the
CRYSTAL december 2019 | volume 83 | issue 2
Lakeview High School Battle Creek, MI
N ews
contents
Guns in School pg. 4 New Kellogg Cereal pg. 5 Grace Health Services pg. 5
F eature
contributors Advisor Jodi Darland
the crystal
Editor-in-Chief Riley Damore Assistant Editor Claire Tobin
Kate Nosis pg. 6 Homecoming King and Queen pg. 6 Burn Boot Camp pg. 7 Mrs. Mueller’s Surgery pg. 8 College Application Process pg. 9
A &e
News Editor Maya Castleberry A&E Editor Zoey Lopshire
Editorial policy:
Sports Editor Kirsten Butler
press run of 500. The publication is an open forum for expression
The Crystal is a self-funded student publication distributed free of charge to all Lakeview High School students and staff with a total and a two-way communication for both the school and community. The editor-in-chief and staff are solely responsible for the content.
Mario Kart pg. 10 It’s a Wonderful Life pg. 11 Frozen 2 pg. 11
S ports
Bastketball pg. 12 College Commitments pg. 12 Winter Sports pg. 13 Football Season Recap pg. 14 College Football pg. 15
O pinion
Crystal Point: Free College pg. 16 Class Sizes pg. 16 Pro-Con: The Female Symbol pg. 17 Mental Health Days pg. 18, 19 ADVERTISEMENTS pg. 3, 19, 20
Feature Editors Riley Damore and Claire Tobin Opinion Editor Hannah Tecumseh Photographer Connor Smith Business Manager Brenden Massa Reporters: Jameson Hartley Izzy Hoaglin Lal Hruai Logan Komarck Alexa Morey Gabriella Ramos Kezia Wright Jazmin Young
Opinions expressed in the newspaper are not necessarily those of the staff or the administration of Lakeview High School. The
mission
of
The
Crystal
is
as
surrounding communities by providing diverse, relevant stories. The Crystal strives to remain objective, accurate and truthful while increasing school and community awareness of timely issues. Businesses are encouraged to advertise in The Crystal when their ads adhere to the specified guidelines available in the publications room. Members of The Crystal staff can be contacted by calling the publications room phone at 269565-3731
or
emailing
at
thecrystal@lakeviewspartans.org.
To view The Crystal in full color, visit: issuu.com/thecrystalLHS
The Crystal is printed by: The Argus-Press Company 201 E. Exchange St. Owosso, MI 48867
Administration: Blake Prewitt - Superintendent Susan Cheadle-Holt - Principal Tara Rice - Assistant Principal
Association. The 2004-2005, 2005-2006 and 2013-2014 Crystal
Cody Japinga - Assistant Principal
won a MIPA Spartan Award.
The Crystal is a member of the Michigan Interscholastic Press
letter from the editor With the first trimester of the school year coming to a close, students are beginning to shift their focus off of their classes and onto the upcoming holiday breaks. The fall season has been a busy one. Many seniors have been working hard to meet the Early Decision college application deadlines and many athletes who participated in a fall sport have had a strenuous season. Staff members of The Crystal strive to recognize the school’s hardworking students, and in this issue, you will find a By: Riley Damore, Editor-in-Chief
follows:
to inform and entertain audiences of Lakeview High School and
recap of the outstanding football season, a feature on freshman Kate Nosis, who placed at the World Championship for karate, and a highlight of the amazing fall production of It’s a Wonderful Life. However, the upcoming winter months are going to bring us lots of snow and even busier schedules. Winter sports, including basketball,
swimming and wrestling are beginning. In addition, seniors must begin considering their life after high school, whether they plan on attending college or not. This next step in life is discussed on page 9 of this issue, where students can read about the many steps of the college application process. The holiday season is a wonderful time to reflect on all that you have to be thankful for in your life. I am grateful for the amazing Crystal staff and all of the remarkable work that they do each month. By: Claire Tobin, Assistant Editor
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FEAR HAS NO PLACE IN SCHOOL
Guns in the United States are leaving citizens and students worried about their safety and asking for more gun control There have been many incidents across the United States within the past few years that involve guns on school property in various contexts. This is both unfortunate and troubling as the number of incidents seems to increase yearly. Recently, Lakeview had their own encounter with a student bringing a gun into school. On October 23, a Prairieview Elementary School student unknowingly brought a gun into school. The gun was found by a teacher, and all of the precautionary measures were followed to ensure students’ safety. It was later determined in the initial investigation that the child did not intend to bring the weapon into the classroom nor cause harm. This incident was then turned over to Child Protective Services and the Battle Creek Police Department, the district said. This incident is not the only one of its kind. When “student brings gun to school” is typed into a search engine, there are articles upon articles related to separate incidents in various states. This leaves the question, what is being done to prevent incidents like this from happening? What preventative steps have been put in place to ensure this incidents will not happen again? The topic of gun control is touchy in today’s political climate, but, in situations like these, it is imperative that the issue is addressed.
