SPECIAL EDITION: Real lives, real students
THE GIRL WE’RE FIGHTING FOR:
Getting to know Karen
Troy High School
Troy, Mich.
Volume 1 Issue 3
Dec. 16, 2015
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Rahee Patel, editor-in-chief AuJenee Hirsch, assistant editor Leah Graham, assistant editor Jenny Boudon, cartoonist Emily Hamilton, graphic manager Soumeeka Koneru, photo manager Bhavya Sukhavasi, web manager Snigdha Suvarna, social media manager Brendan Battle, staff writer Kaitlyn Bogdanovich, staff writer Bianca Bucholtz, staff writer Christina Crane, staff writer Hailey Davison, staff writer Deepthi Devireddy, staff writer Jarrod Fortner, staff writer Mina Fuqua, staff writer Silvia Hoxha, staff writer Sabina Ravindran, staff writer April Rice, staff writer Sarah Semon, staff writer Adam Sliwinski, staff writer Jayna Salk, 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 need to be received one week prior to print publication dates to be included in print.
A Letter from the Editors
The editors explain the concept behind this special edition of The Chariot: The Voices Issue. Dear Readers, There’s a word for the realization that everyone around you is living a life just as deep and vivid and real as your own: sonder. The world has over seven billion people in it, and more stories than can ever be told or remembered, but we do the best we can. Every single person you will ever meet has a story, and we want to give those stories a voice. One of our own, Karen Barrientos, has a story so meaningful and inspiring that we felt compelled to take a deeper look into her life. She is fighting battles that few students can imagine, and we wanted to take this opportunity to get to know her through a personal lens. Of course, once we got involved with her amazing journey, we realized that this experience would best be extended to the rest of the student body as well. This issue of The Chariot is dedicated to finding and sharing the stories that surround us. Troy High itself is a nucleus of diversity and character and complexity, so we are taking the time to feature the voices that blend into the rumble of densely packed hallways at passing time, that have a tendency to get lost if you don’t actively seek them out; the voices that nobody knows about but are very much worth hearing. This issue isn’t about debunking the labels arbitrarily assigned to certain kinds of people or the clichés everyone is tired of having to avoid. This issue is about hidden histories, extraordinary talents, obscure passions, alternative lifestyles or even outrageous senses of humor-- the things you could be missing if you tune out the world around you. Take, for example, one of our favorite films. “The Breakfast Club” was an entire movie about high schoolers finding a way to speak for themselves and to each other. In the span of nine hours, five different stereotypes are explored and unmasked. Asked to write an essay about who they think they are, one of the characters writes,
“You see us as you want to see us. . . In the simplest terms, the most convenient definitions.” Spoiler alert: the point of the story is that there is more to a person than you could ever understand without knowing him or her. Stuck in detention, the kids in “The Breakfast Club” find ways to connect even though they come from different backgrounds and social groups. If we’re going to be here at Troy High until we graduate, don’t you think we should at least get to know each other? It worked out pretty well for Claire, Andrew, Brian, Bender and Allison. Just saying. But how do we get to know each other? People don’t just walk around mumbling their life stories for anyone within earshot to hear. Yes, there are some risks involved and meeting new people is awkward. But part of being a teenager (and being human) is braving the unfamiliar faces and the uncomfortable silences. Our voices matter. They are powerful and they are important. One of the greatest and most heart-wrenching scenes in cinematic history was the result of five teenage actors ad-libbing. Given a chance, people will surprise you in the best of ways. The Editors. Rahee Patel, AuJenee Hirsch and Leah Graham
What Do You See in the Ink? Students participate in Rorschach Tests and share their interpretations of the inkblots shown.
BY EMILY HAMILTON GRAPHIC MANAGER The Rorschach Test has been a popular tool of psychologists since the early 19th century. It is used to determine a subject’s personality characteristics or emotional state. Random students were asked what they saw in the inkblots. IMAGES BY HERMANN RORSCHACH
The Chariot
The official student newspaper of Troy High School www.troychariot.org troynewspaper@gmail.com
“Two people sitting at a picnic table” -junior Erin Cueter “A beetle and two fairies on either side” -junior Julia Best “Two chihuahuas in dresses holding hands” -sophomore Brittany Rose
“A bug”- senior Jennifer Ryu “A bat”- freshman Drew Peluso “A butterfly”- senior Chase Cromwell
“Painting”- sophomore Courtney Little “Storm trooper”- senior Melelani Dunn “Lungs”- freshman Olivia Simone
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Life Is What You Makeup
Sophomores Kaity Roberts and Elena Blatt paint their futures with their own style of special effects.
BY SARAH SEMON STAFF WRITER Movies, Halloween and Instagram. Not exactly things that go together, but some of the world’s most notable creations were made from abstract things. Movies, Halloween and Instagram; the three things that created the team of sophomores Elena Blatt and Kaity Roberts and their passion for special effects makeup. Blatt found special effects makeup through movies like Pirates of the Caribbean and Lord of the Rings, two blockbuster films that required a lot of detail when it came to character creation. Roberts, however, wanted to shake up her Halloween costume. After creating a fake cut with ease, she was both amazed and in love with the process and simply continued. Blatt, wanting to develop her skill, looked to Youtube, the universal guide on how to do most things these days. “I did not really do any lessons to figure out how [to do special effects makeup]. I did go to a makeup camp at one point and they taught us how to do burns, cuts and really mangled arms, but I mostly watched YouTube videos to learn how to do it,” Blatt said. Roberts also turned to YouTube, as well as Google Images and trying out different techniques on her own, to learn. While endless practice and Youtube videos sharpened their skills and gave way to new ideas and experiments, Roberts was the one who created the Instagram account currently named @kalena_makeup23. “I saw her account- she had a makeup account alreadyand I said ‘Hey, I do that too.’ Then she told me the password and it took off from there,” Blatt said. The two have worked in tandem ever since, posting pictures of simple eye makeup or their own creations. Even though they found special effects makeup separately, they have always been friends. They both agree that their shared love of makeup is what drew them closer.
Kaity Roberts morphs her face into a skeleton.
PHOTOS COuRTESY OF ELENA BLATT AND KAITY ROBERTS
Playing with Fire
Students aim for future careers in public safety.
BY BIANCA BuCHOLTZ STAFF WRITER
Elena Blatt creates a comic-inspired pop art look.
Coming up with new ideas, seeing what works and what does not, even common mistakes such as over blendingwhen colors are blended together too much so that it does not look like anything anymore- are all challenges special effects makeup artists face. It may be all fun and gore, but Roberts and Blatt have to deal with these things each and every time they go to create new looks. In the long run, both want to go into the makeup industry. However, getting into the special effects industry proves to be more challenging than one would think. “It is something I love to do. It would be so awesome [to get into the industry], because it is male dominated, being able to say that I am a woman and I can do this,” Roberts said. While Roberts is sure that special effects is her route, Blatt does not really know yet herself. “I am not exactly sure about it yet, I have to explore my options. I think I want to go to school for makeup in general. I am not one hundred percent sure yet but if I end up really good at it then sure,” Blatt said. The factors of new beginnings and change are a big part of why the girls keep coming back to the art time and time again. “I can take it off when it is done; I can look different everyday if I want to- like I could just do something interesting and it comes off. I do not have to be permanent that way. If I wanted to change something, I could and then go back to normal,” Blatt said. Some people find a musical instrument, a sport or a hobby as their outlet for energy and creativity. These two have found special effects makeup and through it they have learned and grown as people. “I have impressed myself and learned to be really proud [of my work]. I am really happy when I show other people,” Roberts said. So whether they are creating gashes or bruises, skeletons or comic book character face makeup, Kaity Roberts and Elena Blatt can and will constantly be creating something to shock us all.
