January 2015 by TheCometsTaleGLHS

ct Grand Ledge High School’s

The Comets’ Tale

Find out why the Wi-Fi slows down

Bye-bye ACT: Class of 2017 will be taking SAT next year

on page 9

on page 2

The real cost of smoking on page 7

Lock-up and lock down

Volume 47 Issue 4 January 2015

Front doors were locked and signs that read “drill in progress” were taped to the doors

Green cards were checked

820 Spring St. Grand Ledge MI

517-925-5848

Silent classrooms filled the high school Wed. Dec. 3, 2014 during a routine lockdown drill. Police officials came into the school and checked the darkened classrooms while evacuating the foreign language hall. There will be more lockdown drills during the school year, including a surprise lockdown drill during passing time or lunch. Photos by Mary Vu/ The Comets’ Tale

Checked the doors over by the cafeteria, they were not locked but should have been

With evolving security measures GLHS is updating their lockdowns and campus security Savannah Wear ‘15 Staff Writer

Evacuations began

Everyone who was evacuated was sent to the cafeteria

At 9:13 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3, two groups of officers were released down the halls of GLHS. Doors were rattled and green cards were checked as authorities peered through windows into darkened rooms. For about 30 minutes, an eerie silence filled the building as the only sound that echoed through the hallways was the feet of the men on a mission. About two years ago, GLPS upgraded its security measures across the district, from implementing more serious lockdown drills to installing keyless locks. Now, staff and students have noticed an impressive upgrade in their safety at school. Lockdown Drills For the first time ever, GLHS plans to have a lockdown drill

that will occur during passing time between classes instead of during class. This is due to new requirements to execute at least one drill per year either during passing time or at lunch. However, administration does not plan to inform either staff or students about when the lockdown drill will take place. “Realistically I do not think we should inform staff,” Gabriel said. “We want to attempt to make it as real as possible during that passing time.”’ The number one thing that administration has noticed is that both teachers and students have been taking lockdown drills much more seriously than in the past. “Things we used to see were unlocked doors, noise in the classroom, even in the past years we have had teachers continue teaching in the dark,” Gabriel said. “We don’t see that anymore, I think we’ve done a good job,

both the police department and the staff.” Evacuations GLHS has also began practicing the evacuation of a wing of the school during lockdown drills. Last year, and once this year, the math teachers and students practiced evacuating everyone in the math hall down to the new gym on the bottom floor. On Dec. 3, a handful of classes closest to the main entrance were evacuated to the cafeteria. “I think that is important in adding the realism to it,” Gabriel said. If GLHS ever were to go on real lockdown, administration and officers would not evacuate any classrooms until they were 100 percent certain that the entire building was secure and cleared by law enforcement. “What we’re really practicing at that point would be getting people

Officer Chris Chester and assistant principal Sara Sutherland escort classes during the lockdown to the cafeteria. In the case of a lockdown, the administration and officers would not evacuate students unless they were 100 percent certain that the building was secure for everyone. This year, during lockdown drills, the school is better enforcing rules like not teaching during drills and students being off their cell phones.

See SECURITY on page 2

Senior Adam Batz receives GLPS bond makes another appearance on the ballot Centralis Gold scholarship Sarah Sims ‘15 Editor-in-Chief

competition took place between October and November and competitors had to complete an Hundreds of seniors competed application, essay and a creative for 150 scholarships Central piece before their scheduled day Michigan University was giving of competition. “It took a long out along time to make with a spot in and it took a lot their honors of effort, there college during were several the Centralis items that we competition. had to make,” In December, Batz said. senior Adam Along with Batz found all the work out that he Batz also had received the to go to CMU Centralis Gold on a Saturday Scholarship, morning to which will write a timed give him a essay that was scholarship for judged along full tuition and with the rest of acceptance in his application their honors Senior Adam Batz playing that he college. the tuba during one of competed before To qualify for GLHS’ concerts. He will be the competition the scholarship attending CMU next year after started. competition “Even if I students must winning their Centralis Gold wouldn’t have have had a scholarship. Courtesy Photo gotten the minimum 3.7 GPA and at least a score of 27 scholarship I would still attend on their ACT. The scholarship CMU,” Batz said.

Jackson Vanderlaan ‘16 Staff Writer

The Grand Ledge Board of Education is hoping that the third time is the charm for their newest bond proposal. Last year, the bond vote was first postponed from November 2013 to May 2014, then when it was finally on the ballot, it was voted down by the community. Because of how close the vote come down to — 83 votes — it is being put back up for a vote this February. Several changes have been made to how the money is planned to be allocated. This time facility improvement is the emphasis, instead of technology. “We’ve looked at all of our needs and certainly building and infrastructure are at the top of our list,” school board president Brody Boucher said. “Three buildings in the district still have portables, and we would really like to eliminate those as soon as possible.” Portables are a liability because they are not as easy to secure in the case of a lockdown and they

are harder to maintain than the permanent part of the school. Technology will also be a central part of the bond again. With the new online M-STEP test replacing the MEAP, the need for more computers and a more reliable wireless network has become even more important. “Beginning this spring, all of our students will be taking the annual assessment online,” superintendent Brian Metcalf said. “So support of technology is an absolute must.” Other items kept the same are improvements to security and athletics. Something being done differently is communication. “There was some miscommunication among some of our community members about what the bond contained,” Boucher said. “ I heard from people in circles I’m in that they would have voted for the bond if it had not had turf in it. I can tell you that the bond had no turf in it and neither does this bond.” The athletics portion of the bond has remained virtually untouched. “The renovations to the soccer See BOND on page 2

Wed. Dec. 17 the high school staff meet with superintendent Brian Metcalf for their staff meeting. Metcalf let the staff in on the details of the upcoming bond this February. Photo by Jackson Vanderlaan/ The Comets’ Tale

Millage rates from around the region Location Dewitt Holt Waverly Haslett Potterville East Lansing Okemos Perry

Grand Ledge

Rate 10.0000 10.0000 9.2967 8.3300 7.3500 7.0000 7.0000 7.0000

6.9500

Nw.

2 Student breaking stereotypes

The Comets’ Tale • News • January 2015

In 2013 the poverty rate was 14.5 percent in the United States

20 percent of all students at Grand Ledge High School are on free and reduced lunch

There were 45.3 million people in poverty in the U.S. in 2013

Before the lockdown drill had begun, officials met in the office to group before conducting the drill.

The poverty rate for children under 18 was 19.9 percent in 2013

Photo by Mary Vu/ The Comets’ Tale

Security continued from page 1

Keyless Locks Since two years ago, GLHS has removed all of the exterior keys on just about every door in the building, going to a keyless entry. There are still a couple of doors that can be accessed with a key, but all but four of the doors in the building have had their key removed. All staff members now have a key fob on their keychain that can access them entry into the building. “Not only does staff have key fobs, but so do our local agencies, like the sheriff department and local police department,” Chester said. “The Michigan state police are also looking to get them so they can access these schools too in the case of an emergency.” Substitute Teachers Secretary Cindy Bouchard has always done her best to prepare substitute teachers for lockdown drills, even on days when the school is not scheduled for a drill. “She’ll even flip open the folder and show the substitute teacher how the lockdown procedure is going to run,” Chester said. All of the substitutes have gone through general training, are trained through the county, and receive a folder that outlines GLHS’s lockdown procedures. “We’re also pretty lucky in that a lot of our subs are here all the time so they’re somewhat familiar,” Gabriel said. “We provide them with information to prepare them the best we can.” Propping Doors One security measure that has not changed as dramatically in the past two years is the issue with students propping open exterior doors. “I would like to explore looking at upgrades in technology so that there’s someway to alarm those doors if they’re propped open for an amount of time,” Gabriel said. The number one safety concern that Gabriel and Chester try to stress to students is that propping doors is a danger to the students and staff at GLHS by possibly allowing intruders easy access into the school. “We have two pretty good hall monitors right now that are both retired police officers,” Gabriel said. “They’re constantly scouting the perimeter.” The Big Picture GLPS is also looking at a few more upgrades in security measures in the upcoming bond proposal this February, including When it comes down to it, it is the administration’s number one priority to keep everyone at in GLPS as safe as possible in the case of actual danger. “When the staff takes it seriously, it shows,” Sgt. Aaron Brown said. “Because if they take it seriously, then the students will too. And it is serious.”

The struggles of overcoming homelessness while still in high school Bry Leach ‘15 News Editor

has only seen his two younger siblings sparingly, and has become more independent than “My life is complicated. I mean, most of his peers — although everybody’s life is complicated,” he is not even graduated from GLHS student John Doe* said. high school. His situation is not “I’m trying to figure out which unlike that of 19 other students at GLHS. college to go to now Doe left his parents’ but I haven’t home after getting in talked to my “Maybe not an argument with parents in a them over when while. I just everyone knows his phone bill moved in me and some would be paid with my people like to and how much it friend would cost him. [recently], pick on me but “They said, ‘If before that’s more fuel you’re not going then I for the fire I to pay your phone was living bill like an adult, with another guess.” were going to shut friend. Before your phone off.’” Doe I moved out I was said. “So I told them, ‘Fine, not happy.” After his parents kicked him shut it off, I’ll find another way to out of their house several months get a phone and then you’ll have ago, Doe became “homeless.” no communication with me and Being part of the stereotype, has you’ll be the one who cut it off. been living with various friends I went to work that day a little and sleeping on their couches, bit after that I went to call and

John Doe*

to a location where we can gather everyone and start loading them onto buses to send them home,” Gabriel said. “We would certainly not evacuate kids if there was still a threat.” In a realistic situation, an evacuation would probably not occur until three or four hours after the school went on lockdown. Evacuation locations could included anywhere from the gym, cafeteria or even the football field, depending on the situation.

**Statistics are from the United States census bureau website

get a ride, and my phone wasn’t working.” Doe sees himself as just a normal high school student - he is a varsity athlete, has a job and enjoys being around his friends. After high school, he hopes to go to LCC before getting a degree — maybe a masters — from MSU. Although his time and aspirations are not far from those of his peers, his situations is, and he feels that some people look at him differently for that. He supports himself with his job in food service, paying for his own phone, clothes and other necessities. But it’s not always easy managing money while working part time, making minimum wage - just a few weeks ago, Doe was walking around school with taped shoes, unable to afford any type of fix until his check came in at the end of the week. But he manages, he has to. Doe says looking back 10 years, he imagined himself now to be the “jock” at school.

