Ramparts News by Amy Clark

ramparts HOLT HIGH SCHOOL

APRIL 2013

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

VOLUME 21, ISSUE 7

Art for all ages Artists of all kinds come together for Fine Arts Festival page 3 In the weeks leading up to the festival, art pieces, such as this painting by senior Ashley Kong, have been displayed throughout the school. Art by Ashley Kong

NEWS:

Students celebrate global diversity and culture with World Language Week.

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NEWS:

The state is considering a bill banning indoor tanning for minors.

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FEATURE:

Take a look at how to get a job for the summer with our handy tips.

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HOT SPOT:

Catch the zombie fever, and find out more about this trend.

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SPORTS:

Athletes come together through team bonding.

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April 2013

F.Y.I.

Commencement

Seniors should get ready because commencement is almost here. It is on June 2 and will be held at the Breslin Center. The event will start at 4:30 p.m.

Prom

The junior/senior prom will be held on May 18 from 8:30 p.m. until midnight. The theme is Masquerade at Midnight. Students can have a mask painted on their face, have a 15-minute horse and carriage ride, have their photos taken by Okemos Studios, and much more.

Senior exam policy

For graduating seniors, exams can be avoided by keeping a good attendance record in the second semester. Students who have good attendance in a class are excused from that exam. Any unexcused absences or more than three excused absences in a class will result in the student having to take exams. Senior exams will be held on Tuesday, May 28.

Senior breakfast

The Senior Breakfast will be held on Saturday, June 1 in the west commons at 9 a.m. Parents will prepare and serve breakfast to celebrate the Class of 2013 graduation. Seniors should bring their yearbooks for signing and be ready for the opportunity to win prizes. The senior issue of Ramparts Newspaper will also be distributed.

Awards night

The annual Awards Night will be held on Monday, May 6 in the Margaret Livensparger Theater. All invited students can enjoy a 6:30 p.m. reception followed by and awards ceremony at 7 p.m. Family, friends, and other relatives are invited to recognize each student’s accomplishments.

Memorial Garden

For students who are willing to volunteer or in need of community service hours, Tuesday, April 30 will be a Memorial Garden work day in the west courtyard from 2:40-4:30. See Mrs. Cotter for more details.

News

Holt High School Ramparts

Language requirements evaluated Possible change in graduation qualifications Anissa Martinez staff writer A new bill is being considered in Michigan that would de-emphasize the study of a foreign language. Currently, in order to graduate students are required to take two years of a language other than English. Rep. Phil Potvin (R-Cadillac) is sponsoring the bill that would allow students to meet foreign language requirements by enrolling in computer science instead. Spanish teacher Brooke Klecha is against the possible change. “I would be disappointed if this bill were to be passed because I think it’s important to not necessarily learn a language, but to learn and appreciate the differences and similarities of another culture.” Klecha has been a Spanish teacher for 10 years. According to an article from WILX. com, supporters of the change say it would offer more flexibility for students who plan to bypass college for

Photo by Anissa Martinez

Senior Haleigh Ammon works on Spanish homework during first period, when she has the class. Ammon has taken Spanish for five years and plans to pursue further education in Spanish while attending college. a technical career. Guidance counselor Rebecca Fedrigo also encourages the completion of two years of a language. “No matter what a student’s career path is, it’s important for them to learn another language,” Fedrigo said. “It opens our mind and brings in diversity.” Senior Haleigh Ammon said she thinks it’s important for students to take a foreign language.

“You’re more well-cultured if you learn another language, and it’s something you can use later on in life,” Ammon said. Ammon has taken Spanish since eighth grade and is currently enrolled in Spanish V. “I’m happy I’ve taken Spanish,” Ammon said. “I feel like I’ve really learned the fundamentals of the language and culture.”

The bill is expected to be considered by the House Education Committee. From there the bill would have to be approved by both the House and the Senate in order to become a law. “Ultimately, I am on the fence about this bill,” Fedrigo said. “Either decision that is made has its pros and cons.”

