October 2011

ramparts VOLUME 20 , ISSUE 1

HOLT HIGH SCHOOL

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

OCTOBER 2011

Photo courtesy of Holly’s Ride Program

NEWS:

Education, prevention and intervention; Holly’s Ride program undergoes changes.

PAGE 5

FEATURE:

Check out some good, bad and last-minute costume ideas for this Halloween.

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Kickin’ it cool Boys soccer team

Sophomore Alec Greene keeps the ball away from the opposing team while senior Jordan Herron runs in to help maintain possession.

returns strong after losing prominent players Page 14

SPORTS:

Photo by Daniel Yu

Girls golf team finishes the season strong, beating a school record.

PAGE 15 Photo by Chloe Henley

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October 2011

F.Y.I.

 Silver Bells

Silver Bells in the City will take place on November 18. Take a trip to downtown Lansing and enjoy the annual display of holiday fun, while supporting the HHS Marching Band as they perform in the electric light parade.

H-Town Store

The school store will be purchasing lanyards to be given away with the purchase of a Holly’s Ride t-shirt. Stop in the school store to check out all of the latest items.

 Nursery School Lab

The Nursery School Lab will take place this trimester on November 14, 15, 17 and 18 during hours 1-3. This workshop allows Parenthood Education students to learn more about working with children and is a free experience that provides snacks, games and activities for potty-trained threeand four-year-olds. If you have a little brother or sister, or know someone who wants to participate, email consumers education teacher Kellie Sweitzer or stop by her room E116 to let her know what days and what class periods the children will be attending.

Children can attend any and all of the available dates.

eBooks

Students wanting to read books that are part of their English curriculum are encouraged to log onto Follett Shelf, a link on the John W. Chi Library home page.

The user name is holtpub and the password is gorams. This website allows students to read books online and highlight important sections, as well as take notes.

The books can be checked out for two-week periods. Students may contact Media Specialist Teresa Asch with any questions.

Spanish Club

The Spanish Club is looking for new members. The club costs $5 to join and meets on Wednesdays before school. There will be a cooking class on November 2 at 10 a.m. Students can now find the Spanish Club on Facebook.

Contact Spanish teacher Karen Holman-Cervera with any questions in room E107.

News

Holt High School Ramparts

Students adjust to reformed policies Over the summer a committee worked to update school rules Meg McKay editor-in-chief As the school year unfolds, students are adjusting to changes in school policies such as appropriate dress, electronic device usage and bag or purse allowance.

Assistant Principal Chris Billingslea, along with the help of teachers and students, made changes to the policies over the summer. In looking at all the school’s policies the group chose to make changes to help make updates.

Billingslea stated that most changes were made as a result of problems last year and to better insure safety for all students.

“We looked at all the policies; not just specific ones,” Billingslea said. “I’m trying to be flexible.”

According to Billingslea’s view, changes were made in order to create another avenue to control danger, become more gender neutral and give students a time to use electronics when it wouldn’t be dangerous to others.

“There were incidents last year when I would call a student in the hallway and they couldn’t hear me because they had their headphones in. It is dangerous in the hallways when students aren’t paying attention,” Billingslea said.

History teacher Corey Martin was one of the members on the committee who helped create the new policies. He found some of the policies hazy and wanted to help clarify rules not only for students, but for staff as well.

“Some students use cell phones as music devices which makes it difficult for a teacher to tell if the student is texting or searching through music,” Martin said.

Sophomore Betsy Borton was never one to have her phone on in school. She normally had it off in her locker during the day.

“I never had my phone out, but now I can get texts at lunch,” Borton said.

She thinks it’s awkward sometimes to be texting at lunch, but she likes the new freedom the rule provides to students.

Science teacher Amanda Tabbert also had some say in the new rules. She helped make changes so students weren’t distracted (by dress), from the meaning of school; cell phones were used during the proper time and in a better place; and so males had the same rights as females to carry a bag.

“I feel that phones need to be kept in lockers or not even brought into school, but I know that is not feasible to enforce,” Tabbert said. “I see their usefulness with apps like calculators, stop watches, etc., but there is a proper time and place to use them.”

Tabbert said she is pleased with the results she has seen thus far in changing the rules.

“I love that I have not had to deal with cell phone issues,” Tabbert said. “It is almost like students can get the texting out of their system at lunch and I

Photo by Meg McKay

Seniors Jordan Lewis and Dylan Jones laugh over text messages shared at lunch. With the new rules in place, students can share these laughs and their text messages during lunch on a daily basis.

2010-11 Rules

•• Cell phones and pagers were to be turned off and placed out of sight during the entire instructional day.

•• Music devices were allowed between classes and at lunch.

•• Hats, bandannas, scarves, and sunglasses were not allowed to be worn in the building.

•• Shirts or blouses must cover the stomach and back area and provide coverage with an appropriate neckline. Tank tops and sleeveless shirts were not allowed. A minimum of three inch-strap was needed to cover the shoulder.

•• Pants, shorts, dresses, and skirts had a general guideline for shorts and skirt length were to be no more than four inches above the knee cap, with no excessively saggy, torn or low rise pants.

•• Students had to place any backpack, large purse, coat and hat in locker provided; not carry them during the instructional day.

don’t have any issues in class. I have seen the overall atmosphere of the school change since the new rules have been in place.”

Borton is frustrated with the new bag policy because she doesn’t think her average purse should be considered too big.

Senior Chris Seyka said he always used to carry a bag even though it wasn’t allowed.

“It’s nice because I don’t have to go to my locker after each class,” Seyka said.

Seyka only carries his books and folders, so the new rule has been beneficial for him. He also is happy with the cell phone policy because he has friends who have

2011-12 Rules

•• Communication devices should be turned off and placed out of sight during the instructional day. Exceptions: calendars, calculators, and other apps for academic use at teacher discretion.

•• Texting and web browsing are permitted during lunch.

•• Devices with musical listening, gaming, and tablet function capabilities are allowed only at lunch of for academic purposes at teachers’ discretion; not during passing.

•• Hoods, hats, bandannas, scarves, and sunglasses are not allowed.

•• Shirts or blouses must cover the lower front, back, and sides of the torso and have an appropriate neckline with no visible cleavage. Sleeveless shirts need three-inch straps.

•• Students must store backpacks and large purses in lockers during instructional day.

If needed students may carry fully-mesh see-through drawstring bags no larger than 14 by 18 inches or pouches no larger than 6 by 9 inches.

graduated that he can talk to at lunch now.

“I like the new rules because they are more fair and laid back,” Seyka said.

With changes in place, Martin said he was wasting less class time asking students to remove headphones or sending students to the office for dress code violations. He sees more modesty around the school.

Tabbert has also seen positive outcomes from the policy changes.

“Since the new rules have been in place I spend much less time telling students ‘your bag is too big, you need to go the office for dress code violations’ and taking away cell phones,” Tabbert said.

News

3

Holt High School Ramparts

District plans $4.3 million in cuts State cutbacks on school aid force change opinion editor

staff writer Lunch is time for students to eat their favorite lunch foods and gossip with friends. Some may have noticed that lunch isn’t completely the same this year.

The reason for the change in the school lunches is the passing of the Healthy, Hunger free Kids Act of 2010, also known as the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act of 2010. The U.S Congress mandated new nutrition guidelines for schools participating in the National School Lunch Program.

Science Olympiad

ACT Plan Test

Photo by Cody Shattuck

Participants in the fall play rehearse for an upcoming performance of “Arsenic and Old Lace.” Funding for this year’s spring musical has been frozen as one of many budget cuts the district administration is making to help deal with a predicted $4.3 million financial need the high school faces.

Procedures such as having less staff in general, and eliminating some services that Holt provides but that the state of Michigan does not require schools to have, are in discussion for being eliminated. These services include counselors, para-educators, nursing services, and busing.

Transferring several full-time staff members to half time, and mailing out report cards only if a student has insufficient grades are also many other money-saving options the administration is considering.

Ten percent cuts on “schedule B” activities are planned. “Schedule B” activities consist of the activities that the school funds such as any sport coaches, clubs advisors, and additional in-school positions that require additional pay to staff.

Some are concerned about the effect certain cuts might have on the school, such as the possible lack of counselors in the building.

“I know the people making these cuts care about the kids immensely. However, they need to carefully weigh what they cut,” English teacher

Erin Umpstead said. “Since economic troubles are so high, emotional problems come along with that and that’s when we will need our counselors the most.”

