December 2023

Students and staff examine the role that caffeine plays in their lives

page 15

From the Editors

Dear Readers,

After the exciting success of our first edition, the Northern Light staff cannot wait to bless your winter season with a brand new magazine to read. As we are wrapping up the first semester of the 20232024 school year, we want to share with the community the skills our J1 staff has gained over the past 17 weeks. This edition’s theme is how caffeine addiction affects the life of teenagers. A quick look around any classroom reveals that most of our peers do not function daily without some sort of caffeinated drink, but not many people know the true damage these drinks can do to our bodies. With an array of work from serious to silly topics, this edition would not be complete without capturing a little holiday joy, too. Maybe, just maybe, if we extend the wintery feelings just a little longer, we will get some of the snow (and snow days!) that are more typical of this time of year. Settle in with a hot chocolate, live right, and read the Light.

Happy Reading,

Brie and Ella

On the cover

The cover of this edition allows us to showcase the talents of Journalism 1 staff member Elle Mun. Elle has been illustrating since elementary school, starting with Pokemon and then getting serious around 2019. She prefers to work digitally, and some of her fvorite things to work on are “comics and images that aren’t overly complicated but convey a greater meaning.” This cover in particular was a collaboration with Creative Editor Annabelle Bartz, who aimed to convey the loss of control in addiction. Photo courtesy of Elle Mun.

Policies

The Northern Light in print and online is the student-produced newspaper for Portage Northern HS. It is an open, designated, public forum for student expression, and the newspaper provides staff members with independent reporting opportunities and individual evaluation. Writing is based on a wide variety of research for a broad and diverse audience and topics of coverage are decided by the staff and editorial board with consideration to what is timely, relevant, compelling, educational, and important to the student body.

In accordance with best practice for student media, the Northern Light is not prior reviewed by administration. Building and district administration do, however, reserve the right to oversee the paper if necessary to ensure that the mission and vision of Portage Public Schools and the safety of students and staff are maintained.

As a MIPA, JEA, and NSPA publication, the Northern Light adheres to the highest standards of journalistic integrity. Photos,

art, and other visual elements are created by Northern Light staff, formally designated for free use or part of public domain. In rare circumstances, we may use other media with the owner’s written permission.

It is our desire that our readers join the discussion on our published work. We welcome letters to the editors and guest contributors, and the Northern Light will publish online all pieces received provided that they include the author’s full name and are appropriate for publication in a school setting. Letters to the editor are limited to 150 words in length and guest contributions are limited to 350 words in length. Pieces can be delivered to Amanda Thorpe’s room, 3.129, emailed to pnhsnorternlight@gmail.com, or mailed ATTN: Portage Northern Light to Portage Northern High School, 1000 Idaho Avenue, Portage, MI 49024.

News

pg 3 Lunch Bunch and Collage

Feature

pg 11 Caffeine Addiction

In this edition… 20232024 Staff

pg 6 Comedy Sports

Opinion

pg 8 Which Grinch?

pg 10 Gun Violence

Entertainment

pg 20 Holiday Songs

pg 21 Bookish

pg 13 Students with a passion

Sports

pg 17 Amanda Chiotti

Pg 18 Skateboarding 101

If you want to receive the NL at home, visit this page to subscribe for the year!

Table of Contents

Editorial Leadership

Editor in Chief

Bryana Quick

Editor in Chief

Ella Morofsky

Creative Editor

Annabelle Bartz

Digital Media Manager

Ashton Hall

Journalism 1 Manager

Abby Hosler

Veteran Staff Writers

Mitchell Barnard

Avery Bogemann

Trevor Anderson

Chase Vanderwalle

New Staff Writers

Alex Smith, Drew Collins, Asher Carpenter, Brayden Schimp, Caroline Knight, Elle Mun, Hannah Kocher, Ian Eby, Jaiviana Heath, Kenna Hulick. Matthew Lekosiotis, Remi Hamilton, Ryan Kaliati, Ryan Mauwa, Oli Matthew, Sarah Leasure, Rin Weller

2 Northern Light

Huskie Headlines

Designed by Ella Morofsky

Students bond over games and food at Lunch Bunch

By Jaiviana Heath, Drew Collins, and Caroline Knight

To create a more inclusive and safe learning environment, Lunch Bunch is a club led by students junior Aubrey Rowlson, senior Lydia Hinga, and senior Logan Hannig with support by educational support service teacher Laurie Kupier. The group meets in Kurt Twichell’s room every Thursday on switched lunches. All students are welcome to come join in on the fun.

Lunch Bunch is a part of the Unified Club, which encourages everybody to come together. “We do a whole week, we are in the homecoming parade, and we have

a softball game, a basketball game, and a kickball game after school with some student-athletes,” said Kuipers.

