Vol. 6, Issue 5 by The Chariot

THE

CHARIOT TROY HIGH SCHOOL

TROY, MI.

VOL. 6 ISSUE 5

MAY 2021

SENIOR ISSUE

Cover is a photo illustration by Luanni Ford.

THE CHARIOT STAFF PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Andy DeGrand WEBSITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Manny Al-Nsour GRAPHICS EDITOR Luanni Ford SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Bridgette Scott BUSINESS EDITOR Vanisa Kumar

STAFF REPORTERS Raneen Alrammahi Praneetha Ankisettipalli Maddy Hiser Rory Knauss October Marquez Emma Mertz Varsha Penumalee Katelyn Peaslee Anjali Sanil Avril Yu ADVISER Katelyn Carroll

SOURCE EDITOR Lola Pinneo

MISSION STATEMENT The Chariot is a student-produced news publication that publishes information relevant to the times as well as material that is essential to the overall well-being of its readers. It is The Chariot’s responsibility to cover school, city, state, national and international events and issues that affect the concerns of the campus, its students and its readers. The Chariot operates as a designated public forum for student expression. The Editorial Board, consisting of student editors, is the sole decision-making and policy-setting body of The Chariot and has final say over all content decisions. Opinions expressed in letters to the editors represent those of the author. Letters to the editors should be typed, double-spaced and must include the author’s name, signature and class or position. Names of individuals may be withheld upon request, pending a vote of the Editorial Board. Letters may be submitted via email at troychariot@gmail.com. All letters are subject to review by the Editorial Board. Letters will not be edited except to fix space limitations. Should the Editorial Board deem a letter to be potentially libelous or containing content inappropriate for publication, it will be returned to the author with an opportunity for corrections. The Editorial Board is solely responsible for these decisions. The Chariot’s purpose is to be the voice of the school. Its purpose is to shed light on groups and people that are not often discussed while bringing news that is important to the community. THE VOICE OF TROY HIGH. WE SEE YOU. WE HEAR YOU. WE GET YOU.

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SENIOR ISSUE

Follow the Leader Two senior club leaders at Troy High discuss their journey to where they are today. Avril Yu // Staff Reporter “Leadership” is a word which is often both beloved and dreaded by many students. Beloved, because possession of this noun is something that can be applauded, and dreaded, because it seems to exist in almost every college essay prompt. As with any human trait, leadership holds no solid definition, and it’s of little use to try and give it one — like pinning butterflies to a corkboard. What is leadership? Sometimes, that is for the leader themselves to define. Senior Srishti Gowda is the current president of Club Med. She shares her path to success. “I started out as a member [of Club Med] during my freshman year, and was successfully appointed Doctor Lecture Coordinator for the entirety of my sophomore year,” she said. “I was then elected Vice President for my junior year, and President for my senior year.” Leadership is often a series of choices and changes, rather

than any one shining moment. As with any changes, this process of ascendancy through the ranks can be tumultuous — and rewarding. “When I found out I got that officer position of Doctor Lecture Coordinator in my sophomore year, I was both excited and a little bit nervous,” Gowda said. “Since it was my first officer role, I didn’t know what to expect. Gowda’s story of taking on the challenges and excitement presented by these roles one by one lends support to the idea that leadership is a slow path of hard work, a series of stepping stones in a river which one must have the courage to jump from one to the next. Leadership is mostly commonly seen in that glamorous media image of it, in that idea that it’s one shining moment that separates someone from all of the others. However, perhaps leadership exists in more commonplace ways than that.

Photo courtesy of senior Srishti Gowda

Senior Maggie Huber is one of the team captains of the Troy High Forensics team. She discusses a similar string of events. “I was appointed captain going into my sophomore year,” she said. “I was honestly really surprised… In addition to being surprised, I knew I had a lot to prove.” Leadership, then, may often be found in someone who can look at twists in the path ahead and learn to walk along them in step. What else might constitute that fabled noun? “The most important [leadership trait] is having good communication skills,” Gowda said. “This doesn’t mean you have to be the most outgoing person, but you should speak openly and honestly with others – whether that be the club’s faculty advisor or your fellow officers. Another important trait is being comfortable with adapting to sudden changes. Last summer, we did not know if we would have virtual meetings or if it was safe enough for in-person meetings… I prepared plans to have virtual meetings just in case. This paid off when we had our meetings on Google Meet for the entire year… we were able to hit the ground running when school opened in August.” Huber explains that leaders need 2 main qualities: “organization” and a “go-with-theflow” attitude — which can have even more weight now, given the recent complications of the pandemic, and the way it has thrown forks into the path for many clubs this year. “Forensics switched to an online format for competition this year because of Covid, resulting in us having to learn an entirely new way to register and compete at tournaments,” Huber said. “I wanted to be able to answer any question my teammates had so one day I spent an hour learning the new software and then teaching it to my team.”

