The Voice: October 19, 2011

e h T Viking myvikingvoice.com

Voice

Yo u r S c h o o l . Yo u r Vo i c e .

Volume 52, Issue 1 October 19, 2011 Everett High School 3900 Stabler Rd. Lansing, MI (517) 755-4472

Fall Homecoming 2011

New school year brings new crackdown on electronics AlecXis Glass Online Editor

Seniors Connor Bilodeau and Anessa Suniga were voted Mr. and Ms. Senior by their senior class Jacob Venable and Elexus Beauchamp were crowned king and queen at the homecoming game.

Spirit week, homecoming game and more inside!

You’re in class and your pocket begins to vibrate. Your first tendency is to grab your phone. You notice the teacher happens to be glancing over in your direction and you try not to act suspicious. But the urge inside of you is building up, you have to see that text. You take a quick glance around, making sure the coast is clear and you go for it! For students, strategy and luck are the key factors in order to use any electronic devices in the classrooms, hallways and even the lunchroom.

This year, Everett students are no longer allowed to have cell phones or iPods visible before school, in the hallways, during class, or during lunch.

Public safety officers say they are simply enforcing what should have been enforced in the past. After the first two weeks, officer Mark Langschwager said he had taken six phones so far.

“I haven’t had any problems keeping people off their phones,” said Langschwager.

However, some students continue texting in class despite the policy.

“Yes, [I text in class and] I haven’t been caught because I was sneaky,” said senior Pedro Alviarez.

Up until now, students have always been able to text and listen to music at lunch.

“At lunch time we should at least be able to text or listen to music,” said senior Josh Nicolas.

Many students are upset they can’t get in touch with their parents during school unless the parent calls the office. However, parents have mixed feelings about the policy. “[I don’t call the school when I want to reach my child] because my child has a cell phone,” said parent Brenda Porter Miller.

“But I do know it could be a distraction so I don’t have a problem calling the school,” This policy is not only at Everett, it is district wide. Six weeks in, staff are holding strong, but public safety officer Curtis Couthen said he knows there are probably a few who will start to back down.

“97 percent of staff will follow and 3 percent won’t,” said Couthen.

Most staff members think the new policy will last all year as long as they stick together. “[This policy will last] because the school is finally doing what they should do,” said business management teacher Gregory Clugston.

Some students disagree, and say the policy will simply fade away like past policies.

“I don’t think it will last all year because the kids won’t tolerate it,” said junior Vincent Verway.

-Anessa Suniga contributed to this story

School gets $5,000 Dance program future uncertain, Best Buy surprise

Anessa Suniga Photo Editor On Friday September 23, the day of fall homecoming, students were visited by alumni Earvin “Magic” Johnson at the already riled up pep rally. Along with him were one of his business partners, Best Buy. Shawn Score, the president of Best Buy Mobile stood in the middle of the gym and presented a $5,000 check to viceprincipal Ella Dickson. “[The money] means a lot to Everett because Magic graduated from Everett and for him to come back and give shows the values and importance of education,” stated Dickson.

Magic Johnson, in a neat pin-striped suit, gave the students a motivational speech on succeeding and taking care of business, at school and every day.

The gym was silent as students listened to Magic’s soft-spoken, yet strong words of encouragement about his success and how he achieved through hard work and perseverance.

“Set your goals high, go to college and apply yourself and take care of your business in the classroom because for everything you do in life you need a quality education,” said Johnson.

Many students are wondering how the $5,000 gift will be spent and how the money will benefit them “[The money] will be used at Best Buy, and we haven’t really decided what will be purchased. [I would like to see it go towards] computers,” said Dickson.

“Principal Cousins will make the decision, along with staff and the department chairs.”

classes still without full-time teacher Victoria Smith Reporter Walking into class the first day of school, most students expect to meet their new teacher. On their first day this year, dance students met a substitute teacher, who explained that a permanent teacher had not yet been hired.

Students who were expecting to continue their training with dance teacher Heather Vaughn-Southard were surprised that she was no longer at Everett.

“I was shocked and a little upset,” said senior Velnique Bowman.

Bowman, along with several other students, are in a class called Company, for advanced dance students.

The Company was created by Southard when she was an instructor at Everett in 2005. Southard is now the dance instructor at Pleasant View School for the Arts.

“Ms. Southard didn’t think the dance program here would exist for much longer. And she thought if she could get the kids young, she would give them Senior Dance students Jasmine Jackson, Jessica Kiel, JaBarie Anderson a strong base for when they reach high school,” said and Nikayla Williams practice their dance they created as a class without a teacher. dance class substitute Dana Billings.

Although skeptical at first, students are coming around to not having a teacher. want to teach dance.

Billings is working with Southard to incorporate her “I hope they find a qualified dance teacher before next curriculum and keep the dance program going. semester so we can get the knowledge and actual dance The district is searching for a new teacher who fits the experience we should have been receiving from the beginning qualifications: they must have at least a bachelors degree and of the school year,” said Bowman.

Frankie Price

Shawn Score, president of Best Buy Mobile, presented the $5,000 check to Ms. Dickson during the Fall Homecoming Pep Assembly.

The money will be used at Best Buy.

2

News

October 19, 2011

Serena Skief Copy Editor Since 1990, the Lansing School District has lost 5,000 of its students, from a high of 17,323 to its current 13,500. A fact the school board has been dealing with for some time is that the district has more high schools than it needs. At this point, the closing of a high school seems imminent.

What still has yet to be officially decided is which school will ultimately close. As the closing approaches, the discussion keeps coming back to Eastern.

“It’s the most logical school [to close]. It’s in a really good location for a land developer and Sparrow,” said counselor Raymond Rubio.

Running and maintaining three high schools is very expensive, and for a school district low on money certain things have to go.

Some don’t understand why a closing hasn’t happened sooner. A closing could save the district a lot of money... one estimate said a closing would save about 1 million dollars.

“They should have done it last year. The cost of keeping three high schools when they are half empty doesn’t make any sense,” said theatre tech teacher Jim Allen.

For students, the school closing could be a good thing. More of their friends would be at the school with them and it would give them a chance to meet new people.

“We can get more students. They can mix with us,” said senior Natale Ezabele.

Concerns about any change abound. Some worry that having more students could lead to more behavioral problems... more students could equal more fights in the school year. Others worry about having to share their building. “[There might not be] enough class space and supplies. The hallways would be more crowded and a lot more fights,” said senior Jasmine Robles.

Many students get along with the students at other schools, but there are some that have issues that

separation helps alleviate. More students at Everett means that the hallways will be more crowded and bumping into the wrong person on the wrong day could start a fight.

“Some people don’t like each other, and the [crowded] halls would be [a concern],” said sophomore Courtney Ramont.

Such concerns are all speculation at this point. Assistant principal Ella Dixon said that students do not need to be worried about a possible transition, because any growth in students will be accounted for.

“It wouldn’t affect the students and staff because ... more students and [would mean] more staff,” said Dixon.