18%
30%
52%
According to NPR
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11%
31%
57%
11%
28%
60%
In favor of stricter gun laws Believe gun laws are about right In favor of less strict gun laws
According to an article published by CNN.com, there have been 22 school shootings in 2019 alone. However, it needs to be established that there is not a set definition of what makes a “school shooting.” In order to make the list published by CNN.com, the incident had to be within the following parameters. “The shooting must involve at least one person being shot (not including the shooter). The shooting must occur on school property, which includes but is not limited to, buildings, athletic fields, parking lots, stadiums and buses. We included accidental discharge of a firearm as long as the first two parameters are met, except in instances where the sole shooter is law enforcement or a security officer. We included injuries sustained from BB guns, since the Consumer Product Safety Commission has identified them as potentially lethal,” CNN.com said. The recent school shooting that occurred in Santa Clarita, California, shows how the gun control issue, and how the people feel about gun laws is important. The shooting occurred on Thursday, November 14. The shooter was a sixteen-year-old student from the district. In total, three students were injured, and three died, including the death of the shooter himself. According to an article published by the Washington Post, this school district and these students are not the only ones to experience gun violence. “[M]ore than 230,000 children have experienced gun violence at their schools since 1999’s massacre at Columbine High.” The statistics above have caused a shift in how people view gun laws in the United States in 2019. According to an article published by NPR.org, 60 percent of Americans feel that stricter gun laws need to be put in place, compared to 52 percent in 2017. The article also tells us that 64 percent of the age group 18-24 voted in favor of having stricter gun laws, the highest percentage of any age group. This tells us that younger people are finding this issue more concerning than later generations, and this idea is reflected within our high school. “I find it particularly concerning that a student was able to walk into school with a gun, undetected,” junior Ashley Sellin said. While there are students that find this issue quite concerning, it is important to know that there are steps that are to be followed in situations like the Prarieview incident. In the email sent to parents after the incident, the district made it clear that the system that has been designed for situations like this, was followed. “I hope you can take comfort in knowing that the staff member involved did exactly what staff are trained to do,” the email said. While there are things that are still concerning to some about the situation that occurred at Prarieview, take comfort in the fact that the schools do have a system established for instances like these.
22
Gun related incidents in schools in 2019 alone
223,000+ Children have been exposed to gun violence at school since 1999
64%
Of voters aged 1824 voted in favor of having stricter gun laws
55
People, including the shooters, were killed in school gun violence in 2018
94
School gun violence incidents in 2018
By: Maya Castleberry, News Editor
the crystal
Coming
Together As One
Kellogg’s partners with GLADD to show support to the LGBTQ community According to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLADD), more than 70 percent of LGBT+ students say they’ve been verbally harassed by others. 60 percent report feeling unsafe at their schools due to their sexual orientation. To help with this, Kellogg’s partnered with GLAAD, an LGBT media advocacy organization, to release a cereal called “All Together” to support the community. By mixing the cereals (the mascots) it supports anti-bullying and the LGBT community as well. Kellogg’s launched this cereal which includes six iconic favorites in one box. The “All Together” concoction includes Raisin Bran, Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, and Frosted Mini Wheats. The limited edition purple box is
only available online to purchase. It includes the six separate mini boxes, in which you yourself combines the cereal to make it your own. Along with the new cereal, Kellogg’s has also pledged to donate $50,000 to GLAAD in support of the group’s efforts. “We all belong together,” Kellogg’s said, “so for the first time in history, our famous mascots and cereals are offered exclusively
Grace Health provides physical and mental health services You may have noticed a newly added health center in between the Student Service Center and Spartan Spirit Shop. This new office space is called Grace Health and it offers medical services and behavioral health services. It is open from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Jennifer Worden is the nurse practitioner who works with her medical assistant, Davina Thach, to take care of students who need medical services. And Damian Prince is the therapist who works with and takes care of students that need behavioral and mental health services. These services are available to anyone who needs them but in order for them to be able to provide these services, parents must fill out a consent form. You can pick these up at the Grace Health office. You still have to fill out the forms to be seen at the school’s Grace Health office, even if you’re already a
together in the same box for [the] All Together Cereal. It’s a symbol of acceptance no matter how you look, where you’re from, or who you love. We believe that all people deserve an environment where they can be their best selves.” It’s not just Kellogg’s who has supported the LGBT community, other brands have showed their support as well. These brands like Converse, Postmates, Disney, Under Armour and Nike have all come out with products to show their support. Converse came out with a Pride Collection which features classic Chuck Taylor
grace
hi-tops and lowtops with various Pride symbols, and the first sneakers inspired by the transgender flag (light blue, pink and white). Twentyfive percent of proceeds from every order through Postmates will be donated to the L.A. LGBT Center. Disney came out with a Rainbow Collection that offers more than 50 products, including clothing, accessories, and the well known Mickey Mouse ears. If any of the items from the Rainbow Disney Collection was purchased through June 30, 2019, Disney donated 10 percent of the proceeds to GLSEN, which works to establish a safe and inclusive environment for LGBT students across the country. Nike and Under Armour have incorporated rainbow designs to shoes and clothing to support the LGBT community. Izzy Hoaglin, Reporter
HEALTH weather making it difficult to drive on the
patient at a different clinic. But it makes it a lot easier for the nurses if you are already a patient because they will have your medical history in their system from your previous Grace Health visits. They also do sports physical for the student-athletes who need them for $30. You can call and schedule an appointment or go in during their walk-in hours. With winter sports coming and our snowy Michigan
roads, you can just get a physical in the school. It will make it a lot easier for students and parents because you won’t have to drive all the way to another doctor’s office. They also have a Family Get Fit Program that is free and fun for families to learn about being healthy. You can sign up by calling 269-441-1960 and letting them know that you want to participate. It is a 5-week program and the next is from April 16 - May 14 at 181 West Emmett Street Battle Creek, MI 49037 (Sanitas Conference Center). Grace Health is new to the school and not many students know much about it yet. Students should go down and check it out because they can help reduce your stress levels, keep you in school when you’re not feeling too well and take good care of you. By: Lal Hruai, Reporter
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Road to Worlds
Freshman Kate Nosis makes her way to the 2019 WKC World Championships in Niagara Falls, New York In age group 13-14, freshman Kate Nosis placed of my life. I am going to do it as long as my physical fifth at the World Karate Commission Championship. body can take it. I enjoy it because it’s fun and you She missed medal rounds by 1/10 of get to learn a lot of different skills and a point. there is a big discipline portion of it. “I have done karate for the You also meet a lot of people,” Nosis past four years. It is something my said. Nosis holds 12 first place dad wanted me to get into and I This being Nosis’s favorite finishes in fighting for liked it so I stayed with it,” Nosis extracurricular activity, she has said. state circuit, 4 first place a mindset for her future. As her With karate being one of brother, dad and herself all do finishes in forms for the karate, she hopes to open a family Nosis’s strongest abilities, she has state circuit and a third fought a long way to get to where owned karate facility so she can stay she is today, training two times with them as they all run it. place title in fighting at a week for two hours with her “It is really fun to do. If you’re the AKA Warrior Cup in instructor, Doug Walker, and even interested I prefer that you come to training on her own everyday for Chicago, which is a national a class and watch, if it then seems an hour at the least. interestin. I recommend you trying it tournament. “I want to do this for the rest out,” Nosis said.
