Troy High School
Troy, Mich.
Oct. 6, 2015
Volume 1 Issue 1
the chariot
2 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 manager Soumeeka Koneru, photo manager Bhavya Sukhavasi, web manager Snigdha Suvarna, social media manager Brendan Battle, staff writer Kaitlyn Bogdanovich, staff writer Bianca Bucholtz, staff writer Christina Crane, staff writer Hailey Davison, staff writer Deepthi Devireddy, staff writer Jarrod Fortner, staff writer Mina Fuqua, staff writer Silvia Hoxha, staff writer Sabina Ravindran, staff writer April Rice, staff writer Sarah Semon, staff writer Adam Sliwinski, staff writer Jayna Salk, adviser
The Chariot Staff Policy The Chariot is a student-produced news publication that publishes information relevant to the times as well as material that is essential to the overall well-being of its readers. It is The Chariot’s responsibility to cover school, city, state, national and international events and issues that affect the concerns of the campus, its students or its readers.
A Letter from the Editors Dear Readers, Welcome to The Chariot, the student newspaper for a new generation of colts. If you didn’t read Troy High’s old newspaper, The Troy Independent, that’s OK. It doesn’t matter now. What matters is that you’re reading this, now. You are holding in your hands the beta test of a total redesign, intended to put more focus on the students of THS. That means our amazing staff will be writing stories on topics that (ideally) both interest and affect you: our peers. Here’s a basic introduction to what we’ve done. First, the name: The Chariot is an allusion to our friends on the other side of the lab, The Gladiator, Troy High’s phenomenal yearbook, which, in case you didn’t know, was named in reference to the warriors of the ancient city of Troy. Back in the daymeaning in like 1500 B.C.- chariots moved people and their cultures around the world. In honor of that tradition, this paper looks to do something similar: deliver students and their stories to THS. The print format of the paper has changed as well. Since we switched from a broadsheet newspaper to tabloid style, it’s now easier to read and offers more freedom when it comes to designing visuals and layouts.The Chariot now has a presence on Twitter (@ths_THE_ CHARIOT), Instagram (@ths_the_chariot), Snapchat (@thsTHE_CHARIOT) and a new website (www. troychariot.org). We, as well as our lovely adviser, Ms. Jayna Salk, wanted to make big changes, so we undertook a major redesign. This summer, we spitballed new ideas, considered possibilities, discussed, reevaluated
Photo by soumeeka koneru
READ MORE! For exclusive content, visit troychariot.org
The Chariot operates as a designated public forum for student expression. The Editorial Board consisting of student editors is the sole decision-making and policy-setting body of The Chariot and has final say over all content decisions. The adviser and administration have a non-review role and may offer advice on sensitive issues and will offer criticisms as warranted but the Editorial Board reserves all rights to determine what material shall be published. Editorials represent the collective opinion of The Chariot staff. Opinions expressed by individuals and in letters to the editor represent those of the author. Letters to the editor should be typed, double-spaced and must include the author’s name, signature and class or position. Names of individuals may be withheld upon request, pending a vote of the Editorial Board. Letters may be submitted in hard copy to room 204 at Troy High School or via email at troynewspaper@gmail.com. All letters are subject to review by the Editorial Board. Letters will not be edited except to fix space limitations. Should the Editorial Board deem a letter to be potentially libelous or containing content inappropriate for publication it will return the letter to the author with an opportunity for corrections. The Editorial Board is solely responsible for these decisions. Letters need to be received one week prior to print publication dates to be included in print.