He does not aim to be “that guy” anymore. “Sports aren’t everything, I may not be the most known guy around or have the most friends but I like who I hang out with,” Doe said. “Maybe not everyone knows me and some people like to pick on me but that’s more fuel for the fire I guess.” “I remember when I was little who I thought I was going to be at this age - I’m definitely not where I thought I was going to be at,” Doe said. “I thought I was going to be like the football guy that everybody knew and liked and had an easy time socially, because I always had a hard time when I was younger with that. I’ve worked really hard over the years to overcome my autism to be able to talk socially normally.” Doe has found solace in his sport since he started in the eighth grade. He sees it as a good output for negative energy and a way to make friends. “It’s a good release if you’re

having a bad day, you can go and practice for two hours, you can channel that anger or sadness into it,” Doe said. “[The anger] does come out.” Although Doe isn’t exactly where he wants to be in life, he is struggling everyday with many things: autism, living on his own, and dealing with the everyday stresses of high school. He rarely sees his siblings and even more sparingly, his parents. He doesn’t plan on moving back in, so continues to live from couch to couch with friends, work to get by from paycheck to paycheck, and take everything day by day. But he completely accepts where he is in every part of his life, and doesn’t plan on changing his outlook soon to please anyone else. “I am who I am, that’s not changing, if you don’t like that I’m not going to change for you. I need to be happy with myself before making other people happy.”

John Doe* is an anonymous student from GLHS

Bond reappearing on ballot continued from page 1 field are my number one priority,” athletic director Steve Baker said. “We’ve done as much as we can with it. There’s no team room, no lights, the parking lot is unpaved. it isn’t secure at all, you can’t lock the doors.” Also included is improvements to the football and track stadiums, with a connection from m-43 connected with the new track field to ease traffic congestion. Again, an important part of the bond

is going to be updates to the infrastructure within the district, specifically busing. “Transportation is a significant issue in Grand Ledge,” Boucher said. “Those school buses have a low shelf life and there’s a point that we can’t repair them.” The bond will be an increase from last time, $68,325,000, compared to last year’s $59,000,000. This is mostly due to increases in construction costs increasing across the

state because of the economy’s slow recovery. “In the interim between when we ran the bond in May and when we run in February we know that construction costs have risen across the state,” Boucher said. “So there is some accounting for (the increase).” If the bond were to pass it would add an extra $81 a year, or an extra $7 a month per household for 25 years. The vote will be on Feb. 24.

SAT replacing ACT Bry Leach ‘15 News Editor

Starting in the 2015-2016 school year, all eleventh grade students will be required to take the SAT rather than the ACT as part of the new testing curriculum from the State of Michigan. The change was announced in a press release by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) yesterday. In 2014, elected officials could not decide on whether to keep the previous testing formats or start a contract with a new company. At the end of the year, the state announced that the class of 2016 would be required to take 16 hours of testing including the ACT and ACT Work Keys. Since the 2006-2007 school year, all eleventh grade students in the state of Michigan were required to take the ACT. The Comets’ Tale will continue to cover this story as more information is released.

Comet-in-Charge Bry Leach ‘15 News Editor

This school year, some changes have been seen in the school setting. New safety procedures were practiced in October, and students have been restricted with their in-school fundraising. What hasn’t changed, however, is the school’s use of PBIS lessons, which started last year. Safety - As ordered by Eaton county another improvement to the school’s safety plan is the introduction to an unannounced lockdown drill, which will occur during lunch or passing time later in the year. No teachers or students will be notified of the drill, which will hopefully feel more real to unexpecting patrons. Fundraising - As ordered by the Safe Snacks in Schools initiative this year, candy bags are not allowed to be sold in school along with other unhealthy snacks. Personal fundraising of the candy bags is also prohibited by the school itself, because of the lack of accountability for where the money raised goes.

Dr. Brain Metcalf gives a presentation to the high school staff about the upcoming bond with the changes to the district and to the high school if the bond were to pass. Photo by Jackson Vanderlaan/ The Comets’ Tale

Op.

The Comets’ Tale • Opinion • January 2015

ACT class scores on the rise

English teacher Jennifer Pippen is one of the three teachers in charge of the new ACT class at GLHS this year. The class is broken up into three sections: math, science and english. It is offered to studetns who have portential to raise their ACT score. Photo by Sarah Clinkscales/The Comets’ Tale Amy Case ‘16 Staff Writer I knew that this one test would practically define my future, but I definitely didn’t take it as seriously as I should have…until now. All we ever hear through our high school careers is how much the ACT will matter, how it will affect the school, how scary it is, or how hard it is. Over the summer of 2014, GLPS administration decided to offer an ACT Skills class available to

juniors at the high school. In the spring of their sophomore year, juniors took a practice ACT provided by the school. The students were put into the class based on how much growth administration thought was possible from them. No certain score was needed but they looked for students who they thought had the best chance to ascertain the most information. I was one of these students. When I looked at my schedule a few weeks before the start of this school year, I noticed that one of my classes had been

taken off and I didn’t have a first hour. Four days later, I checked PowerSchool again and I saw a class I had never heard of—ACT Skills. At first, I definitely did not want to be in this class at all; I didn’t think I needed it. I was honestly mad that someone had put me into this class without me signing up for it. I scored a 19 on the practice ACT in March and I thought that was good enough, that I didn’t need to improve. I was completely wrong. After just the first day of the class, which met in the library, I realized I was exactly where I needed to be.

The ACT Skills class is split into three sections, one for each subject of the ACT Test. Science teacher Michelle Hamilton teaches skills and strategies on how to better our science scores. In addition, during the science portion, we learn about the different types of questions the test will ask and how to make them easier to answer. English teacher Jennifer Pippin teaches the English and Reading portion, beginning each class period with a “reading warm-up.” Her lesson’s included my toughest topic: semi-colons. My overall English score

went up seven points, while my Reading score went up 12 points. Advanced math teacher Katie Westen properly teaches the math portion of this class. She covers the three topics she sees come up the most on the many different forms of the test she has looked at. The way the grading scale was set for the class benefited everyone, based on completion. If you finished all of your work, you get credit in the class — which I thought was a great, unique style of grading. I have noticed that although some people try very hard in school, they just can’t seem to get good grades—this grading technique benefitted them. The teachers came to the conclusion that certain ACT scores tied in with certain trimester final grades. If your ACT score tied in with a B grade but you have a 4.0 GPA, you can just opt for credit in the class and the grade will neither help nor hurt your grade point average. This class was definitely a life-changer for me. On Friday, Nov. 14, the entire first trimester ACT Skills students piled into a board room at the Sawdon Administrative building at 8 a.m. As a whole, almost every student’s score went up drastically from their spring score. Hamilton, Pippin and Westen all indicated that even an increase of one to two points was something to celebrate. My final score on the ACT went up eight points: from a 19 to a 27 composite score. I would 100 percent recommend this class to anyone who can get into it, but in the meantime, just be confident in yourself and what you can do and remember, Hamilton, Pippin, and Westen’s doors are always open.

Accepting the reflection you see in the mirror Katie Twarozynski ‘17 Copy Editor

We all do it. Whether it is when we first wake up, or when we finally decide on an outfit. We go to the mirror. And if you are like me, it is a full length mirror so I can see my entire frame. Of course, when you stare long enough, everything looks bad. Thighs, face, stomach. By going through these exercises each morning, my thoughts soon turned dark on me. I felt the need to do extra workouts and eat very little. I would go for a run and the when I got home, I made sure my breakfast was small. At lunch, I made sure to not eat all of it. The next day, the whole routine repeated. No one noticed so I just assume they see me as needing to lose weight as well. I felt proud and accomplished. From my own personal experiences, trying to eat healthy and exercise and focus on looking fit and trim lead me down a dark path that I hope no one would ever have to experience. I went from weighing 120 pounds to weighing 98 in only three months. This is great for societies standards, but horrible for my own. My relatives and other trusted adults would tell me that I looked quite nice and that I did a fine job in losing weight. At the time, I was excited that I finally looked good after years of being larger than all of my friends. Looking back, I realized how messed up that is. How could

a respectable role model, an adult, tell me I looked good, when I Iooked like skin and bones? I became holed up in my own little world, blocking everyone out and losing so many friends and many good relationships that I had. At some points in my life, I would consider suicide. Obviously, better thoughts overruled negative ones. The media plays with our feelings by portraying these actresses with stick thin legs and flat stomachs. I wish there was not such an emphasis on being thin and looking perfect all of the time. Even if you are not diagnosed with a disease, you can still have problems with how you see yourself in the mirror. I want to be happy with how I look, no matter how much I weigh or what I wear. I think society today should focus more building up confidence. We focus so much on eating healthy, exercising, looking good, etc. Society claims all of these attributes will help you feel better about yourself and your appearance. Well, obviously society has not experienced this reality for itself. Life is about more than being thin and pretty. I want all teenagers (and any person in general) to know how much they are worth. You are worth more than the numbers on the scale or what the doctor tells you about your BMI. Confidence in yourself is sexier than sticks and bones and being unsure or unhappy with yourself. This summer,

Mission Statement The Comets’ Tale, a newspaper produced for and by students of Grand Ledge High School, will provide the student body with information pertinent to events, activities and issues that affect GLHS students.

I truly discovered myself. Even though I still struggle with what I see in the mirror, I know that my family and (true) friends do not focus on my body, so why should I? I guess what I am saying is ignore negative thoughts that come into your life. Tell yourself that you are a beautiful human being and do not deserve negativity. With that in mind, do not get down on yourself on how you look. There is someone out there that loves you and cares about you; I cannot stress that enough. Every person has more important qualities than what they look like. I believe every person that attends this high school is beautiful. However, there is still another side to this story. Body images and eating disorders go hand in hand in high schools today. Some of you, most of you, are probably rolling your eyes at the thought of eating disorders, but the thing is, eating disorders DO exist and ARE serious. Girls (and boys) see what they do not like about their bodies and want to make a change, thinking that they will just go on a simple diet. Soon, however, the individual becomes obsessed with losing weight, constantly exercising and starving themselves. When I say starving themselves, I am not exaggerating. Students with an eating disorder, particularly anorexia, eat about two carrot sticks for three meals a day. They are scared to gain weight and soon begin to fear food. This can leave them isolating themselves from their peers and going out to live their lives.

