October 2013

ramparts HOLT HIGH SCHOOL

OCTOBER 2013

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

VOLUME 22, ISSUE 1

Embrace the Season

Visit HHS’s haunted house p.3 Awesome autumn activities p.11 Make your own costume p. 8

Photo by Abby Cousineau

NEWS:

“The Legend of Robin Hood-Sort of,” makes its debut in November.

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NEWS:

A Pink Floyd tribute band In the Flesh Detroit puts on a benefit concert for Band and Choir boosters.

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FEATURE

Get ready for college one step at a time with our guide.

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HOT SPOT:

Find new music by great musicians you probably don’t know.

PAGE 12

SPORTS:

The equestrian team reaches new heights at the state finals.

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News

October 2013

F.Y.I.

Powder Puff

A juniors vs. seniors powder puff football game will be held October 30 at the Holt Junior High football field. The game starts at 7 p.m. Admisson is $2. All money will be donated to breast and pancreatic cancer research.

Donations are welcome.

Science Olympiad

Applications to join must be turned into science teacher Heather Peterson by November 8. Practices will be held Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 2:45 to 4 in room W209.

Yearbook

All seniors should have turned in their senior photo for the yearbook. If photos have not been submitted, seniors must talk to yearbook advisor Michelle Fulton in room E208. Yearbooks are on sale until Friday, December 20 for $70. Senior love notes are due by Friday, November 29.

Silver Bells

Celebrate the 29th Annual Silver Bells in the City Friday, November 22 in Downtown Lansing. The electric light parade, featuring the HHS band, steps off at 6 p.m. The tree lighting will be at 7:20 p.m., followed by fireworks at 7:30. Performances by singer Macy Kate, opening for Radio Disney’s boy band IM5, begin at 7:45.

Prom Committee

The Prom Committee meets Tuesdays and Wednesdays after school in art teacher Patty Pisano’s room, S125. All are welcome to attend. The two themes being considered this year are Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory or A Night Under the Big Top. The committee is currently fundraising to keep the ticket prices below $30.

School Store

Come get new Nike apparel at the school store this year. The school store is open Monday through Friday from 7:10-7:25 during A and B lunch, and after school from 2:30 to 2:45. No credit cards are accepted after A lunch. Select clothing is 50 percent off.

Holt High School Ramparts

Play tells Robin Hood’s story...sort of Cast prepares for school year’s first production Frances Johnson staff writer A king, a riddling witch, a sheriff, and Robin Hood. Rehearsals for an adventurous comedy, “The Legend of Robin Hood… Sort of”, written by author Pat Cook, are underway.

The play, which will be directed by Holt Junior High’s choir director Seth Burk, is a spoof of the original tale of Robin Hood, told in an unexpected way. Robin Hood is to fight the King for his injustices, but is tricked by a rhyming witch and is taken captive by the sheriff. King John has a plan to trap Robin Hood’s followers. The conflict will be settled, revealing who will be victorious, and if Robin Hood can win the hand of Maid Marian.

The cast of “The Legend of Robin Hood… Sort of” is amped up for the upcoming play. The story line for the play is said to be humorous, and the

Photo by Frances Johnson

Director Seth Burk (left) and junior Noah Fillion (right) practice a scene during a rehearsal. The performances will be on November 8, 9, and 10. atmosphere the actors have been in while in preparation has been nothing but positive.

Junior Jordan Rose, who plays the part of a spice-selling peasant, said

of the play, “It’s really good, and I love it. It’s funny and it is a blast to be a part of.”

Some of the performers are experienced in the theater setting,

like junior Noah Fillion. In 2008 he was in “A Christmas Carol”, and last year appeared in “A Murder has been Arranged”, which was performed in the Margaret Livensparger Theater.

Senior Austin Sehy, who will be playing King John, is making his debut.

“I wanted to get out of my comfort zone for my senior year,” Sehy said.

“I’ve always wanted to get into acting.”

Actors attend rehearsals throughout the week from 3-5 p.m. and find other times to practice their lines. Getting to know their characters and feeling comfortable are key to performing.

“I’m loud and am a merry woman,” Rose said about her character.

The technical director for the play is vocal music teacher Monty Bishop.

The technical crew is preparing for the play also. Checking lighting, sound, and working on the setting is a big part of a play’s success.

Showtimes for “ The Legend of Robin Hood… Sort of ” are on November 8 and 9 at 7 p.m. and November 10 at 2 p.m. Tickets will be $8 for students and senior citizens and $10 for everyone else.

HHS holds first College Career Fair College Fair brings students opportunities Noah Goldblatt editor-in-chief For the very first time, HHS will be home to an after-school College and Career Fair, rather than having colleges and other post secondary options come at lunch. Centered around 12 colleges, two beauty schools, the four branches of the military, police and fire departments and a construction company, it will begin at 5:30 and finish at 7:30 p.m. on November 6.

The event was put together by Student Success Coordinator Joann Weil, who came up with the idea last year as a solution to a problem she thinks has been affecting students for years.

Generally, colleges and organizations like the four branches of the military try to attract students during A and B lunch. Weil said she believes this is not a good way to help students with their post-secondary plans.

“Having colleges come at lunch is not

a conducive way to attract students,” Weil said.

Weil said she sees a need to focus more on academics and motivate students to succeed.

“We focus so much on sports, and the arts, and we also need to focus on promoting academics and pushing kids academically.”

She said she thinks that bringing these post-secondary choices to the school at a more reasonable time for students is a good way to attract them to future careers.

“If we can’t get kids to see colleges and to go on college visits, we need to bring them here to them,” Weil said.

Having the event be more available to his fellow students is important, according to senior Brendan Mariage, who says he did not know about the College Career Fair until very recently.

“I had no idea we had a College Career Fair. I had seen no advertisements for it,” said Mariage, who says that after high school, he will be going into business management.

Even students who are fairly sure of their college plans, such as senior Anna Yin, are considering attending.

Yin said she believes the College Career Fair can be a positive experience

Photo by Amy Clark

Student Success Coordinator Joann Weil has put many hours into preparing for the College Career Fair to be held on November 6 in the commons. The fair will bring local colleges, the military and trade schools to the school. for seniors or students of any grade.

“It allows students to explore their options for college or their careers,” said Yin, who plans to study medicine or biochemistry.

Regardless of post high school plans, this career fair will have something for almost anyone, which is what Weil intended.

“We worked to collect a database of colleges and jobs that students want, post-secondary,” Weil said.

The Career Fair will make its debut

this November, but looks to be a fixture for years to come, under Weil’s direction.

Next year, HHS will connect with MACRAO, a Michigan-based network of colleges, including Michigan State University, University of Michigan, Central Michigan University, Grand Valley State University, and several other colleges, that will participate in the college career fair in the future.

“It’s the next step in the process,” Weil said.

News

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Holt High School Ramparts

October 2013

Haunted house gives people a good scare Students work together to put on a good show

Nadia Gedeon

news editor The scariest time of the year has finally come around: Halloween, a time where people can be creative and create costumes that others would never think of.

The art department is putting on their haunted house again this year, on October 26 from 6-9 p.m.

It costs $5 to get in. “Carn Evil” is this year’s theme.

The students who went to the haunted house last year enjoyed the experience.

“The set-up was really creative. It looked different mainly because most areas were closed off. It was a lot scarier than I thought it would be,” sophomore Taylor Jenks said. Many who went last year said that they would go again this year.

But sometimes putting on a haunted house can be just as fun as going to one. Junior Anna Lyons is a member of the group who creates the haunted house.

To be able to create this haunted house takes a lot of time and hard work from students and teachers who are willing to help out. They meet in art teacher Joseph Corr’s room at the Ninth Grade Campus.

They split up into groups and each group decides on how they can contribute to making the haunted house as scary as it can possibly be.

“It’s really fun to participate and meet a lot of new people,” Lyons said.

Creating this may be a lot of work, but it all pays off when they have seen what they’ve accomplished.

“I would go back just to see if it would be better than last year,” Jenks said.

Those who went last year said that it didn’t even look like school. The hallways are blocked off and extremely dark so that people don’t feel like they’re in a school environment and get scared easier.

The haunted house is open to all. Junior Alex Gaukel said it’s not too scary for young children, but scary enough for teenagers and adults. Many students at HHS went with younger children and have also enjoyed the experience. There will be face painting and pumpkin painting held at the gym for younger children.

“I would go again this year, but I don’t know how they will top last year because it was pretty good,“ Gaukel said.

In Brief Ruth’s Race

The cross country team, students from local schools and 92 other runners participated in Ruth’s Race 5k Run on Thursday, October 3 and Saturday, October 5. Every year Ruth’s Race raises money for pancreatic cancer research and the H.O.L.T. scholarship. On Thursday’s race, junior Alberto Gomez came in first place, senior Grant Colligan placed second and junior Mark Danks took fifth place.

Quiz Bowl Photo by Nadia Gedeon

Junior Emma Heikkinen paints a prop that will be used in the haunted house. Everyone is welcome.

Haunted house

Cost: $5 Date: October 26 When: 6 - 9 p.m.