Bringing in more school revenue is also being looked into. Selling advertisements in the schools and onto the district’s website are possibilities the administration has suggested.

Doing things differently will be the only way to successfully bring Holt out of the financial troubles ahead, according to Superintendent Dr. Johnny Scott.

More ideas and information will be presented to the community shortly. Scott was confident in informing the community that the schools are all in this together and that the system will not lose sight of Holt’s main goal, which is to support student learning. He also has assured the staff that the money problems the district faces are not due to any human error, but simply because the schools are not getting the same amount of funding revenue from the state that it is used to.

Students face healthier lunch options

McKenna Glisson

In Brief Science Olympiad season is now underway. Competition does not officially start until January, and the areas which the team competes include building helicopters, astronomy, forensics and building robots, among other areas. The Science Olympiad team has been to states every year with only one exception.

The team is still accepting new members. They meet every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in room W209. Contact science teacher Heather Peterson for more information.

Tori Frailey Due to recent economic downfalls and lack of state funding in schools, the Holt School District will be facing budget cuts of around $4.3 million next year. Anticipated school activities such as the spring musical have already seen their funds frozen for the first time in recent years.

Holt will be making other noticeable budget cuts toward the learning and educational environment.

Many other schools out of the district will be facing the same financial setbacks due to less revenue being brought in from the state.

However, students may not be aware of many possible cuts that could occur during the upcoming year.

Last year the first of the budget cuts were made.

The transportation system was shortened down to only allowing rides one way to sporting events for most athletic teams.

“It’s annoying because bus rides home are the most fun part about a team environment, after a loss or a win,” senior Haley McFarland said. “Not having a ride home was inconvenient for students whose parents could not come to the game, and then they are stuck.”

This year, cuts such as the busing cuts will be made more frequently and more noticeably brought about to the student body’s attention.

The state legislature voted to take $470 in state aid for every public school pupil from K-12 funding and put it towards community colleges and universities.

Over the last month, administration has held meetings with the staff and community with a “Sharing and Gathering” Powerpoint that states a plan for the future of the district and how to handle its money.

“I hope they don’t cut anything too important, but at the same time I hope we get out of this so that it doesn’t get any worse,” senior Brandon Lavigne said.

October 2011

The milks offered are limited to one percent white, fat-free or skim unflavored and flavored. Students are also offered whole grain and whole wheat products. Students have a choice from a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, including dark leafy vegetables such as fresh spinach and collard greens, but are limited on offerings of juice as a fruit meal substitute and salty snacks like Doritos and Cheetos as chip options.

“The school lunch is worse than last year because my food is sometimes cold and my chicken sandwich is hard as rock,” senior Josh Rios said.

Lunch offerings still have to follow the USDA food guidelines that meet 2/3 of the recommended daily allowances, but will most likely change in 2012 with larger portions of vegetables and fruits, with reduced sodium, and saturated fats.

“Some of the new stuff is better like the Asian bowl and soup bowl is good too,” junior Lauren Voss said. “But the wheat buns on the sandwiches are nasty.”

Some of the meal process includes raising prices due to having to follow to the 2010 Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act: Equity in School

Lunch pricing. Increased lunch prices for the elementary schools went from $1.95 to $2, value meals to $2.45, and salad meals to $3. The intent is to ensure that sufficient funds are provided to the food service program for paid lunches.

“The Act represents a major move forward in our effort to provide healthier, balanced and nutritious meals in our schools as well as focusing on our fight against childhood obesity and hunger our children are faced with today,” Food Service Director Aurora Anstett said.

On November 1 sophomores will take the ACT Plan Test. The goal of the Plan Test is to help students see what their potential score would be if they were to take the ACT. Once the results are handed back in the spring, students will be better informed on what needs to be worked on in preparing for the ACT.

Court to School

The social studies department will be holding Court to School again this year, on Tuesday, November 8.

All sophomores will be attending.

There will be three sessions held in the morning.

Judge Boyd and Judge Allen from Mason, have agreed to conduct court on stage in the Margaret Livensparger Theater. They will be sentencing people with minor felonies like DUIs, and possession of drugs and alcohol.

“It is a good lesson in civics and our legal system,” Principal Brian Templin said.

Variety Show

Student Council and the Challenge Day Team are sponsoring the second annual Variety Show to raise funds for Challenge Day. The show will take place on Tuesday, November 15 in the Margaret Livensparger Theater at 7 p.m.

Performances will include singers, dancers, musicians, slam poets and will represent both students and faculty.

All proceeds will go to fund Challenge Day. For more information or to make donations, contact Student Success Coordinator Joann Weil in the attendance office or at jweil@ hpsk12.net.

News

4

October 2011

Holt High School Ramparts

Test scores help district achieve AYP status District receives ‘A’ grades for all schools Cody Shattuck news editor Fresh off the fall start, Holt Public Schools made an impact by becoming a school to reach the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) mark.

Holt has missed out on reaching this goal the last few years. However, in the 2010-11 school year, the district acquired this achievement. AYP is a term used to define whether or not a school or school district is making progress as determined by the State of Michigan. For schools, it means they are progressing at a rate that the State deems as appropriate.

“AYP is a good gauge for us as a school district to be able to monitor how we are doing, and it provides us with an external entity that provides this assessment,” Superintendent Dr. Johnny Scott said. “For Holt High School, being a large class A

comprehensive high school, I know that our school rates favorably with other class A comprehensive high schools, and I am extremely proud of that.”

If a school does not reach this goal for two consecutive years, it is put on what is called a “watch list” by the state. If the school does make improvements, they fall under a “in need of improvement” category.

This results in the school having to develop a two-year improvement plan, which could result in a process of replacing staff, introducing a new curriculum or new administration. If it goes beyond these key points, the state can step in and place officials to oversee the operations of the school.

The ACT and MME are the main component measurements of the test scores. They are factored in by each main criteria group: math, English, science and social studies.

For the first time, the district as a whole has had each grade earn the grade of an ‘A’.

“Adequate Yearly Progress is how the government assesses our school’s achievement in the subjects tested on the ACT,” English teacher Michelle

Fulton said. “It’s very important to our administration, school board and others. Making AYP also keeps the government from intervening in our curriculum.”

Large high schools are put into test categories that involve subgroups.

Subgroups are identified if 30 or more students are in that group.

A few examples of these groups are: Hispanic, African American, learning disabled and economically disadvantaged. A threshold is set for a certain percent of students that must pass and meet the states score proficiency.

“AYP breaks down performance base of subgroups within a school to see how they progress as well,” Scott said. “So if any subgroup in the school is not making AYP, then the school does not make AYP.” English teachers are preparing their students to once again reach this mark.

“Right now in English 11 we are working on perfecting the persuasive essay. We are also focusing on grammar tips with the English section,” Fulton said. “In English classes, we work on skills used on

Photo by Cody Shattuck

Practicing for the ACT, juniors in Christine Fisher’s English 11 class use their good writing skills to be well-prepared. They’ll be taking the ACT in March. the ACT but we also use practice tests and teach test taking skills that could help.”

Administration is affected by how the school obtains the scores regarding the ACT/MME. “The state expects the students to learn, they expect the teachers and administration to uphold their part

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as well,” Principal Brian Templin said. “A challenge of reaching this goal is getting kids to learn the MME curriculum. General ACT components are embedded within the curriculum. Departments may use similar testing to help prepare you for the ACT.”

News

5

Holt High School Ramparts

October 2011

Holly’s Ride changes to serve the community Changes made to further success of Holly’s Ride program Meg McKay editor- in chief Holly’s Ride is a program that was started after last year’s fatal accident that claimed the lives of three former Holt students. In the last few months the program has made some changes to broaden the availability of help to a greater community.

Originally, the intent of Holly’s Ride was simply to provide students who made the decision to consume alcohol, and were therefore incapable of driving, the option to return home safely. Students were able to call a certain member of a group for the given weekend and they would pick up that student and take them home without anything further being done.

“Holly’s Ride started as just a ride,” junior Emma Webster said. “It turned into being more about educating and having a plan. Now we are educating younger kids.”

The kick-off for the program was the same day as Holly Bossenbery’s 18th birthday, August 26.

Students released balloons during the football game in her memory. Bossenbery was one of the students killed in the January 30, 2011 accident, and the program is named after her.

Counselor Bob Bower presented Holly’s Ride at a meeting on September 23 to a group of individuals from the tri-county area.

“The program was created by, for and because of the students,” Bower said. “The purpose is to provide education, prevention and intervention to all students so we never have a repeat of January 30.”