Climbing up ropes with visions of protecting the country, senior Michael Best and sophomores Anthony Amalfitano and Matt Dooley are future firefighters in training. The boys have been apart of the Troy Fire Department’s Junior Explorer Program, a program aimed towards kids who want to pursue a career in public safety. The boys shed light on the experiences they have had. “It is really rewarding that we get to learn valuable firefighting skills as well as information. My dream is to do something for public safety,” Amalfitano said. The boys attend meetings every few weeks and occasionally go to fire stations to train and work with Troy firefighters and learn various areas of the field, including medical procedures, search and rescue and working on cars. “I want to go to Lake Superior State next year and get a degree in fire science and associate degree in paramedic technology and become a firefighter paramedic. I love that firefighting is like a brotherhood. It is less like coworkers and more like brothers,” Best said. The program is designed to connect firefighters to the explorers and begin to build relationships. “My biggest accomplishment happened last year when we had a woman fall at our showing of South Pacific. [Michael, Tony and I] happened to be the first person on scene so [we] helped the woman. I was awarded for it and I am very proud of that. My dream is to be a captain in Chicago. I love helping people and would love to do it for the rest of my life,” Dooley said. They all agree that being an explorer has taught them life skills that they will use in future professions. The three friends all share a passion for learning and helping people and are proud to be explorers. PHOTO COuRTESY OF MATT DOOLEY
Dooley pictured in his uniform.
For more information about joining the Troy Fire department’s Junior Explorer Program, please contact Matt Dooley at djpromatt@yahoo. com, Michael Best at michaelbestschool@gmail. com or Anthony Amalfitano at tonyamalfitano@ gmail.com.
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Behind the Music with Daniel Mulkeran Junior Daniel Mulkeran writes his own music and plays in the group Forrest Trump in addition to his solo band, “Project Melody.”
BY SniGdHa SUvarna Social mEdia manaGEr
pHoto coUrtESY oF daniEl mUlKEran
Even as a two year-old danc“The music I make is ambient muing around in his living room sic. It is my guilty pleasure,” Mulwith his dad’s guitar, junior Dan keran said.“ This particular album Mulkeran always had a passion is about a message I like to keep at for music. Whether it is singing the back of my mind, which is: no at the top of his lungs or strummatter what happens you should ming his bass guitar until his finjust keep going.” For Mulkeran, cregers bleed, Mulkeran has always ating original music often comes had the gift of music within him. from well-known inspirations. “I am someone who enjoys mak“Some of my musical inspirations ing my own music. It is a fun hobby are Marcus Elliott, a saxophonthat I have and learned a lot from. ist from Detroit, whom I worked I have been able to work with some with, Larry Judaism a good mentor great musicians and talented peoof mine and David Gilmour from ple. That makes the experience even Pink Floyd, who is a great guitar more enjoyable,” Mulkeran said. player with a unique way of apAt Troy High School, students proaching music. I also admire Fred may know Mulkeran as the bass Zaflic’s innovative and original way player of his band Forest Trump, of making music,” Mulkeran said. formerly known as If Ands or Buts. Without realizing it, Mul“It was basically just a few friends. keran has become a muWe just wanted to play some musical inspiration himself. sic together. We would write and “Dan pretty much inspired cover songs that we enjoyed. It me to make my own music. He was something fun that we all taught me how to use the computwanted to do,” Mulkeran said. er for making music and not to Sophomore Ian Thompson, use the old school tape machines. one of Mulkeran’s bandmates, He pretty much helped me start was the person who originally Junior Daniel Mulkeran is plays the guitar, bass and piano. He wants to pursue a career in music. my own music,” Thompson said. recruited Mulkeran into the band. With Mulkeran’s “Dan joined the band last April when I met him in multi-instrumental talent and creativikind of like our first date. Once we did play together I Spanish class. I noticed he was wearing a Pink Floyd ty, a successful future in music is awaiting him. realized he complemented our sound and that he would t-shirt and I was like, ‘oh man that is cool.’ He was a “Even though if I want to be a musician I have to make a great bass player for our band. So I put him in.” sophomore and I was a freshman so he was too cool accept being poor initially. I wish I did not have to take Mulkeran is not only working with the band to create for me. So as he told me off and did not talk to me, I money into consideration but I kind of have to,” Muloriginal music, but he also has his own solo band called just kept trying to get his number until we jammed,” keran said. “But in ten years I hope to see myself per“Project Melody.” His fifth album, which was released Dec. Thompson said. “It was just me at the time, so it was forming in the Colosseum for millions of people.” 5, is titled “A Song in our Hearts is a Song that is Forever.”
Senior Student Aspires to the Silver Screen
Screenwriting is a career that most people pursue once they have attended college. For senior Brian Ball, this isn’t the case. Ball is currently employed by a movie production company called Motion Picture Institute of Michigan (MPI). He writes short films and occasionally acts for the company. Ball’s screenwriting process usually takes him three to four days and he gets to choose the topics he writes on. “I like to write about whatever interests me at the time and hope that other people will enjoy it as well,” he said. “Second Chances” is Ball’s most successful movie. The plot takes place in a café where two friends discuss if people deserve second chances in life. This movie, along with “Lampe,” another film by Ball, was shown at the MPI Student Film Festival. The festival took place in October at the Emagine Theater in Novi, MI.
“Film festivals are quite nerve racking,” Ball said. “It’s pretty weird watching yourself on the big screen, but then you add a ton of other people watching you and it makes things weirder.” His favorite thing about film festivals is getting to meet up with the cast again. Ball’s talents are not limited to the screen. He also makes appearances on stage. Ball has performed in two Troy Theater Ensemble productions, “South Pacific” and “And Then There Were None.” Along with these two shows, Ball has also been a part of performances at Ridgedale Players Theatre in Troy and recently acted in role of Lord Capulet in “Romeo and Juliet” during tha Shakespeare in the Park event. Whether it’s on screen or off screen, Brian knows how to take the spotlight.
pHoto coUrtESY oF Brian Ball
Brian Ball creates screenplays and several of his movies have been shown at film festivals around Michigan. BY EmilY Hamilton GrapHic manaGEr
Ball’s most successful film is “Second Chances.”
