Vol. 2, Issue 3

CHARIOT THE

TROY HIGH SCHOOL

TROY, MI.

VOL. 2 ISSUE 3

DEC. 16, 2016

NOT SO HAPPY HOLIDAYS PAGE 8

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 Elizabeth Graham, graphic editor Silvia Hoxha, photo editor Katie Bogdanovich, source editor Elisabeth Andrews, staff writer Priya Bandstra, staff writer Tracy Cabej, staff writer Liam Clancy, staff writer Gabrielle Francois, staff writer Sarah Funk, staff writer Kendyl Gatzemeyer, staff writer Skyla Jewell-Hammie, staff writer Patti Kubota, staff writer Sara Lewandowski, staff writer Morgan MacDonald, staff writer Kaitlyn Piggott, staff writer Annie Smuts, staff writer Stella Spagnuolo, staff writer Jack Stromberg, staff writer Natalie Suh, staff writer Megan Wallace, staff writer Maddie Young, staff writer Jayna Rumble, advisor

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.

News

WSU Police Officer Killed Members of the Wayne State and law enforcement communities mourn the loss of 29-year-old Collin Rose.

BY LIAM CLANCY // STAFF WRITER ANNIE SMUTS // STAFF WRITER On Nov. 22, Wayne State University Police Officer Collin Rose, 29, was shot in the line of duty while responding to a 911 call off campus in Detroit’s Woodbridge neighborhood. He died due to his injuries the following day. He was the first Wayne State officer to be killed on the job in the department’s history.

Officers from New York City to San Francisco traveled to St. Clair Shores to pay their respects. Rose volunteered in addition to his police work. As a canine officer, he made stab-resistant vests for his dogs. Rose served on Wayne State’s police force for five years.

The Wayne State community mourned the loss of the officer and the administration organized a candlelight vigil in his honor.

“But he is more than [a member of the police force],” M. Roy Wilson, president of Wayne State University, said. “He has a fiancée, family and friends and fellow officers who work with

him every day. He is part of our community.”

Many were affected in the law-enforcement community. Troy Police Officer John Julian said the police department is feeling “grief and anger.” Julian is on the Honor Guard, a ceremonial unit that honors fallen officers, and said that this is the third officer’s funeral he’s attended in the past few months.

“We don’t go looking to ruin someone’s day but someone has to protect,” Julian said.

Troy High alumna and WSU freshman Amanda Azar (’16) said the incident surprised her. “[I’m] shocked because he was just doing his job and the man just turned and shot him, which is scary,” Azar said.

Another Wayne freshman and Troy High alumna, Reanna John (’16), described how the community responded to Rose’s death.

“The incident with Officer Collin Rose was heartbreaking for everyone on campus,” Julian said. “The community at Wayne State definitely came together to honor the service and sacrifice of Officer Rose.”

Events were organized for students to pay their respects.

“Administration organized a vigil for the officer and a fund-raiser was started to help cover the costs of his funeral and help the family out,” Babu Uppalapati, WSU freshman and Troy High graduate, said.

“The response was overwhelming with many people showing up at the vigil and the funeral.”

Wayne State students started a GoFundMe to help Rose’s family and the Wayne State Police Department. In 12 days, more than 1,200 people donated more than $72,000.

“I just want to stress that there’s a large misconception around the safety at Wayne State University,” Julian said. “The campus police department has a response time of less than two minutes, which is almost 15 times smaller than the Detroit Police Department. The shooting of Officer Rose was senseless and tragic, but it doesn’t reffect the security of the campus.”

At the beginning of each semester, students at Wayne State attend a saftey seminar. There are more than 200 emergency stands around the campus where students can press a button that will alert the department in case of an emergency.

“This reminds us of our mortality,” Julian said. “We’re not going to stop protecting people.”

PHOTO COURTESY WAYNE STATE

Officer Collin Rose worked for the Wayne State police department for five years.

3

News

Troy Public Library will host Students to Participate in Slam Poetry Event The The Master of My Fate InvitationBY SILvIA HOxHA // PHOTO EDITOR

al Youth Poetry Slam.

PHOTO COURTESY OLIvIA OLSON

Seniors Zama Buthelezi, Jenny Boudon, Rashika Rao and Raagini Chandra performing at their first event, the Louder Than a Bomb Poetry Slam in the Metro Detroit Area.

The Elements, a slam poetry team including seniors Raagini Chandra, Zama Buthelezi, Rashika Rao, Vedika Aigalikar, Jenny Boudon and junior Raul Dutta, will compete in The Master of My Fate Invitational Youth Poetry Slam, an all-day event hosted by the Troy Public Library on Dec. 17 at the Troy Community Center.

“Our adviser, Olivia Olson, created a poetry slam team with a bunch of the teenagers she knew,” Chandra, president of the Troy Public Library’s Teen Advisory Board, said.

Olson, who works closely with the Teen Advisory Board, hired the writers to lead the writing workshops. She is responsible for making sure everything runs smoothly on the day of the slam.

“Teens from all over Michigan will be attending writing workshops led by local writers, sharing what they write at an open read hour and finally competing in a slam,” Olson said.

Anyone is allowed to attend, and all members of the public are invited to come to the Grand Slam. The Troy Public Library will work with Louder than a Bomb: Michigan to host the event. Louder than a Bomb was the first event The Elements attended.

“We met all these kids from the Metro Detroit area,” Chandra said. “Some of them were from the inner city, some were kids who had backgrounds where they didn’t have a lot of wealth, and some were from really wealthy backgrounds. We had all these different points of view. Until then, I never knew that slam poetry could [come in] such variety.”

Buthelezi is also participating in the slam on Dec. 17.

“I know my people at the library and on my poetry team have something special planned for us, and I’m looking forward to hearing the words of other young, creative minds,” Buthelezi said.

As the adviser, Olson worked to spread the word about the event.

“If you’ve never attended a slam like this before, let me tell you that it’s an incredible experience,” Olson said. “Young people get up on the stage and share their unfiltered opinion in a beautiful, literary way. You can see the world becoming a better place right in front of you.”

Chandra said that she decided to work in hosting the Master of My Fate Youth Poetry Slam after attending the Louder Than a Bomb event in Detroit.

