Ramparts February 2011

ramparts VOLUME 19, ISSUE 5

HOLT HIGH SCHOOL

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

FEBRUARY 2011

Breaking Barriers Challenge Day makes an impact

Photo by Karina Drachman

NEWS:

page 4

A display of student talent is showcased at the annual Fine Arts Festival.

PAGE 5

SPORTS:

Teachers who were athletes in high school get put in the spotlight.

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Photo by Ryan Carrier

SPORTS:

Students and staff come together as one on Challenge Day in order to form bonds.

The event helped tear down the barriers between people.

Athletes choose which colleges to attend at the Signing Day ceremony.

PAGE 16 Photo by Kurtis Smith

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News

February 2011

F.Y.I.

’Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’

The decision was made to change the date for production of “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” performances. The musical, which will be put on by students, will be held on March 3 through March 6. Thursday, Friday and Saturday the show will begin at 7 p.m., and Sunday’s show begins at 2 p.m.

Scheduling for 2011-12

Sophomores and juniors should already be making requests online for the 2011-12 school year. The next step of online scheduling will take place in May. More information will be from the Counseling Center soon.

World Language Week

World Language Week will be held March 21-25. WWL celebrates the learning of all languages around the world.

There will also be a world cup soccer game between Germany, Spain, Mexico and France.

ACT/MME

On March 1, 2 and 3, HHS will administer the ACT and Michigan Merit Exam (“MME”) to all high school juniors. The MME includes the WorkKeys test , and several state developed tests.

Tuesday, March 1 is a mandated statewide testing day during which all high schools will administer the ACT test. On Wednesday, March 2 and Thursday, March 3, the MME and WorkKeys tests will be given.

Talent Show

Tryouts for the annual talent show will be held on February 28 from 4-6 p.m. and March 2 from 5-7 p.m. The show will take place on March 29 at 6 p.m. in the Margaret Livensparger Theater.

Success Room

The Student Success Room is available to all 10-12 grade students who want homework help. Sessions are held in the Media Center Monday-Thursday from 2:45-3:45 p.m. and Wednesday morning from 9:15-10:15 a.m.

Please contact student success coordinator Joann Weil or student success specialist Elizabeth Graf with any questions.

Holt High School Ramparts

Admin discusses solutions to study hall Students who earn study hall grab attention Meg McKay

staff writer HHS students who receive study hall hours are given the option of completing their required time before school on Wednesdays and after school Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in order to take responsibility for offenses that have earned consequences.

When some students receive study hall hours, it is viewed as a negative consequence. To receive the hours means an individual has acted in a way that was disrespectful or irresponsible towards a person of greater authority.

In many cases, receiving study hall hours results from tardiness.

The s cho ol p olic y states if a student receives three tardies their consequence is a given number of study hall hours.

For Assistant Principal Chris Billingslea, students’ tardiness continues to be a battle he faces. He has been facing other issues with students not taking responsibility for other offenses as well.

Billingslea said he doesn’t like to think of study hall as a punishment, but a tool for students to better themselves.

“It frustrates me in that I see study hall time as being beneficial and students don’t take advantage of the

Photo by Meg McKay

Students who serve detention work in the computer lab some days. Senior Halen Reed-Garcia who recently served for an attendance violation, worked under security guard Deb Watson’s supervision. time,” Billingslea said. “The fact is they are choosing to hurt themselves and their education because it will get back to me that they did not serve.”

In some situations, students have the option to speak with teachers when they are given their study hall hours. Between working out rides and personal situations, study hall hours don’t always work for individuals.

“Communication is the key. A student should not wait until their time has expired or I speak to them about not serving to then ask for an alternative,” Billingslea said.

Students who earn the mandatory study hall should simply serve the time or communicate with the teacher, Billingslea said.

Because study hall time is designed to be a consequence, it doesn’t mean

it’s only negative in Billingslea’s opinion. The purpose behind study hall being ‘detention’ is really to benefit students by giving them a chance to complete school work.

Senior Hannah Carrasco thinks study hall may be helpful if it were a class during the day because students don’t want to stay after school.

“If it was a class during the day, then yes [study hall would be beneficial].

I don’t think anyone would be more likely to stay after school [if study hall wasn’t ‘detention’],” Carrasco said.

Carrasco also thinks the school should follow through with consequences more strictly.

By using a method that is designed to help students, the intent is for them to better themselves. Whether it is talking to the teacher of the class where extra help is needed or

working on homework, students are given the opportunity to catch up in classes.

Sophomore T.J. King suggested arranging a tutor for some students while implementing regular detentions. He says study hall needs to show that it really benefits gradewise. “[Students] don’t really like spending time out of school doing work with sports and activities with friends happening after school. We make those priorities,” King said.

“When kids have to do something, they tend to rebel.”

For some students, there is a conscious choice to skip the study hall.

Junior Alex Payne agreed that students don’t serve their study hall time because they are too busy.

“They are busy or would rather be suspended,” Payne said.

One alternative to serving detention through study hall, as Payne suggests, should be janitorial work.

At this point in time administration does not have alternatives to using study hall as detention. Billingslea said students need to help themselves by not earning the study hall time, but if they do, they should use it to their advantage.

The fact is students who do get referred to study hall can benefit because they’d be getting extra support from teachers. Billingslea would like to see students using the time versus issues catching up with them later. He doesn’t want students to need to deal with the ramifications of not responsibly serving their time.

Asian club helps create more diversity Introduction to the new multicultural Asian Club Collin Mohr staff writer One of HHS’s new clubs this year is the Asian club. The Asian club was created by senior Janet Phan and junior Michael Hua, and English teacher Olivia Nelson. The club was created to spread Asian culture throughout the school.

“I really felt every other school in the area had an Asian club and I thought we might as well continue the tradition,” Phan said.

The club’s goal is to keep the fresh organization going by gaining members. The club is also pushing to spread understanding of diversity throughout the school.

“Our mission is to cut the stereotypes that people have on Asian-American people and be able to show the students and staff our culture and what we can do to help HHS become more diverse,” Phan said.

Some of the club’s achievements so far have been Egg Roll Fridays, during which the group sold egg rolls at both A and B lunches. Earlier this month, the club also celebrated Chinese New Year with a potluck dinner. A potluck is where a group of individuals brings their favorite dish, and they all feast.

“Since the club has just started, we still have many more achievements to come,” Hua said.

To join the Asian club, all students have to do

Welcome to the Asian Club Adviser: Olivia Nelson President: Janet Phan Vice President: Micheal Hua Purpose: To spread the Asian culture throughout Holt High School, as well as prevent stereotypes some students have is show up to one of the meetings, which are on Wednesdays at 2:45 in Nelson’s room E222. There are no requirements to be in the club.

“Everyone is welcome to join regardless of their skin color. This club is not just a club that meets once a week. We have plans and goals to help benefit HHS culturally. I think that’s what brings people together and that’s what HHS needs,” Phan said.

News

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Holt High School Ramparts

Science Olympiad challenges students Students partake in the science world Chloe Henley staff writer Science Olympiad has been an up and running program across the nation for 27 years. Providing students with the chance to learn while having fun has changed science industry. Started from nothing with a few science teachers, Science Olympiad has turned into a science revolution.

“I started Science Olympiad in the sixth grade because it’s a family tradition, and it is good practice for college,” junior Tyler Leighton said.

Science Olympiad was created to develop a passion for science education. A series of challenges are created for grades K-12 to take on.The Science Olympiad team meets four

times a week to prepare for the regional and state competitions.

Practices are held Tuesday through Friday from 2:45 p.m. to 4 p.m.

According to coach Heather Peterson, the team has placed within the top third at the past two state level invitations. The Regional competition will be held on March 19 at Lansing Community College (LCC). If the team places at the regional competition, they will advance to Michigan State University (MSU) on April 30.

“At competitions we play a lot of games, and it really just helps our team come together and it is a lot of fun,” sophomore Megan Arduin said.

Competitions are what the team is all about, but many things go into practice to create a strong turn-out.

Several events explore all fields of science. A few of the team favorites were Sumo Bots, Astronomy, Write It/Do It, Fossils and Wind Power.

“My favorite event is astronomy and robotics. I participate in about six events, which I don’t know how

I got myself involved in. But it just happened and it teaches me a lot about the science field,” sophomore Pham Nguyen said. “I like being with friends and being able to learn through hands-on activities.”

One of the main missions to accomplish through Science Olympiad is to bring the science world to life. Not only does it improve the knowledge of students, it also deals with factors like teamwork and strategies.

“My team and I work hard together to meet the requirements. All of the building events are exciting to me because I usually don’t do that and it is cool to see science through a different perspective,” Nguyen said.

According to the Science Olympiad website, the program promotes females and minority students into the science field while teaching excellence at the same time. The team is looking for more juniors and seniors to try out.

“I know there are diamonds in the rough out there that I would love to

Iman Ben-Hamza staff writer Selecting courses for the coming year can be stressful, so with five new courses added, the decision may be even harder.