Instead of having a weekly after-school meeting, they have decided to do a lunch week so the kids can come in and eat a little bit and then they find somebody to socialize with. “Lunch Bunch is a fun and relaxing time we rotate back and forth between both lunches and having it at lunch is allowing for all students to come together to play games and get to know each other,” said Rowlson.

Music department performs annual Holiday Collage

By Jaiviana Heath

Winter Collage, the annual concert featuring the choir, band, and orchestra, took place on the 15th and 16th of December.

Everyone was welcome to have a seat and watch the entertainment. It is an event where students showcase their talents. “I most enjoyed the atmosphere of the area. I thought it went great and I couldn’t have asked for a better day” said junior Alexys Jordan. “Collage is bringing together everything that we love and it’s about showcasing what we have learned this year. I feel like it is also about just coming closer to people.” explained sophomore Theo Barker.

At right, junior Aubrey Rowlson leads students at Lunch Bunch in getting ready to play Uno at their meeting on December 7. Students are invited to play a variety of games during their time together. Photo by Drew Collins.

Junior Grace Burko sings “Let it Go” at Holiday Collage. Photo courtesy of Abby Hosler for the Legend yearbook.

Seniors reign victorious in Week of Caring competition

By Brie Quick

The second annual Week of Caring competition was held the week of December 4th-8th. Students competed by grade to collect the most donated items for the community. Each grade could also draft a staff section to join them: seniors chose the office staff and world language, juniors had English and Science. Sophomores had ESI and Art/Music/Counseling/Teach and freshman had social studies and math . Items were given a point value with personal items (1 point), hats/ gloves (3 points), socks (3 points), non-perishable food (1 point), Books/toys (5 points), diapers (½ point per 1 diaper). At the end of the week, the seniors finished in

first with 3970 points, then juniors with 3150, then freshman with 2720, then sophomore with 1980. All items were donated to multiple different places. The toys were donated to the Salvation Army Angel Tree Drive, and diapers and personal care items were donated to the Portage Community Center. All books collected will be donated to various PPS elementary schools in relation to March is Reading Month.“It was great to experiment with having students and teachers work together in a challenge. In the future I would love to see us get more Huskies involved in helping out our community,” said student senate adviser Joey Wood.

Newly founded Boxing Club

By Kenna Hulick

PN’s new boxing club for all grades and skill levels is located in the Igloo behind the bleachers, near the men’s locker room.

At boxing club, students will get the opportunity to learn beginning/basic boxing techniques. Counselor Amy Dimaggio, who is running this club, boxing can be proven to cope with stress and frustration all while keeping participants active. It can also naturally increase dopamine (helps increase happiness and pleasure) and endorphins (relaxation, relieves pain or stress), improve and increase self-confidence and selfawareness, and manage anxiety

and well-being.

They provide 10 boxing heavy bags, boxing gloves and wrist wraps for about 15 students, a fan, timer, music, and supplies for cleaning. This club was funded by a grant from the Wisner Family Foundation to purchase all of the equipment needed.

This club takes place after school or during a seminar/class, and to attend during a class, a pass is required. It runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30 PM, some Mondays at 3:00 PM, and every Wednesday at 3:00 PM.

Left to right: Senio class president Jackson Altwies, junior class senator Grace Burko, sophomore class senator Lemarcus Sharp, and freshman class senator Jazz Chew announce draft picks for Week of Caring. Photo courtesy of Student Senate.

8th graders from North Middle School box during their P.E. hour. Photo courtesy of Amy DiMaggio.

Punching bags located behind the bleachers in the Igloo. Photo courtesy of Amy DiMaggio.

Giving Blood, Saving Lives:

Students compete to save lives in the Portage Northern Blood

By Brayden Schimp, Remi Hamiltion, Trevor Anderson, and Ryan

In a school heavily influenced by rivalry, through a variety of events held at Portage Northern, what better way to invoke students to donate blood than to make it a competition? Blood Drive has been hosted at Northern for many years and, “Almost every drive we get somewhere between 58-68 units of blood,” says Joseph Wood, the student senate advisor at Northern. Every year is a different battle, with the seniors against the juniors this year.

62 units of blood was donated!

