January/February Edition

NL

VOLUME 47 ISSUE 4

the northern light

Battle of the Bathrooms: How will we accomodate for LGBTQ rights?

Portage Portage Northern Northern High High School School 1000 1000 Idaho Idaho Ave, Ave, Portage Portage 49024 49024

www.portagenorthernlight.com

the

s te d ai t o fr s f editor in chief

Cortney Chow

chief designer Ben Lewis

website editor Megna Joshi

social media manager Lyndsey Case

feature editor

Allison Mckenzie

letter from the editor In this edition, the staff wanted to help the students and faculty understand the spectrum of genders and sexualities.

It’s important to be educated on this topic, and with our coverage, we can make progress in accommodating for everyone’s rights, for example, bathrooms, sex education, and more. By investigating personal experiences, researching statistics, and witnessing protests and

news editor

Abby Sebber

spotlight editor Lexi Gavlas

sports editor

Carter Landis

entertainment editor Lily Antor

copy editor

Megan Rinock

copy editor Lexi Kava

cern to their audience.

It will not be reviewed or restrained by school officials prior to publication or distribution. Advisers may -and should- coach and discuss content during the writing process, The Northern Light has but ultimately decisions been established as a des- are left up to the editorial ignated public forum for leadership board. student editors to inform and educate their readers Because school officials as well as for the discus- do not engage in prior resion of issues of con- view, and the content of The Northern Light in print and online is the official student-produced media of news and information published/produced by PNHS journalism students.

s ta f f w r i t e r s Demi Jensen Sal DelVecchio Mackenzie Brey Issra Said Lexi Doll Deidre Crowell Anai Freeman Matilda Buehler Kylee Ewert Sheila Mwanda

photographer Cameron Schaefer

2 CUT PAGE

ties are accepted.Change does not happen immediately, but hopefully, what you take away from this edition will guarantee a transition towards a community of acceptance, respect, and diveristy.

Take action, Cortney Chow, Editor-inChief

policies at the nl

Meredith Ablao

opinon editor

ment and respect, and it’s time that the sheltered city of Portage looks into how students and members of society struggle with their identity. By becoming aware and educated, we can help people overcome the discrimination they face. Writing these articles may seem like a small step, but bringing awareness in any shape or form will be considWe need to help the ered significant towards school foster encourage- a future where all identirallies, we must speak up for the people that are ostracized for being themselves. I hope that this month’s feature inspires the students and staff at Portage Northern to respect everyone’s identities because the only way we can adjust the school system to accommodate for all individuals is to unite towards this cause.

February 10, 2017

the Northern Light is determined by and reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself; its student editorial board and responsible student staff members assume complete responsibility for the content of the publication.

As a Michigan Interscholastic Press Association member publication, the

Northern Light adheres to the highest standards of journalistic integrity.

Photos, art, and other such visuals are either original projects created by the Northern, designated for Fair Use, or part of the public domain. In rare instances, we may use other media with the owner’s express written permission.

@northern_ light_news

pnlight2016

@pnlight portagenorthernlight.com

CONTENTS 16

4

OPINION:

NEWS:

A Vision of Hope for the First 100 Days

The First 100 Days

17

6

PRO-CON:

SPOTLIGHT:

Girls’ Basketball

Living with Childhood Cancer

7 NEWS ANALYSIS: Black History Month

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9

SPORTS:

FEATURE:

Portage Muskie Rugby

Lives in Prison

14 FEATURE: Private vs. Universal Healthcare

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From the cover . . . . .

BATTLE FOR THE BATHROOM Page 10

MODERN GENDER ROLES Page 11

A DAY IN THE LIFE Page 12

February 10, 2017

23 ENTERTAINMENT: Growing Hollywood Diversity

CONTENTS 3

The First 100 Days Sunday

Monday

lexi doll (11) || staff writer The most Executive Orders ever were signed by FDR, who issued 3,522 over the 12 years he was President (most of which were aimed at curbing the effects of the Great Depression). If he continues at his current pace, President Trump will issue 1460 executive actions by the end of just 4 years. In comparison, the last 3 presidents combined issued 931 executive actions over their 8-year administrations.

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday January

Saturday

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Executive Order Minimizing the Economic Burden of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Pending Repeal.

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Memorandums to cease funding for oversees organizations that promoted abortion and withdraw from the TPP.

Memorandums authorizing the Keystone/ Dakota Pipelines and requiring them to be American-made; Executive Order to expedite environmental review of key projects.

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Executive Order to further reduce regulations on domestic manufacturing by setting a quota of regulations for each agency.

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Memorandum to reduce regulations on domestic manufacturing; Executive Orders to end sanctuary cities and strengthen border control/build a wall to border Mexico.

February

Executive Order banning entrance to the US from 7 predominantly Muslim countries deemed dangerous; Memorandum to enhance military readiness.

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9 Executive Orders for new legislation to reduce violent crime, combat drug cartels, and make crimes against police a felony.

4 NEWS February 10, 2017

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28 Executive Order to limit lobbying by previous government officials; Memorandums to restructure the NSC and form a plan to defeat ISIS.

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10

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Executive Order to allow the executive branch to regulate the United States financial system.

Executive Order providing an order of succession within the DOJ.

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The Women’s March: familiar faces protesting lily antor (11) || entertainment editor

O

n Saturday, January 21st, a mere few hours after the swearing in ceremony of President Donald Trump, an estimated 2.5-4.8 million people worldwide took to the streets in protest for the Women’s March on Washington. Across the globe several hundred sister marches occurred, protesting for the rights of women everywhere. “I attended the sister march in East Lansing - it was my way of opposing President Trump’s divisive rhetoric and the way he has treated women over the course of his life and during his ugly campaign,” said Lily Case (9). She was not the only familiar face at Portage Northern to attend a march: Kellie Pittman, Greathen Derenne, and student Tashifa Fayyaz were among others that attended historic event. “I experienced a lot of beautiful things that day. I learned that change truly does start from us, the common people,” said Fayyaz (12) on her experience from the march in Chicago.

These four faces at Portage Northern all marched on a similar basis that involved the results of the recent November election. The Women’s March officially occurred with the purpose of demonstrating to American political leaders the importance regarding a multitude of issues. Yet, despite the various reasons

that caused people all across the coun- “Why didn’t these people vote?” The try to protest, Greathen Derenne said following day, however, President that the marchers presented Trump tweeted, “Peaceful “a unified and diverse protests are a hallforce working tomark of our degether to make mocracy,” and a stand for added, “even women everyif I don’t where.” always The march agree, I did not recogo c c u r nize the without rights of opposipeople tion, howto exever. Many press p e o p l e t h e i r agree with views.”

Republican The oppoPhoto by Kellie Pittman. representative sition to the Lynn Jenkins, march did not who felt as though end up halting the march was simply the people deter“a lot of angry, frustrated mined to protest. Women people.” Comments questioning united all across the country to the purpose of the march and voice their discontent and seek its goals began to action from both appear all over the local and federal internet as it progovernment. “The gressed throughout women’s march the day, including is important besome from the newcause it serves as ly-elected President a reminder that Trump. He tweeted that he “was democracy is about the people, under the impression that we had not the president,” said history just had an election,” and asked, teacher Kellie Pittman. Despite

Lily Case (9) travelled to the Lansing sister march to protest against the new administration with a group of friends from PNHS. Photo courtsey of Lily Case.

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Kellie Pittman, a history teacher here at PNHS, journeyed all the way to Washington D.C. to experience the history that was made that day. Photo courtsey of Pittman.

the March being the biggest protest in history, Pittman is hesitant to consider the event the sole success to achieving the goals people marched for. “While it was exciting to be in D.C. and our presence was definitely felt, it cannot be stressed enough that this only the first step in what will be a long and difficult fight.” Pittman says the upcoming midterm elections could provide those opportunities, but only time will tell. “The march needs to transition from a moment into a movement.”

Greathen Derenne, a teacher from the second floor of PNHS, took a bus all the way to Washington D.C. to partake in the Washington D.C. March. Photo by Derrene.

Tashifa Fayyaz (12) drove with her family to the Chicago sister march to protest the new administration and their comments regarding women. Photo by Fayyaz.

February 10, 2017

NEWS 5

Haylee’s MRI clearly shows the unnerving size of her brain tumor (left) while she is still able to smile despte having a large scar from her cranitomy and hair loss from her radiation (right). Photos courtesy of the Lewis Family/ taken by the NL staff.

Haylee Lewis: a portrait of a cancer fighter Haylee’s story:

She found herself in a bustling hallway trying to get to her next class as friends followed her stride - everything seemed normal for bright high school student Haylee Lewis. When she found herself in class, she was attentive and learning until her head started to spiral into pain. Just another normal recurring headache...until one inflicted so much pain that she was admitted into the hospital. From there, the truth of her health and wellness could only be told

by CAT scans and MRIs. However, unlike most patients, Lewis was not intimidated by the enormous machines and chaotic hospital scene; this is because she was diagnosed with leukemia at just 9 years old.