“I totally fell in love with it, and I knew that I wasn’t going to be content just competing again,” Chandra said. “I wanted to make something happen. I decided, why don’t we [host] our own poetry slam? It’s a great way to stand with your community and see how interesting and intricate everyone’s ideas and voices are.”

News

4

Students Create Club for Political Discussion Juniors Zain Hameed and Peyton Young establish a forum for students to express political beliefs following the aftermath of the presidential election.

BY KAITLYN PIGGOTT // STAFF WRITER SARAH SEMON // DESIGN EDITOR When juniors Zain Hameed and Peyton Young realized that there needed to be room for discussion among students to share political opinions without feeling judged or attacked for their beliefs, they created the Political Awareness Club.

“There were a lot of people talking amongst themselves about the same topics but coming to the same conclusions that they had at the beginning of the discussion,” Hameed said. “There wasn’t any diversity in the thought processes.

I made the club as a platform to allow students of different political ideologies to come together and know what the other person is thinking about, a place where ideas can mingle, can develop, can have a future together.”

After discussing politics in their AP Economics class, Hameed and Young had the idea of starting a club that did just that.

“We were talking about politics one day and Zain was like, ‘We should start a club. Other schools have a Political Awareness Club and Troy High has lacked one for a while now,’” Young said. “I started distributing stuff, we set up an email list and then from there it evolved into what it is now.”

Before every meeting, students vote on what they want to discuss for the upcoming meeting. To alert those who plan on attending, Young and Hameed send out a newsletter briefly stating what the meeting will be about. At the meeting, everyone is able to discuss their thoughts and opinions on the topic. Meetings are currently held in room 238 right after school, usually on Wednesdays.

Hameed and Young said they are wary of covering very controversial topics early on. Their goal is to ease into these debatable subjects that many people struggle to discuss and agree upon.

“We are going to be taking it easy,” Hameed said. “We are going to be talking about more neutral topics, like voter turnout. We are going to have those discussions, but maybe a little later in the year or later in the progression of the club, when we have that routine of how to discuss it.”

Hameed and Young say they wanted to foster bipartisan dialogue. During the recent election cycle, most political discourse played out on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook.

The number of hate crimes in the U.S. has been rising in the last few years. According to the FBI, anti-Muslim hate crimes have jumped up by 65 percent in the last year. In addition to the increase of anti-Muslim hate crimes, there was also in increase in anti-African American hate crimes by 8 percent. Also, anti-Jewish hate crimes went up

Zain Hameed listens to a discussion.

PHOTOS BY SARAH SEMON

Juniors Saurav Kafle and Dikshant Sharma turn in their seats to watch a presentation.

9 percent and anti-LGBT hate crimes increased by 5 percent in 2015. Some members of minority groups are worried by President-elect Trump’s rhetoric.

“It doesn’t make me feel good that people think that just because Trump was elected they could run wild and do and say whatever they want,” sophomore Lydia Durham said. “We have to stand up for [minorities] if they won’t stand up for themselves.”

In turn, many Trump supporters feel they are viewed in a negative light and unfairly associated with ideas they do not share.

“I’ve been called racist at least three times and not in a joking way,” sophomore Joey Ricketts said. “It’s not fair to put down a whole group of people just because they support a Republican.”

Many protest movements have begun in response. The safety pin campaign is a movement that sparked after the election results surfaced. Its purpose is to call awareness to the acts of aggression toward minority groups and symbolize the idea that no one is alone.

This trend is growing in big cities;

Senior Kyle Darancou attends a club meeting.

many of those who wear the safety pin attached to clothing, bags and purses. Some teachers have hung small posters of safety pins outside of their classrooms.

“To me, the safety pin reflects my desire to create a climate where every kid who is here feels like they have a place,” English teacher Erin Fischer-Ballew said.

Political Awareness Club is in the process of dedicating a meeting to further exploration.

“We definitely will explore these.

We haven’t really had time to lay out that groundwork yet, but we do want people to talk about this because both sides have a legitimate concern that shouldn’t be discounted or ignored,” Young said. “At the end of the day, your concerns matter; we want to hear what you think.”

News

5

Personal Com Hosts Dodgeball Tournament Students encourage awareness for Mast Cell Activation Disorder and raise money to donate to charity.

BY MORGAN MAcDONALD // STAFF WRITER STELLA SPAGNuOLO // STAFF WRITER

Seniors Stefan Palincas and Carter Scillion fight for a ball during the final round.

As November drew to a close, students began to prepare for the school’s second annual dodgeball tournament and other charity events to raise money for Mast Cell Activation Disorder. The disease affects a number of people, including biology teacher Theresa Martin.

In order to raise money for this cause, the Personal Communications classes organized a number of different events. The proceeds will go directly to help Martin and further research for the the disorder.

The largest event was a dodgeball tournament. Students made teams of people from the same grade and competed against one another on Dec. 5. The winning team will compete against the teachers at a pep rally during sixth hour today.

Another fundraiser, Rent-A-Se-

nior, began Dec. 5 when students began bidding on seniors who signed up for the event. Students with the highest bids were treated to a breakfast and lunch with their senior on Friday, Dec. 9.

Throughout the day their seniors did tasks for them per command.

Rent-A-Senior was brought back after its success last year and more seniors signed up to participate this year.

“I made my senior last year carry me to class, piggy back me,” junior Anna Patton said. “They can carry your backpack, they can feed you, you can literally make them do whatever [you] want.”

The first event, dodgeball, started off the fundraising on Monday, Dec. 5 when 35 teams from all four grades took to the courts.

As they won, teams advanced to

Life with MCAD

further rounds. The finalists were the freshman Maroon team, the sophomore Daisy team, the junior Gold team and the senior Electric Green team, which beat last year’s

“It’s good to see another team get a chance after we dominated for so long.”

-senior Stefan Palincas, member of Jade Dome, last year’s championship team, after losing in the final round

champions, Jade Dome, in the final round.

“I was mad at first but in the end it’s all good. It’s good to see another team get a chance after we domi-

PHOTO BY MORGAN MAcDONALD

nated for so long,” senior Stefan Palincas, who won the dodgeball tournament last year as a member of Jade Dome, said.

Many students said they signed up because they thought it was a fun way to raise money for a good cause.

