Ramparts April 2011

ramparts Volume 19, Issue 7

Holt High School

Let’s hit Favorite the beach

Holt Senior High School 5885 West Holt Rd. Holt, MI 48842

APRIL 2011 News:

New senior walking requirements will be enforced starting in the school year 2011-12

PAGE 2

Beaches of Michigan page 8

Photo by Benjamin Gates

Feature:

Students show off their dance moves just in time for Prom.

PAGE 9

The hot spot:

Reviews of local movie theaters that students frequently go to.

PAGE 12

Ken and his girlfriend Barbie enjoy a romantic time at the beach.

Ramparts outlines the best beaches in Michigan.

Photo illustration by Mariah Massa

Photo by Kelsey Manas

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April 2011

F.Y.I. Prom Prom will be held May 21 in the commons. The theme is Arabian Nights, featuring the Tajmaholt.

Tickets are sold during lunch, Mondays and Wednesdays. Prices are $26 in advance, $28 the week of prom, and $35 at the door.

Senior Breakfast

The senior breakfast will be held in the commons June 4, the Saturday before graduation, at 9 a.m.

This will be one of the last times the senior class will be together before graduation. Only seniors may attend this free breakfast with prizes and drawings.

Awards Night

Awards Night will be held on May 9 in the Margaret Livensparger Theater at 7 p.m. Awards Night is a celebration for outstanding students. Certificates and/or medals will be handed out to all those who won awards, invitations will be sent out in the mail. Family members and friends are welcome.

Senior 3.5 Dinner

The 3.5 dinner will be held on May 2 in the commons at 6:30 p.m. This dinner is for seniors who have a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Invitations will be sent in the mail.

Commencement

Graduating seniors have commencement at the Breslin Center at 4:30 p.m. on June 5. There will be open seating to the public with doors opening at 3:30 p.m.

Two senior students will give speeches at the ceremony.

Online Scheduling

Upcoming seniors will be able to begin scheduling the week of May 2. The class of 2013 will begin on May 9 while the class of 2014 will begin May 16. Students will have access to a messaging button that will directly email counselors for any questions, concerns or problems. On May 23 students who missed out on scheduling will have an opportunity to choose their classes.

News

Holt High School Ramparts

Community remembers a tragedy Memorial will be built in honor of victims of September 11 tragedy Karina Drachman opinion editor This September will mark the 10th anniversary of the September 11 tragedy. To honor the fireman and others who were affected by this event, a memorial will be built and presented in the Veterans Memorial Park behind the Delhi Township library. Art teacher Patty Pisano will help create the memorial.

Delhi Township Chief of Police Rick Royston said that he was contacted by e-mail about getting a piece of the World Trade Center almost a year ago. After he finalized a formal agreement with the New York/ New Jersey port authority, the piece was delivered this February.

The piece of steel has been on display in the center commons because the township manager suggested getting the school involved.

Pisano said she was interested in helping, once the police department asked for help creating the memorial.

“Being from New York, I didn’t even hesitate,” Pisano said. “My father was a volunteer fireman and I had friends that were fireman.”

Pisano said that she is lucky to be able to create this memorial. Her inspiration for the design of the memorial came from the insulation that is still stuck on the beam, since that is what heated up enough to melt the steel of the World Trade Center.

“I think that the steel itself holds a great deal of importance,” Royston

Photo by Karina Drachman

A piece of the World Trade Center is on display in the center commons. said. “It will make a great memorial to never forget what happened.”

Senior Emily Marlow said she

remembered her mom sitting on the couch, shocked, while watching the tragedy on television.

“I think that it’s really cool that we’re showing our support for the people that were killed or whose family members were killed, even though most people in our town weren’t affected,” Marlow said. “It’s very patriotic.”

Pisano described the memorial to be a dedication to the firefighters, the airplane that went down in Pennsylvania and the one that flew into the Pentagon.

“I want on all four corners of the monument beams of light that will probably shoot up a half mile to a mile,” Pisano said, but for now it is all an idea and hasn’t been approved yet.

Pisano said that if any students are interested in helping, they can contact her in room S125.

New senior walk policy to be enacted Students with credit missing will not walk Jacqui Marpa entertainment editor A new senior commencement walk policy will be put in effect starting the school year 2011-2012.

Under the current policy, seniors are allowed to walk at commencement despite being up to one credit short of the required 29 credits. They are given the option of taking summer school after walking or staying in school the following year to make up lost credits.

The new policy states that current juniors and other underclassmen are expected to complete all of their required credits in order to walk at commencement.

The new policy was proposed by counselors Robert Bower, John Conner and Rebecca Fedrigo.

“We are one of the few schools that did that, and finding that the goal for a significant portion of kids were off track not to hit the exact credit,” Conner said.

In addition to the policy change, a change in the required credits for the current juniors and sophomores took place this year.

“Juniors need to have 30 credits

Photo by Jacqui Marpa

In order to reassure that she has the correct amount of credits, senior Rebecca Williams checks if she’s meeting her requirements on Skyward Family Access. and sophomores need to have 30.5 credits in order to walk at commencement,” Fedrigo said.

Fedrigo said that one of the reasons why the number of required credits has increased for juniors and sophomores is the switch from 3x5 to 3x6 schedule this year.

“There is an increase in required credits because the sophomores and juniors have the room for making up lost credits in a 3x6 schedule. The seniors have gone through the new schedule for only one year, which gives them little time to make up for credits,” Fedrigo said.

Students have different reactions to the new policy. Sophomore Bryce Zippi said he thinks that it is fair

that seniors are exempted from the new policy.

“It’s fair because seniors only have five classes for their entire high school until their senior year, and we have six classes each trimester for the rest of our high school career,” Zippi said.

Junior Brian Thering thinks that the new policy benefits all of the future seniors.

“I think that it’s a good policy,” T h e r i n g s a i d . “ We n e e d t h a t incentive because otherwise people get to commencement and don’t continue on and actually graduate.”

Although some students think that the change in policy makes sense, some of the students think it’s unnecessary.

“I don’t really agree that they can’t walk because it’s something that they get to experience with everybody else and sometimes the school messes it [credits] up,” senior David Johnson said.

However, Johnson doesn’t mind the increase in required credits.

“I think requirements are going up no matter what because we are learning more each year. Things that we have to learn are increasing in every class,” Johnson said.

Other students feel indifferent towards the change. One of them is sophomore Carlee Knott.

“I don’t really mind, but for other people it’s not good because they want to walk with their class,” Knott said. “They should be able to walk with their class and make up for it afterwards.”

Conner said he thinks that changing the policy is necessary and would help improve students’ work ethic.

“Graduating is about completing, so it would make sense that students graduate with complete credits and not lacking credits,” Conner said.

“Students should be interested in their education, take advantage of the opportunities you do have, the facilities, tools, especially in our community. Take advantage academically and not just the athletic program.”

News

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April 2011

Holt High School Ramparts

Individuals aid after natural disasters Students discuss what to do to aid victims of recent tsunamis and earthquakes around the world Meg McKay

staff writer On March 11 an earthquake struck Japan’s east coast with a magnitude of 9.0. The quake was followed by a tsunami shortly after. There were also approximately 50 aftershocks in the surrounding areas after the 9.0 earthquake. Many of the aftershocks reached 6.0 on the Richter scale.

According to news reports, effects of the earthquakes and tsunami have sparked comparisons to the damage Hurricane Katrina had on New Orleans.

English teacher Anne Russo worked with the relief efforts that took place after Hurricane Katrina.

She said she knows the importance of doing anything possible within her personal means, to show support.

“It’s unfortunate that it takes a big disaster to bring the country or world together, but Haiti and Japan most recently have benefitted from a worldwide sense of community,”

Russo said. “People will donate money or supplies if you ask them, especially if they can’t donate their time.”

Russo added that it is also important to remember that donating blood helps tremendously. For students who are interested in donating, the Red Cross has a special section in the donating process that allows donors to designate their donation directly to victims in Japan.

Russo spent spring break visiting New Orleans this year, where she donated her skills two months after the hurricane, and said she was amazed at how it has recovered.

“It was very interesting in New Orleans to see so many signs hanging up about ‘returning the favor of relief’ to Japan’s earthquake victims, after Japan had aided New Orleans and the Katrina victims so generously,” Russo said.

Because Japan is further away than New Orleans, some students say it is hard to travel to Japan to help. Junior

Photo by Yomiuri Shumbun/MCT

A mother and son observe a moment of silence in the rain in MinamiSanrikucho, Miyagi Prefecture, at 2:46 p.m. on Monday, April 11, 2011--one month after a massive earthquake hit the prefecture, followed by tsunami.

Christianna Blain was disappointed that she could not help the relief efforts.

“I was really sad, and I wish I could help. I give my prayers because that is the best I can do when I’m so far away from the people who need help,” Blain said. “If I could be there, I would help them find food and shelter. I would try and help them find a better outlook on the situation.”

Senior J.P. Zippi said he would like to contribute as well.

“I wish we could all contribute by giving money and food and support,” Zippi said. “I’d like to raise money to send to show our support. I hope they get through in the end.”

For students interested in donating money, the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross have links on their websites set up for donations.

Forensics club succeeds at regionals Students talk about their experience competing Collin Mohr staff writer Forensics is a club where students compete in public speaking and drama events. The team competes against other schools in different invitational tournaments and competitions.

