The Source Dec. 20, 2013

Source December 20, 2013

Volume 11, Issue 3

Bad Apples?

Seeing a lot of red?

Teachers protest working without a contract, pg. 6&7

Rotten to the Core?

The Common Core brings more work and more tests, pg. 8&9

What’s Inside People Nine Stupid Questions

4

Sennett Heads to Youth Olympics

5

School Teachers Without Contracts

6

Common Core Curriculum

8

The GPA Debate

9

Letter from the Editor

11

Teachers don’t just teach academics. They teach life lessons.

Local News The Facts on Fracking

Lifestyles The Thigh Gap: An Unhealthy Trend

12

Facebook Fiascos

13

Unique Gift Ideas

14

Perspectives Staff Editorial

On The Cover: Photo illustration by Chase Heinemann

15

Even though I complain about heavy homework loads and teachers who “just don’t understand,” I seriously love our teachers. Because of them, I know what I want to do with my future.

Because of them, I’m not afraid to step outside my comfort zone. Because of them, I’m looking at the world through different perspectives. I’m not sure who I would be if not for the teachers I’ve had. They have guided me towards friends, helped me out of low places, and challenged me to become the best person I can be.

Unfortunately, teachers don’t always get the rewards they deserve.

Society regards teaching as a lowincome job, not worth pursuing. One common saying even claims that

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“those who can’t do, teach.” This suggests that people who failed in their practice end up as teachers. What an insult!

Teaching is a low-income job, but that problem has recently taken another blow. As written on page 7, teachers at Rochester Community Schools no longer have contracts. Their commitment is no longer rewarded with increases in salary.

The school system argues that they can’t afford what teachers want.

Yet they can afford to pay for what the board members want? Teachers are the ones who directly interact with us— they’re the ones who shape our lives.

Shouldn’t they be a priority? You’d think people with the power to change young lives would be more respected by society and board members. Yet right now, some teachers can’t support their families on solely their income.

Despite their lack of contract, our teachers come in each day. They come to discipline and praise—to encourage and comfort. They come to answer questions and ask questions. They come to teach academics and teach life lessons. Despite all our groaning and zoning out, they come.

We may not be able to earn contracts for our teachers, but we can show them that we care. We can show them through the way we act. We can pay better attention in class, heed their advice, and even (gasp) stifle our complaints.

Editorial Policy We, the Stoney Creek Source staff, produce this publication to accomplish the following goals: The Source will serve as a means of communication between students, teachers and members of the community. We will respect all opinions and present them in an unbiased manner. The Source will inform and entertain readers and address trends and issues important to its audience. Although we are a student publication, produced by Writing for a Publication class, we will strive to make the Source accurate and truthful to adhere to all standards of professional journalism. We recognize and respect the privileges given to us under the First Amendment, including the freedom of speech and of the press. The Source is a forum of student expression and we, the staff have the editorial authority to make our own content decisions. We will provide a sounding board for the student and the community; therefore the opinions expressed in by-lines opinion articles and letters should not be considered to be the opinion of the entire newspaper staff, the advisor and the school administration, or the student body as a whole.

Staff Editors-in-Chief

Chase Heinemann Tori Phelps

Photography Editor

Erika Williams

Web Editor

Mila Murray

Multimedia Editor

Simon Sun

Social Media Edtior

Bridget Bartos

Staff Writers

Kara Blackburn, Jenna Borowski, Anna Butterfield, Joe Chevalier, Diamond Deshazer, Harrison Dover, Kyle Krucki, Adrian Munteanu, Yera Patel, Julia Saleski, Matt Schmucker, Ryan Sennett, Kevin Shin, Rachel Tudor, Miles Vedder, Madison Young

Victoria Phelps Editor-in-Chief

Link directly to these popular pages:

Contact Letter Policy: Letters to the editor and guest articles and art may be submitted to Mrs. Gayle Martin in Room C285. All letters articles, and art must be signed.

Names be withheld upon request.

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source

December 16, 2013

Simon Says

First Person

Info-fun The Mini Profile

The Who’s Who

Micheal Brunson

student vs. celebrity

by Anna Butterfield

High school teacher veteran and teaching major, Micheal Brunson has been through most of the ups and downs of being a teacher at Stoney Creek High School. Brunson began teaching eight years ago and has been at Stoney Creek for seven of those years teaching Economics, U.S. Government, and Applications of Composition.

Although Brunson enjoys teaching, he wanted to experiment with a different job inside the school. For one week, Brunson had the opportunity to work as administrator of Stoney Creek.

When asked what Brunson thought about his week trial, Brunson said, “I liked it a lot...You get to take more of a leading role, you watch over a lot of things and make sure everyone’s doing their job so things run smoothly.”

“I definitely want to stay at Stoney Creek,” Brunson said, “but the teaching industry is changing, and the job as administrator is financially better for my family and I.”

HEY,

by Anna Butterfield

Maveric Guitarre Royal Oak, MI June, 1998

CATEGORY

Maverick Guitar

Birthplace

Long Beach, CA

Date of Birth

Playing electric guitar

Hobbies

cryphing Our definition:

Often people cry tears of joy while laughing so, when one is crying and also laughing at the same time, this word comes in handy.

Guitar of Choice

Les Paul, Gibson

Skater Indie style

Known for

CHRISTMAS MUSIC

Electric and Acoustic guitars

WHAT TYPE OF HOLIDAY PERSON ARE YOU?