“I saw the video on the announcements and it seemed like a good cause,” freshman Ginny Flynn said. Flynn played on the Maroon team.

Some teams, like the juniors’ Gold team, prepared strategies.

“We put the weak in the back,” junior Olivia Maloney said. “We also had some secret weapons on our team. [Junior] Michael Abitheria was definitely team MVP. He was getting people out left and right. Also [junior] Zach Brydell, he acted like he wasn’t going to be

good but next thing I know he’s hitting people in the face.”

Other teams are already looking forward to the final round.

“We’re ready for whoever we have to take on, but we are really just trying to keep it fun because it’s for such a great cause,” sophomore Nikola Palincas, a member of the Daisy team, said. This is his second year making it to the finals.

Students voted for teachers with monetary contributions to play on the faculty team in the final round of the dodgeball tournament.

English teacher Valerie Nafso was selected to play.

“I honestly just loved all the student body and staff uniting as one for this one cause,” Nafso said.

Other efforts for awareness included T-shirt sales and a week of restaurant fundraisers.

Biology teacher Theresa Martin talks about her struggles with Mast Cell Activation Disorder.

BY ELISABETH ANDREWS // STAFF WRITER

Mast Cell Activation is a disorder of a particular white blood cell that is overactivated and releases chemicals that makes the person’s body feel as if it’s under a constant allergic reaction, according to biology teacher Theresa Martin, who was diagnosed two years ago.

“I started getting my first symptoms in college,” Martin said.

“Around 2011 is when we knew something was really wrong. Each day is unpredictable about how I’m gonna feel, the reactions and my psychology of it all.”

Martin was a competitive marathon runner. She had to stop after her diagnosis.

“It’s very difficult for me to talk about because it’s like my soul was ripped out,” Martin said. “I hope someday to be back there, but I’ve just had to completely separate myself from that. It was the biggest loss.”

Holidays are especially hard.

“I [have spent] Thanksgiving Up North with my family for many years,” Martin said. “It’s a difficult holiday since it’s centered

around food, but at the same time I feel fortunate to have other good things to look forward to when we get together.”

Martin has taught biology and environmental science for five years. Senior Ben Hadad said he sees her as a kind and approachable teacher.

“She’s just really fun with the students,” Hadad said. “She interacts with you a lot and has good stories. She’s just a nice person overall.”

Even though the disease has

required a lot of change to her life, Martin still stays positive and said that she is thankful to be able to do what she loves: teach. This month, students organized three fundraising events to raise awareness for the disorder, including a dodgeball tournament, Rent-A-Senior and candy grams.

“I am blown away by what the school has done,” Martin said. “When I think about what the school is doing, it literally makes me speechless.”

PHOTO BY ELISABETH ANDREWS

6

Sports

Gymnastics Team Preps for Competition Gymnasts practice before their next meet in Grosse Pointe on Monday, Dec. 19.

Sophomore Madison Zagacki balances on her hands at the GTC.

PhOtO By Skyla Jewell-hammie

By Skyla Jewell-hammie // Staff writer The Gymnastics Training Center of Rochester smelled of chalk as the girls lined up to walk in.

They pushed through the other groups practicing on the floor and made their way toward the balance beams. They got ready to run through their routines in front of their coaches, stretching and making last-minute adjust-

ments to their leotards.

Practices help the girls improve their skills and offer opportunities to complete new skills.

“It was not required to train over the summer,” senior Simrun Jassal said. “I did because I wanted to do a lot better. Summer training has helped me a lot in improving my skills. The

practices are a little long this year.

Instead of having two hour long practices, it is three hours.”

Now that the practices are longer, the team must go to all four events: balance beam, vault, uneven bars and floor. Preparations also include complete conditioning. Conditioning includes regular exercises like squats, push ups

and sit ups. The girls complete sweet to have 12 girls on the team. a half hour of each event, a half “I like our team because it’s not hour of conditioning and a half big, so we are closer with each hour of stretching. other,” Zagacki said. “It is easier Some gymnasts said that some- for our coaches to help all of us. times practices can be too much Having 12 people on the team to handle. helped the girls feel more com“Some days, if I am not landing fortable and have more structure any of my skills, it can get really in how they approach certain frustrating,” sophomore Madison events. Some girls are stronger Zagacki said. in beam, others are stronger in With 12 girls on bars. Picking and the team, coaches choosing cer“If I’m not are able to provide tain events they landing any could compete in more individual attention.

Jassal of my skills, it meant less stress said having help and pressure. with a skill and can get really Many of the girls feeling accomfrustrating.” like the fact that plished is what although their -sophomore keeps her with team is big, it is madison Zagacki secluded enough gymnastics.

“I like how acto not be overcomplished I feel after I worked whelming; there are just enough so hard just to get one skill and I girls on the team to cheer for in actually stick it,” Jassal said. “Even events and still have that same though during competition I al- support back. ways have nerves, in the end it is “I like gymnastics more,” said always relieving that whatever I Zagacki. “I think it’s more fun did was put to good use.” having different routines rather Before more girls joined, there than everyone doing the same were only about five girls on the one. It is fun learning new skills team, but Zagacki said it is bitter- in different events.”

Sports

Wrestling Team Gets New Coach

7 Joe Wood approaches new role in wrestling program with a “hands-on” coaching style.

By Sara lewandOwSki // Staff writer Patti kuBOta // Staff writer This summer, the wrestling team found out they would be getting a new coach for the upcoming season. Joe Wood replaced former coach Jon Thomas, who had given a notice to gym teacher Gary Harlan in the spring about his leaving. Thomas left his role because of his engagement and the time commitment of being a coach.

Wood started wrestling when he was 10 years old. He wrestled in high school at Clarkston and was all-state twice. He then moved onto wrestling at Eastern Michigan University in the U.S. Olympic Education Center.

“I started coaching right after that,” Wood said. “I coached at Rochester for a few years and Waterford Kettering and then spent a bulk of my time at Ox-

ford where we were in a successful program.”

Wood has international experience as well.

“I’ve been all over the world: Bulgaria, Germany,” he said.

As the new coach, he said he intends to build onto the program throughout the course of the season, which began in November and lasts until March.

“I expected to come in and put a lot of work in,” Wood said.