Poetry contestants hit the spotlight Three students compete in poetry contest Cody Worden staff writer Poems helped create the fabric of what society is today. Where would we be today without those of poets such as Shakespeare, Edgar Allen Poe, Emily Dickinson and Maya Angelou? So it should come as no surprise that there are many poetry competitions. Three of the many students from HHS who competed in the 2013 Capital Area Poetry Competition were senior Rachel Dillingham, and juniors Brianna Minor and Megan Schnieder. Dillingham earned third place while both Minor and Schnieder came away with honorable mentions. The winners performed their poems at Schuler’s Bookstore located in the Meridian Mall on Thursday, April 25.

Photo by Cody Worden

Junior Brianna Minor and fellow contestants listen to director Amy Kilbridge talk at Schuler’s Bookstore about the creator of the contest, who passed away. “I have never been a part of a competition before. I wanted to take a chance,” Minor said. Students were allowed up to three poems for submission. There were over 100 entries, and the top three entries came away with a prize. The first place winner received $100, the second place prize was $50, while third place was $25.

“Many showed a natural aptitude for poetry, and it was an opportunity for recognition,” English teacher Zack Lawson said. Inspiration was key for writing poetry and grasping the feelings you hide inside. Dillingham’s poem was about a relationship that is very contradictiory, in the sense that if a person really loves someone, why

would they want to hurt them? “I let my emotions run wild in poetry because it’s the only way I can express myself, and the time I feel safe to say it,” Dillingham said. Minor’s poem was about her love for poetry and how she in a way, is a poem herself. “I’m a poem myself, and it’s describing how people would write me or read me,” Minor said. Schnieder’s was about whether people would be better off if they couldn’t read. While this competition is over, Dillingham, Minor, and Schnieder all agreed that they wouldn’t mind doing another poetry competition. “I will not do this particular poetry competition again, but I cannot say that I won’t do another,” Dillingham said. Lawson’s advice for students intereste d in d oing a p o et r y competition is to revise their work and send it out.

News

Holt High School Ramparts

New courses available to students Two classes to be provided for students Nadia Gedeon

staff writer A new year is a whole new start, including new classes. Introduction to Philosophy and Health and Fitness will both be offered as new classes next year. Social studies teacher Corey Martin will teach Philosophy, and Health and Fitness will be taught by health teacher Elizabeth Graf and physical education teacher Al Slamer The Health and Fitness class will be half in the room, and the other half of the week will be spent in the gym. To be able to take this course, students will need to have first taken the general required Health class. This class will be offered to juniors and seniors only. “Students who are interested in their health and want to learn more about it should take this class,” Graf said. Students who sign up for this class

will go beyond just general health because Graf and Slamer will include a combination of physical education and health class. Students will take tests and keep the assessments to see how they have progressed over the course. “This class is basically an upgrade in physical health and education. It’s a blend of class and activity,” Slamer said. Students will learn a lot about the cardiovascular system, which can help them take care of their bodies more. Slamer and Graf are both working to try and get this to count as a college credit, but nothing has been fully determined yet. So far, about 60 students have already signed up for the course. The purpose of the new Philosophy class is to teach students how to think. “Students should take this class because it will allow them to have the ability to think for college because that’s what colleges want,” Martin said. This class will help students to think in a lot of different ways about the mind, political issues and morals.

Photo by Nadia Gedeon

Senior D.J. Riddle guards the ball from junior Ronny Eddington in a pick-up game during gym class. Students who take Health and Fitness next year will alternate learning in both the classroom and the gym. It will help students to be able to deal with big problems they might run into in life and learn how to resolve them. Sophomore Ellen Weise was one of the students who signed up for this class. “I think it will be a neat class because there are no other classes at this school like it that are offered,” Weise said.

She decided to sign up for it because she went a little into philosophy in World History and found it very interesting. Martin believes that this course will be a good way to explore something new. “This class will teach kids how to think about everything,” Martin said.

