenario? I do not think so. One axiom should we all agree on that high schools should be the promised land where is flowing milk and honey to nurture the next generation of United States, not a Roman Colosseum with hotheaded slaves and coldhearted spectators. How are you able to focus on self discovery when someone applies rear head locks in the hallway? Are you able to enjoy your lunch when
OPINION
Voice The
OUR VOICE:
Lengthen the lunch hour students can get a small break from school so you can eat, de-stress, and just hang out with friends before heading off to the rest of their classes. Not a time where you have to wait a long time to get your lunch. If you are spending a majority of that time waiting to get your lunch in the lines where people are constantly cutting, you don’t have the time to just chill and chat with friends. I get that by extending the lunch, it would extend the school day which could interfere with sports and extracurricular activities. Maybe the school doesn’t want to add more time for lunch because they want as much time as they can for more time for students learning in their classes. However, just adding ten minutes to lunch can be beneficial. The school has already had added ten more minutes to school than it was last year, so what difference would adding another ten more minutes to the lunch periods? Especially since it will give more time for students to go get their lunch and eat, for the energy they need to help students perform better in school. It may even bring test scores up if because the students are being fed.
Halloween:
Student costumes should be allowed Briana Vazquez Reporter Many students were surprised last year when they were not allowed to dress up for Halloween. Halloween is here again, and this year we should be able to wear costumes. “We can do spirit week and dress up, so why [not during Halloween],” said sophomore Joi Thurman. If students are able to wear pajamas to school and do all the other fun spirit week things, there is no reason they shouldn't be able to wear a costume for just one day. This would be similar to spirit week but reasonably some rules would apply. “Being able to wear costumes would be another way to express ourselves,” said junior Adrianna Bozzo. Being able to wear costumes would have a positive effect on students. The one day would allow students to be creative and leave all the dull clothes behind. Being able to wear costumes can cause excitement, and school spirit. Many teachers agree. “School does not have to be boring all the time ... I do not have anything against it [as long as] their face is 100% visible,” said physical education teacher Mike McCann.
Some students think it's childish, and many don't even go trick-or-treating if they do dress up. However, you're never too old for some things. Students should still be able to dress up no matter how childish it seems to some. It’s understandable why some students and staff don't want to costumes to be allowed. They see costumes as a distraction, and the school's choice is usual a disciplinary one in an attempt to prevent students’ inappropriate costumes. Some students will also bring props and cause more trouble than usual. Students who wear masks could also not be caught if they committed a disturbance or got into a fight. Trying to figure out which students were which on a day where almost everyone is in a costume would be a very difficult task for public safety. However, not all of students play around and cause trouble. All students who want to wear costumes should be allowed to. Administration should ban masks that cover the face, not costumes altogether. This gives students a chance to wear at least some type of costume. The ones who would not like to participate do not have to, and there will always be problems in the building regardless. Why not give Halloween a chance?