Where: Ninth Grade Campus Who: Art department

Ally Week takes control over bullying Students come together to work on a serious issue Abriel Cousineau Editor-in-chief Catchy music, dancing, hula-hooping, and crazy outfits have filled the school and commons this week. All this strange commotion has been an important part of Ally Week.

The sixth annual Ally Week kicked off on Monday, October 21. This event, which is organized by the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA), is a national youth-led effort that encourages students to be allies against anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) bullying.

“Ally Week draws attention to bullying awareness and helps encourage acceptance of personal differences. It promotes a safe atmosphere at our school where students will help each other when bullied,” science teacher MaryKay Boulanger said. Boulanger supports Ally Week and feels it is important to the school.

Ally Week is basically a spirit week for the GSA and the whole school. Special theme days and different events at lunch have been conducted every day this week.

“The theme days are one of the best parts about Ally Week; they get everyone involved and having

Photo by Abriel Cousineau

During lunch this week, junior Dani Myers and sophomore Grace Taggert signed students up to be allies in recognition of National Ally Week. fun,” junior GSA leader Dani Myers said.

The group has also offered daily opportunities at both lunches for the student body to pledge to be an ally.

An ally is a person who does not identify themselves as LGBT, but is one who supports a safe community by standing up against bullying and harassment, not only directed toward LGBT students, but toward anyone.

“When students who are bullied see all the signatures and see people who would not usually come together, come together and have fun with each other, it makes them feel safer,” GSA advisor Erin Umpstead said.

Ally Week is one part of a larger effort to create

safe schools for all students.

Senior Shawn Morris described Ally Week as, “a week in which we show our support for everyone and encourage people to be who they are.”

Ally Week was founded in 2005 by members of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), which is a national organization.

GLSEN members wanted to celebrate allies committed to ensuring safe schools for all, and they also wanted to encourage students to take action in their schools. Ever since then, Ally Week has been a national event put on every October by many high schools across the country.

This week shines a light on bullying and harassment within the school and also offers a remedy to this problem: be an ally.

“Ally week provides people with phenomenal support. It encourages people to be themselves and to be who they want to be,” Morris said.

Some students say they believe that Ally Week is helpful to those who are bullied or to anyone who feels different because it brings forth awareness that students don’t get on a regular basis.

“This week brings attention to the subject of bullying; it shows people that the things they say matter,” Myers said.

Eve r y s tu d e nt a n d f a c u l t y m e mb e r i s encouraged to participate in the events and pledge to be an ally.

“Ally week is good for the bullied, the bullies, it is good for everyone. It brings everyone together and keeps us united,” Umpstead said.

The Quiz Bowl team beat Ovid-Elsie 280-190 in the WKAR Quizbusters competition in the Lightning Round.

They are still waiting on other teams’ results before they determine their second round opponents. There will be a faculty challenge on Tuesday, November 5 from 2:45 to 4:30 at HHS. Staff, parents, and alumni are invited to attend.

Band

The band went to Grand Ledge High School on October 2 for the exhibition held there. Schools from all around the area, including Haslett High School, Dewitt, Portland, Everett, Eastern, and others, attended to perform.

The band, directed by band teacher Michael Emerson, performed their halftime show for music clinicians from Michigan State University and the other marching bands. James Bond was the theme this year for the HHS band. They performed the songs “Goldfinger,” “Live and Let Die,” and “For Your Eyes Only.”

Holiday Craft Show

The Holiday Craft Sale will be held in the commons on Saturday, November 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Over 50 vendors are currently signed up for tables. Admission is free and all proceeds go to help bring Challenge Day back to the school next year.

Tables are still available for vendors and can be reserved up until the week before the sale. The cost to rent a table is $35 for craft sellers and $55 for product sellers. For more information, contact Student Success Coordinator Joann Weil in the attendance office.

News

4

October 2013

New principal joins the school Willard joins HHS administration

from Dansville Lexi Harley staff writer The new year brings a new principal. The students came back at the end of the summer to Mike Willard being the new man on campus.

Willard was born in Ypsilanti. He moved to Jackson at the age of five and grew up there. He was the middle child out of all boys. His mom was a high school dropout.

“My mom truly taught me the value of education,” Willard said.

He is married and has three kids.

He taught at Jackson, and was the principal at Dansville before coming to Holt to be the principal.

Willard worked with Assistant Principal Chris Billingslea in Jackson before Billingslea moved to Holt.

Ramparts sat down with Willard recently to find out more about his

Holt High School Ramparts

About the new guy

Favorite quote: “Today’s the best day of my life I’m just living the dream.”

"He's driven to provide the best high school experience for the students," Billingslea said. “He is very dedicated to the students.”

Favorite part of the job: Willard likes being able to work in the community that he lives in.

“I’m invested to be here for a long time. I want the students to have a voice,” he said.

Assistant Principal Chris Billingslea "He's interested in the student body and actually wants to know what we are doing," senior Alyx Worden said.

Favorite book: “Good to Great”

by Jim Collins.

“I love to read books about education,” Willard said.

Family life: Willard has three kids: Reagen, 6; Casen, 3; and Lincoln, 22 months.

Senior Alyx Worden

Favorite childhood memory: Going camping and going fishing in the ocean in Washington.

“Mr. Willard is fun and has some great ideas,” Student Success Coordinator Grant Melville said.

Favorite music: He loves all music but country, but strangely his wife loves it.

Favorite TV Show: “Duck Dynasty” Favorite movie: “We Are Soldiers”

Photo provided by Mike Willard

Spending time with family is one of Principal Mike Willard’s hobbies. Starting from left is son Casen, wife Jenny Willard, daughter Lincoln, Willard, and his daughter Reagen.

Student Success Coordinator Grant Melville

Templin retires after 30 years in education Former principal reflects on years in the classroom Kylee Voorhis and Noah Goldblatt editors Principal Brian Templin was a fixture at HHS for almost 30 years.

In May he announced his retirement, and he left at the end of the 2012-13 school year, after working through the summer.

Templin reflected fondly on his years as principal.

“It’s taught me what service really is, it’s taught me to be humble, and it’s taught me that incredible lifechanging moments can be ordinary and so every day, but they have such a huge impact,” he said. “It’s taught me about human kindness and compassion.”

Templin began teaching biology at HHS in 1984. He was also a swimming and diving coach.

Early in his career he became close with many teachers he is still close

Photo by Grant Collligan

Students cheered former Principal Brian Templin, who returned to Holt as Grand Marshall for the 2013 Homecoming Parade. Templin retired to the Leelanau Peninsula area after working at HHS almost 30 years. with now. He and science teacher Dave Foy used to play tricks on each other often and helped each other as new teachers.

“Mr. Templin and I had great fun.

We shared a common office, and we would play tricks on each other.

We played Tetris on one of the first computers that we had, and played a little bit of chess,” Foy said.

Te m p l i n s a i d h e e n j o y e d

connecting with what students in the classroom.

“Being a teacher is the reward to see kids become empowered with knowledge and skills. People want to find purpose in things and connect with each other,” Templin said.

Science teacher Bill Hodges interned with Templin. He said he admired the way that Templin taught students to learn by doing and not by

the traditional methods. Hodges also said that Templin loved to make the class interesting.

“He was a storyteller, so things never went quite as expected. It was hard to plan around all the stories, but that was his skill set,” Hodges said.

In 1992 Templin moved into the assistant principal post. He was in that position for a year and a half before he became principal, a position he held for 20 years.

One of the most memorable moments that Templin had as an administrator was when he welcomed Vice President Al Gore to the school during his 2000 presidential campaign.

“I am standing in front of the old high school. There are helicopters in the sky. There are people with rifles on top of our building. Holt Road has been blocked off, and no one is coming down it. And these two large black SUVs with bulletproof plated armor drive up into our parking lot.

And that’s when Vice President Al Gore visited our school,” Templin said.

After his retirement, Templin moved to the Leelanau Peninsula. He

said the hardest part about leaving was the relationships with the people that he’d been around for many years.

One school event Templin said he would miss was Commencement. “ Yo u l o o k a t t h e k i d s a n d remember significant moments they had, moments in their history where they could’ve gone this way, but instead, they went this way.”

He also enjoyed the fall sports season.

“I love the first few football games, when the trees are starting to turn and there’s a bit of crispness in the air. I love it when the band comes on the field; all the kids are happy,” Templin said. “I like the energy of the kids because on the inside I’m still a bit of a kid.”

His advice to the students was to do their best.

“Find the good in every person you work with--teachers, parents--and work from that. Don’t make excuses; take responsibility,” Templin said.

He also tells students to relax, and take things as they come.

“Try to find ways to balance your life, slow down, and don’t get so uptight about what you have to do.

You’ll get it done, one thing at a time.”

News

5

Holt High School Ramparts

October 2013



In the Flesh Detroit show benefits band and choir Custodian gives back to community Lauren Hayslette staff writer

T

he idea of paying it forward, although cliché to some, is a code that custodian Mike Clark lives by. After being given love and support by the community over 20 years ago, he is now giving back to everyone who helped him through a very difficult time.

Clark is the force behind bringing Pink Floyd tribute band In the Flesh Detroit to the Margaret Livensparger Theater on Saturday, October 26 at 8 p.m.

In the Flesh Detroit, founded in 2012, will perform a benefit concert and a laser light show to raise money for the Holt arts program.

