The Communicator Volume 28: Edition 3

C

COMMUNITY HIGH DECEMBER 18, 2012 VOLUME 28 • EDITION 3

THE COMMUNICATOR

marijuana:

the truth? p. 16

letter from the editor This issue was a tough one for the editorial staff as we wrestled with how to cover several controversial issues. It began with our center spread coverage, which considers the Fox Nation video “MARIJUANA!! The Truth!” that featured interviews with several Community students (p. 16). The video was discussed throughout the halls and classrooms of Community and was posted across Facebook and Twitter.

Both facts and rumors circulated.

We knew we had to write about this in order to give students more information about the incident. We took on the article together as a team of editors, and spoke to numerous sources in our attempt to get a full picture. Our coverage of the video was focused mainly on the methods of interviewing and student response. The main issue here isn’t about substance abuse; it’s about the way the issue was presented in a video and how CHS was portrayed.

However, the video did inevitably bring to mind the issue of substance abuse among teens. Of course, CHS is so much more than a stereotype. But that doesn’t change that drugs and alcohol are a reality in the lives of many teens, and a paper for high school students ought to address these issues.

This

edition

of

the

Communicator

examines

alcohol’s

influence on teens (p. 20), Minor in Possession laws (p. 14), and, in addition to coverage of the Fox News video, facts about marijuana and its effect on the teenage brain (p. 16). It can be uncomfortable to talk about drinking and drugs in school, but we want students to be as informed as possible.

We’re grateful that our student press rights give us the freedom to explore these issues in a careful, intelligent manner.

Know that we think carefully about what we publish and that we strive for the best journalistic practices when covering all topics, controversial or otherwise. And know that you can also take part in the conversation. Please feel free to send us a letter to the editors at thecommunicator2012@gmail.com, post to our Facebook page, Tweet us, or stop a staff member in the hallway to talk. When we get your feedback, it helps us improve our paper and continue to publish stories that interest you. We hope you enjoy this edition.

Happy Holidays,

the communicator staff

Seamus Cares Cameron Fortune David Gissiner Ruthilah Graff

Madeline Halpert Hannah King Casey MacDonald Sarah O’Connor Jeffrey Ohl Aidan Patterson Merrick Perpich Leon Pescador Caroline Phillips Nate Porter Artem Saakov Daniel Sagher Marcelo Salas Isabel Sandweiss Tyler Schmader Isaac Shore Lukas Trierweiler Hannah Tschirhart

02

the communicator

Editor-In-Chief Mari Cohen

Managing Editors Cooper DePriest Abby Kleinheksel Brienne O’ Donnell Eliza Stein

Copy Editor Kelly Arnold

Staff

TOC

CONTENTS

Dear Readers,

Eliza Upton Joris Von Moltke Alexander Wood Julie Yanar Sarah Zimmerman

coming for art

6

5

10 words of wisdom

14 ‘tis the season

casey vs. food

29

Tracy Anderson

Cover Art Cooper DePriest and Brienne O’Donnell

Back Cover Illustration James Mackin table of contents

16 20

22

Adviser

12

23 24

ready or not CHS both succeeds and falters in preparing students for college

minor in possession A behind the scenes look at the effects of Minor in Possession charges

a home for the holidays Mott Hospital offers special events for children in their care during the holidays

marijuana: the truth?

A video on Fox Nation took the CHS community by surprise with its representation of the school

culture of drinking Teens experiment with drinking for a number of reasons, and sometimes suffer the consequences.

bring back the crowd Students can make the Neutral Zone’s B-side shows great again by increasing attendance

cupcake crazy A review of four different cupcakes at local bakeries.

news briefs winter jazz concert CHS jazz performs at CHS on Dec. 18. The concert celebrates a semester of hard work as jazz students from all levels come together to play the tunes that they love. There are two shows, one at 6 p.m. and one at 8 p.m., in the Craft Theater.

one week on lake superior Community’s own Steve Coron and wife Karin Wagner Coron have their photography and paintings on display at Kerrytown Concert House. The featured art was inspired by the Corons’ love for their place in the Upper Peninsula, on the shore of Lake Superior. “It’s important for me to be a working artist as well as a teacher,” said Coron. The show is open to the public and runs through Jan. 2.

fight for your rights Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed legislation to make Michigan the twenty-fourth right-to-work state on Dec. 11. Starting in the spring of 2013, workers will not be obligated to pay union dues.

Many

CHS

teachers

and

students

went

to

Lansing

to

protest.

To

find

out more, visit: the-communicator.org/2012/12/governer-snyder-ignores-union-protest-signs-rtw.

all rise Mock Trial is up and running for this year. After a rigorous

audition

process,

teacher-sponsor

Chloe

Root

finalized

Community’s two teams. The teams are currently practicing twice a week, but will be doing a four nights a week during the second semester. Community’s A Team is looking to repeat as champion at the state level.

withstand the cold Women In Leadership is leading the charge in the battle against winter. The club is helping St. Andrew’s Church collect winter clothing. Donate any slightly used or new hats, gloves, and scarves by dropping them

off

in

boxes

in

the

main

office

and

library

by

Dec. 21.

two heads are better than one Courtney

Kiley

has

a

two-headed

fish!

The

CHS

science

teacher

was

jubilant

when

one

of

her students found the genetic mutation in one of the salmon eggs she got from Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Salmon in the Classroom. Though it won’t live long, Kiley is extremely excited to have the mutation in her classroom. “I’ve always heard stories of classroom’s

having

mutations,

like

a

tank

full

of

two-headed

fish,

and

I’ve

had

some

mutations...

but

I’ve

always

wanted

a

two-headed

fish,”

she

said. news briefs

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03

proust questionnaire Skylor Horne Skylor, Community’s evening janitor, loves to spend time with his kids. You can find him around the school.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Staying in the Willow Run School District.

What is your greatest regret?

Having kids at an early age.

If you could come back as any animal or thing, what would you be?

As one of my kids.

04

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Who is your favorite hero/heroine of fiction?

Superman.

What is your motto?

YOLO.

What is your worst characteristic?

Lack of creativity.

Who is your favorite writer?

Langston Hughes.

proust questionnaire

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Stress-free environment with loved ones around.

What words or phrases do you most overuse?

That’s what’s up.

What is your greatest fear?

Jumping out of an airplane.

What talent would most like to have?

Mind control.

How would you like to die?

In a gold casket with diamonds all around and everyone in the world around to celebrate.

coming for art SENIOR GABBY THOMPSON CHOSE COMMUNITY MAINLY FOR ITS ART PROGRAM marcelo salas gabby thompson photo courtesy

S

everal Community students work meticulously on their clay pieces, making slight adjustments, applying glaze to their creations, and interacting during Elena Flores’ third hour Ceramics and Sculpture class. In the midst of the chaotic classroom sits Gabby Thompson, a senior at CHS and an accomplished artist, sketching out the plans for her newest project. Like every other day, Thompson will attend all of her classes at Community, but that wasn’t what she had planned on originally.

When Thompson received word that she was one out of a small number of students to get into Community she was very excited. However, she originally intended on taking art classes at Community, as she wanted to take academics at one of the bigger Ann Arbor schools.

What makes Community’s art program appealing to Thompson is the way classes are taught.

“Steve’s prompts are very openended when it comes to his art classes, so it leaves a lot of room [for you] to explore on your own and get to know different medias without being forced to,” said Thompson.

During her time at Community, Thompson discovered her strongest

artform,

film

photography.

Since

then,

she has continued to work with medias such

as

molten

glass,

graphite,

fibers,

and oil pastel. All of her hard work has not gone unnoticed.

Colleges, such as Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) and School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), have already recognized her talent. In fact, Thompson has been pre-accepted into

five

art

colleges

so

far,

including

MICA and SAIC. In addition, Thompson has also shown other strengths by exploring the arts in alternative ways. Thompson enjoys incorporating art in academic projects. A prime example is when she explored the effects of makeup on teenage girls, 16-18 years of age, to see if

there

were

shifts

in

their

confidence

with the application of cosmetics. Her findings

were

quite

interesting,

as

some

experienced

increased

confidence,

some

noticed very subtle differences, and others hated the thought of wearing makeup.

Elena Flores, another art teacher at Community, said that there is a noticeable progression in her students– from when

they

first

walk

through

the

door,

until they become experienced senior artists.

Recently, she has received several

complaints from parents about the difficulty

of

getting

into

art

classes

at

Ann Arbor’s bigger high schools. She believes that because of this, Community’s art program might be a more accessible option for some.

In addition, Flores agrees that the unique

art

classes

at

Community

might

also play a role in the popularity of CHS art courses.

“Historically, there are [art] classes [at Community] that are different than the [big] schools, like Salvage Art [and] my Mixed Media class,” said Flores. “Those are different in the sense that there’s more range of materials...and more opportunity for exploration.”

Thompson has taken advantage of this opportunity.

“I like to look at artists and learn the style that they do, because I like trying out different styles [and mediums] a lot,” said Thompson.

With the creative freedom she has been given, Thompson has gone on to become a recognized photographer and a

well-rounded

artist.

Overall,

it’s

quite

simple how she explains her inspiration and how she perceives the world around her.

“I like to see things differently,” Thompson said, “and understand things with my art.”

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05

ready or not CHS BOTH SUCCEEDS AND FALTERS IN PREPARING STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE madeline halpert

T 80 PERCENT OF CHS GRADS GO TO FOUR-YEAR INSTITUTIONS, ACCORDING TO THE COUNSELING OFFICE

06

he weight of the thick packet excites the student as she carefully slides her thumb underneath the tongue of the envelope. With her dream school’s address stamped on the front, her hands shake as she reaches for the letter. It’s a

yes

or

no

question,

and

the

answer’s

inside.

According

to

the

counseling

office,

90 percent of Community High students end up going to college the year after they graduate high school. This was no different for Cassie Stanzler.

Leading up to this moment, she remembers the countless hours of work a night on time-consuming classes, like biology, when she was a freshman at Pioneer High School.

“I think there was a sort of self-sacrificing

quality

that

I

had

at

Pioneer,”

Stanzler said. “You stay up late, you study, rigorously work in this way and that there’s the idea that [doing] that would somehow bring you academic success, or a track that was more prestigious, or grades that were impressive.”

This type of demanding work ethic often on display at the larger high schools has some students and parents wondering whether Community’s more relaxed curriculum is as successful at helping students prepare for college.

Stanzler graduated from Community in 2009 after transferring as a sophomore from Pioneer. She then attended Vassar College for two years before switching to the University of Michigan. Stanzler said Community is what you make it, and admitted that she could have pushed herself to take more difficult

classes.

Other graduates of Community feel similarly, including Jennie Scheerer, class of 2010, who currently attends Kalamazoo College.

“I don’t think that Community challenged me as much as I could have been challenged academically, but I definitely

learned

a

lot

from

my

classes

there,” she said.

Scheerer

said

when

she

first

got

to college, “the workload was completely overwhelming compared to high school.”

One element of the Community experience that students found to be useful in preparation for college was completely unrelated to its education: its counselors, and in particular, John Boshoven. Stanzler says that Boshoven was

thoroughly

helpful

in

finding

the

right college, not just based on the reputation.

“One cool thing about John is that he places value on a college for the way of thinking or the way of teaching that suits you more than the prestige of the college,” she said.

Lisa Raupagh, a graduate of Community back in 1983, agreed that when she attended Community 29 years ago, the counselors were supportive, despite the lack of help from her home environment.

