MasterEd2_2014 by The Communicator

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The Communicator Vol. 29, Edition 2 December 2013

on the scale

a night wasted

canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop birkenstock

TABLE OF CONTENTS VOLUME 29 EDITION 2

flu shot fever As winter approaches, influenza is becoming an illness to consider for immunization

parents on drug use Kids have different high school experiences based on their parents’ drug views

fourth and long Bestselling author John Bacon tells the story of college football

up all night Community students admit they lack sleep, causing side effects at school

a night wasted What happens when students get caught drinking at school?

what’s your monster?

can’t stop birkenstocks

Community students share their worst fears

4 moves that make you move Accessible exercise moves to get you up and active

faces of bob Getting to know the actors of Bob: A Life in Five Acts

fashion

on the scale

green energy 1.4 million dollar wind turbine could come to nearby Pioneer HIgh School

picture this 2

the communicator

what we’re sayin’

Dear Readers,

“New year, new me.” As 2014 approaches, many look to change their ways. The perfect opportunity to reflect comes in the form of winter break. Two school-free weeks, perfect for reflection. The longest stretch of uninterrupted school is over and this break is well deserved. When we come back in January, the school year will start to fly by and, to quote Ferris Bueller: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” When we return, make sure that you have your priorities straight and that you know what you want to accomplish in the rest of the year. Resolve to meet new people (18-19). Choose to read more (20-22). Listen to some new jams (38-39). Learn to manage your time appropriately (6-9), or keep yourself in shake with four moves that will move you (29). As the calendar year comes to a close, it’s also important to recognize accomplishments. Some among us are already realizing their dreams and making big strides towards their goals (36). Other accomplishments aren’t rewarded with a trophy, but are just as important. Being brave enough to talk about extremely personal issues such as obesity (24-25) is by no means an easy feat. Read our center spread to hear firsthand about struggling with weight issues and learn about the risks of being overweight from experts in the field. As we bid adieu, we want to leave you with one final piece of advice: get a new calendar.

Sincerely,

letter from the editors

we’re ready now

THE COMMUNICATOR

advertise. andersont@aaps.k12.mi.us

ISABEL SANDWEISS & ALEXANDER WOOD

Printing thanks to Edwards Brothers Malloy. Editors-In-Chief

Isabel Sandweiss Alexander Wood

Managing Editors Kelly Arnold Madeline Halpert Jeffrey Ohl Marcelo Salas

Adviser

Tracy Anderson

Cover Art

Alexander Wood Marcelo Salas

Staff Lachlan Angus John Douglass Cameron Fortune Hannon Hylkema Jacob Johnson Jett Jones John Kelley William Knight Jack MacConnel Gabriel Maguire Hazel O’Neil Caroline Phillips Nathaniel Porter Eva Rosenfeld Emily Ross

Hannah Shevrin Alona Shewach Sophia Simon Oren Steiner Dylan Stephens Hannah Tschirhart Milo Tucker-Meyer Obiageri Ugwuegbu Eliza Upton Abraham Weiner Cody Zeisler

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flu shot

fever AS WINTER APPROACHES, INFLUENZA IS BECOMING AN ILLNESS TO CONSIDER FOR IMMUNIZATION kelly arnold

he injection of the needle went just as planned. Afterwards, she went home for an ordinary evening and fell asleep. It was not until early the next morning that she encountered the characteristic symptoms: fever, aching and chills. Community High teacher Robbie Stapleton had contracted the flu less than a day after receiving the very vaccine that should have prevented it. This was Stapleton’s first year receiving the vaccine; she caught a more serious strain of influenza last year, and did not want to have it again. All of the years before, Stapleton never felt the need to have the flu shot. “I rarely rarely get sick, and I didn’t think I was at a high risk,” said Stapleton. “There are years where they don’t have enough of the flu shot, and I always thought, ‘well, I feel a little guilty getting it, because I’m a healthy person’. Even if I get the flu, I’ll survive it, whereas other people with compromised immune systems or [others] need it more than I do.” Two days after her injection-to-infection incident, Stapleton was back running with her personal fitness students on their normal routes. While she was caught off guard by the sudden illness, she acknowledges that it may have been her own doing by forgetting to mention a piece of key information to the shot administrator. “I didn’t report it, but I did have a little, tiny cold when I got [the flu shot],” said Stapleton. Stapleton’s experience isn’t exactly unique. In fact, Community High freshman Sadie Zinn says that she has never received the influenza vaccine because of the fear of being in Stapleton’s situation. Zinn said, “My family has never gotten [the flu vaccine]. My mom doesn’t believe in flu shots. She says that if you get the shot, you’ll actually get the flu.” The flu seasons of the past few years have been problematic. While statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that flu vaccination coverage among adults has increased as age increases, the vaccine was found to only be 62 percent effective last year. As many as 200,000 Americans are sent to the hospital each year due to influenza. Yet health professionals tend to encourage, and even themselves receive, the flu vaccine. 92 percent of physicians had the flu shot last year, along with 89 percent of pharmacists. To save the thousands of lives taken by the flu each year, government agencies like the CDC

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spread information and encourage vaccination. However, consumers still aren’t presented with detailed information on the vaccine from these sources. For example, on the CDC’s webpage for answering common questions about the seasonal influenza vaccine, there is no mention of how exactly the vaccine is made, or a detailed list of the ingredients. This has left potential recipients pressured to get the vaccine without being given the full background on it. “I should know so much more… honestly, I don’t know what’s in the shot,” said Stapleton. “And I should, because I got it, and you should always know what’s going in your body if they’re giving it to you.” how it’s made To create the standard flu shot, scientists and public health officials predict potential problem strains of influenza at least six months before the end product is in use. Next, needles inject the decided strains into fertilized hen eggs. The viruses then multiply inside the eggs. The live viruses are later collected and inactivated with the help of the chemical formaldehyde, according to the CDC. The formaldehyde, along with other components, is then sifted out as best as possible, and the vaccine is shipped to medical centers and other places that offer the flu shot. There are still occasionally trace amounts of formaldehyde left in the vaccine product. Formaldehyde has been classified as a human carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, formaldehyde is linked to a group of several cancers, including nasopharyngeal cancer and leukemia. Most multi-dose and some single-dose injections of the influenza vaccine contain thiomersal. The mercury-based compound is used as a pre-

servative and, according to the CDC, to prevent contamination. This specific compound is not used in children’s vaccines, due to controversy over negative health effects. The CDC also says that “no evidence of harm caused by the small amounts of thimerosal in flu vaccines [has been found] except for minor reactions at the injection site.” Other products are also used in the production of the influenza vaccine: aluminum, ethylene glycol (also known as antifreeze), gelatin and other various antibiotics, including neomycin, streptomycin and gentamicin. a doctor’s perspective Dr. Andrew Mundwiler is a practicing physician with the University of Michigan Health System. When it comes to the flu vaccine, he’s heard worries from the individuals sitting in his office chair. “I think the most common concern that patients tend to have with the flu vaccine is that you can actually get the flu from the vaccine,” said Mundwiler. “That’s definitely not the case, that anyone gets the flu from the vaccine. They are either inactivated or weakened viruses that are unable to transmit any illness to people. Some people do have some mild side effects afterwards that are usually bothersome at worst, and that can sometimes be confused with actually getting the flu, but these aren’t contagious symptoms.” He also hears concerns from large institutions miles away. “Some healthcare providers bring up the possibility for a neurologic illness called Guillain–Barré syndrome, which is a very rare, possible side effect. The risk of dying from the flu is actually quite higher than having this side effect,” said Mundwiler. The inclusion of mercury in the vaccine doesn’t worry Mundwiler. He’s found that “all of the epidemiologic data over the years doesn’t support

any adverse health effects from the mercury that is contained in some vaccines. It has been a concern that’s been raised for years, but I don’t think it should be a concern when thinking about vaccines,” he said. Regarding Stapleton’s experience, Mundwiler says it’s all too common. “It’s the time of year when people tend to have other viruses like the cold anyway,” said Mundwiler. “Sometimes, some of the side effects of the vaccine can be similar to a common cold, and that can be confused for having the flu. You also have to remember that there is a period of time after you get the vaccine before it starts to work, so you’re still able to actually catch the flu in that period of time before the flu vaccine starts to work.” Dr. Mundwiler has received the flu shot not only because it’s required by his work, but because he believes in the vaccine itself, and understands the consequences of influenza. “Although we think of the flu as being a mild, nuisance illness, it can actually be quite serious, can cause a lot of illness and can even lead to death in some cases,” said Mundwiler. He has a few words of wisdom to those still on the fence about receiving the vaccine for this season. “You need to strongly think about the reasons that you’re not getting the vaccine. I think you need to understand the risks of the illness. You need to know that those risks are much higher than any potential risks that you might have from getting the vaccine,” said Mundwiler. “It just needs to be emphasized that all the evidence we have says that these vaccines aren’t active and aren’t able to cause the flu, so I’m confident that the vaccine isn’t the cause of any infectious illness or dangerous effects that some people think that they are. People need to understand that it can be a very serious illness.” C

infectious diseases at schools Sources: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/infectious/, http://www.lysol.com/mission-for-health

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students missed 3 or more school days in the past year because of illness or injury

million

2013

school days lost each year to influenza

59% surfaces have the potential to be contaminated with the flu virus december 2 0 1 3

quiz next block overdue tournament in a week

assigned a month ago

deadline in 2 days

keeping up with yesterday

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liam knight

n day one, you came in with your new notebook, and your new pencil, and your new paper, and your new planner, and it all looked so promising,” said John Boshoven, one of Community High’s two counselors. “Where did things start to go wrong?” For many, procrastination is what took them off the rails. Jonathan Sandberg*, a student at Community High School, struggles with procrastination. It brings his grades down, and lowers his self esteem. “It makes me feel worse, because my grades are going down,” he said. “You know, it makes me feel bad.” Sandberg wishes he procrastinated less and knows, at least partially, why he puts off doing his work: when faced with the fear that a completed assignment is not enough to receive a passing grade, Sandberg often chooses to avoid doing the assignment altogether, turning to more gratifying activities, such as watching TV shows or movies on Netflix, browsing reddit or playing on his Xbox. “I’d rather not do it instead of getting a bad grade on it when I do it,” he said. Underneath, however, a deeper psychological battle is happening inside of Sandberg’s mind. Ann Wright, a social worker, seventh year teacher of Psychology at Community High and 12-year Professor at the University of Michigan, explained why Sandberg feels he should avoid doing his schoolwork. “People get into conflicts in their own mind about doing things, and there’s a difference between having to do something and choosing to do something,” said Wright. “Procrastination is usually… a psychological defense that you develop when there’s something about the task at hand that you don’t want to do, that you’re not willing to do.” Though there are many perspectives on the subject, Wright stresses that it is generally accepted that procrastination is a defensive behavior. When a person puts off doing their work for a later time on a consistent basis, it becomes habit, and they are more likely to procrastinate in the future. “It becomes part of a style in the person’s personality,” she said. “They’re more likely to develop that as a habit pattern until something breaks them of that pattern… They learn that it doesn’t work for them, they end up with failure over and over again because they’re putting it off: that’s the most common thing that breaks the habit pattern.” Certain personality traits are more likely to lead to procrastination than others. Those who

tend to avoid negative experiences will often avoid doing their work. However, students with weaknesses in a particular class are more likely to avoid doing work for that class. “Someone who has problems with math will often procrastinate doing their math homework because there’s an obstacle to success,” said Wright. “They put off what they assume to be a failure.” Boshoven has talked to students who face shortcomings in their academic performance due to procrastination on many occasions. Students avoid meeting up with Boshoven to assess the situation before it becomes a problem, and talk to him at the last minute when their assignments are about to topple on their heads. “They come in and go, ‘I am in a crisis.’ So unfortunately it would be helpful if they came in earlier and said ‘You know, I had this problem I think I want to deal with before it bites me, but then, well it hasn’t bitten me––OUCH!’ And then they go ‘I am in a total mess right now.’ “It’s my job to sort of say ‘Well how did we get there? Can we unravel it back to where it all started?’” It’s up to Boshoven to help students with their current situation and help them avoid problems in the future. However, Boshoven himself put off tasks as a college student, and today his office remains in worse condition than he would like it to be. “There’s nothing I can say, like you know, ‘Be like me.’ Well, if you were really like me you’d see you’re cramming at the last minute for big exams, pulling all-nighters in college, writing papers at the last minute.” According to Boshoven, many students have academic issues especially when faced with a big project and a late deadline. “When you have one of those big long projects, you know in three weeks, this huge thing has to be delivered. And it just looks like a gigantic thing, like wow I should get working on that thing. And every day I’m still like ‘where do I start with this thing? Tomorrow I’ll really do it.’ But big things are hard to get started on, because you think well where do you start, what kind of plan should you have?” Boshoven’s experience with counseling students has taught him how to help kids with their procrastination. But he stresses that for the problem to be fixed, the student needs to want to solve it. “I was here with parents at lunch time,” he said. “They want to solve the problem, but I said, ‘your daughter. Does she want to solve the problem?’ Well, she says she does, but how are her grades demonstrating it? Not well. They’re looking at bad grades right now, on the Power-

school. So I said, ‘Well she’s saying one thing and doing another. “I said, ‘Well, probably what you want to do is meet with a forum leader and say ‘so this is what we’re seeing, this is what we’re hearing. They’re not jiving. What do you really want and how can we help you with that?’” Both Boshoven and Wright agree that holding yourself accountable through another person can be a good motivator to prevent procrastination. Boshoven recommends that students who struggle with procrastination have a plan with a forum leader or counselor, use their planners to schedule when tasks are to be completed, and work on assignments during their free block. “Use your free time at school! Yeah, it’s fun to sit around on the ledge and chill… Pretty soon it’s February. That’s an hour and a half a day when you could have done something. Utilize your schedule, and sometimes it helps to have somebody to help you with that.” Boshoven also believes that study groups, though more typical among college students, would be a valuable method of studying and finishing work. “In college, kids figured out study buddies,” he said. “In high school, everybody’s on an island, everybody’s in it for themselves.” Though both adolescents and adults put off doing their work, Wright suggests that high schoolers have something more to think about. “One of the things that makes people procrastinate, at this stage of life, in adolescence, is because they’re really being asked to master a lot of different things and not fail at them,” she said. “And many of the things they’re being asked to master are new. They’re trying to do a whole bunch of new stuff simultaneously. So there is a lot of, one, expectation on the part of the world looking at you, that you’re going to be successful at a bunch of new stuff all at once, and two, especially in school… getting the wrong answer is failure. So it’s hard to risk trying something new if you think that the chances of failure are very high.” High schoolers have a lot to live up to, especially at Community, where success depends heavily on personal responsibility to finish assignments and put effort into education. The longer a student waits to begin an assignment or study for a test, the more difficult it becomes for them to finish their work and still meet the expectations of their teachers, their parents, universities and colleges, and potential employers. For many, it can seem overwhelming. The first step is to start doing the work. C *name has been changed