While her peers were in elementary school playing, Haylee was at the hospital fighting. This fighter mentality followed Lewis through 2 years of intense chemotherapy and complete hair loss before she went into remission. Just last year, her doctor finally said a word that made Lewis’ hope for the future flourish: cured.

Just one month later, she was in the emergency room due to the searing pain in her head. The new tests suggested that years of accumulating radiation has led to the source of her headaches: glioblastoma, a

06 SPOTLIGHT February 10, 2017

cortney chow (12) || editor-in-chief

highly malignant, aggressive, invasive brain cancer that they had no idea she had because it does not present in any bloodwork. What shocked her family and herself was that there were three tumors, one primary and two secondary, that had caused bleeding in her brain. The primary tumor was very large - so large that it managed to move the midline of her brain. After Dawn Lewis (Haylee’s mother) saw the results of the tests, she was shocked. “They weren’t telling us that it was cancer, but with her history, we knew that it was,” said Dawn. “When they showed us the MRI, I couldn’t believe the tumor was that big.

It looked huge,” she added. “I couldn’t believe that she had a tumor that big and all she had was a bad headache.” The results meant that Haylee would once again go through the lengthy process of treating and fighting cancer, a routine that she had looked forward to escaping.

Haylee’s condition was so serious that she had her MRI on July 30th and was in surgery on August 2nd with the goal of removing as much of the tumors as possible. The deep tumors could not be removed, but surgeons were able to resect about 60% of the mass of the large tumor. “They told [us] that she had 6 months and told us to take her home,” Dawn said.

Not happy with that answer, Haylee’s parents made her an appointment for a second opinion at U of M’s Mott Children’s Hospital, where they gave her hope and prescribed a treatment plan that involved 6 weeks of intense radiation followed by oral chemotherapy.

“The radiation was successful on the two smaller tumors. They aren’t even showing up right now on the MRI,” Dawn said. Because there is no cure for glioblastoma, the goal of the oral chemo is to shrink the size of the existing tumor and prevent new tumors from growing. “U of M helped us have more hope,” said Dawn. “The doctors there don’t give you a life expectancy or a timeline. They focus on one treatment option at a time and do their best to improve the here and now.” According to the American Brain Tumor Association, patients with Haylee’s cancer have a sixyear median survival rate of 25%, which can be scary.

“Having cancer again is different because I am more aware of everything now,” Haylee said. “It’s more scary because there is no cure for my cancer. Sometimes I am afraid to die.” Despite the hospital stays, that’s actually not the worst part of her fight. “I joke that the hospital is my second home,” she said. “One of the hardest things is that I want to be like a normal teenager, but I can’t,” said Haylee.

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Family impact: Thankfully, Cancer is not a fight that Haylee has to battle alone; the love from Dawn, Shawn Lewis (her father), and Zach Lewis (her little brother) gives her strength and courage.“It’s hard not being at school everyday,” Haylee said. “My friends and family are what keeps me going. Even when I can’t be at school, my friends text me a lot and if I feel good enough they come over and see me or I go over and see them.”

Because of Haylee’s battle with cancer, her family needed to adjust their lifestyles to ensure Haylee’s progress toward being cancer free. Dawn said that the biggest transition for her was learning what

it was like to be a full time caretaker. “In the ER, I would meet caretakers who looked after an elderly person and had to lift them and help them with basically everything. I had never experienced that with a grown-sized person. I really respect anyone who is a caretaker because it is a big responsibility.” Furthermore, this experience brought back the financial reality of going through cancer treatments for the Lewis family. “Having to miss work is a big factor,” said Shawn, who works at Kaiser Aluminum. “When you have a normal teenager who isn’t feeling well and can’t go to school, you can leave them at home to rest by themselves. We can’t do that because something could happen.” The family accommodates for Haylee’s illness and will go to great lengths to ensure her wellness. However, this cancer treatment comes with many different price tags. Dawn worked as a full-time ER technician before having to go to on-call status to

accommodate all of the appointments and Haylee’s care needs. Missing work and having to travel across the state for appointments have had a big financial impact on the family. Additionally, while the medical bills have largely been covered by insurance, other important expenses have not. For example, Haylee’s wig and her emotional support counseling are expensive and not covered by insurance.

One of Haylee’s family’s biggest frustrations is the lack of funding and research for childhood cancers.

Only about 4% of federal and American Cancer Society funding goes specifically toward childhood cancer research. As a result, research is limited and few new treatments for children are available. Most of the standard practices now are to offer adult treatments at lower doses. In fact, according to the FDA, only two new cancer drugs have been approved for children in the last 20 years. “About 20 years ago, doctors were able to drastically increase the cancer

survival rate from 45% to 80% by starting to use spinal fluid chemo injections. There was so much progress at that time that it seems like it’s not as urgent to make the same kinds of discoveries now,” Dawn said. In Haylee’s case, the five-year survival rate for glioblastoma has not changed significantly over time due to lack of research. The reasons for the lack of momentum for child cancer research is because it is not profitable for the companies who produce them.

Because of this, childhood cancer advocates worked to get the Creating Hope Act passed in 2012, which

offers companies vouchers to expedite the development and approval of these drugs. “Chemo drugs are the only medicine that hospitals can significantly mark up,” said Shawn. “They can purchase the drug for $2,000, charge the insurance company $10,000, and pocket the rest.” This creates a situation where providers, not drug companies, profit off the drug and also where families who are already fighting cancer have to also fight insurance companies to pay for the treatments.

Haylee and her parents are well aware of just how deadly any kind of cancer can be. When Haylee was in treatment for leukemia, she made two “cancer friends,” Kaiden and Caitlyn. While Haylee survived, both of her friends did not make it past age 12.

Kept mostly isolated from the grown up financial realities of Haylee’s condition is Zach, the loving brother that observes Haylee through all her struggles and successes with the cancer treatment. When asked about how he felt about Haylee’s situation, he said, “[It’s] the same as having a normal sister, just a really sleepy one.” Zack also said, “I worry a lot, but I try not to worry too much.”

Childhood Cancer Research:

how to help:

Outlets to help include local and nationwide organizations, and participating in either or both will put us one step closer to helping Haylee and others that suffer from cancer. “We do Relay for Life because we know other cancer families that we are able to go and support, but it’s hard because we know where their money goes,” Dawn said. National groups are working on pediatric cancer treatments that would be good to donate to are the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Cure Search, and the Children’s Oncology Group. Locally, Cancer Families United and DC Strong (operated by the family of Haylee’s cancer friend, Dustin) are helping local families cope with

1

Taken just one day after Haylee’s craniotomy, This was Haylee’s first time out of the hospital bed in three days.

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the experience of childhood cancer. When asking Haylee about the thing that she needed to overcome this illness, she responded with, “Hope. You can’t lose your hope.” In fact, the fundraisers to support Haylee’s family have been called Haylee’s Hope because being hopeful has gotten Haylee and her family through this journey. See https://www.facebook. com/hayleeshope/ for more information.

Although Haylee carries her illness with her, she refuses to let it be a definer by making her own strides to create the normal life she’s always wanted. Haylee even works at Auntie Anne’s in the mall, and she says

it’s because, “It gets me out of the house. I’m home a lot, and I watch a lot of TV and rest. I like to be out if I can.” Haylee also has aspirations to become a veterinarian due her love of animals. This goes to show how Haylee will not put her life on pause for an illness and that she isn’t so different from the students at Portage Northern High School after all. Haylee is an inspiring and strong student who is a portrait of a cancer fighter, and with her family’s support, community’s involvement, and her willpower, she is determined to be a normal teenager.

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4

First outing to the mall appoximately two weeks after Haylee came home from the hospital.

Haylee was still weak and was having balance issues, hence the wheelchair.

Her brother Zach is holding her hand.

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Haylee starting daily radiation for 6 weeks.

February 10, 2017

SPOTLIGHT 07

Black History Month Returns to Portage Northern sheila mwanda (10) || staff writer, carter landis (11) || sports editor

P

ortage Northern’s annual Black History Month assembly returns February 23rd during fourth hour as students will show the importance of acknowledging African American culture and heritage. This assembly is crucial in our current time with all the racial tension not just in the United States, but in the entire world. The goal of the assembly is to highlight African American history while showing that the students of Portage Northern should be well aware of what’s going on in the world and not afraid to acknowledge it so it can be changed.

preparation.