“I did get some help from the counselors about going to an art school that was in California at the time,” she said.

“They went out of their way to reach out to me, because that wasn’t happening outside of school,” Boshoven says what helps him to be successful at his job is getting to know his students and different colleges’

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feature

atmospheres.

“What I want to do is be able to see the environment, meet some students [at the college] and say, ‘Boy, that reminds me of you! I think you’d like the feeling,’ after I get to know [the student] better at the junior conference,” said Boshoven. “I’m hoping to be able to do a better match.”

Scheerer wondered if the counselors at Community disproportionately encourage their students to look at smaller liberal arts colleges, and felt without a doubt that she was nudged in this direction.

“They

definitely

pushed

me

to

look

at

smaller liberal arts schools, and sometimes I wish I explored more options.

However, I now attend Kalamazoo College, and I’m so glad that I chose to go there,” she said.

Even so, Boshoven disagrees with this opinion.

“I don’t try to sway; I try to ask them what learning environment really helps them,” he said. “Do they like the smallness of this school and the relationships that they have? Lots of students say, ‘Yeah, I would love a school like this!’’’ Boshoven said that because of the students’ preference for Community’s small environment, they tend to appreciate smaller schools. Boshoven also estimates that about 40 percent of the senior class applies to the University of Michigan, a large, public college.

In addition, he says Community develops habits throughout high school that make them more successful in college.

“You know how to get to class without ringing a bell, because we don’t

have bells, and they don’t in college either,” Boshoven said. “You know how to take advantage of the block schedule. That’s how college is run. So you’re doing some of the self-management things that [college faculty] wish their college students would do better.”

Others, like Stanzler, feel that learning how to approach adults and professors has been useful for college and in life.

“I think what Community does is give you these cultural relationships with adults, and it makes you comfortable communicating with people who aren’t 18-20 [years old], people outside of that loop,” said Stanzler. “That’s really important.”

Most of the former Community students agreed that one important way Community contributed to their success at college is the level of self responsibility practiced on a daily basis at CHS. Scheerer believes this to be true.

“Community taught me to be more independent, [to] integrate myself into a larger community outside my school, and connect with a wide variety of people,” she said. “These are all things that have been useful to me in college.”

Raupagh, who struggled with dyslexia in high school, believes that the selfresponsibility she was taught during high

school

has

influenced

her

entire

life, and doubts she could’ve made it to college, let alone through high school, attending a bigger school.

“I was not just another sheep in the flock,”

she

said.

“I

make

my

own

choices and think about things and really also try to be a part of the community and reach out to others; [I’m] not just in it for myself.” C

HOW TO

HAVE A RIGOROUS SCHEDULE Depth

Kyle Aaronson Kenyon College

depth

1 2 3

Take 4 years of each academic subject (Math, Science, English, Social Studies, Foreign Language) or more, by utilizing summer school, doubling up, and earning high school credit in middle school.

Take the hardest possible classes in each subject, for example AP U.S. History instead of

Katie O’Brien College of the Atlantic

regular U.S. History.

lty

u ffic

di

Luke KingWest Point Academy

Community students should take writing or reading based English classes like American and World Lit.

en

gli

Melanie LangaStanford University

4 ege

coll

5 chs grads now in college share their senior schedules

JOHN BOSHOVEN’S TIPS ON

Sarah KersonUniversity of Vermont

sh

Take college classes while still in high school, both because of the difficulty and the fact that a good letter of recommendation from a college professor indicates that the student will perform well in college.

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07

around the tree THREE CHS STUDENTS CELEBRATE THE SAME HOLIDAY IN DIFFERENT WAYS jeffery ohl

Christina Chang is a junior at Community High School. Chang’s outlook on the holiday is similar to Harkey’s. She celebrates Christmas, but doesn’t see it as a religious holiday. However, unlike Harkey, Christmas is a fairly new tradition for Chang’s family, which is from Taiwan, a predominantly Buddhist state.

Chang’s

parents,

who

are

the

first

generation

to

come

to

America, celebrate Christmas mainly because it’s the most celebrated holiday in America. It doesn’t have to do with their religion.

“They are more Buddhist than anything else,” she said.

While the ways Chang and Harkey celebrate Christmas are similar in some ways, there is one large difference in their celebrations of Christmas. While the Harkey family chooses not to celebrate Christmas with extended family, the Chang family can’t.

“That’s not really possible, given where they are, they live in Taiwan.” she said. So Chang only celebrates Christmas with her parents and her older brother.

It’s Christmas Day, snow coats the ground outside,

there

is

a

warm

fire

blazing

in

the

fire

place

and

the

kids

are

opening

their

presents. However, it’s not Dec. 25. Noah Thornton is a sophomore at Community whose mother is a German immigrant. He and his family celebrate Christmas a little differently.

“We celebrate Christmas on the 24th because my mom’s from Germany and she grew up with that.” Thornton said.

“She also didn’t grow up with Santa Claus, she grew up with James this angel [Christkind] bringing presents instead.”

Harkey is also a Despite the different date, Thornton’s celebration of Christsophomore at Community High mas is pretty normal.

School, who celebrates Christmas on “We watch classic Christmas movies and eat Christmas cookthe more traditional 25th. ies, which is always a blast,” he said.

“Usually I get all my family together and then we Thornton doesn’t see any reason to conform to the more will eat lots of food and open Christmas presents.” he widely celebrated 25th. said,“Kind of the same thing that everyone else does.”

“I can’t really imagine celebrating it on the 25th

However,

Harkey’s

celebration

of

Christmas

isn’t

quite

the

because I’ve grown up with it on the 24th,” he said. same

as

everyone

else’s.

Harkey’s

definition

of

“all

my

family”

In fact, Thornton doesn’t think that the date is different than what some might think. matters at all. He felt that what is done on “Pretty much all seven of my brothers and sisters and whoever Christmas matters more than the day they may be seeing [dating], and their kids,” Harkey said. “I think of the celebration. a lot of people invite their extended family because that kind of fill

the

gap,

but

we

already

kind

of

have

that

gap

filled.”

Harkey’s food traditions are also pretty simple.

“Mashed potatoes, burgers, that type of thing; we don’t have a staple.” he said.

Harkey doesn’t think of Christmas in a traditional way either.

“I don’t really identify with Christianity,” he said. “It’s not tied to religion, it’s just something we’ve been doing for a while as a family.”

08

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Enrico Renda Politi

Merle Schulken

Nana Enomoto

“In Brazil we have a bunch of holidays we celebrate: Carnaval, Tiradentes, Cirio de Nazare and others. In Brazil we have a lot of religious holidays, because we used to be a Catholic country. I love Carnaval because it’s kinda like party week. All we do

“My favorite holiday is Christmas. My favorite tradition is that my parents will make this kind of advent calender. They will wrap up tiny little presents like chocolate, and stuff, or makeup, and different fun things, so they like give us 24 presents for my sister and me.”

“Shinto Gassan celebration is one of my family traditions. We celebrate our children’s growing and health. And kids take pictures with Kimono (Japanese traditional clothing) and go shrine to wish kid’s health and improving. These pictures are really pretty and beautiful.”

Sophomore, Skyline High Brazil

is party all week.”

Junior, Pioneer High Japan

Junior, Pioneer High Germany

Ekaterina Stacey, Senior, Skyline High Russia

“In the orphanage, we would all get Candy in little boxes from our Santa, who is called “Ded Morez,” and we thought that he gave it to us. It wasn’t presents like here, more like candy and family time, so it was kinda like Halloween but without the costumes. As a little kid, we would all dress up really pretty and put up a tree but not a Christmas tree. Ours was more like the new year.”

holiday happenings STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD SHARE THEIR HOLIDAY TRADITIONS hannah king

Hazel O’Neil,

Junior, Community High China “For Chinese New Year, there are all sorts of decorations around the city.

The buildings get lights put up on them—they’re all decked out in Santas right now. There are little tangerine trees around the city (tangerines are for good luck), and everyone gives each other little red envelopes of money.”

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words of wisdom COMMUNITY POETRY CLUB EXPANDS INTO THE GREATER ANN ARBOR POETRY SCENE isabel sandweiss hannah king photos

A THE FIRST POETRY NIGHT WAS IN 1999 AND WAS THEMED “END OF THE MILLENIUM”

SHORTS ON THE LEDGE—A POETRY CLUB SPONSORED EVENT—WILL BE HELD ON THE 3RD FLOOR LEDGE IN THE SPRING OF 2013

10

ll senior Amelia Diehl could see was a black abyss of bodies. Blinded by the spotlight, the audience that sat before her was merely a fuzzy outline, their attentive eyes just small, dark specks.

She glanced down at her paper, took a breath, and began to recite.

It can all be traced back to room 304.

Every

Wednesday

at

lunch

a

fluctuating

group

of

about

five

to

nine

students meet to read, write, and discuss poetry. Outside the door, loud lunch chaos

fills

the

third

floor

hallway.

But

inside, Poetry Club members exchange words within an accepting atmosphere that is mellow, smooth, and rhythmic.

When Community High School teacher consultant Ellen Stone found out that a creative writing class she had been co-teaching was going to be taken off the schedule, she was inspired to find

another

way

to

let

students

connect to their writing and to each other .

“I realized what had come out of [this writing class] was this idea from the students that there really wasn’t a place for writers to hang out together and write at Community,” said Stone.

“The kids felt like there wasn’t a place for them and it was weird that we didn’t have that.”

She mentioned this to now-retired CHS teacher Brian Miller, and he suggested

they

start

a

poetry

club.

The

first

full year—last year—was a little rough because it was hard to get students to commit. But this school year, the club has

flourished. “[Poetry club] gives me a space to escape when I have a hectic school week; it gives me a place to write,” said Community sophomore Isaac Scobey-Thal.

Creating an open, relaxed environment has been a main goal of the club this year. Most meetings start with a writing prompt that members respond to for 15 minutes, and then people share what they have written. The club also serves as a place and time for poets to write about topics that have inspired them.

“I’m very inspired by history,” Community senior Eric Bayless-Hall said.

“How America—or any country—deals with stuff. Of all the emotions that it gives me, it makes me want to write poetry.”

Last year, club members decided to

maintain

a

unique

CHS

identity,

rather

than become part of other poetry groups like the Neutral Zone. Although current members agree with this standpoint, they still participate in poetry events around town.

On Nov. 29 the three senior members of Poetry Club and numerous other Community poets participated in the 13th annual Poetry Night in Ann Arbor. Poetry Night is a major event put on by the Neutral Zone and Red Beard Press and is held in the beautiful Rackham Auditorium. Poets from various schools are given the opportunity to perform their poetry in front of an enthusiastic audience.

The student poets got to stand on the same stage as featured poets Shira Erlichman and Patricia Smith. Through humor and honesty these two experienced performers had the audience laughing, crying and, most often, sitting in awed silence.

This

level

of

stage

presence

is

definitely something to aspire to, but for now CHS poets are just learning the ropes. However, they are catching

on

quickly.

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s

CHS sophomore Alice Held prepared by practicing her poem in Poetry Club, and reciting the piece in front of

a

mirror.

It

was

her

first

time

performing at Poetry Night.

“It’s a really nerve racking experience but I really love performing,” said Held.

Diehl

also

felt

butterflies

before

she went up on the stage, but enjoyed participating in such an unfamiliar experience.

“Getting used to your own voice is definitely

interesting,”

said

Diehl.

