ramparts VOLUME 20, ISSUE 2
HOLT HIGH SCHOOL
Smash it up!
Pacesetter class raises money for C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital page 3
Holt Senior High School 5885 West Holt Rd. Holt, MI 48842
NOVEMBER 2011
Photo by Cody Shattuck
NEWS:
After taking second in CAAC’s, the Quiz Bowl Team prepares for the tri-county competition in January. Learn what Quiz Bowl is all about.
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FEATURE:
With exams coming up, students start to prepare themselves. Learn some of the best study tips to ensure success.
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Photo by Chloe Henley
SPORTS:
Senior Christianna Blain helps to smash a car in efforts to help out C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor. Photo by Tori Frailey
Take a sneak peek into how athletes prepare for winter sports.
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News
November 2011
Tree Lighting
The Delhi Township 16th Annual Tree Lighting will be held on December 7 at 6:30 p.m. Bring your family and friends to enjoy the holiday spirit and excitement with the rest of the Holt community.
Band Concert
The band is having a holiday concert on December 7 in the Margaret Livensparger Theater at 7 p.m. They will be performing songs such as “Silent Night”, “Jingle Bells”, and a mixture of more Christmas songs. They will also be performing in Silver Bells in the City on November 18.
Student Success Room
The Student Success Room is a place where students can go and study, do homework, or sign up for a tutor. It is held MondayThursday in the library and lasts from 2:45-3:45. Any 10-12 grade students are welcome to attend. Students must have their own transportation home. Contact Student Success Coordinator Joann Weil at 699-6423 with any further questions.
CATA Redi-Ride
One option for transportation for students is calling the CATA Redi-Ride service. It costs $.60 for students with a CATA card provided from the HHS Counseling Center. For more information, see the posters hanging outside the Counseling Center.
Silver Bells in the City
The 27th Annual Silver Bells in the City celebration takes place on Friday, November 18 in downtown Lansing. This year will feature more activities and special outdoor performances by the HHS band, and the very special 15th annual Electric Light parade that starts at 6:10 p.m., from the corner of Washington Avenue and Lenawee.
Rampages Yearbook
The 2011-12 yearbook will be avalaible for orders until December 16 for $75. See flyers in the hallways and offices for information, or see yearbook adviser Clara Swihart for order forms. Return all orders to Swihart in E221 or W205.
Quiz Bowl rounds up with questions Team prepares for upcoming tournaments Cody Shattuck news editor Questions pound. Heartbeats race. Hands sweat. These are the feelings of nerves that the Quiz Bowl team gets as they set up for a new season. The team is currently ranked fifth and working hard to get to the top. The team recently received second place in the CAAC tournament which on November 9 and 10. The team also attended Quizbusters, a tournament played during the regular season against every school around the state. The taping of QuizBusters will be aired in February on WKAR TV. “During the QuizBusters competiton we took 12th place, and are currently fifth in the CAAC division,” Dave Hildebrandt said. “We would like to see third place this year, but we will probably take fourth this year.” The team will participate in a tricounty league starting in December. Preparation has already started. Quiz Bowl is a club that meets after school, and is designed so that students can learn and gain knowledge outside of the classroom. The team uses their knowledge to answer questions as fast as possible, to gain points against the opposing team. The teams consist of four students on each side, competing academically. The objective of Quiz Bowl and QuizBusters is to answer questions as fast as possible before the opponent does. The QuizBusters rules also differ from that of the season. When players interrupt a question, they normally lose points. However, during QuizBusters they are allowed to interrupt and also gain points for their team. Team practice is on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in room east 113 from 2:45 to 4 p.m. with Hildebrandt. For their practices, the members of the team gets quizzed on a variety of subjects and topics ranging from easy to hard, that may be presented during matches and tournaments.
Photo by Cody Shattuck
Competing against the teachers in a Quiz Bowl staff challenge, juniors Rehja Hammond, Micah Norwood and Josh Wiles use the knowledge they have acquired to give teachers from a number of subjects a run for the title of winners. “We play games where we simply answer questions about subjects like history, art, literature, geography, mathematics and science,” junior Jenelle Jones said. “It’s important because we have fun learning and it helps me remember stuff for school.” To some of the returning members on the team, such as team junior captain Micah Norwood, Quiz Bowl can mean having fun as well as being good preparation for college. “I joined because I thought it would be a great experience and that it would also look good for college. It also gives us a chance to learn team work. It’s an opportunity to compete academically,” Norwood said. He’s been on the team since ninth grade. For Jones, it is a good academic challenge, as well as a way to gain knowledge and meet new people. “I joined because I thought it would be fun to meet new people who are as smart as me, and to expand my knowledge and learning,” Jones said. “To be on the team matters because we have fun. It also helps to give me an edge in classes.” Hildebrandt has been involved in Quiz Bowl for 10 years and knows
Typical Quiz Questions The Quiz Bowl team sees a variety of questions from many different subjects. Although there is no way of knowing what questions to prepare for, these are some typical questions they would answer during practices.
•Standards limit the radiation from these devices to 5 milliwatts per
square centimeters measured 5 centimeters away. They are named for the 2.45-gigahertz radiation they use, which can induce plasma arcing if utensils are left inside. Name these devices used to heat the food.
•The treaty of New Echota began to be rigorously enforced after
the discovery of gold in Georgia leading to this event during which 4,000 people died. Give the three-word name for this forced western migration of the Cherokee tribe in the 1830s.
•What 19th century writer is remembered for living alone at Walden Pond?
•With what framed outlaw of folklore would you associate Alan-a-Dale, Friar Tuck, and Little John?
•In this novel, Scout, Jem, and Dill begin to act out the macabre story told about thier next door neighbor. Name... -This novel by Harper Lee -The reclusive neighbor who eventually saves them from an enemy of their father. what it takes to be on the team. He said that it takes certain dedication to be in Quiz Bowl. “You need to want to practice a lot, and take the time outside of
practice to study list of information a n d l e a r n n e w m a t e r i a l ,” Hildebrandt said. The Tri-County Winter League begins on December 6.
1. Microwave Oven 2. Trail of Tears 3. Thoreau 4. To Kill a Mockingbird and Boo Radley
F.Y.I.
Holt High School Ramparts
News
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Holt High School Ramparts
November 2011
Pacesetter classes focus on service
In Brief
Students raise money for C.S. Mott
Holly’s Ride is an alcohol education program with three inter-related components: education, safety, and intervention. Founder Marena Cruz says that it is easier for teens to understand the effects of drugs and alcohol when a peer is talking to the person instead of an adult. It’s a safe transportation alternative for students who are intoxicated. The group is working on expanding the program to other interested school districts in the area to better the project.