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the communi cato r

great

expectations

EXPECTATIONS COME FROM ALL OVER, BUT THEY START WITH STUDENTS THEMSELVES alona shewach

ake up early, go to school, do an extracurricular, volunteer, do homework, maintain a social life, get a good night’s sleep, and repeat: those are the expectations placed on teenagers today. Most students feel that it isn’t possible to do all of these things simultaneously. Christina Chang and Dylan Partin know how hard it can be to juggle a lot of activities. Chang, a senior at Community High School, has an intensely busy schedule. She takes a U of M class, is part of Genes in Diseases and Symptoms (GIDAS), Asian Student Union (ASU) and Mock Trial, tutors in math and science, volunteers at U of M, teaches piano to elementary kids, practices karate, and plays gigs as a part of the jazz band program. As a senior, she also has to manage college applications. Dealing with all of these activities can be very difficult for her, but she does her best. “It’s a balance,” she said, “between knowing when you can procrastinate, knowing when you can’t, and being able to plan out when to do each piece of work. In my mind, I’ll be like, ‘No, I don’t want to do that reading right now!’ but I already set a time for it, so I do it anyway.” Her stress tends to be caused by trying to meet expectations, but it can be increased when she feels like she doesn’t meet them. Then she puts more pressure on herself to try to do better. Partin, a sophomore at Community and football player for Pioneer High School, doesn’t participate in as many activities as Chang, but he is just as busy. A typical day for him is just as hectic as for Chang: “I wake up, go to school, then after school I go to Pioneer, go to study hall, then I go to football, and I get home at around 7:30 or 8:00. Then I eat dinner, take a shower, go to

sleep, and then I do my homework the next morning.” He usually does his homework in an hour to an hour and a half, but he worries that it isn’t his best work, because he’s in a rush. In addition to his homework, his busy football schedule also takes away from his social life, free time, and sleep. Milo Tucker-Meyer also knows how hard a full schedule can be. Though he is only a sophomore at Community, he is playing the title role in Bob: A Life in 5 Acts. Between daily three-hour rehearsals, memorizing lines, and trying to stay on top of schoolwork, life can get pretty stressful. If he doesn’t have much homework, he can spend two hours a day just memorizing lines. Similar to Partin, Tucker-Meyer, on an average day, doesn’t even get to his homework until around 8:00 p.m. But he does have advice for anyone else dealing with a busy schedule. “Definitely get your work done before doing anything else,” he said. “It always just feels better to get your work out of the way before you chill out and have fun, you know? Just try to stay calm and do as much work as you can, but you should have some time to just chill out. You shouldn’t overwork yourself.” Yet most Community students do overwork themselves. Whether they’re doing homework or extracurricular activities, most Community students work incredibly hard. A recent survey shows that most Community students get less than eight hours of sleep every night, and a majority of them frequently get six hours or less. That may seem like an adequate amount of sleep, and it may be enough for some students to function, but according to Dr. Leslie Swanson from the U of M Depression Center, teenagers need nine hours of sleep every night to function at an optimal level. Losing a couple hours of sleep

every now and then isn’t that bad, but it adds up quickly if it happens every night. Caffeine can make one more alert, but it is not a substitute for sleep. The only thing that makes up for a lack of sleep is more sleep. Students stay up late for a variety of other reasons: reading a book, watching TV, talking to their friends, or going online. They know they’ll feel tired the next day and probably end up mad at themselves for staying up late, but they do it anyway because it’s the only time they have to do their homework or the things they love to do. Not getting enough sleep, however, can make students feel even more stressed. The survey shows that most Community students consider themselves to be pretty stressed. That stress is caused by the pressures students feel, which are, in turn, caused by the expectations placed on them. But where do these expectations come from? They can come from a wide range of sources: society, parents, teachers, friends, and most of all, students themselves. Even if an expectation originates with someone else, it’s the student who decides, be it conscious or subconscious, to take it to heart. Emily Ross, a sophomore at Community, believes this wholeheartedly. “In the end,” she says, “tuning in to ourselves can help us recognize thought distortions, and how those differ from logic. Thus, we could all benefit from taking a step back and realizing that nobody has it all figured out. We have our whole life to put value into more important things, as opposed to the mere pressures that have a tendency to consume us as individuals.” C

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15 minutes of fame with duncan reitz. introducing the man behind the art

hannon hylkema duncan reitz photo

What do you think it is that makes people walk up and ask you about yourself? Sometimes it’s the way I dress...it’s often that. Sometimes when people overhear me talking, it’s usually about a subject that they’re not accustomed to hearing about. I guess some people are interested in my perspective on life. What would you say your perspective on life is? There’s a lot of them. Politically speaking I believe that in order to have a functioning society, community and self-expression must thrive together in harmony. What is your passion in life? I like doing art very very much. Depending on the art of course – I don’t like making pretty things. What are your goals and aspirations? First of all, I would like to create more art. And second, I would like to spread some messages of justice because I think that hate crimes are wrong and I wish there were less of them. I would like to encourage less hatred and more tolerance.

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personality profiles courtney kiley: standing tall. william welch

Being five feet tall has many disadvantages, especially when trying to play basketball. Courtney Kiley now looks back at pictures and realizes how crazy she was to play basketball. She announced to her parents that once she got to high school, she was going to try out for basketball. And so, as a 4’ 9’’ freshman in high school at Greenhills in Ann Arbor, she was brought to the varsity team for districts. “I scored four points, and that was super sweet.” It may seem weird, but she never thought of how much smaller she was than everyone else. “I remember playing teams like Belleville and Tecumseh, and they were huge.” Kiley was the point guard who distributed the ball. “I had a decent outside shot and good free throw.” As a sophomore, her team won districts. “It was super hype.” Though that was the only year she won districts she thought that, “for a small school, I think we were pretty good.” She described the team as a family. To this day she still stays in touch with some of her

old teammates. “My two best friends were on the team, and I still talk to some of the other people, but we all got along, and had a really fun time going to team camps and other things.” If she had a chance, she would definitely do it again. Kiley is the only one from her old team that is still living in Ann Arbor, as a teacher at Community High School. Both of her parents were teachers and told her to be anything she wanted besides a teacher. So after trying to be a scientist, and not liking it, she decided that she loved kids, and teaching was the way to go. As she expects another baby, she hopes that her two kids will be able to go through Community. “I will work at Community until it either closes or I retire.” She continues to assist kids just as she did on the basketball court. Courtney learned valuable lessons from basketball, and thinks that it was possibly the best decision of her life. She hopes that people who want to try something will, even if they are 4’ 9’’. C

jen post: hearing lost. lane lesko

Serving as a parental interpreter to bill collectors and family friends is something that only a select few ever get to do. Jen Post started interpreting for her deaf parents when she was eight years old. Post says, however, that this is a common thing in the deaf community. “Many children may have to interpret for a deaf parent,” Post said, “however very few ever have to interpret for two deaf parents.” Post, who grew up with two death parents, had a life that is very different from most children. Both of Post’s parents were deaf from a very young age. She said her dad was “born deaf,” and her mother “was born 3 months early and lost hearing very soon after.” Post was born with full hearing and has no hearing issues today. Post said that it is “not that common” for children of deaf parents to be deaf as well. Today however, if a child is born deaf or with diminished hearing the parents can make a choice to have the child implanted with something called a cochlear implant. A cochlear implant allows deaf people to hear by using a magnetic-like device placed on the outside of the skull to transmit a signal to a receiver implanted inside the brain. This receiver sends a signal to the hearing part of the brain and produces a sound. According to Post, a cochlear implant is “as close to the real thing” as a person who is deaf can get. Unfortunately for Post’s parents

you cannot get the implant over the age of 18 or 20 if you are born deaf. For Post’s parents, who were both born in 1949, there was nothing like a cochlear implant at the time and so they both have had no hearing for their entire lives. Both Post’s passion and degree are in special education. Post has been a resource room helper and teacher’s aid, also known as a co-teacher – a term used to “elevate” the TA’s status – for 11 years. She currently is “co-teaching” three classes in the FOS program and two english classes. Post has been at Community High School in Ann Arbor, for four years. Prior to this, Post was at Pioneer High School in the resource room for five years. Post is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in special education administration through evening and weekend classes, in order to go into administration. Having two deaf parents according to Post, was not an unbearable burden growing up. Post said that she still got to do regular teen and child things such as going to school dances and playing with friends. Post’s childhood, however, was different from that of most other children, but she does not complain. Post said that it was good and beneficial to be sort of “forced to grow up” at a more accelerated rate than that of her peers. Overall, Post said that she enjoyed growing up with deaf parents and hopes that she can help others dealing with the same issues. C december 2 0 1 3

parents on drug use KIDS HAVE DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES BASED ON THEIR PARENTS’ DRUG VIEWS cody zeisler

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I’ve gotten caught with weed three times.

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the communi cator

he parents of today are the teenagers of past generations, and they faced the same problems that many young adults are dealing with today: college choices, grades, relationships and drugs. The whispers of drug use have haunted the halls of high school for as long as the parental dogma prohibiting drugs has been levied. How, then, do opinions of drug use change as someone becomes a parent? “[My parents] understand it’s the high school experience,” said Community High School student Stephanie Thompson*. “They understand that sometimes it gets to be a lot and you have that moment where you have to be like ‘Okay, I have to get out of my own shell and go do something,’ even though it may not be the ‘right choice’, or the right thing to do.” Thompson’s parents acknowledge the risk that comes with being more lenient. “I was going to a party once, and my mom told me about how not to drink anything unless I pour it for myself. She’s had incidents where she’s been roofied and woken up in places where she didn’t know.” Thompson is not the only one whose parents have a more lenient view of their children using

drugs. Community High School student R.J. Weber* has parents with quite a similar view. “[My parents] are pretty understanding.” said Weber. “I think they get how teenagers are, I guess. My mom is a lot more lenient.” For Thompson, Weber and many others, the picturesque view of the “high school experience” includes a lavish dreamscape of a time in which one is able to further delve into their conscience (and learn more about themselves) through socialization, experimentation and, occasionally, drug use. But while some are encouraged to use whatever means necessary in order to find themselves, others have a set of guidelines put in place for them by their parents, often including a strict “no drug use of any kind” policy. Richard Knight*, a senior at Community High School, has to hide his occasional drug use from his parents. For students like Knight, the harsh, negative view on drugs that his parents instilled did not inhibit his occasional dabbling. “I mean they’re understanding about most things, but I’m pretty sure they would sh*t on me if I smoked weed,” said Knight. “I haven’t had any experiences with that, cause I’m a saint [to them].” The problem that every teenager inevitably faces is a feeling of

“

She’s had

incidents where she’s been

control of their child’s decisions: whether it’s an early curfew and strict rules as an attempt to keep their child in check, or more lenient guidelines in favor of letting their child make and learn from their own mistakes. The harsh reality, however, seems to be that if a teen truly wants to try something, they will find a way. “I’ve gotten caught with weed three times,” said Weber. “They were just really mad for a long time and didn’t let me out of the house.” Community High School health teacher and parent Robbie Stapleton provides her insight. “From teaching for 25 years, I would say [parental views] absolutely runs the gamut. You have parents who do drugs, who use drugs, who are happy to have them in their house, who smoke with their kids or would if they wanted to. You’ve got kids who rebel against that and become very straight-laced, non-drug users, I’ve seen plenty of that. I’ve seen the very same type of family where drug use, specifically pot use and alcohol and so forth, is very widely accepted and it’s not seen as pernicious at all, and we have profound drug use problems in the kids. I’ve seen families where it’s just not that big of a deal, kids just take it or leave it, they socially use or they socially don’t use, I just don’t think there’s an answer to that. I think it depends on the kid: I’ve seen it go all ways. I will say that the research that’s done on it, is that when the values are clear, when there’s no other trauma or pernicious environmental thing going on, and where kids and parents have healthy and strong communicative relationships, typically, you’re gonna see less risk of use amongst the kids.” C

roofied and woken up in places she didn’t know

” .

*Names have been changed

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C AN ’ T STO P B I RKENSTO CK isabel sandweiss

hazel o’neil illustration

laire Tinkerhess bought her first pair of Birkenstocks — suede Arizonas, size 41 regular — in a health food store in Olympia, Washington. The year was 1980 and the Birkenstocks were just a side item hanging on a rack in one of the aisles. No employees came to help her find the proper size; the pair ended up being too big. She gave them to her now-husband, Paul. Neither of them knew that in just nine years they would be opening their own specialty Birkenstock store.

In 1985, Claire and Paul Tinkerhess moved to Ann Arbor. Paul had always wanted to own a store, so they began throwing around ideas of shops they could open, including a children’s toy and bookstore. But then they saw a storefront for rent — 209 North 4th Ave. — right across from the People’s Food Co-op. At the time, Ann Arbor didn’t have a specialty Birkenstock store. The vibe of this block seemed to be the perfect place for one. The Birkenstock headquarters, Birkenstock USA, was very supportive of idea; it was looking to start opening specialty shops. Claire and Paul borrowed money from friends and relatives and opened Fourth Ave Birkenstock. They were hopeful that the business would thrive in this location. “We had a sense that Ann Arbor was a town with people that are both smart and conscientious,” Paul said. “People in Ann Arbor are willing to invest in things that are long lasting even though they may cost more initially, and they are interested in being good to their bodies.” Birkenstocks were created in Germany in 1774. When Paul and Claire visited the country, they observed that the brand is still worn there, but are mostly used as an indoor house shoe. Birks came to the United States in 1966 when Margot Fraser, the founder of Birkenstock USA, began importing the shoes. Birkenstock USA, as well as Fourth Ave Birkenstock, sells sandals, shoes and clogs.

