Issue 5, Vol. 1

THE

CHAR OT

THE BOILING POINT Student Stress at Record Levels page 8

THE REPUBLICAN RACE: The Winners and the Losers page 4

SHOULD APPLE HELP THE FBI HACK YOUR PHONE? page 14

Troy High School

Troy, Mich.

Volume 1 Issue 5

March 18, 2016

The Chariot

The Chariot

The official student newspaper of Troy High School www.troychariot.org troynewspaper@gmail.com Rahee Patel, editor-in-chief AuJenee Hirsch, assistant editor Leah Graham, assistant editor Jenny Boudon, cartoonist Emily Hamilton, graphic editor Soumeeka Koneru, photo editor Bhavya Sukhavasi, web editor Snigdha Suvarna, public relations editor Brendan Battle, staff writer Kaitlyn Bogdanovich, staff writer Bianca Bucholtz, staff writer Christina Crane, staff writer Hailey Davison, staff writer Sara Dehann, 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.

Snapping Troy High Freshman Jahow Yu decided to create a geofilter for the school on the social media app Snapchat.

By SOuMEEKA KONERu PHOTO EDITOR Students walked into school on Feb. 16 and found a new Snapchat filter for Troy High which was created by freshman Jahow Yu. “I procrastinate alot and one day after school I was Snapchatting and messing around with the filters and I thought ‘It would be cool to have one,” Yu said. “It is great for school spirit.”

Many different schools have their own Snapchat filters as well.

“I thought it was cool that we were the first high school in Troy to get a filter,” senior Ananya Ravi said. “After we got ours, Athens and IA got them too.”

The overall process of creating the Snapchat filter did not take very long.

“I did some research on how to make [a Snapchat filter] and spent about an hour and a half [on] possible signs in Photoshop when I finally decided on one,” Yu said.

After a geofilter is created, it needs to be submitted on the Snapchat website.

“About a week [after submitting the filter] I got an email saying that the filter was approved and live,” Yu said. Jahow Yu submitted the filter on Feb. 3, and by Feb. 16 Troy High had a Snapchat filter.

PHOTO COuRTESy OF JAHOw yu

2

Freshman Jahow Yu poses with his Snapchat filter.

IASA Takes First Place at Desi Tashan The Indian American Student Association’s dance team performed in Northville, MI on March 4.

By HAILEy DAvISON STAFF wRITER

There are many activities and clubs that take place at Troy High, some of which many people are familiar with and others are lesser known. One such little-known event is the Desi Tashan dance competition.

“Desi Tashan is a Indian dance competition in Northville, MI among seven high schools in southeast Michigan,” senior Harsh Patel said.

The Indian American Student Association (IASA) has a group of students that performed at the Desi Tashan dance competition in Northville Troy High’s IASA competition team took first place out of ten schools at the competition on March 4.

IASA is not an official club, but with them taking first place at Desi Tashan, many of the students in the Troy High competition team hope that this may change.

“We are trying to become an official club,” sophomore Brinda Avutapalli said. “One of the things you have to do is to be [involved in] competing.”

The students in IASA have put in many hours of work to rehearse their dance performance for Desi Tashan.

“For Desi Tashan we usually practiced a few times a week with each practice being two to three hours long,” Avutapalli said.

Students also performed to donate money for charities.

COvER PHOTO By SOuMEEKA KONERu AND BHAvyA SuKHAvASI

PHOTO COuRTESy OF JOHN ABRAHAM

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.

IASA poses after taking first place the Desi Tashan dance competiton.

news

3

Extracurriculars Celebrate Foreign Cultures

Members of 30 cultural clubs at Troy High promote diversity by studying traditions, customs, holdiays, languages and ways of life from around the world.

By SOuMEEKA KONERu AND SABINA RAvINDRAN PHOTO EDITOR AND STAFF wRITER

Korean Club

“The unique thing about Korean Club is how it got started.

There has always been Chinese and Japanese Club and the other major Asian ethnicity group is Korean so that's why we decided to start a Korean Club,” senior Jaewon Lee said.

PHOTO By ADAM SLIwINSKI

Japanese Club

“I was studying Japanese, and my middle school did not have Japanese class so I came to the high school. I wanted to line up my interests in and out of school. [The club] allowed me to grasp a deeper understanding and also meet exchange students from Japan,” junior Nahyun Ahn said.

German Club

“I would say German Club involves you in more than just the language. It involves you in the culture as well, so that is one of the things I really love about it,” senior Nate Amann said.

PHOTO By SOuMEEKA KONERu

PHOTO By ADAM SLIwINSKI

Korean CLub members (left to right) junior Iris Zou, junior Jaehee Lee and sophomore Joseph Jung, play Yut Nori, a tradtional Korean board game.

French Club

“The best part about French Club is the community that we form, as well as the different people that I have met and gotten close to through our shared interest,” senior Puja Desai said.

PHOTO By SOuMEEKA KONERu

Junior Nahyun Ahn poses with her Japanese exchange student, Chika Kobayashi.

Chinese Club

“I joined because my sister was president, so I had to come because she was my ride,” junior Kathy Lu said. “But then I realized that the activities were actually a lot of fun. Each week is different; usually the meetings are geared towards the Chinese holidays. We [also] have a lot of competitions with real prizes. For example, we have a ping pong tournament and whoever wins gets a gift card.”

German Club member senior Nate Amann stands in front of the German Club display case in the language hallway.

Spanish Club

“I joined because freshman year everyone said it was fun,” sophomore Catherine Manceor said. “Every week we have special themes and we listen to music and have fun activities every meeting.”

PHOTO By TIFFANy NOGOy

PHOTO By TIFFANy NOGOy

Senior Puja Desai sits down in Madame Susie Fortuna’s room for a French Club meeting.

Junior Kathy Lu makes dumplings at Chinese Club.

Sophomore Brianna Nogoy plays her guitar for senior citizens at a Spanish Club event.

4

MUN Competes in Ivy League Conference

PHOTOS BY JULIA BEST

The Chariot

After their trip to Philadelphia, MUN competes next at MSU on March 18.

BY MINA FUQUA STAFF WRITER

Real high school students debate on real world issues taking place in the United Nations. In Model United Nations (MUN) high school students are responsible for role playing as countries and creating simulations based on the issues occurring in those regions. Some MUN students are awarded for creating the best solution on a given issue.

This Feb., a small delegation of eight students from Troy High’s MUN traveled to Pennsylvania at the University of Pennsylvania to compete in a worldwide Ivy League Model United Nations Conference (ILMUNC) among 20,000 students. At this year’s conference, the committee of Ecosoc delegates represented Malaysia in the Ivy League competition, taking a stand on the economic and social council. The issue at hand was based upon the devaluation of Malaysian currency to gain a competitive edge in comparison to China, which is also devaluing its currency to make it cheaper to export more from their country.

“Because I am generally conservative, I had to keep my own opinion out of it and act as the country itself, which made it in-

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANSHITA KHARE

Senior Troy Social Justice Project member Meghan Romig performs in a skit.

MUN delegates pictured at the Ivy League Conference in Philadelphia, PA.

teresting,” senior Anshita Khare said.

In the end, the Ecosoc committee of delegates were awarded third place for their proposal. Since coming back from ILMUNC, the delegates are hoping to share their experience and the things they learned with the other MUN members.

“I think we all did very well. It was highly competitive and the thing that I felt was most rewarding was gaining that learning experience because I think that everyone gained something from it,” Khare said.

The next conference is at Michigan State University on March 18. In 2013, MUN won first place in the large delegation. This year, they are looking to achieve the same goal by taking a new delegation of 32 members.

