The Voices Issue

CHARIOT The

CO-FOUNDER OF THE COOLIDGE CRUISERS

fIGHTING MS AND DIABETES ONE ‘WOOHOO’ AT A TIME

page 5

page 15

ASPIRING PHOTOGRAPHER page 12

MOVED ACROSS TOWN FOR ATHLETICS page 6

SPENT MOST OF HIGH SCHOOL IN SOUTH AFRICA PAGe 13

Troy High School

Troy, Mi.

Vol. 2 Issue 6

APRIL 28, 2017

2

The Chariot

The official student newspaper of Troy High School Website troychariot.org Twitter thechariot_news Instagram thechariotnews Snapchat thsTHE_CHARIOT

Staff

Leah Graham, editor-in-chief Jenny Boudon, cartoonist Bianca Bucholtz, copy editor Sarah Semon, design editor Annie Smuts, entertainment editor Sarah Funk, co-feature editor Natalie Suh, co-feature editor Elizabeth Graham, graphics editor Kendyl Gatzemeyer, marketing editor Liam Clancy, news editor Skyla Jewell-Hammie, opinion editor Elisabeth Andrews, co-photo editor Silvia Hoxha, co-photo editor Tracy Cabej, profile editor Katie Bogdanovich, source editor Gabrielle Francois, web editor Priya Bandstra, staff writer Patti Kubota, staff writer Sara Lewandowski, staff writer Morgan MacDonald, staff writer Kaitlyn Piggott, staff writer Stella Spagnuolo, staff writer Jack Stromberg, staff writer Megan Wallace, staff writer Maddie Young, staff writer Jayna Rumble, adviser

The Chariot Staff Policy 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 or 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. The adviser and administration have a non-review role and may offer advice on sensitive issues and will offer criticisms as warranted but the Editorial Board reserves all rights to determine what material shall be published.

Editorials represent the collective opinion of The Chariot staff.

Opinions expressed by individuals and in letters to the editor represent those of the author. Letters to the editor 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 in hard copy to room 204 at Troy High School or via email at troynewspaper@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 return the letter to the author with an opportunity for corrections. The Editorial Board is solely responsible for these decisions. Letters must be received one week prior to print publication to be included in print.

The Voices Issue

Uniquely O’Neill

Freshman Pema O’Neill lives in a household of six girls; she and her sisters were all adopted.

BY KAITLYN PIGGOTT // STAFF WRITER SARA LEWANDOWSKI // STAFF WRITER After decorating the school for Student Government with her friend freshman Alyssa Del Vecchio, freshman Pema O’Neill walks up the driveway and back into her house. She has lived there all her life. When she enters she is greeted with music, resonating from the piano and the cello, as well as singing. Some of her little sisters are laughing in another room and her mother is cooking dinner off in the kitchen.

“There’s never a dull moment,” O’Neill said, laughing. “I like having a lot of people [in my family] because there is always something going on.”

While juggling a schedule of double science classes, three clubs and orchestra, O’Neill is always busy. Every day she practices her cello, which she has played since the fifth grade. O’Neill participates in Chem Club, Student Government and Relay For Life.

Del Vecchio said that she’s “always determined” as well as “happy and quirky.” Her older sister, Margaret O’Neill, described her as a “really big people person.”

Being raised in a house of six girls, O’Neill finds that there are good and bad things that come with being part of such a large family.

“The pros of a large family is you have a lot of people you can relate to and you can talk to,” O’Neill said. “The cons are you have no privacy. There is always someone there that won’t leave you alone. So, I would say that’s a pretty big con, but I love my family and I wouldn’t trade them for anything else.”

O’Neill was welcomed into the family on Mother’s Day in 2003.

She was nine months and three weeks old. She was adopted from Chongqing, China. Her father traveled there to bring her home, since her mother was at home with O’Neill’s two older sisters, Margaret and Quinn. O’ Neill hears stories about her adoption and recalls the connection she made with her family. “[My father] said that I didn’t show a lot of emotion at first but

O’Neill said that the “pros of a large family is you have a lot of people you can relate to and you can talk to.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PEMA O’NEILL

Freshman Pema O’Neill came to the U.S. at a young age.

when we were in the hotel room and I was just lying in my crib, I reached out my arm and grabbed his finger,” O’Neill said. “Instantly, there was a connection that I knew he was my father and I was his child.”

Margaret recalls the day that O’Neill came home.

“We were at the airport and I remember being so excited,” Margaret said. “There was a railing and my older sister and I were standing there trying to see.”

All five of O’Neill’s sisters were adopted from China as young children. O’Neill’s two older sisters, Quinn and Margaret, were both adopted from Hubei.

She also has three younger sisters. Norah came from Hunan, Lachlan was from Guangdong

and Kassidy was from Gansu.

Through the years, all the girls celebrate the anniversary of the days that they got adopted. This May will mark O’Neill’s 14th year in America. “[Celebrating our adoption day] is kind of like a birthday celebration but instead of presents or anything we will be celebrating us,” Margaret said.

O’Neill’s favorite quote is “just because my path is different doesn’t mean I’m lost.”

“I guess I chose that particular quote because I’m not afraid of what’s going to happen next,” O’Neill said. “What I do may seem to be different than what other people think I should do at this time. I tend to steer away from going along with everyone else and what they are doing.”

COVER PHOTO BY LEAH GRAHAM

3

The Voices Issue

Camp Hayowentha: By the Numbers Students attend a summer camp that requires them to hike more than a hundred miles across the state and go off of the grids without phones.

BY MORGAN MACDONALD // STAFF WRITER For the past two summers freshman Ginny Flynn has packed up, unplugged and gone into the wilderness for weeks at a time. No showers, no real food and no phones. The first week the girls focus on getting to know each other and their equipment. They spend the next two weeks hiking around places like Isle Royale, Michigan, where the group went last year.

8 120

The girls are split into groups of eight based on their age.

“Overall it was fun; my first year I went alone so I didn’t know anyone, but I got to know the girls in my group pretty well after living with them for a month,” Flynn said.

Freshman Molly Myers was in Flynn’s group last summer.

“I’ve met some of the most amazing people at this camp. My camp friends have basically become my sisters, as cliché as that sounds,” Myers said.

Last summer, Flynn spent two out of the four weeks at camp hiking around Isle Royale, an island located on Lake Superior. Over a period of two weeks the girls hiked 120 miles. They broke it up by hiking about nine miles each day. When they got to the campsite at the end of each day the girls passed time by doing things such as swimming, playing cards, writing in their journals or reading.

“It seems really simple but after spending most of the day hiking you get really tired,” Myers said.

50 0 4

“Our hiking bags weigh about 50 pounds. The most difficult part about the long hikes is having to carry all that weight on your back,” Flynn said.

After packing the necessities like tents, stoves, food and lighters, the campers can only bring limited clothing in order to save room for these items. They also eat dry bagged foods that you have to add warm water to for main meals. When not eating things like dry bagged rice or soup, Flynn likes to snack on trail mix and peanut butter.

“We don’t get to have our phones the whole time we’re out there,” Flynn said.