Fast Fact:
Riy ley
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By: Alexa Morey, Reporter
Homecoming Queen Riley Damore and Homecoming King Ryley Rose express their gratitude towards royalty and their plans for college On Friday October 18, Ryley Rose and Riley Damore were crowned Class of 2020 Homecoming King and Queen. Damore was crowned by the 2018 Homecoming King Brendan Barnes and Rose was crowned by Emily Marvin, his best friend and the 2018 Homecoming Queen. They were voted by all four classes of Lakeview High School and were voted on Top Ten by the senior class. As everyone watched their coronation you couldn’t help but think,“That’s funny...Riley and Ryley.” Riley Damore plans on attending Michigan State next fall and pursuing a degree in business. Riley’s favorite part about homecomig week was putting together a dance and spending time with other members of the Top Ten. She was very thankful for the oppurtunity and was honored to the Homecoming queen of 2019. “I was very happy to be crowned and everyone was so supportive,” Damore said. Ryley Rose is undecided on where he is pursuing his educational career and what he is majoring in. He was very excited that he was crowned by Emily and had a lot of fun doing the Top Ten dance. His favorite day was Friday because it was the best day of his life. “It feels wonderful being Homecoming king I must say that,” senior Ryley Rose said.
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Photo By: Grosteffon
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By: Hannah Tecumseh, Opinion Editor
the crystal
Feel The Burn
Burn Boot Camp has Battle Creek resIdenTS gettIng physIcal
I
n 2012, in a parking lot in Charlotte, North Carolina, Burn Boot Camp was formed and quickly became popular. By 2015 Burn Boot Camp started to franchise and now holds 177 locations in 35 states. Devan and Morgan Kline, Battle Creek born, brought their business back to their roots and opened a location in Battle Creek on July 15, 2019. You can get a six-month, 12-month or 18-month membership. Burn Boot Camp holds classes Monday through Saturday from 4:45 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. giving all people an opportunity to hit the gym and get healthy. Even teachers in Lakeview High School are taking advantage of this and hitting the gym. “I've been going since September. I used to go to the 4:45 a.m. camp, but I've recently started going to the 5:30 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. camp about four times per week,” teacher Emily McLaughlin said. These gym sessions are focused around 45
minute classes with 72 different styles to make sure each workout is different. Classes range from cardiovascular workouts, suspension training, stations and so much more. Burn prides themsleves on always having a different
Inhale confidence. exhale doubt. workout everytime you come in, so no one is stuck doing the same thing everyday. “Burn is different, because we are a community that brings a different energy,” Head Trainer Ray Yager said. “We want this
to be a safe place for all women to work out.” Burn attempts to bring more customers in and keep the energy up by implementing themes into their workouts. There have been themes like Glow where they workout under black lights and wear neon, just to keep things intersesting. Seniors Maddie Deal and Brayden Davis have even taken notice of the success of Burn Boot Camp and worked to bring it into their DECA project. “We are creating a franchise business plan to expand Burn Boot Camp even more into locations in places that it doesn’t exist yet,” Deal said. In this project they are creating a plan to open a location in Ann Arbor and have to form financial, marketing and promotional plan to accomplish this task. “Burn’s target group is primarily middle aged women who want to get in shape,” Davis said. By: Claire Tobin, Assistant Editor
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Risky Business Science Teacher Lisa Mueller has surgery to remove organs
Ovarian Cancer Statistics
• The American Cancer Society estimates fabout 22,530 women will receive a new diagnosis for ovarian cancer in the United States for 2019. About 13,980 women will die annually from ovarian cancer. • Ovarian cancer is ranked 5th in cancer deaths among women. • The average risk of ovarian cancer during a woman’s lifetime is 1:78. • The chance of dying from ovarian cancer is 1:108. • Ovarian cancer develops mainly in older women-about half of the women diagnosed with ovarian cancer are 63 years or older. • Ovarian cancer is more common in white women than any other race. • Ovarian cancer is slowly becoming less common-the rate of diagnosis has steadily declined over the past 20 years. According to Cancer.org and Mayo Clinic
How Does Cancer Develop?
Although the cause of ovarian cancer is unclear, there are risk factors identified by doctors that can increase the risk of the disease. Cancer begins when a cell develops errors/ mutations in DNA. The mutations tell the cells to grow and multiply quickly, creating a tumor of abnormal cells. They then invade nearby tissues and break off from an initial tumor to spread elsewhere in the body (metastasize).
Types of Ovarian Cancer Epithelial tumors: begin in the thin layer of tissue that covers outside of ovaries. 90% of ovarian cancers are epithelial tumors. Stromal tumors: begin in the ovarian tissue that contains hormone-producing cells. Usually diagnosed at an earlier stage. About 7% of ovarian cancers are stromal tumors. Germ-cell tumors: begin in the egg-producing cells. Germ-cell tumors are more rare than the other 2 and tend to occur in younger women.