One of the main conclusions that came from the meeting was a desire to see students taking initiative. Bower said he would like to increase the 70 percent of students who don’t drink to 100 percent, however he said he knows this is not realistic.

2011 graduate Marena Cruz still plays a role

Photo by John Haskell Photography. Used by permission.

Students release balloons at half time during the first home football game on August 26 to celebrate Holly Bossenbery’s 18th birthday. The student section during the game was dedicated to the memory of the three students who passed away in the car accident last year. in the Holly’s Ride program, something she helped create.

“I’d really like to make clear is that Holly’s Ride is not just a free ride home nor an excuse for teens to drink,” Cruz said. “What we would like to see is the students of the high school take our ideas and essentially make them their own.”

Both Bower and Cruz said parties could have a key master, someone who will be in charge of taking all the keys at the beginning of the night.

Those involved with Holly’s Ride found that students were already making the choice to have lock-down parties, parties where people don’t leave until the morning, or calling friends they trust. Bower said the weekend teams of students on call were not serving a purpose.

Although they still give a ride if need be, it’s not the only aspect of the program anymore.

2009 graduate and brother to Holly Bossenbery, Chris Bossenbery said he agrees with most aspects of the program.

“I think it’s great to have this for students,” Bossenbery said. “It’s important to teach kids at a young age drinking and driving is not okay.”

Bossenbery said he had been to his share of parties, as a college student, and knows it’s important to have a safe ride home. However, he said he doesn’t necessarily agree with the intervention part of Holly’s Ride.

“Somebody can’t tell you you have a problem,” Bossenbery said. “They need to decide for themselves.”

He said he feels it hinders the potential of the program if students know they will have to talk to someone.

According to research done by Ingham County, about 15 percent of teens find that alcohol has created a problem in their life, whether the problem is actually theirs or someone who they are close to.

“There are so many programs and people out there to help them,” Cruz said. “We believe they deserve that help.”

Cruz also said part of having a permanent police officer in the building is to help students be more comfortable around local officers.

“Their job is to protect you and keep you safe,” Cruz said. “Not to lock you up and ruin your life,

Holly’s Ride For more information, contact counselor Bob Bower: rbower@hpsk12.net 699-0288 or Marena Cruz or Emma Webster on Facebook like most teens may think.”

Cruz, Bower and Webster all said their goal is to create a new culture through the program.

They want students to protect each other by looking out for the students who can’t do it for themselves.

“I think of my brother because he saw me and my sister’s reaction to losing Anthony, Holly and Taylyr,” Webster said. “I want to change the mindset of young kids who see drinking as being a norm.”

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6

Viewpoints

October 2011

Holt High School Ramparts

Facebook brings new journalism

Our View

Holly’s Ride provides many benefits Have social

W

ith a new year, new changes are brought to organizations such as Holly’s Ride. Holly’s Ride is now a lot more than just a safe ride home and someone to count on when you have made a

mistake. A unanimous vote was taken among the Ramparts editors that the

networks made us all reporters?

organization benefitted the community.

Many students think that Holly’s Ride just offers you a safe ride home, but what many people don’t know is how this organization has expanded.

Recently, other schools have been taking a part in the Holly’s Ride program such as Sexton, East Lansing and Okemos. It has expanded to other schools in order to help the community stay safe and feel united.

Aside from the growing community, the organization is working on two different aspects: intervention and education. Group organizers want to help shape the future for many students to come in hopes that there will never be a repeat of January 30, 2011, when two Holt students and one graduate were killed in a drunk driving accident.

An issue with the program is that some students might be afraid to use it in fear that they will end up getting in trouble. Individuals feel that they would rather go to a trusted adult or friend rather than to call a random member of the Holly’s Ride program. However, the program isn’t there to hurt anyone; it’s there to help get the assistance one needs. When a member of the program is called, they see that the students are doing the responsible thing by calling rather than getting behind the wheel of a vehicle.

The Holly’s Ride program is widely encouraged throughout the community due its policies of offering a student a safe ride home, intervention, and education. It helps to build our community stronger to make sure everyone is staying safe.

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.

Anna Pavlik

A

s I log onto my Facebook account, my eyes are overwhelmed with information. Dates, times, status updates, feelings, thoughts; it’s all there.

Being a student journalist, I’ve had my fair share of story writing and lectures on all the information that needs to be in a story. While glancing through my news feeds on Facebook, I’m provided with the same content that would be presented in a news story. A question arises in my head: have social networking sites turned all of us into journalists?

Just like in newspapers, the information put on social networking sites is read by a certain population, whether it’s a person’s friends list on Facebook, or the people who are following a Twitter account.

No matter what site a person uses, each one documents the time and date, just as it would be included in a journalistic story. Facebook goes as far as the possibility of

documenting the location and who you are with, just as journalists would report similar details in their story.

However, social networking sites are more similar to opinion stories than your average news or feature story, because a large amount of what a person posts is their opinion.

After Casey Anthony’s not-guilty verdict, social media took charge of reviews. Facebook reactions came in faster than social media experts could count, with over 10 status updates a second, according to All Facebook.

Social media analytics firm Crimson Hexagon confirmed there were 325,283 Twitter posts the day of the verdict about the Casey Anthony trial—most from around the time of the verdict.

“Social networking is

spreading information and thoughts faster than any newspaper ever could. ” Even celebrities joined in with their reactions. Social networking is spreading information and thoughts faster than any newspaper ever could.

I wondered if any professional journalists saw the connections I did.

As I skimmed through online articles, I read about many professionals who saw differences I never thought of before, causing the two to hardly be comparable. One article argued that information is not journalism,

because journalism needs three critical things: judgment, analysis and explanation.

These three things are hardly added to a status just about a person’s feelings or what they’re doing today.

It’s just documented information.

Also, when they’re updating their status they’re not telling a story complete with quotes or checking everyone’s side of the story.

S ocial networking sites are completely biased. Internet thoughts can be posted without evidence or facts, but in journalism printing false information is considered unethical.

When a person tweets or updates their status, they aren’t thinking about the content or the grammar.

Instead, they are just submitting a tweet or update of their thoughts and feelings, without thinking through a writing process, as a professional journalist would do.

Just like in the Casey Anthony trial, those who posted about her, the trial and the verdict mainly posted what they thought and how they felt about it, instead of the facts of what happened or taking a news story view on it. A reporter or journalist would have to take a different approach at writing a story about an event such as the Casey Anthony trial, being careful not to be biased or editorialize.

It’s important to remember social media journalism can be untrustworthy and unprofessional.

So maybe we aren’t all journalists, but instead we’re creating a new type of journalism.

Dear Students, The Ramparts staff would like to say hello and thank you for picking up our first issue for the 2011-12 year. Along with our four returning writers, we have a talented new group, ready to bring HHS the best in news.

We look forward to keeping you up to date with events and activities involving our students and community. Each month we like to hear from you, our readers, through letters to the editor.

This is your area. Let us know how we’re doing, comment on topics we cover, or let us know how you feel about news and issues in our school and community.

Mrs. Clark is always willing to accept letters in room E221.

We look forward to your input and thoughts.

Thanks, Chloe Henley and Meg McKay, Editors-in-Chief

Viewpoints

7

Holt High School Ramparts

October 2011

Excessive dress code changes Hot or not?

Hannah Marsh

What we need isn’t a new dress code, it’s more enforcment

M

any students at HHS have noticed a change in the dress code this year.

Necklines have to be higher, skirts have to be longer and purses have to be smaller.

The reason we have so many changes is that teachers and administrators felt the rules we already had were being abused, and you know that’s true. A lot of people were pushing the envelope, trying to see what they could get away with.

Girls walked around with their skirts too high and guys walked around with their pants too low. Alright, so maybe being stricter is a good idea, but it wasn’t the rules that were the problem.

I think the real problem is that the

students were allowed to get away with it. Not all of the teachers and administrators were on the same page about how tough they should be on the rules; some were a lot more lenient than others. What we need isn’t a new handbook, it’s more reinforcement on the old one. There’s always going to be someone trying to push their luck, but if they’re not allowed to, they’ll eventually stop.

A lot of students feel like the rules take away their freedom in the morning of choosing what they want to wear and looking how they want to look. I’m sorry, but if you want to wear a skirt that doesn’t cover what it needs to cover, and pants that are so far down your whole butt is hanging out, you should really rethink your wardrobe. We’re all representing HHS. What we wear, how we act and what we say shows people what HHS is like, and we should do our best to represent it well.