Art festival showcases student talent Grades K-12 display artwork for community Abby Cousineau staff writer Art lovers, there is no need to travel far or pay big bucks to an art museum or to a concert because HHS puts on a unique event for free. The annual HHS Fine Arts Festival was held on April 24. This non-profit event opened its doors at 6 p.m. and was comprised of work from both the visual and the performing arts. Events included performances by the choirs and sections of the band, as well as original works by student artists. This year, HHS teachers collaborated with other teachers in the district and decided to involve all grades in the festival for the first time. “The festival was a chance for all grades, kindergarten through twelfth, to show off all the cool projects that they have been working on this year,” art teacher Brooke Peiffer said. Weeks before, artwork such as paintings and drawings lined the halls

Photo by Abby Cousineau

Sophomore Michael Lees does a wheel throwing demonstration for the Art Festival. The festival was held April 24 at Holt High School. of the school, and it all came together the night of, when three-dimensional art pieces were displayed on tables and art activities were set up for younger children. Prior to the event, senior Tiara Neuman was looking forward to displaying her pieces in the festival. “I am excited to have a chance to display what I have done this year

because I am proud of my work,” Neuman said. Neuman is a student in Heidi Irvine’s Intermediate 2D art class. All students in her intermediate class had their own wall space to show off their work at the festival. A portrait made of small squares was one on the class’s main projects this semester. Sophomore Sam Orth was asked

to do a demonstration at the festival. “I am planning on doing a wheel throwing demonstration, I was happy that Mrs. Peiffer asked me to do it,” Orth said. Besides the visual art pieces being displayed, the festival was also a chance for performing art classes to shine. There were performances by ensembles of the HHS band including the brass quintet, the clarinet choir, and the Jazz Band. There were also performances by bands from the younger grades in attendance. Senior Micah Norwood was excited to perform at the festival as part of the brass quintet. “ T h e b ra s s q u i nt e t w i l l b e performing a march from the Second Suite in F by Gustav Holst, a piece that we have never performed before in front of an audience,” Norwood said. The night was full of excitement with many parents and students attending the event. Senior Paul Guilfoyle was one of the students who visited the festival the night of. “My favorite part about the Fine Arts Festival was getting to see all the things that other art classes got to make that I usually wouldn’t get to see,” Guilfoyle said.

April 2013

In Brief WRESTLING FUNDRAISER

The wrestling team will host a fundraiser on Saturday, May 4. Ford will be bringing in a variety of 20 new vehicles (cars and trucks) for people to test drive. For each person that test drives a car, Ford will donate $20 to the wrestling team, for a chance to get up to $6,000. In order to test drive a car, testers must have a driver’s license. Any student that would like to test drive a car must be 18 years old. Ford will also provide a barbecue. WILX and WITL will be broadcasting live from the high school during the event. An area will be available to sit down and be shown how all of the technology inside the car works, the GPS, and voice control works and what they can do.

TOP TEN DINNER

The Top Ten Dinner was held at the Charlar Place located on Charlar Drive on April 22. Students invited were treated to a dinner by the school. The Jazz Band was there to perform for the students. The class of 2013’s top eleven consists of Megan Arduin, Brooke Centofanti, Jessica Curry, Audra Dobson, Mackenzie Fox, Gabrielle Gomez, Jake Hitchcock, Abby Maynard, Micah Norwood, Abigail Nastally and Shayne Wiremen.

STUDENT COUNCIL ELECTION

Student Council will be selecting students to fill leadership positions. Any student who is interested in filling any of these positions should start coming to meetings on Thursdays after school in W105. These positions are filled by students who have been involved for at least one year.

WIN FREE PROM TICKETS

This year’s Safe Prom Initiative, which is hosted by SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) is a competition to create a safe prom public service announcement, commercial or YouTube video. These must be turned in by May 15. The winner will receive two FREE prom tickets. See SADD advisor Kellie Sweitzer in room E116 for more information.

News

April 2013

Holt High School Ramparts

WLW brings celebration Language classes supply food, fun and good times Bryce Zippi staff writer One week that brings the French, German and the Spanish students together is World Language Week. It is a week filled with fun, laughter and memories. World Language Week was the week of April 15-19 and featured students from German, French and Spanish classes coming together to celebrate as one. “I think it’s great. It exposes students to more cultures. Everyone should take a language to experience it,” German teacher Janine Baker said. Students can look forward to World Language Week every year because it’s the one time where students can learn about different cultures and try new things, such as foods from different cultures that they would have never tried before. It also helps students interact with each other. “I like that it’s not just like written things that we usually do. Students get to be creative and think of new

ways to learn about other cultures and languages,” junior Hawra Ahmad said. One way that students could learn about different languages was by decorating classroom doors and making posters. Students were creative and used pictures and words to demonstrate their language. The door decorating teaches students about different cultures that they didn’t know existed. “It talks about another culture that we may not have known about,” French teacher Agbeko Agbenyiga said. The fun didn’t stop there; students also got to dress up in clothing representing different cultures, whether it was a sombrero or

