THE TORCH October 28, 2015
hips
s tion a l e lr hoo ives: c s high erspect l e r lo Exp many p ditioria d the e n from 3 staff istics a t e pag 8-9 sta e pag e life l sing
Helena O’Hare ‘17 and Cole VanGoeye ‘17 can often be seen holding hands in the hallway. Photo by Maiah Lesher.
PLAINWELL HIGH SCHOOL 684 STARR Rd, PLAINWELL, MI 49080 ISSUE 1, VOL 66
02 opinion The Trojan Torch Volume 66, Issue 1 October 28, 2015 Editor-in-Chief: Sarah Bommer Opinion Editor: Ashley Widner News Editor: Kaitlin Rietkerk Feature Editor: Emily Totten Online Editor Michael Carroll Photo Editor: Maiah Lesher Staff Writers Hannah Arendsen’16 Logan Bundle’16 Alivia Conn’16 Grant Harrison’16 Haley Holly’16 Lisa Hough’16 Trent Joynt’16 Alyssa Lovdahl’16 Chase Marshall’16 Katie Mcmahon’16 Angela Millar’16 Quinn Newland’16 Maya Pell’16 Kaitlin Ristau’16 Joshua Rumsey’16 Nathen Scott’16 Chloe Selner’16 Leslie Shaw’16 Tyler Smith’16 Austin Topp’16 Derick Weckerle’16 Allison Zyzelewski’16 TheTrojanTorchservesstudents,faultyof PHS,andmembersofthecommunitythrough informing,educating,interpreting,entertaining, andadvertising. Allmembersofthecommunityandstudents arefreetocontributestories,photos, and/or drawingstoTheTorch.Wedoreservetheright toeditorrejectyourworkasweseefit.Ifthestory submittedisanythingotherthaneditorial,The Torchrequiresallsourcestobeidentifiedinorder tocontinueitstraditionasacrediblenewssource. TheTorchstaffalsoreservestherighttoaccept orrejectthepurchaseofanyadvertisment.To purchaseadvertising,ortosubmitastory,photo, orlettertotheeditor,pleasesenditto: PlainwellHighSchool Attn:MarilynHess 684StarrRoad, Plainwell,MI49080 269-685-9554ext.1544 mhess@plainwellschools.org Somematerialcourtesyofthe AmericanSocietyofNewsEdiors/MCTcampus newsservices
october 28, 2015
the trojan torch Index Opinion.......................................2 News............................................5 Feature........................................8 Lifestyle.....................................11 Advertisments.........................13 Sports........................................14
trojantorch.com
No need to fear, RTI time is here BY TRENT JOYNT STAFF EDITOR Plus time is a new addition to Plainwell Schools this year where every Tuesday and Thursday, 45 minutes are taken away from classes to put towards homework, extra help, or just productivity in general. Plus Time is seen around the school as a waste and frankly a failed attempt to promote academic success. “Plus time honestly is nap time,” says Jared Thompke ‘16. According to Thompke, plus time is a decent idea, executed poorly. “Not only is it placed at the wrong time of the day because I already finished all my homework… now I’m going to go and sit in a fake class for 45 minutes
wishing I didn’t do my homework last night?” said Thompke. Thompke puts out a good point, yes it maybe placed improperly, and any new addition to school is going to be flawed at first. But giving all students equal opportunity to get extra help with teachers with their harder classes will eventually bring up their GPAs. It will also boost school-wide scores on standardized tests. With that being said, I feel staff could regulate plus time in several different ways other than what they are currently doing. Some ideas they currently have, such as signing in and out of classes, is smart and needed in a program like this; but when all teachers don’t have the sign in sheets available, it makes everything harder.
In a personal experience for example, teachers are having to email back and forth just to get a student where they need to go. And, frankly, it is inefficient. Overall this program could be a huge success, but it’s lacking the tools to make everything smooth. Placing plus time after fifth hour would allow students to get help on the material assigned that night instead of the one previous. That way they could not only get their homework done, if they ran into a problem with it it could be more easily resolved. Until this happens students will continue to find Plus Time not only as a waste, but as the complete opposite of its goals. Because not only is it placed improperly in the schedule, but also draws time away from people’s important classes.
Online Stories: Current articles: a personality profile of a favorite lunch lady, info on college week, and a recap of last week’s assembly. Check out these articles to be posted later this week: Quinn Newland’s new Netflix recommendations, and Derick Weckerle’s opinion piece on the hat policy Follow us on Social Media Facebook
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This student doesn’t need to stress about homework due to extra work time in Plus Time. Photo by Maiah Lesher.
october 28, 2015
Our Voice
“
He made me realize how big of an impact you can have on a child’s life just by spending an hour a week with them.
STAFF EDITORIAL
In dating relationships, do what makes you happy High school has a different meaning for everyone. Some want to get through the four years of high school as fast as possible and others want to soak up every minute of it. The most important thing to remember in these dramatic, hormonal, and memorable high school years is to do what makes you happy; most importantly, doing what makes you happy in your relationships. Being a senior this year is more emotional than most could have imagined it would be. Looking back on the past 17 years of our lives, most of us have been surrounded by the same people; and at the end of this year it is a mystery to who will still be in our lives. Some people ask themselves why even bother with high school relationships? People have different opinions about the topic; some enjoy the idea of a “high school sweetheart,” some simply laugh, and others just do not care. We fall into the “do not care” category. If you believe you could marry the person you had Pre-Calc with junior year, congrats to you. If you would rather date around or just be single, that’s great. There is a lot of life left to live at our age and if you prefer to go about that single or in a relationship, should be left up to the individual. A lot of input is put in from outside sources nowadays when it is your life, go about it how you want. Since socail media makes it easier to look into people’s
opinion 03
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personal lives, people think it allows them to comment on others lives as well. It is a given that high school relationships are of the most mature that have occurred in the past 13 years of school. We all know that elementary and middle school relationships don’t really count. People all go about relationships differently, some prefer long term and some prefer none at all. Trojan Torch editors have a few thoughts on high school relationships: “The idea of a high school sweetheart is cute and it is possible. But for high school sweethearts to work out long-term is rare. You have your whole life to find someone, so never settle for anything that doesn’t make you your happiest,” said one. Not every couple in high school has the “I am going to marry you” mindset. Since high school is full of ups and downs most relationships aren’t long term, and there is fun in that as well. One of the most important things we have learned from these past four years of high school is that most things, are temporary. The drama of today will be forgotten tomorrow, the test you failed isn’t going to ruin your GPA, and whether we like to admit it or not, most of the relationships we have right now are temporary. That is why you should go about what makes you happy, because in long run the only person it will matter to is yourself.