Photo courtesy of senior Maggie Huber

Many generations of students pass through the hallways of Troy High and leave markings of their joy and passion on the classroom walls — imprints which are alive in their own way, even after the student has long since left. Troy High, today, is full of contributions from its past peers: from the clubs that these students helped to spearhead in their four years here, to the athletic records set in adrenaline-filled sports events. Glass display cases in the hallways shine and shimmer with the proud, polished trophies from past mathematic competitions, and with fantastical works of watercolor and paint that won top honors in art classes. From yesterday and today, students have the power to compel the tides of tomorrow. Gowda hopes that Club Med will continue to flourish, even after her departure from Troy High this year. For many incoming students, she believes that Club Med could serve as a great gateway to interest in the medical field.

“I hope that more students become aware of THS ClubMed in the future so it can be more active within the student body,” Gowda said. “For example, I would really love for there to be an Alumni Network established… I think it would be really inspiring for members to see people who were once in their shoes continue on this path to fulfilling careers in the medical field!” Huber feels the same toward Forensics. She also wishes for the club to continue to change and grow, and for the club members themselves to continue to be boldly unafraid. “This year, we took 5th in the states — the highest we have ever placed at states,” Huber said. “I watched students go from having no idea what their category was to being state semi-finalists and finalists. I hope the team continues to sharpen their skills and grow as one incredible group of speakers.”

SENIOR ISSUE

Class of 2021 Persistence

Troy High staff and students reflect on the difficulties COVID-19 has brought the class of 2021 during their senior year. Lola Pinneo // Source Editor The Class of 2021 has undoubtedly had an unconventional senior year. The outbreak of the COVID-19 global pandemic in March of 2020 made headlines around the world, and even now affects the daily life of Troy High families. But what about the Class of 2021? How will they celebrate their senior year and final days before adulthood? Many seniors feel they are left behind in the shadows of the Class of 2020, according to senior Olivia Benbow. ”I don’t think that the Class of 21 has gotten the [same] support and recognition as the Class of 20,” Benbow said. “Everyone was supporting the Class of 2020 and doing all these things for them and I guess they forgot that that Class of 2021 existed.” There are lots of events that happen during senior year that

many students look forward to, such as prom, graduation, water wars, and homecoming. Even though COVID-19 restrictions have changed the way that these events will take place, senior advisors Susan Fortuna and Emily Zedan believe they have found a way to make many events posible. “Other than not having Homecoming week activities and having the Gimmees and Honors Convocations be virtual, we have not let covid interrupt our activities,” the advisers said in a joint email. “The Gimmees and Honors Convocation programs are able to be viewed and shared again and again by family and friends both near and far away, unlike before when they were done in person, so perhaps this has been one upside to changing things due to the pandemic.” During this pandemic many

have had to create their new “normal.” For the Class of 2021, the new “normal” may not be the traditional senior year, but it has demonstrated the persistence and determination of the Class of 2021 to shine through the constant adversity. As graduation approaches on Saturday, June 5, and seniors look back on their four years at Troy High, many begin to hear some final goodbyes from people that have shaped their career here. In a letter sent to senior parents, Principle Remo Roncone has a message for the seniors. “The 2020-2021 academic year is ending for all,” Roncone said. “This means graduation is on the horizon for our Class of 2021 seniors. It has been an honor to serve as principal here at Troy High School with so many talented

young adults and a great four years replete with amazing accomplishments and wonderful memories.”

Graphic by Anjali Sanil

“It was somewhat of a hail mary.”

Inaugural poet Richard Blanco responds to seniors for an AP English Literature class. Andy DeGrand // Print Editor-in-Chief Photo from Wbur, Boston’s NPR News Station “We honestly did not expect any response back from him. We were hopeful for some kind of email back, but to have him send us a video and a signed copy of his poems was so

nice,” senior Apoorva Mirji said. “It just goes to show how dedicated Mr. Blanco is to the art of poetry and the themes it presents.” The closer it gets to the last day

of school, the more senioritis many seniors tend to develop. Mirji said it was the strong connection to his work that made her and her partners go above and beyond to reaching out to Inaugural poet Richard Blanco for an AP literature assignment. Blanco, born February 19, 1968 is an American poet, public speaker, author and civil engineer. He is known as the fifth inaugural poet, performing his poem, “One Today” at President Barack Obama’s second inauguration. He is also the first immigrant, latino and openly gay poet to perform at a president’s inaguration. “The assignment… was a poetry panel presentation that they put together for AP Lit,” AP Literature teacher Lisa Knudson explained. “They had to choose a poem by a poet and write an AP style essay question for it, annotate it, break it down, and then present to the class their findings. They had to put together a visual presentation as well.”