3900 Stabler Road Lansing, MI 48910 (517)755-4472 myvikingvoice.com myvikingvoice@gmail.com THE STAFF EDITORS Katrina Turner (Editor-in-Chief) Katrina Turner (News) Ruth Becerril (Opinion) Alexa Johnson (Features) Salma Torres (Entertainment) Erin Arnold (Sports) Raquel Adkins (Photo Story) Dan Tran (Online) Arin Dampier (Business Manager) Isaiah Garrett (Multi-Media Editor)
YOUR VOICE Support your team until the last play Did you go to the Everett vs. Sexton game on Friday 16, 2015? Well if you didn’t you missed out on an overtime thriller. It didn’t look good for Everett at first, but they were resentful and came out to win 33-32. If you leave a game early then you could miss out on something spectacular. Many Everett fans left the game in the 3rd quarter when the score was 20-6 with Sexton in the lead. About half of Everett’s fans left. It was 32 degrees with wind, and the team wasn’t looking too good. People just wanted to go home. However, just because the fans left didn’t mean the team did. Everett went on to score 20 points straight to force the game into OT. The faithful fans that stayed and watched were rewarded with a win at the end of the game. This game was like Seattle Seahawks vs. Green Bay Packers in the 2015 NFC Championship game. The Seahawks were down 19-7 with less than 3 minutes remaining. Many fans left the arena to try to escape the deep traffic and was happy that there team made it that far. But to some unfortunate events for the Packers, Seahawks pulled out the win 28-22 in OT. Many of the most loyal fans even leave games early sometimes when the lead seems too insurmountable for your team to come back from. It seems that if your team is losing by too much, there’s no sense in staying to the end. You just want to go home and you didn’t really waste your money but you’d still rather see your team win than lose. You should stay until the end simply because of team loyalty. If you paid and took time to actually go to the game then you would probably like the team. Even as much as you hate watching your team lose, the players hate it more. Teams like seeing their fans cheering them on at the end of a game, win or lose. Even if a team gets blown out by 30 points
seeing their fans at the game will make it better at the end. So basketball season is coming up and even if we do lose, let’s stay until the end. When we’re winning we always stay so let’s start to show support both ways. David Leek, ‘16
Using the elevator, game of chance Calling the elevator is like flipping a coin. Heads it shows, tails it doesn’t. The door opens then the game begins again, up, down, it doesn’t matter. You wait to get the luck of the draw. The school was built in 1967, and the elevator has been repaired but never replaced. Some days the elevator works without a problem, other days you may be in for trouble. The school needs to get a new elevator. The elevator makes you late for class. You get on and you miss your floor and by the time you actually get off on the correct floor you’re late. It’s just not the mechanics, it’s slow, really slow. Senior Aaliyah Foreman said that although she hasn’t been stuck, the elevator has given her a fright from when it had stalled once. “It scared me,” said Foreman, who added that she would take the elevator “only if I had to.” I understand that the school needs more money to buy a new elevator, and they don’t have it, but they need to make fixing it a priority. People who know how the elevator works would rather take the stairs to avoid the fear of being stuck. However, everyone in a wheelchair has to buck-up and take the elevator with the hopes and dreams that they will land on the right floor. Students shouldn’t have to wish for the elevator to work, it just should. Ben Davis, ‘18
REPORTERS Ali Aljazi Kaitlyn Brown-Hatchett Lexis Dawson Deqa Husein Linda Lee Yicheng Li Bebeto Nyongobela Angelica Ordiway Stherlyne Osterne Sein San Kylie Skuse Kira Thatcher Julia Tominski Dennis Truman-Parker Briana Vazquez ADVISOR Chad Sanders Mission Statement The Voice is a monthly publication of Everett High School. It is published the second Wednesday of each month by the fourth hour Newspaper class. The Voice is distributed free of charge to every student and staff member at Everett. The current issue is always available on the counter of the main office. Subscriptions are also available for $15/year. The Voice is an award-winning member of the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association. Letters to the editor are accepted at the discretion of the editorial board. Forms of speech not protected by the First Amendment will not be published. Letters must be signed by the author, and will be edited for quality. Direct all questions to room 313. We can be contacted via email at myvikingvoice@ gmail.com The Lansing School District is committed to a policy of providing equal opportunities to all qualified people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, veteran status, or physical or mental ability.