”
Alivia Conn sees her little after a summer apart. Photo by Zoe Lepley.
A ‘little’ effort can make a ‘big’ difference for a child BY ALIVIA CONN STAFF WRITER
The effect an adult mentor has on a child can be life changing. What most people don’t realize is the effect the child can have on their mentor. Big Brothers Big Sisters is an organization with local agencies across the United States. Plainwell Community Schools participates in their mentoring program by pairing with the local agency in Kalamazoo. According to Big Brothers Big Sisters website, their mission is to, “provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported oneto-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.” BBBS makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers, “Bigs,” and children, “Littles.” Being a part of the program through the school, high school students in their junior and senior years are matched with elementary school students, kindergarten through fifth grade. In some cases, a match can
carry over into the child’s middle school years. After hearing about the program and the long lasting effects it has on children, I knew that I wanted to join. Junior year I was assigned to my current Little, Kayden, who was in kindergarten. I wasn’t sure what to expect of the first experience, considering most of these children are in need of a role model. I was worried about the responsibilities that I was about to endure. When you commit to being a mentor, you are taking on the responsibility to be there for them and to push them, not only in school, but in social settings as well. “For Bigs, they are able to share their time, talents, and treasures with someone. To gain leadership skills, to grow and learn, to give back to the community,” said Stacie Brown, Senior Match Support Specialist. During my time with Kayden, we have done a number of different things. One of my personal favorites would be practicing his sight words for his kindergarten class and seeing him improve
each week. Not only was I able to help Kayden, but Kayden helped me as well. He made me realize how big of an impact you can have on a child’s life, just by spending an hour a week with them. This became even more apparent to me this year at our Kick-off meeting, when Kayden ran and jumped into my arms after not being able to see each other for the whole summer. Being a part of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, and Kayden’s life, has made me change the direction that I plan to take my future. After high school, I now want to attend college to become a kindergarten teacher. Sharing such a connection with someone so young has made me realize the importance of keeping promises, being patient, and putting forth all of your effort to make sure you have the most positive impact on their life. Big Brothers Big Sisters is a life changing program not only for the Little’s, but the Big’s involved as well. If given the opportunity to join a program such as this one, I highly recommend taking it.
04 opinion
october 28, 2015
the trojan torch
Confederate flag has no place here BY LESLIE SHAW STAFF WRITER The banishment of the confederate flag in public offices resulted in a wave of mixed reactions. Those in support of displaying the flag may think it is simply a symbol of rebellion against the government and their right to do so, when in reality it was created to rebel against the government’s decision to end slavery. I oppose the confederate flag because of it’s racist background. Many of the arguments that it shows “southern pride” are obviously claimed from those living in the south, but Will Nickerson currently resides in Michigan and supports the flag because of his family’s connection to the south as well as other reasons. “My dad was born in Kentucky so he was raised with southern pride in support of it,” Nickerson ‘16 said. As he also explained “the meaning of the flag is doing what you want regardless of what the government tells you to do.” I certainly don’t agree with every call the government makes, but the true history of the flag is that the South broke from the North in order to have white supremacy and continue slavery. It was erected 1954 as a result of the first civil rights movement in the South.
When the flag was first taken down, many southerners were furious. The aftermath resulted in many riots in the South, which is too violent of a reaction over a flag with such a discriminatory meaning. Many of the riots involved fighting and destruction of property which started a whole new battle between the supporters of the flag and opposers of it. “I understand that the flag is a part of southern heritage, but we weren’t born in the confederacy so we should love the country we were born in instead of praising one that stands for racism and the division of our country,” said Paige Siver ‘16. Paige was very happy about the decision to lower the confederate flag. She disagrees with the claim that it infringes on people’s rights according to the First Amendment because the basis of the flag is discriminatory and racist. A real issue that drives people to disagree about the meaning of the flag is that many have created their own meanings for it and over-dramaticized it to be a symbol of freedom, when the facts are there that it was a group of people against the freedoms of slaves. Do some research about the true meaning of flag before you blindly decide to support it.
Nickerson’s truck shows his enthusiasm about the rebel flag. Photo by Maiah Lesher.
Mike Fritz delivering his message to an audience. Photo taken from mikefritz.net.
Finally: a speech students feel was worth watching BY JOSH RUMSEY STAFF WRITER Most would agree that the last few years have been pretty rough in terms of our all-school assembly programs. For starters, it almost felt like the assemblies from 2012 and 2013 were publicity stunts for retired football players, in which neither of them had much speaking experience. For example, one of the speakers asked to have everyone follow him on Instagram, and the other’s main focus seemed to be the ‘after speech’ item giveaways. Neither speech was very impressive. “The speeches were good for about the first 10 minutes,” said Jake Wisnaski’16. “The problem with it was that the speeches didn’t really apply to us and lacked the energy to keep us remembering the subject, and interested throughout the presentation.” Last year’s assembly regarding the Columbine shooting had a good message and left an impact on the audience, but still lacked in presentation and felt rather
clunky. In all three situations, it was hard to keep the audience focused and entranced. However, when Mike Fritz delivered his speech in the PAC on Oct. 16, students were surprised to find a pleasant change in presentation quality. Finally, it seems as if we had someone competent enough to give high school students a great message. The focus of Fritz’s speech was to make students into self-motivated leaders. He specifically stated that he wants each and every one of us to take something away from his presentation, and hopefully benefit the community moving forward. “He was really funny, and probably one of the best assembly speakers I’ve seen so far,” states Tynan Boer ‘16. Others would agree too, including myself. Personally, I think he should be a comedian. In fact, comedy was Fritz’s strategy. “A good speaker finds ways to keep their audience entertained. That’s why I made you guys laugh for 10 minutes,” says Fritz. “From here on out, you as the audience
will have a longer attention span and will more than likely take something away from this.” You could tell that Fritz was very engaged in his work. He often would state that he wanted to make a difference in our lives, and encourage us to make a change and turn ourselves into self driven leaders. It was really cool to see an adult who had so much faith in us as a generation, let alone someone who was a former PHS student. A change was necessary after the last few years of mediocre speakers and topics, and Fritz delivered well. If our school learns from this positive experience, then hopefully we see more and more impressive speakers come to the Plainwell High School in the future. After Fritz’s speech, I personally felt inspired to step up and become more of a leader. I know several of my friends and other students also had the same response. I hope many other students could take away as much as I did, and use it in their everyday life.