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“When Margot first brought Birks to the US she was assured that no American would ever wear a shoe like that,” Paul said. “But she didn’t give up and she finally found success in selling them to crunchy, peace-loving hippie types so that’s the image they acquired. The years have proven that those hippie types were right and people here wear their Birkenstocks proudly.” Birkenstocks are famous for their health, comfort and environmental benefits. Each style comes in three different foot-bed options, depending on how much arch support the wearer needs. They also come in regular and narrow width, to accommodate different foot sizes. The cork foot-bed is designed to mold to the wearer’s foot, providing personalized comfort. These unique support features help treat symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis- a painful swelling caused by stretching the tissue at the bottom of the foot- and heel pain, as well as bunions, corns and calluses. The message of Birkenstocks appeals to all types of people, but Birkenstocks are especially empowering for Fourth Ave Birkenstock’s average customer — a middle-aged, working woman. They provide a more realistic, comfortable alternative to shoes like the high heel. “It has always been an important part of what we value, being comfortable,” Claire said. “You can do anything and you should have shoes on that you’re ready to do anything in.” The price of a Birkenstock sandal at Fourth

winter pair?

Ave Birkenstock ranges from $90-$130. However, the success of the shop shows that most Ann Arborites do indeed understand the benefits of their investment. “We like to think that our shoes are not just comfortable and long-wearing, but are also tempting people into leaving their car keys behind by making the pedestrian experience comfortable,” Paul said. Even when Birkenstocks do eventually wear down, they can be repaired. Typically, a Birkenstock sole lasts one to three years, de-

the MAYARI

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favorite summer pair? pending on the frequency they are worn. Providing a place to perform repair services was a main goal for Paul when they opened the shop. Fourth Avenue Birkenstock repairs over 1000 pairs a year. “There are a lot of older people who have literally owned the same pair of Birkenstocks for 40 years and just keep getting them repaired,” senior and Fourth Avenue Birkenstock employee Leah Davis said. Davis began working at the store this past June and has enjoyed learning about the benefits of good footwear. Community senior Danny Langa can also attest to the durability of Birkenstocks. One night this summer, his Birkenstock sandals fell into a swimming pool. Langa didn’t realize until hours later. “There was no damage,” he said. “Normal shoes would have been drenched or nice leather shoes would probably have been ruined but these stayed solid.” Langa wore his Birkenstocks almost every day this summer. He doesn’t plan to wear them with socks this winter — a common trend among teenage Birk owners — but will be pulling them back out later in the year to help fight against his sock tan during golf season. On a beautiful day at Community high school, it is very common to see Birkenstocks on the feet of both students and teachers. The close proximity to the store and the earthy-appeal has caused the trend to thrive among peers. Community is an isolated example of the flourishing Birk culture in

Ann Arbor. A German exchange student Claire and Paul housed a few years ago was surprised to find that she saw more Birkenstocks in Ann Arbor than she did back home in Germany. Davis was also shocked by the lack of Birkenstock-wearers she saw when she traveled to San Francisco this summer. “I was so surprised to see only four people (wearing Birks) in total in the three weeks I spent there,” she said. She had a similar experience when she traveled to New York City. Since she began working at Fourth Ave Birkenstock, Davis is constantly looking at people’s feet. Walking down the streets of Ann Arbor, she sees a ridiculous amount of Birks. In NYC, she saw none. “I was literally the only person in the city of New York that was wearing Birkenstocks,” she said. “I felt very proud of it.” Part of the reason Birkenstocks continue to thrive in Ann Arbor is because the people of Ann Arbor love to support local businesses. Paul describes spending money like watering a plant; if you spend your money at chain stores like Wal-Mart or Costco, you take away the sustenance from mom and pop shops like Fourth Ave Birkenstock. However, in recent years, Fourth Ave Birkenstock has also had to face the challenge of online shopping. “We have a good share of people coming in and

‘shopping’ but then not buying from us,” Claire said. “Sometimes people think that just because Birkenstock is in our name we are Birkenstock. This is a great thing to educate young people about because internet shopping can be so seductive and easy.” If customers do not buy directly from the shop, Fourth Avenue Birkenstock makes no profit off of the sale. For the most part, however, Fourth Avenue Birkenstock has great, loyal customers. There is one long-term customer who wears only purple Arizonas; other regulars have been coming into the shop since they were in utero. “Sentimental value, that’s a big thing for Birkenstock wearers,” Davis said. “The reason people don’t just buy a new pair, the reason they repair them after having them for 30, 40 years, is because they have sentimental value. They wore these when they were pregnant and now their kids are as old as when they bought them, that kind of thing. I like to think of Birks as people. I could never pick a favorite because I love them all.” C

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TEN

If you were to die and could choose what to come back as, what would it be? A willow tree, because when I was little, I used to sit under this willow tree by my grandparents’ house. It always seemed so peaceful and alive under there. It would be nice to be that kind of presence in the world.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? Last year, in eighth grade, I organized a fundraiser with some of my friends to raise money for a boy who was getting his third bone marrow transplant. When and where are you the happiest? By the ocean. I really like the simplicity and calmness, and the ways lapping on the shore.

What is your most marked characteristic? I’m really inquisitive. I ask a lot of questions. I’m a curious person. What did you like to do as a kid? I used to really like reading picture books because I couldn’t read. I used to just look at all the pictures and make up stories to go along with them and put myself in the story.

What is your current state of mind? I am wonderful. I have a wonderful state of mind right now. Which cartoon charcter do you liken youself to? I have absolutely no idea. I watched some cartoons when I was little, but there were none that I think I’m very similar to. Under what condition would you lie?

What is your most treasured possession? I have this necklace that says “Love” on it. I really like it because it’s simple. Material things...I’m really fine with them or without them.

I think if someone’s really self-conscious and I know if I tell them the truth, it’s gonna do more harm than good.

What’s your motto? I’m in the world to change the world.

Ruby Lowenstein 16

october 2 0 1 3

QUESTIONS How do you motivate yourself? I try to surround myself with other motivated people. I ran a marathon because a friend pushed me to do it.

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shorts

How do you think you’ve changed over time? I think I’ve become more patient over time. I’ve definitely learned to accept things.

If you were to die and could choose what you could come back as, what would it be? Probably an ocean dweller. The ocean is really the last place that hasn’t been fully explored.

On what occasion do you lie? I tried to be a pretty forthright person, but I fib a little when they ask me my weight at the doctor’s

What’s your most marked characteristic?

Would you want to be any animal in particular? I’d probably want to be a dolphin.

I think that it’s my creativity. I like to think outside the box to solve problems.

What’s it like coming back for a second year?

What are you most proud of? I was able to make a career by combining art and science. A lot of people said it couldn’t be done and I was able to make a living doing what I love.

Here, I’m able to have students multiple years and get to know them and have them know me. What’s one talent or hobby you have that most people at CHS won’t know about? Over the summer, I entered a film festival run by the guy who does the Ann Arbor Film Festival. We met at 10 in the morning and got a list of things we need to include in the film. We had to be back by 10 at night with a finished three minute movie.

What drew you to your subject? Probably my family. My fathers a doctor and my mom is a nurse, so science and medicine were things we talked about as a family. I’m a very curious person and science just allowed me to engage my curiosity and gave me a structure to explore the world around me.

Marcy McCormick d ecember 2 0 13

GETTING TO KNOW THOSE FAMILIAR FACES THAT MAKE COMMUNITY BETTER eliza upton

photos eliza upton, ada banks, caroline phillips, madeline halpert

chris hicks

cherie charbeneau

CHS secretary, Chris Hicks’ favorite thing about fall is all the colors. Hicks remembers the calls she would make to her mother during this time of year. Her mother, who lived in Florida, did not get to experiece the changing of the seasons, so Hicks would describe the colors of the changing leaves to her. For Hicks, fall is beautiful when all the colors outside start to change.

“You know, I always don’t like fall when it first comes because I’m so reluctant to let go of summer, but really, once the air gets crisp and the colors start really turning, to me, it’s just absolutely miraculous to be out in. I like the little bit of a nip in the air, and I like having to put a sweater on. I like going for long walks in the leaves, and the forests. I think it’s the bracing-ness of it. You kind of feel like you have to hunker down a little bit, and you have to put on more clothes, and close the windows, but it also gives you a feeling of being more intro-spective, and interior, and I like that too.”

the communi cator

gabi sanchez

phebe burns

jonathan ruelle

“One time I was walking downtown and I started singing with a random woman on the street.

“I guess it’s good to believe in something - you know it gives you hope.”

Q: What’s your favorite activity in the fall?

hannah davis

oren levin

renée hanna

Q: What’s your favorite thing about Community?

“One time I was in a car and I was drinking coffee. It was on a roadtrip, and I spilled the coffee all over myself. And then I made this ridiculous song about it. It wouldn’t be suitable for the communicator, but let’s just say it had to do with the great feeling of hot coffee spilling all over you.”

“When I was little, my friend and I used to climb trees a lot. We had this mission to pick up sticks from the ground but we couldn’t touch the ground while doing it.”

A: 'Courtney Kiley!'

A: Running. I would say running.

december 2 0 13

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reviews

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO 20

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LISBETH SALANDER IS A FIVE FOOT TALL COMPUTER GENIUS AND A WOMAN YOU DO NOT WANT TO MESS WITH matthew feraro

MIKEAL BLOMKVIST IS A JOURNALIST RECENTLY SUED

for (and convicted of) libel. Henrik Vanger is an old man willing to do anything to solve the mystery of Harriet. “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” is a special book. Somehow, it perfectly brings together the complicated lives and stories of these characters. In concise prose, these stories are woven together, and you will be up all night reading. The characters of “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” are complex and sometimes impossible to understand. Lisbeth is 24 years old, and she’s under guardianship. To the readers, her life is not very nice, but she survives. All her life, Lisbeth has only been able to depend on herself. Her father has abused her mother, and after a violent outburst, Lisbeth is placed in a psychiatric ward when she was 12. To many Lisbeth seems strange and stupid, but a lot of people are different than they seem to be. Lisbeth is a genius, especially with computers, and has a secret: she’s a hacker; Mikael Blomkvist started Millenium magazine in the 1990s with his friend Erika Berger. The magazine had been regarded as a tough pillar of investigative journalism, but recent events had changed that. Mikael had written an article about a powerful financier, Hans-Erik Wennerstrom, however during his libel trial Mikael’ sources disappeared — just stopped existing — and he was convicted; Henrik Vanger is 82, and he has long since given up on his life. But not his niece’s, Harriet. Henrik ran one of the most powerful companies in Sweden, and now that Mikael is out of a job, he wishes to employ him in finding his niece. Harriet disappeared in 1966, and Henrik hs no idea if she has died or is out there in some lonely corner of the world. Put together, these characters start on an explosive journey into corruption, violence, and crime. Mikael (who enlists Lisbeth’s help), moves to hereby island where Henrik resides, and attempts to find Harriet and reestablish his career. The reader spends a year in the life of these characters, and sees them change for better or for worse. Steig Larsson, the author, was the master of plot twists. Tragically, Larsson died in 2004, after having just delivered the manuscripts of his three masterpieces. He was such a clever writer-stating his ideas in beautiful and short writing. In the end, “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” and the subsequent books in the Millenium Series end up being such amazing pieces because the people who have the power-and who have abused it shamefully- get what they deserve. And they get it in the best plot twists, they’re so wonderful to read. “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” is a battle between good and evil, right and wrong.C

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BESTSELLING AUTHOR JOHN BACON TELLS THE STORY OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL IN “FOURTH AND LONG” jack kelley

THE AUTHOR JOHN BACON IS AN

acclaimed sportswriter, public speaker and college instructor, with roots that remain in Ann Arbor. Like most Ann Arbor kids, he was raised in the shadow of one of the University of Michigan’s most influential forces; the Michigan Wolverines. Though he grew up as a hockey player, he was instilled with an irrational love for Michigan football that only the fans can ever understand. All the way back to age seven, with the 1972 Rose Bowl loss to sixteenth-ranked Stanford. As he writes in his new book, “Fourth and Long”, “I was seven, in a house filled with adults and kids, and I remember everyone being very happy, then suddenly very unhappy.” Nobody knew that this love for college football would one day evolve into not just a major part of his career, but also a major part of his lifestyle and overall success. Bacon’s involvement in Michigan football later led to his co-authoring of the book Bo’s Lasting Lessons, which opened the doors for his next two books after finding a way onto both the New York Times and Wall Street Journal’s Business Best Seller Lists. In 2008, a year after the book was published, Bacon was granted unrestricted access to the Michigan Football Program, including the coaches, the locker room, the players and more that led to the writing of his next book, Three and Out which tells the story of Rich Rodriguez and his three catastrophic years coaching the Michigan Wolverines. All this funneled into his newest book “Fourth and Long: The Fight for the Soul of College Foot-

ball.” The book focuses on several major schools, namely, Northwestern, Michigan, Ohio State, and, Penn State, which was just beginning to recover from the stunning blow it had been dealt by the Sandusky incident, but not from his viewpoint, rather, from the coach’s, the player’s and the fan’s. “The two groups the leaders almost never consult are the ones most affected; the players and the fans,” said Bacon. His aim is to bring about a new view of college football, one that he feels is more connected to the people, the game, and the spirit. He aims to express the other half of the story, the one that is often the most relevant. By going inside the locker-room, he achieved just that. He approached players at Penn State, such as Mike Mauti and Michael Zordich; the Ohio State head coach, Urban Meyer and even fans tailgating outside the stadium. While writing, he aims to not only portray the experiences and stories of the players, coaches, and fans, but also that of the program itself. By taking into account the rises and falls, victories and defeats, he manages to tell the full story of not just individual players, but of the program as a whole. He tells in-depth stories of Penn State, looking deeper into the background of the program. He looks into people such as athletic director David Joyner, who pulled the program down even further. Or Rick Slater, an alum and member of seal team six. He tries to point out the things that make the programs special, and use them to tell a more complete story.