Editors-in-Chief

Sarah Sims Jake Thomann

Managing Editor

Sarah Clinckscales

Business Manager

Mary Vu

Copy Editor

Katie Twarozynski

News Editor

Bry Leach

77% of students do not believe they look good when others compliment them I urge every student in this school to pay attention to their friends. If notice a loss in weight, a distance or barrier that was not there before, please talk to them. Help them find trust in an adult. Call a hotline. I can assure you, these measures are NOT too extreme. When I went through this hard time in my life, not one of my friends called me out or paid any special attention to how I was acting or how I looked. I WISH

Staff Writers

Autstin Blatt Amy Case Gabby Cushman Katherine Davidson Alicia DeGroat Micheal Glasgow Taylor Kennaugh Robert Mitchell Angela Pontius

someone would have helped me become healthier sooner. I believe that they just did not know how to respond to the change they saw in me. Thousands of teens lose their lives each year through starving themselves or throwing up every food they eat. I believe that God gave us each one body to live in for the duration of our lives, and we should treat them with respect.

Jackson Vanderlaan Alexis VelasquezMayhew Nathan Werner Micheal Wilson

Adviser

Sara-Beth Badalamente

Change in bond must happen for it to pass Editorial

Last spring Grand Ledge saw numerous pamphlets stuffed into their mailboxes. From poster boards to fancy commercials, the bond for Grand Ledge Public Schools was highly advertised. Lost in all of the advertisements though were the real numbers— the real facts. If GLPS wants the revised bond to pass in February they need to have a transparent proposal, or the bond will again get shot down by the community. No one, except those who constructed the bond, knew what was included. The on-line commercial was ambiguous, and the only fact that was pushed at the community was that Grand Ledge would have the lowest millage rate around mid-Michigan. There were many misconceptions of a new turf for the football stadium being included in the bond, which there was no turf involved. There was no physical numbers or budgets of what money would go where. Vague bullet points lined brochures and there was minimal clarity on what would be included. Although the cost of construction is on the rise, GLPS needs money to make updates. At the high school last year there were multiple heating and cooling issues, along with a terrible leak in the roof caused by last years ice storms. Also, in all the schools, updates in security are essential with the growing age of technology. Funds from this bond will help all the schools enact new security measures. A large amount of updates to the schools can be made if this bond passes. The school district needs to focus on getting information out to the community rather than putting together brochures and poster boards. If there are no misconceptions on what is or is not included on the bond community members will see the needs in the schools, and know that there money is going to good places. Without the bond the school district could face a future of old infrastructure along with out-dated classrooms and technology.

Please recycle this newspaper

Letters to the Editor are encouraged by The Comets’ Tale staff. Letters may pertain to an article written or simply act as a form of student expression. All letters must be deemed publishable by the Editorial Board including the adviser. They should be 200 words or less but may be edited for content of length. All letters to the Editor must be signed. To send a letter to the Editor students may drop them in the publications room (room 113).

Ent.

The Comets’ Tale • Entertainment • January 2015

Katie’s Korner: “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime” book review

Photo by Telltale Games/The Walking Dead Illustration by Jake Thomann/ The Comets’ Tale

Why the story telling revolution created by Telltale Games is important for gaming

Katie Twarozynski ‘17 Copy Editor WARNING!! If you read “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”, you will spend hours with your nose in the book, wanting to figure out the plot of the story. The book is written cleverly from the point of view of a smart autistic teenager named Christopher Boone who lives with his father in a small town in England after his mother died. Right from the start, the book draws you in with the murder of Boone’s neighbor’s dog. Being the clever investigator that he is, Boone starts to investigate the scene and contact his neighbors about any suspicious behavior they have seen recently. Unfortunately, one neighbor becomes upset and calls the police on Boone and he is taken away to jail for his harassment of a police officer. When Boone’s dad comes to bail him out, he sternly tells his son to stop investigating the crime scene and takes his evidence book away. Since Boone cannot lie, he promises his dad that he will stop. The next day, he visits another neighbor, Mrs. Alexander, if she had seen anything suspicious the previous day. Of course, she does not, but instead invites Boone into her house for biscuits. Flat-out refusing, Boone heads back to his house, exhausted from the day’s search. Tiredly, Boone strolls into his father’s room, intending on looking for his evidence book, what he stumbles upon are a bunch of letters addressed to him: from his mother. He rips the envelopes open and starts to read the contents. Boone finds that the letters are addressed to him from only a few months ago, even though his mother died a few years ago. As he reads the letters, his dad comes to see him reading them. Angry and startled, his dad yells and starts to beat Boone, only for Boone to run away to find his mom in London. Stumbling his way around town, looking for the train station, Boone soon has a panic attack and runs to the station, forcing his money card into the ticket machine, and planting himself on the bench to wait for the train. As he starts to settle down, policemen soon come and start to peek around, looking for Boone since his father reported him missing. Boone quickly got up and ran to his train, hiding between the luggage of other passengers. The policeman entered the train and started to swear as he realized Boone was not “there”. Once the train arrived in London, Boone found directions to his mother’s house and entered upon the threshold. As his mother found him wandering around the house, she stared at him in amazement: here is her son, the one that had not been answering her letters. Boone told her mother the story of her “death”, and of course, his mother was not overly thrilled to hear this story. She soon packed all of her gear together and took Boone back to Swindon, even though Boone was less than pleased. They stayed with Boone’s father, even though he did not feel safe to Boone. This book was really interesting to read because it is written in a different style than most popular fiction books are. Boone is the narrator and he describes every little detail he does with precision. Do not get me wrong, the book was very nice to read, but it probably would not make my top ten books to read. Overall, I would say if you enjoy the littlest details being described to you over and over again, this is the perfect book for you.

Jake Thomann ‘16 Editor-in-Chief Storytelling in entertainment has always been a vital part of determining the quality of the product itself. Popular examples of this art come from television shows like “Breaking Bad”, along with movies like “Inception”. Video games, however, have been put in a different situation. Early games like “Pong” did not exactly contain a plot; instead, it was simply bouncing a ball back and forth across the screen. During her visit to Olga’s Kitchen, junior Angela Pontius ordered one of Olga’s Kitchen’s burgers and fries. The situation, however, has been changing. An Photos by Angela Pontius/The Comets’ Tale increasing number of video game developers taken the concept of storytelling into consideration and have been producing games that present stories with quality comparable to the quality of most media being made today. One developer in particular, Telltale Games, have been able to show how powerful storytelling in video games can be, and as a result proves that more development teams need to follow their example. The games developed by Telltale Games are mostly similar in terms of gameplay, with their differences usually relating to the different art styles used for each game. Their games are set up in an episodic nature, with each episode lasting around two hours each and the next episode being released a few months afterwards. Players are tasked with making decisions for the playable character, and most of the player’s Angela Pontius ‘16 Olga Loizon, pioneer tomatoes, onions, and plain yogurt. One bite of this sandwich decisions tailor towards the story, meaning different and founder of Olga’s and you will not want to try anything else on the menu. Other Staff Writer decisions result in a different story. sandwiches to die for include the chicken shawarma, classic Kitchen, would start Although light on the gameplay, each Telltalecheeseburger and smoked pork. off each of her mornings baking in a small produced game has shown me why good stories are If you are not a big fan of sandwiches or you would like to booth while rolling dough by hand. Over the needed to produce a good game. My first Telltale take the healthy route, Olga’s salads are a popular item on last four decades, Olga’s Kitchen has become game, also considered the product that let them the menu. All of Olga’s salads are handed tossed and made a growing franchise. With over 30 restaurants achieve major attention in the gaming industry, is fresh to order. A personal favorite of mine that is worth a in over four states, Olga’s Kitchen currently serves almost the award-winning video game adaption of the “The try is the Olga’s ceasar. This salad has romaine lettuce and 19 thousand pieces of bread per day and maintains Loizon’s Walking Dead” zombie comic book series. The story layered with vegetables like tomato and cucumber. Not to legacy by producing her secret recipe bread. Although Olga’s in this game centers on an entirely different group of mention the creamy Caesar dressing smothered on top. Kitchen is known for its stellar cuisine and mouthwatering characters compared to the comics and show, so the At the end of the night when you are full to the brim, it pastries, the restaurant’s main selling point is its cozy and game developers had the capability of creating their is important to make room for the most important coarse. welcoming atmosphere. own stories with these characters. Dessert at Olga’s is not similar to other restaurants when it Sadly for us who live in Grand Ledge, a little over a month The events following the game’s launch was mostly comes to third course. ago, the franchise in the Lansing Mall decided to close its unexpected. Despite it being mostly under the radar Olga’s Cream cooler is a good treat for anyone because it doors and focus more attention at its other nearby locations in terms of hype surrounding it, it quickly gained contains no gluten and is not overwhelming rich in flavor. like in Frandor located about 40 minutes outside of GL. attention with critical acclaim from reviewers. “The Not to mention the thick and creamy smoothness is killer. Located in the town of Frandor lies an Olga’s Kitchen, Walking Dead” even received multiple Game of the Those chocolate lovers out their will enjoy this next treat. which is a sophisticated lunch eatery with a variety of Year awards from organizations including USA Today, Birmingham’s Best Brownie. Soft baked chocolate drizzled Mediterranean entrées. When walking into Olga’s, the Wired, and GamesRadar. with caramel, this brownie puts you over the top with its first thing that catches your eye is the open glass window Most of Telltale’s accolades from “The Walking single scoop of vanilla ice cream and chopped peanuts front. Whether you are sitting in a booth or Strolling the Dead” primarily comes down to how the game plays. scattered on top. town, people are able to see you enjoying your meal. This At the start of every one of their games, the player If you have never attended Olga’s Kitchen, I suggest you get may bother some, but in reality, you do not even notice the is reminded by a message that the story is tailored your car keys right now and head out to the closest location stares of passers by. Inside the restaurant, a hostess will ask to how they play and what decisions they make near you. The food, people and friendly atmosphere at Olga’s you if you would like a booth or a table to sit at and then do throughout their play-through. Decisions in each is just not the same at other restaurants. The staff is very customary restaurant procedure such as talking about daily game vary, but definitely test your morals and make helpful to newcomers and the owners take superb care of the specials. you feel like you are actually in the situation itself. building. Overall, I would rate Olga’s a 10 out of 10 because it Some popular dishes at Olga’s Kitchen include the one and One example from “The Walking Dead” includes is literally the best restaurant I have ever been to in my life. only Olga Original specialty sandwich. The Olga Original deciding whether to save one character over another. Olga’s is definitely a Michigan original. has an outside layer of Homemade bread, spiced beef, lamb, Another includes stealing from an abandoned but running car full of supplies. Choices like these pull the player in and make themselves feel as though they are actually in the situation, usually resulting in being put under pressure and questioning which decision is the right one. I usually find myself after each play-through of a Telltale game wondering whether my choices were justified, whether making these decisions will put my character in danger. Their most recent product, and one of the more stressful games Telltale has produced, is a video game adaption of the fantasy series “Game of Thrones”. Even with the pressure of taking on such a popular franchise, I believe they have succeeded in producing a game with quality comparable with the television show, which the game’s plot is based on. The story that Telltale created for this adaption was incredible, and throughout my play-through I became more immersed in the world of Westeros, the fictional setting the video game takes place in. I grew to love some characters, hate and fear others. At points of the game I genuinely felt afraid for the safety of some of them. That’s what I find truly fascinating and strange about Telltale’s games: I actually feel something about fictional video game characters. Something most games, unfortunately, fail at. And after every Telltale game I finish, I always feel a variety of different feelings: regret over some decisions, curiosity over whether I could have avoided the deaths of a character that had died, and wonder of whether I can trust a specific character are some examples of how I felt after playing their “Game of Thrones” adaptation. Few games have made me feel like this, which is why I always anticipate every game that Telltale Games announces. Freedom of choice. Fantastic story. Tailored storytelling. Excellent character development. These qualities are what most players find in every Telltale game, and is what every game developer should strive for, minus the lack of gameplay. Playing a generic story of some grizzled war hero saving the world is fun the first couple of times, but ultimately turns stale and boring. A high quality plot with unique characters, on the other hand, almost never fails to provide entertainment. More games need to be as ambitious as Telltale Games, and if they do, both the player and the industry as a whole will benefit from it.