The courses were proposed by current teachers who arranged all the details of the new class, as from the goals for the course to how students will be assessed. All courses have been approved, but whether the class runs depends on the number of students who sign up for each of the new classes.

“We have to meet the demand of students, and the demand for new courses is there,” psychology teacher Russ Olcheske said.

The course Advanced Psychology was proposed by Olcheske. This course is designed specifically for students who are already interested in the field of psychology and to give those students the skills and knowledge they need to further pursue a degree or career in

psychology.

“Advanced Psychology would explore the topics that Intro to Psychology covered, but more in depth, and exploring some new topics Intro couldn’t cover,” Olcheske said.

United States History through Film is one of the new classes being offered for next year which was proposed by social studies teacher Dave Runyon.

The class is designed to give students multiple perspectives on historical events involving the United States.

“I want students to come to understand a little more about history,” Runyon said. “There is an emotional investment you gain with a film, and I’m hoping that students can use that to understand more about what they will be studying.”

A new gym class was proposed by gym teacher Al Slamer. Personal Fitness is designed for students who are highly motivated to improve their health and fitness. Students will be assessed by strength, cardiovascular, and aquatic improvements, as well as mile times.

“This will introduce to students who have high interest in the personal fitness field, which is a growing field, the skills needed to become a personal trainer, or career in fitness,” Slamer said.

In Brief

Red Cross Blood Drive

The National Honor Society is putting on its annual Red Cross Blood drive on March 21. The drive helps individuals get the replenished nutrients in blood needed for survival. Requirements for giving blood are as follows: Donors must be 17 or older and weigh more than 110 lbs. Donors who have tattoos must have had the tattoo for more than a year. Other suggestions are to drink plenty of fluids and eat a healthy breakfast the day of the drive.

SADD Photo by Chloe Henley

Senior Andrew Shutt practices the Sound of Music with jugs of apple juice. have a part of Science Olympiad.

It’s beneficial to them and for us as a team. It’s a whole new avenue of teaching,” Peterson said.

New courses take on students of HHS A new year adds new courses for students

February 2011

Taking example from the movie Pay it Forward, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) will be honoring those who do good deeds with bracelets. SADD members will have bracelets to give out, and when they see a student doing something good, they will give them two bracelets to reward them.

The student then can pass on their second bracelet to someone they see making a good choice as well.

The event is intended to encourage good deeds and to reward those who do the right thing.

Scholarship Packets

Seniors can pick up their local scholarship packets in the Counseling Office at any time.

Sixteen local organizations are giving scholarships, ranging from $300 to $3,000. Seniors will need to fill out the common application and check the scholarships they are interested in. Packets are due back to the Counseling Office on March 31 at 3 p.m.

MasterWorks Choir Concert Photo by Amy Clark

Sophomore Jenny McKee and her classmates schedule for next year while reviewing the new courses that will be added to the curriculum.

An extension to the “Ramparts” newspaper will be added through Intro to Journalism II: Digital Media.

This course is for students who have already taken Intro to Journalism for print media. Intro to Journalism II: Digital Media will consist of digital news writing, using the web to publish news and events by podcasts, photos, videos and blogs.

“This class is important for students because there’s a place for print, but more and more people are getting the news from online,” English teacher Michelle Fulton said.

Finance and Insurance will also

be available next year. The class was proposed by business education teacher Marty Pohl. This course will go into great detail on insurance agencies and how they operate, and will go more in depth than other businesss classes into the field.

“This class will teach students how insurance agencies are run, how they decide interest rates and so on,” Pohl said. “Once students gain all the necessary skills, they’ll then get to make their own business plan, which will be their final assessment.”

Choirs from Holt, Leslie, Mason and Olivet will convene at Leslie High School on Tuesday, March 29. The choir combination will be conducted

by Kristin Zaryski, the Director of Children and Youth Choirs at the Michigan State University Community School of Music. There will be six songs that fit in the theme of “Listen”, performed by groups varying from a select group of females to the whole group. The entrance fee of $5 will go toward music expenses.

News

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February 2011

Holt High School Ramparts

Students come together to ‘Be the Change’ Challenge Day gives students a chance to break down barriers Lindsey Hamlin editor-in-chief Students came together, 100 from each grade, for the fourth-annual Challenge Day on January 31 and February 1. Fifty students from each of the four grades participated on each day.

According to the Challenge Day website, this event is a program that was created to build connections between people and for students to feel safe, loved and celebrated.

Challenge Day is part of the ‘Be the Change’ campaign, that is a movement of compassion and positive change.

“Challenge Day is an event that provides students the opportunity

through various exercises to break down the barriers of diversity and see how we are more alike than different no matter what social group we belong to,” Student Success Coordinator Joann Weil said. “The day empowers students to realize they can make a change in our school, in our community, and in the world.”

Challenge Day was coincidently scheduled the day after the tragedy that occurred early on January 31 causing the death of two current students, seniors Holly Bossenberry and Anthony Harris, and 2010 graduate Taylyr Cochran, in a car accident. For many participants, Challenge Day was a life-changing experience that began a healing process.

Junior Haley McFarland said she thought Challenge Day helped begin a healing process for students.

Junior Taylor Sumerix said she thought that it was beneficial to the school “especially after the accident.”

Students wanted to participate for many reasons, ranging from

Photo by Lindsey Hamlin

Participants gather around in a big circle and share their dreams for the future. This was one activity used to build connections between individuals.

wanting a day out of class to actually wanting to open up and have a personal growing experience. Some students participated after hearing it was fun or being recommended to participate by a teacher or friend.

Senior Kat Majeske said she wanted to participate because this was her last chance to and she had never heard a bad review.

“It’s a life-changing experience for everyone involved, especially with the events that have happened I think it will have more of a lasting effect,” Majeske said.

Freshman Emily Gleason and junior Karel Zuidema both said they liked the chance to open up and be honest with people.

“It changes how I think about e ve r y t h i ng,” G l e a s o n s a i d . “ I learned not assume things about a person.”

Challenge Day helped senior Arcadia Aguilar realize that she isn’t that different from other people.

She said she got to talk to people she didn’t usually talk to, and she learned that she can change her situation when things don’t go as planned.

“One thing I learned is don’t leave things the way they are if they are bad; try to fix them,” Aguilar said.

Though Challenge Day changed the way freshman Riker Zussman thought about things, he said he doesn’t think this will change the student body as a whole.

“It will affect the groups that the people [Challenge Day participants] are in, but probably not the entire school,” Zussman said.

Weil, who was in charge of Challenge Day this year, said she thinks that it will have a lasting effect for as long as students allow it to.

“It last as long as we make it last, we need to ‘Be the Change’ we want to see, if we are not, then it will not last,” Weil said.

Photo by Kurtis Smith

Current Challenge Day participants make the “love” sign to past participants.

Challenge Day is all about opening up and feeling safe with faculty and peers.

We i l ’s g o a l s t h i s y e a r f o r Challenge Day were to promote fundraisers and to have more follow-up activities to promote the ‘Be the Change’ campaign.

“I guess that leads me to think maybe we have a follow-up that allows a forum for people to share or follow-up on some personal stories,” Weil said. “We might even be able to do this electronically through Facebook.”

Science teacher Mary Boulanger is beginning a weekly Challenge g rou p ca l l e d ‘ Th e We e k l y

Challenge’ that meets on Tuesdays from 2:45 to 3:45 p.m. and on Halfday Wednesdays from 9:45 a.m. to 10:20 a.m.

“A f t e r p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n t w o C h a l l e n g e D ay s, I w a n t e d t o encourage students and teachers to keep that spirit alive and do something that would change their world,” Boulanger said. “After the tragedy of losing two students and an alumni in a car accident, I wanted students to feel like they had an outlet to make a difference in our school community.”

News

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February 2011

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Holt High School Ramparts

Photo by Karina Drachman

Under the direction of vocal music teacher Monty Bishop, Chorale students sing at the Fine Arts Festival on February 16. The event is held to promote awareness of the talents students have and to showcase their work.

Students get creative for local art festival Artistic abilities are exhibited at local festival Karina Drachman opinion editor

Swift, sweeping lines creating figures. A splash of color here, a dash of emotion there. A soul explosion all over a piece of paper. Perfectly constructed, well-rounded fragments of imagination glazed over with just the right color. The Fine Arts Festival must have been here.

The Fine Arts Festival was held at the high school on Wednesday, February 16. Each year, the fine arts department organizes this event to show off the talent of many students.

Artwork is displayed, the choir sings and the band plays. Students have the opportunity to take pride in their talents.

Any student who is currently in an art class or has already taken one this year could have had his or her artwork displayed at the Fine Arts Festival. Any advanced art student had a space reserved for his or her favorite pieces.

Senior Alana Heyser said that she displayed a variety of mediums

at the Fine Arts Festival including chalk, oil pastels and pencil. She said that her inspiration to create her artwork usually comes from looking at something she likes.

“I appreciate its every line and curve,” Heyser said.

This was the first time Heyser had her art displayed at the Fine Arts Festival.