Cody Shattuck news editor Around the holidays, a helping hand can come out in the time of need. English teacher Olivia Nelson’s Pacesetter classes work to plan and set up dates for the project they have at hand. The main goal: to give back and help those in our community. Nelson gave her classes a requirement to do a community service act. The classes wanted to help, and are donating to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor where math teacher Marty Schnepp’s son recently had a liver transplant. “Recently as all the Pacesetter classes combined, we had a car smash, and we have donated some money to the Schnepp family,” senior Kali Schlee said. “We are also planning to do a book and stuffed animal drive before the Thanksgiving holiday that will take place at the school.” The car smash was held the day of the Grand Ledge football game on October 21, as part of the fund raising efforts. The event was titled ‘Smash for Sam.’ The car was donated by senior Matt Vainner, who is in one of the Pacesetter classes. Attendees could pay $1 per hammer, which gave them the chance to hit the car as many times as they wanted. “The car smash is always something I always wanted to do at Holt,” Vainner said. “I thought this would be a perfect way to help
Holly’s Ride
PALS
Photo by Tori Frailey
Pacesetter students, along with others, participated in a car smash that was called ’Smash for Sam’. It was held during the Holt vs. Grand Ledge football game on October 21, as an effort to raise money for C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. raise money. It was a pretty good feeling.” Besides just wanting to help with raising money, Vainner also felt that it was a way to make a difference. “I was hoping to make a change, and to help others who mostly need it, to show others ways to help. I hope it makes a difference for someone,” Vainner said. “To me it means a lot. Seeing many people involved is a big deal.” For Schlee helping is important for many reasons. “I personally have been in the hospital and had life-altering surgeries,” Schlee said. “I also know that every little bit of help counts. It’s a good feeling to know that I can help and give back for a good cause.” Senior Lauren Maier got involved because of the issues at hand. “What made the classes and myself get involved was seeing
how big of an issue sick children in the world is,” Maier said. “It’s very important to help out because it affects our friends, families and people all over the world.” Not only were donations i m p o r t a n t , b u t f o r Ne l s o n , increasing students’ involvement in community service was also key. “Students from my English 11 classes know that I am passionate about literature, but I also have a very strong love for the idea of service learning,” Nelson said. Service learning is a way students can learn by identifying a cause they can help with and then working for a positive change. “The students’ skills develop as their excitement about the project grows, and we try to serve the greater good in the process,” Nelson said. The Pacesetter classes have raised $450 so far this trimester, as
well as awareness of what they are helping with. “So far we have raised quite a bit of money. We have also brought the awareness for the hospital,” Maier said. “One of the goals we have is to get different supplies needed at the hospital.” Students can also help out in the effort by looking at posters around the school, listening to announcements and getting involved. Students can donate by giving supplies, money or anything they can. “The Pacesetter classes always have a lot of enthusiasm for their projects, but often we have trouble encouraging other students to participate,” Nelson said. “If you see any of the Pacesetter students out and about, ask them what you can do to help. Any level of involvement is appreciated.”
PALS (Peer Assistance Leadership Students) has been working on a bullying unit most recently and focusing on ways to cut down bullying and its effects. The group has been going to different classes and talking to freshmen to prepare them for the rest of their high school career. They have also been presenting information on bullying to different groups of students.
Environmental Science
With the Environmental Club no longer around, science teacher Amanda Tabbert’s Environmental Science classes take the recycling boxes and bottles during second and third hour in efforts to keep our school a green school. They are also teaming with Science Olympiad for their bottle drive.
Girls are Powerful
Girls are Powerful (GAP) is a group being formed at HHS that will focus on issues teen girls face, such as self-esteem, feelings, body image, dating violence and communication. The objective of the group is to get teen girls to talk openly about these issues. The group will meet after school on Tuesdays at 2:45 until 4 p.m. starting in January. If you are interested in joining, contact counselor Rebecca Fedrigo or any of the counselors in the Counseling Center.
Honors Choir
Honors choir will be held on December 3. It will be a one day event which will take place at Western Michigan University. This will be the regional section of the competition. Auditions for state and all-state choir will also be held on December 3.
News
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November 2011
Holt High School Ramparts
Performers display their talents for a cause Annual Challenge Day Variety Show makes an impact Michael Hua sports editor Students and staff showed off their talents in the high school auditorium at 7 p.m. on November 15. Many students and community members supported Challenge Day by coming and cheering on the performers. The first Variety Show was put on by the staff and students last year. The goal was to raise money for Challenge Day, but still show off the talents of each individual. The show was successful, raising $750. Student Council coordinated a separate talent show in years past, but Challenge Day coordinator Joann Weil and the group decided to combine efforts this year and have one variety show dedicated to raising money for Challenge Day. With all the contributions and support, the program is expected to come back and spread awareness. The mission of Challenge Day is to ignite a movement of compassion and positive change. Once the program was introduced to the school, the staff and students wanted to implement change after being informed by
Too Sick
the program. Goals were made and have been kept over the years. “We have coupled our philosophies of Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) with the philosophy of Challenge Day with approaching things through positive reinforcements and being proactive instead of reacting to things,” Weil said. The goals of Challenge Day are to build empathy between students, help every child in the world feel safe and celebrate diversity and truth. Senior Jordan Herron explained how Challenge Day has affected him. “Challenge Day has showed me all the struggles people go through on a day-to-day basis. It made me perceive others as equals,” Herron said. With the cost of the program, money needs to be raised every year to host Challenge Day. The program charges $5,000 per day for a minimum of three days. Another school around the area usually shares a day, allowing the program to travel to their school, which lowers the cost to $10,000 for two days. Weil pulls resources together to make sure the program happens. Besides organizing the Variety Show, she holds the craft show every year that raises about $2,000. She also gets donations from the Gay-Straight Alliance, H-Town School Store, Student Council, the freshman campus, and Principal Brian Templin. The group “Too Sick” makes their own beats and music. The members include junior D.J. Riddle, junior O.J. Payno, sophomore Christian Sims and sophomore Devin Frazier. They all play various instruments and together they will perform a rendition of a love song they wrote. This was their first talent show together and the group was excited to prepare for the show because they were together and did what they love. “I liked “Challenge Day” last year, so we wanted to support and also do something we liked, so doing the show was a double positive,” Riddle said.
The “Medley Men” group all play various instruments. The men include senior Brian Thering, senior Nathan Haering, and senior William Schneider. Thering plays the guitar, alto saxophone, oboe, French horn and can sing. Haering and Schnedier both play the mellophone, French horn, bass and some piano. Their performance consisted of the men taking a simple chord progression and singing pop songs according to that progression. This was their first and only act together and Brian was asked about what he’s excited for. “A couple of moments are incredibly funny and we want to see the reactions of the audience,” Thering said.
The Medley Men
Erin Biel
Senior Zac Kamins writes his own lyrics and free-styles to beats most of the time. He doesn’t memorize any raps, he feels the beat and begins to express his words. He performed a freestyle rap on the top of this head to one of Biggie Smalls’ beats. He was a little nervous, but excited for the reaction of the audience. He’s never been in a talent show before. “Hopefully everyone listens to what I’m saying, so they can react to my freestyle,” Kamins said.
John Murphy
Senior Jasmine Brook’s talents are playing the piano, violin, cheer leading and singing. She has been singing since she was four and has taken vocal lessons for many years. She has been in talent shows since the fifth grade and all of her performances were of her singing. Currently she is in chorale, and for the variety show she sang “Like a Star” by Corrinne Bailey Rae. She was excited to perform because she loves to sing.
Senior Erin Biel’s talents are playing the ukulele, singing, dancing, acting and baking sweets like cupcakes. She performed a silly song called the “Bearded Song” and she’s used to audiences because she’s been in recitals for a long time. Biel was excited to see Thering and his performance. She had some advice for others before the show. “Don’t be afraid, just go up there and do it,” Biel said.
Zac Kamins
Junior John Murphy is an aggressive roller skater, cuts hair, does graffiti art and dances. John has performed in many competitions for roller-blading and danced in different recitals throughout the years. He has seven years of experience performing in front of an audience, but hasn’t been a part of a talent show at school before. For the Variety Show, he performed a dance to various songs and was excited to get the crowd up from their feet.