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Taking Center Stage
5 Mark Auger continues his dancing career despite discrimination.
BY Bianca BUcHoltZ StaFF WritEr
pHoto coUrtESY oF marK aUGEr
A young boy sits in front of the TV mesmerized as he watches “America’s Got Talent,” dreaming of one day being the dancers he sees on the screen. At the age of twelve, sophomore Mark Auger woke up with a passion to dance and has since spent nearly six hours a day, six days a week training to perfect his technique and master his craft. Auger lives the life of a typical teenager. Every morning he wakes up at 7 a.m. and goes through the motions of high school until the final bell rings, only what he does next is something quite unique. Auger is a dancer for Juliana’s Senior Line Dance Team, a team that has recently won several awards. Auger started dancing after years of wanting to be who he is now. “I started making videos of myself singing. I wanted to choreograph to the songs I would sing,” Auger said. “I Sophomore Mark Auger holds his partner in the middle of a duet performance at the Hall of Fame Dance Competition. asked my mom to enroll me in classes with my cousin and that is how it all started.” Although he has had great achievements in like girls even though I am in styles like ballet. Every day he trains to reach new heights and his dance career, he faces difficulty with the fact Sexism just applies stereotypes toward male dancachieve new strengths. He works to the exthat he is a male dancer. Men in dance, especialers, and it never should. I experience sexism all tremes to be a well trained dancer. His first class the time and stereotypes are constantly placed ly young men, face sexism and judgment for being consists of 30 minutes of cardio, 30 minutes of upon me for what I do. What I do is what I love dancers. Auger talks about how names get thrown warmups and several exercises to get his and and people should not be concerned about me.” his teammates warmed up and hearts racing. He hopes that he can overcome sexism in dance and Though he puts all efforts into his abilities, he still has to wants to make a difference in the fight against diswork hard to be a good student as well as a good dancer. crimination as a male dancer. Auger plans to contin“I have a really tough schedule. I go to school from ue dancing and believes he can go far with his career. seven to two and dance from four to nine Monday “My dream is to teach kids around the world through Saturday. I am still able to get homework who want to dance but cannot afford it. I want to done and get good grades because I love what I do teach at dance conventions and travel around the and staying in school will push me to be a better world teaching kids,” Auger said. “After college person,” Auger said. “I really want people to realize I want to go straight into teaching at a dance stuthat dance is a sport. Most people do not realize how dio and make my way to teaching at conventions.” much and how long we work out. People do not unAuger is known for being a strong and passionate derstand the time it takes and the money it costs.” dancer who wants to share that with the world. He Auger’s dedication has allowed him to go after wants to show kids that they can accomplish their bigger things. After only dancing for three years, dreams, just as he has. Auger loves dance and creAuger has accomplished things most young dancating art with his body. Dance for him is a form of ers can only dream of. His most recent accomexpression, a release of stress. It is something that plishment was receiving a scholarship to West makes him happy, something that he loves to do. Coast Dance Explosion, where he won Best Male at him so easily, even though they are not true. “What I love about dance is the passion and the Dancer Of The Year 2015. His hip hop dance crew, movement. Dance makes me happy and I never “People always want to apply the word gay to “Mission Accomplished,” had the opportunity to want to miss out on it. It shows how unique people someone who dances,” Auger said. “I believe a title dance with the Pistons Mob Squad. He also made move and tell stories with their bodies. I love what I should never be placed upon someone just from it through four rounds of “America’s Got Talent.” do,” Auger said. what they do. Personally, I know for a fact that I
“I experience sexism all the time and stereotypes are constantly placed upon me for what I do. What I do is what I love and people should not be concerned about me.” -Mark Auger
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Colt of the Year Looks to Swim After Leaving Troy High Michelle Wang will continue to swim after breaking two high school swimming records with passion and hard work.
BY HAILEY DAVISON STAFF WRITER
PHOTO BY FLORA TAN
“She amazes me at what she does as a swimmer and her motivation to be in the water; I have always wished I could be her,” senior Katie Lewandowski said. This is just one of the many statements made about varsity swimmer senior Michelle Wang, as she poses as an inspiration for many people on and off the team. Michelle has been swimming since she was seven years old and has been devoted to it ever since. Before then, Wang was not sure what sport was the best fit for her. “My parents were determined to find something that I was interested in. I tried so many sports like tennis, figure skating and dance, yet the only sport I was interested in was swimming,” Wang said. To get to Wang's level requires a lot of work to be in outside of school. Michelle Wang midstroke competing in the States Meet in Holland, MI. “Swimming is a year around sport. I swim every
day except for three weeks out of the year. It requires daily practices, usually with two a day,” Wang said. The hard work Wang has put in during her four years of swimming at Troy High has earned her two Colt of the Year awards, a scholastic all-American honor for her times and grades. She has also broken two school records. Wang’s tenure as a Troy High swimmer may be coming to an end but her career as a swimmer is not. “I plan on swimming in college and will further train as I always have,” Wang said. As a child, Wang never thought swimming would have such a major impact in her life in high school and beyond. “Swimming has definitely been a huge part of me as a person. I have met my closest friends through swimming and it has taught me so many life lessons and qualities I will always possess,” Wang said.
Varsity Tennis Co-captain Relearns How to Play Chris Chen teaches himself to play tennis with his other hand after finding out he has a chronic condition.
BY DEEPTHI DEVIREDDY STAFF WRITER When he was twelve years old, senior Christopher Chen was diagnosed with a condition called tenosynovitis in his right hand. From a medical standpoint, this meant that Chen’s tendon sheaths were inflamed from repeated impact. From a personal viewpoint, this meant something far more impactful to Chris: he couldn’t play tennis anymore. “At the time I found out about my condition, doctors couldn’t operate on it or treat it because I was too young, so it was never really an option for high school tennis,” Chen said. In order to treat this condition, through either surgery or an ultrasound method, the patient must be 18 years old. When Chen found out about his condition, he was playing junior tournaments through the United States Tennis Association (USTA). “I kept playing for a while after I found out until the pain got really bad,” Chen said. “Then, I ended up stopping and getting therapy. Mentally, that’s when reality really hit me. I don’t think it quite hits you until the huge lifestyle change happens with anything like this.” After Chen was diagnosed, he had to make a choice. He could either let go of the sport he loved, or he could start from scratch and learn it all over again with his left hand. “You kind of have to weigh how passionate you are, and how desperately you want to keep the sport,” Chen said. After Chen decided to continue pursuing the sport he loved, each basic task became an obstacle. “My first job was to just get the ball back over the net,” he said. Since Chen was making a complete switch over to his left hand, he faced many physical, as well as mental, issues. “My left forearm was incredibly weak. It was the summer when I picked back up, so staying patient and not blaming myself after a bad practice or a bad cramp was definitely a struggle,” Chen said. From a technical perspective, there were also many new adjustments Chen had to make. “It was frustrating because I lost a lot of feel and a lot of
PHOTO BY MEGAN FALK
control because of hand dominance, so I would never hit it where I wanted. I also had to switch to a one-handed backhand. Even playing now, I’m not super comfortable with my feel,” Chen said. Although Chen was forced to put in many extra hours on the court, there was also a lot of work to do off of it. Therapy was helpful, but Chen built up much of the strength he needed by himself. “It was mostly on my own; tennis takes a lot of major and minor muscles, so weightlifting isn’t always effective, sadly. So the hard path, basically a lot of repetition, was the only way,” Chen said. Throughout all these obstacles, Chen had a lot of support from the people around him. “My coach, Curt Smith, was really understanding and kind throughout the ordeal. He would extend his lessons for free to help me with his own time,” Chen said. “[He], along with my parents and my therapists, supported me so much just by understanding. I probably wouldn’t have made it through without them,” Chen said. “Chris has always been a great kid. He’s worked so hard from day one and I’m happy to have helped him along the way. Not a lot of people could have done what he did,” Smith said. Now, five years from when he was first diagnosed, Chen is a co-captain on the varsity tennis team, along with seniors Kevin Fietsam and Michael Faber. “I definitely gained a lot of perspective and appreciation for everyone on the team, because you see just how hard everyone has worked to get where they are,” Chen said. “For me, I really cherished the last few months; after being that close to quitting, you kind of just look around and feel happy that you’re even there.” Chen had one piece of advice for anyone facing a similar struggle. “Even if the outcome is most likely failure, or worse, if you’re passionate enough, it’s always worth going for it, no Senior Chris Chen serves the ball with his left hand in a match during the 2014 boys tennis season. matter how daunting it looks.”