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Towards the beginning of the school year, science teacher Lisa Mueller found out that she had to have a bilateral salpingooophorectomy (by-LA-teh-rul sal-PINgoh-oh-oh-foh-REK-toh-mee), which is a surgery patients have when at risk for ovarian cancer. During the surgery, a woman’s ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed. “I found out that I had to have the surgery only three weeks before I had it,” Mueller said, “Usually people find out months ahead of time.” Before the surgery, Mueller had to give herself shots in the stomach due to her blood condition. “I have a condition where my blood is really thick and I have to take blood thinners every day,” Mueller said. “So before any surgery, I have to give myself shots in the stomach twice a day.” The shots help insure that Mueller wouldn’t bleed too much during the operation. “Since the surgery didn’t involve removing my uterus, only my fallopian tubes and ovaries, it was suggested by my doctor that I take
“
For younger females hoping to have children but having to have this surgery, it’s sad and I wish that they wouldn’t have to go through that.
”
four to six weeks off of work,” Mueller said. “However, I only took two weeks off.” While Mueller was put on a ten-pound weight restriction for a sixweek period, she feels pretty good. “The only effect that I’ve noticed is that my abdomen hurt the first three weeks, which is obviously going to happen to anyone who has this surgery,” Mueller said. “I’m also really tired all of the time and it’s hard to regain strength and have energy.” While Mueller didn’t plan on having kids, this surgery for younger women could have a bigger impact. “At my age, I didn’t mind having the surgery since I won’t need my ovaries and fallopian tubes to produce offspring,” Mueller said. “Although for younger females hoping to have children but having to have this surgery, it’s sad and I wish that they wouldn’t have to go through that.” Mueller encourages anyone showing symptoms of ovarian cancer or anyone who has a family history to contact their doctor about it and get checked. By: Zoey Lopshire, A&E Editor
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the crystal
Next Step for There are many details involved in the college application process and the steps to come in the future By: Riley Damore, Editor-in-Chief
Work on the completion of applications and essays Students can use online The Common App, which allows them to apply for multiple colleges in an efficient and simple way. “I feel like they’re making it easier for students to apply for college now,” senior Trey Wright said. When answering questions and completing writing prompts throughout the application, it is important to remember to be professional, avoid typos, be honest, and
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include all examples of leadership and creativity exhibited throughout high school. “I think the application process is fairly holistic. It does a good job of giving you the opportunity to show different aspects of yourself,” senior Dom Kershbaum said. Although procrastination is common among seniors, it is crucial that students complete their college applications as soon as possible.
Submit applications and essays to meet the Early Action deadline Those who complete their applications before the Early Action deadline will be able to hear back from their colleges sooner than those who turn in their applications on the Regular Decision deadline in January. Additionally, applying early action may increase a student’s consideration for financial aid and merit-based
scholarships. “The Early Action deadline is very important for highly selective institutions, but it is not the only way to be admitted,” counselor Rob Allison said. “If seniors don’t meet the early action deadline, they should then simply submit the application as early as possible.”
Monitor college application portal Generally, after a student applies to a specific college, they will receive an email containing a unique identification code to an online portal that will allow them to sign in and monitor their application status. This will tell them what their decision is, whether it is that they are admitted, denied, or deferred.
“Deferral simply means on hold pending more information. The ‘more information’ might be a higher test score or it might be an interview or an audition or perhaps something else,” Allison said. “We want students to keep an eye on this so that they can take action as soon as a college informs them that they need to do so.”
Complete the FAFSA It is significant that all students complete the FAFSA, as it is the gateway to financial aid. The FAFSA is a free and easy resource that students can use to find out how to apply for grants, work-study, and loans to pay for college or career school. Both a parent and a student must create an FSA ID, which can be done at FAFSA.gov. Some funds
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are granted on a first come, first served basis, so it is important that the FAFSA is completed as soon as possible. The amount of financial aid received depends on the school’s calculations, which involve factors like the school’s cost of attendance and expected family contribution.
Search for scholarships
5 december
College can be expensive, but scholarships can help students pay for this cost. There are many websites that make the scholarship search simple, and Lakeview High School has several resources in the Student Service Center that can make this even easier for students. In addition, students who qualify for the Legacy Scholarship can attend Kellogg Community College (KCC)
free for two years. For students who are unsure of their postsecondary education plans, KCC can provide many different kinds of learning opportunities. “I plan on using the Legacy Scholarship and attending KCC for two year because I know that it will save me a lot of money and is more convenient and closer to home for me,” senior Chelsea Sheerer said.
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Mario kart kraze The new Mario Kart app is the new hot game that everyone is hooked on. Can it live up to the Wii version?
The app Mario Kart Tour took players by storm and has 10.1 million downloads globally, surpassing Pokemon Go, Clash Royale and Fortnite Mobile.
Number of Downloads on Launch Day 11M 10M 9M 8M 7M 6M 5M 4M 3M 2M 1M
Mario Kart Tour
Pokemon GO
Clash Royale
According to Forbes
Josef Quispe Favorite Character: Rosalina
Favorite Powerup: Red shell
Wii version or app?: The Wii version is better because you can select your maps and you can play against or with other people.
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Fortnite IOS
The Mario franchise is the best selling video game franchise of all time which explains its popularity and number of downloads. The app allows you to play Mario Kart anywhere and everywhere because of easy access on the iPhone. Mario Kart Tour has a lot to offer. You can race around courses inspired by real-world cities and some of your favorite Mario Kart character incorporate the local style of these cities. In addition to classic Mario Kart courses, these destinations will be featured in tours that rotate every two weeks. You also have access to a variety of weapons used when racing that can mix things up on the race track, including a Frenzy mode, which gives you an unlimited supply of an item. Collect drivers, karts, badges and gliders and race to increase your high scores, which determines your online rank. Drive different combinations of drivers, karts and gliders to increase your score and rise to the top. Purchase Rubies which allow you to get different items you want in the game, as well as Passes, which are a monthly based subscription that allows you to get even more rewards. The short Italian plumber and a race car is a perfect combination for a successful video game and we are not only talking mobile. Mario Kart Wii is the second best selling game for the Wii Console behind Wii Sports.