The forensics team competed in the regional tournament at Dexter High School on April 16. Jasmine Brooks, Becca Sodervick, Morgan Edwards, Ben Lyth, Jaylen Reynolds, Elizabeth Haubert, Sarah Delgado, Janelle Jones and Jake Hitchcock all advanced on to the state tournament, which will be held May 6-7 at Oakland University in Auburn Hills. This is the largest field HHS has ever sent to the state tournament.

The team is coached by English teacher Erin Umpstead and social studies teacher Guil Northrup, and team leaders are Andee Krueger, Hitchcock, Jones and Reynolds.

Forensics consists of two sub-groups of events: drama and public speaking events. Drama consists of duo, multiple, poetry and prose interpretation,

dramatic interpretation and storytelling.

Public speaking is another one of the sub-groups in forensics. Speech events consist of broadcasting, impromptu speaking, extemporaneous speaking, informative speaking, sales speaking and oratory.

Krueger performs in the poetry event and has participated in forensics for two years.

“I really like forensics because it allows you to be a totally different character. It is a lot of fun with the team, and I enjoy it a lot,” Krueger said.

Krueger performs several poems for her event, such as “I know Why the Cage Bird Sings”, “Phenomenal Woman” and “Touched by an Angel”

by Maya Angelou.

Jones, participates in prose and also participated in duo.

“Forensics allows me to be someone totally different from what I normally am,” Jones said.

In Jones’ event, she picks a piece from a book, and performs in front of four others and a judge.

As team co-leader, Jones helps teammates out with pieces and gives feedback, as well as managing how well people are focused.

“I want to make everyone do their best so we can succeed as a team and go far in states,” Jones said.

Hitchcock,participates in storytelling.

“Forensics allows me to go crazy and be myself, and know I won’t be judged by others,” Hitchcock said.

In storytelling, Hitchcock performs the story

Weekly Challenge

Students and staff are invited to meet in room E212 for The Weekly Challenge. The Weekly Challenge is a continuation of Challenge Day. It was created by science teacher Mary Kay Boulanger to make HHS a better place, to encourage people to be more accepting of one another and to challenge people to “be the change”.

This also allows students to have an outlet for things going on in their lives. The group is brainstorming activities to do, ways to get students to join and ways to get students to embrace the concept of Challenge Day. Contact Boulanger in room E212 with any questions.

Student Council

Elections for 2011-12 Student Council officers will be held before Memorial Day weekend. To be on the ballot you must be a member of Student Council. Voting will occur during A and B lunches at computers in the center commons.

Anyone can join Student Council by attending the Wednesday morning meetings in adviser Grant Melville’s room, E120, starting at 10 a.m.

Special Olympics

The Area 8 Special Olympics were hosted at the HHS Natatorium on Friday, April 15. Two hundred athletes from Ingham and Eaton counties competed in events such as the 25, 50, 100 and 200-yard freestyle. HHS students volunteered as assistants during the event. Special Olympics are a year-round activity with swimming as one of 24 events. The meet coordinator was Holt Special Education Coach/Coordinator Val Suszko.

 ‘Most Teens Don’t’ Photo by Collin Mohr

Jake Hitchcock, Janelle Jones, Andee Krueger, Jaylen Reynolds and Heather Baum are members of the forensics team. Several members of the team will compete at the state tournament on May 6-7.

“Little Red Cap” by the Brothers Grimm.

“Storytelling is fun because you get to hear choices other kids make for their stories, and there is a wide variety of types of stories kids tell,” Hitchcock said.

This year’s success has been by far the greatest by the club, Northrup said. At every competition the club participated in, at least one Holt student has placed at the top.

“I am extremely proud of the students and know that they have worked hard for their success,” Umpstead said.

PALs and SADD hosted the “Most Teens Don’t” seminar in the East MIC room on Tuesday, April 19. The meeting was for members of PALs in both Holt and Williamston. This seminar was to inform students about what the social norms really are for teenagers and how most teens aren’t partaking in drinking and/or using drugs. The goal is to break social norms and inform the community of the real statistics that “Most Teens Don’t”.

News

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April 2011

Holt High School Ramparts

Studies examine risks of energy drinks High amounts of caffeine raise concerns for students Mariah Massa sports editor With school, work, sports, family and friends it’s a wonder students are able to juggle everything in their day-to-day lives. Many students admit to feeling drowsy or worn down throughout the day. In order to deal with these feelings, some students resort to drinking energy drinks.

According to Consumer Reports there were $750 million in sales in 2007 for energy drinks. In 2011, sales are expected to reach $9 billion in the U.S., with most of the revenue coming from people under 25.

This actually makes sense considering how many energy drinks students buy.

“I drink about 20 Rock Stars a week,” sophomore Zach Carey said.

“I drink them before hockey, and it makes me in more of a mood to play.”

While Carey drinks them sometimes for sports, seniors Stevin Jones and Tyler West both drink them to stay awake at work.

“I usually just drink them when I stay up really late and then I have to go in early to work the next morning,” Jones said.

Many studies have been done on energy drinks. Researchers at Nova

Southeastern University discovered that an energy drink can contain the same amount of caffeine as up to eight cups of coffee. While a study published in the medical journal “Pediatrics” found that an energy drink can contain 70-80 milligrams of caffeine for every eight-ounce serving.

Both of these studies also did research on the side-effects of energy drinks. They found that to o much ca f f eine can cau s e anxiety, nervousness, dehydration, ins omnia, hear t palpitations, cardiovascular disease and even death.

Senior Allyson Masseau used to drink two Monsters a day until she started to have heart problems.

“At first I had to wear a heart monitor because the doctor didn’t know what was wrong, but then he told me I might want to stop because it was the energy drinks that were causing the problems,” Masseau said.

With side-effects as serious as these, people might think that quitting would be the safe choice, but that is harder than it seems.

West and Carey have both tried to quit but have ended up going back to their old habits.

“I read an article [about the side effects], so I went down from three a day to one or two a day, but then I ended up just going back up to three after a while,” Carey said.

Health teacher Brock Holtsclaw suggests that there are healthier ways to have more energy than drinking an energy drink.

“With good sleeping habits, most people should rarely, if ever, feel the need to drink an energy drink,” Holtsclaw said.

Not only can energy drinks be harmful on their own, but mixing them with alcohol increases the risk factors.

“Some people mix energy drinks with alcohol. I just want to make it clear that caffeine does not sober a person up while or after drinking alcohol,” Holtsclaw said. “Caffeine is a stimulant and alcohol is a depressant, so they have opposite effects, which could seem to sober up a person, but it does not. The only thing that can lower BAC (blood alcohol concentration) is time.”

For these reasons pre-made energy drinks that are mixed with alcohol have been banned in certain states over the past few years.

In 2008, 100 s cientists and physicists petitioned for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start regulating caffeinated energy drinks. Right now energy drinks can have up to 505 milligrams of caffeine per 12 ounces [the average cup of coffee has 100 milligrams] while soft drinks can only have 71 milligrams.

Researchers say if energy drinks are consumed every once in a while they should cause no harm.

Photos by Mariah Massa

Rockstar and Monster are just a two of the energy drinks that students like to drink. Energy drinks in recent times have been criticized for too much caffeine, sugar and taurine.

News

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Holt High School Ramparts

April 2011

Fine Arts Academy lets students capture fame

Program provides an opportunity for students to study arts Hannan Gedeon staff writer

HHS is giving students who wish to be involved in the arts a chance to become part of what is called the Fine Arts Academy.

The “Academy Team” ideally consists of 10 males and 20 females. It is a versatile group of students who are willing to expand their learning in the fine arts.

Vocal Music Director Monty Bishop said this academy is infusing art classes into the core classes.

It suits those well who enjoy making music and will be willing to try something extraordinary and new.

“You do not have to be currently involved in choir to be part of the academy,” Bishop said.

Ten sophomores are currently participating in this year’s team. They travel through their courses together.

Not only do students in the team meet required graduation classes, but the whole team together will study other subjects as well, such as voice, music theory, ceramics, theater, stage, piano, humanities and music composition.

“When people engage in music, their whole brain is engaged,” Bishop said. “The study of music creates brain connections to understand all of the subjects.”

Sophomore Victoria Januszewski is currently involved in the Fine Arts Academy. When she first heard about it, she decided to give it a try and she says she absolutely loves it.

Fine Arts Academy

An academy that suits those who enjoy one mutual subject: music. Students ‘travel’ through their courses together, exploring and participating in new activities.

HOW TO GET STARTED: 1. Go to www.holtchoirs.org.

2. Download application papers.

3. Arrange for an audition appointment.

4. Attend orientation for more information.

“It has a lot to do with music, learning how to read and write it,” Januszewski said. “My team and I are really able to help each other.”

Bishop said at the end of the Holt Fine Arts Academy experience, the students will have achieved their high school graduation requirements and will be ready to move on to the next career goal they choose, confident and prepared.

Students who may be interested in participating next year can go to www.holtchoirs.org and download the application papers. Once all of the application papers are completed, they must be submitted no later than April of next year.

The students will be contacted and will then arrange for an audition. If accepted, information will be given regarding an orientation for the student and their parent/guardian.

After attending the orientation, students will be better able to decide if the Fine Arts Academy is right for them. The student will then send in registration materials or a notice of decline to accept the invitation to enroll.

Photo by Jaqui Marpa

Students involved in the Fine Arts Academy will participate in activities such as singing, making music, studying theater, stage, humanities and much more. It is an opportunity for students interested in music to live this experience.