T R A T S ERE H

Do you like the snow?

F

rosty the Snowman

W

e Wish You A Merry Christmas

YES!

I hate the cold.

Favorite Holiday drink?

Students surveyed for categories of what type of holiday music they found to be annoying compared to popularity.

Annoyance

Maverick, F1

Information provided by Maveric Guitarre and Maverick Guitar Co. Website

The Important Matrix

Hot cocoa or pumpkin spice lattes

No clue!

Don’t have one.

It’s tolerable.

D S

eck the Halls

anta Baby

POPULARITY

J

ingle Bells

Christmas scrooge!

Your holiday spirits are at an all time low.

Christmas lover! The holidays are the perfect time for you since your spirits are high and jolly!

Of course!

Do you own a Christmas sweater?

Probably not.

anta Claus is Coming to Town

info fun

Making electric guitars

The big, awesome flow-

That should be a word!

S

April, 1992

Gives me a headache

Do you like Christmas music?

Average jolly.

Your holiday spirits are mediocre.

OVERHEARD IN THE HALLS “Everything dies in the winter... and so does my motivation.”

“My brother just lost a tooth. I forgot that still happens.”

“Ew, I see the Hart kids coming.”

“Josh Hutcherson in Catching Fire was better than my own birth.”

“I wonder what my cat’s doing right now.”

“Me and my girl have reservations at Pet Smart tonight.”

“I can’t even check Twitter anymore with all these Christmas twitter names.” ”Yeah, I think I’ll become a nun.”

“I didn’t know the answer so I just wrote ‘potatoes’.

Do you think that’s okay?”

December 20, 2013

source 4

NINE STUPID QUESTIONS WITH

MITCHELL COLLINS

T

NEMO FINDS HIMSELF

his year marks the tenth anniversary of the seminal Disney-Pixar film about the little fish that could. To celebrate, we have called upon Stoney’s own aquatic celebrity. This senior is well known by his peers for his brilliant orange-colored hair, confidently swimming between Chamber Singers, marching band, and the musical. Chase Heinemann sat down with Mitchell Collins (yes, he does have a real name) in a cozy anemone to ask about the origin of the name “Nemo” and the greatly exaggerated reports of his excitement on his first day of school.

Q: Have you ever experienced deep separation anxiety?

Yes, especially in stores when I can’t find my parents.

Q: Do you ever feel impaired by your weakened left arm?

I don’t feel impaired because I was born this way, but it is difficult finding a steady job because of it.

Q: Did the literal translation of “Nemo” to “lost” provoke any desire for revelation within yourself to discover what you are meant to be in this world?

At first it made me sad, but after being subjected to an overabundance of “I found Nemo” jokes, I realized I’m not lost.

Q: Can you describe your first day of school to the best of your ability?

I always knew I was different from other kids, but they accepted me even though I was different. I made many friends on the first day of school.

Q: What is your opinion on the hunting of dangerous barracudas?

Even though they can be dangerous, barracudas are an important part of the ocean ecosystem, which shouldn’t be taken advantage of but [they] also shouldn’t be able to thrive. So I’m about 50/50 on the subject.

Q: Did you ever have a pet fish growing up?

Photo by Chase Heinemann

Yes, his name was Spots, because he had many spots. I was distraught when he died and had a ceremony where I flushed him down the toilet because “all drains lead to the ocean.”

Q: If not your mother, who gave you the name of Nemo?

My math teacher in the sixth grade, Mr. Devantier, called me it because I am a ginger; he just called me that once and it stuck!

Q: Have you ever been compelled to take on a continent-crossing odyssey, simply to spite your parents?

No, I’ve never been mad enough at my parents to even think of that.

Q: What is your favorite Disney-Pixar film released in 2003 about a clownfish that runs away from his overprotective father?

Hard choice, but I’d have to go with Finding Nemo.

Interviewed by Chase Heinemann

4 source

DECEMBER 20, 2013

PEOPLE

HERCULES

Stoney Creek weightlifter headed to Youth Olympics

by Harrison Dover

J

Pumped: Junior Ryan Sennett concentrates before lifting weight at the training center in Dallas the week of Dec.2. (photo provided by Ryan Sennett)

STATS AND FACTS • • • • •

335 pound “Clean and Jerk” 285 pound “Snatch” 2 Youth Gold Medals 1 Youth Bronze Medal 1 Scholarship to Northern Michigan

People

unior Ryan Sennett sets up, preparing both mentally and physically. Mentally, he was focused to the point where he could not think. Physically, anxiety tightened his body, but the adrenaline loosened it. Concentrating, he heaves the 355 lb. weight over his head.

Junior Ryan Sennett has competed in the sport of Olympic weightlifting for over three years and he has emerged as one of the top competitors in the youth age group of athletes that are 12-17-years-old.

At Sennett’s first national competition in June 2010, he placed third, and at the last two national meets over the last two summers, he tied for first. Sennett has won three straight state titles in the youth group and hopes to continue his streak for his fourth and final year.

Next summer, Sennett will be a part of the Youth Olympic Games for Weightlifting in Nanjing, China on Aug. 16, 2014. These games are by invitation only, and Team USA only has about 10 spots for the sport.

“Having the opportunity to represent your country in something you put forth tons of work towards is pretty special,” Sennett said.