“At first it is kind of hard not being able to use social media for that long, but you get used to it.”

The girls also do not have access to showers, and campers are not allowed to bring watches with them on the trip.

“This might seem kind of wild, but not knowing what time it was helped me to let go as a control freak and really enjoy what we were seeing and not worry about how fast or far we were hiking,” Myers said.

“I have learned a lot about working with others from this camp, also some survival skills that you don’t learn in everyday life,” Flynn said.

Myers seemed to appreciate the more social side of this camp.

“From camp I have learned it’s okay to be a little weird and do things differently than everyone else. I’ve also learned not to be embarrassed about the things I’m passionate about,” Myers said.

Senior Competes in National Chemistry Competition Senior Ken Lu represents the school in the American Chemical Society’s Chemistry Olympiad; he recently took the national-level exam.

BY LIAM CLANCY // NEWS EDITOR After being eliminated from the American Chemical Society’s Chemistry Olympiad competition last April, senior Ken Lu knew he wanted to achieve more this year.

Lu, who plans to continue his education at the University of Michigan this fall, finished in the top 150 in last year’s national exam. He represented Troy High at the national level again this year along with sophomore Matthew Wang.

The Chemistry Olympiad competition occurs in three rounds with increasing difficulty.

It aims to identify the top American students to represent the nation abroad in the International Chemistry Olympiad, which will be held in Taiwan this July.

“Students start out taking the local exam,” AP Chemistry teacher Bill Hevel said. “For metro Detroit, it’s at University of Michigan-Dearborn, but it’s happening all across the nation. [In] the first round of testing, there’s about 10,000 students who take that test. They whittle that number down to around 1,000 students, and those students come back

for a second round of testing, where they try to narrow it down to 20. Those 20 go out to Colorado to the Air Force Academy at what they call the Study Camp in June. The top four make the U.S. Chemistry team and they compete internationally.”

Lu heard about the competition during his sophomore AP Chemistry class and began to prepare.

“It looked like a pretty challenging experience,” Lu said. “I liked chemistry a lot so I decided to go for it.”

To become one of the nation’s top chemistry students, Lu has spent hours every day doing practice problems for the last few years.

“Ken was great as a student,” Hevel said. “He was always really into chemistry. I had him as a freshman in Chem 1, and you could tell he was really interested. He took Chem AP as a sophomore and just went after it. He worked really hard starting his sophomore year for Chemistry Olympiad.”

Lu’s motivation has been crucial to his success in the competition, which poses an extra chal-

lenge to Troy students.

“To qualify for the national exam, you need to score [in the] top 12 at our local region, but there’s a rule that only allows two people per school,” Lu said.

This requirement often means that there are several students who are qualified for the national exam that must also beat their own classmates to PHOTO BY LEAH GRAHAM move on.

Senior Ken Lu has participated in the American Chemistry Olympiad’s national “I came in exam for two years. fourth place in the local exam, so I made the top High is such a competitive school Lu took the national exam on 12, but I couldn’t advance,” soph- and there’s so many smart kids go- April 21, and results will be reomore Aniket Dagar said. “Troy ing here.” leased in the next week.

4

The Voices Issue

Uprooted

Nomadic student sophomore Sabrina Baima moves to Michigan after living in fifteen different locations across the country.

By Silvia Hoxha // Co-Photo Editor Kendyl Gatzemeyer // Marketing Editor

PHOTO BY LEAH GRAHAM

Sophomore Sabrina Baima’s lifestyle means moving “from place to place in an orderly fashion.”

With a white cape tied around her neck and a dress flowing with every step down the hall, sophomore Sabrina Baima said she dresses to impress despite receiving some offhanded compliments and the occasional odd look. She said she feels it’s that same style that helped her adapt to living in more than a dozen states.

“When somebody wears something different from the social norms, they are imprinted on the others’ minds whether they like it or not,” Baima said. “I want to be noticed because it will help me get further in life. No matter where I go, this has helped me.”

Baima is considered a student in transition, meaning she is a

student who doesn’t have a stable home within the city of Troy, but can still arrive to school on time. Baima said that because she is constantly moving, it makes it difficult to maintain long relationships.

After being born in San Antonio, Texas, Baima’s parents decided to continue their family tradition of a nomadic lifestyle, first started by Baima’s great-grandmother.

“She moved a lot since she switched relationships a lot,” Baima said.

Despite being born in Texas, Baima doesn’t consider the state to be her home.

“To me, being a nomad is be-

ing someone who doesn’t really have a home that is a physical place,” Baima said. “There is no state where I’m from. There is no ‘from’ for me.”

Baima said that even though she has struggled to make longterm friends, she has never wanted to settle down in any of the states that she and her parents have lived in.

“Staying in one place for a really long period of time would make me feel restless,” Baima said. “I wouldn’t be able to do that. I physically cannot do that.

I feel trapped.”

Junior Kaila Dusing met Baima on her first day of school in January and said that she is still

getting to know her.

“She walked up to me because she heard that I was new,” Dusing said. “I like that she’s really outgoing. She told me that she was also new a few months ago and asked if I wanted a hug.”

Similarly, Baima was the first person that freshman Angelina Uptain met in her gym class.

“My first impression was that she was this really entertaining and positive person,” Uptain said.

“She had no flaws I could see. I don’t know how she has moved around so much. She likes everyone and will meet anyone she can.

She’ll talk to them and have conversations. I’m really surprised at what she’s done. It’s really incredible to me.”

Baima said that growing up, being a nomad was all that she knew, and it felt completely normal to her.

“Normality: it’s in the eyes of the beholder,” Baima said. “It’s completely different for everyone.”

Baima said that she is willing to help people understand her nomadic lifestyle, but their reactions can often be negative.

“If they handle it [negatively], then I just drop them and leave,” Baima said. “Sometimes I have to. I have no choice. I have a way bigger world to explore, and if they’re not going to explore it with me, I don’t need them.”

Baima said that the nomadic lifestyle her parents pursued pushed them and their distant family further apart.

“We did have some time to

Troy, Michigan

Portland, Oregon

“I’m currently coming from a difficult time, Troy was my new beginning.

I like to remember, ‘Let’s keep walking on and hope to reach tomorrow.’”

“I was really young back then and my feet dug into the freshly fallen snow, an imprint of my innocence.”

Chicago, Illinois

“‘Skyscrapers as tall as my courage’ reminded me that you had to have a lot of bravery to live in the poorer areas.”

New Boston, Texas

“What do I remember about Boston?

Boston was awful.” Baima moved twice within New Boston.

Austin, Texas

Oklahoma City, OKlahoma

“The thing I remember most is me in a flower field of daisies. I’m also told I have a really bright smile.”

bond those relationships, but since my parents and I move everywhere, we can’t really pick those relationships up,” Baima said. “In fact, sometimes because of us moving around, those relationships have been ruined. Some of the things my parents have done have ruined relationships.”

Baima plans to continue the nomadic lifestyle with her own family in the future, but in a different way.