It’s the purse rule that really seems pointless. I get that we shouldn’t be walking around with huge bags and all, but the size we’re allowed to have is so small that we can’t even carry anything in them. I don’t even have a purse that small. Guys’ pants have these huge pockets and they can carry their pencils and pens and phones and whatever else they need right on them. Girls’ pants have small

pockets. If you try and put pens and pencils in there, they’re going to stab you when you sit down.

Not to mention, we all know that sometimes girls need to carry a purse because they have things that they need to get through the day. Enough said. So let us carry what we need.

What’s next? No pencil bags? Your pockets can only be so big?

“A lot of people were

pushing the envelope, trying to see what they could get away with.”

Getting into specifics, where are they going to draw the line? What if your purse is an inch too big? Two inches too big? How are they going to decide if you can or cannot carry it? This just supports my earlier claim.

We don’t need changes, we need consistent enforcement.

It’s too early in the year to tell if the new dress code is going to be successful or not. I’m hoping it is, mainly because we’ve had enough changes to it. Say what you want about the rules, whether you like the new ones or not, they’ve been changed too many times. It’s hard for students to keep track of what’s current and what’s old.

LMFAO ‘s “Party Rock”:

Rebecca Black ‘s “Friday”:

When the song comes on, your feet start moving and you can’t resist dancing.

You hate the song and the lyrics, but you know every word, and it has over 100 million views on YouTube.

Speak up

If you could go anywhere on vacation, where would you go and why?

“Guam, because it sounds cool.”

Dain Ryckman, sophomore

“China, to read more about them and their economy.”

Agbeko Agbenyiga, French teacher

“Switzerland, because they have good chocolate .”

Haleigh Ammon, junior

“Germany, they sell Nutella in vending machines.”

Mike Ramer, senior

“Italy, because of the food and beautiful scenery.”

Emily Danks, junior

Corrections Cartoon by Chloe Henley

Ramparts is committed to printing news that is both informative and accurate. If we get it wrong, we want to put it right. If you are aware of any errors of fact in our reporting please contact us in room E221 or send an e-mail to ramparts@ hpsk12.net.

8 Features TRICKing-OR-TREATing October 2011

Holt High School Ramparts

How to get the best trick-or-treating experience with your costume

Homemade costumes

Celebrity look-a-likes

With Halloween right around the corner, being stuck at home clueless of what to wear is no fun. Students share some ideas of what to do for last-minute costumes.

BAD

T-shirts

GOOD

“I hate when people dress in their football/ soccer jersey just because they have that laying around their house and they didn’t know what else to be. Everyone knows what sport you play so it’s nothing new and exciting,” sophomore Tucker Pape said.

Chloe henley editor-in-chief

“I always try to make mine at home because costumes are so expensive just to wear out once.

Last year I made a Mario costume. It turned out good and it was cheap,” junior Sarah Gray said.

Team player

Robot

“I thought about just going as a robot this year and cutting holes for my arms and head in a paper bag. I won’t have to worry about wasting a ton of money on something that I would never wear again,” sophomore Zach Hernandez said.

Sexy costumes

“It bothers me when girls wear those sexy costumes. You shouldn’t have to flaunt your body like that especially when you’re trick-ortreating with a lot of younger children,” King said.

•Ceiling fan Dress in a shirt that says ‘Go Ceilings!’ and carry pom-poms. Make sure to cheer for the Ceilings.

Junior Sanda Vazgec dresses as a cowgirl to represent a good costume idea.

Cowboy/girl

• Pumpkin pi Wear an orange shirt and tape a π symbol to the front of it.

“Being a cowboy or cowgirl is easy because you can just throw on a flannel shirt and a cowboy hat. Plus, you could wear the shirt again, unlike most costumes,” senior Deven King said.

• Old man Grab some of your parents’ clothes to dress as an old person. Add a walker or cane if you have one.

Smarty Pants

“If you taped the candy Smarties to your pants, you could tell everyone you were a ‘Smarty Pants.’ And you would end up with more candy at the end too,” senior Erin Biel said.

• Nerd Wear some glasses, a button-down shirt and high-waisted pants. Make sure to carry some books around also.

Cat Juniors Sarah Gray and Alexis Dorer wear homemade Mario costumes to show the affordable, unique style used for Halloween.

“T-shirts that say something like ‘This is my Halloween costume’ are really lame,” Biel said.

Other ideas: Photo by Chloe Henley

Photo courtesy by Sarah Gray

“I hate when people dress up like someone because they think that they look like them, like a character from a television show. It’s not as fun and creative because people have to ask what you are,” Gray said.

“Everyone always dresses up as a cat, but it’s easy and affordable. All you have to do is go out and buy cat ears for a couple of dollars and then paint whiskers on your face,” junior Sanda Vazgec said.

Photo by Chloe Henley

Sophomore Tucker Pape wears his football jersey to represent the idea of a bad costume.

• Weight watcher Carry a small weight around in your hand.

When asked what you are, tell them you are 'watching your weight'.

 

Features

9

Holt High School Ramparts

October 2011

Students look to save money on gas prices Recent price drops provide only temporary relief

Daniel Yu staff writer Gas prices in Michigan are back on the rise this month after dropping below $3 per gallon in early October, and students are using any tips and tricks they can to save money.

Most students have to use their own money for gas, so gas prices can really affect how much they can drive.

“I toned down driving a lot,” senior Jason Ziolkowski said. Ziolkowski has to pay for his own gas and does multiple odd jobs for money.

“Hurts my wallet, but I’m gonna drive no matter what.”

According to lansinggasprices.com, Admiral gas stations in the Lansing area are usually a spot to find low gas prices. Also the two Speedways on Cedar Street in South Lansing are usually less expensive than the Speedway on the corner of Martin Luther King Blvd. and Bishop Road. since it is closer to the highway.

“I go to Speedway because I have a Speedy Rewards Card and one gallon equals ten points, which I can redeem for prizes such as Cocacola,” senior Dean Emata said.

Emata drives a 1990 Toyota Selica which only gets 20 mpg in the city, so saving money on gas is important to him. A tip Emata gives to manual

Photo by Daniel Yu

Despite dropping to $3 per gallon earlier this month, gas prices are on the rise again. Students are trying to keep the cost of driving as low as they can to save as much money as possible. drivers is to switch from second to fifth gear as soon as the car hits 20 mph.

Driving with higher gears on a manual car make the engine work less and keep the rotations in the engine lower. Driving on low gears at high speeds or uphill wastes a significant amount of gas according to eartheasy.com.

“I use cruise control all the time,” junior Taylor Hamel said. Hamel spends $45 of his own money on gas per week, which is $180 a month.

Cruise control helps keep a constant speed while driving and is best used when on long stretches of road on the highway. Avoid using cruise control in hilly areas because the car will work harder and try to maintain the speed while

going uphill according to fueleconomy.com According to a poll on Gasbuddy.com, the average amount of money that people spend on gas today is between $100 and $200 a month, but around 40 percent of drivers spend over $200 a month on gas.

To pay for his gas, Hamel works at Panera Bread as a dish washer. Hamel’s tip for saving money is that racing and driving fast wastes a lot of gas, which is supported by Fueleconomy.gov.

Fueleconomy.gov also has a section on its site dedicated on tricks to saving gas. One tip that anyone can use is to avoid running the engine while the car is parked for prolonged periods of time. Turning on a car only takes a few seconds worth of gas, but avoid turning the car on and off constantly because it will result in increased wear.

“My daddy taught me about efficiency. He told me to turn off the car if I believe that the duration of what I am doing will take over thirty seconds. It saves minimal gas, but it all adds up,” Emata said.

Abcnews.go.com reported that gas prices decreased because the U.S. has been tapping into the oil reserves, but these times will not last.

Prices have risen almost a dollar since October 2010 and are predicted to rise into the $5 per gallon range in 2012.

Some other tips to saving on gas are removing excess weight from the vehicle. An extra 100 pounds can reduce mpg by up to 2 percent.

Also avoid aggressive driving. Driving smart and safely can increase mpg by 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent in the city.

New officer makes impact on HHS students Deputy Sheriff Brower brings police presence McKenna Glisson

staff writer Deputy Mary Brower may seem like an intimidating and scary police officer patrolling the hallways of HHS, but she’s a person just like everybody else and is trying to keep the school safe. Her official title is School Resource Officer. Her job is to keep the students in the district safe from any unwanted threats and takes care of the legal issues that involves students in our district.