and asked for help many times. Somehow, we managed to piece together a plan to reinvent a publication we all wanted to make relevant. Eventually, we found our way here, to this moment, with the culmination of our staff ’s hard work, Ms. Salk’s dedication and our unyielding we’llcross-that-bridge-when-we-get-to-it mentality. This edition (Volume I, Issue I) is a significant landmark on the long road -or explosive mine field; it depends on the day- to our ultimate goal. We want to create something that we are proud of, something that continues on long after we leave THS. By the end of this school year, we want to have laid a solid foundation for future staff members and editors to build on. We still have a lot more work ahead of us, and we hope you’ll help us get there. Thanks for reading, The Editors. Rahee Patel, AuJenee Hirsch and Leah Graham
TRANSFORMATION TUESDAY: Northend to the Troy Independent to the Chariot! Cover photo and photo illustration by: Soumeeka Koneru and Bhavya Sukhavasi
news
4
Switching to Schoology BY EMILY HAMILTON GRAPHIC AND DESIGN MANAGER AND SILVIA HOXHA STAFF WRITER When students returned from their summer vacation to start out the new school year, they returned to see Edline eliminated and Schoology in its place. Schoology is a website and app first designed for sharing notes. Similar to Edline, Schoology allows teachers to post grades and assignments, and students can then view those items, along with submitting their own work to teachers. While Edline took a long period of time to update grades, Schoology updates them instantly, allowing students to view their grades quickly through the app on their phone or simply on the computer. While the majority of students and teachers seem indifferent to it, some have stronger opinions when it comes to the topic. “I genuinely like it, except it is kind of confusing,” junior Joseph Nagia said. The confusion involved with the change is a common complaint. “It is a more robust system,” math teacher Sharon Douglas-Chong said. “It allows, for example, individual comments on grades, so students can be given clarification on why they earned that grade, if it was late or it was half done. I like the fact that you can do quick assessments on it, and the students have immediate access to it, and you can let students get immediate feedback instantaneously. So I think there is just a lot of options that takes it beyond just a grading management system.” In a survey of students, only seven percent said
that their teachers had not yet introduced Schoology. Of the students that were introduced to the new program, 48 percent prefer it to Edline. With Schoology, teachers and students are able to be more interactive when it comes to school assignments; the site is almost like a social media outlet. “I think it is interesting how teachers can post things, like how they do on Facebook, and we can like and comment on them,” junior Ben Hadad said. While some might agree with this, others are more skeptical of the way that technology is being integrated into the classroom. “I think it is an obnoxious recreation of Facebook. It is just annoying. Like, why was it necessary to switch from Edline?” junior Alisa Chen said. Teachers have had to quickly and effectively learn the basics of Schoology as the updating of grades is crucial for students to keep track of how they are doing in class and seeing what they need to improve on. Some teachers are struggling slightly more than others. “On a scale of 1-10, there was instruction [on how to use Schoology], but it was definitely closer to one than ten,” science teacher John Morrison said. Whether the students like it or not, Schoology is here to stay. Students remain optimistic that they will grow accustomed to the program. “It will hopefully become easier to use throughout the years,” senior Jennifer Pruss said.
“Why was it necessary to switch from Edline?” junior Alisa Chen said.
Purchase a yearbook!
Go to www.yearbookordercenter.com and search Troy High School
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A Fresh Look at the TC Line’s Tailgating Tradition Pre-gaming before Friday night football games is at the heart of the senior experience BY MINA FUQUA STAFF WRITER The fall season has begun and for most students that means it is time to get ready, and put on the school spirit because football season is in session. Preparing for games can be a very fun opportunity to get involved and bond with peers over one common activity. Each year the senior class gets the privilege to form the TC line and have a tailgate before each of the football games. Many seniors feel as though all seniors should take part in pregame activities, such as tailgating because it is all about making the most out of the senior year experience. “I usually text my friends first so we can find a group and get ready together, and depending on the theme we will go shopping the week before the game,” senior Ally Majewski said. “Once we are ready, we go to the tailgate, which starts at 5 p.m. but everyone shows up fashionably late around 6 p.m.” The TC Line welcomes everyone to participate and enjoy a few pregame traditions. The senior class is completely welcome to become more involved in the activities such as tailgating, playing games, painting the TC Line, enjoying music and taking pictures of the deer head. “I enjoy being amongst my peers before games because the TC Line and our group of seniors is a special group. Everyone in our class should be more involved in it because having those moments together creates a special bond,” senior Joseph Schweitzer said. With a large class of roughly five hundred students, connecting with everyone can be difficult. However, showing up to football games, rooting for the team and tailgating is a really great time to get around and socialize with other colts.