“ I felt the whole enterprise of college football was coming to a head. I still do.” d ecember 2 0 13

books that change lives hannah shevrin

Monster Deondre Jones

“That book changed me a lot. It was just shocking because he was young. He was really young for what he had to go through.”

The Tao of Pooh Aiden Cotner “It’s a philosophy book that gives examples of Taoism through the cartoon character Winnie the Pooh. It just opened up my mind to different philosophical meanings about how life works and how you should appreciate it.”

The Harry Potter Series Catcher in the Rye Sari Greifer “I read The Catcher in the Rye in Intro to Lit for the first time… I fell in love with Holden Caulfield.”

the communi cato r

Claire Fishman “My dad read it with me when I was in kindergarten, and it brought us closer together and it was the first book series I really loved. It made me love reading.”

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student life

chs student jack

kelley taking a power nap at lunch after a long night of soccer practice and homework

up all night. chs students admit they lack sleep, causing side effects at school cameron fortune & hannah tschirhart

SINCE SHE WAS SIX YEARS old, Com-

munity High School Student Frances MacKercher has taken a sleep medication called “melatonin” to fall asleep each night. MacKercher suffers from insomnia, a sleep disorder that inhibits your ability to fall asleep or to stay asleep as long as desired. Side effects of insomnia are mood swings, stress and depression, muscle aches and trouble being productive at work or school. Insomnia can be short-term (a couple days) or long-term (longer than three weeks). On average MacKercher gets six to eight hours of sleep each night on her medication. Without her meds, sleep is hard to achieve and normal distractions that don’t really bother people without the disorder, make it that much harder for MacKercher to rest her eyes. “Whenever I’m on my phone its really hard to fall asleep after,” MacKercher said, “and when I have a lot of homework I’m up late working on it then it’s really difficult to go to bed because I feel like I’ve missed my window.” MacKercher is not alone. According to The National Sleep Foundation’s 2002 Sleep in America poll, almost 60 percent of adults in the U.S. expe-

the sleep lost overnight has to go somewhere. the infographic to the right shows where it goes according to community students

rience symptoms of insomnia a few nights a week or more. For teenagers the lack of sleep can be even worse. A survey of Community High students showed that the majority of students go to bed around 11 p.m. and wake up around 6 a.m. on a school night, which is a fair amount of sleep. Additionally, every person surveyed answered “yes” to the question “do you like sleep?” Although every student admits to enjoying sleep, many also admit to occasionally having a night where they struggle to get to bed on time, whether it’s because of sports, homework, nightmares, or watching their favorite TV show. “Sometimes I get 12 hours of sleep, sometimes I get four,” Gabi Sanchez a CHS student said. Sanchez stated he loves sleep and is gifted with no sleeping disorders; his restless nights are mostly caused by nightmares or migraines. Without enough sleep, Sanchez is just one of many who, out of exhaustion, struggles with attentiveness in school and keeping an alert and active mind. A key factor in determining when students goes to bed is the classes they are taking and the workload they receive each night. As students are trying harder each year to stand out of the crowd to

get into prestigious universities, they are increasing the difficulty level of their weekly schedules, adding hours of extra homework and studying into the night. In addition to schoolwork, some students take on a job, participate on a sports team, or play an instrument. Katie Taub, a CHS senior, is a perfect example of this. “I’m taking a U of M class which adds another level of work I have to do,” she said. “I have an internship, a paying job, I’m organizing Pokémon Soccer, I have to [choreograph] for dance body and am doing college apps. I would say that I’m up until one on the average night.” Taub says that she suffers the consequences when she stays up too late on school nights; “I get really bad migraines at school when I don’t get enough sleep the night before”. Occasionally everyone has a night like Taub’s and that cannot be avoided, but according to sleep specialist there are ways to combat symptoms of insomnia after a long night. These include maintaining a consistent sleeping schedule, as well as avoiding caffeinated drinks and exercise before bedtime. Keeping this in mind keeps people fresh for the days ahead. C

for more information about sleep and random fun facts online, scan the qr code above with your smart phone

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argaret Stanley* sat down in her 1967 VW bug. She pulled the seat belt over her body, reaching for the buckle. Stretched thin and worn out, the belt pressed tightly into her body. It was uncomfortable at best, but it would have to do. Stanley, a 16-yearold girl, could barely fit into the seat of her car. Stanley isn’t alone in the fight against obesity. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 30-35% of Michigan’s population struggles with obesity. what is obesity? Obesity is generally defined by a BMI (Body Mass Index) of thirty or greater, and depends on the patient’s age, gender, height, and sometimes ethnicity. Charles Burant is a professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan and director of the Michigan Nutrition and Obesity Research Center. “Obesity is already defined for me. Interestingly, the people defining who is at risk of obesity are the insurance companies,” said Burant. Dr. Burant sees hundreds of patients every year who come to him looking to lose a lot of weight, some of them are referred by a doctor and others are personally aware of the obesity clinic, and they want to lose weight. the effects: emotional and physical At age nine, Stanley decided to make a change. While she was still in elementary school, and the average concern was that of toys and recess, Stanley started the Weight Watchers program. She had previously attempted the Atkins diet, and made it a priority to be active in her early years, but alas felt the need to take it one step further. Her weight remained an issue through her teens. In her early twenties, a therapist she was seeing recommended gastric bypass surgery. Over the two year process of the surgery, Stanley lost 167 pounds, but unfortunately regained 77 pounds over the twoyear period following the surgery. In addition to her therapist’s recommendation, there were other factors that drove

her to lose weight, especially through surgery. In high school, the torment of her peers was cruel but not unusual for someone dealing with obesity. “I would always hear the whispers of other people. Some people would be mean and they’d say things loud enough [so I could hear],” said Stanley. “They’d make stomping noises when I walked down the hallways in school.” She was unable to wear “trendy” clothing because of her weight, and the plus-sized options were not considered attractive. In addition to the emotional havoc that obesity can bring upon people, it can also cause a physical strain that can lead to adverse health effects such as high blood pressure, diabetes and even cardiac arrest. Barbara Young*, a member of Overeaters Anonymous who has struggled with obesity throughout her years, faced some of these negative health effects. At the age of 27, she weighed 300 pounds. “I had high blood pressure and some minor health issues, I was pre-diabetic,” she said. “[When you’re obese] your joints ache and your feet hurt and you’re just really limited. I couldn’t do a lot of the physical things I wanted to do. I couldn’t play sports like I wanted to; I was out of breath going up the stairs. I was tired a lot and just kind of depressed, especially towards the end, right before I came in the program. I had hit a point where I knew that I didn’t have another diet in me. I wasn’t excited about doing it and I couldn’t see myself trying another diet program.” Christine Fowler, a registered dietitian at the University of Michigan Weight Management Clinic adds that obesity can affect people in more ways than just physical health. “It affects everything. I’ve heard very heart-wrenching stories about anything ranging from low self-esteem, wishing they could be more active in their families lives, to being afraid they’re not going to be around to see their grandchildren. They stress about it and think about it on a daily basis, whether or not they’re going to need a seatbelt extender, or going to Cedar Point

and not being able to fit on the rides,” said Fowler. Since joining the group, Young has found better ways to cope with her addiction. One strategy she uses is the HALTS strategy, provided to her by Overeaters Anonymous. “There was a basic acronym that I learned early on, which was HALTS. Am I hungry? Angry? Lonely or tired? I added an ‘s,’ for stressed, because I’m often stressed.” These emotions and feelings often drove Young to food, but the group helped her recognize these habits and find other ways to deal with these emotions. For example, rather than eating when tired, Young recognizes how she feels and takes a nap. If she’s feeling angry, she will call a friend and talk about it to get it out of her system. Overeaters Anonymous has helped Young develop ways of dealing with her emotions more effectively. Luckily for Young, the program has helped her change her habits, develop better coping techniques, and most importantly, live a healthier life. Weight loss has also helped Stanley move forward with her life. She sees that her weight loss affects more than just herself and sees the impact of her health on her friends and family. “I’m a mother, so now the choices that I make are not to be thin, it’s more just to be healthy,” said Stanley. the next step Fowler has advice and techniques to help fight the obesity epidemic that the United States is facing today. “Our health is our responsibility, and it needs to be the focus. With that being said, change is difficult, and people need to be ready and prepared. Build a support system, commit to goals, troubleshoot for slip-ups, and never be afraid to ask for help. Turn excuses into opportunities, and results will be positive.” C *Names have been changed to preserve anonymity of the sources

december 2013

a night wasted WHAT HAPPENS WHEN STUDENTS GET CAUGHT DRINKING AT SCHOOL jeff ohl & jett jones

he clear, bitter liquid flowed down the glass container until it reached his mouth; it burned his throat. Aiden Smith* took one last swig before going into the busy school building a couple hundred yards away. He was with one other couple and his date, Mia Lamont*. He had just made a decision he’ll probably regret for the rest of his life. Aiden Smith is a senior in the Ann Arbor Public Schools system who was one of the hundreds of kids at the Pioneer homecoming dance on Sept. 21. “I was looking forward to it for a while, two or three weeks in advance. It was supposed to be a really good time,” he said. Smith arrived at the school’s parking lot between 9 and 9:30p.m., and he and the three other attendees began drinking the vodka that got him and his date an Minor In Possession (MIP) later that night. before the storm: smith’s story Despite the serious consequences, Smith’s reason for drinking was fairly trivial. “[I started drinking] because it’s a dance and just to spice it up a bit and make it more crazy,” Smith said. However, Smith attributes his getting caught more to Lamont’s behavior than to their actual drinking. “If everyone who went to homecoming was put in a room and someone asked ‘how many of you have been drinking?’ Probably 9 out of 10 kids would stand up,” Smith said. “So

the commi ncator

it’s a matter of avoiding getting caught in that situation if everyone has been drinking.” This is not what happened in Smith’s case. “[Mia] was having a bit too much to drink. She was tumbling around and stuff and acting really conspicuous,“ Smith said. This caught a hall monitor’s attention, who asked Lamont to come with him. At first the hall monitor allowed Smith to stay where he was. Unfortunately, he changed his mind. “I thought about what her parents would say, if they found out I had just let her go,” Smith said. “I tried to do the honorable thing and accompany her.” The hall monitor took Smith and Lamont to a room where a police officer was waiting for them. The police officer had each of the students blow into a breathalyzer. out of breath The moment Smith entered the room, he knew he couldn’t fake it anymore. His mindset changed from “okay, I don’t feel that drunk, let’s just hope and see if I can blow under the limit,” to, “okay, I’m ****ed.” .09. Smith blew a BAC of .09; it was just over the limit for driving and over four times the legal limit of .02 for minors. One might say Smith blew it. Smith called his parents to come and pick him up and talk with the officer about his indiscretions. Smith thought his dad might be able to save him in the eleventh hour though. “I thought that for some reason my dad would consult with them and get me out of

an MIP because he’s always there for me and he always gets things to work in my favor so I wasn’t too worried,” Smith said. Unfortunately, Smith’s father couldn’t talk his son’s way out of this one. the realization “It took me a bit to finally realize the degree of the situation, and then when they actually handed me the MIP and said I had to show up in court, that’s when I knew that I was going to be in trouble,” Smith said. After getting picked up by his parents, Smith had to face their reaction to what he had done. The first time Smith experimented with alcohol was in early 2012. However, the MIP was the first time Smith’ parents found out about this type of behavior. “They were disappointed and upset that I would betray their trust. They were also shocked, but supportive because they understand it was a mistake, and people make mistakes,” Smith said. the ramifications The Monday after the incident, Smith thought he would be at his classes just like any other day. Instead, he found himself in the principal’s office. “It was during that conference with the principal that [it] really hit me because they went over all the consequences and talked about how I’d be suspended,” Smith said. “I had to talk to my counselor and tell him what hap-

pened. I know he had really high expectations for me so it was really hard telling him, especially because my family is close to him.” Smith didn’t just get in trouble with the school though. In addition to a two-day suspension, which was a first for Smith, he was sentenced to two sessions of an alcohol-awareness class, a $150.00 fine, $250.00 in court fees and six months of non-reporting probation. However, Smith doesn’t think this predicament will impact his chances of getting into college.

“

getting in this trouble,” Smith said. “I’m a responsible person. I have good motives and good incentives. I work hard in school, and I don’t cause trouble often. I don’t have a tendency to do that crap.” ethan’s story Ethan Williams*, another senior in the Ann Arbor Public Schools system was more fortunate than his peer, Smith. Williams’s story is almost identical.