Candidates Compete for Republican Nomination State primaries result in competition in the Republican field of candidates.

BY BIANCA BUCHOLTz AND JARROD FORTNER STAFF WRITERS

The presidential election continues as the candidates fight around the country to become the next president of the United States. The Republican Party is contested by several candidates including businessman Donald Trump, senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, as well as Ohio governor John Kasich.

According to previous polls, Trump leads in popularity with Rubio and Cruz close behind. As of March 8, Trump leads in the Republican primary with 428 delegates, Cruz with 315 delegates, Rubio with 151 delegates and Kasich with 52 delegates; a total of 1,237 delegates are needed to receive the Republican nomination and 1,511 delegates are left to be won.

The other candidates are working against Tr u mp.

If they win enough delegates, they’ll cause a contention at the national convention. This convention is where the delegates meet up to vote for the official nominee.

GRAPHIC BY AJ HIRSCH

If the republican candidates can win enough delegates in state primaries, they can stop Trump from receiving the nomination.

Several students at Troy High agree with the other candidates and their plan to block Trump.

“The Republican views don’t necessarily agree with mine. I know that Trump isn’t overly radical in all of his approaches, but I cannot see him as a political leader. His views on immigration are against mine. I just don’t agree,” junior Alex Cho said.

However, some students support Trump.

“I would vote for Donald Trump if I could.

There is a lot of controversy over his plans but at America’s current position, we need a businessman rather than a politician. He would take things into an order and he could be a great potential candidate,” junior Chris Oprea said.

The candidates plan to persuade their home states to win those states’ primaries so they can receive those delegates. Cruz won his home state of Texas in their primary, and Rubio and Kasich competed in their respective home states of Florida and Ohio on March 15. If Cruz wins in Florida, he will be only 14 delegates behind Trump.

Junior Mikayla Cox on stage during one of the “Fingers Crossed” events.

Junior Jessie Li answers questions from middle school students.

TSJP Hosts Annual Fingers Crossed Events

Members of the Troy Social Justice Project put on skits to raise awareness about discrimination regarding race, religion, mental illness and sexuality.

BY BRENDAN BATTLE STAFF WRITER There are many topics being discussed in America today, including discrimination, injustice and income inequality. Members of the Troy Social Justice Project, under the advisement of guidance counselor Jesse Allgeier, are students who are interested in adding to the debate about these conflicts. The group, which has around 30 members from all four high schools in the Troy School District, is focused on building equality and raising awareness of discrimination and other social problems throughout the community.

They hold “Fingers Crossed” events, and they travel to the Baker, Boulan Park, Lar-

son and Smith middle schools and put on skits they have written about subjects such as equality, discrimination and bullying. After the skits, they hold a panel for students to ask questions that go into detail about the issues. Senior Eric Cheng, who has been part of the group since its inception last year, had a hand in writing the skits.

“On good days, the students are really interested in learning more, and have a lot of good questions,” he said.

The TSJP aims to give people knowledge about the social problems that the millennial generation faces as its members come of age.

news

PHOTO BY SILvIA HOxHA

5

12LC Extended, Made into a Year-Long Course Seniors are now required to take two semesters of twelfth grade English.

BY CHRISTINA CRANE STAFF WRITER

The Innovation Learning Lab classroom is the domain of teacher Heather Kelly. The room has dim lighting and student artwork decorates the walls.

New Electives Offered Next Year Several recently added courses will be available to students in fall 2016.

BY SILvIA HOxHA STAFF WRITER

class at Troy High. I urge students to explore this opportunity as it will benefit [them] no matter what their intended future. This [course] is necessary to be ready for [life] beyond the classroom.”

LINKS(PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT) WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER VALERIE PFEIFER WHAT IS LINKS? “A LINK is a friend, mentor and role model to a student with a disability. In this role, the LINK will be with their assigned student one class period per day. In addition to being a friend, mentor and role model, they will assist the student in such things as appropriate classroom behavior, organization of assignments and supplies and focusing on what the teacher is saying.”

What can students expect from this class?

“During a normal school week, the LINK will be required to journal daily, fill out an attendance log and complete assignments.”

Who should take this elective and what is the process of joining?

“This class is for students who are interested in working with students with special needs and willing to learn mentoring and leadership skills. Students who are interested in the LINKS class will need to fill out an application and schedule a brief interview with [me] in Room 223.”

Many seniors prefer to not have to take a ton of required classes during their senior year, but many do need the help with their college essays. Some students, like senior Kristen Hansen, feel it’s a useful full year class.

“I think it’s a good thing because you learn a lot of skills that can be helpful for college.

The class helps you write college essays and get your applications done,” Hansen said.

The school district made the decision to require a full year of 12LC because some colleges do not accept some of the English electives that Troy High offers.

“It should be required because it’s good to have a full year of English before college.

This way it’s closer to when we actually go to college,” senior Jordan Hendry said.

However, some juniors are opposed to the requirement.

“It’s senior year and this would be a good opportunity to take classes that I actually want to take. I liked how junior year we get to take a half year and have an elective,” junior Annie Rowbal said.

As the decision to make 12LC a full year requirement is finalized, many students continue to argue that they should be able to choose their classes and not as many required classes for their senior year.

PHOTO BY BHAvYA SUKHAvASI

For the upcoming school year, students will be able to select from a wider variety of electives to diversify their schedules. Innovation Learning Lab and LINKS are among these newer classes.

INNOVATION LEARNING LAB WITH ART TEACHER HEATHER KELLY What should students expect from this class?

“The course focuses on learning the design thinking skills from the D School at Stanford to problem solve, build creative confidence, team building skills, divergent thinking exercises and public speaking skills. For the second semester, the students are allowed to choose an innovative project that they will work on using all the skills they learned in the first semester. They focus, through guided practice, on creating a huge project that we present to a board of panelists at the end.”

Who should take this class?

“The Innovation Learning/Lab class is a fantastic choice for all juniors and seniors looking to be adequately prepared for the 21st century work space.”

What makes this class unique, and why should students join it?

“This class teaches all the skills necessary to bring new ideas into the world in a 21st century learning environment. The space, philosophy and experience are like no other

Troy High recently added another requirement for seniors. Beginning in 2016, 12 Literature and Composition (12 LC) will be a required full year class. Many students are happy with this decision and many think it is unnecessary. These opinions are split between juniors and seniors.

“We are already getting the help we need for college during junior year, and we don’t need anymore help,” junior Mariana El-Tawil said.

12 Literature and Composition helps many seniors write their college essays and it can prepare them for college. Juniors in favor of not requiring 12LC believe that being able to learn strong essay writing skills before the summer before senior year is more crucial to the college essay process than learning after summer has passed.

Other juniors argue that the class is helpful to take in senior year because it is in the midst of college essay season.

“English is very useful in learning to write essays for college applications and you should be able to write fairly eloquently in order to get ahead in life but I [would] really like the fact that 12 LC is a half year class.

This allows students to take more creative English electives like newspaper or yearbook,” junior Raagini Chandra said.

Senior Blake Best participates in a Socratic seminar in Jodi Duda’s English class.

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6

The Chariot

Looking Forward to the Big Leagues Playing on the girls varsity soccer team since her freshman year, sophomore Sydney Hyatt has committed to play Division 1 soccer at Indiana State University.

BY AUJENEE HIRSCH EDITOR

It was the end of the second half with only two minutes left in the game. Her heart was pumping hard and fast; she could feel her blood rushing through her body as her small legs started to catch up to her opponent who was dribbling down the field with the ball. She didn’t make it in time. Her opponent kicked the ball and it went soaring through the air directly in the goal. The game was over. The winning goal had been scored.