Blood Drive is a community service initiative hosted by Portage Northern twice every school year; once in December and once in March. 15 total students, two of which were non-senator volunteers, helped put the Blood Drive together. As the chair and co-chair of the Student Senate committee, junior Marley Onken and sophomore Morgan Heyn helped plan the drive and get the word out. “On the day of Blood Drive I’m managing people coming in and

out and [managing] Blood Drive as a whole,” says Onken. With 85 volunteers and 62 total units of blood, Portage Northern passed the 2022 Blood Drive’s numbers by nine volunteers and nine units of blood, bringing them one unit away from matching the ten-year December record of 63 units. “I know there’s millions and millions of hospitals in need of blood [and] I always think it’s good to help save a life,” shared Aaron Warfield. numbers millions

Mauwa; design by Elle Mun

Top le : Junior Cody Haworth lling out his information prior to getting blood drawn; photo by Brayden Schimp

Top right: Junior Elijah Parker getting his blood drawn; photo by Brayden Schimp

Comedy Sports students travel to Chicago to be trained by pros

By Kenna Hulick and Sarah Leasure; Designed by Ella Morofsky

On December 8th, a dozen students boarded a bus at 7:30 AM. ey spent the next two hours heading up to Chicago to meet and train with professional actors for this year’s Comedy Sports league. Portage Northern has introduced Comedy Sports as its spring production this year. “It’s actually Comedy Sports High School League, and it’s based o of Comedy Sports, which is out of Chicago and it is competitive short-form improv,” said English teacher and Comedy Sports coach Celia Weeks. “Two teams go up against each other and compete with short-form improv games (during the show).” ere will be scoreboards and referees. is year, Portage Northern students went to Chicago to be trained for the upcoming improv show.

di erent skills to work on. “We trained with improv professionals at a theater in downtown Chicago and got to work on a lot of scenic work and how to make improv more enjoyable for the audience,” junior Will Pierce said.

Twelve students in total are participating on the team. “My experience has been just really fun so far.

“We trained with improv professionals at a theater in downtown Chicago and got to work on a lot of scenic work and how to make improv more enjoyable for the audience”

From December 8th to the 9th, they trained with professionals like Vinny Tangherlini. One company they visited on the trip was Chicago’s e Second City. Students did various exercises and practiced their improv. ey also watched professionals demonstrate improv and talked about techniques and

Monday (December 4th), we got to work with Torrey DeVitto, she is an actress who has been in a lot of TV shows, so that’s really fun,” said Pierce. “We’ve only had a couple of rehearsals so far but as of right now, I feel like it’ll be really fun.”

“I feel like it is a good opportunity for these students and I think improv is such a good skill to have,” mentioned Celia Weeks. She was excited about the change this year. “I bene ted from this training because after working with the professionals, we know now a lot more about what to do to make the show really good,” Will Pierce also mentioned. Interviewees also mentioned they were excited about the training and upcoming show.

Le to right: Junior Will Pierce and senior Kirby Bach perform a skit for their fellow comedy sports students.

Caffeine Cutdown

The effect of caffeine in schools

By Northern Light Staff; Design by Abby Hosler

Take a look around almost any classroom and you will see at least one student with some kind of energy drink. From Celcius to Monster to Starbucks, caffeinated beverages are becoming a central part of teenage hydration. The negative effects of consuming this much caffeine daily are well known, so why do we continue to do it? What do we need to do in order to stop?

Teenagers are known for their night-owl sleep schedules. When they wake up groggy the next morning, their first thought is that caffeine will fix this. People have become too reliant on their morning coffees and then following them with an afternoon energy drink when their first caffeine buzz wears off. Caffeine is an addictive substance, like nicotine, alcohol, and other drugs. Not only does this leave students craving more day after day, but the crash when the caffeine wears off creates a cycle where students feel like they have to be constantly caffeinated to be productive.

The most important thing, as a country, and even as families, that we can do to address the issue of the overconsumption of caffeine is to stop normalizing it. People have control over what they are putting into their bodies, and they can control their caffeine intake.

As a society, we should attempt to restrict the amount of caffeine

“Caffeine is used too much in this country. People have become too reliant on their morning coffees, and the afternoon energy drinks.”

within certain drinks, especially those that are accessible to young people. People need to start thinking about the negative effects of caffeine such as insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, nausea, increased heart rate, and even more serious issues. Panera’s caffeinated Charged Lemonade has literally killed people. This should be eye opening.

As a school, the best thing to do would be to adjust the workload and when the school day starts to minimize the reason that most students turn to caffeine in the first place: exhaustion. Studies have shown that teens in particular have a later sleep-wake cycle and need anywhere from 8 to ten hours of sleep, which can be impossible with homework and extracurriculars when school starts at 7:40 am.

If the school won’t change, students still can, and our health might depend on it. To relieve a dependence on caffeine, the first thing you need to do is prioritize sleep. Sleep isn’t something that happens when everything is done, sleep is the thing that needs to be done the most. After that, staying hydrated, eating healthy snacks throughout the day, and taking time to be active can all help beat the fatigue before reaching for caffeine in a can.

photo by Abby Hosler

Which Grinch?