Several players said they are enthusiastic about the change in the coaching staff.

“I like him. He’s bringing a new vibe to the program.

He’s getting more kids out,” junior Joey Mason, one of the

Coach Joe Wood watches two students wrestle during pratice.

team’s captains, said. “He’s really brought a new way of teaching to the table.”

Mason had known the previ-

“I like him.

He’s bringing a new vibe to the program.

He’s getting more kids out.”

-junior Joey mason on new wrestling coach Joe wood

ous coach for a long time.

“It was sad to see him leave,” he said. “But I’ve got high hopes

for the team.”

Senior Hamza Khan said he shares Mason’s optimism.

“He definitely has a lot of experience and connections, and he’s really knowledgeable about the sport,” Khan said.

“Change is good.”

Players noted changes in the program beyond the new coach.

“The intensity has increased a lot from last year,” sophomore Silas Yang said.

Sophomore Zenon Stepien agreed.

“Practice has become a lot more structured, which I think is good because it helps us learn the moves better,” he said. “It’s also a lot more intense this year. He’s shown us a new perspective because he has

coached at a lot of places before Troy High, and he brought along with him a lot of moves that the other coach hadn’t showed us.”

Harlan, who previouly coached the wrestling team, said he is confident in Wood.

“When I stopped coaching wrestling here after 30 years, I looked for people [to coach] and he was interested in it,” Harlan said. “He’s a good guy. He works well with the kids and he knows a lot about wrestling.”

Harlan said that although “change is always tumultuous,” he thinks Wood will do well.

“From the wrestlers’ stand point, initially, it’s upsetting,” he said. “But I think this is great. I think Joe is going to do a great job coaching wrestlers here at Troy High.”

PhOtO By Silvia hOxha

8

In-Depth

The MosT Wonderful TIMe of The YeAr? Students struggle with different mental illnesses during the holiday season caused by the shorter days, longer nights (with family) and lack of spirit.

BY SARAH FUNK // STAFF WRITER NATALIE SUH // STAFF WRITER SARAH SEMON // DESIGN EDITOR

d

GRAPHIC BY ELIZABETH GRAHAM

ecember 2013.

The ambulance ride was silent. The EMT asked basic questions, only receiving one word responses. After all, senior Noah Miller was tired.

He was left alone with his thoughts for the remainder of the ride: family, friends, tomorrow at school.

“The entire thing seemed so surreal. I was entranced with how all those normal things seemed so significant,” Miller, whose name, and all names except for those of professionals, has been changed for this story, said.

November and December are the height of the holidays, yet they are often the darkest time of the year for those who suffer from mental health illnesses.

This can make getting into the “holiday spirit” especially difficult.

The counseling office has reported that they do see an increase in visits during the

holiday season, and encourages students to reach out if they are in need of any extra help.

“It can be a very difficult time for students, and we are grateful that our THS students do tend to lean on us to help them cope with their increased sadness, anxiety, loneliness,” guidance counselor Jesse Allgeier said.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five children between the ages of 13 and 18 are living with some sort of mental health disorder whether it be depression, anxiety, eating disorders or personality disorders.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), as defined by the Mayo Clinic, is a type of depression related to changes in seasons.

For most people with SAD, symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months, sapping a person’s energy and making sufferers

prone to moodiness. SAD is mainly caused by the short, cold, dark days during the winter.

For Miller, who has been professionally diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the holidays can fall in line with depressive episodes due to factors like weather and elevated stress.

Bipolar is characterized by its alternating periods of manic (wild and elated energy and activity) and depression according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

However, there are ways to manage SAD and other holiday stressors.

“Do your best to keep some balance in your life with sleep, eating properly and exercise,” local psychologist Lisa Marrocca said. “Try to spend time everyday around other people, get together with friends. Try to go outside, even if it’s cold; a short fifteen minute walk can help with

In-Depth

four out of five people who have seasonal depression are women.

9

20%

1 in 5 people ages 13-18 have or will have a serious mental illness.

The farther from the equator, the greater the risk of seasonal depression. according to Mental Health America GRAPHICS BY LEAH GRAHAM

SAD and the holiday blues.

It’s all about keeping things in balance.”

The increasing sense of commercialization of the holidays can force false feelings of joy upon those who have a hard time with this part of the year. According to a 2013 Pew Research Center poll, one in three people saw the holiday season as more of a cultural than a religious celebration.

“Last year, I didn’t enjoy the holiday season and part of it was because there was this whole feeling that I can’t be happy, everyone else is but why can’t I feel like that way,” Erica Marshall said.

Family plays a large role during the holiday season, so it can be especially taxing on those with mental health issues.

“Some aspects of [my anxiety] are affected by the holidays, like having to put up with extended family,” Cassidy Collins said. “I take breaks. I’ll stay with the family for a bit then I’ll go calm down and get everything in check.”

For some, family makes it easier. During a family trip to Florida last Christmas, several mix ups caused Lilly Mulaney’s anxiety to spike. Her siblings helped calm her by telling jokes and holding her hand.

“Usually during Christmas and Thanksgiving [my

“There’s no reason to feel ashamed about a mental disorder. It consumes you and you can’t cope by yourself.”

anxiety] is better; I’m around a lot of loved ones and family, it makes me feel better,” Mulaney said.

Similarly, Miller said his family has been extremely supportive while helping him with his mental illness. He finds himself periodically turning to drugs in attempts to counteract his often “impulsive” and “fast” manic episodes.

“Being bipolar can really take a lot from you,” Miller said. “Especially during the holidays because of how much the weather brings you down.

But even in a bad moment, if you have a supportive family it makes it so much better.”

One incident of drug use, in an attempt to “balance” out a depressive episode during the holidays, led him to the ICU. “My freshman year I was feeling pretty down and some people I was hanging around with were selling some research chemicals and some actual Ketamine,” Miller said.

“I researched it and it really intrigued me. I bought some and in November I stayed up one Saturday and just tripped on it all night. I was like, ‘This is really cool. I can become introspective and reflect on my problems and I feel extremely euphoric.’”

According to the Drug

Enforcement Association, Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic drug known for hallucinations, pain-relief and inducing a state of sedation.

After using it for the first time that November, Lahey began buying mice, a Ketamine substitute.