“What I will probably do is purchase many properties in many different countries,” Baima said. “I would travel between those every year. That way, I have a stable place to go to, but I’m still getting that nomadic lifestyle.”

Through her many travels, Baima has lived in a multitude of cities, and said that she thinks Troy is one of the most protected ones.

“You are in a safety bubble here,” Baima said. “You have no idea what’s going on out there.

You’re really safe here. A good amount of places where I’ve lived, you’re not safe to go out on the streets at night.”

Baima’s parents divorced after eleven years of travel, and she moved to Michigan with her mother and stepfather. This isn’t the last stop for Baima’s family, and they plan to move to another house relatively soon.

“Most people have that need to settle down and be in the same place because they can do that,” Baima said. “For me, my home is where my heart is. My heart is with my family and those that I love. That’s all I need.”

“My father once told me ‘Carpe Diem’ seize the day - after getting divorced from my mom.” Baima moved twice within Austin.

Del Valle, Texas

“I was called the Queen of Del Valle by my tormentors. I learned to take it all into stride.”

Baima moved three times within Del Valle.

Orlando, Florida

GRAPHIC BY ELIZABETH GRAHAM

“I found myself in those rolling waves. I was just discovering myself and who I was in the world.”

The Voices Issue

‘Life is Too Short to Stay Stock’

5

Seniors Gen Bedrus and Gustavo D’Mello establish the Coolidge Cruisers, an underground cyclist organization with merchandise that includes hoodies and stickers.

BY SARAH FUNK // CO-FEATURE EDITOR Six boys riding down Coolidge unique nickname.

Highway on a variation of monWith these members and othkey bikes, dirt bikes and mo- ers joining in from time to time, peds is not necessarily what the group has gained some popseniors Gustavo D’Mello and ularity. The Cruisers have their Gen Bedrus had in mind when own YouTube channel and even they began their underground merchandise like sweatshirts cyclist organization in 2015. and bumper stickers.

Since then, they’ve managed to “At first we just made up the gather four fellow head riders name as a joke,” Bedrus said. “I who share the same passion of didn’t expect it to get so big. As purchasing, building and riding we started recruiting more inmotorized vehicles and started dividuals into the group, that’s calling themselves the Coolidge when it got serious. We started Cruisers. tearing up the streets of Troy “The Coolidge Cruisers are on our motorbikes. People were an exclusive motor enthusiasts slowly noticing us, and eventuclub” Bedrus said. “Life is too ally we had a little fan base goshort to stay stock. We live up ing. The support keeps us motito our name; we perform the act vated to keep doing cool stuff.”

The Cruisers’ origin story of cruising on Coolidge Highway. Whether it’s a Honda Elite is surprisingly gang-related. moped or a stanced Miata, I’m D’Mello was studying in the PHOTOS COURTESY OF GUSTAVO D’MELLO Senior Gen Bedrus pops a wheelie. always on the move.”

Troy Public Library one afterThe Cruisers all grew up with noon when he was approached apy, to deal with the null and each other around Coolidge by a friend to whom he owed unfortunately all too common Highway. Not only are the money. The friend was with suburban culture we inheritCruisers geoed,” said D’Mello. graphically “We grabbed soclose, but they ciety by the collar “We live up to our name- we also rely on and rode over it perform the act of cruising each other to in our little humdeal with the ming two-stroke on Coolidge Highway. normal trials mopeds.”

Whether it’s a Honda Elite and tribulations Individuof high school al experiences moped or a stanced Miata, life. Together, vary among the I’m always on the move.” the boys have Cruisers, from aged and gone “just cruising I -senior Gen Bedrus from skating to guess; we don’t being “typical do much else” troubled teens” for Salomon and to riding, as D’Mello put it. his “scary gangster neighbor,” “what we all seek in life: the “Despite its negative conno- according to D’Mello, who noble endeavor of the pursuit Senior Gustavo D’Mello rides trails in Ecuador. tation, people in high schools later found out the neighbor of happiness” for Bedrus. all over the country belong to actually belonged to a real “I’ve made new friends, and night rides and participating their love wherever they end a clique of some sort - the ma- gang called the “Woodward I am a happier person,” Bedrus in their favorite event, the up. They hope that the legacy jority just don’t formally have a Greasers.” Inspired by the idea said. “For us, riding is our ther- Woodward Dream Cruise, of the Cruisers is passed down name,” D’Mello said. and pride of the road they call apy. The feeling I get when I hit where they can legally ride from class to class at Troy In addition to D’Mello and home, D’Mello and Bedrus a nice 12 o’clock wheelie is in- whatever they please and show High until “all the gas in the Bedrus, the Cruisers include se- decided to establish a “rival describable. The balance point off on their “enemy’s turf,” ac- world runs out,” Bedrus said. nior Ross Talbert, sophomores gang” as a joke and thus beis a beautiful thing. Plus I nev- cording to D’Mello. The seD’Mello referenced a line Aidan Salomon and Domi- came the Coolidge Cruisers. er have to change my front tire. niors of the group do not plan from a poem by Dylan Thomnic Marra and freshman Jared They then developed into the It still looks like new.” on giving up their passions for as to describe the collective atThrone. Each of the riders has riding group they are now.

The Coolidge Cruisers plan vehicles anytime soon and in- titude of the Cruisers: “Do not “We ride as a sort of thera different modified vehicle and on having a summer full of tend to find others who share go gentle into that good night.”

6

The Voices Issue

Going the Extra Two Miles Sophomore Abby Kerr moves to run on more competitive track and cross country teams.

by Annie Smuts // entertainment editor During the summer before her sophomore year, while most of her friends were going to the beach and enjoying the warm weather, Abby Kerr was packing boxes. She was moving. Kerr went to Troy Athens High School as a freshman and had been looking forward to running track and cross country at a new level, but things didn’t go as planned.

“I was the best runner as a freshman in cross country and distance races in track,” Kerr said.

“There wasn’t anyone within two minutes of me.”

Kerr decided she needed some competition. Then she was invited to join the top Troy High runners at the Nike Cross Regionals Midwest in Indiana. Only the top runners from the Midwest attend this meet.

“I had a chance to go to the Nike Regionals cross country meet with the Troy High team my freshman year and I really liked

the girls on the team,” Kerr said.

That’s when Kerr said it clicked.

She was having issues with the coaches at Athens and loved the girls on the Troy High team; she was going to transfer to Troy High in the fall.

When Kerr came to Troy High, she had to work harder than ever; the competition for varsity spots was intense and the schoolwork was more demanding.

“It’s basically the same classes, but it’s more challenging. The curriculum seems harder,” Kerr said.

“It’s really humbling coming here and being low varsity and having a lot of people that are really fast on the team to look up to.”

This year, Kerr was an alternate on the state cross country team and was able to attend the meet with the team. Though she was not able to run, she said she thought it was a great experience and hopes to run in the meet in the future.

“Training with her teammates over the winter has really helped push her and prepare her for the spring,” girls track and cross country coach Matt Richardson said.

Kerr’s teammates said her attitude and work ethic are what set her apart.

“She’s a really good team person. She’s very nice to talk to before the races because she’s so ‘I love cross country!’” junior Meghan Monaghan said.