Written by Brie Quick, Ella Morofsky, and Chase Vanderwalle; design by Chase Vanderwalle

e original Grinch cartoon aired in 1966 and has been the best holiday movie since. is cartoon is 26 minutes of pure Grinchmas and comedy. Although there are three movies about everyone’s favorite Mr. Grinch, none of them would exist without the original cartoon, therefore it automatically is the best. is is the movie that best matches the book Dr. Suess wrote in 1955: all of the characters look identical and the dialog is almost a wordfor-word match. e original lm also retains key points that the newer versions change, and the depiction of the Grinch himself changes the most. ey made him seem like a terror in the live-action version, and in the newest animated version, he seems loveable and relatable.

e live-action Grinch, starring Jim Carrey, is the best Grinch movie. It came out in 2000 and is 105 minutes long. It is a bit more modern than its original version, which allows people to connect to it a bit more.

ere is a lot more dialogue in this live-action adaptation of the lm, which allows the personalities of the characters to shine through. We are given a back story to Mr. Grinch, which shows his reasons for being the way he is and humanizes him, allowing people to relate to him in a way that they were not able to before. e original Grinch did not allow much connection with Mr. Grinch or any character, and the newer animated one seems to take away from the main point of the story. e live action Grinch lands somewhere in the middle, making it the best of all three.

With a runtime of 1:45, the 2018 Grinch starring Benedict Cumberbatch is a more modernized telling of the classic Grinch, allowing newer generations to nd amusement in the classic story. e soundtrack, which has tracks by Tyler the Creator and Run DMC, gives it the edge over the other lms to be the best Grinch movie ever. is Grinch movie also has by far the best animation style, with a more vibrant look that draws attention for not only children, but adults as well. e voice acting done by Benedict Cumberbatch was perfect, too: his voice is unique and it adds a personality to the character that wasn’t there before. Cumberbatch’s approach helps viewers capture a new, unique idea of the Grinch, and this version of the lm adds additional plot twists at the same time that truly capture who the Grinch is before and a er his profound change in heart. is lm is denitely the best.

Heard Huskie:

how much of a necessity is ca eine to you?

“I must have it every morning and a ernoon.” - Nicole Ailes, ESI Teacher

“I just like the avor of it in Monster!”

- Damion Trainer, 9t

“I do not need it to get through the day.”

-Chris McKenzie, 9th

“It is not needed at all.”

- Josh Klimp, 12th

Unprecedented

Oxford HS shooting brings gun ownership into the age of accountability

Article by Annabelle Bartz; Design by Abby Hosler Hosler

On December 8th, 2023, Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Crumbley killed 4 people, Hana St Juliana a 14-year-old, Tate Myre a 16-year-old, and Madisyn Baldwin and Justin Shilling who were both 17 years old. Additionally, six students and one teacher were injured. This kind of tragedy is all too common in the United States, what is unusual about this case is Crumbley’s parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, are going on trial for four counts of involuntary manslaughter. The Department of Justice defines manslaughter as, “the unlawful killing of a human being without malice…” When it refers to killing without malice that means it was not the intent to kill a person but that is what happened.

Something to keep in mind is that it is not uncommon for school shooters to get their guns from their parents. The fact that James and Jennifer bought Ethan his gun is not the only reason they are on trial. There were clear warning signs that the parents ignored, including posts about the gun Ethan used, his looking at ammunition online at school, and concerning notes and drawings. Beyond that, the school tried to send Ethan home on the day of the shooting but his parents refused to take him.

Many people are worried that this will set a dangerous precedent that parents will be held accountable for the actions of their kids, but that is the incorrect way to frame it. The way people should be looking at it is if Ethan was an adult who was planning a murder and he was encouraged by friends or family that would be considered an accessory to a murder. Cornell defines accessory to a crime as, “...someone who aided or contributed to the commission or concealment of a crime,” going on to say, “...someone who did anything to encourage, aid, or assist in any material manner.” A criteria that James and Jennifer Crumbley definitely fit.

The manslaughter charge is the prosecution’s way of saying they don’t believe the Crumbleys intended for their son to commit murder, but they willfully ignored the signs that he was going to do so. Which is a charge that would extend to anyone in a similar situation. If a husband committed murder and his wife willfully ignored obvious signs she would go on trial. In reality, this type of crime is not an unprecedented one, it is just the first time a prosecution has had enough evidence to justifiably go after the parents of a school shooter.