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By the Numbers: Girls Varsity Soccer Statistics As the high school soccer season quickly approaches, the Troy High Varsity soccer girls share the numbers that make up their lives as soccer players.
BY BHAVYA SUKHAVASI STAFF WRITER
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GRAPHIC BY ADAM SLIWINSKI
Average number of years a varsity soccer player has played soccer.
The average number of teams played on prior to high school.
2.5
Average number of cleats bought per year.
$2500
Average amount that playing with a soccer club costs per year.
Rolling Down a Different Path Sophomore Sara Pope discovers an alternative pastime by learning how to play a new sport and joining a roller derby team.
BY APRIL RICE STAFF WRITER
PHOTO BY GREG DUNN
Many students may have have a person called the childhood memories of jammer that tries to get by playing popular sports like and lap the other team as soccer, basketball or footmany times as possible to get ball, but for some students points. The goal is to block nontraditional sports are the opponent’s jammer but more appealing. Many stualso help their own jammer dents think those are the get around. only sports that exist, but Pope had to learn the there is a wide variety of fundamentals of the sport sports to choose from. before fully getting into the Sophomore Sara Pope is game. one of the many students “I remember first learning who found a nontraditionhow to skate and I looked al sport interesting when like Bambi out there, and it she tried out for roller dertook me about a month to by. Pope was asked by her finally skate without falling,” friend Caitt, who told her Pope said. “I got the wind about a junior league in knocked out of me at one Troy called the Darlings point.” of Destruction (D.O.D.). Even though she loves Pope thought about it and the sport, she does not plan felt it would be really fun on doing this forever as she to give roller derby a try. wants to help people by be“I have been doing roller ing a physical therapist. BeSophomore Sara Pope skates with her team in a roller derby match in Troy’s Darlings of Destruction junior league. derby for a year,” Pope said. ing different and thinking “I practice two to three times a week.” outside of the box helped Pope find a sport she can ened something different and I like roller skating Pope was not drawn to the main sports like softball, joy and dominate in. Roller derby has made her more a lot, so I found a sport that had to do with it.” basketball or lacrosse. aggressive and confident not just in her sport, but in Roller derby requires endurance and agility. It con“I do not like a lot of basketball and I was not life. Pope encourages other students to break the mold tains a lot of physical activity as players are trying to into that kind of sport,” Pope said. “I really wantand find what they love. play offense and defense at the same time. Both teams
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Karen Barrientos: the
Since her diagnosis, junior Karen Barrientos’s fight against Hodgkin’s lymphoma has inspired the student body, raised thousands of dollars and even made th
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veryone is crying. Except, of course, for the doctor, who stands by dutifully in her white lab coat. It is Wednesday, Oct. 28, and junior Karen Barrientos has just been diagnosed with cancer. In a private room at St. Joseph’s in Pontiac, language teacher Dr. Angie Griesmann broke the news to Karen’s father and stepmother in their native Spanish. “That was the toughest part, because any parent will tell that the biggest pain they will suffer in their life is knowing that their child is not well,” Griesmann said. “Karen’s dad, of course, was trying to be strong.” Griesmann came along to translate for the family. Karen is in Troy High’s ESL program. She was born in El Salvador, and at age 19, she has lived only a small part of her life in the U.S. “My favorite memory from El Salvador is being with my family,” Karen said, with Griesmann translating. Her mother remains there and takes care of Karen’s threeyear-old son. They stay in contact through Skype. Karen says she would like to be with her family in El Salvador, but not now because “it’s dangerous there.” In fact, the country is one of the most violent on the planet, according to statistics from the United Nations. El Salvador is racked with gang violence, and is on track to surpass Honduras as murder capitol of the world. Karen came to the U.S. with her father nearly three years ago, and now lives with him and her stepmother in Troy, along with her siblings. When the family went to St. Joseph’s that first time, they had expected a routine appointment to get antibiotics for what they thought was an infection on Karen’s neck. “We never thought it was going to be this serious,” Griesmann said. “But I wonder if [the doctors] suspected something right away because everything moved very, very quickly. An hour after we got there, Karen already had her blood test done and she was waiting to be taken to have a PET scan of her chest. Just an hour later.” The final diagnosis was Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer caused by oversized mutated cells crowding out healthy ones in the lymphatic system, which is part of the body’s immune system. According to the National Cancer Institute’s SEER database, the survival rate for young adults is around 80 percent. That would be fairly reassuring to most TOP: The crowd cheers for Karen when she makes a surprise appearance at the people, but chemotherapy drugs are exdodgeball tournament on Dec. 7. MIDDLE: Karen stands beside her teacher Kelsey pensive and Karen’s family doesn’t have Witt, overcome with emotion. BOTTOM: Participants line up on the court, ready to play. health insurance. To put the cost into perPHOTO ILLISTRATION BY HAILEY DAIVDSON AND ADAM SILWINSKI
spective, according to New York’s Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, “the [average] price is around $10,000 per month” of cancer treatment. Additionally, “one in 10 cancer patients report spending more than $18,000 out of pocket on care.” Cancer doesn’t just wreak havoc on a person’s body; it’s a financial black hole, too. Karen would spend the entire night of Oct. 28 at St. Joseph’s, laying in a hospital gown on the white starchy sheets, unable to sleep in between the additional tests and various nurses popping in and out. Doctors began to plan her medical regimen and schedule her treatments. On Monday, Nov. 16, Karen had surgery to insert a mediport in her chest for chemotherapy. She started chemo a little over a week later. It’s expected to take about four months to complete, and Karen’s hair will likely fall out. She won’t be returning to school for some time. “I miss everything about school,” Karen said. “I miss my friends, my teachers.” Like most teenagers, she stays in touch with her friends by texting. In most ways, Karen is just like the typical student. She likes to hang out with friends and take photos; her celebrity crush is Prince Royce, a Latin American pop star; she enjoys her job at Capital Grille, where chocolate is the only dessert on the menu she doesn’t like. She played soccer with a dozen other girls back in El Salvador, traveling to different towns to compete against different teams; her favorite pro footballer is James Rodríguez, a midfielder for Real Madrid. When she grows up, she wants to be an immigration lawyer because she wants to help people. But since the diagnosis, things have changed. “Now everything is different,” Karen said. “Having this illness has changed me.” Others have noticed the difference in Karen as well. “In class, she likes to joke and her face will light up, and she had an energy and excitement for her life that you can see the moment you see her,” ESL teacher Kelsey Witt said. “Karen definitely likes to tease me as well, and she’s always trying to make people laugh around her. But, when I saw her recently, she seemed zapped of her energy and just drained. That enthusiasm is just so much a part of who she is that it’s hard to see her not feeling well.” Witt has been one of Karen’s teachers for the past two years. She says that her classes have been dramatically affected by Karen’s absence. “Class is definitely much quieter without
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e Fight of a Lifetime
he local news; but her life story begins a full 19 years before that fateful night in the emergency room at St. Joseph’s Hospital. her there, and I think they notice and especially this week, we’ve been working with the fashion classes to make headbands to sell and posters to advertise, we’ve had her on our mind,” Witt said. “Sometimes I feel like, what in the world am I doing? Teaching a story when one of my students is struggling like this. It just feels a little weird. Sometimes class feels awkward or quiet, especially when Karen comes up or we talk about it. It’s definitely quiet without her.” Karen’s family has also been affected by the diagnosis. The everyday dynamic within the family has slanted to revolve around Karen and the ceaseless concern about her wellbeing. They don’t sleep as peacefully as they did before that night at St. Joseph’s. However, the Troy community has rallied around Karen in an unprecedented fashion. The Believe in Miracles Foundation will take Karen on a shopping spree at Somerset Mall. The charity, which was started in 2005 to help Jenna Kast, another cancer patient, provides gifts for Michigan children with life-threatening medical conditions. When Karen was asked what she wanted to buy on her shopping spree, she grinned and answered sheepishly, “Everything.” She giggled and then clarified. “My favorite stores are Express and Victoria’s Secret,” she said. “But I really want to get jewelry, something special, like a ring.”