“I was doing it about every two weeks, but after one [trip] I did it again the next day,” Miller said. “This caused too much serotonin. I eventually got serotonin syndrome and had to tell my parents because I was having a seizure and high heart rate and I went to the hospital for it.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, serotonin syndrome is caused by the release of excess serotonin, a chemical produced by the body that is necessary for the brain and nerves to function.

Its symptoms range from shivering, diarrhea, fever, muscle rigidity, and seizures to even death if left untreated.

“I was having constant seizures and my body temperature was insanely high,” he said. “The entire time just filled with constant regret and thinking as soon as this is over I’m never touching this again.”

Miller is now sober, and speaks against the illegal use of drugs as attempts to solve problems.

“[I was] put into an ambulance which proceeded with the most silent moment of my life,” he said. “Then they asked me a question that stuck with me, which was ‘why did you take it?’ Because I hadn’t thought too deep into why, like I knew it was because I was depressed and I was curious, but I never thought why that was the solution to my problem.”

He was hospitalized this fall during an intense manic episode for an extended period of time and went through multiple sessions of therapy.

“What I would say about my hospitalization along with my mental hospitalization is that there’s no reason to feel ashamed about a mental disorder; it’s something that you should feel open about because if you have only yourself, it consumes you and you can’t cope by yourself,” Miller said. “For the longest time, I didn’t tell anyone about the serotonin syndrome hospitalization and for two years it was just there, along with everything else that builds up. Look at how it turned out when I tried that solution. Your family is only there to help you and no one will ever think less about you for seeking help. They want you to. It always gets better but you have to be open.”

10

Features

What Do You Stand For? Following the act of protest made by athlete Colin Kaepernick, students voice their opinions on the act of sitting down during the Pledge of Allegiance.

By Bianca Bucholtz // copy Editor Jack StromBErg // Staff WritEr

Students stand during the morning announcements as the pledge is recited.

During the 2016 NFL preseason, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick chose not to stand during the national anthem. Kaepernick told reporters that he believes action should be taken to fix the nation's racial and social conflicts. When asked about his reasonings behind the protest, Kaepernick told NFL. com, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way.”

His act of protest caused uproar and controversy across the country. Other professional and nonprofessional athletes began to join Kaepernick. While many people were offended by Kaepernick's opposition, others were inspired and supportive of his claims.

“I completely support Kaepernick,” junior Cass McGrane said.

“I think he has every single right to stand up for what he believes in. If he doesn’t want to stand up for the national anthem that is talking about his country, his

country that doesn’t respect him and justice for all and America Lorraine Anderson said. “As part or his race and his people as a doesn’t have liberty and justice for of the LGBTQ community, I'm whole, then that’s his right.” all, as we can see in recent news terrified of all of the anger and Due to online news coverage, stories. Making everyone stand resentment in the country. Honthe movement reached social meup for it and say it isn’t right. It’s estly people need to just come todia. Many teenagers and young almost like we are going through gether but we all know that isn't adults learned of and voiced their these motions without thinking going to happen. It's terrifying. comments and opinions on the about it and a lot of the times, we There is still racism, sexism, etc., controversy. Some students began don’t mean it. There isn’t a good and there is no excuse for that. As showing their support long as people aren't in schools and classgetting hurt, I think “As long as people aren’t rooms by sitting down the protests are fine. during the Pledge of I stand up, but not getting hurt, I think the Allegiance. for any reason. I just protests are fine. I stand up, “I sit down for the do it. It's like instinct pledge because I don’t to me and maybe but not for any reason. I just agree with the message that's why people are do it. It’s like instinct to and reasons behind so mad.” it,” McGrane said. “I Although it is not me and maybe that’s wouldn’t say it's disa requirement to why people are so mad.” criminatory towards stand for the pledge, the people but more -sophomore lorraine anderson many students feel it towards ideas and reis disrespectful to sit ligions. The words ‘undown. der God’ are in the pledge and not enough reason for me to say it.”

“It’s their right to not stand for everyone in America believes in Many students have mixed or say the Pledge of Allegiance, God. That implies that everyone feelings about their peers’ form of but I find it pretty disrespectful,” should believe in the same thing, protest. Although not many have sophomore Nic Talarico said. which I don’t agree with. Some chosen to sit, many have shown “People have died for that flag, things said in the pledge are not support for those who do. and to me, sitting down is just true. Some people don’t believe “Children should have a right ignoring what they did. Just bethat they are free or have liberty to protest at school,” sophomore cause it’s your right to do some-

photo By lEah graham

thing doesn’t always make it the right thing to do.”

The Pledge of Allegiance was created in the 1800s, but was not made a requirement in schools until 1943.

America is the only country that recites a national pledge in schools, except for North Korea.

The difference however, is that unlike America, in North Korea it is a requirement that all students must say the pledge, where as in America it is only encouraged.

According to a 2013 study, nearly 30 percent of Troy citizens are first-generation immigrants, many of these are students who feel as though it is unnecessary for them to stand with their peers during the pledge due to their personal cultures.

Paula Torrable Lacalle, an exchange student from Spain, feels ambivalant about standing for the pledge since arriving.

“We don’t do that, so that was weird for me when I first came here.” Lacalle said. “It’s weird for me because, of course, this is not my country. I do it, because I feel like I have to.”

Features

Seniors Experiment with Art

11 Students take classes and specialize in drawing and fashion design.

By katiE BogdanoVich // SourcE Editor kEndyl gatzEmEyEr // Staff WritEr

Some students get into science, others math and others find their passion in art. The never-ending hallway is decked out with student artwork for people passing by to see.

SENIOR JACK DAWIDOWICZ Senior Jack Dawidowicz has loved art since he was little. He began doodling in notebooks in fifth grade and now aspires to make his drawings great. It wasn’t until seventh and eighth grade when his drawings really started to grow into something greater.

“I’m too invested; that’s the best way I can explain it. It’s my life,” Dawidowicz said.

Dawidowicz said he credits his classmates for being so talented and gifted.

“There’s a lot of creative people in that class [AP Studio Art] who I feel like overshadow me. They’re all so talented,” Dawidowicz said.

Dawidowicz is often inspired by his classmates’ artwork.