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Viewpoints

April 2011

Holt High School Ramparts

Our View Energy drinks: fine in moderation Think back to a time when you were really tired. Your eyelids feel like lead, you’re dragging your legs behind you hoping that you can stay on your feet, you felt your brain turn itself off hours ago, but your day is not over.

You have a game to play, a paper to write, a book to read, a job to get to or a project to work on. In this case, many students have been turning to energy drinks, which are often high in caffeine.

According to Fitness magazine, caffeine not only stimulates the brain, but it keeps it from detecting fatigue, which is like tricking your brain. The brain will build up a tolerance to caffeine, which will result in an increase in consumption, which can be very unhealthy to those who already drink energy drinks on a regular basis.

An energy drink can have up to about five times more caffeine than one cup of coffee. To some people, this might sound like good news. However, the side effects can be serious.

It is very unhealthy if someone consumes energy drinks on a regular basis. It actually makes some people feel more stressed, which is probably the opposite effect they were aiming for. Energy drinks are a diuretic, which means that they don’t ‘quench your thirst’, they actually keep you dehydrated, which isn’t a good decision. Along with this come the risks of heart palpitations, cardiovascular disease or death.

Drinking something that could have side effects this serious doesn’t seem like such a good idea.

If drinking energy drinks is a once in a while ordeal, then that’s okay. It’s understandable to feel like your body needs some stimulation every now and then, because let’s face it: most teenagers are not going to get enough sleep on a regular basis. But drinking energy drinks every day, or even every week ,is not a good decision for staying healthy.

Don’t risk your health for a drink, especially because there are other ways to keep you going, like getting enough sleep or staying active. Considering the serious side effects, trying to trick your brain into keeping you awake just isn’t worth the risk.

ramparts Editors in Chief:

Managing Editors: News: Features: Opinion: Sports: The Hot Spot: Photos and art: Design: PR Rep: Exchange Manager: Staff Writers:

Adviser:

Holt Senior High School

Lindsey Hamlin Kelsey Manas Brian Proctor Kailey Kraushaar Karina Drachman Mariah Massa Jacqui Marpa Chloe Henley Meg McKay Ben Gates Jordan Rakas Joey Myers Iman Ben-Hamza, Ryan Carrier, Hannan Gedeon, Stephanie Le, Collin Mohr, Anna Pavlik, Cody Shattuck, Alyssa Stepter, Will Thurston Amy Clark

Editorial Policy: Ramparts is published by the Journalism class of Holt High School.

The newspaper serves the students and staff of Holt High School and as a connection to the Holt-Dimondale community.

The objective of Ramparts is to publish a factual, informative and entertaining newspaper, and to provide a forum for the expression of diverse viewpoints.

The opinions and views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, the adviser, or all Ramparts staff members.

The editors reserve the right to reject any material that is libelous, obscene, or poses an immediate and material disruption to the educational environment.

Ramparts prints letters to the editor and guest editorials as space allows. Letters must be typed, less than 100 words in length and signed. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit for length. Ramparts will not print letters that are obscene, libelous or that target an individual.

Advertisements that are obscene, misleading, or illegal to minors will not be printed. Ramparts reserves the right to reject any advertisement. To place an ad, contact the adviser or the Ramparts staff at (517) 694-2162.

Some material courtesy of American Society of Newspaper Editors/MCT Campus High School Newspaper Service.

Exam policy needs change

Exemption should be based on academics

Ryan Carrier

W

hen the third trimester begins and even before, most seniors have great difficulty staying focused on school work. The anticipation of graduating and moving on to the next stage of their lives tends to make school very low on the priority list.

To help put school back on students’ minds HHS gives an incentive to seniors with good attendance by allowing them to be exempt from taking third trimester exams.

The policy states that any senior with no unexcused absences, no suspensions and three or fewer excused absences can be exempt from taking third trimester final exams. Because exams may be the most dreaded part of high school, the policy gives motivation to seniors who are finding trouble to keep caring about school work and their attendance. However, the policy can cause problems for students who have absences that are hard to avoid.

Students who are sick have a choice to make: they can either stay home to recover, possibly adding up more than three absences, or they can come to school to be certain they won’t have to take exams. For many students, the thought of taking exams is worse than a cold lasting a few extra days, resulting in more sick students infecting the hallways.

Responsible students who do decide to spare the rest of the student population from their sickness are often punished with their possibility of exam exemption being taken away, an unjust consequence for the students who are thinking about the goodwill of the whole school when they decide to stay home.

However, this unjust treatment to sick students is a hard problem to fix. Allowing students to be excused with a note would no doubt be taken advantage of with forged doctor/ parents’ notes, and extending the absence limit alone would result in more students missing school for the wrong reasons.

A possible change to the policy that would bring about a better resolution is allowing seniors to be exempt from exams based on academic performance with a larger number of absences allowed.

Students who can miss a few days of school and still keep a good grade should not be punished by revoking their exam exemption. If students have a good grade they are doing their job by learning all of the required content, therefore their attendance shouldn’t be that big of

an issue.

Because of this, the senior exam exemption should be allotted to students with a C or higher in a class, having the performance in each class be independent of the others. However, to keep students who don’t need to be in school to get good grades from skipping class all the time, a larger absence maximum could be used, such as seven excused absences.

The grade requirement would make it so seniors have to keep doing their school work all throughout the trimester if they want to keep at least a B- to avoid the long hours of test taking of final exams. Even though we take many tests throughout the year in our classes, there is something about the thought of final exams that make students cringe. Because of this, most students will avoid taking exams at all costs, even if it means fighting the senioritis and showing up to school intent on completing work.

Also, having a seven absence limit would make it so sick students would be much more likely to stay home instead of coming in to school making the rest of us sick. The larger absence limit also gives a little leeway to students to do as they please while keeping the amount of missing school from getting out of control.

The senior exam policy is a great incentive to keep seniors showing up to school, it just needs a little finetuning to keep them motivated with their school work too.

Your View Ban on backpacks during school hours is useless Dear Editor, The reason for this letter is to provide an objective viewpoint regarding a rule that adversely impacts each and every student that attends Holt High School. The rule in question is the administration’s prohibition of backpacks during the school day for our HHS student body. In an effort to make the school safer, the authors of this rule embraced the logic is that if a student is going to bring a weapon to school they will bring it in a backpack.

Based on state law, anyone who carries a weapon on school property is a criminal. By definition, criminals do not obey laws and rules. It seems absurd to believe that a criminal will read the student handbook and decide that they will not act out their heinous plots because the student handbook prohibits backpacks during school hours. Common sense would suggest that criminals will follow through with these acts even if it means breaking a rule in the student handbook. People who have no regard for boundaries will not follow this rule. This leaves law abiding students to suffer the consequences of the ridiculous rules that are imposed on them.

The consequences include, but are not limited to, an unreasonable number of trips to and from individual lockers. This results in less time to socialize and in many cases can result in punctuality issues in the classroom.

This deserves the attention of school administrators because some of the problems that occur at HHS are clearly a direct result of the rules that were made by the very people who are responsible for ensuring that students report to class in a timely manner.

There is a very simple solution to this problem. The administration of HHS should determine the amount of time since this rule was written. Then they should take an equal period of time before the rule was written. For each of these periods (before and after the backpack prohibition), administration should report the number of documented criminal weapon events per student days (number of students x number of school days).

Based on this data, if this ruling has made our school safer, it should remain in place. If the number of events per student days are unchanged or more, the ban on backpacks must be repealed.

Molly Gray, senior

Viewpoints Holt High School Ramparts

Senioritis affects students The epidemic that’s sweeping the school

Stephanie Le

A

s the school year comes to an end, most students find themselves caught in the grip of the ever famous senioritis.

Experienced by students of all ages, senioritis is the feeling of absolute unbeatable laziness with the end of the year so close in sight.

With various symptoms such as the need to ignore all homework assigned, a heavy dragging feeling centered in the gut which leaves one unable to get out of bed, and an extreme compulsion to just give up on all things school-related, this “sickness” can have some serious consequences.

While it is tempting to give in to the whims of senioritis, it might not be such a good idea for students to allow this crippling lethargy to

affect them. Many people overlook the long-term consequences in order to receive the short-term benefits that skipping school and not doing homework can give them.

Knowing that the end of the year is near, students fall into a complacency that could hurt their

“Many people overlook the longterm consequences in order to receive the short-term benefits that skipping school and not doing homework can give them. “ future. Getting lazy and letting it affect your performance in school could lead to failing classes. In some extreme cases, senioritis can lead to a student not graduating due to lack of attendance.

For those who are taking major exams, like the Advanced Placement tests for example, becoming lazy and not doing homework could have a serious effect on their chances of getting college credit on the test.

Furthermore, this laziness could have the potential to carry on to the next year, resulting in struggles to achieve academic excellence.

This is especially troubling for seniors who are moving on to their first year of college. Starting college with an air of laziness is not the best way to begin the rest of one’s life.

Some colleges have even been known to revoke acceptance due to an extreme drop in academic performance. Imagine ruining your future prospects of college, all for a couple of days of “r and r.”

Everyone has probably e x p e r i e n c e d s o m e d e g re e o f senioritis during the school year. It would be unreasonable to say that it is completely unprovoked. We have all been there.

It’s understandable that with the end of the school year so close students would care less about their work and more about the upcoming summer break. But allowing that feeling to affect one’s performance to the point of mediocrity is not a good idea.

