May 2024

Putting togetherthepieces

Seniorsprepareto navigatelifeafter highschool page9

From the Editors

Dear Readers,

After a huge turnaround in producing our March edition (and not using AI to write the whole thing), we are so very excited to bring you our final edition of the 20232024 school year. Every one of our staff members has worked so hard to make this edition possible and has put their best foot forward to end our year strong. This edition theme is putting the pieces together, we wanted to celebrate our seniors and watch them as they prepare to navigate life on their own. In this edition, we are also celebrating our seniors who will be leaving the NL staff - Ryan Kaliati (Staff member; 1 year), Ashton Hall (Digital Media Manager; 2 years), Annabelle Bartz (Creative editor; 3 years), Ella Morofsky (Co-Editor-In-Chief; 3 years), Avery Bogemann (Veteran write; 4 years), and Brie Quick (Co-Editor-In-Chief; 4 years). As we celebrate nearing the end, grab a snack, get comfy, and enjoy the final edition of volume 54.

One last time Happy Reading, Brie and Ella

This edition’s cover centers on the idea of seniors ending their high school careers and moving on to the bigger world. To create it, we had one of our veteran staff writers, Mitchell Barnard, borrow his older brother and former NL editor-in-chief, Jackson Barnard’s cap and gown. We then used our 2 current editors-in-chief, Brie Quick and Ella Morofsky, and had staff photographer Abby Hosler capture them wearing the cap and gown while holding up a peace sign and a 24. After that, we picked our favorite image and had it sent to Walgreens to be turned into a puzzle. Next, our NL seniors took part in our April 29th class to make bracelets to wear with their own messages on it to be used as props for the cover shoot. Finally, we used a photo of our seniors’ hands to put the pieces of the puzzle together. “My bracelet said ‘Time to go Drizz.’ I did this because my long 4 years are coming to an end,” said senior digital media manager Ashton Hall. We hope that the cover conveys all the different feelings and options associated with high school coming to an end for our senior class and how personal each of those decisions are.

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.

Opinion

Page 5: College vs No college

Page 8: Heard it from a Huskie

In this edition… 20232024 Staff

Editorial Leadership

Editor in Chief

Feature

Page 9: Putting the pieces together

Page 13: Senior Sign o s

Sports

Page 15: Stepping o the eld

Page 17: Baseball on the rise

Entertainment

Page 19: Childhood movies

Page 20: Bookish

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

Bryana Quick

Editor in Chief

Ella Morofsky

Creative Editor

Annabelle Bartz

Digital Media Manager

Ashton Hall

Journalism 1 Manager

Abby Hosler

Veteran Sta Writers

Trevor Anderson

Mitchell Barnard

Avery Bogemann

Chase Vanderwalle

Sta Writers

Asher Carpenter

Drew Collins

Jaiviana Heath

Ryan Kaliati

Caroline Knight

Sarah Leasure

Matthew Lekosiotis

Ryan Mauwa

Mariah McCollugh

Brayden Schimp

Huskie Headlines

Design by Ella Morofsky

Students discover their possible futures at the career fair

By Jaiviana Heath

On April 18th, the Doghouse was abuzz with interested students learning about their future career options at the annual Career Fair. Hosted by counselor Amy Dimaggio during second, third, and fourth hour, students had the chance to visit representatives from four of the 31 possible careers. “Overall, it was a big success,” said DiMaggio. “Since we had more students this time than ever, we had a few challenges come up, but our amazing team provided a lot of good feedback for improvements for the future.”

Students in grades 9-12 were welcome to attend as long as they signed up in advance. Of the at-

tendees, juniors made up 35%, freshman made up 24%, sopho mores made up 23%, and seniors made up 17%. The careers repre sented were from a wide variety of industries ranging from tattoo artist to veterinary assistant, and many local businesses, such as Stryker, came to explain how stu dents can build a life here in their hometown after graduation. “The fact that you could choose where to go and what to do most fasci nated me. There were a lot of pos sibilities available. Additionally, I appreciate how much I learned,” sophomore Kiera Johnson remarked.