Another first-timer, senior Ehricka Culp, said that she was most excited to display her imaginary perspective piece, which is a composition of boxes and stairs drawn in two-point perspective.

“It means a lot to me and I would like for people to see it,” Culp said.

Senior Julius Blair drew portraits of people and various flowers. His inspiration comes from cartoons and just life in general. He said his threelayer transparency project took him the longest to create.

“It took me a while to think of what I would draw to compliment each layer and also what colors I would use,” Blair said.

Self-portraits, pencil values, colored charcoal, water color/ crayon and colored pencil are some mediums that senior Hailey Richardson displayed. She wanted people to see her new trombone piece, but her self-portrait took the longest for her to create. Richardson

said she gets her inspiration from her mom.

“She is an art major from MSU,” Richardson said. “When I was little and if I was bored, she helped me draw what I wanted, which was mostly dragons and cats.”

Richardson has had her art displayed at the Fine Arts Festival before, but this is the first year she had a space reserved just for her.

In addition to artists showing their work, the choirs and jazz band performed. Each choir performed their choral festival pieces.

“It’s kind of like a pre-festival presentation because we have festival at the end of the month,” vocal music director Monty Bishop said.

Art teacher Patty Pisano said that the Fine Arts Festival is held every year to promote social awareness of the talents students have and to showcase their work. There were artistic demonstrations including c e r a m i c s w h e e l - t h ro w i n g b y Elizabeth Weir and calligraphy

by Danielle Clark, Meg McKay, Georgia Vermett-Jenkins and Adam Landsdell.

Participants at the Fine Arts Festival also sold pendants created by the ceramics classes and names written in calligraphy to help raise money for the Anthony Harris Memorial Fund.

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Viewpoints

February 2011

Holt High School Ramparts

Decisions have lasting impacts

Our View Over-coverage of accident by media Thoughtful Most of us are aware of the recent tragedy involving five HHS students.

The accident happened on January 30, and took the lives of seniors Holly Bossenbery and Anthony Harris, and 2010 graduate Taylyr Cochran. It’s easy to say that this is the most traumatic event most of us will experience in our high school careers, but what keeps us strong is the love and support we have all received from friends, families and community members.

When an event as upsetting and publicized as this occurs, it’s hard to find anyone who hasn’t heard about it. As expected, every local news station reported on the accident the very next day. Who can blame them? The event was news and should be reported to the community.

Unfortunately however, the reporters didn’t stop there. News stations attended both candle light vigils, the fundraising breakfast and were present even after funerals, sticking cameras in students’ faces trying to get an interview. To our surprise, television stations have even pushed their way through crying crowds and comforting friends, to interview the parents of the students we lost.

The question is, where does the news stop and when does it start to hinder the healing process of the HHS family? In our opinion, it has already crossed that line. There is no reason to report on every event that has occurred after the accident. The people who attended these events didn’t need to hear the information from the news, they knew about it already. There is no reason to be reporting at vigils or funerals.

The families, friends and members of the Holt community all are hurting and attempting to heal. Reporting our feelings and our reactions to the accident on camera is not our first priority right now. For this reason, Ramparts made the decision to avoid reporting on the accident. We understand that the accident needs to be remembered and should be reported, but now isn’t the time.

We believe that students and faculty need time to heal before being asked to speak on the accident.

The last issue of Ramparts (also known as the Senior Issue), will have a section dedicated to the students affected by the accident and the three we lost.

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.

choices ensure a better future

Brian Proctor

E

very day hundreds of thoughts fly through your mind. Your conscious brain, the accessible and alert part, decides the best choices to make, and your body carries out the task at hand.

Martyn Carruthers is the founder of ‘SoulWork’ Systemic Coaching, a system of guidelines and counseling that aid in making responsible choices.

Carruthers explains the difficulties of making the right choices in his speech “Human Consciousness and Decision-Making.”

He says, “a complex decision is an adult behavior, requiring cognitive skills that children lack. Children make simple decisions. Children cannot abstract their core values to find integrity.”

In layman’s terms, he accuses children of being small-minded and incapable of thinking decisions through.

Carruthers offers a great point though, and puts emphasis on the types of choices children can’t make.

When compared to older people, children have a small amount of common sense, for the fact that common sense builds over time.

If we can’t do certain things correctly, like get to class in a timely manner, remember to do homework, or walk on the right side of the hallway, how does that make us look?

If we can’t show that we learn from mistakes, then we are considered children.

Responsibility is an ever growing part of a person’s life. The direct c onne ct io n b et w e en ag e an d responsibility means that as one gets older, the ability to deal with more complicated affairs grows too.

The main problem about having all of these changes at once is that it can overwhelm a person.

I thought my parents were setting me free when I got my first car, but instead they were lessening the grip on the reins of my life.

Now, I know you’ve got to be thinking to yourself, “This kid doesn’t know anything about me. My parents don’t think this way. ” Well, if you have that mind set, I can almost guarantee you’re guilty of this next part.

What many kids fail to notice is that they are getting behind the wheel of a 3,500 pound piece of metal and plastic, with endless possibilities on the road ahead.

Once children are capable of thinking and making decisions on their own, they’re one step closer to being free of the ‘just checking in’ phone call, also known as accountability.

The thing is, they’re not free, no matter how often they tell themselves that.

As children we do not have the ability to “think outside the box”.

Luckily for us our brains are still like a sponge. We can learn from others and act accordingly.

Since day one there has always been someone around to help, whether it was a parent, guardian or foster parent. There has always been someone to turn to. And yet, after all of the guidance given, kids can make decisions that can affect so many people.

Your View E-waste can be stopped Dear Editor, I have sociology this trimester and we just got done talking about obsolete products, also designed for the dump. I learned that technology purposefully innovates their products to get us to buy more of their stuff. The media also plays a role in getting us to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars buying gadgets and electronics that we don’t really need.

I understand that technology provided a lot of convenience for everyone, we become efficient in doing our everyday tasks like washing the dishes we moved from washing them by hand, to the dishwasher. Plug

Any time a person’s well-being is in danger, the decision should be well thought-out.

Whether it is to jump in a pool of sharks, or skip school just because, consequences can be avoided by making the decision to do what is best for you as well as the people around you.

The thing with growing up is learning from mistakes and becoming a better person overall.

But how many terrible things must happen before kids will realize the mistakes they’re making?

The recent tragic accident that claimed the lives of two Holt seniors and a recent graduate and impacted the lives of thousands of people across mid-Michigan could have been avoided.

I’m not a know-it-all, not a doctor, parent or trustworthy adult. I’m a high school kid. But I know that there are always choices that can be made that will have a better outcome than that of the accident on January 30.

All it would have taken was one choice to change the night. There were a million and one possible outcomes that morning, and if just one thing was done differently, the tragedy may never have happened.

The life lesson is staring us in the eyes.

When we truly put effort into the things we do, and above all else, make choices that will have a positive outcome on not only our own character, but the lives of the other people around us, we as human beings grow.

The choices we make in our life separate us from one-another, and the choices others make carve the rough path for us to follow.

It is up to each and every one of us to make thoughtful choices that will smooth our path of life and bring happiness and prosperity to our being.

the drain in the sink, place dirty dishes in it, put soap in and voila. All you have to do is scrub them and put them away. It’s amazing what technology can do, but for me, it’s advantages lures us into buying more of them when we know that we can just do it manually or by ourselves.

There was this video that we watched about obsolete products, she said that her DVD player was broken, and the fee for having it fixed was $50. Buy at Target, they sell new DVD players for $35. The e-waste that we are contributing to costs the health of citizens of the places we dump them. If we keep on buying new stuff that we don’t need, we are just causing more problems.

Emilee Zimmerman, senior.

Viewpoints Holt High School Ramparts

New series stirring commotion

Popular shows proving to be too much for TV

Alyssa Stepter

N

ewsweek magazine is calling MTV’s “Skins” the worst show on television, quite frankly, I would have to agree with that statement.

“Skins” is a spin-off series based on a British teen drama of the same name.

The show first aired in the United States earlier this year on January 17.

Although I was not one of the many viewers to tune in opening night, I did catch the re-run the next day.

The show is rated MA for mature, but even with that warning, I wasn’t prepared for all that I saw just upon the first five minutes of tuning in.

It started with a sex scene and then there was profanity, drugs and even masturbation. I had to keep reminding myself the material I was seeing on TV was just acting.

MTV issued a written statement saying they had taken numerous steps to alert viewers about the strong subject matter, so they could choose for themselves whether it is appropriate.

Producer Bryan Elsley says “Skins” may be the most realistic show on television. It is supposed to mimic the average teenage life and all of the struggles that come along with being a high school student, but for me it just went too far.

I am a teenager, and I know all about the struggles of high school, I can’t say that “Skins” is a very good depiction of them. For a small amount of kids, maybe the hammer hit the nail right on the head. For the majority, it did nothing but portray teens as sexdriven, drug-abusing, foul-mouthed beings, and I am none of those things.

Yes, peer pressure is a big factor in high school, but it isn’t always negative peer pressure that students face. From watching “Skins,” you wouldn’t know that.