Sitting a few miles apart, working on the same google slides, Mirji and seniors Om Shah and Raj Kuperkar decided to take a chance. They all had a fascination with Blanco’s poem, “Mother Country,” and its “portrayal of the immigrant lifestyle.” With much excitement, they sent an email to Chloé Firetto-Toomey, author assistant of Blanco. Though hopeful, Mirji and Shah said they were not expecting much of a response. “In all honesty, we stumbled upon his contact info online and we thought it would be a unique idea,” Shah said. “It was somewhat of a hail mary.” When presenting their presentation, Knudson noticed they were referring to him by saying “he told us that…” and wanted to know why. “That’s when they told me they had contacted Mr. Blanco and he responded,” Knudson said. “I was excited and blown away (as that was not a requirement) and they used some excerpted pieces of the video

he sent back to them.” Upon finishing their presentation, Mirji and the group sent Knudson the video of Blanco’s responses. She was very grateful for the surprise and has much appreciation for Blanco. “I think it important to study poetry, but poets like Richard Blanco are even more important,” Knudson said. “Not only is he an immigrant and an openly gay man, he looks at injustices that take place in the United States while focusing on what it means to belong somewhere. For an Inaugural poet to take the time to reach out to students studying his poetry, I have so much respect for him.” Mirji and Shah both said they learned so much from this experience and can’t wait to share the story. “I never thought about how poetry could cause such a notable impact, and that it could be used as an ‘awakening medium,’” Mirji said.

SENIOR ISSUE

A Spark for Music

Senior Angela Lee reflects on her journey toward becoming a professional musician. Raneen AlRammahi // Staff Reporter Music, to the average person, can be beautiful and pleasant to listen to, but to many musicians, music is everything — it’s their life, their struggles, their happiness. That is what music is to senior Angela Lee. Lee is a graduating senior member of Troy High’s Orchestra and on her way to pursuing a musical career. “I always had an interest in pursuing music as a career, but I became fully determined during the summer before high school,” Lee said. Lee spent the summer as a member of Center Stage Strings, a summer institute held at the University of Michigan. She got to spend her time effectively exploring the

extent of her musical ability. “Being able to solely focus on my music and watching my peers perform helped me realize that this type of work was something I wanted to pursue in my career,” Lee said. Lee has always been interested in music since the moment she picked up the violin at six years old. “I always had a spark for music since I was young,” she said. “Seeing and feeling the different emotions my music was capable of evoking made me realize the power of communication through performing.” To Lee, music is much more than just notes on paper or a simple tune. “I always view music as

not only music but as a bridge between different universal concepts,” Lee said. “One can always use their education in music to connect it with another passion and explore. The thrill of performing is what makes it all worthwhile to Lee. “Some of my proudest moments were when I talked and connected with people after performing at concerts,” Lee explained. “It’s always nice to know my music inspired them in any way, and I feel a strong sense of achievement when my music is able to whisk them away in their own journey.” Many people can agree that Lee’s performances are truly something remarkable. One such person is orchestra direc-

tor Alan MacNair. “Angela is quiet but fiercely motivated to create moving performances of the great works for the violin,” MacNair said. “She has a mature, creative approach to practicing and preparing for a performance.” As of now, Lee has already been accepted into the University of Michigan for violin performance and is looking forward to the future. “There is fear that comes with the uncertainty of how my journey will end,” Lee said. “But I know that realizing my passion for music and performing is already a huge step in the process.”

Class of 2021 Spotify Playlist Photo courtesy of Angela Lee

Compiled by Maddy Hiser, Graphic by Anajli Sanil // Staff Reporters 11. Congratulations 4. Tongue Tied Post Malone Group Love 12. All Night 5. Fine Line The Vamps, Matoma Harry Styles 13. Deja Vu 6. Party Rock Anthem Olivia Rodrigo LMFAO 14. My Way 7. The Lazy Song Calvin Harris Bruno Mars Want to access the whole play15. Fireflies list? Scan the QR code! 8. Hotel Room Service Owl City Pitbull 16. Let It Happen 1. Levitating 9. Out Of My League Tame Impala Dua Lipa Fitz And The Tantrums 17. Blinding Lights 2. Drivers License The Weekend Olivia Rodrigo 10. See You Again Charlie Puth, 18. Africa 3. Good Old Days Wiz Khalifa Toto Macklemore, Kesha

19. Stereo Hearts Gym Class Heroes, Adam Levine 20. Here Comes The Sun The Beatles

SENIOR ISSUE

College Application Process During COVID-19 Seniors of 2021 share how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their college application process. Praneetha Ankisettipalli // Staff Reporter COVID-19 has thrown many high school seniors into a world of uncertainty, confusion and stress. While the rest of the world panicked about the COVID-19 numbers, variation spread, and vaccine distribution, seniors had to also deal with the stress of their future. The pressure many feel of getting into a good college, pursuing their goals and making parents proud is stressful enough even during normal times, so many can imagine the added complications of the college application process brought on by COVID-19. “COVID affected my grades significantly [and] my transcript this year looks much worse than my grades in the past,” senior Jyothsna Musunur said. “I think this

could’ve affected some of my applications for the worse.” In contrast, some students report that COVID-19 did not really affect their college application process in any way, like senior Sebastian Orzame. “Personally COVID did not affect my college application process; I felt that it was in a way easy because of how colleges knew how us seniors were handling the pandemic,” Orzame said. Another difference to the application process this year was the option, rather than requirement, to send SAT/ACT scores. “For the 2020-21 application cycle, students who are unable to provide standardized test scores are encouraged to apply and will not be disadvan-

Graphic by Luanni Ford

taged in the application process,” the University of Michigan admissions site said. Students weigh in on their feelings about the optional SAT/ACT scores. “I thought giving the test would help the universities to view my application better since they have been doing it this way for a long time,” senior Aadeesh Dhiman said.