Photo by Bryce Zippi

One way that students celebrated was by designing posters and decorating classroom doors.

lederhosen, listen to guest speakers from all over the w orld, and participate in the annual World Cup soccer game, which was held on April 18 at the Soccer Dome. “It was a lot of fun. We had lots of posters, painted faces, and super fans, but the rain didn’t stop us,” Spanish teacher Brooke Klecha said. Ultimately, the Spanish team won with a 5-4 final score. The week also featured everyone’s favorite: food. Students and staff brought in food from cultures all over the world and got to share with one another, such as chips and bean dip, cake, rolls and cookies. “The German chocolate cake and the cupcakes are probably my favorite,” senior Becca Powers said. Even though students did not get to attend an assembly this year as they have in previous years, they still had many activities and events to attend. The production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” which was performed on April 18-21, was an optional event for students to attend. “It was really good this year. Everyone was friendly and supportive to each other,” Spanish teacher Amy Sheppard said.

Photo by Stacie Skinker

Juniors Tyler Rogers and Alex Seaton celebrate in Brooke Klecha’s second hour Spanish class. Many foods were brought in for all to share on Friday, April 19.

News

Holt High School Ramparts

April 2013

Photo by Takaaki Iwabu/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT

Sarah Baumeister, left, general manager at Jill’s Beach Luxury Tanning in Cary, North Carolina, shows Lindsy Weeks, 16, how to use a tanning bed. The bill that has already been introduced would make underage tanning illegal.

State views law that would ban underage tanning New bill turns down tanning for anyone under 18 Courtney Houser staff writer As the winter season finally comes to a close, students everywhere prepare up for the long awaited summer. With high school proms only weeks away, countless student sunbathers begin to set their sights out for the perfect tan. Although it is still too cold to lay out, these sun seekers turn to an alternative route and stop in at local tanning facilities. Recently, the Michigan Legislature introduced a bill that would ban underage tanning. This bill would prohibit those under 18 from using tanning beds or any other artificial ultraviolet light exposure, in hopes of reducing the number of underage skin cancer victims. Ranging from variety of age groups, these risky bathers put themselves in these life threatening situations that could result in melanoma or other types of skin cancers. Underage tanning is on the rise,

and according to The American Academy of Dermatology, nearly 28 million people tan indoors in the United States annually, two and a half million being teens. With ultraviolet light exposure, minors are now more than ever in risk of being diagnosed with a type of skin disease. “I feel I tanned too young,” senior Sydney Hein said. “As a minor, I feel you don’t fully understand the repercussions that tanning can do to the skin over time.” Yet to pass through the legislature for the State of Michigan, similar bills have already been passed throughout the country. States such as North Carolina, California and New Jersey all have passed similar laws. “My mom owns her own hair and tanning salon, and through the years I’ve come to accept them,” sophomore Carol Reisner said. “I feel that if you know the risks and still want to tan you should be able to. It’s your choice.”

Tanning Survey Ramparts surveyed students regarding their views on tanning and the bill being proposed.

Viewpoints

April 2013

Holt High School Ramparts

Our View New tanning bill demands change

he issue of tanning has caused concern as more young people are found getting skin cancer because of it. So it comes as no surprise that there is a bill in Michigan to restrict the use of indoor tanning beds and booths for people under the age of 18, even with parental consent. While that may anger some students, the Ramparts news staff thinks this bill should have come sooner. Those who are upset about this bill should think of those who are diagnosed with skin cancer every day, but also cost of the medical bills one would have to pay. Would you rather save yourself the trouble and not go tanning or would you rather risk getting skin cancer? While some say people can make their own decisions, many people do not fully understand tanning and its side-effects. Many people do not consider the side-effects before deciding to tan, and most teenagers or younger children do not realize how common skin cancer is. So it makes sense that they should not be allowed to go tanning before the age of 18. There are so many safe alternatives to going tanning. The first and most obvious is to not go tanning at all, but if you still need to tan, then get a spray tan. Spray tanning will not be illegal due to the fact that it is not using ultraviolet light. Also, it will wash off sooner than later. Spray tanning is the safer alternative to tanning, and it is not going to be eliminated for those under the age of 18. Some students will say that the bill is infringing on the individual rights and that the government has over-stepped their boundaries, but they haven’t. They are protecting the future of our skin and our health. Most people don’t think of the side-effects, but the government is considering the health of everyone. They understand that most young people don’t understand the risks, so they make a bill to bring it to light. Whether or not you believe in this bill, it is just trying to reduce the risk of an unhealthy future just a little more.