7 • The Voice • November 20, 2014 • myvikingvoice.com
Students get less than 30 minutes in total to go get their lunch, to eat it, and to just chill with their friends. Since there are only four lunch lines to choose from and the lunches are crowded with so many people, students should have more time for lunch. Some students don’t even have enough time to eat because they spend most of the lunch period waiting in line. People are rushing after the bell rings for lunch to try to be one of the first in line. Even being late by a few minutes or few seconds can make a big difference and make you have to wait in the lunch lines for much longer. Others even decide not to eat at all since the lines have so many people, and they don’t have patience to wait. How are students supposed to get the nutrients they need to survive the rest of the school day if they don’t get enough time to eat or are even deciding to not eat at all? Students could always buy something from the snack line or the vending machine. However, how are a few snacks supposed to fill you up like a meal from the lunch lines? What are students supposed to do if they don’t have money with them that day? Lunch is supposed to be a time where
Features
Caged in: ‘you never know’ when you’ll be trapped in the elevator
Teachers get tattoos too
8 • The Voice • November 20, 2015 • myvikingvoice.com
Kaley McEnhill Guest Reporter
Sometimes when math teacher David Schmidt wears a short sleeve shirt you can see the bottom of a tattoo. What is surprising to some is that Schmidt has eight other tattoos. And, he’s not done. “I do want to get more tattoos,” said Schmidt. “I need to shade my angel in still and I want something that has to do with my son. Maybe his initials or his birthdate.” A recent study from the Pew Research Center found nearly 40% of people between the ages of 18 and 29 have at least one tattoo. 12% reported having a visible tattoo that can be seen by managers and coworkers during the workday. Schmidt’s nine tattoos are two on his arms, three on his chest, one on his shoulder blades and one on his back. Schmidt’s tattoos are matching dragons on both arms that he got when he was 18 and 19. “I’m not very proud of getting the matching dragons but I don’t regret anything I do so it is what it is,” said Schmidt. He has a Chinese character on his arm, as well as a Celtic cross. Schmidt’s chest tattoos are his parents’ signatures, his mom’s over his heart and his dad’s on the right side because he is his right-hand man. A yin-yang symbol on his sternum represents balance in his life. Schmidt’s shoulder has his last name for his dad, and he has an angel for the passing of his mother. “My mother told me after my first one to maintain my corporate color, meaning I should be able to hide every single one of them for
work,” said Schmidt. “I took her advice and I couldn’t thank her more for it.” Schmidt is not the only teacher at Everett to have tattoos. English teacher Jennifer Leroy has four tattoos. “I probably will mostly likely get more tattoos,” said Leroy. Leroy’s tattoos are a butterfly on her back that represents metamorphosis, rose roots on her right foot that represents the 13.1 mile race she ran in New Orleans, she has the right eye of Horus on her neck to represent her kids’ initials. The Eye of Horus is an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection, royal power and good. Lastly she has the left eye of Horus on her left wrist to represent “Visions of Johanna,” a song written and performed by Bob Dylan on his 1966 album Blonde on Blonde. “I don’t regret getting any of my tattoos, which may be a problem since I have an addictive personality,” said Leroy. The good news is that more and more companies are shedding the old perceptions about body art and are changing their policies to at least allow some visible tattoos and/or piercings as long as they meet a certain criteria. “Oftentimes they don’t think to create a policy until they have an issue,” said Bridget Miller from East Side Laser Center in Shadyside A lot of people wonder about when you get older, and if the tattoos will appear saggy and messed up?’ “I’m not worried about that because it’ll remind me what’s locked in the past. I made sure I put my tattoos in spots where that wouldn’t really happen so it’s not a problem for me,” said Schmidt.
cies, Garcia explained thoroughly about the rescue mechanism. “There is a emergency phone on the inside that people can use to contact the alarm company. Sometimes it just needs to be reset and then it’s fine,” said Garcia. Nevertheless, this is more a palliative than a real solution. “That elevator definitely should be replaced,” said sophomore Jace Keith, who is bothered by the unstable performance of the lift. However, as the least noticed place in this building, this troublesome iron cage is not on the table of discussion for the school district. “For now, the school district has no plan to buy a new one, since they think repair is more economical. There is an annual inspection, and several parts have been replaced or repaired over time,” said Garcia.