One real possibility is that a school closing could put some Everett teachers out of a job.

The “bumping” process that is used when a position is eliminated means that a teacher in a closed building with more years in the district could come to Everett and displace a teacher that has been in this building for some time.

“I am second from the bottom of math Rumors of school closings are all around, but board members say that the discussion continues. The community will know what is happening soon, as a decision needs to be made by January or February at the latest. teachers in this building,” said math teacher Bethann Barron. “I have only been here three Lopez. things that would need to be accomplished, in order years.”

Both Eastern and Sexton have many reasons to to have the process completed before schools starts Closing down a school isn’t as easy as it may seem.

It requires a lot of thought and discussion. According close down. Eastern and Sexton are old buildings, and next fall,” said Ford.

Board member Shirley Rodgers agreed that to school board member Guillermo Lopez, the most Sexton doesn’t have many students. Either building important thing in this decision is what would benefit could be the school that gets closed, said board decisions needed to be made soon. She added that the board is very interested in feedback from the the students and the schools and what would make member Myra Ford.

“There are many reasons to close or not to close community. A committee has been meeting to discuss this district better.

“The students are the most important,” said Eastern and Sexton,” said Ford. “There are also the issue, and she hopes to hear from the Junior Board Lopez. “What would work better for students, and options that would keep both buildings open with a of Education, as well. change in their usage.”

“We’ve been told that schools do need to be what would better the district.

“No matter what happens, a decision will need to closed, but we’ve never been told specifically which It has been rumored that Eastern is the school need to be closed,” said Junior Board president Tyler that will close, because Sparrow would buy it. But be made soon,” said Ford.

If a building does close, it will be a large Gilson. The Junior Board meets again October 19.

Lopez made clear that nothing has been decided, and Rodgers said that if the board can get feedback everything is still a work in progress. “We can assume undertaking, and the transition will take some time.

“We need to have a decision by around December from these groups by December, they will make a anything... but we aren’t in a position to assume. [We have to think about] what’s best for the students,” said in order to allow adequate time to plan for all the decision by January or February.

Falsetta and students deal with big changes BACK AT WORK: Counselor and senior liaison Erin Falsetta had a rough start to the school year, experiencing a threeweek layoff. After the displacement process concluded, she was able to return to her position at Everett, and is working to get caught up on the her many projects, which include MEAP testing and college visitations.

frankie price

Chasity Nelson Reporter When senior counselor Erin Falsetta was laid off, questions flew.

Students wondered where she was and if she was coming back, and when she returned students and staff were ecstatic.

Falsetta is a well known guidance counselor who works with seniors in their class placement, college plans, and post life plans. When Falsetta was laid off she says she worried about the students a lot, being that she deals with all of the senior plans.

“I worried a lot about the students, especially seniors. Graduation depends on the counselor,” said Falsetta.

After being laid off for 23 days, Falsetta was excited and ready to get back to work.

“It was...upsetting being laid off, but I was really happy for the recall,” said Falsetta.

While Falsetta celebrated her return, students such as senior John Chaffee and senior Rodrigo Ponce, were excited as well.

“I was most definitely glad to hear Miss Falsetta’s back,” said Chaffee.

Staff and students were sad to hear about the replaced Falsetta, but extremely supportive.

“Everyone was extremely supportive which brought me a lot comfort,” said Falsetta.

Being laid off is a process that seniority plays a big role in. When Falsetta was laid off, it was because the person (Ms. Williams) who was taking her place had been bumped out of her teaching position by someone with a higher seniority. Having a counseling

endorsement, Williams was able to keep her job in Lansing by bumping into Falsetta’s counseling position at Everett. This left Falsetta without anyone with a lower seniority that she could bump, and out of a job.

As the bumping process continued throughout the district, and other positions opened, Williams was able to take a position as first grade teacher at Averill Elementary, which allowed Falsetta to return to Everett High in her position as a college liaison and counselor.

Falsetta that being laid off has given her sympathy for anyone else going through the same thing.

“I just feel very sorry, I understand being laid off causes lots of anxiety and stress and I just hope everything works out,” said Falsetta.

illustration by jacklyn ho

School closing rumors abound, but nothing is decided

News 3 Everett alumni Earvin “Magic” Johnson revisits Everett Everett students were in an uproar when they learned the pep rally would be at 9 a.m. this year.

However, some had a change of heart when Everett alumni, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, walked into the gymnasium.

Johnson has been an inspiration for many people nationwide, but one person especially from the Everett community.

“Magic Johnson inspired me to become a business man in education,” said assistant principal Carl Word.

Although Johnson graduated from Everett, it has been years since he visited his school. A $5,000 donation from one of his business partners, Best Buy Mobile, gave him a chance to come back in a big way.

“I thought it was really good for the kids. I think if he comes back more often it’ll help and they will have something to look forward to,” said public safety officer Larry King.

According to Everett administration, Johnson’s arrival was supposed to be a surprise. “[This was planned by] a combination of us and Magic’s team. They wanted to surprise the school,” said principal Howard Cousins.

Some were surprised; however, many students were not. Big news like Magic Johnson visiting travels very quickly, considering it doesn’t happen often.

“National Honor Society president Amee Yang let me know that he would be coming via email,” said 2012 treasurer Amanda Robertson.

“Vikings Give Back” helps community AlecXis Glass Online Editor Maybe you’ve noticed the signs posted all over Everett or seen them in the lunch room selling bracelets, pins, and shirts for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. They are Everett’s new volunteer group, Vikings Give Back.

“We want to show the community that Lansing students have the ability to give back. You don’t have to be an athlete or anything. You just have to want to volunteer,” said counselor Jennifer West.

Unlike The National Honor Society, you don’t have to have a certain GPA to be a part of the group. 2012 class president Raven Odom is responsible for this organization and has big plans for the future.

“I want them to be role models and show that Everett has good students that want to give back,” said Odom.

They meet every Wednesday in room 122, and are looking for people that enjoy helping others in the community.

Johnson made it clear that he wanted to meet and talk with the National Honor Society before his entrance.

“He talked about how the school somewhat changed and how he succeeded in business and got his name as “Magic” Johnson,” said Yang.

The National Honor Society members certainly enjoyed the time they spent with Johnson, and by his request they walked into the gymnasium with him.

“It was fun; I actually enjoyed walking out with him. I felt like I was a celebrity,” said Yang.

Students just assumed the pep rally would be in the afternoon because that’s how it’s been for at least the past four years. But Cousins said that the time change shouldn’t come as a big surprise. “[Morning pep rallies] are nothing new. We’ve had pep rallies in the mornings before,” said Cousins.

However, many students were still hurt by the change of schedule, especially seniors.

“If possible, I would have preferred for him to come later and still have the pep rally in the afternoon,” said Robertson.

Johnson opened the floor for students to ask questions and the response was more than anticipated.

One student asked for a hug, and many Everett students were soon rushing down the bleachers for a hug too.

“I think his response to the “can I have a hug” question was great,” said Word.