The TC Line works together to make the games fun for all and carry on Troy High traditions.
“I am not super close with a lot of people in my grade but it is really nice to all be together and have a good time regardless of what issues we may have from previous years,” senior Ally Majewski said. It is believed that sometimes students choose not to get involved in certain activities due to the perception that the event may to be too “clique based.” Being a part of a clique is not always a negative thing. Having your own group of friends with whom you are comfortable with is normal; however, that does not mean excluding anyone else, especially when the opportunity presents itself at social events like football games. “I think our class has always had a problem with being too clique-like, and we should all work on that as a class,” senior Noelle Thompson said. “I think we could change our habit of being con-
formed to cliques by having more senior class activities, where it is an open invitation to everyone, instead of just a select group. That way we can truly all get to know each other and look past our social classes or any other differences we may have.” Strong student based groups, such as the Student Government, also have the ultimate goal of uniting the senior class with all of the various student related events that they host. “We are trying our best to make our senior class good,” senior Eric Cheng said. “Each year we are putting on things like pep rallies, dances and spirit week. We want to make these events become a good experience for everyone in the class, not just for thirty people here and there, but overall.” Whether you have been extremely active in school
Senior Cammy Barnett enjoys the neon themed PHOTOS BY ALLY MAJEWSKI tailgate.
related events with your peers or not, you still have the chance to make memories with your senior classmates. Especially now, as the high school football season continues to thrive, take advantage of the privilege to get involved, to tailgate and bond with your peers. After all, it is a Troy High tradition. “Every senior who has the chance to tailgate should do it because it is our last year and once in a lifetime opportunity. We are all going to miss this next year, especially me,” senior Lawrence Rowe said.
sports
5
ColorGuard Aims for the Stars
BY HAILEY DAVISON staff writer
PHOTO BY CAROLINE SCHLIMGEN
Varsity players huddle during the Troy High/Athens rivalry game on Tuesday, Sept. 29. The Colts snagged a 1-0 win with a first half goal by senior Bogdan Pintilie.
Building Blocks Troy Colts Varsity Soccer and their rebuilding year
BY KATIE BOGDANOVICH and sarah semon STAFF WRITERS There is nothing quite like the mixed rush of adrenaline and excitement of winning. Last year, the varsity soccer team knew that feeling all too well. Coming off last season with a multitude of wins, and a team stacked with 17 seniors, this year’s team has had to make several adjustments to regain their strength. “Last year, we had two really great forwards that were fast; we could just kick the ball and they could get onto it and make goals,” junior Erik Rieland said. “This year, we have more skill than fast players, so we have to kind of slow down the play, connect passes and make our way up the field.” The team practices intensely in order to develop and improve their skills. “We are very technically good this year, a lot better than last year; we do not just kick the ball up the field. We posses and build,” junior captain Drew Adams said. While this may be a rebuilding year, the varsity team stands tall. As of Sept. 30, the team has a record of five wins, five losses, and three ties, the boys have been able to hold their heads high thus far. The team is rather young, but the newer players on the roster look to the captains to show them the way. “I am in charge of encouraging [the team] if they make a mistake, and making sure they do not panic on the field,” senior captain Bogdan Pintilie said. While Pintilie focuses his leadership toward the field and its play, Adams takes charge of the team’s morale and behavior. “[I am in charge of] keeping the team in line and motivating the guys,” said Adams. Even though the captains have a lot on
their hands throughout the season, they have to make sure their team is not only physically but mentally prepared as well. The coaches, Jim Stachura and Alan Zakaria, talk to their players about mental toughness. “Our mentality is to play possession and keep the ball; to not panic and just kick the ball up front, but connect the pass,” said Pintilie. Not only do Stachura and Zakaria talk about having a tough mentality, they also advise their boys on how to handle plays that get a little dicey. “Keep your heads. Do not talk back to the refs or anything, just be professional,” said Adams. The boys are constantly pushing one another to be better at practice, which translates over to the games. With teammates that hold each other accountable and keep the “Keep Calm and Carry On” mentality, this team is one step closer to being unstoppable. Nevertheless, like any good team, there are always things to work on. “We have a really young team this year. We graduated 17 seniors last year so [it is] just about gaining experience and not making the same mistakes,” said Adams. Not only can the team benefit and improve from gaining experience, but also from certain technical standpoints. “I think we need to work on finding the targets more so we can have more chances every game,” said Pintilie. At the end of the day, the Colts varsity soccer team has a lot of promise. Even though they are relatively young, they have the talent and the heart to be a great team. Watch out for them this season.