Jasmine Brooks
News
November 2011
Holt High School Ramparts
Proposed bullying law creates controversy Language in bill conflicts with students’ rights Daniel Yu staff writer The Michigan Senate passed legislation on November 2 that will require schools to have a mandatory anti-bullying policy. The bill, however, is causing controversy because of the wording, which seems to actually provide a loop-hole for bullies. It states that the bill will not “prohibit a statement of a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction of a school employee, school volunteer, pupil, or a pupil’s parent or guardian.” A similar bill was passed by the House on November 10, but with changed wording. The controversial clause was taken out, but it must go through the Senate again before it is an official law. ‘Matt’s Safe School Law’ is named
after Matt Eppling, a 14-year-old East Lansing student who committed suicide in 2002 after being bullied by his classmates. According to The Detroit Free Press, Democrats don’t believe that this law will help protect students. They want to specify the reasons why students can’t be bullied, like race, religion, and sexual orientation. Republican supporters think that it is a necessary step toward a bully-free state and that it’s a good enough start. “Holt has a specific policy. Any student, by direct or implied threat, including by cyber space, can receive disciplinary action, and even expulsion from the school,” counselor Bob Bower said. There is a drop-box in the counseling office where students can leave a note identifying a bully. The office can then confidentially call in the students who are involved and talk to them. “People that bully others are not aware that they are bullying. We bring the parties together,” Bower said. The National Crime Prevention Council said that 80 percent of teens
Program keeps students on “Trek” Computer classes offer another chance
Maya Fews staff writer In more recent years, technology is playing a bigger role. A person is now able to pay bills, go shopping and communicate with friends all using the computer. An addition to this list is finishing high school. Ed Trek is a program that allows students to finish high school by offering all four core classes online. Melanie Allen is the transition coordinator for the program. “The difference is a computer based curriculum,” Allen said. “Everybody is on an individualized program where learning is the constant and time is the variable.” Ed Trek is only being offered to a select number of students. “Students who are off track for graduation and demonstrate lack of
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success in the classroom,” counselor John Conner said, are the students benefiting from the program. Senior Courtney Tharp is one of the students attending Ed Trek this year to ensure she graduates on time. “The good thing about this program is that it focuses on your main classes you need to take,” Tharp said. “There’s a lot of help, too.” The structure of the program is selfpaced allowing the students to work at their own speed. There are also three different sessions: one in the morning, afternoon and in the evening. “The morning to me I think is the greatest because one, you get out at noon so you can have a job at other times you normally couldn’t. Also you can do sports,” Tharp said. Joey Royston was a student at Holt Central before the school closed. He is now part of the Ed Trek program. “The teachers are really good because there’s not just one teacher that knows one subject,” Royston said. Allen said the purpose of Ed Trek is getting students to graduate. This is another option for students who would have otherwise dropped out.
Photo by Daniel Yu
The bullying box is located in the Counseling Center. Students can leave a note if they are being bullied or if they have witnessed it and receive help. who cyber-bully, do it because they think it’s funny. “I used to be bullied by fit people,” senior Mark Dudley said. Dudley says that the past bullying has helped motivate him to lose weight and become a better person. “It seems to me that I’m very defensive of kids who are bullied
today,” Dudley said. He does agree with the law, though, because he says bullying is an outlet for kids and it’s a part of growing up, so some bullying should be allowed. The new law does mention cyberbullying. However, it only protects students who are bullied on a school owned or controlled device. But
cyber-bullying can happen over anything from personal cell-phones, computers, to online games. “Cyber-bullying is worse than bullying because it’s easier for people to bully without feeling guilty and it’s out there for everyone to see,” sophomore Bich-Tam Nguyen said. According to The Harfer County Examiner, only 10 percent of cyber bullying incidents are told to parents. This makes finding a solution to cyber-bullying even harder. “Bullying used to be confined in one area of the school. Now there is no safe haven from being bullied,” Bower said. The National Crime Prevention Council also states that 43 percent of teens have been a victim of cyberbullying in the past year. “I think the most common forms of bullying are the smaller, more subtle forms. We should be talking to the kids one-on-one after class,” English teacher Bruce Kutney said. “We just need to confront the phenomenon of bullying more proactively and directly,” Kutney said.
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Viewpoints
November 2011
Holt High School Ramparts
Our View Bullying bill raises concerns
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s high school students, or more simply, teenagers, we all have our own set of problems. Each day students face challenges that can sometimes compromise their safety. A type of abuse seen more frequently among high school students is in the form of bullying. Physical bullying, verbal bullying and cyber-bullying are affecting the lives of many students. The original bill proposed from the Michigan Senate laid down guidelines for school bullying policies. In the bill there was a clause that was causing controversy over its wording because it made it sound as if bullying was acceptable under the argument of religious belief. The wording justified bullying as long as what was being said or done was strictly for religious purposes or personal moral conviction. The Ramparts staff agrees that students need to have rules to follow about bullying, however the way the law was stated gave bullies the perfect loophole. The clause in the original bill stated that the policy must not inhibit any given person’s right to a make statement if it is a part of their religious beliefs. Members of our House of Representatives have revised the law and taken the clause out. The intent is not to interfere with First Amendment rights, but to protect all students from possible harm. If the law passes with the clause included, there would be a higher possibility of prejudice against students of different religions, races, sexual orientation and backgrounds. The law would give people the freedom to assert their First Amendment rights in a manner which was not intended. Specific people would become more dominant targets for harassment, and if it was claimed as a religious belief or personal moral conviction, there would be nothing administrators could do about the abuse. It is important that we all maintain our rights to freedom of speech, but there is a need for limits in certain environments where it affects the safety of others. The school already has a policy about bullying which seems to cover the issue in a non-biased way for all students. If the bill passes, all schools will have to have policies put in place. It is important that they all remain equal to all students by not singling any specific groups out as above the rule for any purpose.
ramparts Editors in Chief:
Managing Editors: News: Opinion: Features: Hot Spot: Sports: Staff Writers:
Adviser:
Chloé Henley Meg McKay Cody Shattuck Tori Frailey Anna Pavlik Ben Blanck Michael Hua Zahra Ahmad, Maya Fews, Dalton Gibson, Zack Gilliland, McKenna Glisson, Hannah Marsh, Daniel Yu 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 200 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.
District cuts could hurt students State funding losses affect activities
McKenna Glisson
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s some HHS students go through their daily routines nothing really seems too different, but for others their daily routines are being altered. A few budget cuts have been put into effect this year and they’re affecting a lot more students than some people realize. The Holt School District could face $4.3 million in budget cuts over the next year. The budget cuts are the result of the state legislature voting to take $470 in state aid for every K-12 student and put it towards community colleges and universities instead. I understand that we are in a recession, and we don’t have the
money for the things we used to, but it’s taking away some of our students’ opportunities. Ten percent of cuts will be made on Schedule B activities like any sports, coaches, club advisors, and additional school positions that require extra pay. This also has a huge impact on students. Sports and clubs won’t be getting as much funding as they used to and because of that, the money has to come out of their own pocket or from others. One cut that caused a big uproar was in the performing arts program. For the first time in years, the spring musical was threatened to be cut. There are some students who have been in the spring musical for years, and wouldn’t have had the option to join this year. Although the funding was reinstated, this is the kind of cut that could be coming to more activities next year. The state doesn’t require us to have para-educators, nursing services and busing. It’s a possibility that some of those could be taken away, but I think all of those should be the last things to go because they are all important to the students. Another big issue is that counseling services are on the table for review.
We already have fewer counselors per student than what we should have. Most school districts have one for about every 300 or 350 students. We only have one for about 400 students. Our school district is definitely in need of counselors. The lack of counselors affects how much help a student can get with things like scheduling, credits, applications, post high school plans, and personal concerns and also has an impact on the parents when they want to get information on their kids. I know that they can’t always help when it comes to schedules because they are always altering schedules, but they should have more counselors to help with the work load. As students get ready for applying to colleges and figuring out what they want to do, they are going to need as much help as they can get. Therefore, there should be enough counselors for scheduling, applications and other personal issues. These budget cuts will affect students greatly, whether they have to do with the performing arts, sports or preparing for their future.