Caffeinated

By Abby Hosler, Avery Boegman, and Rin Weller

e drip of co ee into a mug.

e crack of a cold, crisp, energy drink. e sense of sleepy dread as you make your way into school for the day. Students and teachers alike look for ways to wake themselves up, and most turn to caffeine.

A Google Forms survey of PN students revealed that most students didn’t feel they needed caffeine to do well in school, but a majority also admitted to drinking ca eine either occasionally (38%) or a few times a week (29%). e leading reason that students gave for drinking ca einated beverages was to help with waking up. “I feel that it would most likely really help me throughout my day and keep me awake, seeing as I’m often very tired throughout the day,” said freshman Damien Hill.

Many teenagers nd them-

selves overwhelmed with the lack of time to themselves, opting to instead stay awake late into the night to make up for the time they didn’t have during the day and exacerbating their daytime tiredness as a result. 75% of respondents said they drink ca eine outside of school, opting to wait until later in the day. “I drink ca eine a er school,” said freshman Keegan Rickstad. “It just helps me wake up a er a day of school and stay awake longer.”

While ca eine is o en used to wake students up and perform better during the week, for some students it’s also a necessity for school events on the weekends. Forensics meets, cheer competitions, and wrestling are taxing a er school activities that some teens might turn to ca eine to get ready for. Junior cheerleader Hai-

ly Rantz especially feels as though she needs it. “[Without ca eine], I’m actually a really grumpy person, I really jump at people on the littlest things,” she shared. During her rst competition, Rantz, a self-proclaimed ca eine fanatic, followed her coaches’ guidance to avoid ca eine during athletic performances, and didn’t consume any the morning of their rst competition. “I was really grumpy towards my teammates and coaches, and I did not perform the best, so [our coach] has allowed me to have ca eine now,” she said.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have studied the e ects of ca eine on overall health and determined that it is addictive and can even cause withdrawal symptoms if a person does not consume their usual daily amount. is is a dangerous game, because the body

“I drink caffeine to boost me in the morning. a part of me is missing.”

Culture

Design by Annabelle Bartz

also builds up a tolerance to caffeine, requiring more and more to receive the desired e ects over time. Johns Hopkins de nes caffeine addiction as, “feeling as though a person cannot function properly without it.”

ere are a ton of health risks to consuming ca eine, especially for teenagers. e National Institute of Health advises against ca eine consumption for minors, citing research that it causes, “nervousness, irritability, nausea, cardiovascular symptoms, sleep impairment, osteoporosis, and stomach ulcers.”

Teens in school seem aware of the health risks of ca eine and its e ects on the human body, but are undeterred. Others live above the in uence and choose to avoid it altogether. “I’m aware of some of the negative impacts ca eine can have

on your body and I don’t want to have to rely on co ee to keep me functioning in the morning,” said senior, Trinity Cooper.

With the addition of the 641 Coffee Counter in the library this year, ca eine is more accessible to students than ever before, and it’s not just kids that turn to ca eine for a kick of energy. ere are co ee pots in all of the teacher’s lounges and many individual teacher’s classrooms. English teacher Lindsey Wangler is no exception. ‘We start school so early and most teenagers - just like myself - stay up later,” she explains. “Whether that’s for homework, or for social reasons, or sports or [other] activities.” She believes that ca eine is so common in high school because most people’s bodies are not made to function during early morning start times. “Like on the

weekends I don’t drink as much ca eine,” she explained, noting that weekends bring more sleep, making ca eine unnecessary.

Both students and teachers alike have a multitude of tasks to complete daily and limited time to complete them. While it’s necessary to do schoolwork, make money to pay for college, and have a social life, it’s also important to be aware of what we as humans can handle. Adding on that extra dose of energy via ca eine, to some, is something that feels like a must, and while we can acknowledge that ca eine is not good for us, it’s nearly impossible to curb the use of it unless other systems in the world we live in change so that we can slow down and prioritize self care.

When I don’t drink it [caffeine] it feels like a - Ross Bryant, senior

Hustle and heart: students showcase entrepreneur and artistic talents

Written by Chase Vanderwalle, Ashton Hall; Design by Chase Vanderwalle

Manuel Messan

Manuel Messan hand washing a Mazda vehicle. This was first car he washed of the day, he will do multiple jobs at a time to ensure customers happiness. Photo courtesy of Manuel Messan

Manuel Messan has created an opportunity for himself outside of the classroom, he has started “Velocity Detailing”, a mobile car detailing business created on Aug 23, 2023. “I mean I’ve just always had a passion for the automotive industry and cars in general, I’ve been to a couple of car meets and stuff like that, and I’ve always had an entrepreneur mindset so I decided to combine my two passions and start something new.” Said Messan. Although Messan has done most of this by himself he has also had help, and has been influenced along the way. “Yeah, Jaden Sims, he definitely helped me get started by letting me use his pressure washer and just showing me how to run a business.” Said Messan. This has allowed Messan to start getting clients which has led him and his business to where they are at today. To book a car cleaning, Messan has a website you can go to where there is 4 options to pick from, the “Deluxe Interior Package”, “Deluxe Exterior Package”, “Starter Interior Package”, and the “Ultimate Detailing Package”, you can book these services at Velocitymdt.com.