Students prepare for the annual talent show

By Ryan Kaliati and Ashton Hall

The talent show at Portage Northern High School was supposed to take place on May 10th, 2024, but it was canceled when a tornado struck and forced the school to shut down for the remainder of the week. There were going to be a lot of different performances, including guitar, magic, singing and dancing. Junior Ameer Almukahal was disappointed that the show was canceled. “I was actually kind of mad I have been practicing my guitar skills pretty much the whole year and it would have been fun to perform,” he said. “I understand

though I care more about people’s safety rather than a talent show.” Junior Student Senator Neajai Lewis, who helped plan the event, explains why it was canceled: “The talent show is now canceled since there are seniors who were participating and if we do reschedule it’ll be close by graduations and if we do it on the weekend the attendance numbers will be low,” she stated. “All the trophies and prizes are reserved for the next year and the dunk tank and other stuff we canceled and got our money back.”

Students walk around and watch presentations by various companies and jobs. Photo courtesy of Amy DiMaggio.

Sophomore senator Mia Rummel poses with 2024 talent show tickets. Photo courtesy of Neajai Lewis.

On the road again

Forensics students compete at state tournament

By Abby Hosler and Ryan Mauwa; design by Ella Morofsky

“Judge and timer ready?”

45 PN Forensics Team members in 32 different events repeated this phrase numerous times in the highest stakes setting possible on May 3: the state tournament.

Forensics is competitive public speaking, and students compete in a range of styles of competitive speaking, whether it public address or dramatic interpretation. To prepare for competition, during the week, the coaches offer times for students to come in to practice their pieces. “Some kids practice 5 days a week,” said head coach and English teacher Celia Weeks.

Senior Alanna Harris is one half of a duo piece, which is an event where two people cut down a script and perform it, the only rule being that they can’t touch or look at eachother. “As a senior it’s really sad to know this is the last ride but I know that we’ve worked super hard so states should be a lot of

fun,” shared Harris, who performs with sophomore Vincent Brow.

Another category of forensics is Public Address, which includes the events known as limited prep (LP) —where the students have to prepare part, or all of their speech on the spot. “I like the LP part of it and how I don’t have to be fully memorized,” shared Junior Addison Munn, captain of the broadcasting team.

When all was said and done, the Huskies brought 29 events to semi-finals, had 14 state finalists, and two state champions. “I’m really proud of these kids and where they’ve come from,” said Weeks. The team had three more events that should have gone to finals, but a tabulation error that was discovered just before awards resulted in them being erroneously excluded. Despite the setback, the team finished third overall in the state.

First Place:

Isa Cerbo

Will Pierce

Second Place:

Charlie Gross

Annabelle Bartz

Fourth Place:

Andrew Staples

Mia Rummell

Ethan Steele

Fifth Place: Noah Aiello

Nora Zemlick

Sixth Place:

Addi Munn

Morgan Heyn

Photos of the forensics team before and during the state tournament courtesy of Cece Weeks.

WHERE TO NOW?

By the sta ; design by Brayden Schimp

Aer high school, there are many options people can choose from: university, college, community college, trade school, military, going straight to work, and taking a gap year, to name a few. ere are also many di erent ways to learn about these options, ranging from school to family and everything in between. Most importantly, every high school graduate leaves high school with goals for their future and the knowledge necessary to pursue them. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.

Overall, students feel prepared, especially through school, to go to community college or a four-year college or university, and also that going into the trades is an option, but there are a lot of unanswered questions beyond that that some students don’t have access to resources to answer. How do you

get scholarships? What is the difference later in life between going to college or trade school? How do you even go into the trades? Unless a student has had a family member go down these paths before, they are dependent on the school for answers, which aren’t always provided in the clearest ways.

ere is also little to no information o ered about how to take a gap year when to do so, and how to do so in a way that is actually helpful to life a er that. Before students even get to senior year, there is a lack of information about non-traditional paths forward in general. Many students have no idea that, with so few classes required senior year, students have half their day to dual enroll, do EMC, work study, take CTE classes, or spend time in home school education. Despite the fact that our generation is very di erent from the generations that

came before us, schools keep pushing us into the same boxes that students have t into for hundreds of years, and those boxes are preparing us for the past of the adults who are making these decisions, not for the future of the students who will actually have to live these lives.

Instead of learning how to prove that a triangle is a triangle or the di erence between a phrase and a clause, we could spend that time learning about how to make a living a er high school. e rst step is directly teaching students about ALL of the options, and this is especially important for students who don’t have family or friends to get this information from.

By Andrew Collins

College: to go or not to go?