Stu d e nt s ju st n e e d to f ig ht through it and keep chugging forward to the end. With the finish line so close, it would be a shame to let all of the hard work of the year go to waste for a few days of relaxation.

Hot or not?

Being active: Getting ready for summer, soaking up the sun and hanging out.

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April 2011 Being lazy: Sitting inside all summer, doing nothing.

Speak up

What is your favorite summertime activity?

“My favorite thing would be camping.”

Alyssa Clark, senior

“I would say lying by the beach because it’s soothing and relaxing.”

J.P. Zippi, senior

“Swimming, because it’s a way to cool off without having to be inside.”

Victoria Januszewski, sophomore

“Track, it’s just my favorite sport. It gets you outside and you can see your friends. I think it’s fun.”

Chris Roberts, junior

“Sleeping, because I don’t get to do it during the school year.”

Brianna Forrest, junior

Corrections Cartoon by Chloe Henley

In the March issue of Ramparts, students Damon Ellis and Sanda Vazgek were incorrectly identified as juniors. Both students are sophomores. If you are aware of any errors of fact in our reporting please contact us in room E221 or send an e-mail to ramparts@ hpsk12.net.

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Features

April 2011

Holt High School Ramparts

L i f e Pentwater i s a b e Holland ach

Find the best beaches in Michigan Chloe Henley

Distance: 2 hours and 25 minutes away Activities: Sand dunes, fishing, campgrounds, one-mile hiking trail

Distance: 1 hour and 46 minutes away

Admission: $6 a day/$24 annual pass

Activities: Sand volleyball courts, boardwalk, boating, shopping

staff writer With summer approaching, students are ready to take a break from school and get ready for some fun in the sun. Students begin to shed the snowpants and break out the boardshorts and bikinis. With the warmer weather on its way, it is hard to determine which beach is the best for you. Some of HHS’s students share their opinions on which beach is best for them.

Hawk Island Distance: 11 minutes away off of Cavanaugh Rd. Activities: Playground, 1.5 mile paved pathway, fishing, boat rental, sand volleyball courts “It’s a park that is within 15 minutes from Holt.There are woods to play in with a lot of plant and animal life. There are also lifeguards on duty to keep everyone safe. ” -junior Alex Hrapkiewicz

Grand Haven

“It’s a really popular beach, so you can see a lot of people you know or meet new ones. I look forward to going there every summer.”

-junior Austyn Halligan “The beach is really clean. When you’re not in the sun, Putt-Putt golf is really close. You can also go to Silver Lake or Ludington which are only like 30 minutes away.”

-freshman Sam Sarata

Festivals: A Coast Guard Festival is held annually. The festival is aimed to honor the men and women associated in the United States Coast Guard. It contains carnival rides, a musical fountain, and fireworks. This year the festival will take place from July 29 through August 7.

Admission: $6 a day/$24 annual pass

Lake Lansing

“A lot of people we know go to Grand Haven.

The beach is really familiar and close. There’s volleyball on the beach and a lot of places to eat If you wanted to go downtown, it’s only like a 10-minute walk.”

-senior Angela Lucas

Activities: Sand volleyball, fishing, running track, horseshoe pits

“I like to jump off of the pier and walk down it. It’s a great place to meet new people, especially hot guys.”

-junior Skylen Powell

Distance: 26 minutes away in Haslett

“Lake Lansing isn’t the best beach, but it is a great place to pick up the local ladies.”

-sophomore Parker Allen

Distance: 1 hour and 41 minutes away Activities: Sand dunes, beach volleyball Festivals: The Tulip Festival is held every year. This year, it will take place May 7-14.

Admission: $8 a day. For Michigan residents, the yearly passport is only $10.

“Holland has two beaches, so it is good when one beach gets too crowded. The beach is really clean and there is a lot to do.”

-junior Kurtis Smith

Photo courtesy of michigan. org.

Used with permission.

Features

9

Holt High School Ramparts

April 2011

You can dance if you want to Unique dance moves that will get the crowd shouting and the party bumping

The Moon Gazer

A name that does not give the dance quite the justice it deserves. “The Moon Gazer” consists of three essential elements. First, you must look off into the distance, preferably the sky, possibly the moon? As you stare off, be sure to have a smirk on your face that makes people ask themselves “What on earth could he/she be looking at?”

Once you have that down you’re going to want to lock both your arms in front of your chest in a 90 degree angle, almost as if you were holding maracas. In this position arch your back, bend the knees a little and synchronously wiggle your hips and gently alternate your arms going up and down.

Senior Travis Sweet finds the move very exotic, unique and a perfect move to send a message to whomever is watching.

“When I’m doing the Moon Gazer I’m thinking to myself ‘There’s no other move I would rather be doing right now, this is the one’,” Sweet said.

“The Moon Gazer” is a very simple and amusing dance that will be suitable for virtually any genre, tempo and environment.

Benjamin Gates

L

staff writer

et’s establish this fact : Simple, clever dance moves such as the “Sprinkler”, “Shopping Cart”, and the “Q-tip” are overused and unoriginal. Confirmation of that statement then triggers the expected question: When the time calls, what are some new and easy dance moves that will not only be impressive but also inspiring?

The following dances are directed to those who are looking for something fresh and creative on the dance floor. These moves, if done effectively, will be highly beneficial in events and situations such as: the prom, flash mobs, social gatherings, impressing that special someone, etc. Let it be known that while this list is very limited, it will serve as a sound foundation for fun and innovative dance moves to come.

The Eisenhauer

Those who attended the World Language Week assembly on March 16 were more than likely fortunate to witness what is called “The Eisenhauer”.

Junior Jacob Eisenhauer debut his trademarked move during a dance performed by Rosie Peters’ German IV class. As the techno bass began throbbing with more intensity, the audience roared as Eisenhauer exploded in his own solo, placing the cherry on top with this very complex and eye-catching move. Eisenhauer broke down the move with a few key elements.

“You have to have the ability to bend your knees and be able to move your shoulders and hips back and forth rather smoothly,” Eisenhauer said.

This is one of the more complicated moves on the list. Along with the knee bending and shoulder and hip moving, you are simultaneously throwing in a sort of wave motion with your hand. As your hand is replicating a tide, your fingers are also moving up and down.

Eisenhauer explained how exactly he comes up with his dance moves, specifically “The Eisenhauer”.

“Most the stuff I do is run by instinct, whatever I’m feeling through the music really,” Eisenhauer said.

Words nor pictures give the move justice. For further explanation on “The Eisenhauer” or any other unique dance moves consult Jacob Eisenhauer himself.

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(Top) Senior Travis Sweet looks off into the distance as he demonstrates “The Moon Gazer”. (Above/right) Junior Jacob Eisenhauer shows off his original and complex dance move “The Eisenhauer.”

Both moves are great unique dances to pull out at events such as the prom.

Photos by Benjamin Gates



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Jelly Arms

The name is self-explanatory, unless taken literally.

“Jelly Arms”, is primarily focused on the arms. The major thing to do during the move is to stand straight and stabilize your torso, specifically your shoulders and arms. Imagine your arms being made out of rubber or any ‘flubbery’ substance of your choice.

As your shoulders relax and arms hang, begin to flap your arms to the beat of the song. “Jelly Arms” will work best with a bit more lively songs. A tempo about +120 bpm will be fine. This is a very simple and unique move that can be done by your 70 year-old grandmother or 5 year-old brother.

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Features

April 2011

Connecting the Dots

Jacqui Marpa

A letter to the ones in charge

T

o whom it may concern, I’m going to begin this letter with an apology. I apologize for my frequent use of sarcasm in this letter as you progressively read it. Honestly, it was hard for my part to sugar coat every opinion that I expressed on this letter. I wrote this letter to ask the following questions to the people “in charge”.

Budget Cuts. Why have you decided to cut budget on schools? I know that graduation rates are very depressing.

So will limiting potential learning to us help make these situations better?

I mean, for crying out loud, there’s a reason why they call us “the lost generation” and then you are going to compromise our vehicles to success?

I also heard that in the future, the younger generation will solve the current problems of America.

Well, that’s a lot of pressure on us, considering the fact that we might not become knowledgeable enough to even determine what America’s problems are, let alone solve them.

Unions. Why are you picking on unions? Why do you want to get rid of teacher unions? Is it because you don’t want to spend money covering benefits for employees? Or is it because you like working conditions to be similar to, for the lack of a better description, sweatshops?

Defense. Why can’t you just pick on defense instead? I mean, isn’t it quite ironic that America acts as a mediator between two opposing countries to avoid catastrophes, such as war, yet America makes more money from creating weaponries that cause violence? Do we really need violence in order to resolve conflict?

Even grade-schoolers know that fighting isn’t going to solve anything but only cause their privileges to be taken away by their folks.

I don’t really know if you will get to read this letter, but you know, I kinda figured that you wouldn’t bother since I’m just a kid and my voice doesn’t count until I’m 18.

Sincerely, Jacqui Marpa

Holt High School Ramparts

Local ice cream parlors serve up smiles Places with tasty treats to beat the summer heat Alyssa Stepter

staff writer The famous Ice Cream song by Johnson, Moll, & King goes “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream,” and as the winter cold dies down, the summer heat begins to rise, students begin looking for tasty treats to satisfy their summer cravings.

Whether it’s vanilla, chocolate or an original flavor such as cake batter or cheesecake, Ramparts knows the best places where students and staff alike can go for a quick fix.