Vince Brow

Vince Brow, a sophomore at Portage Northern was the makeup artist for this year’s play “The Little Mermaid”. “I absolutely loved doing Ursula’s makeup in the little mermaid this year,” said Brow. “I thought she always ended up looking amazing and it was so fun getting to just sit there and talk with Nora for an hour and a half,” Vince has always had a passion for doing makeup, whether it was for friends or family Vince was always the person to go to. A makeup artist was needed for “The little mermaid” Vince was immediately selected to be the makeup artist of the program. Vince’s talent and skill set was shown in a big way as all of the cast of “The Little Mermaid” had very impressive makeup. Vince brow does not currently have a business, although he is looking to possibly start one in the future and pursue that as a possible career.

Top: Makeup done by Brow in the fall musical “The Little Mermaid. Photo by Annabelle Bartz.

Top left: Sophomore Vince Brow. Photo by Chase Vanderwall.

Middle left: Ursala’s makeup done by Brow. Photo by Annabelle Bartz.

Botttom left: Makeup down on Flounder by Brow. Photo by Annabelle Bartz.

THEIR VOICES making heard

Students walk out in protest of the Israel-Palestine war

By Bryana Quick and Ella Morofsky

“We are living through history and we can change it now instead of regretting it later,” sophomore Omar Elghawy proclaimed to his peers. “History repeats itself again.”

Elghawy shared this impassioned message on Thursday, November 9th, 2023, when students at Portage Northern High School walked out of their 3rd-hour classes in protest of the Israel-Palestine war.

A complicated backstory

The Israel-Palestine war is in the news headlines today, but the conflict itself stretches back to the late 1800s when Jewish people fled the pogroms of Eastern Europe in hopes of establishing a Jewish state in the Land of Palestine, which was under Ottoman rule at the time. The city of Jerusalem, located in the middle of Palestine, became a popular relocation destination because it was a holy city for all three Abrahamic faiths (Christianity, Islam, and Judaism). Jewish and Palestinian communities clashed during the Jewish migration because Palestine wasn’t empty: Palestinians had already made this land their home, and the influx of Jewish people meant the displacement of Palestinians.

Jerusalem and surrounding Palestine then came under British rule in 1917, and during that time, Britain took further steps to create a Jewish national home there. The conflicts continued through World War II, when the Holocaust displaced a large number of Jewish people who either had no home to return to or who felt unsafe returning to their home countries. In 1948, Great Britain, the colonial power of Palestine, formally promised Israel to the Jewish community to make their home, and modern-day Israel was born.

Seventy-five years later, issues

still arise.

Included within the territorial boundaries of Israel is Palestine, which is split up into two sections: the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Conditions for the mostly-Muslim populations there are dire, and there are electrical fences forcing the people there to be cut off from the outside world. “[The government of] Israel controls all the food that goes in and water that goes in and they have just completely cut that off,” explained sophomore Maya Abduhlak, who is Syrian and, on top of being invested in staying up to date with geopolitical events in the Middle East, has family and community ties to the region. Abdulkah also shared that the Israeli government is dropping sulfur bombs and white phosphorus on residents of the Gaza Strip, which was recently confirmed by the human rights group Amnesty International. Both of those are poisonous chemicals and gasses,

and bombing with these is banned by international law.

The goal of peace and justice for Gaza and Palestine is often hin dered by the fact that the region is controlled by Hamas, a

militant group that attacked Israel earlier this year and incited the latest waves of violence in the area. For world governments and ordinary people alike, it has been difficult to separate the radical political group from the Palestinian civilians that it rules.

Walking out for change

While the United States has consistently held a pro-Israel political stance, some Portage Northern students hope to bring light to the terrible conditions that Palestinian citizens are facing while additionally calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. They joined the largest pro-Palestine movement in history, driven mostly by young people.

Upwards of 30 students walked out of school during a 30-minute window on November 9, which O. Elghawy explained was, “global shut down day for Palestine . . .This means walking out of school or

work, not going out to eat or buying things, taking the day off, and stopping all extra activities.”

Students at both Portage Northern and Portage Central organized their own walkouts. “It is just the

it is literally a genocide.”