Orzame disagrees. He continued to say how the input of SAT/ACT scores being optional was better than worse. “No, I think Seniors of 2021 were blessed to receive the news of particular colleges stating the SAT/ACT were test optional,” Orzame said. According to Inside Higher Ed, “only 44 percent of people using the Common Application

submitted SAT or ACT scores.” Despite COVID-19 obstacles, many members of the Class of 2021 seem to have made the best use of the crazy situation they are living in to carve their path for their bright future.

The COVID College Experience Seniors share their plans for next year, as universities and colleges announce plans to return in-person to learn. October Marquez // Staff Reporter The college experience has changed for many since the COVID-19 pandemic shook the world. Many students used to wake up and get ready for class, but COVID-19 has changed the rules for everyone, and many freshmen in college will have it rough after having looked forward to it for most of their lives. Most colleges have decided to open dorms for college students coming in person, which has many advantages. “Michigan State University is looking forward to a more typical fall semester with 85% of undergraduate classes having an in-person component,” the Michigan State University website said. “...We will offer a residence hall experience to first-year students and as many other students as possible while still providing a safe living space.” Senior Shivani Anand-

hasenthil explains her plans. “I plan on living in a dorm because I can make new friends, get involved in student activities, and experience college in a way no one ever has before during COVID, ” Shivani said. Working with hybrid-learning during college classes might be hard for a lot of students, specifically freshmen who will be brand new to the college experience. While many seniors adjust to their new environment next year, they will continue to pursue their degrees as they would before COVID-19. “My college is going to be hybrid, but I want to do an in-person curriculum because I can interact more with my peers and learn more efficiently while also creating networking opportunities for me to use in the future,” Shivani said. Making new friends at college has always been an ex-

pected challenge in the new environment, especially finding people to share a dorm with. Senior Elizabeth Robb explains her plans. I’m looking forward to being able to live in a dorm with a person I’ve never met before,” Robb said. “My college is having us sign up to this web-

site that’s kind of like a dating website but for finding college friends.” Robb reflects on the last year of hybrid learning, and looks forward to the future. “I think covid this past school year has been difficult for most kids, I’ve personally been ok with the situation, but

I can understand why others aren’t,” Robb said. “...I think whether [college classes are] online or not I don’t really feel it will change the experience of going to college too much, I won’t meet the class that’s online but I’ll have the other kids in-seat.”

SENIOR ISSUE

Spring Sports: Then and Now Students compare how COVID-19 has affected their spring sports season. Emma Mertz // Staff Reporter Over the past year, many seniors at Troy High were uncertain whether or not they would get to participate in their final season of high school spring sports. In 2020, all spring sports seasons were cancelled after the shut down of schools due to COVID-19. Senior Sabrina Song, captain of the girls’ varsity tennis team, shares her experiences with the new regulations tied to spring sports. “Last year we were only able to get through the first week of tryouts in the spring, but school and the rest of the season was cancelled,” Song said. “This year our matches have been going on like normal, but there are some limitations that hinder team activities. We can’t carpool or eat together anymore and we really have to watch out for social distancing.”

COVID-19 has affected different sports in many different ways. While some sports had little to no modifications, others had to change some of the ways they practiced and played. Senior Lauryn Prokup explains the changes COVID-19 has brought to the girls’ varsity track team. “The weirdest way COVID has affected the team is how we run the relays,” Prokup said. “We had to wear surgical gloves to pass off the baton early in the season. This requirement has since been lifted, but it was funny to see the team in blue sterile gloves with relay batons.” Now with weekly COVID-19 tests and possible whole-team quarantines, spring sports are started again. Lauren Calnen, a senior captain on the softball team,

shares her team’s experiences with COVID-19. “Our team does have mandatory covid testing; once a week we report to the gym where we are instructed on how to correctly test ourselves,” Calnen said. “After we swab our nose we have to sit and wait 15 minutes for our results. Honestly, I didn’t mind the testing because it definitely gives everyone a little peace of mind on a regular basis.” Calnen goes on to explain her role as a leader during this difficult year. “As a senior captain this year, it’s definitely challenging to keep the team’s energy up as we are all spread out and not in the dugout together,” Calnen said. “It is also difficult sometimes to work as a team when there are people out because of quarantine.”