As much as I hate to admit it, another show out there that is too much for TV is MTV’s “Jersey Shore.”

I have been watching faithfully since the premier of the first season, but I can’t say it’s something I would feel completely comfortable watching with my mom or dad. Sometimes I even feel weird when watching it with my 14-year-old sister.

The show is about a small group of young men and women ages ranging from mid-20’s to early-30’s, who often describe themselves as “Guidos” and “Guidettes.” The cast lives together in a beach house for the summer on the Jersey Shore. It follows the adventures they have, experiences they share, and the journey they experience from the beginning of the summer to the end.

The show consists of a lot of drinking, although it is legal because everyone in the cast is 21 and older. Depicted is a lot of partying, random hookups, profanity, drama and everything in between. It’s what I would call “trash TV.” It’s entertaining to watch, but as far as value and enrichment to my life…well, there is none. But I continue to spend my Thursday nights in front of a television 10 to 11 p.m tuning in.

If I don’t watch it, then I feel excluded in discussions the next day at school about what happened throughout the episode. On the other hand if I decide to watch, as I have been doing, then I completely waste a whole hour of my life that I will never get back.

There is a huge generational difference as far as the things on TV now and even compared to 10 years ago. The question is what crosses the line, and who gets to decide how much is too much for TV?

Hot or not?

Double snow day: Being able to stay home in the warmth of the house, while not having to go out into the cold snow, two days in a row.

7

February 2011 Going back to school and having a Friday feel like Monday, accompanied by twice as much work to do on your own.

Speak up

What is your dream spring break?

“Mine would be, going to Hawaii. It’s far, but warm. Have to have lots of people there.”

Ashley Marroquin, sophomore

“I would go to Mexico, but going to Florida with the baseball team will be just as great.”

Tyler Elmo, senior

“I would go to Bristol, England to see my girlfriend.”

Nathan Wollensha, junior

“I would go to Cancun, Mexico and then go scuba diving in the Gulf of Mexico.”

Morgan Webster, senior

“I’d go chill with my bff Doc and help him fix his flux capacitor while trying to rekindle my parents’ young love. And if there’s time go to a footloose dance with a youthful Kevin Bacon.”

Victoria Baker, junior

Corrections Cartoon by Chloe Henley

Ramparts is committed to printing news that is both informative and accurate. If we get it wrong, we want to put it right. 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.

8

Features

February 2011

Holt High School Ramparts

Parent lectures that make you want to cringe A look behind the worst talks a parent can give Mariah Massa

sports editor An intake of breath, a red face and wide eyes can be a cause of alarm for most students, especially if all of these signs are coming from a parent.

The reason for these actions could be a mixture of many things, but they mainly depend on the behavior of the student. The consequence of the student’s behavior usually ends in a dreaded lecture given by the parent.

A specific reason why these lectures may take place is a disagreement between family members. This is the case for senior Brittany Anderson.

“My dad signed and gave me permission to get a tattoo, but my mom did not,” Anderson said. “[While she was lecturing me] I was thinking ‘Too late now, I already have it.’”

A common reason why parents feel the need to give a lecture is because of school issues. Being late to school is why junior Susan Austin’s parents

gave her a lecture. While the subject of sophomore Kori Ramirez’s grades caused her parents to also give her a lecture.

“My parents think I’m late to school too much,” Austin said. “I think they’re always mad about [me being late].”

Every individual student has a separate thought process, so during these lectures there are different

Cartoon by Mariah Massa

feelings running through each person’s mind.

“I was thinking if I did it right the first time then I wouldn’t get a lecture.

So then it makes me want to do stuff right the first time,” Ramirez said.

Not everyone agrees that they deserved a lecture. During the lecture junior Tobin Egger received from his parents, for not cleaning his room, he thought his parents

were yelling at him about something dumb.

In order to try and keep the peace with her mom, Anderson said she didn’t talk back.

“I didn’t want to make her more mad, and the atmosphere was awkward. But I’m stubborn, so it’s hard to change my mind,” Anderson said.

Students may wonder why their parents even bother giving them these lectures. Ramirez says her parents give her lectures because they want her to succeed in life and get into college.

“It didn’t change my behavior because I still don’t do what they ask sometimes,” Egger said.

The lectures didn’t change Austin or Anderson’s behavior either, but it had a different effect on Ramirez. “[The lecture] helped me stay more on top of things,” Ramirez said.

While giving a lecture parents may have different techniques on how to get their point across, sometimes by playing on the child’s feelings.

“My parents stopped yelling at me when I was about four. They use the guilt trip, the ‘I thought you were better than that’,” Anderson said.

Other parents use a different tactic.

Info about parent lectures

96

percent of students have received a lecture from their parents

41

percent of students who have received a lecture have had it be about obeying rules

48

percent of students who have received a lecture have had it be about sex

50

percent of students who have received a lecture said it changed their behavior Information taken from a survey of 148 students. “[My parents] yell at me, but they say they don’t,” Austin said.

February brings awareness to teen dating violence SADD helps bring attention to dating violence Hannan Gedeon staff writer The month of February is the time to raise awareness on teen dating violence, which is exactly what Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) is doing. This is the month for individuals to come together, prevent ongoing cases of abuse, and promote healthy relationships.

“SADD wants to make people aware that teen dating violence is a really large issue, affecting 1 in 3 teens. 1.5 million teens are victims each year. Girls aged 16-24 are the most likely victims. We also want people to know that ‘You are not alone’ and “You are worth so much more’ than an abusive relationship,” SADD advisor Kellie Sweitzer said.

SADD wants people to know that there are many ways to get help.

Sweitzer suggests telling a parent, friend, counselor, teacher or anyone.

Whether we want to believe it or not, teen dating violence is happening everywhere from a neighbor next door to a friend at school.

July Fulcher is just one of the many individuals who wants to break the cycle of abuse. She expressed her opinion on a video called, “16th Anniversary of the Violence against Women ACT” at teendvmonth.org, a website that is all about “empowering youth to end domestic violence.”

“It is something that is affecting everyone, if it’s not in your own relationship; you’re bound to have friends or family members who it is happening to. You’re seeing it in your school, you’re seeing it in your community, there’s just no way to get away from it,” Fulcher said.

All individuals should be on the lookout for the many different kinds of abuse, whether it’s physical, sexual, verbal or emotional, including

neglect and degrading behavior.

“If you have a relationship with somebody, whether it’s a boyfriend or girlfriend, friend or family member, and they’re touching, making physical contact inappropriately it’s harassment,” counselor Bob Bower said.

Bower also pointed out that video games and movies as well as society overall perpetuate a lot of violence.

This is true for many reasons. Video games display abuse in many ways, such as hitting, shooting and killing as well as in movies.

In society there are many aspects of this that go on and people do or don’t know about. An individual may have a bruise, but no one will really say anything about it because people assume it’s from falling or tripping, little do individuals know that it could have been because someone punched, hit or slapped them.

According to www.breakthecycle. org dating violence usually involves a cycle of abusive behaviors over a period of time. The first stage is the

Warning signs/Symptoms of Dating Violence 

frequently calling

extreme jealousy 

explosive

anger

controlling behavior

screening your texts/calls isolating you from friends 

threatening physical harm

Source: SADD advisor Kellie Sweitzer Honeymoon; an apology occurs trying to make things better by blaming someone or something else instead of exploding. The second phase is tension building; tension takes place between the abuser and dating partner. The third phase is explosion. This is when an outburst of violence appears.

Some of the most common signs of

abuse are mood swings, constant putdowns, and an explosive temper, as well as possessiveness and isolation from family and friends.

There are many ways to take action on this specific topic, from hosting events to joining memberships on teen dating violence, also distributing materials such as posters and banners.

Features

9

Holt High School Ramparts

February 2011

Do you have a Band-aid?

I just scraped my knee falling for you.

Cheesy, cheesier and the cheesiest pick-up lines Anna Pavlik staff writer You’re at a party with your friends and all of a sudden someone comes up and throws down a “How much does a polar bear weigh?” question. That confused look crosses your face wondering, “Why is this stranger asking for the weight of a polar bear?” “Enough to break the ice,” they respond, and you’re not sure whether to laugh or ignore them.

Cheesy pick-up lines are used everywhere. At school, at parties, and sometimes just to be funny. How do you react when a cheesy pick-up line is dropped? Which ones are cute and can work? Which ones are just plain stupid?

Students below were surveyed on what they thought about certain pick-up lines. They were asked if they would use it, why they would or wouldn’t use it on someone, and what they would do if someone tried to us it on them.

Cheesy Pick-up Lines

Shannon Kraemer

Josh Wiles

Janet Phan

Ryan Mendoza

“You must be tired, because you’ve been running through my mind all day. “

“It would be funny.

If someone used it on me I would laugh.”

“It’s dumb. If someone used it on me it depends on how I felt that day.”

“It’s funny! If someone used it on me I’d say, ‘Well, that’s awesome.’”

“It’s the best line ever. If someone used it on me I’d say, ‘Hey thanks!’”

“Are you from Jamaica because ja making me crazy.”