Richardson continues to train her so she can compete at the highest level.

“She has already seen some improvements on the track, but I see it every day in practice,” Richardson said. “Not every day is a perfect running day, and not every workout or race is perfect, but by persevering through the bad days and enjoying the good days you learn a lot about yourself and grow as a person.”

Sophomore Abby Kerr runs at track practice.

Student Pursues Career in Dance

Photo by Leah Graham

Junior Olivia Bonich practices six days a week and dances competitively.

BY Patti Kubota // STAFF WRITER Priya Bandstra // staff writer Junior Olivia Bonich knows the struggle of late night dance practices and sore wake-ups all too well. Being a competitive dancer can be demanding, especially when schoolwork and family are added into an already crowded schedule. She dances both in her basement and at her studio, Spotlight Dance Works, in order to achieve her ultimate dream of becoming a choreographer or a professional dancer.

Bonich’s dancing career first started when she was 6 years old.

Since then, she has been dedicated to the sport. Bonich has practice six days a week for five or more hours. They consist of training in many different styles, including her favorites, hip-hop and contemporary. Although Bonich is passionate about dance, the extensive amount of time that she spends in the studio causes her trouble when trying to have a normal teenage life.

“I have no social life and my

grades are not accepting.

I as well as they also love the could be if I teachers. They wasn’t at dance; support me in however, I do every way postry to make time sible. If I have for schoolwork,” to miss dance Bonich said. for school or Bonich folanything, reallows a strict diet ly, they’re very in order to stay considerate in shape. about that.”

“I have carbs Bonich but not cookies finds inspior cakes,” Bonich ration from said. “It’s kind Photo courtesy of Olivia Bonich c onve nt i ons of hard because Bonich does the splits in Times Square. where she when I’m with friends they eat when I’m dancing. I am both hap- takes classes from many different whatever they want. I have to say py and focused,” Bonich said. “The choreographers. no to them whenever they offer feeling of being on stage is electri“Learning all of these different it. Once in awhile I can eat some- fying and gives me so much adren- moves from them made me create thing like that, but mostly I try to aline.” my own moves,” Bonich said. “I’d keep a healthy, maintained diet.”

Bonich has a strong support just go downstairs in my basement Unlike most, Bonich doesn’t get system through her family, friends and make up my own.” overly nervous before going on- and dance instructors.

Liz Schmidt has been instructstage. She has fun and enjoys the “I like all the friends that I meet,” ing Bonich for about three years spotlight.

Bonich said. “Dancers have a spe- and is one of Bonich’s biggest sup“I feel like I’m in another world cial quality to them. They’re very porters.

“Choreographers have to be willing and excited about sharing ideas and pushing boundaries,” Schmidt said. “She should explore and share her ideas whenever given the chance. I think Olivia is smart and I can’t wait to see her really step into her own and move with her own unique style.”

Emily Noel, a junior from Anchor Bay High School, is one of Bonich’s best dance friends. Noel and Bonich have danced together for two years.

“She brings a positive attitude which rubs off as a positive environment. She is very outgoing and hard-working,” Noel said.

Bonich has high hopes for the future and will continue training every day and practicing her technique.

“I picture myself becoming a famous choreographer for concerts and companies and colleges or maybe even on Broadway,” she said.

The Voices Issue

7

The Best of Both

Photo by Leah Graham

Senior Carter Scillion signs with Rochester College on Signing Day on Nov. 14.

Senior Carter Scillion commits to play baseball and bowl for Rochester College in Rochester Hills next year.

BY MADDIE YOUNG // STAFF WRITER

Senior Carter Scillion enjoys the best of both worlds when it comes to athletics. On Nov. 14, he signed to bowl and play baseball for Rochester College.

Scillion began bowling when he was three years old, and his passion for the sport is recognized by both his team and coach.

He was a team captain, had the team’s highest average and was a four-year varsity player.

“He is motivated by winning,” Dave Scillion, Scillion’s father and varsity bowling coach, said. “He is very competitive and wants to be the best there is. He set specific goals for himself early on.”

Bowling and baseball both involve a wide variety of skill sets.

Scillion has no favorite but said he tends to prefer whichever sport is currently in season.

“I like that in bowling there is a team aspect but also an individu-

al aspect,” Scillion said.

Scillion started playing T-ball at the age of five, and he is now a starting catcher and third baseman for the varsity baseball team.

“Baseball is one of the more mental games, which makes it fun,” he said.

Scillion has been a standout due to his strong set of goals that have helped him stay focused and work hard.

“His athletic ability and his competitiveness set him apart,” Dave Scillion said. “He is used to being involved in every play in baseball, and he takes that to the bowling alley too. He is focused on every shot.”

Scillion said he most appreciates the opportunity sports give to create a bond with teammates and have fun with friends.

“Teammates make sports fun,” he said. “It’s fun to hang out with

a lot of good guys every day and just play.”

Junior Aaron Sexton plays baseball with Scillion.

“Carter is a great player and teammate, and he shows great leadership out there,” Sexton said.

“Last year during our regional game, I was pitching and he talked to me about what I needed to do. He helped us all get back to focusing on the game.”

Scillion has grown over the years, but being positive has not always come easily.

“He used to get very frustrated when he didn’t get a strike or missed a spare, and he would let that affect his next shot,” Dave Scillion said. “From freshman to senior year, there has been a drastic change to where he can move on and not focus on the past.”

Learning to do this made it easier for Scillion to enjoy both

sports and improve.

“My biggest obstacle is failure and having to overcome it,” he said. “When you are doing bad it’s always hard to stay positive, but if you keep at it eventually things will turn around, and good things will happen.”

Scillion is also captain of the baseball team.

“It is an honor to be a baseball captain and I take it with pride,” Scillion said. “I try to keep everyone up and get them to give their all and try 110 percent.”

Scillion’s teammates said they pick up on this attitude.

“He just shows us who he is and what to do in the way that he plays,” Sexton said.

Scillion has spent a lot of time with his teammates, and he has made memories he will remember after high school. Scillion recalled how he felt after making a

comeback and winning districts with his baseball team last year.

“I will always remember when we were down to Royal Oak the game before and we came back and ended up beating Athens for the district championship,” he said.

Scillion’s said the lessons he learned in high school have prepared him for success in college.

“I will take away from high school how to be a leader, which is important,” Scillion said.

Hard work and a desire to improve have allowed Scillion to continue doing what he loves.

“Signing for college was really exciting knowing that I could play at the next level,” Scillion said. “I never really thought I could, but as junior and senior year rolled around, I saw an interest and knew that I could. I can’t wait.”

8

The Voices Issue

Humans of Troy High Follow @thechariotnews on Instagram and @thechariot_news on Twitter for further installments of Humans of Troy High, a local spin on the international phenomenon Humans of New York.