During the 2010-2011 school year the Sheriff ’s Office met with the school about placing an officer within the Holt Public Schools. It was discussed several years before but not to the extent it was last school year.

After discussions with the school district and Delhi Township, they saw the need for an officer in the schools.

“She’s there to keep you guys safe and to deal with the legal part of it,” security guard Deb Watson said.

Brower was one of four deputies that the Sheriff’s Office considered for the position.

“I believe part of the reason that I was selected from the pool of deputies was my background with the Sheriff’s Office and education,” Brower said.

Brower is currently in a Master’s Program at Spring Arbor University.

Her field of study is Family Life Education. On October 25 she completed her program and will be graduating in May of 2012.

The Sheriff’s Office is contracted

by Delhi Township to patrol. The township also has a Community Policing Officer and Business Officer.

Delhi Township and the school district contract with the Sheriff ’s Office to pay for her position.

Since the township has agreed to pay half of her contract, she also gets to attend special events, like kids days, Holt Hometown Days, the Delhi Christmas tree lighting and other events that the residents attend.

Holt Public Schools isn’t the only school district that has police officers placed in their schools. East Lansing School District and Lansing School District also use school resource officers.

Brower rotates between the high school to the elementary, junior high, and the middle schools. Her hours vary at any of the schools depending on the needs of the school at that time.

Students from all over the district are wondering why she is here.

“All in all, most students are very respectful and have adapted to seeing me,” Brower said. “My hope is to have a positive impact on the students. I would hope that if students have a problem they would feel comfortable to talk to me.”

Photo by McKenna Glisson

School Resource Officer Mary Brower talks to health teacher Elizabeth Graf’s class during second hour about the dangers of texting and driving.

Fast Facts • • • •

Graduated from Jackson High School in 1987 Attended Police Academy at Kalamazoo Community College Likes to bike in the summer and ski in the winter Likes to read, watch sports and spend time with her family, which includes her dog

10

October 2011

It’s in the genes

Anna Pavlik

Two Angels

A

bout 12 years ago if you walked into my house at any given time, you’d probably hear the fighting of siblings, slamming of doors, crying of tears and unapologetic ‘sorrys.’

As one of my brothers shot me with his new Nerf gun that he promised Mom he wouldn’t shoot me with, I instantly started screaming at the top of my lungs. After all, crying is the only way to win when you’re the youngest.

So that’s why Michael had his brand new Nerf gun taken away, and why he didn’t like me very much that day, or most days when I tattled on him.

Michael and I are three years apart, so if you figure how well we got along with just a few years, try imagining how well David and I got along with a nice six-year gap. It could be scary at times. I’ll admit, most days I was a baby and cried my way out of things.

But hey, he was mean!

Dinner time was the worst. He’d only have to say one thing to make me snap, get up and leave, slam my door and cry for the rest of the night in my room. I’d hear my mother negotiating with him in the hall, “Say you’re sorry.”

Soon enough I’d hear a faint knock on my door. When David apologized, I knew he didn’t mean it, but I was bored with being in my room and my eyes were red so I took what I could get.

Now, we paint a much different picture. David’s hardly ever home, getting jobs from state to state.

Michael and I enjoy working with each other on the weekends.

When David comes home, I spend as much time as I can with him, knowing it won’t be long until he leaves for his next job. We still tease, wrestle and make fun of each other, but now it doesn’t end up with me crying in my room.

Michael always gives me the best advice, is always looking out for me. If he had a Nerf gun, he’d probably still shoot me with it, but now I’d take it from him and shoot him back, ending with us dying in laughter.

So when you’re crying in your room wondering why God gave you such mean big brothers, just remember that they’re only mean for so long, then they turn into angels. Thankfully, I was lucky enough to get two of them.

Features Holt High School Ramparts

APP-solutely smart

Smartphone apps are making technology easier by giving you more bang for your buck. Students share some of their favorite apps.

Chloe Henley

editor-in-chief

Twitter •Free Rating:  “I always tweet on my phone because it’s easier. I just tweet about what I am thinking of or something that just happened, and I am not always by a computer to tweet,” Ammon said.

Bump •Free Rating:  “I can receive pictures and other information without downloading it. I’m too lazy to download my own contacts when I can just ‘bump’ with a friend,” junior Sean Bulkowski said.

Angry Birds •99 cents Rating:  “Angry Birds is my favorite game to play on a long car ride or when there is nothing else to do. It’s addicting and only 99 cents,” Fiasky said.

FatBooth •99 cents Rating:  “It’s a fun photography app that makes you look fat. I always do it with friends,” sophomore Brandon Miller said.

GasBuddy •Free Rating:  “I always use GasBuddy when I am getting gas because I am not trying to pay for gas at one station and then find it for cheaper just down the street,” senior Erik Fiasky said.

Hanging With Friends •Free (lite version) •$1.99 (ad-free version) Rating:  “It is like Hangman except with a twist. I’m really bad at it, but it’s still a fun way to interact with your friends when you’re not physically with them” Miller said.

HeyTell •Free Rating:  “You can send a text with your voice. If you are doing something you can come back and reply to it when you want.

It’s like a walkie talkie,” senior Kari Somerville said.

Facebook •Free Rating: “I like Facebook on my phone but it’s slower. I usually only get on to check my notifications but not to creep on people,” Somerville said.

Tango •Free Rating:  “I like Tango just because you can see your friends and what they’re doing. It’s a way to communicate and you don’t have to be in wifi to use it like you do with FaceTime,” Bulkowski said.

Flixster •Free Rating:  “It’s easy if you are on the go and looking for something to do. I can just pull up the show times on my phone,” junior Haleigh Ammon said.

Words With Friends •Free (lite version) •$1.99 (ad-free version) Rating:  “I like Words With Friends because it’s a good way to interact with your friends. It gets really competitive,” Miller said.

Photo illustration by Chloe Henley Photo by apple.com. Used with permission.

Solitaire •Price varies Rating:  “I use solitaire on the daily. It’s a fun, simple game that I never get tired of,” Somerville said.

Features

11

Holt High School Ramparts

October 2011

Friendly Exchange The school hosts four new students from distant countries

Ida Smestad Home country: Norway

Maya Fews staff writer

A typical school day in Norway is never like the previous day because the schedule changes regularly. School for Smestad can sometimes start at 12 p.m. and end at 4 p.m. depending on the daily schedule. Here at HHS Smestad is part of the swim team. According to Smestad, America is similar to Norway in the language aspect.

The two countries differ in size.

Everything in America is on a larger scale.

E

very new school year brings a sense of familiarity: the same school, the same teachers, and the same friends. But for four HHS students, this year is not like ones in years past. HHS is playing host to four foreign exchange students: Ida Smestad, Christyn Herrmann, Ana Moncao and Corinna Kaas.

Corinna Kaas Home country: Germany

Germany

Christyn Herrman Home country:

A typical school day in Germany varies each day due to the fact that Herrman’s school has 14 subjects. Therefore every school days there are different classes than the previous school day. School in Germany can end as late as 4 p.m. Here, Herrman is part of the gymnastics team and is a cast member in the fall play “Arsenic and Old Lace”. The biggest adjustment to America for Herrman is the lack of public transportation.

“In Germany I could just get on the train which is five minutes from my home, and I could get to my friends or the next city,” Herrman said.

The thing Herrman likes the most about the U.S. is the openmindedness of Americans and Lucky Charms cereal, which is not available in Germany.

A typical school day for Kaas in Germany goes from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., depending on the day.

Here at HHS Kaas is part of the swim team, a member of Student Council and she hopes to join the basketball team .

“I like meeting new people and learning to live as an American,” said Kaas, on what she likes most about living in the U.S. Photos by Maya Fews

Ana Moncao Home country: Brazil

A traditional school day is from 7:45 a.m to 12:20 p.m., and different subjects meet each day.

Students do not change classes during the day, teachers switch classrooms.

“For example, 30 juniors are in the same class, and your teacher comes to the class, and by the end of the hour he/she leaves the classroom and another teacher comes,” Moncao said The biggest adjustment for Moncao living in the U.S. is not having her friends and family here and dealing with the upcoming winter.

“The food here is good and everything is really cheap and the people are nice,” Moncao said, on what she likes most about living in the U.S.

12

The Hot Spot

October 2011

Holt High School Ramparts

Cast sets the pace for ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ Actors prepare for riveting performances

Tickets

Students: $5 Senior Citizens:$5 Adults and others: $8 Show Times: Thursday, November 3-6 Thursday curtain call 7 p.m.