Alexa Johnson
Imagine yourself imprisoned in a narrow and shady iron box, with dim light like a shimmering kerosene lamp and disturbing noises like growls from the evil depths, and you are hopeless, waiting with your depleted patience. This is not a review of the movie Buried. THIS IS REAL LIFE for teachers and students who need to take the elevator in Everett every day. “That elevator was super unsafe; I would avoid using it as much as I can,” said English Language Learner teacher Ernest Estrada, who has a method of shipping books between floors by placing his cargo in the elevator, pushing the button for the floor, and sending the load up by itself. He then walks up the stairs and meets the elevator. The intuitive sense of claustropho-
bia is not based on nothing. The truth is, several students and teachers have been trapped in the cage, and for some of them, that unpleasant experience even lasted for hours. “Taking the elevator is more like flipping a coin, you can never know what you would get,” said Clement Nicholson, who helps Ben Davis move from class to class every day. “There are times that the elevator is just not in the right position, when the door is open.” What happened to technology making life easier? According to head custodian Marisol Garcia, the elevator is “just old.” Indeed, this machine has witnessed generations upon generations of students after the construction of the main building of Everett High in 1959, and great chances are that some student’s grandparents have ridden on the same elevator. When talking about elevator emergen-
Back-to-school stress real problem for students Kylie Skuse Reporter Everybody knows about stress, about what it does to someone, how it changes a person. There are more than a few reasons to be stressed; like work, relationships, family, really anything. Among many kids of all ages, back to school stress has become a problem. When dealing with stress, kids become irritable, overly tired, or even physically sick. “Some students act out in small ways or they’re unable to focus or, they’re just quiet and they don’t want to participate.. It really depends on the student,” said substitute math teacher Frank Purdy. Going back to school is one of the biggest events that can happen in a student's year. It’s no wonder that such a large event can cause high levels of stress or anxiety. Everyone has their own ways to deal with the stress of school through the first day. “I try to stay on top of my work and hang out with people who make me happy,” said junior Tomi Thayer. Students who are stressed over school tend to keep to themselves about it or try to ignore it, but that’s not always the best answer. “Always make sure you talk to someone about it, communication is the best way to handle it,” said Purdy. 83% of students are stressed about school no matter what time of year it is but
stress levels seem to soar during the beginning of the year, according to an A.P.A. Survey. “There's always a feeling of accomplishment after getting through the first day and knowing you made it. School won't last forever either,” said senior Kayla Dennings. Stress is the body's way of responding to any kind of threat or demand. Sometimes when the stress becomes too much, the body will worsen until it becomes anxiety, which can cause so much distress it interferes with a person’s way of life. “When I become overly stressed, I do breathing techniques and do exercises. If
that doesn't work, I have stuffed animals that are very sentimental to me that I hold onto,” said Dennings. Back to school stress and anxiety can turn into much darker things such as depression. Any student, feeling overwhelmed should talk to an adult close to them or contact one of many help lines such as the National Mental Health Association Hotline or the Crisis Call Center for help. “For anxiety and stress on other things, always remember there's someone there that can help you. It could be a family member, a friend, a teacher, and most importantly yourself,” said Dennings.
alexa johnson
Yicheng (Paul) Li Reporter
Features
This Month’s Featured Vikings
SHEILA ORR / DAQUAN MILLER Orr’s Opinion:
Any student can do math! Kaitlyn Brown-Hatchett Reporter
Kaitlyn Hatchet-Brown
M
ath teacher Sheila Orr is a faithful alumni of Michigan State University. She majored in Teaching and Curriculum with a focus on using technology in classrooms as teaching aids in college, then began teaching at Everett in 2012. She didn’t start out wanting to teach though. At first, Orr wanted to be an engineer. “I took a teaching class in college, and I ended up liking it. I continued them even though I originally thought I wanted to be an engineer,” said Orr. She wants there to be a good change in how leadership is taken schoolwide.
“I want to be able to lead from inside the class. It’s sad that [currently] you have to be an administrator or go back and get a PHD to be viewed as a leader for the school,” said Orr. “I would like to be able to be a leader in class as a teacher,” She knew she wanted to be a teacher during a program in college. “I knew when I was in TE250 [a program for aspiring teachers], that I wanted to be a teacher. I was able to work with kids from Pattengill and teach them math,” said Orr. “I was glad that I was able to help kids with math and it was sticking with them,” Mrs. Orr teaches all of her classes in a similar manner, both New Tech and High School. “I think I enjoy the way New Tech asks me to teach,” said Orr. Meaning she teaches using project based learn-
ing; teaching through projects rather than classic book work. “Any kid can do math; It’s not something that only the people who automatically can jump into an equation can do,” Orr explains. “Any kid has the ability to do math and get problems right, but that’s not done if you don’t use the teachers to aid in your learning.” A final thing Orr would like you to know is, “All of your teachers are working hard to make their classes more beneficial to you. You can’t be afraid to ask questions, and you can’t just sit there saying that you don’t know something. You won’t become a good student from it; you have to be an advocate for yourself. Ask questions, learn, use the resources that Everett provides for you. Be a good student.”