october 28, 2015
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the trojan torch
Plainwell welcomes 11 foreign exchange students
Despite language differences, the foreign exchange students have banded together. Back row, left to right: Vinicius Aspahan, Natalia Morayta, Lisa Sorgenfrey, Prune Hardy, Marina Borghoff, Nina Mitrovic, and Ferran Sarda Magem. Bottom row, left to right: Aitor Lopez, Maria Madsen, Laura Albarracin, and Samuel Krizik. Photo by Allison Zyzelewski. BY ALLISON ZYZELEWSKI AND TYLER SMITH STAFF WRITERS Leaving your friends and family for a whole year is not something very many students decide to do. But this year Plainwell High School is hosting 11 exchange students. How well do you really know them? LISA SORGENFREY is from Germany. Sorgenfrey is looking forward to Thanksgiving and trying stuffing for the first time. “Being a vegetarian there is not a lot of ‘Thanksgiving’ foods i’m excited for,” says Sorgenfrey. “My favorite thing about Plainwell High school is how much school spirit all the students have,” Sorgenfrey says. The weirdest thing Sorgenfrey has experienced since living in America is s’mores. “I was at Young Life and we all had a bon-
fire and that was when I tried my first s’more,” said Sorgenfrey. NATALIA MORAYTA from Spain is very excited to celebrate Halloween. “I’m going to be a witch because that was the first costume I found that I really liked,” says Barrio. “The weirdest thing I have experienced is that every morning we say the Pledge of Allegiance and the Star Spangled Banner before sporting events, and back home we are not so patriotic,” she also added. “I miss my boyfriend and friends from back home but we skype everyday,” says Barrio. FERRAN SARDA MAGEM is from Spain . Magem’s favorite thing about Plainwell High School is how nice all the people are. “The people are nice even if they don’t know you or have never talked to you,” says Magem. When asked what the weirdest thing he has experienced in
America he shared, “The questions people ask like do you have air conditioning and movie theaters in Spain?” says Magem. “ We have lunch at different times. We eat a big lunch at 3 p.m. and then a small dinner. Here we eat lunch at 11 and then after I go home from school and eat again because I am starving and that’s when I am used to eating,” said Magem. VINICIUS ASPAHAN is from Brazil and his favorite thing about PHS is sporting events. “I really enjoy the football games and how excited everyone gets for them,” says Aspahan. Aspahan has also been to Indiana. “In 2007 my brother was an exchange student and lived in Indiana. In 2013 we went to visit his host family,” says Aspahan. American food is the weirdest thing Aspahan has experienced since he has been here.”The food has so much sugar in it and is a
lot fattier than in Brazil,” said Aspahan. AITOR LOPEZ is from Spain. Besides traveling to America he has also been to Russia, Italy, England, France, Poland, and Germany. “My favorite country is Italy. I really like Venice because it is a water-locked city,” says Lopez. When asked what season he is most excited for he said winter “I like the winter because then I can ski and snowboard,” said Lopez. The weirdest thing Lopez has experienced since he has been in America is “You guys live in big houses with a yard and in Spain we live in apartments,” says Lopez. NINA MITROVIC is from Montenegro and before living in Plainwell she was living in Mattawan with a welcome family. “My second host family wants to take me everywhere. A couple weekends ago we went to Boyne Mountain and stayed at the resort and went to the water park there,” says Mitrovic. Mitrovic is very excited to celebrate Halloween. “I’m not sure what I want to be yet but I want to be something out of the ordinary since this is my first Halloween,” says Mitrovic. The weirdest thing she has experienced since being in America is a bonfire and s’mores. “My host family had some friends over and they all had a bonfire and they said that I had to try a s’more. It was my first time trying one,” said Mitrovic. LAURA ALBARRACIN is from Columbia and is looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving. “I want to try stuffing because I have never had it before,” says Albarracin. Some of Laura’s hobbies include running and painting. “I love to exercise and paint pictures,” said Albarracin. When asked what she missed most from back home she said “My favorite food. We call it sick soup but we eat it even if we are not sick,” said Albarracin. PRUNE HARDY is from Belgium and a fun fact she shared about Belgium is “French fries originated from Belgium and it’s funny how people call them
french fries when they are not even from the French,” says Hardy. Back home Hardy has one brother and one sister. “My brother is really funny and my sister and I have a really good relationship and we understand each other,” says Hardy. The weirdest thing she has experienced since she has been here is pumpkins. “Everything is pumpkin related, coffee, candles, pumpkin pie, just everything is pumpkin,” said Hardy. SAMUEL KRIZIK is from Slovakia and he loves being active. “Everything to do with sports I love,” says Krizik. Although Krizik has seen snow before he is looking forward to the winter. “We only get 5 cm of snow and I love to ski. I have been skiing for 11 years,” says Krizik. “I have one older brother who is a real estate agent,”Krizik added. MARINA BORGHOFF is from Germany and this is her first time in America but she has traveled to Greece, Italy, and the Ibiza islands of Spain. “My favorite place to visit is the Ibiza Islands of spain. We went there for holy days and they have a very pretty beach,” says Borghoff. The weirdest thing she has experienced since she has been here is corn dogs. “My host family took me to the Allegan County Fair and that is when I tried a corn dog for the first time,” said Borghoff. Back home Marina has two brothers. “My older brother used to help me a lot with school work when I was little,” said Borghoff. MARIA MADSEN is from Germany and her favorite things to do involve hanging out with friends.”I like going to the movies, shopping, and going to cafes with them,” says Madsen. Madsen has been to America before. “ When I was 7 years old we went to New York and visited the Toys R Us store which is the biggest in the world and we rode the ferris wheel and that is my favorite memory,” says Madsen. Madsen misses her sister from back home the most. “I love my big sister Louise, she always supports me,” said Madsen.