Your View
Cell phones should be allowed in classrooms Dear Editor, In today’s technology, almost every teenager has a cell phone. Holt High School’s policy states that cell phones and other electronics are not permitted to be used in the hallways or inside of the classroom. Although I do not agree with this policy, I can understand why cell phones would be an issue because they can be distracting to students. However, teachers are always preaching to the students that the key to success is being organized. With every student having a cell phone, a good way for the students to be organized is in using their cell phone. Cell phones today come with everything from planners, to reminders to downloadable agendas. The school could even create a software that students could download into their phones to help them with organization. Students could have their planner with them all of the time. Most teenagers treat their cell phone like a piece of their on body these days. They always have it with them. Therefore, having a cell phone in class could be a huge benefit for the students using their cell phone. Although most would have the counterargument that cell phone are distracting to students, along with all other things each students should have the choice whether they want to abuse the privilege. If a student has his or her cell phone in class and is using it for the wrong reasons, then that is their own education they are putting on the line. However, for the students who do not abuse the privilege, having cell phones to program
their assignments in could be a huge advantage. This could eliminate students from just staring into their lockers at the end of the day, or not knowing what to do when they get home. Kids are much more willing to carry around their cell phones rather than a daily agenda. Therefore, student should be allowed to have their cell phones in class. Taylor Kring, junior Fights are becoming growing problem Dear Editor, I have noticed in the last two years of me going to Holt High School, I have seen more fights than in my entire life. I think this is a growing problem because it costs people a lot in school work, and I think it goes on your record. Plus, it’s really stupid and doesn’t make you cool. I think Holt needs to address this problem as soon as possible. I think that the school should punish more strictly, or do something to make it not worth fighting someone. I hope that this issue either resolves itself or the school does because I don’t want to continue seeing and hearing about this at school. Thank you for reading this. Ben Brooks, sophomore Express your view If you’d like to comment on an article in Ramparts, or any issue in the news, write us a letter to the editor of 150 words or less and e-mail it to us at ramparts@ hpsk12.net.
Viewpoints Holt High School Ramparts
Snooks or Books? Choose books Less emphasis is being put on education
a famous reality T.V. show than what 15th in average reading scores for happened in Libya over this past year. 31 industrialized nations, behind I am not saying that everyone Poland, Korea, France and Canada, should go home and read 50 books. among others. People should just realize that Literary readers are more likely education is than non-readers important. It It’s sad that more tpoo s ei tni vg ea g cei vii nc isn’t enough t o b e g o o d people know about a a n d i n d i v i d u a l looking or activities – such good at sports. famous reality T.V. show as volunteering, There has to be than what happened in attending sports something else. or cultural events, It is possible Libya. a nd exerc ising, to have best of states the National both worlds. Celebrities everyone Endowment for the Arts. knows and looks up to have advanced Reading is something everyone their educations. For example, needs. Even if reading is not Natalie Portman has a bachelors enjoyable, it will be used later in life, degree in psychology from Harvard, so reading on Wednesdays isn’t a bad Brooke Shields graduated from thing if it will help your future. Princeton University with a major in Studies done by the Bureau of French, and Adam Sandler graduated Labor Statistics have recently shown from New York University (NYU). the amount of education someone If your favorite celebrities have an has can be linked to unemployment education, then so should you. rates and income. Someone with a According to research done by bachelors degree on average makes National Endowment for the Arts, $1,038 a week compared to a high nearly two-thirds of employers school graduate who makes $626 a ranked reading comprehension “very week. It pays to be educated. important” for high school graduates. If people want to be successful Yet, 38 percent consider most high in life, education is needed. Being school graduates deficient in this ignorant in the world will not help or basic skill. improve any situation. American 15-year-olds ranked
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Maya Fews
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saac Asimov once said, “If knowledge can create problems, it is not through ignorance that we can solve them.” In other words you can’t get anywhere being ignorant. In the long run, being ignorant cannot help you. It has become readily apparent in this day and age education has taken a back seat in terms of importance. I remember sitting in math class reading and people would always say “Why are you reading? That is such a waste of time.” I don’t understand why people think being smart is such a bad thing, unless you are some reality T.V. show star like Snookie from “Jersey Shore” who makes millions of dollars each year for being stupid. It’s sad that more people know about
Hot or not? Thanksgiving dinner with the family:
The holidays are a time to be together, not apart. Take the time to have big Thanksgiving dinner at the table.
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November 2011 Thanksgiving dinner with the remote : Football is a fun pastime on Thanksgiving, but get off the couch and sit at the table. It’s more important.
Speak up
If you could be invisible for a day what would you do? Why?
“I would follow a teacher around and like whisper things all day or make them think they’re haunted.” Devin Symons, sophomore
“I would leave the country and go to Brazil and hang out with some big snakes. I’d go creep on Justin Bieber, too.” Rickelle Moubray, senior
“I would probably hit random people because they’d have no idea who it was. I would definitely rob a bank.” Devin Mazur, sophomore
“If I could be invisible for a day, I would go to a bunch of random places and talk to people and ask them if they can see me.” Sherye Bradley, junior
“I would rob a couple of banks, then go and mess with people.” Kenny Fullerton, senior
Corrections
Cartoon by Chloe Henley
In the October issue of Ramparts the swimming rank was incorrectly stated. Ramparts regrets this error. 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
November 2011
Holt High School Ramparts
What domesticated pet dominates? Students share input on why their cuddly critter is better than the rest
Tori Frailey opinion editor When you go home from school every day and open your front door what greets you? Maybe it’s your cuddly kitty curled up on the couch. Or maybe it’s your lively puppy running to meet you. Many have very strict opinions on what furry, or sometimes not-so-furry pet they want to come home to. So this is the question we are faced with: would you rather stroll through the park with your energetic dog? Or cuddle up at home with your homebound cat? The subject of dogs vs. cats has been going on forever, it seems. All the way back to the late 1990’s cartoon show, CatDog. CatDog displays a dog and a cat character joined together into one body, with two separate personalities. This is how many view the real-life loved companions we so proudly own. The same physical characteristics are present: furry, cuddly, whiskers, four legs and tail-all the basics. But the personalities seem to take on a whole different perspective. Some prefer cats due to their independent, cuddly, creative behavior, while some prefer dogs due to their known loyal, active, and protective characteristics and the ability to be trained, while some prefer neither, and would rather come home to an empty, peaceful quiet house where they don’t have to worry about the responsibilities of a pet. But why is this? Some studies say that the pet companion we choose could possibly reflect an image of what our individual personality is. “Cats have more personality than dogs and are more fun with less work,” junior Ashley Marroquin said. Marroquin has three cats at home and said she is much more of a cat person than a dog
Photo byJordan Green. Used with permission.
Justin Green’s dog Babe, poses for his model shoot. Babe enjoys running around in circles, and chasing soccer balls.
Photo by Justin Saxman. Used with permission.
Truman, senior Justin Saxman’s cat, sits on the porch looking out into the yard. Balancing on three legs is one of the many talents Truman displays.
A pet that loves more, using less
Photo by Ashley Marroquin. Used with permission.
Ashley Marroquin’s kitten enjoys cuddling down into some soft, warm blankets while Marroquin is away at school. Marroquin describes herself as a cat person and enjoys Oliver’s company. person. She enjoys her cat’s fun personality that always keeps her laughing. “One morning I was going to have a PB&J on the way to school, and I looked over and Oliver had literally eaten all of my sandwich but the crust. So here was an all black kitten chilling with peanut butter all over his face,” Marroquin said. “It was adorable.” While cats might have great personalities, dogs can have comical personalities also. Sophomore Justin Green owns three dogs and sees first hand all of the characteristics a very lively canine might hold. “I hate cats. They are gross. Dogs are cute and funny,” Green said. “When I was in fourth grade my old dog, Hunter chased me around in circles and went crazy after my friend kicked a soccer ball at him. It was really funny.” While many have very strong opinions about being either strictly dog or strictly cat people, some don’t really mind either. “I like all animals in general,” senior Thomas Stavischeck said. Stavischeck owns two cats, Silver and Cleo. Although he owns cats now,
owning dogs is in his future plan. “I would love to have two German shepherds when I grow up. I would name one Steel and one Bettis. Steel after the Steelers football team and Bettis after a past player for the Steelers,” Stavischeck said. No one will soon be able to change the eyes of a cat lover into a sudden dog person or a person who prefers a dog into loving cats. The stubborn reasoning for this is forever unknown. Perhaps, it was what we always grew up with that shaped our preferences, or maybe it’s the common personality traits you and your loved pet may share. However, whatever the reason, whether we have a new puppy, a 15-year-old family cat, or a dream for a future companion, one thing we can all agree on is that these companions, all shapes, sizes, and personalities are in fact a man’s best friends.