ramparts Editors in Chief:

Managing Editors: News: Opinion: Features: Hot Spot: Sports: Staff Writers:

Adviser:

Zahra Ahmad Zack Gilliland Kayla Lovely Hannah Marsh Maya Fews Cody Worden Noah Goldblatt Sean Bulkowski, Abby Cousineau, Rachel Dillingham, Nadia Gedeon, Sydney Holmes, Courtney Houser, Anissa Martinez, Stacie Skinker, Kylee Voorhis, Bryce Zippi 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.

Foreign language is a must Getting rid of requirement causes harm

Maya Fews

o d a y ’s w o r l d i s m o r e interconnected than it has ever been before. You can’t get by in this world by only knowing one language. Currently in the Michigan House, bill number 4088 is calling for a change in the Michigan graduation requirements for students who are not going to college, but instead plan on pursuing a technology or vocational program. The changes would eliminate the requirement for taking a foreign language and a second year of algebra. Instead of getting rid of the language requirement, schools should start introducing foreign language at an earlier age. If a student decides to go into a job directly out of high school in the field of technology, that student should be prepared. Most o f A m e r i c a’s t e c h n o l o g y a n d cars come from Asian countries, so it makes sense to have some background in a language like Mandarin.

Your View There should be more classes Dear Editor, One of the things in this school that is an annoyance is the lack of classes. There could be a lot more classes, from any branch of subjects. One of those classes is Astronomy. I’ve been fascinated by the subject since I was younger, but like in most schools, you can’t take it through high school. Any other alternative to taking this class is through an outside source or club, which can sometimes cost money that a student may not have. Yes, Holt High School has a wide range of classes that can be taken,

I will be honest and saying that some of the languages that are offered in school don’t always relate to our interconnected world. But regardless of what job field students will be entering, knowing or at least understanding another language besides English will be useful. If we look outside the United States into other countries, foreign education isn’t just required in high school, but in younger grades as well. Students are introduced to a foreign language a lot sooner.

“

Instead of competing against our neighbors for that one spot, now we are competing against people from all over the world.

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Competing for a job or even a spot at college has changed drastically. Instead of competing against our neighbors for that one spot, now we are competing against people from all over the world, Taking a foreign language will level the playing field. Ta ke t h e Un i t e d St at e s, f o r example. Spanish is the second most spoken language in this countr y. If more than a large majority of people in your own country are fluent in a language

but having more options would be a lot more popular. Isaac Webking, sophomore Five minutes isn’t enough Dear Editor, Passing time of five minutes between classes is bad enough, but five minutes after the final bell rings at the end of the day to get to the bus is just plain wrong. Some students may need to talk to their teacher after class, go get something from another class, or visit the school store. Having to run to your locker, shove everything in your bag, and rush to the bus is really annoying. Rushing could cause you to forget things and even cause accidents in

other than English, doesn’t it make sense to have some sort of knowledge in that language? Also most of America’s business takes place overseas. Knowing another language can help in the business world. Money may be the language that everyone knows, but money can only take a person so far. If taking a foreign language doesn’t seem appealing enough from a global standpoint, what about foreign language in college? Most colleges and universities suggest or require that students take at least two years of a foreign language. This may seem like a silly requirement to some, but taking a second language isn’t about just learning about the language itself, but also learning about different cultures. Some may try to argue that going into a certain field may require less education than others, but that is not an excuse for not taking a foreign language. With the way our world is connected now, knowing English will not be enough. The only change to the current requirement of two years for foreign language would be that there should be more years required, not fewer. The United States is no longer number one in education and cutting education will not help that problem.

the hallway. I think buses should give students five more minutes until the bus departs so they can get the extra things after, rather than not doing it at all. This five minutes only affects first round bus riders. Second round has a lot of time to fool around before their bus arrives, but it’d be nice if the first round bus riders had some more time too. Brittany Smith, junior 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

April 2013

Holt High School Ramparts

The proposition re-engage Hot or not?