When Best Buy and Johnson presented the check to Everett during the pep rally, the crowd went wild.

“I wish it was mine. It was a great gesture from Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who graduated from Everett in 1976, came back to visit and gave an inspirational speech to students at the fall homecoming assembly. National Honor Society had the chance to meet him. him and Best Buy,” said Cousins.

Everett’s own Rachel Lewis runs for Lansing School Board of Education Amber Love Guest Reporter Elections for the Lansing Board of Education are scheduled for November 8, and among other candidates, students and parents will be able to vote for Everett’s own Rachel Lewis. Lewis graduated from Everett in 2006, but since then has stayed involved in the Lansing School District. She is currently a color guard coach assistant for Everett Marching Band, and works as a foster care worker with kids in and around the district. Lewis believes this experience will give her an edge.

“My experience as a student and my work as a caseworker has allowed me to keep a pulse and a relationship with students,” said Lewis. “I’m not too far removed.”

Lewis is the youngest candidate running for a position on the school board, and people are starting to think that the school board needs new members not so far out of high school.

“It would be fantastic to have a younger voice on the school board,” said social studies department chair Lothar Konietzko.

That different voice may be the thing that makes Lewis stand out on election day.

“I think Rachel Lewis brings a new, fresh approach

to the board that other candidates don’t offer,” said Lorri J. Love, Lewis’ campaign manager.

Love believes Lewis has the qualities to make the changes needed within the school board and the district, and students agree. “(Lewis) has leadership skills and she’s very understanding,” said junior Huong Nguyen. “She puts others first.”

But Lewis’ campaign runs on more than her youth. Lewis has strong opinions about how the board is being run, and what needs to be done.

“Students are at a disadvantage when the board lacks leadership to make important decisions,” said Lewis. “I believe the Lansing School District has wonderful programs and opportunities for students.

(But it’s) saying something (when students) notice the (problems) in the district.”

Lewis not only wants to strengthen leadership within the board, she also wants to change the way the Lansing School District is perceived. It is part of her goal to promote the good things the district has to offer. Lewis says that she always asks the question ‘How will this affect the students?’ before making decisions. Change for the better is something Lewis advocates not only for the board, but for students as well.

“It’s important you’re aware that you can

implement change all around you (at) any time,” said Lewis.

I f students or parents want to hear Lewis and the other candidates for the school board Rachel Lewis, a 2006 graduate, is speak, they the youngest candidate running for will be at the school board.

Churchill Downs Community Association meeting Tuesday, October 18, 6:30 p.m., at Wainwright Elementary School.

Parents and students who are 18 years old and registered voters can vote for their favorite candidate November 8.

“I hope students that are able to vote will do so,” said Konietzko.

photo courtesy of RACHEL LEWIS

AlecXis Glass Online Editor

chad sanders

October 19, 2011

4

Opinion

The downside of not letting classes sit together at the assembly

Anessa Suniga

Homecoming a bust for many This year’s homecoming pep rally was not at the same level of greatness as years past. There were a lot of changes made that really upset students... especially seniors who wanted to remember all the fun things they did in their last year here.

One of the reasons the pep rally was less than satisfactory was because there was very little student participation. In previous years students have been able to do skits, dances, and even relay races. This year, the only student performance was the cheerleader’s dance. Magic Johnson’s speech and the Best Buy presentation took up the majority of the pep rally time.

If the pep rally was in the afternoon, like it usually is, then there would have been more time for students to be able to participate more actively.

A lot of students were upset the pep assembly was in the morning because many seniors leave in the morning for classes at LCC. If it were in the afternoon they wouldn’t miss anything. Magic

Johnson should have given his speech in the morning in the auditorium and then the pep assembly should have been in the gym in the afternoon. That would have been a better solution than cutting out the students fun and involvement.

One of the reasons the pep rally was shorter than usual and in the morning was because Magic Johnson came to the school.

A lot of people were unsure as to why Magic Johnson came to the pep rally this year; especially because he didn’t donate any money or anything. He gave a motivational speech, answered questions, gave some people hugs and then left. Best Buy donated the $5,000 to Everett.

Last year, administrators were highly upset. A group of seniors did a very provocative and raunchy dance that was not approved by the pep rally supervisor.

It seems like the administrators are punishing us for last year’s bad behavior by cutting out all student presentations.

If this is the case, it’s not fair because nothing was communicated.

Just like in a relationship,

communication is key here. If they were disappointed with last year’s performance then they should have said so over the announcements, or even made a special one, instead of completely shutting down the performances.

We understand last year was promiscuous and slightly appalling, but explaining the situation and explaining that it shouldn’t happen again would be best. Students this year, especially this year’s seniors, shouldn’t be punished for past seniors’ mistakes.

Administrators should just consider these points when planning next year’s pep rally if they really want to encourage the students and make their pep assembly a great one. The afternoon is definitely the best time for a pep rally because all students can attend and there is less of a risk of students skipping. Also, a big contributing factor to the students enjoying the pep rally is whether they get to participate or watch a variety of student performances. And maybe one of these years we could actually get a homecoming dance, who knows?

to it.

Everybody has heard the “Your bodies are changing” speech, but when you’re in the hallways or in gym class it doesn’t always seem as though people listened to it. Students at Everett need to understand that their lack of hygiene isn’t just their personal problem... it affects everyone around them.

Like an iPod that is being played too loud in class, someone with bad odor can be a distraction to students around them.

Normally when someone doesn’t smell the best, students aren’t quiet about it.

There are ways within the school that can help students with B.O. Helpful steps to better hygiene at Ev-

erett high school: 1) Go down to the clinic and get some soap.

2) Go to the gym and ask gym teachers Carruthers and Keyton to use a shower.

3) If you don’t have deodorant, go to room 310 and the math teacher Ms. Barron keeps deodorant sprays for both male and female students in her classroom.

You can use these sources and any others you can think of to help better you education at Everett.

School is already filled with to many distractions and students are cruel enough, and lets not make bad hygiene a part of it

Hi, Gene! Don’t be afraid to fix your B.O!

Earin Wells Managing Editor Recently students were angered by the comments made by principal Cousins about hygiene for two different reasons.

Some were mad because of how it was delivered, but others were probably upset because there might have been some truth

Don’t talk down to students Estefania Santamaria Sports Editor

our voice

Bre Hoskins Features Editor

Everett has three principals, but principal Cousins is the one everyone is most familiar with. They may not know his face, but they are familiar with his voice, which is heard almost daily over the PA System. His no-nonsense announcements lay down the law regarding the cell phone policy, attendance and even use of deodorant.

While some appreciate his straightforward approach, many say his blunt delivery is disrespectful.

“He should be respectful and think about what he says before he actually says it,” said senior Suzana Balcarcel. “As a principal of a high school he needs to set a good example for the students, and in the announcements he doesn’t.”

Senior Antonio Flores said that there are some things that need to be said, and he’s glad Cousins says them.