Helping students realize the power of their words is a main focus of Neutral Zone Literary Arts Programs Coordinator, and Pioneer High School teacher, Jeff Kass. Leading up to Poetry Night, Kass keeps an eye out for students who are working hard at their writing, and who he thinks would enjoy reading.

“It’s meaningful to know you can stand up in front of people with your own words and have people really pay

attention to what you’re saying,” he said.

Poem topics ranged from growing up to mental illness to Detroit. Members of the audience were visibly struck by words of Community poets. Held even got asked for an autographed copy of her poem.

Although a big event like Poetry Night is a great opportunity for CHS students to step out of their comfort zones and showcase their talents, Stone feels that the connection from an inschool reading can’t be beat.

On Dec. 4 forums rushed to the cozy craft theater to snag seats before they

all

filled

up.

As

students

and

faculty bustled in, CHS senior Alex Meingast calmly stroked the strings of his jazz guitar. Performing poets were dispersed amongst the crowd- only recognizable because they sat scribbling last minute notes into the margins of disheveled pieces of paper.

“I’m nervous but eager to express my inner emotions to my peers,” ScobeyThal said as he prepared to read. The setting is both welcoming and intense.”

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The weekly writing prompts, space to write, and peer encouragement included in Poetry Club certainly help students with

their

poetry

skills

and

confidence;

however, Stone is adamant about poetry being open to everyone—not just members of the club.

“The only problem Poetry Club has is the image that people who have written poetry before are the ones who tend to perform. It makes us be more narrow than I’d like us to be,” she said. “So my mission is to broaden poetry club; I want it to be more diverse.”

Stone hopes that hidden poets will “come out of the woodwork” and give reading a shot. At the in-school reading last year, then senior Danny Rivet stunned

the

crowd

with

his

first

rap

performance.

The newbie this year was CHS art teacher Steve Coron.

“Poetry is scary and I’m learning,” Coron said before he began his poem, “It feels like being a student.”

Despite his fears, Coron appeared to be a natural at reading. Just like the other ten poets, he left a piece of himself at the microphone. Writing poetry is a chance to expose. Hearing poetry is an opportunity to learn. Sharing poetry is a way to connect.

“The thing I love about poetry is that you can work at something for 10 or 15 minutes and you have the bare bones of something that’s valuable. And it’s about you,” said Stone. “There is a strong connection between growing up, figuring

out

who

you

are,

and

figuring

out what you want to say. And [realizing that] can help you in anything; it can help in just expressing who you are. That’s why I think poetry club is powerful.”

Of course, Stone still has many aspirations for herself, Poetry Club, and the entire poetry community.

“If I could get [CHS math teacher] Ed Kulka to read for poetry club, I would feel like I’ve done something huge,” she said. C

TOP LEFT Senior Alex Meingast strums his jazz guitar as students walk into the Craft Theater.

MIDDLE LEFT Freshman Carson Borbely shares her poem during the in-school reading, BOTTOM LEFT Community teacher Steve Coron performs for the first time.

CENTER Senior Eric Bayless-Hall reviews his poem during Poetry Club. feature

The Rock Who Holds It All Together Ellen Stone wasn’t always devoted to poetry.

In fact, during most of her adolescence she found the “old white man, Shakespearian” stuff she was forced to read in school boring and overly complicated. The emphasis on form and rhymes distracted her from enjoying the true meaning of the words.

Stone’s pivotal moment was when she took a course in modern contemporary poetry in her first year of college. The free form style of writing was unfamiliar- and completely intriguing.

Once exposed, she never looked back.

“It had all felt very dated to me as a teenager. But [in college] when I read people like Sylvia Plath or Wallace Stevens I just… my eyes went nuts. I totally fell in love,” she said.

Stone continued to take poetry courses and her passion continued to grow. When it came time to graduate, she noticed that her personal journal had morphed over the last few years; her basic daily entries had slowly become beautiful pages of poetry.

After college Stone moved to Kansas, where she co-hosted poetry workshops in a local park.

“It was just a whole community thing. It wasn’t my field, but I just wanted that other side,” Stone said.

Stone has continued to keep this “other” side a main component of her life. She is constantly seeking out poetry- related events to share with student—most recently, a reading by Pulitzer-Prize-winning poet Tracy K. Smith—and serves as an essential source of inspiration for the poetry club. “[Ellen] is the connection. She’s the determination. She’s the nicest woman on the planet,” said club member Eric Bayless-Hall.

Stone works as a teacher’s consultant and co-teaches in the English department. However, her role within the Community’s own poetry community could easily constitute as another job—not that she would ever think of it as one. the communicator

11

a home for the holidays MOTT CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL DOES ITS BEST TO GIVE PATIENTS A HAPPY HOLIDAYS alex wood marcelo salas photo illustration

W

THE NEW MOTT BUILDING CELEBRATES ITS FIRST ANNIVERSARY THIS DECEMBER

12

hile holiday music may be blaring from speakers, proclaiming how it’s “the most wonderful time of the year,” this is not the case for everyone in the Ann Arbor area. Mott Child Life, the department of the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital that establishes a level normalcy in the lives of hospitalized children, tries to release as many patients as possible for the holidays, but cannot send everyone home.

“We

currently

fill

about

220

beds,”

said Byron Myer, the Mott Community Relations Director. “During the holidays, we try and discharge and get them home. I’d say we’ll have at least 150 to 200 kids [still in the hospital].”

Myer is in charge of non-monetary donations and planning events for the hospitalized children.

“Usually we’re trying to do special, unique

kind

of

events,”

he

said.

“You

know, a Star Wars event, or a special athlete visit.”

The Mott calendar is full of Christmas-related events for the month of December, culminating in a visit from Santa Claus on Dec. 20. The hospital tries to involve and help families out during their time of need.

“One thing that we’re doing this year is

our

first

ever

Mott

toy

store,”

said

Myer. “We’re going to be offering an opportunity for parents to come down and be able to go through a toy store

where they’ll be able to get presents for both the patient and siblings... that’s one thing we’re trying to do so that parents have something to give their kids on Christmas morning or during the holidays.”

The children themselves also get to participate in the spirit of giving. The non-profit

organization

Leah’s

Happy

Hearts brought in items for the patients to give to their parents.

Kelly Parent, Mott’s Patient & Family-Centered Care Program Manager, works with families to make sure they are included in creating new programs

the communicator

feature

that

will

benefit

the

hospitalized.

Parent

believes that the families of people in care are vital to making the hospital the best that it can be.

“We have 300 patient and family members who volunteer their time as council members, storytellers in classroom settings, and online e-advisors,” she said. “Without their voices, we could not possibly create programs that meet the needs of patients and families.”

Parent and her own family are thank ful for Mott Child Life’s services.

“Child Life brought normalcy into

our lives at a time when our lives were anything but normal,” said Parent.

“Child Life helped staff to treat our daughter as the nine-year-old girl that she was as opposed to a child with cancer. Child Life also helped to integrate her back into the classroom when she returned to school by visiting the class and preparing them for her return.”

Parent’s own family experience has helped her as a Mott employee.

“I understand what it is like to have a chronically ill child,” she said. “I can relate to Mott families in a way that others who have not experienced such fear and trauma cannot. This enables me to establish relationships and help families navigate the healthcare world.”

While the Child Life Program at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital holds events year-round, the holiday period is a very busy one. Mott Child Life receives about 70 percent of its annual donations in the months of November and December. Parent wants to remind people of how important their help can really be.

“Many people want to help families during holidays,” said Parent. “Stuffed animals, toys, and books are donated.

Organizations set up ‘Santa shops’ where patients can shop for holiday gifts, and they donate and serve holiday meals on holidays. However, families need help everyday. Illness does not take a break. Kids are sick 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.” C

comfortable in their own skin CHS STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TAKE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO STYLE hannah king photos hannah tschirhart

F

ashion is a way to express how you feel,” Community High School sophomore Elle Gallagher said in her leggings and riding boots that were paired with a

green

jacket

and

a

knitted

flower

headband. Inspiration for clothing and what people take from their wardrobes depends on many different variables.

“The one who inspires a lot of my clothes is my mom,” Gallagher said.

Current trends are always changing, and Gallagher gave some tips on how to use them.

“I enjoy riding boots so I try to incorporate [the boots] and other trending things

into

my

outfit,”

she

said.

Gallagher said that many trends are from the past, things that were popular ten years ago that have come back in a modified

way.

She likes to wear popular, high-fashion clothes but not necessarily in the way you might see them in magazines.

She also chooses not to stick to ust one

particular look.

“I like to mix it all up,” Gallagher said.

Freshman Dylan Stephens veers toward

a

more

specific

appearance.

He described his look as “preppy with a side of classy.” However, it can be tough to stick with the same look with the seasons always changing, “Usually I’d wear shorts, but its pretty cold out now,” Stephens said. His favorite store to shop at is PacSun. Fellow freshman Gabriel Maguire’s signature look is “some brightly colored skinny jeans and a threadless t-shirt.”

CHS English teacher Judith DeWoskin also has her own approach to style.

“Fashion is looking the best that you can look,” DeWoskin said. “I like a mixture of classical and funky.”

However, DeWoskin doesn’t pay attention to the trends set by the fashion industry.

“For me, it’s just looking the best that I can look given the limitations of my

body, the shape, the size, and my age,” she said. “I have no interest in the fashion industry. I have a sense of my own style and I feel like I usually will know what is going to look good on me and I

buy

things

that

I

think

flatter

me

and

are fun and funky.”

She said the inspiration for some of her

outfits

come

from

students.

CHS social studies teacher Chloe Root also uses fashion as creative expression.

“I think fashion is when you mix art and appearance,” Root said. “I feel lucky that I work somewhere where I have more choice in what I wear.”

Root strives for comfort in her fashion choices.

“I wear what I wear mostly because I feel comfortable in it and I like the way it looks,” she said.

Like DeWoskin, Root is inspired by people sees around the school.

“Sometimes my students dress really well

and

have

awesome

outfits

and

I’m

like, I want to wear that!” she said. “Or my colleagues, too.”

Not everyone cares that much about who wears what, but sometimes it becomes more important than people realize.

“I’m always surprised by how affected I am with fashion because I usually think, I have this idea of what I like to wear, but it’s totally time specific.”

Root

said.

“I

remember

leaving

the house one day back when I was in high school, and having my mom say, ‘I need to take a picture of you! You look ridiculous!’ I just looked at her: ‘What?

This

is

the

most

awesome

outfit

ever

I

don’t know what you’re talking about!’”

Root said.

Of course, an important aspect of fashion is where to shop.

“To be honest, Value World is my favorite place to shop,” Root said. “You can

go

in

there

and

build

the

best

outfit

for so little! I also love T.J. Maxx.” C

feature

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FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Chloe Root, Judith DeWoskin, Gabriel Maguire, Dylan Stephens , and Elle Gallagher 13

M IP INOR

N

OSSESSION

A BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT THE EFFECTS OF MINOR IN POSSESION CHARGES sarah zimmerman & ruthilah graff

ACCORDING TO ANN ARBOR’S 15TH DISTRICT COURT THERE HAVE BEEN 642 MIPS ISSUED IN THEIR JURISDICTION IN THIS CALENDAR YEAR

14

THE ATTORNEY Assistant District Attorney Bob West has been prosecuting MIPs for the city of Ann Arbor for seventeen years.

“There has always been a law prohibiting the use, possession, consumption of alcohol by minors, and for as long as I’ve been here [an attorney in Ann Arbor] we have been prosecuting these minor in possession cases,” West said.