BY KATIE BOGDANOVICH // SOURCE EDITOR SARAH SEMON // DESIGN EDITOR SARAH FUNK // CO-FEATURE EDITOR PHOTOS BY LEAH GRAHAM // EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Senior Brandon Davis

Senior Kathleen Young Sophomore Yousif Aly

“Our stepdad took us to the pet store and said, ‘Pick any animal you want.’ So we picked a snake because my brother [senior Islam Aly] is obsessed with them. Its name is Zeus.”

“I was on vacation and there was this thing about beachside yoga, so I went down there by myself because nobody else woke up on time. I went downstairs and there was this old woman. She was also going to beachside yoga, but she didn’t know where to go so I was trying to help her and then we became friends. I saw her like every day for the rest of the vacation. Her name was Meredith.”

“At the beginning, I thought senior year was just going to be like every other year of school, but the mo I realized I should probably take advantage of this last year, of all the stuff that I haven’t done. Everyone about the last year of school. Everyone is moving away. They separate and they don’t really see each o only have about two or three high school friends for their entire life. Most friends you make in college ence some things with my friends now. Everyone gets really comfortable in school. You have school for then you’re expected to go out and be on your own the rest of your life. I was scared of leaving, but n end of the year, I’m just like, ‘It’s okay to leave. Everyone will be just fine where they’re at.’”

Freshmen Samantha Fisher and Julia Considine

SF: “Everything’s gonna have to do with softball because that’s all that’s been on our minds lately. When I batted yesterday, I stole and I was not supposed to, but I got it. I thought it was pretty genius.”

What do you hope to get done by your senior year?

JC: “Good grades.”

SF: “I just want a varsity jacket.”

JC: “Yeah, that too.”

Seni Freshman Malakai Anderson

“Probably finding out new things, that’s what I like to do. Biology is my favorite thing to learn about. I really like learning about life and different organisms around us. Questions like are viruses alive, those are my favorite kind of questions. I love to find out exactly what they mean, but even if you come up with your own answer it can still just be considered a theory or some form of fact. It is just really about how you interpret science.”

“Someo not the because and the omore. underst judgme

The Voices Issue

ore I got into it the more e is getting really anxious other again. Most people e, so I wanted to experir 18 years of your life and now as I get closer to the

9

Freshman Liam Kelly Sophomore Zahra Ahmad

“I basically grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, and then I moved here in third grade.

I did come from the south, so there was that lingo difference. I didn’t know what pop was when I came here. I remember in fourth grade we could bring in a drink because we were watching a movie and my friend was like, ‘I brought some pop.’ She kept referring to it as pop. I had to straight up ask her, ‘What is pop? I don’t even know what that is.’ Then she told me, ‘It’s like Coke,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, soda.’”

Do you say pop or soda now?

“Soda, all the way. No, no pop. That’s not a thing.”

Senior Vedika Aigalikar

“I was at the gym and I was swimming. There was this other Indian guy and he was in his mid-twenties. He saw me working out and he called me over and he was like, ‘Hey, can you teach me what you’re doing here?’ But he was only speaking to me in Hindi. I was really confused because I didn’t know if he was talking to me at first. I actually teach swim, not at that center, somewhere else, and I explained that to him, like, ‘You can take lessons. There’s other places you can do this,’ but he was like, ‘No, I want to learn this right now.’ So I was like, ‘Okay.’ I gave him a couple tips and he kept trying to correct me as I was teaching. I’d be like, ‘Oh, you don’t want to have your fingers separated when you’re putting your hand in the pool,’ and he’s like, ‘No, I think that pulls the water more.’ I kept trying to leave the situation, but he started telling me all about his life, that he came here from India. He was like, ‘Are you also from India?’ And I was like, ‘No, I was born and brought up here.’ It was 20 minutes probably and I kept trying to leave, but he was like, ‘Just give me your contact info and we can meet up another time.’ I was like, ‘No, I don’t want to meet up. I want to leave.’ So I was getting out of the pool and he says, ‘So, same time tomorrow then?’ I told my mom about it and she said he was probably just trying to get free lessons. I think a lot of times when Indian people - because this happens to me a lot - I guess they think that we’re like automatically connected because we’re from the same place. I think it’s good that you have that connection, but also at times this is just really bizarre.”

ior Pooja Gadhiya

one asked me why I’m taking this class because I’m so bad at it. I’m e best at chemistry. I’m taking it as a senior, which is not a good idea e it involves a lot of work and senioritis and stuff. I got my grade back ey looked over and asked, ‘Why are you in this class?’ This was a soph. Normally I’ve been in classes with people in my grade, so they kind of tand, but in chemistry most of my class is sophomores, so getting that ent is just like, ‘Okay, whatever.’”

“So I was walking into the store and I am walking past the cash register. I was going to get some cosmic brownies because I really like them, but walking in I saw this really old lady and she was making weird eye contact with me. When I go to check out all of the cash registers are filled except for hers, so I walk up into her lane and I put my stuff down and she starts asking me these really personal questions about my relationships with girls, like do I have a girlfriend, have I had a girlfriend before. Then she proceeds to almost flirt with me and it was really weird, so I just bought my brownies and left really, really fast.”

Freshman Drew Malotke Junior Katherine Fleming

“You see pictures in NatGeo of nature and animals and everyone’s like, ‘Wow, that’s beautiful and I wish I was there.’ So it’s like, hey, what if I took that, y’know? Makes you feel like it’s real.”

“I play disc golf. I started a while ago with my older brother, but then he quit playing so I took over his discs. Not too long ago I was playing a game with my uncles and starting to play a little more. Recently I was in a tournament with my friend and I have been playing ever since. It is probably one of my most favorite things to do.”

10

The Voices Issue

Junior Goes ‘to the Opposite Extreme’ Junior Danielle Boyer, a self-taught programmer and photographer, does graphic design work for Robotics.

By Kendyl gatzemeyer // marketing editor Elisabeth Andrews // Co-Photo Editor Junior Danielle Boyer went from homeschooling to traditional school last year.

“I kind of went the opposite extreme and now I just enjoy every single thing I commit my time to,” Boyer said. “My parents were against it initially, but I think they’ve seen how good it is for me.”

It was her parents’ decision to homeschool her, but she said it was not the right place for her, academically or socially.

Boyer is in National Honor Society, DECA, track and field and does graphic design for Robotics.

“I drink lots of coffee,” Boyer said. “I don’t sleep, but I enjoy every second of it. I love being busy.”

Boyer won a state medal and a district testing medal for her participation in DECA. She recently qualified to compete in the international competition.

“I like DECA because I love marketing and learning how to become better at communicating

and presenting myself,” Boyer said. “The roleplays help me in being able to talk confidently to the judges.”

She was also recognized as a scholar athlete for maintaining a 3.5 GPA or higher while participating in track and field.

“I love track because running is the only thing I have to destress,” Boyer said. “Running is something that makes me so happy.”

Boyer is also a self-taught programmer and photographer. She is familiar with design programs like InDesign and Photoshop.

She also did stage makeup for this year’s spring musical. Sophomore Meghana Keeta met Boyer through Robotics.

“Sometimes I think she stresses out a lot and pushes herself, but she looks like she’s able to manage all of it,” Keeta said. “She’s amazing. She works so hard.”