They were disappointed and upset that I would betray their trust. “I’m going in front of a judge in a couple weeks and they’re supposed to get it expunged, so it doesn’t show up anywhere and gets wiped off the record,” Smith said. “But as of right now, I’m not really sure who can see it. Colleges say I don’t have to mention [the MIP] if it’s going to get expunged, but I do have to mention that I got suspended on my Common App.” Regarding the suspension, honesty is the best policy with college applications. “They give you a space to talk about what happened, so as long I’m straightforward and show that I’ve learned my lesson [it’s ok]. They have a committee that decides whether it should have an impact and my counselor said if I just do a good job of showing what I learned from it and be really honest about, they’ll probably forgive me,” Smith said. It’s unlikely, however, that Smith would be this lucky if he were caught with alcohol again. In fact, he could even face jail time with another MIP. peer reactions “A lot of them came up to me and expressed concern and support. I really appreciate that. I think they understand from an adolescent’s point of view that things like this are going to happen and it sucks that it happened to me. They’ve been pretty sympathetic,” Smith said. Some might think that only rebellious students could get MIPs, but it is clear that this affects more than just trouble-makers. “I’m not the type of kid that should be

”

“We sat in my friend’s car and took as many big gulps of alcohol as we could before we went in,” Williams said. Williams arrived at the dance at around 9 o’clock. He could have easily crossed paths with Smith. “I drank before the dance because that’s what me and my friends do,” said Williams. “I think it makes things like dances or any type of social events more fun. I was just trying to have a good time.” “I was scared of course. But I knew that if I ran away from [school administrators] then that would look even worse. It’s not the smartest decision to get drunk and then go to a place where teachers and cops are looking for drunk people, but people, including myself, do it anyway. Why? Because its fun, dangerous and new,” Williams said. It’s all fun and games until someone gets in trouble. “I haven’t really thought about what would happen if I got caught. I didn’t think about the possible consequences of me drinking; I just did it. It’s hard thinking about myself getting in that much trouble, let alone having to go through that,” said Williams. Williams has never been in trouble with the law and hopes it stays that way. the police perspective An MIP is a misdemeanor charge for buying, possessing or consuming any alcoholic liquor under the legal age of 21. One may also be charged with an MIP for attempting to do these acts. The possible penalties for an MIP

are fines, alcohol awareness classes, community service, probation and it may affect one’s driver’s license depending on the specific case. Lieutenant Ed Dreslinski works for the Ann Arbor Police Department and has over 20 years of experience. “A police officer based on their training and experience can articulate that someone looks under the influence or intoxicated. That is enough for an MIP. There is also the preliminary breath test, or PBT, that is requested of people as a way to figure out how intoxicated they are,” said Dreslinski. In this particular case, students were taken by school employees into an isolated room where police officers administered a PBT to determine if the suspected students were intoxicated. The legal damages are not something that should be taken lightly, but it is not the end of the world. “Kids make mistakes, the big thing is you can learn from that mistake and not do it again. It’s not a fatal mistake, it’s not something that will cost you your life,” Dreslinski said. After the first violation, the penalty for an MIP increases to extended time on previous penalties and possible jail time. While the intentions of police officers might seem spiteful, police officers believe giving out MIPs is just part of their duty to maintain order. “It’s part of growing up for people to test their wings, for people to try different things, for people to bend the rules and see where it’s at. And that’s natural, it’s been happening for a long time. The issue is that we have rules in society. We have to enforce the law because that’s what we are paid to do and that’s what we want to do. Police are out there. As a shift lieutenant, I want my cops out there enforcing the laws, and not just the ones that people like, that people think are important, our job is to enforce all of it,” said Dreslinski. While everyone makes mistakes, other students like Williams can learn from Smith’ s story and resolve not to make the same ones he did. While his MIP will most likely be expunged from his record, it’s still possible that his suspension could affect admissions decisions, not to mention the emotional stress it put on him, his family, his principal and counselors. Smith advises others to think before they drink. “I just felt like an idiot. I felt a lot shame, a lot of guilt and lot of regret. Don’t be stupid, don’t do what I did.” C *Names have been changed to preserve anonymity of the sources

d ecember 2 0 1 3

what’s your monster? community high

students open up and share their worst fears. eva rosenfeld & hannah tschirhart eva rosenfeld art

“Cats.”

“Spiders.”

“The fact that I have the power to end my life or end someone else’s. Like when I’m driving I could just swerve into someone’s lane or I could just step in front of a train.” “Bridges.”

“Used to be outer space. I would stay up late at night and think about outer space and freak out.”

“I don’t have any fears.”

“When you are stuck in a dark place and you don’t know how to get out.”

“I don’t like roller coasters or airplanes.”

“Dying.” “Deep water because of sea monsters.” “Jumping into a lake... seaweed.” “People.” “Bathroom confrontation. I will wait it out in the stall for hours.”

the communi cator

“Drowning.”

“Snakes.” “Shots.” “Nothing.” “Giraffes. No animal needs to have a neck that long.”

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shorts

four moves that make you move. madeline halpert

1. Push Ups

Push ups are a great way to strengthen your pectoral muscles (chest), deltoids (shoulders) and triceps.

Dips

Jump Rope Jumping rope makes for great cardio. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a fantastic high intesity, fat burning work out. It also keeps your heart healthy! Dips are another great workout for your triceps. All you need is a chair and a little motivation.

Sit Ups

Sit ups are an excellent to strengthen your core. They work your abdominal muscles and are d ecember 2 0 1 3

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shorts

madeline halpert

to do list. students discuss what

needs to get done today and this year

Noah Dean has to plan a boyscout trip for this

Aidan McCormick needs to make it through

Keelan Abbott wants to do the best he can in

Hannah Rubenstein needs to do her U.S.

Alec Doss needs to study for his Latin test.

Elise Brod wants to figure out plans for her

Yanoton Hodish needs to set up a college meet-

Lanika Smith wants to get good grades.

Jula Heckendorn wants to travel to Haiti and

Grace Kodeele needs to finish her homework

Griffin Roy doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have time to do much but

Kashaka Fields needs to go to his health class.

weekend.

history homework.

ing with John Boshoven.

for advanced art.

the communi cator

the school day, get home and do his homework.

homework, crew and band.

school and sports.

birthday.

do volunteer work.

news story student

life

write of passage. seniors take on the dreaded yet neccessary part of the college application proccess hazel o’neil eva rosenfeld photo

June 2013. Then-junior at Early College Alliance (a joint program between Eastern Michigan University and Ann Arbor Public Schools), Maureen McCord sits in a cafe in downtown Ann Arbor, eagerly reading over the Senior Edition of The Communicator. Her focus? The two page spread showcasing college essays written by the graduating class. Nearly six months later, McCord is now working on her own college essays. Applying to ten different schools, she has to write a total of nineteen essays and supplements. “I feel like school writing doesn’t necessarily prepare you for writing these personal essays,” she said. “I’ve had to get a lot more feedback and I’ve been a lot less confident about the drafts of my essays.” For many students, such as McCord, writing about oneself is infinitely more challenging than an analytical paper, especially with such a strict limit on how long one can ramble. The Common App imposes a 650 word limit, and few schools allow more than 700 words per essay, due to the pure volume of papers that admissions officers go through each day. This past August, the Common App changed its prompts for the first time since 2007, and dropped the “Essay of Your Choice,” a decision which angered many. Instead, students have the choice between six different prompts, all focusing on personal characteristics and experiences, rather than academics. While the topics are all fairly flexible and open to interpretation, for students such as McCord, the dropping of the free choice essay added an extra layer of stress to the application process. “I feel like I didn’t have that momentous life changing event to write about,” she said. “A lot of people… especially in Ann Arbor where we’re really engaged with the world and a lot of us have the means to travel, or pay for service trips… a

olof carlson “I wrote mainly about me moving to Sweden, cause that’s kind of what makes me special.”

gabe schat “The two that come to mind right now are a writing supplement that asked me something about race, I wrote about what I thought the source of racism was. It was a mildly belligerent essay, because I was sort of thumbing my nose at the prompt a little bit. I wrote another essay, I think for U of M, about what I think it means to be an American, for the community prompt.”

lot of people do have an experience they want to write about for their college essay. I wasn’t really lucky enough to have that.” The entire point of the college essay is to showcase a student’s personality - something that does not get a chance to shine elsewhere in applications. For students with less than perfect grade point averages and test scores, the essay offers a chance to redeem and prove themselves to admissions officers. Picking the perfect moment to write about can cause agonizing amounts of stress and second guessing. While many students do have that life changing experience or moment they want to write about, the majority must look through the past few years of their lives and find meaning in it. An essay about a summer job washing dishes at a local restaurant can be just as interesting as one about a service trip to Brazil. It all depends on how well the student is able to articulate themselves. Creativity, honesty and a clear voice all can make or break an essay. While getting feedback on one’s drafts is important, if a student sends in an essay that sounds like it was written by their mother, chances are, it was edited to the point that it may as well have been. Glenn Sucich, a Northwestern English teacher who reads over applicants’ essays, recalled that one of his favorite essays was written by a girl about how the items in her closet related to her life, as it was a creative change from overused topics. However, essays that tried too hard to be humorous or bold often came across as cliche and trite, and were almost always placed in the “rejected” pile. McCord is nearly finished with her essays, and is most proud of one she wrote about her experience on her high school debate team during her freshman year. “[Your essay] doesn’t have to be a masterpiece,” McCord said. “It doesn’t have to be a bestselling novel - it just has to be honest.”C december 2 0 1 3

bodies in motion. eve kausch sophia camp photos

IT’S FIFTEEN MINUTES BEFORE CURTAIN AND

all Dance Body cares about is the cookie cake. It’s a “DBod” tradition to order a cookie cake for the dancers to munch on before, during, and after the concert. While it may not be too healthy, it’s a fun way to bond and celebrate the end of an extremely stressful week. Preparing for the Dance Body concert is always stressful -it feels as if there’s never enough time to choreograph, time to teach, or time to perfect dances. The week of the concert sneaks up on you and pretty soon, it’s opening night. This year hasn’t been much better. The Winter Concert is almost a month and a half before it was last year and as a result, we’ve been rushing to finalize all the show preparations. This is only my second year in Dance Body. I joined last year as a junior and had no idea what I was doing; the dance I choreographed first semester was my first experience choreographing and it was awful. Neither of my pieces last year were voted into the shows. But this year, my dance will be featured in the show for the first time. We had a dramatic drop in the number of students in DBod this year and not everyone is required to choreograph a dance. That means that there are only eleven student-choreographed pieces this semester, and all of them will be showcased in the Winter Concert. In addition to dances, the concert will feature poets and music from CHS’s Poetry Club and Jazz Band. The poems and jazz performances will come between dances so that we have time for much-needed quick changes backstage; many dancers have pieces back to back that they have to perform in with complex costume changes. Despite all of the stress, the week of the Dance Body show is a lot of fun. We dance our hearts out and eat cookie cake. What’s not to love?

the communi cator

LEFT PAGE

TOP: Sofia Kromis is pulled by the other dancers in “Oh Cow, Where Did You Go?” choreographed by Clara Keane. MIDDLE: Hannah Chosid’s piece “Til I Reach You” features six dancers. BOTTOM: Sofia Kromis’s piece to Blind Pilot’s “New York” is called “Concurrent, Conjoined, Collateral,” and features twelve members of Dance Body.

THIS PAGE

TOP LEFT: Britta Carlson performs in a piece entitled “Use Somebody”, choreographed by Britta Carlson, Ariana Gould-Tasoojy and Lindsey Williams. TOP MIDDLE: Eve Kausch and Clara Keane perform as a cat and a mouse in Robert Stephens’s dance “Mouse Trap!” TOP RIGHT: Sofia Sylvester and Hannah Chosid perform in Gloria Fall’s “We Just Spiced Up Ur Life” as two of the Spice Girls. RIGHT: Gloria Fall dances in Katherine Taub’s “Synthetic Heartbeat” to Andrew McMahon’s “Synesthesia”. BOTTOM RIGHT: Clara Keane, Hannah Chosid, Louisa Judge, Robert Stephens, Sofia Kromis, Sofia Sylvester and Katherine Taub form a circle in Clara Keane’s piece choreographed to a song by Bon Iver. BOTTOM MIDDLE: Sofia Sylvester has a small solo in Sofia Fall’s piece, “She May Contain”, which features seven dancers dressed up as rag dolls. BOTTOM LEFT: Sofia Sylvester, Clara Keane and Sofia Fall dance in a piece choreographed by Sofia Sylvester called “Nothing More Cruel.”

d ecember 2 0 1 3

Quinn Strassel, the director, gives his cast an enthusiastic direction while holding his son; Morgan Harvey and Anabel Cruz hug while laughing together; James Harkey, Eve Kausch, and Eleanor Olson rehearse the “Dance about Love.”

[faces of bob]

GETTING TO KNOW THE ACTORS OF BOB: A LIFE IN FIVE ACTS alona shewach & liam knight

Milo Tucker-Meyer Role in play: Bob Number of plays: 17 Favorite line: “You’re a slut, Barry Metcalf !” or “I only opened the door because I thought you were a prostitute.” Favorite scene: The first scene in Act 4, because I get to yell at a girl scout, call her ugly, and talk to her about prostitutes, which I don’t think I’ll ever get to do again. What they learned: I’ve learned that stage kisses aren’t that hard to do and that CET only likes me for my hot bod, because I’m pretty naked in almost every scene. What they’ll miss: The thing I will miss most is probably seeing Helen “Janeyzoosky” (my girlfriend) every single day (we’re dating). Eleanor Olson Role in play: Jeanine, chorus, waitress Number of plays: This is my first one ever! Favorite line: “Don’t skimp on oil changes for the Malibu, and always wear your undies.” Favorite scene: I really like doing my scene with Ben Wier. It’s a fun scene and really easy lines, so I can focus more on acting. What they learned: That I can act! I’ve never acted before, so this is new. What they’ll miss: I’ll miss the atmosphere. I’ve met a lot of great people. Just going to rehearsals has been fun. I won’t know what to do with my free time! Morgan Harvey Role in play: Helen, waitress, chorus, props senior mentor Number of plays: 9 Favorite line: “Barry Metcalf is still a slut.” Favorite scene: My scene with Bob and Gun-

the communi cato r

ther. It’s a flashback to when I was younger, before I conceived Bob. I get to wear a red velvet jumpsuit. What they learned: Definitely that it’s really important to show younger students what to do and be a good role model. What they’ll miss: It’s a really fun cast. I’ll miss the cast the most. And it’ll also be my last show with CET, other than the musical or whatever happens next this year. Eve Kausch Role in play: Bonnie, dancer, chorus, choreographer Number of plays: 17 Favorite line: “THE NAME IS EVERYTHING, JEANINE!” Favorite scene: I’m in a scene in the first act and it’s so fun to do. What they learned: I have learned that teaching thirty people choreography is really hard. What they’ll miss: I’m not gonna miss not having free time! I’m going to miss spending time with people. Also tech week is so much fun. You stay at school for 6 hours after school, and you really grow close to your cast members. Ben Wier Role in play: Connor, chorus, dancer Number of plays: 1 Favorite line: The stage direction (Sexy pause). Favorite scene: My scene with Bob; the interrogation scene. What they learned: Always wear your undies. What they’ll miss: I’ll miss being Connor. Isaac Scobey-Thal Role in play: Musician, Leo Number of plays: Around 12