Miller’s Motto: Never
W
Sein San
Sein San
LEFT TO RIGHT: Sheila Orr poses in her graduation gown. During College Application week, teachers were encouraged to show their support for the schools. Daquan Miller studies hard for his AP Physics class, since Everett does not offer the class regularly, he is taking it online.
Sein San Reporter
hen the bell rings at 2:40, many students head home to play video games or chill with their friends. For junior Daquan Miller, after school can mean many things. When he isn’t working through piles of AP homework, it could be AAU basketball. On other days, it’s track, or the occasional baseball game. How does he manage to stay involved and still keep up with school? “I make sure I’m ahead in my school work, and stay out of drama,” said Miller. Daquan feels that Everett is a great school, but students here get involved with drama and fights that can cause them to slack off on school work. The kind of life Daquan is living impacts the person he is right now because he try and make smart decisions and choices. “The way I want people to view me is also a factor,” he said. Even though many say it’s harder to
succeed without a lot of guidance from parents, Daquan’s parents do not play a big role in his decision making. Daquan learned he could do anything he wanted, as long as he follows his mind, and his morals. “I make my own, I’ve never had anyone influence me on my career choices or even little stuff. I had to grow up learning how to depend on myself,” said Daquan. Although Miller’s parents don’t play a big part in his decision making, he appreciates all their support. “My parents support the things I do, they just have very little influence on me, and who I want to be,” continued Miller. Daquan is looking forward into attending MSU, because at this moment he doesn’t have any others in mind. He wants to pursue being a full time scientist, in training at least. He wants to work with NASA, which is his dream job. Advice Daquan wants to give students is that to never give up, no matter how hard it gets “My future keeps me motivated,” said Miller.
9 • The Voice • November 20, 2014 • myvikingvoice.com
give up, no matter how hard it gets
Entertainment
It’s hard not to like enjoyable new Chvrches album
Tyga Nov 19th
Michael Clifford Nov 20th
Carly Rae Jepson Nov 21st
@mileycyrus, Instagram
10 • The Voice • November 20, 2015 • myvikingvoice.com
Ruth Horta Special to The Voice CHVRCHES is an electronic band from Scotland. The members consists of Lauren Mayberry (lead vocalist), Martin Doherty (guitar, bass, synthesizers, and vocals), and Iain Cook (synthesizers and samplers) . They formed in 2011 and have two albums out; the latest being Every Open Eye. Overall, the band has an 80’s retro sound that is one that grows on you whether you like it or not. A few of the songs had me cringing the first time I heard them because Mayberry’s voice was too high pitched. Ones that did were “Clearest Blue” and “Make Them Gold.” The first time I heard those first too, I was literally wincing. The thing is though, Mayberry’s voice grows on you after a while. They did have catchy songs like, “Keep You On My Side,” and “Leave A Trace.” “Clearest Blue,” ends up being likable after a few listens. Some tracks are likable since the first listen. Those being “Downside Of Me,” “Get Away,” (sung by Mayberry) “High Enough To Carry You Over,” and “Follow You” (sung by Doherty). The best song hands down is “Playing Dead.” It gives the feel of Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own.” Mayberry’s vocals are a bit lower and complement the song immensely. Doherty’s vocals are very good and match the songs he sings on. He should sing more songs. It is a very serene voice that instantly relaxes you. As far as music goes, most of the time the music is better than the vocals of Mayberry. The music is very danceable and gives an 80’s retro feel in a very good way. The music unfortunately, sounds the same in a lot of the songs. It is though, very upbeat for the most part. CHVRCHES is indirectly similar to PVRIS, not just because of the ‘V’ in the name, but because of the synth-pop and elec-
Future Nov 20th
Snooki Nov 23rd
Miley Cyrus Nov 23rd tronic elements in the music. The music between both bands is immensely different, yet similar at the same time. The music gives off Madonna vibes as well. The lyrics can be very confusing. Like, what does, (Can you steady all the hands that you hold/If you never look away from the drum) even mean?! The thing that is likable of the lyrics is that some of them contrast the music like Twenty-One Pilots for example. A lot of their lyrics are very dark, but the music sounds pretty upbeat. I was also reminded of Pierce The Veil’s “Bulletproof Love,” because the lyrics were morbid, but you could never tell if you did not pay attention to the lyrics,