Qualifying rounds were on Dec. 6 in Dallas. Its title, The American Open, is a huge competition where lifters gather to compete for spots in all age and weight groups.

Sennett has a chance to train in Colorado Springs during the holiday break on Dec. 26 with the other top ten junior weightlifters. The coaches are flying out all of the lifters to train and live in the atmosphere for a week.

Going to the Olympic Training Center is a big dream of Sennett’s, although he doesn’t express it all the time.

“The state titles, oddly enough, don’t mean that much to me. I am always looking forward to the national competitions,” Sennett said.

Sennett started weightlifting in the seventh grade, when football pushed him to be stronger. He picked up on the technique used in Olympic weightlifting quickly; being a larger guy gives him an advantage in his weight area, the 231 lb plus group.

Michael Paquette has been Sennett’s coach for a little under four years.

“Ryan is tenacious, persistent,

ambitious, and a hard worker,” Paquette said. “He just tends to talk too much in between his sets.”

Sennett trains at Cross Fit Deviate, a gym located in downtown Rochester. There he works on only two types of lifting –-- the “snatch” and the “clean and jerk”. Sennett can lift a 285 lb snatch and a 355 lb clean and jerk, which is a serious challenge according to owresource.com, an expert weightlifting website.

Adam Kiwior, one of Sennett’s fellow lifters, says that Sennett’s lifting ability is “truly amazing.”

“Even among his fellow lifters, Ryan’s work ethic really makes him stand out as a leader,” said Kiwior.

Sennett will continue to train in the same way to prepare for China. Making any type of Olympic team definitely isn’t easy, and the process is even harder.

“Sennett shows he knows how to put in the hard work,” Kiwior said.

Free Fitness Screen with every personal, team, or group training package!

(248) 650 - 4404

For student discounts on Training & Conditioning, Follow us on @HQPTRochester

December 20, 2013

source 5

SEEING RED Rochester teachers have been without a contact since August. New teachers and experienced ones are letting the community know they have waited long enough.

by Mila Murray above: West Middle School teachers carry signs Dec. 3 as they picketed near the student drop-off. Teachers have been engaging in a variety of activities to raise awareness about the lack of contract. (photo by Katherine Snoad) 6 source

December 20, 2013

SCHOOL

S

cience teacher Alex DeSantis is considering getting a different job, even though he loves teaching, because he can’t have a family with the money he’s making.

English teacher Katelyn Sanders has three jobs; she tutors, works a part-time job, and teaches, just to get by.

Secretary Louise Coakley says she wouldn’t be able to live in Rochester from the money she’s currently making if not for her husband.

History teacher Steven Book’s house is going up for lease in January because, without the pay raise he was expecting with his master’s degree, he simply cannot afford it.

These are the effects of a conflict that has put teacher’s lives at stake—an unsettled contract that leaves them in a chaotic state.

STALLED SALARIES The teachers’ contract expired on Aug.15. The 84 page document determines the rights, responsibilities, benefits, future salaries and future pay raises negotiated between the teacher union and the Board of Education. And without a new contract by Jan. 1, 2014, teachers, who have already experienced the effects of an expired contract, will have to pay out of their own pockets for health insurance cost increase.

This not only brings lowered salaries— it brings confusion.

“A contract would give me a little more comfort with knowing what’s going to happen in the future,” Sanders said.

“I feel like I would be foolish not to.”

It used to take 10 years to reach the maximum pay as teachers moved up a full “step” each year. As of June 30, 2011, that was changed and each year a teacher only moves up half a step. Without a new contract, teachers aren’t moving at all.

Public Act 152 passed in 2011 prohibits the district from paying step increases if a contract has expired, according to Board of Education President Beth Talbert.

“I’ve been here for three years and I’m only on half a step,” Sanders said.

“When I got hired in, I was expecting to make a certain amount and it’s much lower than that.”

In an email, Talbert declined to comment on the effects of the step system being frozen “because [these] are subject to bargaining, [and] it would not be appropriate to comment further while the contract is being negotiated.”

According to social studies teacher Cara Lougheed, however, the effects are negative.

“Our younger staff has either said something to me or are talking to other people asking if they should do something else, or if they’re not talking about doing something else, they’re taking on extra jobs, taking on two or three jobs,” Lougheed said. “This then takes away from how much time they have on classroom teaching.”

Many students are supportive of the teachers.

“I think [the board] should listen to what [the teachers] have to say and consider that they should get paid a little more than they are now,” senior Kevin Hawthorne

“I love it here. I wanted to be a teacher my whole life. The fact that this is something where I’d have to think of other career paths just based on this conflict is very unfortunate.” - Steven Book, history teacher “Not having a contract in place doesn’t necessarily lower our salary but it has the potential to.”

But in a way, it does lower the teacher salary. As the contract froze, so did the salary increases. The salary step system guarantees a pay raise for teachers each year until they teach 20 years. If a teacher has his master’s degree, specialist degree, or doctorate, he also receives higher pay, under Article 27.

New teachers who’ve gone to college for at least six years aren’t moving up the step system like they thought they would and instead are lingering at the bottom of the pay scale.

“I’ve already started a master’s degree in something non-educational because of my fear of me getting my degree and there being no higher pay,” DeSantis said.

SCHOOL

said. “They definitely deserve better conditions.”

THE $16 MIILLION QUESTION So why is there no settled contract?

Some say it’s time.