Favorite line: “Vanish into small bits and break hearts.” Favorite scene: The Vera scene. What they learned: That plays are truly a team effort. All those parts coming together. Everybody has a part and they all come together in one synchronized team. What they’ll miss: All these people. I like the cast a lot. Ally Cubero-Matos Role in play: Musician, Deborah, chorus Number of plays: 13 Favorite line: “I only opened the door because I thought you were a prostitute.” Favorite scene: The end of Act 2, and the beginning of Act 3. What they learned: Be careful around guitars, because they’re dangerous. What they’ll miss: I’ll miss anyone who doesn’t do the next show. I’ll miss CET! This is my last year. Oren Levin Role in play: Musician, the barista Number of plays: 4 Favorite line: “Oh, sweet slider highness.” Favorite scene: The Gunther scene. What they learned: Plays can still turn out to be musicals even when you’re not expecting it. What they’ll miss: The show. Anabel Cruz Role in play: Amelia, chorus, female escort Number of plays: 10 Favorite line: “Not all great things are supposed to last forever.” Favorite scene: I guess the scene I’m in. What they learned: To not get stuck in the

Left to right: Milo Tucker-Meyer (top) and Sam Works (bottom) goof around during a break from rehearsal; Helen Janeszewski, the stage manager, reads lines for an absent cast member; Tucker-Meyer and part of the chorus rehearse the gas station scene. hard times, and to just move forward. What they’ll miss: This might be one of the last plays I ever do, so I’ll miss CET. Louis Hochster Role in play: Gunther, chorus Number of plays: 16 Favorite line: “I bring cocaine and cheap labor to greater Wisconsin.” Favorite scene: When I get eaten by wolves. What they learned: That being onstage the entire show is hard. What they’ll miss: Milo goofing off during rehearsal. Briana O’Neal Role in play: Vera, waitress, dancer, chorus, crew head of balcony Number of plays: 12 Favorite line: “I only opened the door because I thought you were a prostitute.” Favorite scene: The Vera scene. What they learned: That the ensemble is really the most important part of theatre. Especially in this show. What they’ll miss: This group of people. Jonah Ahuvia Role in play: Tony, chorus Number of plays: 5 Favorite line: “That’s a moist ring.” Favorite scene: I like the Gunther scene. What they learned: I learned that getting obscenely lucky is really cool. What they’ll miss: Hanging out with people. And actually acting. James Harkey Role in play: Roulette dealer Number of plays: 3 Favorite line: “The flowers of O’Keeffe perfectly encompassing the beauty of nature and vaginas at the same time.” Favorite scene: The opening scene What they learned: Always wear your underwear. What they’ll miss: The people. Theo Heimann Role in play: Crazy man, chorus

Number of plays: 3 Favorite line: “That’s a dead goat.” Favorite scene: The waitress scene What they learned: A lot about blocking. What they’ll miss: The whole experience. Staying after school with friends, and having a good time.

ment to stab his neck with a pencil and get home to my mommy and daddy.” Favorite scene: The Vera scene. What they learned: Diction and looking out at the audience. What they’ll miss: All the new friends I made (especially Ben Wier).

Alexis Atkins Role in play: Chorus, waitress, female escort Number of plays: 6 Favorite line: Not really. There are a lot of good lines. Favorite scene: Probably the waitress scene, because it’s really, really funny. What they learned: I’ve learned a lot about diction. And being louder. What they’ll miss: Having stuff to do after school.

Monica Nedeltchev Role in play: Chorus, waitress, female escort Number of plays: 1 Favorite line: “Jeanine, who raised me but was my false mother, taught me a whole lot before I set her on fire.” Favorite scene: When Bob’s “adoptive” mother is talking to the police. What they learned: I’ve learned a lot about acting. What they’ll miss: I really like everybody who’s in the cast. It’s really fun hanging out with them! I’m gonna miss hanging out with everyone in a group.

Emily Brod Role in play: Kaitlyn, chorus, waitress, female escort Number of plays: 6 Favorite line: “The flowers of O’Keeffe perfectly encompassing the beauty of nature and vaginas.” Favorite scene: I really like the opening scene. I think it’s hilarious. What they learned: That sometimes the hardest thing in acting is doing nothing and still looking engaged. What they’ll miss: Having a way to hang out with so many cool people every day. Katy McKay Role in play: Chorus, waitress, female escort Number of plays: 14 Favorite line: “Balloons!” Favorite scene: The roulette scene. What they learned: You can make it if you clench. What they’ll miss: Chilling out with my buddies. Maggie Mihaylova Role in play: Kim, chorus, waitress, farmer, forlorn woman Number of plays: 8 Favorite line: “I’m waiting for the perfect mo-

Emily Ojeda Role in play: Chorus, waitress Number of plays: 3 Favorite line: “Yeah, run back to Mommy! Run back to the parents who’s still alive and loves you. Hug her tight, mommyhaver!” Favorite scene: The Connor and Jeanine scene, as well as Jeanine’s death and Bob avoiding prison. What they learned: I learned that no matter how desperate things get, I am not alone. What they’ll miss: I will miss having an excuse to stay late after school. I will miss portraying a sexy, flirtatious waitress. I will miss listening to the amazing music by Ally, Oren, and Isaac. And I will miss the sound of Quinn yelling at the waitresses to be more sexy. This is my first production with CET, and it has been an amazing experience. The actors and crew are amazing people to hang out with, even if they’re kind of crazy. I will definitely keep on doing shows with CET.

december 2 0 1 3

Top left: Harvey watches rehearsal while waiting for her next scene; top middle: Ben Wier and Tucker-Meyer smile while listening to Strassel’s directions; top right: Isaac Scobey-Thal jokes around with the cast during a break from rehearsal; bottom right: Strassel carries his son while directing during rehearsal; bottom middle and left: Works, Kausch, Wier, and Olson practice the love dance.

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Patrick Eagle Role in play: Chorus Number of plays: 2 Favorite line: “We’re more than a couple of fruits.” Favorite scene: No, I can’t decide. What they learned: Sean John “Puffy” Combs didn’t finish college. What they’ll miss: I’ll miss Theo. Hans Schueler Role in play: Chorus Number of plays: 10 Favorite line: They’re all pretty good. Favorite scene: The one where Sam carries off Milo. What they learned: I like all of them. What they’ll miss: Probably the people, because they’re all really nice. Nick Stevens Role in play: Dancer, chorus Number of plays: 1 Favorite line: I don’t have one. Favorite scene: Where Milo has sex with Anabel. What they learned: If you do a play, you gotta be organized. What they’ll miss: The food. There was a lot of good food here. Julian Stockton Role in play: Sagé, chorus Number of plays: 4 Favorite line: “Bob: Act I.” Favorite scene: The one with the wolves. What they learned: How to dance, a little bit. What they’ll miss: I’ll miss having an excuse to dance. Sam Works Role in play: Trained wolf, dancer, chorus Number of plays: 1 Favorite line: “He’s a licker.” Favorite scene: Probably the one with Sven, the trained wolf, and Bob.

the communi cator

What they learned: Milo doesn’t taste very good. What they’ll miss: Licking Milo. Danny Villalobos Role in play: Chorus, businessman Number of plays: This is actually my first one. Favorite line: I don’t really have one. Favorite scene: Probably the roulette scene. What they learned: Theatre is much more different than cinema. Much more different than I expected. What they’ll miss: I’ll miss staying at school late. Laura Westervelt Role in play: Chorus, waitress, female escort Number of plays: 2 Favorite line: “Hey, I can see my reflection in it! That’s funny, I see me and me. Hi me! Favorite scene: The Connor and Jeanine scene. What they learned: Not everyone has a lesson, but everyone has a mission. What they’ll miss: I’ll miss seeing friends. Duncan Reitz Role in play: James, evil man, female escort, chorus Number of plays: 2 Favorite line: “I intend to have enough sex in public places for the both of us.” Favorite scene: I liked being able to be one of the wolves that devours the animal trainer, because I get to make scary noises. What they learned: Putting on a play is not as easy as it sounds. What they’ll miss: I will definitely miss a few of the people I’ve met. Ella Ruderman Role in play: Chorus, waitress Number of plays: This is my first play. Favorite line: “You know how things just happen.” Favorite scene: The scene where Amelia leaves. The music makes it so good! “These Days” is like my favorite song in the show. What they learned: How important cues are, along with the stuff that goes on backstage. You can’t

just magically get anywhere you have to be. You have to memorize when to leave and stuff. What they’ll miss: I’ll miss the people in the play, and learning it. It was nice to see it develop. Jonathan Ruelle Role in play: Seth, chorus Number of plays: 3 Favorite line: “Forget about Chet, que? I hate Chet!” Favorite scene: When Bob is talking to Vera and Bob is in his menopause phase. What they learned: You have to go aboveand beyond to do well in a play. What they’ll miss: Sam Works’s crazy comments. Theo Heimann Role in play: Crazy man, chorus Number of plays: 3 Favorite line: “That’s a dead goat.” Favorite scene: The waitress scene What they learned: A lot about blocking. What they’ll miss: The whole experience. Staying after school with friends, and having a good time. Quinn Strassel Role in play: Director Number of plays: About two dozen Favorite line: “We’re all in this great big tragedy of life together so shove some timber up your chute, get some matches and let her rip!” Favorite scene: That’s so hard. The opening scene in White Castle is pretty great. It features our whole ensemble which I love. What he learned: I’ve learned that I am not alone. What he’ll miss: This cast and crew are just amazing. I feel like this show is one big inside joke that we all share and I’m going to miss having us all in the room, sharing it together.

Ryan has written

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review preview

over 340 movie reviews which are on his website ryanthemoviecritic.com gravity gravity is among the most forceful, powerful films of the new century: a technical wunderkind of unthinkable complexity and a near-miraculous unity of seemingly incongruous elements.

ryan the movie critic.

how a young writer is pursuing his passion for cinema nate porter sophia camp photo

AT TEN YEARS OLD, A

young, enthusiastic Ryan Michaels sat down at his computer and started pounding away eagerly at the keyboard to write his first movie review ever on the newly released “Spider Man 3”. After a few months of this, he decided it was a hobby worth committing time to, so he decided to start his own movie review website, now known as ryanthemoviecritic.com. He was inspired to do so out of his love for movies and his desire to chart his progress as a writer. “It’s been going for six years now and it’s pretty incredible being able to go on the website and look at something I wrote four years ago to the day and contrast that with my writing now,” he said. To Michaels, movies are the ultimate art form due to their ability to connect with humanity and people’s lives on a personal level by incorporating musical style, drama, theater, and emotion into every scene. A movie critic has to take careful

notice of all the details and nuances that make the movie special and decide whether or not the movie met its purpose. “Every film starts out with a specific set of goals that are unique,” said Michaels. “No two movies have the same goals and if they do they’re not movies that I’ll be compelled to go and see; I judge a movie based on how well it met these goals and how much it connected to me personally.” Michaels goes to the movie theater about once a week and watches two to three movies every time he goes. Quality 16, the Michigan Theater, and State Theater are familiar with his website, and provide him with movie passes that allow him to see movies for free. “I always bring something to take notes with,” he said. For every ten movies Michaels sees, he’ll write around four or five reviews. “I like to take a week to walk around with the movie and explore the thoughts and ideas I have about it so when I sit down I’ll

know exactly what to write,” said Michaels. “I saw the movie ‘Gravity’ last week and spent this entire week thinking about it and once I decided to write it only took me about 20 minutes to type out a 600 word review.” His reviews don’t follow any type of strict format besides the inclusion of a small summary to describe to the reader the plot of the movie. Michaels lets his colorful thoughts pour out freely through the monotonous, repetitive clicking of the keyboard. His aptitude to record his ideas in a genuine, creative, yet cohesive fashion might serve as an explanation to why his website gets thousands of views every week. “I feel a sense of responsibility to present my views as clearly and as boldly as I can, and I am also flattered and happy they appreciate my writing and can see me grow as a writer,” said Michaels. C

this is the end this is the End is as self-indulgent as mainstream films come, true, but why is that a bad thing? To dive head-deep into one’s own ideas also reflects a large amount of passion and conviction.

12 Years a Slave by showing history’s devastating impact on multitudes of African-Americans through one singular nightmare, 12 Years a Slave is as keen a deconstruction of the American myth as any film, book, album... th e commu nicator

music reviews hazel o’neil

for your parents Big Star: hailed by Rolling Stone magazine as the “quintessential American power pop band,” little known Big Star has been cited as a main influence for dozens of big name bands, such as R.E.M. They made three albums between 1971 and 1974, “#1 Record,” “Radio City,” and “Third/Sister Lovers”. Their body of work, influenced by The Beatles, The Byrds, and other 60s pop bands, while mixing catchy jangly guitar with darker themes, resonates with many. Rolling Stone listed all three of their albums in their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and two of their songs, “September Gurls” and “Thirteen” in their 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song “Thirteen” is one of the greatest songs ever written. Covered by many, but most famously Elliott Smith, the song is two minutes and 34 seconds of gorgeous guitar harmonies and unassuming vocals tying together in a sweet but melancholy ballad to young love. In 2012, a documentary on Big Star and their mythical rock and indie cult status, called “Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me.” Instantly familiar and instantly loveable, fans of any popular rock music in the past 50 years should make a point to check out Big Star.

for you Fitz and the Tantrums: since they released their debut EP, “Songs For A Breakup, Vol. One,” in 2009, Fitz and the Tantrums have made a name for themselves in the world of indie music. The band draws heavy inspiration from motown era soul and 60s pop, but has created a unique fusion with modern day indie pop. While their first hit, “Moneygrabber,” off their first album, “Pickin’ Up The Pieces” sounds as though it should be playing on an oldies station, with its instantly familiar and nostalgic chorus opening the song, the band has stated that they are not trying to create an exact replica of Motown music. They branched off more into modern sounds with their sophomore album, “More Than Just A Dream,” released in May 2013. The lead single, “Out Of My League” gave the group their first number one hit, and topped Billboard’s Alternative charts in September 2013. The band has earned their success. One of the most energetic and enthusiastic bands live around today, Fitz and the Tantrums have made their name by giving an amazing live set. With two great albums under their belt, Fitz and the Tantrums are sure to deliver more great music in the future.

for you of the future Lucius: from Brooklyn, New York, Lucius could easily fulfill the stereotypes of the “quirky hipster band.” However, the band, who released their debut album, “Wildewoman” in October 2013, has been praised by both the New York Times and NPR for their charisma and for their “luscious, luminous, lifting lullabies.” The band’s miscal style can best be described as nostalgia pop; one of the songs they perform live is a cover of Paul McCartney’s “Goodbye,” and their website features the two lead singers, Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig decked out in mod clothing against a vintage reminiscent background. The single off “Wildewoman,” “Hey Doreen,” was available for free download on Noisetrade.com, and was one of the top downloads on the site, which features hundreds of artists, speaking to their sure to come success. Lucius has created an original blend of vintage pop, folk, and strong female harmonies, and own their live performances. They recently played at the Ark in Ann Arbor, to an adoring crowd of all ages. Lucius appeals to a wide demographic, and “Wildewoman” is already getting great reviews, with many more sure to come.

concert: fitz and the tantrums hazel o’neil photo

Fitz and the Tantrums performed at the Fillmore theater in Detroit, Nov. 17 on their Bright Futures tour. Lead singers Michael “Fitz” Fitzpatrick and Noelle Scaggs brought an energetic performance to the stage, performing songs off their most recent album, “More Than Just A Dream.” 38

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the essentials ALBUMS TO PUT ON YOUR BUCKET LIST “nothing was the same” by drake chase dudley In Drake’s most recent album “Nothing Was The Same” he shows an emotional side to his music. It’s the Canadian artists third fulllength studio release. It features guest appearances from 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Jay-Z and Majid Jordan. It has songs songs that overlap and build on each other. There are many songs that can be placed into separate categories here, which helps bring things together. His single “Started From The Bottom” went from being cooly received by fans to one of the biggest rap hits of the year so far.