Despite the loss, a coach from Vardar came up to the girl’s parents.

“Excuse me,” he said. “I would love to have your daughter Sydney on my team.”

Sophomore Sydney Hyatt’s love for soccer began here.

Hyatt started playing soccer when she was six years old. Throughout her career, Hyatt has won over 40 medals of achievement and 10 trophies from various tournaments.

“I [used to do] dance, gymnastics and swimming,” Hyatt said. “My dad put me in soccer as a little kid and ever since I’ve loved the sport.”

Hyatt started out playing on a recreational soccer team but soon moved on to travel soccer when the coach of the Vardar soccer team at the time, Kurtis Ward, talked to her parents.

“It was a big encouragement to me thinking I can actually go somewhere with [soccer],” Hyatt said. “Even as little kid I knew what I wanted out of life from soccer.”

From the age of six to 14, Hyatt played for Vardar. When she turned 14, Hyatt made the decision to transfer to the Michigan Gators as she had grown close to more girls at that club.

“I thought it was a good decision because I got close with a lot of girls on the team and I made friends,” Hyatt said. “We weren’t the best team, but over the years we became one of the best teams in the state.”

This past December, Hyatt was playing in Orlando, FL at the Disney Soccer Showcase with the Gators when she experienced her “favorite moment on the field.”

“It was our final game and we scored our winning goal during the last minute of the game,” Hyatt said. “I made a pass to one of our forwards and she turned and shot it. It was a good moment for me because I helped us make the winning goal.”

When Hyatt came to Troy High she tried out for the girls varsity soccer team and made it as a freshman. She plays center midfielder. During her years on the varsity soccer team, Hyatt has become close with all the girls on the team and even asks a few of the upperclassmen to help her when she is

in difficult situations.

“Last year captain [and Troy High alumni] Sydney Alexander always picked me up if my head was ever down. She always encouraged me to be better,” Hyatt said. “The same goes for [senior] Gigi Shreve this year.

I can always count on her, not just on the field but in general.”

Vardar and Gators are both Midwest Regional League (MRL) teams. MRL teams travel around the country participating in various soccer showcase tournaments. The showcase sets teams up into divisions where teams play three or four games against each other over the weekend.

“I went to Tennessee, Disney and North Carolina for these showcase events,” Hyatt said. “You send emails to coaches and they’ll come watch you. You just play and show [the coaches] what you have.”

The coaches that come watch the teams play are all associated with a university. The coaches scout players that they feel would complement their school’s team.

In addition to attending showcase competitions, universities host ID camps where athletes pay to attend and take training sessions for the sport they play. Many athletes also get to have one-on-one meetings with the university coaches. “[University coaches] can talk to you individually until your junior year in September,” Hyatt said. “[Afterwards] you’re allowed to talk to [university] coaches only through emails to your coaches.”

Hyatt attended many ID camps and caught the attention of Central Michigan University, Western Michigan University, Indiana State University and the University of Cincinnati. The college that most interested Hyatt was Indiana State University.

“Indiana State contacted me through my coach and I went on a visit [to the school],” Hyatt said. “I fell in love with the university. They told me about their programs and when I was there I knew that was the school I wanted to go to.”

Hyatt has verbally committed to Indiana State and will begin training with the Sycamores Division 1 Women’s Soccer Team the summer after she graduates from high school. “[Indiana State] will give me an outline of what I need to pass for the fitness test and the foods I need to eat,” Hyatt said.

Looking forward to when she graduates, Hyatt wants to get out on the field in college and create new relationships with her new teammates.

“I’m looking forward to showing all my skills and contributing to the team. I also

PHOTO BY AUJENEE HIRSCH

Last year, Hyatt was one of only two freshmen to make the girls varsity soccer team.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SCOTT ALEXANDER

Sydney Hyatt dribbles down the field during a girls varsity soccer game last year.

want to create great friendships with all the girls,” Hyatt said.

Before Hyatt goes away to college, she knows there are still a few things she has to work on in order to become a “better soccer player.”

“I have always struggled with shooting in soccer, but whenever I have free time I will

go to a soccer field and work on it,” she said.

“I also want to work on my leadership on the field.”

As Hyatt continues her soccer career at Troy High, she hopes to eventually become a leader and captain of the team. With her standards set high, Sydney Hyatt is on her way to becoming a leader on the soccer field.

sports

7

Winter Athletic Season Concludes, Spring Season Begins As months of practice and competition come to a close for several teams, warm weather sports gear up to shortly resume their own programs.

BY SARA DEHAAN AND DEEPTHI DEVIREDDY STAFF wRITERS Winter is coming to an end and so are the final days of winter sports. For some it is simply the end to yet another season, but for seniors, it is an ending to a career of high school athletics. However, as winter fades it is replaced with warmer days and a fresh new season of spring sports.

February and March mark an end to winter sports such as girls basketball, boys swim, wrestling and hockey.

March and April bring track, girls softball, girls soccer and girls tennis, among other sports. There have already been meetings to discuss tryouts and schedules for these programs.

One of the winter sports that is ending soon is boys swim and dive.

“It’s kind of sad because everyone there is kinda like my family,” senior captain Victor Wang said.“It’s been fun being captain, recognition and having the little kids look up to me. I’m more of the mascot.”

For the last 12 years Wang has been swimming, but this year was his first year making it to states. He has decided not to further his swim career in college.

The state’s final was on March 12 and nine Colts attended. This included seniors Nachiket Deshpande, Jt Samojedney, and Victor Wang; juniors Chris Oprea, Jared Lipinski, David Nie and Eric Jin; and sophomores Joseph Barlow and Vijay Vatti.

Another team that spent much of their time in the pool this year is the Troy Synchronized Swim Team. This year, the synchro team has won every meet they had, including figure meets and routine meets.

They also swept every category at their State Figure Meet.

“Our season so far has been great,” senior Monica Alluri said. “It’s going by really fast, but we’re in a good place overall with learning and competing. We were undefeated this season and we were also State champions for the second year in a row.”

The team also had several All-State Ath-

PHOTO COURTESY OF LAXmA DEVIREDDY

The varsity girls tennis team circles up in the middle of the court to discuss strategies at their State tournament last year.

letes awarded after their State Meet.

Although these sports are ending, the girls tennis team is just starting. The girls varsity tennis team has practices year-round and is looking forward to the season.

“We had a really good season last year,” senior co-captain Layla Hak said. “We played really well overall at Regionals and States, and everyone on the team was really close.”

Tryouts began March 14, and the team has high hopes for the season.

“We really hope to be in the Top 5 this year at States,” senior co-captain Erica Friesen said. “Aside from that, we just hope to have fun and play our best this year, especially since it is the last year for seniors.”

Last season, the girls varsity tennis team finished sixth in the state for the second year PHOTO COURTESY OF kAYLEE LEE

Treading water in the pool, the synchronized swimming team performs their routine.

in a row. They also finished second in the region, and had two All-State Athletes and two All-State Honorable Mentions.

Along with tennis, this year’s track team is also preparing to begin their season. This year, the team will be experiencing some changes. When they start their season this year, they’ll have one fewer coach than last year. Math teacher Eric Prowse won’t be coaching this year so he can spend more time with his family, and math teacher Mike Messina will be the head coach.

“Last year we weren’t really much of a team,” senior captain Leo McManus said.