since the music was very happy-sounding. CHVRCHES’ Every Open Eye is a decent and enjoyable album. Few albums are perfect in every element and this is not one of them. The band has broke into the mainstream world which means they must be doing something right, but the band has a long way to go to deliver something completely exceptional. The thing they do have to offer is some authenticity, although not completely. The band has elements from various artists, but CHVRCHES somehow makes it their own and once you realize that, it is hard not to like them. Every Open Eye is a testament of it. It gets a well-earned 6 out of 10 rating.
DJ Khaled Nov 26th
@future, Instagram
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@carlyraejepsen, Instagram
ielm
@snookinic, Instagram
gl
Bill Nye Nov 27th
@billnye, Instagram
Gu
@djkhaled, Instagram
Dav ide
Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year. On Black Friday, stores open up super early and have deals on nearly everything in the store. People usually take those sale opportunities to buy their loved ones gifts for Christmas or other events. Black Friday takes place the day after Thanksgiving each year. “My mom loves Black Friday shopping,” said Senior Nick Snider. Best Buy, Macy’s, Toys R Us, and Walmart are the most popular stores that Black Friday shoppers frequent. They have great prices on toys,
clothes, and electronics. “I will be going to Best Buy to get me a camera,” said senior Celaina Boylan-Castilla. Most people focus on the great deals they get on Black Friday, but in some cases the day has been dangerous. People fight over items, and others can get trampled from people rushing into stores. Black Friday’s average death toll last year was seven, and the average injured last year was 98. Online shopping is a great alternative so that you can avoid long lines and sales-crazed people. Most stores have the option to shop online on Black Friday with all the discounts, but they usually have a limit on items. “Online shopping on Black Friday is the best thing ever. I can still get the sales without all the stress,” says junior Liam Robertson.
@kinggoldchains, Instagram
Raquel Adkins Photostory Editor
Celebrity Birthdays
@michaelgclifford, Instagram
Black Friday sales drive people to madness
SPORTS
In the shadow: Football, basketball hover over the other sports
Dan Tran Online Editor The adrenaline of making the final sprint! The glorious feeling of beating your personal record! The grassy plains, dirt hills and cheering crowds! Everett’s Cross Country team are ending their season with a sprint with their last races. The runners have come a long way since their first practice in the summer. These last races show the huge strides these stoic runners have made. Coach Candace Dill had only positive things to say. “Throughout the year, every team member improved their time with each race, often battling their injuries to be their best,” said Dill, “This is one of the most positive and wonderful teams i had the privilege to coach.” In all races a goal is to beat the competition, but for a cross country runner, there’s more to it. For a cross country runner, the person to beat is one’s self: beating his/her personal record. During the beginning of the year, The average boy’s varsity time was
around the 22-23 minutes for a standard 5k race (3.1 miles). Many of the varsity boy’s runners made a pact: train and work hard to PR (make a personal record) under 20 minutes. Contrasting that however, the environment is not crazy competitive like other sports, which makes it easily accessible to runners. The health benefits and easygoing atmosphere is one reason why Varsity Captain Branden Bolte stuck with it for two years. “Cross country is great. It's done a lot of good for me mentally and physically; breathing is easier, I feel more awake, and I feel happier after running and getting to spend time with my friends,” said Bolte. “Something that I find only in cross country is that no matter where you're from there's not a huge sense of competitiveness, and this makes it more accessible for people who don't like that part of sports.” Though this year’s team is filled with many hardened cross country veterans who have a plethora of races under their belt, roughly half of the team is composed of first time runners who have pushed themselves