“born sinner” by j. cole lashay ellis With his diverse lyrics, smooth rhymes, and a self-emptying truth sayer, J. Cole’s “Born Sinner” album was the best album anyone has heard all year. When he compares himself to Jay-Z, because he can be a verbal powerhouse, he also compares himself to Tupac with his meaningful and truthful lyrics in his songs. “Sometimes I brag like Hov, Sometimes I rhyme like Pac.” In the single “Land of the Snakes” he riffs on racism, homophobia, and misogyny. In this album J. Cole really tells and paints a picture for us that he’s not all about money and cars etc. And he tells that in his other song “Villiuminati” in one verse he says “Beyonce told me that she want to cop the blue Bugatti/ that **** is more than what I’m worth/ I think she knew it probably.” Just this alone will have you getting an idea of what he’s all about.

“magna carta... holy grail” by jay-z sarae vawters

“xxyyxx” victoria garcia Garage/electronic fans will find XXYYXX’s first album highly impressive. Produced by Orlando native, Marcel Everett who was only 16 years old at the time of the making of the album, is intense yet soft, moving yet subtle, and inspiring. Beginning with “About You” the song starts out with a slow, stretched out lazy vibe and transitions to a strong build up to a beautiful beat drop. As for “Fields”, the third song on the album, it instantly captures your ears and immediately begin bobbing your head along with the repeated words “what did do you do with him today?” taken from Amy Winehouse’s “You Know I’m no Good” from her 2006 “Back to Black” album. This track conveys high energy and inexplicable amount of elation. Unable to compare, XXYYXX is original, creative, stunning, and highly enjoyable.

Jay Z releases his 12th solo album going platinum before the release date. He opens us up to the life after his daughter was born with the popular single “Holy Grail,” and puts the well known artist Justin Timberlake on the track. Throughout this album Magna Carta…Holy Grail Jay Z tells us about the highlights of being famous, but he can’t take what comes with being famous. “I got haters in the paper, photo shoots with paparazzi. Can’t even take my daughter for a walk see’em by the corner store. I feel like I’m cornered off, enough is enough. I’m calling this off.” But that is not enough to take away his “Tom Ford.” “kaleidoscope dream” by miguel ness mclair “Kaleidoscope dream” is not your average R&B album, which is what is most intriguing. Miguel’s style is truly his and only his. He uses a psychedelic feel and gets you absorbing his irresistible angelic musical style. “Do you…” is a playful track starting off with a bold intro “Do you like drugs?” but leading into other questions “What about matinee movies/ and pointless secrets/ midnight summer swims/ private beach/ rock, paper, scissors/ Wait! best out of three/ momma said the greatest things in life are free”. There aren’t any intrusive featured artist on any of his tracks. Just him using his natural musical talent to tell deeply personal stories of sex, drugs, love, diamonds in the back and babies on crack... The album is intimate and just pure ecstasy. Every track in guaranteed to pull you right in! Miguel makes you feel his emotions partly because of his boldness. It’s inspiring and true dedication for an artist to be real to his fans without holding back. Like the tender track “Use Me” where he admits to being nervous about having sex with the lights on. “Kaleidoscope dream” lives up to the title, it’s a beautiful collage of electric infinite colors, incredibly enjoyable. december 2013

fashion oby ugwuegbu and sophia simon

frozen in fashion

look out

As the vibrant colors of fall slowly shift to brisk shades of winter, we see those changes not only in our backyards, but in the everyday morning fashion choices we all make. The glistening silvers of frost and untainted pearly blankets of snow present only in winter make this season the most potentially diverse in terms of clothing color. White, winter’s signature shade, is one of the most versatile hues and can be paired with almost anything (see choice winter colors). So don’t hold back when taking advantage of this perfect time for experimentation by adopting a laissez-faire attitude when brainstorming outfits.

Community Fashion Page will do a feature article on Community’s most fashionable. Edition three will feature Mia Prochaska and her mod style.

how to gear up for winter In addition to keeping necks warm, colorful scarves make for a perfect last minute accessory adding color and flare to any wardrobe. Making the choice between mittens and fingered gloves is always a tough call. Do I aim for maximum mobility or a more efficient conservation of body heat? A large outer coat can be bulky and lead to headaches when dealing with lockers but also keeps you toasty warm. Make sure to weigh the pros and cons between coats and layering for the best possible winter day.

Addressing the dilemma of ankle warmth in winter is a tricky subject - how do I keep the chilling slush out of my shoes while still looking cute? Community students have it figured out.

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Sophia Fall and Robin Speth rock their winter gear

They are so nice and pretty!

Josephine Hamilton dons a vest while Helen Januszewksi sports a patriotic sweater to stay cozy in the winter months.

Danny Langa: the epitome of sock game

Shown from left to right: Victoria Garcia, Merrick Perpich, and Avery Farmer. They are are all dressed in neutral shades: a perfect example of the color schemes found in winter. d ecember 2 0 1 3 41

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green energy in ann arbor. 1.4 million

dollar wind turbine could come to pioneer abe weiner and gabriel maguire hazel o’ neal illustration

NEXT AUTUMN PIONEER HIGH SCHOOL could

have a new addition to their school, there could be a 140 foot tall wind turbine on their lawn. City engineer Brian Steglitz is trying to get approval from the Board of Education and the City Council so that this very thing turns into a reality. The idea for the wind turbine originated in 2009 when a group of former employees of the city put in a grant proposal to the Department of Energy to get funds to build a wind turbine in the city of Ann Arbor. After the grant was approved, the plan was to build the wind turbine near the Water Treatment Plant in Ann Arbor to power the plant. The original location for the wind turbine was going to be on Forsythe Middle School and Wines Elementary School’s property, but, due to poor planning, the location soon changed. “At that time they hadn’t really thought about if it was going to be easily tied into the electrical grid to power the water plant. It was more a concept than actually really well thought out,” explained Steglitz, project manager and senior utilities manager for the city. In order for the Department of Energy to provide the grant, there had to be a funding match. For every dollar the the Department of Energy p r ov i d e d , the city of Ann Arbor had to provide a dollar. The Department of Energy agreed to give the city up to $951,000. The city of Ann Arbor has to provide an educational component along with the building of the turbine. At the base of the turbine, there will be a kiosk where you can read information about the turbine, as well as a website where you can track the turbine’s rotational speed and how much power it is generating. There could also be presentations in schools that inform students about renewable energy sources, like the wind turbine. In 2008 the city of Ann Arbor did not have enough money to build a wind turbine. They looked towards the University of Michigan for funding. The Department of Energy gave the University of Michigan money for research in return for contributing some of the matching dollars. In 2009, the university decided to pull out of the project because the city of Ann Arbor was not able to get organized quickly enough. “Initially the city and the University of Michigan had an

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agreement, and they committed funding for a short time frame, a couple of years, and we just couldn’t get this project built,” said Steglitz. Steglitz said the city was not committing enough resources to the project so the university pulled out. Around this time they also lost the site they planned to build it on. If the wind turbine was built at Wines Elementary School or Forsythe Middle School, the turbine would be too far away from the Water Treatment plant, which it was going to power, causing much more of the power that the turbine generated to dissipate over the longer distance. “We had to find a place where we could build a turbine on a property where we could be using the power right there,” explained Steglitz. At this point the city went to the Ann Arbor Public Schools for help finding a location. The Ann Arbor public Schools suggested Pioneer High School for a possible location because of the lack of trees or other tall objects that would block the path of wind reaching the turbine. There is some controversy over the building of this wind turbine because of the fact that it will cost 1.4 million dollars to build, install, and maintain and will not be making that money back as it generates only 60 kilowatts (kw). Therefore, some argue that it is not worth taxpayers’ money. Steglitz argues that it is not the power generated from the turbine that makes this turbine worth its cost, but the educational value, and showing that Ann Arbor is a green environmentally friendly city. “For 1.4 million dollars, you can build a lot of wind turbines in another environment, it is not cost effective. The reason the Department of Energy wants to invest in it is not because of the economics, it’s because of the educational piece,” said Steglitz. $200,000 are being spent on developing the educational part of this turbine, including the informational kiosk, website and curriculum. Steglitz will find out if the project is approved in March when the environmental assessment will be complete and the information will be presented to the Board of Education and the City Board. This turbine is a first step in making Ann Arbor a greener city and will educate people in the community about renewable energy. All that can be done now is wait and find out if it will be approved. C

to russia with love. matthew ferraro

The Olympics are a time for peace. Nations come together in a wonderful spectacle and international boundaries and divisions seemingly melt away. The Olympics are a time for world celebration, when the people of Earth can exclaim in joy, cry in disappointment and whoop for their favorite victories. In February, the world will again gather, hoping to establish this international peace at the XXII Olympic Winter Games, in Sochi, Russia. The Russian government, with its increasingly autocratic tendencies, will try to convince foreigners that everything is fine and dandy in Russia, but let’s get one thing clear: no, everything is not. To gay people, the Games in Russia are beginning to look strikingly close to the 1936 Berlin Olympics, in which the Nazi regime attempted and largely succeeded in showing the world what a fine and dandy place Germany was. Do not be fooled by the sparkling stadiums and the cute mascots. These Games are largely just a show, a point the Russian government will use in demonstrating how “sophisticated” it is. In June of this year (yep, 2013, the 21st century), the Russian government passed unanimously an “anti-propaganda law” about sexual minorities. Under said law, one can be arrested, fined, or deported (if a foreigner) if they are caught talking to children about homosexuality. The law is so broad, it means the media cannot

talk about anything having to do with homosexuality either. Since June, the law has created quite the international backlash, but that largely seems to be doing nothing for LGBT people in Russia. Violence is everywhere. On Saturday (11/16/13), shots were fired in a Moscow gay nightclub, with the shooters yelling homophobic slurs. In May, a young man in Volgograd was horrifically beaten and tortured. He was sexually abused. His attackers left him naked in a park, and he died of his wounds. In an internet video, the attackers said it was because he was gay. You do not have to search hard at all to find stories about the horrible way gay people are treated in Russia. The Olympics are one of my favorite things in this world. For two weeks, I watch every moment, and save them until the next four years roll by. This time is different. In the United States alone, NBC spent $4.38 billion for the broadcasting rights to the Olympics from 2014 through 2020. While I absolutely love the Olympics, and want to convince myself so badly that watching them isn’t helping the Russian government —isn’t helping to support a system of human rights abuses —I cannot in good faith watch these games. I will be staging a one-man boycott of the games, and if you care to join me hopefully we can expand that number. If you still want to know about results and such,

op-ed medal counts and what not, I hope you go to Wikipedia. Wikipedia doesn’t give any money to anybody, so it doesn’t aid the Russian government. WIkipedia doesn’t give any money to anybody, so it should be ok. LGBT people, whatever you think of them, are human beings. Some are your friends, or neighbors, or classmates. Some are the cashier at Target, or the CEO of a company. Some are sisters/brothers, aunts/uncles, mothers/fathers. They’re there, whether you know it or not. The things they would have to face in Russia if they had the misfortune to be born gay there, are unimaginable. Support LGBT people. Support the teacher, or the 10th grader, or the nurse. Support people who are exactly like us. Support humanity. The best thing you can do is to know what’s going on in Russia. The next time you reach to buy a Russian product, or maybe take the remote to watch the Winter Games, just say “no.” Let your anger at these abuses be known to those who can do a lot about it. Government, corporations, anyone. Money makes the world go round, and corporations will get the message if hit on the head with it long enough. The Olympics are amazing — and right now I’m hoping for an Olympic-sized miracle for the LGBT people in Russia. C

fat is not a bad word. aina kelsaw-fletcher

As I child, I was always told to hide. Told to stay in the background, to don myself in blacks, greys, and navy, to avoid stripes like the plague, to never touch a pair of skintight jeans. As a child I grew up thinking my name was “Flattering.” I listened to my mother and stuck to black t-shirts and sweatpants. I wore bell-bottomed jeans all year round as my friends sported high-waisted shorts to show off long, branchlike legs and crop-tops to give peeks of those over-sexualized abs. I strayed to glancing at sunglasses and hairclips as my friends tried on short skirts and bikinis during summer mall trips. My only swimsuits were from the JCPenney Maternity section, big black nylon sacks with skirts to cover that “unsavory cellulite.” On beach trips I would wear my calf-length cover-up into the water to mask any chance of flashing my rotund stomach. I skipped meals and forced myself to vomit. I was fat. I was 8. Fat stigma has been around since anyone can remember. Being fat is considered synonymous with being unattractive, unhealthy, and unsociable. Fat people, especially women, were told the only way they could fit into society once again was to lose weight. And to lose it fast. In second century AD, a Greek physician named Soranus of Ephesus paved the way for “obesity medication.” He gave his patients lax-