Two local favorites include Dairy Dan’s and Sweet Sensations, both family owned businesses and primarily student operated. Dairy Dan is located at 7035 South Cedar St. in Lansing, and Sweet Sensations isn’t too far away, located at 1963 Cedar St. in Holt. Customers can always count on a delightful treat, made with creativity and handed to you with a smile whenever you visit.

Dairy Dan’s is owned by husband and wife Pat and Gary Ruth. They have been in business since June of 2005 and this year their business will be celebrating its seventh anniversary.

“We are famous for our cookie dough monster in the trash can, as well as our 44-ounce milkshake,” Dairy Dan manager India McKimmey said.

Just down the street is Sweet Sensations, a family owned and operated ice cream parlor that has been around for 33 years.

Owned by Patrick and Kerry DeRosa, Sweet Sensations is a fun place to go that is very affordable for families and famous for their triple parfaits.

“We are proud of our employers and how friendly they are, as well as the quality of our product that we keep at a low price,” manager and owner Kerry DeRosa said.

Other local favorites include Cold Stone Creamery and Dairy Queen, which is home to the DQ Blizzard, and the Coney Dog. Dairy Queen, is localy located at 3906 South Cedar

Street in Lansing.

The first Dairy Queen store opened in Joliet, Illinois 1940. The first unnamed dairy product was unlimited to customers and went for sale at only 10 cents; on August 4, 1938 people in Kankakee, Illinois lined the streets for a taste. Dairy Queen System is one of the largest fast food chains in the world with more than 5,900 restaurants in the United States, Canada and 20 foreign countries. Back then, food franchising was unheard of, but the new products had such potential it was a natural gimmick for such a system.

Last but not least is Cold Stone Creamery, located at 2350 Cedar St. in Holt.

Cold Stone Creamery first opened its doors in Tempe, Arizona in 1988, founded by Donald and Susan Sutherland whose mission was to serve fresh and personalized ice cream. They have long since met that goal with ice cream flavors such as cake batter, coffee, and eggnog along with original creations such as Birthday Cake remix, Oreo Overload and Peanut Butter Cup Perfection.

“I absolutely love ice cream, so working at Cold Stone is the best job in the world,” it’s different than other ice cream shops because we actually get to make the ice cream, and customers can create their own,” senior Taylor Bird said. My personal favorite is the coffee ice cream, but I really like the signature ice cream Berry, Berry, Berry good” Bird said.

Fresh ice cream is prepared every day, with tons of mix-in items such as M&M’s, brownies and traditional sprinkles all blended and prepared on a cold stone while you watch.

A realistic approach to the right relationship Advice for healthy couples

Cody Shattuck staff writer Trust, honesty and faithfulness.

These are only a few factors that make relationships strong. Difficulties can also occur within that hinder these elements. However, is there more behind them.

A relationship is only as strong as the people involved allow them to be.

Many key necessities play a huge role.

Students give some advice to a good healthy partnership.

“You have to have respect, trust and happiness in a relationship, along with other things, otherwise, it’s not going to work well and function right,” senior Stephanie Southwell said. “The same goes with friendship. You have to be dedicated and have to have trust, you have to be yourself and you have to make an effort in both circumstances.”

However, many things can also

ruin and weaken the trust that people seem. Some careless mistakes can happen have consequences later on.

“If you lie and cheat, it can take a turn for the worse in a hurry. One major thing to do is to stay faithful,” junior Adam Thurston said. “If you are the person that can’t stay faithful and honest, you are going to end up hurting yourself, along with the other person. A good thing to do is to have a good friendship established so you will have stronger relationship.”

One tip for keeping a healthy relationship is communication.

Communication is something that allows a strong companionship, according to research done by counselors in 2000 at the University of Kansas State. Studies show, people that have more healthy relationships have more happiness and less stress in life.

Taking turns listening to each other as well as sharing information with each other helps keep things going strong.

Another item that keeps relations and friends strong is being

dependable and fighting fair. Being the friend that’s there for other is an important trait to have. When fighting, you don’t want to be the one that always wins and assumes things.

This will ultimately end up hurting the relationship leading down a bad road. The best thing to do is to figure everything out in a peaceful way.

“You never want to go and assume anything on your partner. Especially something like cheating,” junior Samantha TenHove said. “The best thing to do is to confront them, but do it in a way that doesn’t sound pushy or that you are assuming things. You want to show that you are serious and committed to the person and that you care.”

If a person is cheating, however, making decisions can be hard to do.

Thurston gives his opinion on what to do when this happens.

“You would obviously want to confront the other person first about it and if needed, get out as soon as possible,” Thurston said. “If you sit there and lie, you are only cheating yourself. If you are caught, just be

honest.”

Sometimes, it’s a matter of the right timing for the relationships. You have to be someone who is ready to commit to it fully.

“A lot of times in high school, everyone rushes into a relationship when they aren’t really ready. And the best thing to do, would be to wait to make sure you are ready to be in it, before you enter the relationship,” TenHove said. “Otherwise you aren’t fully committed.”

Something to keep in mind is to be you. If the person you are with doesn’t allow this, it may lead to a bad relationship according to kidshealth.org. Some other signs of a bad relationship would be constantly get angry when it’s not all about you or if they don’t want you seeing other friends. These are all warning signs that the relationship isn’t working.

If they critique how you dress this may also raise concern for you and your partner.

However, there are no signals telling you that you are in a good relationship.

Features

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Holt High School Ramparts

April 2011

Life happiness: what it takes to wear the face The facts about being happy Anna Pavlik staff writer Happiness comes and happiness goes, but are there ways to make sure a person’s happiness level is at its greatest?

According to many theories, happiness relies on no one but that individual.

Experts believe that there are several ways to make happiness happen; many theories show a few key subjects.

Abraham Maslow, an American professor of philosophy, believed that once fundamental human needs are met, one can progress to the satisfaction of higher needs and move up a hierarchical ladder to increasing happiness. His fivestep pyramid theory hits main points to happiness. Within his pyramid are basic biological needs, security, personal relationships, respect, and having a life purpose.

Some believe that the most important thing to happiness is just knowing that you have something there that makes you happy.

“Having something that makes you

happy is important because we are all going to have moments where we aren’t happy and need something that will cheer us up,” senior Max Hecksel said.

Countless studies have shown that those with a happier overall feeling typically have better jobs, make more money, are more satisfied with their marriages and have stronger immune systems. “The Science of Happiness”, written by Leslie Pepper, debates on whether happiness causes all those terrific things to happen, or if it is the other way around.

Happiness is extremely subjective, which makes research and statistics very

hard to measure. The experts do know, however, that you can increase your sense of happiness no matter where you happen to fall on the emotional spectrum.

Sonja Lyubomirsky, a professor of psychology, discovered that of the approximately 50 percent of our happiness that isn’t biologically driven, 10 percent is connected to life circumstances, and the other 40 percent is unaccounted for, and is up to the person to shape.

“Being happy is what gets me through tough days with a positive attitude,“ sophomore Courtney Houser said.

Yes! Magazine’s article “10 Things Science Says Will Make You Happy”, written by Jen Angel, stresses the importance of having meaningful goals.

“Having something that makes you happy is important because if you want to live life to the fullest, you have to be happy and motivated to live your life,” junior Brianna Schafer said.

Yes! Magazine agrees, stating that people who strive for something significant are far happier than those who don’t have strong dreams or aspirations.

There are many factors that come into a person’s happiness, and those essential things to happiness relies a lot on the person and their wants and needs in life.

10 Surprising Facts About Happiness

Your genes and family upbringing only account for half of your happiness level. In the United States, the number of people with clinical depression is 3 to 10 times more common than it was for their grandparents at the same age. Women are unhappiest in their life at age 36; men at age 42 It gets easier as you age. Ages 20-34 year olds are sad for 3.4 days a month while ages 65-74 are sad for 2.3 days a month. A mere 20 minutes of exercise, three days each week will increase your happiness by 10 to 20 percent after six months. The happier you are, the more antibodies your body makes. The more you hug your children, the happier they will be as adults. Happier people are more likely to retain relationships. Your body odor changes from when you’re upset to when you’re happy. Only ten percent of your happiness comes from external circumstances.

Source: www.davidweedmark.com

Healthy eating for the summer season Get up and get out this summer

Kailey Kraushaar staff writer Cold weather blues bring out the worst in most people. When the snow is falling, it’s rare to want to exercise, and simple things like going to the gym seem like impossible tasks. While it’s possible to exercise and be healthy in the winter, it’s not easy, so when the sun comes out in spring, there is an opportunity to get fit and healthy.

Exercise can be achieved in ways other than going to the gym and when it’s nice out, doing outside activities is a common way to get the heart pumping.

“I enjoy trail running, biking, just going on walks and being outside.

When the weather is nice. It’s more enjoyable to exercise outside,” science teacher Mike VanAntwerp said.

Exercise isn’t limited to these activities though, and swimming, hiking and playing sports are fun ways to exercise as well.

Photo by Mariah Massa

Doing summer activities like bike riding is an enjoyable way to get exercise. Riding a bike for 30 minutes can burn an average of 130 calories.

Doing simple activities in the summer, and it’s easier to grill things summertime is a way to sneak like veggie and Boca burgers for e x e r c i s e i n t o e v e r y d a y l i f e . protein,” sophomore Jessica Curry According to Weather.com, mowing said. “Everything is so much more the lawn for a half hour can burn up fresh. I like berries a lot, and carrots are really good, too.” to 200 calories.