Sophomore Leah Flores-Cabrera got to know Boyer through marketing and Robotics.

Danielle Boyer works on a project for Robotics.

“She has an excellent work ethic,” Flores-Cabrera said. “She has a really good drive. She’s really motivated.”

In her first year on Robotics, Boyer was a member of the website team. She helped the club with sponsorship information as well as the official team logo.

“Mostly I work on my computer,” she said. “At meetings, I talk about

my projects with leaders and work on the website with my team. We all collaborate to get things done.”

Boyer is currently working on a new website with the website team and is designing a steampunk shark for the program.

“She’s taken on a lot of responsibility. She’s working really hard,” senior president of Robotics Neelesh Kris said.

Photo by elisabeth andrews

Boyer was involved with Robotics when she was homeschooled, and she officially joined the club after transferring.

“I did Robotics and helped with my sister’s team,” Boyer said. “I am very interested in using my skills for good. I’m very dedicated to the team and it’s just something I’m really passionate about.”

The Voices Issue

A Year Abroad

11 Sophomore Paula Torralba Lacalle spends a year in the U.S. with a host family as a foreign exchange student from Madrid, Spain.

by gabrielle francois // web-editor megan wallace // staff writer Most students have lived in the U.S. their whole lives. They might have gone to a different country once or twice with their families for vacation, but most do not leave their homes to live on a different continent for a whole year.

On her way to the U.S., sophomore Paula Torralba Lacalle was nervous, but was excited for the new experience.

In late August, Lacalle flew to the U.S. from Madrid, Spain, to meet her host family, the Corsellos.

“All of them hugged me and they are so sweet, even from the first moment,” Lacalle said.

She got settled in and all her nerves faded away as she got to know her new family.

“I expected it to be [weird], but she got adjusted so quick that it wasn’t really weird at all,” senior Josh Corsello said.

The next weekend the Corsello family took Lacalle camping to get to know each other better.

“I got the chance to talk to them and ask them everything,” Lacalle said.

Lacalle celebrates Easter with her host family.

As the first day of school came and went, Lacalle observed a few differences between Troy High and her old school back in Ma-

drid. “[At] my old school, you have all your classes with the same people,” Lacalle said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAULA LACALLE

Sophomore Zoe Rouvalis is one of Lacalle’s closest friends.

They met in their math class this year and began a new friendship

Senior Competes in Wheelchair Races

that they both see continuing.

“No one was sitting next to me and she was like, ‘Is anybody sitting here?’ She was super new and I could tell that she was open to conversation,” sophomore Zoe Rouvalis said. “She’s always in a good mood. If you’re in a good mood, then she’s in a good mood.”

Lacalle met sophomore Maddie Zagacki through cross country.

“Then one day at lunch, I asked her if she wanted to sit with us,” Zagacki said. “She’s one of my best friends and it sucks knowing that it’s going to end and I won’t get to see her as much.”

Lacalle will be leaving this June after the end of the school year.

“It will be weird because she makes so much noise. It’s going to be so quiet at home when she’s gone, but I’ll be sad,” Corsello said.

Even though Lacalle will be going back to her family and friends in Spain, she is reluctant to go home.

“I’m going to miss it so much,” said Lacalle. “I just don’t want to leave.”

Senior Brandon Weiss races after he was confined to a wheelchair at a young age due to failed corrective surgery.

by skyla jewell-hammie // opinion editor For most students, getting up for school is an easy, routine event. Waking up to loud, obnoxious alarms and running to the bus is an everyday occurence, but for senior Brandon Weiss, getting up for school is the hardest part of his day.

Weiss was born with difficulties regarding how his body operates.

After failed corrective surgery, he was disabled at 6 years old. To this day, he still needs wheelchair assistance because it is not likely his body will ever operate the way it used to.

“On a good day, I climb out of bed instead of falling out of it,” Weiss said. “I nearly get killed trying to get to my alarm clock before it wakes my brother.”

In elementary school, Weiss said not many kids questioned why he was in a wheelchair. No one in kindergarten had judgements of

him at such a young age. Once he to belong and fit in with the rest of entered middle school, the opin- his classmates.

“That was the first and only ions of his classmates changed.

“I found out that in this mod- time, I would say, that I gave into ern society, you need to prove bullies,” Weiss said. “I finally got them to be yourself,” We i s s quiet. De“Despite their words spite their said. “You have to and actions, I knew I words and actions, I be a part was equally a person knew I was of something in a as they were. Part of equally person as order to racing, for me, was they were. be reof racspected or proving this to myself.” Part ing, for me, treated as an equal.”

-senior Brandon Weiss was proving Weiss this to myself.” discovWhile he enjoys racing, he deered wheelchair racing at the age of nine. When he first started cided to step out of his comfort racing, Weiss said the kids who zone and join Speech 1. were bullying him became fake “For me, it is simply about “friends.” Wheelchair racing gave proving to myself what I can and Weiss an outlet. It gave him a way cannot do,” he said. “If the class

doesn’t like it, then it’s not my problem.”

Weiss was unhesitant to tell the truth about what he feels like in front of everyone in speech class.

“Not only do I get up there, but I do it with a chip on my shoulder,” he said. “I am brutally honest and blunt.

Looking from the outside in, I would say I am focused, determined and motivated.”

Whether he’s getting up in front of a class and giving a speech, competing in wheelchair races, speaking up for himself or sharing his opinions, he is always doing it with a kind of confidence that takes a lot to achieve.

Photo by SKyla jewell-Hammie “I am focused, determined, and motivated,” senior Brandon Weiss said.

Undeveloped

The Voices Issue

12

Junior amateur photographer begins practicing again after adjusting to life at a new school.

BY BIANCA BUCHOLTZ // COPY EDITOR The Salvation Army was packed, with endless aisles of old clothes, furniture and electronics. It was a Saturday afternoon and the line to the registers extended around the store. The electronics table was littered with endless gadgets and old, vintage findings. An old, rundown camera, the kind nobody sees anymore, caught the eye of aspiring photographer junior Jaxen Berkompas.

“There is the cliche of ‘you take pictures to capture something in its truest form’ or whatever, but it is kind of addicting because you get a cool angle on things and you get to capture a cool moment,” Berkompas said. “It’s like, ‘Wow,’ like you never saw that before. It is a different way to look at things and you can experience and look at things through pictures.”

Berkompas has been taking photos since he was in middle school and about two years ago he began to take a more active interest in photography. Not many of

his friends have been introduced to his photography but those who have said he is talented.

“I knew about his interest in photography and he has shown me a lot of his photos and I believe he has a real talent for it,” Royal Oak High School junior Carlos Gibson said.

Junior Juliet Danyal said she’s seen Berkompas’ photos and “he’s really talented, even though he won’t admit it.”

“He used to go around thrift stores and look for cool different cameras and try to fix them and use them for pictures,” she said.

Berkompas moved to Troy last summer from Royal Oak. “Honestly, after moving away from all my friends it kind of unmotivated me to get out there and take pictures,” Berkompas said.