06 news
october 28, 2015
the trojan torch
Could you leave family and friends to live in another country for a year?
News flash News that is kinda important, yet not important enough to warrant its own story
Local:
Plainwell high school takes second place in the band invitationals. Plainwell sends 5 to the hall of fame, including John Dubois, John Pettit, Kristen Hoard, Katie (Simmons) Sander, and Erin (Knight) TerMeer.
State: Selfie taken by Sofia Fox ‘17 on her Spanish adventure.
BY ALLISON ZYZELEWSKI STAFF WRITTER “The hardest part was saying goodbye for sure,” said Teacher DeSouza. On Sept 2, 20 the Desouza family sent their daughter Sofia’17 off to Seville, Spain. “I am not going to see her for a year,’ says teacher Paula DeSouza. In previous years, not many Plainwell students have decided to become exchange students, although we host many. We see them all the time in the halls but what is it really like going to be one? Most students will never know. Sofia just wanted to find out. “Two summers ago Sofia worked at a Welcome camp for exchange students, she spent the week with them and after that week she came home and told everyone that she wanted to become an exchange student,” says DeSouza. “It is a lot quieter around the house and I have nothing to do. After I come home from school and volleyball practice I don’t
have to take anyone anywhere, if I want to sit down and watch TV then I can. I could never do that before,” says DeSouza. Her older daughter Olivia is away at college. Not only will her friends and family not be able to see Sofia for nearly a whole year they do not get to talk to her that often either. “In the last two months I have had two phone conversations with her. The first one was 10 seconds and all I was able to say was are you okay? The second call was 18 minutes long,” says DeSouza. “We text just about everyday,” says DeSouza. “Yeah everything’s going great. I might not come back if that is okay with you?” said Sofia in a recent texting conversation with her mother. Sofia is staying in a home that has three girls ages 5, 3, and 2 and they are loving Sofia. Olivia has been able to skype with her once and she said the girls are obsessed with Sofia. Sofia has had the chance to travel to Barcelona, Spain because her host mom has had to go
for work. Leaving your family is one thing but leaving your best friends is another. “It’s weird because there is no way to contact her, she is gone 24/7. When they are sick and not at school you know you will get to see them in a couple days but I won’t get to see her for a whole year,” says Colleen Loftus ‘17. “There is no one to go ding dong ditching with or shoot fireworks out of the yard,” said Chase Cushman ‘17, another one of Sofia’s good friends. “I’m going to miss her attitude the most, she is always sassy and has lots of opinions,” says Loftus. With Sofia being so far away it is also taking a toll on her friends. “We try and text a couple times a week but it is hard with the six hour time difference,” said Loftus. “I can’t wait to just have her around the home again,” says DeSouza.
Fun facts about Seville, Spain • • • •
• • • •
Seville gets approximately 3000 hours of sun a year Seville is home to the famous Spanish sport, bullfighting. Seville is also home to Flamenco music. Seville is home to the world’s third largest cathedral, which has a well known minaret on top called the Giralda. There are around 80 days a year in which it rains in Seville. Seville has a very large and famous spring fair in April every year. Seville is the fourth largest city in Spain. About 90 percent of Seville’s population is Catholic
Dallas Rauker, the missing senior from WMU, was found dead on Norwegian mountain. Sen. Marty Knollenberg, R-Troy, introduced Senate Bill 567, which will allow school to begin before labor day. There has been no official decision yet.
National: Obama Administration is urging schools to step back and make exams less exsessive and more purposeful. Car crash kills 4 at the Oklahoma State University parade, including a 2-year-old boy whos name was not released to the press.
october 28, 2015
news 07
the trojan torch
Pizza and subs
Two new restaurants satisfy cravings
BY HALEY HOLLY STAFF WRITTER
AUBREE’S PIZZERIA & GRILL is anticipated to open in early December. It is located at the site of the old Big Boy/Jana’s. The front of the building has been torn down and the inside of the restaurant is being completely renovated, including both the kitchen and seating areas. The owners anticipate hiring approximately 95 employees, including a general manager, assistant managers, servers, hosts, line cooks, and pizza makers. The menu includes gourmet pizza, fresh baked breads, salads, pub sandwiches and burgers.
JIMMY JOHNS is anticipated to open in mid to late November. It is located at the site of the old Donks, on the north side of M-89 east of Biggby. Construction is obvious driving by, including adding to the back of the building and renovating the inside. The restaurant will be hiring approximately 25 people, including delivery drivers and in-shop employees. The menu for this chain includes gourmet sandwiches.
Photo taken from Aubree’s website
Several weeks ago, the inside of the former Donk’s wasn’t anywhere near restaurants standards. Photo courtesy Darren Conklin.