Along with the fact that healthy Along with working out, the healthy eating component of getting food is more available in the summer, most people have more fit is important too.

“Fruit is much better in the time as well, which makes it easier

to prepare healthy meals.

Getting into the swing of living a healthier lifestyle is important, VanAntwerp said. He advises students to keep their heads up and take it slow.

“The process to getting healthy is tough at first, but start slow. Focus on goals and challenge yourself to get better. Think of it as time on your feet, not as how fast you can go. I think students should just get outside, and eat food that makes them feel good. That’s the best way to get healthy.”

Students making the choice to get healthy for summer have cut out some of the bad things in their diets, and enhanced them with eating healthy things as well.

“I drink much less Diet Coke than I used to because it’s just not good for me. And I also started eating something for breakfast in the mornings. Usually it’s just a banana or something small, but it’s better than nothing, and it gets my metabolism going,” senior Corey Bulock said.

Cu t t i n g b a c k o n s o d a a n d s u b s t i t u t i n g i t f o r l o w s u ga r beverages like fresh iced tea in the

Nutrition Facts Soft serve ice cream cone-192 calories Popsicle--40 calories 1 cup of watermelon--46 calories 8 oz. of lemonade --120 calories 1 cup of strawberries--49 calories *All calculations are averages Source: caloriecount.com summer is a healthy change that most students agree isn’t too tough, and making simple diet changes can help students make the transition to a healthier lifestyle.

Along with eating nutritious food and getting lots of exercise, summer is a time to have fun.

“Having an ice cream cone now and then is okay, just as long as it’s not an everyday thing,” Curry said.

There’s room for days off in all diets, as long as the base of the food is healthful.

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The Hot Spot

April 2011

Holt High School Ramparts

Choir 101: What it takes to sing at the top What it takes to be an HHS choir member Iman Ben-Hamza staff writer HHS is known for many of its programs and academics, one of them being the music program.

The choir pro gram has many dimensions and different sections for students with different interests and skill levels that have allowed them to raise the bar each year and accomplish new things.

The choir program is divided into four different choirs: Concert Chorus, Chorale, Cantique and Men of Holt (MOH).

Concert Chorus is the beginning level choir, where students with an interest in vocal music and performing can experiment with it. Cantique and MOH are the inter me diate level choirs for students who already have

Photo by Karina Drachman

Cantique rehearses for the Fine Arts Festival, which was held on February 16. All choirs practice extensively for events such as the Fine Arts Festival and the upcoming State choir festival. confirmed their interest in vocal stretch their voice and improve as music and want to take a step performers. further. Cantique is an all women’s Most students begin in Concert choir, and MOH is an all men’s Chorus, and if they enjoy it enough choirs. Chorale is an advanced to try out to be in a higher level level choir, for students w ith choir. Junior Caitlyn Truelove has a serious interest who want to been in Chorale and Cantique for

two years. Prior to that she was in Concert Chorus for one year. She said she plans to pursue music after high school.

“I definitely plan to pursue music after high school. I want to major in something like musical theater or vocal music,” Truelove said.

The selection process to be in any of the choirs is based on a variety of things, including vocal ability, flexibility, balance, blend and tone.

Also, a dedication is needed to be in a group like Cantique, Chorale or MOH because there is more traveling and more is expected.

“The selection has to do with a lot of things,” choir teacher Monty Bishop said. “The students have to really want to sing.”

Within each choir are different sections: sopranos, altos, tenors and bass. Soprano and alto parts are parts for females. Sopranos generally sing the melody of a song and altos sing the harmony.

Tenor and bass parts are parts for males, but students in choir are not necessarily limited to just one part. Senior Jordin Foster is part

of Cantique, and she says that all students need to have some of the same abilities.

“In choir it is good for everybody to have a range of abilities,” Foster said. “Some people even switch parts depending on the song.”

Choirs focus on different types of music for different parts of the year. In the beginning of the year, they start with classical and holiday music, in preparation for the annual holiday concert. After that they focus more on classical and ‘high brow’ music, which is more artistic and stretches the voice, for the choir festival where this music is required. Their year ends with more pop and jazz songs, which follows with them choosing their songs.

Bishop contributes a lot of the program’s success to setting new and higher standards for each incoming group of singers.

“Success breeds success, so I like to make students aware of past accomplishments of choirs,” Bishop said. “We’re constantly raising the bar.”

Movie theater magic: which big screen is the best?

Jordan Rakas

R

staff writer

ainy days are great days to get some friends, family or that special someone and go to your local movie theater. Living in or around Holt means there are several movie theaters to choose from. We’ve taken a closer look at three local cinemas that are most frequently visited

by Holt students so you can see which is best for you.

Celebration Cinemas

Student ticket price: $7.50 Deals: For the month of April, ticket prices are dropped a dollar Distance from HHS: 5 minutes IMAX: Yes Shows 3D Films THX: Yes Number of Theaters: 20 regular theaters An IMAX theater is a 50’ by 70’ screen that is coated in special silver paint. The screen is flat, but slightly curved to extend it to the edge of people’s peripheral vision. The screen has thousands of tiny holes, so sound can pass through easily. The quality images of IMAX come from 10x the detail and information on the film itself. However, quality isn’t only in the images.

“We go by something called the “Art of Celebrated Service”. We are taught to make everyone’s trip to the movies a fun and lively interaction with creativity and kindness,” senior Ciara Garchow said. Garchow works at Celebration Cinema.

NCG Cinemas

Student ticket price: $7.50 Deals: Friday – Sunday before noon $5, before 6 p.m. $6.50 Distance from HHS: 17 miles IMAX: No IMAX theater but shows some IMAX films Shows 3D Films THX: No Number of Theaters: 18 NCG Cinemas offers a dinner and movie package. This includes two movie passes and a $25 gift certificate, for only $39 at certain restaurants. They also have a café upstairs. As for the theaters, they have high-back rocker seats to make the viewing experience more comfortable.

“NCG has better quality, better service and a lot of perks to offer,” senior and employee of NCG Cinemas Katina Leger said.

Lansing Mall Cinemas

Student ticket price: $5.00 Deals: N/A Distance from HHS: 15 minutes, 13.7 miles IMAX: No Shows 3D Films in largest theaters THX: No Number of Theaters: Six Lansing Mall Cinema is not just a movie theater. They have a party room that can be rented for four hours and comes with concession discounts.

“Unfortunately, it is very small and only has six theaters, but it’s almost comforting how small it is because the customers feel much more at home in the theater,” senior and former employee Brittany Anderson said.

Photo by Kelsey Manas

The Hot Spot

13

Holt High School Ramparts

April 2011

My Tunes

Falling for the

We’ve selected two people to interview and find out what music they love this month.

STARS

What’s stuck in business teacher Margo Strong’s head?

Students crush on the rich and famous

Style of music: “Alternative, jazz and R&B.” “Thriller” by Michael Jackson “It’s a classic. You can dance to it. When you hear it you just want to move.”

“Jamming” by Bob Marley “I like the beat, and I like the feeling it has.”

“September” by Earth, Wind and Fire “ It’s the type of song that once you play it, it sticks in your head all day.”

“Dead Man’s Party” by Oingo Bingo “I like it because it’s unique.”

“Foxy Lady” by Jimi Hendrix “It’s a classic, and the guitar at the beginning is awesome.”

Lindsey Hamlin

F

editor-in-chief

rom movie stars to singers, some students find themselves drooling over the celebrities. Whether for looks, voice, acting skills or personality, these “beautiful people” leave fans with a puppy love and hopes of meeting their celebrity crush some day.

According to ABC News, about a third of people have what is called “celebrity worship syndrome,” which is an unhealthy interest in the lives of the rich and famous. The levels of this will vary with the person, and are categorized into three groups. Students with a mild interest in celebrities fall into the “entertainment social group”, occasionally discussing the lives of celebrities. Those who feel as though they have a connection with the star fall into the group of “intense personal.” The belief that the celebrity is the soul mate of the student would fall into the category of “borderline pathological.”

Some students may identify with one of these three categories and have a “crush” on one of the rich and famous.

Actor Ashton Kutcher catches the eye of admirer senior Janet Phan. He has appeared in the television show That 70s Show, the movie No Strings Attached and hosted the reality show Punk’d.

“I have a crush on him because of his amazing facial features and killer abs. He’s also a good actor, especially in comedy. I like a guy who can make me laugh,” Phan said.

If she were ever able to meet Kutcher she would try to play it cool, Phan said. Many with celebrity crushes dream of a date with their crush.

“We would play some laser tag at Zap Zone and glow golf,” Phan said. “Then picnic at the park and stay until it’s dark so we can look at the stars together.”

Singer Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers is the celebrity crush of sophomore Heather Baum. She said her crush on him was established because he is a great singer, funny and cute.

Baum said that because Jonas has had some relationship trouble, there is one thing that she would tell him if she had a chance to talk to him.

“I would tell him that true love is out there for everyone,” Baum said.

Junior Daniel Yu’s fancy lies with actress and singer Selena Gomez and said she is cute and unique. Gomez stars in Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place.

“She seems like she would just be a really nice person in general and she’d be a really fun person to know,” Yu said.

If Yu were given the chance to meet Gomez he said he would be overcome with the giggles.