According to the Rochester Education Association President and chief negotiator of the teacher union Doug Hill, during bargaining, both sides bring forward their proposals to talk out 40 amendments to the contract.

So far only 12 of the 40 have been bargained.

“You can’t bargain every day, physically, because there are twelve different negotiators—so, twelve different schedules you’re trying to take into account,” Hill said.

“I can’t fault [the Board of Education representatives] for the time that they’ve given

us. There’s just a limited amount of time.”

But aside from the time constraints, the issue is money, specifically the almost $16 million the district has in the “fund balance.”

The district can only use the amount of money the state of Michigan gives it, which according to Hill is around $8,040 per student. But with the budget cuts in education in Michigan and the lower enrollment of kindergarteners each year, the amount the district receives from the state has decreased.

But some money the district received isn’t going anywhere. An estimated $16 million lies untargeted in the bank for the Rochester School District, according to Hill. “[The Board’s negotiating team] continues to say that they don’t want to spend that money so that they could have money in the bank to cover their summer expenses,” Hill said.

In her email, Talbert wrote, “Without an adequate fund balance, the district could experience unanticipated changes in educational programs and/or employee layoffs during the school year in the event of mid-year reductions in revenues or significant unexpected expenditures.”

Whether to save that $16 million or put it towards granting teacher’s their pay raises and steps is where the Board of Education representatives are stuck, according to Lougheed.

“Over the last few years, state funding and federal funding has gone down,” Lougheed said. “Rochester’s been forced to dip into these savings to pay for other things. That’s why we know [the district] can use some of that money to make sure teachers are getting what’s guaranteed in the contract.”

SEEING RED As the bargaining sessions continue, teachers are expressing their concern in different ways.

“We’re wearing red, the representing color of our teachers union, to raise awareness, we’re picketing, going to the school board meetings,” science teacher Elizabeth Tigue said. “We just want to try to put pressure on the board and say, ‘Look, we need to settle this’!”

The teachers have also decided to come to school at 7:28 a.m and leave at 2:30 p.m., their hours specified in the contract, at least until Dec. 20 to demonstrate how much they typically do above and beyond the contract and to bring awareness.

Hill is hopeful the bargaining team can talk out those 40 amendments before January. Lougheed wishes for more cooperation.

“It’s just, I don’t like feeling like it’s the teachers against the Board,” Lougheed said. “If the state isn’t providing enough funding, we should work as a team in Rochester to stand up for what we need. That’s what’s really most disappointing.”

by the

numbers

$195K RCS Superintendent salary

$123K RCS Director of Budget and Finance salary

$34K Average starting salary of teachers in Michigan

$38K RCS starting salary for a teacher with a bachelors degree

$70K

Average national starting salary of Computer Engineers

$62K

Average national starting salary of Mechanical and Electrical Engineers

$55K Average national starting salary of Business and Managerial degrees

$52K Average national starting salary of Nurses

compiled by Adrian Munteanu (Sources: RCS Salary and Benefit Description, REA Master Agreement, NEA.org, Careerbuilder.com)

DEcember 20, 2013

source 7

A Taste of the Common Core

Quick stats and info about the controversial standards

States and the District of Colombia have adopted the Common Core

TO THE

CORE With the school year nearly halfway through, Michigan’s education standards get a makeover.

Drop in math and reading proficiency, based on test results in Kentucky

33

Number of states where the Common Core was found to be better than previous math and English standards in a study by the Fordham Institute

70% 30% Informational

Literature

by Simon Sun

A

45 30%

Reapprove bring chan

Ratio of informational reading to literary reading, as recommended by the Common Core

n education transformation has begun, and it’s happening right under students’ noses.

“I haven’t heard much about the Common Core,” junior Skylar Garrett said. “I feel like as a student I should know what it is, though.”

According to the Detroit News, Michigan became the forty-fifth state to adopt the standards in 2010, but the state senate blocked funding for the standards this summer in the new fiscal plan for the 20132014 year. However, the Michigan Legislature has passed a measure to resume spending on the Common Core in October, according to CBS Detroit.

Biting In According to Corestandards.org, the Common Core is a “state-led effort that established a single set of clear educational standards for kindergarten through 12th grade in English language arts and mathematics that states voluntarily adopt.”

Adopted in 45 states, the standards aim to provide continuity in education across the nation.

According to English teacher Emily Sommer, the standards do bring drastic changes.

“It’s different in a lot of ways,” Sommer said. “It has the idea of going deeper

Grade Poin

by Matt Schmucker

(Infographic by Simon Sun) Sources: MLive.com, USAToday.com

“It’s a paradigm shift in the way - Math teacher Ryan Slomka we teach.”

8 source

December 20, 2013

Friendly tip: don’t compare GPAs with students from Notre Dame Prep.

When schools like Notre Dame Prep weigh their GPAs, a student can receive up to a 5.0 in an AP class and up to a 4.5 in an honors class. This can have a significant impact on an overall GPA. If two students took 3 AP classes and got straight As for the year, the student with the weighted GPA would have an extra half of a point over the non-weighted GPA. According to scholarships.com, there are two main ways of calculating GPA. The first just involves grades without looking at the difficulty of the class. The second gives students a chance to earn extra points in harder classes. Stoney uses the first

school

ed Common Core standards nge and controversy rather than wider, and it focuses on skills rather than content.”