Interact provides leadership opportunities BY ANGELA MILLAR STAFF WRITTER What if a club from Plainwell High School could change the world? What if it could influence how adults think about teenagers? What if simple, selfless acts of pure kindness could leave a lasting impact on our community, on our school, and in our world? The solution is the new teen leadership club called Interact. It is an interactive club that teaches high school teenagers how to be leaders and positively impact the world. The goal of this club is to grow in leadership, not only in the school but in the community as well. “A leader to me is someone who wouldn’t ask others to do something that they themselves
wouldn’t do,” Isaac Shaw ‘16. Shaw finds great leadership skills in his friend Teigen Betts. “He has a good head on his shoulders and sticks himself out there for others,” said Shaw. These are the qualities that are looked for in the club. Shaw hopes to excel in this club by making a lasting impact on the high school and community. He wants to get the school motivated by doing smaller projects as a team and earning a sense of accomplishment by seeing them through. To be considered an official club, the desired club must be sponsored. Being a Rotarian herself, Superintendent Sue Wakefield suggested Rotary to the organizers. Rotary is an international organization that shows extreme
compassion by applying useful thy. The members are hoping to leadership skills and various perspectives to solve social issues. improve their leadership skills The members help improve the and be positive examples for their community by volunteering their peers. Cheyenne time to help imStephenson ‘16 prove the quality of The goal of this who is captain of their community. The new leader- club is to grow in her cheerleading joined the ship club strives to leadership, not team, club in hopes of share these ambionly in the school improving her tions. skills to use on Lauren Luthy but in the the team and 17’ joined the club with classmates with a desire to do community “I joined the great things. Luthy as well. club because I thinks a group of wanted to be youths being leadmore involved with school activiers together while serving the community will start to rebuild ties and the goal of it sounded inspiring,” said Stephenson. the image of teenagers. “Being a leader is being be a “The outcome of what we can accomplish through this club is role model by caring about othunlimited if we set our minds on ers more than you care about doing positive acts,” declares Lu- yourself. To be able to stick up
for what is right no matter the circumstances,” Stephenson ‘16. Along with being leaders in the school the club is planning to taking it to the next level by moving outside of the school walls. By serving in the community as a team, the new club hopes to grow in fellowship. Plans are to meet twice a month, after school. The first meeting was Wednesday Oct. 21 The club appointed Sydney Rehr as president, Elizabeth Burch as vice president, Cheyenne Stephenson as secretary, and Kaitlin Shafer as treasurer. Even if you missed the first meeting new members are always wanted and will be highly appreciated. Contact Dr.Wright or one of the officers for more information.
08 feature
Worst pickup lines ever
october 28, 2015
feature 09
Can you relate?
What 150 PHS students think about high school relationships
Bucking the trend: choosing to stay single BY ALYSSA LOVDAHL STAFF WRITER
Date ideas
People date during high school as they have for the past century, yet there is still a large group who choose to stay single through all four years. According to Child Trends, the number of high school seniors who “date frequently” has fallen by almost 10 percent in the past decade. In contrast, seniors who say they “never date” has risen by 8 percent in the past six years. While some of the high school dating limits are imposed by parents, often it is a personal lifestyle choice. Some people have chosen to have friends of the same gender instead of boyfriends or girlfriends. “I have a relationship with my best friend Mia Parker and we go on just as many dates, if not more than the people who are dating,” said Sara White ‘17. Most high school relationships end in a break up, which leads to broken hearts. But with this new trend of choosing to stay single in high school, students can focus more on academics, giving them a leg up with their GPA. “Certain people aren’t mature enough, or are in a
good enough place by themselves to take on another person,” said Jacob Wisnaski ‘16. Wisnaski brings up a great point; when a person isn’t “mature enough”, responsible, or in control of his own life, how would he be able to enter a dating relationship without hurting himself as well as the other person? In some cases it could even be the other person who is hurt the most. A relationship can be “bad in the sense that it’s painful,” said Lewis. Hannah Hawkes ‘19 said that dating might be a good idea “if you think you have a future,” but, “dating around isn’t a good idea.” Dating multiple people in a short period of time can not only lead to emotional damage, but it might also create a gigantic shadow of drama. In high school drama is quickly overlooked, but it needs to be taken seriously when it comes to relationships. When a broken relationship isn’t ended with proper closure it can lead to many complications that may affect future relationships. However, there may be one advantage to teenage dating: “High school dating is good in the sense that you learn a lot from it,” said Jacob Lewis ‘16.
Longest relationships students have had (out of 100 students)
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october 28, 2015
the trojan torch
en e w Halloitions Trad BY HANNAH ARENDSEN AND HALEY HOLLY STAFF WRITERS
Julia Galovan
Braeden Rhodes
“Giving out candy.”
“Going to Cedar Point with my family.”
What is your favorite costume?
“Baby in a onesie.”
How old is “too old” for trick-or-treating?
“If you’re an adult you should probably stop.”
What is your favorite pumpkin carving design?
“Cut classic smiley face.”
What are your favorite Halloween traditions?
Veronica Klein
Mr. Stacy
“I always go to a haunted corn maze.”
“I like eating all the leftover candy.”
“I always get the Fear Finder and live vicariously through it.”
“Police officer.”
“Black cat, it’s cheap and easy.”
“Anything but a slutty cat.”
“Babies that are dressed as politicians.”
“15, it’s just weird at that point.”
“10, it’s awkward after that.”
“Browning logo.”
Vanessa Vandenberg
“The classic jackolantern.”
“If you’re feeling it, go for it.”
“Classic jack-olantern.”
“It’s more about attitude than age.”
“Pumpkin eating another pumpkin.”