Football is perhaps the most universally recognized sport at Troy High. However, many people are not aware of all the work required to put on a solid performance at every home game. Many other clubs and organizations work hard and receive little acknowledgment. They don’t always get the attention they deserve and one of these clubs is ColorGuard. “I do not think people realize how much work we put into making the halftime show, and how many hours a week we put into practice,” senior Hana Anderson said. Many of the students in ColorGuard want to make the student body more aware of what ColorGuard really is. “ColorGuard consists of flag work and dancing so it is combination of both,” freshman Jane Kim said. ColorGuard prepares for games just as many other teams. “Mondays we have field rehearsals until five, and then we have sectionals on Wednesdays for two hours,” Kim said. During game days, the ColorGuard team must report to school by 4 p.m. Once everyone is accounted for they change into their
Freshman Patricia Kubota works on her routine.
Junior Caroline Nicholas has been on TC ColorGuard for three years.
uniforms: brightly colored costumes that align with the theme- this year’s is “Written in the Stars.” Right before the halftime show the team must change outfits again.While the football players are going into their respective locker rooms during halftime, ColorGaurd’s job is just beginning. Every performance requires a different costume and routine. From various experiences at Friday night games, the girls in ColorGuard sometimes feel that they are underrated by the student body. “I feel like the student section is kind of loud during halftime sometimes, so the best way to be able to see the work put in would be to just listen for us,” Anderson said. At Troy High, kids take their extracurriculars very seriously. Dedication and commitment are often most rewarding when is noticed by other students. So pay a little more attention to the people in the halls and on the field; there is always a show to watch.
Troy High ColorGuard practices every day during second hour. They also have after school rehearsals on Mondays and Wednesdays to perfect their performance. PHOTOS BY EMILY HAMILTON
8
features
Conversations with the Colt Connection Behind the scenes with the staff of Troy High’s school store
BY CHRISTINA CRANE AND SABINA RAVINDRAN STAFF WRITERS
As students rush into the chaos that is lunch, something appears to be missing; that something would be the school store. Although its presence seems to be trivial for now, the students who run The Colt Connection have been working to make the store even more productive and offer a greater variety of products for the upcoming year. The Colt Connection is a part of the statewide marketing program. This includes co-op, which is getting class credit for having an outside job, DECA and the school store. Marketing teacher Heidi Rosenberg is in charge of all of these, making her unlike the typical teacher and the class as unusual as it is. “We give students a lot of bookwork and homework from a textbook, but we do not teach them how to run a business,” Rosenberg said. “This gives the students a hands-on experience.” While Rosenberg is the teacher of the class, the students are the ones who make sure that the store runs. The students have to order the food, design the apparel and decide what to sell. If some product is not selling well, they have to decide whether to mark the price down and by how much.
PHOTO BY SABINA RAVINDRAN
Store manager senior Anne Middleton sorts through merchandise with classmate senior Nick Sirhan. The Colt Connections opens its doors on October 5.