Troy High School specifically has surpassed many people’s expectations of charity. “I’m impressed that the school is grabbing hold of fundraising so excitedly,” Witt said. “I hope that the experience of empathizing with someone you don’t know will get people to challenge their own perceptions of other people and even other student groups. The idea that so many people had kind wishes and kind thoughts toward her can be a little overwhelming for Karen. She’s got a lot going on and to think about the people who are thinking about her can be kind of a lot.” While she is out of class, Karen hasn’t forgotten about the brown brick building sprawled across Northfield Parkway, and THS wouldn’t forget about her, either. In the middle of November during the morning announcements, Personal Communications teacher Harriet Clark advertised a school-wide dodgeball tournament, the first of many fundraising efforts to pay for Karen’s treatment. “She’s one of us. She’s a colt. We’re going to show her what it’s like to be a member of the Troy High family,” Clark said. “This is all for Karen, for one of us.” A little over a month after that dark night in St. Joseph’s, the bleachers in the Troy High gymnasium were packed with students in multicolored shirts that read “Dodging Cancer.” Kids from the Personal Communications class stood on the court, trying to manage the chaos of over 460 participants on 38 teams ready to play. The microphone shifted from staff member to staff member, each one attempting to silence the crowd and failing, until it found its way into Karen’s hands. No one expected her to be there; Griesmann brought Karen along to surprise her. The random chatter became a uniform cheer as everyone in the gym rose to their feet, giving Karen Barrientos and her battle against Hodgkin’s lymphoma a standing ovation. Karen is crying again, but this time the tears are happy ones. She tries to speak into the mic, but the deafening roar from the stands is overwhelming in the best way possible. The message is clear. No one fights alone.
BY LEAH GRAHAM EDITOR
EvEry DOLLar COUnTS
The community has been raising money to help pay for Karen’s treatments.
BY AuJENEé HIRSCH EDITOR Upon learning that senior Karen Barrientos had Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the community decided to take a stand and help her fight cancer. Students and faculty around the school have been donating money to achieve the goal of $20,000. Here is what has been raised so far:
“now everything is different. Having this illness has changed me.”
-Junior Karen Barrientos
Karen’s three-year-old son lives in El Salvador with Karen’s mom, who cares for him while Karen is getting her education in the U.S. PHOTO BY LEAH GRAHAM
On Dec. 2 students dressed in purple. For every student dressed in purple Stugo donated $1 to Karen. The first Purple Out raised $1,000. Stugo has been selling purple t-shirts for $10 to help raise money for Karen. The t-shirt sales have currently raised $3,000. On Dec. 4, THS seniors decided to let themselves be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Rent-A-Senior raised $3,000.
The week of Nov. 30, various restaurants around Troy donated a portion of their sales to Karen. Restaurant week raised $1,000. The Personal Communications classes decide to put on a dodgeball tournament for Karen. So far they’ve raised $6,000 helping Karen dodge cancer.
To see the complete list of fundraisers and an update on the amount of money raised for Karen, visit troychariot.org.
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Put a Word to the Feeling Students share their “wordless” experiences. BY SILVIA HOXHA STAFF WRITER Since 2009, graphic designer John Koenig, the creator of “The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows,” has been inventing words “to give a name to emotions we all might experience but do not yet have a word for.” Koenig’s words have the sole purpose to fill in holes in the English language. “Each word actually means something [in terms of its origin],” Koenig said on his website, “having been built from one of a dozen languages or renovated jargon.”
If you have ever said... “When I walk around I realize that everybody else has their own problems and situations to deal with, too,” junior Jordan Jackson said. Dehaan during her summer pilgrimage to Taiwan.
PHOTO cOuRTESY OF SARA DEHAAn
There and Back Again Sara Dehaan returns to the country she left as an infant.
BY SILVIA HOXHA STAFF WRITER When senior Sara Dehaan was only a few days old, she was abandoned on a set of steps in Thailand by her birth mother. She lived in an orphanage in Bangkok for two years before she was adopted by her parents and brought to Michigan. “I feel happy, because Bangkok has a very high crime rate, so it is really dangerous to live in that city,” Dehaan said. “I am happy that my parents adopted me because I have a home, clothes and everything.” Thailand does not always have the safest conditions with its crime rate, and Dehaan compares the two countries she has lived in with contrasting views. “I realized that poverty is a huge issue around the world,” Dehaan said. “There were people on the street begging, and a lot of people did not have homes. It is just kind of a reality check on how good I have it in [America].” Dehaan went on a trip to Bangkok over the summer, where she revisited her past and had to face the harsh truth of the country.
“People are way more conservative than they are here in America, and they are controlled by a lot of people. Here we can express ourselves,” Dehaan said. While there, she was also able to pay a visit to the orphanage her parents adopted her from. “I saw the people that used to take care of me. I saw kids that did not have any family,” Dehaan said. “I think I am more open and understanding to a lot of things now.” Although her past has shaped who she is as a person today, Dehaan has also recently overcome one of the biggest obstacles in any teenager’s life: “Surviving high school. Also, getting accepted into college,” Dehaan said. Just like any student, she is thinking about her future and possible career options, but Dehaan knows that one day she wants to give back to the cause that gave her the life that she has today. “I think I do want to adopt someone [in the future] to help them out, like my parents did for me,” Dehaan said.
“Sometimes I look around and I see how people interact, talk and dress. I think the world is a wonderfully diverse place and I am just small,” science teacher John Morrison said.
You are experiencing... Sonder - The realization that each passerby has a life as vivid and complex as your own.
Occhiolism - The awareness of the smallness of your perspective.
“I like the feeling of used book stores. They make me happy,” junior Clay Sheko said.
Vellichor - The strange wistfulness of used bookshops.
“There are moments in conversations that I do not want to bring up certain parts of my life because no one else can relate to it,” junior Ross Talbert said.
Exulansis - The tendency to give up trying to talk about an experience because people are unable to relate to it.
“Sometimes I will make up conversations with other people in my head that will never happen,” senior Emma Zentera said.
Jouska - A hypothetical conversation that you compulsively play out in your head.
“I took an AP Human Geography class, and I realized too late that it was really hard. I wish I could have told my past self not to take it,” junior Preetika Gudipudi said.
Énouement - The bittersweetness of having arrived in the future, seeing how things turn out, but not being able to tell your past self.
Colts Spend Time Giving Back Troy High students discuss their extra curriculars.