“It can be taken in a bad way. Sometimes people drive me crazy in a bad way…

If someone used it on me I would wonder if it was a good or bad kind of crazy.”

“It’s way too cheesy.

If someone used it on me I’d tell them that it’s a second grade line.”

“It’s totally cheesy.

It’s not legit enough. If someone used it on me I’d say, ‘I’m definitely Asian.’”

“Unless the girl looked like she was really from Jamaica.

If someone used it on me I’d say, ‘No, I’m not from Jamaica.’”

“If I could arrange “No one should the alphabet, I’d put mess with the U and I together.” alphabet. If someone used it on me I’d say ‘Good thing N and O are together!’”

“It’s not very clever.

If someone used it on me I’d do an awkward laugh then turn around.”

“No, Just... no. If someone used it on me once again… just... no.”

“It’s a good line. If someone used it on me I’d say, ‘That’s nice.””

“If you were words on a page, you’d be what they call FINE PRINT!”

“It’s witty, and the boys sure do like wit! If someone used it on me I’d say, ‘You’re darn right!’”

“It’s the funniest one. If someone used it on me I’d laugh and walk away.”

“It’s funny! If someone used it on me I’d say, ‘I might as well be a novel.’”

“I’d use something better. If someone used it on me I’d say, ‘Back at you.’”

“You see that person over there?

That’s my friend.

They want to know if you think I’m cute.”

“I don’t have the guts. If someone used it on me I’d just laugh because I’m awkward.”

“It’s too obvious. If someone used it on me it would depend on who asked.”

“ It would totally suck if they rejected you. If someone used it on me ? I’d say, ‘Hahahaha no.’”

“That person is actually me! If someone used it on me I’d say, ‘Tell your friend I said yes.’”

Photos by Anna Pavlik

10

February 2011

Connecting the Dots

Jacqui Marpa

Lost

Features Holt High School Ramparts

and

Found

Sudanese Lost Boy shares past Facebook: Unwritten Rules and future plans with students

T

here are two type of rules, written and unwritten. They say that some rules were made to be broken, but are they really made to be defied even though their intentions are to keep us from harm and causing harm? Written and unwritten rules apply in almost everything that we do, from behaving in school to using the Internet social network, Facebook. Some of these are: Abuse of Status Update: I don’t want to know what others are up to every three minutes. Thanks to Facebook Mobile, it opened new ways for Henry to let us know what he is up to every single minute.

Tag, you’re it: It’s not fun when my friends tag me in a picture where I look funky, or when they took my picture in a bad angle. It’s embarrassing enough that it’s online, let alone putting it on my page.

I Like Me: Please refrain, as much as possible, from liking your own status, and at least don’t be the first one to do it. This would be similar to laughing at your own jokes and giving yourself a high-five.

Run Spell Check: If we are to use technology, where everything’s done for us, take advantage of spell check.

It’s just a few clicks, and it doesn’t require that much brainwork. Plus, it’s kind of offensive to the English teachers because one’s spelling and grammar reflects the teachers’ teaching style.

Don’t state the obvious: Friend number one says: “Aww yeah…

Packers!” Friend number two says: “Yeah, Packers!” Friend number three says: “Yeah Packers, show ‘em”, and friend number four says: “Show ‘em Packers, Yeah”.

Looking over that status overload feels like your mind’s playing tricks on you. In this case, not all people who think alike have great minds.

I think I speak for everyone who doesn’t care when I say “I don’t need 175 people telling me the same thing every single minute.”

Benjamin Gates

staff writer

The History They lost their homes. They lost their families. They lost their safety, and for some, their lives. But not once did they lose their hope. The Lost Boys of Sudan are considered to be some of the most badly war-traumatized children ever examined.

During the Second Sudanese Civil War more than 27,000 boys of the Nuer and Dinka ethnic groups were displaced and/or orphaned.

Once separated from their families, the boys traveled over massive unrelenting wilderness, in hopes of finding refuge from the fighting.

Hundreds of boys would die from hunger, disease, injury, or exhaustion, as they migrated from southern Sudan to Ethiopia.

The peace did not last long for them. Following the change of government in Ethiopia in 1991 they were forced to flee again, returning to camps in Sudan.

Survivors are now in camps in Kenya, the Sudan and Uganda.

The Witness

For a name meaning ‘destroyer or interrupter’, Dakbai Dakbai actually has intentions to do nothing but build and restore his own, his son’s, and his peoples’ lives. On January 31, English teacher Anne Russo’s first hour Study of Film as Literature class had the HHS graduate opportunity of listening to Dakbai, a Holt Dak bai Dak bai graduate and Sudanese Lost Boy, share recently spoke his background and life story. in Anne Russo’s “I wanted to bring him close to home, Study of Film class and it was a good way for the kids to on his transition relate” Anne Russo said. from Sudan to Dakbai was born and raised in the Sudan until 1996 by America. parents, both deceased, three brothers, one deceased, and one sister. From 19962 0 0 1 h e l i ve d i n Kenya as a refugee, and on March 27, 2001, Dakbai arrived in the U.S. to live with Raymond and Maria Wawro, where he attended and later graduated from HHS in 2003.

Dakbai was not part of the migration from Sudan to Ethiopia, but rather, joined the journey from Sudan to Kenya. Dakbai’s u n c l e w a s a g re a t Photo by Benjamin Gates

Map by Microsoft

influence in his life and a key factor to his settlement in America.

Dakbai joined the Marines out of high school and served for nine years until he was shot in his left leg in Iraq. He is now back home and not currently serving due to medical reasons.

Dakbai is now 27, has one son, Mangar, named after his brother, and attends Lansing Community College where he is studying residential and commercial building. He has returned home to Africa twice, in 2007 and 2009, and aspires to go back and build desperately needed homes in Sudan.

The Resettlement

In 2001, about 3,800 Lost Boys arrived in the United States, resettled by the International Rescue Committee. The boys are now dispersed throughout approximately 38 cities. Thanks to a variety of programs many of the boys have been reconnected with families and are being put through colleges and universities.

As with most Lost Boys, the culture shock of a new country hit pretty hard when Dakbai arrived.

“I was amazed by the power of the media and the influence it had on people in America,” Dakbai said.

Eye contact was something new for him as well, as it is custom to stare down while talking in Kenya. Dakbai had also entered a country where food was abundant and easily accessible, a huge difference for a man that had gone up to three days without eating.

The Cure

During the attacks on the villages, girls were raped, killed, taken as slaves, or became servants to other Sudanese families. The war is reaching calamity after 22 years of civil war, but that doesn’t take away the 17,000-orphaned children in camps and countless more outside suffering from the genocide.

There are many ways for people of any age to think beyond themselves and help. Organizations such as Lost Boys Foundation, The Hope of Sudan, and Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan all provide ways to donate and help the cause. Movies and documentaries like: “God Grew Tired of Us”, and “The Lost Boys of Sudan” are both sources to become more aware.

Walking in their shoes would lead to ten weeks of trekking through vast wilderness and continual threat. Their homes, families, and safety were stripped away but the Lost Boys of Sudan maintain hope.

Features

11

Holt High School Ramparts

February 2011

Job Hunting

Job resumé strategies

Seaching for the right job brings difficulites for teenagers Cody Shattuck staff writer With unemployment rates at 10.6 percent in Michigan, jobs have become scarce. Many factors play a role when job seeking, like qualifications. This isn’t the only problem job-hunting teens have to worry about, however.

Finding jobs for teens is not as easy as it may sound. These days, teenagers just aren’t getting the jobs.

In the 1980’s, there might have been a better chance of getting a job because jobs were plentiful.

This is not the case these days where employment seems to be critical to everyone. Teens just aren’t getting the jobs. It’s the adults, the parents who are taking them. The experience is there, along with being the best. Junior Dominanna Bachman explains how it’s hard to find a job around town.

“It’s tough to look for a job these days because in Michigan, nobody is really handing out jobs. So you have to go out and be better than everyone

else to get a job. That’s what it comes down to,” Bachman said. “It’s even harder for teenagers because not a lot of people would want to hire them.”

This isn’t the only difficulty that teenagers have to face. Junior Taylor Shavey says the predominant problem for teens is the fact that jobs are scarce due to recent economic issues.

“It’s really hard to find work with the situation our country is in currently,” Shavey said. “Some problems that arise are looking in the right places and knowing what employers are after in an employee.”

Sometimes when applying for employment, the employer wants something more than just a resumé or application from the candidate. Employers expect a lot out of the applicants.

When going for an interview, being smarter, faster and better is a key to getting the job. Managers want the best of the best.

Photo by Cody Shattuck

Students fill out job applications all of the time, from fast food restaurants to retail stores. it has become more difficult to find a job which is why it is a good idea to fill out several applications if you are someone who is really looking.

Also, try new strategies when filling out applications or creating a resumé.

Don’t do the same old same old.

Employers want creativity. However, never go too crazy, according to Lindsey Pollak author of “Getting from College to Career: 90 things to do before you Enter the Real World.”