The local police focus on campus parties, so the majority of the cases West prosecutes are from University of Michigan students.

An MIP is considered a criminal offense, but first offenders cannot face jail time, although they can be taken into custody. Most MIPs are given as a ticket on the street.

The most common option is the first offender program. The minor issued and MIP must issue a guilty plea to the court, which the court does not accept. This is a very significant detail, because if the court does not accept the plea then you are never convicted.

“So legitimately down the road, if anyone asks, you can say that

you have never been convicted of a crime. It means all the difference in the world,” said West.

The first offender program usually consists of six months of non-reporting probation under the conditions that the minor attend an alcohol education class and pay 350 dollars to the court for their ticket. The class is another 100 dollars.

“If at the end of sixth months the court looks at the case and they see that you haven’t had another alcohol related offense, the plea is set aside, the case is dismissed, and you’re not convicted,” said West.

However, for a second offense a different kind of probation can be issued with random breathalyzer and drug tests. In other counties within Michigan the consequences are more severe, but West said that in most cases harsher punishment is not necessary.

“My philosophy has always been that we bend over backwards to have people avoid getting criminal convictions for doing dumb stuff when they are young, because it’s not anyone’s interest to send

people out into the world with a degree from the University of Michigan and a criminal record,” West said.

Although Ann Arbor’s program seems relaxed compared to other counties in the state, West has a different theory.

“I wouldn’t call it laid back. I would say there is a good amount of social work in this business, we’re not dealing with bad people, these are good people who just screw up,” said West.

In some cases, the problem is more than just a screw-up or a bad decision.

“We had a couple of young women who had enough MIPs to get sent to our sobriety court which is a two year probation with a lot of rigorous counseling and supervision. They just couldn’t stop drinking,” said West.

Enforcement on campus has been increased by local Ann Arbor police in the last few years has increased due to the rise in partying.

“I think the magnitude of partying has increased exponentially over the last decade. I see these mega parties every saturday, 400-500

people, with a DJ’s and sound systems, and kegs of beer on the rooftop with a hose going down to the ground. I see more and more of that. I don’t know where it’s going, but that is the direction it’s heading. It’s kind of frightening. I don’t know where it ends,” said West.

PARENT PERSPECTIVE Rachel Johnson* still remembers the phone call from her daughter. One month shy of 21, her daughter had received a Minor In Possession (MIP) ticket at a football game on Central Michigan University’s campus.

“Her birthday was in November, it was end of October and I was more angry at the law itself. If it had happened a month from then she wouldn’t have been in trouble and it wouldn’t have cost her anything. She went to court when she was 21,” said Johnson.

Her daughter was a senior at Central Michigan at the time, and although Johnson thought her daughter was wrong to be drinking underage, she was optimistic that the MIP would not affect her

daughter’s future.

“It was very hard to be mad at her. Plus she was older, so she was going to do what she was going to do. It’s kind of a typical kid mistake, you don’t want it to affect them forever. As a parent that’s the top concern, but that one was pretty hard to swallow,” said Johnson.

It was a different story for her son. Johnson’s son received an MIP when he was seventeen years old, and his consequences were more severe.

“It was serious, so we were mad. At that age I don’t think kids recognize that it can hurt them later on, but as a parent you do know that,” said Johnson.

Johnson’s son qualified for a first-offender program. He went to a class on substance abuse to have the MIP expunged from his record. Even with the class, Johnson said she was still worried about her son getting another MIP. “As a parent after that it was like, ‘What are you doing this weekend, who are you out with?’ We had to build back the trust,” she said.

While Johnson was upset at the choices her son made that led to his MIP, she still felt reserved in disciplining him.

“There is the fact that as a parent, and as so many other parents have, who drank in high school, you almost feel hypocritical. Back in the 80’s if you got caught with beer the police would dump some

out and say ‘okay you guys go home’ and then dump the rest in your trunk and that was the last you saw of it. I don’t think I know anyone who got an MIP back in the 80’s,” said Johnson.

ONE COP, TWO BOYS, AND THREE TICKETS. George*, Greg*, James*, Will*, and Jerry* were spending their evening in County Farms Park drinking alcohol. Not expecting any trouble, Jerry and Will headed to the BP Gas Station to cash in a lottery ticket and then take Will home. George, Greg and James stayed behind. Not soon after they had been left at County Farm Parks, they received a phone call from Jerry telling them the car wouldn’t start. This was something they were used to, and knew it could be anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour before the car would start again, so they began to walk to BP. “Just wait for us, it’ll be alright,” James said to Jerry. Their night ended up far from alright.

As they headed down Platt Road towards Washtenaw Avenue , the three boys saw a police car approaching towards them. George saw it and ran.

George was long gone before the police car saw Greg walking in front of a building as James walked behind the building. Seeing Greg, the cop pulled into the parking lot and called him over.

Then, seeing James, the cop called him over as well.

“He immediately jumps out of the car and tells us to put our hands on the car. He was really aggressive,” James said.

The cop then started questioning the boys about how much they had to drink, but the boys denied everything.

“We weren’t giving him back talk but we weren’t trying to incriminate ourselves,” Greg said.

When asked to take a breathalyzer James was quick to deny it, but Gill started to say yes. So, the cop went into his car and got the breathalyzer. With that time to think about what was going on, Greg then realized he is not willing to prove to the cop that they had been drinking. Therefore, he denied the test as well.

The cop immediately handcuffed them, reached into their pockets, grabbed their ID’s, and went into his car. After about twenty minutes in his car, he issued the boy three tickets. An MIP for James.

An MIP and Cigarette charge for Greg.

What had started as a fun night at County Farms Park had not ended as a bad night in a cop car.

“I thought for a second he was taking us to the station to get processed but it was really just a ticket. He just handed us a little piece of paper and walked us up to the door,” James said. Each boy (Greg and James) was driven

f

home separately.

“My parents were asleep so it’s really quiet and weird. I just answered some questions, go in the basement and chill,” Greg said.

“My parents were up and it was just kind of awkward, uncomfortable. It wasn’t fun,” James said.

That was the end to their nights, but not their charge for MIPs. Two weeks later the boys had to go to court. They were in a room full of students, mostly college, with the same charge. James and Greg were two of only six high school students charged with MIP’s. After admitting they had been drinking, the boys qualified for the 1st offender program. After six months if they don’t have any other alcohol charges then it will be off their records, after they attended an alcohol abuse class as well.

Their night didn’t turn out as expected, but if gave them a change to reflect on their choices.

“I definitely learned that cops don’t need anything to come get you. If they just see you walking around and they want to stop you, they will. They don’t need a reason,” James said.

“I kind of realized that I was chilling with a pretty volatile friend group and so when we are doing stuff like the stuff that got me in trouble I don’t participate,” Greg said. C *names have been changed

15

marijuana

mariju the tr

2.3% adults worldwide use maijuana at least once a year

40% of high school kids report using marijuana at least once in their life

mexico

paraguay

mari cohen, cooper depriest, abby kleinheksel, brienne o’donnell & eliza stein brienne o’donnell illustrations

#1 producer producer #2

2006 WORLD PRODUCTION TOTALED

COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL S WAY TO HIS CAR AFTER SIXTH B WAS APPROACHED BY A WOMAN

91,287,000 lbs. which would fill...

IF HE COULD ANSWER SOME QUE THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA

80% of the titanic

CAMERA FOR A MAN WHO WAS SPE SIDE OF SCHOOL PROPERTY.

OR

2,690 semitrucks

OR

82 BILLION JOINTS 16

A WEEK AND A HALF LATER, HE WALK MATES WERE WATCHING A VIDEO ONLI PIECE CONTAINED CLIPS FROM ROY’S IN

which lined up would travel

HAD BEEN TOLD THE INFORMATION WAS F

around the world 65 times

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center spread

in 2003...

uana: ruth?

Canada was the 1st country to offer medical marijuana

80% of countries are known to grow marijuana

most common

NICKNAMES

TREES

weed

mary

P O T

jane where marijuana

SENIOR DAN ROY WAS ON THE BLOCK ON NOV. 19 WHEN HE

N HE DIDN’T KNOW. SHE ASKED ESTIONS ABOUT HIS OPINION ON

affects your brain

A. ROY AGREED TO INTERVIEW ON EAKING TO STUDENTS RIGHT OUT-

basal ganglia hippocampus -motor control -initiation and termination of actions

-memory -learning facts -sequences and places

%

cerebellum

-motor control -coorination

OF

8th, 10th, and 12th graders have used in their life 8th

KED INTO MOCK TRIAL AND HIS TEAMINE ON FOX NEWS. THE EIGHT MINUTE

45.7

47.8 38.7

NTERVIEW; THIS WAS NEWS TO HIM. HE FOR A SURVEY. (CONTINUED...)

19

2002

35.1 16.3

2004

10th 12th

42.3 31.8 15.7

2006

42.6 29.9 14.6

2008

*for a complete list of sources see the-communicator.org

center spread

the communicator

17

STEVEN CROWDER’S ENTERTAINMENT CAREER BEGAN AT AGE TWELVE WHEN HE VOICED THE CHARACTER OF THE BRAIN IN THE PBS SHOW “ARTHUR’

(continued from previous page) The video in question, entitled “MARIJUANA!! The Truth!” and produced by comedian and Fox News contributor Steven Crowder, came as a surprise to CHS students and staff when it debuted online on Fox Nation on Tuesday, Nov. 27. A comedic opinion piece that argues against the legalization of marijuana, the video includes interviews with seven CHS students, some with their faces blurred, others with their identities uneclipsed.

During the CHS portion of the video, the camera pans across the front of the school, and then cuts to clips of CHS students, against the backdrop of the CHS mural on the back fence, talking about their own marijuana use and opinions on the legalization of marijuana. The majority of the clips featured students admitting that they had used marijuana or explaining that

Throughout her interviews with students, Hein did not speak to a single student who had been aware that the footage might end up on Fox News.

Students also did not know how the film

would

be

edited

and

how

their

responses

would

sound

in

the

final

video.

Freshman Thomas Brown*, who was interviewed, said that the video’s editing changed the context of his answers.

“He asked me if I smoke and I answered I have tried it once. He cut it so he said I have smoked,” said Brown.

“He then asked if it was bad and I said I don’t really know, but I have heard it is harmless. He cut it so I basically said it was harmless.”

When Brown asked Crowder what the video was for, Crowder said that he was from Grand Rapids and was conducting a survey.

Sophomore Kelly Arnold and junior Alex Wood were on the back

the students’ responses. “[The students] were not like, ‘Oh, I smoke every day,’” said Yanar. “They didn’t sound that teenagery. [Crowder] just took the teenager words out, the teenager quotes, what they wanted to hear.”

Crowder and Korzon did not respond to requests for comment via email, Twitter, and phone.

In the video, all but two CHS students had their faces blurred so that their identities would be hidden. However, that didn’t keep them from being recognized by those who knew them.

“There were attempts to blur the faces of students, but there other characteristics

that

were

very

easily

identifiable to those of us who work and go to school at Community High School,” said Hein. Students’ hair and clothing were visible, and their voices were present in the video.

the new york times reported that crowder has also come under fire for selective editing in his most recent video, covering a physical altercation with union members at the dec. 11 protests in lansing against michigan’s new right-to-work legislation. they didn’t believe marijuana was as harmful as other substances.

Ann Arbor Public Schools Director of Communications Liz Margolis informed CHS Dean Jen Hein about the video the night it was posted. Hein had not known that Crowder was conducting interviews with students near campus.