Photo courrtesy of senior Sabrina Song

Despite COVID-19 challenges and protocols, many senior players are grateful for the chance to compete in their final year of THS athletics. “As captain, I’m so grateful that we had a season this year, but it is slightly disappointing not being able to show the girls all the team traditions especially because there are a lot of underclassmen who didn’t get

a season last year.” Song says, “At the same time it’s been really fun trying to get creative with team bonding and if anything were forced to get closer since this has been a lot of our major communities since the pandemic. But lastly, all the girls who work really hard make it so easy to coordinate everything during this unusual time.”

Senior Profile: Lauren Gumma Basketball is a sport that always has been, and always will be, really close to senior Lauren Gumma’s heart. Katelyn Peaslee // Staff Reporter Lauren Gumma is a senior who has been playing basketball since she was a kid, and plans to continue being involved in it as long as she can. “I think the person who really got me into basketball was my dad,” Gumma said. “He played a lot when he was a kid and introduced me into the sport that I now love. My family kept me really involved in a bunch of sports, but basketball was always my favorite, to me it’s just the most fun.” For Gumma, basketball has become more than just an expression of athletics. “The joys of being on a basketball team has to be the bonds and relationships that I create with my teammates and coaches,” Gumma explained. While playing basketball and being on a team is a joyous experience for Gumma, it has also served as a way to learn many useful skills for her future.

“Leadership definitely has to be the best skill that I have picked up and learned through basketball,” Gumma said. “When I was younger, I was more on the shy side and basketball really helped me break out of my shell, take action, and lead.” Gumma’s short term goal for basketball is to play in the NCAA Division 3 at Saint Mary’s College next season, while her long term goals consist mainly of her hopes to keep basketball in her life. Gumma plans on pursuing med school, while keeping up basketball in some form. “In 5-10 years, I most likely see myself being involved in my community, hopefully finishing up med school, and maybe even coaching basketball, whether that be at a school or AAU,” Gumma said. “I always want basketball to be a part of my life, as it has been a big part of me my whole life thus far.”

Senior Lauren Gumma posing with a basketball and a pair of shoes (left), Gumma shooting a basketball mid-game (right). Photos courtesy of Lauren Gumma

Dear Seniors,

Dear 12 AP class of 2021,   It seems like yesterday when I started my first class with you on Zoom. Hearing the doorbell ding, watching your faces pop up, hoping that I was somehow reaching you through the ether. What’s crazy is that I feel like I know some of you so well through your blogs, yet I have never met you in person. Wild. This year was filled with more uncertainty than seniors normally experience (like “where do I go to college” and “what do I do with my life” or “what’s my passion?”) But I want to assure you with a quote from Rilke “have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to have love for the questions themselves…Live the questions for now”.  We don’t know what the future holds for any of us. And that’s ok. As Joseph Campbell said “we have not even to risk the adventure alone for the heroes of all time have gone before us…and where we thought to be alone, we will be with all the world”. I hope that literature can provide you solace and a light for your path. Congratulations! -Mrs. Feldkamp Mis Seniors MUY Queridos, Primero, quiero decirles que ¡yo NUNCA habría podido sobrevivir este año sin Ustedes! No sé cómo, pero aún en estas circunstancias locas, todavía pudieron hacerme reír, aprender y sentir TANTO orgullo. Fue un gran placer conocerlos y trabajar juntos. ¡Les deseo todo el amor y felicidad del mundo! ¡Buena suerte! (no que la necesitan ) Muchos abrazos virtuales de, Señora Tucker

Dear Seniors, Behind you, all your memories. Before you, all your dreams. Around you, all who love you. Within you, all you need. It’s been a wonderful four years watching you all achieve so much. Congrats and best wishes for your future. Love , Mrs. Rosenblatt

But wait - there’s more! Scan this code to view all of the teacher letters to the Class of 2021 or visit troychariot.org.

Querida Clase de 2021, Algunos de ustedes fueron mis primeros estudiantes en Baker durante mi primer año de enseñar, y Sabrina y Chloé—¡ustedes fueron mis primeros Seniors aquí en Troy High! Todos ustedes siempre tendrán una parte especial en mi corazón. Claro que sus años finales en Troy High fueron únicos a causa de la pandemia, ¡pero ahora han llegado al final! ¡MUCHAS FELICIDADES! Recuerden: “nadie es como tú y ese es tu poder”. ¡Espero que tengan suerte, felicidad y mucho éxito en el futuro! ¡MUCHOS abrazos! Con cariño, Señora Morey (Señorita VerMeulen)