BY MInA FuQuA STAFF WRITER
PHOTOS BY MInA FuQuA
Freshman Laura Nicolas Synchronized swimmer Artist Plays ukulele and guitar Writes songs Environmental activist
Senior Maddie Falk Student Government Cross Country and Track Youth group at church Works at Troy Gymnastics Member of Student to Student and LINKS
Junior Laura Pryde Plays the flute in Symphonic band HOSA member Mission trip to Jamaica in previous year Church volunteers Member of Spanish Club
Sophomore Martina Rabajoli Sophomore Student Government representative Peer mediator Summer in the City volunteer JV volleyball player
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The Hallway Philosopher: Finding Happiness in the Little Things Senior James Kim maintains his optimistic outlook on life through his struggle with Graves’ Disease and having to retake his classes from junior year.
BY KATIE BOGDAnOVIcH STAFF WRITER Senior James Kim walks into the lunchroom, sits down at a table full of strangers and asks, “What are your passions in life?” Not a question a typical student would normally ask, but then again James Kim is no typical student. James’s personality is not the only rare thing about him. He is a super senior, which means he should be a senior this year getting ready to graduate, but medical reasons pushed that back a year, causing him to retake his junior year. “I have hyperthyroidism, also known as Graves’ disease,” Kim said. This disease is a condition in which the thyroid gland produces too much hormone thyroxine, causing hormones and metabolism to act irregular. “In short, it made me really tired and fatigued all the time.” Students every day come to school expressing how tired they are, but what Kim went through was double that. “I could not keep up with any of my
school work,” Kim said. “At first I did not think anything of it, but I just could not figure out why I was so tired all the time.” Finally Kim’s parents took him to the doctor to find the reason behind this. After given the diagnosis and medications, he decided in December to take the rest of the year off. He even had to go through radioactive treatment. For most students this might stress them out and put them off track, but Kim saw this in a different way. Where most would see this as a setback, Kim took this as an opportunity to reflect on everything and sort things through. “To be completely honest I feel lucky, because during all of that it gave me space to catch my breath and to mature as a person,” Kim said. “Then returning to school I gained a greater sense of purpose as to why I am here and why I am doing this every day.” Behind this medical condition is a person of all sorts of colors. With a mentality
based on “finding happiness in the simple things,” Kim has not let his situation bring him down. He has taken this opportunity to take a new outlook on life. His first question to a group of random strangers was about their passions in life and when asked the same thing himself, he had a few ways to answer it. “The most calming things to me are the little things like sticking your hand out the window on a car ride or making paper cranes,” Kim said, even though he admits he does not know how to make them. Regardless, he still enjoys them. “The idea of moving to San Francisco or Hawaii one day is really cool.” Another interest of his is not so much something do, but something more abstract and intangible. “Well, I really admire progress,” Kim said. “I really respect the people who are always trying to make themselves better, and are not afraid to do so. Even I will admit I am afraid of that and struggle with it
at times. But the whole idea of progress or evolution as a person is really neat to me.” People like James are sometimes hard to find. They are the kind of person you hear about and automatically smile because you know they are full of greatness. PHOTO BY SOuMEEKA KOnERu
Senior James Kim says he feels lucky to have had time to develop perspective.
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Not So Perfect Leah graham anD rahee PateL eDItorS
Many high school students believe that scoring well on standardized tests is the key to overcoming college anxiety. Getting a 33 or higher on the ACT puts a person in the top one percent of all test takers, and last year alone Troy High had six perfect scores. Here is what some high scoring students had to say about their day-to-day worries. “One score isn’t enough to make my whole application. I feel like I can’t relax yet, like I can’t take my foot off of the gas. It’s hard to keep everything balanced, but there are certain parts of my life I’d never be willing to give up, like playing soccer. Even though it’s a huge time commitment, it lets me hang out with my friends and get away from the stress of academics.” -JunIor eLIZaBeth graham
“I might be the most insecure person I knowbig groups of people, public speaking and meeting new people all make me nervous. I’m also terrified that nobody will like the yearbook, and that I’ve spent two hours every day all year working on a project that will be a big disappointment. It’s kind of ironic, but scoring well on standardized tests might have made me more insecure, because now everyone has really high expectations for me that I’m not sure I can fulfill. People want to know why I haven’t applied to any out of state colleges, and while it’s great that they think highly of me, it does add a bit of pressure to live up to their expectations.” -SenIor erIn mItCheLL
the chariot
Snapchat Savant Marvin Jiang is a freshman in AP Statistics and is notorious for his Snapchats.
Soumeeka koneru Photo manager The average student walks into high school at the beginning of ninth grade to begin their high school career. Troy High School freshman Marvin Jiang took his first high school class in seventh grade. “My first time going to high school in seventh grade was super weird,” Jiang said. “I think it is how freshmen are supposed to feel when they first enter those doors.” Jiang is now a ninth grader in an AP Statistics class; however, when he was in elementary school he was failing many of his math tests. “Even in fifth grade I got sixty percents on each test,” he said. When Jiang was in fourth grade his mother asked his teacher for advice on allowing him to test out of pre-algebra. His teacher did not agree with the idea of a test-out exam and even called Marvin’s mother to tell her so. Although his teacher did not recommend him taking the testout exam, Jiang took it anyway. “That teacher and what she told me [motivated me]. I tried to prove her wrong,” Jiang said. Jiang’s first attempt at proving his teacher wrong was unsuccessful. He failed his first attempt to test out. Despite the initial failure, Jiang proceeded to try to test out two more times. “I saw all of my friends [doing well] and took it as a goal to get better [at math],” Jiang said. “Every summer, while everyone was out on vacation, I was stuck at home doing math problems
and studying for test-outs.” Jiang’s constant studying of math problems and formulas paid off as he ended up passing the additional test-out exams that he took. The large amount of work Jiang put into math never made him bored of the subject. “My affection for math actually developed as a byproduct of doing so much,” Jiang said. “[I love math because] I like being introduced to new concepts and applying what I have learned before to learn even more.” For Jiang, math has also helped him out with other aspects of high school. “Math helped me understand the environment of Troy High School classes so I understand how to study,” Jiang said. “I feel pretty comfortable now, and in Stats I have made friends like [junior] Jacob [Overberg].” Along with math, Marvin Jiang credits his Snapchat addiction in helping him get accustomed to high school. “Snapchat is an innovative way to build relationships. It gets rid of all awkwardness of texting and talking in person,” he said. “I have made most of my friends I have now in high school from Snapchat.” Jiang has proven to be just as advanced with Snapchat as he is in math. He has a streak with about 45 people on Snapchat. “I guess the streak can represent the growth of my friendship with them,” he said. Marvin Jiang is making his way through high school one math problem and one selfie at a time.
“Every summer, while everyone was out on vacation, I was stuck at home doing math problems and studying for testouts.” -Freshman Marvin Jiang
“Before I felt like studying for [standardized tests] was super important but looking back I think that once you get a feel for what is on the test there isn’t much more you can do to prepare. College applications are stressful so the earlier you can get them done the better, and your essays and transcript are almost certainly more important than your test scores.” -SenIor Leo mCmanuS
.”
graPhICS BY Soumeeka koneru
PhotoS CourteSY oF marVIn JIang
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The Girl who was Born to Ball
Photo BY rahee PateL
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Freshman Caitlin Smith has dedicated her life to playing basketball.