When looking for employments, trying looking online, in newspapers or even ask around. Be persistent.

Taking classes like Mentorship can help with searching for employment.

The program includes job shadowing, along with finding career options that are desired.

“Our goals in Mentorship are to help students become more aware of career choices and to learn about what they will be required to do as they further with education. We help the students build resumes, interviewing skills and to be better at job-seeking,” Mentorship teacher Jeff Shane said.

“It’s very rewarding at the end to see students develop with their career plans. Some of the students are even offered paid internships after their mentorship ends.”

Do: Be prepared with information. Check dates. Be completely honest and be accurate. Fill out application thoroughly and neatly. Check spelling errors and grammar. Quickly glance over it. Try to minimize it to one page if possible. Give the resume a sharp focus.

Don’t: Don’t be sloppy. Leave blanks if necessary. Lie. Make it cluttered, no personal pronouns. List too many experiences. List previous jobs in reverse chronological order. Include age, sex, height, weight, hobbies, etc. on resume. Write in pencil. Use blue or black ink when filling out an applications.

Source: Job-seekers-edge.com

12

The Hot Spot

February 2011

Holt High School Ramparts

Girls, ice cream, Chick Flick: Guy’s nightmare?

What makes all girlfriends cry, laugh and fall in love?

Kailey Kraushaar

features editor When it comes to movies, there are various genres ranging from horror to comedy, however there is a specific type of movie all its own, the infamous ‘chick flick’.

Commonly associated with crying females and pints of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, the chick flick has been classified as a romance movie, romantic comedy, or a drama.

“I think of it as a movie that’s directed more towards the female gender,” senior Jennifer Polin said.

In a recent survey, Ramparts asked about chick flicks, particularly if students liked them and the overall favorite chick flicks. When surveyed, most males said that they don’t like chick flicks, different from most females who said they enjoyed them.

“It makes me think of girls crying eating ice cream and of Matthew McConnaghey,” sophomore Henry Pacheco said.

The common stereotypes with chick flicks are usually centered on a female who loves them, and a male who can’t stand the movies. Since the term ‘chick flick’ became known, they have

been considered a date night dilemma for those unwilling to compromise.

The question of why the gender gap exists is one many don’t understand, but it can be agreed among most males surveyed that chick flicks are just too sensitive.

“The quality is poor,” said junior Dylan Barden. “They assume that the men or women who watch them are such idiots that they can’t handle a semi-complicated plot or characters who aren’t completely bi-dimensional.”

As opposed to those who dislike the more sensitive genre of movies, some tolerate them and say they can be entertaining at times.

“At times there are funny parts, and my girlfriend likes them too, so we sometimes watch them,” senior Mike Smith said.

However when females were surveyed, the majority said that they liked chick flicks, and watch them often.

“I like them. They tend to base the plots on conflict situations, but then they always fix them,” senior Annie Boyd said, “They’re usually emotional and impact you in a way.”

Photo by iStock.com

The relationship between females and chick flicks isn’t always one dimensional, but sometimes love/hate. Even though most girls know the plots are usually saccharin and

predictable, they still can’t help from enjoying a pint of Ben and Jerry’s and kicking back to The Notebook, whether their boyfriend joins them or not.

Who has a direct line to your funny bone?

Comedians who make us roll on the floor laughing out loud Jacqui Marpa

entertainment editor This group of individuals has perfected the art of being funny so much that they actually use that skill for a living. Some of the HHS students and teachers came up with the comedians that are top on their list.

Daniel Tosh

Claim to Fame: Comedy Central’s “Tosh.0” R e d e m p t i o n s , To s h s t y l e : Tosh.0 has a segment called “Web Redemption” where failed recorded stunts are redone in the most hilariously bizarre ways possible. “‘What What in the Butt’ is my favorite web redemption. This guy made a song and then it became so popular that the song was featured in South Park,” freshman Emily Hadick said.

Seriously Funny: When senior Becky Gardner was aksed if Tosh can pull off a serious personality said she responded: “I could never see Daniel Tosh as a serious guy; I would never want him to be either,” Gardner said “He has no limits on his humor; it’s risqué with relatable everyday humor.”

Photo courtesy of Live Nation

Photos by Jacqui Marpa

Rowan Atkinson

Claim to Fame: “Mr. Bean” “‘Mr. Bean Holiday’ was definitely funny. It’s kind of an offbeat humor.

He was very in character, and every little thing he did was funny,” sophomore Jake Hitchcock said.

Wit Beyond Measure: Atkinson attended college and obtained a degree in electrical engineering.

Although his work as Mr. Bean made it difficult to see him as a serious figure, junior Amanda Viges sees Atkinson as someone who is not always goofy.

“I can see him as a serious person.

He went to Oxford, he is well educated and respected by many,” Viges said.

Humorous under any circumstances: With Atkinson’s overly expressive face as Mr. Bean and physical comedy, anyone from any country can at least find something ironic in this character.

Photos by Jacqui Marpa

Bernie Mac Photo courtesy of Live Nation

Brian Regan

Claim to Fame: “Brian Regan: I Walked on the Moon” Funny e v en with out b eing raunchy: Regan’s comedy’s mostly consists of profanity-free language and personal experiences from his childhood.

“My favorite joke of his is called “Stupid in school.” It’s something everyone can relate to,” sophomore James Kramer said.

Some comedians swears in their act to make it funnier, but according to sophomore Megan Myers, Regan doesn’t have to.

“I think he’s hilarious, I like more of his improv stuff. He just takes the most non- funny things like going to emergency room and doing a school project, into a funny one,” Myers said.

Claim to Fame: “The Original Kings of Comedy” I want my Bernie funny: Sophomore Colin McCarthy didn’t watch as quite as many of Mac’s works but he’s seen few episodes of his show “The Bernie Mac Show” and said his favorite episode was when Mac’s nephew deals with allergies. “ I l ov e d t h e e p i s o d e w h e n his nephew is always allergic to something, and something about him being allergic to fat people,” McCarthy said.

Health teahcer Brock Holtsclaw said that he can’t see Bernie Mac as a non-comedic actor.

“I could never imagine him becoming a serious figure in the media. He is too much of a goon and would not be taken seriously,” Holtsclaw said.

The Hot Spot Holt High School Ramparts

And the Grammy Award goes to.... My Tunes Students take over the Grammys and decide the winners

What’s stuck in English teacher Michelle Fulton’s head?

staff writer

Album of the Year:

The nominees were: Arcade Fire, “The Suburbs”; Eminem, “Recovery”; Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”; Lady Gaga, “The Fame Monster”; Katy Perry, “Teenage Dreams”.

Student choice: Eminem, “Recovery”.

“Eminem should win because his album was really the best album out this year,” senior Abdullah Qawwee said. “He’s got some deep stuff.”

Song of the Year:

The nominees were: Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”; Ray La Montagne and the Pariah Dogs, “Beg Steal or Borrow”; Cee Lo Green, “F--- You”; Miranda Lambert, “The House That Built Me”; Eminem ft.

Rihanna, “Love the Way You Lie”.

Student Choice: Cee Lo Green, “F--- You”.

“This song is very catchy,” senior Brooke Smythe said.

Photo by Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times/MCT

The nominees were: Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”; Dierks Bentley, “Up On the Ridge”; Zac Brown Band, “You Get What Give”; Jamey Johnson, “The Guitar Song”; Miranda Lambert, “Revolution”.

Student Choice: Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”.

“This album had a lot of great songs,” senior Jennifer Polin said. “Need You Now” and “If I Knew Then” are great songs.”

Best Pop Vocal Album:

The nominees were: Lady Gaga, “The Fame Monster”; Justin Beiber, “My World 2.0”; Susan Boyle, “I Dreamed A Dream”; John Mayer, “Battle Studies”; Katy Perry, “Teenage Dream”.

Student Choice: Justin Beiber, “My World 2.0”.

“Justin is my boy,” sophomore Anna Diaz said. “It’s a fun album to dance to.”

Record of the Year:

Best New Artist: The nominees were: Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence & the Machine, Mumford & Sons and Esperanza Spalding.

Student Choice: Drake.

“Drake’s lyrics aren’t just nonsense.

He doesn’t just say them to rhyme,” senior Noah Assefa said. “You can relate to what he’s saying. His lyrics mean something.”

“No. 13 Baby” by The Pixies “I bought my tickets to see them in April, so I’ve been listening to the entire “Doolittle” album to prepare. I love this song over and over again.”

“Spinning in Daffodils” by Them Crooked Vultures “To satisfy my inner metal head” “Sparrow” by Simon and Garfunkel “A perfectly fitting song in light of recent events.”

“Three Days” by Jane’s Addiction “Best 10-minute song EVER!” “Tighten Up” by The Black Keys “My new favorite band. The tempo changes in this song conquer my ADHD.”

What’s stuck in sophomore Damien Williamson’s head?

Style of music: “Rap and hip hop.”

The nominees were: Drake, “Over”; Ludacris, “How Low”; Eminem, “Not Afraid”; T.I. “I’m Back”; Kanye West, “Power”.