Another aspect of change is the standardized test that comes packaged with the Common Core—the Smarter Balanced Exam. According to math teacher Ryan Slomka, the exam is slated to replace the MEAP and will be implemented beginning with the class of 2016.

“The exam is a lot more focused on puzzles and critical thinking, rather than just doing problems,” Slomka said.

According to MLive, the test is designed to be taken completely online, and the questions will adjust in difficulty based on past results.

Core Arguments However, these changes do not come easy. According to MLive, some lawmakers expressed concern over the new standards.

Rochester Hills state representative Tom McMillin, for example, has criticized the Common Core, arguing that the standards may diminish local control over education. “[The Common Core is] an obvious overreach by the federal government into our classrooms,” McMillin said in an interview with the Washington Post. “The federal government should not dictate what is taught in every classroom in the nation, especially in Michigan.”

However, English language arts curriculum coordinator Ashley Painter argues that these ideas are based on misconceptions.

“The federal government did not write these standards,” she said. “They were

written under the direction of governors of individual states, including state leadership in Michigan.”

Painter asserts that the Common Core would not affect the Rochester Community Schools benchmarks.

“Rochester had not previously had its own local standards. We have always included state standards in our classrooms,” Painter said.

Another area of debate is over the Smarter Balanced Exam. According to MLive, critics are wary of the exam’s stability and cost. Many pilot tests around the country have encountered issues with server connectivity. However, advocates of the Common Core and the exam argue for the new test’s flexibility, citing the adjustable questions, and accessibility (results are instantaneous). Additionally, according to MLive, many districts have allowed a “bring your own technology” policy to combat the high costs.

Sommer brings up a third concern.

“Instead of focusing on good teaching and helping students learn, all the emphasis has been on buying products,” Sommer said. “Like ‘you have to buy this textbook’ or ‘we have to take this test.’ I really fear that too much of it has been tied to big business.”

Many, such as Sommer, have also raised the question of the difficulty of the standards.

“It’s a lot like AP,” she said. “Instead of reading a book for a couple weeks, you would spend longer on it but study the

text in detail and analyze passages much deeper.”

Slomka, however, believes students are up to the challenge.

“I think Stoney kids are some of the best students,” Slomka said. “When they are given an assignment, their first instinct is to do it. I think they would be able to adapt easily.”

Crunching the Problems The Common Core has been implemented at Stoney since last year. Many teachers have begun to integrate the standards into their own curriculum.

“Some of our materials are out of date, so we’re all working together to rewrite things,” Sommer said.

Slomka, too, has already shifted his lessons to work under the new standards.

For example, he has added matrices and conics to his Algebra 2 curriculum, topics which used to be simply glossed over.

“All the changes we made are for the students,” he said. “We didn’t change a lot, but I think all the additions will help the kids understand the material even better.”

Although already started, the Common Core is still hotly debated. Garrett echoes the current state of uncertainty with the Common Core.

“It sounds like a good idea, but I’m not sure how well it can be implemented,” she said.

nt Perplexity: GPA inconsistencies lead to confusion while some other schools, typically private schools like Notre Dame Prep, weigh their GPAs. The topic of comparing GPAs comes up often around the beginning of the second quarter with college application deadlines looming at the end of the semester.

The issue was brought up at the October board meeting by a parent wanting to use a weighted GPA scale because it looks better on a college application.

So why wouldn’t Stoney use a weighted scale?

Senior Regina Chen gave her opinion.

“It would make it easier but I’m not sure it’s realistic,” Chen said.

Counselor Diana Bissett agrees.

“There’s been talks of switching,” Bissett said. “But it gets turned down every

school

time for the same reason. The scale really doesn’t matter.”

Counselor Paul Carlin gave his reason for why we haven’t switched scales yet.

“The local colleges I’ve talked to have even told me that they prefer to work with the 4-point GPA scale,” said Carlin.

Former OU admissions employee Luke Fleer explained why the difference in scales is so insignificant.

“Most big colleges recalculate GPA on campus so any weighted scales are evened out,” said Fleer. “They also will sometimes calculate out electives like P.E. That way people don’t end up with a 3.5 but do poorly in core classes.”

If colleges recalculate GPA anyways, then what does the high school scale matter? GPA isn’t even the only factor that

determines a student’s acceptance into a school. ACT scores are the other main determining factor.

“I think it depends on the school, but for Oakland, GPA and ACT are basically equally important factors,” said Fleer. “OU has kind of a metric for comparing the two scores, so I would assume that many colleges have the same.”

Now in all of the craziness with different scales, wouldn’t it just make sense to set a standard scale? Could the federal or state government standardize a scale to avoid confusion?

“I think anything is possible for K-12 education right now,” Fleer said. “I would not be surprised to see [a standard scale] as early as the next four or five years.”

College App Process

1

Colleges take ACT and SAT scores into account. Their impact differs based on the college

2

Colleges will sometimes factor out irrelevant elective courses

3

Colleges will weigh applicants’ GPAs with AP courses

4

Colleges will weigh applicants’ GPAs with honors courses (Sidebar by Matt Schmucker) Source: Luke Fleer

For more on the Common Core, visit corestandards.org

december 20, 2013

source 9

Mom, I was just holding those for a friend.� www.collegeforcreativestudies.edu

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Not Wishing for Wells: An example of a hydraulic fracturing well, located in the Rochester area. Fracking is a process that is used to extract natural gas from shale rock. (photo by Ryan Sennett)

“Who’s to say what the outcomes will be fifty or one hundred years from now?”