Michigan original restaurant: right in the heart of Frandor

A peek at their playlist Space JamThene Aikoartist

Young and BeautifulLana Del Rey

Gangsta- Kat Dahila

Chandler- Sia

Tip Toe Wing in My Jawwdinz- Riff Raff Writer- Ellie Goulding

I Mean It- G-easy

1985- Bowling for Soup

Lauren Lawler

Pon De Replay- Rihanna

The Part and the After Party- The Weekend

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Dachtler finds her perfect tune The Comets’ Tale • Feature • January 2015

Top Left: Junior Madison Dachtler plays the clarinet in the GLHS marching band during the fall 2014 homecoming parade. Bottom Left: Dachtler plays the contra bass in the Festival of Bands in October 2014. Right: Dachtler poses with her contra bass. Courtesy Photos

Alicia Degroat ‘16 Staff Writer

GLHS Trevor Spitzley,” Dachtler said. “He was the previous bass/ n the GLHS auditorium the contra for the Grand Ledge Wind lights illuminate the stage on Symphony. He introduced music over 150 band students, but to me in a whole new way, he not quite like junior, bass clarinet started giving me lessons, and we and contra player, Madison soon became very close. I thank Dachtler. Her passion for music is him to this day for getting me back into band. He has no idea aspiring and heartwarming. “There are so many aspects of how thankful I am. Band has band that I love,” Dachtler said. “I brought me happiness in whole love playing and I love marching new ways.” Dachtler considers going into and performing. But if musical arts in the near there was one thing future, she hopes to I had to pick to become a band be my favorite “I believe that director, to part about help show everyone has it, it would people music be the a purpose or a is much people I more than secret passion play with. ‘tunes.’ The past they have yet “I year I’ve believe that to find in life, gotten everyone to know and I think I has a purpose so many have found or a secret amazing passion they p e o p l e . mine.” have yet to find in Sometimes band life, and I think I have can be boring or found mine,” Dachtler hard but the people I play with make it completely worth it.” said. “Everyday I find something Dachtler has not always been new in music, or I hear a new a band fanatic. Dachtler quit piece that makes me love music before freshman year, then later more than I did before. I want to rejoined in second trimester of travel around the world when I’m older and learn new cultures of her sophomore year. “I do regret quitting band, in a music and share them with mine. way,” Dachtler said. “But I can’t Music can express anything, your say I regret it too much because I feelings mostly. Music is all over don’t think I would have realized the world and even though we how much music meant to me if may not be able to communicate I would have never left it. But I with foreigners through language, can’t dwell on it much though. I music is still there to help you Everybody can need to enjoy all the time I have understand. connect with music, it can left of band.” Thanks to a close friend of describe you as a person. Music is Dachtler, it brought her closer to something I love and something I can relate to, on all levels. I finding her passion for life. “Why I gave band a chance understand it and that’s what I again is because I became closer want other people to realize.”

Madison Dachtler

friends with a recent graduate of

Dress re-sale ends early

Student council hopes for better attendance at future dress sales Sarah Clinkscales ‘15 Managing Editor

Saturday, Dec. 13, glittering dresses of every color and size were in the high school cafeteria. The first dress that drew the eye was a fitted pink dress with sequins down the sides on a mannequin. Dowry Bridal was there with a handful of their prom and formal dresses for sale at half their original price. Emily Archer, the owner of Dowry Bridal, brought 35 dresses. “It’s our first time,” Archer said. “The first year of an event like this is always pretty slow, over time it’ll grow.” In its inaugural event student council hosted a dress resale. It was open to all students from all schools who wanted to buy and sell gently used formal dresses. The entrance fee was originally $2 for buyers and $1 per dress for sellers, but because of no shoppers student council ended up not charging money for anyone to buy or sell. “It didn’t seem fair to take peoples’ money when there weren’t any shoppers,” student council advisor Julie Alexander said. Juniors Maddy Evans and Maddie Loftus came to support student council and looked at some dresses. “There are some cheap nice dresses, but we mostly came to

Teacher Shawn Bronson’s English class has been taking part of multiple community service tasks within their classroom by collecting socks and winter clothing. Photos by Alexis Velasquez-Mayhew/The Comets’ Tale

Students helping others while in the classroom

Owner of Dowry Bridal, Emily Archer, brought 35 different prom and formal dresses to the Prom Dress Resale at GLHS on Saturday, Dec. 13. Photo by Sarah Clinkscales/The Comets’ Tale

support student council,” Loftus said. The lack of shoppers was discouraging and sellers packed up early. “I brought four dresses to sell, and came home with all of them,” Claire Kinloch said. Kinloch went home from the resale only after two hours due to the lack of attendance. Dresses were in good condition. They were gently used but it was obvious every seller there took good care of their dresses. Denise Cole, who was one of

the sellers, was there with her daughter’s pageant and prom dresses. Her daughter graduated a few years ago and the dresses were not appropriate for her new competing level for her age group in pageants. Not everyone there was selling dresses, Lorin Cumberbatch was there to represent her freelance makeup business. She does makeup for events and hopes to get into the prom and banquet season. “Prom makeup is a good place to start because prom is every

year,” Cumberbatch said. Whether or not student council made any money was not the top priority, the goal was just to resell dresses at a more manageable price so that girls can attended events like banquet and prom. “The first year it’s always hard to start an event, because people don’t like to try new things. So hopefully it’ll grow over the next couple of years,” head of the sale and senior Bry Leach said. As of right now rescheduling is up in the air.

Alexis Velasquez-Mayhew ‘16 Staff Writer First trimester this year, English teacher Shawn Bronson hosted a sock drive with all of her classes. She did it to help with the national Socktober, which collects socks for the homeless. Each student who donated received a little extra treat, such as an extra piece of Halloween candy. She was only asking her classes for some help with keeping the homeless’ feet warm during the winter months. Soon, it turned into much more than just a sock drive. “I believe in teaching my students the importance of helping others,” Bronson said. The nation wide sock drive soon turned into an all out clothing drive that she kept in Grand Ledge. Her students brought in lightly used clothing, socks, cold weather accessories and coats. Every class participated in some way, with most of the students in the class. Bronson promised all of her classes that if their class gave 100 percent participation, she

would throw them a Halloween party on Halloween. One class achieved this goal: her fifth hour. Every single student in her fifth hour donated some article of clothing or winter gear. By the end of the drive, Bronson had collected three printer paper boxes full of new socks, three printer paper boxes with new cold weather accessories (hats, gloves, mittens, etc.), six bags of gently used clothing, and three bags of winter coats. GECKO, a group that gives Eaton county kids opportunities by helping them get jobs and getting them clothing and credits, donated all of the clothing and accessories she collected to Kent’s closet at the old Sawdon administration building. Karlee Peacock was in Bronson’s second hour for the drive and donated three bags of her old clothes. “I felt better about myself because I got a chance to help the less fortunate,” Peacock said. This trimester, Bronson’s second hour is donating money to adopt an arctic fox from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Comets share their blue and gold starter packs

Camille Adams Starter Pack: Eyebrows, iPhone, bag, dance

Mr. Sheren starter pack: Coffee, hat, polo shirt, Clash of Clans

Haden Puffpaff starter pack: Hat, truck, tractor, boots

Ft.

The Comets’ Tale • Feature • January 2015

STEAL THEIR LOOK for less Marilyn Monroe’s iconic

Seven Year Itch dress, designed by William Travilla, has been seen around the world. The well known movie scene has been mimiced in modern movie such as “The House Bunny.” 6

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The Comets’ Tale • Feature • January 2015

STEAL THEIR LOOK for less Marilyn Monroe’s iconic

Seven Year Itch dress, designed by William Travilla, has been seen around the world. The well known movie scene has been mimiced in modern movie such as “The House Bunny.”

Oleg Cassini was hired by the Kennedys to dress Jackie for many of her outings from 1961-1963. This peach A-line dress was worn by the ﬁrst lady on a trip to India in 1962. The “Revenge Dress” was worn by Princess Diana on the evening of Prince George’s public statement announcing his aﬀair with Camilla Parker-Bowles, now the Dutchess of Cornwall. The People’s Princess almost didn’t wear the dress, for fear that it was too daring.

Oleg Cassini was hired by

the Kennedys to dress Jackie for many of her outings from 1961-1963. This peach A-line dress was worn by the ﬁrst lady on a trip to India in 1962.