Sunday 2 p.m.

Cody Shattuck news editor Preparing for the opening curtain of the ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ production, the cast and crew are working hard around the clock to finalize by November 3.

‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ is a play about two sisters, Abby Brewster and Martha Brewster, played by Andee Krueger and Elaina Coscarella. They became millionaires by inheriting a family fortune, and are seen as the charity to their community, however, they have a sinister side. They think they are doing a charitable deed by poisoning old men with arseniclaced wine and burying them in the cellar of their house.

The focus of the play, however, isn’t as complex as it seems.

“The main focus or moral of the play is; what is true charity? What is helping?” Director Erin Umpstead said.

When the nephew of the two aunts Jonathan Brewster, played by senior Chris Lewis, comes back home after being away for some time, a twist occurs. Jonathan is

Photo by Cody Shattuck

Jake Hitchcock (left) , Parker Edwards (center), and Sarah Morgan (right) act out a scene from the play ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’. where officer O’Hara is talking to Mortimer about a play O’Hara is in the process of creating. a criminal who is assisted by his accomplice Dr. Enstein, played by Sarah Morgan. Jonathan is seen as the main antagonist in this play.

Some other important characters involved in the play are Mortimer, played by Jake Hitchcock, and Teddy, played by freshman Josh Golden, the brothers of Jonathan. The love interest of Mortimer is Elaine, played

by Amanda Viges.

For these actors however, it’s

more than just being in a play and entertaining the audience.

“I signed up for the play because I wanted to get back into acting,” Lewis said. “I really like it, and it’s good to get into the character.”

The actors have been working with the director on blocking, which means knowing where to stand, while learning the lines and memorizing their scripts.

“You should come and watch the

play because everyone has been really hard at work,” senior Adrianne Fleming said. “Everyone has given their all. I think you should see the hard work pay off. And it will be fun.”

There are challenges that go into being involved with the play.

“Being in the play, it takes about two to three weeks to get into full character,” Morgan said. “You have to learn all the lines, blocking and cue lines as well.”

Some of the cast would have had more of a part, but had to balance outside obligations such as jobs.

“I have baby sitting that I do and I still wanted to be part of the play,” Fleming said. “So it works. I get to play a dead person and wear dead people makeup. It’s still good to be part of the show.”

The director and the crew had nothing but positive feedback to give about the play and how it is developing.

“So far the play is coming along awesome,” Umpstead said. “There is a lot of good energy, a lot of lines learned. It’s the only play going on this year. There is a large cast and crew. It’s very interesting.”

The shows will open on Thursday, November 3, and continues through Sunday, November 6 in the Margaret Livensparger Theater. Curtain call is at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Sunday curtain call is at 2 p.m. Ticket prices are $5 for students and seniors. $8 for adults.

Modern Warfare 3 blasts its way into Xbox New game changes makes MW3 big news Zack Gilliland staff writer Guns blaze and grenades explode as players fight their way around different maps and battle their enemies. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is being released on November 8.

Modern Warfare 3 (MW3) has two different versions that will be available. The regular version, which is just the game, and a “hardened” version, which offers players all downloadable content (map packs,

perks, etc.) for the first year free.

The game is going to be a little different than the previous games.

In MW3 players can earn kill streaks, getting kills without dying by the points they earn, not number of kills.

“I’ve heard there’s more kill streaks, and instead of earning them by kill, you earn them by points,” junior James-Hunter Folleth said.

New guns will be available, including the AA12 shotgun, Spas 12, and AK-47. New kill streaks will also be available including a Talcon, which is a Mini Tank Robot; Little Bird Flock, mini helicopters which patrol the map; and Little Bird Guard, a big helicopter that follows players from above and protects them.

One of the interesting things about MW3 is that users can play online with friends, and chat with them to make working as a team easier.

“Playing with friends is fun,” senior Scott Reid said.

Playing with friends can be fun, but players must remember that other people that play may also be playing with their friends trying just as hard to earn as many kill streaks as you are.

One thing about the game that can annoy players is that people use nub tubes, an attachment that players can put on their gun such as a grenade launcher or flame thrower.

Players also camp or stay and hide in one spot and wait for their enemies to walk by so they can get an easy kill.

“Some guns are too powerful,” Folleth said. “They get kills easier.”

Some guns can be too powerful.

When players go up against an enemy that has a gun that is more powerful than what it should be, they

Photo by ACTIVISON. Used with permission.

are the ones that usually get the kill.

This game is rated M for mature, which means players must be at least 17 years of age unless parents have given permission to play the game. The game also has blood and

gore, intense violence and strong language.

The game costs $60 for the regular version and $100 for the hardened version.

The Hot Spot

13

Holt High School Ramparts

October 2011

Anticipation builds for new movies My Tunes Movies coming out soon interest some students

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

What’s stuck in English teacher Zach Lawson’s head?

Anna Pavlik

feature editor Sequels, kid movies, book-based, and action films are being released to screen between now and the end of the school year. Some students are ready to hit the movie theater with their friends and family for many anticipated new movies. However, a few students said they don’t think all of these movies will be worth going to see.

“Puss in Boots” Release Date: October 28 MPAA Rating: Not yet rated Starring: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek and Zach Galifianakis Summary: An adventure and comedy, Puss in Boots stands in the spotlight of his own movie. A tale about his adventures leading up to meeting Shrek and his friends, the sword fighting cat, known for his cute eyes, will steal watchers’ hearts as he takes them through his story.

“I’ve seen the ‘Shrek’ movies, and they’re okay. But I’m not planning on seeing ‘Puss in Boots’ because it’s a little kid movie. I expect it to be childish and funny, though,” sophomore Nicole Munson said.

“I want to see it; it looks really cute. I’ve seen previews for it. I think it will be funny and hope it’s as good as the ‘Shrek’ movies,” junior Amy Craft said.

“Happy Feet Two” Release Date: November 18 MPAA Rating: Not yet rated Starring: Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Pink and Sofia Vergara Summary: A sequel to the previous kids’ movie, “Happy Feet Two” tells the story of Mumble the penguin who faces a problem when his son, Eric, who is reluctant to dance, encounters the Mighty Sven. The world gets shaken by a powerful force and it’s up to Mumble to bring

Style of music: “I’m not really into classifying music by genres; just by its continuity of quality.”

Photo by Summit Entertainment. Used with permission.

together all the penguin nations to set things back to how they’re supposed to be.

“I didn’t like the first one because I thought it was corny and stupid, so I don’t plan on seeing the second one,” senior Rickelle Moubray said.

“I plan on seeing it. I appreciate the hidden integrity and complexity of children’s theatre.

I expect dancing penguins with a touching moral,” senior Nathan Haering said.

“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1” Release Date: November 18 MPAA Rating: PG-13 Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner Summary: Bella and Edward must deal with consequences of what they want: marriage, a honeymoon and now an unborn child. A threat to not only the world, but also to Bella, the two begin to fight about aborting the child or keeping it. Still in love with Bella, Jacob is furious. Bella’s baby is killing her quickly, and it’s up to fast decisions and smart moves to save her. The Quileute and the Volturi close in on the expecting parents, whose unborn child poses different threats to the werewolf pack and the vampire coven.

“I’ve seen all the other movies, and I’ve read the books,” junior Gabrielle Sample said.

“I don’t like that it’s coming out in two parts.”

Photo by Lionsgate Entertainment. Used with permission.

“I’m not going to see this movie because I don’t like the books. I expect a bunch of guys taking their shirts off and running around. I think it’ll be bad,” sophomore Brendan Mariage said.

“Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol” Release Date: December 21 MPAA Rating: Not yet rated Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton Summary: The IMF is shut down when it’s implicated in a global terrorist bombing plot.

Ghost Protocol is initiated, and Ethan Hunt and his team must “go ghost”. Without help or contact, they’re forced to be off the grid.

Hoping to clear their organization’s name, this ‘Mission Impossible’ promises to be more intense than ever.

“I plan on seeing it because I’ve seen the earlier ones. I expect it to be pretty good and action packed,” junior Jalen Scott said.

“I’d go see it because I like adventure movies.

I think it’ll be good because I’ve seen all the other ones. I expect that it’ll keep the plot going,” sophomore Katie Lewis said.

“The Hunger Games” Release Date: March 23, 2012 MPAA Rating: Not yet rated Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth Summary: This is an action and sci-fi movie set in the future where North America has been affected by famine, drought and fire.