“We had a couple really good runners but they got injured so it was just kind of a floundering season. We came really close in a couple of dual meets, and we had a good

amount of runners perform well at Regionalso, but in the end we lost all of our dual meets and came last in the League and Regional meets. So this year the goal is just to do better than that, or at least win some dual meets and try and do well at Regionals so hopefully we can get someone qualified for the State meet this year.”

Track season started on March 14, and the entire team altogether usually has almost 100 runners.

Most spring sports start in the second week of March and finish in May or June, depending on the sport. The schedules for each sport are on the school website.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVEN NIE

Senior varsity boys swim captain Victor Wang dives into the pool.

8

Modern Students Experience Unprecedented Levels of Stress

the Chariot

Stress Inducers

Academics, extracurriculars, athletics, college applications and prepping for standardized tests such as the ACT and SAT combine to create a constant state of pressure and chronic stress for teenagers.

BY LEAH GRAHAM EDITOR

PHOTO BY LEAH GRAHAM

“Hey, Andrew do you know how to do any of this?” junior Amruth Atyam shouts across the aisle at Panera Bread to fellow junior Andrew Li. They are both camped out at booths, with laptops, homework and class notes arranged in front of them.

Li walks over to Atyam and together they delve into the solutionless problems of Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus BC. “I do owe you one,” Atyam says.

He puts the question into his calculator. “No, it says error.”

“Oh, what a shame,” Li answers and shrugs, heading back to his ta- Juniors Amruth Atyam and Elizabeth Graham work on calculus.

Other parts of the body are affected as well. For ble.

“Andrew, what do you want for this?” Atyam asks, instance, stress can cause people to eat much more or jokingly offering him a handful of change. Li refuses much less than they normally would. It can also lead the compensation for his help, and turns back to his to the development of ulcers or severe stomach pain.

For many teenagers, college- both preparing and own work.

A few minutes later, Atyam, again confused, lays applying for it- is a significant stressor. A report from his forehead on his calc textbook, and mumbles, “I’m The Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA so lost.” He pulls his sweatshirt over his head, and, found that “self-rated emotional health for incoming wearing it as a makeshift shawl, tells himself to “just first-year students [at American colleges] is at the lowest point [in] 25 years.” Additionally, the numkeep swimming.”

Atyam is in four AP classes: the aforementioned ber of “students who report being frequently ‘overCalculus BC, in addition toBiology, Physics C and whelmed by all I had to do’ as high-school seniors” Economics. He says that on an average he has four is on the rise as well. Common among these worries is concern about covering the cost of to five hours of homework per night. He also plays tennis and Students are working higher education.

“I can’t even get a student loan beruns track. On a typical day, he harder than ever. The would rate his stress level as pressure to succeed cause I am not a citizen,” Atyam said.

“I have a visa because I wasn’t born “100 out of 10.” and “have it all” is Atyam is not a unique case. pushing teenagers to here. I was born in India. [The visa] just says I can live here legally. There Stress is becoming a modern a breaking point. are different visas. This one’s for my epidemic. In a 2015 study, the Born This Way Foundation asked American high dad and his job. Immigration is weird.”

Another study from the University of South Carschool students how they feel during the school day, to which they primarily answered “tired” and “stressed.” olina suggests increased levels of stress and strain on According to the American Psychological Asso- the body and mind can occur because of student-loan ciation, “chronic stress causes the muscles to be in debt, and as the price of attending college in the U.S. a more or less constant state of guardedness,” which has increased by 250 percent in the last 30 years, more can lead to severe migraines. Additionally, “stress can students have to borrow money if they want a univercause the rapid breathing that can bring on a panic sity education.

Students are working harder than ever and stress attack,” while “the consistent and ongoing increase in is a common denominator in high schools across the heart rate...can take a toll on the body.”

Atyam has experienced similar conditions because country. The pressure to succeed and “have it all” is pushing teenagers to a breaking point, and this proof his stress.

“We were measuring heart rate in Bio and mine was longed stress can have irreversible negative effects on 170,” he said. “It beats 170 times per minute. Runners a person’s physical and mental health.

In the meantime, it is almost 10 p.m., closing time don’t even get their heart rates that high. That’s pretty for Panera on the weekend. The restaurant is nearproblematic.”

The National Institute of Health lists the average ly empty, save for Atyam, who is going over his AP resting heart rate for adults and children 10 years and Bio notes, and two or three other people, including older as 60 to 100 beats per minute. A livestrong.com Li. Atyam has given up on his calculus homework forum said that “a heart rate of 170 while running for tonight, but he will have to revisit- and hopefully find answers to- the problems soon. He has a test on may be too high.”

Wednesday.

Atyam’s resting heart rate was 170.

Sleep deprivation can increase

cardiovascular risks. “[Lack of sleep can cause] irritability, lack of concentration and you’re much more accident prone. You gain weight, too.

There’re so many bad effects when you’re not getting enough sleep.” psychology teacher Chris Rich

Sleep deprivation is said to assist in the cause of

ACNE

Sleep deprivation leads to aggressive behavior and is linked to diabetes and hypertension.

INFOGRAPHIC BY RAHEE PATEL

“During my first and second year of teaching I was at my worst. I would go through four bottles in a single school day, which is four bottles in six hours.”

- social studies teacher Scott Gibbons Sugar-sweetened beverages such as sodas, energy drinks and sports drinks are by far the biggest sources of added sugar in the average American’s diet.

INFOGRAPHIC BY SNIGDHA SUVARNA

“Sports can cause stress because it takes away from a lot of my time like studying or homework,” senior Katie Regan said. “But it also relieves stress like if I am worried about something I can go to practice and run and get my mind off of it.”

Fitness causes stress on your muscles and joints.

INFOGRAPHIC BY EMILY HAMILTON AND APRIL RICE

Many students try to work out on top of school work and other activities that cause stress.

in-depth

9

Stress Relievers

Try to keep a diary, dream journal or to-do list before bed to avoid worrying and stressing when you are trying to fall asleep.

“You guys really need to rest. People who get more sleep are less depressed and are much more happy. Lots of good things come from just getting a little bit more sleep.”

Psychology teacher Chris Rich

INFOGRAPHIC BY RAHEE PATEL

“To get healthier, start making your own food. That is the very first step. Watching what is going in it and not eating out.”

- Foods teacher Mackenzie Morris

The American Heart Association recommends that women consume less than 100 calories of added sugar per day (about 6 teaspoons) and men consume less than 150 per day (about 9 teaspoons).

INFOGRAPHIC BY SNIGDHA SUVARNA AND IAN WATSON

Stay motivated: People tend to push themselves when they have something or someone motivating them.

Fitness relieves stress by helping with sleep. It causes chemicals to be released in the body that act as painkillers.

It helps loosen the muscles because when people are stressed their muscles tense up.

GRAPHIC BY EMILY HAMILTON

BY SARAH SEMON AND HAILEY DAVISON STAFF WRITERS At school, students are not the only ones that are under stress a lot of the time; teachers have stressors as well. Staff members have to think about lesson plans, after-school activities they may sponsor and their lives outside of school. Every teacher has to cope with stress and has tips for managing them.

Teachers’ normal experiences during school days such as their workload, students and any activities they may take on outside of school, can add to their stress.

“During my school day, my kids just tend to stress me out,” chemistry teacher Katherine Robles said.

The time of year can also add stress to teachers.

Paperwork, standardized and AP testing as well as the lessons themselves can be harder for staff to work with while trying to teach students.

“Right now is the most stressful time of the year,” math teacher Eric Prowse said. “We are at the thick of things curriculum wise. It’s especially stressful for the AP students, and the weather is not really helping.”