“My reaction was that I was very disappointed on many levels,” said Hein. “I was disappointed in the bias, the poor editing, the insertion of what appeared to be attempts at sarcasm and humor, for a very serious subject. And I immediately became worried about the impact it was going to have on the students who participated and the impact on our school.”

The following day, Hein met with the students who had been interviewed in the video to have a conversation.

Although she did make sure students informed their parents about the video—especially since local news site AnnArbor.com had also posted a link to the video—no students were punished.

lawn while interviews took place and were approached by Hilary Korzon, Crowder’s wife, who asked them if they wanted to participate. Korzon came onto the back lawn to speak to students.

“It was just very, very friendly and you thought she was your buddy,” said sophomore Julie Yanar, who was also on the lawn at the time.

According to Wood, Korzon “kind of avoided the question” when Arnold asked what the interview was for.

“She said, ‘You know, just some small blog,’” said Arnold.

Arnold and Wood both declined to be interviewed. Yanar did agree to get in front of the camera, and told Crowder that she had never smoked marijuana. However, her quotes weren’t included in the video.

“He

tried

to

flip

my

words

upside

down so I needed a little more time to think about the questions,” said Yanar.

Yanar was able to watch other students interview before it was her turn, and said she thought the clips that appeared in the video mischaracterized

“I was very, very angry because I realized that they didn’t blur the faces out that well and they didn’t blur the voices out so you are able to tell who it was and that is very very bad for the students here,” said Yanar.

Students had to have faces blurred if they were under 18 and didn’t have parental consent to be interviewed.

CHS’s role in the video adds another layer to public perception of the school in Ann Arbor. Because of its alternative, open curriculum, CHS is sometimes stereotyped as a “pothead school.” Hein said she thought that Crowder’s decision to use CHS in the video was likely based on this stereotype, but she also stressed that the stereotype is a myth.

“It’s not the reality around substance use and issues with substances,” said Hein. “Our statistics are proportional to what happens in other high schools.

We don’t want anybody doing anything illegal. We don’t want anybody doing anything that may have implications for their health.”

However, despite the video’s focus

a new study, reported on in august by psychology today, tracked participants for 38 years and found that regular marijuana use in adolescence could be linked to decline in cognitive and intellectual abilities by adulthood. Some heavy users even dropped 8 IQ points.

18

on student drug use, Hein said she has not received negative feedback or concerns from any parents or district administrators since the video’s publication. She read through the AnnArbor. com comments on the video and found that most negative responses were directed towards the production of the video, not towards CHS or its students.

After the video’s posting, a number of CHS students and alumni took to social media, defending the school and expressing frustration that Crowder didn’t focus on any positive aspects of the school’s reputation.

Kate Parker*, the mother of a student in the video, said she considers the stereotypes unfounded, and that, as a parent, they haven’t affected her opinion of the school.

“We love the rigor of the CHS curriculum, the staff ’s dedication to the students and the strong anti-drug

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center spread

stance that Community High School has,” Parker said. “Many CHS students think that the prevalence of drugs at Community is not more frequent than other public and private schools.”

Hein said the video won’t cause any changes in CHS’s approach to education about marijuana. She doesn’t believe the video is an accurate representation of Ann Arbor high school students’ knowledge about marijuana, and she thinks students are generally well-educated. CHS students learn about substance use through the health curriculum and counselors or school officials,

and

often

through

athletic

programs. However, Hein does want to students to be more educated about how to interact with the media, and how to have control over other aspects of public presentation, such as their social

media

profile.

“This

isn’t

about

those

specific

students,” said Hein. “This is about understanding that this is something that can happen to anybody that gives a response when you’re being recorded or

you’re

being

filmed.” C

*name has been changed to protect identity of students who appeared anonymously in the video

THE SOCIAL MEDIA RESPONSE alistair barrell

Criticizing the way he made his point doesn’t change the fact that the abuse of marijuana is a really big problem, especially in Ann Arbor, especially at Community. Sorry if you disagree, but it’s kind of stupid to ignore it.

michael savage

I am a proud CHS graduate.

This video seemed to ignore the half of graduating seniors at Community High School who say they have never tried marijuana. This video took a couple of opinions and made it appear as if those who were interviewed were in the mainstream at Community, they aren’t.

Also, using a man who is clearly mentallly ill to make your point is not journalism or humor. Steven Crowder does make some points I agree with, but this is a sad excuse for reporting and Fox News should be ashamed of themselves.

samu rast

Fox, always killin’ it on the misinformation. Got a good laugh outa that one though, thanks for posting.

kerry fingerle I don’t care if he has a point or not. His job as a journalist is to fairly and accurately represent both sides of the situation, unless it is presented as an opinion piece (even then, he should arguably present both sides). It is not fair to take one town in America, take one of the smallest schools within that town, and therein show only the answers he was looking for, and call that a representation of the attitude and consequences towards/of the legalization of marijuana. While I agree that smoking pot does present a lot of problems, a journalist (or anyone, for that matter) cannot expect their point to be taken seriously if they only present their side of the story and nothing else. Through his arrogance and ignorance, among other things, he is discrediting himself, thus his point.

ACCORDING TO DEBORAH SNYDER, PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF DAWN FARMS, MARIJUANA ATTACHES TO FAT CELL WHICH MAKES IT PRESENT IN THE SYSTEM MUCH LONGER. YOU CAN PICK IT UP 7-14 DAYS AFTER IN A DRUG SCREEN.

mishka repaska

Not that I think what happened is good in anyway but I do want to add that the people interviewed were lied to about what the video would be and were apparently told that their answers to whether of not they smoked marijuana was just for a survey. It’s absolutely not great that this happened but I really don’t think that Community students deserve this much hate.

yusef houamed

This dude is a comedian? I guess I did laugh a lot during the video, but only at his stupidity.

jacob winick

Who is Steven Crowder, what credibility does he have, and since when was it ok to prey on and mislead underage kids in order to ellict a response.

katelyn tanner

I know every Community kid has said something about this already, but this is beyond insulting to an amazing school, not to mention an extremely inaccurate portrayal of a dismal excuse for a reporter, it is really unfortunate that his skewed perception of such a great place is national news. center spread

fernando rojo

Dear @scrowder, why didn’t you mention Community has the highest test scores in the state. Yale and Swarthmore visited CHS last month.

erik soderstorm

@scrowder, you really kicked the hornets’ nest w/ your marijuana video. Reaction is hilariously disroporionate to what you actually said.

steven crowder

For the last time; I AM NOT ANTI-LEGALIZATION!!! I am pro-education.

eli sugerman

@scrowder The funniest part of your video is when you tried to trick people into thinking it was journalism.

Great comedian.

dan sagher

ACCORDING TO SNYDER, MARIJUANA SEEMS TO HIT AROUND THE MOTIVATION AREA, THE MEMORY AREA, THE APPETITE AREA AND WHERE IT INCREASES APPETITE IT DECREASES MOTIVATION.

@scrowder You exploited a man who was clearly mentally disabled for your video.

I think that makes you a bad person. the communicator

19

nate porter marcelo salas photo illustration

A

dark

room

filled

with

intoxicated

teenagers

and

loud

tunes.

No parents, no adults. A place where no laws exist. This is your typical high school party. The drinks no longer consist of fruit punch and soda like they did at your seventh grade birthday party. Now they consist of beer and several different kinds of 80

proof

(40

percent

alcoholic)

liquor

ranging

from

Smirnoff

Vodka to Captain Morgan Rum. The smell of alcohol is apparent, and familiar. This is the most common setting for teenagers to be drunk in.

In this generation of teenage culture, living it up, partying hard

and

not

worrying

about

the

consequences

all

seem

to

be

very popular mottos. What’s a better catalyst for all of this than alcohol?

According to the U.S. Surgeon General around one in every three teens aged 13-17 in the U.S. occasionally drink alcoholic beverages.

“Being a teen in high school can be stressful at times whether it’s because of academics or issues at home,” Alcohol and Drug Prevention Administrator Mary Jo Desperez explained. “Part of separating yourself from this stress can come from socializing and

fitting

in

amongst

your

peers.

If

drinking

is

something

your

friends

do,

you

are

way

more

likely

to

do

it.

It’s

a

way

of

fitting

in and not worrying about the stress. Being drunk can make teens more comfortable around each other.”

20

the communicator

feature

“The ethanol molecules are water soluble and compact,” said Desperez.

“This allows them to get into your bloodstream and into your brain. Once the ethanol reaches the brain, it causes the brain to release dopamine, also known as ‘happy cells.’ The excessive release of these cells is what causes people to feel happier when they’re drunk

and

often

more

confident

and

outgoing.”

Teens go to drastic measures to obtain alcohol.

“Fake IDs, stealing from their parents’ supply at home, and buying it from college students are all common ways for teens to get their hands on alcohol,” said Desperez.

When teenagers drink, they almost always do it to get drunk. The most efficient

method

of

doing

this

is

through

binge drinking. Binge drinking is the large consumption of alcohol in a short amount of time that will make the user heavily intoxicated. It is the perfect way for teens to get very drunk very fast.

However, it comes with many negative effects. Nausea, fainting, vomiting, and alcohol poisoning are all very real risks that can easily occur if someone drinks too much in a short amount of time.

The effects that alcohol can have on a teenage body and mind can be detrimental. The average age that most teens begin to drink is 16 years old, according to the U.S. Prevention Alert.

“Since the brain is still developing during your teenage years, alcohol can cause changes in how it functions,” said Desperez. “It has the tendency to cause negative changes in at home behavior and in some cases academic performance. It’s not uncommon to see teenagers start to develop bad behavioral problems as a result of alcohol.”

Using alcohol can make someone more emotionally distressed when they’re sober and can increase the severity of any preexistent emotional problems, which is why some teens start to rely on alcohol to help them deal with their emotions. Teens who drink also have a much higher chance of becoming alcoholics when they’re older. In addition to the mental effects, some of the physical effects include decrease in muscle mass caused from the mass dehydration commonly found in a hangover, destruction of brain cells, and damage to the liver.

Most teenagers know that underage drinking is illegal and bad for your health. So why do so many still choose to do it?

“Sadly enough, it has almost always been part of the social scene in high school. If you’re at a party and trying to suck up the courage to go talk to that cute girl, drinking some alcohol to help

boost

confidence

and

calm

your

nerves

all of a sudden doesn’t seem like a bad idea at all,” said Desperez. “It helps teenagers relax and makes them feel more

outgoing

and

confident

than

they

normally would be. Another pressure to use it is if people around you are using it. Peer pressure is the number one reason to why teens start drinking in the

first

place.

They

simply

want

to

do

it

to

feel

good

and

to

fit

in

with

their

friends.”

The cost of feeling good comes with large risk and danger. Almost a third of teen drivers who died in car accidents had been drinking. Drunk driving has become a widespread issue all over the world.

“When alcohol is in your brain, the molecules bond to glutamate receptors.

Glutamate receptors are what stimulate the brain’s thought process. When enough of these receptors are blocked, your thought process becomes slower and disorientated. Alcohol also has the tendency to make people act in risky ways. The combination of these two traits is what makes drunk driving so dangerous,” said Desperez.

Drunk driving is considered a serious crime in the U.S. If convicted, drivers often

have

to

pay

large

fines

of

usually

between $2000-$7000, and they can receive DUIs and suspensions on their licenses. In some cases, they can even face

jail

time.