“I feel like its good that he mentioned the hygiene problem that some students have, people need to realize that their hygiene problem needs to be taken care of,” said Flores.

There are those who know Cousins and his humor, but many have never talked to him, or even seen him.

“If more students interacted with him,” said accounting teacher Greg Clugston, “they would see that he isn’t being mean, he’s just getting his point across in his own way.”

The fact that there are 1,300 students here makes it even harder for Mr. Cousins to get to know everyone... it is not easy. Mr. Cousins can’t please all of us, it’s just impossible. But for those who do know him personally know his humor and didn't get ticked off at his tone. Unfortunately, the students, the largest part of this school, are the ones who get offended.

Cousins said he wishes he didn’t need to make such straightforward remarks on the PA... but the behavior of “the 10%” needs to be addressed.

He reminds those who may be offended by his remarks that if they’re not the ones littering the halls or using their iPods, they don’t need to be concerned.

October 19, 2011

The Viking

Voice

3900 Stabler Road Lansing, MI 48910 (517)755-4472 myvikingvoice.com myvikingvoice@gmail.com

THE STAFF EDITORS

Jasmine Lopez-Niblock (Editor-in-Chief, News)

Earin Wells

(Managing-Editor, Opinion)

Bre Hoskins (Features) Frankie Price (Photo) Anessa Suniga (Photo) Irma Valdes (Entertainment) Estefania Santamaria (Sports) AlecXis Glass (On-Line) Jasmine McCullough (OnLine)

Alexus Root (Business) Serena Skief (Copy) REPORTERS Brooke Burns Michael Young Morgan White-Villanueva Chelsey Stewart-Wilson Da’Shawn Bibbs Chasity Nelson Cameron Reed Meeshon Rogers Victoria Smith Jeff Walker Lou Gonzalez Cierra Trevino Sarah Warriner Jacob Venable Mariah Wells Lamesha Williams Keora Grace

Advisor

Chad Sanders

Mission Statement

The Viking 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 Viking 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

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Opinion Different people, Letters to the Editor different music Students show disrespect in

October 19, 2011

Jeff Walker Reporter Back in the 80’s our parents were busy listening to what their generation thought was cool. From Michael Jackson all the way to RUN DMC, every teenager then had someone they looked up to whether it was the music industry, or the steady growing stars of Hollywood. But were those same role models influencing kids to “act out” then? If you were to ask your parents, I’d bet they would say something like “Back when I was your age, they actually talked about stuff in their songs. Nowadays they only talk about, girls, money, cars and drugs.”

But is there really a difference? What makes DJ Jazzy Jeff, Elton John, and U2 icons, and our artists like Drake, Jay Z, and Kanye West people you can’t look up to? It’s not just the music that kids listen to that is the main problem either, there’s a good chance that parenting plays a big role in this as well.

What parents do and say have a large effect on what kids do, say, and think.

The problem now is that parents are trying to be “friends” to their kids instead of setting things straight which is one of the biggest problems our generation

has to put up with. When parents are too busy being friends with their kids, we lose a sense of respect, making more arguments and causing kids not only to act out at home but in the “real world.”

I wouldn’t say that it’s mainly the parents’ fault but they play a role just as every thing else does. I love certain types of music that certain adults may not agree to be appropriate but at the same time you won’t catch me acting out like some of the other teenagers in our generation who are giving us a bad reputation.

I really don’t think this situation can be “cured” exactly, but I think that the past generations and new generations should cope with what we have.

So that this isn’t an all out diss on the younger generation, not everything that our parents did was for the best and I’m pretty sure they have to understand that in order for this new generation to get where it needs to be.

To lay it all on the line, music, behavior, and parenting are the main things that effect this new generation of so called “Knuckle Heads.” Helping the new generation is important, but not easy.

Get over it: lunch isn’t that bad Mariah Wells Reporter In Everett high school lunches are one of those things that some students like, and some students don’t. It may be the taste, or how it looks. Either way, the real question is: what is in it and is it healthy? The lunches aren’t that bad if you just take the time to try it instead of just saying “I don’t like it.” There’s more to it than just saying “that’s gross” or “I’m not eating that.” It takes you actually trying it. Because it looks bad, doesn’t mean that it tastes that way.

You can’t judge how something tastes just by what people say. Sometimes the food may look horrible, but that is the food that may taste the best. For example, some students said the burrito tastes good, but you might not know it just to look at it.

Now, just because you find some food that is tasty, doesn’t mean it’s good for you.

“A lot of foods in the cafeteria [may seem healthy], but [they] may not be,” said athletic director and science teacher Cindy Short.

This year, all students get free lunch due to a federal grant. This means that taxpayers are funding the food that students are being given. Taxpayers would probably like to know that the food they’re buying is healthy for America’s children. According to a University of Michigan survey, food choice is important. In the study of 1,300 students they found that those who ate school lunches were on the average more obese, and consumed a higher amount of “bad” cholesterol.

The school district might dispute that finding. According to the school district’s food and nutrition page on their website, the food in Lansing is “healthier” than it has been in previous years. Some still say that having the new choices is little change because of the high fat content still remaining in the food.

The lunchroom at Everett is filled with choices. Students can eat healthy if they want to. Students can find food that is tasty if they are open to trying new things. And anyone upset about the lack of choices should get involved and reach out everyone has a voice use it, don’t just sit and complain. Let your voice be heard.

5

Everett hallways Chaia Her, 12 Students do not know how to respect one another when it comes to meeting or talking to new people. They disrespect their own peers, making them feel like they’re not good enough, which makes them have a low self-esteem.

There are some obnoxious students thinking that calling people names makes them look cool around their friends, but it just makes them look like a fool.

Students make fun of other students not knowing what situations they have been through and not realizing that it hurts their feelings. Everyone was raised differently, taught differently and dress differently. When I hear people make fun of what other people are wearing, I think to myself “do you know their situation to be talking like that to them?”

Some students do not know when to talk and when not to talk. They don’t

seem to realize that some words they say can affect another person in so many ways. It can bring their self-esteem down, make them feel bad about themselves and cause them to do things they shouldn’t.

In conclusion, students at Everett High School need to grow up and know how to act their age and treat their own peers the same because one day when karma hits them, it’ll be too late.

Admin unfair in dress code enforcement Malinda Sanders, 12 Administration is not fair when it comes to someone showing too much skin. Students, mainly female, like to bust the shorts and skirts out on days they know it’s going to be hot.The dress code says that the clothing has to be past your finger tips. Yet for some reason girls with more body still can’t get away with it. So is it to much skin, or too much body? My answer is too much body.

There is nothing wrong with wanting our female students not to show skin but it should be based on the rule of it being past the finger tip. Administration seems to notice the girls who have more body and not the girls who are little or in other words “skinny.” Maybe they think the skinny girls don’t have anything to

“show off ” that’s why they don’t say anything.Either way I think it’s not fair.

I think female students shouldn’t be hawked down because of their clothing for the fact of them having more body.