hard and became formidable competitors. Senior Quy Ho is a first year runner, yet he has no problem keeping up with the fastest runners on varsity. “The work depends on the person if they are willing to do what it takes to be fast,” said Ho, “ What I see in the team is that we are doing great to get faster and we cheer each other on to get better.” The first of the races occurred Thursday, October 15 at East Lansing High school. The heavy, humid air was hard to breath. The winds were cold and buffeted runners with a bitter, chilly bite. Unlucky runners who did not wear any proper undergarments could feel their muscles tighten and become rigid. Regardless of these conditions, many of the runners PR’d, pushing themselves to their limits. The second and third races occurred in Ledge Meadows Golf Course Grand Ledge. The first of the two race was exclusively varsity only but many JV and injured runners showed up to cheer to their teammates on. This Ledge Meadows course was especially
michele hoffman photography
Cross country team wraps up season
challenging. Though the trail was mostly grass, there were many uneven hills that fatigued and unbalanced the runners. Besides the Last Chance race on November 4th, the season has been wrapped up and the team celebrated with a team bonding gathering their coach’s home. A bonfire, in the dark hide’ n seek, Super Smash Bros., and tons of delicious food. The team took a moment from all the running, to relax and enjoy each other’s company.
The cross country team posed for their team picture ahead of their first meet. The season was one filled with hard work, and team bonding. While they didn’t have any team wins, many of the members improved their personal records throughout the season.
11 • The Voice • November 20, 2014 • myvikingvoice.com
Women just do the sport correct and well,” said Elizabeth Ballinger Everett’s athletic director. It’s no secret that fall is football season. According to 2014 survey, women acOther fall sports are barely recognized while counted for 45% of the NFL’s 150 million Everett's football team gives the fans a 4-5 sea- fans. This summer Sarah Thomas became an son. For example, in the fall there are hardly NFL official and Jen Welter became the first any spectators at the men’s cross country woman to play in a men’s pro football league meets or the girls swim meets while fans fill and a coaching intern with the Arizona Carthe bleachers at every football game. dinals. “It’s been drilled into Other sports such our heads by society that as wrestling have gender “It’s been drilled football and basketball are mixed sports teams. This into our heads by avoids conflict and genmore exciting than track and swimming,” said direc- society that football der roles. Recently, the JV tor of public safety Cordfootball team added a girl and basketball elia Black. football player. Sabrina “It’s also a whole lot are more exciting Martin is the third girl in easier for a little boy or girl Everett history to be on than track and to pick up a basketball or the football team. football and start playing, swimming.” Director “I want to inspire girls rather than finding a pool,” to play football because it’s of Public Safety said Black. High school not just a male sport,” said Cordelia Black. football is also a tradition Martin. “Girls can do it to many. too but don’t expect to be “When I was in my teen years we saw and treated like a girl. You will be treated the same interacted with people at football games. Now as the boys.” that generation has passed it on to their chilSo will their be a change of view on madren that football games is the place to be,” jor sports and female players? Some people said New Tech principal Marcelle Carruthers. believe that nothing will change but Tino GarIt’s also no secret that male sports are cia, the freshman safety, believes things have more watched than female sports. to change. “Male athletics are valued more in our “Of course there will be change. It’s the society than female athletics. Athletically, men 21st century. Women like football just as much add more pizzazz to the sport with extra tricks as men and football isn’t the only sport that and flicks while women stick to the basics. wins. It’s not all about football.”
illustration: dennis parker
Julia Tominski Reporter
12 • The Voice • November 20, 2015 • myvikingvoice.com
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