Cooper Sullivan Favorite Character: Bowser
Favorite Powerup: Mushroom
Wii version or app?: The Wii was better because you had the remote as a steering wheel, which made it more fun.
Anthony Bell Favorite Character: Metal mario
Favorite Powerup: Squid ink
Wii version or app?: The Wii version is better because they have all the characters.
By: Hannah Tecumseh, Opinion Editor
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the crystal
Wonderful Senior Year It’s a
The fall production of “It’s a Wonderful Life” was a creative retelling of the classic Christmas story, in which an angel is sent to help a frustrated businessman named George Bailey by showing him what life would be like if he had never existed. Senior Libby Robins plays the role of Mary Hatch-Bailey, the love interest of the main character, George Bailey, who is played by senior Noble Vater. For seniors, this was the last fall production of their high school careers, and for Robins, the theater program has made a tremendous impact on her life. “Theater has given me so many skills and developed ones that I already had. It has given me confidence with public speaking and developed my own personal confidence,” Robins said. “Theater has also given me a majority of my friends and so many memories that I will cherish forever.” Despite the fact the Vater has not participated in any Lakeview High School productions in the past, he has still been able to fit in well with the other cast members. “Theater has spiced up the monotony and frustration of life in high school and has given me a healthy outlet to some of my emotions,”
Vater said. The production of It’s a Wonderful Life portrays a more serious topic than what cast members are used to. It deals with aspects that aren’t typically seen in high school productions, such as suicide. Although this can be a touchy subject to some, the cast mates are close-knit and very comfortable with each other. “Rehearsals have been going really well and I’ve gotten to know other cast mates that I didn’t know as well,” Robins said. Additionally, Ken Gordon, producer and director of It’s a Wonderful Life, has incorporated the use of student assistant directors. Gordon believes that this collaboration aids in the creative process and the overall success of the production. “I love the acting process, and we have had some outstanding conversations around characters, key scenes, and what we, as a cast, feel like is the central message that we want the audience to go home with,” Gordon said. Overall, students have put hours of hard work and dedication into this production, and the audience is surely going to enjoy every second of it.
By: Riley Damore, Editor-in-Chief
Can’t Hold It Back Anymore Six years later, Disney’s Frozen 2 was released on November 22 Released to theaters on November 22, 2019, Frozen II was one of the most anticipated movies of this winter season. The first movie “Frozen”, had over 18 million home media sales in 2014. According to The New Yorker, “Since its release, Frozen has earned $1.2 billion worldwide, becoming the fifth-highest-grossing film of all time and by far the highest-grossing animation. That also includes two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe, a soundtrack that’s accumulated more than a million album sales and seven million Spotify streams, hundreds of millions of views on YouTube, and a DVD that became Amazon’s best-selling children’s film of all time based on orders alone.” Frozen 2 continues Anna’s and Elsa’s story three years after the events of the first movie but six years after that film hit theaters. According to directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, Frozen II aims to answer questions that viewers had after Anna saved Elsa from Hans, Elsa’s icy powers and among other things. There are many exciting things that have made Frozen II into another thrilling, animated movie, that kids and adults loved once again. By: Kirsten Butler, Sports Editor
december
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Ballin’ Into THE Season
With both boys and girls basketball seasons underway, here is some insight into returning players and even some new players to see exactly how they are expecting this 2019-2020 basketball season to go and to see what they are looking forward to the most this upcoming season. “I’m mostly looking forward to a fun, wholesome basketball season for my senior year,” three-year varsity player, senior Caleb Cary said. As players who are constantly growing and getting better, some of the players were willing to share the goals they have set for themselves for this approaching season. “Hopefully it will be our best season, and hopefully we can go undefeated,” sophomore Aiden Crawford said.
Predictions are hard to make when you are going to be on a new team at a new school, but freshman Sydney Ross is hoping for a “Really fun basketball season.” This season there are some slight changes to the coaching staff for the basketball teams. Hannah Matthies is the new girls freshman coach and Blake Shaw is the new girls varsity coach. Thus moving up last years girl freshman coach, Mark Beckley up to girls junior varsity. Kyle Kracht is still the freshman boys coach and Shawn Aimesbury remains the junior varsity boys coach. Steve Wichmann is returning as the boys varsity coach, which he has been for the past 18 years. All the players are looking forward to a fun, memorable, and hopefully a season full of wins.
‘tis the season
The Annual Holiday Classic versus Harper Creek is on Dec. 28 at 4 p.m. The Classic continues a tradition of holiday basketball at The Battle Creek Central Fieldhouse. The court is named after the legendary coach, Chuck Turner, who retired as the third-winningest coach in the history of Michigan. He coached for 31 years at BCC and was Coach Wichmann’s first coaching mentor when he was student-teaching at BCC. Kezia Wright, Reporter
Getting committed
Getting recruited to play college sports is one of the best things that can happen to young athletes who want to fulfill that dream of playing at the next level. However, playing at the next level isn’t all about your athletic talent. If you’re an athlete who wants to play at the next level you must be a good student, as demonstrated both in the classroom and on standardized tests, and be a good citizen who takes advantage of opportunities to give back to the community. According to scholarshipstats.com, “a little over 7% of high school athletes (about 1 in 14) went on to play a varsity sport in college and less than 2% of high school athletes (1 in 54) went on to play at NCAA Division I schools. The largest percentage of both male and female college athletes competed at NCAA Division III schools.” With 1326 students who attend Lakeview High School, even if all of those students were athletes, only 92 would possibly get recruited and play at the collegiate level. Even though the odds seem to be stacked against athletes looking to play beyond high school, that does not stop Spartans from pursuing their dreams. Senior Jack Goodman is a 6-foot, 2-inch, 200-pound, two-sport athlete who is planning on going to GVSU for six years. His plans include applying for an academic scholarship to earn a PhD in physical training but he is also interested in being a walk-on to the football team. Another Spartan athlete, senior Jaysi Hacker hopes to continue playing soccer at the collegiate level. With four schools in mind (Davenport, Northwood, Western Michigan and Indiana University), Hacker is a two-time All City, two-time All-Conference, three-time All-Team Academics, ODP International, and an AllRegion honorable mention player. Although Hacker is still uncommitted, she plans on waiting to see all the options she has before committing.