The “Revenge Dress” was worn by Princess Diana on the evening of Prince George’s public statement announcing his aﬀair with Camilla Parker-Bowles, now the Dutchess of Cornwall. The People’s Princess almost didn’t wear the dress, for fear that it was too daring.

1955

1962 1994

ASOS, Pleated Midi Dress With Plunge Neck $90.96 asos.com

Rotita, Pretty Summer Essential Sleeveless Zip Fly Dress Pink $15.34 rotita.com

Forever 21, Glitter Velveteen Bodycon Dress $17.90 forever21.com

Shoes to match the style To complete your outfits make sure you shop the shoe department

An outfit inspired Betsey Johnson. Johnson’s style is over the top and colorful. The shirt and the skirt is from Forever 21. Yee likes Betsey Johnson because Johnson’s outfits and designs are “just so crazy.”

Madden Girl Propose Platform Pumps $39.99 Macys.com

Zooey Deschanel inspired this simple and quirky dress. Deschanel is known for her TV role in the Fox hit “New Girl.” A near-by store to ﬁnd the Mary Jane shoes is Meijer.

Ann Marino Kingdom Pump $14.94 DSW.com

Bandolino Capture Platform Pump $19.94 DSW.com

Bry Leach ‘15 News Editor Even before the royal wedding, The Duchess of Cambridge was stunning the world with her elegant style and natural beauty. Princess Kate’s wedding dress complimented much of her wardrobe, being designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. As many sources have noted, whenever Kate wears something, it goes

out of stock immediately. In 2011, Kate wore a Reiss dress to meet the Obama family. As Reiss’ founder and managing director, David Reiss, told Marie Claire, “The surge in web traﬃc following the release of the images (of Kate in our dress) caused our website to crash. The dress promptly sold out online when service was

resumed.” The Princess is even well dressed in pieces of more modest prices, being spotted in Zara jewelry at Red Carpet events. Many of her casual dresses in shoes cost in the hundreds of dollars, a cheap price tag for the palace.

Photos from “100 Unforgettable Dresses”

Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City had iconic outfits and style. This outfit was styled very similarly to the her character Carrie Bradshaw. The fun leopard sweater is from Forever 21.

This outfit is inspired by Blair Waldrof, a main character in the popular show “Gossip Girl.” A very similar look to Waldrof when she wears a classic skirt and tights. The shirt and the socks are from Yee’s favorite store: Free People.

Kelly Osburne is a host on on E!’s show Fashion Police and has a signature style of her own. This Osburne inspired outfit Yee is wearing is from Nordstorm (Studded Collar shirt) and Urban Outfitters (Shorts).

Senior Rachel Yee steps into GLHS everyday wearing notably spunky, creative outfits. She draws inspiration for the outfits from many sources, from designers to celebrities to television characters. Yee’s favorite place to shop is Free People, many of her clothes also come from Forever 21. She also dons clothes from top designers, such as the bright coral heels by Michael Kors. Photos by Sarah Sims/ The Comets’ Tale

1955

1962 1994

ASOS, Pleated Midi Dress With Plunge Neck $90.96 asos.com

Rotita, Pretty Summer Essential Sleeveless Zip Fly Dress Pink $15.34 rotita.com

Forever 21, Glitter Velveteen Bodycon Dress $17.90 forever21.com

Shoes to match the style To complete your outfits make sure you shop the shoe department

Madden Girl Propose Platform Pumps $39.99 Macys.com

Zooey Deschanel inspired this simple and quirky dress. Deschanel is known for her TV role in the Fox hit “New Girl.” A near-by store to ﬁnd the Mary Jane shoes is Meijer.

Ann Marino Kingdom Pump $14.94 DSW.com

Bandolino Capture Platform Pump $19.94 DSW.com

Photos from “100 Unforgettable Dresses”

Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City had iconic outfits and style. This outfit was styled very similarly to the her character Carrie Bradshaw. The fun leopard sweater is from Forever 21.

Ft.

The Comets’ Tale • Feature • January 2015

A breath of smokey air A look at the life of a high school smoker Savannah Wear ‘15 Staff Writer

Richard* starts his morning everyday with a Marlboro Ultra Light before getting ready for school. A few hours later, he smokes another one. On his way home from school, he smokes another, and then a couple more by the time he goes to bed. Richard smokes about five cigarettes every day and spends an average of $14 per week on packs of cigarettes. And he is not the only student at GLHS who has developed this habit at such an early age. According to the American Cancer Society, each day in the US there

are nearly 4,000 kids under the age of 18 that try their first cigarette. Although the amount of teens who use tobacco has gone down over the past decade, smoking and chewing is still a problem among the youth. “Nicotine is one of the most highly addictive drugs out there,” Jr./Sr. survival skills teacher Amanda Hengesbach said. “I have had students who have been heroine addicts or cocaine addicts who have told me that the hardest drug for them to stop using is actually smoking tobacco, above all else.” According to Richard, smoking is something that is part of his everyday life.

“Sometimes it is a problem when I really want to smoke but I am in school or at a place where it is prohibited and I cannot concentrate on other things,” Richard said. As of 2012, more than 23 percent of all high school students had used some kind of tobacco product in the past month, according to ACS. Now, there are many more forms of tobacco to choose from, and more teens are choosing flavored cigars, smokeless tobacco, hookahs, pipes, and even electronic cigarettes. The trend seen by many teachers at GLHS is a slight decrease in students smoking cigarettes, but a sharp increase in (mostly guys)

chewing tobacco. “I think sometimes they feel chewing is not as bad as smoking, not really realizing all of the health effects that can go into it,” Hengesbach said. Despite the extent to which health teachers at GLHS teach about the dangers of tobacco use, there will always be a number of students who continue to smoke and chew every day. “Smoking is part of me now,” Richard said. “It’s my social thing and it makes me feel better.”

All statistics and information is from the American Cancer Society and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Richard* is an anonymous student at GLHS

What it really means to smoke The three age groups with the most smokers are also the youngest

Each day, nearly 4,000 kids under the age of 18 try their first cigarette

45 years+ 17%

As of 2012, more than 23% of all high school students had used some kind of tobacco product in the past month

25-44 year-olds 27%

15-18 year-olds 25%

19-24 year-olds 31%

Richard* spends $14 every week on cigarettes

One month will cost approximately $56

Eight out of 10 people who try smoking become addicted One in five deaths are linked to smoking

Long-Term health effects of smoking according to the CDC

One year will cost approximately $672 Five years will cost approximately $3,360

Can cause cancer in almost every part of the body Smoking while pregnant can cause pre-mature birth Strokes Cardiovascular disease Blood clots

Ft.

The Comets’ Tale • Feature • January 2015

College Other

15%

Ferris State WMU

12%

46%

U of M GVSU

11%

CMU

4.5%

MSU

4.5% 6.5%

*Colleges Grand Ledge students have applied to

What it means to be college ready Angela Pontius ‘16 Staff Writer

“College ready.” Defined as a high school graduate who has the knowledge and skills necessary to qualify for and succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing college courses. Throughout their four years of high school, students are constantly being harassed by parents about grades, social expectations, and future career choices. Students these days are falling under the bus, but there is no one to blame. The only solution is for students to take what they are given and work with what they have got. About a year ago, U.S News did an article talking about colleges and universities finding more and more incoming freshmen not being able to handle the workload of their classes. Out of the 1.8 million students who took the ACT in 2013, it is said that only a little over a fourth of those students were labeled “college ready.” “To be prepared--take challenging classes and do well,” GL high school Counselor Dawn Anderson said. “Build your study skills and learn that studying together and asking for help is a college thing to do.” Learning to communicate is an important skill for students because they are able to form strong relationships with fellow students and teachers. Having a friend to compare work to is more successful than just working solo. States throughout America are finding that students who graduate from high school are not prepared for further education. In the state of Michigan, only 30 to 39 percent of students are ready for college. To improve academic success, public schools like Grand Ledge are helping out students. “ I like to consider everything we do gets students ready for college,” principal Steve Gabriel said. “Our main goal is to have students college ready and career ready when they leave high school.” Although most states are unprepared as a whole, Michigan is one of the very few states that actually makes it mandatory for every student to take the ACT. Therefore, it is not fair to compare our ACT

scores to other reports from other states. For the most part, Gabriel likes to be cautious when reading reports that come out regarding college readiness. Anderson encourages students to take the high road when it comes to education. “Consider taking college course through dual enrollment if the AP course is not available,” Anderson said. “If that’s not for you, try taking challenging classes such as advance placement courses.” Other college ready classes available to juniors and seniors include College Prep and AIEL. College Prep reviews concepts throughout Algebra one and two, as well as Geometry, Trigonometry, and a little bit of Calculus. Having this course your junior or senior year can help you feel more prepared for the ACT’s as well as your college entrance exam. Other than academics, students’ finances can take a toll if they do well on their entrance exam. “There is significant financial benefit to students get some education and training beyond high school,” Anderson said. Students who have low scores in math on their ACT for example will potentially have to take more math courses before they can take the standard class. This could put you behind both educationally and financially. Even though we do not like to believe it, colleges look at your GPA. If a student has a low GPA and low ACT scores it could close the doors to scholarships and eliminating extra fees. The number one thing a student should do is have an open mind. Just because you do not get into the college of your dreams does not mean you should give up. There are many colleges and universities out there looking for young and talented individuals. When one door closes, another one always opens. “I like to envision that there are opportunities for students to walk through after they graduate,” Anderson said.