Everyday you see a girl getting in trouble for having too little shorts or skirts on yet three minutes later you see a smaller girl with the exact or even littler clothing on. In my opinion every girl should be looked at as the same. It can kind of make the female student with the more body feel picked on or even self conscience about their body, when everyone is shaped beautiful in their own way.

Other people believe body or not they shouldn’t have anything like shorts or skirts on for the fact that it’s

school and not a fashion show. Yet this is a public school and students should be able to wear what they want and be able to express who the are through their clothing. Some believe that girls are treated the same, but they haven’t even taken the time out to ask the young women of Everett high school if they feel they are getting treated the same.

So when it all comes down to it, I don’t believe administration is fair when it comes to girls and their clothing.

Maybe our school should have a special assembly and have a talk with our young ladies so that administration can get their point across and the students can get theirs across. Then maybe we all can come to some type of understanding.

Learn to deal with overcrowding Jasmine Lopez-Niblock Editor-in-Chief When the bell rings at the end of each class, students rush out the doors like a stampede of buffaloes. The hallways are filled in less than a second and you have to push just to move forward five steps. On the first day of school many returning students were surprised to see so many new students walking the halls of Everett High School. Every day, it’s a struggle to walk through the halls to get to each class because of the amount of students that are trying to get from place to place. The question is, is Everett becoming overcrowded?

Here at Everett there are 522 freshman, 358 sophomores, 296 juniors and 195 seniors. That’s over 1,300 students walking the halls every day.

“Middle school was so much easier to get through the hallways. Now that I’m here its so hard to even move steps without bumping into anybody,” said

freshman Tyler Lee. For the past five weeks, new students have been walking into already overcrowded classes and are expecting to have their own desk and everything.

Some students have no choice but to sit in a chair in the back of the room. Due to budget cuts, classes and teachers have been cut, and counselors have no choice but to fill each classroom with as many students as possible.

Math teacher Bethann Barron, who has 39 students in her first hour, says that she can handle all of the students when it comes to behavior but its still hard to manage having so many students in one class.

“Behavior isn’t a issue in my classes... but it’s really hard when 20 students ask questions at the same time,” said Ms. Barron.

With so many students walking the halls each day, tardies may increase, especially if you have to go from one end of the building to the other. Some

students feel the need to stand in the middle of the hallways while others are trying to be on time to class.

“I’ve been tardy a couple times this year already because of the amount of kids in the hallway,” said sophomore Thaila Veloz. “The hallways are such a mess during passing time” Fights and arguments can be a result of the over crowed hallways and classrooms. If someone is in the way, instead of saying “excuse me,” pushing and shoving is the way students are getting through the hallways.

The only way students can deal with the hallways is by finding a new route to class that has less traffic jams and more open spaces to walk, but there is no definite solution to the crowded and overflowed classrooms, we just have to be patient and hope that by second semester, Everett will have more teachers and more classes available for students.

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Special Coverage

October 19, 2011

HOMECOM

Students show school spirit at pep rally and winning homecoming game Homecoming week is the week that most students look forward to.

You get to dress in crazy colors and show your Viking pride. You get to be creative and decorate your class shirt, and if you are a senior you finally get to feel like you are on top when you walk the halls wearing your crown.

The themes of this years’ spirit week were: Backwards Monday, Tuesday twin day, wacky Wednesday, Nerd day was Thursday and Friday was the annual class color/senior crown day. Many students participated and said it was lots of fun.

“My favorite day was wacky Wednesday because I didn't care what I had on and I just threw stuff together,” said junior Julie Oviedo.

The homecoming pep rally was different from past assemblies for a few reasons. It was in the morning, the only performances allowed were cheerleaders, and it contained a “surprise” special guest: Magic Johnson. The not-so-secret visit was a chance for Magic to visit his alma mater, and allow one of his business partners, Best Buy Mobile, to present Everett with a $5,000 check. Many seniors said they felt like the visit from Ervin “Magic” Johnson took away from their last fall homecoming. Others, though, thought that it made it kind of special.

“The pep rally was very fun to see Magic, and all the spirit we had for him,” said senior Tony Norris.

At the beginning of the pep rally the seniors made a big entrance to celebrate their senior year.

Each senior lined up at the gym doors and ran into “We’re Taking Over” By Dj Khaled feat T.I. Everyone ran out to the middle of the gym floor for a short celebration, then found their way to the area reserved for them. They were the only group allowed to sit together; other grades were scattered throughout the gym, seated with their second hour classes.

One tradition that made a comeback is the homecoming parade.The parade was short, but those attending said they had a good time. The parade went from Kroger to Everett. There weren’t any floats, but the homecoming winners rode in Glenn Buege cars for the parade, the band marched as they played the fight song. Also, each class had a few members marching to support their class. The cross country team and the Viking Success Club also came out to show their Viking pride.

The excitement of hearing the winners of the homecoming queen and king, which was announced during half time, and the excitement of the homecoming game showed a huge result of Viking pride at the game. Students and fans hoped that their team would come out with a win, and this year, the Vikings the lead for the whole game and were victorious, 21-12.

“It was a great win for our team, and we played a great game,” said Senior Justin Ordiway.

After the game, the Viking football players and the students in the stands celebrated the game win and the success of a great homecoming.

“Even though winning isn’t everything. The students thought it was pretty awesome that our team won that night. We didn’t have all the Viking spirit for nothing,” said senior Raven Odom.

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Spirit Week

Monday, students found it tricky to wear clothes backwards all day; Tuesday, some planned to wear the same exact thing as their best friend, for twin day; Wacky day!

Crazy layers and colors; Thursday, Everett had hundreds of nerds walking the halls; and Friday was the annual class color day.

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chad sanders

1) Everett Marching Band marches in the Homecoming parade that went from Kroger on Holmes to Everett’s football field. 2) Seniors Pedro Alviarez and Stephanie Becerril announce the homecoming court and co-host the pep assembly with math teacher David Schmidt.

3) Cheerleaders showed their Viking pride by putting together a dance for the pep assembly. They were the only performers at the assembly. 4) While the underclassmen were already seated, seniors lined up by the gym doors to make their big surprise entrance.

Maranda shasteen

chad sanders

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chad sanders

FRANKIE PRICE

Frankie Price Photo Editor

Special Coverage

MING 2011 Frankie Price

Campaigning, Cupcakes and Crowns combine to create memorable homecoming

7

MR. AND MS. FRESHMEN

Devari Niblock and Dasha Lee MR. AND MS. SOPHOMORE

October 19, 2011

MR. AND MS. JUNIOR Connor Bilodeau and Anessa Suniga

MARANDA SHASTEEN

Larry Covington and Re’gene Thompson

MR. AND MS. SENIOR

if you aren’t popular, you won’t win.

“Winning is based on popularity,” agreed Grimes.

Apart from that, some students notice the signs the candidates make. The candidates make signs and hang them all around the school so their peers know that they’re running and they should vote for them.

“I think the posters help people win because it puts their name out there and lets everyone know they’re running,” said junior Cheyene Houghton.