Places to go, things to do: Scare yourself silly CORN MAZES: -Witches of New Salem Haunted Corn Maze $15 4516 24th St. Dorr, 49323
BY HANNAH ARENDSEN AND HALEY HOLLY STAFF WRITERS
$$$$
HAUNTED HOUSES: -Erebus-4 Story Haunted House Attraction $28 18 S Perry St. Pontiac, 48342
-Harvest Moon Acres $$$ $8 for a corn maze, fun zone, fun bam, petting zoo, and hayrides. 18725 M-40, Gobles, 49055
-Witches of New Salem $$$ $15 for one trail or $25 for both 4516 24th St. Dorr, 49323
-Gull Meadow Farms $$ $6 for corn maze and wagon ride 8544 Gull Rd. Richland, 49083
-Phobia House $$ $15 76 10th St. Plainwell, 49080
-Ed Dunneback & Girls Farm $ $6 3025 6 Mile Rd. NW, Grand Rapids, 49544
-Psycho Ward & Nightmares $ $15 for on attraction or $20 for both 7656 Ravine Rd. Kalamazoo, 49009
$$$$
october 28, 2015
lifestyle 11
the trojan torch
Crimson Peak review
Make sure you have a change of clothes
Photo provided by Legendary Pictures Productions BY QUINN NEWLAND STAFF WRITER Earlier in the 2000’s, Director Guillermo del Toro was master of the Spanish horror film. Even though they came out five years apart, The Devil’s Backbone (2001) and Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) still represented an absolute one-two punch. While
he quickly got away from that into more action heavy creature-feature movies, such as the “Hellboy” series and Pacific Rim, he has now finally returned to his roots. While every fan is sure to be hoping for a glorious return to form with it, they are sadly out of luck. Despite great atmosphere and mood, and some of the strongest visuals to exist in a horror movie, Crimson Peak is a disappointingly slow and occasionally incoherent mess of a film. Crimson Peak is the story of a young woman from America who is suddenly and without warning swept off her feet by a charming and mysterious baronette. She is whisked away to a house in a foreign land, and everything is fine until she begins to see and hear awful things. Locked beyond the great walls, lies the dark secrets hidden within Crimson Peak. As the title suggests, Crimson Peak immediately invokes a great sense of atmosphere. The whites are as white as anything ever has been, and
the reds are a deep and bloody shade. The camera favors wide angles that take in everything it needs to to correctly fill you with a foreboding sense of dread, and gets close enough during the action to make you as bewildered as the characters. This is where the film excels; creating atmosphere and tension where in less skilled hands it wouldn’t exist. From the very first second it grabs you, and for the remainder of the film it doesn’t let go. Even in the beginning and middle where nothing really happens, the sense that something is about to is always right there. A very large problem presents itself as soon as the movie starts too though; the movie is terribly slow, and crawls at a turtle’s pace. It takes forever for anything to happen, in fact I’d say it’s not until the the final act where anything even happens that’s worth mentioning. Sure you feel like you’re about to be scared the entire time, but you never are, and that’s a problem. A slow start and taking time to build tension is a great asset to a lot of horror movies, films like
The Conjuring and Funny Games have proven this time and time again, but it’s a little too much when the tension only amounts to anything in the last 30 minutes of the film. It’s a word I don’t usually use with films, but Crimson Peak is boring. As much as they want to check the background of every scene for ghosts, I’m sure the audience will want to check their watch just as much. For a movie that moves as slow as it does, Crimson Peak’s story can sometimes be a very incoherent mess. The story, while simple enough, will lose many audience members in the fine details. I found myself getting turned around and confused throughout, and looking back most audience members will notice several glaring plot holes that will never be resolved. It’s honestly very disappointing, especially considering that it’s a simple story written by a veteran screenwriter. That all disappears in the last act though, as everything volcanically erupts and everything the audience has been dreading finally comes to fruition. It’s terrifying, gross, disturbing, and messed
up in all the best possible ways. The actors shine like they weren’t able to at the beginning of the film, the fluid and beautiful camera work and sharp visuals are on full display, and it is perhaps the scariest part of the film. Horror films are also relatively hard to end in a satisfying way, but I think Crimson Peak wrapped everything up very nicely and put a nice (albeit bloody) bow on top. Is Crimson Peak going to be the go-to film for scary movie lovers this Halloween? No. Is it a nice distraction, and better than most scary movies that have come out recently? Yes. It is ridiculously slow to start, it isn’t anything special when it comes to acting or writing, and it’s honestly not that original. If you’re looking for the next great scary movie to terrify you and give you nightmares, this is not it. If you’re looking for a film with amazing visuals and an impeccable sense of atmosphere, and you’re willing to slog through 1.5 hours of nothing, then you might like this. All in all, Crimson Peak gets 2.5/5 Jars of Red Clay
The kid who has 199 lives: Cole Evans BY ALIVIA CONN STAFF WRITER
Cole Evans ‘16 suffered a serious neck injury after a wakeboarding accident this summer. According to Evans, he and a friend were riding side by side on Pine Lake when he decided to jump over his friend’s rope. This maneuver, being one that he had done many times before, would completely change the course of the day. Mid-flight, Evans found himself becoming tangled within his friend’s rope. Before he knew it, his whole body was trapped, including his neck. “The rope tightened and pulled me around like a rag doll,” said Evans. Not aware of the situation, the
driver of his boat, Alan White ‘16, maintained a speed of 20 mph. Maya Pell ‘16, spotting the wakeboarders, yelled at White to stop the boat. The momentum caused Evans to be dragged underwater abruptly and then back out. “I felt the boat jerk, and when I looked back, I didn’t see Cole. A few seconds later, he came flying completely out of the water,” said White. “My first instinct was to grab my head as the rope was tightening,” explained Evans. As White was stopping the boat, the rope around Evans broke loose and he detached himself from the wakeboard. Lifting his battered body from the water, Evans described to his friends the pain just felt like
whiplash. “It was not funny, but it was funny at the same time,” said Nikolai Minka ‘16. Feeling sore and stiff, Evans still managed to drive and dock his boat. Evans went straight to his couch where he laid down for around three hours until his mother came home. Insisting he go to Borgess-Pipp Hospital, his mother forced him into the car. “You don’t think of what really could’ve happened, because we do stuff like this all the time,” said Minka. Evans waited two to three hours before getting a CT-scan. The results showed that Evans had fractured his C1 vertebrae at the base of the brain, which had then severed his vertebral artery.
Evans shared that before being presented with the results, the doctor came into the room in a panic explaining to Evans and his mother how he was an inch away from dying. His mother’s reaction was to cry, while Evans just laughed. “How else are you supposed
to react when someone tells you that you almost died,” said Evans. Evans ended up not having to have surgery, but did have to miss out on his senior year of football and will have to take it easy for a while. “That kids like Travis Pastrana, has 199 lives,” said Minka.
Evans smoothly rides some waves the same day as his accident. Photo provided by Evans.