Every year a boy and girl from each of the twelve districts are chosen by lottery to fight to their death on live television, with all citizens of the districts being required to watch. When Katniss’ younger sister gets chosen, Katniss volunteers to take her place.

“I think it has an appealing title, so I might consider reading the summary before I went to go see it,” senior Deven King said.

“I want to see it because I’ve read all the books and I think they’re awesome. I don’t know what to expect out of the movie, but hopefully they’ll match with the books,” sophomore Robby Eicher said.

“Sublime” by Sublime “The album demonstrates all that Sublime does well in one album.”

“Sound of Silver” by LCD Soundsystem “It has layered beats with ironic lyrics.”

“Paul’s Boutique” by Beastie Boys “Builds up the beats with intensity and sometimes funny lyrics. A favorite track is, ‘Looking down the barrel of a gun.’”

“Liquid Swords” by GZA “The GZA is a dynamic lyricist and the whole album was produced by the RZA giving the whole text a really grimy feel.”

“White Album” by the Beatles “Picking a Beatles album was like choosing between favorite kids. This album wins simply because of its content.

It has beauty and versatility.”

What’s stuck in senior Haley McFarland’s head?

Style of music: “Country. It’s just good, clean, southern home-grown fun.”

“Hicktown” by Jason Aldean “It’s a fun song you can dance to.”

“Fish” by Craig Campbell “It’s a fun summer fishing song.”

“Boys of Fall” by Kenny Chesney “Why don’t I?” “Country must be Country Wide” by Brantly Gilbert “It’s fun to jam to.”

“You and Tequila” by Kenny Chesney ft.

Grace Potter “It’s a chill song.”

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

14

Sports

October 2011

The Press Box GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY record: 4-3 league standing: Fifth place season highlight: “When we ran against Portage, the entire team, both boys and girls, ran beautifully. It was 80 degrees in October, but that didn’t stop Holt Rams from running to the point of passing out,” senior Abby Cottom said. in their words:“During the East Lansing junior varsity invite, and also during the greater Lansing varsity invite, athletes who weren’t required to run, dressed up in costume and cheered their teammates on,” Cottom said.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY record: 5-2 league standing: Second place season highlight: “The team’s best was winning Lakeview because it was the first meet and everybody ran really well.” senior Patrick Carrier said. in their words: “It was cool to run through the corn field behind the school,” Carrier said.

CHEERLEADING

season highlight: From performing at Homecoming pep rallies to cheering on Friday nights, the team members say they will miss stunting, cheering, and being with the team.

In their words: “My favorite cheer is the acceleration cheer because the student section gets involved and it pumps the team up,” senior Austyn Halligan said.

GIRLS GOLF

record: 23-3 league standing: Regional champions, eighth in the state season highlight: “Going to states and being able play in harsh weather,” sophomore Pader Her said. in their words: “Started off good, did great at regionals and went to states. States was alright because we had to play in really harsh weather,”

Holt High School Ramparts

Soccer team rolls into district tourney Team faces seven out of ten top teams Zahra Ahmad staff writer The season ended for the boys soccer team after losing to Brighton in districts on Saturday, October 23 at home.

Winning against Williamston earlier in the season qualified the team for the Gold Cup, a competition between the area’s top four teams.

The team took second in the Gold Cup and finished first in the league.

After the win against Williamston, the team played and won against Okemos and Dewitt to qualify for districts.

“It was hard fought but we stole some wins,” junior Alex Hadick said.

Coach John Conner said that hard work took them far throughout the season. The team faced seven out of the top ten teams this year.

“The whole season’s been about hard work. If we lose a game but worked hard the entire time, I’m okay with that,” Conner said. “Besides there aren’t too many schools that take on that level.”

Last year’s graduating seniors left the team with many young players.

Some coaches prefer a younger team.

Conner is among those who don’t mind a younger team; he said that it helps train them for the years ahead of them. Also their skills grow with each game.

Photo by Chloe Henley

Sophomore Jake Welch goes low in order to prevent the opposing player from kicking the ball. Plays such as these took the soccer team to districts.

“The good thing about having young players in the beginning is that they’ve grown in the end,” Conner said.

Although the team was younger, some players agreed the team worked much better together this year than they did last year. A few stated that last year the team was dependent on one or two players, while this year they pulled plays that required them to work much harder together.

“Last year we had a lot of star players; this year we’re a lot deeper,” senior forward Andrew Bonner said.

As for this team, age wasn’t much of an issue for them, the younger players didn’t feel much of a difference. Conner states younger players put in just as much hard work as the older players do when they get on the field.

“There’s no difference being a younger player compared to the

others who were already on varsity last year and this year,” sophomore Zach Hernandez said.

Hernandez was one of the many new players coming onto varsity this year. He, along with other new players, said that there is not much of a difference coming from JV. All of the younger players on varsity this year replaced players who are now going to play for colleges.

Age isn’t an obstacle that Conner intends to hold the team back.

“A n y t i m e y o u h a v e e i g h t sophomores on the field go against nine seniors it’s impressive,” Conner said.

The team had some issues at the beginning of the year trying to figure out how to work with the younger players and get used to their strengths. However, with time and a couple of games the players learned how to play very well with each other.

“In the beginning of the season it

had set us off a bit, but not anymore,” senior outside mid Ken Kruger said.

“Overall a good season, we have a lot of potential to do big this year.”

The team entered district last playoffs this week. The team has faced seven out of the top ten teams in Michigan so far this season. Some of these teams included Okemos, De La Salle and East Kentwood.

They ended the season with a 16-6-3 record.

“Every game from here on out is a big one,” sophomore and center mid Alec Greene said, before going into the district tournament.

For the younger players this may be a training ground for the years to come, nonetheless this was also the seniors’ last chance to go all the way to finals. Conner said how important these last few games were going to be for seniors.

“This is it for seniors. I’ll always have next year,” Conner said. “I don’t want them to take it for granted; there is no tomorrow.”

Players as well as the coaches wanted to see a much bigger turn-out from fans. As for what got the team through the season, Conner sums it up to hard work, focus and teamwork.

“Best plays come from a c a l m e nv i ro n m e n t a n d g o o d communication,” sophomore goalie Kaleb Akers said.

Younger players say they are just as excited as seniors about districts. The older players agreed that the team has a lot of potential.

“We’re finishing with accomplishments since the team is young but to win districts that would be sick. I would cry,” junior goalie Abel Mixaykham said.

Hockey team pucks it on the road

Lansing Capitals Midget Majors Pack up and hit the road Zack Gilliland staff writer

As players skate up and down the ice trying to score goals and prevent their opponents from scoring, they are being slammed into the glass and tripped up by an opponent’s stick. Players have taken hard hits such as these all over the country.

Travel hockey is a fun way to really get into hockey. Students that are involved in travel hockey

get to play around the country and sometimes out of the country.

The Lansing Capitals Midget Major AAA’s are one of the many travel hockey teams. Their current record is 12-4-1. They play about three games per week, and won states four years ago. The team practices three times a week for two hours, and games are played on the weekends.

The team will be traveling to California and possibly Texas for a few games.

Travel hockey also gives players the experience that the professionals and college level players have. Senior A.J. Strazalkowski has been playing hockey since he was five or six and plays defense.

“Travel is better if you want to go somewhere, where high school is more for fun,” Strazalkowski said.

Travel hockey can prepare players for the college

level and get them used to traveling.

Traveling around the country as a high school student can be very stressful, and school work can pile up.

“It’s tough. I usually ask my teachers for the work ahead of time,” Strazalkowski said.

Junior Ryan Polin has been playing hockey for 12 years and plays defense. His parents got him into it because they love the sport.

“I do travel hockey because I want to play for OSU and you can’t do that with the high school team,” Polin said.

Polin said he doesn’t want to go on to the National Hockey League (NHL), just play for college.

For more information about the team go to, www.glaha.com and under teams look for Midget AAA major.

Sports

15

Holt High School Ramparts

October 2011

Supporters’ loyalty finally does the trick

The Press Box

Lions fans are coming out to show their support for the team

FOOTBALL

record: 5-4 league standing: First place season highlight: “Winning homecoming was a season highlight because I’ve never won a senior homecoming before,” senior Jacob Zajac said. in their words: “I like being on the team because there’s a lot of closeness and togetherness,” senior Robert Barrios said.

Ben Blanck hot spot editor In their 82nd season in the National Football League, and after several years of unsuccessful runs for the Detroit Lions, the fans who have stuck with the team for the last decade are finally seeing the team’s hard work pay off.