Student Choice: Drake, “Over”. “ This song is real nice,” sophomore Dilkhaz Mizori said. “I like the overall feel of the song.”

Photo by Lionel Hahn/Abaca Press/MCT

Best Rock Song:

Style of music: “Everything. There’s way too much good music out there to stick to only one genre.”

Photo by Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/ MCT

Best Rap Solo Performance:

Photo by Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/MCT

Photo by Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/MCT

Best Country Album:

The nominees were: B.O.B ft. Bruno Mars, “Nothin’ On You”; Eminem ft. Rihanna, “Love the Way You Lie”; Cee Lo Green, “F--- You”; Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys, “Empire State of Mind”; Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”.

Student Choice: Cee Lo Green, “F--- You”.

“I like this song,” senior Justin Madar said. “He just tells it like it is.”

Photo by Kimberly P. Mitchell/Detroit Free Press/MCT

February 2011

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

Will Thurston The Grammy Award show took place February 13. A year’s worth of hard work that contributed to a lot of buzz paid off for many people in the music business. Artists such as Lady Antebellum, Arcade Fire, Esperanza Spalding, Eminem, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars won Grammys, the musician’s ultimate prize, for their contribution to the industry.

Even though the trophies were already handed out, HHS students voiced their opinions on who they felt should have won. This coming from a teenager’s point of view because people often complain that those who decide who wins are not connected with the music of the younger generation.

“I get mad sometimes with the winners,” senior Taylor Tripplett said.

“I feel (the academy) is too old-school to give certain types of music a chance.”

The winners are in bold.

13

The nominees were: Neil Young, “Angry World”; Mumford & Sons, “Little Lion Man”; Kings of Leon, “Radioactive”; Muse, “Resistance”; The Black Keys, “Tighten Up”.

Student Choice: The Black Keys, “Tighten Up”.

“The Black Keys have a bluesy southern rock style that isn’t emulated by anyone else in music,” senior Adam Lansdell said. “They’re very original and accomplish a lot for being only a two-piece band.”

“Green and Yellow” by Lil Wayne “This became my theme song for the Super Bowl this year.”

“Cat Daddy” by R3jectz ft. Chris Brown “I love the catchy dance, and I can do it well.”

“Mesmerized” by Wiz Khalifa “Wiz is a very good artist. I really look up to him.”

“Say What’s Real” by Drake “This is an inspirational song; it gets me through a lot of stuff.”

“6 foot 7” by Lil Wayne “Reminds me of Anthony Harris. I miss and love him.”

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

February 2011

The Press Box BOYS BASKETBALL

record: 5-9 league standing: N/A season highlight: “The first game we played against Waverly which we won,” junior Justin Alleman said. in their words: “Our team gets along really well, and we know how to deal with each other,” junior D.J. Hull said.

Holt High School Ramparts

Athletic Administration HHS staff recalls high school sports memories

Amy “high beam” Lester

Joey Myers

East Lansing High School Class of 1984 Gymnastics Memory: “Being the Conference Champion on bars, beams, and floor senior year.”

staff writer

GIRLS BASKETBALL

record: 12-6 league standing: Second place season highlight: “Our game against our biggest rival, Okemos. Everyone played really well, and we beat them by 30 points,” junior Haley Powers said. in their words: “Everyone treats everybody else with respect and we work together well,” senior Mandy Johnson said.

amanda “Team Spirit” tabbert

Linden High School Class of 2004 Cheerleading 2000-2001 season Regional Champs and second place at States. 2001-2002 season Regional Champs and third place at States.

Memory: “I suffered a broken ankle and had surgery. As a result I did not cheer my junior or senior year. I did, however, coach the middle school cheer teams as a senior.”

High school athletics can be summed up as “intense, competitive and hopefully still fun,” science teacher Mike Van Antwerp said.

Teachers from HHS have shined a light on their high school playing days for us to have a peek on what life and sports were like years ago.

BrIAn “The Unsinkable” Vessel E.A.Johnson High School (in Mt. Morris) Class of 1996 Bas eball, Basketball, Football Memory: Holds single season three-point record at E.A.J High School

BOYS BOWLING

record:10-2 league standing: First place season highlight: “Zack Ammerman broke the highest series record for Holt on February 9. He bowled a 279 and a 278,” senior Caleb Wyatt said. in their words: “We’re a young team, and we’re full of energy,” senior Tyler Snow said.

James “ankle breakin’” Midland High School Keckeisen

Class of 1993 Basketball: Soccer Memory: “More specialized one-sport athletes training 12 months per year --- which I believe is a contributing factor to ACL injuries.”

Guilford “Game Time” Northrup

Lansing Eastern High School Class of 1966 Football Memory: Being the 6A Conference Champions for the first time in a decade

Anne “Jack of all trades” Russo Reading High School Class of 1996 Basketball, Volleyball, Track, Softball Reading High School Female Athlete of the Year, MVP in three of the four sports, Most Improved Player, Reading High School record holder in the 2-mile relay, state runner-up in track and field, Michigan Scholar Athlete and Academic All-State awards.

Memory: “Playing alongside my older sister.”

GIRLS BOWLING

record: 7-3 league standing: Second place season highlight: “Winning the match came down to the last frame, and I had to bowl a double at least to beat Grand Ledge, and we ended up winning,” senior Shelly Teague said. in their words: “The team has really come together this season, and we get along great,” junior Tori Frailey said.

Dave “The Mole Man” Foy

Holt High School Class of 1977 Cross Country: Track: Basketball Memory: Holds school record for 4x880 yds relay. (Dave Foy, Scott Manetsch, Steve Drake, and Brett Jenkins).

Aaron “Sharp Shootin’” William “The Hoss" Hodges Southgate Aquinas High School Smith

CHEERLEADING

season highlight: “Our Winterfest performance was the most fun because we all did really good and the crowd all liked it,” junior Hannah Johnson said. in their words: “Our team is really fun and weird, and I think that is why we all get along so well,” Hannah Johnson said.

Okemos High School Class of 1985 Soccer All-State, All-Midwest, and All-American.

Memor y: Winning State Championship.

“Kids nowadays specialize earlier in one sport, which makes them better athletes in their sport.”

All photos courtesy of athletes

Class of 1988 Football All-Area, Honorable Mention All-State, All-Academic Memory: “An unfortunate incident in the Silverdome where a kickoff hit me in the thigh pads and bounced back to the kicking team.”

Mike “Lax Bro” Van Antwerp University of Detroit Jesuit High School Class of 1993 Lacrosse Detroit Free Press Scholar Athlete, All-State, All American Memory: “Playing against the best players, and getting in the zone.”

Sports

15

Holt High School Ramparts

Students wrestle their way to the top

Wrestlers work hard to achieve season goals Kelsey Manas editor-in-chief

Wrestling has always been known as one of the most successful athletic groups at HHS. Along with numerous district, league and regional titles, the team won the State Championship in 2008, 1997, 1996 and 1971.

Any wrestler can tell you that the success comes with a lot of hard work.

From cutting weight to practicing six days a week, wrestling is not an easy sport.

According to sophomore Dominick Trevino, wrestling takes not only strength but self-discipline and heart. The team started their season with 48 wrestlers and dropped to 45, after some athletes realized wrestling wasn’t for them. Wrestling coach Rocky Shaft says that the sport demands hard work to be a success.

“Those that quit usually can’t handle the physical and mental toughness that it takes to be a successful wrestler,” Shaft said.

A healthy diet and establishing a realistic weight class for wrestlers is key to keeping them healthy, said Shaft. The weight class a wrestler is in is determined by a body-fat analysis done at the beginning of the season

by a state assessor. According to Shaft, the intensity of the practices tends to increase an individual’s metabolism.

“This [increased metabolism], with proper nutrition and hydration, gets wrestlers down to a proper body fat,” Shaft said. “With our work ethic, body fat analysis, nutrition classes and actually putting to use the information presented, individuals in wrestling lead a very healthy existence as compared to a soft existence many teenagers lead.”

One of the toughest components of wrestling is cutting weight. Cutting weight involves wrestlers shedding pounds to fit into their specific weight class. Different opinions of cutting weight circulate the wrestling community. Many say that it is just a part of wrestling, and others say that it is an unhealthy way of participating in a sport.

Senior Seth Hanton says cutting weight is not about not eating, but it’s about eating less and working hard.

Although Hanton says he knows how to cut weight safely, he still believes it’s unhealthy.

“Ninety percent of the time we’re cutting weight, we’re dehydrated,” Hanton said. “It stunts our growth.”

Trevino says that cutting weight all depends on how it’s done. He says that trying to cut 10 pounds in two days is not healthy, but trying to lose the weight over a week, can be healthy. Trevino said that when he’s not wrestling he is 15 pounds heavier.

Photo by Kelsey Manas

Senior Justin Jones takes down his Portage Central opponent at the MHSAA regional meet that took place on February 16 in the HHS gymnasium.

“After I cut weight, I feel good about myself,” Trevino said.