Congratulations Class of 2021! You did it! Not only can you say you got to experience all the fun high school has to offer, you can also say you did so during a pandemic. What this should show you is that you are strong, resilient and capable of overcoming obstacles. As you embark upon your future journeys always remember that you overcame a situation that only a few experienced- a senior year with uncertainties, but you came out of it stronger and braver. Thank you for your smiles, determination and positive spirits. To my Friday morning dance party crew (you know who you are), you are deserving of all the wonderful things life has to offer. You have brought me so much joy throughout the last four years and I thank you for letting me be a part of your life. I love you and wish you all nothing but happiness! To my forensic science students, although you will never view pigs in the same manner, just know that I appreciated your commitment to the process! Good luck, Senior Class of 2021. We will miss you immensely! Much Love, Mrs. Wald A tous mes chers élèves de l’année terminale, Chapeau ! Je suis si fière d’avoir été votre prof de français cette année et ces dernières années. Vous avez travaillé si dur et vraiment beaucoup appris. En plus, ensemble nous nous sommes tellement amusés ! J’étais vraiment passionnée de vous revoir chaque jour avec l’aide de zoom et de continuer à vous aider à apprendre le français et à améliorer vos compétences. Je vous félicite d’avoir réussi haut la main! Vous me manquerez l’année prochaine sans doute pourtant je sais qu’un avenir plein de merveilleuses réussites

vous attend. Restons en contact et encore une fois, félicitations à tous ! Mme Fortuna

Sincerely, Your Teachers

SENIOR ISSUE

Where are We Headed?

Varsha Penumalee // Staff Reporter

“I’m staying in-state because in-state tuition is cheaper, and I can be close to home in case I want to visit or I’m just feeling homesick. UMich was one of my top choices on top of that too.” - Senior Jacob Vainberg at University of Michigan

“I was incredibly drawn to the variety of programs served at U of M. It financially made sense, and I wanted to stay close to my family and friends!” - Senior Neha Pinnu at the University of Michigan

“I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my next four years than through UPenn’s perfect intersection of a social atmosphere and a pre-professional academic environment!” - Senior Swarith Reddy at the University of Pennsylvania

303 103 In-state 119 Out-of-state

Attending University of Michigan

422 out of 535 seniors represented. Data taken from the senior survey.

Attending Michigan State University

Attending Oakland University

Closest University: 5 miles (Oakland Community College)

Farthest University: 4,500 miles (University of Hawai’i at Mānoa)

SENIOR ISSUE

The Future of Friendship How seniors are navigating and maintaining friendships in college. Vanisa Kumar // Business Editor Our source for the best advice, our ugliest laughs, our best cries and our best memories are usually with our best friends. Best friends shape how we see the world and in return, how we become the world we see.

Arguably the worst thing about having a best friend is not seeing that best friend. Whether it’s for a day, a month or years, not seeing your friends can be devastating. Big shifts in relationships happen when there is extra stress or distance

between two people, and something that many seniors have been facing recently include those two things… graduation. It can be easier to maintain a relationship through college if students live close by or even on campus together, like in senior Lily Yang’s situation. Yang plans to room with senior Shifa Malik next year. But even when friends are together, college life can quickly become consumed by other activities and expectations; for this reason Yang explains how she plans to facilitate “hangout” time with her best friend and roommate through college. “Even though we’re rooming together, we might be busy or studying, so we’re planning

on eating together at least once a week to have some actual quality bestie time,” Yang said. Some graduates aren’t so lucky, and college will create some distance between friendships. Senior Ananya Menon is faced with navigating a distanced friendship with fellow senior Saumyaa Sinha. “One of my bestfriends is my roommate, another is in the same school and the last one’s going to Pennsylvania,” Menon said. “We’re gonna [facetime] and make sure we keep in contact anyway we can.”

Maintaining relationships seems hard, and sometimes it is hard. But if it’s worth it, it can always be done. Whether it’s rooming together, facetime calls or best friend dinners, putting in that effort to see someone can always be done.

(Left, from left to right) Amruta Venkatesh, Nidhi Daphal, Ananya Menon, Siddhi Bhirud, Sanjana Chimalakonda and Saumyaa Sinha. (Top) Lily Yang and Shifa Malik.

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SENIOR ISSUE

Dear Future Seniors...

Current seniors were asked what advice they have for their fellow high schoolers, here’s what they have to say to future seniors. Anjali Sanil // Staff Reporter “Try to be yourself and don’t let anyone else stop you.” - Kenneth Therrian “Stop thinking senioritis is an excuse for your procrastination.” - Sarina Shahid

“Take a break from studying and go make memories with your friends that you will cherish forever.” - Iris Kerr

“Work hard, but don’t overwork yourself. It’s your last year with everyone here, after all! Anywhere you end “You got this!” up going, you’ll have oppor- Caylin Stevenson tunities to succeed.” - Anna Zhao “Senior year is the only year where you’re allowed to not care. But if you want to get to that point, you better put in the work in those other three.” - Conlan Phung

“You have enough time to experience everything, slow down and enjoy it.” - Nick Chiappelli “Don’t be scared to ask a lot of questions.” - Andrea Smeu “Be on top of college stuff and make sure you just do the work for high school.” - Sebastian Orzame

“Make sure you balance your time wisely and take mental health days off if you really need it.” -Shashank Ravishankar “Everything sucks, it does, high school kind of really sucks, but it gets better, you get better, and you will be better. How much better is up to how much effort you put into being better.” - Alex Manev “Understand procrastination. Don’t deny that your’e going to procrastinate......everyone does it!” - Skye Greenlee “Dear Future Seniors, please do your work and don’t slack.” - Nathan Sclabassi