12 lifestyle
october 28, 2015
the trojan torch
Images you will remember for the rest of your life BY KATE MCMAHON STAFF WRITER If graduation isn’t enough pressure already, there are many other aspects involved in getting out of high school that you will remember for the rest of your life. Graduation parties, senior lunch-in, college visits, and many people’s personal favorite; senior pictures. Senior pictures are images that you will look back at for the rest of your life. For this reason, many seniors take it very seriously so their true self is reflected through the photo. Choosing the perfect photographer for you is crucial. “Seniors is a huge part of my work and it is my favorite. Starting in January 2016, I am ONLY going to photograph seniors. I think when clients see that you specialize in one area, it gives you more credibility and notoriety,” said Photographer Valerie Ott from Kalamazoo. It is becoming more and more popular to have hair and makeup done professionally before a senior shoot. “I require hair and makeup by Sarah (Valerie’s makeup artist) for two reasons. One, I don’t have to do any additional edits to the face when it is airbrushed. Two, I LOVE seeing the reaction to professional hair and makeup,” said Ott. With not only having to pay for the photos but also the hair and makeup, senior pictures can be very pricey. Price ranges can go from free to up to $1,000. “I care about how I look in them because I want to be happy with my outfits. I spent time on choosing my locations and putting my clothes together so I would be pleased with the outcome,” said Kyle Shannon ‘16.
Shannon got his photos taken by a local professional named Sam MacVean. “I have found that girls that do not have hair and makeup do not open up to the camera as much. The end product is so much more appealing to both the senior and her parents,” said Ott. Maya Pell ‘16 got her photos taken by photographer Valerie Ott. “I loved that I got my makeup and hair done professionally. It makes the process a lot less stressful and make you feel more comfortable in your skin,” said Pell. Seniors don’t always get their photos done by professionals. Family members and friends are very common as well. Price doesn’t necessarily determine talent. ”My aunt took my senior pictures and it was a lot cheaper than paying up to 400 dollars,” said Sam Hansen ‘16. Depending on the person, senior pictures are taken more seriously than others. Working with family members or friends can make things more relaxed and not as pressured as working with a professional. “I could tell that she was experienced because she came up with poses and chose all my locations well. She put a lot of effort into my shoot,” said Hansen. When it comes to boys senior pictures, the requirements are a lot different than girls. For example, boys do not need to get their hair and makeup done, but some still dwell on what the outcome will be. ”I did them in less than an hour and payed $50,” said Cole Evans ‘16, “Senior pictures are a waste of time. I got ready in five minutes and had my sister’s best friend take them at my house.” Senior pictures for the yearbook are due by the Thursday before spring break--March 31.
Cole Evans Photography by Farris
Maya Pell Photography by Valerie Ott
Price doesn’t necessarily determine talent
Kyle Shannon Photography by Samantha Nicole
Ashley Widner Photography by Maiah Lesher
october 28, 2015
advertisements 13
the trojan torch
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14 sports
Varsity numbers on the board
07 nd 2
Wins and one loss for the Women’s Volleyball team
On the Mend: ACL injury kicks Brady to the sideline
place in conference, Women’s Golf
BY AUSTIN TOPP STAFF WRITER
05
Wins and four losses by the football team
09
Conference wins by the Men’s Soccer team, zero losses
7
th
place in confrence for the Men’s Tennis team
07
Confrence wins and one loss by the Women’s Swim and Dive team
6
th
4
place in confrence for the Women’s Cross Country team.
thplace in confrence
for the Men’s Cross Country team.
october 28, 2015
the trojan torch
Ryan Brady ‘16 is happy to be off of his crutches. Photo courtesy of Ryan Brady.
“A lot can change in the matter of seconds,” said Ryan Brady ‘16. Brady, defensive player for Plainwell High School’s Varsity soccer team, suffered a gruesome ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury in his pre-season scrimmage against Hastings in midAugust. “I didn’t see it coming; one moment I steal the ball from their player, the next moment I have a stinging pain behind my knee,” Brady said. There were 20 minutes left in the first half when the injury occurred. Brady stole the ball, and his opponent tried to steal it back, consequently collapsing Brady’s knee. At such an early point in the season, his defense knew they could possibly lose an important asset. Without good defense, most sports become difficult to reach victory. “It looked pretty bad, I had a feeling it was an ACL injury,” said Cameron Tran ‘16. Being defensive partners, Brady and Tran have the same job: keep the ball away from Plainwell’s goalkeeper. Since Brady is a defensive wing and Tran is a defensive center, they have each other’s backs. “Ryan has always been on the defensive line with me, it’s tough to see him go down,” said Tran. With Brady absent, Plainwell’s defense has allowed 15 goals over the course of their 11-5 season. An athlete’s last objective is to be hurt on the sideline for months. “I went to the hospital a week after the injury. I couldn’t bend my knee and the pain was increasing,” said Brady. MRI results showed a tear in the ACL. In most cases, a moderate to severe ACL tear requires
surgery. Brady isn’t the only one suffering injury. “My children are my world, and I hate to see Ryan get hurt in his favorite sport,” said Kim Brady, mother. When loved ones suffer, emotional blows affect those who love as well. “I get queasy when it comes to surgery, but I know Ryan is a tough kid, I just had to have faith,” said Brady. Surgery is a serious deal, and Brady was forced to make this deal. “When I found out I had to have surgery, the only things I was scared of was shaving my legs and being awake during the procedure,” said Brady. With enough medication, surgery can be peaceful. However, being cut open and sewed together can be nerve wracking. However, pain was miniscule. “When I woke up I felt really tired and thirsty,” said Brady. After two and a half hours of surgery, Brady’s leg was numb. “They knocked me right out, my leg didn’t even hurt until I got home and slept later that night,” said Brady. A prescription of painkillers as well as a pair of crutches became Brady’s best friends. Walking around home and school became a struggle. “Crutches get old very fast, they make my armpits hurt,” said Brady. Luckily, Brady has lots of caring friends who help him carry his belongings to his class. Being a nice kid has its benefits. After a while, his transportation was upgraded. “Thanks to the school office, I got myself a wheelchair, which made my school day a lot easier,” said Brady. However, not using his leg could slow Brady’s healing process. “My doctor told me to limit
the wheelchair so my ACL would heal right,” said Brady. Getting healed and back on the field is his number one priority. This injury not only affects himself, but also Brady’s teammates. “Seeing Ryan on the sideline his senior year hurts me,” said Tran. After shining as Plainwell’s defensive wing his whole high school career, watching from the sideline is a completely different atmosphere for Brady. “He has always been that quick defender who will take the ball from you if you aren’t fully focused,” said Tran. His leg not so quick anymore, Brady is patient with healing. “Being on the sideline sucks but there is nothing I can do except support my team, “ said Brady. Staying positive is important to Brady. Now in a brace, Brady can be seen hobbling around the hallways, progress continuing. “I only have a week left with this brace on, then I will start physical therapy to work my leg back up,” said Brady. With four games left in two weeks, Brady will likely not be able to get back on the field. “I am looking forward to playing indoor soccer this winter with my friends,” said Brady. Just because his season is seemingly over doesn’t mean his love for the sport has ended. “Ryan will always love soccer, and I will always love watching him accel at the things he loves most,” said Kim Brady. With hard work, determination, and patience, Brady should be healed and back on a soccer field in the next month. Only the most prosperous survive hardships and injuries. “I love soccer and all the feelings it gives me; the sport will always be a part of my life,” said Brady.