“My favorite piece so far is probably my Day of the Dead piece, Dia De Los Muertos,” Dawidowicz said. “It’s just been a piece I’ve really wanted to work hard on. It was one of the first pieces I actually put research into. I spent a lot of time on it. ”

SENIOR HONgYINg JIANg Senior Hongying Jiang’s drawing career started with small doodles, but as she got older they grew into something more.

“I have always liked doodling, but when I was really young my parents signed me up for art classes, so I started really young,” Jiang said. “In my freetime I draw mainly portraits, like fanart pictures.”

Jiang gets her inspiration from those around her but also artists of the past.

“I would say I get my inspiration from looking at other people’s art, so if I practice enough mine might look like theirs,” she said. “There are a lot of artists I look up to. Of course artists like Picasso.”

photo By lEah graham

Senior Anna Luongo shows off the jacket she designed.

Although Jiang invests a lot of her time into her art, she does not plan to go into anything art related after high school.

SENIOR ANNA LuONgO For as long as Luongo can remember, she was always fascinated by her grandpa’s creations and drawings. They inspire her own ideas.

“My Nonno was an architect and was really into painting, and everyone on my dad’s side is really into art, so it’s kinda been in my blood,” Luongo said.

Luongo takes fashion design.

She designs and wears some of her own creations.

“My favorite piece is probably the jacket I made. I dyed it in natural dye and then I weaved the sleeves myself too with different ribbon I got from Michaels,” she said.

Luongo applied to Kent State University in Ohio to continue studying fashion design.

“I want to be a fashion designer. That’s my big thing,” she said.

“I applied to Kent State because it is ranked number four in fashion

design.”

According to Kent State’s website, the fashion school has been endorsed as the “center of excellence” by the Ohio Board of Regents.

Aside from her aspirations, Luongo said she gets her inspiration from everywhere and anywhere.

“Sometimes my inspiration comes from my family, sometimes it’s Pintrest,” she said. “I like going on there to see different styles.”

Or she gets it from the artists

photo courtESy of Jack daWidoWicz

Senior Jack Dawidowicz’s Day Of The Dead piece.

“I want to be a fashion designer.

That’s my big thing.”

- anna luongo around her.

“I think I look up to people who work around me at school or people who I think are better at realistic drawing or painting so I can get to that same level,” Luongo said.

photo By katiE BogdanoVich

Senior HongYing Jiang’s painted self-portrait.

Entertainment

12

Festive Fashion As students prepare for the upcoming holidays they share their holiday clothes.

trending out of 2016 Several students try the latest challenges on social media.

BY MEGAN WALLACE // STAFF WRITER TRACY CABEJ // STAFF WRITER It’s the most wonderful time of the year for fashion. Students are getting ready for the holidays with their most festive clothing. Students will shop anywhere they can get their hands on Christmas apparel. Here are some holiday patterned clothes that students are wearing this season.

BY GABRIELLE FRANCoIS // STAFF WRITER PhoTo CouRTESY oF MACkENzIE

Juniors caeley smith, mackenzie patten and natalie Fisher do the mannequin head challenge.

Social media already has an there. impact on teen’s personalities and “I first saw it on Twitter, and I did activities, but are things going too it when I got home and had nothfar? How many times have you ing to do,” Fry said. heard juju on that beat in the past Another challenge is the mannetwo days? Challenges have gone vi- quin head challenge. People place ral on Twitter and Instagram, and mannequin heads inside of their with their publicity, some were sweatshirts and dance to music. tried by Troy High students.

Junior Mackenzie Patten did One of the challenges that re- the challenge with juniors Caeley ceived the most attention was the Smith and Natalie Fisher. water bottle flipping challenge, “We saw it on Twitter and and sophomore thought maybe Ana Klein has “You just gotta we would try it it down, at least out and it could do you.” based on her go viral since popular Twitter it was the first -sophomore video. Many stuChristmas one,” Ana klein dents recognize Patten said. her water bottle Before the chalchallenge with the heading, “per- lenge, they had to figure out how fect girls don’t exist.” they would do it and what they Klein did not plan on making a would need. video of the challenge but she de“We just found the song that we cided to when she was bored. wanted to do and then we had to She practiced her video to make it buy the mannequin heads from entertaining and reached 327 likes Michaels,” Fisher said. on the video.

They said coming up with dance “I tried so many times; each take moves for their video was harder was probably like two minutes,” than anticipated.

Klein said.

“We practiced it a little bit, but She said that sometimes she got sometimes it took multiple takes to especially lucky on landing the get it right,” Smith said. flips.

They pushed to be as creative as “I actually flipped one and it possible with their routine. made it into one of those pockets “We just came up with some ranthat holds shoes,” Klein said. dom choreography and we used No matter what people think some marching band choreograabout these challenges, Klein be- phy,” Fisher said. lieves people should accept and The challenges of 2016 have make the most out of them. gotten mixed reviews, but Patten “You just gotta do you,” Klein and Smith shared similar opinions said. about them.

One popular trend is Juju on “It’s funny at first but sometimes that Beat. Freshman Jenny Fry said people take it too far,” Smith said. she sees it as a fun trend to get one’s Patten agreed. spirits up.

“Some challenges are dumb but “It’s fun and it gives me some- I personally enjoy water bottle flipthing to do, and my friends dance ping,” she said. to it sometimes,” Fry said.

Challenges of 2016 came and left Most of the challenges tend to with a bang. There will be more to happen spontaneously, trend on come as social media continues to social media and spread from make people laugh.

Junior Jaxen Berkompas

In the month of December students may see junior Jaxen Berkompas wearing his Christmas sweaters. Berkompas said he usually goes to the thrift store to find his holiday sweaters and doesn’t think that people look down on Christmas sweaters.

In fact, he said his sweaters give a festive statement.

“They state how festive you are, depending on what’s on them,” Berkompas said.

sophomore erin mcmanus

Christmas is sophomore Erin McManus’s favorite holiday, so it’s only right that she has a lot of Christmas clothes, McManus said she doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her holiday outfits, and that she will wear anything Christmas-y anytime, anywhere.

When asked when students should start and stop wearing holiday clothes McManus said they should never stop.

“Oh, never. All year round.”

McManus said.

McManus said she loves the holidays because it brings back good memories of her and her family.