School is one of the most vital and important things in a person’s life, and it can greatly influence their career and success. One of the biggest questions in regards to school is that of college: is it worth it? The short answer is yes. Going to college not only furthers your knowledge, it also makes it easier to get a job, especially ones that are high paying. According to the Association of Public Land-Grant Universities, having a college degree raises the amount of money you gain from a job by nearly 90%. It can also highly increase job security and lower the chance of being fired. Along with that, college is a great way to network with other people and make new friends. College also increases a person’s critical thinking skills and problem-solving skills. Overall, college is a wonderful experience for those who choose to go to it, and it greatly increases a person’s ability to get a good job.

The benefits of college also outweigh the costs. Many people worry about student debt when considering college, but according to the Education Data Initiative at least 20% of all students are able to fully pay their student loans without running out of money. Certain career paths practically require college experience, such as those in law or the medical field. Even for those who can’t pay for college, there are many alternative solutions such as scholarships, grants, and work studies. As stated by the Education Data Initiative, the US Department of Education gives out nearly $46 billion in grants every year. Another possible option are work studies, in which you are part-time employed while in college. The benefits of doing a work study is mainly paying off loans and being able to work on or near campus. According to an article by Forbes, about 1 in 8 college students win a scholarship. Not only does having a scholarship greatly decrease the money you need to pay (sometimes even reducing it to nothing), having one is also a mark of prestige that employers will show great interest in. While the choice might seem difficult, it is likely in your best interest to go to college.

By Avery Bogemann; design by Avery Bogemann

When we think about life after high school, most people’s minds jump to dorm rooms, frat parties, and college classes. However, I focused on the four years of extra part-time jobs, the hundreds of thousands of dollars in student debt, and the wasted time I was forced to spend for that coveted “college degree.” My freshman year, I was pretty dead-set on college, as I thought that was the only route I could take. All of the classes I chose were in preparation for my college applications and making sure I stood out from the crowd. I stressed about making enough money to even go to college. Like many others, I knew my parents wouldn’t help me pay tuition, I had to figure that out myself. I didn’t even know if I would get a good enough score on my SAT to even get into a university. College, in general, stressed me out: even the idea of it just seemed unappealing. Toward the end of my junior year, I started looking into other options. What I found was that there were other more attractive options that didn’t make me feel like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. Jobs have entry level positions, where they teach you to work on site. In turn you get paid to learn on the job and work your way up. Most college students start out at an entry level job anyways—with a little higher wage—but factor in that student debt weighing them down and suddenly that dollar difference doesn’t stretch as far as you’d think. Now I’m not saying college isn’t necessary, because for some career paths, it most certainly is, such as being a lawyer or a doctor, but if you want to go into banking, like me, or into the healthcare field, like my older brother, there are entry level jobs available. College isn’t the only path, and deciding college isn’t the right fit for you doesn’t mean you’re not “smart” enough, or you’re a failure. It just means that you might be taking things in a different direction, and that’s okay! If anything, to me, it’s admirable.

At a local level

How voting in local elections is equally important in voting in national elections

Article by Annabelle Bartz; Design by Annabelle Bartz

What does a city council do? How does the school board actually impact a school? Who even is the mayor right now? The local government is the foundation of government in the US, but it is often the least talked about.

This is a significant issue in a country where voting is a constitutional right and a civic responsibility. The legal systems in the US could not function without the election process. The most talked about elections tend to be the highest level elections, the presidential election, national house and senate elections, and gubernatorial elections (that’s a fancy way of saying elections for state governor).

Although those elections are important, these widescale elections are not the elections that have the most impact on a person’s day-to-day life.

Local elections and state elections tend to create the most immediate change in a community, but unfortunately, these are the elections that often

get overlooked. Unfortunately, well-financed national groups with specific agendas know and recognize the weakness of the system.

These groups have started gravitating to local elections, as they are impactful but also easy to win.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has even identified some of these groups as extremists. They explain the origins of these groups in their publication “The Year in Hate & Extremism 2022,” stating: “These groups were, in part, spurred by the right-wing backlash to COVID-19 public safety measures in schools. But they have grown into an anti-student inclusion movement that targets any inclusive curriculum that contains discussions of race, discrimination and LGBTQ identities.”

These groups have contributed to curriculum changes across the country, including book banning in schools and other changes that hide important history.