In coordination with the HHS Band and the Choir Boosters, Clark has put together the concert as a way of paying it forward after members of the Holt community helped Clark through a rough financial time many years ago.

Clark’s son Joshua inherited cystic fibrosis, which is one of the most common chronic lung diseases in children. It is a rare and often a fatal disease. Joshua was hospitalized for over 30 days while attending Midway Elementary.

David Rumminger, the principal at Midway during that time, made frequent visits to check up on Joshua and would often leave envelopes of money by the bedside on the way out. The Clarks also found money in their mailbox on the day Joshua was discharged.

Clark said he assumes this money wa s f ro m t h e s t a f f a n d o t h e r parents.

“My family has been blessed so many times,” Clark said. “My family really needed help because I was on leave to take care of Joshua.

Everyone’s supported us so much, whether it was bringing homework to Joshua in the hospital or fund raising money for him.”

Clark said the money was a great

Photo by Chris Lawrence Photography. Used with permission.

In the Flesh Detroit performs during one of their laser light shows. The band will be performing at the Margaret Livensparger theater on October 26.

All proceeds go to the Band and Choir Boosters. relief for the financial burden that they faced during this difficult time period.

“God put me in a good position to give back to everyone. To give back to the kids, and to honor Mr. Rumminger for everything that he’s done for my family,” Clark said.

All the proceeds will go to the Band the Choir Boosters. The choir will be performing the song “Another Brick in the Wall” with In the Flesh Detroit as well.

Sophomore Blaine Conti, who is a member of the choir, said he feels that the concert will be a learning experience for some because many people don’t listen to classic or psychedelic rock. He encourages ever yone to attend and enjoy themselves.

“There’s going to be a light show, which is kind of cool. There’s also going to be pyrotechnics, which look sweet,” Conti said. “It’s a good opportunity to learn about classic rock and the beginning of psychedelic rock.”

Although Pink Floyd is a band from the 70’s, many students have seen the fliers around the school and are excited to attend the concert to help out the community.

Junior Truman Smith, an avid Pink Floyd fan, heard about In the Flesh Detroit and is looking forward to seeing them and hearing Pink Floyd’s music live.

“My dad is a big fan of Pink Floyd and always plays their music when we are on road trips. What I like about them is that all of their albums have a theoretical ambiance to them. I am pumped to go to this concert,” Smith said.

S e n i o r A d a m Pa r r y i s a l s o looking forward to attending the concert, and said he feels as if other people should attend regardless of if they enjoy the music or not.

“This music is a different genre.

It’s kind of forgotten in a way,” Parry said. “It’s not mainstream anymore, but it was mainstream b a c k t h e n . It ’s a ‘ t h ro w b a c k Thursday’ so to speak.”

Bud Kouts Chevrolet donated $2,000 for the event, which Clark hopes sells out completely.

“We want so badly to sell out the 840 seats in the theater,” Clark said.

Theater and Events Coordinator Jeff Miller also plays a critical role in preparing for the band’s performance. Miller said he feels like this concert is a great opp or tunity for stu dents and anyone in the Holt community to have a good time and help out a great cause.

“It’s a classic sound track, great performers, awesome light show, inexpensive tickets, close to home, it helps our boosters...I can’t think of any reason why students shouldn’t attend,” Miller said.

Tickets for the concert cost $15 and can be purchased from Clark during school hours, at both lunches, or online at Holt-ITFD. Eventbrite.com for $16.82.

“If you have been given a gesture of kindness by anyone, please pay it for ward because there is no greater feeling than to know that someone cares about you,” Clark said. “Please buy a ticket and come enjoy yourselves.”

6

Viewpoints

October 2013

Holt High School Ramparts

Our View

Ally Week is for everyone

Athletes aren’t just strong

A

s Ally Week comes to an end, the anti-bullying efforts should not.

Nationally recognized, Ally Week brings bullying awareness to K-12 students across America, giving students from all backgrounds the opportunity to come together for a common cause.

Although put on by the Gay-Straight Alliance at HHS, Ally Week serves the purpose of shining light on the efforts to end all types of bullying, not just homophobia.

Much like spirit week, each day had a theme students could dress up to.

Monday was pajama day, Tuesday was pirate day, Wednesday was princess day, Thursday was hero day, and Friday was rainbow day. At lunch you could find students participating in hula hoop games, candy competitions, and dancing.

We believe it is helpful because it allows us to look past our differences and work with classmates we may not have had the chance to otherwise.

Supporting those who have been bullied not only helps victims feel safer and more secure, but the overall student body and staff as a whole.

However, not all students take Ally Week seriously. Many believe it to be a week only for gay students, when that is not the case at all. Worse yet, some take it as an opportunity to make fun of those who do participate. Ally Week is important to the dynamics of our high school’s cohesiveness and should not be seen as a yet another means to put down the students or staff around us.

That being said, Ally Week should not be just a one week effort but the starting block to encourage us for the rest of the year. Whether physically or verbally, when you see a student being bullied, make it your responsibility to help put an end to it (tell a trusted adult if you can’t do yourself ). Be an ally to victimized students at our school all year long. We have the power to take a stand and turn Ally Week into Ally Year.

ramparts Editors in Chief:

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

Adviser:

Grant Colligan

What truly makes up athleticism

W

ith baseball, football, hockey, NASCAR, and soccer all being played this month, we will be watching a lot of sports. While we watch, the announcers will probably say that almost all of the competitors are true athletes. A true athlete is not one who is very strong in one aspect of athleticism but in all of them.

An athlete, must be proficient in strength, speed, endurance, agility and technique.

I know when I first think about an athlete I think of a big, strong football player who is well built and looks like they spend more time in the weight room than on the field. These guys are like

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson: Players who can bench press 400 pounds and lift a truck, but can’t run a mile without needing oxygen.

They are the true athletes, the big strong guys. But then what about the little track stars? They are athletes with top speeds that they show off in the 100 meter dash.

These sprinters, though, are small and not necessarily strong but still professional athletes.

Then we see a distance runner, who by most accounts would not be an athlete, but has more endurance than any other professional athletes.

These runners are not strong, nor necessarily fast in flat-out speed, but they are still professional athletes. These are athletes like 2-time Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah, who has become the most celebrated athlete in the United Kingdom, even being knighted.

These professionals are all athletes who seem to move in straight lines or move through the defense using their strength. Then how about the agile soccer player? The one who can jump over sliding defenders, switch directions quickly, and look up for teammates, all while dribbling a ball. One example of this would be Barcelona Football Club’s

Your View

Abby Cousineau Noah Goldblatt Nadia Gedeon Emily Pielack Kylee Voorhis Sydney Holmes Stacie Skinker Grant Colligan, Paige Farrington, Alexis Harley, Lauren Hayslette, Andrew Johnson, Frances Johnson, Emma Sluiter, Asean Vue, Mallory Weil 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.

forward Lionel Messi, the most agile player in soccer, who has become the highest paid athlete in the world.

Where then, would number one ranked tennis player Rafeal Nadal fit into athleticism.? He isn’t as strong, fast or agile as these other athletes. He is skilled in technique, though. No one can pick up a tennis racquet and hit the ball as hard as he can. Nadal has amazing technique that he uses to beat all other tennis players.

So, these professionals don’t all have the same amount of talent in each of the characteristics of being athletic, but they all have to contain these different characteristics.

A Football player may be mostly strong, but they must be fast enough to move around the field, have enough endurance to keep playing on the field, be able to switch directions quickly to stay with the play, use their hands efficiently to not get a penalty, and be smart enough to be where they are supposed to be.

The key thing to recognize here is that all athletes are different and have different strengths and weaknesses. To call someone nonathletic because they play a sport that doesn’t require much strength is just simply untrue.

Photo by Amy Clark

Ramparts staff 2013-14. Staff members from top left: Asean Vue, Nadia Gedeon, Lauren Hayslette, Sydney Holmes, Abriel Cousineau, Emma Sluiter, Grant Colligan, Lexi Harley, Kylee Voorhis, Mallory Weil, Stacie Skinker, Paige Farrington, Noah Goldblatt, Frances Johnson, Andrew Johnson, and Emily Pielack.

Dear students, Welcome to the first issue of Ramparts newspaper for the 2013-14 school year. This year, we welcome 10 new writers to the staff, each bringing a new perspective to reporting. Our staff is ready for a great year of keeping you informed on the events and issues that matter to you.

This space is reserved for you, and your thoughts. Please write us a letter-to-the-editor and tell us your thoughts. Feel free to comment on anything you would like to, whether it’s about how we are doing our job or any issues within the school, community or even nationally. We’d love for you to drop your letters off to Mrs. Clark in room E221.

Thank you, Abby Cousineau Noah Goldblatt Editors-in-Chief

Viewpoints Holt High School Ramparts

Never say never to yogas Yogas are a substitution for jeans

Emma Sluiter

Y

oga pants are flat-out awesome. More than half of the student body agrees.

In a recent Ramparts survey of 150 students, 53 percent said they were “awesome.”

Many factors play into loving “yogas,” like feeling comfortable in them and wearing them because they are a better look than just sweatpants.

They have been a lifesaver for me in high school, as they are much faster to put on than struggling to put on a pair of jeans in the morning.