Featuring twenty students and directed

by English teacher and Northern Light adviser Amanda Thorpe, the assembly features pieces of singing, dancing, speaking, and bringing powerful attention to the historical and recent discrimination against innocent black Americans. The members of the show are working extremely hard to present their passion and display the importance of equal rights all while teaching interesting aspects of black American history that might get left out due to time constraints in regular history classes. The group has been rehearsing since December and is currently practicing for 10 or more hours per week in

With such significant roles in the Black History Month assembly, both students have a message that they want people to take away. “There is also a lot more to Black History than Martin Luther King and what is taught in the classroom,” said Bynum. She also wants people to understand that elements of black culture have been taken and incorporated into other cultures and that while it’s willing to be shared with others, the credit should be given to where it originally came from. Johnson wants people to leave with a greater knowledge and understanding of black culture and to have a feeling of togetherness.

For the students participating in it, the assembly is more than just an excuse to get out of their fourth hour classes. To them, it holds a greater significance. “I believe that the assembly is important because not many other schools do it,” explained Olivia Bynum (12). Carleah Johnson believes, “if we didn’t have it, no one would recognize Black History Month.” Bynum is in charge of choreographing the dance and Johnson is responsible for designing the t-shirts and one of the skits.

Above, Black history month participants Dorah Stephen (12) and Lydia Willhite (12) make a list of everyone in the group so they can stay in touch about rehearsal schedules. “It’s important to me to do the assembly so that I can show other students what they can do,” Willhite said. “For example, I am one of just three black IB diploma candidates, and I want to inspire others to challenge themselves.” Below, the group decides how to allocate their rehearsal time / Abby Paige.

Breaking the curriculum: welcoming a new book to freshmen learning keegan tenney (10) || staff writer

For many years, the Portage Northern freshman curriculum has remained the same, having many books that revolve around not only American but world history. This spring, teachers are spicing things up by teaching a new book, Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, because the book is the Portage District Libray’s CommuniTeen Read and the author herself is coming to PNHS on March 28th and 29th.

know exactly where Thisby is, but I am European and it feels like Scotland to me. The writing is very detailed and it is easy to imagine the setting.” Her classmate Sarah Maniscalo (9) also likes the novel so far. “I like the book because of the way it’s written and how they realistically portray riding,” she said. Maniscalo, who rides horses twice a week, also added, “I also like the mythology of the water horses.”

Winner of the prestigious Printz Award, Scorpio Races is a competitive fantasy novel that features a strong female protagonist and flesh-eating horses. Told from two different points of view, the novel is detailed, exciting, and rigorous. “It’s an interesting writing style, it’s in third person but you get to see right into someone’s thoughts, so sometimes the sentences keep you on your toes about what is happening,” said Honors 9 student Margaux Gendre. “I also like the setting. We don’t

At just 35 years old, Stiefvater is already an acclaimed author, artist, and songwriter living in Virginia. Earning the praise of critics and reviewers alike, her other books, The Raven Boys and the Shiver trilogy, are also in the PNHS library. On March 28th, the author is coming after school hours to Northern’s auditorium. Everyone is welcome, and there is no cost. On March 29th, in the morning, the author is coming in in the morning to give a presentation on her book and communicate with

8 NEWS February 10, 2017

the students. “The students know I am coming; we can’t let them down! I will drive instead of fly to save the CommuniTeen Read event money,” said Stief-

vater, displaying her dedication to the PN visit.

Honors freshman from left Megan Chow, Zoe Zeluff, and Karen Robles read The Scorpio Races in class / NL Staff.

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IMPRISONED A mind in prison

cameron schaefer (12) || photographer On Sunday, February 5th, 111.3 million people across the country tuned in to view Super Bowl LI as the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons laid their hearts on the synthetic turf field of the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. Sheer determination was poured into each play as both teams risked it all in order for one to ultimately claim themselves as the Super Bowl LI champions. With each footstep placed onto the field, every single player not only risked potential humiliation by fans and critics, but more importantly, they came face to face with the most serious affair in the game-colliding with the ground or another player and encountering serious head trauma.

In 2015, researchers with the Department of Veterans Affairs and Boston University conducted a lab in which they diagnosed 87 deceased former National Football League (NFL) players with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Furthermore, “the lab has found CTE in the brain tissue in 131 out of 165 individuals who, before their deaths, played football either professionally, semi-professionally, in college or in high school,” according to the Public Broadcasting Service. Boston University’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy defines Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy as a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in athletes (and others) with a history of repetitive brain trauma, including symptomatic concussions as well as asymptomatic subconcussive hits to the head. While millions of everyday people are investing their energy into further understanding and preventing the development of CTE in the brain, one man in particular can be credited with first discovering this deadly disease: Nigerian-American physician, forensic pathologist, and neuropathologist, Doctor Bennet Omalu.

On Christmas Day of 2015, Concussion hit U.S. movie theaters by storm, seeing just over 23 million dollars in box office earnings. In this impressively informative drama, Dr. Bennet Omalu’s story of perseverance and questioning towards the NFL regarding the damage that had been done to football players who suffered from repetitive blows to the head which resulted in major concussions during their careers is portrayed by writer and director Peter Landesman. The brain of legendary Mike Webster, former Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs player, was where Dr. Omalu first discovered CTE in the year 2002, which sparked an ember of interest in many. Since Dr. Omalu’s discovery, fellow neuropathologists, such as Dr. Ann McKee, have researched how mild traumatic brain injury in physical contact sports affects the brain.

CTE in particular carries with it severe repercussions that are irreversible once the damage is done. Each diagnosed case of CTE is distinct in its own ways depending on the human being that has it, however, many of these cases are associated with multiple horrors such as: loss of memory, confusion, incapacitated judgement, aggression, depression, and in some instances, dementia. The final stage of CTE, as reported by Dr. Ann McKee, is deformation of the brain and its cognitive functions. The brain’s approximate 100 billion neurons, or nerve cells, risk being killed while coping with CTE. Not only that, but Dr. Ann McKee has found that the brain can, in time, shrink to ½ its normal size.

At the same time researchers and neuropathologists such as Dr. Ann McKee were contemplating ways that CTE can be prevented altogether on Super Bowl Sunday, Portage Northern’s football players were viewing the final game together in the igloo. When nearly half of the players were polled, only 6 out of 40 had some familiarity with the disease of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. It is vitally important for every member involved in the game of football to be aware of the ways in which a player can safely participate in the game that is loved by many.

Varsity football player Jack Haverdink (10), says “The biggest problem isn’t what the rules are, but how often the violations of the rules are spotted.” Haverdink’s words prove that all in all it is a collective effort to make the game a safe place for every player. Coach Schermerhorn’s mentality goes in a similar direction, exclaiming, “We want to make the game as safe as humanly possible, otherwise it is in danger of not existing anymore.”

portagenorthernlight.com

A generation in prison

lyndsey case (12) || social media manager The United States counts for 5% of the world’s population yet holds 25% of the world’s prisons. Of which, 60% of inmates in prison are people of color, according to the documentary The 13th. In order to understand why our prisons are so densely populated with people of color, we can go as far back as the Thirteenth Amendment.

“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” When the emancipation proclamation was issued ending slavery, “freed blacks” were prosecuted for minor crimes or no crime at all due to the fact that there were no officials around to prove whether they did or did not commit a crime. In addition, racist sentiments were still present in the South. Prisons began to become densely populated with African Americans. This was just the beginning of mass incarceration, according to the documentary The 13th.

With Civil Rights laws in place, stronger police force requirements, and rules to follow, it became increasingly difficult for communities of color to be as openly targeted as they were in the early 1900s. Until the 1990’s, that is, when there became a new way to target impoverished communities without being openly discriminatory: minor drug arrests.

The push for drug arrests started in the 90’s with Nixon and Reagan’s War on Drugs and campaign for “law and order,” which amounted more to mass incarceration than actual law and order. Though the push for drug arrests is still rapidly increasing, the actual drug use has stayed the same, meaning we are just arresting mass amounts of people for no reason, specifically people of color. According to the Bureau of Prisons, there are 207,847 people incarcerated in federal prisons. Roughly half (48.6 percent) are in for drug offenses. Of those 48.6 percent, 35% are black. This represensentatin is very large considering that African Americans only make up 14% of the population. The criminal justice system along with the police force targets lower class communities for minor drug infractions, like marijuana possession.

After being branded with the logo of a debilitating criminal record, these individuals face barriers to employment, housing, and stability. In fact, there are only 7 states in which a past criminal history does not immediately red-flag an applicant on a job application (West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy).

If drugs are the problem that our federal government wants to focus on, then it should be approached in a different way then it has been, since the way that it’s been approached has not dropped drug usage in Americans. Drugs are an addiction issue or a mental health issue, not a criminal issue. By focusing on treating those who suffer from drug addiction as people who have a mental health issues rather than criminals, we can rehabilitate instead of punish.