While

the

consequences

of drunk driving are harsh, it doesn’t help

police

find

drunk

drivers

on

the

road. On average, drunk drivers usually only get caught after their 80th incident of drunk driving. Through the years, Desperez and other drug and alcohol prevention

officials

have

tried

their

best

to inform people about the risks of drunk driving in hope that they won’t do it.

Each year more than 5000 deaths of teens are linked directly to drinking. Legislators in Michigan realize the danger of teens and alcohol and do their best to set up policies and laws around the state that could help prevent these deaths. One recent establishment was a 2011 Michigan law that prevents teenagers with their level one graduated licenses from driving between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless it’s from a schoolsanctioned or work-related event.

While

at

first

it

received

harsh

criticism from the young community, the law

has

definitely

proven

to

be

effective. Since it was established, it has brought down the number of teen car accidents by 40 percent. Desperez and others who are deeply concerned about the effects alcohol can have on teenagers hope that as time goes on, more effective laws like these will be put into place. C

columns in the neighborhood: zingermans

Zingerman’s Deli - arguably one of the best tourist attractions in Southeast Michigan - and ordered herself one of their most famous sandwiches, a Reuben. She fell in love, later saying on her blog that she would even call her family to talk about the corned beef and swiss cheese wonder.

While Business Week’s Ed Levine calls Zingerman’s Delicatessen “one kelly arnold of America’s great food stores,” there’s When “The Five Year Engagement” one part of the multi-location company was

filmed

in

Ann

Arbor

during

2011,

that hits the mark on a more local level, the

actors

in

the

film

ventured

into

the

and it’s right next door to us. Literally. depths of downtown during their free Zingerman’s Next Door isn’t where time. Emily Blunt and her husband you’ll

find

celebrities.

It’s

where

you’ll

John Krasinski enjoyed a nice lunch find

a

mother taking her daughter out at Cafe Felix. Jason Segel visited the for a surprise gelato after school. It’s likes of Grizzly Peak Brewing Comwhere you’ll see a teacher stopping in pany, the Fleetwood Diner and Bar for

a

quick

coffee

before

class.

It’s

a

Louie. They were the talk of the town; different kind of place. sniped candids of the stars surfaced on One word I’d use to describe Facebook and Twitter, along with the Zingerman’s Next Door that I wouldn’t occasional humorous anecdote and out- use for Zingerman’s Deli is the word ward fangirling. “chill”. At most times of the day, walkOne star of the movie, Mindy Kaing into Zingerman’s Deli is hectic and ling, also found joy in exploring Ann busy,

not

only

because

of

the

traffic,

Arbor. But her curiosity brought her but

the

small

space

it

all

squeezes

into. somewhere the other stars didn’t go: Zingerman’s Next Door is relaxing. our area, Kerrytown. She stepped into There are lots of places to sit, whether

you’re

stopping

in

for

a

quick

dessert

meet-up with some friends, or there to grab a bottomless brewed coffee to aid you

in

studying

for

that

upcoming

final.

As you’d expect, one main reason why most people go to Zingerman’s Next Door is for their food and drink products.

They’re

high

quality,

and

taste

amazing. Most everything is made by Zingerman’s, if not from other local sources. With offerings like barista drinks, tea, chocolate (hot included), desserts, pastries and prepared sandwiches,

Zingerman’s

Next

Door

fits

perfectly

into

the

fast-paced,

quick

grab-and-go feel that comes when living in a college town like Ann Arbor.

One thing Zingerman’s likes to do is make special food for each season, and that’s no different for Zingerman’s Next Door. They have a different cake, drink and coffee package exclusive to that month. For December, their drink of the month is a Mint Mocha Short.

As with my personal experiences with Zingerman’s Next Door, I’ve never been disappointed. The service I’ve received has always been more than satisfactory.

One of my favorite things to get at

Zingerman’s Next Door is their cinnamon roll. In my opinion, what makes this cinnamon roll extraordinary is the Indonesian cinnamon they use. Whenever you walk into the store, you can smell fresh-baked pastries and newly ground coffee, along with the slight scent of cinnamon. Another favorite of mine is their sour cream coffeecake.

Soft and moist, this is the coffeecake of your dreams. Also with cinnamon, the sweet, dense cake is a perfect item to pair up with your next cup of coffee.

The only downside I’ve found when going to Zingerman’s Next Door, as with any Zingerman’s store, is the price.

Everything is a little more on the pricy side, and when you’re a high school student, extra money can be hard to dish out on just a snack. But because you know that the extra dollar or two is going to a local place like Zingerman’s, it’s not too bad.

With the holidays rapidly approaching, some may ask for electronics like an iPad or laptop. Some may be more interested in instruments, like a new guitar or piano. A few may just want money. All I know is that I’ll be asking for a Zingerman’s gift card. C

3x5: holiday traditions Freshman: Eve ZikmundFisher

kelly arnold

What do you celebrate during the holidays?

What is a tradition you do not understand?

What does tradition mean to you?

Both Christmas and Hanukah, because I’m Jewish, but my dad’s family is Christian.

Sophomore: Ben Wier

Christmas.

Junior: Mason Kulina

Senior: Emma Mayhew

Teacher: Ed Kulka

I celebrate Christmas.

I celebrate Christmas and any other things that I get invited to.

I celebrate life.

Christmas, New Year’s.

Getting drunk.

I can’t think of one.

I don’t really know.

Eggnog is terrible; why do people drink that?

Believing in Santa Claus, because why would there be a man like that?

That’s ridiculous!

Doing something because you always have done it and you like how it is.

Family, and all the things we do together; what’s been passed down through the years.

Doing something repetitively that is passed down and might be different.

Something we do every year.

columns

Good times.

the communicator

21

letters to the editor

opinion

staff editorial: students should get informed about new michigan laws ruthilah graff communicator web staff photo courtesy

13,000 PROTESTERS WERE IN LANSING IN OPPOSITION TO THE RIGHT TO WORK BILLS SIGNED IN BY GOVENER SNYDER ON DECEMBER 11, 2012

22

At the end of this year, many of the Michigan legislators will be at the end of their terms. This lame-duck session has proposed a bevy of controversial bills, which cover a range of issues including right to work, gun control, and women’s rights. On Dec. 11, Governor Rick Snyder signed a bill weakening Michigan’s unions. This bill will not take effect until April, but it is bound to affect those of us at Community High School. It will affect our teachers, our parents, and the people around us.

However due to the chaos surrounding the right to work legislation, the bills concerning women’s rights have been largely overshadowed.

The state House of Representatives passed a bill Dec. 12 that mandates licensing

and

insurance

requirements

for facilities that perform abortions.

This means that facilities that perform abortions must stand up to the same standards and regulations as a surgical clinic. Many clinics now do not. As reported by the Detroit Free Press, Lori Lamerad the head of Planned Parenthood in Michigan, said that because of this overreaching law several clinics would be forced to close their doors.

An additional component is that these facilities must make sure that patients have not been coerced into having an abortion. Although supporters of the bill say that they are protecting women’s rights with these laws, this bill simply makes it harder for women to have access to the health care that they have a constitutional right to.

On Dec. 14, Michigan residents woke up to even more newly passed bills—the lame-duck had lasted until 4:30 a.m. that morning. One bill lifted restrictions on carrying concealed weapons. If signed by Snyder, this legislation would allow highly trained gnn owners to bring their weapons into the communicator

schools, churches, stadiums, and other locations where guns had previously been forbidden. The morning after the legislature pushed this bill through, the debate on gun control once again movd to the forefront of the nation’s consciousness after a shocking, tragic massacre at a Connecticut elementary school on Dec. 14 left 27 dead, including 20 kids.

These political discussions are happening right here in our state. As the rally in Lansing on Dec. 11 showed, these are extremely volatile issues that can cause tense protests. And as the Connecticut shooting showed, we never know when a tragedy will leave us asking what both lawmakers and constituents could have done differently.

As a school of many students below the

voting

age,

it

can

be

difficult

for

us to analyze the effects these laws will have in our everyday lives. It’s important for us to look around at the reactions from the adults around us.

Not to take their ideals as our own, but to realize the impact of these new laws on our futures.

This is a time of turmoil in the state of Michigan. It is vital that we stand up for what we believe in. Regardless of our exact views, our voices are that of the next generation of legislators, workers, and governors and they need to be heard.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. opinion

Dear Editors, When carrying on a literary discussion with someone, there is one phrase, which makes me smile politely and put a

firm

end

to

the

conversation.

The

phrase, which I have come to regard as the bane of my existence, is usually worded along the lines of “But why haven’t you read XY&Z? It is such a classic.”

A great many books are classics, but that does not necessarily make those books enjoyable reads. Bret Easton Ellis’s book “American Psycho” is considered by many to be classic, but

frequent,

graphic

violence

in

that

book actually made me feel sick to my stomach. Emily Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights” is said to be a sample of English literature, but the disgusting actions of nearly all the characters in the book made

it

difficult

to

feel

any

anything

other than horror. And the degrading racial slurs of “The Great Gatsby” cannot be excused by the phrase “F. Scott Fiztgerald wrote that book a long time ago, when things were different. And besides, the Great Gatsby is a classic!”.

I am sick of being told that in order to become a more intelligent, more literary person, I must read more classics.

What

defines

a

classic

anyway?

Does the author have to be dead for a book to reach “classic” status? In so, my favorite book “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” should be considered a classic, since the author died before any of the books were even published.

Does a classic have to be a century old? Or is there some sentient being of whom I am unaware, going around this blessing onto books?

Just because I do not like to read classics doesn’t mean that I cannot respect them, or at least, respect the novels that deserve respect. While I may not have enjoyed “Invisible Man”, it is certainly an impressive piece of work.

As is “Pride and Prejudice”, a book which bored me nearly to tears when I attempted to read it.

My wish for the holidays is that I be allowed to read which books I want and not be judged because that fabulous book I read last month about a teenage model who a wants to be a forensics scientist was only written in 2007. After all, if the only thing you can say about “Jane Eyre” is that it is a classic, then I’m assuming you didn’t really get much out of the book.

Sincerely, Eva Hattie Schueler.

bring back the crowd: students should be flocking to b-side shows dan sagher

When I was in ninth grade, I was in a band called Sole Transit. Following the tradition of Ann Arbor teen bands, we primarily played our shows at the Neutral Zone’s B-side. Going to Greenhills at the time, this was one of the greatest culture shocks I experienced.

The shows were usually one to two hundred students from all of the public high schools coming together to dance and support their peers on stage. Today, two things are different. First, there is a new swanky sign above the entrance and second, the shows average around 50 people on a good day. It’s not the fault of those putting on the shows. It’s the fault of those not taking advantage of it.

Outside of the lenient pot laws and college students that it’s known for, Ann Arbor is a cool town because of the opportunities it provides. The

Neutral Zone not only offers a bunch of classes for students who are aspiring artists, but it also provides a place for students to congregate and enjoy the music of their peers. Recently, kids have been taking the B-side for granted. I have seen extremely talented bands perform to an audience of three, including me. This is a major opportunity lost for both parties: the performers and the viewers.

Without people to enjoy their music, local bands have less of an incentive to follow their dreams to write and perform. I’m not talking about bands that are old enough to play at the Blind Pig and Live at PJ’s, because those places still get tons of attendance. I’m talking about bands whose only practical and legal venue is the Neutral Zone’s B-side.

I know performing here was one of the highlights of my high school career and

it inspired me to pursue music further because there are few feelings better to an artist than to have your work appreciated. I would love for other aspiring musicians to be able to experience the same glory as I did.