But yoga pants and leggings have been a recurring discipline problem.

All staff is required to send students to the office if they are wearing tight leggings. Although many teachers discipline the students who wear super provocative outfits, other students do not get caught.

In the same survey 97 percent of students said the rule of leggings is not applied consistently. Many students complain that some get caught right when they walk through the door, while others walk into school casually and not a word is said to them. It gives the impression that the administrators don’t care for the rule because they do not apply it to every student.

Therefore, they should get rid of the rule altogether.

Another thing to consider about yoga pants is how are teachers able to distinguish between the various types of pants? Yoga pants and leggings are very similar, and sometimes I cannot tell the difference between the two. The only real difference is the waist band that is on yoga pants. These comfortable black pants should be accepted if you wear one or the other because you cannot see the difference between the two types of pants.

It seems like some students get caught because of their body type.

If the person wearing the leggings is more flattering to the eyes to those in the school, administration will not approach them as much as they

“

would to someone who looks like they fill the leggings well.

Administration made a rule to let students wear leggings if they wear longer shirts with them. This is not going to stop people from wearing yoga pants. Administration is still trying to get students to wear leggings, and students are not going to care to cover up.

Longer shirts that cover up tight leggings are supposedly more flattering to the eyes of people at schools.

Leggings are ridiculously comfortable, and students should be able to substitute them for jeans.

A short shirt with leggings is a cute way to represent yourself, as it gives you a dressier look than wearing a shirt with jeans.

The rule of wearing yoga pants with something that covers up the butt should be destroyed. Students need to be able to represent themselves how they want. It doesn’t matter what some may think when someone is wearing yoga pants or leggings. If the person wearing them is comfortable and happy with how they are representing themselves, they should not be punished.

The rule isn’t applied consistently.

”

Hot or not?

Hot:

Hanging on to the fact that Kris and Bruce Jenner split up.

After 22 years of being together, it’s a big shock.

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October 2013 Not:

Talking about Miley Cyrus’s performance at the VMA’s. It’s old news.

Question of the Month

What do you think of the new law that requires an opportunity to say the Pledge of Allegiance in class?

“I think it brings patriotism to the student body and reinforces core democratic values established during this great nation’s founding.”

Nickola Milosavljevic, senior

“I think it’s good for the people that are really patriotic, but I feel like if people don’t say the pledge, it makes them look like they don’t respect their country.”

Brianna Stoner, junior

”I like it. Though our country may not be a hundred percent perfect, I think we have it pretty good, and I think it’s right to have the chance to honor and show our respect for our country. Plus, it’s optional, so it’s not forcing anyone into it who doesn’t believe in it.”

Jacklyn Johnson, junior “I think it makes the students think more about how we all, as U.S. citizens, come together every day. Some people may ignore it because they think it’s stupid, but the ones who pay attention to it know the real meaning behind it. I’m glad it has come back.”

Ian Velasquez, senior

“I don’t think most people do it because they are lazy. I think we should do it later on in the day.”

Ian Scruggs, sophomore

Corrections Cartoon by Paige Farrington

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.

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Features

October 2013

Holt High School Ramparts

CraftyCostumes

DIY Halloween costumes save money and catch attention

Minion

1 pair of jean overalls 1 yellow T-Shirt, sports bra or bandeau Yellow tights 1 grey or black head band 2 white styrofoam cups A black permanent marker Tape or glue

Abby Cousineau editor-in-chief If you have been lazy about getting your perfect costume or have been stressed about the price tag which accompanies that one you fell in love with at Party City, this story is just for you.

The time has come where your parents are no longer willing to cough up the cash for your Halloween costume, so what is a broke high school student supposed to do? You probably don’t have the money to go out and buy a whole costume from the store, and even if you did, you don’t want to spend your hard-earned cash on one, so the solution to your problem is to make that costume yourself, of course, and for an attractive price, too.

Now, obviously you want to be original. You don’t want to pull the cliché witch or cowboy number. No, you want to be unusual; nothing is worse than stumbling upon your costume twin when out in the neighborhood or at the annual party. No need to be stuck on what to wear, though. We’ve got you covered. These costumes are sure to catch attention and save your wallet.

Put your jean overalls over top of your yellow shirt, sports bra or bandeau. To make the minion’s goggles ,cut down the Styrofoam cups so they are about 1 inch high and draw a circle in the bottom of the cup so it looks like an eye.

Lastly, tape or glue the two Styrofoam cups onto the headband and put it on.

God’s Gift

1 large box A roll of wrapping paper 1 gift bow for the top of the box A scrap piece of cardboard A permanent marker String or ribbon Scissors Tape or glue Cut a large hole in the top of your box for your head, and cut two smaller holes on the sides for your arms. Once you have your holes cut, wrap the box in the wrapping paper and cut out the spaces where your holes are.

Then put a bow on the top of the box. Put it to the side, though, so it is not in your face.

Lastly, you have to make a tag. Take your scrap piece of cardboard and cut out a tag shape then write in permanent marker: “From: God To: You. Cut a small hole in the tag and tie some string or ribbon through the hole and tape it to the top of the box.

Runaway Bride

A pair of running shorts A white tank top or white dressy shirt Running shoes A wedding veil A big fake diamond ring An iPod/iPhone (if you have one) A pair of headphones Do your hair and makeup so you look fancy, and then put on your running shorts, dressy white shirt, your wedding veil and ring. Finally, grab your iPod or iPhone and some headphones and you are ready to go.

50 Shades of Grey

A bunch of different grey paint swabs A grey t-shirt Grey wig or hat (optional) Tape

Funny Childhood Costumes

Photo by Gayle Hill

“My mom made the costume and I thought it was really cool that she also made a clown costume for my Winnie the Pooh doll,” English teacher Christine Fisher said.

Photo by Sue Jacoby

“We never got to go trick-ortreating because we lived in the country, so we had to go drive house to house to get candy,” English teacher Anne Russo said.

To accomplish this simple look, tape all the grey paint swabs you have collected on your grey shirt in rows. Lastly, if you have one, put your grey wig or hat on.

Photo by Karen Martin

Grape

1 package of purple balloons A black long-sleeved shirt Black pants or leggings A small piece of green felt or construction paper A headband A green permanent marker Tape Scissors First, put on your black shirt and pants or leggings and blow up about 30 purple balloons. Make your leaf, before you put your balloons on. To make the leaf cut a leaf shape out of your green paper or felt and draw some lines on it with the green marker to make it look more realistic. To apply your leaf, tape it to a headband and then put it on.

Pictured above are sophomore Levi Peterson as God’s Gift, senior Mackenzie Dudek as the Runaway Bride, sophomore Bri Cousineau as a Minion, senior Jake Thompson as 50 Shades of Grey and senior Chris Santos as the grape.

“Every year at Horizon we would dress up in costumes and go to the nursing home across the street. One year I decided to be a cheerleader because I thought it would be funny,” senior Austin Kent said.

Photo by Norm Sauer

“I had a friend who also had a Wonder Woman costume, and I just remember us having a lot of fun together in them,” science teacher Lisa Weise said.

Features

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Holt High School Ramparts

October 2013

Bailhe’s secret shared Piano talent no longer hidden

Stacie Skinker sports editor Three tries. That’s all it takes for senior Mitch Bailhe to hit almost any tune of any song on the piano regardless of whether he’s ever heard or even seen the notes before.

There’s always more than meets the eye when it comes to students at HHS. From the outside, Bailhe may appear to be just a nice, brownhaired, blue-eyed athlete who knows how to make people laugh. But what most don’t know is that he’s been playing the piano since third grade.

“I used to play classical music on the piano and go to festivals,” Bailhe said. “Now I just make up songs and play out tunes.”

Bailhe competed in seven piano festivals as a kid and received superior ratings all seven times.

Superior ratings are the highest of five possible scores.

Bailhe said his musical inspiration can be summed up from a quote by Ludwig Van Beethoven: “Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.”

He first discovered that he could play almost any common song in three tries while messing around at a friend’s house; the friend was totally amazed.

“I used to make up the endings to my classical pieces at concerts because I didn’t practice enough to know the music,” Bailhe said.

Growing up Bailhe didn’t particularly enjoy being forced to practice.

“I enjoyed playing sports, so practicing became more of a chore,” Bailhe said.

Today, Bailhe is on the varsity tennis team and participates as third

Students give their thoughts on iOS 7 Paige Farrington staff writer The iOS 7 update has over 200 new features including the Control Center.

There’s no need to search for common settings anymore. Also, there is an improved Notification Center, smarter multitasking, all-new camera app with photo filters, new Photos app, iTunes Radio and lots more.

Below, students weigh in on the pros and cons.

Photo by Stacie Skinker

Senior Mitch Bailhe works his magic fingers on the keyboard in choir class.

Bailhe began lessons in third grade and has known how to play for nine years.

PROS

CONS

Accessibility is at your fingertips with the new control panel.

Just swipe up from any screen, including the Lock screen. You can do things like turn on and off your WiFi, change the brightness of the screen and even use a flashlight.

“My favorite part would have to be the control panel.

It’s very easy to use,” senior Timmy Cain said.

The bold new look is a turn off for some.

“Old one was cleaner; now it looks like a second grader made it,” Cain said.