We often do not bring attention to the prison system in America because of our natural negative judgements toward ‘criminals,” but by solving this issue we can lower crime rates, lower prison population, lower drug use, and lower unemployment rates by giving ‘criminals’ the ability to restart their life.

A minor drug offense can force young people, especially of color, on the path from school to prison when they could have been rehabilitated. Illustration by Megan Rinock.

February 10, 2017

FEATURE

9

The Battle of the

bathrooms 10 FEATURE February 10, 2017

portagenorthernlight.com

History of transgenderism lily antor (11) || entertainment editor “I didn’t know that transgender history was even a thing until I looked it up when I was in middle school,” Morgan Crow (10) said, confessing his previous oblivion to transgender history. The whole concept of varying sexualties and gender identities has been in existence for thousands of years, but very few people know about it. “I wish there was more taught about transgender and gay history, I literally know next to nothing about it and am gay myself,” said Abigail Allen (11). According to CNS News, California will be the first state in the entire country to include LGBT history in a class syllabus, starting in this 2017 school year. “I think it’s very sad because a lot of kids don’t realize there is a history behind this community. Teaching the history and health aspects could be so helpful to those kids who may consider transitioning,” said Spanish teach-

mackenzie brey (11) || staff writer In all corners of the world, acceptance of the LGBTQA community is a huge problem. People fight and die for their right to be happy and continue to plead that we need to accept everyone no matter the circumstance, but for the people who have yet to accept, maybe the key is to first understand.

To begin with, there are many gender and sexuality expressions that people have publicly identified with. In terms

traced all the way back to Asian settlements established prior to the Roman and Greek empires, which are known as the first civilized people to acknowledge gay relationships and to possess recorded accounts of Morgan Crow (10), a student who does not conform to the gender binary, works cross-dresson an assignment for class. Photo by NL Staff. ing.

Early western civier Katie Paynich. This lack of education lization also had many tribes that acmakes it very difficult for kids to know knowledged a third gender.

In 1755, whether or not the history itself exists. the first modern and openly lesbian The first LGBT documentation can be woman, Charlotte Clark, published an autobiography. As the years progressed

to more recent history, the amount of openly trans and gay people began to increase. In 1952, Christine Jorgensen was the first famous person to medically transition, opening a door for publicizing transgender issues. During the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s, the homosexual community became active in advocating for the issues surrounding them, but they were virtually ignored by the public and the history textbooks.

Most recently, Caitlyn Jenner has become influential in continuing to spread trans awareness. Yet so many others before her have helped contribute to the movement we know today - a movement that seems to only be growing and gaining more strength. Crow also adds, “Learning about the history helped me explain to my parents how normal transgenderism is while I was transitioning - that is why it needs to stop being overlooked and be taught in curriculums in order to help other students.”

The gender spectrum of gender, people across the globe have decided themselves to be agender, no affiliation with either gender, bigender, association with both genders interchangeably, cisgender, association with the gender given at birth, and many more. These people identify with one or more or even no genders and may or may not conform to traditional societal gender roles. For example, in some countries around the world, such as India, a third gender is socially accepted.

This may be due to the idea of reincarnation, which makes gender, sex, and species less of concern in the bigger

picture, or the fact that Hindu gods are generally androgenous, but either way it has led to a more accepting environment there with regard to gender.

To focus on sexuality, people identify with being asexual, no identification with any sexuality, heterosexual, attraction to the opposite gender, pansexual, attraction to all sexualities, and many more. These people are just that, people. We all look for love and no matter who we look to for it, it’s something we all need. GSA member Grace Beam (11), who doesn’t conform to binary ideas

about sexuality, said, “I think that no matter what religion, sexuality, gender, or background you are, everyone should take a little time to learn something about the sexuality and gender spectrums.”

In the end, there may be some confusion or complete ignorance towards people who identify outside of being heterosexual and cisgender, but in the world of today, that’s the reality we live in and the only answer is to start the understanding now.

The bathroom battle demi jensen (11) || staff writer Leelah Alcorn, a seventeen year old

trans girl, committed suicide on December 28, 2014 after her parents continually failed to support her emotionally. Her death made headlines all across the U.S. and beyond, bringing further awareness to the constant struggle that the trans community faces.

However, Leelah is not the only person who experienced this. According to vocative.com, 41% of trans people have attempted suicide, compared to 4.6% for cisgendered people (people who identify with the gender they

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were born with). It’s a sad reality that needs attention.

Compassion, acceptance, and help can all improve the lives of trans people; however, some people are not ready to accept everyone. This is an extremely controversial issue locally and globally. Recently, the “battle of the bathrooms” has been the topic of discussion when it comes to trans issues. Usually, someone would not be questioned if they were to use the restroom, yet the trans community has continually faced being criticised for which bathroom they use. Some states have even gone as far as to ban trans people from using the bathroom they want or regu-

lating jurisdictions to prevent anti-discrimination laws. These states include Arkansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

Arkansas and Tennessee prohibit local jurisdictions from passing anti-discrimination laws, and Mississippi does not explicitly regulate bathroom access. North Carolina is the only state that bans the use of bathrooms that do not correlate with the individual’s biological sex.

Portage Northern does their best to make transgender students feel comfortable. “At the beginning of the year, parents will inform the school that they have a student that identifies as transgender, and at that point,

there is a discussion on which restroom the student would prefer to utilize. Through that process, we talk about the options that they have, which include the unisex restrooms, and at that point, the student and family inform us which one they would prefer,” explained assistant principal Nathan Ledlow.

For the most part, transgender students have felt safe here, but that isn’t always the case. “It depends on where you are. In a restaurant it’s not too bad, but sometimes when you go somewhere where the bathrooms are crowded, it can be uncomfortable because you can tell that the rest of the people need to know “what” you are in order for them to feel comfortable,” said Morgan Crow (10).

February 10, 2017

FEATURE 11

About a Boy mackenzie brey (11) || staff writer

I

n 2016, PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians And Gays) of New York City reported that around one fifth of students are attacked physically due to their sexual orientation, over a tenth because of their gender expression, and near two-thirds of LGBT students reported having ever been sexually harassed in school in the past year. Not only is this not okay, this is downright terrifying. By being themselves, children are living a hell that can’t be imagined. We’d like to think that situations like this only happen in other places, but the fact of the matter is that it happens to students that walk the halls of Portage Northern as well. Sophomore Zack Quick knows the brutal reality of this all too well.

Before Zack knew anything about gender or transitioning, he knew something was up with his identity. “When I was little, I knew I was a boy, not a girl, but I didn’t know how to tell my mom and I didn’t know that people were transgender either.

When I talked to her about it, I just said, “I’m a boy” and she said ‘So you’re transgender?” and I said ‘What’s that?’” w Zack entered Central Middle School as a boy. He shared, “People weren’t very supportive of everything, my friends weren’t very nice, and no one there was really nice to me at all.” He paused to reflect, then continued: “sometimes people would mess up my pronouns on purpose or call me by the wrong name just to be mean.” Most would never bat an eye at someone else’s right to happiness, especially someone as smart, kind and quiet as Zack, but some just didn’t understand. Though he was and is able to find a shining light in these and other sad moments, not everyone can be this way. The saying that “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me,” is complete garbage. Words hurt and when they are pointed directly at you rather than shared behind your back, they can hurt even more.

It’s not just kids being kids, it’s kids intentionally making other kids feel terrible.

12 FEATURE February 10, 2017

“I do wish more teachers had watched more, because sometimes in class someone might whisper something and I heard it, but the teacher wouldn’t and nothing would ever happen.”

Despite the mistreatment, he never gave up and is still glad that he is at PN. “[at Northern,] all of the teachers are supportive and actually care about everything,” he said. In particular, he shared that his counselor, Amy DiMaggio, “has made everything a lot easier.”

Transitioning didn’t just affect Zack’s school life, it drastically altered his home life as well. “Some of my family…” he trails off before finishing his thought. “They’re not very supportive and they try to talk to me about [being transgender] and say ‘this isn’t right.’” Even the closest family members can have a difficult time understanding someone wanting to change their gender. “My dad is kind of not nice about it sometimes…and says some mean things about transgender people.” Zack’s mom has a softer side. “My mom has been really supportive and has been the one who helped me through everything,” he shared.