The good and bad of AP classes

Taylor Kennaugh ‘16 Staff writer The Grand Ledge School District has now been featured on the AP district honor roll two years in a row, meaning that many GL students are scoring higher than a three on their AP exams, which is a lot tougher than it sounds. This is because AP classes are set up to be harder than the average high school course. But students dealing with the challenges of AP classes now could benefit in the long run. “By taking AP classes, you can earn college credit before entering college,” AP Calculus teacher Brett McCartney said. “This can save you and your family thousands of dollars.” Students who receive the required score for their AP class could receive upwards of three college credits for each class. Those three credits could help lower the student debt that often comes along with college. “If you take the AP exams at the end of the year and earn a passing score as decided by your college, you can earn college credit,” AP Chemistry teacher Benjamin Lorson said. “So for a $89 test, you can earn college credit that could save you thousands upon thousands of dollars in the future. Taking AP classes in high school can have other benefits besides saving money. The quick pace and advanced material makes it good preparation for college classes that AP students are bound to take in the future. “At some point, you need to learn to work hard and this is a good way to do it,” McCartney said. “Class sizes are smaller than that of college courses and professors, in this case the teacher, are much more accessible at the high school level.” Learning the more challenging material at a quicker pace can be hard but with small class sizes and a dedicated teacher it is much easier to get the extra help you could need. AP teachers truly understand how challenging the class can be and they are there to help their students through it. “Any of the AP teachers, I think are really, really passionate and really do care about their students learning a lot, so you get to sort of see teachers at their nerdiest,” Lorson said. Not only will students get to see teachers at their nerdiest, but you will often get to see your classmates at their nerdiest too. The students taking AP classes are often interested in the material, making it easier to create study groups to help each other through the class and enjoy the social benefit of having similar interests. But AP classes are not all good things. “They are very hard and very time consuming, and very challenging,” Lorson said. “So students that take AP classes need to make sure they take it with open eyes so to speak, so they need to know that they are getting into a challenging, time-consuming, demanding, type of course.” Students looking to take AP classes need to be prepared for a lot more work than the average high school class. These are college-level classes for a reason, and there will be college-level expectations. “When deciding on taking an AP class, understand that the workload is much more than a normal class,” McCartney said. “We are teaching a college level course, we will not be lowering our standards.” These high standards are what make it possible to earn college credit, which can be helpful when applying for colleges. “When we look over a student’s application we look at the courses he or she has taken while in high school,” Grand Valley State admissions assistant Dawn Drazba said. “Since Grand Valley takes into account many different factors when selecting our students having an AP course helps when we are looking at classes but that is just a small part of our application review.” Although AP classes can look good on a college application they are not the only thing that colleges look at. There are more factors than just whether or not the applicant took AP classes. “If you have an opportunity to take an AP course great, go for it,” Drazba said. “But if it is something you would rather not do that is fine to.” AP classes are not for everyone and it is important to understand that. Students must be able to decide for themselves whether they want to take AP classes or not.

AP Classes: By the numbers

*Number of students in each AP class as of second tri

AP Biology

AP Calculus AB

AP Calculus BC

AP Chemistry

AP Economics

AP Literature

AP Physics

AP Prob and Stats

AP Language

Online classes

Living in the dorms: walking the balance between money and freedom Taylor Kennaugh ‘16 Staff Writer Everyone grows up thinking about their idea of a perfect college experience. You grow up dreaming about how amazing your college years will be; the perfect location, the perfect major, the perfect classes. For me, that perfection includes living in a dorm. Living on campus is an important part of the college experience. It gives you the opportunity to be independent immediately after high school, and learn how to take care of yourself. College dorms allow you to be by yourself without having to be completely alone, as you will have your roommate. Starting college is scary enough, you might as well go through it with someone who is in the same situation. Speaking of having a roommate, that is another perk to living in the dorms. You get to meet someone as soon as you are on campus. No need to stress about not knowing anyone right away, with a roommate you at least know one person. And you never know, your new roommate may become your new best friend. Most people end up meeting their closest friends in the dorms. Now on the flip side, he/she may be someone you absolutely hate. But that is okay too. Having to live with someone you do not get along with can be a good lesson. You will be forced to work out your differences and compromise. Your annoying roommate can not always have their way, just like you can not always have yours. Compromising will be key to keeping your dorm comfortable. You are not always going to get along with everyone, and learning to live with that is a good thing to get used to early on. Some people think that living

on campus will ruin their college experience and opt to live at home or buy an apartment. Those students are missing out on one of the most important parts of the college experience, trying new things. Living with someone you do not know right away will force you to have new experiences. The person you dorm with will most likely have a completely different background, which exposes you to new cultures and ways of life. By living with your parents or on your own, you are missing out on that chance. A big part of college is meeting new people from all different walks of life. Dorms make that much easier, since they are pretty much just apartment buildings for students. And a lot of colleges are starting to place people in dorms based on their chosen major. So you could be surrounded by people with a common major, which means common interests. Even if your college does not place you by major, it will be a lot of new people around your age. And either way, you will have classes with the people in your dorm building. Living in the dorms is also important because you learn a lot of valuable life skills while you deal with everyday dorm life. That laundry you need to do? Better take your homework and learn to be patient because it could be a while. Those annoying neighbors across the hall? Either get used to it, or handle the situation like the new adult you are. Everyday life in the dorms will probably push you out of your comfort zone, but thats what will help you grow and learn about yourself. Living in the dorms is also very convenient, with food provided and dishes done by someone else. And all your classes are in close proximity, so you won’t have to pay to fill up the tank of your

car. Dorm living also means no more of your parents’ rules. You are completely free to make your own decisions. College is the perfect opportunity to learn about yourself and have new experiences. By dorming at your university, you are guaranteed new opportunities that can help you out in the future. People do not typically leave college and say that they hated living in the dorms. Dorms are a perfect way to fully experience college and learn a lot about yourself.

Gabby Cushman ‘17 Staff Writer

“Ridiculous.” “Stupid.” “Naive.” “Unrealistic.” “Stubborn.” These are all words thrown at me when I mention that I do not want to live in a dorm freshman year of college. This decision has changed my plans for college completely, and others see this as me just trying to be difficult when it comes to choosing a college. Dorms have become a staple part of college life, but they do not deserve all of the praise they get.

When you graduate high school, a whole new world opens up. You have amazing opportunities and experiences ahead of you. A first step towards those events can be moving out of your parent’s house. There is a sense of freedom when you finally have a place to call your own; dorms do not give you that feeling. Dorms are housing provided by the college of your choice. You’re basically living at school, which is no student’s dream. I know I would rather have a place to escape from the stressors of college, and you cannot really do that with a dorm since you are still entrapped within the school. Speaking of freedom, if you think you are going to completely independent living in a dorm, think again. You may have escaped your parents back home, but now you must face your RA. Resident Assistants are in charge of certain areas of dorm housing depending on the college. They are often like a more strict version of your parents; we do not want that, do we? With apartments, you have a landlord that only bothers you when you have to pay rent. As long as you stay on top of your rent, you can stay away from any parental figures. It is a nice choice to be able to pick what food you eat. When you live in a dorm, your food choices are provided by the school cafeteria. Especially with new laws on schools providing healthy foods, there is a chance that you may not find the food you what. Let’s also look at the estimated price of food choices at most colleges. If you do not purchase a dining plan, you will pay around five to ten dollars each time you get breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If you pay for food for an entire week, it could be between $35 to $70 dollars. Now, dining plans are usually around $3,000 per semester. If you spend $150 on

groceries per week, you should pay around $2,400 per semester for groceries. That is significantly lower than the dining plan, and having cash on you every day to pay for food on a daily basis is just a hassle. You could buy groceries for your dorm, but that could be complicated depending on your college’s parking and commuting rules. Dorming also gets clumped into your initial college tuition. Now yes, you have to pay rent for apartments too. But I would rather pay smaller amounts more often than thousands of dollars every year I choose to live in a dorm. Dorms normally add $10,000 to your student debt, while average rent across the country is only around $1,000. If you enter college and choose not to dorm, your student debt will be much easier to pay off in the long run. Though this all depends on whether you are responsible and pay rent for your apartment regularly. Some dorms involve sharing areas such as kitchens or community baths. I would rather share my kitchen and bathroom with a close roommate rather than potential strangers and a large group of other students. I know I take long to get ready in the morning, so having a line of people waiting for me to be done getting ready adds unneeded stress to my morning. So there is the reasoning behind my decision to choose to live off campus, out of a dorm. I know I will still get eye rolls at my arguments, but hopefully some had a realization while reading this and agree with me. Dorms are just ways for the college to keep you trapped within their minuscule concrete walls and make you pay for it at the same time.

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The Comets’ Tale • Feature • January 2015

Aging connections Illustration by Sarah Sims/ The Comets’ Tale

Outdated wireless access points to blame for slow Internet Nathan Werner ‘16 Staff Writer

Red light, green light. A lot of variations of stop and go signals are on teachers’ white boards this year. The message they are communicating is when students are allowed to use their phones in class. While this is great for students who want to use their phones, students in nearby classrooms could be losing out on learning time. “I have had issues in my classroom with the Internet being slow or just not working completely,” science teacher Deborah Traxinger said. “About once a month I will have my students look up various topics on the Internet and then answer questions about it.” The problem of slow Internet is also affecting what information students get in class. If it is online then some classes may be able to get to view the information but others may not. According to technology technician Kent Baker, for every three or four rooms in the school there is about one Wireless Access Point made for about 25-50 wireless devices. Each class has about 30 students, with two or three more classes connected to the Wireless Access Point that are constantly sending and receiving signals from phones. With the potential of 100-150 devices connecting to an access point designed for only 25-50, it creates a bottleneck for the information to flow back to the network and ultimately to the Internet. Another significant factor is what the activity is. Simply browsing to an internet

web page is much less intensive than streaming video, audio or game play. If 75 devices are simply checking email or viewing web pages, users may not notice any difficulties, but if 10-20 are streaming on the same Access Point, then all users connected to that Access Point will experience the negative effects. While it is up to each individual teacher to decide on the cell phone policy in their room, the reality is, school related or not, streaming in the current technology system in place is not powerful enough to handle it. “The Internet will be working fine for a couple hours and then it will slow down or quit for some unexplained reason right in the middle of the next class,” Traxinger said. This can cause problems for teachers because it can put some of their hours ahead of the others which means they have to change their lesson plans as soon as possible to get the information to their classes. “The first two hours watched a video and then I was unable to show it third hour,” Traxinger added. “I had to change my plans for third hour on the fly because they did not get to view the video,” A major factor for the slow Internet in the school is from the overwhelming amount of devices that are connected to the high school guest network through wireless connections.

“There are almost 1,400 connections at the high school and about 3,900 in the entire Grand Ledge district happening at one time, so there are a lot of devices asking to use the wireless network,” Baker said."Specifically at the HS, approximately 80 percent (1,120) are nonGL devices which leaves only 20 percent (280) of the 1400 total. As you can see, those 280 GL devices are competing with the 1,120 nonGL devices.” Some areas are affected more by the weak network connection than others. For example, the wireless connection in the cafeteria may seem to be a lot slower than other parts of the school during lunch time. That is because there is only 1 or 2 Wireless Access Point for the whole cafeteria with 25Mb each that is shared with every device in the cafeteria. As a result, the Wireless Access Point becomes crowded with a large amount of devices trying to send and receive signals and data . If the bond passes in February then Mark Deschaine, GLPS Director of Technology, hopes to be able to update the district’s wireless system to help with the school’s slow Internet problem. Because the fact is, it isn’t the Internet, it is how students and teachers are able to access it that is the problem. New equipment will help the teachers ensure that students learn everything they need to in the best way possible.