october 28, 2015
sports 15
the trojan torch
Trojan football gains playoff spot BY TRENT JOYNT STAFF WRITER
Chase Marshall ‘16 top and Jarded Thompke ‘16 bottom give it their all out on the field. Photo by Ethan Bolda.
Over the past half a decade, Plainwell football has made quick strides towards postseason greatness. Trojan football this season started out rough with unexpected losses from both Vicksburg and Paw Paw. “Both were great opponents,” said Offensive Coach Chris Taylor, “now we gotta go out and win the next two out of three.” At 5-4 Plainwell Football was able to pull it together to achieve their goals. “Our coaches have set us up to succeed,” said John Clark ‘16, one of the captains of the Trojan football team. Clark is an icon both on and off the field for his enthusiasm and will to win, and for this reason teammates say he deserves the role as captain.
With a huge Homecoming win against Dowagiac, 17-8 Plainwell football is “heading in the right direction,” said captain Chase Marshall ‘16. Plainwell spirits were up after beating Dowagiac. “In order to make it to playoffs we’ll have to play our asses off,” said Clark. Clark said the reason for their lack of success measureable to last year is due to less off season preparation, and lack of motivation. Alex Galovan ‘16 is in agreement. “Yes I am very confident that we as a team will make it to the playoffs, it’s a matter of performing in the first quarter, getting off the ball and a slight lack of motivation,” said Galovan. It seems that the opinions of the captains, may be split but are united in the fact that increased effort will lead to big things in the following weeks.
On the other hand fan Isaac Shaw ‘16, former player and leader of Trojan football seemed to have a different opinion. “If we make it to playoffs it’ll be luck,” said Shaw. Shaw said that it basically comes down to not preparing over the offseason, “NO ONE! pushed themselves,” said Shaw. Other fans like Garrett George ‘16, former Plainwell football player, agreed but for different reasons. “The general lack of motivation, and commitment really will lead to no playoffs this year,” said George. However, after a win against Otsego, last Friday, it is clear that playoffs are in sight. Wether it was luck or increased effort Plainwell will be among the teams in the playoffs. The first game will be against Zealand West Friday, Oct 30.
Bad timing
freshman athlete finally back from injury
BY CHASE MARSHALL STAFF WRITTER Just as everything seems to be going right for him, a broken wrist is causing Justin Labonte ‘19 to miss out on many opportunities. At the age of 14, Labonte has been in competitive sports for almost 10 years. He first started playing baseball when he was only 5 years old, football when he was 7, and basketball at the age of 6. He also plays golf and runs track. Labonte is recognized by the state of Michigan as one of the best pitchers in his age group. He is also recognized by his football coaches as the best quarterback in Plainwell at the freshman level. He was thought to be a definite pick for the state all star team, and certainly the starting
quarterback for his grade, when an unexpected incident caused Labonte to have to miss those opportunities. Labonte broke the Scaphoid bone at the base of his hand, the most important bone in your wrist for gripping and bending, and the worst bone for a pitcher/ quarterback to break. He broke it while playing a game of basketball at Sherwood Park with some of his friends last summer. A freak accident that resulted in loss of part of a season of football, and maybe two full seasons of baseball. He is on his way back. “It hasn’t stopped me, it’s made me want to work harder to get back to where I was and it makes me value every play,” said Labonte. He never stopped coming to
football conditioning during the summer. The idea that a star athlete like Labonte can all of a sudden be out of play and miss out on seasons like he has doesn’t normally cross the minds of the players and their coaches. “I was honestly shocked when I found out about Justin, we are definitely gonna miss him on the field until he gets healthy,” said freshmen football coach Brian Huberty. “Justin is a leader on and off the field. Not having him really affects the team,” said teammate, Caleb Harrington ‘19. Good thing for the team that Labonte is now able to play, although not at 100 percent. He plans to continue healing to be ready for baseball come spring.
Justin Labonte ‘20 with writst brace on one hand and football in the other. Photo courtresy of Justin Labonte
16 photo
october 28, 2015
the trojan torch
Capture the Moments of Fall
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Jared Thompke ‘16 and Mackenzie Goodling ‘16 attempt to pick apples at Gull Meadow farms.
Even bags of leaves can be made fun on Halloween
Aliv
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Maiah Lesher ‘16 and friend Nick carve pumpkins to celebrate Halloween.
onn
‘16
and
boy
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Photos Lower left: Taken by Austin Topp Lower Right: Provided by Alivia Conn Upper Right: Provided by Mackenzie Goodling Upper Left: Provided by Kate McMahon Middle: Taken by Maiah Lesher
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