“The amount of pictures I took dropped a lot, almost to none. But when I did take pictures, I found I liked to take ones that were blurry or distorted and I don’t know why.”

Although Troy was only a few miles away, Berkompas said he experienced culture shock.

“Coming to Troy was hard,” Berkompas said. “Royal Oak is not a bad school education-wise, but they don’t pound GPA and stuff as much as they do here. That was a big change. From a social aspect too, Royal Oak is a smaller school and you know everyone and we are all kinda close to an extent. It was definitely weird coming into a school where everyone is in their own little space.”

Berkompas attended Royal Oak High School for his freshman and sophomore years.

“Everybody always hears the quote ‘you don’t know what you have until it is gone,’ but I guess I never really understood the difference between a house and a home until I switched,” Berkompas said.

“Royal Oak is home. You know the streets, you can drive around and see different blocks and you know a bunch of different people

and have so many memories everywhere.”

ROHS junior Jacob Knightstep has known him since the two were in kindergarten.

“Since the move I don’t see him nearly as much as I used to, maybe only once or twice a month,” Knightstep said. “I’m in contact with him over text or Snapchat almost daily. We like to go out driving together, biking, play instruments and just hang out in general. I found out he was switching schools over the summer when he moved to Troy. My reaction was initially sadness followed by happiness because I was glad that he was getting a new experience.”

Berkompas moved to Troy because his parents wanted a different house.

“I like it here,” Berkompas said.

“It was rough at first because of all the new people, but honestly I love Troy now. I feel like I’d be missing out on something if I hadn’t met these people. There are a lot more

clubs here. At Royal Oak you have your basic student government and spirit clubs, but here you have a lot of other cool stuff.”

Berkompas is currently in Longboard Club and Spanish Club. He said he hopes to go into a career in STEM. “I like physics and sciences, which is really weird,” Berkompas said. “Ever since like sixth or seventh grade science just seemed really cool. It’s so cool to me to learn how stuff works because it is applied in everything. It is so interesting.”

Though he doesn’t want to go into a photography career, it is something Berkompas wants to continue.

“I definitely want to do it for the rest of my life,” Berkompas said.

“Maybe not as a career but it is cool to be able to capture moments in time. I guess your future is like an undeveloped photo. You don’t know what it will be like or how it will turn out.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JAXEN BERKOMPAS

After moving, Berkompas began to take photographs that were slightly blurry and distorted, saying his photos symbolize how “you never really know who’s watching you.”

13

The Voices Issue

The Princess Diaries

Senior Zama Buthelezi spends four years with her family in South Africa.

BY SARAH SEMON // DESIGN EDITOR KATIE BOGDANOVICH // SOURCE EDITOR

Senior Zama Buthelezi’s paternal grandfather is the chief of a tribe in Cameroon, technically making Buthelezi a princess.

It started with her grandmother’s funeral, what was supposed to be a quick family visit to South Africa in the eighth grade. It turned out to not be a quick visit at all; her mother told her they would be moving to the country within the week. So, senior Zamashenge Buthelezi- who goes by Zama- packed her things and spent the next four years of her life on a different continent.

“It was a culture shock, definitely,” Buthelezi said.

Buthelezi grew up in a Chicago suburb and vaguely knew of her heritage. Her father’s side is from Cameroon and her paternal grandfather was chief of a tribe, technically making Buthelezi a princess.

Her mother’s side of the family is South African. She had never been to either country before and when she arrived, she was surrounded by extended family she had never met.

“I had met my grandparents and my uncles, but all the family I had were other Africans we knew in the States,” Buthelezi said. “When I met the people I was actually a blood relative to, it was extremely overwhelming.”

For about a year and a half, Bu-

thelezi did not attend school and spent time getting to know her roots. She said starting high school helped her acclimate to the culture.

“I went to a school that was half-Afrikaans and half-English,” Buthelezi said. “It had two mediums of education. I got to know the white side of South Africa and the black side and the Indian side and the Chinese side all at once, and that is not something a lot of people get to know.”

Despite the cultural benefits Buthelezi received from her education, she had a negative outlook on the school system. A 2014 report published by the World Economic Forum ranked the quality of South Africa’s math and science education last out of 148 countries.

“The education system there is the worst one thing,” Buthelezi said. “You know how you learn everything in one year? Imagine taking a test at the end of the year that counts for 100 percent of your grade. It was too stressful for me.”

Modern South Africa is still deeply affected by Apartheid, an aspect Buthelezi noticed through her education. According to the Economist, under the Bantu Ed-

ucation Act of 1953, black pupils received about a fifth of the funding of their white peers. They were taught almost no STEM classes.

Many schools were shut down in predominantly black areas. A study by the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa found that just one out of every 200 black students who start school is anticipated to perform at a high enough level to go on to study engineering. Out of every 200 white kids, ten can expect to pass the same threshold.

“On top of [the education system], I had to deal with, to put it bluntly, racist teachers and classmates,” Buthelezi said.

Before moving, Buthelezi’s mother deliberately sent her to predominately white schools.

“Here, especially being black, black schools don’t have the best education, black children aren’t really looked at as promising as white children,” Buthelezi said. “If I were more submersed in white culture, I would have the opportunities they had.”

Buthelezi said this warped her sense of identity and worldly outlook.

“I started believing that being

white was better,” Buthelezi said.

“When I moved to South Africa, I made my first black friends and I saw that it was the same- I saw that black people had the same potential as white people.”

Being raised by a multitude of cultural viewpoints and in various locations has given Buthelezi a better insight to other people.

“I have seen the lowest of the lows, I have seen the highest of the highs and I have seen people go through the craziest things,” Buthelezi said. “I feel like that makes me more understanding of people.”

Buthelezi encourages her peers to reach out in school.

“Troy is extremely diverse,” Buthelezi said. “People don’t realize there are a lot of different cultures just in one space, like the whole world is right here and we don’t take advantage of that.”

She found herself very distracted outside of schools and realized she wanted to be somewhere that would allow her to gain a strong academic background.

At the time she moved back to the U.S., Buthelezi’s sister resided in Detroit. Knowing that Troy School District was known for

PHOTO COURTESY OF ZAMA BUTHELEZI

their academic prowess, Buthelezi and her sister made the move.

Buthelezi connected with peers and teachers quickly. Math teacher Margaret Slankster has had Buthelezi in class since Buthelezi started at Troy.

“Zama is well-rounded,” Slankster said. “She is intelligent, she is cultured, she has been to a lot of different places and has a lot of experiences that most people do not.”

Buthelezi is also a member of the Troy Social Justice Project.

“You can tell she’s very accepting and wants to reach out by the way she carries herself and by the way she speaks,” fellow TSJP member senior Jordan Jackson said.

Buthelezi is extroverted, constantly making friendly conversation with fellow students and cracking jokes.

“I like talking to people and getting to know people,” Buthelezi said. “What I want to do with my love for socializing is just spread knowledge and the idea that people are good.”

She wants to teach at the elementary level in order to work with the “people who can soak it up the best.”