BY mIna FuQua StaFF WrIter Since dribbling her first ball at the age of two years old, freshman Caitlin Smith has always had a love for basketball. Growing up with a family who has extreme passion for basketball, Smith was bound from birth to play an active role in the game. Even during her early adolescent years, Smith’s father always instilled in her and her brother, junior Isaiah Smith, that they would become basketball stars. As a child, Smith’s father and uncle played a very active role in coaching the siblings. Not only does Smith have a family full of basketball fanatics but her uncle even orchestrates basketball camps and announces for the Detroit Pistons. Throughout her life, Smith has spent a lot of time at the Palace watching every home game that she and her family were able to attend. During her younger years, Smith played for one of the academy programs that her uncle led at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Smith has always been involved in playing basketball during her school career. At Smith Middle School, she served as the captain of the girls basketball team during her seventh and eighth grade years. “We were underestimated at the beginning, but each year we only lost one game.
We were city champs,” Smith said. This year, Smith is the only freshman to make the Girls Varsity Basketball team. Unfortunately, Smith will be sitting this season out due to a foot injury that requires surgery. However, Smith is excited and looking forward to her future years of playing basketball. Her motivation to work hard in basketball has crafted her into the competitor that she is today. Being raised in a basketball loving family, Smith has always been quite competitive, and now the pressure that she feels has slightly increased a notch since she wishes to beat her brother, who also plays basketball. “It’s always good to have a little pressure. It just pushes me a little more, but anytime there’s too much I just take chill time to clear my mind,” Smith said. “I usually do that by shooting around in the gym and then I’m fine afterwards.” Outside of Smith’s basketball world, she is also highly active in performing volunteer services through her church, St. Stephens Missionary Baptist church. She and her brother participate in their church’s youth group, which gets them involved in giving back to the community through distributing food, especially during the holidays.
“It’s always good to have a little pressure. It just pushes me a little more.” -Freshman Caitlin Smith
Photo CourteSY oF roBert SmIth
Freshman Caitlin Smith dribbles down the court during a basketball game.
Durell pictured in goal. She continues to play soccer even after her diagnosis.
In Good Hands Megan Durell moves forward after being diagnosed with osteoarthritis.
BY BhaVYa SukhaVaSI WeB manager It is not uncommon to find junior Megan Durell at school hours after classes have ended. As a senior executive member of Student Government, she can be found putting up posters or coordinating the smaller details for a school wide event. “I work so hard for Stugo because we believe everyone has a leader inside of them,” Durell said, “and we strive to help them find that part of themselves.” Though Stugo is a big part of her life, Durell found her inner leader through a particular struggle that had nothing to do with being a class representative. Durell has been playing soccer for the majority of her life, with her career starting at the age of six. “For a long time, soccer was the only thing that I was passionate about,” said Durell, “which made me having to stop playing that much harder.” It all started when she was 13, when she ruptured her ACL during a game. After surgery, followed by six to eight months of recovery, Durell was back in the game. Then, she started feeling an almost chronic back pain. “I chalked it up to the stress of freshman year, or tiredness,” Durell said, “but after 18 months of pain, I finally admitted something was wrong.” After dozens of tests and MRIs, the doctors finally gave Durell an answer: she had osteoarthritis- a joint disease that mostly affects cartilage. If cartilage is healthy, it allows bones to glide over each other and absorb shock of movement. With osteoarthritis, the top layer of cartilage breaks down and wears away. Instead of seamlessly moving together, bones under the cartilage to rub together. The rubbing causes pain, swelling and loss of motion of the joint. For Durell, the implications were huge. She could not play soccer at the same intensity
that she had played for her entire life. “It was one of the scariest things, to sit in that chair as a 14-year-old and hear the doctor give me a diagnosis, and then say that there was no cure,” Durell said. Since there is no cure, Durell and others like her look to other methods. Most medical professionals recommend a specific regimen of vitamins, physical therapy and stretching. With no solution for this disease, Durell had only one option: living with it. “It was the daily struggle that taught me so much about who I am. I learned more about myself in these past three years than I ever thought I would,” Durell said. Durell is still regularly playing soccer, coming in at three practices per week. Since her diagnosis, she has had a skew of other injuries including a hyperextended ankle and strained hips. Still, she keeps playing. “I learned it is not about how much I do but it is about what I do,” Durell said. “It is not easy to sit out a game or practice, but I have teammates and I have coaches that back me up and support me.” Durell learned a lot about herself from having osteoarthritis. She says she learned more about herself from how others helped her through her diagnosis and its implications. “My perseverance was fueled by my teammates and my coaches,” Durell said. “They were the ones who supported me when I thought I should quit. I could not have done it without them.” Durell found her support system through soccer, and she is hoping to help people find theirs through Student Government. At Troy High, the student government is not an advisor government. It is led by students like Durell. She found her inner leader through others, and she hopes to help others find theirs.
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An Outsiders’ Tale
The Turaani siblings traveled the world for their father’s job; they faced discrimination and prejudice before they found a home in Troy. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TURAANIS
BY JARROD FORTNER STAFF WRITER For senior Mustafa Turaani, and his sister, junior Lubna Turaani, moving is effortless as they follow their father in his journey across the world. While traveling the world granted them many opportunities to experience different ways of life, the Turaanis faced harsh prejudice and racism because of their Muslim heritage. The story begins when Mustafa was born in Southfield, Michigan; from there, he moved with his family to Virginia, where his sister Lubna was born. They went to Jordan after living five years in the U.S. While in Jordan, Mustafa and Lubna would face their first challenge: language. “Our parents focused on us learning English,” Mustafa said. “They used to talk to us in English as we grew up, so by the time we went to Jordan we could not speak Arabic.” Their father is the CEO of a charity organization, and his job requires him to travel the world. Mustafa and Lubna never knew they would have to adapt to a new environment and learn a second language. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TURAANIS
Mustafa and Lubna with their parents at the airport.
“My parents decided to put us both in an all Arabic school to get a hold of the language,” Mustafa said. “Because we were so young at the time, we got the hang of it pretty quickly.” For about two years, the Turaani siblings were enrolled in an Arabic school and lived in Jordan before moving to Dubai, which proved to be a refreshing and fascinating city. However, the siblings could not stay long due to an economic depression. “We moved back to Jordan for a year,” Mustafa said. “During that time our dad would come visit us in Jordan at least twice a month and fly back and it would still cost him less than letting us stay there with him in Dubai.” The Turaanis then set their sights on Belgium when their father received a job offer. “Belgium is the worst country you can ever live in as a Muslim,” Lubna said. “I had to take my headscarf off to go to school.” In Belgium, headscarves are not illegal but schools can prohibit them if they wish to do so. “I used to be so ashamed that I was forced to take my headscarf off that I would sometimes wear a hat,” Lubna said. “They would force me to take the hat off too.” “Which is understandable,” Mustafa added, “until she is the only one forced to take her hat off, while the other students could wear their hats freely.” Teachers in Belgium were notoriously guilty of Islamophobia (prejudice against the Islamic religion or Muslims themselves) and often singled out Lubna and treated her harshly. “In gym class, I asked my teacher if I could wear a long sleeve shirt and pants because I’m hijabi and he was refused,” Lubna said. “He allowed me to sit out, but on the
Mustafa (left) and Lubna (right) returned to Troy after living in Jordan.
next day of class he would give me a piece of paper and asked me to write a sentence 100 times in place of participating. After I finished I would hand my paper to him, he would rip it in half and tell me, ‘See you next class.’” Lubna and her mother suffered the most in Belgium, often victims to racist comments in public. “My mom was at the grocery store, taking apples and putting them in a bag,” Lubna said, “then out of nowhere, a lady walked up to her and said, ‘Excuse me, we don’t want to touch the apples you’ve touched, or eat whatever you’re near, so can you just back off.’ Belgium was humiliating, once you take the headscarf off, they do not respect you; you are still the little Arab Muslim girl who should not be in this country.” The Turaanis, eventually growing tired of hateful comments and unfair treatment, moved back to Jordan. They stayed there for four years while they finished middle school and parts of high school. When they were not busy, they assisted their father with his company, Life for Relief and Development. “It’s basically a non-profit organization where they collect money and go to countries to assist those in need,” Mustafa said.