At left, sophomore Omar Elghawy leads his peers in a chant in the march toward Milham Avenue. Above top, sophomore Maya Abdulhak carries her homemade sign. “What I’ve really been thinking about lately are the children,” she shared. Senior Youssef Elghawy waves Palestine’s flag as the speeeches concluded. Photos by Brie Quick and Ella Morofsky.

For many of the marchers, the conflict is very personal. “I know my Arabic teacher, she’s Palestinian, and she has family in Palestine,” shared junior Jenna Abdulhak. “Another family friend of mine, eight of her close relatives, her sisters, her nieces, died. There’s still more dying and we barely know because there’s no communication.” Other students joined their classmates as allies. “I think what’s happening right now in Palestine is unjust and unfair,” said senior Simon Thompson. “I felt like I should be using my voice.”

An uncertain future

least we can do to show our support instead of turning a blind eye like the rest of the world,” said senior Youseff Elghawy, Omar’s brother. During the walkout, students made signs, chanted, and expressed their hopes for the future. While walking down Oregon Avenue to East Milham Avenue, the student group chanted things like “Free, Free Palestine” “What do we want? Ceasefire. When do we want it? Now,” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Student signs embraced the same feelings: M. Abdulhak’s read, “It is not a conflict,

As of this publishing, ABC News reports that in Israel, at least 1,200 people have been killed and 6,900 others have been injured since Oct. 7. An additional 11,240 people have been killed and 29,000 others have been injured during that same time frame in the neighboring Gaza Strip. A vast majority of these people are Palestinian Arabs: the Population Reference Bureau, a nonpartisan, not-for-profit research organization, stipulates that 99% of Gazans and 92% of West Bankers are Sunni Muslims, with the rest of the population consisting of Christians.

“These people look like me, talk like me, they eat the same foods as me, and speak the same language. They look just like me and they’re dying in insane numbers,” said M. Abdulhak, who, while disturbed, also finds reasons to be hopeful. “Portage Northern students…I am really proud of us honestly,” she said. “I think it was a really courageous thing for everybody who came out today to show their support for our fellow humans.”

Part of the Pack

Portage Northern’s newest addition to the women’s varsity basketball team has high ambitions for this year’s season

By Trevor Anderson, Matthew Lekosiotis, and Ryan Kaliati; design by Elle Mun

“It’s an exciting advancement in terms of, coaching positions for me.”

- Amanda Chioth

“I have a good relationship

Previously leading both freshmen and junior varsity teams, new varsity girls basketball coach Amanda Chiotti’s has high hopes for this season, seeking to bring them to the postseason. After building up her reputation coaching at Albion College and youth basketball camps, Chiotti was coaching the Huskie underclassmen when the position for women’s varsity basketball coach opened up. “I thought that she made a good candidate,” said athletic director Chris Riker. Chiotti has been coaching for just over 11 years, five of which have been here at Portage Northern, but her basketball career didn’t start there. “I played basketball my whole life,” Chiotti shared. “I played when I was young, all four years of high school, and two years in college.”

her. I’m glad she is out coach,” said junior, Taylor Couch-Kneepkens exclaimed Amanda Chioth as she led the women’s varsity basketball team this year. After leading a successful freshmen and junior varsity team in the past, Chioth doesn’t want to stop there. “I have a lot of hopes that we can build this program even more,” said Chioth. With the basketball season still in its early stages, she

Chiotti’s team feels excited to be with Chiotti at the helm.

with

Amanda Chioth watches on as the girl’s varsity basketball players run up the court; photo by Trevor Anderson

Amanda Chioth plans her next play call as the girls take the ball up the court; photo by Trevor Anderson

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The Ollie

Design by Mitchell Barnard

Now that you have your board set up and you’ve been able to get comfortable with the basics— riding, balancing and pushing—it is time to start learning tricks. The first trick most people learn is the ollie, the ollie being one of the easiest tricks to learn is the fundamental trick for most flatground skateboarding.With some hard work and patience the ollie is not that difficult to perfect. To perform a proper ollie it consists of 3 key steps. Step 1 is the foot position, step 2 is popping the tail of the board and step 3 is sliding your front foot to the top of the board to level it out. 3

step 1, Foot position: Everyone has their own preferred foot position for almost every trick in skateboarding and it all comes down to what is most comfortable, but standard foot position for an ollie is the front foot just under the bolts, although some choose to put their foot lower near the middle of the board for extra height, and for the back foot you want your foot on the edge of the tail but not hanging over.

Step 2 Popping the board: This step is what gets the board off the ground, it’s a quick pop of the board to get the back 2 wheels off the ground. To get a proper pop you want the ball of your foot on the tail instead of the whole foot to get a quicker snap. It should also be noted for the best ollie instead of popping the board with your whole foot you want to use your ankle, this will get you not only more height but give you an easier time getting the timing down.