This is only one example of the types of national groups that are taking advantage of the public’s nonchalant attitude toward local elections. The best way to combat this movement in politics is education. More education for students in schools on local government and how it impacts a community is a start, and then after leaving school it is important for people of all ages to stay up-to-date on the local government, candidates, upcoming elections, and current proposals. It is also important to vote in local elections and to encourage others to vote as well because local elections have the history of seeing the lowest turnout rates. Democracy works best when everyone is involved, so we need to take advantage of the rights thousands have fought for before us and make sure that the results of our local elections represent our values and not the ones of outside organizations with unfair influence.

Heard it from a Huskie

What is your favorite teacher quote?

Design by Sarah Leasure and Caroline Knight

Biology teacher, Jessica Clark said, “Cinderella wouldn’t say that.”

- Anjo Lenguyen, 10th

English teacher Nick Vichinsky said, “Take it easy Ms. Wheezy.”

English teacher CeCe. Weeks quotes Tina Fey and says “Just say yes and gure the rest out later.”

- Kirby Bach, 12th

- Clare Rainer, 10th

Physics teacher Colin Killmer said, “Don’t do crack.”

- Anna Gonzalez, 9th

Putting togetherthe Seniors prepare to navigate life after high school

By Brie Quick and Brayden Schimp; design by Brie Quick.

Education in Action

Senior Charlie Gross has been a known name in music here at Portage Northern and he plans to take his love for music to the next level. Gross is planning to attend Michigan State University. “I am pursuing a BA in Music Education, specializing in Voice,” he shared. “A four year is the best way for me to further my musicianship and to earn the credentials I see myself needing in the future.” Not only is a university a good place for Gross to earn what he needs, but it also gives him a connection to new and old friends. “I’m super excited to hang out with all of my friends currently attending MSU, as well, and make new connections,” he said. Photo at le courtesy of Charlie Gross.

Community Corner

Many seniors need to learn what they want to do as they leave high school. ey have a million ideas of a career path, but no clue which to take. In those shoes is senior Alyssa igpen. “As of right now I am undecided and plan on completing my prerequisite classes as soon as possible,” she shared. igpen plans to attend Lansing Community College for two years before going to a new place to further her education. “I decided on a 2-year community college primarily due to the fact that I have not decided what I would like to study just yet,” she said. “I thought it would be the wisest decision to utilize my time at community college to really gure out what I want to do with my life and be able to save tons of money at the same time.” Photo at right by Brayden Schimp.

Tapping the Trade

On top of a university, college, or community college as an option, there is a trade school for those who want to get speci c training for a speci c job. “I’m going to be a carpenter/millwright training out at Wayland,” said senior Aiden Zentz. He has taken time to prepare for this by taking a woodshop at Portage Northern and working with the experienced individuals the teacher brings in. “I’ve met a lot of people in this industry already so I feel very prepared to go out and do this as my living,” he said. Photo at lecourtesy of Aiden Zentz.

Straight to Work

Working is something everyone will have to do in their life, whether that is a full-time job or a side job. Senior Brooke Wallace decided to start this journey right a er high school. “I will be going into the Stryker workforce, in the assembly line,” shared Wallace. Having a family member currently working at Stryker was a big part of Wallace’s decision to go there and prepare to learn all the ins and outs. “It doesn’t take a lot of my father telling me, but if I ever want to go up in the ranks I would have to ask him,” said Wallace. Photo at le by Brayden Schimp.

Going straight into college isn’t always the rst thing people do when they nish high school. Some choose to take a gap year for multiple reasons, senior Luke Feister is one of many people taking a gap year a er he nishes high school. “[I want] to live o somewhere else for college,” shared Feister. During his time o of school, he will work a ton and pursue his love for music until he can join a linesman program somewhere. “I’d like to go to community college,” he said. “College would just be a formality so that I could use that program and then get into Consumers or something along those lines.” Photo at right courtesy of Luke Feister.

Military Mission

Many people risk their lives daily to protect the United States of America, and a small handful of students from Portage Northern will join the military a er nishing the year. “I’m going into the Navy as an Information Systems Technician - Advanced Technical Field,” shared senior Elijah Kaeding. Some do not join just because they want to ght for their country, but because they know it will help further their education in the long run. “ e career that I chose will give me security clearance, which makes it much easier for me to continue in that eld a er I nish my 8 years in the Navy.” Photo at le courtesy of Elijah Kaeding.