Some teachers are still students themselves. While they teach during the day, they spend their nights taking college courses to get secondary degrees, like a graduate or masters.

“I spend probably about 15 hours a week on my graduate school work,” English teacher David Reck-

PHOTO BY HAILEY DAVISON

Physics teacher Thomas Keegan sits at his desk and stresses out as he looks over paperwork.

er said. “Two nights a week I have class online or in person, each time for a three hour segment, so I am in class for nine hours a week. Then I do six hours of work on my own time writing papers, which I usually do on the weekends.”

However, there are ways to manage this stress.

Some teachers use organization, or set aside time for themselves to help with the stress they may be facing. ”Organization of priorities, setting aside things that do not necessarily need to be done and making sure all the things that are required are organized by deadlines. Get those tasks done first and just work down the list,” Prowse said.

Impact of Social Media on Teens

Pressure to maintain social media accounts can contribute to a student’s level of stress.

BY MINA FUQUA STAFF WRITER

With over 2.2 billion users worldwide, social media usage has increased dramatically within the last decade with 60% more users. Along with the increase in popularity of social media use, there also follows an increase in the amount of stress it can cause on an individual’s brain. According to the Huffington Post, 26-56% of people who take part in social networking claim that they experience stress in their lives; meanwhile, 24-48% of those who do not partake in social networking claim that their lives contain stress.

According to Growing Wireless, 70% of youth have access to and use social media. Often times, using apps such as Instagram and Twitter to post media, can ultimately lead to student stress.While comparing likes on photos and Twitter followers with a friend can appear innocent, it can also influence one’s ego. According to Pewin l, one in three teens say they feel more accepted online than they do in real life. Oftentimes the hype of receiving recognition in terms of likes and followers on social media can preoccupy one’s mind significantly. As a result, teens begin to allow their popularity on social media or lack thereof to become a reflection of who they are realistically.

“Most high schoolers are concerned with being recognized on social media because they want to be seen as cool in the faces of their peers. So for example, a lot of likes on Instagram equals popularity and acceptance,” senior Sharon Gedela said.

Social situations generated online can also contribute to stress, sometimes increasing it and other

times alleviating it. Dr. Cecilie Andreassen from the University of Bergen found, “People who are socially insecure use Facebook more than those with lower scores on those traits. Those who are anxious find it easier to communicate via social media than face-toface.”

GRAPHIC BY EMILY HAMILTON

INFOGRAPHIC BY EMILY HAMILTON AND APRIL RICE

Teachers Stress About Workload

Just like students, faculty members also have worries about their classes and personal lives.

10

Spotlight on Student Leaders

The Chariot Colts take leadership positions in various extracurriculars.

BY SABINA RAVINDRAN STAFF WRITER

Senior Eric Cheng

Senior Kathie Lee

What do you do for your leadership positions?

“I am in Student Government. For the most part, it is the five of us working together, the executive board. It is a lot of meeting every day after school and discussing the different ideas that we have. We also do a lot of the planning for putting on events throughout the school year. I am also an officer for Troy Theatre Ensemble. My job specifically, along with Jordan Held’s job, was Secretary. A lot of our responsibilities included publicity. I would get to help make those posters and we would do a lot of things on social media. In the past, we were also responsible for making videos to promote the shows.”

Why did you want a leadership position?

“I’ve been in student government since elementary school and it is cool to be able to make an impact in some way. I want Troy High to be a place where we do not just take classes but also a place where we can get involved with helping other people and a place with a lot of school spirit. I like making decisions and being able to do something that helps people in our school.”

What is your favorite thing about being a leader?

“Being able to put on events that can get people more involved or more interested in the school. It is also great to be able to see how the decisions we make help impact how other people get involved in the school. I like seeing people step up and getting excited in the school and seeing their enjoyment out of it.”

What clubs are you involved in?

“I am a drum major of marching band, president of the Michigan branch of a Taiwanese-American student ambassador program called FASCA, president of BuildOn and tutoring chair of NHS.” What are your responsibilities?

“I have the most responsibilities in marching band. Not only do I directly work under Mr. Nutting as his ‘right hand woman,’ I am responsible for 216 of my peers.

I conduct, teach new members how to march over the summer, and keep everyone in line during rehearsals. I contact all section and squad leaders under me with information as well as the entire band.

My biggest responsibilities are to organize events and communicate with everyone.”

Why did you decide to run for leadership?

“I decided to run for leadership in all of these activities because I love them and wanted to contribute back in some way.”

What do you think makes a leader?

“A leader is someone who selflessly puts his/her organization, or purpose before his or her own selfish needs.

They wholeheartedly care about what they are doing and are motivated to inspire others.”

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“Being passionate. Because if you are, others will be able to see the love and effort you put in and they will follow by your example.”

Junior Ricky Young What extracurriculars are you involved in?

“I’m currently involved in DECA, SADD and Stugo.”

What responsibilities do you have?

“I have to make sure everything runs smoothly and that we try new things and that I inspire people to become leaders themselves also.”

How would you define leadership?

“I think leadership is being there for someone and also fostering a group of people and opening opportunities. At our age, leadership is to explore what we got and what we see and what we experience and to help others figure out who they are and to help them become better leaders. It helps them be who they want to be and why they are here. The most important quality of a leader is self awareness in most situations.

You have to get those ideas together. You have to be selfless and have the greater goal in mind, but to help themselves as well.”

What’s your favorite thing about being a leader?

“My favorite thing about being a leader is smiling.

It is quite interesting to have the word ‘leader’ associated with me. Like chivalry, the connotations associated with effective leadership leaves it to be placed upon a pedestal as a hard-to-obtain virtue. The constant mending of my faults and happiness pursuing the ideal form of leadership is really exciting.”

Senior Kat Sabelhaus What extracurriculars are you involved in?

“I was a part of DECA, Student Government, Volleyball, Lacrosse, Competitive Cheer, Peer Mediation, NHS and I am an announcer.”

What leadership positions do you have?

“I’ve been the captain of the lacrosse team for the past two years. I was the president of student government my freshman year.”

What does it mean to be a leader?

“The way I lead my lacrosse team especially is that I try to encourage them. I’m not really in the front of the pack. It’s like I’m one of them, working alongside them like a silent leader almost. I think that is really important because it’s good to be encouraging.”

What is the most important quality in a leader?

“I actually think compassion because I believe that it is very important that if you see what is going wrong with the rest of your people, you can find the main cause of the issue and work off of that.”

What is your favorite thing about being a leader?

“My favorite thing about being a leader is having a greater contribution to an activity that I love. I have loved participating in lacrosse and being able to learn more things about it. Now that I am a captain and have been one for the past two years, I like that I am giving my own ideas and bettering the program for the future.”

PHOTOS BY SOUMEEKA KONERU

features

11

How to Plan Spring Break: Troy Style

While some students travel worldwide, others can make the most of their staycation with these simple suggestions.

BY RAHEE PATEL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

From the moment school resumes at the end of each summer, many students have their minds focused on only one major event: Spring Break. Some even begin workouts and diets as early as September in order to create the idea of a “spring break body.” While this vacation can be the pinnacle of many students’ high school careers, others may feel “stuck” at home with “nothing to do.” Here are a few ways to extract the most fun out of your spring break in Troy.

Journey out into Troy to search for the perfect eats: New places to eat have emerged in Troy recently. Some new places to try are Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, Qdoba and Tom + Chee on Big Beaver, or Estia Greek on Maple. Troy has a diverse selection of food that continues to grow.