Portage Northern’s population has made things easier for one student, but there still needs to be more awareness of and focus on those students who aren’t being shown as much respect and acceptance. Last year, Zack was misidentified both in the yearbook and by substitute teachers on accident. Though he was and is able to find a shining light in these and other sad moments, not everyone can be this way. His advice for students who are facing similar situations is to “educate themselves more by looking it up on the internet or maybe asking someone who is transgender some questions.” It simply comes down to the fact that we all need to unlearn judgement, and to follow the words of Atticus Finch, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

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February 10, 2017

FEATURE 13

PR :

The only major country on earth that doesn’t guarantee health care to all people as a right, not a privilege.

deidre crowell (11) || staff writer

A

s Donald Trump begins his presidency, many Americans are hopeful that he will improve our nation’s failing healthcare system, while others worry about his pledge to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Universal healthcare advocates argue that the complete privatization of the industry is an idea of the rich and greedy and tend to ignore the consequences behind socialized medical structures. Although there is no easy solution to the nation’s flawed healthcare system, it is important to avoid a doctrine that relies on taking the money from one person’s pocket to put it in another’s.

On the surface, the notion that healthcare is a human right seems compassionate, and if money was an unlimited resource and people had a natural inclination to work, universal healthcare would be a viable option. Each dollar the government spends on coverage, however, is taxpayer money. This has caused premiums to skyrocket for the middle class

since they subsidize lower wage earners. In this way, long-term free health care disincentivizes working and earning a livable income.

Current HealthCare.gov television commercials show individuals and families thrilled to receive subsidies which dramatically reduce their monthly premiums, sometimes to $0. What’s not shown is the vast number of other Americans facing substantial hardships as they provide these subsidies for them. The commercials also fail to show the system’s unsustainability. When the wealthy pay substantially higher premiums, redistributing wealth would eventually remove the money source. In former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher’s words in a 1976 TV interview, “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”

In an Iowa democratic debate, Bernie Sanders said the United States is “the only major coun-

” Andrew Rist-Crummell(10)

The current universal healthcare system is a bit shaky; I support privatized healthcare because I believe that it should be a person’s job to take care of their family and they shouldn’t rely on the government so much.

14 OPINION February 10, 2017

”

try on earth that doesn’t guarantee health care to all people as a right, not a privilege.” When Sanders and others use the common argument that the United States should follow the trend to match other major countries, they avoid discussing any actual benefits and uses the bandwagon logical fallacy.

As supporters of the law claim the plan is working, they should consider what this means. Although it is true that more people are insured than before, the 16.64 million figure used to show the number of people to gain coverage includes middle class families who chose not to purchase insurance, seeing the drawbacks outweigh the benefits. The figure also includes those who were temporarily without insurance. The Affordable Care Act essentially forces these people to purchase something they didn’t want, and defenders cite the statistics in a wrongfully positive tone.

Stating that those without insurance were denied

health care prior to the enactment of The Affordable Care Act is a false claim, as people had access to hospital services; emergency rooms could not turn people away, and those under a defined income threshold were provided Medicaid.

The conservative platform advocates for coverage for the disabled and temporary safety nets which provide help in times of need without disincentivizing work. The healthcare industry should be administered similarly to others in capitalistic societies. Privately run and allowed to be competitive, the government is only involved in consumer spending when safety nets are necessary. This drives down prices, allows for more freedom in physician choice, and does not force people to pay for their own or another’s coverage. Despite the lack of a simple fix to the broken medical system, it is important that the country’s leadership is wary of a system that depends on redistribution of wealth to fund the uninsured.

”

The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.

Privitizing Healthcare

Nathan Culp(11)

For my family, the universal healthcare system we have now raised taxes and costs us more for the insurance.

We should be saving money, but instead we’re spending more and actually have a lot less coverage and benefits than we had before, which is why I would like to see us go back to a private system.

”

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C N:

Healthcare is a universal human right

meredith ablao (11) || news editor

Privatizing a health care system might save the United States’ government money, but it will create lots of barriers for the impoverished community. This simply creates inequality and division between the wealthy and the poor, which is the last thing we need as a people. Additionally, while the United States thinks they are saving marginal money (which is borrowed money for securities), they are limiting American citizens to pay more to a private health care system over a public

one. According to www.valuepenguin.com, most Americans who live in the state of Michigan are paying at most $400 for their health insurance on a monthly basis, and premium plus a copay. At that same time, the public system costs under $100 monthly with no co-pay. Without a doubt, this flux in price will highly affect families who cannot afford basic necessities but who are just as important as anyone else.

Furthermore, the right to health care can save lives. A study done in 2009 at Harvard University shows that the lack of healthcare is in partnership with 44,789 deaths per year. This is a 40% increase in risking death in our everyday lives. On this note, according to http://www.theatlantic.com, if we had free or reduced health care prices, it would save nearly 50,000 preventable deaths. How helpful would that be? People who cannot afford privatized healthcare may get sick and not be able to get the support that they may need. Healthcare is not easy to get either. So the nearly 20 million people who received it within the last 8 years, have worked hard to get the help they need, and to have it privatized would destroy what they have fought for.

Although privatized healthcare creates inequality, it is, in fact, a human right. In 1948, the United States and 47 other nations agreed to The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The document says that “everyone has the right to a

” Lena Klemm(10)

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I feel that public healthcare beneficial so you don’t have to pay thousands of dollars to go to the doctors.

standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of oneself and one’s family, including... medical care.” Privatizing health care would do the opposite to the American people and higher prices, leave more and more people in risk.

In fact, 54% of the United States budget funding is geared toward funding toward the military, while only 6% of the money is for Medical Care and Health. The U.S is one of the richest countries in the world, yet some think privatizing health care is necessary when our government actually has a sufficient amount of money to support our people. According to Slate.com, a Reaper drone costs $28 million; one Hellfire missile (Lockheed Martin/Raytheon) costs about $70,000; one Paveway bomb (Lockheed Martin/Raytheon) about $20,000.

The total cost of one weapons load for a Reaper – four Hellfire/ two Paveway – is at least $320,000, a third of a million dollars. According to quotes provided through healthcare.gov from major insurance companies, the bronze ACA plan costs a Michigan resident making $16,000-$47,000 per year $77.52 per month (or $930.24 per year) for a basic plan with a $2500 deductible. Using that combined amount of $3430 annually, the government could provide healthcare for 8, 255 people for the cost of ONE fullyfunctioning drone. We can clearly afford to spend a little less on military and a little more on our healthcare system, and for the health of our citizens, we should

make it a priority to do so.

The Affordable Care Act that Obama put in place is actually benefitting the American people in ways privatizing insurance cannot; specifically: many more people are insured, people can’t be turned away from getting insurance due to a pre-existing condition, young adults can stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26, and women’s services are protected. Right now under the ACA, birth control is covered by all employers, but under a privatized system it can cost $40-$75 per month (kidshealth.org), which could have serious consequences for women, especially those who are young or poor. Also, free preventative care is offered annually, so patients aren’t coming in just for emergency visits, but for care and well-being. Privatizing health care would literally diminish all of the change that has occurred and people would not only no longer feel protected, unless they have a high income and no pre-existing health conditions, they will literally be less protected.

No healthcare system will be perfect, but the quality of life each human being who lives in this country, regardless of income level, should matter. All people deserve the necessity of care and the support they need to live happy and healthy lives. Privatizing our health care system would put many Americans at risk, especially those who need the help and healthcare the most.

”

We know how the bathrooms at Portage Northern are absolutely trash, right? There are a lot of reasons for this, but one of the main ones is that the custodial staff has been privatized. The move, which allows different companies to try and undercut each other to get the job, demonstrates an incentive for efficiency and cost reduction on behalf of the district, but the physical reality often doesn’t match the financial one. With a contract staff that has an attachment to their employer and not the building, privatizing the janitorial staff has actually led to “cutting corners” by skimping on the quality of the work and losing the pride and personal connection to the work environment. The end result is bad for everyone but the district, actually: the custodians get paid low wages and the students get dirty bathrooms. This is exactly what happens when the government privatizes health care: the insurance companies make big bucks, but the doctors and patients suffer the consequences.

”

All people deserve the necessity of care and support they need to live happy and healthy lives.

Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of oneself and one’s family, including... medical care.

Privatization is terrible because it doesn’t treat humans as humans and give them their right to live and have healthcare. We have a problem, treating it like it’s a privilege instead of a social service.

”

Drayke Simpkins(12)

February 10, 2017

PRO CON 15

A vision of hope for the new administration lexi kava (10) || copy editor On January 20, 2017 the whole country watched as President-Elect Donald Trump was sworn in as our 45th President of the United States of America. Although some groups of people will disagree, many Americans viewed this day as it was: the beginning of a new and improved United States of America with a new leader at the helm.

Throughout Trump’s campaign, media coverage remained his biggest enemy. News and print outlets alike openly showed their bias and disdain, before and after the election, towards the Presidentelect and portrayed him as a vile, racist man, when in reality, he’s a good, smart business man and his plans for America will hopefully turn this country back in the right direction.

To make his ideas possible, Trump has spent the past months searching for the perfect group of people to take on the presidency with him.

Trump’s

administration and team are diverse, made up of generals and strong entrepreneurs to help make his visions for our country become a reality.