“They lied to you all, senior year is hard except for the last month.” - Elizabeth Robb “Advice I have for future seniors is to do all the activities that you can, like go to all the football games, go to homecoming and go to prom.” - Ella Davenport “You still have to do the work. Keep up your grades. You have made it this far just put in the last little bit of work to end off on a high note.” - Joseph Mowrey

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“Whatever it is you enjoy about high school, Enjoy it while you can.” - David Barrows

“Never wait for the perfect time to do something, if you have the time and resources to do something, then do it. Life is too short to wait around. Also seriously no one cares about you as much as you think. No one is gossiping or cares what you wear so simply do whatever makes you happy.” - Lily Renke “I want to send congrats to everyone who made it through the high school and want to say, don’t give up!” - Fareha Hossain

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“When you look back on your high school years in the 2040s, the senior year will no longer be the most difficult, but rather the most unforgettable.” - Zijie Zhang “Don’t just blow off all your classes starting at the beginning of the year, work hard in all your classes till the end of the year.” - Johnathon Turgeon

Senior Survey

The senior class tells The Chariot what really went on throughout their years at Troy High. Luanni Ford // Graphics Editor

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Senior Quotes

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Compiled by Bridgette Scott // Social Media Editor, Graphic by Anjali Sanil // Staff Reporter Elena Alaoui“[I will always remember] sleeping through literally most of classes.” Abril Albuerne“[I will always remember] how wild the senior groupchat was for no reason.” Angela Anderanin“Life ain’t always easy.” Gautam Bajaj“You can listen to your head or you can listen to your heart. If you want to be happy, you let it be your heart.” Melina Bryant“[I have learned] that the time does go by really fast.” Alex Bultynck“[I want to be remembered] as someone who’s kind, fun to be around, and easygoing.” Rachel Burke“[I will always remember] going on zoom with friends.” Pranav Chetan“[I have learned] patience and confidence.” Nick Chiappelli“‘You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength,’ Marcus Aurelius.”

Sarah Christensen“Don’t take anything for granted.” Diego Cortez“I will remember coming to school and seeing my old friends and talking to them!” Ella Davenport“I want to be remembered for being very friendly and someone you can always talk to.” Aaditya Dhiman“There is no way I am going to forget my senior year as it was the only where I stayed virtual all year long. I never imagined I would be doing online school this early.” Shania George“[I will always remember] the value of spending time with friends.” Sydney Gonzalez“[A quote I’ll live by is] Graduation is not the end, but the beginning.” Jessica Green“[I want to be remembered for] being the first girl at Troy High to play football.” Skye Greenlee“[I want to be remembered for] my kindness.” Lauren Gumma“‘Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses,’ - Kobe Bryant.”

Layla Hashem“[I will always remember] the fact that I didn’t get a senior year.” Mariam Hashem“Everything happens for a reason.” Mya Hersback“Not everyone is going to like you, so do what makes you happy at the end of the day.” PingYu Hsu“[I want to be remembered for] my art.” Kendall Huang“[I want to be remembered] as a good person who had a positive impact in people’s lives.” Maggie Huber“I want to be remembered for being a hardworking student that wasn’t afraid to venture out and try new things. I also would like to be remembered for being dedicated to the activities I participated in such as Dodgeball and Forensics.” Katherine Jeong“‘And I was so young when I behaved twenty-five. Yet now I find I’ve grown into a tall child,’ - Mitski.” Yanze Jiang“Futures don’t make themselves, you have to create them.”

Rupesh Kanna Kaviyasree Narayanan“[I have learned] to be determined in our work. There will not be anyone around to tell us anything. It is our responsibility and duty to complete our task or we suffer.” Justin Kim“[I will always remember] all the times people were unintentionally unmuted on zoom.” Cameron Korman“Live each day like it’s your last.” Hannah Krebs“[I have learned to] just say yes to things! Sometimes you’ll like it, sometimes you won’t, but at least you tried.” Matthew Lee“‘He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight,’ - Sun Tzu.” Lanna Lowrie“[I want to be remembered for] hopefully being a good leader to my section in marching band.” Rina Lulgjuraj“[I want to be remembered for] being the person people can count on.” Rajesh Madhavan‘[I have learned] what competition is in reality.”

Alex Manev“I don’t remember things all that well.” Ralph Mece“I’ll always remember zoom obviously but I’ll remember the memories I made outside of school and how I grew as a person.” Joseph Mowrey“[I have learned] that you need to make time for the things that you enjoy doing.” Grace Neill“[I have learned that] powering through hard times makes you a better person.” Lisa Nguyen“I have learned how to preserve time and organization from doing school at home.” Sebastian Orzame“‘You always pass failure on your way to success,’ Mickey Rooney.” Andre Padilla“[I will always remember] my friend doing the worm and accidentally crashing into a desk.” Shreya Patel“[I want to be remembered] for being kind/ helping others when they needed it.” See next page for more.