Find some friends and be active: Ride your bike, learn to skateboard or find your old pair of roller blades and travel all around the city, stopping by parks to enjoy the great outdoors. With Michigan weather beginning to look more positive around this time of year, start a game of pickup soccer or volleyball and see who is brave enough to contest your skills. Another activity to pursue is to go to Troy Lanes and learn how to bowl—without using side bumpers—and take some friends along for the courage. Find enjoyment with your friends by playing laser tag at the newly named Lazer Warp in Troy. Free your imagination and take your heart rate to new levels.

Cook meals or bake some desserts: Food brings people together, especially when someone else makes it.

Surprise friends and family with an extravagant breakfast in bed. Save your mom’s

time in the evening by trying new dinner recipes. Brighten your siblings’ days by giving them a delightful dessert after a meal! Pinterest has many recipe ideas for anyone to try. All you need is a positive attitude and a trip down to the nearest grocery store.

Shop ‘til your shoes fall off: Both Oakland and Somerset Mall have many new stores ready to be explored. Oakland Mall has its very own Dick’s Sporting Goods, and a brand new H&M. Somerset Mall is now offering smoothies at Beyond Juicery + Eatery. Somerset has also opened a new store called Marbles: The Brain Store and will soon be opening a new Mac makeup store. Senior girls on the pry for prom dresses should try searching for dresses at Hermz Boutique, Star Fashions, Macy’s, Group USA, and shoes at Macy’s, DSW, Famous Footwear, or any of the other dress and shoe vendors across Troy.

Check movies off of your towatch list: Everyone is dying to see the latest and the greatest movie. What better time to catch up on all of the gossip than spring break? “Deadpool,” “Zootopia,” “The Divergent Series: Allegiant,” “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2,” “The Revenant,” “Kung Fu Panda 3,” “The Choice” and “The Boy” are some of the popular movies out right now and coming soon.

There’s always something fun and exciting to do here in Troy, so before you convince yourself that SB2k16 is going to be a drag just because you aren’t going out of town, make sure you let your creativity soar during this vacation time and get the most out of your precious days off of school.

PHOTO BY AUJENEE HIRSCH

Junior Chris Stoglin rides a longboard, one of many possible activities to do during spring break in Troy.

Purchase your yearbook!

Yearbooks are $75 until April1! Order online at www.yearbookordercenter.com, or come to room 204 for more info!

12

20 Years and Counting

Photo by adam sLiwinski

The Chariot

An inside look at the careers of Troy High’s longest reigning teachers.

by katie bogdanovich and sarah semon staff writers Teachers are the people responsible for motivating and educating dozens of teenagers.

They deal with the iconic subculture of people, according to many adults, that is infamous for its insubordination and laziness. Troy High is staffed by many educators who have dedicated their lives to teaching. Some faculty veterans share what they have seen over the years.

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998 graPhic by sarah semon

Photos coUrtesy of the gLadiator yearbook 1992, 1997

MATH TEACHER JOAN STRATMAN How long have you been at Troy High?

26 years What changes with the students have you seen over the years?

Technology made a lot of things different.

I do not think students see the beauty of taking a long time to get an answer because you Google it and there it is.

What is your most memorable teaching moment?

It is a lot of little memories, like students who all of a sudden get it. It sounds corny, but for teachers that means a lot.

JAPANESE TEACHER KIM BENBOW How long have you been at Troy High?

22 years What changes with the students have you seen over the years?

When I first arrived there was a lot of fights and anger in the student body. The peer mediation program changed everything.

What is your most memorable teaching moment?

Ten years ago, I organized a student exchange between a school in Japan and Troy High. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen; to get kids from two opposite sides of the world together.

HISTORY TEACHER KEVIN FLAHERTY How long have you been at Troy High?

21 years What changes with the students have you seen over the years?

We have different demographics. Also, when I started here we had a lot more physical altercations.

What is your most memorable teaching moment?

9/11 was a big deal, I remember that clearly. It was one of those events that years down the road you can say you knew where you were when you found out.

Chemistry teacher Nick Jabe holds model hydrogen atoms in his classroom.

Class of 2016’s Oldest Graduate Chemistry teacher Nick Jabe plans for his retirement after this school year.

by adam sLiwinski staff writer

Chemistry teacher Nick Jabe sits at his desk peeling an orange, contemplating his upcoming retirement.

Being a 62-year-old chemistry enthusiast, Jabe believes that even though he is leaving, being a teacher at THS was one of his greatest experiences.

Starting at the beginning of his career, Jabe was a general science teacher with several subjects under his belt. However, over time he was able to hone his chemistry skills and developed them into the curriculum he teaches today.

“Earlier on I taught Biology, GBBE and Earth Science, but now Chemistry,” Jabe said.

Having taught the subject for more than 15 years, Jabe has even picked up favorites when it comes to molecules and chemical reactions.

“My favorite molecule is water because of its bent structure and polarity,” Jabe said.

“It expands when it freezes and dissolves things. As for my favorite chemical reaction it would be taste and smell because I enjoy eating.”

With his growing passion for chemistry, Jabe intrigued many students to develop a liking for the subject as well. Although the school had supported different science related competitions, such as science olympiads, there was no club that simply celebrated the interest in science.

“Students wanted a place to advance their knowledge in chemistry,” Jabe said. “I was not busy, so why not?”

The chemistry club grew in popularity and gained a following that continues to-

day. Jabe discovered the deep interest in the subject and helped students develop a wider view.

“When students are intrigued by the wonders of science, when they enjoy learning and discovering, it makes me happy. It is my favorite moment,” Jabe said.

One such student is senior Daniel Evans, who, two years later, still remembers some of the crazy experiments that were conducted with Jabe.

“The elevator explosion demo comes to mind,” Evans said. “He blew the can and ‘dropped’ a lighter to distract us as he triggered the explosion.”

In addition to teaching, Jabe was a reliable source with whom students could discuss problems in everyday school life.

“We would talk freely so he was like a mentor to me personally,” Evans said.

Although Jabe has enjoyed his time at THS, he is excited for his future with his grandchildren.

“I have an old cottage up north where I go camping and now with four grandkids, those are the things I will be doing. It will be great to go camping when no one is in the campgrounds because all the students and teachers are at school so now I can vacation when it’s not crowded. So I’m looking forward to that,” Jabe said. “It has been a blessing to be here, a tremendous blessing and a privilege to (have) been here.”

With a future planned out, Jabe looks forward to the next following years.

However, many of his students, past and present, will be sad to see him move on.

features

13

The Gladiator Yearbook: After-hours To prepare for their final deadline, the yearbook staff holds a lock-in, staying at school from 5 p.m. until midnight to get a head start on their work.

by Leah graham editor

Groups of desks are littered with Tostitos, trail mix, cookies, boxes of Little Caesar’s pizza, veggie trays and powdered hot chocolate. The floor is a minefield of backpacks, slippers, jackets and blankets.

A majority of the Gladiator Yearbook staff is walking around in fuzzy socks and pajamas pants in a variety of patterns, including flannel snowflakes, plaid, reindeer, ducks and polka dots. One of them is in a teddy bear onesie. They wander in and out of the yearbook lab, room 208. It is nearly 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 26, and room 204 looks like a disorderly party store.

Tonight is the Gladiator Yearbook’s lock-in, and they are staying at school from 5 p.m. to midnight to prep for their next deadline and edit proofs. Sort of like a safety net, the proofs are enlarged color versions of pages designed by staff members. They are evaluated by the staff before the original pages are included in the final edition of the yearbook.