On the other hand, some said that making posters may not actually help students win homecoming, that it is a lot of unnecessary work that does not pay off.

Senior Alexus Root had what many said were the most attractive signs, but she came up short.

“I thought that the posters would help during campaigning, but after I lost I realized that the thing that helped me the most was talking to people... the posters were just reminders,” said Root.

ANESS SUNIGA

PHOTOS BY FRANKIE PRICE AND COURTESY EVERETT ARCHIVES

FRANKIE PRICE

hen you come back to school there is always one thing many look forward to: homecoming week. School dances, spirit week, football games and the crowning of the homecoming court all combined to create memories that most people will look at as the highlight of their year.

“I love homecoming because it means cookies and cupcakes, going to the football games and hot chocolate,” said sophomore Cierra Grimes.

Homecoming is not just fun and games for everyone though. For some, it’s a competition. Trying to win homecoming king and queen can be very difficult and time consuming. Most candidates bake cookies or cupcakes, make posters and create buttons.

“A lot of people stress themselves out more than they need to with winning,” said former Mr. Sophomore Khalil Young.

Some people at Everett feel that it doesn’t matter how hard you work to win; Meeshon Rogers Reporter

FRANKIE PRICE

Queen Elexus Beauchamp and King Jacob Venable pose after being crowned at halftime of the homecoming game against Eastern high school. The night was made complete when the football team won the game, 21-12.

FRANKIE PRICE

W

Hoffman photography

Elexus Beauchamp and Jacob Venable

FRANKIE PRICE

Lucas Barner and Azalea Miller

8

Features

October 19, 2011

College visits give students chance to explore options For some seniors college is right around the corner, and many still aren’t clear on what college they want to attend or what career path they want to take.

Luckily for those seniors, Everett has staff members like Erin Falsetta that are hard at work getting college representatives to come visit to give students a more clear view of what college is right for them. “[The college reps coming] is pretty cool, it makes the search easy for you because you have somebody that knows all about the college,” said senior Connor Bilodeau.

Although college is closer for seniors, juniors are also encouraged to attend some college visits. According to Everett’s college advisor Chisaokwu Duru, it’s never to early to start planning. Counselor Raymond Rubio agreed. “[I would encourage] sophomores and juniors to come to a college to visit so that they know what dif-

ferent colleges look for,” said Rubio.

Many colleges are visiting and there’s really no limit to how many college visits you can attend, but students are advised to only go to the college visits they are truly interested in. Duru said each senior should attend at least one. Another thing students can do is schedule tours of colleges they are interested in.

“I’ve toured Aquinas College in Grand Rapids and Franciscan University in Ohio and I plan on going to Aquinas,” said Bilodeau. “[Campus tours] were beneficial because I got to see the college and even talked with a professor.”

There are many excuses people give for not going to college, but a huge concern is money. Resources are available, and the counselors work to get the information out to the students.

“Visit www.fastweb.com, the library for scholarship books, [as well as] previous year graduate scholarships. Mr. Rubio and I are working on getting scholarships posted on Everett’s website,” said Duru.

BRE HOSKINS

Keora Grace Reporter

FRANKIE PRICE

Everett joins fight against breast Cancer Jasmine McCollough Reporter

BRE HOSKINS

“This disease has changed my life,” says Jones.

“I’m doing the things that I’ve never done before such as eating healthier, [and]...making sure balls of The month of October is known nation wide as my hair aren’t coming out. I’m also exercising on a breast cancer awareness month. Every year people do regular basis.” different things to raise awareness and money to go Breast cancer is the most common cancer in all to breast cancer rewomen, and it’s search. This month, hard for them students have been to cope with. selling bracelets, W h e n pins, and shirts to someone is diraise money for agnosed with breast cancer awarebreast canness. cer, the treat“[This has rement depends ally] united Everett on what stage students and made they are in. For us a community,” some, surgery said senior class alone is a oppresident Raven tion, and some Odom. “[It] shows have to undergo we can come togethchemotherapy, er for one cause.”

Ms. West and senior Raven Odom sell pins and T-shirts during as well.

The need for a lunches to raise money According cure to breast cancer to the National is very real. In the United States, one out of ten wom- Cancer Institute, women in the US have a one in eight en is diagnosed with breast cancer every year. 40,000 chance of developing breast cancer in their lifetime. women die each year from breast cancer.

There is a one in 33 chance of breast cancer causing In 2009, Lansing resident Carol Jones was diag- their deaths. nosed with breast cancer and she has been dealing Money raised by fund-raisers like the ones at Evwith the struggles it brings for almost three years. erett go toward the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Patients that are diagnosed with breast cancer the Cure foundation, which calls itself “the largest normally have to get treated, cut their hair before it non-profit organization dedicated to the fight against starts falling out, and also change the way they live. breast cancer in the world.”

What’s hot this Fall in fashion Meeshon Rogers Reporter Fall 2011 has more than just the leaves changing... trends are changing, as well. Last year, Silly Bands were the new fall trend. Like most trends, silly bands came and went. This year’s fall trends is all about bright colors, plaid and mini skirts.

A big trend this year is “color blocking.” Color blocking is combining different colors together that support and complement each other. To color block your clothes, you have to know a little bit about colors and what colors look good together.

“Color blocking is creative, its a way to express yourself,” said junior Re’Gene Thompson. Another very noticeable trend this year is hair feathers.

Hair feathers are a new hair accessory and can be treated just like your natural hair. Hair feathers usually can be straightened, washed, blow-dried and curled and can last up to 2-7 weeks. There are two kinds of hair feathers, the clips and the extensions.

You can purchase the hair clips at Sally’s, Young’s, and any other hair store. However, applying the extension is a little more tricky. To apply the extension, many people just go to the hair salon and have their hair dresser do it for them, or there are kiosks in the mall that apply them for you.

“I liked the way hair feathers look ; that’s why I decided to get mine,” said sophomore Hailey Cleveland.

Snapbacks are also a new trend this fall. Snapbacks are basically just a fitted cap that snaps in the back.

“Snapbacks to me are better than normal hats because they’re cuter and more fitted,” said Thompson.

However some people don’t like trends and feel like trends shouldn’t have a big impact on how you dress in the morning.

“I don’t think anything is trendy, I just wear what I want,” said sophomore Sadie Davis.

October 19, 2011

9

Entertainment

Students rock out at Warped Tour

80’s dance flick gets worthy remake

Estefania Santamaria Sports Editor When the 17th annual summer Warped Tour Festival came to Comerica Park in Detroit, Voice staff members Jasmine LopezNiblock and Estefania Santamaria were in the middle of the action.