While dogs and cats play an important role in our lives, sometimes they also can play an important role in teaching us lessons. Senior Justin Saxman’s cat, Truman can teach us all a lesson about perseverance. The 10-year-old feline, is a friendly furry friend with one disadvantage: He only has three legs. The gray cat lost his front leg when he got into a fight with a wild house cat. Truman’s leg became infected from the injuries he faced, and the veterinarian could do nothing else but amputate the limb. For a short two-week recovery, Truman stayed inside while the stitches on his wound healed. When the chance to go outside and roam again was given, the remarkable reality set in for Truman and Justin’s household when Truman proved he could overcome his loss and go back close to his normal outdoor routine, only this time, on three legs. “My parents really enjoy having him around, and I think it’s amazing that he can still live the same outdoor life with only three legs,” Saxman said. For some, Truman’s perseverance when faced with a life-altering situation could possibly shed some light on how to handle being in a tough position.
Features Holt High School Ramparts
They’re always watching
An inside look at the thoughts of the security Ben Blanck
entertainment editor Through the years at HHS, the security guards have worked to help keep everything running smoothly during the day. Each year brings new people as well as new situations, and it is their job to make sure everything is the way that it should be.
Deb Watson Watson has worked as a security guard for 13 years and says that her favorite part about working at the high school is being able to work with the kids. When asked about the student community she said that there are good kids but that some are now disrespectful. Before working as a security guard at HHS she worked at a day care center for 12 years. “My best memory of this job is when I saw my youngest graduate because I was able to be down there with him because of the job,” Watson said. Photo by Ben Blanck
Watson delivers passes around the school to students. Security guards are vital to the flow of information.
Bruce Duling
Photo by Ben Blanck
Duling has been a security guard at the school for 23 years. He says his favorite part about the job is working with the students. Duling says he has seen changes in the student body over the years, “Overall the student body is pretty good, but has really become a little lazy,” Duling said. He also says that the school has a very young staff this year and said that he hadn’t necessarily noticed any positive or negative changes over the years. Duling says that he does not have one specific memory that he can pick out, but that every class brings good memories.
Duling keeps lunch under control. He is ready to act whenever his sevices are called upon.
Jane Johnson Johnson has worked as an HHS security guard for 18 years and says that her favorite part about the job is interacting with the students. She said that she has had numerous jobs before becoming one of the security guards. Johnson says she hasn’t seen many changes over the years. “You know, high school doesn’t change. The faces change, but the happenings are always the same,” Johnson said. Johnson says that she doesn’t necessarily have a favorite memory as each class brings its own good and bad memories. Photo by Ben Blanck
Johnson does her duty for the school while watching over the students at lunch in east commons.
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November 2011
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Features
November 2011
It’s in the genes Anna Pavlik
A closet of love
E
ver since I could remember, my Grandma Pavlik had a room dedicated to one thing: yarn. You’re probably thinking a couple bins full, which is more than anyone could need. However, I’m talking a decentsized room covered in yarn with only a tiny trail to walk around in. Yarn is a pretty simple thing, but when given to the right person, can be pretty complex. So let me explain. My Grandma Pavlik has a twist to her story, she’s not only a grandma who bakes yummy cakes and cookies, who gardens in the yard and who spoils her grandchildren rotten. It seems every time I go over there, there are boxes of knitted items. I should know by now what the response will be when I ask her what they’re for, but I’m curious so I ask, “Grandma, what are these for?” In the most nonchalant way, she’ll reply with some type of organization or cause. After retiring 15 years ago, she started a knitting group for women that wanted to donate knitted items. Since the group started, they’ve donated over 19,000 items. No one ever feels unloved with my Grandma Pavlik around. She not only helps organizations around the area such as City Rescue Mission, Sparrow Regional Children’s Center, MSU Hematology/Oncology and Ingham Regional Medical Center, just to name a few, but also helps around the world. Her knitting group sent knitted materials to St.Jude Children’s Hospital in Tennessee and also made teddy bears for The School of the Good Samaritan in Catacamas, Honduras. On my most recent visit I asked her what she was working on, and without a surprise, she’s done it again. My Great Grandma Pavlik is in a nursing home where my grandparents are dedicated to frequent visits. Grandma Pavlik was explaining how she had a discussion with a nurse about how some of the elders there had nothing. No one to visit, no one to spend the holidays with, no clothes and no presents. If you knew my Grandma Pavlik, you’d know where this story is going. She’s knitting blankets, scarves and hats for everyone there for Christmas. She always tells me, “You’d think I’d have more free time after I retired.” I guess you don’t get much free time when you’re out saving the world.
Holt High School Ramparts
Students veg out Vegetarianism gains popularity at HHS Hannah Marsh staff writer Some students are living a different kind of lifestyle, one that doesn’t involve turkey on Thanksgiving, or ham on Christmas. Vegetarianism is a rising trend, whether it be for health or ethical reasons, and students are starting to join the movement. There are three types of vegetarians; the semi-vegetarians, who occasionally eat meat, but mainly follow a plant-based diet; the lacto-ovo vegetarians, who don’t eat meat but do eat dairy products and eggs; and the vegans, who do not consume any animal products whatsoever. “I still eat fish and seafood,” junior Jessica Curry said. “It’s healthier to eat it than nothing at all because I still need the protein.” Some vegetarians don’t eat any meat at all, and rely solely on plant-based diets. “I’ve been a vegetarian since seventh grade,” junior Melanie Kroll said. “It’s for ethical reasons. I learned a lot about the way that animals are treated in factory farms.” Large corporations and meat production companies see animals as means of profit,
not living creatures to many vegetarians. The well-being of the animals seems forgotten. Chickens are debeaked and cow’s tails are cut off to supposedly maintain safety for the animals, but it also causes them extreme discomfort, according to Happy Cow, the healthy eating guide. Animals are held in small cages, and some, like chickens, are bred to grow muscle mass at an unhealthy rate that can cause serious deformities along with making it hard to walk. Corporations that raise pigs and hogs for consumption often clip off their teeth and tails at a very young age. This procedure is to eliminate the possibility of the animals biting at each other’s tails; however, that behavior has only been noted to happen in the factory farm environment. Kroll said becoming a vegetarian wasn’t a difficult choice for her to make, but for some reason people think that it should be. “They say things like ‘I never could,’ and ‘Isn’t it hard?’” Kroll said. For some of people, meat is a staple food, eaten at almost every meal. But these vegetarians feel that it’s worth the sacrifice
because they get the chance to take their own stand. “People always ask me why I do it and what I eat,” said junior Cara Orth, a vegetarian of two and a half years. “But it’s really not that hard.” She says she disagrees with the way the animals are treated and that she’s standing up against the corporations and not supporting them. “The way big factories treat animals is just bad; I don’t support it,” Orth said. According to Epigee Women’s Health, vegetarianism also has its health benefits. People who live the vegetarian lifestyle often have lower blood pressure and cholesterol, along with lower risks of diabetes. W h i l e i t c a n hav e t h e s e benefits, vegetarianism also has its problems. Vegetarians often become anemic due to low iron storage, and don’t get the protein that they need. Plant-based food has a lack of amino acids found in animal protein, so extra work is needed in order to maintain their health. Vegetarianism as a diet is on the rise. It’s not an easy lifestyle to switch to, but if you were to ask these students, it’s worth the
Standing up for animals
English teacher Michelle Fulton has been a vegetarian for about nine years. While she occasionally eats fish, she doesn’t eat any birds or mammals. Fulton started her vegetarian lifestyle with her husband because she doesn’t believe in factory farming.
Junior Ana Gomez became a vegetarian after watching a video called ‘Meet your Meat.’ Gomez felt that the meat industry was inhumane and practices vegetarianism for ethical reasons.