“It looks like an Android, “sophomore Isabel Garcia said.

Not all people are turned off by the new look, though.

“I was going to have to update my phone eventually, and plus the old version was getting boring and plain anyway, “ sophomore Kaitlin Hammond said.

Multi-tasking is much smoother.

For all apps to be fully updated it might take some time. iOS 7 learns when you like to use your apps and can They tend to close on people, too. update everything before you open them. So let’s say you “The worst part of iOS 7 is the fact that sometimes my check Twitter every day at 7 a.m. Your feed will be ready apps like to just randomly close on me like when I’m on and waiting for you.

Vine or Instagram. It’s annoying,” senior Sasha Scott said.

“Everything flows more smoothly and is more modern, I’d say,” Hammond said.

Photo by Paige Farrington

To update or not to update?

Ramparts surveyed 75 students about their thoughts on the iOS 7 update. Here’s what they said: Love it: Updated: It’s okay: 85.3% 25.33% 40 %

Hate it: 21.33%

doubles. He’s also a pole vaulter on the track team and runs the 400meter dash.

“I like tennis more because it’s more fun, and I get to be with friends and compete,” Bailhe said. “Piano is just sitting by myself; I like being part of a team.”

Among the small fraction of students who know he plays piano, an even smaller portion knows of his unique skill.

“I was very surprised, I didn’t think Mitch would be the type to know how to play the piano,” senior Adam Perry said.

Although Bailhe has since quit formal practice, you can still catch him having fun and challenging himself to repeat tunes on his own.

“Even though I don’t play piano very much anymore, I am happy that I still have the skills with me,” Bailhe said. “I can always go back to it if I want to, and one day I hope to start playing seriously again.”

Didn’t update: 14.7%

New and improved Siri.

Once you update you can’t go back to A clearer sounding female or male voice makes Siri even the old version. easier to understand. It’s faster at answering questions and It’s a one-way trip. can also do extra tasks like returning calls, playing voice “Eventually I’m going to have to update, which sucks,” mail, controlling iTunes Radio and more.

Garcia said.

Nice and easy built-in photo filters.

Battery life seems to not last as long anymore.

Photos are now separated by dates too. Now there “All it does is drain my battery,” Garcia said. are faster and easier ways to scroll through your photos.

Introducing Years, Collections and Moments.

“I updated to iOS 7 just for the dates on my pictures,” Cain said.

10 Preparing for College October 2013

Students should start early and get ahead Emily Pielack opinion editor

College, for many students, is a goal four years in the making. They get good grades, study hard for college entrance exams and participate in extracurricular activities because they know that it all helps them to get into their dream school.

Getting admitted to college can be a long and stressful process. Each student has a different take on it and has different knowledge about it.

Sophomore Connor Kelenske will probably begin next year.

“I’ve taken a few practice tests,” Kelenske said. “But that’s about it.”

For other students, especially upperclassmen, college is at the forefront of their minds. Senior Cade Butch has thought about college throughout his high school career.

“It’s been an ongoing process throughout high school,” Butch said.

“It’s all pretty stressful.”

In order to prepare for college, Butch sought advice from teachers and coaches. He also has gone on college visits, which he said was the most fun that he’s had throughout the process.

After four-years of preparing for college, Butch said he wishes he knew that starting early was important. He also said it’s important to know that students don’t have to pick a college based on a major right away.

Junior Austin Serna has focused more on the ACT and SAT. He said that he’ll start preparing for both tests this winter and will go to the Sylvan Learning Center to study.

“Preparation is the most stressful p a r t ,” S e r n a s a i d . “ B e c a u s e

Features Holt High School Ramparts

preparation should be the hardest.

If you take time and prepare right, the test should be easy.”

For all students looking to attend college after high school, preparation is key. Working hard and staying on top of school can lead to an acceptance from your dream college.

There are key things that students should focus on, depending on what grade they are in.

Sophomore year

Sophomores should focus on challenging themselves in their classes, which is something that many colleges look for. Maintaining a good GPA is also important. Good sleep and study habits are something that Butch recommends to achieve this.

It’s also important for sophomores to get involved outside of the classroom. Whether it’s sports, clubs, or volunteering, it’s important for students to find something that they feel passionate about. Colleges look for this type of involvement, as well as leadership positions held in these activities.

Junior year

During their junior year students should continue to focus on their studies and activities. At this time, students should also start preparing to take the mandatory ACT test, an important part of getting admitted to many colleges. Starting early and working hard can be key to this success.

Junior year is also a time when students should start looking more seriously into colleges. Visiting schools can also be very helpful in determining the right one. Counselor Rebecca Fedrigo said that deciding which college is best for you is one of the most important things to do.

“I went on the first college visit in April last year,” senior Sydney Bulock said.

She knew that she wanted a small college where the professors are

Photo by Emily Pielack

As early as freshman year students will receive college information in the mail. Students can look through these pamphlets in order to get a better idea of what colleges they are interested in. more personal. This is something that college visits can give students a more visual perspective of.

Students can set up a college visit by going to their website.

Visit information is usually under the “Prospective Students” or “Admissions” page. Visits may be a group walking tour or a one-onone visit. Fedrigo said that students should start visits their junior year.

Talking with a counselor can provide more details on this.

Senior year

Senior year is when the college preparation starts to come to the forefront. Applying early and before deadlines is key to getting admitted.

The Early Action deadline for most schools is November 1. At this time, the rate of admission is higher for many colleges, according to www. collegeboard.org. Most schools also offer an earlier decision at this time.

Students can still apply for a Regular Decision, where the deadline is usually in January or February. It is important to look up deadlines for each college, as they all differ, Although many students may catch a case of “senioritis”, it’s important to

remember that this year still counts.

Senior Justin Green said he isn’t worried about this and that he’s been trying this year at the same rate he has in years past. Even when students are admitted, many colleges still check up on students’ grades, according to collegeplanning.com.

Falling behind in school may possibly mean a revocation of the student’s admission.

With the price of college increasing, it’s key for students to get started on applying for financial aid and scholarships early. A simple Internet search can help students discover thousands of scholarships. Even though they may be small in relation to the cost of college, it must be remembered that it can all add up.

A n imp o r t ant finan cial aid application for students attending college is FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). It offers more than $150 billion in grants, loans and work-study funds. Students can access this program by going to www. fafsa.ed.gov.

Bulock is just one of many students looking forward to the college experience.

Useful Websites College and career planning: www.careercruising.com Career research: www.bls.gov Information about Colleges: www.collegeprowler.com SAT, ACT and college planning: www.collegeboard.org Scholarship and college searches: www.bigfuture. collegeboard.org The school’s counseling site: www. holtguidanceandcounseling. weebly.com “Being on my own and meeting new people is the most exciting part,” Bulock said.

However, the stress of preparing for college can get to many students.

“Plan early and apply early”, Fedrigo said. This can help eliminate the sresss. Staying organized, keeping up with studying and taking the time to do all things necessary in order to succeed in getting into and paying for the right school will also produce a great return in the end.

Features

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Holt High School Ramparts

October 2013 Visit Halloweekends a t Ce d a r Po i n t i n Sandusky, Ohio The amusement park is hosting this event every weekend through this weekend.

Enjoy the amusement park rides as they’re decorated for Halloween with the addition of haunted attractions after dark. Junior Sierra Schrier says she attended Halloweekends on October 19.

“Halloween is my favorite, and I was excited to see how it was decorated,” Schrier said.

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Photo by Abby Cousineau

Top 10 Autumn Activities Mallory Weil staff writer Ever sit around on the weekend without a clue on what to do? Take advantage of the season.

Here are some of the best things to do this fall around mid-Michigan. It’s autumn-atic fun.

Visit a Haunted House Shawhaven Haunted Farms in Mason offers "Wagon of Fear Rides" where you can take a ride through open fields and deep dark woods.

They also have haunted corn mazes, and of course you can walk through the haunted barn.

Admission for one maze is $5.

The cost for both mazes is $7. The wagon ride is $10. The haunted barn is $7. The cost of all haunted events is $22.

1

Visit Uncle John’s Cider Mill in St. Johns (8614 US127, St. Johns) Here you can pick apples, go on hayrides and choose the perfect pumpkin.

It’s a great place to go with the family or a group of friends. Enjoy donuts and cider in the restaurant or visit the gift shop right downstairs.

Uncle John’s is open daily 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

2

Browse Party City Now for those of you who think you’re too old to trick-or-treat, there is no harm in browsing Party City for decorations and costumes. Bring a couple of friends along and try on some masks and costumes. Maybe even throw a themed party and invite all your friends. It’s a guaranteed good time if you have some fun with it.

3

Have a scary movie marathon Rent a bunch of horror movies, stay inside and get the popcorn ready.

“I love scary movies.

They make me think. I like to put myself in the killer’s point of view and try to figure out what they’re going to do next,” senior Timmy Cain said.

Rent a series of movies like “Halloween” or “Saw”. If you’re not a scary movie fan, you can enjoy other holiday movies like “Hocus Pocus.”

4

Get Outside The scenery in Michigan is beautiful this time of the year, and the weather can’t be beat, so enjoy it while you can. Go for a hike or a bike ride at local parks like Valhalla or Birchfield. Gather a bunch of friends and have a bonfire complete with s’mores and a ton of blankets.