These goals, such as the creation of 25 million new jobs, providing an education to all children living in poverty, boosting the economy by 3.5%, and making our border safer, among others, will benefit our nation

Trump also has great respect towards police officers and veterans. He plans to work tirelessly to stop the numerous and pointless police shootings, as well as make sure no veterans come home to be left jobless and homeless with little support, as many are now.

I realize there are people in this country who will not agree with the plans Donald Trump has or will be

Y

ou can choose division, or you, like me, can choose hope.

greatly. His ideas for a better America will make this country stronger and more powerful. His main plan for prosperity is by growing the GDP; for every 1 percent that is added to the GDP, another 1.2 million jobs are added for Americans. Putting more Americans back to work will not only help the economy, but will reduce our social welfare expenditures as well.

16 OPINION February 10, 2017

enacting during his term because they are a pretty big departure from the policies of the last 8 years, but there will always be people who are critical of the President and who disagree with his opinions. Most people who have hope and respect for the new President had the same ideological disagreements for the past 8 years under President Obama, the political shoe is simply now on the other foot.

Whether you support President Trump or not, the American people have elected him to be our President, which means every citizen against him has a choice: continue spreading hate and anger throughout our country, or move past your dislike and support the leader of the free world for the good and success of our nation. In my opinion, we’re pretty divided as it is and don’t need another reason to argue with each other. Our country stands no chance if we continue to remain divided and fighting against each other; in the words of another highly-polarizing President in American history, Abe Lincoln, “A house divided cannot stand.” You can choose division, or you, like me, can choose hope. In February, Black History Month, it seems appropriate to also quote Martin Luther King Jr, who never gave up hope for the future: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

The next 4 -or more- years are going to be fine. The general arc of humanity continues to go up, and I am counting on President Trump to take us to our next achievements.

whitehouse.gov/for educational purposes

portagenorthernlight.com

allison mckenzie (11) || feature editor

sity

Var with an overall record of 8-7. Despite their 53 percent winning average, the team was able to blow Mattawan out of the water on January 6, crush Niles on December 9, and nearly beat Vicksburg on December 20.

off the court. “We get along together really well, so I think that helps a lot.

When you get really close with each other, you create a bond on and off the court. We also have a lot of returning varsity players with a lot of experience so that helps a lot too,” said Lexie Coon (11).

Their bond isn’t the only factor leading them to their success on the court, it’s also the significant amount of hours they put towards practice throughout the week.

“We train for the season by having open gyms, lifting, and conditioning. We also have practice everyday except for game days,” said Chyna McMillian (12).

Not only that, but the Lady Huskies also have a specific camp that is perfect for

Paige Poulter (12)

Huskies

To accomplish their six wins, the team works together significantly on and

Lady

The Varsity Lady Huskies are putting in their best effort this year

team bonding and individual development. “There are several strength and conditioning opportunities for all off-season. There are also summer games and individual skill development opportunities, not to mention pre-season

Trinity Posey (10)

camp at Fort Custer,” said Pete Schermerhorn, Varsity Ladies Coach.

After their games, they head out to dinner to talk about their successes and their weaknesses. “We usually go out to eat as a team to Applebee’s or Buffalo Wild Wings to talk about our highlights from the game,” said Coon. Not only that, but the Huskies also use each game to become better overall. “We use positive energy, leadership, and every game as an opportunity to learn and grow,” said Schermerhorn.

Check out the Varsity Lady Huskies on Tuesdays at 7 pm and Fridays at 5:45

Kayla Blett (12)

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February 10, 2017

SPORTS 17

Lady Huskies Tennis salvador delveccio (10) || staff writer Tennis season is right around the corner with high expectations for the Portage Northern’s girls varsity tennis team. This past spring, the girls won their first regional title in over six years. Francesca Riehl was crowned champion at No. 3 singles. The No.2 team of Claire Dirette and Cameron Schaefer also came out on top. The Huskies experienced a large amount of success last season and hope to repeat their success with their new coaching staff.

Oddly enough, former head coach Melanie Remynse has left to be the head coach at crosstown rival Portage Central and Portage Central’s assistant coach, Lee Cornelius, has now become Portage Northern’s assistant coach.

To replace Remynse, Portage Northern hired Yasmin Kashef to head coach both the boy’s and girl’s team. In the fall, she led the team to a 60% winning record.

Kashef, who is originally from Cairo, Egypt, was once the number one player in Egypt when she was 18. Though she is a new coach, she has high expectations for this Huskie squad: “Our goal is to have them start conditioning classes soon so they could be in good shape when we start the season. Also, we are hoping to go to state this year as well.” Francesca and Angelina Riehl are likely returning for their sophomore season and will give a great boost to the team. The girls lost six seniors last year due to graduation, but have eight former freshmen returning for their sophomore season as well as seven juniors returning for their senior season, giving this squad hope for the future. The team is also taking new members for the new season, and previous experience is not necessarily required. For example, Madison VanWinkle had never played tennis before last season, but she was still able to have a great time. “The biggest success I had last year was the bond I formed with all of the girls on the team and actually learning how to play tennis. I had never played before last year and everyone was so positive, welcoming, and supportive,” she says.

While having a new coach can make some athletes feel uncertain, that is not the case with this team. “We had unprecedented success last year. We won Districts and Regionals, and were 8th in the state. Our team was especially impressive because we all worked hard and contributed; we all carried each other,” says senior Grace Peguese, excited for the upcoming season. Teammate Claire Kavanaugh agrees. “We had a great season last year and we were always known as “the team to beat” since we would always win and it would be cool to have that reputation again this year,” she says.

While MHSAA rules prohibit the team from practicing the team together until March 15th, Kashef instructs lessons at the West Hills athletic club that many players attend during the off season. “This gives us an opportunity to touch up on our skills and learn new techniques before the season,” said senior Cameron Schaefer. “We also work on hand eye coordination and footwork. She’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever had. Because she was so good herself, she knows all of the different things we need to do in order to be successful,” she added. “I’m just sad that I’m a senior!”

Stay tuned to www.portagenorthernlight.com for updates on schedules and scores as the season gets nearer!

18 SPORTS February 10, 2017

Clair Holley prepares for her last year on the varsity tennis team.

Schedule Varsity

3/25 3/28 4/11 4/13 4/15 4/17 4/18 4/20

Vicksburg Invite (Away) Niles High School (Home) Battle Creek Central (Away) Lakeshore High School (Away) Greater Kalamazoo Invite (Away) Greater Kalamazoo Invite Finals (Away) Mattawan High School (Home) Kalamazoo Central High School (Home)

9:00 4:00 4:00 4:00 9:00 4:00 1:00 4:00

3/28 4/11 4/13 4/18 4/18 4/20

Niles High School (Home) Battle Creek Central (Away) Lakeshore High School (Away) Mattawan High School (Home) Kalamazoo Central High School (Home) Lakeview High School (Away)

4:00 4:00 4:00 1:00 4:00 4:00

Junior Varsity

portagenorthernlight.com

The Northern Light Monthly Student Newspaper

Portage Northern Forensics 2017 abby seeber (12) || opinion editor

T

he Portage Northern Forensics Team is preparing for their upcoming season. The team has been incredibly successful for years; including 15 Team State Championships and 84 individual champions.

The massive success can be awarded in due part to the hours of work each member spends to perfect their craft.

Forensics can often be overlooked as a glorified drama club, but as its members will attest there is so much rewriting, intense blocking, yelling (at their topic as well as their teammates) and running from room to room after school to find someone to watch their 8 minute speech that it feels an olympic event. Team members will argue that this is more of a “sport”

than it appears, recounting the hours on hours spent to perfect their piece.

any way that the work you have to put into it is any less than a sport.”

portive.” Posey says she is thankful for the two support systems she has.

Junior, Olivia Gross competes in Poetry for Forensics, but that is not her sole extracurricular. Gross has been on an Elite Dance Competition Team for years. Gross, for as long as she has been a dancer, has been told that Dancing is not a sport. Surprisingly enough, Gross is not offended by it. “ I have always said that dance isn’t a sport because it’s an art form, even though it is so physically demanding. I feel like this is the same thing with Forensics. I don’t think it’s considered a sport, but more of an art form. However, just because I don’t call it a sport doesn’t mean in

After winning a state championship for Duo Interpretation last year, Trinity Posey (10) decided to return to playing Basketball for her Sophomore Year, as well as Forensics. “I have to miss a little bit of (Basketball) practice on Mondays for the Forensics Meeting, but I try to dedicate time to both.” But, as far as the team bonding goes, Posey says she feels so close to both of her teams. “When you spend such long hours at tournaments (for Forensics) you bond over so many things, and you know how much work goes into preparing a piece so everyone is super sup-

Even Football and Forensics, which at surface level have nothing in common but the first letter, students are able to find common ground in the spirit of competition; but the preparation is completely different. “With Football you know exactly what your job is and how you are going to win matchups.With Forensics, at least for Extemporaneous Speaking, you never know what topic you will give speeches about, so you kinda just have to practice and stay ready for anything,” Drew McCardwell (12).