Along with the dieting and weight cutting, wrestlers practice between five to six days a week for two hours each. Practices are high-intensity and include activities from lifting weights to six-minute matches between wrestlers. Junior Jeffrey Lyon practices six days a week and twice on Monday.

“Not everyone practices that much. I just do it to become better,” Lyon said. “I practice with MSU (Michigan State University) coaches and wrestlers from all over the state on Mondays after I practice with Holt.”

Sometimes wrestlers practice in three layers of clothing for two hours or more. The worst part of practice according to Hanton is the extreme heat and sweat.

“The wrestling room is just so hot, and we’ve got to lose weight, so usually we’re wearing sweats and lots of other clothes,” Hanton said.

Shaft recommends that those who are conditioning for the next season of their sport should join the wrestling team. He says that by joining the team, ideal conditioning would be achieved along with developing a competitive nature.

“A saying that we’ve used for the past 15 years is, ‘The fun is in the memory.’ We work extremely hard to achieve the status we have across the state and the mid-west,” Shaft said.

“It may not be fun and games now, but the memories and friendships developed cannot be taken away.”

The season for team wrestling has come to a close, finishing 20-2.

Individual wrestling continues into regionals and state finals.

Performance teams keep spirit alive Stephanie Le staff writer When students think about basketball games, they can’t help but link them to the cheerleaders and the dance team who perform during the game.

These performance teams are a staple to basketball games.

“We pump up the crowd and stay positive about the game, even if our team is losing,” senior Katie O’Rourke said.

O’Rourke, a varsity cheerleader, said that cheerleaders also keep the crowd in the game, and they give fans something to pay attention to during time-outs and in between quarters.

Similarly, sophomore Reanna Cantrall said that the dance team, who performs during halftime, tries to keep the crowd and basketball team spirited.

“Our job is to entertain the audience with new things they maybe haven’t seen before,” sophomore Allison Nastally said.

Besides performing at basketball games the

dance team also participates in competitions.

“We have a couple competitions that we go to.

Our biggest one is the Palace Classic,” junior Alyssa Robinson said.

The Classic is held at The Palace of Auburn Hills and took place in January. The dance team’s next competition is the Leslie Invitational on March 5.

These teams also do a lot outside of performing at the games to contribute to the school.

“We do some fund raisers,” dance coach Molly Noss said. “We participated in a Cheerful Holiday this past winter, which raised a good amount of money.”

The proceeds of a Cheerful Holiday helped pay for Challenge Day this year. The cheerleaders also participated in fund raisers throughout their season.

“Because we are not competitive, our performances are limited to occasional pre-game or half-time routines and our pep assemblies,” cheer coach Jan Bannhard said. “But we attend exhibitions, such as Cheer For Charity which is an event benefitting Toys for Tots.”

Some students who attend the games say that

February 2011

The Press Box DANCE

record: N/A league standing: N/A season highlight: “Going to the Palace to perform because it was my first performance and it was a lot of fun seeing all the good dance teams,” junior Tori Rueckert-Boettger said. in their words: “We are a bunch of different people with different personalities, but we still get along really well,” Rueckert-Boettger said.

GYMNASTICS

record: 7-4 league standing: N/A season highlight: “There has been a big student turnout for our meets this year. It’s been really encouraging and pushes us to perform better as a team,” senior Jacke Zussman said. in their words: “I like how close we are. It’s like we’re one big family and can always count on each other,” sophomore Jenny McKee said.

HOCKEY

record: N/A league standing: N/A season highlight: “My ridiculous circus goal followed by a great “cele” (celebration),” senior Brandon Bet said. in their words: “We’re a family, we work hard and we’re all pretty close,” senior Andrew Counseller said.

BOYS SWIMMING AND DIVING

conference record: 5-3 league standing: N/A season highlight: “Beating Okemos at Waverly Relays. It was the first time we ever beat them,” junior Mike Ramer said. in their words: “We’re hardworking and we all like to have fun and joke around,” junior Eric Dawdy said.

Photo by Stephanie Le

Members of the dance team practice after school.

They perform to raise spirit at basketball games they enjoy the performance teams’ efforts.

“I think the cheerleaders and dance team are really important,” sophomore Chris Gillespie said.

“They are supporting our team, and support can change the worst situation into the best.”

Senior Morgan Webster said she enjoyed the teams, and they helped her get into the game more.

“They give us spirit and keep us energized. Also cheers are just fun,” Webster said.

WRESTLING

record: 22-2 league standing: N/A season highlight: “Our trip to Indiana where we beat the second ranked team in that state,” senior Caleb Haddad said. in their words: “After weigh-ins, we get really good burritos. That is the best part of wrestling,” senior Justin Jones said.

Sports

Holt High School Ramparts

The water cooler Will Thurston

Stay Together

I

t’s just a game they always say.”

Yes, that’s true. Sports are games played by people of all ages. However, sports can be much more than a game. They can unite people with the common bond of being fans. The emotion involved during the games amongst the players and fans can be something special. Something special may just be what Holt needs after what it went through this month.

By now, everybody knows the story of the fatal accident that took place last month which claimed the life of seniors Anthony Harris and Holly Bossenberry and 2010 graduate Taylyr Cochran.

This was a very tragic incident, but there was another story that occurred as a result of the tragedy that has offered some comfort to people. The whole community came together to support the family and friends of those involved. Those who didn’t even know the people in the accident showed love and compassion because the misfortune happened to Holt Rams.

This support from the entire community was evident at the two candle-light vigils, the funerals and the fundraisers. I personally have been surprised with the outpouring of love.

I just wish that it didn’t have to take an event like this for people to be kinder and more supportive towards each other. Since those in the community are showing support now, let’s keep the love and pride going and not go back to being a school divided by cliques and without pride.

A way to accomplish this is through sports, especially since Anthony, Holly and Taylyr all were involved in sports.

Anthony played football and ran track.

Holly was in gymnastics and Taylyr played on the baseball team. Sports can carry a community and the emotion a community shows can help the teams take their play to new heights. Not only will this promote togetherness among those who attend HHS, but sporting events can also help people take their mind off what has happened and give them peace for a couple hours.

Go to the boys and girls basketball games, go to the wrestling meets, go to the gymnastic meets, go to the swim meets and root for your fellow Rams. Show some school spirit and keep it alive as long as the memories of those lost, stay in your hearts.

16

February 2011

Holt’s finest athletes sign to colleges Eleven students participate in National Signing Day Ryan Carrier staff writer Student athletes around the nation signed their National Letters of Intent on National Signing Day February 2.

Eleven HHS students representing various sports were recognized in a Signing Day ceremony held in the John W. Chi Library. The ceremony was originally scheduled for February 2, but was postponed to February 4 due to weather conditions.

At the ceremony, students were able to announce their college intentions and either sign their real National Letters of Intent or just a blank paper if they had already completed their paperwork.

The event attracted a film crew from a local news station and a professional photographer who was capturing every aspect for families to remember.

The John W. Chi Library was filled with family and friends who came out to congratulate the athletes on their success.

Playing basketball at Western Michigan University, senior Amanda Johnson said she likes what the Signing Day ceremony offers to participating athletes.

“I think it is good to recognize young athletes’ achievements and congratulate them on what they have accomplished,” Johnson said.

Senior Kenny Rogers will be attending Central Michigan University to play football. He said that he enjoyed the atmosphere created by the crowd at the ceremony.

Photo by Ryan Carrier

Students signed National Letters of Intent in the John W. Chi Library on Friday, February 4. Signing Day recognized students for athletic achievements throughout their high school careers.

“I liked that we were like little celebrities,” Rogers said. “Everyone took a ton of pictures of us.”

Students signing with colleges for athletics have to consider all of the normal criteria when picking a school, but on top of it they must consider what is best for them and their athletic aspirations.

Senior Brendan Finnerty chose to sign with Wheaton College for soccer because he said it fit everything he was hoping for when setting out for his college search.

“I wanted a small Christian college that had a good soccer program as well as good academics,” Finnerty said. “And Wheaton fit those qualities perfectly.”

Senior Nicole Borek also saw a wide range of qualities that lead her towards signing with the University of Detroit Mercy, where she will play soccer.

“I decided to sign with the University of Detroit Mercy because it is a really good academic school, it was close to home and the team is competitive and athletic,” Borek said.

The athletes were excited with their signing but were also optimistic with what signing opens up for their collegiate future.

Playing basketball at Hope College, senior Emily Klauka saw being part of the team as an opportunity to make adapting to college life more simple.

“I already know that I am going to have 15 guaranteed friends, and hopefully that will allow me to meet a lot of new people,” Klauka said.

After all of the formalities, the ceremony turned into a social event where athletes were able to celebrate with refreshments.

Other students who participated in the signing day ceremony included: Nick Thomas, who will be playing football at Saginaw Valley State University; Mike Smith, who will be playing football at Wayne State University; Jordan Rakas, who will attend The University of Iowa for soccer; Collin Mohr, who will attend the University of Detroit Mercy for soccer; Joey Myers, who will attend Olivet College for baseball; and Ben Gates, who will be playing soccer at Lipscomb University in Nashville Tennessee.