“I’d probably just start laughing a lot and be really stupid because I’d be so shocked,” Yu said. “Then I’d ask for her number and steal her away from Justin Bieber.”

If senior Bethany Nippa were to meet her celebrity crush, actor Orlando Bloom from Pirates of the Caribbean, she said she would stand there, jaw dropped in awe.

“My reaction would more than likely be me asking people, ‘Is that really Orlando Bloom? Are you sure that’s him?’” Nippa said.

Nippa would want to be able to get to know Bloom if given the chance to go on a date with him.

“I would like to go do something fun, where I could still get to know him at the same time, so probably like an active date where we go bowling or even go out to a big city have a nice dinner and walk around the city at night with all of the big lights,” Nippa said.

Junior Abby Cottom said that if she was able to meet her celebrity love interest, actor Taylor Lautner from Twilight, she would try to “act chill” so he didn’t think she was a total maniac.

“If I met him I would say something cheesy like “It’s really hot in here, oh wait that’s you,” Cottom said.

What’s stuck in junior Dylan Border’s head?

Senior Bethany Nippa holds a picture of her celebrity, crush Orlando Bloom.

Nippa said she has seen all of the movies Bloom has starred in.

Photo by Lindsey Hamlin

Style of music: “I’m a rock man myself, and I can also enjoy other different types of genres as well if they sound good.”

“RE: Your Brains” by Jonathan Coulton “This song is very qwerty, tells about a zombie apocalypse.”

“Heart Shaped Box” by Nirvana “It’s a very dark and mysterious song. The chorus is awesome, and it has everything I like about Nirvana in it.”

“The Show Must Go On” by Queen “This is an epic song, and it was his last song he did before he died, so it’s a special song to me.”

“Sweet Transvestite” from the Rocky Horror Picture Show “It’s a very fun villain song that gives a mystique attitude in the song. Tim Curry nails the dramatics and tone perfectly.”

“The Age of Oneness Out of Diversity”

by Christopher Lee “Tells the tale of King Charlemagne. Also the hundred person orchestra mixes two heavy metal bands into one, which sounds really awesome.”

If you’d like to tell us what songs are stuck in your head, e-mail a list of five songs and your comments to ramparts@hpsk12.net

14

Sports

April 2011

The Press Box Boys golf

record: N/A league standing: N/A season highlight: “Our First test will be the CAAC opener on the 14th. It’s important to start off on the right foot and place high on the leaderboard,” junior Trent Tuttle said. in their words: “The team is looking solid even though we’ve had limited time outside. If we work hard and stay focused we have a good chance coming out on top,” said junior Alex Sanford.

BOYS TRACK

record: N/A season highlight: “As a team we did pretty good at the MSU invite and we’re looking forward to some very well put together meets this season,” senior Grant Taylor said. in their words: “The throwers are looking solid because we return a lot of guys from last year, but the most improved part is the Big Dog Race boys,” senior Tre Wilson said.

BOYS BASEBALL

record: 5-1 season highlight: “It had to be Andy Golden’s home run,” senior Daniel Middleton said.

“He smashed it!” in their words: “It’s gone really well. We’ve won all but one game,” junior Blake McHenry said.

Holt High School Ramparts

Students choice: most dangerous Sports are ranked by severity of injury Brian Proctor

news editor The normal human body is designed for many different activities, ranging from swimming to walking up stairs.

Without proper care, the body fails, injuring the person.

The strenuous activities that occur during sports should only be done when the body can safely perform them. The most dangerous sport is subject to opinion, as well as experience. A person who participates in a sport can choose that sport because of their experience with or around injuries.

One hundred and thirty-eight HHS students voted for the two most dangerous high school sports. The data was interpreted and the results are as follows.

1 Football

GIRLS TRACK

record: 1-1 league standing: predicted 3rd in conference season highlight: “We have a lot of good returning people and some promising new people,” senior Kyla Walworth said. “Our predicted rank is third so that is also something I hope we can achieve.” in their words: “It’s been a good season, everybody has work really hard. I think it’s going to go well,” junior Tori Rueckert said.

GIRLS LACROSSE

record: 0-2 league standing: N/A season highlight:“The season just started, but so far it has to be losing to East Grand Rapids by one point only,” senior Kristen Purdy said. in their words: “Lacrosse takes a lot of work and dedication, but it builds good relationships,” junior Julia Youngs said.

Photo by Anna Pavlik

Coming in at number one is football.

Football consists of and thrives on human contact. When battling sixfoot three-inch linebackers players push their bodies to the limit. Head injuries are common, usually ending up as concussions. Sprained ankles and knees happen often, as well as the occasional torn ligament. Even though players wear helmets, head injuries occur when there is improper contact between players.

Freshman football coach Robert Dozier explains the outcomes of repeated concussions.

“Older guys are dying earlier. They autopsy the body and see the problems with their brain,” Dozier said.

Rules and regulations have been set in the National Football League (NFL) as well as the college level against illegal contact between players. These guidelines are set in order to keep players safe and out of harm’s way.

“Our players are required to do concussion tests at MSU before they can play,” Dozier said.

2 Hockey

“I have broken my big toe, had a hair-line fracture on my right foot, and a small fracture in my left foot,” senior Maci Sump.

The most serious injuries are those that affect the spinal cord. The spinal cord and column does much more than just support the body. The cord itself is a made of every nerve that is below the neckline. Damaging it can result in paralysis, which leaves a person unable to use the part of their body connected to the damaged nerves. Paralysis isn’t as common as many other injuries.

5Cheerleading

Photo by Benjamin Gates

Photo by Shelley Dexter

With foot-long metal blades on the player’s feet, high speed body checks and puck speeds reaching 90 mph, there is no wonder why students chose hockey as number two.

“I have had two minor concussions and a sprained ankle,” sophomore Erick Sundstrom said.

“The guy tried to hit me, our legs got tangled, and I fell on it (ankle).”

Common injuries var y from broken limbs to a broken nose or teeth. At the high school level, players are required to wear fullface helmets made of either high impact polycarbonate or metal, but the higher skill level the players reach, the fewer the amount of rules they have to follow. High school hockey is less violent and produces fewer injuries, but is still worthy of its spot in this countdown.

3 Gymnastics Have you ever fallen out of bed at night, or tripped and fallen up the stairs? Generally, the pain dealt out here is small when compared to injuries sustained from gymnastics.

Like any other sport, broken bones and sprains are common injuries in gymnastics.

Photo by Chloe Henley

4 Lacrosse

Cheerleaders do much more than just scream and shout. Flying though the air and flipping is more than any average person does in a lifetime. Cheerleaders risk their lives when performing in front of audiences. The people known as ‘flyers’ soar though the air, but eventually have to come back down to Earth. When they do so, the “basket” or “cradle” they fall into is there to support and protect them.

If one person messes up someone can get hurt. Good choreography skills and teamwork ensure the ones who leave the ground come back safely. Common injuries are rolled ankles and jammed fingers. Serious injuries are in step with gymnastics, ranging from paralysis to death.

How the school responded:

Photo by Benjamin Gates

Sometimes known as hockey without ice, lacrosse is fourth on the list. Two teams of ten face off in a no-holdsbarred full contact rampage for the most goal points. Boys varsity lacrosse coach Mike VanAntwerp believes that there are two types of injuries.

“There are the fluke injuries, and then there are those who aren’t prepared, who aren’t lifting weights,“ VanAntwerp said.

Injuries differ by gender. In all levels of lacrosse, male players are allowed to body check, much like hockey. Females aren’t allowed to, which dramatically reduces their (female) injury count.

Ramparts surveyed 138 students, asking for their opinion on the two most dangerous high school sports.

The data shows the most voted for sports out of all sports available at HHS. The sports with fewer than five votes were not included in the graph above.

Sports

15

Holt High School Ramparts

April 2011

Top golfer goes beyond the course Senior Brian Burt expects a lot for the future Kelsey Manas

editor-in-chief Senior Brian Burt has been golfing since the age of three. He began learning from his brother and dad and has been playing ever since. After being All-State, qualifying for the U.S. World tournament and coming in top-five in numerous tournaments, many people know Burt as a talented golfer. Coaches and fellow players speak highly of him and his work ethic.

Burt has many goals for his future in golf. Having to choose from a handful of schools, Burt’s final decision was to attend Eastern Michigan University (EMU) on a golf scholarship.

Burt’s choice was EMU because he likes their coach and the coach’s reputation.

“The coach is a good guy,” Burt said. “He makes players better and I want to get better in college, so I can pursue golf after college, as well.”

What many people don’t know about Burt is his family life. He has three older siblings. His oldest brother ; Mathew (Matt) has a disability called encephalopathy. This disorder is classified by brain damage that causes poor coordination of limb movements, some memory loss, dementia and seizures according to medicinenet.com. It has been part of Burt’s responsibilities to care for Mathew since he was a teenager.

“I take care of Mathew after school until my mom gets home around ten,” Burt said. “I feed him, change him, give him his medicine and talk to him, even though he can’t respond.”

Being away from home and spending less time with Mathew will be hard, Burt says. He realizes it will be even harder on his parents without his help, but says he will visit often.

Doug Harkema has coached Brian for four years on the varsity team.

Burt brings his ability and excellent work ethic and leads by example, says Harkema. Harkema compliments Burt’s character outside of golf.

“He’s such a caring person, especially with his brother,” Harkema said. “He’s got great character and a neat perspective on life, outside of golf.”