Adviser Jayna Salk sits at her desk, wearing fluffy rainbow slippers, editing proofs with a pen stuck behind her ear. Against the far wall of the classroom, under a whiteboard with “Lock-in” written in blue Expo marker, juniors Tiffany Nogoy and Julia Best and senior Kyle Christie are typing up quotes.

“This is the quote circle,” Nogoy said.

She turns back to her laptop, and announces, almost to herself, “I always feel so stupid when I’m interviewing people. I’ll be talking to someone about swim, and they’ll say, ‘I swim 500’ and I’ll be like, ‘500 what?’

They’ll answer, ‘500 freestyle’ and then I’ll have to ask, ‘And that’s measured in what?’”

Editor-in-chief, senior Erin Mitchell, walks in from the lab, arms full of proofs, and asks, “Are you guys actually getting work done in your little quote circle?”

Somebody answers in the affirmative and Erin, smiling as she sits down with papers to edit fanned around her in a semicircle, says, “You guys are so cute.”

Within the circle, Christie starts to text someone and Best, wearing oversized gaming style headphones quickly says, “Kyle, get back to work.”

Christie looks up from his phone and answers, “I just need a minute, Warden.

I’m sorry I don’t get calls on my super cool head set.”

Best rolls her eyes and informs him that ,“this headset makes me feel powerful.”

Each year, 1,100 yearbooks are printed. The staff compiles photos, quotes and stories- called copy- at monthly deadlines, sometimes staying at school until 9:00 during the week or coming in on the weekends to finish their work.

Photos by Leah graham

Studying the screen, Editor-in-chief senior Erin Mitchell works with junior Natalie Guisinger during yearbook’s final deadline.

As editor-in-chief, Mitchell oversees the whole process. She is the mind behind this year’s theme: True Story. The idea is to report on both the positive and negative aspects of high school.

“There’s good and bad,” Mitchell said.

“Troy High is like super stressful a lot of the time. We wanted to get the darker side of high school, as depressing as that sounds.”

Yearbook requires a substantial time commitment, but staffers share an almost devout dedication to the program.

“I feel like before I was in Yearbook I didn’t like Troy High at all,” junior Melissa Smith said. “When I was a freshman, I was like, ‘great another year of this, being bored and listening to music in the hallways and looking at my feet.’ And then I was signing up for my schedule. I kind of like English, so I thought journalism sounded fun, so I joined yearbook.”

Smith says she found her place in the class during her first deadline as a sophomore.

“I looked around me and there were all these people I was starting to be really good friends with and realized, ‘Whoa, high school might not be so bad,’” she said. “It was such a phenomenal moment. ” New members learn quickly with help from veteran students.

“As a new staffer in yearbook, it’s been really eye opening because last year I would look at the yearbook and be like, ‘there are so many flaws.’ But now, knowing what we

have to do to make this honest masterpiece, It’s nearly midnight and the staff begins it’s really interesting and I’ve really enjoyed to pack up. Some brought sleds in for their it so far,” sophomore Logan Smith said. physics classes earlier that day, so they take Over the course of the lock-in, the staff the liberty of going on a few late night runs plays mafia, eats a mountain of junk food down the hill outside of the main office. The and dances to several Taylor Swift songs rest, sleepy-eyed and giggling tiredly, walk blasted through a portable speaker, all while out to their cars, struggling to carry all of working on their assigned spreads, which is their bags, blankets and leftover food. yearbook jargon for two pages that will run Yearbook’s next deadline is coming up, side-by-side in the book. but the staffers are happy with their progThe yearbooks will be distributed on ress tonight. There is a rule for students in May 18, 19 and 20 in the commons during the class- to avoid conflicts of interest, they lunch. Look for the tables stacked with mul- generally cannot be included in coverage of ticolored yearbooks, manned by students in other events. This, however, does not bothnavy blue True Story T-shirts, speakers blar- er them too much. The yearbook isn’t about ing music that echoes off of the walls and them. It’s because of them. into the chaos of the cafeteria.

“I’d like to do yearbook in college but it’s not the same thing. College yearbooks look different,” Mitchell said. “I’m going to miss caring so much about something school related because I’m not sure that that’s going to happen again. Like am I going to be super passionate about a history class? No. I’m also going to miss the people, which is super cliché. I’m going to miss just being with Junior Tiffany Nogoy and senior Artea Mu The quote circle at work everyone in this type of atharremi tal k during the lock-in. in the yearbook lab mosphere, probably more . than the actually work.”

14

The Chariot

Apple Faces Off Against the FBI After Refusing to Hack the Phone of a Mass Shooter and Extremist The FBI has requested that Apple help them bypass the security system of an iPhone belonging to one of the attackers involved in the shooting spree in San Bernadino, CA. that left 14 people dead; Apple’s unwillingness to break into the device has since sparked national debates about privacy.

On Dec. 2, 2015, two extreme terrorists, Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, attacked the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, Calif. After a car chase in which Farook and Malik participated in a shootout with local authorities, the two attackers were killed in the battle.

The mass shooting and attempted bombing left 14 peo-

ple dead and 22 people in critical condition.

In Feb. 2016, the FBI ordered Apple to hack into Farook’s iPhone because there may be evidence on his phone that could assist the FBI with the investigation. Apple filed an order of appeal against the court order and called it, “an overreach by the U.S. government.”

Why Apple Should Hack the Phone

BY EMILY HAMILTON GRAPHICS EDITOR

So the question that is on everyone’s mind is should Apple hack Farook’s iPhone or should Apple protect his privacy? Is this a matter of finding justice or invading American rights? Will the government only use the program to hack Farook’s phone on just this one occasion or will it be used to spy on citizens?

Why Apple Should Protect Our Privacy

BY AUJENEE HIRSCH EDITOR

The FBI isn’t running this investigation to make it easier to hack Apple is completely in the right for appealing the search warrant phones. They aren’t doing this to make Apple fail as a company. FBI the FBI issued the company. They want to protect ALL of their cusdirector James Comey stated that the situation “isn’t about trying tomers’ rights to privacy whether they are criminals, good samarto set a precedent or send any kind of message. It is about the itans, dead or alive. Apple CEO Tim Cook says that the backdoor victims and justice. Fourteen people were slaughtered and many hack is “something [Apple] considers too dangerous to create.” more had their lives and bodies ruined. We owe them a thorough Everyone knows that if Apple creates a program that is a and professional investigation under law.” The victims and their backdoor to Farook’s iPhone, the company will essentially be families have questions. Who, why and how did this happen to creating a master key that can hack into all iPhones. The FBI them? How is the government going to do something to help will want this program to use in order to spy on “suspectthem? ed terrorists” aka your average everyday American. No People need closure. I’ll just state it as simply as that. one will say it out loud, but everyone knows it’s true.

Finding closure after a traumatic situation can bring Since the Patriot Act was put into effect after the the cycle to a close and the victims involved in this 9/11 attacks, there have been many instances in which shooting need help to resolve their traumatic exthe FBI unlawfully invaded the privacy of Americans. periences. Along with this, the closure brought by The Patriot Act allows the FBI to issue an unlimited the information found in the phone can help the and unrestricted amount of “national security letters,” government make attempts to prevent further atwhich were originally used to track foreign agents, but tacks and help to find a way to bring peace to the are now used freely against everyday Americans. For examsituations that are causing terrorism. ple, the FBI used these national security letters to spy on While a good majority of technology companies sup1.3 million AT&T and Verizon cell phone users in 2011. port Apple in its decision to file for a court case, recent To make matters worse, AT&T and Verizon couldn’t even polls show that the American population thinks otherwise. inform their customers that they were being monitored In a poll done by Pew via telephone, 51% of 1,000 people by the government because these letters prohibit compavoted that the FBI should unlock the iPhone. nies from warning the people that are being monitored, Phone and data security is a major concern in this excuse me, spied on by the government. situation, the device or apps that are used to hack the In addition to the Patriot Act, the National Securiphone can then be prevented from use in the future. ty Agency also created a spying program that allows Many people say that iPhones cannot get “hacked” but the government to tap into the phones of suspected scattered throughout Apple forums, there are plenty of terrorists. But obviously this program isn’t used to users who have suffered from forms of hacking, such as just spy on suspected terrorists, it’s also used to spy passwords not working. Through the discoveries made on everyday Americans too, especially Americans that through hacking the phone, issues of this type could befollow the Islamic faith. gin to be prevented.