Because the store is student run, it requires student leadership. There are three managers, one for each lunch: seniors Anna Middleton, Clare Keating and Ally Majewski. Between the three of them, there are many responsibilities such as setting up everything in the store, training the new employees and doing inventory at the end of every day. “Everyone thinks that the school store is a blow-off class, but it actually is not because you
get this huge packet every week that you have to fill out and it is due every Friday, which is when we also have a test,” Middleton said. “The tests are actually kind of hard.” In addition to handling customers in the store, the store employees have to make sure that the room is always neat. They have to wash the cookie sheets, clean the ovens and ensure that everything is back in place by the time the store opens the next day, similar to a real store.
“It is fun,” Middleton said. “ You meet really cool people and everyone there is always really nice. I also find it kind of fun to work. Just like seeing everyone coming in and giving them a cookie or candy-- it is just really fun to make people happy.” Something new about the school store this year is the return of the “original” cookies. For two days of the week out of three weeks of the month, the Colt Connection will be allowed to be non-compliant. This means that the store can sell everything it was able to sell before the federal food regulations were put in place last year. This also means that the cookies and candy that were so popular before can be sold again now. However, there is a catch. If there is a club or team selling Krispy Kreme donuts during a day of the week, the school store will not be allowed to sell candy or cookies on that day. “That is going to be a little rough, but we will figure it out,” Middleton said. While there are some different rules this year, the school store continues to be successful and something that many students look forward to. “It is a really cool way to see your friends and stuff and give back to the school because all of the revenue from the school store goes right back to the school,” Majewski said. “It raises money for the school and it is rewarding in that way.”
features
9
Helping and Healing: Trainer Mike Sime and his Assistants A look inside the daily routine of the medics of the Troy High Athletic Programs Photo By: Snigdha Suvarna
BY SNIDGHA SUVARNA SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
With over 3,000 staff and students walking through the building, it is easy to overlook the true heroes of the school. Some of which are Mike Sime and his assistants. Sime is Troy High School’s athletic trainer and he is responsible for assisting injured athletes. “For a typical day I get to school at about 1:30 and I do some emails and phone calls until school ends,” Sime said. “Then once school ends there is a big rush of pre-practice treatments. I get everyone ready for pre-practice and pre-games and get them ready to go. Once the big rush is over I can spend some time looking at new injuries, setting up treatments and doing rehabilitations.” Since there are many athletes waiting to be helped, Sime has five assistants that help him with basic medical needs. “On an everyday basis we assist Mike by helping athletes with taping, wrapping, and applying heat and ice packs,” junior Caroline Schlimgen said. “A lot of football players need to be taped before practices and games so we help Mike out. We also get the athletes’ water ready and get Mike’s cart ready with the AED and first aid kits.” Before the assistants could help Sime out they had to go through an intense week long
Troy High’s trainer Mike Sime tends to injured student athletes after school.
training during the summer. “Over the summer we had to go to a one week summer camp at Athens to get certified at first aid and CPR,” junior Alaina Gargano said. “We learned how to tape ankles, first aid, safety, and what to do when something happens in different situations.” With these long hours, this job requires a lot of patience and commitment.
“A typical shift is 2:30 to when football practice ends which is around 5:30 or 6:00. This is a very flexible schedule. You can stay as long as you can. For example, I have cross country so I only stay as long as I can,” junior Madison Darish said. “On game day we have to be there from 4 p.m. to around 10 p.m. During the game we sit on the sidelines prepared to help any injured player.”
This program is a great way to gain exposure in the medical field. Although, assisting Sime requires great responsibility and dedication. “I like that I get to help people who are injured and help them get better. It is cool that I get to do stuff people do at a real job. This experience is such a great exposure to the physical therapy field and I definitely want to continue in the medical field in the future,” senior Kate Shabet said. Although this job may look intimidating at first, many assistants feel it is actually a compelling and respectable program to be a part of. “At first I thought it was going to be really hardcore, but it is not scary at all. The athletes are very nice and they respect you,” Tiana Smith said. “I thought that they would not since I am the same age as them or even younger, but I was very surprised.” Here is some advice from Sime himself for anyone who is interested in going into sports therapy. “You have to love sports and love helping people. It requires a lot of time commitment and dedication. For example even though I am free in the mornings, I am here at school from one in the afternoon to late at night helping people,” Sime said. “Bottom line, you have to enjoy it.”