This day-long festival features hundreds of bands who join together and tour all over America to perform. Thousands of fans lined up at Comerica Park for a chance to see their favorite bands such as A Day To Remember, Black Veil Brides, Hellogoodbye, August Burns Red, D.R.U.G.S, Attack Attack!, The Simple Plan and many more. Here are Estefania’s thoughts on the day:

ia Santama

ria

Irma Valdes Entertainment Editor

Estefan

Though it was tiring and very crowded the excitement when you see your favorite band is awe- Black Veil Brides a t some. Not only do you Comerica Park.Left a signing at to Ashley Pu rdy, and J right Andy Biersack see bands perform, they inxx , also have signings available (unfortunately not for every was single band) but if you’re lucky maybe very hot that day your favorite band will do a signing. and if you’re claustrophobic you probThere is also food everywhere, T-shirts, ably wouldn’t want to go. Jasmine being posters... just stores all over the place so as small as she is, almost got trampled a you can get a souvenir if you’d like. We couple of times by people jumping and thought it was sweet and had a great pushing through without even noticing time and would love to go again. But she was even there! Poor gal.

Warped Tour also has its negatives...it

D

ancing movies have become very popular in last years.

Movies like Step Up, Honey, Stomp The Yard, and Take the Lead have made it to the big screen. This month, another dance movie hits screens: a remake of the 80’s favorite Footloose.

Footloose opened October 14, and stays faithful to the original story, but with some modern twists. For example, instead of playing the contagious Rock and Roll music, it has hip-hop and R&B. They still kept the country music in key scenes. One thing that certainly wasn’t in the original was Ren’s iPod, which he is constantly listening to throughout the movie.

Like the original, a drunk driving incident causes a conservative town to ban dancing. One difference in the remake is that the accident scene is shown, instead of simply referenced in quick flashbacks.

The whole town is affected by the accident, which takes the lives of four teens. One of the dead teens is a priest’s

‘Pretty Little Liars’ flashes back in special Halloween episode Irma Valdes Entertainment Editor

With the Pretty Little Liars summer season finally ending, fans were left at the edge of their seats when the “Liars” were accused of killing Allison.

Little did fans know that when the episode ended, a big surprise was going to be revealed: a one-hour Halloween special on Wednesday, October 19 at 8 p.m. ABC Family is going to include the episode on its yearly “13 nights of Halloween” event. The episode is going to focus on the main characters and how things were before Allison’s death. The shows has 34

episodes over its two seasons, but the Halloween special will take the total to 35.

Many Everett students like the show, and are excited about the bonus episode.

“I love the show, it is so intense!” said senior Brianne Spare. “The Halloween special is going to be awesome, because Allison is going to be there,” said Spare.

The show is going to show the last Halloween that all the characters spent together before Allison’s death.

“I know that one of the girls is going to be attacked or disappear,” said Spare.

The girls are all dressed up in their Halloween costumes (Allison is dressed as Lady

Gaga). In the small glance at the special Allison says “my life is in danger.”

Maybe many questions will be answered, one of them being: who really is responsible for Allison’s death? “I think Jenna is responsible for Allison’s death” said Spare.

There are many suspects in the show; hopefully, the real one will be revealed on October 19.

son (Dennis Quaid). Because of the four teens dying dancing became illegal in the town.

The movie makes it really clear that music is a way of expressing yourself and also a part of your culture.

The movie is great for all ages, and has dance, music, comedy and romance. Ren McCormack (Kenny Wormald), plays the boy from Chicago that has been dropped into this small town where dancing is prohibited. The movie has more comedy than the original, thanks to Willard (Miles Teller), Ren’s best friend.

Many of the same scenes were kept from the original, like the railroad scene and others. The famous tractor race from the original is still in there, but with buses instead of tractors.

Another thing that was kept is the famous song Footloose,

by Kenny Loggins and it’s contagious choreography the scene opens the movie.The movie is great for the whole family to watch. It gives a great message for the new generation.

Though the 80’s movie was great the new version is better because we all can relate more to it and it has a fresher look.

All of the actors in the movie are very talented and do a great job with all the character. I rate the movie a 8/10 is definitely worth a watch.

10 Sports Cheerleaders stick together, even without a coach

Over a year after the cheerleading team was turned into a club and the coaching position was made volunteer, the squad is still struggling, according to members of the squad.

On June 7, 2010 cheerleaders at tryouts were told that cheerleading as a sport had been cut and turned into a “club” sport. This means that the group cannot compete in CAAC events, and that the role of coach would no longer be a paid position. Coach Becky Joyner told the girls that she would stay on as a volunteer coach. Over a year later, Joyner has resigned her position, and the squad is being coached by a parent.

The change from CAAC team to club meant other changes, as well. In the past, the cheerleaders were allowed to attend freshmen, junior varsity and varsity basketball games for free. Now, they have to pay to attend any games they’re not cheering for. ”I feel that we support all the teams at Everett even if we are not varsity, just because we wear a cheer uniform and don’t play to win every other night, we are still considered a sport,” said Dixon.

Since Joyner was no longer being paid, she scaled back her involvement to two nights a week. This caused problems when the squad tried to practice after school without supervision. Cheerleaders do not practice skilled gymnastics at the school because there is no insurance. They go to Okemos to Capital Cheer, where they pay $5 every Tuesday.

Cheerleaders say that the squad is no longer organized, and there’s no consistency in the coach, which has is reflected in the attitude of the cheerleaders.

At one practice, Joyner told the girls that she felt they didn’t give their all at practice, and that whatever she says always ends up a argument.

Some cheerleaders don’t dispute that they argue at times.

“We never had the chance to voice our opinion, and even if we try, coach feels that we are getting sassy when we speak, sometimes we do get smart but then again its to get our point across,” said senior Victoria Smith.

This season, coach Joyner quit again because cheerleaders weren’t showing up or participating.

Due to instability and lack of a salary at Everett, Joyner took a paying job as the cheerleading coach at Mason high school.

She still volunteers as Everett’s coach, but is only able to help out two nights a week, and her duties with Mason make it so that she cannot be at all the games with her girls.

Even though the members of the squad do understand that she needs a job to pay her bills, they always felt second to the Mason team.

“I feel that Coach put us on the back burner, her Mason teams seem to come first because they pay her and not Everett,” said junior Des’Manique Day. Coach Joyner had a parent supervise the squad at the first game of the season, a decision the girls didn’t know about until game time.

“We were so excited to cheer the first game even our coach, but we were distraught that coach didn’t come with her presents of being there and our hair bows.

This means they didn’t have a list of all the cheers and its like breaking one of the rules which is to have a hair bow.

As of October 5, 2011 Becky Joyner has now resigned as being the Everett Viking cheerleading coach. With that being announced Robin Smith is a parent coordinator and the new cheerleading coach.

FRANKIE PRICE

Da’Shawn Bibbs Reporter

LAND OF THE FREE: Members of the volleyball team line up for the playing of the “Star-Spangled Banner” and introductions.

Volleyball team continues improvement Alexus Root Reporter

The Viking soccer team is one of the best in the area, lead by All-Conference goalkeeper Brett Dawsey.

“The soccer team deserves more hype than they get,” said senior Blake Howe. “The football team gets all the hype, when their record isn’t as good as the soccer team.”

The Vikings are devoted to their sport and will do whatever it takes to win.