Tracy Naylis, history teacher

Rochester rejects controversial wells

by Ryan Sennett and Bridget Bartos

F

racking: It can produce millions of dollars, yet can ruin a town’s water source over just a few days. Rochester’s concerns over the environmental issues caused the city council to turn down the plans to begin fracking in the area.

Fracking is a process that is used to extract natural gas from shale rock. To keep the mines open, a combination of freshwater, toxic chemicals and sand are added. This is what the possible environmental concerns are linked to.

Fracking was being looked into by Jordan Developmental Incorporated in the metro park areas. They received confirmation to lease land for observatory wells in September 2011, and a second lease in October 2012 for Indian Springs Metro Park.

The well is set up right next to several lakes, and currently no adverse effects of fracking have been evident in the lake. The developmental company has looked into expanding its reach into the Metro Parks in Rochester because the shale reservoirs are widespread over the southeastern Michigan region.

There are multiple pros and cons of the fracking

LOcal news

process.

“In places where there is no real way to make money, bringing these fracking wells provide a pretty good living, so it brings prosperity where we normally don’t have it,” said science teacher Alexis Desantis.

Since Rochester isn’t suffering economically, history teacher, Tracy Naylis is glad it rejected fracking in the area for now.

“Any time you are pumping unknown chemicals in the ground, there is probably a problem with that,” said Naylis.

There is also the risk of losing our valuable freshwater source.

“One of the negatives is the uses of freshwater, and were talking several million gallons of freshwater per well. If the wells are not lines properly, the chemicals could mix in,” said Desantis.

According to Desantis the risk of the use of freshwater does not outweigh the idea of fracking.

“I would really rather have us lean toward more alternative energy sources and energy approaches to our electricity needs,” said Desantis.

According to Desantis, fracking is a relatively new thing so many people do not know much about it, which is why the idea could be frightening.

“Most of the companies will not give specifics about the types of chemicals they use in the fracking process, so it can be frightening when you do not know what the oil companies are putting into the ground that could very well be directly under your house,” said Naylis.

According to junior Ethan Miller, who is also against fracking, in order to complete the fracking, you must put dangerous explosives into the ground as well, which can be extremely dangerous.

“It’s not like we are hurting for the money right now, and I really don’t want to sell out our natural resources for this, so I’m not sure I’m prepared to be in support of this. I may open, but I’m a long way away,” Rochester Mayor Stuart Bikson said in an interview with the Rochester Post.

Bikson’s comment sums up the general attitude of Rochester people because many believe that we do not need to risk our natural resources to benefit economically considering how well off of an area that Rochester is.

december 11, 2013

source 11

Losing to Gain the Gap

“To Eat or Not to Eat” used by permission of Danielle Helm

Teenage girls make a goal to have a gap between their thighs

by Rachel Tudor

O

ne in 200 American women suffer from anorexia, according to South Carolina Department of Mental Health.

Lately, the “thigh gap” has become Tumblr’s new obsession, and portrays that it should be every teenage girls’, too. The thigh gap is social media’s new expectation that a girl’s beauty is defined by a gap between her legs. The thigh gap has dominated “thinspiration” blogs everywhere, particularly on Tumblr.

“I don’t think I’ve scrolled through my Tumblr feed once without seeing a picture of an unbearably skinny, sick-looking girl, showing off the large gap in between her legs, with a caption telling me I need to get one, too,” freshman Mackenzie Warner said.

According to an article on New Delhi Television Limited, psychologist Barbara Greenberg thinks the thigh gap is a desire that’s not realistic for most young women.

“Most women are not built that way, to have that space between their thighs," she said “It is a matter of bone structure.”

This idea is looked over by most girls.

“It’s a societal expectation that some people

Quoted

“

feel they need to follow, the model, the perfect body. People internalize that, thinking they have to be like that or they won’t be perfect,” counselor Linda Veeser said.

According to ABC Network, The World Health Organization suggests a 2,500 calorie intake for a teenage girl. Those who obsess over the thigh gap often don’t reach this calorie amount.

A girl on Tumblr with the username “thigh-gap” wrote, “I ate 400 calories today, I am so fat. I need a thigh gap.”

Other accounts responded with comments like, “Keep going you can do better,” or “Picture yourself with a gap like a runway model, you’ll see results soon.”

Twitter features different accounts dedicated to certain celebrities with famous thigh gaps.

Facebook also includes a fan page devoted to the thigh gap. There is even a page on Wiki-how on how to achieve it. Galleries on Instagram, Pinterest, We Heart It, and Tumblr include the pictures of thigh gaps on models and young women.

According to Greenberg, women look at the websites and media, instead of understanding the

physical complications it can present.

“It’s an unrealistic goal and sets us up for failure. People then try unhealthy ways of controlling their eating habits and weight, which can lead to eating disorders,” counselor Paul Carlin said.

A weight loss craze that is unattainable for most women can be specifically dangerous, according to Carlin. Heart Disease, Kidney Failure, Circulatory Difficulties, ADHD and poor physical growth can be presented with a goal of the thigh gap, he elaborated.

“There’s no way around it, even when you don’t want to see it, someone’s talking about it, or it pops up on the computer,” sophomore Mandy Van Dan Elzen.

Carlin believes the media is a major contributor to the thigh gap, and eating disorders as a whole.