English teacher Janine Baker has been a vegetarian since her sophomore year in college. She was introduced to the new lifestyle by her roommate and her roommate’s family and loved it. By the end of the year, she had cut meat out of her diet almost completely. Photos by Hannah Marsh
Features
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Holt High School Ramparts
November 2011
Preparation takes priority for exams With exams right around the corner, stress and books are both piling up Anna Pavlik feature editor
Photo by Anna Pavlik
Exams can bring stress and fear to many students overwhelmed with trying to remember the past twelve weeks of information in six different classes. Exams are right around the corner, taking place on November 30, December 1 and 2. With exams counting for 20 percent of students’ grades, it’s not something that should be taken lightly. However, exams don’t need to be overbearing or difficult for students. “It freaks me out that they are 20 percent of my total grade,” senior Alexis Kuprel said. “But I usually calculate what I need on the exam to get the grade I want and then I prioritize my studying time to the classes I need the highest grade in.” It is normal to feel stress when it comes to something as important as exams, especially when it can affect students’ grades. For some, it’s a matter of passing or failing the class. “It’s the kids that don’t do homework and go into the final exam with a 58 percent that put a ton of pressure on their shoulders,” Psychology teacher Russ Olcheske said. “The reality is if students turn in all their homework, pay attention and do the easy in class stuff, their overall grade won’t be horrendous.” Teaching A.P. Statistics along with Algebra 2, math teacher Sara Bieda said that lack of preparation hurts students the most when it comes to
exam time. “A lot of students get stressed out because they have waited until the last minute to begin studying,” Bieda said. “Then they are staying up late, not getting enough rest and not eating well, which only compounds the issue.” Every student has their own style of studying that best works for them. Whether it’s looking over tests, doing a group study session, using flashcards or any of the other countless ways to help students retain the information, everyone has their preference. “I have my mom go over the main questions with me because it helps me memorize the material better,” junior Zacchious Fowler said. Since exams are taken frequently and can put stress on a person, there are many colleges and specialists dedicated to helping students do their best on exams. An article from HelpWithAssignment.com provides a wide range of tips for students getting ready for exams, from preparation to taking the exams and actually what a student should be eating before exams. Most of the tips from the website link directly to what teachers Olcheske and Bieda said. Preparing ahead of time, avoiding unnecessary activities, starting to study early, trying to understand point-by-point, doing practice problems, not overdoing yourself, and avoiding heavy foods are all valuable tips. However, every student is different. Therefore, each student has their own unique method that works best for
Testing Tips: • Tell yourself you’re going to do well. • Do the easy questions first. • Keep track of the time. • Relax and take deep breaths. • Read all directions before you start. • Don’t hesitate to ask for clarification. • Don’t worry about others • Don’t make it a race. • Limit the time you spend on each question. Source: University of WisconsinMadison Health Services
them when it comes to studying and study habits. This does not mean that those students who don’t think they need to study shouldn’t. Bieda said that calculating the exam grade a student needs in order to achieve their desired overall grade can help prioritize what classes to study for the most. It’s not a matter of if students need to study or not, but more a matter of what classes need more study time than others. “I think it’s important to study because it helps you get a better grade to benefit you in the future,” Fowler said. As a student with two A.P. classes, Kuprel has studied for countless hours, and found what works best for her. “I study by going in a room by myself, turning music on low, drinking a cup of coffee and going through old worksheets or readings and making sure I really understand the concepts,” Kuprel said.
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The Hot Spot
November 2011
Twitter is taking over social network Chloe Henley
editor-in-chief
In the grand scheme of social networking sites, Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr all seem to have the same idea: making relationships with people you wouldn’t normally communicate with. But what is it that separates Twitter out among the rest? Students share their opinions on Twitter.
Ramparts Newspaper What is twitter? 10 minutes ago Haleigh Ammon @HHSRamparts It’s a social networking site that revolves around posting statuses that are 140 characters or less. It’s like blogging but more efficient. 10 minutes ago Joshua Rios @HHSRamparts Twitter is a bunch of statuses without pictures. It’s mostly updates on what you’re doing or thinking. 10 minutes ago Mary Daoust @HHSRamparts Twitter is like Facebook other than the fact that it has trending topics and hash tags. People can re-tweet you which is another way of ‘liking’ something. 10 minutes ago Ramparts Newspaper How many times do you ‘tweet’ a day? 9 minutes ago
Holt High School Ramparts What the #@#@!?! Tweet: Similar to a status update that you would put on Facebook. RT: Means ‘re-tweet’. Retweets are used when you like something, similar to how you would ‘like’ a status’ on Facebook. It is passing on someone else’s ‘tweet’ and allowing it to show up on your profile. @: This symbol is used to tag a friend or reply to a friend. #: This symbol is used for side notes. It allows you to categorize messages so it comes up faster in a search. Timeline: A timeline is like a news feed for Facebook. This shows you all of the tweets of the people you follow. Follow: To follow means you want to see their ‘tweet’s show up on your news feed. It’s like befriending someone on Facebook.
Cameron Eilers @HHSRamparts I easily tweet 30 to 40 times a day. 9 minutes ago
Trending Topics: A topic that Twitter sees coming up a lot in the news feed.
Ramparts Newspaper How does Twitter differ from Facebook? 9 minutes ago Cameron Eilers @HHSRamparts I don’t think Twitter is as judgmental as Facebook. I find myself posting what I am thinking on Twitter rather than posting what I am doing on Facebook. 8 minutes ago Blake McHenry @HHSRamparts On Twitter, you can follow more people than just your friends, like celebrities. Facebook has a ton of spam messages, ads and game updates that I don’t see on Twitter. 8 minutes ago Ramparts Newspaper Do you find yourself using Twitter more than Facebook? 8 minutes ago Mary Daoust @HHSRamparts It’s a new way of blogging, so I use Twitter more. I’ve used Facebook since my freshman year, so it got boring. 7 minutes ago Katelynn Phillips @HHSRamparts I use Twitter more because it’s more entertaining. Facebook gets old after a while. 7 minutes ago Haleigh Ammon, junior; Joshua Rios, senior; Mary Daoust, senior; Cameron Eilers, junior; Blake McHenry, junior; Katelynn Phillips, sophomore.
Photo Illustration by Chloe Henley.
Fun people to follow ∙HighSchoolProbs A group that talks about common problems of high schoolers. ∙justinbieber Follow the teen pop sensation and find out about his upcoming releases. ∙OMGFacts Learn interesting facts. ∙PrincessProbz See what it takes to live the life of a princess. ∙Brotips Gives guys advice on how to get the ladies. ∙KimKardashian Find out what’s going on with the star of ‘Keeping Up With the Kardashians’.
The Hot Spot
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Holt High School Ramparts
November 2011
Stuff your ears with music this season My Tunes We’ve selected two people to interview and find out what music they love this
Artists fill the shelves with album releases during the holidays
What’s stuck in senior Jake Johnson’s head?
Zahra Ahmad staff writer
Justin Bieber -“Under the Mistletoe” “I’m excited for this album because of all the Christmas songs that will be on there. Also, I can’t wait to hear all of the featured artists like Usher. I think it’s going to be great because it’s a Christmas album and those always turn out well,” junior Anissa Martinez said.
Angels and Airways - “Love Part 2” “It’s a masterpiece; it’s a really good album. I’ve listened to the album about five times now. Tom Deleonge was in Blink 182 so I liked that band a lot, and that’s what got me listening to this one,” junior Kallen Garcia said. “I really like ‘Saturday Love’, ‘Anxiety’ and ‘Surrender.’ Those would have to be my favorite songs off the album.”
Drake -“Take Care” “I like Drake because he seems very humble. His music always has a message and normally I can relate,” junior India Heard said.” I know it’s going to be a good album because I have heard two songs already and they’re great. The fact that he started as a weird actor on Degrassi then started rapping and is actually good at it makes him a great artist. This album will be special because he made it to show everyone who doubted him that he is still the best.”