It’s a positive idea that can enact change

Rachel Dillingham

n the words of Rabindranath Tagore, “Everything comes to us that belongs to us if we create the capacity to receive.” I think it would be foolish for anyone to deny that our school is made up of cliques. Cliques are generalized groups of people who usually have the same interests. Nothing is wrong in befriending those with whom similarities are shared. What is wrong is the gap between the groups and those groups who are labeled “different.” Imagine it as a melting pot, a school where everyone could be welcomed into any group. Unfortunately, cliques divide us and relationships are not as broad as they could be. I do not believe I am the only one who feels this disconnection with their classmates. The ones who we walk by during passing period and never say a word to, offering nothing, not even a knowing glance.

Going outside:

We seem to build a wall out of differences, meaning we look over similarities to see what separates us, and we disregard those who are most unlike us. This, in my mind, leads to the inevitable question, “Why?” Why is it that we disconnect ourselves? Realize I will not answer the why; instead I want to answer the how -- how to start pouring a new,engaging foundation that brings together a student body. I proudly name this how to idea “Proposition Reengage.” Proposition Reengage is the idea that we can keep our variance (our differences) and mix with other students to find a feeling of sameness. Something so simple such as sitting at different lunch tables could kick start new relationships. Meeting different people does not mean one should conform to the standards of their new friends. Instead, learn and share stories about life about your interests. I am aware that we have clubs and groups in our school that bring students from all the corners and crannies together. Still, a majority are untouched by the greatness of others. While walking through the halls, you can see that many heads are down, earbuds are in and fingers are texting. If this does not scream detached-from-real-social-society, then I don’t know what does. People are missing people.

In other words, we have musicians, comedians, intellectuals, athletic specimens, artists and many more “types” of people sprinkled throughout our school, and because we as co-students disengage ourselves, their existence is unnoticed. I am fed up with hanging heads in the halls. I want everyone to be able to look up and make eye contact with someone who is saying, “Hello.” I want them to know they are worth it, worth the acknowledgment from their peers. Whoever that person may be, they need to know they are worth it. Let us, for a brief moment, pretend our peers we are mirrors or reflections of our own frame of our own mindset. So now, when looking at our peers, they reflect the way you feel, the way you act, the way you live. How would you like what you saw in yourself, right now by watching your classmates? Would you change the way you present yourself after seeing this reflection? Proposition Reengage is not so much a direct how to message. Instead I leave it up to you as a reader and as my peer to find the implied meaning and act on it. We are all capable of so much. Inevitably, it is up to you. Realize you are worth it.

Taking the time to get outside and lathering on the sunscreen to protect yourself.

Artificial tanning: Taking the easy road and tanning indoors knowing the health risks attached.

Speak up

In the event of a zombie apocalypse who would you want on your team? “I would want the Green Lantern because he can make anything out of his ring and wipe all the zombies out.” Justin Culp, sophomore

“I would want Timmy Cain because he’s funny and smart, so he could help me and tell me how to not get bit by the zombies.” Max Peston, junior

“My friend Kayla Kost because she is like a ninja.” Rachel Williams, sophomore

“My brother Greg because he knows how to survive, and I feel like we together would survive.” Karena Lewis, sophomore

“I ‘d want Rambo because he knows how to fight and use guns.” James Fulghum, junior

Corrections

In the March issue of Ramparts, students in the Fiddler on the Roof photograph were named out of order. Ramparts regrets this error. If you are aware of any errors please contact us in room E221 or send us an email to ramparts@hpsk12.net.