Now I understand that the families and friends of the If Farook had survived, he most likely would have been victims of the San Bernardino attack want justice, but at sent to jail and put on trial. Evidence would have been colthe end of the day, Farook was an American citizen and delected and his phone would have been used in court as eviserves to have his rights protected. Just like the victims will get dence. It would have been hacked regardless. their right to justice, Farook deserves his right to privacy even While it’s not easy to trust the government, I believe it’s the after he has died. best way to make our country safer by finding out inforI am 100% with Apple on going against the FBI’s order. In my mation that would help prevent terrorist attacks in the opinion the FBI and rest of the government have gone too far future. After watching numerous attacks take place as a when it comes to invading the privacy of U.S. citizens. I don’t child, and now as a young adult, for my future and my want Big Brother to spy on me while I’m cooking, talking on children’s future, this is the best choice. The only way the phone with my best friend about boyfriend probto prevent attacks similar to San Bernardino is to learn lems or even while I’m doing uncomfortable yoga posSenior graphics editor Emily Hamilton (left) and senior editor AuJenee Hirsch (right) discuss the pros and cons of from the terrorists themselves. es in my living room. The government needs to stop Apple’s descision regarding the security of Farook’s iPhone. sticking their nose in the private lives of its citizens.

editorials

The Sandwich Generation

PHOTO BY EMILY HAMILTON

15

Students talk about their favorite sandwiches and the restaurants they order and enjoy the most.

BY BIANCA BUCHOLTz STAff wRITER Sandwiches are arguably one of the most popular food choices among millennials. Some students at Troy High are very passionate about their sandwiches. This is what they love the most about them.

Tom + Chee’s Grilled Mac and Chee and Creamy Tomato and Basil Soup.

Say Cheese

Tom + Chee creates variations of grilled cheese.

BY EMILY HAMILTON GRAPHICS EDITOR

Favorite Type of Bread “whole grain or white” -junior Raagini Chandra

“whole wheat” -sophomore Pheobe Krawczyk

“flat bread” -sophomore Emily Houde

Favorite Type of Sandwich “Italian sub”

“Philly cheese steak”

“Peanut butter & jelly”

-sophomore Emma Bruns

-sophomore Delayne Richie

-junior Annie Rowbal

Favorite Topping on a Sandwich “Peanut butter, jelly and cheese” -junior Clay Sheko

“Banana peppers, red onions and mustard” -sophomore Delayne Richie

“Avocado, mayonnaise and pickles” -junior Raagini Chandra

Favorite Sandwich Place “Breakaway Deli”

“Chad Sandwiches”

“Jimmy Johns”

-senior Kristen Hansen

-senior Adie Harig

-sophomore Jennifer wvlosek

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ELIzABETH GRAHAM

What began as a food tent turned into an up-and-coming business because of a deal made on the show “Shark Tank.”

Tom+Chee is a restaurant franchise that sells a variety of tomato soups and grilled cheeses. The new store opened in Troy mid-Feb. adding onto the large number of eateries in the Troy area.

Located on Big Beaver Road, between Rochester Road and Livernois, Tom+Chee has a small storefront with a sign outside that looks like it belongs to a high-end restaurant. On the inside, the colors-red and yellow- are similar to that of an old school McDonald’s. The tables and chairs are relatively modern, and there were many window seats with a view of Big Beaver Road. I also noticed that some of the tables by the walls had outlets right next to them, providing good places to stay and do homework.

I went into the experience with low expectations. Grilled cheese is pretty standard and something that is easily made at home. When I arrived, I noted that the menu was rather expansive, carrying different categories of grilled cheese, grilled donuts, tomato soup, salads and a build-your-own grilled cheese option.

One thing I thought was rather innovative was the sizes of tomato soup that were available to order. There was a cup, a bowl and a dipper. The dipper seemed like the best choice to me, since I don’t tend to eat a lot of soup, and it’s the perfect size for dipping your sandwich into. The addition of the dipper to a sandwich also costs only $1.

I ordered the Tom+Chee grilled cheese along with a dipper of the Creamy Tomato Basil soup. The grilled cheese was pretty good, but nothing I couldn’t have just made at home since the ingredients were only cheese, tomatoes and a garlic seasoning.

I also thought it was a little pricey for just a sandwich, ringing in at around $6.

I also purchased one of the donut sandwiches. My mind was blown. I purchased the s’mores donut, which consisted of melted chocolate, a graham cracker and marshmallow mascarpone fluff. It tasted just like a s’more, but with the addition of the donut. It made an interesting twist on a classic campfire sandwich.

I left that day feeling like Tom+Chee was overpriced and my normal sandwich was just average. I don’t know if my first experience was lacking because the restaurant had only opened a day earlier, but the second time around, the food had significantly improved.

I returned to the restaurant later to take pictures and decided to vary my order. This time, I decided to order the Grilled Mac+Chee and added potato chips to the sandwich which was an extra $0.50. There was no way the sandwich was as good as the grilled donut but I was impressed. The sandwich wasn’t worth the $7, but it was still very good.

All in all, Tom+Chee has great concepts for innovative and delicious food, but maybe isn’t as easy on the wallet as some other local Troy food stops.

16

Boudon’s Blueprint

BY JENNY BOUDON CARTOONIST

The Chariot

OVERSTRESSED AND

UNDER DURESS

Students are overstressed and overwhelmed by the pressure to succeed.

A STAFF EDITORIAL

Stress is a modern epidemic, and Troy High is ground zero. All of the normal factors that contribute to teenage stress- school, work, sports, clubs, college applications, standardized tests like the SAT and ACT- are on overdrive at Troy High.

Take, for instance, Advanced Placement classes. You can fill your entire schedule with college courses for free. Last year, 700 students took 1,718 AP exams, which averages out to about two and a half tests each, and 57.3 percent of them scored a 3 or better. That’s an exhausting standard of success.

Troy High is top heavy with ambitious, high-powered students. The mentality that drives both academic and extracurricular achievement is a simple one: Participate, compete, excel, repeat.

After a while, the pressure to maintain that excellence is numbing. It’s a bit like having an alarm going off in your head at all times, and eventually you don’t hear much of anything except for the ringing in your ears.

Some stress is good; it keeps you on task and striving to do better. But an avalanche of anxiety is beyond unhealthy. Trying to do it all and have it all is slowly suffocating us.

We need to realize our own limits, as frightening as it may sound. We need to figure out how to grow up under these conditions without tearing ourselves apart.

Often times we forget that if we want to be successful in the long term, we have to know when it is time to take a step back. There is a common misconception that taking time for yourself is lazy, but on the contrary it is extremely necessary.

Come enjoy a delicious smoothie at Tropical Smoothie Cafe!

We are located at:

1569 N Main St. Clawson, MI 48017