“Social media can make a significant impact on eating disorders by misrepresenting what is a realistic and appropriate weight and size. Media doesn’t do a good job of representing a diversity of body types and sizes,” Carlin said.

“There’s more to life than a look.”

You don’t understand how much I hate my body. If I don’t get a thigh gap soon, I will not hesitate to kill myself.

12 source

-A teenage girl with the Tumblr account “the-edgeofdeath” posted this Nov. 14.

December 20, 2013

”

Life Styles

facebook fiascos SCHS Source Students share their mishaps on Facebook, from the embarrassing to the just plain-out awkward.

What’s your

facebook personality?

2 minutes or 2 hours online?

1. 2 minutes You just check in, scrolling quickly through your feed and then logging out.

Comment Like Freshman Liz Setera

“Well I was watching a football game with my family. Little did I know that my brother was posting on Facebook at the same time. He posted: ‘My sister watching the lions-cardinals ‘is that an angry bird on his hat?’’ Yeah, it was embarrassing. It made me look so dumb. It was so awful, I can’t believe he posted that.”

2. 2 hours

You browse through EVERYTHING, post pictures and update your status

Post selfies or food pics?

1. Selfies 2. Food Selfie in the car.

Selfie at the mall.

Selfie at Starbucks.

Selfies EVERYWHERE.

Whenever you eat, you always have to snap a picture before and post it.

Status king or never post?

Sophomore Avery Jackson

“So my mom, she really loves to post pictures of my family on Facebook, because you know she loves us. She likes to share memories, but unfortunately, she likes to share really not good memories. They are basically my family from seven or eight years ago. I was probably wearing this really ugly poncho. The worst part was that she tagged me. You can’t tag people in embarrassing pictures, you just can’t!"

1. Status King 2. Never Post You post mostly everything you do.

You don’t really let anyone know what you’re up to.

Like everything or just a few?

1. Everything

Sophomore Lena Kim

“My friend and I were messing around with the LOL cam on Facebook, but I didn’t know she was going to post them. The effects on the pictures made my face look really deformed.”

You make sure everyone knows you’re listening and online.

2. Just a Few

You only like a select few, only the things you’re very interested in.

Add pics frequent or barely?

1. Frequently 2. Barely

Junior Jenna Malofey

“My family pictures are always terrible. This was at the fourth of July at my aunt’s. We were making s’mores on the beach, just messing around. My aunt just happened to be taking pictures, like, really? Any ways, I was just wearing really sluggish clothes and my hair was wet and I was holding this graham cracker in my mouth. That picture just turned out just awful, just awful. My sister was all smiley and I was just awkward. The next thing I knew it was posted on Facebook. It was terrible.

So terrible.”

Senior Kait Whitefoot

“Somebody changed their relationship status to dating me and I got so many questions about it. It caused so many rumors, and it was just annoying. I didn’t even like the guy or anything. Not someone I was interested in. Things got really awkward.”

You like your life to be public, displaying it on your page.

You don’t really upload pictures that often. You only do for big events.

Mostly 1’s Mostly 2’s The Extrovert

The Introvert

You feel the need to let everyone know what’s going on in you’re life. You like putting yourself out there

You like more to keep to yourself.

Even though you may be very outgoing, you aren’t very intrigued to show the world.

Compiled by Erika Williams

Lifestyles

december 20, 2013

SOURCE 13

Out of the

Gift Box

Too wrapped up with school and work to search for the perfect Christmas gift? These products should solve that problem! Shops all around Rochester sell out-of-the-box products for elf-sized to Santasized wallets. $7

$8

$9.95

This Swiss-made pen is loaded with enough ink to last seven years. The pens come in an assortment of colors and designs. Available at Lytle Pharmacy.

Socks for Christmas? Yup. Toy Machine’s Monster Face Socks feature stripes at the top and a monster face graphic on the top of the foot. According to Skate Warehouse, these socks are made of a cotton/lycra blend.

Available at South Street Skate Shop.

A funny, irreverent gift, Poo-Pourri eliminates bathroom odors. The product’s slogan brags “spritz the bowl before you go and no one else will ever know.” Original, extramint, and heavy duty versions are available at Catching Fireflies.

$24.99

$26.99

$50

This lap desk allows for studying anywhere. According to All for Color, the lap desk is heat resistant, so it serves as a buffer between laptops and legs. Plus, it has a cup holder.

That’s quality.

The purrfect game for felineobsessed friends, Catopoly is like any other propertytrading game, but focuses on cats. Just try not to end up in water! Available at Brilliant Sky Toys.

According to the Peapack Mitten Company, these fashionable mittens are handmade from recycled wool with polar fleece lining. These mittens were made in the mitten state!

Available at Trekt Outdoors.

THE SEVEN YEAR PEN

MONSTER SOCKS

CAT-OPOLY

LAP DESK

POO-POURRI

$10

CREATURE MUGS

These adorable woodland creatures are just waiting to be filled with love. Or coffee.

Available at Lytle Pharmacy.

PEAPACK MITTENS

Need more gift ideas?

Check out the “Gifts” Pinterest board on our account, SC Source Online! compiled by Tori Phelps

14 source

December 20, 2013

Lifestyles

EDITORIAL: IN OUR HONEST OPINION

BEAUTY’S ONLY SCREEN-DEEP

F

lawless completion, tanned skin, light blue eyes, thick blonde or brown hair, tall frame, skinny body: this is the definition of beauty.