Cartoon by Bryce Zippi

Features

April 2013

Holt High School Ramparts

Two Cents

Hannah Marsh

Instantly annoying

ately on Instagram I’ve been noticing a lot of ‘#regram’ photos, where someone takes a picture from someone else and uploads it to their account. These pictures are usually pretty average, like a picture of two people kissing and a quote about love. Or pictures of people doing daily things, sitting in a field or balancing on the tracks of a railroad. These seem like your typical ‘hipster’ photos, maybe with your typical ‘teenage girl’ quote attached, and a typical ‘vintage’ filter. Typical. Why do we love the typical? It seems that as more and more people communicate with Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr and other social media sites, these pictures grow in popularity. Photos of these people, people we’ve never even seen outside of a computer screen, surface all over the place. I’ve noticed it especially, almost exclusively, on girls’ accounts. We seem so infatuated with these photos, but in reality there’s nothing memorable about them. It’s difficult to see what the hype is about. The more I think about these photos, the more I feel that has to do with insecurities. I mean, what’s the main reason people post on these sites? Attention. Post a photo for likes, post a status for comments, post a tweet for favorites. Everything we share gets us a little attention, maybe a little confidence boost, I don’t know. But when we see a picture with some 500 likes floating around we start to get a little curious. We start to wonder what makes it so special and what makes so many people like it. We wish we were in the picture. That we were that beautiful and that many people would like our pictures. Or maybe we just like how it looks, how the filter and the colors seem so vintage and how the girl in it looks so carefree, and we want people to know that we like it, or know that we relate to it, so we share it. We could be using the Internet to share much more worthy thingspowerful messages or inspirational stories. Instead we’re sharing a picture of a pretty girl with a vintage filter and a Kid Cudi lyrics in block letters over top. It seems like it’s time to reevaluate what we’re doing.

Spring into a garden Start the season off right by planting into the summer with herbs, flowers and veggies Zahra Ahmad editor-in-chief April showers bring May flowers, and maybe fruits, vegetables or even herbs. This spring why not try something n e w a n d s t a r t a g a rd e n ? Gardening is a way to explore different planting methods and to discover what you can grow. These steps are key in starting it off in the right direction.

1. Get An Idea

Start with a plan in your head as to what kind of garden you would like to plant. You also need to commit to your garden before growing your plants. For instance, research what is best grown in your environment or what the planting periods are for each plant. These areas are often just in your back or front yard, and even in your house. “I grow flowers more than I do vegetables. I really like to see the growth and improvement of the flowers over time,” English teacher Zack Lawson said. “I grow tons of different lilies. I like flowers, but last year I grew my first vegetable garden.”

2. Location

Check the environment of where your seeds would thrive best. This can be done by going online and simply looking it up. Make sure you have a good spot for where you want to start your garden. Most plants require a lot of sunlight, so finding a spot in your yard where the

sun is present throughout the day would be best. For more information you can visit any gardening site. One in particular is Better Homes and Gardens. “Vegetable gardens need a lot of water and a lot of light. You need to pay attention to your plants,” science teacher Heather Peterson said. “If you have pets, make sure to look into what plants are toxic to them so that you can plant where they can’t get to them.”

to their parent plants and may form roots where they touch a rooting medium. After picking out seeds or cuttings, you are ready to plant. Start by watering the soil a little to loosen it. Dig into the ground and place your seeds or cuttings. If trying to transfer an already developing plant, make sure to loosen roots before placing it into the ground. Place soil back over the roots to avoid exposure.

You must remove all large rocks for proper root growth. Also, make sure the soil is nutrient rich. The nutrients present should be phosphate, potassium and nitrogen. “The three main minerals all plants need are nitrogen, phosphate and potassium. Some plants require a higher ratio of a certain mineral, ” Peterson said. Organic fertilizers contain matter essential to stimulation of microorganisms, like bacteria in the soil. This could easily be described as manure. “I don’t have to worry about fertilizers or my soil because my garden is on my grandfather’s sheep pasture. That’s 30 years of manure,” Lawson said.

The worst that could happen to your seedlings is for them to dry out. So after planting, make sure to water your plant every other day. Make sure not to over water your plants. If it’s raining, watering should not be a priority for the day. “You really should water daily,” Peterson said. “The best times to water are early in the morning or late at night to avoid heat.”

3. Soil

4. Planting

After clearing your land and improving your soil, you will be ready to start picking seeds. You can start a garden with cuttings, seeds, and layering. Layering is when stems are still attached

5. Water

6. Keeping Up

Make sure to keep up with your garden. Check if your plants are getting enough sunlight. If weeds begin to sprout, pull them out before they get too big. “Keeping up with weeds, making sure to water and sunlight,” Lawson said. “The most important thing is you have to decide whether or not you like manual work. You have to put work into a garden and you need to be okay with getting dirty.” Photos by Zahra Ahmad