14

The Voices Issue

PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNA YOUNESS

PHOTO BY LEAH GRAHAM

Artistic Inclinations

PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNA YOUNESS

Sophomore Jenna Youness spray paints at an art fair; Youness performs at Mr. Troy High with the Jazz Combo; Youness works on “Asfoura” with fellow filmmakers.

Sophomore Jenna Youness co-directs a short film.

BY NATALIE SUH // CO-FEATURE EDITOR

She set up the camera to film the art that was about to appear.

The canvas was blank, ready to be transformed. Blue and black hues sprayed the canvas, setting the scene for the galaxy. White was splattered to mimic the stars, while bright greens, yellows and blues were sprayed to create planets in the cosmos. In the end, the canvas remained no more. Instead, a look into the vast galaxy full of stars and moons appeared.

Sophomore Jenna Youness was first exposed to spray paint art while she was walking with her family in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The skyscrapers the street artist created with only pot covers and spray paint inspired her. Through YouTube videos and practice, she learned how to create galaxies and landscapes with a few cans of spray paint and plastic lids.

“I used to draw, but now I do more spray painting than draw-

ing,” Youness said.

She also plays the saxophone.

She started in the fifth grade like most students, but her reason for picking the instrument was slightly different.

“I was obsessed with a song called ‘Mr. Saxobeat,’ which had a really nice sax line in it,” Youness said. “So I chose saxophone to try to sound like the guy in the song playing that sax line.”

She is currently in the Jazz Ensemble as well as the Jazz Combo.

The Jazz Combo is typically made up of more experienced upperclassmen, but her maturity as a musician led her there a year earlier than expected.

“My favorite genre of music is jazz, so naturally I wanted to be in the Troy High Jazz Ensemble,” Youness said. “I auditioned before freshman year and was extremely ecstatic when [director Brian] Nutting said the words ‘you’re in.’

I’ve been in the ensemble since.”

Youness is first chair alto saxophone in Symphonic Band as well as a co-section leader in the marching band.

“Jenna is very talented,” sophomore Concert Band saxophonist Raghav Meini said. “As a musician, she is very focused, but she maintains her light-hearted nature. She puts a lot of expression into what she plays and has accomplished a lot for her age.”

Youness is always looking for new mediums of art to use in order to express herself. This year she got involved with filmmaking through the program “Reel Stories: Empowering Young Women Through the Art of Filmmaking,” which is hosted by the Arab American National Museum.

“I’ve had a passion for film since I was young,” Youness said. “I watched tons of movies and would use a tiny camcorder to make my

own little skits or music videos with my friends.”

Youness’ friend, senior Haya Beydoun, had the chance to see the film.

“The short film is titled ‘Asfoura,’ which is Arabic for bird,” said Beydoun. “It’s about a girl who aspires to be a filmmaker, but her parents want her to be a nurse. I loved the film. It was such a unique take on the struggles of Arab American women.”

The purpose of the film was to showcase female empowerment and Arab American culture. While working with 20 other American girls, Youness also collaborated with another 20 female filmmakers from Palestine over Skype.

“I applied thinking I was just going to learn more about film and such,” Youness said. “Little did I know that I was about to be part of a new family. I loved working with the girls there. We were so similar

and got along very fast.”

The film was premiered at the Palestinian Film Festival in Ann Arbor. After the screening, Youness and three other filmmakers held a panel where they answered questions about the process, the program and the themes in the movie.

“These activities really opened my eyes,” Youness said. “I’ve learned that it’s always better to speak out than stay quiet, and the best way to speak out is through art.”

She seeks out for more innovative art forms.

“Every year there’s something new that I want to try,” Youness said. “This summer I want to work more on my improvisational skills on saxophone. There’s an art project I want to try involving a bucket of paint and my RipStik. Whether my career involves arts or not, I’ll never stop doing what I love.”

The Voices Issue

Chronically Optimistic

15 Physics teacher John Morrison lives an active life despite having multiple schlerosis and diabetes.

BY TRACY CABEJ // PROFILE EDITOR STELLA SPAGNUOLO // STAFF WRITER

Among the pine trees and the blue lakes of the Upper Peninsula, along the trail physics teacher John Morrison was hiking with fellow teachers Robert Zynda and Trevor Smith, something was out of place.

“When we went backpacking, he carried, like, five pounds of goldfish,” Zynda said. “And to lighten his load, there were actually outhouses out on the trail and if you went in and used the outhouse after he had been in there and looked down, it was filled with goldfish. It’s like everywhere he went he left a trail of goldfish.”

Morrison has been backpacking and hiking in places such as Isle Royale and Pictured Rocks. He enjoys it despite the health issues he has dealt with for the majority of his life.

Physics teacher John Morrison talks to students during class.

At age seven, Morrison was diagnosed with Type 1 very rare; he is one of 100 million who had Duchenne Muscular diabetes, requiring him to take to be diagnosed with both Type 1 Dystrophy but refused to let his doses of insulin throughout the diabetes and multiple sclerosis. illness get in the way of his everyday to regulate his blood sugar.

“Sometimes my nerves are al- day life. It made Morrison realize “I’ve had to inject insulin into ways firing and I can’t control it,” everyone has problems and is gome ever since I was seven,” Mor- Morrison said. “Once again you ing through something. rison said. “Now they do it with go to the doctor and the doctor “Somebody that’s about 24 insulin pumps, and it just puts gives you [medicine] to keep you years old is my hero,” Morrison in a little bit of insulin.” as healthy as they can.” said with a thoughtful expression Along with having diabetes, Despite his health troubles, Mr. on his face. he was also diagnosed with mul- Morrison draws inspiration and Morrison lends the same type tiple sclerosis. Morrison’s case is motivation from a former student of motivation to his own students.

enjoyed the jobs that came with it. After graduating from college and marrying his wife, he had two children, Jamie and Sean.

During the children’s early years, he continued to work as an engineer, but between his and his wife’s work, it was difficult to manage everything.

“I worked for one of my vendors where I was the sole engineer,” Morrison said. “My wife was the store manager for Kmart, and we didn’t organize our lives well.”

As a result, he decided to retire and stay home with his kids. His wife was given the opportunity to manage a bigger store and the family moved to Los Angeles. After his youngest child was old enough to enroll in kindergarten, he went back to work, taking jobs such as doing taxes and substitute teaching.

This is how he stumbled PHOTO BY LEAH GRAHAM upon his passion for ed“He will always help you no ucation. After working as a submatter what,” junior Sydney Hy- stitute teacher, Morrison decided att said. “I’m happy I stayed in he wanted to be a physics teacher [his class] because he makes me so he went Oakland University to enjoy physics and I’m enjoying receive a degree in physics. his class.”

For more than 18 years, he has Before discovering that he been teaching at Troy High. wanted to become a physics “He’s fun, energetic and alteacher, Morrison majored in me- ways seems to be one with his chanical engineering at the Uni- students,” junior Quinn Kelly versity of Arizona, and though said. “He always tries to underhe did not like the classwork, he stand.”

248-436-8230

The Voices Issue

Boudon’s Blueprint

16

BY JENNY BOUDON // CARTOONIST

Prom Students