“I like doing something with my friends other than just watching TV on the couch,” junior Alli Bertram said. “We do outdoor movies around the bonfire. We use a projector and portable speakers”.

7

Bake something or make treats There are so many fall treats and recipes out there. Make use of the resources and cook some up. Some popular things to make are baked pumpkin seeds, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread,pumpkin…pretty much anything. Also homemade applesauce and the ever-so-popular caramel apples.

8

Attend a fall sporting event Many sports that everyone can enjoy are going on right now.

Sports like volleyball, football, boys and girls cross country and girls swimming and diving are all going on. Also Big 10 football is huge in the Lansing area.

9

Have a pumpkin carving contest Once you’ve gone out and picked your perfect pumpkin, invite a bunch of friends or family over and have a pumpkin carving contest. You can print out templates online at pumpkinpile. com and personalize your pumpkin however you want.

10

Go on a color drive M i c h i g a n ’s f a l l scenery is beautiful in October so why not grab a fall drink from Biggby like a pumpkin spice latte or hot apple cider and go for a ride down country roads or along the coast to enjoy the colors? If you’re up for it, take a drive through the Tunnel of Trees on M119 near Petoskey.

5

Photo by Mallory Weil

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October 2013

Backstage with Paige

The Hot Spot Holt High School Ramparts

Musicians

You Don’t Know (But Should)

Paige Farrington

The Cud Tour

T

he biggest concert that I went to recently would have to be the Kid Cudi concert at DTE Music Theater in Clarkston. Now I’ve heard different things about his concerts before, that it’s boring and that he sucks live or that it’s so good and chill. So I decided to go in with a open mind and just enjoy it myself.

Logic was an opener for the show.

I’ve only heard a couple of Logic’s songs before, but after the concert I’m definitely a fan. He was cool and funny - just an all-around great way to start off the show. I definitely recommend his music. If you would like to see his perspective of the Cud Life Tour go to www.mindoflogic.com.

Tyler the Creator’s concert was beyond amazing. I usually don’t listen to him, but hearing him live made me change that. I had bad lawn seats because I went with a big group, but when Tyler came on he was hype and told security to step back and let everyone come up to the front. The whole time we were right up next to the stage.

Kid Cudi came on next and opened with “The Resurrection of Scott Mescudi,” a very dark song with no lyrics at all. I thought it was clever to come on stage with basically just a dark tune. Then again, the whole album “Indicud” is pretty dark, so it definitely went well with introducing his album.

He closed w ith “Pursuit of Happiness.” This is one of my favorite songs by him but not my MOST favorite.

This song basically just is trying to say live your life to the fullest.

About two thirds through Kid Cudi’s performance Big Sean came out and performed “Fire” and “Beware,” which was my favorite part because I’m a huge Big Sean fan. It was a surprise for everyone. He made everyone get out of their seats again because after too many of Kid Cudi’s dark songs, we needed a wake-up song.

For the record, I go to a bunch of concerts, so this one didn’t really stand out too much for me. On a 5-star scale, I’d give it a 3.5 or maybe 4 . To see videos and pictures from the concerts follow me on instagram. @paigetheodora

Unknown musicians provide a fresh change to your music library Andrew Johnson staff writer

M

usic fans are always looking for that one band that really satisfies us completely.

Whether it’s their lyrics, or the music, we’ve all found or are still looking for that band.

Many of the fantastic musicians out there are relatively unknown to everyone because mainstream music is the only music that gets the publicity, but an even greater variety of music is out there waiting to be discovered.

For The Foxes

Junior Hannah Barosko recommends indie band For The Foxes and p o p s i n g e rsongwriter Lorde.

For the Foxes is a London-based indie band who came together in 2006. They have a distinct sound that will set them apart from most independent musicians, including keyboards and upbeat drums to their songs.

If you like other indie bands like Vampire Weekend or Arcade Fire, then you will definitely want to give this band a listen.

“They’re a small band I discovered on Tumblr who are trying to get a start in music,” Barosko said.

Songs to listen to: “Running Back to you,” “Moonlight Ride,” “Son Of A Gun,” and “Easy Way.”

Lorde

Lorde is a singer-songwriter from New Zealand who is already making a name for herself by setting herself apart from the sound of mainstream musicians, going in the opposite direction of the party and wildactions scene.

What’s more compelling is that she is only 16 years old, but she writes

as well as any seasoned adult musician.

With songs like “Royals” and “ Tennis C o u r t s ”, listeners will be instantly drawn to her unique sound. Fans of Lana Del Rey will enjoy her.

“Lorde is the new Lana Del Rey,” Barosko said. “She has a unique sound, super catchy.”

Songs to listen to: “Royals,” “Tennis Courts,” “Million Dollar Bills,” and “Biting Down.”

Title Fight

Sophomore Anne Dillard suggests punk band Title Fight and alternative rock band Brand New. Title Fight is a punk rock band hailing from Kingston, Pennsylvania, formed in 2003 when all the members were still in high school. Title Fight has lovable lyrics, not holding back about emotions, personal feelings, or dealing with change in life.

Their sound has changed over time, but they made each new sound work very well. With their debut album “The Last Thing You Forget,”

having a very edgy punk sound with raspy, shouted lyrics, to their latest release “Floral Green” having a more dark and mellow sound and theme.

Title Fight will remind listeners of the early Fall Out Boy. Songs to listen to: “Shed,” “No One Stays At The Top Forever,” “Leaf,” and “Numb But I Still Feel It.”

Brand New To define Brand New with any specific genre is difficult. Formed in 2000, they started with a very typical “I just broke up with my girlfriend” themed poppunk album, “Your Favorite W e a p o n ,” c h a n g e d to a more rock sound with “Deja Entendu.” But their most well-known work “The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me” changed everything for them in 2006.

“The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me” includes many songs with deep and emotional issues, such as religion with “Jesus,” and trying to be good enough with “Millstone.” Brand New has stated that they know their music is sad, but it answers questions that everyone has.

Anyone who decides to try out Brand New will have a wide range

Old Crow Medicine Show photo provided by Live Nation Detroit

of genres to experiment with and discover.

Songs to listen to: “Bed,” “The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot,” “Failure By Design,” and “Seventy Times Seven.”

“Both of these bands are so esthetically pleasing, they’re good at their craft and don’t repeat topics,” Dillard said.

Old Crow Medicine Show

History teacher Corey Martin recommends bluegrass band Old Crow Medicine Show.

Old Crow Medicine Show has been around since 1998, formed in Nashville, Tennessee. They have just returned from a year-long hiatus and recently released their album “Carry Me Back.” Old Crow Medicine Show finds ways to make their lyrics simple yet meaningful. Their music does not overpower the lyrics.

A song that will grab your attention is “Methamphetamine” because not many bluegrass songs touch on issues such as the growing meth epidemic in the U.S. “Their lyrics are relaxed and meaningful,” Martin said. “They cover significant topics, but do it in an easy way that isn’t overwhelming. The music doesn’t overshout the lyrics.”

Songs to listen to: “Wagon Wheel,” “Mary’s Kitchen.”

The Hot Spot

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Holt High School Ramparts

October 2013

Dont worry, Netflix has you covered My Tunes Catch up on all the shows you missed Noah Goldblatt editor-in-chief Since sending out their first DVD in 1997, and starting a digital distribution system in 1999, Netflix has expanded to include over 10,000 DVD’s and 37 million subscribers as of October 2013.

This includes many students and teachers, like senior Darnell Taylor. He enjoys Netflix because of the convenience, the availability of the subscription-based ser vice, and especially the lack of commercials.

“I watch Netflix because it has many movies and T V shows that I enjoy, and if it’s a TV show, I don’t have to wait for commercials,” Taylor said.

Some believe Netflix, despite having thousand of movies, still doesn’t have enough movies for them, such as senior Devinn Lovette.

“Netflix has no relevant or new movies. Most of its movies are old, and not entertaining,” Lovette said.

Lovette does admit that TV is a strong point for the viewing service.

“The TV shows, however, are good on Netflix, unlike the movies,” Lovette said.

Netflix has been expanding for years, boasting now of over one billion hours of entertainment available.

Despite that, they lost over 1,800 titles from their viewing library in early 2013, including popular shows like, “South Park,” and popular movies series such as the James Bond movies.

Even though they may have lost those titles, Netflix still has many popular movies and TV shows to choose from, such as these popular shows:

Sherlock

Arrested Development

Breaking Bad

Chronicling the struggles of the once-rich Bluth family, this show recently was revived for a new season on Netflix, one of several, “Netflix Originals”, shows created specifically for Netflix. It’s a great show, a must-watch for any fan of comedy.

“Arrested Development is the second best television show next to ‘Breaking Bad’,” senior Max Peston said.

Check out that app

Download some of these useful iPhone apps

Sydney Holmes

entertainment editor Wondering what’s missing from that brand new or recently updated iPhone of yours? Maybe it’s all the awesome and incredibly useful apps you’ve yet to download.

You may have the basic apps like Twitter and Instagram, but your app store has so much more to offer. With apps for just about anything, everything you need can be right at the tip of your fingers. Literally.