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Senior Quotes Cont’d

Joseph Peck“I have been privileged these past few years. It did not hit me how fortunate I was until recently. A good school with good teachers/staff and environment, good friends, a good education, I was really fortunate. I never thought I would actually miss being in grade school, but here I am.” Joey Perkowski“[I have learned] to relax.” Greg Peronis“Treat others how you want to be treated.” Satya Phani Kiran Magapu“Isn’t it crazy how a seating chart can change your life.”

for being happy and passionate do not deserve your friendship or even attention.”

Elizabeth Robb“[I will always remember] crying every other morning.”

Victoria Shubelyak“[I will always remember] my last varsity basketball senior season.”

Adam Trumbauer“You may not agree with everyone, but you can still get along.”

Aspasia Qeleshi“It was a weird year. I want us to be remembered as the only year in history doing most of the school online.”

Sameep Salekar“[I will always remember] the life lessons my teachers gave to me. And how they made me confident. Chatting with my friends in the breakout room.”

Ezra Simon“You can’t make people love you, but you can make them fear you.”

Sofia Valdovinos“[I want to be remembered as] the girl that has a GREAT taste in music.”

Ashten Stokes“[I have learned] three or four quality friendships are better than a lot of ‘friends’!”

Parth Vijay“[I have learned] how to adapt.”

Varun Rallabandi“[I will always remember] when Mr.Marley said ‘What if today is the last day and we never come back this year’ when we were told that school was going to be shut down for a few days due to the Covid crisis.” Hayden Rance“If there’s a will there’s a way.”

Nathan Porter“[I want to be remembered for] playing hockey.”

Sidharth Rao“After the storm, the flowers will bloom. Life is ups and downs, you have to make the best of the situation and learn from both of them. Learn how to keep the highs and handle the lows.”

Aditi Prabhu“You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.”

Shashank Ravishankar- “Have fun and take the initiative to make memories.”

Anna Pregler“Nothing stays the same.”

Lily Renke“Fear is temporary. Regret is forever.”

Emily Pytell“[I’ve learned that] being happy does not look stupid. People that think you are dorky or uncool

Imani Rinke“Don’t stress yourself out, it’ll all work out in the end.”

Conlan Phung“[I have learned] I look good with long hair.”

Sarina Shahid“If you ever feel like quitting think about why you started in the first place.” Adithya Shivakumar“I want to be remembered for the time my teacher gave a honor roll for being a hard-working student.”

Jacob Surrett“Just do one thing or the other, don’t try to be two people at once.” Kenneth Therrian“The biggest risk is not taking any risk.” Jordan Troup“‘If you ain’t first you’re last,’ - Ricky Bobby.”

Lily Wallace“‘Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated,’ -Cofucius.” Emma Wilson“I have learned how to find my own voice and use it to create a change.” Liam Wright“You can’t change the past, you can only learn from it.”

Senior Editor Goodbyes

Andy DeGrand // Print Editor-in-Chief “I started off in The Chariot as someone who enjoyed writing, and was told they were good at it. Not knowing what I wanted to pursue made this an outlet to explore for me. I started off as a student that had never taken the opportunity to be a leader. From sharing ideas of possible articles, to typing them out after staring at a blank screen, looking at all of our hard work feels like reward enough. In one year I was a Staff Reporter and in the next an Editor-in-Chief. Though, it feels like these past two years just weren’t enough. As I move forward, I see The Chariot moving with me, beyond my stay. Thank you for the great memories I will cherish. It is these memories where I learned leadership and built on my responsibility that I hope to be referring to 10 years from now as my high school experience.”

Iman Al-Nsour // Website Editor-in-Chief

“Joining The Chariot my junior year was probably the last thing 15 yearold me would have ever expected, but after a friend had convinced me to do it, I can say that I’m beyond grateful I did. I’d like to say thank you to Ms. Carroll for being the kindest, most caring advisor we could have asked for, and also for encouraging me to stick with it through the past two years. Through all the hours spent working on deadline days, to distribution days, to learning to create during a pandemic, I have made connections with so many people. There is never a dull moment in The Chariot classroom. If you have ever considered joining The Chariot, you should, undoubtedly, do it.”

A big CONGRATULATIONS to the THS Class of 2021! We know this has been a challenging and unprecedented year. Even though things looked very different from normal, by showing your ability to adapt and persevere, you truly exemplified Pure Colt Determination! It’s that same Determination that will allow you to overcome future challenges and continue to be successful, as you take the next steps toward your future! We know that you will be great at anything you do, and we are proud of you all! We would also like to thank all the Troy High parents and teachers who donated to the PTO via membership dues and/or via fundraisers throughout the year. Despite the difficulties everyone faced, requests for funding were still necessary. As a result of your generosity, the PTO was able to provide financial support for such activities as the All Night Senior Party, the Physics Club, the Chariot Newspaper, the Jazz Ensemble, the Biology Department, as well as for Teacher/Staff Appreciation (just to name a few). We couldn’t provide this support without you supporting us first! We sincerely thank you all! Have a safe and healthy summer!

- Your Troy High PTO