In sto re s a n d o n l i n e, mu si ca l artists have released new albums in November. These artists include Drake, Justin Bieber, Mac Miller and many more. Drake: Drake’s sophomore album, “Take Care”, was originally set to be released on his 25th birthday, October 24. The young artist held the release back to November 15. The album has collaborations with Lil Wayne, Rhianna, Rick Ross, Andre 3000 and The Weekend. The official album includes 17 songs and two bonus tracks. Justin Bieber: Justin Bieber hasn’t released an album in over a year. “Under the Mistletoe”, a holiday album, was released November 1. The album contains 15 Christmas songs. C o l l ab o rat i o n s o n t h i s a l bu m include artists such as Usher, Mariah Carey, Busta Ryhmes, The Band Perry and Boys II Men. Some proceeds made from the album will be donated to Bieber’s Believe Charity Campaign. The charity is based on raising money for several charities, one being the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Mac Miller: Mac Miller’s album “Blue Slide Park” was released November 8. The album was named after a local park the artist played in and grew up around. The park was known as the hang out during the artist’s childhood. Mac Miller has no collaborations since it is the artist’s backed debut album, meaning that the artist wants to define himself and make it big on his own. Artists such as Palmdale, California Trip and other RBC Records artist will join the “Blue Slide Park” tour along with Mac Miller.
Big Time Rush - “Elevate” “I love Big Time Rush because their music is great. They’re really funny, I love their TV show and you can really relate to them. This album’s new, so I can’t wait to hear it because that’s what makes it special,” sophomore Abby Clearly said.
Mac Miller - “Blue Slide Park” “This album’s going to be great because I liked his mix tapes. I like Mac Miller because he was an underdog. He just came out of high school; people don’t expect young talent like that,” sophomore Brandon Holmes said. “It’s Blue Slide Park; it’s going to be amazing. He’s such a young talent. He’s going to make it big.”
Yelawolf - “Radioactive” “I think this album will do good because I like his past music, so I’m excited to see his new work. All his music is really fun. It puts you in a good mood, and he doesn’t sound like anyone else,” senior Katie Casler said. “He hasn’t released much music, so it takes a while when he does release something. I’m excited to see how much work he put into this album.” Photo illustrations by Zahra Ahmad
Photo by Zack Gilliland
Style of music: “Mainly classic rock because it’s what I grew up with.” “Good Times, Bad Times ” by Godsmack “I like this song because it is originally by Led Zeppelin and gives a metal sound to a classic song.” “Bad Company ” by Five Finger Death Punch “This is a good song because it has a good drum line and it’s about the military.” “Blind” by Korn “ I like this song because of the rhythm and the lyrics. It’s just good stuff.” “Lonely Train ” by Black Stone Cherry “I like this song for the guitar shredding and the message it sends.” “B.Y.O.B. “ by System of a Down “I like this song because it is about anger towards government corruption, and the bass is sick.”
What’s stuck in English teacher Olivia Nelson’s head?
Photo by Zack Gilliland
Style of music: “The pan flute sounds like an echo of the heart and the mind.” Nelson quotes Gheorghe Zamfir, “Society corrupts, but the pan flute beings man to purity.” “Just the Way You Are” by Gheorghe Zamfir “For its dreamy rendition.” “The entire score of the Karate Kid” by various artists “One word: epic.” “Colors of the Wind” by Alan Menken “It took me to a simpler time.” “Einsamer Hirte” by Gheorghe Zamfir “It has a haunting melody.” “Romance of the Pan Flute” by Gheorghe Zamfir “Flawless interpretation.” 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
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November 2011
The Press Box BOYS TENNIS
record:16-6-2 league standing: Third place season highlight: “A team highlight was making it to state finals two years in a row,” senior Brian Cobus said. in their words: “I like being part of the team because tennis is a team effort. It’s not just one person, it’s the whole team,” sophomore Zane Smith said.
CHEERLEADING
record: N/A league standing: N/A season highlight: “A team highlight is when we wore breast cancer socks and headbands and pink bandanas to show support during Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” senior Tailor Kuhn said. in their words: “I like our team enthusiasm and hard work,” senior Kali Schlee said.
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
record: 4-3 league standing: Fourth place season highlight: “A good team highlight was when we were at a meet at Ledge Meadows and our team didn’t do very well altogether. We learned that no matter what the situation may be, we all had each other’s backs,” junior Courtney Masseau said. in their words: “Cross country is, in my eyes, one of the hardest sports because when you run, you’re mainly running against yourself. Everyone is one big family,” junior Caroline Fredline said.
VOLLEYBALL
record: 7-1 standing: Third in the semifinals season highlight: Senior Haley Powers said beating Okemos was the team’s highlight this year because they are a big rival, and it was an intense game where the Rams pulled together and won in a close fifth game. in their words: “Although we were conference champs, I wanted to win districts. I am still very proud of our team, though. It was a great season ladies,” senior Christianna Blain said.
Sports
Holt High School Ramparts
Football finishes districts with a loss CAAC conference cochampions to a rough first round loss Meg McKay editor-in-chief
The season concluded for the football team in a tough upset on October 28 at Grand Blanc. After coming off a conference championship, the team was fired up going into their first district game. They played hard into triple overtime ending on a controversial call, making the final score 59-52. When asked, many Holt fans present at the game say a referee began to call a touchdown for Holt, but changed his mind when another referee called ‘no good’. This call could have sent the game into a fourth overtime, but instead ended the game. Even though the loss was tough, players said they feel it was a great game. “The Grand Blanc game was the best game I ever played in,” senior Ben Steward said. “The crowd was really loud. I remember walking through the tunnel and getting goose bumps.” Beginning the season with losses to Hudsonville (14-24), and Rockford (7-42), the team came back and won their next four games against Eastern (24-6), Everett (17-16), East Lansing (25-14) and Lansing Sexton (24-14). They ended with a 5-5 record. “Holt plays some of the most difficult teams, and we do that on purpose,” coach Al Slamer said. He said the four wins in a row are what led the team
Photo by Meg McKay
Football players line the sideline as they cheer on their fellow teammates who were on the field. The sidelined players watch and wait as the players on the field gain yards, closer to making a touchdown. to a conference title. “Coming back from a 0-2 start and doing well and trying for the conference championship was the team’s greatest accomplishment,” senior Dallas Davis said. The team saw some changes this year as eight underclassmen were given defensive starting positions. Offensively, the team was lead by three seniors: Ben Steward, Sawyer McFadden and Evan Fischer. Sophomore Ty Glover led the team in yards rushed at 1,300 yards. Senior Grant VanLiew led the team with the most catches in one game with four. Juniors Chris Morgan and Trevor Stone made All-Conference.
Slamer said this season is the start of the underclassmen’s careers. He said he would like to see them play their senior season with no regrets with a goal to make themselves, as well as others, better team players. “Whatever you do, do your absolute best and do what you know you can do,” Slamer said. “Always do your best; make a commitment to excellence in whatever you do.” Davis advises the upcoming varsity players to stay together as a team and in his words ‘count on your brother.’ The players from the junior varsity squad have a bright future in Slamer’s eyes as they come off an undefeated season.
Evan Fischer, senior
Ben Steward, senior
Position: Punter/kicker School: Michigan State University Field of Study: undecided
Position: Offensive/defensive line School: Bowling Green State University Field of Study: Exercise science or something in the health field
What made MSU your school of choice? “I always wanted to play there. I’m comfortable with the coaches, staff and players.”
What made you choose Bowling Green? “I got along well with the coaching staff, and I like the facility. They also had the field of study I wanted.”
Will you be playing right away? “I’ll be red shirted for the first year, but then I’ll have a chance to compete for starting position my second year.”
What did you enjoy the most about being part of the football team? “Taco nights and team bonding is something I’m going to miss.”
Who would you like to thank for your success? “I would thank God for everything he’s given me.”
What motivates you to continue playing football in college? “The love of the game makes me want to play; all the friends and the family closeness, too.”
What would you say was your greatest game? “Beating Rockford my sophomore year in regionals was one of the best games because we had gotten killed by them in the first game, then we came back.” What is your most memorable game? “My sophomore year play-off game against Brighton, because I kicked a field goal to tie the game, then another to win.”
What was the game you were most proud to be a part of? “The Grand Blanc game. It was the most fun because the energy was awesome. It was a play-off game so the crowd was pumped.” What will you take with you from playing in high school? “Teamwork is a really important part of becoming family. The technique from the coaches about the job of being on the team.”