Check out some of these must-have (and affordable) iPhone apps.

Dark Sky: With all the weather apps out there telling you different things, who can you trust for accurate and reliable weather? Dark Sky. This app uses state-of-the-art weather forecasting to predict when it will snow or rain down to the minute at your exact location. This incredibly unique app also features things like an animated radar map and text summary of the current and forecasted weather for your location.

A modern take on Sherlock Holmes, this critically acclaimed BBC creation is currently on hiatus, so now is a great time to see Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock, before his role as Smaug in “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.”

Always Sunny in Philadelphia Centered around five self-centered narcissists and their bar in Philadelphia, ASIP is a great comedy that never slows downs and never stops the humor.

Th e r i s e a n d f a l l o f chemistry-teacher-turned meth-cook Walter White recently finished its fifth and final season. Catch up on all the drama of the first four seasons.

“Breaking Bad was the best television show that the world has ever been blessed enough to treat its vision to,” senior Jake Trumpie said.

Rdio: For all you music lovers, this unique free music app allows you to listen to millions of songs at your request, totally ad free. The customizable app makes it easy to listen to music instantly or through stations right from your phone.

You can start a collection of your favorite songs or add them to playlists to listen to whenever. If you’re feeling social, you can follow friends and artists to see what they’re listening to, as well as share your music with them.

Evernote : If you’re the type of person who loves organization, this is the app for you. Evernote allows you to take notes, capture photos, create to-do lists, record voice reminders and store it all in one easily accessible location.

Using a “cloud like” network, the app takes all the important information in your life and syncs it across your computer, phone and tablet so you can always have it.

Free Time: Anyone who has a difficult time managing their daily schedule can definitely appreciate this app.

Using your calendar on your phone, this app organizes your day and tells you when you’re busy and when you have free time down to the minute.

The app takes all your information and organizes it into a simple, easy-to-read calendar of all your daily events, so you can know exactly when you’re free to hang out with friends or just relax.

Gas Buddy: This app is a must have for all drivers.

It allows you to check gas prices near you and find where gas is the cheapest.

The app takes your zip code and presents you with a list of gas stations near you, along with their current prices to easily compare and get you the best deal.

“It tells me what the gas prices are around me, and it’s free. I save a lot of money on gas by using it,” senior Dain Ryckman said.

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

What’s stuck in social studies teacher Chad Fulk’s head?

Style of music: “I love all types of music from classical to rap, but at the moment I am on a classic rock kick. ” “Never There” by Cake “It reminds me of some people I used to know.”

“Let it Be” by The Beatles “I just like the message of not worry about stressful times so much because everything happens for a reason, even if you can’t see the meaning at that time.”

“Nickel Bag of Funk” by Diggable Planets “Reminds me of college. My roommate introduced me to them, and I really loved the way they flowed. It was very calming, so I would listen to them all the time when I was trying to relax and do homework.”

“Paul Revere” by Beastie Boys “It takes me back to the feeling of summertime during my high school years and going to workouts.”

What’s stuck in sophomore Stephanie Adado’s head?

Style of music: “Indie. I’ve always liked it, and there’s all different types of it.”

“Claudia Lewis” by M83 “It’s an upbeat song that’s kind of weird, but I like it.”

“Death Bed” by Bring Me the Horizon “I like his voice. It’s like slow, but it gets fast and the lyrics are good.”

“Nine” by La Dispute “It’s basically like poetry, and I find it really interesting.”

“Roslyn” by Bon Iver “It’s a very good song. It calms me down when i’m upset.”

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

October 2013

The Press Box GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY league standing: Fourth season highlight: “Beating Mason because we’ve never done that since I’ve been on the team,” senior Courtney Masseau said. in their words: “We have a lot of new girls who have stepped up this year, so I think we’re a lot stronger. We have some new runners,” junior Jacklyn Johnson said.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

league standing: Fourth season highlight: “Winning the Mason Invite,” senior Grant Colligan said. in their words: “We all do the same thing at practice.

It can be repetitive, but my favorite thing about cross country is how nice people are,” sophmore Nathan Wehrle said.

CHEERLEADING

season highlight: “We’ve accomplished more stunts than we did last year and there’s actually a bond between us this year,” senior Selina Thurman said. in their words: “For the pep rally we had to move really fast, which meant we really had to get along and we did,” junior Amanda Schultz said.

EQUESTRIAN TEAM

standing: Eighth in states season highlight: “Getting the trophy at regionals and going to states,” senior Sam Foster said. in their words: “Remarkable.

The absolute best way I could have ended my high school equestrian career. I never even imagined ever going to states and to be able to do that my senior year… It was incredible,” senior Kristen Cobus said.

GIRLS GOLF

league standing: Second in CAAC season highlight: Sophomore Ashley Folleth made her first hole in one of the season. She didn’t know it went in at first.

“I felt a feeling I have never felt before when I walked up to the hole and my ball was in there,” Folleth said. in their words: “Every match is just practice for regionals,” senior Alexxis Van Pelt said.

Sports

Holt High School Ramparts

Golf makes states tenth year in a row Team finishes strong, placing second behind East Kentwood Grant Colligan

staff writer The girls golf team qualified for the state match for the tenth year in a row on October 10, with a second place finish at the regional competition at Stone Water in East Kentwood, extending the longest streak of qualification in Division One state history.

The girls finished second behind East Kentwood, led by a strong core of three seniors.

Coach Doug Harkema has coached his team to all ten of these titles and said he felt this team was of the hardest working he has coached.

“Everyone works hard every day, and everyone can see their hard work when they improve,” Harkema said. “Their success really speaks for itself.”

The girls were led by senior Pader Her who shot 69, followed by junior Ashley Folleth who shot 84.

This regional success came after a second place finish in Jackson at the CAAC Blue, which took place October fourth.

The girls had the goal to beat East Lansing at the CAAC meet. Senior Katie Harmer said that East Lansing had become a sort of rival, battling over the second spot in the conference.

Senior Katie Harmer, senior Pader Her, junior Michelle Reed, and senior Alexxis Van Pelt worked on their swings at the El Dorado Golf Course in Mason. They placed second at regionals.

“I was pumped to see we beat East Lansing only by few strokes. That meant that everyone had to do well to work to beat East Lansing,” Harmer said.

Her shot a 69 at the CAAC meet, finishing second as an individual. She said that the meet went better than expected, even though she played on a difficult course.

Katie Harmer shot a score of 94 at the CAAC meet finishing second for Holt, and senior Alexis

Van Pelt shot a 97.

Her also said that the season has gone well because all the girls have been a lot less serious, leading to more fun at practices and meets.

Van Pelt said that the team was less serious this year, and can’t comprehend that this season is going to end.

“I don’t want this season to end, we’ve been together for four years, and it will all just end,” Van Pelt said.

Tennis team takes fourth at regionals Hard work paid off this season Sydney Holmes entertainment editor The boys tennis team finished strong this season with nine wins, eight losses, and five ties. With many of their older players graduated, the mostly young team had to work harder than usual to compete with the other schools.

“We had an inexperienced team.

We only had one player with more than two years of varsity experience.

Everyone else was in their first year or second year on varsity,” coach Russ Olcheske said.

Despite these challenges the team pulled fourth place at the CAAC tournament held on September 16, and got first place

Photo by Sydney Holmes

Sophomore Zach Jarrad returns a serve during a tournament on September 21. Jarrad played second doubles. in both the Holt and Traverse City West Invitationals.

The team also did well during their regional competition placing fourth out of nine schools.

Regionals were held in Midland on October 10.

“The highlight of the season was probably getting fourth at conferences because it was pretty

decent for Holt,” junior Austin Ford said. Ford plays fourth singles.

To prepare for varsity level tennis the team practiced 2-3 hours a day doing drills and practicing a variety of techniques. Many of them also put in a lot of time during the off season by practicing indoors during the winter, and consistently playing during the summer.

“During the off season I play indoors and train a lot, and I do a lot of tournaments,” sophomore Joe Gilman said. Gilman plays first singles.

The hard work proved to be beneficial helping the team go up against some of their tougher competitors like Okemos and East Lansing.

“We almost beat East Lansing, who we ended up tying with, and we haven’t beat them in a really long time, so that was pretty cool,” sophomore Zach Jarrad said. Jarrad plays second doubles.

Sports

15

Holt High School Ramparts

October 2013

Girls take eighth at state competition Equestrian finishes the season strong Asean Vue staff writer The equestrian team may be unknown, but they made their mark on October 10 when they headed to Midland to compete at the state competition.

“We’re going to states with no one expecting us to win,” senior Sam Foster said.

Coach Corey McCormick has eight years of coaching experience under her belt, but what makes this team different than the past teams is that this is the first year ever for Holt to attend a state competition.

The team also collected two different titles this season: they are District Four and Regional E Reserve Champions.

Foster says her most memorable moment of the season was when they knew they were going to states and getting their trophy at the regional competition.

“We did it; we’re going to states,” McCormick said.

Photo by Kristen Cobus

The equestrian team poses after competition. The team took eighth out of the ten teams at the state competition in Midland on October 10.

That was also senior Kristen Cobus’ most memorable moment as well. Going to states isn’t the only thing that’s different this year; the team is also smaller.