Spotlight on Student Leaders at THS
How these colts influence life at Troy both in school and out of class BY DEEPTHI DEVIREDDY STAFF WRITER
Nithya Ramadurai What clubs or extracurriculars do you participate in? I’m in buildOn, NHS, HOSA and IASA. I have been in buildOn since freshman year and NHS since last year. What do you think defines a leader? I think a leader is someone who can have the responsibility to take charge and get things done but also be nice enough that people are not scared to talk to them. What sort of responsibilities do you have for buildOn? For buildOn, I make sure that everyone is getting the fundraising done by the deadlines. I organize meetings and service projects for the club to be a part of and plan our benefit dinner and eventually send as many people as we can to a third world country to build a school. What sort of responsibilities do you have for NHS? Right now we plan and make the sign-ups for the service projects that the members do and eventually we plan the induction for the juniors and seniors and we plan speakers.
Tabitha Hendren What clubs or extracurriculars do you participate in? I’m in Stugo, DECA, Peer Mediation. I also play soccer and do Relay for Life. I’m Vice President of the Stugo executive board. I’m also Captain of my Relay for Life team and I was captain of the JV Soccer team my sophomore and junior year. What sort of responsibilities do you have for Stugo? So basically we plan a lot of activities like dances and activist week and powderpuff for volleyball and football. We also plan elections, fundraisers, Gimmees and prom. I would say now is kind of like our prime time since it is homecoming season so we have to put out nominations and organize spirit week, and we are a little busier than usual since we have three pep assemblies this year. What sort of responsibilities do you have for soccer? I have to be a role model on and off the field for the rest of the team. I also take care of logistical aspects such as paperwork and spiritwear and all that. PHOTO BY: DEEPTHI DEVIRED-
10
Long Anticipated “Scorch TC Tradition Trials” Hits Theatres BY APRIL RICE STAFF WRITER
Photo courtesy of 20th century fox
Maze Runner fans began to fill the seats one by one as the anticipation for “Scorch Trials” was high. The second book of the “Maze Runner” series, “Scorch Trials,” was made into a movie and premiered on September 18 and is still going strong. “Scorch Trials” begins where “Maze Runner” leaves off. Thomas and the rest of the Maze kids make their way to what they think is a safe haven, but as they arrive, Thomas notices suspicious activity. He meets a new friend named Aris and they both investigate the area to find that they never really got away from the creators of the Maze: which is WCKD. Thomas and Aris warns the others as they escape and begin their journey out in the Scorch. WCKD is trying to get back the group of kids throughout the movie, and while the group is on the move they encounter many problems. They are beaten down
by the extremely hot climate and they run into citizens who are infected by a mysterious disease called The Flare. The movie thus ends leaving us with a cliffhanger, which lets us know there will be another movie. “Scorch Trials” had me jumping in my seat with excitement as I watched and compared the movie with the book. I felt that even though there are some things missing from the movie that are in the book, the directors took the movie and used their own creative style to still keep it like the book. For example in the book the two main characters, Thomas and Theresa, can speak to each other in their minds but in the movie the director has left that out, and I felt that that was an essential aspect of the story. Well of course it is a bonus that the main character is played by the attractive Dylan O’Brien, and I feel he fits the role of Thomas just right. He did an amazing job playing that character. Overall, I enjoyed the movie and recommend it to anyone who wants to see a good, interesting action-packed movie.