Olivia Gross (11) Poetry

Luke Fisher (12) Duo

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Nick Crocker (12) Storytelling

Austin VanderWeele (11) Sales

February 10, 2017

SPORTS 19

RUGBY: carter landis (11) || sports editor

Evan Andrews, a former Muskies rugby player, moved onto college continuing to play the sport for MTU. Photo courtesy of Evan Andrews.

A sport with no pads but still hard hitting like football, the sport of rugby is a game based on technique and respect for the opponent. Because it’s not widely popular in the United States, rugby flies under the radar as a sport, but it should not be ignored that it is just as competitive and difficult to play as football and, for PN students, perhaps even easier to be successful.

Think of rugby as an evolution from soccer, and think of American football as an evolution from rugby. There are aspects of both sports in rugby, especially in the sense that it is continuous play, like soccer, whereas football allows the teams to set up their offenses and defenses.

Rugby is like football, however, because the goal is to score a ‘try’ (like a touchdown) and the defense will attempt to tackle the ball carrier. One interesting aspect of rugby is that no forward passes are allowed. The ball may only be advanced by running or kicking it. Not many students at Portage Northern know that there is a rugby team, but it is like the water polo team, having Portage Northern and Portage Central students both participate.

Rugby is the type of sport that that many students can be successful at regardless of their size or previous athletic experience. Take Dominique Maestas (11), who isn’t the biggest kid or hasn’t been playing for very long, but he’s found a niche in rugby. “The coaching is helpful. Also, it’s less complicated because it’s like football, but it’s less complex.” Maestas is only 5’3”, but he says it doesn’t faze him whatsoever. “It’s not about the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.” Maestas is an example of what many can be if they just give rugby a try: successful as soon they step on the field. Coach Brian Varney says, “Pretty much anyone of any size can just come in and play, they just get put into a position that’s appropriate for them.”

the Muskie season has returned

Andrews (left) in highschool, playing for the Muskies, showing his skill with a defensive tackle. Photo courtesy of Evan Andrews.

become more like family. In general, Rugby is just a more civilized sport. You still respect the other team and you eat dinner with them afterwards.

There’s a huge idea of respect in rugby, and it’s just a great feeling.” Varney says, “Rugby is a game built upon respect and character. Even though during the game you’re on the field trying to tackle each other, trying to win, after the game, there’s a lot of camaraderie.” A sport built on class and respect is definitely one that deserves more recognition in the United States.

In college, every university has a rugby team and most players are accepted, unlike the popular American sports like football and basketball, where only the best advance in the sport.

“There’s a huge idea of respect in rugby, and it’s just a great feeling.”

-Coach Varney

Team captain Brandon Kerr and coach Varney echoed the same sentiment regarding the camaraderie and civility of the sport. Kerr says, “You make new friends and those friends

20 SPORTS February 10, 2017

Evan Andrews, a Portage Northern alumni, currently plays rugby in college at Michigan Tech and says the game takes another step in the transition from high school to college. “The speed of the game increased.

Even though it is a club sport, the competition is still at a high level and some of the teams we play are made up of players who are trying to impress coaches in order to get on their teams D1 or A-side.” Andrews acknowledged the same points Kerr and Varney did about sportsmanship and respect. “People on my team have more friends on other teams and know more people. I believe that this helps to solidify the point that rugby is has more sportsmanship than other sports.” Playing rugby at Portage Northern made Andrews’ dream of being a college athlete a reality, and the upcoming season could make that dream come true for a whole new generation of Huskies, too.

Rugby may be a sport that not many people really acknowledge here in Portage, but it’s one that should command the attention and respect of those who love to play sports. A civilized, organized, respectful game that’s much more physically strenuous than football, rugby is for anyone to try, no matter what experience level or size someone is. For more information, contact Coach Varney at bvarney9@gmail.com

The Basics of Rugby

A rugby ball is very similar to an American football, except a rugby ball is more rounded.

In rugby, you have to touch the ball to the ground in the endzone, and instead of a touchdown, it’s called a “try.”

A Rugby field is only slightly bigger than an American football field.

It is 100 metres while a football field is 100 yards.

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megna joshi (12) || website editor

P

op culture is a great place for conspiracy theories to thrive.

Some of the ones that our generation would recognize are: J.K Rowling did not actually write the Harry Potter Series: Supposedly, the author of the Harry Potter Series is JK Rowling, a British writer from a small town. The story is that she started writing the books on a napkin in a coffee shop and came up with the whole concept herself. However, like many people believe Shakespeare didn’t write his own plays, many people believe that J.K Rowling is note responsible for the entire Potterverse were actually created by a huge network in order to get kids to read the books.

The Mandela Effect: I think everyone has seen varying Mandela effects floating around the internet. If you do not know what the Mandela effect is…. first- where have you been? Second, the Mandela effect was named after Nelson Mandela. This is because some people believe he died in

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jail, while others know that he did not.

There are even books and articles that pronounce his death, making this effect even more conceivable. This led people to believe that we live in a parallel universe while some people see things one way, and others see things differently.

Here are a few less serious examples.

The Kit-Kat bar. I don’t know about you, but when I eat Kit-Kats there was always a dash in the middle! (see picture below) But, surprisingly, the dash has somehow disappeared? This has happened to other companies as well. For example, Febreeze, the air freshening company, has now changed to Febreze.

No matter where you look, it is spelled with only one E. Possibly the most known mandela effect is the Berenstein bears. The Berenstein bears are the books about the family of bears that live in the woods. EVERYONE used to read them as a kid. It has always been Berenstein bears to me, but now it is spelled BerenstAin bears. This was the first real case of the mandela effect that everyone agreed was completely different. When asking about the mandela effect, Anna

Heystek (12) says, “I absolutely believe in the Manella effect, I’m not totally convinced on the alternative universe part, but things are constantly changing that we can’t explain.” Lastly, movies have now experienced mandela effects. For example, in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs the evil step mom says, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” BUT, if you rewatch the movie she doesn’t say that. Instead she says, “Magic mirror on the wall.” Another example of a line change in a movie due to the mandela effect is in Star Wars.

In the movie, we all know that Darth Vader says “Luke, I am your father.” In actuality he did not say that, he instead says, “No, I am your father.” There are different versions of before and after the mandela effect but the cultural phenomenon of “Luke, I am your father” is undeniable. Even the actor James Earl Jones who played Darth Vader said that he remembers it as Luke. If that was not the original line, why would everyone quote it years after the movie came out? These are all questions we have when figuring out the mandela effect.

February 10, 2017

Lizzie McGuire is schizophrenic: This one is not as serious and I find hard to believe. But, you know Lizzie’s animated alter ego? Well apparently that’s the voice inside her head. This was a theory because after Lizzie graduates middle school, she finishes her meds and gets control of her alter ego.

However, many people believe that in the Lizzie McGuire movie, Paulo is not real and another person she made up. “I used to watch that show all time and it’s weird to think about it that way,” said Brennan Mulhall (11).

Jane from Tarzan is actually Belle and the Beast’s daughter: This would explain why Belle and Jane look and act so much alike, from their brown hair and large eyes to their affinity for yellow dresses and wild men. Also, there is a teapot in Tarzan that looks nearly identical to Mrs. Potts from Beauty and the Beast.

If you look closely, the teacup in the set also has the same chip in it that Chip does in Beauty and the Beast.

ENTERTAINMENT 21

Most anticipated movies of 2017 abby seeber (12) || opinion editor

Let’s face it, 2016 may have been the worst, but we got some great movies out of it, like Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Star Wars: Rogue One, Moana, Dead Pool and La La Land just to name a few. 2017’s movie list is beginning to gain momentum, so we did the research so you don’t have to: here are the most hyped movies hitting theaters each month.

February :

The Space Between Us

From what I can tell from the plot summary, this is a futuristic adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. My hope is that it ends differently than the noted Shakespearean tragedy. A boy who is in one of the first members of the group to colonize Mars makes a friend online that lives in Colorado. When he finally gets the chance to visit Earth, scientists realize that the boy’s body cannot withstand Earth’s atmosphere. The boy and girl race on a search for his birth father, disregarding the scientists’ fears.

April :

The Case for Christ

Even if you are not religious, this story sounds quite powerful. This is a true story of an atheist journalist that intends to use his investigative reporting skills to disprove Jesus in religious context, but he is impacted in a larger way than he could imagine.

This is deep stuff, kids.