“I o cially signed to go play for the Toledo Cherokees in Ohio the 2024 junior hockey season,” shared senior Logan Taylor. His love for the game, his performance at past combines, and showcases, and the support of his parents and coaches have driven this decision. “I decided earlier this school year when my dad mentioned it to me, then I talked to my [high school] coaches and they believed I could do it,” he said. “I attended a combine in Columbus in later April, and a showcase in Detriot this past weekend. e atmosphere, and the support for the recruiting coaches was amazing.” Photo to the right by Brie Quick.

Pictured above, senior Brie Quick receives the Joyce A Vliek scholarship from daughter in law Peggy Vliek. “I vividly remember her [Peggy] saying the entire board read my application and hands down knew I should get it,” shared Quick.

Celebrating

Design by Ella Morofsky; Photos by Abby Hosler Seniors

above, senior Aspen Floyd receives the creative writing award presented by Dr. Amanda Thorpe, chosen by creative writing teacher Joe Weber. “It [receiving the award] was really unexpected,” share Floyd. “It’s really nice to know that my work is seen and appreciated.”

Pictured above, senior Ysabella Cerbo receives the choir department award from director Chelsea Whiteoak.

Pictured above, the 2024 IB diploma candidates after receiving their IB medals from IB coordinator Rick Searing.

Pictured

Pictured above, from left to right, seniors Aiden Zentz, Ysabella Cerbo, Anna Wiltzer, and Isabella Ritchie receive the Huskie Gift scholarships.

Pictured at left, senior Ella Morofsky receives journalism department award from advisor Amanda Thorpe.

Pictured above, senior Jackson laskarides receives the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Robert P. Amrhein sholarships. “It [receiving the scholarships] felt amazing. I am very humbled to be recognized in the same light as Robert,” said Laskarides. “A kid that treated everyone with courtesy and kindness even through some of the toughest days. That’s what I strive to be like everyday, even the days I don’t feel the best.”

Pictured at left, senior Karsyn Glascock receives the yearbook department award from yearbook advisor Lindsey Wangler. “I was unaware that yearbook gave out an award, but I am so grateful that I was recognized for my hard work and dedication as the editor in chief for this yearbook,” said Glascock.

Pictured at left, senior Charlie Gross receives the forensics department award from forensics advisor Cece Weeks.

On April 25th, the senior class of 2024 was decorated with various awards and awarded $23,000 in scholarships.

saying

WMU, premed

MSU, journalism

teaching

Ryan Kalaiti

Ella Morofsky

Brie Quick GVSU,

GC, ASL interpreting

WMU, physical therapy

Kalsee CU, banking

Annabelle Bartz

Ashton Hall

Avery Bogemann

Below at le , senior Jackson Laskarides scoring a touchdown against Kalamazoo Central. e photo in the bottom right pictures senior Cecylia Dorow taking the ball up the eld. Photos courtesy of individual athletes.

By Trevor Anderson and Abby Hosler; design by Abby Hosler

A er years of playing the sport in high school, maybe even scoring the winning touchdown or goal once or twice, it might not seem like there is a life, not only out of highschool, but without that sport being a main focus. Seniors Jackson Laskarides and Cecelyia Dorow are both seniors that have had di erent paths through their respective sports but that have one thing in common: neither is playing their sport in college.

Dorow played soccer when she was younger, but quit in middle school to spend more time on her main passion, competitive dance. She continued to dance with West Michigan Dance Center all the way to her senior year. “Dance was really time consuming, so for my senior year, I decided to stop dancing and try something new,” Dorow shared. “I had played soccer before, so I thought, ‘why not?’” Coming back to a sport a er so many years o was no easy task. “It was de nitely hard and could be intimidating at times,” she said. “My team was super supportive and I had friends on it that helped me be more comfortable.” In the end, Dorrow was glad that she took the chance. “I am really happy about it,” she said. “I got to go out and meet new people, and taking a chance like this wasn’t something I had ever done before.”