Top apps used at GL 1. Snapchat

2. Instagram

3.Twitter

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Sl. 10 Helping in and out of the classroom The Comets’ Tale • Student Life • January 2015

Student teacher Machniak teaches and coaches boys’ cross country Katie Twarozynski ‘16 Copy Editor

Waking up at 5 a.m. each morning, Anthony Machniak finishes his morning routine by straightening his tie and drinking a cup of coffee. He watches the news while eating his breakfast and makes sure to read up on all of the details surrounding Michigan State University. After all, he is technically an attending student. Machniak is hoping to land a job at GLHS and his first step is student teaching for science teacher Tim Hoshal. Machniak is a graduate student at MSU with a bachelor degree in biology. “I originally wanted to be a physical therapist,” Machniak said. “I soon realized I had no motivation to get into graduate school. Once I became a teacher assistant for a first aid class, the idea of becoming a teacher really clicked.” Ever since the beginning of the school year, Machniak has become quite close with the GLHS staff. He has formed a close bond with Hoshal and has been helping his students understand their lessons and helping them deal with their CAPA. “The students and staff are extremely welcoming and supporting,” Machniak said. “I am glad I am at GLHS because it is a great environment to learn how to teach. Near the end of trimester one, I began taking over more of Hoshal’s classes to teach. This gave me the opportunity to face the classroom as a real teacher and become familiar through a

hands on approach.” Along with his many teaching opportunities in the classroom, Machniak has also had the experience to help coach a beloved sport of his. Since August, he has been helping the boys cross country team practice and has run with the boys as well. “I love running,” Machniak said. “I ran in high school on my school team. My personal best was 18:44 and I felt great when I achieved this goal. The team atmosphere was supportive and constructive. We pushed each other to do well on and off the field all the time, and we had fun while doing it.” Besides running and teaching, Machniak has many other hobbies to keep him busy when he has free time. “I enjoy going to MSU football games, singing and learning about teaching, coaching, and biology,” Machniak said. “In college, you have to learn how to balance your time between school and activities and I feel like I do a good job in securing that boundary.” Machniak may find interest in all of these activities by himself, but as of May 2015, Machniak will not be a bachelor anymore. He will marry his fiancé of a year and a half come spring time. Since Machniak is a member of the band at MSU, he had the opportunity to go down to California in January to attend the Rose Bowl. He remembers the event fondly. “I carried the OSU flag in the Spartan Marching Band at the

Student teacher Anthony Machniak works with science teacher Timothy Hoshal in the classroom as well as outside of it - helping Hoshal coach boys cross country. Machniak hopes to one day become a science teacher, possibly at GLHS. Photo by Katie Twarozynski/The Comets’ Tale Rose Bowl Parade,” Machniak said. “I got to march in the parade and then attend the game afterwards. I would have to say that it was one of the best experiences in my life.” Each day, Machniak faces the

struggles that come with being a student and training for a job to jumpstart his career. He meets the day with a smile and a positive statement each morning. “It is only through our struggles and challenges that we can

learn and grow,” Machniak said. “I have had many challenges, but that means I have learned a lot from it.” Machniak is positive that a teaching job is the right career for him. Connecting with the stu-

dents and faculty has become an everyday staple for him, but he could not be more content. Machniak will be here for the rest of the year and plans to help the track team in the spring.

Transfered students from Christian schools feel welcomed by Comets

Masaad is happy she made the decision to transfer after her parents suggested the idea. “This school offers a wide vaSenior Lina Masaad trans- riety of classes that my former ferred from New Covenant school had not, such as AP classChristian School her senior es and electives,” Masaad said year knowing that GLHS would Even after Masaad decided better prepare her for college. that she did want to transfer, At her old school, there was she had to choose where a much stricter dress to transfer to, and for code, the classes her the choice was “My favorite thing were smaller and clear. about GLHS is all slightly more rig“When I the great friends I orous, and there made the have made and all were a lot less decision the great classes students and to transfer that have shown teachers. This from a prime what I do and is normal for vate school do not want to do most Christian to a public in the future, career schools. school, I wise.” Masaad and chose GLHS for many others who multiple reasons,” transferred to GLHS Masaad said “I had from Christian schools know heard nothing but positive that switching to a new school comments from former graducan be tough, especially when ates from GLHS. As far as the the student is coming from a atmosphere goes, everyone feels completely different environ- welcomed, unlike most public ment like a small, Christian schools.” school. Junior Tessa Shaw also trans“GLHS was not how I imag- ferred to Grand Ledge from a ined it to be,” Masaad said. “It private Christian school. She was much more welcoming and quickly found that GLHS suits friendly.” her personality much better and And most of her transferring has allowed her to grow more as peers agree. a person. Michael Glasgow ‘16 Staff Writer

Senior Kyle Peavy was given a 1987 Pontiac Fiero GT two years ago as a Christmas present from his parents. Peavy has given the sportscar many miles since then, and enjoys driving it during the summer. During the winter, it stays parked in his garage for protection. Photo by Bobby Mitchell/The Comets’ Tale

Bobby Mitchell ‘15 Staff Writer After school, everybody gets on the bus or they pile into each others’ cars, but not senior Kyle Peavy. Peavy’s car is a 1987 Pontiac Fiero GT, and only has one other seat. “I got the car for Christmas in 2012,” Peavy said. “It’s my first car and it’s pretty fun to drive.” The Pontiac Fiero has a large following as it is one of the few true American sports cars. The Fiero utilizes a two-seat, mid engine, rear wheel drive platform, unlike any car produced in the United States before or after. Many around the world consider this platform to be the best all around for a performance car on the track. The biggest draw back to the Fiero is that even though it is fast on a track, even with the higher horsepower V6, and sleeker styled GT body, fieros are not very fast in a straight line. “No, it’s not fast,” Peavy said.

What are you looking forward to this year?

“I’ve raced it a few times, and I beat a Saturn SL2. Other than that I’ve lost races.” Peavy’s car is pretty much a stock Fiero GT, other than being a darker red than factory color and having after-market wheels. The engine and transmission have been rebuilt. The brakes have been redone, and some electrical issues have been fixed. “I’m not going to do anything else to it,” Peavy said. “I’m going to keep it the way it is, keep it stock.” With the three-speed automatic and a V6, this Fiero is not very good on gas. Peavy estimates he is getting 16 to 18 miles per gallon, and with a nine gallon tank, that makes for frequent stops at the gas station, something that gets annoying when it is his only car. “I like that you can feel the road, as there’s no power steering,” Peavy said. “I like that it’s just a laid back, small car.

Freshman Makenzie Baczkiewiez

“Meeting new people.”

Tessa Shaw

Monthly Motors: Kyle Peavy

“I like [GLHS] a lot more,” Shaw said. “I am a very social person so I love being around so many people, and I like my classes and teachers better here.” Although Shaw is loving her time at GLHS, when she first transferred it was still a completely new experience. She went in unsure what to expect. “Obviously I was nervous going into it, but it is great,” Shaw said. “What surprised me about it is how much the teachers and the principal genuinely care about the students, their education, and their safety.” GLHS has provided Shaw with experiences that could change what she does in the future through the wide variety of classes available to her and the strong friendships she has built. “My favorite thing about GLHS is all the great friends I have made and all the great classes that have shown me what I do and do not want to do in the future, career wise,” Shaw said. Many students that transferred to GLHS from Christian schools are loving the change. They like that there are more people, more classes

available, and that people are generally nice. This shows that whether it is the students, the staff, or both, GLHS is clearly doing something right. “So far, I have enjoyed being at GLHS and would rather not be anywhere else,” Masaad said.

Junior Tessa Shaw came to GLHS as a freshman after spending her education in Christian schooling. She has enjoyed the atmosphere here and the opportunities she has received. Photo by Gabby Cushman/The Comets’ Tale

Freshman Kyra Pierce

“Freshman Formal.”

Junior Jennifer Rivera

“Playing better lacrosse.”

Freshman Sarah Spagnolo

“Tennis season.”

Sp.

The Comets’ Tale • Sports • January 2015

Step into my office:

with Austin Blatt Sometimes sports are more than just games. Nowhere was that more evident than when the St. Louis Rams took the field on Sunday, Nov. 30. As the players walked onto their home turf, a group of five entered with no music. Tight end Jared Cook and Wide receivers Stedman Bailey, Kenny Britt, Chris Givens and Tavon Austin all walked in with their hands up. Since Aug. 9, the hands up pose has symbolized something much more than surrender. The murder of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, by Officer Darren Wilson, a white male, on that late-summer day in the sleepy town of Ferguson, has lead to protest throughout the country. According to eyewitness accounts Brown had his hands up and was saying, “Don’t shoot.“ The situation has shown the current underlying problems in the United States, police brutality and victim discounting. The protest never turned into riots, that is, not until the Officer Wilson fate was decided. The Grand Jury decided not to indict Wilson. This is what sparked the riots that happened on the Nov. 24. In the opinion of this humble writer, I believe that the five Rams players that put their hands in the air to express their displeasure with a justice system that has shown to be so one sided to the system and not to the people should not be punished. The system is supposed to protect the people form wrongdoing. However, it feels like they are only trying to cover their own backside. The police force in St. Louis put out a statement saying that the Rams as an organization should have to apologize for what they did. If you stand-up for something you believe in, why should you have to apologize? The five that did the “hands-up, don’t shoot” gesture all have First Amendment rights. In the same statement made by the St. Louis police force they say that police officers have First Amendment rights as well. Since when is pulling a firearm on an unarmed teen, who only shoplifted, part of your rights? The St. Louis police know they made a mistake. They know that what Officer Wilson did was irreprehensible. So they are attempting to make America look the other way. Making us think that what five athletes, who have finally used their fame to the greatest of their ability, are the ones who should be punished or reprimanded. Thankfully, the commissioner of the NFL, Roger Goodell, decided to not fine the players who participated in the hands up salute. Goodell made the right choice in letting these guys walk with the same amount of coin in their pocket. For what has been a tumultuous five-months for every one in and around Ferguson, it seems as if sports are pulling together a city once again. Just like the Saints pulled New Orleans out of the depression of Hurricane Katrina. The Rams will still have to do a lot more to pull St. Louis out of this tragedy. But this is a pretty good start. These five have shown that you can get your message across and you can get it to go national. And they showed the country that it can be done peacefully.