June :

Despicable Me 3

I am going to be threatened for doing this, but I couldn’t care less. I am so excited. The villain literally looks like Prince and his secret weapon is bubble gum.

Who comes up with this stuff? My calendar is already marked, don’t hate. Cast includes Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Michael Jackson (Miranda Cosgrove), and Russell Brand. The trailer is out so take a peek; don’t knock it til you try it!

August :

Annabelle 2

I had to include something scary because that is my job as a non-biased news reporter. I am going to be honest, if you google it, you find articles saying, “something deadly on the bed,” and “scare the living daylights out of you,” ...so naturally, I refuse to look at any of the pictures. What I can tell you from my tiptoeing on the internet is this thriller is about a nun and a couple of orphan children that have become the target of a creepy doll. Count me out, but support the film if you are braver that I.

October : Blade

Runner 2049

Isn’t it so awkward when you keep writing 2016 on your paper instead of 2049?

Ugh, so relatable. HA. This movie take place three decades after the first movie in which a new blade runner discovers a secret that could turn the world to utter chaos. Not to be confused with Kite Runner.

22 ENTERTAINMENT February 10, 2017

January :

Live by the Night

Ben Affleck wrote, directed, and starred in the movie and that is the level of petty I strive to be. The movie surrounds around a boy who, despite his strict upbringing by a Boston Police Officer, strays a different way and decides to become a member of gang of money stealing, yet intelligent individuals. This thrill ride is a spectacle from start to finish. I would say it is definitely worth the *BANG* for your buck.

March :

Beauty and the Beast

I am getting chills just thinking of this. You know the story: a girl saves her father from a horrendous Beast,, and then she and the Beast fall in love despite his appearance. This production has truly pulled out all the stops, featuring an all star cast, lavish costumes, and new characters. Those of you hardcore Disney Fans should be shaking in your seats with anticipation (myself included) to see what kind of magic Emma Watson will bring to the screen as Belle.

May : Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Men Tell No Tales How lucky are we to get yet another Pirates of the Caribbean? Not a whole lot of information has been released, as they are still filming. What we know now is Jack Sparrow is on a mission to find the trident of Poseidon. I’m sure it will be great as long as Johnny Depp is in it.

July :

SpiderMan: Homecoming

You know what Spiderman is about right? I don’t need to explain? A new villain, Vulture, threatens ordinary (not so ordinary) high schoolers Tony Stark and Peter Parker. As of right now, the cast includes Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Michael Keaton just to name a few. So all you Marvel fans, prepare to get sticky! Like from a spider web, get it? I should go.

September : Renegades An action movie to add to your list of “must sees!” A group of Navy men come across “an underwater treasure.” What does that mean? The trailer shows lots of guns and water, but you probably could have figured that out simply from the fact they are Navy Seals. It sounds intriguing and includes a few up and coming actors, so that is always fun!

November:

Justice League

I just have one thing to say. Amy Adams plays Lois Lane. #micdrop.

December: Star

Wars: Episode VIII

Ba, baa, ba, ba, ba, baa, bah, ba,ba...you get the picture. The saga continues with Rey and her assembled team: Fin, Poe and now Luke Skywalker! Not much information has been released, probably to build anticipation that will ultimately make me explode. In a fun way.

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DIVERSITYin TELEVISION issra said (11) || staff writer

Black-i

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Television shows are breaking down social boundaries as of late. With the rise of more inclusive roles and the development of multi-faceted characters of people in marginalized groups, our television screens have become a more diverse scene. The emergence of diversity in television the past decade proves to have a positive impact on our community, giving disadvantaged groups representation. “If people of color are not being represented, then the world can’t see how talented we are,” says Beyza Neifert (11). Representation is vital, especially when growing up. It is great to see a reflection of you and who you are able to become embodied in the media. “[Representation] is inspiring. It shows you that you are capable,” said Chyna McMillian (12). Shows like Blackish, Fresh off the Boat, Jane the Virgin, and Master of None are contributing to help overcome stigmas.

Black-ish (ABC) The show “does a good job at showing the different sides of [Black] culture,” said McMillian. Creator Kenya Barris adds that the family “[is] not the spokesmen for Black America. They are one black family… and hopefully they shed some light and start some conversations.” Barris writes the story of a black father who struggles to maintain the ethnic identity and prevent the cultural assimilation of his family. The show contradicts the preconceived notion that Black people do not commonly achieve success, with the mother, Rainbow, working as an anesthesiologist, and the father, Dre, as a successful businessman.

Fresh of

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Fresh off the Boat (ABC) Adaptation from living in Philadelphia’s Chinatown to Washington D.C. does not always occur immediately. Fresh Off the Boat takes on the story of this family in a humorous way. Similar to critically acclaimed Everybody Hates Chris, the main character, Eddie, narrates his hip-hop-loving childhood story from a future perspective. Taking place in the 90’s, the show describes life as an immigrant in America in a relatable way. Main actress, Constance Wu says that the show explores the in-between of being Asian and American.

Jane the Virgin (The CW) Based on a telenovela, actress Gina Rodriguez and the supporting cast give representation to Latinos everywhere in this laugh-out-loud comedy. Rodriguez’s character, Jane, makes a promise to her grandmother as a young girl to remain chaste until marriage, yet her life dramatically changes when she is accidentally artificially inseminated and her boss is the baby daddy. Golden globe winner Rodriguez describes Jane’s persona to Huffington Post as “just a girl, and everything that was the byproduct of being Latino was just part of it. It wasn’t something you had to explain.” It is common for television shows to over analyze the diverse aspects of people, but luckily in Jane the Virgin, that is not the case.

Master of None (Netflix Original) Executive director and main character Aziz Ansari, a famous Indian comedian and author, created the show to follow the life of an aspiring actor in New York City-- a “normal guy.” His plan was not to overplay the storyline, but rather show the multifaceted yet “average” lives of people of color through his character. Co-star Lena Waithe, also plays Denise, a lesbian, tells that her character is “not too far from herself” in an interview. Waithe says, “The thing is what we really to do was make it look like we were not acting,” Many shows on air over exaggerate life situations, which makes it refreshing to have a show that is both relatable and funny.

With an increase in diverse roles in television, this generation along with those that follow have hope for true representation of themselves in the media.

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ENTERTAINMENT 23

Free use/NL staff

February 10, 2017

On the other side kylee ewert (10) || staff writer sheila mwanda (10) || staff writer matilda buehler (12) || staff writer anai freeman (10) || staff writer

of exams

PNHS is a pretty diverse place, but there’s one thing we all have in common: finals. We all stress about them, and we all have different subjects that make us stress the most. We also all survived them, though some more easily than others.

Whether it be the IB oral, studying for honors exams, or even just our normal classes, exams are no doubt very difficult. Regardless of the class, PN strives to challenge students at every level. None of the students interviewed thought that their exams were a breeze; a testament to the rigor of a Portage education.

Never having experienced a high school final before, the freshman were caught the most unaware. Tyus VangShonoiki (9), pictured third from top above, said that his “Spanish was pretty rigorous” and that he would have “studied harder subjects more than the easier ones” if he could get

a do-over on exam prep.

Honors student Harbaksh Bath (9) had similar struggles.

“My English exam was the hardest,” she said. I reviewed the study guide and my notes about grammar, but there was a lot of reading on the test and I felt pressured to read that much in the time we had, especially knowing that we had to write an essay at the end, too.”

reinforced that out of all of the classes, the biology exams were the most difficult.

The sophomores had a year of experience under their belts, but exams were still no easy task. Morgan Crow (10) said, “My physics exam was the most difficult. I studied each of my old tests the day before the exam, but it was hard to keep everything separate because in physics everything just kind of mashes together.” Honors sophomore Mary Redmond said, “I would have studied more for biology.”

Comments from a variety of other students at different grade levels

At the junior level, students started to take their first set of IB finals. “I did my IA for math on the injuries and deaths of distracted driving,” said IB junior student Ayushi Patel, pictured second from above. “An IA is an internal assessment; I did my rough draft and then my final draft. It was seven pages long. Don’t take IB classes if you don’t want to work hard!” Katie Eaton (11) also worked hard for exams. She said, “my regular biology exam was a lot harder than I thought it would be.”

However, she had a very committed approach. “I did prepare a lot because I was super dedicated. I studied about three hours a day for three weeks...for just one subject,” she explained.

By the time students get to be seniors, one might expect that they would be exam pros, but that’s not the case.

Shane Barrera (12), featured first above, said, I would have used more space on my cheat sheet for math.” IB student Victoria Reed, pictured above at bottom, prepared in abundance for her IB oral, but in the end she had a good time. “It was easier than I thought it would be, it was more conversational,” she said.

While most of us dread exams, take heart in that they are finished, we all survived, and we don’t have to do them again for 119 more days….not like anyone’s counting or anything.