“Coming from a big family, it’s kind of hard to get everyone to come together,” McManus said.

Freshman marissa Young

Young has her own Christmas hat and sweaters that she sometimes wears. Christmas is Young’s favorite holiday and she likes to wear her holiday clothes to show how festive she is. Young said students are in no way judged for going all out for the holidays.

“It’s Christmas time. That’s not something people would judge you on,” Young said.

Junior Quinn Favret

Junior Quinn Favret started to wear his holiday gear around the beginning of November and won’t stop until after holiday break. Favret said his holiday apparel shows his spirit and excitement for the festivities that come with the holidays.

“I think it shows how fun and outgoing I can be,” Favret said.

Favret finds his holiday inspired clothes at Target, American Eagle and Kohl’s.

PhoToS BY MEGAN WALLACE, MAddIE YouNG PhoTo CouRTSEY oF JAxEN BERkoMPAS

Entertainment

holiday horrors stories

13 Students recall times things went wrong during the holidays.

BY PRIYA BANdSTRA // STAFF WRITER SARAh FuNk // STAFF WRITER During the holiday season, friends and families get together and spend time with one another. They get excited for giant turkeys, decorated Christmas trees and falling snow. But with snow comes ice. And with turkey comes the possibility of burning it. For some families, things that go wrong become the center of laughter and jokes the next year.

Students remember these holiday horror stories and talk about things that have gone wrong during the merriest time of the year.

Junior Ben kozel

“My uncles ate all of my grandma and grandpa’s apple pie in the house. So my grandma, thinking that she could go buy some more, drove to Kroger. Realizing it was closed, she walked back to her car and slipped on some ice and broke her wrist. She had to

go through rehab for the next six months and had two bolts in her wrist. All for some apple pie.

During a different Christmas, we set up cookies and milk for Santa. We got up the next morning and when we went over and looked, we realized our dog had eaten our cookies and milk because there was a solid bite mark in the plate, the cookies were all gone, the milk was spilled all over and the glass was cracked in half.”

weren’t real. The Elf on the Shelf is one of her favorite things. My mom always hides them everywhere and pretends that they get into mischief. Well my sister got really mad and yelled at me. She ran around Target with everyone watching so I told her we had to go home. We got in the car and she started crying. By the time we got home she decided that Santa wouldn’t do that to her and that he is still real.”

“My mom decided that she wanted me to tell my little sister, who is 11 years old, that Santa isn’t real. We were at Target and we walked by the Elf on the Shelf toy. I pointed at the box and said, ‘Hey don’t we have these at home?’ She said yes and she started to get really mad at me when she started realizing they

“During the winter of 2004, we visited my relatives in Florida. Normally Christmas is cold, so I packed gloves, a hat and a big coat expecting to play in the snow. When we got to Florida, I walked outside very disappointed by the warm air and lack of snow. It was a very weird Christmas.”

Junior alex lillie

senior noah Williams

Where You lead, We Will Follow

BY ANNIE SMuTS // STAFF WRITER ELISABETh ANdREWS // STAFF WRITER Coffee, snow and Pop Tarts are certain phrases that bring back memories in the minds of “Gilmore Girls” fans. “Gilmore Girls” originally aired in 2001 and followed the lives of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, a mother and daughter who are best friends living in the quirky town of Stars Hollow.

During seven seasons, viewers watch the pair grow up and be-

friend many characters such as the townspeople and Lorelai’s parents.

Due to disputes with the network, creator Amy Sherman-Palladino was unable to write the final season, therefore, the show never ended the way Sherman-Palladino wanted. The revival was supposed to answer a lot of the questions viewers still had, and reveal the last four words that Sherman-Pal-

PhoTo CouRTESY oF NETFLIx

ladino had planned since the first season.

When we first met Rory Gilmore, she was an innocent sixteen year-old girl who just got into Chilton, a prestigious private school. As we watch her mature into a smart young lady, we start to notice a trend: Rory gets what Rory wants. She gets accepted to Yale, Harvard and Princeton, has

GRAPhIC BY ELIzABETh GRAhAM

100 students shared when they realized santa was fake.

Netflix continues ‘Gilmore Girls,’ a fan-favorite, ten years later. many attractive guys fighting over her and has an enviable relationship with her mother. It almost made her unrealistic at times. All throughout the show, we see Rory never really having to struggle in life. In the seventh season the show left off with Rory leaving to go cover the Obama campaign for an online magazine. When we see Rory ten years later, she seems a bit unsure of herself, but a lot more human.

We grew up with Rory as our idols; an unattainable image with millions of open doors. But the revival was different. Rory was vulnerable, unsure of herself and independent in the revival. That’s not only enduring as a viewer, but reassures us that even those who seem to have everything all planned out are just as confused as we are.

With Lorelai, we were left with her and Luke, a previous lover of hers, kissing in the street after Luke spent days trying throw a perfect Bon Voyage party for Rory.

Viewers see Lorelai and Luke in a relationship in the revival’s trailer, but Lorelai seems lost and unhappy. Whether it be about her father’s death or her relationship with

Luke, we don’t know.

Throughout the show Rory had a strong relationship to her grandparents, Emily and Richard, but Lorelai had a rocky one. Two years before filming of the revival started, Edward Herrmann, the actor who played Richard, passed away.

When the revival was announced, viewers wondered how the creators would commemorate him.

It touched our hearts that in the credits of every episode it said “In Loving Memory of Edward Herrmann.”

However, there were a lot of random plot lines, like Rory’s new boyfriend and how she kept forgetting about him, which made her seem unnecessarily cruel, that seemed like time fillers and distracted viewers from the main conflict.

Though the revival didn’t end how some fans may have liked, we accept it. This was how the show was supposed to end; the creators have had it planned since the first season. Rory and Lorelai have been with us since we were little, and we never thought they would come back, but we’re so happy that they did.

Opinion

14

PRO

Triggered

CON

Gun control limits access for dangerous individuals and prevents loss of life.

BY ELIZABETH GRAHAM // GRAPHICS EDITOR Gun violence is an American epidemic. The Second Amendment should not be completely dismantled, but changes are necessary. High-powered firearms are unwarranted and loose purchasing restrictions require no license or background check if the weapon is bought at a gun show or through a private citizen.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been more than 53,000 gun-related incidents this year, including more than 360 mass shootings and 13,000 deaths.