In contrast, Laskarides had been playing football basically forever. He originally planned to continue playing football at

Hope College, but that changed when he received more scholarships to attend the University of Michigan than he received to attend Hope. In Ann Arbor, he would have the chance to receive an excellent education at a lower cost to his family, but he would give up the o er to play football in the process. Going into his senior season, Laskarides wanted to leave it all on the eld. “I wanted to make the most of this nal season,” he said, “not just for myself, but for my teammates, coaches, and everyone who has supported me along the way.” In terms of ending an era, Laskarides has plenty that he will miss. “What I think I’ll miss most is the bond you form with your teammates to the point where they’re like family,” he said. “And the sense of accomplishment that comes with all the hard work and dedication you put into the game. e countless hours of practice, being in the weight room, and watching lm and seeing your hard work pay o when you get on the eld is something that you can’t get anywhere else.” Laskarides also has a lot to look forward to, moving forward with what he calls an excitement for “ e opportunities that lie ahead for me in the future but [also] the deep remniscience and a tinge of sadness knowing that this chapter of my life has come to an end.”

COMMITTED

Danny Tafoya, Hope College

Ben Torrence, Colorado College

Taylor Butler, Lake Michigan College

Ryan Gillen, Hope College

Avery Kucharski, Michigan Tech

Nora Kucinski, Calvin College

Jackson Altwies, Air Force Academy

Braylen Amos, Hope College

Billy Hughes, Hope College

Keegan Mcintyre, Hope College

All photos courtesy of the individual athletes featured.

Jadyn Walker, USC

Ty Tomlinson, George Mason

Josh Lindsay, Lake Superior State

Lydia Hinga , St. Marys

Youse Elghawy, Aquinas

Katie Leinwand, Occidental

ese athletes are the ones who had their o cial signing days with Portage Northern; there are other athletes that are continuing to play in college that may not be listed here.

Bases Loaded

By Ashton Hall and Ryan Kaliati; design by Mitchell Barnard

The baseball team has ignited a storm on the diamond, their expertise catching the attention of scouts and fans. They have shown their skills to be put in the prep baseball top 25 list of the best-skill baseball teams in the whole state of Michigan. The boy baseball team has made a huge effort to reel themselves back into the “baseball” talk and prove that they are one of the team’s eyes should be on this season. Started the preseason ranking at 23 and already being placed higher in the ranking by 5 going now 18th place. Starting the season pretty strong going 12-3, they are physically showing the state of Michigan that they are coming. The culture they bring into the team is a big part of why they are being as successful as they are this season. “I think as a team we have more chemistry than we did last year, and if someone is down and struggling we can pick them up easier,” said senior pitcher Daniel Tafoya. Also, the amount of leadership shown this season and the accountability the leaders provide show their eagerness to win.” We have a team of dogs

when it’s time to step up to the plate and go they are always willing to take that step and be the one,” said junior catcher Thomas Horein. They have high expectations as they will continue to work their tails off as everyone has the same goal: to win states and bring home the trophy. Coming with the season they also have a lot of emotions and excitement as they feel like a huge family just playing the game they all have fun with and love. “I feel excited about the season, being 18th in the state is huge and is a confidence boost for the team,” said senior left field Keegan Mcintyre. Even though they running 18th in the state they have 6 losses that still haunt them. It can cause anger, confusion, and worry. But even through all those trials and tribulations, they still will build up from it and keep moving on. “There of course have been ups and downs so far this season but I can feel the team coming together so I’m excited for what is yet to come,” said senior left field, Keegan Mcintyre.

Photos courtesy of Taylor Butler

By Mitchell Barnard; design by Mitchell Barnard

Welcome back everyone! Last edition we went over the process of the kick ip. A er the kick ip it is time to learn the heel ip. e heel ip is very similar to a kick ip but instead of icking your board with your toe, you ick o the nose with your heel. Heel ips can be tricky for people because it takes time to gure out the proper ick.

ere are three main steps to a heel ip. First, foot positioning for a heel ip is as normal with your back foot on the tail of the board and your front foot should be just under the front two bolts with your toes hanging o the edge of the board.

Second step is popping the board and sliding your heel up the nose and icking o the heel o the pocket of the board. As you progress during this trick you can play around with your icking point but the pocket is where I found easiest.

Lastly, like in last edition with the kick ip the ick of the ankle is a very important step for the heel ip and just about any ip trick in skating because it will help the board rotate faster and look more stylish.

Movies of our Childhood

Article by Annabelle Bartz; design by Annabelle Bartz

Movies are a huge part of growing up, everyone has the movie they watched on repeat as a kid. We would like to take a look back at the movies the seniors on the Northern Light staff watched. See if any of your childhood favorites are on our list!