Committed Spartans
MEET Jackson Kitchen Spring Arbor University
Baseball
Will play with his brother
Center Field
Tips to get Recruited
MEET
Former Spartan Ava Cook, currently a GVSU soccer player with the potential to go pro, provides insight into the recruiting process. 1) TRY NEW THINGS: Often times coaches will ask you to try things, but you have to trust them and try your best. 2)ATTEND CAMPS: I.D. Camps are one of the most effective way of getting your name in front of college coaches. Todd Well encouraged me to return to GVSU camp my junior year after an unsuccessful year before, knowing the amount of college coaches that would be there. 3) MAKE CONNECTIONS: On top of their soccer program having incredible past success, I had a great connection with the coaching staff and was truly honored to get the opportunity to be a part of such a historical program.
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4) STAY MOTIVATED: It is amazing how different being a collegiate athlete is from anything before. [Athletes] are bigger, faster, stronger, and the level of play is so much quicker. It can be a tough adjustment, but it motivates you to just work harder and take all of the necessary steps. 5) Some of the best advice is to truly think about what YOU want. Not what your coaches want, your parents, your family, or your fiends, but what you want. Don’t let the idea of divisions 1,2, or 3, Juco, or NAIA determine where you go. Be your absolute true self when talking to coaches and going to camps, because that’s what’s going to matter the most in the future.
Taylor Wilsey Olivet College
Track & Field
Two-sport college athlete
Cross Country
Logan Komarck, Reporter
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Winter Sports Preview Spartans winter athletics are underway and here is what the season will bring
BASKETBALL There were a lot of seniors who left the men’s and women’s teams last year, leaving spots open. With a new coach taking the lead for the varsity team, girls basketball will be rebuilding in this coming season.
COMPETITIVE CHEER The cheer squad has a lot of potential to do great this season. There is a lot of new talent coming in and willing to give the most effort possible. They are currrently working towards strengthing their tricks.
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WRESTLING There is a lot of new talent coming into the program that help could bring home the conference title and qualify for states. The majority of the team has worked on the off season to get ready to perform this winter season.
SWIMMING
Boys swimming is underway and there is lots of young talent coming up that have the can bring a lot to the team. Some returners have been training in club season decreased their times, which could help them win more titles.
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Revenge TOUR The varsity football team dominates 2019 season Many goals were set out for Lakeview’s varsity football team including winning a conference, being undefeated, winning a championship, getting through the playoffs and much more. With achieving their goals comes preparation from everyone, both as a team and individually. Junior Jaden Simonson typically listens to his music before every game along with mentally preparing. “I sit down and I just think about my job,” Simonson said. “Like what I have to do this game, and I listen to music- I have my own playlist, too.” Simonson is one of many that listens to music before a big game. However, for senior Tanner Underwood, he goes about his own ways. “I drink a jar of pickle juice,” Underwood said. Many things were different this year when it came down to attitudes and behavior. Not only did the players recognize it, but varsity Head Coach Jerry Diorio noticed a major difference from last season to this year’s season. “This year’s team, number one, has commitment to each other,” Diorio said. “They’re coachable, and they challenge themselves. They’re competitors.” The team can also relate to what Diorio said about the differences from this season to last. Sophomore Hunter Markos recognized a change in attitudes, along with the other players on the team. “Our negativity went away this year,” Markos said. “The team had a lot of negativity that would bring other players down, but not this year; this year we’re all together.” Each player could agree that the attitudes last year are completely different now. For Simonson, he realized it as well and could see the difference. “A lot more leadership this year,” Simonson said. “Team chemistry is so much better and we’re tightly round. We’re a family.” After all of the improvements and accomplishments that have been made, there are many responsibilities that come with each and every player. Simons plays a big role in their defensive line up. “I’m a leader on defense, trying to get everybody together to make sure we know what we’re doing,” Simonson said. “Then to just lockdown the whole game.” Often, athletes play with a purpose. There are many factors that go into why a person plays the sport they play to reach their full potential in every game. “Playing with your best buds makes me push myself,” Underwood said. “Part of it is also knowing this is the last year.” Underwood isn’t the only one who feels that his teammates push him; Markos can also relate to him. “When you see the other players and you look around, you just want to do it for them and you want to do it for all of us,” Markos said. While there’s usually a purpose to playing a sport, there’s a person, place, or thing that can potentially inspire them. For Markos, he’s happy to say that coach Diorio inspires him a lot. “He pushes me and he played college football, and I’ve always
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wanted to play college football,” Markos said. “We’ve gone down the same paths in our life as well.” Behind a game, meet, or race, there’s meaning that follows. Markos holds a strong belief that playing the game is all for the team and others, not himself. “Well like I said; when you look around the locker room, you always just want to do it for the guys with you,” Markos said. “There’s pictures of the past players so you always want to do it for them, the coaches, and your parents.” Along with playing the game for everyone else besides the team, Underwood views it as impacting the entire community. “When the football team is doing really well, the school’s excited and people are more likely to go out,” Underwood said. “People are more supportive as a whole.” In order to keep up with an undefeated season, Coach Diorio sets aside time to go over certain things. “We all have rituals, and every coach has rituals, too, ” Diorio said. “Some coaches call it superstitions, I call it a routine. I try to go over last minute preparations. Making sure I dotted all my I’s and crossed my T’s. I really try to streamline my plan.” In the end, the football team had an extraordinary season this year and continues to look forward no matter what. Underwood leaves a few last words to his senior teammates and overall senior athletes: “Have fun with it,” Underwood said. “Don’t think of it as a job- think of it as an opportunity to get to spend time with your buds, and get to do something that you won’t be able to do for the rest of your life.” Along with Underwood’s last few words, Dioro had a similar outlook and told his senior athletes to have no regrets. “Leave it all on the field,” Diorio said. “Forget about tomorrow. Concentrate now because this is going to affect tomorrow. I think our kids have really done that, and I always say one play, one day, one game at a time.”