At least, that’s how the media sees it. Beauty trends like thigh gaps have spread extreme expectations of beauty around the web and have especially influenced teenage girls.

If advertisers used more average-sized people in their advertising campaigns and cut their heavy reliance on Photoshop, beauty would not be a major source of anxiety for women.

Research by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) states that 70 percent of Americans believe the amount of people suffering from eating disorders would be reduced if advertisers used healthier-sized people in their campaigns.

And that amount is rapidly growing. According to the NEDA, since 1950—about the time when “thin” became “in”—the rate of development of new cases of eating

Source Staff Vote: The media should show women as they are

disorders has increased. Now, the NEDA reports that over a half of teenage girls and nearly a third of teenage boys have unhealthy weight control habits.

Though Americans continue to prize thinness, average weights have steadily increased, according to the American Psychological Association. This means even more people are unsatisfied with their current weight.

The media’s interpretation of beauty affects everyone, even if they don’t realize it. The figures on billboards and in magazines are what the world sees as beautiful.

Everyone wants to be seen as beautiful, so everyone strives to imitate the bodies that the media glorifies.

Research by Dove in 2004 discovered that only two percent of women worldwide consider themselves beautiful. Two percent.

How twisted is that?

Facts like this prompted Dove to launch their Campaign for Real Beauty in 2004. Now, their advertisements show real women

Recent unhealthy beauty trends point to the influence of the media on women at a healthy weight. The feedback since the launch of their campaign has been incredibly positive. Their aim for a world where “beauty is a source of confidence, not anxiety” was well-received.

Unfortunately, not all companies think like Dove.

According to an article in the New York Daily News, the CEO at Abercrombie and Fitch was recently under fire for stating that his store only sold to the “attractive all-American kid.” Indeed, at Abercrombie, the largest clothing size for women is a ten—a few sizes short of the national average of 13.

Advertisements and the media have twisted America’s perception of real beauty. The new, unattainable image of “beauty” encourages unhealthy habits and brews anxiety, especially among young adults.

Freckles, beauty marks, white skin, black skin, brown eyes, green eyes, grey eyes, thin hair, black hair, red hair, blue hair, short frames, curves: we have the power to create our own definition of beauty.

Agree: 100%

“I think that the media’s effect on the image of beauty is negative, because they try to push people into thinking only one part of beauty is really ‘beautiful,’ i.e. being thin.” perspectives

We’ve Seen Snow Before: Can we go a class period with out pointing out the falling snow or the lack thereof? We know! It snows every year!

Cheating Coach?: While Jacoby Jones of the Baltimore Ravens was close to returning a kick for a touchdown, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin distracted Jones by getting in his way so one of the players coud catch up and tackle him.

PRRR Baking Up Warmth: Donating a coat to Rotary Interact doesn’t just buy a cupcake--it brings warmth to the Grace Centers of Hope.

‘Tis the #Season: Holiday-themed names are cropping up all around Twitter. Guess it’s time to change ours to @SCScroogeOnline (not really).

BY THE NUMB3RS

BY THE 80

percent of girls dislike their bodies by the age of 17

NUMB3RS

3

How does the media affect body image?

Sophomore: RENEE RECOR

GRRR

average teacher’s starting salary

YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST, FOLKS!

Q:

&PRRR

GRRR

39000

percent of fracking wells with construction problems

pounds Ryan Sennett can Clean and Jerk

Junior: MIAH KHAN

“Teenages especially, maybe even more so girls, are affected by perfection with the photoshop in the magazines and people think they have to attain that kind of perfection. It morphs your view of what’s pretty and what’s not.”

Senior: MAITHREYI SRIKANTH

“We’re really influenced by what we see in magazines and everything, so whatever styles, however your hair is and stuff, that’s what we define beauty as.”

Photos by Tori Phelps

12

355

grade Mitchell Collins is in

highest possible GPA on a weighted system

5.0

Sources: National Eating Disorder Association, ABC News, New York Times

December 16, 2013

source 15

think you’re pregnant?

You Have Choices Crossroads Pregnancy Center

248-293-0070

Road Test Coupon $5.00 off American Driver Testing

Must present This Coupon Test Fee with Coupon is $40 Coupon Expires 10/15/13 MAY ONLY BE USED FOR CAR TEST AT 23 MILE & SHELBY ROAD LOCATION

Appointment Required 586-909-8814

WANTED:

EnginEErs, ArchitEcts, sciEntists, And rEbEls. lawrence technological University isn’t for just anyone. We want the future designers, engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs who will create the innovations of tomorrow.

401 North Main Street, Rochester

if you believe that everything is possible, and that possible is everything, we want you at ltU.

Phone: (248)-601-9300

Explore your possibilities at Blue and White Campus Visit Days.

Downtown Cafe

learn more at: www.ltu.edu/blueandwhitedays. ready to apply now? Visit: ltu.edu/applyfree.

Address: 606 N Main, Rochester, MI 48307 Phone: (248) 652-6680 Mon-Sat: 7:00 am- 3:00 pm Sunday: 7:00 am- 2:00 pm

Breakfast and Lunch

16 source

December 20, 2013

POSSIBLE IS EVERYTHING.

Architecture and design Arts and sciences Engineering Management

lawrence technological University 21000 West ten Mile road, southfield, Mi 48075-1058 800.225.5588│admissions@ltu.edu│www.ltu.edu