Burt has looked up to his older brother Josh as a golf role model since he was young and appreciates all of his family’s support. Burt says that his mom has done everything she possibly could have to help him pursue his dreams. Family is always the most important thing according to Burt.

“I always put family and Matt first, golf is second,” Burt said.

Burt says that there’s a lot to look forward to this season. His main goal for this season is to win Mr. Golf, an award for the best male high school golfer in Michigan. He expects the Holt team to be successful.

“We have a lot of returning players,” Burt said. “We’re a hard working team

Will Thurston staff writer Led by an all-state golfer, senior Brian Burt, and coming off a year which the team missed winning the league by one stroke and reached the state regional finals, the 2011 boys golf team looks finish the job that they didn’t last year.

The team finished in the top 10 at the end of the season last year, but

was disappointed they didn’t get past the regional finals.

Experienced golfers Burt, juniors Alex Sanford and Trent Tuttle and sophomores Ryan Polin, Brennan Sanford and Tyler Mariage return this year.

This has the team excited about how high the ceiling is for this year.

Coach Doug Harkema acknowledges this team has a lot of potential. Yet, he knows reaching full potential is never an easy feat. “(This year’s team) could be one of Holt’s best teams ever,” Harkema said.

“However, golf is an interesting sport.

You only got to be good one day.”

The fact they lost the league by one stroke last year has the coach and players very hungry and anxious to

win this year.

“It was ver y disappointing,” Harkema said. “I’m excited because I strongly believe this will be a great team.”

The golfers seek to avenge last year’s heartbreaking end by going out on top this season.

“We want to win the league title and we feel we have a good chance to qualify for states,” Polin said.

This team has competed in three meets this year. So far, as a team they haven’t done as well as they expected to do. However, they have preformed well and look to build off their play.

At the torunament in Marshall they finished tenth, they won the Mason Invite and finished second in the year’s first league meet.

GIRLS WATER POLO

record: 3-10-1 league standing: Third season highlight: “It probably has to be beating Grand Ledge at our tournament because we lost to them the last time we played them,” junior Dharbi Hicok said. in their words: “I like water polo because it’s challenging. Not very many people know about it, so it’s a growing sport,” senior Nikki Hartsuff said.

GIRLS SOFTBALL

Courtesy of Rampages Yearbook

Burt believes in working hard and staying committed. He is excited for the future but won’t forget the past. with good work ethic. We should be able to make it to states.”

Boys golf team strives to be the best Team aims to reach high expectations

The Press Box

The team has to overcome some adversity as one of their top five golfers, Brennan Sanford, was lost for the season as a result from a broken arm suffered while playing hockey.

“So far, we didn’t do as well as we wanted and Brennan was lost,” Alex Sanford said. “Still, coach just wants more out of the rest of us.”

The team feels like they can shake off their average showing. Just refocusing and getting back on track should help the golfers improve and try to reach their potential.

“Our expectations are still that we make it to states,” Alex Sanford said.

Two meets have been cancelled due to bad weather conditions. The next meet is a two-day tournament starting today at Traverse City.

record: 4-2 league standing: N/A season highlight: “Winning our first two games against Waverly because I think it was a good start to the season and that we will progress as the season goes on,” senior Colleen Lierman said. in their words: “I cannot wait to get into the league games and hopefully take first again like we are expected to,” senior Kylie Hoose said.

GIRLS TENNIS

record: 3-0-1 league standing: N/A season highlight: “Challenge matches, because they help us get better by competing with ourselves,” junior Alexis Pridgeon said. in their words: “Getting our places is always exciting, because you never know what you’re going to play, so it’s always a surprise at first,” senior Jamie Hulteen said.

BOYS LACROSSE

conference record: 3-2 league standing: Eleventh place season highlight: “We beat Portage Central 18-5. We’ve had struggles in the past with them,” junior Alex Hrapkiewicz said. in their words: “We want to win the region finals and get far in states,” junior Matt Snay said.

GIRLS SOCCER

record: 2-1 league standing: First place season highlight: “We are preparing for when we have to play the harder teams,” junior Tori Frailey said. in their words:“Our main goals are to come in first in our league and to play Portage Central in the district finals,” junior Skylen Powell said.

Sports

April 2011

The water cooler

Past and present students smash standards

16

Holt High School Ramparts

Will Thurston

Loyal or not?

T

he biggest achievement for any aspiring professional athlete is the day they get drafted. All the hard work over the years, the training, the long hours spent perfecting technique, the long practices are built for one day: draft day. In the NFL, the expected top draft picks and their families are invited to Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Then, when the player’s name is called, they walk onstage, shake the hand of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, take pictures with their new team’s jerseys and just soak in all the media attention that surrounds them.

Joey Myers staff writer Growing up, children admire the best: the champion marble shooter, the fastest runner, the big league ball player, or the toughest boxer. General George Patton once said addressing his men for battle, “Americans love a winner and will tolerate nothing less.” Many HHS athletes throughout the years have put their mark in the record books; Eric Dawdy, Dave Foy, and Robyn Robinson are just a few.

2010-Tears of joy and excitement streamed across junior Eric Dawdy’s face as the clock had stopped and a new record was set. During a swimming meet in 2010, swimmers and teammates seniors Mitch Fisher, Dustin Haskell, Ernesto Canales and Dawdy, a sophomore at the time, combined to set the new school record for the 400 M freestyle relay.

After setting a school record, his emotion was too much for the swimmers as they, “jumped up and down behind the blocks to celebrate,” Dawdy said. “It’s something I’ll never forget.”

Don’t Miss This

Photo by Chloe Henley and Dave Foy

Top: Dawdy competes in a meet in early Fall. Left: Science teacher Dave Foy runs in a cross country meet in 1977.

Although setting a record is something all athletes want to accomplish, the preparation for top performance is a dedicated lifestyle that requires a lot of time.

In the winter, the school season is in session, and this is when Dawdy puts his skills on display, but it is the off season when the real hard work is put in.

“I swim at least once a day in the fall and spring,” Dawdy said. “No doubt two to three days a day in the summer.”

On top of having one of the top spots in swimming history, Dawdy also broke the 200 M freestyle last year, surpassing his cousin who set the record his senior year.

“Competing and breaking records of your own family means a lot more than just anyone,” Dawdy said.

Dawdy is already looking forward to next season and setting his sights high. Dawdy looks to break new records and set new personal bests.

1977- Remembering the emotion

of that day like it was yesterday, s c i e n c e t e a c h e r D a v e F o y ’s remembers the the record setting relay team of ‘77.

Seniors Dave Foy, Scott Manetsh, Brett Jenkins and Steve Drake set out to break the school record for fastest time in the 4x800 M relay team in 1977.

“We were all fast kids,” Foy said.

“Mason was the best team in the area at this distance, and we had only run the event twice before, but we knew we could win.”

The track programs at HHS continue to show strengths by pushing each other to do their best.

“We set the standard for longdistance track by setting this record,” Foy said. “Before we set it, there was no record.”

The record of the 4x800 M relay at 7 minutes and 55 seconds (7:55:00) is one of the oldest records in HHS history that stands in a public viewing area, the gymnasium. As more and more track athletes run the lanes at HHS, the record still stands. The boys

Baseball/Softball May 2

Both varsity teams will play at 4 p.m. on May 2 at home against East Lansing High School. The Trojans are included in the top three competitors for the Rams.

Girls and Boys Track April 29 The track teams will be traveling to East Lansing to participate in the annual MSU Spartan Classic today at 3 p.m. Last year they placed in many events. The boys finished 7 of 12 teams and the girls finished 8 of 13.



The disputes between the NFL owners and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) has caused a current lockout and created a lot of tension within the league. This means as of now, there will be no season next year because there is no bargaining agreement signed.

The NFLPA had reportedly asked the players that would be invited to attend the draft to not attend and go to an alternative location during the draft as a boycott of the league. The NFLPA denied this, but you have to think the players, who are on the NFLPA side, would want the NFL newcomers to not attend the draft.

This puts the draftees in a tough predicament. Even if they were not asked by the NFLPA to skip the draft, this would be a loud protest that would really get the attention of Goodell and the owners. Once the players get into the NFL, they will need to have the respect of their fellow players. Also, the NFLPA will be their union, so it would make sense for them to pay their dues to who is going to fight for them.

If they do this, however, they will miss out on the moment they have dreamed about their whole life. If they do attend, they may not win the respect by current players or show loyalty to the players or the union. This is basically a lose-lose situation.

In my opinion, the best decision the players can make is to protest the draft.

This would garner them respect among the league and show loyalty to the union that will be loyal to them. Also, a drastic event like this might go a long way in settling the collective bargaining agreement.

HHS student athletes break storied records

track teams of 1977 were regional champions.

2011-The combination of senior Robyn Robinson, junior Shaleen Williams and sophomores N’dezha Robinson and Sherye Bradley, have a chance to be the fastest female relay team to pass through the lanes of HHS. In mid-April these combination of girls broke the record of 4x 100 M relay at a time of 00:50:33 seconds, smashing the old record of 00:51:20 set in 1983.

“There wasn’t much of a celebration; it was all business,” Robyn Robinson said. “We knew we could do it, we just had to go out there and do it.”

The record was set very early in the track season, and the relay team has a lot of time to improve in time for the conference and state meets May. “There is no doubt by anyone that our overall goal is to CAAC Blue Conference and state champs in this event (4x100 M relay),” said Robin Robinson.