Of these, more than 3,500 were children and 130 were cops, including Wayne State Police Officer Collin Rose.

While the Constitution protects the right to bear arms, a document written in 1789 does not account for military-grade assault rifles or machine guns. In no circumstance does a person need a firearm that has the ability to shoot 500 to 650 rounds per minute.

To further discredit the cry for “safety,” the FBI’s annual homicide report states that “the ratio for 2012 was one justifiable killing for every 32 murders, suicides or accidental deaths.” This shows guns are more often tools of reckless encounters than viable instances of protection.

Additionally, between 2007 and 2011, only 0.1 percent of attempted or completed property crimes involved the intended victim using a firearm in self-defense. LA Times reporter Scott Martell put it best when he said “the notion that a good guy with a gun will stop a bad guy with a gun is a romanticized vision of the nature of violent crime.”

There is also a flagrant lack of legislation preventing guns from falling into the wrong hands. According to NBC News, more than 80 percent of guns used in mass shootings are obtained legally.

After the San Bernardino shootings, President Barack Obama told the nation, “Right now, people on the No-Fly list can walk into a store and buy a gun. That is insane.” In January, he announced a series of executive orders aimed at reducing gun violence, including required background checks for both buyers and sellers, increased funding for mental health treatment and research into smart gun technology.

However, any of Obama’s gun control initiatives could be overturned under Trump.

After each attack, how is it not obvious? Safety is not a good guy with a gun; it’s no gun at all.

Gun laws fail to keep weapons from criminals, and instead punish citizens.

BY MADDIE YOUNG // STAFF WRITER

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

-Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

79 million households estimated to own guns in the U.S. according to a private survey by University of Chicago.

You are woken up by the sound of a window breaking in the middle of the night, glass clattering to the ground. Heavy footsteps are making their way closer and you hear a deep man’s voice. He may have the means to hurt you. Before you panic, you remember that you own a gun. When he sees you are armed, he flees.

The National Survey of Criminal Victimization reports 100,000 uses of guns in self-defense per year, particularly to dissuade criminals. People also enjoy recreational activities like hunting and target shooting. Restricting firearms will not end shootings and violence; it will only be more difficult for law-abiding citizens to attain the comfort and protection that comes with owning a gun.

Gun control advocates believe the ban on assault weapons should be reinstated, prohibiting the manufacture of certain semi-automatic guns for civilian use. This goes against one of our nation’s core values, giving the government an unprecedented amount of power.

“I think that in extreme cases the government might want to take them away, but I think that having our own guns is a great way to keep the checks and balances between the government and the

PHOTO BY LEAH GRAHAM

people,” senior Julia Best said.

It is a freedom and basic right that a citizen may own a gun. Local police forces cannot always protect citizens and can only investigate a crime after it has been committed.

“If the government is not doing their job, now we have the authority to protect our own country and ourselves,” Best said.

In a 2013 Gallup poll, 60 percent of gun owners said they purchased guns for protection. Instead of penalizing gun owners in the aggregate, states need to more effectively perform background checks.

“I think the current gun laws need to be better regulated. If we take guns away from the general public, we can’t defend ourselves,” freshman Lucas Gray said.

Congress has insufficiently funded the National Instant Background Check System, which is used to ensure buyers don’t have a mental illness or criminal record.

In 2009, the Justice Department failed to prosecute more than 1 percent of 71,000 cases involving falsified background checks. Expanding on gun laws would only add more defective processes and further infringe upon the rights of honest Americans. Instead, the current system needs to be better followed and regulated.

Opinion

Talk About It

15 The stigma around discussing mental health makes it especially hard for teens to get the help they need.

A STAFF EDITORIAL

NB Y JA CK STR BER OM G

country’s limited understanding of and lacking services for adolescent mental health.

According to 2012 data cited in a report by the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, the national average is a mere 13 child or adolescent psy-

ATIO

Mental illness is not tangible, but it is nonetheless painfully real.

It needs to be addressed with the same intensity as any other modern epidemic.

chiatrists per 100,000 children.

In rural or impoverished regions, the rate falls to five doctors per 100,000 children. This means that it is difficult for patients to get referrals to qualified mental health professionals.

Mental illness is not tangible, but it is nonetheless painfully real. It needs to be addressed with the same intensity as any other modern epidemic.

The Duke study, which was based on a survey of more than 10,000 American teenagers, found that treatment rates varied greatly for different mental disorders. For instance, adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder received mental health care more than 70 percent of the time. By contrast, teens suffering from phobias or anxiety disorders were the least likely to be treated. In many cases, care was provided by pediatricians, school counselors or probation officers rather than by people with specialized mental

STR

tal illness, diagnosis, awareness and treatment must start early.

Left untreated, mental illness can lead to poor school performance, substance abuse and risky sexual behaviors, as well as stress within the family of the sufferer.

Normalizing mental illness is an essential step in addressing the

ILLU

Mental illness is rarely treated with the same objectivity and matter-of-factness as other health conditions. Something like a fractured wrist can be discussed with ease, yet topics like depression and anxiety are generally taboo.

Live Science reports that approximately one in five teens in the U.S. suffer from a mental disorder serious enough to impact daily life.

However, a 2013 study at Duke University found that more than half of adolescents with psychiatric disorders receive no treatment of any sort. Additionally, when treatment does occur, the providers are rarely mental health specialists.

The importance of mental health is increasingly ignored and when symptoms manifest themselves, sufferers often feel ashamed of their disorders. According to a report published at the University of California, Berkeley, half of all lifetime cases of mental disorders begin by age 14. In order for a person to appropriately treat and handle a men-

health training.

In our In-Depth feature this month, we focused on how mental health can worsen during holidays. The names of our sources were changed out of legal necessity, not shame or fear for reputation.

We hope by focusing on this

issue that it will spark a discussion about the effects of mental health. This is a real issue that affects millions of people and the best way to end the stigma is to start talking about it. People won’t be afraid to come forward if they know there is a community waiting to help them.

The Chariot

Boudon’s Blueprint

16

BY JENNY BOUDON // STAFF CARTOONIST