“We work extremely hard everyday,” said head coach Steve Horn. “These guys come to practice ready to work hard everyday.”

Win or lose, the players maintain their positive work ethic.

“In our program we preach “Hard work equals success,” and these players buy into it fully,” added Horn.

With the season’s end near, the Vikings are finishing the season strong with a win Thursday over Jackson to win the CAAC conference. This week, they begin their bid for the district title and a trip to States.

“I knew that we had to put in hard work during the summer because we lost so many seniors,” said senior midfielder

Chase Moreno.

“We had to regroup and focus.”

The team had very high expectations for themselves this year as well.

“Coming into the season, I had very high expectations for our team, if I didn’t believe in them to succeed then I shouldn’t be coaching,” said CAAC CHAMPS: Seniors Chase Moreno and Anthony Zarwea chase down a goal in a match against Ionia.

Horn.

The team isn’t willing to simply settle for a winning sea- Taylor Wysack.

Everett has had many positive things son; they have their goals set high. come out of the season thus far. Know“Finishing at the top of the confering they were young team many people ence or at least top three is key for the were nervous to see what the season season,” said Dawsey. would bring.

As the season progressed, the team “We are a lot closer of a team this year lost a few games, but never became down compared to teams in the past, and all of on themselves. Having a record of 10the young players have really stepped up 5-2, the Vikings know it is time to step and played well,” said Dawsey. it up.

The team travelled to Grandville “We should have won every game Tuesday to fight for a first-round win in that we lost; we are a way better team than the district title competition. our record shows,” said senior midfielder

ANESS SUNIGA

Soccer team wins conference bragging rights, competes for District crown this week Jacob Venable Reporter

October 19, 2011

Volleyball is a sport mostly overlooked by Everett High School, but the Lady Vikings have improved over the years in the volleyball program to what it is now, a competitive, talented team. Three years ago the program struggled to beat any team, but now their true competition comes from the teams at the top.

“Varsity and all levels are progressing,” said varsity coach Jube Falcon. Falcon believes the day it will all pay off has not come yet, but it is very close. The varsity volleyball team took third place out of 12 teams September 10 at the Corunna Invitational. It was a moment the team took pride in, the furthest the team had gone in years. October 9, varsity attended the Ovid-Elsie Invitational and became an animated up-beat team as soon as they arrived, singing and dancing throughout the day.

“I have never seen girls with such a diverse team get along and play together so well,” said the coach from Ovid-Elsie.

Being recognized was the least of their accomplishments.

“Playing hard and taking second place almost felt the same as taking first because of how hard we played,” said defensive specialist Jacklyn Ho. Players said that working their hardest brought the team closer and created trust in the team.

“Each season has been better than

last, we work together, we trust each other and we have a family bond,” said senior Sierra Shepard. Shepard also said that taking third in the Corunna Invitational’s gold bracket was a great accomplishment and it motivated her to play that way every game.

Many of the players agree that their recent change to a “Man Up” defense is making a difference in their performance.

“Man up” is when the back right player moves along the ten-foot line and the middle and left player split the back row.

“Man Up defense works well because you always have someone there to pick up tips and it creates a more affective defense and games,” said Ho. “In regular games we don’t always play to our potential because we don’t have a warm up team, but at tournaments we have a warm up team so as we play, we get better,” said setter Cheyene Houghton.

Though many students don’t realize the team is having success, other schools are noticing.

“We are better known to teams and coaches and we are being recognized as a team to look out for,” said JV coach Julie Baker.

Shepard said that she is grateful to the varsity coach that stirred up the change and helped make the team’s recent successes possible.

“We all love volleyball; it’s a place where we go to overlook our everyday lives, and have fun and forget about everything,” said Shepard.

October 19, 2011

Sports

11 Big wins rebuild football team’s confidence

Small turnout for girls’ swim results in “legacy” team

Victoria Smith Reporter

Imagine waking up at four o’clock in the morning and coming to school.

The building is dark, and no one else is around. For members of the girls’ swim team, that describes about two to three days a week since the beginning of the swimming season.

When the team has double practices, they get to school before anyone else to practice, and then they go to their classes like everyone else. Where will you find them after school? Most likely back in the pool practicing, along with girls from other Lansing schools.

The girls’ swim team is what you call a Legacy Team, which is a team made up of players from multiple schools.

Schools participating on the Lansing Legacy team are: Everett, Sexton, and Eastern.

Junior Malana Fuentes said that Sexton, Eastern and Everett all did not have enough swimmers to make up a complete school team. So they decided to conjoin all the girls into one team, called the Lansing Legacy team.

As for any rivalry with the other schools, Fuentes said “we get along, there are some cliques, but every team has that.”

Any divisions haven’t affected their performance, as the team is doing well.

One effect, though, is the size of the team.

“We have such a small team compared to other [competing teams], ” said Fuentes. “Not so many people [swim].”

Because the team is so little, they do not have any divers, which means less points are given to the team at meets.

Everett cannot get the same amount of points as the other teams do, as they lose all the points from the diving competitions.

The team is currently practicing at Everett because Everett has the better swimming pool than the other schools.

The team also practices at Hill, where the students from Eastern, Sexton, and Everett go to practice after school sometimes.

FRANKIE PRICE

Morgan White Reporter

EV Nation: Everett runs a play at the homecoming game against Eastern. Everett dominated in this game, winning 21-12.

After going 0-9 last season, the Viking football team was more hungry than ever for a win. And playing Waverly, it showed.

The Vikings defeated the warriors, 41-13. Scoring touchdowns were thirdyear starting juniors Jaleel Canty, Anthony White, and Javon Moore.

During the summer, the team developed a family bond. They ran together in the morning and lifted weights afterwards. They also participated in several seven-on-seven’s.

“The difference between this season and last season is we play more as a team,” said senior Derrick Foy. “We don’t go into games thinking we’re going to lose,” said sophomore quarterback Lucas Barner Along with becoming closer as a team they also know that to make it to playoffs they need to work harder.

Although they have made progress they still have a way to go. They suffered two close losses to Okemos and Holt.

“We need to get the offense going like the defense,” said Montel Windham.

“If we can do that and not lose any more we can make it to playoffs.”

This year, a student section was started by the seniors. No matter if the team is winning or losing, you can always hear them cheering.

“I am ecstatic about the outcome and attendance at our games and the student pride that our fans are showing,” said junior Jaleel Canty. “It’s something to be proud of.”

After a big win against Grand Ledge, an undefeated team ranked number three in the state, Coach Carruthers said he feels that the team is making gradual improvement.

“We just need to continue doing what we’re doing going into the Sexton game,” said Carruthers Before the win against Grand Ledge, play-offs didn’t seem like an obtainable goal.

But Barner explained that if they win the last two games and gain enough bonus points they can still make it to play-offs.

Regardless of if they make it to playoffs or not, EV Nation made a complete turn around, from an 0-9 team to a team that the players are proud to be a part of.

12

October 19, 2011