Avery Bogeman

Robots

This animated movie focuses on humanoid robots, Rodney Copperbottom and his friends, as he tries to join Big Weld Industries. However, they discover the less than ideal workplace environment and try to fight the evil plans of the head company.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Ashton Hall

Kung Fu Panda

In this Jack Black animated comedy, Poe the panda has always dreamed of being part of the Furious Five, an elite group of kung fu warriors. When he is suddenly chosen to be the Dragon Warrior with no training, he starts to live his dream at the Jade Palace, but he isn’t as welcomed as he would have hoped. More chaos ensues when a former student of the Jade Palace breaks out of prison and starts to hunt down Poe.

Brie Quick

Beauty and the Beast

In this Disney classic, after her father is held hostage by a beast in the woods, Belle exchanges her life for her father’s. Set to never leave the castle, Belle starts to explore and interact with the living furniture in the castle, also getting to know the beast. In this time Belle realizes the beast may not be all he seems to be.

Ryan Kaliati

Shark Tales

In this underwater animated movie, Oscar is just another fish in the ocean. When a shark dies in accident Oscar takes responsibility for it becoming a hero in the community and getting the attention of a girl he was fond of. He has to spend the movie hiding the truth all while the crime father of the shark hunts him down.

Ella Morofsky

High School Musical

In this Disney Channel classic, Troy and Gabriella meet at a New Year’s Party and then discover that they go to the same school. Troy goes on a journey to balance being a superstar athlete and doing music, and Gabriella balances academics and music. Meanwhile, they battle it out with Sharpay and Ryan for the leads in the fall musical.

Annabelle Bartz

Emperor's New Groove

In this often forgotten Disney movie, self absorbed Emperor Kuzco is overthrown by his evil number two, Yzma, who turns him into a llama. As a llama Kuzco interacts with Patcha, a person whose’s house he planned on demolishing. Kuzco goes on a journey of self discovery learning how his actions impact others and how to be selfless.

Rating:

While I don’t feel a rating can encapsulate a book with so much to say, such as Speak. I’d say it’s a 5 star, only because I have to give it a rating.

Did you know?

- An adaptation with Kristen Stewart was released in 2004 - Speak was based on events in the own authors life.

When I think back to my high school experience, one book reigns supreme with how much it affected me during my time at PN. It was assigned to me as a book report during my freshman year, and I know it was assigned to many others also. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson was a book I didn’t expect to enjoy, or deeply relate to. I’ve always found book reports easy, but never deeply moving. I think the act of being forced to study and write an essay about a book takes away from the personal meaning you might find within the words, but, from the first sentence, I found myself within the pages of this book.

For me, I feel this book could be called a five star book, but, I also don’t think this book can be reduced down to a measly rating. It has depth and rawness I had never experienced until I read it. I was only meant to read a chapter per class period, but I finished it that day. I had my essay written the next day. No book

has ever affected me as much as Speak, nor do I think another ever will. It wasn’t entertaining. It wasn’t something I would even describe as enjoyable, but it was real to me, it was what I needed to read at the time, and that’s why I want to go out recommending this book.

If you were one of the people who sparknoted it, or just didn’t even bother with it, I hope you rethink. The message the book has to say to the world was beyond its time and was something that is still relevant today, and it will be relevant for years to come.

Quoteable:

I just want to sleep. A coma would be nice. Or amnesia. Anything, just to get rid of this, these thoughts, whispers in my mind. Did he rape my head, too?

- Melinda

Don’t Stop Believin

Mitchell Barnard class of 2025

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.

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Don’t stop believing. Many people know the 3 words “don’t stop believing” from the song by the rock band Journey, but don’t actually know the origin or true meaning behind the song. Jonathan Cain who wrote the song, rst heard the phrase from his father a er he was going through a hard time and was questioning whether he would make it with his music career and when he was speaking to his father on the phone, he said “son, don’t stop believin”. He took these words to heart and wrote one of the most popular songs of the 20th century, and is still being listened to today. In today’s world especially this generation so many people give up hope and stop believing that they can accomplish their dreams and a lot of the time they barely even try for reasons like criticism, not progressing as fast as they want to or simply they just think it isn’t possible. I’ve also been down this road where I threw away so many talents just because I didn’t believe in myself, and for anyone who is thinking about giving up on anything just remember to don’t stop believing.