The last step of the ollie is sliding the front foot to the nose of the board to level the board out and get the desired height of your ollie. Depending on how high you want to ollie is how far back your front foot will be because the more room to slide the higher you will go. To slide your front foot, as soon as you pop the tail of the board you roll your ankle over and drag it up towards the nose of the board. When your foot has reached the nose of the board you stop sliding and wait to come down and land.

Step 3 Sliding the front foot:

Up Next

By Alexndria Smith and Hannah Kocher; design by Mitchell Barnard

The feeling of walking into the movie theater, smelling the buttery popcorn, and seeing the low lights gives people the suspense and excitement they are looking for. One of the movies hitting screens this December is Wonka, a PG-13 rated movie, released on December 15th, 2023, and can be streamed on Max. It is about Willy’s dreams of opening a shop in a city renowned for its chocolate, a young and poor Willy Wonka discovers that the industry is run by a cartel of greedy chocolatiers. December 22, 2023 is when Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom releases and people will be able to stream this on max. This movie is rated PG13, this movie is about, Hoping to end his reign of terror, Aquaman forges an unlikely alliance with his brother, Orm, the former king of Atlantis. Setting aside their differences, they join forces to protect their kingdom and save the world from irreversible destruction. On June 14th, 2024, Bad Boys 4 will be released, streaming exclusively on Hulu with a rating of R. After the incredibly successful Bad Boys for Life, Bad Boys 4 will likely find Armando teaming up with his father and Marcus to take on the next drug kingpin in Miami. A trailer will likely arrive closer to the Bad Boys 4

release date to give a better idea of the full storyline. Inside Out 2 will release June 14, 2024. This long anticipated sequel will be streaming on Disney+, with a rating of PG-13. Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust have been running a successful operation by all accounts. However, when Anxiety shows up, they aren’t sure how to feel. It Ends With Us It will be releases February 9 2024, It is going to stream on Netflix it’s rated R. Lily believes she’s found true love with Ryle, but when a painful incident triggers past trauma, she must decide if love alone can carry her marriage through. Deadpool 3, a later releasing movie, will be releases July 26th 2024, The movie is rated R and it will stream exclusively on Max and it is about Wolverine recovering from his injuries when he crosses paths with the loudmouth, Deadpool. They team up to defeat a common enemy. March 8, 2024 is when Imaginary is going to be released, and the movie is rated R. The movie is about a woman named Wise returns to her childhood home to find that her imaginary friend from childhood is waiting for her – and is not pleased that it had been abandoned for so long.

Tis’ the season Top ten holiday songs

Story by Asher Carpenter and Oli Matthew, design by Caroline Knight

PNHS students weighed in on their favorite holiday tunes in a pre-winter break Google Forms survey, and here’s what they had to say:

Underneath the Tree by Kelly Clarkson

River by Joni Mitchell

Step Into Christmas Elton John

O holy night by Harry Connick Junior

Silent Night by Frank Sinatra

Rock Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

Jingle Bells

Santa Tell Me by Ariana Grande

All I want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey

10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4.

3. 2. 1.

Expires May 2024

e “ ree Little Words” project is a way to showcase the writing of PN student authors who may not be on the Northern Light Sta . Email athorpe@ portageps.org to nd out more information. @pnlight @PN.light

@PNHSnorthernlight

@portage.northern.light

Perhaps you have heard this phrase many times, maybe you even said it before. I have heard it many times, from teachers, to politicians and even from my parents. Encouraging someone to consider “the greater good” implies that the one who hears it can’t be trusted, at least not to make the right decision for the good of a whole group versus the good of an individual, and there is something inherently condescending in the mantra as a result. It feels as though your worries are being ignored or that your personal concerns are not as important as those of society as a whole. Is it really okay to put aside our individual issues and just act “for the greater good?” In that line of thinking, do we, as individuals, matter at all?

Beyond that, in a world where everyone is so vastly di erent, who denes what the greater good even is? Almost every issue where this idea is mentioned is incredibly complex. Is it worth it to let potentially innocent people die to avoid police o cers from dying in the line of duty? Are guns worth owning for self defense if thousands are killed by them yearly?

We choose to give these questions and so many others to those in power to decide. It’s curious how one senator is meant to represent nearly 40,000 people, and yet we should imagine they can accurately represent all of our beliefs and ideas in a singular vote. ey are tasked with making for the greater good, but in their de nition, or ours?

If only we could agree, things might just be simpler.

Andrew Collins, class of 2027

Illustration by Elle Mun