Sophomore Jade Ayers shoots a pull-up jumper over Sexton’s 33 during the game against the Big Reds on Dec. 12. The shot helped the Comets win the game for a total score of 57-19. Photos by Sam Sharland/ The Ledge

Comets look to continue tradition

Lady Comets try to replace five starters from last year’s Final Four team Austin Blatt ‘15 Staff Writer

When the roster of the GLHS Lady Comets was set, one thing became very apparent, they are young. Coach David Jones enters his sixth season knowing that this team will be a completely different challenge to last year’s, senior laden team. “We certainly lack the size that we have had in the program the last few years,” Jones said. “In my last three years as a varsity coach, I always had at least three girls over six foot tall. This year we do not have a girl over six feet. It presents some challenges when we play bigger teams but we need to learn how to play big and step up to the challenges.” The Comets only have five

returning players, senior guard Sophia Guzman, senior forwards Mollie Tuthill, Lauren Grost, Lucija Matkovic and junior Maddie Albert. The only returnee to play meaningful minutes on last years final four squad is AllCAAC Blue Honorable mention Guzman. “Sophia, by far is our most experienced player,” Jones said. “She is a four year varsity player that has played in a lot of big games. In my opinion, it does not matter what high school sport you are talking about, your program is only as good as your seniors.” Last years team was the first team in Grand Ledge’s basketball history, boys or girls, to make it to the final four. With a team that is almost completely different, the

ended up that this year we only have four seniors, five juniors and four sophomores.” Last years team was the first team in Grand Ledge’s basketball history, boys or girls, to make it to the final four. Jones has stressed that this year is about development, but also about keeping the winning tradition that has been built. With a team that is almost completely different, the goals are going to be different. “This year our goal is to be a better team at the end of the season when the games mean more,” Jones said. “With a young team, it is a process that takes time and patience. I recognize that there are times when will rely on a lot of underclassmen to play during prime time. We expect to

goals are going to be different. “Any high school player dreams of those things..... As far as motivation, every team has different goals,” Jones said. “There is such a fine line between disappointment and success.” The girls have eight newcomers to this years team. Juniors Katie Simon, Delaney Brickley, Liz Wood, Veronica Mills and sophomores Vanessa Odlum, Brooke Rambo, Jade Ayers and Jazmyn Ayers. With the graduation of five starters, coach Jones was left with a team that is young by the nature of how high school sport works. “I think it has to do more the cyclical nature of talent,” said Jones. “Coaches try to make plans for future teams to develop them in different ways. It just

start a tradition that every year we compete for a conference title and win our district. After that anything can happen. As a coach I can only hope my new team buys into the dream and works hard to accomplish our goals.” Every teams dream is to make it to The Jack Breslin Student Event Center, but realistically Jones knows that he needs to set goals that his Lady Comets team can attain. “Last year, we talked about making it to the Breslin, this year we are focusing on getting better, winning our conference and challenging for the district title. Anything after that would be an amazing accomplishment,” Jones said.

Grand Ledge pom team take the center floor Junior Stacia King perfoms with her fellow “pommies”at Grand Ledge’s “Meet the Comets Night” for the some wither sports. “Meet the Comets” at GLHS is when some winter sports get introduced, and many have a fun skit for the student body. The night is full of performances, contests, and fun prizes. Photo by Claire Kinloch/ The Ledge

COMET SPOTLIGHT Spencer Brittain Grand Ledge JV Wrestling

Alicia Degroat ‘16 Staff Writer Hearing the songs “Crazy train,” “Can you do this” and “Top of the world,” will bring a picture of the 2014-15 GLHS Pom team to mind. The pom team performs at the home GLHS varsity boys’ basketball games during half time. These Comets are very dedicated to pom and spend every other weekend at a competition. They perform with their heart put into it, with stamina and the strive to be on top. Although, there is a side to this team that people hardly get to see. Something much more than a team, a family. The varsity pom team has been through stress, achievement, and pom has had a major impact on senior Morgan Douglas. “I’ve learned so much from this team over the past four years on this team,” Douglas said. “I used to be so incredibly shy until I met these girls. I always would get spouts of anxiety and panic when I would have to go in front of the class or talk to adults or

give any type of presentation. Pom has shot up my confidence like a rocket. I have performed in front of a couple hundred people before, something I probably would have had a heart attack just thinking about it. I’ve learned how to be a leader, how to listen to every side of a story before jumping to conclusions. All of my closest friends are on pom with me or were on pom and graduated. Although, it’s nice because all of these girls have the basic things in common but we are all unique in our own ways.” The key for the girls to be successful during their season is backing each other up no matter what. “I would consider us a family because we do get in arguments and we do want to hate each other at times, but we can’t,” junior Alli Hookey said. “No matter what we will always love each other and support one another.” As a pom team member you have to get used to all eyes on you. For junior Lauren Bassett, the pressure and the roars of the crowd fuels her motivation.

Favorite musician Run DMC

Favorite thing to do in Grand Ledge Eat lunch

Favorite movie

“It’s just being out on the court,” Bassett said. “All eyes on us even individuals. You have so much adrenaline, your kicks and jumps are automatically a million times higher and all your moves are so sharp. Being in front of a lot of people can be nerve wrecking but once you have the routine down, it’s an amazing feeling.” Through their breaks of sweat, and high strive to be number one, they manage to stay a family and stick together. “We’re a huge family,” Iversen said. “We can come to practice and forget everything, all the drama, school work, problems at home, anything. These girls can turn a frown into a smile into a split second. Don’t get me wrong, as everyone can get annoyed at times, I do. But in the end, we fight like families do, we laugh like families do, we have our downfalls like families do, but when it comes down to it, we have one another back at any time, no matter the circumstances.”

Game-day ritual or superstition Wear my lucky socks and go to Jersey Giant

Pre-game song Rocky theme song

Red Dawn

Hidden talent

Favorite thing to do when not wrestling

I can juggle

Eat

Favorite TV show

Psych

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The Comets’ Tale • Feature • January 2015

WInter wonderland A Recap of the 2013-2014 polar vortex Jake Thomann ‘16 No power. No heat. No running water. Spending Christmas week Editor-in-Chief in 2013 with these conditions was not exactly what most people in Michigan had been planning on. Yet with a powerful ice storm came devastating effects, including being without power on Christmas Day. A year later, the 2014 Christmas week brought drastically different weather compared to last year. With the exception of a few short periods of snow, Michigan had a snowless Christmas. Using data from last year’s polar vortex, it can be seen that this year’s winter weather contrasts in almost every category with it, including temperatures and amount of

snow days. Despite current trends, this school year could still have a bitter winter. During the 2013-2014 school year, most of the severe winter weather came during the months of January and February. Temperatures dropped into the negative teens (not taking into account wind chill) which was the factored into some of the days off of school. Most of the snow days occured in January, which accounted for seven out of the 12 total. One stray day in March brought large amounts of snowfall, resulting in a one final snow day for the school year. Below is data about the 2013-2014 polar vortex and how it affected the GLHS school year.

High temperatures per day between December 2013 and 2014

F˚ 60

Dec. 2014 Dec. 2013

The best temperatures to use salt on the roads is between 15˚ and 20˚ F

Lowest temperatures from Dec. 2013 to Mar. 2014

-1°

-13°

Dec 2013

Jan 2014

Days of the month

-9°

-11° Feb 2014

Mar 2014

Not including wind chill. Information from wunderground.com.

How GLHS students find out about snow-days

T.V. 11%

Text 9%

Web 5%

Phone 11%

Twitter 25%

Parents 34%

Other 5%

Tips on how to be a safe driver by combating the winter weather Bobby Mitchell ‘15 Staff Writer

With winter’s arrival and snow starting to fall, if you are a student who drives to school it is important to take caution for the first few times it snows. Winter is usually when people get in the most accidents, because they forget just how slick the roads can be. There are usually three types of accidents on slick roads: where you slide straight into something, ones where you under-steer into something and ones where you over-steer into something. Understeer is when you turn the wheel but the car doesn’t change direction, so you essentially go right into something even if you turn the wheel. Understeer is more likely to occur in a front wheel drive car, but its not uncommon with a rear wheel drive vehicle. Oversteer is when you turn the steering wheel and the front of the car goes where you want it, but the back of the car slides around and tries to make you face the other direction, this is often called drifting. Over steer is more common with rear wheel drive vehicles, and it is very rare to occur with a front wheel drive car. All of these types of accidents can be controllable, to an extent that is, sometimes if you’re going to lose control, it is going to happen, but you can try to correct it and make a collision less severe if there is no avoiding it. First, if you find yourself coming up to a stop sign or a stopped car and you hit the brakes and they lock up, and there is no slowing down, and if your car doesn’t have antilock brakes, you can try pumping the brakes. It’s better than just holding the brake to the floor, and it will allow you to be able to steer to avoid collision, if you keep your brakes you won’t be able to steer your car, and it will actually increase the distance it takes to stop.

If you start to go around a corner, and you turn the steering wheel, but the car doesn’t turn, or doesn’t turn far enough, and you see yourself sliding straight for a ditch, or a curb or another car, the best thing you can do is take your foot off the gas, and if you can, put it in neutral. If you are headed for a curb, sometimes at the last second it is best to turn the wheels straight for the curb, so the wheel will roll up onto the curb instead of hitting it sideways, you want to do this so you lessen the risk of bending or breaking major suspension components. Often times you will blow a tire, but if you turn the wheel to roll up the curb you won’t always bend control arms, wheels or tie rods. Understeer is the arguably the hardest type of slide to control, theres not a lot you can do other than hold on. Now if the tail of your car comes out and starts to oversteer often times you can just take your foot off the gas and counter steer, but sometimes this can result in snap oversteer, where the car will fling in the other direction. The best thing with oversteer is to understand how to control your vehicle, then it will be less startling if you are in tune with your car, and you can give it the right amount of gas and bring the tail of the car back in line without suddenly letting off the gas and risking snap oversteer. The main thing to remember is to not panic, and you will find it is easier than most expect it to be to control your vehicle in the winter and avoid accidents. Illustration by Jake Thomann/The Comets’ Tale