As for the viewers, they are doing themselves an injustice as well. Like it is for sports games now, students congregating to enjoy some form of entertainment, it was for the B-side with the class of 2011. They would make going to the B-side to watch their friends perform the main activity for the night. Not the only activity, but the main one. It helped contribute to the

sense

of

unification

that

the

class

of 2011 was known for. That was my first

and

best

exposure

to

high

school

comradery and it saddens me to see that diminish as I approach the end of my high school career.

I’m sure many of you have heard this before, but the B-side is what you make it. Whether people show up or not, it’s just a space with a stage and a sound system that legally holds up to 400 people. That space could either be home to a discouraged band playing through their set while a few kids watch awkwardly and others sit on the couches and talk, or it could be a slappin’

party

filled

to

the

brim

with

all

your friends, dancing and enjoying the music of people your age. The experience is built solely from the spirit of youth. That is what the Neutral Zone does best, but the establishment is only half the battle. They provide the means necessary to have an amazing time, but it is nothing without anyone to enjoy it. C

opinion

the communicator

THE NEUTRAL ZONE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1998 BY A GROUP OF TEENS LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO HANG OUT AFTER SCHOOL AND DURING WEEKENDS

editorial cartoon julie yanar i

23

isabel sandweiss photo joris von moltke, daniel sagher, & lukas trierweiler lukas trierweiler photos

WITH THE COLD WEATHER AND THE COMING HOLIDAYS, PEOPLE TURN TO THE SWEET CALL OF BAKED GOODS AND THEIR PROVIDERS: BAKERIES. WE PUT TOGETHER A CRACK TEAM OF TASTE TESTERS WITH ONE JOB: TO SMASH ON SOME CUPCAKES. THE TEAM CONSISTED OF DAN “ICING ON THE CAKE” SAGHER, LUKAS “I LIKE COOKIES” TRIERWEILER AND JORIS “MILKBALLS DEEP” VON MOLTKE. WE HIT THE STREETS OF ANN ARBOR LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT CUPCAKE.

24

Big City Small World Bakery Carrot Cupcake

Eastern Accents European Chocolate MiniCake

Sweetwaters Cafe Chocolate Cheer

The Cupcake Station Bumpalicious

Flavor:

Flavor:

Flavor:

Flavor:

Cost:

Cost:

Cost:

Cost:

Texture:

Texture:

Texture:

Texture:

Overall:

Overall:

Overall:

Overall:

This cupcake tastes like you want your house to smell in the future.

The smooth but not too sweet frosting complements the incredibly delicious carrot base. Hints of cinnamon and ginger add a certain zest to the traditional carrot cake taste. The muffin top is crunchy but the smoothness of the icing distracts the taster from it. Although some with refined palates may find it a real nice juxtaposition of consistancy. Although it is a fine cupcake, it is a little bit overpriced at $4 a cake.

This spongecake based minicake is not your typical cupcake, but Eastern Accents is not your typical bakery. The rich chocolate frosting adds a sweetness to the cake which otherwise wouldn’t be found in a spongecake. As is evident from its classification, the spongecake is truly spongey. The spongetude lends this cake a certain airiness that some may find off-putting.

Never the less it offers a change in pace for the adventorous cupcake conniseur.

This is clearly a designer cupcake.

Its presentation is nice, simple and elegant, with a beautifully crafted red rose on top. When you bite into the cupcake you are immediatly transported into a world of rich chocolate bliss. One more bite and you are entrapped in a sweet cream univeres. This cupcake was by no means flawless keep in mind; it was created by a mere mortal.The cake base tasted as if it were made from a box of Jiffy. But hey! Some people are into that kind of thing.

The Cupcake Station has done it.

They created the perfect cupcake.

The abundance of rich chocolate is mouthwatering, but it isn’t overpowering. It tastes like something you would get at a five-star restaurant but without the five-star price.

The bumps of chocolate mixed with the creaminess of the filling create a harmonious yet succelently contrasting texture. Mmmm....

the communicator

feature

tis the season

A LOOK INTO THE SEASONAL TRADITIONS OF LOCAL BUSINESSES AROUND COMMUNITY eliza upton eliza upton and caroline phillips photo

Blue lights are up all across the farmers market. Fire pits glow on the sidewalks as cheerful people stand around and roast marshmallows.A small train rolls up and down the market as kids laugh while seated. Far in the corner, Santa has a child on his lap, who tells him a wish for Christmas day. A red table is set up with markers and paper, as small children crowd around writing their letters to Santa.

It is just past seven, and the night has just started as the Holiday Greens and Gift Market bustles outside of Kerrytown.

There is an energy the air here, a new refreshing

energy.

This

is

the

first

of

Holiday Greens and Gifts Market, a new tradition organized by Mary Cambruzzi, owner of Found in Kerrytown.

Found is one of the many shops around Community that has special events occurring during the holiday season.

Zingerman’s has many established traditions, especially when it comes to Thanksgiving.

“Most

of

our

traditions

are

definitely

more steeped in the foods that we serve,” Emily Hiber, Zingerman’s Next Door sales supervisor and assistant manager said. “So for Thanksgiving we really focus on typical Thanksgiving foods. We always get some heritage turkeys from a local farm, and make lots of great Thanksgiving treats that people can buy and serve at home, like

pies,

stuffing

and

cranberries,

and

all sorts of things like that. We always make our spiced pecans. We’ve been making those for years and years, and that’s a big holiday tradition that we only carry in November and December.”

Zingerman’s not only has traditions related to their foods, but in their clothing too. The day before Thanksgiving and Christmas they let their employees dress up for work. This tradition has been going on for years, dating back to when

the

old

manager

first

started

it.

“Typically our uniforms are just our Zingerman’s t-shirts, but on the day before Thanksgiving and Christmas we dress up as if we are going to a big holiday feast,” Hiber said.

Like Zingerman’s, the farmers market celebrates the day before Thanksgiving in their own special way.

“The day before Thanksgiving at the market, vendors bring in different food items to share sort of together to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday,” market manager Sarah DeWitt said.

The market also has volunteers come and decorate the market in honor of the holiday season. Lights will go up along with greens and wreaths that vendors bring for people to purchase for the holidays.

Still, no one seems to get into the holiday

season

quite

like

Found.

Found’s owner Mary Cambruzzi, who created the Holiday Greens and Gifts Market, shares her love of the holidays.

“At Christmas time for two months we really become a holiday store,” Cambuzzi said. “We actually close for two days and hang sleds from the ceiling and bring in all kinds of things that are both handmade and brand new items. This time of year we just layer on so many different Christmas ornaments that it’s just a fun place where you can find

things

in

all

price

ranges.”

Sweetwater’s may not get as into this time of year as Found does, but they have their own traditions that add to the spirit of things. They hang up lights, make different kinds of seasonal drinks and play Christmas music.

“I like the Christmas music even though I’m Jewish! I love making drinks for people. It’s really fun!” Sweetwaters’ barista Hannah Pearlman said.

Pearlman can’t really remember how these

traditions

first

started

but

she

mentioned some new traditions Sweetwaters might create.

“We might start making chocolate pretzels, which would be a new thing,” Pearlman said.

As a loyal Christmas lover, Cambruzzi has her store already in full on Christmas mode.

“It’s

definitely

my

favorite

time

of

the year. It’s kind of crazy, you know I love the display aspects of it, I love that I

can

help

customers

find

unique

gifts

for

the

season,

it’s

definitely

my

favorite

features

time of the year at the store.” Cambruzzi said. “Once the lights are up it’s all magical.” C

the communicator

25

a&e

88.3 WCBN-FM david gissiner david gissiner photos

WCBN BEGAN LIFE AS A PIRATE RADIO STATION BEFORE THEY BEGAN LEGALLY BROADCASTING

WCBN OFFERS AN ALTERNATIVE MUSICAL PERSPECTIVE FOR PEOPLE LOOKING FOR A DIFFERENT RADIO EXPERIENCE

26

Most radio stations on the air today offer a very similar listening experience, consisting of a narrow selection of music, too many commercials and little DJ-to-listener connection. Ann Arbor’s 88.3 WCBN-FM has taken the liberty of offering an alternative listening experience. I caught up with WCBN’s general manager Heidi Madagame to find

out

more

about

what

makes

this

station so great.

WCBN is a free-form radio station that has been operating out of the basement of the University of Michigan Student Activities Building since 1972.

“Free-form radio means different things to different people,” said Madagame. “To me, it means having total freedom of what I can play. I can play death metal music and then a clip from an opera. I love having that freedom of being able to share music with people.”

All of the DJs on WCBN are volunteers that are passionate about the music, contributing to the very human feel of the station.

“We are not trying to put up a facade; we are who we are” said Madagame.

“We have real people running real radio, we aren’t trying to be a radio personality, we aren’t trying to do anything...The authenticity and honesty of our radio is what I mean by ‘it’s human.’

I have never felt like another radio station is mine.”

One aspect of WCBN that is different from other stations is how the DJs select the music for their time slot.

There are no pre-made music playlists and DJs are discouraged from bringing in their own music at WCBN. Instead, DJs sort through WCBN’s vast library of music.

“I didn’t start playing my own music the communicator

until after I was here for three months, and then I played one song of my own, which was a big deal for me” said Madagame. “WCBN has so much music, and you will never get through all of it, so you may as well explore it.

Probably 95 percent of the music I play I have never heard before. I listen to it with my listeners live on the air.”

CHS junior Hannon Hylkema is a devout listener of WCBN. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard the same song twice on 88.3, and I get to listen to all different types of music, and I really appreciate that,” said

Hylkema. “I’ve never heard a bad song.

They never mess with top 40 stuff; they only play good music. Whenever I’m in the car, it’s my number one station.”

For the past 40 years WCBN has been expanding the minds of Ann Arbor’s listeners by offering a wide variety

of

music

you

cannot

find

elsewhere.

WCBN is a great choice for listeners who have become bored of the conventional radio experience, and serves as a valuable resource for listeners that want to be exposed to a wide variety of music. C

WCBN is always looking for volunteers that want to get involved in freeform radio. For more information email Volunteer@WCBN.org, or call (734)763-3535. WCBN has remained non-commercial and non-profit since its birth in 1972.

WCBN’s general manager Heidi Madagame sorts through their vast library of vinyl

arts & entertainment

shining bright: chs performers talk future stars and rising stars 2013

art throb

adina nadler monica nedeltchev hannah hesseltine senior freshman junior future stars (dance) rising stars future stars What is your favorite part of future stars?

I really like the performances because there are a lot of people there, and you get to see what everyone else is doing. The last week before the show it all comes together, and it’s really fun to perform in front of your fellow students

Why did you join rising stars?

One of my friends was in it and she said it was really fun. And I love to sing.

Future stars begins January 11, 2013 at Pioneer High School.

What is your favorite song that you are performing?

Domino by Jessie J

avery pieronek, sophomore Inspiration: Tim Burton, Marilyn Manson, Emilie Autumn, and her grandmother.

This year’s themes are: Dance Fever British Beat Fifty Years of Soul MyTunes Now

Favorite Mediums:

Pencil,

quill

and

ink

and

watercolor.

Favorite Part of Art at Community: Level of education, tools, and exercise.

The Communicator wants to feature student artwork on the A & E page. If you’re an “art throb” or you know one, send an email to thecommunicator2012@gmail.com

you must listen to this

DAVID GISSINER

Passafire

Reggae

music

has

evolved

significantly

since

its

late

1960s

Jamaican roots. Today, reggae is being combined with pop, punk and rock to create new sub-genres of reggae.