Equestrian works by a point system. They are judged by how flawless the y look when the y perform.

An example of an event is dressage. Participants ride the h o r s e a t d i f f e re n t p a c e s a n d different speeds w ithin those paces.

“In the previous years we had more riders than we do now. We had 10 and four riders the previous two years, but now we only have three,” McCormick said.

Though this year may sound like it was breeze, the team faced many setbacks.

“Regionals was not easy for the team to win,”junior Stephanie Morgan said.

Since the team is in Division C, the teams in their division are allowed up to five riders.

“Our team only has three riders, and we’re competing with teams that have up to five riders,” Foster said.

Cobus also said that she and Foster compete in nine events each to make up for the two riders they don’t have. Nine events is a handful for an individual, and they did not get to the state competition with talent alone.

“I ride every night after I get out of school for about one hour,” Cobus said.

Each individual on the team practices independently. Practice may be important, but preparation before the competition is also vital.

“Getting our horses prettied is what I do to prepare,” Foster said.

Morgan agrees with Foster but before she rides she just makes sure she’s relaxed.

Each member of the team plans to continue her equestrian career after high school.

Foster says she wants to be part of Adrian College’s equestrian team. Morgan says she wants to join Michigan State University’s equestrian team, and Cobus says she is unde cide d ab out what school to attend, but she plans to continue equestrian for whichever college she attends.

Boys soccer takes second in Gold Cup

Team beats rival Okemos in semi finals in the CAAC Gold Cup Emma Sluiter staff writer

Fifteen seniors on one team. The soccer team is full of seniors with the desire to make their last year unforgettable.

The soccer team was runner-up in the CAAC Gold Cup to East Lansing. The team beat Okemos 3-1 in the first round of the CAAC Gold Cup on October 8.

Holt played Okemos earlier in the season, but had a 1-2 loss with senior Alec Gnass out with a concussion.

Gnass, a starter and a captain, sat out three games but he came back in time to play in the Grand Ledge game. Gnass hit his head while going for a header with a goalie in a game against

Photo by Lexi Harley

Senior Ben Barak throws the ball in bounds during the CAAC Gold Cup. Holt finished second.

East Lansing.

“I felt guilty that we tied a game when I was out, but my team was able to play well without me,” Gnass said.

The CAAC Cup Okemos game was a high priority win for the team. Senior Jake Welch said he was ready for the game and had confidence

that his team could grasp the win.

“We were looking forward to the game so much because it meant a lot to us. We know what we had to do so we worked hard in practice,” Welch said. “When the game came around we all stepped up and played our game.”

Another starter on the team, senior Maurice Santamaria, was satisfied with the win and was glad that senior Dain Ryckman scored the second goal for Holt.

“I thought it was a great game. We played really good and we deserved the win. The goals were great. Especially Dain’s,” Santamaria said.

Ryckman’s goal was the second to score for the Rams. The team cleared the ball and senior Mitchell Simon got it and passed it to Ryckman who brought it down and shot it in the top right corner.

“I felt ecstatic. It was the best goal of my career and to do it in a big game and against Okemos made it all the more special,” Ryckman said.

Thet team ended up playing in districts, October 19, against Okemos and lost. The team finished with a record of 15-5-3.

The Press Box FOOTBALL

record: 4-4 league standing: Tied for second place with Grand Ledge season highlight: When they beat East Lansing in overtime 24-21. in their words: “The team is focused. The loss to Sexton took us out of CAAC title hopes, but all other goals are still achievable,” senior captain Josh Marsh said.

BOYS SOCCER

league standing: Second place season highlight: Senior Andrew Jenks made a goal on senior night .“It was an amazing feeling having my teammates cheer for me,” Jenks said. in their words: “My favorite part about soccer is dancing during warm-up to the warmup CD because I like to hear the applause from the soccer moms,” junior Truman Smith said.

GIRLS SWIMMING AND DIVING

league standing: Sixth place season highlight: Senior night was October 17. CAAC’s competition is November 7, 8, 9 at HHS. in their words: “We’re doing the best we have in a while,” senior Jenna King said.

VOLLEYBALL

record: 9-2 league standing: tied for second season highlight: “The highlight of the season was the Grand Ledge game because we all came together, and it was probably the best game we’ve ever played all season,” sophomore Brooke Peiffer said. in their own words: “The win against Grand Ledge proved that we were a force and we’re going to suprise a lot of people this year,” junior Autumn Stokes said.

BOYS TENNIS

record: 9-8-5 league standing: Fourth place in the CAAC Blue season highlight: “Beating Grand Ledge twice,” senior Karan Kakar said. in their own words: “Me being a senior is sad because it’s my last year but it fun was going on trips and eating out with the team,” Kakar said.

Sports

16

October 2013

Holt High School Ramparts

Tales of the Superfan

Mallory Weil

Don’t be a sore loser

A

ny dedicated sports fan has a difficult time dealing with a losing season. Nobody wants to sit on the couch week after week just to watch their team lose, whether it is college or the pros. Loyal fans stick by their team win or lose.

But trust me; it’s no fun when you lose because someone always has something to say.

I’m a fan of the New York Giants, and every time they lose I walk into school to countless comments, taunting me about their performance on the field the previous day. As if it wasn’t tough enough to watch it the day before.

Every Sunday my whole family, of native New Yorkers crowds around the television to tune in and watch the Giants. Lately it’s been disappointment after disappointment every Sunday.

Profanities are said-I mean yelledthings are sometimes thrown, people are clearly unhappy. You get the point: It’s bad.

My team, and yes I still claim them as my own, is currently 1-6, JUST gaining their first win on Monday night. For six long weeks I was miserable week after week when anybody brought up the Giants. It sucks to lose week after week, especially from a team that has won two super bowls in the past five years.

Now everyone reacts to a losing streak differently. I can’t remember the last time my team had this bad of a streak, but no one forgets. I know you all remember the year the Lions went 0-16. I mean, how could you forget?

And you all had your excuses: “It’s a rebuilding year”, “We have too many injured players”, blah blah blah. Honestly, it’s all a defense mechanism.

None of us want to come to terms with the fact that our teams might not always be the best. Not every team can win the Super Bowl, and we all know this but we like to think our team is top notch.

Photos by Kylee Voorhis

From left: Coach Pam Stafford thanks senior Courtney Masseau after handing her a yellow rose during the ceremony before the race. Middle: Seniors Courtney Masseau, Taylor Jordan and Emily Krueger wear purple in memory of Ruth Pridgeon. They race side by side to finish first together in their last home meet. Right: Before her last race, senior Mackenzie Dudek hugs her mother after she is showcased during the ceremony. Senior night was held October 3.

A bittersweet night to remember Seniors say farewell to a loved sport and their teammates Kylee Voorhis feature editor It’s a night filled with crying, happiness, memories, excitement and appreciation. Senior Night is that last time seniors compete with the people they have grown up with in the sport that they love at the school that they are proud to represent. Senior Night is the last home game that seniors will ever have.

Many seniors look forward to this game but at the same time are sad to leave the experience all behind. For many sports, on senior night players are recognized for their hard work and their dedication to their sport throughout their high school years. Family and friends come out to support the team and admire the seniors.

Coaches speak individually about each player usually saying how the senior has made an impact on the team and expressing to the player and their family how much they mean to the team.

“Seniors get to be individually recognized instead of being looked at as a whole team; we get to be recognized in front of everyone and our parents,” said senior Emily Gleason, varsity

volleyball player.

This is also a time when the coaches say where the player is going to college, what they want to study and their achievements in the classroom.

For most teams the senior players also receive a yellow rose, which is handed out by the coaches. The rose is the color yellow to represent Holt.

On Senior Night many parents of the senior players come out to see their child recognized and get their pictures taken.

“It’s kind of sad, but at the same time it is also fun because we get pizza, cake and posters made for us. I like to see all the parents out there and we also get roses,” said senior Alejandro Whitehead, varsity tennis player.

“

It will be happy because you’re moving forward in your life, but it is also sad.

”

The hearts of parents, coaches and players alike may be filled with emotions. It’s the last time players will be working as a team and supporting each other in order to get the win.

Friendships have been built, from the time they started at a younger age and fell in love with the sport. To their last night as a high school

player working their hardest for something they love.

“It was a night where people noticed all the hard work I put into my sport,” said senior Max Peston, cross country runner.

Senior Night is a time when players will remember the best times they had with their teammates, and all the major victories they have had. For most seniors, knowing that it is the last time they will be playing at home is enough to start the waterworks.

Some seniors don’t feel sad at all, in fact they may feel proud; proud they have worked so hard, to have accomplished so much, met new people and proud to be a Holt Ram. “It will be happy because you are moving forward in your life, but it will also be sad, because you know it is your last season. I am pretty sure on that night I will be really excited, but I will also be sad and I will most likely cry,” said senior Skylar Schafer, varsity cheerleader.

Many players are excited to play their last game and hopefully take the win. It is a night to show how far seniors have come and it wraps up all the years of hard work and playing into one night.

“It’s a very very emotional night ; there is lots of crying, tears, happiness, sadness and excitement. The emotions are all over the place.

To me Senior Night is my overall volleyball spotlight on everything I have accomplished,” Gleason said.