After the Lions finished with a 0-16 record in 2008, 2-14 record in 2009, and a 6-10 record in the 2010 season, they are now 5-2 in 2011 and are expected to continue winning. Many fans at HHS are excited about the record of the team this year.

Some people believe that they are doing so well due to head coach Jim Schwartz. It is only his second season with the Lions, but he is no stranger to the game of football.

He played four years as a linebacker at Georgetown University and got his start in the NFL through research department for the San Francisco 49ers. He was the defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans from 2001 to 2008 before becoming the head coach of Detroit in 2009.

“The coach is doing a good job and bringing new energy to the team,” senior Jacob Johnson said.

According to the Detroit News, some Detroit fans feel that the connection between quarterback

BOYS SOCCER

Photo by Ben Blanck

Lions fans gather at local sports bars to watch the team play the Bears. This scene is similar to many other gathering spots in the area, now that the team is experiencing a winning season.

Matt Stafford and wide receiver Calvin Johnson has been essential to the team’s success.

Stafford alone has connected on 100 of 161 passes for 1,217 yards, eleven touchdowns, and has only thrown three interceptions. Stafford and Johnson seem to be the general favorites on the 2011 Lions squad.

“My favorite player is wide receiver Calvin Johnson because he’s a beast and scores touchdowns every time he catches the ball,” senior Danny Martin said.

Because of how well the Lions are doing this year with their undefeated record, fans are going

to do things a little differently this year. Ticket sales for games have increased largely and more fans are clearly attending games. More than that, fans are changing family traditions at home as well.

“Instead of getting together with the family on Thanksgiving, eating turkey and falling asleep, we will actually be watching the game this year,” paraprofessional Patty Fiasky said.

The Detroit Lions have not made it to the playoffs since 1999 and have not won a playoff game since 1991.

The next game is on October 30 when Detroit

Golf team drives their way to states Girls finish first at regionals; set school record Dalton Gibson staff writer Coming in first place in regionals can only happen for one team. For the girls golf team it has happened four years in a row. On October 6, the team placed first in Division 1 regionals at Eldorado Golf Course.

They broke the school record by 35 strokes, setting the new record of 328.

The new record was set by three seniors and a sophomore. Each of the four scores finished in the top ten.

Senior Casey Harkema placed fourth with 82, Lauren Strong placed fifth with 84, and Kari Somerville placed tenth with 88. Sophomore Pader Her

came in first with a score of 74.

“Every player is a key player because they play five and count the top four. If one person does badly the score goes up and is worse for the entire team,” coach Doug Harkema said. “Every player played to their potential.”

Due to placing first in regionals they were invited to states to compete with 16 other teams on October 14 and 15 at Grand Valley State University. Scores were combined after both days for their total personal score. The team had a first day score of 384. The second day of states had increased winds which led to the team to a score of 392. The team finished with a combined score of 776,which put the team in eighth place.

“The weather wasn’t the best at states, but it is not an excuse,” Her said. She had a score of 92 the first

day and 93 the second day, for a total personal score of 185.

Strong finished states with a combined score of 195. She said that at regionals she was excited to play on their home course because they knew it so well, and it was just another day of golf to them.

“Being on a team isn’t something anyone can do. Creating a family with that team and being something to them is the key to success. I will miss the Holt girls golf family and I’m so lucky to be a part of it,” Strong said.

Next year there will be a loss of three prominent seniors. The team will need some underclassmen stepping up to fill their spots.

Sophomores Alexxis Van Pelt and Her are returning next year. They are hoping to be Division 1 champions five times in a row.

record: 16-6-3 league standing: First place season highlight: Beating Okemos twice in their words: “The team has a lot of potential this year, the amount of hard work put in is paying off,” coach John Conner said.

GIRLS SWIMMING AND DIVING

record: 2-6 league standing: Eighth place season highlight: “Our biggest game was against one of our rivals Grand Ledge,” junior Courtney Kingsley said. in their words: “I feel that we have improved a lot. The conference was switched up so it looks as if we are lower. But we got better,” senior Madi Curl said.

VOLLEYBALL

conference record: 7-1 league standing: First place season highlight: “Beating Okemos was a big win for us because they are a big rival and no one expected us to win,” senior Haley Powers said. in their words: “Our volleyball team has done better than expected, and I’m proud of my teammates for accomplishing great goals,” senior Lauren Maier said.

BOYS TENNIS

Photo by Daniel Yu

Varsity golfer Pader Her takes shots on the Eldorado driving range. She will be back next season.

record: 16-6-2 league standing: Second place season highlight: “Season highlight was us getting to states and beating Jackson,” senior Clayton Chronister said. in their words: “Our biggest meet was in the conference championship and losing to Okemos in the third set,” junior Robert Lamond said.

Sports

16

October 2011

Holt High School Ramparts

Volleyball team heads into districts tied for first Annual game raises funds for cancer research Michael Hua sports editor The volleyball team lost to Grand Ledge on October 11, allowing them to tie for first place in the conference with one loss, alongside Grand Ledge.

The match went to a late fifth set, with a final score of 15-7. The match went back and forth the entire night and Holt was in the lead at the end of the third set but couldn’t hold on.

“We will rebuild as a team and hopefully see them later on in districts”, junior Nichole Smith said.

The Rams hosted the annual “pink-out” game for breast cancer awareness that night. The event brings many fans, students, and survivors from the community.

Money was raised through donations, 50/50 raffle tickets, and t-shirt sales.

The shirts were sold during lunch time and this helped spread awareness to the school. Fans

Don’t Miss This

Photo by Michael Hua

The team huddles and regroups after a tough set against Grand Ledge on October 11. They were undefeated in the conference before this match and were hoping to maintain first place and keep their momentum to districts. supported the cause by wearing the shirts to the game. The turnout for the game was definitely noticed when the bleachers were packed with family, friends, and fans that wore pink that night.

“Selling these shirts not only helps people become aware of breast cancer, it gives us an edge on the court by seeing all the support we have in the stands,” senior captain Haley Powers said.

Football October 28

The team will be playing against Grand Blanc in the first round of playoffs at 7 p.m. The game will be played away at Grand Blanc.

Boys Cross Country October 29 The entire team will be running in the MHSAA regional on Saturday at Portage. The girls will run at 2:30 and the boys at 3:10.

Girls Swimming November 3, 4, 5 The girls team will compete in the CAAC meet at Holt. Diving starts on Thursday and swimming will begin on Friday and end on Saturday.

Hockey November 8 The team will be playing in a tournament in Alpena on Friday.

Even though the team couldn’t pull out the win during the intense fifth set of the match, the team still has high hopes for the season. The reaction of the loss was given after the game.

“What an accomplishment we’ve had as conference champs. Going into the game, we knew we wanted to clinch by ourselves thought,” coach Kellie Sweitzer said.

The shared conference title still

proved that the determination of the team started very early in the season because of the team’s success so far.

“We have a really good team and we respect one another, so we will do well with the rest of the season and districts,” senior Christianna Blain said.

In tournaments this season, Holt finished first in the Corunna Invite, first in the Eastern Invite, second at Mount Morris, and second in the Battle Creek Lakeview tourney.

Before facing Grand Ledge, the Rams were also 6-0 in the conference.

During their last conference games before the pink-out, the Rams beat Okemos, East Lansing, and Jackson, all of these matches went to five sets.

Many wondered how the team would perform this upcoming fall season with seniors graduating from last year. Key graduating players like Devan and Kayla Walworth, Emily Klauka, and Kylie Hoose needed to be replaced. Young players needed to step up in order to help the team become successful.

Some players explained to how this season was different from previous years.

“We’ve lost a lot of seniors and had to rebuild team unity,” senior captain

Lauren Maier said.

Seniors Maier, Powers, Blain, and Tayler Peiffer decided to step up and adjust to the changes made by having early preparation in the beginning summer months. The team began to practice and this brought the girls together to make sure they’d be ready for the season.

They also had team bonding and hit the weights with one another to make sure team unity would be present in the season. Their hard work in the off season was shown with the team’s chemistry and high expectations.

“My goals this season are to win districts, beat Grand Ledge, and get far in regionals,” Powers said.

To reach their goals of winning districts for three consecutive years and getting far in regionals, the girls say they have to continue to work together.

“We all work really hard together.

Some goals we have are to win districts and maybe even regionals,” junior Marisa DuMond said.

Holt will play their first round of districts against Jackson or Battle Creek Lakeview on November 3 at Mason at 5:30.