Passafire’s

second

studio

release,

Submersible, thoroughly demonstrates that with a distinctive reggae sound that tastefully infuses punk rock into their music while utilizing very creative song writing, multiple vocal harmonies and sophisticated song structure. The songs “Submersible,” “Ghost

Man”

and

“Kilo”

excellently

outline

Passafire’s

sound and style and would serve as a wonderful introduction to them. I would like to personally thank my good friend

Dan

Sagher

for

introducing

me

to

Passafire.

DANIEL SAGHER

From humble beginnings in Portoroz, Slovenia, Denis Jasarevic is taking the Electronic Dance Music (EDM) world by storm. Under the name, Gramatik, Jasarevic steady cranks out a diverse plethora of electronic bangers and funky hip

hop

beats.

I

chose

“Talkbox

Intended”

because

it

effectively

exemplifies

both sides of Gramatik’s style. Catchy vocals, a heavy yet danceable backbeat, and of course, the wubs are all characteristic in similar artists, but Gramatik’s creative use of orchestral and soulful samples set his music apart from the rest. Gramatik is also combatting the “cut and paste” stereotype that plagues electronic music. He doesn’t follow the traditional “intro, build up, drop, break down, repeat” format of EDM. Instead, his music’s replay value trumps that of many other EDM artists. Do yourself a favor and download his music, he gives it away fo’ free!

Gramatik arts & entertainment

the communicator

27

sports still locked out: nhl fans in despair as the future of this hockey season is still unclear tyler schmader isabel sandweiss photo

THE NHL HAS LOST THE MOST PLAYING TIME DUE TO LOCKOUTS OF ALL MAJOR PROFESSIONAL SPORTS LEAGUES

Millions of National Hockey League fans all over North America and the world will likely have to wait until next year to see their beloved hockey games, as negotiations between the NHL Players association and the NHL have not been successful in reaching an agreement. This has caused a mess of game cancellations, and to date, 422 games and the NHL All-Star game have been cancelled. Every day the lockout goes

“

organizations, a couple issues stood out the most. Firstly the league demanded a decrease of the players share of hockey-related revenue to be cut by 19 percent. Secondly, the negotiations want

to

create

a

five

year

limit

on

the

contracts of new players.

Yet to local fans, the cost of these games being called off is neither monetary nor the loss of an activity to keep them occupied during the winter.

”

This season just isn’t happening.

on, an estimated 10-20 million dollars in revenue are lost.

With all the loss everyone involved is experiencing, fans are perplexed as to

why

this

is

happening.

The

conflict

essentially boils down to this: The NHL and the NHLPA’s collective bargaining agreement expired this year, and following initial negotiations between the two

To local fans, the lockout is the thing that killed the Winter Classic which promised to bring a game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs to Michigan Stadium.

Asking local hockey-buffs about this year’s Winter Classic will likely bring expressions of sadness or anguish to their faces. For fans like Community

freshman Joe Riesterer, it wasn’t just about “some game being played in Michigan Stadium.” No, it was about their beloved sport being played in the Big House. To make matters worse for Ann Arbor hockey fans, it nearly happened right in their own backyard.

“I was really looking forward to the whole experience of having [professional] hockey in Ann Arbor,” Riesterer said, visibly disappointed.

And for good reason. The Winter Classic would have brought an estimated 400,000 people to various restaurants, hotels, tailgates and other hangouts around Ann Arbor. Not to mention the game itself, which 100,000 people easily could have attended.

“This season just isn’t happening.”

Riesterer says. And most can’t help but agree. With the season nearly a third over, and both sides involved in a mutually hurtful stalemate, the end of this lockout is sadly nowhere in the near future. C

It’s not a good thing, it’s a shame that the players can’t play or come to an agreement over the money and it really shouldn’t be a problem.

-Sam Sorscher, Junior Former Huron High School hockey player

fast facts IN THE LAST NHL LOCKOUT, DURING THE 2004-05 SEASON, THE ENTIRE SEASON WAS CANCELLED

SHEA WEBER OF THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS WILL RECEIVE A 13-MILLION DOLLAR BONUS REGARDLESS OF THE LOCKOUT

THE LOCKOUT ENTERED ITS FOURTH MONTH ON DEC. 16 The NHL lockout needs to be resolved, and soon. If the lockout isn’t solved soon then the season may be lost completely.

-John Cristiano, Freshman Huron High School hockey player.

28

the communicator

sports

casey vs food

CASEY MCDONALD TAKES ON HIS FIRST FOOD CHALLENGE FOR THE COMMUNICATOR casey macdonald spencer macdonald photo courtesy

I

’m Casey MacDonald, a normal high school journalist/food extremist who has zero experience in the

restaurant

biz.

I’m

on

a

fingerlicking, ask-for-second helping journey to

conquer

the

local

food

challenges

at

restaurants in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I may only be 5’5” and only weigh 130 pounds, but my appetite for good food and victory is RELENTLESS. This is Casey Vs. Food.

In this edition, I visit Krazy Jim’s Blimpy Burger on South Division Street to learn the real meaning of the word burger. I had visited the restaurant before, but on my previous visit, I was more focused on the décor of the restaurant than the food. In fact, I didn’t even order. What I did do was look at the creative, hilarious posters plastered all over the restaurant.

“Beware Of Attack Chef,” and “ Get The Freshmen 15 By October,” were some of the more creative ones. To be honest, I was more worried about this attack chef than eating burgers that day.

On this visit however, I walked right past these distracting signs, and got into the ordering line. As I got closer to the ordering counter, I was stopped suddenly by the tantalizing smell of grilled burgers, bacon grease, and whipped cream… Whipped cream?

Wait, that’s not right. Never before had I felt so alive. The sweet smoky aroma of the grill wafted through my nostrils and gave me a little slice of paradise.

It’s funny to think that something that smells so heavenly could also give you a heart attack in an instant.

Anyway, the challenge for this edition was

to

finish

two

quints

(five

patty

burgers), a side of fries and a side of onion rings all under thirty minutes.

You might think this would be a daunting task for one so small as me, but don’t underestimate my eating abilities.

casey macdonald photo illustration

I once beat fellow junior Emre Babbitt in a cookie-eating contest.And that should tell you something.

I stepped up nervously, and ordered the Blimpy Burger Challenge. “I’ll have two

quints

with

bleu

cheese,

a

side

of onion rings, and a side of fries,” I said, trying to keep the tremble out of my voice. I could almost tell what the lady at the griller was thinking. “AWW SHIT, that’s a lot of food for someone as small as you. You best not puke that all

up

on

my

restaurant

floor.”

I

tipped

her a couple extra dollars, just in case I did puke it all up on her restaurant floor.

When the grill master handed me my tray of food, I froze. The tray was just so….heavy. I don’t remember exactly what happened while carrying my food tray to my seat, but hours after the food challenge ended I was told by my associates that my eyes lit up like the freakin’ Fourth of July, and I almost fainted.

As I sat down in my booth, my nerves REALLY started to boil. But I could never turn down such a juicy, succulent, gorgeous, sexy looking plate of food, even if I knew I was going to be sick afterward. I signaled for my brother to start the clock as I

took

the

first

bite.

In

the

first

bite

alone, millions of tastes and textures tingled and danced all over my tongue.

The succulent juices from the burger, the spice from the banana peppers, the slight sourness from the pickles, the creamy sweetness of the whipped cream……whipped cream? No no, that couldn’t be right.

Well,

the

first

five-patty

burger

went

down in three minutes. But as I started the second burger, I started realizing that this might have been the worst idea I’ve had since I went ice skating butt naked.

I

finished

the

second

burger

with

20

minutes left on the clock. I painfully moved to the fries. Now, I had thought the sides would be the easiest part. Well I was wrong. With some inspirational help from the Blimpy Burger workers, I somehow managed to choke down the fries with ten minutes left.

Last, and certainly least, came the onion rings. I cannot stand the taste of onions, and seeing as my stomach was already at bursting point, I had little

motivation

to

finish.

I

even

tried

drowning them in whipped cream…… listen to yourself Casey West, you’re speaking nonsense. I even tried to drown the onion rings in ketchup, but I was still repulsed by the onions. But then, when there was little hope, and the light at the end of the tunnel was fading, I remembered something my grandpa used to say. “When nothing is right in your life, go left.” I turned to my left, saw the door, and exited the restaurant.

I

may

not

have

been

able

to

conquer

the Blimpy Burger challenge, but I did learn a valuable lesson. NEVER take on a food challenge that involves onions. Not even if they’re caramelized. A common misconception is that CARAMELized onions are good. I got fooled. Don’t let it happen to you.

Riddled with defeat, I look forward to redeeming myself next edition by climbing Mount Nacheesmo at Tios Mexican Café. For those of you who don’t know what “Mount Nacheesmo” is,

it

is

a

five-pound

plate

of

nachos,

loaded with every topping you can possibly think of. Can I get my redemption, and earn my respect back? We will see.

In my epic battle with the Blimpy Burger challenge, Food won….barely.

Till next time. C feature

Enough food for two Caseys?

#SmashTag

The master chefs prepare one quint

the communicator

29

styleprofile

GRAEHM FAZIO

shorts

C

CHLOE ROOT

to spend more time with friends, especially during mock-trial season COOPER BODARY

to not procrastinate

favorite art watercolor paintings favorite movie no country for old men favorite tv show top gear favorite form of exercise bike riding favorite accesory watches favorite store jcrew

ASKED ...

THE COMMUNICATOR

WHAT IS YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION? DILLON HAKKEN

to play more video games

STEPHEN BRANDEL

to study more for geometry COURTNEY KILEY

JULIAN STOCKTON

to become a giant

to get into the best shape of my life, I am planning on doing a halfmarathon and two triathlons

would never be caught wearing sweatpants how long does it take you to get ready in the morning 10 minutes hairstyle short and easy nail polish I prefer not to wear it how often do you moisturize after every shower

simon says

wise words from chs senior jeremy simon

approximately 2% of community high school students and faculty anonymously answer the thought provoking question, “what do you really want for the holidays?”

“to marry tracy anderson” “somebody to love” “more followers on twitter” “striped sweaters” “for galen to shut up in physics”

“Picking up poop is only weird if you make it weird.”

“alex meingast’s attention” “classy button downs” “a personalized parking space in community’s lot” “for the two-headed salmon to live forever”

30

the communicator

shorts

think local & shop local Community-Owned Natural Foods Grocery

/PEN -ONDAY 3ATURDAY AM PM 3UNDAY AM PM Downtown Ann Arbor • near the Farmer’s Market . &OURTH !VE !NN !RBOR -) WWW PEOPLESFOOD COOP

422 Detroit St Ann Arbor MI 734-663-3354

Check us out online for upcoming tastings, events, food news, recipes, staff favorites, monthly promotions and much more.

www.zingermansdeli.com www.facebook.com/zingermansdeli www.gratefuldreadsannarbor.com

C

The Communicator

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www.the-communicator.org • a student voice COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL [ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN] NEWS FEATURES A&E SPORTS OP-ED LIFE STUDENT ARTS 1000 WORDS CALENDAR

American flag is raised at the protests up in Lansing — Bikes enjoy the last green grass of the season — Alex Meingast plays at poetry reading— Perfomance Network Theater waltzes into A Little Night Music —- Personal Fitness uses hallway — Multi-Culti coverage

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