At every Friday night Football game, sports rivalry game and playoff, one may be able to quickly scan Troy High’s student section and find an unusual object floating around: The iconic deer head. This symbol of Troy High pride is maintained by a team of 16 seniors. The TC Line boys keep tabs on the deer head on a daily basis. The head is transported between many sources between games in order to keep its location secret. “We hide the deer head. No one really touches it until game day,” Rowe said. “We basically keep an extra watch [during Athens games] and only TC Line guys hold the head.” The deer head is subject to being stolen, especially by Athens fans, due to its importance to the Troy High community. What makes the deer head such an important feature of the student section is the tradition it encompasses. It has been around for about 15 years and attends many Troy
entertainment BY RAHEE PATEL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF High sporting events. The main appeal to the deer head is kissing it during football games. “Kissing the deer head is just tradition; there’s no way of avoiding it,” junior Leah Kossak said. “Kissing [the deer head] is almost like your admission to the student section. There’s no way to sneak past.” Although this symbol of Colt pride may not seem sanitary, TC Line claims to keep it safe, clean and nice. “Whether you like it or not, you are not going to make it through Troy High without kissing the deer head at least once,” Kossak said. “The deer head is the object of TC Line,” Rowe said. “It represents the entire student section as one and all of the seniors.” The infamous deer head has been a longstanding tradition at Troy High, and will continue to be an important symbol to Troy High students.
Deer Head 2003
Deer Head 2015
Photo courtesy of Northend 2003
Photo by Leah Graham
Deer Head: UNVEILED BY BHAVYA SUKHAVASI WEB MANAGER
What is really on the deer head? Troy High’s deer head has been through a lot, and has enough fiction told about it that it is hard to distingiush the facts. The Chariot staff attempted to clear some misconceptions about the deer head, specifically its hygenic state. The neck, nose and cheek of the head were swabbed and then swabbed onto an agar plate, which is a growth medium that fosters bacterial growth. Science teacher Jeff Forshey assisted the staff with this experiment. When the experiment was completed, the staff discovered some surprising results. Though the deer head is known for supposedly being unclean, there was only one growth on the bacterial plate. The agar plate initially grew large white colonies. These colonies, while alarming, are not contaminants from the deer head, but instead contaminants due to human error. The growth from the deer head is instead
shown in the smaller black and white clusters, specifically the ones pointed out in this picture. “It does not have much [growth]. I would say [the deer head] is still pretty clean,” Forshey said. “It has a little bit of fungus on it but not much. I believe that it is safe to pass down and keep the tradition going.” Deer Head growth
contaminants
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY BHAVYA SUKHAVASI AND SOUMEEKA KONERU
editorials
11
What is
e M # good for?
BY LEAH GRAHAM EDITOR
PHOTO BY BHAVYA SUKHAVASI
I can easily define feminism for you: advocacy for the rights of women and gender equality. Simple. But I honestly don’t know how to put Meninism into words. Maybe that’s because “meninism” isn’t a real word. I have nothing against meninists personally. I just don’t understand them. Or what they stand for, to be more exact. Feminists take to social media to argue for women’s rights. They offer support for victims of rape or expose discrimination. But feminists aren’t trapped behind the screens they use to spread their message; they hold rallies to promote female empowerment, join debates about controversial laws and bring attention to injustices. However, meninists aren’t interested in “men’s rights.” The Meninist twitter presence is more of a weak attempt at humor than male advocacy. Their twitter bios reference an explicit use of sarcasm, but I don’t think their followers get the joke. I’m not sure I do either. Calling out the hypocrisy of feminists from first world countries is one thing, but whining about “hoes” and making sexist jokes trivializes social activism. Let’s get one thing straight. When you buy hoodies that have “meninist” emblazoned on the chest, you aren’t actually helping anyone. Sure, the creepy forty year old guy selling them on twitter makes a profit, but no charitable causes are receiving aid. Men who could actually benefit from legitimate advocacy- like transgender men, men of color or male victims of rape- are not in any way helped by this “men’s rights” campaign. The meninists run a twitter account, not a social justice movement. Be a meninist or not, it’s not my place to tell you how to live your life. But please know that if you want to see tweets about football, memes or Kylie Jenner, you don’t have to hate feminists to do it.