By: Kirsten Butler, Sports Editor
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College Football 1 1 Everything you need to know about the final month of college football and what it means for playoff contenders
College football always has some intense games. Whether it be a rivalry game or an unranked team going point for point with a top team, there are bound to be some upsets that were unexpected. There are several two loss teams that are out of playoff contention, however, if they beat playoff contenders they could cause a lot of debate when experts go to pick which teams will play for a championship. The 13 experts form a committee, called the College Football Playoff (CFP) Committee, that form a list of the top 25 college football programs. These picks can cause some negative debate among fans. Ohio St was ranked number one in the first CFP rankings ahead of LSU and Alabama. People were unhappy because they thought LSU has had more quality wins.
Facts about the college football playoffs • No team ranked number one in the first CFP ranking has gone on to win the national championship. • The first year the four team bracket was used was following the 2014 season. • Alabama and Clemson have won four of the last five national championships (two a piece). • Alabama has competed in four straight national championship games (2-2 in those four games). • Ohio St, Oregon, Florida St and Alabama were the four teams selected to play in the first ever playoffs.
College football AP ranked teams that got upset by unranked teams Oct 12
#3 Georgia loses 20-17 to South Carolina in overtime
Oct 19
#6 Wisconsin loses 24-23 to Illinois on a last second field goal
Oct 26
#5 Oklahoma loses 48-41 to Kansas State Kansas State moves into Top 25
Nov 9
#4 Penn State loses to #17 Minnesota 31-26
Nov 16
#8 Minnesota loses to #20 Iowa 23-19
• Ohio St beat Alabama in the 2014 semifinals 42-35. The other semifinal game was Oregon versus Florida St. Oregon won that game 59-20. • The first national championship game to be played under the new bracket format was held at AT&T Stadium. Ohio St beat Oregon 42-20. • Alabama is the only school to be in all five of the college football playoffs. • Alabama is also the only team to be in four straight national championship games.
Biggest Upset of 2019
VS 15 Auburn beat 5 Alabama 48-45. It was a back and forth game. Alabama did not have their starting quarterback because of injury. Alabama ended up going down to 12 in the next rankings, with Auburn moving up to 11.
By: Jameson Hartley, Reporter
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The Crystal Point
Anyone who degree or higher. A lives in the United bachelor’s degree is a States knows four-year degree in which how expensive it a student is required can be to attend Why the cost of college should be free all across the World, including the United States to take 120 semester college after high credits. One semester school. Often the question “Should college be free?” pops up or “Is credit on average is $594. A full bachelor’s degree can cost $71,280 college worth it?” within four-years of college. About 53 percent of students right out of Over the years, the cost of college tuition has gradually increased. college, are unemployed or working in a job that doesn’t require a For the 2017-2018 school year the average tuition for a four-year bachelor’s degree. private college is $34,740. Public universities have in-state and out-ofOn Sept. 18, 2018, New Mexico announced a plan to make state tuition. The average in-state tuition cost was $9,970 and outtuition at all state colleges free. This means regardless of one’s of-state had an average of $25,620. Over the years, it is expected family income, a student can go to college for free. A lot of countries to have an increase in the yearly prices of 3.2 percent at public abroad offer free college. This includes countries like Brazil, France, universities and 2.4 percent at private four-year colleges. Germany and Iceland. In Michigan, the average student debt is $32,158 and the number Ulitimately, the answer is yes, college should be free. So many of people who come out of college with debt is at 59 percent. Over Americans are stuck with debt after their four-year experience. The 44 million Americans conjointly hold more than $1.5 trillion in student cost of a bachelor’s degree can be more than an actual paycheck. debt. When people think about going to college and what they want to do About half of all jobs paying over $35,000 require a bachelor’s in their future, the cost of it has a huge impact on that decision.
Free College
Class Size Concerns Large classes at Lakeview hinder students’ ability to learn
Administration and staff in the Lakeview School District have been striving to connect with students on a multitude of levels from developing personal relationships to focusing on how to reach students of color in order to foster success. However, one element teachers have no control over that negatively impacts student success is class size. Some classes have as few as 15 students, but many have at least 30 students and one of the classes has over 80 students. With the larger classes comes some potential issues, such as teacher control over the class. These issues have a tremendous impact on the learning environment as well as student safety Smaller classes have their benefits. “Researchers have come to a general consensus that smaller class sizes produce positive social, emotional and academic results,” said Weston Kieschnick, a Senior Fellow for the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE). Kieschnick who was previously a teacher and
principal also says that to get the most benefits a class should be about 18 students to one teacher., and “reduction in class sizes has the greatest benefit when applied longitudinally to grades K-3.” According to school counselor Robert Allison, the average class size at LHS is about 23 students. “But that is very misleading because that takes into account every advanced course and support courses, which are smaller by design,” Allison said. However, English 9B sizes for trimester two are on average 31-32 students per class. Other classes are even larger. “The overall average isn’t that big,” Allison said, “but, when you get looking into some specific courses, the average becomes much larger.” Reducing class sizes would cost the district money because more teachers would be needed, but in the National Education Association’s publication “Today” a February 2019 article
stated, “The things that cost money benefit students. Ample research indicates that children in smaller classes achieve better outcomes, both academic and otherwise, and that class size reduction can be an effective strategy for closing racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps.”