atives and purgatives, told them to exercise and get regular massages (believed to help “roll out” one’s fat). These tactics were used until the 1920s and 30s, when scientists were finding actual drugs that could do the same thing but with no effort, and terrible side effects. Amphetamines were the most popular weight loss drug in the 1930s. They suppressed appetite and confidence, and made one more alert (which aided the urge to exercise). Now, in 2013, amphetamines are still popular and widely used, many of which aren’t Food And Drug Administration (FDA) approved. A very startling movement started in 2011 called “Thinspiration.” It was a social media tag that promoted another unhealthy lifestyle of no eating, overabundance of exercise and the shaming of those who weigh more than you. Many girls, some as young as 9, participated in this movement. They uploaded pictures of starved children with tags such as #GoalBody, or #SoClose. They posted statuses on the “40 pounds they have to lose” to get to their goal of 60 lbs. They created demotivational posters adorned with beautiful fat girls saying things like “these monsters are what motivate me.” Many fat bloggers were infuriated and distraught by such a movement. I myself, a beautiful fat black femme, was so brought down I went into another bout of bulimia, which I had as a

child. I wished to just cut my stomach off in one foul slice, because I was perceived as hideous. Unlovable. Unwanted. Scum of the Earth. Then, the summer of 2013, I found the backlash of angry women who called themselves “fatspiration.” They started to show the world that fat is beautiful, and there’s nothing wrong with us. I saw beautiful fat women in itsy-bitsy bikinis, showing off calves in high-waisted skirts and ample bellies peeking out from crop tops. I saw big arms in tank tops and curves and I felt like there were other women like me who respected me. There were people out there who think my body is beautiful, with my stretch marks and scars and my belly. I started wearing crop tops, short skirts. I bought a blue bikini that I wore to every body of water. Being fat does not mean you are unhealthy — in fact, my blood glucose is normal and I exercise daily. To lose weight? No, to feel that endorphin rush of getting out of an ice cold pool and swimming 50 yards in 28 seconds. Fat stigma may seem fun to poke at, especially if you aren’t one receiving the hate. Telling a fat girl that she is “so brave for wearing” a striped shirt and a skirt is not the way to fight fat stigma, it enforces it. Being fat makes you no less of a person. Being thin makes you no less of a person. Being an ass, however? That’s a different story. C d ecember 2 0 1 3

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commUNITY? iit’s in the name, but is the school really together? alex wood hazel o’neil illustration

ON A BRISK FRIDAY IN OCTOBER,

students of Community High School gathered on the front lawn between Block 2 and Block 3 to take this year’s school photo. They scrambled on top of one another, trying to be clearly visible to art teacher Steve Coron’s lens. To capture the rambunctious group, Coron took three different photos that he would later piece together to ensure that every student was recorded. While this digital photography technique is quite easily accomplished, perhaps it is doing more than it seems. It is creating one cohesive image of the school’s community. Does the camera lie? From Oct. 27-Nov. 1, Community High School celebrated Spirit Week, an activity normally associated with traditional high schools. The event is a recent addition, one that had many CHS students wondering if a spirit week makes sense for Community. The traditional Ann Arbor High Schools have had spirit weeks leading up to their homecomings and pep rallies, events meant to unify the school behind a common goal, like supporting the athletic teams. There is no CHS football team and therefore, no CHS pep rally. The efficacy of events like this is certainly debatable, but the effort to foster unity is a laudable one. Some would argue that CHS makes little attempt to promote unity among students. But does the school need to? Is a spirit week necessary? There are two annual events that involve a school-wide effort: the opening day ceremony across the street at St. Andrew’s and Field Day towards the end of the year. Though it’s a small building, Community High students are not necessarily intimately bound. There seems to be a floor rivalry, with different people “belonging” to different floors, but does the school exhibit a clear

overall identity? Last year, then-junior Sean Jacobi sent out a Facebook invitation to an event entitled “Reclaim Community High School!” in an attempt to revive parts of the school’s identity that they claim had been lost. “Many people played instruments in the hallways… there was an atmosphere of festivity,” said Jacobi. “Music being played, people wearing crazy costumes– I really liked it and found it really inspiring… that was a big part of my experience as an underclassman and I wanted to bring that back.” Jacobi deemed the day a failure due to low levels of participation. To Jacobi, the school had an identity that was lost between their freshman and junior year. Jacobi’s view prompts the question: what is Community High’s identity? On the one hand, Community is a smaller institution and one in which it is relatively easy to know everyone’s name. However, it would be reasonable to question whether Community’s variable annual intake – drawn from the results of a lottery and the full geographical spectrum of the city – could ever achieve the spirit-generating level of neighborhood identification enjoyed by the other city high schools. In addition, students here do not take the same classes in lock-step fashion. CHS students pick their own classes, sometimes even creating classes that do not exist. Community High School has an identity. It is dynamic and fluid; not the kind of identity that a pep rally or spirit week can easily encapsulate. The characteristic that unifies students is that they are here by choice; the unique graduation ceremony is testament to a special unity and a community where students value and respect one another. We also like to have fun.C

communicator policy The Communicator, being committed to the free exchange of ideas, is an open forum for expression of opinions. It is student-run; students make all content decisions. Letters to the editor are encouraged and can be sent to thecommunicator@googlegroups.com. Signed articles will be accepted with no prior administrative review as space is available. The Communicator reserves the right to edit submissions. Furthermore, opinions expressed therein are those of the authors and not of this newspaper, Community High School, or Ann Arbor Public Schools. For our complete policy, please see www.the-communicator.org. 44

the communi cator

learning by communicating. eva rosenfeld

AT 4 A.M. ON A VERY LATE FRIDAY

night, or a very early Saturday morning, 11 Communicator staff members sat in a hotel room at a journalism conference in Boston. We spanned grades, gender, race, and plain degrees of life experience. We talked for hours on hours completely openly and honestly about death, sex and its significance (or lack thereof), love, family, life, technology, depression, the universe and the ambiguous nature of time. We were all completely respectful, whether or not we agreed with one another, and felt comfortable disputing ideas. Each of us left with a new appreciation for our peers and new insights on a number of important topics. This and other talks like it are some of the most resonant and profound experiences I’ve had. Imagine if this was the case everyday in our classrooms. If our education system was designed this way - that is to say, learning primarily through discussion and the exchange of ideas - it would be immensely beneficial to students. We are fortunate enough to have passionate, intelligent teachers and advanced techniques for education, and yet we as a nation continue to administer information through Powerpoints, worksheets, rote memorization. Some teachers in my experience have embraced the use of communication and conversation in the classroom, and those are absolutely the classes and teachers who have stood out to me. Of course it’s easier said than done, but a system in which information is conveyed through earnest dialogue would be exponentially more effective than typical one-sided learning. This system forces you to truly understand content and to respond to it. Once you form an

opinion, you will inevitably retain what you’ve learned, and more importantly retain it in a way that matters to you. You will be exposed to new ideas and form new connections within your mind. As we showed with our discussions in Boston, students are capable of having intelligent conversations, and if we are entrusted and taken seriously, then we are far more likely to take the class seriously and show genuine interest. All this would lead to a friendly cycle of people who are involved, intelligent and well-informed and continue to become more so every day. Equally important as making you a more intelligent human being is the fact that this method of discussion makes you a more empathetic and open-minded one. You form new relationships and become more understanding of and open to other viewpoints. You stop comparing yourself to other students and start relating. It’s far too easy to scoff at someone’s opinions in our environment, but it’s near impossible to do so when you both get the opportunity to hear one another out. Even if you disagree with what a classmate, you can wholeheartedly understand his or her motivation for saying it. There is no room for kindness

and understanding where we stand now. There is room for comparison, for passing judgmentbe it consciously or subconsciously, based on a person’s opinions or merely his or her tendency to speak in class. This method would be a way to produce people coming out into the world with open minds full of real-world-applicable knowledge that is deeply implanted into their minds not through rote memorization, but through deep thoughts, connections, opinions and ideas. We won’t have generation after generation of people who are masters of doing whatever it takes to pass a class (Of course, we have the more general and possibly more detrimental issue that many students feel this pressure to focus more on a good grade than learning in the first place, but that’s an entirely new subject.). We will have instead people with a solid grasp of the issues at hand and valid speculations about them, people who are open to different interpretations of ideas and value other people’s opinions as well as their own. People who from an early age have grown to be knowledgeable, empathetic, and thoughtful individuals.C

editorial cartoon. the fight for a fair wage eva rosenfeld

december 2 0 1 3

their stories. fernando rojo

for Andrea, a two year trip to American turned into a new life in a new world.

Andrea Rojo felt like she was walking on Mars when she moved from her home in Bariloche, Argentina to Knoxville, TN. She was accustomed to living near her friends, speaking Spanish, and going for walks. And then she went to Mars. Rojo flew with her one-year-old daughter, Florencia, and her husband, Alberto, to the United States for Alberto’s two year sabbatical at the University of Tennessee. Leaving her beloved life behind was the hardest thing she ever did. Knoxville was lonely. There was no downtown. There was no public transport. She had to take the highway to the supermarket. She was used to living near her friends and knowing everyone in her town. She cried. Her new city in the American south didn’t have sidewalks, because no one walked places. When she talked on the phone to her friends in Argentina, they could not understand how she could get by in such a place. Rojo would try to explain how life in America worked, though she hardly understood it herself. “If there are no sidewalks, how do you get to the bus?” asked her friends. “People don’t take the bus.”

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“But if there’s no bus, how do you get anywhere?” “You have to take a car.” “And if you can’t afford one?” A year passed. Rojo grew to enjoy living in Knoxville. She and her husband made friends with a Colombian family who lived nearby. Chechi and Javier spoke Spanish and were the parents of two one-year-old twins. Upon meeting they became friends, and within weeks they wouldn’t go a day without seeing each other. “She really saved my life, and I think I saved hers.” Javier and Alberto would walk the girls to preschool together in the morning, and then go off to work. The families would have dinner together. Rojo got a job substitute teaching Spanish in Elementary schools. Her life had improved drastically from her arrival in Knoxville. But as the end of her second and final year in America approached, Alberto was offered to move to Chicago to pursue his post-doctorate at the University of Chicago. “Only a few more years.” Rojo has lived in the United States for 23 years, and visits Argentina almost every year with her family for Christmas. After living in Chicago for three years, she and her family moved to Ann Ar-

bor where Alberto worked for seven years as a physics professor at the University of Michigan. He now teaches at Oakland University an hour away from Ann Arbor, but rather than moving to Rochester, he commutes an hour-and-a-half thrice a week. In Ann Arbor, Rojo founded Language Adventure, a small business which provides many different portals to teach children foreign languages, such as books and CDs–written by Rojo– including Spanish, Chinese, Italian, and French; foreign language summer camps for young children; teaching classes at schools all across Michigan; and recruiting foreign language teachers for schools to hire. Throughout her life in the United States she held her Argentine citizenship dear, but not being able to vote in the 2008 presidential election influenced her decision to become an American citizen in 2011, in addition to her Argentine citizenship. “It just wouldn’t make sense to move back to Argentina now. We’ve talked about it, but our lives are here.” C

picture this

RECALLING INFLUENTIAL LOVED ONES THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHS

Chloe Durkee

Cassidy Durkee always wanted to have a little sister. She got her wish when Chloe was born ten years ago. Although Cassidy was disappointed when she realized the new baby couldn’t talk or play dolls, Chloe has now become one of her best friends. Chloe reminds Cassidy of herself as a fifth grader. People outside of their home describe Chloe as shy and sweet but Cassidy knows that she is really quite loud and crazy. Chloe loves animals and, much to Cassidy’s delight, still plays with dolls. Cassidy enjoys being a kid with Chloe. They like to go on bike rides and Cassidy often takes Chloe and her friends to the park. Cassidy coaches Chloe’s field hockey team and helps her with her math team. They frequently visit their dad in Oregon together and Cassidy is glad to have Chloe with her on the trips. Sometimes, Chloe tells Cassidy that she’s the best sister ever. Other times, she says that she’s the worst. Cassidy thinks this is a pretty accurate representation. Applying to college has kept Cassidy very busy this school year, but she still tries to make time to talk with her little sister. Cassidy thinks it would be great if Chloe ended up at Community but, since she is only a fifth-grader, it is still too early to see who she will become.

Bob Kulka

Last summer, Ed Kulka went on a hike in the Canadian Rockies. The trail was 120 miles long. The paths were overgrown and difficult to follow. The route was strenuous. It took 10 days to complete the trip. For eight of those days, the only other person Ed saw was his hiking partner and older brother, Bob. Ed mentioned the idea to Bob last May, as they shopped around at REI. Ed had dreamed of hiking the northern boundary trail since college. Bob had just lost his wife to cancer. Together, the brothers are always up for anything. They naturally agreed to take on the challenge. It was the perfect way to get away. Bob approaches life like an adventure; he turns every experience into one. Three years ago, Ed and Bob agreed to become primary caretakers for their dying sister. That same year, they also cared for both of their ailing parents together. Although it was a hard time, it never felt like a pain. The brothers treated it as a way to spend time together. They both believed taking care of their loved ones was like living and breathing- something you just do without thinking. Together, the brothers were able to joke and laugh and love even in the face of illness. Together, they treated that hard year with grace. Walking in the rain recently, Ed was reminded of their hardest day out on the trail. It was cold and pouring, and they had lost track of how far they had to go. So the brothers decided to stop. They cooked up a breakfast skillet and, in the pouring rain, in the middle of nowhere, sitting on a little log, they enjoyed their freeze-dried food. No matter where they are, or what they are doing, Ed always feels easy with Bob. Looking back on their “worst” day, Ed finds it has become the best one. Ed has fond memories of it all. He believes that adversity really brings people closer together. He knows that Bob is right; you can find an adventure in anything if you’re looking for it. Together, these brothers have always been able to find it.

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art throb

eleanor olsen, sophomore “When [this piece] started out it didn’t really have a meaning but it evolved into being about femininity and being a woman.” “I really love nature, flowers specifically, which is obviously shown in my piece. I really like drawing flowers. It’s kind of my thing.”