Sports
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Holt High School Ramparts
November 2011
Students try out for winter sports
Teams begin their seasons by seeing who will make the cut
league standing: Tied for first place season highlight: “It’s not where you start, it’s how you finish. After a tough start, we were conference champs and played into the state championship,” coach Al Slamer said. in their words: “We overcame adversity after going 0-2 and we fought back as a team and won a share of the conference. Our improvement in our offense showed during the Grand Blanc game,” senior Justin Alleman said.
Tryouts are often a nervous and worry-filled moment before the season. Will I make the team? How will we do this year? Am I giving it my all? Some of these questions might come up when athletes try out for any team. In the month of November and December there are many teams to try out for. Athletes can’t just show up thinking they will make the team. Athletes put in some time after school running on the track or lifting in the weight room, that way they will be conditioned and ready for tryouts.
BOYS SOCCER
Girls Basketball
Gymnastics
One sport that had tryouts for the first time this year was the gymnastics team. The tryouts were from October 31 to November 3. Even though it was their first year doing cuts, everyone made the team. “We are hoping to do really good and make it all the way to states this year. All of the girls on our team are very talented and we are capable of doing great things,” sophomore Sam Sarata said. There are 18 girls on the team and six spots on each event. There are four events. The events include vault, bars, beam and floor. This means
FOOTBALL record: 5-5
Dalton Gibson staff writer
This year’s girls basketball tryouts were held November 7-9. There were three days of tryouts and around 12 girls made the team. Tryouts work by the coach already knowing who was on the team last year and who is capable to be on varsity this year. He then takes the new girls and puts them into practice situation and sees how they can do. There were about 20 girls trying out for varsity and a great number of girls that tried out for JV and freshmen this year. “Our program has been solid for a very long time. The incoming girls know they have to step in and carry on the tradition,” coach Doug Harkema said. “I want all of the girls to work hard, get better, and enjoy the experience.” The girls have won four district titles in a row and are trying to do it again this year. “I encourage other girls to tryout. It brings the team a variety of skills that are beneficial to the team,” junior Kayla Valles said. “This year I want to improve on being more aggressive.” There are a lot of talented girls coming from the JV who are now on the varsity this year and together they are looking to do great things and win. “I think we will do pretty good this year. Not many tall people, but our team is full of fast girls and we all work very well together,” junior Sarah Gray said. With last year’s record being 17-8, the team is ready to improve and is looking to win regionals.
The Press Box
Photo by Dalton Gibson
Lining up for their first practice, the girls varsity basketball team gets ready to start the season strong. Coach Doug Harkema prepares the team for what is hoped to be a victorious season.
record: 16-6-3 league standing: First place season highlight: “With not much time in overtime against Okemos, we made it the last play. Justin Pratt had a corner kick and Jordan Herron destroyed a header into the goal, on his birthday,” coach John Conner said. in their words: “A lot of people doubted how Holt was going to be this year and expected us to finish fourth, but it turned out we beat Okemos twice and finished first in the conference,” senior Nick Fiasky said.
GIRLS SWIMMING AND DIVING
record: 2-7 league standing: Second place season highlight: When the team beat Grand Ledge 95.5-90.5. The meet came down to the last relay, which Holt won. in their words: “Our team bonds really well. Every meet we cheer for everyone when it is their turn to compete,” senior Ashley Jones said. Photo by Dalton Gibson
Photo by Chloe Henley
Left: Seniors Drew Dyer and Alex Schmere try to take each other down and start off wrestling season strong. Right: Kiara Kline balanced on the beam getting ready for gymnastics. the best six girls for event participate, and if one girl is well-talented in all four events, she may compete in all of them. They go as a team, but compete individually and get scored on their personal performance. Then they take all of their individual scores and put them together for their combined team score for that event. “I think we’ll do pretty well this year,” junior Jennifer McKee said. “The incoming freshmen look like they have much skill and will contribute a lot. The team is also full of potential and that will help us get to states this year.”
Wrestling
Not only are basketball and gymnastics starting up, but it’s time for wrestling as well. Right now the team is in pre-practices. If anyone is looking to join the team, then pre-practices they can
attend in order to see how everything works. It also helps to know much toughness an athlete will need and how much work ethic this is put into wrestling. The team actually starts practices November 21. “The season will go pretty good as long as we beat St. Johns and Grand Ledge. We are looking forward to making it to team states,” sophomore Jordon Mireles said. “This year I am hopefully going to make it to districts or regionals, and I am attempting to make varsity.” Their first meet will be Wednesday, December 7. The meet will be home and they will be wrestling against Eastern. “We wrestle to win. We are going to make a run at winning states this year. I am hoping to be the next all-state at 215 pounds,” sophomore Ronald Eddington said.
GIRLS GOLF
conference record: 23-3 league standing: Second place season highlight: Winning regionals for the fourth time in a row in their words: “The gold jacket is yours Holt. Shooters gonna choke!” senior Lauren Strong said.
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
record: 5-2 league standing: Second place season highlight:“We were so close, but still not where we want to be,” coach Dave Foy said. “We had an opportunity to win the league, but second is still satisfying.” in their words: “We did the best we ever did in conferences and our goal was to make states, but we didn’t and that was a big let down,” senior
Everett Rawlings said.
Sports
16
November 2011
Holt High School Ramparts
Cross country sprints its way to regionals Team places second in league, but doesn’t advance to states
BOYS MEET SCORES Sept. 20 vs. Grand Ledge- L 25-30 Sept. 20 vs. Eastern- W 15-50
Zack Gilliland staff writer Feet pounding on the ground, racers compete against each other, trying to come in first place. Cross country is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The standard course length for high school cross country is 3.1 miles. It may include surfaces of grass or dirt. The racers may also run through woods and open country land, including hills, and sometimes gravel roads. This year the boys placed 7th out of 14 teams in the Class C Blue Division and finished second in the league with a record of 5-2. Cross country coach Dave Foy has been the head coach for the boys team for seven years. He has been coaching for 26 years total. In the past the team has done very well, including this last season, which just ended. “Other than not making states, the team ran well,” Foy said. Scores are determined by adding up the individual finishing places of the first four to five runners on a team. Having a low score is good, but having the lowest score means that
Sept. 27 vs. Everett- W 15-50 Oct. 4 vs. East Lansing-W 29-30 Oct. 4 vs. Jackson- W 16-47 Oct. 11 vs. Okemos- L 34-21 Oct. 11vs. Sexton- W 15-50
Photo by Dalton Gibson
Senior Partick Carrier, junior Chris Gillespie and senior Jordan Rasico round a bend during their meet on September 27. The three runners are all essential runners on the boys team. that team wins the event. On the days of a meet there are two races that take place. The girls race first and at the completion of their race the boys start their race. In some of the races this year, the teams had runners finish with relatively close times. This benefits the team a great deal because they then place better.
Don’t Miss This Boys Basketball December 6
The team will be playing their first game of the season against Waverly. The game will begin at 7 p.m. at Waverly High School.
Wrestling December 7 The team will have their first meet at 7 p.m. at home.
Girls Basketball December 20 The girls first basketball game will be at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School.
Gymnastics January 4 The girls gymnastic teams first meet will be on January 4 at 6:30 p.m. The meet will be home against Coldwater.
“We had five guys run within 30 seconds of each other,” Foy said. “It wasn’t always the same guys.” Senior Jacob McGill was a runner for the boys varsity team. McGill said that he wished he ran his freshman year because he didn’t get to run as much as he wanted. He said he also wished he ran more during this past summer because that’s when he normally would get the feel for
how the season will go for himself. “If we have one meet one week we do a little bit of running,” McGill said. “If we have two meets during the week we run less than that so we aren’t as tired.” McGill also said that the team had a hard time focusing on running, but they bonded as a team bringing them closer together. The girls team finished fourth in the league with a 4-3 season record under the direction of coach Pam Stafford. Junior Megan Myers is a runner for the girls team. She has been running cross country for five years and enjoys it. “Cross country is a family thing,” Myers said. “I’m not really good at sports, so I figured I’d be good at it.”