1 Million people follow the meninist Twitter account
BY ADAM SLIWINSKI WEB TEAM AND STAFF WRITER
GRAPHIC BY EMILY HAMILTON
m s i n ni
Better Late Than Never
7:20. The 1st hour tardy bell. People who have the ability to raise themselves from a heavy rest have been able to make this time limit. However, for the rest of us constantly hit with tardies leading to Saturday schools, the concept of “efficient” sleep eludes us. But is it really the students’ fault? According to the National Sleep Foundation, 87% of high schoolers don’t get the recommended nine to ten hours per night. In the three years that I have attended Troy High, I have never heard of the phrase, “Man, we are waking up way too late!” Quite the opposite. The mornings are always filled with yawns and sleepy eyes and on rare occasion someone might ask a question or two in first hour. But if it turns out that you have a pop-quiz or test on the reading you read last night, the possibility that you forgot what color letter the main character of The Scarlet Letter had to wear is real. So with the higher probability of lower grades in first hour and the competitive environment at Troy High, no one wants to talk about how wrong this system is. The reasons for an early start time do not add up. The most frequent excuse is that it would help students get used to an “early to bed, early to rise” lifestyle. But my pre-dawn alarm has me waking up even before my parents. Being a morning person is a matter of chance and disposition, not a choice to be made. A study done by the American Academy of Pediatricians concluded that the earliest start time that would allow students to get enough sleep is 8:30 a.m. Those unconscious hours are important. Ask any health teacher. The list of negative effects of sleep deprivation is a long one, including increased risk of depression, confusion and future heart problems. With so much on the line, I am surprised that districts choose not to act. The way we sleep as teens affects us for the rest of our lives.
the chariot
Boudon’s Blueprint BY JENNY BOUDON
12
THEBASIC
APPLICATION
AN HONEST COLLEGE ESSAY A STAFF EDITORIAL
Prompt: in less than 500 words, why do you want to attend our university?
Because I don’t want to live in box under a highway overpass. Because I want to get a job, then get a house and then maybe a life. I mean really, what else am I supposed to do if I don’t go to college? You’re asking why I chose this school in particular and my simple answer is imagination. When I go to a job interview in however many years and sit myself down in front of some random human resources representative, I want to say I went to this oh-so-prestigious school. I want to watch my interviewer’s eyes light up with recognition and hear her squeal about how this place is her alma mater, too. I want her to launch into some anecdote about her sorority days and get so nostalgic that by the end of the interview, she won’t even remember anything about me except for this school. And that will be all I need to get the job. My other answer to your moronic question is that I don’t exactly want to go to here. But, given the outrageous expectations of American colleges and the cutthroat competition nurtured in high schools across the country, I need a plan B (and plans C-Z). Why do I want to go to this school? I don’t particularly. Look at your tuition: who would want to spend their twenties drowning in student debt? College is a necessity that’s priced like a luxury. An admission letter from you, my dear college admissions essay reader, might relieve the parental pressure or ease my anxiety. If you would just let me in, I wouldn’t have to keep begging teachers for recommendation letters, retaking the ACT every month, or planning my life around what looks good on college applications. You want applicants to have 4.5 GPAs, but, because I am a normal human being, I don’t have that. You also want additional essays. Given the absurd relationship between the depth of the questions you ask and the word limit you enforce, how do I turn my mundane life into some inspirational narrative in less than 500 words? Answer: I don’t. You want to know about me. How can I tell you who I am when I don’t even know who I am? Isn’t college supposed to be when and where you “find yourself?” I don’t know what I want to do with the rest of my life. I don’t even know what I want for dinner tonight. You also want to see that I’m passionate about something, or at least passionate about your school, and I get that, but how could I ever develop a passion for anything if I spend all my time trying to meet your expectations? I have spent the last four years of my life sorting through leaking cans at food banks and flipping burgers at fast food restaurants and taking AP classes to appeal to your criteria. Why risk the minimal free time I have trying something out of my comfort zone? I’m not about to get a C in Art 101 if it’ll hurt my future. And, who knows, maybe I would’ve been the next Picasso. But you’re too focused on my grades, extra-curriculars, part-time job, and test scores to see my potential. And maybe I am, too.