Map of the Journey
“When they came to Jordan, we helped by providing hearing aids for people who could not afford them and translating for the Jordanian people and Syrian refugees.” Assisting in their father’s charity work allowed the Turaani siblings to share their father’s passion for helping others. “It is just so cool seeing kids and newborns hearing for the first time,” Lubna added. “Seeing them smile is just so awesome.” After finishing their junior year of high school in Jordan, the Turaanis moved to Troy and became colts, where they now realize how different life can be halfway across the world. “In Jordan I never had any Japanese, Indian or Latino friends,” Lubna said. “I met a lot of people from different cultures and backgrounds. You just did not see that in schools in Jordan. ” For the Turaani siblings, moving to Troy was an easy transition. “You feel like you are part of a community in Troy,” Lubna said. “You feel accepted.” While they were moving around the world, the Turaanis never had a permanent place to call home. For now, they have found a new town to call home, where they finally feel accepted: Troy.
1) Michigan, United States 2) Virginia, United States 3) Jordan 4) Dubai 5) Jordan 6) Belgium 7) Jordan
gRAPHIC BY JARROD FORTNER
8) Michigan, United States
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Call to Arms: Drafted for the Military
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Senior Jaewon Lee to be drafted into the South Korean army.
BY ADAM SLIWINSKI STAFF WRITER Born in South Korea, senior Jaewon Lee was given a mandatory order before he could walk. Due to the ongoing conflict between the Koreas, a military draft is issued to its male citizens and requires two years of service between the ages of 18-35. Although he has gained education from different institutions around the world, Lee is still committed and intends to join the military in the coming years. “After I graduate I plan on going to college that accepts me and after that I need to go back to Korea for a mandatory military service due to the law that they have. Then I hope to come back and begin my sophomore year in college,” Lee said. However, education will not be the only concern Lee has when he leaves the United States to fulfill his duty. He also values his
friendships. “In second grade I came to Troy, Michigan and attended Schroeder” Lee said. “Later [I] went to Bolan Park until February of my eighth grade year. Then I left for Korea …again. During that time of the year I was a new student with almost no Korean language and other students isolated me.” Due to his father’s job, Lee was always on the move from school to school which made making friends a difficult and gritty task. He was not certain how long he would stay in one place. “When I started attending the International School of Helsinki, I decided to isolate myself since I thought I was only going to be there for a year,” Lee said.” However it turned out that I stayed there until the end of tenth grade.” Returning back to the states, Lee had to restart some of his education putting him
Scrubbing It Everyday
Senior Katie Bazzo preps for a career in medicine by working as a nurse’s assistant. BY HAILEY DAVISON STAFF WRITER
back two years behind his original class. “My friends from Boulan Park were in the senior class. I saw them graduate. It was very weird seeing them graduate without me. And now I am 19,” Lee said. Although the draft is another setback in his education, Lee remains optimistic about the draft. “I don’t see the draft as a negative thing,” Lee said. “I know that the training is super rigorous and they don’t treat you very well, but it’s a change of pace that I feel I could look forward to.” For the man who has had a shadow following him for his entire adolescent life, he is prepared to shoulder a brighter future as the call of duty approaches.
Falling for French BY SABINA RAVINDRAN STAFF WRITER
Describe your experience this summer.
“I went to Nova Scotia over the summer for a French Immersion program, so for five weeks we were not allowed to do anything that wasn’t French. We had classes every day and different activities throughout the day, like theatre and music.”
Many students have jobs outside of school, but not all of them are as fast paced as senior Katie Bazzo’s job. Katie is a nurse’s assistant at Beaumont Hospital. Why did you decide to become a nurse assistant? I originally took the program because I wanted to go to OTEC and nursing sounded really interesting.
Why French?
What kind of training did you have to go through? The training I had to go through was a year long course at OTEC . After training I became a certified nurse’s assistant.The top ten students were allowed to get into Royal Oak Beaumont and work.
“I went to a French immersion school in Canada. Going back to Canada reminded me of being in a community that could understand and appreciate the language as much as I do.”
What kind of things do you see on a normal workday? On a normal workday I take vitals, I make sure [the patients] order breakfast, take a shower and empty any bags of folly they may have.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KATIE BAZZO
What did you learn?
What is one of the scariest things that’s happened to you at the hospital? One of the scariest things that I have experienced was when someone was coded, which is basically when they start to die. I was just helping him walk to the bathroom and he collapsed. How long have you been a nurse’s assistant for? I have been a nurse’s assistant since the summer of 2015 when I started my training at Beaumont. Do you plan on continuing this in the future? I plan to continue in the medical field. I would like to become a physi- Senior Katie Bazzo, right, pictured at her job at Beaumont Hospital in her green scrubs. cian’s assistant.
PHOTO BY ADAM SLIWINSKI
PHOTO BY SABINA RAVINDRAN
“It was great because we weren’t learning just the formal aspects of French, which is what we learn in our French classes at school. We were doing sports, music and theatre so we had to actually apply the French we were learning. I realized that I really liked French and wanted to learn more about it. When the five weeks were over, I decided to stay for three extra weeks to work. I learned a lot about people and how they work in an atmosphere they are uncomfortable in. The very last night was the only time I learned everyone’s personalities. There were some people who were really polite in French but in English they were kind of mean; they just did not have the vocabulary to be mean in French. It was an incredible experience and it gave me a lot more confidence in being independent.”
The Chariot
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Boudon’s Blueprint BY JENNY BOUDON
Do You
Really
Know Me?
New light is shed on the stereotypes associated with people. BY AUJENEé HIRSCH EDITOR
Come enjoy a delicious and refreshing smoothie at Tropical Smoothie Cafe!! We are located at:
1569 N Main St. Clawson, MI 48017
Hi! I’m your average, everyday, high school student. I stress about school, my social life and what awaits me in college. I currently have a 3.5 GPA and work my butt off just to keep it because of stupid math. I have one of those math teachers who helps you to the best of their ability, but I still don’t get what the heck they’re talking about. Yep I’m THAT kid. I’m also really involved in my school’s community. I’m on the basketball and lacrosse teams, in band, on Stugo and a member of the National Honor Society. Add to all those activities a part time job and I’m surprised I still find time to hang out with my friends. But that’s only what you see on the surface: peel back a layer and you get this: A girl who’s struggling in her home life. A girl whose mom just got diagnosed with cancer and we can’t afford to pay her medical bills. A girl whose dad is working overtime because there isn’t enough money. A girl who’s raising her younger siblings to help her parents out. But that’s only one layer deep, peel back one more and you get this: A depressed, anxiety-ridden girl who feels like she’s alone and that no one will understand. These are the layers beneath the surface. Would you see these layers if I said she was Asian? Had a bubbly personality? Never spoke? Dressed in all black? Anything other than how she appeared? Or would you see the stereotype that’s associated with what you see on the surface? Stereotypes: they’re just not cool.