Source: “Class Size Reduction: A Proven Reform Strategy,” NEA Policy Brief, 2015
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By: Jameson Hartley, Reporter
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PRO
SANITARY PRODUCTS DO NOT NEED THE FEMALE SIGN
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Always sanitary products are getting rid of the female, Venous, symbol so they can be more inclusive of people of the transgender and non-bianary community. (The transgender community is a group of individuals who feel like their personal identity and gender do not correspond with their birth sex. Non-bianary individuals’ gender identity is neither exclusively male nor female.) This change, even though subtle, is a step in the right direction. The biggest argument of those in favor of this change is that not everyone who menstruates is female as well as not every woman menstruates. This concept was behind the rationale for creating a more inclusive brand for all customers. “We’re also committed to diversity and inclusion and are on a continual journey to understand the needs of all of our consumers,” Procter and Gamble, the parent company of Always, said. Those against the removal of the Venous symbol feel like they’re being deprived of their rights as women. “Removing the female symbol from sanitary towel packaging is basically denying the existence of women,” feminest Julie Bindel said. However, multiple women claim that they didn’t even realize that the symbol was there until the controversy was create about Always removing it from their packaging. Marketing and advertising are constantly updating and being modified based off of newer generations. Brands and advertisers are going to start shifting because of all the societal changes and what the newer generations are more responsive to. By: Gabriella Ramos-Edgell, Reporter
CON
Recently, the brand “Always” made the decision to remove the female symbol from the wrapping of their menstrual hygiene products. The purpose for this change was to be more inclusive to LGBT+ members; specifically transgender and non-binary costomers. This change is not meant for women who now identify, or have transitioned to men, this is inclusive to men to women transformations. Scientifically speaking, men cannot menstruate; even if you’re on the proper hormones. The new movement, “everyone can menstruate” was started by a transgender women, who believe that by appearing as a women, he was granted access to a menstrual cycle. If it’s not already been made present, menstruation is the shedding of the uterus wall, which is a female reproductive organ. Even if you were to get the proper surgeries to present yourself as a woman, they have not scientifically been able to produce the women's reproductive organs. Out of approximately 327.2 million Americans, only .06 percent, or 1.4 million, identify as transgender or non-binary, accoding to USA Today. “In 2017, there were 165.92 million women in the United States,” said Statista So essentially, companies are taking away the female perspective from female hygiene products in order to accommodate for an extremely low percentage of the overall female population. Transgender woman Blaire White speaks out against the new movements that have pushed companies such as “Always” to change their products. “Is it that pressing of an issue that you have to potentially alienate the 99.999 percent of customers who buy your product, who are women, for these 0.0001 percent that are non-binary.” said Blaire White in a youtube video based on the topic of periods and tans people's involvement. At this point, we are not creating progression in our society, we are creating regression. We are no longer fighting for relevant topics, we are fighting to play the victim in each and every situation. We are creating generations of overly sensitive and easily triggered people. We don’t want to have a real conversation because most of the population is going in a direction where everything is so exclusive if you don’t fit into the crowd of a small group with big mouths. We shouldn’t have to change a female symbol on a female product because 20 of the customers are offended. Because now women are offended. You’re taking female empowerment from them and telling them to feel bad because they’ve excluded such a small number of people. By: Jazmin Young, Reporter
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MENTAL BREAKDOWN Schools across the country have “National suicide rate has been taken in allowing students taking on the rise and recently hit a 50-year mental health days at school. States high, climbing more than 30% since such as Utah and Oregon enacted a 1999. Being open to adults about law for it, and other states such as our mental health promotes positive Colorado, Florida, and Washington dialogue that could help kids get are attempting to get a bill passed. the help they need,” The Centers for Oregon passed a bill to allow five Disease Control and Prevention said. mental health days a year. It is Allowing students to take mental stated that this is meant to change health days can help provide them the stigma around mental health with the mental break they need for in a state that has some of the US themselves. High school students take highest suicide rates and encourage on a lot more pressure nowadays, kids to admit when they’re struggling. getting perfect grades and scores “In the age of social media, for college, pressure from parents, the internet, self-pressure and constant from peers bombardment of judgements, Allowing students negative news pressure to take mental health and events our from peers, days can help provide children are living up to them with the mental bearing the brunt their own of a quicklyexpectations, break they need for c h a n g i n g homework , themselves. society. It is their job (if time for us to have one), take mental sports, etc; health as a whole more seriously, Sometimes just taking a day off kids are under a lot of pressure,” gives them the relief they need. Florida House of Representatives Almost 40 percent of parents say Democrat Susan Valdes said. their high-schooler is experiencing a Florida is starting to recognize the lot of stress from school, according to toll on teenagers mental state of mind a new NPR poll conducted with the and attempt to get a bill to be passed Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for students in Florida to be allowed to and the Harvard School of Public take mental health days. The Centers Health. In most cases, that stress is for Disease Control and Prevention from academics, not social issues or have taken up on statistics that many bullying, the poll found. A survey states who are attempting to pass bills by the American Psychological have looked to for more evidence Association found that nearly half to help prove that students need to of all teens — 45 percent — said they start focusing on their own health. were stressed by school pressures.
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8 everyday mental health tips
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Exercise
2
Meditate
3
Get enough sleep
4 5 6 7 8
Sit up straight
Surround yourself with supportive friends Set attainable goals
Eat nutritious meals
Seek help when you need it
See Summit Pointe information on pg. 19
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Signs of Suicide If You Need Help... * Increased alcohol and drug use * Aggressive behavior * Social withdrawal from friends, family and community * Dramatic mood swings * Talking, writing or thinking about death * Impulsive or reckless behavior
Summit Pointe 24-Hour Crisis * 1-800-632-5449 Summit Pointe Youth Mobile Crisis Team * 269-441-5945 National Suicide Prevention Hotline * 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line
By: Alexa Morey, Reporter
* Text HOME to 74174
For further information, see page 5
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